Hello Friends!

I am sitting here at my computer feeling like I am strangers with my blog! Thanks for stopping in while I have been gone. We had a WONDERFUL trip to California for a really long break! Thanksgiving day was a fun day for the kids complete with last minute costumes: Ian was an Indian with a paper bag vest, but ended up just going around naked most of the day (appropriate I guess) and Addie was a pilgrim. I asked her “What do pilgrims do?” and she replied “chase turkeys all day.” So that is what we did. We hid turkeys in the garden and had the kids hunt for them. Someday they will learn the true process, but not from me!

We even made our first ever road trip with the kids. Two days each way driving wasn’t so bad, until Addie couldn’t battle her car-sickness any longer and shared it with the entire back seat. But these are details I will gladly spare you!

So we are back in the throws of the Christmas season! Having a shop open during Christmas is challenging my creativity at the moment to get in the full spirit of things. But right now I am listening to the King’s College Choir sing In the bleak midwinter and all is well. Christmas presents this year are coming together great, and though I can’t share most of them (my family reads my blog too!) I can share some gifts for my kids!

For Addie: 1. Meeebee Shoulder bag and sewing packet. She will go crazy! I am going to fill it with fabric that she can make doll clothes out of. We are trying to sew more together, but not nearly as much as she asks me to! Aren’t these darling!!?!?! I found Meeabee on ETSY and I am thrilled. “All that is cute from Japan” is her motto. Handmade and wonderful! Japanese fabrics i love!! She even threw in an extra little pencil case! Made to perfection!

For Ian: 1. Meeabee: this toddler bag (he is always wanting to wear a purse like Mama or Addie!) complete with orange robots. Orange is his favorite color, and robots are a big trend with him right now. little boy apron as well. 2. Vintage Bethany: vintage puzzles. I am going tack the pieces in and hang them up in his room. I am loving the colors…especially in the chapel piece. To me Toys are art as much as they are toys!Are you seeing an ETSY trend? I am a devout believer:) 3. Green Clean Toys: Loving this fisher price fire truck. Bell and all. I remember pulling this toy around as a kid. He’ll go crazy over it!

A few more handmade items coming still! But for now…I am off to printing and shipping! Thanks to all of you who patiently waited over the holiday break! All items are shipping today and tomorrow! I will be back soon with more creations in the works….but for now, I am needing to get back to printing printing printing!

Cheers!

When I first heard about Stephanie Neilson (the plane crash, the blog, and her amazing family) I immediately noticed a few things. Besides how overcome and impressed I was with her family, I noticed their amazing family pictures they had taken only 3 weeks before the crash. I was smitten by how the photography completely captured the love this family had for each other.

By searching through Nie Nie’s archives, I found the info I had been searching for. Wendy of Blue Lily Photography was the talent behind the lens, she lived in California and she was coming to Utah in October. I couldn’t have felt more lucky. This woman is gold. She is magic even. She had exactly 1/2 hour with our family in the Orchards (she was only in town a few days and had over 35 families to shoot), which frankly I was terrified about (it can take me 1/2 hour to try and get my kids in the car! how could she capture my family in 1/2 hour!)

But like I mentioned before: Wendy is Magic. She LOVES kids and LOVES people and has a gift. These are just a FEW of the pictures I love. I am having the hardest time deciding my favorites!

If you are ever in the market for family pictures, find out her travel schedule. And get a slot FAST! She is quite the popular gal. Check out her blog here. Thanks so much Wendy! We love you to pieces!

If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly.

Thomas S. Monson

Oh how true!!! The total chaos around the house (like Ian pulling out the entire roll of toilet paper and his new found skill of sneaking utensils out of the kitchen and putting them in the washing machine) is simply physical proof that I live with angles. Funny angels. Clever angels. Know-how-to-push-me-to-my-limit angels…but angles. Oh…I wish they could just stay tiny forever! I just hope that when we are all big and fat and old, that we will still love each other just as much…maybe even more. But I sometimes find that hard to imagine! Just stay little!

Take lots of pictures!

The dress came in the mail at 3 pm Halloween afternoon, and that was the end of being a Witch for the night! I actually video taped her opening the box…and Oh! The dramatic response when she saw what it was. What an amazing dress!

As we were putting the dress on, Ian ran back to his room, grabbed his “prince” crown and his blanket for me to tie up as a cape. He immediately bowed to Addie and asked for the next dance. He is such a romantic…and well, it doesn’t help that he has an Anne of Green Gables for a sister. And…well, I am not much better. I wonder where he gets it from!

This dress is a dream, and Addie is in heaven wearing it. We wore it trick or treating and let me tell you the comments we got! She was quite the featured trick-or-treater. (We only went to maybe 8 doors and took our time going door to door. They will get older one day and figure out faster walking = more candy) We ended up carrying her up each door step making sure she wouldn’t step on this masterpiece. And that is what it is. A masterpiece.

I still feel a little guilty for having such an amazing dress..and so popular at that! I am just tickled to see how regal Addie becomes when she wears it. Her manners are perfect, and she becomes royalty. And in response, Ian becomes royalty too. We are already planning a party around this dress! And oh, what a ball it will be.

Since we are getting our place ready to sell, I realized I don’t really have any decent pictures of my Addie and Ian’s room. It is quite a tight space: all of their toys, clothes and beds fit into this little space that I can’t even take a full picture of because I can’t stand back far enough! But Small Spaces require creativity, which is my favorite kind of problem to handle.

Details:

- “Manners can be Fun”: Anthropologie. Published in 1936. My mother used to read this to me, and I am sure her mother read it to my mother. Fantastic illustrations. We bring this down when the kids need a little more reenforcement besides mom and dad.

- “The LIttle House” is on my top 5 children’s books of all time. If you haven’t read this, you need to.

- Letter A: from Anthropologie. On sale for $6

- Toad likes to hang out up here, but he often comes down to play.

- Wooden display cabinet I hand painted a while back

- Babaar print: We purchased a print while in France at a flea market. I am sure you can get them in the states though. I just liked the size…and that it was from Provence.

- IKEA shelves are a lifesaver. Not only do they fit everything, but they are square. I like squares. And White.

-The felt Crowns are from Cakies. We love these!

-Vintage alphabet poster $4 at a book arts paper store

There are more details I didn’t catch here…but all the more reason for me to take pictures when we move into our new space!

Categories: just for kids, my family, on being an artist
13 Comments

(Addie in my espadrilles)

Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine, and at last you create what you will.

George Bernard Shaw

My motto of the week. For years we have been dreaming of a house. I personally, have been dreaming of a cottage cozied up in a deep green forest with only birds and deer for neighbors. And for the upteenth time, we are on the search to find it again. And I truly believe that what you want most will in fact become a reality as you turn that wish into action.

So, this week, is get the condo ready to sell week. I have high hopes to get some more wonderful treats out for you this week in the shop, and I will keep this motto close to me as I go for it.

This week I imagine:

A clean sparse apartment to show

New art and goodies in the shop

And maybe that cottage in the woods.

Or at least…A house with room enough to be a mom AND an artist. We have been feeling a little crammed lately, but oh so grateful to have a roof over our heads.

Here’s to dreaming! Make a wish, Make it happen!

This is not a picture of Ian’s belly button, but rather a picture of a new compartment for storing chocolate. You see, Ian came up with the brilliant Idea that if he could stuff his belly button with the mini chocolate chips we have in the cupboard, no one would know he was sneaking. As smart as he is, he still doesn’t know about the “melt in your mouth-not in your hand” body heat predicament. Poor guy learned the hard way that chocolate doesn’t stay in your belly button long before melting. I don’t think he minded though…melted chocolate is just as good. I think he just got a thrill that his body had the perfect compartment for storing treats!

(PS: picture taken after wiping his tummy!)

Categories: my family
10 Comments

Yesterday we ventured for our fist trip this year to the pumpkin patch. I have a feeling we will be back with how much the kids loved making friends with the pumpkins…and scarecrows for that matter. Being from back east, my autumn memories are rich and full…colors, smells, and the magic of fall that only a east-coaster can appreciate. Being in Utah, there are different kinds of magical memories, and pumpkin patches are one of them.

The cool brisk air inspires my husband’s culinary knack to really come out full fledged. But this morning, he was actually able to stay in bed while I made breakfast for once. And I have to post the recipe because it was just so yummy. Perfect with REAL maple syrup (not the high fructose corn syrup junk) and a bit of applesauce. Also really tasty to eat along side a cup of hot wassail or cider. Happy making! (Oh, and I must mention that Ian and I made these together…he especially loved tasting the molassas:)

Gingerbread Waffles:

(taken from the 1930’s edition of Better Homes and Garden)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening (or supliment with applesauce)

1 egg

1/2 cup molassas

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 cup hot water

1. Beat sugar and shortening (or applesauce) in a mixing bowl. Add egg and molassas; beat until combined well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and ginger, cinnamon and cloves. add to the sugar mixture. beat until smooth. Add hot water and mix .

2. Pour into hot waffle iron. Bout 1 cup at a time. (I used 1/2 cup…looks more like a snowflake). Bake according to your waffle iron. Make 8 waffles…approx. Dash with powdered sugar, applesauce and/or maple syrup.

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Our first snow was this weekend…and our little ones have come to already associate cold brisk air with a cup of cocoa. Although…not until this weekend did we actually venture into making our own homemade marshmallows. Oh wow. I am not too keen on marshmallows, but these are something else! Almost like creamy vanilla taffy. The recipe we used is here. I just love this time of year!

This weekend was spent with my husband’s sister and her charming new husband. I love weddings, especially autumn weddings. The air was cold…but no matter. Our sister bride was beautiful and we just love our new brother in law! Addie was particularly entranced by the lovely dresses, flowers and lights. She pranced around the gardens looking for her “prince” which when she called, Ian soon came to her side. My children are quite the romantics which ensured us all a wonderfully fulfilling weekend!

This is how I clean my house:

I turn on the water in the kitchen sink.

Me: (in my staged-panicky voice):

“Oh no! Would you just look at this messy sink! What ever shall we do!”

Addie:“Oh!!! Mommy!! I want to do the dishes!!”

Ian: “Ditheth, Ditheth!”

Good to go. Chairs at the sink, and they will last 1/2 hour while I vacuum, fold laundry, clean counters, etc. Granted, there is a river to clean up after wards (a soapy river), but I have a clean house!

This is how I make dinner:

Me (in my overly-distressed voice):

“Oh no!! Dad is going to be home soon, and we have got to make dinner fast!”

Addie: ” I want to make dinner!”

Ian: “Make dough!”

Great! Chairs at the counter, I hand them any thing I can find. The other night it was lime rinds, hot pink sugar cookie sparkles, frozen peas and salt. Mmmmmmmm. I can work at the stove without little fingers getting dangerously in the way, and It makes my cooking look REALLY good:)

…resulted in a pretty strong reaction from Ian. For my two who are really Irish Twins, this was a little hard to explain. And my heart just broke. The only thing that made it better was we got to sit on the kitchen floor and sneak an extra granola treat when we got home. But shhhh….don’t tell Addie!

“that I had a really fine nap, Mommy!”

(As if the hair didn’t tell you first!)

Well, she is still surprising me:) And as I type, she has crashed after our little family had a short spin over to the petting zoo. There is still hope:) But thanks again for all your great ideas…she isn’t quite liking the quiet time (she finds my work more interesting than being by herself). But that is just fine…I just keep telling myself I will have a fine partner someday! But as I write…all is quiet…which means: More art coming soon!

OH, and PS: I got a new 50 mm camera lens this weekend (Pentax SMCP-FA 50mm f1.4). I can finally take pics inside my aptarment! I am in love!

I think this is it. I really hope not, but this might be the beginning of the end. Have you noticed how I haven’t had much new art work up lately? Yes, I have had family in town, and I have been busy with the shipping/packing side of things. But the biggest reason? Addie has decided she “doesn’t sleep in the day.” I spent the first half of the week panicking. This is MY only time in the day to really WORK, and I have been in denial that this day would come. She still needs a nap, and I really hope we can fit in a few per week before they dissipate completely. (I may sound really calm…but behind this computer screen, tears of agony are streaming down my face!)

So Friday comes around, and after 45 minutes of trying every creative way to sleep my toddler, we sit on the couch and read together. She picks up “Pottery Barn Kids” (which by the way, I am becoming more and more impressed with!) and after a few pages, spots an Owl Softie on a model bed, and says “Mommy, can we make this?”

As upset as I was that I was losing precious work time to my stubborn toddler, my heart melted! Don’t most kids say “Can I have this?” I am sure I did. The fact she knew that she could make something like that got me really excited. And since I am used to working hard and creatively during nap time anyways, I said “YES!”

So, I dusted off my sewing machine (literally!) and we got to work. Addie and I drew a pattern with green crayon, And she helped me cut it out, helped me pick the fabrics from my scraps, place the pins, and she proudly sat on my lap while I sewed it on the machine. (Oh, and yes, Addie is “wearing her skin” as she calls it. We cannot keep clothes on this child. She does however have a wicked tan line that could easily pass for a shirt!)

I digress. Please people…don’t look close here! I am a sloppy sewer, and with a very impatient and very wiggly three year old on my lap (”Mommy, let’s make her wings now!! Now!!”) I was in no mood for perfection. By bed time, she was all but stuffed, but Addie still slept with her anyways! We stuffed her this morning, and they haven’t parted since! For a girl who dreams of princesses, mermaids and sparkely jewels, I was tickled that she would be so attracted to Owls (very trendy girl, eh?). She did, however, name her Owl Ariel.

So, here we have Ariel, the nocturnal (wink wink), motherly, orange and pink bird who seems to me to have quite a sense of humor! She must since she is so tolerant of her big over-sized beak, crooked head, floppy legs, button eyes I stole from a sweater, and the fact that we made her pregnant…or motherly…depending on the location of the baby owl in her poscket. We sure love her though! She fits my Addie to a T. And though I am in no way celebrating a napless afternoon, I am celebrating that Addie is learning that good things don’t grow on trees. Somebody had to make that toy, or doll, or car or brownie. She is so interested in sewing, and though I am not a proficient seamstress, I am just glad that her 3 year old eyes can’t tell! And now, I may just be back to getting up before the crack of dawn to get my work done…but at least Addie has nocturnal friend to stay up with when she should be sleeping!

We have some new friends that have kept us very very busy as of late. We don’t answer the phones. If there is a knock at the door, we gladly ignore it. We have nearly forgotten to eat! Last week we went on a family outing to the toy store and picked up a bucket of THESE. They have demanded our full attention and it is no wonder that they have been around since 1913. They have been around for 95 years for a reason! I am sure we are the last family on earth to finally have them in our home, but seriously, they are the greatest toy invented! And best thing yet…Addie and Ian have been so busy and so happy all week! Toys that have never ending possibilities for play are my favorite! And for the first time in a while, I actually don’t mind the constant mess on the floor. Well…almost. Let’s rephrase that..I don’t mind the happy toddlers I have had this week!

My little brother (well, he isn’t so little any more) is leaving to serve a mission for our church in Geneva Switzerland tomorrow. He will be in Switerland for 2 years teaching and giving service and I couldn’t be more proud of him. I am the oldest of five kids (this pic was our last siblings picture taken at the beach where we all crammed into this massive hole the Christopher dug…Christopher is the second from the right) and I love my family so much! We are a bunch of weirdos, but we sure have a lot of fun! We will miss you terribly Christopher, but we love you and can’t wait to hear about your amazing experiences!

Ya. Famous last words after her affair with a purple crayon.

That isn’t the crayon in her mouth…it’s a straw. But this is the “I’m gonna be funny” face that she thinks can get her out of trouble:) Why do kids have to be so cute even when they destroy furniture?

Happy monday everyone! I have to first say…WOW! What a weekend I’ve had! I was featured on ETSY’s homepage, and I will tell you, I have made so many great friends and met so many incredible people because of it! I heart ETSY!!! It’s like this amazing art gallery shop full of incredible products, but even more, really cool people! I love that ETSY encourages so much communication between artists for support, advice, etc. So, thanks to all of you who popped in to say hello! I have loved looking at your shops, and hearing your experiences! I have tried to reply to most all of you, but if I haven’t replied, I will be soon. In the mean time…know I have loved meeting all of you this weekend! I love the internet, but honestly, I would much rather throw a BBQ and meet all you in person:) You are all an inspiration!

Speaking of inspiration, I have been thinking “what made me want to become an artist.” There is never one single answer to this, and the one that I gave in the interview is the most true to experience. I don’t remember a time that I wasn’t an artist. But there are always supports a long the way, and I wanted to share one of mine (there are many).

My Grandpa Knell was an artist. He was an architect professionally, but I think that a lot of architects start out as artists. He loved design and the functionality of design. But he also had a big imagination. He died almost 3 years ago, but he instilled in me a great love of drawing and somehow gave me the confindence to pursue my talents. I often remember him at the kitchen table sketching out designs with his sons, or drawing with the grandkids. This weekend, we had a family reunion and my aunt had brought some drawings grandpa had made on paper lunch bags who knows how many years ago. How precious! Not only because he is gone now, but also because they are doodles on lunch bags which to me represents that a true artist will draw on just about ANYTHING!! His caricatures were always so artsy/funky. I love it!!

My grandfather was one of my many inspirations, but something about being his grandaughter gave me permission to live my dreams.

So, I would like to know…who has inspired you to do what you love? Family? Fellow artist?

AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Does your brain ever feel like this:

“Foldthelaundrymakebreakfastfinishthedishescleanupbreakfastcallthedentistgotothelibrary

getgasinthecarpickupperscriptionpickuptoysgothepostofficebuystampscatchuponemailpaybills

vacuumfigureoutwhatinthehecktomakefordinnerfinsighaugustandseptemberprintssortthroughmail

takethekidstothepoolsendbirthdaycardblahblahblahblah!!!!!!”

Ok. So how do you snap out of stress-crazy-mommy-brain? Do tell.

Today my therapy was crazy monkeys and stationery.

Me: Ian, time to wake up!

Ian: Opens his big puppy dog eyes, looks me in the eyes, and says “Hi Guys!”

Addie: “OH mommy! We love our chudders!”

(For a girl with a bright vocabulary, I just love that she still mispronounces “each other”)

Oh, and one more. Before dinner, Addie comes up to me, and in a British accent says:

“Mother, may I have a spot of cheese?”

Just melt me now!

What else to do when my brain is on overload?

I instinctively create really simple art. It’s not planned, it just comes. And I have to do something about it, or my brain stays fried.

OK…so here we have NEW stationary!!! Horray!! I have only been selling postcards really, and as much as I love postcards, I am a sucker for hand printed paper! This paper is lovely. It has a similar feel to my art prints: almost watercolor paper. Slightly textured, and soft. Love it. I just can’t get over how cute these cards are! These animal pairs really come to life on these printed cards.

I also have another addition to the shop: Grace is in card size now. Perfect for pinning up, or sending.And since we are talking about updates: My AUGUST print is coming! Late, but for good reasons:)

Ahhhh…so the brain is feeling better now. Now to sneak that Key lime pie Kenneth made today (baking it was his therapy). I love my life.

Ahhhhh….we’re back! Hello! How are you! I have missed catching up with all y’all. Ok, yes, I spent a week in the South….and LOVED it!!! I grew up in Maryland, right outside of DC, and my family is still there which means I don’t get to see them much (boo hoo cry) but even worse, my parents don’t get to see their grandkids much (boo hoo CRY!!!!!). So, we just had the best week EVER! Instead of hanging around my parents’ house, we decided to hang around our favorite East coast beach location: Corolla, NC. Any of you OBX people? OBX= Outer Banks. There is a strip of sand (ok…land) off the coast of North Carolina that is at some points no more than a few hundred yards wide. One side is the ocean, the other side is called the “sound.” So essentially, you are never more then a few steps away from water anywhere you go. HEAVEN!!!

Here are a few favorite pics:

kisses all three

my surfer babe husband

by surfer BABE

Addie in a rainstorm that took the power out

My sister, Mom and I

View of the Corolla light house

yummy fresh seafood

Oh, and that picture of the crab has a story: Kenneth and I picked up some live crab at a fish market down the street and steamed up crab for a lovely dinner. My whole family sat around the table cracking away. Addie, who had never seen any one EAT a crab (they had been playing with toy crabs at the beach) saw Kenneth devouring this thing. “Daddy! Why are you cracking that crab’s head!!!!” She panicked. Oh, that was a hard moment:)

Virginia is for lovers!

Reading prose as dusk.

On the way home from NC, Kenneth and I took the kids for an afternoon in Williamsburg. Gorgeous. With the kids, we couldn’t do much more than walk around outside, talk with the locals (actors in period costumes) and douse ourselves in ice cream (Virgina+July= HOT!) But, oh we had a blast. My kids were so reluctant to say goodbye to Nani and Papa! As was I. Oh, and did I mention I had no cell phone reception and very little internet reception? It takes being without to realize how much you spend your day WITH!! I highly recommend going on a internet diet every now and again. Seriously, after a week without, and then going to Colonial Williamsburg, I am seriously thinking about moving to Amish country. Ok, I think I like my computer too much! But oh it was nice!!

Well, I can’t wait to catch up with you all, and sorry for any delayed emails! I am back and rolling!

xoxo, sarah jane