twittering bird

slowing down

2012-01-30T06:30:00.000-05:00

The boy and I find many forms of entertainment when left alone for an extended period of time.

When it's just him and me, Ave never wants to go anywhere. If I'm lucky, I can bribe him in accompanying me to the grocery store or a trip to the playground.

With me working full time during the week, I don't think he wants to share me with the rest of the world on the weekends.

Which for the most part, is fine by me. Being with him is like spending time with my childhood self.

Only much better.

On a side note: the table above is so full of water rings that they're beginning to form a pattern. Can we make this cool? (west elm, you disappoint me)

confessions of a neurotic mother in solitude

2012-01-25T06:30:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in this week's pancake post, I spent the entire weekend alone in my house. No child. No husband. (And definitely no Alt Summit, haha)

Our family was asked to join Bobby's sister's family in the NC mountains for an extended weekend, but because of my work deadlines, I was unable to take off and attend. This is the truth, though Bobby believes otherwise.

Here's a confession: I was secretly looking forward to the solitude.

The boys left Friday morning and promptly after leaving work Friday evening, I whipped out my 2012 to-do list and made a trip to Home Depot where I stocked up on sandpaper and stain.

The first item on my list was to refinish the dining room table, which I had planned on starting in the Spring, but a wave of determination took over and it suddenly seemed like the opportune time to knock out the project. Since it was raining and cold, I attempted to sand IN my dining room. Without a mask.

Yeah...not a good idea.

By Saturday morning, I was coughing up so much sawdust that I decided it was best to leave the project for another day.

I set my alarm to wake early on Saturday morning so that I could quickly knock out chores and have the rest of the weekend free for creative endeavors. I blasted NPR to help me pace myself and before Car Talk ended, I had already finished a majority of the little household duties that would have nagged at me all weekend.

But honestly, I worked myself into a tizzy trying to manage my time and checked my watch every 15 minutes. All the free time was creating anxiety!

I did manage to chill out and work at a leisurely pace on the following projects I've been meaning to tackle forever:

I finished painting all my thrift scores. And I had a closet full of them.

I have the horrible habit of finding objects in thrift stores that "would look great with a little work." Do I have time for this work? Not really, but I just can't pass up an interesting DIY project so those little guys jump in my cart (said the hoarder).

But you see, these guys are truly special. If you put your coat on their hook, they raise their wings.

I finally began working on my own design identity.

And got a little obsessive with the paper cutting aspect.

Finished painting another thrift score (owls) and hung them on Avery's tree mural.

Watched CBS Sunday Morning Show in peace and quiet while sipping coffee.

The harlequins got a new coat of paint on their frames.

And finally ventured out of the house for a little garden sign painting party at Suzy's house to benefit the 5 Points Community Garden.

And although I really missed out on a great time in the mountains, I also really needed the time by myself. Not that I take the people in my life for granted, but sometimes a small absence makes you appreciate the little important moments so much more.

Before the trip, I was constantly thinking, "if I had the time, I would...(insert with ambitious art and home improvement projects, exercise, etc)."

But given the time, I really missed making the pancake. And the three of us squeezing into a twin bed to read books at bedtime.

The boys returned home late Monday night with souvenirs from gem mining, hair smelling of campfire, and tales of snow tubing. Avery and I stayed up late flipping through the artist Nick Cave's book and as he fumbled about trying to reenact each dancer's pose, which he does soooo dramatically, for a moment I felt true bliss.

And that's the only thing that should be on my 2012 to-do list.

pancake of the week: invisibility

2012-01-24T09:02:00.000-05:00

Sorry to disappoint you...

The boys went on a weekend trip to the mountains and I had the house to myself, so I cleaned the kitchen promptly and barely used the kitchen all weekend. I didn't realize how much I enjoy our little Saturday morning pancake ritual until it was gone.

little bits of awesome: the power of mrs. squirrel

2012-01-18T08:00:00.000-05:00

Do not underestimate the power of Mrs. Squirrel.

She has the ability to control the actions of one strong-willed little boy.

If she asks him to clean his room, he shouts in response, "okay!"

If she asks him to behave in a restaurant and eat all his food, we are left with a quiet child and an empty bowl. Yes, Mrs. Squirrel travels now with our family and will happily sit on the table to keep an eye on the little one.

She's like a miniature Mary Poppins.

Though Mrs. Squirrel is getting tired of using "the voice" to read all the bedtime stories.

But whatever works, right?

pancake of the week: penguin

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-05:00

Chedder cheese slice feet and beak, yogurt white areas, raisin eye, thin layer of blackberry jam for dark coloring.

A certain someone is learning about cold weather in school and came home the other day with a paper penguin with googly eyes. Gotta love the preschool crafts.

And I'm so glad to share Maria's pancake with you below! Finally someone has taken me up on my request to share more reader pancake creations.

Maria created the Santa pancake for her 1 yr. old son Fen.

Do you have a pancake creation you'd like to share? I can't wait to see it! Send me an image to catherinerangel77(at)yahoo(dot)com.

a glimpse into a quiet weekend

2012-01-16T08:50:00.004-05:00

The cold weather has activated our hibernation mode.

We made a conscious effort to enjoy a slow, tech-free weekend in the comfort of our warm home.

With that came...

Letter lessons

Playing every board game we own. At least five times each.

Creativity.

And an inordinate amount of dollhouse role playing.

Which included yours truly playing the part of "Mrs. Squirrel" for the better part of the weekend, though I quickly learned how to use this to my advantage (more to come).

Here's a peek into a boy's dollhouse. Broken furniture, disheveled rooms and babies in drawers.

I tried my hardest to keep the computer off and the phone tucked away, but broke down Saturday night after an incessant amount of Avery begging to watch the "funny pictures" on my phone. Since he had been a good boy, I caved. He's referring to Escape Club's "Wild Wild West" video, which has become his new favorite. It's currently playing over and over in my head - ugh. I made the mistake of showing it to him after playing with the reflection screen in the Mac photobooth – you guys know what I'm talking about right?

I remember seeing that video in the sixth grade and thinking it was the most innovative concept ever (I also remember it as a little more innocent). There was a mirror mounted in our elementary school bathroom where if you turned the corner and positioned yourself at just the right angle, you could mimic the reflections in the video. We thought we were brilliant.

It's funny how music affects someone at the receptive age of 11 or 12. It was the time when we started putting great importance on the music we listened to wrapped into our identity. I can't tell you any of the song titles to the albums I currently have on rotation on my iPod, but I can probably sing every lyric to the INXS Kick album if you were to ask. For reals.

little bits of awesome: they're alive!

2012-01-11T07:30:00.000-05:00

While packing away the boxes upon boxes of Christmas decorations, I accidentally kicked over a bag of plastic cowboys and indians in the attic. Where they came from – I don't know. I think at some point, every art student has acquired a bag of these or army men.

A couple fell through the attic opening unto the hallway below. Avery quickly scooped them up, thrilled with his find, and showed his dad. I overheard Bobby from the other room telling him that they were real and had escaped from the attic. "Every time you turn away," he explained, "they move."

Not having seen Toy Story, this is a new concept for Avery.

I'm not sure if he truly believes in this tale or if he's going along with it for fun. I do know he was elated every time he'd discover a new guy (of course I had to keep finding more things to put in the attic so I could kick a few more down).

I took Bobby aside and asked, "should we be doing this? You know, outright lying to our child?"

But would Avery want us to tell the truth? That I kicked over a bag of cheap toys I was getting ready to donate?

No.

And since we've already convinced him a magical rabbit gives him candy on Easter and a fat man squeezes down his chimney on Christmas, adding one more fairy tale to the mix can't hurt.

mirror, mirror, on the wall...

2012-01-10T11:30:00.000-05:00

You've heard people say, "give a child a cardboard box and they'll be entertained for hours," right?

The same goes for mirrors.

Being an only child with two parents who are secretly children within, Avery was showered with gifts for Christmas. We didn't mean to do it, but everyone had a different idea of what gift was ideal and the boy racked up.

By the end of Christmas day, I felt ill with how we had managed the situation and especially after noticing which toys he had chosen as his favorite: his cheap, plastic stocking stuffers from Dollar Tree. The situation worsened when he beat his new guitar on the ground and snapped it in half. At that point, I realized I had probably wanted it more than he had.

Don't get me wrong, we are VERY appreciative of the gifts friends and family gave him, but the holidays served as a reality check. Something already I knew in my gut, but was tossed aside in the frenzy of the holiday season: the imagination is stronger and more compelling than the objects surrounding a child.

For instance, just by placing a mirror on the kitchen table, we've opened up a whole new world. We have few mirrors in the house and none that Avery can access on his own without a step stool, so for him, this was special. After all, nothing is more entertaining to a child this age than him or herself.

pancake of the week: snakes!

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

Cheese stick tongue, blueberry eyes, and Beth's homemade jam polka dots applied with the tip of a chopstick.

A new snap cuff provided the inspiration for the weekend pancake.

mood lifters

2012-01-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I suffer from the winter doldrums. Packing away the Christmas tree is one of my least favorite activities – not because it's time consuming, but I'll miss the extra light and atmosphere it produces. I seriously considered leaving it up sans ornaments and treating it like an extra lamp in the room. But alas, once packing the ornaments and snow village away, the tree quickly followed once the husband got involved.

One aspect of January I do enjoy is the organizational aspect and promise of a productive year to come. Packing up the Christmas supplies lead to more digging in the attic, which leads to filling bags with clothes to donate to the local thrift store. It feels good to let go of the visual clutter and acquired accoutrements, but I do admit to finding great pleasure in my material surroundings. I'm a visual person, so be it.

These are the little objects providing me an extra boost of pleasure at the moment:

A freshly refinished coffee table.

A NEW pair of the perfect pair of Toms (in my size!!) found at the thrift store for 5 bucks!

The size says "Mens 7" and since they're a perfect fit for my Women's size 7.5 feet, I'm guessing someone got them for Christmas, they didn't fit, and then decided to donate them rather than figuring out how to return them. At least that's the scenario I'm going with. Second scenario: someone received them as a gift and thought, "these are the ugliest pair of shoes I've ever seen." Very possible.

This confetti-like necklace makes me want to dance every time I put it on.

Metallic nail polish.

I've recently enjoyed painting my nails all sorts of colors and this copper penny color has proven to be a winner. And at $3.99 a bottle at the local grocery store, it's a cheap pleasure.

The little guy begged to model it for the photo, so I obliged. His cuticles look much better than mine anyway.

The 2012 sign and the deer with gold antlers are giving my otherwise conservative dining room a splash of much needed fun. It serves as a reminder to live a little and not take one's self too seriously. Plus love me some glitter and hand painted signage.

This is the little material object providing the little guy an extra boost of pleasure at the moment:

Chapstick.

I have to monitor his tube and allow him to only put it on before we leave the house; otherwise, he'd be smearing it on his lips every two seconds.

How about you guys? What do you do to liven up your chilly January?

resolution time – 2012 style

2012-01-05T08:30:00.000-05:00

A step in the right direction

One beneficial aspect of keeping a blog, beside exploiting my family's life over the internet (sorry Dad), is keeping track of the resolutions I've made year after year (2009 and 2007). Resolutions I make and quickly break.

I've decided to take a different approach this year. I do really well meeting short deadlines, but given a year to accomplish a task, I will procrastinate until the very last month and quickly talk myself out of it due to lack of time.

I'm sure you can relate.

So really, the resolutions haven't changed – just my approach on achieving the desired result. Breaking the goals into a series of short tasks over a period of time seems like a reasonable solution, right? For instance, EAT WELL will start with drinking a large glass of water everyday at my desk for the first two weeks and then gradually will include sugar reduction and the addition of healthier options. In fact, I just drank my first glass of water to wash down the swedish fish I just demolished.

I just need a trusty calendar to keep me on track and a conscience to hold me accountable. Hmm...

2012 is going to be the year of change, folks. And change gives me panic attacks.

little bits of awesome: the boogie monster

2012-01-04T08:00:00.000-05:00

Avery was just sent a package from his auntie Jen and he couldn't wait to open it up. Inside was the Boogie Monster Dance Kit.

The dance kit includes "boogie legs," a book and a CD of monster boogie music (which is actually good).

After some stretching, Ave went into full boogie down mode, dancing circles around the book.

The boogie is contagious in our household.

I received the Zumba game for our Xbox Kinect and after a few mornings of flailing about, hips moving the opposite direction or not at all, I'm considering wearing these boogie legs for an extra boost.

I already feel silly enough, so it can't hurt, right?

pancake of the week: tricycle

2012-01-03T08:00:00.000-05:00

Nutella tires and seat, jelly spokes, and grape hubs

2012 is going to be swell

2012-01-02T20:27:00.000-05:00

If New Year's Eve is a good indication of the year to follow, then I'm looking forward to a fun year ahead with new and old friends. Also missed getting silly with those friends who were unable to attend Dr. Peter's bash for childcare, family or travel complications, but you were there in spirit.

handmade gifts for the holidays

2011-12-29T08:30:00.000-05:00

The majority of my friends gave handmade gifts this year and I can't tell you how much more I cherish the craftsmanship and sentiment.

With only having a few days left to make gifts, I chose an easy route: stamping on canvas tote bags.

It's hard to go wrong with a triangle motif. The stamps were easy to cut with an xacto blade and the stamped pattern is forgiving with irregularities.

Again, I learned this technique in the Design Sponge craft workshop. I cut the triangle out of a foam sheet and stuck the adhesive back to a small piece of cardboard. Using the first triangle as a template, I cut 5 additional ones for stamps so I would have one designated for each color I planned to use.

A foam brush was used to apply the paint. Step and repeat. Wash and reuse. A fairly simple process.

Instead of wrapping, I just rolled them up in a smaller piece of fabric and tied it with some leftover yarn.

And since we're discussing handmade gifts, below are a few I received from friends.

Suzy is a reputable momma to many large succulents (I don't know how she does it), so she gave her friends clippings off her large jade. I repotted it in a sweet little pot I just found at the thrift store.

(local peeps: Habit for Humanity in Kville just received a large shipment of Smith & Hawkins pots and containers - all range from 99 cents to $2.99)

Richelle beaded an awesome necklace. You're going to start noticing a common motif amongst our presents.

Marissa painted pinecones and pendants and presented them in a reusable container she had also painted. I love these.

Beth always makes ornaments for her friends every year and this year was no different. You can view some of her other ornaments here.

Julie sewed little tissue holders for her pals. I love the cute duck fabric she chose.

And Amy didn't knit the sweet llama ornament, but someone somewhere did.

So that's a glimpse into my loot. What did you guys make or receive for the holidays?

the morning of christmas eve

2011-12-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

Since Christmas Eve was on a Saturday this year, our friend Richelle invited everyone to her house for an informal gathering before the holiday madness started. Coffee, conversation and friends: ingredients for a cozy, delightful holiday.

Since Richelle owns an etsy shop specializing in vintage finds, her house is an ever evolving gallery of her treasures. I can't help but spend most of the time I'm over there snooping around her house, taking pleasure in discovering each carefully arranged vignette.

Richelle

Marissa

hand painted pinecones - a gift from Marissa

Amy, Amelia & Henry

I spy a YEAH pillow I made a few years ago.

I'm hoping this is the beginning of an annual tradition.

Check out Richelle's etsy shop here: Modfolk Vintage. A few of my favorites are this whale, this Viking guy, and this mug.

pancake of the week: oh christmas tree!

2011-12-27T13:10:00.001-05:00

Apple star, yogurt garland, blueberry and mini M&M's (hey, it was a special occasion) ornaments and nutella trunk. Presents were decorated with nutella, yogurt and bits of crunchy pancake crumbs.

Original request was "wrapping paper," but that was a tad complicated to say the least. Lots and lots of presents to go under a tree was the second request. This is the year we ruined our son.

the fun never stops

2011-12-23T12:00:00.000-05:00

And the week of awesome holiday activities continues...

I am happy to say we survived our first Christmas program! Admittedly I was probably more excited and nervous than the little man, but his performance did not disappoint. He takes his singing very seriously, hence the lack of a smile, and managed to carry on with his well rehearsed carols in spite of the jokers around him. An older boy behind him was screaming the lyrics and for the first half of the program, Avery kept turning around and glaring at the attention hogger. I was worried he might turn around and pop him, but he remained composed and sang his little heart out.

It was the most unrecognizable rendition of Jingle Bells I've ever heard, haha. God bless them.

We've enjoyed surprise visits from friends home for the holidays,

(photo from VP)

visited this decorated house (lights synced to music - yeah!) EVERY other night,

and have been listening to the She & Him Christmas Album nonstop.

I love that album because I can actually sing along to it. No high notes to reach or new lyrics to memorize. And it sounds fantastic on vinyl - it just makes the experience more special.

And since I keep ruining all my Christmas surprises, I have to give you guys a little sneak peek of the gifts I've been making my friends.

Triangles - big surprise, right? I put the stamp making technique I learned at the Design Sponge craft event to good use. I want to stamp EVERYTHING now.

I'll share more of the project after the holiday.

The shopping is done and all the crafts are completed. Time to relax. Are you guys ready for the holiday?

little bits of awesome: gratitude

2011-12-21T07:00:00.000-05:00

This week I'm so grateful for...

...the box of macarons our friend brought us back from his recent trip to Paris. These are the real deal, folks. He also brought us a bag full of colorful beautifully crafted soap, his trademark souvenir.

...watching Life In A Day alone late Saturday night. So I could cry and cry and cry all by myself. It's a full-length documentary composed entirely of user submissions from 192 countries, all having been recorded the exact same day. The production team wove together a powerful, moving story which offers a touching perspective on humanity around the world. When hard times hit, it's comforting to see you're not alone.

You can view the entire movie here, but I would recommend streaming through Netflix to skip the commercial interruption. Do not miss it.

...and for winning the Pinhole Press gift certificate from A Cup of Jo. I compile a book of Avery photos as Christmas gifts for the grandparents each year and had been looking for a new printing company to use, so the gift certificate couldn't have come at a better time. Plus funds were running low this holiday, so it was greatly appreciated! (FYI: Martha Stewart also recommended Pinhole Press in their December issue)

I highly recommend using Pinhole Press for your next photo book. The website was extremely easy to use – just an upload, drag and drop system. They provide the page layouts, which is easier for a novice to use, but the only drawback is that one can't double up photos on a page or switch the photo orientation.

Here's just a little sneak peek since it is supposed to be a Christmas gift.

This is going to drive my mother nuts, haha.

Strong binding, a cloth cover and gorgeous paper makes for great prints.

I'm as pleased as punch with the quality of printing!

So what is making you guys happy this week?

pancake of the week: the evil crow

2011-12-20T07:30:00.000-05:00

FiberOne instant pancake mix, blueberry evil eye, banana wings and tail, sausage link talons

Dedicated to the ginormous evil crow who perched on my shopping cart and searched through my grocery bags while I was busy buckling Avery into his car seat last Saturday morning. Avery laughed hysterically as he watched me waving my arms, swatting wildly at the bird who then perched on the hood of my car taunting me. Beware the Kroger birds lurking on the side of the building – they will hunt you.

Avery thought this little escapade to our greatest adventure yet, so naturally, a "crow" is what he requested once we got back from the store (we had run out of pancake mix).

2nd annual cookie swap

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Ugly sweater parties are so five years ago – the holiday cookie swap is where it's at, y'all.

Sixteen ladies armed with baskets of cookies. What's not to like about this scenario?

I asked my friends to bake some cookies to share, packaged for easy distribution along with a recipe. Suzy won the imaginary prize for best packaging by folding paper cranes for each one.

We sipped hot pear cider and nibbled on baked brie. It doesn't look like anyone is having fun in the photos, mainly because everyone freezes when I start walking around with a camera.

But I swear, fun times were had.

And we wore name tags so there would be no awkwardness from not knowing a girl's name you met the year before. Thanks for the great suggestion and for providing them, Amy.

Richelle entertaining the littlest guest all decked out in her lovely Christmas attire.

I love hosting these cookie swaps right before the holidays because you receive a great variety of homemade sweets to share with family and friends who might drop in. It's also fun hearing where the recipes came from, whether they be a prized family recipe passed down the generations or obtained from the back of a chocolate chips bag.

pancake of the week: Mila cat

2011-12-13T07:30:00.000-05:00

Trader Joes pumpkin pancake mix, strawberry nose and ears, banana eyes with dollop of nutella

christmas crafting our cares away

2011-12-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

After receiving what seemed like an endless chain of bad news, I made the decision to wrap up my worries with tinsel and garland until the holidays arrive. I'll face these troubles on December 26.

I understand the reasoning now behind my late grandmother's obsessive Christmas decorating – for just a few weeks, she'd surround herself with memories of the past, blast her old movies, and perhaps only for a few minutes, forget she was all alone.

So I filled the weekend with Christmas related activities so as not to share my troubles with this little guy. First up: candy house decorating.

This was something I loved doing with my mother growing up. She'd invite the neighborhood kids over so everyone could bring one back for their family.

Instead of gingerbread, we use a house shaped cake mold. Slather the cake with peppermint icing and apply candy - really, it's so simple.

And it was fun giving the control to a 3 year-old and not worrying about how pretty the outcome would be. He managed to eat just as many gum drops as he put on the house.

And afterwards, we took it to Bobby's parents' house, trimmed the tree, and ate it for dessert. Create and destroy - yum!

I inherited these eerily lifelike deer from my grandmother. She would proudly display them on her hearth and I adored them as a young girl. And I love setting them out in remembrance of her, but...they're kinda creepy.

So I painted them white with gold accents. I wish I could do that with everything that troubles me, don't you?

little bits of awesome: upholding tradition

2011-12-07T12:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes residing in your home town has its advantages.

Besides the fact that Ave gets to spend time with his grandparents on a weekly basis, we are able to introduce him to local traditions we partook in growing up. Take for instance, the magical campy world that was known as the Winter Wonderland at Coleman Nursery.

Every Christmas, my mother would take me to view the world of animatronic figures set up for the holidays at a nursery in Portsmouth. It was, my friends, truly magical. Here is my friend Amy and I in 1980. We were three years old, the same age as Avery now.

I'm really digging her jacket, but I digress...

The nursery closed at some point and the owners were going to sell the collection, but the City of Portsmouth teamed up with a nonprofit to buy the pieces so the tradition could continue.

Now parts of the collection are on display at the Courthouse Galleries in Olde Towne Portsmouth, so we took Avery for a little visit.

His eyes widened with amazement upon entry.

Each vignette offered up a full dish of kitsch. But to the eyes of a three year old, they were miniature fantasy lands full of elves, candy, and other Christmas delights.

If my memory serves me well, at some point the nursery caught on fire and a great portion of the collection was destroyed. My personal favorite woodland section disappeared, but the circus clowns vignette remained unharmed.

And to this day, it still scares the crap out of me.

Really, does anyone not find clowns disturbing?

So, that's it. Next traditional activity involves gingerbread house making and I can't wait.
What do you guys every year?

pancake of the week: owl

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Trader Joe's pumpkin pancake mix, apple beak, thin layer of nutella on head, dollop of yogurt and halved cherries for eyes

all good things must come to an end

2011-12-01T07:30:00.000-05:00

I didn't have the heart (or stomach) to watch eight young children bash in the Where The Wild Things Are pinata head I made for Avery's birthday, but as weeks passed, I realized I also didn't have the patience to store a paper mache head forever.

So eventually all good things must come to an end.

And what a dramatic way to go...

The pinata that just kept on giving. If your friend hosts a bonfire, offer to bring some extra kindling. The party really gets started when everyone ceremoniously gathers around a flaming monster head.

On second thought, definitely don't try this at home.

It all seems a little morbid, yes? But don't think that way.

It can be invigorating to destroy an object you worked hard creating. The artistic experience becomes more focused on the construction process than the finished object. Document and destroy.

I had a painting professor who was always on my case for reusing my canvases. During my summer abroad in Italy, we painted a new piece in a different location every day. So I just painted over the previous day's canvas. Every day. I guess he was worried I wouldn't have anything to show at the end of the semester and in a sense, he was right. But thankfully to this day, I fondly remember the act of painting and not the visual garbage I created.

a work in progress spanning generations

2011-11-30T18:12:00.000-05:00

Another little fun find over the weekend was uncovered in my parents' linen closet. Rifling through sheet sets and wool blankets, I found a quilt top pieced with mostly patterns from the 60s or earlier and it was stitched primarily by hand.

My mother said she recently found it in my grandparents' attic and it was probably pieced by my great grandmother, as my own grandmother didn't quilt.

So, here we have project-to-complete #212.

I plan on finishing the quilt. How wonderful would it be to curl up with a blanket hand stitched by your great grandmother? And to think, it had sat in numerous linen closets over the years totally neglected, giving no comfort to anyone at all.

little bits of awesome: forgotten harlequins

2011-11-30T12:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, so you guys know I love me some triangles and a good diamond pattern, which is probably why I adore everything at ferm living. My wardrobe is starting to resemble a harlequin's costume, so I've been making a conscious effort to acquire and accessorize with them in moderation.

But, when retrieving our Christmas items in the attic, I stumbled upon some plaques I had "borrowed" from my grandmother before she passed away 7 years ago. I say "borrow" because I told her I would sell them on ebay to get her some extra spending money because nothing brought her more pleasure than shopping and she was severely lacking on funds. But that never happened and now she's gone. Dammit.

So anyway, I took them thinking they were the most godawful kitsch pieces only a mid-century obsessed lunatic could love. But ya know, uncovering them again after all these years, I think I have since blossomed into that lunatic myself because I'm smitten, folks.

The orange and aqua combined with gold detailing. The plastic molded faux bois and the ridiculous harlequin costumes. They're super tacky, but oh so fabulous!

I'd like to paint the outer frames aqua to give them an extra pop.

So what do you guys think? Have I absolutely lost my mind?

the power of 3

2011-11-28T17:00:00.000-05:00

Little did I know regarding the significance of turning three for a little boy. It is clearly life changing.

However, we do claim part responsibility, as we had built up his birthday as the magical day he would transform into a big boy. No need for a pacifier. No need for pull-ups. We had little faith that our far fetched plan would actually work with our strong-willed child, but miraculously, it did.

Avery was seriously addicted to his pacifier, even though we had strictly limited it to times of slumber. He needed it to fall asleep or give him comfort on long plane or car rides, so when the night of his third birthday rolled around, we nervously hid his pacifier hoping he wouldn't ask for it. And you know what? He never did again.

Just the other day, he told me pacifiers were for little babies. Yep. So, we officially crossed it off our list.

And so the potty training issues arise. Ugh. Bobby and I are relaxed potty trainers, kinda hoping he'd just figure it out eventually. Luckily, he's not pressured at school because having a November birthday places him in a classroom with younger children. Though surrounded by girl pals who have been potty trained since an early age 2, he was quite comfortable pooping in his pants.

And then he turned three and insisted on wearing only underwear at his birthday party. I was just waiting for the accident, but it never came.

He hasn't worn a pull-up in four days now. It is awesome.

So as we had promised, again thinking our bribe would be ignored, we pulled out the "big boy bed" we had found at the thrift store a few months prior. Needless to say, this is a BIG deal.

We're also hoping Avery having his own bed will encourage him to STOP sneaking into ours. So far, it hasn't stopped the pitter patter of bare feet I hear running through the hall towards our bedroom at 7am or earlier, but it's a start.

Morning after the first night in his own bed. I thought the twin bed would give him some room to stretch out, but he hasn't quite gotten the hang of it yet.

Breaking down the crib and finding bedding for the new bed has been an emotional process. It seems like just yesterday I was pregnant and painting the tree mural in his nursery and now...

...he's officially not a baby anymore. Or even a toddler. Pretty soon we'll be packing his room for college. But let's not get ahead of ourselves, we still haven't experienced the power of 4 yet.

thank you

2011-11-26T17:39:00.000-05:00

I feel so incredibly lucky to be surrounded by loving, supportive family and friends. Your kindness enriches my life more than you'll ever know, and for that, I'm eternally grateful.

the final selection

2011-11-23T07:16:00.000-05:00

I know you guys are losing sleep over which image we're going to use for our holiday card. Ya know, this is a matter of GREAT importance.

So, sorry Mom. We're probably going to pick the first photo. I'm aware I look a bit, um...how do I put this delicately...touched. And I asked a good friend of mine who picked the second image and she admitted to this observation. As she put it, "slightly, ever so slightly."

But, it's the overall emotion that counts. You can feel the love, people! Even despite the wonky eye and the awkward arm positioning.

And well, it looked far better in the designs on Minted.

They've got soooo many to choose from and admittedly, I don't think I could do a better job designing one for myself. Now, if I could only WIN one of the contests I entered for a free gift card...

fields of gold

2011-11-22T12:30:00.000-05:00

We accepted a friend's invitation to visit her horse over the weekend. It was an unseasonably warm and pleasant day in November – how could we say no?

Just a quick half hour drive from the city and the surroundings change from maritime industrial to peaceful country fields. I could get comfortable with this lifestyle very quickly...

...as I'm sure, this little boy could, too. Plenty of wide open spaces for endless running.

pancake of the week: t-rex

2011-11-22T05:30:00.000-05:00

Avery is currently obsessed with dinosaurs and so his request was not a surprise. Though without the tiny arms and upright body, it could just as easily be an alligator.

I'm dreading the day when he requested his other current obsession: Caillou. He can't get enough of that whiny bald kid.

Trader Joes pumpkin pancake mix, banana yogurt used for dipping the raisin teeth and for the eye. Nutella lips.

it's holiday card photoshoot time

2011-11-21T08:18:00.001-05:00

I need your help in deciding which photo to use in our holiday card!

On the one hand, I love the sentiment and warmth of the image below (though my hand looks weird - ugh).

But on the other, these holiday cards are really all about the child, right? So perhaps a more formal portrait where you can see Ave's face would be more appropriate. But it's technically not as good as the photo above (over exposed and we're squinting from the sun).

So which one? 1 = top photo. 2 = bottom photo. 3 = use both. 4 = neither, you're all squinting too much.

design*sponge norfolk

2011-11-19T11:28:00.004-05:00

Last weekend was spent in preparation for the Design*Sponge book signing tour in Norfolk at Prince Books. The 7 Cities Crafters were asked to contribute to the event by arranging a photobooth backdrop (we used the Hampton Roads map made for Art Everywhere) and I offered to create some additional signage.

I underestimated how difficult it is to freeform cut foam core with an x-acto blade.

But alas, I think the effort was worth it.

The "ribbon" was painted with acrylic and the other color is cut paper. Challenging but fun!

Grace was a sweet host, but that's not surprising since she grew up in Virginia Beach ;)

Her parents sponsored the event and ordered cupcakes from Just Cupcakes. Carla did her research and did a splendid job of customizing them for the night.

My pals and I opted to attend the craft event beforehand. Richelle made a large stamp for her canvas wallet. I chose the easiest route by just cutting a foam triangle and then step and repeating to form a pattern on a canvas tote. I must say, I love the results (not pictured).

And the night wasn't complete until we all hammed it up in front of the camera.

We were under the impression we'd take a bunch and throw out the ones that didn't work, but embarassingly enough, they all made it on to the Smilebooth site.

Who knew a book signing could be so much fun?

And thanks to Amy Taylor who took so many photos and uploaded them to Facebook so I could steal them for this post.

little bits of awesome: the dinosaur parade

2011-11-16T04:21:00.000-05:00

And sometimes a giraffe can travel back in time to join the fun.

e-i-e-i-o

2011-11-13T21:19:00.005-05:00

We've never been invited to a "Pigs and Pearls" party...

...until this weekend. An old friend moved to the outskirts of town and threw the biggest party, including a live band, pig picking, pony rides & petting zoo, and oyster roast.

Avery experienced his first pony ride and took pleasure in stroking all the little farm animals.

I also co-hosted a party in celebration of my friend Suzy's licensure as an architect. We are so proud of her accomplishment.

And in the minutes in between, I worked on a volunteer project (x-acto blade & foam core = no fun) and took a break to warm my hands by our fire pit, or as Avery call it, "the fireplace in our backyard."

November is flying by.

chop chop

2011-11-10T06:31:00.000-05:00

Sometimes you gotta do something drastic, yet harmless, to shake your daily routine up a little.

I don't know if I like it, but I'm glad I took the risk. It'll grow back someday.

A very common and baffling response to the haircut: "Wow, did you cut your hair?"

Hmm...no. It shrunk overnight. Have you not looked at me for the last five years?

3rd birthday: the activities

2011-11-08T06:10:00.004-05:00

Here's a confession: I'm a control freak. I have been affectionately labeled "the cruise director" by friends and have been known to carry a clipboard. So naturally, planning structured activities for Ave's third birthday party seemed the right and sensible thing to do.

And here's another confession: I spent waaaay to much money on our Texas trip so my budget was itty bitty. There's also a satisfaction I get from spending very little and getting maximum style, whether it be DIY or smart shopping, so I'll share all my expenses with you.

To get the Where The Wild Things Are party rolling, the first thing we did when the children entered the house was fit them with a furry tail and a set of ears. And since our entire family is obsessed with this video and the aesthetic seemed right, we added a little face paint to the mix. Admittedly, I am probably one of the worst face painters, but I can do a few straight lines and it seemed to please the children AND the parents (who quite possibly had more fun wearing it).

The faux fur was leftover from the invitations and I used every bit. I sewed and stuffed the tail and fitted it with a clip so it could be attached to the waistband or belt loop. The ears were sewn and hot glued to plastic headbands. I made 11 tails/ears and it took around 2 hours.

The monster bags were used to collect the loot I passed out during the party, instead of sending them home with a takeaway bag. The bags were seasonal Halloween items, but fit the theme well enough.

"Werewolf" faux fur on sale at Hancock Fabrics: $10 a yard - 1 yard used to make all tails, ears, and invitations. Clips for tail: Hancock Fabrics - 2.50 for 2. Bags: Target bargain aisle - $1 each. Plastic headbands: Target - $3 for pack of 4.

A coloring station was set up with scanned pictures from the book.

And nothing says "birthday" better than a good ol' fashioned game of Pin the Tail.

I scanned the image from the book, enlarged, tiled, and pieced together.

A Wild Thing party needs a rumpus. Otherwise, what's the point, right?

And a rumpus needs noise. Lots and lots of noise!

I had been collecting metal coffee and pringles cans from coworkers and friends for two weeks leading up to the event. I made a few colorful patterns in Illustrator, printed them out, and wrapped the cans to create shakers. Each can was filled with a handful of black-eyed peas and the lid was glued on to alleviate mess...

...though that didn't stop the birthday boy from prying it off anyway.

Shakers: recycled - FREE. Bag of Black-eyed Peas: $2.50. Kazoos: Party City - $3 for a bag of 12.

Each child picked out a shaker and kazoo and we headed outside to the backyard. The oldest child was appointed the parade leader (because the birthday boy was no longer interested) and the other children fell in single line behind him.

We shouted, "let the wild rumpus start!" and the children marched and paraded around the yard perimeter, blowing their kazoos and wildly waving their shakers.

We set up a few props for maximum wildness and ambience.

Overall, a memorable 3rd birthday party where all the children had a blast. And now I can relax, phewwww.

Looking for something? Check out the invitations, pinata and the food from the Where the Wild Things Are birthday party.

3rd birthday party: the food

2011-11-07T05:58:00.006-05:00

What a wild time we had! Except for the moment when someone else blew out his candle, Ave and the other children had a blast.

Guests were welcomed with a birthday sign and little colorful flags lining the front walk. The invitation was used as a decoration for the front door.

Green streamers were hung vertically and draped from the light fixture to give the illusion of vines, referencing the transformation of Max's room in the Where The Wild Things Are book.

Construction paper leaves and a banner featuring a quote from the book was an easy way to customize the tiered plate rack. A couple figures I purchased over ten years ago danced around the table top (I knew I should hang on to them for some reason).

Peanut butter & Jelly crowns.

And the Wild Thing cupcakes.

Thankfully, having a birthday near Halloween opens up the candy options.

The cupcakes were chocolate cake topped with buttercream frosting and lined by chocolate sprinkles. The white tips of Indian candy corn were cut off to be used as teeth and the remainder was used for the nose. Mouths were drawn with black gel and caramel-flavored candy corn were used for horns. Medium sized cinnamon marshmallows (found at Target) were cut in half for each eye and the exposed sticky gelatin adhered the mini M&M's.

The process was tedious, but fairly easy.

The children had more fun eating the candy toppings than the cake itself. There's the pinata in action.

Turning three has had a profound effect on Ave. He reassured us last night that he was "a big boy now that can do more things like Daddy." It's like a switch was flipped. He went all weekend in underwear and didn't sleep with his pacifier once. It's a miracle.

3rd birthday party: the pinata

2011-11-02T07:28:00.000-04:00

I do get a little obsessive with these birthday parties. Give me a theme and I'll go wild.

Big thanks to my mom who created the paper mache form and saved me the extra time. The thought of bashing this guy's head in repulses me, so I cut the top of his head off and will use it as a centerpiece to hold treat bags.

3rd birthday party: the invite

2011-11-02T06:42:00.000-04:00

I broke tradition this year by crafting an invitation not baring Avery's likeness. Though I think that could be disputed some days.

A Where the Wild Things Are theme seemed appropriate for my little wild guy, where he can get together with his closest friends, faces painted, and create a rumpus in the backyard, drums and all.

For this invite, I wrapped foam core with faux fur. The facial features were cut out of felt and with hot glue. There's a ribbon to hang the invite and the banners were printed on text weight paper and adhered to two layers of card stock for rigidity.

The type nerd in me delighted in tracing the original font (drawn by Sendak himself) used on the cover to create the banner type. The type used on the invite was from the recent movie credits.

I wanted the invite to be something special the child might hold onto, instead of tossing it in the trash once the party was over; therefore, all related birthday information was hidden on the back of the monster head so it could be used as a decoration afterward. And just so you know, I only had to make six of these.

it's halloween!

2011-11-01T06:25:00.003-04:00

Bums in the air

We experienced a few costume malfunctions, rejections and one major meltdown, but overall, the night was a success!

We tested out the "mo-hawk" costume the day before and since Ave no longer wanted me to style a real faux hawk to compliment his costume, we just started referring to him as a bird.

I was hoping some face paint would help, but he was not in the mood. So I let him paint mine first and he gave me a few minutes to work on his. He was so pleased with his masterpiece.

He looked more like a Shaman than a bird, so we just went with it. Whatever.

A few reactions from the night: "oh look, leaves!" and ever better: "what a cute Indian princess." Okay. Perhaps purple is a strange color for a bird.

Proud to say this costume cost $7. All scrap fabric, hot glue and a cheap sweat suit from Walmart.

Ave tearing up the streets with his pal Lily.

Any costume issues you'd like to share? Most of the kids I know rejected their beautiful homemade or expensive store bought costumes right before. Is it even worth the trouble?

a walk down south congress

2011-10-31T12:30:00.000-04:00

Texas family trip. Over 400 photos, most of which you wouldn't find interesting. You know, group shots of family members, etc. But I thought I'd share a few from my favorite part of town in Austin: South Congress

I've tried to explain to people WHY I love Austin.

The answer: I could actually LIVE there. The warm weather, the succulents, the abundance of Western typefaces and hand painted signage, the street art, the food trucks, the cost of living and the supply of affordable mid-century ranches, and the numerous vintage shops.

Shortened: Austin has mad style. Me likes!

Knitted-covered signage. Ya. Open-air coffee shop with the best pumpkin spice latte known to man. Really, after drinking one, I felt kinda craaaaazzzzy.

Rubber chicken purses? Yes, please.

Simple touches with pops of color.

Don't get me started on the food trucks.

Who knew there was more than one way to prepare a crepe? Pizza crepe, tofu curry crepe - what???

Ave and cousin Rebecca creping out.

And lastly, my favorite store of all time. As they describe it: antiques, oddities & curious goods.

It's a sensory delight everywhere you turn around in this treasure chest: taxidermied animals standing alongside vintage medical charts and mid-century glassware. Fascinating stuff, my friends.

So, have you guys traveled out to Austin? If so, what are your favorite things about the city?

so spooky...

2011-10-31T07:30:00.002-04:00

And I'm wearing a wolf tail and ears at work. Feeling kind of crazy right about now.

little bits of awesome: star struck

2011-10-26T06:39:00.000-04:00

October has been jam packed with fantastic events to attend. I wish I could've taken them and spread them out throughout the year, as my wallet would be thanking me right now, but alas, I couldn't pass up all the amazing opportunities to see my favorite performers.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, that is the real Ira Glass.

And if you had to click on the name to find out who I was talking about, then just forget about reading the rest of this entry. And you might as well just forget about being my friend, haha.

Suzy (who really hates the photo-sorry!) and I attended the VIP reception before the performance he gave last Sunday at Chrysler Hall. We're sooooo not VIP – I barely donated the basic level during the last pledge drive – but the agency I work with recently rebranded the local NPR/PBS station, so it never hurts to ask for a little favor.

Anxious and planning what we'd say if we were given the chance to meet him, we grabbed some plastic cups of wine and found a seat in the reception area. We waited. And waited. No Ira.

Convinced he wasn't actually going to attend the reception, I filled a plate with cheese and crackers and dove in. Seconds after I popped a jalapeno cheese cube into my mouth, I looked up and saw my boss leading Ira over to meet us. Gawd.

Introductions. Kind remarks from my boss. Meanwhile, I was trying to swallow the damn cheese cube and stop thinking "OMG - Ira Glass is standing right in front of me – OMG - Ira Glass is talking to me" long enough to answer his questions in a thoughtful manner. I have no idea what was said.

All I do know is that I worked up the nerve to ask him, "would you kill me if I ask for your picture." And since I have no recollection of the conversation, Suzy has told me that he said, "no, I will not murder you" in his sweet Ira voice. And then I said, "good, cause I would have asked you earlier but I finally just got the cheese out of my teeth." Gawd. Please don't ever let me leave my house again.

As for the performance, words can not describe how inspiring it was, so I won't even try. I'll just say, if you like This American Life, you would have loved the performance.

And I bet you guys are wondering how my super fan experience went...

A-W-E-S-O-M-E. We were right in front to see the tUnE-yArDs play at the Black Cat in DC.

And they did not disappoint. I don't give music reviews, so I'm not going to even try, but I can state seeing them perform live was captivating. Merrill seamlessly created and sampled her beats, using a unique assortment of DIY percussive instruments like a metal pot overturned on a floor tom and a rack holding an array of glass and plastic cups and bottles (you can catch a glimpse in the photo above).

Above all, we were impressed by her charisma and the band's professionalism. Each member genuinely looked elated to be performing, even after a long tour and another show just a few hours prior.

And lastly, we took Ave to his first concert.

And he was a little overwhelmed :(

Yo Gabba Gabba stopped by Norfolk on their national LIVE tour. It was, in their words, AWESOME!

Bobby and I thoroughly enjoyed the music, lights, and the costumes. The amazing Leslie Hall was their special guest "friend." I mean really, I felt like the show was designed with me in mind.

However, after the second song in the second act, Ave threw his hands over his ears and said he didn't like it. He said he wanted to make a friendship bracelet in the lobby.

So, we squeezed through the aisles and humored him thinking the mood would pass. But it didn't.

"Ave, you realize this isn't TV, right? You can't leave it and expect to start it again when you return."

We left during Biz's Beat of the Day. The real Biz, y'all. Ave normally loves beat boxing, but not that day.

You don't want to know how much I paid for those tickets. And as we exited the parking garage prematurely, Ave said he wanted to see "Gabba Gabba." Some lessons are learned the hard way.

But October has been an exciting month - with obviously some days being better than others.

pancake of the week: the buddha

2011-10-25T05:30:00.000-04:00

It was a strange request this week. Ave has an affection for images of the Buddha and pointed to the one hanging over our bedroom door when asked what he wanted for his pancake.

The refrigerator was still empty from our recent trip, so I was forced to use what I had in my pantry: a can of nuts, an apple, and a box of raisins. Carving an apple with a dull knife was harder than I had expected.

bounce!

2011-10-24T06:43:00.004-04:00

If ever feeling down, try sitting in the middle of a bounce house while children run in circles. Witnessing the utter joy in a child's expression as she fully realizes the freedom of leaping in a padded landscape is enough to set anyone's mind at ease.

We embraced the beautiful weather of the past weekend and hopped from one birthday party to the next. Slurped our first Norfolk Ramen yesterday in celebration of our friend Charmaine's 34th birthday, too (check out Norfolk Ramen on Facebook if you're intrigued). A young ramen enthusiast created a Sunday-only pop-up noodle shop in his family's Chinese restaurant. It was delicious and vegetarian-friendly.

The weekend ended on a high note with the attendance of a very special talk given by one of my favorite people. Details to come.

Did you guys do anything fun?

...and we're back!

2011-10-19T21:07:00.003-04:00

We just returned from a week and a half long family vacation to Texas and I am exhausted. Can't wait to share our adventures in DC and TX with ya, but I gotta get some rest and sort through over 400 photos. But I gotta say, I love me some Austin.

Ave in front of the Daniel Johnston mural in Austin, Texas

2011-10-18T20:53:00.002-04:00

pancake of the week: little monster

Trader Joe's pumpkin pancake mix, eyes: dollop of vanilla yogurt w/ jumbo chocolate chip; nose: carved apple, mouth: chocolate line for lips and yogurt dipped raisins for teeth

did i tell you?

2011-10-06T16:22:00.003-04:00

Did I mention we're going to see tUnE-yArDs this weekend? Yeah, and that's how the name is supposed to be typed, just in case you were wondering.

I'm really, really excited. Like paint-my-face-supa-fan kinda excited.

Just came across this interesting portrait made by Etsy recently. Enjoy.

school picture day

2011-10-06T06:00:00.001-04:00

1. Mini Boden - $28, 2. Zara - $12.90, 3. Target - $10, 4. Minnetonka - $36.00, 5. Livie & Luca - $47.50

Avery brought home his school newsletter on Monday and on the upper right corner was a large sticker announcing, "Tomorrow is Picture Day!"

Mind you, I'm admittedly not the most attentive reader of his school calendars and the sticker was probably only to serve as a little reminder, but it sent me into complete panic mode. He needs a haircut! I've got to do laundry! What is he going to wear?!

So I scurried to Target in hopes to pick up the cute striped shirt (#3 above) I spied over the weekend, but passed on because I didn't have a valid reason to buy him yet another long sleeve shirt. And of course, the shirt was no longer available in his size. So I frantically searched the other racks in hopes to find something adequate - colorful but with minimal design. Sadly, I left empty handed.

Finding fun and colorful clothes for toddler boys is challenging.

Go ahead, pop on over to any hip childrens online store. You'll see the girls frolicking in bold patterned dresses, paired with colorful striped tights and fuchsia fringed mocassin boots. Click on the boys section, and you'll see little boys posing tough wearing denim jeans and gray argyle sweater vests, looking like miniature men. Booooooring.

Now that the rant is over, I'll share with you a few cute items I recently came across in my search to build Ave's winter wardrobe.

1. The Mini Boden top - stripes and drums. It doesn't get more perfect for Avery. Last week the shirts were on sale for $20, which is closer to what I'd actually pay.

2. The Zara geometric t-shirt. To me, this shirt is perfection. Can I have it in my size please? The price isn't much higher than Target and the shipping is free. Can I have a "hell yes!"

3. The OshKosh shirt at Target is much cuter in person because the orange stitching is barely visible in the image above. And the orange stitching is what sets this shirt apart from other striped shirts.

4. Minnetonka mocs. Ya'll know I love them. And I still wish to live this picture, but ya know, with my son. I saw on Lucky Kids they were predicting the Tramper mocs (lace-up) would be a hit for boys this fall, but I don't know many kids under five with the ability or patience to tie leather laces, so I think the side zip would be better suited for a toddler.

5. Livie & Luca London Boots. Ave has these and they're amazing. But do you guys really think I would have paid $47? HA! I bought them when Ave was 9 months old at a boutique offering a 60% off sale. I stored them away in his closet for a couple years, knowing they'd come in handy one day.

So, do you guys have any recommendations on where to find unique boy's clothing? I want to find colorful cords or striped pants and don't want to pay over $25.

little bits of awesome: the new (to me) coffee table

2011-10-05T06:18:00.002-04:00

How do I express the joy this coffee table has given me since last Sunday?

The "little bit of awesome" comes from the freedom this table promises. The freedom from worrying about a sharp corner puncturing my child's eye if he trips and falls. The satisfaction of packing up those pesky little spongy corner bumpers that travel around the house (look, one's still hiding under the couch). Let's not fail to mention the floor space its slim profile has opened up in our living room AND its longer length gives it the ability to hold six coffee table books without looking too cluttered.

Can you tell I'm in love?

Our former coffee table was a rectangular glass top / iron base model from Crate & Barrel. Locals: if you're interested in a deal, hit me up.

pancake of the week: angry bird

2011-10-04T05:13:00.001-04:00

An angry bird as requested.

Pumpkin pancake with dollop of banana yogurt and jumbo chocolate chips for eyes. Banana for beak. Cut out the eyebrows and spread very thin layer of chocolate syrup for color.Wanna see more? Check out the "Pancake of the Week" pinterest board.

And your submissions have been underwhelming. I mean, really...not even ONE! Come on, it only takes 5 extra minutes to decorate a pancake and surprise a loved one (or yourself). Submit your pancake photo to catherinerangel77(at)yahoo(dot)com.

feeling like fall

2011-10-03T06:09:00.005-04:00

The sudden temperature drop was the perfect reason to dig out last year's sweaters, boots, and hats. I always enjoy rediscovering these items.

Between the threats of rain, we managed to have some fun. Avery is smitten with a new activity: playing frisbee...not that he can catch it. But that doesn't seem to phase him.

Ave also accompanied me to both a moving and rummage sale. I scored big at my friend's moving sale, bringing home the perfect coffee table (thanks again, kristen) that just needs a little refinishing love I plan to give it. At the rummage sale, Ave scored the most awesome staff wrapped in bells, feathers, rabbit fur (i know, i know) and colored thread, plus a creepy clown tambourine. Those items are perfect for his approaching birthday party.

Speaking of birthday parties, I also did a little preparatory shopping over the weekend for his invitations, which included buying a yard of the most excellent faux fur. My house is about to get alot messier.

pancake of the week: pumpkin man

2011-09-27T05:58:00.004-04:00

Otherwise, known as a jack-o-lantern. Pumpkin pie spice was added to the batter for a little seasonal zing.

ahh...the rainy weekend

2011-09-26T06:10:00.000-04:00

Because I'm such a home body and can think of nothing more pleasing than staying in my pajamas and curling up with a good book, I look forward to rainy weekends when I have nothing better to do. And then we had a child...

...and that possibility was extinguished. We still had a delightful time attending Bobby's mother's company picnic and even in the drizzly weather, Ave got his face painted and jumped in his first bounce house. Actually, it was more of a bouncy slip-and-slide, with Ave returning absolutely soaked and paint running down his face.

Ave was also treated to his first trip to Doumars and to the large bookstore in the mall. Having illustrated the children's area long before he was a twinkle in my eye, it was a treat to finally watch him pick out a chair and read in the setting. It made the many late-night hours working on that project completely worth it.

just swap it!

2011-09-23T06:47:00.002-04:00

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to be invited to a household items/clothing swap hosted by the lovely Richelle of Modfolk Vintage. Guests were asked to bring items they love, but were ready to give a new home.

I have the impulse to purchase items I find beautiful, especially clothing, but later come to the realization it doesn't really fit my style and would look better on someone else. For example, among other items, I brought an awesome vintage watercolor patterned skirt I knew Amy would pull off way better than me.

Richelle's charming bungalow porch was packed with vintage dinnerware, linens and books. Even though it was a swap and we were encouraged to take whatever we liked, I still felt the need to double-check with the owner to verify the item was not included by mistake. There were so many beautiful items to choose from – this was no garage sale, folks.

Richelle was also kind enough to donate whatever items weren't taken, so guests were able to pick out a few new items guilt-free without the hassle of bringing old items home (though I admittedly snagged a few of my donated items that weren't chosen...I've got issues).

Clothing items were piled on the bed and jewelry nicely displayed on the bureau. Richelle almost lost a few of her personal items to us rummaging ladies.

Julie assured me this dress had mucho potential and encouraged me to try it on, but I wasn't sold (felt a bit like Maude). However, when she tried it on and lifted the hem, it was a completely different story.

Me, Julie, Richelle, Amy, Rikkianne, and Ursula

My loot.

Such a lovely assortment of new treasures to play with! It was a perfect evening of guilt-free consumption.

pancake of the week: tiger

2011-09-20T12:30:00.003-04:00

So what started as a fun breakfast surprise has turned into a full blown ritual with Avery requesting a different animal every Saturday morning for me to create in pancake form. And guess what? I'll be documenting them right here.

So, come on – I dare you to try this, too! You don't need a child to participate, just an active imagination and a few extra minutes when preparing your breakfast in the morning. I'll admit I'm way more entertained by these pancakes than Avery.

Let's share. Take a photo and email it to catherinerangel77(at)yahoo(dot)com and I'll add it to this weekly feature, but no anatomical shapes of course (I'm mainly talking to you, Beth & Marissa).

Here's a couple other recent pancakes for inspiration:

And I'll be pinning all the images to this board to create a diverse pancake menagerie.

a little teepee for my sweet pea

2011-09-20T05:00:00.002-04:00

I have wanted to make myself, er – I mean Avery, a teepee ever since first laying eyes on this beautiful one.

There are quite a few beautiful ones on the market, but making one seemed more appropriate, despite the poles coming from Home Depot. Let's just pretend we repurposed a fallen tree.

And I bet you guys didn't know Native Americans used electrical tape to bind their poles together. This is an example of the post modern teepee.

A little droopy. And a little wobbly. We call it character, folks.

And don't even ask me why it only has four sides...

This project did not go as originally planned, but it is still quite adequate for a little private imagination time.

I originally purchased a cheap plastic/tarp teepee with the intention of replacing the fabric over the plastic structure, but alas, the heavy canvas was too much weight on the little frame and it bowed under pressure.

And so the project that wasn't supposed to cost anything started adding up with the additional purchase of the wooden dowels, but the personal touches are what make the teepee special anyway (though in retrospect, it would have been a whole lot easier buying one of these and customizing).

The dowels are from Home Depot, the raw canvas can be purchased by the yard at Hancock Fabrics, and the paint was inexpensive craft paint from Michaels. Total cost was around $60.

a birthday update

2011-09-19T22:12:00.004-04:00

Some very sweet gestures from friends really brightened my evening. Thank you.

And to top it all off – take a look at the coolest cake made by my sweet boys.

On the way home from picking up Ave from school, I asked him if he wanted to eat birthday cake tonight. He exclaimed, "Help! The cake is hurt!"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

He repeated himself, but added "That cake is hurtin'." It's funny how literal he understood Bobby's description of their decorating job.

Bobby and Avery experimented with what they found in my cake decorating bin. I hated to tell Bobby that what he thought was decorative icing to write the message on top was actually food coloring gel and we had to wipe a layer off before eating.

And I especially thought the zombie hands were a nice touch – I'll try not to take it personally ;)

birthdays!

2011-09-19T06:59:00.009-04:00

I just finished reading many posts on my facebook wall wishing me a happy birthday today. It's heartwarming – people I haven't spoken to in years are suddenly remembering I'm alive. The messages read something like "enjoy your day!" and "live it up." That's right, friends, I'm 34 years old today and this day is just like every other week day: Get up. Go to work...you get the picture. I don't think I'll be "living it up" today.

This reality is all too common for someone officially entering their mid-30's, so I think that's why I love celebrating children's birthdays sooo much.

We escaped our bleak rainy weekend indoors at our godson Henry's lego-themed birthday party yesterday.

The house was full of balloons and multi-colored legos were strung from the ceiling.

Little lego stations were set up throughout the house for spontaneous lego building...

...for little boys and the occasional big boy, too.

The cake was shaped as, you guessed it – lego bricks. Auntie Beth made the cake and topped the bricks with marshmallows to create the circular shapes.

I've never seen a child so happy as when a crowd of his loved ones and friends are singing Happy Birthday to him. Henry was grinning from ear to ear.

More boys with toys.

A super fun birthday indeed!

But, back to me. We only children love to talk about our birthdays, don't we? Anyhow, Bobby treated me to a delightful dinner at Still in Portsmouth. Delicious tapas and a cozy atmosphere. And the weekend was topped off by a household items/clothing swap at a girlfriend's house. It was a great time...for someone in their mid-30's.

That being said, does anyone want to smash a pinata with me after work today? Or maybe come over for a bean bag toss and an ice cream sundae. Hell, let's ditch the kids and head over to Chucky Cheese.

project: sell this house – floor tiles

2011-09-16T16:59:00.004-04:00

Not much visible progress has been made on the bathroom/mudroom renovation, as Bobby has spent the last few weeks repairing some more plumbing issues that arose; however, the tiles we ordered came in and are sitting in boxes waiting to be placed.

We chose industrial floor tiles, mainly because they're inexpensive (83cents a sq.ft.) and easy to install. Home Depot has a rainbow of colors one can special order, so after flipping through tiny one inch samples to make a decision, we settled on a green/blue combination. Totally not what I had in mind when I entered the store, but an impulsive decision I think will add some fun in the dark bathroom attached to our brightly colored kitchen.

And instead of applying them in checkerboard fashion, I'd like to try stripes. I feel a mood board forming soon, don't you?

jumping monkeys

2011-09-13T07:39:00.002-04:00

A recap of our weekend in two photos:

With all their gleeful shrieking, I didn't have the heart to make them stop jumping wildly on our bed.

I have not given up on making Ave's tee pee and brought it down from storage for some new paint. I have declared weekends as "no digital days," which means the computer stays off and I force myself to make images by hand. So far, I'm enjoying it.

The rest of the weekend was spent catching up on household chores and in remembrance. Although I probably should have been reading my book club selection that's due in a week, I spent the majority of my time reading the 9/11 Encyclopedia in New York Magazine which was utterly fascinating. I think all of us spent time remembering where we were and the devastating blow we felt when hearing the news of the terrorist attacks. And although it seems like no time has passed, I was 23 - working at a gallery and hadn't met my future husband. My first concerns were for my uncle, who was in the Pentagon that day in the midst of the terror. But thankfully, he was unharmed.

So did you guys do anything special to honor the day? I had every intention on attending church, but got sucked into the TV tributes and by the time Paul Simon came on, I was a sobbing wreck, haha. The memorial is beautiful, don't you think?

bra-ha-ha

2011-09-09T14:56:00.002-04:00

Guess who got nominated to make our company's entry to the annual Bra-ha-ha? That's right, yours truly. Since I didn't have any time to waste, I chose to make something I knew I could knock out quickly with fleece I had leftover from my plush making days.

Yes, I know the owls are played out, but dammit, they're still cute regardless. And it served as great practice for Avery's Halloween costume. Though, this morning he said he wanted to be a dinosaur after alternating between a mo-hawk and morning dove the whole past month. Sheesh.

little bits of awesome: friday edition

2011-09-09T12:41:00.002-04:00

My coworker brought these back for me from a quick trip to NYC.
And I'm not going to share with anyone.

friday afternoon special

2011-09-09T12:16:00.000-04:00

pancake of the week: berry bunnycakes

2011-09-07T12:45:00.001-04:00

Every day is a good day to make breakfast a little cuter.

In fact, check out my pinterest board dedicated to cute foods.

the last days of summer

2011-09-06T06:17:00.005-04:00

Once the pumpkin ale displays start popping up at grocery stores, you know the remaining days of summer are numbered. So, we took the time over Labor Day weekend to do nothing but relax and enjoy a few last summer activities, which included...

...savoring the artificial sugary goodness of some icey pops (not my purchase, btw),

...a few unsuccessful attempts at tree climbing,

...bonding with cousins visiting from Raleigh,

...sharing with them a growing shell collection, and...

...charming them with one devilish crooked grin.

Oh, yes – that grin gets me every time.

little bits of awesome: in disguise

2011-09-01T06:18:00.002-04:00

Yes, we like masks. Especially the cheap, fluorescent colored masks I remember seeing being sold in the grocery stores as a child. A kitsch delight.

These arrived in the mail yesterday, so Ave had to immediately try them all on. I ordered them from Bake It Pretty and the three assorted masks were only 4.50 total. Nice, right?

Tucked in the box was also a little plastic bag full of Halloween skull rings, cupcake toppers and finger monsters. One would think it was a bag of gold the way Avery carried on when discovering it amongst the tissue.

So, it all gets me to thinking...Ave's birthday is the week after Halloween and we all know how he loves to play dress-up. I think a costume birthday party might be in order. Parents included.

we made it

2011-08-31T06:35:00.009-04:00

my parents' backyard the morning after Irene

We managed to make it through Irene without any major flooding or tree damage. Our power came back on Monday night and I finally finished my work project yesterday (at least this phase) – so I'm riding on cloud nine right now.

As mentioned in the previous post, I fully prepared myself to have NO electricity throughout the hurricane, so I evacuated with very little entertainment for myself except a novel and my mandolin, which I can't tune to save my life. It seemed like a good idea at the time...in theory.

The reality included binging on moon pies & rice krispie treats and watching hours of mindless television, for fear the power would go out and we wouldn't have access to TV news for days. Bored by the news footage showing spiderman at the beach (true story), we progressed to watching mind-numbing chick flicks like "The Proposal" and "Made of Honor." Lawd. Anyone who knows me knows this is completely out of character. I hate how they're so predictable, but admittedly, I enjoyed every terrible second.

The whole family started suffering from a bad case of cabin fever. Again, preparing for the lights to go out, Avery and I made shadow puppets and tested them out in the closet (fun!). And at some point, Avery found a roll of tape which he applied to everything in sight, including us (not so fun!).

We woke up the next morning only to find a few large branches in the yard and a mess of leaves. Avery was particularly disappointed to find his elephant ears blown to bits and did what he could to "fix" the situation.

He was also particularly alarmed about the asymmetry of the mailbox planters. I guess we can figure out which way the wind blew.

So, not exactly a waste of a weekend because family time is always appreciated, but we're definitely looking forward to the approaching 3 Labor Day weekend. I might actually get to see the husband, though he's not going to appreciate the list of chores we need to tackle.

Did you guys have any damage?

all is well...almost

2011-08-29T12:30:00.000-04:00

Just popping in to let you guys know our house survived the storm, but we still don't have electricity (typing this on my lunch break at work). Boo!

A very long couple of days. Shadow puppets, moon pies, and applying scotch tape to our faces for entertainment purposes. We never lost power in Virginia Beach at my folks' house, but we did lose our minds.

And I still haven't seen my husband, who has been working at the news station non-stop.

that's great, it starts with an earthquake

2011-08-26T05:12:00.002-04:00

Hopefully it's not the end of the world as we know it, but natural disasters have been a trend recently around these parts. We've been inhaling forest fire for weeks (yesterday was horrendous), then an earthquake and now a hurricane. FYI: Avery told me last night a volcano was coming, too.

After quickly finishing up some deadlines at work, I'll cover my computer in plastic...you know, just in case the roof caves in. The hard worker in me is concerned about not finishing a huge campaign (or worse - losing it) I'm working on, but the other side is telling me "not important." Knowing we probably won't have power for the next week, I've considered making some marker comps just in case I need to present. I can just imagine pitching by candlelight...but who am I kidding, if it's as bad as they're predicting, advertising will be the least of anyone's concerns.

Our home is under mandatory evacuation, so after we finish stuffing a ton of playground equipment into our teeny tiny garage and moving everything important to higher levels in our house, Ave and I are heading to Virginia Beach to rough out the storm with my parents. The husband, who works at a local TV news/weather station, is required to report to work on Saturday at 6pm to pull an all-nighter (or longer-depending on the flooding) so they'll be able to provide their viewers with breaking news. Breaking news will probably include sharing cell phone pics of fallen trees sent by viewers. Very important, I tell you. I'm not happy about this situation, as the two-story studio is located on the water in a very low lying area, but Bobby feels its his duty.

So, Mr. Management at Corporate headquarters in faraway Texas, if my dear husband risks his life for your news program and doesn't get a sizable promotion this year, I will hunt you down and throw you into a hurricane of hate.

Phew - got that off my back.

My dear VA friends, please be safe and prepare accordingly. I was so close to packing up the boy last night and driving west to locations unknown, but since everyone I know is sticking around, I can't bare the thought of worrying about my friends and family from afar. Especially to my friends in Norfolk, if you feel unsafe, come stay with me at my parents' house. I have a case of Blue Moon and my dad has a banjo. Packing my mandolin too because I can't think of a better time to get reacquainted with it, ya know?

Take care, friends!

little bits of awesome: dress up!

2011-08-24T06:31:00.003-04:00

Invasion of robot Julie.

Bedlam.

project complete

2011-08-23T05:12:00.000-04:00

I was ready to finish the triangle quilt and move on to another project, so a sudden change of heart prompted me to machine bound the quilt over the weekend. And I'm so glad I did since hand binding usually takes me weeks. Phew!

The quilt was originally designed to fit Avery's toddler bed, and since he's still happily using his crib without complaint, I needed to find another use in the interim.

So in the meantime, a chair cover it will become to add a punch of color in that drab corner of our living room.

The posts are going to be light this week, as I'm working under a tight deadline at work (early mornings and late nights). Next week, I hope to share all the numerous mistakes I made while making the quilt. Being a self-taught quilter, this is the way I learn best.

2011-08-17T05:19:00.000-04:00

little bits of awesome: baby berry bearcakes

A little morning lift inspired by this pin.

2011-08-16T04:18:00.000-04:00

a progress report: the triangle quilt

Weekend child care allowed some extra time for working on the quilt. And I'm happy to say, the quilting is complete. Thank goodness - it was painful!

All that is left is the binding. I'm excited to throw it in the washer and fluff it up a bit because the quilting has flattened it to a pancake.

2011-08-15T05:14:00.000-04:00

a weekend of celebration

We celebrated my mom's sixty-fourth birthday...

...and our sixth year of wedded bliss.

Ave spent the night at his grandparents' house so we could enjoy a formal date. As cliche as it sounds, I really enjoy nothing more than dinner and a movie now. The movie must come before dinner though, as I don't like to be rushed, and the buzz from a fantastic film can make the dinner discussion more exciting.

I'm so thankful I met a man who, without complaints, will sit by my side watching a documentary at the Naro Cinema. I've been looking forward to seeing "Bill Cunningham New York" for some time and it was better than I ever imagined. Such a passionate man...I can only hope to be half as lively as him when I grow old.

After the film, we ran through the rain to catch a bite at Luna Maya. Best drinks and desserts around. Nothing makes me happier than a fantastic documentary followed by a tall mojito and some flan.

With Ave out for the night, we were able to sleep in for the first time in months. Of course, I woke at 7 am and lay in bed thinking about work until 8. So not fair.

But sipping coffee and sewing while watching the CBS Sunday Morning show is my ideal way of relaxing on the weekend and that I was able to do in peace.

We picked up Ave and headed over to my parents' house for hotdogs and cake.
And a little practice on the ol' trike.

Oh, and yes, I am determined to make painted toe nails widely acceptable for little boys. Come on y'all, let's start a trend...

No one can say blue stripes aren't masculine, right?

2011-08-11T05:00:00.004-04:00

devil sticks

(I may have had better luck teaching him algebra)

Cleaning out my childhood room recently, I came upon two sets of devil sticks. Watching my every move, Avery quickly barged in and grabbed one of the batons and started twirling it wildly like a majorette (or in his case, Olivia the pig). I immediately stuffed them in my bag to take home. I have found my pupil, hahahaha.

In my friends' minds, devil sticks conjure up the image of a socially awkward freshman in college. Just by saying the words = instant uproarious laughter. Um, yes...admittedly the laughter is at my expense. I was painfully shy and in an attempt to get out of my dorm room and make friends, I learned to juggle devil sticks. And besides, I needed a new hobby as my solo games of jenga were starting to get boring.

I practiced for hours in my cramped dorm room and finally gained the nerve to venture into the quad under the canopy of the large oak tree for all to see. A few solo shows but no luck. Not even a side glance, much less anyone else joining in.

I mean, I could have just tried saying "hello" to someone. But, noooooo. For some reason, I thought performing tricks in public would prove to be a better option.

The majority of my fellow students, at the small university I attended in the mountains of Virginia, were busy pledging to some sorority or another. I recall watching a newly made friend carefully use purple puff paint to write the initials of her "sister" on some plexiglass photo cube and that tainted impression was all I needed to never consider pledging as a way to make friends.

And those were the days before social media and when no one had a computer in their room. I remember one girl – obsessed with chat rooms – who's muffled giggles would pierce the silence in the computer lab. Gawd, I thought - what a dork. But in retrospect, at least she was talking to someone.

My other failed attempts at socialization included tagging along with hall mates to raucous frat parties (so not my scene!) and attending a concert in our school's gymnasium. You guys, I sat on the bleachers in the dark and watched George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic ALL ALONE!

My friend Suzy recalls seeing me walk around campus, shuffling along in my birkenstocks and carrying my guatemalan backpack with three sticks peeking out. I foolishly thought, just by carrying these sticks around with me, like wands they would magically attract other members of my imagined social misfit tribe. I wanted to be her friend so badly, but I averted her gaze every time our paths would cross. (As an aside, we finally met a year later at a Denny's in North Carolina - weird, right?)

Yeah, it's sad. Being shy really sucked (now I'm just quiet in social situations). But having very few friends my freshman year made me stronger by forcing me to accept the silence and enthusiastically participate in events by myself unashamed. It taught me to connect with people, regardless of their views or interests. Surrounding yourself with only like-minded people can be so limiting.

But I'm still going to teach the little guy a few tricks on the ol' devil sticks because they are mighty fun. We might even practice in a public park...and if you see us, just keep on walking. He doesn't need that kind of attention.

2011-08-10T05:50:00.001-04:00

little bits of awesome: learning the ABC's

2011-08-09T06:00:00.002-04:00

seashells by the seashore

A popular activity during last summer's "Mamas retreat" in Chincoteague was collecting seashells. A few of the girls and I walked for what seemed like miles in search of an intact conch. As far as the conch was concerned, we came back empty-handed but still had our arms loaded with other beautiful shells to remember the trip.

So what would be the perfect keepsake for my guests the second time around?

A little drawstring bag to contain their newly found collection.

I designed the graphic complete with my own little symbolic illustrations representing what the island has to offer: the Assateague lighthouse, ponies, egrets, seashells, the carnival, the infamous Pony Express trolley, fishing boats, and the old drawbridge which has since been torn down.

And the year on the bottom as a little reminder, of course.

I sized the graphic, including seam allowance and the back panel, and repeated the pattern to fill two yards of fabric. So, when the fabric arrived, all I had to do was slice a few lines with my rotary blade to give me the pieces to just simply fold over and sew up the side. Printing was done through Spoonflower on the quilting weight cotton. The orange suede string was found at Michael's (a wee bit too rough for a smooth drawstring gathering so I don't recommend).

The downside: the colors came out lighter than anticipated, so the pale faux bois texture in the background didn't show up (digital graphic below). If I hadn't rushed the project, I would have ordered a sample first to test the colors. But oh well, lesson learned.

2011-08-08T05:00:00.002-04:00

summertime bloom

the perfect summer snack
(and proof I ate the cucumbers, Mom)

Having spent the last three weekends out of town, these lazy past two days have been a welcomed departure. Though, with all the fun time away, our yard had been neglected, our home had fallen into a disorganized mess, and the pantry was empty.

We all puttered around the house, with Bobby and I taking turns mowing grass and cleaning. I found the energy to brave the humidity and pull the weeds that had overtaken our once thriving flower beds. Alas, I barely had to bend over. Creating all those flower beds around our house seemed like such a fabulous idea when it was just the two of us.

Ave happily hung around the house, too. We normally fill his time with trips to the playground, zoo, library and other little trips, but we consciously decided to stick around to see what Ave would do with his free time...

...Fly a spaceship in his bedroom. Teach swimming lessons to his stuffed animals and me (complete with putting on his swim suit first). Dress up like a dinosaur and parade around the yard. Take the hallway elevator to the...moon?

Ave's imagination has begun to blossom. His fantasies are complete with constant chattering and hand gestures. He'll quickly become any animal by zipping up his imaginary suit and even closing the top button. In his mind, he has completely transformed.

Ave's magic "elevator" is located in the small hallway between bedrooms. He'll pretend to punch the buttons, wait for the doors to open, and will step in and wait until it stops moving. Then he'll spread the doors apart with his hands (the doors are apparently tricky and have the tendency to get stuck) and step out again.

He never mentions where he's going, but all I ask is that he takes me with him.

2011-08-01T07:32:00.009-04:00

let's just call it "memorable"

Sunday afternoon, after all my guests had left for the long ride home, I asked myself, "how am I going to blog about this?"

Hmph. Rainbows and butterflies - that's the making of a good blog read, right? Shall we just skip this entry and move onto a DIY project? But alas, though the highly anticipated Ladies Retreat Weekend in Chincoteague ended in tears and broken expectations, there were good times along the way. We'll just try to forget Saturday night ever happened.

Let's just remember the good times, okay? Like...

Discovering Payne's Treasure Chest and talking to a woman who claims to receive messages from sea horses in her dreams. Her "store," where not everything was for sale and nothing had a price tag, there were handmade video cameras and machine guns made of cardboard. Vignettes of broken toy pianos, 1950s coloring books and stuffed horses wearing sunglasses that can't be replicated. She wanted to barter for my moccasins, but I refused to walk out with bare feet. In retrospect, I could have suffered a few blisters for her 3ft blue owl lamp.

Leisurely exploring the thrift stores along Route 13. That album cover makes me soooo happy.

Getting up early, hitting the beach and basking in the sun, only made tolerable by the cool ocean breeze.

Collecting shells...

...which make the perfect souvenir from a beach vacation (more on that later).

Watching the wild pony herd still fatigued from the recent swim back to Assateague.

Having lunch at our favorite sandwich spot. Why can't we have a place like this at home?

Sipping margaritas, dining on fresh seafood while watching the sunset, and...

...celebrating friendship.

But this is the point where we stop. In my mind, I'll pretend we all went home after dinner and went to bed, so we could arise early, have coffee, and exchange hugs before setting out on our separate trips back home. Rainbows and butterflies, my friends.

2011-07-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

little bits of awesome

The guys over at Grow Interactive were replaced temporarily by a tinier version of themselves. WebTV live streaming & a gang of children under five = complete chaos. Glad I watched safely from my office monitor and joined them afterward for a pizza and ice cream party.

Loads of fun and Avery had a blast (and apparently isn't great at taking direction).

2011-07-25T06:34:00.000-04:00

a week of preparation

I'm busily preparing for our ladies retreat in Chincoteague this weekend, so the posts will be few and far between the next few days.

Like always, I have complicated my life by deciding to make little souvenirs for all my guests. I can't wait to share images of them next week upon my return.

On a different subject, do y'all want to know what I've been loving recently? I'm sure you can't wait to find out! You can always peruse my Pinterest boards, too.

• Finally finished Tina Fey's book and the last few chapters won my heart. From her stint as Sarah Palin at SNL to her difficult balance between motherhood/work and the tough decision whether or not to have another child. So captivating and in a sense, relatable.

• Foster the People. I'm really late to this game as usual, but this might be the most perfect summer album EVER.

• The most charming film I've seen in years: Midnight in Paris. Don't read any reviews or plot synopsis - just go see it. You won't regret it, especially all you art history geeks out there.

• I want to start collecting vintage Ben Cooper masks (photos above), especially the non-cartoon/superhero specific. It really is the last thing I should spend a dime on, but I'm so taken with the vibrant color and campy nostalgic nature of them. Tell me I'm insane.

2011-07-20T06:31:00.001-04:00

little bits of awesome

finding a bag of new indestructible ponies at the local thrift store for $3 after having scoured every tourist trap on Chincoteague last weekend without luck. Ave has had fun playing with my old Breyer horses, but I don't want another pony to lose a limb.

finally seeing the finish line on the never-ending quilt project

2011-07-19T06:38:00.000-04:00

sell this house: bathroom floor

We have a floor level with our foundation now. Yippee!

We'll remove the kitchen door, which will give easy access to the bathroom and open up the space. The framer is returning today to finish the floor and build the inset steps leading to the garage.

Our plan was to continue the bamboo flooring into the mudroom and bathroom, but now I'm concerned about using bamboo for the inset steps. It sounds super tricky.

Have any of you had inset stairs/steps built and how were they covered?

2011-07-18T06:54:00.006-04:00

it's carnival time

It's amazing to see your childhood repeated right before your eyes.

Some of my fondest memories include attending the Chincoteague Carnival in the summer with my grandparents and older cousin John David.

I was terrified of everything growing up, so my cousin rode on all the rides with me to boost my courage.

So imagine my excitement when my cousin and his family stayed in Chincoteague for the weekend, too. One of his daughters is a few weeks younger than Ave and the other is older by two years.

Though Avery didn't need any coaxing to get on the rides.

In fact, we had a difficult time prying him off.

One of his favorites was the cars. Those old cars have been around since my childhood.

I never thought I'd see my baby on a ferris wheel so soon. At one point, he was shaking AND crying with anticipation while waiting his turn in line . His older cousin Emma rode with him to make sure he would survive.

He did. And he won't stop talking about it.

Here's to family and fun times!

2011-07-15T06:11:00.000-04:00

circus

Did you guys watch "Circus" when it aired on PBS last winter? It's a multi-part documentary about the performers in a European-style big top traveling circus. And if you missed it like me, you can stream the entire series through Netflix now.

I've been rising an hour early every day this week to catch another episode and work on my quilt, which still isn't close to being finished. I particularly am fascinated by Sarah Schwartz, the wire walker. She's beautiful and her body movements are so graceful and...animated? Check it out below and you'll see what I mean, especially starting at the :50 mark.

2011-07-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

little bits of awesome: safety first!

Avery insisted on wearing a helmet, knee pads, and elbow pads so he could ride his "skateboard" in the house. And I appreciate this. Alot. So, we cut a pair of old socks to create make-shift elbow pads and bunched up his old Baby Legs for knee pads.

Dude, he like totally shredded.

Haha - showing my age by using early 90s lingo. I shut up now. Okay - ba bye.

2011-07-12T06:33:00.002-04:00

project: sell this house - let's make a deal

Well, hello. Let's make a deal, shall we? You have three choices: you can pick door number one, door number two, or keep the envelope...

Door number one, you say?

Cue the sad trombone.

The progress on Sunday. Within a few hours - no more wall (right photo).
And since the photo was taken, there is no more floor!

Though it looks daunting, this is actually a great view compared to a few weeks ago. The damaged wall has been completely torn down, the rotten boards have been replaced around the base of the exterior walls, and those are new pipes you see! They're small and fit INSIDE the wall, which is a big improvement since the old plumbing was so large. The previous owners covered it with a false wall that went 3/4 up to the ceiling. Crazy, right?

The room is now prepped for our framer to build a new floor on a foundation level with the rest of the house. It'll be like a REAL bathroom, folks! And what's more exciting is the prospect of moving the cat boxes out there. That would make my day.

So, you remember what it looked like before, right? I mean, it can't get any worse. I'm finally getting really excited about picking the paint, deciding on a wall treatment, and finding just the right accessories. It almost makes me not want to put the house on the market.

2011-07-11T06:23:00.003-04:00

bonding time

The Virginia humidity was unbearable and Bobby was busy demolishing the remaining walls and floor in the second bathroom throughout the weekend, so Ave and I stayed close to home, relaxing and enjoying some quality time together.

We did what many people do when they want to relax:
we gave each other manicures...

...and discussed contemporary art...

...over a delightful sushi lunch.

I've found that making a big deal over mundane daily events can immediately elevate them to adventure status (I also tell him we're going on an adventure when we go to Target, which for some reason works). Avery was ecstatic when I told him we would be having a picnic (in our backyard) and he would finally be able to use his special chopsticks. I've been wanting to make this toddler-friendly sushi ever since coming across it on Pinterest, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

What a difference presentation can make! Give the boy a PB&J sandwich and he'll roll his eyes and throw it on the floor. Roll it up and slice it like a sushi roll, and the same kid will scarf it down in minutes.

In other news, we tried more potty-training over the weekend and that shit was gross. Literally. We're encouraging Ave to wear underwear around the house and we've been dealing with some accidents, but poo is the worst! Any tips? I know many people suggest a no underwear method, but I worry our little dude will have too much fun marking his territory. And yes, we are trying the M&M bribe method even though we KNOW one is not supposed to motivate with food, but whateva works at this point. And our little dude really WANTS some M&Ms, but apparently not enough to poo on the potty.

Also, major progress in the bathroom renovation over the weekend! Walls have been torn down, floor dug up, and the room is prepped for our framer. I can't wait! Full progress report to come on Tuesday.

So, did you guys do anything fun this weekend? Besides the picnic and cleaning the disastrous poo spills, I mostly worked on the never-ending quilt project and read more of the Tina Fey book I thought I didn't really like until Friday night, already having read half the book. I really really want to LOVE this book. Thoughts?

2011-07-07T05:30:00.001-04:00

time to make the donuts

Our donuts are a variation of our monkey bread recipe and were a huge hit last Saturday morning.

Buy a tube of whole wheat biscuits, slice the biscuits into two parts, and roll to create long snakes (Ave's favorite part). Connect the snake mouth to its tail and smush together to form the donuts.

Dip into a sugar & cinnamon mixture.

Line them up on a pan and bake as directed on the package. Should make sixteen as long as the resident toddler doesn't start licking them.

Slather some nutella on the donut or serve plain. Voila!

2011-07-06T05:36:00.000-04:00

little bits of awesome: shadow play

This book = awesome sauce. Makes bedtime stories so much cooler and a dark room a less scary space!

I guess you'll just have to take my word since the photos are total garbage. You try taking photos in the dark without a tripod!

2011-07-05T07:04:00.008-04:00

oh, what a beautiful long weekend...

We hosted our friends from DC for a little 4-day beach getaway last week. Entertaining house guests made the work week seem like an ongoing slumber party with late night talks and morning coffee discussions. Plus, Ave was completely enamored with Maria (above) and intrigued by their son Fen (below), too.

The closing night of Art|Everywhere was Saturday. Ave spent some quality time glued to his favorite display...

...and we pinned flags to the Seven Cities Crafters Map. Participants were invited to write down ways "they create community" on ribbons provided and pin them to the area of the map they consider their community.

And I must say, that map looked super purty. I designed and printed it through Spoonflower. I uploaded the map as two images with a 2" overlap for the splice. Overall, the map was 9 x 6 feet! An a production note, the colors were accurate and the lines crisp. The map was sewn and assembled by Kristen and other crafters joined in to embroider the city names.

We were also treated to a delightful puppet show version of The Lorax.

And Avery was delighted when seed packets were tossed to the audience at the end of the performance.

Looking around, I saw families, couples and youth completely engaged (without alcohol) and I wondered why the city isn't doing more to encourage these programs on a more regular basis. Bringing consumers to the downtown district with otherwise slower weekend sales would seem like a good plan, right? Hmph.

And no weekend is complete in this area without a quick trip to the beach.

Yes, that is a tupperware tub in the sand. We call it the "hot tub" and it's apparently very popular. Plus, after we're through, we dump it out and use it as a container for Ave's sand toys.

Hope your weekend was all you wished it to be, too.

2011-07-04T07:17:00.000-04:00

happy independence day

Ave's patriotic dance cannot be captured in stills. He's fast like lightening...or fireworks.

2011-06-29T07:22:00.000-04:00

little bits of awesome: you make my heart sing

painting our faces for no particular reason on a lazy Saturday afternoon

2011-06-28T06:00:00.003-04:00

sell this house: progress report

Ugh. I'm suffering from a bad case of HGTV virus. Symptoms include knocking down walls, moving plumbing, raising the floor, and replacing everything with new.

But I'm happy to report, I had a huge dose of reality and I think I've come to my senses.

I've told you about our mess of a bathroom renovation. What? You've been to my house and didn't realize we have a second bathroom? Yes, that one – the bathroom we rarely use. It's off of the kitchen, which makes complete sense, right? Especially considering we don't have a master bath. Hmph.

Anyhow, over the last several weeks, we've been considering knocking down a wall (the one with the green star Bobby loathes) and moving our washer and dryer into the bathroom. Currently, our tiny garage serves as our laundry room and it feels filthy. The perfect solution was to create one giant laundry room/bathroom, seal the wall leading into the garage, and move the garage access door to our kitchen. This all sounded so perfect in theory.

Until we realized how much more time and money this perfect plan entailed.

See, not only do we have to finish the bathroom renovation before considering putting our house on the market, but now we also have to rethink our back patio since there is a large hole with exposed plumbing occupying most of it. Bobby needed to find the source of the leak which caused the water damage and he's very, very thorough.

He rented a jackhammer over the weekend and demolished the concrete slab in the bathroom, in hopes to save money when the plumber visits. We still plan to raise the floor to make level with our foundation (the addition was built on a concrete slab poured directly onto dirt - not good). It sounds tricky, but Bobby ensures me it's not too difficult.

Another symptom of the HGTV virus: delusional state of mind. It must be the virus, because why else would two full-time working parents of a toddler decide to take these projects on themselves, while still expecting to enjoy summer activities, play music, and work on creative projects. Craziness, I tell ya.

2011-06-27T06:45:00.002-04:00

summertime rolls

Living near the beach is something I always took for granted growing up, but not anymore. It's awesome to schedule a spontaneous play date with three other families on a Sunday afternoon...

...and build sculptures in the sand.

And I've found a helper in the yard. Ave loves watering the flowers, which serves as a great reminder. I have the tendency to plant something with excitement and then neglect them to the hot sun.

(p.s. All photos were taken using the Camera+ app on my iPhone using the Diana filter.)

2011-06-22T06:52:00.005-04:00

little bits of awesome: a bunny well-loved

Meet Bunny. She was my best pal growing up.

She accompanied me from kindergarten to college.

And now she's Avery's best friend and he won't go anywhere without her. And forget a night alone – unthinkable!

Friends and family are baffled as to why he picked her out of his many, many stuffed animals to cherish.

But, I know the reason. She's special. And she listens like no other.

If a toy could be loved into real existence, like The Velveteen Rabbit, she would have been hopping freely long ago. But, that fairy tale hasn't come true yet, so I'll just continue to sew her ear back when the threads come loose and gently give her baths when the pink turns dark gray once again.