a little crafty nest

handmade for the holidays...that would be the one that just passed

Better late than never, right?

First, there were two beeswax crayon roll-ups for Forrest and Sunshine.  Forrest graduated to stick crayons while Sunshine seems old enough to take better care of her crayons...and oh, she feels so grown-up with her lovely set!

All three little ones have their own sketchbooks...it's easier to hold all their drawings together than to have so many looseleaf masterpieces scattered about!  Even little one year old Huckley has a sketchbook, which he uses...the older two model how to use it properly, without even knowing what they are doing.  Using beautiful beeswax crayons (Stockmar) are absolutely positively the best - and worth every penny for the vivid colours and rich quality.

Another handmade gift, which was no surprise to them, were knitted neckwarmers, which I posted about here.  This is what they look like adorning their necks...

Forrest requested (several times) to make his extra long to cover his nose when he goes skiing.  However, he informed me during the taking of this photo that "Next time, please mama, could you make it not so long?"  Sighs.  The younger two have been wearing theirs when I request them to, however, I'm not so sure Forrest will use his too much...we shall see...

I also made our traditional Christmas Eve pj's for the three children.  I found some flannel with candy canes and snowflakes ~ Sunshine tells me they are just what she wanted!  Though, she says this with great delight whenever she receives anything.  So much like her Papa.

Papa also made a little something for the children, inspired by some items out of the Nova catalogue and by my dear friend, Melanie at Our Ash Grove and her husband.

These sandwich boards were harvested and milled with Josh's chainsaw and then he cut out shapes for each child.  With a little regular beeswax polishing...

...these little boards hold a lovely meal that each child can take to the table on their own.

Please go see Melanie's snack boards here.  They are so delightful!

Of course, not nearly as many ideas made it to completion.  But, then again, half the fun for me is imagining, designing, and thinking about what I want to make for those special people.  And there's always next year!

treasure chest

My birthday was over three months ago, but it was on the weekend that my husband gave me his gift.  I am not complaining...I knew it was bound to be a wonderful gift because I know how many nights he sacrificed to be in my lovely company to go and work in his shop. The truth be known, I was actually starting to miss him!  I wanted my husband back!  But I got more than that, I got this...

Such a wonderful surprise!  He made me a cedar chest from wood he harvested himself,.  It means a lot to me as I was pining away for the chest I grew up with from my parent's house.  I couldn't ask for a nicer, more thoughtful gift ~ that man knows me so well!

And when you open it, the smell of cedar is heavenly!

Good thing, too, as we have a slight moth issue going on in our home.  This trunk is now home to all our handwork baskets and projects ~ for now.  Really, it is a challenge to decide what to do with this lovely chest...sweaters?  blankets?  woolies for the children?  handwork?  family treasures?  Perhaps I'll have to rotate its uses, and for now, handwork it is.

As the season of gift-giving approaches, it is reaffirming to experience the joy, care, and love that goes into a handmade gift, whether it be grand in scale or simple in nature.  I feel so very blessed to have a husband who shares this same value with me, one that will surely pass on to our children.

Now, off to re-organize that chest...or see how some wool sweaters look in it...

all a-quiver (a tutorial)

This past weekend, my big boy, my eldest, turned six.  There was absolutely no hesitation about what we wanted to give him for his special day...he is obsessed with bow and arrows.  And while I took a peek at some store-bought bow and arrow sets, there was no question we wanted to make him his own. 

My husband made the bow (ponderosa pine and larch) and four simple arrows, using feathers from a grouse he hunted with a sling and shot a few years ago.  He also used some feathers from an old family friend's parrot (?) and foraged goose.

I was excited, though a little intimidated, to make him a real quiver.  When I began, a few weeks ago, I had no idea the carrier for the arrows that archers wear slung on their backs is called a quiver.  A nine year old boy told me this after I had gone to see his folks about some hide to make the quiver.  I finally found some buffalo hide that was 1/4" thick...tough stuff, for sure.  Around here, the Native American Church is a pretty big deal, so I was grateful for the generosity of tools and tips from a few friends.

This is the finished quiver I made for Forrest.  I thought I'd take you step-by-step on how to make one for yourself because it was much easier than I anticipated, and so very satisfying.

These are the equipment and tools you will need:

A nice sized piece of hide, a piece of leather for the strap (I used a belt I found at a thrift store for $2), sinew or leather string for lacing, a leather punch, and a rotary cutter.

Next, measure your leather.  I wanted a quiver for my six year old, so I cut a piece that was 17" long x 12.5" wide.

After cutting through the hide, I used a ruler to make pencil marks 1/4" in from the edge, 1/2" apart along three sides for where I wanted to punch the holes for lacing.  Being precise makes a more polished look.

The hole punching is tiresome work!  I had to rest many times to get the holes in...buffalo hide is really really tough!

Next came the tricky part, attaching the strap which I decided to attach before doing any of the lacing.  I cut a belt to 25".

Above you can see two 1 1/2" slits I cut to insert the strap.   The bottom slit is 3" above the edge while the top slit is 1" down.  I punched four holes into the strap and into the hide at each slit.  Then I slipped the strap into both slits and sewed them down with the sinew, which is unbelievably strong.

Once the strap was attached, I laced up the long sides of the quiver.  This was a whole body exercise as I needed my feet to hold the quiver while pulling really hard on the sinew. 

My husband also helped hold it steady while I spent a long while tightening the seams which was a little tedious with a crochet hook.

I used a yogurt container to make the template for the circular bottom piece of the quiver.  I stuffed it into the bottom end and simply cut off what was sticking out.

This leftover container made the template for the circular bottom end.

Lacing the circular piece to the bottom of the quiver is a lesson in patience, but it paid off!

This is probably one of my most favourite things I have ever made!  So much easier than I anticipated, and now my mind is off and running about all the other potential leather work to be made!

And my six year old...how did he like it all?  Well, let's just say it was a definate bull's-eye!

to keep the home fires burning

Up until now, our woodshed was really a delapidated tarp shed, leaning towards the earth with a saucy attitude.  I finally convinced my husband to build a proper woodshed and take it off the "honey-do" list. 

To make a long ramble less rambling, my long and loquacious rantings paid off, and Josh finally built a proper shed...with a little help from a five year old.  Yes, the beauty of homeschooling is that life around the home is all learning!  With his own tool belt strapped on, crammed with various real tools, and a handful of those wonderfully fat construction pencils...my biggest little fella helped build one heck of a woodshed!  (This translates into hammering many nails into a wood stump and telling me how he wanted a workman's lunch outside with papa so they might discuss how the woodshed is coming along)!

 
 
 
 
A delivery of free slabs makes the walls of the shed.

 
Do you see the mountains profiled in the back wall?

 
And then we had many hands to help stack that first cord...including a few cousins.

 
 
With all that help, we managed to stack our first cord of wood to keep our home fires burning this winter.  Now, only five more cords to go!

 
And my five year old is so very proud to exclaim, "How do you like the woodshed we built, Mama?".  I love it, my son.  Thank you.

box of treasures

My three year old daughter is not much of a dolly girl.  Oh, I've tried, believe me.  She shows some interest for a few moments, and then moves on to more action type play...like trucks and motorbikes and see-how-I-throw-the-dolly.  I have to admit, I'm a little sad about this.  I know, I know, honour who she is and what she likes and don't force her into a mould.  But, really now, I am a dolly girl. 

As her third birthday approached, one of her most requested stories at bedtime was my recollection of dolly play when I was a girl.  The old-fashioned school set up in my basement, the high chair I got from St. Nicholas that my sister thought was meant for her, the doll I painstakingly made walk every step to Kindergarten a whole two blocks away.  She especially loves the high chair story and so that is why we gave her a dolly high chair for her birthday ten days ago.  She loves it.

And the hand-made presents we made for her grew out of those stories.  
Josh made her a cedar treasure box that I filled with dolly clothes.

 
Sunshine has a very special doll made by my dear friend who owns maplerose.  I have been saving the doll for a few years, until Sunshine was old enough to care for her properly, or until she ever became smitten with dolls.  Both of those reasons went out the window when Sunshine was diagnosed with diabetes in January.  Josh went home on our second day at the hospital to gather clothing for our family and I asked him to find the doll at the back of my closet. 

  
She was great comfort to Sunshine in the hospital, but soon after settling back at home, she was rejected.  I think Sunshine associates that really horrible time in her life with this doll.  So...Maya (as she came to be known) was given a wardrobe change...a whole new look to hopefully spark renewed interest.

 
I had such fun sewing these little (pink!) outfits from scraps of Sunshine's own clothes.   

 
 
 
Maya's sweater is a pattern by Shelly (waldorfmama) found here.  It was such fun designing and making Maya's wardrobe...it sure came together a lot faster than sewing for bigger babies!  And all three children were pretty excited by the box of treasures...

 
There's been a lot of dolly play since Sunshine's birthday.  And even if my daughter never becomes a dolly girl like I was, I know in my heart that is just fine.  The comfort she provided my girl in the hospital is beyond priceless...and for that, Maya, I will always cherish you!

 

a midsummer's eve

We have a secret to share...shhhh...it's a magical secret!  We have fairies living right here, outside our front door!  A few years ago, the morning after Midsummer's Eve, the children awoke and discovered a trail of flower petals winding through the garden, across the yard to our beloved oak tree. 

 
Their door is magic for if anyone tries open it (and it has been done!), suddenly the home becomes a mere tree trunk again.  What wonder and delight all of us had to wake up that morning!

Last year, I was awaiting the iminent arrival of Huckley and Midsummer's Eve sadly passed by without a whisper of fairy music to be heard.  However, this year, oh this year was different!  Forrest and Sunshine tidied up the Oak Tree Fairy House and made it festive with flowers from the garden.  Upon waking the next morning, there was some dressing up to do...

 
And some brothers to organize...

 
Once everyone was sufficiently adorned, the children tromped through the garden to see if there was any evidence of the fairie's party from the night before.

 
Would you believe that now the Oak Tree Fairies have some neighbours...the Brambly Fairies!?!  How exciting!

 
We called on our fairy friends from last year...

 
 
We asked them to tell our new neighbours that we are happy they moved in.  Though, things might get a little noisy around here in the evening!

if you build it...

The past few weeks we've seen a little more of Papa as he is transitioning from his winter work into his summer work.  That means a few projects are crossed off the "Honey-Do List".  Like adding the swings to the children's playground.  Josh built the main structure with a slide, a lookout, and a sandbox three years ago, but the swings were put aside.  I think I may have been the only one really waiting for them to be added.  I just knew how great it would be for the children. 

We really are fortunate with this property as we have a lovely creek meandering through it, but it's still too dangerous for a 5 year old, let alone a 2 year old to play alongside without supervision.  We also have a small forest across a little meadow, but again, the children are a little young to be traipsing through it on their own.  However, a swingset right beside the Kitchen Garden in front of the house sounds just about right!  I can putter away in my garden and still be visible and present with the children.  I love that!

 
Josh smirks a wee bit when I suggest we should build this or that, as I am more of a director when it comes to some of the building projects.  He is the grunt labourer, and while he rarely complains, I am well aware of the unbalanced nature of this part of our relationship.  Thank goodness he enjoys working with wood so much!

 
And he did have some enthusiastic helpers...

 
 
 
A volunteer was needed to test it out...

 
Ten days later, this swingset has become the place to be.  If I wonder where either of these two have wandered to, I just look out my kitchen window and see them here.

 
From the lookout, they have a pretty great view of the Kitchen Garden, excellent for spotting whales or pirate's treasure or knights approaching.

 
 
Miss Sunshine loves her swing.  She is often seated there, contentedly and quietly moving rhythmically back and forth.  On the weekend, I was in the garden with little Huckley and I heard Sunshine loudly singing, "Happiness...Happiness...Happiness!"  Later I asked her why she was saying that and she replied, "Oh, because I love you, Mama!"  After everything she's been through in the last four months, this is indeed music to my ears.

 
Like I told my husband, if he builds the swingset, the children will come.  They will come to a place to dream, to play, to watch the birds swoop and glide, to see the clouds drift by.  They will come for a moment, or for an afternoon. 

 

This little piece of our property is sure to experience a lot of happiness.  Thanks be to the strong and capable hands that built it!

handmade home ~ a special secret place

I remember those places as a child that evoked magic and mystery...places only pint-sized folk could access.  When we built our home, I was imagining such a space in the empty zone beneath our stairwell.  With a little of the leftover flooring, and a kitchen crafted by St. Nicholas himself, a special secret place appeared, like magic!

 
And if the door is open, feel free to enter the enchanted kitchen (or bear's den, or dungeon, or pirate's galley, or...)

 
This door was handcarved by my husband's stepfather, Grandpa.  It actually still needs to be hung after we properly size it to fit, and sand it in a few rough spots.  Grandpa put the little door in for trucks to pass through...clever fella with creativity oozing from his fingertips!

 
 
And on the other side of the sink at just the right height, is a wee window overlooking the creek. 
 
The playhouse has been here since we renovated our home four years ago, but before Christmas I wanted to put some more effort into it.  Sometimes, a little rearranging or refreshing is all that is needed for a new perspective on the familiar.  Other times, a few tasty felted treats for afternoon tea does the trick, too!

 
Cookies, ladyfingers, and fruit tarts...our favourite!  And my wee little daughter with diabetes can eat all she wants of these sweet treats:)

 
It has been a lot of fun for me,too, saving tea tins and collecting various nuts, branches and stones to make the "food" for the kitchen. 

 
For several days running, we have had gallons of hot drinks and pounds of sugary confections.  Tea, anyone?

 
One day, the children will be too tall to walk through this door, but I envision changing the space to suit their needs.  Perhaps I'll replace the kitchen with big, fluffy pillows for a cozy reading nook or a creative writing haven. 

It's so wonderful to have such a special secret place...what are your children's?

handmade home ~ creative stairwell

Josh and I moved into our newly renovated home four years ago last month.  I would love to say it's finished, but the trimless windows, plywood kitchen cupboards, and cement floor in the entryway would prove me untruthful.  All these details are waiting for attention...and they frequently call to me more often than my husband, probably because I am home with the children most of the day and I see the details All Day Long.

What both of us do agree on, if not the importance of window trim to the peacefulness of the home's atmosphere, is the attention to craftsmanship in the details.  We both find a lot of inspiration and creativity from outside and we have brought some of that into the details of our home.  We have stood in mountain streams collecting rounded, flattened stones for tiles in our as-yet-unfinished entryway floor; we have gathered river rock for our as-yet-unfinished hearth; we have made use of many tree branches, trunks, and twigs for various other parts of our home.  It is all a work-in-progress, but there is so much satisfaction in the collecting and processing.  (Josh might give a generous eye roll here as he is, in fact, the one who does most of the processing and I love him for it)!

 
Our home is his first true building project that has launched a respectable construction business.  He has made furniture, kid's toys, kitchen utensils, carvings, hair sticks, and so much more.  Most of his work is begun with a chainsaw and a chainsaw mill. 

 
Details like these fir stair treads require a lot of forthought as they were milled and cured for well over a year before they were installed, just to ensure minimal warping once in place.  They are beefier treads than required but I really love the deep, solid feel they give our home.

 
The posts are made of maple, the spindles are birch, and the railing is larch.  I asked Josh if he would have done anything differently, and he mentioned that he might have peeled the spindles as the children occasionally try and do this themselves! 

 
Our stairwell is not perfect.  There is a slight crookedness to them all that is visible when you peer down from this view.   
 
But this imperfect crookedness is also the charm of handmade things, isn't it?  And no more so than in a handmade home.

in gratitude (a give-away)

On Sunday, February 6, I will have been sharing this space for a full year.  A full year that has experienced deep joy and received unexpected pain.  This past year has seen the birth of my third baby, the welcoming of our second four legged furry friend (not including Fraidy Cat), and the diagnosis of Summer's Type 1 Diabetes.  Yes, this has been a full year.

When I first heard of a friend who was in Blogland, I was skeptical, though curious.  Then I bought a book about crafting and felt such a kindred connection to the author.  She homeschools, she crafts and knits and quilts and cooks.  She chooses to live with mindfulness and creativity and intention.  And in little letters at the very back of her book, I saw that she had a blog, SouleMama.  So I checked it out. And I thought, "Hey, what a good idea for yet another creative outlet!"

This space has given me a voice to share the projects, the crafting, the ideas, the adventures, and the lives of my family.  It nurtures me, and gives me something outside of the surrendering, selfless nature of mamahood to express myself. More than ever, as our new path unfolds, I need this more than ever.  In a cliche way, it feeds my soul.

A year ago, I had no idea that I would make some very kindred connections.  Other mamas who have shared and bared their souls and lives.  Other mamas who have made me smile and laugh out loud.  Other mamas who have offered their honesty, their advice, and their shoulders.  From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.

So in honour of this one full year of cyber life, I am offering a small return to those mamas who really get what I mean.  Something made with a lot of love for a mama who is needing a little pampering.  I had fun embroidering this lavender and rose petal satchet to tuck beneath your pillow to enhance a restful and peaceful sleep.  I grew the lavender myself, and handcrafted the rose petals from our property. 

 

I also asked my husband if he'd mind making one of his beautiful hairsticks.  Ahhh, a sweet man, he whittled this up in an evening using wild maple, and rubbed it with beeswax. 

 

Both smell heavenly and I hope whoever ends up with either of them enjoys the idea of being pampered.

 
I have no restrictions about this give-away.  It is my first and I'll be drawing the two names by hand on Sunday, February 6 at 6pm (PST).  If you would like to be pampered, simply leave a comment below.  Thank you all for the gift you have given me in sharing this space.  This is a wonderful sisterhood of support and I am so grateful for this avenue of creativity!

Peace to each of you,

xo Jules

handmade for the holiday (from my family)

I've shared a little bit of what I've made for my loved ones here, though I'm not the only one in my family to have been busy these last few weeks crafting and creating.  From the younger elves right up to St. Nick himself, it's been a busy household!

Josh is very creative indeed, and he made me a hairstick to replace my favourite arbutus hairstick that I've misplaced.  I was so sad about this as he carved it for me on a camping trip we did on the coast several years ago.  But this juniper replacement is a beauty, too.

 
This next photo doesn't do it much justice in my hair, but it is my daily way of tying my hair back.  I'm not very adventurous, and I've been wearing my long hair like this for years and years.

 
Another carved wooden gift from my man was a simple, wild maple spurtle.  Yes, a spurtle.  (Isn't that the most unelegant word for such a beautiful tool?)  Apparently it is a Scottish stirring stick, most useful for porridge.  Ohh, I love my spurtle!

 
And the really big gift that St. Nicholas has been working on for the past month was a dollhouse for our little girl.  It's more like a treefort, really.

 
He made it out of denim pine which is pine streaked with bluish highlights.  The vertical wood is cedar, both from our property.

 
He rubbed it with beeswax and it exudes such a lovely, warm scent.

 
Josh carved these table and chairs from birch and cedar, and I just love how rustic they feel.  This house could easily be for gnomes, fairies, or these storebought dolls.  (I wanted to make my own, but ran out of time).

 
He made the beds out of white pine and the tiny lampshades are also storebought from maplerose.  I love this little pink doll for she looks just like my little girl...in her favourite colour, of course!

 
Miss Sunshine was so very pleased to receive this special gift, though I am not sure who is more excited about it - her or me!  And we can just add to it as her play becomes more sophisticated.  I already am planning little wee braided rugs and quilts...stay tuned!

Finally, perhaps one of the most special handmade gifts I received was from my children who made me some cascara and maple buttons.  With the help of their papa, they sanded, drilled holes, and rubbed beeswax into several buttons.  I can hardly wait to make some more clothing for them with their beautiful creations.

 
It is so wonderful to see the true spirit of giving with my little ones.  The excitement of creating something with their own hands and seeing the joy that this brings is truly why this time of year is so very special.  May this season of giving and receiving continue on with your families into the New Year!

all things woodsy

We had a visitor here this weekend that left some of us grinning, some of us in awe, some of us wistful, and some of us totally, blissfully unaware!

Yes, Jack Frost finally arrived, touching his crystal paintbrush to everything outside, leaving our yard a dazzling sparkling wonderland!

 
 
 
He'll have lots more work to do, though, because the sun shone beautifully all weekend long and magically erased all his hard work within a few early morning hours.

Gratefully, ours was a weekend spent outside, with bonfiring, wood-gathering, apple picking, and tomato tossing (from the greenhouse...sadly, Jack Frost nipped all the tomatoes in there)!  Papa managed another firewood forage and brought home some wonderful birch and larch that is snapping and crackling away right now in our cookstove.  Forrest and Sunshine were eager for Papa's return to help him toss the wood from the truck.

 
Forrest also has his own hatchet which makes Mama very nervous, so I insisted on a proper lesson from Papa to learn to respect this valuable tool.

 
He got the hang of it pretty quickly...

 
 
He's already wanting to do all of our kindling for the winter...but I'm still reluctant to let him work without supervision, and standing watching him do hours of kindling doesn't seem too exciting.   What is exciting is chainsaws (to Forrest and to Papa...and sometimes to Sunshine, depending on her mood).  I'm not crazy about them at all: the noise, the stink, the instant destruction they can create.  However, around here, a chainsaw is a valuable tool that allows Josh to keep his family warm, mill much of the wood that he built our house with, clean the brush around our property, and even make many toys (yes, he is a master with that machine)!  And like father, like son, Josh made Forrest his very own chainsaw...less the noise and environmental pollution.

 
Over the past three years, this little machine has put in a lot of work.  A lot.  Forrest has mastered the subtle nuances of handling a chainsaw from watching his Papa, even to the sound effects of stalling the thing!  And Sunshine has begun...perhaps a chainsaw in pink will reveal itself one day soon?!  Well, maybe not.

 
Forrest's enthusiasm for helping around our home is tremendous.  He is ever eager to volunteer his help with wood-gathering tasks, and I see a little strut to his step after he brings the wood into the house and plops it into the wood bin beside the stove.  All too soon, he will venture off into the mountains with his Papa to go foraging to help keep the family warm for the winter.  Oh, he can hardly wait!

And oh, I sure can!

Special Quiet Time

This whole new napping thing for my daughter is freeing up some much-needed Special Time with my oldest boy.  I am embarassed to admit it, but I got stuck in the oh-so-easy napping device of Driving Miss Summer.  For many, many moons, I found myself loading the children up in the car, piling some crafting activities beside me on the front seat, and driving until the children fell asleep (about 10 to 15 minutes).  Then I would pull over, usually at my favourite spot beside the river and, well, craft.  It would buy me some much needed Quiet Time...and I really didn't burn that much gas.  Honest.

However, now my biggest boy has outgrown the nap, and I can't justify driving anymore.  So began the dreaded (by me) task of putting Summer to sleep in her bed.  While holding the baby.  While the big boy had his own Quiet Time in his room, playing and reading and drawing.  In the end, it wasn't such a big task...today it only took 20 minutes of reading until she fell asleep.  And then, the Special Time with Leif begins.

Lately, we have had a lot of fun with Leif's barn.  It was a 3rd Birthday gift made by Papa.  Josh recycled some real barnwood from our friend's 80 year old barn that he helped dismantle.  With a few scrap pieces of wood, Josh built this simple, solid structure.

With a few of Sarah's silk playcloths, some rocks, a few chunks of wood and some Schleich figures, an instant barnyard is created.

 

A little wool roving helps the animals feel at home.

I love that Leif's barn scapes have evolved over the years to include more intricate and detailed play.

After awhile, we migrated to the table to play one of our favourite games, Harvest Time.

 
Harvest Time is a cooperative game (Canadian) made by Family Pastimes.  All their boardgames involve working together with the other players to overcome obstacles.  Leif loves playing this game, and Memory, too!

I really cherish these moments when he wants to spend time with me, all to himself.  Quiet Time has become very special to my boy and me.   

apron strings

 
Recently, Soule Mama posted a query about what is happening in your kitchen.  Well, how appropriate because my two little helpers are a BIG part of nearly all of my kitchen activities--stirring, cooking, playing, even cleaning up!  Quite possibly it's because Josh made each of them a step to make counter accessibility that much more, well, accessible.

 

And such help!  Forrest has always loved chopping veggies--especially zucchinis, peppers, cucumbers and tofu.  He's also advanced to using the veggie peeler, too.  Sunshine still prefers to dissect mushrooms into nearly unrecognizable bits and she often has a hard time understanding that eventually the pancake mix needs to end up on the griddle!  Thus, homemade playdough is a saviour.

But all would not be true kitchen help without special helping aprons.  I made Forrest his apron pre-Sunshine and he loves it!

 

I also have my own special Happy apron that the children love whenever they see me put it on.

 

So, now that Sunshine is my constant counter companion, she deserved a fairy special apron of her own.

 

So easy to make and so charming!  At first, she wouldn't take it off.  I love the Flower Fairy fabric , too.  Sunshine loves it, too!

 

 

So now that we all are equipped to look like really good cooks, the bar is raised to provide food that is really good!  I think all three of us are up to the fun and challenge.  

Happy kitchen time, everyone!

new beginnings...

I love beginning projects. I love the blank openness, the unyielding potential, the simple newness.

I usually have several ongoing crafting projects scattered throughout our home, littering tabletops, cluttering counter space, balancing precariously in corners hither and thither.  Depending on my inspiration, my available time, or simply my need to finally finish something once and for all, I will pick up one craft or another: knitting, embroidering, sewing, quilting.  Surprisingly, many of these creations do indeed come to completion.  (Although I have been working on my husband's sweater for over a year now, having put it aside for 10 months).

I wondered how to begin this blog for the past few weeks while I navigated myself (blindly) through the process, from being a complete computer-phobe until now!  And what better beginnings than to feature a few carvings from my man, Josh.

He carved this Om from birch wood before we met.  It is about nearly 2 feet in diameter and stunning!  When we first dated years ago, Josh had just completed it and was intending to gift it to his friend's back-country ski lodge.  Six and a half years later it hangs beside our hearth...hmmm...true love!?!

For Josh, the Om has personal significance as his mother has been a spiritual follower of an eastern religion for nearly forty years.  He grew up surrounded by the image.  To Josh, the Om represents the symbolic vibration that unites all living things.  It is the Beginning. 

This is a smalller Om that Josh made for me last year.  It is about 5 inches across and he thoughtfully rubbed it with lavender oil.  He is a special man -- this I know!

So, here is to New Beginnings!  I hope to share our family's adventures, musings, and craftings in this space.  A way to record all the everyday details of our lives for my children. 

May all your beginnings be fruitful!