I love this chair.  I’ve been thinking a lot about chairs lately.  I love my pink chairs at LuckyStitches, and I’m noticing chairs more and more.  Maybe when the lounge takes off, and it’s time for new chairs, I’ll get a few of these.  Although this would be quite perfect at my desk, the one I daydream about having…

A few other things I like in their catalog:

Wallpaper- not a lot of it, but a smidge, on one wall, would be lovely.

Ornaments, oh ornaments.  I am so looking forward to Christmas.

I’m sure by now, you’re up to date on the whole brouhaha about Jane Brocket’s book The Gentle Art of Domesticity. You can hear the interview that sparked it on BBC Women’s Hour.

I don’t really need to add my 2¢ (but…). I think you know, after all, I’ve sewn all my life making my own clothes and many, many gifts, been the breadwinner for many years, taught myself to knit, CHOSE to leave my office job to raise my daughter, and most recently launched a business, yes, a sewing business.

Through blogs, circles, groups all of these have social aspect too. For me it’s all about inspiration. I hope to inspire others and be inspired. How boring if I sat in my chair in front of the television by myself and did nothing but veg? I don’t want a mush brain. I choose to sew and knit and bake and craft it up. Keep my brain thinking about patterns and colors and textures, all of which include color theory, math and vocabulary and pattern making. I want to learn new things. I rarely do the same project twice, I’d rather pick something I haven’t done before, something challenging, change the pattern, scale, use an unexpected color or medium. It’s even better if I can experience it with like minded individuals who are just as passionate (or more) about it as I am. And all this while I raise my daughter and make a home for my family (I didn’t say it would pass the white glove test).

It’s disappointing to me to hear people complain about what other people do with the choices they make about the creative outlets they choose. While I wouldn’t want to run a marathon, 26 miles isn’t for me, I’ll be their cheerleader on Lafayette Ave (NYC Marathon route). I don’t want to write a book, but hey if that’s what you want to do, go for it, I can’t wait to read it.

Maybe those complainers need to be more critical with their own creative outlet choices than with others, and should be thrilled that they are able to choose what’s best for them.

Now it’s 1:30AM and the rain is coming down harder and faster than we’ve seen in a long time.  It’s flash flood weather.  Rob (who is sleeping in the buff, it’s still really hot and humid), jumps out of the bed and runs outside (naked).  It’s pouring so hard it almost hurts and the rain is cold.  The tarp is gathering water at the peak of the roof and sinking in.  It has to be emptied.  Rob is now on the roof (naked), emptying and securing the tarps.  Rob moves inside (still naked).  There are buckets of water pouring into our basement from the open areas of doing the roof (it’s a crazy house, the basement is at the back of the house where it’s built into the hill, so it’s not under the house – or part of it anyway).  He’s moving my sewing machines up high, boxes and other things that can’t get wet that we’ve got stored in there.  He moves tarps and plywood around (naked in the pouring rain), and as he finishes the rain stops.  He positions the fans so they can start drying up the pools of water and make sure nothing is sitting in a puddle.

He can’t go back to sleep.  I’m in bed with Iz, we didn’t hear a thing.

We are hoping it clears up a bit so Rob can finish up and get the roof sealed.  It is supposed to rain this afternoon, so it just might be a break day.  whew.

Oh – and Rob is dressed now.  Sitting on the couch with Iz reading a book, anxious to get the roof finished.  More pictures later (but none of Rob naked, sorry).

On the Plane, originally uploaded by zannestar.

We had a great time. The flight was good (but rather long, I suggest direct flights…), the family and friends were great, and as usual we enjoyed Seattle.

There was bonding over breakfast:

Bathtime:

and jumping on the bed:

We visited with cousins:

and more cousins:

Packed Boxes:

Drove the Moving Truck:

Rode the Ferry:

With Tourists

Visited School:

This was a GIANT slip’n'slide. Tons of fun on the last day of school. Even I needed a nap after this day.

Jammed with friends:

Dabbled in Tide Pools and experienced water life at the Seattle Aquarium:


The Jellies were amazing.


My Lil’ Octo:

Hung out at the Playground:

Visited the animals at the Woodland Park Zoo:

It was fun visiting all our friends. We wish we could have stayed longer and spent more time! Our visits were short.  The best part I think was being able to pick up with friends where we left off.  You wouldn’t know that we haven’t seen each other in years, it was as if a few days had passed, nothing more.   Can’t wait to see you all again!  xxoo!

After an ultra-long flight, we came home to a house under contruction. It’s quite overwhelming, the changes, the dirt, the piles. It’s quite exciting too. Lots of decisions to make and TONS of work to do. Pictures here.

Greetings. This is the new view from my back door. I love red, so thankfully, this HUGE ASS dumpster is red. I just wish it weren’t so close to the back door.

Our house needs a new roof. Here is some proof:

There are about 7 layers (hello – can you say ILLEGAL in housing code terms. WHAT were the previous owners thinking? Or maybe the roof is so old, they didn’t have codes back then… Rob actually tore up this edge to take a peak at all the layers.

The roof is completely covered in moss. The picture doesn’t show it, but the roof buckles too. And, we have a few water stains in our ceiling upstairs. Loverly. It really needs to go. It might not make it through another winter.

And….

Our stone wall in the front is no longer a wall, but a pile of large and very heavy stones.

The stone wall extends from our foundation. The house is built into a side of a hill. The house was built in 1797. As our neighbor said to us this spring, as a river was running through our house (the well overflowed into the house, helping to wash away part of our foundation , “You have to love antique houses. They are still standing, and you have no idea why.”

Dear Grandma Whitty,
Just wanted to let you know that the finches have found their new bird sock. THEY LOVE IT! Mom and I sit at the window many minutes throughout the day and look at all the mama and dada birds eating the thistle. There are some really fat gold finches and some very tiny purple finches.
Thank you so much.
Love,
Iz

Well, not yet actually. (The above photo was taken at Yankee Candle, where we took Grandma Whitty one day during her visit. It snows there every 4 minutes, even in the summer. Santa even walked by on his way to lunch!)

It was a joy and a thrill to have Grammie and Grandma Whitty here for some time each. Now that we have Iz, we realize how wonderful it would be if we all lived closer and didn’t have to drive for a day, or fly for hours to spend quality time with our families. Grandparents played an important role in each of our lives, and we want that for Izzy too, and it will happen, it will just be different from what we remember. We’ll spend time writing emails, letters, making presents, sending things in the mail, taking pictures and maybe we’ll even make a memory box of our family. Tangible things Izzy can hold on to, so when she wants to think of her family, they are right there with her.

We did put in 2 vegetable gardens via the Square Foot Gardening Method and even though I planted late, the beans are up, the lettuce, the zucchini and peas! My tomato plants are blooming, and last night we had our very first pesto of the year from the basil we planted. Iz is a big help as a weed puller. We are still working on not yanking plants, it will come!

These are the zucchinis. I really need to thin them out, but I’m not sure how to do it…(any ideas? do I just pull them out? snip the leaves?), and I kind of feel guilty. I feel so lucky that they are growing! My little blackish-green thumb is a little nervous…

Some family pics:

I found this post this morning on the Craftzine blog: Inspiration: Craft Blogs.

Oh, I am so eager to re-make my studio. When we lived in Brooklyn, this lovely wardrobe held our entertainment stuff, tv, dvd, stereo, etc.  When we bought our 200+ year old house in New England, it wouldn’t fit in the room where we have our tv.  We were barely able to get it up the stairs into my studio.  It’s got a bunch of dings in it, some heavy duty scrapes.  The dark stain was perfect for our Brooklyn apartment.  It’s not so great now.  (could it be the dark grey faux wood paneling? – perhaps)  It will definitely get a coat of paint.  Maybe cherry red?  to go with the pink walls I’m thinking of?  Maybe a celery color?  or even a camel/gold/tan?  It needs help inside too.  I need some shelves where the tv went.  It’s too big of a space for small folded fabric pieces.  I’ve organized them by color, but they always tumble.  And of course – a fresh coat of white paint.I really need some storage ideas.  Perhaps a trip to Ikea, I’ve got pages tagged in their latest catalog.  I think I need a visit from Erin.  She’s the organizer extraordinaire!

mystudio – 05, originally uploaded by zannestar.

I (obviously) collect things and I like to remember that I have them – so out they go.

Lots of buttons – mostly vintage. Pictured here are just a few of the jars. The rest are on the shelf on the staircase to the studio. And they don’t just sit there – they actually get a going through every month or so. I always need them for something.

Tons of sewing supplies, notions and goodies. Out in tins. There are more in bins. I pick some up everywhere. You never know when you’ll need anything, and now that I live so far away from supply places, I peruse the shelves when I’m there and pick up anything that might work.

Bulletin Board – full of tear sheets. There were more, but I simplified it a bit. Always changing. What comes down goes into a notebook/sketchbook. I ALWAYS refer to it. There is a reason I’ve kept the picture, I just might not know if for a while…

Can you see the wood paneling? I can’t stand it. So dark. Totally not my style. It will definitely get a coat (or 3) of paint this summer. Now to find the perfect color…

to see all the posts about my studio – click here

For more details about what’s on My Mantle of Inspiriation – click on the photo and read the notes on the image.