February 07, 2008

good things to know

February 07, 2008/ molly balint

1. Always check your barley

...before you shake a big pile of it into your hot bubbling stew that has been happily cooking along in the crockpot all day. Because that barley---that you didn't store in an airtight container--just might be laced with tiny bugs that you'll dump into the stew before noticing them wriggling and writhing around in the hot broth. And you'll hurriedly scoop out as many of the offensive bugs as you can, but when you take a big ladle full from the bottom, there'll still be a few stray deceased offenders floating in it.

2. You can't register for classes at the local community college

....if you're on academic probation. If, last year, you accidentally signed up for pottery workshop as a credit class instead of an audit, and then you had a difficult pregnancy and didn't do one stitch of pottery, and your professor called you two days before the end of the semester wanting to go over your goals and see your work, and you had nothing, he'll give you an F. And if you have an F on your permanent record, you can't sign up for pottery again (as an audit) without dragging your three children over to Student Services to meet with an academic advisor who will give you permission to take another class. You're never too old for a little academic probation.

3. Don't give your daughter a sharpie

...and tell her to draw her best bird on the muslin cloth so that you can embroider it, without first giving her some direction. Because she'll draw a really good bird on the cloth, one that you really love, with wing bars, but she'll draw it so close to the edge of the cloth that you won't be able to fit it into the embroidery hoop. And the project that you wanted to sit down and work on right away that evening to unwind, will have to wait until you figure out a way to get more room around the edges of that very good drawing of a bird. But then she'll draw you two flowers to work on instead, and that will make you happy. And as you work, you'll realize you really know nothing about embroidery, but it's extremely relaxing and it just might be your new thing.

August 29, 2007

for the mouthy one

August 29, 2007/ molly balint

I made this wee patchwork blanket for Elizabeth yesterday. The child loves to suck on fabric--a girl after my own heart. She's not picky-- she'll yank a piece of her onesie into those gums or gnaw the dishtowel over my shoulder or the tag hanging off the playmat where she spends some serious time. If she spits up, she gets the purest pleasure if I mop out the insides of her mouth instead of just dabbing up the stuff making a mad dash out of the corner of her mouth, down her cheek and behind her ear lobe.

It's all made with things I had on hand--including some of Kristen's fabric and a perfectly worn piece of flannel from my grandmother's old sheets for the back. It is something I'm really trying to stay committed to lately--the ideas of economy and getting as much life out of an item as possible. Of course, you had to know I'd have a Wendell Berry quote for this one, too:

“Granny was sitting by one of the windows with her sewing basket and button box and a heap of Graddaddy’s and Uncle Ernest’s work shirts beside her on the table. She was patching torn places and replacing buttons, making the shirts last. She too was not making a sound. She was under the spell of her own quietness in the quiet house, and was enjoying being alone”.

I love that. And if Elizabeth decides that this just might be a favorite thing --(Elizabeth, I so won't mind if you decide that), then I hope it gets full of patches and extra stitches. I'm sure I can find lots of life in it.

August 08, 2007

more with the tag-team theme

August 08, 2007/ molly balint

In keeping with the theme of tag-teaming (or not) in life, Emma and I have been working on this new soft horse for her this week. It was definitely a tag team effort in the sense that it was like working with an editor-in-chief constantly over my shoulder:
"I think its ear is a little too long."
"The nose looks funny."
"Why do the legs look backwards?"
"Don't you think it would look better with a smaller head?"
"Well, in real life, a horse's mane, forelock (yes, she used the word forelock), and tail would all be the same color."
"Don't you think you should put a little more stuffing in it's neck?"

I really do believe that part of her was making plans for something more than just a little stuffed pony. She was putting so much thought and effort and detail into this pony, I think she was secretly hoping it might magically become the real thing.

The other night as I was leaving her room at bedtime I saw some serious eye-squinting, hand-clasping and feverish whispering. I asked her what she was doing and she told me she was making a wish. I put it all together when the following morning she ran outside (in her pajamas) to check the barn to see "if her wish had come true." This girl is pining away for the real, living, breathing version of the one we just made together.

So after much help in the 'design' phase of everything, I worked on stitching it up and adding the mane and tail. It was pretty fun making the hair. I just pulled lengths of yarn through the fabric and knotted them so they wouldn't slip during any braiding or brushing sessions.

I love crafting for my children. I've said before on here, that there's something different and special when you're making something with someone in mind, especially someone you love. But I do look forward to the day when we'll be taking turns at the sewing machine or with the needle and thread.
That will be special in its own way, too.

July 05, 2007

{kind of}making the cut

July 05, 2007/ molly balint

When I get a piece of fabric that I love, I have a hard time cutting in to it. It's silly really, because why have it hiding away in my cupboard, when it could be made into something I might actually use and enjoy. I don't know what it is. For one, I just don't trust my sewing skills enough. And I can never decide what it is worthy of becoming--a simple pillow, a quilt, a bag...? So, the truth is, I've got a big stash of fabric that I love and have yet to work up the courage to actually cut into. Cutting, stitching--it's all so permanent.

But, when Kristen sent me a new batch of fabric recently, she made me promise I'd cut into some of the fabric that she'd given me in the past. So this week I finally worked up the nerve and put some to use. Technically, I did cut the fabric but I think this is really baby steps in my "favorite fabric cutting therapy".

I got the four cork board tiles at Target. And my initial thought was that I would use these as little inspiration boards above my desk. But once they were all made, the idea of sticking little pins through the beautiful fabric was too painful to think about. So they became some fresh artwork for above the bed.

So I did it. Baby steps, but I did it.
And a big thank you to my husband who measured and hung the boards while I got to slip out of the house and run a few errands all. by. my. self. xo.

June 22, 2007

practical sewing, bedtime drama and the recipe

June 22, 2007/ molly balint

My creative life lately has been filled with very practical things--like sewing up a gaping and quite revealing hole in my husband's work-as in saturday outside, hard labor-pants, replacing buttons, and appliqued washcloths. Which obviously means that my sewing machine is working now. Thank you for all your suggestions. I did almost all of them, so I really have no idea what worked. But new bobbin, new needle, rethreaded, screws tightened, dust vacuumed...it's working.

But back to the washcloth....it's a small part of Dan's and my attempt to work through some bedtime battles. The girls share a room now, and the struggles have been escalating since Elizabeth was born. It's call you in a million times, get all settled and tucked into bed then remember you have to go the bathroom, grumbling because your sister is talking, whining because your "tummy hurts", bad attitude, hyper-active, over-tired--you name it, we're experiencing it at bedtime.

When we first put them in the same room it was heaven. Dan and I would be dumb-struck, sitting in the living room waiting for the little voices to call out to us, but they never did. It was like they were so happy to be together, they didn't need us anymore. I guess the charm has worn off.

And really there's nothing worse than ending your day with them with these struggles and anger and frustration, especially for Dan, who's time with them when he gets home from work is already limited.

SO, we're making some changes around here. (how many times have I said that on this blog?) Starting with adopting my grandmother's (mother of 15, granola recipe to follow) strict bedtime philosophy. Many times since we've lived here on the farm with her, I've heard her mention how they would call the children in from playing at 7:30, even in the summer when there was still plenty of light for playing, and all the other neighbor children were still awake and available.
Granted, I don't have quite so many children to get ready for bed but we'd been letting bedtime slip later and later this summer and the kids were so tired...ugh. it was just horrible. So we've established a "time to come in" time--a tiny bit later than my grandmother's but still early by previous standards. And we've established a bedtime routine.

Part 1:
after dinner before before you can go outside, play, swim, etc, the girls must have three things on their pillow:
--pajamas
--a book
--whatever stuffed they are sleeping with

Then, once we come in, we have a bedtime routine:
1. Get on pajamas
2. Brush teeth
3. Wash hands, face (usually legs, feet and arms in the summer)
4. Go to the bathroom
5. Get a cup of water for beside your bed
6. Get in bed
7. Story
8. Pray
9. SLEEP

It seems like a lot of steps, but really all those bathroom steps flow together. I mean, we've tried everything but a real routine, so I'm hoping this helps. And we took down their bunk beds until further notice. (It seems to help mary to be able to see emma. She doesn't call us in as much.) And as I write this many of you are probably thinking, "Duh, molly, we all already have a bedtime routine, this is nothing new...", but I'm pretty sure we all still have a few bedtime battles that we fight each night. Ours has just grown quite a bit, lately.

So what does this have to do with a washcloth? Well, the day I introduced the new routine, we sat at the kitchen table and drew little pictures of all the steps--I never thought I'd spend so much time trying to teach emma how to draw a toilet...and then I gave each of them their own appliqued washcloth to hang on the hooks by the sink. Just trying to drum up some enthusiasm for the new routine, you know?!

It's day three of "Project Bedtime Routine" and it seems to be helping. Things seem calmer at bedtime. And I do believe that children like a little routine and structure and regularity in their lives. I do, too. I'll keep you posted on how this works. Parenting is contstant evaluation and adjusting, isn't it?!

+++++
So, this is really long. Thanks to those that stayed with me.
I think I"ll save the recipe for Monday. If you're desperate for it, let me know and I'll email it to you. I just finished up my jar of it and want to make some this weekend, too.