swoon studio

Tuesdays at the park.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:41:00 +0000

We are lucky to have so many great parks and beaches in the Seattle area. Now that the weather has warmed, we've come out of hiding and have begun to explore a bit more. Going to the park alone with three to four children is not the easiest of tasks, but when you live here and the sun shines, the time is always right. You go out because you don't know when it will return. And staying home would just be lame....

We've made it our mission to visit a new park every Tuesday until the cold and rainy season returns. Preferably with a little ice cream stop after we've worn ourselves out.

There may be other parks on other days, but Tuesday, you can count on.

23/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:44:00 +0000

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Thank you for letting me get caught up on my portraits! We're finally squared away...

Ellie: Couldn't get her to sit still this week, so I am posting a photo from a few weeks back. She finally has a favorite restaurant, and thankfully we love it too. Mac 'n cheese from a cheese monger shop is to die for! The girl has good taste.

Addie: Wants to help with everything-watering, cooking, and flushing ample amounts of unused tp down the tubes.

Jack: In heaven with some actual boy toys at Grandma's house. Right before he got his first shiner with the help of a metal lawn chair.

22/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:37:00 +0000

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

A week of close-ups:

Ellie: Came up with the idea for this necklace all by herself and put it together. I helped her tie it and she has worn it every day since then for at least part of the day. Tiny crafter in training!

Addie: Loves animals more than anything else. Held on to the neck of this dolphin pool toy for hours. We're excited to take her to the zoo for the first time soon-pretty sure it's going to blow her mind.

Jack: Teeth number 7 and 8 are poking through and sometimes a bath is the only thing that will distract him. Loud monkey noises and funny dancing work too, but we aren't all blessed with endless energy.

21/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:25:00 +0000

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Ellie: Photo taken by Jeremy on an evening walk up the pipeline. She rarely sits this still, but so thankful to have captured her beauty.

Addie: On the beach with the essentials: a toy, boots, and chocolate milk.

Jack: First picnic of the season and of his life! He loved eating everyone's food and biting the leather strap of the picnic basket.

20/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 06:20:00 +0000

"A portrait of my children, once a week, every week in 2013"

Ellie: Right before the preschool concert. Stood in the top row (tall girl), BIG movements, and seemed to know the words to every song.

Addie: Her curiosity and quirkiness are so endearing.

Jack: First haircut in a real salon. I hovered the whole time, convinced they were going to mess with his beautiful curls.

Fingerprint Art for Father's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 16:29:00 +0000

We are over at Playful Learning today sharing one of the things we've made for Mr. Edwards this Father's Day!

Do you have anything special planned for Sunday? I'd love to hear about it.

P.S. From Father's Day past:

My Dad is Rad
My Dad has Real Clout
The Grill Master Kit

Studio Inspiration No. 1

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 22:35:00 +0000

The next project on my to-do list is making over a small bedroom in our basement that I have been affectionately calling "the studio." To be honest ,.most of my current work and making of things is being done in a haphazard fashion in little corners all over the house. And sometimes all over the kitchen table too. Needless to say, a space of my own (with a door that can be closed during my messiest of crafting days) is a dream! Up until now the little room has been faithfully housing my boxes of supplies and any other box that hasn't been unpacked. It's a total disaster zone, but will hopefully be transformed into a workable, cheery space over the next few months.

In the meantime, I've been gathering photos of inspiring spaces and making a little wish list too. I'm dreaming of an industrial inspired room with fresh white walls and pops of color here and there. My only must-haves are a large table in the center of the room, and large curtains to cover up the closet. "Before" pictures to follow soon!

one / two / three / four / five / six / seven

19/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 07:52:00 +0000

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Pardon me while I catch up on the posting of my weekly portraits! First up, a week of non-portrait portraits...

Ellie: Dandelion collector.

Addie: Stubborn as can be.

Jack: My curly haired boy.

Happy Mail month one + a happy little giveaway.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 07:28:00 +0000

Thanks to random.org, the lucky winner is Christeen!! Please contact me at swoonpaper@gmail.com to claim your prize. Thank you to everyone who entered and for sharing your hilarious stories-I LOVED it!

You might remember that one time a while back when I decided to give away a year's worth of happy mail to one lucky reader. Well, I finally got around to sending month one about a week ago (apologies Madaline)! I will be sending along a few of my favorite things each month from here on out.

Up first is anything and everything by the lovely Rifle Paper Co. (have you seen these iPhone cases yet?!) I've had last years Rifle calendar tucked away for some time now because I just couldn't bear to part with it. I knew I wanted to make a few things out of the illustrated pages, but I also couldn't bear the thought of cutting into it, changing my mind, or worse yet, messing up and wasting it.

Enter in the genius machine that is the Cricut. If you asked me a few months ago if I would ever own a Cricut, the answer would be no. I don't scrapbook. Nope, not a scrapper. For some reason that's what I've always associated this machine with. But, when Cricut asked if I would like to try one, I decided to give it a go. Now I'm wondering why I've been cutting things by hand all of these years?! I've discovered that for me, the Cricut is perfect for making one of a kind packaging and party decor. The shapes come out perfect and take far less time than cutting everything by hand.

So, for this month's happy mail I combined my love for Rifle, packaging and paper by whipping up a few things from the calendar using my new machine. I also included one of my favorite notebooks-they look so pretty stacked up on a desk or in your purse.

Using the machine to cut out a few gift tags was surprisingly easy. I also cut out several sunburst shapes and stitched them together to make a sweet little garland. I gathered a little bit of embroidery floss to use with the gift tags and wrapped it all up. I really hope you loved opening your package Madaline!

Lucky for you, in addition to letting me try their product, Cricut is going to give away a Cricut Mini to one lucky reader! The mini is a portable, compact machine that is designed to plug directly into your computer. Along with the machine you will receive access to over 500 free images, read more about it here.

To enter to win, simply comment on this post and tell me your worst crafting fail (because I really love hearing those stories!). The contest will close at midnight (PST) on Thursday, June 6th, 2013. Winner will be announced at the top of this post on Friday, June 7th. Good luck!

Thank you Cricut for being so generous and for making happy mail a little happier! It's been a pleasure to work with you ;)

A morning with Studio Choo.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:51:00 +0000

I don't know what it is, but lately I've been excited about flowers and gardening. Maybe I am finally turning this whole brown thumb thing around (did you hear that Mom?). Whatever the reason, flower arranging seems like a safe place to start. The flowers are already dead, so right away my biggest problem is taken off the table...

In honor of this new found interest, I recently attended a two hour flower arranging class at West Elm taught by the lovely ladies of Studio Choo. All I can say is wow! Beautiful flower overload and a morning well spent. Don't know who they are? They are Alethea and Jill, the lovely ladies behind the flower shop Studio Choo in SF, and the authors of the recent release Flower Recipe. They are most known for their wild, natural and modern arrangements (you might recognize them from their long running column for Design Sponge).

I was so impressed by Jill and Alethea's warmth, presence, and approachability. If they were travel-weary, no one would know it. Most of all, it's obvious that they love what they do. It was a pleasure to meet you ladies!

Each table was outfitted with several jars of amazing blooms and each little work station was complete with a set of garden pruners and an over sized Weck jar. We listened to what Jill and Alethea had to say and then they let us loose on a few carts of AMAZING and expensive flowers. It was both exhilarating and terrifying at the same time, but we all acted like we knew what we were doing.

Armed with a few simple rules and steps, I now feel like I can take any bundle of flowers that life (or the grocery store) may throw at me and at least know where to start. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, especially if you're a beginner!

Thank you West Elm and thank you Studio Choo!

Loving {May}:

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 21 May 2013 06:19:00 +0000

1. Barre Workouts. I recently joined a barre studio nearby and I am loving it! Seemingly easy moves (borrowed from yoga, pilates, and ballet) that use your own body's resistance are combined with a little bit of cardio and strength training. Beware! You're muscles may start shaking at some point and you will definitely work up a sweat.
2. Wild floral arrangements. I was honored to take a two hour class from the lovely ladies of Studio Choo on Mother's Day weekend (more on that later), and was so inspired that I have started arranging any blooms I can get my hands on. I think this is the floral style I've been looking for my whole life!
3. Dry Brushing. I know it sounds weird-brushing your dry body with a brush before you hit the showers and all, but I love it. I've been doing this off and on since last summer and I always see an increase in softness after a week of consistently brushing before my shower. Bonus: it totally wakes you up in the morning! If you're curious, you can read more about it here. Get the brush pictured above here.
4. Fitted tees. I used to dress up a little everyday, but now that I am more busy, my t-shirt collection has mysteriously grown much larger. I think I've finally found the perfect tee-fitted where you want it to be, soft, and affordable.
5. A familiar read. I just read "Gift from the Sea," by Anne Morrow Lindbergh for the second time and fell in love all over again. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but the wisdom of these pages and her lyrical way of writing have struck a chord for me. I think every woman can benefit from Anne's calling to seek out peaceful solitude and live from the center of who you are. I greatly admire Anne for being an independent woman (and mother of five!) far before her time.
6. Twisted updos. Having long hair in the summer means finding a variety of ways to get it up off your neck. I love this twisted chignon (pictured above), and this low dutch braid the most.

What are you loving lately?

one / two / three / four / five / six

Little Swoon: Collaborative Art

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Fri, 17 May 2013 16:49:00 +0000

Recently I did a collaborative painting project with Ellie and I just love how it turned out! I really believe that preschoolers have the best ideas when it comes to being creative. There was something special about doing this together and I think it turned out much better than if we were both doing paintings of our own. I would love to do a whole series of paintings with both her and Addie to fill up our "gallery" wall, which is situated at the end of the hallway we all walk through everyday.

With all of that said, it can be difficult to make something with your child, especially if they are five years old or younger. To read all about our approach, head over to my post today at Playful Learning!

Happy weekend to you, I hope it's a good one!

18/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:46:00 +0000

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Ellie: Has more energy than anyone I have seen. From birth I knew.

Addie: Fierce, but sweet. My funny girl.

Jack: Exploring the world with complete abandon (and fistfuls of forbidden items from around the house!). Had to include two photos, lest I forget the daily trouble making.

17/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 14 May 2013 05:10:00 +0000

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Ellie: You are growing up right before my eyes! Your concern for others surprises me all the time and I love to watch your view of the world widen almost daily.

Addie: You are at an age when one can completely lose themselves in the magic of make believe quite easily. Your big, confident singing voice makes me smile, I hope you always use it with abandon like you do now.

Jack: Silly haired, silly, hilarious boy, oh how I love you. You make my life interesting and new.

...........................................................................................................................................................

Bear with me as I play a little catch up with these photos? The camera is full of captured life, but they are just now making their way here.

A Hand-lettered Print for Mother's Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Thu, 09 May 2013 18:41:00 +0000

It's been six months since I worked on a hand-lettered project. After a trip to the art supply, I was inspired to pick up my pen and make something. I still have a long way to go and a lot of practicing to do, but I love the process of planning, making, and finishing a print like this.

I thought a hand-lettered print with one of my favorite verses would make the perfect gift for the Mothers in my life. I am fortunate to have an amazing group of women to look up to (including many of you!). And of course, my own Mom is my ultimate inspiration. They all embody the spirit of this quote. In a world where appearance and social standing are placed on pedestals, these woman have chosen to cultivate an inner peace and beauty that will last. And the powerful strength that comes from leaning on someone greater than themselves too. They've all made, and continue to make incredible sacrifices to raise their children in the best way they can.

I would love to share this little print with you too...just click here to download. Actual print size is 8"x10" and would look lovely in a frame.

Hats off to all of you amazing women and Mothers! The world would literally not be the same (or possible) without you!

Take me to the river.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 07 May 2013 06:44:00 +0000

We escaped to my hometown this past weekend and enjoyed a few relaxing days in the sun. The favorite activity, as always, was heading down to the river to take a ride on Nana and Papa's boat.

Jack loved it and spent his time trying to wrangle out of our arms and into the water. Once he was happily crawling on the floor, I actually got to read half of a chapter in my book, which never happens when the kids are awake these days!

We went home on Sunday with full hearts and perhaps a better tan. Hope your weekend was just as wonderful!

Make it: Tin-Can Stilts

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:34:00 +0000

Spring break happened a few weeks ago. While I loved sleeping in a bit and the ease of an open schedule, I noticed a little thing called boredom creeping in by the end of the week. If that was any indication of what summer is going to look like, I better start preparing now. I've been slowly compiling a list of possible activities and projects to whip out when the toys have lost their luster and every game has been played at least five times....

First up: stilts made out of tin cans! We had a great time making these and racing each other on our homespun stilts. Perhaps you would like to add these to your "boredom buster" list too?

Hop over to my post at Playful Learning today to see all of the details. I hope it's starting to look like Spring wherever you are!

Swoon for Made in Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:55:00 +0000

Have you heard of Made in Paper? It's a lovely new special edition magazine based in the UK that focuses on paper projects to make at home. Back in January they contacted me about using a few photos from my blog. In addition to that, I ended up creating a fun little floral garland, exclusively for them, which can be found in the first (and current) issue.

I wanted to make something involving materials that most people would already have in their homes. If you want to see more of the project, you can find information about purchasing a hard copy or tablet version of the magazine here. You can also view a sampler of the issue here.

There are tons of great ideas and projects featured in this issue! It's definitely worth checking out if you are looking for a new project or planning a party. I feel honored to be included among such talent. Thanks again Made in Paper-it was a pleasure to work with you!

16/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 19:48:00 +0000

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Ellie: Sets up a blanket on the porch and picnics with her animals everyday after school. I think this is a little preview of summer!

Addie: We had to drag her off the beach when we went on an evening this last week. She loved finding shells, making a driftwood fort, and posing on this funny little animal.

Jack: Needing a haircut so bad! He really loves feeding himself small bits of food and veggie puffs before each meal.

15/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 19:42:00 +0000

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Oops! Looks like I'm behind yet again. Playing catch-up here...and using phone photos again....hoping to be more on top of things this coming week!

Ellie: Playing with an enormous Lite Brite at the Children's Museum. It felt like she was a little too big for most of the activities there for the first time ever.

Addie: Posing at the park on a gray day.

Jack: Crawling everywhere! Will no longer settle for being held at the park.

Room for Jack.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 06:31:00 +0000

Today I would love to share a little peek into Jack's nursery with you. There's really nothing grand or over the top about the space, but it's one of my favorite places in our house. That might have something to do with the handsome fellow who lives within those four walls...

The lovely gray walls were actually a bright powder pink when we moved in. I somehow convinced my husband and Mom to paint it within days of moving in (thank you!). It's hard to capture in photos, but the color is a nice medium gray.

An amazing built in is definitely the feature of Jack's small room. It's actually been a little daunting to decide what to put in it. I love a clean simple look, so I only chose a few items and books paired with his tiny shoe collection for now. I love the challenge of searching for the perfect items (like the vintage tin truck above), so it takes me a while to fill the shelves of any room!

When I found those great Ikea curtains, I knew they would be the perfect solution for the missing closet doors in the room. After living in the space for a while, things felt too cramped and I decided to make the closet into a little "nook" that houses the changing table and all of those baby supplies that I like to keep hidden. A driftwood hook hangs in the side of the closet to hang things like bags and coats (owl bag from Gingiber).

The felt ball garland was made back in our California apartment last summer. The blue dresser is an old Ikea piece that we refinished on that same apartment porch days before Jack was born and we moved. I replaced the original hardware with some brown resin knobs from Anthropologie. I made the himmeli mobile from red coffee straws and love the touch of color it adds.

I think the room could use a little more color and perhaps a print or two in the future, but it feels finished for now. The best feature by far is the natural light that fills the room. I couldn't help but add a little greenery to soak it up.

I purchased this lovely chevron cross stitch pattern and kit a few winters ago from Danyelle's winter pop-up shop and LOVED spending some quiet time stitching it. I knew it was destined for this room from the beginning.

I'm excited to see how this room evolves as Jack continues to grow. Did I mention he turned eight months on Saturday? He's been crawling for a while now and actually pulled himself up in the crib for the first time during this little photo shoot (notice how the crib is lowered from the highest slot in the photos above to the lowest slot in the last shot!).

Slow down baby! I'm not ready.

Handmade Solar System

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 18:17:00 +0000

We recently made a fun little solar system set out of materials we found at the craft store. The girls have enjoyed matching the planets up with their names and asking lots and lots of questions about how it all works. I had to brush up on my own planetary knowledge, it's been a long time...

If you're interested in making a set of your own and downloading my planet matching cards, head over to my post at Playful Learning today!

14/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 05:41:00 +0000

"a portrait of my children, once a week, every week, in 2013"

Ellie: All is right in her world when Nana is here.

Addie: This girl's personality is BIG!

Jack: Eight months old this week. Loves: crawling, avocados, and batting those dark lashes at me all day long.

Bits + Pieces

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:00:00 +0000

Lately I've been feeling that good old kick in the pants that comes with Spring. I've been throwing open the windows and checking things off my short and long term "to do" lists like crazy. I even planted plants. Who am I?

I think I am finally ready to call Jack's nursery done (pictures coming!), which has inspired me to finally make something out of my girls' room. It's been in a sad, lowly state since we moved in nearly eight months ago. Let's just say the little girl who slept there before we moved in had a thing for purple. I had an amazing time picking few bundles fabric for curtains and pillows at Drygoods Design this last week. I stumbled upon the store while walking in Ballard last November and fell in love. It's taken me this long to pick out fabric because they have so many great choices. I'm so happy with the shape everything is taking and can't wait to get started.

Wherever you are, I hope you're feeling fresh and inspired this Monday morning!

Quick Trip.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 08:10:00 +0000

The day after Easter we made a mad dash over the border and spent three wonderful days in Whistler with family. I was not raised in a "mountain" family, but I am beginning to appreciate the wonder and awe of it all.

Thanks to baby wearing (and delicious ice cream eating), my camera was best left in the hotel room most days. I hope you can catch the magic of this place through the tiny lens of my phone. Snow tubing and riding the gondola were the favorite activities of everyone. I forgot how much fun it is to play in the snow! This time around we only had time to experience a tiny piece of all this gorgeous area has to offer. I can't wait to go back. Bring on the fresh air and breathtaking views!