Friday, September 30, 2011

Turning Back the Clock

1930s Vintage Clock via Etsy
My 3 C's and I have been reading about the 1930s and the Great Depression. My dad was a child during this precarious time in our country's history and it occurred to me that now would be a good time to ask my dad some questions about his life and get some stories recorded. While not a novel idea, recording your family's past certainly seems like an idea that can be left as a good intention and not ever turn into a reality. I really don't want that to be the case so we began last night with my 3 C's sitting down with Papa to ask him some questions. It was a really sweet time and one that I hope we'll repeat many times in the coming weeks and months.
My dad talked about where he lived, what his dad did for a living, what games and toys they played with and what they had to eat. The meal that stands out the most for my dad during the Great Depression was their Sunday night dinner: torn up pieces of white bread with milk and sugar on them. It seemed like a real treat at the time.
My dad said that he and his younger brother as young children didn't really know that life had been any different than what they were experiencing. He summed it up like this, "Our folks, they were the ones that knew the difference between how bad it was or how good it was and so they tried to make it as good as they could make it with what we had to work with. So it worked out all right." Behind his words, I can picture the loving protection going on. Let's make life as good as we can for our kids. Isn't that what we all hope for? I also hear the strong and steady beat of a pragmatic drum that kept my family going. Make the best of what you've got and be grateful for all that you have. Keep going.  I am grateful to God for the love that has passed down through my grandparents and parents. I'm thankful too that my own children can reach back into the past to connect with that love and continue to live it out. Thanks for sharing Dad!

What I Wish for my Walls


 I have some bare walls that have been stripped, re-painted and are awaiting some inspiration. Our kitchen walls are freshly coated in a light gray and we're on the search for the right open shelving. Those shelves are out there somewhere; they're just being surprisingly elusive.  In the meantime, I'm dreaming of beautiful artwork and some diy projects to warm up our kitchen walls. Wouldn't this collection of prints from little brown pen look lovely in the kitchen?

And I think a splash of whimsy is always fun. Thus, the whale tail hook

I love it. Maybe it's because my boys and I are studying marine animals right now and I can't get over how fascinating they are. I once was able to go on a whale watching tour in Alaska and to watch one of these huge creatures leap out of the water and splash that mammoth of a tail down is just a breathtaking experience. So this little guy would also be welcome to move on in.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

The Blog That Got Me Reading Blogs

A recent post from Eat Drink Chic

When my sweet husband splurged and surprised me with an ipad for my birthday last year, I began using it to find inspiration online. I cruised Martha Stewart, checked out her circle of friends and was immediately intrigued by the name Eat Drink Chic. I was planning a birthday party for my husband at the time and I was looking for ideas for a Spain-themed party. (If I have decent pics, I'll post on this later. It was so fun!) Eat Drink Chic seemed like a good place to begin. And it was. Eat Drink Chic is the creation of Amy Moss who hails from Australia. Chock full of beautiful photos and fun details, it's just pure eye candy. Along with inspiration for entertaining, mix in some free down-loadable goodies, some fashion, a bit of typography, really cool products and you get a little idea of the goodness to be found at Eat Drink Chic. And that was all it took. Hooked on reading blogs.
p.s. I love that nail color. I wore a similar shade all summer.

Turquoise Little Bloom Earrings

The color of these sweet little earrings makes me happy. 
They remind me of the skies in New Mexico. Our "color" lies in our skies. It's true. We're brown a lot of the time. We have tumbleweeds. We don't have the rainfall to produce lush greenery. But look up. There's our color. And it's turquoise.
More Little Bloom Earrings here.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Trade Fair

Earlier this summer, when my brother and his family came to visit, they shared a super fun family tradition with us. It's called a Trade Fair. Everyone who wants to participate creates, by hand, some items to trade at the fair. Your offering can be made up of all the same items or a smorgasbord of different treasures. It's a crafter's dream!
I picked up this little brag book at the Trade Fair.

Here's how it works: you make the same amount of items as there are participants. Then you lay your goods out on a blanket and take turns trading with each other. Think open air market style. Then let the trading commence!

At our trade fair, children and adults alike were eager (read that how you will) to get their hands on something they had spied on someone else's blanket. Back and forth the trading went. We had items ranging from metal garden art to origami to clay creations to jewelry to paper crafts to goodies in a jar. It was so interesting to see what everyone came up with. And one of the most fulfilling parts for me was the challenge to create and come up with something new. I made jewelry and clay figurines and I threw in a sketch or two. I look back and realize this was probably one reason I melded jewelry making and working with clay into the hand-crafted jewelry you'll find in my shop.

We're looking forward to next year's trade fair and we're already thinking about what we'll create this time. 

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Crisp Air = Snuggly Bed

Ahhh...fall. The crisp morning air makes me want to snuggle in bed a little longer. I don't think I would ever get up if I was under a beautiful, soft, velvety and colorful quilt like this.


Of course, I'll need some pretty pillows to motivate me to get up and make my bed. Perhaps some like these.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Pretty Pairing

I love this Wrap London tunic and cardigan. Wouldn't the Turquoise Blossom Ring be a pretty pairing?

You can find the tunic here and the ring hereTunic first seen at the lovely Bliss.
Update - the Turquoise Blossom ring has found a new home but can be custom ordered.