lovelydesign

winners

2009-12-09T21:54:00.001-08:00

I am running around here like a crazy lady right now. I am trying to finish up so many things in preparation before our winter holidays. I have just closed down most of my online store - just a few items remain available, but they will all ship after christmas, most likely in the new year. I will have my journey and pocket books available then, too.

It is such a relief, getting all of these many little things done. Big Sigh.

One of the last things for me to do is find the winners for the "To make a tree quilt giveaway" Here the random generator goes again...

And the winners are: Emily, Cassandra, and Sue!

emily said...
I would love to create this tree quilt - maybe in time for our child's first winter!

Cassandra said....
Hey Sharilyn! I was just thinking of doing a project like this! I am SO SO SO excited! I hope I win! Yeah, these little trees would be so comforting down in Florida and would make me feel more at home...it reminds me SO much of Canada! Yay!!

Sue said...
I love your tree quilt. I live in the Adirondack Mountains and to me it is an every day of the year quilt since I love pine trees of all sorts. Today I am snowed in literally, it is snowing like crazy and I can't go anywhere (kinda a nice feeling). I would love to be a winner, I love your choices of fabric. Thanks!

Emily, Cassandra, and Sue, if you haven't heard from me already, please send me an email with your addresses and I will send your little green packages out to you.

I may be away from this place for a little while, so please have yourselves all a sweet and lovely, warm and cozy christmas-time. Be safe, and be sure to take care of yourself, your friends and loved ones, and perhaps even a few strangers, too.

xo sharilyn

a little forest quilt

2009-12-05T12:16:00.001-08:00

Several weeks ago I was contacted by the lovely ladies of Purl to see if I would be interested in collaborating with them. They had spotted my always-a-work-in-progess tree quilt, and wanted to complete a project and free tutorial based off my design. Of course it was such an honour for me to agree!

Page and Joelle have now posted their completed Lovely Little Forest Quilt project, along with a journal, pattern, and tutorial on their Purl Bee Blog. The little quilt that they have created makes me happy, and I hope that you will love as well!

Are you thinking of making a Little Forest Quilt, too? I have put together a few special packages, filled with a variety of green and brown fabric cut from my own stash. With each package you will be able to make at least 30 tree squares - more than enough to make the beautiful Purl Bee quilt. (Or you can keep on adding trees and make a larger quilt, as I plan on doing.) With each kit I have also included print-outs of the little tree square instructions, and links to the online Purl Bee project journal. (You will need to supply a few materials yourself, including white background fabric, and sewing supplies.)

This contest has now ended. A big thank-you to everyone who entered and left comments!

a pattern for december

2009-12-03T17:28:00.001-08:00

Here for you now is my pattern I've made for December, I was inspired by the grey afternoons just outside my window, the few brown and crimson leaves still clinging to the bare trees, and the hope in my heart for snow to come.

If you wish, you can download a larger size of it here:

pattern_december_2009.pdf

You can print it out, and make lots of nice things. Perhaps many pretty little paper stars for your tree, or to make some paper house lanterns to sit along your window sill. Or to print, fold, and create a pretty paper wreath with which to welcome good friends to your home. Or perhaps print them onto sticker paper or card stock and make labels and tags for your christmas gifts.

Or, collect them up, one from each month and save them for the perfect project - I try to download another pattern every month.

And, thank you once again for visiting me here in this place!

xo sharilyn

for a dark day

2009-11-30T22:46:00.001-08:00

The days have been so incredibly dark and grey lately, and because of this much of the time I find it difficult to take photographs. But today I was putting together all of the many pages of many books, and I found myself cheered up by these little papers. I cut them from old exercise book covers to be placed inside of old little glassine envelopes which will line the pages of my notebooks.

While preparing them I had this nice thought visit me: That perhaps someday, somehow, these bright little bits will find their way to someone else out there who is experiencing a dark day, just like I have been. And give them a little bit of cheer, too.

I do hope so.

Will you help me? I will be binding up book covers over the next few days, and I am hoping for some assistance in deciding which colours to choose this time around. It is always interesting to me which hues people prefer best at different seasons of the year, and how this varies or changes from year to year.

Which colour would you choose?

a little bit of heaven

2009-11-28T20:05:00.001-08:00

We've been co-sleeping ever since Adelaide was a month old and - utterly exhausted - I finally threw away all those baby books, listened to my heart, and tucked my sobbing, hysterical baby (who never wanted to be put down, ever) in bed with me. And Addie and have slept side by side cozily and happily every night since.

Recently, however, Adelaide has been growing rather long. Her habit of sleeping sideways across the bed - with her feet in my face - is starting to get to me! And so we have decided to try and find her her a bed of her very own.

We took a trip to Ikea, but the toddler beds we saw there just weren't for us. A quick look online showed us that we didn't want to spend a huge amount of money on a designer toddler bed. So we decided to drag Adelaide's old (brand-new) crib mattress up from storage and we just plopped it down alongside our bed. It's a good spot - Addie and I can hold hands when we fall asleep, and in case of bad dreams she can still crawl in with me, if she really needs.

It's been getting really cold lately, and I was having trouble finding a nice and warm blanket for her. I have this aversion to polyester bedding, or wrapping up my kid in synthetic fibers - they just don't feel good to me. After much internal debate, I have finally caved and bought a down duvet for Adelaide. I looked online and on ebay and called all around but was discouraged at the price tags when I found them at Quilts, Etc for quite a bit less than price of other shops, as they are made locally right near our house.

After I brought the duvet home, I quickly sewed up a cover for it out of wonderfully soft and warm pink flannel with polka dots. The fabric is "Be Merry by My Mind's Eye" from Riley Blake Designs. I measured and put together my own basic pattern, but you can find many patterns online to make your own as well. I double-folded all the seams over so that it is sturdier and I don't have to worry about it fraying. I also didn't bother with any buttons or snaps to close the duvet together, but just left a small 14" or so opening a the bottom and it works just fine. I think that a lovely down duvet and cover would make a wonderful gift for any toddler or child... Adelaide's new duvet really is a little bit of heaven!

Now Addie loves her little bed, and insists on tucking in her dolls and showing it off to everyone who comes to visit us. So if you happen to drop by, please don't mind when she drags you upstairs and insists that you try out her new bed!

beautiful sleep

2009-11-20T16:19:00.001-08:00

Today, for the first time in many weeks, Adelaide took a nap.

To me, Adelaide's naps are the most beautiful of all her sleeps. In the light of the afternoon I can see her well, and just how beautiful and sweet and full of peace she can be. Elliot will be the happiest guy around because he'll get to snuggle right in her. And when Addie wakes up from a nap, she is the most charming little person you will ever meet. But best of all, I get an hour or two of time all for my very own... Naps are fantastic things!

Well, since Adelaide suddenly stopped napping several weeks ago, I've become a little frazzled. I didn't realise how important this time has become to me. Suddenly - and without any warning - I don't have those precious few moments a day to catch up on all those many mounting emails, or to put together some goods, or to work on some ideas, package up some orders, or even simply tidy up my studio a little bit. Suddenly, I have found myself without my best personal assistant ever: a little bit of uninterrupted, quiet, solo time!

Each and every time this parenthood thing seems to get a little bit easy to me and I find myself thinking: "Oh, this is great! A piece of cake! I can do this, and I can do it well! And, run my business, too... no sweat!" My little daughter will pick my vibe, and she will switch it all right up. She will get sick. Or start waking up at 6 am. Or refusing to go to bed (or nap). Or maybe she will just need to be held all day long, for no apparent reason at all. Instantly, she will toss me right back on my butt into a much humbler place. Where I belong!

But - today - my little girl napped. Once more. Perhaps for the last time ever. And it was marvelous.

back in stock!

2009-11-11T03:47:00.001-08:00

I've (finally) made it through my lengthy waitlist, and am very happy to have my black walnut address files available (while supplies last) in my little shop once again! Each of these files has been handcrafted with much love and care from sustainable and responsibly harvested wood and materials, and comes filled with 24 alphabet dividers and 200 beautiful cards in assorted colours and designs. Each card is cut from repurposed + recycled paper, or is a print of a pattern of my own design.

I also only have only about 2 or 3 of my light wood maple address files left in stock (but I have removed them from my online store), but I will also have more available in January or approximate. If you are wanting to purchase a maple address file please send me an email to sharilyn AT lovelydesign DOT com.

These days I am also putting together another edition of Journey and Pocket books, and they should be available in the next couple of weeks. Please let me know if you wish to have one for yourself or to give as christmas gifts, and I will reserve one (or more) for you.

Thanks for visiting me, everyone!

a november pattern for you

2009-11-07T11:50:00.001-08:00

Lately I've been making up lots of patterns. My goal is to make up a selection of pretty, yet simple designs which I can use in my own projects. I've found that making patterns sort of soothing and meditative to me - kind of like quilting by hand. And they are time-consuming, too!

I create my patterns using Adobe Illustrator. I draw simple shapes such as dots, hearts, or stars, and add in any colours which are inspiring me at that particular moment. Then I copy, paste, rotate and reflect away.

I thought that it would be fun to make a new pattern for every month to share with you. Here is my first for the month of November, I was inspired by the colours just outside my window. you may download it here:

pattern_november_2009.pdf

You can print it out, and make lots of nice things. Perhaps a little bit for some christmas cards for your friends, to make spice labels or book labels or such, for scrapbooking, or in collages. Perhaps wrap a small gift for a good friend. Or can print it out on to card stock and make up some nice little gift tags or gift cards. Or collect them up, one from each month and save them for the perfect project - I will try to download another pattern every month.

I sincerely hope you like my patterns very much, and that you can find them useful!

pretending

2009-11-06T18:11:00.001-08:00

Our bed is a little boat. This boat is our home, and we sail all of the oceans upon it together.

Every so often we dock at land and Adelaide must spring ashore to quickly gather acorns and blocks for our supper.

Sometimes a storm will come, and we must prepare the ship. We bunker down, and hold on with all of our might!

Ours is a very cozy boat. Where shall we sail away to next?

peeking out

2009-10-26T23:43:00.001-07:00

There are many days which I know are dark and grey before I even peek out the window. Our house will be gloomy and quiet and solemn and even pulling up the shades doesn't help at all. Many times, this darkness gets caught in my heart and I feel a suffocating weight of sadness which is hard to shake.

Today, woke up and there it was again. The darkened house, a grey and wet morning right outside, and a heavy heart inside. Again. And I have begun - once more - to mentally prepare myself for another long and grey and wet winter here in the Pacific Northwest.

But then there were six sweet chickadees at our feeder, a happily singing little girl, cups of tea (and warm almond milk), many puzzles to be put together, and many paintings to be made. Suddenly, several hours have passed us by. And just while we were looking out into the world, the sun came breaking through the clouds shining brilliantly in on us.

This is the only one I captured, before my camera battery died and I pulled my Adelaide up and out of the cozy cat's bed. We will run out into the bright blue chilly Autumn air to kick up leaves, splash in puddles, and go to eat Phở together.

It turned out to be a lovely day, after all.

How was your day today? I hope that it was lovely, too.

paper samplers

2009-10-21T09:25:00.001-07:00

It's been an intense week, first with Adelaide sick and now me. My stomach is hurting horribly again, and so I've decided to go gluten, dairy, and soy-free for a while to try and clear things up a little. This already seems to be helping me, and after writing this I am headed to our kitchen to feed Addie, sort through our cupboards, and hit up some cookbooks for meal ideas. If you have a favourite dish not based in dairy, soy, or gluten, please share it with me!

But in the meantime, one of the things that I've done is made up stacks of paper samplers. Each sampler is filled with dozens and dozens of scraps from my own paper collections. They are nice for people who like to make things or whom are really fond of little bits of paper. (It's in back of my head to once again delve into my stash to make our christmas cards again this year...)

They are now available in my shop, while supplies last!

a visit to my studio

2009-10-13T13:22:00.001-07:00

Come and visit me in my little studio today. Here is a tour - along with an interview and some organising tips - at Apartment Therapy Unplggd.

Hope you are having a great day,

xo sharilyn

close to home

2009-10-09T18:07:00.001-07:00

The past week or so Adelaide and I have been sticking real close to home - We've been discovering all the ins and outs of potty training. Usually during my days with Addie I try to get her occupied, and sneak in a little bit of work whenever I can. But not this week. Frightened of messing my daughter up with my lack of consistancy and schedule, I've pretty much put my work and anything else aside in order to focus on her and the toilet.

All the while at home I've been keeping us busy with lots of little projects - cleaning the house together, baking cookies and pumpkin loaf, moving furniture around. Addie and I are nesting together. We've also made lots of little tags up, which is one of my projects that Adelaide can actually - kind of - help me out with. She likes to sort out colours, help punch the holes and set the eyelets with the little hammer. it is painfully slow going for me, but she is so persistant and determined to help and do whatever I'm doing. She has an awful lot of focus for a two year old.

So the toilet training is going amazingly well, better than I ever expected, and I'm really really proud of her. She's pretty much going on her own and is accident free at home now, and so we've been going on little diaper-less journeys farther and farther away from home.

Today we headed out together, into the forest to forage for autumn treasures. (And for Addie to practice peeing in the bushes) We had so much fun together, chattering away and giggling like fools together in the forest. Most often, my best moments ever are the very simplest ones spent together with her. It really doesn't take much to have a happy kid (and mama).

I can see that little daughter is becoming, just a bit little more each day, her very own person. I feel like often I can talk to her on the same level now, explain things to her straight up and she really seems to respond to this. But it makes my heart ache, knowing that these days with her are not going to last forever. And I know it. I wish that there was a way that I could bottle these times up and keep them forever with me for always.

winners...

2009-10-09T14:15:00.001-07:00

I am just about to find the winners for my latest giveaway, and they are...

Lesley - maple wood address file
Rachel - +30 card pack
Sarah - +30 card pack
Anonymous (a) - +30 card pack

Congratulations all you winners - please contact me!

And, thank you all so very much for visiting me and leaving such sweet comments. Receiving and reading each and every one of them is such a joy, for this I thank you.

xo
sharilyn

perfect boxes + drawer dividers

2009-10-03T15:51:00.001-07:00

Every so often I will find myself in need of a particular size of box which I don't have and can't find. After years of this, I finally took a little bit of time and figured out a way to make simple yet sturdy boxes. They can be made in any size at all, so now whenever I find myself short of a perfect sized box, I just whip one up!

I make my boxes with thick millboard and bookcloth, but you can use any sturdy cardboard and paper. You can make lids for your boxes if you'd like as well. I make my own vintage map covered boxes for my Far Away Mail Sets this way, too. I recommend using Ross or Staples brand glue sticks for gluing, as I have found that they hold well and work great.

I have made up a pattern and instructions if you'd like to make some of your own boxes, too! because this is one of the first sets of instructions that I have ever put together, please let me know if you try them out - how it goes and if you have any thoughts on how I could make it better:

perfect box instructions.pdf

Another nice thing that I've been doing with these homemade boxes recently is making perfect drawer organisers.

It often drives me crazy, not having appropriately sized boxes to hold items that I used over and over again. I finally decided to start making my own. For example, I made perfect sized boxes to hold all of my rolodex cards and that also fit perfectly into my cabinet drawers. Now I have the perfect place to hold the cards, and when I'm working with them I can simply slide the boxes I need from the drawer, and place them back in when I'm done. It is so satisfying.

When we moved into our house, I set aside a low drawer in the kitchen just for Adelaide. This is where we store all her own kitchen-items such as dishes, cups, and cutlery. Because the drawer is low, it is easy for her to reach. She loves to help me unload the dishwasher, and she seems to find much satisfaction in putting away and managing her own little things.

As I use this drawer over and over every single day, I make an extra effort to try to keep it a nice and tidy. However, this doesn't always work. It kind of bugs me when I open it up and things have slid all over (or someone else has just dumped items in any which way). I had been keeping an eye out for some appropriate drawer dividers, but never found any the right sizes for our drawer. Plus I found most of them pretty ugly, especially for a little girl's drawer.

Finally, I decided to make Adelaide some pretty drawer dividers for her special drawer. To do so, I arranged all the items in her drawer functionally, and measured all the space that each type of item would need. I measured out how high the boxes would be, and started in by making one box, placing it in the drawer, than the next, then the next (to make sure the measurements would work out) I made 7 boxes in all, and lined their bottoms simply with a few cut out paper towels which I can replace easily if they get messy. These boxes all fit together perfectly in the drawer, and it is so satisfying to open up it and have it so pretty and organised!

Best of all, Adelaide is so so proud of her own little drawer. I am hoping to show and teach her - by example - how good and easy it can be to keep things nice and neat - she loves it!

ps. All of Adelaide's ceramic dishes - including the divided plates - are from Daiso. I love that even though they are beautiful and not plastic, they were only $2 each, so I never worry about them being chipped or broken (which is surprisingly rare anyways). Her cups and sippy tops are made by Tupperware. And I finally found her some nice, cute, and non-cartoon cutlery from Pottery Barn Kids.

do paintings, mommy

2009-09-30T02:39:00.001-07:00

This girl loves to paint. She is very serious about it! She has made her paintings every single day for months and months - she even insisted on bringing along her paints with us camping this summer, so that she could paint happily in the bushes. And she has her little painting spots set up and all ready to go in several locations around our house... you never know when the urge may strike!

Our small house is beginning to get a little crowded, but the other day I found a beautiful old vintage easel at a thrift shop for $8. I couldn't resist and so I brought it home. So the other afternoon I took some time to set up her lovely new easel. I loaded it up with nice papers, paints, brushes, and fresh water.

Then, without even a blink, she dragged out an old beat up ikea step stool. She carefully set it up, and plopped on down on it school desk style. She got right to work...with her own self-selected painting supplies.

My lovingly prepared easel... ignored!

Perhaps, it will be only just for me.

1000 maple address files (+ giveaways)

2009-09-29T18:21:00.001-07:00

The other day I was stamping out the labels for the bottom of a batch of freshly assembled address files, and I realised that I had just made my 1,000th maple wood file ever!

In celebration of all that finding, designing, cutting, punching, sorting, assembling, and packaging, I have set aside one maple wood address file to giveaway to someone special. (It is actually no. 1025.) This address file was handmade with much love, and so I hope that it will find a great home here in this place.

I also have three packs of assorted file cards, as a giveaway for my lovely customers who have ordered an address file from me. Thank you to all of you!

If interested, please specify which item you wish for (file or card pack) and leave a comment. In a week or so I will randomly select four winners. Please make sure that your contact information is available to me. This contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world.

Good Luck!

wish

2009-09-28T14:59:00.001-07:00

The other night I lay with her in the soft darkness, together tucked up to our chins with the very coziest of quilts, favourite well-worn bear from my childhood now by her side. Surrounded by many treasures: acorns, story books, photographs, music boxes. Whispering of good nights, inspirations for dreams, hints of possibilities all yet to come..

And so it came to me, strong and sudden and bittersweet:

I wish I were you.

back in stock!

2009-09-23T17:12:00.001-07:00

I've (finally) made it through my lengthy waitlist, and am very happy to have my maple address files available (while supplies last) in my shop once again! Each of these files has been handcrafted with much love and care from sustainable and responsibly harvested wood and materials, and comes filled with 24 alphabet dividers and 200 beautiful cards in assorted colours and designs. Each card is cut from repurposed + recycled paper, or is a print of a pattern of my own design.

I am still working my way through my black walnut wait list, just holding for more stock from my craftsmen. Once I have contacted everyone on my walnut wait list I will also add them to my online shop. - most likely this fall.

If you were on my waitlist for a maple address file, and somehow I missed you, please send me a note!

songs for baby birds

2009-09-21T15:59:00.001-07:00

Over the last couple of years I have collected songs about birds. This is because my daughter Adelaide loves them very much, and she loves singing and music, too. And so our search and discovery for songs about birds began.

But we hadn't listened to the bird song playlist in a while, and so the other day when Addie was at my computer moaning about something it took me a some time to finally decipher that she wanted to hear the bird songs again. I had forgotten all about them, but when I saw how she had remembered and loved them, I decided to select from them to make a mini song collection that I could share with some a couple of my mama friends and their new babies.

It was important to me that this little collection not be condescending, and so it is full of all sorts of songs: old and new, slow and fast, quiet and loud, folk and rock songs, adult songs and children's songs. I feel, however, a little nervous about sending music Addie and I love out into the world. So it is my hope that this mixture of sweet bird songs may find some appreciative ears.

Please note that if you would like to make a mixed cd of music for your friends, you really should pay for each copy of each song you share. You can find and purchase these wonderful songs on itunes.

Here now is the playlist:

free little bird - lisa loeb + elizabeth mitchell

spring has sprung - frances england

the littlest birds - be good tanyas

theres a bluebird on your windowsill - doris day

rockin robin - bobby day

mockingbird - inez + charlie foxx

three little birds - elizabeth mitchell

robin in the rain - raffi

blackbird - the beatles

winters come and gone - gillian welch

beautiful bluebird - neil young

little wing - elizabeth mitchell

bluebird - devendra banhart

wake up, little sparrow - ella jenkins

To make the cd and cover, I figured and drew out a simple envelope template in Adobe Illustrator. (it is a basic pocket pattern really, that will fit on a standard letter sized sheet when printed out.) I google image searched birds to get an idea of their basic shapes, and drew out a few sketches. Then, using my sharpest sewing scissors, I cut out some bird shapes (Adelaide helped me pick out the fabric bits from our scraps). I used a 1/8" hole punch and some black paper for the eyes, and when I was happy with my birds I lightly glue sticked them together and scanned them into Adobe Photoshop.

To make the branches, I google image searched for "twigs". When I found a few images I liked I placed them into Illustrator, and used them as a loose map to draw some branches. I then added my own berry shapes with the circle making tool. When I had several of my branches and berries, I copied and pasted them into a new Photoshop file.

I then copied and pasted my Illustrator cd layout into Photoshop, and tweaked around with all my birds, branches, and test until I was happy with the layout. I then saved just the image (no text) as a .tiff file and imported it back into Illustrator. (I do this because I do not like working with type in Photoshop, it's icky to me) The typefaces I used are from the Neutra family.

Once back in Illustrator, I added in the final typography and made and few tweaks here and there. I then printed the cd cover out on my Canon desktop printer onto Watercolour paper. Using a new xacto blade and an awl, I cut it out and scored the fold lines, and then glued everything into place. I always use a printmaking brayer to roll out and make sure everything is glued well and won't come loose.

I then made up a quick cd label using the same images, printed them onto a cd label, and burnt out the cds. It is my hope that these bird songs are loved as much as Adelaide and I love them.

This giveaway has now ended. Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments!

second editions

2009-09-12T13:42:00.001-07:00

I am happy to once more have my Beautiful Leaves of Canada and Beautiful Conifers of Canada Posters available in my online shop again. Each of these prints is part of a limited (2nd) edition run of 200, and was researched, written, designed, and hand-screened with much love.

Each print if filled with one dozen life-sized pinecones or leaves, along with a silhouette of the tree they belong to, and several interesting facts of each specimen as well.

They are shipped flat and - (if you wish) - frame up perfectly in Ikea Ribba frames, too.

I very much hope that you like them!

captured

2009-09-12T12:18:00.001-07:00

We have all spent the last few days being captured for an upcoming feature in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It was all surprisingly exhausting! And an incredible and positive experience working with the BHG team, including wonderful photographer Bill Holt and lovely Stylist Janna Lufkin.

I am very much looking forward to the results, most likely this January!

goodmorning, daddy!

2009-09-10T06:40:00.001-07:00

Many mornings Adelaide wakes up and wants to see her daddy. Poor Charles, he is one of the most mellow and laid back guys I've ever known, but not when it comes to the mornings - he really really needs his space. So much, that he has his own bedroom.

And now, he has this wonderful little girl who adores him. And she cannot at all comprehend that daddy needs his space each and every morning. She loves to see him first thing. Banging on his door, yelling away, DADDY!!! DADDY!!! YOU HOME? DAAAA-DDDDDYYYYY!!!

I can see Charles is absolutely pushed to his very limit on these mornings. He loves his daughter more than anything in this world. It's fascinating to me (and nerve-racking) to witness him catching himself. He is holding himself back with every single bit of his might.

My little daughter, once again, is attempting to tame the beast.

It's amazing to me, what our children do to us. This little girl makes me want to be better. Better with a driving, crazed, determined force like never before. Sometimes, deep inside of me, I worry of failing her. But nothing, nothing, makes me try, like her.

apple tree

2009-09-01T11:56:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we arrived home from a weekend away. I stepped into the bathroom and spotted something in the bottom of the sink. At first I sighed, thinking that another bug had crawled up the drain for me to take care of. But then I stooped close to take a look, and I saw that it was a little apple seed. I carefully picked it up, and then along came with it, pulled and pulled from way down the drain, a little apple sprout!

I am enamored with this little apple tree. To me it is pretty amazing, that its little seed was somehow dropped in our bathroom sink, and just before the very weekend that we would be away. Three days there gave it just enough alone time, darkness, and dampness to sprout and grow. Any other time and I suppose that it would have simply been washed away.

So I have planted the little apple tree carefully alongside one of my succulents and they sit together in the window sill. And everyday it is growing a little bit more.

Of course, while I was taking some photos of the little tree, Elliot the had to run over and plop himself down right into my shot. So darn nosy! And as always, hoping for some love!

a little bit of company

2009-08-31T16:46:00.001-07:00

Every so often - tucked in between the endless tasks of being a mama - I am lucky and am able to catch a few moments here and there to work on some of my own projects.

These few moments of self time are precious to me, but I have found that I seem to still enjoy them most, however, when my daughter is by my side, happily working on her own projects. Like today, for quite some time she was busy across the table from me - Chattering away to her favourite sheep and showing him how to make drawings.

And at our feet, perhaps the coziest cat in the world, all snuggled in my scrap paper box. Not even minding my ever-so-often-additions to the box, falling all over on top of him. Our kitty Jack will try anything to find the coziest spot ever!

Sometimes, It's really just very nice to have a little bit of company while you work.