albert and worsley

notes of encouragement

2008-10-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

dear sewing machine,
i know i have been rather neglectful to you...and i am sorry.
it's true, you could really use a proper oiling...a good dusting...and an overall physical by the sewing doctor.
and i p-r-o-m-i-s-e to do all of the above if you will just see me through this one last project.
i know i don't really know what i am doing...and this frustrates you...and sometimes i say not-so-nice words to you...and that hurts your feelings...
BUT please sewing machine, if you can just help me complete this god forsaken monkey costume i will forever give you the attention you so dearly deserve.
xo

dear small ball of stash yarn,
how delighted i was to find you at the bottom of my stash bin! your perfect colour and texture made me squeal with delight. you my treasure, are just the ticket to complete one pair of monkey ears...i think.
you see, you are quite a small ball of yarn. okay, very small. and i need rather big monkey ears. and i am hoping..begging that you can stretch your fibers to give me just the right amount. i know you can do it...i have faith in you tiny ball.
xo

sigh

2008-10-21T18:43:00.001-07:00

what does one do on a freezing cold-blustery-could-snow-at-any-minute kind of day?

bake a whole bunch of cookies...eat said cookies
and stare out the window of one's fort reflecting on the warm sunny weather of days gone by...

as said by...hugh

2008-10-17T04:53:00.000-07:00

every morning when i open the curtains to hugh's room...rain or shine...
hugh says, "oh my, what a beautiful day".
and no matter the weather condition...it's hard not to agree with him...he just makes it feel...well, beautiful.

yesterday he told me it was time he had another haircut.
"yes" he said {very seriously}, "my hair is bending and it's time to cut it...now."
and so we set off for the barber to help cure hugh's hair of the dreaded 'bends'.

and while every day he certainly brings us delight in his observations of the world...i would have to admit my favourite talks are when we are walking the trail...through the old grove...looking for slugs and sticks. there is something about the great outdoors that will really make a guy open up...
"mommy, do you see that tree?"
"that tree?"
"no, that one."
"oh, that one?"
"no, that one...over there"
"there?"
"no, there?"
"yes...i think i see it"
"i love that tree...but it can't talk."

as said by...hugh.

just before the rain

2008-10-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

what's better than jumping in leaves?
riding in them...

happy thanksgiving worlsey!

2008-10-13T18:03:00.000-07:00

worsley!
happy thanksgiving!
we are truly thankful for you...and of course mr. m & mr. l.

and geez-oh-pete!
come home already...
we miss you.
xo albert & hugh

pumpkin

2008-10-10T17:23:00.000-07:00

this afternoon we took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch...
where hugh fell in love...
from across the field he spied one perfectly 2lb pumpkin...ran to it...swooped it off the cold grass...and proclaimed his love to it. he carried it carefully around the patch...stopping every now and then to snuggle.
what a lucky pumpkin!

we rushed home to carve our pumpkins...not hugh's of course because well, that would be cruel. david's pumpkin turned out dreamy and rather frenchy (thanks to the moustache). my pumpkin turned out...not so great. it kind of reminds me of my passport photo. one eye slightly bigger and a little crossed. a crooked smile. and a tiny strange nose.

speaking of strange noses...
while in the grocery store tonight...waiting for david to check-out...hugh started to grab my face. he stuck his little thumbs up my nose and in his only one volume..10 decimal voice...
he said {yelled}, "mommy, what is in your nose????".
"oh" i blushed, "boogers?"
"no, no mommy. i don't know. it kinda look like cobwebs!"

well, at least he's in the holiday spirit...

happy dance.

2008-10-09T10:25:00.000-07:00

this is our happy dance.
hugh loves to run in wack-a-dog circles as fast as he can until he nearly goes flying off our bed like a drunken sailor... and every once in awhile when life is really feeling grand... i will join him.
and we call it our, "happy dance".
we are happy because i am now oh-boy-oh-boy-oh-ficially out of my 1 st trimester. {good bye mr. pukies!}
we are happy because it's october...and my birthday is coming up!
we are happy because hugh brushed his teeth today.
we are happy because dairy queen has launched it's pumpkin pie blizzard {seriously, that makes us really happy}
and we are happy because sometimes it just feels good to be happy!

new baby + toddler + absent spouse = chaos

2008-10-01T08:22:00.000-07:00

Hello, it's been a while hasn't it? Well the dust is finally settling around here, (kind of), and life with two young ones and a husband working away has become the new normal. Finally, I've had a chance to sit down and plan some pieces for the upcoming winter. Above is a sneak peak at a finishing technique I'm using. More to come in the coming weeks!

xo

worsley

happy birthday

2008-08-19T19:54:00.001-07:00

we've been waiting such a long time for you.
and we're so happy you are here.
way to go mama worsley!!!

a poodle

2008-08-15T19:41:00.000-07:00

this evening while hugh and i buried our feet in the freshly tilled sand at the park, we were suddenly stormed by a giant runaway dog. remembering it now, i would almost swear to you that i first felt the ground rumble before i saw the enormous poodle barrelling in our direction. with only the type of quickness that is born the second one becomes a parent...i scooped hugh out of the sandpit...wrapped every one of my limbs around him and prepared for impact. to my shock...the dog cut to the side missing us by a hair. before i could even make sense...he came at us again...and whoosh...the same maneuver as before...missed us. i tried to look for an escape...but as i turned my head all i could make out was a blurry curly creature flying in the air with only one landing pad in mind...my back. but alas, he missed. as i opened my dry mouth to scold him...and before any words screeched out...i heard, "weeeheeee! do it again! do it again! hahhahahaha!".

i looked in my arms and saw pure delight coming from every part of hugh's body.
i looked at the poodle only to see the very same pure delight.
the only sound i managed to eek out was, "oh".

the rest of the evening was spent playing a new game called, runaway pup. it goes something like this: "mommy, you stand there." followed by hugh running at top speed toward my legs and at the last second sparing me impact by leaping to one side with a dramatic fall to the ground...ending in fits of laughter.

well, i had planned on wrapping up this post with some sort of clever quip about learning from animals...or something about animal vs. child instinct....or something about something.
but i'm not that clever...and to be quite frank, i'm still getting over the embarrassment of letting a goofy old poodle nearly get the best of me.

cottage

2008-08-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

fishing poles made from wagon ride finds...

determination to catch a fish with a walnut tied to twine...

and soothing any disappointed feelings of no catches...not even a nibble by soaking in the sink while eating fingernails of bugles.
yes, those are the days we so love at the cottage.

baby love

2008-08-04T15:56:00.000-07:00

A few heirloom pieces that I am just loving. Why can't all baby clothes be this sweet?

xo worsley

no thrills on this blueberry hill

2008-08-02T05:02:00.000-07:00

me: "hugh, would you like to go pick blueberries? it will be so much fun! and blueberries are your favourite! isn't this such a clever idea?
he: "grandaddy's favourite colour is blue"
me: "uh. okay. so anyway, lets go for a car ride and celebrate this plentiful blueberry season!"
my silent thoughts in the car: "gosh. i'm such a good mummy. showing my dear boy the wonderful world of growth and harvest. this is going to be awesome. i can't wait to see his little blueberry stained teeth...i can't wait to hear his laughs of outdoor adventure fun. let's get there already!

arrive at the farm.

me: look hugh! look at all the blueberries. hold on to this bucket and let's fill it up!!!!!!!!!
he: no.
me: oh. hey...follow me. i'll show you. this is going to be great. blueberries are your favourite! c'mon let's go stain your teeth!!!
he: no like blueberries. no. i do not like them. i do not. mommy, play on tractor. MOMMY. I WANT TO PLAY ON TRACTOR! MOOOMMMMMYYYYYYYYYY.

me: okay. ...there's always next year.

sticks and scones

2008-07-31T17:23:00.000-07:00

"ahh scones, sounds like dirt...tastes like stones." cleverly declared by my husband for as long as i have known him. i quite like scones...even the stone variety. but he's a bit harder to convince...that is until today...by-golly i think i've changed his mind! we made the most delicious stones...i mean scones... just in time for tea! we slapped on some raspberry preserves made over the weekend and what a most delicious treat!

oscar again.

2008-07-30T19:27:00.001-07:00

as it turns out...

oscar is 3.
i'm sure you were wondering and wondering all day...
and as i suspected we didn't make up our minds until 3 candles were poked into the cake. it is true what they say...everything just looks better in threes.
the lemon poppyseed cake was enjoyed by all...especially by hugh's tongue.
happy birthday you funny old sock puppet!

oscar

2008-07-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

meet oscar...the sock puppet.
oscar is the newest addition to our family. actually, i made him quite some time ago and was rather disappointed when hugh wasn't IMMEDIATELY taken with him. but since the passing of our dear pup, oscar has stepped in as...well, i guess one could say...our family pet. he speaks in an english accent {because i will take any opportunity to practice my accents}...sometimes he talks too loudly and sometimes he {accidentally} spits when he talks...but mostly he is hilarious {thank you very much} and brings joy and friendship to hugh. oscar is a great companion for picnics, sing-a-longs and bike rides. but he's not so great when it comes to playing in the sandbox, eating ice cream and sipping tea. {although being english it does seem he might be good at the latter}
anyway, as it happens oscar is having a birthday tomorrow. he is turning 3...no wait 4...no definitely 3. i'm sure his age will be finalized when the candles go on the cake!

the week has been....

2008-07-24T13:50:00.000-07:00

a blur...
because it takes days and days to get hugh to fall asleep every night...i've missed a few posts this week. and there's actually quite a bit to report...a new douglas reads...a party for worsley and a new project in the works.
i'll catch up later.

i scream.

2008-07-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

ice cream every friday night.
with a lingering scent of sweet vanilla on a sticky chin greeting me every saturday morning...
a new tradition.

before and after

2008-07-20T10:53:00.000-07:00

Neat and tidy are not the first words that come to mind when describing me--probably not the second or third or anywhere on the list for that matter. However, I LOVE to organize--love it--One certainly wouldn't know it to look at me, but nothing makes me happier than sorting through something like the above mess (please see Feb 27 post) and turning it into something a little less stress inducing.

In this same room I have what I like to call, my personal make work project. Seemingly unrelated items are collected and thrown into a closet over a period of few months, then when it becomes just simply unbearable, I tear it apart and rebuild it--categorizing, sorting--an afternoon of sheer bliss and supreme satisfaction once finished. Unfortunately, I don't really like to let anyone else (like my husband) go into this organized space as I am the only one who knows how it is all put together and heaven help the person (my husband) who rips it all apart trying to find his only decent pair of shoes.....a little bit crazy, I will admit and coming from a messy person like myself--even crazier.

note--there will be no photo posted of this closet as even though it IS most definitely organized, to the casual observer it might not appear this way and therefore best if just left to the imagination

Things we love

2008-07-18T07:35:00.000-07:00

A couple of birthdays have come and gone--these being mine and my fabulous Mr. M's. One of the loveliest presents we received was this beautiful book that Albert created using her gorgeous photos and the words of Sandol Stoddard Warburg. A new family heirloom indeed!

Thank-you, thank-you Albert!

xo worsley

cheer.

2008-07-18T05:18:00.000-07:00

nothing cheers the heart like chomping on smoked trout...chatting with friends and sharing latest yarn finds! it was a steamy summer evening last night...so sitting outside drinking lemonade elixirs among pals was just the ticket. along with our friend j. , worsley and i had such a dandy time planning futures trips to here and drooling over j.'s newest inspiration! ahh...i'm ready to knit!

iggy can sing.

2008-07-16T18:39:00.000-07:00

the one aspect i LOVE of summer is its music. sure winter, spring and fall also offer some fine melodies...but there's something about music in the summer that makes my toes twinkle and my hips wiggle. and this season, without fail i am lovin' and shakin' to this.
iggy can sing...and listening to this tune makes me feel like i can dance...and although i get a side cramp and am breathless by the third verse...standing still and pumping my fist in the air is perfectly alright by me...because summer songs allow for this kind of behaviour.
and the picture below has nothing to do with my summer anthem other than i had wished it was playing while hugh and mr. m were rocking today in the sprinkler.

pain behind my eyes

2008-07-15T05:20:00.000-07:00

i miss her.

2002-2008.

2008-07-12T11:28:00.000-07:00

today with great grief and heavy hearts we said goodbye to our 'first born'.
our loyal and lovely, stinky and snoring, beautiful baby girl.
we are sitting in shock with puffy eyes and runny noses.
how could this be?
we loved her so...
and it feels impossible and simply dreadful to have her gone.
rest in peace herriot.

cottage...and more.

2008-07-04T17:42:00.000-07:00

oops!
i forgot to mention i would be off-line for a week...
we're back now...and my-oh-my....how we enjoyed our breezy and sunny filled moments at the cottage.
somebody...not mentioning any names...spent nearly every single minute nudie in the lake...nudie in the porch
and nudie, nudie, nudie every where else where nudie would allow!
ah. freedom!

next week i will be off-line again...
hellllllooooo chicagoooooooo!!!!!!

until then...
be well.

hbd worsley

2008-06-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

now you didn't think i forgot, did you?
happy birthday mama worsley.
you bring such joy, comfort, inspiration, hilarious stories, good food {especially those crackers you whipped up the other day}, adventure {yes, i'm thinking about a bumper} and most importantly a friendship that we feel ever so blessed to have in our lives...
sniff. sniff.
you are adored.
and i wish you a most splendid year ahead....

xo albert {and hugh}

douglas reads: scaredy squirrel

2008-06-27T19:15:00.000-07:00

well she's at it again...choosing a gut busting good time read for all!
today, douglas reads:
scaredy squirrel
by: melanie watt {there's a fancy accent above the 'e' in melanie's name...boy, i wish my name had a fancy accent too. it would sound so much better!}
we can REALLLLLLLLY relate to scaredy squirrel around our house...as of late we have our own scaredy squirrel, mr. hugh. the poor babes has been bitten by fright! all of our artwork scares him...so our walls are bare....our refrigerator magnets scare him...the calendar scares him...the street lights scare him...men with beards, certain flowers, all froggies, horses with teeth, elephants, candle holders, zebras {and i am sure i'm leaving lots out}...all of those...scare hugh.
this will pass, right?
back to scaredy squirrel...
not only is the writing brilliant...but so are the illustrations. so when you rush out immediately to your corner bookstore to purchase scaredy squirrel...why not pick up this and this too!
thanks douglas...we are so lucky to have you!

flags & birds.

2008-06-26T19:19:00.000-07:00

flag banners...
coming soon.
tweet tweet mobile
coming soon too.

pretty.

2008-06-25T17:18:00.000-07:00

i like this....it's pretty. it's simple. it's well...it's kind of serene.
and after a day at the beach...in the blazing sun...fighting with a seagull who apparently has a fondness for chickpea salad...
i could really use some serenity.
and do you know how i discovered hillary....
well, i was looking for new undies.
another story...for another day.

my other like today is this
from justine's blog...
man, i love it. i kind of can't stop thinking about the picture...
it makes me feel like i'm spying on a very sweet moment that is full of comfort and passion...it's just lovely...or as justine writes, "pretty". hmmm...i wonder what the story is behind it...do tell jollyjollyjolly...do tell.

one wildhagen hat please!

2008-06-24T12:44:00.000-07:00

still waiting for the return of my camera...
but loving finding and rediscovering favourite inspirations...
like this
i'll have one of each thank you very much...
or maybe just one for each season..
okay...fine, i'll be very happy with just ONE!

douglas reads: big momma makes the world

2008-06-20T06:08:00.000-07:00

worsley and i have a friend named...well we'll call her douglas {you know...her street name...literally}. douglas is talented in many, many ways...but if you ask us, we think douglas is most clever with choosing children's books. a mummy of 2 wee puddin' and pies, douglas is always reading and is always looking for beautiful books. often, worsley and i will ask her for recommendations and because she can offer so many...we sometimes aren't very bright at remembering each and every one! so worsley and i decided to dedicate one day a week to 'douglas reads'... where we will share with you one book hand picked by our queen of children's literature.
today, douglas reads:
big momma makes the world
by: phyllis root
i have a tendency to go on and on when describing books {or movies} and mostly i recap way too many details to which usually bores the listener or ruins the ending...so i won't say a word other than...this book is perfect for a new mom...mom to be...or anyone who likes books {how about that for narrowing it down!!!}
enjoy.

worsley's little one

2008-06-18T16:29:00.000-07:00

i mean, LOOK at those booties. couldn't you just stare at them all day? i wonder what lucky pair of chubby or noodley feet will be tucked away in those cozy little kicks? man, i just love them.
well, if you must know...i am spending many minutes 'researching' baby do-dads in anticipation for worsley's little bundle. it brings me such pleasure and wonderment...so, my dear worsley...please indulge me as i show you my "worsley might like to have" latest finds...{note: i have many more...but i want to save some for later!}
here
and there
and ici
and la bas
can't forget this
and this one {the zipsuit at the bottom of the list} i was actually thinking for mr. m. {i'm pretty sure i had one JUST like it in powder blue denim!}. you know who also i could see wearing this...ms. j.

kaboom.

2008-06-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

did you hear that?
no?
well...that was my camera breaking.
2-6 weeks in the nikon infirmary.
please get well sooner...please.

until then...i will enjoy sharing with you some designers inspiring me lately...
like from this wonderful woman whom i've had the pleasure working with back in my olden days...
i love this and this.

oh daddy.

2008-06-16T19:44:00.000-07:00

"Hugh."
"Yes."
"Father's Day...Daddy's Day is today. Let's make a list {a card} of reasons why we love Daddy so much! Okay?"
"Okay Mummy."
"Alright, I think Daddy is wonderful because he brings you milk in the middle of the night."
"Daddy hammer?"
"Good one Hugh! Daddy lets Hugh hammer and fix all sorts of things!"
"Daddy drill?"
"Yes Hugh. Daddy allows you to drill too. What about how Daddy takes you on bike rides?"
"Hugh take bike for ice cream."
"Yes...you're right. And Daddy takes you for french fries and car washes too!"
"I love car wash!"
"And Daddy taught you to make coffee...which is VERY important."
"Hugh want cookie."
"Good point Hugh. Daddy always has tea and cookies for you! You are so lucky to have such a wonderful Daddy".
"Happy to you Daddy."

little lamb

2008-06-15T11:27:00.000-07:00

albert wrote the best description (see tuesday's post) of our first slow adventure. This little lamb was my favourite.

Alabama Chanin inspired me to find out more about the fledgling slow design movement. I've always loved her work which you can find here and you can catch up on day to day news on her blog.

After the crazy hustle of the fashion world all things slow just seems to make sense. I'm just so excited to be working with albert on this....more slow adventures to come!

oh and albert I just cannot stop thinking about those cookies--today making them is priority number one!

more joyful junes

2008-06-13T19:03:00.000-07:00

swimming, swimming in the swimming pool...
and eating the most delicious cookies...
while drooling over the most delicious baby...
honestly june...you're making me giddy!

almond {or peanut butter} cookies {thank you joy of cooking}
oven 350f and grease that cookie sheet!
whisk together:
2 1/2 c flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
in a different bowl. beat until very fluffy and well blended:
1/4 c canola oil
2/3 cup almond (or peanut) butter
1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
1/3 c powdered sugar
then add and beat:
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
stir flour mixture into almond {peanut} mixture until well blended and smooth. let the dough stand for 5 minutes. pull off pieces of the dough and roll between your palms into generous 1-inch balls; it will be fairly soft. space about 2 inches apart on the sheets. using the tines of a fork, form a cross hatch pattern and press each ball into a 1 1/2 -inch thick round.
bake 9-12 minutes. rotate halfway through.
note: adding fine chocolate chips makes every bite that much better!

okay. now i'm going to actually work...but first, i think i'll just have one more cookie.

oh juney!

2008-06-11T19:13:00.000-07:00

i love june because....
and because
{warning: if you enlarge the above picture you just might fall deeply...madly in love with mr. m's chubby little ankles. gulp!}

field trip

2008-06-10T17:18:00.000-07:00

larry had a little lamp
little lamp
little lamp
larry had a little lamp
la la la la la laaaa {lyrics by hugh}

worsley and i had our big field trip today out to the farm. i have so much excitement buzzing around me at this very moment i feel like i could scoop it up and bottle it!

the farm was beautiful...rolling hills...green, green, greeeeeen pastures...herb gardens...sheep...chickens...cats...barn swallows...mud puddles...apple trees and oh-so-oh-so much more. geesh. i'm practically out of breath just revisiting that part of our journey...

we were greeted by our sheep guru who lives in a wee cottage that smells of lemon verbena and lavender with a touch of cedar. i remarked over and over again how wonderful it smelled...and i discreetly took long inhales throughout our visit.
worsley and i quickly introduced ourselves and it wasn't long until we were talking and laughing with each other like old pals. the shepherdess's philosophy of sheep {actually all animal} raising is inspiring and heroic. and not only is she a sheep farmer, weaver, spinner and felter...but she is also {drum roll please} and expert on dying with herbs {all grown in her very lovely garden}. in other words she is living slow design everyday and is ever so keen on joining our own little slow design adventure.
we ended our visit with lots of hugs and lots of wool to begin lots of experimenting!!
can't wait to share with you more...

slow thunder

2008-06-09T20:03:00.000-07:00

arriving home from our mini holiday at the cottage... we enjoyed a lovely slowfood dinner among friends... and welcomed a rumbling thunderstorm who tried very hard to shoo away this mind boggling heat.

worsley and i are off to the woolly farm tomorrow...yippee!!!

I wonder if he's really sorry....

2008-06-09T16:28:00.001-07:00

I'm not sure if he's really sorry. It certainly looks that way, but honestly how many times can a dog jump through a screen window and still truly regret his actions? I think it's time to put a call into our local dog whisperer.

In the meantime...this is very exciting...albert and I are embarking on our first slow design adventure--details and photos to come....

tiny chats

2008-06-01T21:40:00.001-07:00

now that hugh is talking...all the time...i look forward to our tiny chats. sometimes our exchange is only a couple of words...followed by an "oh" or "i see". {those are hugh's favourite follow-ups}
over the weekend we had quite a thunderstorm...actually, more of a lightening show. it began around midnight and although i appreciated it's beauty...i also mildly dreaded it's arrival because i was sure it would awake our not-so-sound sleeper.
sure enough.
hugh climbed on to my chest and pointed out the window.
"look mummy. lightening"
"yes hugh. you're right"
crash. flash. crash.
"wow!!!! do it again mummy!"
"okay."
on cue. flash. flash. flash.
"again mummy"
"sure".
crash. flash.
and then seconds wander by...
"mummy. lightening gone?"
"yes. i guess it is."
"lightening having dinner?"
"uh maybe. what do you think the lightening is having for dinner?"
"asparagus."
and with that hugh climbed down beside me...and fell fast alseep...

we're off to the cottage for the week.
until then...here's to many tiny chats.
xo albert

ah..today.

2008-05-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

i've been trying to figure out how to describe our wonderful day...
but it's quite late...and my ice cream is melting...
may i just say...it was a lovely...most delicious...water playing...skateboarding....steak eating...wine drinking...wool knitting, soon-to-be-summer kind of day.

xo albert

progress

2008-05-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

worsley and i are gearing up for our first slow design meeting...
i am officially pumped. {and officially a dork for just using the word: pumped}
remember yesterday's picture?
well here she is...felted and looking mighty fine...and mighty teeny.
and keeping in the mind of slow design...i have to add how much i adore the wool from our local sheep. when i knit with this yarn my dry hands are treated with a lovely lanolin rub. it's dee-vine.

frost

2008-05-27T19:07:00.000-07:00

well...
it's cold again. which means going out-shide is a windy and eye-watering event.
the heat is back on and the familiar sound of the old furnace kicking in is surprisingly comforting. my hands are back in wool and needles...also very comforting.
don't get me wrong...i'm ready for warm days...but right now, i'm going to cozy up and read my book.
xo albert.

are you there blog? it's me albert.

2008-05-26T18:55:00.000-07:00

"where have you been albert?" says you.

the truth is, i'm not sure.
busy eating ice cream with a two-year old...
busy digging worms with said two-year old...
and spending nearly every waking hour outside.
(or as hugh says "out-shide"...he sounds just like liza minnelli. i love it!)

the past month has been filled with such great happenings...
one in particular...is worsley and i are launching a slowdesign
group in our wee river town. more to come on that...
and another great happening is...tinK.vintage has finished
it's spring...ahem, i mean summer collection! the website
should be updated by the end of the week...right, dear?
lastly, i'm reading a very good book.
justine you will love this book too...and thanks for your
pep talk... it feels good to be back.
xo albert

two photos

2008-04-30T07:44:00.001-07:00

today just two images of what is bringing me joy these days.....forsythia blooms and fresh air dried sheets (and as always Mr. M--so I guess that actually makes three things!)

xo
worsley

too long

2008-04-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

It's been far too long in many ways. Long winter (looks like it's letting up, yay!), and a very long bout of cold/flu and a very long time in between posts! Now that we have had a taste of the warmer weather I feel along with my energy returning that I am capable of anything.......regular blog posts, completing my spring pieces and opening an online store, cooking regularly (it's degenerated into too much take away and frozen meals around here), taking in some much needed exercise, and completing the biggest cleaning session ever! I don't ever remember being this happy to see spring!

xo
worsley

our old friend...the park

2008-04-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

ahh...at last, sliding weather.

puddle jumpers

2008-04-03T18:07:00.000-07:00

i once saw a beautiful colour of yarn called "puddle". puddle may not seem the obvious choice to describe a lovely colour...but after this monumental winter i have to say...there is nothing more beautiful...more lovely than seeing a puddle...
be gone snow...be gone ice...
welcome puddle jumpers.

eggs

2008-03-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

welcome to albert & worsley's 2nd annual easter egg dyeing extravaganza. this year worsley graciously hosted the event in her warm and cozy kitchen. when i arrived, worsley had all of the dyeing necessities carefully lined up on her beautiful harvest table...red cabbage, onion skins, beets and bowl full of eggs {the turmeric and coffee grounds came later}. did i mention she also had muffins baking in the oven? oh that worsley...one day i'll gush about her baking talents. but for now, we're talking eggs...so we dove right in to our dyeing stations...albert: prepping beets...worsley: managing boiling pots on the cooker.
we hesitated {ever-so-slightly} trying to recall exactly how is it that one dyes easter eggs naturally?:
albert: "do you remember?"
worsley: "um, not really. do you?"
albert: "hmmm. i think we are supposed to add vinegar to...something."
worsley: "oh, that sounds right."
we didn't let our foggy memories take a hold of our momentum so we forged ahead added a little boiling water here a little vinegar there and too much oil here {the oil was my idea...a bad one}. sometimes, not having a clue what you're doing brings the most unexpected...the most splendid...satisfying results!
happy easter.

22 mos

2008-03-13T09:12:00.000-07:00

"mummy, hugh knit?"

could it be? is this the moment i've been waiting for...i don't think 22 months is too young to start knitting...no way...okay, don't blow it...remain calm...

"oh, would hugh like to learn how to knit?"

that sounded calm...i don't think my voice was too squeaky with excitement...

"yep."

breathe, breathe, breathe

"okay. hold this needle in that hand...and this needle in this hand and take the....wait, wait, WAIT where are you going? please come back...plllleeeaaaase! we've just begun...hugh, hugh...hugh???

"see mummy. hugh knit...nee-naa...nee-naa...woooo...woooo."

well, maybe 22 months is a little young to start knitting...but 23 months...well, that's a whole different story!

licking cold windows = happy gums

2008-03-11T18:25:00.000-07:00

it's been a busy week... a visit from dear nana, a missing dog, an incredible snowstorm and painful teething moments {both hugh and i...why-oh-why do i still have my wisdom teeth?}
this week i must get back to creating...to knitting...to normal.
until then...take a look-see at this
xo

a small trip

2008-03-10T19:22:00.000-07:00

we're taking a small trip to......snowy Toronto! I do love this city and will have lots to share when we return.....and by then I should have with glowing hearts spring/summer 08 ready. (or as I prefer clothing for warm weather but it sounds a bit clunky...must work on the phrasing...) Today I'm loving jenny gordy's description over at wiksten-made of her design process---so inspiring!

and may I just say Miss Herriot, I am so glad you are home safe and sound!

lost {and found}

2008-03-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

sweet herriot {aka: baby girl}.
today we lost you.
tonight you were found.
it's a long story.
i'm tired and so very, very relieved.
thank you worsley {and family} for searching and hanging signs.
and thank you to the honest folks on brunswick who rescued our sweet-stinky-shivery baby girl from this stormy night and brought her to safety.

walking with purpose

2008-02-29T11:10:00.000-08:00

you know when a photo can capture something that can sometimes be so hard to explain? well here it is.... I swear that's all he wanted to do--

walk and walk with purpose

oh and there are so many canadian-made sites and blogs i want to share with you today. i'll start with this toronto-based artist and many thanks to amber for featuring her on her blog and reminding me of her wonderful work. I am actually lucky enough to own one of her pieces (purchased away back when I had no qualms about going into debt for art) and albert, I know you are going to love it!

also via poppytalk I found out about this new online store presented by motherbrand and in partnership with the gladstone hotel in toronto. it is devoted to the ultimate canadian souvenir featuring limited edition works by celebrated designers in canada---

and finally also via poppytalk I found this wonderful blog about an artist who lives away up north in dawson city, yukon territory. beautiful photos and a refreshing perspective of life north of 60!

and that is all--xoxo--worsley

leap

2008-02-29T09:53:00.001-08:00

happy leap year!

washing up

2008-02-28T15:18:00.001-08:00

tinK.vintage spring photo shoot.
monogrammed wash cloths.
linen, viscose, cotton.

oh dear

2008-02-27T08:52:00.000-08:00

oh Loki what goes on in that very large head of yours?

what is it about appliance noises that scares you so?

I don't think we'll ever find out, but we love you anyway.

xoxo

worsley

jaune & assiette

2008-02-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

maybe it's because i have yellow on the mind...and maybe it's because i'm just a little desperate for some winter white relief...or maybe it's the oilcloth {i do love oilcloth}...regardless, today while looking for colour inspiration from here...this image struck my fancy...
and then i saw these plates, justine....and they made me smile and think of you....

each other

2008-02-23T17:50:00.000-08:00

dear hugh,

today we bid farewell to 'mama's boob'. it was time. {sniff, sniff}

i was sure you would stop nursing on your own...just so sure of it...after all, those expert parenting books said you would.
my-oh-my, how those book were wrong.
it's quite clear you're not going to stop on your own...and i know you desperately want {need} to because i'm afraid, my little one, you have become a....boob junkie.

it wasn't always this way...
i will miss those moments when 'mama's boob' would make the world stop...and your great big saucer blue eyes would stare up into mine...blinking ever-so-slowly and peacefully as you fed.
i will miss those moments when you felt sick, scared, hurt, bored or tired...and 'mama's boob' would cure all.

how will we bring a silent pause to the world...without 'mama's boob'?
how will we cure all things unpleasant in your very pleasant being...without 'mama's boob'?

i never intended for our nursing to become an addiction. i never intended on you even being able to say {rather loudly and in the most public places}, 'mama's boob!!!!' and actually mean 'i want mama's boob right now and will do anything i can to get to it'.

so the time has come...21 months later...
and i am setting you free.
or shall i say, 'mama's boob' is setting you free.

tonight, as i tried to help you fall asleep, you cried in my arms for an hour. i rocked you back and forth quietly singing and quietly wiping my own tears with my shoulder. so what a shock it was when your wailing suddenly stopped...and what an even bigger shock when your great big watery blue eyes met mine...and the world paused...you kissed me 1, 2, 3 times, sunk your head in to my shoulder and fell fast asleep.

you see hugh, we don't need 'mama's boob'...we've got each other.

love,
mummy.

yellow

2008-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

in hugh's world, two colours exist. "yellow" and "no yellow".

we have many, many (an actually mind boggling amount of) discussions throughout our day about these two colours.

"yellow car?"
"um, no actually hugh, that's a red car."
"yellow?"
"nope, it's red."
"ah, yellow car."
"okay, it's yellow."

"yellow star?"
"yes hugh! clever boy...a yellow star."

"yellow hat?"
"well no, not really. i would say it's more purple than yellow."
"yellow hat!"
"purple."
"oh, no yellow?"
"EUREKA! no yellow!"

as hard as we try...red, green, blue, purple, orange and every other 'no yellow' colour out there just doesn't live up to hugh's yellow...

but who can blame him...after all,it is a very delightful colour...
don't you think?

slow bread

2008-02-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

one of my favourite aspects of winter is it's slow lazy pace...
the fact that the days are moving faster than i can run {which is actually quite slow...but lets pretend i can run really fast...and not duck-footed too} is more than i can handle!
so here on albert street, we are collectively trying to slow time down by celebrating slow food {it should also be noted that here on albert street we do all we can to celebrate anything whatsoever...and usually food is involved.}

we have kicked off our slow food festivities with,
baking bread...{which was mighty slow indeed as the recipe called for the yeast to sit for 24 hours...i would have moved on to a faster recipe but i wasn't the one baking this batch...and lest i forget our motto: slow down}

while the bread was baking...it was fun practising cutting the bread
and after practising cutting the bread...
it was most fun eating our prized salty delicious home baked slow food creation!
{recipe from this fabulous cookbook!}
hmm...i wonder what delicious treat will slow us down tomorrow?

soon

2008-02-18T05:47:00.000-08:00

We have this to look forward to---soon---

I promise

In the meantime you could visit here and here for spring cleaning inspiration... oh and this wonderful site...

just because.

Happy Family Day!

xo

worsley

in the post

2008-02-15T18:03:00.000-08:00

when it's february...and winter feels like it may never wander away...it's amazing what can perk you right up!
for instance, a good day of mail....
today, i received:
a valentine's day card from my loyal cupids...
and a new catalogue filled with bright and colourful inspirations....
{i might also add...i didn't receive a single bill!!}

worsley, the picture above is for you...
isn't the blouse lovely? and doesn't the glass of prosecco also look divine?
when i saw the blouse...i thought of only one thought,
worsley must have this...and same goes with the glass of bubbly.

el corazon

2008-02-14T18:48:00.000-08:00

h hearts m

lazies

2008-02-13T17:01:00.000-08:00

worsley says it's the weather. i agree...mostly because i refuse to believe that i have acquired a very serious case of the lazies.
while i desperately need to be working on this....
i am instead doing what any other professional procrastinator would do...
i am:
1. cleaning my house {an obvious choice for not doing what i should be doing}
2. tinkering with my camera {this is a dangerous stalling technique as it sucks hours away from the day}
3. entertaining hugh with my hilarious song & dance routines {hi-lar-ious!}
4. and i am eating...and eating....and eating {and drinking tea}
so here is my oath:

i, resider on albert st, will commence all necessary work {read: knit my pants off} as soon as i post this entry. i will not look here or here or here...no sir, because when i go to those enchanting places i spend way too much time absorbing their loveliness...

signed,
albert

knit

2008-02-12T10:10:00.000-08:00

knit, knit, knit...
must knit...
must not procrastinate...
knit albert knit!!!!

mighty lena

2008-02-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

meet beautiful lena mankope mahalefa.
she is the newest member to my inspiration wire...
and what an inspiration...

who is lena? well, she is a taxi driver in johannesburg, south africa...

is she crazy? perhaps....but more importantly she is one brave mama.
with a family to feed and the lack of employment opportunities in johannesburg,
she risks her life every day at her job to ensure her children will not go hungry.

a mama who inspires...

cupid

2008-02-08T17:32:00.000-08:00

as a child living on washington street...i remember february 14th as a very special day. i remember my nose waking up before my eyes to the smell of boxed candy chocolates sitting on our dining room table awaiting my two front teeth to sink deep into its odd mystery creamy center. did i eat chocolate for breakfast on this special day? hmm, i think so...but that memory may be wrong. however, what i remember clearly...and most fondly...were the cards from my parents. one from my mom...one from my dad...and one from the two of them. such loving cards....

and then as the years passed...as they always do...i barreled into my prepubescent bowl-haircut phase...and no shock here, february 14th became a dreaded holiday. sure, i had the loyal heart shaped box of chocolates in the morning along with kisses and hugs and cards from my parents...but the anticipation of receiving a candy-gram or a love note from one of my out-of-reach crushes at school, was more than a freckled face-noodle body could handle. so, it was then that i wrote off this hallmark day of love for good.

even after meeting my love...my dear husband...i still did not celebrate february 14th. and lucky me, he also thought the holiday was a total sham. truth be told, i think he too had a bit of an awkward time during his young teens...or as his mother would describe, "david's husky years"...anyway, it was agreed by all to simply treat the day like any other.

so last night as i lay in bed desperately trying to coax my mind to sleep, i couldn't believe that i was tossing and turning to the visions of a heart...a big boxed chocolate....paper cutout....bright red conversation 'be mine' heart. yes, it's true... st. valentine snuck in to my crafty brain...and by morning, he was still there. instead of fighting, i surrendered...and the excitement i had as a child came rushing back.

before the sun had risen, i was knee deep in my art supplies closet grabbing paper, scissors, tape, yarn, hole punch, pictures, more tape, more scissors and for the heck of it, more yarn. by the time hugh had finished his last bite of breakfast, i had our valentine's-day-card-craft corner open and ready for business. 5 hours, 15 snack breaks, 1 nap, and 2 walks later, hugh and i proudly completed {um...only} one very heart-shaped valentine's day card...

and i think that will do just fine for this year...

perhaps you were wondering where I was?

2008-02-08T11:45:00.000-08:00

finally here I am!

this is what's new on worsley st:

M. slept through the night for the first time since.....well since ever! couldn't believe my good fortune--spent the whole day thinking about just how well rested I felt

he has since not repeated this feat--ah well it was wonderful while it lasted

we will soon have a fully functioning bathroom--this is BIG news here on worsley--(it's a long renovation tale and perhaps deserves photos and a post of it's own)

our 85 pound dog has not torn any window dressings apart (he has a sensitive nature)

and I found out who sings my new favourite song

birthday crown

2008-02-07T18:46:00.001-08:00

tinK. vintage photo shoot.
featuring: handsome hank and the birthday crown.

early

2008-02-06T16:52:00.000-08:00

hugh and i were very lucky today as we had our favourite banana lovin'- bed head wearin'- toe tappin' friend over for an early morning visit...none other than the infamous son of worsley...mr. m.

as soon as he stepped through our front door, the two boys settled right in. after saying farwell to worsley, i shuffled my way into the kitchen leaving the kids alone to visit. as i was rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and pondering why it is that hugh wakes up every morning around 3:30am to begin his day...i noticed there were no sounds coming from the other room.

uh-oh.

a shot of adrenaline ran through my sleepy veins catapulting me out of my thoughts landing me in the middle of our dining room where i witnessed two pals...cozied up to their table...quietly sharing a read together.

ahh...early mornings with friends makes sleepless nights seem far, far away.

here were some of them

2008-02-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

something i didn't anticipate about mummy-hood was how much i would fall in love with the nightly ritual of reading books to hugh before bed. i pride myself on the way i can change my voice from character to character...i never a blink an eye when he piles 15 - 20 books beside us...all stacked patiently awaiting to be read. i love the way he hurries me along especially if i'm trying out my best english accent or if i'm lingering on a page asking too many questions about the names of objects.
and oh my is he ever particular about his books:
margaret wise brown books - yes.
lift-up-the-flap books - yes.
tractor, trucks, tools books - definitely.
dr. seuss books - well, no. {which pains me to no end but i will keep trying}.
sandra boyton books - only if he's in the mood
beautifully poetic books...like this one - he would rather be strapped down in the car seat on the world's longest road trip than sit through one page of the book {which also pains me a little...but at the same time his honesty makes me grin}
so you see, when hugh picked up this book on our last trip to the library...i was in complete wonderment.
1.) not a board book
2.) nor any flaps to lift
3.) no tractors, no trucks no trailers
4.) and finally, it's kind of wordy
but no matter...the kid loves it.
and so do i.
it's big.
it's birdy.
it's beautiful.

12:36pm

2008-02-01T12:39:00.000-08:00

ahhh.
at last.
nap time for hugh.
design time for me.
besides tea time, i do believe this is my favourite hour of the day.

new

2008-01-31T10:22:00.001-08:00

let us introduce ourselves.
i'm albert and worsley is sitting right next to me.
we are two new {sleepy} mums living in a new {sleepy} town
working on our {not-so-sleepy} small businesses

we hope you will enjoy some of our:
discoveries
inspirations
creations
and...
quirks & foibles.

xo a&w