Uppity-Mama

Sunday Slice, Nov. 8

This is (mostly) where we eat.  The Saarinen table was a total splurge from DWR but I will never regret it.   I love the design and EVERYTHING comes off this table...glue, sharpie, pencil...etc.  It's pretty indestructible.  A little soft scrub with bleach gets out even the scariest marks (sharpie).  The chairs are from IKEA and are remarkably comfortable. They bounce a bit and the curve in the back is just right.  I made the cushion covers (blogged here). The carpet tiles are from FLOR. Again, indestructible. For holiday events I am just going to add on a rectangular folding table and some tablecloths since the table only seats 8.  

Sunday Slice, Nov. 1

The living room.  Can you spot the dog?

Monday Home Slice?

Yes, I failed to deliver the Sunday Slice, but it should taste just as nice on Monday, right?

Now, don't be too quick to judge!  Let me explain why this lovely poster hangs in my kitchen corner above the toddler art table.  This poster was in an episode of The Unusuals that my husband wrote.  In that episode the police uncover a secret "Murder Store."  Well, you have to get your supplies somewhere, don't you?  How handy to have them all in one place where no records will be kept!  Anyway, this poster, a play on the usual "How To Help A Choking Victim" posters was hanging in the store.  

The lovely folks at the show had it framed for us.  The kids do know it's from the show and that it's a joke, albeit a morbid one.  We also have these on our living room bookshelves.

 

And imagine the look on our housekeeper's face when she found these cleaning supplies!

Mira (and her quilt)

Mira, my daughter, has amazed me since the day I met her.  She was born in South Korea and lived with a foster family until I picked her up and brought her home when she was 13 months old.  She adapted to our family so quickly, it truly felt "meant to be."  She brings all of us daily joy with her wit, smiles, and keen observations.  I wanted to make her something special.  I decided on a quilt.

 

She is a wonderful little artist and so I asked her to draw some pictures of sea creatures (a theme we agreed to) on fabric.  My favorite is the crab with the heart shaped claws!

I embroidered over her drawings and combined those squares with the beautiful fabrics from Heather Ross' Mendocino line.

I added some kona cotton sashing and Dumb Dot binding.  I put the binding on by machine with a zig zag stitch.  I just knew I didn't have the patience to hand sew the back.  Though it's going on her twin size bed, the quilt is at least a full.

I told her that some people name the quilts they make. She named hers "The Wild Ocean." I machine embroidered it on the back and she keeps picking up the corner when her bed is made to look at it.  Oh, my heart!

She is so thrilled with the end result.  I hope she will always cherish it and remember making it together with her Mama, who will ALWAYS cherish her.

 

Sunday Slice

Each Sunday,  I am planning to post a "slice" of my home.  Today's slice is of my front porch which is accessible only through the living room.  It is often covered in leaves, petals and spiderwebs, but when we clean it up it is lovely.  Especially for cocktails.  But it is small.  Or should I say, intimate?  All furnishings from World Market which is around the corner from my house.

Flea Market Finds

We finally made it to the famous Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, after 7 years of living in Los Angeles!  It did not disappoint.  It is absolutely huge and we had all of the kids with us but they were troopers.  Here's what we scored:

Colorful vintage Pyrex food storage containers.  So handy for reheating in the micro without using plastic!

Theater seats for our viewing pleasure.  I don't know wether these are from a movie house or playhouse but I like them in our house.

A 70's era toy piano for Beckett.

Mira picked out some pretty starfish.

We found the perfect t-shirt for Z.

 

 

And Alexi found some great novels.

 

A very successful day, don't you think?  We can't wait to go again next month!  It really could be habit-forming.

While He Was Out

Zander went to Mexico for a week by himself.  Well, not exactly by himself, with another 12 year old.  And they stayed with a third 12 year old...and his father who lives there year round.  He had a fabulous time but was very homesick. We were also very homesick for him.  So I spruced up his room to surprise him.  I rearranged the furniture, made curtains and a throw pillow with his initial on it, bought new sheets and changed the comforter.  He was very happy and surprised.

How I Get Dressed in the Morning

If it wasn't for the fun the sink provides, I'd be walking about all scraggly.  Beckett LOVES to stick his feet and (and occasionally his bum) in the bubbly water.  And mama gets to primp, pluck and prettify. 

A Sneak Peek

A work in progress here.  We are decorating Mira's and Beckett's room with an ocean theme.  Mira has drawn some wonderful pictures of sea creatures on fabric squares for me to embroider.  These will be Incorporated into the patchwork duvet cover we are making for her bed.  The rest of the fabric will be from Heather Ross's Mendocino collection.  Can't wait to show you the finished product!

Who's That Gardener?

In our own backyard!  Maybe because we're in the middle of Los Angeles or maybe because we haven't done it before, but this seems like magic!