this season

The season is here in our house.  Decorating for Christmas is a magical part of all our lives this season.  As much as I love looking at other's blogs and admiring their houses and their decorations, nothing compares to feeling our home in person.  The added warmth and love that comes with the season that clothes us like an extra layer to what we already "wear" each day is hard to put into words.  It has to be felt.  When the house gets quiet at night for a few short hours before I turn in, I may take a few moments to walk slowly around the tree admiring the memories and anticipating the next few weeks and wonders that will be waiting for us to open next year.

Mending

Today was finally the day that I picked up that heavy torn bed skirt off my bedroom floor that had been lying there for months looking at me every time I came into the room.  It belongs on my oldest daughter's bed, and became torn after many climbs onto the bed by our sweet Rosemary who loves to play on her sister's bed.   Mending is not my favorite way to spend my creative time.  I'll put off sewing a button for months until I can't stand it anymore, or either I'm nagged to death about it - which is the more likely scenario.  I wish I was better at the quick jobs and the long jobs as this one is turning out to be.





Mending doesn't give me as much satisfaction, but it's a functional job isn't it?  So I spend this morning mending and appreciating my decision to get just one more lingering job done around the house today and knowing how much better I'll feel as Lena's bed looks more tidy and my room . . . has one less thing cluttering it up.

There are some jobs that require baby steps . . .

Life.

Here we are!  I'm finally getting settled again from the Holidays and New Year.  The kids went back to school on the 2nd and the pace of my schedule seemed to soar again with appointments, after holiday clean-up, Nathaniel's interest in eating solids and exploring his environment, and all the interuptions that come with that!  So much for one mama to do!  

That being said, here are some moments from our holidays, looking forward to a very interesting and incredible year filled with magical moments and miracles that fill our lives!  I'm so grateful for all the magic and miracles I witnessed last year, gives me so much hope for what's to come!

Happy 2013!!

good morning

Good Morning.

Here's a few clips of what our mornings have been like here recently.













Mornings.  I have always been a morning person, first one up, first one singing, first one eating.  This year has been a bit more stressful for me as I get 4 of our 5 kids off to school, have I told you how much I love Mondays?  They are the best!  Once they leave, I take a deep breath and begin to plan how to make the most of my day.

Off to my day!

this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week. I want to pause and savor this moment.

The Night (and day) Before ::

It went late, late into the night to finish this doll. But it was worth it!! Lots of memories made making this Christmas!!

this moment ::

Inspired by Soulemama's {This Moment}

{this moment} - a friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from my week. I want to pause and savor this moment!

and the stockings were hung ~

24 stockings that is~! Mission completion. It feels so good to finish up projects that were started last year {more on that later!}.

I really enjoyed making every one of these. They got easier and easier the more I made. I definitely have my favorites, am really digging the blue ones! I hung these up before Thanksgiving to get them up and checked off my list! But this morning, I brought each of the kids in and explained what the stockings were for, Elise immediately asked which one was going to be on her birthday. She's so into that these days (and has been for months, its finally here!). So we counted down to 14, which seems like such a long wait doesn't it for an upcoming 5 year old?

Now off to finish up those other projects on my list!! Happy merry making to you all!!

Inspiration

My inspiration this week has come from . . . acorns. I go for a walk each morning and each new day I am greeted with such beauty. I may find a few turned leaves on the ground, a beautiful sky, an unusual bird or spider web, but acorns . . . I bring those home with me to share with my girls. I love the deep browns and pistachio greens of the acorns which led me to bringing out this pile of scraps to make something for our home and for the upcoming season. It feels so good this year to be able to look slightly ahead and plan something special for my favorite season of the year - Autumn.

It wasn’t until I started having children, 9 years ago to be exact, that I found a love for this season. It’s magical, and so invigorating. This year I wanted to do something special, so I decided to give it a go with making another version of a log cabin square, inspired by Amanda, and the book, Patchwork Style. I too am hooked and will be making more of these for sure in the Near future!

This table runner goes perfectly in our dining room and in perfect time, I must say, for a little someone who's having her first birthday, tomorrow!

What's inspiring you?

in my home ~

This is one of my favorite pieces in my home. It's my Grandmother's sewing machine. It's a little beat up, the veneer is peeling a bit here and there, but it has always been precious to me. I have fond memories of us sewing doll pillows using this machine, and it still works. A few weeks ago, I happened to lay this gratitude wrap down on the side of it as I was tidying up the house. I came to notice day after day as it laid there that I had really come to love this little piece that I had made and was happy to have found it a home where others could enjoy it as well.



I made this gratitude wrap late in the summer after Amanda Soule so graciously introduced them on her blog, sold some in her shop, and then gifted her readers with the pdf file of her pattern. I had this canvas cotton fabric in my stash that I had bought from Superbuzzy in one of my “gathering” seasons back in the summer and this has been the prettiest accessory in my family room. Each time I walk by, I just smile, I love it. The birds are so cheerful and I love how the green compliments the dark wood on my Grandmother’s antique sewing machine.



{I also used Japanese organic cotton bias tape in ivory from Superbuzzy}
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new knitting corner ~

This was my life yesterday . . . dining room full of all my knitting and quilting supplies. A total mess right?? I’ve been inspired by Peter Walsch’s book {which I highly recommend to any of you out there who struggles with constant clutter in your home} and have been working hard on creating “spaces” for all my things, spaces that are clean, neat, and livable. I have for some time now been wanting to clean out my dining room {and keep it clean} so when friends and family come by, we have a clean and neat space to commune.



So I created this space. I love it. It’s neat, it’s clean, it’s natural, and awe inspiring to me. I love the lighting this room gets throughout the day. It’s a quiet little retreat for me upstairs to sit and knit, think, dream . . .