Portabellopixie

My Farm Chick Serena (& pals)

We did it.  We got 'em.  We are now the owners of a fabulous flock 'o chickens!

We went out to the chicken farm in Hamilton and spent an hour and half chasing around chickens like a bunch of city slickers.  Eliza toted the "Pocketful of Poultry" book around like a true chicken tourist:

We meant to get 5 - We came home with 10 chickens.  And went back yesterday for 6 more.  ahem.

From left to right here: 

Bonnie, our Red Sex Link (as in Bonnie & Clyde - because she's an escape artist)

Elena, one of our Buff Orpingtons

Yasmina, our Ameraucana cross

Ginger, our Rhode Island Red (Ginger because.. she's organiiized... please tell me you get that!)

We are totally wacko in love with them.  There are quite a few more, but no pictures of the whole flock yet.  I'll share as we go along.
Anyway, the other day, I decided to go out there with a bundle of chicken colored art supplies and start sketching those chickens.  (Watch for it in my next fabric collection - I can't believe I'm doing chickens, but they're so cool! ) 

Anyhoo - chicken colored art supplies:  (these are Faber-Castell Pitt Pens and a Fabriano Artist Journal)

I was sketching away and then, thunk:

OH!  Hello little nameless Ameraucana chicken.  You are so serene and calm..

OH sweet bird.  Dustin said the same thing - she's so serene..  you should name her Serena.  And then of course I thought of Serena and knew that I had my own little farm chick right here. 

Isn't she gorgeous?  She loves everyone around here, and we love her so much that I went back and nabbed her full grown (possilby?) sister, who just this morning gave us our very first gorgeous blue egg.

We are also gathering a few pinkish brown eggs, which are fantastic:

And I was shocked, but our eggs are way bigger than the large grade I bought from the store!

Oh sigh..  It is so rewarding to be close to your food source.  A few people have given us a few raised eyebrows about our chickens.  It's given me the chance to really think about why we got them.

Firstly, our desire to be more self sustaining, and give our chickens the happiest life possible, while patting them on the head and thanking them for their gorgeous eggs makes us happy.  I feel that if you make the choice to consume animal products (and we do) it should be done with respect.  When we eat chicken now, our children already look at it completely differently.  They understand that an animal had to give its life for them to eat that meal.  And while we aren't raising hens or pigs or other animals for meat, eventually we want to, and this is a perfect first step for us.

Amanda has written a few beautiful posts on this, that have inspired me greatly.

And also - we want our kids to work.  Plain and simple.  But also for them to know that the work that sustains us can be fun.  And beautiful.  And tasty.  Yep.

xo

Sandi

Henna Garden, the Return

So you all like Henna Garden.. I'm with you, It might be my favorite print too, but don't tell the others.  As time has passed, there has been more and more questions coming in about where to get such and such Henna Garden color that is out of print.

There's something about it - not a solid, but almost.. sorta..  So after enough requests, I'm thrilled to let you know that we are printing a Henna Garden collection.   (Fall 2011)  We will reprint the most popular (vote below) colors and new ones to coordinate with newer fabrics and my collection of solids that I am tickled about that should actually be hitting stores anyday.  Need to share that with you..

So I love hearing your thoughts and thought it would be fun to have a little vote on the favorite colors.  We'll compile the results and take it all into consideration when deciding on the colors to go into reproduction.

The little voting widget allows you to pick multiple selections, but try not to pick everything! 

Also, the new Henna Gardens (and some new Vintage Dots, that I will create from the most popular colors) will be printed on the fabulous new fabric that Secret Garden is on.  It is so wonderful, wait till you feel it.

So there you have it!  You asked for more Henna Garden, here you go.  I'll even let you have a say in what colors you want.  Feel free to leave new color combo suggestions in the comments!

 

Just to get your brain flowing, and rainbow happy, check out these gorgeous "Henna Garden only" projects that I found on Flickr:

Source

Source

Source

Source

Source

I know, right?

Weekend Bliss-ing

Wow.  We had such a full weekend!  How was yours?

One way that I know there is a lot going on, is when I think of 6 or 7 different possible blog posts in a 2 day time span.  So I'll give the highlights version.

Kiddos spent the night at Grandma's on Friday (hubba hubba) and we watched True Grit.  I have to say, I was super dubious, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  I was shocked at how much humor was in it!  I give it a thumbs up - especially as its at Red-box right now.

Saturday morning found Dustin and I garage sale-ing it and Farmers Marketing alone.  Hubba-hubba continues.  (you all thought I was giving something away with the hubba-hubba, dintcha ya?  Hubba-hubba around here totally can just be alone time.)

I purchased some lovely daisies from a this vendor to use as a prop in my book.  (Hey - if daisies are a business expense, you don't get to complain about a thing at least until the flowers die.)

We watched these groovy guys making some music with a huge glass bowl.  I wish I could describe the sounds, but nope.

I nabbed theses gorgous cucumbers with the intention of trying to make Bread & Butter pickles, but they've been snacked away almost entirely.

For when I replenish my stock, (the garden has 4 growing!) does anyone have a tried and true recipe?

Can I point out the humongous peony?  I have probably spent $150 on peony plants over the last 5 years and never once seen a peony.  And low and behold, in this new home - giant peonies that I had nothing to do with.  I sorta wish they were pink, but I may just have to go get one since obviously it is the soil in the area that produces good peonies, not the grower.  ahem.

Saturday night had me trying my first ever turkey burger, care of my best-ie, Amber.  For some reason, I've always turned my nose up to turkey burgers and was amazed to find that I love them.  Go figure.

Strawberry shortcake (made from market fresh berries a'course) in the sunset.

We have been contemplating adding a flock of chickens to our garden.  Luckily, our home teachers have a flock of fat, laying chickens and invited us (when I've said "us" lately, just feel safe to assume that Amber and her family is there too) to come over and really see their process.

 

I could really get used to the look of a few of these shots:

He got one!  Look at that smile.  :)  and strange orange alien glow..  dunno about that photo, I tried.

OK everyone, all at once.  1....2....3!    "aaaaaawwwwwwwwwwww"

Eliza has started referring to our yard, garden and home as "the farm."  It makes me really proud!  That we've had them out there so much, working, helping out, teaching them about the earth and food cycles and ... it never ends.  But they're getting it and I think this is our next step.  But we need to find some eggs ready to hatch incredibly soon, or preferably some birds that are older and already laying.

Honestly, I just want to start up a little homestead farm, gather up all those drops of inspiration from the whole thing and keep designing fabric, patterns and writing books about it for the rest of my life.  We live in an awfully crazy world, and it just seems so centering getting down and close to your food and the earth in general.

Am I turning into a granola?  Hmm..  maybe so.  Excuse me while I ponder it during my pedicure.

Hope you had a brilliant weekend!

sandi

 

Sunset*

Last night, Dustin was pulling kid-bed duty while I was working away on my book.  There was a lovely breeze flowing through the window and I could smell the flowers.  (sigh)

All of a sudden, Penelope (the pooch) went nutso and charged off after something in the yard.  I knew instantly that is was the fawn.  We have had a mama deer meander through our yard all winter, and I have watched her belly grow.  She (we're pretty sure) had that baby in our field because we spotted it when it was itty bitty - barely able to walk.  So this this little baby is special to us.  And while we love our dog, the dummy likes to chase off after little fawny.  I'm not sure what she would do if she actually caught it - probably lick it and try to play.  But still..

So I shot up, grabbed my camera (as I haven't managed to get a good shot of the fawn yet), and chased out the door.  I'm pretty sure I hollered through the house as I went "Penelope is chasing the baabbbbyyy!!!" like a wacko.

I ran out and took a double take at the sky.  Whoa.  The fawn was on its own.  I climbed up onto our roof and experienced this:

We had some intense wind storms yesterday, about 40 mile an hour winds.  It was actually a little scary, but if the reward is a sunset like this, I'll take it.

Nature is so inspiring, isn't it?  I just sat there and had myself another moment.

And then I got all happy because my inspiration for my Sunset color group in Secret Garden was, well - a garden at sunset.  And I think I did it.  Yay me.

No, hooray world, and thank you for the abundance of inspiration.  I will tap into it to the best of my ability and hopefully do it justice.

OH, and I think the fawn is fine.  Penny came tromping back during my little photo-shoot looking slightly dejected.  Ha.  Wild nature won that one.  ;)

Perfection Need not Apply

You guys are so nice!  So many offers to grab a pincushion chair for me.  I think I'm ok though, I found this cute little tea pot instead.  If I happen upon the chair though, I'm sure I will be snatching it up too though.  Not that there is even the slightest shortage of pincushions in this house.  (A few of you asked when I posted that photo, and the project is available in my first book.)

In case you're wondering, the background fabric up there is a Secret Garden print, which I believe is starting to ship!  I'm working on a few free projects that I will get up soon featuring these new fabrics.  This collection is printed on a higher density cotton than my normal fabrics, and it is so luxurious feeling..  Oh I can't wait to see what you all do with this collection.  ok, more on that soon.

The other day, I stole a few moments away to have a quick sketch / watercolor break in our hammock.  It was bliss.

I looked out past our garden and saw this:

I had a total moment of complete happiness and serenity and sent out a little prayer of gratitude for the beauty of the earth and the fact that I get to be part of it.  And then the dark clouds burst open and a torrential downpour came down on me. 

Dustin hollered from the house "ruunnn!!"  And I did.  Through the rain, clutching my Albrecht Durers to my chest, (cause watercolor pencils & rain don't really mix) laughing the whole way. 

It was a perfect moment, maybe only 15 minutes in all.  But they are mine now, and the rain drop stains in my sketchbook are most welcome. 

Perfection in artwork not needed, it's already all around me.

xo

Sandi

I WANT one!

A few weeks ago, I spotted a too-cute for words sewing caddy / basket in my Splashy Rose fabric at Joannes.  (along with several other prints from Meadowsweet 2.)  I didn't grab it at the time, they had 4 or 5 in stock.  I went back the other day with sweaty bills in hand, and ...  it was gone.  All of them.  Floating around Missoula now and I can't have one.

So I resorted to the internet.  Couldn't even find a picture of one, but of course I did find the picture above which is another Joannes cutie.  (picture and stolen from here.)  Dang it!  I want one!!  And can't find the silly things anywhere.

Oh well, I will just keep my eye out and whenever one pops up, I will go spend money on goods made from my own designs.  Maybe counter-productive for the bank account?  Eh, oh well.

I hope all my fellow Americans had a fantastic 4th of July!  We discovered that we can indeed see the city fireworks from out new piece of land we are carving out for ourselves up here and it was the icing on the cake.  We spent the day swimming, gardening, eating, getting ice cream, and watching and setting off fireworks.  I almost ruined the day by my grumpy attitude as my back is still keeping me from really enjoying the summer.  I've decided it's time to consult the Dr.'s though, so hopefully we'll get some answers and treatment soon.  (and my family won't have to listen to me moan all the time.)

Summer kisses to you all-

sandi