Media-Shmedia

So, I ask myself: "what happened to this blog?" I think the answer is time... and facebook, mostly facebook. It's just easier, when things get busy, to write a quick line. But I assure you (are you out there?), I'm still here, sort of...

If you happen upon this little shot in the dark, meander on over to my other project, Heirloom, which is the professional counterpart to this personal blog. It's part shop, part design/copywriting/marketing services, all under one tidy "roof". And yes, Heirloom has its own facebook page, so be sure to "Like" it!

I've recently updated my shop with some original handmade jewelry designs that are fun and easy to wear, if I say so myself. Note: I haven't taken my simple studs off in some time. And check out these dangles! AND these bronze oval studs, which were recently featured in Etsy Finds: May's Hot Topics! Clearly, I've been having a lot of fun with my pseudo-cameo-doily-frame line! Finally, keep an eye out for some little creatures that will be making their way into the shop soon too.

I really enjoy talking in the first person(!), so this is not goodbye, but see you around here, there, and the web-o-sphere.

Meaning of Home

My Aunt Alma passed away recently. It was a sad time for the family, but also a time for us to come together and celebrate the life of a loved relative. I have an amazing family. I think it's easy to take that sentiment for granted, but I truly do have an amazing family. Their kindness, passions, and love have helped to form who I am and who I strive to be.

Aunts, uncles, cousins, and children have taken time out of their busy lives the past several weeks to be present and walk down memory lane together. Following my aunt's passing, several of us spent time at her home, which also used to be the home of my grandparents.

After my grandparents passed away several years ago, the once busy home became a quiet place for my aunt while she ventured out to family functions. Not having visited for several years, it was interesting to see how while nothing had really changed, everything seemed so different and small. When I visited on the day of her funeral, I was overwhelmed with its familiar scent. However, the typical everyday objects--magazines, clothing, kitchen implements--lay static where my aunt had left them before leaving her home. The same apple shaped cookie jar sat in the dining room, only it was empty and covered in a thin layer of dust. It was time to ready the house for sale.

Their home was always full of images of local flora and fauna, my grandmother's organ songs, beds dressed in linens trimmed with fine crocheted lace and afghans made by my grandmother, early pastel portraits created by my dad and uncle, and the scents of my grandmother's meals permeating the rooms. These are the things exposed to me at an early age that would influence who I was to become.

I suppose it seems natural that when it was time to clear out the house, I first found myself in the linen closet pulling out stacks of sweet smelling sheets, pillow cases, and embroidered finery. A sewing kit brimming with vintage buttons, spools of thread, in-process mending projects, and a lifetime supply of needles would come home with me for reinvention. Finally, my grandmothers Blue Willow china will find new life nourishing our guests the way it did for my family.

My fondest memories of my aunt and grandparents are synonymous with time spent at their home. I remember sitting on the porch feeding peanuts to the squirrels (from my fingertips), laughing with my older cousins, eating ourselves silly on holidays, loosing myself in the endless garden, playing with countless small animals my aunt kept for the children she taught, walking down to the park and into town, revealing the scenes on the china beneath my Sunday dinners, and spending the night sleeping on the softest sheets you'd ever dream of.

Since I don't have the opportunity to relive these memories with my aunt and grandparents, I am so grateful to have been able to recapture some priceless moments through their home and with my family. Now a few sentimental objects will help to create new memories of love, laughter, and home cooked meals with those whom I share my home with, and an ever welcome reminder of where I come from.

Sweet Summer

Summer is finally here in every way... outdoor parties with family and friends, blueberry picking, sunburns, trips to the beach, the fruits of garden labor, summer evenings, lightning bugs, mosquito bites, fresh foods, live outdoor music, and more. As always, there are many things to do as we work to improve our home and lives, but summertime fun is the sweet reward for completing big projects!

It seems every year around this time I rediscover fresh, local warm-weather produce and my love of cooking; this year is no different. I’ve recently been inspired to try some new recipes, such as a no-knead bread and homemade butter. They are shamefully easy and there's nothing like a simple, delicious, and flavorful meal that has been made completely from scratch with fresh ingredients. It's soul food without a doubt. Up next: experiment with sprouting and discover what this area has to offer in local grains. Perhaps a 30 day Eat Local Challenge is on the horizon.


It seems all of my senses have been awakened after a cold winter and soggy spring. In addition to the flavors of summer, I’ve been sinking my fingers into the rich soil; lavishing in the sounds of buzzing bees, bird songs, frog chips, and fox calls; watching all the trees, shrubs, and flowers take turns presenting their unique qualities; while the scents of evolving blooms waft through the warm air. Even dirty hands and feet, the periodic itchy reaction to foe insects and poisonous plants, skunk spray, and fresh manure find their welcome role during this time.

Since moving from Baltimore to rural Pennsylvania two years ago (and starting this blog), seasons tend to affect me much more. We are not nestled inside, isolated from the elements, staring through insulated panes of glass at the outside world of fluffy white layers of snow or steaming summertime pavement. Instead, we trek through snow and rain to retrieve firewood, our main source of heat, and are well on our way to relying on the garden to sustain our bodies.


This is a conscious decision we've made to live life not easier, but more simply, and to be more in tuned with ourselves and the world around us. It's not an easy lifestyle, but a labor of love, and we are continually presented with the rewards of our hard work. In addition to feeling good about our decisions, we've cut our annual reliance on heating oil down by more than half, are working to maximize the yield from our garden in order to spend less at the grocery store, while entertaining other ways of saving $$ and reducing our carbon footprint.


My creative juices are also grateful for this way of life and for the summertime season. The daily patterns, forms, textures, and colors I encounter dance through my head and beg to be reinterpreted on paper, fabric, and in metal. I hope to share some of these projects with you, as I have been producing on a limited basis. Nevertheless, as you can imagine, the squeaky wheel gets the grease during this season of fun, flux, and abundance!

I hope you are enjoying all there is to partake in this summer!

Happy Mother's Day

Have a very Happy Mother's Day to all the hardworking, inspiring, loving mom's out there!

Although I don't get to spend today with you mom, I'm happy you have a nice sunny day to enjoy. I love you so much and look forward to seeing you soon! xoxo

Weekend Treats Made Even Sweeter With Family & Friends

This weekend was pure food for the soul. I wish I could describe so eloquently as some, but I will do my best to put these moments into words and images...

Jim Norton, White Pearl Bracelet, 2007, Enamel on copper, pearls, 4" x 4" x .5"

It all kicked off with Friday night's opening reception for Bend, Mold, Cut, Join: Small Works in Metal. Juried by Ellen Lupton, the exhibition features pioneering art jewelry, vessels, implements, and small-scale sculpture that combine traditional metalsmithing techniques with a vision representative of the field of contemporary metalsmithing by utilizing innovative materials, techniques, and concepts. On exhibition through May 31 at the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts (DCCA), Bend, Mold, Cut, Join: Small Works in Metal is held in the main atrium of the DCCA and Alternatives Museum Shop, an elegant retail showroom featuring an eclectic collection of handmade crafts by artisans from the region and beyond. A must see!

Gorgeous flowers from H.B., by our neighbors, Sweet Pea's of Jennersville

Before going any further, I will mention that this weekend was also my birthday. Last year represented a more significant landmark so I was happy to have a quiet one this year. After all, I've never been one for odd numbers, so I call this the third anniversary of my 28th. Next year however, will be something different all together! ;) Nevertheless, despite my blasé attitude, I was pleasantly surprised by so many wonderful treats and well wishes. To my friends and family, thank you.

Yummy gingerbread cookies by Elizabeth, Aidan, Frances, and Paul -- thank you!!

Saturday's treat came in the form some very sweet cards and emails, some delicious and very unexpected cookies (they taste even better than the look, if that's possible!), and one of my favorites, Ray LaMontagne, who we saw live at the Tower Theatre in Philadelphia. Having waited for this show for several years, I would like to report that the entire experience was everything I had hoped it would be, but things were unfortunately dampened (literally) by some very rude, yelling, beer-throwing patrons. LaMontagne, was however, as spectacular as expected.

The garden, an ongoing project, but making progress: Maria weighing down the rake while H.B. drives the tractor... faster! faster!

Sunday brought more good vibes in the form of some hard work in the garden with the assistance of our friends, Maria and Boris. I don't think I could put into words how much we appreciate the company and heart they bring to our little corner of PA. Maria, with your wisdom and spirit, Boris, with your humor and curiosity; your presence makes every task so enjoyable, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

A gift, lace made by Maria's grandmother

So many good memories, thank you all!

Anthropologie: everything they're cracked up to be

Back to basics... from the inside out

One egg fried with fresh heirloom green and yellow tomato, fresh shelled baby limas, rolled oats with butter, salt, pepper, milk, and walnuts

Mostly antique cobalt bottles with morning glories

Getting chilly

Light casting through knots in the fake/temporary door, reflecting an upside-down image of outside. Cool!

I realized I haven't "made" lunch in a couple of weeks. When I'm so busy I have to rely on things that aren't going to reward me with the stamina I need to keep going or the peace and creativity that comes along with putting together even the simplest ingredients, I'm not taking care good of myself. Then I took a look at the house, my life, my relationships. True, things from this point forward are going to be filled with that "one more thing," forever and always, but I'd rather enjoy life than be forever playing catch up. It may be time to inventory what's going on and perhaps what needs to be put on hold. This weekend I worked on some house projects, cleaned and organized, listened to some good music, called and emailed some friends and family, and made lunch. I also took some extra moments to take in my surroundings. I feel much better.

So Long Summertime... Welcome Fall!

So many things are going on around here. I'm currently walking the tight-rope of life... as so many of us are. What else is new? I had hoped to post so much more about the latest happenings, so perhaps I can attempt to sum it up in a couple of posts. Things around Red Barn Farm have been running their ever-inevitable course...

Apples are drop, drop, dropping and have started to release their sweet/sour aroma into the air. I revel in the sound of them hitting the ground and the scent really isn't bad; after all it's smorgasbord for the bugs.

Concord grapes are here and nearly gone. They are so sweet and yummy right now. The tomatoes and peppers are hanging on, as are the herbs, but the squash and zucchini have officially bit the dust!


We've thrown ourselves into the digital age! What they don't tell you is how complicated the antenna is... the best reception we've gotten with our digital converter box is with the indoor loop from an old black and white television hanging off the pyracantha bush outside the family room. Apparently it's a known problem that they don't work as well with roof antennas. Go figure. The outcome: FOX still has the best reception (I could do without), we gained a couple of networks and the weather channel, but lost PBS. Overall, a turn for the worse. Good thing there's no time for watching TV.

Post-worthy on its own, meet my new-sed Hoosier cabinet! I know, I know! Like I need another project. Well, this is from some wonderful friends/neighbors who decided they didn't have a use for it. It's got all the original details including the flour sifter, egg timer, and enamel counter top. The plan is to use it as an organizer for my art/craft supplies. There are so many great storage options for this guy! I can't wait to paint it!

In Love

So it seems I'm a cat person after all. I am completely and utterly in love with Master P., our cat. I know it's not exactly fun hearing about other people's pets (like watching someone else's family vacation slide show or hearing about someones dreams; more about the telling than the hearing), but humor me for one sec while I break some blogging "rules"...

Master P. (a story for another time) responds mostly to the name "Peezer". If you have not already had the pleasure of meeting this cat, you absolutely must! He's a cat for the people. Really more of a dog than a feline, this little guy is all about whatever is going on at any given moment and placing himself in the middle in order to get some rubs.

He lives outside most the time, except to sneak in to curl up on a bed or my lap. He comes galloping (the greatest run) when I call him, follows us around the yard, greets me when I come home (and sends me off in the morning), lets Toonces (our other cat) steel his treats without an extra flick of his tail, and introduces himself to everyone, including the chimney sweep.

I'd like to think that he's got a special place in his heart for me (because I most certainly do for him), but I think he simply has no prejudices. He's one cool cat. So much so that I endure the pain of his nails when he tucks his little nose under my arm and kneads himself to slumber.

Folk Fest Highlights

This past weekend at the Philadelphia Folk Fest was amazing! For those of you who don't know or remember, I started my little side job as a camera operator last year, which has enabled me to dabble in TV production (note: lightly dabbling side job) when the opportunity has presented itself over the past year. This has consisted of college sports shows, corporate meetings, a commercial, a live parade, etc. It all may seem a little random as compared to my interest in jewelry and metalsmithing, but I've accepted that life is more fun with many balls up in the air (more about other balls later)! Truly though, this work is yet one more outlet to be creative and frankly, it's a bit of a rush! So back to the Folk Fest for 2008 we went to spend some time with an amazing crew surrounded by great music. Below are some of my highlights...

The TV truck in the backstage area with one of the big screens

View of the main stage from the truck at night

In the truck, my first go at being a Technical Director

In the truck, shading the cameras

Doing handheld camera on stage (I Heart Gene Shay!)

Arms getting all wiggly!

Some musical highlights (some new, some old) from Folk Fest 2008:

• Steve Earl
• The Felice Brothers
• Hoots & Hellmouth
• Compadres (Oscar Lopez and James Keelaghan)
• Trout Fishing in America
• James Shimabukuro
• and so much more!

I could do a post on the music alone, but in lieu of not having more posting time, check out the links! These people are GRRR-ATE! I can't wait until 2009!