Autumn 2012

It's been a while since I made a post, which is too bad, because I love looking back at these-especially when I am getting tired at work. Lately I have been busy at work, and always busy at home, and sometimes I just let time get the best of me. Now it is time to take control again! Especially as the cooler weather will inevitably give us more down time-or at least home time.

We tried to negotiate with Amira over her costume this year, as evidenced by the pictures above, Amira is a good negotiator. First she wanted to repeat last years batman costume. We said-be something new. She wanted to be Captain America-we being traditionalists wanted something scary. Amira settled on witch. I made about half of the planned costume. We wore it to the area pumpkin float. She loved it, and then was DONE with it. "Mommy, I want to be a monster." "You already have a witch costume." "Mommy, I don't want to be a witch." When I finally agreed to edit the witch to a monster: "Mommy, I want to be Snow White." "What happened to monster-or witch?" "Mommy I don't want to be a witch anymore, I want to be Snow White." Mom and Dad cringe at a princess for Halloween. Now Adrian wanted Max to be Frankenstein, and I was figuring that look out-and then Bride of Frankenstein dawned on us. Amira loved it: "Frankenstein wife." She has been talking lately about marrying James at school, so I think she was drawn to the bride idea, not really knowing what it is-or who Bride of Frankenstein is. But at the end of the day she loved it! Thankfully. Pretty simple with crochet hat for hair, and a left over muslin dress from a previous failed project-and she had the look!

As most New Englanders (& New Yorkers) will attest, this is the best season. The colors of fall make the bitter winter worth it. This year, the leaves turned all at once it seemed last week-and then Sandy ripped them off the trees this week. We were lucky here to just have a day at home, but I am thinking of the many who are still dealing with the aftermath.

Some time at Home

After a busy weekend of sales, beach, gymnastics & Grandma, we had some fun messing around at home on Monday.

First though, Amira and I went to the Zoo, just me and her-which happens unfortunately infrequently. Everyone we passed on the way to the Zoo, she had to tell where she was going and which animals she was going to see. To a pair of girls, she asked "Are you going to the Zoo? Everybody hurry up!"

We came home and had a relatively lazy rest of the day-with just mess making activities like legos and painting-and less mess making activities like watching Sponge Bob. Max also was working and on the move-not creeping just yet, but finding his way off his play mat, or out of his bumbo pillow.

It's good to take a day, and just do whatever; amazing how hard it can be to schedule nothing. And I wish I could spend more time just following the whims of the day.

Beautiful Day at SOWA

At SOWA again this past Sunday. We had a great time. The weather was perfect-and my mom was in town to help with the kids, so set up and take down were a breeze. Having a babysitter must have saved us about two hours! Saw a couple familiar vendors, Pier 43, Holly Land Treasures, and met a new vendor, Sweetest Hue. One of my favorite parts of doing these shows is meeting the other vendors and hearing how they do this. What shows to they go to, what shops do they sell in-does Etsy work for them? What kind of generator are they plugging their sewing machine in to so they can sew and sell in their booths? Just standard industry information.

Looking forward to being back in September. I have started making new winter items-featuring camel hair, wool, and velvet, and pulled out some favorite crochet/felted styles. More of these will be on my table in September, as it will be autumn!!! My little boy's head is getting so big-he needs a new hat too! And hopefully he will be my muse for some winter boy styles~and maybe some menswear as well.

New England Rain at Castle Island

Yachts and Sailboats.
Rocks and Snails.

Puddles and Rain.

Plaid.
Airplanes.
Sea.
Shipping.
Baby.
Boston.
Salty air.
Look out.
Rolling water.

A Day at SOWA

Our second time at SOWA open market this summer-a great place to go for food and shopping Sundays in Boston. This time, it was not only was it a family affair-with Adrian, Mira & Max offering an extraordinary amount of help- it was a friendly affair as well! Thanks to everyone who came to visit us-it made the day! I especially appreciate all the little babies that came to visit on what turned out to be a pretty hot day. (I thought it was going to be pleasantly mild, and dressed Max in a layered look, only to strip him down to a T-shirt and diaper by 11am.)

I brought out some new Sun Hats, Children Aviator Hats, and a couple of old classics. The cotton helmet style hats are still a favorite of mine. I changed up my tent set up to give Amira a little more room to play-may not seem like a great business decision, but worked very well. Saw a few familiar vendors: Pier43, Nancy's Gone Green, Edie & Fin. Ate at Clover food truck. Cut our breakdown time in half. All and all, a good day out.

And now I am going to shift gears to fall items. I have so many ideas-its just a matter of getting them done! Just have to do it!

Amira's Birthday: #3!

We had a family party to celebrate Amira turning 3 (3!).
I can hardly believe she is 3!
So we made cupcakes with blue frosting per her request. Hung streamers. Amira wore her party hat for a little while.
And we sung "Happy Birthday," blew out her candle, and opened presents.

Amira loves getting presents-of course-who doesn't? During bath time, she wraps up her toys in wash clothes, and says "Mommy, I have a present for you."

She is just such a sweetheart-when she wants to be! How wonderful she has made the last three years.

Rainy Summer Days

 Summer is: Play Time, Draw Time, Baby Time.

And on rainy days, play time means lego time.

And I love playing legos. I was the kid who still played legos as a teen, and was super excited to get the really large models.

When I was a kid there were no pink legos. I know that some people view these girl legos as gendered, and therefore sexist is some way. They certainly are gendered. But I am thrilled that there is a conscious effort on the part of lego to branch out to a girly product line. I was a girl who loved to build, but I wasn't into comic books or pirates for that matter. But if I wanted to play legos, I had to play with those traditionally boy themes. (My daughter seems to like batman as much as princesses.)
I actually love the pastel lego color scheme out now, I like the bunnies, and flowers, I like Snow White, and her little chairs. And I like that my daughter as an easy entrance into a traditionally boy play item.
I have to add, that generally speaking, having a girl has made me appreciate all things girly a little bit more. In my young adulthood, I think I thought "girly" was lame somehow.  But as a parent to a girl, I want her to be confident to like whatever it is she likes. If that means she wants to be a princess one day-fine. It also sometimes means having to watch a bunch of Spiderman cartoons (ehh). I want to let her express herself. And what this will result in is her playing with pink, red, blue and light blue legos, with princesses and with Buzz and Woody, and her brother to follow.

Getting Ready for a Sale

Making sun hats in and with a variety of bold prints.

 Pulling together a few of my favorite baby hats.  

And taking advantage of the nice weather to do a tent set up practice run.

This last activity was a family affair, as I required my husbands help. (Which means he did almost all of the set up.) Upon waking from her nap Amira joined us, and Max is always near by.

Thank you family for spending your nice day doing the same!

Let's have fun at SOWA next weekend!

Getting back into it!

So now there are two!
This spring has been all about family-with the addition of Max.

But he makes it pretty easy. Just cooing & sleeping. A new experience for us!

Amira on the other hand appears to have become a teenager overnight! Put down that phone!
Really though, she is still our little girl. We did our first Easter egg hunt this spring-another holiday filled with candy-lucky her!

And I am starting to make some summer hats, to compliment my winter ones.
I am also working on a better boy line, having a son now-I have a better sense of what works. (Not the pict below.)

But I get easily distracted these days.  Maybe I can pull it together. I will be in the SOWA markets this summer & fall. I am thinking of Benjamin Franklin as I use my time. And like him, I am not doing too much housework these days:)