11.27.2007

here for me

wiksten for me!
i had every intention of telling you about some good holiday ideas and handmade gifts, but i got completely and utterly sidetracked when i came home to find my tova dress waiting for me. that jenny. come on. so cute, so talented, i would hate her except she is already my friend. lucky me. the best part? she gave me this in exchange for taking pictures of her line!?? what??? i would have done that anyway, but she insisted. and well, actually now i am really glad she did! woot!!

so yes, my brain is completely fried, but i can offer you these two links, sarah's cone trees (freaking awesome) and the always lovely soft tree pattern from stephanie. maybe when i can drag myself away from the mirror i can actually make some, until then, why dont you?

10 Comments:

Blogger Julia said...

you lucky duck you. it's like that dress was designed just for you. looks awesome!

5:57 PM  
Blogger Kerstin Svendsen said...

super cute!

9:40 PM  
Blogger charlotte said...

so much amazing in that dress. you look divine.

3:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It really does look great on you.

8:54 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The dress looks great on you.

4:29 PM  
Blogger kristen said...

NO WAY! lucky girl. next time jenny needs to use you as the model for that dress. can't wait to see you in it in person!

7:37 PM  
Blogger diane said...

so cute!

9:27 PM  
Blogger Alicia P. said...

AWESOME. Come on. How cute are you. Please wear that everyday.

9:16 AM  
Blogger aya said...

the dress is so cute and looks wonderful on you!

6:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh sweet jesus.
you are one hot lady!
when i finally get my hands on one of jenny's creations, i'm going to be hoping i look this good.

2:50 PM  

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11.20.2007

just like that

easy peasy
really, just like that. so easy. i have been rolling some ideas around in my head for simple gifts. i told you this. im being repetitve, but this is par for the course, just ask david. anyway, i think it was on lena's blog where i first saw something similar, but cant for the life of me find the link now. i do this ALL THE TIME. see something online and think to myself, oh this is so cool and memorable that there is no way i will forget it, bookmark? pshaw. who needs stupid bookmarks? uh yeah. i do. but seriously folks. these are so freaking easy it would be a sin not to make some. i go to church, i know what sin means. so march over to your craft space, cut out two eight inch (or bigger, make a trivet!) squares and some sort of little strip for a hanging loop, two eight inch squares of batting. stitch it, leaving a space to turn it right side out and then quilt the crap out of that piece. i did squares because straightish lines are the easiest in my opinion. but do whatever. boom. pot holder. so, the cats out of the bag dear friends of mine (that are reading this) because you will all be getting one of these. paired with a little something to nibble of course. i guess that leaves a little bit of surpise in the mix huh?

7 Comments:

Blogger vwiese said...

you make me want to learn to sew!!! LOVE THEM

2:32 PM  
Blogger MWM said...

I LOVE fast. these are cool. I thought they were coasters...which would be another quick one...

2:46 PM  
Blogger lisa solomon said...

um YEAH!
who wouldn't want one of those?
;)

6:55 PM  
Blogger andrea said...

super cute, pretty mama. hey, you should see my bookmarks. they are way out of control. sort of an offshoot of my obsessive list-making, only with about a hundred different categories and then sub-categories and then seriously, subSUB-categories. but I swear, I can find anything within seconds. ward doesn't believe this, but I swear I can.

12:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh....i heart the walking foot so much. great idea, hannah.

5:14 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I go to church. I know what sin is.

7:07 AM  
Blogger Tracy said...

fantastic! xo

9:51 PM  

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11.12.2007

the little things

film.136
i have been complaining to david all weekend how i had to do work at work last week. my project manager has been working in the lab, leaving me little time to waste. ah well. only fair right? i sent along the lists to my mother-in-law and i am told she quite liked them! yay! now i can focus some time on actual making of things. i like the making, but i really like the packaging. you know. the papers, the strings, ribbons, tags, all that fun stuff. i need to get on the ball and order some things like those clear folding plastic sleeves and those nice glassine (?) paper sleeves that are good for photographs. do you all have a favorite place for your packing goods? i have been meaning to snoop out a little cake decorating store i saw months ago driving around a part of town i dont get to very often. i thought they might have some fun goodies. i would really like to get some of those white or brown folding paper boxes that sally uses. speaking of sally, she is the undisputed packaging queen in my book. love her.

oh and real quick. i shot a roll of agfa 100 film i got from my fall photo swap partner (thanks meaghan!) and i am in love. i mean just pretty much blew it all at the park one day. so much fun. got some great shots, and a strong contender for our christmas card. the photo above was one of the last few frames. i was leaving work on my long day (bleh) and i came out the back door to see this sky. i dropped everything, grabbed my camera and shot two frames (here is the other one). ah. i love it when that happens. when i see something great and have my camera with me. awesomeness.

10 Comments:

Blogger the4carrells said...

Gorgeous, Hannah. I'm jealous that you manage to always have your camera with you. Also, I'm probably the last to know this, but I just found out you can print your blog to a book. What a great keepsake that would be for your kids. (I'm in the middle of making my yearly photo books for my grandmothers, so I've got books on the brain.) http://www.blurb.com/create/book/blogbook

6:47 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Great sunset. I have no advice for you on wrapping packages. I'm more in the cardboard and duct tape vein.

7:40 AM  
Blogger katiemade said...

hi, my name is katie. you don't know who i am, but i'm from kansas city and i think your blog is pretty darn cute. anyways, speaking of packaging, there is a tiny cake and decorating store in old lenexa off of quivera just north of 95th... maybe its 93rd or something? its basically the next large intersection. the store is in a strip of older buildings a little ways down the road. theres a bead store in that strip too. i wish i could remember the name. anyways, they have all sorts of candy and baked goods boxes that you can buy indiviually or in bulk as well as tons of cake decorations. i'm also partial to papersource on the plaza, though you can order online as well. i also really like www.jampaper.com, i've used this site to order tons of stuff for zines and art projects, and it always arrives at my door quickly and nothing is really too expensive.
hope that helps.
fun from a blog lurking reader.
-katie

8:45 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hi. I'm going to steal katie's line : I'm allison. you don't know who i am but I also think your blog is pretty darn cute. I, however, live in seattle and we have the greatest packaging store ever called Packaging Specialties. It has everything you said you wanted and so much more. I think you can order a lot of it online. Here's their website: http://ps-stores.com/.

Have fun! I also think the packaging is the best part.

allison

12:45 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There's also a place called the Sweet Shop over around 95th and Antioch (somewhere near there...I think). I got white boxes there for Christmas cookies last year. I think I spent as much time packing up cookies as I did baking them. But it's fun!

1:35 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Have you been to the Xpedx store in KC? It's in the Crossroads, at 19th and Grand. They have tons of kinds of packaging- little folding boxes, cardboard boxes, plastic sleeves, all kinds of envelopes and paper and tags. It's worth perusing!

4:22 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm in love with your sunset photo. i have to confess that i've been afraid to try my film camera. i loaded it weeks ago. maybe months. and it's sitting here next to me. but i'm nervous about taking pictures and not being able to see them and being limited to 24 on the roll and waiting for them to be processed. crazy, i know. but i keep on being inspired by your film photos. so soon, maybe.

6:25 PM  
Blogger lisa solomon said...

i just nodded and nodded to this post
[and if i forget remind me to talk offset printing...]

9:29 PM  
Blogger cat collier martinez said...

whatabout martha stewart's line at michael's, there might be something there, that is, if you've got a michael's in kc. best of box luck:)

10:08 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

oh hannah-
you too
are awesomeness
obv.

this photo is stunning.

3:00 PM  

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11.07.2007

i knew you could do it

and now we wait
wow thank you so much! so many good book suggestions, i started a list for myself and a shorter wish list on amazon for the grandmas. most excellent. also, i had forgotten about amy's toy post and went back to take a closer look at it. very very good reading if you are interested in handmade toys or buying well made things. we dont have too much plastic in the house anyway, a big tub of bristle blocks and of course the legos. eliot had accumulated (and broken) some plastic figures (transformers) that i really really REALLY thinned out the other day. all that to say that i also started a wish list for the grandmas at oompa toys, mostly because they had this feature and lets be honest, i have to make the internet as simple as possible for my mother. which will probably translate to me showing her the things online at my house (they have dial up at home...), her picking some things she likes, and me "buying" it with her credit card. does anyone else have to do this?? eah. whatever. she sure is cute.

did you all happen to look at molly's link in the comments to the christmas tins she gave out last year? good heaven above. that lady. sheesh. how do i make it on that list is my question?? i do like the idea of making lots of different things though. how fun. steph, granola? brilliant! molly, gingersnaps? duh. dare i admit that i dont like fudge? i know! i want to. i like chocolate. i just cant do the fudge. now fudge sauce, that is an entirely different matter. yum. anyway, until then have a cinnamon roll, wont you?

9 Comments:

Blogger Ali said...

My mother seems to have totally given up shopping for my family's presents. She just writes a cheque. I can see why, but it's not terribly joyful and just adds to my work list. Grumble, grumble - you can tell the festive season is just round the corner.

2:48 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i forgot about the year i made a dozen different varieties of shortbread - it was in a MSL. it was super easy and relatively fast.

5:04 PM  
Blogger Mama Urchin said...

A cinnamon roll? Why, yes.

5:11 AM  
Blogger Robin said...

Hi! I just found your blog, it's lovely. I like your writing and your photos.

6:14 AM  
Blogger Alisha said...

Yum! Cinnamon rolls... I've been planning to send some time in the kitchen this afternoon and I may have figured out what to make. :)

My grandmother is so cute with the computer. She told my dad once that she was worried because her screen said "illegal operation," but she wasn't doing anything illegal. Another time she was worried someone was watching her because she could hear doors opening and closing (the sound AOL makes when people from your buddy list sign on or off). But she's really much more computer-savvy than most 80-year-olds.

6:56 AM  
Blogger bugheart said...

ooh
love
to join
you for
a cinnamon
roll.
wish i had
time to
bake more
during the
holidays...
damn the
academic
calendar!

6:04 PM  
Blogger lisa solomon said...

yes. i want a cinnamon roll - but can i have it sitting w/ you?? [and gwen since she wants to too?]

7:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A cinnamon roll? Hmmm... don't mind if I do. Many thanks in advance for such a delicious bite.

10:37 PM  
Blogger LA said...

Found you through other KC bloggers. I totally have to buy my mom's presents for her. She gives me a budget and a cc. Sometimes I check with her and other times I just buy. MY MIL likes to purchase her own gifts but I still give her a detailed list with websites, etc.

Cheers! LA

8:54 AM  

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11.05.2007

let's start a discussion

film.134
hello november! it is finally getting a bit colder, which means time to break out the socks. stripes please. thank you. and yes, lets talk christmas. david and i have been a rampage in the play room. i took four bags of unplayed with and unneeded toys to the goodwill today. my goal is to simplify, quality over quantity. and to try to get rid of all plastic. except of course for legos. those are still maintaining the top spot for all three kiddos. i also paired down our books to those that we love and read. but i need help. we need new blood. new blood in a variety of ages actually. we are hitting that spread where eliot is into early chapter books, collette is moving into stories with a bit more to them, and arlo is now looking at board books instead of eating them. progress, no? so i want to ask you what books do you love in your home? for older kids? for 3 year olds, for toddlers? give it to me. ive got a pencil and notebook sitting here, waiting for your input.

but wait, i need more help. i've started a list of small, handmade gifts, like the coasters, that i want to make this year, because like jenny i want to give a gift to everyone! i cant, but still i want to. i think it would be great to pair that little something with another little baked something. or maybe some apple butter? i've been washing and collecting glass jars too... what would you like to nibble? your go to quick bread maybe? or cookies? chocolate? yeah chocolate... anyway, im just brainstorming, tell me people. tell me.

*thank you for all the great suggestions! i have already started a great list. keep em' coming!

39 Comments:

Blogger Mama Urchin said...

We've been happy with books from barefoot books (http://www.barefoot-books.com) for Katrina (she's 4.5). We really like the fairy tale anthology. The stories are long enough for her but not so long that we can't stand to read an entire story before bed. Plus she likes to put a bookmark in and save our place.

I have a great recipe for hot fudge that is great to give as a gift. Drop me an email and I'll send it to you.

1:05 PM  
Blogger charlotte said...

I'm thinking of making biscuits and packaging them in open topped boxes made from folded paper and wrapped in greaseproof paper, but I'm going to have to make a prototype and see if it works! As for books, I did and still do, love the Miffy books and the Moomins, although the latter may be a little dark to read now.

1:25 PM  
Blogger charlotte said...

... you must think me a bit bonkers (and terribly english) - not biscuit, biscuits... cookie biscuits!

1:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ben, my 6-year-old, really loved Little House in the Big Woods (so did my husband), and they can't wait to read more of that series. He also loved Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, but they seem a little bogged down in Treasure Island--maybe it's all the pirate voices my husband is doing. Also, he brought home a Captain Underpants book from the school library, and I was stunned at how much fun it was to read.

Lyra, who's two, is sometimes happy to read board books, but increasingly liking regular ones. A Baby Sister for Frances is a fave, also Kiss Good Night (sorry no idea who the author is off the top of my head), and anything she can pilfer from Ben's room, just on principle.

Mmm, apple butter! Chocolate sauce? Caramel sauce? I'd be excited about any of those.

1:50 PM  
Blogger Ali said...

Great early chapter books which have gone down well with mine: Mouse noses on toast, Charlottes Web, Pppi Longstocking, Fantastic Mr Fox, the Littlenose series.

My 3 yr old will read ANYTHING, but I second Mama Urchin on Barefoot Books - they are really a visual feast.

And I'm planning on homemade marshmallows this year.

1:51 PM  
Blogger Di said...

There are so many great books out there - I'm in the UK so you may not know all these books but they are great (and I am sure some are American). How about the Horrid Henry books, Russell the Sheep by ROb Scotton is a great picture book with so much to see in every illustration and a fun story, as are How to Catch a Star and others by Oliver Jeffers (Lost & Found, The Way Back Home and the Incredible Book Eating Boy, Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Watt is really fun, I love Meg and Mog books too (a witch and her cat) by Helen Nicoll which have great illustrations by Jan Pienowski, books by Babette Cole or Julia Donaldson (such as Room on the Broom or The Gruffalo),Hairy McLaray books by Lynley Dodd which have great rhyming stories, anything by Mick Inkpen - Nothing, Threadbear, Penguin Small or the Great Pet Sale which are great stories, with fantastic illustrations, fold out pages the lot. How about Charlie and Lola books - they have the most amazing illustrations and are great stories too!! Hope you don't have all these already and find some inspiration!!

1:54 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

My daughter of 7, loves The princess & the Pea by Lauren Child, and pipi Longstocking.

I can't imagine you wouldn't know it, but Harold and the purple crayon is wonderful.

My son loves the Knight's Kingdom series, which is a Lego theme. Personally I don't like them that much, but he wants them read over and over again

1:57 PM  
Blogger Amanda said...

Favorite preschooler books:
Caps for Sale
Harry Books by Gene Zion
Anything by Kevin Henkes (our Racine pride!)
I drive a garbage truck by Sarah Bridges. Also I drive a snowplow and I drive a bulldozer... great non fiction picture books!
David books by Dave Shannon

Author authors to check out:
Patricia Polacco
Jan Brett
Tomie DePaola
Cynthia Rylant

2:04 PM  
Blogger Megan said...

I always use these lists as a reference for what to get my nieces and nephews. I still hold title as favorite aunt.

http://tinyurl.com/43uz7

3:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

apple butter for the win. that is a GREAT idea. who doesn't like apple butter? i haven't had that in years... i might need to run to the grocery store tonight and pick some up it sounds so good. and i have no idea about books... the earliest books i can remember reading are chapter books although i know my parents read to me every night. (my memory is terrible!) good luck book hunting! megxx

3:30 PM  
Blogger MB by Brigid said...

oh...i love the george and martha series, and any of the olivia books, and anything by mo williems. all of these are timeless and have become favorites to all of my students over the years.

3:45 PM  
Blogger Melissa! said...

I just fell into your blog and had to join in the discussion. Now I'm not familiar with your family tastes but I'll share with you a few off the top of my head. In order from oldest to youngest:
"Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snickett, any of Eleanor Estes' titles, "The Amazing Days of Abby Hayes" series by Anne Mazar, any of Beverly Cleary's titles, yes-yes the Little House books, American Girl series, "Clarice Bean" by Lauren Child, "Judy Moody" series by Megan McDonald, "The Cobble Street Cousins" Ready for Chapters series by Cynthia Rylant...oh me oh my!

4:04 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I got out my striped socks today, too!

Have you read picture books by Maira Kalman? "Sayonara Mrs. Kackleman" was my favorite but they are all winners. Her books are filled with great illustrations and lots of imagination.

5:39 PM  
Blogger pixiegenne said...

of course i gotta chime in on the kid book recommendations...
picture books:
maurice sendak
ruth krauss
kevin henkes
william steig
leo lionni
chris raschka
arnold lobel
russel hoban
brian wildsmith
lois lenski
astrid lindgren

chapter books:
e.b. white
roald dahl
laura ingalls wilder
madeline l'engle
e.l. konigsburgh
louise fitzhugh
beverly cleary
cynthia rylant
ursula le guin

happy shopping!

5:04 AM  
Blogger Joyce Collins said...

Hats are always a sure winner! :?) or eat avocado or papaya & plant the seeds and give away trees! Some books my classes liked were Berreguita and the Coyote Berna Aardema, The Little Red Ant and The Great Big Crumb Shirley Climo, Are Stepehn Cosgrove books still around? They were called serendipity books. There was always a moral to the story. I remembere Sassafras(darling illustrations of elephants) and Memily(a giraff),
Max Lucado has put out some good books for kids. My favorite is Because I Love You. Parables for Kids by Danae Dobson. The Golden Book of Fairy Tales has some of the most beautiful illustrations and you can see some of that art at http://segur.artpassions.net/segur.html

5:46 AM  
Blogger the4carrells said...

Nora loves Shel Silverstein (who doesn't??) and we just finished a Junie B. Jones book (by Barbara Park), which she liked too. (though I don't know how Eliot would feel about a female lead character)

6:22 AM  
Blogger the4carrells said...

Ooooh! Sorry, I have to second the Max Lucado suggestion! My personal favorites are You are Mine and You are Special. I'm going to have to dig them out of storage now (we have so many books, I have put them in rotation).

6:26 AM  
Blogger Mama Urchin said...

Thought of another group of books we love, The Henry Books by D B Johnson (there are 4). They are based on the life of Henry David Thoreau and the art is fantastic.

7:03 AM  
Blogger Amanda said...

My boys (2 & 3) absolutely love the book 'Night of the Moonjellies' by Mark Shasha...We checked ti out from the library on a whim and then had to buy it. Sweet story, great art, perfect length for the preschool set.

8:03 AM  
Blogger Kelly said...

great ideas - I'm going to have to save some of these for future reference!

8:35 AM  
Blogger Molly said...

Well, girl, you KNOW I'll always chime in on the "baked something" issue! My mother used to do TONS of baking at Christmastime, and though she's now stopped, I've gotten the bug. This is what I made last year. It took a fair amount of time, but it made gifts for 10 or 12 people/families, so it was worth it.

This year I'm aiming to do something similar, but maybe a little quicker, since I should be, uh, writing instead. I'm thinking Meyer lemon sables again, and chocolate blocks again (remember those?), plus some buckwheat cookies I found in a book last night (Alice Medrich's Pure Dessert), and for the rest, I'm not sure yet.

Oh hey, remember those Chez Panisse gingersnaps? How about those? xo

P.S. Apple butter is awesome, and I've made it for the past three years, but it's pretty time-consuming and low-yield, or at least the recipe I've used is. One batch makes only five jars and takes like three hours or something. It's easy and makes the house smell AMAZING, but I think I'm going to skip it this year...

9:27 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My recommendation is for Rootabaga Stories by Carl Sandburg. So imaginative and fun to read. I also remember loving Mrs. Piggle Wiggle as a young girl.

9:53 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My 3 1/2 yr old currently LOVES a workbook. It's called Reading Readiness for grades K-1. The company has a web site: www.schoolzone.com. Last night we started learning about Rhyming. It's a great alternative to regular story books.

10:51 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

chocolate yum yum yum.
for kids i have no good idea, i'm not that good at kids ;) but I love many children's books... like beatrice alemagne's - she makes the most gorgeous illustrated childrens' books.

11:15 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, i tried to comment yesterday but don't see me here (I keep coming back to get ideas too!!!)

I've never commented before.

My 5 year old loves the chronicals of narnia. especially the lion the witch and the wardrobe. We also love frog and toad. anything else arnold lobel, roald dahl, robert mcclosky, margaret wise brown, maurice sendak, captain underpants, beatrix potter...

also, i am making many, well some, tiny happy bags for friends this year, thanks to you! one more excuse for buying fabric!!!

happy book shopping! i just got some good ones at our used book store.

11:31 AM  
Blogger stephanie said...

how about giving granola? or giving the dry ingredients all pretty in a jar with the recipe attached?

so books...so many. one of my all time favorite kid's books ever is "a hole is to dig" by ruth krauss/illus. by sendak. also for preschoolers: the kevin henkes books. miles prefers non-fiction, but did enjoy "my father's dragon" by ruth stiles gannett. mia will tell you that anything by roald dahl gets her recommendation (although some of his stuff can be a bit grim).

a great place to get ideas is http://www.chinaberry.com/ - they have all the books divided up by age/level. i just go there and look and then put things i'm interested in on hold at the library.

good luck!

12:24 PM  
Blogger April M. said...

Baked goods are always on the top of my list at Christmas time. I usually do a plate with, peanut butter fudge, pecan balls, a hungarian cookie that my MIL taught me, a rice crispie christmas tree and a few chocolate covered cherry mice. Gingerbread men are optional, depending on time and energy levels.

As for books, my daughter(8)has loved the old school books from the thrift store. You know the ones that have a bunch of stories and some poems. She also loves the American Girls books - but don't think they are really for boys.

It may just be me, but we've avoided the Junie B Jones books...she's naughty and talks back to her parents! My boys (12&13) liked the Flat Stanley books when they were younger and are currently into the Storm Breaker series. The Secret Garden is a must!

Good luck

12:28 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i skimmed the list so i am not sure if this was mentioned, but jane really loves the magic tree house series of chapter books.

12:33 PM  
Blogger shari said...

hannah: hi. i agree with all of stephanie's recommendations. kevin henkes is definitely a fave. and chinaberry is an amazing resource! i used it a good deal when i was a preschool teacher. have you seen the milly molly mandy books? they may appeal more to your girls (when they are ready for chapter books) but there is a boy in the book named billy blunt. gotta love that. :)
i will think about this some more and send you an email.

as far as holiday treats, lemon curd or granola. yum. xo

4:30 PM  
Blogger MWM said...

I'm hoping someone makes me stephanie's granola for the holidays....so that would be my vote for the gifts. As for books -you have so many good suggestions already! L has read all of the Roald Dahl books -I think his favorite is James and the Giant Peach. His fav. book of all time is Trumpet of the Swan and his current fav. is Black Beauty. Jenny and the Cat Club is great with wonderful illustrations.
O can't get enough of Sam and the firefly right now. He also likes stories from the Grimm's fairy tales book.

6:39 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

great suggestions. i just discovered this book today "The Orange Shoe" by Trinka Hakes Noble (great name by the way) i have links to her and her latest book here ---- http://www.urbanpreschool.com/

6:57 AM  
Blogger Tracey said...

Speaking of handmade gifts, I'm interested in gocco (thanks to all your gorgeous cards and invitations). Can you recommend a brand or where to get a printer? Thanks!

8:35 AM  
Blogger Joyce Collins said...

OK! One more book....but not for the kids! I found this in the teacher's lounge today and had an "aha" moment for you. You want to sew and enjoy the different materials....how about aprons! The book I found was darling. It is called The Apron Book by EllynAnn Geisel. There are all kinds of designs and stories to go with them.

4:57 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

hey there!
a hole is to dig (steph mentioned this one) is really amazing-I LOVE it and so do the girls. . .
and I just found this list of robert mahar's top 100 at powells-thought it looked good:
http://www.powells.com/ppbs/30681.html

didn't even know he had that list going-

9:48 PM  
Blogger LA said...

Books!?! What a fun discussion. My kids - 3&5 - love the "How do Dinosaurs. series. Their fav is Go to Bed.

We just bought the new Puff, the Magic Dragon with Cd. It is wonderful and brings back memories for me as I loved that song.

For homemade food gifts we make peppermint bark. We get rave reviews on it and the kids love making it.

Melt white chocolate, add peppermint extract and crushed up candy canes. Spread it out on wax paper and put in frig. Leave overnight and break into pieces the next day.

To really step it up, start with dark chocolate, let firm up a bit and add white chocolate mix to top.

Yummy!

LA

9:08 AM  
Blogger Abigail A. Percy said...

Oh how much fun kids are at Christmas! I am so happy to have some little people if my life this year [thank you to friends for having babies! ;))]

...book wise, I second Shari's suggestions of the Milly Molly Mandy series [Joyce Lancester Brisley is the author]....they are really wonderful and were absolute favourites when I was a wee.

The other books series [great for gifts as you can add to them and have other people pitch in!] I could not more highly recommend are Brambly Hedge [which are just THE most beautiful stories with amazing illustrations that will keep kids occupied for hours http://www.bramblyhedge.co.uk/ ] and also the Biscuit, Buttons and Pickles books - so, so wonderful. Those three are my joint number ones!! All so wonderful and sure to thrill your wee ones :)

2:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Roald Dahl!(James and the Giant Peach, BFG, Mathilda, The Minpins++)

Astrid Lindgren! (Mio, my son, The Children of Noisy Village, The Brothers Lionheart, Ronia, the Robber's Daughter++)

3:49 AM  
Blogger Tia said...

on my blog there's a sidebar where i list all our favorite picture books that we've checked out at the library and then when it comes to chapter books we've done two little house ones (a big fave with my 4 year old) and pippi and catwings and lois lowrey's sam books....mommatiablog.blogspot.com

8:32 PM  
Blogger Emeline said...

I found this blog and she has a whole section dedicated to kids' books. Maybe a little young for Elliott... but still worth a try!
http://www.designmom.com
p.s- I've been lurking for about a year... and just wanted to tell you that I love it here! Specially the sweet birthday messages you leave for the kiddos! Very inspiring!

6:07 AM  

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11.02.2007

photobooth friday

10.30.07
well andrea. i did it. i found a photobooth. quite by accident actually. right under my nose. in the broken down mall by my office. i was in shock. i think i stood there for a minute just staring. then i circled it warily a few times. i thought for sure it was going to be one of those crappy digital ones that give you the same image four times, but no! i had to give myself a few days to get ready, uh and to find some cash. am i the only one who never has cash?? i tried to convince david that we should all go up there and cram in. still working on that one. i have to admit, im not one to get embarrased about things. pretty much never. but i did feel a little sheepish walking up there and sitting down all by myself. i blame the germans. they always have the best strips. i certainly wasnt prepped with enough moves and not a single prop! rookie mistake. practice makes perfect, right? right.

already the awesomeness of this friday has increased exponentially. first the pb strip, and my mom is taking the kids for the night! woot!! i mean come on. of course there will be dinner. and a movie, but it is also the two year anniversary of habitat!! we will be heading down to the store to celebrate with our favorite entrepreneurial couple, john & kristen. and maybe catch a little first friday action as well. and then, the cherry on top, the s.i.n.k. saturday morning. s.i.n.k? sleep in, no kids. yeah. thats right. remember that? its not even sleeping late i want. i probably wont. i just want to wake up of my own volition. without a tiny face pressed up to mine "whispering" about wanting a banana RIGHT NOW. its the little things really. have a good one. rest up people. because next week, i want to talk christmas. yes. its november already. at least i held out this long, unlike some people. melissa. yeah. im talking to you.

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15 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

where? WHERE?!

9:15 AM  
Blogger charlotte said...

oh the shoes! the green ones... I'm in love with the green ones. also, I find the idea of being woken up with banana whispers very endearing but obviously I've never experienced it and may want to take this comment back in a few years time...

9:57 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh, hello, Hannah - it's me, Entelepentele! Your blog is so charming! Oh, this is my dream - to leave my son in grandma's care... But this is impossible...
I'll come back, Hannah! Warm regards!

10:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

for whatever reason, this post made me smile. i think i can feel your enthusiasm for it all: the photobooth, s.i.n.k., habitat, friends, christmas. happy weekend, hannah.

10:05 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i'm sorry!!! i didn't mean to. you know how it is.

i love the new header. looooove it. forever.

10:12 AM  
Blogger eshu said...

oh Hannah, you and your beautiful face make me smile

i hope you enjoy every second of your time without your little ones!

also, i loved the image in my mind of one of Collette in your face whispering and then screaming for a banana (don't know why it was she and not Eliot)

10:14 AM  
Blogger pixiegenne said...

a-dorable photos.
and, right, christmas. oh, crap.

10:22 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i want to know what # take this pb was? say it was the first take.

12:27 PM  
Blogger hannah said...

first take john.

2:04 PM  
Blogger Alisha said...

I've been on the look out for a photo booth. I see those digital booths that give you four of the same photo all over the place. My husband and I are going to make it a Friday tradition if we can ever find the right photo booth! Love your pictures, by the way. I think they'll only get better over time!

2:26 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

great photobooth strip! wish i could find one here. but then, i wonder, would i feel shy too? anyway, great.

enjoy the s.i.n.k. sounds divine.

5:43 PM  
Blogger kimberly said...

love the photobooth! where was this! these should be everywhere, and I agree, not the dumb digital ones.

AND, my brother just got married and they had a photobooth at the wedding!! It was awesome. there was a big trunk with this hilarious old props like fur coats and hats and pipes and silk gloves. so fun.

9:38 PM  
Blogger Mama Urchin said...

You are too cute. I don't know when I last had a sleep-in, I dream of it though.

10:42 AM  
Blogger lisa solomon said...

hi cutie. you look fantastic.

hope the sleeping in felt great!

12:55 PM  
Blogger andrea said...

well a girl gets sick and look how much she misses! I am down with what feels like the most evil virus ever but your photobooth friday post has snapped me right out of my slovenly sickened state. well, almost. hello pretty photobooth mama! you know, I willed that photobooth to appear near you. I am the photobooth fairy. shhh. don't tell anyone.

3:04 PM  

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11.01.2007

a good night

ninja
fairy bottoms
whew. we had fun. it was very low key and not that cold last night. which makes me happy as i am a cold weather wimp. eliot stated that this was the best halloween ever. and that he wanted to be a ninja again next year. yes please, thank you for going easy on mom this year. things made by me: the kids (ha!), black pants, tutus and hats. the hats are straight out of bend the rules sewing, by that amy k. very easy, the hardest part was finding the correct material, which i never did. i finally settled for flannel and interfacing after a couple prototypes. the best part!? the girls actually wore them all evening. another point for mom.
scary & not so scary
hope you all had fun last night too. we learned our lesson last year and didnt raid the candy bags until the kids were asleep and we were settled in bed to watch a movie. and today is november!!??? oh my.

5 Comments:

Blogger the4carrells said...

Fabulous costumes, Hannah. Nora wanted to be the Corpse Bride (she loves Tim Burton's movies) Anyway, I am NOT a seamstress! Luckily, she's too young to care that her costumes are--how shall I put it?--creative. But I might have to hire you in a few years! I'm glad your little ones had fun. (I didn't raid the candy bowl until my lunch break today)

11:40 AM  
Blogger ke said...

i'm so sad to not have seen these huffsters last night! they are completely adorable. i love the fairies (holding hands?- so cute!). and the ninja looks great too! sounds like a fun night!

12:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

They looked adorable. They are at a great age where they can really enjoy the holiday and dressing up.

5:09 PM  
Blogger jenny gordy said...

great post! those pumpkins are great. and i LOVE LOVE LOVE the hats you made. nice! oh, and elliot makes one kick-butt ninja.

7:25 PM  
Blogger kimberly said...

good lord those kids are cute!!

and it's november? I guess I should have known since there are already all christmas all the time radio stations. ugh.

9:41 PM  

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