Saturdays

I love Saturdays because they start later than any other day of the week. On Saturdays I get to go to yoga at Yoga Tejas (Driggs, Idaho) which is the best yoga I have ever been involved with. They beautifully provide a peaceful, spacious, committed entry into each session that allows time for a connection to its message. I love that. I love it when people say, "lets slow down!" and then they show me how.

After yoga today I met my husband and sons at Pendls Bakery for lattes, muffins, and banana bread. That little gathering over baked goods would make any day just perfect. Today Smith, my husband, gave me great news while we sipped and chatted. He had seen a sign for a quilt, fabric and bead sale that I could stop at on the way home. And so I did. This is where I met my new friend "primitive horse".
Nancie Miller of Victor, Idaho makes these horses with her daughter Michelle, who owns The Magpie Bead Store in Driggs. They use reused materials found in second hand stores, or just things accumulated through their lifestyle of owning horses, beading, fusing glass, etc. I met Nancie as she greeted me from behind a table piled with beads. We talked a lot about crafting, craft fairs, and the whole community of talented people in the Teton Valley. Out of the corner of my eye I kept catching glimpses of Primitive Horse and almost left without her. Luckily, I stopped just short of the door, turned back to Nancie and said, "Wait! I have to have that horse!" She gladly gave him to me with the promise I would send a check in the mail.

Gratitudes:

1) the time to have long conversations with friends
2) family time
3) local food
4) yoga
5) purchasing local crafts

Happy trails, sj

Raw Edges

The true beauty of working with knits is that you do not have to hem them. Yes, it does give the clothing a rather "scrappy" essence; and that is what we LOVE about them. They are perfectly imperfect. Much like our children...their raw edges forever shining.

We have chosen to work with an organic cotton and hemp blend of fabric. Why do some give nervous looks when see say "and hemp"? These fabrics are softer then many 100% non-organic cottons and I will easily say equally as soft as 100% organic cotton. There are several companies using the fabrics for clothing and a lot of yoga pants our there using hemp blends. We all know yoga pants are the softest! If they can create so soft bamboo fabrics, you have to trust what they can do with hemp. We love this fabric because 1) hemp is grown without use of any chemicals 2) it is sustainable 3) it is very durable and 4) to our surprise not many people are choosing to make childrens clothing out of it.

To find out more about hemp--the textbook version, go to the NA Industrial Hemp Council.

Happy trails, sj

Gratitudes:

1) Whitewater cookbook
2) Clean, fresh mountain air
3) The grass beginning to show beneath our piles of snow
4) A good nights sleep
5) Keeping healthy through the winter (Why is it still winter here?)

when the boys are away...the girls will play!

Our first business idea before we decided to get into the "simple" task of making children's clothes was gratitude journals. Even though the business of making them got dropped the idea is still one that plays a huge part in our lives together and separately.

Today I am grateful for:

1) Susan's ability to get our blog up and rolling for the second time-- she can be so techy.

2) BanJo cooperated and went to bed so we could actually talk without interruptions for over an hour! That is unheard of.

3) My sewing machine is back from the Doc and is running smoother than ever-- I also have 10 new bobbins-- which makes me so happy.

4) Our husbands going away on the same night so we could have a much needed date-business meeting-synergetic conversation. Sometimes the living 786.29 miles apart and being business partners can be a challenging at times. Wasn't it easier when we lived across a field from each other?

5) Care packages-- a bunch of colors, a new tipi and another surprise actually made their way to Victor today-- I am excited for Susan to get the box-- since I packed it in November it is pretty cool that in March you are going to receive it. (I vow to be better about using the postal service!)

Tonight I am going to work on a couple of outfits for 2 little girls whose birthdays are next week (2 and 4). I am psyched to see them open their gifts. JoJo tried on the dress the I made for Chiara and said, "Is that purple dress my dress?" I guess that means she liked it.