These days are long, but the time is short

Chase - that's not safe! No, don't worry Mom, it's totally safe.

Worms in the little rain puddles - toddler adventures

The captain of his own indoor airplane

If you have spoken with me in the past few months, then you know that I have been complaining an awful lot about these two - the  "do-overs" who are still at home with me during the day. People often jokingly call me Martha because of all the homemade stuff I do, but if you have ever stopped by unannounced then you often will find me crazy-eyed chasing these two around and apologizing for the mess.

Here's the thing, time just shifted. I don't know how or exactly when, but very very recently it shifted. This past weekend all four children were home and as I was busy bustling around making homemade laundry detergent, fixing food, or cutting a sewing pattern - you know, normal things. I caught myself being fully engrossed in my own activity when I realize it had been quite some time since I last checked in with the little kids. Imagine my surprise when I found Lane - the toddler - laying on her stomach carefully drawing lines with a pen on a colored piece of paper. And she was totally content.

Or today when the sun was blasting through the windows and I knew that it was the perfect day to finish off all the early springtime preparations in the garden. Lane followed me outside and then fully entertained herself for one hour while I weeded. Then I came inside and chase had made himself a pretend airplane next to the window that overlooks the garden. He watched us work outside while he played in the safety of his home.

I'm stopping myself right here, right now in this moment to take stock. Because I think the littles just grew up a little.

Schedule for Upcoming Salem area Gardening Classes

Beginner urban gardening classes        

Introducing the Modern Victory Garden: an organic way to feed your family

Don't be afraid of your black thumb - give me a chance to show you how easy victory gardening can be!

4-part series with bonus 5^th class.     All plans and techniques demonstrated in my backyard. you’ll leave with handouts and working knowledge of urban gardening. ALL SKILLS ARE TAUGHT WITH WILLAMETTE VALLLEY CLIMATE ZONE IN MIND.

YOU’LL LEARN:

·         COOL SEASON PLANTS

·         WARM SEASON PLANTS

·         PLANTING, STAKING, PRUNING TECHNIQUES

·         SEED STARTING TECHNIQUES

·         ORGANIC SOIL ADDITIVES

CLASS SCHEDULE

Each class is $5 per person/per class. Each class runs 60-75 minutes.

NEW DATE/TIME FOR APRIL CLASS!

Class Dates/Times are as follows:

·         April 14, 10am: Cool season vegetables. Plant salad greens, peas, broccoli (with row covers), and herbs - Soil/Garden Preparation. Hands-on learning on how to plan out your garden based on conditions. Also how to prepare beds, supports, soil additives.

·         May 5: Warm season vegetables. We’ll prune and succession plants the cool season vegetables. Also plant out rest of garden – tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, beans, eggplant, and others.

·         July 7: Prune, staking, and harvest techniques

 

BONUS CLASS:

·         August 20: Learn how to can using boiling water canner and can pickles and tomatoes. Also flash freeze methods taught. If there is enough interest in pressure canning, I will schedule an additional class.

I WILL SCHEDULE ADDITIONAL DATES FOR EACH CLASS IF THERE IS ENOUGH INTEREST IN CLASSES, SO DATES MAY VARY. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO ARRANGE YOUR SPOT! 


                                        Email: shannandesh at msn dot com.

Delayed (all because of one skirt!)

My life feels on hold. Why? Because I bought a nice expensive pattern for the cutest nautical-inspired skirt from Oliver + S and I'm currently in the throws of sewing it (outfit pictured above). Be back soon!

Organic victory gardening - talk tomorrow!

Tomorrow I'm speaking at my local MOPS group on how to start your own victory garden with the added benefit of using organic methods. Please come if you are local!

If you ever think you don't have the space to have an urban farm, just look at my tiny backyard and how we ripped up all the grass, put in planter boxes, used only organic methods, and yield harvests that can easily feed a family of 6 all spring, summer, and early fall!

I'm going to be beginning my organic gardening classes again this year running April through August so please sign up if you are interested. This may be my last year teaching in Oregon!

Creative challenge: fabric and inspirations

The past few weeks I've been collecting images from various websites of clothes I would totally buy for Lane - BUT have a simple enough design that I could make it with my beginning sewing skills. If you visit my Pinterest inspiration board where I have a few more pieces (and a bit more complicated sewing) and most of the sources are referenced correctly. I think the following will keep me busy for a few weeks.

*the clothes*

Tutorial on the sewing blog MADE that makes a shirt dress similar to this CrewCuts dression

Made using this Oliver + S pattern

Easily made with this FREE PATTERN from Oliver + S

the fabrics

these are the prints - I'm going to mix in solid colors in knit

*the patterns*

Oliver + S pattern - chosen for the skirt 

Kwik sew pattern - chosen for elastic neckline and elastic bloomers

Simplicity pattern I sewed the other day and it was pretty easy! Lots of fabric options for this swing blouse.

Burda Style for kids pattern - cute with seersucker fabric

My current collection of patterns

 I found this FREE PATTERN from Oliver + S that is very similar in style to this burda style pattern.


So far I have sewn two of the pieces and despite my beginning skills, they came out looking pretty good (and trust me, I'm trying to be very critical of that "home-sewn" look). I don't have a serger right now, so most of what I sew is with techniques like french seams and overcasting with zigzags. My online sewing class has already taught me various skills that I'm incorporating into my sewing and making it tremendously easy. Don't get me wrong - my seam ripper has been my best friend - but like my teacher says - "It's an opportunity to fix your mistakes! How often in life do you get to do that?"

I'm on instagram

I'm on instagram! This month I'm doing the February photo challenge where each day you get a theme word and you post a picture with your interpretation of that word. #febphotoaday

you can find me at @shannandesh on instagram.

Creative Challenge: inspiration

The past few weeks I've been collecting pictures on Pinterest of girls' clothing I love, but can't afford. You can see the board here, but I will also be posting many of the inspiration pieces in a future blog post.

Here is my current workroom - my bed with everything laid out.

Since I am a beginning sewer, I picked very very easy patterns. A-line dresses, gathered skirts, elastic waists and necklines, and simple straight lines. I'll talk about how my patterns reflect my inspirations later as well.

 I had a couple of fabrics on-hand that started my ideas (that bright fuchsia stripe that you see was one of those). I had some navy crepe fabric as well as some leftover corduroy. I had a web coupon for fabric.com and bought a few key fun prints for 50% off (the grey and yellow flower print as well as the chiffon b&w leopard).

 I'm going to try some unusual fabrics and see how they play out - like that navy and white ticking fabric you see next to the greys. And a cotton/linen brown blend you see right next to the pink stripe. Joanns will cut swatches for you (up to a limit of 4) so I'm going back about once a week to get swatches and see how they play out in the collection. I'm going back for a checked gingham and solid pink next.

 I can't believe how much fun this personal creative challenge has been for me.