new penguin...

two penguins are standing on an iceberg. one penguin says to the other... "it looks like you are wearing a tuxedo." the other penguin replies... "who says I'm not."

i love the beautiful absurdity of the funny little penguin.

i have also put up a custom listing for polar bears. they will only be there for a short time before christmas.

i will be adding new items for the holidays over the next few weeks.

be sure to check out my sister katy's home on the get the look feature on etsy right now!!

five...

i love everything about this little (big to her) girl. i love that she says things like "rememorize" and "long-legged daddy". i love that when you give her a compliment she says "you're welcome". i love how strong and confident she has always been... even when she came into this world at only 4lbs. i love that when she asked to get her ears pierced and i carefully explained the whole process, including that it would hurt, she just looked at me and asked if i would hold her hand. "of course", i replied. "then i will be o.k." and she was. didn't even flinch once. you know what? whenever she holds my hand it makes everything o.k. for me too.

amazing...

Homemade Spacecraft from Luke Geissbuhler on Vimeo.

i have no words for how incredible this is! yay for human curiosity and ingenuity!

found here!

mushrooms and more...

a new mushroom in the shop now. i have more on the way. i have also cut out a bunch of new items for the holidays... including a fun project i am working on with my sister... nativity scenes! did i tell you that already? we made some as gifts last year and they came out nicely. i appreciate you sticking with me... i know the shop and blog have been slow. sometimes i have to take a step back and focus on family. i have both kids home full time now, and we are finding our rhythm. new updates coming soon.

another year...

fall always seems to be a time for both endings and beginnings for me. i guess every new season is like that, but fall always carries the most meaning for me. every one in my little family was born in the fall, except for myself... so there are a lot of happy little celebrations and also the melancholy remembrance of my oldest child. this week was a quiet one for that. it is always a bittersweet time. we took his birthday to be together as a family. i felt like that was the best way to hold him close, as we each carry a little bit of him. my daughter really understood this year for the first time what the day meant, and she told me she carries a piece of reece's heart in her heart. very sweet and true words.

we drove up to the mountains, and the children were able to pick the last of the seasons apples. the leaves were so lovely. we took the most wonderful walk through the woods, and found a wide open field next to a stream, to run through. i felt grateful for all that i have been given.

happy 9th birthday to reece thomas.

this year i am also thinking about the (too) many families i know of who have also lost children. we are all connected as family.

xoxo

forever orchids...

 

 

have you been to visit the winsome hollow shop lately? the work my sister is doing lately seriously blows me away! her attention to details, and ability to capture the amazing essence of nature in fiber form is incredible. this orchid is made from vintage kimonos. beautiful... and it will last forever! what a talented artist i have for a sister!

meanwhile, my kids are busy making a pots and pans band in the kitchen... and i am looking for the ear plugs.

weekend getaway (or how i ran into gloria steinem in the bathroom)...

bell hooks and gloria steinem

i had the most amazing weekend recently! it was really refreshing. i took a  quick trip up to kentucky, where i spent at least 2 days laughing. i laughed so much my back hurt! that is what happens when you get all those generations of southern women (i will include myself in that, though i will always think of myself as a transplant) together. five women ages 29-86! oh, boy. my poor uncle who was stuck amongst us. my husband is probably thanking me for not asking him to go, but i'm glad i went! i wanted to take a side trip to berea while there, a lovely old town with the most wonderful college! all tuition is free to students willing to work in exchange. i had only known it to be a school of craft, and a an amazing place to buy the most beautiful handmade (student made) goodies.

i had no idea they also have a women's studies program, which has been lucky enough to have bell hooks on faculty for the past six years.she recently opened the bell hooks institute for critical thinking, contemplation, and dreaming. steinem came to help inaugurate the institute and agreed to have a conversation with hooks for an intimate audience. the talk, was amazing... they covered so many subjects regarding women, race, family, community, empathy, aging,  and laughter! it resonated with me in so many ways. the fact that they are long time friends really added to the intimacy of the occasion. i am so grateful to have gone, and so thankful to my mother for finding out about it. oh, boy it made me miss my own women's studies days. both women looked incredible! i can personally attest to this, as i ran into gloria steinem in the bathroom! 76! we can all hope that we too find a life so fulfilling as to leave us looking so radiant!

the funny thing was my 86 year old grandmother was horrified when we told her we were going, but after having feminism defined for her she realized she had never actually known what it meant... and proclaimed herself a feminist too! amazing... there is hope after all!

berea, kentucky

if you are in the south, or ever that way i highly recommend visiting the town and school.

midlife crisis...

from groundwork

is it possible to have a midlife crisis as you near 35? i think i am perpetually in midlife crisis since birth, so it is hard to tell. i am sitting here looking at the lovely moon, and listening to this...

how much do i love this song? and that beautiful movie! i watched it twice in a row, and i will watch it again. we sat outside tonight to eat dinner, as we have been every night lately. it is so nice... we linger until dark, when the bats come out. my favorite time of day. the air is finally cool, the crickets chirp. we can just be.

tonight the moon was so bright. we have been studying about space, reading this book, and it is so great. what a great thing to stop all the silly things you are doing and suddenly think about the fact that you are spinning through deep, dark space! close your eyes and think about it for a minute. when you are down on yourself for doing nothing very exciting with your life, just remember the sheer exhilaration of that fact! i love learning all the science of space and the universe, it is so technical and romantic at the same time... "we are all children of the stars". i was moved by the moon tonight to listen to neil young's harvest moon. we sat outside, sid in my arms, listening to music.... and i was truly present. the best feeling in the world.

** in case you are wondering, the harvest moon will be on the 23rd!

mushroom update...

new mushroom in the shop today. i am working on some more, have them all cut out. i also will make some small mushroom ornaments for christmas, in wool like last year and also in linen... cuz these are so fun!

new donkey...

new little donkey in the shop today. he is made from a recycled sweater, and has a little gray linen blanket with a bit of vintage embellishment. i love how each one comes out differently! i have almost finished another mushroom, which will also have a bit of vintage added. i'm planning a special project for christmas... and of course the project i already had planned, that got a bit derailed... oh, and a cake topper. need more hours.

my last post was my 400th! wow!