Marie Bee

Lights Out, Words Gone

2011-11-20T21:43:00.001-06:00

Tonight I'm loving this.

NYC

2011-11-08T22:43:00.006-06:00

From my trip to NYC. I stayed at this apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

The Short Story That Never Was

2011-09-23T13:43:00.003-05:00

A handful of years ago, there was a call out for short stories in my city. It had to be about animals. Select pieces would be chosen for publication in an illustrated book, put together by a local artist and author. Mine was chosen, though eventually, like all good things, it fell through. I had forgotten about my story, now 5 years old, until recently while cleaning up some computer files. There it was, just as I'd left it. I find it sad that it should never see the light of day, so here it is, copied and pasted.

Snarl

Marie Angela Busalacchi, 2006

The sound was outside. A soprano whimpering, so frantic and shrill, along with the screeching of metal against concrete, pulled me harshly from sleep. I opened my eyes, heart thumping, my body frozen with fear and confusion, that familiar sensation that accompanies being startled awake.

Once I realized where I was, safe in bed, I listened again, intently. The whimpering reminded me of the sounds of seals, that repetitive grunt tinted with a questioning intonation, starting a sonorous tenor, but ending a mere alto. Only this cry was about ten octaves to the north, and so very urgent, almost to the point of hysteria.

It then occurred to me that the cry was likely that of a small rodent, struggling to free itself from the live trap that John’s father had baited. He protects his garden by catching four-legged criminals, and then transplants them to a nearby park. These criminals were usually squirrels and chipmunks, with the occasional mouse. Judging from the brawn of the noise, I assumed tonight’s culprit was a squirrel. My body relaxed some, now that I knew which sounds of the night were emanating from the great, black abyss, which was the backyard of John’s parents. I figured after a few minutes he’d tire, and silence would swallow us both into sleep.

When another noise erupted, a deep and malicious snarling, my heart resumed it's jumping jacks. A squirrel was definitely not capable of any sound so evil, and besides, his crying had never ceased. I slowly walked towards the window and peered into the darkness. When my eyes had adjusted to the moonless night, I was startled at what the vague, ashen light revealed. Not more than six feet from my window loomed a prodigious raccoon, his masked eyes giving him an oddly anthropomorphic anonymity. He sat with both arms deep into the trap, both hugging and wrestling it at the same time. All the while he let out guttural snarls and snorts. The trap was pushed up against the house, a bit to the right of my window. I couldn’t see the back end of it, but I had a feeling the unfortunate little squirrel was cowering there in terror. Though I couldn’t see him, I could definitely hear him.

By now, my initial fear of the unknown had quickly changed to astonishment, and finally, anger. My heart went out to the little one that was clearly in the process of being mangled to death, so helpless, so scared. Each cry tugged on my heart and conscience. How could I ignore this blatant rodent brutality? I gave the screen a loud whack. The beast ceased his attack, and looked up at me. He did not look startled, but rather, indignant, as if to warn me he’d be back. Then he turned and waddled away into the darkness. The cage now fell silent. I wanted to go and check on tonight’s offering, but there was no way I’d go it alone. I imagined the raccoon lunging for my bare legs and eating me alive. We both would have to wait until the morning came, and with it, the assuaging light of day.

I got back into bed and tried to fall asleep. Minutes later, cries pierced the silence, more persistently than before, accompanied again by a dissonant chorus of rattling cage, snorts and snarls. Irritated, I woke John up and told him we had to help the sacrificial squirrel. We walked to the back door in our bathrobes, John equipped with a flashlight and I with the longest object I could find on the way- a fireplace poker. Cautiously, we stepped onto the patio. The floodlights came on, and the three of us, boy, girl and raccoon momentarily stared at each other in the harsh brightness. The beast gazed warily in our direction for a few seconds, his glowing orbs shining beneath his mask, before reluctantly scampering back into the darkness.

Slowly, John walked towards the cage with the flashlight, while I nervously stood guard, tightly clutching the poker. Shivering from both nerves and the chilly air, I stared into the darkness, ready for a surprise attack, and told John to hurry up. He pulled the cage away from the house and when it finally came into view, I was stunned. Inside was no whimpering squirrel. Peering up at us from the back corner of the cage was a young raccoon, trembling and winded. There was not one scratch on his body, not one drop of blood. Then it hit me, what had really been going on under the distorting cloak of darkness.

My heart sort of swelled at this realization of the truth. No act of violence had occurred here tonight. No blood had been shed. On top of that, this “he-beast” was female. Those cries had merely been that of a distressed baby to its mother. Those vicious snorts, those snarls, all of that ruckus had been the frustration of a mother, unable to help her wayward babe. How panicked she must have felt, with all of that metal kidnapping her child.

I had witnessed such an unexpected act of love, that I felt tears prick at my tired eyes. John opened the cage, and at first the youngling pressed himself even further back into the corner. We took some steps back, and I cooed at him a bit, trying to coax him out like a puppy. It seemed to work, because a minute later he took off. I noticed he had bolted in the opposite direction his mother had gone.

I had no doubt in my mind they’d find each other and I was glad to have played a part in their surely happy reunion. Since then, on the rare occasions when I spot a raccoon, I no longer see the typical stereotypes: garbage tippers, sewer dwellers, garden destroyers, nuisances in black masks. I see survival, I see bond, I see a mother, I see love.

2011-09-22T23:44:00.001-05:00

Today was for laundry, sweaters for mama and son, and a trip to the store for a quart of goat milk. Because today was also for making chèvre. There are various recipes on the web, but I was inspired by and followed Mary Catherine's post.

Isn't it beautiful? It's gone now.

2011-09-18T10:31:00.001-05:00

Saying goodbye to a quiet and Autumn-y weekend home with my Ephie. There were a few moments of teary eyes as I packed away cold weather clothes that fit him at the start of the year, but no more. I can say with confidence that this quarterly task is one of the hardest things about motherhood. I'm sure it will get easier as the years go by. These tubs full of tiny shirts I've come to know so well, never to fit again, are such a visual reminder of how fast he's growing up.

This morning, I sit here mentally preparing myself for a house full of family. Ephraim is having a playdate with his cousin, Auggie. Everyone wants to partake in the cuteness, but I don't blame them.

30 minutes and counting. Happy Sunday to you all.

South Dakota | Part One (Or, Pictures From My Phone)

2011-09-14T11:51:00.000-05:00

My sister near Buffalo Gap National Grasslands.

Number 5 at Shady Rest Motel. Custer, South Dakota. (Highly recommend.)

The Badlands.

Teenage Burro , Custer State Park.

Buffalo, Custer State Park.

Crazy Horse Monument

Mountain Goats, Custer State Park.

Ephraim in Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park

Sylvan Lake, Custer State Park.

Herd of buffalo at the watering hole, Custer State Park.

A souvenir: cut Canadian dime necklace from a local Custer artist.

Inspiration | Woody Crumbo

2011-09-13T20:47:00.003-05:00

"Half of my life passed in striving to complete the pictorial record of Indian history, religion, rituals, customs, way of life, and philosophies . . . a graphic record that a million words could not begin to tell."

-Woody Crumbo

Guest Post | A DIY by Kate of Otillies Closet!

2011-09-09T08:00:00.081-05:00

Hello, dear readers! My name is Kate from Otillie's Closet and I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to be guest posting on Marie's blog. I hope she has a great vacation with her little family! I thought I'd share with you an easy way to sew a simple shirt from a square piece of fabric that's perfect for the transition into fall. The best part is you only need to know how to measure, cut, and sew a simple straight stitch on your sewing machine. It's a great beginner's garment. The size I'm making can fit a variety of shapes since it's such an easy fit. You can adjust the finished size as you need.

I found this great knit fabric (at Joann's even) and thought it would be perfect for this project. I think you could also use a nice jersey as well if you wish. The nice thing about this fabric is it is very forgiving and if you choose a matching thread, no one will notice if your stitches aren't perfect.

1. Isn't it pretty? Make sure you buy a yard and fold it in half so you have a nice big rectangle. Keep the fold near the top - this will be the neckline.

2. Pin the two layers together down the left side (or right...whatever you feel most comfortable with) to keep them from slipping apart. Measure two inches in from the side and cut a straight line from top to bottom; through both layers so you have a very long piece. If you want to make a smaller size, cut more off on this step!

3. It should look like this. Set it aside, we will be using it later.

4. You will notice that your edges curl. It helps to keep your two layers pinned together because of this!

5. Cut two inches through both layers from the bottom edge as well. You can discard these or save in your scrap pile.

6. Now we are going to cut the neck opening. Find the center of your piece of fabric at the top fold and put a pin in to mark it. Measure six inches on either side of that pin. Our neck opening is a total of 12 inches wide.

7. See our easy neckline!

8. Now on to our sleeves. Measure 10 inches down the left side from the fold and mark with a pin.

9. Measure seven inches in from there and also mark with a pin. You've just marked the armpit!

10. With this variegated fabric I found it easier to mark my cuts with pins rather than with fabric chalk. You can use whatever is easiest for you!

11. Now you are going to cut along the dotted lines (or pins) to create your sleeve.

12. Pretty easy so far, right? Now do steps 8 through 11 on the right side as well.

13. This is what you should have so far. Now flip the fabric inside out so the right sides are facing together. Pin your two layers together under the sleeve and down the sides of the fabric.

14. Now the fun part...sew under the arms and down the sides on both sides of your shirt with about a 1/4" seam allowance. Knit fabric can sometimes be tricky to sew but since we aren't doing anything fancy the main item to note is to use a very LONG stitch length. While your shirt is still inside out fold 1/4" down on your neckline cut and sew to make a nice finished edge that won't unravel. (Sorry I didn't take pics of this step!)

15. Flip your shirt right side out again. On each sleeve roll about a 1/4" to a 1/2" and then roll it again. Basically fold and roll twice so you have a nice cuff. Pin all the way around and sew the cuff on the edge closest to the body.

16. Now grab the long piece we cut off and set aside way at the beginning. We're going to turn this into a belt.

17. Fold it in half, right sides together, pin and sew the length of the strip with a 1/4" allowance.

18. To turn it right side out, pin a large safety pin at the top and then push it down the tube.

19. Push the safety pin through the tube to right side out your belt.

And voila! You've made yourself a pretty simple, easy to wear knit shirt.

This was my first DIY so if you need clarification on any of the steps feel free to shoot me an email at otilliescloset {at} gmail {dot} com! I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial. Thanks again, to the lovely Marie!

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Thank you so much for this sweet DIY, Kate!

Kate's Links:
Blog
Shop
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram = Otilliescloset

Don't be shy!

Guest Post | Holly of Run To Eat. Work To Shop.

2011-09-08T07:44:00.005-05:00

Hi bloggies! I am very happy to be filling in for pretty Marie while she's on vacation. Marie and I have known each other since high school. She is just the sweetest person ever! We haven't seen each other in a long time but have been having a great time re-connecting through blogging.

I write very random posts on my silly little blog Run To Eat. Work To Shop. I write about my life and most of my posts relate to either running, eating, shopping, decorating our new house, traveling or our cute puppy dog Diesel....because well...that's what's going on in my life :)

I thought I would share with you something that I am currently obsessed with. PAINTING ALL OF THE TRIM IN MY HOUSE!! We recently bought a new house. Well...a new-old house :) We LOVE it. Here are a few before and after pics ( I really like pretending that I'm on HGTV & I like to give my husband more ammunition to make fun of how many pics I take on a daily basis)

ahhh attack of the ivy!!

Before: Living room with the seller's belonging
After: Our room so far...still a fair amount of work to do...but it's coming along

Anywho...back to my recent obsession. If I do my job correctly I will have you obsessed with it too :) Trim! I LOVE old homes. I LOVE the character and I LOVE white crown molding, baseboards, etc. Old homes= lots of cleaning, re-painting, remodeling, etc. Painting the trim is extrememly gratifying and ungratifying at the same time. It's like getting your hair trimmed. You don't realize how bad it looked until you get it cut and then you are like...eww I'm gross...why did I wait so long to do this?!?! LOL!

So...I knew the trim in our house needed to be re-painted but when I would just walk thru our house it wouldn't jump out at me and make me scream out in disgust. Now that I have re-painted the trim in our living room...every other room screams at me...I'm so gross...paint me too!! Let me show you....

ahhhhahahaa! So gross, right?! I swear it didn't seem like it was that dirty until I started painting!!
I painted the windows too :)

If you have white trim in your house take a look at it. You probably didn't notice it before but now you want to paint it don't you?!? Be careful...it's addicting!!

Even my cute little helper got into the painting action...

Paint on his ears and sleepy from all of the hard work he did :)
He's so cute!

_______________________________________________________

Thank you, Holly!

Don't forget to stop by and say hello over at Run To Eat. Work To Shop. and on Twitter.

Guest Post | Janelle of Little Ocean

2011-09-06T08:30:00.107-05:00

As a mom, designer, and literature-lover, books are ubiquitous in my home. Uniquely illustrated children's books are especially important to us, and new ones make their way onto our shelves almost every week. I thought it would be nice to share our current favorites as a guest on Marie's lovely blog.

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf has been a favorite of ours since my stepson was very small. It tells the story of a big strong bull who prefers to sit under his favorite tree and smell flowers than to fight and snort and be the fierce animal he is expected to be. It's a really endearing book for a mother to read to her little man, and Robert Lawson's illustrations are very sweet.

A Giraffe and a Half is a delightful book by Shel Silverstein. It reads with such rhythm and momentum that you just can't help yourself from reading it just as fast as you can like a wacky tongue twister. The illustrations are just as strange and frantic.

To Market, To Market by Nikki McClure is one of the newest books on our shelves. McClure's amazing cut-paper artwork, however, is not new to our home. For the past 5 years I've hung her art calendars in my kitchen. This book is about a trip to the farmer's market and appreciation for local small-farm food. My daughter Mara is especially interested in the processes behind making honey and cheese. I've learned a lot myself through reading it to the kids.

Charlie Harper's ABC's is a must-have! If you're not familiar with Harper's celebrated wildlife illustrations, this is a great way to get acquainted. His work is modern and simple but at the same time highly stylized. There are new funny little details I notice each time I read it. I hope I've lengthened your library list with some new leads. Thank you Marie for inviting me to share!

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Thank you, Janelle! I loved reading this and can't wait to check out Nikki McClure.

Janelle's Links:
Blog
Shop
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram = Littleocean.

Make sure you stop by and say hello!

Guest Post | Naomi Rose of The Gluttonous Vegan

2011-09-05T08:00:00.058-05:00

Naomi Rose of The Gluttonous Vegan kicks off this week's guest posts. All of my guest bloggers hail from Milwaukee. Naomi is my best gal from London, but I have made her an honorary Milwaukeean for the occasion.

I consider myself extremely lucky to have marie as a friend. We've been friends since August of 2008 and it's a pure and strong friendship born of a mutual love of a certain kind of achey music, dreamy films and photography, but because we live on opposite sides of the atlantic ocean, we don't get to hang out nearly as much as I'd like. It means that I treasure the time we do spend together even more because it's so fleeting. The first time we ever properly hung out was in the winter, in beautiful milwaukee. We drove down to the lake and took polaroids of ice. (mine on the left, 'ries on the right).

She spent all day patiently showing me around milwaukee, taking me for cider and snacks and bringing me to a gig where her guy was playing the drums.

I went to visit when marie and her wonderful husband bought their first house.

I vividly remember an email whispering that she was pregnant in the week between our birthdays (april babies), and sharing her excitement on the other side of that great big ocean. We rode this ride together at Summerfest one year and both had knuckles that were bright white with fear. Never again.

Even when we've been far apart, she sends me the kindest packages.

Marie came with me to get my first tattoo (and documented it, naturally.)

Marie has got a beautiful family and a beautiful heart. She showed me the wonder of experimenting with photography, and she's one of the kindest and most graceful people I know. I know her well enough to know that even by writing this guest post about something like this instead of a bunch of links will make her squirm a little, but I don't care. I love you 'rie! Can't wait to see you this Autumn (probably our favourite season)

__________________________________________________________________

Thank you, Nimnam. <3

Naomi's Links:
The Gluttonous Vegan
Flickr
Twitter

(Her blog will make your stomach very happy.)

Test Roll | Mamiya C330

2011-09-02T15:21:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago, I took a chance on the lowest priced Mamiya C330 that I could find on Ebay. I held my breath as it arrived, I figured out how to use it, shot through a quick test roll and sent it off- part of me was terrified I'd been duped, and not lucky. I didn't want to spend $20-$30 on processing and development if that was the case, so after a little bit of research in the Flickr forums, I discovered The Darkroom. I sent the film off 3 days ago, and just received an email letting me know that the web album was available for viewing, and that the negatives were on their way back via snail mail.

I was so relieved to find out more than half of the roll turned out. (The other half was foolishly underexposed by myself). So, hurrah! My lucky Mamiya works. She is definitely going on vacation with me.

On The Road Again

2011-09-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

Sunday morning my family (plus one little sister) hit the road westward to South Dakota. We'll be staying in a small and inevitably cozy cabin in Custer. It's been just over a year now since my last vacation, when we went to Boulder last August. J is about to begin touring with Kings Go Forth for the larger part of fall, so this was our last open window for a trip this year. Why South Dakota you ask? When I was a little girl, around grade 5 or 6, I can't remember exactly- my sisters, mother and father went out there. I loved it- soaking up the scenery and it's bloody past. The terrible history of it all.

So, off we are going. I've got a few local lovelies lined up to fill in for me here. I'm excited for you to meet them! I may sneak in and share a photo or two while Ephraim sleeps, from our Custer camp. Have a great weekend and week, my friends.

They say...

2011-09-01T21:57:00.000-05:00

...he's got his mother's eyes.

Today he is 20 months old.

(Did I ever tell you his name means fruitful? I love that.)

Old World Wisconsin | Part One

2011-09-01T15:31:00.003-05:00

A few Sundays ago we drove west to Eagle, and spent the day at Old World Wisconsin. I remember visiting back in grade school as a class field trip. The musty smell of old wood and history mixed with walking on gravel roads has stuck in my memory all of these years. When I can get to the rest of the photographs from that day, I'll share Part Two.

(See the little hand waving hello in the last photograph?)

2011-08-31T12:40:00.000-05:00

On his little toes, keeping me on my toes.

2011-08-21T22:53:00.000-05:00

A Sunday Song | Streets of Laredo

2011-08-21T09:44:00.001-05:00

Candy Canyon by Javelin came in the mail a few days ago, courtesy of Luaka Bop. I've been spinning it nonstop, except when I took a break to listen to Rubber Soul once through. The album is like the soundtrack to a dreamy spaghetti western, and has played background music to Ephie's play all weekend. (Little boys playing in their own little world and this record equals perfection.)

It's Sunday morning, and this is the first time I've opened my laptop in a few days. It's been refreshing. How is/was your weekend?

Wordless Wednesday | These Days

2011-08-17T08:00:00.002-05:00

Shop: things to come

2011-08-16T21:52:00.000-05:00

August has been proving itself the busiest ever! Please excuse my absence. I know I've said that not too long ago, but there really are not enough hours in a day. The last week has also been a welcome parade of out of town visitors, which translates to brunches, dinner parties and out of sync baby schedules, of course. I got to see my best friend from pre/middle/high school (we went to different grade schools) with a beautiful belly full of 8 month baby. We last saw each other 2 summers ago, when I was the pregnant one. It was far too short a visit, but I'm happy I got to see her at all.

In between the sunny days with my little guy, I've been re-watching Mad Men on Netflix, marathon style, while working on consignment orders for a few shops. I've found passing the time as a jewelry factory is a lot more fun while immersed in a little Don Draper and company. I made up a few new necklaces for the shop while I was at it, though I haven't gotten around to editing photos yet. Here are a couple of them, hopefully hitting the shop by the weekend. Feathers, bullets, quartz- I think my inspiration is coming from our upcoming vacation west to South Dakota. I've had all of the pieces for these necklace for ages, not sure what to do with them, and all of a sudden it was decided- this is how they were meant to be made.

Silent Movies | State Fair

2011-08-11T12:28:00.002-05:00

I don't like roller coasters. I don't like heights. As a child, I cried the entire duration of the little roller coaster at Camp Snoopy in the Mall of America. So I felt sick watching my toddler and husband walk up the stairs of the giant slide at the fair yesterday. My heart was beating twice as fast. I was relieved when they made it to the bottom. Ephraim the slide junkie loved it. Maybe some year he'll talk me into going down with him. Until then, the giant slide is daddy duty. So was the slowest little train ride, ever. But that's because I wanted to get some video. I did go on the carousel with him, and he hated it. The horse he was on was very jerky, so he mostly clung to me with his I'm-about-to-cry face on. That's my baby. Carousel? Terrifying. Giant slide? No problem.

Wordless Wednesday | In The Baby's Room

2011-08-10T08:03:00.001-05:00

Wordless Wednesday | Farewell, pale walls.

2011-08-03T23:11:00.000-05:00

My Father's Garden

2011-07-31T14:26:00.000-05:00

I love summer in my father's petite garden: verdant, sunny and full of the sweetest raspberries. We spent half of our visit enjoying them straight from the bush.

Wordless Wednesday | Scenes From A Dreamy Hike

2011-07-27T21:22:00.000-05:00

Little Ocean's Giveaway!

2011-07-26T09:20:00.000-05:00

Good morning, dears! I'm here to tell you to go on over to Little Ocean Designs. Janelle is one of my absolute favorite designers. I love every single one of her clothing designs, jewelry designs (I'm often flaunting her Alice necklace) and today she announced her very first giveaway on her blog. She's giving away a Fast Clouds necklace! You'd be silly not to enter .

Sunday Morning In Seminary Woods

2011-07-24T15:35:00.000-05:00

This morning was the first in a week when the air wasn't stifling and thick, and though it was warm, you didn't instantly melt the moment you set foot outside. We took advantage and went for an impromptu, post-breakfast walk through Seminary Woods, a beautifully peaceful and historic 70 acre forest near our house. A friend has said he's seen Great Horned Owls flickering through the treetops, so every time I go, I hope to catch a glimpse. Today left me owl-less, but I did take some shady summer woods photographs.

Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto

(I told you it was impromptu. I was that silly girl hiking in pretty shoes.)

A Brass and Turquoise Shop Update

2011-07-21T21:59:00.000-05:00

I've finally had time to edit (and re-edit) my newest additions to the shop. They are all necklaces, and it seems I'm quite taken with turquoise-y blue this summer. I've given a bit of beading a try for the first time, too!

Vintage Brass and Blue necklace

Beaded Arc necklace

Pale Blue necklace

Vintage Brass Bar necklace

Meet Kate!

2011-07-16T10:09:00.001-05:00

Hello! Do you remember back in the depths of last winter, when I showed off my beautiful grey knit cowl, made by Kate of Midwest Needles? Well, I'd like to reintroduce you to my most gorgeous red haired friend, and her new handmade shop, Otillies Closet. Kate has been busy fancying up plain old tees with reclaimed vintage scarves, knitting cozy wears from vintage patterns of long ago, and weaving necklaces out of jersey and dye. She's just opened shop, and I know these lovelies are just the tip of her creative iceberg.

She also has a sale going, and it ends in two days. Enter MIDSUMMER for 20% off! Sorry about the late notice on this one, I've been pretty bad about checking in on my tweets lately.

Please check out her shop here and show some love over at her brand new blog, here!

vintage scarf tee in red

hand dyed jersey rope necklace in emerald

no.2 vintage remake

Recipe | Sour Cream Coffee Cake

2011-07-15T09:30:00.001-05:00

A few days ago, I spent the morning baking up a coffee cake, just because. I took a photo and shared on Instagram, where I received a special request to share the recipe on my blog. For this particular cake, I used the tattered old Betty Crocker's Cookbook that has always been around. I wanted something not too sweet and not too fancy, and bake-able within one baby boy's morning naptime. So this was perfect.

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Batter:

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sour cream

Filling:

mix 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed), 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon.

I skipped the nuts because I didn't have any, and used 2 loaf pans.

Heat oven to 350. Grease tube pan, 10x4 inches, or 2 loaf pans, 9x5x3 inches.

Combine butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, or 300 vigorous strokes by hand. Mix in flour, baking powder, soda and salt alternately with sour cream.

For tube pan, spread 1/3 of batter (about 2 cups) in pan and sprinkle with 1/3 of filling (about 6 tablespoons); repeat 2 times. For loaf pans, spread 1/4 of batter (about 1 1/2 cups) in each pan and sprinkle each with 1/4 of filling (about 5 tablespoons); repeat.

Bake about 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool slightly in pan(s) before removing.

14 to 16 servings.

Wordless Wednesday | Quiet

2011-07-13T21:23:00.000-05:00

2011-07-11T18:57:00.001-05:00

This past weekend was filled with leisurely busyness. Lots happened, many places were visited, but none of it was planned; the best kind of day, I think. I suppose the farmers' market was planned, but only because the market is a given for our early Saturday mornings.

I managed to make two new necklaces, though I have yet to list them in the shop. I hope to accomplish this sometime over the next few days. It seems I've been inspired by the color turquoise. I stepped out of my comfort zone, and used some tiny seed beads (I think that's what they are called!) and aqua terra jasper, mixed with some vintage brass components. What do you think?

We took Ephraim to General Mitchell International Airport's observation lot, and watched some planes come and go. He was pretty blown away at the planes coming in to land. We live really close to the airport, so he's used to seeing low flying planes coming in every 5 minutes or so- but seeing them right before they touch down was very exciting for him. And of course, we spent some time on the shore of Lake Michigan. But not too much time- there were lots of stinky dead fish that had washed up last week, and the smell was pretty overwhelming. Not to mention I didn't like the idea of Ephraim walking on or touching any of them. Stinky fish or not, I'm so happy to live in the same neighborhood as the Great Lake. It's always a go-to place on a rare occasion there's nothing else to do. Ephraim loves throwing rocks into the water.

I also made an attempt to go to Downtown Books, my favorite bookshop (3 stories of books!) with Ephraim, but unfortunately he was just too antsy to browse. We only made it as far as the children's section where we found a slumbering shop kitty, and a few books about trucks and the alphabet for Ephie. I will try and go solo this week. Sadly, I believe a Marriott is going to be built in the space where the bookstore now resides, so they are relocating their thousands (millions?) of books to 3 new locations throughout downtown. I will miss this spot so much. You could get lost for days, and before I had Ephraim, used to have nerdy fantasies about living in Downtown Books, and reading until the day I die.

How was your weekend?

And The Winner Is.....

2011-07-11T15:32:00.000-05:00

Lauren! Congratulations!

Wordless Wednesday | Orange Tank, Red Truck

2011-07-06T08:00:00.003-05:00

(Don't forget to check out the Nesting Emily Giveaway here, and the Good Cheer Deal here. Orange Kitty Tank from klt:works.)

Nesting Emily Giveaway! (closed)

2011-07-05T11:43:00.003-05:00

Once upon a time, I shared with you a beautiful Whisper Bottle I had acquired via a trade with Emily of Nesting Emily. Since that post, Emily has been crafting the most gorgeous creations, which she's just recently added to her shop. Besides her fresh new work, she has also been busy with plans to open her own brick and mortar shop of North American craft, art and vintage. I will be consigning some of my jewelry with her, my first retail spot in one of my favorite places- Canada. We are both so excited!

In celebration of it all, Emily has so generously offered her beautiful Our Day At The Seaside Whisper Bottle for one lucky reader.

This giveaway is limited to followers of my blog. To enter, please visit Nesting Emily, and leave one comment with your favorite piece(s) from her shop.

Don't forget to leave your email address in your comment, so I can contact you if you win. I will choose the winner at random on Monday, July 11. Good luck!

Good Cheer!

2011-07-04T09:04:00.000-05:00

Most of the month of June I have been chipping away at making dozens of necklaces. I had a good sized reorder to fill for Young Blood Gallery & Boutique. I always feel a little overwhelmed when I receive such a large order from them, even more so when I need to find time to make everything. Nights are always my guaranteed jewelry making hours, so thank you, Ephie, for being such a good little sleeper. But mostly I'm so happy that my jewelry has been very well received in Atlanta.

I've also been prepping another batch of necklaces for something I've kept under wraps until today. I (Blue Balloon) am the Good Cheer Deal of the week, over at Oh, Hello Friend! Four of my necklaces (Chevron, Sky & Water locket, Arc no.01 and Vintage Brass & Opal) are available for $15 with free domestic shipping. There are limited quantities of each, so if you've been eyeing any of the necklaces below, now is your chance to swoop in and get one at a sweet low price!

And now, I look forward to finally getting to enjoy the new home, with nothing too major hanging over my head. We have a sunroom with the comfiest chair, and I plan on planting myself there with a book as much as possible.

Check back tomorrow, I will be posting a new giveaway, and for the first time, it's something not made by me!

18 Months

2011-07-01T15:08:00.003-05:00

Today Ephraim is 18 months old. It sounds so grown up to me, and he's been looking more and more like a little boy with each passing day. But then I watch the video below and realize just how tiny he still is in this big wide world. After all, it does takes him 35 adorably long seconds to get from first to second base.

Happy year and a half, sweet butterbean! (Someday you'll hate it when I call you that.)

2011-06-30T08:45:00.003-05:00

Want to see something magical? Meet Beet Cake, by Tiger In A Jar.

Tiny. Love.

2011-06-29T22:36:00.000-05:00

Tiny.

I was so pleased to see that my tillandsia had sprouted a baby. It sits in a small apothecary bottle for it's tiny months. (The mother plant is the 7th picture down in this post.)

Love.

No words needed.

The Winner Is.....

2011-06-27T18:06:00.001-05:00

Congratulations, Claggie!

Thanks to everyone who entered! There will be another giveaway opportunity next week- these won't usually be happening on a such regular basis, but a wonderful Etsy friend has just offered something up that I know you'll all love. Stay tuned!

Top 30!

2011-06-27T10:44:00.004-05:00

A week or two ago I posted about entering my favorite picture of baby Ephraim in The Paper Mama's photo challenge. This morning I found out my photo is in the top 30 (exciting!), which will be narrowed down by your votes over the next 2 days. I usually don't like asking for things, but if you could pop over and vote for me (I'm #10 in the poll at the bottom) I would appreciate it so much. Really, truly. Thank you, thank you, thank you! (You can just click the cute pink button below to navigate to the post.)

Blue Balloon Giveaway! (closed)

2011-06-20T12:21:00.004-05:00

In celebration of summer and reopening the shop after a few months of packing, moving and unpacking, one of my sweet and wonderful readers will win the necklace of their choice! Here are the contenders, which are also 3 of my personal favorites.

Necklace Details:
Turquoise Icicle necklace | The Minimalist | Vintage Buffalo Nickel necklace

There are 4 opportunities to enter:

1) Follow my blog- leave a comment that you are following, and more importantly- which necklace you would choose!

2) Mention the giveaway on your blog- please comment back with a link to the post, so I can say hi!

3) Like Blue Balloon on Facebook, or follow Blue Balloon on Twitter and please leave a comment that you've done so. You can do both if you like, but remember this is for 1 extra entry, only.

4) Tweet about it- please be sure to mention @_BlueBalloon in your tweet, so I see it and note your entry

Please leave your email address in your comment(s), so I can contact you if little Ephraim draws your name from a bucket on Monday, June 27 after his nap at 2pm CST. Good luck!

A Sunday Song | In A Different Time

2011-06-12T08:54:00.000-05:00

I love it when I love a song, then discover it's video, and love it just as much. This one is perfection. I listened to JBM heavily while pregnant, and was reminded of this yesterday when iTunes snuck him back into rotation. This album (Not Even In July) reminds me of my blooming belly, daydreaming about my stranger baby, no air conditioning, and the month of July.

Shop's Open

2011-06-11T00:41:00.007-05:00

The studio is unpacked! And Blue Balloon is open again, after 2 months off. I will not be renewing many items to make room for all of the fresh ideas I've been carrying around in my head. However, if you had your eye on something that you don't see listed, please let me know. I should be able to make one up for you. Here are a few peeks I took with my phone of my new attic room. I plan on real photos for a little home tour very soon. (I had a whole bunch of house photos ready, but my fumbly finger accidentally erased the folder. Tragic!)

To celebrate, you can use coupon code JUNE11 at checkout for 20% off. Visit the shop here. Stay tuned for a giveaway announcement next week!

Besos!

The Paper Mama Photo Challenge (And, My Little Vampire)

2011-06-06T17:20:00.002-05:00

The The Paper Mama is hosting a photo competition: Your Best Shot Of A Child. Photography? Child? Entering is a no brainer. I'm not sure if this is my best shot, but it is definitely my favorite. Ephraim at 3 months, last April. It may look familiar to you, because I included it in this post. The competition is open until June 24th, and the photo does not need to be of your child, just a child- whether that child is human, or maybe your pet. You all should enter your best shots!

And now, here's a short clip of my smoothie drinking babe. Make sure your volume is up, for the full effect!

Small Changes, New Gardens

2011-06-04T23:29:00.005-05:00

You may (or may not) have noticed my blog name has changed. Bee & Balloon is now simply Marie Bee. It basically came down to me never feeling 100 percent about the old name- I think when I started this, I had intended it mainly to serve as a blog for my shop, with bits of personal life. Instead it's turned out to be the reverse. I like talking about my house, my baby and everything in between! It seems like a small change, and it is, but I feel much better about it. Isn't it funny how sometimes the tiniest things can be most bothersome? Like being in a room with one photo hanging on the wall, slightly askew. Only you notice it, and because you know it's there, it drives you mad. Something like that. Moving has instilled such a feeling of newness in me, and it will be carried over into my shop. More on that in a bit! I know some of you have old buttons up on your sites, and I have a few new ones made up in the buttons link on the sidebar. Thank you to those of you that have shared!

This weekend I started unpacking my studio. It's in a bedroom in the attic, which is unfinished and uninsulated. It feels like a sauna whenever the temperature is over 70, and is pretty unbearable. I've been chipping away and doing as much as I can before I feel like I'm going to pass out. I can't wait to get the window AC up there, so that unpacking and organizing will feel a little less painful. Here is part of the attic before we moved in- the door on the right is the door to my studio. Someday the attic will be finished, and the bright area you see will become Ephraim's upstairs bedroom...you know, in case he has to give up his current room for a baby sister. Or brother.

This morning we went to our neighborhood's annual plant sale at the park, and stocked up on veggies and flowers for a brand new garden. It was sad to leave 2 year's worth of foliage behind at the old house, but going to the sale today was exciting, because we have a totally clean slate to work with. This will be our first vegetable garden, and I can not wait to watch it grow!

Since it's so late in the season, we've only got some potted tomatoes, peppers and herbs to start. What are some of your favorite vegetables and fruits to grow for the spring or fall harvest? We are beginners, and are open to any and all suggestions!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

A New Route

2011-05-23T23:27:00.001-05:00

We survived the big move. We've spent the first week in our new home, and I'm happy to report that Mama, Papa, baby and cat have all happily adjusted. The living areas of our home are already painted and unpacked. It was a long and exhausting week, but living out of boxes more than I have to is something I could never do. And so I learned that many cups of coffee, late nights-turned-mornings, and a 16 month old who would watch Lassie all day long if I let him are key in unpacking a house in less than a week. This past Sunday we got back to the good life. I got a new lens that I've been excited to receive, so I documented the first walk on a new route to our park.

(This first photograph is our street. I love our neighbor's massive magnolia. It gives me high hopes for the baby magnolia we just planted.)

O, and did I mention that I got my first tattoo a few weeks ago, for my 30th birthday?

I have photographs of little peeks of the new house, coming up next!

Mama Day

2011-05-08T08:27:00.002-05:00

He makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world, every single day. Happy Mother's Day to all of my fellow mamas!

Grandpa Don

2011-05-05T09:53:00.002-05:00

Jer's Grandpa Don passed away early Wednesday morning, in his sleep at the hospital. The last few weeks his health has been up and down, but Monday had been "a good day" and so the phone call on Wednesday was a shock. We are doing our best to put the angry feelings aside about the accident and the other driver fleeing the scene, but it just makes me so sad thinking how he was going about his usual Friday night business: playing drums with his band, for their weekly gig. Loading his own equipment at age 82. And he just never made it back home. We all agree he could have quite possibly lived to see 100.

The photo was taken at our wedding. Jer really wanted a polka band to play for a bit after dinner, and so he got up there and played a few with the band. This picture makes me smile, even as I type this. Jer's mother passed away a few months before our wedding, after a 4 year battle with ovarian cancer. It is comforting to know they are together again.

You will be missed.

My Jewelry Goes On Tour!

2011-05-02T21:33:00.004-05:00

One of my photographs is on the cover of Under Streetlight Glow, the third album by my friend Heidi Spencer (& The Rare Birds). She was signed to Bella Union last year and Milwaukee is so proud of her. I also played violin for her, on the second to last track, Tried and True. On top of the honor of being both visually and aurally a part of this record, she recently asked if I could make some photo jewelry of the album photograph for her merchandise table. I put together the first batch, which she'll be taking to the UK next week. I adapted my Sky and Water locket with the birds on a wire image, and also made up some glass and wood tile pendants. Hopefully her fans will love them!

E and the Easter Bunny

2011-04-28T21:39:00.002-05:00

Hello! I have been meaning to share this all week and I'm finally getting around to it. We went to the mall last Saturday, the night before Easter. (Which, by the way, I do not recommend. Think going to see Santa on Christmas Eve.) We stood in line for 90 minutes, with all of the other wiggly littles and parents who waited until the last minute, and did this:

I was positive he was going to be crying for this photo. She snapped this at the exact moment after he looked up and realized a giant rabbit was holding him. I guess he thought it funny.

I've been working on one last post before the move, and I apologize to any Twitter followers who had to see this for a second time, but I couldn't resist sharing some happy!

And The Winner Is.....

2011-04-17T13:14:00.002-05:00

Lisa of Goodknits. Congratulations!

Thanks for all of your entries (and kind comments), and don't worry if you didn't win- you'll have another chance at a Blue Balloon giveaway in June.

Happy Record Store Day!

2011-04-16T10:13:00.003-05:00

Today is Record Store Day . I'll be stopping by The Exclusive Company with my baby sis to see an old friend perform a short set, visit my best boy who works at said store, and purchase something on vinyl. Killing 3 birds with 1 stone, on a rare day when I'll be out sans baby. I'm still mulling over what to get, but I have until 3:00 to decide. What will you buy for Record Store Day?

I also wanted to wish Dinosaur Toes a very happy birthday. Danielle is one of my favorite jewelry designers, Twitter friends, and her blog is one of my must reads. I'm saving up some pennies to buy one of her bullet necklaces. Gorgeous shop, gorgeous lady. Stop by and say hello!

Besos.

PS: Today is the last day to enter this giveaway!

Rainy Day Music

2011-04-14T08:40:00.003-05:00

Metronomy is suiting my mood this cold and rainy Thursday. (I secretly love days like this.)

via

Baby In A Rabbit, And An Update

2011-04-13T21:23:00.007-05:00

Jer bringing his '81 VW Rabbit Pickup out of hiding is a sure sign that spring is here. He converted it so that it runs on waste vegetable oil (or diesel, if he flips the red button). He gets his oil from a local Mexican restaurant and filters it in the garage. Our Jetta also runs on biodiesel. Pretty neat, no? On our first date, I got to watch him filter and pump oil- so romantic! Ephraim is fascinated by cars and trucks, and I think he would have hung out there all day if I let him. He won't really be able to ride up front with his dad until he's in grade school, and I can already hear his future little boy pleas for just one ride. This is my current favorite photograph, and I just wanted to share.

Don't forget to enter the giveaway in said post, if you haven't already!

Besos.

The Weather, And A Little Giveaway! (Closed)

2011-04-12T00:07:00.008-05:00

This weekend was a weather roller coaster ride. It began with coat weather- normal for this time of year. Spring is usually slow to start around here, and I never truly feel out of the winter woods until May. Sunday was a bit warmer though, breezy and full of sunshine. We walked to the playground with Ephraim in the morning, all in long sleeved shirts and sweaters- I was even a tiny bit cold on the way there, with my hands in my pockets. In the middle of a million rides down the slide, this hot breeze came in. The temperature rose many degrees, in a matter of seconds. The walk home felt like the 4th of July, and all outerwear was piled into the wagon with Ephraim. The best part of this weather anomaly was the fact that my baby got to wear a onesie and sandals, in April! I hung out with the little dude in the backyard most of the afternoon. He loves to be outside, but boy, does he let me know how unhappy he is when playtime is over. You guys don't know how relieved I was to read that these sassy, limb flailing, screaming spells are completely normal for a dude of his age.

Enough about the weather and my baby- on to the the giveaway. While straightening up my workspace over the weekend, I came across a Cold Water ring that I never got around to listing. It has an adjustable rhodium-plated band (nickel and lead free), and is set with a photograph of my love, Lake Michigan. It's a little piece of one of my favorite parts of Milwaukee. And rather than list it, I have decided to give it away to one of my lovely dear readers.

To enter, you must simply follow Bee & Balloon- please leave a comment with your email address so I can contact you if my baby draws your name from a bucket on Sunday, April 17. I still plan on doing that giveaway I've been talking about for a few months, once the shop reopens in June. This one is just a happy, spur of the moment little ditty. Good luck!

April the 9th

2011-04-09T23:52:00.001-05:00

I love looking back at photos from a year ago. I did it before I had a baby, to reminisce and marvel at how fast a particular year went by, to look back at random moments past. Since Ephraim, I do it on a regular basis. I am always blown away at how much a tiny human can change and grow in such a small amount of time. I think if you are a parent, you are familiar with this sense of amazement. Last night I was going through my photos, and I came upon one of my favorite photos of him- tiny 3 month old Ephraim, gazing out my bedroom window. In my head, it's known as 'The Little Daydreamer'. I checked the date, and it just happened to be from April 9, 2010. I remember this day so vividly- warm, windows open, taking a few polaroids, cuddling, baby coos and brand new laughter. I hate to sound cliché, but time does fly. I decided that tomorrow I would make it my mission to take a few photos of him. It's been a bit since I've used a real camera to take a photo of anything. I even discovered that I had a few shots left on the Polaroid, which was a delightful surprise. And so I present the 9th of April, past and present.

A Very Happy Update

2011-04-06T22:54:00.003-05:00

Something miraculous has happened! Remember a a few days ago when I said the sellers of the house we had put an offer on accepted? and that our house had gone up on the market last Monday? and that "all" we had to do was sell our house? Here's where the miraculous part comes in- we had our first showing/open house this past Sunday, and 5 sets of people came through. Monday morning, while sitting in the waiting room of our baby's pediatrician, the realtor called and said one of those couples was going to write an offer that night! And they did, and it was a perfect offer, and we accepted.

We sold our house in exactly one week!!

We hadn't even looked at new house until March 13, and in between then and now have: Decided we loved it, began the multiple home projects we needed to finish to sell, made an accepted offer, put our house up for sale, sold our house- all under a month. We are insane. Insanely lucky.

We still can not believe it, and we've lived the past few days in a happy sort of shock. We are all set to close on both places on May the 13th. Yes, as in Friday the 13th. I'm not superstitious, so no matter. We've got a month or so to pack this place up and move a hop and a skip away. To show just how close we are, see the sad graphics in the map below. Our current house is X, and new house is O. The big dark patch is glorious Lake Michigan. I'm so happy to be staying in our neighborhood.

I will be putting the shop on vacation mode Friday night, and will stay closed until I'm settled and comfortable in the new place. I'm estimating this won't be until sometime in June. I'd love to stay open, but I know I'll be stressed enough with packing and minding a babe, and I don't want to add to that.

Thanks everyone who's been following, and for all the sweet comments and encouragement. They mean so much! I promise there will be less real estate talk going forward! I had mentioned a month or so ago that I wanted to do a shop giveaway in celebration of 600 sales- this will be happening when I reopen, but it will be more of a new beginnings giveaway, since 600 sales has come and gone. Promise!

15 Months!

2011-04-02T21:45:00.003-05:00

Or, 1 year and 3 months. Or, if you're my husband, just 1. Either way, April 1 was another month birthday for my sweet boy. Jer and I get into little tiffs over this- he thinks it's silly to count in months still, and will tell people that Ephraim is 1, when asked. However, this mama thinks there is a significant difference between 1 (which is 12 months in my mind) and say, an 18 month old. I will probably convert to years when he hits 2, and so for now, it will remain a household debate.

Ephraim is on the cusp of fitting into a size 3 shoe, and I found the cute blue sneakers (and a pretty spring dress for myself) at Salvage House. If you have a baby girl and adore vintage, this shop is dangerous. I've warned you. I favorited so many tiny/adorable baby girl dresses, which only fueled my hopes for a daughter someday.

2011-03-25T18:33:00.005-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted here, but I have a good excuse. Our first home will be up for sale on Monday. When we bought our brick abode (below), we were not thinking much about babies, The Blue Balloon didn't even exist- I actually didn't know the first thing about jewelry back then- and so we were fine with a 2 bedroom. She's really a rather large 2 bedroom, but the problem is the lack of extra bedrooms for a second baby (when we are ready) and my growing jewelry shop. Currently, The Blue Balloon studio is our bedroom, and we sleep in a little cocoon section of it that used to be a dressing room. So we started looking, as we knew that we wanted to move later this year. A few weeks ago, after browsing through a bunch of places, we found the one. I immediately could see our little family living there, see Ephraim growing up there, walking him down the block to school- I even picked out the spot where I'd put the Christmas tree! It's a classic 1920's bungalow, familiar to Milwaukee, with 3 bedrooms and a gorgeous expandable attic, just a block or so away. It's not really that much larger in square footage, but in compartments (the attic helps, we don't have one now)- which is what we wanted. Cozy compartments. We really fell in love with this place, and so we decided to finally pull together the seemingly endless list of projects we've basically put off since Ephraim was born.

I can not believe how much we've gotten done in a week, in hopes of getting the house up, to be able to make an offer (contingent on the sale of our home). New bathroom, kitchen ceiling, freshened up porches and staircase, purging the basement and closets of clutter- o my! I don't want to jinx anything by talking about it too much. I will really miss this place, as much as I complain about all of the fixing up we've done over the past few years. This was our first house, and the house we brought Ephraim home to. If we do get the new place, we'll have to pass it by, all of the time- what a bittersweet feeling that will be! We bought a baby Japanese Maple at the farmers' market last summer, and for some reason, it's making me so sad to leave it behind. It's funny how the little things can mean so much.

We meet with the realtor Monday to write an offer- cross your fingers it's accepted, and that our house sells relatively quick. I'm trying to keep an open 'if it's meant to be, it's meant to be' mindset. I feel so nervous, we both do, because this place is perfection for us. If it falls through, at least our house is in perfect shape, finally. We've also had our eyes on a few backup places, just in case.

Have a great weekend!

Favorite Whisper Bottle

2011-03-13T17:24:00.004-05:00

One of the benefits of running an Etsy shop, or simply being a part of the creative and crafty population, is the opportunity to trade with fellow shops and makers. I've been extremely lucky when it comes to being approached about trades. So lucky. A few months ago I got sweet message from Emily of Nesting Emily.

Emily hails from Ontario, and (taken from her Etsy bio), "is a simple person with a simple mission- to take over the world using nothing but clay, felt, wood and chocolate. This mission came to her in a moment of great clarity brought on by her first use of a potter's wheel over 20 years ago."

Back to the sweet message- she had been interested in one of my vintage photo lockets, and so I was left with the very difficult task of picking one of her simple, organic porcelain pieces. I agonized for a few days over what to choose- her shop did not make it easy for me. I narrowed it down to the Simple Porcelain necklace, a bear hanging similar to this, and Whisper Bottle no.5, before finally deciding on Whisper Bottle. We had just built a new shelf in the living room, and I was already dreaming of the sprigs of spring bloom that would look extra graceful flowing out of such a beautifully simple creation. Made by hand, in every sense of the word. I think Emily describes it perfectly: "This organic form vase is handmade by me. It is a mix of raw matte & glazed porcelain outside. I call this form "whisper bottle" because of the little mouth. To me it looks like it is speaking sweetly." The parcel arrived a week later, and I have to say- her packaging was perfection. I didn't stop to take a photo, which I regret, but you can just tell she puts lots of love and detail into her work. Perhaps you will find something you like and you'll see what I mean when your own Nesting Emily parcel arrives.

I can't wait to visit her store again in the future. There is a move into a larger home on the horizon, and I am already making mental sketches of the art I want on our fresh new walls and tables and shelves. Nesting Emily is definitely on my shopping list, and her shop announcement speaks of new items set to be listed mid March! Can't wait to see.

Blue jeans

2011-03-11T22:41:00.003-06:00

This sums up my mood the past few. A little moody, a little quiet.

10 minutes with Ephraim

2011-03-10T00:11:00.011-06:00

This week, at 14 months, Ephraim finally gathered enough courage to walk- really walk. He's been scaling walls, furniture and tables for months, with a few timid steps here and there. He's basically had the skills for a while now, but has lacked the confidence. And then a few days ago, he gave it a try. It's amazing how fast he's catching on, even in just a day's time. He's a fast, wobbly and adorable little walker, and at this rate, he'll be running by next week. I haven't taken any photos of him lately, besides with my phone, so I went crazy with the shutter snaps this afternoon.

I purchased his robot onesie from mama-to-be, Pamplemousse 1983.

Life as a mama and a jewelry factory

2011-03-08T23:18:00.008-06:00

For a good month or so, when I wasn't hanging out with this little critter:

I was sitting here, chipping away at the largest order I've had yet for Young Blood Gallery and Boutique, a smaller one for Domestica, and juggling shop orders. I just had to take a few photos of my little factory before I packed everything up. Now that they've all made their way to their respective shops, I'm sort of reveling in the bliss of nothing major hanging over my head. Isn't it the best feeling to cross projects off the old list?

circa 1983

2011-03-03T00:16:00.000-06:00

These days, I trim them myself.

Paper and twine

2011-03-01T23:43:00.005-06:00

I recently purchased a Thuder In Our Hearts tote from Fieldguided. I can't wait for the thaw, so I can get out of the house and wander the neighborhood with it. A post will come soon with photos of the tote, of course. I just love sweet, simple packaging, and also enjoy taking photographs. So naturally, I had to document.

Sunday morning music

2011-02-27T10:16:00.002-06:00

I'm up in my studio this morning, listening to Sharon van Etten, sipping coffee and feeling extra cheerful. I have the entire day to work, as Jer is home all day (a rare occurrence) and is going to spend some good quality time with Ephraim. There is fresh snow on the ground, the streets are quiet- definitely a stay in our pj's kind of day. Happy Sunday!

A shop update

2011-02-26T23:05:00.003-06:00

I have been meaning to post a shop update for the last 26 days, and I'm not exaggerating. Not even a little! February has flown by faster than any other month in recent memory. I've been a busy bee, truly.

Here are some of the newest items in my shop, though if you follow me on Twitter, it's probably not so new to you by now. This past week I've hit the 600 sales milestone, and I have been thinking about hosting a giveaway here to celebrate. Stay tuned!

Have a great Sunday!

1.The Minimalist no.02 necklace 2.A Moth Story locket
3.Eagle necklace 4.Vintage Railway Token earrings
5.Vintage St.Louis Zoo earrings 6.Arc no.02 necklace

1.Vintage Lion Head necklace 2.Golden Wishbone necklace
3.Arc no.01 necklace 4.Tiny Amber earrings
5.Chevron no.02 necklace 6.Garden Gate necklace

2011-02-25T23:44:00.001-06:00

It was a good day to hibernate.

Giveaway: Vintage Buffalo Nickel necklace

2011-02-19T21:50:00.005-06:00

Hello!

I know it's been pretty quiet over here, but my sir is out on tour, and so I'm a single mama for a week or so. On top of that, I've had some pretty massive consignment reorders, photographs to prep for an art show next week and shop orders to keep up with, so there goes my time. I'm taking the night off from chain and pliers and tiny jump rings to catch up on the computer side of things. So here I am to let you know that I am part of a fantastic giveaway over at My Girl Thursday. You have a chance to win my Vintage Buffalo Nickel necklace, as well as ten (10!!) other goodies. Visit My Girl Thursday and enter- it's super easy! The winner will be announced next Wednesday, February 23 at 5pm EST. Say hi to Chantilly- she's got a baby girl just a few weeks older than Ephraim, and I've gotten to know her over Twitter- a truly delightful lady, and her tweets always make me smile.

Wind

2011-02-06T21:44:00.004-06:00

My half of this week's Transatlantic Lens post.

Wonderland

2011-02-02T12:59:00.002-06:00

Photos of the blizzard's aftermath from our little corner of the world.

Thank you, Ira.

2011-02-01T11:40:00.003-06:00

I came across these words by Ira Glass via Enhabiten, who had found them via Tired Horses. I read this late last night, after a somewhat trying day and it was all I needed to lift me up a bit. I was still thinking about it this morning. It really spoke to me, and maybe it will speak to you, too.

"Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know it's normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through."

-Ira Glass.

Sweet

2011-01-30T19:12:00.008-06:00

My half of this week's Transatlantic Lens post.

Hope your Sunday was happy and light!

Favorite Midwest Cowl

2011-01-29T23:59:00.006-06:00

This winter, I treated my neck to the warmest, coziest midwestern cowl to protect against the wintry Wisconsin air. My friend Kate, one of the two talented ladies behind Midwest Needles, found the perfect charcoal grey for me, and made sure it was washable to protect against sticky baby fingers. It's my favorite thing about bundling up to shovel and tromp around in the snow. I love it so much that I purchased another one a few weeks ago, custom knit in a rich eggplant for my sister. I am just so in awe of folks who make amazing pieces with simply a ball of yarn and 2 needles. Magic. Better than magic, really, since it was made with love by a friend. Check out Midwest Needles on Etsy- in addition to cowls, they make jewelry, scarves and even doxie draft dodgers!

Shop: things to come

2011-01-27T22:36:00.004-06:00

My shop may be closed up, but that doesn't mean I've not been creating. I've loaded up on many new materials over the last few months- vintage findings, lots of old charms, brass charms and vintage brass knots. (I love brass, can you tell?) Somewhere along the line, I've developed a little bit of an obsession with knots. They're just such a perfect focal point- intertwined goodness. So watch out for my Knotted series to continue on and on, as I'm well stocked with many varieties. During the busy holiday season, I wasn't able to make much of anything new, so I was eager to dust off the supplies and get to making. I'll slowly be sifting the new pieces in, once the shop is back up. I plan on reopening sometime next week. This time off was much needed, and I'm so glad I was able to pry myself away for a month. A difficult feat for a workaholic, indeed.

I've also mixed up some findings- things I've used on rings in the past are now earrings and necklaces.

Such as these pretties.

I admit I'm a bit of an impulse buyer when it comes to supply shopping, and over the last year and a half , I've started a collection in a little white box. It's mostly excess, and things that didn't work out in the way I had hoped for. So I'll be destashing my little white box, too. Hopefully some creative souls will find good use for these bits.

Winter Cold

2011-01-26T13:32:00.006-06:00

I've been stuck inside this week, sick.

Dreaming about Iceland.

another version here.

Favorite Metal Tag

2011-01-23T19:16:00.008-06:00

Once upon a time- long before I had even started this young blog- I told myself that if someday I did get around to blogging, I would have to make a little series of my favorite Etsy purchases and trades. I've slowly acquired many a favorite thing via Etsy, and this will be a perfect way to share.

So, for my very first post on the subject, I present you with something that I purchased right before Christmas- and have very rarely taken off since. It is a petite aluminum stamped tag, personalized with my baby's name. I found it in Spiffing Jewelry's shop. I was drawn to her more subtle, delicate and clean designs out of the sea of personalized 'dog' tags that popped up in my Etsy search. I was also appreciative of her different metal options, outside of the typical shiny sterling silver- matte brass, copper and aluminum. I was torn between brass and aluminum, and after going back and forth for close to an hour, went with the silver finish. I purchased just the tag (for a mere $8), and because I like the juxtaposition of two metals, have strung it on one of my own tiny brass chains. It hangs close to my heart, and is already very dear to me.

January

2011-01-20T19:05:00.002-06:00

Another year, another attempt at blogging.