In the last two weeks or so I have been the very lucky recipient of some wonderful inspiration. I mentioned children’s book author Dallas Clayton on my Facebook Page. Then just yesterday, I decided to have a looksee at the Kickstarter website to see what might be going on for projects there in the world of publishing. I came across an artist by the name of Ashmae who wrote and illustrated her own children’s book called The Lost Party. It looks so incredibly delish. I fell instantly in love with her animal illustrations, and what a sweet and intelligible little story to boot. Ashmae reached her funding goal after only ten days. I am so excited for her! I am also in awe of her because she has a 2 year old and a baby on the way. I am a stay at home Mom of a 3 year old and a 4 month old and so very rarely do I have time to even trim my toenails. Or eat. But Ashmae did it. She made time in all the nooks and cranies of the day that she could find and, I don’t know how long it took her, but I’m giving myself the rest of my life. Hey, at least I will be happily creating the whole time (isn’t the journey the goal!) even if it’s only 5 minutes a day, and then who knows, maybe my book will be ready much sooner than a lifetime. I’m betting it will! My daughter said to me yesterday while she was painting that I should come and work on my own paintings beside her. I think I’m going to take her up on that idea.

I’ve written many stories but I’ve finally written (and completed) one that I wish to fly with. It is a delightful little children’s story about accepting yourself (and other’s) as you are and embracing and even celebrating your eccentricities and non-conformities. I wrote this story as I seem to write all of my stories, on a whim. It flew out of me rather feverishly, the words spreading across the paper like wildfire as though I was merely a vehicle to bringing it into existence, all in the matter of a good hour. I put the story aside for a good many months, thinking that a story written in one short hour simply cannot be good enough, and focused my attention on my family when one day I was reminded of it again. It was interesting to read it after so long and to discover that I still really like it. I keep thinking about how I will illustrate it, because the illustrations will complete the book. They will make the book come together. They will provide visual clues necessary to the reader that are not totally apparent by the written words alone. This book will make your child think. It will also give your child (and hopefully you) a good laugh. My biggest hope is that it will make you both unafraid to be the best and truest versions of yourselves, ever. No matter what anyone else thinks.

I am reminded of the wonderful story of Le Petit Prince, how it reminds adults of the importance of keeping and nurturing the wonder and imagination of childhood. And what parent doesn’t hope and wish and strive for their children to spread their wings and fly? I love books that encourage this in our children, so it makes sense that I would be drawn to writing and illustrating for children with these ideas in the forefront.

So here I go! Wish me luck. No, wish that my children sleep at regular intervals. That would be cool.

Mmm chocolate birthday cake with cream cheese icing. I was up early early preparing this cake and just as I was feeling discouraged for having decided to make it over buying cupcakes (for lack of time and wanting a peaceful day) Lulu pipes up with, Thanks for making me a birthday cake, Mommy. Gosh my girl really tugs on my heart strings! You make it all worth it, my love.

I made some “birthday candle” play dough for the kids to take home. 3 birthday candles for a special 3rd birthday! If your child received one of these mason jars, I apologize if the turquoise candle is a bit sticky. For some reason that colour didn’t come out quite as well as the others. You can just chuck it and tell them the dog ate it. Or the neighbour’s dog if you don’t have one.

I’m always disappointed at how I don’t get many photos of these special days. But then, I have great memories of chatting with each and every person at the party and really seeing Lulu enjoy herself rather than from behind a lens. So it’s all good. Thanks to everyone who came out. We are surrounded by a really lovely community of people. I am so grateful for that. And Lulu has the most wonderful family and friends a kid could ask for. What a great day!

 

I knew I wanted to make a post about her day, not knowing how it was all going to unfold, but little did I know the fantastic and touching little story it was to be. Birthdays are not supposed to be about the presents, right. But sometimes they are about the presents too, a little. First thing after we all got up, Lulu opened her guitar, a ukulele and seemed kind of blase about it, then kind of cried and seemed really down. Didn’t want to go out etc etc. We thought breakfast out as a family and then a trip to the cupcake shop would be fun but she didn’t want to go. She soon changed her mind and off we went. I was a little sad at first seeing her in that mood, but Luke reminded me later that most little kids have a hard time on their birthday’s and that Lulu has been anticipating this day for MONTHS, literally. And then I was thinking you know, she’s only 3, and has no idea what it really means. Luke said if she doesn’t have a tantrum at her party on Sunday, he will be surprised. It would be the more natural thing to happen, for most 3 year old’s. I like that truth, because it also takes a lot of pressure off. Who cares if she has a tantrum at the party! She won’t be the first. And we’ll all survive. It’s my party and I’ll cry if i want to, wasn’t written for nothin, you know!

So yeah, off we went. She was very grumpy at first and, in the restaurant, refused to take off her coat or even her hood, looked sad and maybe even a little angry. Soon she started to brighten and stayed that way the rest of the day. It was like she needed a little time to process this whole birthday thing, all this fuss over her and her day etc and, once she wrapped her sweet little brain around it, there was this calm. And then this sunshine that just poured right out of her, literally like rays beaming straight into our hearts. We had a great time at breakfast, then she had a cupcake and then home for nap. Right before nap i handed her something, a small “Nemo” fish, a fishing guy, and “Nemo’s Dad,” all of whom had gotten lost from a previous collection she had. She was devastated at losing Nemo and for months has been trying to find him. Yeah, Finding Nemo, if you can believe it! Just like the movie. We never did find him, so i bought him again, and the others, and she was just floored to see them sitting in her hand looking up at her. She was so happy! She must have thanked me 20 times today for them. “Thank you for getting me a new Nemo, Mommy” over and over again. She played with them all day, brought them in her bath with her, made up stories about them…..

Luke also told me that when i was up with Levi getting him down for a nap, Lulu thanked him for the guitar and said she really, really likes it. Really out of the blue, which goes to show that kids really don’t need prodding to say thank you. They will in their own time. I really love that. I think they need time to digest sometimes, because big days like this can be overwhelming, especially for Lulu who really is a sensitive little girl. Later on she told me that she was really happy to have a guitar just like Daddy’s, and once again said thank you.

After she awoke from her nap, she came downstairs, bypassed an enormous gift bag on the coffee table in the living room which she could see even coming down the stairs, and went straight to get her Nemo from the dining room and the rest of her coral reef gang who, by the way, had been happily reunited with the rest of the collection. She brought them into the living room and asked, who’s the big present for, Mommy? She was truly surprised to discover that it was for her. “Oh,” she said. We had gotten her a fold and go wooden castle with little wooden characters, a couple of wooden horses and some furniture. She didn’t say much at first, but the rest of the day was all about the drawbridge and the secret door and she somehow incorporated all of her fish to go along with the characters in various scenes and stories she made up. I’ve never seen her attention be so in tuned to any one toy before. Except for maybe her Madeline blocks– small wooden blocks that can be stacked or made into various picture puzzles– which Luke bought for $2 at our local thrift shop. After Lulu’s bath it was getting late and she asked to have some more time to play with her castle. I said sure, 5 minutes and then up to bed, okay? She agreed and I went into the kitchen to prepare her little bedtime snack which we take up to bed. 5 minutes later she was beside me declaring herself ready for bed. What? No power struggle about wanting to play for even longer? No power struggle over bedtime? No. In fact, she had put all of her characters to bed in the castle and closed it up for the night. They are fast asleep, she said. And now it was her turn.

And once again, the over and over again thank you’s came out of the blue in the sweetest of sweet moments. You see, it’s not about the presents, but it is. It’s about the true and utter gratefulness. My daughter astounds me. I know, every parent feels this for their own children, right? So, maybe blah blah blah. But what gets me is wow, my now 3 year old daughter teaches me more about myself than I ever knew before. She brings me right down to my knees in how she teaches me to take a step back, close my mouth and listen, and trust in her.

In bed after book time and just before lights out, she asked if she could bring her Nemo out to her Music and Movement class tomorrow so long as she keeps him safe in her coat pocket. The me yesterday would have said, I don’t know Lulu, he might get lost again because he’s so small so maybe he should be an “at home” toy. But I knew in that moment that I could trust that it wasn’t necessary to say that, that I could trust that she could handle the responsibility of keeping him safe and sound in her pocket just as she said she would. And if he does get lost, well, he gets lost. But I know he won’t. I know he’s in good hands.

Good night, Lulu my love. Happy birthday! Thank you for being such a light in my life. Thank you for giving me 3 years of love and for being so utterly patient with the learning (at times, faltering) Mommy that I am. You are a gift.

Nothing like a wagon ride, cappubabychino in hand. Especially when it’s to pick up Christmas parcels from the post office.

And a surprise balloon in the colour of your choice. Ribbons, too! A nice thing to put a smile on her face when we’ve been sick all month, and continue to be.

Levi is all about checking things out these days.

While Lulu is all about instruments and parades. The girl plays a mean harmonica, you know.

And she’s not so bad on the cardboard guitar, either.

Okay, I keep meaning to post my recipes here. Well, they’re more like my “adaptations.” I basically choose a recipe that looks good to me and then I substitute, substitute, substitute. And then I leave things out and I shake things up a bit. So here’s my adaptation recipe for Quinoa Flax Pancakes…

Almost 1 cup Quinoa Flour
Fill the rest of the cup up with ground Flax
1/2 t Baking Powder
1/2 t Baking Soda
1/8 t Salt
1/2 t Cinnamon
1 T Pure Maple Syrup
1/2 t Pure Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Cup Milk (Cow’s/Almond/Soy/Rice…)
Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients separately and then combine.
Eat. Yum. Okay, but cook them first and top with fruit of choice and pure maple syrup.

More recipes to come!

 

I know, the holidays. For us, Christmas, and then Lulu’s birthday in January. A very special time of year. I seem to get really, um, excitable, almost frenetic, and I want to craft galore. It’s like I’m nesting and I’m not even pregnant. Maybe this is another kind of nesting. The kind that comes with having a newborn in the house, and all that sleepy-vibe inducing oxytocin, and that wannabe bear instinct to hibernate all winter long. So, I’ve been making stuff, like candy cane playdough for Lulu’s little friends for Christmas, and upcycling an old cupboard into a play market stall for Lulu and Levi, and Christmas cards and snowflakes, all of which can easily be worked on while the kids are up and about because Lulu loves to be involved and Levi loves to watch. Sometimes.

Then there’s all the cooking and baking. My husband is a great cook, and I enjoy baking (and cooking but he’s the real deal) and Lulu is loving to help these days, so the house is constantly filled with some kind of yummy, cozy inducing aroma.

Aren’t they too cute? And then there’s the fact that Lulu has taken up the harmonica, and she’s really good at it, and she get’s right into it with these full body grooves as she plays it. The other night over dinner we listened to Bob Dylan and she was playing her harmonica right along with him. Then Luke asked her to listen to the music and how Bob Dylan plays, and she did, and she was very focused on it, and doggonit, if she didn’t pick up a thing or two! The girl has got it goin on! Luke played for her too, so maybe she picked up a couple of tricks from him to boot.

And then there’s those cold days when we ride the rocket, watching the snowflakes flutter around outside the windows while being all cozied up in our coats, baby in tow.

Plus, I just wanted to add a photo of me and my kids, since those are so very rare! I’m always the one manning the camera, you know. And I’m generally not one for having my picture taken either. I am trying to get over that, so that when my kids are older they don’t wonder where I was. I am here all.the.time! Except for sometimes, when I am home with Levi, and Luke is out with Lulu. Like yesterday when Luke put Lulu on skates for the first time. She didn’t like it so much, which is kind of to be expected at first, and hopefully I’ll be there next time when she warms up more to the idea!

I hope you are enjoying these wintery holiday days! I think the only thing that can make them even better is a good onslaught of snow. C’mon, old man winter! Bringer on! We have a snow family to make.

RIP Ravi Shankar. We love you.

All i can say is life with two kiddos in our newly established family of four is SWEET. Our family now feels complete, and there is a big feeling of peace that comes with knowing that. Lulu is a wonderful big sister, so helpful and sweet to Levi. And she brags to everyone about her little bro. Cutest thing ever.

I won’t lie. It’s hard at times. But that’s the good thing about having a difficult pregnancy. Everything feels easier afterward!

Levi will be 3 weeks old tomorrow. How is that even possible? He’s still only 1 day old to me.

 

Levi was only 5 days overdue, but because his older sister was a few days early and my baby belly with Levi was quite big, we totally expected him to be early too, which made the overdue waiting days that much more excruciating. I had due dates of September 17, September 20, September 22 and 23, so basically we started expecting him a week before September 17. He arrived on the 27th.

On that fine Thursday afternoon, I took a gravol as per midwifes request to get in a good nap as i had insomnia all week, and part of the week before. I took Lulu up for her nap and thought the gravol would put me to sleep with her. It didn’t, and i was ever so uncomfortable, so i got up. A couple of hours later, at 5 pm, my husband Luke was about to leave for work, and my girlfriend/sister in law was outside parking her car, on her way in with her kids for a visit with Lulu and i. I had actually convinced myself that I would never go into labour despite the fact that i was 3 cm dilated, cervix soft and thinned, mucus plug lost, bloody show, bulging waters, the whole deal meaning my body was gearing up. So, i invited them over thinking the company would be nice and Lulu could really use some cousin time. But right then, while sitting in the window with Luke about to kiss me good-bye for the evening, no word of a lie, i had my first real contraction. Somebody was looking out for me! I asked him to wait because I thought it might be the real thing. Then i had another just 10 minutes later, and then another, and then more started coming very soon after that at 4 minutes apart. Now i had a house full of kids running around having some screaming good fun, and my friend/sil, and what timing of that first contraction because Luke was able to know, and call in to work, and most importantly, STAY.

You might think having all these people in my home while having these quick and intense contractions would be horribly distracting, but i was loving it. I was LOVING it. I kept marveling to myself just how much i loved my labour so far, how perfectly wonderful it was, despite the pain. My contractions were hard and fast, but i had breaks in between them (I had back labour with Lulu and no breaks in between contractions, so this was luxury to me!) and i was managing them well with deep breathing/humming and leaning over the couch or the pilates ball. Once after a contraction, i looked up and found my 8 year old nephew hovering over me, watching with such interest. He declared he must see his baby cousin “come out”. I was like, ohhhh, hiiii. I thought it was cute. My husband was busying himself getting the birth pool filled and my midwives were on their way over. Did i mention we had planned our second home birth?

Eventually Luke decided for everyone that it was best that the kid entourage go for play time at my friends/sil’s place, and Lulu would spend the night, her first ever sleepover. I could hear my 8 year old nephew almost in tears that he would not be able to see the baby come out. Poor guy. I think he would thank his lucky stars that he was whisked away at just the right time, because boy did things get intense fast. And boy did I vocalize! Thank God my husband made this decision because I was almost ready to let everyone stick around!

I got into the birthing pool soon after my midwives arrived and everyone but Luke had left. The lights were dim and peaceful and the water felt great. One of my midwives checked me then and I was 5 cm. Contractions were getting more and more painful, but I was still managing them relatively well. I was getting a taste though, of the fury that was about to envelop me. At 7 cm, they asked me if I would like them to break my water, that contractions would probably become faster and more painful but that I would also get to 10 cm quickly. I decided to go for it despite the fact that I was seriously frightened. I just wanted my baby OUT.

One thing that hadn’t occurred to me was if there was meconium in my waters, I would have to be transported to hospital while having crazy contractions, and man, I don’t think I could have handled that. Can you imagine? Being strapped down on a stretcher in a moving vehicle while in transition? I was lucky. No meconium.

Things started getting WAY more intense and painful. I also had an anterior lip on my cervix blocking baby’s head so one of my midwives had to push it back, making the contractions even more painful and I was screaming bloody murder by this point. I also couldn’t deal with my positioning anymore (mostly hands and knees or on knees while leaning over the sides of the pool) but couldn’t imagine any other position I could handle, which was really disheartening and actually made me cry briefly. I felt so helpless. And did I mention the zero sleep in over a week and the fact that the gravol i had taken earlier that day had started making me drowsy just as labour was starting?

My midwives then asked me how important it was to me to birth the baby in the water. We needed to be in place to start pushing. I then just suddenly and overwhelmingly knew that I must be on dry land but at the same time, I couldn’t imagine walking to the bedroom. They helped me out of the pool and to the bed, (I’m sure I felt like dead weight) stopping for contractions along the way that compelled me to push, which I did. At some point soon thereafter there came a point where I was on hands and knees on the floor by the bed and one of my midwives started to sound a mixture of panic and meaning business because the baby’s heart rate was going down. She said, YOU MUST GET ON THE BED AND PUSH, NOW!!! It took 3 midwives and Luke to get me on that bed. I was lost in the intensity of the pain alternating with drowsy/half deliriously asleep and shaking. I could feel my pores expelling copious amounts of sweat, soaking my hair so suddenly as though someone had dumped a pail of hot, murky water over my head.

Then I pushed his head out in several stages rather than in just one go. Levi’s head was purple and his body wasn’t budging. My pelvis was too small for his size. After 2 minutes the midwives started to get nervous and one of them had to get her hand in there to help Levi’s shoulders through. He had shoulder dystocia. Then finally, his body came out and they placed him on my chest. One midwife I am told picked him up to run and resuscitate him, but he cried and pinked up right then so she quickly placed him back on me.

Levi Thomas was born at 8:40 pm on Thursday September 27, 2012, after a 3.5 hour labour from start to finish (2.5 hours active labour/10 minutes pushing). He weighed 10 lbs 14 oz and midwife said to take bragging rights for an 11 pounder because he had a huge poop as he was coming out, before he was weighed (most likely because he had probably been in distress– poor little guy). He was 21.5″ long.

Considering Levi was 11 lbs and one of my midwives also had her hands in there to unstick his shoulders, you’d think I would have torn, but miraculously I didn’t. Most gratefully, I didn’t! I am however dealing with a bruised tailbone, nerve damage, a messed up back and pretty severe abdominal separation. No biggie. All worth it.

And it turns out I had the biggest placenta my midwives have ever seen and the longest cord. Pretty crazy!

I want to thank my midwives at The Midwives Clinic of East York Don Mills. Christine, Fallon and Tracy did an amazing job of ensuring Levi a safe birth into the world, and the before and after care has been wonderful. I and my family are so grateful. Thank you also to Sarah, who sadly was not at the birth, but was so there before and after. And thank you to Sarilyn and Fallon for staying late at the clinic that night for a NST, and to Danielle for organizing my appointments and just always being so helpful and kind. Go team!

I also want to thank Levi and Lulu’s Oma and Opa for being right there when I needed them during my pregnancy, to take me to appointments or hang with Lulu, for bringing meals and cleaning up after everybody. What a gift. And thank you to my best ever friend, Leigh for driving all the way over to my place to pick me up and then drive me all the way back to her neighbourhood for many of my appointments near the end of my pregnancy when things were pretty tough for me, and then BACK to my house again. She has three kids and a lot of commitments and yet still made the time. All of you are treasures and part of the reason Levi is so healthy and strong. Mostly, thank you to my husband, Luke who jumped right in there when I became quite immobile and gave Lulu a summer to remember at the beach when Mommy just couldn’t be there. It broke my heart to not be there anymore, but gave me such peace of mind to know that her Daddy was. Am i the luckiest woman alive, or what? God I love my family.

Levi is the sweetest, easiest baby thus far. We are all so in love with him. And at a week old, he already looks me in the eyes, smiles at me and lifts his head up on his own. I basically gave birth to a two month old!

I didn’t actually get final photos of the finished piece before sending it off to its lovely family, but this is close enough. I had a lot of fun working on this commission. And the Mom was beyond kind and patient with me and my difficult pregnancy. I can’t thank her enough for that. And aren’t her boys just so incredibly sweet? They make awesome superheroes! Thank you to their Mom for sharing a little bit of their worlds with me. That is the most special part of the process, for sure. Kids are zee best.

Pink Pink Pink Pink Pink. Pink Moon.

My daughter, from around 14 – 18 months, was obsessed with the Moon. She is now 2 and a half years old. I kept meaning to create a little painting to remember those special Moon days and nights when we’d search for it, outside before bed in our jammies. So, here it is Lulu, you and your Moon. Love, Mommy.

Lulu was uncertain whether it was the balloon or her butterfly wings or perhaps magic that held her suspended in the sky. She decided it didn’t really matter.

It has been a long while since I submitted work to Illustration Friday. Last night, pregnant me couldn’t sleep so I made this. Thanks, Illustration Friday for filling my slumber time with fun! I haven’t actually painted this way in a long time either, so it was really gratifying!

Lulu’s Daddy requested a little breakfast in bed on his day, so I made some muffins in the morning so they would be nice and warm. These are blueberry muffins made with kamut flour and maple syrup. I’m always trying to substitute white carbs and refined sugar with healthier options and you know what? They taste better. They do. I love kamut flour especially because it is full of nutrients where all-purpose flour is vastly lacking. And it’s high in protein believe it or not! And fiber. And it tastes so good. And it is so lovely to work with. There’s something really special about this stuff, man. Kamut. Yes.

Must have with a latte! I’ve been in latte heaven ever since we got this little milk frother contraption by Bodum. But today I discovered that it makes even better ICED lattes! Now I am in iced latte heaven. Which is pretty great considering it’s in the high thirties over here. Now all i need is an espresso machine, because you know, those little stovetop coffee makers are good and all, but they just don’t quite hit the mark. I didn’t actually think about this until we went back to Montreal after not having been there in a long time, and had such a good latte. SUCH A GOOD LATTE. And i can’t find one like it in our neighbourhood. So yes, an espresso machine would be nice…. Lulu’s Daddy enjoyed his little continental breakfast tray, by the way. And Lulu and I got him a book about Daddy and Lulu, so they read it together in bed with latte and warm buttered muffins and it was really a sweet sight. Talk about warming a Mama’s heart.

I also made Lulu a whole bunch new play dough that morning in different colours. So while I was preparing the Daddy’s Day breakfast tray, Lulu got to work on her own feast.

Mmmm pizza on a spinach crust!

That’s some fancy pizza slicing, Lulu! I’m glad you still had room for the muffins! It was nice to get to spend the day all together as a family. Happy Daddy’s Day!

Here is an old work in progress that I am getting back to finally. I had this plan to create film stills on wood and this one is of Alice in Wonderland when she’s so big she fills up the room. This one is fun because I am creating the room with real wallpaper, hardwood floors and finishes so that you can “feel” the image. Here is a close up so you can see what I mean.

I am really enjoying “installing” the hardwood flooring.
Yesterday after a long leisurely morning at the beach with Lulu and her friend Sage, and after a glorious afternoon siesta, we made these Owls together out of recycled toilet paper rolls, buttons and papers. Here is Lulu painting them.

And here they are all completed and perched up on a shelf contemplating their next adventure!

My plan for now while we wait for our new little baby to arrive is to complete all of my works in progress and work on one art commission per month from my Rockstars and Superheroes line of personalized art for children. This is what I can manage whist being pregnant and chasing around my toddler. We are also working very hard and diligently on our beach rock collection, which takes time and lots of careful consideration, I tell you! And there are numerous sand castles to be completed. Hello Summer!

I want to start off by saying that Pinterest has jumped in and saved my butt when it comes to being organized about cooking and having fun with it all at the same time. Where have you been all my life? I never realized how much I needed a VISUAL pin board. I NEED the pictures. I guess I am a visual person, and that is that. So, I made these personalized baked oatmeal cups this morning, some with walnuts, some with walnuts and chocolate chips, and some with apples. I think the apple ones were my fave. This delicious, healthy recipe (found here) was made with ground flax, applesauce and banana– no sugar or flour whatsoever. Can’t beat that! And as I was taking the picture, I realized that this painting was right behind it, so why not include it. It was made by my lovely, inspiring niece. And yes, those ARE jelly beans, and yes, this is my family and our new home. She made it for us as a housewarming gift and I was so touched by it, I welled up with tears when she gave it to me!

Then I made this Curry Lentil Soup (topped with roasted pumpkin seeds and fresh coriander) for lunch (recipe from Green Kitchen Stories) which was also really great poured over steamed rice. Another thing I have discovered about myself is that if I do all the prep work the night before, cooking from scratch and getting meals on the table on time is totally no problem! Plus, it’s waaaay less stressful, and it makes me feel like I’m actually a good cook and maybe even have my shit together! Hah! The ways we try to fool ourselves…

Then…. I went to GirlCanCreate’s Movies & Makers art and craft fair at the Fox Theater. What a lovely venue! The booths were all set up in the aisles of the theater, each lit up in the darkness (rather than overhead lights) making it really enchanting. I got this wonderful, natural scented foot scrub (desperately needed!) by MadStone Soapery….

This gorgeous brooch and earrings from Ladeebee (in truth I would have bought her whole table had I had the money)….. who also has a children’s clothing etsy shop called Vintage Baby Revival which I can’t wait to check out.

And this adorable, lovely original vintage collage made by the organizer of the event, artist Lisa Pijuan Nomura, who is so lovely and kind herself. I can’t say enough about this show, and all the vendors there. I wish it was on again tomorrow so that I could tell you just how badly you need to get yourselves there. The work was impeccable– the craftsmanship, the quality, the inspiring imagination put into all of the work there just astounded me. Thank you for making my day! And thank you to Oma and Opa for making it possible for me to get out of the house with my good friend so that we could enjoy this show together!

Then… I came home and made this Honey Sesame Chicken recipe in my crock pot. It turned out great. You know how I know? Because my daughter actually ate it all up, had seconds and thirds I tell you!

Here are a few phone snapshots of our day. We were having too much fun to even think about pulling out the camera until after Lulu went to bed. And all this stuff happened after spending hours at the playground and beach in this amazing spring weather. Today was truly one of those really, really good days. I love my little family. And I love my life.

There was painting….

Lulu knows her Dandelions and her Tulips and her Daffodils, so I think she had flowers on her mind, hence the garden painting.

Then I made play dough from a recipe from An Everyday Story and it turned out great! Lulu made cookies with tea, and pancakes, and it looks like meatballs with tomato sauce!

Then I made some very yummy vegan cookies from a recipe I found on Oh She Glows but with a couple of modifications. I chopped up the toasted walnuts in my coffee grinder because I don’t have a food processor, and it worked quite well. I would caution if you’re going to try this, to put just a little in at a time, and you’re golden.

The other thing i did was replace the raisins in the recipe with chocolate chips. Nobody in my family cares for raisins unless they come in the little boxes all by themselves. And everybody in my family loves chocolate, so it was a no brainer. Um, so now that I think about it, these are not vegan cookies anymore, because of the chocolate…..

It was my first time using Sucanat, and I have to say I think it works well! And Lulu loved her cookie tonight, which means they are for sure good. She has been known to leave partially eaten cookies laying around the house if she’s not too keen on them, especially the vegan ones I make with bananas. The one tonight fell on the floor and she just about lost her marbles. MY COOKIE!!! Oh my lord, get that cookie to that girl immediately! I take that as success!

Thank you for letting me share our really, really good day with you. I hope you had the very same kind of day. And if not today, there’s always tomorrow!

I have been awol again. Big changes over here. I have been sick as all get out, the non functioning kind (lucky me!) where if you could afford it, you’d have a live in nurse (no family close by), but for a very wonderful reason (lucky me!). I am with child. This has been, at least physically, the hardest 3 months of my life. I know, lucky me that I can say that, that I have had such a healthy life thus far. That my little family is so healthy and strong. I am indeed a very lucky and grateful person, despite the 3 months of ill that made me wonder if I would ever come out of it. I was nauseous with Lulu, but nothing like this. I didn’t know it could be this bad. Kudos to all the Mom’s out there who have ridden this storm!

We also moved. Not only to a distinctly different neighbourhood, but out of a special (to us) neighbourhood that holds countless magical memories of the past 7 years, the last 3 being the most magical of my life. Also the most challenging and the most rewarding. It will be 3 years ago in April that I got pregnant with Lulu. I laboured her in every room of our house, the cats screeching around corners as I hollered and cried. And I gave birth to her in our bed, my Love and I staring in awe through teared up eyes at this beautiful new life, our child. The following summer, her Daddy and I joined hearts in marriage in our backyard as I held our precious baby daughter in my arms under the pear tree and the apple tree. We wanted to celebrate our family. It was one of the most wonderful days, ever.

There is a little park just down the street from our old house where her Daddy and I spent time on hot summer nights dreaming of the day we’d find out we were pregnant. Then, the very hour we found out, we went to the same park, laid out a blanket and just lay there, soaking in the warm spring sun and our amazing, wonderful news. We were going to be a family of 3 come January. When Lulu came along, we spent many mornings and afternoons in that park where we first dreamed of her. Now we have left, and it’s left a gaping hole in our hearts. It feels like all of those special memories are over there, and we can’t seem to physically bring them over to our new neighbourhood. I guess that is going to have to be okay. We will visit them. And we will build new special memories in our new home and our new neighbourhood.

So this is why I have been awol. Why I put up notices of not being able to take on commissions, which I’m still not quite ready for. There has been no time, and no will due to illness, to enjoy or even wrap my head around this pregnancy which was planned! And I need time and more days of wellness for that. It’s coming. I can feel it. And then I will get back into the art groove and make magical paintings of your magical, wonderful kids once again. Life is good.

This afternoon the weather was lovely (the calm before the storm) so Lulu and I played in the snow. I kept making her snowballs which she excitedly plopped into our neighbours yard (only a few, I promise R and J!). And then I got an idea. A wonderful, awful idea! I decided to make the tree out front into a Snowball Tree. Have you ever heard of a Snowball Tree, because I haven’t. Well if there wasn’t before such a thing, there is now! Isn’t it lovely?

I found the book! I found it! The one that inspired my Rockstars & Superheroes! line of personalized custom art for the children in your life. This is the cover. Now I get to read this magical book to my lovely daughter, replacing my name with her’s! She loves it, too!

Okay, that’s enough exclamation marks for an entire year’s worth of posts.

Oma made these awesome cupcakes for Lulu’s 2nd Birthday Party. I love them so much. They make me think of Alice in Wonderland. Plus, they were very delicious!

Lulu supervising the arrangements.

Cousin A on top of the playhouse. Just love the imagination at work here!

How funky are you, girl! Where can I get myself a pair of those tights?

Birthday fun with the best cousins in the world.

Hope you loved your birthday Lulu, as much as we enjoyed celebrating your two-ness!

My baby is getting so big! And cuter by the minute. Good thing she’s not chocolate cake, or I’d really be in for it.

Ahhh! This tea is goodness to the last drop! She actually does drink the real thing, too. Rooibos tea is said to be lovely and calming for people of all ages, including youngsters, and Lulu just loves it. I drank it all through my pregnancy with her, so maybe that’s why.

Oh Lulu, could you please just stay newly two forever? You know when you’re ten and twenty and thirty and beyond, you’ll still be my little baby, right? Right?

For Lulu’s 2nd birthday I decided to repurpose an old cardboard wine box into a travelling puppet theater and sew her up some finger puppets. Here are a couple of before and after photos. Lately she has been using her little animals and playmobile people in it.

On the back here I glued a piece of felt and cut a slit down the middle for the curtains. I created some little slots on the sides to house her finger puppets when on the go.

And Ta Daaa! Here is the theater all complete! It was fun to make, except for the being covered in glue part. I love repurposing cardboard boxes! Especially for kids toys since everyone knows they love the boxes more than the toys anyway!

As you can see, Jack Frost delivered! The snow is not packing enough to make a Frosty Noman, but this is definitely progress.

Over the holidays I ordered 3 sort of crafting with your kids calendars from The Artful Parent, kept one for myself and gave the other two to friends with young kids. The first craft for January was to make snowflakes. Here’s ours! Honestly, I don’t think my little one was that into helping to make them, but she sure enjoys being around while it’s happening! If i remember correctly, in grade school you get points for participation if you show enthusiasm! Gold star for you, babe.

It’s true. I lived in his stomach for a good month. He was kind enough in the end to spit me back out, and now here I am. I have a lot of updating to do, and lots of pictures to share because I was awol for so long. In the meantime, I just wanted to pop in with a quick hello.

Hello!

Above is the card I made for Christmas. It is actually a giclee print of a little painting I made in 2011 of my daughter and our cat, the difference being that I added snow by hand to each card in the edition of 20, so each one is personalized and a little bit different from the next. This card and I are wishing you a happy new year, and loads of fun playing in the snow. If it ever get’s here. Excuse me Jack Frost, but my daughter would like to make her first ever “Frosty Noman” already. Anytime!

More than an artist and crafter, I am a Mommy to my adorable, cool little 23 month old. There she is, blonde wisps dancing around her neck, walking away on a mission, her bag strapped around her ready to collect neat rocks, pine cones, pretty leaves, and sticks to bang drums with.

I have always had reservations about sharing this part of my world (the best part) on my blog, partly because I am a private person, but mostly because it feels somehow strange to me to share pictures of my daughter on the web for strangers to see, especially without her permission which she isn’t capable developmentally to give me. But then, I see so many people doing just that, and I enjoy reading what they share. I am truly inspired reading and looking at pictures of people’s families, even of people I have never met before. And really, I think it’s human nature to enjoy seeing how we are all pretty much the same, and to be inspired by our differences which make us unique.

I also like the idea of my daughter, when she’s in her twenties and beyond, to be able to have this space full of memories and art and love. I think about that when I read other people’s blogs. So here I am, getting my toes wet just a little bit, sharing a photo of the back of the best person that ever happened to me. Giving a small glimpse inside our days. And perhaps, little by little, my reservations will dissipate and turn into a love of sharing, as we all do at the dinner table, holding hands, sharing smiles and sorrows, giving thanks. Because this kind of sharing is one of the true meanings of the goodness that life has to offer us.

I am in felt heaven. Thanks to Lupin Handmade! I have learned so much from her tutorials, and from other artists online who have shared how to create hand stitches. In one evening, I learned how to tie off a knot easily, do a whip stitch, do a blanket stitch, and do a running stitch. I have adored felt for a very long time, but never had time to delve. Well last night I delved and this is what I have to show for it thus far….

I drew my own flower template but learned completely how to create this lovely little flower (which will become a hair clip to put into loot bags for my daughter’s 2nd birthday party) from Lupin Handmade’s wonderful tutorial which you can find here. I am really trying to find inexpensive, eco friendly, creative, no junk things to put in the loot bags, and I think the little girls will adore these!

For the owl brooch I used the template designed by Lupin Handmade as well as the full tutorial which you can find here. As you can see, my whip stitch can use some practice, but not bad for a first go methinks! My daughter loves this owl, (shown here pinned to her coat) which really made my heart melt. And my husband said, “You made that?!,” (I had to point out my mistakes because he didn’t notice them) which made me feel like I did a very good job. I am also working on a Merry Christmas bunting, (which is what the green felt triangles are for) and a Happy Birthday bunting. Lupin Handmade’s tutorial for felt bunting is here. As well, I am going to attempt to design my own animal and martian masks for the kids at my daughter’s birthday party, which definitely will be inspired by Lupin Handmade. Thanks Lupin Handmade, you are very inspiring! Man, you’d think this post was sponsored or something. It’s not!

Dearest MissMouseCrafts, it was an absolute pleasure to create this wee painting for you. Thank you for inspiring it, and for being such an inspiring person in general, not to mention a lovely friend. I hope this painting of your sweet boy and Booba bring you and your family years of warmth and smiles.

And there is a little story behind the painting, which you may read below!

The Tale of Ollie and Booba

Ollie was born the same year that his dog Booba died. This meant that they knew each other better than anyone else in the world. It was their little secret. One day, Ollie was thinking about how much he would like to lasso the moon. He wanted to climb Mt. Everest to get close enough, but he had no way of getting to Nepal. And he wanted to stand on top of the Burj Kalifa, but he had no way of getting to Dubai. One night, Booba visited Ollie in his dreams and told him that he had been granted one wish by the Gods of Dog Heaven. He had a proposition for Ollie that he knew Ollie could not refuse. In Dog Heaven, the stinky socks are few and far between. You wouldn’t think so, but that is sadly the case. Booba was presented his very own wings in a very special celebration a few days ago and, by turning in his one wish, he could fly Ollie close enough to the moon that he could lasso it in exchange for a bag full of stinky socks. It also meant that they would get to hang out for a little while. Of course, Ollie jumped at the chance and immediately started collecting his family’s stinky socks into a drawstring satchel. He grabbed his crown and cape for the special excursion and sat in his window with the satchel in his lap all ready to place around Booba’s neck. There, he waited for his dear old friend Booba to arrive. That very night, Ollie got to lasso the moon and Booba was in stinky sock heaven. But the best part was that they got to see each other again, if only for a moment.

The End.

…Coming soon to my Etsy Shop, Piper in a Pear Tree! I am going to be making available affordable original works on a regular basis. I have a little wall in my house dedicated to a collection of small works, which I love. And I know of others who enjoy collecting small original works, so I thought, why not? Plus, they are really, really fun to create, and keep the creative juices flowing. Here is one little work in progress. I think these little Rascals could be up to no good. We shall soon find out!

The Moon, La Lune, La Luna
Is every child, who
In the stillness of night
Silently, peacefully
Explores and contemplates
The world.

Acrylics, Archival Ink and Japanese Papers on 3.5 x 3.5 inch Gallery Wrapped Canvas

It’s been a while since I have participated in Illustration Friday and, since I’m sometimes on the verge of being less busy, I thought I’d give it a go. IF is so much fun, and freeing! From my Lulu and Rue series, with distinguished tag along, Bunny Guy, please, put on your best stripes, pull up a chair and join us for high tea. Today’s tea of choice is none other than Red Stripe Licorice. Mmmm…..

Happy 2nd Birthday to my adorable nephew, Ezra!


Here’s to another year full of adventure!

Acrylics and Japanese Paper on Gallery Wrapped Canvas