{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

The Family Heart

In lieu of this weeks how to, I decided to write about a little handmade project I did for the husband this past Christmas.  It's called The Family Heart and the idea was taken directly from"Handmade Home" by Amanda Blake Soule.  She is the creator of Soulemama, a very widely read blog.

I came across her blog sometime shortly after Plum was born.  I have been a devout reader and admirer happily ever after.  I then bought both of her books.  And now I've made this little heart.  If you decide you'd like to make this, go get out right now (or order online) her book.  It's full of things I hope to make someday.

So back to this past Christmas...

I wanted to make a few handmade gifts for my family.  I wanted whatever I made for my husband, who occasionally has to leave town for business trips, something simple and sweet that would remind him of home.  (Secretly I wanted him to cry because he was so touched.)  He can be a sentimental guy like that, but shhhh, don't tell anyone.

It's a simple little stuffed heart with a small pocket sewn onto the front.  I placed a little note for him in the pocket.  It reads:

"This is The Family Heart.  It is meant to be a small reminder of the love and connection we share as a family.  When one of us is away, they can take this on their trip or adventure with them.  The pocket can hold love notes, pictures or tokens to help them feel closer to home."

Needless to say, I believe that this may have squeezed a tear or two out of him.  But remember, its our secret.

Building an indoor fort is a must.

Here in northeast Oklahoma we have recently received a small share of snow.  I like to take Plum outdoors when this occurs but unfortunately sickness prevented this.  So we focused on the indoors.  I thought it was high time that she get her first taste of the warmth of a fire and the joy of building an indoor fort, tent, playhouse or whatever you like to call it.

Building these indoor playhouses out of whatever we had on hand (sheets, blankets, pillows, chairs etc...) are apart of some of my fondest childhood memories of playing with my younger sister.  Between that, dress-up and "baptizing" each other in the outside metal tub we had some good times.

Now that I'm a parent of a young child I think about my childhood quite frequently.  I think about all the imaginative play and the fun we had outdoors.  I think about the ordinary things around the house that we "pretended" into something that wasn't so ordinary.  In the age of technology (and I do think it has its place and I myself am a user) I don't want my child to miss out on these things.  My hope is that one day she will look back at her childhood with fondness and hope for these times for her little girl or boy.

 We started with a fire...

 Then showed the Miss her makeshift playhouse...

She took right to it...

 Even flashed us a smile...

 Then she thought maybe she was missing out on something...

 Daddy tried to see if she was taking visitors...

 She was NOT.

I'd say she had a pretty good time though.

(I apologize that this was not my best photography due to I was having too much fun playing...)

I could be musical. And because I can't sing.

Today's listmania is inspired by the above video that was shared with me by Birch Street Bliss .  I'm in love...with the kazoo.

I've never learned to play an instrument but have always secretly and not so secretly longed to.  I have visions of myself rocking out in a band in front of all the people I know and they all just adore and wonder at the sight and sound of me.  Unfortunately that bass guitar still sits forlornly in the corner of my studio (see Fig. 1 below).

Fig. 1

The bass guitar aside, I also have a yearning to learn to play something that is maybe not so conventional.  Enter today's list...

Top 5 Weird Instruments I'd Like to Play

5.  Um, the kazoo.  (See above video)

4.  Toy piano.  Maybe Molly will share with me when I get her one of these someday.

3.  The key-tar.  Because I would be the life of an 80's party.

2.  A turntable.  Okay maybe not technically an instrument (or is it?) but I would look so cool as a chick DJ.

1.  Accordion.  This could happen people.

Home Economics Tip O' the Week

Make a weekly menu...

and make your grocery list accordingly.  This can save you time and money.

Monday inspiration

I may need to make something along the lines of this nightgown  for those warm nights this summer.

I think this curtain is adorable but its in a long line of projects so it will have to wait a bit.

I think we all know how I feel about this.

My OB/Gyn's office is getting a special sweet treat when I pay them a visit this week.  (No, I'm not pregnant.)  I never got around to sending them a thank you after Molly was born.  Go figure.

I may have found a hat pattern for Molly's next winter:

 

Finding inspiration in this song right now.  I love the string of lights she hangs in the video.

Tell me what's inspiring you right now?  I would love to hear...

And a Happy Birthday to my lovely husband!

{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.