Author: Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Gina Munsey is a Mexico-born, Eastern Europe-raised missionary kid who ended up being a Californian by way of Florida outside of Nashville, Tennessee. She lives her days full of coffee and adventures while her 12-year-old learns Mandarin Chinese and Greek, her 3-year-old uses all the markers, and her artist-husband creates worlds from pixels and light. A blogger since the turn of the century (ouch!) she's an editor, co-op teacher, and writer who has only completed four chapters of her languishing manuscript. You can find Gina right here at oaxacaborn.com, or in the middle of [home]school surrounded by stacks and stacks of books.

We’ve come back, on a jet plane, from our magical snowy Christmas in the north! And I do mean “north”. We spent the first part of Christmas vacation in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, which is literally as far north as you can go without being in Canada. Purdy neat dere, eh?

My dad’s brother has an amazing cabin there, situated right on a river, which is where we stayed. My youngest brother and cousins got the tree out of the surrounding forest just before we arrived. The river had even frozen evenly enough to make a perfect skating rink. And did I mention it snowed every single day?

Oh, I wish I were sitting by the stone fireplace right now, drinking bottomless cups of coffee. I already miss my family terribly, and we’ve only been back in Florida for a couple days.

Christmas, Poetry & Words

CHRISTMAS :: It is as if Infancy were the Whole of Incarnation (Lucy Shaw)

December 24, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

I first read this poem years ago. Lucy Shaw’s powerful words have stayed with me, a reminder to look up from the cradle and worship the risen King, who we are celebrating today.

Merry Christmas, friends! He was born so we could live.

“One time of the year
the new-born child
is everywhere,
planted in madonnas’ arms
hay mows, stables
in palaces or farms,
or quaintly, under snowed gables,
gothic angular or baroque plump,
naked or elaborately swathed,
encircled by Della Robia wreaths,
garnished with whimsical
partridges and pears,
drummers and drums,
lit by oversize stars,
partnered with lambs,
peace doves, sugar plums,
bells, plastic camels in sets of three
as if these were what we need
for eternity.

But Jesus the Man is not to be seen.
We are too wary, these days,
of beards and sandalled feet.

Yet if we celebrate, let it be
that he
has invaded our lives with purpose,
striding over our picturesque traditions,
our shallow sentiment,
overturning our cash registers,
wielding his peace like a sword,
rescuing us into reality
demanding much more
than the milk and the softness
and the mothers warmth
of the baby in the storefront creche,
(only the Man would ask
all, of each of us)
reaching out
always, urgently, with strong
effective love
(only the Man would give
his life and live
again for love of us).

Oh come, let us adore him-
Christ–the Lord.”
–Lucy Shaw

Little Style

LITTLE STYLE :: Aveline wearing traditional Oaxacan-style embroidered shirt from Mexico

December 23, 2011November 2, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Baby Aveline wearing traditional Oaxaca Mexican Embroidered Shirt Dress

Thank you so much to our dear friends for this wonderful little shirt! I’m so excited it finally fits her. How fun to see my daughter wearing something that represents where I was born!

Handmade

HANDMADE :: Kawaii Plush Creature – Bear Monster with Open Arms

December 18, 2011November 1, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Well, someone must have put magical elf sprinkles in my coffee after all, because I finished the little plush creature I was making. (Just don’t ask about the 137,421 loose ends on the four-color striped cardigan, ok? Especially don’t ask whether or not the sleeve sections ended up being the right size when I went to piece them all together.)

But back to the creature. I went on a cute and pink overload making this (my first one ever), and you know what? I love it.

Kawaii Plush Creature - Bear with Open Hugging Arms with Heart 2

Kawaii Plush Creature - Rosy Cheeked Felt and Crochet Bear

Kawaii Plush Creature - Detail on Felt Ear

Kawaii Plush Creature - Blanket Stitch Pink Felt Heart on Crocheted Palm

Kawaii Plush Creature - Bear with Open Hugging Arms with Heart

Christmas, Poetry & Words

WRITING & WORDS :: Let My Eyes Always be Open to Your Beauty

December 17, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

There is something in this night that makes it quiet, even though the freeway is just outside my window. Between the time the sun bows down and the sun stands up again, the cars still shuffle past, slowing to pass between the concrete pillars marked with blinking toll lights. The drivers must slow down before they speed up again, driving away from one place and toward another, probably in a hurry, probably unaware that the hum of their car engine is a steady backdrop to my dreams.

Aveline holding yarn looking at tree

I could never have made these dreams come true, not on my own. But you know, don’t you, that the Giver of All Good Things takes these threads, one by one, and gently untangles them. He weaves each shining thread into my life-filled hours, weaving in and out, always with purpose, always with design, always toward a beautiful end, until I’m walking on a tapestry I didn’t even realize was there.

Oh, Father God, Creator, let my eyes always be open to Your beauty.

Handmade

HANDMADE :: Bold Modern Granny Stripe Baby Blanket – And New Items in the Shop for 2012

December 15, 2011November 1, 2012 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

It’s been a while since I shared any crochet project here other than my owl hats. But, I’ve been working on this blanket for a while now, and finally finished it up and mailed it off last week. It’s worked in granny stripes, but I think the mixed textures and varying stripe width gives it a more modern look than you’d expect.

I’m tossing around the idea of selling similar baby blankets in 2012. I haven’t really done any market research yet to determine what would be most likely to sell, though, and I would still have to work out a price point.

I’ve got another striped wool blanket in progress — this time in bold solid colors — but we’ll see if it ends up in Aveline’s room or in the shop. ;-)

In 2012, the shop will also see the addition of plush / stuffed creatures! Super exciting, right? I’ve been so inspired by these plush/softies. I’m making a crochet and felt monster for Aveline, so I’ll post photos of that in the near future as well (although probably not until after Christmas, unless someone puts magical elf sprinkles in my coffee before then).

What do you guys think? Is there is something specific you’d like to see in the shop in 2012?

Bold Striped Baby Blanket - Granny Stripe Crochet - Chenille, alpaca, and wool in blues and purples

Christmas, Poetry & Words

CHRISTMAS :: “…the power of Christmas is when spiritual and material meet.”

December 13, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Over exposed photo of christmas ornaments on white background

“Some people want to filter the material out of Christmas and morph it into some pure ethereal spirit religious day. And some people want to filter all the spiritual out of it and make it simply a holiday celebrating the purchasing power of plastic. But the power of Christmas is when spiritual and material meet. And it always has been. That is the joy of the season, that is the good news, that is the laughter and the paradox and the earth-shaking magic of Christmas. The infinite Word became a physical baby.”

-via (Rachel) Lizzie Jankovic’s excellent article Of Kids and Christmas