p i c t u r e d

* disco ball reflection
* colors
* organizing our children's library
* birthday sunshine
* my dream house (drawn by my daughter)
* a dance class circle 

xo emily  
 

Making Peg Dolls Winner!

Congratulations, Kris!  You are the winner of a copy of Margaret's beautiful book!  Please send me an email with your name and address, so I can ship it off to you.

Kris wrote: Looks like so much fun! Would love to win - my kids would really enjoy this!

Thanks to all who entered!

xo emily

Making Peg Dolls; interview & giveaway

I am delighted to be a part of a wonderful book tour promoting the super inspiring and beautiful book Making Peg Dolls by Margaret Bloom of we bloom here.  Given my fascination with tiny, imaginative, storytelling toys, I was immediately drawn to the whimsical dolls that fill the pages.  They are all so sweet!  And, charming!  And, magical!  When we first received the book, I snuggled into the couch with my daughters and the room was filled with gasps and giggles, sighs and squeals -- we were smitten.

I asked Margaret if she'd answer some questions about Making Peg Dolls and she kindly did.

********
Emily: What were your favorite toys to play with when you were a child?

Margaret: No one will be surprised to read that, as a child, my favorite toys were tiny things -- wee furry mice dressed up in fanciful outfits, small dolls for whom I stitched tiny clothes, and tiny ceramic animals made by Hagen-Renaker…

Emily: In the introduction, you mention that you made your first peg doll in December 2010.  What did this little doll look like?  And, what inspired you to make it?
 

Margaret: The first peg doll I created in December 2010 was a little water sprite (you cannot see in the photo, but she has wings and also a tail!)  She was created for a Summer Season Craft Exchange which I wrote about in a blog post here.
 
Emily: Can you describe the process of writing Making Peg Dolls?  When did the idea come into your head and how did it come to fruition?  Were there exciting moments that stand out in your memory?  Hard moments?

Margaret: After making my first doll, I proceeded to create fairies, pixies, gnomes & sprites, bumblebees, bears, bluebirds and owls but had no interest in selling my work.  I was creating far more dolls than my children could ever need as playthings and this was puzzling to me -- I couldn’t figure out why I was so compelled to make them.  Then, via my blog, requests started coming to me for tutorials, and once I started writing tutorials, I realized that they could be the basis for a book proposal.

The most exciting moment, hands down, was when I received a response from Hawthorn Press in July 2011.  As for hard moments, those would have to do with balancing work and home life.  During the time I was working on the book, I overheard my husband Paul tell a friend over the phone, “If she is not caring for our children or sleeping, she is working on the book.”

The process of creating the book itself was fairly straightforward.  First I made all the dolls, then created the written portions, and finished up with the illustrations.  Each day, the moment my little one went down for his afternoon sleep, I sat myself at the kitchen table to work.  It took a fair amount of discipline, and most days, I would not even allow myself to wash dishes while he was sleeping because I had set this time aside for the book.  Good music helped keep me on track; I listened to a lot of Jolie Holland, Renee & Jeremy, and the album Leave your Sleep by Natalie Merchant.

There were certainly days when exhaustion and frustration got the better of me. On one of those days I lined up the cabbage, carrot, corn and tomato peg dolls on a cutting board with a knife and told them that if they did not behave themselves they would all go into the soup. I swear the carrot peg dolls looked a bit alarmed.

Emily: The craft styling in your book is gorgeous and so enticing!  For example, the Martinmas (page 117), Bluebirds (page 30), and Owls (page 104) make me smile. Oh my!  It is all such a feast for the eyes!  Can you tell us a bit about how these scenes were designed and created?

Margaret: Thank you for your kind words!!  I had in my mind that each scene would be a little world unto itself for the dolls to inhabit; some of the scenery was constructed even before I created the dolls.  The props (such as the trees, grass, and witches house) are made from cardboard and simple in design, which I felt complemented the design of the dolls.  I also had in mind that some of the dolls would be photographed among items from nature.  When I am in the garden or walking outside, my eyes are always open for fallen branches, moss and acorns which leave my coat pockets perpetually mossy and twiggy.

One underappreciated aspect of the photos is lighting.  My husband Paul worked as a commercial photographer for many years prior to his current career, so when he and I shot the photos for the book, Paul put a lot of care and energy into how each scene was lit.  I was amazed that we needed such large lighting equipment to take photos of such tiny dolls.  But I’m convinced that what truly made each photo shine is, at the start of every photo session, Paul would say to the little dolls, “Okay now, everyone smile!”

Emily: Do your children make lots of peg dolls at home?  Do they have favorites?

Margaret: My older son will sometimes see me working on dolls and sit down at the table to create his own.  Last week he painted up crew members to accompany a pirate peg doll we recently unearthed in a forgotten stash.  My little one has a dandelion doll which he calls his baby, and he has three large-sized peg dolls which live in our box of wooden blocks.  Many a tragedy has befallen these poor block-box dolls; every time a new home is built, it seems the house is dashed to the ground before they’ve hardly settled in.  On a positive note, due to the insistence of my older son, these three larger dolls have recently acquired pencil-drawn noses.

As for favorites, with unbiased hearts, my children seem to love every doll I create.  When I make dolls as gifts, my older son inevitably looks woebegone and asks if we can’t just keep them for ourselves.

Emily: What is your idea of a perfect Sunday morning?

Margaret: Oh, gracious.  This is embarrassing.  There is temptation to inquire whether you could ask a different question instead of fessing up to the fact that we are horribly lazy on Sunday mornings.  Paul and I make our way through the Sunday edition of the San Francisco Chronicle and a big pot of coffee.  My older son loves to read the comics page, while my little one likes to grab sections of the paper and run circles through the house.  I usually make French toast from thick slices of challah, and pajamas are the mandatory dress code until noon.  To me, this is perfection.
 
Emily: Thanks, Margaret! I can’t wait to share your answers with my readers!
 
Margaret: You are so very welcome!

*********

I have one copy of Making Peg Dolls to give away! Just leave a comment and a way to reach you on this post. I will keep the giveaway open through this coming weekend and and randomly choose one winner on Monday morning. 
Disclaimer- This giveaway is for US only.  Thanks to all who enter, and good luck! ** This giveaway expired on 2/18 **

The Making Peg Dolls trailer:

The Making Peg Dolls blog tour:

February 4th:  The Crafty Crow
February 5th:  The Magic Onions
February 6th:  The Toymaker
February 7th:  Clean
February 8th:  Anna Branford
February 11th:  Red Bird Crafts
February 12th:  Art is a Way
February 13th:  Softearth's World
February 14th:  Chocolate Eyes
February 15th:  Rhythm and Rhyme
February 18th:  Wild Faerie Caps
February 19th:  Sacred Dirt

This weekend!

To my  NYC friends, I'll be leading Show Me a Story crafts at two lovely spots and I'd love to see you there.   

Saturday (1/19) at 2:00:  I'll be making Story Disks at Play Kids toy store in Brooklyn.

Sunday (1/20) 2:00-4:00:  I'll be leading my Memory Card craft at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.  It would be so, so wonderful and fun to see you there!  

What a nice week it has been in! We had bright sun, sweet grapefruit, and an official snow day where the children made a snowman, snow fort, and drank large cups of hot chocolate. Our weather turned from sunny and warm to cold and snowy quite quickly.

 Sunny!

 Snowy!

This guy has been waving to our neighbors all week.  That is me in the doorway. The photograph was taken at 2:ish and I was still in my pajamas.  Success!

Happy weekend! 

xo e

N E W S

I took this photograph in front of The Chicago Tribune for two reasons:

1. The stones and etching are beautiful.

2.  Show Me a Story was recently reviewed in The Chicago Tribune!  Standing in front of the building made it all feel extra special.

Have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo
e

Book Tour :: Chicago!

Last weekend, I zoomed to Chicago for some exciting events for the Show Me a Story book tour.  It was a wonderful trip filled with kind faces, incredibly creative children, a zippy glass elevator in the hotel (gulp!), and inquisitive teachers and parents.  I was so delighted and honored to spend the weekend with lovely people in a super city.

We stayed in a great hotel directly in the heart of the city.  It has glass walls, a glass ceiling, and a glass elevator that made me a little weak in the knees.  I eventually got used to it, and by the end I was brave enough to look outside as we raced to the fifteenth floor. 

 Standing in the hotel lobby, looking up.

This was at the wonderful Magic Tree House Bookshop in Oak Park, right outside of Chicago.  It was my first stop, and as soon as I began making Story Disks with the children, big, fat snow flakes fell from the sky.  It was beautiful and perfect.

My next stop was the Chicago Children's Museum at Navy Pier where I was so impressed by the creative exhibits and sweet staff.  And, um, the children and families that made Memory Cards with me were unbelievably creative.  Oh my!  They had it going ON! 

Don't worry, this child's Memory Card reads "Fire" because he went to the fire station Christmas party where his grandfather used to be a fire fighter.  Oh, this little boy was SO sweet and funny!

Tom and I walked to the end of Navy Pier where we seemed to be the only ones willing to brave the frigid wind.  Night was coming, and I was determined to stare into the milky blue waters of the Lake Michigan before it was time to go.  We caught a gorgeous sunset and we were serenaded on our way to dinner.  Such beautiful gifts!

And then we squished onto a tiny plane (3 seats across and all of the tall people had to crouch while standing) and soared back to our home sweet home, where my two children greeted me with warm cheeks, smelling of chocolate and shampoo.

It is so nice to soar, to go on adventures, to meet crowds of wonderful, new people. It is fun to drift and gaze and wander.  It is also so nice to come home.

xoxo
emily

p.s. Want to see more of my Instagram photos? Follow along here: redbirdcrafts.



 

p i c t u r e d :: holidays!

* cloves, cardamom, black pepper, etc. for our homemade chai masala.

*little teapot cards for our chai gifts

*our jars of chai packed and ready to go

*gray, gray, gray, and beautiful.  #nofilter

*cat in a basket.

*someone couldn't put it down. here, she is literally lost in a book.

*packing it all up on New Year's Day.  sad/happy. 


There was so much beauty in our quiet days together and lots of excitement in making and giving.  I'd love to see one of your holiday moments.  Will you share one in the comments?

xox e      

mail

I'd like to kick off 2013 with Hannah Brencher's amazing TED talk on how handwritten love letters can change the world.



Listen and be inspired. 

And, then visit The World Needs More Love Letters for more beautiful details.

I am all for infusing more love into this world. 

xo e

Happy New Year!

my wish for you.

Today

Today, my heart is grieving with Newtown.  Just a few months ago, this heart-shaped yellow leaf dropped from the trees and landed in front of my feet. Back then, it felt like a reminder.  Today, it feels like a demand.   I am hanging on to all that is  good, beautiful, kind, and brave in our world.  And, I’m sending a steady stream of love and strength to the families and community in Newtown.

Love,
Emily

little things.

We're using these piles of bits and bobs for one of our holiday crafts.  More soon!

Happy Friday!
xo e

5 things

Hello, friends!  The sun is shining, our tree is decorated, Hanukkah lights are aglow at dinner each night, and a big box of Florida oranges landed at our door last week.  I'm feeling grateful that I'm surrounded by special treats and so much beauty.

A few things:

1. Last Friday's Red Bird Crafts Story Stone workshop for adults turned out to be a beautiful evening full of inspiration, delicious nibbles, and amazing Story Stones.  Oh my! Such creativity!  I'm honored to have spent the night with such kind, interesting people (some traveled all the way from Boston to join!).
2. There is an animal who is living (or not living) under our porch and it is causing stinky problems. Hellllllllllp! Sigh.

3. Join me today on Sew Mama Sew! where I offer a project from Show Me a Story and inspiration for making winter themed Story Stones. Please note that these little stones are perfect for stockings and Hanukkah!  Many thanks to Beth for inviting me to join their Family Crafting Month series!

4. Visit my blog at Everyday Fun for inspiration!  

5. Our Massachusetts valley did this.  We kicked off the holiday season in a big way! So proud.

xox emily

sick week.

 

My poor daughter has been feverish and coughing since Sunday, which has meant our week has been slow and filled with tea, soup, books, movies, and crafts.  Each morning find her way to my studio and to sit in the sunlight and make art.  These are some of her creations. 

* A jar of confetti
* A stack of painted spools (featured on Everyday Fun -- my blog for Family Fun Magazine)
* A set of craft stick puppets
* A moment where measuring tape was important
* Her workspace (Used padded mailers make great art mats for painting)

Cross your fingers for a cool forehead this evening.

xox emily    

p i c t u r e d :: Boston

A collaborative sculpture made of twigs and colorful masking tape hanging in the Boston Children's Museum studio.

All set up and ready to lead a project in the Boston Children's Museum studio. Those chairs were filled all morning long. 

The evening sky after my event at the Village Toy Shop in Canton.  The sky was streaked with orange. At first I was frustrated with the parking lot lamp posts that stood in my way, but then I quickly fell in love with their vertical contrast.

All in a row at the Brookline Booksmith.  LOVE this store (and the people who work there).

Our dinner in the North End was amazing.  One word: calamari. Oh, and broccoli rabe too. 

The children's creative work made me happy, happy.

Thanks for the inspiring days and crisp, delicious nights, Boston.  You and your zippy green line make me smile.

 

Now, to crack open 5 butternut squash.  Happy Thanksgiving to all those who celebrate (and to those who don't as well)!

xo e