Mama Squirrel

Portrait Of The Mister As a Daddy

When Flannery was three months old I decided to have her picture taken at a local portrait studio. Although we had taken plenty of pictures of our own, I felt the need for professional documentation of the existence of our child.   I made an appointment, spent way too much money on an outfit and anxiously waited for our scheduled date and time at the photo studio.  

On the morning of the photo shoot I woke up at dawn.  I was so desperate for beautiful pictures of my smiling baby that I left nothing to chance.  I made sure she was fed, changed and rested before I dressed her and packed her up.  As we were getting ready to go I remember thinking that, not only would we return home with fantastic pictures, but the studio would probably ask us if they could use the pictures of our  baby for some sort of national advertising campaign because she was that adorable and photogenic.  Here she is right before we left the house (note the bib as a pre-emptive strike against drool on her outfit):

 We arrived at the studio and were called back into one of the bays where the photos were taken.  The photographer arranged some bolsters in a manner that would support a baby in a safe-yet-aesthetically-pleasing way.  I gave Flannery a kiss, set her down into her little scene and stepped back.

And  she lost it.  Without being hungry or tired or having a dirty diaper she went from zero to hysterical as spectacularly as a three month old infant possibly can. With no obvious provocation, her face turned red, her tiny limbs flailed angrily in the air and she screamed as if she was being attacked by a swarm of wasps.  

I was horrified.  I rocked her, stroked her and offered to buy her a pony when she started kindergaten, but nothing would calm her down.  It was one of the first times I learned one of the most important lessons of parenting:  planning doesn't matter; my own wishes don't matter and clinging to them will only make me sad. However, in that moment I couldn't acknowledge this and my own eyes teared up in frustration.

The photographer observed Flannery was more calm when I was holding her and suggested that she take a picture with both of us.  Clad in a spit-up stained T shirt and fat jeans, I was not feeling photogenic.  The photographer and I both turned toward The Mister who obliged.  He picked up Flannery, calmed her and smiled.

We purchased the photo  because it was hard fought and won. When I first saw it, I remember thinking Flannery looked like an angry baby sparrow who was denied her worms.  Today, it is one of my favorite pictures of Flannery and The Mister.    I still think Flannery looks mad, but seven years later her expression makes me smile.   What really makes the picture for me is The Mister and how obviously and wholeheartedly he loves his little girl.  It is one small piece of evidence of the kind of father he is to both of our daughters. 

 

Photo by Portrait Innovations, 2006 

 

Owlcrafting With Nicole McGee

Last night I had the pleasure of joining several other ladies for an owlcrafting workshop led by Nicole McGee.   Nicole  is one of my crafting role models. She is the creator of both  Plenty Underfoot and  Collective Upcycle, two businesses that use upcycling to create beautiful, original works of art.  In addition to learning how to upcycle vinyl tile samples into adorable, wearable art, I was childishly excited to finally get to see Nicole's studio.  

Check out this amazing decoration on her studio door.  (Sorry for the glare, it was early evening and the sun was definitely making its presence known.)

Here is Nicole's studio.  I love how the pool noodles that made their debut at an installation at CMA's Solstice Party a few years back (and then graced the store front at last summer's Collective Upcycle) found a new home here as a festive curtain.  

 

After some introductions and snacks, we were all ready to create our owls.  Nicole had all of the supplies really well organized into separate containers for owl bodies, beaks, eyes and those little crests owls have on their foreheads.  Crafters could assemble their owls from Nicole's pre-cut pieces, or cut their own embellishments.  

Owl assembly was quick, easy and fun.  Since we were using super glue, Nicole  recommended we gather our pieces and lay them out first.  This was important, because once a beak or eye was glued down it wasn't going anywhere. As we crafted, Nicole and her helper Devon were on hand to assist with glasses and nests, which some of the ladies opted to make.    

Before we left, we put our owls together for a class picture.  Here they are:

Nicole is offering a second owlcrafting workshop next week, but it is already full.  I hope that last night's success will inspire her to offer more workshops for different projects in the future.  

Hello! My Name Is...

You may have noticed I haven't written in awhile.   I've been going through a bit of an identity crisis here with my blog.  I started blogging in August of 2010 to chronicle my adventure in not buying toys for my children.  The original name for my blog, Little Tiger and the Milk Belly Princess, was inspired by my two daughters who were two and four years old at the time.  Little Tiger was the name The Mister gave to Flannery, our oldest child, when she was a baby.  The name stuck and is still used today. The Milk Belly Princess was a funny nickname for two year old Maeve who LOVED to drink milk so much that she had a "milk belly" (think "beer belly" but on a toddler girl).  

While Little Tiger is a nickname Flannery may never outgrow, Maeve is no longer The Milk Belly Princess.  Behold the transformation from this

 

To this

 

Continuing to call the blog "Little Tiger and the Milk Belly Princess" was to continue to give Maeve a nickname that no longer suited her.  So I knew I needed to choose a new name.

I decided on "Mama Squirrel" because, although I often write about my family, ultimately this blog is about me and my interests and I am, if you know me you know that I am furtive and darting.  I don't mean to be that way, it's just that my instincts get the better of me and...well...I scurry a lot, much like those little creatures you see on your lawn and in the trees.  I have a plan, although it may not always be obvious to all. And...well...I have several little "nests" about the house where I store my current craft projects and interests.  

I hope you will continue to join me on my adventures here.  It's been a long cold winter, but it finally feels like spring is in the air.  

 

 

 

Collective Upcycle Holiday '12

Although Collective Upcycle's Holiday '12 pop-up shop does not officially open until next week (check out the opening party on Tuesday the 27th) you can get a sneak peek of what will be available during Cleveland's Winterfest TODAY!  Celebrate Small Business Saturday by purchasing items handmade from upcycled materials by local crafters!

The Milk Belly Princess and I took some Fuzzy Wigs, pins and hair clips down to this season's location in the Colonial Arcade (also known as the Colonial Marketplace) at 530 Euclid Avenue. Here is Miss Princess with our basket full of Fuzzy Wigs:

All of the loveys in the basket are made with the sleeves of cashmere sweaters and are very soft and cuddly.  I'm not sure if all of the dolls this season will be made this way, but I'll see what I can do.

Although Princess was excited to drive out to CU with me and took great pleasure in selecting her own dancing horse ornament made by the amazing Kris Barnes, her attention span was short.  I wanted to walk around the store,take pictures and read the artists' stories on their hang tags and business cards, but she wanted to get home and hang her horse on the tree.

The opening party for this season's pop-up shop is Tuesday November 27th from 6-8 PM.  You can read detailed information about dates, hours and parking for Collective Upcycle here.  I will be at Tuesday's party and plan to take more pictures.  For now, I'll leave you with a couple I managed to take on my way out the door.

These vinyl collage trees really caught my eye.  Volunteering at Zerolandfill, I saw LOTS of vinyl wallcovering. and I love how the artist grouped similar colors together.  I also appreciate how these trees are for sale, but double as seasonal decor in the shop.  

This little pin made me smile.  I admire anyone who can take small, discrete findings and transform them into something so endearing.

Sirna's Farm Fall Festival

 A couple of weeks ago, a friend of mine shared this article on Facebook.  As soon as a saw the giant corn box, I knew if we only made it to one fall festival this year, this would be it.  Since this is the peak weekend for fall foliage in these parts, the 45 minute drive out to the farm melted away as we admired the brilliant reds, oranges and yellows that lit up the forests along the highway.  

For seven dollars (three for me and two for each of the littles) we were able to play to our hearts' content.  We started our adventure by checking out the animals.  While Little Tiger was enamored with the humming alpaca, I could tell that The Milk Belly Princess was freaked out so we moved on to a hay ride.  Both girls marveled over the giant muddy tractor tires and squealed with glee as we rode around the farm.  A hay ride is a highlight of any fall festival.  How could anyone ever top that? Our hay ride was almost over when I saw it: 

This contraption just might get my vote for coolest form of transportation EVER.  Six 55 gallon drums were repurposed into seats (with little benches and safety belts) and connected to form this sweet little train.  Here's a close up of the girls getting ready to take their ride.  Notice Little Tiger's look of joy and how The Milk Belly Princess'  brow is furrowed with apprehension:

I truly wish I was in a position to give whoever invented this an award for innovation in repurposing. This train was constructed so as it moved forward each car gently bounced up and down.  It was interesting enough for older kids, but safe enough for little ones.  (The Milk Belly Princess' brow was smooth when she was returned to me at the end of the ride.)

Next, it was time for the corn box.  Once inside, Little Tiger eagerly reported that she was standing knee deep in feed corn and her feet were still not touching the ground.  While The Milk Belly Princess was happy to dig with the wide array of shovels available, Little Tiger made several corn angels.

The girls had so much fun in the corn box I wasn't sure I would be able to drag them out, but they wanted to try the corn maze.  Here they are as we were just getting started.  The Milk Belly Princess was concerned I was too far behind.

Today was the last day for Sirna's Fall Festival, but if you're looking for some unique fall fun you should definitely check it out next October.

Treasured

My hunter/gatherer roots are never far from the surface.  Or maybe I'm descended from pirates and all of this can be traced back to a centuries-old desire for buried treasure.  There has to be something more than the simple practicality of saving money that causes me to get childishly excited any time I have an opportunity to mine for gems on the secondary market.  The night before Zerolandfill or an estate or rummage sale my eager anticipation mirrors that of  preschoolers quequing up at the starting line of an Easter egg hunt.

I'm not proud  to admit it, but over the past week I've visited my church more than I did this entire summer.  It started with Sorting Sunday when the entire congregation stayed after the 10:30 service to help  move all of the donations for our annual Trash and Treasure Sale from the large mult-purpose room to the various places where they would be sold.  

Although I tried to play it cool, I was excited to open each new box of  donations to see what was inside.  The fact that most of it was pretty ordinary made the exceptions all the more thrilling.  I didn't think much of the blue and white striped copy paper box as I approached it.  Upon closer inspection, I saw "Dollhouse + Furniture" printed on it in faint blue ballpoint pen.  When I opened the lid, I tried not to squeal with glee.   Check it out:

Not a doll house, but a fashion boutique, four small shoppers and an assortment of tops, skirts, hats, wigs--even a cape.  I looked everywhere, but was unable to find a single clue about the name, manufacturer or date of this toy.  The name "Madeline" was written on the bottom of two of the doll's in blue ink, so I'm guessing that was who owned at least half of the set.  Maybe the other two dolls belonged to a sister? 

I knew Little Tiger and The Milk Belly Princess would love this toy.  It was still there when I arrived at church to price sale items on Monday, so I scooped it up.  I thought about saving it for Christmas, but The Milk Belly Princess saw me gathering all of the pieces and it was over. We brought the play set home and were in the midst of giving the dolls and their clothes a bath on our front stoop when Little Tiger arrived home on the school bus.  She was happy to join us.

Since we brought the dolls and their boutique home on Monday it has usurped everything else as the favorite toy in our house.  Several times during the early afternoons, I've stopped what I was doing to listen to The Milk Belly Princess croon to the dolls, making them talk and sing to each other.  I tried to sneak up on her and get some candid shots, but she was on to me.  For as much as she loves imaginary play, she hates it when she thinks anyone is watching or listening.  So this was the best I could do:   

I hope you are having a wonderful weekend!

trash and TREASURE

From the thrill of finding great deals to the satisfaction of turning someone else's castoffs into something valuable,  I love everything about thrifting.  While I'm always up for a good rummage or estate sale,there are a few annual events I look forward to...and tomorrow is one of them.  Unlike most other bargain-hunting extravaganzas I attend, this time I will be working instead of shopping (but, really, why should the two be mutually exclusive?)  

If you're local, I hope you'll come visit me this Saturday (TOMORROW October 6th) at Rocky River Presbyterian Church during our  annual Trash and Treasure Sale.  The sale is from 9-2 and for the last hour everything is half off.  I was just there today pricing items in the childrens' room (that's right, this isn't one of those puny, half of a multi-purpose room sales--we've got six rooms with different departments) and EVERYTHING IS PRICED TO MOVE.  ALL of the procceds from this sale are donated to charity so it is a great way to find amazing deals and donate to a worthy cause at the same time.  

Curious, but unsure?  Here's a sneak preview.  Rather than full room shots where you can't get a good look at anything, I've opted to zero in a few select items I thought were interesting in an effort to give you a little taste of the sale.  Descriptions precede each picture:

This children's rocker is really sweet.  It comfortably fits both of my 45ish pound girls and I think they both wanted to take it home.

If you like mid-century furniture, the piece behind it is a set of drawers that is part of a bedroom set from that era.  I believe there is a dresser with a large mirror, the drawer set and a full size bed.  The set is located right next to one of the exits for easy  shopper removal.  The bedroom set is STURDY.  I actually thought about purchasing it to replace the trendy, but cheap set I have in The Milk Belly Princess' bedroom, but after the major decluttering I went through at my house  to get ready for this sale, I'm just not up for all of the heavy lifting that would be involved.

This little folk doll is in an area of the sale known as "The Boutique" which is a museum of sorts, lovingly curated by all of the volunteers who worked hard all week to prepare for the sale.  I like how her posture suggests that she, too, is shopping.

 

My mother originally bought this larger-than-life Strawberry Shortcake at the estate sale of an American Greetings employee.  My daughters loved it, but it was a little...much.  I knew The Milk Belly Princess sold me out when my mother told me she heard I found it "creepy."

These puzzles/educational games  are wooden and seem to be very high quality.  I'm not exactly sure how they work, but my mom thrifted several games and puzzles for my daughters by the same company and my girls and I both love them because they are aethestically pleasing, sturdy AND educational.  A new teacher trying to build a collection of classroom games would be able to put these to good use. 

If the five dollar price tag on Miss Madeline's hat is off-putting, fear not.  She is definitely one of the more expensive toys at the sale.  (I think there is a vintage metal Tonka truck for $15 and some brand new big K'nex sets at about the same price, but most of the toys are a dollar or two.)  I'm not sure if the high chair is a children's toy or more of a decoration for a doll collector, but I love the color.  It would look great holding one of  The Milk Belly Princess' baby dolls in her room, but her imaginary play doesn't really involve feeding. 

This is in the room with all of the seasonal decorations.  I'm not sure what season it is supposed to represent, but it reminds me of Parade the Circle.

Here is a small sampling of the many lamps for sale.  The volunteer in charge of organizing this room (who is a thrifting/estate sale styling GENIUS) made the observation that, with green shades, this lamp would look really good.  I know she's right because I've seen her house and it is brilliantly decorated.

The Apollo glass is one of several we donated.  I originally bought eight and the matching carafe for The Mister as a birthday present one of the years we were dating.  Then, we either received more as gifts, or the glasses mated in the cabinet because somehow we ended up with double that amount.  I think it looks nice next to this taller, blue swirly piece.  

There is a whole room devoted to books.  While there are dozens of contemporary childrens' titles,  I was drawn to the covers of these two vintage volumes.  The Milk Belly Princess REFUSED to move her finger, so that's the little pink digit you see hovering over Nancy Drew.  

Not sure what the story is on these McGuffeys.  They are not first editions or anything, but that red leathertte binding looks smart.  They would be perfect for the den or office of an elementary school teacher or principal.  

Even though we have many of these titles, I really enjoyed looking at the artwork in some of these older Little Golden Books.  We bought "Raggedy Ann's Tea Party" and "Nurse Nancy" when we were  sorting on Tuesday.  The Milk Belly Princess loved both of them (although the latter turned out to be a commerical of sorts for Band-Aids' mid-century release of "Stars and Stripes" printed bandages).

As I've been typing these descriptions I've been thinking of all of the other items I should have photographed, including:

• an artist's painting set complete with a stool, an easel and oil paints that folds up into an easy to manage carrying case. $20
• a unicorn pillow pet $2 (I know the little girl who donated this and she takes VERY good care of her things.)
• a tiny vintage ambulance/abacus toy  (ten cents)
• two ruffly, twirly, swirly square dancing dresses

...and so much more.  But my hour for writing this is up.  I will have a very sad, scared little girl at tumbling class, if I don't hit "Publish" and go pick her up right this minute.  I hope I've piqued your curiousity and see you tomorrow at the sale.

Stick Doll Fun

Anyone who is a regular on Pinterest knows that pinning a project idea and actually seeing it through to completion are two very different things.  I currently have 720 pins and the number of Pinterest-inspired projects I've completed is...significantly less than that.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a pin that led me to a tutorial for how to make Miss Lolly Dolly at Teawagontales and I knew I had to do this with my girls.  All you need are craft sticks, colored pens and washi tape.  Jane has a fantastic tutorial on her blog, so I won't get into that here, but I did want to share our dolls with you.  The background play scape is courtesy of The Milk Belly Princess.  I'm not sure about the species of the little animal in the lower right hand corner of the paper, but its sweetness is making my teeth hurt.

Here are the dolls made by me:

These were created by Little Tiger:

One of the best parts of this craft is that the dolls are endlessly customizable.  Both Little Tiger and The Mister made their own miniature copies of The Milk Belly Princess dressed in doll versions of the outfit she was wearing that day.

Speaking of the Milk Belly Princess, here's her doll collection:

Let's take a closer look at my favorite.  Look at that big, friendly smile:

I hope there was something this week that made you this happy.

 

Etsy Craft Party At Stitch Cleveland

There are MANY things I love about teaching, but sitting through meetings is not one of them.   So, after my first "teacher day" of the new school year,  I was extra excited to attend the Etsy Craft Party at Stitch Cleveland last  Friday.  I was hoping to meet some fellow crafters and learn more about how to launch a successful craft business.  I was not disappointed.  

I knew it would be an amazing evening when I walked through the door and was greeted by this sign:

Prior to the gathering, Heidi and Megan went through their stash and offered everything they didn't need to good homes.  For free.  Since I made the decision to teach part time this year I've had to really cut back on buying pretty much everything (more on that later) but I can afford free.  Beautiful fabric remnants, sample projects, buttons, trims and even craft kits were up for grabs for all of the party guests.

Guests ranged from people like me, someone who is  interested in launching a craft business but hasn't  made her move, to established entrepreneurs.  Megan and Heidi were very candid and helpful in sharing strategies they've used to develop their business.  Megan warned us against the dangers of accepting too much noncreative work and stressed the importance of scheduling time to explore our own creativity, which really resonated with me.   Here is a  picture of Megan sharing her wisdom with us:  

I was  excited to meet Jenny of Craft Test Dummies and hear her speak about how she has developed her blog over the past four years.   Craft Test Dummies is a site that reviews craft books and products.  Jenny is able to tactfully and articulately review all sorts of craft items in a way that makes her accessible to both the craft product manufacturers and at-home crafters.  She is a crafter through and through.  Seriously, she has business cards with rounded edges so she can store them in her card cases made from repurposed Altoids tins--this girl walks the walk!  In addition to giving us practical strategies, Jenny shared some of the "defining moments" in her crafting life, like the one project that caused her readership to skyrocket and how it happened.  Here she is talking to the group about her experiences.  

I came away from this event with a lot to think about.  I'm inspired, but I also know that before I get too carried away I need a business plan, both short and long term goals and a mission statement. 

If you're local and you've never been to Stitch Cleveland on Detroit Road in Lakewood, you really should check it out.  The mother-daughter team of Heidi and Megan have worked hard to cultivate a small business that is welcoming, inspiring and educational.  Their creativity is evident the moment you walk in and look at their displays.  

 

I have dozens of old, empty wooden spools in my craft room.  The necklace on this mannequin made me want to go home and start making jewelry with them.

If you've always wanted to learn to sew, call Stitch Cleveland and make an appointment for a private lesson with Megan or Heidi.  They can teach you to use your own machine or  give you a lesson on  one of the machines in the shop.  If you are an expert sewist, you can sign up for a class to learn a new technique, or simply stop buy Stitch to pick up some of their amazing fabric and browse their selection of craft books.  Feast your eyes on this deliciousness by Amy Butler:

...and this is just one of several shelves.  We're on the edge of a dreary, gray winter here in the CLE.  Shouldn't we all stock up on yards of beautiful, saturated color?

Zerolandfill '12: More From the Third Harvest

I'm a hypocrite.  I raised an eyebrow when I heard that Mockingjay, the third book in Suzanne Collins' "Hunger Games Trilogy" was going to be developed into two movies that would be released one year apart.  One book = TWO movies?  REALLY?  Seems excessive.

...and then I stretched my last two harvest experiences into two posts each.  Other than this blog, I'm not even a published author.  Talk about delusions of grandeur...

At the beginning of ZL's third harvest last Friday, I had some time to do a little shopping.  My main goal was to find upholstery fabric to replenish my stash for sewing class at BAYarts.  Loose swatches with finished edges are great for making small pouches.  In addition to the swatches, I also found two identical, larger samples of this print:

I still need to experiment, but there are some naked windows here at Casa de Costello in need of cheerful curtains.

I also browsed through the carpet and found this pretty piece:

This, like the one I found last week, would make a nice "hippie bag" or Ipad case.  

I'm pretty choosy about wallpaper, but this reminded me of the endpapers of old books so I thought it could be used in a future bookmaking endeavor:

 That's all.  It was a really rewarding summer at Zerolandfill.  It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed it.  I found some great materials to craft with throughout the winter, and ZL provided hundreds of others with materials and inspiration as well.