ice storm

 We woke up this morning and looked out the window and we saw that our world was encased in ice. We lost power and trees and branches started crashing all around. We drank coffee with David and Ema instead of getting straight to work. Then we tried to get some work done... but it was too distracting outside to be very productive. There was no leaving the mountain, we were iced in.

 Lili was in town having a sleepover with my mom, sister, & niece the night before. We were iced in and couldn't go get her, so she got to have a second sleepover tonight. This rosy cheeked guy ate enough icicles for both him and Lili today though...

It was so magical when the full moon rose and shone through the icicle enveloped branches. Alex and I stood in the garden (it was too dangerous with all the falling branches to stand anywhere else) and watched the stars, the moon, and the sparkling trees.

 And then the power came back on. It was a magical night. 

working with resin - process

I spent yesterday afternoon doing a big resin pour for our jewelry. After we set the miniature prints into the metal settings we seal them with a protective layer of finish. After that they are ready to be filled with jewelers resin ~ or "a pour" as we call it in our house. The resin we use is a two part epoxy that gets mixed together in a 1:1 ratio. Everything has to be done very carefully and there are a lot of factors that can mess up a pour.  Once the resin is mixed properly I use a medicine dropper to drip the liquid into the tiny metal bezels. Little bubbles form and I pop them with a needle.

 Until the resin cures into a hard glass-like finish it is toxic to breathe, so I get dressed up in my safety respirator.

All the lovely little earrings curing! 

xxx
Kelcey

birthday letter

My dearest little boy.
Look at your fingers, still so chubby with the remnants of toddler-hood. Yet, we all know this coming year they will slim down and stretch out. Ten little pudgy digits that are a microcosm of your entire growing and reaching spirit.
Oh, how I love all these bits of you that remind me of how small you still are. Your "Yeth" for "Yes", the sweetness of your body settling into a snuggle, your pokey belly, the way you drool like a st. Bernard when you get excited, the weight of your body as I carry you downstairs first thing in the morning... But I also love the way you watch your big sister, waiting for the right moment to copy her. And I think you are getting more hilarious by the day. I love watching you follow a marble down a marble chute, seeing the wheels turning in your head. So many things I love about you that are pushing forward and wanting to absorb more of life.
The feeling people get when they see photos of cute kittens or puppies~ I feel that swell of unbearable cuteness several times a day for you. That swooning is tempered (or is it fueled?) by a an incredible awe for your gentle soul and your inquisitive mind.
On this night that you turned three I want to let you know that you are a true gift, and I am honored to be here to witness your shift into childhood.
I love you.
Mama

a moment from today

outside

A few glimpses of our outside from this week:

Our remaining chicken flock (quantity seven) had mostly stopped laying eggs. We put them on craigslist and a man with a superb handlebar mustache came and took them away. The next day our chicken-farmer friends brought over our 20 new Rhode Island Reds in three yellow crates. Here are the kids awaiting the arrival:

While they were here our chicken-farmer friends also broke the bad news that we have skunks. We knew we had skunks in the area because about six months ago a skunk sprayed the side of our house (a horrible way to wake up I assure you) and then a few months after that a skunk got into our next door neighbors house through the cat door and sprayed inside.  But apparently all these little holes scattered throughout our yard? They said skunks.

So the skunk news, in combination with the fact that two neighborhood cats have gone missing since Atticus died (David and Ema's Axel being one of them), we have been discussing the idea of getting a new dog a bit more seriously. 

We finally thought ahead and bought wood for next year instead of scrambling to find dry wood at the last minute. It's very exciting and looks beautiful (in a country sort of way.)

And lastly, the kids and their neighbor friends building a fairy house in the moss down next to the creek. It is such a joy to watch them build these, and it brings me right back to being a child...

new painting

Kelcey Loomer

An Intricate and Complicated Goodbye

12" x 16"

paper and acrylic on panel

Trip North

 my dad:

 My friend Caren and her daughter picking out flowers for the funeral:

 My mom and Paul on the way to the service:

 Caren telling the 600 people gathered in the church that nothing in life had prepared her to be standing there at the funeral of her father:

leaving

 I am at the airport right now, heading up to NH for the service of my loved one, Benny. Alex and the kiddos stayed behind to hold down the home-front. Before I left I squeezed in a bit of Valentine making with them.  I have a bunch of these small glassine envelopes that we used~ they are fun because they are transparent and you can see all of Lili's glittery folded-up hearts inside. You would never be able to squeeze one of Seo's Valentines in an envelope because it is a mountain of stickers. :)

 Seo's...

use a humble pen

You want to be a writer

But you don't know how or when

Find a quiet place

Use a humble pen

I love this line from Paul Simon's song Hurricane Eye. The artist's version would go something like this:

You want to be an artist

But you don't know how or when

Find a quiet place

Use a humble pencil/brush

Whatever it is you dream of being or doing, it is so important to simply begin. one small step at a time.

the makers summit

I had the huge pleasure of attending the Makers Summit this past Saturday in Greenville SC. Created by the same talented folks who put on the Indie Craft Parade, the Makers Summit was an amazing business conference for artists, crafters, and designers.

The keynote speakers were really informative and inspirational, and I came home with some great kindling for Seed & Sky's business growth in 2013. Here is a Stephen Fraser, the founder of Spoonflower, sharing his wisdom:

One piece of advice he gave was finding a business partner with complimentary skills. That was nice to hear since that is Alex and me for sure! 

I felt pretty brave going to this conference all by myself. I spend so much time up on the mountain that I always feel socially awkward in big groups of people. I am embarrassed to admit this, but it is always a struggle to break out of my shyness ~ which is why it felt so nice to see this friendly face as soon as I got into the building. It was Margaret from Grit Goods who I know from both being vendors at different shows:

Everything was so inviting and pretty...

I sincerely hope they have this again next year. My job as a designer and artist can be lonely and isolating, (especially since we live in such a rural area,) so it was a treat to get to spend a whole day connecting with others with similar passions.