It's Official!

Well, the time has come.

Little Bird has become Chirp Handmade and with a new name? A new blog.

It's a little bitter sweet, I must say. Leaving this space and moving to another. But, change happens and time marches on! {so I'm telling myself...}

So, here it is...without further ado....

I am now blogging over here:

www.chirphandmade.com

Come visit me, will you? It's still in progress, so pardon the dust while I tweak here and there and get it all set up. It's gonna take me a little bit. :)

Things That Change

Where to begin? So much to chat about....

Let's see, Summer is in full swing here at Little Bird. Both kiddos outta school and keeping this mama quite busy!

Swimming, playing, Just Dance, trampoline, coloring, bike riding....in between that, designing, packing up and shipping orders, listing a few new things...

Which brings me to the biggest change at Little Bird. A new name.

Yup. Little Bird will soon be called something different!

I know. Some have thought this is awesome and others don't understand why I'd change from it!

Well, I love it too. Apparently many love it. So much so that they have to have a name *almost*, but just a tad different, from it. Sometimes, way too similar. However, it's brought it to my attention enough that I feel it's time to separate myself from that, yet still keep with my beloved bird theme. Especially since both my kiddos have nicknames I call them related to birdies. :)

So...without further ado....

Little Bird is now Chirp Handmade.

The change will be gradual as I will be updating the blog, shop and overall appearance of it all over the next few weeks.

This new name though? I kinda like it. A lot. It keeps a little familiarity, but making sure to say HANDMADE! I love that I am able to create and do. I love my little shop. I hope to take my little shop to new places and heights this next year.

I've had to keep it *on hold* for so long, I almost felt it was more hobby than business. But, not longer. This is my business and I love it. Hopefully this also means that this little ol blog will see some more posting! More on that on another post...

SO, keep your eye out for the new Chirp Handmade changes coming soon! First up...the Shop!

TWELVE

Over the weekend....

I got married! Well, twelve years ago I did! :) {And yes, I married an Aggie. It's true. These are his buddies and freshman from the Aggie Band}



This is us now....TWELVE years later. Still the love of my life.

Cannot believe it's been twelve years. We've been best friends even longer. We were actually best friends for almost a year before we even started dating....18 whole years ago!

{gravy I feel old}

We met at age 15. Started dating at 16 and have been together ever since!

Ironically, the last TWO years of our anniversary were spent all wrapped up in the adoption. For our 10 year anniversary, we got THE call that we were traveling. Then for our 11th, we were literally in Russia, spending time with Sunshine {and our boy who was with us too!} and then got to go eat at a little cafe. I had crepes, he had pelmeni.

So, this year? We kept it super simple. We spent the actual day with our kiddos {honestly, the best thing ever!} and then at some friends for a bbq to remember the holiday weekend. Then, my love took me to my absolute favorite restaurant in Austin. Chez Zee. My husband claims if my personality were a restaurant, that this place would be it. I agree. Twinkle lights, vintage and eclectic mix of decor and colors....it's all very me! :)

Unfortunately, I do not have a pic of it. So sad. But if you're ever in the area, GO! It's awesome.

One Year Later...

One year ago, I was here:

One year later...

{I posted over HERE today}

Oh Monday!

My little artist {Ok, not really....she likes to paint & color, but prefers legos & detailed building & analytical thinking more. I love her}

She gets SO into her art, it gets on her. A little on the paper, a little on her...

See? Blue Speckled face {there's more than the pic shows}

Right after I took this picture, she flung paint smack into her eye. It looked like pink eye, but blue.


Then she tossed some legos when they didn't do as she wanted.

Then the dog got into the cat's litter box. {I Know!} Gross.

And this was before Noon.

Oh Monday....

I need more coffee.

Things That Inspire

I've been working with a new craft medium of late. I've wanted to work with it some time, but was too chicken...which is odd for me since I'm mostly fearless with new methods and ways to sew and make things.

However, this latest was something a long time in the making. Growing up, my Gramms was a huge and constant woman of inspiration to me. She was the one that took me to church with her and showed me what a godly walk really looked like. I don't know if she ever knew the impact she had on my life, but it continues to this day.

This necklace? Very much inspired by my Gramms and  some good life lessons I've learned along the way in this roller coaster called life.

During our time spent together, she would always, always read her Bible. I remember one particular passage in the book of Matthew. In chapter 17, more specifically. It talked about faith of a mustard seed. I remember asking her a bazillion questions about it and being amazed at the tiny mustard seed. So tiny. And with faith even that small, such big things are so possible.

It still amazes me.


So, in honor of my Gramms, I introduce you to the Mustard Seed Pendant. They can be found HERE.

Happy Friday!

Randomness On A Tuesday

Life has been a bit crazy of late. TaeKwonDo tournaments, birthdays, flag football practices and games, baby showers....

Sharing a little of my adoption heart over HERE

Working on new items and getting some ready to restock in the shop.

Making cupcakes {more later on that}

And playing with some fun new felt!

Over the weekend I made this fun new coffee cuff for myself to test out:

Lurve it. I needed a new Russia one to reflect my littlest little's personality. This does it. :)

It's a new eco friendly wool blend I am thinking of adding to the mix of my felt items in the shop. Recently, I tried out another new and fabulous felt, but not sure it's going to make the cut {haha}. I lurve it as well, but after a few weeks of testing it out compared to the eco friendly felt I've been using, it's just not quite what I was expecting. However, I could totally see it being used in some other crafty applications in the future, just not my coffee cuffs.

{I see a blog post dedicated to felt in my future...}

Speak Your Mind!

Fun new {and vintage } items at Little Bird!

Need to say how you feel, and need a fun way to do so?! Well, then here you go! Speak Your Mind Speech Bubble Coffee Cuffs are now in the shop! These are fun and reusable {with chalkboard fabric!} and come with their own brand new piece of chalk so you can write and re-write your own special little message on it. I'm thinking some special teachers will be getting these for teacher gifts this year! 

These lovelies also made their way into the shop last week....

A new style of my Vintage Dictionary Pendants! I will still have the former version available as well. I've also acquired a few more vintage dictionaries, so if you're looking for a word you don't see here, just let me know! Custom orders are always welcome. :)

All these fun, new {and vintage} items can be found in the SHOP! 

Sunshine Turns 5!

It's happening. She's turning 5. Today. 

This little girl that a year ago I didn't even know about. A little girl more than half a world away. 

I've been trying to find the words to express some of the mixed emotions of this day, but I've had a difficult time formulating them. Almost as though I don't want to think about the loss part, and try to simply focus on the joy part. 

I wish it was that easy. 

She has never really celebrated her very own birthday. She looks at me quizzically when I mention it {and my feeble  attempts to prepare her for it} and then I mention cupcakes and balloons and her face lights up!

And, it's no secret, that when she smiles and flashes those dimples...well...yes, there is much happiness and sunshine! 

I'm pretty much in love with this shot. The bright {and painted the night before by yours truly}5, the fun balloons, her Hello Kitty shirt and the best thrifting find ever...her fluffy turquoise pettyskirt. It just captures her. Right now. And that makes me happy. 

I pretty much adore this one too. The table and chairs {repainted cherry red chairs from my childhood, now hers}, her special dollies {or 'kukla' in Russian}, one mama made and the other from her Nana and her simply playing. Love. 

My dearest little Sunshine I adore you. You are cherished and loved. 

С Днем Рождения!

{Happy Birthday!}

And to many more celebrating together. 

Moments {adoption}

I posted over here today a little of my heart. Hope you'll check it out.

Here To There {an adoption journey}

Next week is Sunshine's birthday. Whew! Such mixed emotions...once I am able to get them organized, I'll post about it all. :)

Guess What?!

I'm featured over on Gussy's Spring Gift Guide!






Check it out! :)

Book Bag Awesomeness! {a tutorial}

Last week was Spring Break here in our part of the world. Which meant lots of bike riding, trampoline jumping and, of course, a trip or two to the library.

I happen to have a big kid who LOVES to read. Devours books. And? He needed a new book bag to transport all the book awesomeness to and from the library.

SO, off we went to the craft store {JoAnns this round} and picked up a messenger style bag in black. I thought about going the Bleachy Tee route, but the boy decided he wanted it in color, so we went more the craft paint route {more on that below}.

Then my boy drew a design he wanted on the bag. A robot. Or monster robot, as he called it.
{I love my 8 year old boy}

Then, we took the bag and I handed him my chalk pencil and let him just go with his design how he wanted it on the bag
{PS this is a GREAT big kid craft project, but for smaller littles, mama could transfer the design to the bag }

Then he chose the paint color(s) he wanted to use. He decided to let me to the painting part of things. I simply took some craft paint and textile medium {both bought at Hobby Lobby a while back} and mixed them together on a paper plate. Much like I do for Freezer Paper Stenciling.

Then, just a small paint brush {had it on hand, but got it at Hobby Lobby in a value pack of craft paint brushes} and painted away, going directly over the chalk. It took a couple coats since it was on black, but after about three it was the color he wanted, so we left it at that and let it dry.

A couple hours later, I went ahead and heat set it with the iron and pressing cloth {or scrap fabric piece is what I usually use } and VOILA!

Rockin' new book bag for my boy. :)

InstaFriday

Yay! Look! I'm actually doing an InstaFriday post! Think it's been too long....

This week was our Spring Break. Fun times full of plenty of activity and just enough down time to recharge for next week....except, I still need to finish laundry. Life. 

Freshening the house up with a fun {found on Pinterest} tutorial. Smelled goood. Will do it again. 

Then spent some time at the in-laws while the hubby's sister and family were in town. Sunshine LOVES her PapaDoc. LOVES him. I think he's pretty fond of her too. ;)

We also got to spend some time with my sister and her kiddos and learned little Miss Sunshine is fearless when it comes to climbing trees! Seriously. Wish this pic showed just how high and FAST this little bit can climb! Gave this mama a heart-attack! But I love that she's is strong and courageous. 

Aaaand. She made up for my heart palpitations by having plenty of "mama, hold me pease!" moments. Love. 

Then we hit the trails bike riding. Her first time riding in the trailer...thankfully she loved it! I however am pretty sure I could count the blades of grass as a ever so slowly creeped up a few hills with the added 45 pounds. Seriously. Ouch. Jelly legs! But totally worth it! 

On the ride we got to see some Bluebonnets! It's our Texas state flower and we hardly saw a single one last year with the drought. This year though, we've gotten enough rain to actually get a few! Yay! 

Ahhh. And Sunshine and I got to stop by our local Russian market on the way home from our weekly Russian lessons this week. She was literally giddy about it! Me too...being of eastern european heritage on my mom's side, I am able to get things there I grew up eating. Yum!

Speaking of the Sunshine. Curls! Love them. And her. 

And then there is my boy. Oh my big kid that hardly ever lets me take pictures of him anymore. But! We got to work on a fun project together, just for him, while the littlest little {aka Sunshine} took a nap. It was fabulous and I will be back Monday with a tutorial on how we did it! Super easy and super fun. 

And that pretty much wraps up our Spring Break week. Happy times. :)

Fun Chalkboard Pendant!

Guess what?! I'm guest posting today over on my friend Aurie's blog Our Good Life!

Go check it out. You'll find a fun little tutorial by yours truly on how to make this:

chalkboard pendant tutorial

XO

Gotta Love It! Gotta Share!

If you follow be on instagram or twitter, you know I've been trying out a new type of felt for my Coffee Cuffs.

You guys....oh.my.goodness! I'm totally smitten with this new felt. If you know anything about me and my Coffee Cuffs, you know that I'm all about attempting to live more "green" and using recycled/upcycled materials for most Little Bird products. So, I was thrilled to learn about a buttery soft, washable and still just as eco friendly felt from sustainable material! Yuppers, it's felt made from bamboo.

Bamboo!

It's scrumptious! And, I cannot help but share it with you!

SO.....the first three people to comment on this post will get a Little Bird Coffee Cuff! Yes, I'm serious. Complimentary, eco friendly, reusable and fabulously soft as butta Coffee Cuff with just a simple comment. It's true.

Just leave a comment telling me if you'd prefer Purple, Yellow, Green or Peacock Blue! Quick...first 3 get one! However, if you happen to see there are already 3 comments, leave a comment anyway! Any comments past three will be entered into a drawing to receive a Little Bird Coffee Cuff.

Yuppers. :)

K, ready....GO! {PS and tell me your favorite color...I'll contact you and get your deets and send a special made coffee cuff your way!}

Just Like This

Do you ever just look around your house and see it? I mean, really see it for the season and moment it's in?

Those moments where you're family is running about here and there and life is crazy and you're just trying to get through the day....and then suddenly you have a quiet moment and you just look around. And it hits you...

This won't be this way forever.

I had one of these moments the other day. I picked up my camera and just wondered throughout the house capturing little glimpses of things that I want to remember. Remembering my house, my children...this season...just like this.

With LEGOs lined up along the window sill...

And this happy little Sunshine running about.

That our game cabinet holds more children's games than not. Including our vintage Battle Ship my son cherishes because he played it with my Gramms all the time.

And Perry The Platypus earbuds my son got from his grandparents for Christmas

The random items my children leave on the sofa.

Those rare {and very brief} still moments with Sunshine just playing. Doing puzzles together and it just being us before we go get big brother.

I know it will all go too fast. I want to remember things....just like this.

Sunny Days and Sometimes Partly Cloudy....

{Being real is sometimes difficult...pushing publish on this made me want to grab a blanket and pull it over my head...}

I typically write and post things adoption related over on our adoption blog, but sometimes trying to post there and here is just too complicated....aaannd, often leaves one blog or the other neglected. Aaaannd...sometimes I just get stunned on WHAT to write about where and just not post on either. 

And then there are days like today....and weeks like this week. 

It was a several cups of coffee day today. An "oh my gosh my daughter did what?!" kinda of day when I picked her up from school. And a "seriously that kid just came up and smacked my daughter for no apparent reason?!" kind of day. {seriously, she didn't provoke it...I saw the kid walk onto the playground and just smack her. I've never seen him, she does not go to school with him. He just didn't like her I suppose. I kinda don't like him.} And then the "oh crap, I forgot my husband is working late, so we're gonna have hot dogs, canned green beans and blueberries for dinner {really, I was trying to use up what we had without going to the drive-thru or the store}" kinda day. 

And this is just a little snippet. I'd really rather not bore you with more details....or scare you. 

It was the little sleep, still getting over illness and Sunshine sometimes being a little more clingy than not {and sometimes button pushing more than not} kinda weeks. 

So far, she has been adjusting well and is sleeping well. I, however, am not sleeping so well. 

{Read: drinking large amounts of coffee}

There are the moments this week that I have felt inadequate as an adoptive mom and moments where I really wish there was a homeschooling co-op of only mother's and kids adopted from Russia (or any country, really), so that when my daughter acts out, or doesn't understand "taking turns"  or kids look at her like she has two heads because she didn't understand what they were saying to her at the playground...well, they would understand. They would understand the underlying issues and reasons for some of her behavior or outbursts and "freak out" looks and actions. Yes, she is TERRIFIED of public bathrooms and the dark. Not the dark like "I need a night light" kinda dark. Outside dark. Like, we can go into a store at sunset and come back out once the sun sets and she has a little freak out moment and tries to climb me like a tree because she is VERY leery of that "dark stuff" out there. 

People stare and I keep on walking, speaking to her in Russian, letting her know "it's okay. mama's here".

Let's not even talk about bumpy roads, rain on the car or dinner not getting on the table or in her mouth fast enough. 

I understand not all of this only applies to adopted kids. But a lot of this applies to Sunshine and her being in an orphanage setting for her whole little life. 

And then, there are the moments she just wants to be held. And I look at her and get a glimpse of what she might have been like as an infant. 

Sometimes it breaks my heart to pieces knowing she didn't get this time with a mother. Simply being held. And I sit and hold her....for long periods of time.

Yes, there has been a lot of holding this week. A lot of "mama...mama...MOM!" Sunshine calling me, begging for my attention at every waking moment. So, blog posts don't always get finished or posted (seriously folks, there are several just sitting in que...), new items for Little Bird stay in the ideas bin in my brain, just waiting to be let out onto paper and fabric ( they can wait a little longer...) and dinner doesn't always get done in time (thankful for crockpots!). 

I often wonder how other mamas and small biz owners and bloggers do it. Because, lately? I cannot. I cannot and I think it's OK. For now. 

This is a season and I am assuming one day sleep will come back to me restfully and I will have too much time in the studio and be longing for these moments that my kids were 8 and 4.   

Yes. This week. It's been Sunny and sometimes partly cloudy. 

Sunshine

I normally post adoption/Sunshine updates to our adoption blog over here, but I decided to post some pics taken today (3 months as a forever family!!!) on here!

So, without further delay, here is Sunshine month 3 of being with us:

Happy Friday!!!

Football Style Bleachy Tee!

I've been up to it again. Yes, I have. I'm sure it's an addiction of sorts, but it's so dang easy and results are so instant gratification!

Bleachy Tee's! Football style:

{original post and tutorial can be found HERE}

It seriously works so great for my 8 year old boy. Once he passed 5&6, well, applique just wasn't "cool" any longer. This though? He LOVES them.

{photo courtesy of my fabulous FIL}

I'm sure more of these will be happening in the coming months as my son sky rockets out of every shirt that currently fits him! ;)

Vintage Words

A while back on twitter I asked other adoptive mamas what ONE word would they use to describe their adoption journey. There were several {amazing} words. I loved them all. I decided to turn some of those words into pendants. 

These are just a few,but still so powerful. Whether in one's adoption journey or just life itself. Whatever your year holds and plans and dreams. 

I believe there is HOPE:

I do BELIEVE in strength and truth and promises:

I TRUST:

There is so much GRATITUDE. To the people, families, and those that have taken that leap of faith:

It is a JOURNEY. It may not be an easy one, but it's not about the end result {although wonderful}, it's about the journey. How will it go?

{These can all be found in the SHOP}

There are truly so many more words that could describe it all. These are just a few. What word would you choose to describe your journey, your life goals?