A is for Apron

Many call me crazy (for several reasons…), but I love to work in the kitchen with my kidlings!  They learn so much and we have so much fun mixing and working together to create bits of healthy (and sometimes not!) goodness together.  I’ll freely admit that it is messier, longer, crazier, more frustrating at times, and most definitely more difficult than simply working on my own…but it is worth it to me…and they love  it.  There is an infinite source of texture, change, processes, reading, understanding, cause and effects, health, etc. lessons that occur seamlessly and effortlessly with simple family meal preparations.  So worth it!

My two helpers with their faces smushed against the mixer lid as they watch “Mr. Bosch” do this thing!  This is not staged…totally spontaneous..totally constant!!!

My littlest helper is so much fun to work with!  He is very enthusiastic about his role and works very hard at it!  (Enthusiasm in the kitchen…and in everything else…is patterned very well for him by his big sister so it’s really no surprise that he shows it too!)  While there are plenty of little aprons to share from in the drawer he needed his own…created just for him.  I had a lot of fun designing the right apron…bright and cheerful…trucks…easy to put on…pocket…not to long but not too short so it covers him, but he won’t trip on it getting onto the stool…etc.  We are all so happy with the result!

I “winged” it…so I don’t have a real tutorial for you…but hopefully you can see the general shapes from some of these “in progress” shots and my ramblings and figure it out! 

I drew out what I wanted and made some measurements.  It’s basically a rectangle from middle of the back up over the shoulders to a little below his waist…a hole for the head…and slit down the back…lined…a casing on both back pieces…ties that go through the casing…and a button!

     

Anything going on the front of the apron goes on before you attach the lining.   Sketch out your truck on the rough fabric shape and pin it down .  Free motion stitch on your lines.  Don’t worry about straight even lines…make it sketchy.  Be careful…this is addicting…you might find yourself stitching sketches on everything! I made a pocket for the “dump” part of the truck by simply stitching only three sides of the shape…easy peasy!  Attach your ties and you’re ready to sew your layers together.

       I might tighten up this button…!  Ta Da!!  Now he can create mayhem in the kitchen in style!!!

Here and There

Just visiting this space for a brief moment of respite from this space

where the we have been finding lots of these

while we work hard to create a space like the ones found here. 

Where have you been these days?  Hopefully outside with bare little toes running all around you! 

Hello April

There were roller skates and crayons in the fridge this morning.  Wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy Halloween were shared…oh what a silly way (and beloved one for little ones) to welcome a month!!  I’ll admit that our April Fool’s Day observation is tame with just the right amount of silliness…and we like it like that! 

But oh do we welcome April with open, and perhaps even bare arms! 

And just it time for the first day of this springy month we have welcomed our first flower bouquet, picked and given by very proud, very dirty, and just a wee bit chubby hands.  Oh the joys of little loves! 

 

We have also celebrated the first snake sighting!  The marvel at our own “wildlife” is grand, and to see it up close and in their own little realm was magnificent.  (There’s a story behind that rock pile where they found the snakes.  Don’t worry…you’ll hear it soon!)  They (especially her) watched them for the longest time.  And then checked on them all through the day.  (I’ll admit I’m a little convinced that they might move homes!)

Can you spot them?  It’s tough in the midst of all that brown!  There’s two little garden snakes there…I never did get to see the big one (you’re right…I’m just fine with that!)  One is on the left of the lilac tree and one is on the right.  Isn’t it funny how we can share the joy our children have in things that we ourselves would find little joy in if by ourselves.  There truly is something magical that happens when you love a little one. 

 

Hello April!  Oh do we look forward to all that you will bring…and all that we will bring to you! 

Now…let’s see how fast we can get the “get-ready-for-dear-family” housework done so we can spend every possible minute out of doors on this gorgeous day! We have some big projects going on out there! You know, that is one of my favorite parts of spring and summer…aside from the dirt being tracked into the kitchen to the shoe mats from out of doors, the house stays relatively clean all the time because we are rarely in it!  That is a definite perk! 

Welcoming

I love the concept of welcome. Open arms, open minds, open hearts, a space made ready and special…oh yes…it is simply wonderful to welcome, and be welcomed. Our culture welcomes ceremoniously in several occasions. We welcome new couples, new homes, new years, new phases of life, … and perhaps the very best welcomes of all are for brand new lives. Is there anything better than welcoming a new baby in spring! I think not!!!

Babies seem to be entering my life on all sides…(except from the inside of me of course…let’s make that clear!). The studio is buzzing with plans for many of these wee babes which I am excited to share with you. And these days I have been looking forward to sharing the joy of planning a small part of the welcome for a new spring baby girl into our circle of family and friends. Oh, is this girl going to be loved!!!

I put together some very simple but (I think) darling invitations. Just a bit of cut and paste, and a little ink…easy peasy! (I used Amy Butler papers. With fabric or paper that woman is genius! Love her!) I’ll share more bits of the welcoming soon! But for now….

Clothespins

Wooden clothes pins, restless from a winter spent indoors shut away in their basket, stick up in all angles mirroring the branches of the naked trees all around.  The first laundry hanging is always nice, always hopeful, always reaffirming to turn to nature to help in yet another way with our household.  Yes…above all, spring is hopeful.  Hopeful of warmth, green, sun, growth, soil…and just so many wonderful springy things!! 

Play!

It’s a dreary, rainy, chilly chilly day today…so we’re off to the Strong Museum of Play!!!  Whatever the weather where you are I hope your day is filled with play adventures, imagination, and creative fun! 

(Her favorite place to “hide” from even littler hands than hers.  I don’t mind…she needs her space once in a while and the bean exploring is sooo therapeutic!!!)

Happy Monday friends!!

Of Stories and Mermaids

Living in a rather rural area we have to travel quite a bit to do common errands.  To simplify and economize we tend to do marathon trips getting lots done on one day and staying at home as much as we can the rest of the week.  We all like it better that day.  But on those errand days we spend quite a bit of time together in a small contained space!  My (seriously brilliant!!) husband burned a collection of stories from StoryNory on cd for me for Christmas for these days.  I say they are for me when really they are all children stories…but oh what a gift for mom!!!  We really love them and have been known to even (*gasp*) sit in the car for a few extra minutes in a parking lot to finish up a story.  Our minds have been dreaming through the tales of Hans Christian Andersen and Aesops Fables….although our collection will soon broaden…!  The narrator for these stories is truly gifted.  Pop over and take a look! 

We recently listened to Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, on the way to who-knows-where…or maybe it was on the way back from there…who knows!!!  At any rate…we have been mermaids ever since.  Willingly or unwillingly, we are now a family of mermaids under the constant instruction, inspirations, and enthusiastic direction of our own little mermaid.  It is quite fun actually, and our next library trip will focus on the marvels of underwater worlds!!  

Well…it just so happened that in the studio sat just about half a yard of fabric that could be described as none other than mermaid scales.  Gold mermaid scales.  It just waited for the right project…and a girl that could pull off fabric like this!  Well…I most definitely had both of those…especially the latter!!!  Photo by the little mermaid.

Using a favorite balloon hem skirt as a pattern we put together our own little mermaid skirt!  It doesn’t have the drape that the orange corduroy does…but it works!  She has worn it gleefully all day during her mermaid adventures!  It was a quick easy project.  I took pictures and will put together a tutorial for it tomorrow (possibly!!).  I think I might even have enough fabric for one of these.  Although I don’t think I have yarn with quite that much funk…we’ll see what I can come up with! 

Happy creating friends!