A belated wedding gift

I posted about this quilt months ago. The top was completed in January...after being sketched out for months in every journal I own.
It's for a couple I know that got married on New Years in 2010... They each were single parents of 3 young kids (total Brady Bunch!) and they now have 5 boys and 1 girl... Including two boys with the same name. They're awesome.
I was so inspired by their love and story... Especially after knowing the wife's own story of "rebuilding joy" only she has a different poetic name for her journey... That I wanted to represent it in a quilt. Then of course I decided it needed to be hand quilted. (which means they now are getting email updates about their gift as it travels to parks and other adventures with me while I work on it.)
Getting close to done... I can't wait to finish it and send it off to them.

hey mom! I'm a sewing machine!

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""hey mom! I'm a sewing machine!" -only my kid"

Re•building joy - sketchbook view

A glimpse into my sketchbook today.

Phantom Tollbooth quote

We've been listening to "The Phantom Tollbooth" in the car after school each day. A number of times, we've paused it and had to write down awesome quotes. Here's one that really struck me last week.

Nest necklace - A gift in use

I think there is not much that feels better to me than giving a gift I handmade and then receiving a photo of it in use.
I received this pic today - announcing the birth of a precious Ruby girl. Her mom is a beautiful and talented friend of mine and I was so delighted to realize that the first pic of her also had the nest necklace that I made as a shower gift for this mom of two.

poster art - phantom tollbooth

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"Quote is from "the phantom tollbooth""

housewarming gift

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"A very "libby" welcome to the neighborhood from our realtors (who are friends and new neighbors)"

instacanvas

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"I share the beauty I see daily through instagram. Help me open my

Re•building joy - I caught myself singing

I had a long drive yesterday at dusk. The skies in LA have been unbelievably beautiful this week as a very unusual storm passed through. I was able to watch the sunset in my rear view mirror and see it reflect off downtown and the urban hills and trees of LA as I drove east to the foothills. Beautiful. If I weren't going 68mph, I would have been taking pictures - so many.
But the images are sealed in my mind. I was alone, there wasn't traffic, for some reason... I put on my favorite playlist really loud and enjoyed the moment. There was a moment though where suddenly I realized, "I'm singing loud in my car!"
I think I have caught myself singing only two of three times in the past six months. Not much.
But the sun seems to be rising. The flowers are appearing on the earth.
Ironically, I also have found that I cry more easily when I think of missing Gray (I so wish I could show you pics of him!) - but I am smiling more too. Things are getting unclogged.

I'm really ready for spring. It's been a long winter. I remember from my 5 winters in Chicago that the first crocuses that poked through the snow were the sign that we had made it. I have seen crocuses. And I have caught myself singing.

Re•building joy - encouraging myself

We can all agree. It's been a rough few months around here. I haven't shared half of it. Sometimes it's felt like we almost catch our breath with one thing only to be hit by another, stronger wave. I saw this verse and typography on pinterest and felt like I needed it written on my face. So I did just that. (graphically speaking)
I needed to be able to read this, and know that it could be me, too.