flower tees.

i've talked about sewing before. still, without a deadline it can take me a while to work up the gusto to actually sew something. this week i finally finished this corsage tee.

lulu's reaction was so great and it felt so good to make something, i went on to make this blossom tee.

lulu adores it--there's something so refreshing about gray + pink.

instructions for the blue shirt here.

instructions for the pink flower here.

hazel.

i would wear these darling clothes if they came in my size. lulu loves the rose shirt and taupe coat. i love the colors and the attention to detail.

writing prompts: first laugh, navajo.

i really really miss wondertime. here. i collected this idea because i love the sensibility of it. what a beautiful tradition.

wondertime used to run this whole series of firsts--readers could send in a quick description of their child's first--time skiing, lost tooth, snow day, etc. i still want to use this idea to create photo books of my children.

i heart pie.

thanksgiving week is nearly upon us, and i'm looking forward to baking and cooking up a storm.
aren't these pies pretty? i might get daring. i might not.
what are you looking forward to making/eating this thanksgiving?

image (and techniques) via martha stewart.

billy collins--forgetfulness

please please please read a book of poetry by billy collins. that is all.

in the works.

welcome to our living room.

what i love about this room: the white walls, wooden floors, and big east-facing windows make it a cheery, warm space.
favorite pieces: b's paintings: the colors of the house painting, the technique and warmth of the oranges (they remind me of california, too), and the calm river in bishop, ca; the calder-inspired mobile; the credenza/stereo; the knit wool rug.

our color palette is probably partly a response to gray northwestern skies. our warm reds and yellows make for a lovely contrast to this gray, drizzly time of year.

the art of family.

i read this article a few years back, and have since had it in my head to have a creative space--a studio of sorts--where brad can make art, and i can write or whatever, and the kids can do anything and everything in between. i never expect we will have a large house, but i know that we will carve out whatever space we can for our family studio.

if you've seen any of the "i'm a mormon" spots, you'll recognize cassandra barney. i appreciate her perspective--see her video here.

new yorker: how i met my wife

found again here. i collected this idea because i love word play.

How I Met My Wife By Jack Winter, Published July 25, 1994 in The New Yorker

It had been a rough day, so when I walked into the party I was very chalant, despite my efforts to appear gruntled and consolate.

I was furling my wieldy umbrella for the coat check when I saw her standing alone in a corner. She was a descript person, a woman in a state of total array. Her hair was kempt, her clothing shevelled, and she moved in a gainly way. I wanted desperately to meet her, but I knew I’d have to make bones about it since I was travelling cognito.

Beknownst to me, the hostess, whom I could see both hide and hair of, was very proper, so it would be skin off my nose if anything bad happened. And even though I had only swerving loyalty to her, my manners couldn’t be peccable.

Only toward and heard-of behaviour would do. Fortunately, the embarrassment that my maculate appearance might cause was evitable. There were two ways about it, but the chances that someone as flappable as I would be ept enough to become persona grata or a sung hero were slim.

I was, after all, something to sneeze at, someone you could easily hold a candle to, someone who usually aroused bridled passion. So I decided not to risk it.

But then, all at once, for some apparent reason, she looked in my direction and smiled in a way that I could make heads and tails of. I was plussed. It was concerting to see that she was communicado, and it nerved me that she was interested in a pareil like me, sight seen.

Normally, I had a domitable spirit, but, being corrigible, I felt capacitated as if this were something I was great shakes at, and forgot that I had succeeded in situations like this only a told number of times.

So, after a terminable delay, I acted with mitigated gall and made my way through the ruly crowd with strong givings. Nevertheless, since this was all new hat to me and I had no time to prepare a promptu speech, I was petuous.

Wanting to make only called-for remarks, I started talking about the hors d’oeuvres, trying to abuse her of the notion that I was sipid, and perhaps even bunk a few myths about myself. She responded well, and I was mayed that she considered me a savoury character who was up to some good. She told me who she was. “What a perfect nomer,” I said advertently.

The conversation became more and more choate, and we spoke at length to much avail. But I was defatigable, so I had to leave at a godly hour. I asked if she wanted to come with me. To my delight, she was committal.

We left the party together and have been together ever since. I have given her my love, and she has requited it.

“How I Met My Wife,” by Jack Winter Published July 25, 1994 in The New Yorker

to be published.

i just found out segullah wants to publish one of my poems in their spring 2011 issue. i'm surprised and excited. i submitted three poems on new year's eve 2009 for their annual contest, and heard nothing for months. i finally inquired about it, received a polite rejection letter, then had a baby and didn't submit the poems anywhere else. now i'm glad i didn't. this will be my first publication, and i feel honored. to find out more about segullah, click here. they also have a lovely blog. this is one of my favorites. and this.

family home media.

here is another article from my files. this article was written by one of my film professors. i was lucky enough to take a class he taught on children's media. i try to think carefully about what kind of media my children are exposed to and how we use it in our home. film, music, the internet, books--they can all be such powerful tools for good. reading his advice periodically is a great way to remind myself of what i want our family to be doing with our free time, and what kinds of stories i want them to hear and see. i like to think that sharing good stories with my children is like handing them a huge bouquet of balloons. stories can fill us with wonder, take us on journeys, and instill in us a sense of identity and purpose. stories can help us see the world.

image from the red balloon, one of our favorite films.

words

hopefully you've seen this by now, but it's been a while since i posted a movie. this is one of the best films i've ever seen. ever. and it's about one of my favorite things: words.

you can see more radio lab films here. i also hear the podcast is amazing, lifechanging even. i'm embarrassed i haven't checked it out yet, but if you feel like changing your life today, here.

the gospel vision of the arts.

here. i love this beautiful talk by spencer w. kimball. i first read it in a directing class in college, and appreciate the direction it helps give me as i work.