Potager

Three cheers for spring. Last week here in California it was in the 90's - too hot! - but the nice thing about the sun was the push it gave us to get going on our big summer project: a square foot garden, much inspired by the success of our friend Liz. The idea is to build a very simple raised bed and fill it with good soil (by far the most expensive but important part of the project) then divide it into square foot sections, thereby maximizing every inch of that nice earth you put in there. The square foot gardening book has good charts which map out exactly how many of each different plant/vegetable you can put per square, which is great if you are like me and sometimes need to be told exactly how to make gardens work. In ours (we ended up making it 3' by 8', so that gave us 24 squares to fill) we have about 9 different vegetables, plus some melons and flowers. I'm so hoping we haven't already killed our poor little seeds.

baby surprise jacket, second try

Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket is a little better on my second try. Except the buttonholes - and that I didn't check the gauge and therefore what started as a sweet infant sweater fits my two year old. More on that after Melissa receives Margot's present...

sugar box #2

Sugar Box #2 (Sugar Box #1 can be seen here): perfect for the five-year old's woodland day dreams. I'm contemplating a few more, perhaps a bit more animated Red Riding Hood vignettes: perhaps Wolfie dressed as Grandmother in a grand--and a bit gaudy--Victorian walnut bed, lazily drinking some nettle tea and nibbling on lemony crumpets; or the woodsman with his wolf-killing armament: a scythe, an awl, and large shiny ax.

Goodness

This is our dog, Calvin. He is a deep well of goodness, this creature.

When we got Calvin three years ago I did not realize how much work was involved in training a large-ish puppy. There were many times we almost fell off the having-dog-and-tiny-kids fan wagon. But now, despite the bouts of uncontrolled barking, or his tendency to knock toddlers down with his tail, or the black fur he sheds all over - despite all of this, I love this dog. He loves me even when I yell at my kids; even when we're really late remembering to feed him. At night he sits down right next to my leg and licks my toes. He lets the kids dress him up in their ballet clothes and use him as a lounge chair. He is incredibly constant.

But people are so good, too. I was thinking about this yesterday, remembering a plane ride from Connecticut to California a few years back when I was flying sans husband with a 3 month old and a wild 3 year old. It was time to board, and I was struggling with the impossible task of wrangling my huge backpack, a bulky car seat, and the kids onto the plane. A couple in front of me - busy with their own young family - made silent eye contact with one another and before I knew it the father turned around and grabbed my car seat from me. Not only did he carry it for me, he strapped it in the seat. And when the plane landed they found me and helped me off the plane. I don't even know if I said thank you, I was so teary.

Melissa has a story, too. One day she, shortly after the birth of her third and overwhelmed with all those tasks that just pile up, answered a knock on her door to find her friend Marcia, her own little baby strapped to a backpack on her shoulders. Marcia informed Melissa that she was there to do yard work and wasn't leaving until she'd finished.

Goodness!

... speaking of underwear

... we're putting away our flannels and hankering for florals.




Sewing nightwear is a good place for me to indulge my old-fashioned tendencies towards long and cotton. As I'm typing, I realize that this is probably the inevitable fruit of being raised by a mother who took great care in her evening toilette, every night retiring in crisp Victorian-esque cotton gowns.

One summer night - I was probably only seven - our neighbor's three horses escaped into our backyard. I woke up and peered out my window and watched my mom, her nightgown flying around her in the moonlight, herd the horses single-handedly down the slope and back through the meadow fence. And then I apparently just went back to sleep because those vague images are all I remember. Go figure. But it does make me think, maybe I need to start wearing nightgowns myself. Would it help to unlock my inner super-woman?

some firsts

On top is my very first girdle, sent to me by my mom, to keep my c-sectioned entrails in. The French call it une gaine as if wearing such a contraption is supposed to be an asset, something to be proud of and make you smile. I think gaine refers to "weight gain" more than anything else. It's supposed to help squeeze in all that pregnancy fat and make it disappear under my clothes. The sad thing is, my gaine doesn't even fit me yet; it's too tight!

The next drawing is of my very first, preteen soutien-gorge euphemistically named by the very subtle French, "a throat support." Maybe for French women, who seem to be better endowed, these appendages will extend up towards the throat and need extra support. But for my twelve year old body, which wore this mini "throat support" there was nothing to be supported, and nothing nearing the throat, anyways. I saved this first mini-bra and now my five-year old has discovered it. She dons it every afternoon when she returns from preschool. She loves to wear it with her favorite skirt and sing and dance around the house. I think it makes her feel beautiful like Arial, wearing what the five-year old calls "a zucchini" or "bikini." No bikinis for me, and certainly no mini-bras. As my body has waxed as of late, I'm now in need of some major throat support. Can anyone recommend where to find a good nursing soutien-gorge, preferably without those cumbersome under wires?

Home Sweet Home: Kari

Welcome to Kari's home sweet home!

Kari's the creator of Spring Chick Designs, and is a fellow Virginian (who still lives there, unlike me). If you've read her blog, you've perhaps seen that her crafting studio has been featured on both Ikea Hacker and Apartment Therapy. I've been hearing about Kari's talent, humor, and kindness for years from my older sister Katie, who is her friend in real life, so it's been great to follow her via her blog. She is amazing.

Peeking into her house, Kari's surrounded her family with things that have history and sentiment. Exactly the type of home you want to be in. (Plus, I bet it always smells good, like hot freshly baked warm things - Kari makes very yummy treats. Be sure to check out her bread recipe).



Dining Room: "...I had an idea to make a gallery of original portraits in my dining room. I started with some family portraits (the matching couple are my grandparents, drawn by my cousin) and have collected others from various sources including eBay, etsy, and local art students. All four walls are now covered with interesting faces."



Kitchen:"Our kitchen table was my husbands' growing up. It’s pretty indestructible. My kids love the barstools because the tops swivel. The furniture piece was used for display at a boutique that was going out of business. I asked them if they were getting rid of their fixtures and they sold it to me for a steal. I keep fresh herbs in pots inside in the winter and move them outside in the summer (that’s my rosemary tree in the picture)."



Living Room:"...We decided to place our piano in our living room so that we’d get in there and use a room that some people just have ‘for show.’ The kids are constantly practicing in there and it’s also the preferred room for block building! The piano has been passed down through my family for 5 generations – not sure how I lucked out to get it. The iron piece on the wall is from an antique auction, I think it’s an old steeple. My neighbor was throwing away the ottoman, so I grabbed it and made a slip cover for it."



"...This room is very hodge podge right now (new furniture is on order – white slipcovers!). This is where we spend most our time. Coffee table is Katie’s [*side note - Katie is my older sister & friend of Kari's] old one (I bartered my sewing labor for it!) The marble top side table I scored at an antique store for half price. The mirror is antique. The curtains are Ikea, they were a quick fix for privacy, but they’re kind of growing on me. My husband made the huge sign. We copied an antique sign we saw that was selling for a fortune. We were able to get the Denton library to send us information on the Caroline Sales Co. that is advertised, that operated in the 1940s. Some people love the sign; some people think it’s really ugly." [*Kari - I love the sign.]



(For more pictures of Kari's studio see the links at the top of the post from Apartment Therapy & Ikea Hacker. Well worth seeing - Kari is so resourceful.)



Her five year old's room:"...The dresser was a hand-me-down that I repainted. The quilt on the wall was made by my mom. I found the baby scale on the dresser in my grandparent’s attic (it was used to weigh my mom and her siblings). I found the play metal baby crib at a flea market. The doll dress was made by my mother-in-law."



Her ten year old's room: Bedding from Ikea, Kari made the pillow and doll (doll from Wee Wonderfuls pattern), her daughter made the S plaque and cute paper chain.




Basement: "...I can’t believe I’m showing you my unfinished basement, but it is the greatest place for the kids to play. I don’t care if it becomes a total mess, and there’s nothing much they can hurt. Someone gave me the best advice to paint my concrete basement floors before we moved in. It eliminates the dust and makes it so much brighter. All of this junky furniture was headed for the dump, but at the last minute I changed my mind and put it in the basement. The dresser actually works great for storing puzzles, games, and art supplies. The teacher’s desk and chalkboard inspire hours of playing ‘school.’" [Another side note: The one thing I hate about California is the lack of basements! This might be my favorite picture of all -]

I asked Kari to share a parting housekeeping tip. She says this, which I love: "...if something’s not working for you, change it. In my last house I was constantly frustrated with things about the house, but just lived with it for 7 years. In this house, if I see that something could be improved I just change it! For example, I found myself taking my mixer and baking ingredients in and out of the cupboard so frequently I decided to put them in pretty canisters and just keep them out. When my kids’ coats kept falling off hangers, I took out the closet rods and put up hooks instead. I read a book once that said every house has “hot spots” where stuff collects. If you have a spot where you dump your mail, put a pretty tray there to hold it, and then it looks better and feels more purposeful, right? Make your house work for the way you really live – that’s my new motto."


Thank you Kari, for sharing your lovely home with us!