young love and a tutu

Photo credit: Seung Chon

This weekend we celebrated the nuptials of our friends Becca and Brian who were wed on a riverbank on a perfect Sunday afternoon. These two are some of the most stylish and hip people I know, and no detail was left unnoticed as they planned their wedding. Obviously I'm going to highlight a few of my favorite details here, but I truly hope these two submit their photos to a wedding or design blog of some sort. This is the kind of event that people like me drool over to satiate our inexplicable obsession with weddings.

I was absolutely enamored with the antique dresser they used as an altar. The tiered drawers displayed recycled soda bottles and flower arrangements. And on top you can see the tree that they planted as a symbol of their unity. Just lovely!

All the flowers were beautiful, but I was especially drawn to the use of a cotton plant in both his boutonniere and her bridal bouquet.

Photo credit: Seung Chon

And of course, what idyllic wedding would be complete without an angelic flower girl with blond ringlets? Becca's niece served this role with the greatest of ease, totally rocking a grey glittered tutu that Becca commissioned me to make this spring.

Photo credit: Seung Chon

I was a bit nervous at first, having no pattern or previous experience making anything that would be worn for such a special event. But after googling a few tutu-making tutorials it became very obvious that it is a much simpler process than it seems. In fact there is only about 2 minutes worth of sewing, and the rest is entirely cutting and knotting! Seriously, anyone can make a tutu, and if you have a little girl who loves to dress up I highly suggest this simple and totally gratifying project!

Sadly, I was in dire need of a tutu model upon its completion, so I enlisted the help of the cutest person I've got around these days:

But I think Becca's flower girl took it to the next level of adorable:

Congratulations to the newly weds on their young marriage and beautiful wedding. Good times were had by all!

springtime outside our doorstep

Springtime at our new apartment has been a lively and surprising affair. When we decided to move our main stipulation was that we wanted to find a place having at the very least a small yard where we could begin to garden and grow some food. I don't think I knew at that time, but now I'm realizing that we were both feeling starved for an outdoor space. Of course our growing endeavors have been an exciting and fun process, but our interaction with the outdoors has extended far beyond the vegetable patch in the back yard.


And beyond the raised bed that Luke crafted from some discarded bricks and planks from a dumpster.


During our time spent immediately outside the house we have discovered a host of edible, wild-grown plants that make excellent salad fodder. Luke even discovered a patch of morel mushrooms nearby, which are a very tasty, very rare and highly sought delicacy.

We've created a few 'walking paths' in the back yard that wind around the wild flowers that are beginning to bloom, creating an almost labyrinth-like feel.

We've watched the house finches building a virtual suburb on our back porch, some mourning doves acting out a soap-opera-worthy saga of birth, life and death on the front porch, and just tonight we helped the neighbors rescue a squirrel that was trapped under a porch. A few weeks back we even found a mallard duck egg belonging to a female duck who'd been hit by a car in front of the house. We are about 10 days into the incubation process and hoping to hatch a healthy little mallard by the end of the month!

And of course we are enjoying lots of time on the porch. Whether just sitting, or reading or feasting with friends.

Obviously our niece Emma approved of the spare ribs we grilled up for a spring dinner.

And this, my friends, is what I'm learning to love about having an outdoor space. When we lived in the city I couldn't have articulated exactly why we wanted a yard. But after just a few weeks of warm weather and unexpected discoveries, I think I'm starting to figure it out.

indigenous wildlife populations and other musings

Week 30 is upon us! Thinking ahead to the Little Oyster's arrival I experience the strangest mix of emotions. If I had to put the feelings into a mathematical equation it would come out like this:

(We're going to have an adorable LukeJoy SO SOON! And I'll get to hold it and kiss it and change its diapers!) + (HOLY COW that is going to be painful and also my life is never EVER going to be the same!) = (!)

In our birthing class we talk a lot about how pregnancy and delivery can produce a natural "high" - that despite the pain and the discomfort our bodies are releasing endorphins and oxytocin in great quantities, which have a jubilant effect at times. It kind of sounds like they could be making it up to make us all feel better and calmer about what's happening in and to our bodies. But the thing is I actually know what they're talking about. Like sometimes I'm just sitting at work and nothing special is happening at all, but I feel all glowy and warm inside. No thoughts bring it about. And it isn't like I was experiencing an emotional high in the moments preceding. The sensation simply wells up inside me unexpectedly. How marvelous and mysterious!

An old friend from college gave birth to her first baby just a few short weeks ago, and from all facebook/photo/hearsay evidence there is more truth than myth to the new-mama-high. She looks absolutely aglow and natural with her infant son tucked away in her arms. To herald the arrival of the little guy a mutual friend commissioned a repurposed Twosie set.

As was the case with the original snail-themed Twosie, I consulted Luke for some creative advice. He vetoed giraffes and elephants on the grounds that this baby is from New England but safari animals are not indigenous to that part of the world. Ultimately we agreed that a squirrel would be an accurate representation of this baby's immediate natural world, and Alyson thought that the embroidered squirrel sketch I found was just plain adorable. So we were agreed.

Here's the little guy already snug in his new slippers. I'm guessing that he won't be into the onesie for a few more months, but I'm glad to see his toes are staying warm in the meantime!

And finally, I received word on Saturday evening that the auction at my dad's church plant was a success. And of course I was excited to hear that the snail Twosie was bid up to a nice price. That means at least two people liked it :) Also, imagine my sheer delight when I found out that the person who bought the set is a friend whose baby is due within a few days of my due date. Such camaraderie!

plaster as salve

Are you familiar with the strange sensation that you have undeniably exciting news to share, that you're bursting with information of epic proportions, that your life rather suddenly seems changed or altered? But you have no gosh-dern idea how to relay that reality to other human beings? I'd say that's probably where I am right now.

Last week was a frustrating one for Luke and I. Even in the midst of some quite happy and positive changes in our lives we were overwhelmed by the feeling that our deepest goals and dreams for the future seem so very elusive. We harbor the hope that someday we'll cultivate a homestead and farm, practicing many of the new skills Luke is learning in his permaculture studies, providing for our basic food needs as much as possible, and spending glorious amounts of time outside. But dreams like these, though so simple at first glance, are much more complicated (and costly) than they seem. I think every person I've ever met has had a vision like this- that seems so close at hand, but whose realization is still so distant. And at times (like last week) that reality is frustratingly clear.

But then, like salve for our souls, a group of good friends organized a trip to the mountains of West Virginia to practice some natural building techniques at an intentional community just off the Appalachian Trail. There we were warmly welcomed by a group of men and women who've spent their adult lives living in community and are now creating a spiritual retreat center in the mountains. They were funny, they were hospitable, they were knowledgeable, and they served us abundant amounts of delicious food. Needless to say, we are smitten with these new friends. Quite literally, our weekend was spent massaging the walls of a cordwood, cob house with sand and clay plaster. Think finger-painting:

And you know how you mix cob with sand and water? With your feet! Here, Emma demonstrates:

In the morning we ate breakfast on some straw bales (notice the recycled glass bottles used as natural stained glass in the cordwood wall):

And by evening we'd crafted a cob bench for the dining room:

The weekend was a time of real learning and discovery for me. It was incredibly helpful to see some of our own ideas for building and community being practiced and turning out wonderfully in someone's home. From the incredibly efficient masonry stove to the odor-free composting toilet to the beautiful but practical cob walls, it was a feast for the eyes both aesthetically and environmentally-consciously (sorry about the grammar folks!).

We returned home Sunday night with rosy cheeks from the sun, clear minds from a hike in the woods, fatigue from the laughter and camaraderie, and perhaps most importantly: hope. For some reason our dreams and goals seem tangible again. And it's just glorious to have that hope.

Sunday Photo Session

Recently several friends sent me one of the best gifts I could ever dream of: photos of cute babies laying on/beside/wearing sewn items crafted by these very hands. Behold!

Becca's niece kicking her shoes off after a long day of being a baby

Emily's goddaughter lounging in safari style


Alyson's next-of-kin staying cozy and stylish

While I'm at it, I can't help but include this picture of Becca's niece at her first photo shoot this winter. I'm not exactly sure, but something about the scene makes it just about my favorite baby picture of all time. The snow, the old yellow chair, the bonnet, the baby posing just right- it's wonderful!

Photo credit: Jodie Martin Photography

a harvest

Sarah is at it again: inspiring me and filling me with ideas of splendor and greatness. A few months ago we came across some "green" or "eco friendly" toys that were very very cute. For some reason we were both drawn to (and terrified by) the plush vegetables with faces embroidered on them. I mean, a lot of people already have a complex about eating animals (who, as you may have noticed, also have eyes and mouths), so why confuse young children even more by personifying their produce?! I think that unless you're going to raise your children as Jains, leave the cute faces off their veggies.

Anyways, in my (somewhat embarrassingly eager) excitement about sewn/stuffed produce I embarked on a cyber-hunt for instructions and ideas to fill a little green farm basket I found at an antique store. My original plan was to use old cotton fabric scraps for the veggies, but when I came across the LittleCrickets shop on Etsy, I was quickly convinced to try it with felt. Before I found LittleCrickets I didn't know felt could be used for anything more than Halloween costumes and Sunday School flannel boards!

The rest of the process was pretty un-extraordinary. I purchased a bunch of felt in varying bright colors, learned how to do a blanket-stitch, and whipped up a virtual cornucopia on a few lazy afternoons. Around the same time my mother showed up with a box of fabric remnants she scored at a yard sale and I was thrilled to find a red and white checkered print to create the consummate picnic napkin accessory.



(Luke and I probably need to wash our windows)


So Sarah's little guy, Sam, turned 1 this month. All his friends and loved ones gathered in an orchard on a cool autumn day to celebrate his milestone (and his incredible pumpkin hat). It was the perfect day to gorge on apples and the perfect day to gift a harvest.

all shall be well

"…All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well" Julian of Norwich

I have officially decided to consult a professional regarding my dress alterations. Ideally I'll be able to ask a slew of questions and learn a thing or two (in turn avoiding hacking apart my little black dress). So I am scheduled to meet with a local seamstress/tailor tomorrow morning, and I'm feeling a bit of a sense of relief.

Throughout this journey we call life many of my loved ones have chided me for my anxious and worrying personality. If someone is upset with me I can obsess over it and analyze it for ages. During significant life changes or decisions I'm effectively rendered useless for normal conversation or everyday routines. Even this dress-making/sewing process (which I love and it invigorates me!) left me feeling drained and unable to focus at various points this week. Sometimes fear or worry can paralyze me it seems, and honestly this is not the constant state of emotion I'd like to have in my life. I'm earnestly trying to discern real situations from the made-up hypotheticals in my head. And also trying to let go of things I a) cannot control or b) do not need to control. As my dear friends like to say "life is life", "tranquilla", "pura vida".

I'm looking forward to a slow-ish weekend and some time to step back and breathe. Perhaps these wonderful songs will also usher you into a calm and relaxed weekend:

a nice cover of a nice song:

suggested by Kat:

sent by Kristen ages ago:

love:

dress stress

We've been invited to a fancy wedding come December. A fancy wedding at the Biltmore Estate. Luke will be a groomsman and there will be tuxedos involved. I anticipate a lot of southern style and class. And I quite literally have not a thing to wear.

So I went shopping (online and in-store) and I have to say that the selection was "meh" at best. I do not have a body shape that is easily flattered by dresses. In the past I've tended toward skirts because I like how they lay at my waist, and how I can choose various blouses to get whatever look I so desire. But this time I really want a dress: my very first "little black dress". And when my shopping endeavors proved futile I had an epiphany: "I can MAKE a dress. I can MAKE a dress exactly how I want it!".

This is how I want it:


Those cap sleeves! That darted bodice! That pleated skirt! That waistline! That collar line! I want that! And I found a pattern that nearly perfectly fits my standards (I'm referring to the green one on the left):

This week I spent two nights constructing my dress from the pattern and using the size that best matched my measurements. This dress has it all: a) 12 pleats b) 6 darts c) a zipper d) a hook and eye e) interfacing f) stay stitches g) pockets! If you don't know (m)any of those terms, have no fear. I barely did as of Monday. But through the beauty of a pattern, phone calls to my mom, emails to a blogging hero and approximately 1,000 google searches I basically completed the dress, save for the hem.

HOORAY! Except...It's Too Big!



Now, I'm not REALLY complaining. Every girl likes to put on a piece of clothing she's afraid might be too tight, and then is pleased to see it draping from her shoulders and sagging at the waist. But now in addition to darts and pleats and stay stitches, it looks like I'm going to have to self-teach myself how to do alterations.

In fact, yesterday I googled "clothing alterations" and one site merely suggested purchasing a 3-way mirror and a custom-made body form with my proportions. I promptly banged my head on the table. Clicked out of Google. Called Alyson. And asked her if she would like to learn how to pin a person for dress alterations. (She does!!)

After a brief fitting with my new seamstress pal I'm pretty convinced I need to remove the zipper, the sleeves and the collar and readjust the fit. Meet my new best friend, the seam ripper:

we will keep them as our own

It's now officially autumn, and this morning it seems that the weather has begun to adapt to the new season. Personally I appreciate being ushered into the week with the calm and quietude that comes from a gray and cold, rainy morning. I'm drinking tea, listening to a mellow soundtrack, eating fresh baked bread, and thinking upon a month full of family, friends and excitement in October. Stay tuned for some fun posts about all that!

Despite the gloomy weather today we did have some moments of sunshine this weekend, affording me the opportunity to take some nice pictures on the front window sill (I have a very mediocre "point and shoot" camera that only performs well in the bright morning rays). I have been eager to share these bird creations for a week or so.

I am very fortunate to be surrounded by dear friends who appreciate the economy of friendship and shared services. I don't know how to knit, and Becca prefers not to sew. So we decided to exchange adorable handcrafted goods. I am thrilled to be on the receiving end of this pair of birds, complete with twig beaks and legs (just look at the tiny green leaves that still survive on the end of the blue bird's feet)!

Originally I intended these to be a part of a baby mobile. However, marriage is teaching me that you must always be ready for changes and surprises. Like when I showed these birds to Luke and he said "Which one's mine? I want the blue one." Well then! Who would've thought that these small ornamental knitted birds would knock on the door to Luke's crafting heart. In that case, we will keep them as our own. And I apparently get the yellow one.

an epic journey

Every once in a while a person will take an epic journey to a far away land. And sometimes even a quilt will get to come along for the ride. 'Tis the tale of a quilt made a few months ago, sent to a neighboring county for a yardsale, then packed away as my father and sister trekked to Nicaragua (por avion) for a week-long experience making friends and building a church.

"We gave a gift of a quilt to the church that Pastor Dan’s daughter Joy made. There was a joke about how they don’t need quilts here with all the heat. They are planning to hang it on the wall inside the new building." (from the church's blog)

Now, I must be honest. Had I known that this quilt would become a gift from a North American church to its Central American counterpart I probably would have crafted something a bit more beautiful, and a bit less decorated with baby turtles. However, I'm glad that this project has gone farther than expected and symbolizes something beautiful: like two groups of people with two very different cultural experiences converging for a week of hospitality, hard work, and awkward moments.

Though I continued my normal existence here in the States while my Dad and sister discovered the wonder of rural Nicaragua, in some ways their journey was my journey as well. Incredibly (and with a ton of sleuthing) my dad was able to locate my host family from my studies in Nicaragua 4 1/2 years ago! He spent time with them on two occasions, delivered a letter (that I wrote in butchered Spanish and my beloved Kristen edited for me), and took a bunch of pictures that I can't wait to get my hands on! He wrote me yesterday, "We saw your family again yesterday in Masaya. Grand baby y two sons y son's wife y momma and papa.". I quote him so all can witness his astounding grasp of conjunctions in the Spanish language! :)

I suppose this is my 2nd quilt in Central America, seeing as I gifted one to my Costa Rican host family in 2005. Maybe I should start sewing something less warm and cozy for our friends from the tropics. Like quilted speedos?

domesticity

Check out our newest addition to domestic bliss...our very first apron. It also has the distinction of being made for an adult (not a baby, as seems to be the trend in my sewing projects).

This apron consists of precisely 1 (one) old bed sheet from the closet, 1 (one) old tablecloth from Sarah, and 1 (one) old cotton rice sack purchased for $0.75 at a porch sale at the eager urging of Becca. Now we are ready to attack the pile of dishes visible in the background of our needs-to-be-swept kitchen!