Sketchbook

Do you keep a sketchbook? Maybe you don't think of it as a sketchbook. Maybe you use something to keep notes, write lists or keep track of things in general. I would like to suggest you get a sketchbook. I use my book to write journal entries,design sewing projects,

make daily task lists, seasonal task lists, home maintenance lists,

keep track of garden ideas, paste in images that inspire,record things I come across on the internet

design decks, keep measurements from my house so I can use them when I am out. Really the options are endless. I keep a 6x8.5" bound(avoid spiral bound, they don't hold up) book with me all the time. When I am distracted by an idea or something that needs to be done, I write it down and go on. I have done this for many years to organize my life and have over the last five years really started to use it more extensively. When I flip back through these books I find something very interesting has happened. I have in essence recorded my life. Dates, times, projects, events with friends,cool places,ideas, images, planning....it goes on and on. Only recently have I started putting in the occasional journal entry so that I can record those little events in my daughters life that I am sure to forget but want to remember. I think I will keep these volumes of my life and maybe one day my daughter will read them and have a sense of the person I was, and person I became as time moved passed by.

Happy Saint Patricks Day

Nothing like a little inspiration to make sure that your kid has the appropriate wear for that special green day! The dress below is from a pattern I purchased from Little Blue Boo. Made from second hand clothes and custom stamped with Stampin' Up craft ink its sure to be an original in the classroom this year!

And just for that extra touch....a monogram!

I hope you too can avoid getting pinched!

Our New Residents

Wyandotte

Buff Orpington

Bantam

Hard to believe these cute little puff balls will become fertilizing egg laying machines! Oh the fun of spring! Be sure you are checking your new charges daily. You will need to make sure that not only their cage is clean but that they are clean is well. Occasionally feces will get stuck in the fluff and build up on their backside.

Whenever you see this, use a warm rag to gently remove the feces. These build ups can clog the vents of the small birds and prevent them from regular elimination. I hope you are enjoying all the peep peep peeping!

Starting Baby Chicks

The baby chicks have hit the feed stores! I hope you are ready! If you are not, I have just the primer for you! I have used this simple set up numerous times. First you will need a box. The sides need to be about 24-36 inches tall. You want something small that is suitable for the number of chicks you have purchased with out forcing them to walk in their food or water sources. Do not choose a box that is too big as you need to be able to regulate the heat in the box with an incandescent light bulb. I like a rubber tub for ease of cleaning but a cardboard box will do. In this photo we used wood shavings. I actually prefer many layers of newspaper. Once the paper is soiled, about every other day, you can just remove the top two layers with out having to change the whole box.

Food and water dispensers that fit on mason jars can be purchased in plastic or steel. I do not have a preference here.

Regular tap water is fine. You can purchase a medicated powder for the chicks. I have not done so for the past 3 years and prefer not to. In small numbers and clean cages, I don't think it is necessary. If you do, you will need to change the water bottle daily and wash often as the jar will become slimy. For food, you will need to purchase a granulated chick starter.

Your chicks will eat this for the first ten to 15 weeks of age. Once they have most of their feathers, you can begin to mix in some other grains such as ground corn.

Regulating heat in the box is going to be one of the most important things you do. Generally an incandescent bulb in a hooded fixture is suitable. The idea is to create a warm enough space that the chicks do not pile on one another for warmth. In piling up, they will easily suffocate one another when cold. If too warm, they can dehydrate. Be sure to cover the box if you have predators in your house i.e. dogs or cats that might find them to be a tasty treat!

Cheep! Cheep! Your baby chicks will sleep a lot in the beginning so don't be alarmed. Let me know if you have questions!

Tool Storage

Sometimes you just need to be a little creative when it comes to storage. This is my outhouse. It was built during the 1930's by the Works Project Administration (W.P.A.). This program was introduced by Franklin Delano Roosevelt during the Great Depression as means to put people to work. Well, my outhouse is now over 80 years old and standing strong. I had a friend help me move it from a property that I knew was facing demolition. The owner gave me a strange look and then gladly agreed to let me take it. Sometimes, you just need to ask!

It has a new piece to tin on the roof but otherwise is in its original condition. I fastened it to a concrete base to make sure I didn't get any outhouse tipping during prom week and now I have the perfect place to keep tools close the garden and store hoses for winter! It could probably use a paint job.....sigh. One more thing for the task list.

Treasured Things

This bear, Winnie There Pooh if you will, has been with me all my life. As least all of the life I remember. My understanding is that someone made and gifted him to me for a baby shower. He has guided me through potty training, nightmares, adolescence and college. To my knowledge, he has only been out of my possession one time. On that occasion, he went to stay with a very dear friend while she endured the ravages of a brain tumor. While there, he said the things I could not say and kept Bear Bear (her treasured stuffed friend) company. I knew my friends journey was ending on the day she handed him back to me and stated he needed to go home because he was looking under the other bears dresses. He is worn, tattered and knows everything. I loved to rub his ears and smell his head for comfort. I was reminded of him by the arrival of these two little treasures:

Crafted by a dear friend and immediately given a chosen place on the bed, these two lovelies now sit, watch, comfort and cuddle my daughter. You can tell yourself that these things hold little significance but I will tell you otherwise. Particularly when I awake to cries of "Mommy! I can't find baby turtle!" in the wee hours of the morning. I hope everyone has a few of these treasured things in their lives that help them remember the past and move toward the future with comfort. Please share some of the memories of your over loved and tattered things! Do you still have them?

Vintage Pearl

I have been perusing the Vintage Pearl website for a long time now. I think my husband may have noticed the browser open to the page because for my birthday I received this pretty little box:

And much to my delight, this was inside:

They specialize in custom, hand stamped jewelry and keepsakes. I have to say that this is something I will treasure for a long time. So if you are looking for a unique gift for someone you love, head on over and check it out. I don't think you will be disappointed.