holiday in the park

Wind. Water. Sunshine. Sand. Running in the park. Throwing rocks with daddy. Wearing cute hats.       This family is my favorite.

Memorial day 2011.

Prep School Rocker

If you think that I am in creative heaven with all this designing and sewing, you would be correct.  I go to bed sketching ideas.  I analyze the details and construction of every interesting article of clothing I see.  I pour over sewing blogs.  I slowly walk through the rows of fabric, feeling the threads and textures between my fingers.  Any chance I get, I’m sitting in front of my machine.  And I’ve never ever used an iron more in my life. (which wasn’t really that hard to do, since I never iron anything.)

I feel like I’m on the verge of something and I like this place.

This weekend, when my lover was working, the espresso was strong,  the rain was falling, the babies napping, and Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn  graced the screen with the magic that is Sabrina, I finished these hoodies for those cute little H’s of mine.

This was my first attempt using this pattern from Heidi & Finn.  I used an old, cheap cardigan that had seen better days, which is why it looks so forlorn. I mean, it’s cute, but definitely a trial piece.  Lots of room for improvement.

Next, I used one of Matt’s old sweatshirts that he never wears for this jacket for our favorite son.  I’m always asking, “Hey, are you ever going to wear this again?” He rolls his eyes and says, “No.  I don’t need any clothes.”  Cute husband.

If you must know, this is probably one of my favorite things that I have ever made, ever.  I have a thing for jackets which I wish to instill in my children. 

To me it feels like a classic little blazer turned rock n’ roll and what more could you want?

everyday magic no. 2

A cool spring breeze. A fleet of sailboats glide across the water, glowing, white sails decorate the vibrant blue waters.  This is not uncommon, as daily sailing clubs cross these waters, but today it feels like a parade in slow-motion.  It reminds me of summer days spent with friends.

He runs along the water’s edge, with the unhindered delight of a child who has watched the rain fall for days and at last the clouds are emptied and suns warms the earth and beckons to us, come out and play.  He collects rocks and tiny sticks that have washed onto the shore and as is the nature of little boys, he throws them one by one, back into the ripples.  With each splash, a bigger smile spreads across his face.  And I utter to God a request for my little family to always live near the sea.  For now, this lake will do.

In my arms, the breeze sweeps up her wild locks, shimmering gold and copper, a secret message revealed only in the sun.

Missing my favorite person, wishing he could watch our babies thriving in this moment given to us by our creator, but overwhelmed with gratitude for the hard work and time he gives for us. Tomorrow, we’ll bring him back.

-May 26, 2011

I’ve lost complete control of this post and I made a dress.

Anyways, I have given myself a bit of a challenge, I would like to try and make most of the kids clothes for the summer.  For one, It will be a great way to improve my sewing skills and second, I can’t deny the clothing designer inside, I think she’s been there since I was four, you can ask my mom to be sure.  Or see these old pictures I  found for further proof.

Oh man.  Any excuse to share funny pictures of my little brother, I love.

Now, how awesome is this? I actually still have that scarf.  But if you ever think that I will wear a pink kitten wearing a hat on my shirt again, you are mistaken.  Oh young Olivia, if you only knew what you were doing.

And this, dress up time with the brothers, unfortunately only one of us was playing along. The dress was my mom’s, which has been cut up and used in my quilt, in pillows, in headbands, in everything.

And, clearly, every girl needs a flowing cape when visiting the dunes with the family.  I taught my sister everything she knows.

I was obviously allowed to dress myself, because when my mom dressed us for family pictures, we looked like this… which is probably the reason we all put up the biggest fight, when she gets that look in her eye and asks us all to sit together.

However, the whole point of this was to actually share the dress that I just made for the baby girl.  I wouldn’t have finished, if it weren’t for the fact that my kids both slept till 10:30 a.m.  Oh, glorious morning of coffee and sewing. 

I’m afraid you won’t even care about the dress, because of the greatness of this trip down memory lane a.k.a. the 80’s and 90’s were not the golden days of fashion… but if you’re still interested.

Dress: Jumper tutorial from Smile and Wave

Diaper cover: The Perfect Diaper Cover from Made

Fabrics: Herringbone in Grass || Sparrows in Lilac (both from Joel Dewey)

 

I made mine much bigger than Rachel’s, so it’s more like 6-12 months, perfect for end of summer/fall.

I also sewing the entire dress and then realized the birds were upside down.. so I had to pick it out and fix that.  I almost left it, but I’m sure some detail-freak will be proud of me for doing so.

How does one end this post?

… the end.

a few of my favorite things

Last week, my pal Regina invited me to play along in sharing some of my favorite things. So with a little help from Pinterest, here you are…

 

 

1. The Ocean || Image Source

2. Brie Cheese || Image Source

3. Coffee || Image Source

4. Rain || Image Source

5. Art supplies || Image Source

6. Mustard & Grey || Image Source

7. Books || Image Source

What are some of your favorites?

everyday magic no.1

The sky was a pale shade of grey, the light shadows from the trees cast stained the hardwood floors inside.  The grass and trees glowing with the most glorious, full of life hues of green; a most welcome contrast to the view from just last month of dreary brown and dirty snow which had outstayed its welcome.  Raindrops danced a springtime jig on the sidewalk and street, turning  monotone pavement into a mirror reflecting lamp posts and spiny branches. 

Inside, we swayed and twirled to the dreamy tunes of Frank, Ella, and Bing. The baby girl snug safely in my arms, with no other desires in all the world.  Her head tucked into my neck and chest. And in the sweetness of this moment, her breathing calmed and lulled into soft, sleepy inhales and exhales.  The little boy’s feet moved with the smooth rhythm and he sang along, in his own two-year-old way.  He smiled. I smiled.  She breathed sweet, sleepy breaths.

-May 12, 2011

Where did you find your everyday magic?

sewing: in red

This weekend, I bought a shirt that was a few sizes too large, because the fabric was awesome, as well as the price tag.  I thought, if I can’t take it in, I’ll use the fabric for something else.  In church on Sunday, I stared at this jacket for like ten minutes, dissecting the pieces in my head and studying the construction of it.  I think I might have a problem.
Here is what I have been sewing lately.

                                                   I found this fabric on sale last  week. It feels and looks like linen, but to be honest, I didn’t look to make sure, the price was right, the color was perfect.  I’ve sewn a few skirts before (see here and here), but I’ve learned so much since then.  I loosely followed this Taking Notes Skirt pattern from Sewing in No Mans Land. I love high waist skirts.  I added a zipper in the back.  It’s bright, but not blinding and super light and airy, perfect for summer.

I made this little romper for baby h using two different tutorials.  For the top, I used the concept from the pillowcase dresses and for the bottom, I used the diaper cover pattern/tutorial from MADE. Instead of finishing off the top and bottom of each piece, I just combined them.  This one is a little less functional when it’s time to change diapers, but the next one I made, I’ll add snaps to the bottom.

Cute baby below.

And, I made this as a gift ages ago, for my beautiful friend Jodi and her sweet little Rio, but never shared the pictures.


See my other boppy cover post here.

Why is everything red/orange?  Well, I have no idea. What color are you feeling?

27

My birthday was nice.  It was. 

So, let me begin my saying, how awesome my kids are, they are so great, super great, except when you want to eat out; that is a whole different story. At a restaurant, they are shiny, little angelic beings with manners that would impress the queen. Yours are like that too, huh?

In their defense, we take them out to a new place, make them sit in confinement for the duration of ordering, preparing, and consumption (at this point, usually in haste and madness rather then enjoyed).  I don’t know about you, but I only place my child in his chair once the food is cooked and cooled to a temperature ready for him to eat.   But somehow we think, let’s pay lots of money  for food and torture our kids in the process.  How silly of us.

That’s all I’m trying to say. 

In other news, my brie & asparagus wood-fired pizza was delicious, in the car, on the way home as the cries were lulled by the rhythm of the road. Once we put those creatures down for a nap, our chocolate malts were also delicious… just like the silence.

But, my husband picked out the very best card and filled it full of love with every perfect word.  The little boy scribbled all over a card and handed it to me with a kiss. There were tons of calls and messages from friends and family.  And, a shiny new food processor is sitting in my kitchen.

Good day.  Good life.  Hello 27.

my creative space.

Just wanted to share pictures of my little creative corner of the world, because I just cleaned and organized the devil out of it, even down to throwing away tiny little scraps of fabric that were taking over the universe.  It was getting really hard to sew or do anything for that matter when the state of things looked like this. And I was carrying over all my messy projects to my husband’s desk, which he really loves. LOVES.

So now, it looks like this.

 

At least for a couple days…

Do you have a creative space?  Or an idea of what that would look like?

once upon a quilt

The sky was the brightest blue.  The grass was glowing and green.  Brilliant little bursts of yellow scattered across the lawn.  The long spiny branches cast soft wavy shadows on the green canvas, providing for us the most pleasant shade. 

We sat under a grand oak on the memory quilt, which I made by hand the year of my wedding; when this whole adventure started.  As I stitched each square and rectangle together, the memories recounted the stories through the textiles of my wardrobe, of my last childhood days, my fun college adventures, and the days that lead me to that time I stood in front of the most beautiful barn in a white dress facing the one who stole my heart.  This quilt in all its perfect imperfections and mix-matched fabrics, shapes, and threads holds the pages of the first volume of me.  The beginning.  The years that set me on the path to who I am now, days before turning 27, artist, dreamer, avid coffee lover, mother of 2, and wife of nearly four years. 

As I took the large quilt in my hands and spread it out, all kinds of surreal washed over me.  My little boy happily running in the grass, soaking in the sunshine, observing the great world, as children were meant to do and my little lady snug in the sling next to my heart.  I placed her upon the quilt, near the squares from that Sweden track jacket that I loved and my delta pi t-shirt from 2003 and the Southeastern soccer shirt.  It was a moment where the past met the present, those wonderful college days provided a soft place for my second born child to rest and kick her newly discovered feet in the toasty sun. 

That flowery tank top that I needed in high school, the commemorative fine arts event shirt in a poorly picked color.  Student life logos from college. The square from my baby blanket.  One silky square of pale pink flowers from a blanket given to me by my great grandmother.   

Then and now swirling round and round in a most delightful dance of life.

Next to the grand oak, on the greenest grass, under the bluest sky.

from the pages: the fullness of life

 

Life at its fullest is this sensitive, detonating sphere, and the it can be carried only in the hands of the unhurried and reverential- a bubble held in awe.

 

It takes a full twenty minutes for your brain to register satiation. How long does it take your soul to realize that your life is full?

From, One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp

block o’fun

When the little boy who runs around like a wild thing was a small baby I made him some soft fabric blocks.

Cute baby, huh? Too bad he’s all grown up now.  But not really, because he’s super funny and entertaining. And is currently not napping when he should be... which is not cute. Kids.

Fast forward two years, I made one for that other baby of mine, the girl one, using the same tutorial, but, with felt and all sorts of girly trimmings, basically making it a party, a block party, if you will.

You could use any combination of fabric and trimmings of different textures and colors.  Also, here’s another bonus feature.  It’s an absolutely silent toy. A SILENT TOY! If if falls  on the floor(like it will 1,000x) it doesn’t make a noise. NOT A SINGLE SOUND. If you push a button, well there is no button to sing a terribly annoying and catchy little ditty, that is sure to be stuck in your head for the rest of your life.  A silent toy is a beautiful thing.