Wren's Nest

Studio Door

DSC_0007.JPG,
originally uploaded by wrens nest.

Our addition is framed (and actually, the plywood shear walls are up). They'll be framing for the roof this week and that should go on next week. This is the door and a window from my little studio room to the backyard. The idea is to have a little gravel patio out there for me with a little table and lots of trees and potted plants (trees to hide the neighbors shed). It's all coming along with little problems here and there, but nothing too horrific.

I have a sick child home today (again), so we're hanging out and listening to the hammering! Happy Monday!

Hearts Aplenty

Here's what I've been working on - these heart pincushions. So fun to make and embellish. They'll be up on Cherry's site soon!

Just in time for Valentine's Day! See those cutie bird salt and pepper shakers in front? Got those a a cute shop nearby when I went for coffee with my friend Bari.

Today in the mail I got these amazing books:

I have wanted the French General book for so long and just never got it, and then Amazon was out of it for a while...anyway, it was well worth the wait. Oh my! I could cry - it has THE most incredible pictures and ideas in it. I can't wait until tonight to curl up in bed with some tea and really take a good look at it and actually read it - I've just skimmed so far. It's so lovely! The other book, Romantic Home Sewing was something I saw on a blog (I'm sorry I don't remember which) and thought it looked so pretty. I'm not disappointed! It has the most wonderful bags, aprons, pillow covers and curtains! I love everything in it and will be making many of the projects - they're just so vintage looking and the pictures are so clean and fresh (if that makes sense). Really nice!

Oh, and check out all the new items at Superbuzzy - is it wrong that I want all of them??

Happy Friday!

Moleskine Madness

Well, not really madness, but it's official, I've become addicted to Moleskines. These are the greatest little books! I got a plain paper journal (well, two, small and large) after I saw Carrie's post back in October about how she put things that inspired her into her Moleskine and could carry it around with her. I loved the idea and bought them and then, par for the course, never did anything with them. I finally started last week, pasting pictures in. The blank pages are so beautiful it's a tad intimidating to just start gluing things into the books! I also got the watercolor little tiny book and this fabulous planner. It has the days of the week listed on one side and a WHOLE page for notes on the other - THIS is the planner I've been waiting for! I never had enough room to write notes and lists before, unless I used a giant planner (which I used to do, especially when I worked). This is nice and small and fits in my bag. I'll share my inspiration book later when I have more things in it. I have a pile of magazines to go through and take out the pictures I want to keep - and then I get to chuck the big bulky things - that'll be nice! Where do you keep the things that inspire you???

See and Sew

I just received these two books from Amazon. I ordered them for Meg, but geez, they're absolutely the cutest books ever and so I told her that I got them for us to SHARE...She loves them and is so excited to get going with the cooking (though it will be much easier when we have the new kitchen since right now, it's a stretch for two people to cook together in ours. Believe me, I've tried cooking with the kids in there and since we have very little counter space, it made for an interesting and VERY messy time). She does know how to sew a little and the projects in the sewing book are adorable and she can start in on those right away. The illustrations in the books are all vintage and so wonderful. The books are spiral bound, so they lay flat, perfect for following directions. I've seen the books on other blogs and that's why I was so motivated to get them. They're just so great to look at (plus the recipes in Look and Cook and the projects in See and Sew seem like they'll be fun too).

More pictures from See and Sew
Isn't she sweet?

She even makes ironing seem cute and fun!

Everything you need!

Look and Cook:
How cute is this little one?

I love these vintage food shots from old cookbooks or magazines.

I'll let you know when we make something out of one of these!! Happy Friday!

Pretty Pictures

Just some pretty pictures to share - the first one was a gift from my friend Joanna who sent me a surprise Christmas package with this tea container and lots of other beautiful things. I love the blue color (which isn't too true on the computer- it's lighter with a tad less green in it) of the lid so much I'm trying to match the new kitchen paint color to it!

This pitcher is from Home Goods - whcih is a new store find for me. The opened one pretty close and it's really fun. This was like $4. I love the soft vintage-y colors, and, of course, the birds!!

It's so cold here (for northern California), but so beautiful! Went on a long walk to day to enjoy the sun. I go with my friend who has a dog who looks sort of like Petey, so I get my golden retriever fix at the same time as my exercise. OK, off to work on the quilt more before I have to pick up those littles from school! I'd love to get it to Miss Nancy while it's still winter and she can use it!

Friday WIP on Monday

Whew - time flies - I realize I haven't been a very good blogger. I keep meaning to, but then time gets away and another day has gone by. Here is some of what's taking my time...

This was taken probably a week or so ago - they are getting ready to lay the subfloor this week and then frame it - our addition. It's all going great - a few weird things here and there - some duct issues, a garage wall issue, but mostly (knock on wood) it's been good. There are lots of decisions to make so I've been running around to the kitchen place, window place - deciding on hardware, etc. Yikes!! Then I wake up in the middle of the night and wonder if everything I picked was wrong. My poor husband - I have to talk through my entire thought process and he gets to hear it. It'll all be worth it when it's done this spring!

Here are a couple of WIPs - a pincushion,

and the quilt for Miss Nancy - our favorite teacher...today I laid it all out, so hopefully pictures of a completed top will not be far behind! I am so in love with this fabric, I could cry! It's Building Blocks by American Jane (Sandy Klop). I don't usually work in brighter colors, but I tell you, I'm changing my ways!

Hope you had a lovely Monday!

New Beginnings

Well, I didn't mean for the title to sound quite so dramatic. I like to think that this New Year does hold some new beginnings, though, I sometimes find the idea of "New Years" be rather intimidating. I don't really have any "resolutions" per se, but there are some things I'd like to have be different this year. I'm sort of struggling right now with a creative slump and trying to figure out what I REALLY want to do this year creatively and with Wren's Nest as a little (very, very little) company.

I think changing the year on the calendar just makes me think about all these things more and makes me feel like I need to set some goals for myself. Though, sometimes I think that when I think too much about what I'm doing and the things I make, I start to doubt myself and my abilities. I think sometimes that I don't try new things or don't really put myself out there out of fear. Fear of not being able, not being good enough, of rejection. I was at a meeting last night and a friend of mine brought her crochet and another woman asked her- "is there anything you can't do?" and her response was "well, I'm not afraid to try anything - if it doesn't turn out, that's ok". I'd like to be more like that. Along those lines, my husband bought me watercolors for Christmas. I haven't painted with watercolors since I was like 10. The set is really pretty and I like to look at it, but I'm afraid to try it out. I asked him why he got me the watercolors and he said that he just always thought I'd be good at painting and thought I should try it out. I love his support and his faith in me that I can do things I don't think I can.

Anyway, I don't even know if any of this makes sense to anyone else out there - I just felt the need to talk about it and to say that for 2007 I'd like to somehow be less afraid and to just go ahead and try new things and know that if it doesn't turn out - that's ok.

Happy New Year!