mercredi 31 juillet 2013

maria forde eats her veggies..

Veggiefront

Backpostcard

maria forde has been very busy as of late. she's currently got a show up at little tree gallery in san francisco, which opened yesterday. the show's title is the fetching veggie etchings. and yes, smarty pants the show is of etchings of vegtables. maria borrowed a sewing machine and colleged (yes, i made that verb up) etchings of vegetables, fabric and drawings w/ a few in homemade frames. a calender of junk food is available at the show.

Slicedbread

maria is currently working on a 'zine as well. it is the second 'zine to accompany the first: read this to get your enjoys. it will include art form ten of maria's friends. if it's anything like the 'zine i got at her show last year...i will be very excited.

maria has a great hand when it comes to drawing and painting. her work of people really pull one in. they have a cartoon like quality, yet still seem real. i fell in love w/ her work when i first saw it last yr. she had a show called a strange 31 yrs. the concept of the show was a painting of each yr she was born. there was a painting of jack tripper from three's company, and i was sold. a great way to get acquainted w/ maria's work is to buy her buttons of actors and films she likes. i have a couple and have given them as gifts...and let me tell you, they're really special. you can get them at lost weekend in sf or buy them directly from maria.

Harrydeanstanton

Jacktripper

Johncandy

no child left (too far) behind

My life is a logistical nightmare. Take vacuuming for example.OBoy loves himself some vacuum, which would work nicely if he had the gross motor skills required to actually be effective at the task. Unfortunately, vacuuming to him looks like leaving the appliance tipped up and loudly whirring in the middle of the living room while he disassembles the various attachments and drives trucks over the tubing. And be sure that theveryinstant he sees me get out the vacuum, he will not rest until he has commandeered it. Thus, vacuuming on two (and a half) year old’s patrol is not an option.OBrother, on the other hand, would like absolutely nothing to do with the loudish sucking machine. Vacuum on: waaaaaaaaah!! Vacuum off: calm. Vacuum on: waaaaaaaaah!! You get the idea. Thus, vacuuming while the baby is out and about is not an option either (at least, not a peaceful one).While they’re both sleeping, you say? Well sure! Happily! Except for, you know, the fear stricken heart racing panic I feel at the very thought of voluntarily making noise outside their room once they’re down for the night. It’s something I can stomach about once a year – typically the night before we have company coming.That? Was just vacuuming. Now picture this:It’s 1:00pm. The boys and I are on our way home from a very fun trip to the library. Despite my best efforts to talk to OBoy, even giving him some crackers to munch on for the drive, he falls asleep before we get home. OBrother does too, but this is no surprise. I find myself with two sleeping boys, a diaper bag, a book bag, and a half-finished latte to get into the house. The possessions are less concerning, as there are no laws as to their proper care and supervision. The children, however, are a trickier matter.What is the precedent here? I have heard horror stories of mothers being arrested for walking feet, yards away from their cars while their children are inside. And don’t get me wrong, I would absolutely call the police if I thought a situation with an unattended child warranted it. I know moms who are comfortable with kids staying in the car while they jump into a café or store, so long as the car is visible. I’m not there yet, nor may I ever be. I have been known to bring the entire posse into Papa Murphy’s and then request an employee’s help getting us (and our unbaked pizza) back to the car.On cooler summer days I have let OBoy continue napping in the car while I water the front landscaping or the like. A few times when OBrother was taking his morning nap, OBoy and I went outside and played in the (lack of) snow. Once, there was a front loader digging a hole for pipes two houses over and across the street. With OBrother sleeping in his crib, OBoy and I ventured some 80ft away and watched the machines work from our sidewalk.Always in situations like this I wonder. What’s ok? Where’s the line? If I wanted to go 2 houses farther down, is that too far? Or is it more about duration of absence? Is it alright as long as the house or car is in view? Or as long as I’m not in a different building/structure? Within earshot? Frequently checking on them? Have the monitor with me? What is an unattended child and what is just the reality of having as many children as I have arms?To complicate things, in my post-library, car-bound sleeping children scenario, I am parked in front of my house. That’s right, street parking. We live in the city and while we have a garage on the alley out back, the stairs to the house back there are catawampus and I don’t feel safe traversing them with the boys. Two sleeping boys, one street-parked car, one house 40 ft away. What would you do?Here’s what I do: I take the baby out of the car, still in his infant car seat. I lock the car doors after extracting the baby. I unlock the house and set him inside (in his seat) and pray with every fiber in my body that he stays asleep. Then, I return for OBoy. I unlock the car, pull him from his seat, and whisk him upstairs to his bed.Because this wasn’t complicated enough, I still need to put a nap diaper on him (remember? He wasn’t supposed to fall asleep on the way home.) so I lay him on his bed and apply a diaper with the expertise of a neurosurgeon. With OBoy sleeping, diapered, under his covers, I return for the baby. I carefully unstrap him and attempt the transplant to his crib. If successful, I then return to the car for the bags and my now cold, half-finished (or half-left?) latte.Finally, I collapse onto the couch.

mardi 30 juillet 2013

Mass Effect Trilogy, informazioni sui DLC

Mass Effect Trilogy non conterrà purtroppo tutti i DLC finora disponibili per i tre capitoli della serie. La brutta ma forse scontata notizia è stata confermata in via definitiva da Electronic Arts, che ha approfittato dell’occasione per stilare nel dettaglio quali contenuti scaricabili saranno presenti nella collection, e soprattutto ha sottolineato che Mass Effect 1 arriverà su PlayStation Network come titolo stand-alone, ovvero acquistabile aldilà della Trilogy.

Andiamo con ordine. Mass Effect 1 su PlayStation 3 sarà disponibile sui circuiti digitali del PlayStation Network lo stesso giorno che la Trilogy arriverà per la console Sony. Al momento l’unica data confermata tuttavia è per le versioni PC e Xbox 360, che debutteranno per il 6 novembre.

dimanche 28 juillet 2013

Jacqueline Bos' Icy Mitts..

Icymitts

Well, it had to happen. I unpacked my dog, Seamus' fleece jacket today. Definite sign that it is getting colder. Speaking of cold, check out these icy oven mitts designed by Jacqueline Bos. Hell I'd wear these as regular gloves! Well maybe not...but they sure are cute. Toasty!

Icymitt2

vendredi 26 juillet 2013

Folk Mother..

Folk_motherOh man, I saw these sewn beauties by Folk Mother on Teenangster's blog over the weekend. I swear, I could just blog off of Alison's blog and just be content (and not to mention NUTS and unethical) she is just so good at finding the most amazing shit ever.

I was introduced to Folk Mother a few years ago by Alison and may or may not have blogged about her work. But regardless these hand sewn, found vintage photographs should be seen as much as one wants. I wish, oh I wish she would make more of these stunning, stitched hybrids.

Folk_mother2

Folk_mother3

Folk_mother4

Folk_mother5

apple butter

(To the tune of the Peanut butter and jelly song, you know, the Barney one.)Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!).First you take the apples and you cut ‘em, you cut ‘em.First you take the apples and you cut ‘em, you cut ‘em.Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!).Then you take the apples and you reduce cook them, you cook them.Then you take the apples and you cook them, you cook them.Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!).Then you take the spices and you add ‘em, you add ‘em.Then you take the spices and you add ‘em, you add ‘em.Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!).Then you take the reduction apples and you strain them, you strain them.Then you take the apples and you strain them, you strain them.Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!).Then you take the butter and you store it, you store it.Then you take the butter and you store it, you store it.Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). D.C. al fineApple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). Apple, apple butter (it’s yummy!). fine(Composer’s note: best sung while moving and clapping the hands of a 3 ½ month old giggling baby, thus developing his gross motor skills. And his taste buds. (It’s yummy!))

mardi 23 juillet 2013

changing the universe giveaway winner announced

updated 5/1/12: The winner is commentator number 6, Jolie. I’ll send you an email shortly. Thanks, all for entering! Don’t forget that OMF readers can use the code OMYFAMILY to save 10% on Chaging the Universe – the Shop orders!Friends and readers (who are friends I just haven’t met yet), Nicci of Changing the Universe. Nicci of Changing the Universe, friends and readers.{Exchange pleasantries. It’s cool. I’ll wait.}Nicci is the talent behind Changing The Universe – The Shop, O My Family’s current featured sponsor! She is a local Minnesotan who is following through on a dream of hers: opening a handmade shop.“I started Changing the Universe – The Shop in February after I’d spent my Christmas vacation teaching myself how sew these coasters and pillow covers and tweaking their design to make them fit me. Since I started, I’ve become a fabric-a-holic! “{I love the colors in this set, and I’m a sucker for fabrics with text on them.}Isn’t that so great? I can totally get behind a work-at-home-mom pursuing her passions and honing her skills. This kind of thing makes me all excited and goose-fleshy. Yay for dream-following!Nicci shared with me a little more about  Changing the Universe – The Shop.  “You’ll find fun and funky fabric coasters and throw pillow covers in a variety of patterns and colors, sure to add a punch of style to any room of your home! Everything you see listed in the CtU storefront is pre-made and ready to ship. When your order is placed, it will be out the door in 1-3 days!”I love that the coasters are soft and kid friendly (unlike those heavy glass or chewy cork ones). We have bid adieu to more than a couple of coaster sets in this home. (O, look, Mommy! A sharp-cornered metal and glass thing to throw!) Sturdy but soft felt-lined cloth coasters are a much better option.I know what you’re thinking. You want to ask Nicci: So you make vibrant pillow cases and coasters, huh? Awesome! Tell me a little more about yourself.To which, Nicci says, “Sure!…I’m a wife of 4 years to Tim and a mom of 2 1/2 years to Aric. I work full time out of the home in the social services field, which I adore. Oh, and I’m a full time grad student, studying to be a Special Education teacher! When I have coveted free time, I’m either melted into the couch watching trashy reality TV, or I’m hunched over my sewing machine or laptop … with trashy reality TV on in the background.”You can find her blog here, her tweets here, and her facebook page here.{Now, Real Housewives of Atlanta, anyone?}Ok, you’re right. This is neither the time nor the place for trashy TV talk. Instead, how about this:I am thrilled to announce that O My Family is giving away a $30 shop credit to Changing the Universe – The Shop to one friend or reader (who is a friend I just haven’t met yet)! The shop credit works on anything, including shipping, up to $30.Leaving a comment on this post is all you have to do to enter! Of course, for those over achievers, you can gain one extra entry by tweeting this:O how I love @sticky41284! Check out their $30 shop credit giveaway by @OMyFamily here: http://omyfamilyblog.com/?p=11928Just tweet it and come back here to leave ONE ADDITIONAL comment on this post letting me know that you tweeted and what your twitter name is. Any comments that don’t follow these rules will be deleted. (Play fair, friends!)This giveaway closes at 9:00pm CST Monday April 30th. The winner will be announced the next day.A little shop keeping for Changing the Universe: May 6th is the last day to order for guaranteed delivery by Mother’s Day. Also, OMF readers can use the code OMYFAMILY to save 10% on their orders!Good luck!Disclosure: Changing the Universe – The Shop is a paid sponsor of O My Family and has provided the spoils of this giveaway today. The shop credit is good for one transaction only; any remaining credit balance will be surrendered after purchase.

mercredi 10 juillet 2013

tell me everything you know.

{A fun little preamble to this post: while I was writing this, things got awfully quiet in OBaby’s room, which turned out to be because he had discovered where and how to open the place where we put his dirty cloth diapers. O, the horror.Anywho. Carry on.}~~~~~~Let me just share some facts with you real quick:These boys will be 22 months apart, Lord willing.OBaby climbed out of his crib a couple weeks ago (one time performance, so far).We own ONE crib and I intend to keep it that way.We (all of us) are moving to upstairs bedrooms when they are finished (March? April?).The baby will sleep in our room and bed for at least the first few months (OBaby was with us the first 12 weeks).Then, the boys will share a bedroom.(I hope you like reading “the boys” even half as much as I love writing it. THE BOYS!)So. We have a toddler presently, but not for much longer, in a crib, we have a toddler about to have a bedroom change, and we have a baby coming who won’t yet need the crib, but will this summer and will then be rooming with his brother. That’s a lot of change.Someone please hold me. Maybe rock me gently back and forth, too.DanO and I have been talking about it, and we plan to move OBaby to a big boy bed before Gummybear arrives on scene. Yes, I have heard the arguments for keeping them cribbed as long as possible, but with the climbing and the furniture constraints, it’s just not going to work for us. Because the two will probably share a room for the long foreseeable future, we plan on buying twin bunk beds, unstacking them, and using the top one with rails for the toddler transitioning out of his crib (so when Gummybear goes to a big bed, OBaby will go to the non-railed twin bed and Gummybear will use the bed with railings).But do we switch OBaby to the railed twin bed before the bedroom change? After? Simultaneously? Or would that be too much change? Do we magically make the crib disappear one day? Slowly transition into the big bed with naps?O MY GOSH MY HEAD IS SPINNING.Which leads me to want to pick the collective brain of the interwebs – aka my friends and readers (who are friends I just haven’t met yet) for everything you know about the big switch. How did it go with your kiddos? What should DanO and I prepare ourselves for? What did you find helped the transition for your family? Are you available to come babysit overnight until the transition is made? And, most importantly:TELL ME WHAT TO DO BECAUSE THIS IS NEW TERRITORY AND I AM ALL KINDS OF SCARED. And then come hold my hand while I do it. K? Thanks.

lundi 8 juillet 2013

we learn as we go

A summary of what the last 6.5 weeks have taught me about being out and about as a mom.Chicco Keyfit car seats do not fit on these shopping carts:Urban Cub FoodsCostcoAldiThey do fit on Target carts though, and the bigger, fancier Cub Foods of the suburbs. O, and naturally they fit on Babies’R'Us carts. Please.Keep hand sanitizer in your diaper bag. It is impossible to effectively wash your hands while holding a baby after a diaper change in a public bathroom.When out shopping, forget the entrance and park near the cart corral so you don’t have to haul the car seat as far.When leaving a building/your house/your car on a sunny day, check the shadows on the ground to know which way to face your little peanut so as not to blind them.Stroller cup holders are notoriously dumb. By dumb I mean too small. Buy one of these:The Camelbak Better Bottle in 16 fl oz. It’s tapered on the bottom and is yet to meet a cup holder it can’t fit. Best $10 I’ve spent in the last month. (Sporting goods stores carry them, I got mine at REI).Book stores make for fabulous Imustgetout destinations. They have the book selection of the library with none of the ‘fragile silence’ pretense. Also, three words: in-store caf√©s.When you need something, ask. I have found large numbers of store employees and strangers will take pity on a woman with a young baby. Example: I got beef blood on my hands from some meat packaging at the grocery store and I asked the butcher if I could have a wet paper towel to wipe it off (if I add parenthesis after the preposition does that mean I didn’t end a sentence with one?). He more than obliged even though he was in the middle of re-stocking a shelf. Never hurts to ask!Subtract 15 minutes from your “I need to leave by…” time. This will be eaten up by the inevitable and horribly timed blow-out, spit-up, break-down, etc. You name it, it will happen as you are sprinting toward the door.And finally:The top of the trunk on sedans make for fabulous changing tables.

jeudi 4 juillet 2013

Amy Blackwell..

Badger

Amy Blackwell's solid graphics have been on my radar lately and I just love the boldness and crispness that she brings to her drawings. Plus, I am always stoked when an artist renders an animal in an ever so cute light. Or when they take it upon themselves to just make hybrids out of existing animals. That always rules. I'm a sucker for the animals. You can buy her prints on Folksy. So cute. Check out her blog for daily updates and drawings.

Dearyou

Bluecatfull

Tealstripe

Suspiciouspinkcat

mercredi 3 juillet 2013

no but really theyre my friends.

“What are you headed to in New York?” my hair dresser/cousin/neighbor/flight attendant asks.…I really need to come up with some generic answer to this…“A blogging conference.” I say, and then brace myself for the reaction. It usually consists of being looked at like I have 5 heads, not too dissimilar to the time I walked into the NYC pizza joint and tried to order 3 whole pies. Apparently New Yorkers don’t do that. Ever.The responses vary from “O, I didn’t know there was such a thing. What do you guys talk about?” to “A what? Frog conference?” and in the ensuing minutes I try to give an explanation of the blogosphere community that is shorter than our elevator ride. I cannot do it justice.It is next to impossible to communicate to a woman at the library story time just what an art and a creative outlet blogging is for many of us. That there are techniques, creativity, inspiration and even Federal Trade Commission regulations involved. I can tell she is a bit baffled that there’s enough to say about blogging that it would justify 2,400 women converging on a hotel in NYC and sitting through multiple 2 hour sessions on honing our craft.I went ahead and handed him my business card anyway, despite the skepticism dripping from his beard. He’s right. It’s strange. Thousands of women and mommies typing out summaries of their quotidian activities does not sound like something companies or the rest of the world should pay attention to. I know. I get that. Thing is? They are paying attention. Why? Because they get it, too.I cannot adequately express to my hairdresser that the women I am going to meet face to face for the first time are already dear precious friends of mine. That they know more about me than some members of my family. That I would offer them my spare organs if they had a need. How these are the women who helped me through my postpartum struggle. How many of their cell phone numbers are on my speed dial. How many times I’ve cried when reading about their struggles and their joy.How much God has blessed me through them and their friendship.And after spending a surreal 3 days living face to face with the community I usually only interact with over the interwebs, I am no better off. If anything, my answer to the questions of those on the outside are even more convoluted.There’s just so much more going on here than words can do justice.{Amanda, Suzanne, Blair, Kacia and me}

mardi 2 juillet 2013

Silent Hill Homecoming avancé d'une semaine

Pour le plus grand plaisir des amateurs du fameux survival horror Silent Hill, Konami annonce que la date de sortie du nouvel opus, Silent Hill : Homecoming, sera avancée d'une semaine. Le jeu sensé sortir le 26 février sera donc disponible à partir du 19 février sur Xbox 360, PS3 et PC.

Histoire de se remettre dans le background, vous incarnerez un vétéran de la guerre du Vietnam à la recherche de son frère disparu. Niveau gameplay, vous découvrirez un système de combat bien plus souple que ses prédécesseurs.


· Forum Silent Hill : Homecoming

lundi 1 juillet 2013

New zine website from Nigel Peake..

Birds

Nigel Peake just posted a brand new zine about birds on his bigcartel shop. It's an edition of 200 - 28 Pages hand stitched, 150 x 190 mm. The birds are perfect Nigel drawings, they're darling. I love what he says about the book:

"A set of new drawings about those feathered wonders that are all around us. A round this time of the year, the trees and hedges are full of colour, flurry and noise. The drawings are some of the birds I see every day. And some that I have yet to see."

Be sure to check out Nigel's spankin brand new site. He's got lots of stuff to pour over...and his blog is kickin it too.

New Clocks from Chroma Lab..

Clocks

My good friends Tony and Alicia from Chroma Lab just released a whole batch of new clocks. They're looking super sharp! For those of you who need numbers on your time pieces...Chroma Lab has 'em for you! If you like some mystery with your clocks or humor, they have an answer for all your timely needs. Plus, you can now get them directly from Tony and Alicia in their brand new web store. What's more is the clocks are priced nice and easy for the pocket. Perhaps one for every room?