Greetings from the land of global warming and baby clothes! It really has been over a year that I have written here. I'm sure most of my followers have moved on assuming I fell off the face of the earth! I guess I kind of did.

I'm watching from my window, this thin little tree hold onto the last leaf. The leaf is swaying like a little cocoon. After the tornado-like winds and rain we had last night, I am amazed it is still there.

I should be making dinner. But after reading a few blogs, I felt I wanted to pop into my own and try updating it. Try using my blogging brain muscles. ouch it hurts!

This was taken on New Year's Eve. I can't believe how big my babies are and that we have another on the way! We tried for a while. After 2 miscarriages, I was ready to give up, but just felt I had to try again. Thank goddess we did and now our bundle will be here in May.

Well I hope you are all well. Spring is really right around the corner and bygosh I am putting up some Bunnies and flowers and other signs of spring around the yard,because if you can't annoy your neighbors- who can you annoy? amiright?
xoM

NEw & Exciting

December is right around the corner. Here at Hobocamp Headquarters, we have been busy little hobos trying to bring you some cute holiday goodies. I really try to think of everyone when creating a cuff and I got to great lengths to use vintage and unique fabrics. Here are a few that are either in the shop or coming in the next few days!

Vintage Hans Solo coffee cuff

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Cat not for sale, but isn't Jasper just adorable?

Eggs & Bacon skull & crossbones

Handmade/ Sewing with Love flannel coffee cuff

This is an example of what I am making for the shop soon. This one is for our home, but I have started making similar ones to sell.

I love how it came out!

A Hobo's Dream Catcher is made from favorite new & old fabrics, a delicate vintage doiley in the center. One of a kind.

It hangs by the children's table & our fireplace. But not close enough that it would be a hazard! We also haven't been using the fireplace the last few years.

I love mixing fabrics you would not expect. The stars w/ mushrooms for a different kind of holiday cuff.

A favorite kind of fabric, mushrooms of course!

Right now we are offering a free gift with purchase in our shop, Hobocamp Crafts. Just leave a comment on the blog, visit our shop  for your holiday gift giving and then use the code, "Holiday" for your free gift. It is easy peasy!

The craziness that was right before school starting. A switch out of clothing- but it wasn't a total switch out- because oh yeah it's like 90 degrees in New York! Oh pre-autumn you are a fickle mistress. So I worked on organizing both of their closets- they share a room. On the top pole are clothes they will move into next year. ( I know that sounds crazy?!) So for Hazel they are 6&7 Guth is size 4. The bottom pole is current for Hazel. She can reach it and pull what she wants when she needs to. Underneath are two small plastic dressers- that are mostly empty- except for a drawer with their fall/winter pajamas. So- using those remaining drawers in a smart way is crucial- because we don't have a lot of closet space in there. The second closet has a high pole with Guthrie's fall/winter clothing. The dressers (also 2) have bed/crib linens and deep storage. Dance shoes that do not yet fit and some VHS tapes we pulled out of rotation for the moment. Under the crib has 2containers from Ikea full of mostly their real summery clothes. Under Hazel's bed there are 2 more bins with the same. I know that isn't very feng shui of us- but sometimes we must forego such things.

For now this is working. I also pulled most of Hazel's summery dresses and "school ready" clothing and hung it on the 3 big hooks. That way we have her options and we just need to pinpoint. She is usually easy going with her clothes for the most part.

Next time I will share some photos with the sunlight shining.
M

Simple Hand Sewing Happiness

As a young woman, growing up in the 80's I'm pretty sure my style was solidified by watching inappropriate episodes of The Golden Girls and Murder She Wrote. Once I was a teenager and I realized I didn't want to be a cookie cutter person, I started at thrift stores and loved it. My style was always granny chic... even now I love a good granny square ANYTHING. So when I learned how to make yo-yos I felt like I was reconnected to a slower- more easy paced time. Hand crafts ahhh. Sewing by hand... ahhh. Let me tell you
I L O V E to H A N D  S E W.

Here are some of the newish things in my shop or about to head there.

www.hobocampcrafts.etsy.com

A few of my yo-yo recycled sweets! I wish these shirts fit me... because I would NOT be selling these babies! But alas they do not and I offer them to you my favorite people!

August, already? Reallly?!

Where Ya Been?

Wow, the months just fly by. This month we celebrated our little Hazel's graduation from preschool- yeah! She missed the cutoff in NY by hours... so once we realized that, she had 3 years of preschool under her belt and is super-ready for school in the fall! She also celebrated her second dance recital. This year the song was Uptown Girl. Their outfits were reminiscent of Fancy Nancy, which I have sort of told H should be her Halloween costume this year. See how that works? Expensive dance costume worn once turns into upcoming Halloween costume! Voila!



In other parts of the world- like my small crafty world- we have some new stuff up in our shop.

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This orange ghost named Clyde came to us by way of some very vintage buttons and my husband Zach's love of '80s pop culture. He  painstakingly sews on every single button to create a one-of-a-kind bag. We take custom orders, too!

 

To cover every price point in our shop I've been making these sweet little packs of fancy hair ties and headbands. They start at $3.50. We love them! I wear them like bracelets with my regular silver bracelets and even coordinate them with what I am wearing (sometimes). Now that my hair is long enough, they are a huge help without the literal headache. Regular ties were always too tight and I could feel my head paying for it!

This little chalkboard girl needs a good home. She's in our shop too!

Some Marie Antoinette Hair ties. Because we all know that she totally would rock these now with her huge hair.

Then finally a little summery item for mamas & their babes. Matching totes! Perfect for the beach, library or toting lunch. They are super lightweight and can roll up into one another or into another bag. Check them out.

The summer always creates new memories. Guthrie is learning to do and say everything. Hazel is 5 1/2 going on 15, and full of energy. We have about 11 tomato plants in 3 different varieties, 5 basil plants and we're growing about 4 or 5 types of pumpkins. I say  "about" because last year was a fluke. We smashed some small boo (white) pumpkins and some jacks and got some white ones a little bigger and some pale, pale peach ones. This year we planted pie pumpkins, too. Finally some cilantro, peppermint ( which will take over your life and your garden) as well as some winter thyme and sunflowers! I love to be out there pulling weeds and rearranging, but I hate bugs, especially spiders and mosquitoes. Oh well, such is summer.

Hope you are enjoying your beginning of summer, too!

Wake Up April!
Yes, I said I was going to write more often, I'm sorry- I didn't mean to lie. Most days (usually while in my car) I dream of the beautiful posts that I am going to write- then something always seems to pop up!
I know spring is here- because I start craving ice-cold thingies to drink. I bought a big bag of ice to keep in the big freezer to have at the ready. We have straws- I have a new water bottle by lifefactory, that I completely love. From the color- to durability  (with 2 kids you know that thing has fallen on the floor!) I am really happy with the choice.
I just got out of the library Fifteen Minutes Outside By Rebecca Cohen- although I am just a few pages in, I knew I would enjoy the idea and theory behind it. I read a lot of non fiction, but I don't always get to read fiction. Lately, I have been keeping a novel nearby stashed in the bathroom at the ready for bath time for me or the kids. Here is the list of what I have read in the last few months (keep in mind I am a very slow reader). I started with Anne Tyler's  Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant- which was amazing. Next, was Alice Hoffman's Skylight Confessions- holy geesh- this was just such a beautifully written book- I think I fell in love with every character! This was my first Hoffman book- although I was first attracted to Practical Magic- because of the magic element- I haven't read the book because I saw the movie and haven't gotten past that. This is a book I wish they had a movie for because it was something I couldn't wait for more. Lastly, I finished Mrs. Poe by Lynn Cullen. I love Edgar Allan Poe. To read a book about his possible intimate life with his wife/family was very interesting- granted it is historical fiction, I enjoyed the idea of it. I also liked reading about life in NYC during the 1840's.
So there are a few book ideas for your spring endeavors~

Leaving you with Hazel's portrait of the Lorax. His eyes and mustache are just what nails it for me- she amazes me with her skills.

spring and other things

My birthday came in on the wings of spring. We spent last weekend with family enjoying the warmer weather. Today I am going to our library for a gardening talk. I've been working a small bed for 2 years and containers- yet I still like going to a free gardening talk- what can it hurt? I'd love for us to be able to grow many things in our oddly-shaped little yard. I have dreams of many beds and chickens roaming between the children. Then there is all the wonderful sewing I'd like to be doing whilst all this is going on. We have a porch- although we debate turning it into a master bedroom. Oh the dreams you can dream!

In the shop I added a set of four little egg/Liberty of London (vintage) cloth napkins. This photo doesn't show the sweet egg fabric on the reverse side- but very cute and matching pretty well. Today is another wet,foggy day- but a day needed for all those spring flowers to wake up! Well Zach left me alone with NPR and a cup of tea- I should try to make some noise with my sewing machine. Have a wonderful weekend!
xoM

The Beauty, Kindness and Reality of Handmade

I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of a swap over at Sweet Potato Claire right after the holidays. I hadn't done a swap in a long time. I also didn't read the dates or directions very well... because I swore I had till the end of March! 

So when this huge box arrived filled with beautiful treats inside- I nearly fell over! My package was not yet finished and ready to be mailed out, so I put the baby down for his nap- popped in some Little Bear (bless your heart Maurice Sendak) and finished up some of my projects to mail out. In all my haste on receiving my package and sending- there were no pictures. I don't know what I was thinking or rather what I wasn't thinking.

The package arrived beautifully in glass jars. 1 full of delicious granola (which we have been enjoying on yogurt-on ice cream-in handfuls), another with yummy pecans (which were gone in a blink of an eye-really I turned around and my husband had snatched them and brought them to his office, I did have a few and they were delicious!). One had Hershey's chocolate play-doh, PLAY-DOH!Can you even believe that?! We heated it for a few seconds and the kids could not stop playing with it...we had to keep ourselves from eating it! Next was something for mama, a yummy hot cocoa bath soak- which was equally delish. 

Lastly, a beautiful set of note cards stamped with a bluebird. When I thought about it a few days later- the hot cocoa bath was practically finished, the pecans were long gone and the granola too was almost gone.But I guess that is where the title of the "reality" part comes in. With two littles and someone always starving (ahem husband and kids- believe I DO cook constantly!) there is bound to be a moment when a picture isn't taken and a gift is found unwrapped- half eaten! So there you have it. I am so grateful for our beautiful and thoughtful gifts we received and by the empty jars- they were too. Thank you so very much to Marianna, over at Cardinal Acre. You really made our day even if we don't exactly have pictures to share!

This sweet little deer is up now in the shop. She was a holiday fabric I got and just felt regardless she needed to be in the shop because she is just so lovely. Made with recycled denim.

Since this winter has been very harsh, we've been trying to bring a little Spring in our home- each day. Here is one attempt in the kid's room.

It is just so cheery and every time I look up I feel happy. Is there something in your house that just makes you happy? xo M

This friends, is Frederick. He was my first boy Scaparella- made in December, during the wee hours of almost Christmas while mama was burning the midnight oil watching Asylum and sewing sweet things for the ones she loves. Sort of ironic- but when I had first started Hobocamp, Zach and I were early into our relationship and horror films/crime shows were big on our list. Once you have kids that are prone to walking the halls and moaning out a "mama" in the middle of the night- horror films for me lost their zing. I'm also a huge baby and it all just got too creepy!

The sun is shining so bright into our big front window, I am fighting the cats for space for the laptop. Their little ( well Hermione) bodies are stretched out on the sideboard. This is why I will never have a house featured anywhere but Cat Fancy or some random cat magazine. I can't keep them off of here. They will knock down whatever they need to in order to get the best sun. demons I tell you. Wherever you are- I hope you are nestling in to you own little bit of sunshine!
xo M

This Just In...

Our reversible kid's apron- New to the shop!

I guess sometimes when life is happening you forget about writing about life! This blog was started in 2007-last night I was going back and forth trying to decide if moving to another blog host was what I needed for this little blog. Zach and I decided to stay here and try to keep this blog chug-a-lugging.

 I hope you will stop by from time to time to see what's new in our shop and just in our lives. We are reworking the blog- for a fresh, new feel- simplifying and just making it happier! So stick around- you won't be disappointed! What are you working on?
xo Melissa

A few new things have been added to the shop. Some coffee cuffs, a few dish towels and I am working on some historical stuffies.

This past weekend we visited the New Britain Museum of American Art. While the museum itself was pretty accessible and free (Saturdays 10-12), we went there for the Maurice Sendak exhibit. It really should have clarified that it was basically just the Where The Wild Things Are Exhibit. I was disappointed, because my favorite work of his is Little Bear. There was one quote about how he came up with the idea for Mama Bear- to which I thought was just perfect. But there were so many pictures from WTWTA that it was a little overwhelming. They did have the movie playing and bean bag chairs for the kids - the room was lined with chalkboards- but still it wasn't what I wanted exactly for them. My kids haven't seen the movie and, honestly, I couldn't get through it myself. Overall, it served its purpose of adding some culture and a little adventure to our day. I wished the gift shop had some more interesting Sendak objects, or even post cards. But I was happy to see some of his illustrations I had never seen. He had quite the imagination. He was one of my favorites. I was so sad when he passed. I gave my Little Bear anthology on to Hazel and now she reads it.
 One of the first shows she watched was Little Bear, and boy how she laughed! I can't wait to show them to Guthrie. Bear, Owl, Mama, Papa, Cat, Hen, Duck... they are all such individual, special characters. There are some shows that are so good that, when your child is watching it, you can't get a darn thing done, because you are right there watching it with them. That is how I am with Little Bear.

two of our favorite drinks

Although the cool weather is really just starting here, we drink toasty, cozy drinks around here all year long! I have been making fake chais or steamers for Hazel for a couple years now. I froth the milk and add honey & cinnamon to the milk and Blamo@! a delicious, low sugar drink for kids! you could certainly use Stevia or a different natural sweetner- agave etc. 

Foxy Honey Steamer w/ cinnamon

her favorite mug- christmas 2012

mama's hot cocoa w/some homemade whipped cream and naturally-colored sprinkles!
I tend to get into the habit of making a batch of whipped cream that I can give the kids when they have pancakes or waffles with berries in the morning- plus when I want some at night while knitting/sewing or hanging out with Zach, I don't have to go into the laundry room to make it. Yes, sometimes we call the laundry room the whipcreamery. I go in with a Ball jar usually with heavy cream & honey and my hand mixer. I stand at the washer mixing my whipped cream with the door closed so not to wake the babies fast asleep and unaware of my hot cocoa party! Ohh the things we do, I tell ya!

Muffin Top

I couldn't resist. Since we have all been trying to follow the Bob's Red Mill October Unprocessed- Challenge we've been loving the coupons that allow us to get their amazing products- just a little bit cheaper! Here we used the Gluten Free Cornbread mix, to which we added 1/2c of pumpkin and 3/4 of a banana. Instead of using regular milk- (we were low), I use some powdered milk from Organic Valley. Powdered milk is like my most favorite thing ever. I'm so happy to have it on hand! I also ended up making some mini muffins and regular sized ones. Again I was low on the wrappers- so today was an all around perfect Thursday. Tomorrow we go food shopping and eat like KINGS! I'm joking, at least we won't be rationing milk and muffin wrappers.

My assistant, Hazel who was still in her p.j.'s assured me if she were making these to sell she would have gotten dressed. Hear that any perspective muffin orderers?

I can't believe how big she looks here. Soon she'll be five and I still have to take that in!

Mixy Mixy

Mama's girl

Gluten free pumpkin, banana cornbread muffins

Last night I got a fair amount of pinning done. Now tonight I need to stitch all of the goodies together! Along with that, I am really trying to do this meal planning along with coupons to try and optimize our food budget. Whew sometimes it feels very overwhelming but I do like the challenge. Tonight we had leftover veggie soup mixed with a pot of brown rice. It was simple, yet we all devoured it along with our muffins and some butter. The perfect fall comfort food. 

I received my Seeds of Change seed book and I am already thinking of what I would like to try next year. Thinking of how big we can extend our small box for next year. Thinking of those chickens that are totally calling my name. One thing at a time.

Hi Hobos Happy Fall! As you can see it has been quite some time since I have blogged. We have come to terms with Haze missing the cutoff date, she's in preschool again and loving it! Guthrie just turned 15 months and is saying new words everyday- he's also climbing ever flat surface around. So we are always moving something in order to keep him safe.  In between getting the house ready for colder weather, I have been able to find a little space to get some sewing done. Between naps and preschool, between bedtime for the kidlets and myself, I have been trying to push myself to get stuff done, I hope you are finding some time too! 

In the Shop Now!

Celebrate with delicious banners! In the shop!

moustache! child not included!

My beautiful Hazel on her first day of Science Camp this past summer!

Mama wearing her Downtown Abbey scarf compliments of Aunt Linda!

The boys. Matchy matchy! Guthrie is much bigger with a mouth full of teeth and a head full of hair. he doesn't stand still enough to take many pictures these days!

Please stop back for weekly- possibly even semi-regular updates- and visit our shop
www.hobocampcrafts.etsy.com for adorable coffee cuffs and upcycled tom foolery!www.hobocampcrafts.etsy.com

XOXO

On a Tuesday
Our daughter was born on december 2nd. 1:59 am. In new york, the cut off date for kindergarten is december 1st... can you believe that?! I don't know where they came up with this date- and there will alaways be a mother saying the same thing somewhere- I know. But our Hazel is ready.

After 2 years of preschool- we hate to send her to a third year of the same thing AGAIN! She started at a smaller school- where the classroom was at least 12 kids. She was a shining star, but there were many kids and with only 2 teachers- we felt that she was getting bored. Especially when there were a few kids who misbehaved on a constant basis or ones who just needed a little more care, when I would come in those specific kids were always with the teachers getting one on one while the more adjusted kids played happily (I might add). So we switched to a school with a smaller classroom kids and size, where they get a fair amount of one on one with teachers and play with kids. However, this year she was in a 4 year class and next year aside from maybe having a different teacher- she'll be learning the same things again. I suppose one can never know the alphabet well enough or their numbers, but we feel she doesn't need to revisit this again. But it isn't just us! My husband's family has 2 K-1 teachers and 1 middle school and they all feel she is ready. As does my own family of day care teachers and college adjuncts!
So we wrote to our elementary principal- we were immediately told their is no evaluation for kindergarten, because is they don't make the birth date there is no question. Um Ok thanks... so after more thought and conversation with family, we realized we are tax payers dammit! We want to explore this and it would be really helpful to our budget if we could free up money for Hazel's school towards bills. (Of course we spared the principal our financial woes)and chose to then write the superintendant. We've heard through the grapevine that the school and the disctrict really have the power to decide. We wrote the email a week ago. We were told that the superintendant would discuss it with the principal. I worry that we have created a scarlet letter situation and now we will forever have BIG RED K's on our chest- but we all have to advocate for our baby bears! So now we are in a waiting game. Honestly, what will be will be and I am all ready(and excited) to try and homeschool her for kindergarten. Between the several teachers and friends we have in education as well as some wonderful online resources, I am looking forward to this if it comes to be.

On Procrastination:
So I'm listening to Wish Fulfillment, by Sonic Youth. In high school this was one of my favorite songs and I eventually ruined the tape by playing this album so much. I like listening to music, when I can. I am much more productive when I am listening as opposed to watching something.

Sometimes it's really hard to do anymore than I do now. During the day I'm adding band-aids, cutting up snack after snack, half folding loads of laundry and rewashing the same one sometimes more than twice.... (I always add more soap), watching my littler person learn to crawl, eventually feeding the cats and *sometimes yelling at the dog to get off the couch. The day feels like I am a just trying to get from one meal to the next. Attempting to make 4 square meals 3 times a day- ACK! My husband, puts our 4 year old to sleep and I tackle the baby. For the most part he goes down easily enough. Somewhere between 6:30/7:30 everyone is asleep and I have time to do everything and nothing. I know this schedule hardly seems like something to complain about. My mother even now likes to remind me that my father didn't really pitch in on things like bedtime, baths or dinner. But I can't help of I think of the nights when I first started selling my wares for profit- we use to stay up all night, watching Law & Order marathons while my sewing machine whizzed into the wee hours. I guess it really made a difference when I could wake up whenever and wasn't woken up in the middle of the night by little babies. If I have to be woken up, there is nothing sweeter, I just wish I could find the drive in the early evening to reconnect with things I love to do. I read other blogs and these other mamas are getting sh*t done! Some have multiples and are still able to create these amazing projects.. what is their secret?

 ( if I could only harness her energy and put it in pill form!)
Could my real lack of sleep be affecting me more than I truly realize? I'm not sure. I've tried to cut out coffee and black tea and I don't drink caffeine( green tea) past 3 or 4. If I had to make some sort of hunch, my TV and procrastination is sucking the energy out of me. I've started to try and  stop watching as many shows... because- why do I need these? I am riding my exercise bike, trying to watch what I eat and have even been gluten free for several weeks...I can only hope with the spring and summery days in the near future- it will inspire me. Oh daffodils, oh crocus, oh tulips- please hurry... I need your inspiration.


* Zach and I disagree sometimes on this. I want Bella to lay with us on the couch, but she's huge and she's a dog. We had to get rid of our loveseat b/c it just smelled of dog...but I am conflicted and a hug wuss. All she has to do is flash her doggie eyebrows and I give in.

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cornbread

I just managed to make 2 pots of soup for lunch and dinner. One has lots of spinach, carrots,chicken,garlic & onions and the one for Zach & Hazel has chicken, carrots, potatoes, onions, garlic and orzo. The bone broth was from the other day and I sauteed the meat with tumeric,garlic, onions,parsley and ginger- then divided the pan up into two different pots of soup. Then to make things crazy and to use up all of the ingredients the day BEFORE we go shopping I decided to make a cornbread with the few chips, a dash of vanilla the last 2 eggs and almost all the milk... tomorrow morning should make for an interesting meal (mental note: put a crockpot on of oats before bed!). In more exciting news, here are some pictures of the children!

Hazel at her school's Winter Olympics

Lounging and Eating Books, of course!

On a job site for the Teamsters. Serious, look at this kids arms and that hat- I try to eat him daily.

My beautiful girl at a friend's party, she made cat ears to be in a performance of Cats!

These two keep me pretty busy. Pretty crazy too. Last night Guthrie who we sometimes call Gus, was up at 3:30- then was ready to rise & shine at 5:30. Plus we started watching Game of Thrones.. so we didn't nearly get to bed at a good hour... and I think I was shocked at just how misogynistic the show seemed. I found myself looking away a lot of the time. But itdoes have Peter Dinklage (who I love) and I like the aspect of the direwolves protecting the children (SPOILER ALERT!). Zach says it does change over the season, so I am hoping it isn't like that through the whole thing.

Well the cornbread came out of the oven, it was a bit crumbly- but yummers with a few bits of chocolate! Here it is 4pm and I am about to strap Guthrie to my back and I don't have any hustling for dinner... it's already made and simmering on the stove! 

Isn't that the best feeling?!

While Dinner Cooks

Most nights, around 5ish, Zach gets off of work ( he now works at home 4 days a week from our bedroom/home office) he comes out and practically takes over in a good way. He usually takes Hazel and our pup Bella out in the yard for some serious run around time. Meanwhile, I can get dinner on then we get to sit down
t o g e t h e r. Which really means so much to me and to Hazel
(I think). For 2 years of Hazel's life her papa hussled it down into the city and didn't get home till almost bath time... so now I feel spoiled and grateful and just plain lucky to be blessed with the job Zach has. I hope he feels that way too.
An older post- never posted, I wanted to share this because I am still so grateful..only now I have a baby boy to add to my gratefulness. I feel very lucky indeed.