family life

spring tunic

Mar 13, 2013

(my little girl, always wanting to hold a flower bouquet for pictures)

If you’re wondering why it’s been quiet here lately…our phone line was down for a bit, some things came up, my mother-in-law who usually watches the kids was really sick, and after having some days with no phone or internet (we’re some of the weird ones who don’t have cell phones) I felt kinda hermit-ie.

Aaron was around a bit more than usual which was nice. We made a worm bin. And a squirrel feeder in hopes that they’ll leave the bird feeders alone (and the kids felt sorry for the ‘hungry’ squirrels). Planted some new herbs and bought some new herb seeds for warmer weather planting. Put up another crock of miso. Sewed some clothes for myself. Finally some success after lots of work figuring out how to fine tune the fit of clothes. More on that later.

Also, I finished this little spring tunic for Audrey. It’s the Fly Butterfly Fly Tunic from Ottobre Design Summer 3/2012. I used a vintage pillowcase as the fabric. I picked this pattern because I knew it’d make me learn a new sewing skill that I’ve wanted to know for a while now: rolled hems on my serger. I’m really into them now. They’re about the quickest, neatest way to finish off a lightweight fabric hem. I foresee lots of rolled hems in my future. Do you do that? Use sewing patterns (or knitting patterns if you knit) to teach yourself new skills? That’s the main way I’ve improved my sewing: picking something with one or two new techniques (any more than that and it can get too frustrating).

She looks so serious in this picture but she was really happy when I handed it to her. I really liked how the style of the tunic is so vintage girly-girl with the ribbon and ruffles and shirring. I thought it’d go really well with the sixties flower print. Just in time for spring.

expanding the garden

Feb 26, 2013

Aaron has been working on three new raised beds for the garden accompanied as usual by his two little helpers. He built the beds using old fence boards saved from when we replaced our lower backyard fence. They’re filled with the dirt removed when he leveled the ground under each raised bed (our backyard is quite sloped) and compost.

One of the beds is being reserved as the ‘kids’ garden bed’ and they’re excitedly planning what to plant. Lots of peas I’m told. And purple carrots. And long, cylindrical beets (to save room). Tomatoes. And peppers since Gray has quite the obsession with picking baby peppers when they’re still green, taking one bite out of them and then tossing them. The only peppers we got last year were from our community garden plot. Hopefully having his own pepper plants this year will satisfy him. After deliberation, Audrey said no melons since “there won’t be enough space with all the other things I want to plant.” Ah, the gardener’s dilemma! Funny how she’s already put together how big melon plants grow and how much space all her other stuff will take up just from hanging out with us over these last few years while we garden.

As for our two new garden beds, not sure what we’ll be planting in them yet. But I have big, big plans for the area out front under the citrus trees. This year we’ll be trying to grow Japanese indigo for an old-fashioned indigo fermentation vat. More fermentation experiments! And lots of plant dyeing fun this year. I’ve done some in the past but I’m really on a roll now. It’s my new obsession of sorts.