friends and family

It is a glorious monday in Maine, the breezy air is sweet with the sea and the spring blooms are electric against the dark earth.  It is a day that is hard to be inside.  I want to be out, digging or pedaling or hiking, but that will come later.  For today, I wanted to share some sites of friends and family who have new or new-ish on line presences.  Please visit their sites and share your thoughts!

i just got this buckle in time for spring

First I will introduce you to my lovely sister-I-never-had-in-law, Andrea.  Andrea lives in Rhode Island, is married to my brother (no small feat), is a mom to three young darlings, caring guidance counselor by day, and super crafty by night!  Andrea makes fun belt buckles that you always want just one more of.  Andrea sells on etsy and at local craft fairs in New England.  Here is her etsy.

I want this

Next, one of my dearest friends Julia.  Julia and I met when my daughter was just barely two weeks old, almost 15 years ago.  Like Andrea, Julia is a married mother of three, and hers are, gasp, teenagers!  She works full time at the Family Place in Norwich, Vermont with their Families Learning Together Program.  She is a long time jeweler and I LOVE her work.  In fact most of what I wear on my fingers and ears and neck is made by Julia.  She also has taught some of her Moms to make a line of jewelry at the Family Place.  See her new web site- it has links to her etsy, her work at The Family Place, and also work by her two daughters Elsa and Grace.

2011 xmas card, Chris Purdin

Finally today, husband and wife team of Chris and Emily Purdin.  This creative couple met at the Savannah School of Art and Design, fell in love, got married (pulled off a very beautiful, creative, personal wedding) moved to the other Portland (Oregon), had a little Gus and a bunch of chickens!  Chris is an illustrator/animator and we are all wait anxiously for his funny xmas cards every year.  He's worked on TV, film and print, and is working on his own book(S) as well in his spare time. Here is his website.

hedge hog hiker logo- Emily Purdin

Emily is one of my very few girl cousins and she is a textile/seamstress Goddess. Emily has designed fabrics, made a line of lampshades and accessories for children's rooms and is now focusing on a line of children's clothing called Hedgehog Hiker-inspired by the needs of kids living in the pacific northwest-staying warm and dry and looking fab!  

I hope you enjoy taking a peek into these sites and share them as you will!!