swoon studio

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!

Happy Birthday + Happy Mail (contest closed)

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 13:00:00 +0000

Update: The winner of the giveaway is Madaline!!

Please contact me so we can get this thing started! I LOVED hearing all of your Birthday memories, they were so entertaining. Thank you for sharing! Don't be ashamed of your KFC roots Madaline-it was totally my favorite when I was younger...I would've gladly eaten mashed potatoes at that party ;).

Today marks the day I was born, a whopping twenty nine years ago! I'm not sure how it happened, but here I am in my last year of my twenties. Twenty nine with three babes and almost eight years of matrimony under my belt. Twenties, you've been good to me. I can't say that I would change any of it. Maybe thirty isn't so scary after all?

In honor of all things Birthday: confetti, cake, candles, and singing loudly in restaurants, I've decided to share the love with you. I always like it when bloggers giveaway their "favorite things," sort of like Oprah, but cheaper and possibly more compact. Plus, you know it's going to be good.

Here's my take on it: one winner will receive a "happy mail" package from me every month for the next year, starting with April. Each month I will hand select a few goodies, just for you, and send them on their merry way. Some packages may be big, some may be small, but I can guarantee that you will love what you find in your mailbox!

How to enter: Tell me your favorite childhood Birthday memory in the comment section of this post! Follow Swoon on Facebook and Instagram and receive an extra entry for both (let me know in your comment and I will verify). Contest closes Thursday, April 11th 2013 at 12:00 am PST. Winner will be chosen at random and announced at the top of this post on Friday, April 12th.

Good luck to you my friends! I wish I could pick out something good, wrap it pretty, and send it off to all of you!

Photo One: Meg Borders for Swoon
Photo Two: Jackie Rueda

13/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 04:28:00 +0000

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

Oops, skipped a week! Let's jump back in with photos from last week and pretend week 12 never happened, okay? Also, I guess iPhone photos are going to have to do this time around (shame on me for letting my camera battery die!).

Ellie: First time snow tubing at Whistler. So happy and so alive.
Addie: First haircut ever (at age three). Nervous, but played it off well with polite conversation.
Jack: The look that melts my heart every single time. I've been known to look at him and say, "are you even real?"

My roots have grown, but I don't know where they are.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 05:13:00 +0000

I don't know if I'm supposed to say this out loud, but a little seed of something has been growing in the back of my mind lately. You may have noticed that I've been visiting this space a little less than often. The truth is that I've been a bit confused about this whole thing we call blogging, but I haven't wanted to admit it.

There are so many talented bloggers out there that I look up to. Sometimes I get lost in this whole world and have a hard time finding my way. How much of my life should be devoted to this space? Do I really have anything to offer? These are the thoughts that have led me to step away from time to time. I have a hard time doing things halfway, so when I finally admitted my feelings, I've felt the pressing need to decide something. Am I all in or am I out?

Somewhere in this identity crisis, I have stumbled upon a few new (to me) blogs. Blogs that are simple, beautiful snapshots of the person's life. As I scrolled through the archives, I started to remember something. This is supposed to be about love. Sharing things I love and projects that come from my real life. Not that I haven't been doing this, but my head has been somewhere else. I worry. I worry too much about how things will be received, whether you will love it too.

I've decided to keep on, keepin' on. You're invited to come along, wherever my inspiration takes me. I'm going to put my head down and forget about the rest. Mostly, I am thankful for you. Thank you for being here, for encouraging me, and for sharing your inspiration as well. It's so nice to know that you are out there.

In the spirit of new beginnings, Swoon has a bright, shiny new look! If you're reading this in a reader, hop on over and take a look! I've been so blessed to work with Lovely Lindsay on this project. Didn't she do an amazing job? On the sidebar, you might notice a few new things. For easy access to specific projects, just click on the categories found there. You can find all of my projects for kids in a new category called "little Swoon." You might also notice that Swoon finally has a facebook page and social icons (it only took me two years)! I have a few things planned in the near future for facebook and instagram followers, so be sure to click on over. Thank you Lindsay!

Once again, thank you for being here and pulling me through. So excited for things to come, whatever they may be!

A little bird, he told me so.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:28:00 +0000

Have I ever told you that Spring and Easter are my favorites? This year everything was as it should be: sunny skies, happy families, and the celebration of a risen Savior. We kept things simple. Just a few carefully selected items went into our shiny metal Easter buckets. Things like wind-up cars, fairy music boxes, and wooden eggs. All tied up with yellow and gold trim, of course.

Hope your Easter was as delightful as ours!

*all photos by me and my trusty iPhone

Fairy Garden in a Box

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:11:00 +0000

The girls and I recently converted one of our planters out back into a little fairy garden. There is a lot of inspiration out there when it comes to making one, but we decided to start simple.

Everything you need to get started fits perfectly in a box and makes a magical gift for a child! Can you imagine someone handing this to you when you were little? As someone with a big imagination, I know I would have flipped.

To find out how to get started on your own Fairy Garden in a Box, hop over to my post at Playful Learning today.

11/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 05:19:00 +0000

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

Ellie: Beauty. Inside and out.
Addie: Counter top sittin'.
Jack: Window gazing in the afternoon.

DIY Brass Himmeli

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:41:00 +0000

I fell in love with himmeli mobiles some time ago. I made one out of coffee straws for Jack's nursery and it was surprisingly easy. I loved how it turned out, but when I ran across some brass tubing at the craft store I knew I had to make another one for our living room!

Would you like to make one of your own?

Here's what you need: Brass Tubing (I found mine in the model building section of Hobby Lobby for about $4 per pack of three. I bought two packs, sized at 1/8"x12", similar to this), strong thread, a needle, a small pipe cutting tool (mine was found right next to the brass tubing), scissors and a measuring tool.

I made my himmeli late at night while my sick kiddos were resting. I knew I would end up with unattractive, poorly-lit photos of the process, so I decided to make a little chart instead. Making a basic himmeli is very easy. Once you master that you can make even the most elaborate mobile by making each piece separately and then tying together.

1. Use your handy pipe cutter to cut your pieces. For one himmeli (as shown in chart), you will need 12 pieces of tubing. You can make all 12 pieces the same size, or play around with the proportions. I chose to have the top pieces of mine be shorter than the bottom. The sizes/amounts I used for the large himmeli in my mobile were six 3" pieces for the top, and three 6" pieces for the bottom. The small himmeli included six 2" pieces and three 4" pieces. I had just enough with the amount of tubing I bought.

2. Make a himmeli base. Cut a length of thread about two feet long. Thread your needle and string four pieces of tubing on your thread, almost to the end of your thread. You will have the push the needle through a bit. Tapping the piping on a hard surface can also help bring the needle to the bottom. Once you've added four pieces of tubing, tie a double knot at the top, using the end of thread you left out and the working thread with your needle.

3. Add more sides. Add two more pieces of tubing to your working thread and tie to the bottom of your himmeli to secure. I stopped here as I only wanted three sides to mine, but you can add two more pieces of tubing and tie thread to the top to make four sides (as shown above). Remove your needle and trim all threads.

4. Connect the sides. Thread a new piece of thread, about a foot long, with your needle and tie on one of the sides where the two pieces of tubing meet. String one piece of tubing in between the two sides and tie to the next side in the same spot. Continue until all sides are connected. Trim all threads.

5. Repeat as many times as you want and then tie all of your himmeli together to make a mobile! I cut an extra long piece of thread and tied it to the top of my mobile to hang it from the ceiling.

I only had the time and materials to make a simple shape, but can't wait to make more in the future! I think a mobile would make a great baby or housewarming gift for the modern family, don't you?

Venturing out.

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 05:12:00 +0000

Today, after a long winter, we ventured out. We are good at casually exploring. We love to load up the car, grab a treat, and spend the day going here and there. Wherever life leads. Unless we have newborn babies, or too many puddles and grey days, that is.

It seems that we may have finally adjusted to our new normal. Today our family felt like our family again. We were spontaneous and it all worked out. We found ourselves walking around Greenlake and admiring this very green city of ours. The wind was cold, but we didn't mind. The rain even held off until we climbed back in the car.

Now, on to the next!

10/52

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 04:02:00 +0000

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

Ellie: Big world, brave girl.

Addie: My sleepy time gal.

Jack: Almost seven months. Seven (!).

Lucky Clover Pin

noreply@blogger.com (Randi) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 05:51:00 +0000

Last year I made table numbers with a glue gun and a humble bag of dried moss, and then I pretty much forgot about the stuff. I ran across it in the craft store this last week and it was practically screaming "St. Patrick's Day!" at me. So, today we applied the same technique and made some fun, mossy, good-luck pins.

All you need is a bag of dried moss, a wooden disc, a pen or pencil, a metal pin fastener and a glue gun.

1. Fire up you glue gun and let it get hot. Meanwhile, freehand a little four leaf clover on your wooden disc. No need to be perfect, you can always round out your design with a little moss.

2. Working in small sections, dab a bit of glue on to your clover and stick a tiny piece of moss on top. Keep working until you've covered the whole shape. Trim any excess moss as needed.

3. Turn disc over and glue pin fastener to the back.

4. Treat yourself to the seasonal delight known as the Shamrock shake.

Or, just do a bit of showing off.