Keep It Like A Secret

So, since we're keeping secrets around here, I thought I'd fess up to some things I've kept secret from people in the past. We're all mature adults here, right?
(It's okay if we're not.)

* It WAS my friend, Katy, and I who hung our pink panties on the flag pole on the last day of our Christian summer camp in high school. (two years in a row!)

* I pooped in the shallow end of the community pool one summer because I had to go so bad and couldn't get out in time. Sicko.

* Sometimes I don't recycle because I'm too lazy to put it in the right bin. (Feeling shameful.)

* When we lived in Seattle we would often get invited out to dinner after our Saturday night church service. I would always make excuses that we were busy but really it was because we were broke.

* Brett and I fight a lot over laundry not getting done. Most of the time it's my fault.

* I tell people I don't drink soda. When I'm having a really bad day, I go straight to a McDonald's drive-thru and get one.

I bet you don't have any secrets, do you. If you did, you probably wouldn't share them with me anyways, would you. Chicken?

Moving Forward

I made this today. It was going to be the start of a big quilt but once I got into it, I realized that was a silly idea. It would only sit in the 'projects started but nowhere near being finished' pile for a couple of months. I cut my long strip of triangles into four and then added a couple of rows to even things out a bit. This will soon be the front of a pillow that will reside on our bed.


Our worlds' changed the same hour I set this project aside for the evening. It was quite fitting then, that this little pillow be named 'Moving Forward', in honor of some good news.

Potty Training Is Not For Sissies

Sebastian and I took a break from potty training this weekend to visit Brett's family in southern Missouri. We had great intentions of remaining consistent with big boy underwear despite the change of scenery because they also have wooden floors. HA!

However, we had the diaper of the year. My gracious MIL didn't chide me for throwing that pair out. I didn't even know where to start.


We're back at home now enjoying the peaceful atmosphere only your own potty can offer. Am I right?

My only question is, "Are we done yet?"

This week we're potty training.

We're learning how to hold it until you can make it to the blue, plastic, Diego themed porta potty. We're learning how many pairs of big boy underwear, pants, socks and sometimes blankets can fit into the washing machine. We're realizing how cute little boy butts are when they only have on boxer briefs like Daddy. We're spending a lot of time at home in order to figure this out soon. We're really thankful for laminate flooring and quick learners.

We got rid of the pacifier last week. I'd say we're on a roll.

The above horror was the aftermath of Sebastian's book stacking session. I'd like to say I cleaned it up after I took the picture but I'm sure I let it sit that way until the next day.

Did I mention we're potty training?

Where We Store Our Perishables

Polaroid of the sky in California before we left.
Black and white of Brett and I a few years before Sebastian.
Polaroid of Sebastian's funny face enjoying Starbucks.
Every day underwear post cards from Elsie Flannigan.
Brett's most recent list of ways to enrich family life.
The carefully chosen magnet from Sebastian's favorite matching board game that he decided needed to be displayed on the fridge AT ALL TIMES.

Pony Party Is Back From Her Vacation Abroad

Has all of this really been sitting in my studio for two months? YES! I'm ready for it to move on out, as well as the rest of my store, to make some room for something else. If you've had your eye on something and were waiting for the right moment, you may want to check back and see if the price is right for you. I'll be adding new items this evening and through the end of the work week as I unearth them from their stacks.

Oh, this is such a pretty job!

Color Study

It seems our house is split down the middle when it comes to color schemes. The living room, dining room/studio are mostly pinks, whites, yellows, greens, wood tones, and a little black for good measure. Our bedrooms, however, are mostly filled with yellows, greens, blues, whites, and blacks. The kitchen has the bedroom colors with a little orange thrown in for variation and the bathroom is mostly white, acid green and black. The common element seems to be the green. It is the color that both calms and excites me. It feels safe and fresh at the same time.

I'm trying to make myself more aware of my color combinations as I experiment with handmade items this year. I love bright colors but I want to learn how to mix in those subtle shades that make the mix look more sophisticated, mature and unexpected. Downloading images from the web for reference has been helpful when I need some direction as well as sites like ColorCombos that do the work for you. I also resort back to my flickr favorites to see what caught my eye on any given day. A few examples:

Found via Daintytime.

Found via Lovedaylemon.

Found via Dottieangel.

Found via Supercapacity.

Hoping you're finding inspiration from your surroundings as we wait for the flowers to show up.

~Rachel

Today's Urban Favorites

Poppy Flower Hooked Wool Rug

Ikat Slipper Chair

Origami Squares Pillow

DIY Eco Speakers by Merkury

Genie Bottle Lamp Base

Velvet Pouf Pillow

Danish Modern Storage Side Table

Monica Canilao

Spend some time browsing through Monica's work. Look through the installations. Look closely and see the little bits. See the way everyone installing the pieces has become a part of it. Just seeing the layering process in these images reveals how much imagination, how much time, and how many supportive friends it takes to accomplish something on this level.

She's my new favorite.

Pink and Red and Hearts and Crushes

Happy Valentines Day!

Brett treated me to a viewing of Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck last night at the Gillioz Theatre! We walked in to the grand, old theater and realized we were almost the youngest couple there, which surprised me, as I thought everyone our age loved Roman Holiday. We sat down and quizzed each other over the presented movie trivia when all of a sudden a love note from Brett flashed onto the screen! If we'd been two minutes longer, we would've missed it completely. It was sweet and reminded me how thankful I am for a husband that still makes a genuine effort to make me feel loved on a regular basis.


Sebastian and I had been working on Valentines cards all week to send out to family members and heard back that the first ones arrived on schedule. We also played Mailman at home with the leftover Priority address labels from the kit club. We addressed a few to Daddy and one to Mama and practiced delivering them to the right person. Once he tired of walking across the house, he created a little lost and found pile. "Get your own mail," I guess! Below is the wooden Valentine I ordered from Urban Outfitters for Brett. It's a keeper.


Speaking of online purchasing, we've got an alternative Red Velvet Art Shop open for a little while so the kinks can be worked out with the new website we featured a few weeks ago. This one has all of the previously available products plus a few of the ones you have been waiting patiently for!

I hope you're feeling the hints of Spring!

~Rachel

Introducing the Scribble Project

This looks like a good time if I've ever seen one. I stumbled across this fun blog project after following a Flickr comment and found Lisa Curries flickr feed. I skipped on over to see what these mysterious shapes were for and found the Scribble Project. The basic premise is to print out the template above and fill in the blanks as creatively as you like. For full details read this.

Andrea Manica

Gemma Correll

Caitlin Shearer

If you consider yourself a doodler, an illustrator, or have any sort of creative bend, try your hand at the template above by e-mailing Lisa or leaving a comment here. I'm sure this space will fill up with all kinds of interestingness in the coming weeks.

Pardon My Flash

We first saw the idea of sending 'Thank You' pictures on OhDeedoh and put it on our list of things to incorporate with Sebastian's gifts from family members that live far away. I'm known to be terrible at timely thank you notes, much less thank you notes at all (slapping wrist) but something of this caliber feels doable, lets Sebastian join in, and makes good use of our thought bubble chalkboard. The hardest part is getting him to stand still.

(GG & Big GG are up next!)

In the mood yet?

Handmade Valentines by Inchmark

Image from Papier Valise via Creature Comforts.

One of my favorite Valentine themed cards by Gemma Correll.

Love is a Battlefield by Nifnaks.


Love Letter tutorial and give away from LucyKate Crafts.


Sweetly sewn cards from Purl Bee.


The sweetest kind of treat for two via Design*Sponge.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day? Keeping it simple and sweet this year? If you've got children, how are you 'helping' with their class Valentine's? Are you doing anything for yourself or with friends? Are you loving it or hating it this year?

Hang Up Your Heart

To make this simple heart garland grouping, I cut out 25 hearts from three different colored sheets of felt. I used five different sizes to give them a descending effect. I strung them together with embroidery thread and taped them to the beam with clear tape.


I am short enough to pass under the love without needing to duck but my husband has to aim between two strands. Add them to an embroidery hoop, increase their length, and hang them in a corner to avoid the ducking.