Posting Time

I just spent four hours editing photos, updating images and posting new work to my Esty shop.
There is a very Christmassy feel to it.
But I am happy with it so far, and truly hope that I can get some more studio time in to put up some more new pieces.

Also excited about one of my favorite things about this season...

Wrapping presents.

A few fun little projects

Somehow

Luckily

I have been managing to sneak in some time in my studio. 

And it has been fantastic. 

I was asked to make a bracelet for a friend's birthday.

It is so much fun to make something for someone I know.

While I design and make it, I am constantly thinking about what that person would really like. 

Or at least what I think they would like!

I like to think this one worked out well. 

I have also been making some rings, and having a great time with that. 

This is just one of an assortment. 

A friend was in my studio and tried on some 18k rose gold bands I had made.  Her reaction was amazing!  

"They just feel so smooth and... nice!"

She decided to take the rings off because she was starting to get attached. 

But there is something about gold, 18k and higher, that I am madly in love with.  

So many things, really. 

The "softness" and colors.

I also truly enjoy working with gold.

Bending, soldering, cleaning and polishing- It is an amazing material to work with. 

Hopes that my little bambina lets me take some photos tomorrow.

It is about time I post some new pieces in my Etsy shop!

 

Pumpkin Pie Soup

Again
     Contently cuddled under a blanket
     Hot cup of coffee
     Every little thing that I need to try to do today
          Is doing laps inside my mind
                at record breaking speeds
And its mostly all little things, too.
like wash the dishes and put away laundry
Thrilling, I know.
Don't get too jealous.

Anyway

I made this really good soup the other night.
Pumpkin Pie Soup
     It was prompted by a friend talking about having some
     then never being able to find it anywhere else.
Challenge accepted!
Now, it may not have ended up tasting exactly like pumpkin pie
     (I guess I need to make one to compare!)
     but it was really good
                                filling
                         and healthy

Oh, and ridiculously easy, too. 

(It helps to roast the veggies the day before)

Ingredients:

1      Butternut Squash (Buttercup or two Acorn Squash would probably be even better)

1      Apple

1-3  Sweet Potatoes

Wash.

Cut squash in half, remove seeds and put cut side down on a cookie sheet.  Place sweet potatoes and apple on sheet also, and roast at 350°F for 1-2 hours, until squash is soft.  Remove from oven and let cool (preferably overnight).

1.5tbsp  Butter

.5tsp      Grated Nutmeg

.25tsp    Grated Ginger

1            Cinnamon Stick

Water

.25C     Brown Sugar

1.5C     Milk (2% worked well)

Pull peels off the squash, apple and sweet potatoes, and chop into cubes.

In a large pot, melt butter and add nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon stick until fragrant. 

Put veggies in pot and stir to coat.  

Add about 1" of water and allow to simmer until the water is absorbed.

Add milk and brown sugar, and stir.

**Take out cinnamon stick**

Puree with an immersion blender.

Allow to simmer again- take a taste and add more spices if desired. 

Let me know what you think!

Halloween, Here We Come.

I will be the first to admit, 

     my daughter's halloween costume last year was pretty pathetic.

I had really big plans and high hopes 

     to make her a dinosaur or something equally awesome.

She had just turned one. 

It didn't happen.

     Instead, I threw together some sad attempt at a fairy or princess, or fairy princess

This year will be different

     We asked her what she wanted to be 

"Present"

oh-Ka-ay!

I made this yesterday

     (Instead of sitting at my bench

      or cleaning it

      or doing some other more productive thing)

Quite frankly

     I have to say

     It's pretty awesome.

But since it is before actual Halloween

     I don't feel right sharing a photo of it on yet

            for the full effect

But now, that little munchkin is slowly walking down the stairs

Laundry is folded

     and the house was cleaned yesterday

If she will take a nap 

     or play quietly in her room 

I will spend some quality time at my bench today. 

I have new projects that I am working on

     Yay!

Simple dinner

Awake early

     Yet again

She walked down the hall

Pushed open the door

And didn't want daddy to go to work

      So she was plopped in bed next to me

For once she fell back asleep

I got about one extra hour of sleep

      Then she was up

      For the long haul

One measely bowl of (delicious) Raisin Bran

Is far from enough to keep me and my appetite content until lunch

      But then

      To add to it

            Someone wanted a clementine

That was fine

       It was the tangerine that came next

The really drippy, juicy one

With three or four seeds per segment

That's the one that almost made me lose my patience

       The gooey, sticky hands 

       Grabbing onto the back of my chair

Like a sticky present for my favorite bew hoodie, saved for later, when I have forgotten.

Then it was the nap that never happened

The boxes with everything pulled out onto the floor

The awful sound of loose chair legs being dragged across a sticky floor  (I'm not proud of that, just being honest.) 

     So she can "see" what I'm doing as I wash the dishes

           Or just put her hands in the greasy water and make her new handmade sweater kinda gross

All of that

But I was able to make a fast dinner

Grabbed a bag of chicken thighs from the freezer

Washed some veggies

Chopped broccoli, carrots and onion while the 

              chicken was defrosting in the microwave

               oven was preheating

Pulled out two baking dishes

      Veggies in one

      Drizzle with some olive oil

      Sprinkle with salt and pepper

Chicken in the other dish

Put them in the oven with sweet potatoes in between

Two hours later

I think that was the easiest part if my day.

Autumn Leaves

My daughter and I made an extra long weekend of the Columbus Day weekend that just passed.  

We ventured up to Vermont where the leaves were falling

       and the smell of woodsmoke filled the air. 

On Friday, the girls went to the Ibex "Tent" Sale. 

      It was indoors this year. 

      And way too hot in there to be trying on winter jackets. 

I walked away with a few good deals, but it wasn't nearly as good as past years had been. 

I did finally get a new hoodie.

      It is so soft, like a super hug.

The rest of the time up there was spent on a variety of Vermont-y things (to me.)

My mother and I made some great little jewelry pouches just in time for the upcoming holiday season

I found a snowflake knitting pattern that I am excited to try

       Not that I know when I will get to it!

       Also, I just looked at this woman's other work... 

It's AMAZING. 

The other super cute thing that happened up in Vermont...

The best little helper in the world.

Happily raking leaves with Grandpa.

Of course, while in Vermont, it is customary to pick up some maple syrup, too.  
    Talk about Buy Local.

There is nothing quite like being able to talk to the old guy who made the syrup I will be enjoying while standing in his kitchen. 

What keeps me going.

It's not so much the coffee
      but more the idea of the coffee that is keeping me going today.

Yesterday
     running around like a chicken with its head cut off
     doing errands
     getting groceries
     cleaning like a fool
          that could have been enough
          then I went to work.

Eggs with cheese on toast
     a morning staple lately

Cozied under a blanket
Tucked in the corner of my couch
Tired eyes still blinking slowly
     The feeling of a warm cup of coffee in my hand
     while I prepare myself for what today has in store for me

More errands
      today with my daughter
She loves the grocery store
     and I need a new oxygen tank for my torch
     maybe I can make some earrings while she sleeps today

And zucchini bread
She has been asking for zucchini bread
     so it is only right that we make it today.

Hopefully I will have some new jewelry images to share soon, too.

Ready, Set... Go!

Today feels like one of those days
     So far
           That I am on top of things.

My husband is off to a day at work (Yay for a new job!!)
Following a good breakfast.
     Eggs with cheese on toast
            His topped with massive amounts of ketchup

The dishes are all clean.
      (Yes, this is a big deal!)

Everything is even prepared to make bread.


Yeast proofing
Cornmeal mixture cooling
and ingredients measured out and ready to go.

All I need to do is add hot water to my daughters oatmeal when she wakes up. 

     Even considering that my coffee isn't hot anymore, and I just noticed that my KitchenAid paddle attachment has a chip in the enamel, I think I am going to stick today in the "Win" column.

We are going to storytime today, and I have to do
some more work in the studio.
     Rings
     Earrings
     Gifts

Even more designs are floating about in my mind, and I am getting excited to make more fun pieces, which most often means kinetic.

I will admit it, though.
It still is really hard to balance studio time with a kid and a home.
There are always dishes to wash
     laundry to do
     meals to cook
And when nap time comes around, it seems more important to take care of those everyday things, so as not to take away from family time with the people I love, then to sit and work in the studio doing something I love.
None the less, this is life, and it's a good one.
So I do take the time to get to everything, somehow.

Cheers to new projects.

   

Play kitchen!

It was nearly a month ago.
Time has apparently flown by, faster than I thought.
I woke up one morning and decided that it was the day.
The day to make my daughter a play kitchen.
She already had the pots and pans
and the (somewhat mismatched) tea set
She should have her own, proper kitchen, too.
One that I won't be upset putting out with the recycling when she gets bored of it and I decide it is taking up too much space.

So I plugged in my glue gun
Retrieved my x-acto knife and cutting board
and I began to measure and cut.

She got kinda mad at me, since I wasn't really playing with her
And she didn't understand that I was making something for her to play with.
Finally, when she went for her nap, I put the finishing touches on her new kitchen
I stocked the cabinets, put cupcakes in the oven,
and waited for her to wake up.

It was pretty great, if I do say so myself!

Just because it looked good, doesn't mean I don't have plans for the next one.
Let's just say the next one will be a little sturdier (I didn't think too much about the direction of the corrugation of the cardboard!  OOoops!)
The next one will also probably be a different size so it fits in our kitchen nicely, and we can cook at the same time!

Ahh, kids are fun.

The hardest secrets to keep...

The hardest secrets to keep

Are usually the best kinds.

Platinum and Freshwater Pearl

A friend of mine was going to be getting engaged, and I had the honor of designing and making her engagement ring.

That is what I had in the works, and it was so difficult not to talk about it.
I was so excited about this ring-
Not to mention the fact that she seemed so very happy when she talked about her boyfriend!

It is such a wonderful feeling to be able to share in people's lives
To create something for them that they will wear as a symbol of love.

Pretty amazing.

Excitement All Around

1.  We recently got back from a little vacation to Vermont.

2.  We got a great new car!!

3.  Our daughter says alpaca.  (So stinking cute!)

4.  I just gave the ok that I would like to work on some interesting metal pieces.

5.  I have some repairs to do.  They are for my mom, but they are still repairs, and I think they are fun. 

6.  I have some new jewelry projects to work on.  (Sneak Peek.  Don't worry, they are always prettier in my head and once they are done than they are on paper!)

7.  I started working on a jewelry course curriculum.   It has quite a way to go, but I think it is a great start, and I am really excited about it.  

8.  We picked our own strawberries a few weeks ago, and my husband made really delicious jam with some.  I think raspberries are almost ready for picking... I CAN'T WAIT!

That's all I've got for now.  

Cheers!

Whoops!

Oops! #1
I have had so many ideas, and thought so much about posts that I want to write, that I didn't think it had been so long.

Oops! #2
I was starting to become worried that toys or other such things were acting as voodoo dolls.  This SUPER FUN pull car was broken the same day the radiator went in the car that I drive.

The difference is, I could fix this car myself with some superglue.

(And I did.)

I am hoping there is nothing else going on with my car- I have to clean up some of the super glue on this yellow one.

In other news:

I am still very excited about some jewelry that I am working on.  I can't wait to share it once it is done!

Also, I think I am going to start working on writing up a metals course that I would like to teach.  I am not sure where I will start, but this is exciting, too!

And... Still working on the job search for my wicked smart, super talented and amazing husband.  Ideas are welcome.

Parsley Pesto Pasta

We had (still have) an abundance of parsley in the garden out back.  It was getting to the point where I was concerned for the well-being of my young radishes, beets and lettuce.  So, my parsley got a haircut. A big ol' chop chop. And then I had this.

 A lovely, fragrent bouquet.

Which took up space in my fridge. 

So I thought I would try something new, and make some parsley pesto.  

I chopped up some garlic cloves and a chunk of parmesan in the food processor, then added a little pool of olive oil to the mix.  I threw in some pecans too, though I suppose I could have tried almonds.  

Pulse, pulse.

Add the parsley.

Chop until it looks good and ta-da!

It took longer to cook the spaghetti.

But boy, was it good!

I will be tinkering with carving wax soon.

I have to clean off my bench first. Ug.

Raspberry Gelato Trial

Hiding in the depths of my freezer, below the frozen pizza dough and rings of red "Sweet Heat" peppers, I found a treasure.
Raspberries.
Frozen in pristine condition.
Perfect for some springtime raspberry gelato, made with my new ice cream maker.
I got all of the fixings at the store and they sat in my fridge as one day blended into the next.  Mother's Day, the day I really wanted to make a nice dessert, was just too busy.  Plus, I hadn't read the recipe fully before.  It was supposed to sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours...  We went out for ice cream.

Today, amid the chaos of my life, I decided to make the gelato.  As my daughter ate her lunch, I pureed and strained the raspberries, then beat the eggs and heated the cream and sugar mixture.  I just didn't heat it enough.  I wasn't thinking.  So a little cream mixed into the egg just fine, and that mixture went into the rest of the cream fine too.  But it wasn't hot enough, and slowly, I noticed that I had broken the sacred rule of custard making.  *Don't scramble the eggs.

Google, Help!
Some nice lady named Sarah with  Baking911 had the answer.
Immersion blender.  Ohthankgoodness, I have one of those.
So after a bit of a fright, I ended up with a fine custard.
 Seven or so hours later, after the raspberries were mixed in and the ice cream maker worked its magic, we had some pretty great homemade raspberry gelato.




Additionally, I have some jewelry projects in the works, which I am very excited about.
One of which is fixing a pair of my earrings that my daughter was enjoying playing with.  She got them from my bedside table and sat in the hall playing with them.  As she saw me walking up the stairs, she happily said "Diam-boonds." (They're really only silver.)

I do like repairing jewelry.

That's what was for dinner.

Green salad topped with 

   Cucumbers

   Tomatoes

   Quinoa

   Cranberries

   Lemon-Cranberry chicken

   Cheddar and

   25 Star Balsamic vinegar and olive oil dressing.  (Of course that was from our beloved shop, Olio.)

I cooked the strips of chicken in my handy cast iron pan, and squeezed in the jiuce of 1/2 lemon.  While that cooked, cranberries boiled in a saucepan with a bit of water.  When the chicken was just about done, and the lemon juice sizzled in the pan, I added the cranberry water, turned up the heat and let that reduce.

The combination of the tart lemon and cranberry with the sweet balsamic and the sharp cheddar made this meal *Pop*.

What's for dinner?

As a professional tinkerer, I suppose you can say that I tinker in the art of good food.
And thriftiness.
Full-time mom.  Part-time jeweler.  Part-time lenscrafter.  Part-time good-deal-shopper.
Since having this cute little kid, I noticed it just isn't as easy to throw together a meal as it used to be. It's also not as simple to hop in the car to go get something to make for dinner.
So I started planning.
I am a list maker.
I've been a list maker for a good long time now, but it's gotten more serious lately.
Sunday morning rolls around and we have our breakfast, then I go through the paper, my husband actually reads the news, I look at the fliers for sales and coupons, and the wee one gets a marker and the discarded parts of the paper to draw on.  It's all good fun.  Especially when there are scones involved.  Or my mother-in-law's coffee cake.  (Hopefully it lasts until then!)
Then I try to plan the meals for the week.
For a while I would run them past my husband and ask if he had any requests.  I guess I don't really do that much anymore, but he doesn't complain, so I guess I'm doing alright!
At one point, though, I had planned out meals for nearly an entire month.
TRUST ME.  I know how crazy that probably sounds.  I Know.
But, when it came time to make dinner and buy groceries, it was so fast and easy.  Sitting down and racking my brain for probably close to an hour that one day saved me so much time and energy later.
Now that I really look at the fliers, since we just started to get the paper, it is a little different, because I try to plan dinners based on what is in sale for the week.
Anyway, I thought that I would try to get ahead of this meal planning thing, and even though I don't know what will be on sale coming up, I could get some ideas together.
Obviously, I googled meal plans.
I got some good websites like Cooking Light, and Whole Foods.  The thing that I had noticed was that sooooo many websites that boast their meal ideas use meat in their main dish.
Don't get me wrong.  I would be a GREAT vegetarian, except that I Love eating meat. Kinda wrecks that.  But, I don't want to have meat for every dinner.  Also, it is pretty easy for me to come up with a meal that includes meat- basically, I just add sides.  
It is coming up with the rest of the ideas.
A non meat based dinner that will still be filling, since everyone in this home eats a lot.

Two of my favorites to add to a weekly meal plan are
Fish with quinoa and asparagus
Followed a few days later with
A Huge salad topped with avocado, leftover quinoa that is then pan-fried to make it crispy,  and sautéed onions and peppers.

So, I'm not certain what will be for dinner coming up, but I did find this Sweet Potato Chickpea Cakes recipe.  I do believe that will make it in the mix!

Cheers.

The Sweet Scent of April Showers

We returned from a sunny yet crisp, extra long Easter weekend in Vermont
To find greener grass and bigger blooms.
While we were gone, our daffodils, shaded on the north side of the house, grew tall and flowered.
A playful morning at the park
Making new friends
Lunch on the porch
Now followed by some April showers.
 I sit to continue the job hunt with fingers crossed and high hopes.

Ice Cream, Part 2

I almost forgot!

Caught in a nick of time, before I washed the dishes is an empty bowl from the Simple Chocolate Ice Cream recipe.

In case youre wondering, it was delicious!

My super cool husband's cousin and his wife came to visit us this evening.  After a grand time in the park, with our wee one climbing up the big kid spiral slide and bumpy slide, we came home and had to hurry to make the ice cream.  We didn't want to take the extra time to make a custard base.  

I am not disappointed, just even more excited to try more recipes!

Sorbets.

Gelatos.

I think I may have seen some frozen adult refreshment recipes, too!

Ice Cream

My grocery list yesterday included heavy cream, whole milk and eggs.
Why?
Because this weekend we want to try out our new ice cream maker!
There are so many different recipes for ice cream, I just don't know what to choose.  I am kinda hoping for chocolate, but I don't know, a really good, custard based vanilla for the very first batch might be the way to go.
Decisions, decisions!
Homemade ice cream also requires some thought about which bowl to use.
Don't laugh, it's a serious matter!
It will have to be one that I made, it just wouldn't seem right otherwise.
Hopefully I will remember to take some photos of our delicious adventure and the finished product.

We also need to find a new ice cream scoop.
Maybe one of these Zeroll scoops.

Did you know you can get them customized?!
(Neither did I.  I just found that out.)

Also slated for this weekend, I will be at work making some glasses, and I need to sit down and get some jewelry designs out of my head and onto paper.
This little ring really got me thinking!

How does your garden grow?

Between the clouds was vivid blue sky.

Wind whistled through the trees. Birds sang and dogs barked.

Today I started to clean out my garden.

Amid the brown, crisp leaves, leftover from fall, there were green hints of life.

Welcome back, parsley and chives.

Hello, spinach.  I am glad to see you braved the winter and decided to pop up as the spring sun begins to warm the air.

Don't worry, I put up a fence to keep those pesky bunnies and squirrels out.

Now, just go on and do your thing.

Grow, grow, grow!

Happy Birthday to me

How will I spend my birthday this year?

Will I go play in the park with my daughter?

Maybe have a delicious dinner with a glass of wine?

Cake?

I don't know, but I bet it's going to start with breakfast.  Maybe I will make myself a sweet latte, too.  Probably not.  The coffee is enough to have me buzzing around.  I wish I could spend the day relaxing with my husband along with my daughter.  We will have no such luck, though.  I should find places yo go that give you free stuff on your birthday!  Hmmmm.  The only thing is, the guys have band practice at night, so if I want in on any birthday freebies, I have to start early.  I am really hoping the ice cream shop partakes!  

Meanwhile, I spent some time at my bench yesterday.

Spinning.

Red.

Dot.
Check Etsy, it might be there!

I do feel like I am finding my style again. Not that I had lost it, but I wasn't making work the same as I used to.

It usually comes down to movement and color. (And any combination of dots, geometry and symmetry.)

At any rate, it was kinda nice.  I feel like I am doing something productive, and it's even possible someone will like what I made!

Mom-in Law got me this for my birthday.

ICE CREAM!

And a few years ago, they got me a grill.  (These things are all for Us really, but that is ok by me!)

I'd just like to say that I lucked out with some of the best in-laws out there.    

And I'm not saying that because of the great gifts (but they are great), but because they are just so NICE, too!

Anyhow, the job hunt continues. 

What should a  super smart, jack-of-all trades kinda guy do for work, after he has been teaching alternative ed and emotional support for TEN years?  
He was even told twice yesterday that he is the model teacher, by people who have been working in that setting for years.  
The problem is, it's been 10 years, and he is ready for something 
New.  
Different.  
Better.   
Less stressful.  

Time to get the little lady who is singing to her animal friends up in bed!
Wish us luck in the hunt for a new career.

New Sock Knitting

This will be my first try at knitting socks!
I am looking forward to it.

It all started back in December when my mother gave me some beautiful blue, and ultra soft sock yarn for Christmas.  Since then, I have been a little bit busy with life, so I just started looking for patterns.

There are so many great ones out there, I am not sure which to choose, but I think I have narrowed it down to three choices.

Brienne

Kontio

By the Seine River

Like I said, this will be my first try.  I shouldn't get too crazy.  That's not to say I didn't consider doing these…  But let's be kinda realistic here!

In addition, just because I am about to choose a pattern, that doesn't mean that I am going to get to making these anytime soon!
There is still jewelry to be fabricated and polished and photographed, and there are jobs to be found, and laundry to be done and cheerios to vacuum.  But I'm getting there.

Weekend Wins.

Silver and chrysoprase.

What do I like more than that combination?

Really high carat gold paired with a really deep green chrysoprase. 

But lately, call me crazy, I am going for the more realistic, somewhat more "economic" route, if you will.  

Don't get me wrong.  I will happily make things with gold!  As of now, though, I would want to work on the designs more, to make them really *Pop*  with the placement of color combinations.

But these fun ones are done and waiting to be snatched up by the first lucky bidder.

I also finished a fun spinning ring and some sparkling square studs.  A new endeavor.

 *More Fun Things To See Here*

This weekend was a bit crazy.  

Saturday we had a great dinner with some wonderful friends.  

Apple and Brie soup, followed by rabbit, polenta, fennel, and roasted garlic.  Then a cheese plate with some coconut gouda, cambezola bleu, midnight moon (if I remember correctly), and a mustard one, which I can never seem to remember the name of, from The Savory Gourmet.   Then we had a carrot cake that I made and decorated.

Did I take a picture?  Of course not.  I was too busy trying to clean up the kitchen that was littered with cake making and decorating stuff, as well as scraps from making a marinade for indian food.  That was my husband's doing.  

Because… Sunday, we had an indian food fest.  We did chicken tikka masala, toasted chickpeas, rice, and made the naan.  Our friends made pakora and chicken makhani.  

It was a delicious weekend.  

Now back to the week.

Laundry is already going.  

I hear little sounds coming from the wee one. 

And my coffee is getting cold, as always, while I type!

Here's to good things to come.

Foggy Spring Morning.

Cars whir past as I sit waiting for my daughter to wake up this foggy, grey, first day of spring morning.
Hazelnut coffee, still warm in the press, but already chilled in my mug.
The hunt for a new job for my husband continues, but I must take a short break to say hello here.

Thoughts of gardens dance in my mind.
Watermelon, cantaloupe.
Zucchini
Tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes.
Fresh salad greens!

I do believe that is one of my favorite things about my backyard garden.
The fresh salad.  A little bit of this, a little bit of that.  Some spinach, a handful of beet greens.  Throw in some swiss chard, too.   (It's even better when it is sautéed with garlic, then tossed on top!)

There are tiny sprouts of spinach in my makeshift greenhouse outside.  The half inch sprouts somehow seemed to weather the winter cold, and now they are starting to grow taller.  Signs of life.

For now, the thoughts of spring are brought to my home by flowers.  Mom-in-law brought us the purple plant a couple of weeks ago.   I couldn't resist the bouquet of yellow and orange daisies yesterday at the grocery store.   They were on clearance, like their days were numbered.
SOMEONE had to save them from wilting all alone in the store.

Time is tick-tocking by quickly today.
Off to get ready for work and make some yummy oatmeal for the wee one.
Plans taking over my mind and my bench for some spring jewelry designs and creations.
Excitement for life.  And sincere hopes for good things to come soon to my amazing husband.    
Happy spring!

It just hit me. Again.

I want to win the lottery.
Because
I want to open my own jewelry instruction studio.
Along with a pottery studio.
And heck, while I'm at it, throw in a few rooms for painting, drawing and all of the other 2-D stuff.
The lottery thing- that's just for start-up money.   You know, having a place to call my own, and furnishing it with all of the necessities.
And geez.  While I'm at that, I want to have my own shop-front in that building.  And be able to get people in there to "help" Eh, hem, Work.
And, I think it would also be nice to have a room that stays "Clean" where kids can play and create their own fun stuff.  A room where they can still be seen while I (or any other parent there) work.  
I want to teach.
I want to make.
I want
I want
I want.

I have a not-enough-used sketch book, and lots of shiny, sparkly goodies that I need to put to good use.

I can feel spring.
It is somewhere in the air, making me want to clean my home and my studio and start fresh.
New designs, new photos.
New life.
New.