Friday, August 29, 2014

all that is now








dry grass, dry wood, ripe apples, the faint smell of smoke from an outdoor fire, children running amuck and dirty at twilight... instead of inside finishing their dinner... clean and ready for bed.




waiting on the rain. with equal amounts of anticipation in both welcome and unwelcome ways. there is an eagerness for it because of what it brings... and there is a hope for just a little more time... as there is still so much to be done before said rain comes.








there is a lot of anxious excitement over the quick approach of another school year... with all four attending at certain points of the day... this mama will find herself with a (two and a half hour) morning reprieve four days of the week.

and then there is the harvest...
such an important part of this season. an extremely rewarding (and sometimes very overwhelming) task. it is such a beautiful thing to witness so many people becoming so involved in the growth and preservation of their own food. i am constantly in awe as i witness all of the possibilities.
 what a wonderful feeling it is to be inspired.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

swap gift... shipped!!











my finished swap gift.
some hand carved stamps (of course), and a little knitting tote... hopefully the perfect size to carry a knitting project and a small book. i made my first freezer paper stencil for this project so that i could print an image of yarn of needles on the tote. i was not a big fan of cutting the paper... it was pretty tiresome and the rubber blocks have this pleasing feel... almost like cutting soft butter... but not the paper. the printing itself was very fun though. it felt so gratifying to lift the paper and see the image left behind. for the tote pattern... i used one of my favorite bag patterns... the bucket bag... by michelle patterns on etsy. 
it is all headed across the country now to Massachusetts! i hope she likes it. if your interested in checking out my partners blog (you should... she is sooo talented)... here is a link to her blog... knitted time.
even though i always LOVE these blog swaps... i am so glad that this one is over and the pressure is off... it was probably not the best time for me to get involved in something like this (but how could i not?!?)... now on to some crafting for myself... i see some honey bun poufs in my future!

Saturday, August 23, 2014

as summer wanes...






the apples and plums are almost ready






above: i tore down a piece of old fence by myself... i had been wanting to tear that old piece of wire down for years and it was so easy... and it felt so good.

below: the view from our backyard... i am a very lucky girl.




the girls are so in love with "our family" from the knothole tree







the sweet end of summer... always so full... with this heavy anticipation of change.

we have been quite busy... mostly gathering with friends and family soaking up the last bit of a very flexible schedule... and preserving as much harvest as possible... and hoping to fit in a couple outdoor projects before the dry weather is gone.

with so many things constantly requiring my attention indoors... i must remind myself, frequently, to get outside and soak up that dry warm sunshine before it turns to rain and chill.

i have been ready for the change for awhile though. i love a good change.... especially a seasonal one. i think one of my favorite things about a change in season is the stillness it always seems to bring with it. a stillness in our schedule, and an excited energy in our hearts. 

and with that change i will also be finding myself in this space more and i am quite excited about that dear friends... there are so many things i have been wanting to share with you... soon.... very soon.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

this season's craft swap







i am participating in another craft swap... hosted by the lovely amanda of sweet potato claire... i believe she said there are 26 bloggers involved from all over the us, and four people from canada. so exciting! if your interested you can read more about the swap here
now... i should have had my package in the mail yesterday... ack! i have had the stamps finished for awhile but the last thing i am making... well... i needed a couple things that i couldn't find anywhere around here and had to order online... those things arrive tomorrow and it shouldn't take me long to finish once they arrive... so... my package will be out by the end of the week.
my person is a knitter... she is a talented crafter in many areas... but it is quite obvious that she has a love for knitting... hence the yarn and needles stamp.
photo below is a size reference... it is quite large for a stamp.



my person also seems to make handmade gifts quite frequently so i thought a "handmade" stamp for her packages would be fun... unfortunately i am still pretty new at lettering... and although i carved two different stamps... neither was quite what i wanted.




i took a vote on facebook, and most everyone said they preferred the top one... so i believe i will send her that one (unless i decide to give it a third try...hmmm).
the last gift i'm making involves paper-cutting, printing, and sewing... i'll reveal it when it's finished.


i am definitely feeling the itch for a change. i am craving a steady schedule now, and the slowing down that the shift into the school year always brings. i constantly want to work on inside activities (like this blog for example... goodness gracious my "pages" are so out of date!)... and i have to remind myself that there is only so much time left for the outdoor variety... and only three weeks left of a wildly free schedule with four kids all day.... which i know i will really miss once it's gone. 
so... those "indoor" things will have to wait just a bit longer as i submerge myself in these last few weeks of glorious summer.