speaking of the seasons....

I love this book- my sister gave it to me last Christmas and I cut it apart to better enjoy each of the prints. I have a clip of some above my calendar, some hang in my studio and others rotate around the house- the print quality is perfect, the simplicity and reduction of the joys and the pains of each season impeccable.

<<<< get your own copy and find out more here >>>>

Quite possibly the most beautiful and poignant interview ever...

 

Maurice Sendak talks with Terry Gross: 

"I wish you all good things. 

Live your life. 

Live your life. 

Live your life."

 

 

morninglight... good morning!

It's been an incredibly busy week. I've been packing the house and the studio, working on orders, organizing our impending move, and trying to keep my wits about me. In the midst of all this chaos I've been feeling simultaneously overwhelmed and oddly calm. I suppose that's because I know all his work will bring about amazing Change- change that I wrote about while in Rome, change that we all crave: good- throw everything up in the air and watch how resilient and beautiful life can be- change. I'm looking into the direction that we're headed in and the skies are bright.

So right here- right now? The morning light around here was all summer magic- quiet, warm, and bright. Enjoy your weekend!

one two three... from Sew Nancy

it's been a very busy couple days around here- family in from out of town, a birthday party, and a whole lot of Good Summer Liven. I've been popping in and out of the studio to get emails written but that's about it.

Until I'm back to work I thought I'd share this beautiful project that Nancy from Sew Nancy has been working on. A little bit of quilt magic.

that's one happy house.

(from Jay's trip to Denmark)

just back from the sea...

it was amazing.

Gee's Bend

After my post yesterday I came across these quilts made by the women of Gee's Bend.  I can't get them out of my head- the color and composition,  the meaning of craft and community... it's all too much. I'm in awe.

Thank you Purl for this old post (which sent me on my search):

Gee's Bend is a small Alabama community geographically isolated by a winding river. The population are primarily descended from former slaves who worked the land for plantation owners in the nineteenth century and as share croppers for most of the twentieth century. Their self-sufficience was born of this hard-laboring life, and it yielded incredible creativity, resourcefulness, and spirit. To learn more about the quilters themselves, their work, and their community, visit their excellent website.

quilts-

I just found out a friend is expecting a baby and what comes to my crazy mind after being excited and so happy for her and her family?- I'm sure it's no surprise: "What could I make for her and the little one?" This sort of making is my favorite... and the planning is just as joyful.

I was doing a bit of searching around and found this beautiful collection of photos from Moving Hands- taken at the Tokyo International Great Quilt Festival. She has been making photos over the last few years and they're all up there. What an inspiration- it makes me look forward to getting sewing again.

Animals For Sale (aka Claude's favorite book) by Bruno Munari

This one might be my favorite too... the humor is quite odd (which I love) and the illustrations are brilliant. We had a few of Munari's books before we came to Italy, but we've acquired a collection in the last month. I can't get enough.

beautiful pattern from Citta Del Sole-

I've been walking all over this city for the last month and a half... in the search for new adventures. We've been looking for things to walk to, quick stops we can do with Claude and Citta Del Sole is one of my favorites. I can't remember if Kindra read about it or it's one of the places I'd been meaning to get too, but in the week my sister was here we ended up visiting 3 different locations. They have beautiful toys, books, and awe inspiring objects. Kindra gave us a gift from there and it came wrapped in what might be the best wrapping paper I've ever seen. Man that's good- I would take a whole wall of that pretty please. (ohhh and the contents was pretty great too- Enzo Mari's Fable Game!)

more books- Non Perdere Il Filo - by William Wondriska

Non Perdere Il Filo (Don't lose the String)- by William Wondriska an Alphabet Book.

Oddly all the words of the alphabet are in English- but all else (which there isn't much of) is in Italian...

and another (Ombra - by Suzy Lee)

Ombra (Mirror) by Suzy Lee

sisters... and a little bit of roman glory:

My sister is here visiting... we've been on so many outings, going places I'd been wanting to go in and those I see every day. Being someplace so beautiful is made more lovely by being able to share it with someone else... So happy you came Kindra. Here are a few bits for the last few days-

Barolucci's Beauties

This shop of hand-made Italian toys, clocks, and most notably Pinocchio dolls was such a lucky find today... I'd read about it but hadn't yet decided to find it in all of Rome. We came home with a little pack of small goods but I'm still thinking of heading back for a clock or doll. I'm a sucker for anything well made and local, but it was the displays that I was most drawn to- the objects in process. Who knows I might still come home with one of those beautiful Pinocchio dolls for Claude... or for myself.