still life revisited::1

still life revisited

I loved the still life project too much to just be done with it, and now I have proof that my art stuff really is (mostly) unpacked.  I got my light box put back together.  This nomad summer of ours didn’t put an end to my collecting of seeds and stones.  Aside from filling jars and shadow boxes with my bounty, I have been setting up new still life scenes in my head while I lie awake in bed at night. This one has maple seeds plucked from my favorite tree right outside the kitchen window in our Ohio house.  Hurriedly picked as we were loading kids in the car to drive away.  There’s a big New Hampshire granite beach stone back there– one that showed up many times this past February, a driftwood stick gifted to me by a special friend before we both left our old homes, and three small stones from the ocean shore by San Luis Obispo gathered this summer when I visited Barry there.  The stones covered in felt– those are from our new backyard here.  The kids and I collected stones and felted away last night out of necessity because this week I discovered resurrection fern and have been mulling over images of stones covered with felt and crocheted lace almost obsessively.  I mean, round, smooth stones covered in intricately crocheted thread?  You can’t get much cooler than that.

 Still life photos won’t be daily, but when the inspiration strikes they’ll be here.  I’m excited to set up my little worlds with some of my favorite things.  I can orchestrate something peaceful and pretty and quiet and clean– even if it is in an isolated little white box.

blue sky day

It is that time of year– the time where we are in need of pumpkins.  We packed ourselves and some lunch in the car (oh GPS, I love you and your navigational skills around this humongous new city), and headed up to Berry Patch Farm for a hayride, some pumpkin picking, some crafting, and even a little honey bee lesson from the farmer.

under the picnic tables

This rolly polly pig patroled under the picnic tables as we ate.

huddled together

And not too far away the hens were snuggling.  The roosters provided the mood music, and made sure to kids stayed on their toes.

hay ride

straw maze

picking pumpkins

blue sky day

I’m really liking this 300 sunny days a year thing Denver has going on.  Even when it is a little chilly out, our jackets just have to come off.  Just look at that sky.

 

 

new dress to cover the baby bump

There really is someone in there, and he moves and wiggles– and creates some giggles!

new dress to cover the baby bump

So, I have 4 kids and am half way through cooking up a 5th.  That means I’ve been pregnant for about 45 months of my life, and during each of those months I’ve had to clothe my expanding belly– even for church every Sunday.  But, this time around I feel like I’m at a loss as to what to wear every time Sunday rolls around.  What did I wear those other 40 months?  Beats me.  So, I spent my Saturday making myself something soft and stretchy and comfy, even hoping it would be cute, to wear to church yesterday.  I had many yards of this heathered mauvish soft cotton knit that I found on the closeout  rack at JoAnns a year or two ago for just $3 a yard sitting on a basement shelf, so I cut into it and hoped for the best.  I used Butterick 3385, which is a shirt pattern, and with a few modifications– making the sleeves long, using knit instead of woven fabric, and the obvious addition of enough length to make it a dress– I’m pretty happy.  It’s not quite as fitting and flattering as I had hoped– but there’s room to grow, so come January I’ll still be cozy in my super soft new dress.  It’ll cover my belly at peak expansion quite nicely.

today

bread maker

making… bread with my littles.

knead

laughing… at Ellie helping Brenna fold the laundry.

helpful laundry help

loving… that 15 minutes of quiet scripture study has become a consistent part of our daily routine.

quiet time

using… my craft space just a minute here and there– right in the middle of the action, just like I had hoped.

unpacked my sewing machine

It was one of those days I just needed.  Not totally smooth and predictable, I think it will be many, many years before I have a day like that, but the time flowed and we flowed with it, and I’m happy.