Thursday, June 30, 2011

Lace on the brain...

I went to a little Vintage Marketplace last weekend... and I couldn't resist the bright flowers on a lace tablecloth.

Then some words of wisdom... you can check out more of her here. I am enjoying the temperate weather and thinking of making things with lace.
That's about it, my mind is busy.
JMB

Friday, June 24, 2011

First week of summer... the blahs... and trying to craft my way out.

I have been working with this great group of quilters since January. We make a block or two a month to practice our free-piecing skills and then most of us have hooked up with a partner and then we make a second to give to them. I get to swap with Heidi in Germany! Here are all the blocks she has sent me mingled with the ones that I have finished for myself.
I just think they look great together. I am noticing that my blocks are tending towards the smaller side, maybe because I have been doing so many small quilt swaps. This past week I wanted to enter a quilt in to a big show in Portland and was QUITE surprised to find that most of my larger quilts were all made prior to the required 2009 date?? WOW, what could I have possibly been doing since then. Maybe taking care of 3 nutty children...
They are very cute, but I guess finishing some big quilts is on my agenda for now.

Summertime and the living is easy.... Who ever thought that was true?? In theory I guess, but I am realizing that with 5 people in a house when a cold rears it's ugly head... we are lucky if it only makes its way once around the bodies. Mango was sick with the highest fever and the weirdest rash. With the third child I am a much more "a wait and see" type of mommy, but when the feet start getting all red and the red polka dotted rash is making it's over the entire body. Well, then we have to go and see the Dr., so that she can tell us "Oh, that is a weird rash. It is probably just a part of the virus" Awesome, I guess that is why you are earning the big bucks! No sooner did her fever break, then I am jarred out of my sweet sweet sleep by Brownie crying that "It feels like glass shards have fallen in to my ears." So after 2 days of ear duty I am going to cautiously say that we can now start our summer vacation with just a broken clavicle and a few runny noses.
I did start a new BIGGER project... I just had to... I have been reading Twyla Tharp's "The Creative Habit" and she talks about having creative rituals that get you on the path of creating work... otherwise you might just talk yourself out of what ever it is you are going to make. She is a dancer and likes to workout every morning so for her, getting out of her apartment at 5am and hailing a cab is what she needs to accomplish doing her creative work for the day. She says that if she does that, then the rest of the day just follows, but if she doesn't she can talk herself in to sleeping in... etc, etc. I was thinking about that for me... and since I have a room to sew in, I don't necessarily see my work unless I open the door-- and maybe I am inclined to leave it shut, to not do work. BUT the other day I was thinking that the act of opening the door and turning on all of the light switches (I like a LOT of light) makes me want to sit and sew and work on projects. It may not be of that much interest to all of you, but for me, it is good to know. What kind of rituals/habit do you all have before getting down to your own creative work?
In order to re-excite myself I needed to post my little zipper pouch that I did not finish in time for the EMQG swap, but did finish nonetheless. I am still not a zipper lover, I think that I need to read some tutorials or something, but I did like making a little zakka-style zipper pull decoration. I just think it is so cute.

I hope all of you are enjoying summer. We are going to be in Bend for a family vacation the week of the 4th of July. I am going to do some things at the Quilter's Affair and also see the Sisters' Quilt Show. That is when summer is going to start for certain... we need a vacation.
:)
JMB

Friday, June 17, 2011

A space for me...

I just realized that it has been 5 years since I first cracked open the door to the blogosphere... since I made a little space for myself midst the wilds of life at home with children. I love it here and there with them.

Today is the last day of school for Brownie.
Blondie is having some growing pains (mostly I need to figure out a new way of communicating with me/him that is less yell/cry, and more hug/smile.)
Little, "Sweet", Mango is also challenging me with her ability to quietly climb--meddle-- and take off clothes.

Fullness, I have said it before, I will say it again... but right now I need to look at my little happy place and breathe deep.

JMB

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Quick stop... found some smiling faces!

As I was trying to organize my thoughts about the last two weeks into something coherent, I came across these two pictures... and then I thought that I should just post them today.

They are from the EMQG quilt show reception. My friend Emily came with her daughter. She and Blondie were born just a day apart and were in the same preschool class (they are now graduates!) Emily and I have been friends since she walked in to Mr. Schroeder's homeroom class in the fall of 1987. She was a new student and had absolutely NO idea that I was friendless, dorky, and the queen of getting my bra strap snapped. She made my 7th grade year at Oaklea, not only bearable but really, really awesome.
I am so glad that she is still a good friend and someone I can count on, after all of these years.
JMB

Thursday, June 09, 2011

Getting all the ducks in a row...




For the EMQG, June was "Needlebook" swap month. I had so much fun looking at all the books on flickr that I want to make MORE and MORE--
But how many do I really need?? At least one more! This is the one that I made to swap-- why didn't I make 2? (Rats... I don't have a pic of the one that I picked. It is a cool hexagon book.)

End of the year stuff has made life kinda crazy-- each day this week I have been pulled in so many directions and then left just feeling squeezed-- and just when you think that is all "under control," you get a call from the school office-- saying your Brownie is hurt. Priorities suddenly become crystal clear. That other stuff can all be back-burnered... you just need to take care of your boy.

We left urgent care with a sling, a weird figure-8 splint and only a broken collar bone. He said that his pain level was only a 2-3 (down from a 7.5, my boy is very specific.) After looking at the medical posters in the exam room, "The Amazing Back" and "The Amazing Knee"-- he quipped "What will they think of next, Mom, The Amazing Uterus?"-- that was when I knew he was going to be O.K. Exhale...

I wrote a little something about the EMQG quilt show... hopefully I can catch up with myself this weekend.
JMB