Say hello to Jane!

via AbeBooks

We are shaking things up a tiny bit here at Hiving Out! Jane, a dear and lovely friend, has decided to take us up on the offer and join us on these pages. We are beyond thrilled. Jane is funny, whip smart, and has some amazing taste. I'm expecting to find some great vegetarian recipes, book finds, and music from this lady. And, of course, if she doesn't work out - she also has a very crafty cool mother that we can always tap as a new blogger. Look for the occasional Jane post starting this week and here are a couple of my favorite Janes to make this one feel welcome and loved!

Jane Birkin via Height of Vintage

"Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë via The Book Cover Archive

Jane Goodall via Time

 Jane Addams (1st American woman awarded Nobel Peace Prize) via University of Ill.

 Jane Fonda via Letter to Jane

Jane Austen's "Emma" via Abbey's Bookshelf

Thursday, "Children at Play" and Etsy

 pitpatwaddlepat

The "Children at Play" fabric line, designed by the artist at SarahJaneStudios, has been available for awhile now, so there are quite a few Etsy items that feature various prints from the collection. I am a big fan of the art, so the fabric is a favorite as well. Here are just a dozen of the items I found- all of them as darling as the fabric itself!

 lolaslovies

 JemiBoutique

 QuiltStory

 EmilyAnnsKloset

 printsnpatterns

 LittleBirdsBoutique

 modernmadebaby

 liltulip

 DollBabyBowtique

 NamelyPillows

OddEDesigns

Sidenote: This past spring Sarah Jane Studios premiered her latest fabric collection- "Out to Sea". I definitely like it just as much...maybe more!

Images: sarahjanestudios

Lego guys are funny

The other day I was brought to my knees after stepping on the head of a Lego fireman (if they get you right on the instep- forget it). Even though it hurt like nobody's business, I laughed as I pulled the helmeted head off of my sole. Lego guys are funny.

 Images: mysanantonio, citrusmilo, etsy, etsy, etsy, syncblog, flickr

poppies for presents

The site ellinee.com not only has links to the design studio's shop and Pinterest boards, it also has their blog which happens to contain the most incredible DIY paper flowers.
I am already thinking forward to fall (while still enjoying the summer, of course) and want to have a dozen of these paper poppies on hand to use for gift wrapping. The tutorial provided includes the link to the PDF of the perfectly watercolored petals- all you need to do is grab scissors, a glue gun and read the surprisingly simple step-by-step instructions (complete with photos!!).

All Images and tutorial: ellinee.com

baby yawns

I am definitely not an interior decoration expert, but one thing I will share is a tip for displaying certain photos. Having just passed my six year anniversary of becoming a parent (and therefore my six year anniversary of not consistently getting a good night's sleep), I am now so very grateful for the three good sleepers under my roof. 

Don't get me wrong- it took each of them the better part of a year to get there and there were times, with eyes burning and head pounding , that it felt like the better part of decade. But, a few weeks after each baby was born, I snapped a photo of him/her/her yawning. I just love that shot- a snooze-y newborn on the brink of sleep. I put them up in my room, one by one to remind myself they could rest, and now when I see the three photos together they are funny and sweet and the perfect reminder of that crazy stage of sleeplessness......

Frog and Toad

 Four decades ago Arnold Lobel wrote and illustrated Frog and Toad Together, and last night my son giggled his way through reading the first two stories in that book. Isn't that something? After forty years, Lobel's ability to capture kindness, friendship, and humor still resonates with the children (and parents) who pick up his early readers and open their covers today.

Last month it was announced that The Jim Henson Company would be developing Lobel's Frog and Toad into a film. I can't think of a better fit.

Images: Children's Book-A-Day Almanac, cllctr, cllctr

beach towel sale

It is not quite the end of July and already the beach gear sales are in full swing. Every summer I think,  this year I will replace all of the old beach towels that have been with us since Y2K was newsworthy, but every summer they find their way back into storage. Not this year! I will take advantage of at least one of these sales.....

 Images/Sales: Target, Amazon, Land of Nod, Zappos, Crate and Barrel, Land's End, Land's End, Pottery Barn Teen, Kohl's

salt water taffy

 

If you spend any time near the beach, you have probably had salt water taffy. It seems it is the one must have item in every beach town souvenir shop. No matter how much I try to avoid it, I probably end up eating dozens of flavors of taffy by summer's end!

Having eaten so much of it, I know it is all mostly sugar, but I was still curious about how the taffy is made. Might be a fun project to try with older kids....

 Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon flavoring (your choice)
• a couple of drops of food coloring (your choice)

Instructions

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 1-1/2 quart saucepan.
   
2. Stir in corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking then, without stirring, until candy thermometer reaches 260 degrees or between firm and hard ball candy stage (mixture will form a flexible ball when drizzled in cold water).
   
3. After boiling has ceased, stir in flavoring and coloring.
   
4. Pour onto lightly greased pan. Let stand until cool enough to handle.
   
5. Pull the taffy with greased hands. Cut into 1-inch pieces and wrap the candy pieces in waxed paper.

Recipe: recipelion  , Image: troyerscountrymarket

found poem

In some very old mail, I found a poem. I still like it, reading it after such a long time, so I am posting it here.

Almost Love

Magaly Sanchez, Cuba

(translated by Margaret Randall)

It happens sometimes; a pair of eyes a profile
someone we don't know and see only once
or every afternoon.
Someone we met, it was just like that:
a hand on yours
some hasty words.
But someone who became a part of you
and now there's no seeing that face without paling
without trembling hands
and it's almost love.

Image: jacquesleblanc.net

sea glass earrings

While on vacation at Cape Cod, I thought a great project for my daughter (and  for me) would be to spend an afternoon collecting sea glass that we could later make into earrings to gift to my sister and mother, who were also vacationing with us. I had visions of gathering enough glass to make sets of earrings for the cousins for Christmas and for my friend who adores the beach.
Wouldn't you know, we did not find a single piece! I know certain beaches are better for uncovering sea glass and we definitely were not on one, but I am still including a link to the project.
If you find yourself with an excess of sea glass just begging to be repurposed- this is for you.

Images: marthastewart, coastallivingblog   Project: marthastewart