I Believe in You

Good morning.  I had a lot of ideas for topics of discussion today.  Some pithy, some ethereal, all fairly lengthy.  Then I saw this.  I think I'll wait to talk for another day and just let Sadie tell you her important message.

A Lucky Number Seven

Every year, in the few days leading up to my daughter's birthday, she wakes up in the dark morning, just a few moments before her birth time, and calls to me.  I don't know why, or what triggers her to do this, but each year for seven years she's done it.  I wake up, go into her room, and lay down with her. 

I remember all of the little details about her labor and birth. 

I whisper to her about how hot it was that summer and how, on the day that I went into labor, the air suddenly cooled and the light shifted so that it felt like fall. 

I tell her about how, six days after she was born, the geese flew over our house, honking wildly towards the south. 

I remember that after Bronwyn was born, I had intense and vivid dreams about birds talking to her, and to me.

I think about how much my life has been enriched by Bronwyn's presence in my life, and how sometimes love can hurt so much, and that's okay too.

Happy Birthday, my sweet and lovely girl.  I love you and wish you many more quiet and magical mornings to come.

**UPDATE**  I've uploaded photos of Bronwyn's party on my Flickr page here.

Whip it Up

I want to show you this amazing piece of useable art that my husband made for me.  It's a stock whip, which is a traditional tool used by cattlemen and women in Australia.

I've been practicing with it and it has a lovely and very satisfying *crack* when you get the rhythm right.  I'm so proud of my whip, and the fact that the whole thing was cut and hand braided by my husband.  Thanks, honey!

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

It's abundance time!  I find that mornings are usually the nicest time harvest out of the garden because it's less stressful on the plants and it's downright beautiful to be amongst the veggies at sunrise.  Very inspiring! 

I picked lettuces, beets, broccoli, and zucchinis this morning and I have to say, it was a great way to start the day!  And the lettuces were so delicate and sumptuous that I had to eat some for breakfast.  Lunch will be more salad and dinner will consist of roasted beets, zucchini, and steamed broccoli.  And let's not forget about the pesto!  I love summer!!

Beachy Keen

It feels like the summer is coming to a close already and there's still so much to pack in!

Bronwyn and I have been planning a trip to the beach for a long time, and finally we took our chance last week.  We spent two lovely days there with friends and I'm already itching to return.  The weather was lovely, the water was cold and fresh, and the sand was warm.

While we were lounging, we saw a little boy and his father flying a butterfly kite. The kite escaped the boy's grip and had several minutes of freedom before the father finally chased it down. I took this photo of it flying free and it gave me a smile.

In two weeks, Bronwyn goes back to school.  The return of regular routine will be lovely, and I do look forward to accomplishing some tasks that have been on the back burner, getting back to my business, and having some time to spend all to myself. But for now, I will enjoy the moments that I have with the tangled rush of time that is called, "Summer."

Welcome, Baby Flynn

One of my dear friends just had her baby boy, and I took the opportunity to make another recieving blanket for him.  This time I used Organic cotton from the Monaco Collection by Monaluna.  The scooters were just too cute, and the organic cotton was soft and lovely.  The back side is in a super soft, unbleached flannel.

For this project I learned how to hand sew the opposite side of the binding so that the stitching is invisible.  It was easy and restful work.  I felt like I was putting love for baby Flynn in each stitch. 

I also purchased the same scooter print in a pink colorway: just in case a little girl comes
along!

It's In the Details

As a compulsive crafter and a business woman, I enjoy the small details of running my shop, and one of the things that I keep thinking about is the packaging of my product.  


It is very important to me that my customers open their BCharmer mail and feel that they are loved and respected.  This means that I want my packaging to be clean, pretty, and have a "put together" feel.  But at the same time, I don't want to waste resources or be excessive.  Recently, I found a product that I feel helps me to accomplish this balance between environmental responsibility, artisan support, and lovely presentation.  It's called Washi Masking Tape, and my favorite seller of this fabulous stuff is Patty Yuan from The Tinted Mint.  

Washi Masking tapes are made from Japanese rice paper and an acrylic adhesive.  They come in a rainbow of yummy colors and adhere very well to a variety of substrates.  I have used them on tissue paper and have been able to re-position them without damaging the tissue, so it's extremely forgiving.  


Patty is an ethical businesswoman who also tries to keep her business footprint small.  As well, she donates a portion of her proceeds to a variety of environmental and social causes, which makes me all that much more happy to support her.

I am so relieved to know that I can  support my Magpie tendencies while also keeping  it simple and pretty.  Thank-You, Tinted Mint!

Imperial Project

Just before I left for vacation, I worked on a special bag for a new beloved customer.  She chose one of my Medium sized messengers, and she also picked some of my very favorite fabrics designed by Amy Butler.  The outside and pockets are made from a print called, "Imperial Fans."


Here is how it turned out:  I just love that bold print and the silvery coloring!