Please Mark Your Calendars

April 26, 2011

I've never done this before I don't think. We've always had outside help in the shop! But now that we've reduced our help from 3 out of house helpers to 1, we just can't keep up with the hours while we're getting everything ready. So.....

We're closing down shop, and orders that come in before the first will ship on time. Sorry for the inconvenience! But raising a family doesn't get to be put on hold. So, the shop is taking a break. So, order now for Mothers day, birthdays, graduation....it might just be too late once we get back.

Thanks for understanding!

sarah

We got ourselves some chickies...

April 26, 2011

We've wanted to get chickens since we've moved to our new house, but my husband and I are VERY good (well a lot better than we used to be) about putting off projects until we can do them properly. Ok, so we're not VERY good, but we're getting better. We really wanted to get chickens for the summer, but with Quilt Market just weeks away, and other projects we want to do this summer, we decided to hold off.

Until....

Our Renaissance-man next door neighbor told us he's been wanting to get chickens too, and offered to build the coop himself right between our two fences, and we'd just take turns tending to them. We both have been wanting to have our kids learn a little work, and so we told the neighbors that we'd be selling our extra eggs. We started out with 12 chicks, but once the neighbors found out ,they all wanted fresh eggs too. So now we have 18.

And they are all, as I type this, inside my living room sleeping all snuggled in a ball inside a clear bin. With fresh worms from our garden and a special stick from Ian so they have a toy to play with.

This one is called Lemon. Don't be fooled, he actually likes being held like this, and is quite fond of Ian. He loves being snuggled next to his cheek, and will stay in his hands nice and calm, for minutes. Ian has taken to quite a few of them. He even named his favorite one 'Sweetie'.

My husband and I have been learning how to care for the chickens, and lucky for us, our neighbor is quite the expert too. I hate to see them grow though....aren't they just adorable? We've had them 4 days now, and they've already gotten so much bigger! By the end of the week, they'll be able to fly out of the box we've made for them. But it's still too cold to let them sleep outside, and frankly, my 3 kids are tickled to have 18 chickens sleeping over in the front room right now.

Just look how darling! And honestly? Constant entertainment.

And possibly my favorite photo of the weekend:

Growing babies, and growing birdies. And a growing garden. Heaven.

Free Easter Paper Dolls

April 22, 2011

Happy Easter!

This afternoon, my next door neighbors came outside with some brand new ducks, just a few weeks old, and ooooooohhh....let me just tell you how much fun we had! I'm really regretting that I didn't have a camera, because it was just so darling so see my kids playing with baby ducks while filling up a play pool full of water. Cold water too. Have you ever seen a baby duck shiver? CUTEST THING EVER.

So, being inspired...here's a sweet little Easter Present for you. In case you need some extra play this weekend, you can DOWNLOAD IT HERE.

Free ninety free.

And be creative! These dolls could make a really cute stage play using THIS.

And if you want more dolls, and more clothes, you can go HERE.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I will be conducting the children at church on Easter Sunday while they sing, and I am honestly just really looking forward to it. I love Easter. And singing with the children. Is there a better combo?

sarah

Wow. She has a Facebook Page.

April 21, 2011

Hello!

I'm taking a break from the creative "wow-ness" to say...Wow! There's lots going on!

Wow....You know that line from White Christmas? When Bing Crosby is asked by Danny Kaye "What's 'Wow?'" And Bing Crosby says, "Somewhere between "Ouch" and "Boing-g." That's about how I'm feeling right now.

This fabric line is coming together, and there's lots to do to show it off properly....but more on that later. Patience, patience!

So, Quilt Market is coming up oh so close. Will you be there? I'll give you updates on my booth closer to the event, but if you are...yay! It will be a party.

To get ready for the first peeks of fabric, and designs coming out, I've gone and made myself a Facebook Fan Page. I know...I'm old school. I haven't had a page till now. So (and insert silly chuckle here) "Wanna 'Like' Me?"

Sounds so Junior High. It kinda is. But I do look forward to getting more personal feedback from all you Facebookers. There's lots coming up that I want to post about, and I want to get it all out there. So, thumbs up?

I took some pictures of some particularly clean spots in my studio. Notice how you don't see any floors or table shots? Eh-hem. Purposeful photography here folks.

So, a sum up (especially if you are viewing in a reader) here's all the places you can keep in touch with all going on in the next couple weeks (and longer...it's just that there is a lot to show in the next coupla weeks!)

Facebook Me here.
Pin me here
Tweet me here
Flickr me here
Send me chocolate here.
Just kidding.
No really...I could use some double dark just about now.

Ok! Back to the Studio!

Three little birds...

April 19, 2011

The past few weeks have been so great as I've been working on new embroidery patterns to be release OH so soon. I've just loved turning drawings into patterns for needlework!

I've always LOVED needlework. When I was a little girl, my mother's best friend embroidered a piece that was on my wall. It was a "one-two-buckle-my-shoe" design on stretched linen. I think it was a Sun-bonnet Sue kinda design...but I loved running my fingers over the bumps and texture. It was like touchable art!

So, the trend of hand-embroidery that is coming back oh-so-strongly has me tickled! The possibilities! We all want design for our kids, right? But to make it yourself, and have it be something that they can touch and feel and see....and something you made? Perfect fit if you ask me. It's so theraputic to stitch too....and much easier than it looks if you haven't tried yet.

This design, stitched by the amazing Julie (I've had to divi out some of the stitching with the deadline of Quilt Market coming up soon!) is inspired from this design.

And I have to say that the phrase from this song is always a huge pick me up. Especially this version makes me happy EVERY SINGLE TIME! Do you love it as much as we do? If you come over in the mornings at breakfast, you will most likely see me and my kids dancing in the kitchen to this sweet song. So I had to design something for me to always think of it.

And there are more designs coming based on the new fabric collection coming out next month....oooh....eee...ahhh! Can't wait to show that one!

Ok. I'm a little excited. Sorry...but I just had to show you just a little. Stay tuned for more!

Julian Hector: Book Review and Giveaway

April 15, 2011

{EDIT: I'm extending this giveaway through Monday! Good luck!}

Are you loving these picture book reviews & giveaways? I am.

Today is another special, special treat.

Julian Hector, illustrator of The Gentleman Bug, The Little Matador and This is the Firefighter (and one of our family's favorite new illustrators) has just release a new book: Monday is One Day.

Before I tell you a little about the book, let me introduce the illustrator a bit.

I first discovered Julian's work shortly after The Little Matador came out. There is such an innocence in his characters (which I appreciate so much!) and his pages seemed so reminiscent of the original Curious George illustrations...in a good way. His characters are so simple, yet alive and very well thought out. That, and I love a picture book with really great line work (since that is what I lean towards myself!). But he draws you in with his really endearing characters, and just enough going on in the page to keep you looking, but never overwhelms you. It's always fun to see the books that I appreciate artistically be a hit with the little readers: sign of a truly great artist!

And get this: When he shipped me the autographed book I'm giving away, he also sent me some original illustrations! Ahhhh! Can you believe it? These are definitely getting framed and put up in my playroom.

This one of his sketches for Little Matador (about a little boy who doesn't want to be a bull fighter like all his fathers before him...he just really wants to be an artist).

And this is a sketch is from Monday is One Day.

So.....Here's the synopsis: A short and sweet picture book about working parents counting down the days until the weekend....when parent and children are together. But it's more than that...it's about the moments that are cherished EACH day even though there is separation during the week from school and work. So sweet.

It starts out:

"The hardest part of going to work is being apart from you.

Let's count the days until till we're both at home with special things to do."

And then it goes on:

"Monday is one day: One safe snuggly cuddle.

Tuesday's blue shoes day:

Two stomps in a puddle."

And so on.

Don't you love that setting sun?

This is a great "I love you" book for the working family...which is all of us! My kids just don't like it at all when Dad goes to work. It's a perfect Father's Day Book!

So, you want to win a SIGNED copy?

Here’s how you enter:

Leave a comment below
Make sure to enter in your email where it promts you so that I can send you a note when you win
Giveaway ends MONDAY April 18th at 10pm EST
Winner will be sent this signed copy of MONDAY IS ONE DAY.

Good luck!

{Comments closed. Congratulations to ERICA for winning}

Poster size auction.

April 14, 2011

So many of you have requested the large poster size printing found here at Aubrey & Lindsey. I've seriously been looking high and low to find an affordable option in a non-glossy cheapy way. I let Lindsey print this for her nursery to test it out. And so while I'm still looking for a large poster option in the shop, you can go and bid for this one on auction for Bloggers Give Back. You can read about it here.

In the mean time, wish me luck at getting ready for Market! I can't wait to show you all that I've been up to!!

Girls

April 13, 2011

I know everyone has a thing for boy prints (and boy fabric....ooooh....just you wait!) but I thought it'd be fun to add a couple girl prints to the shop since these boy ones are so popular.