little love blue

grey cabinets...

2012-01-21T16:22:00.001-05:00

kitchen of photographer helen norman

i saw this photo today and i'm in love. i have really decided i want to paint my cabinets grey (a little more of a true grey and less green grey than these). after only a year the white on the base cabinets looks so dingy and needs repainting. i like the idea of keeping the upper cabinets white though (i'm loving this creamy white). someday, of course, we would love to redo the kitchen and take it back to more of a farm house look. but i think updating the cabinet paint and hardware will go a long way. i recently bought one of these plate shelves from ikea to hang up as well.

i have it all put together, i just need to get some help hanging it. i was cleaning up my office this morning and looking at my growing pile of house projects, realizing i need to get to work. i have various things i have been collecting, just waiting to be hung or finished sewing, etc. sometimes i get so overwhelmed that i just do nothing at all. seriously, last week i broke a lamp in office and glass was everywhere! i just looked at it in despair and shut the door. i may have never returned if my husband hadn't discovered it and bravely cleaned it up for me. his little act of kindness inspired me to get in there and start organizing for a new year!

prairie seed...

2012-01-16T17:09:00.000-05:00

my sister, katy, and i are back to business in our prairie seed shop and blog (well, to be honest, katy is so far). we have some great new items in both the shop and blog. we are also having having a very cool snow days sale in the shop... 15% off everything in the shop until the 21st! just enter in the code SNOWDAYS when you check out to receive the discount. so be sure check out our selection of vintage and handmade goods before the sale ends!

cabin retreat...

2012-01-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

i have always wanted to stay in a cabin the week after christmas, and this year we finally did it! we went up to the mountains of asheville and had such a lovely time. we found a little cabin from the 1800's that had been lovingly renovated... it had lots of beautiful land, outbuildings and a creek. we also ventured often into asheville and the surrounding area, including the arboretum which was lovely even in winter. my husband and i actually were married in asheville nearly 10 years ago but haven't been back since then! we were able to take the kids to see the inn where we were married and it was amazing to be back there with them! we hope to visit asheville again sooner and not wait another ten years... hopefully in warmer months because we have only been there in the cold. it is only about 4 hours from us now, so i am sure we will be back again soon.

p.s. from the pictures of the kids half dressed it may not look that cold but it was, it even snowed while we were there! they are just crazy.

tree of life...

2012-01-12T10:15:00.000-05:00

wow, how is it the 12th of january already? getting the kids back into the routine of school has been difficult. we even needed a day off yesterday! i guess we got use to being all together again and going back was hard. this weekend is a long one though, so that should be helpful. i am trying to get back into the swing of normal life myself. it ws nice to sort of take a break from heavy shop updates and orders this christmas. it is the first i have really been able to enjoy for a long time. i need to be better about filling my shop up early so i can always do that. i also got to make some of my presents this year, which i rarely have had time for in the past. i enjoyed making three of these tree of life embroidery pieces (i only got pictures of two, one was already mailed off). it was fun spending time making each one unique and i'm pleased how they came out. i would like to keep working on the idea in the future and see of i can improve on the design. i am in love with the symbolism of the shaker tree of life, and used that for my inspiration.

i will be back soon to share some photos of the beautiful mountain cabin we stayed in after chrsitmas as well!

happy new year...

2012-01-01T14:59:00.000-05:00

xoxoxo cary

christmas lemons...

2011-12-15T22:10:00.001-05:00

they took nine months to grow. nine months! that is like making a baby. i got two. on ei made into my favorite lemon muffins. i guess that is liking eating your own baby but damn, they were delicious! i have one more lemon left and have to find something else good to do with it. my son is hoping for more muffins. they are really good. so here is the recipe i use. a little holiday gift to you. i wish i could give you all some homemade muffins!

Mani's Real Lemon Muffins

Muffin Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats
1 1/4 cup yogurt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup WS Fair Trade organic sugar plus 2 Tbsp. divided
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. lemon zest

Method: Preheat the oven to 375° F. Line a muffin pan with muffin cups or brush with oil. Stir together the oats and yogurt. Set aside for at least 20 minutes or up to one hour, at room temperature. Mix together the flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the oat and yogurt mixture, eggs, vegetable oil, lemon juice and lemon zest. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon just until blended. Divide evenly among the muffin cups and sprinkle each with 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Bake for 18 minutes or until the muffins spring back when pressed lightly with your finger. Cool on rack. Makes one dozen muffins.

besides muffin making, i am finishing up some last minute gifts. they look really nice and i will share some photos after they are given. i will be back with some other fun tings after the holidays. i hope you all are having a lovely december, and enjoying whatever holidays you may celebrate. the winter solstice was dark and rainy all day and we enjoyed staying in our pj's all day and watching christmas movies and appreciating the christmas cheer in our home.

nine...

2011-12-02T08:46:00.001-05:00

nine!! happy birthday to my beautiful spirited baby boy! the boy they nicknamed "the little old man" in the nursery because he was such an old soul. the boy who hated to lay down as newborn because he always wanted to see the world. the boy who crawled at 5 months, walked at 8 months, ran at 10 months and never looked back. the boy who has only two favorite "toys" that he ever "plays" with... his wooden sword and his dear "bear bear". the boy with the biggest heart and largest imagination. i wish i could take a trip inside that magic world in his head... and oh, boy when he's ready to share it you better sit down because he can go on for hours! these has been the best years of my life and I can't wait for the next nine!! love you Bubba!! you are an amazing friend to all, an amazing big brother, and an all around amazing person!

happy thanksgiving...

2011-11-22T17:26:00.001-05:00

hello! happy (almost) thanksgiving to all my lovely blog readers. i know we will all be busy the next few days... at least many of us in the u.s. so i thought i'd post today to wish you all a lovely week with your family and friends. thank you all for being such good friends to me. remember this little tutorial that katy and i did oh so many years ago? well, etsy has it back up this week as part of their how-tuesday: thanksgiving roundup. it's a fun little needle felting project that is a good introduction for new needle felters, older children, or a sweet idea for decorating the children's place settings on thanksgiving day (plus, a cute take home gift for them).

also, to say thanks this year, i have lowered my prices in the shop. thanks to all my loyal customers and to everyone who shows me support throughout the year!

nativity...

2011-11-20T12:53:00.001-05:00

just to let you know, there is a listing up in the shop now for custom nativity orders. they take two weeks for katy (winsome hollow) and i to complete. find out more information here.

today was the last week for our farmer's market... boo. it has become a favorite weekly ritual for us and april is seeming very far away! there were so many good vegetables today... we got a ton of greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, rutabagas, turnips, herbs, tomatoes, plus bread and more. we will really miss it. do you have a favorite farmer's market? we all love going. we always see people we know, the kids play the whole time, they have great chef demos from some of the best chefs in atlanta, lot's of goodies to eat while we are there, including delicious wood fired pizza, and plenty of doggies for charlie to say hello to (plus, lot's of goodies for him to try to steal). we were lucky that it started right after we moved to the neighborhood and was an instant success... thanks to all the hard work of those who run it and of course the farmers and bakers themselves! i can't wait until next year. i also can't wait to turn all that good food into a thanksgiving meal this weel. my kids, and husband have the whole week off, and i am lucky to be surrounded by my lovely little family!

a little donkey and a lost tooth...

2011-11-15T13:31:00.001-05:00

a new little donkey friend finished today and going in the shop soon. sweet for christmas or anytime... the little baskets can be filled with whatever suits your fancy.

in other news, my little one lost her front tooth last night! adorableness all around. now she just needs to lose the other before christmas and then we can sing her the song... though she informed me today i was welcome to sing it to her anyway.

"see, no tooth!"

bear with me...

2011-11-14T16:15:00.001-05:00

a little bear i made special order last week

i am afraid to admit that i was listening to christmas music today while i cleaned the kitchen... the new she & him christmas album on spotify. i'm kinda falling hard for spotify. do you use it? i'm so in the mood for christmas this year. it seems a lot of us are feeling this way... i keep seeing people guiltily admitting to already listening to christmas music as well. i do find it helps put me in the mood for making things for the shop though. i won't have a huge update, as my poor little shop has been so neglected that i feel like i can't really compete up with all the vast amount of choices that are on etsy these days. i think it's cool, but also a little overwhelming! i will have some more animals... including a really cute (if i do say so myself) donkey, that i can't wait to share. i hope to have it finished tomorrow. also, i have a couple of other new ideas i'm excited to work on! i have reminded myself that sometimes i need to splurge on new fabrics to work with in order to feel inspired. i am not good at doing the same things over and over! i also plan to make some gifties for our prairie seed shop. have you checked it out lately? katy has added some really delicious aprons and other goodies!!

sweet pocket apron

black and white gingham apron

three lovely linen tea towels

little views from around the house (fall edition)...

2011-11-09T17:15:00.002-05:00

my daughter decided she wanted to make a little centerpiece for the table after collection the eggs yesterday and this is what she came up with... i guess she does pay attention to what i do around the house

lemons finally turning yellow... but after nine months of watching them grow how could i ever eat them?

berries from the yard

chicken corner, for after chicken "doody" (sorry couldn't resist)

view of the coop from outside my kitchen window when i look out in the morning

new sign

i painted the hallway white last week, and i love the light now. i need a new rug and some art on the wall

library, a major work in progress

hall light. i'd like to replace this when i find something right but i'm thinking of replacing the shades for now

i can't wait to decorate the stairs for christmas (and the whole house too!!)

new little sheep...

2011-11-05T14:33:00.000-04:00

a new little sheep in the shop in time for the holidays! i have a lot more holiday goodies coming this month, so keep an eye out!

faber castell...

2011-11-02T08:25:00.001-04:00

Faber Castell from eric yeo on Vimeo.

have you seen this amazing video? it is an ad for faber castell, which shows the artist chan hwee chong in action... recreating a famous work of art through one long continuous spiral line that varies in width and pressure! it doesn't even seem possible to me, but it is quite beautiful and inspiring! thanks so much ez at creature comforts for sharing this, it totally made my day!

also, i love faber castell. their products are amazing and i love that they make high quality items for children. we always buy these for our kids. (that's just my own opinion:)

happy birthday baby...

2011-10-31T08:54:00.000-04:00

today my baby turns six!! born 7 weeks early, she is the probably the strongest little person i know. she has such an amazing senese of herself and also the greatest comedic timing! i cannot imagine life without her. she makes me a better person everyday and i have love, love, loved watching her grow every single day of the past six years! happy birthday sidney elizabeth!!!

happy halloween to every body else!

friends...

2011-10-27T09:52:00.002-04:00

love is the perfect word to describe this darling mini collection for children at anthropologie (probably my favorite "big" store) from my friend rachel faucett of handmade charlotte. rachel is one of those amazing people who always lights up a room and is instantly best friends with everyone in it... in the most genuine way. she also has an amazing exuberance for life and always seems to make the most of whatever she does (which is a lot!). i'm so happy to see her beautiful work showcased as it should be! plus, is it strange to admit that i totally want a pair of those bloomers for myself? nevermind, don't comment on that, just check out rachel's lovely collection...

how much do i love that coat?! it is amazing! congrats rachel!!!

in other news, i wanted to share a new deer i made for the holidays that i put in the shop yesterday. i usually share my work here before listing them but this week i am running around like mad trying to get a lot of things done (including paint my hallway in the middle of all of it). the holidays are creeping up on us quickly! i'm so behind this year. I have been busily cutting out animals for the shop and i hope to have quite a few more things before christmas arrives. i hope you will check out this new little friend in the meantime...

finally, i just want to say a special thanks to you, my friends, for your kind words and thoughts last week.

xooxoxo

ten...

2011-10-21T09:30:00.000-04:00

The Road Not Taken

By Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim

Because it was grassy and wanted wear,

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I marked the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

i guess the thing about life is its unpredictability. we make choices, but they are clouded by the present and our view of them will always be changing with the future. we can't go back, as much as we may want to. you never know where this life may lead you. you can only do your best and take one step at a time.

i am remembering reece today. today i should have a boy turning ten. ten! what an amazing age, that just becomes a marker instead. today i will think of you and what ten should look like, and then i will let it go because that is not my path or yours after all. tomorrow we will buy an apple tree and plant it for you. it will be another way to remember that carries into the future instead of staying in the past. it will be something that can grow and be nourished. that is the way love is too.

xoxo

etsy favorites...

2011-10-19T09:22:00.000-04:00

pendant light large 10" glass globe, from blue moon lights

i wasn't sure what title to give to today's etsy favorites. we have been having unseasonably warm weather this week, but today we woke to rain on the roof and cooler tempatures. the low will turn into the high today and drop more tonight. we are expecting unseasonably cool tempatures and our first frost. i guess it is time to bring in my lemon trees. how has the world spun around so quickly to get me back here? i realized we have now lived every season in this house.. already! my daughter asked me if we had christmas here last year. already, this is the home she knows and is forgetting what came before... but no, once we have have christmas here i think it will finally feel like home for me. but today i am not thinking about christmas. i'm planning a halloween birthday party for her, thinking about how my husband will have to get the ladder out to fetch the halloween decorations out of the attic that we just put away. i'm also enjoying the pops of color i see out the windows, a contrast to the gray gloomy sky. i'm trying to hold onto it just a little bit before the world starts to spin again.

handmade purple harem pants, from cloud9jewels

beautiful glass cloche bell jar, from klinker

bistro cutting board, from grayworksdesign

vinatge folk napkins, from cottagefarm

extra large enamelware tea kettle, from woodlandherbgarden

meet charlie...

2011-10-18T16:44:00.001-04:00

meet charlie! he is the newest member of our family. we adopted charlie from the lifeline animal project, a great organization that rescues animals from kill shelters and finds volunteers to care for them until they are able to go to a forever home. the people that give their time and energy to these types of orgnaizations amaze me! charlie was found wondering in the woods and wasn't in very good shape. most seriously, he had heart worms, a condition that is easy to prevent but difficult to treat. we were lucky that lifeline rescued him and placed him with a wonderful man who cared for him through the treatment process, which takes months, before he could be ready for adoption. he treated him like he would his own dog, even though he knew he couldn't keep him. we are so grateful to him because we saw this beautiful dog at one of their adoption events and immediately fell in love!

charlie is an australian shepard/border collie mix, which is the kid of dog i had growing up. if you are familar with these dogs, they are very smart. they bond strongly with their owners as they are bred to be working dogs and follow commands. charlie seems to have had very few lessons in commands before ending up at lifeline. he is very sweet and willing to learn but he definitely needs more training and some redirection for those sheparding tendencies... other than "look how i can make the chickens run!" or "i must stand here and stare at the cats for an hour to make sure nothing happens to them (or until they move and then look how i can make them run!)". in the mean time we are enjoying a dog who likes to get lots of hugs, has endless patience for the kids, loves walks and meeting other dogs! we took him to the farmer's market this sunday and he was so excited to meet everyone he saw (and try to steal a few snacks). we have another dog who is very elderly, and it has been difficult watching her go down hill so suddenly. charlie is very respectful of her position in our house and it is really nice for all of us to have some young dog energy again... chicken chasing and all.

plus, how can you really resist those eyes?

camping...

2011-10-13T09:41:00.000-04:00

the kids had a fall break from school this week and since it was my husband's birthday we decided to camping for a few days. we stayed right next to a beautiful lake, on top of a mountain in north georgia. it was truly amazing, especially the leaves which have only just started changing here in atlanta. the weather was perfect, and teh rain held off until the last day when we had to pack up and leave ealier than intended. there were many other kids camping and the kids instantly made new friends. i don't have that much camping experience so i was quite proud of myself cooking over an open fire... i made lentil soup and a delicious apple slump from the apples we picked the week before. we fished, but didn't catch anything. we hiked around teh lake, went for a late night walk with glow sticks and generally had a lot of fun. i think we are all looking forward to it again...

seriously, who couldn't get used to this kind of life?!

happy birthday...

2011-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

happy birthday to my love! i can't imagine life without you! i know you will hate that i posted these, and i will definitely get this look... but i couldn't resist (and i know you will love me anyway;)!

xxxxxxxooooooooooxxxxxxxooooooo

love, cary

(and jack henry and sidney, who i think took these photos that i found)

little projects around the house...

2011-10-07T10:05:00.000-04:00

i've been working on a few projects around the house lately, just little things on a long list i am trying to get through (before taking on a few bigger projects). i have been hanging up some new prints. this one above is from abby try again, whom i love (and she just had a baby, congrats!) i love to buy prints from artists on etsy and other places, but often it is difficult to buy frames that fit... plus, i'm lazy... and cheap:) so, i had this frame but the print was slightly too small, so i added a lovely piece of grey linen. i actually really love how it came out! i think it looks even more special! this one is hanging in my kitchen, above a shelf. you can also see to the right is my "new" living room. we decided to move the living room to the room next to the kitchen and it gets used way more often now. i also love the bay windows and fireplace in here...

i'm currently recovering one of the couches, which is taking forever (because i rarely work on it). so it's looking rather shabby, or i'd show you a larger picture. i'm going to paint the walls grey, hang some art and find a new light fixture... eventually.

another little project... i liked how the print in the kitchen looked, so i decided to do another in the hall. i framed a calender page from the month and year i got married. i have been hanging onto it for almost ten years now! see, i eventually get to things. i like the little personal touch of something special and unique to us, that people will see when they first enter our home...

you can see a little bit of the "old" living room, which will become the "library". also, see the lovely temple bells i have hanging on the front door? i found those at a local vintage store and they make the sweetest sound when someone comes in. i need to replace the old twist doorbell though. it no longer works but people still come to the door and twist it thinking it does... all you hear is a little mechanical grinding noise to know people are there!

i found this little tobacco box at the same vintage store (my favorite kudzu). i have been searching for a nice little shelf to hang over my kids' play kitchen, which is in a corner of our kitchen. i was going to make something but decided this little box would make a perfect shelf...

it is right outside the playroom, which is my children's favorite spot in the house. they spend so much time here. i don't think i have really shown it before? here are a few little peeks in. the fall mantle and their little book and music shelves...

this is probably my favorite piece of furniture in the house and the most used... my childrens' art table, which we bought from some neighbors. they previously used it in their speciality foods store, but i think it is an old bakers table. the zinc top is perfect for art projects...

finally, i have been fixing up the downstairs bathroom a bit. we will eventually make this into a smaller half bath, and extend the space to use as a dining room. so, no major changes will happen to it now... just making it a little prettier in the meantime with a little sink skirt and new curtains, which i made just this week...

we have a long weekend ahead, as it the fall break at school. we are going camping and it is my husband's birthday! unfortunately, my daughter is home with a fever, so i'm crossing my fingers that all will go on as planned.

apple picking...

2011-10-04T09:06:00.001-04:00

we have found a very nice apple orchard since moving to georgia, b.j. reece. this was our third time going and although it was the busiest so far, it was still a lovely visit. it is not too crazy touristy, which i like. my kids love everything about it. the apple cannon... where my son hit the target this year (finally) and got a little prize...

eating as many apples as possible... and possibly more than we took home...

they have a little animal area. this guy was hilarious... he totally answers you when you gobble at him. have you ever seen a white turkey before? plus, the cutest baby pygmy goat! i have never seen such a small goat before...

plus, apple cider doughnuts and hot apple cider to go with them! how can you go wrong with that...

i love that these memories will last forever!

now, i need to get busy baking...

faded grandeur...

2011-09-30T09:04:00.002-04:00

i love the article and amazing photo slide show that accompanies the story of two artists, ersy schwartz a sculptor and josephine sacabo a photographer, living and working in new orleans. be sure to go check it out! here are a few more peeks from sacabo's home and work ...

credit: sara essex bradley for the new york times

here's a little peak at what i have been working on this week. a pair of lion twins, for a special order. ready to mail off...

fun!

have a lovely weekend. i'm planning to buy some pumpkins and pick some apples!

etsy favorites, for the love of fall.....

2011-09-29T08:41:00.001-04:00

rustic rag rug

how long has it been since i have done an etsy favorite? too long. i'm feeling inspired by my favorite season to share some etsy love. i am going apple picking this weekend. hopefully it won't be too crazy with people. i usually go too late in the season because i am on new york time still, but it is a good way to avoid the crowds. this year we are going a little bit earlier so that my son can be sure to get a chance at the apple cannon! i like the place we go because that is about as touristy as they get. my son's cub scout troup is having a pumpkin sale this weekend also, so i am planning on loading up on pumpkins. yes, it is weird for me to write that my son is in cub scouts. the other day i heard myself actually say "finish your homework so you can go to to cub scouts". it is amazing where life can take you:)

what are your favorite fall traditions? enjoy some etsy goodness and let me know!

copco tea kettle

vintage navajo rug

regency stripe red cotton cushion cover

fuchsia ruffled bib

the rolston bag

happy fall!!!

one perfect egg...

2011-09-27T14:09:00.000-04:00

well, after a bit of sad news in the last post i am happy to report some good chicken news today. i found my first egg! i let the chickens out this morning and did some work in the yard. after a few minutes rosalita left on her own to go back to the coop. they always travel in a group so i knew something was up. when i came back later i found this! it's nice to finally see the whole process come full circle:) the kids will be so excited... maybe i should put it back so they can find it too?

i promise this isn't turning into a chicken blog, but we did go on a great backyard chicken coop tour this weekend. we had so much fun seeing all the different styles of coops, chickens and owners. we met someone close by who is hatching rare birds and offered to sell us some anytime, which is great, so i won't have to mail order next time. if you are thinking about chickens or even already have them it is a really fun way to learn more and meet others in the chicken community!

in work related news, i have sold a few things in the shop and i'm working on some more. my sister and i will make a limited number of nativity scenes this year also. last year they were very poplular and sold quickly. we have already had some interest for this year, so if you are thinking about getting one just let me know! can you believe it is already fall and time to think about these things?

r.i.p...

2011-09-14T00:14:00.000-04:00

we lost our first chicken last week. i know it is part of owning chickens and i had prepared myself and the kids for the possibility, but it wasn't until it happened that i relaized just how attached i am to them. it doesn't help that she was one of my favorites. this is her on the day we lost her.... the chickens like to come up everyday and say hello and even tap on the glass door as if they are asking to come in or just to stop by and chat. it was also extra hard because it was the first time i have forgotten to close them in at night. i was surprised the next morning when they were waiting for me on the porch when i came down in the morning. i had a bad feeling and when i went outside to check, one was gone. it took a little searching and i found her in the yard... i think an owl got her. poor dear. i hope it was quick. the kids took it really well when i told them after school... much better than me in fact. we have been chasing off hawks as well, on nearly a daily basis now. i have friends who have lost so many chickens. i don't think i can stand to see them picked off. so, the next project around here is building a little pen to enclose the coop in. we have quite a lot of space in the back so they will still have a lot of freedom. i will miss the little taps hello though.

2011-09-09T17:12:00.002-04:00

“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

my thoughts are with everyone this weekend, including my fellow new yorkers. part of me will be forever tied to that beautiful resilient place and the people so filled with love and courage.

have a lovely weekend!

little grey elephant...

2011-09-06T09:23:00.000-04:00

i have a new little elephant in the shop! i love this little one, she is so sweetly shy. she has a little plaid blanket and floral ears. i feel a little rusty taking photos (and i haven't figured out the best spot in my new house yet) and i don't think i even did her justice. she has sweet little black lashes that were hard to capture. maybe it's time to actually work on my photography skills too?!

i have some new items i'm working on this week (though i have a little one home sick today so it may be a little slower). hope you are all well. we have a high of only 70 degrees today! heaven! it's also rainy and leaves are blowing around... i love it! this is my favorite weather... until i have to pick up my son this afternoon on my bike, perhaps;)

ah, september...

2011-09-01T13:35:00.001-04:00

when i moved to new york, oh so long ago, one of the things i most looked forward to was fall. and boy, new york did not disappoint! each year was a spectacular show of loveliness, starting in september. you would wake up in september one morning and find the most beautiful blue skies you could imagine and a hint of something in the air that gave you this renewed sense of hope. after eleven years of that i will always wake up on the first day of september and remember that feeling. fall will always be my favorite season of the year no matter where i live. fall in the south is a different experience and i am still figuring it out. they do not have that sudden burst of showy color that lasts a few weeks and then fades in a blaze of glory like new york does. it is a slower process that is more languid and drawn out.... just like the south itself. you don't have the intensity perhaps, yet it also does not fade quickly giving you plenty of time to enjoy it. in new york, thanksgiving generally looked like winter, while here you will still expect the lovely autumn scenes you see in books. i'm a little nervous about fall this year as i look out my window and see brown leaves already filling the lawn. too many hot days and little rain will have its effect i'm sure, but i can still look forward to the bounty of apple picking, pumpkins, fall gardening, festivals and walks in the woods. september is a welcome sigh of relief, even if the weather takes a while to catch up to the images in my mind!

now that the children and i are starting to settle into a routine i am finding myself with time to get my hands busy sewing again. look forward to some new items shared here and arriving in the shop soon! maybe i will have to do something fall themed... but for now you will have to settle for a little look ahead to winter!

look for this little dapper fellow in the shop very soon!

of eggs and eggplants...

2011-08-17T10:33:00.003-04:00

i come from a long line of green thumbs. my grandmother grew up in a nursery (the plant kind:) that is still family owned and the oldest florist in existence in lexington, kentucky... michler's:

"In 1869 a young man of 30 named Carl Michler came to the U.S. from Wuertenberg, Germany. Trained in floriculture and landscape gardening, he settled in to Lexington by 1897. In 1900, after receiving an inheritance from his brother Wilhelm, a famous scientist, Carl built the first of seven large greenhouses. According to Kerr’s History of Kentucky,1922...

'He (Carl Michler) had the real genius of a plant grower and his products came into immediate favor and there was a demand that made it difficult to keep his facilities expanding fast enough.'

In 1902 Carl began to develop the facilities at 417 East Maxwell Street, which remain intact to this day. The business was then known as Michler Brothers, named for two of Carl’s active sons, Charlie and Louis."

louis was my grandmother's father. after marrying my great-grandmother, carrie, they took over the florist and his brother took over the landscaping business. louis patented his own snapdragon, which has always been one of my favorite flowers. my own grandfather built one of the greenhouses that is still there. it is a very special place.

unfortunately, i can't say that i inherited any of this family talent. i have always had a tendency to doom houseplants just by looking at them! i spend a great amount of my time walking through botanical gardens (my favorite visit being the one in brooklyn with my mother's cousin john michler who runs the nursery now), but i can't imagine being able to reproduce such gorgeous greenery myself. living in new york city has of course added to my lack of experience. now that i have my own little half acre of land, i'm hoping to change that. i have no aspirations of greatness... just not total failure! so, this summer i dug out a little square of ground that i plan to expand on slowly. my husband and i are also slowly trying to figure out how to care for what is here, and look to the future and imagine what could be. the first thing we did when moving in was to plant a tree for each child... so they can feel a small connection to their heritage and know the pride of caring for a living thing. so far both trees are still alive too! so we are off to a good start!

above you can see the eggplants that i proudly pulled form my garden this week... they were delicious. try this wonderful dish my mom shared, that is how we always eat them (even my kids like it!). we have a few watermelons growing and hopefully (crossing my fingers) pumpkins.

we are also waiting for our first eggs, hence that part of the post title. it may not be for a while yet, but i can't help going out to check everyday just in case. this is especially true after a hawk went after my chickens the other day (they all made it) and i had to chase them out of the neighbors yard... where i stepped on an old rusty bar and then had to get a tetanus shot. ugh. i think some eggs would definitely make all of that worth it! i'll keep you posted.

first day of school...

2011-08-08T10:42:00.001-04:00

at home still

walk to school

they look a little uncertain here. i think we were all feeling that this morning. they were both awesome. saw a little boy bawling his eyes out and nearly lost it myself. i made it out of the school before crying. i miss them so... i feel like my heart broke in two and walked out the door. it gets easier right?

on a more uplifting note! my sister katy is featured in better homes and gardens 'do it yourself magazine' this month. it is a great feature. i hope you will check it. the magazine has lot's of great diy ideas, i'm really enjoying reading it. go over to her winsome hollow blog for a chance to win a copy... along with a little handmade goodie from her. check back in later this week (not only to make sure i haven't turned into a little puddle;) but also for a chance to win a copy from me!

it's just that hot...

2011-07-27T16:40:00.000-04:00

this is what my children did after playing outside yesterday! it has been such a hot summer (i know i don't have to tell you that!). we have been at the pool most everyday... and then laying around like slugs the rest of the time. what creative things have your children done to try to beat the heat?!

we have also been getting ready for some big changes around here. my children have decided to try school this year. i think we are all feeling a conflicting mix of emotions. both kids have attended some form of school before, but never at the same time. so, i am facing a big change myself. i have had a child with me everyday for the past eight years! that is a long time. i think it will be a fun adventure for all of us, and it will be interesting to see what happens! so, i am trying to soak up my time with them a bit now and that is why the absence from blogging. i am looking toward the future though and thinking of the time i will have to myself. perhaps it is time for me to step back into my work a bit. i know most of you have probably given up on me, and i had pretty much given up on myself but i am looking foward to creating again. i hope you will stick with me a bit longer:)

hope you are all staying cool!

fairy houses...

2011-06-29T10:24:00.001-04:00

via

this past weekend we took a visit to a lovely local garden, woodlands, that is open only once a month. it is a little seven acre oasis in the middle of the city... full of native plants and flowers. right now it is also full of fairy houses. they are part of a project by skyland trail...

"skyland trail is a community-based nonprofit that offers hope to adults with mental illness by guiding them on the path to recovery. clients engaged in both art and horticulture therapy, and inspired by the magic of woodlands garden through regular visits, have created miniature homes and gardens alongside the paths. fairy home building and gardening taps into the imagination and ingenuity of adults struggling with mental illness. it allows individuals to celebrate the intricacies of nature while embracing their own talents and passions."

it was so much fun for the children (and me) to walk through the garden trail, discovering fairy houses. the one shown above was my personal favorite... a nest where fairies are born and spend time waiting for their wings to dry and figuring out what sort of fairy they will be. the kids were very inspired to come home and start working on fairy homes in our own garden...

i like that it is a project that encourages the children to look at our yard in a new way, to pay closer attention to nature when we are there and walking in the neighborhood... finding little things to add to the houses. i like that is an ongoing project, always changing. i especially like the idea of having these little hidden magical places to discover in the yard! i hope they make a lot more! maybe the chickens will enjoy discovering them too...

some more photos around the house...

2011-06-20T17:28:00.000-04:00

feathers

i was sitting on the couch today, looking at the view above and admiring the pretty light... when i realized how little i take pictures around the house anymore. since moving i have been so busy setting up house... or imagining all i want to do... that i forget to stop and capture the little moments around here that truly make it a home for me. so here are a few photos from today... and i promise to share more moments to come. click the links to see the descriptions that go along with each image!

chicken update...

2011-06-18T12:49:00.001-04:00

update! a new picture and a suggestion from someone that they might be a new hampshire red? i guess time will tell... they definitely are turning more red...

little eliza here is funny... she follows me around like a puppy when i come out with food!

we are finally finishing up the coop and i will share some more photos soon.

etsy love...

2011-06-16T10:11:00.001-04:00

a nice suprise to see my little deer on the front page this morning, and yesterday in the etsy finds email... with my favorite subject, little creatures! did you see it? very cute. this is a beautiful tresury too... so soft and pretty. you can see the full one here. my shop has been so bare and neglected i am always so honored when someone stumbles upon it to find and show off my little creatures.

you know this is how i feel about all of you;) ....

hope you are havinga lovely day too...

mystery chicks...

2011-06-10T18:39:00.006-04:00

so being new to owning chickens, there is obviously a lot i do not know. i ordered 3 different breeds but only just noticed this week that out of my 3 buff orpingtons... two are not. hmmm. it's funny because they looked very similar as chicks, and really up to a few weeks ago looked almost exactly the same. then one day i was watching them run in the grass and realized they now look nothing alike. i assumed there must be variations in the breed but when i looked it up i found buff orpingtons are a very straight forward breed. they are all buff, with round bodies and pale legs. in other words, like my chick "goldie"...

you can see the difference between "goldie" and "eliza" who is shown above. eliza definitely doesn't fit the description. neither does "teeny"...

she has the same coloring as eliza... but she is my little runt:) same coloring, but smaller. eliza and teeny are buff with brown, white and even black in their tail. they have yellow legs also, and they aren't plump like goldie. quite a mystery... at least to me! my guess is the hatchery got them mixed up with another breed. i have no idea with what? my only guess is they might be buff rocks? maybe? anyone know about chicken breeds out there?! perhaps it will be easier when they are hens. ultimately, it doesn't matter... but the mystery is sort of fun:)

summertime, and the living is easy...

2011-06-07T16:53:00.002-04:00

"i solemnly swear that i am up to no good". pretty much a theme around here. easy summer days full of mischievous fun! we hurry outside in the morning before the heat really sets in (95 everyday, really is that necessary?)... eating breakfast, and later dinner on the porch. letting the chickens out to run. building a new garden (finally). chasing chickens out of the garden. climbing trees. finding hiding chickens. scrambling to get the coop done. beating back mosquitoes. eating popsicles, trips to the pool. chasing chickens. resting on the porch, under the fans. general summer fun!

visit my flickr page to read more descriptions of the photos above:)

framed...

2011-05-26T11:55:00.002-04:00

my husband was working hard on the chicken coop last weekend... not always easy when you have two little "helpers" in tow. the basic frame is up and this weekend the roof will go on and the actual house made. i know it is a challenge for him, especially as we lived in the city for so many years and he doesn't have all the tools he needs. my mania for chickens probably got the better of me and i appreciate his patience and hard work. we decided not to put them in the barn, as this is also our only storage place at the moment and it does need work (we did find out from a neighbor that a horse lived here not too long a ago!). instead we are building a new coop and attaching it to the run which already exists. we are making the garden coop, with a few modifications as we will already be at full coop capacity with eight birds. obviously, the run will be much bigger but we are also making the house slightly larger as well as putting the egg boxes on the outside wall rather than in. i will share more images with you as it starts to actually look like a coop!

the frame will be moved back to attach to the existing run

we definitely need to get things done, as the hens are growing rapidly. the older chicks are really starting to look like chickens now and the babies are feathering out quickly and imitating the older ones in behavior already. my husband made an outside box for them so they can explore in the afternoons, which they love, and give our house a little break from chicken mess!

i wish i could be more of a help with the coop. i feel kind of helpless when it comes to building. i have been busy in the yard myself though... planting flowers, herbs and some vegetables. i'm anxious to get a garden started for real. we actually have sun here! i also cleaned our front porch and made it fun to hang out on. i'm currently sitting out here while writing, and also watching a bird build a nest while my daughter builds some sort of elaborate trap to "catch" her brother in. i forgot to take pics of the porch but i will share some soon. i did take some of the downstairs bath, which i have been working on as well. i painted and made a curtain for the window... i hung some art and plants, and i need to make a skirt for the sink next.

needs to be painted but i can't decide a color, the floors will be painted grey also

sink is waiting for a pretty skirt to hide her ugly pipes

i am beginning to accept that this house will always be a work in progress. this bathroom will eventually be swapped with the laundry room, so i am just trying to make it livable for now.

wedding...

2011-05-16T11:31:00.001-04:00

via prairie seed

a few photos from the wedding we worked on in praire seed last year. i think everything came out quite lovely... mostly thanks to the talent of my sister katy! i love the vision the bride had for the wedding, and i think it worked out really well. if you are looking for something similar be sure to visit the shop... we are also having a customer appreciation sale... just enter the code may11sale when you check out.

pictures courtesy of j'adore love.

catching up...

2011-05-09T20:45:00.003-04:00

well, our house has gotten quite full lately (and looks to stay that way for a bit as we haven't even started the coop, yikes!). we had FIVE new babies arive last week. so we are up to eight. it took a little bit for the older ones and the younger ones to get used to each other but now it is like they have always been here. with eight they don't get as much cuddle time i'm afraid. the first three are so sweet and love to be held (polly is usually perched on my son's shoulder when she is out). they are extremely cute though. so now we have polly, sally, rosalita, goldie, brownie, cutie, eliza... and one sad chick who has yet to be named. they are a lot of fun... and just like real babies, a big mess! speaking of that, i hope you all had a lovely mother's day? mine was very relaxed and nice. last week was also my anniversary! we have been together 15 years and married 9! i surprised my husband with some prints from tastes orangey, which i love!! i framed them and hung them over the fireplace in our room. they remind me so much of my husband and me (my husband was even wearing the same pj's when i gave them to him!). my daughter even asked if someone had painted our picture. i'm so happy i got them... oh, and of course my husband likes the too:) here are some photos to catch you up...

a very important birthday...

2011-04-27T09:38:00.001-04:00

no. it's not for this very special little girl, but for this one...

yes, her very special doll named cassidy turned one. i had no idea until she informed me in the morning, and then of course we had to set about creating a very special day for her. you can see the presents wrapped and waiting for cassidy as she takes a nap. of course bannana muffins with chocolate chips were called for...

she loves to help in the kitchen. we had to try them out for an afternoon snack to make sure they were just right. we saved the rest for when papa came home, so we could have the very special birthday party together... complete with singing happy birthday, blowing out the candle, and opening presents.

all of it done most willingly to bring a smile to the face of a very special five year old mommy!

happy earthday, happy easter...

2011-04-22T15:09:00.002-04:00

one of the ways we are celebrating earthday and easter this year is with our naturally dyed easter eggs. we made them last year, and loved them so much that we have decided to do them this way from now on. we used basically the same ingrediants as last time... although the violets have already come and gone, so we only used blueberries for the blue. i had planned to use beets to do red, but alas we had only golden beets in the fridge! we experimented with strawberries and chili powder and got a lovely pink. next year we will do beets for sure. i love the variations and subtle colors. i can't wait to use eggs from our own hens next year!

today we are blowing out some more eggs, instead of hard boiling, and the kids are coloring them with markers to hang for an easter tree. i made a simple arrangement on the table this morning to set the mood, using a pretty vintage cloth underneath. the easter egg tree will go in the green jug. it was very pretty to look at while i had my morning coffee! i think this weekend will be lovely and warm and i am looking forward to a relaxing day spent with family. i hope your weekend is lovely, whatever you may be celebrating!

we finished the egg tree, so i added this pic!

spring at our house

chicks!!...

2011-04-20T12:51:00.001-04:00

our chicks have arrived and we are in seventh heaven around here! i have been wanting to get chickens for years... ever since i lived in brooklyn. when we moved to atlanta i hoped to find the right place to keep them and we finally have found the perfect place, here in our 150 year old farm house! the first three arrived yesterday... the black barred rocks. they have two fuzzy yellow friends to keep them company until the next 5 arrive in a few weeks, and then they will go back to a friend (who got most of hers in the first round of delivery). they will be traded in for 3 buff orpingtons and 2 easter egg chicks! i am getting chick updates every 5 minutes from the kids. important info like... "mom, one is laying down asleep with it's foot sticking out!" they do that constantly and it is hilarious. they are really fun to watch and we can't wait to see how fast they will grow!

this one is "firestorm", though all she wants to do is sit in your hand

this one is "sally henny penny", though she is the feisty one who is constantly escaping!

we are all in love!

another giveaway!...

2011-04-18T21:16:00.000-04:00

it's not me this time but my lovely sister katy who is also celebrating three years of blogging with a giveaway! run, run, run right over and enter quick. i have one of these beauties sitting on my mantel and loooove it so. i would enter the giveaway myself for another one but somehow that doesn't seem fair;) don't miss out on your chance!

diy fun with pallets...

2011-04-12T14:14:00.000-04:00

via apartment therapy

i'm loving all the creative ideas that are being inspired by used pallets.... usually found free. i saw this one on apartment therapy... how cool is that for your patio or porch? you could hang it on a wall too. you can make yourself a pallet potting bench to prepare your plants...

via re-nest

and then you can sit back on your pallet adirondack chair to enjoy your work!

via instructables

i'm off to find some for myself!

etsy favorites (after the storm)...

2011-04-07T11:29:00.002-04:00

oh snap fleece wrap jacket, by gaia conceptions

hello! i was without internet for a few days due to a bad storm/tornado at the begining of the week. we had no major damage, thankfully, and i have to say i got a lot done without the distraction of the internet! some major spring cleaning happened... boy was i sore the next day.... and a trip to the zoo. the sun is out and the weather is lovely. i am looking forward to a beautiful spring and summer too ahead.

nigel and lily embracing at sea, by this is all i know

vintage white pottery vase, from modish vintage

handmadesailing vessel, by raphaela mccormack

march fox, by amber alexander

clothespin flower yellow chenille, by winsome hollow

ps... sorry if the layout looks wonky today... blogger was acting nutty today!

giveaway winner...

2011-04-04T10:48:00.000-04:00

first of all... thank you all so much for entering! i really enjoyed reading each one of your nice entries. you are all sooooo kind. beyond kind. thank you! i wish i could give you all a sheep... but at the rate i go that would take me about two years:)

so the winner of this giveaway is....

itchin' stitchin' wrote... "oh the sheep is soooo cute!!! love your blog and i'm a new follower:)"

well, thank you so much. i hope this will encourage you to stay a follower! send me your email and i will contact you about getting your sheep:)

thank you to everyone again! i promise to have another giveaway soon.

new deer...

2011-04-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

i have a new deer in the shop. finally some new animals coming! i have a few more i am working on, and i hope to have the shop looking like a shop again soon.

this deer is slightly bigger than my last doe. she is the size of the deer with antlers i made. i have another one of those coming too that will be slightly larger. i'm trying to make my pieces a little bit larger in size.... of course that is all relative:)

don't forget to leave a comment in the giveaway below!

thanks and a giveaway...

2011-03-31T10:14:00.000-04:00

it's hard to believe but i started this blog three years ago this month. it has been a very important space for me to share my work, inpsiration, and my everyday life. i know there are so many blogs out there... it is a bit overwhelming! my blog isn't the biggest or most read by far but i do so appreciate those who visit here. my life has gone through a lot of changes the last few years... including a very big move, and choosing to homeschool the kids. because of this my little shop and blog have often been neglected. the fact that you still continue to visit me here and to buy form my shop means so much. i make work that i enjoy and though i love it i'm still surpirsed that anyone else would want to buy it! yet, over the years i have received the nicest feedback from people who have bought from me about how much my work means to them and i am always humbled by it. i wish i could give each one of you a gift of thanks but unfortunately that is not possible. so i offer my humble words of thanks to all of you, and a chance to win one my little animals. since it is spring i thought i would offer a sheep... also a sheep is fitting considering all of my work is made from wool:)

i will keep this giveaway small... it is intended for anyone who reads the blog. just leave a comment below. if you would like to share the givaway somwhere, just let me know and i'll give you an extra entry chance. unlike those big blogs out there i don't expect tons of entries... so your chances are better here! the giveaway is open to everyone. you have until sunday night (april 3rd) and i will announce the winner monday.

thanks!

nuno magazine...

2011-03-29T09:37:00.000-04:00

i was excited to see a review copy of nuno magazine land in my in box this week, which features "eco friendly craft, sewing and crochet projects". i hadn't seen this online magazine before, but really enjoyed this spring issue, rustle. the projects look really sweet and would work for a wide range of ages and ability. i'd like to try the repurposed card and envelope project. i always send a note when anyone buys from my shop and i love to find creative ways to do this. this projects uses the pages from a damaged vintage book and includes the templates you need to make your own. check it out, along with some of the other projects form the magaizine.

giraffe cake topper...

2011-03-22T16:48:00.002-04:00

i thought i'd share my latest project with you. i've been wanting to make cake toppers for quite a while now, but always get sidetracked with things like moving:) i just finished up this giraffe pair and i think they came out really cute! they are all hand sewn using wool, linen, and vintage lace. it was really fun and i look forward to making more couples... hopefully a little more quickly next time!

any suggestions?

*update: i've listed these for sale in the prairie seed shop!

some more images from around the house...

2011-03-15T16:12:00.002-04:00

well, we have another rainy spring day here. i am a little sick this week, so it is okay to be stuck home today. i thought i'd share some more photos from around the house. i have unpacked 90% of the boxes, but still have much on my to do list. including painting.... a lot of painting. i was sick of looking at the bare walls and the giant piles of pictures on the floor, so i decided to go ahead and start hanging pictures before i paint. the one above is hiding the lovely utility box that is the first thing you see when you walk in. here are some more prints in the front hall... which i plan to paint grey.

let's head upstairs... i love the stairs in our house! (see the towels hanging there? they are finally gone since i have nearly finished the upstairs bath, which i will share in a later post)...

you can see the beginning of a collection of family photos mixed with other photos of some of our favorite places, in the upstairs hall...

one of my favorite features is our double landing. the landing at the top has room for a little sitting area between the bedrooms...

windows are on our list of "major things to be done" in the next few months...

the hallway outside of my office, on the first landing...

back downstairs to the dining room/library which mostly consists of one book shelf, the pile of all the stuff left to put away, this mantle and... not much else. yet.

and going outside, this was our project this past weekend. we are working on the front yard and turned an area of grass into a large bed that will be planted with various flowers and plants (sorry you can't see it that well but it is raining)...

front stairs... another project coming up next. the original stairs are gone. my wonderful and very handy father-in-law has offered to help us tear them out and replace them with wood. the new stairs will be wider and come up to the railing, so we had to plan the bed for that. the area to the left of the rocks in the bed will eventually be a wider brick path. we have to get the approval from the historical board first. i will be excited to see these ugly things gone! we are looking forward to bringing back the beauty in the front yard, which has been neglected as the house sat empty for a year. all our neighbors keep coming over to tell us how happy they are to see it filled with a family again. we are too!

grateful friday...

2011-03-11T10:40:00.000-05:00

i haven't done this in a while. i'm grateful, yet again, for my little mud monsters! jh told me he had so much fun in the mud that next time he was going to get in and just roll around in it until he was covered. it made me remember a day at the playground when he was a toddler. there was a huge mud puddle that all the moms had forbidden their kids to go near. after a few attempts at discouraging him, i realized what was the point? so as everyone looked on in horror, i told him to go for it. he did roll around in that puddle, and splash and jump and make a huge mess. it was glorious to watch. when he was done, i stripped him done to his diaper and plopped him in his stroller and took him home to the bath. no harm done, but a memory i won't forget!

yesterday, i was brushing my teeth with the kids before bed. i suddenly realized jh was watching me intently and copying the way i was brushing. usually i struggle to try to get them to brush their teeth properly. it becomes me nagging at them to do it right, just by joining them though, i didn't have to say a thing. they watch me all the time for clues how to do things. it is the moments when i am not trying to "teach" them that they probably learn the most. in that moment i realized how important it is for me to be the best i can... not perfect.. just a good example of someone who is trying their best. i also realized that most of the time they are better teachers than i am.

i have a rare quiet house... the kids are away at a zoo camp today. i know that are having fun and i always crave a little free time... but as soon as they are gone i miss them so!

happy friday!!

let's fly planes....

2011-03-10T14:20:00.002-05:00

it's amazing with all the advanced technology available to entertain kids... how simply mesmerizing the paper airplane still is to them. my kids have been flying planes for the last hour. it never gets old! oh, the endless possiblities... racing each other, hitting the ceiling, seeing who can land it in the silliest place. we have a book of paper planes, which is fun because you can compare all the different kinds and many are designed to withstand outside play.... but for an afteroon inside, a simple little glider will do.

you can see it helps it go better if you make the "airplane noise" while it's flying!

don't you want to join us?! here is the simple origami plane we made, try it for yourself!

we plan to try these paper beeswax origami boats next...

rainy day and etsy favorites...

2011-03-09T10:29:00.001-05:00

invention artist series umbrella man, by water rose

today is another rainy day. i actually prefer the rain to just gloominess... because then you have an excuse to stay in side and curl up. here is a little rainy day inspiration from etsy...

november large image sewn print, from tastes orangey

white mushroom porcelain trinket dish, by ald designs

olive green wool blanket, from little byrd vintage

in the pines, original painting, by blair b lambert

navy blue dansk lidded stock pot, from modish vintage

low slung lounger, by flotsam furniture

hope you have a cozy day, wherever you are.

i have a new large mushroom to add to the shop... if i can find enough light to take a picture! i'm working on some other goodies this week as well.

also, i realized that this week will be the third anniversay of my blog! i can't believe it! i will have to think up somehing special to say thanks to all of you for hanging in with me... i'm think a giveaway?! more info to come.

unexpected color...

2011-03-08T15:54:00.000-05:00

it has been so gloomy this week, but lately my husband has been bringing home flowers from the market when he does the shopping. it is really nice to have these little unexpected surprises of color when i walk through the house.

we do have flowers blooming all over the neighborhood too, so i can't complain too much. the weather really does effect my mood though.

peekaboo! i'm also really in need of a haircut and that too is effecting my mood;)

working...

2011-03-07T15:04:00.002-05:00

i had a special requests for this cute pair, made once before. it has been a while since i have worked on cats. it was nice to return to them.... i even figured out an easier process for sewing them together. funny how that happens. it was good going back to sewing, and i feel i am ready to leave some of these older projects behind for a while and challenge myself to something new.

i've also added some if the little mushroom ornaments i have to the shop, because they look just as adorable hanging from a door knob or perched on a shelf as the do on a tree.

diy floor stencils...

2011-03-02T13:26:00.004-05:00

i love this diy floor stencil project over at design sponge! you use a favorite fabric as a template... and it could be used on floors, wall, furniture or more. this is a great idea. i love the look of patterned floors but they usually seem a little too "mathematical" for me! this seems a little freer somehow. very pretty, and it has a lot of possibilities.

also, check out this lovely post from katy to catch a glimpse of our lovely spring weather! don't be jealous:)

chickens!...

2011-02-28T00:27:00.005-05:00

i couldn't resist buying his little egg holder from the front house on etsy today. mostly i couldn't resist anything that has a quote like "a kiss without a mustache is like an egg without salt". it was also to celebrate needing an egg holder soon... well hopefully by fall... since we just ordered some chicks! i'm so excited. i have 8 chicks heading my way in april!! i have wanted chickens for so long, so i am really looking forward to those little cuties coming. now we just have to make a little set-up for them in the house, and then get the hen house ready. yay! can't wait to share pictures once they are here. until then, here is some other etsy chicken related goodness to start the week...

large bean pot, from jasper jane

wooden animal set, by just hatched

multicolor hen egg cozy, from annerstreet4home

vintage tuck's easter postcard, from gizmo and hoo ha

start the day rooster, from yours truly in my prairie seed shop

easy diy chicken coop plans, from 24 lavender lane

happy monday!

prairie seed...

2011-02-22T11:50:00.002-05:00

my sister katy has been doing sucha lovely job on our shop and new shop blog... as i am slowly trying to crawl out of a mountain of boxes.

not only has she added some great new items to the shop, but she finds the loveliest inspirational photos to go along with these items and get your own creative juices flowing. i hope you will check out the new blog!

and don't forget the beautiful custom made wedding/ special occasion orders you can make...

out of my comfort zone...

2011-02-18T11:10:00.001-05:00

i was very pleased to be asked a to be a stop on the blog tour for abby glassenberg's new book, the artful bird. i have long been a fan of abby's beautiful birds, and wrote about seeing them in person just after moving to atlanta. i was blown away then by the intricate work that goes into each bird and not only does this book capture them beautifully in photograph (seriously it would make a good coffee table book to have around) but gives you the opportunity to see how they are made. so, as you know i regularly sew little animals myself, but i have to admit i was intrigued and a little nervous about the idea of trying one of abby's projects. though i can hand sew up a storm, i'll let you in on a little secret... machine sewing is not my forte. i do not generally venture beyond a pair of curtains. so, i thought i would challenge myself. i'm not a beginning sewer, obviously, and i do have the advantage of understanding how a three dimensional animal comes together... gussets are no big deal for instance. i have to admit to you though that i never read patterns! even when i use old patterns, i never actually have read the directions. generally i look at the form, and adapt it to my hand sewing needs. it is like a puzzle and generally just comes together. written directions just never make sense to my brain somehow, so like i said, i was a little nervous.

as spring is just around the corner i wanted to try the sweet little chick project. i have made chicks in the past so i thought this would be an easy introduction for me, especially for trying out her leg instructions. i have to say the directions and photos at the beginning are super helpful. she goes through the steps of making any bird, thereby making each individual project easier to follow. she gives you both written and pictorial instructions which is really great. read that part first, and go back when you need to. i didn't have the exact fabric she used, but i thought i'd improvise a little. luckily, i had some fabrics that worked and most of the other supplies necessary (if you don't, once you bought them they would be used again). my first daunting task was to actually find my supplies, but it was a good motivator to get my studio in working order.

ugh

after cleaning some

you can see my addiction to fabrics

i went through step by step, and found the directions to be surprisingly understandable (that isn't a comment on abby, but my own brain)! the only part i was personally confused by was the head, but i figured it out really quickly. it is definitely a challenge using the machine to sew such miniature pieces and my finished bird came out a little bigger because the fabric i used was stiffer and a little more difficult to use than the recommended one. i'm really happy how it turned out though! it was challenging to me in a really good way. i learned the basics of machine sewing animals, which i honestly had never done before. the feet took me two tries, mostly because i hadn't done it in a while and was out of practice... so the same would probably be true for someone new to it. i also didn't have sealer for paint, so i chose to wrap the legs in fabric. they bird was really easy to get to stand. i was amazed!! i am super grateful to abby for sharing this info because it was always a struggle for me. honestly, it was really much easier than how i usually do it.

(my favorite part... hand sewing, my least favorite part... stuffing, which is always true but i love abby's advice to come back to it when you are rested! i didn't take a picture of making the legs because it was dark by then. my husband came in and asked my why i was sitting on the floor... because i need the space, obviously!)

so my cute new friend is up on the mantle in the new playroom, waiting for spring. actually my daughter has already adopted him and "rescued" him from a lonely life so they can play together while they wait. i can't wait to try another project... i'd love to make an owl for myself!

this is a really great book to have, and i know i will really enjoy it. thanks abby!

roar!...

2011-02-16T16:14:00.000-05:00

have i mentioned that how much i love our new neighborhood? not only are the people great (um, we got cookies from the neighbor across the street on our first day here), the homes lovely, and there are many good restaurants... there is also a beautiful park. a park where kids actually play! this was a bit lacking at our last playground. we are loving it. one of the best things about this lovely old park is an amazing zoo, one of the oldest in the country. it is in a lovely setting... and though it is small, it is really well done. we have lions and elephants and pandas (including a new baby!). there is a lovely children's zoo with goats to pet, and so much more. my favorite animals are the giraffes...

one of the coolest things? when we walk through the park to the playground there is a little path that leads to the giraffe area. you can peer through a fence and say hello to them as you pass by! um, living a few blocks from a giraffe? almost as good as having one in your back yard;)

thanks for all your nice comments on the house. i'm starting to feel like it will never get all unpacked. the bathroom upstairs is half painted... and i'm not even sure how to paint a living room with 12 foot ceilings? (i'm only 5'2"!). we are really loving it, though, and feel so blessed. we also love the early spring weather. we had a picnic in the yard, the kids are swinging on the tire swing, we have hung up bird feeders everywhere... pictures of all that next. but first, be sure to come back friday when i am a stop on the blog tour for abby glassenberg's wonderful new book! see you then!

a little peek...

2011-02-11T22:00:00.003-05:00

breakfast nook

some random photos i took this week, so you can see the house is starting to look like a place people live.

kitchen, still filling shelves

the kitchen is freshly painted and i'm loving the light in here and where we eat. i can't wait to paint more rooms this color.

entry way

i have a rug picked out that i would like to get, and need a bigger lamp. i need about a thousand lamps actually! they are so expensive though.

living room

i ordered these curtains for the living room today, in mocha. i'm really excited... not to have the whole neighborhood staring at us! i found a great discount code online and got an additional 25% off and free shipping. only eight more windows to go... nine? oh, dear, better not count. this room is really comfy to hang out in and i have since added a table and lamp next to the chair.

corner of the living room

pantry

i'm loving the pantry and large laundry room!

we had a little snow fall. it was lovely. but also funny to see the tree in front covered in snow and flowers.

crab apple tree

sidney in the snow

i guess sidney is dressed appropriately for this strange weather... winter coat and sun hat. we actually do have a lot of winter gear but i think she is becoming a native. half the people in atlanta dress like this when it snows.

i'm so tired and beat up! looking forward to it all getting done, someday.

flickr favorites...

2011-02-04T16:33:00.002-05:00

1. Whit's Knits: Pixie Dust Lap Blanket, 2. sunday morning, 3. Woven Shetland Blanket, 4. Untitled, 5. Untitled, 6. 28:365, 7. 28::100 queen, 8. 26/365, 9. Crafting for home, 10. New banner for fun, 11. The light, 12. Finished

it's been a while since i have done a flickr favorites. this is my mood lately... a desire to stay inside, nice and cozy, while it pours freezing rain outside. i'm enjoying left over chocloate birthday cake and coffee... trying to ignore the fact, for a few minutes, that i am moving monday! oh, dear. wish me luck! i received a new lens from my wonderful husband for my birthday, so lot's of new photos of the house coming soon.

have a lovely weekend! see you next week.

glorious day....

2011-02-01T21:39:00.000-05:00

sidney capturing the glorious feeling of the day perfectly

we have been so busy packing and painting and cleaning and moving and pulling up floors and painting some more... it seems it's all we ever do anymore. so, we took advantage a rare beautiful glimpse of spring on sunday and went to the atlanta history center. we have been meaning to go visit the circa 1840's farmhouse they have there, which somewhat resembles out own new house...

tullie-smith farmhouse at the atlanta history center

we wanted to get some inspiration... we need new windows and a roof... and also a glimpse of what life was like back then. did you know they had to pay a tax each year just to have window panes? what luxury we take for granted! it is a lovely little house with beautiful 19th century furniture, a loom and sweet little schoolroom. of course it is also a lesson on the history of the south and the way that slavery allowed such luxuries like window panes for upper middle class farmers like these.

we have been doing a bit of searching into the history of our home too. it is difficult though, because all the records of course burned during the civil war. all houses around here officially date back to 1870 because of this. we have a letter from a city historian who visited our home when it was renovated last, back in the 80's. he was able to see the wall uncovered and believed the house to be from the 1850's... making it one of the oldest in the neighborhood and indeed atlanta. we may never know for sure, but it is fun to explore! every time i touch the banister i think of all the hands who have trailed there before mine.

so, hopefully we will finish all the immediate things that need to be done and actually move in next week! i can't wait, because it is starting to just feel like this place we visit to do lots of work! i did get a new (to us) couch... found at a vintage store for an amazing deal. it was dropped off yesterday and it actually made the place start to feel like a home. we will have a lot more painting and work to do after moving in, but right now i am anxious to just get there.

we will miss our little home here, but a lovely family with small children is moving in and we know they will carry on with their own traditions and make it a home for themselves too. we can't wait to do the same!

shadow...

2011-01-27T22:06:00.001-05:00

i haven't been taking any photos lately. i didn't realize this until i saw my camera sitting in my office out of the way and was surprised... like i didn't really know what it was. i don't know why the lack of photos. i haven't been as motivated since my shorter lens gave out. suddenly, though i realize i miss it. my days have been passing in a haze lately, one day seems to run into the other. maybe it's moving, or winter, or ahem... a birthday fast appoaching. oh dear. maybe it's all of those. i realized though, as i went to look at my photos to see what has been going on the last month... that i have taken almost no pictures! that is unheard of for me... usually my husband is begging me to please take off some of the photos clogging our computer. i saw though that my son has been taking quite a few. i didn't even realize they were on here. i guess i can look at the last month through his eyes instead of my own for a change.

um, yeah. that pretty much sums it up. thanks jack henry!

whew...

2011-01-19T17:16:00.001-05:00

this has been a long week. all of the muck you see above has finally cleared. the pretty snow turned into not so pretty ice. it was nearly impossible even to get to the mailbox. it is definitely interesting to live in a place where snow and ice can bring an entire city to a halt. at the end of last week a bulldozer(!) came and cleared of the remaing ice. very entertaining to watch, and then rain came and cleared all the rest away.

when i looked out of the window this morning it looked like fall again and for a moment i was really confused. the yard is full of brown leaves falling everywhere, because for some reason they do not all come off the trees before winter here. i had that sinking feeling like we had gone back to the begiining and had to do winter all over again! i know i shouldn't complain because after years of living through winter in new york, i have it easy... but it is still hard not to dream of spring!

i can't help dreaming about my big front porch, and imagining being able to actually sit outside and enjoy it! i'm excited about going to the nursery to pick out new trees and flowers to put in the yard. i'll ignore the fact that we actually need new front steps and focus on the beautiful flower baskets, swings, and tables i want to add instead.

one of the things i love about the south is the tradition of the large front porch... an outside room you are able to enjoy most of the year around. as soon as i saw the front porch on my own house, i knew i was in love.

right now we have one sad swing, a lucky find someone was throwing out. i'm going to paint it up and make it nice and pretty. i love the look of the wicker furniture above too, though, and hopefully will find some vintage or at a good price, like the set here.

love all the pretty tables, baskets, plants, and rugs. i like the look of the sisal one above, but also something like this one would be nice...

add some nice rocking chairs, and we will almost be set...

i say almost, because here is the ultimate item on my list!

who could resist that?

all the lovely inspirational photos above via country living. go there to see more.

i took my inspirational shopping trip today in the warmth of my own home at overstock.com. if you would like to as well, they have generously offered my readers a discount code good for %10 off (excluding movies books and electronics). The code is 121745, and doesn't expire. Use this code, 202234, for free shipping on electronics as well.

i do not usually do endorsements on my blog, i have always said no in the past. i figured this would be a good oportunity to offer a cool discount on a website you might already want to use (they have pretty much everything... my favorites lately are faucets and rugs). suddenly i am in a position where i need to buy all this random stuff for my new house (um, do people gereally take all the toilet paper holders with them when they move?) and it's kind of nice to have one place to look. so maybe you could use it too. all the ideas and opinions expressed are my own. i did not receive any monetary compensation for doing this post, however, i was given the discount code.

now back to painting kitchen cabinets... i should hopefully be done by spring;)

brook farm general store...

2011-01-10T16:55:00.001-05:00

love this new to me store i found on remodelista today, brook farm general store. added bonus, it is in brooklyn! too bad i'm not! if you are, it might be interesting to visit in person. if you are elsewhere, like me, they have a nice selection online. i love those hooks... they have endless possibilities. i might grab some myself.

we are enjoying the most lovely snow fall from last night. the light in the house was so pretty all day and we went out to build a snowman and slide down the frozen slide in our yard! fun!

kid snowman, obviously a harry potter fan

proud snowman makers!

more inspiration...

2011-01-07T12:02:00.002-05:00

entryway, via high street market

i'm obsessed. i can't stop looking endlessly through my favorite sites for design inspiration. mostly it's a way to avoid packing. ugh. i really want to paint the new house all white, but i think it will have to wait. any paint recommendations for a good bright white paint, like above? i need to repaint our kitchen cabinets white before we move in, and probably will do the walls too. right now we pulled up some carpet in the kids playroom and found painted wood floors that need repainting. i'd like to paint bathrooms too. i've also ben looking at light fixtures... love this site! i love these colors in the photo above... grey and white and black. the light fixture is great. the floors... amazing! here are some more recent favorites...

pretty bath, can't remember where this image is from?

we are thinking of moving our clawfoot tub upstairs and adding a shower to it. also some kind of beading on the wall and maybe ceiling? hmm...

love the black tub and floor color, via design sponge

i found the image above over at vintage simple, i love her home. and you can also see her house tour over at design sponge...

from the vintage simple house tour on design sponge

such pretty soft colors. her kitchen is amazing too... and completely done by her and husband! very inspiring...

kitchen

another cool bathroom i found on vintage simple...

via kitchen and bath ideas

via nancy fishelson

love, love this kitchen from designer nancy fishelson (it was her own kitchen). we really want to add a window in our kitchen (you can see it below). there aren't really any windows in the downstairs that look into the back yard. i'd be willing to lose some upper cabinets for the light and view it would add. right now we have a giant laundry room/pantry for storage. eventually we will remodel and that will become part of the master bedroom and bath so we will have to add more storage to the kitchen though. i really want an island like this with seating.

what do you think of the multi paned windows? we are replacing our windows upstairs, which means we have to decide what kind of windows we will eventually replace all teh windows with! we are trying to decide between the multi paned, or a simpler design, with one line down the middle? ugh, too many choices. i'm terrible at making choices!

okay, time to stop dreaming and face the reality of what actually needs to be done now!

etsy favorites... (farmhouse chic)

2011-01-05T15:06:00.003-05:00

1. wallmount soap dish, from andrews reclaimed

2. burford brothers ironstone, from shop hot house

3. antique ironstone baking mold, from big fish hill pond

4. peacock hutch, from oh clementine

5. 5 antique milk pans, from zinnia cottage

6. vintage staffordshire plates , from apple hill dolls

i guess it is obvious what this list was inspired by! obviously, i have always been a bit obsessesed with the rustic farmhouse look... but lately i have a good reason. i am currently going through a lot of my possesions and deciding what i want to keep and what i am ready to pass on. i admit to having a problem with getting tired of things, and i'm looking forward to 'starting over' a bit. i love the beautiful, simple feel of these items. i have a hutch that is begging for a makeover and the one above is giving me some inspiration. i bought my hutch a few years ago at the brooklyn flea for about $50...

that's a terrible pic, but the only one i could find (with our aging pup nora). i was going to paint the whole thing but decided i might try to clean it up and put color on the inside. the brick house has a wonderful post on refreshing vintage wood that i highly reccomend.

so most of the items on my list today were inspired by my desire to redo my hutch... except the soap dish. that came from thinking about the hideous 80's bathroom we have upstairs! if only i could simply buy a whole new one of those on etsy too! that's for another post. i'll be sure to share my hutch when i get it done.

home at last...

2011-01-03T16:51:00.001-05:00

i have always asked myself where i would rather live... in the city or in the country? if i answered truthfully, it would be both. i love the romantic appeal of living on a farm, the benefit of country life and nature. yet, at heart, i am probably a city girl. i like to be able to walk places, and have places to walk to! never did i really think it was possible to actually have both... until i saw a lovely 1870 (or perhaps earlier!) farmhouse right in the heart of atlanta... and fell in love. now, i am happy to announce that i am the proud owner of this lovely house!! this will be the first "real" home for my family, the first we can actually call our own, and i'm really excited to be able to share it with you at last!

i can't wait to share more with you! we are getting ready to move in now... doing some painting and floor work, replacing windows. we have a lot bigger plans down the road, but for now we are really just excited to call it our own.... and finally move in!

happy new year!!

happy holidays...

2010-12-22T21:14:00.000-05:00

jack henry and sidney with the cutest santa ever

thanks again for sharing another year with me! i look forward to spending next year with you too! sending you all much love and happiness this holiday season, and hoping all your days are merry and bright!

xo cary

etsy holiday gift picks...

2010-12-10T10:37:00.001-05:00

calendar 2011, from my folk lover

i love my calendar from 2010. i frame it... a beautiful new piece of art to have each month! i always look forward to mine.

fairy castle for storing hooks and needles knitting pattern, from tiny owls magic attic

a great present for the crafty knitting waldorfy type in your life:) how cute is this little project! fun to do, cute to look at, and practical too!

covered transferware tureen, from imsovintage

this would make a lovely hostess gift to give to someone welcome you into their home over the holidays. unique and beautiful, and something to remind them of you whenever it is used.

vintage style wooden and brass telescope necklace, by freshy fig

a unique piece of jewelry that is sure to be different form anything else they have! plus it works! how fun, and what a great conversation piece.

when she held her child, print, by theater clouds

i think this would make a beautiful gift for any art lover, but it it is particularly special for a mother or mother to be. i think it would also be lovely in a child's room. what a comforting and charming image to look at.

lumberjack and crow woodland graphic art collage, signed and dated, by native vermont

another gift for an art lover. i think this would be a great gift for a guy.

wood sailboat automata, from cartoon monster

i love simple beautiful toys like this. they don't actually make them for children but i think it would be perfect for a slightly older child (or any adult!). it is sort of mesmerizing. watch a little video of one like it action here:

i could go on and on. i have so many favorites on etsy. hopefully i have shared a few wonderful ideas for the holidays or for yourself anytime! happy shopping!!

holiday announcement...

2010-12-08T14:18:00.002-05:00

so, i think most of you have probably done your shopping for christmas... everyone is so on top of things! if you are like me, though, and wait till the last minute, i thought i'd share my holiday shipping info. any listing marked as made to order, will not be completed until after christmas, if you order past the december 10th deadline. i'm not accepting an more custom orders before the holidays. listing for already made items will be shipped until the 15th. i can't promise arrival before christmas if you order after that.

i'm sorry i have been so absent lately. i have been really busy with holiday orders (if i owe you one i promise it is coming soon!). we have also been very busy around here with other things, that i hope to share soon:) in the meantime, enjoy some recent holiday pictures from my home. i'll be back with some gift ideas tomorrow, it's been too long since i shared some of my etsy favorites!

** by the way, using my advanced social networking capabilities i managed to lock myself out of my own facebook fanpage. brilliant, i know. i have no idea what to do now, but that is why i haven't been posting there! so i will either have to start over or plead my case to facebook. blurg.

looking forward...

2010-11-29T11:13:00.000-05:00

sidney, christmas day 2009, watching family arrive

i can't believe another year has gone by and christmas is nearly here again! i look back at how many changes there have been over the last few years and it makes me wonder, what is next? life is so unpredictable. even though the day to day seems like so much of the same, when you pause and look back the amount of changes can be surprising.

so, this week i am slowly starting to pull out christmas decorations... going through old photos to see how i decorated last year. i am looking at the evolution of this home over the short time we have lived here and i am amazed! i haven't even shared recent pics since i repainted the living room and kitchen. i have poured a lot into this house, which i don't regret, even knowing this will probably be our second and last christmas here. a short but meaningful stay. this was our first house in georgia, and the first real house we have ever lived in as a family. we have really enjoyed our experience in this house and creating this new life together. it looks like we will be buying our own house soon and starting a whole new adventure! being a new yorker for my entire adult life this will be a whole new experience for me! i'm looking forward to finding a home that will be ours, one where we can decorate how we like and know that if we move it will be our own choice to do so. i'm looking forward to this new adventure ahead, and to sharing it with you!

new mushroom ornaments...

2010-11-18T16:56:00.000-05:00

i hae added four more mushroom ornaments to the shop, including the ones above. i'm working away at my christmas list for the shop. any requests for animals?

prematurity awareness day...

2010-11-17T12:32:00.005-05:00

one in eight babies is too many. we can do better. november is prematurity awareness month and today is prematurity awareness day. i had two babies born premature. one who made it... and my first baby we didn't know was struggling in time to save him. i made a donation in today in honor of my babies and in honor of all those families who have struggled or are currently struggling with this now. i remember my time spent in the hospital after the birth of my daughter sidney, who was born 7 weeks early. i remember weeks of watching her struggle to learn how to breath on her own, learn how to eat, how to stay warm. i remember more weeks spent at christmas time in the hospital again where she almost lost her life from rsv, a common virus to strike preemies. i'm thankful everyday for my little girl and her life. i know she is too. every baby deserves the best we can give them. during this time of year when we think of giving thanks, and giving to others please consider the march of dimes and all the little babies that could be helped by each of us. even the smallest donations add up! i also have placed a button on my side bar you can click on any time. thanks!!

xoxo cary and sidney