A SECRET SANTA QUILT.

merry christmas! i'm your secret santa!

i hope you like your quilt! i am not really great at sewing. i don't cut fabric in straight lines and i don't sew straight either. i've named your quilt a "hodge podge" quilt. i don't know if you saw online or not, but i've started an etsy shop. i wanted to keep myself busy with crafting- well, anything really. i've realized that it's something i need to do to stay content. i need to make. so i've made christmas cards and a print.

for december, i decided that i would make this quilt my monthly project. it is the "season of giving", so i'm not listing anything (this quilt) in my shop. now that you know a little bit about the background, i'll let you in on the story of the quilt.

when rorie was just 5 months old in the winter of 2012 i drove to the lincoln square area and picked up two garbage bags full of fabric scraps. i used freecycle and thought i could make something for rorie. well, i didn't. but i held onto the fabric and moved it with us to NH.

some of the fabric i used was from my old kitchen curtains in chicago.

some are scraps from jacobs crib sheets (stars) and my current kitchen curtains (newspaper).

there's a red sweatshirt material from a "camp squanto" sweatshirt whose original owner was my dad (it was falling apart).

other fabric is leftover from the pillowcases i sewed while pregnant with jake. i was nesting (little red flowers & green).

and lastly, there's fabric from the scraps of a dress my mom sewed for rorie when we were waiting for jacob to make his arrival.

the back of the quilt is an old fleece blanket i impulse bought at old navy when i was in high school in VA. both of my kids have spit-up on it (don't worry, i washed it!).

so there you have it...the story behind this epic "hodge podge" quilt that i made specifically for you,

my "secret santa 2014: out-of-towners-edition" (town=chicago-birth place of the burgh babes)

so merry christmas, again!

i love + miss you!

chelsea

p.s. i had my friend britta... if you were wondering who this was sent to.

NOVEMBER-WHAT YOU LOVE SHOP.

i had a lot of fun brainstorming, planning, & creating this month's craft. the phrase "i can do hard things" stuck with me the first time i ever saw it. i knew it was something i wanted to have in my house as a daily reminder.

it was also the mantra i had while slowly carving out each letter. it was hard work. it was mainly hard work because i was doing it late at night, during nap times, while children were interrupting me when they were supposed to be playing, and one glorious hour at panera. a man thought i was cutting a bagel all funny. nope, it's a linoleum block.

as i worked i repeated the phrase i was carving "i can do hard things, i can do hard things..." over and over again. because it's true.

i'm very tired a lot of the time. i wake up groaning when, in a previous life, i woke up alive and spunky. this print is a reminder of what i can do. i can do hard things. 



this print is for the mama who is up all night with a teething baby- i can do hard things. (me!)

this print is for the teen with too many broken hearts- i can do hard things.

this print is for the freshman trying to make it onto the varsity team- i can do hard things.

this print is for the sixteen year old studying to take their driving test- i can do hard things.

this print is for the college student during finals week- i can do hard things.

this print is for the twenty-something working harder than hard for peanuts- i can do hard things.

this print is for the mother who is watching her son drive off to college- i can do hard things.

this print is for the father who drives and hour to work everyday and misses too many mornings, afternoons, and nights with his kids- i can do hard things.



we can all do hard things. and this is a simple reminder of that. the hard things mold you. the hard things test you. the hard things give way to the great things in life.

i can do hard things.

there are two options: b&w or color.
you can purchase your own print here.
thank you so much for your support.

SHOP'N IT UP.

so you know i have christmas cards. and it's not even halloween. i know, sue me. but really! you got to be ready! the christmas season is going to smack you in the face like it's already smacked the big box stores!

 i LOVE these cards. the color is fantastic to work with. it reminds me of after a snowstorm. the white snow on a blue-blue sky. and it's calming. like the words joy & peace of the christmas season. i highly suggest checking out the actual shop. you can find it here.

so here's the jist on the creative adventure i'm partaking in...

i'm going to shake it up each month. i'm going to try out new mediums. i'm going to create something awesome (hopefully you all think it's awesome too!). i'm going to stretch myself creatively as much as my mama-self can take.

why? because i need this. i need to be keeping myself creative and busy. i need an outlet. i'd like to provide a bit for my family financially. but that's just an added bonus if it happens.

and that's the deal with the what you love shop.

care to suggest something specific? or a medium i should work with?


p.s. don't see anything you like? i'm totally into custom work. just ask!

THE WHAT YOU LOVE SHOP.

 

welp. i opened an etsy shop. it's pretty simple right now. the christmas season is almost upon us. please don't jump down my throat for announcing that before halloween has even passed. i'm a person that believes in the u.s. postal service and all the wonders that come with sending and receiving mail. and christmas mail is just one of the best. i love the photos. i love the newsletters and updates. i really just love it.

so literally i few days ago, when i was dreaming up how we were going to pay for the extra cost of special formula (yep- turns out mr. jakey is just like rorie- allergic to milk protein), i thought: "i'll make christmas cards!" and i did. and they're for sale. and you could buy them!

so i would love it if you'd check out my shop. it's the WHAT YOU LOVE SHOP. and we are open for business!


p.s. i loved all your suggestions from my last post. this is most definitely going to be a shop of made of many materials!

JUST START.

one of my favorite blogger runs a successful home business. she makes stuff and sells stuff. one day she decided she wanted to start a podcast. she didn't really know how to do it exactly, but she just started.

i love that. just start. i mean, if there's any way to get something done it's to simply start it. it's almost eleven thirty here. tonight i let myself get a little creative. and i'm feeling it course through my blood like a caffeinated drink. it feels amazing and horrible at the same time... only horrible because i should be sleeping. but i'm waay too excited.

enter: the what you love shop.

i've had the idea of starting my own "shop" for a while now. i'm not exactly sure (i'm going to let you know that i just typed out "shure"- no shame.) how this is going to work or what's going to be in this shop of mine. but here i am... starting the process. i have a lot of ideas and i'm ready to kick my brain back into gear.

what do you think should be in the shop?

MMM...MAMA! SLOW COOKER APPLESAUCE EDITION.

last week, after i had bought a 5lb. bag of apples at BJs, and the weather was cool and crisp... i decided to make applesauce with my kiddos. in all the stress of keeping jake alive and tending to my sweet&sour rorie, i needed a break to cook. i've noticed that i always feel a little better when i'm able to create in the kitchen. so i did.

the peeling took a while, but we were able to get into a good rhythm. jakey watched and did his little screeches as we worked. rorie and i snacked on the peels as i went and she was my official seed finder. she'd eat through the core and collect the seeds. it was really cute. so of course we talked about apple trees and planting trees from seeds and all that good stuff. and the applesauce made the house smell amazing.

INGREDIENTS:
a bunch of apples (i used my whole 5lb bag minus one or two)
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. brown sugar (you can add this or not...and i'm not really sure of the amount i used)

DIRECTIONS:
peel, core, and chop the apples. plop them and the water & brown sugar in the slow cooker. mix em up (i did it with my hands). cook on low for 7 hours. then blend together.

wa-la. done. homemade applesauce. and i wish i had a dehydrator or learned how to make apple chips in the oven... because a lot of the peels got wasted. i just couldn't eat anymore!

bring on more fall activities! (you hear that humid weather...stay away!)

SEWING CLOTH WIPES AND THINKING.

i've been feeling really antsy the past two days. rorie started to not eat two days ago and told us she had a "tummy ache". which really is the cutest thing to hear her say. as clear as a bell. she was lethargic and sleepy. that night she threw up a few times in her bed. i was really glad i bought all the extra sheets from when she had reflux because we ended up changing her bed a lot that night. she hasn't gotten sick again, but she still constantly complains about her "tummy ache". ugh... this girl has had enough. i'm not going to lie... i do remember a very specific time in target when she went all ravenous cave woman on the shopping cart. must have picked up a few things from that. whateeev.

today she's been slightly better. she took two long naps and at little bits here and there throughout the day. yesterday it snowed all day and i plopped myself down to make us some more cloth wipes. i've been meaning to do it for a while and the perfect time and setting presented itself. it was absolutely what i needed. i'm not a sewer by any means. i can some what successfully sew in a straight line. so that's what i did. over and over. twice around each flannel wipe. i thought of my grandma who sewed our huge "sewing pile" each time she visited out house. i thought of the blankies she's knitted for each grandchild and now each great-grandchild. i thought of my mother who sewed me a ring sling in the dark during a power outage the hottest summer that rorie was born. i thought of the cloth wipes she meticulously sewed for me the days before rorie was to make her eventful entrance. i prayed for the women in my life who sew as i sat at my machine watching the snow fall steadily.

i also thought of my brother... who sewed a pillowcase out of boxer looking material when he was in high school. he was really proud of it and i'm not likely to forget that little bit of happiness he exuded.

i sat and sewed while aaron and mikayla entertained rorie in the front room. i listened to their laughing and jokes and funny voices they gave our stuffed creatures. i breathed in my whole world while sewing cloth wipes for our new edition. preparing for his arrival as best i can amidst a move.

i've been feeling really antsy the past two days. the preparation to find a place to live in NH is weighing heavy on my heart. i don't quite feel like i posses the adult-like qualities to do it on my own. i still wish i had my mom and dad to help me out with everything. i mean, my mom even helped me find the apartment we're in right now. i guess it's just time for aaron and me to branch out, become adults, and find our own place to live. let's be real... we are going to be parents of two soon.

so please keep us in your happy thoughts and prayers.( my happy thoughts were always supposed to help the red sox win. since there's a thick layer of snow over most of my world... i think it's ok to think of us instead)

SEASON OF THOUGHTFUL GIVING.

i think i have always liked giving presents. i even made presents for santa. one time in an old pizza box (i wonder why that thing isn't still around?). i just absolutely love it. giving gifts brings me a lot of joy. and i really like giving a gift that gives back. here are a two places i like to support during christmas time or really any time of the year:

 Serengetee
my little brother, sam, introduced me to this company by simply wearing a cool pocket tee. he seriously looked like such a stud. it's such a simple, yet brilliant idea. plain colored t-shirts with a pocket. what makes these shirts so awesome is that the pockets are made of fabric collected from all over the world- including the united states.

three college guys started serengetee out of their dorm room after spending a travel semester at sea. they collected fabric from 15 different countries and started making shirts. their mission: to connect people to the globe through fabric while giving back to the communities that inspire their product. their motto: "wear the world. change the world"

there's really nothing better or simpler than that. and that's why i love this company. their products are stylish and simple and they help people. sold! another cool thing... my brother is a campus representative for the company at north park university- which is a very cool honor. even cooler for you: you can support both my brother and the communities the fabrics come from by using this code: sredding

Partners Relief & Development
i have one tasty memory of steve and oddney gumaer from when i lived in thailand. i remember going to their house one afternoon with my family and oddney served the best potato salad. seriously- best potato salad of my life. hands down. among other things, of course, but the potato salad is what really tickled my taste buds.

partners is an organization (started by the gumaers) that is working towards full, free lives for the people of burma. there are a lot of things going on in that country that are very disheartening and wrong. the men, women, and children need our help. help includes basic life necessities and skills.

my sister, mikayla, is currently in chiang mai, thailand working with partners. i really couldn't be more proud of her. she has seen the amazing work that partners is doing for the families in burma first hand. and i think that's important. a lot of us will not be able to experience the suffering of other people in the world, but that doesn't mean we can't do something about it. and partners is truly doing something about it.

so, if you're feeling like you'd rather buy a gift that will directly help a small child, a mother of six, or a man with a heart of gold succeed in life. give a gift to partners. who will then continue to strive for free, full lives for the people of burma.

you can find more information about gift giving to partners, here & here.

you can also make a free amazonsmile account if you plan on shopping on amazon this christmas. select partners relief & development and 0.5% of your eligible purchases will go to partners. it's like magic. every little bit counts!

FIRST EASTER.

we had a great first easter with little rorie. woke up to an easter bunny basket filled with a new madeline book, a new stuffed squirrel friend, some really fun bubbles, a mama made little mouse, and a brand new swimsuit. she napped while we got ready for church. she was wonderful during the whole service! we had an easter dinner of some good old northern thai food with two very good friends. took a trip to the park. and ended the day just with just me and rorie, a warm bath, and bottle. it was fun to start our own family traditions, but we definitely all missed our far away families. 

ST. PAT

aaron is on-call today and just left for work. we have already been busy, busy today. daddy & roro went to the park and picked up a newspaper. we had homemade zucchini soup for lunch. two naps have been taken. we've been playing with toys, watching irish cooking, history, and travel shows, and drinking coconut water. 

life is good in roro world.

happy st. patrick's day from our home to yours.

PHEW.

this blog has taken a bit of a back seat in the past week. i'm not even sure the last time i thought of it. so sad. well, i'm back. a lot has happened. rorie is now crawling. it's a little wobbly, but she crawls and pulls herself up, has started standing up in her crib and pulling down anything she can get her little hands on in her tiny room, and now it seems like teething has officially reared it's ugly head again. i wonder which teeth are next? phew!

i thought i'd let you in on a fun new thing from etsy that rorie received and loves. well, mama loves it too! i never really appreciated that our kitchen counters and cupboards were made of metal until now. they are these cute fabric numbers from margauxmakes :

it's great because i can plop rorie down on the kitchen rug in front of them and she plays and plays. it's great! and soon we will teach her numbers with them, but for now they are just fun to take on and off the cupboards.

it's been great because i can make her bottles with her sitting right there or do the dishes and she's perfectly content. i just love them. i didn't get to take a picture of rorie playing with them yet. we've been a little busy- she's very fast now that she's crawling and scooting.

i'd also like to get the alphabet set that she has here.

i suggest heading over to her etsy shop and taking a look around.

CJN FLOWERS & PRIMITIVES

the woman behind our wedding flowers is carrie of CJN Flowers & Primitives. she was a joy to meet on the morning of my wedding day and we have continued to keep in touch through facebook. she is a mama of two handsome boys and somehow finds the time to make cutie hair accessories and other handmade goods.

i suggest you head over to her etsy shop and look around: countrycraft101

rorie actually won an owl hairclip in one of her weekly giveaways!

i love these hairties.

you can find her on facebook, too!

sign up for the CJN email list while you're at it. so far, i have loved the emails she sends out. they are full of fun information and ideas. and of course, new items!

also, if you're in the new england area and need a florist for your wedding... carrie's the one to call. we loved our flowers.

and we love her handmade pretties.

BLACK & WHITE HOLGA.

These are all prints I developed myself in a darkroom for my senior art show. They were all taken with a Holga camera. If you like photography- this is the camera to get and master. It's beautifully simple and so completely complex at the same time. I love that it takes film. Developing negatives in a dark room is an art in itself. I think we take for granted the ability to edit pictures. I edited each of these pictures multiple times and used up multiple sheets of photo paper. It took me days to get a picture the way I wanted it. That takes seconds on an iPhone. Ah, well... it's a different world out there.

My prints were all centered around the idea coined by Henri Cartier Bresson: "The Decisive Moment". It's like that moment in time where the light is just right, the action is frozen just right, and it can never be repeated. I liked the idea of capturing moments on the playground of the daycare center I worked at. Not only were the actions, looks, thoughts, and feelings of each child in each picture a decisive moment in themselves, but the theme of childhood. A moment in time where the innocence of childhood was frozen in time for all eternity. It's beautiful, don't you think?

TEETH.

Well, it seems as if the first week of 2013 brought little miss some teething discomfort. Yep, she's officially working on getting teeth. yay? eh, well... she's grouchy, temperamental, uncomfortable, drooly, short-tempered...shall I go on? I bought this Wisconsin shaped wooden teether for Aaron... I mean Rorie. Isn't it cute? The family who makes it are actually in WI, so I'm sure they love orders for it. I'll keep you posted if any pearly whites show up.

HANDMADE. HOMEMADE. 2013.

Aaron and I have been talking a lot about what we want our life to be like, what we want to do with our time, where we want to live, the kind of family we want to be, etc. We are all getting to that age where we decide the kind of life we really want to have. We have the ability now to make choices and changes for ourselves and for the world. 

We want to eat well, buy handmade, make homemade, and support America. 

We aren't really into resolutions, but we have decided (coincidentally it's new years resolution time) that we want to make a conscious effort to change the way we eat. Now that Rorie is getting the chance to try her first foods we are understanding how important it is to eat clean, healthy, organic food. It's an expensive challenge in this city-we are finding. Jewel and Dominick's have a very limited amount of organic produce. Most of it is going bad on the shelf I've found. That takes the fun out of shopping. I love going to Trader Joe's, but it's quite a hike to get there. Whole Foods is just down the road from us, but I'm a little overwhelmed by the prices. Maybe when I have a bit more time I can better navigate the store and find success there. For now, it's been mostly Dominick's. After just getting home from the grocery story I can tell you- it's possible at Dominick's. We created a budget for food and I have managed to come in $20 under budget for this week- which makes me grin from ear to ear. Not to mention I managed to buy all organic produce. Yay! I have successfully made Rorie organic squash puree and plan on making more foods for her soon (she loves squash! and it tastes good to me too!!!). I'll be writing more about her food a little later. 

I think it's very important to support people. As an artist of sorts, I understand the hard work that goes into making something with your hands. That's why I have tried to buy Rorie toys and stuffed friends that are handmade. Specifically, handmade in America. I've loved shopping on Etsy. It's addicting because our fellow Americans can make some pretty awesome stuff. Way more awesome than a machine can. And no plastic. Which mama likes a lot. Rorie has collected handmade rattles, wooden teethers, stuffed animals, and handmade dolls. And I love everyone of her things- so does she :)  She plays on quilts made from women at Aaron's church in Ellsworth. She sleeps on hand sewn sheets. It feels good to support people in this way. To make conscious shopping decisions and to make her things with my own hands. Of course, sometimes it's easier to go to Target and pick up something- which we do. Or a gift comes from a big box store, or overseas, or is made of plastic. And it's not a bad thing- it is what it is. 

But we do make an effort to support other people, make our own, and buy American when we can. 

I challenge you to do the same this year.