Specimen...

For the scientist in your life...these crocheted butterflies from oeuf are brilliant. I wish I knew how to crochet better.

20 in 20...

Ornament number two. My father-in-law (Mr. Woodsman) cut these tree slices for me a couple of years ago and I've used them in multiple projects (here and here). For this ornament I simply printed out a silhouette of a deer family and traced it onto the wood slice. Then I painted around the deer with black acrylic paint, tacked a leather tie to the back (an old shoelace), and voilà! Easy peasy. Happy 20 in 20.

20 in 20...

To ring in the holidays, I decided to challenge myself with a little project that I'm oh-so-cleverly calling '20 in 20' (please note my sarcasm...my title is ridiculous). Anyways, what that means is that I'm planning to make one ornament per weekday for the next 20 days and will post them here (I'll also be posting regularly). I know that not everyone celebrates Christmas, which is why I'm planning to make ornaments that could do double-time as birthday gift tags, wedding favors, or something along those lines. Without further ado, here's ornament 1. The blank porcelain ball and paint marker (DecoColor Opaque Paint Marker- fine line in black) came from AC Moore craft store. I drew the pattern in stages, letting the design dry before attempting another line, and then added the green ribbon. A little wonky, but I'm OK with that. Happy 20 in 20.

Acorn wreath...

Sadly I didn't make it to Second Storie this weekend (I heard that it was awesome). Instead, PRH and I spent Saturday morning in the hospital with Kicky who had a weird allergic reaction to the antibiotic that she was prescribed for pneumonia. She's completely fine now and we spent the remainder of the weekend being perfectly lazy. For me that meant catching up on my blog reading and scouting ideas for holiday decorations. I also started a fun little project (more on that tomorrow morning). Anyways, I particularly liked this wreath that I found via green submarine design. Those are acorns! Brilliant, right? Now I just need EZ E to go gather 7 million acorns from the neighbor's tree.

This weekend...

Wow! What a difficult week. Many thanks to all of you who've asked about Kicky. She seems to be doing pretty well today...she's at least playing and eating again. Pending good health, I'm leaving the kiddos in the excellent care of PRH on Sunday and heading to second storie with my mom. It gets better every year and I can't wait to see our friends, pick up some last minute handmade gifts, devour a grilled cheese at The Spot, and just check out for a bit. Happy weekend, everyone!

*photo by The Sweetie Pie Press (a vendor at second storie...hooray!)

Making the most of it...

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you in the States! Our poor little Kicky is still on the mend, so the four of us are staying home this year. We're trying to make the most of it: the parade is on, we have feathers to make (directions are right here), cookies in the oven, and a pile of unread magazines at the ready...oh, and lots of red wine. That's a lot to be thankful for. I hope you all enjoy your day!

Sick day...

Sorry for the delay this morning. My sweet little Kicky, whose name I just subconsciously typed without the K (...icky), is sick. We found out late last night that she has pneumonia (super scary). So, I'll be taking a few days to get our baby girl back on track and will check in when we're both feeling up to it. Thanks!

Mini chairs...

Really loving Laura Tarrish's miniature chair collection (found via automatism). I don't know what it is about miniatures, but that wonky little Corbusier right in the middle of the metal chairs below...it's killing me.

This weekend...

My plans for this weekend include re-shooting our annual holiday photo. A certain little miss wouldn't stop channeling her inner Gene Simmons or being grumpy. This year is much better than last year though. What are your plans? Have a good one and I'll see you again on Monday!

Creative people...

I read this post on the blog simple lovely recently (found via a cup of jo) and it totally struck a nerve. I often think about creativity and am, in fact, working very hard to raise two creative people. There's a lot of guilt that comes with motherhood and I was truly relieved to hear that actor Jason Schwartzman's mom inspired creativity simply through her actions rather than by over-scheduling creative moments. Here's how Joslyn of simple lovely so eloquently put it:

Schwartzman doesn't mention a mother that signed him up for a back-to-back roster of classes, helming an endless carpool circuit from one enriching creative activity to another. Rather what seemed to have (at least partially) formed him as a creative being is what he "witnessed" his mother doing (or rather living) -- her love of cinema and books and music…her passions.

Here is a link to the NPR interview with Jason Schwartzman. Three cheers for the piles of open, face-down books we have all over our house!

Dressing it up...

EZ E and I have been making DIY arrows based on this tutorial on Modern Kiddo (designed by Danielle Thompson). As you can see, ours are very wonky and not nearly as pretty as hers, but they've been fun to make. We're planning to use our arrows to dress up Thanksgiving hostess bouquets...or break them all by being rowdy and tossing them all over the house. I vote for the first option.

Stomping my feet...

Prepare yourself for a tantrum. I woke up feeling irritated this morning. Why do I feel irritated? We had an appointment tomorrow morning to look at an adorable little house with a big (but manageable) yard, a carriage house rental apartment in the back, all within walking distance of EZ E's and Kicky's (potential) future school, excellent restaurants, cute shops, and decent coffee/chai tea lattes. I was super excited and really thought that this could be the one (I sound love-sick, don't I?). You'll notice 'was excited' is past tense. Our realtor emailed to say that the house sold within two days to a cash buyer. Arrrrggggghhhhhhhh! I know, I know...we should just be patient and the right house will come along...blah, blah, bladdity, blah. I know all of this, but I'm still stomping my feet and swearing. I guess I'll settle for drowning my sorrows in these little houses and dreaming of living on a street that looks like the one above (source unknown- if you know, please let me know so I can provide proper credit). The images below were found via ms & r ltd...


NY Times...


remodelista...


fine little day...


tracy stone architecture...


and NY Times...

Centerpiece...

This DIY centerpiece from say YES to hoboken is hilarious....or, as EZ E would say, "really a-larious". You can find directions right here. Brilliant, right?

From our shelf...

While we're on the topic of art this morning, Random House sent over a copy of Asian Art Now by Melissa Chiu and Benjamin Genocchio. If you're interested in contemporary Asian art, then this one's for you. This book totally appeals to my visual nature...it's packed full of huge, gorgeous images (230 to be exact) and is proving to be an interesting read. Get your copy here.

Flame (gate)...

Check out this light installation by artist Yochai Matos. You can see the lit up version here. So rad!

Today...

The cooler weather brings with it the return of 'fort season' at the Hendrickson house. We've spent most of this morning building and re-building forts in the living room.


Fort Season justifies our bizarro collection of chip clips...


and heavy duty magnets...

A little greenery...

I'm loving this little collection of plants against that dark wall. I'm a plant killer, so there's no way these would ever survive on my watch, but they certainly are pretty. I brought home a small fern the other day and I'm hoping that makes it through a week with me. Fingers crossed.

*photo found via remodelista (Steven Harris Architects)

Eight dollar holler...

Hey peeps! I know that I usually don't post on weekends, but I've re-opened the doors of my little shop and have decided to try something a bit different this time. All items in my shop will be $8 (USD)...no more, no less. Welcome to the EIGHT DOLLAR HOLLER, baby!

This weekend...

This photo by Abby Powell (aka abby try again) perfectly captures what I'm thinking about as we head into this weekend. The word 'cakes' painted onto the side of a fence, you ask? Well, okay...no. I'm thinking about baking and I'm getting my game on for PRH's family's annual cookie swap. I know, they're really into this swapping stuff (you don't know how difficult it was for me to refrain from inserting a dirty comment here). I digress. I'm planning to test recipes for this cookie swap business. I'll be turning The Black Keys up loud, having a mini dance party with Kicky and EZ E, and gaining weight...all in the name of cookie swapping. What are you all up to this weekend? Any recommended cookie recipes? I tried this one last week and it was a winner. Happy weekend!

A's to the Q's...

Thanks for your patience. This is the final category...RURAL LIVING, which could also be called the 'keeping it real' category:

Q: Brandi said...Is it tacky to post questions twice? Forgive!

 Let's talk about the holidays. Do you have any ideas? I'd love to hear any of your book recommendations, project ideas, or gift suggestions. 

Okay, really just one more. How do you feel now that you've moved back somewhere rural and have had some time to adjust? I realize there are good and bad aspects of everything, but are you antsy? Do things smooth out eventually where you feel like you have your life back, or do you constantly struggle with the age-old issues?
A: No, it’s not tacky. ☺ I have tons of recommendations for holiday gifts and books and lots of project ideas that I’ll be posting here soon.

With regard to the rural question, the answer is yes, I am antsy...we both are. The answer to this question has been bothering me for a year and a half now. I don’t talk about it on my blog and I’m not really sure why I don’t. So, perhaps the answer to this question should start with an apology from me for not being more open about this topic. I’m sorry.

PRH and I moved away from this area when we were first dating (almost ten years ago) and it has definitely been a struggle for both of us to be back. We truly loved living in Buffalo; we were part of a fabulous arts community, we had a lot of time to ourselves, and we walked everywhere (we lived within walking distance of several incredible galleries, three major museums, and dozens of incredible restaurants). When I finished grad school I was offered a position as the director of a not-for-profit. However, at the same time, due to budget cuts, PRH’s teaching contract with a college ended unexpectedly and I was, very fortunately, pregnant with Kicky. We sat down, hashed it out (aka I cried a lot), and finally decided that I wouldn’t take the position and that we’d move back ‘home’. It had been in the back of our minds to perhaps eventually return to this area and we just decided that there was no time better than that moment.

So, here we are 1.5 years later. Have things smoothed out? Not completely. We haven’t found an arts community that we feel a part of here, there are many more demands on our time, and we have to drive everywhere (including PRH’s 3 hour daily commute to work). Here’s another biggie: I’ve always worked and my professional life has always been a big part of my identity. I’ve had a difficult time adjusting to not working outside of the house (I even hate how that sounds). At this point I’m sure you’re asking “so, why the hell do they stay”?! These reasons outweigh any others: our children are incandescently happy; it's safe- we don’t worry about our cars (or house) getting broken into anymore; our kids really know their grandparents, great-grandparents, cousins, uncles, aunts, etc.; we love, love the handful of friends we have here; the schools are great; we no longer pay $1600 dollars per month in daycare expenses; and it's an inexpensive area to live, so financially-speaking we're not freaking out about me staying home for a while with EZ E and Kicky. At the end of the day, this time with our children and our families is going to go by so fast...we just really didn’t want to miss it.

Q: Skylark Studio said...this is kinda random - so how do you like living in upstate NY? My husband and I love it there but when we actually consider a move I get kinda freaked out by the vast remoteness. Did you move to be closer to family? have you learned to love it or did you love it already? Do you feel far away from the creative super meccas? if so, how do you deal?
A:As you read above (egads…was Abbey ever going to stop), I’m learning to re-love it. We deal by reading lots of blogs (and writing this one), making lots of stuff, keeping in close contact with friends who do live in creative super meccas, and occasionally running away from it all. Thank goodness for the internet and for sweet readers like all of you!

OK. Wow! That's it. Thank you all for asking such thoughtful, interesting questions...and for reading (or at least maybe scanning) my long-winded answers.
xo,
Abbey

A's to the Q's...

Moving on to the 'ORGANIZATION' category:

Q: Anonymous said...How do you keep your house clean and your life organized? And you keep mentioning relaxing weekends...how do manage that with two young kids???
A: Living within 45 minutes of my mother-in-law (who literally vacuums my sister-in-law’s house when she’s not home) is damn good motivation. I haven’t always been tidy and organized (no need to pipe in here, mom and dad. Thanks.). When EZ E and Kicky came along though, I realized that these two little people would be watching everything I do and following my lead. One of our major goals is for them to treat themselves, their belongings, and others with respect. The first step in making that happen is for PRH and I to take good care of our belongings and ourselves, and treat other people (and animals) with respect. Here are a few tricks that work at our house:

• PRH helps a lot.
• I make GIANT ‘to do’ lists that I carry with me at all times.
• I use a timer; I set it for 10, 15, 30 minutes and try to get as much done as I can in that time.
• Living with kids is a lesson in the unexpected, so I no longer have time to procrastinate. If something needs to get done, I just do it...and try not to bitch about it too much.
• EZ E is in preschool so I spend Kicky’s naptime making stuff or catching up around the house.
• I love television (love it), but I don’t watch it anymore. Once we got rid of cable I started getting way more done each day. We do still have a television to watch movies and I occasionally buy time by popping in a movie for EZ E.

With regard to relaxing weekends: my version of relaxing has definitely changed since children came along. If we can make it through an entire day without freak-attacks and time-outs, and if that day ends with a giant glass of red wine, we’re all good.

Q: mama river said...oh i have so many, i look at your blog daily...

How did you make that beautiful invite to Isla's party?
Do you have a studio room that holds all your creative fixings? your house always looks so clean n organized.

i love your blog!

thanks,
heather
A: Thank you! I designed Isla’s (aka Kicky) birthday invitation in illustrator and then printed them on our home printer (we have a cheapo Epson that I like). I dream of having a studio again, but I don’t have a dedicated studio space in our little rental house (I do have a spot for my desk/laptop). PRH has studio in our basement, so I technically could have a space but I am a lover of sunlight and simply don’t like working in our basement (I say that, but my grad school studio was a cinder block cave and I loved it…hmmmm). When I’m in the middle of a huge project it bothers me, but most days it doesn’t. Tons of artists don’t have dedicated studio spaces and I feel lucky to have enough space to stash my arty supplies…all over our house. I like things to be put away and try to be organized, but some days our house looks like some kind of monster made of felt exploded.

A's to the Q's...

In the 'CREATIVE MAMA' category:

Q: Brandi said...I just discovered your blog this morning and spent a good couple of hours looking through all of your posts (thanks, Ohdeedoh!). I'm expecting my first baby in May, so I love reading about your experiences and seeing that having children hasn't made you so overwhelmed that you can't carve out time to be creative. It makes me hopeful! So, I guess my question is, how do you do it? Any advice for maintaining your creative energy after a baby comes?
A:First of all, congratulations! Having a baby is a super exciting time! When EZ E was born I had TONS of energy and found time that I didn’t even know I had. Things changed a bit after Kicky was born and I’ve found it a bit more difficult to juggle two babies and a husband and try to be creative. Here are some tricks that have been working for me:
-Learning to say no. Living so close to our families, this is a big one for us. If I don’t want to do something, I know that I need to say no.
-Prioritize and make sure creativity is on that list. There are days that I have to force myself to do this, especially with two babies pulling me in two directions.
-I have to constantly remind myself that I’m setting an example for our kids.
-Let some things go. Do the floors need to be spotless? No. Does every meal need to be homemade? No.
-Allow yourself to feel overwhelmed and then ask for help (not easy for me).

Q: Joetta M. said...ok, insanely creative mama...my question is how do you find the time and energy to balance your own artwork, being just plain mama, and doing all the creative things you do for your kids? How oh how?
A:Here's the other side...Some days I simply don’t. Finding balance in my life is a challenge and it’s something that I struggle with regularly. I have found little tricks here and there that work for us (see above), but the biggest decision I made was to shift my focus. My artwork has taken a back burner to Spiderman masks, fancy first birthdays, and stuff like that, but this time is going fly by and I decided that I needed to be present and enjoy it while I can. Yes, some days are frustrating and difficult but others are fabulous and help get me through the crap days. Having friends like you who are creative and interesting also helps a lot. ☺

Q: Jen Craun said...I LOVE all your DIY energies around the household and with the babes, etc. I can SO RELATE. I wonder [question] what your art-making is? What kind of prints do [did] you make + most enjoy? Do you make artist books? What have you most recently made? Burning questions... :)
A:Thanks, Jen! In grad school I made large-scale, mixed media drawings and zines. I did make artists books, but now I just make quick little collaged zines. Print-wise, I was really into intaglio but eventually I sort of lost interest in making intaglio prints (I still love to look though and I LOVE going to print conferences). The most recent things I’ve made just for me were a couple of zines and some random collages. Finding time can be tricky.

A's to the Q's...

First, thank you all for the thoughtful questions! It seemed like they fell into four categories:

• personal
• creative mama
• organization
• rural living

I've decided to start with the 'personal' and answer them in four posts. Yowzer. Here goes:

Q: Anonymous said...I can't wait to see what questions other people ask. Where does PRH work?
-Sarah K.
A:PRH teaches drawing and design at Mansfield University. He also works several days per week at a winery called Thirsty Owl . Winemaking is PRH’s true love and his dream is to find a position as a full-time winemaker. I’d also love that because I really like to drink wine.

Q: Anonymous said...Love your blog! I enjoy reading because you have such a great attitude and always seem to strive for balance in your life. I know we all have good days and bad days - I need faith to get me through - I was wondering if you are religious? 

Thanks - I look forward to your blog daily!
A:We do all have good days and bad and balance is something that I struggle for on a daily basis. As far as religion goes, I am not religious and neither is PRH. I believe in living this life as though it’s my only chance. We do think it’s important to teach our children by example, and try to be thoughtful and treat everyone with respect and kindness. PRH and I also think that religious literacy is important and we would never discourage either of our children from exploring any religion they’re interested in.

Q: Nicole said...i haven't been following you for long, and i assumed PRH stood for Pretty Rad Hubby, or something similar.
haha!
A: :) PRH stands for Phillip R Hendrickson, but I really like ‘Pretty Rad Husband’! He is pretty rad.

Q: VSW said...Hmmmm..... my burning question..... What would your dream job be?? And also who would play you in the movie of your life??
A:Dream job: I’ve been trying to figure this out for the last ten years. I’ve always thought that being a prop collector or prop stylist would be awesome. I’d also love to be an art collector or an art/interiors book buyer.
My life is definitely not movie-worthy. There are actresses I adore, but none of them remind me of me. The only lame answer I can come up with is someone quirky. What a terrible answer. Sorry!

Any advice...

I thought I'd kick today off with a partial glimpse at my latest weird purchase. I've become consumed with using cookie cutters for EZ E's preschool lunches and found a great site called cincinnati cake and candy supplies that sells an incredible assortment. They weren't expensive and he loves eating sandwiches in the shape of mermaids, rhinos, and gnomes. The problem? How to organize these things. For now they're sorted by type (animal, holiday, etc) and stored in ziploc bags, but they're bulky. I thought about hanging one of those shoe organizers on the back of our pantry door (yes, the collection has gotten that out of control). Any tips? Btw, I'll be back later this morning with answers to your questions.

Reminder...

Don't forget that today (today) is the last day to get your burning questions in. They've been really good so far and I'll be answering them tomorrow. Woo hooo! How will we all sleep?!

Before and after...

I said something last week about reupholstering a rocking chair that I found at our local thrift store. It was a quick job, but I didn't get a chance to take a photo until yesterday. Here's the chair before in a cat-hair covered orangey-red canvas. I actually didn't mind the color of the canvas, but the material itself was on the wrong side of ick and felt a bit greasy (I know, did you just throw up?)...


Here we are after. I brought home a variety of materials to try, most of which were poppy, Amy Butler-ish fabrics, but I ended up going with an understated, classic wool suiting. An odd choice for me, but I decided that it would be the most enduring choice, taste-wise...



a close-up of the patina on the arms (love!) and the material...


and even closer...


Eventually I'll share photos of the house in its entirety, but I need to reupholster our gross couch before that happens (I'm really dragging my feet reupholstering that beast). There are snippets here though. What do you think?