Wow.

I figured you might get fired up about my post yesterday, so let me reiterate that I’m not digging up compliments or looking for any kind of drama.  What I’m saying is that I’m makin’ 35 my bitch, ya’ll.

And I’m bringing anyone who cares to come along.

I think it’s safe to assume that everyone who reads this knows that I sew.  Well, get ready to see a lot more action in that department.

I’m rebuilding my wardrobe.

I’d like to do the bulk of it by hand, but I know that won’t be entirely possible.  I’ll be buying  a few pieces too.  My emphasis for the entire project kind of mirrors who I am as an individual:  a high regard for sustainability (both for the environment and for human rights), simplicity, motion and flexibility, and professionalism.  I’ll be documenting a lot more of the design process, where ideas come from, how I make stuff, and what materials I like to use.

I’ll be sharing how I learn to put outfits together and how I keep my closet in check.  This isn’t about getting more stuff, it’s about carefully selecting pieces that can work well in a variety of looks.

I’m not saying I’ll be good at it but I’m ready to give it a shot.

And speaking of shots, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me now that I have a little remote for my DSLR.  This here is an unexpectedly pretty practice shot that I took while configuring the settings.  The lines and the colors made me smile, especially the reflection in the mirror.  So much going on in such a small space.  A little portrait of our life in this wee bitty house.

I love happy accidents.

The audio is shot due to the bird’s eye view, but here’s some footage found on youtube from Saturday night:

Colorful people in dusty, bright weekend homes.  The swaying of gentle trees.

Last week, our wee family trekked to Oregon for our first festival as a complete unit.  Here is the beginning of our adventure.

So awhile back, I showed you all some pretty sweet beer coozies that I made out of recycled wool sweaters.  DISCLAIMER:  MY MAN WANTS YOU TO KNOW THAT IT WAS HIS IDEA.  I had decided not to sell them online for a smattering of reasons, most of all because they never really felt finished.  I’m pretty big on quality and something about them just didn’t sit right.

Well, now it does.

Though the wool is felted and will not fray, there was something about having a raw edge there at the top that was bothering me.   I’ve finally found a way to resolve that little dilemma with a bit of fancy, stretchy trim.

It provides a finished, clean edge without compromising the function of the coozie.  In fact, it makes it even better because it prevents the top edge from stretching out over time.

Lookin’ pretty sharp for a beer, eh?

And yes, you can buy them.  I give in.  Coming soon!

This is the toughest part of creating the content for my fancy new website.

Learning about the structure of web design, the basics of html and css, the strategies behind SEO…that was easy compared to actually sitting down and composing an entire page about my own sweet self.  How do I provide all the information without sounding like an egotistical ass?  How do I keep it interesting?

What do you actually want to know about me?

There is a lot that has shaped my life:  where I’ve lived, my family, poverty, Montana, the principles of Buddhism, lots of therapy…not to mention art and craft and math and science.  Over the next few weeks, I’ll be using the blog here to figure out what to put on my final Bio page for the website.  I’ve got a good grasp on the code, the colors have been chosen, the fonts and styles and links and puzzle bits are all hammered out.

Now it’s time for the hard part.

What’s your approach on the dreaded “About Me” page?  Any words of wisdom?

Fellow Montana mama and superstar writer Nici Holt Cline from dig this chick came up with this brilliant beauty:  Curated Mess.

Curated Mess:  a pile discovered around your home, a precious collection that explains your life right now.

The boy has been requesting a “cake fire” for weeks now (the official term for a birthday cake with candles ablaze), and well, I like cake so I was pretty glad to oblige.  My mama’s birthday was last week and though she lives far away, we decided to make a cake fire in her honor.

While baking a cake from scratch sounds glamorous and heroically motherly, the time invested in such an enterprise distracts me from regular chores like dishes and general tidying.  Not that I mind.  In fact, I don’t mind a bit.

This is our curated mess.

One of the many.

A bead.  A Mazda.  You can’t move a muscle in this house without coming across a tiny car or some kind of crafting supply.

Sleek and ready.

Whipping egg whites, dreaming of the clouds of iridescent orbs produced by the bubble machine.

Baking dish cupboard, parking garage.

These are the happy discoveries of our days, both for the children and for mama.

Share your Curated Mess here on flickr.  And if you find the idea of sharing the reality of motherhood refreshing, check out a related project called Truthful Tuesdays, here at Hip Mountain Mama.