The real stuff.

For Christmas my mother-in-law sent me a few thrifted book finds, which I LOVE! Vintage children's books are an obsession of mine. Everything...the text, the printed images, with the children's figures being my favorite. Every once in a while you can still find some with great color. Here is one she sent me from 1929. So sweet, and precious to have something so loved for so long.

It is one thing to see these images online (my favorite pass-time on the computer when I have time to waste is find more vintage children's illustrations!) but seeing them on paper is totally inspiring.

Posting these up makes me want to dig into my vintage children's book collection with my sketch book and a cup of warm raspberry tea. (I will have to post more of my favorites sometime!) What a lovely way to spend the afternoon! I am needing some inspiration for Addie and Ian's birthday invitations. Signing off to get lost in literature!

Happy site Friday: remember the milk.

Over the Christmas break, I made sure to pick the brain of my extra-efficient-super-techie-really-organized-oober-up-on-the-latest-everything-brother and asked him his favorite form of keeping track of all his tasks. I knew I'd love it as soon as he told me what he uses:

"Remember the Milk."

"What? no really...what program do you use?"

"Remember the milk!"

That is so my life. I mean, Forgetting the milk!

I knew I could totally trust my brother since he is also all about SIMPLE and cutting back on all the extra stuff when it comes to trying to stay organized.

It is an online simple task list, which I love since I am all about the old fashioned paper and pen task making. It's been a week, but I AM IN LOVE! It is so simple, and acts just as you need it to...you can easily categorize, customize, etc. It can even show up as a side bar to your gmail account, which acts as a perfect place to dump more tasks in after going through your email. genius. I love smart people who come up with these things! Best part, you can also access without the Internet! My life has been SO much more manageable this past week! And I just love that I don't feel like I have to be all organized to be organized...you know what I am talking about. Those task programs that require you to think like an organized person to be organized? Ya. Not for me. I never thought a cow could be so helpful.

So, just passing a long another happy site this Friday! Happy weekend, and happy list making!

We're back!

Well, that was a long break! I didn't really intend to stay away that long...it just sorta happened! I noticed however, that most of the blogging world took a good long break over the holidays so I am not feelin' so bad. Something happens when I am on vacation...I go on VACATION! I have always been blessed to just relax when I need to, and in this case, staying away from the internet was my version of relaxing:)

We had a magical Christmas with my parents! I hope you had a splendid holiday too! 2 weeks of catching up with each other, snugging in pj's, cooking, eating, playing, site-seeing, and movies.  The perfect relief after a big move!

Well, we are back now, with more to think about than we left with, namely: warped hardwood floors in our previous place from internal water damage that we haven't closed on completely, frozen pipes in our new place requiring Kenneth and I to be up till midnight with blow dryers to the water pipes and boiling water down the tub (it was -9 degrees last night!), the flu and cold bug keeping my kids hot with fevers and up in the night like newborns, a house full of boxes and life to jump back into! Whew! Welcome home!

But despite the warm welcome home, we are so happy to be home and together! Staying up with hot babies is quite a wack at my pregnant body which needs sleep, but it also lets me snuggle them all night which I know will only last a few more years! There is nothing like being a mom. The hard and the wonderful are often disguised as the same thing!

Well, that was a longer "I'm Back!" than I was intending, but I mostly just care at making sense at this point (3 hours of sleep does wonders for your mental cohesiveness!).

Hope you are all well, and THANK YOU THANK YOU for your sweet congratulations on the pregnancy! You are all so thoughtful!It was so wonderful to read all of your comments!

Have a great week and come back over! I am back to regular blogging! Stay tuned for artsy news coming soon!

xoxo

sarah jane

Dear Addie,

Happy Birthday my dear!

Four years ago today I became a mother because you came into the world. Into my life. Into my arms. You were so perfect and little, and I was the happiest I had ever been in that moment!

It amazes me how your personality is consistent with what I sensed about you in the womb: curious, stubborn, intelligent, musically gifted and a sure-minded little girl mixed with the compassion and warmth of the most tender of us. Every day is an adventure with you! I have vowed never to take for granted your excessive "I love you's" or the plenty of kisses you give every day. You make my entire month with your smile and giggles. The Earth makes you laugh and stand in awe...and I in turn see it too. Just yesterday you insisted on taking a nap on the sunlit carpet so you could sunbathe and feel the sunshine on your bare back while the rest of the world was complaining that it was 13 degrees outside. You talk to nature and to animals, and remind us all that life is a gift. Your newest favorite friend is your shadow, and you can often be found kissing it (her)! You sing yourself to sleep. And you love the world and everyone in it. A few weeks ago, you asked me:

"Mom, how long would it take to hug everybody in the whole world?"

Not wanting to meddle with your own profound ideas, I asked you how long you thought it would take.

You put your head in your hands and thought for a while, and then very matter-of-factly, "Thirteen."

I love you. You are my girl. I hope being four is all you imagine it to be. And I can't wait to get even closer to my best friend. I had no idea how wonderful it would be to be best friends with a four year old! Life is beautiful with you in it my darling. I love you.

Love you Addie,

Mom

Happy Site Friday: Pandora

I have been hooked to PANDORA for a year. I can't think of a better way to get a mix of music and at the same time find new artists and songs you have never been introduced to. I.love.pandora. Almost as much as my ipod. Currently I am listening to my "college of king's choir christmas" mix. Get's me in the mood. But Feist and A Fine Frenzy are getting my going when I need a break from holiday music. What is your favorite Pandora mix? What comes out of your secret box?

Happy Site Friday: Danielle Thompson

 Is it really that  bad to want to be someone else for just a day? I will be totally honest with you. I want to sit in this woman's house and soak up her inspiration. Danielle Thompson is oozing with more talent than humanly possible. Photographer, designer, decorator, crafter, artist, business owner, mom. Her colors pop and her art has so much life. I LOVE that I just found her blog and her website. She has created a design team for her products that she sells her crafty goodness on her ETSY site and she also sells her digital kits on Two peas in a bucket. She is brilliant. And I just feel happy when I see her images. How can you not? Total eye candy.

Visit her blog

Visit her shop

Visit her Flickr

Visit her other shop

Happy Friday! Enjoy!

You really need to be here.

Last year I participated in the Beehive Bazaar. Possibly the coolest place in Utah for picking up retro, handmade, classic, funky, amazing stuff for you and everyone you feel like spoiling this christmas. really. you are in for the biggest decision making moments of your life. Like, "Do I want this amazing necklace or do I get the retro apron instead?" Or "If I get both, do I have enough cash to get this killer print for my boys room?" Be ready for serious dilemmas. And be early. There will be a line no doubt before opening. I didn't participate this year for which my husband kissed me a million times over for (these kinds of bazaars require many sleepless nights to get ready for) but I warn you...if you go, you won't be disappointed!

Some of my favorite artists will be there. One of which is the maker of this cat. Will someone please buy her up? Do you remember these? My kids have one each...and they are attached at the hip with these blastoid cats. Susan has ONE MORE in her shop...and if no one grabs her, I am so tempted to adopt another. But I really shouldn't. 2 is even. 3 in the house would only cause a fight. Been there. no good.

See you at the bazaar. I am going to be there bright and early!

Happy Thanksgiving!

No, I haven't fallen off the planet...just on vacation with my family for the holiday week. Our first cross-country road trip was a success (well, we didn't cross the ENTIRE country. Â Just 14 hours of it). Â So I am on a blogging hiatus until I get home next weekend. Â Happy turkey day tomorrow for all U.S. readers! Enjoy the holidays, and wish us an uneventful trip home! Wishing you all the best holiday memories too! We're off to make some pies!Â

Â

xoxo

sarah jane