Monday, January 31, 2011

baby knits

finally completing my babette blanket
totally re-charged my needlework motivation

i wanted to try knitting this time around
and with babies aplenty to knit for
seemed to be just right

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it was fast
and thus oh-so-satisfying...

and my weekend
with computer closed
television off
fire roaring
warm tea
and
fingers wrapped in merino + bamboo
has never felt so relaxing

sparklers

can you believe it will be february TOMORROW!?!
i can.not!
seriously, this month has FLLLLOWN by.
oh, all the good intentions...

(a few catch-up posts coming your way)
like these (now) month-old pictures
from our new year's eve celebration
...
it was quiet and simple

good food
great friends
family
sparklers

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mum * tay * me

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(yes, totally breaking fire code)
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a wonderful welcome to the 2011

that left everyone pooped:
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nellie can barely lift her lids
and jack didn't quite make it to bed


Sunday, January 30, 2011

sunday sweets

i don't know what it is lately...
cozy comfort food?
evenings by the fire?
but these rich treats
have my mouth watering!
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you had me at hello.

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ummm...
yes, please!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

with baited breath...

today's the day...

matchbook magazine is finally launching!

i am SO very excited to see what katie, jane and fallon
have in store for us...
if their tumblr page is any indication
it is sure to be an absolute delight...

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adorable, right?
are you a matchbook girl?!



good luck, girls!

Friday, January 21, 2011

friday inspiration

i can't stop watching this behind-the-scenes short
with scott schuman
of
(one of my very favorite reader-reads of the day!)


he is just so refreshing, humble and true.
totally inspiring!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

weekend in the woods 2.0

last year, amidst mortgage paper work and packing
i took off
to my dear friend amanda's lake house in the woods
relieve some stress

it was just so wonderful
that we decided to make it an annual event...
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last weekend,
loaded down with sewing machines, irons and fabric filled boat 'n totes
eight ladies
made it through the snow
to nourish our souls

with craft
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cooking
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and talk of a fabulous book
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and, yes!
it was a success...

i arrived friday afternoon
and got right to work on a simple, modern, spontaneous
baby quilt for an old friend's new baby girl
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backed in a one piece of this favorite giraffe print
and the babe's name appliqued in felt
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...
saturday morning i was up early
to tackle the mac-daddy
of quilts
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and i did it!
(well, minus the hand-stitched binding)
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not bad for a day's work, huh?!
...
sunday morning we all gathered 'round with our loot
for one last group picture
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pretty impressive, i must say!

amanda, i cannot thank you enough for hosting and planning.
ladies, it was wonderful to meet you all!
until next year...

photos courtesy of orchardcove


Wednesday, January 19, 2011

surf sister

yagottabekiddin'me-

as if i wasn't craving summer enough...



favorites unite.
be still my heart.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

sewing class: winter jammies and quick gift

our last sewing class in 2010
was just before christmas...
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the girls finished up cozy flannel pj sets
(which they reportedly didn't take off for much of vacation)
...
then, we broke into the scrap bag
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choosing remnants of past projects
to make gifts for parents and siblings

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they personalized kraft moleskine journals

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and even improved upon the pattern-
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adding a ribbon to the front that extended to serve as a bookmark

they little ladies always amaze me with their creativity!

family members were thrilled, of course
and they even have a few commissions for more...
proving nothing is better than a homemade gift!

game-time garage

WOW. ZERS.


INSANE, right?

our garage looks much like that before shot
(well, when not loaded with furniture to be refinished, a friend's topless jeep and the like...)
having a rad ping-pong party place might be inspiration enough to clean 'er out
come the first sign of spring.

snow day

remember as a kid, listening to the radio in bed, hoping your school's name would be on the list?
sledding in snowsuits pulled over pajamas
warming up with hot cocoa and fluff sandwiches on white bread (a snow day "white party" treat)
we had one of those days here last week.
bliss...
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nellie went ballistic romping in the drifts like they were waves

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our fish bird feeder and his mowak
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of course, we had the adult version of shoveling and projects
but settling down in the evening with a freshly painted kitchen
is just about as blissful as sledding.
trust me.
...
and today
getting a 6am call
that school is off (again)
is just as exciting
when you're a teacher's wife.

no big projects planned
just catching up here
... so stay tuned!


Thursday, January 13, 2011

tongue-in-cheek-chic

i am fully immersed in
a story of a woman who left her life in New York City
when she fell in love with a man and their idea of starting a community-sustaining farm together.
i CANNOT put it down.

while certainly not as extreme, when i left NYC for Little Rhody, i traded my heels for clogs, take-out for made-from-scratch and now, too, wear my cashmere to bed.
and, i'm loving every minute of it.

however, i do think these totes would add the perfect amount of city style
to my weekly load of veggies at the farmer's market...

love.

everything about this...

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

to elise with love

remember the family baby shower
we threw for a california cousin late last summer?
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i asked family members to each decorate a quilt square
which were strung up on a clothesline at the party
and then i incorporated them all
into a simple, sweet quilt
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for
little miss elise!

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we hope she will think of all her relatives on the beach of the east coast anxiously waiting to meet her!



the last of last year

before i officially move into the new year here
i need to play a little catch-up
a share some favorite christmas pictures
...
it really was SUCH a lovely holiday
filled with everything you dream about when you think of christmastime...

*decorating our home*
(with our first christmas tree together!)
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*baking*
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*crafting*
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traditional cloves and orange smell SO good!
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*celebrating with friends*
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don't you love seeing other people's decorations!?! ...from a friend's xmas-eve eve party
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and
*coming home to family*
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my niece and nephew showing off their annual mamma-made christmas pjs. too.cute!
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the MAC DADDY of all the holiday pictures.
grama reading the night before christmas to evan.
his face?
PRICELESS.
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good daddy elf putting together anya's dollhouse the night before
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and christmas dinner.
waldo-style
where the food always rocks your world.
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oh, and 15" of
*snow*
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especially lovely when enjoyed in fleece pants over waffles, smoothies and piping hot coffee.

i hope your holidays were just as memorable!
now, onto 2011!
xoxo