S P R I N G

Garden Spring cleaning yield? Carrots that accidentally over-Wintered, and some parsnips. They were fresh, sweet and crunchy.


The three plum trees in the yard take turns blooming. Honey bees emerge and fill the tree with busy humming. Winter was slow to release her grip this year.

Kitchen before and after. I get overwhelmed by a full house Spring clean, but DO like doing one area at a time. What hot spots need the most attention? Below is a photo of my coffee/tea counter......Before
As you can see, it's packed with yummy tea and coffee makings, but I can't easily get to anything, I've lost much of the useful counter space, and it looks messy. I was making do with a shelf that was too deep for the space.

Replace it with some cute shelves, carefully chosen from IKEA........


After: narrow metal shelves from IKEA that look 1940's. Cute, and totally appropriate for the space. I can see/reach/find everything. Snacks on top for the kids (nuts, rasins for a quick nibble). Most used teas on the next shelf. Heavy items below. Tea and herbs not used "every day" (as the rule goes) were organized below on a spinner shelf.

I really appreciate the counter space again. Our baking supplies are below, and we can easily mix right here, rather than drag everything across the kitchen to a larger counter. Makes sense.

Now what to do with my mug collection???


Front yard, shade garden bed, Bleeding Hearts.

Bliss

High Flying Easter Bunnies abound, literally, this time of year. My studio is filled with the bouncy little critters. Two of the new ones this year, have dipped themselves in color for the popular egg dyed look.... sheesh! They are exercising like crazy for the big day. Sort of like bunny Olympics in my studio.


New One Bird Tree and Oceania wrist warmers currently available. I love trees and just planted four fruit trees in my yard. We've created an orchard of dwarf trees in the hen's play pen. The girlz will keep weeds down and nibble up any dropped fruit, keeping the ground clean and bug free. Pretty good deal! The kids are already wondering if we'll get cherries, apricots or apples the first year.

Neen Jah the Buhn Nee

Here she comes, right on cue, swinging her way down to meet everyone! Welcome Neen Jah the Buhn Nee!


She coils her grapling hook and rope expertly, and poses for the picture.....


Here she is on her first day here, already escaping from the studio window, crusing down the bamboo to the ground. I'm happy to say three Ninja bunnies have already gone out into the world: one as far as Calgary Canada, and one to England! They LOVE adventures. And all their sisters back at home are plotting their very own missions of such excitment. Claim yours here.



Neen Jah Buhn Nee DOES especially like to play hide and seek! She'll count up to twelve in Japanese before hopping to find you.... better hide quick.

Happy Spring!

High Flying Easter Bunnies !!

Wow can these little guys jump!!!! And they are just hoppin to get out and see the world!



The gang poses for a publicity photo. Get yours at Bliss Forest. Spring is on it's way!



Mud Slide Sydney adores his little buddy, Licorice, and even helped stuff him, and did the hand stitching.



The end! Wheeeeeeeee!
hop
hop
h0p
hop

Turn your face to the spring

These are the Bluebirds of Happiness wrist warmers. I know we must be in mid winter now, but I feel so springish. All my work is so full of birds lately, we've had a long stretch of not-rain here in Oregon, and little green stems have poked from the garden.

I like the idea that one might tell a story using these wrist warmers.

First day of Spring and a celebration of where we've been

Happy official first day of Spring!!! It's very clearly Spring here in Western Oregon, but up at Willamette Pass, it's still Winter. I visited the mountains recently, with my family, and saw the biggest snowfall we've had in years. It was an amazing white crystal world, powder soft and ready for our first time on skis. This is my ski bunny self portrait. Sorry you can't see the ears. Actually, I do happen to be wearing a warm, custom elf hoodie from ThingsNStuff that's green wool on the outside, lined with fleece, with a wee orange elephant needle felted on the outside. (I'll get a photo up about that) Really fun to have custom snow gear!!

The kids did great on their first ski adventure. The powder was not slippery, and our skis slid along the groomed trail. Five year old Mud Slide Sydney was in front of the group, going along excitedly pointing nature out to me. He'd fall down, and pop right back up. His seven year old brother, Long legs McCormack, seemed to fight his skis a little more. Due to the long skis, I couldn't do much to help them back up! I did fine, and had a GREAT time, but endured one good fall. I slipped off the trail and fell into a tree well. Have you been in the deep snow like that? Imagine me upside down in deep powder, butt first into the hollow, skis kicking and polls all tangled..... my five year old was standing there watching with great concern. He finally says, "Mommy, I just don't know HOW to help you." So true, Darling, now stand back while mommy gracefully walruses her way out....... I thrashed my way out eventually, with my backside packed with snow.