elsie marley

If you are here you already know, but I’ll tell you anyway, I have a new website!  My husband set it up for me as an early birthday present (thank you dear).  It looks just the same, I know, but there will be changes in the future.  Nothing huge, as my style sheet knowledge is not huge, but at least I can make it more my own.  It’s funny how a blog like this can start to feel like another home–granted one that is always clean and quiet and where things magically get done.  The picture above is of my real home.  I found this little tabletop kitchen at a thrift store near my mom’s house.  It was very lovingly designed and handmade by someone and I snatched it up for 5 bucks.  We don’t have enough space for the full on, pimped out kitchens kids have nowadays, but my kids love it.

The weekend went by too fast, but at least the breakfasts were nice.

Turns out that when you have a blog you start doing bizarre things like taking pictures of the sardines you bought.  But then again, you never know when you will be inspired.  And it might be in the canned fish isle in your slightly depressing grocery store at 10 o’clock at night.  I was thinking I might try to make my mobile out of paper and this little sardine box may even play a role, but I may chicken out and just sew something instead.  Speaking of mobiles, Leah from leahglass.blogspot.com has kindly offered to help all those out who may have questions about mobile construction–I haven’t got to the construction part yet, but I’m a little nervous thinking about it.  You can email her directly or go the discussions in the mobile swap group on flickr and ask questions there.  Leah is an artist who makes lovely mobiles out of glass.  If you are involved in the mobile swap she is offering a two for one deal on the mobiles in her etsy shop.  Just type in “mobile swap participant” in the notes to seller box.  So go take a look.  And I’d love to see what others are inspired by these days–post a picture on your blog or just leave a comment.  

Today is the last day to sign up for the mobile swap! Almost 100 amazingly talented people have signed up from around the world already.  So if you still would like to make and receive a mobile please email me at elsiemarleyblog AT gmail DOT com with the following information:

1. name

2. email address

3. website (if you have one)
4. mailing address

5. favorite colors

6. whether or not the mobile is for a baby’s room

Monday I will send out your information to your partner and you can get to making.  You will receive a mobile from a different person than you are making one for just because surprises are nice.

The picture above is my new studio.  I’m still in the basement, but I have a much bigger space and a window that even lets in some light once and a while.  Once everything is together I’ll take some pictures so you can see where the magic happens–though most of my magic has been sitting on the couch watching god awful tv since christmas.

if you’d like to join the swap my email is

elsiemarleyblog AT gmail DOT com

there was a typo in the swap post and I want to make sure I get everyone’s email!

Most of the christmas decorations are making their way back to storage and the house is looking pretty empty. Every year after all the lights are packed up and the sad little christmas tree put on the curb I wonder why I don’t have something beautiful to put in their place. We go to all this effort to make our houses glow at christmas time and then January comes around and suddenly they are so bare. There have been some really beautiful mobiles on the internets lately and I think one would look nice hanging above my mantle. So I thought I’d try to organize a little swap: a mobile swap.

If you would like to make and receive a mobile for your home email me at elsiemarleyblog AT gmail DOT com with the following information:

1. name

2. email address

3. website (if you have one)

4. mailing address

5. favorite colors

6. whether the mobile is for a baby’s room or not

That’s it! The mobile can be out of any kind of material using any design you can think up. Sign up by Friday January 18th and I’ll send you your partner’s information the following Monday. I’ll try to arrange it so you send to one person, but receive a package from another–just to mix it up. Packages should be sent out by Wednesday February 20th at the latest. I started a flickr group where you can post pictures of your mobiles before you send them off. And please feel free to copy and paste the mobile swap button onto your blog. So pack up the rest of that holiday paraphernalia and get making.