madelaine

May I introduce Madelaine. She is standing guard in our family room, and I just can't take my eyes off her. I have wanted a vintage dress form for ages. Not that I actually sew clothes that often anymore, but I love the dress form's shape and life size presence. I spotted Madelaine on ebay and fell in love. Not only did she look flawless and had all parts intact, but she was made the year I was born! After some intense bidding, possibly involving a little too much money, she became mine.

I think she is even more gracious in person. The linen covered bodice is slightly worn in places, but that only adds to her charm. I wish she could tell me her story. Where has she been? What beautiful clothes was created with her help? There are traces of threads and fabric stuck in her iron wheels, so I know she has been used for real.

Her measurements are 35, 29, 38, and while our chest circumference is almost identical, I am sad to report that my waist and hip measurements are a few inches larger. I look at her and realize that since she has the figure I wish for, she may be the motivation I need to get back into shape.

to dos

My friend Mike doesn't do to-do lists. He is convinced that his former obsession with list making was one of the reasons his first marriage failed. My lovely husband keeps a long list of chores and projects on the computer, adding and deleting things as they come up or get done. He is perfectly content with his system.

I am always in to-do-list limbo. I am compelled to jot things down as I think of them, but these notes are scattered all over the house. If I am lucky enough to find them I will consolidate them into one list. Sometimes they get organized under random heading such as URGENT, BY MONDAY, LATER. But honestly, once a list is complete I rarely go back to check it. The longer the list, the more stress it induces. I don't like stress. Therefore I still keep my most pressing to-dos filed away in my brain, panic is never far away...

What is your relationship with to-do-lists? Do you add a recently completed task to the list, just to be able to cross it off? Do you use color codes? How do you organize your life? I would love some guidance and constructive advice on how to not let task lists overtake my life.

Check out my line drying post on the garden blog. I am in love with my clothes line and want to share that love with everyone. A special thanks to Jessica, who wrote so sweetly about inleaf and my work on her blog yesterday.

spoonflower

I am working on an art quilt, that requires a large image of the Queen Ann's lace seedpod. Rather than going through the expense of creating a screen for the printing, I had the fabric done through spoonflower, an online digital custom fabric printer. I choose their new organic cotton sateen as a base, and in a few easy steps I uploaded my image, sized it, chose my colors, and picked a repeat pattern that worked for the large format. I am thrilled with the result and the possibilities this printing method brings. Next I think I will design a small scale pattern that I can use for purse linings. I can also imagine additional large leaf images, and practical things like custom fabric labels. The options are endless, and the spoonflower site is easy to use even for non computer savvy customers. The prices range from $18 - $32 per yard, and they currently have three different base fabrics to choose from. They also have an inspirational and informative blog, weekly fabric contests, and an etsy store where a selection of their customers' fabrics are available for sale.

Thank you for the nice comments I received on my last two posts. I truly appreciate your encouragement and kindness. I have some belated thanks to pass along. Thank you Alysia of blue hour design for featuring my apron on your blog. Alysia is a talented jewelry designer, make sure to check out her etsy shop. Merci beaucoup Nat for your post about inleaf and my work! Last but not least thanks to Hayley of Ruby Wren Boutique, who used my queen ann's lace pillow as a starting point for her colour scheme finds post.

blogging reflections take two

My pondering about blogging continues. Right after my last post I learned that my friend Leah Hennen is discontinuing her blog More Ways to Waste Time. She will leave many sad souls behind. Leah is a stylish decorator, and expert ebay treasure hunter, and she has compiled the most amazing list of galleries, stores, and museums to visit, mainly on the west coast, but also online and abroad. Leah you and your stories will be missed.

This past weekend our local paper ran an associated press story about blogging, focusing on Julie Powell's writings about cooking her way through Julia Child's recipes in Mastering the art of French cooking. Her blog led to two books and now a movie Julie & Julia. The article discusses what a makes a blog successful and how success is measured. Of course this varies from blogger to blogger, for some it is number of visits, for others the amount of comments, and sometimes it is all about self expression. The key still seems to be passion for the topic you write about. If your heart is there it will resonate with others.

While visiting miss Molly's blog, I learned about the nie nie dialogues, written by Stephanie Nielsen. Almost a year ago she and her husband Christian, was in a plane crash that nearly took their lives. Stephanie was a devoted blogger before the accident, and now continues to share her thoughts about her burn injury recovery, her adorable children, her love for her husband, and living a life that is no longer what it used to be. Her writing is warm, funny, engaging, heart wrenching, and very inspirational. This is blogging in its most powerful way. I encourage you to visit the nie nie dialogues, and to support the Nielsen family in any way you can.

It is time to put my blogging anxieties to rest. I truly love what I do, and my life is rich and fulfilled in so many ways. With that in mind I will follow my heart and continue my musings about work, life, nature, creative people, and all the beauty that surround us.

blogging blues

Why? How interesting is it really for others to learn about my likes, dislikes, work tidbits, and habits? Is the world always as beautiful and perfect as I want it to appear in my blog? Is it just self promoting hoopla?

The meaning of blogging is a huge subject and I know that there are no simple answers. After a year plus of doing this I still feel like I am struggling to find my voice and purpose. I wish that blogging was more effortless. I always labor with my writing, even when I know what I want to say. I feel stressed if I don't post often enough, and even more stressed when I can't keep up with the many blogs that I love to read. The pressure is of course internal, nobody ever leaves comments like "nice blog, but you should post more often..."

Despite the difficulties I know I am hooked. Blogging has brought me tremendous joy and connected me with the most wonderful people. I can't imagine not blogging. But I want to do it better and differently, in a way that is truly mine and not just mimicking something else.

I will snap out of my blogging doldrums, do some thinking, and figure out which path to take. In the meantime I want to celebrate a few of my favorite blogger friends, all of them have a clear voice of their own. Visits to their blogs always makes my heart sing.

misty mawn, periwinklebloom, quaint handmade, lou & tom, lovely design, and a little house in the clouds.

bundles of joy

I am a sucker for vintage fabrics. Remnants (or even better yardage) of cotton prints from the 50's or the 60's makes me weak in the knees. I spend lots of time tracking these treasures down, and sometimes end up in an online bidding war that forces me to pay way to much for a piece of orange floral print. By now I have stacks piled up in my studio, but there is always room for more...

When my friend Jenny Mitchell of Frecklewonder started offering some of her fabric remnants in her shop I knew I was in luck. I love these prints. They are delightful and whimsical, just waiting to line a purse or partake in my next quilting project.

Jenny's store is a treasure trove for many other things as well. She specializes in vintage clothing, shoes, household items, and children's books, mixed up with some of her own hand crafted work. Her Frecklewonder blog was my inspiration when I first started blogging. She is a skilled photographer and writes about children, work, and daily activities with a great sense of humor and life affirming spunk. To top it all off, her equally wonderful husband Matt is my web guru, who has helped me with my website for ages and never tires of my silly questions about order reports, RedCloth, and slices.

Here are a few of the items currently in the Frecklewonder shop. If you see something you like, hurry over because these finds never last very long.

world book, $10

little brown deer, $18.50

orange haymaker dress, $40

royal clutch, $12.50

jack tar jumper, $15.50

oxblood oxfords, $12.50

happily home

We have returned. Four weeks away seemed like no time at all despite being filled with family fun, explorations, food discoveries, walks, and other adventures. I am glad to be back in Charlottesville, reunited with my lovely husband, who could only join us for part of the trip, and Freja the dog, who seems confused and slightly depressed without her companion.

I am also eager to start work again, my mind and my sketchbook are filled with ideas. I look forward to settling in to my creative routines, exploring new prints, and delving into embroidery, my newfound passion. The etsy shop is up and running and the inleaf site will follow shortly.

I'll leave you with some more Scandinavian goodies.

Small boat harbor and traditional street houses in Roskilde.

Birthday lunch with my mom in Malmö.

Overnight trip with the boys to Copenhagen.

Viking ship museum in Roskilde.

Anemones and wild strawberries in my moms garden.

Österlen

This week, my mom and I traveled by car to Österlen, the southern most part of Sweden, known for its rolling landscape, small farms, artist studios, and gourmet food. It was nice for the two of us to spend a whole day together, with no set schedule or distractions. First stop was Skåne Tranås where we discovered the gourmet chocolate maker Österlenchoklad and Ann-Louise Månsson's beautiful felted wool creations called tovade ting. Next we continued to kaos, an artisan group in Södra Mellby. Lunch followed at Buhre's Fisk located by the water's edge in Kivik harbor. We stopped at Gröna Butiken in Orelund to stock up on organic veggies and fresh berries, before continuing along the cost to Simrishamn where I was born, many years ago. We finished up with a visit to Apotekarns Trädgård, a garden with an almost tropical climate located in the center of town. A perfect ending to a perfect day!

sunshine and sorrow

Our Sweden vacation continues. We have returned to Malmö, where my mom and sisters live. The boys enjoy sleep-in mornings and days filled with play, beach visits and no commitments. I relish having time for true conversations, long evening meals, and endless card games with my nephews. We've been to a Swedish premier league soccer game, a youth track meet, many neat museums, restaurants, and stores...

But sadness lingers amidst our joyful activities. Kajsa, one of our dogs has died while we were away. She was sick with a fever when we left, and despite loving care from our veterinarian, house sitter, and friends, she continued to get worse. When her liver stopped working we decided to put her down, a difficult step to take in any circumstance and heart wrenching when you are thousands of miles away. Kajsa was an amazing, intelligent, and loving dog. She was worried and fearful (especially of hot air balloons and thunder) but extraordinarily devoted, loyal, and trusting. And she knew how to smile. I'll miss her.

swedish delights

Great design, art, and functionality are embedded in Swedish society. It is evident whether you visit a public park, a local restaurant, or someones home. While I am visiting I want to introduce a few of my favorite Swedish artists and designers, starting with Signe Persson-Melin a fantastic ceramist, and designer. Now in her eighties, she is still active in her studio in my family's hometown Malmö. Most recently she has a designed a series of beautiful garden pots and birdbaths in collaboration with Byarums Bruk. Throughout her long career she has created an array of alluring objects, from glass storage containers and rustic tea pots, to silverware and altar decorations. Signe Persson-Melin's work is on display at Kulturen in Lund until August 16, if you are in the neighborhood...

G.A.D is a swedish design company founded and based on the island Gotland, east of the Swedish mainland. G.A.D is renowned for their high quality furniture and use of native woods and natural materials. I love the simplicity, clean lines, and muted colors. Too bad most of their goods are too large for my suitcases...