Thursday, May 30, 2013

Make & Listen Along

~ On Thursdays I will post what I have been making and listening to as creations grow. 
If so inclined post, on your blog or flickr, about what you have been making (on your own or with little hands by your side) and listening to while you create. It can be new music, flash backs, a song or a whole album... whatever you like. You can be stitching with needle & thread, yarn, paper crafting, painting, cooking... and beyond. Share what you are making and the tunes that are fueling your creativity. Then come back to my Thursday Make & Listen Along post and leave a link in the comments so we can be inspired right along with you! ~



Yesterday I mentioned that things have been busy around here but I realized that our version of busy may be a bit different than the standard run around doing errands, dropping kids off here and there, making appointments kind of busy. Our busy usually consists of lots of making, cleaning, book reading, lizard chasing, and bird watching. So the word busy to describe our days might not be so accurate. 

I am sharing a bit of a mishmash of makings and doings today because it is a pretty accurate representation of our "busy" days. 

For years now we have been using cloth to cover gifts. 
Here is the makings of a birthday gift stash...


And what was left over once the gifts were opened.



Aside from a bit of recyclable packaging from the gifts themselves and a few envelops the celebration waste is always kept to a minimum. I like that. 

Along with birthday celebrations we have been making a cleaner, neater home around here. Cleaning out, making piles in the garage for giveaway, and focusing on the things we really want and will use. So the birthday wrapping fabric went right back into the fabric stash of a much neater studio closet.



This clean out has also resulted in the making of a pile of things to mail away to those folks we know will use these things more than we will. 


And lest we not neglect the garden, some more seeds were planted out for the makings of future salads and other yummy right out of the garden dishes.


While we were out in the garden some transplanting was done. A well loved but no longer played with tea pot made a wonderful planter for my girls succulent. A great way for her to hold on to it but make it useful all at the same time.

 
There has been some sewing but this one hour skirt is taking much longer than an hour to make. After spending three hours tag-teaming it with my mom the night before she left it has been put on hold for now. That bird fabric from yesterdays post will become a finished skirt! Soon! Just not an hour from now.


And finally sushi rolls. While rice is a bit of a cheat for us it is also a great way to avoid turning on the oven and yesterday I did not want to roast that chicken I had planned... so sushi was bumped up to the top of the menu. Yum!


Along the way we have been listening to Nataly, Nanci, Nora, Elizabeth, and Sarah, with a bit of Alicia and The Lumineers thrown into the mix.

This has also been in the background of my days off and on until the kiddos finished it last night. Fascinating!

What have you been making?
What is on your play list?
Please do share!

21 comments:

  1. I love the idea of the fabric wrapping. What a great way to build your stash and maybe create something special for that birthday person later...
    I signed up for 2 summer projects and wrote about them in today's post.

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    1. The art of Japanese fabric wrapping is called Furoshiki. Here is a whole pinterest board on it:
      http://pinterest.com/morigami2/furoshiki-japanese-eco-friendly-wrapping-cloth/

      And I know there are books you could find at the library too.

      I used to sew up bags to reuse (we have a lot of those for Christmas gifts) but I like the versatility to being able to use the fabric for other things later.

      Thanks for playing along Alex. Those look like great projects you are starting for the summer!

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    2. Oh... and it is custom that the person receiving the gift keeps the fabric but the kiddos usually don't mind if I slip it back into my stash ;-)

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  2. So much goodness in your "busy" days. Your days sound a lot like ours :)

    We wrap our gifts in fabric too! Love the pattern of that one hour skirt, can't wait to see how it turns out. I had plans to make a few skirts for the summer, but got lucky thrifting a few weeks ago and found some :)

    I am joining in this week http://www.motheringwithmindfulness.com/2013/05/make-and-listen_30.html It includes some inspiration from you :)

    Thanks for hosting.

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    1. That is great you found some skirts. Our thrifting here is lacking a bit. I would much rather use what is already made than purchase new fabric for skirts. I did manage to get the pattern at the thrift shop for .99 cents! ;-)
      The few old ones I wear now... that I had to resurrect out of storage from our days in NS were they only saw the sun one month of the year... are pretty tattered now. I thrifted them in Cali years ago.
      Thanks for joining in today!

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  3. I'm so glad I found this space of yours. Such like-minded loveliness...right down to the same much loved tea pot ;)

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    1. Welcome Dixie! Your comment made me smile.
      And that tea pot has been with us for years and years now. With its new occupation as planter I think it will be around for years to come.

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  4. Oh I adore every single bit of this post. Every single one! you are so very organized and I love, love! the idea of wrapping gifts in fabric....mmmmm....I must try to find a used sewing machine at a thrift store. I don't have much to share about what I am making. But here is the short list: I am trying to finish a knit baby blanket that I started before my mom passed away, I listen to YoYo Ma while I work around the house and I am reading "To The Lighthouse". xo

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    1. Thanks Rebecca!
      The great thing about the fabric wrapping is that I did no sewing for it. Some might like to have clean edges, which would be a bit more formal, but I like the raw look... ;-)
      Thanks for sharing your making, listening and reading! Good things!

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  5. That sounds like a good kind of busy! I loved the look of that bird fabric, good luck finishing that skirt!
    We made some food I didn't think I'd ever want to eat again, and re-discovering our cd rack. Thanks for hosting!
    x

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    1. It is a good kinda busy :-)
      Thanks for joining in!
      Great post!

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  6. WOW! You have been busy! It's been like that over here as well. I wanted to post some more "making" but kept it birthday related this week. I will share the rest next week! I love that you wrap your gifts in cloth. I have started doing that as well (although for yesterday's birthday we went even easier and just tied it up in a big ol' fabric bow). Love the tea pot idea! That sushi looks amazing! Thank you for the "sushi places to visit". We can't wait to check them out. Hope the rest of your week is a lovely one!

    http://summerplayshouse.com/2013/05/30/making-listening-birthday-edition/

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    1. Do let me know when you guys check out those Sushi spots. I miss them! :)
      Thanks for joining in this week.
      Looking forward to seeing your other makings next week!

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  7. our busy tends to be like your busy. i try to limit errands to one day a week so we can be home, doing and making.

    talk to me about sushi. what do you put in for the protein?

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    1. Yes. Out and about once a week sounds just right!
      The smoked salmon is working great in the sushi rolls but I will let you know if we try anything else.
      Report back if you make your own. Want to hear how it goes!

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  8. I just love coming here on Thursdays. I aspire to a life with more of your kind of busyness and less of mine. :-) Lovely photos. We have not made much this week, but we did find some awesome, unexpected treasure that we turned into art for our kitchen.

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    1. Thanks Rita!
      Your new kitchen art is so cool. Just right for this book lover!

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  9. The tea pot planter is brilliant! I plan on getting a sewing machine soon. I can't stand not making things and little V has a birthday coming up in two months I need to get on a new birthday crown! I so want to join in on this making and listening. I just haven't been making anything recently!

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    1. Looking forward to seeing what you make with needle and thread.
      I love that your energy has been focus on food lately too... You can always share what you have been making in the kitchen. Any making counts here! :-)

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  10. why haven't I thought of using fabric to wrap??? Brilliant! Love the organizing shelves, and that sushi looks very delicious.

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    1. Check out the link I put up in Alex's comment and there are probably books on it at your library. I love using fabric... Can remember the last time I purchased regular wrapping paper!

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