quote du jour

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.
- Pablo Picasso


I love this quote and felt this sweet chalk king I captured on the streets of Amsterdam suited it quite well. Enjoy today and embrace your inner artist !

Meet Madison and Soho

I found these two sad chairs sitting on top of a snowbank in my neighborhood this winter just begging to be rescued. The design and the construction were so eye catching, I threw them in the garage with grand plans to transform them.

Ta-Da....I finished them this weekend. The geometric cushion on the Soho is a great contrast to the orange and the serene cottage blue works perfectly with the baroque swirl cushion. They rock, swivel and are very comfy. I just added them to my shop this morning, so that means back to the garage to find the next makeover candidate. There is something very satisfying about seeing a project come full circle and having it turn out just how you envisioned it.

Zhena's Gypsy Tea

I am a coffee lover. I love the smell, the taste, everything about it, but I just can't ignore all the wonderful benefits I read about tea.

I once heard a woman say that she starts each morning with a hot cup of tea, then later after breakfast, she would enjoy some coffee. She described it as a little hot shower for your insides. Huh, that sounds good, and as as long as I can still enjoy my java...I'm game.

The older I get, the more I try to make small adjustments to my lifestyle that are a little kinder and gentler on my body, so today I gave it a whirl. I got up early and headed down to my favorite summer spot in the house...the 3 season porch with tea on my mind. Earl Green from Gypsy Tea was my selection and it was wonderful. Just the right mix of bergamot with a hint of ginger, rose and orange. I am not the most disciplined person, but I did love starting the day that way and I am planning on making it a habit. Sipping on a warm antioxidant filled drink while quietly watching the world awaken was very meditative.

I had read about Gypsy Tea before, but had never given it a try. After her son was born with a severe birth defect, Zhena ,who has a background in aromatherapy, started selling teas from a cart as a way to generate money to pay for her son's surgeries. The result, an extremely unique blend of award winning teas that are 100% organic and 100% fair trade, and the tin is just screaming to be recycled into a cute bud vase or paintbrush holder. If you are in the market for a new tea....give it a shot, you won't regret it. When you support good people, who make good products while using good practices....well, you just feel GOOD!

Nathan

This is Nathan.

Love of my life, spring in my step and song in my heart. He is the most caring, thoughtful, loving man I know....and today is his birthday. Let the celebration begin!

Since we met, we have always made birthdays a pretty big deal and this year is no exception. After a late breakfast out, we are heading up north an hour or two to go tubing down a local river (with a beer and cheese pit stop planned on a near sandbar). Later that night, his favorite restaurant Pasquals, for some really tasty southwest food and a couple dangerous margaritas. Weather permitting, we will finish off the night around our backyard firepit with friends. The rest of the weekend will most likely be spent eating, drinking, laughing, celebrating...just enjoying the occasion. If you don't currently celebrate birthdays BIG in your family....I highly suggest giving it a try. Wonderful memories will be had, and spoiling the ones we love is truly one of the best feelings !

Oh- and how could I forget the cake. I have made these Carrot Ginger cupcakes for Nate's birthday for the last 5 years. He says his birthday would not be complete without them. Mmmmm very yummy.

Back to school

I made the mistake of running into Target yesterday for a few new organizing folders, and was bombarded by the hoards of people in the Back to School section. That time of year already ? Not only were there the grade schoolers, lists in hand, trying to decided between the Jonas Brothers spiral notebook or the High School musical one, but it was also move in weekend at the University, so there were loads of co-eds picking out their 2008 versions of the milk crates and papasans to fill their dorm room.

I have to admit, amidst all the chaos, I became very nostalgic of the BTS ritual. Scanning the JC Penney catalog with my sister for the newest fall looks, registering for the next grade and visiting our local retailer...Hornsby's for all our supplies. I loved filling the cart with brand new color coordinated folders. Green for science, blue for math, and I think I always used orange for social studies. The big decision, of course, was which 3 ring binder was going to make the annual cut. I vividly remember having a Critter Sitters one that later became a permanent home for my sticker collection.

Last summer, I was helping my mom clean out the garage when I heard her yell ..."hey, do you want your Jabberjaw lunchbox?" WHAT.... My Jabberjaw lunch box!!!- I hadn't seen him in ages. Hell yes I still want him! I loved that thing. I even remember seeing him on the store shelf amongst all the others and knowing that that was the lunchbox I wanted to use ALL year long. (I think I must have been in 2nd or 3rd grade). I am not sure when it lost its wonder for me, but it was sure fun to get it back again. The thermos is MIA, but Mr. Jabberjaw now happily resides in my studio filled with ribbon scraps and little bows.

floral fix

Just what I was looking for. I braved the crowds yesterday at the Dane County farmers market in search of bright summery zinnias. After watching the 3 packages of seeds I planted float away this spring, I was really needing a fix. I found them right off the bat, huge overflowing monocromatic buckets of them. Although I would have loved to buy the whole lot, I also couldn't resist a bunch of cheery sunflowers and some trailing orange cosmos . I alloted myself $10 and got some bang for my buck for sure. Look at all the vases I filled. Now every little spot in our home has a little summer sun....at least for a few days.

Seahorse stampede

I just read in National Geographic Traveler that the Thames River in London has undergone a huge eco face lift. Years of dumping in the tidal water body had made the river inhabitable for many species. Due to the concerted efforts of conservationists, salmon have returned after a 150 year absence and recently, a small colony of seahorses were discovered in the rivers estuary. A reminder that no matter how small, we share this planet with many creatures and it is our responsibility to make sure it stays that way.

I have always been fascinated by what lies under the sea and seahorses in my opinion are one of the most magical of marine life. Although I have never seen one in their natural habit, I have a wonderful image of them bobbing and floating in and out of coral reefs and seaweed forests....perhaps carrying tiny mermaids on their backs.

Here are a few more of my favorite Etsy interpretations of this dainty creature.


Emmommy seahorse necklace

Beach Cottage's bookmarks


poodlebreath's mug

life imitating art

I couldn't have planned this one better if I tried.

On arrival at the water park this weekend, my niece Colette came skipping over to us holding a little plastic bag containing a tiny little girl tooth... she had lost her first one that morning. Quick thinking Mom, Cara, made sure to pack her tooth fairy pillow for the overnight stay. I was the first one up the next morning, and shortly after, Colette, still sleepy eyed, tip-toed over to my bed with the sweetest magical grin and emptied her purple, velvet tooth fairy pouch on the pillow to reveal her treasure. She said she had tried to stay up, but must have missed her. The innocence and pure joy in her face is one I will remember forever. As you recall, I crafted them little dolls to remind them of their dance costumes this summer...the TOOTH FAIRY. Now that is some synchronicity

snips and snails and puppydog tails

Firetrucks, mud stained jeans and slimy toads are just a few of the simple pleasures in our near future. Both my sister Amy and my sister-in-law Cara just found out that they will be having BOYS this winter. Everyone is on cloud 9. The first grandchild for my family and the first boy for Nathan's. I came across this precious image on CravingAnthropologie and it seemed to capture the mood perfectly. So many fun things to plan, create and buy....like this little guy Harris, quietly hiding in the moss, compliments of pogoshop.


Nate and I are already planning on what handmade heirloom we can give our new nephews. It is going to be a very joyful, busy and action packed winter.

The tooth fairy squared

How sweet are these two little pixies ? Lauren Chase (left) and Colette Sloan (right) are our 5 year old twin nieces, who we are seeing in a few days for a water park weekend. I always like to make them a little something when I see them, so this time I crafted 6 inch little versions of themselves in this years dance recital costumes ...they were tooth fairies. It was really easy and a sweet gift for those little sprites in our lives.

Here is what I did. Enlarged a few of my favorite head shots of the girls, then glued them to a photo copy of a little ballerina (I found mine on a Halloween costume website) then back it with a heavier weight decorative paper. Add as much tulle, glitter and beads as you like - or in my case wings. A iridescent ribbon attached to the back allows them to pirouette from a hook, curtain rod or dresser drawer pull.

I see the light

I might have found a sacred spot.....for lovers of discarded objects that is. I mean, it is no natural vortex or anything, but this small street I drive on almost every day, has provided me with an unusual amount of treasures. Two Mod wire chairs (that are a week or two from being completed) , 4 solid kitchen wood chairs and one slightly injured reindeer lawn ornament (to be revealed later this year).

I have had my eye out for a table lamp for awhile and this one is in excellent condition. I don't even know if the light works, but that is an easy fix....for Nathan at least. The design is good and the wood will be a very sturdy base for my latest creation. I still need some time to ponder the look though. At first i was thinking decoupaging with foreign newsprint or old book pagers but that might be too expected. Whatever it is I am very excited to see this one come to fruition. Stay tuned.....