On Thursday I had dental surgery and so unfortunately I was down throughout the weekend. Jeff and Ellie had colds as well, so we all laid very low. Lots of movies and books and quiet park outings. My parents helped us out too (when Ellie just couldn’t stand to be indoors any more). I’m still recovering , so planning to take it easy this week as well.

Hoping you had a nicer weekend than I. And wishing you a wonderful start to your week!

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eloise: this week I had to go in for another dental surgery. It was a tough beginning to the week, you were maybe feeling my anxiety and in turn there were a lot of emotions and tantrums. But Dada and Grandma and Grandpa took good care of you and I’m loving all of your sweet cuddles. I’m hoping next week, we will be back to making clover chain crowns for your stuffed animals. xoxo.

-joining Jodi for the 52 project!

We had such a lovely Easter celebration this past weekend. We celebrated with family on Saturday because of work schedules and such and it was a truly lovely day having all my family in one place. Jeff cooked an amazing roast, I made several different types of salads and we had all the Easter usuals as well, (deviled eggs, pie etc). The Easter Bunny somehow knew to come a day earlier for Ellie. He hid eggs all over the house and outside. And he brought a beautiful basket filled with lovely handmade (some mama made) toys and goodies. It was a good thing he did come Saturday, because Ellie came down with a fever on Sunday and was down most of the day.






I had made Ellie this little Lambie Pie a few months ago. She loved getting it in her basket. And the egg was something we had picked up on a whim in the craft store a few weeks back. I thought it would be fun to create a “story egg” each year for her. I wood burned and then painted a pictorial story of Jack and The Beanstalk (her favorite these days).

The Easter Bunny hid a few eggs inside the house (a tradition of Jeff’s family) and he also hid some outside as well (traditionally the way my family did Easter). A few eggs had little bunny shaped crackers in them and a couple of mama made peg dolls too. The rest were eggs that Ellie and I had dyed with some vegetable dyes earlier in the week and then a few I had made with watercolor and ink  the night before.





Ellie’s play table was set up with a few new items as well. An adorable bunny set from TansyDolls and then her mama and dada sheep that came in her basket, for a little lamb she already had, made by Feathered Nest Studio. (Thank you ladies!!)

We all ended the afternoon with a really nice, but chilly walk on the beach. Hope you all had a lovely Easter, Passover and/or Spring weekend!

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eloise: My little Easter Bunny! You enjoyed our Easter/Spring celebration very much!! Such joy and magic!

-joining jodi for the 52 project!

I have been really enjoying making Ellie clothes. I’m still quite terrible at it. When you look up close, my seams are crooked and my fabric often catches, but Ellie doesn’t seem to mind and boy does she look cute in pretty much anything anyway. Plus, practice makes perfect, and I’m set on becoming a  better sewer and seamstress. I’ve been wanting to try my hand at pants for a while now. Specifically the quick change trousers that I see around the web so often. But, I can’t seem to get up enough courage. However, a couple of days ago, Ellie and I were thrifting, and we came across this elephant dress. (I wish now I had taken a photo of the dress, before I cut into it). It looked as though someone had taken an elephant onesie, cut it up and then sewn the cutest elephant cotton onto it, to create a very large dress. The onesie part was just not my style, but that elephant fabric on the skirt part was worth the $3.00 we paid for it. I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could turn this ugly dress, into adorable pants. It took me awhile to figure out, but I did it! The pants ended up a bit lopsided, but they were darling on Ellie and perfect for California play on these warmish spring days and cool afternoons.

(and yes, those are rainbow leg warmers under the pants… because). 😉

We had a really nice weekend. The weather was warm and breezy. Jeff had a slow work week, so we got chores done on Friday, which meant more time to enjoy the weekend. Saturday was a special bacon and egg breakfast, with homemade biscuits and fruit! (Those darling napkin holders are from here.) We took a little walk to the seals and then met up for an impromptu afternoon at the beach with friends. Sunday we walked downtown, rode bikes and I got in a little painting and crafting. A quick but very nice weekend. I’m looking forward to next weekend. We are hosting a little Easter/Spring brunch for my family and I’m sure it will be a fun day!

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eloise: you want to be big so bad and do everything on your own, but then there are those times when you just want to be carried and cuddled and you tell us, “I’m not ready to be big. I’m still little.” Yes you are my child. Don’t grow up too fast.

-joining Jodi for the 52 Project!

Last week we celebrated my Mom’s birthday and had ourselves a boiled dinner. Usually Jeff’s Mom cooks the St. Patty’s Day meal (they’ve been out here twice during the season), but this year they weren’t with us, so I called her up instead, wrote down the Langille instructions and went to work. Of course, Jeff helped me a little bit and Ellie helped make Irish soda bread as well. It was a delicious dinner. The next day we surprised my mom for her birthday and brought her a painting I’ve been working on. It’s the largest painting I’ve ever done. I kind of feel like it’s not quite finished, even after I decided I was “finished”, but my Mom seemed to love it as is. When we were kids, she always had a full row of potted African Violets on the kitchen counter. So of course, I thought African Violets would be perfect in a painting for her.





As for this weekend, we spent Saturday doing chores. Grandpa came over and spent an afternoon walking the beach with us. (Gramma was out-of-town for the weekend).

















The beach was a lot of fun. Because of the warm weather, there were lots of people out and about. Sunday we visited with old friends, spent some time working in the garden and ended the evening early. Looking forward to all that Spring has to offer!! Happy week and Spring to you my friends!!

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eloise: you are out to conquer the world little Miss! Go get ’em!

joining Jodi for the 52 project!

A St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Our third year going (here is last year and the year before, because it’s so much fun looking back). A Birthday Party for Ellie’s best friend (who happens to love Peter Pan too, thus the “hook”). And a Sunday, to catch up on chores and enjoy some fantastic sunsets.