Everyone Needs a Breather

This past week David and I spoiled the kids rotten with a trip to Disney World and all the beautiful little perks that go with it. We spent three nights camping at Fort Wilderness, one evening at Epcot, and one day (into the late night) at Magic Kingdom. The week was jammed pack full of smiles, food, and fun. Disney World is one of those places that make children and adults happy at the same time. It might cost a pretty penny but it is entirely worth it every now and then. Everyone needs a breather and this was definitely one of those moments for my family.

Magazine Re-Shmagazine

If you've never been to Etsy.com you are missing out on some of the best handmade creations on this planet! I use Etsy to manage my online store. It is a convenient web site with fabulous features for creators like myself. One of my favorite features is the Treasury Lists. A treasury list on Etsy is something that a shop owner creates to display a variety of items created by other shop owners. Many of these treasury lists are created with themes. I've made a few myself and enjoy the browsing process it takes to find spectacular items to include in my lists. My most recent treasury list is titled Magazine Re-Schmagazine (click on it and you'll see it live). The theme is all about items created from magazine pages. I like to make mosaics from magazine pages. The art pictured in this blog is my first magazine art creation. Magazines are colorful and usually short lived in one's home. For me, it was the perfect recycling item to use in my art. I am looking forward to making new pieces as ideas are rolling around in my head.

Why I Love Handmade & Vintage

Handmade is a term a learned from an early age. I remember insisting on making some of my Halloween costumes because the store-bought ones just wouldn't suffice. I tried to make a California Raisin costume one year...epic fail...but I tried. Punk rocker was a lot easier to pull of. My earliest memories of handmade involve my grandmothers. One grandmother was always cooking from scratch. Another grandmother sewed my tap-dance costumes. I remember watching her finish them and trying them on...now I have the pictures to stir distance memories. I was lucky to have more than two grandmothers. So, another grandmother crocheted these elaborate doll dresses for me. I kept the dresses (and original dolls) and my daughter enjoys them now. My step-mom took a basket weaving class once and I still have one of her baskets. Other creative influences in my life include my grandfather, my aunt who sews, and my uncle the decorator guru. I can't wait to see what the next generations grow-up to do!

I was a bit of a tom-boy as a little girl. I grew up in the woods of Maine so I didn't have many playmate options...it just so happened my closest playmates were usually boys. I spent many days exploring through the woods and attempting to build forts with wood scraps and trees. I have a younger brother too, so I spent days trying to entertain him as well. One summer we managed to make our own swing from an old water-skiing rope. We also constructed elaborate snow mazes in the winter. I can safely say, imagination and creativity was something I was NOT lacking as a child.

After reflecting on my childhood, it's no surprise to me that I LOVE handmade and vintage items. Vintage items are nostalgic and beautiful. I especially love vintage items that spark memories from my early childhood...like breadboxes, carnival glass bowls, and old step stool seats. I've been really lucky to have parents with a basement full of awesome stuff. I've scored a collection of old local milk bottles and a wood milk crate that I now use to store shoes at my front door.

I feel fortunate to have had such experiences and influences in my life. I enjoy submerging myself in the handmade community and helping others to learn about this part of culture.

An Arts & Crafts Book to Inspire Children

My 4-year-old daughter brought a stack of books to me today to read and entertain her while she's on the mend from strep-throat. In the stack was a thin little book titled Ballyhoo Bay by Judy Sierra. When I was least expecting it, I fell in love! While this book worms its way into your heart, it will also teach your child about preserving nature and making the most for your love of arts & crafts! These are two of my most favorite topics, so naturally this book is my new favorite.

Mira Bella is the main character of the book and most importantly, an artist who teaches painting and sculpting. Surrounded by the sea side, teaching grannies and children, Mira Bella one day discovers a nasty billboard announcing the plans for building. (This is the part where I'm a bit hypocritical because my husband works in construction). Anyway, with some determination and organization, Mira Bella and her elders manage to save Ballyhoo Bay. The illustrations by Derek Anderson are beautiful, colorful, and fanciful! I think I've found this years birthday gift for all our little friends. If you're interested, you can purchase the book from Amazon (it's received 4 stars) for as little as $12.74.