Long Days

Long days filled with hiking, ice cream making, swinging, running around half naked (at least for the littles), picking wild flowers, long summer naps, late nights, star gazing, sun soaking, water playing, pizza grilling, thrift storing, and creating are hard to beat.  We had a wonderful and simple solstice celebration (sadly without the camera) and a nice short summer slumber and are now starting it all again today. How did you spend the longest day of the year?

{photo by Danny}

W.I.P. Wednesday

Man Bag

For my guy, who's always on the go, a sling-it-over-your-shoulder-and-go kind of bag. So far it's carried everything from the lap-top to sliding gloves.  The goal was to make it small enough that he can take it anywhere, be it, in the car or on the long board... but large enough to fit the computer and its gear.  It has no zippers, no real buckles (just a few optional snaps for security), and only a couple pockets.  I wanted it to be very simple and versatile... successes! The burlap coffee bag ended up being just the right choice for the outside, having a great casual and unique look to it... and you can't forget about the *durability*, excellent for this active stud that I am so in love with.  He told me a couple weeks ago, "I really like my new bag, it's perfect". "Perfect?!" that man sure knows how to make my day! 

Fun Finds Friday

Five Finger Shoes  

These may be my favorite shoes ever.  It took awhile to convince myself to get them... but now there is no going back.  Vibram knew what they're doing with these puppies!

Seeing Beauty

Appreciating where we are in life. 

W.I.P. Wednesday

"Wedding Dresses"

Finally, I'm back.  I actually have a lot of WIPs to share, but I'm going to save most of them for next week.  This week I want to dedicate to one of my favorite recent projects (though, to be fair, I say that about almost all of my projects).  I made both girls flower girl dresses for my father-in-law's wedding.  Sati likes to refer to hers as her wedding dress... I love it.

When the girls were asked to be in the wedding I was thinking that they were going to want some specific dress that would end up costing a lot and would, in all likelihood, never be warn again.  But as it turns out the only requests they had were that the dresses be white and they come barefoot (I'm currently dreaming of being barefoot on that beach again).  How perfect is white for a beach wedding?  And to have a whole flock of kids, 10 in all, show up in beautiful white get ups I couldn't resist making a project out of it.

I didn't have a pattern with either of the girls dresses and they took longer than I anticipated (doesn't that always happen?).  The tops are crocheted using a shell stitch in front and a single crochet in back.  With Sati's I used a slightly larger hook (because she's bigger and I was running out of time).  The skirts are made with a linen over and a muslin liner.  When I got them all stitched together I decided that they could use just a little something to brake up all that white. That's were the sea shells come in.  I love how that added just the right amount of casual beachiness to our sandcastle princesses.

Here's a few pictures from the wedding: 

{W.I.P. (Work In Progress) Wednesday is a fun and stress-free opportunity for you to share whatever your crafty little self is working on with the rest of the blogging community. You are invited to showcase a project you’re beginning, working on, or maybe even finished with. There is no skill or talent-level requirement and you can share anything in any medium! ~ Musings from the Fish Bowl}

Spring?

This picture was taken last april by my husband... I had the same view yesterday when I woke up.  Will summer ever come?

May Haze

These last weeks have been spent in the company of truly lovely people, some of the very best friends any one can have.  My socks were blessed right off my feet, and I now feel I have the stamina to continue down this long and winding road, called life.  

We left the house, the bunny, and the seedlings (in the very capable hands of my parents) three weeks ago to go spend some time getting reacquainted with those we love in and around Ensenada, BC, MX.  Oh how we love it there.  I nearly stayed (or that's what I'd like to tell myself), but after two weeks with our dear friends we broke down our preverbal tent and headed up to Ventura, CA, US to help celebrate with my father-in-law and is beautiful (and oh so amazing) new bride as they promised their lives to each other. Oh what a glorious trip!

In all that excitement and relaxation I let the blog slip by the waist-side (and other things as well).  I have a few finished and unfinished WIPs that need to be photographed and shared and some new finds that I'm sure you'll all love, but that's for another day.  Right now I'll just give you a glimpse of our May.

"Camping" (at a water park) with the Pfingstons.

The baby turned 1... can you believe it?

Our special treat from Dan and Lonnie's scuba trip... yes, I'm completely spoiled!

Beautiful Mexico

Happy couple 

The Groom and his Grand-girls