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Little Girl Me

Here's evidence that you shouldn't get rid of your old, un-developed film rolls. 

Isaac said that my family's old film would be ruined after so many years, but being a sappy nostalgic, I felt it was worth a try.  For years I was my family's patron saint of neglected film, hording every un-developed roll, so no one would toss them out.  And look at what I found, a photo of my brother, Ryan, and I playing in the sand. (There was also a fabulous photo of my father posing shirtless on a dune buggie, 'fro and all.)  It was so worth the expense of developing a few damaged rolls. 

I love this photo and the would-be-forgotten memories it carries. My parents took on us regular vacations to the beaches of Florida, most of which were too long ago for me to remember.  Now, here's one memory I can come back to. 

This makes me happy on so many levels:

Messiness.  Sand everywhere.  Good times.

Ryan.  Ryan was such a cutie and incredibly generous, with the most infectious laugh, but he could be a real pest too.  Here we are, playing happily together.  And, ladies, let me add that Ryan grew up to look an awful lot like Leonardo DiCaprio.  But, alas, he's taken.  His amazing wife looks like Raquel Welch.   

Figure heads.  See the shadows of my parents' heads bobbing into frame?  Hovering for a photo, I can just imagine the love behind the camera, "Smile, kids!"  I've been there with my own children.

It's black & white.  Mom and Dad have never been fans of colorless film.  How I stumbled across the one black and white roll they've ever taken, who knows?

Those bangs.  The day that I first had my short bangs cut as an adult, Isaac and I met up with my sister and her husband for a symphony performance of The Lord of The Rings that evening.  I leaned over for my sister's first take on my new look and said, "Who do I look like?"  After a thoughtful pause that yielded no reply, I gittily pronounced, "Little girl me!"  Her response?  "Oh my gosh, you're totally right!"

I knew it.  I knew I couldn't throw away that film. 

Prezzies

Don't these look pretty together?  I came back from my trip to L.A. to a pile of happy packages. 

Mom sent the bunny basket, along with some old children's books and a piggy for Charlotte.

Laura painted me a birthday sprig (nope, it's not my birthday anytime soon) and sent along an amazing violet-glass cake stand that I purchased on my last visit to St. Louis.

Kat made Charlotte a practical wardrobe of amazing treasures, including this smocked summer shirt, as a "just because your fabric inspires me" present (totally blushing - wow!).

And the polkadot boxes are from me, via The Land of Nod. 

I know I need to photograph the rest of the goodies too, but Isaac only left the Lensbaby this week and these pics were looking so pretty together.  When I get my hands on the proper camera equipment, I'll see about making you even more jealous : )

Meant in the nicest, most-friendliest of ways!

What a Guy!

Yep, that's Isaac at a wedding last weekend, fixing a 20" rip in the bride's chiffon dress.

He sent me the photo and said, "Now, there's a photo for your blog. You've even got me sewing."  I don't know about that, but I am glad he's picked up on things enough to save the day for this gal.  The rip was on the very front of the dress, right above one of those pintucks.  It started small and the bride kept her cool, but as the rip grew, so did the tension.  He sent his assistant to find a sewing kit and stitched the dress back together in the limo on the way to the church -- he knotted the thread just in time for her to walk down the aisle and tie her own knot. What a guy!

Isaac's off to WPPI next week and I'm heading to L.A. for a Trash Ties meeting - I know, I still need to tell you all about Trash Ties -- soon, soon -- mentioned it here, but didn't really get into it.  Oh, and Isaac launched his new wedding photography site this week - it's amazing!  There's music from independent bands, video (turn off your pop-up blockers to access), slideshows, the whole tamale - and that photo on the front is breathtaking - it reminds me of Maxfield Parrish.  Ah, to stand on a cliff at sunset with the wind in your hair, wearing silk...

More Wool Stuff

I did it.  I snuck in some 'me' time and made something I can show -- wooly flowers with needle-felted centers.  Of course, just as soon as the garland was complete, I gave it away.  But, not before I snapped a couple of photos.

No worries -- I have plenty more supplies.  Ahem.  And I can visit her at Ga-Ga for Garlands as often as I please. 

Wool Stuff

I "made an appearance" at the Quilters Guild show across town and indulged in some wooly stuff.  I love the way that wool dyes up, bright and rich and hard-to-resist. 

Elinor's in town this weekend -- her first trip since she broke her ankle.  We figured out our wheelchair routine at yesterday's show.  You should have seen our performance in the cafeteria -- like a choreographed dance.  Carefully carrying lunch and drinks for the two of us, we made it through the crowds, past the register and to the table without one spill.

We were there to help out some good friends from The Bernina Connection (who just started their online store -- wink wink).  One tour around the show and we returned to their booth with bags of wool goodies to divide up between us.  It's true -- we like the same sorts of things -- mostly.

Strings

Keeping with a theme, here's a palette of crochet yarns to go with my hooks and buttons, all singing in chorus, "It's time to play."  So, if these make up the strings section, what are the hooks and buttons -- winds and percussion?

I picked these up at a second hand shop for $5 yesterday -- pretty nice way to stash up some supplies.  The only trick was picking which bags to go home with.  They had at least ten full bags of crochet yarn to choose from.  No surprise, I went for the brights. 

But, don't expect to see any major crochet projects anytime soon-- I'm mostly interested in adding borders to things and ogling this box of colors on occasion.  The sewing box is new to me too.  It reminds me of blue eyeshadow and kneehigh sports socks, and The Brady Bunch, somehow.  Hmmm.

Also, Laura's got her new Etsy shop all decked out and she's giving away a free print to mark the occasion.  All you have to do is fess up your most embarrassing story.  Should make for some good reads, no?

Saturday Fun

Ay, they're calling to me: paint, thread, buttons, hooks, hexagons.

Every once in a while I ruffle through my button drawers to tide me over until it's time to sew again.  It's like popping one of these to fix a sugar craving instead of attacking a batch of cookies. It works for a while.

But, now that I've straightened up the laundry room, mopped the floor and made space in the studio, I'm off to make something -- not sure what yet.  I just hope Charlotte's nap lasts a while today.

Strange-Craft Confessions

Whenever times get a bit crazy and my schedule's full of one-too-many spinning plates, I tend to buy myself new art and craft supplies.  It's inevitable.  Take, for instance, these new crochet hooks.  Don't they look like candy?  I passed them by on a muslin-run last Saturday and had to have them.  Ooo, crochet.  I want to crochet.  In fact, I'm going to once I get through X, finish Y and wrap up Z.  That's right, and I'll need new crochet hooks, so why not get them now?   

It's the promise of obligation-free creative time that sees me through the craziness.

I haven't done much crochet since I was a young girl, just a few edges here and there.  I did find one of my earliest projects recently -- a hideous pink and turquoise ruffled number I designed for my doll when I was nine.  I'll wash it up and snap a photo -- add some real beauty to the blog.  I wish I had more of my early creations to both wonder and snicker at.  I really did crochet a three-foot long banana slug with an "all-purpose hole," which I filled up with baby banana slugs.  Who would get rid of such an heirloom?  Where is my slug now?

Have you ever made anything weird like that?  Am I admitting something I shouldn't?  Heck, let's open the door to Strange-Craft Confessions. What's your strangest project so far?  If it's strange in a raunchy way, I don't want to know about it.

∆   ∆   ∆ 

And, look what came in the mail, two more magazines sporting Freshcut. Quilts and More has a drawstring baggie on the cover and a fun apron article by Cindy Taylor Oates.  (We've met for lunch a couple of times - fun and helpful gal.  Hi Cindy!)  Sew News has a headband pattern I designed -- similar to the free one here, but I bothered to illustrate it this time, so it's a definite improvement. The ties are a different shape.  That's my friend, Chelsea, modelling.  Hi Chelsea! 

Preview the articles in Flickr, but get 'em soon -- one's a Spring issue and one's a March issue.

One Door at a Time

We've had the ongoing project of installing a door under our stairs for oh, a couple of years now, I think.  I love the layout of our home, but its one weakness is its lack of storage space. 

So, we decided to make our own closet -- take matters into our own hands.  The stairs had to be re-inforced and the doorway properly framed.  And, that's about how far we made it before abandoning the project for many months -- a doorless closet facing the front door. 

Well, good news, Isaac installed the door.  Yay!  And we picked up this fantastic glass doorknob (Anthropologie) to justify the visibility of our new junk repository -- a bit o' bling.  Now I wonder how long it'll be before we install the doorknob. 

One day I'll have funky doorknobs on every door.  One day.

Hidden Meadow

Remember our recent trip to the snow?  See what Isaac was up to while I lounged around with the kids.  Follow this link to a gallery of Isaac's gorgeous photos of Hidden Meadow Ranch - won't stay hidden for long!

Isn't that the best snowman? -- I think he looks a bit like Jay Mohr.