JCasa BLOG

goodness gracious - no. 10

Goodness Gracious ::: a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved recently - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess. notes to self, bookmarks + reminders for future reference. enjoy + please feel free to add your own goodness gracious link in the comments.

[01]  BOWS

i have two girls who both love making stuff.  (as well they should.)  one of my sweets is an especially girly-girl (hence her nickname, girlygirl) and she is going to be all over making bows thanks to this super + simple bow tutorial on ruffles + stuff.

[02] MAKE IT

love love love this easel made from a pizza box project that's posted on whipup.  chalkboard AND white board AND it's portable.

[03] BOOK

Cat vs. Human is available and a certain kiddo of ours is going to be all over it come birthday time.  her comics are hysterical and i'm really looking forward to seeing the whole collection of her wacky doodles in print.

[04] ORGANIZE

this chalkboard label DIY on a little learning for two is brilliant + opens up a whole can of amazing organizational worms.  and it ticks off another item on my "why didn't i think of that?" list (which from hence forth shall be known as "thank goodness someone else thought of that!").  awesome.

[05] PARIS

molly + maria (MAV) are headed to the twinkling mecca of paris to become part of the city's fabric for a few weeks.  i am looking forward to following along their journey beginning next week on the paris diary blog which promises to be as full of beautiful images and words true to their work in the past.  apparently they will be self-publishing a book in the spring as well.  oh so lovely, indeed.

[06] MAZE

nothing says fall like a trip to the orchard - playing in the hay, sipping apple cider slushies, carrying peck after peck of apples to the car, and of course racing through the corn maze.  imagine my complete delight when i saw this corn maze marble run project by katie of matsutake for whipup.  absolutely adorable + so very clever.

[07] EAT

i looooove tomatoes.  so to me, this ode to cherry tomatoes on tend is perfection.  that recipe for the confit on grits looks like the perfect lunch (or dinner, or both).

[08] KNIT

i love the look of this river dress which i saw on the itty bitty blog and think i'll be able to size it up for the girls + use yarn from my stash.  i do not speak french, but what i glean from that post is that the river motif is inspired by this sock pattern, and the blog author has permission from the sock pattern designer to publish the dress pattern.  LOVE THAT!

i'm so happy when people inspire one another and support one another without getting all territorial.  love.

:

xoxo

goodness gracious - no. 9

Goodness Gracious ::: a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved recently - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess. notes to self, bookmarks + reminders for future reference. enjoy + please feel free to add your own goodness gracious link in the comments.

[01]  BOOK

i am SO excited to learn about Interwoven, a print collaboration between the lovely ladies of 3191milesapart and Quince & Co.  add to cart, please.  (p.s.  i love Q&Co yarn.)

[02]  CLEVER

this DIY chalkboard + book project by regina lord for WhipUp is really clever and fun and do-able and simply great.  i especially love the prompts she put on a few of the pages to get her kids' creative wheels turning.  would be great for road trips, or rainy days, or how about as party favors!

[03]  BUSY

i really enjoyed reading erin's thoughts on a busy life on bluebirdbaby recently.  that feeling of being so very full of wonderful life while simultaneously trying not to get swept away by the busyness of daily life is something i can relate to.  and like erin, that's why i take the pictures i do.  it's a lovely post.  do stop over for a breather.

[04] RUHLMAN

i am SO excited about Ruhlman's Twenty, the new book by Michael Ruhlman - basic techniques that arm you to cook just about everything FOR YOURSELF.  brilliant, yet again.  (p.s.  roasted cauliflower in brown butter.  enough said.)

[05]  FALL

i could go on and on about why i love Fall.  the crispness of the air.  getting back to slow + comfort food.  knitting on the sidelines of soccer games.  knitting more than usual, for that matter.  like i said, on and on.  but instead, i give you Sweet Paul Fall 2011 - it says everything and more.  the photos are amazing and the recipes / projects are both inspiring and do-able.  i think i have a new favorite magazine.  and i think we need to make john's pretzels.  STAT.

[06]  MAKE

i loved reading the moda country fair blog hop post on oliver & s - the whimsical interview with liesl gibson also gives you a fantastic look at her new fabric line, and she's sharing her fantastic popover sundress pattern as a free download.  i know a few little girlys who will be after me to make them and their dolls matching dresses.  and even though it's a sundress, it would make an equally nice jumper layered over long sleeves and paired with tights.

[07]  ZARA

their exhibition Dear America - 50 states 50 photographs - is completely beautiful.

[08]  PAINT

i love elise blaha's take on pinwheel painting.  seems simple enough to do with the whole family and easily personisable, too.

[09]  DECOR

a designer friend of ours was telling us about a project he did over-pixelating something to create a logo and it sounded like such a cool idea.  so imagine my glee when i found out about ixxi who will create a modular graphic or room-divider for you using one of your own images (or stock images, if you prefer).   one thing i think is especially clever is the hardware / no-nail method of displaying the graphic.  (psst... i found ixxi via the yvestown blog who posted that in honor of ixxi celebrating their 1st birthday you can enter the discount code (ixxi1jaar) between 24-sept/24-oct for 10% off all ixxi's.)

[10] KIDS + NATURE

glue dots + kids + get 'em outside = an absolutely brilliant idea for a color scavenger hunt on i am momma hear me roar.  this would be a great activity to do with multiple ages as well as during different times of the year.  BRILLIANT.

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and you?  if there's a little slice of goodness you've happened upon this week, please share it in the comments.  xoxo

goodness gracious - no. 8

Goodness Gracious ::: a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved recently - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess. enjoy + feel free to add your own goodness gracious link in the comments.

[01]  MAKE

a DIY tile tray would make a great gift.  simple + really cute.

[02]  GASP

i've mentioned le dans la before, but allow me to gush just a bit more.  the light and simplicity of these photos took my breath away.

[03]  CRAFTING + KIDS

i bet the girls will love to make spiral watercolor streamers (loooove tinker lab).  bookmarked for future reference.  and i am thinking of a great way to rethink this project for what i hope may become my new studio space.

[04]  SIP

the sweet paul blog is full of ideas + inspiration of food and craft and photography and and and...  me thinks this little cocktail sounds absolutely delicious and refreshing and perfect for a late summer cookout.

[05]  TENT

i love love love love love the playhouse tent by new house project.  be sure to watch the video of how they transformed a ubiquitous pop-up shelter into something dreamy and wonderful.  (and apparently they're in cleveland.  hello, neighbors!)

[06]  FOOD

i've never made preserved lemons before, but this recipe/technique on sfgirlbybay looks simple enough to try + would make a lovely hostess gift.

[07]  ACE

we went to a tennis-themed birthday party this past weekend and now the girls are all about tennis lessons once soccer season is over.  listen, i'm on board with this one.  sure, i haven't picked up a racquet in 15 years or so, but it's one of those games you never forget.  so i'm thinking i'll knit up a pair of purl bee's peds for each of us.

[08]  PREP

a new item to add to the "why didn't i think of that?" list is this idea of prepping + freezing slow cooker meals so you have everything at-the-ready, all you have to do is dump into the crock pot, turn it on, and fast forward to being a hero at dinnertime.  (via meg's busy kitchen)

[09]  STITCH

the home series cross stitch patterns by kelly mccaleb may very well get me to try cross stitch again.  i pretty much love a whole lot about text + stitching lately, and this collection is so great.

[10]  JARS

that fabulous tif / dottie angel has gone and done done it again.  have you seen these jars?!!  hello, inspiration!

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and you?  if there's a little slice of goodness you've happened upon this week, please share it with everyone in the comments.  xoxo

goodness gracious - no. 7

Goodness Gracious ::: a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved recently - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess.  ENJOY!

[01]  MOVE

i adore this wee little summer house in Sweden.  *sigh*

[02]  RENO

have you seen how abbey's house is coming along?  i love having a peek into their farmhouse restoration, and watching as their dreams and design visions are becoming a reality for them.

[03]  KIDS

scavenger hunts are always a big hit.  leave it to jean/the artful parent to put an interactive twist on things.  check out her most recent scavenger hunt + make.

[04]  BLOG

love love love the new look over on sfgirlbybay.  it's like a breath of fresh bubbly air.

[05]  CUTE

seriously now.  as if little miss davy wasn't cute enough, you've got to check out davy jr.  yet another an extra scoop of awesomeness from the mom.

[06]  YUM!

rainbow cake is all the rage these past few years.  and push-up pops never go out of style.  but it never has occurred to me to make them, not to mention have them join forces.  yes.  rainbow cake push-up pops.   go make 'em.  (found via ohdeedoh)

[07]  MAKE

it's a safe bet i'll be customizing pins with shrink plastic very soon.

[08]  HOME

i love all the colorful home photos + interview with Ellen Giggenbach on bloesem living.  there are so many interesting nooks and bits of inspiration there.

[09]  TAPE

love love love washi tape.  it's so pretty + useful + kid-friendly + doesn't mess up your walls.  here is a roundup of cool ideas of what you can do with washi tape.  or what about this paper plate basket?  would be perfect for favors or snacks.

[10]  BOOK

there is so much to love about dottie angel, and now tif has has created an ever so lovely book of dottie's antics.  i especially adored reading her thoughts on how it evolved from an idea to a most beautiful creation she now holds in her hands.

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and you?  if there's a little slice of goodness you've happened upon this week, please share it with everyone in the comments.  xoxo

goodness gracious - no. 6

Goodness Gracious ::: a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved recently - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess. enjoy + feel free to add your own goodness gracious link in the comments.

: 01 :

dear golden vintage is one slice of pretty after another.  the hits just keep on coming, as they say.   if i were to have a 32" bust and 25" waist, i would immediately buy this dress and throw a fancy party with finger sandwiches and lemonade and we would blow bubbles.

: 02 : 

i am SO over the moon excited for malka's fabric line for moda.  check out her sneak peek and start saving your pennies.  having used malka's hand-dyed fabrics in the past, i can speak to the fact that the colors appear to be really consistent with her work and brand.  so happy for you, friend!

: 03 :

granted, it looks like a lot of work to do when you could simply fork over the dough for a moleskine, but this tutorial on making your own sketchbooks from composition notebooks is incredible.  and i've put gesso + matte medium on my art store shopping list.  love.

: 04 :

i would quite like this cocktail right about now.  after you click over - you know you want to - prepare to get lost in a food coma in tastespotting.

: 05 :

now that girlygirl has started fingerknitting, i thought i might dangle a crafty carrot in front of girly to see if she might be interested in sewing a bit with me.  how about we make some sleeping bags for her many stuffed animals?  apparently i know my audience, because she is already picking out fabrics.

: 06 :

or we could make a suitcase habitat for one of her pets a la this dolly suitcase that is so so very fabulous.

: 07 :

just added the imogen tee to my queue.  i love ravelry for cataloging everything for me so that when i do have time to knit something for fun (and for me!), i know just where to find all those patterns i happened upon and fell in love with.

: 08 :

i love seeing kitchen renos pop up here and there.  we're hoping to knock down a wall and redo ours in a little over a year from now.  in the meantime, i have a pinboard of inspiration to which i am constantly adding pretty pretty pictures with lots of light and white.  this one in particular makes me swoon.

: 09 :

we love larabars + we love to cook = we're really happy to find all the larabar recipes out there. have you tried any?  nom!

: 10 :

i am so super excited about ECHO, the new fabric line by lotta jansdotter for windham fabrics (coming in november).  it's no secret, i adore just about everything she does, but her doodles + textiles in particular are really wonderful.  if you hear of a pre-order opportunity, do let me know.

xoxo 

- jennifer  |  JCasa -

 

goodness gracious - no. 5

Goodness Gracious is just that, a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved this week - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess nestled between unrelated but equally cheery instagrams which i post on my twitter feed when goodness happens.  i hope you enjoy this new feature and click over the happy + good times.

: 01 :

our garden is (finally) in, and the peas are begging for a trellis - enter the lovely julia over on tend with her great idea to source the yard for natural trellis materials.  we have a lot of downed limbs and branches back by the woods, so it appears we may have a trellis by the time i post this.

: 02 :

did you know mason jars are the new takeout box?  brilliant!

: 03 :

vintage picnic basket in need of a pic-me-up?  yep, we've got one.  that's why i'm so happy about the pretty up your picnic basket DIY on smile and wave.   yet again, rachel is spot on with another fantastic up-do.  that girl knows a thing or two, i tell ya.

: 04 :

i adore lotta jansdotter, and her summer skirt stencil project is so great.  in the tutorial, she walks you through the process and even provides links for materials you'll need.

: 05 :

i saw this video above called "organizing the bookcase" via CRAFT the other night and could not stop watching it.  so.  completely.  great.  i love that little book that chases after the others.  and how you see time passing on the wall clock.  and the end.  just watch it.  again and again and again.  it does not get old.

: 06 :

must try screenprinting with mod podge.  will report back.  over.

: 07 :

i love love love this no-heat way of curling long hair with a sock to get those dreamy beachy curls and waves.  she's got a lot of great instructional videos on other styles as well - i'm still trying to figure out the best way to give girlygirl a braided crown without too many hair pins, so you can bet i'll be looking through the youtube for up-do lessons.  hairstyle tutorials, who knew? 

: 08 :

oh.  my.  goodness.  (i know i say that a lot, but holy heck this is a goody.)  have you heard of connect design?  i pretty much would love to have anything/everything from that store, but i'd be happy to start with the DIY cross-stich iPhone case.  i would need a 4g first, but when i do...

: 09 :

this is the perfect PERFECT solution for my wish to organize + display + rotate our kids' artwork.  you can bet i'll be doing this.  right.  away.  ohmygoshiloveityesido.

: 10 :

i may have to bake a batch of these strawberry lemonade bars for an upcoming date with friends at the sprinkler park.  i'm a sucker for a good lemon bar, and since we picked nearly 30# of strawberries last month, some of which are already pureed + in the freezer waiting to be called up for duty, i consider happening upon this recipe rather serendipitous.  and who am i to deny those berries the opportunity joining forces with the mighty lemon bar?

xoxo 

- jennifer  |  JCasa -

 

goodness gracious - no. 4

Goodness Gracious is just that, a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved this week - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess nestled between unrelated but equally cheery instagrams which i post on my twitter feed when goodness happens.  i hope you enjoy this new feature and click over the happy + good times.

: 01 :

holy cuteness!  add to the mama-must-make a few chiquita dresses for my girlys using this fab tutorial on no big dill.  seriously adorable.

: 02 :

i absolutely love the cover of the summer issue of craftsanity magazine + am super excited to see it in print.  inside those pages are terrific projects and inspiration for both you and your kids, including an itty bitty project from my book and other surprises.

: 03 :

a great summertime (or anytime, for that matter) site to bookmark for crafts with your kids is skip to my lou - and craft camp is starting up again!

: 04 :

have you heard about TOMS latest endeavor in their one-to-one journey?  so very wonderful.

: 05 :

seeing grace's gorgeous drive thru sweater she knit for her eldest daughter reminded me that i adore that sweater.  i had planned to knit those cardis for each of my girls.  in fact, i made one for girlygirl 3+ years ago, but... it's been sitting in the WIP basket waiting for the ends to be woven in since then.  bad mama.  thanks to grace's inspiration and a life less full of deadlines, i excited to rip the whole size 4T out and knit the size 8, ahem.

: 06 :

i'm keeping whipup's lists of free things to do with your kids in your own backyard + creative indoor things to do with your kids in my arsenal for days when i hear the dreaded "i'm bored" followed by a whiny sigh.

: 07 :

forage bow ties are absolutely perfect for father's day.  or in our case, seeing as the hub hasn't worn a tie since high school (except for weddings + funerals), these would also be adorable gifts for the kiddos' dress-up wardrobe, or for dressing up the stuffed animals.  (are we the only ones with kids who dress up their stuffed animals?)

: 08 :

i would love to make some girls' trips with my daughters when they're a bit older.  prior to becoming a mother, i was a foreign language teacher and spent just about every summer of my 20's studying in and traveling throughout europe.  i think the fact that i was able to do that contributed significantly to me embracing this motherhood gig.  that said, when the girls get a little bit older, i think we may go for it - on the top of the list is for us to visit oslo one day.  considering Norway is consistently ranked the best country in the world to be a mother, it would be a great first trip.  now to start putting pennies in a jar.

: 09 :

i loved seeing disney's day in photos on ruffles and stuff.  it's fun to see the parallels in the days of other mama + makers.

: 10 :

we first saw the golden dogs when they opened for sloan on tour a few years ago, and they've remained in our top 10 new bands ever since.  give 'em a listen - they've got the husband + wife thing going on, a nice mix of dynamics and clever lyrics - and the video is so cool.

xoxo 

- jennifer  |  JCasa -

goodness gracious - no. 3

Goodness Gracious is just that, a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved this week - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess nestled between unrelated but equally cheery instagrams which i post on my twitter feed when goodness happens.  i hope you enjoy this new feature and click over the happy + good times.

: 01 :

we had (finally) our first grill-out of the season, and the girls made s'mores after dinner, toasting marshmallows over the golden coals.  and now we have s'mores supplies in the house, oh my.  then on tuesday i spotted these peanut butter s'mores on not martha, and i think we may need to expand our s'more supply stockpile to include additional flavor profiles, am i right?  obviously we are going to have to do extensive testing over the coming months to determine taste-rankings.

: 02 :

another favorite eye-candy blog i've recently come across (this one in french) is le dans la.  she takes the loveliest photos of her children and surroundings, and with each almost wordless post, she tells a story that i am able to effortlessly fall into.  and i don't speak french.*  the colors in this post had me coming back all week.  (and thanks to kelly, for introducing me to this lovely blog.) 

: 03 :

i just picked up my copy of meg mcelwee's new book, growing up sew liberated from the post office and it is even more fabulous than i anticipated.  i am looking forward to reading it from cover to cover (meg is such a captivating writer) as well as making a few special things for my girls - and i'll tell you all about it during my stop on the blog tour which starts next week. 

: 04 :

cute crafting alert, this marble maze on familyfun is so clever!  i bet kids of all ages would love to make + play with one of these.  add it to the summer list!

: 05 :

i love clogs.  loooove them.  wooden soles have transformed my life, i tell you.  but now that it's summer, my closed-toe clogs are too... well... clunky looking.  so i need to pick out some summer clogs.  i like karin by troentorp and 60's slingback by hasbeens, but would honestly like to find something that is a combination of the two styles - any suggestions from other clog folk out there?  nothing too crazy high, but a bit of a heel is preferable.  in wood, of course.

: 06 :

i first fell for pearl jam in 1991 when i moved to vermont for my first teaching job, and to this day when i hear even flow i am back in my VW driving the steep + winding road up into the green mountains to my other job at a ski resort.  i have continued to enjoy their new music over the years, and was so jazzed when i heard eddie vedder's new album of ukulele songs on npr (which i found via coolmompicks).  yes yes yes, please.  in fact, i think we/i need a ukulele.  soon.  you know, for songwriting under the stars on the deck all summer long.

: 07 :

so... i think i'm going to sign up i signed up for the summer session of get your paint on.  painting is one of those things i want to try, but have no idea where to start.  and this looks like the perfect non-traditional supercool fit for me.  and it coincides perfectly when the kiddos are at day camp.  why yes, betty sue, i'm going to art camp.

: 08 :

when it comes to rewards, i'm about kisses and hugs.  and admittedly, we aren't very consistent with allowances - although i'm sure the day will soon come when they remind us.  our kids are really great at helping out around the house, tidying up after themselves, and being all around responsible little peeps.  (and yes, i'm sure by saying that, it will come back to bite me in a few years, too.)  anyhoo, i would like to introduce currency into their vernacular, because they really have no concept of money-in, money-out, and how it all adds up at the end of the day, week, etc.  and as if i has wished it into being, miss james wrote up a description of her mom bucks on bleubird vintage - an absolutely fantastic idea for learning about currency, earnings + compensation, saving and spending.

: 09 :

my neighbor once kindly explained to me how to make sprouts at home, but the information is lost somewhere in mamabrainville.  so you can imagine my thrill when i saw this post on making sprouts over on no big dill.  katy nailed it with a perfect combination of step by step instructions + witty anecdotes.  and it's edible.  that's my kind of DIY.

: 10 :

the chalk stencils on frugal family fun are such a fantastic idea and could be reinterpreted for any occasion.  so so great! 

xoxo

- jennifer  |  JCasa -

: : :

*ok, full disclosure - i am still able to say one thing in french.  just a little something i picked up while backpacking across europe in college: "no way, _____!  (give me back) the wallet now!"

goodness gracious - no. 2

Goodness Gracious is just that, a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved this week - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, and other amazinginess nestled between unrelated but equally cheery instagrams which i post on my twitter feed when goodness happens.  i hope you enjoy this new feature and click over the happy + good times.

: 01 :

on her blog, ysolda teague has been chronicling the printing process of her latest book, little red in the big city + each post is a revelation of how many people have a hand in bringing beautiful books to print.

: 02 :

and speaking of little red - purely coincidence, i swear - the little red door is an etsy shop filled with the most adorable little haeuschen i've seen in a while.  i especially love this one - that little window and the yellow door, oh so cute.

: 03 :

i saw this super clever wallet/bag tutorial by lorraine ikat bag featured on sew, mama, sew! and immediately thought of the transformers.  i have 4 flip-n-tumble bags that i keep in my bag all the time to use when shopping (in fact, they are one of my go-to gifts for people) - but if you are looking to make your own, this would be SUCH a cool tutorial to try and gift them to everyone you know!

: 04 :

thanks to seeing this amazing DIY drum shade using a vintage sheet, i now know what to do with the white drum light we have in our art/dining room!  i think the hardest part is going to be choosing the perfect vintage sheet.

: 05 :

the girls and i enjoyed a friday and saturday filled with sunshine.  SUNSHINE!  scooters + bikes were whizzed about with squeals of delight, a very swamp-like backyard became a muddy playground for giddy puddle-splashers, the vegetable beds were turned thanks to my trusty pitchfork, peas + lettuce seeds were finally planted, popsicles were enjoyed while sitting in adirondack chairs, the basketball stand with was filled with 375# of sand one cup at a time (oh yes i did), there was weeding and bubble-blowing and chalking and planting and dinner with my favorite freckled faces outside in sundresses.  we're back to stormy weather again, making those memories even more special.

: 06 :

for those with a sense of humor about felines - if you don't already read cat versus human, be sure to check it out.  girlygirl is a huuuuuge kitty-lover and she + i enjoy reading these comics throughout the week.

: 07 :

i have made the super exciting executive decision that we are going to the country living fair in columbus this fall!  have you ever been?   are you going this year?

: 08 :

you've heard me rave about them many times before, and i'll probably be raving about them for another 20 years, but here we go again.  sloan is an amazing band made up of four singer/songwriters from Canada who collaborate on each and every album like nobody's business. they have a new album out, XX (the double cross), named thusly to celebrate and commemorate their twenty years together.  i remember when the hub and i were first dating, he played this song for me, saying it would change my world.  and it did.  whether it's an almost 20 year old song like "everything you've done" up there, or something new and sonically delicious like "unkind", i invite you to give a listen, and if you're not already - prepare to become a fan.

: 09 :

have you seen blair's stump tables?  OH MY GOODNESS are they fabulous!  now that i think of it, our neighbors cut down (sadly) one of two gorgeous weeping willows over a month ago, and there is an enormous pile of stumps in their yard right now.  hmmm...

: 10 :

who knew that i would feel so invigorated and full of energy after a couple weeks of eating right, daily exercise and 8 hours of sleep each night.  oh yeah, i knew that.  and i finally decided to walk the walk as it were.  good stuff.

xoxo

- jennifer  |  JCasa -

 

goodness gracious - no. 1

i am really excited to share with you a new feature here
on the JCasa *handmade blog.

Goodness Gracious is just that, a collection of things i've happened upon and completely loved this week - projects, interviews, music, kid stuff, etc. + cheery instagrams which i post on my twitter feed when our own kind of goodness happens.  i hope you enjoy this new feature and that you share some of your own goodness gracious in the comments.

: 01 :

a favorite Dutch eye-candy blog i've followed for about a year is MUS, and i was delighted to see joscha's featured mom story on BKids this week.  mother of four (including a 5-week old beauty), artist, designer, photographer, crafter, and so much more.  it's such a great interview and her photos are always a delicious saturation of color and light.

: 02 :

one of the things i love most about the girls being in half-day kindy is that we have lunch together every day.  just this morning i thought about how wonderful it has been and i'll surely miss it next year.  i really try to mix things up - sure there are sandwiches (peanut butter and banana or deli or nutella or even the occasional fluffernutter) - but if there are leftovers, i try to make the most of them.  we had enjoyed takeout lebanese the other night which left us with extra pitas and hummus - these pita pizzas hit the spot on yet another chilly + rainy may day.  and they are simple to make:

• cut pitas into triangles
• spread with hummus
• top with some cheese (we used muenster)
• bake in the oven at 400 for about 5 minutes or until bubbly
• top with cool tomatoes and lettuce + devour!

: 03 :

we have all been listening to the strokes new album (angles) over and over.  it's really great and shows a nice growth in their sound as well as some classic strokes bar rock goodness.  watch them perform the "games" on conan - it was our favorite song this week.  and as someone who soon has to figure out playing keyboards on stage in addition to guitar, i really like the way albert hammond jr. navigates both.

: 04 :

one of the sweetest gestures i've seen recently is katherine marie's gift of sunshine in a box which is sure to brighten the day for its recipients, as well as those of us who are charmed by this idea.

: 05 :

i finally found the ed emberely section while volunteering in the library at kindy the other day, and i couldn't resist asking to sign out a book for myself this week.  we have quite a few of his how to draw books in our home, but picture pie was new to me - and i think i'm in love.

: 06 :

not that i need yet another craft to occupy my time, but i'd really like to learn crochet - enter pip from meet me at mikes' series of videos that will take a novice from the slipknot to joining granny squares.  oh yes.  i think i may learn to crochet this summer.

: 07 :

hold onto your hat, gladys - did you see what mrs. jenny ryan did this week?  it's not my tale to tell.  just prepare to double over laughing, then visit exit through the thrift shop to see for yourself.

: 08 :

our girls recently completed reading testing as prep for first grade next year, and i have been thinking a lot about bridge activities for the summer that we can ease into our routine to help them maintain their current literacy levels as much as is possible without going overboard during the 10 week summer break from school.  i signed up for the pbskids summer reading challenge daily email which looks like it's going to be a nice addition to our days during the summer months + a whole lot of fun.

: 09 :

we have a few prints by sycamore street press in our home, and eva even made some very special letterpress tags for me a while back.  true to form, their 2011 collection is a treat for the eyes and filled with gorgeous drawings, warm thoughts to ponder, and a healthy dose of humor.

: 10 :

due to all the rain, we have yet to do anything about our garden.  but i can dream, right?  so until the sunny day arrives, or at the bare minimum the backyard becomes less of a mud pit, i will continue adding to my happy garden board on pinterest - what a great way to organize bits on inspiration you come across.  if you aren't yet on pinterest and would like an invite, let me know as i have a few more to share.

was there something special you happened across this week?  xoxo

- jennifer  |  JCasa -