lady cordelia

under the mess

oh.  my life is a mess. 
when you do art day in/day out.  life gets messy.  because art takes you.  and you go along.
and art doesn't care about the laundry. 
as you can see.

even my 5-year old is with needle and thread.
she likes it "too much" (her words.) 

but, hey.  back to me. at some point, laundry should get done.    damn it. 
diry underwear suck.
i'm so embarrassed at my laundry pile that I thought if I showed you, it might set me free.
(you're only as sick as your secrets, you know.)
you'll say: that doesn't look so bad.
I'll say: that's only the part that fell out of the overloaded basket. and that's only in our room.  the girls is worse.

on the strong side: The Brad (not lower cased) made me umbrella and circle eggs this morning.  he loves me like that. maybe he'll do the laundry.  probably not.

K.  I framed my peacock in cheap "floating glass" frame from Michaels. (sorry to link again, friends.  this will be the last time.  promise! but I'm a business woman now.  Maybe your kid would like to try it?  After all  Amanda's daughter is doing it)

off to do laundry.

(NOT!  AS IF!  I can't carry that stuff to the washing machine!  My back is way too stiff from sewing.)

 

 

 

 

 

blu.

blu eggs. 
wouldn't that be a great name for a band?   and yes I know how to spell.  but how rad is blu?
today i'm not capitalizing.  it's tru.

just a little check in. 
i had to share with you that one of our chickens was laying her blu eggs somewhere that we could not find. 
we could not find those eggs
for 14 days. 

today i found them.  under a random bush.  i saw her coming or going.  she blew her cover. 

because i'm a (full-on) seasoned hen farmer, i could tell the old eggs from the newer.  saved about 4.  the rest went down the ol' disposal.  so. freaking. sad. (by the way.  the old eggs have shells that look gross, old and dirty with mud and poop on them. the new look fresh and bright.  that's how I told old from new.  it's a hard-learned farming skill.  really.  takes years. )

also made a blu quilt. maybe for a big bouncy boy. right?  i mean, come on. 

and blu face paint on the hands.  so super sweet.

if i had another band, i'd call it cor and the blu eggs.

ya.

gotta tell the brad about that.

 

weekending with my pal Amanda at Habit Of Being.

 

Around Here

 


Around here the flower beds aren't quite getting the love they need.  Little messy flower and veggie beds everywhere I look and I'm tired of it! Today I hope to go out and do some weeding and trimming and loving on those little beds.

But I'm a little slow on the get-up.  Because yesterday was the daunting task of giving each girl their own bedroom.  Everything had to be shifted and moved.  You know how it is.  You don't think living room bookcases would have to be moved just because you're dealing with the kids rooms.  But it's like that weird fact...when a butterfly moves its wings in the amazon, the wind molecules in New York City are affected.  Something like that.  Anyway, it was an all day event and it's still in process.  The whole house is in shift.

Oh but it's so nice!  The girls are loving their own spaces and I remind myself that these are their spaces for their expressions of themselves. (Read: not for me to micromanage.)  That said, I was so happy to hear my littler girl wanted a fresh coat of paint in her room.  Oh!  Finally I know that someday in the near future I can say goodbye to those shiny blue and yellow walls that have been haunting me since we moved in.

Yesterday I was also somehow able to finish what I call "Mama's Lap Blanket." This one is big enough for mama to cuddle on the couch with tea and take a break from a busy day. I should like to keep it for myself.  But, that is not what selling things is about.  It is available here.  And, well with Mother's Day just around the corner and all....

xoxo

i can organize.

When my kids were really little,  like before the older one turned 5, I began doing a lot of thrift store shopping.  Those of you who have followed my blog for a long time know I even hosted a "Thrifty Thursday" for a while where everyone could share their second-hand gems from that week. 

I can safely say that most of our clothes, toys and furniture are in one way or another second-hand. (We did however fall victim to Old Navy about a year ago when my older daughter fell in love with the leggings there.  It's hard to find good used leggings for a little 1st grader.) 

Anyway, when we moved last August, it was a quick thing. The packing and moving happened so fast that there was no time for things like planning how the girls rooms should be.  There was just hauling of a lot of thrifted toys and dumping it in their rooms. Since then, I've found it very hard to commit to going through everything they own.  The play room was a disaster.  No organization at all.  Full of everything from vintage Fisher-Price to a plethora of matted-haired Barbies (I have no problem with Barbies as toys, I think parents - not Barbies-  teach our kids everything they learn about self-image.) 

Anyway,  point is, today I went into the playroom and hauled out several hefty bags to be brought (back) to the thrift store and one smaller one for the trash. 

Also, I invested $25 in a used version of this.  I found it on Craigslist, basically brand new.  I can't tell you how much one tall set of wire drawers has bettered my life today.  Watercolors, beads, coloring books, card games and craft items all separated from each other and tucked in their own separate drawer.  All the board games tucked into a part of the closet that the kids can reach so I don't hear..."Mom can you get down [blank]!" everyday. 

Still a lot of work to do.  Serious paint job needed.  We loooove this house but have to wonder at the interior paint colors. When we moved in we painted the common rooms of the house white , but didn't get to the rest.  Like this here playroom where walls and ceiling are painted in what seems to be an oil base (shiny) blue.  Oh, except for that one yellow wall. And I can't wait to rip out the bedroom carpets some year.  But, in the meantime, it's the small stuff that I'll focus on; the room could use a few more storage things here and there ( I've been eyeing  this for the stuffed animals for about a year now.) 

And then, there is their bedroom and of course my office and our bedroom.  All need some level of organization and/or fresh paint.  We also all need new bedding.  New, and not thrifted.  I just can't deal with one more ill fitting sheet set on deep mattress beds.  (Yes, I've bought "used" sheets.  Of course I made sure they looked very clean and I washed them in hot water, silly!)   I guess sometimes retail is better.  Sigh.

Anyway, every week or every month, I'm planning on just doing something to get closer to my vision of how I want this place to look.  Making a home truly an efficient beautiful, streamlined place just doesn't happen overnight, at least not for most of us.  And that's the fun of it, right?  It takes time and thought and a little more time.  But, eventually, it happens. That's my plan, anyway.

 

XO

monday's talking points

I like Mondays.   Around here, Mondays are for cleaning up, grocery shopping, planning the week ahead.   

This morning is peanut butter and honey toast.
This morning is noticing the pretty garlic growing in pots (the ones I planted in the ground don't look so keen.)
This morning is Brad begging me to show his big muscles on my blog and not the rest of him. Isn't that ridiculous?  THERE you go Brad! Happy now? 

Also: a new-to-me Etsy find:  A 1971 General Electric kitchen clock.  1971 is my birth year and my parents were hippies in San Francisco when I was born. They probably had a clock a lot like this.  You should really meet my parents some day.  They are the best people on the planet and I am not exaggerating. 

My dad started his own business at 40 years old and has gone on to be what we call "the Robert DeNiro of the rare book world."  (He specializes in modern first editions and is known for it internationally.)  My dad is 81, still works 6 days a week and is so cool it would just rock your socks off.  (I know I'm embarrassing him, sorry dad, but I'm proud of who you are.)

My mom is known by those near and far as the kindest, clearest human on the planet.  She's just one step down from Mother Teresa. (And really, it's a very small step.) Ok.  Maybe she doesn't spend her life abroad gathering alms.  But her happy spirit helps all those around her. My mom has an uncanny knack of always looking at the bright side of things and her flower garden would make you weep it's so beautiful. I'll show you a photo someday.  Who knew Robert DeNiro and Mother Teresa would make such a nice couple, right?  Anyway, how did I get onto all that about my parents.  It's that clock from 1971, see?  It does that to me.

Back to today: I am going to try and clean up and move forward with all the things I want and need to get accomplished with work this week. Gotta walk the dog (the one who can still walk well, not the one with the supposed mass in his spleen.)  We call this dog "a woman for all seasons."  If you look at that face, you will see I'm not lying one bit. Her name is Koko.  But she would rather be called A Woman For All Seasons.  Please do call her that if you come over.

I'm gonna send a few quilts, get to making some quilts.  I'm going to make this yummy salad again (in which I added a lot of raw kale and apple and didn't add the tomato.) & I'm also going to try and make my workspace look more like something out of Designsponge.  But. We know that won't happen.  So I'll cross that off the list right now.  Phew!  I'm feeling better about my week already!  And even if nothing goes as planned, hey, I'll still be living with Big Muscle Brad. 

sailing into the weekend

Heading into a weekend of art shows on this beautiful Friday morning.  I really do not think it could be more beautiful outside. 

I finally found out what was eating my garden...caterpillars.  I felt bad.  Real bad.  But I'd put too much money and time into growing food.  So, I sprayed the plants with  an "organic" caterpillar killer.  I feel ashamed of myself.  What an asshole, right?  Killing innocent little caterpillars! This is the kind of stuff that keeps me up at night.  You think I'm kidding.  But, then, I look at my garden, and it is slowly coming back from near death. The way I see it, it's either my veggie garden or the caterpillars and, truth be known, I don't want to eat caterpillars.  How about you? How's your garden coming along? 

I put a few new quilts in my Etsy store.  (I only put some of what I have in the store so if you are looking for something in a specific color scheme or size, let me know.)

I'm hoping that sometime towards the end of next week I will be ready to introduce a new "product" into the store.  Something fun and inexpensive!  Who can argue with that, right?

Have a fantastic weekend my friends and I will see you on the flip side.

oh what a world.

"Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons and daughters of the earth. We did not weave the web of life, we are merely strands in it. Whatever we do to the web we do to ourselves.”  Chief Seattle

And that is why, in our little world, even thought we are just doing the normal every day things, we do them with hearts that are sore and aching for those who have experienced such tragedy on the other side of our nation.

What can a person say?  It's clearly the reality of our world.  I continue on, with my children, my work.  I do everything with a slightly larger awareness.  It's as if the world has slowed down (again) and we have an opportunity to look inside ourselves. How do we want to live in this world from this moment forward?  What can we do to make the world a better place? 

After nearly a week off I am getting back to making what I make.  Working on projects.  Planning to update my Etsy shop with new items this week!  I'm finding inspiration in so many things these days.  I hear my almost-5-year-old say she is bored and I have to laugh.  I can't imagine ever being bored.  I hand her a box of material scraps.

One of our chickens isn't a Wyandotte, like we thought.  She's a golden-laced easter-egger, which I'm told is rare.  We know this because she just started laying and her eggs are blue.  I love nature's little surprises.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of your week full of love, tenderness and gratefulness.

xoxo

 

 

 

learning curves

~ I planted all my veggies in the ground because we didn't want pay for the materials, nor take the time to make raised beds for our veggies.  Oh, it's been hard beating the bugs and the crappy soil.  Oh, how I wish we'd just done this all differently.  Organic pest control and compost by the heaping heap and all the hours I can spare out there do help, but it's a battle.  Jeez. We could have just built the damn boxes and this would be somebody else's problem. Oh well.  I'll do my best this year.  My tomatoes are rocking, my snap peas are climbing, but my greens and beans...oh how they suffer.  Next year, I'll make it easier on myself. This year, I'll muddle through because I am not giving up.

~ I am trying out ideas for another project- involving the creation of an embroidery pattern.  It is full of its own little learning curves.  Belieeeevve me.

~Selling some quilts and bibs, and making some more quilts and bibs.  That's what happens now.  Not complaining, mind you...but today I am not all all prepared for Friday's show and will be working into the next few nights, with a messy house.

~Remembering to stop and breath, smell the flowers and feed the fish.  Appreciating and enjoying the descent into Spring, and then Summer.  We can still eat kale that's been shared with bugs, right?  When life gives you ugly bug-eaten kale, make green smoothies!

Have a wonderful rest of your week and weekend and I'll see you soon!

 

'round here

Hey there. Here's what's up in these parts. 

*First, and perhaps most importantly, do you like my new mushroom S&P shakers?  This is vintage Sears, people. I wanted the mugs, too.  But they were a little steeply priced for my likin'.

*How many girls do you know that wear Christmas dresses in April?  Well, now you know at least one.  You are so lucky.  She skips a lot.  And she likes to sweep the floor which she is doing now.  I love this girl more than infinity plus four (to use a term of hers.)

*This dog is on the way to the vet right now. He is old and he out of nowhere licked his back hip deeply bloody within two days.  Prolly arthritis.  Poor man. He's covered in fatty cysts and can't walk very well.  He's ashamed of his boo-boo and can't look us in the eye.  I know people out there who just want their old dogs to "get on with it", so to speak. I am so not one of these people. I am going to get my old man a new bed today.  He peed all over his. And no, he is not the reason my car smells like pee.  He can't get into my car without several people lifting him in, and he is very ashamed about being lifted in so he rarely rides.

*This is my newest quilt.  Foxy Baby.  Maybe I'll put it on Etsy.  Though I have to tell you, I sell much better at the shows so far than on Etsy.  But I'll keep working Etsy because it feels really awesome and ego-boosting to say I sell on Etsy.  Plus: I have some ideas I'm working on that will be pretty cost-effective and good for those who like to embroider.

And thanks for the sweet comments on yesterday's post.  As for the photo, anyone can take an instagram photo of themselves and look good.  Really. Prolly even Charles Manson. 

Also, I'm really into this instagram thing now that I know how it all works.  I have been using it for years, but had no idea how to accept "followers."  (I hate that word.)   I have a picture of my deodorant up so you know I really did lose it in the car (and found it, luckily.)  Also, you can see how gross and dirty my car really is. (Toenail clippers anyone? The Brad has those in there for some reason. And I thought texting and driving was bad!)

And finally, do you want to see how cute my lil' booth was yesterday The Brad said the rug was a bad idea because someone could trip on it and sue me.  Such an upbeat guy, right?  I wouldn't trust the word of a guy who clips his toenails while he drives.  But, that's just me.

(If you want to see the photo links, you have to follow me on Instagram.  Link is in upper right of blog.  My name there is dearcordelia.

XO

 

 

 

 

insta report

Sharing some instagram photos today.  A few snaps from the last few days. 

Spring time weather that is beautiful one moment, and less so the next.  Looks like wind this weekend will possibly make it impossible for me to sell my wares at the two ongoing art shows I now take part in every Friday and Sunday.  Art Shows and weather do not mix and The Brad has complained about it for years.  Now we both complain.

Also in the news: my mom wondered what to get her granddaughters for their birthdays. In a world in which we are neck deep in plastic crap that passes for educational (and blatantly non-educational) toys, we decided on getting them each their own "easy-build" garden bed,  a bunch of soil and compost and whatever the girls wanted to plant.  The older wanted only seeds (sunflower, sage, daisies and sweet peas were her choices) the younger wanted a couple of flowers and mostly, strawberries.   Now that's a present!

I gardened too, of course.  My tomatoes are sporting their first flowers!!! Since I raised them from seeds, it's kind of like finding out you are going to be a grandmother. At 41, I feel a little young to be a grandmother. But, I am really very happy and proud none the less.

And of course coffee.  Before I had my first child  at 33 years old, I never drank coffee. And let's just leave it at that.

Also: I sucked it up and got myself a Facebook Business Page.  If you feel like heading over and "liking" it, I'm not yet sure what it can do for me professionally but it will do wonders for my ego. 

And lastly, a friend of mine alerted me to this cool info page that lets you know what makeup companies do and do not test on animals. I mean come on, man. It's 2013 and this world has a lot of sophisticated shit going on. Do we really need to still test on sweet little bunnies? I think not.

 p.s. a few of you asked for my instagram name: dearcordelia