ArtsyMama

All good things must end....

2011-12-07T14:10:00.001-06:00

After six years of blogging, I am writing my final post here on ArtsyMama. It is with deep gratefulness in my heart I am finishing this chapter. I have written 1096 posts and taken thousands of photos to share on this blog. Thank you for being such an amazing audience and supporter. You have watched my children grow from infants to toddlers now to school age kids. You have participated in swaps, blog parties and book launches. You have been my cheering section. Many of you that know me personally know that this has been a difficult fall for me. My children are now in first and second grade and having them both at school all day leaves a big gaping hole. I have had to figure out how to spend my days while they are gone and figure out who I have become in this new chapter of my life. I know that I will always need a creative outlet and avenue to express myself and I'm not sure what form that will take. I just don't feel that this is the most authentic place for me to share right now. I want to know what it feels like to be fully present and not have to make every little event "presentable" to blog about. I know that I will continue to follow the seasons and I'm sure I will capture it through the lens of my camera. I will post on my 365 blog a photo a day until the end of the year. I do plan to continue to archive each post of this blog and you'll find the topics on the right side bar. Life changes, whether we want it to or not. Children grow up. I am going to stop, take a deep breath and embrace whatever it is that comes next. Thank you....

day six....

2011-12-06T11:20:00.001-06:00

The kids woke up to an extra special treat this morning. Last night I told them the legend of St. Nicholas celebrated on the eve of Dec. 5th in some European countries. They left their boots on the stairs and were pleased to see them filled with treats in the morning. The coins were a huge hit!

Then they opened their book for today, The Best Christmas Hunt Ever by John Speirs.

Bodhi was taking it all in from his perch.

He was then joined by his favorite pal, Chloe.

The sun is out, the snow is sparkling. Hope you have a great day!

Day five...

2011-12-05T18:22:00.001-06:00

Today the kids opened up their books before school. They got two Berenstain Bears books: Meet Santa Bear and Trim the Tree and Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas by Jane O'Connor.

There wasn't any time to craft before school, but they are always very eager to read their books right after they open them.

After school we crafted a bit. In the Fancy Nancy book their tree topper breaks and they make a homemade topper. I thought it would be fun for the kids to make their own tree topper. Lowell came up with the very colorful creation below.

Day four....

2011-12-04T18:38:00.001-06:00

We woke up to a few inches of snow this morning. A nice little winter wonderland!

Our books for today were Christmas in the Big Woods and A Little House Christmas by Laura Ingles Wilder.

We made pancake men for breakfast, just like in the book.

Our craft was making our own snow globes with plastic cups, fake snow and little vintage figurines and trees. They turned out pretty cute!

I went to work and the kids went to an old fashioned Christmas event in the city where we live. They got to meet real live reindeer and take a sleigh ride. What a fun day!

Day three...

2011-12-03T16:30:00.001-06:00

Along with our book advent each day, the kids also look forward to the chocolate advent that I got from Trader Joe's (below) and our traditional felt advent calendar that we had growing up. Each day brings inspiration and surprises to enjoy!

Today's book is Gingerbread Friends by Jan Brett.

We first went to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to view their storybook trees and see all the fun holiday decor they had.

When we came home the kids were eager to start on today's project...gingerbread houses!

Day two....

2011-12-02T11:14:00.001-06:00

The kids have really been enjoying the book advent idea. Last night after dinner we did winter wreaths since the theme of yesterday's books were snow and winter.

Chloe made this wreath using some of the glittery snowflakes I had around and some fun goodies from my vintage stash. So fun to find a project to use these on! As always, Lowell had his own interpretation and made an adorable little snowy scene. Love the creativity!

This morning they woke up bright and early excited for their next book, which was Sparkle's Brightest Holiday by Andrew Clements.

They were eager to do the craft right away, and since it needs 24 hours of drying time we went for it. This craft was inspired by these string balloon snowballs by Martha. After they dry we pop the balloon inside and (hopefully) have a stiff string snowball shaped ornament. We will then add glitter to them to make them ~*sparkle*~. I do have to admit this craft is very messy and I ended up dropping watered down glue all over the carpet before sunrise. Yikes!

Thanks for your kind comments, we're really having fun with this countdown.

I also thought I'd share my little holiday journal. It began right after Thanksgiving when I was thinking about to-do lists and plans for the holiday's. We were also getting a lot of catalogs in the mail, so I wanted a place to put these bits of visual inspiration. It's just a little notebook to jot thoughts, pretty pictures and other fun stuff.

Book Advent begins...

2011-12-01T15:09:00.001-06:00

I started a new tradition today. The kids will get a new book or two each day starting today until December 25th. I was inspired by a few of these projects I have seen online over the years and on pinterest. I vowed to not buy a single new book, but scoured the thrift stores and library book sales and came up with a set of wonderful "new to us" thrifted holiday books. The kids have been very excited to begin. Happy December!

Today's books were One Winter's Day by M. Christina Butler and The Little Snowflake by Steve Metzger. They were most appropriate since it snowed over night and the kids woke up to a lovely blanket of white.

They opened them before school and got right to work on making some paper snowflakes with doilies. Each day I will have a craft or activity that goes with the theme of the book. I have another activity planned for tonight. Stay tuned....

Thirteen and counting....

2011-11-22T22:22:00.001-06:00

Joe and I had a fun night out celebrating our 13 year wedding anniversary. We headed to downtown Minneapolis to check out a Japanese Pub called Izakaya. Having never tried authentic Japanese food in my life, everything was new and exciting and very yummy!

Idea house....

2011-11-14T18:03:00.001-06:00

My mom and I visited the Bachman's idea house today for some holiday inspiration. With it's gorgeous use of natural materials and soft tones, it certainly was the dose of holiday spirit that I needed.

Vanishing fall...

2011-11-03T07:11:00.015-05:00

This time of year, I love to take a bog walk and see the gorgeous orange glow of the tamarak trees. It has become an annual tradition of mine to do this right around the first of November. The bog has a cool, moist feel and a spooky atmosphere. I love the mysterious spongy world that lies underfoot. I try to soak up every last drop of autumn color as it is so fleeting.

Happy November!

Halloween night....

2011-10-31T22:22:00.011-05:00

Hope yours was full of spooky fun!

Happy Halloween....

2011-10-31T08:33:00.001-05:00

Let the Halloween in you

come out and PLAY!!!

Halloween weekend...

2011-10-29T22:26:00.029-05:00

We started the weekend with a wonderful Halloween event at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. So cool to have it on such a big area and the weather and colors couldn't have been more perfect. What a fun way to celebrate the season!

Five Senses Friday: Pre-Halloween edition

2011-10-28T20:10:00.010-05:00

seeing: the cutest little banana split ever

smelling: the crisp fall air with a bit of dew in the morning

tasting: pumpkin cookies, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake...yum!

hearing: the kids reading together in bed

touching: comfy warm fall blankets

Past peak....

2011-10-26T19:36:00.018-05:00

Here we all thought the colors were "peaking" a few weeks ago and according to the official map of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (the DNR) it looks as if we would be leafless in these parts.

Well, we're having a bit of an encore performance of fall this year. Some bright blue skies brought me back out to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to check out what color might be left. I surely was not disappointed.

The oak trees were lit up in all their splendor. What a stunning array of colors!

As I walked the 3 mile drive trail at the arboretum, I came across a group of women and one of them asked if I had a blog. She said that she did, and it was vintage umbrella. She then said, "you're artsymama!" How fun to run into a fellow blogger. I have no idea how she recognized me! So fun to meet you Jenni!

Hope your fall is "peaking" no matter where you live!

Halloween in Wonderland...

2011-10-22T17:43:00.005-05:00

Chloe and I hosted a Halloween mad hatter tea party today. She dressed up as Alice in her little blue vintage dress. I was inspired by the article styled by Debbie Dusenberry in the Halloween issue of Better Homes and Gardens. They have these print outs that are fabulous. I also purchased and framed these Alice postcards from Emily Martin.

Don't be late!

I also made a scrapbook with Hallowe'en in Wonderland papers by Graphic 45.

What a fun gathering and a great way to start our Halloween festivities!

Pumpkins!

2011-10-20T21:38:00.008-05:00

One of my favorite traditions, carving pumpkins! Nothing beats a crisp, sunny fall day with pumpkin ooze and seeds, drawing out and carving the face...and that amazing aroma. Hello fall!

Leaf play....

2011-10-17T18:07:00.019-05:00

There's just something about playing in a pile of leaves. It's fun at any age! The kids have had a few chances in the last week to play in the leaves and boy was it fun.

Perfectly fall....

2011-10-09T19:17:00.031-05:00

Even thought this fall has certainly been unusual with the number of very warm days that we've had, the colors have peaked and the warmth makes for wonderful outdoor walks through the woods and patches, so that's just what we did!

Saturday we hit the pumpkin patch and the autumn hiking trail that we love so much. The soft warm earthy brown, yellow with patches of blazing red and orange was absolute perfection.

Funky fall....

2011-10-05T18:49:00.011-05:00

It's been kind of a funky fall here this year. It has been sunny, bright and warm (very warm) for the last week or so. I love the crystal blue sky and the beautiful leaves, but the warmth hinders my natural tendency to get into "fall mode". This means no Halloween decorating so far. Which for me, usually starts the end of August. For those of you that have asked, I am not hosting the sweet and sinister swap this year. I'm just not into it yet. I guess there's still time. Here's hoping.....

Laura and Hans' fall visit mini journal...

2011-09-28T18:24:00.013-05:00

Hope was here for a week and then my sister, Laura, was here the week after. Their trips overlapped by a couple of days, which was a lot of fun. We went to Scrapfest at the Mall of America together and then went to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum on the day that Hope left. Laura was here for the rest of the week, which included my birthday, a dinner with our cousins, some fall fun at the pumpkin patch and apple orchard with little Hans and some good crafty sister time together. I decided to use the book we made in Amy Tangerine's class at Scrapfest for a mini journal of the week Laura and Hans were here.

Journal of Hope's visit....

2011-09-25T09:47:00.003-05:00

This is the third year that Hope has come to stay with my family for a week in September and we always have the best time. The first few years it was fun to have Junk Bonanza going on during her visit and now the last couple of years we have also attended The Creative Connection and Scrapfest. It's always a busy week fitting in three events, plus celebrating Lowell's birthday, going to as many estate sales as we can sneak in, spending time with the kids (they love Hope!), getting outside and having some time to chat and journal before we go to bed each night.

This year was as busy as ever. Luckily the weather was at its peak fall form. Crisp and clear with brilliant blue skies! Hope posted her journal over on her blog if you want more details of the events and the visit from her perspective. Hope you enjoy!

For the journal itself, I used a mixed paper pre-made journal from Amy Tangerine. We took a class from her at Scrapfest that we really enjoyed and she showed us this fun journal that's all put together and ready to go from her new collection. I wanted to complete my journal shortly after Hope's visit while all the memories were fresh in my mind and this was just perfect to get all my pictures and journaling in lickety split!

We had fun taking pictures of our matching shoes at the markets that we visited.

Go outside and play!

2011-09-24T09:37:00.008-05:00

Did you know that today is Worldwide Day of Play? I was not aware of this until my kids tried to turn on Nickelodeon and they have no programming today to encourage people to get outside and play. What a great idea! The kids were a bit confused at first and then decided they would participate and ran out the back door.

The last two weeks have been filled with wonderful celebrations, classes, outings and gatherings with visits from both Hope and my sister with my youngest nephew Hans in tow. I have a lot to share, but will start with Hope's last day here and our trip to the Arboretum. The weather could not have been more perfect and with the morning dew still on the flowers, everything was picture perfect!

I have lots more to share, but for now, I'm going to go out and play!

Picturing fall...

2011-09-10T18:25:00.023-05:00

Today was delivery day for our scarecrow that we created for Scarecrows on Parade at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. We created this guy (below) called "Picturing Fall". It depicts mother nature's wonderful display during autumn. We are inspired to capture this wonderful time of year visually so we played on this theme for our creation. It was a lot of fun to work on with my parents and kids. We are excited to see where it ends up on the "parade" route. It will be on display through early November. What a perfect day to see the other scarecrows already on display and the gorgeous blooms of early fall.

Good-bye Summer....

2011-09-05T18:55:00.041-05:00

Labor Day is the last day of summer around here. The kids start school tomorrow and I've been refecting on what an amazing summer this has been!

Seemed like a slow start planting the garden in hand numbing rainy weather but once the weather cleared, we were off and running! Time to enjoy summer to the fullest.

We picked strawberries.

We went camping.

We went to the sailboat on Lake Superior.

We saw beautiful sunsets.

We had sleepovers.

We hung out with family.

We made up plays.

And went to real plays.

Lots of swimming...

and the beach.

We loved watching our first attempt at growing acorn squash prove successful.

We took another trip to visit grandpa at the sailboat.

And hung out with nana and bobo at the state fair.

So much fun was had! Now it's time to jump into a new season.

The sunflowers have grown 8 ft. high. I made this scarecrow for the scarecrow parade at the arboretum, I guess I'm ready for fall.

The first apple pie of the season was baked and consumed. Yum!

The reds are starting to contrast against the crisp, clear blue sky.

These two are off to first and second grade. What a summer, oh my!!! Can't wait to see what the next chapter brings.

Fair day....

2011-09-01T15:53:00.027-05:00

Our summer always wraps up with our annual trek over to St. Paul for the "great Minnesota get-together"....the state fair! It's a fun filled day with lots of food and festivities.

Endless summer...

2011-08-29T06:57:00.001-05:00

Just like last year, our final trip of the summer was up to the sailboat on Lake Superior. The kids are always in awe of the "big lake" and all of the adventures that were in store.

Our first morning, we drove from Ashland to Bayfield and spent the morning at Blue Vista Farm picking blueberries and enjoying the wonderful setting.

We took the ferry over from Bayfield, Wisconsin to Madeline Island.

Across the island we arrived at our own little piece of heaven at Big Bay State Park. Several hours were spent burying ourselves in the sand, hunting for rocks and generally just relaxing on a picture perfect afternoon.

We got back to Ashland just in time for a late afternoon sail.

We came in to watch the sunset at the beach.

On the way home we made a stop at Jay Cooke State Park. It's always a gorgeous hike with lots of climbing over rocks and roots with spectacular views.

To the orchard....

2011-08-24T20:35:00.026-05:00

I can't believe it's already that time of year to talk about apple picking. We really are on our last few weeks of summer, aren't we!? Today was just too perfect not to get out and enjoy it at our favorite local orchard. We had never picked the early variety called State Fair. Appropriately named for the ripening date at state fair time, which begins tomorrow. They were gorgeous to look at against the crystal blue sky and just the perfect blend of crisp and tart for eating and baking. The orchard added a few new thrills for the kids as well, so we had a fun adventure in the corn maze, the jumping pillow and the cow trailer ride. We're soaking up every bit of summer that we can!

Dear Mary....

2011-08-22T22:30:00.015-05:00

I found this sweet little autograph book at an estate sale last week. It says it was Mary's from when she was 15 years old received in 1925. I enjoyed paging through the quirky little words of advice from friends and family. I thought you might like to take a look.

Zoo day....

2011-08-15T22:25:00.011-05:00

We enjoyed a wonderful day at the Minnesota Zoo last weekend. We hadn't been there in a few years. The weather was perfect! I forgot to put my memory card in my camera, so luckily Chloe was on the ball with her camera and captured the day from her perspective.

In the shop....

2011-08-13T22:17:00.014-05:00

I'm really excited to announce a little shop update in my etsy shop!

There are some unusual vintage pieces to add a fresh twist to your autumn decor. Check it all out HERE!

A perfect summer day...

2011-08-10T21:48:00.040-05:00

With weather that was nothing short of perfect today, the kids and I ventured to our "happy place" at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. It was just about this time last year that we found our favorite nature playground hidden under an old oak tree in a hidden corner of this beautiful landscape.

After awhile at in this magical setting, we ventured on to other areas, observing many flowers in bloom and butterflies abound under a crystal blue sky.

We just can't get enough of it here.

Farm fresh...

2011-08-03T15:24:00.007-05:00

I feel like it's "nothing but the best" this time of year. Our growing season is so incredibly short here in Minnesota that when it comes time for fresh and homegrown I just can't get enough. Today on the way home from one of our favorite playgrounds we stopped at a little house that said "farm fresh eggs" on a sign. We got some beautiful eggs and a quick tour of the coup from the farmer himself. The kids really enjoyed it. The green egg is from a hen from Honduras. Aren't they gorgeous?

Market day....

2011-07-28T15:55:00.028-05:00

I haven't been to the farmer's market since early summer. With lots of rain, sun and hot weather the veggies were abundant and the flowers were gorgeous. What a feast!

Raptors in our midst.....

2011-07-28T08:43:00.001-05:00

Yesterday the kids and I headed to the library where I work for a program put on by the Raptor Center of Minnesota. There was a red tailed hawk, kestrel, great horned owl and bald eagle in attendance. What amazing birds and so fun to see them up close! We learned so many interesting things about birds of prey.

Celebrating.....

2011-07-27T20:13:00.031-05:00

Our summer has been full of many gatherings of family and friends. So many reasons to celebrate! While my sister and her family were still here we celebrated my moms birthday together.

At a birthday party Chloe attended they served the cutest little burger treats. Check these out! They are made from vanilla wafters (for the bun), mint cookie (for the burger), coconut (for the lettuce) and frosting for ketchup and mustard. The kids loved them!

The fun confetti cupcakes at the same party were just too pretty not to photograph.

The kids and I made chocolate chip cookies to bring to a very special gathering.

We visited this lovely lady, my great-aunt that turned 100 years old today.

Talk about a reason to celebrate!

Week at the cabin recap....

2011-07-18T14:50:00.051-05:00

This is our sixth year of going to a lake cabin in northern Minnesota with my family for a week in July. It's always a much anticipated event. This year was as memorable as ever. Our week at the cabin was full of family time together, s'mores, sunset skies filled with dragonflies, sunrises over a misty lake, visits to a bald eagles nest, loon families, paddle surfing, swimming, boating, fishing, sand and blue skies, kites, nature walks, camp fires, relaxation and laughter.

What a wonderful time!

back home....

2011-07-16T19:49:00.003-05:00

Just getting back home from a week at the lake with my parents, sister and her family. One night our cabin neighbors gave all the kids a special treat of cotton candy. I thought it would make for a great photo shoot. Here is a peek at the fun we had!

Backyard delights...

2011-07-07T19:19:00.007-05:00

We're starting to have some fruit and veggies to harvest in our backyard: berries, pea pods, green beans and zucchini. So fun to watch them grow after getting a late start to our garden back in May.

The zucchini made delicious bread. Love this recipe.

Sleepover fun!

2011-07-07T06:29:00.037-05:00

Chloe has been looking forward to her best friend sleeping over for a long time. Yesterday the day finally arrived! We prepared and Chloe waited...so excited to spend this time together.

We headed over to a labyrinth at a local garden first to play in the summer sun.

There were lots of beautiful flowers in bloom.

Then we came home to make homemade pizzas for dinner.

And decorated cupcakes. Yum!

They settled in for an evening of laughter and playing in the backyard.

They decorated pillow cases and painted their nails.

I gifted the girls with matching pink pajama's. They loved them!

What a fun and memorable night together for these sweet girls!

Happy 4th!!!

2011-07-04T19:46:00.018-05:00

4th of July whoopie pie....

2011-07-03T09:29:00.001-05:00

Being from Minnesota, I had never had a whoopie pie before visiting Hope in Baltimore in April. They were just the right blend of a cake and cookie combination filled with a frosting like substance but not too sweet. It all adds up to YUM!

When deciding on what to bring to the 4th of July BBQ we attend, festive patriotic whoopie pies seemed like a good fit. Something sweet, but different, an easy finger food with a good party vibe. How hard could they be to make, right?

I found this "authentic" recipe and followed it fairly precisely with the addition of red food coloring so that I would cover the red in red, white and blue. More on that later.

The texture came out perfectly and I was pleased as punch to get it right the first time around!

I went on to use her recipe for the filling as well. It came out a smooth, rich, buttery white and Chloe and I went right to work filling our pies.

We added blue and red sugar around the edges to give it a festive touch. Then it was time for sampling our little treasures. The pie itself was yummy, but the filling had a strong flavor of shortening. It was just too much. After putting them in the freezer for a bit to harden them up, Chloe helped me unwrap each whoopie pie and scrape off the filling. We headed to the store to buy marshmallow fluff to try this filling recipe for our pies since it had quite different ingredients than our first try.

We made another batch of filling and after re-filling each and every whoopie pie we did another taste test. They came out with the perfect! They had a blend of smooth, sweet and rich without tasting too much like frosting.

So this northern girl, with a little trial and error, learned the art of making whoopie.

Ready to have a blast!

2011-07-02T06:46:00.009-05:00

We hit the fireworks tent last night for some sparklers and things that the kids can do on Monday evening. They don't stay up late enough for the big fireworks, so we just have fun in our yard with things with a little pop and pizazz. Fun stuff!

happy half-year.....

2011-06-30T19:42:00.007-05:00

We've been celebrating the mid-point of the year today with all things summer: fresh strawberry smoothies, corn on the cob and a nap in the hammock.

After reading through the latest issue of whole living magazine, there was an article about mid-year being a good time to re-visit your resolutions, review your progress and rev yourself up for the rest of the year. The book Let Your Life Speak by Parker J. Palmer was recommended. I was happily able to get the ebook version through my local library and viewed it online.

"I must listen to my life and try to understand what it is truly about..."

And to the zoo.....

2011-06-29T17:54:00.030-05:00

Yesterday was the farm, today was the zoo and kiddie rides! The kids have been looking forward to trekking out to St. Paul for a day of fun in the sun.

They had a splash pad that was perfect for cooling off on a hot summer day.

After the rides we took a stroll through the zoo to check out the animals basking in the sun.

We finished off our trip with a ride on the old fashioned carousel.

Another fun summer day!

Day at the farm....

2011-06-28T14:12:00.022-05:00

We had a fun morning today taking the kids to a working farm nearby. Chloe adored the sheep and loved the companionship of one of the little lambs. So cute!

As you can see, she had a wardrobe change as the day grew warmer.

We walked to a lake on the farm property and had a nice lunch on the dock with blue skies and a gentle breeze. Lovely!

On our way back we visited the cows, said hello to the pigs and visited the chicken coup again.

A fun way to spend a summer day!

Summer yellow....

2011-06-27T13:14:00.011-05:00

Poppytalks colour week has begun! Here's a peek at our summer so far in yellow. Join in the fun and check out all the inspiration in the pool.

Monday - Yellow

Tuesday - Pink

Wednesday - Blue

Thursday - Rainbow

Friday - Red

So happy to see these yellow blooms on our cucumber plant.

Strawberry bliss!

2011-06-24T09:03:00.034-05:00

It's been a rainy and cool week here, but we managed to do one of our favorite summer activities despite the weather, a trip to the strawberry patch! The kids remembered it from last year and were anxious to get back to pick some more sweet morsels of summertime bliss!

We came home with loads of berries and quickly made two strawberry pies and plenty of freezer jam for loads of strawberry shortcake. Yum!

Home from the big lake....

2011-06-20T06:48:00.001-05:00

We're back from another family weekend adventure, this time from the big lake...Lake Superior. We started heading north on Friday afternoon and had our first glimpse of it outside of Superior, Wisconsin just after passing over the border from Duluth, Minnesota.

It was a cool and cloudy afternoon with some big waves. The kids were thrilled!

After exploring for a bit, we headed to our final destination of Ashland, Wisconsin where the sailboat resides.

Arriving at sunset the kids were pretty tired out and we headed in for the night. Saturday morning we woke up eager to set sail. It was again cool and overcast but that didn't stop us.Grandpa had the boat ready to go and we were off!

Bodhi was fantastic and seemed to enjoy his first time out sailing.

After a nice sail we headed over to Bayfield for a roll through the country roads, orchards and berry farms. The lupine was in bloom along the way and captured my attention. It was beautiful to photograph and reminded me of our trip to Alaska 10 years ago at exactly this time of year where we saw beautiful fields of blooming lupine. I was entranced!

Down on the waterfront in Bayfield we found a cute beach with some good Superior rock hunting. One of my favorite things to do at the big lake.

Back in Ashland, we woke up to fog and light rain so we headed back south along a beautiful rural road through the north woods of Wisconsin.

The St. Croix River National Scenic Riverway was winding along as we drove with beautiful glimpses like this every now and then.

In Hayward for a bit of a break and some kitsch, the kids and I went to the National Fresh Water Fishing Hall of Fame and Museum. Check out this 4.5 story musky. Just like out of a vintage postcard. What fun!

It was another fun and memorable weekend!

Summer rainbow....

2011-06-16T07:45:00.033-05:00

On an early morning whim, I entered myself in the search for the top 25 mom photographers over at circle of moms. If you feel so inclined and would like to vote for me (I would be most appreciative) you can hop over HERE and vote or click on the button on my sidebar. You can vote once each day until June 29th. It's all in good fun and we'll see where I end up! Thanks so much. In the meantime, here's some eye candy showcasing a rainbow of blooms I captured the other day at the landscape arboretum. Gorgeous!

2011-06-13T19:44:00.001-05:00

ingredients....

1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)

1 cup water (for the simple syrup)

1 cup lemon juice

3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

method....

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength.

Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes.

If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons. Serves 6.

Enjoy!

Summer adventure...camping!

2011-06-12T15:00:00.005-05:00

Our camping adventure began heading towards the Willow River campground outside of Hudson, Wisconsin just across the border from Minnesota. This was the same campground we went to last summer, but this year we had Bodhi in tow!

We set up our tent right away. We weren't sure how all five of us were going to fit in there!

The weather was clearing up, so we headed down the long steep path to Willow Falls.

It was just as beautiful as I remembered from last year and more stunning than expected.

We headed up the 200+ (!) stairs to get a great overlooking view.

Bodhi didn't want anything to do with the stairs, so Joe brought him around a long incline and met us about halfway on our way back down to the falls. Everyone was pretty winded!

Back at camp we watched the kids play in the tent, jump rope and blow bubbles.

We went into the town of Hudson for a yummy dinner and then came back, because the kids wanted to get started right away making s'mores!

Lowell got a huge kick out of charring his marshmallows.

YUM! Several s'mores were had by all.

Then we settled in for an evening by the campfire. Chloe worked in her smash journal.

Bodhi was pretty tuckered out by the end of the afternoon. Pretty exciting day for him!

We woke up pretty early and took a short walk by the lake. Then we headed home very tired, with smiles on our faces. We can chalk up another fun summer camping adventure!

Summer in the yard...

2011-06-10T06:12:00.000-05:00

School is out, summer has begun! After scoring a vintage croquet and ring toss game recently at an estate sale, we decide to teach the kids some good old fashioned yard games. Lots of fun to be had outside on a warm summer evening. Sometimes it's the simple things.We put up the hammock in the yard as well. It is a huge hit. Happy Summer!!!

It's going to be a smashing summer!

2011-06-07T10:11:00.003-05:00

As the kids wind down their last few days of school, summer is definitely on my mind. The nearly 100 degree temperature outside certainly doesn't hurt. I've been brainstorming with the kids all the fun things we hope to do this summer: camping, sailing, swimming, lots and lots of family time. You know me, I'm always one to want to document our journey, ideally as we are living it. After feeling inspired by the concept of these smash journals, I decided to take Kidding Around 2, lead by Tami Morrison at Big Picture Scrapbooking and get the kids involved. The journals are by K and Co., but you could certainly make your own as well. What a great way to "smash" the summer into a very fun and interactive art journal. The kids and I will each do our own so that we each do it in our own way. Can't wait to get started!When I gave Chloe and Lowell their smash journals tonight, they were eager to get started right away. Can't wait to see how they fill up over the summer!
I’d love to hear what you’ve got in store for the summer. What are your plans?

Great estate....

2011-06-04T16:13:00.034-05:00

Every once-in-awhile I come across a memorable estate sale. For me it had been quite a long time and I was was even beginning to loose interest (!) So I was thrilled to find this sale today that was full of very old photogenic pieces. I didn't even buy much for myself, but found joy in spending some time documenting these items in my own way and letting their personality shine! Vintage Halloween items are always a treat for me to find. There were definitely some fun items.Look at all these amazing old books! Love these illustrations. There were tables and tables filled.
Here is the small stash of fun goodies that I did take home with me, including the chenille quilt.

How does your garden grow?

2011-06-03T18:10:00.010-05:00

I thought I'd share this cute little garden mini book I made to store all the tags that came with the veggies we planted in the garden. I supplmented it with some photos and notes on how our garden came together this year. I hope to keep up with jotting down which plants did well and which didn't and other facts that may come in handy. All that I used was some polka dot tape and a pen. A simple way of documenting the process as we see how our garden grows.

A dose of green....

2011-05-31T12:23:00.016-05:00

I love visiting nurseries this time of year. All that lush green foliage with gorgeous blossoms. Such an inspiring and creative place. I love to see what colors they put together and what combinations they put into their baskets and displays. Nature's Harvest is one of my go-to spots for inspiration and a quick stop before a breakfast date this morning certainly didn't disappoint.

Around the yard....

2011-05-23T19:21:00.020-05:00

Beautiful blue skies were back today after a weekend of heavy rain and storms. Last weeks stunning crabapple blooms are now but a memory with a carpet of pink blanketing the ground.I have spent the last few weeks doing lots of yard work. I was thrilled to find the compost bin that we've had for the last 7 years and never touched, was full of rich organic compost just perfect for all the planting I was preparing to do.
My first spring yard project was clearing the entire top of this retaining wall that goes the entire length of our backyard. It had some flowers that were transplanted to another bed, but mostly it was cleared, amended with compost and mulched to make way for all the veggies now planted there: cucumber, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and peas. You can see in the background the new fence that my husband is building and clearing of the shade garden we have behind it.
Strawberries were planted in a basket and clematis transferred to the arbor now the entrance to our other garden that has sunflowers, tomatoes, acorn squash and mini ornamental pumpkins.
The succession of beautiful blooms is showcasing lilacs and their delightful smell fills the air.
Other blooms around the yard in pots and newly planted in beds that used to be weed filled. The darling and fragrant lilly of the valley hides in the shadows of the lilacs along our fence.
This weekend we had a visitor, a mother wood duck and her brood of nine babies. What a treat!
Our resident garter snake. I never have found more (fingers crossed) and he doesn't cause any trouble. We'll see what Bodhi does when he sees him. Hope you enjoyed a walk around our yard.

Spring beauty....

2011-05-18T09:05:00.016-05:00

I'm happy to say that we're officially done with winter here. Yes, in Minnesota it takes that long. We now move into one of the most beautiful times of the year. Mild weather with bright crystal blue skies and this week the crabapple trees are blooming. Doesn't get much better!

Planting day....

2011-05-14T13:21:00.012-05:00

These seedlings were more than ready to be put in the ground. We worked the soil in our little garden and despite the rain and mud they are now in. Time to watch them grow!

The day began....

2011-05-13T20:03:00.000-05:00

With beautiful warm sunny skies. It seemed like the perfect day to visit the arboretum to see what was in bloom after all the rain we have had. The humidity was rising and the temperature was supposed to reach into the 80's (!!). I found the hot colors of summer all around. The warm red, orange and yellow of the tulips and daffodils were stunning. It felt more like July than May.The temperature rose and rose throught the day and by evening a thunderstorm had been brewing. While I was at work hail the size of golf balls tumbled from the sky. My new car didn't fare so well with some pretty hefty dents. It's going to be an interesting summer!

The other end of the spectrum....

2011-05-12T20:03:00.000-05:00

After all of the hot colors in the central beds, I decided to take a stroll along the 3 mile walk at the arboretum and came across the more muted colors of the magnolia trees and flowering shrubs beautifully set against the gorgeous blue sky. Quite the contrast and equally magnificent.

These May days...

2011-05-09T19:16:00.030-05:00

The month of May arrived and we still felt like it was winter here in Minnesota. The days were grey and barely above freezing. The trees were still waiting to pop with the exception of the very early blooms of the forsynthia and magnolia. I spent the first week inside tidying up the house, getting ready for the hustle and bustle of spring guests. Finally, the sun came out and the grass greened up overnight. The kids helped with the first mow of the season. Shortly after came more blossoms. Then out came the sidewalk chalk, lawn toys and bubbles. Boy does Bodhi like to jump for bubbles. I think it's finally safe to say that spring has arrived!

It was totally worth the wait!

The First of May!

2011-05-01T07:31:00.008-05:00

The Coming of May

May opened up her basket,

And I looked in to see

A sky of blue,

The great sun too,

Both smiling out at me.

May opened up her basket,

And out the flowers fell.

Their fragrance spilled

Until it filled

All nature with its spell.

May opened up her basket,

Her choristers were there!

Their welcoming
To joy and spring
Was wafted on the air.

She opened up her basket-

The world was blithely gay.

Earth knew again

The ample regin

And blessing of the May!

Leland B. Jacobs

Happy May Day! This is one of the most fun and special days. I just love the tradition of the May basket and it's my fourth year hosting the May Basket swap. Boy did I ever enjoy partnering up with Morgen this year for some springtime crafty fun! Here is the amazing package she sent me. She had so many wonderful handmade touches. With spring making a very slow appearance here in Minnesota, her goodies really cheered me up! Love these sewn handmade cards she made. Beautiful!
Check out these fun blocks she made with photos from my blog. The mini spring bunting is the perfect touch! Morgen is a floral designer, so her bundles of vintage millinery and other supplies were just beautifully put together. Thanks, Morgen!! This is a peek at the basket that I sent to her.
Hope your May Day is filled with little surprises and rays of sunshine!

Good-bye April.....

2011-04-30T18:28:00.019-05:00

It's been a very cool and rainy week here. Chloe was very anxious to get our garden started, so we got some seeds and started them indoors.

Within a few days in the front window they looked like this!Finally this weekend the rain broke and we had some much needed sun! We went for a walk in the woods to celebrate the end of the wonderful month of April.

We saw lots of new growth and some nests. Can't wait for all the blooms of May!!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-24T18:53:00.005-05:00

Easter morning the kids were up bright and early and it was gorgeous and sunny for the first time since I've been home. We were off to take Bodhi for a walk and see what was blooming in the neighborhood.
We found the perfect picture spot!

Then we headed over to my parents for the big Easter egg hunt!
The kids ran through the woods in their backyard while my mom and I looked for new flowers blooming.

Quite a haul!

Chloe always loves the chocolate bunny best!
We then went for a stroll through one of our favorite wildflower gardens in Minneapolis.
After a nice meal we headed to the park to fly kites.
It was a lovely day. So nice to have the sun shining again.

Hope you had a memorable Easter!

Back from the east....

2011-04-20T14:05:00.043-05:00

Just came back from a trip to the east coast with these fabulous ladies; Michelle, Cassondra and our gracious host Hope. What a fun time we had! We started out with a fabulous birthday brunch for Hope with some of her local artsy gal pals.

The trees in Baltimore were brilliantly in bloom.
Such a treat for this Minnesota girl since it's still snowing at home!The next day we headed to Washington DC and first stopped at the Eastern Market on Capitol Hill.
We all got cute matching bags made out of sari's.
The surrounding neighborhoods were just gorgeous.
We spent some time on the Mall taking in the views and watching all the kites flying in the perfectly blue sky.

The tulips were at their peak.
Sunset at the Washington Monument with the capital behind us was brilliant!The next day we headed to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia. Then we were back to Baltimore at Hope's house and had a marathon art journaling session. Such a treat with these creative ladies! I had such a great time with my peeps.

Miss them already.

Little peep of a flower....

2011-04-13T15:26:00.033-05:00

The first to bloom here in the spring is a beautiful little peep of a flower called bloodroot. They are such beautiful little treasures found on the forest floor before the green arrives. There is always much rejoicing!