{ tara frey }:: typing out loud

about a boy...

 
about this boy in particular:

• he never lets me take his picture anymore
• he has the deepest and biggest brown eyes I've ever seen
• he looks like his handsome daddy but cursed with my bushy eyebrows
• he's gentle and kind
• he makes his bed every morning
• he loves his puppy
• he has the girls calling non-stop
• he wants to volunteer at the firehouse this summer
• he takes his sister sledding
• he helps me fix things when daddy is at work
• he babysits his sister and makes sure she is fed and goes to bed
• but sometimes he sits on that same sister, teasing her with names like "bubble butt".  however, if he didn't, I would have to schedule a doctor visit because that would not be normal
• he's been recruited by the high school golf team and is still only in middle school..{this mama is proud}
• he's made his paternal grandfather so happy by just being a boy to carry on the name {read here for full story} and is treated extra special by him, since being his only grandson...they have a unique bond that is so gratifying to watch
• he's growing into a man before my eyes and is even taller than me, surely on his way to being 6ft tall like his daddy
• he's all mine until a lucky woman snatches him up one day (and she better be perfect)
• one more thing about this boy... he turns 14 years old this Saturday January 15th.  FOURTEEN.

my not-so-little boy

i'm so happy you came into my life on that blistering cold January day...it's been sunny and warm ever since

love,

mama

this christmas...

 
hustle and bustle.  lists need to completed.  cooking and cleaning for out of town guests.  deep breaths.  paper cuts from wrapping.  will santa remember to get everything?  christmas cards come in the mail with photos of sweet faced loved ones-stopping me in my tracks. i look back at their faces and a warm feeling comes over. calming.  i think about my little family & close friends all around {and a cutie patootie puppy on my lap that occasionally drinks water from the tree stand and eats little branches for lunch}. merry christmas 2010. i wouldn't have it any other way.  you are perfect.

Enchanted Forest...

from my window I can see it

 

the light billows through our windows and beckons us outside...

whispers of trees blowing

and the smell of leaves burning

the glowing season

my enchanted forest

Chasing Fireflies...

tap tap.. hello? is this on? 

  

there you are! hi friends.  i'm alive and all is well.  I am popping in to say hello. so H-E-L-L-O!  I knew it was time to come by when I saw on my stats that someone googled "is tara frey dead?" omg.  I guess it's been too long.

So I wanted to tell you that I've taken some time off to pursue some things.  just "things", no other word for it.   It may take a long while but I will continue on with ||  the climbing.  the reaching. the dreaming, the determination and steadfast tenacity that might be required {insert me doing some sort of stretching exercise}

~ The feeling like I'm floating and chasing fireflies. ~

And I'm thinking it's also time for a major blog 'redeux'.  I'll be working on that too and hope you stop back to see the changes.  I'll still be on twitter, tweeting away, so come visit the random thoughts sputtered out in 140 characters [or less] over here : www.twitter.com/tarafrey   

For now, I want to tell you that I'm alive and well.   Mr. Frey, the mice and I are happily chasing fireflies.

Love to all.

xo

hand art...

 

Love the many ways people show their hand art over at flickr.  And it's a little eye candy to say thank you for giving your time, reading my blog, following me on twitter, participating in my silly polls {which are still open!} and being such nice, gracious and giving people.  I value your thoughts, comments and opinions and grateful you stop by here once in a while, never knowing what I'll be blabbering about.  

Where have you been...

 

This question is flooding my inbox..

so in a long nut shell here it is:

been snowed in, cabin fever, touch of flu, flooded basement, re-organizing, doing lots of research, touching base with creative peeps, blog hunting, dream chasing, playing dress up with my daughter, made our own "We are the world" video for fun {I was Celine Dion} chased Sadie in the snow, obsessed with making pipe cleaner rings after seeing Martha show, went to Philly, working on coding for the blog, deciding on a new direction, new design, thinking should I or shouldn't I with a major migraine project,  laughing at my son's ring the doorbell and run stories {ding dong ditch}, answering emails, living, loving, taking deep breaths, moving forward, working on portfolio, wishing, waiting, hoping, hugging my family and loving that new furball that still has puppy breath

The Knit Killer...

  
I started this sweet little scarf, lush with vibrant hues and sort of a jelly bean jar effect...which is a bit of a stray from my softer frothy color collection. The scarf style itself is unique I'm told by my girls at the knitting store...because before cast off, there is a trick to pulling pieces to give it a "raggy & fringy" effect. So, I planned on going back to the store for them to show me how.  They said something like "just go home, cast on 9, straight knit until the end and come back in to the store and we'll teach you the rag pull" 

 
But it seems that Sadie wanted to save me a trip to achieve that rag effect.  I left it on the counter and there must have been a piece of yarn within her reach and, well, let me just show you...

  
I suppose she wanted to teach me her own technique

  
Lovely, isn't it?

I should also mention here that we've been having trouble with Sadie and what seems to be a jealousy of the needles, yarn and all the silly attention that 2 sticks and some string gets around here. What's so great about all this stuff? As she sits and looks up at me while I knit... I swear that's what her eyes are saying to me.

Oy! the commotion and ruckus this all caused.  She immediately transformed into Cujo upon capture 

  
  
My youngest screamed "mommy mommy Sadie is killing your knitting!" That in itself, just sounds so funny.  So the kids promptly placed her under arrest, snapped her mugshot and processed paw prints.  There was no need for judge or jury, she was handed her sentence

  
ps on a side note: my best friend said that I would be the only one on the planet to use vintage shutters as doggie gates.  She doesn't know our creative blogging community very well obviously, as this is totally normal.

google patootie...

I never really pay attention to the Google search images, but how cute is this one tonight?

rockin candy...

{Re-post from last Valentine's Day, this was such a fun project and generated a lot of interest, enjoy!}

 

Need a sweet idea for Valentine's Day cards for the kids classmates?  I don't know about you, but I'm tired of the pre-made Spongebob and Barbie cards (which seem to be the size of a postage stamp?).  This year we wanted to do something different, big and fun.  I found this idea in Family Fun magazine. It's called "Rock Candy".  iPods for everyone! And you can customize the playlist. How cute? and best of all they are soooo easy to make.

Here is a list of what you will need:

 

• Tape
• 2 (14 inch) pieces of string
• 2 Hershey kisses or mini peanut butter cups
• 1 box of conversation hearts (and we need 25 for our class!)
• Aluminum foil
• 4x7 inch strip of colored paper (we chose pink for the girls and blue for the boys)
• Glue stick
• download printable scroll wheel here  

Directions:

• Tape each end of a piece of string to a kiss or peanut butter cup.  Tie on the other piece of string, then tape the loose end to the candy box.
• Wrap each candy in a small circle of aluminum foil (to make the earphones)
• Wrap the pink paper strip around the candy box and secure it with a glue stick (or tape)
• Cut out the scroll wheel and playlist from the download above and use a glue stick to attach them to the box.
• Finish it off by having your little one write a valentine message on the back of the iPod.  Enjoy the "music" ! ~xo

Ready...

  
For me, 2010 brings with it a welcome change, lots of energy, and the confidence and courage to take the leap toward a dream and all that goes with it.  To prepare.  To organize.  To create.  To wake up every morning loving what I'm doing. 

This year brings out a restless need to awaken those goals that remained tucked away on a shelf throughout the years.  I feel a sense of urgency to tackle the challenges and obstacles along the way as I bring down that dream book from the shelf, dust it off and get busy pursuing. A new year brings new focus. I'm excited.  I'm ready. 

I tried to explain all of this to Sadie...She's "new" after all, she should relate?  She's achieved goals already? { like climbing steps and learning the difference between soft love nibbles and bloody bites} 

She even received her first award...

 
So, I came home from a meeting Tuesday where I met the most creative and talented people on earth, seriously . ON. THE. PLANET. I explained it all to Sadie, figuring there would be tail-wagging, ears perking, face licking and some kind of mental telepathy thoughts like "Go Mama Go!"

 
Nothing.

I had her attention for a minute...

 

but, as you can see, she remains un-impressed...

 
another goal for 2010:  dazzle Sadie into deliriousness