Ev’rybody’s building the big ships and the boats...

A couple of Saturdays ago, we tried out a class at Lowe's, and loved it. The kids got an apron and goggles to keep (Eli wears his EVERYWHERE to protect his eyeballs). They built a UFO using real tools and a little kit. When we first got there, the line was ca-ra-zy, but they started right on time, zipped us through, and everything moved quickly..Fun little Saturday project, and free.

Washin’ them dishes, feedin’ them swine...

We have ditched the dishwashing detergent and with it phosphates, plastic bottles, bleach, other crazy chemiclas, and expense and instead have opted for our own simple concoction of one part borax to one part baking soda and white vinegar in the rinse. We also make sure ther is hot water in the tap before running the washer. One of my friends used this, but wasn't happy with it because of her dishwasher. There are many recipes out there, but this one works well in our dishwasher and is so very simple to make. I know some of you have been doing this for a while, but I am amazed when I go this long without know that I could have been making this all along. I've been duped!

She was thinkin’ ’bout her father, who she very rarely saw....

I did sew more.
This week was VBS which I did not help out with at all!
I have felt a smidgen of guilt a couple of times, but in truth and defense, I did have to work a bit during that time, and as my mom reminded me, I can work VBS another year when I am not already with me kids 24/ 7. So as a self indulgent treat, I made gifts.

I made a few capes for two little boys celebrating birthdays this week, and arm-chair caddy's for our daddies.

Cheesy, maybe, but I have such a hard time figuring out crafty things to make for dads. Girls are easy..I whip up some jewelry or something knit, but what do you make for guys?

Generally, I am really bad at following patterns and directions because I have never taken a class and feel lost when technical terms pop-up, but I did okay with these two endeavors. The cape, I just made up and the caddies, I had written instructions for. The material is all leftovers from previous projects. What are you making for father's day?

Two big bags...(well, 3, but that's how Bobby D sings it)

So, I can sew..
While Ollie was at soccer camp this week, I made bags! I had such fun doing them, as I haven't sewn in too long.

The material I've kept for ages with the intention of someday using, and it is always a joy to dip through my bin reminiscing about old fabric from dresses or curtains or even furniture that I have loved. These fabrics feel like old friends and I am pleased to bring them out of the closet.

Seen a shooting star tonight

My post yesterday about peace, and today about war.
Du, du, du, du, du, du, du, du, du, du..

Behold, an assortment of capes, in Eli's words, that are a "tiny bit bigger than germs." Cut from felt and using a hole puncher to elicit squeals of glee, change the men into a plethora of different characters, and keep the boys occupied deep in imagination for hours.

She’s a junkyard angel and she always gives me bread

Mmmmmm, the basics.
Bread and butter.
This week we had a scrumptious treat. I bought cream at out local dairy, let it sit out over night in a mason jar, and then during our lessons, shook the cream for about 15 minutes. When I could feel it start to thicken, I opened the jar, and strained the remaning liquid off. Voila, yummy, all natural, local, handmade, butter. This was so easy that we will be doing it again and again.
I also made a loaf of french bread using the following method. The combo was heavenly.
Combine 2 -3 tsp. of yeast and 1/2 cup of warm water. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir.
Combine 3 cups of sifted flour and 1/2 tsp salt with the yeast mixture and 1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water. Mix until you have a workable dough. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Put in oiled bowl, cover with a clean dishcloth, put in a warm place for an hour.
Punch down, cover again for 45 minutes.
Punch down again and roll out a baguette. Put on baking sheet, dust with cornmeal, cover and let rise once more for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven at 400 degrees with a pan of water in the oven. Score the top of the bread. Spray the sides of the oven every 5 minutes for the 1st 15 minutes of baking. Bake for a total of 30 minutes. Enjoy.
Basic ingredients and really easy.

Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle like a rolling hoop

So, now, all of a sudden we live with a six year old.
We are blessed with great friends.
We had a party on Thursday, and were surrounded with love and fun.
Ollie's best bud, made a shirt for him, pictured above.

He also received a hand-made hula hoop, art kits, a handmade robot necklace, airplane kits, science books, and he was just generally showered with wonderful, personal, handmade thoughtfulness.
Thank you, friends.

Vegan-from scratch cupcakes were a hit!

His new books and favorite crown of royal colors

We spent Wednesday at the Symphony, bowling, and taking the boy to dinner..Thursday partying with friends, and Friday- Sunday letting the Rayburns love on him in Indiana.

So serious and mature....

she violently knits

So, I am slowly, slowly knitting myself a set of dishcloths and they are both beautiful (to me) and useful. I like them more than any dishcloth that I have ever used before.
If I make a mistake, it's okay because it is for me..

Light yourself a candle

The end has come..
A week or so before Ollie was born, I was supposed to be on bed rest. I was utterly convinced that my life was over, and that I would have no time to do anything that I wanted to anymore. So, I became a candle making factory. I poured, melted, and waited for days. I used old candles, hemp wicks, coffee mugs, and 2 or 3 molds I picked up from garage sales, including the turtles pictured above. That was almost 6 years ago, and everyone I give gifts to has gotten at least-usually more-candles over the years. I burn them. And, they are just now dwindling to the last few ones. I only have a couple of the these homemade candles left. I used an old crock pot and pot and let the wax melt and simmer, then poured, let them dry, then topped them off, then waited. I have kept all of the candle making materials, so who knows, maybe we'll do it again soon, but dear friends, you may not find them in your Christmas baskets next year.

My mind weaves a symphony

So my mom used to spin and weave. She has a huge basket of yarn that I raided this week, and I am so excited. This is probably 1/5 of the treasure that basket holds. My nephew thought it was her wigs.. She still has her wheel and her small table loom that have been idle for some time. She has promised to teach me using the piles and piles of raw SILK she has just lying around. That is as soon as she returns from a weekend in Las Vegas seeing Bette Midler, then a week at the beach with old friends, and then a long weekend in California with us. Whose mom goes to Las Vegas, Orange Beach, and California on her fall break?? She is amazing.
For now, I am happily knitting.

The ABCs of Homeschooling. Child initiated, led, and executed pictured above.

This is an illimunated manuscript page done at my friend and neighbors home. She has recently opened up a new studio where we are taking art classes.

Our family is famous (infamous?) for um, rescuing items bound for the landfill. My aunt (pronounced "aint") Cindy sent the boys a box each of art supplies that she saved from an immanent landfill death.

They dove right in, got creative, and are very proud of their art supplies. Ollie is even catching on. The above picture is done on the back of a piece of paper he had used for something else. Re-used. He has something that looks like an ordinary waste basket in his room, that is actually his "re-use" bucket. He keeps things in there he intends to reuse some day. I swear it must be in the blood.

Coming tomorrow: Evidence of science and socialization!

Buckets of moonbeams in my hand,

Hola Sports fans (who used to say that?) A quick update on the life and times of the Rayburn household.

1) I am hand making TONS (or at least, I feel like it is tons) of gifts this year. And, so I have been boggled down with yarn, thread, and vintage materials! I can't post pictures because all of my dear readers are also getting the gifts. Maybe after the holidays :)

2) Our Christmas tree is up! We bought it here for $25 and sawed it down our own selves...

3) I've been cookie swapping and soap making, and lesson planning, pant, pant, pant...

4) On that note, we are looking for Santa to bring us a dog for Christmas. If you know of any, send 'em our way..

5) Ollie spent a good hour the other day trying to lasso the moon. He had all of his protective gear on including: knee pads, arm braces, and safety goggles.. He tried to maneuver the porch furniture so that he could climb on the roof and be closer after his failed attempts at climbing trees... Boy, I love moon catchers. So poetic. He was very intense and undeterible..

6) I can't wait to see the InLaws here for the holidays. Come one come all!

Under that apple suckling tree, oh yeah!

Our sweet neighbor surprised us with a bushel of apples this afternoon. Sooo,

We made apple pie from scratch.

Improvising in some areas, but all in all pretty tasty treat.

Watching the pies bake...

Showing off their sign language.

Reciepe as made today:

A bunch of apples, peeled and sliced

3/4 cup of sugar

1 tsp lemon juice (I was out, so I squeezed 1/2 of an orange all over them)

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix all together and let sit for 15 minutes while you make the crust

Combine 2 cups of flour and 1 tsp salt, mix in 1/4 cup of cold water. Mix in 3/ 4 cup of shortening (I used Smart Balance because that's all I had). Make a dough, roll it out, put in a pie dish.

Mix in 1tbsp of flour into the apple mixture

Poor and top with remaining dough. You can add a brush of milk to the crust (or soy milk) and a couple of pats of butter. Cook for 2 hours or so on 375. Standing in front of the oven for a while with big boots on and no pants makes for tastier, more anticipated treat. Also, send the husband out for vanilla ice-cream is nice, too, but it doesn't make it vegan and without, it is.

She's got everything she needs, she's an artist, she don't look back..

I am participating in a blog party with other Artsy Mamas (check out the link below). I was asked to mention how Mamahood has affected my art, and here is what I came up with: A series of half finished projects. All of the following are incomplete and have been in progress for several months. My focus, as a mom has changed. The only thing I can seem to finish is dinner, baths, stories, and occasionally a straight house. Everything else remains an unfinished good idea. (Am I allowed to blame my parenting for my lack of project completion? Focus, Danielson.)

Featured art includes: Wood burning experiments, mosaic table, camouflaged knitted hat for Evan, a canvas that I am doodling on and will write an original poem on, and butterfly envelops that need to be re-glued.

Yea! Heavy and a bottle of bread

If you know anything about us, you know how in love we are with good, good French bread. It must be perfect. No WalMart soft loaf for us. The crustier the better. So, every once in a while, I make my own. Here's how:

1 packet of yeast
1/2 cup of warm water
Let sit without mixing for 5 minutes

Sift together 3 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp salt or so.
Pour in stirred yeast mixture and add about 1/2 cup of warm water.
Mix with mixer or with hands until doughy.
Knead for 10 minutes.

Form ball. Put olive oil in a bowl and put the ball of dough in the bowl and cover with a clean dish towel and set aside of 1 hour.
Punch the ball down and re-cover. Let rest for 45 minutes more hour more.

Shape the loaf into a baguette rolling it out with a little corn meal to keep from sticking and cover with the dish towel. Let sit 30 more minutes. Preheat oven to 400.

Put a pan of water in the oven. Brush the loaf with water and put in the oven. Spray the sides of the oven with water ever 5 minutes for 15 minutes. Bake for 15 more. (30 minutes in total)

Enjoy hot, right out of the oven. Yummy.

Family Portrait

This is the best of O's realist stuff.
These = happiness to me