Jessica Flores Design

A Birthday Dress

 My little flutterbudget turns five in two weeks.  She is spunky, perceptive, thoughtful, creative and bright, and she is growing up. This has been a summer of many milestones for Elnora Grace.  In the last month she has begun to buckle herself in her booster, she can ride about a mile to the end of the road with me on her bicycle with training wheels, she is jumping in the pool and going underwater like a flying fish, and she has become speckled with her first freckles, which she is more than delighted to share with anyone who cares to look closely at her little nose (and that one spot behind her elbow.)  These may seem like small everyday things to take for granted, but I think every mom knows how the littlest steps forward can tug at the heart and start us thinking about first rides on the bus, slumber parties and gossip, or send us off contemplating the last time a little hand will reach up for ours while walking to the school steps.  

Luckily, I have one more year to savor the littlegirlhood of preschool, and luckily, Nora still likes to wear the silly homemade things I make for her--like this party dress I finished yesterday with Heather Bailey and Amy Butler fabrics. 

Now before you start thinking how on the ball I am with this birthday dress, please keep in mind that this was supposed to be her Easter dress.  Three months later, I finally finished it.  But not before several hours of grumbling, ripping out seams, tugging on slippery fabric, and becoming ruffled with ruffles. . . I thought I would make a vow never to sew another garment again and then I pop it over her darling head, she twirls and giggles, and I want to sit right down and make her three more.  It's madness.  

The shirring on this was so much fun!  If you are a stitcher and haven't tried it, go get yourself a bobbin full of elastic thread and gather up some necklines!  I really can't wait to use this simple pattern for some flannel jammies and shorten it up for a couple of swing tops for school.  Can you blame me?!  She likes them, and before I know it, she'll be rolling her eyes at the mention of anything made by her mother!

A journey to the compost bin and back

 There are a hundred things I should be doing this fine afternoon other than sitting here at my computer or taking pictures of frogs. But it's not my fault.  Honestly, if you were minding your own business on a regular trip to the compost and found this little guy chilling out on your pitch fork, could you resist the urge to run inside for your camera?  
And suppose you took the long way back to the house and spotted that elusive rusty brown Flycatcher zipping into the pine tree.  I'm sure you would have staked out a claim and vowed to stay planted in the yard soaking up the sunshine, listening to the other frogs peep and the breeze rush through the woods until one of the pair made an appearance again.  Now maybe you'll understand why I continued to get distracted by the wild sprouting, fluttering wonder in my backyard.  After a few minutes the Flycatchers continued to elude me and my attention turned to Mama bluebird hovering close to her box of little blue eggs.  Mr. Bluebritches has also been spotted each morning perched on the clothesline as he awaits the arrival of his brood.

Turning again toward the house, I stopped to admire the peas (above) and onions sprouting up in smart straight rows.  

And just before I made it to the top of the steps, I turned to spot another tiny green visitor clinging skillfully to a bouncing branch.
So, I may cringe at the bumper crop of dandelions in the front yard, the overgrown, shaggy pair of pine trees behind the garage, or the mutant underground spurge of crabgrass taking over my flower beds, but there must be some tiny bit of appeal to at least these gentle creatures in the rambling nature of the place.  I suppose if it's good enough for them, it's good enough for me.  

Each night Nora and I have been reading from Laura Ingalls Wilder.  We've made it to the middle of Little House on the Prairie, and I look forward to the stories even more than she does, I'm sure.  Reading about the Ingalls family's satisfaction in the simplest of pleasures and little Laura's appreciation of the natural world around her tends to put everything in perspective at the end of the day.

    Ma hummed softly to herself while the iron smoothed all the wrinkles out of the little    dresses.  All around them, to the very edge of the world, there was nothing but grasses waving in the wind. Far overhead, a few white puffs of cloud sailed in the thin blue air.  

    Laura was very happy. The wind sang a low, rustling song in the grass.      Grasshoppers' rasping quivered up from all the immense prairie.  A buzzing came faintly from     all the trees in the creek bottoms.  But all these sounds made a great, warm happy silence.      Laura had never seen a place she liked so much as this place.

 

Junk, Love and the Movies

I almost didn't recognize my own life this weekend after months of grocery shopping and PBS classic movies topping the weekend events around here.  Friday night I drove straight from work to the Junk Evolution Valentine's Bash in South Bend with my pals Shannan and Holly.  The event was just a preview of things to come at the antique boutique on Colfax/Hill next to Circa Arts.  I found these three mini metal trays in multi colors to add to my collection of trays AND silhouettes. Bonus!  

Now if that doesn't say Valentine's Day, I don't know what does! 

The main reason I went was to pick up two chippy black farm chairs for the dining room (more pics on those later), but when I got there, I found a set of fantastic bright red school chairs calling to me too.  For $10 a pop, how could I resist?  I brought two home for the kitchen

After the shopping, we headed over the The Vine to catch up over big bowls of pasta.  We ended up hogging a coveted table in the midst of the busy V-day weekend rush for a whole two hours!

Saturday night Nora was invited to a Valentine's Day party at Grandma and Papa's.  No parents allowed.  Bummer.  Dan and I were lucky enough to get reservations at Carmela's--the site of the original Macri's deli.  Delish!!  I had Pollo Marsala and Black Cherry Gelato for dessert.  I was very proud of myself for ordering dishes with mushrooms two nights in a row and enjoying them entirely.  My palette must be maturing.

Today was the big reveal for Ballet Kitty.  Thursday night Nora informed me that bunnies are much cuter than kitties, and she'd changed her mind about wanting me to make a cat.  But this morning when she met her new plushy she changed her mind and has been spinning around the house with Miss Kitty all day.

 This afternoon the busy social schedule included a trip to the big movie house to see Crazy Heart.  We arrived a little late and had to shimmy our way through knees and feet to the middle of the very top row to the last two seats together.  The lady next to me was none too happy to have to move her coat and scarf from the seat next to her, but luckily after she pulled her ziplock bag full of popcorn and bottled water from her purse, she settled down.  I don't highly recommend the movie unless you enjoy weak plots and the creepy feeling of watching your great uncle and best friend get busy in a cheap motel after a couple of glasses of whiskey.  Shutter . .. . . it will be a while until I get those scenes out of my head.  The only thing that saved it was the music and a cameo by Ryan Bingham.

Lest I end my Valentine's day post on that weird note, I'll just say that the highlights of my day so far have been presenting some silly vintage sentiments to my hubby thanks to some hilarious posts at a new favorite blog and holding hands with the one cool cowboy who still holds my heart after fourteen Valentines Days together.  Hope you had a day to make your heart flutter too!

 

 

Mixing it up

For a couple of months now I've been trying to stick to a schedule of tasks for each day--my housekeeping, crafting, paperwork, exercise etc.  It has helped keep things running smoothly and allows me to focus more during my playtime with Nora.  But it's always fun to be spontaneous when something special presents itself in your day--something like Monday, which dawned encased in a fuzzy coat of frosty ice.  

The weather man called it "Frozen Fog."  We call it "Frog," and surprisingly the sugar coating of icy loveliness lasted into the next day as the sun hid behind a thick veil of "frog."   

Nora and I decided it was a great day for a nature walk, so I armed myself with my camera and she found her magnifying glass.

We tracked wildlife

found interesting compositions in the trees

and tasted them too!

The next day presented even more unexpected events. Ice on the roads cancelled preschool, so Nora was treated to extra TV time while Mom finished work on another knitting needle organizer.  There was still time for a special craft project to keep us busy, however.  My friend Erin shared this idea on her own blog a couple of weeks ago, and I've been dying to try it.     

(Note the snazzy home-made sweatband made by my little crafter from an old sock and some markers!) 

You'll need a recycled tea tin, or if you just happen to have a little Havana Honeys cigar container, which I'm sure you do, they work even better--just make sure they're made of metal and have an attached, hinged lid. 

Help your little one find some largish letters to cut from old magazines and then glue each to a sheet of magnetic backing with a glue stick.  I used a magnetic vent cover, which you can find at a hardware store for probably less $$. Cut each letter out with scissors. We also threw in some Sesame Street characters for fun.  

Then you'll need to prep your tin.  I covered the inside and outside of the lid with thin scrapbook paper using one of my very favorite (guilty pleasure) craft supplies:  photo-mount spray.  It's volatile and toxic, but it adheres paper to almost anything like magic.  I also personalized the lid with Nora's name in shiny black sticker letters.  She's been carrying her little laptop alphabet kit with her everywhere for the past two days, asking me how to spell everything!  They're great for the car, restaurants, Dr.'s office, etc.  But I would suggest using at least two of every letter in the alphabet--even more of the vowels.  I still need to add another "R" to our kit, so we can spell the dog's name properly!

Happy crafting!

Lipstick

Tomorrow we step into the future--a brand new year. . . . but, as usual, I'm much more interested in chatting about "old stuff."   Yesterday my mom sent me an interesting email about the not-so-distant past that I thought would be worth sharing.  Taken from a 1949 Singer Sewing Manual, it offers some hints and tips for ladies who are preparing to sew.  Enjoy!

 1. Prepare yourself mentally for sewing. Think about what you are going to do…never approach sewing with a sigh or lackadaisically. Good results are difficult when indifference predominates. 

 
2. Never try to sew with a sink full of dirty dishes or beds unmade. When there are urgent housekeeping chores, do these first so your mind is free to enjoy your sewing. [This view from my hallway makes me happy, so I try to make the bed every day.  I will not show you the sink full of dishes.  It does not make me happy. I tried getting an artistic shot of it, but it's just not photogenic in any way.]

 
3. When you sew, make yourself as attractive as possible. Put on a clean dress. (I swear I'm not making this up) Keep a little bag full of French chalk near your sewing machine to dust your fingers at intervals. Have your hair in order, powder and lipstick put on…if you are constantly fearful that a visitor will drop in or your husband will come home and you will not look neatly put together, you will not enjoy your sewing as you should.  [constantly fearful? LOL!]

I did manage to put on a clean shirt today and slick on a layer of lipsmackers and mascara, but that's as good as it's gonna get.  At least Dan didn't give me a weird look when he walked in the door.  My advice if you're still in your sweats when your DH walks in?  At least have a couple of little black forest chocolate cakes wafting their aroma from the oven.  

My friend, Erin, has a great motto:  "Motherhood doesn’t have to be frumpy, but yet full of shiny lips, red high heels, hugs from husbands, and happy children."  That line has echoed in my mind almost every time I step out the door since I read it.  Check out her blog at www.frundy.com.

 I have always had a thing for lipstick.  It probably comes from my beloved "Grandma" Darlene whom I've never seen without a perfectly-polished pout (that's her and me in the treasured photo on my vanity below).  She was a beauty pageant queen, you know.  Whenever I need a little beauty pick-me-up, I just reach for a tube of Avon lipcolor and the string of pearls she brought me from a trip to China when I was about 12 years old.  

Aren't you grateful for how far we've come?!  Now go put on some lip gloss at least and give your hubby a big smooch, and if you're going out tonight, don't forget the pearls and heels.   Happy New Year!

Holiday Rush

Don't you think that would make a great name for a double peppermint mocha at Starbucks?  I think it would be a top seller among the hustling, bustling crowds, but I usually opt for a peppermint green tea to keep me going these days.  I haven't spent much time penning Christmas cards or hoofing it through the mall.  I've spent time shopping online instead, editing out as much of the commercial clutter and weekly busy-ness as I can, and of course, crafting!

Our thanksgiving festivities were wrapped up with a Merry craft time gluing and stitching these cute little guys, found in Martha Stewart's Dec. issue

 
He's right at home with my collection of antique Putz houses (and this new version my Mom gave me as an early Christmas gift).

A new belt-tightening budget has called for a few more handmade gifts this year, like this potholder for a special grandma featuring Nora's original work of art.  The project comes from Alicia Paulson's newest book, Stitched in Time

Yesterday I finished a darling apron for my dear mother-in-law, and I'm looking for just the right button or bauble to add to another good girl's clutch.  

Of course I've been busy decorating the house with help from Nora and Dan, who always contributes his Elvis ornament to stand guard near the stereo.  

I captured part of my snow globe collection just as the afternoon light streamed through the dining room

But before any of the tree trimming or candle-lighting could begin, there was one item of business to attend to--the now-annual Christmas painting for the church musical/art show.  Though last year's attempt ended in disaster (see old post), I am pleased to announce that this year's painting made it through the final stages

The pomegranate has a long history of being associated with royalty, riches, and even humility for its red color in the early church.  I chose to use the image of the blossom, ripe and broken fruit to symbolize Christ's birth, life and sacrifice in this piece, and I love how the green and red work conveniently well with the tradition of Christmas.  An added bonus for me was working alongside my favorite little apprentice

 

 

Over the River and Through the Woods

I know, I know, it's been a long time since my last post.  Here's the deal:  I got burnt out and needed a break from both my machine and the web--time to enjoy the season, get down on the floor and play a rousing game of Candyland, take a couple of road trips, make my way through the rising piles of laundry and layers of dust in the house, deal with a huge set of car repairs, and put in some more hours at the day job to pay for said repairs.  What a month!  This recap should make up for time lost!

The week after the barn sale, Nora and I took a trip to Traverse City to see my college roommate Jodi and her little guy, Judah.

 
We braved the cold for a chance to explore the beach

and met some suspicious fish in a nearby gallery.

The week after that we set off on the longest road trip ever embarked upon by man--by the time it was over, we'd spent over 30 hours in the car and traveled through seven states.  Our first stop was Nashville to pick up my sister, and then it was on to Hilton Head to meet my parents.

The occassion was my cousin Katie's wedding in Northern Florida, three hours from our resort in Hilton Head.

This time the breeze off the beach was much warmer and our toes were free to wiggle!
  
On the way to the reception Dan made sure to hit the Whataburger--his holy grail of Southern fast food joints. 

We made our way back to Hilton Head the next day and dined that evening at the Sea Shack--a local favorite with dynamite seafood and sides in a tiny little dive off the beaten path.  Here are Mom and little sis, Regan enjoying the fare.

We traveled North a couple of days later through the rain into Ashville, NC, in search of a toy store.  We never found one, but we were happy to find ourselves some shelter and fine food at the Tupelo Honey Cafe downtown.  Can you top an iced tea (I take mine unsweet please, sir), a first course of homemade fluffy biscuits, and a side of local blackberry jam?

 
It would still be more than 24 hours before we were asleep in our own beds at home.  First we had to make our way through the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains and some real and true corners of Appalachia (my affinity with which I may detail in further chronicles).  Unfortunately, the view was blurred and dampened by a steady sheet of rain the whole way through every holler and mountain and past the Cumberland Gap.  So, no pretty pictures of the home lights burning in little tin roofed shacks, or smoke trailing from smoke stacks into the tree-covered hills.

Back home in my own little shack, I've been working on a new diaper bag order . . .

and anticipating the coming of the holidays with a little seasonal decorating.  I refuse to start trimming a single corner of my room for Christmas before Thanksgiving has arrived, so this is my little kitchen tribute to Turkey Day and a favorite song my grandmother used to sing to me when I was little

 
I'm looking forward to a quiet few weeks ahead as Christmas approaches, with much less traveling and more simple pleasures.  Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's is far enough for me!

Treasure Hunting

Last night Nora and I were tipped off by her daddy about a vagabond pumpkin growing in the field near the house.  We set off at once to "investigate", as Sid the Science Kid would say.

Turns out that basket full of squishy mini pumpkins I threw out last November grew into a new little plant--smack dab in the middle of all of those GMO, herbicide-ridden soybeans.  That's one tough pumpkin! 

There are several more blossoms and buds, so I hope we are able to harvest some more of the pretty white-husked beauties before the combines come in and swipe them all away.

With our irritating yet faithful dog, Harry by our side, we packed our favorite adventure tools--camera, butterfly net, magnifying glass, and bug catcher box--and began exploring our big back yard for more autumn treasures.

We found rosehips,

a new crop of fall raspberries and some interesting button weed seedpods that refused to be photographed, and many flowers still in bloom

including more volunteer surprises like this sunflower.

Soon the mosquitos began to carry us away and the light began to wane, so we were forced to pack up for the night, but we were happy to find that there is still plenty of beauty unveiling itself in nature as the weather grows cooler and the dark grows longer.  Step outside and find it for yourself, and mark your calendars for Oct. 4--the Harvest Moon!

Columbus or Bust!

Last Friday morning Dan and I dropped Nora at Grandma's and set out into a thick fog heading east--toward a wonderful weekend birthday/anniversary celebration.  Our destination was the Country Living Fair in Columbus--but first there was a quick meeting with a dear old friend in Mansfield, a stop at "Wholly Craft" in Clintonville, 

and a late dinner at "The Happy Greek" on High Street--Keftedes and a Pita dip sampler, followed by Pistachio Baklava--all yummy!  

I was less than diligent with the minute-by-minute photo commentary, so there is no picture of Jodi and me during our shopping trip at Gabe's, the picturesque lone windmills on the side of the highway, nor the 100mph mini van with the "PITCHFRK" license plate, which eluded us for miles soon after we entered Ohio.  What I can share are these stellar pieces of eye candy from Saturday, where the real fun begins!:

Here is the real reason Dan wanted to come to the Fair.  He also made sure to attend the hot dog topping cooking demo in the Country Living Kitchen:  carrot slaw, cherry mustard, and tomato relish.  Good stuff!

Framed art at Bloomsbury Loft

This was hands-down my favorite booth, and the first one I stopped at.  I bought one of the lovelies above with a "J" as well as a frilly little yellow crepe paper posey--still imagining the possibilities for that one.  Here are some more shots from their booth:

Owls are all the rage lately, but these are really special--look at all of that texture and pattern and color!  Seriously, I would have to shoot myself if I brought home another plush animal figure to this house, so little Mr. Hootey was left to find another owner, which I'm sure all of his friends did before the weekend was over.

This genius display got my wheels turning for my own display.  I think I may have to kidnap the vintage tandem Schwinn over at Mom's for my booth at the Barn Sale in October.  I even found a circa 1980 bike basket at an antique shop on High St. later that day.  Perfect!

Next was a stop at the famous McMaster & Storm. 

I was giddy with excitement that I got to meet the sweet clerks behind the counter of this remarkable little department store and shop their unique wares. I chose a little glass vial of aqua-colored mica dust sealed with a cork, a box of oh-so-cool French safety pins, and a yard of vintage-looking crushed-velvet rickrack.  I felt like a real lady from the olden days shopping for fancies at the local general store!

While I was shopping, I was making notes as I became inspired by all of the creations and snapping pics of some creative displays:

I love the yard rakes adding a hand to support the braided garlands on this booth!

I also met another crafting diva of Etsy fame, Lisa Price, who makes some beautiful block-printed textiles and sells a really swell variety of mid-century "goodies" that would be oh-so-at-home in my kitchen. 

I just love the way she groups everything by color inside her booth.  It's like a pack of jolly ranchers in there!  I can almost taste it.  The best part about my stop here, though, was my surprise find of the day--another huge vintage dogwood-print tablecloth in green--just like the one I've used to make several of my most popular bags.  Wow!  I never thought I'd see another one, and my first one was whittled down to nothing.  How exciting!

Other buys included some vintage bingo cards at two-for-a-buck from Urban Farmhouse , a stack of 15 quilt blocks for $5, and a darling little needle-felted fairy for Nora, complete with curly red hair and an acorn hat. 

We wrapped up our day by heading back into Clintonville to visit Sobo Style, The Boomerang Room, Mad 4 Mod vintage clothing and interiors shop, and a delish vegan restaurant, where I chose an avacado sandwich on whole-wheat croissant.  Dan had pierogi and kraut.  Here he is enjoying his dish.  You should have seen the cook!  I wish I'd had the nerve to ask for a picture.  I loved Dan's remark after his first bite:

"That hippy knows what he's doin'!"

My gift of a weekend ended with my darling husband taking the scenic route home just for me--through little burgs and burbs all the way into Indiana: Neptune and Pleasant Mills, Wapakonetta and Decatur--all of them glowing with brilliant swirls of gold and green beans under a bright blue afternoon sky. Though I didn't make Dan stop the car to shoot it, the image of a cautionary "curves ahead" sign against a red, weathered barn is still fixed in my memory within a view-finder frame.  

Message In a Garden

As the end of this month approaches, I've been spun into a frenzy of busyness--freelance graphic jobs, three custom sewing projects, coordinating a fine art show at work, spring cleaning, and gardening.

This weekend I tried to concentrate on slowing down to enjoy the warm weather and dig in the dirt. While Nora was busy making mud pies one afternoon, I set to work tackling the crab grass among the daffodils. Imagine my delight as found this leftover scrap of newspaper nestled into the dirt near a new sprout.

This piece of utilitarian scrap used last year simply to suppress the weeds in the vegetable patch was transformed in a quiet moment into a subtle, yet profound sign to me that my creative efforts are worthwhile, and that even the most mundane tasks, like weeding a flower bed can produce joy and creative gratification.

Or perhaps it was a very literal message that God's creative handiwork is in the smallest and most unlikely nooks and crannies of this remarkable world.