Take Your Mimi to Work Thursdays

Beginning on the first Thursday of January this year, Mimi, not yet 3 months old started going to work with me in the studio of My Aunt Debbie. Here she is, my tiny little helper "in the beginning."

Back then, Mimi napped a lot, and nursed a lot. Now she moves around. A LOT! Usually while on my lap. She attempts to nurse, but often is suddenly distracted by the lure of buttons in tidy containers, or Mr. Muff, Debbie's cat strolling by.
Mimi alternates between sitting on my lap and watching Debbie and I work, and playing on the floor.



Usually, we head downtown during the day, and mail packages at Postman Elvin's window (also our neighbor) and then we stop in the shop on the way back to drop off my newest creations, saying hello to Alicia.
Today was extra special because after we dropped off my new necklace(!):

we got to go in the backroom of Mommalicious with Debbie and look through a bunch of fantastic ribbons and trims.


I hope Mimi carries these early arty memories with her. Especially memories of Debbie sewing dresses and saying things like, "this skirt definitely needs more pom poms."
My lucky girl, and lucky me. Thanks to Debbie:-)

British Wensleydale with Salvaged Fabric

Necklace made from hem of a baby dress. With wool felt, buttons, lace, and wet felted British Wensleydale bow.



Large French Hair Clip. My version of the Union Jack, on felted afghan with natural felted Wensleydale center and disorderly multicolored sequins.

Pink Prom choker made from neckline of a baby pantsuit with felted Wensleydale ribbon and sequins with mother of pearl button clasp.

Easter Weekend, DC style.

(Hey everyone...! We LEFT THE HOUSE!)

We are fresh from a wonderful Easter weekend. It was a perfect excuse to visit my Uncle Joe, take the kids away, and see a few sights. We even brought Anna-Lena with us, a former German au pair from my days as an au pair coordinator.

Our weekend began with a visit to Annapolis. Here's little Mimi asleep in Anthropologie. Our shopping trip included Anthropologie and Whole Foods. I was in heaven. it couldn't get any better than that for me.

the bakery at Whole Foods- on Good Friday. I felt like I was walking around wide eyed- the bakery was jumping. I wanted to eat EVERYTHING. But dinner was soon.




Dinner at Buddy's by the water for seafood.

Max in Annapolis after dinner. (in the rain...and all smiles)

1st metro ride! Mimi in skinny jeans from Germany from Anna-Lena, Momma in
Babette's Barrette from Anthropologie.

Max on the lawn with Daddy.

The Smithsonian dream came true! it's REAL!


Max and Amelia Earhart's gorgeous plane.

Julia Child's well stocked kitchen.

Max and the Ruby Slippers...and a cool video of the Metro station:)

We had a lovely time Easter Sunday. It was in the high eighties and Max ran around the yard finding eggs, and playing.


We topped it off with a trip to IKEA on the way home:) Here's Mimi with Anna-Lena, who was so helpful to us. I was so glad we got away for a few days. Happy Kids. Happy:-)

We dyed eggs. And Wensleydale!!! with our PAAS Egg Dye Kit!!!

So we dyed our (um...brown) eggs the other night with our PAAS Easter kit.


It felt so good to have some quality time with Max. We loved wearing our aprons and getting our fingers all messy.

Mimi was not quite sure what we were doing....


So what's a girl to do when I have a stash of felted Wensleydale pieces just sitting there in one room, in their natural state? and all these pretty cups of Easter egg dye in my kitchen? Perhaps my mind could not handle coloring eggs and not wool. I know i know...all those wool dyers are cringing...it won't take...well...I had to try.


the wool took the color, but i had to drain the dark dye water, squeeze out the wool, and rinse, rinse, rinse. then i soaked the wool to make sure the color wasn't still bleeding out. these are the pieces dried. so pretty.

almost done! and so Eastery!

lots of fun...

and an unexpected new batch of colored bows!...here they are waiting for finishing touches!

Happy Getting Ready for Easter everyone!

British bows for the Royal Wedding

I have been busy assembling British Wensleydale bows bows bows...just in time for the Royal Wedding and all the big parties. They were flying out the door this weekend at the My Aunt Debbie Shop in Lancaster.
Please email me at maggiemay1973@hotmail.com to reserve yours and I can ship it out right away. I accept paypal and ship to the UK.

I felt British Wensleydale wool exclusively, and have been felting only Wensleydale for nearly two years. My bows and flowers are all made with 100% British Wensleydale wool from the Wensleydale Longwool Sheepshop at Cross Lanes Farm, Garriston Leyburn, North Yorkshire. They are felted in my home studio using my special techniques for felting this enchanting fiber. I add just the right amount of shimmering angelina fibers to make the pieces shimmer in the light.




Bows range from $8-18 and come attached to a french clip.

To place an order please send an email to me at maggiemay1973@hotmail.com. I accept paypal and ship to the UK.

Recent photographic activity...

This month has been so busy. The pictures on my hard drive have been adding up. I feel like I've been popping the stroller in and out of the car several times a day. I've been wearing many hats...mother, artist, organizer, appt setter, taxi driver, behind the scenes arty shop assistant, baby and child health and development researcher, sports enthusiast, British wool felting expert!
I am very happy that the worries of snow are over, as my life seems so busy now, I don't think I could handle the addition of coats and cold.
I love this shot of Max at the Railroad museum during his field trip. He is I think, the tallest in his class now.

The kids and I spent an evening registering Max for kindergarten with the School District of Lancaster. It really is a bit of an ordeal registering.

We needed a few beverages in the overheated waiting room, but we are proud we got through the long wait and paperwork. It has been extra complicated for us, as we've also had two meetings with the district regarding Occupational Therapy for Max when he gets to school, as well as multiple evaluation sessions with school staff members. (Most of those appointments occurred during rather "inclement" winter weather...)We are excited to get to this point, and for this coming September. We are ready, for sure.

Max is so ready that the same week we registered, he also lost his first tooth!

In addition to school sign-ups, Max started baseball with a city league.

I have a new appreciation for soccer moms! It's a bit tricky helping Max on the field and tending to Mimi, but this week I brought my MIL with me, and it worked out much better. Also, I felt that sense of community again, especially after this weeks practice. We had "one of those days" but evening practice turned out so fun, and on the way home Marty Hulse from Building Character drove past us in his convertible through the city...I waved, and then he said "Hi Maggie" as he passed by. and I thought, I love knowing people here. It's just nice. Truly. The value of community cannot be underestimated.

I turned 38 on April 6. We had lunch as a family of four at El Rodeo. I had a nice birthday, and a quiet afternoon and evening with the kids.


Last Saturday we had a Yoga Party Playdate with Amy Balestier from Yoga on Orange. We won the party at the Lancaster Cooperative School Auction last November. Amy was SOOO good, and gave the kids a wonderful session. It was so nice to have her in our house, and reminded me how calming yoga is, and how much we need it. Opal and Kai had taken classes with Amy before, but I hadn't realized that Amy also had taught Max at preschool. She knew what poses he was good at!



Max, getting good at yoga!

Mimi working on the Happy Baby pose!

Another new addition to our family, is Feeding Mimi Food! She is eager to eat, and it's been really fun. This prune episode gave me the best laugh I'd had in weeks. Honestly she loved them at lunch, but gave me crazy faces at dinner!
I'm hoping that my weight will start to go down now, as I don't have as much time to eat since I'm busy feeding someone else! Cross your fingers!

Spring is hitting us quickly this year, but we're in it for the ride! My new Wensleydale bows have been so fun to make. I'm actively looking for new retailers for them. Do you have a shop? Message me, and we can talk wholesale! My email address is: maggiemay1973@hotmail.com

We are looking forward to Easter, and the upcoming week. We hope you are as well!