greenclogs

spring has sprung

One of the things that I missed most about the NW was the unfolding of spring. Don't get me wrong - spring was hands down my favorite time of year in Phoenix. There were lemons to pick and parks to visit and quilts to spread on the grass while we sat and read books and drank iced tea and enjoyed the 80 degree weather. It was pretty fabulous.

Spring here, however, has been a lot of rain. It's been downright dreary and grey and cold. It was a little bit of a shock to the system, to say the least. So why did we hightail it up to Portland when we could have enjoyed another month or even two of pretty but increasingly warm Phoenix spring?

For the promise of spring growth that beckons us slowly into the glorious summer season. Because in Phoenix, spring is an end to the nice weather for 5 months, and in Portland it's just the beginning. 

We started a garden as soon as we got here - Jeff built two 4x8 raised beds and we filled them with compost and enriched topsoil. We waited semi-impatiently for the temperatures to warm up just a bit so we could plant the early spring seeds at the end of March. We planted and we watered and we watched and watered some more. And look!

That's the tiny beginning of a brussels sprout stalk. Now there are many more poking their way up out of the soil, along with lettuces and mustard greens, kale and chard, leeks and beets, carrots and peas, garlic and potatoes, fennel and herbs galore. Still to be planted (again with the waiting for it to be a bit warmer still) are the cucumbers, later season carrots, broccoli, beans, summer squash, tomatoes, and whatever else we can fit. I think we're building one more bed. Or two. 

Those lettuce leaves are getting closer and closer to needing thinning and eating. I'm picturing a teeny tiny plate of microgreens lightly dressed and served at Easter dinner. 

On Sunday the clouds finally moved along for a few days and we've been able to revel in the glory of spring while working in the yard and walking around the neighborhood enjoying everyone's flowering trees. We lack a flowering tree. Must fix that. 

We admire our neighbors yards - especially this one - and dream of things to come. Because spring is just another word for dreams and possibilities. Welcome, spring. I've missed the real you. 

the familiar and the new - house tour

We're getting closer to fully unpacked. We have a lot of pictures to frame and get on the walls, and bits and bobs to put away, but I thought I'd give you a peek of our new home and its many lovely details. This house fits my aesthetic (and my furniture) so well that it feels like we have lived here forever, so long as you pretend that the boxes aren't there. This house is alo eerily similar to our old house in Seattle, so I think that aids in the feeling of familiarity. 

The house has beautiful coved ceilings, built-ins and moldings everywhere. It feels very refined and grown up. Even the kitchen has the original 1940 cabinets with a sweet scalloped trim (pictures in the next house installment)

I'm loving finding homes for treasures made by friends all over my home. Teacups and vases by Melissa, a painting by Emily, many drawings by Julia, photographs by Tracy, vintage goodies from Jade, artwork from so many others. It's a lovely reminder every day of the talented people that I'm lucky enough to call friends. 

This has quickly become a favorite corner of our home. That cabinet used to be the fabric cabinet, but now it's back to its original intended use. We have a very tight curve in our stairs that prevented a lot of things from going upstairs, including this cabinet. Luckily, there was a perfect home for it in the kitchen - it's as if it was meant to be there. This is where we sit and have breakfast, linger over coffee, talk about our day. It's delightful. 

We have a brand new studio space upstairs that I have been itching to set up. We got far enough along in the rest of the house that I was able to get started up there this weekend. I still have a few things to tuck away and hang up, and a daybed to fully assemble, but it's coming along. 

Along with the new space that the kids and I are sharing, come new rules for all of us that I hope will keep things rolling smoothly along. We're working on one thing at a time, putting away our messes, asking before using someone else's materials, being respectful of each other's need to have this be a functional space. And then we're applying those principals to the rest of the house. 

Sharing this room will only work well if we all play nicely together. We've carefully zoned it into the sewing space, planning & cutting space, the spinning and weaving space, the handwork and reading space, and of course, the baby play space. 

Because, really, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be than hanging out in here with light streaming in the windows while Jeff and the kids are working in the veggie garden right below that window. Except maybe being out in the yard with them, of course. 

I was in a rush to get this room functional because someone's birthday is tomorrow and I was woefully behind on my birthday making. 

Problem almost solved. Birthday crown in progress, and a fancy cape to go with it is on the way. The studio may not be all the way done, but it works well all the same. 

We're going to celebrate a first birthday tomorrow (how did that happen so fast???) and then get back to our settling in. More soon. 

plenty of time

Last week, Blair posted the Wreath of Avoidance. Avoidance is my best friend sometimes - especially when it comes to looming Christmas deadlines. Then Jade posted her version and I was sunk. I also have a silver tree (that isn't quite up because we haven't figured out how to protect it from a certain tiny person around here). And I have yarn. Lots of yarn. A quick trip to the craft store for a styrofoam wreath and some glitter, and we were off to the races. What? Christmas presents? Pfft. There's plenty of time. 

First, we gathered supplies. I was originally going to do white. Or light blue. Then I remembered that I gave away those yarn balls in the Great Craft Room Purge 2010. Oops. A quick survey of the available supply revealed some lovely grey merino found for cheap that had more yardage than the project required. Grey it would be. A really soft heathery almost glowing grey - the muted version of our tree. 

Then we glittered. 

My glitter technique needs some work. As a general rule, I am glitter averse and it shows in my lack of skills. However, that Martha Stewart glitter is dreamy. I may even use glitter on my Christmas New Year cards since I now have a Martha rainbow of glitter. 

Other beads were wrapped in yarn. That was easier. Felt and wool were cut. The glue gun was dusted off. It was a wreath. And we love it.

A little wonky, but we like it. The colors aren't very "Christmas" but they are a match for my silver tree with the red and aqua vintage glass balls, so it's very Jackson Christmas. Now I'm inspired to finish redoing the stockings because they don't go at all. 

What's that? Christmas gifts? pfft. There's plenty of time. 

transitions

 

I think one of the hardest parts of raising children is transitioning from one stage to the next. It's so hard to know what will be important and what will be left behind - especially when it comes to their spaces and their belongings. When you have a family like mine, with several years between children, those transitions seem to happen a lot and are rarely in synch. 

Lindsay left for college 2 years ago but since she was only 100 miles away, we largely left her room alone to see how much she would be home. Fast forward 2 years, and we have a college girl who has transferred to another school and lives full time in LA, a room that is rapidly becoming a storage room, and a baby who is quickly outgrowing her tiny corner in our room. There's a boy who is coveting that bigger room with the built in bookshelves (and that is on the opposite side of the house from his little sister). There's a little girl who has outgrown the decor of her room and the very bright paint job that was on her walls when we moved in. Time for some change!

A while back, I picked up a couple of bedroom sets on Craig's List that needed a some love - one for each girl. After painting those sets - well, one dresser is not quite done - we finally had a good weekend for the Great Bedroom Shuffle 2010. We're still hanging pictures and getting our act together on sewing bedding and curtains, but here's a sneak peak at Annika's refurbished space. Kit's room and Gunnar's room will have their own posts, and then we'll show it all again once they are complete. Exciting, huh? Just nod your head. At least I'm posting for a change!

Here is Annika's room before the paint job, but after we shoveled it out. I wish I were kidding about that part. There is no way I was putting the real before shot out on the interwebs. That girl knows her some clutter. 

Fun, and done well for the previous little girl in that room. However, I have this funny idea about bedrooms being restful spaces, and that is so not restful. 

After the paint was dry and the furniture was moved in. 

That photo at the top of the post is her new bed. An unmade bed is an invitation for roughhousing around here. There's nothing that baby likes more than rolling around with her big brother. The bedroom set was a rather garish shade of yellow with bronze hardware (hence the cheap). Some paint in MSL "glass of milk" and nickel metallic spray paint for the hardware, and we were talking cute. The walls are MSL Stratosphere, which is the color of the Arizona sky. She loves this space, which is really gratifying. 

Lindsay is handling the loss of her room (the one G moved into) well - at least in front of me. She still has half of the large closet in G's room for her things and a bed in Kit's room and she knows that there's always a place for her. However, she turned 20 yesterday and her life isn't here anymore. She's never here for longer than 10 days at a time, and that only happens twice a year. We're trying to gracefully segue into an adult relationship with her. Transitioning her out of that space when it's needed for someone else is part of that process - one that is a little touchy for all of us. I'm proud of her for accepting the change and not feeling rejected, because that was so far from our intent. Families are organic and they change over time, as do their spaces. What doesn't change is the love or the willingness to make space for her again if she should need it. 

Next up is Gunnar's new man cave. Stay tuned!

welcome to my craft room

umm yeah. It's kind of a mess. To really appreciate it, you should click and make that bigger. The room HAD to be painted. And the shelves had to be reorganized. You know how when you move and you're unpacking, there are grand plans to take care and time in putting everything away? Yeah, that worked for the first shelf unit. The other one was filled up by the "I'll just put this here for now and organize it later" method. Today was later. My desire to paint the ugly yellow and red walls coincided with my need to deal with that shelf unit. So this week, I unloaded the rest of the room, painted 3 of the walls, moved furniture back in, unloaded the shelves onto the tables (and onto the dining room table which shall not be shown) and painted the last wall. Now it's all being moved back in. Properly this time. I pinky swear. The side benefit of this is that I'm going to sell a bunch of knitting books and yarn that is taking up space without a plan. Should I post it here as well as on Ravelry? Or are the knitters among you all there anyway? 

I'll post pictures when it's done. And then it'll stay perfect forevah. Right? 

Don't burst my bubble.

clear the decks

My swap packages are out the door, as are some overdue and soon due birthday gifts, which makes me so very happy. This week is "clear the decks" week - I'm wrapping up much of the partially finished stuff that is cluttering up my space so that I can reorganize it. Now that I've been in here for a month, I know what's working and what isn't and can reorder things in a way that I can be most productive. 

Painting the room (the aquas) as well as my bedroom (the purples) has landed on the list. I'm just not loving the colors in this room, so it's going to be repainted while I have everything out of the way. 

All this deck clearing is happening so I can focus on beginning a new creative endeavor next week. Stay tuned. 

it's getting hot around here

112 today to be exact and we're heading up to the hills where it should be more like 90 or so. Downright chilly!

First, a couple of house/progress shots to tide you over for the weekend.

Another kitchen shot. I'd like to mention that I baked cinnamon rolls and bread at the same time this morning in the two ovens. That is a beautiful thing.

Craft/studio space in progress. This would be the craft side of the room. The other side is my little photography studio. These shelves need to fit one more box o' stuff on them and have some reorganization performed. It is so nice to have everything in one place and visible instead of hiding in a closet.

Lastly, the inaugural new house sewing project.

It's the simple tote from Bend the Rules Sewing made from Sandi Henderson's Ginger Tiles fabric in Caribe. I love this pattern. This one is a gift for Annika's teacher that should have been given at the end of the school year, but life got in the way. She loves Annika's lunch bags, so we made her one of her own in her favorite color. I have a few more of these to make for the school lunch supply. I'll need to enlarge them slightly from the book's dimensions so that they fit our new bento boxes in them.

Have a great weekend! I'll try to take lots of pictures in the trees.

brought to you by the color green

I know, the green. But it's everywhere around here right now.


It's in the yard surrounding this little bobwhite quail who was plaintively calling for a woman. Any woman. Oh, and it's really hard to take a photo of a quail from inside the house 40 feet away without a tripod. Really hard.

And it's in this little dress that I made for Annika this weekend. Yep, you heard me right. I actually made something this weekend.


This one is from the same Japanese pattern book as the last dress I made - it's the cover photo from the book. I love this book - I'm already planning the next little outfit.


The fabric is Ginger Bliss by Sandi Henderson that I brought home from Portland. Had I been really using my brain, I would have centered the pattern with the medallion print more carefully and had much more symmetry. However, I think I'm just thankful that I completed something beyond cleaning house over and over between waves of houseguests (we're riding a crest right now).


My favorite part is the little apron on the front. It annoys her slightly because it comes untied. The dress isn't technically finished because when I tried it on her for length before doing the hem, she ran off and wore it all day unhemmed. I'm going to hem it with the same trim as I used for the straps, since it's just the right length right now. Note to self - lengthen these patterns by about an inch. There are also 3 little flower buttons for finishing off the bodice, but they will have to wait until after it goes through the wash to get rid of the leftover ice cream from last night.

Busy week this week - 4 sets of visitors, a high school graduation (how????), and lots of celebrating. Then we start the packing for our summer sojourn. Remind me to tell you about that before I leave.

opening day

Yesterday marked the beginning of swimming season chez Jackson. While Jeff steamed a mess o' mussels for my birthday dinner, the kids decided (okay, were convinced by me) that the pool was warm enough for a try. It's really not, but they're so happy to be in there that they just don't care.

Today, they came home from school, ran to their rooms, and ran right back out to the pool. True to their characters, Gunnar carefully inched his way into the brisk water while Annika headed for the deep end and dove right in. Jeff joined them with a quick dive, a "BRRR!!!" and a quick swim back to the steps. The pool is not quite ready for us old folks. I am so grateful that we can add the pool back into the fun repertoire for a few months - it provides a much needed diversion for all of us.

Charlie was quite fascinated by the pool activity, and thankfully did not join them in the pool. Instead he let me take cute pictures of him. He's getting so big so quickly!

Back to baby sweater knitting - I'm about 3/4 done with it so I should have something to show on Friday. Then, I think the sewing machine is calling. Patchwork? A dress for Annika? Hmm....

what a difference a day makes

Okay, boring picture. But I had to do something. I haven't even picked up my camera in almost 2 weeks. I've been that pathetically tired. But no more! Today marks the first day that I don't want to just go crawl back into bed after the kids leave for school. I feel like that first trimester fog is starting to lift.

So, what's going on around here? We had a birthday party at the house on Saturday night that somehow turned into a pool noodle water fight, so all of the kids went home wet. I'm sure the parents appreciated it, but they were sitting around my kitchen table too so I guess we all share the blame on that one. I hope the pool warms up soon so we can just use it.

Today involves an exciting list of things like dishes, laundry, a trip to the post office and library, and hopefully finishing Gunnar's quilt since there are only about 3 feet of binding left to sew down. I have some large-ish cleaning projects this week - garage (before it gets too hot), art cupboard, Annika's room. And then, hopefully I'll dig back into that pile of projects that has been sitting there patiently waiting.

Thanks for being patient with me. I'm so glad to feel some energy returning.