I was going to reopen my Etsy shop this weekend.

But instead, I’m going to cook, and clean, and sort baby clothes. Do yoga, share photos, send presents to new babies and friends. Buy wedding gifts and eat brownies. Pet the cat. Try to be nicer to my amazing husband. Plan a beach vacation. And maybe even watch some “Master Chef” on hulu. I am keeping busy and learning to live a little simpler and enjoy spending time with Nat and John and friends and our dog. I have been mending toys and clothes, but I haven’t made anything in over a moth. And I’m ok with that.

It’s some sort of transition and I’m embracing it.

If you had told me a few years ago, or even one year ago, that I’d be leaning away from owning a small artistic/creative business to be a “homemaker” with a part-time job in someone else’s business, I would have probably said you were crazy. But here we are. I’m trying to go on a low-stress diet, and I think it’s working. More-or-less, of course.

For now, it’s a wait-and-see, and that’s really ok. Isn’t it? I still have big things up my sleeves, and I’m not abandoning the creating or the business I’ve built, but I’m pushing it a little farther back on the shelf I put it on last month. I hope it doesn’t get too dusty up there, but I think I know how to clean it up if it does.

a whole lotta living going on around here these days. The trees are humming with cicadas and we are swimming and grilling and laughing and sweating and picking flowers and enjoying being together. Singing along to “Baby Signing Time” and loving it. At least for the first 15 or so times each day. hehe.

There’s something in the air these days.

and no, it’s not just pollen or humidity

I’m talking about the idea of stepping back, unplugging and slowing down.

I mentioned the idea of re-evaluating a few weeks ago, and the idea has been growing and growing in my mind. I need some time to think, to breathe, to make space. I need space in my house, both my physical/literal house, but also my metaphorical/sipritual house. Things are getting pretty jumbled up in there. It’s been over a year now since Natalie joined our family, and I need to take stock of how we’re living. What we’re spending our days on, how we move and grow in our home, how we take care of ourselves and each other, and seemingly less important these days (but really something I’d like to become more important again) how we make money and how we work, what we DO. Because really, how we spend our days is how we spend our lives, right? I think I read that on an inspirational magnet somewhere…. but it’s so true!

here are a few of the blog posts that resound with me lately:

Christine at Lavendar & Limes went on vacation
&
Maeg at Edison Rex went on walkabout (and won’t be back at her blog/business till September — inspiring!)

So… I’m thinking of following in their footsteps. I already closed my Etsy shop for my staycation, and I think it might have to stay closed until I either have new work to add to it, or have a new brand/business to reopen it with. I’m not making any promises or grand statements or creating any self-imposed time limits on this one. I think I’ve learned my lesson with that. But I think I will be back, and I imagine I will be looking for more accountability from y’all. This isn’t even another I’m-not-going-to-blog post, but it is something of a “get out of blogging free” card, if you catch my meaning. I’m unplugging, and we’ll see where it goes from there. I feel better already. Don’t you?

Does this idea make sense to you? Does it call to you? Then do it! Unplug! Make art! Make space! Play and create and lounge and read and do yoga and garden and cook and nap and go to bed early and stop comparing yourself with bloggers/facebook friends/famous people — just be you and enjoy your life, today. Have an average day!

This baby of ours is quickly turning into a KID. She is blowing us away by learning new words every day (and repeating everything we say!). She is also a master walker/runner and working on her climbing skills.

Over the 4th of July weekend we spent lots of time with family members she’d either never met or hadn’t seen in a while, but she learned everyone’s name! Some are truncated versions (”Julee” for Juliet, but it’ll do!), but they are all adorable versions of the names — “sah-rah” might be my favorite. And she knows a lot of Sarah/Saras so it’s a good one to learn!

She has also started taking our hands and dragging us where she wants to go. She’s very clear about what she wants. And takes after her mama and gets SUPER mad when she doesn’t get what it is she’s asking for. hehe.

summer!!!

After writing that last post about berries and the Northwest and summer and water, I just had to haul out the old photo albums and do a little reminiscing. These photos were taken by me and some University of Puget Sound (UPS) friends, using an underwater disposable camera, at Nolte Lake, summer 2003 — oh and the kiddie pool shot is from the backyard of our ad-hoc theatre Fraternity house, MuNu (that’s me under and in the boat, 2nd and 3rd photos).

Ah, college. This was the summer after I graduated, and most of my friends and I were all only working part-time, and enjoying life full-time. Oh that is so cheezy, but so true.

I was feeling nostalgic about the lake, dreaming about that Northwest summer, and then just this past weekend we found out that our town has the lovliest little beach on a lake! It turns out we knew about it but but didn’t think it was so great. So we had ignored it for the last 5 summers! So sad, really. Natalie went with our friend Sylvie on Monday morning, and then we all went in the evening. I think it was the best day of Natalie’s life so far. And as soon as the rain stops we are planning to spend many days there. And I’m planning to channel that full-time-life-enjoying spirit of those “old days”.

Untitled, a photo by Crafty Maven on Flickr. Berry-bowl by the inestimable Alex Watson

This is the time of year the Rainer Cherries appear in our supermarkets. I live on the opposite side of the country now, but back in college I was in the Pacific Northwest, reveling in all its beauty and bounty.

I have such great memories of driving out to our favorite lake for a swim, stopping at roadside farm-stands to buy a bag of these beauties to enjoy as our post-swim snack.

We also spent some time on the shores of Puget Sound, foraging for wild Salmonberries — I highly recommend that if you ever get the chance. Oh and don’t get me started on Marionberries! (and Marionberry pie!)

The days were hot and dry in the summer, so surprising to this New Englander who knew only the Northwest of movies like “Sleepless in Seattle” and books like “Snow Falling on Cedars” — I think I was ready for thunderstorms every day. We probably had 4 in my whole time there.

So here’s to sun and summer and swimming in wild bodies of water (we did try to paddle our inflatable raft in Puget Sound once — that was a bad idea and thankfully we were tied in. Reckless college kids!)!

Natalie’s favorite berry is “black” — blackberries by the handful, saying “black black black!” She can’t say the “berry” part yet, multi-syllable words are tough. But she’s working on it. And “strawberry” sounds a bit like “srawmb” — I’ll take it!

• learning to nap on her own (and not in the swing); success! (awesome summer-weight blanket by Aden and Anais)

• enjoying our new screen doors, and a warm summer day.

• getting back on the yoga mat! If only for 10 minutes, during afore-mentioned nap. (and,  yes, that yoga block is in rough shape. Once upon a time perhaps a doggy teething toy?)

• today’s work-station, scattered with rattles, “Goodnight Gorilla” (new board book from Aunt Pat!), teething toys, and burp cloths (gorgeous patchwork burp cloth by Nina Beana!)

• aaaannndddd………(drumroll please)…. SOMEONE is 3 months old today! 12 weeks! How did that happen?

I don’t have a lot of time, so I’ll keep it short and sweet. A list will do!

1. turns out I love being a mama. YAY! (not that I doubted that I would, but I’m pretty glad that I do.)

2. a tree fell in our backyard 2 nights ago. crazy, right?

3. my aunt moved her shop to an amazing new space! It’s called Ikonium Studio and it’s at 69 Church Street in Lenox, MA — Go visit! There you will find contemporary and traditional Turkish and American fiber art and craft, amazing Turkish rugs, as well as some fantastic paintings and a few things made by other crafty folks and yours truly.

4. I’m doing a show in 2  weeks! I haven’t really gotten back to work yet (still resisting, enjoying “maternity leave”!) but I have to. Today. The show is sponsored by BerkshireMade; Handmade in the Park, downtown Lee, MA, Saturday August 7, 10am – 4pm.

5. tomatoes! summer! swimming!

6. I am told our miss Natalie is very “advanced” — large for her age (10 weeks!), but also strong, smiley from day one and super talkative for weeks now. Also sleeping a lot, but I wont get into that, for fear of being stoned by other sleep-deprived mamas.

7. did I mention summer? With that comes weddings (that we have missed, boo!) and visits from friends and family, barbecues, birthdays of some of my favorite people, craft fairs (I’m only doing one, but you better be visiting lots!), farmer’s markets, tag sales (no, haven’t been to any, but we will), vacations (maybe next year?), and the Berkshire Fringe (starts next week!)!

Yay, Summer!

We’re off for a whirlwind long weekend in Washington, DC tomorrow! yippee for vacation! I’m not bringing my computer, and I’m really going to try to only use my iPhone for directions and looking up yummy places to eat and such. I am looking forward to being a bit unplugged, and just enjoying being with John in a somewhat unfamiliar setting, exploring and enjoying. He doesn’t like getting his picture taken, but we’ll see if I can sneak a few shots in. The forecast calls for not-too-hot and chance of fully-sunny-day each day (ok, chance of thunderstorms, but I’m trying to be POSITIVE, ok?).

I’m also really looking forward to stops in the new National Museum of the American Indian, and the National Museum of Women in the Arts. Who know what we can cram into 3.5 days, but I’m hoping quite a bit?

See you next week!

p.s. the train photo above is because we’re taking the train! Yay for not driving! The image is from a project I did last year as part of my “Photography for Graphic Designers” class — check out the whole-shebang photo set from that class here.

p.p.s. We might not be in the Berkshires this weekend, but if you are, go ahead and visit the newest bestest restaurant on the block, our friend Bjorn’s Nudel in Lenox, MA. They just had their soft opening today; Congrats, yo!