monday musings

Joining Nadja from Patch O' Dirt Farm for her "Monday Musings"...

Right now...I am enjoying the "calm before the storm", so to speak. Sipping my coffee and munching on raisin toast. Today is yet another "snow day". And that means I have to shift my plans...let go...let go...let go will be my mantra today. I am heartened by the huge fluffy flakes of snow coming down. Love snow...not so big on freezing rain.

This weekend...spent Saturday morning with a friend who just had her fifth baby. I so remember those days. Crazy busy days, and yet such joyful ones! My children have been asking repeatedly when we are going to have another baby (our youngest is now three), so they were able to get their "baby fix" so to speak in holding that wee bundle...and so was I. Not sure if another is in the cards for our family, but I enjoy babies so much. I think I always will. 

Saturday afternoon I spent teaching two of my girls how to knit. One on each elbow. Our ten year old picked it up right away (she remembered from lessons past), but our eight year old found it a little more challenging. I tried to reassure her that she would be able to catch up to her big sister with time and perseverance. I find she compares herself to her older sister all the time. I try and explain that she is two years younger, so she needs to give herself at least two years to do what she can do. But she will not be consoled. That constant competition is so hard to watch...but I have also seen how it can be an advantage...the younger siblings learn things so quickly by just watching their older ones. By baby number three, I didn't even have to worry about potty training!

On Sunday I took some of our children to the local ski hill and spent the day on the slopes! With all the snow we got recently, the conditions were perfect. Our eight year old can ski like a fiend, so she found it hard to stay with her six year old sister and I on the smaller hills. She ended up taking off and finding a friend who likes the steeper, faster stuff!

Some plans for this week: To get together with my sisters and Mom for our very first "band practice". We aren't planning on performing...ever...but we enjoy playing music together. I've printed off some really fun bluegrass/folk songs and have been trying to slowly learn them. My husband and kids are all so musical, so it is quite intimidating to have them hear me. I try and practice when they are not around. 

If I have some time for myself, I would like to...start a knitting project for myself. I bought some gorgeous purpley pink yarn last year with a birthday gift certificate from my mom. Tried knitting this fabulous dress, but gave up half way into the yoke. I just wasn't sure if it was going to fit...and if it didn't fit properly it would look bad. I think I need to start a cardigan or something that doesn't matter so much if it fits to a tee or not.

I am grateful for...healthy kids. We have been so blessed with good health this winter, and for that I am exceedingly grateful.

Some prayer intentions for this week: for continued health for our loved ones. And for all those who want to have children, but are having a hard time conceiving.


Something that makes me smile:  My littlest trying her hand at needle felting. She just had to try out what mommy was doing...and made several little fluffy pictures for Grandma and Grandpa.

Sophia my girl.

Our little place on the banks of the Madawaska River.

We lived in a small wooden cabin, nestled in the pines. It didn't take much to keep that place cozy. A small cookstove stood in the space between the kitchen and living room. It's small firebox meant it had to be stoked up sometimes hourly in the colder weather. There was a plentiful supply of scraps from the local lumber mill stacked up against the side of the cabin, from which to draw from.


There were six of us then. Felicity was 6 years old, with a toothless grin, Christian was 3 years old with such fun loving ways, little helpful Sabby with his bowl cut was a year and a half. Your dad and I eagerly waited for your birth. It seemed like you weren't in to much of a hurry to venture forth from the warm, snugness of mommy's belly.  Maybe it was the perpetual noise and craziness of that family who so very much wanted to greet you...maybe it was the comfort of mama's heartbeat. For whatever reason, you situated yourself comfortably, as if resting in a hammock and kicked back and relaxed. We had a midwife try and turn you...but no way no how you were going to stay upside down in that awkward position for very long.

Labour began one dark night of winter...one of the coldest nights of the year. It was January 31st, 1999. With the heater broken in our old Suburban, dad and I shivered all the way to the Pembroke hospital an hour and half away. Only to have them question me..."are you sure you are in labour"? Apparently the contractions that were only minutes apart had slowed remarkably. So we ventured out the local mall, and walked and shopped for last minute necessities, including a "good camera"...one that would fully capture this big event. I paused during the contractions and leaned into the glass counter. The sales person was quite shocked to learn why I did so.

Back to the hospital we went, hoping for some better news. Labour had picked up. I was 8 cm dilated. We started to become very excited. Upon further investigation, however, they discovered that what they thought was your head was, in fact, your elbow. Our hearts sank. Things started to move in fast forward. An emergency C-section would be necessary. An IV was put in...and things started to fade.

The next thing I knew, there you were next to me with your perfect little round head, covered in soft downy hair. With your blue eyes, petal pink skin, and perfect rosebud mouth...and I felt pure JOY.

We named you Sophia Maryrose.

A few days later we brought you home to kisses and snuggles all round.  And our home was filled with  the warmth of love multiplied.

Felicity is ecstatic to finally have a baby sister!

What a loving big brother Christian is.

A precious moment to pause and savour.

Here's a poem I wrote for you, dear daughter...

Sophia
Wide-eyed beauty.
Soft as a lamb
Yet strong as a lion.

Sophia this past summer.

Adventurous,
Yet heartstrings tied.

Osh Kosh overalls, workboots
And grass-stained knees.
Smocked dresses, tea parties,
And lipstick smile.

Climbing trees, fishing off the dock,
And mudpies in the sandbox.
Ballet slippers, sparkles
And Raggedy Ann and Andy.

Bridge jumping, snowboarding,
And hockey skates.
Playing guitar, singing like a bird,
And baking with baby sister.

A spunky gal,
With a pure heart of gold.
May wisdom find you
And may God's light
Always shine brightly
Through you, on all you meet.

I love you my girl.

Mom

simple things sunday

Trinity and her ginger hair blending in oh so nicely with the leaves.

Joining Simple as That for Simple Things Sunday.

elusive perfection

As I walked along and swished my feet through the fallen leaves, I kept looking for it...the perfect specimen. Leaf after leaf was rejected...too big...too small...uneven colouring...crispy edges...not symmetrical...blah blah blah. Then it dawned on me. In looking for perfection, I was ignoring their individual beauty. How often have I been too hard on myself and others for not being perfect? All too often. So here it is...a leaf kind of like me...lopsided and with blemishes. But it glows with colour and a uniqueness all its own!

Fall Giveaway!

Time to celebrate! In gratitude for all you wonderful, faithful followers out there, I am giving away this pair of handknit fingerless gloves. They are made out of the softest merino wool from Family Pendragon Yarn in the colourway called "Inner Wild". To enter to win, please first make sure you are a follower of my facebook page, and then comment below the picture there on my page. I will be drawing a winner on Friday, October 12 at 10pm EST.

Hope you are enjoying these beautiful days of fall!

a mother's love

 

This painting evokes fond memories of me sitting beside my mother as a child watching...learning. There was something so comforting in watching her hands move rhythmically as she knit up a sweater, or smocked a sweet pinafore for one of us girls. I was always in awe to see her turn a simple ball of yarn, or a scrap of fabric into something not only useful, but beautiful!

As the years went by, she taught me how to do these things, too...and we would sit side by side, she with swift movements and absolute precision....me with pricked fingers, loose strings and uneven stitches. But she was ever so patient, and being near to mom, being just like mom was all that mattered to that little girl that I was...and so I kept on.

She allowed me complete access to her sewing room. From the huge trunk of brightly coloured fabrics, to the funky vintage laces and trims, to the hand dyed wools...all was mine to delve into and create with! What a generous and patient woman. But she understood the excitement and passion that I felt in being creative and working with my hands, because she felt it too, and she wanted to nurture it.

To this day, we thoroughly enjoy sitting side by side with our knitting or sewing. Often with a cup of coffee or glass of wine...talking excitedly about our next project idea, or sharing our heart.

I am ever so grateful to my mother for nurturing this creative passion in me...for fanning those sparks when she could have so easily quenched them instead.  Creativity usually involves mess, and most moms (including myself) really dislike mess. I catch myself telling my kids...no you can't play with the playdough. It's too messy. And then I remember my mother and all she did for me, and I get out not only the playdough, but the paints and markers as well!

I am pleased and delighted to announce that my mom, whom my kids know as "Grandma Posie" is now making clothes for my luvkin Waldorf dolls. They can be found in my Etsy shop called "luvkin". She also is making children's clothing which are listed in my Etsy shop called Handmaiden Canada. I am very excited to be embarking on this adventure with her! I look forward to many more days of creating together!

"Grandma Posie's" handmade dolly clothes, swaying in the breeze!

still parenting

I am so incredibly honoured to be featured on Arianne's blog still parenting as one of her "Creative Mamas".On it, I share a little bit about myself, and the "whys and wherefores" of my crazy obsession with Waldorf dollmaking! :P Come looksee!


http://stillparenting.blogspot.ca/2012/03/creative-mamas-rebecca-with-handmaiden.html

my sister

I just HAD to share this beautiful painting that my sister, Emily brought over to me the other day. Isn't it gorgeous? The colours, the teeny tiny details...I was completely blown away! She captured my dolls perfectly, and then gave them a stunning meadow of wildflowers (indigenous to these parts) to lie in.

Thanks so much, sweet sister for sharing your artistic gift with me...but most of all thank you for your love and friendship. :)

 Myself and two of my sisters, Emily, and Shanti.

celebrating one year

It's hard to believe that it has been one year since I sold my very first handmade Waldorf inspired doll!

Here she is...

I had started an Etsy shop a few months previous and had sold a few of my upcycled felted goodies and hand knit and crocheted items. That was a lot of fun...but selling my very first doll...well that was downright AMAZING!!

I will never forget getting her ready to go...making sure all loose threads were trimmed and then carefully packaging her up for her long journey. Handing her over to the lady at the post office was definitely a "letting go" of sorts.

There is a lot of time and attention to detail that goes into making a handmade doll. It's hard not to get attached to him or her in the time spent in stitching, crocheting and knitting. It's like they start to get a personality of sorts...especially when their features are embroidered on their face and their hair is sewn on. As I told my sister, I kind of feel like Geppetto must have felt when he lovingly carved his little puppet Pinocchio!

I have made 56 dolls in total, so far. Each one is unique...one of a kind. I think that is one of the things that makes dollmaking so enjoyable. Hunting down the perfect yarn for hair...picking the fabrics to match...coming up with a name, is all part of the fun.

And creating a little companion that a child will love and treasure hopefully for a lifetime...it doesn't get much better than that. :)

And I have met SO many wonderful people through all of this. To thank all of you supportive and loyal followers and customers, I am offering 15% off everything in my Etsy shop today. Use the coupon code CELEBRATE1 when you get to the checkout!

Win a custom 12 inch Waldorf inspired luvkin doll!!

Hey, all you blogger friends out there! Come on over to Green Child Magazine and enter to win one of my 12 inch custom Waldorf inspired luvkin dolls.

 And the winner is....Arianne!!! Congratulations! Can't wait to see what your dream dolly is going to look like. :)

{this moment}

Giveaway!!

Happy St. Nicholas Day!! 

To celebrate this special day and the fact that we are almost at 200 "likes" on my facebook page, I am giving away this coat and scarf set for a 15 inch Waldorf doll. To enter please like my facebook page (if you haven't already), or follow me here on my blog and write a comment below. :)

my father

Proud

Yet able to admit fault

Passionate

Yet able to patiently wait

Artistic

Yet could only draw stick people

Fiery

Yet tender

Lover of Christ

Yet willing to express doubt

Center of attention

Yet often a quiet observer 

Talker

Yet could listen for hours

Protective

Yet tender

Family man

Yet carried a burden for the world

This is my father. 

Don McPhee

born June 1, 1949

died November 24, 1997

I love you, Dad...and miss you so much. ox

My wish for you today is...

...that "The winds will blow their own freshness into you,
and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you
like the leaves of Autumn". 

poem by John Muir

My prayer for all of us is...

...that we will find time to rake the leaves, but don't forget to jump in them too!

 

...that we allow ourselves to laugh without reservation.

...that we have time to put our clothes out on the line but also to soak up the beautiful sun and feel the warm breeze they are swaying in!

 ...that we make time for play.

...that we take the time to really SEE each other.

 

Megan

Sophia

Trinity

Thank you God for all of your abundant gifts. Help us to appreciate more...to love more...to truly LIVE life to it's fullest... every single day. 

An Upcycled Autumn Scarf!!

I found this amazing tutorial from Refashionology on how to make a beautiful fall scarf from felted sweaters! I am dying to try it. :) I have a whole bin of felted sweaters that are just begging to be chopped up and made into something funky!

Here it is....

Isn't that gorgeous!?

Here is a link to the tutorial, if you would like to try making one for yourself. :)

http://refashionology.com/2011/01/11/make-an-autumn-leaf-felted-scarf/

Wouldn't that be a stunning addition to your fall wardrobe?

Dad's Gourmet Potato Salad

My hubby has become quite the accomplished chef in the last couple of months since he's been home recovering from surgery. Here is one of his latest recipes...perfect for summer picnics and barbeques! Please note: It makes a nice big potato salad...so you may have to adjust quantities accordingly. :)

Ingredients:
12-15 potatoes washed, peeled (optional) and cubed
8 hard boiled eggs chopped
1 c minced onions
1 c diced dill pickles
1 c chopped snow peas
1 chopped green, red or yellow pepper (or any combination of the three)
3/4 c olive oil
4 heaping Tbsp. mayonaise
1/4 c mustard
2 sprigs fresh dill weed, chopped fine
2 sprigs fresh parsley, chopped fine
1 handful of chives, chopped 
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil the potatoes and the eggs. Chop the remaining vegetables and herbs and put in a large bowl with the potatoes and eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Garnish with chopped chives. Chill. Enjoy!

Giveaway winner!!

A big congratulations to Ana Dolly Ramos who is the winner of the Canada Day doll sweater giveaway!

Celebration Giveaway!

Noro giveaway sweater, modeled by "Sadie"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

To celebrate Canada day (and the end to the Canada post strike)...I am hosting a giveaway for this doll sweater hand knit with Noro yarn! There are two ways to enter (yes, you can enter twice!)

1. "Like" my facebook page and enter to win the contest there
2. Post a comment here under this post.


The winner will be announced at 8pm EST on Canada Day (July 1st).

Best of luck, everyone!

the simple things

I am joining Rebecca over at simple as that for her weekly photo challenge, in "capturing an image each week of the simple things in my life that make me smile...the little things and little moments that make me happy."

“With God, every moment is the moment of beginning again.” Catherine Doherty


*this photo was taken by my 12 year old daughter, Sophia.

Refashionistas!

When my 18 year old daughter came to me and said "I need a dress for Spring Formal, and it's next week", I started to panic a little inside. We live 2 1/2 hours away from the closest shopping center, and with the price of gas as it is, I really didn't want to drive that far just for a dress. Besides, I hate shopping under pressure. Time was ticking...and I had to come up with a plan.

And then the "upcycler" in me kicked in and a lightbulb went on...I had an idea!  I remembered the dress that I had found at our local thrift store a few months back for only a couple of bucks, and teasingly, I asked my daughter to try it on. With good humour, she did. She loved the colour...and, of course, hated the style. :) It was many sizes too big...but that was to our advantage...more fabric to work with. We decided to do a "refashion"(I think that's a word). :)

Before

We did some brainstorming together, found a pattern...


...and started chopping!

I sewed it up and waited for her to come home from school to try it on.

It was "almost right".

After a very late night of sewing, alterations...brainstorming...and more alterations....

...ta da! Isn't she cute?

After

Back shot

We even made a tie for her guy! It was really easy, actually...rather than starting from scratch, I just covered a tie that I had purchased for 25 cents at same thrift store. :)

I

I was so pleased to not have to make the long trek to the mall, or part with too much cashola, and she and her guy were happy to be decked out in their one-of-a-kind, handmade  "couture"!

The happy couple!