For the Want.

My newly open daytime hours have immediately increased and made much easier my availability for work, and meetings, and time in the studio. It's a manageable busy, but it has been a quickly changed day from what I was learning to love this Summer. Gone are the morning adventures with my two little people, the lovely and long stretches in the afternoon quiet of the house, and our hours by the pool.

On the eve of the Autumnal Equinox, Cleveland turned fiercely quick to fall temperatures and rain. This immediate cooling has me pulling into quiet evenings, and bubbling pots of homemade chai tea in the mornings. And it has me baking up a furious storm. The smell of freshly baked bread hangs heavy already in our now closed-window house.

The adjustment to my new season of both babes in school was shockingly quick. And shockingly consumed. Why is it that our days always seem to be too short on hours? This morning, with an extra slow pace, and a second cup of coffee, I am window-shopping on the bright screen for some Autumnal indulgences.

A quick getaway anyone? I've been eying this lovely weekender for ages...

Bohemian Rhapsody Weekender from Star Bags.

I'd certainly jaunt off in these elven leather shoes. My word, the details of them undo me...

Handmade Leather Fairy Tale Shoes from Fairy Steps.

A lovely new ring. Definitely a hexagon, but how to decide?

Peach Hexagon Ring by FimosERie.

Both are really quite lovely, and I certainly have enough fingers...

Neon Hexagon Ring by Cyclicalind.

Lovely warm and comfortable, these might help to slow my mornings and extend my evenings...

Handmade Wool + Leather Slippers by WoolyBaby.

Aside from more daylight, what does Autumn have you wanting?

It Rained, and so I Baked a Tart.

It was a nonstop chilly chilling-to-the-core weekend full of Autumn Rains here. So persistent they were, that no progress was made on painting the house. Zero.

But much fun was had in the kitchen however, including a bubbly batch of concord grape jam, and this fabulously delicious tart that incorporated a generous cup of said sweet and sticky purple goodness. Simple recipe [though slightly tedious repeated crust-chilling instructions] from the Martha, right here.

Knee Socks and Sweater Vests.

Playgrounding in Layers. My very favorite weeks of weather.

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

Making. Progress.

Here's a small stack of in-progress prints. Some playful monoprints and stenciled relief little lovelies. 

I'm crazy dreaming about finally learning how to flock. I signed up for a flocking and foiling workshop at a conference more than a year ago, and was nearly devastated that for whatever reason it turned into an only foiling and no flocking demonstration. What the flock? REALLY?! What's not to love about a velvety layer of fuzz? But I digress. In the meantime, it's good to be back at the press. That's something I can say YES to. Thank you very much, YES and YES again.

For the Love of Parties.

We celebrated Grandpa's Birthday this weekend with a delicious end-of-Summer cookout. Most of the party decorations were brightly colored accordion paper fans and spheres. We also brought out the rainbow Happy birthday! bunting, and inflated nearly two dozen balloons.

It was lovely to have a simple and casual family party, and to wring out the last days of Summer.

It was also terrific motivation for a thorough housecleaning. Double WIN.

Easy Reasons to Weep.

It started off easily enough in wanting to change up the Chatter header as I've been trying to keep up with monthly. Already a week or so late into my initiative, I was frustrated in my multiple attempts that were repeatedly blocked by error messages. This has been a solid week or so now.

Blah. Blah. Blah. Lots of jargon about new and old policies. Chatter. At capacity. Information about new image storage plans, and all the associated fees. I clicked the tiny x closed on all the small pop-up windows that had just led me through all of this new red tape. Completely reluctant to commit, I continued to read and re-read then x it all closed and just walk away.

Here after more than four years now, consistenly punching out all of the Chatter, making sense of our conversations, and chronicalling our experiences–I sat now completely immobilized by the change. It swung wide open the doors to much contemplation. Is it still Chatter? Is it still in this space? Have I hit capacity also; has Chatter? 

 

Both babes being in school has set me so unexpectedly on overload. The weight of it keeping me on a constant and thin threshold of tears. The dark preoccupations of all that is going extinct, these seasons forever behind us, I was blinded momentarily of how awesome this right now season is, and the beautiful promises of those stretched out ahead of us yet. The hope, still present; the conversations still left here in this place. This Chatter. Still hear, still loud. Still needing this place to sit. So, we are shifting our footing a bit over here, but there's still space to pull up a chair, and continue to join in our conversations.

Today, my Craunlets are both home from school for a teacher in-service day and the Chatter is exhaustive and loud as it bounces buoyantly through the rooms that have been quiet these two weeks. And I did it. Heck, it's only $2.49 a month. Too many easy reasons to weep these last couple weeks. I clicked away, and I committed. The Chatter continues, and the banner for this month is refreshed. Play on, Chatter; we are not at capacity just yet.

Spilled Milk.

Saturday morning we opened our trunk full of market produce to watch our two half gallons of milk crash into the driveway and shatter.

It's apropos to the week; a tumultuous mix of ups-and-downs on the heels of one another so fast that I can't get my footing long enough to decide if I want to weep or laugh.

Though the spilled milk was a huge waste of both dollars and delicious drink, it was quite a beautiful mess. I suppose that's life.

These Two, This Instant.

With the school schedule keeping us busy, it's increasingly important to make time for some silly.

Mom-of-the-Year, and other Awards that don't Exist...

I stood in the pouring down rain this afternoon to pick up the Craunlets from school. Me, with my laminated sign boasting the Craunlets names spelled out all large and easy to read, hiding under a too-small brightly green frog umbrella, whilst holding the ladybug one still collapsed with my other free hand. Soaking wet and waiting. Cheerfully. 

Talking to the mother of Isabella's best friend, it was indicated that I was clearly working towards the Mom-of-the-Year award. We laughed, as we quickly commiserated about our shared compulsions; neither of us have a single time driven into the carpool lane to pick up our children. I think both of us are secretly hoping that the school's most awesome administrator is somewhere keeping notes on our devoted outdoor attendance–for graduation day–when we both walk up to collect our awards. We laughed about how we are out there in all weather for this nonexistent recognition. The urge that it is somehow more important than I even realize that keeps me parking, and walking, and picking them up at the sidewalk in front of school.

This standing out there and waiting. Being the first person to hear all about their days, in person, as we walk together to our car hand-in-hand, and our quick and chattery ride home. It sets the entire tone of the day, part two. I know it speaks volumes to them. I am here. And more than anything, I want these two little people to know that I am always here regardless of any circumstance.

I think that's part of the baking also. I've decided to commit to a full school year of the homemade afterschool snack endeavor, and I'm also determined to share a weekly recap that includes the recipes from the prior week. Today, I whipped up some completely delicious coconut macaroons, sweetly chewy and indulgent, and half enrobed in dark chocolate. And so far, it has made homework time around the table each afternoon a much sweeter experience.