23 May 2010

three paragraphs


three things tonight.

i want to play with paper. am hoping i'll someday have the patience and the spare time to get out all that bookbinding paste and coptic binding thread. somedays i wish i was still enrolled in a bookbinding class. am glad i created at least one cool thing while i was in there; a hardback journal that dan still writes in. let me just advise, if you're enrolled in something like a letterpress or bookbinding class, make something classic and awesome. you won't regret it. someday when we have a house with empty walls and extra money for custom framing, i plan on framing a few art school projects/pieces. i love custom artwork, it makes a place feel homey. my feeling is, when the kids' report cards aren't worthy of framing, go to the artwork.

parties don't have to be fussed over.
we had a few older ladies over for dessert tonight. i baked a layered chocolate cake and let it cool while we were at church. when the 8" round cakes came out of the oven, they were all puffed up like rounded domes. i thought two would sandwich together cutely to make an adorable giant whoopie pie. still, i went the traditional route, sliced the tops off and slathered the layers with frosting and sprinkles. it was a fun, last minute, laid back event. and it was all dan's idea. i threw on a tablecloth, tossed the clean laundry on my bed, closed the bedroom door and enjoyed our company. after the guests left, dan tucked benji in and i started in on the dishes. i couldn't help but think of my mom and mother-in-law and the countless times they've wiped their counters clean. so many parties, so many dishes, so many crumbs, so many nights of scrubbing and wiping and sweeping. after hosting and baking and smiling and table setting and linen pressing. am grateful they taught me the joy of a tidy kitchen on a monday morning.

i am absolutely excited for june. i have a few big plans up my sleeve. most of which have to do with being unplugged for awhile. i think it is the endless laundry list of projects i want to tackle. am feeling antsy to do something creative and productive like paint a room or perhaps clean out my closet. all the kids around here get out of school this friday. am feeling their anticipation and want to schedule in some summer to do's, find a sno-cone shack, and get a pass for the local zoo.


images by artist julia stotz.

10 comments:

crissy // mama boss said...

You have me so interested in book-binding. Every time you post about it I think "I really hope to/want to take a book-binding class!" Hopefully, sometime in the future I'll get a chance to. :)

I'm excited for June, too. Although my excitement for the month is due to the thrilling fact that June is when I'll get to meet my newest little one!

Jacki said...

I love the laid-back approach to entertaining. Makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable. And I'm 100% with you on starting a Monday morning with a clean kitchen!

Erin Wallace said...

So funny - I thought I was the only one who thought of her grandmother while wiping the crumbs from the counter. Always brings back memories of family parties and good times.

xo Erin

Hil said...

I'm happy to hit up the zoo or sno-cone shack any day. You know that. :) Can't wait for summer!

summer said...

i am knee deep in admiration right now. somedays i wonder if i will EVER master myself enough to just whip up a party and hide the laundry and be okay with it. i know grant would be so proud of me. he loves when i 'roll with it.' thanks for being my example, mart.

and i couldn't agree more on the tidy kitchen thing. it just gets the week off on the right foot, no?

Anonymous said...

i was thinking about taking a book-binding class this summer, but was feeling a little lazy & changed my mind. you make me want to change my mind back again... i'll have to talk to the husband about it haha.

[eeny] said...

I just recently made a little tiny notebook for my bf and kind of taught myself how to bind a book. But taking a class would be a great thing. I just never heard that there any places around here where they teach book binding.

And I am with you on the clean kitchen - that's what my mom taught me, too. Rather stay up an hour longer and walk into a clean kitchen in the morning than leave the mess for the next day.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

I did not wake to a clean kitchen this Monday morning and it put me in a funk for about an hour. I love walking into my (usually) clean kitchen, it's like an invitation to creat something delicious.

Sarah Stout said...

I, too, am anticipating June (more specifically June 18th, the last day of school for us teachers!). I love how your writing reminds me of my own thoughts and desires. Thanks, Marta. :)

Katherine said...

To all three paragraphs I say, sing it sister!

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