give a girl a paintbrush...

Yet another moment in parenting where I am learning to 'let it go' and foster our kid's creative expression.  Because yes, yes our five year old did just paint her wall.

Mama drew the outlines... and then she slap-happily brushed the paint on (while I 'touched up' the final bits... because I just can't fully 'let it go').

This project was the result of her declaring that her side of the room should be her favourite colours - pink/purple.  Her brother could keep all this delightful 'boyish' green on his side.

Sensing and impasse I used the age-old trick of distraction, and offered her the option of just painting some flowers, or swirls... or birds.

Birds, of course!

Our house is filled with them, and trees (and bunting) all throughout our nest.

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It's funny, this was another moment when I looked back with gratitude for how my folks raised me.  Some parents would have likely balked at letting their kids assert their creative fingerprint on their home decor.. my parents embraced it.  I think that was very empowering for my individual expression and confidence as I grew up.  They didn't bat an eyelash (at least outwardly) when I wanted to do all sorts of craziness to my room.  Or, when I wanted to shave half my head.  Or, when I wanted to wear a tux to my grade 8 grad... etc.

As I grow in this parenting thing, I'm learning (even from my own parents) to not sweat the small things - and to recognize what the small things are! 

It's a beautiful thing to see their creativity take flight.

Mel ;o)

 

tweet family painting fun:

Hello there friends,

Today we just wanted to share a fun little project we finally finished as a family here.

Taking our inspiration from a tweet mug a friend had given me.. we set off painting.

The kids love working on a 'mama project', and we all work alongside each other through each stage.

We used fabric to get the bird patter motifs in place.. but, I would recommend using scrapbook paper for anyone else out there - as it lays flat and wouldn't bubble up with the paint.

We added all the 'sand/grit' texture to try and camouflage a bit of that fabric blunder.

Most of my art comes from 'fixing' mistakes, actually.

Another creative and colourful addition to our nest here.

Creatively yours,

Mel ;o)

..around our nest:

While the snow keeps piling up outside.. we're keeping cozy and creative in our nest.

Hope your week is going well friends!

Mel ;o)

a walk. a wreath.

:another family tradition:

The annual hike to collect cedar and nature's supplies to create a rustic wreath together.

 A beauty-full weekend indeed!

Mel ;o)

 

crafty Christmas creativity:

It's always at this time of year, usually after the first real snow fall, that I start hatching way too many projects in my head.

They flutter about, distracting my thoughts, until I sew/sketch/sort them out!

If you're feeling the bug, too, I thought today I would post some links to projects (D.I.Y's) I've done in the past for young and old(er).  In case you wanted some inspiration for your own creative moment!

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You can click here for 10 different kid's craft/gift ideas.

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Or, click here for some more adult sized cozy creations and decor to make.

Happy Crafting friends!

Mel ;o)

my art. her art:

 
My recent paintings.

8"x8" mini landscapes.

Her recent paintings.

A new 'gallery wall' to brighten up our living room/kids creative corner.

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Art is like exhaling.

We love creating in our nest here!

Mel ;o)

Finished projects!

**bunting makes this girl real happy!**

 So she sews still.

Surprise!

She, being me, that is.

The projects are few and far between at this stage of life... as you can imagine.

So when I do sew - it's mainly small manageable projects for home (or for gifts). 

Now I'm a firm believer that *bunting* makes any room better.

(Some call them flags, banners, pinnies... it's 'bunting' to me).

And I'm now one more room closer to the goal of: 'bunting.in.every.room.of.our.nest'.

A happy combination of my favourite things: turquoise, lime, paisley, damask... for our big front window.

Our oldest daughter has inherited my aesthetic side, and squealed when she saw it hanging:

"Ohhhhh thank you for sewing those decorations mama,

it makes me soooo nice!"

Win, win.

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Annnnnnd, in other sewing news: I recently made this tweet lil' hoot for a friend and her newest addition in their nest!

 

Features: turquoise vinyls, leather beak, wooden button eyes and fabric/felt body and wings.

What about you crafty friends?

Any projects you've managed to make lately?

Creatively yours,

Mel ;o)

...the real dirt:

I wonder, do you know that moment?

That moment when some one unexpectedly shows up at your door... and you look like a deer caught in the headlights?

You're wondering if you've even brushed your teeth yet today, while your eyes frantically comb the room for any signs of disorder that may appall your guest?  You've just lost your temper with the kids and everyone - including yourself - is about ready to wail again.

You're not feeling very hospitable.

You're feeling horrible.

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I wonder, do you know that moment?

That moment when you've got the dishes and laundry put away.  You're actually dressed, and the kids are too.  The dinner is sweetly simmering, and you're all happily reading a book together on the couch...

... and you think: 'gosh, I hope some one drops by right now, and sees how wonderful our family is'!

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 So, I'm not sure about you, but I'm pretty sure most of us mamas struggle with balancing a home and being hospitable.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

Hospitality has become a big scary concept to many of us.

We assume it means: put on a good show.

As in, make Martha Stewart proud.  As in, have your home be the rival of any picture on Pinterest.  As in, be the smiling mom with serene children.

 We feel apologetic when people come over and see us caught in our mess.

"Sorry, it's not usually like this" and "I was just about to do those dishes" followed by "I haven't even washed my hair today".

Are we trying to convince everyone that we usually have it all together?

Are we trying to pretend that our kids are actually maids, and keep the house spotless?

Why do we all get so caught up in these ridiculous pressures to maintain the facade?

One word: pride.

Because pride is the real dirt.

Pride wants others to believe we have it all together.

If my house has to be spotless for you to visit - I'm showing the real dirt of pride - by trying to impress you with how clean I am.

How in control I am.

How 'not-a-mess' I am.

But humility is the best cleaning agent.

Humility says 'welcome, friend!'

I am what I am.

Our home is caught in the 'act' of life.

Life is messy and beauty-full.

Learn from our mistakes, learn from our dirty stains, I'm not here to lord over you.

Or, in the words of that movie we've all memorised:

"Love is an OPEN door".

Has love for others unlocked your doors?

Remember, most of us feel more at home in the chaos... because... it's real.

Mel ;o)

P.S: Dear local friends.. consider this your public invite/challenge to 'just show up' at my door for tea.  I really want to practice this humiliation humility posture.  Honestly, do it.

Yes?  Thanks!

D.I.Y: ombre painted dresser.

 

 Hello lovelies,

I know you've already seen our kid's room in past posts... but here's the latest addition to the room (no, we're still waiting for the baby to arrive!).  That dresser on the left I painted up this weekend.... you know, just nesting like mad around here.

We thrifted it recently to jam full of our son's clothing (and take the pressure off the closet that was bulging with baby clothes in diaper boxes).  It was a glossy oil cream colour with lots of chipped areas down to the dark wood.

Step 1: Super-adherent primer.

Light sanding, wipe down.

Step 2: I painted the sides/top in a glossy "Cloud White".

Step 3: Take three progressively darker tones of a colour - in this case - green.

Top drawer is the lightest tone.

Second drawer is a mix of the middle tone with the lightest.

Third drawer is the middle tone.

Four is a mix of middle tone with the darkest shade.

Last/bottom drawer is the darkest green.

(Step 4: I added a quick nature element of white stripes as 'birch trees' using the hard handle tip of the brush to then scratch out some textural details in to  the trees).

This house is officially ready and waiting for our next new addition!

Nesting mama,

Mel ;o)  

If these walls were words:

Here's a little spotlight on one more creative element in our nest.

A post showing something I've actually made/stitched/painted... (for those who may fear this blog has lost all creative inspiration and plunged deep into pregnancy/motherhood posts)!

See, up there... that simple tapestry above the door in our entryway.

A quick project I did in the past - a theme, a prayer, for our home.

 An excerpt from a beautiful book of prayers called The Valley of Vision:

"Fill the garden of my soul with the wind of love, that the aroma of the Christian life may be wafted to others; then come and gather fruits to thy glory.

So shall I fulfil the great end of my being - to glorify Thee and be a blessing to man." 

This prayer sums up the desire of our hearts.

It also makes a great theme for our home... we want to use our home, our hearts, and our hands to glorify God and to bless others.

Just a few scraps of stitched fabric.

An assortment of buttons and strokes of paint.

A tattered canvas.

But if these walls were words, I hope they would sing a sweet and simple song of love to all who enter.

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Do you like posting themes/verses/inspirations?

For readers who have been around here a long time.. you may recall the other tapestry I made for the three goals/rhythms of our nest.

(Sincerity/ Hospitality/ Creativity).

I enjoy simple, creative ways to reflect our heart in our home.

I'd love to hear what you hang your heart on too...

Creatively yours,

Mel ;o)

...nesting mode.

Here we are, one month left before lil' baby sister is due for arrival!

I'm still having delightful fits of 'nesting' around here too.

My craft corner in our bedroom is finally completely de-cluttered and reorganised.  (I even whipped off a quick sewing project there today for the first time in... ages).  I was starting to forget there was even a floor there under all the mounds of fabric!

Our bedroom and the kids room have been sorted through as well - not to mention the growing 'chaos closet' of kid's clothes that needed packing/purging.

Phew!

 Is there anything that gets you cleaning all those forgotten corners of your home as thoroughly as bringing a new baby to the nest?!

Maybe special company (like, the queen or something).

Or, when you're moving out I guess.

Needless to say, the *minimalist* husband has been happy to see me shoving so many boxes of stuff out the door finally.  So, you could say we're all happily awaiting our newest arrival at this point!

Nesting mama,

Mel ;o)

 

34 weeks... and counting.

Yes, friends we've entered our 34th week of baby brewing over here.

Needless to say I'm facing that bi-polar energy wave of relentlessly cleaning and sorting through our nest... and then just wanting to go 'belly up' and sleep until it's all over.

The common question at this stage is 'soooo, are you ready?'.  

Maybe they just mean... do you have all the stuff you need?

I figure that this is a short list... basically we just need diapers, clothes and boobs.

Check.

(Actually I'm very grateful to friends and family for returning/ or passing along the baby items we had previously started purging from our home.... ha, ooops!).

 Anyway, what I take from the common question of 'are you ready?' is something deeper.

Which makes me awkwardly answer..."um, yes...??" with a scrunched up nose and sideways smile (for how does one actually say 'no, not really, thanks').

Because if I'm being real (which is a big goal of mine)... I'm a mixed bag.

I'm all kinds of eagerness to see those tiny fingers and toes glowing fresh from the womb.

I'm totally overwhelmed with the 'first-day-of-school' nerves about facing another life to be responsible for.

I think we can handle this.

I fear we can't handle this at all.

This is going to be crazy.

This is an incredible miracle.

And so my elastic heart stretches and snaps and springs back again.

You'd think I'd have this all 'figured out' by now, what with two kids and all... but now I'm starting to notice a common theme: the next step into the unknown is always a mix of fright and delight.

The main fright being that we're three times as unlikely to get any sleep anymore... the main delight being how teeny tiny this lil' gal is going to be compared to our ever-growing big kids!

I've been sorting through baby clothes and inwardly squealing at how cute and tiny they are.
Oh, I've also just started watching that series "Call the Midwife" and am crying at every birth scene... so I think that's preparing me for labour... or, something.

Lastly, I know I'm not alone in these feelings - thanks to you friends on my Facebook who respond to my manic mama outbursts of feeling completely overwhelmed/insane in the daily chaos moments...  and come to think of it - there's at least 10 other friends I know having babies in the next couple of months.  An invasion of BABIES!!

So, maybe I just need to start practising those labour breathing techniques at this point...
....annnnnd, breathe. 

We'll keep you updated!

Mel ;o)

...and MORE Christmas crafting bits:

 Can you keep a secret??

Ok, a week left until Christmas - a week!  The last threads have been stitched (almost) and there's just a few more wee projects I hope to finish in time.  But, this labour of love for our daughter... the fabric mini playhouse I mentioned before... is done!  Happy dance.

I wasn't going to get too crazy detailed with embroidery work..  so a hot glue gun saved time with some features (like the button 'plate' wall above the couch).  Windows on each side reveal a peek-a-boo owl under the curtains.

I'm pretty smitten with the lace 'snow covered' rooftop, of course.

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Now I just have a simple toy drum to make for our little guy.

A larger version of this one from before... made this time with one of those big metal coffee tins.

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Oh, and I finally whipped off two more jumbo silk stockings to add to the mantle.

Having been almost out of the previous fabric with that tree motif ... I used this ivory silk and leftover scraps of the tree fabric for accent pockets (perfect size of a chocolate bar.. hint hint, husband!).  I also used a green damask fabric for the back since I had no more of the red.

I figure these two stockings will either be for the boys in the house - and we girls will have the original three.  But it may just be the parents that get the two new, and the kids have the three...

 ...either way, I have to sew the large bells back on to the toes of all the five stockings since our lil' guy was delighted to tear them off.

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So there you have it.. a few more projects hot off the press from this nest.

Have you been creating much for this Christmas?  I'd love to hear!

Mel ;o)

The perfect palette... picked!

Just thought I'd quickly update you on a successful colour crush I've found here.

You all know how much I love turquoise anything by now right?

But picking the perfect paint tone for this was like nailing Jell-O to a wall.  I'd stare for ages at the colour decks where I work (Benjamin Moore) and continually waffle between: "too blue" "too green"  "too bright"  "too gray".

Honestly, I'd be my own worst customer for making a choice of paint colour!

Sometimes the real trick is to find something else you love that's already in the colour you crave (a scarf, a painting, a piece of pottery) then find the paint chip to match it.

Voila ~ the perfect turquoise for me!

I got slap-happy with my paintbrush and brought this old wooden high-chair back to life.

Scuffing it up after ward for that yummy distressed look. 

Now that I've finally settled on a paint colour, it actually was the perfect pick.  It already goes with a lot of the turquoise pops of colour in our home... even the kid's room curtains.  So I'll be splashing more of it in there.

It even matches the tone of my turquoise/wood earrings I have for sale.

 So.. that's something.

For anyone wanting that perfect bold pop of colour... here's my top pick:

 

I wouldn't paint an entire room in it.. just highlight pieces.

A more subdued antique tone that I would love on our walls would be HC-144 Palladian Blue. 

Gosh, I am such a colour geek.

What's your perfect palette?

Mel ;o)