mama and monkey * this is how we spend the days

We go outside every single day. I tend to gardens and animals while he runs and climbs. We both get really dirty. Then sometimes when my backyard chores are done I pour myself a cup of coffee and lay in the hammock with a book while he plays. Or I can go into the kitchen and make food or clean dishes and watch him from the window.

 

Then we come in, full of fresh air and vitamin D and we cuddle and read. And he often sleeps and then I can pick up my book once again. Or sew something. Sometimes I roam around the internet during my quiet time.

 

I know I have said it dozens of times but outdoor living really does suit us well.

lace appliqued tanks * re-fashion

I picked up several of these lace appliques at a craft market last year. Then last month I found plain tanks on sale at jc penney for $5 each and decided embellishing them would be a quick, easy and super cute project. I searched "lace applique" and "vintage applique" on etsy and found lots of shops selling them for just a couple dollars each - I actually have two more on the way to me. I have decided I need a fancied up tank for every day of the week.

 

 

The first thing  you will want to do is wash and dry your tank top and iron your applique to make sure it is nice and flat. Ironing is not my favorite thing to do but trust me, it will make things so much easier!





 

 

Then place the applique exactly where you want it and pin, pin, pin! Again, pinning is not fun but you don't want anything shifting while you sew, so just do it!



 

Then stitch all around the applique. You can use a ball point needle which is generally recommended when sewing with knits but I just used a regular needle and did not have any issues. I removed my extension table to make it easier to work around the arm holes and neck.

 

 

Once you sew all around clip your thread tails and that's it! Time to wear your adorable new creation! Or you can add buttons like I did to my navy  top in the pics.

 

 



Here are the tanks I have made so far. Eek, aren't they pretty?

 

I have been wearing them with cardigans during the chilly Spring. They are darling with jeans and skirts.

 

I also have these little crocheted flowers and fabric yoyos that I used to embellish a tank last Summer. I don't love the fit of that top so I think I will take them off and sew them to something else. This is another instant gratification project that you can whip up in an afternoon or while watching a movie with your hubby (ask me how I know).

 

 

So there you go, a custom Summer wardrobe in just a few hours! If you make your own tanks be sure to message me so I can see!

 

Happy sewing, friends!

*Spring break {better late than never}

 

We recently spent another spring break on the lovely Salmon River. Nothing terribly exciting happened - just a lot of rock collecting (and hours of rock skipping and throwing) small hikes, fires in the sand, long walks, fresh mountain air, staying up late and sleeping in and reconnecting.

 

Just what I needed after a long and hard winter. It was pretty perfect, actually.

 

 

Now we are staying busy planning our garden and tidying up our outdoor living space. Flowers are blooming in our front beds and our sweet hens in the rainbow coop are supplying us with plenty of fresh eggs. Spring is here, friends! How are you celebrating?

the weekend*

happy girls.

chicken tv.

picnic lunch.

sweet old friend.

fresh and fragrant lilacs.

wild birds, baby birds and giveaway winners!

 the kids and i put this out a few days ago.

that is handspun rainbow merino there on top - spoiled birdies!

 a fiber scraps, yarn and dryer lint for nest building birds. we do this every year and the birds happily take our offerings but we have never, ever spotted a brightly colored nest with yarn and fiber bits. we will be on the look-out again this year and please believe, if we spy one you will hear all about it!

 and look! we have baby chicks at our house! six sweet little bundles of fluff. we picked them up and settled them in yesterday.

 this was kind of funny - after they each had sips of water and explored their new home they all settled down in pairs - the two araucanas together, the two barred rocks and the two sex links. they are still doing it this morning when they sleep. so far they are happy and healthy and getting along fine. i plan to take and post lots of photos as the girls grow - get ready!

and lastly , i have two winners for the smell better butter weekend giveaway (this giveaway post completely disappeared yesterday! so weird! but the comments are all there so no worries!)

the randomly selected comments were #6 and #18

meggie and pepperberry knits! yay! i will contact you both this afternoon and get your smell better butter mini tin trios to you!

huge thanks to everyone who entered! xo

this is monday*

this in the blender :: bananas, peaches, strawberries, rainbow chard, spinach, water, spirulina and cinnamon

this in the stereo.

this at the table :: he has finally quit eating the crayons! yay!

this in my studio :: basil-lime and grapefruit

this in the garden :: the cutest little hen house ever, in progress.

this on the mantle :: you can knit your own spring nest with eggs! pattern here.

i hope you are having a happy little monday too, friends! xo

oh, and while you are here don't forget to enter the smell better butter giveaway!

in like a fish * out like a light

we bought luca little arm floaties and he paddled all over the pool squealing " weeee, weeee, weeeee!!"

then we came back to our room and he nursed and fell into deep sleep. he hasn't even had lunch yet.

we are smack dab in the middle of vacation schedule and loving every second! happy spring break, friends!

a whole lot of things i love.

today was the opening day of the capital city public market. that means it really {really} is spring. we were spoiled with perfect market weather. my family spent the entire morning walking and browsing and sampling and seeing lovely friends hard at work in their booths.

there were a lot of street musicians out and about. i was especially drawn to this couple because if you look real close you can see that she had a happy little person hanging out on her back while she entertained.

saturday market-washboard playing-sweet song singing-baby wearing-adorableness. local coffee! YES please, YUM thank you! luca enjoyed napping in the sun next to the big fountain.

harper and esme had their little mouths stuffed full of local flavors, and enjoyed freshly handcrafted mint-limeade to wash it all down.

a mama and daddy self portrait. too bad we aren't nearly as cute as our kids.

we stepped in to a favorite bookstore while we were downtown and found this gem ::

roots, shoots, buckets, and boots.

it is full of whimsical and wonderful outdoor projects and is just the inspiration i have been craving. we have already marked the pages with projects that we are anxious to dive into.

oh, and one more bit of happy, my tulips out front have started to bloom. they are sadly planted in a not-so-good spot and get full, hot afternoon sun so they usually wilt and wither after only a couple short weeks. every year i declare my intertions to dig up the bulbs and move them to a more suitable spot, but every year the time to do so passes me by. so i will just enjoy their beauty while it lasts, and also make a public announcement that i plan to move these lovelies to a more suitable spot this year. for sure this time.

happy days, friends!

sunny * sunday * backyard * hoopfest

entire days spent outside, warm sun, glittery hoops, short sleeves, picnic lunches.

spring really does suit us well.

five and a quarter :: a bit of randomness

post number 525, folks. here goes ::

i am learning to make balloon animals because he loves them so, so much. balloons make me crazy, in a bad way, but i love him so, so much, so...

luca, oh my sweet luca. let's see, he tells stories, sings, plays a mean game of peek-a-boo and has thebest sense of humor.

and he is up and cruising *sigh* already. spring break came and went. we got out of the city for a couple days and spent a lovely weekend on the salmon river.

no agenda - just playing, knitting, sun soaking, coffee sipping and enjoying each other's company. the rest of spring break was more of the same.

and this is my favorite capture from our river trip. the sun was a shinin' down on us. it turns out it is hard to be crabby in the presence of sunbeams. magic medicine for the soul.

spring, i am so happy you are here!