and the anniversary winners are...

Thank you to all of my previous customers who entered my giveaway for the ten +30 card packs! It has been really sweet to hear from you all again, and to recognize and remember so many of you from over the years.

And the winners are...

8. leigh

9. sara

13. Cassandra

14. Ames

26. everyeskimo

30. Katherine

36. milk tooth's rain

42. Yellow

47. Jane Benson Ackerman

52. linda

Congratulations to all of you lucky winners. If you do not hear from me first, please take a moment you send me your mailing information. (oooh.... my baby is crying, have to run now!)

xox

sharilyn

countdown to kindergarten

I snapped this photograph earlier this week - Adelaide on our front steps, ready to go to her first day back at preschool.

Part of me actually kind of wishes that my kid was one of the little children who clung to their moms on that first day of school - but, um, yeah, not so much. After a little cajoling, I barely managed a wave from her. And my soft-focus day dreams of homeschooling my children - which have lingered in the back of my head since giving birth - have by now completely slipped away. (Almost - maybe Reid will never want to leave me!)

And so, the countdown to kindergarten begins. Often, I am thinking of this. Perhaps I have too much time to think rather than do these days, but the thoughts of my girl and school fascinate me.

I really love hearing schooling stories from around the world. And so, to feed my wonderment, I have three questions for you:

1. How did you choose your child's school?
2. What do you love most about it?
3. What do you not like about it?

the littles

It is incredible to me, to witness these two and their relationship. I am constantly amazed at how much Reid adores his big sister. He gets so frustrated because he just wants to do everything she does! I am also amazed at Adelaide's capacity to be wild for her little brother... after all, he did turn her world inside out and upside down. But no, this is a reciprocated love.

I must admit, however, that I am often concerned that Addie may break her little brother in two - she is very enthusiastic in her affections!

It took many months, but things have really settled down with the three of us. It now feels like we have always been together.

As we should be.

Because of these two little ones, my heart and my world know the sweetest of loves. I will always be eternally grateful to them, for this.

and... a winner!

Thank you to everyone who has entered the address file giveaway. If you are already have an address file, please enter my other 10 x +30 card packs giveaway - I will draw the winners for this next week.

And the winner is.... m & p!

m & p has left a new comment:

oh gosh, this is one of those things i've coveted for years and simply can't afford. keeping my fingers crossed tight tight tight...

10:34 am

Well, it sounds like the address file has found a wonderful home. Thank-you to everyone who entered, truly I wish that I had a little something to send to each and everyone of you. But I will be having more giveaways later on this year, as I have a few "extra" address files, and some other items to find good homes for as well, so keep in touch!

m & p I do not seem to have any contact information for you, so please send me your mailing address information.

Thanks again, everyone!

10 years... (a giveaway for my customers)

I've just realised that this Fall, my address file is turning 10 years old!

This little file has been a marvelous thing for me. I first made it for myself as I was growing frustrated with having to often toss out my traditional address books because the people I knew just kept moving all over the place. I wanted to create something that would be functional, long-lasting, classic, yet cute at the same time. I also wanted to do something with all of the stacks of vintage paper I had been hoarding, and an idea struck.

I often think of all of the marvelous people that I've met through my creations and how lucky I am to have them in my life. In celebration, I have made up 10 packs of my address file cards, as a giveaway for my lovely customers who have purchased an address file from me over the past decade. I have no idea how many - if any - of you are reading this, but I do hope so! (hopefully at least TEN of you!!!) Because I really would like to be able to thank you for your support.

So, if you are one of my past customers and have one of my address files, please leave a comment. In a week or so I hope to be able to select some names that I can send a package of fresh address file cards to you.

***This contest has now ended - comments are closed. Thank you to everyone who entered!***

and another quickie giveaway...

Hello! I am now looking for a good home for one of my handmade address files.

This file is in almost-perfect condition. It is made of ecologically harvested solid maple wood, and finished with a nice non-toxic satin finish. The only thing 'wrong' with this file is that it has a few minor rough patches on the file. I actually don't mind them, but others may not so much and so it is not for sale.

Each of my address files is of my own original design, and are designed to be both timeless and very functional. They are filled up with 200 address cards, each of them cut and punched personally by me! (I can now cut these cards with my eyes closed) Many of the cards are patterned with my own designs and printed on recycled paper, some are solid-coloured cards, and some cards are cut from re-cycled cardstock such as vintage library book cards. Each file is numbered, personalised to the recipient, and made with a whole ton of time, care and love!

If you would like to have one this special address file to call your own (or give to a friend) please leave a comment and I will attempt to randomly pick a winner tomorrow evening (Wednesday, September 21st, pacific time) This contest is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. Good Luck!

***This contest has now ended - comments are closed. Thank you to everyone who entered!***

gathering the rye

One of the things I find myself saying a lot since becoming a mom is "You've got to have projects!!!" I think if it wasn't for all of our projects I may just have lost my mind a long time ago.

Some genius planted fields of grains all around the new school by our house. Addie is fascinated by them and loves spending time wandering around and playing in their great heights. The other day, we decided to harvest some of the Rye. We are gathering it up with the thought of milling it and making our own crackers - I am eyeing various cracker recipes - any suggestions? It is slow going but pleasant work, and hey, we've got the time!

first dictionary

One of my very favourite things to do is to treasure hunt. For some reason, I always seem to find the best treasures when visiting small towns... why this is I am not quite sure.

This summer while on one of our summer trips around Vancouver Island, I found and collected up a basket full of the sweetest vintage children's books. When I picked out this vintage children's dictionary, I really thought that it would be more for me then my kids. But I came downstairs the other day and found Adelaide flipping through it and writing out the words, one by one.

I really love it that my kid is a nerd. I am hoping this affliction (or at least a little of it) will stay with her throughout her life.

Five-and-a-half months old

My little boy Reid is now 5.5 months old and he is really, really incredibly sweet. He has an amazingly laid back and joyful disposition which we all are charmed by.

Reid's very favourite thing is to be out all day long, checking out the world. (He gets frustrated if we stay home too much.) Reid has the biggest eyes and I really cannot walk half-a-block without someone stopping to talk to him or me overhearing "look at that babies' eyes.. so bright!!!" One day Reid and I had a hot date together, we went on an 6 hour walk all through Vancouver. He was in heaven! (And I counted 27 people who commented on or stopped to talk to him.)

Reid is very interested in the world and in doing everything we do, so he's desperate to move around. He's almost crawling and scoots himself all around on the floor (Trouble!).

Reid is desperate to eat and spends most of our dinner times together moaning at us and trying to grab food off of our plates and get it into his mouth. (So different from Adelaide, who had zero interest in food and would only nurse exclusively for well over a year.) With our doctor's advise, we have started Reid on solid food. This week, tired of listening to him moan, I went and picked him up a box of Cheerios. He is very pleased with himself and his Cheerios!

When I was pregnant I was worried that I wouldn't - couldn't - love anyone as much as I love my daughter Adelaide. But it is possible - to have and to feel more love, so incredibly much.

My heart is bigger (and swollen!) because of this little boy.