Monarch Post

Sun*day on a Friday

 
I'm backtracking for a post today... last weekend we threw a wedding shower for Ainsley and her girlfriends at our home. It was a craaazy busy week and I want to do a post on it, but the cool craft/wedding idea went home with the-bride-to-be without a photo; I'll have to retrive it and photograph it before another post.

But before the kids went back to school, I helped organize a fieldtrip with our church kids to Salt Lake City. We went on a hunt to find God in places other than our own church.

 
 

It was a gorgeous sun-dappled August day and Salt Lake city was wearing its finest dark aqua-blue sky for us.

 
The Cathedral of the Madeline is a stunning old grand dame with wonderful bones; she's painted so beautifully too. Feels like I've stepped back into time and Europe when I walk through her doors. It smells really old, spicey and just polished... with Lemon Pledge.

 
Loved the baptismal font.

 

 
 
Sunlight streaming through stained glass takes my breath away.

 

 
The kids were so attentive and well-behaved.

 

 
After the tour at the Cathedral of the Madeline, we went to a sister church, St. Paul's Episcopal in SLC. The kids were given snacks prepared by St. Paul's.  After the snacks we toured this lovely old church and the grounds too.

 

 
Each child was given a disposable camera with the instructions to take pictures of where you find God today. Lots of photos of flowers and other children were taken... the kids always get it.

 
 

 

 
Oh, those doors with all the kids charging out... such joy to watch.

 

 

 
After our tour at St. Paul's, we went to The Salt Lake Peace Gardens. Various ethnic communities in the Salt Lake valley have each planted their own gardens, all of the gardens then make up the entire Peace Gardens.

 
 

 

 
We had a sack lunch picnic at the Peace Gardens (we packed sack lunches the night before for all the kids). After lunch, the kids climbed trees (more fun apparently, than the swing sets) and played freeze tag to burn off energy... the parents watched and wondered how the kids had so much energy in ninety degree weather. I said "youth is wasted on the young". We all agreed.

We made one last stop at a funky place called Gilgal Gardens. Lots of stone and scripture creations there, but this on the side of a trash can made everyone laugh

After the Peace Gardens and Gilgal Gardens, we headed back to our church for music, communion bread-making, scrapbook-making, pizza, annnnd a sleepover.

We were gluttons for punishment :)

 

 
 

 
 
The cameras were rounded up and taken in for one hour development. Scrapbook supplies were spread out and the kids snipped, glued, and colored away.

 
 

The kids were fascinated with the film negatives-- they had never seen photo negatives and wanted to know what they were for?! (Ya, really).

They asked if the negatives could go on their srapbook pages.

I told them they could do whatever they wanted to-- it's art!

And the adults felt old.

 
 

 
We finished the day with a short, lovely outdoor communion service. 

The kids each held a small lit (!) candle; there was only one slightly singed head of hair-- whew.

In the morning we were served breakfast by members of the parish; the kids rolled up their sleeping bags and got their rides home.

And the adults tried to unroll various muscles after spending the night on the floor...

I went home and slept on the couch for four hours.

 

It really was a beautiful day... all in all.

 

 

 

footsteps

 

Last night for Sophey's Girl Scout meeting, we went to the local food bank and dropped off GS cookies and food. Last spring we took a tour there, and the girls have been wanting to do more to help out at the food bank. Afterward, big sister Ainsley talked with our girl scouts about her new profession as a case (social) worker for mentally ill clients at an outpatient clinic. She taught the girls how important it was to have helping places like the food bank for people who are not mentally healthy and/or are living on the margins of society. She loves her work, and we are so proud of her accomplishments and big heart.

Our girls are fifteen years apart. And for ten years Ainsley prayed every night for a baby sister. When she was five her first brother Corbyn, was born. When she came to meet him in the hospital, I tried to be very cheery for her sake... look how cute your new brother is! She looked up at me completely serious said, "Ya, he's cute. Can you make a girl now?" I laughed and said, "well, give it a little time." Well, eight years and lots of fetility problems later, another brother, Jesse was born. Two years later, and one more pregnancy... this time we decided it would be wise to find out the baby's sex. A girl and sister to be!

  

Ainsley was so happy to finally get her longed for baby sister, but she knew there would be a big age difference now too... she said she'd wanted a little sister to play Barbies with and now that would never happen. Well, she was right-- no Barbies for these two. But lately, they're finding their own way to be sisters. Sophey has sleepovers at Ainsley's house and they do girl things-- like the fancy toenail painting session up above.

Things seem to have a way of working themselves out, don't they? :)

Have a lovely weekend. XO

"Fair Trade Friday" winner

Time to announce our "Fair Trade Friday" giveaway for April. This month's winner is HeidiBears! Unfortunately, Heidi doesn't have a blog for me to send you to. But Heidi mentioned she lives in another country in her comment, so as soon as I hear back from her, I'll edit this post, and tell you more!

Stay tuned, the next "Fair Trade Friday" will be May 29th. Please feel free to spread the word. This is a small way to help spread the news that simply by the way we shop, we can help create fairer markets, economic justice,  and employment for those who are the poorest and most marginalized in our world.  And heck if you enter, you might even win something unique, handmade, and way cool. Can't beat that!

Talk soon. xoKelly

what a crew!

If you haven't lately, you really need to run right over to Craft Hope's site. A spirit-filled few days of wonderful community just happened there. In just three short days, the brand-new Craft Hope Etsy shop sold over 550 donated craft items, raising over $10,000 dollars for Haiti and Doctors without Borders! Truly amazing. They are regrouping for a little while to figure out how not to be victims of their own success. They will begin accepting handmade donations again in about two weeks.

Just read that Rebecca Sower has also set up an Etsy shop, Haiti by Hand, and is asking for handmade items to fill it.

I'm working on items for Etsy and a local children's shop. Valentine decorations and remade teddy bears in felted sweater clothes and little pinafores. It was so much fun making these sweetie pie bears and their sock monkey buddy. 

 
I love making baby jingle balls...

and red Mary Jane shoes. Can you tell?

 
I think this miss in the green sweater needs some Mary Jane's too. And I need to go find the floor in my workroom. It looks like someone threw a party in there, must have been these guys. Whadya think? ~xoxKelly

spreading the word

I just checked in over at Craft Hope to see if anything had been posted about helping Haiti. As usual, they are quick responders. An Etsy shop has been opened today for crafters to donate handmade items. 100% of all proceeds will go to aid the recovery effort in Haiti. Money is still the most needed item. We donated to the Red Cross already, but I think there is always the need to make it feel somehow more personal. Craft Hope certainly knows how to do that. They are asking to spread the word about their efforts, so here we are... 

 
And while we're on the subject of spreading the word, I found a brand new bakery next door to the dog groomers this morning. The Sweet Cake bake shop is lovely. if you're local, you really should stop by and try the chocolate cupcakes. Oh my. (Roll eyes here). You are in for a treat. It looks like they are open for online sales now too.

Northern Utah has the worst air in the country right now. We're being advised not to be outdoors if possible. And after my outings this morning, I know why. My lungs are burning! I can't ever remember the air getting this bad. The fog is so thick, and the hoar frost is still on the trees this afternoon. I'm glad to be home. So grateful for our refuge. Can't stop thinking about all those who don't have a home today... I picked up a little bouquet of yellow and white flowers, and a red wooden heart ornament on my way through the grocery store also today... I think we're set to stay inside and hope for a snowstorm to blow all this thick, nasty air away. 

   Now we have decadent cupcakes, cheery flowers, and Valentine's decorations in the kitchen-- I think that should lighten up the fog right now.  If you can't go out to a party, bring the party home-- right?

Take care. Hope your weekend is lovely,  xoxoKelly

  

  
 

weekends, here and there

Meet my new birthday present! Isn't it gorgeous. It's been sitting in a bag since the Mothers Without Borders charity bazaar, waiting till it was officially my birthday (It's Saturday, but today is close enough, right?) When I saw it, I told Mike I'd picked out my birthday gift! It's hanging across the upstairs hall banister now, giving lots of personality to a spot that was boring.

 
Never got around to posting photos from the bazaar weekend. These are some of the women who have been taught to sew by Mothers Without Borders. They sustain themselves now with sewing skills.

Such talents. Fifty plus natives, sold out. Mothers Without Borders helps find ways for those talents to be shared, and the crafters now earn incomes from their folk art.

 


Even the children are being taught to sew and crochet to sustain themselves with a trade. Look at their beautiful art!

I have to say, buying that quilt and knowing each dollar would go back to Africa to do lots more good felt really, really, really good. Beats WalMart (where I don't go anyway) shopping all to heck...  

........ 

I'm tagging along with the husband, who has a conference in Palm Springs this weekend, for my birthday gift. Just the two of us for three days-- I won't know how to act!? But I plan on learning fast at the pool;)

Take care, hope your weekend is wonderful too! xoxoKelly 
 

   

December 1st

Today is World AIDS Day. There are so many simple ways to help fight this unparalleled humanitarian crisis now, via the internet. Here are a few places to start from... It only takes a click or two. Click on over to World Vision and make a specific donation. Or, while you're out and about holiday shopping for a certain item this year, look for the Product (RED) label on products from Apple Inc., Starbucks, Converse, Motorola, Gap, Microsoft, Dell, Emporio Armani, Hallmark, and now Nike. A portion of the sales will go to fight AIDS in the poorest of countries.

 
Half of all HIV infected children under the age of two will die. Who would they have grown up to be?

We have so much in America, and they don't even have a chance without our help. xoxoKelly

so far, so good

 
Back to working on crafting ideas and projects for the Mothers Without Borders charity boutiqe today. I've suddenly depleted my fab vintage earring and button stash! Tomorrow, I'll need to hit the thrift stores and hunt for more.

Anyways, I decided some stylish AIDS Awareness Day (Dec. 1st) red ribbons would be a perfect place to start crafting for this charity. They could even double as Christmas tree ornaments after wearing on Dec. 1st! :)

 

After a few fancy ribbons, I moved onto felted wool ribbon making. One felted red sweater back made about thirty ribbons! Not bad, for an old castoff. Plain and classic red wooly ribbons for the Land's End crowd, I'm thinkin.

Gotta run! Take care and happy Monday to you:) xoxo~Kelly

make new friends, but keep the old

She's on her way to CRAFT HOPE charity headquarters. Mademoiselle Emilie, (Sophey picked her name) the sock monkey is this week's extra fun, extracurriculur craft project. Why didn't anyone tell me sooner how much fun sock monkeys are to make? ;) The pattern is so simple; the body only took about an hour to sew and stuff.

 

Dressing her was another matter... It's was way fun to feel like my eight-year old self, who loved nothing more than dressing baby dolls all day long :)

P.S. Don't you love my estate sale vintage sewing basket I found this summer? All it needed was a fresh coat of red paint to be cute perfection ;)

Beret on (have you ever made a beret for a sock monkey? Well, the ears just needed to show, so this is what a beret looks like on a sock monkey!). Mary Jane's on. Sweater, check. Satchel for travelling, check. Love note for new playmate, (most important check) check.

Take care, sweet Emilie. Bon Voyage. Have a safe trip, and enjoy your new sunny California home. We hope your new friend loves you as much as we do :)

Speaking of friends... My Sophey is so happy this week. A week before school started, she learned her best friend (who would have been in the same class) was moving. They've been best friends since diaper days. After weeks of tears, her best buddy is back in Sophey's class.

I love Sophey's first piece of schoolwork out of the backpack:

"I treasure Love becuse it's all you need"

"I treasure life becus life's opertunities that we get to do"

"I treasure Friends becuse they help you trugh"

She's a wise little thinker for eight. I couldn't agree more.

Have a lovely weekend! xo~Kelly

monkey business

    

 Yesterday I found a kit at the craft store for making sock monkeys. A very timely find-- considering I signed up last month over at CRAFT HOPE for their next project of making sock monkeys and haven't started yet! I've wanted to participate in past projects, but just didn't have the time. This will be fun! All the info is over at CRAFT HOPE for this good cause; it's not too late to sign up to make a sock monkey yourself-- the deadline is Sept. 18th. 

The kit I found is the original Rockford RED HEEL. It's made by Fox River Mills, Inc. Osaga Iowa 50461 USA. Couldn't find a web site on the packaging, hope that helps. I found mine at my local Ben Franklin craft store, so you might find more sock monkeys hanging out at other Ben Franklin craft stores. You can make two monkeys per package. With a 40% off coupon, that means two monkeys for about 3.50 each. Such a deal :)

Sophey looked at the pattern yesterday, all wide-eyed excited, and asked if she could make one too. She's my girl. So we'll be starting out with the traditional sock monkey, then I think we'll be moving onto sock monkeys in pink and wild florals... That's my girl too.

See you soon!

xoKelly