tiffany in the trees...

where you may find me for the next year...

2009-01-03T12:09:00.004-05:00

right here is where i'll be... so, come on over for a visit... and say hello!

i need to refocus and reorganize myself so, i thought a new blog would be the perfect place to start. you can still find me on flickr and i may pop back in here every now and then.

i'm still figuring out how to work things out over at my new home... so, it may look a little bare (without photos and such) for a little while...

revisiting a saturday night a long time ago....

2008-12-31T00:40:00.001-05:00

while talking on the phone to my mom... she had a good laugh at this...

2008-12-14T22:34:00.001-05:00

1. i do like bbc
2. i'm happy i wear heavy boots
3. proof that bush is, indeed, nothing more than a lame duck
4. looking forward to 20 january, 2009
5. he's lucky it was just a shoe....

(have a good week folks)

for tobey...

2008-12-13T16:28:00.004-05:00

(because she wants an update...)
just a few of the things on my christmas wish list...

(i guess i'm kind of taking a bit of a blog break... even though i hadn't intended on it. school has been intense... a good intense... but, intense nonetheless. blogging, crafting, photo taking... my daily routine should and will resume after the holidays. and, i'll try to get a few posts in there from now until then.)

2008-11-06T19:06:00.001-05:00

enjoying my domestic realm... or, how i'm dealing with the coming election day...

2008-11-02T21:55:00.008-05:00

today's favorites...

2008-11-01T11:30:00.001-04:00

today's favorites...
Originally uploaded by tiffanyinthetrees

looking towards the future...

2008-10-31T18:41:00.005-04:00

so... i was going to save this post for monday...
but, it's been on my mind all day long, since early this morning...

today... whenever i think about tuesday... when i think about voting... and trying to grasp what it will feel like... i get quite choked up and emotional

i've voted many times... and in two presidential elections... it's nothing new for me...

but, i will be voting for, quite possibly, the first black president of this country...
the first biracial president...
this is so huge... so so huge i don't even really have the words...

barack obama is the first presidential candidate i've ever seen myself in... he moves me in a way that no other politician (of my lifetime) has ever done so...

i am biracial. my sister and i grew up in a single parent home. my mother was so young when she had us. my father was not a part of our life... his absence was stronger than anything else. my mother worked so hard and her parents (my white grandparents) helped take care of us. when i graduated from college, i worked as a community organizer... and, i will tell you... it was the toughest job i've ever done (yes, tougher than potty training eleven 2 year old boys). i have hope. i need change. and, i will help change the world.

this tuesday... when i hand in my ballot for barack obama... i will be a part of history... you will be a part of history... and, one day (down the road) my children will read of this and know that i helped to change the world and that they, too, will do so...

nostalgia...

2008-10-30T18:52:00.009-04:00

maybe it's because it's getting cold...
maybe it's because the phillies won the world series...
but, i'm longing for philadelphia...

so...
to help me along i've been listening to some of my favorite folks in philly... (not only are they all wonderfully talented people, but they're all really quite lovely and helped me to feel at home when i lived in that great city...)

buried beds

dr dog

make a rising

(all the band photos are by ryan collerd... and, here's a little secret... i used to have a big ole crush on him for a little while... it's far away in the past where it's okay to say that now... i think.)

oh... because it's so cold...
i added something lovely and cozy and warm here...

(and, thank you for your oh so kind words regarding yesterday's post...)

and some days... i just feel so overwhelmed...

2008-10-29T21:42:00.008-04:00

it's that time of the year... cold season... and... parent teacher conferences!

my body is sore and achy and so tired...

we watched the kite runner the other day...
and, then we watched frontline last night...
and i am feeling so overwhelmed with thoughts of afghanistan and pakistan and the horrific war and just... so many things...

i'm remembering why i teach...
as naive as it sounds...
i teach because i want to change the world...
but, sometimes... i feel like i can't do it... and, that's how i'm feeling this week... i can't change the world... just little ole me

and... to top it all off... there's a nasty inchworm meal moth infestation in my classroom and we had to throw out all of our baking goods and snacks and stuff and well... it's just so so so gross when i notice a little worm crawling on the windowsill or falling from the ceiling...

damn! i am so ready for november... (don't we change the clocks then too? i hope so, because i don't really like leaving the house when it's still quite dark outside...)

really though... enough of my whining... yes?

how are you?
i hope your week is a little bit smoother and more pleasant...

there are only a few days left to order any custom dresses or tops from both shops!
over at the last chance sale... there, you will find all of the custom orders are $20+ Off! (i've reduced a few prices even more) after october 31st you will not be able to get any custom dresses until april!

alright folks... i'm getting ready for bed so... when the fella gets home... we can watch barack obama on the daily show!

goodnight.

it's no lie...

2008-10-24T19:15:00.007-04:00

some days... i do believe i have the best job!
these last two days have been no exception... i've thoroughly enjoyed my classroom...

i love when the kiddies run around the playground catching falling leaves... and, when they do catch them... they make a wish!

i love when the kids in my classroom help one another without anyone asking or noticing.

i love when my students get excited for lessons...

i love when my students are proud of themselves and one another.

i love when the kiddlings quietly ask me if i'd like a hug...

i love when they talk about politics and how great they think barack obama amongst themselves... and, i love that they say things like "well... i still like john mccain... but, i just know barack obama is right"

and, i love that... even though my co-teacher wasn't there today our classroom ran oh so smoothly... and that an observer who came to our classroom told my boss (the head of school) that she thought my classroom was so lovely and the kids were absolutely wonderful and that i had such a nice presence in the classroom... she was also surprised that i am not a trained montessori teacher!
(today, i am a good teacher and so proud of myself and my classroom!)

and... on a totally unrelated note...
there's only one week left to order any custom dresses or tops from both shops!
over at the last chance sale... there, you will find all of the custom orders are $20 Off! after october 31st you will not be able to get any custom dresses until april!

a few things... a huge sale... autumn... obama... it is monday...

2008-10-20T20:49:00.007-04:00

so... i'm finishing up a mound of custom orders...
and slowly planning for the holidays and the springtime...

so... i will be doing a total shop overhaul and clean- up and whatnot in both shops!

every single thing is on sale... it's true... go take a look here and here...

i've created a new section in the shops...
last chance sale... there, you will find all of the custom orders are $20 Off! after october 31st you will not be able to get any custom dresses until april!

and... you will find other items in the shop... drastically reduced!

this is what i'm wearing this week as it's getting cold... this morning there was a heavy frost on the ground... and the temperature was below freezing... hence the wool jacket... and doesn't my obama pin just look so excellent on it? i sure think so!

the other day during recess one of the upper elementary kids noticed my obama pin and we had such an awesome conversation! it was so wonderful to hear an intelligent eleven year old articulate how he sees obama improving our country and such... (i wish i could be so articulate right now). i am feeling optimistic these days...

thank you
anabela! you're the best... goodness me... i am always so amazed with this amazing lovely community we have here...

minnie & james...the shop
the etsy shop...

just listen...

2008-10-17T22:48:00.001-04:00

quietly as the week ends...

as i walked to work today... i thought of europe...

2008-10-16T19:07:00.009-04:00

every year my lower elementary classroom studies one continent. so, in their three years in our classroom and their three years in upper elementary, they will have studied all of the continents. last year, we studied australia... this year we're studying europe!

our students are even more excited than we are to share and learn about europe... it's such an amazing continent and our curriculum is packed! just today and yesterday... our entire classroom worked on political and physical maps and some students worked on creating a europe flag book. they're excited! as am i...
and i thought, while walking to work this morning... what better way to bring europe to my students than to actually have europe go to them!

so, i'm asking you, dear blog readers... if you or, anyone you know lives in europe and if you would be willing to send a postcard to a classroom of twenty- one enthusiastic children. if you are, please leave me a comment or email me and i will email you the classroom address...
thank you!

is tomorrow really friday? already?

seriously... (i think i should warn you... this is not for the mccain fans to read... )

2008-10-15T21:43:00.007-04:00

are you watching the debate right now?
i am...
i fell asleep for a little while after dinner and awoke to the debate on the telly...

goodness me... john mccain needs to stop whining like a little child and bring to the table what we, americans, really need... and, please... stop referring to us as "joe" (the plumber) because majority of us are not "joe"... just as we are not his "friends!"
and, well... i'm just so appalled with the fact that he said palin is a "breath of fresh air"... ack! i find her to be utterly stale and sour... c'mon!

i love how barack obama is so cool and calm and doesn't resort to the whiny baby crap that john mccain falls into...

i am so looking forward to the fifth of november when it's official that barack obama will be our next president... we really need this... we do...

**i am always happy to hear from my readers but, please be respectful... i am, in no way, trying to impress any of my thoughts and beliefs onto anyone... this blog is simply a place for me to share myself and the things going on in my daily life.**

how awkward was that last bit of the debate... when obama and mccain shook hands and mccain said, several times, "good job..."?

(and, just one more thing... how come? on several news channels and whatnot...when they talk to those undecided voters... those swing voters... the voters that will decide... they're always white? i'm sorry... but in this election... i need to see a little bit of everyone... i know there are a couple of black folks out there who are undecided... i know there are latino and asian and native american and multiracial and so many others who are not entirely sure (why they're not sure... i don't know... but...) who they will vote for.
please start giving us a better view and perspective of america... because... i hate to break it to some of those major news networks... but... this country is filled with folks who have darker pigment in our skin!)

recovering...

2008-10-04T17:21:00.004-04:00

all week i was sick with something... actually, it began a couple of weeks ago... but, tuesday night was the pinnacle of sickness for me...
i am on the mends (finally) and trying to stay warm...

so, i thought i'd share a few of my etsy favorites with you...

the new fraulein tote
lovely warm mittens
these cute little cards
this tea set
the kathryn dress
this warm beret
this hoodie
lots of little rings
this scarf is keeping me warm today
cashmere socks
the makool coat, of course

tomorrow... i'll post how much we've been able to raise for obama! thank you!
(and, it's still not too late...)

oh! and, what did you think of the debate the other night? i sure am looking forward to tuesday night's debate...
goodness... what did i ever do in between presidential elections?

while watching the debate last night... i decided...

2008-09-27T09:31:00.006-04:00

due to the horrible mess our economy is in... we're having a giant sale this weekend!
all sale items have been reduced even more! (go take a look!)

there's a new category in the shop...

and it can be found here... and, i think you'll be pleased to find a lovely surprise there!

because... for the weekend of sept. 26th- 28th... 80% of sale items sales will go the barack obama and his crew so we can make sure the right person is in place this time next year

are you watching the debate right now?

2008-09-26T21:26:00.003-04:00

i sure hope so...

there's so much i have to say...

but for now, i'll just tell you that that john mccain really irks me to no end...

(i will go into this another time... i promise you that)

oh... and i've added two polls...

on a wednesday...

2008-09-24T18:21:00.008-04:00

it's been one of those weeks (thus far)...
i have a cold... i'm not getting nearly as much sleep as i need... the nights are getting much cooler... and i've been forced to slow down...

but, i'm so glad...
i've been enjoying being home with the fella... scheming up knitting projects for the winter... feeling positive that obama will be my new president... drinking lots and lots of tea... having some really lovely and wonderful conversations with my students' parents... and, i've just so thoroughly enjoyed my students this week.
(they are so incredible... sharing information about mythological creatures and the paleozoic age... making small and meaningful breakthroughs in reading... loving the bead chains and moveable alphabet... discussing politics and god and why there are wars...)
so... despite feeling rather icky and it feeling like a terribly long week... it's been oh so good so far... as i hope it continues to be...

i made these for the twist fair... and they were a big hit! and so... of course... there are some eames chair patches available to you in the shop...

there are also some organic hankies there too... and, not to mention... a few organic versions of my favorite dresses!

and... remember...
from now until october 4th... whenever you buy anything from the minnie & james... (the shop here and here) 50% of the sales will go to support barack obama and joe biden!

and... there is a sale on the sale items...!

just use the promo code || saleonsale08 ||
and an additional 15% off will be taken off of your sale purchase!

because... yes, i can...

2008-09-17T22:01:00.004-04:00

the lovely valerie of dear birthday reminded me that everything we do does count...

and, because i refuse to be passive in this election...

from now until october 4th... whenever you buy anything from the minnie & james... (the shop here and here) 50% of the sales will go to support barack obama and joe biden!

this election is so so so important to me...
seriously, it's the last thing i think of before i fall asleep and the first thing i think of in the morning...

we need this change...

one more thing...

2008-09-13T19:26:00.004-04:00

because i really need to make room in my studio...

there is a sale on the sale items...!

just use the promo code || saleonsale08 ||
and an additional 15% off will be taken off of your sale purchase!

and, again... it can be found... here...

sale... sale... sale...

2008-09-13T14:27:00.003-04:00

check out the sale section here...

i'm feeling a bit under the weather with one of those back to school colds and such... so, i'm moving slowly today and working on cleaning the studio a bit, finishing custom orders...

and, when i'm done with that... i'll be working on some new ideas for our classroom curriculum (if you're interested email me and i'll let you in on it...)
let's just say... my students are so ready to explore and discuss the -isms... and, i'm really excited about that...

another reason why i love my npr...

2008-09-11T18:59:00.004-04:00

please listen to this conversation about race and politics... i'm so thankful this is in our news and that people are having open discussions...
it comes in two parts...
part one
part two

and, all i have to say to sarah palin is... "thanks, but no thanks!"
good lord that lady irks me!

and... i must say... as we get closer and closer to the big election day... i'm sure i will be sharing some of my politics and such with you... i am always happy to hear from my readers but, please be respectful... i am, in no way, trying to impress any of my thoughts and beliefs onto anyone... this blog is simply a place for me to share myself and the things going on in my daily life.

a small little update...

2008-09-10T22:10:00.011-04:00

there is only one of each item... and you may get them... here!

the large organic hemp/ cotton tote...

the plaid scarf...

the striped mayumi mini dress in a size 6 (bust size 36")...

and... for good measure... a few photos from awhile ago...

look at my awesome new headband! i love it!

i'm a good dominoes player... it's true...

i get pretty competitive when it comes to any kind of board game...

getting back to some sort of normalcy...

2008-09-08T21:06:00.003-04:00

the twist fair was so excellent and i have much more to add to that...
but, for now... i'm getting through the beginning of the school week...
so... there's just a small little update... here

things that made my day...

2008-09-04T22:04:00.006-04:00

the coolest project ever... from these folks...

and seeing one of my students in the franklin county fair parade... because i live in the town that sure loves itself a good parade! (there are pictures that will follow)

and... one more thing... there will be a shop update sunday, 6 september 2008. i'll post again... probably from the twist fair !

twist...

2008-09-04T19:51:00.002-04:00

check this article on etsy out!

are you coming to the twist fair tomorrow and/ or saturday?

i hope to see you there...

waiting for barack...

2008-08-28T20:49:00.004-04:00

this week has been so hectic and crazy... getting the classroom together and planning and whatnot... everything is up in the air and we, still, do not even know how many students will be walking through our door next week... things feel pretty uncertain today and i'm looking forward to the weekend...
but, the one thing that's keeping me going tonight and feeling energized and positive (and keeping me awake) is waiting, in anticipation, to hear barack obama's speech tonight...

once things settle down in my classroom and such...
i can tell... this autumn is going to be "off the hook" because, as al gore just said, "it is time for a change!"
this is an excellent year to be a teacher... indeed.

back to school...

2008-08-27T20:07:00.002-04:00

yup!
it's that time of year again...
the kiddies are still at home enjoying these last beautiful sunny days... and we, teachers, are getting our classrooms ready and having meetings and making lesson...
so... right now, i'm a little scattered and all over the place.
during the day i'm doing my teacher thing...
and, in the evenings i'm doing that crazy sewing thing (getting ready for the twist fair)...
so... for the next few (and maybe some more) days i probably won't be around here much...

getting ready for the twist fair... (and avoiding feeling overwhelmed with the idea of going back to school/ work tomorrow)

2008-08-24T16:52:00.007-04:00

my allergies have been totally on the fritz lately. i sneeze way too many times in a day and when i'm not sneezing i'm stuffed up or holding a tissue to my nose to stop the running. (sorry to be so crass...) so... to save my nose, some money, and help out the environment... i use resuable snot rags. i love my snot rags... i really do... and they can be used as a bandit neck thing... as a napkin... as a sweat wiper off... anything... really. and so, i've made lots for the twist fair and have had some fun with my neon threads!

this is one way to rock the hankie thing... (i try... i really do...)

so... i've been debating, for a little while, whether or not to get some paper merchandise bags for the fair. in an effort to be a little more environmentally concious and frugal... i decided not to. with a large bolt of muslin and lots of fabric scraps... and my serger (yay!) i made up some lovely reusable bags. they were cheap to make. look nice. and did not take much time at all (thanks to the serger!) i am really not sure how many to make as i have no idea how many folks will be at the fair and how many will want a minnie & james... something. so... let's hope i made just the perfect amount! here they are:

i will also be destashing at the twist fair! there will be lots of lovely fabrics for cheap and other goodies (patterns, ribbon, japanese twill tape, yarn, and roving...) hope to see you there!

(untitled)

2008-08-19T19:33:00.008-04:00

the autumnal version of the the mayumi mini, but this one just comes as a top...

liz made those for me... and, well... i love them! (thank you liz! and, thanks to your mom for helping out!) you should go look at her blog, it's filled with her lovely drawings!

have you seen agnés vards's the gleaners and i?

did you notice the new poll to the right? (gosh, i love these silly things!)

an emergency fabric run had to be made...

2008-08-18T13:06:00.004-04:00

i ran out of the grey and white stripes while i was cutting shirts and dresses so i had to do a quick run to my local fabric shop (greenfield textile company). while the lovely lady was cutting the stripes (which i'm the only person who buys it...) i noticed that they have all of their awesome flannels and wools on the top shelves waiting for autumn to arrive... i couldn't resist the blue and black plaid... it's super soft and lovely and will make perfect scarves for the next season...

i have another busy week of sewing and then it's back to work i go...
so, i must sew sew sew!

wash... iron...pin... cut... sew... repeat...

2008-08-16T11:28:00.005-04:00

there's been a small update in the shop... i'll be taking custom orders for the laura su dress (email me about the top), the mayumi sleevless mini, and the organic laura su top...
these orders will go out after the twist fair (september 5th and 6th)...
after that... i will be accepting no more custom orders.
everything in the shop, after september 6th will already be sized.

please email me if you have any questions and whatnot... thank you!

around our home... (the things i like)

2008-08-15T09:31:00.004-04:00

neon and linen...

2008-08-13T19:39:00.003-04:00

etsy treasury west...

2008-08-13T10:49:00.001-04:00

only until friday 5:28pm...
you can view "... brighten up this cloudy day..." here...

enjoy!

phew...

2008-08-12T14:43:00.010-04:00

hot diggity dog! i heart my new shirt from timber!

and, again... thanks so much for indulging me in my little poll... it's really helpful! thank you!

we're back from our little weekend in syracuse, ny...
we spent a lot of time in the car... but, we also got to go to ithaca and ate at the delicious farmer's market... we hung out with my mom... saw the whole family and celebrated my nana's birthday... (some of my family members are pro-mccain and it kills me... ugh... it really kills me... especially considering we may somehow, somewhere, be related to the awesomeness that is barak obama. you see, way back somewhere his family name is dunham... as is ours... hmmm...)
some photos... (mostly from the car)

okay...

2008-08-07T21:07:00.002-04:00

thank you for, again i'll type it, for indulging me...

so, i have another question for the good ole poll...
what sizes would you like to see for the tops and the dresses in the shop.. and, more specifically... at the twist fair i'm doing in (yikes!) less than a month?

thank you... your info is totally helpful... and, please, feel free to leave any comments, advice, whatnot regarding these two little polls! thank you!!

some good things on a rainy day...

2008-08-07T18:28:00.005-04:00

working on something with liz...

thank you claire!

i love this... (and so does my sister... we may just have to match one another...)

hearing that my special order from leslie has arrived at her door... and will soon be at my own...

having fun and feeling exhausted getting ready for this while filling orders too...

can't wait for the new season of this! (how about you? mayumi?)

so looking forward to going home this weekend with the fella...
and, maybe going back down to the old stomping ground... especially...
here... and seeing this fella... and, this fella...

loving this...
and this...
and this...
and this...
on a very cloudy, rainy day...

(thank you for indulging me with the poll... there will be another one very soon asking you to help me figure out which sizes are more popular to make for the fair... thank you!)

because i need the space... and this is it for awhile... or, rather.. until october...

2008-08-06T17:11:00.006-04:00

i need to make space in my studio for the goods i'm sewing up for twist fair...

so...

there's a sale on what's left in the shop...

when you enter the promo code thing... cleaninghouse08 ... you'll get 13% off your order...
why 13% you ask? because 13 is my favorite number... that's why...

i'm also closing up the etsy shop for a little while... well, i'm leaving things that are already made... but no custom orders from etsy...
please check here for updates and whatnot...

(it was a cloudy cloudy morning... so, please forgive the last photo...)

hehe...

2008-08-06T09:27:00.003-04:00

i've added a little poll to this here blog... it's over there on the right...
so, please help me out if you can...

clayton and i are going poll crazy this morning as he has one over there on his little bloggy blog too! (guess who put it there though... hehe!)

all $30 and under... things i need... you need too...

2008-08-03T14:33:00.001-04:00

my etsy treasury can be seen here... until wednesday...

in a few days...

2008-08-01T20:50:00.003-04:00

monday to be exact... i'll be closing up shop (most of it) for a little while as i will be getting myself ready for this! for the next three weeks i will be sewing sewing sewing and you will see it all when i debut the collection at the twist fair in the beginning of september!

so... until then... when you pop over to the
shop... use the code... ||ss08sale|| (all one word) to take 15% off anything and everything in the shop!
this will only last until monday... and then nearly everything will disappear!

(clayton took this photo... we're in out local greenfield fabric shop!)

the minnie & james... shop is: here

my love for all things domestic...

2008-07-27T09:52:00.008-04:00

we've been so lucky with an amazingly fruitful harvest thus far in our gardening adventures! (we've grown about 20lbs of potatoes... 5-10lbs of carrots... baskets full of peas... garlic... hand fulls upron hand fulls of sage and parsley... and lots of cucumbers...) yesterday we harvested our second batch of green beans. (each time we've brought home about 4- 6lbs.) last weekend we froze some for the winter... and, this weekend we decided to try something new... i'll let you know in two months how they turn out...

don't forget... the tops in the shop sale!!

2008-07-19T17:50:00.002-04:00

all tops in the shop will be 20% off! (and that includes the laura su top in organic cottons and bamboos)

just use the code ||topsintheshop|| (type it up as one word)

and... because it's so freakin' hot this weekend...

i'm extending the sale to go on until monday evening (7pm to be precise!)

for more information... you may go here... and, here...

and the shop is... here!!
and the other one is... here. (and it has a new header and name... although the address is the same...)

and... speaking of... (tops in the shop)

2008-07-17T20:02:00.006-04:00

there are now two (100%) organic options! (which i am very happy to annouce!)

the blue and the brown are a lovely smooth bamboo/ cotton blend! i made a shirt for me out of this, but in green, and it gets lovelier with each wear!

and the brown gingham is an amazing color grown cotton that softens with every wash and really is quite lovely!

these fabrics will be available in the shop for the laura su top... please email me if you'd like to have the organic fabrics for another garment option...

tops in the shop...

2008-07-17T17:05:00.004-04:00

this friday and saturday all tops in the shop will be 20% off!
whoo hoo!
just use the code ||topsintheshop|| (type it up as one word)

and... don't forget about this... the sleeveless mayumi mini is still on sale until july 31st... just use this code... ||thelovelymayumi|| (also typed as one word) and the dress and top (if you miss the sale) will be 12%!

stay cool my lovelies!

(*the tops in the shop sale code applies to this shop... but, if you happen to order from my etsy shop this weekend... just email me and i'll refund you the 20%!)

it's almost too hot to post...

2008-07-16T22:14:00.007-04:00

so... here are a few images of yesterday... and today...

stay cool... in the physical sense and the old school way...

because it's so hot this month...

2008-07-08T17:21:00.006-04:00

from now until july 31st there will be a sale on the sleevless mayumi mini dress and top...
just use this code... ||thelovelymayumi|| and 12% will be taken off the original price! (make sure you type the code as one word... "thelovelymayumi" and, if for some reason it doesn't work, just email me and i'll refund you the 12%)

it's too hot not to have a lovely summery dress...

the shop is here

and, you can also get the sleevless mayumi mini dress or top in my etsy shop but, there's no sale there...

stay tuned with the shop because i will soon be adding an organic fabric option!

stay cool all!

somehow...

2008-07-03T19:20:00.004-04:00

i managed to score a treasury on etsy this evening...
and, you may look at it in all of its loveliness here...

**and don't forget!**
visit my new(ish) shop... and use this code (samplesale01) on this dress (the one and only anabela sample) and take 13% off! there's only one and it's a size x-small/ small (bust size 32")... so get it before someone else does (or, before the end of friday)!

thank you! (and, stay tuned because there will be another promotional code soon... for my new favorite dress!

a couple of things...

2008-07-02T20:33:00.002-04:00

i awoke to see this...

it's the second front page treasury i've been in... or, rather we... thank you laura su for the lovely photo, again.

and... this...

i also got some lovely lovely fabrics in the mail today and hope to sew them up into lovely creations over the (yay) three day weekend that's waiting for us!

yay for thursdays being the end of the week!

it's july...

2008-07-01T20:54:00.006-04:00

i've been working on this...
(i'll explain later... eventutally...)

and, if you haven't already... check out label- free! it's excellent... in every way!

and... while you're visiting the new(ish) shop... use this code (samplesale01) on this dress (and only the anabela sample) and take 13% off! there's only one and it's a size x-small/ small (bust size 32")... so get it before someone else does (or, before the end of friday)!

something new and wonderful...

2008-06-30T19:57:00.002-04:00

i'm very very excited to be a part of
label- free, a new and lovely sewing collaboration blog thing! (i'm sure there's a better way for me to describe this, but my brain is not able to function tonight... )
nevertheless... label- free is great!

thank you to
aimee of betsy ross patterns! you're the best!

new in the shop...

2008-06-29T20:02:00.007-04:00

the mauyumi sleeveless mini dress in blue chambray...

available to you here

the laura su top...

2008-06-23T19:37:00.001-04:00

it's just like the dress... but, a top! and very cute!
and... available to you here...
(and here)

white space wednesday...

2008-06-18T21:21:00.004-04:00

my contributions to my favorite flickr group... white space wednesday... thank you alyson for organizing this lovely group... i look forward to it every wednesday...

whoa...

2008-06-18T17:02:00.003-04:00

we made the front page of etsy this morning!

you may view it...here until friday...

(again, laura, thank you for taking the photo... letting me use it... and, risking your life! you're the best!)

the laura su...

2008-06-17T21:52:00.008-04:00

i had the pleasure of making this very lovely dress for the even lovelier laura su of prismera design!

and now... you can find it, in it's own way, available to you...
here...
(and here)

and, some photos of the weekend... which was a bit of a disaster (it was good too... but, there was definitely an element of disaster there...)

tiara and athea are blurry... but, they're there

tiara took this photo of us at brooklyn breweries...(notice the lovely prismera necklace i am wearing?... )

an ode, in photo form, to being stuck in city traffic for way way way too long...

(thank you laura for letting me use your photo!)

yesterday...

2008-06-09T19:46:00.004-04:00

i made a dress for the lovely laura su of the beautiful prismera design. i love the way it turned out and hope it fits her just right!
here's a little sneak peek... i don't want to give it all away...

the anabela...

2008-06-07T15:24:00.007-04:00

i'm putting the anabela dress in my etsy shop... (and here)
it's a size xs/small...
the bust is 32"
and the length is about 30.5" in length
the dress in the shop is a sample of what's to come... (i am happy to take custom orders, just email me)

and... yes, i did name this dress after the very lovely anabela of field guided!

a few things i'm working on... (among many other things)

2008-05-27T20:34:00.008-04:00

working with organic (and sustainable) fabrics...

little dresses...

thinking in terms of plaids and autumn... (already)

working on some things...

getting geared up and excited for twist!!
and trying not to feel totally overwhelmed with the amazing melissa of shaybelle and the lovely jenny of wiksten... i can barely contain myself! but, i'll have to... hopefully i can catch jenny's shop update...

and... one more thing... tomorrow's my birthday... and it's my sister's too!

this skirt...

2008-05-13T20:22:00.003-04:00

can be found here... now...

i've been hiding out here lately.
this time of year is crazy... clayton's doing his finals, the garden, progress reports, the month of may, our birthday (me and my twin on the 28th), end of the year stuff at school, meetings, sewing... oh, and the list goes on...
(i apologize for my lack of communication... )

yesterday and tomorrow...

2008-05-10T09:38:00.010-04:00

yesterday was my mom's birthday... and tomorrow is the day we honor our mums...

happy birthday mama!

happy mother's day mama! i love you!!

my mama and my sister...

and... in 18 days... my sister and i will be 27 years old!

i just purchased one of these!! i can't wait for it to arrive and to get started on our mountain of laundry that will, hopefully, disappear for good once we get our Wonder Wash!

this is the last day...

2008-05-03T15:05:00.003-04:00

and then all the destashing stuff from the shop will disappear... yup!

a great way to end a long week...

2008-05-02T22:05:00.000-04:00

here is my good news...!

the blues...

2008-05-02T20:49:00.008-04:00

making morning tea...

what i wore yesterday...

blanket (of sorts)...

threads...

one of my favorite new shirts... (and my new le boutan skirt)

striped socks...

this will be in the shop sometime tonight... i have 3 yards...

mostly reds and a little bit of pink

2008-05-01T18:11:00.004-04:00

two movies...

morning tea kettle...

file folder...

ten minutes until closing...

press...

fabric...

my little pin cushion...

post- its in the studio...

le boutan skirt...

there are orange things all around! (for leya)

2008-04-30T21:04:00.010-04:00

on the walk to the bus... there's road work everywhere...

a bucket in the pharmacy window...

an orange peel underneath the bench...

there's a new restaurant opening up in northampton... (and the outside is so very orange!)

in our front room...

in our kitchen...

(tomorrow is pink/ red...)

yup... today was one of those days...
ugh.

somehow...

2008-04-29T19:43:00.005-04:00

without even realizing it... i seem to be playing along with leya now! (let's see if i can muster up some orange tomorrow...!)

and... everything in the shop... under spring cleaning... has been mega reduced and, will only be in ther until saturday... we're doing a complete overhaul of the studio!

on friday...

2008-04-28T21:25:00.000-04:00

i got my driver's license...

and, today... i drove to work all by myself...

still cleaning...

2008-04-27T14:47:00.004-04:00

and so...
all fabric, books, and magazines in the shop are 25% off!!

the shop is here...!

i'm back... and cleaning...

2008-04-24T16:24:00.002-04:00

there are some magazines... lots of fabric and these:

me: i'm almost there... and, still here...

2008-04-13T20:38:00.013-04:00

spring is busy...
we've been going through re-enrollment/ admissions stuff at work...
i had bronchitis and a bad case of asthma for way too long...
taxes...
spring cleaning and attempting to completely rearrange the house we live in...
spring is very busy...

i'm going to san francisco on saturday to hang out with my sister and see my friend mayumi (and her husband jj) and my friend ben...
it's my first time (ever) going to the west coast...
i know we're going to have a picnic and do a little sewing... but, what else should we do?

springing ahead!

2008-03-09T16:56:00.002-04:00

while there's still snow on the ground (it's slowly melting away)... spring is blooming in our home...
and, i'm going to take a little blog break (just a little one) for now... but, you can still find me here...

an entire week's gone by...

2008-03-02T19:25:00.011-05:00

i can't belive it's been a whole week since i last posted! i guess the past week was much busier than i realized. i am fully immersed in my work routine... so much so... that i totally missed top model on wednesday because i fell asleep and missed going out dancing on friday because i feel asleep, again, way too early. clayton is on a ski trip with his work and i haven't seen him since i left for work friday morning (he was a total sleephead)... so, i am so ready for him to get home!

i, finally, made tiara's dress...

she chose the fabric... the pattern is that same one i've been sewing... i just changed the neckline a little bit for tiara...

and i even added my new little tags... (which is perfect because her name begins with the same letter...)

i just hope it fits her well... because it fits me so well and, even though tiara assures me we wear the same size... i just don't know... so, i hope it fits sis!

i really enjoyed sewing this dress. the fabric was a dream to sew with. it looks kind of like a beautiful, fashionable muʻumuʻu... no? i think so... but, i think thats why i kind of really love it so much...

sunday... the last few hours of my february break...

2008-02-24T21:56:00.007-05:00

clayton really likes his grains in the morning... one day i'll start my mornings with as hearty a breakfast as he does... for now though, i'm good with a strong cup of tea, an english muffin doused in butter, and some chocolate...

i spent a good portion of today in the studio sewing...

i worked, for awhile, on a vogue pattern that, in the end (well, close to it) i realized i didn't like it at all... (luckily i sewed it up in a cheap-o broadcloth i got on sale)... so, i made this again (with a slightly different yoke and no pockets...)

it fits (perfectly)! and i'm totally happy with it (and the cotton i used). it just needs a good pressing and... eventually, maybe, a peter pan collar... but, it was a good sewing evening...

happy oscars watching everyone! i'm trying not to watch them... but, it's really easy to get sucked in...
i'm totally psyched that no country for old men is winning so many... i loved that movie so freakin' much!

**yay to glen hasard and markéta irglová for winning the best song! finally, some folks who deserve it!**

5:35

2008-02-22T17:23:00.010-05:00

it's snowing again... the laundry is drying... and clayton and i are sitting on our bed with our laptops in front of us... watching the simpsons... now, is a great time to blog... no?

i made a dress the other day... it's kind of my own pattern and kind of a few others... it's a little bit big and i'm hoping that it will shrink just right in the wash... otherwise, someone who is ever so slightly bigger than i will get to wear it! it's very comfortable and made of a beautiful linen/ cotton blend... it was extremely fun to make and i will be making more dresses... oh yes! many more...

what's next...

i love when we clean the kitchen... i really do!

sea glass and smooth rocks...

2008-02-19T15:44:00.016-05:00

i'm here, lying in bed recovering from a cold (with a cough) and the "go- go- go" of our long weekend/ short holiday together, wishing we were both (still) on vacation mode...
we ventured eastward on friday... first, to new bedford to see sara, mat, and isabel...

and then we went to martha's vineyard for a couple of days... we took ourselves in the car on the big ole ferry... visited a sheep farm... played on the beach...

we made it back last evening... after a stop at ikea (which was a little bit of a disaster... just a little bit)... clayton cooked some fresh lobsters (yikes!)... watched a few episodes of 24 (we kind of really love it now). and so, here i am this afternoon... being lazy and trying not to feel so crappy... but, i did have tea in my new mug, which (maybe) helps me feel a little better... right?

snow squalls and wind

2008-02-10T21:25:00.000-05:00

i went to the fabric store with the intentions of just getting the brown fabric (a linen/ cotton blend)... but, somehow managed to come home with all of this in my bag...

this will turn itself into a laptop sleeve for clayton

some knitting goodness...

i always enjoy waking up slowly during the weekend...

what i saw when i looked out the window this afternoon

clayton's laptop sleeve (velcro will be added as the closure... when i can find it)

the pockets of the sleeve... per clayton's request

the inside of clayton's laptop sleeve...

last week was one of those "is it over" week. i'm hoping that today will usher in a better week. tomorrow evening the magnetic fields will open the week... and, i'll probably have one of those tired tuesdays... ah well. and the end of the week... well, clayton's birthday is on friday and i'm taking that day off. we're headed east to martha's vineyard for a super long weekend... and then, i have a mid- winter break! oh, i so need it!

good night all!

tuesday is so super (even in the pouring rain)

2008-02-05T22:00:00.001-05:00

i'm proud to live in greenfield... even though we didn't win the state...

you are going to vote tomorrow?... yes?...

2008-02-04T21:28:00.001-05:00

so looking forward to this...

i made my favorite cleansing dinner tonight... brown rice, dinosaur kale, garlic, sesame oil and seeds, and liquid aminos... what's your favorite cleansing dinner?

i finished knitting myself a slouchy beret type hat... now, i just have to put the pom pom on and it's good to go...

oh yes... this is what i've been watching...

a few things i will sew during my mid- winter break that is coming up soon!

this is my absolute favorite chocolate lately... oh, it's so good...

my co- worker recently pointed out all of my layers... i do wear layers like it's my job... i do.

so... i'm not one to impress my political views on others... but, well...

this gave me chills... the kind of oh so good chills that give my intense hope... every time he speaks, i get chills... dammit... i am so ready for change!

a few things and such...

2008-01-28T20:33:00.000-05:00

i saw these the other day... i kind of really love that they're there... (they are chairs, after all)

so... erica... i totally love my mittens! hot dang! they're great and my hands can be warm!

this is what i came home to tonight! (i kind of really loved walking around the house finding clayton's little labels and such!)

some super great things came in the mail from my sister today!
a gift certificate to here and here
and... she sent me this, which i am so very very excited about!

clayton and i watched once the other day... and, well... it's amazing! i love love love it and have been listening to the soundtrack nonstop! if you have not already... you must see it! you must!

and, on that night... i'm going to say... "good night!"

today was one of those days...

2008-01-23T19:53:00.001-05:00

in which my alarm startled me out of a very deep sleep...

i put the wrong boots on today so my feet were sore and tired for a good portion of the day... and i forgot my morning cup of tea...

my co- teacher (she's such an amazing teacher) was out with a nasty stomach thing... (but, she's never sick!)

it was just me in my classroom all day... no substitute... no break... nineteen kids (three of them nearly drove me insane)... a parent/ teacher meeting...

the bus ride home seemed to last three hours rather than just one...

i don't even feel like making dinner... so, i'm going to nap a little and drink some tea and eat some fancy chocolate and hope clayton gets home earlier than later...

on a completely different note:
please go see this movie... it's so freakin' good!
and, if you haven't already... go see this movie too because it's so cute and the soundtrack makes me oh so happy when i listen to it!
i can't wait for erica's mitten's to arrive! you should totally get some... especaily because winter is still another five months or so... (at least that's what it seems like)!

(p.s. wish me luck... i'm on my own tomorrow too!)

p.p.s. this is my new favorite deodorant... i love the 'masculine' woody smell... (i can't stop smelling my armpits...!)

this is my new favorite hand soap... it's wonderful for those of us who have extremely sensitive hands...

on monday...

2008-01-21T14:36:00.000-05:00

today... i baked leya's cupcakes to celebrate dr. martin luther king jr. and all of his amazingness. today is the perfect day to start talking to your children about racism... it's better to talk about it then to not talk about it. it's okay to let your children know people have different skin color. it's not okay to not tell your children anything. it is okay to talk to your kids about differences and how, some people, don't like people just because of their skin color. it's okay to talk to your kids about racism. if we don't talk about it... they'll never know... and we'll only perpetuate the evil that is racism...

on sunday, i sewed... but, i can't show you... not yet...

on saturday, i drove (yes, i drove! with clayton in the car, of course) to pittsfield and bought this book, which i'm totally loving! i can see myself using it as much (or, ever more) as this book!
i also bought a pair of mittens from the lovely erica. she just opened up an etsy shoppe! i can't wait to have some warm hands... it's only getting colder here!
(so... i'm totally loving my new boots, which are breaking in quite nicely! and, my new $5 shirts from target... yes, of course i bought four of the same...)

on friday, i had one of those kind of snow days... the morning was filled with yucky wet, slick, icy snow/ rain and so there was a two hour delay. unfortunately, because i rely so heavily on the bus (and no one else i work with lives this far away) it was really difficult for me to get to school. so... i had the day off... kind of...
which ended up being kind of nice... clayton has fridays off so we were able to spend some time together... so... we went to our favorite restaurant for lunch... hope & olive, which, if you're ever in greenfield, ma... you should go to!

on thursday, i was in one of those good moods...
recess is always one of my favorite parts of our school day... (even when the weather is oh so very very cold). the kids are free to play with whomever they like... run wild in a safe place and... (as in the photo below) use their imagination! i was able to witness one of my students decorate the tree with snow!

on wednesday... i was c-r-a-n-k-y...
i worked a twelve hour day... came home to a little bit of a mess... and didn't get something i've been waiting for for awhile... so... i was c-r-a-n-k-y!

tuesday today

2008-01-15T18:53:00.000-05:00

on the playground the day after the snow 'storm'

it started snowing on my way to the bus stop...

sometimes i treat myself when i come home from work...

it's been snowing all day... and so...

2008-01-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

guess who has a snow day today!?! (me!!)

i'm knitting... (sara, i love love love my bag! it holds my groceries, my knitting, my school things... oh, i love it!)

i'm doing a little letter writing...

i'm finally ready to bake some of that no knead bread (thanks sara and mat)... but, just as i put it in the oven... the coil at the bottom started to sprak and such... so, the bread is sitting in the warm oven and beautiful pot (again, thanks sara and mat) and i'm hoping it will cook itself that way. the top won't brown, but i'm okay with that. unfortunately, i won't be able to bake
these until we get a new oven... and, who knows when that will be. dang!

(minutes before the sparks...)

and... a few extra photos just for kicks...
this is often, what my mornings and afternoons look like...

i'm kind of a bag whore (just ask clayton)... here's my new bag from
target filled with my stuff, which includes the book i'm reading, which is very very good (by the way)... the inheritance of loss

alright... i'm off to check on the bread and, let's hope it somehow managed to cook itself... yikes!

**update** the bread... in all it's amazingness... cooked itself in the heat of the pot and the oven... i let it sit in the oven for quite sometime and it cooked and it's yummy. it's a little soft... because it wasn't able to brown... but, a little toasting can fix that. now, we just need a new oven... and i have to re-plan the week's meals... but, it could have been so much worse...

and, since you're obviously blog- reading right now... take a little gander at mat's blog (clayton's brother in law) new bedford every day. it's (already) filled with beautiful photos of his neighborhood and makes me want to visit mat and sara and isabel soon! (this is his other blog!)

p.s i need a pair of warm pretty mittens... any suggestions?

i'm moving in slow motion...

2008-01-10T20:23:00.000-05:00

thursdays are homework days...

does anyone remember learning cursive? it's one of my "specialties" in our classroom...

this is what i came home to today... clayton's at work until late...

this arrived in the mail yesterday from my lovely friend mayumi! (i heart it!)

well... it's 2008 now...

2008-01-02T20:48:00.000-05:00

happy end of 2007 all!

up on tiara's roof at night...

me and hanakyle in a quick embrace... (look at my awesome new frye boots! i love them...)

the view from tiara and abbi's roof... (in park slope)

happy new year... yo!

bye tiara and mouse (the cat)... thanks for letting us stay! we had fun!

we left the city during a mega rain storm... (i'm so glad clayton is a great driver.)

yup... that's the rain turned into a snow storm once we headed into connecticut and massachusetts... more snow...

first, there was christmas... and now, there is relaxing and knitting... and next, there is nyc...

2007-12-29T17:41:00.001-05:00

every year... for as long as i can remember... whenever tiara, chrissy and i are together (on holidays, especially) we do this...

yes, we do this every year...

and, we had a little too much fun with natia's babydoll...

(*all of these photos were taken on christmas day and are courtesy of tiara and her new camera!)
happy weekending all!
(have a happy and safe new year's eve!!)

so very close to being done...

2007-12-22T21:18:00.000-05:00

and it's a good thing because i'm going home (to syracuse) tomorrow...
have a lovely holiday everyone!
(see you on thursday upon my return)

day two of serious christmas crafting...

2007-12-20T19:38:00.000-05:00

clayton's photos are hanging in a show right now... so, i hung my own show on our gallery wall!

and the holiday crafting continues...

some things for the salems...

i don't know why i never put christmas lights in the studio before...

day one of serious christmas crafting...

2007-12-19T21:12:00.000-05:00

everyone deserves to have a little sparkle around the holidays... (we had our solstice celebration last night...)

what i look at while i'm measuring and cutting and pinning and all that pre- sewing goodness...

it's all about christmas crafting for the rest of the week...

kind of loving my fabric stash and planning my next creation for me...

something for my nana...

another something for my nana...

a grumpy evening...

2007-12-18T22:42:00.000-05:00

we just got home (around 10pm) after a long long day to find our heater is busted...
we're freezing our bums off...

but, on a happy note... i have a little over two weeks off of work. so, there's still time to finish up making gifts (hopefully, we'll have heat tomorrow). and then, off to syracuse for christmas. and then... we're off to new york for new years!

now, i just have to convince myself i'm really not that cokd...

(*an update made on 19 december, 2007... the heat fixer upper came very very early this morning... and we have heat! our landlady is great...! and now, i am not so grumpy... although, i do wish clayton had a winter/ christmas break like i did...)

we've colds and snow... so, we're hunkered down this weekend...

2007-12-16T11:56:00.000-05:00

we had some serious snow play friday on the playground after thursday's furious snow storm! (of course, i went sledding too and nearly fell down the hill before i got up... what a sight i was... one of my students had to help me up!)

i took this right before we cleaned up snack friday afternoon...

hat number one, i did not photograph... so, this is hat number two (a la my inspiration) and, there will be many more like this... yes.

hat number three...

i've plenty of white hairs on my head (usually hidden underneath my massive amount of brown curls)... but, this one just stood out to me...

it's called accumulation... and, i love it! (if only it started later today and went on into monday... to guarentee another snow day! i'm so greedy)

deciding who we're going to vote for in the primaries... (i liked this silly quiz)

hat number four in the works...

a late snow day...

2007-12-13T15:56:00.000-05:00

to be made into christmas goods!

our tree topper...

we put the lights on our lovely tree... but, no ornaments yet...

looks like i got home just in time! (we had an early dismissal today... thank goodness)

blargh! clayton has to go to work... (just as i get home!)

i's coming down so fast... (and this photo was taken just an hour after the storm started... and... five hours later there's about three times-- or more-- as much snow!)

look at how that snow is falling!

clayton's headed to work... he doesn't get work off when it snows and such like i do...

bye clayton! have a safe trip to work... and, an even safer trip home tonight! (i wish you didn't have to go to work...)

these are a few of my favorite things...

2007-12-11T18:36:00.000-05:00

(to see where these all came from... look here)

we were so busy yesterday!

2007-12-08T13:21:00.000-05:00

despite feeling ever so exhausted (as i always do on fridays) we had quite a good day in the classroom...
a chum (or, first year) is reading to an elder (or, a third year)

oh, how we love to knit!

our recess was all about sled races on the icy snow! (of course i took part... and i'm ever so sore from it today...i fell down a bit from the ice!) we had so much fun!

our afternoon was filled with the amazingness that is montessori math...
the stamp game addition...

bead bar multiplication...

the addition snake game...

and golden bead subtraction...

while it's ever so cold outside...

2007-12-05T20:04:00.000-05:00

yesterday i went sledding with the kiddies (we have a hill on the playground)...
and, today, i did a lot of moveable alphabet...

and knitting...

getting ready...

our little kitchen tree... s little blurry. (recognize the decorations laura?)

a jam packed with awesomeness package arrived from the ever so lovely and wonderful... laura! (i love it all laura... and my kids will be so stoked on those pencils... no kidding! pencils are such a hot commodity in our class)

can you guess what i made for dinner tonight?

can you tell i had a snow day today?

2007-12-03T18:25:00.000-05:00

me... last night... hoping for a snow day!

it is a snow day indeed...

time to pick out the perfect tree!

knitting up some garland for the tree...

look at all of the beautiful trees... how will we ever choose?

i think this is the one!

clayton is cutting our tree...

clayton and our tree... post cut!

having a taste of fresh snow!

our little tree's new home!

Do They Know iI's Christmas?

2007-12-03T10:50:00.001-05:00

Band Aid 1985