Berlin's Whimsy

Some Etsy TLC & Shop Update

I'm putting a little love and attention into my Etsy shop again. I listed a couple cute children's vintage clothing items I found months ago from my Grandmother's stash of old clothes. I absolutely love the vintage smock----oh, how I wish my kids were that little again! I wanted to keep these items but I'm beginning to understand that I cannot collect everything (though I try)...

And, I'm currently creating four more of those large project bags. I'm excited about these bags as I'm using some of my vintage fabric, doilies, buttons, and trim. I think they'll be very fun! My goal is to list them in my shop by Monday, June 9th. You'll see them on the sidebar when they're listed...

Winner and sharing an idea.

Bare with me, this is a long post!

Gosh, peanut butter must be one of the most versatile foods out there! What a lot of interesting food combinations you all shared. Thank you so much for sharing and providing some fun reading over the weekend. Some of your comments provided more food combination ideas and others, well, I'll leave them for you to enjoy...! I was also pleased to hear from so many of you----hi!

I used the trusty Random Numerator to come up with comment number 24: Jessica. Jessica shared her husband's love of peanut butter and onion... Hmmm, that's another one I must leave to his own enjoyment! Nevertheless, congratulations, Jessica!

***And here's a bit of sharing. The prizes in this drawing are a little part of a larger project I'm only now embarking upon. Perhaps it will be a book, perhaps a mail-order series... I'm not sure yet and I'm truly thinking out loud here.

Even so, I feel that all of the ideas that have been flittering about in my head these past few months have come a little closer together with an embrace of recreating the vintage family kitchen in crafts & cooking.

The project includes: favorite family-friendly recipes; baking hints, resources, and ideas; my own vintage-inspired embroidery designs with linen projects; an apron design I'm working on; knitted projects for the kitchen; pyrex & vintage kitchenware collections with recipes for your treasures... and hopefully much more! Though I don't know where this project will take me, I hope to share these ideas with you in one form or another.

And can I ask, what do you think? Are you interested in seeing a project like this? I'd love to hear from you either via a comment or email: berlinsmith AT yahoo DOT com.

From "Ewww!" to "Mmmm" Giveaway

A LITTLE GIVEAWAY: The kids & I are heading to the Oregon coast for a few days of visiting with long lost friends and rubbing our toes in our familiar sand... So, I'm leaving you with this post... The giveaway details are at the end...

One of our steadfast lunchtime sandwiches is the peanut butter and pickle sandwich. I grew up eating them and have never given them a second thought. That was until my kids started bringing them to school and the other kids started exclaiming, "Ewww!"

Luckily, my kids weren't swayed. They are PB & Pickle fans. And I am, too. Usually, I make our sandwiches with dill pickles but a shopping oversight resulted in a jar of sweet pickles sitting in the cupboard for far too long. In desparation one day, I decided to use that jar. And even my "Ewww" reaction to sweet pickles turned to "Mmmm" in the sandwich with peanut butter. I still prefer dill but the sweet is a nice mix up.

Recently, our family discussed our "weird" food combinations. I remembered my Dad slathering up a peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich while I sat looking aghast. I don't think it was the taste combo as much as the texture that repulsed me.

During our discussion, my sister-in-law told me about the peanut butter and sprout sandwich. I immediately thought "Ewww" until she pointed out the similarity to the Thai food flavor combination so I tried it and it turned to a "Mmmm" (I used mung bean sprouts, following the Pad Thai combination).

And then there is my early strawberry season recipe: balsamic vinegar reduction sauce over strawberries and ice cream. "Ewww! Vinegar?!" I initially thought. But then I tried it!

It's a great way to use the early season strawberries that lack the flavor of our local Oregon berries (yes, I'm partial). All that is required is reducing 2 Cups of balsamic vinegar (I like the Costco brand for this recipe---don't use expensive balsamic!) over a low simmer until it is thick and it coats the back of a spoon. Cool just a bit and then spoon the sauce over sliced strawberries and vanilla ice cream. "Mmmm!"

***GIVEAWAY: I want to hear about your flavor combos, recipes, or stories of food items that might seem weird to today's palate but you still enjoy... OR your family's traditional recipes that might not be 'en vogue' today (I'm thinking pickled watermelon rinds and that sort of thing). What "weird" foods do you like? And if you don't have anything of the sort to share, just post a comment and you'll be entered in the drawing... I will choose a random comment next Tuesday.

The prize? Four embroidered linen "Doily Napkins" (it's a fun little pattern of mine that I've been enjoying---pictured above) and an itty bitty cookbook (made by me) that includes a few of my favorite recipes along with related stories...

Have a great weekend!   

Softie Smiles.

Off my needles come little critters. They do feel like a bit of fancy---silliness, I guess---but when I see my kids carry them around in their pockets and tuck them into bed at night, they don't seem so irrelevant to our lives.

My son carries his little 'Bunny Foo Foo' around with him and he loves his newly knitted snail. He wants to knit one himself---perhaps a weekend project.

When these little projects near completion they provide me with a big smile, a spark of delight for my heart.

I don't know what the funk I've been experiencing is----perhaps another visit to that pity party I try not to participate in, although its allure seems inevitable sometimes. I think the most recent visit is over and I left the party with favors in the form of new plans and routines.

Sometimes I get too caught up in shoulds. I look around me and backtrack my life and the shoulds are not far to follow. I realize now how much of my creativity was suppressed all these years-----set aside for other things deemed more important for lack of a support system.

Now, I allow myself bits of whimsy here and there---even silly irrelevance. No, little softies sporting their own handspun and handknit sweaters won't save the world but they remind a couple sweet children that their Mom loves them; moreover, they bring a smile to the face of the Mom that made them.

***The little guy with the sweater is my own version of Margaret's Ornament Guy. The minute I saw him I knew I had to make one (or two?!) for my kids, so thank you, Margie, for sharing with me. Do check out Margie's 'Handmade by Me' Flickr set. Wonderful!

***The Snail is a pattern from Mochimochi. We'll probably have a whole "flock" of them soon...

***Have you looked at the entries for the Second Annual Softies Awards? They'll put a smile to your face...

"But we don't know how to make anything."

When I picked up my kids from school yesterday, I was presented with a permission slip for an annual overnight field trip. The parent's cost for each student is $100. I gasped a bit at that. Though I've never needed a scholarship for my kid's school activities before, this time I glanced at the scholarship portion of the form which stated that scholarship money was very limited due to the other options students could pursue...

I was pleased to find those other options. Students are encouraged to work to raise their own field trip money. Opportunities consisted of positions at the upcoming school fundraiser ($5 per hour) and students must interview for the each position, babysitting parents' children during the event ($5 per hour), writing thank you cards ($5 each------hmmm, I'll sign up for that one!!), and more...

It also included the option of making items to sell to parents and community members, as well as offering up your services for bidding. I loved all of these ideas, especially the school's aim to provide opportunities for students to work their way towards the field trip rather than just handing out scholarships.

When I mentioned the option of making items to sell, both of my kids whined in unison, "But we don't know how to make anything!" My son added for more effect, "Yeah, I don't think anyone's going to want to buy one of my doodles!"

I told them I disagreed and we went on to discuss all of the things they know how to make... I reminded my daughter of her drawing skills and that we could transfer one of her drawings onto fabric and embroider it and then use that piece to make a bag or some other item. For my son, I mentioned our handspun yarn and how well he can now knit. I also reminded him of his expert origami skills and how lovely a miniature crane looks on a handmade card. We're just starting to get into felting and I told them of all the things that can be made out of felt. We discussed painting and drawing and mini-quilts and hair accessories... and the list went on and on.

In the end, I said, "Yep, I guess you don't know how to make anything, huh?!"

*******

And on the topic of creativity, I know you've probably read it before, but Amanda's book The Creative Family is absolutely lovely. I highly recommend it. There are a number of reasons I personally liked it but for other readers I feel that her ability to encourage everyone's creativity is impeccable. She provides basic activities that are easily obtainable, but more than that, they are presented as a jumping off point for each family's creativity. She also describes the creative atmosphere each of us can create and nurture in our own households. Sure, I know how to sew and knit and many of the other projects within the book, but I still loved reading it because of the "atmosphere" of gentle creativity and parenting the book evokes-----it's like joining a wonderful community of mothers and families from within her words. At $10, it's a steal, too.

Sketching and finishing.

I realized a couple days ago that I need to begin sketching and drawing again. I am horribly guilty of ignoring any drawing skills I possess instead of honing them for designs. I grew up drawing and it was one of those abilities that defined me. However, somewhere along the way, I quit drawing much.

My daughter received a book about drawing fairies the other day and soon my son & I were in her "drawing class." She made up a flyer advertising her "class" and scheduled us in. Though it was all in fun, my son & I learned a bit about figure drawing. I had to laugh when I glanced over and realized my son was drawing a fairy! He really is patient with his sister...

I finally read through The Crafter's Companion the other night and I realized that I should make my own inspiration board. I should also sketch out designs more often and carry a sketch book with me. It seems that those two ideas would be a given but they haven't been part of my life! Usually, when I come up with an idea, I just go for it rather than drawing it out and doing variations. Sometimes I do sketch out an embroidery design with water soluble pen first directly onto the fabric but I think I'll experiment more with sketching on paper and going from there.

And besides more drawing, what's on my creative plate right now? I'm continuing to finish up the embroidery on this wall hanging and I hope to have a few fun items to add to my shop just in time for Mother's Day gifts... This wall hanging will probably go into the shop, too...

Happy Wall.

Recently my embroidery and sewing was for me. For my Happy Wall. Do you have a Happy Wall---perhaps a Happy Corner? My room isn't especially large but it acts as my sanctuary from the joys, as well as the stresses of motherhood.

And now I'm calling it what it truly is: my craft room. I suppose if ever I had a room specifically set aside for my creative endeavors it would look a lot my room now, minus the bed for sleeping!

My wall is a work in progress. I finished my bright and cheery curtains with their red and white gingham but I also wanted a bit of embroidery to display beside my happy curtains.

In coming up with ideas, I quickly settled on birds and trees.

It's spring and they are so much on my mind these days.

They chirp and squack outside my window and they show off their bright spring colors at our feeder.

I believe we all need a Happy Wall (or corner, or space, or room) to call our own---a bit of inspiration or visual serenity. A place that makes our eyes and our heart peaceful and fullfilled. A place to relax and feel full in our worlds----perhaps to even feel embued with our lifeforce whether that is creativity, parenting, or just the fullfillment of words within a book.

As I finish up a few more projects, I now have my Happy Wall to gaze at in between stitches.

Woodland Easter Rabbits.

I'll admit something (are you counting airhead moments on this blog? Oh, please don't, I'd hate to hear the total!)...

I didn't realize it was Easter weekend until two days ago. I thought Easter was next weekend!

So, my confusion was probably for the best. Easter was always "our holiday," which meant that we hosted a weekend full of family---my in-laws. It was always a big to-do. You can probably imagine my ambivalence this year; another point in my life that diverges from what I knew for years. I didn't have much time to fret about it this year with my confusion of dates.

We're making the best of it in spite of our lack of planning ahead and our mixed emotions. We colored eggs, we looked at chicks (in hopes that we might bring home a few in the coming weeks to raise!), and I finished up these little woodland bunnies. They aren't much but my kids still enjoy little toys with personalities.

These bunnies are a version of Mochimochi's Woodins. I loved the little Woodins in their knitted log but with less than 48 hours and no suitable yarn, I couldn't knit two of them.

Instead, I used some felted sweaters that I've been saving for projects. This little woodland stump must suffice. For some reason my mind seemed to be thinking woodland creatures when I embroidered the little stumps, consequently they don't look very Spring/Easter-like. Ah well, I think the bunnies like hiding in them just fine.

Plan B. C. D.

I was not offered the job. I could go on and on about squashed hopes and faltering confidence but I'm still holding onto a belief that something is out there for me... A purpose for all of this? Can't I make a living at creating beauty with fiber, fabric, foodstuffs, and a keyboard to type it all out on? Sigh...

Here was my day's work (besides signing up to be a school substitute and sharing a bit of...gasp....urine for a drug test. All in a days work): two more frames in the quilt while parked outside my children's school. Each stitch was pulled through with the happy sounds of children in the playground nearby and the cars of fellow parents pulling up all around me. Strange how different this waiting experience is----last year, I knew all the parents and all the kids in the school parking lot, but only a year later I'm surrounded by all new parents (albeit a bit more like me) and smiling kids' faces I have yet to discover. It is a whole new world for me.

The upside to all of this? I have many Plan Bs in the works (or are they Plan C, D, E, etc?). Though this employment position would have provided such "luxuries" as health insurance and paid sick leave, it probably would not have afforded much time to write here on the blog nor time for my own style of involved parenting and creative adventures. Somehow it all needs to weigh out in my life. 

Happy Color Therapy.

I had another job interview today---the second for this particular job. I had my first interview right in the midst of my illness last week and was in such a feverish "fog" that I wasn't very nervous. I just blabbered on and on in my own little world... This time, however, I could feel that dreaded neck-turning-red anxiety creeping up to my cheeks. Ack!

Before and after the interview I worked a bit on my quilt, embroidering fun little images into the "windows" of the design. It felt quite uplifting! I prescribe this sort of colorful craft therapy for everyone.