A Creative Call

Parenting 101

2012-01-23T17:05:00.003-06:00

On the days that start out with you wanting to leave your children in their rooms for the rest of the day or, at least, lock yourself in your room for the rest of the day, it is not advised that you then take the children out to buy toys (which I didn't actually give them yet) or take them out to eat at a fast food restaurant. Whoops.

Today

2011-12-12T22:59:00.002-06:00

My recently turned five-year-old made a silly statement using the word hypothesis. I asked him, "What does hypothesis mean?" He answered, "An idea you can test." (Thank you, public television.) As I was starting to think about how incredibly smart my little boy was, he said, "What's an idea?"

* * * * *

As I went to feed the dog tonight I was looking out to the deck and noticed a weird silhouette on one of my bird feeders. I flipped on the light and saw what appeared to be a gigantic mouse eating away at the seed. I knew it wasn't really a mouse and when my dog walked by the window it launched from the feeder to the nearest tree (which is about 20 feet away). I immediately Googled "flying squirrel." Sure enough. I had a flying squirrel on my deck. Yeah, I didn't know those things existed around here either.

Time

2011-10-25T11:29:00.003-05:00

From the mouth of my two-year-old: "I'll make yours in a half an hour, in a couple minutes, when it's winter time."

Quote of the Day

2011-10-21T11:29:00.001-05:00

From the mouth of my four-year-old, "Pirates have moms."

Good Things: Becoming an urban farmer

2011-10-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Sweet corn and zucchini (pictured) as well as peppers and tomatoes grow just outside the front door.

I have always wanted to integrate perennials and produce in my gardens. I love flowers but the thought of weeding and mulching and tending for something nice to look at was not enough motivation for me. Walking out the front door and harvesting something to add to our dinner, that's a beautiful thing. We didn't necessarily set out to be farmers. And really, farmer, seems like a stretch. But it's true, we cultivate the land and reap it's harvest.

This year we have enjoyed home-grown zucchini, hot red cherry peppers, Brandywine tomatoes, Big Boy tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, raspberries, strawberries, cantaloupe and one Haralson apple.

We live on a small 50 x 127 lot in a first ring suburb of a major metropolitan area. This is not farm country. But we are using our land to its fullest and enjoying each delectable bite, learning as we go.

I'd never done surgery on a zucchini plant before this season when I had to slice open the stalk and remove zucchini worms (13 of them!) and replant the plant in the hopes it would put down new roots in time for another harvest (we're still waiting expectantly).

Next year we'll hopefully have more apples as the trees will have had another year to mature and we'll be ready to protect the flowers from the caterpillars in the early spring.

We may not plant corn again since it takes up so much space and after two seasons' attempts it seems our extremely sandy, trash pit soil doesn't allow it to grow much past the "knee-high by the fourth of July" point.

After the joy of picking our own strawberries at a farm again this summer I ripped out some weedy grass and added a dozen more plants to the two we already had growing and though strawberry season has long since passed, those plants keep producing beautiful red berries for us to enjoy.

It's work. And sometimes I wonder if it's worth it to add another thing to tend to to our already full roster. But the excitement that my kids show when they see we have two more cantaloupe on the counter from our garden and the taste of that home-grown goodness is unmatched.

Space for more strawberry plants, with the raspberries growing just up the hill along the side of the house.

One of the new plants!

Creativity for Today: New Bird Feeders

2011-10-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

To compliment our new trellis I added as many bird feeders as I could, and needing to work within a budget I crafted a few of my own.

This is a simple tray feeder. I secured aluminum screening and hardware cloth to the bottom of the cedar tray and filled it with oil-striped sunflower seeds. I got the design idea from an Etsy search for bird feeders.

This is a suet feeder than can hold two suet cakes. I stapled hardware cloth to the sides of a cedar frame. I also have a suet feeder I made from an old branch of a tree (yes, I hold on to random things but always with a purpose in mind!). I drilled additional holes in the wood and filled them with suet. This is much more time consuming than simply slipping the suet into a feeder but it's a lot more interesting.

And after seeing a squirrel happily sitting in the bird feeder I made earlier this year to sit on the deck rail, I had to do a design adjustment and make it a hanging tray feeder (again using the aluminum screening and hardware cloth). The squirrels have still figured out how to get into it, so it may get mounted to a 4x4 post in the yard at some point but it works for now.

Even though we put them up late in the season, when most of the birds were already headed out of town, we have enjoyed many of the year-round birds including House Finches, Chickadees, Nuthatches, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, and Blue Jays. I can't wait to see who comes next spring.

Spaces: The Garden Room

2011-10-11T08:00:00.000-05:00

This was our deck earlier this summer, just after we finished staining it.

This is the deck with the new trellis.

We have a beautiful deck off our dining room that sits over our garage. It serves as a back yard of sorts; a great place for the kids to splash in the pool or play while I make lunch. I wanted to place a trellis along my deck for awhile now. I was looking to create a space for hanging baskets and bird feeders and maybe a string or two of those fun cafe lights for ambiance. We finally accomplished this project in August!

This project was a classic representation of how many projects get accomplished around here. I have an idea, which I may or may not be able to communicate in a way that gains the same gusto from other family members. My husband, trusting me, does the work.

The night before we purchased our supplies I was feeling a bit apprehensive; maybe my vision of this trellis was cooler than it was really going to turn out. Fears were squelched as the project took shape. I absolutely love it. I think of it as my garden room. Somehow defining the space of the deck by adding 8' 4x4's made the deck feel bigger and yet cozier.

We set aside a long weekend to accomplish this and two other outdoor projects, but we completed this one in just one day. We used metal "L" brackets and 4x4 post holders for decking to secure all the pieces to our existing deck. With a few cuts on the miter saw and screws to hold everything in their place, it was finished. And when the "L" brackets weren't being used for the project, they were serving as tents in a Lego campsite.

Good Things: Homemade Ice Cream

2011-10-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

This post is for my aunt Nan, because I am pretty sure she reads my blog and because she gave us an awesome gift--the Cuisinart 2-quart Ice Cream, Sorbet, and Frozen Yogurt Maker. Never has so much cream and whole milk been purchased in this household but, oh my! It's good and so easy.

In August we all gathered to celebrate my grandfather's 90th birthday. The ice cream maker was purchased for this event with the intention of having us all chip in a couple bucks for a raffle ticket to win the ice cream maker. As we drove home my husband said, "Oh man, we should have slipped your aunt Nan two bucks for the raffle because we totally would have won. I don't think anyone else bought in."

Turns out, no one did, we basically forgot to do the raffle and the ice cream maker was left for either my sister or I to have because no one was going to take it on a plane. I think there was some sort of sharing agreement reached with my sister, but I'm not sure we're going to be willing to give it up.

Our concoctions to date:
-Vanilla Custard
-Vanilla Ice Cream with malt powder and home-grown raspberries
-Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt
-Chocolate Ice Cream
-Vanilla Ice Cream with Heath bar chunks
-Chocolate Caramel Ice Cream (using hot cocoa packets)
-Strawberry Ice Cream

Good Things: Fresh Raspberries

2011-09-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

One of the highlights of the day earlier this week was sending the older kiddos out to play in the yard and after not hearing them for a bit wandering out to find them both filling themselves with fresh raspberries straight from the brambles that we planted along the side of the house.

They were delighted to learn that there were more home-grown raspberries being served with lunch.

And after I had them all tucked in for nap time, I enjoyed my raspberries over homemade, birthday-leftover dark chocolate truffle cheesecake.

My Girl

2011-09-21T17:05:00.004-05:00

I'm having a hard day. Some days are just like that--no time to yourself, a baby that doesn't want to sleep and really wants to cry, the demands of managing a household weighing down the to-do list, two older kids that can't seem to last more than 2 minutes playing together without getting into an argument. It's wearing me down.

But in the midst of this I am pulling out things that I am thankful for.

Like the fact that my neighbor has been building his house for the past two years and therefore has a dirt front yard, which is basically a 4-year old boy's paradise.

And for my girl, who has proven to me that boys and girls are different and it doesn't really matter what you do, that's how God designed it and it's a good thing.

For the times the last two days that she has slipped on the pumps that I picked up at the thrift store and pranced around the living room. For no less than her wallet, phone, blankie, baby doll, bottle for baby doll, and multiple blankies for baby doll that she wants to bring along every time we leave the house. For the fact that she doesn't often let me take her picture if I ask, but one day she came to me and asked me to take her picture with her baby doll. For how well she entertains herself. For her silly faces and her sensitive spirit and her nurturing character. May I honor God in the way I encourage these traits in her.

Creativity for Today: New Work

2011-09-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is a nightlight I created for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law in celebration of their beautiful baby girl.

Some weekends are for...

2011-09-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

...doing the projects for which you already have the supplies.

BEFORE

AFTER

I didn't come up with this idea. I read it somewhere. But it's totally true. Rule #1 for home organization: Do the projects for which you already have the supplies before heading into another project, acquiring a bunch more supplies and letting them pile up in the craft closet, the garage, or the middle of your kitchen. I am terrible at this. So is my mom. That's the trouble with creativity, it's always stirring something new.

Back in July, I decided to combat the urge to dive into a long awaited weekend project and instead finish up a few things that were sitting around waiting to get done. It felt good.

I finished putting out the last of the mulch that was piled on the driveway and I got that crazy apple tree staked in the hopes that it might start growing straight.

We put up this really cool garden hose hanger that I bought two months ago.

We put up the flower boxes that we painted nearly 3 months ago.

And we put solar lights in the garden that I purchased on super clearance last year.

Man, that feels good.

Early Harvest

2011-09-14T20:42:00.000-05:00

Preparing for the first frost of the season
We rush to harvest and cover what we can

The Last Hurrah

2011-09-12T20:36:00.000-05:00

the last days of summer
and I'm not ready to say goodbye
to the sun
high overhead and unyielding
so we wade and splash and run and laugh
amid the shallows waters
behind the "beach closed" sign
one last time
and as we sit lakeside, dining,
the setting sun and the breeze
usher in fall in force
pulling towels tighter
we mark the change
and let go

Creativity for Today: Lunch

2011-07-27T08:00:00.000-05:00

We made corn meal waffles with the Jiffy Corn Muffin mix for lunch the other day. The directions are right on the side of the box. Makes 3 waffles. Takes about 15 minutes. And it's delicious. We topped ours with vanilla yogurt, bananas, and some of our fresh strawberries that had been frozen. For added fun, the kids put sprinkles on theirs, because everything just takes better with sprinkles, especially the green and red Christmas ones when it's 100 degrees in the middle of July.

And because I had a jar of Modge Podge laying around from another project and because the kiddos ask if they can have just about every empty carton, box, or bottle for their play kitchen I took the Jiffy box and Modge Podged it to a piece of 2x4 that was well sanded. Now the "box" will withstand being stepped on and squished in the midst of play and I won't feel the need to recycle it within moments of handing it over.

What are my children doing in the midst of these little project rabbit trails, you ask? Generally terrorizing the house, each other, or sitting around in their skivvies looking at library books.

Because everyday is filled with His glory

2011-07-22T22:09:00.006-05:00

It sneaks up on me in the middle of a day of giving thanks. I'd been scribbling down my gratitude all day, thinking of those in Somalia fleeing their homes, starving, praying for rain as the kids make mud rivers and mud pies with the endless water flowing from the hose. It's oppressive. Satan is at it again. Reminding me of past failures, of things that can't be undone even though they really don't matter and I know it. But I can't shake it and satan doesn't want me to. He wants to keep me distracted, frustrated at myself, which only leads to further frustration and impatience with others, deepening the shame. Keeping me captive. Because that's what satan does:

Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ~1 Peter 5:8

But I keep counting the gifts. And in the midst of it, I realized what I haven't been claiming. The power. There are 135 references to God's power in the Bible, all found in the New Testament. And what it says is: Jesus came in power. That he acted by the power of the Spirit. That by God's power Jesus was raised from the dead. That all things are under God's power. And that we who believe have been given that power too. To overcome all the power of the enemy.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ~1 Corinthians 4:20

So I give thanks for...

: fresh water flowing
: food in abundance
: doors wide open (for a bit)
: mud rivers and mud pies
: the intense colors of sidewalk chalk drawings on my stoop
: sitting in my yard
: a gentle breeze
: bird songs
: her self-directed play
: mid-afternoon ice cream breaks on the deck
: sitting on the couch with all three kiddos reading classic children's stories
: watching the older two enjoy every detail of the illustrations
: his drawings - how they show a new stage of development
: his joy in making one for each of us
: Jesus' insurmountable power - in my weakness, when satan would keep me defeated
: claiming that power
: interceding for others in prayer
: a healthy body and healthy family
: ending the day in a good place
: knowing that His mercies are new each morning
: working to live that truth out

If you have the means to help the crisis in Africa, might I point you here? Feed My Starving Children is a Christian 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. A single meal costs only 24 cents to produce, and 93 percent of total donations goes directly toward the food program.

Good Things: Charlie's Soap All Purpose Cleaner

2011-07-21T08:00:00.002-05:00

a.k.a. "the post in which I talk about baby poop." You've been forewarned.

I have a few favorite household products. Goo Gone. Vinegar and water. But Charlie's Soap All Purpose Cleaner pretty much takes the cake. I was first introduced to Charlie's Soap when we started cloth diapering. Their Laundry Liquid does not leave residue on fabric like most detergents, which causes cloth diapers to become less absorbent, so it became our primary detergent. No dyes or fragrances. Non-toxic. Biodegradable. And you only use about 1/8 cup per load. It's awesome.

But back to the All Purpose Cleaner. One day I discovered some weird staining on some of our clothes. Turns out it was crayon. I contacted the Charlie's Soap guys and they suggested trying the All Purpose Cleaner. I've never looked back.

Allow me to dazzle you.

This is a common occurrence in our home, especially when my son is wearing a diaper that is arguably too small for him.

A closer view. Notice a white bodysuit and some not white baby poo.

When this happens I give the bodysuit a decent rinse in the sink, though yellow discoloration remains, and then I spray both sides of the fabric with All Purpose Cleaner and leave it in the laundry room until I get around to doing laundry next. I've found that the All Purpose Cleaner actually does a better job if you can leave it sit on the item for a day or more before washing.

In the case of whites, I throw in some vinegar with the detergent and give it a wash on warm. I don't use bleach.

And the results:

I kid you not. I put a pin on the bodysuit to make sure that the one I pulled out was the exact one that you saw soiled in the first two photos. And it doesn't just work it's magic on whites. I use it on everything. I've gotten bike grease out of a pant leg, grass stains. I even use it to mop my floors. Charlie's Soap All Purpose Cleaner is a beautiful thing.

And no, I'm not getting any kickbacks for letting you in on this wonderful product. I just really love it and wanted you to know too. But take note, if you do order more than $50 worth of product, type in the code "freetote" and you'll get a handy canvas tote bag included with your order. Who doesn't love a handy canvas tote bag?

Creativity for Today: A Rainy Day Project

2011-07-20T08:00:00.000-05:00

For the most part July has been a string of sweltering, sunny days but there have been a few rainy days thrown in the mix. So when the rained poured down keeping us from the pool and under the roof, we decided to embrace our inner tourists with a little project.

I have a lot of random supplies in my studio. It's a necessity when you are a mixed media artist. You never know what you might need. My grandmother-in-law had given me some wooden thread spools. I picked up a set of old Bingo pieces at a garage sale that included the black and red marker coins. I bought the circle shapes through Woodworks Ltd. for a Christmas craft last year and for Arden's birthday present. And chunks of wood seem to multiply like rabbits around here so we had plenty from which to pick.

With a little wood glue, a brown paper bag work surface and a set of clamps both kiddos created their own masterpiece (with a little guidance), each with a slightly different design, one just a bit smaller than the other. For the most part I would hold the pieces in place and count to 30 to get them to adhere well. We only used the clamps briefly while I wiped up the excess glue using a wet paper towel and a toothpick.

Twenty minutes later their creative attention spans had worn out and we had something new with which to play.

I thought it would be fun to create a photo contact sheet to print off the computer so that they could draw pictures of the things they were photographing. We didn't get to that part yet. Maybe on the next rainy day...

Some weekends are for...

2011-07-17T21:52:00.002-05:00

...sweating just standing still.
...the atmosphere reaching full saturation.
...riding in the "4-25 car" -- four windows, 25 mph.

We celebrated my father-in-law's birthday over the weekend with a train ride on the Osceola & St. Croix Valley Railway. We enjoyed a 2.5 hour ride, ate pizza (I love that they use a fun, local place to supply the pizza), explored the old train cars (our car was a commuter car circa 1911), and gathered beads of sweat on every surface of our bodies. Every single person that operated the train, served the food, took the tickets, was a volunteer. What an awesome gift to so many people. You can see more photos of the fun here.

Good Things: Today

2011-07-14T21:13:00.003-05:00

a steady rain
getting out and riding with new training wheels anyway
his absolute delight at his "new" bike
puddle jumping
handmade projects
pretend play
afternoon walk around the block
trying new recipes
a family bike ride - finally!

With Thanks

2011-07-10T22:18:00.006-05:00

for hot July weekends
filled with picnics at the beach (two nights in a row!)
playing in the sand
jumping in the water
riding the waves
being together

Good Things: Strawberry Streusel Muffins

2011-07-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

Strawberry Streusel Muffins
(I doubled the original recipe, reducing the sugar to 1/2 cup to make 12 mammoth muffins)

4 cups bread flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup butter, melted

Streusel topping:
2/3 cup bread flour
1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/2 cup sugar
6 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine strawberries and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in cream, egg and vanilla until well blended. Add strawberry mixture to flour, baking powder and salt mixture. Add butter and stir just until blended. Spoon into greased or lined muffin pan cups. Sprinkle with approximately 1 tablespoon of topping (I had some leftover that I put in the fridge to use up at a later time).

FOR TOPPING: Combine flour, pecans, sugar, butter, and cinnamon in a medium bowl until mixture comes together in large crumbs.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Yes, you should go make these now.

Creativity for Today: Taking Time to Paint

2011-07-06T08:00:00.000-05:00

As an artist, I have a hard time using up materials. You know the classic "blank page syndrome"? Well, it's kind of like that for me with materials. If I use it for this project and don't like it, it's gone, better to just let it sit on the shelf and not risk it. Of course, that's ridiculous, and having children who love to be creative puts me to the test on this. It's hard to pull out materials for them to use on a project that may not make it to the end of the day without being recycled but what I have learned in my own creative process is that sometimes you have to use up a really awesome found object, even if you don't like the results, in order to grow as an artist. So I am trying to give my kids the space to be creative, whatever the results.

Some of the things that help make this happen:
-a plastic table cloth with table clips to hold it in place (you can see our nice Independence Day themed one covering the counter top - I can't remember where I picked this up, probably the grocery store, but it is a great thing for keeping the counter and table protected and inexpensive, especially if you shop after-holiday sales)
-buying decent but not top-of-the-line materials (I want my kids to use good materials because it affects their enjoyment and experience in being creative, but I don't want to stress about the cost and how it is being used so I don't buy the cheapest, lousiest stuff but I also don't usually buy them the same stuff I buy myself)
-using coupons (this makes buying stuff that much cheaper)
-seeing their creative work

(Rainforest by Asher, acrylic on watercolor)

(Untitled by Arden, watercolor on watercolor)

Some weekends are for...relationships.

2011-07-04T08:00:00.003-05:00

...making a long weekend even longer with an extra day off.
...impromptu game nights because of unexpected power outages.
...gatherings with friends and delicious homemade foods.
...gatherings with family and a dessert table as full as the main food table.
...anxiously waiting for a new little one's arrival into this world.
...celebrating him and his safe delivery.
...more gathering of family: fresh sweet corn, homemade strawberry shortcake popsicles and hog piles with uncles.

...celebrating our country and the freedoms granted to us through the wisdom of our founding fathers and the sacrifice of many in the years that followed.

With Thanks for Days Like Today

2011-06-30T20:40:00.005-05:00

baking Fresh Strawberry Bread together
painting at the counter
playing in the front yard
continuing work on a quilt
walking in the hot sun
splashing at the neighborhood wading pool
picnicking at the playground
climbing into bed happily worn out

Good Things: Fresh Strawberry Bread

2011-06-30T08:00:00.006-05:00

With all the fresh strawberries we picked last weekend I have been going crazy in the kitchen freezing, canning, and baking wonderful strawberry creations. After using most of my chopped strawberries for freezer jam I had some leftover that I didn't want to waste so I started searching for more new recipes. I had already made strawberry muffins (recipe to come) so I searched for strawberry cookies and then I thought to look for strawberry bread. The recipes I found called for sliced strawberries but I went ahead and used my chopped ones. Delicious!

My variation of "Best Strawberry Bread"
makes 2 large loaves

2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup cooking oil
Fresh strawberries, chopped, to make 2 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil pans lightly with cooking oil. Set aside.

Combine all ingredients as listed, mixing the dry ingredients together before adding the wet ingredients. Place the batter in the prepared pans. (I thought about adding sliced strawberries on top of the batter and should have. It would have added a nice garnish.)

Bake about 60 minutes (57 minutes in stoneware pans). Cool 10 to 15 minutes before removing from pan.

(Adapted from a recipe in “The Reluctant Entertainer: Every Woman's Guide to Simple and Gracious Hospitality” by Sandy Coughlin - I don't own this book but that is where the original recipe I found came from.)

Good Things: A New Section

2011-06-30T07:59:00.001-05:00

Does Martha Stewart still do her good things feature in her magazine or did that go out in the late nineties? Either way, I'm bringing in my own Good Things section to this blog because I like to celebrate the good things that come across my path and I thought maybe you would too. Start looking for Good Things to come on Thursdays around here. Enjoy!

Some weekends are for...

2011-06-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

...bringing home 16 pounds of fresh picked strawberries.

Creativity for Today: Costumes

2011-06-22T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sometime last summer Asher wanted a robot costume to wear, so we created one out of a paper bag and a piece of cardboard. He decorated the bag and I spray painted the cardboard. Even though it was months before Halloween, he decided it would be his trick-or-treating costume. We added some dryer venting as arms and legs to make the look complete for the big day. I picked up Arden's costume at the thrift store. It still comes out to play only now she is actually willing to wear the hood.

Our kids are blessed with really awesome uncles, one of whom is a youth pastor and gets really creative with the kids. He helped create this costume out of tissue paper as Asher continued to suggest the different elements of his super hero look that were needed (head band, arm bands, breast plate, belt, cape, and shield).

Just last month Asher asked me to make him a Batman costume out of cardboard. This was my very rough attempt. I know, it looks nothing like Batman.

And recently we have been given some other Halloween costumes that the kids have enjoyed playing in. Somehow putting on these costumes equals wrestle time. Oh, the giggles!

Spaces: Spring Project No. 2

2011-06-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

In addition to redoing our play set, I had some serious landscaping goals for the spring. We started by tearing up most of the "grass" on the north side of our house and replacing it with rock, which we got for free off Craigslist. Thank you to my mom for letting us use her truck for nearly a month now!

Stage 2 was putting in a garden area in the front of the house. Our house came with some decent landscaping but I have transplanted all but three things to various locations other than where they were originally placed.

BEFORE/IN PROCESS

AFTER

Stage 3 was finishing a garden area in the back of the house. I had transplanted the lilies to this location two years ago but I added the hostas and spirea, tore up lots of grass, framed the space with edging and added mulch.

Still in my dreams...adding a lattice fence, to keep the dog poo contained and make a place for growing vines and snap peas.

First Moments

2011-06-19T23:10:00.003-05:00

"Hi, I'm your daddy."

Some weekends are for...dads.

2011-06-17T22:30:00.002-05:00

Because today is my dad's birthday and Sunday is Father's Day. And I don't know what I want to say, but I know I want to write.

To a man
who always works to be there
Even when it means driving 20+ hours for a banquet dinner only to turn around and go back again that night
To a man
who values history
And drove us all over the East Coast in a whirlwind tour of significant places to open up history to us as well
To a man
who is a gift giver
with at least one newspaper article in hand (or in the mail) to pass along each time we see you
To a man
who eats McDonald's Happy Meals regularly
just so he can have a stash of toys in his living room for his grandkids to discover

To a man
who desires knowledge but cannot grasp the truth
To a man
who has hurt and been hurt yet has not experienced grace
How badly I want you to know the hope of Christ
I pray that you would have an encounter with the Living God that changes your life forever
I pray that you would know how much God loves you
And how much we love you
And how forgiveness heals pain
And makes a way for relationship
And sets us free

I love you, dad

Our Week...

2011-06-17T21:54:00.004-05:00

...started with a trip to the Sculpture Garden, because my highly creative 4-year-old has been asking to see the Spoonbridge and Cherry up close.

And ended with a second round of homemade peach popsicles in fun ice cream cone molds. In order to justify purchasing those fun molds I have decided this is going to be our new summer thing--making delicious homemade popsicles in all variety. I am waiting for the book Pops! icy treats for everyone to come through at the library. Can't wait!

Creativity for Today: Making a double stroller a triple stroller

2011-06-17T21:52:00.002-05:00

Can you spot all three kiddos?

Discoveries

2011-06-09T22:21:00.002-05:00

Until a couple weeks ago I thought I wasn't really an ice cream person. It's okay. I would certainly take you up on a trip to DQ but add a scoop with my serving of cake? No thanks. On warm pie? Sure. But a dish of vanilla ice cream in the evening, even with toppings? Not likely.

But a few weeks ago a sale on Ben & Jerry's ice cream came through my email. I hadn't really looked at their flavors since they discontinued my favorite one years and years ago (Cool Britannia - chocolate covered shortbread and strawberries in vanilla ice cream) but some of these new flavors sounded pretty intriguing (Red Velvet Cake - do I ever say no to that?).

So we ended up with some Ben & Jerry's in our freezer (Everything but the...- Heath bar, white chocolate, peanut butter cups & chocolate-covered almonds - now this was an ice cream the hubby and I could share!).

And it was delicious.

And I realized as I savored that incredibly rich, creamy ice cream that it is not so much that I'm not an ice cream person, it's just that I don't want plain, generic vanilla ice cream.

Currently in our freezer: Brownie Chew Gooder and Berry Voluntary (I couldn't find these on the B&J website, turns out they are Target exclusive flavors).

Next up: Late Night Snack.

This is not good for losing that post-pregnancy weight.

Creativity for Today: Block Puzzles

2011-06-08T08:00:00.001-05:00

{One of many pre-baby creative projects. My form of nesting.}

Asher receives the Highlights High Five magazine. He loves it and I think he asks almost every time the mail comes if he got a new Highlights magazine. In addition to the short stories, there is always a recipe and a game or project at the back of the magazine. We have made several of the recipes and enjoyed many of the games, though often for only a brief amount of time because the little pieces of paper get lost or ripped or scattered everywhere and drive me crazy.

So when I saw these neat pictures of farm scenes set up as puzzles, I didn't want to simply cut them out and find myself recycling them the next day. I remembered a home decor project I had seen where the person put photographs or neat scrapbook papers on wooden blocks to display round the home and I also remembered some really cool block puzzles that my mom still had from when I was a little girl. I decided to try that idea with these pictures to create lasting fun with the pictures.

First I picked up some 2" blocks from Michaels and a jar of Modge Podge.

I scanned the images into Photoshop so I could remove the dashed "cut here" lines and resize the images to 4x6.

I then printed the images on my Epson R280 inexpensive photo printer on awesome Legion matte paper.

I cut the images into 1 7/8" squares using my Rototrim (a self-sharpening paper cutter that rocks!). Then I put a bit of Modge Podge on one side of the block to hold each image in place, working my way around all the sides until I had all six images on the blocks.

Finally I applied Modge Podge over each side of the block securing the images and protecting them from the hours of handling to come.

I also printed out a second set of the 4x6 images and had them laminated at the local print shop for reference when working on the puzzles. Lasting fun!

Spaces: Favorite Things

2011-06-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

I love hook racks. I have them in my bathroom, the kids' bathroom, the kids' bedroom, and now a couple individual hooks in the kitchen for my purse and the diaper bag.

Creativity for Today: Spring Project No. 1

2011-06-01T08:00:00.003-05:00

This play set was in the yard of the first house we bought. When we moved in the spring of 2009 we (okay, I) had it moved with us to our new house. My husband would have torched it but I had big plans for that play set. Thankfully, my husband is a fairly willing party to my creative endeavors, which is good since I often need his perspective and muscles to get a project done well, so this project became my mother's day present.

I had been waiting for the day when it was warm enough, dry enough and when I was no longer pregnant so that we could get going on this project. That day came not even a week after Samuel was born, when Matt was home with us for some extra days anyway.

We moved the play set from the precarious position it held on the north side of our yard to a spot along the lot line on the south side of the yard. This move alone made our yard feel twice as big.

The play set before (at this point we had taken off the ripped blue tarp roof and removed one of the "ladders" but otherwise that's pretty much how it was originally constructed)

Work projects are a family affair

We worked over two weekends (you can see Arden got her summer haircut in the middle of our work).

The finished product - complete with a ladder for kids of all ages to use to get up to the slide and a climbing wall for the older ones to try their skills. My kids play on this nearly every day. I love it.

Spaces: The Nursery

2011-05-31T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been in purge mode lately, probably because there always seems to be stuff everywhere and it drives me a little crazy. So when I walk into this space I feel a great sense of calm.

Some weekends are for...

2011-05-30T22:06:00.003-05:00

Breaking in new mixing bowls

Trying out new recipes

and enjoying the results when these two things come together.

I cook and bake almost exclusively from my "homemade cookbook." It is a three-ring binder filled with recipes that I have collected, created, or modified over the years. Each recipe is neatly tucked into a plastic sheet protector and now that I have maxed out the 1" size of the binder I have decided that if I want to add a new recipe I need to take out an old one that I never use or don't like. The recipe below with the picture of the scrumptious cake has been in the binder for a few years. It was high time it got a taste test. Delicious!

Everyday Yogurt Cake
from Real Food, Winter 2009

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (we used bread flour)
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plain yogurt (we used vanilla)
1/3 cup vegetable oil (if I had had apple sauce I would have tried it as a substitute)
2 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan and dust with flour, knocking out any extra. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the yogurt, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Pour the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the top of the cake is light golden and a toothpick inserted into the center is clean, about 40 minutes.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, invert it onto a wire rack, and then turn it right-side up on a rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners' sugar, then slice and serve. Spoon optional fruit onto slices before serving, if desired.

Store uneaten cake in a cake keeper or wrap in plastic and store at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Some weekends are for...

2011-05-21T21:12:00.003-05:00

...just letting it go.

I love getting a deal. I seek out a good deal. And sometimes, unintentionally, I offer someone else a really good deal.

Like yesterday, when I sold a camera lens on Craigslist that we were no longer using for well under the going rate, accidentally. In my haste of cleaning house I had relied on someone else's information for the going rate instead of double checking on the best listing price myself. When I kept getting response after response to the listing I knew I had under priced it, but it was too late. I didn't know how bad it was until I confirmed what the lens was selling for on eBay this morning. But there was no going back. So, I'm letting it go. Slowly. And not without a few tears I must admit. There's still extra cash in our pocket and I did get some landscaping rocks for free off Craigslist myself, but I know how much extra cash I could have had in my hand and that hurts a bit.

It certainly wasn't worth the frustration that I spewed at my family though. So we'll keep working on letting it go. And hopefully next time I'll do that first, without hurting the people that I love most.

Kids, today

2011-05-20T15:19:00.002-05:00

It is hard for me to have the littlest one wake up at a rather early hour and take a rather long amount of time to get back to sleep so that just as I know that he is asleep I have two minutes until the other two kiddos come prancing out of their room ready for the day. And I've already been at it for two hours.

So today I pulled in the "electronic babysitter," a.k.a. the television, to assist so that I could hopefully get just a bit more sleep. Unfortunately the electronic babysitter does not intervene when Asher is helping himself and Arden to their seventh bowl of cereal nor does the electronic babysitter put a stop to Arden pulling out nearly all 200 feet of aluminum foil from the roll.

*****

It cracks me up when Asher starts a story with, "A looong time ago..." as he goes on to talk about an event that happened in my lifetime.

Creativity for Today: God's Handiwork

2011-04-28T20:17:00.003-05:00

On Sunday, April 24th, after celebrating the joy and hope found in knowing Jesus and his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, we welcomed our second son, Samuel, into the world. Though we did not know before this day if the child that would join our family was a boy or a girl, I felt in my heart that he was a boy, because his name would be Samuel.

"So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel,[b] saying, 'Because I asked the LORD for him.'"

[b] 1 Samuel 1:20 Samuel sounds like the Hebrew for heard by God.

The last year has been one of the most significant in my spiritual development though I do not yet know how to adequately recount what I have learned and struggled through with written words. But what I do know is that I am heard by God.

I was heard by God when I was praying about how God wanted to grow our family and our Samuel was his answer for this time.

I was heard by God as I wandered broken and lost and He renewed and simplified my understanding of grace.

I was heard by God when my body went into labor on it's own for the first time in three pregnancies. I was heard by God when the baby turned from a posterior position, when I was given peace about labor and delivery, when I was able to celebrate Christ's resurrection in church on Easter Sunday and go on to have a baby later that day.

Oh to list all the ways that I have been heard by God!

We are so humbled. Thank you, Lord Jesus.

Spaces: Room 2549

2011-04-28T20:03:00.000-05:00

The view is nothing to speak of
the walls a typical hospital beige
but that room
begins
a new chapter in our story
three times over.

Some weekends are for...

2011-04-22T21:35:00.003-05:00

...experiencing the darkness and raindrops on windows.

For it was in those moments of darkness two thousand years ago that the Sinless One, God's Own Son, experienced total separation from the Father in the depths of hell so that I might be seen as righteous before a perfect and holy God. The ultimate sacrifice once, for all.

On this Friday, Good Friday, and through the weekend, I reflect on those left behind in the darkness. Uncertain. Afraid. Abandoned. Huddled together in a secret place wondering if they would be next to lose their lives. Was there silence? Or were some chattering away for lack of knowing what else to do? Even as the third day came they were foolish, faithless, in the midst of the Risen Lord. Unbelieving. Amazed.

"Then he [Jesus] opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures" (Luke 24:45) and gave them the promise of the Holy Spirit. And within weeks thousands were hearing the truth of the forgiveness of sins through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and surrendering their lives to God's glory.

May I better understand the grace given through the days of darkness. May my mind be opened further to God's Word. May thousands upon thousands come to know His truth.

Creativity for Today: Repurposed

2011-04-20T08:00:00.001-05:00

I love transforming things.

I had this cool, old table. I have no idea where I got it. Probably a garage sale. It was a bit off-kilter but it had a lot of potential. Most recently, however, it had been used for a table to hold grilling utensils and then just an extra place to set the piles of junk that were building in our basement.

But I had an idea. So I salvaged some of the fun parts and this is what I came up with: a trough bird feeder. I'm pretty excited to have it out on the deck.

Making Space

2011-04-19T17:05:00.002-05:00

For God's timing to unfold.
For trusting.
For awaiting the moment already foreknown.

Creativity can redeem

2011-04-15T20:42:00.005-05:00

It's been a tough week here. Fatigue. Distraction. Bad attitudes. Off-balance expectations. Selfishness. I find that I often get into my most frustrated places when I have something that I want to do that I am either not able to get done or have to deal with the consequences of what the kids get into while I am doing it. I got into that place this week a few times. So yesterday I decided that I would be very intentional about how we spent our time today, together.

And I give thanks because creativity can redeem.

After we spent an hour creating palm branches and Easter lilies and crosses and empty tombs with paper, stickers, markers, buttons and foam shapes. We spent another hour creating a delicious dessert for dinner. And then the kids went on the have a most pleasant time imagining all sorts of play together as I made lunch. We went into nap time in a very good place.

But then nap time ended and things started out rough, again with my plans being interrupted. So we got out the markers, glue, and hole punch and added to our creations.

And it worked again.

Lord, help me to put my kids in the prominent place they deserve each day. Help me to find the balance between their needs, my needs, and the needs of our home. Thank you for the gift of creativity.

Creativity for Today: More Fun for the Kids' Room

2011-04-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

Name signs to hang over beds.

Each sign is made up of 4x6 sized letters mounted on a 7x21 piece of mat board. The mat board was then mounted on a 12x26 piece of raw aspen wood and covered with a piece of clear Plexiglas sized 10x24 secured with nuts and bolts.

Two Weeks

2011-04-11T20:02:00.003-05:00

[In] the whole of world history there is always only one really significant hour — the present... ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I said to my husband the other night, "It's amazing how different two weeks can feel depending on your circumstances -- if you are told you only have two weeks to live it seems like no time at all, but having to wait two more weeks for a baby seems like forever." And in that thought my perspective was changed.

I am so thankful for each day God grants me and I desire to live showing that thankfulness, embracing each moment, being filled with joy. I fail miserably at that most days. Two weeks will be here and gone in no time but to miss this moment, that can never be reclaimed. I want to be here, now, not taken over with what is to come or with how challenging the now is, wishing it away.

Thank you, Lord, for all the gifts of today.

A sampling from my Thousand Gifts List since reaching 1000!

Arden's certainty in her answers

Asher's helpfulness

the return of birds' songs

days to play outside

Arden singing "Gloria" (her variation on Glorious by Paul Baloche) as she has quiet morning time before getting out of bed

studying God's Word with other believers

the baby turning!

freshly juiced orange juice

unexpected free kid projects at the hardware store - pinball soccer/baseball!

patience of my daughter with having the snarls brushed out of her hair

a fun day together as a family

Oreos and milk

Asher singing I Will Rise with the music as it is played in the living room on a Sunday morning

a perspective change

Some weekends are for...

2011-04-09T18:49:00.004-05:00

...pulling the grill out from storage and making up a most delectable meal just ahead of the storm.

(Grilled chicken and pineapple with a honey pineapple glaze served over couscous with broccoli.)

Overheard Today

2011-04-06T21:36:00.002-05:00

As Asher sat near me today he started to sing, "Stop, in the name of the Lord, before you break my heart..."

Creativity for Today: Practice Makes Perfect

2011-04-06T08:00:00.001-05:00

I created a few of these art kits over the last few months as gifts. I mostly experimented with the enclosure - using a cord wrap only, snaps, Velcro, and finally back to the cord wrap idea but with some alterations and a button. The first kit contains a short and stubby marker set (for the toddler) and the second kit contains twistable colored pencils (for the pre-schooler).

A First Time for Everything

2011-04-05T21:27:00.003-05:00

My father-in-law treated his wife, daughter and daughters-in-law to the gift of massages and dinner yesterday. It was awesome.

However, I have to express, it was rather unusual to have the relaxing music of choice selected by my masseuse be Usher: Here I Stand. That's a first.

Spaces: My Grandmother's Hutch

2011-04-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Creativity for Today: Banners

2011-03-30T08:00:00.001-05:00

I was asked to design some banners for our church atrium. I used a cityscape drawing originally created by a long-time member who had passed away (with approval from his wife). I was seeking to accomplish a balance between a graphic, urban style and a formal, traditional style. As of January (over a year since the project was first discussed), they are up (see my note in yesterday's post about how it can take me forever to accomplish some things - a year is pretty good, really). I think the results are successful.

Spaces: Long-Time Coming

2011-03-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

It takes me a long time to get to some things, but if it is important enough, I will get to it. Framing these prints and hanging them on my walls has been something I have wanted to do for years. The photo doesn't do them justice but I could not avoid the glare. The print on the right is a gift from an artist friend from college. When we graduated, we traded artwork and I was able to walk away with his beautiful print. A few months after college we traveled to Nova Scotia to celebrate that same friend's wedding to my good friend and former roommate. While we were there I had the chance to photograph the same spot that was the subject of his print: a beautiful, not-so-secret cavern in the coastal hillside.

Some weekends are for...

2011-03-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

...family jam sessions.

Creativity for Today: Showcasing Photographs

2011-03-23T08:00:00.001-05:00

I've wanted to make a yearbook of our photos for, well, years. A sale through Shutterfly and a gift card prompted me to go on a blitz and get 2010 done in record time (which didn't happen without a few too many late nights). The results are fantastic. I have made a couple other photo books before and I was not as pleased as I hoped so I was a little nervous about diving in on this project but it really turned out wonderfully. The kids LOVE to sit and look through this book. It contains photos from our year in mostly chronological order as well as lists from my gratitude journal. I plan/hope to make one of these for each year back to 2006 (because let's be honest, without pictures of my kids the book would basically be empty). Though I did also make a book of my design/art/creative work from 2010, the results were not as satisfying (I think I am more picky about how my artwork gets reproduced) but it is still a nice record to have.

Additionally, I have finally embarked on my photo album project for each of the kids. I have wanted to collect pictures of them individually in a book and I found these wonderful pocket albums from Kolo. I added little number tabs to mark the years and I plan to put together two books for each child - one for up to age 4 and one for up to age 7. Each year has space for 48 photos, which is enough for a month per two-page spread. It's a great layout, it gets the photos off my hard-drive and into a place where they can be enjoyed, and it's something I can actually accomplish!

Spaces: A Place for Creativity

2011-03-22T13:05:00.001-05:00

Before we moved the two older kids into the same room Asher had an "office," that's his term. We had put a small desk in the back part of his closet and he would often spend time in his office creating with ink and scissors. I knew I wanted to find a place to maintain a creative work space for the kids. It occurred to me that we had this wonderful spot in the front entry. Right across from the coat closet (which we use for our A/V stuff) was a perfect space for the desk. I also relocated a table I had in the front entry and replaced it with this refinished foot locker that had served as our living room coffee table. Now there is a place for you to sit and put on a pair of slippers.

In Honor of Spring

2011-03-21T22:17:00.003-05:00

For Arden's birthday we made her this wonderful flower stacking toy kit. It comes with lots of different wooden parts pre-drilled to stack together in any variety of configuration so the play is endless. Asher enjoys it too. As of today, it is for sale in my Etsy shop as well. Do you know a little someone that has a birthday or special occasion coming up? Just in time to celebrate spring!

Staples around our home as of late

2011-03-19T21:31:00.005-05:00

Applesauce
Saltine crackers
Dry toast
Apple juice
Rice
Potatoes
Bananas
Yogurt
Vitamin water
7-Up

I know that 95% of the rest of the world has been suffering the oppression of winter sickness as well, but we're going on two months now with only a day or two break and it's getting old.

Spaces: In the Living Room

2011-03-15T13:02:00.000-05:00

When I pulled out the drill to put up that white picture ledge (originally from IKEA but I found it new at a garage sale), Asher said, "Mom, you want to drill the whole house!"

Some weekends are for...

2011-03-11T15:51:00.001-06:00

...taking in the orchids.

When I gave Asher the camera and let him take some of his own photos, he exclaimed, "This is so fun!"

Creativity for Today: New Work

2011-03-09T15:43:00.003-06:00

I have a long to-do list. I have categories for my list. I'm a first-born. But it honestly makes me feel more sane to have all that stuff written down and it makes me really excited when I get to check something off.

Especially when it has been on the list for close to three years.

A friend of mine had given me some parts from her grandmother's piano and asked if I could make them into something for her. Although I have done commissions before, this is one of the first times that I had some of the materials provided for me and I honestly think that was a bit intimidating. The results finally came together last week. I found the frame at a thrift store, picked up the doilies at a garage sale last fall and the mat board in the background was leftover from a piece I framed in college, the exact fit for this piece.

I finished it in time to hand it over to her in celebration of her upcoming baby's arrival. I have to admit, I would have liked to spend more time with it.

Spaces: The Library Project

2011-03-08T14:40:00.000-06:00

If you have or have raised young children, you may have experienced that they love to pull books off of shelves. I didn't notice this as much with my first born, but my second born is a magnet to books on shelves and feels the need to pull them all out to look at. So when all our books were kept side by side with the toys, I felt like I was reshelving books every minute.

At the same time we had this somewhat useless ledge on the stairway landing between our main floor and basement. I quickly began to envision "the library." Given that the space was already finished I figured we had two options: build shelves to fit ourselves or wait for "someday" when we could have someone else build custom shelves for us.

But I'm not very good at waiting for "some day." So I took some measurements and starting looking for any other possible options in the hopes that this project might happen sooner than later.

To our delight and amazement IKEA made a bookcase that fit the depth of the ledge perfectly and what's more, three of them side by side filled the space exactly. It was crazy and totally awesome. We even found one in the "as is" section so we got it for less than full price. I painted the part of the wall below the ledge. We added some moulding around all sides of the bookcases to give them a more built-in feel and we changed the lighting from a regular flush-mount ceiling light to suspended track lights. With the addition of a few pieces of Asher's framed artwork the project was complete.

It's not hard for me to sit on the stairs and stare at this space. I love it.

Some weekends are for being inspired by others

2011-03-04T14:49:00.004-06:00

For the past four months I have had the privilege of teaching collage to a group of adults through COMPAS, the artist in residence program that I have been a part of for the last five years. This is the first time that I worked with adults through our Arts in Healthcare program, usually I work with students in school or after-school settings. We created accordion books using mini collages that were started from watercolor paintings. I had a wonderful time being able to create alongside the participants, which I don't usually get to do. We concluded our program last week with a reception where we displayed our work.

This is my book, titled Here and Now. We wrote modified haiku poems to brainstorm and draw out a theme in our work. Mine reads:

Joy-filled beauty, color dancing--
If we but look for bursts and splashes
Splattered all around us.

This book along with the orchid photograph below are on display at the Robbin Gallery, a local artist-run gallery of which I am a part. There is a reception and awards ceremony this Sunday, March 6th from 2 PM to 4 PM if you are interested in attending.

The Quest has ended

2011-03-03T12:25:00.002-06:00

Three years ago, though I have to admit it feels longer, my husband and his brother hatched a plan to acquire their most desired pinball machine without spending the full amount necessary to purchase it. Their plan meant that they invested in non-working pinball machines or machines that needed some TLC at an affordable price, fixed them and cleaned them up and sold them at a profit.

Then the economy tanked and the pinball market slowed along with everything else and we had a lot of inventory sitting in the basement and not a lot of progress on the goal.

Then the new year came and along with it a resolution of sorts: to get the inventory out and the most desired machine in. By spring.

Goal achieved.

When Asher overheard my husband answer, "Yeah, I got it," to a friend on the phone his eyes lit up and he whispered, "It's here?...In the basement?...Lord of the Rings?"

And then he threw up his arms in victory.

And when Arden saw him do it, she joined him.

Welcome, The Lord of the Rings.

Creativity for Today: Froot Loop Necklaces

2011-03-02T12:54:00.006-06:00

By 8 AM I had showered and my kids had made Fruit Loop necklaces. That's impressive for us. I bought a massive box of the sugar overload for that very purpose when I saw it on sale at Target. Well, that and I happen to be really enjoying cereal lately much to my son and husband's delight. And thanks to my dad for suggesting that Asher ask his mom for Trix instead of Kix. Such chemistry lab creations have not before entered our home. At least we can use them for a creative purpose as well.

Spaces: Kids' Room Project

2011-03-01T14:30:00.005-06:00

We began the process of moving the two older kiddos into the same room in January. Our house has these delightfully quirky closets in each of the bedrooms and in the laundry room. Rather than seal off dead space in the back part of the closet, the contractor decided to finish the spaces creating lots of extra storage. We took down the closet doors in the kids' room. I painted a portion of the inside of the closet wall to match the rest of the room. We added a bookcase, moved a Craigslist-find dresser into the back "extra" part of the closet and ta-da! we have ample space for the kids to share.

I enjoyed basket-hunting to add baskets to the bookcase and remember this one? It fit perfectly in Arden's nightstand to hold miscellaneous books or toys.

Finding the right bookcase to fit the room proved to be rather difficult since the space we had in mind was just smaller than standard width of bookcases. I fell in love with this one from Crate and Barrel, but the price tag didn't match my Dutch heritage so...

...my ever patient and helpful husband took on the adventure of replicating the design with me as we created our own version of the Payton bookcase custom-sized to our space and with an open back so as to allow for access to a light switch and show off the pretty wall color I had worked so hard to paint.

I also added a hook rack to the part of the closet where the clothes hang so the kids can easily access things like hooded sweatshirts or pajamas.

With the finishing touch of a ceiling fan on closeout from Menards we were set.

Spaces: For dwelling, contemplating, and listening

2011-03-01T13:46:00.005-06:00

I am a very space-sensitive person. When I say that I am not speaking specifically of personal space, though I tend to be sensitive in that area as well. I am speaking more of the feel of a space.

Years ago I named my art business Studied Spaces because I realized that is what I was doing in creating art: studying the space around me, taking the world in and reproducing it in a new way for others to enjoy. It is completely natural for me to walk into any house and start considering what walls to take out or what remodeling could be done to enhance the space. I do the same thing with the layout of a room, considering what needs to be added or removed. So the spaces in my home are very important to me. I feel joy and peace when I spend time in certain spaces in my home because of their feel.

Every time I come home and walk up the stairs from the garage I think "I love this house." I am so thankful for the light that pours in from every direction, for the colors on the walls and the woodwork, for the openness of the floor plan. It is always my hope that my space would be a welcoming, warming place where others enjoy spending time.

But when I thought about how energizing rearranging a space or redoing a set up made me feel, I started to contemplate how that might be honoring or distracting from my walk with the Lord. Shouldn't my joy and my delight be found in Him alone and not in some temporary creative project? Yes. Yes, my delight should be found in Him alone, but the means to which God desires to bring us delight are varied and abundant. He has given me a great passion for creative things, which includes the spaces around me. I think God delights when He sees us delight.

I love this passage from Psalm 18 that I stumbled upon as I looked for scripture related to dwelling and space:

"He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me."

Clearly God sees a spacious place as a place of hope. Furthermore, the writer of Ecclesiastes says in Ecclesiastes 5:18-20:

"This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart."

I don't pretend to truly grasp the writing of Ecclesiastes, and perhaps I have it all wrong, but what I do understand to be the point is that life without God is meaningless and when we find our hope in the world, we are lost, but that God has given us a "lot" in this life in which we should find satisfaction and gladness. God desires our thanksgiving whatever be our lot, whether it comes easily or not.

So I start this series on spaces, giving you glimpses into our home where I find delight. And seeking the reminder that in all things God desires to be glorified. May it be true of my home and my life.

Some weekends are for...

2011-02-25T20:03:00.006-06:00

birthday brunches

fresh raspberries
chocolate dipped strawberries
and raspberry frosting

not wanting to look away from the delicious-ness

cupcakes with bright colored sprinkles

saying "Oh, wow" with the opening of each gift, card

having your grandpa hold you

and your cousins, friends, and brother help you blow out the candles

finally turning two

The stories that chair could tell

2011-02-23T20:16:00.004-06:00

It was acquired from a second-hand store by my husband and his roomies back in college already decades old. I believe we have photos of it then, when it was housed in a room full of guys who did crazy guy things, but I didn't feel like digging through our negatives to find one. Yes, our negatives.

It became ours when we got married, perhaps because no one else wanted the hideous thing. But I loved it. It was a staple in our living room for many years. Then it became the special place we sat rocking babies late in the night.

And now it's starting the cycle again, off to a new home with some college guys.

Only to have the stories retold with a different twist.

Celebrating with Thanks: Yesterday

2011-02-22T11:32:00.003-06:00

the 15 extra minutes I can get to wake up while my kids play peaceably together

creative ideas for play

a conversation with Asher about Presidents' Day:
-Asher, after learning that Washington and Lincoln lived a long time ago and were now dead, "But not Barack Obama, right?"
-Me: "No, he's our current President so he is still alive."
-Asher: "Is he money or human?"

our deck - it's like having a fenced backyard

my boy who loves to play in the snow

his sister who prefers to be inside, shirtless

soup for dinner

bubble baths

Because today I was supposed to pray

2011-02-15T15:58:00.004-06:00

I found myself thinking of your brothers today
That happens now and again
Your family, they come to my mind
And I pray
But I always wonder how to pray,
Why today?
And then I realized
Today is your birthday.
I wonder what birthdays are like in heaven
And I wonder what they are supposed to be like for those of us
Still here
And I pray

Funny, I think I said the same thing last year

2011-02-14T12:14:00.004-06:00

Because I can be a fan of Valentine's Day for this one reason: it's all about love.

And I happen to know about the greatest gift of love in the world. So Asher and I collaborated on a valentine card design - I drew the train and he colored them - and we added what we know about the greatest gift of love.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." ~John 3:16

This spread was very Andy Warhol feeling so I had to photograph it.

Sugar cookies. I might be okay with Valentine's Day after all.

Refreshing New Music

2011-02-12T21:43:00.005-06:00

"When you need to expand your funk collection, you've got to throw caution to the wind."
-from the lips of my husband this morning

Amazon.com is celebrating LOVE day. Through February 14, send any MP3s to your friends and loved ones (or yourself), and get $2 off with code VDAYMP3S.

He chose to expand his funk collection.

I chose to expand my worship and classical music collection.

I love that. And I am refreshed.

Another reminder of spring

2011-02-10T14:38:00.001-06:00

Creativity for Today: Our Dining Room Today

2011-02-09T17:30:00.007-06:00

It's been too long since I've been okay with mess.

So today we made valentines, and collages, and paintings, and drawings.

Asher needed to make a yellow collage for his preschool class. At first he wasn't too thrilled with the idea but I pushed him on it. Once we broke out the paints it was a smash. I love his art.

And I love orchids. This one has been blooming all winter.

Longing for green

2011-02-08T20:30:00.006-06:00

Is it the record snowfall? The sunless days? Or the coming of a new babe that are making me long for spring these cold February days?

Daffodils for the table
-in bloom since this photo was taken and bringing me delight every time I see them
a bright green cucumber melon candle
-to replace the evergreen sage candle of winter

handmade trivets from Stone House Pottery
-a treasure from our anniversary getaway to Galena, Illinois

the same trivets against the background of my gorgeous serving tray
-from Longshadow Woodworks in Little Falls, Minnesota. I love art.

new baskets and rugs in wonderful earth tones
-Watch for where they end up in upcoming Spaces posts.

And some weekends are for...

2011-02-05T09:30:00.005-06:00

Missing the fun
Hunkering down
And riding out the sickness storm

Image Credits: As I Shall Not Pass This Way Again, C.D. Hilden, 2009.

Some weekends are for...

2011-02-04T20:16:00.002-06:00

Road trips
Cinnamon rolls the size of your head
Not going in the ditch
Skipping naps
Playing with cousins
Bundling up

Renewing family ties

Experiencing something new

Cheering your heart out

Thawing out again

Daily Ritual

2011-02-03T13:46:00.003-06:00

Perfectly Pear White Tea
raw honey
and milk

Aren't you just in love with that mug? I shopped at Pier 1 Imports for the first time in years last week. They had the baskets I needed in just the right size. When I went back to buy more, the two mugs above came home with me too. I love mugs. And I have rediscovered Pier 1. Many a dollar were spent there in the late nineties.

Simple Things

2011-02-02T20:10:00.003-06:00

Climbing into the car, alone
A Handel Concerto filling the silence
My favorite tea in my new mug
Candles at the dinner table, a nightly ritual
Fruit in dessert cups with a dollop of yogurt

Because I want to remember...

2011-02-01T13:00:00.004-06:00

Mornings that include--
fresh squeezed orange juice
a perfectly smooth mocha
truly French quiche
an apple tart
pain au chocolate
and the natives who couldn't keep it to themselves
so they prep it, bake it and serve it
a few miles away in their own
authentic patisserie

Here's to the end of a six-month hiatus and the beginning of much remembering!

Creativity in the Kitchen

2010-07-31T19:22:00.004-05:00

Garden fresh green beans
Generous amounts of butter
Lemon juice
and Parmesan cheese.

Some Days You Just Need Time to Think

2010-07-29T23:48:00.004-05:00

And that will be coming tomorrow when I take a much needed hiatus from raising my children for just a few short hours and enjoy something iced or blended at a local coffee shop.

As we wandered through the neighborhood this afternoon...

Our newest family member, Sarge, all 120+ pounds of him. A true gentle giant and a delight to have in our home.

Taking the time to give thanks

2010-05-10T16:46:00.005-05:00

Was it that the skies were gloomy and temperatures chilly that I failed to get out my little book of thanks for one, two, three days this week?

Was there nothing that I was thankful for that my little book sat in my bag where I had placed in on a Wednesday afternoon for Thursday, Friday, Saturday?

Or was it because I didn't take the time at the end of each day, in the middle of each day, to consider that which I have to be thankful for?

So on a Sunday afternoon, a gift of time to myself in the sunny afternoon, I stop and I give thanks (from gifts #301-314):

Mother's Day treats - dinner out as a family, sleeping in, time to myself

freedom

people who fight for others' freedom

being able to support the work of others around the world

the body of Christ

the intricacy of the human body

forgiveness

making motorboat sounds as a family while driving home

“You say grace before meals. All right. But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.” - G. K. Chesterton

Mothers: You are doing an eternal work!

2010-05-09T16:45:00.008-05:00

But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
~Psalm 33:11

Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
~Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Creativity for Today: A whole new reason to love my Pottery Barn catalog

2010-05-05T14:33:00.002-05:00

One glue stick
One 1" circle hole punch (square punch could also be fun)
One catalog or magazine

Punch out colors and patterns to your hearts delight. Adhere to the pages of a sketchbook or journal in any design that delights you. Begin keeping your thoughts and ideas among the satisfying and inspiring tidbits of color and design.

Ahhh...

Celebrating with Thanks

2010-05-03T14:06:00.004-05:00

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." ~Ephesians 1:3

I struggle to grasp the unending joy that will come with eternity, the lack of pain, sickness and destruction. How awesome it will be! And yet, God also blesses us in the here and now if we will but stop and take notice.

Thank you, Lord...
(a sampling from gifts #276-#300)

the rich hues of night just after sunset

my husband's love for his job

God's provision through my husband's job

more than enough

spiritual stirring in the heart of my son

"fire" clouds burning the day away into night

crab apple trees in bloom

the unhindered, free spirits of children

absolute delight

the gradations of color in the countryside dirt accentuating the contours of the land

Thinking of those in Tennessee today who have lost so much in recent days. Thank you, Lord, that your blessings are not rooted in the here and now. May we always be able to see your good gifts, give you thanks, even through times of struggle, hardship, grief. For you are our unending joy.

Today's Portion: Feeding off the creative drive of children

2010-04-30T16:01:00.002-05:00

Before I had kids...

...I never heard myself say, "Stop talking about kernels!" at the dining room table.

...black binder clips were used for their intended purpose, not for keeping a zipper-less sweatshirt closed.

...I had forgotten the magic hidden in a field of dandelions.

...I never heard explanations of "I'm chasing a princess!" while at the playground.

Creativity for Today: New Work

2010-04-28T22:23:00.003-05:00

Celebrating with Thanks

2010-04-26T21:55:00.006-05:00

"God is so great that all things give Him glory, if you mean that they should."
-St. Ignatius Loyola

260. long afternoon naps for everyone! (worth repeating)

261. marveling at God's creation - the hilarious sounds of camels - gargles and lip flapping

262. invitations to play with neighbor friends

263. expectancy in seeing what God has in store for new communities

264. requests by my boy to "worship God" leading to times of prayer while driving

265. asking daddy later if he likes to pray in the car and responding, "We really like that too."

266. the gift of Grandpa Glen's childhood harmonica

267. excitement at making beginning sounds on new harmonica

268. made up songs played with delight

269. that a one-year-old understands humor and enjoys making others laugh

270. my boy flipping through the lullabies book singing from memory

271. upcoming summer weddings celebrating relationships brought together by God

272. getting the creative juices flowing

273. seeing God use my husband's talents as a leader in our church

274. encouragement from others

275. being an encouragement to others

Today's Portion: Feeding off the creative drive of children

2010-04-23T20:35:00.010-05:00

Before I had kids I never...

...turned sticks into bazookas, swords or other weapons of mass destruction.

...saw my husband's toothbrush disappear (as in no where to be found) only to reappear a few days later in the same little hands that originally took it away (it's temporary location is still a mystery).

...considered my brown walking shoes fit for a wedding procession.

...had nightly wrestle-fests in the living room to the accompaniment of the Top Gun soundtrack.

...enjoyed seeing dirt under fingernails.

Creativity for Today: Taking your 3-year old to the theater

2010-04-21T21:50:00.003-05:00

We took our three-year old to his first live theater production recently. He sat enraptured for the entire 60 minutes. And though he initially told us upon the conclusion of the performance that he didn't like it (I tend to think he didn't like the fact that it was over), he still wanted to wait in line to greet the cast and was even willing to tell them his favorite part, "The singing."

There are a few reasons that I think this event was successful:

My son LOVES music.

We took him to a play acted out by children (and a few adults) for children.

The play was based on a book that we have in our reading library so he was familiar with the storyline.

The theater was full of other families with kids of all ages so we didn't have to worry about how other people felt when he asked repeated questions about what was coming next or why the horse wasn't on stage.

I can't wait to see how this experience is retold in the days to come.

Celebrating with Thanks

2010-04-19T22:27:00.006-05:00

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” - William Arthur Ward

251. bike rides, delis, and picnics at the park

252. cracking open the car windows on beautiful spring days, eliciting giggles from the back seat

253. baby head butts as an act of affection

254. long afternoon naps for everyone

255. tender moments between brother and sister

256. getting organized

257. playing outside

258. the overnight greening effect of April showers

259. new opportunities for creativity

I've joined The Gratitude Community. Would you like to adventure with us?

Today's Portion: Feeding off the creative drive of children

2010-04-16T22:54:00.005-05:00

Before I had kids I never...

...considered a plastic freezer bag to be a fine sous-chef's hat.

...traveled to Mexico in the far off corner of the living room behind the blue chair.

...found glow-in-the-dark dinosaurs strewn across the bathroom floor.

...ate small bites in a sporadic pattern around the outside of an apple until it resembled Swiss cheese.

What did you never do before you had kids?

Place of Origin

2010-04-15T23:12:00.006-05:00

crescent moon sliver
a cradle against a
dramatic cerulean sky
Venus dancing above
the only celestial lights
yet appearing as
day drops to dusk
pulled also through
to new day

Creativity for Today: Survival

2010-04-14T22:54:00.002-05:00

Managing five children ages 4, 3, 2, 1 and 8 months for several consecutive hours. The key: Just keep going and celebrate the little things (three sleeping at one time!).