The birds:
I made cutting boards for my family two years ago in this sparrow shape and I've been wanting to do something else with it ever since. So last week when I had my sewing machine out, I tried a swallow-shaped pillow. However, I don't think they are going to work as a pillow. I haven't stuffed them yet, but I think they'll lose their shape and charm when stuffed. Now I'm thinking they'd make a great applique on a pillow....any other ideas?

My purpose for having out the machine was to make two of these friendly little turtles--a favorite homemade toy in our home, who are now wrapped up and safely on their way to a very, very, VERY patient family.

The bees:
Melissa sent me an email this week, asking me to blog about a very important project. The Great Sunflower Project is an effort to attract and count honeybees in personal and community gardens. If you sign up for the project they will send you a free packet of sunflower seeds to plant in your garden (or even a pot on your deck). All you need to do in return is take two bee counts (according to their simple instructions) and send in or fill out their online count. The whole count will take less than 30 minutes. I'm going to do it as a school project with Emma and Mary. I hope you'll join Melissa and me and be a part of this important project. (I'd love to know if you decide to join in!) Here is an article in the NYTimes about our honeybees in peril.

The birds and the bees:

First of all, no. I am not pregnant. But that doesn't stop me from getting inspiration from an amazing new book that April at Chronicle Books sent me last week. The book is called Nursery Style and it is by Serena Dugan and Lily Kanter of the California-based store, Serena and Lily. I love these kinds of books because I find so much inspiration and ideas packed into them. And I love paying attention to the little details--the artwork, the pillows, how the toys are put away, how an armoire is utilized, the curtains.

1. image 1, 2. image 2, 3. image 3, 4. image 4

Even though the book is aimed at nursery design, there are still so many great ideas in this book for anyone decorating a home with and for children.(stefani, I thought about you with those silhouettes in image 3. Can you do that?! :) So baby on the way or not, this book is full of beautifully designed living spaces, new ideas and fantastic tips and hints for decorating. And April, I want everything on page 74 and 75.

Happy Weekend everyone. Sign up for your bee count, read a good book and take it easy.
See you Monday.

I play the piano. And I sing. But I don't play the guitar. It's been one of those "some day I'm gonna..." things on my list for a long time. You can't exactly pull out the piano while sitting on the living room sofa and do a few songs, or bring your piano over to a friend's house to sing a few after supper.

In high school I was in the jazz band and played the electric bass. (in my defense, I also played volleyball and basketball and the jazz band was really cool. right? right?). But the bass is a whole different instrument to the guitar--one note at a time, big thick strings that don't leave long, thin, tender creases in your fingertips.

And when I find new music like this, or see a video like the one below, it becomes almost painful to me that I don't know how to play. Dan even owns a guitar. One Christmas I convinced his family to all pitch in and buy him one, hoping he'd have the time to learn and fill my guitar-less void. But still the guiltar (I'm keeping that spelling mistake, kind of ironic, don't you think?) sits untouched in the corner.

So enough about me....are you getting the Junior Society Reports from Robert Mahar in your inbox? If not, you're missing some good stuff. This morning's email was the 15 best kids music albums of 2007. And somehow from there I landed on the hip young parent blog, which finally led me to one of the CDs on the list. And Kris, if you're reading this. You're going to want this CD.

Renee and Jeremy were on the list of 15 best albums. So far everything I've listened to on their CD, I love. Really love. I'm now going to have to buy it. It's one of those "I have to have it" kinds of CDs. If you don't believe me, check out this animated version of their "It's A Big World" song....

And if you still have doubts, here they are sitting on the sofa (which led to the emotional outburst above about playing guitar) singing "Night Mantra". They're good, people. And if that's not enough, they even have one of the best looking websites I've seen in awhile.

happy listening!