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.