MommyCoddle

the birds and the bees

The birds:
I made cutting boards for my family two years ago in this sparrow shape and I've been wanting to do something else with it ever since. So last week when I had my sewing machine out, I tried a swallow-shaped pillow. However, I don't think they are going to work as a pillow. I haven't stuffed them yet, but I think they'll lose their shape and charm when stuffed. Now I'm thinking they'd make a great applique on a pillow....any other ideas?

My purpose for having out the machine was to make two of these friendly little turtles--a favorite homemade toy in our home, who are now wrapped up and safely on their way to a very, very, VERY patient family.

The bees:
Melissa sent me an email this week, asking me to blog about a very important project. The Great Sunflower Project is an effort to attract and count honeybees in personal and community gardens. If you sign up for the project they will send you a free packet of sunflower seeds to plant in your garden (or even a pot on your deck). All you need to do in return is take two bee counts (according to their simple instructions) and send in or fill out their online count. The whole count will take less than 30 minutes. I'm going to do it as a school project with Emma and Mary. I hope you'll join Melissa and me and be a part of this important project. (I'd love to know if you decide to join in!) Here is an article in the NYTimes about our honeybees in peril.

The birds and the bees:

First of all, no. I am not pregnant. But that doesn't stop me from getting inspiration from an amazing new book that April at Chronicle Books sent me last week. The book is called Nursery Style and it is by Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter of the California-based store, Serena and Lily. I love these kinds of books because I find so much inspiration and ideas packed into them. And I love paying attention to the little details--the artwork, the pillows, how the toys are put away, how an armoire is utilized, the curtains.

1. image 1, 2. image 2, 3. image 3, 4. image 4

Even though the book is aimed at nursery design, there are still so many great ideas in this book for anyone decorating a home with and for children.(stefani, I thought about you with those silhouettes in image 3. Can you do that?! :) So baby on the way or not, this book is full of beautifully designed living spaces, new ideas and fantastic tips and hints for decorating. And April, I want everything on page 74 and 75.

Happy Weekend everyone. Sign up for your bee count, read a good book and take it easy.
See you Monday.

shortest post in history:

Just popping in to say that I am working on swapping names...there are a LOT of you to swap around and type up on a swap list....I'll try to get it to you all tomorrow or Wednesday! thanks for being patient!

miniswap is full! thanks, everyone....

mini swap 3

What is the miniswap?
It is a mail swap between our children (for the children, by the children--with a little help from you and me)--a chance to let them get in on the fun of sending and receiving a brown paper package.

THE DETAILS

::We will swap by household. Keep in mind, you might sign up one child, but be swapped with a household of two or three children. This doesn't mean you have to put together three times as much stuff, but it might be nice to include something small for each of the children.

::Originally I didn't put an age limit on participation. But this year, I'm going to say two years and up. The idea of this swap is that our children are really participating. Please use good judgment about where to cap it off at the older end. (And just for the record, if you were my partner and signed up your four year old, but there was a 12 month old crawling around your house, I'd want to know so I could include a little something for him/her. I wouldn't want to leave those babes out all together. But I'll leave that up between partners.)

::The swap is open to anyone, so please be willing to ship overseas when you sign up.

::I always try to be budget-conscious. Try to keep the bulk of your swap goodies in the handmade or hand-me-down category. One year my partner passed on gently used books, a stuffed toy and other goodies (among other fantastic things)--and my kids loved it. And the sentiment behind her children wanting to pass on a special toy to another child was priceless.This swap is not meant to break the bank.

::Need ideas of things to include? You can check out the miniswap flickr group.  Or, leave a comment after this post of some of the highlights from last year. I'd love to hear and I'm sure others would, too.

::Please include a postcard or small map showing where you're from. (I forgot to do this last year, again... oops.)

::Please ship packages by February 22. That should give you about a month to put it all together.

HOW TO SIGN UP:

I will open the sign ups on Tuesday morning at 10:00am. ET. I think I can handle the logistics of 125 participants. I think. All you need to do is send an email to miniswap (at) gmail (dot) com and include:

1. your name

2. email address

3. location

4. name and age of your child/children.

I will then swap names randomly, and contact half the list with their partner's email address. That partner will be in charge of starting the communication between the two of you. . I'll let you know when families are paired and that first email goes out so that you can be watching your inbox.

Last year there were lots of problems with people's emails going into spam or junk mail folders, so partners thought they weren't being contacted, or their partner didn't want to participate. Please be watchful and aware of that problem. It is those kind of glitches that make it get complicated and extra work.

And lastly, PLEASE only sign up if you're seriously interested. Last year, I had a good handful of no-shows when it finally came down to it. It's frustrating when I turned away many people who wanted to be part of the mini swap and people who signed up didn't follow through. And more importantly, it left some pretty disappointed partners (and children). So please only sign up if you're really sure you can participate.

After sign ups close, I'll get together some code so you can put the button on your blog, if you wish. And as always, please pass the word on your blog that miniswap 3 is getting started.

Phew!!! I think that's it....I'm looking forward to another fun year of swapping!

Let's Do This::Miniswap 2

MINI SWAP 2 is closed...thanks everyone. I'll get names swapped this week!

It's that time of year again: the holidays are past us, things are slowing down and most of us are getting ready to snuggle in for the rest of the winter months. The perfect time for a little miniswap.

::So what is it?::
A swap between our children. I'm sure your children enjoying sending and receiving mail as much as mine, so why not let them get in on all this brown paper package goodness??

::Here are the details::
PLEASE, PLEASE read the "directions" carefully and FOLLOW them. I don't mean to be a "meany-pants" (as my daughter would say), but last year I spent so much time following up with people that forgot certain information, or sent emails to the wrong address, etc, etc. It was exhausting and confusing. So I'm doing my best to streamline everything this year. And hopefully, by doing that I'll be able to include more people than last year. So please, help make this easy on me....

::we will swap by household. Keep in mind, you might sign up one child, but be swapped with a household of two or three children. This doesn't mean you have to put together three times as much stuff, but it might be nice to include something small for each of the children.

::Last year I didn't put an age limit on who could participate. But this year, I'm going to say two years and up. The idea of this swap is that our children are really partcipating. So I am going to put a minimum age. Please use good judgement about where to cap it off at the older end. (And just for the record, if you were my partner and signed up your four year old, but there was a 12 month old toddling around your house, I'd want to know so I could include a little something for him/her. I wouldn't want to leave those babes out all together. But I'll leave that up between partners.)

::The swap is open to anyone, so please be willing to ship overseas when you sign up.

::I always try to be budget-conscious. Try to keep the bulk of your swap goodies in the handmade or hand-me-down category. Last year my partner passed on gently used books, a stuffed toy and other goodies (among other fantastic things)--and my kids loved it. And the sentiment behind her children wanting to pass on a special toy to another child was priceless.This swap is not meant to break the bank.

::Ideas of things to include? you can check out the flickr group here  Or, leave a comment after this post of some of the highlights from last year. I'd love to hear and I'm sure others would, too.

::Please include a postcard or small map showing where you're from. (I forgot to do this last year. oops.)

::Ship packages by February 5. I know the longer I have the more time I have to procrastinate. I figure one month is do-able?!

::Want to join? Here's what to do:: (this is the important, follow-the-directions part!)

• Send me an email at this address: miniswap(at)gmail(dot)com
• Please put "miniswap sign up", or something similar in the subject line
• Include your name and your child/children's names and ages.
• I will leave the address swapping up to you and your partner.

The following week, I will contact one of the two partners with the swap names. It will be up to that partner to contact the other family involved. I'll post here when I've sent out emails so you can be watching...

I will take names until Monday morning.  However, I'm going to put a cap on the participants at 150. I think I managed about 100 last year. And if all goes smoothly, I think I can handle fifty more. I HOPE??!!!  So friday or 150, whichever comes first...

And please, help pass the word on your blog, too.

Alright, please forgive the overload of details. I'm just attempting to keep this slightly organized. No "meany-pants" intended!!

And check back here for more updates and details.

Have FUN!!

**************

And here's the code, if you'd like to copy and paste a button into your sidebar:

<a target=_top HREF="http://mommycoddle.typepad.com/"> <img
src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/130/343039242_9a8452b861_t.jpg" border="0"></A>

A good swap indeed.

What better way to start your week than with good mail, no?

Last week, I received a package from my partner for the handmade jewelry swap. I was lucky enough to be paired with the organizer and jewelry-making genius of Jo. She was such a sweet partner and made me the perfect necklace from vintage buttons.

We both agreed how intimidating it is to create jewelry for someone else. When I make my pendants, I'm almost always making something that I like, or that I would wear, but when you create with someone specific in mind, there's a lot more second-guessing of your choices involved.
Jo also included some yummy organic milk chocolate (gone.) and one of her lovely wood block prints.

Jo, it was all perfect. Totally me. You hit it right on! Thank you. thank you.

A Sewing Starter Kit and Good Mail

Yesterday my little sister hit the double digits. Since she received a sewing machine last Christmas, I thought I'd put together a little sewing starter kit for her to hopefully get her inspired. I included some fabric from my stash, ribbons, notions and even some cotton tape with her name on it so that she can tag her creations.

The fabric for the bag is from an IKEA table cloth--a nice heavy cotton twill. When I brought it home, it was way too big for my little table (which I knew when I bought it), so half became a re-sized tablecloth and the other used for the bag.

I've also gotten some great stuff in the mail as a result of some fabric I offered up for swap last month before we moved. Some beautiful earrings from Dawn at ruralmama--that have increased my earring stash by 300 percent! Really--I wear earrings, but I had lost all pairs (at least one from the pairs). It is so fun to have some to wear again. And I WILL NOT lose these! She also sent some neat
vintage black buttons that I LOVE, but my camera just would not cooperate. I think the batteries are low...

And this doll came from Mirre at Kisskus. My girls love it (I think I love it more). It is the perfect hug-ability. And of course, there's no sharing with these kinds of things in this house, so we've already swapped for another. She sells them via her shop, along with some other sweet baby toys.

Swap-O-Rama!

I am long overdue on posting the wonderful goodness that arrived in our mailbox last week from Mary-Sue and her children Annika and Pedar. They were our wonderful partners from the miniswap and we have so enjoyed getting to know them better. I wish that I was a wee bit wiser, and had my camera at the ready when we opened the box, because instantly the contents were grabbed, loved and carried away to special places around my house. Our package was filled with so much thought and love and care...it truly was overwhelming. So, though it doesn't begin to do justice for all that was included in our swap, here are some highlights (mary was napping during the photoshoot)....oh, and the box was FILLED with little pink hearts, attached to different gifts with notes about each item. It was so fun.
For starters, she made each of the girls one of these aprons, with their initial stitched on in buttons! I love them, especially because we have one craft apron that the girl's usually argue over. Now they each have their own and they are way more fun than our plain old off-white one!

Each of the girls got one of these adorable summer skirts. I'm thinking they will be the perfect thing to wear over bathing suits? Although Emma wears hers now over her pants, of course.

This went up in Emma's room right away.

And here's some more of the wonderful things that I could round up. Emma loved the dolls and I spent the first day cutting and cutting and cutting....and look at the wonderful bag and treats that Mary-Sue included for me! The bag has great pockets, which I LOVE... she included a wonderful book,
some herbal rub for my girls since they were both sick when we were talking, a candle and do you see that beautiful linen towel with the red poppies(?)...I don't know if I can even bear to use it!

Even as I sit and write this, I'm realizing there is so much that I forgot--the grey squirrel puppet. I think I may be having more fun with it than anyone else. I'm pretty funny with puppets, I've realized. Of course, it's easy to get two giddy girls cackling when there mother is hiding behind a chair putting on squirrel dramas. Oh, and the sun catcher--Today, I caught emma standing on the counter at the sink, spinning it...and the books, and Lily, and the jewelry for emma....I know there' more that i'm forgetting, but thank you so much Mary-Sue and Annika and Pedar. Your thoughtful package made three girls in Wisconsin (i won't be able to say that for very long) very happy! xo.

I think the miniswap was a success. And I think a Fall round just might be in order...

Swap Anyone?

I'm in cleaning mode. I've had this huge bolt of fabric that I bought from Crate and Barrel for a long time and I've never done anything with it. So, I'm giving it away.    All GONE !! Sorry.

I kept a little for myself and still have five yards for the giving or the swapping. It is 100 % cotton.
Leave me a comment so that we can keep track of what's been taken and I'll get in touch with you for more details via email. I'm going to keep it to a one yard minimum so that I'm not sending out lots of packages. Enjoy!

Dawn: 1/2 yd. Jeanne: 2 yds. Stephanie: 2 yds. Mirre: 1/2 yd. Sound good?

Brown Paper Packages...

I've got mail on the brain. First of all this wonderful little parcel arrived in the mail today from Jackie.

I admired her children's PJ pants (Jackie, I tried to go back and find the original picture on your blog, but couldn't...hmmm..) and told her I had been wanting to make some for my girls, so she sent me the pattern she used. Not only that, she sent along some adorable buttons (enlarge the picture, it's worth seeing them up close!), some beautiful vintage fabric and look at the card she made! I'm just going to keep it at my desk to admire. Is it from one of your linocuts, Jackie? It is all beautiful and I love it. I can't wait to pull out some of those patterns. Emma has already asked me to make her the little cross over swing dress...but I'm thinking I just HAVE to start with the pants and that little jumper top with pockets! Jackie and I have both shared our grumbles about dragging children to the post office, so I know the sacrifice it took to ship this little package!

I've also got my miniswap package on the brain as well.

I know that I need to get it out by the end of this week, so I've been doing a little knitting and sewing and picking up a few things here and there for my Canadian partner Mary-Sue and her two children....(who ironically are almost the IDENTICAL ages as Emma and Mary.)

Well, I had one other little crafty endeavor to share today. Something completely random that I whipped (wrapped would actually be a better word for it) last night. But Dan is out of town and I haven't gotten his crafty opinion of it yet, so I'll wait to share it...

He'll be back in time for dinner this evening and I'm ready to collapse into his arms. Mary has been very sick while he's been away...

...enough so that we've been to the walk-in clinic and had chest xrays. Let's just say my sweet little Mary is still suffering from some major doctor's office fears after her Christmas eve incident.

She screamed bloody murder from the moment the nurse tried to take her temp in her ear, all the way through the chest xray (it was horrible, and of course I shed a few tears, again!), to being approached by the pharmacist in a white coat at the drug store. She's traumatized. But better (now that Dan's coming home, of course!) She's still coughing so much that she has to run to me and cling to my leg until the coughing passes before she can return to whatever she's doing. It's been a rough three days....Thank goodness for a little sunshine and balmy 37 degree weather ( I live in Wisconsin, remember!?) I even saw a kid in shorts today. It's not THAT warm...

MiniSwap Flickr Pool

It looks like some packages are already starting to roll in, so I've established a flickr photo pool to share pictures of our swap goodies. Please photograph the treats you received in the mail and post your pictures to the group. I only ask that in your photo description you include who the package was from and their blog/web address (if they have one). I think this should work and it avoids having me juggle all the pictures via email. If you don't have a flickr account, you can sign up for free account here.

Join the group pool here.