oh happy day!!!!
i feel like i've just struck GOLD.
the mother load of gold. if you get what i'm saying.

my hubs and i were talking about our favorite records from childhood 
and decided to buy them for our daughter. 
{his and mine}

listening to them has been so fun and heartwarming 
i decided to look for more–
and what did i find? yep. as i said before... gold.

this link will take you to a library 
of free downloadable mp3s of children's vinyl record series.




 all kinds of wonderfully narrated stories for you and the kids to listen to!
gah, i'm loving it.
put them on while you play, draw, wrap presents, take a bath, eat a snack –
whatever. just put them on and you'll see.



this morning on the stereo it was like i was transformed in time to the best times in my childhood.
i remember our humming stereo, the orange shaggy carpet, 
and the potted plant by the window of our old house.
the recordings wake up my imagination and memories so intensely.
it's like proust phenomenon to my ears.

hope you partake and enjoy.
xoxoxox


my very favorite spots from around the house these days...

a living room is always so cozy with the lovely low-lights.



hooray, a mantle with stockings this year.



 sprigs from the tree holding left over balls for the kitchen.
{i used a candle, covered it with burlap and stuffed in some pinecones!}



it's also feeling like christmas with all this snow and cold.
(frozen pumpkins anyone!?)

my little snow-bunny-blue-eyes loves it...



and her best buddy.



merry doesn't even come close to how i feel.
~ hope you're feeling it, too ~
xoxoxoxox



hey friends!

here's a little look at my little Lu's 1st birthday party.
we decided on a native american theme since it was the perfect time of year 
and this house had seen many indians in its day. 
we read history about the very many indians and black bear 
in this area in the 1790's and thought it be kinda cool to pay some homage.

since i only had 5 invites to make 
i went crazy and really made them special. 
hand drawn envelopes with pop-up teepee invites arrived at each mailbox.






• • • • •

then i started on the headdresses.
again only 6 so i went crazy.
luckily, i have a plethora of crafting supplies 
and used swatch leather scraps and my old invite adornments 
to make each one super nice. i only had to buy feathers and elastic. 
all that craft saving over the years is finally paying off!


every kid got a headdress and a goodie bag 
with tiny treasures inside.


made a little teepee to go atop my 


 and a little "luella" flag was all it needed...


Lu was in great spirits! 
she was a little stunned to wake up from her nap 
to a ton of peeps in her house but she rolled with it quite well. 
and kept her headdress on all day. 
(we did practice. but she loves "hats" anyway.)


then we ate cake,


hooted like a tribe,


ran around for an arrowhead hunt,


and sat in a teepee.


it was great.

oh, it's my favorite time of the year!
and now that our babe is finally with us – it's even more fun.
(remember last year what the yard looked like in the season of her birth)

these days we explore the yard afternoon and this week it got super interesting. 
the milkweeds are doing their thing and all the coolness that comes with it...
{click photos to look closer}

milkweed bugs.
totally cool.
(i love that all the things that hang with the milkweed are poisonous to eat and show themselves to be that way in bright orange and black. danger colors are rad.)


showing Lu the fun of spreading the milkweed seeds!




hunting for more interesting stuff...


pokeweed.
more poison. good to look up and read about so that little peeps don't eat.
such beautiful colors and not so dangerous looking, eh? 
hmmm. kinda looks delicious. 
extra caution in the years to come...


checking out the fish...



and we found a wooly bugger!


did you know they turn into this guy?
{isabella tiger moth}


• • • •

after much exploring Lu zones out.
usually it's followed by a nap where the downloading process happens.


can't believe her 1st birthday is just 3 weeks away.


soaking it up before winter comes...
xoxoxoxoxo


hey friends!
as you can tell i'm putting my all into this little babe of mine 
and slimming down on the blog posts
but hopefully i'll try to keep them worth the wait.

this one is a little update on her room...
as you may know, i like eye candy. and i love to see how people decorate for their little ones so i hope you like the sharing on my end. 
if you know me and visit me often, you'll back me up on this– 
one thing i like to do is change things up. 
like, often. like, super often. 
switching it up is so much fun to me. 
how will you know what is best if you're not always trying new things? 

keep in mind too that we started her room without even knowing 
if she was a "she".
so here's how it's been morphing into it's own little butterfly...

• • • •

every morning is such a treat because this is my veiw!



{got this pretty chalkboard hanger thing at marshall's. so nice.}
she's learning hello and goodbye and waving all day long.
plus crawling and standing! gah!





i get such a kick out of her little western birdhouse 
from michael's in the window 
and i just got her drapes made...
hmmm. not totally sure about the drapes so this is just a test. 
love the fabric ordered from joann and hand made by wooden bridge 
but feel like it might be a bit too much? 
i just can't be sure since i went with no curtains for sooooo long. 
it's hard to say.

her view from the floor of the changing dresser and windows...


i still love that bird print ordered from paper-source 
and how it totally matches those drapes! 
(didn't try that, but love it anyway.)

i have so many more prints to frame. 
maps and more maps! can't wait 'til that day comes.

and this wall will be ever changing – here it is for now...


 she loves to point at each framed thing and squeal and babble with delight. it's so exciting.
it makes me so happy that her favorite seems to be the hawk mother right bottom which i made a very long time ago with her in the back of my mind. xoxo

oh and! luleebee has a fish! mermelda. he is beautiful.
she likes to see him from the top and the side, of course. 
she also likes to put her hand in – but we try not to do that so much...



 hope this gives a little inspiration to change things up 
and not be afraid to try new things!
remember just how much time you spend in your space 
and try to make it spark that happiness we all love to feel. 
the sunny spot on the carpet kinda feeling. 
mmm yeah.
xoxoxoxoxox






always wanted one of these staghorn ferns–


finally got one the other day at mutchlers'
(probably the best plant place ever).
he's one of those crazy smart people 
that will make you feel utterly inspired 
instead of hopelessly incompetent... 
one of my very favorite quialities in any human.
go there as soon as you can 
and be sure to talk to bob... 
and his wife... 
and pet the kitty.
xoxo

hey, hey and happy friday!
loooooong week over here but i just wanted to pop up a little love and inspiration –
i'm having so much fun looking back through my 
old favs from childhood to show to to my little baby bear. 
thought i'd share with you, too. my all-time favorite two books...

• • • cranberry thanksgiving • • •
wende and harry devlin (1971)






i just can't get enough of the illustration. 
the small hatching technique is so beautiful and just how i like it.
so delicate and magical.

 and

• • • thumbelina • • •






i mean, come on.
what little girl wouldn't love this book?
i would get lost in it and wish i was tiny every time i looked...

can't wait until lu loves them like i do.
xoxoxoxoxox


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