spring!

Well, when it rains it pours and we have been juggling work and parenting and illness and I can't wait for life to slow down, but at least the sun is out and the kids have been making the most of it! C'est le printemps!

blog gossip

Hello!

Just found out that my work is to be featured on yet another blog tomorrow, oh the fame is hard to handle but I'll manage. That's a joke by the way. May I never be famous, or pretentious. Or both. Anyway, no idea yet which piece it will be. Find out with me tomorrow at Indie Icing, a blog that is, in these bloggin' gals' words "your delicious dose of indie handmade".

And now it's time to put those cranky kiddos to bed so I can watch Bright Star with my husband.

xo

Sarah

good news!

Six years after getting hitched, we finally made it to Maui for our honeymoon! Two kids, Grandma, and my youngest brother in tow meant a little more luggage and noise than we had first envisioned for our honeymoon, but we managed to find a ridiculously large taxi van to stuff everything and everyone into, actually made it to the airport on time, and even managed to have a lovely, relaxing week away.

And now it's back to reality. Which for me means finally setting up a proper studio space in the garage, followed by nail biting and a series of panic attacks, followed by prolific painting and much swearing and record-breaking consumption of goat cheese. And maybe a glass of wine or two. Why? Because I got into the Bellevue Arts Museum arstfair!!! Which is kind of a big deal. Promise me you'll stop by to say hello if you're in the Seattle area this July, it's quite the show.

Alright, I'd better get started on that studio space...

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

xo

Sarah

pickled pink

Has it really been a year since I started this blog? Apparently so, as here I am posting valentine's crafts once again. Maia made all 25 cards in one go this afternoon, phew! And she's planning on making more for family and friends outside of school. Needless to say I was thoroughly impressed with my 4 year old's ability to sit and concentrate and see the project to completion.

The mason jar stamp was perfect for a little girl who loves all things pickled! And in the process we all got covered in glitter and I think we'll be sparkly for the next 50 years at least!

Good to eat, apparently!

green kitchen

Two sick kiddos and a mama with a sore back do not go well together! But that was all last week, and I'm happy to report that the kids are no longer sticky, and after a trip to the chiropractor followed by a visit to my acupuncturist, I am back to normal. And apparently that means throwing myself into yet another spontaneous home decorating project. I am currently sanding down kitchen cabinets, re-painting, re-finishing, and generally making a lot of mess and noise. Lonny was so impressed he was convinced I had another bun in the oven. This is no nesting instinct, just the hazards of being married to an artist.




When we bought the house 3 years ago, and up until a few days ago, the kitchen was a hodgepodge of original teak cabinets, cracked tile, wood, and confetti countertops, almond appliances that made a racket, deep raspberry walls and lime green floors. We called it our hippie kitchen, all it needed was a pot plant on the windowsill. Of course we'd LOVE to rip it all out and install one of those immaculate and streamlined Ikea kitchens, but we don't have a spare arm (or a leg for that matter) so we're making do with what we have. Not only is this budget-friendly, but it's sounding rather eco-friendly too. Which makes us terribly trendy (not that there was ever any doubt there of course). I'll keep you updated with photos as we make progress! In the meantime, here's a hint of what is to come:

Gas range from Craigslist, previous owner was upgrading (?!) again. Perhaps she wanted her new stove diamond encrusted? You can see the new paint colour on the walls and lower cabinets, and the birch countertop to replace the scary grout. Lighting is awful in the photo but there was no natural light left!

noel 2009

Blessings for the new year and hoping you all had a lovely Christmas! We certainly did. Our little house was full full full, as were we after turkey dinner. And the children got spoiled completely rotten as usual.

We started the new year by adding another Greyhound to the family. Apparently it wasn't crazy enough around here. Bella is sweet and gentle and settling in nicely. On the sofa, more specifically, with kids tucked around her. We are madly in love with her and can't possibly imagine life without her.

:: Christmas Baubles ::

:: Same baubles about to be turned into miniature terraniums ::

:: The sun made an appearance for breakfast ::

:: I was quite happy with the results apparently ::

:: Digging in ::

:: Outdoor fun on Christmas Day ::

:: The celebrations continue at the Deggan house a few days later ::

compassion kits

A few weeks ago my mama's group got together to make compassion kits as our Thanksgiving activity/playdate. Our kids helped fill large ziploc bags with granola bars, hats, mitts, toothbrushes, toothpaste and various other such items. We each got three to stow in our trunks and give away to someone in need. And today, on our way to meet Lonny for lunch at work, I decided not to speed up for the orange light and I found myself waiting at the intersection, grumbling about being stuck a few extra minutes in the car with two extremely cranky kids. That's when I noticed a man standing at the corner. His sign red "Homeless vet, please help". I remembered the kits in my trunk, and turned into the gas station in order to park and give him one. I was a bit aprehensive, wondering if he would object to the fact that I wasn't giving him cash, but his face broke into a huge grin and he said " Bless you, that is so very kind of you. Have a good Christmas."

I thought it would feel good to give, and it did to some extent, but mostly it made me feel really inadequate and embarassed that I waited until my 30th year of life to finally do something like this. And what a small thing it was. And so I'm going to make sure that I always have these kits in my car, not just during the holidays. I'm also looking forward to volunteering at a soup kitchen to celebrate Thanksgiving when the kids are a little older and won't sit under the table screaming (which is what happened at lunch today at Microsoft. I think everyone left the cafeteria ready to schedule their vasectomies).

Anyway, I learned a bit about compassion today: it's easy to do and I hope my kids grow up with a big dose of it so that it comes naturally to them!