Mt. Baker bounty

Saturday we went to a wedding 

in Glacier on Mt. Baker.

We stopped and picked up

some moss.  Isn't this amazing.

I was like a kid in a forestry candy store.

We spent the night in Bellingham

and had breakfast at...

Old Town Cafe.

It was a fun weekend.  I didn't get 

my granny time.  This was a second best.

sunrise

I did get up at 3:30 this morning.

I was on the computer and looked 

up and witnessed this.

Summer is such a glorious time here

in Washington....I would not want to

be anywhere else.  Even though we work

it is like a vacation to have so much light.

Sisters collection

My sister has a collection

of dog prints.  

Here is my favorite.

Not enough time

I am getting ready for the creative connections

show that is just a few weeks away.

I am starting to panic.  

Lots happening at bunnies,

it is summer and I want to enjoy

our beautiful weather.

Sam needs me!

What's a granny to do?

Get up at 3 am again.

We are busy making patterns

for the show.

Here is one that Chris did.

A cozy little house with a flicker light inside.

Pool play

It is hot in Kirkland.

We spent the weekend 

in the pool.

Even baby Sam.

He loved it.

We decided to remove

the soggy diaper and 

my daughter holding him

yelled...."POOOO!"

Yikes...at least it stayed

in the diaper.

Hey when ya gotta go...ya gotta go.

Beach joy

My sister and her neighborhood friend

had a few of us lucky girls out for 

a barbecue on their beach.

It was great to sit on my bum

and be served an amazing dinner

finished off with smores and more

wine. We stayed up until 11:30.

WHOA...for me that is amazing.

Amazing table...not for sale

There are five of us at

work that get massages from

"Jo's healing hands."

As much as Jo is talented,

she gives her massages in

a little garden shed that sits

in the middle of an amazing 

garden that surrounds a

fun antique shop.  

Walking around the yard

I found this very unique 

and fun table and chairs.

So fun and unique.

"NOT FOR SALE."

Oh well.

This is cool

I like to make ordinary tasks...fun.

Therefore I am enjoying the new

Metropolitan Market that just

opened up 15 minutes from us.

(Kirkland...not Anacortes.)

They have an amazing selection

of two things that I love.

Flowers

Bread

Here are some very

cool arrangments they had

the other day.  Notice the price.

I don't buy....I get inspired to create.

I love these idea's for Fall...

Which feels like right around the corner,

since it has been raining the last two days.

Grab that plastic ring

Another week

Another milestone

We can now reach and grab onto stuff.

Also we like to put entire fist into mouth 

and gag ourselves.

I imagine grabbing mama's hair next

and trying to eat it.

Genius baby.

bath time for Sam

I gave Sam a bath in our

Kitchen sink.

It took him a few moments to

figure out this weird sensation.

All the expressions that cross his

little face are so funny and fascinating.

 I imagine him thinking....

Whats this? 

 This is weird.

What happened to my clothes?

 Why is grammy acting like this is fun? 

 Why can't I control my arms and legs in this stuff?

This is kinda fun.

 My eyes can get really big.

Jeez what next?

the rapture of Sam

Strolling through the web I found 

this article by Elizabeth Lesser on

becoming a grandmother.

A friend asked me if becoming a grandmother made me feel old. I didn't know what to say. It's not that it makes me feel young. Rather, it makes me know what matters; it wakes me up; it enlivens me. Joseph Campbell said that people are mistaken in looking for life's purpose in concrete and noteworthy ways. The only purpose there is, he said, is to feel "the rapture of being alive." That's what I feel as a grandmother. I am hooked up to a mainline of rapture in the form of a baby.

Amen.

birdie bunsie

It was my thursday night sleepover

with Sam.  I had not seen him for 

two weeks.  

changes

Eyelashes longer...

cheeks rounder.

His disposition is still... happy.

I made him this new bunsie.

The cotton material is hand painted with

aqua blue stripes.  Stitched on and 

embroidered features.

  He looks great in white. 

He woke up at 2:00, then 5:00.

He was awake from 5:00 to 6:00

and proceded to exercise.

At 11 weeks he did a simplified 

version of exercise.  Lots of 

head spins.  Arms flailing about.

Legs pumping like pistons all the while

talking and cooing.  If my eyes didn't feel

like they were full of cornflakes I would

have enjoyed it more.

And we are up to 6 ounces of formula.

It is the coolest thing I can ever image.

I am practicing gratitude.

GREAT-FULL-NESS

Sunshine helps

Grand babies remind

friends support

partners enlighten

What a glorious time to remember
we are here to enjoy our lives
this gift of body.  So I am going to
go outside now and take a ride
on my new---used
cruisser

Busy at Hutch

 Chris and I 

spruced up the shop.
I have been busy in
the studio.

I brought in some fun
crafty artsy goodies

Who is this?

SEEMORE
He is made of burlap, filled with cedar shavings
cardboard feet and wool eyes and nose.

This is a
tweetie hoop
 I painted and appliqued.
Sweet and simple tweets ...sing the birds.

This is the back.

This is the table centerpiece.
I picked the
 flowers and strawberries
from the
 hutch gardens.

Burlap bags filled with cedar chips.

I have been shopping at the

Skagit farmers supply store.

They have some cool stuff.

This is a cardboard box assemblage.

Filled with some thready stuff.

(uhhh I see the post it note)
of course we never have time to
price stuff so this is to remind us
when we do it later.

Like my new outfit?

I have been grandma K all week.

From last thursday until wednesday.

I held and fed and nurtured my

family...I cooked and cared for them, I cleaned

house, pulled weeds, walked the dog and

changed sheets.

But... I am back in the studio,

Yes...  ready to paint and craft and be 

selfish with my time.

 Do what ever I want, be random and

work on 6 things at a time.

But...

this is me. 

 A granny and artist,

partner, mom, business woman, 

daughter, friend.

 LABELS 

Who am I?

  

It doesn't matter.

I am enjoying the journey.

Thank-you for traveling with me.

Saddle shoe...hate.

As a child I was forced to wear these.

I hated them.  And as your feet 

grew, the uglier they got.

cheap trick

I bought this plant.

Did not have a nice container to put it in.

I took the top book off the stack and

wa  laaaa.

Behind here is an ugly green plastic container.

Ground hog day

Do you remember this movie?

 I recently had this experience with 

my little Sam.

His mama got the flu bug, sunday night.

We went and picked them both up, and brought them

home.  Mama to bed.  Sam with us.  So for three mornings

and nights we woke up to this little face.

If I were to read his expression it would be, "oh, you two 

again?  Where's my mama? 

 Grama you look funny in the middle of the night.

At three in the morning, Grampa can't handle more than one

snap on the onesie during a diaper change.  He would

change the diaper and I would make the bottle.

It got a little hairy when Max nosed her way out the

front gate and decided on a nice stroll thru the 

neighborhood.  I was in a business meeting so

gramps was in charge.

So sam in stroller and grampa searching for the dog.

Sam here is wondering why the Fed Ex 

lady is bringing Max home in her truck.

She explained, when she see a happy

mutt with their tail wagging and tongue

flapping she knows there probably an

escapee.  Happens all the time, she said

Well it went just fine, I came home

and grampa took a nap. 

Hello Dr. Brown

I discovered Brene Brown through

a blog.  I bought the book and the CD.

I have listened to the CD twice.

I have started the book, and 

now that I have seen the video

I can read the book and absorb more of the 

written words.  Visit her website, it is one 

of those makes you feel good blogs.

http://www.ordinarycourage.com/

It's Hot Sam.

Thursday was beautifully hot.

90 degrees in Seattle, we love it.

 Sam was content to just be in a diaper.

He's happy he has eaten, pooped and slept.

Grama makes goofy faces and noises.

(please ignore the crutsy brow line and concentrate on the smile)

Did you ever play that game,

Why are you hitting yourself?

You grab someones arms and punch them in

the face with their own fist.

Well Sam hits himself and then gives the face,

like, "who did that, where did that come from?"

FYI

Sam's favorite music...

Death Cab for Cutie's,

Marching in manhattan.

Sam

It's thursday.

Leaving for granny duty this afternoon.

It's hot in Seattle, so we will be sweating 

up a storm...but who cares.  This is waiting

for me.

He is changing so much.  Seven weeks old and

already such a little dude.  He's got a little flakey

action going on...But hey don't we all have some

skin issues, (like adult acne at 5****4!)  

Look at those lip, instead of the flakes....beautiful.

New work for Hutch studio

I am taking some new things to Hutch today.

I like this, round frame.

Playing more with cardboard.

I also have some cards.

And

Jewelry

What are the prices?

To cheeeeep to tell.

Call Chris for more

info.  360-466-2303

Aftermath of the 4th.

The 4th of July has come and gone.

We had no plans, other than a couple we

know from Australia were coming to stay Sunday night.

That turned into 13 people, and 4 dogs on Saturday.

The above mentioned couple came sat, not sunday.

Along with 2 more of our kids, their friends,and
3 more dogs.  We had people sleeping in every spare room.

But,

It was all about this.

Is he not adorable!

Sorry for fuzziness. He was

bobbing his head around getting ready for...

The jurassic park cry.

 What was Max thinking of all this?

Yes, I am old, but I can show interest in a little blue ball,

just give me a second to get up....

...Ellie had a blast.

July 4

Bring on the Fourth
of
JULY

I'm not much of a fireworks fan.

I  like sparklers, but I can do without

the big bombs and screaming

and men and boys going nuts 

with gunpowder in their possession.

I love to camp, but in the fall, when

the crowds have dyed down

That leaves eating.

 I can throw myself into that past time

any where, any time with any one.

(All images found in google images.)