“A single photo. No words. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.”
-joining Soulemama!
The Knothole Tree
I’ve been pretty busy lately in the creating department. After making Ellie a seasonal spring time play mat, I realized I could be making them for every season and could possibly make them for other people too. I’ve always wanted to open an etsy shop. And since I’ve started painting and doing more crafting, I’ve been working hard to get my own little shop, up and running. It would be so nice to be able to keep making things for Ellie and others and the bit of money I would get by selling online would help make that possible. So, here I go. I opened my very own etsy shop.
It’s called The KNOTHOLE TREE.
I loved the idea of The Knothole and Boo Radley’s gifts to the children in To Kill A Mockingbird. Ellie’s middle name is Harper, after Harper Lee. I thought it was a perfect little name for a whimsical little shop.
I just finished three play mats. A spring inspired one and two “Frozen-inspired” mats (because like everyone else in the world, we’ve been bitten by the Frozen bug and I thought some open-ended play mats with hand painted peg people might just be a fun idea).
Here is the spring mat.
It’s completely hand-sewn and I try to use up-cycled fabrics as well as new cotton and wool felt. This one has batting in the middle and then completed with an up-cycled wool sweater. It was so fun to make. And nice to know I was giving the old sweater a new life.
And here is one of the Frozen-inspired mats I made (that definitely could double as a winter seasonal mat or even a polar play mat.
It’s also completely hand-sewn and is backed with an up-cycled chenille blanket. I love those up-cycled fabrics. The dolls were hand painted by me and have been so much fun to make.
I’m still figuring out the whole peg doll process, but it has been a joy to play around with these little guys and Ellie is having so much fun picking out which ones she wants as part of her collection.
Here is another Frozen inspired mat with more batik cotton.
The “Frozen-inspired” mats won’t go in the store until next week because I’m still working on finishing up the peg dolls for them. But, my store with also have some softie dolls and animals as well as some of my paintings. I’m nervous about putting myself out there like that but I really enjoy making these wonderful things! Check out my store, if you would like! And stay tuned next week for a giveaway from me to celebrate those 500 posts as well as the opening of my store!
Weekending!
It was such a beautiful weekend. The weather finally cooled back down to the beachy weather we all know and love (we, particularly my husband, but I’m finding my daughter as well, do not like the heat… at. all). I got out on a yard sailing bike ride on saturday morning and found some ceramic treasures. My Dad (Grandpa) joined us for our weekly farmers market trip (Gramma is visiting Germany this week and next- we miss you Gramma!). Jeff and Ellie spent a few hours enjoying each others company so I could get in some “making” and art time. I’m officially obsessed with making peg people as you can see. And, I signed up for this fantastic art class and although I am very behind; joining in almost half a year late, I’m already feeling more inspired by the lessons I got to partake in this weekend. We spent a lot of time outside. A lovely sunday afternoon at the beach and more time making and enjoying each others company. It was a wonderful weekend and I’m so very thankful for my little family.
* joining Pumpkin Sunrise, who is taking over for Amanda for weekending!
Portrait Project
20/52
eloise: your favorite saturday morning spot, riding in the wagon, headed to the farmers market. Usually you’ll ride until you’ve finished your first strawberry and then you want to get out and pull the wagon yourself.
-joining Jodi with the 52 project.
{this moment}
“A single photo. No words. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.”
– joining soulemama this Friday!
*And don’t forget, the last day to leave a comment on the blog to win some wonderfully fun and adorable things from Marci’s Garden will be tomorrow. I will draw names on sunday.
A 500th Post Giveaway!!
I’m coming up on my 500th post for my blog this week! I can’t believe I’ve stuck with this blog writing thing for over three years now!!! It’s been so wonderful to have a place to document the lovely days, the struggles and the wonder in the every day. I started out in this space to document things that made me happy, things that inspired me and projects I was working on. It’s evolved into the story of my family and the story of me as a wife, mother and woman. Writing this blog every week has even brought me to meet many incredible people online and (even in person). I have become a part of an amazing community of bloggers around the world and I am so glad I put myself out there three years ago to create SummerPlaysHouse. So in celebration, I have put together a few giveaways this week and in the next coming weeks, from myself and a few people close to me.
This first giveaway is from a wonderful Etsy store called Marci’sGarden. Marci (who just happens to be one of my favorite people and my cousin) makes the most lovely of things for babies and adults alike. Fabric balls for children, crocheted goods, reusable bags for groceries (We have 5 of hers and use them daily!), reusable sandwich bags and so much more… You can check out her store here.
For my first ever giveaway, she has generously donated a set of fabric balls and a set of crocheted wash clothes.
These fabric balls come in all different colors and are three different sizes. They are soft and squishy and perfect for little hands to hold, grasp and throw. Ellie has a set of them and she brings them out daily. They make incredibly lovely shower gifts or birthday gifts for a little one.
With the fabric balls, we’ll also be giving away a set of 3, beautifully hand crocheted
wash cloths. Ellie has a set of these as well and we use them every night during bath time. The shape makes them so much fun to wash with and the yarn is super snuggly and soft against her skin. They are so sweet and lovely!
So please go check out Marci’s wonderful store with all of her handmade goodness!!! (She’s having a sale in her store as we speak)!
And if you would like to win one of these lovely sets of fabric balls and wash cloths, all you have to do is leave me a comment!!! I will be picking names out of a hat, old school, and let you know who the winner is, next week! Good Luck!! ****GIVEAWAY CLOSED**** The winner is STACIA!!
Messy Fun
It’s been very hot here this week. We’ve been spending lots of time in wading pools and running around in mini sprinklers. We have also been trying out new sensory experiences. Surprisingly, my twelve plus years of working with young children never led me to cloud dough. I had heard of it but until this week, never tried making it. It was super simple to make.
Cloud Dough
About 4 cups of flour mixed with about a cup of baby oil.
It creates a lovely crumbling, soft texture that can be molded like silky wet sand or scooped and poured like dry, silky sand. Ellie loved it. We’ve been playing with it out back all week now (stored in a large, plastic tub). It does get a bit messy though. I think it’s definitely an outside experience. We will continue to enjoy it this week, I’m sure.
Weekending: Mother’s Day Edition
It was a really nice weekend. My mom is headed to Germany with my Grandmother for the week so we celebrated Mothers Day with her on Saturday. We visited the farmers market in the morning and headed over to my parents house that afternoon. I got to finish making the pinafore I had been working on, thanks to my Mom’s help and my mom got to enjoy a fun-filled afternoon with her favorite little person. Sunday we met up with a bunch of local Mama friends and their families for a little potluck Mothers Day picnic. The weather was lovely and so was the food and company. Jeff and Ellie made me a card and bought me flowers. It was a very nice weekend and a very nice Mothers Day.
Portrait Project
19/52
eloise: I liked this photo because it represents our every day. You sitting in your high chair, eating a snack or lunch after a nap. I enjoy this time with you. We usually chat about what we will do for the rest of the day and I usually put on a record for us to listen too while we snack. An every day shot of my every day girl.
– joining Jodi for the 52 project!
{this moment}
“A single photo. No words. Capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.”
– joining Soulemama (and trying to play catch up with posts this week!)
summerplayshouse 