oakmoss

I'm changing.

2012-01-27T08:36:00.001-08:00

I seem to be turning a new leaf. My life the past few months has been all about purging- getting rid of junk. I think it started right before I had Bodhi. One morning I woke up, looked around and realized I had So. Much. Stuff. Too much, in fact. So the purging began. It's hard for me to let go of things, but it's becoming easier. And let me tell you, it feels amazing!! I pick something up and ask myself- Do I really love this? Can I live without this? Have I even used this in the past week/ month/ year/ or ever?? I've taken trunks and trunks to the thrift store, and there's still more to go!

My husband is a fine example to me. He is prudent about his purchases. He researches, studies, thinks and waits before he buys something. Once again, totally opposite of me, yet something I want to be more like.

Some good reads that have inspired me lately:
MAV's words on closet clean outs.
This lady.
Amy's inspiring post about thoughtful purchases.

Happy Friday, friends! It's a beautiful day today.

Oh, and if you've never met me in person and care to see how awkward I am, have a look here. Right around 1min. 18sec.

last week, it snowed

2012-01-24T21:08:00.000-08:00

Catching Up.

2012-01-20T16:19:00.000-08:00

(jan. 11. 2012)

(jan. 12. 2012)

(jan. 13. 2012)

(jan. 14. 2012)

(jan. 15. 2012)

(jan. 16. 2012)

(jan. 17. 2012)

(jan. 18. 2012)

(jan. 19. 2012)

(jan. 20. 2012)

Just playing catch up with my daily pictures.
Enjoy your weekend, friends.

Oscar

2012-01-10T11:16:00.000-08:00

Meet Oscar. He's my family's Amazon Parrot. We got him when I was six, when he was just a freshly hatched little fledgling without any feathers. My mom fed him blended apple, spinach and monkey chow through a red ketchup bottle. He'd see that red bottle coming and he'd get all excited and start squawking and flapping his little wings.

Throughout the years, he's been just another member of the family. His sweet noises, the songs he sings, his whistles and squawks, they all sound like home to me.

My parents are on a little trip which means we have the pleasure to have him stay in our home for a bit. The sun is shining today, my living room is warm and Oscar is whistling and singing his little heart out right now.

I hope you're enjoying your day, friends!

365

2012-01-09T22:42:00.000-08:00

(jan. 1. 2012)

(jan. 2. 2012)

(jan. 3. 2012)

(jan. 4. 2012)

(jan. 5. 2012)

(jan. 6. 2012)

(jan. 7. 2012)

(jan. 8. 2012)

(jan. 9. 2012)

I'm doing it.

I really don't need another project in my life. I have so many unfinished projects and ideas swirling around. But this one, this one is different. I'm drawn to the 365 (366 this year). It will no doubt be challenging. I share a very edited version of my life here online and my lack of confidence in my writing skills keeps me from blogging more frequently. I'm not the best photographer either. But for whatever reason, I can't explain, I'm more comfortable sharing my photographs.

Follow me along, if you'd like. I'll be posting one photo a day this entire year. I hope to complete the project using only film, but I'm unsure if my pocket book will allow for that. Watch me as I (hopefully) grow in creativity, as an artist, as a photographer. I'm certain this project will help me accomplish some of my goals, ones I've shared here and ones I've kept quiet. I hope you enjoy the journey with me.

I may be a little crazy,

2011-12-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

(photos taken in october on a kodak pony ii)

I've already established that. But my craziness just grows deeper and deeper.

I'm considering doing the 365 project. It will be tough, perhaps impossible, with two little ones. Some days, many days actually, I spend so much time tending to my boys that I find myself still wearing sweatpants at dinner time, unshowered, spit up in my hair, really a lovely sight to see. How will I squeeze in taking a picture on days like these?

I still have a few days to decide. Any input? Have you done the 365? Watching some of my friends finish up theirs these past few weeks, seems grueling. Sort of like finishing a marathon. And watching their pain sort of makes me want to do it. See, I'm crazy I tell you.

This Christmas..

2011-12-26T15:45:00.000-08:00

..Was intentionally modest. Happily filled with just the right amount of simple, thoughtful and appropriate gifts. Alex and I take care to not shower our boys with lavish and overstimulating toys. We make certain to let them know that gifts come from hard work and love, not from a strange man in a red suit who brings them whatever they ask for. Plenty of thought went into Burl's gifts this year; books, interactive sensory games, dress up clothes, and art supplies; all which made this year particularly special. And for Bodhi, well, I'm all he needed this year :).

(Can't you just see in Bodhi's eyes how he gazes at me? Love. He tickles my soul.)

habit

2011-12-20T01:53:00.001-08:00

Some of my polaroid photos that I contributed to the habit blog in November. Click on each image to read my words.

For Today Only...

2011-12-19T05:29:00.000-08:00

I'm having a sale in my shop. Candles, mostly. And some lip balm.

The sale will go until 7pm Pacific time tonight, when my boys go to bed. At that point, I'll package all orders up and have in the mail tomorrow, just in time for you to receive them before Christmas. Everything will be shipped USPS flat rate shipping.

Merry Merry, friends.

Winter Crafting :: Cinnamon Ornaments

2011-12-14T09:27:00.000-08:00

We used this recipe from Martha Stewart. I didn't have enough cinnamon, so I added a little bit of ground cloves, which made them darker and even more spicy smelling. I remember seeing these as a little girl at a friend's house and so badly wanting to know how to make them. Now I know. And it was just as fun as I had expected.

Winter Crafting :: Paperwhites

2011-12-13T02:43:00.000-08:00

midnight friday night

2011-12-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

i'm up late, making and preparing for my craft show tomorrow. i'm a little bit nervous. i tend to be quiet and awkward and shy and sometimes antisocial. so actually meeting people who will be buying my products is new to me and not something i'm comfortable with (yet). but i'm certain i'll have a good time. and i'm excited to meet new like-minded people in my community.

~~~

it was so sunny today! so i grabbed my polaroid auto 100 (which requires a lot of light) a cup of tea and we took our show outside. first on our deck for a bit, then to the beach. the beach was fun at first, but once the sun set, it was co-o-old! and burl was done with the whole thing (even thought the beach was his idea, funny kid). bodhi just slept, smushed up against me in our wrap happy as a clam. love these boys of mine, so much.

i hope you're enjoying your weekend, friends.

Tomorrow

2011-12-09T16:01:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends.

I'm doing my first craft show tomorrow at our local food co-op. I really have no idea what I'm doing when it comes to a craft show, and I have no idea how busy or successful it will be. But I sure am excited!

I'm offering everything at discounted prices. If you're local, come by, I'd love to see you!

Holiday Craft Fair

Saturday, Dec. 10

11am-3pm

Free Admission

Sno-Isle Natural Foods Co-op
2804 Grand Avenue

I'll be the one there wearing the cute little baby : ). Happy weekend!

For Natalie

2011-12-03T01:31:00.000-08:00

Our Advent Calendar

2011-12-01T18:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree aside, I've never been much of a Holiday decorator. But having a three year old has changed that a bit. This year, we decided to make an advent calendar. A quick google search brings up an overwhelming amount of ideas. I combined several that I saw and came up with this.

I recycled last years Autumn Nature Board by just adding a layer of white cotton. The past several days, Burl and I have been collecting things outside and making our own ornaments; berries, herbs from the garden, pine cones, feathers, etc.

I bought several little gifts from the Japanese dollar store to give as little treats; glue sticks, stickers, washi tape, etc. I've number little pieces of paper that have a single word inside telling him where his treat is hidden. With basic words like "car", "bed" and "sink", he'll be able to practice his reading.

This entire activity has been engaging for him and I'm excited to have this little activity to do each morning he wakes up.

Happy December, friends!

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

yashica mat 124g

polaroid auto 100

Happy Thanksgiving, friends.

I hope you're enjoying your day with family and friends and remembering all you have in your life to be grateful for. I know I sure am overwhelmed with the amount of happiness I have surrounding me.

Wishing you peace in your lives.
With love.

Amber
xo

Autumn Browns

2011-11-22T20:51:00.000-08:00

I owe you all. A new post. I've been in baby lala land, and it's been wonderful. I'll tell you more about this new little guy of mine later. But for now, I'll let you know that he is So. Easy. And I'm completely smitten.

These images are from Autumn Color Week a few weeks ago. Film images from my Pentax K1000 and Canon AE-1 Program.

And since I've been gone for so long, I thought I would apologize by sharing my favorite caramel recipe. I found this recipe years ago while in college, taking a break from studying, and browsing through the cookbook section of Barnes and Noble.

Dark Caramels:
2 pounds pecan pieces (optional)
4 C whipping cream, divided
2 C dark corn syrup
2 1/4 C brown sugar
2 1/2 C sugar
1 1/2 C butter

Butter a 9x13 pan and cover with pecan pieces. In a heavy 4 quart saucepan, combine 2 C cream, corn syrup, sugar and butter. Stir over medium heat with wooden spoon until well blended. Cook stirring constantly until 240 degrees F. Increase heat to medium-high. Stirring constantly, add remaining 2 C of cream in a slow trickle. After all cream is added, reduce heat to medium and heat till 240 degrees again. (This takes FOREVER and I always get really hot and sometimes need to stir it with hot pads over my hands to protect from the heat).
Pour into prepared pan and let cool overnight.

I cut them into chunks and wrap in waxed paper. Or I just eat it all.

Enjoy, my friends! I'll be back soon. To brag about this little man of mine. xo.

A Day of Orange

2011-10-19T19:57:00.001-07:00

...And in case you're under the impression that my home is always calm, Burls play room at this very moment:

Nearly Eight Weeks

2011-10-19T07:01:00.000-07:00

His eyes twinkle and his mouth curls when he smiles. Just like his daddy :).
And he just wants to cuddle and nurse. All day. All night.

Yellow

2011-10-18T20:42:00.001-07:00

Red

2011-10-17T21:55:00.000-07:00

This week is Autumn Color Week on Flickr, hosted by Poppy Talk.

I'll be sharing my contributions each day here on my blog. Enjoy!

A Calm Home

2011-10-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

These are a few images from my sister's home. It's always so calm, quiet and comfortable, I miss having a home like that. I was looking through some old pictures, ones I had taken before Burl was born, and I was surprised to see how different my home looked way back then. Everything was so neat and put together. Now, it feels as though it's anything but neat and put together.

I've been making extra efforts to keep my home more tidy, but it's so difficult with a three year old. If you have any tips on keeping a home calm, quiet, tidy and comfortable with children, please share.

Burl, Bodhi and I are headed out to the farm to pick up 4 foster kittens that need to be bottle fed. Enjoy your day, friends.

Nights Like Tonight

2011-10-04T22:57:00.000-07:00

..Thank goodness for the Mei Tai. Tonight I had a baby who just. wanted. to nurse. And a toddler who wouldn't eat dinner because he just. wanted. candy. And a husband who was exhausted from working all day, doing all he could to help me, but I knew just. wanted. to relax.

Here's a little something I'm learning about accomplishing things with two little ones:
Make a list of what you'd like to get done that day. Right away, cross off half, because there's no way as much as what I'd like to get done will actually get done. Of the remaining half, realisitcally know that I'm lucky if I get half of that half done. That's right. These days I'm running on 1/4 pace.

Cheers to being a mama with multiple children! By the way, I'm loving every. single. minute of it. Messy house and all.

I Got A Little Pony

2011-09-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

I've been so distraught this week without my Pentax and Canon cameras, then I remembered I had made a little purchase a few weeks ago.

I picked up a little Kodak Pony ii at the thrift store for $1.99. I put a roll of film in it today, clicked the whole roll and was happy to see some decent pictures. I'm still getting the hang of the distance/ focus. But so far it's been a fun little toy. Not bad for a 60 year old camera and expired film.

Here are some pictures from a little walk I went on with my boys around town today.

Happy weekend, friends!

Zucchini Bread, Take Two

2011-09-21T08:48:00.000-07:00

What do you do with more volunteer zucchini than you could ever hope for? Why, make Zucchini bread of course.

I didn't plant zucchini this year, but as sprouts started emerging, blossoms started blooming and fruits started growing, I found a few zucchini plants growing full speed. A seed or two must have survived over the winter and found their way into my pumpkin patch.

In my search for the perfect recipe, I found the Paula Dean version, which is exactly what I was looking for. The only change I make is using orange juice rather than water. Yesterday, my boys and I harvested our last zucchini of the year, made several loaves and added them to the others we have in our freezer. We sliced and froze individual pieces to make for a quick breakfast or snack in the upcoming winter mornings.

Happy Autumn, my friends!

May I Introduce...

2011-08-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

Bodhi Grayson Ek, 8 pounds, 4.8 ounces, born last Thursday morning at 8:08am. Bodhi, because it's an awesome name, and Grayson, my mother's maiden name. (And while we're talking names, Ek is my husband's name, which is Swedish for Oak.)

He's perfect and looks so. much. like his brother, it's incredible. (Oddly, he sort of resembles this guy to me.)

He's only five days old, but I can already see some personality differences between the two boys. Bodhi is easier to calm and soothe and he sleeps better than Burl did, perhaps because I'm more comfortable as a mother this time around. He's in heaven at my breast and has hardly left these past five days, which is heaven to me as well.

I know I promised a birth story from Burl's birth. Some things are still so private, but I will share a little. I delivered Burl by C-section, after 36 hours of labor. This of course was not in my birth plan and not how I imagined giving birth. Bodhi entered this world very similarly, although I had hoped for a VBAC.

I'm healing remarkably well and fast. And all that uncertainty and worry about repeating a bond and love? Totally out the window. I am smitten! Perhaps even more so now than the first time around.

I'm So Emotional

2011-08-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

Beware, the following are the emotional ramblings of a very, very pregnant mama.

I know it's time for this babe to come soon, because I'm an emotional wreck. I've been here before, I remember breaking down in the shower a day or two before I had Burl, and just feeling so sad that my whole world was about to change. I remember feeling so melancholy and sad that my relationship with my husband was going to change. That my dogs were not going to be my number one any longer. I remember doubting our decision to have a child and wondering if we made the right choice; Why did we make this choice???

Of course all of that changed as soon as I had Burl, and this incredible bond instantly occurred between me and my new babe. And I was right, things are very different between Alex and I now. Our love is still just as strong, but now we don't fall asleep next to each other. We fall asleep with this perfect little boy, half him half me, that we created together laying between us. We lay there, with the moon light on our faces and stare at each other and the perfect little boy who lays between us, and we feel nothing but bliss.

I'm having similar thoughts now as I approach this birth. Did Alex and I make the right decision to have another child? How in the world is it possible to recreate a bond and relationship so strong and magnetic as I have with Burl? How is it possible to love again the way I love Burl? This strange little being in my tummy is still so foreign, so abstract, I just can not imagine repeating what I have with Burl.

I'm so very sad and weepy to think that Burl's little world is about to be turned upside down. A large part of me wants to just deliver this babe, nurse him when he needs it, then hand him off to Alex to care for so I can continue to give Burl my all. Burl really is my everything. And I'm feeling very somber that everything is about to change between us.

I've been trying desperately to savor these last moments I have alone with Burl. Truth is though, he has been so difficult the last month or so. So ornery and defiant and frustrating, and sometimes downright mean to me. It's been difficult and I have not be able to enjoy him as of late. I've been wanting to send him away to any relative willing to take him for the day. It's been challenging, in my emotional-charged condition, to keep my patience with him, especially when he's constantly telling me to "Go Away! I don't like you, Mommy!" and throwing things at me, and doing everything opposite that I ask of him, then the next second wanting me to hold him and cuddle him.

I don't think I'll look back on this time fondly, yet I know these stages Burl is going through are completely age-appropriate. He's maturing, yet he still needs so much tenderness from me. He still needs and depends on me for everything, yet he wants to stretch his boundaries, and he gets frustrated. He wants to be "a big boy", but still needs me to snuggle him and hug him and reconnect with him many, many times throughout the day. He sees the habits of the older kids across the street and wants to be like them. Yet he still wants to be my "Baby Kitty". No doubt, he is dealing with very frustrating, conflicting emotions. And when he needs to speak out, I'm the one there to take it. And he absolutely needs me to be patient with him during his emotional ups and downs.

I don't cry often. But I've had big, wet tears running down my cheeks for a couple hours. And I know I'll go to bed tonight with a headache. But at least I'll have my little Baby Kitty to cuddle to take some of the sting away.

The Air Is Changing

2011-08-22T16:25:00.001-07:00

Autumn is coming. While driving today, Burl asked me why all the leaves were starting to fall and blow all over the roads. He also told me earlier that he loves to here the wind blow the wind chimes outside our window. Mother Nature can't hide her changes from an observant 3 year old.

Yes, I'm still full with baby.

A Stroll Through Wallingford

2011-08-19T16:57:00.000-07:00

A Friday evening post for you. I'm sitting at home, alone with all the windows open and feeling this late-summer breeze. I woke up to fog this morning, which burned off before I woke up from a nap at 2pm. My father-in-law took Burl for the day, and I've been doing house work and getting out a few last minute orders.

Labor could be starting any day now. But this little one feels pretty content right where he is. Burl stayed in until 42 weeks, I'm now at 39 weeks, so I think I still have some time.

Last week Burl and I visited my sister in Wallingford, about 20 miles south. Here are some pictures from our little walk.

Happy weekend, my friends!

Seed To Seed

2011-08-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hi friends! I'm guest blogging over at ::tend:: today. I share some of my thoughts on the art, hobby and necessity of saving seeds. You can find the post here.

Cheers!

Sense of Smell

2011-08-15T06:56:00.000-07:00

Typically I have nothing to do with anything toxic in my home. I use vinegar, baking soda and herbal concoctions to clean my home. This pregnancy though, has done some strange things to my since of smell. During my first trimester, I had to temporarily close my shop because the smell of anything natural, any herb, any essential oil, nauseated me.

And now, anything toxic or dangerous to breathe is all I would like to smell. The tire department at the hardware store, gasoline, fumy plastic toys, the fertilizer and weed killer isle at the nursery, the tar on the pier at the shore. Bleach! All Intoxicating.

I'd love to bathe in bleach right now and smell it all day long, wherever I go. Really any harsh, toxic, dangerous cleansing agent I would like to just pour all over my house and inhale. Burl and I have been spending many of our days swimming at the Lynnwood Rec Center, and the smell of the chlorinated water is heaven to me. I don't want to rinse off when we leave.

I know I'm certainly not in my right frame of mind. I tell you these things for two reasons:

1. Will this last?? I don't remember having this with Burl. I hope it to go away after the birth.

2. I'll let you in on a little sneak peak. I have two new essential oil blends to add to my shop. I've been working on them for a couple years, but I don't dare introduce them now. I hope/ plan to have them available in the shop mid-September when my healthy, normal sense of smell returns.

Along those lines, I've also been working on some other fun additions for the shop; which include some items from the sea and items from my garden. I'm getting pretty excited for the upcoming months!

Happy Monday, my friends!

Henna Belly

2011-08-12T08:19:00.001-07:00

Same song, second verse.

My sweet little sister came to spend the day with Burl and I yesterday to do her magic on my belly. It was her first henna painting, didn't she do great? I did my own henna job when I was pregnant with Burl, and it's much, much easier having someone do if for you!

I made my own paste this time using these directions from Zenith Supplies where I purchase a lot of the supplies for my shop. I'd make some changes the next time around, mostly I'd filter the tea through a coffee filter before adding it to the henna to make sure the paste wasn't too clumpy. We had a hard time with clumps coming through the tip of the applicator bottle. It smelled wonderful though with the combination of essential oils, cloves, coffee grounds, black tea and black walnut. Next time I will probably leave out the ground cloves, they irritated my skin.

Happy Friday, friends! Wishing you a lovely weekend.

Change is a Comin'

2011-08-09T08:11:00.000-07:00

I feel an autumnal change in the air lately. I love the feel of it, it means my favorite time of year is just around the corner.

I had a surprise on Sunday when I thought my water had broke...at church. It threw me for a loop. At 37 weeks, I'm full term enough to deliver this baby any day now, but I didn't expect things to start happening this early. I delivered Burl 2 weeks late, so I've been expecting the same process and thought I had plenty of time to get things ready. But it seems this little one may come earlier than 2 weeks late. I'm not prepared, I'd like him to grow just a bit more before he arrives. I'll be spending the next few days preparing my home, washing diapers, hanging them to sun dry, and some other smaller preparations. In my heart, I feel like I still have a couple weeks before the birth.

I haven't done so yet, but I think I may share Burl's birth story sometime this week. It's been very private and close to my heart. But I think I'm ready to share.

Happy Tuesday, Friends.

Garden 2011

2011-08-05T08:24:00.000-07:00

cilantro gone to seed

Remember all that talk about keeping my garden simple this year? Hogwash. While I was in the depths of my first trimester, just when I should have been starting my seeds indoors, I had zero desire to be thinking about or planning my garden. But then somewhere in April around 20 weeks, when the haze and nausea lifted, I found myself planting seed after seed in the soil. I had renewed energy and desire to grow food for my family. The nurturing instinct for my family kicked in and I planted vegetable after vegetable, with the hopes of having enough of several varieties to last us all year.

carrots

As expected, the fatigue and lack of energy, not to mention the sheer difficulty of getting around because of my full-bellied state, have returned and it's become more difficult to accomplish much in the garden. But things are growing and much is taking care of itself.

tomatoes

I'm hoping that come harvest time, I really will have this new babe attached to me on the outside, as I think this will be a much easier state to maneuver around the garden. For now though, things are pretty much tending to themselves, with a little bit of help from Burl and I to keep them hydrated.

basil

Growing full speed in our garden: Carrots! Lots of them! (5 varieties I believe). Several varieties of tomatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, sugar snap peas, more squash and pumpkins than I kept track of, and herbs! Oh the herbs! My new little herb garden I planted has flourished like you wouldn't believe! I'm up to my ears in basil, chamomile, stevia, peppermint, parsley, and many more.

blue hubbard squash

In the coming weeks, I'll keep you posted on the crops I'm able to reap from this year's garden. Have a nice weekend, my friends.

Thrift Store Shopping Tips

2011-08-04T07:38:00.000-07:00

I love shopping at thrift stores! I believe that shopping second hand is one of the most ethical ways of making purchases. Items that people no longer want, things that would otherwise end up in our landfills are able to find new purpose and new homes.

My mom took my sisters and I thrifting when we were younger, and I always hated it back then. The smell of the stores was difficult for me to get past. But as I've grown older, and now have to actually pay for my own things, I've been able to move past the smell and really learn to love thrift store shopping.

Aside from food, I purchase at least 90% of my families belongings second hand. I'd like to share some of my shopping tips with you today.

1. Go often. The most important tip I can give. Don't expect to find great deals in just one visit. Many times when I go I don't find anything worth purchasing. But the stores are constantly putting out new merchandise, so it's important to go often.

2. The more often you go, the more you'll learn which stores carry what you're looking for. I know the thrift store closest to my house rarely has clothing that I would buy, so I usually don't even bother looking through their clothing racks. But they always have furniture, kitchenware and other household items, so I know to always check those isles.
Also, the more often you go, you'll start to learn the layout of the stores and you can quickly run through the store to sift through the junk and find the treasures.

3. Have an ongoing list of things you need. For example, right now I'm looking for a new garbage can to keep under our kitchen sink. I don't need it right away, so I can just keep looking until I find one second hand. I have other things like that that I'm looking for, so I keep a list as to not forget something I may need at home.

4. Have a price limit. For example, if you're looking for a sweater, go into the store with a $7 limit. If you find a nice sweater priced for $12, pass on it. This helps to not make frivolous purchases.
Some stores have outrageous prices that I'm not willing to pay. Part of me feels like I shouldn't complain about the price, since it all goes to charity. But when it comes down to it, I'm not rich and really, they're trying to sell other peoples garbage, which really should not be overpriced.

5. I rarely pay the full price the stores are asking for. Most stores have specific discount days and coupons they give out. Learn when and what those are. Here, the Goodwill has a certain color of tag that they discount during the week and on weekends. I shop the Goodwill on those days. Value Village will give you a 20% discount coupon when you make a donation. I never buy at Value Village unless I have one of those coupons. Sometimes I'll drag my dad along, since he's able to get a senior discount.

6. Make friends with the employees. If you're nice, and support your local thrift stores, they appreciate it and may do favors for you. If I find an item that doesn't have a price tag on it, the employees usually give it to me for a good price, since they know who I am and know that I support their store.

7. Set limits. This one I'm still learning. Don't buy something just because it's a good deal. I bought a Le Crueset frying pan several months back that I just didn't need. It was a good deal, so I bought it. It sat and sat in my closet and I just re-donated it back to the same store. This happens to me a lot if I'm not careful. I try to only buy things that I really need.

I'm sure there are plenty of other tips out there. If you have a thrift store shopping tip to share, would you please leave it in the comments for us to read?

Happy Thursday, Friends!

Lavender

2011-07-27T09:20:00.000-07:00

I'm up to my eyeballs in lavender over here. Right now most of it is hanging in a closet to dry. I plan to use it in my soaps, bath salts, sachets, etc.

I also want to try this Lavender Shortbread recipe that my friend recommended. Some lavender lemonade also sounds delicious.

What's your favorite way to use lavender?

Preparing Future Dinners

2011-07-20T18:07:00.000-07:00

My mom just gave me her old crock pot. I've never really been a crock pot kind of gal, but I've used it several times the past couple weeks and have really enjoyed it. I think it's going to come in handy the next month or so when my new babe will be attached to my breast for the first several weeks. I'd like to do quite a bit of crock pot cooking, and come September when the air changes, I think my family and I will enjoy it all the more.

Do you have some crock pot recipes to share? I'll be needing them.

~~

I've been away at the beach all day with my boy and my niece. Such good times. We're sitting down now for our crock pot meal, then off to bed early. Enjoy your evening, my friends.

Thank You Cards

2011-07-15T08:03:00.000-07:00

I used to hand make all my thank you cards before my shop got busy during the months of last Autumn. When things got busy, I started sending a post card print of one of my photos with a little thank you note on the back. And while I still love that idea, I've missed sending handmade cards with each order.

Since my shop has been slower, I've had the time to make some cards, which I thoroughly enjoy doing. This latest set I made using only recycled papers. The back is a piece of recycled chip-board I found in some wine boxes that were being thrown away. I sewed a leaf which I hand cut from a piece of handmade paper I found in the thrift store. I used my little letterpress to emboss a simple "thank you" on the front. On the back, I stamped my etsy address and have room to write a simple note. A little bit of recycling, a little bit of repurposing, a little bit of sewing, a little bit of letterpress. Pretty perfect to me.

Remembering Thinner, Less Round in the Middle Days

2011-06-16T09:04:00.000-07:00

I wandered into my normal "Small" section in the women's department at the Goodwill the other day. I'm certain people were looking at my enormously pregnant belly and thinking that I have no business being in the small section.

I found a cute little outfit, that hopefully I'll be able to wear this fall. The linen skirt is my favorite, it's very me. Hand embroidered imported 100% linen. Love!

~~~

When it warms up a little bit more, Burl and I would like to try making some paper outside. I'd love to try to make seed paper. Do any of you have blogs/ books/ websites you've tried and recommend for instructions?

Have a wonderful day, my friends!

Etsy Barters

2011-06-15T09:07:00.000-07:00

Whatever happened to the bartering system? In the artist and crafting world, I feel it's still a wonderful way to conduct transactions. I'm contacted every now and then by other Etsy shop owners who would like to barter. I always accept, even if it's something I'm not that interested in.

In the case recently, I've been thrilled with the barters I've been part of! This darling little bird mobile comes from the shop Red or Gray Art. Her work is fantastic! So unique, creative and thoughtful. I can't express enough how thrilled I was with receiving her package. The quality and attention to detail was fabulous! I'm also inspired by the calmness her work brings me. Just looking through her photos and listings brings me a sense of peace.

I've also been over the moon with these birch tree candle holders. I want them all over my home!! These came from Urban + Forest. I'm inspired by the stillness and tranquility I feel from their shop and would welcome another barter with them anytime.

Beach Feet

2011-06-13T05:55:00.001-07:00

My little guy is always barefoot. Always. It's been a struggle from the first day of his birth to keep anything on his feet. Last week while walking the beach, he stepped on a sharp rock and had a small cut under his chubby little toe. That night before bed, I put a couple drops of breast milk (it's actually more like colostrum now) on his cut and voila! The next morning it was completely healed. Magic! Having a little boy who touches everything and has cuts and scrapes all over, and having a husband who has hands that obviously show how hard he works to provide for his family, my breast milk is our version of Neosporin in our home. From eye infections to cuts and scrapes, it has benefited all three of us. Here's a great article about the additional benefits of breast milk, aside from nutrition.

I'm thrilled to be approaching the breastfeeding days again. Burl weaned earlier than I had hoped, but has been asking to nurse the past couple weeks. It's strange, in such a good way, to be nursing my 3 1/2 year old again. His latch is off, and he doesn't nurse for very long but he's still able to express what's there. I'm an adamant believer in extended breastfeeding and the many benefits it brings. And in many instances in our home lately, it's been the perfect solution to my toddler begging for any kind of sugary treat. "Mmm, tastes like candy, Mama!" It's the best kind of sugar, and you just wait little boy, it'll get even sweeter after this baby arrives!

Little Embellishments

2011-06-10T13:00:00.000-07:00

I love wrapping tiny little packages and making them look pretty. Even more so, I love reusing found objects and giving them a new purpose. I always feel sad seeing tiny little seashells in the thrift stores, the multitude of little lives that were taken out of the sea, just to be discarded.

I was inspired by a package I recently received from the darling Etsy shop, Red or Gray Art. She makes the most lovely, meditative wabi sabi stones, among mobiles and other paper and fabric art.

I found a pretty bracelett at the thrift store, took it apart and reused the stones and shells. On Chinese Rice paper, I printed a simple "thank you", tore the little pieces, used two layers of mod podge, and voila! A simple little embellishment to pretty up any little package. In the last two pictures, I simply wrapped a small bar of soap in thrifted linen, then tied with bakers twine.

Hoping you all have time to make something pretty this weekend!

White Bread Rolls

2011-06-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

There's this really good Italian restaurant at home in California named D'Aurilios, and they serve the best bread. I once asked for the recipe as was given a vague description with enormous proportions like "a couple handfuls of salt, about 3/4 of a 50 pound bag of flour, several cups of yeast", etc. I recently worked the recipe down to workable proportions and came up with this little recipe here. And although it tastes nothing like D'Aurilios bread, it's still a pretty good go-to recipe for white dinner rolls. They aren't the best rolls I've ever had, but they are easy to make, and tasty.

Dissolve:
1T yeast
4 T sugar
2 1/2 C water

Add:
2T vegetable oil
1T salt

Knead in:
6-8 C flour

Let rise till double. Punch down, form into rolls. Let rise again until double. Bake at 375 degrees until done.

Enjoy!

Lilacs

2011-06-06T05:10:00.000-07:00

I stripped my Lilac tree last week. This is my first attempt at drying the blossoms. I'll let you all know how they turn out. If they do dry well, I think they would make wonderful additions to the pillows and sachets I make.

For now though, my whole house smells amazing!

Happy Monday.

Thank you, Banana Bread, and A Few Details

2011-05-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

My go-to recipe, Heather's Banana Bread. It's by far the best I've tried. I make it at least once a week, and it always gets devoured. I double it, which makes three large loaves. It's wonderful on it's own, but I add a little cinnamon and vanilla, because I love spice! And substitutes for the dairy work great.

May I take a moment to thank you all for your kind words? I love reading your comments, and appreciate your support of my blog more than I'm able to express. Regarding my woven fence post from Monday, some of you have emailed me with questions. Here are a few more details:

The posts are about 2-3 inches in circumference which I cut to about 3 feet in length.
I dug the holes about 9-12 inches with a small post hold digger, then buried the posts with just dirt.
The rails are fresh-cut, green branches that were still pliable. Fallen branches would be too brittle to bend and mold.
I have since tied the branches to the posts with garden twine, just to stabilize it a bit more.
The finished fence is only about 1-2 feet tall, just enough to keep my critters at bay.

Wishing you all a wonderful day!

Woven Fence

2011-05-23T14:57:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I started a new little herb patch in a little corner of my garden. I needed some fencing to keep critters out, the two, four and three-legged ones :).

My neighbors accross the street had several trees they were trimming, so I took the branches. It's not the greatest or prettiest of wattle fences, but it was free and it's functional. Doesn't get much better than that for me. The seeds and starts I planted a few weeks ago have nearly doubled in size, so the fence is obviously working.

There are several pictures and tutorials online, just do a google search for "woven" or "wattle" fence. I didn't follow any instructions, I didn't measure anything, I just started digging holes, cutting branches and weaving everything together. It sort of took on an organic shape of it's own, and I'm happy with that.

Can I Have a Re-do?

2011-05-19T10:36:00.000-07:00

I cringe when I read my interview from my Etsy feature last fall. I was still such a fledgeling little shop owner and crafter back then, I wish I had had more time to grow as an artist and crafter before I was chosen to be featured. Since that time I've grown and developed so much and it hasn't even been a year. I still don't concider myself an expert or seasoned shop owner, more of a crafter in her teenage state, but still so much has changed and I wish I could re-do my interview. Had I the opportunity, I would most like to change my answers for Advice to other Etsy shop owners:

1. Turn the flash off your cameras. You may have to best item, but if you have that flash turned on, it makes it look plain homemade and cheap.

2. Don't be afraid to be original and take risks! Discover who you are, and BE yourself, confidently. That's what makes Etsy shops successful.

3. Don't imitate other shops. If there's something you like, use it as inspiration and make it your own, rather than copying it. When you are a copier, you'll always be at least one step behind someone else. And you just won't flourish.

4. In my particular area of crafting, expect to spend a minimum of $10K before making a profit. I'm still not making a profit from my shop. Everything I make, I put back into my shop to improve my products and packaging. I'm not willing to make that type of investment, so I'm happy with my shop in it's current state, but I can only go so far until I make that investment. Mothering my children is far more important in my life than expanding my business right now. Making that type of investment, for me, would mean being less of a Mother.

5. Unless you make that $10K investment, don't expect to make a living off Etsy.

6. Find your marketing niche. What's comfortable for you? What's easy for you? I have two areas of comfort that have added great richness to my life, and in turn have helped me grow as a shop owner. First, I LOVE giving things away! And I don't just give things away in hopes that it will bring a sale. I just really love giving things away! Even to people I know will never buy my products. There's just something so rewarding with being generous with the small luxuries I create. And it may eventually bring business my way, which is always nice, but I cerainly don't expect it. If you give things away with the expectation of making money, it isn't sincere and just won't be received the same way. Sort of like a cheesy cars salesman trying to push something on you. Secondly, developing friendships online has added greatly to the quality of my life. It's been a wonderful thing for me to find kindred spirits online, and develop friendships with other artists and crafters via Etsy, Flickr, Big Cartel, etc. Pen-pals have been awesome! My friends support my work, and I support their work. And we all recommend and refer each other, it's a great circle of friendship that we all benefit from.

7. Start a blog. This has been (and still is) an area where I need development. I'm not confident in my writing skills, which keeps me from blogging more often. But the longer and more often I blog, the more confident I feel. It's also much easier for me to open up online. In person, I tend to be quiet and shy. A lot of people I know in person still have no idea that I run a successful Etsy shop.

Really, out of all of these words of advie, finding and being myself has been the most rewarding and beneficial aspects of my life, and in turn my shop. I'm still discovering who I am, and I hope I never stop finding out what my potential is.

Long live creativity!

Pumpkin Seeds

2011-05-16T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what happened to the post I did last week regarding these seeds. I hope my blog hasn't been hacked. Long story short, I dried and saved some certified organic pumpkin, gourd and squash seeds last fall, and have a lot left over. If you'd like some, leave a comment and I'll send you some. I know a few of you already left a comment, and I remember who you are, just send me your address to ambermek@yahoo.com.
Happy Monday, friends.

My Little Kitchen

2011-05-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

It's my least favorite room in my home. Not because of it's small size. No, I rather prefer small and cozy. It's that it's smack dab in the middle of the house, with non-existent natural lighting. And the orange faux-wood counter tops just don't do it for me. Neither do the Home Depot Special vinyl covered cupboards. Or the electric oven. Or the 1981 laminate flooring. Or the fluorescent lighting.

But oh! If I could have a new sink with two little windows above it that open outside! And a wood/ gas cook stove. And this chandelier. And some wood or tile or granite counter tops. It can even be really small, and I'd be a happy camper.

But alas, it's a perfectly functional kitchen. Everything is complete, and working, and tidy. And really, aside from aesthetics, there's no reason to change anything. A fiscal investment of that magnitude wouldn't be a responsible move for us to make in this home, that we really don't plan on staying in forever. So for now, I'll have to just keep dreaming, waiting and planning for when it's time to build our dream home.

Some Sun, Finally

2011-05-04T08:34:00.000-07:00

It's actually sunny today! A novel thing here in Seattle as of late. I'm spending the day outside with my gang. Some seeds going in the ground today:

Chamomile
Peppermint
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Stevia
Lemon Balm
Oregano
More Carrots
~Just to name a few :)

Enjoy your day, my friends.

Old Windows, Part Two

2011-05-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

Remember a little bit ago my post on greenhouses and structures made from old windows? And how I've been collecting ones I find for free on Craigslist in hopes of building one someday?

I put together my first cold frame a couple weeks ago, over some carrot seeds I had just planted. Burl was outside with me, barefoot of course, helping. Just as I was leaning the windows together, some paint chipped off and fell to the soil right next to his sweet, chubby little foot. Light bulb!!! Lead poisoning!

These old windows come from old, old homes, and most likely are treated with lead paint. I can't have that in my garden. So all those windows I've collected immediately took a new location, the furthest spot on our property from the garden. I don't know what I'll do now. That lead paint is bad bad stuff, and I no longer want anything to do with those windows. I don't know why I didn't think of it before. I still LOVE the look and idea of those greenhouses though, so I'm not quite ready to get rid of them.

I've considered sanding the paint off. But still, I'd have to deal with the lead, and where would I dispose of it? I won't use any chemical strippers, so that 's out of the question. Another concern I have is the glass itself, which also is leaded. Who knows if there is a potential for lead to seep out into the environment just from the glass alone. I don't want to be the one to test it.

Any thoughts friends?

The Last of Last Year's Crop

2011-05-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

This year's carrots need to seriously start growing faster. Of all that I grow, carrots are by far one of Burl's favorite. I absolutely love providing him with food that he can eat straight from the ground. And I love that he can just go out to the garden whenever he wants, and pick a snack. We only have a few carrots left in the ground that I'm trying to ration, but the sweet little boy begs for a carrot at least once a day. And he specifically requests that I not rinse them, because he prefers the taste of the dirt :).

One of my favorite ways to prepared carrots goes a little something like this:

Ginger Glazed Carrots

Sliced carrots into 1-2 inch pieces (I leave the peels on)
1 clove chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger
the juice of two oranges
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 C water
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cumin
salt and pepper
Bake at 400 degrees until tender, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Leaf Skeletons

2011-04-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

Aside from bringing home pine cones, sea shells, rocks, sticks, worms, and anything else Burl finds along our walks, we've been gathering leaf skeletons. There are several tutorials online on how to prepare your own, but they involve chemicals and tedious work. I've learned that if you look hard enough you'll be able to find them all on your own, just outside. I find them under hydrangea and camellia bushes during Fall, Winter and early Spring.

I've been tucking these little leaves into gifts and samples and other things that I give away. I think they'd look pretty in a simple frame as well. Happy Hunting!

Eggs Done Naturally

2011-04-23T12:19:00.000-07:00

Enough with yesterday's heaviness....On to happier things!

Like dyeing Easter Eggs with natural dyes. This was my first experiment with dyeing anything since my childhood. I had several herbs and vegetables already on hand that can be used for natural dyes; spirulina, black walnut, turmeric, beet powder, red onion skins, and alkanet. The eggs didn't turn out has vibrant or bright as I had hoped; did I add too much vinegar? Not enough? I don't know, but the whole process was so much fun, and something I'll be doing more of. In fact, I have some yarn soaking in some dye right as I type. I'll reveal those results in another post.

For these eggs, I loosely followed Martha's instructions. A simple google search will bring up unlimited links as well.

I'm extending my candle/ lip balm giveaway until Monday. Happy Easter, my friends. It really is a very special time of year that has much meaning to me.

With love ~ Amber

Earth Day and Copycats

2011-04-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

Happy Earth Day, friends! I love this day of the year, and am especially happy that it's here today. I've had a rough few days this week, and am looking forward to relaxing today.

Earlier this week, I learned of a copycat shop on Etsy that has been stealing my ideas and creations and claiming them to be their own. I stewed and fumed over it for a few days, but them calmed down and came to this conclusion: This shop really isn't a threat to me. I don't feel that this shop has the potential to be taking business away from me. It's just the principle of the matter really gets to me. The shop is run by a repeat customer of mine, who obviously bought items they planned on recreating and selling in their shop claiming them to be their own creations.

I admit that my shop isn't filled of novel ideas. Essential oil blends like Grapefruit Mint or Lavender Citrus are not things that I invented. And brown paper packages tied with string, not my idea. But my Lip Balm? And my Spring blend? My verbiage and photography? My packaging and labels and designs? Those are absolutely things that I solely created that this person has ripped off from me. And those aren't the only things that were stolen. The entire shop is basically a knockoff of my creations.

Here are some of my thoughts: my shop is original and authentic. I've spent years and years and countless hours and hard work (and money!) developing my products, my style, my customer base, etc. And I'm still growing as a crafter and shop owner. And for this person to just swoop in, and within a few months of ordering my products expect to have a successful little shop that is just a copy of mine, it really upsets me. I've had many, many artists, crafters, friends, Etsy shop owners, and prominent bloggers step up to support me. Many of these friends of mine are creative and talented artists who have had similar situations happen to them. Unfortunately, copycats seem to be a growing trend with artists on the internet.. Read a little about copycats here and here. If this person follows anything I do online, which obviously they do, they'll become aware that I know what they are up to. This person has temporarily closed their shop claiming "vacation", and hopefully they are taking time to seriously reconsider the direction of their shop.

Anyway, I've decided to take the turn-the-other-cheek approach, for now. But I'll have a close eye on this person. I have better things to do than to deal with this. Better things like nourish the growing babe in my belly, and wash sap off my three-year-old's feet, and finish making critter barriers to protect my fruit and vegetable crops, and snuggle my Baby Kitty (that's what Burl prefers me call him these days, "I want you snuggle me, Mama Kitty") and plant more seeds, and make more soap, and read this book, again, for the gazillionth time today.

So let's get on with celebrating Earth Day! Today, in honor of Earth Day and ORIGINALITY!, with each order over $10 (before shipping costs), I'm giving away your choice of my Sweet Peppermint Lip Balm or a 3-ounce Spring Soy Wax Candle.

Enjoy your day, my friends! And enjoy this beautiful Earth we live on!

With love,
Amber

Simple Potato Saute

2011-04-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Our lunch today, inspired by the ingredients I had on hand and a dish that was served at a cafe where I used to work.

Simple Potato Saute:

Saute 8 diced red potatoes from the garden in a couple tablespoons of butter for about 10 minutes. Add 1 diced red pepper and saute another 5 minutes. Add 1/2 diced sweet yellow onion and saute another few minutes. Season with 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon paprika, salt, pepper, and chopped fresh cilantro.

Enjoy!

Curry Lentil Vegetable Soup

2011-04-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

Before I forget how I made it, I thought I'd share what I just put together for lunch. Burl devoured it.

Saute in olive oil:
1/2 small white onion
1 small russet potato
3 celery stalks
2 carrots
1 yellow crookneck squash
1 zucchini
about 1 1/2 cups cauliflower

Simmer about 1 1/2 C lentils in a separate pot, add to veggies. Season with salt, pepper and curry powder (about 2 T).

The sun is shinning today (kind of), Burl and I are taking a quick break from seed planting to enjoy our soup outside.

Enjoy your day!

Flower Friday

2011-04-15T10:06:00.000-07:00

For months it's been so dreary around these corners! I'm so very anxious to see some sunshine. It's a wonder how all the flowers are starting to bloom. But sure enough, they are. And that gives me hope that sunny weather is on it's way.

Enjoy your Friday, my friends!

Out Collecting

2011-04-12T12:46:00.000-07:00

Burl and I take a lot of walks and collect little things along our way. Among many evergreens in our neighborhood are two beautiful pine trees with long needles and big pine cones. We've been saving the larger pine cones along our way. Last fall, we made some pine cone candles for fire starting, which were quickly burned up. I plan to make more this coming fall. I make mine a little differently, but DesignSponge has a great post on how to make them.

I'll share more of our collections in another post. Happy Tuesday, friends!

Old Windows

2011-04-11T09:02:00.001-07:00

I'd love to have a little greenhouse like this or this. I've been collecting old wooden framed windows that I find for free on Craigslist, in the hopes that someday I'll be able to construct some sort of greenhouse. I have about 50 windows so far, and no idea how to transform them into a structure.

~

Ravenna Gardens has some beautiful sheds, made by John Akers.

There's also a man on Whidbey Island who makes some pretty beautiful sheds out of reclaimed materials. Pretty creative folks, if you ask me.

Happy Monday, friends.

Welcome Spring!

2011-03-21T10:03:00.000-07:00

(My pregnancy progression with Burl)

Well that was a doozy. I'm well into my second trimester and am just now starting to regain some energy as the nausea is passing. I'm feeling much more myself, although rounder and heavier in the middle. I'm still not past the mandatory afternoon nap stage, but I'm A-Ok with that. It gives me time to snuggle Burl just a little bit more each day.

I'm looking forward to January, February and most of March being a far distant memory. My mind and body have never been at greater odds than they have these past few months, with strange food aversions and cravings. Vienna Sausages? Really body? You think you want to eat those? And normal foods that I enjoy eating just did not sit well with me. It was such strange sensations being nauseous constantly for 3 months, and yet still feeling so hungry and ravenous at times. I tried so many remedies, but soldering through it seemed to be the only answer.

~~

During my months of sickness and exhaustion, I had to take a little break from my shop. Everything having to do with my little shop seemed to worsen my symptoms; smells of essential oils, getting headaches while looking at my computer screen, feeling dizzy while looking through a camera. It was a much needed break. But I've missed my little Etsy shop and I'm back now. I've reopened, with most of my inventory in stock. A few products I'm waiting on supplies before I can restock, which will hopefully be in the next couple weeks.

~~

Three years ago today, I was in the middle of a 36 hour labor with my little Spring Chicken. Tonight marks the beginning of Burl's fourth year around the Sun. We are headed to the beach- at his request- for cake, a bon fire and a celebration of his life with friends and family.

Happy Spring to you, my friends!

Annoncing...

2011-03-01T13:36:00.000-08:00

The reason I've been SO. SICK. the past two months, and the reason I've been totally absent from this space.
Baby number 2, coming late-August-ish.

Hopefully I'll be coming around here more often.

Sickness

2011-01-19T05:27:00.000-08:00

I've never considered myself a person who gets sick often. I've always felt healthy and vibrant, and still do to some degree. But since becoming a parent, I've come down with colds more often than ever. I suppose it's all the bugs my little boy's hands touch and carry home throughout the days. Perhaps it's because of the lack of sleep I now get since becoming a mother. I don't know. But I'm tired of it. I'm particularly tired of this darn cold that I've had for what feels like over a month now.

Today I'm trying a new strategy, to just ignore it. Get out of bed, get dressed, open my curtains, clean my house!, prepare some foods. Maybe even do my hair, something I haven't done for weeks now. Go about my day, run errands, and just hope it goes away. I do believe in the power of the mind, and I believe a positive attitude can do great things.

Wish me luck today in finally overcoming this obnoxious flu.

A Candle Sale

2011-01-10T08:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, my friends.

I'd like to make room in my shop for new candle containers. So today, all glass filled candles will be buy one get one free. Let's see how today goes, and perhaps I'll extend the sale until tomorrow. In the "comments to seller" section at checkout, let me know what type of candle you'd like to have.

Wishing you a wonderful day.

For This Year

2011-01-05T08:59:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, my friends.

Looking back on my goals from last year, I feel pretty good at what I've accomplished. But there is still so much growing, so much improving to do in my life.

Here are few things that top my list of ways to better myself and my family:

~Journal more.

~I'd love to learn more about spinning yarn.

~Keep my home more presentable.

~Eat dinner at the dinning room table more often as a family.

Wishing you a wonderful year filled with happiness.

For 2012

2011-01-02T20:29:00.000-08:00

A few things have been on my mind for this next year. Care to know?

:: Changes in my shop. Streamlining things, simplifying things, and (possibly) branching out from selling just on Etsy. More details later.

:: While browsing through pre-baby pictures of my home, I was blown away at how clean! and organized! and tidy! our home used to be. It used to be effortless. Now, it takes E-fort, with a capital E! I'd like to change that. My home needs more of my attention. I shall be remedying this.

:: I used to run, a lot, before having kids. I miss it. It hurts sometimes, but simultaneously feels so good, know what I mean? I need to make this more of a priority. It's hard to leave Bodhi, since he nurses on demand. It's difficult to be away from him for more than 20-30 minutes. But as he's getting older, it's getting easier. And those short moments I'm able to be away from him, I'll be trying to run more.

:: My sewing machine. I'm so fortunate to have such a brilliant machine, I need to put it use more. I hope to show you more projects throughout this next year.

:: Go to bed earlier. I've gotten into the horrible habit of staying up late after my boys go to bed. And I'm tired all the time because of it. That's got to stop.

Happy 2012, friends! Thank you for joining me each time I post, I do love your company.

Raw Fiber

2010-12-28T09:22:00.000-08:00

I've been working my own fibers, wool mostly, and have been thoroughly engaged with the activity. It intrigues me how fiber that is clumpy, rough, dirty and crusty can turn into something so light, fluffy and soft. The entire process is time-consuming, but so soothing to me.

Play Clay

2010-12-27T08:59:00.000-08:00

Burl and I have been making play dough for a while now. We've experimented with recipes, ingredients and natural additives and have had a delightful time in the process.

When I was at Urban Craft Uprising, I was happy to meet Kari of Mama K's Play Clay. I bought some of her clays and love them. And look how adorable she is! She was recently the featured seller on Etsy, a well-deserved honor. I highly recommend supporting her shop and purchasing her clays.

I also high recommend making your own. It's an easy and fun activity that engages sensory development. I follow a few recipes, but this one is a good starter. Burl and I made a few batches this year for Christmas gifts. I skip the food coloring and instead add dried botanicals for color, like beet powder, golden seal, alkanet and spirulina. I add essential oils for therapeutic affects.
Burl helped color the sticker labels :) and we put them all in 4-ounce size tins. Voila! A simple, earthy, healthy, non-toxic, non-synthetic gift.

The Christmas Tree

2010-12-26T13:58:00.000-08:00

It's coming down tomorrow. I can't help myself. Once Christmas Day has passed, I'm ready to move on. I know I get way ahead of reality, but I'm ready to start seeds indoors, shop seed catalogs, till my garden, rush in Spring, and ignore the snow all together.

~

This year we were gifted a beautiful (and huge!) poinsettia. I've never had one before, tell me, what do you do with yours after Christmas is over?

Natural Christmas

2010-12-24T09:27:00.000-08:00

With twinkle lights, a tree and some findings from outdoors, we've kept our Christmas decorating simple. Burl and I foraged our garden and neighborhood to decorate our home; we picked holly berries from our backyard, bay leaves from our herb garden, fallen pine cones from down the road, and evergreen branches. Filled in baskets, little glass jars and cloches around our home, we've really enjoyed the simple feel these natural touches have added this season.

Merry Christmas, my dear friends. His love and peace to you all.

A Saturday in December

2010-12-18T09:41:00.001-08:00

Isn't love really all you need sometimes? It's an old proverb I remember my dad sharing with us as I was a little girl.

~

Burl has a sticker collection on the car doors. It keeps him occupied and prevents him from running in the streets as I unlock the car doors.

~

I think this may be our last year buying a freshly cut Christmas tree. I love live trees, but it just feels like it's time to evolve into something else. Something less expensive and more sustainable, you know?

Happy Saturday, friends!

Ricili Kids

2010-12-13T09:57:00.000-08:00

I didn't buy much at Urban Craft Uprising a couple weekends ago. But I HAD to buy this darling little coat for Burl, from Ricili Kids. It's made from a recycled adult size flannel.

It SO reminds me of high school in 1993. Alex says he had a flannel just like this that he wore to an Alice in Chains concert. All Burl needs is a pair of Dr. Martens and he'll look just like all my old high school boyfriends. Except way cuter, of course.

2010-12-10T09:22:00.000-08:00

I'm so comforted by the outpouring of kindness from you, my friends. Please know that each of your comments, thoughts and prayers are appreciated more than I can express. Thank you. So very much.

~~~

Here's a sneak peak at my mom's gift for Christmas. My sweet friend, Heather Smith Jones is the author. Her new book is absolutely beautiful.

Keeping It Real

2010-12-07T09:06:00.000-08:00

I've been away from this space, I know. And I left without warning or explanation. I'm back now and I feel comfortable sharing a little about where I've been.

Several weeks ago Alex and I were thrilled to learn we were expecting our second child. It was especially fabulous news for us because it has been so challenging for us to conceive. I spent the next little while in a splendid daze of queasiness and bliss. Thanksgiving day brought us heartache though, as I woke that morning with something just not right with the baby. We spent most the day in the ER as I miscarried our child.

My parents and sisters rushed to be with us and to care for Burl while Alex and I waited at the hospital. As he and I drove home later that day, I was filled with two overwhelming and opposing emotions. I was so, so sad for what had just happened. Yet I was overwhelmingly thankful for the life I live. For my husband. For our beautiful son. For the life that had been inside me. For the happiness I have. And I felt that if these are the worst conditions I'm having to endure, I will endure them willingly.

I spent the next week or so feeling sad and sorry for our loss. I tried embracing the despare and really allowing myself to experience the grief. I tried finding the proper balance between feeling disappointment yet not wallowing in sadness.

I'm on my way back up now and I feel good. I have deeply rooted beliefs in a Savior and Father in Heaven who love me and want me to be happy. I am blessed, and I know I will continue to be blessed. So thank you for being patient while I was away. And thank you for being my friends.

Pumpkins

2010-11-11T10:05:00.000-08:00

I'm a little late here, mainly because I just got my film back. Also because I tend to procrastinate. But I wanted to share how we did our pumpkins for Halloween this year. I followed an idea I saw on Crafting A Green World.

This activity was more than just pounding holes in our gourds. Burl exercised his concentration, his gross and fine motor skills, we talked about all sorts of different subjects from spelling, to counting and subtracting seeds and pumpkins, anatomy, nutrition, compost. I'm already really, really enjoying my experiences with homeschooling/ unschooling my sweet boy. And although it's well past Halloween, we still drift off to sleep together with a small candle burning in one of our little pumpkins. So very sweet.

I'll be back in another post to show you what we did with our pumpkin seeds.

Hallway

2010-11-09T08:48:00.000-08:00

I know I've mentioned here and there about how much I would LOVE to have more property where I could take in and care for rescued farm animals. Truth is, as much as our family plans on and would like for this to happen, it will be a while before we're able to make a move like that.

In the mean time, we've decided (actually I decide, usually spur of the moment, and late at night) to make small changes along our way while we are in our home. For example, like ripping out the hallway carpet at 10pm several months ago. I knew we had wood floors underneath, I just didn't know what kind of wood and what condition. After spending the entire night ripping out and cleaning up the who-knows-how-old carpet, carpet padding, 60 or 70 year old cardboard/ sheep fiber-type glued on padding, we found fir flooring underneath. IT WAS DISGUSTING! There was so much dirt, muck and grim on that wood, I was horrified to know we had been living with and breathing it in our home for these many years. It felt so good to get it all out. We still have two rooms to go.

The wood seems to be some sort of sub flooring and needs to be sanded and finished. Until that happens, we chose to paint the floor white. Our hallway is a small and dark place and needed some lightening up, so white was a good decision. Although dirt and dust are a lot more visible than they were on the carpet, I'm confident in our decision to make our home more healthy.

We ventured down to EcoHaus in Seattle, which I highly recommend. We chose to use paints by American Pride, for several reasons. Zero VOC's for starters. We started with one layer of primer. For the top coat, I mixed a 50/50 ration of Interior Eggshell Pastel, in "Grace's Smile" by American Pride and Vermont Natural Wood Finish, in semi-gloss. After living with the finished floors for several months now, I plan to add one last coat of the Vermont Natural Finish.

Good Stuff In The Mail

2010-11-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

Every now and then I treat myself to a little something. Probably more often than I should, considering we're on a tight budget. But when I do splurge a little, I try to purchase things that everyone in my family can benefit from. Like the 3191 quarterly magazines. They're worth every penny.

And The Winner Is...

2010-11-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

Tonya, of Plain and Joyful Living.

I want to thank ALL who donated, I had so many wonderful comments. So many wonderful friends, so much support I feel here in my little blog. My heart is full. I appreciate you allowing me to be myself and express just who I am. And I appreciate having your support for the causes that are dear to my heart.

The plans are rolling ahead for our weekend getaway to Forks, Wa. to assist Olympic Animal Sanctuary. I plan on camping out in a motor home with Burl, my mom and our dogs for the weekend. My mom and I will take turns entertaining Burl and working with the rest of the group. My mom traveled down to New Orleans with me in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help with the animal rescue efforts there. So she and I are accustomed to roughing it together for the sake of the animals.

Thank you again to all who donated to the animals of Olympic Animal Sanctuary! Tomorrow, I'm spending the day volunteering with my dear friend, Dr. Brad Cauer who is the medical director of the Seattle Humane Society. We're working a low-cost Spay/ Neuter day and hope to alter 200+ cats! It's going to be a loooong and rewarding day. See you later this week, my friends. Xo.

Autumn Nature Board

2010-11-01T10:10:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by the the Fall Collection Board posted on Design*Sponge by Small Stump and Studio Choo. Burl and I made our own board to display our Autumn findings. We purchased our materials from the thrift store and spent less than $5. We're filling it with all sorts of specimens collected from our daily walks. It's a work in progress, we're still finding items to add, identify and label. It's been a perfect Fall project to work on with my sweet, nature-loving boy.

I'll be back later this afternoon to announce the winner for the giveaway. Happy Monday, my friends.

10.28.2010

2010-10-28T09:44:00.001-07:00

Happy Thursday, Friends.

All this talk about being poor, going without certain luxuries and wanting more has really got me thinking that I need to appreciate more what I do have. And all the time these past few months I've spent preparing for my Etsy feature, and the hours and hours of work since then has taken a lot of my time away from Burl.

When I was younger, I used to think my life would be complete with a husband. Then I wanted a home to call our own. Then I wanted a baby. Now I want another baby. And more land. When does it stop? There will always be more and more that I long for. I've decided to try to live more in the present and appreciate the full life that I'm living and the blessings beyond measure that I have.

So, my babe and I have been working on several projects together and spending lots of time in our cozy home and outside walking in nature. I'll share some details and pictures soon.

Until then, THANK YOU! for all of your comments and donations to Olympic Animal Sanctuary. Keep them coming. I'm so excited to choose the winner!

Have a lovely day, my friends.

A HUGE Giveaway

2010-10-24T21:58:00.001-07:00

Do you know how much stuff I can fit into a medium sized priority mail flat rate shipping box? A LOT of stuff. And that's what I'm giving away, one boxed filled with candles, soaps, bath salts; whatever the winner chooses. I'm estimating the box will be filled with at least $100 worth of my products from my shop.

But let me first tell you a little about Bobo. I met him about 7 years ago on one of my first days of work at Redmond Animal Hospital. He was so cute cuddled up in his kennel with his teddy bear in his mouth. He rolled over on his back wagging his tail for me to pet his tummy, and when I reached for him, the little stinker bit me. Really hard.

Bobo was bought as a puppy by his owners, who put him through extensive training to cure his aggressive behavior. But Bobo just never got over his biting issues. His owners had a baby about a year ago and decided to have him euthanized before the baby was born. The literal day of his euthanasia, my friend Trace from the animal hospital called me, desperate for help to save his life. I rallied with some of my friends in the animal rescue community here in Seattle and within a few hours we had a foster home for him. Shortly after, Steve Markwell, the founder of Olympic Animal Sanctuary agreed to take him into his sanctuary.

Steve is an INCREDIBLE man, one like I've never met before. His life is running this sanctuary, which is filled with dogs who would have been euthanized otherwise. He sleeps with them, he spends his days with them, they are his life. And I feel the world owes so much appreciation to him.

~~~

In a few weeks with some of my dear friends, I'm attending a reunion, a weekend of service at Olympic Animal Sanctuary. We need funds to help complete some projects that are desperately needed at the Sanctuary. And Steve is always in need of financial help to support these animals.

~~~

Here's how my giveaway will work:
Donate what you can via paypal to Olympic Animal Sanctuary, even if it's just one dollar. I don't need to know how much you donated, just that a donation was made. This will be on the honor system. Respond to my post here, or message me through email (ambermek@yahoo.com) or Facebook letting me know that you donated. Again, I don't need to know how much you contributed, as every cent helps. I'll randomly choose a winner on Monday, Novemeber 1st.

~~~

Become a friend Steve's on Facebook. And make sure to visit his site and support him in any way you can. Also, don't be surprised if you see him soon in People Magazine, or on Animal Planet, they all are trying to get a piece of Steve :). I'll be back next Monday to announce the winner. Thank you, my friends!

Humble Life

2010-10-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

You all are so kind and supportive and your words are so encouraging. And I thank you for that.

I'm afraid I may have left the impression that I'm rolling in money. I'm not. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Alex and I live a very humble life, a very frugal life that I am so, SO grateful for. We sacrifice so very much for the sake of me staying home with our little boy, which is more important to both of us than anything else.

Would you like to know a little about how wonderfully poor we are??

~I drive an old Honda sedan with no air conditioning, torn seat belts and ripped upholstery. And that's our main vehicle.
~Alex drives a dump truck, which is quite old.
~The bulk of our budget goes to purchasing organic foods for ourselves and our dogs.
~We don't have a land line telephone, just a basic cell phone plan.
~We don't have cable television.
~I line-dry our laundry.
~We rarely use our heater, many days we can see our breath in our home.
~I can't remember the last time Alex and I went out together, or the last time we bought clothes for ourselves.
~Aside from food, everything we purchase is second hand.

We absolutely love our poor and frugal life. We have no debt, aside from our mortgage. We save for rainy days, and we love our little, humble life together as a family.

Now if you will, share with me me some ways you save money?

Did I really?

2010-10-21T14:34:00.000-07:00

Just mail out the last of ALL my 400 + Etsy orders? Yes, I really did. Time for a long nap.

Enjoying Autumn...Finally

2010-10-20T14:22:00.000-07:00

After nearly a month since my Etsy feature, I'm finally starting feel caught up... just in time to enjoy this time of year, which I love so dearly. The crispness in the air, the chilly mornings and warm afternoons, the shorter days, the smell of fires burning and bonfires at the beach, the sun shining lower in the sky, bare branches with exposed bird nests, the fallen leaves all around, the strange fungus that grows all over these corners of the world...Autumn really is a magical time of year.

Growth

2010-10-15T10:53:00.001-07:00

I'm always amazed how, with the proper environment and nourishment, life can go from a small seed to a tall, healthy, beautiful being within just a few short months.
Life is amazing.

Wow.

2010-10-05T11:04:00.000-07:00

Just dropping in quickly to say hello. My Etsy feature last week was far more successful than I had hoped for. This is the current state of my desk, overwhelmingly busy, but in a good way. Thank you all so so much for you kind words and support. I'm humbled and feel very blessed. And I thank you all for that.

I have about half of my orders mailed, and hope to get the rest mailed today and tomorrow. If you've ordered from me, please know I appreciate it. Very much. And I'm working hard to speedily send packages out. It's all I've been doing since last week, my poor little Burl misses having all my attention. Thank you for your kindness, generosity and patience.

Much love to you, all my friends.

Etsy Featured Seller

2010-09-29T10:18:00.000-07:00

I'm the feature seller on Etsy. You can find my shop here. And my interview here.

A Little Letterpress

2010-09-27T23:20:00.000-07:00

I simply love letterpress. I have a small press of my own that I play around with occasionally. I recently purchased some lovely note cards from the charming Etsy shop, Orsis. The shop belongs to two of my friends, sisters Ona and Rhea, who I know from my home in California. Both creative, talented, gentle and kind ladies. I'm honored to have some of their beautiful pieces. It may be hard for me to part with these note cards though, I'm tempted to hoard them, frame them and treat them as pieces of art, which truly they are. Seriously. Do you see those lined envelopes?? How am I supposed to part with those? Indeed, it will be difficult.

Perfume Oils

2010-09-27T14:44:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends. Just popping in today to let you know I've added perfume oils to my shop. I've been working on this formula for quite a while, and now feel comfortable to have them available in my shop. They are a mixture of essential oil blends and a base carrier oil. The base carrier is a mixture of 8 fruit and vegetable oils, including Rosemary oil, Apricot oil, Jojoba oil, and Avocado oil. It's moisturizing, lightweight and gentle. I combine the base oil in a 50/50 ration with my essential oils blends, making them very fragrant and concentrated*.

The perfume oils are available in small 1 ml sample vials and larger 10.35 ml roll on bottles. They are available in all of my 10 essential oil blends.

*My essential oil blends contain no synthetic fragrances. Only pure herb, flower, plant oils, resins and extracts. They may be irritating to sensitive skin.

Season of Peace

2010-09-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

I have a new essential oil blend, one I've been working on for quite a while. I wanted to create something that reminded me of this time of year and the coming winter months. The season of harvest, the season of Autumn, and giving thanks, and celebrating peace and joy and the birth of Christ. The season of snow and fires and rain and cinnamon. My new Peace blend encompasses all of these feelings for me. Really, I can best describe the blend as a cup of Chai, spiked with tangerine and vanilla.

My Peace blend is a combination of 20 essential oils; from cinnamon, to cardamom, to clove and orange. I do hope you enjoy this aroma, I now have it available in my shop in soaps, soy wax candles, and soy beeswax candles. Today is first day of Autumn, my friends. Peace to you all.

More From the Garden

2010-09-21T08:46:00.000-07:00

You just can't find veggies like this in the markets. So fresh, organic, slightly imperfect looking, but so very delicious! When Burl tells me he's hungry, there's so much satisfaction I feel holding his chubby little hand while we walk to the garden to pick a snack. It's so much fun for all of us to be living off the our land as much as we can, even if it is just in small ways.

And really, how delicious are carrots that have a flavor of dirt to them? So delicious, I tell you!

Seven Years

2010-09-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

In many, many ways, I've always felt like Alex is the yang to my yin. He's so very different than I am, in just the right ways. We balance each other. Help each other. Guide one another towards becoming better human beings. Where one is weak, the other is strong. When one is vulnerable, the other protects.

Today we celebrate our seventh year of marriage. Our marriage is happy, secure, safe, comfortable, and stable, for many reasons. Because of our differences. Because of our similarities. Because of the love and respect we have for each other. Because of our Spiritual beliefs. But mainly because of the sacred commitments we have made with one another, that we both treasure so very deeply. Happy Anniversary, my love.

Cous Cous Salad

2010-09-17T08:21:00.000-07:00

One of our favorite meals around here is a couscous salad I've come up with. Burl absolute loves it and would eat it nearly every night if he could.

It goes a little something like this:

Several cups of prepared couscous
2 cups garbanzo beans
1 red bell pepper
1 carrot
1 tomato
1 jalapeno
1/2 cup cilantro
1 cup raw slivered almonds
1/2 cup green onions
2 lemons, the zest and juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon cumin
salt

Of course you can make is as spicy as you like, and add or omit ingredients to your liking.

Enjoy!

Our Peach Tree

2010-09-14T11:56:00.000-07:00

When we bought our home nearly 6 years ago, it came with a small peach tree planted in the front yard. I know very little about peach tree maintenance, only that each peach should have it's own 6 inches to grow and stretch. This means plucking the smaller peaches to give room for the healthier ones. I haven't done anything to maintain the health of that little tree, yet it still continues to grow and produce fruit each year. We've been enjoying our peaches fresh off the tree, with a little raw honey drizzled on top. I picked the very last two peaches just this morning, and we enjoyed them for lunch.
Till next year!

Zucchini Bread

2010-09-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

Does anyone have a good zucchini bread recipe? We recently made this recipe. I chose it because it called for vegetable oil instead of butter, and I was able to use a substitute for the eggs. It was edible, but not what I was hoping for. I'm wanting to recreate the zucchini walnut bread from Jamba Juice, it's so, so good and much better than the loaves I made.

Enjoy your weekends, my friends!

Potato Harvest

2010-09-03T03:17:00.000-07:00

We've had an abundant potato harvest this year, for which we are very grateful.

What are some of you favorite ways for preparing and preserving potatoes?

Baby Carriers

2010-09-01T09:45:00.000-07:00

(7-7-2008)

(7-25-2008)

(8-29-2008)

(7-29-2009)

(yesterday, 8-31-2010)

Enjoy some pictures of me and Burl in our baby carriers over the past couple of years. We've tried several carriers, and the Ergo has been our favorite. We also love our Gypsy Mama wraps.

Raw Foods

2010-08-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

I ate completely raw today; it was delicious, I'm stuffed and I feel great! I believe the raw vegan diet to be superior, but lack the willpower and desire to switch completely. Today was a fun experiment, though.

Some of the foods I feasted on: fresh orange juice, almonds, a dark leafy green salad from my garden with tomatoes, avocados, sunflower seeds, sprouted garbanzo beans and a cilantro, jalapeno, lime vinaigrette. I also made a banana, chocolate, coconut torte to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Hope you've had a great weekend, my friends!

Spoon Oil

2010-08-12T09:27:00.000-07:00

I use Abby's method for preparing my spoon oil. It's a simple blend of 8 ounces of walnut oil and 2 ounces of beeswax. I use it often after hand washing my wooden kitchen items - usually I apply it after every second or third wash. It keeps the wood conditioned, rich, and healthy.

Stephanie has another lovely post about spoon oil over at 3191 Miles Apart. And more beautiful photos here taken by my dear friend Nicole.

Chester

2010-08-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

You know how once, or twice or if you're very lucky, a few times in your life you have THAT ONE pet? The one that means more to you than any other pet? The one that you have a special connection with? The one that is the match to your soul, the one that you hope never, ever has to leave you?

That animal for me is my little dog Chester. He's the second "one" in my life. And I love him more and more every day I'm with him. If ever there were a dog and human that loved each other so, it's Chester and me.