Links and Such

word up! 

Although I find that motherhood makes me feel like I am constantly doing new things all the time, just not what I want to do... I'll stop there! ; ) But this quote does make me draft a little mental list in my head (who am I kidding it's not that organized!). I am, however, going to post a Summer goals list tomorrow in keeping with this idea of trying new things! So stay tuned for that.  Here are this week's Links and Such, enjoy!

37 shrubs that are easy to propagate from cuttings
grow your own mushrooms- kit
DIY- outdoor canopies 
cool wire basket!
honeybee embroidery pattern
Outdoor Garden work station
adorable kid's bed
a crochet shrug I can get behind... now to find a similar pattern and to learn crochet!
check out this black velvet layer cake- cute for Halloween or a fancy b-day party!
tis the season for sleeping porches
101 Pretty Free Printables
DIY ombre tassel necklace

And in case you missed it...

This week's LAST Love Letter to Spring
subtle happenings at GrayDayStudio
Crumble Recipe- IE the easiest Summer Dessert you will EVER make (maybe)

Happenings at GrayDayStudio

Thought I would update you on some happenings over at GrayDayStudio! I sold this lovely hand painted bird pillow to a customer in the Netherlands this morning. The Moth pillow is still available!

I'm experimenting in my studio with some pink metallic for my garlands... Hope to have a few metallic garlands in the shop by the end of the week.

I also hope to put the finishing touches on my hand painted owl pillow (with down pillow insert!) and list this little baby ASAP!

We were without internet for the past 24 hours (which feels like an eternity) thus no blog post yesterday. But to celebrate the internet's return- lucky customer #7 at GrayDayStudio will get a free garland with purchase- just let me know which one in your message to seller!!

have a good one!!

xo

abs

What I've Learned this week and it's Only Tuesday

* Week to week this lesson holds true- the more I take time to explain what we are about to do, the easier she is at easing from one transition to the next... it's less overwhelming for her.

IE: She hates to have water on her face at bath time, so I explain to her before I rinse her hair, how I'm going to lay her back in the tub, she will be safe, doesn't have to be sad or cry, that I'm going to rinse her hair and it will be easy and fast. This works great and I wait to rinse her hair when she is ready. Of course during her little rinse I have to continue to reassure her... but it all works out well.

* I've been rubbing lavender oil on her feet at night before bed, she loves this because she can now say Lab-en-dah and loves smelling it in the garden... not only is it a fun activity but it helps to rehydrate her dry summer sandal toes, while also taking away some of the summer sandal foot funk. PLUS it's a great promise to help ease her into wrapping up bath time "Let's let the water out of the tub and go get our pjs on and put lavender oil on your feet!"

* I've been doing more Love and Logic with her lately- giving her choices (my choices) like- would you like to feed yourself your rice, or would you like Mommy to help?  OR, You can stay here and play with us quietly or you can go in the other room and think about being quiet. (said in response to random screaming)

* Taking extra time at bedtime to reconnect is always a joy, full of unexpected fun and touching moments.

* I've been using her toy bunny to help get some things done... when she resists having her diaper changed, we change bunny's diaper first. We wipe bunny, fasten the diaper and then it's the toddler's turn for a diaper change.  We also use bunny at bedtime- Bunny turns off the light by the rocking chair after we are finished reading books. Sometimes Bunny misbehaves and will turn off the light and then immediately turns it right back on. We roll our eyes at bunny and giggle and then ask nicely with a please and a thank you if bunny will turn the light off again. He responds in his raspy New Yorker voice and the light is turned off and we thank him.

A Love Letter to Spring: Family Edition, the last of the year

For this season's last Love Letter to Spring, I thought I would look back on our own spring... take stock, give thanks, and document our daughter's only spring as a one year old. (Most of these pictures were taken with my cellphone.)

Above: The Husband began beekeeping with my twin brother and sister in law.

The hives at the beginning of spring as seen at my brother's house. They are taller now with more boxes placed on top. (hope to share some updated pics soon)

Easter weekend: My sister and my daughter together on the hammock in my parent's backyard.

The lilac's get a visit from a butterfly. (After this spring the babe can say Lilac, mint, lavender.)

More garden backyard beauties...

The Husband showing and teaching our daughter about acorns and how they grow into trees.

Playing on the driveway one night after dinner.

Chatting with Dad on the hammock

Harvested these peonies from my mom's garden.

being cheeky after nap time

troublemaker the bubble maker

Smothering my daughter on the hammock

little wet footprint.

passing through the neighbor's yard....

Yesterday's memorial day parade with Aunt Hannah in Kennett Sq PA.

running through the grass...

I hope you all had a lovely spring! This past weekend really felt like summer is officially here... thus my weekly Monday Love Letter to Summer will start next week. Have a good one!

Crumble Recipe

I've posted this recipe before, but it's such a classic, easy go to summer dessert, that it bears repeating! Last night we had some friends over for dinner. The husband made the Barefoot Contessa's Shrimp scampi recipe, as well as her cucumber salad and I made this peach and blackberry crumble for dessert.

Here's how to make the Crumble:

preheat oven for 350

crack 1 egg in a bowl

add 1 cup of sugar

& 1 cup of flour, then MIX - sometimes I add a touch of milk or vegetable oil if it doesn't seem to be binding and is too dry. But ultimately by drizzling the butter on top your doughy topping will become more dough-like and wet.

melt a stick of butter 

put the fruit in a bake safe dish

evenly sprinkle the crumble mix over top of the fruit then drizzle the butter, or butter like substitute over the whole thing. 

Bake at 350 for 30+ minutes until golden brown! (will take longer if using frozen fruit, sometimes I kick on broil for a few minutes to finish cooking the top.)

Serve with ice cream or pouring cream and Enjoy!

Hiking About

Last Sunday we went on a little hike and expedition with the wee babe and my sister. I wanted to share the great pictures my sister took. It was a lovely day, perhaps one of the last of its kind since the humidity seems to be here to stay!? I hope you all have a great Holiday weekend! (ps my awesome linen hat is by Worthygoods on etsy!)

A Knitting Lesson Learned!

As some of you may know, I knit the Abigail Cardigan this past month and unfortunately when knitting the collar I was lazy and didn't count how many stitches I was picking up along the edge... I think I must have picked up double and as a result the collar became wavy and wouldn't lay flat. I assume it was a similar result to cutting out a sewing pattern against the wrong side of the fabric's grain, your piece will feel like it is constantly turning on you as if it had a life of its own.   And so, I concluded after so many hours spent on this sweater I couldn't crap out at the very end and settle with this lazy mistake. So I ripped out the collar and started anew. Which didn't take me as long to knit the second time around since I was working with less stitches. Looking at the Before and After picture here, I do like the wave towards the bottom of the first sweater, but it was the neck area that drove me a bit crazy. (I can not speak to my sudden 15 lb weight gain or aging that took place in the second photo, but there you have it!)

I love the sweater, I just wish is wasn't getting so freaking hot here already. And obviously I should not wear a shirt with such a pronounced sleeve beneath it, not flattering! Live and learn. You can check out my new knitting to do list HERE.

Links and Such

Hey all, I totally spaced yesterday and somehow forgot it was Thursday...!? Thus I didn't put up my Thursday links and such, so here it is. Stay tuned to the blog, because I hope to share my final-final finished sweater picture, after I fixed the wonkey collar. It turned out great!

Article: why small farms are more efficient than large farms
DIY veggie basket- pick your veggies then rinse them in the basket
10 organizing ideas- like a skateboard as used for rolling storage
20 ways to create a "playscape" for kids
27 birthday cake ideas
40 ways to distract a toddler
cool braid
hilarious labels for handmade gifts
Recipe: this eggplant sandwich looks tasty!!
beautiful linen pjs and more
Have you heard of Songza? (like pandora but better!) My cousin got me hooked a while back and I've been spreading the news!

and in case you missed:

What We're reading
knitting to do list
neon paper garlands added to GrayDayStudio
plus my big shop update of pillows and prints!

What We're Reading...

 Last Minute Knitted Gifts * Free Range Chicken Gardens * The Beekeeper's Bible * The Lunch Box * Playful Parenting * 15 minutes Outside

We've been reading some great book of late, and I thought I would share some of our favorites. You can really see what we are interested in based on this little collection!

* The first book "Knitted Gifts" is darling and by my favorite knitting blog PurlBee. I love how the book is organized by project duration!

* Free Range Chicken Gardens, was a gift from my aunt and cousin, and the book is AWESOME if you are interested in having backyard chickens. The book teaches you how to construct a chicken friendly garden and how to incorporate chickens into your existing garden- debunking the myth that chickens can ruin your garden if set loose.

* The Beekeeper's Bible is pretty amazing, and has been a great guide as we embark on our first season of beekeeping. You don't have to be a beekeeper to appreciate this one!

* Although our toddler is not yet going to school and carrying a lunch box, this book provides more creative lunch options that are great for both kid and adult!

* Playful Parenting, speaks to the benefits of being more playful with your children and how this approach (in moderation) can help with more tricky situations of discipline, or sorrow. I've always adopted this approach with a balance of seriousness... I learned this while being a camp counselor for a few summers.  Being the goof all the time meant that the kids didn't always take me seriously when I needed them to, especially in a pinch. So I tweaked my strategy and built relationships with a combination of goofiness, trust, and respect which made the campers fall in line when required out of respect for me since I respected them. (it's a good book)

* 15 minutes outside- provides 365 ideas for playing outdoors with your children. There is one idea for each day of the year, keeping with seasonal themes. I'll admit that at first I thought this concept was silly and unnecessary for me. I mean, only 15 minutes outside, come on!? We play for longer stretches outside and does play really need to be that structured!?  But after reading it, I can see how this book will continue to help us with our outdoor adventures as our toddler grows up and might need a little nudge in that direction. Plus it's a great reminder for those busier days, to just slow down and pop outside for those 15 minutes before bath time.  Even though we have a bit of a recess before lunch each day, I've been popping outside with her for the 15 minutes before nap time, and those moments are peaceful, relaxing and full of sweet moments of bonding and cuddling.

So that's what we've been reading! Any good books you're working on!? Would love to hear.

Shop Update at GrayDayStudio: NEON Paper Garlands!

I added 5 new Neon Paper Garlands to GrayDayStudio today.

They range in length and price from $6-$12.

Use coupon code 3GARLANDS to save 10% when you buy a total of 3 garlands!

~ check yah later!!

Knitting to do list...

As I mentioned last Friday, I've been knitting a sweater this spring... and now I'm off to achieve a long time goal of making my own clothes (sewing projects currently in the works). And so I wanted to share some favorite knitting patterns I've been pinning onto my "Knitting" Board and saving to my favorites on Ravelry. My Aunt, Cousin and her little daughter are visiting at the beginning of June and I am very excited! Lil is going to help me with my guitar and in turn I want to help her with whatever knitting project she might want to tackle. Thus this post is a little musing of potential projects.... Let me know what project you love? I'm so torn at the moment, would love to knit them all!

Above: the Autumnal cardigan is a great staple to have, I'm sure I would wear it all the time.

The Nanook Cardigan is another staple but with a feminine touch. The back is beautiful and I love how it looks buttoned. (see link for more pictures)

The Rocky Coast Cardigan is a beautiful pattern, one that is sure to take some time, but oh so worth it in the end.

The Cap Sleeve Lattice Top is a big favorite of mine. I would love to knit this next, perfect for summer!

I've never been one for shawls, but lately I've found a few that are up my alley!

Like this Textured Shawl above.

 and the Eris Pattern, shawl.

And the Whisper wrap would be lovely for a summer wedding, or dining outback. Beautiful and timeless and a fun surprise when worn with jeans.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, so I'll be sure to share even more inspiration down the road!

GrayDayStudio Shop Update: Pillows and Original Artwork

This weekend I did a major shop update at GrayDayStudio! I listed hand painted pillows, as well as more original prints (screen prints, lithos, etchings, etc). So hop on over and check out the shop, it's looking bright and full with over 60 pieces!

Hand Painted Linen Bird Pillow

Hand Painted Linen Moth Pillow

Stairwell, Original drypoint print

Beneath, and Original Lithograph

Gracefully into Infinity, Original Lithograph

Red Shoes, Original Screen print on wallpaper

Place, an Original Lithograph with hand painted details

How to Make a Pin Curl, an original screen print

Beautiful Hands are Those That Do, original screen print

Dive In, and original screen print