Welcome little one...

My sister welcomed their third child, a little boy, into the world last night. I couldn't be more thrilled to be an auntie again! I made this welcome banner that my parents brought with to put up when she comes home with the baby. No name yet. Anyone know a good Scandinavian name that goes well with Annika and Lars?

What's your style?

Happy Friday! Happy Birthday Joe! Yes, you've seen this cover before and the first few pages below. A year ago, to be exact. I began this new art journal in earnest Jan. 2008 and stopped just as quickly after completing only a few pages.
I've peeked at it here and there knowing that it meant something to me. I enjoyed the colors and the style, but just couldn't put my finger on where to go with it.
Then this friend came along and inspired me to take a look at it once again. We decided to become art journal buddies and encourage one another with questions and prompts and weekly check-ins. I am very excited! This week I worked the pages below and decided that I wanted to take a closer look at my aesthetic. Really examine what I like and dig deep and ask why?
I'll also be looking at this book and this concept of Rebecca Purcell's upcoming book. If you click on the cover, there is a fairly lengthy look at this term Modern Nostalgia. Very interesting stuff!
I began my exploration of the aesthetic of sweet and what it means to me and why I'm so attracted to it. I've listened to some facinating interviews with Dylan Lauren, the owner and founder of Dylan's Candy Bar about how she got started and "why candy?"

I started exploring what this love of childhood exploration and inquisitveness means to me in fueling the imagination and invention.

Generally began the exploration of my "happy places" and where that all fits in.

Fun stuff! Can't wait to see where this leads.

Have a great weekend! I'm looking forward to cake and a simple birthday celebration with my kids tonight for my hubby.

Ode to the egg....

It's a rainy day here in Minnesota, reminding me that with the spring rain comes flowers and new life in the coming weeks and months. Nothing is more symbolic of new life to me than an egg. I love the egg form and all the images that come to mind. I bought some large paper mache eggs at JoAnn fabrics last spring on clearance. I have been wanting to paint, glitter and embelish them ever since. With a weekend of craft binging I was able to alter the eggs you see here. Then I had a blast doing a little photo shoot with them. These make me smile. Enjoy!

Handmade heaven...

I found an amazing assortment of linens, doilies and other handmade treasures at an estate sale today. I think my favorite are the natural colored linen doilies above. Gorgeous!

I could not get over all the beautiful handsewn embroidery on these pieces! I am so drawn to the beautiful patterns and edging on all them. So much detail. I cannot even fathom the time put into these beautiful linens. I could not resist!

Then some fun vintage kitchen towels to top it all off!

Hope you're having a great weekend!

Good-bye winter....

This happens to me every time the seasons change. I tend to re-evaluate my course...my direction. I get so stuck on things looking pretty, or should I say presentable (to whom, I don't know) in every phase and stage. Life is not always pretty. Seems like lots of others across blogland are writing about similar things. The process, showing up, not dwelling on outcome. You know the drill.... easier said than done. It's all part of the patchwork. That funky, crooked, handsewn, dirty patchwork of life. That's the good stuff.

Something totally different. I have no idea why I did it or where it's going (maybe the garbage). But it sure felt good to cut those little scraps of paper.

Good-bye winter. Hello spring!

Looking ahead to spring...

What fantastic weather we're having here in Minnesota. It's near 60 today, the warmest day in 130 days...since mid-November! All the kids are out on the playgrounds with light sweatshirts on, splashing in the running snow melt and squishing their boots into the muddy earth. This is the kind of day that makes the long winter worthwhile. Collecting signs of the changing of the seasons is one of my favorite things to do. I used to work as a naturalist and was involved in Journey North, a worldwide study of migration and seasonal change. It's great to keep a journal during these transition times and record the changes that happen each day as the season unfolds before us. Glorious!Out on a walk with the kids we saw a robin belting out it's lovely tune and the soft buds on the magnolia tree. This weekend I worked on my eggs for the Easter egg garland swap.

Tweet! Tweet! Have a wonderful day!

Birds, bugs, butterflies and blooms shop update!

Happy Saturday! It's a gorgeous spring-like day here in Minnesota. It makes me want to plant flowers, although I realize that's months away in this part of the world. I put together another really fun shop update that I think you'll enjoy. Check out all the spring goodies HERE!

Five senses Friday....

When I saw a post here about 5 senses Friday I knew I wanted to participate. I love a good challenge. Today I am trying to capture an "average" Friday through the five senses.

Sight: The sun shining in first thing in the morning on my new spring decor.Hear:

Downtime: The sacred art of stopping with Barbara Taylor Bradford at the Westminster Town Hall Forum. Definitely worth the listen.

Some quotes...

Who are you when you're not doing anything? In the quiet clearing at the center of all that noise.

Write down...

Things I know give me life
The reasons I don’t do them

Never stop wondering when you lost your freedom to do the things that you know give you life.

Get up in the morning and step into the torrent.

Touch:

Taste:

Smell:

The sweet smell of my litle girl.

Melting snow means mud puddles and the smell of spring. It's supposed to be near 50 here this weekend. Yahoo!

Hope you're having a great Friday!

Just for fun...

I've been playing with color lately and decided to organize my stash of trims in this manner. I bought these canisters at Target and separated about 5 bins of misc. "stash" into the containers by hue. I now have them sitting out and quite like like the rainbow feel it gives off. I think if it's all out within view I will be more apt to use it, right? Speaking of color, I found the fab bag at Goodwill today. It is a diaper bag from the Gap, but I am going to use it to hold all my library books, journal and other stuff that I always try to cram in my purse. I know it's wild and crazy...and oh so springy!
Speaking of bags, I wanted to mention this wonderful new book Sew What! Bags by Lexie Barnes. This girl knows bags!
The book has gorgeous photography and many amazing designs. Lexie teaches you what you need to focus on in a carry-all and then customizes the design to fit your needs.
I {heart} messenger bags and she shows how to make several variations.
I think this project is my favorite. The skill level is "daredevil" so I'm going to have to work up to that one! She has many many fun designs for all skill levels from wristlets to totes, aprons and caddy's. Definitely worth checking out.
Cute stuff. Have a great weekend!

P.S. Tomorrow I plan to participate in Five Sense Friday here. Sounds like a fun concept, come join along!