julie & ruben

Whew! After an exhausting four days, the flowers survived the heat and finally made it to Skamania. The wedding was nothing short of perfect. My house looks like a bull ran a florist's shop through it, and I am spent. Here's one favorite shot, because that's about all I can muster at the moment. It was a gratifying experience, though I never thought I'd be glad to sit at a desk today!

21 Lily Ct

My grandmother has lived in the same house for as long as I can remember. My husband and I recently paid her a visit. Not a thing has changed. The lawn jockey on the front porch still sits where it was at my fourth birthday party. (Yep, that's me with the cute bowl cut in a purple polka dot dress my mom made). Even the wallpaper is the same as it always was. In the bathroom, prohibition era graphics of bottles of gin and brandy. A lady sits on a man's lap with a sign "Smash John Barleycorn".
My grandmother has passed down from her mother and her mother before that a love for creating things with her hands. She taught my mom to sew, and in turn my mom taught me. She was a real stickler for detail and perfection in a garment. My Nan and mom both recall, and can now laugh about it, pulling out stitches at two am before a competition. During my visit I had the opportunity to share my wedding dress with my grandmother. She seemed so proud. She asked, "Now how many of these buttons did you make before you got it right, darling?" Every late night I worked on it I thought of her and my mom.
Skills in the sewing room isn't the only thing my grandmother passed down. Alcoholism. For generations. Something I will not allow in my home. I am proud of Nan for overcoming her addiction. Ten, fifteen years sober. I am not certain.
My Nan passed away yesterday. I am glad that I got to say goodbye in person. I am sad, and I know I will miss her. She was a generous lady that spoiled her grandchildren. Always kept the cookie drawer and the 1920's red glass candy dish full. She gave me a passion for sewing that can only be explained as "in the blood". But she also represents a significant amount of hurt created in our lives. My mother also struggles with addiction. My youngest aunt, too, lost to it years ago. While I take a moment to appreciate what good things Nan passed down, I don't think it's shameful to think that her passing may provide the family with an opportunity to move on. To not hold so dear the hurt and resentment. Maybe even to leave the alcohol behind. And so today this blog has finally received a name. To honor her talents and to let go.

the fourth

I had the opportunity to take some photographs last night of the celebration. Since the big stuff is legal in WA state, we had the pleasure of this show at the school yard behind our house.

All photos are copyright Natalie Owen 2012. If you'd like to use one, just ask!

spring!

love

nothing spells love like eighty seven pounds of brown assailing you before you can even get a foot in the door

square foot gardening

Sun, I was beginning to doubt your existence. I believe because of this, you burned me on Sunday. I guess I deserve it.

a basket full of sunshine

A couple of my dearest friends are going through some pretty rough times right now. When I saw this pin on pinterest I was inspired to create a couple of baskets to send to them. (Link to original idea)

Here's a sampling of what you can put in them. Have fun shopping around, it's easy to fill them up; and not everything has to be yellow.

confetti cake mix

frosting

sprinkles

cupcake gems

cupcake baking cups

yellow butterfly cookie cutter

Trefoils Girl Scout cookies

Peeps

Lindt chocolates

milk chocolate raisins

candy coated sunflower seeds

banana chips

Myntz!

lemonheads

Piroulines

mixed teas in yellow hues

yellow dinner plate dahlia

yellow gladiolus

Little Miss Sunshine DVD

Milk Protein & Honey Softsoap

vanilla jar candle

yellow star post-it notes

lemon verbena soap

bath sponge

bath pouf

hand lotion

gold glitter nail polish

Arrange your items on a bed of shredded yellow paper and yellow cellophane easter grass and you're done!

For the cards I wrote the message in Pages and printed onto cardstock. I placed a blob of glue from a liquid glue tube on the paper and covered it with yellow glitter. A note on the glue: I tried a glue stick first, but liquid glue gave me a more defined circular blob that looks more like a sun.

Voila. A burst of sunshine for your dearest friends. :)