more cloth blocks!

i thought i'd share pictures of the latest cloth blocks that have made their way out of my little sewing room this month. first, a set of blocks for finn. these were chosen for finn by his cousin, and sent off to him as a surprise baby gift earlier in the month. i sure hope he loves them!

graham's blocks were whisked off to chicago right before i left on vacation last week. it was fun to make these, graham is also my dad's name, and one you don't hear so often for new babes these days. i got a such a sweet note from my customer [g is her friend's baby], she was so excited about the blocks that she emailed me before she had even finished unpacking them, she loved them so much. i love getting notes like that, it really made my day. it feels good to know that your labour of love is appreciated!

i have a number of blocks to make in the coming weeks. a couple of sets are on pause for babies who will be arriving imminently, and i'm getting started on another two sets this week. if you aren't tired to seeing them here, i'll share a few pictures when they're out the door!

etsy imagery :: moss

this week's etsy imagery is brought to you by the soothing + earthy tones of garden moss, paired with gentle rounded shapes. enjoy!

all images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

gather, circle moss ring :: adorn jewelry

simplicity [canadian jade], the earrings :: bad cat jewelry

olive green shimmer organza flower hair pins :: nomsa

felted wool beach stones - mounds of moss :: lil fish studios

the alders

i'm home! what a wonderful trip, full of good times + great friends. the kids had an absolute ball, freedom to play as they'd like and enjoy the beach to its fullest. us adults indulged in fabulous food + nightly happy hours, amazing company and memories to last forever. here's a taste of our week, i think these pics sum up our daily activities fairly well. if you're so inclined, there are a few more pics over on my flickr.

i'm a little slow-going getting back to the daily around here. we also have my father-in-law over for a visit, so i may be a little sparse this week. and next week, we're off on another wee trip, this time a rustic camping adventure on the sunshine coast. bear with me, i'll be back in the swing of things mid-august!! i promise to poke my head in here as often as i can...

hydrangea

my mom has always had the most incredible hydrangea bushes. at their last house [the house i grew up in], people would regularly knock on the door to ask if they could snip a few blooms. there were always bright blue, magenta, pale pink, and darkest plum. but this is by far my favourite colour of hydrangea. that crisp chartreuse green just pops next to the mauve. beauty.

please bear with me and my garden tour. i have a few more blossoms to share with you next week, then i promise we'll move on to a new photo subject!

paper goodies :: under the sea

this week's paper goodies are brought to you from under the sea. if these fishy critters were to pop their heads up just now, they'd see me sitting nearby, feet in the sand...

all images via shops as listed below, top to bottom.

letterpress notecards - koi :: smock paper

set of 6 crab notecards - gocco printed :: moonlight bindery

geo stingray - letterpress :: pearl & marmalade

flock of flying fish card :: dandy lion press

zinnia

and now for a few more pictures from my garden tour at my parents' last week. zinnias, one of my absolute favourites. i have always been a sucker for the bright saturated colours. i've never really taken notice of the buds before, but i'm so fond of the way they unfold. starting off like a mini artichoke, opening up to those bright + bold blooms.

look at the yellow around the centre, it's like hundreds of tiny flowers within a large flower. amazing. and those pollen curlicues, ripe and ready for the bees to do their thing.

etsy imagery :: cerulean dreams

if all is going as planned, i am currently chilling on the beach, watching my kiddies dig in the sand, loving our peaceful ocean surroundings. to me, these etsy beauties feel fresh + breezy + cool, just like i feel right now. enjoy!

all images via shops as listed below, top to bottom.

sunburst and clouds - fine art photograph :: melissa kate

playa tulum bracelet :: frost collections

bird in tree letterpress flags :: blackbird letterpress

spring sky spinning batt :: wild hare fiber studio

cerulean :: edor

summer vacation :: the alders

tomorrow, i'm off to a quiet spot on the east coast of vancouver island. my family started visiting 'the alders' the summer after i turned two. we returned every year during the same week, with many close friends who have done the same. it is a lovely tradition - since that first year, i've missed only three summers. even as a teenager who loved to avoid her parents [yup, that was me], i would beg for time off work, making it a priority to get up there, even if only for a couple of nights. this year i look forward to taking both the kids up, and staying in our rustic little cabin on the ocean, spending alot of time sitting, reading, playing, swimming, digging in the sand...all things summer.

i've planned a few posts to pop up here during the week, so please come back to visit while i'm gone. i don't believe there is wireless internet where i'm going, and if there is, i will choose to ignore it ;) this week i am going to unplug, and enjoy the slower pace of life at 'the alders'.

love in a mist

i went a little garden crazy the other day at my parents' house. while the kids played in the sprinkler, i puttered around photographing everything in sight. part of my plan for the summer is to get to know my camera a little better, so i tried playing with my settings + macro a bit. it's going to take some time, but my parents' garden is a pretty good place to play. here is a series of shots of my mom's favourite, love-in-a-mist.

normally i'm deathly afraid of spiders, but for some reason daddy long legs don't really bother me. maybe it's the long skinny legs, i'm definitely more afraid of a thick hairy spider leg. even writing that made me shiver. anyhow, i liked how this little guy looked nestled in the equally spindly leaves of the love-in-a-mist.

paper goodies :: gocco lovin'

i heart gocco. today's paper goodies are a selection of gocco-printed lovelies. there are about a zillion to choose from on etsy, so i imagine i'll be making gocco-goodies posts several more times before i'm through with my faves. for now, enjoy these few i've shared today...

all images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

we are all made of stars unframed gocco print :: jess gonacha

gocco print a5 [from the north] :: the dandelion project

set of 3 mini tag books :: erin zam

owl gocco print 4 chipboard coasters :: kerry beary

etsy imagery :: ferris wheel

it's time for summer fairs + ferris wheels. i've always loved going on the ferris wheel, and this year i hope to take my boy on one for the first time. that incredible feeling of looking out so far over the world, like you're flying with the birds. thought i'd share some ferris wheel goodies today, and as always, etsy was a virtual treasure chest of finds.

all images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

ferris wheel :: wood marvels

yee haw ferris wheel gocco art card :: two guitars

ferris wheel cork necklace :: uncorked

summer at the faire :: honeytree

local focus :: tiny warbler

when i first saw these wee animals by tiny warbler a few years back, it was instant love. hand stitched by local vancouver artist kate keeler, each one is a delicate treasure full of whimsy + personality. kate uses wool and cashmere for the bodies of these cuties, accenting them with patterned cottons [many of my favourites!] and perfectly appointed facial features. just look at those beaver teeth! the little beavers aren't in tiny warbler's shop, but were specially made for friends visiting from afar. what a lovely gift!

images via tiny warbler

i have a real soft spot for this little gal, i love her hot pink ears + sweet bashful face. tiny warbler's goods are stocked at several online + brick and mortar shops, including one of my personal faves, room6 here in north van.

you can find tiny warbler on kate's blog here + her etsy shop here.

go have a look!

pretty excited...

about having my blocks pictured in this post on Sew, Mama, Sew! i've been reading sew, mama, sew for a couple years, there are always lots of inspiring projects + pictures, plus amazing tips + advice. so i was pretty thrilled when they contacted me to ask if this picture of my blocks could be included in their post. yahoo!

find me over here

the lovely bridgett of perideau designs has featured smidgebox on her blog today! bridgett does a weekly feature called modern monday, and i've loved reading her past posts, learning new things about some of my favourite artists + designers. i was very excited when bridgett asked me to take part, and had alot of fun answering the questions. hop on over + enjoy!

image via perideau designs

bridgett is one of the many lovely people i've had the pleasure of meeting over here, and i am so glad we crossed paths. besides being a very sweet and genuine person, bridgett is the super talented force behind perideau designs stationery company. her lovely etsy shop has proven very successful in a short period of time, and she does all this while still working a full time 9-5 and raising her adorable baby girl! whew!

thanks, bridgett, for the lovely feature :)

etsy imagery :: beachy keen

these ethereal summer images have me yearning for a day at the beach. it's a little overcast + rainy in van city today, but i certainly got to enjoy some sunny summer days on the weekend. let's hope the sun doesn't stay away too long.

images via shops as listed below, top to bottom

the last days of summer :: alicia bock

summer is when... :: irene suchocki

heat wave :: susannah tucker