natalie maed: 2010

another

Caterpillar!

originally created on a whim as the prize

at the end of a fantastically fun treasure hunt,

they're quickly becoming our sweet,

cuddly favorite (of the moment)

I'm thinkin' there just might be a few more new

tiny faces showing up in the garden..

cause these furry little guys and gals can't stay caterpillars forever..

..to be continued ;)

::a quick Hawaii update::

the mr. sets sail in just a few short days for a week

of workin' and house hunting, on the beautiful island of Oahu.

we're wishing,willing, and hoping for everything to fall into place..

so far everything is still a bit " up in the air"...

(get it, air-airplanes.. it's some flying humor people!))

thirft score

I just had to share, my latest treasure..

the most awesome vintage wool felt rolls and yarn

I love them so much I had to make something..now!

so,I created this adorable little nap sack for pistachio,

complete with vintage buttons from my stash.

hey!, everyone...

.. that's right, we're just starting the process now,

in the phase one zone you could say.

you know, when you feel a bit panicky and excited at the same time?

Yeah, that's where I'm living at the moment.

nothing, is set

or decided,

everything is wide open and full of opportunity

..just the way I like it,actually :) ...life is amazing..

stay tuned, & I'll try to keep you updated,

as we transition through this mysterious next step in our path.

organic yarn caterpillar

..a little fuzzy friend in a happy home..

let's hear it for

making use of scraps!

welcome,quiet september morning

..in the rare event that I am the first to rise,

and then not spark a chain of awakening..

I tend to get a bit ::reflecty:: (yes it's a word...well,now it is ;)

so,today I'm meandering through the curvy path

of my felted sweater creations.

..my very first felted sweater animal, Tofu the giraffe

and now two years later & almost to the exact date..

..Brown Sugar, a baby for the mama (sugar)

I made oh, way back in December as a christmas gift

(I was searching for a white angora blend sweater

for the longest..., they can be tricky to find)

I love that my path may not be one that runs horizontally,

but more of a spiral in fact..

and this timely creation just happens to be an expression

of that circling back while continually expanding outward

~enjoy some ::reflecty:: moments,

on this beautiful 1st of september day ~

in awe

There are times
when all words can just barely
shine light on the depth of life's most meaningful moments

this weekend spent in nature,

surrounded by solitude,

and in the company of dear friends.. old and new,

has left me in awe of the beauty that surrounds us all...

and the power we each hold

in bringing healing to ourselves

..each other...

and this beautiful planet we all share

..here, take my hand and let's enjoy a walk together..

..the softness of our earth,

the illuminated brilliance of standing alone,

and the celebration of colors, that once together... are one.

how an appearance of sharpness ,when examined closer

gives way to a reality of fragile, delicate, softness

the patient presence of life's signpostsjust awaiting an opening in our awareness

so they can share their gifts of guidance

small reminders of a gentle beauty

even in seemingly prickly conditions

what freshness and renewal ..releasing can reveal

at journey's end, and always when least expectedthe discovery of a glittering treasure

while you journey along your path today,

may you have moments of wonder and exploration

110

-here it is my 110th post -ta-da!

... I spaced the one year anniversary of my blog..and the 100th post so,

Yay! here's to the 110th and what a great 110 it has been!

today I'm feelin' lucky,

maybe it's the amazing week I've had with the mr.

-moonlight walks on the beach to the sound of a distant drum circle,

while the little ones dig into the sand....

-or-

is it the girls night out weekend getaway I'm heading off to tonight?

you know,

it could be the fun fantastical adventures

I've been sharing with this band of creative kids I share my days with..

oh, nope.. wait a minute...I've got it..

it's got to be the move to Hawaii, ::smile:: yep, that's definitely it!

Have a great weekend!

~~p.s.~~

while walking back to the car I looked up and saw this..

..can you spot the smile in the sand?

lilly's new dress

This quick knit dress, is the first thing I have made in a while

that turned out exactly as I imagined it.

Don't you LOVE it when that happens?

I just love how the brown complements her red hair,

and the garage sale pearls and parasol never looked better ;)

love your veggies!

super ultra fabulous mini totes are here!

So, this collection of veggies is a bit of a mix,

some old favorites(mini versions) a corduroy carrot, an heirloom tomato,
and a few new friends to love, and now honestly ...
who doesn't love a potato?

:

:: pssst..cmon' take a quick peek @ the making of ::

scored these linoleum tiles at a yard sale last year

and finally put one of them to good use for some ~block style~ fabric printing

The material I used for these mini totes is actually

reclaimed canvas from some larger totes that never made it to the sale floor.

so in keeping with the eco/recycle/re-use theme,

I set out to see just what I could come up with for the design

hold on while I...just fashion a makeshift roller (a.k.a. a mini paint roller),

fake the "ink" with some lightly watered down acrylics and voila!

You can fabric stamp to your hearts content..using what is already available,

and don't you just love that?

just in case anyone out there with kids is curious as to how I make ...um,well anything ..?

I just ~find.. a.. way~see that table in the photo above?

this is what it quickly tranforms into when you have four children at home

who love to create just as much as mama.

See that space in the lower left, yes I sat there ^ and lovingly hand painted

the detail on these mini totes amongst much joy and laughter

(we do get a bit silly when we're painting) :) with the proper motivation

anything is possible

hummingbird

some people believe that the sight of a hummingbird brings joy,

yet others believe it to be a sign of good luck and fortune..

so, when you hear that unmistakable teeny tiny,sweet chirping,

and it's coming from your kitchen..

and for a small instant you get to hold a miriacle of creation in your own hands..

what does that mean?

31

A little photo recap

of all things wonderful, when turning a new page..

a cheery new(to me) thrifted linen tablecloth

just the perfect compliment to my favorite vase not to mention

the most special *picked-by-tiny-hands* flowers from our yard. ;)

a present to myself
a super fun water bottle cover to match this bag that I made,um

...well, let's just say a while back

birthday wishes...but, shhh don't tell, it's a secret..

::my most favorite tree...
in the whole ..

wide ..

world.

my 26.2

So, yesterday I had :: a moment::

I get them from time to time, and I end up doing the craziest things.

like running my own marathon

at night

while I'm still 30(for one more day)

There were no starting lines, no crowd to cheer me on,

just an extremely determined ten year old on his bike,

and an incredibly devoted and supportive husband

in our car full of little girls.

I had no idea when I would finish and I wondered many times if I could at all, the last 6 miles are said to be the most difficult.

That was definitely true, and for me it was that very last mile.
Each step required enormous determination, if it weren't for the sweetest, tired, little voice along side me, "I love you mommy you're doing so good" I don't think I could have gone on.

when I hit .7 I started crying , my legs hurt so bad I didn't think I could take one more step, and the thought of quitting when I was so close broke my heart..
..at midnight last night
..with a car full of sleeping kids (and dog)
And my ultra determined running buddy still pedaling away at my side
I crossed that infamous 26.2 mile mark and completed my own marathon.