and,

an attempt to grab creativity amidst the chaos.

My paintings always like visitors at www3.telus.net/galen/art



Saturday, March 31, 2012

Sweet Sweaty Thrifting. Part 2


Another awesome thrift was the aforementioned 70's tracksuit.
In this slightly barfy shade of orange.

I am in love with the romper these days,
and a baby romping in velour...
swoon.


Barfy orange for the bootie.


A little striped jersey for the neck.


And more of that velour bathrobe for the front.


Only thing is...
It smells a little like teen spirit.

It didn't after washing,
but the iron brought back that
 '70's je ne sais quoi


I can count on this one
to cover it in baby related goo by noon,
so good bye to the smell
 of sweating to the oldies.


And hello cute baby.


Look she's doing a Jane Fonda jumping jack!!
Count it down sistah!

Today I'm linking to KOJO Designs

Friday, March 30, 2012

Sweat Smelling Thrift, Or is that Sweet Smelling Thrift? Part 1.

In support of a smaller footprint
I have done some thrifting from time to time.

I find myself a sucker for the velour tracksuits/
bathrobes of the 70's variety.

Well, a while ago I found a gorgeous blue bathrobe.

I clutched it dearly waiting for the right project.

For some strange reason I decided a sleep sack
would be the bathrobes end.

(For those of you holding more interesting facts in your head...
a 'sleepsack' is a sleeping bag a baby wears
so it keeps the covers on her shoulders all night long,
rather than stuffed up her breathing holes)

Now I had cunning plans for cuteness.
Ribbons for baby to play with.
Lace for me to look at.

This AND that.

But then in the chopping of said housecoat,
I came upon a pocket.
And somehow, it just seemed wrong to ignore it.

Surely a stuffed animal would hop in there.

I kept the belt loop too.
Perfect for hanging up the sack de sleep.


Yu has been in a wee one,
but she's growing.

So I thought I'd scale up.


Clearly I have a problem with scale.


These photos would be cuter with a cute baby in them.

Only she would be suffocated by her mother's
vague attempts at sleepification.

Good thing I plan on her growing.

Monday, March 26, 2012


This is definitely the season for Nu.
The doors are flying open and the sun is threatening to play.


There is gardening and chalk drawing to be done.


And the first of many front yard picnics to be noted.


Another romper was due so Nu,
(or as I now think of her "Blur")
could do it all,
at the same time,
in all directions.

And likely fall down trying.
Appropriately, I chose black and blue.


Romp I say!


This one sports a giant front pocket
for collecting treasures.


Or possibly for putting baby sisters in.

Don't romp on your sister Blur!!

Friday, March 23, 2012

The Full Body Condom


Nu is full of life and vigor.
She is also fearless and loves to live dangerously.

She's even capable of making the lowly Hippo wild and crazy.


In the past I've written about bubble wrapping
my death- defying leaping middle child.

I've even gone so far as literally


Well, she also has exema
 and is not one to calmly surrender
 to the band aid or the cream
that protects her ouchy spots.


She lifts up her shirt and rips her bandaid off,
or absent mindly itches away.
This week she broke the skin for the first time.
Ouch.

 By the time a kid is 2, most clothing companies have decided
a 'romper' is not dignified enough for anyone older.

Or, that's my take on it.
So I made her one so she couldn't access her ouch.

It's already covered in food.
(As it should be,
'cause life tastes good to this one).



It's impossible for her to rip off,
which protects her patch, but confounds her mind.


It sports a gigantic orange button on it
 which we have told her is a sunshine button.

Ten bucks says she's ripped it off by tomorrow.


It's good for plotting her big sisters undoing.

Leaping, climbing, falling down and mostly...

good for a mom who wants to wrap her in a soft jersey life.




Monday, March 12, 2012

This is the issue at our house.


Only instead of the littlest one sleeping,




I wish it was ME.

Happily,
 while she naps ON me
(and only on me)
every once in a while I get to do a little of this:


And so Nu got a little of this:


She's super butch, so this bow will be black
mid way through day 1.


Cozy butt while speed reading.


Why NOT make black wool pants
with the first sign of spring?



This crazy twosome are keeping me on my toes.


The one with the wild look in her eye
 is fearless and loves being high speed
and leaping off of things.

A little wool butt padding can only help.


If only I could justify a chunky wool balaclava
 to protect her daily head bonks.


Determination.
Fearlessness.
Bravery.
Speed.
And,
 not too hot on the motor skills.



Maybe we can get puppy insurance for her?



What a three pack!



Due to the lack of sleep,
and the consequential diminishing
of MY
motor skills,
not to mention I'm loosing things
(dignity, IQ, charm)
AND my old treasured chapeau.

Therefore,
 I too need a new head wrap.



For all the walls I'm walking into,
I apologize walls.



I blame the zombie baby for eating my brains.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Keeping the Maddness at Bay


As far as I know.


With three shorties 5 and under,
I find myself wading through the mire.

Through toys, and diapers.
Through tiny little socks who
 will never return to their mate.

Through questions about Gawd and the Big Bang and which animals will eat each other at the end of the universe.

There are mood swings,
and moments of such divine poignancy that I cannot speak.

(which if you know me, must mean I have been struck by lightning)

And in this mire and maddness
every once in a while
just for a second,
there is order.


And stillness.


And the potential catches its breath,
and pauses before it rushes in.




 The tools that assist creativity all line up at attention
poised for the next moment of creative chaos.


And everything that has a place, stays in place.
Just
for
a second.

That is a beautiful little second.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

My True Parents

I love it when pretty meets practical.


If Martha Stewart and McGyver had a love child...


I would:
a) be that love child
or,


b) stalk and kidnap that love child,
and make them
show me their innate crafty ways.

(Is that sooooooo wrong??!)


So this genius idea makes me happy.


It's the endless towel !!!
Circa 1980's public bathrooms.


Trimmed with scrappy bias tape and Velcroed together.

Since I am under the tyrannical rule of
three short people,
I am destined to pick up towels
every day
one million times
or die trying.

UNTIL NOW!

(cue chorus of angels, spot light,
unicorns pooing out diamonds,
maybe not that last one)





(any other suggestion,
like learn to cope or grow as a person
or even HA!
teach children how to pick up towels
is utter madness)

Thank you Elsie Marley!