Not Quite.

Well, I am not quite ready to post my items for sale on Etsy ... yet ... but I will be, I swear! Instead, I started a new project today that I am really excited about. It has something to do with the lightly drawn bird, some vintage fabrics, and a dinner plate. It is almost complete and I will be excited to post it here, possibly tomorrow.

Off to bed now. Love,

Jodi

We're Back ... in more ways than one!

Hello friends,

We are back! We needed some time away to work on some personal healing in this household (thus the lack of blogging this week). And now we are well rested, rejuvenated, and ready to take on the world (or at least our enormous pile of laundry). We even found our first blooming flowers of the season ... talk about hope restored! There were MANY seemingly endless days of Winter that left us disbelieving that spring would ever come again. Daddy thought it would be romantic for him to pick me some ... and it was ...

I have been working on getting some of my finished crafts & clothing up on Etsy. I am very excited, but also a little nervous. It is always an ego risk to put yourself "out there" in hopes that someone will like your work enough to actually pay money for it. I am hoping to have several items posted by tomorrow ... and will provide links here ... so please come back for more info.

Halis has started a new project that we are all so grateful for. He is rebuilding our modest side porch. No more tripping over loose boards. No more dogs scratching at the door to come in (it will be enclosed & gated now). No more wood rot. And easier on fragile knees, as the drop will not be as high as it has been (you're welcome Dad). Thank you Halis/Daddy.

And we all found some time this weekend to do a little "riding". The kids think this is the greatest activity in the world. *Disclaimer: Before you look at the following photos and think that I am the world's worst Mommy ... please KNOW that my kids DO wear their helmets when riding. These photos were taken in our yard when Daddy was parking the ATV ... and helmets had already been removed.*

Today's Gratitudes ~

We are grateful for : calm minds, warm hugs, silly card games, lifelong friends, new friends we have yet to meet (but we are coming to see you in CA soon - you know who you are), luscious brown skin, full bellies, yellow flowers, clothes that fit, soft rain and green trees.

Lots of Love,

Jodi

Taking a Short Nap.

We need some rest around here. Jack has even decided to cuddle up with his favorite dolly. So, we will be back in a few days to share some more :)

Love,

Jodi

A Lovely Spring Weekend.

Look what Daddy taught Isaac how to do today... sit in the freshly cleaned chicken coop and throw wood shavings all around! As I lay with Isaac in bed right now, I am still picking shavings out of his mini-fro. (Thanks Daddy!)

The hens are not amused...

As for me, I enjoyed making some pretend play children's crowns over the weekend... I am currently using them to barter on a yahoo swapping group that I belong to...

What a lovely weekend in Maine ... our first spring weather! Ahh... 70 degrees and green grass growing all around. We spent Saturday having a cookout with our best friends, the Goodales. Here is their sweet (mostly) daughter ...

She is so photogenic!

Anyway, we had a great time with our friends. And then had a wonderful day at home on Sunday. We stayed out all day in the incredible sunshine... cleaning the yard and the chicken coop, throwing the football, watching the birds, etc. There is nothing better than spending a warm and breezy, sun-drenched spring (or summer) day together at our sweet little home in the woods ... laughing and playing .... refreshing ourselves for the upcoming week.

And this lovely day was made even more special with an evening phone call from a very special 'old' friend, our dear childhood friend (and my first major crush and heartbreak) Matty (Matt B.). We have not spoken to him in nearly 10 years ... and were so grateful to hear from him this evening. We have thought of him so often over the years and wondered if we would ever find him again ... and then he called .... it was almost like a dream! (In fact, I may want to apologize to him for being in shock the first few minutes.) It was a wonderful conversation with a man that we both love so dearly. (I haven't heard Halis laugh like with a friend like that in a while - what a gift).

I keep being shown that EVERYTHING is possible in this Universe ... that goodness prevails ... and that all things unfold exactly when they need to. I hope that Halis and Matty will be able to get together soon. It will be a wonderful reunion :)

Goodnight.

Love,

Jodi

Wonderful Week with Meaghan.

Ahhh... school vacations are sweet. And we are so thankful that Meaghan decided to spend hers with us. Isaac, Meaghan and I had such a great time together ... creating, playing, cooking and relaxing.

We made tie dyes:

We cooked various goodies:

We attended Isaac's creativity/dance class and planted some spring seeds:

We introduced Meg to Isaac's favorite horses:

We played "Hide & Seek":

We visited a "happening" playground:

I wish every week was school vacation with Meaghan. She constantly reminds me of all that is possible, wonderful and beautiful. I am so thankful for her ... and Isaac is too!

For LOTS more pics of our week, please check out our Flickr account.

I leave you with a wonderful photo taken today... SUNSHINE has returned to Maine:

We are looking forward to some dreamy summertime naps in the glow of the sun. Happy TRUE Spring (a month late in Maine ... but most welcome!)

Love,

Jodi

Keeping My Sanity ... Cooking & Crafting.

I am doing all I can to keep my spirits up in this insane "Spring" weather we are experiencing. This weekend saw us through yet another snowstorm ... and if it weren't for crafting and cooking, I might have gone insane (I did have one meltdown but cured it by browsing through some real estate web sites ... I am so out of here).

I was able to work on my "Spring Project" quilt this weekend. The top is nearly completed. I am now in the process of deciding what to do with it. I usually know beforehand who a quilt is intended for, but I am so unsure about this one. It is the first time I have done an applique piece like this one, so I am tempted to keep it. But after inheriting so many of my Mother-in-Laws gorgeous quilts, I see no reason to keep any more (though I only possess one of my own quilts).

I also inherited my Mother-in-Law's Janome Memory Craft 9000. Though I have had it for almost a year now, I only just began using it this weekend. It is just such an incredible machine ... so different from my Memory Craft 3000 ... and thus so very daunting. But Halis and I looked through the manual this weekend, and I got comfortable enough to work with it on my current quilt ...


I also tried my hand at cooking some Turkish food this weekend as well ... for the very first time! After nearly 12 years of marriage to a Turk, I have finally tried my hand at making Boreks. Thanks to The Sultan's Kitchen by Ozcan Ozan, I made some delicious Spinach and Feta Cheese Boreks (page 54)*.

(* For those who would like to try these as well, e-mail me for the recipe. I would only suggest that you not use as much butter as is called for - as these are greasier than my In-Laws make.)




These Boreks are actually alot of fun to make. As I was brushing a buttery mixture on each sheet of Fillo dough, my husband was telling me about the many occasions when he would help to make these as a child. As he watched me make them, he said "My Mom would be so proud of you." Though I am not entirely sure of that, I thought it was quite sweet of him to say.

It amazes me how very "domestic" I am getting in my thirties. I have suddenly taken an interest in cooking the foods of my husband's youth ... and making quilts for charity ... etc, etc. (Somebody please pass me a bra to burn before I take this too far!)

Also, I am really getting into this whole ATC movement in the crafting/blogging world. And after several weeks of snooping around at the ATCs of others ... I finally made some of my very own for a swap that I participated in titled, "Extreme Close Up Photo ATCs". I love how they turned out:

These photos were all taken during an outing that Isaac and I took to the Bangor Public Library. I am very excited for my 3 swap partners to receive them. I also kept a set for myself so that Isaac could have them when he is older. They are so much more vibrant and interesting in-person. I lok forward to making more. I have already gotten Meg into making them and she even plans to put together an ATC swap for kids! We'll keep you posted.

Love,
Jodi

2-year old Yogi Master.

A little known fact of my life is that I have secretly harbored a desire to teach Yoga to young children. I am not totally sure why. I mean, I do like Yoga (like, not love) but I don't practice it (although I have in the past). But the idea of sharing such a beautiful, spiritual and healthy practice with sweet little people who have such open minds and hearts ... well, it just sounds heavenly. And although I go through long spells of forgetting this secret desire, I was fully reminded of it today when I decided to introduce Isaac to some poses via a Yoga video that I purchased long ago.

I bought the video, Yoga Kids Vol. 2, along with the books 10-Minute Life Lessons for Kids and Incredible You. I was hoping to use these resources along with the title, Raising Peaceful Children in a Violent World, to create a curriculum for a one-week summer camp for my Unitarian-Universalist church. I wasn't sure what the title would be ... but the idea was to create a week of activities centered around assisting the children in awakening their own unique inner spirituality, to empower them with self-love, as well as to help them to find the peace and harmony within themselves so that they can nurture peace and harmony in all of life ... etc ... etc...

However, I never initiated such a program, though I think now that I will ... especially after seeing how quickly Isaac took to participating in some yoga exercises today. It was wonderful! He even practiced the "OM" like a yogi master. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves as well as participated in some healthy exercise. The Yoga Kids video made it so easy to introduce some poses to him in a fun way ... and gave me lots of ideas for continuing to keep his interest in yoga & meditation exercises (I highly recommend it).

And better yet ... it got me exercising again!!! Boy, am I out of shape ... and in great need of shedding some pounds. And there is nothing like wanting the best for your child to motivate a Mommy to also do what is best for her at the same time. I want my son to live a healthy lifestyle, and therefore I must show by example. So, Mommy is breaking out the yoga mats, organic fruit, walking sneakers and bottled water!

And maybe if I gain some flexibility, shed some pounds and motivate myself to create a Spiritual-Wellness Program for Kids (I see a title forming), I can realize my secret ambition to become a part-time yoga instructor for grade schoolers. That would be one secret ambition achieved ... and only 412 to go!

Love,

Jodi

P.S. The above photo of Isaac was taken tonight at Borders Bookstore, where I was shopping for even more books on rearing peaceful children, yoga for kids, and hip sewing projects (yet another passion).

Needing A Change of Scenery.

Well, I don't think we can take it anymore ... Maine is currently experiencing another major snowstorm ... and Halis and I are compiling our possible relocation list. Seriously. We think it may be time. We have now lived in Maine for over 12 years and it has been wonderful ... until now. I think we just have different needs & wants as "thirtysomething-parents" than we did when we first moved here. So, now we are hoping to eventually move to a completely new area ... and enjoy a new family adventure ...

Our short term plan is to:

1. Buy a house in the "city" (Bangor/Augusta/Portland, Maine areas)
2. Rent out our house in the country
3. Travel throughout the country & overseas in an effort to scout out a more permanent move to an area that meets most of the criteria we have set

Our long term plan is to:

1. Move to an area that meets the following criteria:

• Must be within a 2-hour drive of the ocean
• Must have healthy diversity
• Must be surrounded by educational experiences/opportunities (museums, colleges, art, concerts, etc)
• Halis must be able to earn enough income to support us so that I am able to unschool/homeschool Isaac (& subsequent children)
• Cost of living & taxes must be reasonable
• Must be in a politically moderate or liberal area
• Must have some rural areas close by (in case we wish to live out in the country again)
• Must have some nearby outdoor adventures (mountains, parks, lakes, etc)
• Must be "safe-enough" to raise kids without any major fears
• Must have opportunities for creating meaningful community connections

2. Live Happily Ever After

I know that our criteria can be met ... somewhere. We are not looking for the "perfect" area ... just the place that is "perfect for us" ... even with all its imperfections. And here are some places that we plan to visit to see if they fit our criteria ...

1. Seattle, Washington
2. Oregon Coast
3. Massachusetts
4. Mystic, Connecticut
5. Cape Town, South Africa

We are completely open to suggestions (please post them in our comment section). Because "what one gives their attention to grows" (laws of attraction), the Universe (God) has opened up so many opportunities and insights for us since we began thinking about making a major move. We FULLY appreciate any thoughts on this matter ... as they will all lead us to finding our new geographic location/ adventure ...

We are also open to the possibility that this search for a new "home" may lead us right back to Maine (as it has for a dear friend of ours) ... and that will be okay too (though I am secretly hoping for a MAJOR move so that I can experience a completely new area & culture).

I will keep you posted :)

Love,

Jodi

45 Degrees and Counting!

Today was a lovely day in Maine ... the sun was even out long enough to cast shadows ...

... and the day was made even better when Daddy arrived home early from work! He and Isaac lounged on the sun-soaked bed for a while ... catching up on some reading.

And to further the loveliness of the day ... my mail lady brought me some "mailbox joy" from the UK! Thanks to Lyn for the fabulous vintage fabric (again part of a fabric swap on Swap-Bot.com).


Goodnight,
Jodi

Meaghan's "Rockin" Good Karma.

I had no idea that Meaghan had a recital today. In fact, even as it began, I had no clue that it was even taking place ... but I still made it there just in time!

How? Well, Meaghan must have ordered it from the Universe, that's how! As she was arriving at the entrance to her recital, I was driving by in my truck. She spotted me and called me on my cell phone ... begging me to come. Apparently, she had been calling me all day to invite me ... but I wasn't home. Seems that I was taking a very unusual day trip to downtown Bangor (exactly where Meaghan was). And it seems that I drove by her recital at the exact moment that she was making her way in. Coincidence? Of course not! That is how the Law of Attraction works ... and Meaghan was in complete alignment with all powers of the Universe ... and thus summoned me (& Isaac) out of nowhere. Good Work Meg. Your Karma "ROCKS"!

Love,

Jodi

Mailbox Joy.

Today was a great mailbox day. I received some "joy" from Amazon.com as well as from some Swap-Bot partners. Here is the bounty of goodies that I ordered from Amazon:

Sew What Skirts: 16 Simple Styles You Can Make With Fabulous Fabrics by Francesca DenHartog

The Sultan's Kitchen: A Turkish Cookbook by Ozcan Ozan

The Book of New Family Traditions by Meg Cox

A Taste of Haiti by Mirta Yurnet-Thomas

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier

I am excited to try my hand at some Turkish and Haitian cooking, as well as some skirt making. The Road and The Measure of a Man are books that my husband is interested in reading... but I think I may get my hands on them first. And the Family Traditions book will serve us well in figuring out what sorts of traditions & rituals we would like to hand down to our son (we have only come up with one tradition on our own thus far).

Also ... I received some fabric from a swap that I participated in on Swap-Bot. We exchanged vintage fat quarters (18" x 22") of fabric. I sent my partners some sweet 70's fabrics from my collection. And I just received a package from my swap partner in Sweden. She sent me some very unique pieces. I LOVE them! They are barkcloth materials from the 60's...

I also received some lovely photo ATCs from another swap I am participating in ... but don't feel that I have a "right" to display them here as I still haven't sent mine out yet! (Sorry to my partners ... I WILL get right on this). I will post them here as soon as I quit slacking and send mine :)

Love,

Jodi

Happy Easter!

Love,

Jodi

Will Jack be a Daddy?

Well, hopefully, this little beauty pictured above will be the mother of Jack's children very soon. She and Jack "got to know one another" this morning and decided they would like to create a family. Her name is Sydney and she is from Winthrop, Maine. She is a sweetie. Jack did not take long to fall in love.

Once she does have a litter of pups, we will have the first pick of the litter. This is very exciting for us. Jack is the best dog we have ever had, and we are so pleased to be able to perpetuate his breed and his character through offspring. We will keep you posted.

Love,
Jodi

Still Under the Weather.

We are still feeling ill here ... and though the snow outside is absolutely gorgeous, it is most unwanted (at least by me). However, this is perfect quilting weather! I continue to work on my Spring quilt project and I really like how it is turning out. However, I am already experiencing some project infidelity .... I just received some new fabric in the mail for my pirate-loving family and am anxious to begin using it ...

It is titled, "Treasure Island", and is an Alexander Henry print. The handsome pirate at top-center certainly resembles a certain Mr. Capt. Jack Sparrow, so Meaghan will be very pleased with whatever I use it for. I purchased 4 yards of it from Rainbow's End Fabrics on Ebay at the bargain price of $23.07 (including shipping). I think I will use it to make matching bed quilts for Meg & Isaac as well as a tote for each.


Well, off for some rest now as we need to be up early to meet the "Aussie" female that intends to mate with our Jack tomorrow! Won't Jack be pleasantly surprised :)

Love,
Jodi

Sick Day # 2.

Ugh. Not only is the weather outside "yucky" ... but so are we. Isaac and I have sore throats, dry coughs, and headaches, etc. However, we are going to count our blessings... please indulge us...

* We are loved.

* We love.

* We are well fed.

* Halis (aka Daddy) has a job that supports us.

* We have a safe and warm home.

* We have great friends.

* We have loving family.

* We live in a safe neighborhood.

* The Canadian geese were flying overhead this morning.

* Our good friends, the Goodales, are coming over for Easter Sunday.

* Bobo and Poppy are coming over this Saturday.

* We are gorgeous (ahem.... I said, please indulge us).

* We are brilliant (again with the indulging).

* We have Meaghan in our lives.
* We are warm and cozy in our bed right now.

Amen.

Love,

Jodi

P.S. I made the birdhouse in this picture... back in 2002. Many birds have hatched out within it :)