grateful spark

i have had some very generous contributions to my sewing stash from friends, family, acquaintances, and freecyclers. recently my sister in law sent me a beautiful collection of treasures that had been passed down to her: vintage bias tape, ric rac, laces, and fabric. doors of creativity are opened as i figure out how to best use these lovely relics.

one day there was a topsy turvy craft session unfolding between siblings. first a hot pad loom project gone sour, and after a few wrong turns, hand prints on old paper bags came to be. we weren't necessarily thinking hand turkeys. but clearly this is what we have!

fun with friends in a blue ridge nature preserve. i love where we live!

a walk with my family. this is our neighborhood!

i am grateful for so many warm knits from my mom. hats, sweaters, ponchos, shawls, fingerless gloves, socks, we've got it all and she made it! i'm grateful for my beautiful family and how they always make me smile even when i am feeling overwhelmed by inner gloom. i'm grateful for an abundance of good food, good friends, and good times! i'm grateful for creative outlets, and all the people that encourage me to keep at it. i'm grateful for vintage fabrics passed from woman to woman to woman, for kids' creations that fill my house, for walks in the virginia countryside with friends and family. i'm grateful for babies: mine, my clients', and all the babies of the earth. they are the true expanding light of future days that we must tenderly encourage. i'm grateful for planet earth.

may your holidays be warm and full of gratitude!

around the house and into the holidays

things have been beyond busy around here. when there are small late night breaks i find myself a bit comatose in front of a movie, book, or the internets. it seems we have all managed to lift away the seasonal blanket of malaise after a series of coughs, fevers, heavy heads, and sore throats. and so we turn toward the holidays and think about food, gifts, crafts, and road trips. mostly i can't believe how quickly the days are passing!

autumn days around the house are cozy

there was indeed a halloween with my teenage viking and shy pirate

aunt sue visited

yia yia showed us a great trail behind her housing community

i saw abby epstein, co-producer of the business of being born speak at 

the birth matters virginia award celebration. she was fantastic. 

and it was a beautiful day at the lewis ginter botanical gardens.

i've been slowly making things for the holiday market. i am overwhelmed by 

ideas and inspiration but seem to just keep making the things i know how to make best.

i've also been working a busy couple of days weekly, helping with order processing and social media content at a local crafty business called cardboard safari. "like" their facebook page for fun posts and new product updates by me! here is tristan's billy the bison:

the trophy heads are packaged kits that you slot together. dan has a bull and tashi, a rhino. there are a number of creatures to behold - including a unicorn - as well as wreaths, trees, and even an end table. it's a been a fun (and busy) place to spend some time and works out well with my doula schedule. 

as i write this post, tristan is pulling down the winter solstice books from the seasonal book shelf. as we enter the time of darkness we make sure to embrace all sources of light. may a steady flame warm your days this season!