little citizens of the world

winter days

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 03:33:00 +0000

i don't exactly dread winter but, winter without snow is kind of hard to handle. making it all the way to 2012 without any real snow this winter as something. now we are all about the frozen noses and rosy cheeks.

i had some great helpers to clear the driveway. our neighbor has fired up his snowblower 3x this year....just to make sure that when this day came he would be ready!! i on the other hand was so grateful for the gifts of wheelbarrows from gramma and grampa. i loaded and they hauled and dumped.

of course, they tried the snow all crisp and clean and fresh.

and, when the cold became too much we retreated to a nice cozy warm house and footie pjs. i really need to get a pair and i know daddy would swoon for a pair. we made snowflakes that sparkled with glitter because any and every project is better with glitter and scissors, and glue.

and, warm banana bread with dark chocolate chips. the recipe is from anne getty's easy green organic. it called for buttermilk, we substituted a little sour cream and milk. so yummy. next time i think i will make muffins though. it might just help me pace myself!

it is going to be a cold winter and i have lots of warm hearts and goofy, giggly people to share the times with.

fall farm visit....yes, visit.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 02:51:00 +0000

obviously i am a tad behind....to say the least. we had a wild end to the year 2011. we sold our home at the end of may, daddy accepted a new job at the end of june, we searched for 2 months for a new home, did the rig-a-ma-row closing documents for a month, moved to a brand new town, did some crazy settling in, celebrated a's 5th birthday, trick or treated, did a little more settling in (tried), celebrated h's 3rd birthday, thanksgiving, and a's first day of 4k, and started the rush of holiday cheer. i am exhausted, the kids are too! there is no easy way to settle in after all your stuff has been packed for a year in a pod and in storage. we also took some trips.....it is nice to enjoy a weekend at the farm. the kids miss it so.

that girl is crazy for horses. you know she is saving her pennies!

ta da! the reason we were so late hitting the road and getting back to the chaos we left behind.

rose colored glasses

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:54:00 +0000

seriously july is almost over! definite picture overload here but, we have done so much and i am conserving energy for the next round.

you can't forget a day at the beach when the sun starts to toast the earth. we made drip castles and hudson plowed the sand while ava splashed and dipped and dived.

you know he always has a tractor stashed somewhere!!

we even walked to the dam where the water rushes over and creates a waterfall and stream.

we also hit the fair on an oh so sweaty day. ava pedaled her hardest in the tractor pull and then decided to let the horses do the work for her.

of course, somehow....hudson found another little boy with a great big pile of tractors to play with inside one of the barns right next to the giant tractors on display outside and the calm cows lazily chewing and resting inside.

then we stopped at the city zoo and met the new wolves and got a cool drink inside the lion's mouth.

we even had the chance to catch a wooly.

ava has mastered the art of riding a bike!!!

we took a trip to a new town and had a picnic lunch in the park.

one day, i hope to get a nice picture of both kids together.

we visited the county zoo. the bears seem to always know how to strike a pose. even the robins got in on the deal by taking a splash in a rock puddle. i ended up bringing the lion and monkey back home with me. pure wildness at times!

seriously, i may just have to hire a professional photographer.

way cool!! i love the face paint.

and there you have it. in a nutshell. one full month. full of rose colored glasses as we have so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to.

we really do love that color pink in this family. what a blur.

black and blue but, pure genius

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 03:32:00 +0000

it took some convincing but, ava finally agreed to just getting ice cream and cones at the store instead of stopping at culver's for ice cream that would not even make it home at least without being half-eaten, dripped and spilled in the car.

then we were lucky enough to find black raspberries in the woods. tons of them with tons of thorns. check out the black and blue fingers can you tell they like to dig in and not really pick!

and, double score. ava is a genius. she wanted a pie crust. i was busy making dinner so i suggested a graham cracker. she smooshed berries over one side and we added a roasted marshmallow and wah lah! balck raspberry smores. sooo good!!!

the next morning, i found these two still in bed reading scooby, upside down....at first ava was confused about daphne being upside down:). so cute. so sweet. 5 minutes later.....

brotherly and sisterly love commenced with a brawl over baby. you wouldn't think that we had at least 10 or so in the house:)

crack me up.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 04:08:00 +0000

hilarious! how 2 kids can crack each other up without ever really saying anything.

yea! for gramps.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 03:27:00 +0000

i remember lots of times riding with dad now grampa in the tractors doing fieldwork. a and h get such a thrill from being apart of this as well. and, lucky them, the tractors now have air conditioning.

the joys of the boy and the girl

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 03:24:00 +0000

this feels pretty much like a 10 things i ((love)) even though it is now the end of monday but, we spent our weekend doing pretty much everything under the sun with some rain mixed in. this little boy caught a toad. would not even touch him for the first 10 minutes and then would not let him go. he was gentle and the toad survived, thank goodness. i really hope i don't find one in his pocket someday.

they had a nice playdate. and monday, dad caught 6 or 7 or 8 frogs in the little runoff pond in the pasture. just as my husband ventured out to the middle with his princess bucket the frogs all started singing. i wish i would have had a camera for that look of surprise.

ava loves to dress in dresses. i do too. she put on a dress that my gramma smocked and sewed for me so long ago. i am grateful to still have these pieces and a girl who freely enjoys them.

i am also grateful to have a boy who loves pink and john deere green. grampa is working on introducing other tractors as well.

i am grateful that i get to give my kids small joys.

and for a boy that totally loves tootsie rolls. can you tell not many made it home and really even in to the bag for that matter.

the weekend ended nice and cool and spent with friends for a 5th birthday. i am wiped-out as are the 2 munchkins.

we ((heart)) the farm

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 04:05:00 +0000

no doubt about it. i am a country girl turned city girl turned country girl again. it is hard to take the love of the land and animals and open spaces from a girl. there is just something about being able to walk out your door and spend time just taking it all in versus being bombarded by happenings all around. don't get me wrong....sometimes there is definitely too much going on here but, it is easier to turn off the distractions and take a breather once things settle down.

i love that my kids get to experience a little of this. no more cows to milk...which i am still sad about...about lots of animals to care for.

even daddy gets a little taste now and then. and a whiff of that fresh air.

saturday we went to the dairy breakfast.

ice cold milk.

and pancakes! yum. somehow they taste better here than at home. how??

this was the picture from our breakfast table.

of course, a wanted a horse tattoo. her biggest requests are for a horse and phone for her 5th birthday. ummm.

the rooster made sure we knew the sun was up as does the one in our barn. that animal loves to chase me and my dad finally got me to chase him back and, well...i am not quite as afraid anymore!

grampa's little man.

here's a link to last year's breakfast. dairy breakfast 2010

it is nice to have grand adventures in our own yard. what do you like to do with your kids around your home?

junebug loves

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 04:06:00 +0000

my loves, summer has officially started. the sun is so intense and the water still so cool. we have already indulged in our fair share of popsicles and the ultimate squirters have arrived.

you really don't want to mess with this dude.

or this chick.

i say just keep the popsicles coming. why mess with any of those smiles. and, hey, 2 out of 4 are looking. not bad.

i have also already done my fair share of setting up and blowing up toys. i may just have to complain when i catch my breath. the trampoline is up and the pool is up. how children can stand freezing water is beyond me and when we as adults start the whine of 'no it's too cold' is something to wonder about as well.

i'll dip my toes in this any day though.

so relaxing and the kids are actually working together. could it be that their backs are to one another??? nahhhh. i prefer the teamwork scenario.

we've even caught a few waves. phew. my heart is overwhelmed with everything beautiful and everything wonderful that my kids and i get to experience.

have a bubbletastic weekend!

she passed!

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 05:00:00 +0000

my little girl....boo hoo boo hoo. she had passed preschool. before having kids, i always though i would not be ready to be the mum of a child in school and then i got pregnant and a arrived. i couldn't imagine anything sweeter in my life but, i also cannot believe how fast the years pass.

we made this adorable tote for a's teacher. she drew a picture of herself and yor teacher, mrs. craker and then together we stitched the image onto fabric and then stitched it onto denium and the upcycled bag from a fair. fyi...a is the bigger person!

a was so excited to share her classroom with her brother and h was so excited to actually touch the toys instead of eyeing them from the door.

he was never going to want to leave.

so proud!

truly, can you believe how cool this classroom is.

and, how cool this teacher is! thank you. thank you, for loving my child! you rock!

ready, set, dig

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Tue, 31 May 2011 03:07:00 +0000

finally!! we got the chance to dig in the garden. whew! dirt on our shoes, dirt in our shoes, dirt in our fingernails, dirt on our hands.... we did good and hopefully all that fresh air and sunshine will grant us a good night's rest.

this little man is never without a tool.

in go the sunflower seeds. we can't wait until they tower over us.

of course, we planted the usuals and some new finds that ava found at the garden center....sunflowers, cucumbers, peppers, pumpkins, watermelon, cantaloupe, heirloom tomatoes, squash, rosemary, fairy tale eggplant, parsley, beans.....yummy, i can't wait.

next time you head to the library, check out this book. grow it, cook it. simple gardening projects and delicious recipes. i have been hogging it for quite some time and i promise to return it soon!! and, check out this. how cool would that be!

what do you like to plant?

10 things i {{love}} sunday

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 23 May 2011 02:58:00 +0000

1. i could totally live in the backyard. my favorite flower is in bloom and the air is so sweet.

2. this little boy.

3. this little girl.

4. the fact that i know when things are too quiet something is up but, that my girl writing her name on random things is totally okay.

5. one dog in a field and one dog on a hill. there are wide open spaces all around us.

honestly, i am beaming with smiles. this world is so gorgeous and i have two precious littles and a hubby to share it with. they are my sunshine and rain. they keep me on my toes and filled to the brim with happiness and longings to make the most of each moment.

happy days!

it's a zoo in here.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 12 May 2011 02:03:00 +0000

it seems like we can totally relate to being the zookeeper from time to time. there are wild apes and lions running around all over the place.

the ears on ava crack me up.

so many things to see including the newest member "leo pold" the lion. mama and daddy are vey proud.

and tons of goofing around.

lots of pictures like this one as ava has a need to snap her own point of view.

she takes a really good picture. but, who do you think that blondie belongs to? hard to believe both paul and i had golden lockes at one time.

couldn't leave without a picture of ava as well.

a mini-vacay

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 03:58:00 +0000

sometimes it is nice to just get away. even for a night. even just a short drive away.just so you can flaunt your stuff somewhere else! forget the eating, this girl wanted to check in and hop in the giant tub. her only request from the moment we told her we were going to stay at daddy's work.

i could have easily just stayed in the room the entire night and day but, there was a waterpark to explore and a lazy river to do a ridiculous amount of laps around.....i could have gotten in a really good workout had we been going against the current!?!

there was also mini golfing to be had. it was a gorgeous day. perfect. no crowds really just us and the kids (when was the last time that happened?) with a little help from my caddy who scored a hole-in-one on the first hole!!! i also dropped one in one handed while holding not needed coats! beat that daddy! (watch out we can get very competitive)

even hudson had great form and control.

then back inside for a little more swimming. exhausting to say the least. and what was i thinking, i tried to stop at the store on my way home. i ended up carrying ava first while sleeping and pushing hudson in the cart and then putting ava back in when hudson fell asleep and was swaying all over the place. we should have just booked another night and all taken naps. then again, i probably would have been thoroughly exhausted the next day as well. and well, that is the way it is anyway!

good night.

oh no! ohhhh no!

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 02:52:00 +0000

it is official. there is mud everywhere and this little boy knows how to find it. i swear i only turned around for a second to answer ava and with his hands in his pockets this little man hit the floor! drama for a second, laughs all around.

did i forget to mention

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 04:41:00 +0000

just a few days ago. i was in shorts and scrambling to find sunscreen to slather on my babes. i had even washed the snowpants and piled them on the stack of things to be put away.....eventually....i totally thought i would have gotten to that before the need for them arised again! afterall, the calendar did say april.

what happened? we are completely blanketed in snow on april 19th.

old man winter should be tired by now.

so thankful for a warm cozy home.
i am off to bed. to dream of the summer days to come.

randomness of 2 kids

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:41:00 +0000

our weekend started out kind of girly. a and i made a tutu. visit vermillion rules if you would like detailed instructions. the only thing i did to help speed things up was to wrap my tulle around my cutting board and then snip the ends. voila! perfect strips ready for tying. http://vermillionrules.blogspot.com/2008/12/extremely-detailed-tutu-tutorial.html

don't you think this sweet pea is stylin'. somehow we have worn the halloween shirt more times than i can count in 2011. and love the purple smile from the 'purple mustache juice' that she constantly requests.

we also stitched up a new dress for dolly from an oliver and s pattern. get yours here. popover doll dress pattern

of course, our weekend would never be without the boy! all weekend he has had an obsession with this helmet. i love that he is safety first. there have been plenty of times where i thought about buying one of those baby helmets. sooo many cringe moments where you catch your breath and you think the worst and the moment passes and everyone is fine. whew!

i see you! he has also entered into another round of 'i do it'. maybe he hasn't even left this stage but, now daddy doesn't get to kiss him or me....'no, i kiss mommy' and he slathers the kisses on making sure that he gets both cheeks. poor daddy. he is still loved.

we finished our weekend braving and bracing against the wind for an Easter egg hunt. they actually allowed the kids 20 eggs!! not prepared at all to bring this kind of load home. our pockets were stuffed!

we even got to meet the Easter bunny. although a is sure it was not him because there was snow (april fool on us yet again!) and the bunny had on his summer brown coat and there were circles cut in his eyes! it was just not him!

hope you had a wonderful weekend as well.

pass the crayons...please

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 03:46:00 +0000

how we ever accumulated sooo many crayons, i may never know. how to shave and melt and make some disappear, that i know.

for this project all you need is an old pencil sharpener. it will get all gunkie so, you will probably want to keep it as a crayon only sharpener after this project.

some wax paper.

an iron.

some old crayons. if you have a hard time taking the paper off, soak the crayons in water, then peel the paper off and pat them dry with a paper towel.

ava did her share and then got busy cutting and pasting.

hudson loved mixing colors. for some reason he is a big fan of purple. he claims the purple towel after bath almost every night.

make sure you don't put too many sprinkles between your 2 pieces of wax paper. also, when you are ironing use a low setting and put some paper towels or a rag under and over so that the 'just in case' scenarios are covered. i can just imagine a future of ironing my husband's shirts only to find them tye-dyed with wax. arghhh!

after they are melted and cooled check out the cool swirls and colors you have created by putting them up to the window. we then created kites to hang in the window. next up decorating the tail with some 'bows'. we are going to attach bows labeled with things that the kids have learned. ava's first is the alphabet and hudson has been adding his colors.

have a glorious day!

send it soaring.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 04:27:00 +0000

an awesome day! some seriously beautiful weather. perfect winds for flying a kite, running, jumping, rolling down hills, and laughing 'til the cows came home. followed by some storms and a very quick ride home in a downpour on a rhino. whew!!!

blue skies all around.

even daddy was home to enjoy the day with us!! yea! hurray!

spring has sprung! there is mud to be found here and there and everywhere.

i am pretty sure that all of this white stuff is gone...cruel but wonderful april fool's trick. the snowman we rolled together was the only remaining snow the next day.

and, by the way. i celebrated my 30th!

word to the wise

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 02:18:00 +0000

be careful where you step. that's about all i can say. except. oww. oww. owwwwww. oww. oww.

my story......meet devin

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:45:00 +0000

a short intro about yourself….

My name is Devin Prather. I will be 25 this year in June. I come from a very supportive family that has always told me to follow my dreams and I am doing just that. I am married to my High school Sweetheart, my soul mate and the love of my life . We have been together for 9 years but have been Married for 4 years in April . My Husband is so supportive and loves helping me create and come up with new themes and ideas for my shop.
My husband and I are in the process of trying to adopt our first child.

We have an awesome dog named Lovie who is 6 years old.

What kind of house do you live in?
We live is cozy ranch style house in a small town. I've got my own working studio in the house now after a couple of years in our out building.

Do you like to spend time on decorating your home and the children’s rooms?
I love Decorating our house. I am currently working on a room for our future little one

Where do you look for interior inspiration, favorite magazines, websites, blogs?
I get a lot of inspiration from magazines but mostly etsy and seeing the creativity that floats around there.

What places in your neighborhood do you like to go to for shopping?
I love shopping everywhere and for everything . I probably visit Hobby Lobby for supplies at least 3 times a week.

How did you get started as a crafter?
I have been crafting all my life .When I was little I always remember my mom crafting . She would always let us help her work on what she was doing. If we would have an idea on a craft project she would be very supportive and teach us how to make the item. She always had little craft projects for us to do. Now, I returned the favor and helped her open an ETSY shop.

How did your hobby become a business?
It started with a greeting card. I started making greeting cards for friends and family and it took off. Someone asked me about party supplies and that was it. My inspiration was the parties my Mom used to plan for me as a little girl. My husband helped me create my business and was supportive in me leaving my job and going for it. It couldn't have worked out better.

Are you a crafter or DIY person? Crafter

How do you like to celebrate birthdays and other special days in your house?
I love having birthday bbqs and making decorations for the event. It's always a small family gathering but it has to be fun and theme has to go with that person's personality

What are favorite games in your home?
My husband and I love playing Disney scene it , clue, skipbo and any board games we use to play as kids

What are nice activities you can do with your family in your place ? My husband and I love taking days trips to local Restaurants like the ones you see on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives. We love trying new things and going to new places. We have found some really awesome spots .

What is your Favorite Movie? I have tons of Favorite movies. I love 80's Brat pack Movies like The Breakfast club , Pretty in Pink but I love Disney and Pixar movies. My Favorite movie from childhood and still is....... The Little Mermaid.

How do they prefer to spend their leisure time?
I love taking walks with my husband and being out side when the weather is nice. I love reading , painting and drawing in my spare time.

What was your favorite thing to do as a kid?
When I was kid my sister and I were always out side riding bikes , drawing with side walk chalk, having tea parties, Camping out in the backyard and Playing dress up

What do you do to refresh?
To refresh and relax I spend time with my family and make new memories

Are you a ‘cook’ or ‘food’ lover or are you the one answering the question “carry-out or delivery”?
I am a Food lover. I especially like to bake. I leave the big meals to my husband who loves to cook a large meal for the two of us.

What kind of place do you like to go to on vacation with and or without the children?
I am a Disney girl at heart. Disney World is definitely my Happy place. My husband and I went to Disney for our Honey moon and I can't wait to take our kids someday. Hopefully soon.

Where is the one place you would like to visit—vacation, tourist trap, off the beaten path—in the future? I would love to go to Paris and to see all the beautiful buildings , art museums and Try different kind of foods.

you can follow my blog at www.ExpressionsByDevin.Blogspot.com

my etsy address is DevinPrather.ETSY.com

you can also fan my shop on facebook @ www.facebook.com/expressionsbydevin

10 things i ((love)) sunday

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 04:08:00 +0000

gimme some sugar, baby!

it is soon to be easter!! gotta love reese's peanut butter eggs and rainbow jelly beans and the little gum that comes in a tiny egg carton.....do you remember those? here are some of my favorite easter basket finds mostly of the noncandy type because, well, that would be too easy to pick favorites or too hard to narrow down the choices.

1. things in stuff catapult how much fun would you have in your yard with this?
2. imagination kids bunny family
3. ahmelie vintage sweetness handbag clutch
4. bit of whimsy prims doll dress pattern clothes for the kids?? not so cool to the littles always but for baby. cool.
5. mahalo wolf mask we are all about pretend play here
6. while searching for a picture of reese's, i came accross this recipe...reese's peanut butter bars. yum! go check out designs by gollum's blog.
7. stay awake princess and her knight finger puppets
8. lilian eve designs sweet nella hair bow
9. those great house women i spy stegosaurus bag quiet way to keep busy
10. dreamspun kids extra large playsilks

books also top my list of things to add to the basket and silly putty or playdough. what kind of ideas do you have?

and, don't forget to add a few of these!!! i am bound to find a few hidden by the rabbit.

happy st. patty's day.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:47:00 +0000

those sneaky little leprechauns were all over the place today. they left quite a mess in ava's room looking for gold and they left a note on her pillow.

we followed the treasure clues down the stairs where we found a trail of marshmallows. what a mouth full.

they sent us on quite a journey. here, there and everywhere. until.....ta da! gold! ava really enjoyed this. i am thinking we should do a few more treasure hunts. my two have really gotten into the whole pretend stage and love to act out any and every scene or what if.
to get the printable for the treasure hunt go to momtastic. i added a few clues just to make it a little more challenging because our shoes and mittens are stashed in the same place.

enjoy.

3.14 day

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 04:09:00 +0000

a little late on this post and a little out of season but, well there was some pie baking and eating to be done. no math in this house. and no worries. pie fixes everything. so have yourself a slice.

this is a favorite recipe and healthy:)....it contains pumpkins and nuts!! and sugar and goodness!

Mommy's Pumpkin Cheesecake Praline Pie

this recipe comes from Linda Hundt, owner of Sweetie-licious Bakery Cafe in DeWitt, Michigan. I clipped it from a newspaper article.

1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, frozen

Praline Pecans
3/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Filling
1 (8-ounce) package cream chheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 1/4 cups canned pure pumpkin
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange rind
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Grated nutmeg

To prepare pecans: place pecans, butter and brown sugar in a nonstick skillet. Cook over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and scrape onto aluminum foil to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare filling: combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar and vanilla, mixing until well blended. Blend in 1 egg. Pour into pastry crust. Combine pumpkin, half-and-half, all-purpose flour, remaining sugar, 2 slightly beaten eggs, pumpkin pie spice, cloves, orange rind, salt and cinnamon. Carefully pour pumpkin mixture into a spiral pattern over cream cheese mixture. (Pumpkin mixture will sink to the bottom.)

Bake 1 hour or until almost set in middle. Let cool. Sprinkle Praline Pecans over top of pie. Dust with grated nutmeg.
Serves 8.

happy pie day. what is your favorite pie to bake and eat?

one mom's world...meet lisa siebert

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 02:43:00 +0000

my name is lisa marie siebert. i will be 45 this may. i am married for 22 years to a very supportive husband {paul} that is also a creative...this helps me move forward in my business!

we have 3 children born in 3 different states.
morgan is 20 in august...born in chicago, ill...goes to xavier university in cincinnati ohio.
erica is 17 in april...born in grand rapids, mi...is a junior at catholic central high school.
troy is 14 in april...born in san francisco, ca...will be in high school next year...yikes!

we live in a 100+ year old cape cod style home 2 blocks from reeds lake in east grand rapids, michigan...we located here for the walking community...restaurants, shops, library, yacht club + walking trails around the lake yet we are less than 10 minutes from downtown grand rapids.

grand rapids is a perfect city to raise a family...we also have a cottage on beaver island...makes for the perfect summer! i love shopping at small one-of-a-kind retailers local to my area. if i shop at a big name store it is j crew, urban outfitters, anthropology and i love t shirts from american apparel!

i am happily beyond where i thought i would be...i always figured i would work for someone else ‘when i grew up’! i have been a stay-at-home-mom since the birth of morgan doing ‘hobbies’

on the side along the way...my latest, repurposed fiber arts, loop loft started in 2008 + grew into a business in 2009...perfect timing because before i know it paul + i will be feathering an ‘empty nest’

i am blessed with a medium sized home...4 tiny bedrooms + 2 full baths...but the best part is that i am able to have my very own super awesome studio space above our detached garage...i can be in the middle of a huge order, leave the mess, shut the door and walk 30 feet to my clean {usually}home!

our catholic elementary school had the best art teacher, until she retired last year...she did the most amazing projects with the kids...she had specific projects for each grade so i have wonderful ceramic doves from each of my kids from the 5 grade that i affixed into shadow box frames from target.

when we lived in california almost 10 years ago i turned our garage into a play/art room for the kids. i draped yards + yards of bright pink cotton fabric on the walls, put down sisal area rugs, added a giant chalk board, easel, and lots of pretend and dress up boxes...i also carved out a tiny niche for myself so that we could all hang out together doing our thing...it was the best time ever! the side door to the garage entered our enclosed yard and you could enter the kitchen from the yard...they could get a snack + ride a cozy coupe + paint all in one contained area. we needed that because our family of 4 + a newborn baby lived in a 900 sq ft home at the time! our bedroom was so small that when i needed to add the crib it would not fit so we came up with the idea of buying a really nice radio flyer wagon with the wooden sides, had a custom mattress made and i made custom bumpers and bedding and viola...troy's first bed :)

i LOVE reading blogs...especially party related blogs more than fashion or home blogs. i LOVE making desserts...i made the ‘cupcakes in a jar’

diy: cupcakes in a jar

for valentines day and i just saw a recipe for ‘cake suckers on a stick’ that i am going to try next...you would think i still have toddlers :) i go all out for birthdays...we dont buy our kids things whenever they want them...we pretty much save the wants for birthdays + christmas. i also decorate and make a cake or fun dessert + we go to their favorite restaurant...i used to do ‘birthday dresses’ or ‘birthday t-shirts’ and crowns..those days are long gone!

LOOP LOFT
repurposed fiber arts with a bit of whimsy

a sampling of the blog roll she follows:)
[ simple song ]
100 layer cake
hip hip hooray
oh happy day
oh joy!
desserts for breakfast
poppytalk
Bright.Bazaar
Wiley Valentine

Loop Loft is part of the PoppyTalk Handmade Market all of March!

links to looploft.....
Poppytalk Handmade
looploft.etsy.com
looploft
Yellow Door Art Market

looploft Facebook