HELLOmynameisHeather

Very Pretty

Like footballs.  Our first harvest of lemons.  They are huge.  Even my parents, who live on a citrus grove, can't believe how big our lemons are.  You can't tell from the photos, but they're probably 50% bigger than average & perfect.

Anyone remember the song, "Lemon tree, very pretty...?" My mother used to sing it to me when I was a small child.

Being new to lemon trees, I couldn't believe the thorns!  Some as long as 2-3".  I was extra careful with Charlotte underfoot, but not so careful with myself.  I wouldn't bother with gardening gloves (though I have really cute blue leather gloves with red trim).  I got poked here and there.  Not so much like a needle poke though -- those thorns are lemony.  So a lemon-thorn poke is like a needle poke with lemon juice on top.

The worst is getting spiked in the forehead.

I love it though.  I love to garden.  I even like the thorns.  It's just nice to be outside with the kids and the chirping birds.  And what's more sweet than sharing a pitcher of freshly-squeezed lemonade with your kids -- lemons they helped harvest?  Not much. 

It was a good day.

Now to get the rest of the garden in order.  One day.

Fun That is Funny

"Oh my. Oh. Look at her. Whoa, she is awesome! Even better, kinda scary."

I almost interrupted the Queen's presentation on historical costume to ask if she'd be my new best friend.  Got scared though.

Which reminds me of college...  I redintegrate again (love that word!)  One of my two closest friends in college used to charge around campus with a bulldog snarl on her face.  With hot-pink, spiky hair, heavy eyeliner, and lots of silver chains, she had droves of cutie-pies convinced she was bad news.  Funny thing was, she was the sweetest girl, never mean to anyone & not into anything shady.  She just got a kick out of stirring up a little harmless mystery. 

And there I was trotting along beside her, bright & sunny, newly-married & all-too squeaky clean.  I swear if anyone had the nerve to look her direction long enough, they would have surely noticed me beside her and her whole mystique would have dissipated in an instant.  My friend designed the most interesting clothes - not shy of pink feather boas or studded black vinyl.  In fact, she was all sparkes & chains really.  Extremely talented though.  Last I heard from her, she was forging swords for the movie industry or something. Coolest girl.

Which has me thinking...  Shouldn't there be a site where we ladies can officially call-out our maiden names and make ourselves findable?  I'm tired of searching for old friends to no avail.  It's those dern maiden names.  Or we can all post our maiden names on our blogs.  Or in the comments of this post if you like.  My maiden name is Heather Hutchings. 

There friends, now find me!

So, back on track... Um yes, we took the kids to the Renaissance Festival.  Sting was there again, doing his thing.  And there was my favorite new character with that Queen of Hearts flair.  I just love her!  And she had the coolest green floral trunk!  We could be good friends.

Granny got Elijah some tricky sticks. (I think they're called Crystal Stix.)  And Charlotte was bestowed a lavender butterfly wand. Costumes, jousting, greasy turkey legs, petting zoo - the kids couldn't have had more fun.   

As for me, as long as I get a good look at a Peregrine Falcon, a couple of freaky vultures & an owl, I'm good.  The Birds of Prey demonstration is really the highlight for me.  That, and a day in the sun with my family.

Hey & thanks for the huzzahs over my new paper collection.  I've always loved to make paper dolls & cards & whatnot.  I predict some seriously good fun.

And a fashion-history factoid from my History of Costume class in college... Did you know that women used to pluck out rows & rows of hair, more than an inch sometimes, in order to make their foreheads fashionably tall?  Or that Queen Elizabeth used to paint blue lines on her skin - you know, for younger- looking skin.  (I'd like to see Beyonce or Heather Locklear do that commercial.)  Interesting article on historical beauty practices here.  Lots of poisons though : (

Hatched

Ah, paper crafts -- sweet, peaceful, clippy, foldy, gluey goodness.  You guys called it - the cat has flown the bag.  I have a new line of paper craft & scrapbook goodies on its way, announced last weekend with my googly eyes peering down at the crowd from the top of a 12-foot banner, as if to say, "Hey down there, be nice now." 

This has been in the works for a while now, so my lips are quite sore from the super glue.  Figuratively.  Pschewwaa, what a relief.  Now that I can talk, you have got to see the vintage button stickers I have coming down the pipeline - all shiny & 3-D - and the french paper clips, die-cut felt ribbon, chipboard buckles-thingies, etc, etc, etc. Gaw! 

Heck, here's one peek - Ribbon Charms (buttons & buckles to me).  Autumn Leaves doesn't have the collection up on the web yet & it'll be a while before it hits stores, so I better not go further just yet.

And another fun thing.  I ran into Kathy from Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion at the show and guess whose article made the cover for the next issue!  They have some sort of public internet vote to pick the cover - cool tradition btw.  Well, I meant to campaign, dance in a clown suit, whatever it would take for you to go vote for Isaac's covershot, but completely missed the vote all together.  It came & went.  And there we are anyway, with no guilty feelings for swinging the vote either.  He-yaw.

These Party Chicks are one of the projects I put together for that upcoming MEHC article, place-card holders for only the most decadently-playful table setting. That's watermelon & orange-flavored licorice back there. Who needs veggies?  I used aluminum soda-can-sides, together with art papers & random whatnots from around the studio.  And each chicky-girl roosts on a vintage toy block. 

Easter's only a month away - free pattern in sidebar : )  Fun for baby shower or birthday decor too - or as gift tags.

I have a couple of days left to go in polishing up the paper collection for production, then it's onto another new adventure in the works.

On My Way to C.H.A.

I've made a last-minute decision to head out to Anaheim for CHA this week, the big craft & hobby industry show. If any of you will be attending or hosting a booth, email me your booth info and whatnot & I'll try to stop by for a hello!

I'll be back here in a couple of days.

Super Fat

Super Tuesday + Fat Tuesday = Super Fat Tuesday!

Now that's something to celebrate.  Seriously though, go vote.  Stop browsing the computer, put down your work or play, pack up your kids if you must and go vote in The Primaries.  There are a few clowns running for U.S. President this year.  Though they might be entertaining in the role, I must say Down with Clowns in this case.  Go vote for someone who's not a clown -- whichever non-clown suits you best, but vote.

Random, Random

Lists!  Why haven't I done this before? There's no sense trying to connect any of these thoughts together.  A list will suit the occasion perfectly.

1.  Laura Lure -  Laura has big news!  Read about it here.

2.  Rachel, Rachel, What Rhymes with Rachel? -  Isaac's sister has a new blog and an online store. called harper.  Remember Harper?  Rachel has perfected edgy simplicity.  You'll love her aesthetic.   

3.  Tara Haira -  Meet Tara.  Well, her hair at least.  Tara's now working with us a couple of days a week to help keep our many plates spinning smoothly.  This is the awesome Trash Ties 'do she wore to work last week.

4.  It's Back! -  Freshcut wasn't on the Free Spirit website for a while.  It turns out their web designer made a mistake, so yes! the collection is still available.  Free Spirit's new mantra is to keep every collection available as long as it's selling well.  Good plan : )

5.  Not So Sweet - I made it four days without sugar last week.  I'm trying for five this week.  This mini mug of cocoa love (see #9 below) is for Charlotte and there's one more for Elijah when he gets home.

6.  Drip, Drip -  It's raining outside.  I love rainy days!

7.  Trip, Trip - Isaac's brother moved to Germany this year to teach at a university. He's there with his wife and new baby boy.  I'm thinking I might have to get my passport in order and fly out for a visit.  Sometime.  Just thinking.

8. Flip, Flip -  We want to get a backyard trampoline for our kids soon.  One with a net.  Any suggestions before we jump to it?

9.  Sip, Sip - Cost Plus World Market is selling pink hot cocoa for Valentine's Day in pink-striped packages.  Might make for some fun grown-up valentines?? These little strawberry/chocolate bits are from there too.  The mini mug set is from Target. 

10.  Hmmm -  Check this out.  What store would you live in?