I've been thinking a LOT about Avengers: Endgame and the Marvel Cinematic Universe this week. Probably some of you guys have, too, if you are at all geeky about this stuff like I have become. I'm seriously SO excited for our movie showtime Saturday evening that I get butterflies every time I think about it, and get teary every time I watch videos/trailers/interviews with the cast. 

 

So because of this, I've also been thinking a LOT about my sweeter half, Joe Southerland. Because it is ONLY thanks to him that I've had the privilege of getting immersed in the world of Marvel. ONLY he could've lured me to that first Iron Man movie back in 2008 (we brought baby Noah with us!!), or gotten Noah hooked enough that we all sat around watching the Avengers cartoon with our toddler, as entertained (or more) as he. 

 

Because I married a true Marvel fan, I have had the wonderful blessing of getting to fall head over heels with every Avenger, every movie, and every geeky side-thing that comes with being a Marvel fan. And I'm still only at "intermediate fan" status, compared to most of you out there. So if I'm having this much emotion and excitement about Endgame this weekend, I can only imagine how much MORE you guys, and my husband are feeling. And I love it. I love it all. 

 

Here's to geeking out, whatever it is you happen to geek out about. And thanks, Joe--- it's been the best ride, and I'm so glad you've let me tag along. 

 

 

 

Only Love Today: Freewriting About the NOW

At the beginning of this year, I landed on the idea that, instead of a full year's resolution, I would instead try for a monthly "focus". For someone as wishy-washy as me, it felt more likely to succeed. I always have grand intentions, but, like a lot of folks, after the initial fervor it's easy to let the intentions drift away. Too, what may be something I really NEED at one point of the year might not be at ALL what I need at another point of that same year. Choosing something monthly allowed me to sit in a quiet place at the start of each month and really ponder my wants and needs for that exact moment. Choosing the focus, I could then lean into that one area above others for those weeks when the resolution is still fresh. And then, by the time it was fading, it would be time for another sit-down-and-ponder and a fresh focus. 

It's been really lovely. Truly a marvelous spin on New Years' Resolutions. And hey-- some months, nothing has felt like the right fit, and that's important for me to listen to as well. One month, over a week into the month, I realized that what I felt, every time I tried to come up with a focus, was this resistant feeling, and then the phrase "let it go". Like, "Okay, self-- don't fight for it so hard. If it's not apparent, that's okay. Let it go." And so that became my focus for the month. Just letting it go. Funny enough, the very next month was even more challenging, and I never did pick a focus (as you can see in the above photo). And that is okay too. When the project becomes a burden, it no longer serves its purpose. So having a month "off" was okay, too. 

But then August rolled around. And with it, a lot of feelings. Relief that it was a new month, a new chance to try... a building sense of being DONE with the summer mess and constantness of keeping four kids happy and healthy at home day in and day out. Less IRRITABLE than July, but definitely more WEARY overall. An itch for order again. For routine. A flutter of eagerness to have some space, time and solitude. Not because I don't love my kids or want to be around them-- but because I think for all the space and time we've had this summer, they also thrive in the drive and push and routine of the school year... and I think we remember to cherish our togetherness more when we don't have it all the time. 

I found myself tensing up at all the "buildup" of summer break-- both physical and intangible. A buildup of laundry. A buildup of energy unused because of it being too hot to be outside much. A buildup of STUFF that the kids would bring down from their room everyday, then forget to bring back up at the end of the day. A buildup of "to dos" on my end because of lack of solo-time and lack of energy, both being expended in summer parenting instead. A buildup of anxious "wishing" on my end-- wishing for things to be different, tidier, quieter, easier, more fun and less bicker-y. 

With all of this piling up, I found myself not in the moment AT ALL-- constantly annoyed at something or other because it had been this way TOO LONG. Time for CHANGE! New school year COMING, finally!! I was spending all my time waiting for something better and being annoyed that it wasn't better YET. 

So I stood in the middle of my kitchen one afternoon. I glared at my counter and all the JUNK everyone had contributed to its chaos. I glared at the recycling that my husband never seemed to see and empty. I glared at the trail of things Larkin had taken out of my desk drawer AGAIN and left scattered everywhere. I glared at the scummy spots on the floor. And I contemplated my focus for the month. Sharply, with annoyance, I considered doing a repeat of "Order". Or "Re-center". Hammering my heart and my life back into some kind of controlled schedule. Whipping things back into shape.

And it felt.... just as yucky as the mess. 

So I paused and tried to breathe a little. And soften. I tried to remind myself what was good about NOW. That soon I'd be sending three of my four off to school on the bus every day, which, for the moment, sounded like HEAVEN, but would also, ultimately, be bittersweet. I tried to remind myself that soon enough, SO SOON, I'd have so much more space for "order" and "re-centering". Soon it would be just me and the little yahoo (still making desk messes) and some flexibility and freedom in my days. Soon it would even be MY FAVORITE SEASON and we could all get back outside again. All of this-- so good, coming so SOON. 

But right now? Despite the mess and the noise, there was good in the NOW. We have all been luxuriously sleeping in every morning. Oh my gosh, it's glorious. We've all had slow, lovely, sun-filled mornings starting our days at our own paces. When I get Larkin out of bed, there is no hustle needed, and lots of time for games and songs as I get her changed and dressed. My kids have long ago settled into the rule of "no TV til afternoon" and it's been deeply satisfying for me to watch them disperse after breakfast to find ways to amuse themselves. And every day, no matter what our adventures or non-adventures of the morning have been, we have had a set Quiet Time while Larkin naps, and everyone has thrived with that hour of peaceful stillness all summer long. Despite the mess and the noise of having all four around me and my home all day, all summer, we've had a lovely "un-routine" and we've done okay inside it. Better than okay. 

And it's nearly over until next summer. 

So instead of wishing it away, and trying to wrangle life into order right now, maybe it was time to lean into it. Maybe even LOVE it. And the title of one of my current favorite books, a parenting/advice book by the Hands-Free Mama Rachel Macy Stafford, came to mind: Only Love Today. Only love today. You can read those three words a few different ways, and all of them fit what I needed for August. 

Only love today. 

Stafford writes in her intro, 

"Only love today, I silently repeated until the noise in my head quieted and I could be right where I needed to be-- in this moment.

... An unexpected blanket of peace settled over me, offering a crystal-clear perspective:

Those messy piles on the kitchen counter don't matter.
Those snug-fitting pants strewn on the floor of my closet don't either. 
That opportunity I missed fifteen years ago and still think about today will need to go now. 
That traffic I'll face taking Natalie to swim team practice won't faze me. ...
Even the nonstop rain sounds quite soothing as it beats down on the roof of my house for the ninth straight day.

In that forty-five-second pause to check the status of my heart, I received the ultimate reprieve: the distractions fell away... the pressure subsided... the worries dissipated... the weight lifted. What mattered most came into clear focus."

Only love today. Not annoyance at what ISN'T. Only love. Not wishing the days away until BETTER days come. Only love TODAY. Today. Love today. 

And so. As I have found myself tightening back up through the first week of August, hating the countertop, the laundry, the bickering, the feeling like I'm doing all the work... I have been able to stop, step back, and say to myself, "Love today." And then look around for something, anything, in the moment that I can appreciate or be grateful for. And it gets me back into the present and helps me see the good above the annoying. 

I have been able to walk past the messes that are making me lose my mind and whisper to myself, "That WILL get done. Be at peace. More time is coming. Until the right time opens up for it, though, let it go and only love today." The constant pile of papers and art messes on the dining room table (pictured above)?  It's okay. It'll get done eventually. But Larkin in her swimsuit atop her clothing, AGAIN? That's more fun to look at. The kids getting along during lunch? I will spend my energy looking at that and loving that, instead of glaring at the paper pile. 

The massive stack of boxes and baskets in my bedroom, filled with old baby clothes that need to be sorted, photographed and put for sale online (pictured below)? It's OKAY. It'll keep for another few months if it has to. I will look away from that and notice instead how sweetly Lucy and Quinn are playing together again this Quiet Time-- as they've done nearly every single Quiet Time this summer, devising elaborate Imagination Games together, without my help, like I've dreamed for my kids to do since before I had any. 

Only love today. There is a very dominant part of my nature that wants to wrangle control over my universe so I can step back and nod in satisfaction at how it all makes sense. But that is not how life works, and more often than not, very little is really in my control. Especially when it comes to the four little humans I'm raising here. Instead of finding reasons to be annoyed all day long, I choose love. I'm not great at it still-- I think it is my life's work to keep softening and seeing and letting go and learning to laugh at myself-- but I'm practicing it as often as I can remember to. I choose love. 

Only love. Today. 

*

(Photo details:

1. my "year at a glance" bullet journal spread, featuring this month's focus, "Love Today"

2. & 3. Blasted counters. I've given up. Groceries will get put away eventually. And the clutter counter next to it? I.... don't know. I give up. Maybe in September I'll put that stuff away and it'll be clear for three days. Until the buildup begins again. 

4. Laundry is now permanently residing behind our couch. But hey, it's all clean!

5. I'm really really done with providing lunch for four every single day.  McDonalds has been supplementing a LOT. I'm not going to apologize. At least the Happy Meals have apples in them. 

6. I think Fiona had just nibbled his forehead here. Not sure how that's done, but it's what Quinn claims happened. 

7. A rare, lovely moment where Noah decided on his own to play the cello and everyone came to hang out while he did. 

8. In a stroke of luck and brilliance, I grabbed a "shrinky dink" kit from Five Below last week and it has been a hit. Especially the watching of the shrinking. Also, we're nearing a bum-crack emergency here, obviously. Maybe I should sort out the too-small shirts from their drawers. NEXT MONTH. Only love today. 

9. Speaking of today, Elise is in town TODAY today. Like, THIS ACTUAL DAY! How cute is this Larkin/Aunt Elise selfie?

10. Lucy and Quinn during today's quiet time, totally immersed in their Happy Meal toys (for once) and playing so well together.

11. If we're gonna binge on cartoons, at least we're doing it together, snuggled and cozy.)

Halloween 2017: The Crow, The Totem, The Jedi-in-Training, and the Blue Screen of Death

 Halloween photos are ready to share this year! Hooray! A tradition I began when it was just Noah, I love making the time to capture my kiddos' costumes in formal backdrop portraits for memorykeeping.... And this year, they happened to have Friday, October 27 off, so we have a whole empty morning to get this done... and 3 out of four of the kids are really at cooperative ages, unlike their baby sister (looking at YOU, Larkin Clementine). 

Anyway, first up is Noah, who, inspired by the comic strip Foxtrot, decided to go as the Blue Screen of Death. 

 

For his costume, we already had a death cloak from my mom's dress-up stash, so all we needed was black clothing, a scythe, some fun gloves, and we created the Blue Screen using Adobe Illustrator and a computer font, then laminated it, mounted it on foamcore, and cut out eyes. Voila! 

Next is Larkin. She is at this crazy age where she won't keep hats, headbands, bows or hoods on her head, so most costumes were basically out. But then I had a brilliant idea, and remembered Rey's row of ponytails in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Larkin has enough hair for little tiny ponytails, and she forgets they are there... so BAM-- Rey was the solution:

For Larkin's costume, we started with the hair, of course. Then I just needed a white onesie, khaki pants, and brown shoes for the foundation. When I went to the resale shop, I found perfect khaki capris to mimic Rey's knee-length bloomer-style pants, and I found utterly perfect boy dress shoes that look sort of peasant-y and homemade. I cut some khaki-colored fleece to make her robes, and a dark-brown fleece strip for a belt. Some cut-off tights made up her arm bands, and I whipped up a fleece "light saber" in Luke Skywalker's original style since my brother reports that that will be the light saber Rey receives to train with.

When wiggle-baby started trying to ditch the photo session, I bribed her with sixlets to keep her around. It worked like a charm!! (Ideally, I like Smarties for kids for this kind of food bribe, since chocolate just gets super drooly and messy... but somehow I don't have any Smarties in the house!! Fail.)

 

 

My last two kids, Lucy and Quinn, both chose obscure but marvelous characters from the iPad game Monument Valley, a game our whole family has played and loved. The main character of the game is a little girl dressed in white named Ida, who befriends a totem of blocks named Totem (but who we accidentally started calling "Gollem" and so he's Gollem in our house. Oops!) At the end of the first game, Ida becomes a crow queen, and that is the incarnation of Ida that Lucy really wanted to be.

Both characters are gorgeously recreated by the artist @ddpatron from Deviant Art, as seen in these reference photos here, and it was his art that I used as inspiration to make the two costumes. (Thank you, good sir!)

 

For Lucy's costume, I dressed her in a white long sleeve shirt, white bicycle shorts, and tights. I then stitched a quick un-hemmed fleece jumper dress to mimic Ida's triangle dress. I made a pattern for some wings that Lucy can just slip her arms into, based on some bat wings my mom made me what I was the same age as Lucy. Again, with fleece, it was super fast and easy-- no hemming or finishing needed!   

And for her headpiece-- well, that was a labor of love using foam core, white duct tape, cardstock, and pipecleaner. I had the vision in my head for weeks, and finally made a prototype with posterboard to see if my ideas would work in real life. We had to make some adjustments to how it stays on her head (the fleece ties under her chin were not my original plan), but it worked mostly like I'd hoped, and I really enjoyed making the final piece with careful cuts and assembly. Lucy LOVES it, and I am so proud of it.  (Plus, how cute is my girl with her newly-lost top front tooth? Six year olds are so cute.)

 

And Quinn wanted to be Gollem, aka Totem, also shown here in 3-d form by the artist @ddpatron.

I enlisted Joe's help for Quinn's Totem. We used the biggest sheets of foam core we could find and Joe made a column for Quinn that was proportionate to three blocks of the totem's four total blocks. Any taller and it would've been awkward for Quinn's height, so we compromised with the three. Once Joe had built the initial structure, I got to work spray painting the whole thing, then taping off the individual blocks and using posterboard, a ruler, and an  x-acto knife to cute the blue markings for Totem's body. This costume took the most time and precision, but I have to say-- in the middle of a crazy month, it was weirdly satisfying to have such a left-brained, precise, focused task to tackle. And seeing the Totem come to life in such a grand scale was immensely gratifying. 

 

Also, Joe rigged an ingenious harness/shoulder strap for Quinn for the inside of the box, out of duct tape. It works SO WELL. And how cute is my little Gollem, peeking out from his costume? 

And there you have it: Halloween 2017. Crazy as always, but I adore doing Halloween costumes for my kids. ADORE IT. It's a pet project of mine, year after year, and even when life threatens to totally make me lose my mind, it's something I love to get down to work on. Maybe one day, when the kids are over it, but we don't have grandkids yet, I'll channel that passion towards some amazing costumes or cosplay for my husband and myself. Watch out: ten years from now, you might be seeing posts of US all decked out! Ha!

Inspired By Roxy Marj

 

Once upon a time I had a magical friend named Roxy. She was my neighbor when I lived in a secret studio apartment next to a smokey, stinky bar in Provo, Utah, and even back then, when she was not even 19, she was an incredibly inspired artist. It was a sparkly, surreal, marvelous season of my life-- those months I spent time with Roxana, aka Roxy Marj. 

I lost her for many years... occasionally scouring the web for any sign of her, using her given name, using clues from our time together. I never could find her until one day, through some especially clever googling, THERE SHE WAS--her style still unmistakable, even as it had evolved. She'd since gone on to Parsons School of Design, and was now a wonderful designer artist with a wonderful brand, designing for Land of Nod and running her own online store as well. I cannot tell you how excited I felt to find her again. 

Since then, we keep in touch lightly via Instagram. She is so lovely-- inside and out-- and doing so well with her art, currently working on cultivating some children's stories and illustrations, and it's a joy to see her journey online. 

So one day in the dead of winter, this past January, she posted an illustrated digital quilt square of a bonneted baby among white hydrangeas, and I fell instantly in love, and vowed to recreate the concept in a photograph, with my Larkin. She also instagrammed two more versions of this wonderful image, here and here.

And I waited for Larkin to sit up and for summer to bring hydrangea bushes to full bloom; and I commissioned a red pixie bonnet from another amazing Instagram artist, Cynthia from Simply Wilde Knitting. I borrowed a beautiful spot in my friend Tina's yard (thank you, Tina!!) and in spite of my stinker baby who tried to tear her sweet bonnet off at EVERY chance (thank you, Tina, also, for helping me wrangle my baby and for helping keep her bonnet straight!), I managed, on a sticky humid summer evening, to make my little project a reality. Check out my little Roxy Marj baby! 

Sweet baby in a red bonnet, surrounded by blooms on a summer evening.... I am in love. 

Thank you, Roxy. Thanks for inspiring my own artist soul once upon a time, and for inspiring me anew with the art you continue to make. You're one of a kind and I cherish you! 

*

May the Fourth Be With You

 Today is the third day school has been called off due to flooding in the southern portion of the Rockwood School District. Day one was sunny and gorgeous, and we got outside as much as we could. Day two was soggy and cold, and I declared it a pajamas-and-iPads-and-cartoons day, and we lazed about doing just that for the entire day. 

Day three, today, happens to be May the Fourth, the official Star Wars Day, and last night as I was facing yet another cold, wet day at home with all the kids in all their restlessness, I decided to skim Pinterest for some easy Star Wars ideas we could do for the day. The goal for today: postpone iPads as long as possible, and try to find other ways to have fun. Some Jedi robes and their old light saber toys from last year proved to be a perfect way to do just that. 

The super-crazy-easy DIY no-sew Jedi robe pattern came from here: http://smartgirlsdiy.com/2015/03/last-minute-star-wars-birthday/

In addition to the robes and fun, we also sat around the dining room table and made a few of these felt light saber popsicle holders. SO easy. And super handy, since my kids always ask me for a paper towel to hold these popsicle with anyway. Bye bye, paper towel waste! 

 

I have to say--- It was pretty tempting to just phone it in yet again today, but I'm really so glad that this silly, fun holiday happened to fall on today. It re-inspired me to try to CARPE DIEM, even when sometimes it feels like so much work just to do the regular daily survival stuff. It felt good to have something to grab onto to pull me out of the drudge, and reminded me that even in this trickier, more complicated life with four little kids, it is still possible to create a little magic and fun, and the "old me" isn't quite gone forever. Maybe, as baby continues to get more and more self-sufficient, we'll reenter a season of craftiness, of going the extra mile... of making art with abandon. Maybe I'll get my energy back, and my hands more free. 

Til then, making the effort to grab 45 minutes of time to do simple fun things together--- well, it's been so good. 

Happy May the Fourth, all. Here's to felt and fleece and imagination and here's to floodwaters receding and everyone getting back on schedule soon. Ha! 

*

One of My Happiest Happy Places: Vintage Market Days STL

I'm pretty easy to please, to be honest. Give me a mild day with a breeze, some food trucks on hand, and any event with tents and booths and things to look at and maybe buy, and I'm a happy girl. Live music is just a bonus. I've joked for years that you could land me at a Harley-Davidson vendor fair and I'd still be delighted. There's just something about booths and tents and music and the smell of cooking food.

So when I found my way to my first Vintage Market Days, back in the fall of 2013, arm in arm with my bestie Katie who was visiting from out of town, it was like angels singing from heaven. Not only did this market have all the elements of an Emily Good Time, but this market... THIS set of tents: THIS was carefully curated to bring together all the trinkets and treasures and thrift shopping and flea market hunting and craft/art fair handiwork of all the various other tent-y events I already loved, but ALL IN ONE PLACE. Condensed. Intoxicatingly specific. Junking AND art. Old things waiting to be repurposed AND new-old things already lovingly refurbished and set out for sale. Artisans AND trash-gatherers. 

And food trucks. 

And funky, vintage, catchy live music. 

This is Vintage Market Days. And they're oh so cruel/amazing because they hold this market TWICE a year. Not once. TWICE. Fall and spring. And I've managed to get myself there at least six times of the eight times they've held the VMD in St. Louis. It's just my happy place, you know? 

In the past three and a half years I've been going, I've brought home a dollhouse, little chairs, handmade fabric dolls, pillow covers, succulent plants, wire baskets, quilts, props for my photography business, gifts for my kids, and on and on. And on and on and on. I vow one day to bring home a refurbished dining room table set and probably a lovely hutch of some kind... someday. I look for both every time and find courage to walk away every time because it's not yet that season for me. But they're there. So many amazing things to look at, even when you're not buying. The Vintage Market Days is a sensory feast. 

This spring, I got to bring my other bestie, Genny, and I toted Larkin around with us. Last fall, I had returned again with Katie, who was again visiting from out of town. (In 2013, she came to shoot our family photos when Quinn was still small, and in fall 2016 she came to meet little Larkin.) We walked six-week-old Larkin around the market days and she slept the whole time.♥  It was so good to return and still have this sweet baby girl who was so content to be worn as Gen and I browsed and ooh'ed and aah'ed at the treasures.

But enough words... have I effused enough? Do you wish you were there with us? Guess what: I took a bajillion photos this time (with permission from the vendors and the VMD owner, woo hoo!) and I'd love to show you some of my favorite moments from the latest VMD last weekend.  If I managed to remember to grab contact/website info for various vendors, I tried to include it for any of you who might want to do some couch-surfing shopping. 

We started our day taking the obligatory selfie in front of the VMD's incredible rusty metal sign. 

It's a must! I mean, isn't that the coolest sign? 

One of the first booths we stopped in our tracks for was the huge corner booth for
Come On In Antiques. There were endless things to ogle:

Come On In Antiques: www.facebook.com/ComeOnInAntiques/

This gorgeous yellow flower display was in another nearby booth... Maybe Boxwood and Brass?? I can't remember. 

But I loved the sunny abundance of the display!

At the far end of the line of booths, there was a huge tent set up for some premier vendors who wanted  a little more shade and room. Dominating this tent was the incredible booth of Whimsy Willows. This is the first year this vendor has been at our VMD, and she's a perfect fit. Ashley Wilkinson, the owner, designed the booth herself and carries a huge variety of regular and plus sized clothing that speaks to the bohemian gypsy spirit. Lots of florals, lots of lace, and so many trendy cuts and styles. I sure hope we see her back in the fall: I need to save up and treat myself to something extra cute, I think.

Whimsy Willows: www.whimsywillowsboutique.com

Also in the big tent was a beautifully staged booth with trinkets and throw pillows, Cottage Collections by Suzi Ulkus. So pretty!

Cottage Collection: Suzi Ulkus 636.394.1628

And oh THIS booth: Winnie & Tulula's. Last fall was the first I noticed them, and they stood out for their lush, cozy, gorgeous monotone linen bed displays. Very appropriate for fall, the beds were covered in grays and off-whites, and I wanted to lie down and nap among the linen ruffles right then. So imagine my delight to see this booth again this spring, and in the middle of their other monochromatic bed displays (as gorgeous as ever), there was this utterly colorful SPRING display. Forget monochrome, I'll take THIS bed, please. Can you even handle the floppy, abundant, soft, elegant long ruffles of it all? This is all in linen. LINEN, people. Someday when I can afford it, I want my whole bed dressed in Winnie & Tulula's. *sigh*

Winnie & Tulula's: 214.395.4970  winnieandtulula@yahoo.com

This fabulous old shelving unit, styled to perfection with Ball jars, plants, and other ceramic details, was it the JMG Design booth. I swear if I had a place for this tall vintage shelf thingy, I'd have bought it right then and there.

JMG Design: https://www.facebook.com/JMGDesign/

Another fun booth, The Trendy Cottage, had a knack for styling her corners of her booth in "themed" treasures. This was her "strawberry display". So cute! She had a dozen other equally cute corners with other themes. 

 The Trendy Cottage: www.facebook.com/TheTrendyCottage

Genny was stopped in her tracks at this jewelry booth, Tarnished Charm. She ended up treating herself to a few pairs of earrings. I was enchanted by this velvet and pearl book ribbon. *swoon*

 Tarnished Charm: 

www.etsy.com/shop/TarnishedCharm 

www.facebook.com/TarnishedCharm/

Cabin Creek Mercantile was a booth with a great selection of items to look at, but what grabbed me most what that it selectively had this beef/cow theme hiding among the greens and ceramics and such. What a fun whimsical twist!

Cabin Creek Mercantile: www.facebook.com/Cabincreekvintiques/ 

Another show-stopper booth (and maybe also I am discovering I have a thing for how linen looks when it's in abundance) was the always incredible Spellbound Collections booth. In the fall, their booth was made from old windows and doors assembled to make a full BUILDING, topped by wings and a gold crown. Seriously impressive.

Also impressive is the racks upon racks inside, filled with more flowy, gypsy, boho funky clothing, much of it linen.  Another wall is filled with beads, and another display carries duplicate wooden wings and crown like the ones that top the outside of the booth. SO COOL. 

Spellbound Collections: www.facebook.com/SpellboundCollectionsTexas/

Lunch break for us included enjoying the food trucks while Larkin napped, and being treated to live music from Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers, a vintage jazz and swing band that fit right into the vibe of the VMD. 

Miss Jubilee and the Humdingers: http://miss-jubilee.com/

After lunch, we browsed the second half of the booths, finding more fun things to photograph:

 Bella Vintage Home: 

www.bellavintagehome.com/  

www.facebook.com/bellavintagehome

 CLcreates: www.facebook.com/clcreates/

And then we found the Stapley Dolls booth, a favorite of mine. I've come to really enjoy the owner, Christy, and she impresses me every time with her craftsmanship and fresh ideas for her dolls, as well as her charming displays. I confess I've caved in and bought a doll from her not once, not twice, but THREE times, counting this last weekend. They're just TOO CUTE. I could make dolls like this. But why bother, when Christy Stapley does such a marvelous job at it?? So Lucy has one, Larkin has one, and now I have one for my very own. Ha! 

 (Please note how she has found perfect vintage books to add to her displays. PLEASE BE AMAZED LIKE I WAS.)

Stapley Dolls: www.etsy.com/shop/stapleydolls

Next door to the Stapley Dolls, I met a new friend, the owner and creator at Birch Tree Bundles. This booth featured beautiful baby quilts in modern fabrics, as well as some really cute bibs, burp cloths, and other baby items. This girl seriously has such good taste in fabric. Why didn't I buy these bunny quilts, whyyyyyy????

 Birch Tree Bundles: www.birchtreebundles.etsy.com

We wrapped up our three+ hour exploration once Larkin began getting fussy and the clock began to run down on my amazing babysitters' time. A few more quick photos of a few more too-cool-to-walk-past items, and we headed to the car, finally. WEARY, for sure, but so filled up. (Literally and emotionally!)

All in all, it was as fun as ever, and I came home with these treasures:

clockwise from top left:

1. Strawberry creme mini bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes (only the bag here, since I devoured the cake. YUM.)

www.nothingbundtcakes.com/bakery/mo/stlouis-chesterfield

2. Sweet regency-style doll from Stapley Dolls. Mine, all mine!

3. "Be Still My Soul" nail art from Boxwoods and Brass www.facebook.com/stlboxwoodandbrass/

4. Heather gray lace-bottom tank from Whimsy Willows

5. bamboo and fabric teething bunny from Urban Chic Baby Boutique www.etsy.com/shop/urbanchicbaby

6. Dare to Be Different zip pouch from Come On In Antiques

7. "Grandma's Kitchen" scented soy candle from Beckley's Best Blends https://beckleysbestblends.com/  www.facebook.com/BeckleysBestBlends

 8. and 9. Weathered red bench and framed quote from two other booths I forgot to grab a business card from, so I don't remember who to give credit to! 

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The next VMD here in St. Louis will be in the autumn, typically in early October. Keep in the loop by following their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/stlouisvintagemarketdays

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Thanks for letting me show you one of my happiest places. I love treasure-hunting, and love time with friends, love chatting with artisans.... It just fills me up. I hope everyone I know figures out their own happy places-- finds tried and true ways to fill up, too. It's so good, this feeling of knowing yourself enough to know what brings you joy. Thank you, dear readers, for being here. You also bring me joy. I hope you have a great rest of your week!