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black and white
paper mache pumpkin from Jennifer
little hands preparing a face to carve (and I've waited five years for the little hands above to even care a tiny bit about drawing anything, so this is exciting),
drawing the face on the family pumpkin,
the end result. Simple, old school pumpkins are what you will always see at our house.
Happy Halloween! My next post will probably be of me talking about a tummy ache, but isn't that part of the fun?
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I have so many w.i.p.'s again this week. Here's just one. Things are coming together, but I still have lots to do for next weekend's event. Deadlines are intimidating...but good.
Its short and sweet today, we are literally running from one thing to the next during the next 24 hours. And the dishwasher just died. (Meet our household's newest dishwasher- me.) Not that washing dishes is too bad, I don't want to whine...but not having old reliable by my sink's side has come at a most inopportune time.
Be well, have a great weekend.
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This blog is always such a good reminder to stop and notice the otherwise unnoticed around me. This little corner is in my bedroom, on the wall nearest my side of the bed. The large butterfly piece is from my mother, it was on display at some time or another in my childhood home. The longer horizontal ones above it are a few years old from Anthropologie. This room is still beige, but lately I've started fixating on changing the color to a gray shade, thanks to a suggestion from Alicia, and this plate-
By Denby, I found a set of 6 pieces at a thrift store a few weeks ago. I love the color, love the rim color. I'm realizing that in this photo is doesn't look much different than the color the wall is now, but it is just different enough in person. I think its perfect, now must convince Peter, he's thinking in a different direction.
Speaking of Peter, cruising around Flickr this morning I found a picture of him racing his bike! He is 2nd place in the photo, bright green and black unitard.
Some of you asked about Emma's room, did it ever get painted? Well, the answer is not yet. She picked a color she like from the swatches she taped to her wall, then I was in the mood one day to show her some much zanier, more saturated blues and aqua shades to choose from and the discussion widened. We are all non-committal at this point, but we'll get around to deciding, we always do.
Thank you guys for your comments on the Hettie and Esse quilt. I haven't much time to respond individually to your comments this week, but know that I loved hearing your thoughts. Always do.
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A dear childhood friend's mom contacted me recently. She was going through some of her aging aunt's things and came across a quilt top and asked if I was interested in it. I said yes immediately, just from the small photo in her email. Quilts have only been on my radar for the past six years or so. I didn't grow up with quilts, I grew up with afghans...my mom was a voracious crocheter and was quite fast. I grew up with someone telling me to not talk while they were counting...which my kids also occasionally hear now. My mom sewed as well (and mom, remember those crocheted rings you made one year?) Anyway, my long-winded point is that quilts were unchartered territory for me.
Flash forward to more recent memories, of a few years ago, when my healthy obsession with Denyse Schmidt-ish, Gee's Bend-ish quilts began in earnest. Like many of us, I love their graphic look, simple use of strong color and geometric shapes of these quilts. I'm fascinated by the history of quilts, how utilitarian and necessary they were, but also how they were truly functional artwork. I liked them modern looking, I shunned the traditional look and patterning as too, well, traditional. But I've realized that there were forward thinking ladies out there way back when, who were giving the traditional patterns their own twist.
This is an 8 pointed star pattern. I love the fact that its pieced in more masculine plaids, checks, stripes, and dobbys, that the colors are mismatched and unplanned. I wonder who this was originally intended for? Where all the fabric came from? (This quilt seems to be well matched to all the plaid, checked and solid wool I'm sewing with these days, interestingly enough.) I thought this would also look great in Ian's room once its finished (yes, that little guy went from having no quilts in his room to having two, the other also waiting to be finished). The story is that Hettie, the mother-in-law, 1887-1959, began this quilt, handpieced and handsewed the individual squares. Then, years later (the 70's) her daughter-in-law Essie assembled and completed the quilt top, also all handsewn. It is generously sized for a twin bed and is in flawless condition. I feel so fortunate to have it, to eventually finish it, use it, and pass it on. The other day, as I was feeling a little overwhelmed in my studio, thinking that something was taking too much time, I pulled this quilt top out to remind myself of what lovely things time can produce. Peggy, thanks so much for thinking I could give it a good home, I promise I will.
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The fall party bags for studio craft (and eventual shop update) are complete. I even had time to make one for myself (to match my new coat, of course).
I have several child-free
hours today and will work on refining this little bear. I've decided
the stuffed toys I have created and am the happiest with are the
simplest (hello, Little Pea). Does that make sense? Minimal joints and pieces. I'll give you a larger look at him when he
has a friend.
Not much time to write today, more very soon. Have a great day!
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This idea, originated by Shari, is so wonderfully inspiring to me. Posts like this force me to slow down and think about my week. So, here goes.
::Hear::
- reading this book aloud every night before bed (and laughing at having to explain to my kids what a typewriter is)
- listening to this band while working in my studio (I like to call it "dance crafting").
- the very quiet hum of my new sewing machine (long story). It must have sounded like I was chopping wood with the old one. The difference is incredible.
- the quiet crunch of fallen leaves being walked on
- Rain hitting the windows at night, knowing my kids are tucked in, safe and warm
::See::
- fiddleheads everywhere in the garden
- inspiration for a new purse at this store
- such lovely comments from you all on the purse peek in the last post (and for those who have asked and have not gotten an answer from me yet~yes, I will update the store, but not until after the Studio Craft trunk show on November 4 in Portland, OR. I really wish I could do more, but a girl can only get so much done and still put a decent dinner on the table : )
- sitting through this movie the other night and wondering why?? (although I admit to thinking Bruce Lee was pretty hot)**
- Seeing these patchwork pincushions I made on display in a pretty little shop on the other side of the country. Thank you Heather.
::touch::
- sewing with lots of wool and wool felt (that's Lovey above, who is soon flying the coop)
- drawing and then smudging Cray-Pas pictures
- pricking my finger over and over while handsewing- ouch!
- the first scarf of the season wrapped around my neck
- simultaneously feeling cool air and warm sun outside
::taste::
- freshly pressed apple cider
- oregano oil (Lisa, it worked! Sick no more, but yuck!)
- the first sip of my first cup of coffee in the morning.
- candy corns. still my favorite Halloween candy (and Emma's)
- grilled cheese sandwiches made with really good cheese and homemade bread
::smell::
- thrifted woolens being steam pressed
- the pine smell filling my neighborhood (we're surrounded by pine trees
here, the smell of fresh pine completely fills the air outside right
now)
- black bean soup (I've decided its the perfect food for me when I have a cold- opens up my head)
- chamomile tea (for above mentioned cold, its the smell that does it for me)
- climbing into my bed made up with bleached clean, crisp, white sheets
**We also watched the movie Seamless this week and found the stories fascinating. Sort of a sophisticated version of Project Runway. It was entertaining to a couple of fashion industry survivors like Peter and I.
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This tree across the street from my house changed colors overnight. It is just glowing.
Can you see the leaf color in the bag? This week, I am so inspired by nature, cooler temperatures, as well as many small things, like sharing hot tea with Emma while she does her homework and I prepare dinner, wool sweaters...
My life is truly a time juggle right now. I'm in crazy multi-tasking overload at certain moments (while pics are downloading....I can scrub toilet....put together Lego fire truck...write a post...answer the door...stir the soup), but I think this all refocuses me and jolts me into action, which I'm sure I needed. What about you? Has the season energized you? Are you overloaded?
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In atypical Seattle weather, we went to the pumpkin patch. I say atypical weather because it wasn't just drippy, it was a downpour! This is when I'm thankful my kids are around to keep me from curling up at home and watching the world from my window (as I'm sure I would do too often). It was actually very fun.
I have much to share, but can't get a decent photo this week. Soon. Hope everyone's week is going well. I love this time of year so much. The way the sun shines differently, the look of my kids in cute thrifted sweaters and coats, people not giving me strange looks when I order hot drinks (which I do no matter what the temperature is outside...I rarely drink cold drinks). My studio is a wreck, but productive. I'm so thankful to just close the door when I'm done for the day.
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and letting the kids bake their own Halloween-shaped butter cookies
and playing with Legos.
Adding just a teeny bit of orange glitter to our mailorder Halloween garland, before hanging it on the mantle-
and playing with Legos.
Eating snacks on our new plates (Peter played a big part in designing these for a local restaurant specializing in Kaiten sushi)
and playing with Legos.
I'm sure its just what I needed, so today I'm ready to head back into the studio. I've pulled out fabrics to work with today, and realized these were probably all inspired by yesterday.
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Wow! Thank you all so very much for the anniversary wishes. I just
can't say enough about the encouragement and genuine goodness I get
from this community. And
to those of you who commented for the first time yesterday, who
are thinking of starting a blog, I say jump right in. It is, quite literally,
a blank page for you to shape as you want it and how often do we get that? I went back today and looked at this wonderful post that Alicia wrote on creative blogs and remembered that awkward tone of my very first blog post. I had no idea what I was feeling when I did it. No real idea how I felt right after I did it. Guess the point was, I did it. Its done. Its mine. Its home.
And, because I'm not a fan of big odds, I decided to draw two names instead of one. The names I drew were:
Lindsey
Erin Orr
Email me your addresses and a package will be on its way to you.
Now, let me ask you, do you see that coat up there? Remember back a month or so ago when coat love was being discussed all over some of my favorite blogs? I looked in my own closet. Eh...my tried and true pea coat is nice, not very exciting. I was inspired to hunt down a new one. I searched, but no real luck. Either moth eaten, too long, too short, too big, too everything. At the same time, the lovely Lisa Solomon was searching for possible candidates for me as well. The thought of that was such a sweet gesture in and of itself, but she actually found one and sent it to me. How could she know that I would love the color...that it would fit so perfectly (like a glove)....that it was the one? Could that all be revealed in our blog voices? I think so. I love this coat so much. Even more knowing it was found by Lisa. Thank you dear Lisa. I have it hanging in my closet in plain view (I don't have a mannequin, sorry to say, but I do have a closet large enough to take a picture in...well, kind of) with a scarf I knitted a couple of years ago around the neck. Come on temperatures! Drop already! I've got a coat to wear!
Lisa sent the robot for Ian, and a fantastic pink bag for Emma. {{hugs to you sweet Lisa}}.
I wanted to mention that Plush You II is in full swing at Schmancy in downtown Seattle. If you can't be there in person, I put together a photoset on flickr for you to see all the amazing things there (I highly recommend viewing it as a slideshow, and putting some good music on first). When I was chatting with Kristen in the store the other day, I couldn't help noticing that when people stop in front of that shop window, they break into smiles every time. You can-not help smiling at what's in that store.
I'm trying to decide if I want to sew right now, or take my kids to the Lego store. sew...Legos...sew...Legos...
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