summer big crafty!

 It has been forever since I posted here...

While I was absent we went to Chicago for Alex's Grandmother's "Celebration of Life party". It was such a sweet mixture of tears, rekindling family ties, bellies hurting from laughing so much, family stories, food (lots of pizza and diner breakfasts!) and suburban adventures. We got home at 2:30 am Saturday morning and woke up a few hours later to bust out our Big Crafty preparations. We crossed everything off our list, had the truck packed and ready to go, and were in bed by 1:30 am the next morning.

A little about The Big Crafty photos:

1.  I changed up my booth this time and didn't make it as deep as I usually do. I left about 1/3 of the 10'x10' area for back-stock and for me and Alex to stand. I don't want my space to feel intimidating, and I think by making this shift customers can more easily browse by and not feel like they have to commit to coming into a cave. Does that make sense? Next time I want to have something at the very edge that is eye catching. I am not sure yet what that will be... Also, do you see that cool booth right next to me??? That's my sister Rebecca and her Etchville booth!!! (Etchville.com) 
2. Testing out our new earring cards I designed. I feel like they still need some bling, but I was happy with the improvement. They are hanging from a light blue baker's twine using mini clothespins. (I have been using these in my packaging for my Etsy shop too)
3. I did sell a painting yesterday, but not this one. I love this painting and I will have a twinge of sadness whenever it does decide to leave me :)
4. Alex and I made a giant leap into 2011 when we bought a droid smartphone this month! The application that enables you to take credit cards was the inspiration for the purchase. Using it at The Big Crafty was SO easy. For $1 they send you the small plug in that you use to swipe the customer's card. Then they charge you 3% for every transaction. 
5. And lastly, This is Rose! Lili named her. I bought her new on Ebay to model our earrings. I like how plain she is. She looks a little like an alien, but I promise you she is way less scary than a lot of the other models. I think she was $38 including shipping. (see here)

I always enjoy The Big Crafty. I met some new artists and craft people, and reconnected with some regulars. It is always something I look forward too... and yet I am always relieved when it is done. Today Alex went back to work, and the kids and I are settling back into our regular life.

three and a half

This month has been crazy chock-full of good things.  Visits, travel, friends, work and more work, and lots of plans turned completely upside down.

I started to get an eye twitch yesterday, which is a sure sign of stress for me. I had to stop and ask myself what do I have to be stressed over? So, I have made it a priority to take some deep breaths whenever I feel overwhelmed. Deep breaths and a note to self that most everything that is unfolding is wonderful. A whole lot of wonderful.

Kelcey Loomer

Mixed Media

12" x 12"

2004

And that is what I wish I could have conveyed to Lili when she had her absolutely WORST, all out blood-curdling screaming fit today.

It happened like this:

We were on a walk with a friend of her's up at the top of our road (about 30 feet from where that last picture of her was taken actually). Her friend stopped to pick a wineberry and Lili insisted that she couldn't pick it because it was going to turn into a blackberry (she was wrong). And when her friend went ahead to pick it anyway, Lili grabbed her arm and they started to have a frantic tug of war. I dragged Lili off her and set her down and then she proceeded to scream. and scream and scream with ALL her might. At first I was in shock at the force. And then I started to laugh (which she didn't like) and then I just crouched next to her and tried to remain calm. Meanwhile, I was holding Seo because he wouldn't let me put him down. I hovered there with her screaming for a while wondering what to do because she was completely out of control.

Thinking about what the neighbors must think (is someone being murdered?)

Wondering what was underneath this (because it obviously wasn't about a berry)

Debating between hugging her tight and leaving her there to work it out and come home. 

And then my brother-in-law David came jogging up the hill to help (looking like an angel). He had heard her screaming from way down the road and had come to help. He scooped her up and held her upside down and jogged with her in his arms back to our house. Lili's friend, Seo, and I followed. By the time he dropped her off on our doorstep she was laughing. Of course she immediately broke down again about something equally as mystifying, but at least we were home.

After writing this (and having a nice talk with my sister-in-law Ema tonight) it seems clear that her breakdown is probably a reaction to all of the out-of-routine things happening in our lives and me being gone for a week. So far the only remedy I have come up with is extra hugs and patience.

Have you heard of the terrible 3 1/2 ses?

haiku

Lili

step. twirl. jump. and land

looks back to meet my eyes, says: 

"Can't wait till I'm five!"

prepping

Alex and I have been working at night trying to get together a good stock of earrings for our Seed & Sky business. He has been working long hours, and many days in a row at his carpentry job (to make up for lost time when he had the kids and I went to California, and also in anticipation of our trip to Chicago for his grandmother's funeral). It is hard to see him so tired, but it is enjoyable to spend time together in this way.

So for now the evenings, after the kids have gone to bed, is the best time (really only) to get work done.  But it works.

Tonight I had a few kamikaze bugs fly onto my glue and get stuck. Poor bugs...

journal page

From the West Asheville Diary :: 2005

Kelcey Loomer

time away

I got home last night from my trip to the California coast. My first day there I got to see my brother-in-law in LA which was a treat. He and and his girlfriend Jen braved the thick traffic to pick me up at the airport late at night, and made me a huge country breakfast in the morning, then gave me an in-depth tour of Hollywood on the way to dropping me off in Malibu. I spent the rest of my time soaking in newborn twin land with my friend Christine. Life with two is a lot more work than life with one. And from experience I know that life with one newborn is not easy.

It is amazing to see friends rise to meet life's challenges with grace. Christine was running on empty, but was still doing an amazing job being a new mom. Really amazing. Her babies (Elle & Cruz) were heart-meltingly sweet.  When I talked to Alex on the phone I told him "They are SO cute" and he cleared his throat and said "ha ha, okay, don't bring them home..." but what I think he meant was don't come home with any ideas. Well. I didn't come home with any ideas like that, but I sure miss those soft squishy cheeks already.

On my return Alex met me at the airport with flowers from our garden (♥) and Lili sprinted into my arms when I got out of the car and gave me a five minute hug. Seo kind of rubbed his eyes and whimpered when he saw me as if he were seeing a mirage. It seems like the kids had some wonderful quality Daddio time without me.

Now Alex is going to work 10 days straight to make up for the work he has and will miss in the coming month. The big crafty is coming up (Mark your calenders: Sunday, July 10th), so I need to be spending nap times and evenings getting ready. I want re-do my booth display, so that is something I will be trying to figure out this week too.

As hard as it was to leave, it is good to be home.

fairy face paint

I asked her what she wanted to do that day, and she said she wanted to be a fairy. I love THIS brand of face paints. She was happy for hours being a fairy.

Goodbye Nana

I apologize for my absence here this week~ life has been full.

Alex's grandmother (Nana, Grace, or Mom depending on who you are) passed away a few days ago. She has been in declining health so in some ways it is a blessing she won't be in pain anymore, but she will be greatly missed. She started to check out mentally within weeks of Alex's grandfather passing a few years ago. They were both incredibly fun people, and I bet they are having some good laughs together now...

But here on the physical plane, life has been full of planning a trip to her celebration/funeral. And I am getting on a plane this evening bound for LA to visit one of my bestest friends who just had twins for a week. I am going with NO KIDS. And Seo is still nursing as of today... I am just trying to leave the house as clean as possible for Alex. I am just crossing my fingers and not thinking about it too much.

I am sure there is more, but I have to go pack.
Love to all,
Kelcey

Giveaway on Blue Bird Baby

Please come visit Blue Bird Baby's Blog to enter my giveaway!

Erin's blog is FANTASTIC. She lives in Maine which I love. She is a professional photographer, is creative, and is a wonderful & compassionate mother. I have a link to her blog in my list of "Places I love to visit" if you want to visit in the future. Erin did such a thoughtful job with my feature, and I am SO honored to be there!
Please come check it out!!!

see how the cloud matches his face?

{Seo's first attempt at using a spoon}

in progress

My studio and paint brushes have been neglected as of late, and I feel a little sad about it. So many things (mainly Seed & Sky) have taken up my spinets of free time.  This is a detail of the painting I am slowly working on ~ I have no idea where it is heading. I am excited by it though.

I was asked to give a Seed & Sky sponsor badge for the giveaway I am doing on BlueBirdBaby's blog this coming Sunday (!!!). It was one of those times I wanted to reply "Um, I don't have a badge, and I have NO idea how to make one..." but instead ("fake it till you make it") I scurried around google and found THIS tutorial on how to make a badge (I had to amend these directions and just added link address in place of the photobucket jpg). So I made one up and was able to reply "Sure, here you go!" I made a badge for Sweet Mess too while I was at it. See them in my top left corner? It can be so satisfying when you figure something new out :)

poppy earrings & folk pattern earrings

Short Poppy Earrings, Long Poppy Earrings

Short Folk Pattern Earrings, Long Folk Pattern Earrings

 It took forever for the kids to fall asleep tonight. Usually they are in bed between 6:30-7:00, but tonight they were both up there jabbering at each other... and then howling at each other. So Alex took Lili on a walk and Seo finally talked himself to sleep without her nearby. I stayed quiet downstairs, working on the computer. I finished editing the photos and listing the new earrings in the SHOP. Hooray!
Slowly and steadily...

xxx
Kelcey

history of place

Where are you right now?

Are you in your home?, in a coffee shop? At work?

Look around you and wonder/remember what this place looked like last year. Was the sofa over there?

What about before you knew this place?

What did it look like when your grandparents were children?

What did it smell like 100 years ago?

How about 1,000 years ago?

How about 2,000 years ago when your great (x100) grandparents were alive?

I found this arrowhead in our garden and it made me remember:

1. That my home is not my ancestral home. My great x100 Grandparents did not live here and make this arrowhead. And in some ways I feel like a cultural orphan. 
2. Our home is probably on stolen land. Not on paper, but in my heart. The Muscogee Creek people who lived in this area were "relocated" to Oklahoma in the Trail of Tears in the 1830's. Even if they didn't "own" it then, it is very clear they did not want the white people on their lands. 
3. That I have so much to learn about this little 2.5 acers we call home, and I feel called to unravel the history of my place.

How about you?

kids