Thursday, February 27, 2014

little bits of right now



we have two different "craft" cabinets in this house and both are usually in a constant state of chaos. i have been noticing lately that the things in these cabinets that have a place of their own usually find their way back to that place though. so, i am slowly going through and organizing said cabinets and doing my best to give everything it's very own place. 


above... for a pinterest project... yes, i do actually do the things i pin.... sometimes...



maiko, my official bird man, has completely taken over the care of the chickens. he even worries about them, it is very sweet. someday he would like to have a farm full of animals... 
maybe someday.
maiko also took the two photos below of the canadian honkers that like to hang out in the field.... that is (part of) the view from my kitchen... it's a wonderful distraction from the kitchen itself... you know... old farm house... in dire need of a kitchen remodel.... but with a fantastic view.




messy desk = a new stamp


the book that taught me stamp carving... "making an impression" by geninne zlatkis
and the card layla made for her friend with my stamps. she wrote "forest of love" at the top... dear sweet hearted girl.
and... my new stamp... although i did use the motif from geninne's book so i can't take any credit for that.



and my littlest ollie... asking again and again "can i stamp it mama?" sure sweet girl... go right ahead.


Tuesday, February 25, 2014

blogger swap gifts : : finished







goodness... this blogger swap has been so much fun!
 thank you amanda for hosting it for us all!

my swapper is an organic farmer in new york. she has children, and she loves to make art with them. this is her blog http://paththatsustains.blogspot.com/. i decided to make her (and her girls) some hand carved veggie stamps, and i ordered them a ink pad just like mine to go with it. i wanted them to be able to use them immediately. waiting for the ink pad to arrive made my package go out late, but i think it was worth it :)  i also made her a burlap banner with the name of her farm printed on it. i made it huge, so that it can be hung on her barn... or green house.... or whatever she wants. then, i felt the package needed just a little something more so i made some sparkly bean candles to go with it (i hope they hold up threw the shipping process). i have had so much fun with this project and hope to get to do this again. 

and of course...
i sure hope she likes it.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

getting away



















a long journey into the mountains to stay with gramma and papa in their "little mountain house" was a most wonderful getaway. aside from some stomach bug and cold recovery i would call it a perfect trip, and unlike most travels with four children... it was actually relaxing and restful. 

we played board games, baked cookies, pieced together an elaborate puzzle, played in the snow, drank coffee and cocoa by the fire... the older girls and i made a trip into town for some antique shopping.... it was all so wonderful. 

but of course... one of the other great things about getting away... is having some time to miss home... and although i didn't actually miss home much on this trip... it still felt good to be home today...
and i do have some crafting to get back too...

Thursday, February 13, 2014

valentine crafting... it's a tradition now


minecraft valentine free printable - find it here



"nerds" valentine free printable - find it here or in my sidebar


heart shaped pencil holder free printables - find here

and the arrow pencil holder free printables - find here


i have pinterest to thank for the finding of each of those cute valentine printables.


terrible picture... 
layla begged me to help her make her teacher a special gift late last night... how could i refuse?? the really funny thing is that maiko had talked matt into helping him make homemade batteries out of spare change, potatoes, and vinigar (and possibly other things...) around the same time. it's like they found our weakness... they got to stay up past bedtime because they each asked one of us to help them with something we love. i found it rather amusing... and quite fun.


and i just love our valentine crafting...
we all look forward to it each year (and by all i mean me and the kids). we scour the interest looking for fun ideas (and free printables), then i print and assemble the various needed items, and then they do the making... with a little help from me. the older the older kids get the less help they need from me because they all help each other. layla loves the crafting more than any of the others and she not only made her valentines entirely by herself, but then helped everyone else make theirs... sigh... my sweet little crafters... makes a mama proud :)

Sunday, February 9, 2014

for my swapper...







i am so excited about this "blogger swap" hosted by amanda. for anyone who isn't quite sure what a blogger swap is i will give you a litte run down... amanda collected names, addresses, and blog sites from around 78 people (all with blogs and "makers" of all different things) and she mixed up our names and gave everyone a secret person (just like secret santas) and now we each research our person on their blog and then make something for them and mail it to them (we were each given our person's address). doesn't it sound like so much fun? i am just giddy about it :) i think it is an amazing opportunity to meet new friends all over the country with similar interests... wow! anyway, i suppose you "get it" now so i will stop rambling.

the above is the first thing i made for my swapper. i know that she likes growing vegetables and making art with her kids... so i thought hand carved veggie stamps would be fun. i know you might be thinking "isn't this supposed to be a secret?"... but there are 78 of us... so the odds of her coming across my blog is low.... and even if she does... probably at least half of the swappers or more like to grow veggies and make art with their kids.... right? 

i am so excited about the way they turned out. i was just kinda winging it :) next, i am going to sew something to go with it. i am a bit torn between two/three things so i have to ponder on it a bit... but i'll let you know.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

apron inspiration










i'm planning to tackle this "craft cabinet" over the weekend... i haven't gone through and reorganized this in about two years... and it is time. i have some really exciting ideas (inspired by my daughter's montessori school). i want to get various "projects" set up in there so it's really quick and easy to set them up with sewing/beading/painting/etc... even if i'm in the middle of cooking dinner or something. i'll let you know how it goes.

my other plan for the weekend is to make a plan... what i am going to make for my "swap partner". i feel so lucky to have been included in a blogger swap hosted by amanda at sweetpotatoclaire. i think amanda said there is around 78 bloggers included and she swapped our info... and now i am making a surprise something for someone on the other side of the country... and another surprise person will be sending a handmade something to me.... it is all very exciting.

my iso setting was just a little off in that "snow picture"... but by the time i realized that.... they were done with photos :)

the sweet calendar printout is for eislee and ollie's room... i have a bunch of sweet printouts to put up in there with pretty tape... fun. i printed out another calendar for layla to make for her room. i have a link to the free download on handmade charlotte in my sidebar. for those of you reading this on your smartphones... there is a way you can get to my sidebar... you scroll to the bottom and click "view web version" and then zoom in on the sidebar. i have some links to the valentine printouts we are doing this year as well.

the drawn family portrait just behind the calendar... well... i just discovered that it is not made by who i thought! it was drawn by my dear friend erin.... years and years ago.... and honestly, that makes it even more special to me... oh erin.... i miss you!

and the apron...
i bought it at a little antique store... it is not an antique. it was one of those things where i kept telling myself... "you could make this so easy!" but sometimes you just have to buy it anway. the colors on it.... which is one of my all time favorite color combinations... the grays, the blues, a pop of red, and some smokey yellow... so pretty. the construction of it is what i found so inspiring though... the simplicity of it. for example... i have put off sewing many aprons because i hate hemming... but this apron no hemming whatsoever and i think it just adds to the charm... inspiring. not to mention i bet it took the person around ten minutes to make... i also find that inspiring... and because of the simplicity she was able to only charge $12.... i don't do a lot of apron shopping but i think that is a pretty cheap deal.

anyway... i suppose that is enough rambling for one day... i hope you are warm and cozy.
-jenny