fox and shop

Thanks for the mudroom love, I'm still delighted with that space and happy to have another project crossed off my list.

This winter we have had a backyard visitor. He comes a couple of times a week around mid-morning. He has comes very close to my backdoors and thankfully our dogs have not seen him yet. I'm not sure what the attraction is, as we do not feed him. But we do back on a lake so our yard is highly accessible.

I know it is mating season for foxes. I sure hope he finds what he is looking for. I'm so tempted to sit him down and explain that the city is probably not the best place to find a mrs. foxy fox but since he is here, my logic is irrelevant.

Isn't he lovely?



Onto other things... It's shop upate time and I have some gorgeous new vintage sheets that I've listed. I've actually listed over 20 new prints, so go check them out. Vintage sheets are like sunshine wrapped up in a blanket and I'm sure most of us could use a little reminder this time of year  :)











I do want this blog to be filled with eclectic bits of my life (foxes, fabric, etc) and part of that will include etsy shop updates. Hope you don't mind (In the rhetorical sense).
Well, I am off and running out the door. Have a fabulous Friday, xo.

shop update

One of the things I did manage to keep up with the past year was the duckyhouse etsy shop. I didn't manage any handmade goods in the shop this past year, rather I kept it stocked with vintage goodies like these:









You can hop over to my shop for a peek and check back as I will be listing more this week.

Happy Monday, xo.

May/June happenings

Now that it is officially July I thought I'd post a few highlights from the past two months instagram style. 

from the top: 

~ dance recital for the girlies who played the part of orphans singing "it's a hard knock life (Annie)" *ps, they did not dance in the Crocs ;P

~ flowers from daddy for two girlies who did such a great job at their dance recital

~ mass organization of papers around the house, including 5 years of the girls' art work *big job

~ mushrooms along the path of our daily bike ride

~ lunch for me: sole on a bed of lettuce *yum 

vintage fat quarter sale

I'm having a sale on Mother's Day, May 13, 2102 in my etsy shop.



All vintage fat quarters are 15% off the regular price for one day ONLY; bundles & assessories are NOT included in the sale.



Use the code MUMSDAY2012SALE at checkout starting May 13th @ 12:01am CST to 11:59pm CST.  Now go shopping, have fun and Happy Mother's Day!

lovely

I'm just packing up an order for an etsy customer right now. The sheets she chose are a lovely combination of blues and yellows; a reminder that warmer days are on the horizon. Happy Friday, xox

volume vintage

I did a shop update last night and it was a biggy. 35 new-to-my-shop vintage prints are now joining the existing prints that are in my shop. That's a lot of sheets and whole lot of laundry, ironing, cutting, photographing, editing & uploading. It's been a long time coming and folks I finally have pink in the shop and of course gorgeous blues, greens, yellows & oranges. It's all good. 



pinks, oranges, yellows: 



blues, greens, purples: 



yellow, oranges, pinks: 



Go here

shop

It's a simple update today, I've listed more items in my etsy store and have many more beautiful vintage and retro prints that I will continue to list during the month of August. I'd like to have my shop filled to the brim with oldies but goodies and then maybe soon I'll schedule some time to play with some of them. All work and no play is just not right.

open

I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately. Some of it has been very good, some of it hard to swallow. Among a pile of observations comes the one that gives me the most grief, it is that as of late I am indeed my own achilles heel. I have this awful tendency to talk myself out of things before I even get started. I suspect it is why I am reading books 1 & 2 listed in my right side bar. It's also probably why my dad used to tell me when I was a little girl to "put can't behind the door and do it".  I didn't like it very much when he would say that to me, mostly because I didn't understand how to go forward. I'm still working on it btw.



It is here where I sigh and say "why couldn't I be a first born with all their illusions of grandeur, they seem unstoppable".  In the pecking order in my growing up years I am the last of 13, yes I said 13! The baby of the family, my mum still introduces me that way on occasion. Umm, no mum, not much a baby anymore but nice try. I love her still for thinking of me that way.



I married a first born, boy oh boy is he an overachiever. I suppose that is why we make a good pair. He honestly believes there is nothing he can't do, I believe that about him as well. He ran a major youth movement in his teens, put out a CD, wrote a book, jumpstarted a new career after a major life shift in his 30's, and all that before he turned 40!  His resume is kinda intimidating and yet I still get to tell him to clean the toilets and put the garbage out...yes!!



But seriously though, all this has me thinking that life is too short to wait for the stars to align and for all my ducks to line up in a row in order to do some of the things I'd love to do. You see I'm never in a rush, I have an over abundance of patience and don't thrill from the stress of deadlines, but sometimes you just gotta get a move on. In the spirit of carpe diem and NOW, I have re-opened my etsy shop.  I've filled it with vintage (sheet) treasures as well as some handmade goodness and have a ton more stuff to add. I realize that I most happy when I create and make things. I'm most drawn to my kids when I do the things that energize me. It's something that has been on very short supply for me for the past year (creating & energy) and I am only one who can rectify the situation.



I'll be re-examined my priorities over the next few months and arranging my schedule to provide me with a regular time for making, in addition to the homeschooling. At the very least it is a change, and I'm long overdue for the pot to be stirred. Go over and take a peek at the shop and support this handmade mumma if you feel so inclined.

ipod cover is going to...

Oops, I meant to get this post up yesterday, forgive me for the delay.  We spontaneously went out of town for part of the day to an aquatic centre to give the kids a break from the winter weather.  It was a good decision since things are going to be downright chilly the next few days.      



Onto the giveaway.  I enlisted the help of miss J in the drawing of names, she makes a lovely assistant doesn't she?  I'll let the pictures tell you the rest of the story. 







Congratulations Karen from Hawaii! Karen's original comment was:

"I am from the US- from Hawaii

I have an iPod that would look great in there!

I like the Olympics but don't watch TV, so it's been awhile since I've seen it."

***Please send me email me your mailing address and I will drop your ipod cover in the post! 

And just so the rest of you don't feel left out, if you commented in the original "news and a giveaway" post I will give you 20 % off the listed price of the ipods currently in my shop PLUS the free shipping until February 28th.  At point of purchase, type in the notes "I commented" and I'll apply the discount.  Over 50 of you commented and there are 7 ipods in the shop so don't wait too long or they may all disappear.  Thank you everyone for playing along :) Happy Monday, xxx.

news and a giveaway

I did it. I took the plunge and officially opened my etsy shop.  I registered the name back in July 2008 thinking grand thoughts that I'd fill the shelves of the shop with goodies. Hah! that never happened.  Lofty ideas for someone in the midst of huge upheaval (a move and renovation).  Well, I re-adjusted my ideals and the shop has sat quietly waiting to be opened.



Craft Hope was just the kick in the butt I needed to pull some ideas together and get sewing.  Heck, if I can make items and list them for a good cause (for love of Haiti), I can make items and list them for a good cause (for love of duckyhouse).



To kick off this new inspiration I am having a giveaway.  The winner will receive a linen (with green vintage) fabric ipod cover - photo below- made by yours truly.  It fits the classic iPod, the iPhone and iPod touch. I started working on the pattern quite a while ago, after a few prototypes I am more than over the moon with this design because it not only holds my iPod but also my ear buds.  Yay, no more tangled ear bud mess, a very important feature!



To enter the giveaway:

• leave a comment
• tell me what country you are from
• and your favorite olympic sport, if you have none then your favorite crafting sport.
• If you twitter, facebook or blog it, let me know and I'll count it as a second entry...but you do have to let me know.

~ Comment will close mid week and I'll announce a winner shortly after that.~
continued below...



But it's not over yet, in addition to the giveaway, all items in my shop for the duration of the Vancouver Olympics 2010 - that's Feb 12th to Feb 28th will ship free anywhere in the world.  Shop now

ETA - Feb 18th - comments now closed.  I'll announce a winner over the weekend.

the roles we play

So my peeps time to update you on what's been going on.  I've been a full time working girl for the past two weeks while my big sister (my boss) was away holidaying. Let me first tell you that I forgot how hard it is to get anything done when you are gone from the home all day.  Sadly blogging and crafting went by the way side.  My hat goes off to those of you who can juggle it all. 

As for my schedule, most days started early with me out of the house by 7:30 am.  That meant a 6:30 am wake up time, for those of you who are more familiar with me, you'll recognize that hour hasn't been on the schedule in a very long time.  But I actually surprised myself and didn't mind the early hour so much, made me even think that I could handle it on a more permanent basis.  Don't quote me though.

For the most part everything went fine at home, the kids were a bit needy by the end of the whole experience, or maybe that was me deflecting ;)  Thankfully my mum stayed close to keep them fed, watered and made sure they were working on their assignments. 

And what did I learn during the past two weeks?  There are drawbacks on either side of the stay-at-home/work full time option.  Being a stay at home (-schooling) mumma truthfully makes me crazy at times, then there are those nagging insecurities and doubts in my head about what I am accomplishing long term.  I often fool myself into thinking I would be ultimately fulfilled in a stylish pinstripe suit with an assistant and a name on my door.  Hmm, sounds lovely in my minds eye doesn't it?

But when I think about the things I'd have to give up I quickly realized that today, right now, is not that time for me.  I would miss the kids too much, the interaction with them during the day, being a part of their lives in the way that homeschooling allows. I would also miss sneaking in a little creative time each day without being consumed with how the next day is going to fly in my absence. 

The choices I've made my life might be a little odd and non-conventional but I like it that way.  It's a life of slow paces and (mostly) happy faces with noisy kids all about.  It's not always rosy, it certainly isn't perfect - I'm their mumma after all - but it is an expression of what's inside my heart and mind.  And while I still get confused about my direction, I am certain that a life filled with love can never be far off the mark...and that mark for me is home. 

PS, the photos above are from the Basilica in our city that burnt down in 1968.  It was later rebuilt but some features of the original basilica were left as is.  I have some additional photos to show that I'll leave for a later post.  It's good to be back in this space, I've missed it.  xxx

happy fall & halloween

The weather was incredibly beautiful yesterday.  We couldn't help but put everything on hold to go outside and enjoy the afternoon.   I haven't spent a lot of time outside with my camera over the past summer so it was lovely to stop at one of our favorite spots, stroll through the woods and take an endless supply of photos.  Good times.

:: tree huggers ::



:: fall fooling around ::



:: fall grasshopper?? (does he know what is arriving any day now??) ::



:: fall shadows ::



:: fall sleeping ::



Today promises to be a busier day as I finish up Halloween costumes in preparation for our evening celebration. The kids are looking forward to walking through a new neighborhood and meeting people we haven't had a chance to make acquaintance with yet.  By early evening we will return home for hot chocolate and snacks while I sort through their endless supply of sugar & tooth decay.  After that we will snuggle their daddy, give him gifts and wish him a very Happy Birthday as he so generously shares his day with so many other distracting events. But don't worry too much for him, we will be having a proper dinner and cake for him the next weekend.

Wishing you and yours a very safe, warm and Happy Halloween.

shop update time!

Hello good folks, tune in at my shop around 2:00 pm EST.  I have some lovely mini quilts & coasters that are filled with patchwork, linen love.



Oh so reminiscent of Spring!  See you there!

shop update Monday, March 17th

I had a few hours to myself this weekend and I spent them all in the studio calmly, creating and rejuvenating this winter weary soul. The timing couldn't have been better as we head into what promises to be a busy, busy week.



We've been mulling around the idea of selling our home and feel we are ready.  With that there are a heap of unfinished tasks that need to be taken care of to make our home 'market acceptable.'  This week will be pretty labor intensive with patching, painting and of course more necessary decluttering. Thankfully my hubby is home from work all week to help me get things ready. Using his holiday time isn't exactly the best way to spend your holidays but he didn't have much choice in the matter as he had to use up his last week before the end of March. Poor fella.



While I'm not looking forward to the whole process of destabilization that comes with moving, it's a reality if we hope to move on from this abode that we have called home for the past 6 years.



If you don't hear from me this week you know what I'm doing, okay?



Before I go, I will be updating the shop on Monday March 17th. I've been having a lot of fun embroidering on linen and the items you see pictured will be available in the shop as well as a few other goodies, on that date. Stay tuned and wish me luck this week with the home repairs.