Friends and Antiques

Friends and Antiques always go well together :)

Today, i spent time in the cute town of Snohomish with some childhood family friends. We browsed the many vintage and antique stores including the Star Center Antique Mall. Marisa and Chanel were hunting for blue glass Mason jars and silver candle sticks - which they found. I am always hunting for cheap and cool furniture, but didn't find any.

I did find this beautiful green floral print linen table cloth ($20).

Today, my favorite things were these old steamer chests with drawers and hangers! Then you can pack all your clothes and have a mini closet when you arrive. These chests bring a new, positive meaning to the phrase "living out of a suitcase."

.....I don't think you can fly with them, unfortunately.

I also had my eye on this lobster pull along toy for Elliott, but didn't get it ($35).

I fell in love with this beautiful, silk chiffon Edwardian/Titanic Era style dress ($225). I love the emerald color and attached capelet!

I did not buy, but took some photos to remember :)

I should have bought these 6 cups with saucers (only $6!)

I like the colors of this wool embroidered bedspread:

Here is a pretty fern gate - I would love to have something like this someday.

batik print banner!

The first success in my new mission to complete my nearly 100 unfinished projects....

It's a celebration banner made from beautiful batik scraps made by my friend, Annalisa, from my visit to St John, US Virgin Island. When I was working at the the textile studio there, this seemed like the best way to capture the bright variety of color and design in Annalisa's batik. These are all on retired bedsheets from Maho Bay Camps.

Elliott's 1st Birthday!

Elliott turned 1 on July 26th, 2012!

I can't believe how old he is and how much Adam and I adore him!

His birth feels like a distant memory :)

We had a Summertime themed party in our back yard with watermelon, popsicles, and birthday cake. The Argosy and ducks were part of the fun, too.

We made felt watches as an activity and party favor ("What time is it?" -"It's Summertime!")

...Unfortunately, I can't find the other pictures from this party :(

Schwarzwalder reunion

Every three years, there is a large Blackwelder reunion at Solitude ski Resort, near Salt Lake City. This year, we have a German theme: Schwarzwalder Reunited!

Prizes from Europe

These are my prizes from Europe...the spoils of Iceland+Paris/2012

Clockwise from upper left:

Blue and white dirndle with blouse - 10E ($12) at Marche aux Puces St. Ouen, Paris

Grey wool beret for Adam - 5E ($5.50) in Paris

White head scarf with blue stitching - 300 ISK ($3) at Frida Fraenka, Reykjavik

Blue and white valise for Elliott - 5E ($5.50) at Marche aux Puces St. Ouen, Paris

Red and white dot bandana - 100 ISK ($1) at Kolaportid, Reykjavik

Wood train spelling 'Elliott' - 9E ($11) from street vendor at Sacre Coeur

Puzzle of Iceland - gift to Elliott from friends in Selfoss, Iceland

Shoes, pale green flats with yellow elastic - 100E ($120) in Paris

Black antique blouse, White Edwardian blouse - 1000 ISK ($10) each! at Kolaportid, Reykjavik

Bag sewn from turn-of-the century floral fabric - 10E ($12) at Marche aux Puces St. Ouen, Paris

Knife and spoon from fabric and resin 6E each? ($7.50) - Sabre kitchen store in Montmartre, Paris

Pack of spoons for Elliott - 50 ISK ($.50) at Frida Fraenka, Reykjavik

Lakkris bindi/leather ties for all our male family members- 1000 ISK each ($10) at Spuutnik, Reykjavik

Fabric, 2 African prints and houndstooth remnant - 3E/meter ($3.50/yard) at Maison Drefus fabric store. I am going to make Elliott a tunic and matching pants with the blue print!

summer photos

dino jammies at the rock wall:

new jeans:

delicious, fruity-tasting, dark chocolate

two-day-old goats!

chicken shorts

Elliott now has some cute chicken print shorts from two fat-quarters that were on sale.

I used the same pattern I drafted for the German Dancer shorts, only I made these larger.

Here he is saying Hi to the cars:

He loves trying to put on his shoes:

And use knitting needles like pencils and swords:

Rocket Stove

Adam built a 16 brick rocket stove so we could enjoy our summer dinners outside.

We've made several pans of zucchini (from our garden box!) and hamburgers wrapped in kale leaves from our garden, too :)

Elliott loved the zucchini

And teased us with his new standing tricks:

Darrington 4th of July

For our second trip in the Argosy, we drove north to Darrington at the Northern end of the Mountain Loop Highway. We arrived the night before the 4th of July and met our friends, Stephanie, Gabe, and their little Stella.

We camped at Cold Creek at the start of the Mountain Loop Highway. There was a beautiful, wide riverbed full of moss covered rocks:

We ate fish salad for dinner and Elliott discovered Otter Pops (love his hand position...zen moment):

The next day we ate crepes for breakfast filled with ricotta cheese and sliced oranges.

Then we headed out for a hike. Gab and Adam wanted to climb Green Giant Buttress, so Stephanie and I took our time on the approach since we had babies and then wouldn't have to wait as long for the men to finish.

Unfortunately, by the time the boys got near the base of the climb, they realized there wouldn't be enough daylight to finish the route, so they decided to wait for us and eat lunch all together.

Gabe set up a rope to help us cross the stream while Adam walked along the trail toward us to make sure we hadn't turned around.

The hike was through thick bush and trees along an old mining trail. We saw old water pipe and machinery from their operations.

A nurse log:

Crossing the stream was fun!

The view from the other side was gorgeous:

What a wonderful place to eat lunch:

Elliott enjoying the river rocks:

We watched the Darrington town firework show from our Argosy in the high school parkinglot:

In the morning we were on the road early to get back to work (after figuring out how to dump our black water...)

To many more adventures.....