June First is Coming

We had a great weekend, lots of family and friends and babies. Oh the babies!
Since this POST, I have been working on making June First the opening of my etsy shop. I will have four one of a kind items and a whole assortment of wash towel and soap sets. I am a bit nervous about the process that starts with a buyer clicking "Yes, let me buy this!" through the shipping. I have read and read, but still, until it happens, I won't be able to process it fully in my mind. I hope the first buyer is patient.
I just got ahead of myself. I hope there IS a first buyer.
So, with all this in mind, I am going to not add blogging to my list of 'To Do's" (no, Meredith, I have no manila folder).
Perhaps, while I am away, we could do a role call. Please send me a quick comment that you are reading this blog. I would love to do a count to see if the readership increases after Etsy opens.
And if you don't have a gmail address, sign up, it's free!

Thanks for all your kindness, I will have a quick post to announce the opening of the shop with the specific time and give you a link to get there.

It Could be Worse

Personally, I don't know any family or individuals that haven't been struck by the penny pinching syndrome that we all seem to be enduring to get us through (hopefully there is an end) these gas and food prices. Luckily, we still have a roof over our heads - at least for now.
Luckily, we are healthy and have insurance if we are not.
Luckily, I still have a job.
Luckily, we have a dining table that always has food on it.
Luckily, we don't have to live in our car.

I am not sure what is harder to accept, the homelessness, or the fact that there are so many homeless that the city set up 'car parks' for the ladies to park and sleep safely.

This country needs help.

Railroad Museum

I never would have thought that I could find inspiration at a train museum in Medina, NY. We visited the museum as part of their Day Out With Thomas Celebration. If you have kids, boys especially, you know what I am talking about. We had a good time, I didn't pack as well as I could have, but we managed to avoid the rain and the crowds weren't so thick.

Since I believe a true photo is one printed without the use of cropping, avoiding the hang tags, description cards and yellow caution tape was a bit challenging. Fortunately, I was able to get a nicely balanced bunch of six or so photos that I think might make nice note cards for the
Etsy shop that a gentleman might enjoy using.

Even if he is just using it as a bookmark in his TV Guide.

Dirt Up, Dirt Down

We live in a great neighborhood for kids. Our library, recreation building, playground, grocery store and pharmacy are all within easy walking, or running, distance. Within a four house grouping, there are seven children ranging from a fifth grader to our 2 year old. They all get along great and enjoy playing together.
The delight in these five kids' eyes when they saw that dirt come pouring out of an already exciting 'BIG DUMP TRUCK' was priceless.

"Pay dirt?"

"Yes, you may play in the dirt."


Little Man, with the help of our neighbor, went up and down that pile many, many dirty times. He would shimmy through the dirt as if he were riding on a foot-powered scooter.
So cute.

And so dirty.

Cock A Doodle Do

I grew up with a mom that was all about the "country" style of decorating and had enough of geese and roosters and stone crocks and quilts by the age of 10.

Yet, here I am today, with sons that love geese, rooster fabric, a desire for a cool stone crock and a love and admiration for quilts.

Thanks, Mom.

Selvages

Remember in my second last post when I discussed the edges or selvages of fabric? Well, apparently it isn't a fresh idea...

Sea Pink

Lovely.
Stunning.
Sea Pink Armada Rose.
but...
very tiny. Just a tad smaller than a quarter.

I am so happy to see color in the front beds, especially from a newly planted specimen. I am truly looking forward to this spreading.

Green Apples and Pink Pears

In anticipation for "Apron Making 201", Gretchen found this fabric that we both adored. After looking for over an hour at fabric (I could have gone another hour), we decided that it was the robin's egg blue background that pulled this design together. We found some other great fabrics, too, which I will save for later.


I have someone in mind for this fabric. Someone super special. Hopefully this "Apron Making 201" class will be a little less instructive, and a little more productive on my end. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED teaching Gretchen how to sew, but it is nice to have something to look at and touch in the end.


This shopping trip, I found myself taking notice of the selvages on the fabric, trying to find the designer of the fabric. All this web browsing of blogs and fabric sites have me acknowledging that someone had to come up with the design and it probably wasn't a machine (at least in the concept). The selvages are quite interesting (even if this shot doesn't include the designer - bad photographer).


I think I need to go touch this fabric again. That reminds me of a 'thing' that Gretchen does when she is trying to choose accent fabric, specifically for a pocket. She takes her finger and 'draws' out the pocket, trying to visualize or finger stitch the pocket on. It is great, I laugh at her, but it really is great. She is touching the fabric in a creative way. I love it.

Mommy Day

Firstly, thanks for all your support last week. It was a rough one. I just (still) don't get why some people feel that instead of simply performing a task, they turn the tables and make it the most blown up issue. I just needed a document, that's all.

So, when Tom suggested that Big Boy and I have a Mommy day, I was all for it. My boys are great, they each have their own special ways and interests, but when they are together, like other siblings, they pick and fight and whine and scream and run (oh, the running). So a special day, out of the house with BB (or Little Man) is a welcomed treat.

Our Mommy Day started out with a crazy breakfast with Grandma for Mother's Day (avoiding the Sunday crowds). The food was good, but LM wanted to run. A tad frustrating, not sure I said a complete sentence to my mom that wasn't a question/request about LM. With full bellies, BB, my Mom and I went to a giant warehouse book sale and that was fun. We found some great treasures for birthdays to come. Then, we found a neighborhood garage sale, got BB some new sunglasses (we lose them so often), dropped off Grandma, had some lunch and went to a "Paint Out".

BB is proud of his Papa, a watercolor artist, and wants to be just like him. We found a little spot and sat down. BB is a little heavy with the brush, but he seemed to have a great time. He made four pictures, all having something interesting about them. I don't imagine BB being a huge athlete, but with his ukulele playing and now some interest in painting, maybe he will become one of those 'artsy-fartsy' kind of folk.

Kind of like me.
...
Hope you all had a very wonderful Mother's Day, as a daughter, as a son, as a mother or as a grandmother.
...
Welcome Baby Julia! Welcome to this world. Congratulations Bob and Deana!

One of Those Days

My head is spinning.

This is not meant as a complaint, only an explanation or rationalization.

.

Since I was away from Thursday through Sunday afternoon, I kind of lost my weekend to relax. Yes, the trip was relaxing, but it was still work. I had to talk to people, fake interest, and dress appropriately which is never comfortable.

Sunday night I checked email and reviewed some reports for a couple hours. Monday and Tuesday I worked very full days, taking 3 hour breaks from 5 -8 for family and dinner, then back on the computer.

.

This afternoon got out of hand. I lost my cool. I let someone get to me (again).

After pacing around shaking in anger and frustration and disbelief I realized there was only one thing to do.

.

Weave.

.

I ran to the basement and wove about an inch and a half.

.

Calm.

.

I wonder if it is just me, or does weaving do that for other weavers? If you ever have the opportunity to take a class in weaving, do it. You will not only respect cloth more, but I bet you will find an outlet to make the spinning world still.

.

Even if only for an inch or so.

Don't Mess with Texas

Did you miss me?
I am back from a short trip to Dallas, TX for work.
Although it is a ton of work before I even go, I was fortunate enough to be booked at the Four Seasons at Los Colinas.
I do love this job. It was lovely.
Especially the bathroom.

Our last evening this guy came to perform - he is technically an artist - but he is much more of a performer. Check him out.

Beach

If you know me, you know I love a picture without a face.

A picture without a face is like reading a book.

The author describes everything about a place or a feeling or a person, yet the reader needs to put it all together.

I find a picture without a face encourages the viewer to investigate and imagine the emotion in the unseen face(s).

This was taken at Beaver Island State Park on the mighty Niagara River. The boys loved the boardwalk more than the sand.

.

But you could probably tell that by their faces.