birds, blooms, baskets, and a birthday

couldn't resist posting a sampling of a few of my favorite baskets from artsymama's may basket swap. birds and blooms were a big theme. so many fabulously creative baskets from so many talented ladies. wish you all lived next door, i'd love to craft with you! all were wonderful...i'm anxiously awaiting mine from brieanne.


today is also a very special day, my son hunter's 20th birthday! not sure how that happened, he was tiny just last week, digging in the dirt and running through the neighborhood with his buddies! we're so proud of him, off at college, studying ethnobotany - yes, an earthy science guy, who's sweet, talented, and handsome. since we won't be celebrating with him tonight we had a cake sent and he woke to hear all of us singing happy birthday at 7 a.m. sweet, yes, singing talent, no! it's hard not being together for all the "special" days, we're missing him today, the first birthday apart. so i thought i'd share one of my favorite pictures of he and i, both with much longer hair! and a sprinkling of snowflakes.

1. Spring tag-May Basket, 2. May Basket swap sneak peek for Ramona!, 3. Little chair for inside the bird cage, 4. springbuckets-07, 5. a little peek, 6. May basket swap., 7. Nest inside basket for Andrea, 8. may basket sneak peak -, 9. May Basket Swap!, 10. May Basket Sneak Peek, 11. Bitty Bucket up close, 12. May basket close up, 13. Miniature May Baskets!, 14. P4200220, 15. may basket swap top view, 16. May Basket teaser

p.s. arrg! flickr didn't want to let me "blog this" mosaic, so this is how i had to do it, sorry!

Created with fd's Flickr Toys.

birthday girl!

i had to post a little birthday wish for my sweet chloe - she turns 12 today! it was so hard putting that extra "good luck" candle on her cake. can't believe my baby is heading into her teens...hugs and kisses sweetheart, we love you!

she picked out a sea shell cake from the bakery downtown, a little two tier number with white chocolate shells and delicious buttercream icing, fit for a mermaid.

speaking of mermaids - i painted these tiles for the kids bathroom shower. it's funny how the mermaids came out looking like me and my sisters, and the merman resembles my husband, a bit younger version. they add a little element of whimsy and fun - everyone comments on the unexpected guests in the shower!

exciting news!

you may remember my wonderful friend mindy from previous posts. she started a non-profit to help young mothers in need called a mother's wish - well, she's at it again! her newest creative venture, wish studio, is going to be an inspirational space for women to come and connect with their creativity. she has rented space in downtown beverly at the fabulous artsits building, red brick. you can check her site for more details of the upcoming launch and sale in june. i'm thrilled she's asked me to be a part of it! so, spread the news, and if you are local please come by and say hello to many fellow bloggers and artists for red brick's biggest event of the year.

other exciting news - i'm part of a swap sponsored by the very sweet artsymama, kari. she is hosting a may day basket swap. it's been a while, but every may day when my kids were little we would put flowers on our neighbors doorsteps, which we tried to be a covert operation, usually getting caught becasue of all the giggles. it's a sweet tradition especially here in the northeast where the budding of trees and first blooms are cause for celebration. my swap partner brieanne and i should get along just fine considering we both love vintage.

today the sun is finally shining after almost a week of rain, hail, and nor'easter winds, so even though it's chilly it's time to get out enjoy the fresh air.

enjoy -

xo heidi

cupcake for you

hope you all had a wonderful easter. we made a bunch of these sweet butterfly cupcakes. fondant butterflies in pastel hues and a bit of flaked coconut on top of whipped buttercream - yum!

my cake decorating classes have been a lot of fun. here's a snippet of the flower basket cake i made. still learning...it's not as easy as i thought.

funny thing, i don't even like cake. this is just another creative outlet - you'll see, i do this a lot. i get a little obsessed with ideas, and usually i conceptualize a new craft into a business; name, shop design, product line... i have journals and sketch pads filled with great ideas, some i've done and some never went anywhere. although this new craft will probably be reserved for sharing with family and friends, you never know.