a number of things

wordless Wednesday :: front porch swing

 

 

a little nature study

This week's holiday (Mardi Gras down here in south Louisiana) along with some rare sunny days, inspired me to do a little of sewing and create something that had been bumping around in my head for quite some time. A small "wallet" of sorts to generate a bit of excitement for the coming of spring and all things outdoors. (Spring is coming...right?)

The Nature Explorer's Wallets were immediately put into action in what dry areas the kids could find. The mini leaf & flower press was an especially big hit with its 90lb watercolor paper pages along with the tiny "nature notes" book. The whole little kit was so much fun to do and received with such enthusiasm, that I made up a few extras as well as a pattern for the Etsy shop. I hope you enjoy them as much as we are!

 

the dress

This little blue gingham dress was made by my mother for me when I was about Lilly's age.  Somewhere at my parents house there is a photo of me in it and I really need to dig that up and scan it. I put it on Anna 12 years ago, when she was just a tyke, for a quick snapshot. Then Rose wore it for a picture or two 5 years back.

It's definitely beginning to show its nearly 40 years, but today my little Lilly had it on for a few quick shots. Never in a million years did I ever think I would eventually have 3 little girls put on this dress. God is so good, isn't He?

  

a happy (belated) feast of St. Lucy

Traditionally, St. Lucy wakes early and brings a sweet breakfast to her household. Somehow, way back when Anna was just a wee thing, instead of breakfast we started the December 13th tradition of St. Lucy bringing a tray of cookies around, after the sun had set, with all the lights off. We love it, and it really is enchanting.

Hope you all had a blessed feast of St. Lucia yesterday!

   

i love camping

 

 

 

 

 

After checking the weather forecast for this week, we made a last minute decision and decided to take off and go camping. I so love the woods, the foods, the canoeing. Just everything.

(More photos are on Flickr.)

  

playhouse re-do

We finished the playhouse fix-up today (that was begun way back in June... and then put on pause for the summer.). Well, all but the curtains, but they are coming as soon as I figure out how I want to do the curtain rods. If you are interested, you can see more on the playhouse Flickr page.

Have a fabulous rest of the weekend!

***edited to add***

For a ton of beautiful playhouse inspiration, check out the lovely blog of Holly Gomez, a place imagined.

  

Yeah!

I finally have a supply of my own books available in the (newly remodeled) "tiny shop". These will be signed copies, all shipped out for my standard flat rate of $5.00 no matter how many are ordered. :)

  

can we go camping yet?

I am hearing this quite often these days. Down here in South Louisiana, autumn is prime camping season and it is not just the kids who are chomping at the proverbial bit. I was holding a napping baby and blog hopping this afternoon, when I stumbled upon this post by Emma Bradshaw, and through her Flickr camping set strayed for a while into the lovely world of UK camping. And do read the bit from The Happy Campers that Emma quotes in the above post. Brilliant! I am so bringing a cake for our first trip of the season.

So I mentioned to Caleb this morning at breakfast that I believed that the light coming into the house was changing and that fall was on its way after all. This, of course, led into a discussion of how the sun is slightly in the North in the summer and more toward the South in the winter. By then I had thought up a scheme to help pass the days until it was full fledged camping weather. A kid tent!

I called Chip who was running errands and asked him to pick up a small, inexpensive tent to basically be used as a autumnal, portable playhouse for the kids. It is a smashing success and we haven't even put it outside yet (Chip is mowing first).  Who knew $27 could be so much fun. Now just for a bit of bunting...

  

so fun!

Do you know about Blue Yonder's wonderful Book of Days? I seem to often be the last one to know about the really cool things out there, but in case I'm not on this one, I just had to mention how much I am enjoying these!

Every month this year, Stefani has written and illustrated (don't you just love her illustrations!) a perfectly lovely little down-loadable book to encourage families to spend more time together. The books are filled with recipes, nature study ideas, craft projects, poetry and more!  I just purchased and downloaded her two summer books on Friday, and they are already inspiring us to get out and explore more.

The ideas included in these books are just perfect for my 9,7 & almost 5 year old and even my 12 year old daughter is enjoying them. After reading Stefani's "Amazing Bandanna" in Summer Book 1, Anna was off to hunt up a bandanna of her own. (And I'll admit I even picked up a few more when I was at the store last night. :))

 

This is exactly the fun homeschool supplement I was looking for for my younger kiddos and I cannot wait until the autumn issues come out!

  

more cool fun

This awesome idea came from the lovely Amy over at Inspire Co. (Who got it from Little Bit Funky)

Who would have thought freezing  plastic animals in a block of ice could be so much fun.  We have been re-freezing those same poor critters over, and over, and over... :)

   

wordless Wednesday :: Lilly rocks

 

   

crafty gifty

 

In my last Casey's order, I decided to try out the unfinished yo-yo's and tops. What fun! We have some serious yo-yo fans in this house, and their maple sleeper has definitely passed the kid test. This got me thinking.  What a great crafty and frugal gift idea a few unfinished toys and an inexpensive paint set would make.

And customizing your own yo-yo... how cool is that!

(Ok, now Jill and a few others, please forget you ever saw this and don't show it to your kids! ;-)) 

  

they're armed

 

Did you make these as a kid?  Ok, maybe I was (am) a bit strange, but I used to love making these clothespin switchblades as a child.  Of course, I was also the kid who asked for real tools for Christmas and who's pocket knife was her prize possession. But enough about me...

 

Did I mention the cabin fever?

  

tic-tac-toe

After a completely rainless June, we have had rain nearly every day in July.  I'm not complaining, mind you, but it does make for just a teeny bit of cabin fever on occasion.

This little tic-tac-toe set has provided us with a surprising number of tic-tac-tournaments and quite a bit of hilarity as mama gets beat (regularly) by her kiddos. These little letters were part of a recent order to Casey's, and the game "board" was stitched from scraps in my stash in about 15 minutes.

Noah is the undisputed tic-tac-toe champion around here.  But I have instructed the other kids to learn his "methods" and report back to me, in the hope that one day I will be able to actually win a game against the 14 year old.

  

wordless Wednesday :: she's standing