Two Green Chickens

How about orange and pink...

2011-12-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

...for Christmas

Every year I go back to this post about how to make a gift bow from How About Orange. This year I wanted to make a big pink bow for a teacher gift. BTW if you haven't tried Cadbury Fingers you really should - delicious. While there I couldn't help but noticed a new tutorial, How to make 3D paper ball ornaments, so much fun. I ended up going with pink and orange for the bow too as the ball looked so great.

I had a helper while taking the photo who just HAD to hold the ball

Pendleton love

2011-12-12T20:50:00.000-08:00

Pendleton at Anthropologie (and the bag I was telling you about)

New vintage charm necklaces

2011-11-27T18:30:00.001-08:00

I made some charm necklaces for the little one and I thought it would be fun to offer our favorites over at the Two Green Chickens shop.

update!

2010-11-04T22:25:00.000-07:00

Green and Greener has increased the discount to 10% off your mattress; refer a friend who purchases a mattress with the non-profit donation special and you'll get you an extra 5% back (that's a savings of up to $420!) Sweet!

"Do Well By Doing Good"

2010-11-03T22:45:00.000-07:00

I told our friend Alegre we would spread the good word on a promotion they currently are running at her shop Green and Greener... D and I are in the market for a new mattress - and are going to bring in our donation to the Parent Group at our elementary school.

"DO WELL BY DOING GOOD" SPECIAL DISCOUNT ON MATTRESSES
Bring in proof of a $50 or more donation to a non-profit that benefits the environment, children or animals and you'll get 5% off your mattress; refer a friend who purchases a mattress with the non-profit donation special and you'll get you an extra 5% back (that's a savings of up to $280!) **(see below for full details)

You can come check out the latex/wool/cotton mattresses carried in store...they feel like a dream. They are made in Southern California out of 100% natural latex foam (latex is from the rubber tree) that is wrapped in organic cotton to start and can be customized to include Pure Grow wool. You can also order inner-spring mattresses if you prefer, although they prefer the latex to inner spring though because 1) no pressure points, 2) they are anti-dust mite and other allergens, 3) they last more than twice as long and 4) no EMF radiation because no metal parts.

**Donation must be to a registered 501(c)(3) and a copy of the donation receipt on organization's letterhead must be dated on or after January 1, 2010 and be shown to Green and Greener employee at the time of purchase. Each $50+ donation is good towards the purchase of one mattress. This offer is good through December 31, 2010.

what do you think?

2010-09-19T20:09:00.000-07:00

Sinking in paper? At $400 do you think this thing would be worth it?

NeatDesk

Oh - and thank you Qubo for introducing it to the girls - who in turn introduced it to me :)

The Old Place

2010-09-19T13:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we headed to the Peter Strauss Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains for a picnic and Bluegrass concert. It was loads of fun. Even more exciting was the Cornell Winery and Old Place opposite the Ranch entrance. The restaurant looks amazing, we had a little look around. We should meet up there one Saturday night. The menu is truly mouth watering.

E is for elephant

2010-09-07T19:26:00.000-07:00

I found this amazing little book called Paper Snips at the Salvation Army and thought I would drag it out today, the last day of the summer vacation, to try and occupy the kids. It didn't really do it for them but I had a blast. The book contained a bunch of animal stencils, sadly most of them didn't survive but the graphics are beautiful. We managed an elephant and dog before they were off onto something else.

Baby shoes - finally

2010-09-06T14:56:00.000-07:00

I've loved the idea of baby shoes made from vintage fabric ever since I spotted them in Tiny Happy's shop back in 2007. I think they make a different, perfect gift for a new born and I've bought a few pairs from her in the intervening years. Although I adore everything Melissa does you know my craziness for bright retro prints so I decided to experiment with some of my own vintage fabric stash. I've finally figured out a pattern I like and here are the results. I'm keeping the chickens as a sample but I put the Joan Walsh Anglund pair in our shop.

i want to ride my bicycle

2010-08-29T23:36:00.000-07:00

there is such joy in teaching the girls something new. but when they teach themselves, my heart swells.

K has wanted to learn to ride her bicycle like her big sister ever since E took off on two wheels. we put a handle on the back, and spend some time practicing, and she was close, but not quite there. she quickly taught herself to ride her two-wheeler while we were up north. the secret was given to us by D's (amazing!) cousin Rose - who visited us on the island while on a SF - Vancouver cycling adventure. (she actually works teaching kids to ride, and ride safely.) the handle wasn't helping her learn to balance - the key to riding. "take off the pedals" she told us. that simple. after two days scooting around pedal-free i put them back on, and presto. (its the premise of the whole "balance bike" movement - without the added cost. the bike they end up on can also be the bike they learn on.)

we passed on the tip when we got home and today K's best friend learned the same - and off they went with the rest of the neighbourhood kids.

they were beaming. (and so was i.)

Ivor the Engine

2010-08-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Did you watch Ivor the Engine growing up? I've been reading about Smallfilms that apparently produced a lot of the children's programming I remember from my childhood. Unlike Bagpuss, another favorite, there's lots of episodes on YouTube and I've been watching them with the kid. Episode 20, Snowdrifts, has been a particular favorite. To say they are delightful is somewhat of an understatement or is that just nostalgia talking? The look is wonderful - apparently stop motion animation using cardboard cut-outs painted with watercolors.

I spy something yellow

2010-08-05T19:31:00.000-07:00

Awesomeness on Etsy. The vintage stuff for kids just gets better and better.

Yellow Hood from Jumpintotherainbow

Hush Puppies from trucksanddolls

Big Bird Crocheted Bag from storybookvintage

Ed Emberley Show

2010-07-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Hey you - try and get to this if you can, it's fantastic. "Ed Emberley & Friends" is at the Scion Installation L.A. in Culver City through August 7. I've been mad for his books for forever and we've bought a lot of them for the boy so we took him to the opening on Saturday night. Ed Emberley was there and couldn't have been more lovely talking to us and signing all our books. He even drew T on a shark!

T has been drawing feverishly from the books all day

LA Times article
KPCC Interview

Metallica

2010-07-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

Have you noticed all the metallic footware available for kids right now? Groovy.

Gold Salt Water Sandal from Zappos

Silver Hunter Boots from Zappos

Gold metallic Superga sneakers from Zappos

p.s. did you know Metallica formed in Los Angeles in 1981?

Flowers Guitar Case

2010-06-23T21:37:00.000-07:00

Do you need these for the girl's guitars?...

...thought so.

Titus Flowers Guitar Case from Smallable

Medication Disposal

2010-05-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

While searching out information on the recent recall of children's medications (including Tylenol and Zyrtec which we have in our medicine cabinet) I found a link to this website:

http://www.smarxtdisposal.net/

I knew flusing was bad - but thought meds ending in the landfill were equally problematic. I remembered your old post - and will save these for our next hazmat pick-up. I wonder why they don't suggest this?

Hmmm....

CSAing

2010-04-18T22:35:00.000-07:00

so as I mentioned over here, we received our first CSA bounty. this week: artichoke, turnips, ruby lettuce, lacinato kale, chard, onion, chantenay carrots, beets, white carrots, leeks, haas avocados, cilantro, spinach, celery, arugula and broccoli. yum.

what initially drew me to "Join the Farm" - aside from their location and that they are certified organic - was their website, full of good, straight-forward info:

from the Join the Farm website:
What is a CSA?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture, an arrangement in which subscribers buy a portion of a farmer’s crop at the beginning of the season and then receive weekly boxes of whatever is being harvested fresh from the field.

Why join a CSA?
At a time when most of our food is bred for uniformity and durability at the expense of taste, grown with synthetic pesticides, packaged in unrecyclable materials, and shipped thousands of miles, CSA restores healthy relationships between communities, farmers, and the land. Our produce is seasonal, local, organic, and delicious, and we love having visitors come to see the farm, meet those of us who are growing your food, and even do a little farm work!

We are so excited to be doing this. We are working towards having our elementary school as a drop-off (we need 3 more subscribers to make it happen) and are also trying to set-up a blog for our group of subscribers to share recipes of what they have done with their weekly delivery. (I thought this might be good for all of us after getting numerous emails and mms messages of people's breakfast the first day after our pick-up!) I will keep you posted. And let me know what you find down your way.

Perfect.

2010-02-24T10:00:00.000-08:00

I am in love with this print.

"Perfect Community" by Satoshi Hashimoto avaiable at monocle

Go there to see it bigger!

(Man. Budget living is killing me!)

sew sow so

2010-02-15T15:54:00.000-08:00

First off Dolly is magnificent! I love the flower in her hair!

And back to your question about school gardening:

A box garden for every class is a wonderful idea. We have done the same. What I have found though is without the infrastructure for the teachers to know what to do with them, it only goes so far. That is where your connection to GrowingGreat may be most valuable. I think though, ultimately, there is so much put on our teachers right now that some (as we talked about today!) just follow the prescribed checklist of reading, writing, and 'rithmetic without ever leaving that box. It is those teachers (and in some cases parents in the classroom) that realize that the garden can be used for more than just teaching nutrition but integrated into those three subjects (along with science, art, history etc.) that will have the "best" garden boxes on campus.

And so, a question now for you. I need to get a "system" in place and will start with the pile on my desk in front of me. What do you do with magazines? (Ok, not the most important doc in front of me but hey, its the top of the pile so its a start!) I have every dwell since the beginning - and am not sure why. But also can't seem to part with them? Should I?! I also have piles of tearsheets from those mags I have bid farewell too (Martha Stewart; Sunset, Real Simple...) I'll add - I don't have time to paste them into some kind of scrapbook, as others have suggested to me. What do you do?

So good to be with you today in person. (And to know I can be with you any day here.) xo

Dolly

2010-02-15T15:31:00.000-08:00

So I didn't make it in time for Christmas but I managed to finish her just in time for the baby's birthday, no longer a baby at two!

I used the Poppy Doll pattern from Hop Skip Jump. They are becoming best friends which makes me happy. So far we seem to be calling her dolly.

2010-02-11T16:33:00.000-08:00

Couple of things to tell you about:

1) Jamie Oliver won the 2010 TED Prize. His wish - “I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”
http://www.jamieoliver.com/news/jamie-wins-prestigious-ted-prize

2) Our school wants to build a box garden for every class and is joining GrowingGreat. If you were to give them one piece of advice, what would it be?

Space Boots

2010-02-09T17:21:00.001-08:00

I have to say if these were available in either my or the baby's size, I'd have to get them.

Space Boots from Flora and Henri

Now for the Furniture

2010-02-08T20:11:00.000-08:00

I decided the house needed people and at least a few pieces of furniture to start with. I ordered Plan Toy's Modern Doll Family and Doll House Nursery which comes with a baby, and I have to say they are pretty adorable.

But I thought it might be fun to make the rest of the furniture ourselves. I have visions of using egg cartons and cereal boxes a la the Blue Peter of my childhood. Did you get Blue Peter in Canada?

I'm finding lots of inspiration at Made by Joel, but somehow I don't think our finished pieces will look quite like this.

for the love of wallpaper

2010-01-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

Do it.

I so badly want this for our kitchen.

from the ferm living website

Wallpaper?

2010-01-13T19:35:00.000-08:00

I'm thinking this may be an excuse to start looking for vintage wallpaper for the dollhouse you found. Inspiration below...

Dollhouse from Ferm Living

Coptic Bound Lego

2010-01-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

So the kid is reaching fever pitch when it comes to Lego, in particular Star Wars Lego. It's all he wanted for Christmas and it's all he wants for his birthday. Is this a boy thing?

I take some comfort in the fact it seems to be an international phenomenon after reading Fine Little Day's post. He too got the Republic Attack Cruiser for Christmas and we are trying to think of ways to display his finished models within easy reach for him but safe from the destructive little hands of his sister.

What he really wants is the Death Star and he is saving hard but at $450 he'll be in college by the time he saves enough. However, there is some solace in this YouTube video - excellent!

And look what I found for me - I mean him. I've been trying to get him to use a sketch book around to record and doodle so perhaps this will do the trick.

Small Coptic Bound Book with a Build your Own Cover Design

How about this?

2010-01-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

Picked up at the thrift for $9.99. No markings - except for a small tag reading "Made in Indonesia" and some lovely cursive graffitti on the back of the previous owners doing ;)

{Man, may 2010 be the year of the baseboard!}

xo

Vintage or new doll's house?

2010-01-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

While we were away the baby showed a huge amount of interest in a Barbie doll's house one of our friend's girls got from Santa. She was particularly captivated by the toilet which made a flushing noise, I'm not joking, to the point where she stripped down and tried to climb into the house to sit on it. I guess an understanding of scale comes later.

Anyway, as her second birthday is coming up, count them - two years!, I thought a doll's house might be a good idea for a present. But my dilemma is new or vintage? Here is want I have found so far, what do you think?

Green Dollhouse by Plan Toys

This one has a rain barrel!

Terrace Dollhouse by Plan Toys

Vintage Tyo Doll House Sesame Street

60s Vintage Fisher Price

Vintage 1950's Dream House

there and back again

2010-01-03T18:22:00.000-08:00

Hi. We are home! Home. It sticks in my throat a little. To be perfectly honest, sometimes when we are away, when we are up on "our island", I feel more at home than ever.

In any case, we are back. I am sorry I didn't send any postcards this trip. It went so quickly, and the internet availability was limited.

Here are the ones I would have sent.

the ferry ride from Sturdies Bay to Schwartz Bay

looking up on a hike in the woods

a fire waiting for us in the stove

Happy New Year my dear friend. xo

Tea towel gift wrap

2009-12-24T08:35:00.000-08:00

I picked up this sweet Christmas tree tea towel at my local thrift shop for 15c and realized it would make cute gift wrap. I'll have to look out for more throughout the year for next Christmas.

Wish list

2009-12-18T21:26:00.001-08:00

Loving this Chester Wallace Tote from Canoe. Made from vintage canvas, it's a clever design, working both as a smaller shoulder bag and a huge tote if you need it.

You got your wish - it's still raining

2009-12-12T17:00:00.000-08:00

You reminded me of an episode of Living With Ed where he buys a rain barrel and his wife hates how it looks. I actually kind of like the way it looks, but then you know how I feel about orange. I consulted his book to see if I could find a resource for you but alas there wasn't one. It does say it costs $90 which seems steep. He also writes you shouldn't water your vegetables with water collected from your roof, just your ornamentals, which I wouldn't have thought of.

Can you believe this weather? - I bet we could have filled up a couple of barrels over the past couple of days.

I do like the grey one below. If we lived in the city of LA we could get a free barrel as part of the LA Rainwater Harvesting Program. LA Times article here.

Update: I think I just found Ed's rain barrel here.

Rain Rain Don't Go Away

2009-12-11T11:28:00.000-08:00

I am loving the wet stuff. We don't get enough of it over here - compared with you. Crazy how you can live in the same city and have completely different weather.

So I am thinking to maximize we should invest in a rain barrel.

I like these - but wonder if they are too "traditional" for our mcm home?

$149-$219 at Gardener's Supply Co.

Maybe this grey one instead. (Supposedly designed after an English "dollie"??)

$149 at Gardener's Supply Co.

What do you think? I am hoping they go on sale in the new year.

Or we could just go the "do it yourself" route. Instructions here. Will watch Craig's List for free barrels.

Stay wet! xo

Welcome To Our Cabin

2009-12-10T20:56:00.000-08:00

You need this...

From the stick man

Good morning

2009-12-10T06:13:00.001-08:00

Interesting link via Simple Lovely to a TIME mag article on overparenting...

Something on my mind...

Bits and Bobs

2009-12-02T11:03:00.000-08:00

Those crewel kits you have in the shop are tempting me...

I am becoming obsessed with vintage (60s-70s) crewel work.

(This one I found finished at the Goodwill.)

(And this one I LOVE. It is hanging on the wall of a friend's home. I want to try and make a copy of it.)

I also found a bunch of vintage brochures at the Goodwill for crewel kits.

It all took me to the Permin of Copenhagen website. There is quite a bit I am not into here (viking needlepoint anyone?) but I am enjoying their monthly free graph download. This month - a sweet little Santa needlepoint by the fire. Also giving me ideas about designing my own crewelwork advent calendar. Hmmmmmm...

Did you guys get to see The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Oh. My! I am sorry we didn't get to go together. It really was Fantastic.

Happy December!

Anorak

2009-12-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

I ordered a copy of Anorak, the self described happy mag for kids, from Little Bean the other week and I wasn't disappointed. It's beautifully illustrated and put together. It reminded me a little of the insert Martha Stewart Kids magazine used to publish. My six-year-old saw it lying on the kitchen table and was immediately drawn to it. However, even more of a hit with him, was the Anorak Mag app I downloaded onto my iPhone. Lots of fun, especially the cycling and whack-an -anorak games. You can read about it here.

Cardboard Leaf Wreath

2009-11-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

I'm loving this wreath made from 100% recycled cardboard.
$32 from Branch Home.

David's Dymo

2009-11-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

I remember having a Dymo as a kid. It was royal blue. I didn't have the strength to squeeze the handle hard enough so the letters never came out properly. I always ended up frustrated and having to ask my dad.

I found David's Dymo at the Salvation Army. I've ordered some tape from ebay - let's see if the muscles in my hand are any stronger these days.

David had wood grain tape - no fair!

Of course there is a Dymo Love group on Flickr

Did I miss something?

2009-11-18T10:09:00.001-08:00

Just stumbled across Clothkits via an email from Pallant House about their upcoming Henry Moore textile show. And I'm in love! (So good I am thinking I must be late to the party.)

I think they have quite a history (founded in 1968) in the UK - am I right Sam? They are great.

I'm thinking about sewing up one of these.

Cloth Kitty Ragdoll Kit

Do you think my girls would freak if I got them one of these instead of the American Girl dolls they are begging for? The clothes! ack!

I am also thinking of these corduroy smocks for the girls.

Babycord Funky Chicken Shift Dress Kit

The kit comes with "printed fabric, lining fabric (plain or ::sigh:: Liberty), beautiful shell buttons, top quality sewing thread and simple, illustrated instructions. All beautifully bound with a satin polka dot ribbon."

Oh my order trigger finger is itchy!

(Coincidentally I had stumbled upon Jane Foster and her fabulous house about a week ago. And here she is a designer for Clothkits! Do you know her blog Sam? It is right up your alley.)

Sunset

2009-11-18T09:20:00.000-08:00

Have I told you this before?

I *LOVE* Sunset Books from the 1960s & 1970s, especially ones with a photo of the Sunset test kitchen at Menlo Park on the back.

Some recent acquisitions....

For more see the Flickr Pool Sunset Books from the 1960s & 1970s

Felt Coasters

2009-11-16T09:15:00.000-08:00

Hey Tracy, here are the felt coasters I was telling you about from Anthropologie. I love the packaging as much as the coasters.

Making Adjustments

2009-11-09T21:54:00.000-08:00

Oh! Time to make her the Poppy Doll. Could we find it if we look together? I'd like to make things for the girls this year. But oh that search for time. I need to make adjusments.

Speaking of adjustments and, your Better Homes & Gardens peek, I was reminded of this on my shelf.

The timing was right as I have returned to a Built By Wendy top I cut out at least a year ago. Maybe two. It is out of a corduroy I bought with you at the Cotton Shop. I sewed it up. And it doesn't fit. It is the first thing I have made for myself since high school. Needless to say I was disappointed. I've been pouring through books on adjusting fit.

Do you have a go-to for this subject. The Wendy books are actually pretty good on this. But I am thinking of ordering this too.

In the meantime, BH&G is entertaining me.

p.s. Love BFG. and let's talk about sewing for the holidays when we (gasp!) see each other Sunday!

Christmas Ideas

2009-11-09T17:18:00.000-08:00

So Tracy, having been through it a couple of times, what do you get a two-year-old girl for Christmas?

I impulsively bought this because *I* loved it so much but I think I might have to put it away for a couple of years.

I recently spotted this Eco House which is fabulous and tempting but again may be a little old for her.

I fantasize I will have time to make her the Poppy Doll from Hop Skip and Jump and I even bought the pattern but I definitely need a back-up plan.

So much inspiration....

2009-11-07T15:34:00.000-08:00

...so little time

Better Homes and Garden Sewing for Your Home, 1974

Tracy - you should try this with your butterfly chairs!

More photos here.

New Book Blog

2009-11-07T09:14:00.001-08:00

Hey Tracy, thanks for all the book ideas. I found another resource you might like. There was a story on NPR about Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The boy LOVES these books and while they are not my favorite, I figure anything that gets him reading is okay.

It talks about parent's ambivalence towards the books a little bit in the story and interviews Tanya Turek, a mother of three who works in the children's department of a Barnes and Noble. She has a blog called books4yourkids.com. It's a great read.

By the way we finished Matilda and have decided to move on to The BFG.

Fox-y

2009-11-01T21:07:00.000-08:00

So I abandoned the papier mache idea for a Halloween mask and went with something I knew better:

I sewed this up using a wool felt base and layers of scrap. (For D I fashioned a hounddog mask in the same way!)

Hope you guys had a wonderful and safe Halloween! xo

Post-Matilda Post

2009-10-27T09:09:00.001-07:00

Oh Sam I love the images you've pulled together. Did you know I was thinking about being a fox for Halloween? I have these grand notions of a papier-mache mask. If I get my act together... Do you have a good papier-mache receipe? I'll have to find one.

Yes, a fieldtrip to see Mr. Fox is an excellent idea.

And testament to just how in sync we are, we are reading Matilda! K has taken to counting the "naughty" words as we go along. Seven in last night's chapter. We watched the movie over the weekend.

Other books we are into right now:

Fanny & Annabelle by Holly Hobbie

As a child of the 70s, I have a soft-spot for anything Holly Hobbie. This is a hit with the 5 yr old, and is a follow-up to her beloved Fanny. (I think Fanny is the better of the two. Such a good book!) Oh, but this one made David cry!

George and Martha by James Marshall

Heavy rotation again with the 5 yr old. Good stuff.

Annie Finkle's Rules for Girls: Stage Fright

The 8 year old likes this series, and this one is the latest. She is going through a book every day and half now! I think I'll to put her onto Enid Blyton - I loved the Famous Five when I was 8.

Beyond the Bakesale: The Essential Guide to Family School Partnerships

Guess who is reading this one? Ha! I have to say, though it is written for Public School Administrators and Teachers, I am finding it very inspirational, and thought-provoking.

Lighting Their Fires by Rafe Esquith

And this too. He is my go-to when I am feeling discouraged about our Public School system. Is there a theme here?!

The Grand Central Baking Book

Counteracting my Beyond the Bakesale reading. I LOVE this book. Molasses cookies on the schedule today.

How To Be Free by Tom Hodgkinson

Ok, thought I should include what is on David's nightstand. I bought this for him, reading about it somewhere - can't remember now.

Mr. Fox

2009-10-26T22:03:00.000-07:00

Tracy, are you taking the bugs to see Fantastic Mr. Fox? Maybe we should get a field trip together. I've just finished reading the book to the boy and it was indeed fantastic. We are now moving on to Matilda...

1. IMG_2579, 2. Roald Dahl: Fantastic Mr Fox, 3. Fox, 4. il sogno, 5. Matte Stephens, 6. Freddy, 7. Fantastic Mr Fox, 8. Fantastic Mr Fox_6, 9. Fantastic Foxes, 10. redhood, 11. The Fantastic Mr. Fox, 12. ron2-10-09 084a, 13. Untitled, 14. "The Thrill of the Hunt" detail 1, 15. Untitled, 16. Fabric Farmers

A love letter, of sorts

2009-10-24T15:11:00.000-07:00

Dear Two Green Chickens,

I know we don't post to you as often as we should or add items to the shop as much as we would like. But we've been busy of late. We have other coops to run, chicks to feed and fuss over, farms to commute to everyday. But it doesn't mean we are not thinking about you. We talk (text) about you often, have dreams and hopes for you, and look forward to the time when we can spend more time with you.

Please accept this new banner (designed by the very talented and fantastic Mr. Britt, more on him later) as a token of our love.

With love and affection,
Tracy and Samantha

Above is some artwork sent to us by S. Britt while working with him on the new banner.

Speed Thrifting

2009-10-17T09:49:00.000-07:00

Between work and kids there is not much time to even thrift anymore. I'm resorting to 30 minutes on a Friday night after work - thank you Salvation Army for staying open late. Friday nights are more forgiving, no homework, no getting to bed on time, not even a bath! Well, the baby usually needs a bath but the boy can get away with it.

So in I go, after work. I look down the crockery aisle first then round the corner to the "other" aisle and this is usually where I find some great vintage paper goods. See below for a fantastic box of envelopes I recently found. Over to the bedding and fabric corner - why is there never any good fabric yardage at my SA? A zoom through the kid's clothes and a walk down the adult skirt and dress aisle in search a fabric. This tactic can sometimes unearth some wonderful and inexpensive yardage finds like the William Morris and Marimekko skirts below. I'm imagining making the baby some sweet skirts or tops from this. Imagining because I don't have time to sew anymore either...

How do you shop at the thrift store?

Get off the couch!

2009-10-15T08:45:00.000-07:00

New to me, Kids Off the Couch, is a free weekly e-newsletter "that offers parents fresh ideas for using movies to connect their kids to culture".

You can sign up at www.kidsoffthecouch.com and check out their archives for kid-tested pairings of great family films and cool adventures in Los Angeles, such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, apple picking at Riley's Farm and making apple prints with the kids.

saracarr

2009-10-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

I think these will be my go to gift this holiday for the 8 and under crowd...

I love everything in sara's shop. The egg cozies would be a great stocking stuffer too!

(found via bloesem kids)

wiki-d

2009-10-13T06:15:00.001-07:00

My favourite native plant nursery - Theodore Payne, in Sunland - has a new Native Plant Wiki chock full of useful information for the native plant gardener.

encelia californica

Listen up!

2009-10-09T15:17:00.000-07:00

On a tip from Blair today, I picked up a ::free:: episode of Boomerang. Get it here. If you don't know Boomerang, their tagline is "it's like Public Radio for kids".

Check it out!

cool tool

2009-10-09T13:59:00.000-07:00

Whole Foods has introduced an iphone app to "put healthy and convenient recipes in your pocket." Thank you very much!

Read about it here.
Download it on iTunes.

what's for lunch?

2009-10-08T16:28:00.000-07:00

today:
nitrite-free oven-roasted turkey on whole grain bread with mayo and mustard
organic dill pickle
carrot sticks (chopped myself)
organic grapes and strawberries
organic whole grain pretzels
H2O

packed in:
lead and bpa free lunchbags from hanna anderson
bento boxes picked up at comic con by a friend
kids konserve stainless steel containers
klean kanteens

I find making lunches one of the biggest challenges of the school year. What are you packing?

vintage reads

2009-09-30T13:49:00.000-07:00

in the shop

Shop Update

2009-09-27T20:53:00.000-07:00

I've added a couple of handmade patchwork items to the shop.

Clementine Art

2009-09-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

I picked up a box of soy crayons from Clementine Art the other day. Sweet packaging, non-toxic, ingredients listed on the back, made in the USA - what more could a mommy ask for?

The baby made short work of them but, see below, but she found them easy to use and they make strong, bold marks which is always good for and little person with the attention span of a gnat.

clucking

2009-09-24T10:38:00.000-07:00

part II of my piece on (sub)urban chicken keeping over at sewgreen!

Wee Shop Update

2009-09-17T11:32:00.001-07:00

find it over at the twogreenchickens shop

Arthur's Circus

2009-09-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a fabulous idea - using toy collections as photo subjects. Arthur's Circus does just that.

You can buy this and other prints here.
It reminded me of something I took a while back...

Via Ohdeedoh

On Our Bookshelf

2009-09-15T22:53:00.001-07:00

Our copy of Blueberry Girl just arrived. I had seen it for the first time over the summer and fell in love. Written by Neil Gaiman for Tori Amos's daughter - his god-daughter - it is a wonderful read with a powerful message. (And was a wonderful gift for my blueberry girls as they started out on a new school year.)

SIGG voluntary exchange program

2009-09-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

BPA in SIGG bottles is "old" news - but none-the-less as the close for exchange looms nearer - and back-to-school sees water bottles enter high rotation - I thought I would put it out there again. All the info you need here.

Thinking ahead...

2009-09-01T15:47:00.000-07:00

I am a big fan of Miriam Bereson's design sensibility. Last year I ordered extra copies of their annual planner and used it as my go-to holiday gift for all the busy families in my life. I was excited to see the pre-order for their 2010 annual planner in my inbox - in its 5th year of production - and even more when I went to order and found they are now producing a "Family Calendar" too.

Yahoo!

Family Calendar $30

2010 Annual Planner $15

Both available for pre-order at www.miriambereson.com

What I Did On My Summer Vacation.

2009-08-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

While we spent half the summer here in Los Angeles - doing those L.A. summer things (beach, camp, beach, swimming lessons, beach), we spent the other half at the cottage up in British Columbia.

Our favourite activity is always beachcombing - and the beaches of "our island" are ripe for this sort of thing. As we continued to collect rocks, driftwood and shells we pondered what we would do with it all. We started with jewellery. And windchimes. Then settled on mobiles.

The challenge of balance and movement added to the activity. And I am quite pleased with how they turned out.

The process wasn't complicated. We drilled holes in the wood, and shells at the positions we wanted things to hang. (The big kid loved this.) We then tied hemp twine onto the wood, hung the piece from a hook, and worked attaching shells to obtain the desired weight distribution for the mobile to work. We needed some extra weight on one side so added a rock, wrapping it in twine to attach. Balance and Motion. (Ahh! Science!)

We liked it so much, we made another to bring back to Cali - a reminder of wonderful summer days gone by, but not forgotten!

Electric Car - They Might Be Giants

2009-08-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

Hysterical and adorable all at the same time!

They also have a wiki - I like these people.

University of Rhode Island Pattern Library

2009-08-19T21:37:00.000-07:00

The University of Rhode Island is starting today a one week free trial of access to its pattern archive database. Click on Login in the top nav, use the username guest and the password pattern, and click on search to have a look around. It's a lot of fun.

Via Fashion Incubator

Mini Patchwork

2009-08-16T15:13:00.000-07:00

No Two Green Chickens Shop update this weekend. Instead I got distracted by and spent my free time making this, inspired by this only mine is filled with dried lavender. It's 4"x 4".

Around Los Angeles

2009-08-13T19:45:00.000-07:00

One of my all-time favorite shops, Eden's Green Closet, is closing. They are having a huge sale so if you are in Venice, California, any time soon go stock up on kid's clothes and say good bye.

I'm off to the Los Angeles premiere of Handmade Nation this Saturday and I have an extra ticket for the noon showing if anyone is interested...

Shed

2009-08-10T22:14:00.000-07:00

Finding Michael Pollan's writing house (swoon) via Craft Lovely lead to a wander around Flickr and the discovery of the Writers' Rooms series at The Guardian.

1. Virgina Woolf's garden office, 2. Shed Delivery, 3. Old White Shed, 4. Abandoned in the Fog, 5. Along I-90, 6. Shed, 7. The Great Outdoors, 8. Hove beach huts, 9. Abandoned Cabin - White Mountains Arizona

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Chickens on the Loose

2009-08-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

This week I'm guest curating over at True Up and Tracy is talking chickens over at Sew Green.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium

2009-06-22T17:32:00.000-07:00

You can file this one under places to take the kids in southern California without spending much money. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium is less flashy and much, much, smaller than it's neighbor the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific but has a certain charm. The touch pool was fun for the kids and they got to hatch some Grunion eggs! I, on the other hand, was captivated by the pressed seaweed.

Garden Box

2009-02-24T18:51:00.000-08:00

My eldest daughter and I recently took an organic gardening class together (at one of our fave local haunts, Green and Greener). The class was geared towards kids - with lots of talk of vermiculture and "oooohs" over the definition of "casings".

The best part for me was the box we got to bring home.

The instructor (John Lyons of The Woven Garden - who is a wonderful teacher)had the kids plant a variety of items - bulbs (shallots), seeds (cat grass), seedlings (pansies) and plants (strawberries) into a wooden wine crate he had procured from a neighborhood restaurant.

The little box has been receiving a lot of TLC and happily growing on our patio. Happy plants - and happy reuse!

Sweet Dreams

2009-02-19T07:11:00.000-08:00

One of my favourite things to sew for the girls are PJs.

Will be adding this pattern from Oliver and S to my list.

found via inchmark journal

Rainy-Day Salt Dough

2009-02-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup salt
about 1/3 cup water (to desired texture)
a tsp or so of vegetable oil

Mix

Play

(You may add food colouring if desired. Or we bake for 4 hours at 250F then paint. Unused dough may be stored in an airtight container / plastic bag for a couple of days.)

"If you need it get it. If you don't need it - forget it." -- Thelma May Beets b.1918

2009-02-15T11:47:00.001-08:00

Over breakfast this morning I read my girls a really inspiring article in today's LA Times - memories of survivors of the Great Depression.

The children of those times learned things that they would remember for the rest of their lives. They discovered how to make endless pots of soup, how to use corncobs for fuel, how to make undergarments from bleached feed sacks. They learned the value of a wild imagination and honest neighbors.
They were good lessons.

You can read the article in its entirety here as well as images, and very moving audio from the interviews conducted.

cross-posted at sewgreen and jumilla bugs

Tokens of my affection

2009-02-14T17:58:00.000-08:00

Two years ago I made a pledge to myself to not buy them anything for Valentine's Day. I hope that little tokens (made with love) will express the sentiment better.

The first year was pendants - inspired by Carol

Last year - t-shirts with appliqued fabric hearts.

and this year, these - with a little love note tucked in the pocket - were on my "to do" list.

pattern courtesy of mollychicken

Happy Valentine's Day!

For the One I Love

2009-02-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

D and I have a Valentine pact - an artwork for our home instead of an expensive night out (babysitter + dinner = ouch).

With a closer eye on our pocketbook this year, I opted for this sweet little print by Lisa Congdon .

I have put in a request - not quite an artwork - but something to hang on the wall none-the-less:

image found on amazon.com

a staghorn fern from a local nursery.

Love you Cowboy (wink wink)

Carded

2009-02-12T15:34:00.000-08:00

Lots of other great handmade Valentine's appearing...

Love these by over at all buttoned up with the pretty fabric hearts.

And a riff on the same at uniform studio - this time using paper hearts.

more inspiration to be found
purlbee
angry chicken

happy heart day

2009-02-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

We are falling for the old stand-by again this year.

Crayon hearts. Wrapped up in brown-wax paper bags with doily closures a la little birds

Crayons based on the instructions over at MSL

Good for Pottery Barn Kids

2009-01-24T11:29:00.000-08:00

I was wandering through Pottery Barn Kids after dinner out last night and spotted a new line of organic Dr Seuss bedding. Organic kids bedding is not so unusual now - right? But what was more impressive was the packaging - there was none except for a piece of twill tape and label. You can find more information from their website outlining even more changes the company is making. I also picked up some *glass* drinking glasses for the kid. I've been looking for some for a while but couldn't find anything other than plastic.

a wee shop update

2009-01-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

Two Green Chickens Shop

Open

2008-12-15T17:18:00.001-08:00

Meet twogreenchickens.etsy.com. Tracy and I are finally doing something useful with our *enthusiasm* for thrifting and hunting for vintage treasures and opening a little shop on etsy. We hope to add a few things regularly and eventually add goods made out of vintage supplies. We hope you will have a meander around and let us know what you think.

Sukie Stationery

2008-12-12T17:07:00.000-08:00

I've noticed these really great Rescued Paper Note Books in a couple of stores around Los Angeles - The Reform School and Firefly. Made from discarded paper, you can write on the reverse of the printed pages.

They are made by British husband and wife team Sukie. You can read an interview with them over on Fred Flare.

Green Giving :: For the Kids

2008-12-05T08:55:00.000-08:00

Looking to reduce the impact of the holidays on our wallets - and on our planet - we are making a concerted effort this year to rethink our gift giving strategy. With the kids, we have not completely outlawed the idea of buying something off their wish lists, but are also looking at alternatives. Handmade, secondhand, local and experiential gifts will all be found under the tree (and in the stockings) this year.

My eldest daughter is a passionate writer - documenting our every move in her self-defined "Realistic Fiction" style. ("I know it didn't happen that way Mom, but it could have!") For her, I found a manual typewriter on ebay - under $30 with shipping! Not too shabby. And cute to boot. (It even types in - gasp! - cursive!)

I have included a new ribbon, and a stack of blank 100% recycled paper. As her story sharing has spread to numerous letters to her Grammee and her friend on the other side of the city, I also plan to include some unbleached recycled envelopes and a packet of (much coveted) stamps.

Green Giving :: For the Kids

2008-12-03T14:40:00.000-08:00

cross-posted at sewgreen

December has arrived, and Advent has begun in our house. The countdown to Christmas is a tradition brought from my own childhood where we would be rewarded daily with a new picture to discover behind the flap of a paper Advent calendar. In an effort to minimize "stuff" - and inspired by Stephanie - we made a move to a homemade "experiential" calendar a couple of years back, where every night would bring us a new activity. Build a Fort. Take a Walk to look at the neighborhood lights. Have breakfast for dinner. Write letters to Santa. Lie in the backyard and look at the stars. We tucked these ideas, written down on paper, into numbered miniature stockings I made out of felt and hung by the chimney with care.

There are many great ideas for handmade advent calendars to be found. A few from flickr:

1. first, 2. advent calendar, 3. Baby sock advent calendar..., 4. Advent garland, 5. Advent calendar for the boy, 6. advento, 7. advento, 8. stockings 1234, 9. Advent calendar, 10. advent calendar, 11. stockings_1234, 12. advent calendar

and more at the Creative Advent Calendars group.

And this great pattern over at the Purl Bee.

Another source of holiday inspiration, the New American Dream website is chalk-full of ideas. I find myself rereading many of the articles this time of year. A good start here.

Stubby Pencil Studio

2008-11-23T11:50:00.000-08:00

I discovered Stubby Pencil Studio through Soule Mama and Angry Chicken. At last, a eco art supplies resource! I ordered a bunch of stuff for holiday presents and I couldn't be happier.

The Ecologic Colored Pencils in the wooden box are really beautiful, and the
Clipper Junior Tri Pencils just look fantastic.

Hand it Down

2008-11-06T09:34:00.000-08:00

Launch of a new website:
www.handmedowns.com

A place to buy, sell, give or donate gently-used children's clothing, gear, and more...

via dailycandy kids

Plan Toys

2008-10-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

Plan Toys, if what they say on their website is any indication, is greener than your average toy company. They use organic rubberwood, from rubber trees which no longer produce latex, non-formaldehyde glue, non-toxic water-based dyes, recycled and recyclable materials, and soy and water-based inks on their printed materials. But best of all they have some great-looking and fun toys.

WoodPecker Walker

City Station

Stacking Tree

Animal Domino

You can find a list of where to buy online on their website.

Bicylce Built for 2 (or 3)

2008-10-08T08:31:00.000-07:00

We are lucky that our situation allows us to be a one car family. My husband rides his bicycle / public transit to work daily, and after we walk the "big sister" to school, I try to use my bike, with the "little sister". She is growing though - and the trailer seems a bit too small these days.

So looking into a "longbike: for carrying the kids - and cargo.

These bicycles are becoming increasingly popular - and in turn more choices are becoming availalbe. Yesterday's Los Angeles Times weighed out some pros and cons. (You can find the article here.)

What I am looking at:

$1199 Xtracycle Radish

$895 KONA Ute longtail

$900 Yuba Mundo Cargo bicycle

Commuting by bicycle? Lots of info at 1 World 2 Wheels.

All the Way to the Ocean

2008-10-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

find it here

If you are in Los Angeles, Joel Harper will be reading his book on Saturday, October 11 at Green and Greener in Valley Village. Details here.

Another Dish Set

2008-10-03T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm seriously in love with the Heath Ceramics Kid's Dinnerware Set Tracy posted about. And so excited Heath Ceramics is opening a shop in Los Angeles.

Here's another Kid's dinner set that is no where near as gorgeous but won't brake the bank in quite the same way.

3-Piece Stainless Steel Children's Dish Set

$21.95 at LifeWithoutPlastic.com

Heath(en)

2008-10-02T13:55:00.000-07:00

I love Heath ceramics. Am absolutely smitten with their new kids line.

$135 at the Heath website

And oh so happy that they are opening up a shop in L.A. (Alongside another of my favourite potters, Adam Silverman.) Swoon!

Drink it up

2008-10-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

Love this campaign. "tap - ask for it by name"

You can purchase the bottles or one of their very clever recycling kits here.

via inhabitat

Moop Kids!

2008-09-26T09:46:00.001-07:00

I love my Moop Market Bag - so was obviously excited when they introduced their kids! line.

organic cotton bookbag $86 at moopshop.com

If you like, they will even personalize it with your child's name!

Baby Bean Vintage Daywear

2008-09-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon Baby Bean Vintage Daywear at a neighborhood childrens store a few weeks ago and I have to tell you I'm completely smitten. Started by Christine Visneau in 2004, each collection is "crafted from and inspired by" vintage fabrics and handmade by Christine and a few stay at home moms in Dallas, Texas.

Most of all I love the simpleness of the silhouettes combined with the fun of the vintage fabrics.

Take Your Lunch to Work (Day)

2008-09-21T13:47:00.000-07:00

I have a fantasy that someday I will take lunch to work, not only to save money but to eat more healthfully. To encourage myself and inspired by all this talk of waste-free school lunches, I took a look at what Etsy had to offer in the way of lunch transportation devices.

Fabric Lunch Bag by Sandra Kay

Japanese style lunch bag and container - sausage dogs by Grey Goat

And just for fun...

Apple Jacket - Hand Knit Green Multi by jacquelineknits ltd.

Can of worms.

2008-09-21T12:58:00.000-07:00

I am treating myself to a series of classes this fall / winter with John Lyons of The Woven Garden. Classes are once a month at Green and Greener in Valley Village. Final class is gardening with children. You can take the series as a whole, or individual classes. (More info on Green and Greener classes here.)

First class on composting and vermicomposting was amazing!

Now I want this for my birthday.

worm composter of 100% recycled materials, made in Southern California
$120 through Green and Greener

FYI: John also teaches at Descanso Gardens.