New Items for Sale!

Hi family and friends!

We've been working hard to get more items on our website this year so go check it out:

seefishcreate.bigcartel.com

There are Christmas cards and great Christmas gifts.


I'm excited to announce that this year we are having a special on our website until December 31, 2012—

100% of the proceeds from the sale of The Gathering of Friends cookbooks,

100% of the profits from the sale of Christmas cards and word art by Candace,

and 25% of the profits from the sale of calligraphy by Julia

will be donated to benefit Natalie & Alice Fish

Read their story at fishesformarrowwishes.blogspot.com


Want to help but don't want to buy anything?

Feel free to send this email on to your friends or pin some of our items on your Pinterest boards so we can get the word out.


One more thing...we always love custom work so if you want something and don't see it on our website let us know!


THANKS and Merry Christmas!
candace & julia & maggie

Northeastern Leaves

by Marci

For each extended training or deployment, The Soldier has asked me to make him a quilt. This time he scoured Google images for a pattern that would remind him of home.  The colorful New England fall was in full swing, and we were beginning the annual process of leaf blowing, so it seemed fitting that he found this pattern.

The Soldier helped choose the fabrics, then I worked on it diligently for about three weeks (between outdoor leaf blowing and periods of household catch up).  I even worked on it during our three-day, no-child Cape Cod getaway.

(I must insert here that he gave me very strict instructions that I could only work on the quilt when I had love in my heart for him, so that would transfer to the finished product.)

I took a week break...huhah!--not for lack of lovey feelings--then finished the tag on the back, just in time to take it to the machine quilter.

Planning and sewing in my formal dining room.  

Does anyone in my phase of life actually use a formal dining room for formal dining? 

The Soldier's Insanity workout while I completed leaf row #8 of 11 at 

a friend's cottage in Cape Cod.

 I've hardly bordered any quilt and was surprised how long it took to 

center the seams and make the corners just right.  I should have planned better 

before I jumped into it.  Typical.

Somehow this dear couple agreed to long-arm quilt this for me in a 24-hour period.  And when they discovered the quilt's purpose, they upgraded the design and refused to take a cent for payment.  An unforgettable gift from strangers.  I still get a little weepy thinking of their kindness.

They delivered the quilt, and I finished the binding within 14 hours of The Soldier's leaving. Plenty of time, right?

Front

Zoom

Check out the variegated thread.

Back

Silly that I didn't even see the pattern in this flannel to match the center seam
until someone held it up for me.  A lesson in working too quickly
and looking too closely.

 Zoom

When I saw the scrap in my stash, I just had to add the rooster, hen, and four chicks 

to represent our family.  Big D is still bothered that his place is as a chick 

and not the rooster.

The quilters insisted that the quilt have a name for their records.  The Soldier decided on "Northeastern Leaves." Not much of that where he's going.

See Fish Finish!

by candace

You ready to see the space in the house that makes me the most happy? The loft/playroom area! I love how it turned out. It would have never looked like this without my sister Stefanie. In fact, most of the house would not look like it does without her. She really is amazing. She even sacrificed her life to get the Subway art (seen below) hung on the wall.

I wanted the play area to be functional and fun. I bought the white cabinet to hold books and some toys but I bought the big white toy box so most of the toys could be thrown it there...not organized but hopefully realistic for G to help me clean up. There is a swing, a desk, a mirror, an ABC poster, a chalkboard wall, magnet boards to hang pictures or G's art, and—best of all—chairs for the adults.

The black wall is chalkboard paint. The orange things above the abacus are magnet boards...waiting for G to color some pictures so I can hang them up there. Our family picture is printed on metal!

My mom and I made this :)

 

Where did I get it?

White cabinet, white toy box, swing, gray cabinet above chairs, orange magnet boards, crazy light: IKEA

Orange desk: 2modern

Abacus: CB2

Subway art, gray chairs: World Market

 ABC art, orange bird cage: Z Gallerie

What do you think? Any ideas to make it more fun or functional?

See Fish Finish!

by candace

Welcome to the third week of See Fish Finish. You can see the master bedroom here and the nursery here. Today we have the office. I am a freelance graphic designer—mostly designing textbooks—so I needed a space to work. The office was the first space in the home that came together. I found these yellow chairs within a couple days of moving in and knew they would be a great start to the room. This room has been this way for two years and I still love it.

Where did I get it?

Yellow chairs and S-shelf: West Elm

Desk and white cabinet: IKEA

Wall decals: whatisblik.com

Star: made by my sisters!

Amazing light fixture: Turkey! You'll have to fly a long way to get yourself one :)

See Fish Finish!

by candace

In case you missed the first week of "See Fish Finish" you can see the master bedroom here.

Next, we have the nursery. The inspiration for the nursery started with the fabric for the crib and this is where it ended up.

Before I had to take the bumper pads off because my child was destroying them...

And now...

 Where did I get it?

The amazing crib bedding (including the sheet): made by my talented mom and sisters

Crib, dresser, changing table, lights: IKEA

Duvet cover, pillows, clock, rug, hippo, hour glasses: CB2

Curtain: Urban Outfitters

Next week? The office!

See Fish Finish!

by candace

I am not known for finishing projects...not one of my talents. I have lived in my home for 2.5 years and I can finally say that it is FINISHED!! This summer I got a serious itch to get it done so we started by getting rid of the tan walls and tan ceilings (that were the same tan as the carpet and the tile!). I have organized and accessorized and I'm declaring it finished! It's quite liberating.

Our style is more modern than anything and what I have found: modern is hard on a budget! But we've managed and this is what we have come up with. Here is our master bedroom.

And because I appreciated when I found helpful hints, I'll fill you in on where I purchased some things:

Bed, dresser, black chairs, side table, office desk, zig-zag shelf: IKEA

Art: Z Gallerie and World Market

Flowers on the wall: Chiasso

Rug and pillows: CB2 (my favorite place!)
Blown glass sculptures: Pier 1

Chrome floor lamp: Z Gallerie

Big mirror: Home Goods

Curtains: my friend Sally made them. Check out her awesome blog: http://abodecasahome.blogspot.com/

Stay tuned...the next few Fridays will reveal other rooms in the house!

See Fish Finish

By Marci

My days with four little kids lend themselves to very few finished projects. Even dishes, laundry, and cleaning up anything seem to blend from one meal, load, or spill to another.

However, this week I actually finished two projects! One, because Big D, my two-year-old son, poured water all over an already-ancient chair cushion;

(before)

(after)

and another, because my neighbors were moving, and so I had a true deadline.

One lesson I've learned as far as feeling like I'm making progress is to combine or alternate small projects with large ones. The chair = 2 hours (should have been 1 hour, but I'm such a sissy with the staple gun). The quilt = 20+ hours.

If only I, like Big D, could master the art of finishing something before it has even happened!  As we were gathering up books to return to the library one day, he said, "Mom, you can take this one--I already read it tomorrow."

What fun (or not so fun) projects have you finished recently?