I chanced to meet an old man

Clothed all in leather…

(Our favorite Mother Goose book.)

We have been having quite a few misty moisty mornings lately. Actually our last few days in this part have been quite reminiscent of home (seattle area). You know cloudy with a drizzle here and there. Today got exciting for the kids with a tornado warning at school. I can only imagine the chaos in the elementary school when they say that this isn’t a drill.

No complaints. I don’t need the sun everyday. However, I have been itching to show you a quilt I’ve finished.

You know what?

The skies cleared this afternoon and I got in a few photos prior to taking it to a mama awaiting patiently for her little boy to be born.

I love it. I love the colors. I love the simple patchwork. I love the quilting.

You may be seeing more patchwork in these parts in the future. I am so pleased with how easy this came together. I may change up the quilting a bit or do smaller blocks. (mine are 6 inches) I don’t love how the fabric moves around within the blocks.

Tomorrow’s forecast (and on as long as they are forecasting) sunny.  I do love that we get so much sun here in the south.

8:00 – The kids are out the door. I get some quiet scripture study in. Brainstorm for a new daily routine list and then head out the door to walk the dog.

9:30 – Decide to get dinner started and do daily chores prior to shower.

10:45 – Remember that my new shoes are ready for pick up. Change plans of going to craft store and decide to take my latest read to lunch and pick up shoes instead.

11:00 Have a quiet lunch with my book. ( and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert)

12:30 Head home with new shoes on my feet.

1 ish – Cross the street for a nice visit with a friend

3:00 – At home and decide 30 minutes is just enough time to get the machine out and piece my next quilt top minus ironing.

Since I need to do some pressing before I continue I call it done for now.

Here it is all spread out.

3:30 – Thisbe walks in. Time to clean up and get ready for the evening.

I love days like this.

I’m not sure exactly when the shift happened or why but I am definitely sure there has been a shift.

For as long as I can remember, it seems, I have always been in a hurry. In a hurry to see the finished product. In a hurry to be finished. Then ready to do it all again. Sometimes exactly the same, sometimes with a new spin, always wanting to improve this skill or that.

Now this applies to almost everything I create: baking, sewing, knitting, spinning, quilting…. any time I get an idea or inspiration and set out to try it, the process is usually hurried through and repeated again and again.

In recent years I’ve tried to make a conscious effort to slow down and enjoy the process but  I always seemed in the end to be pushing through (even late into the night) to finish, only to find the next morning a strong desire to do it all again. Sometimes I have everything I need, and let myself do it, other times it had to wait until supplies could be purchased and time to be found.

The Shift

Again, I don’t really know what has happened. If I analyze it a bit I think of the fact that I noticed a definite difference when Bron started school. This change may have triggered my mind to realize that our daily home life had defiantly shifted, placing a greater burden on me to be in charge of daily chores and  evening preparations so that things can run somewhat smoothly when the kids get home. I also think about the fact that I’m starting to feel older. Not old like my body is aging (though I do notice that) but maybe my needs are changing and with that creating has taken on a new purpose.

Boy I seem to be rambling.

I’m still processing it all and feeling a little lost. I know I love to make things but I am not in a hurry at all. Projects have been terribly slow. With no real desire to even finish them but yet a desire to work on them. Maybe this is a good thing. Maybe I’m finally relaxing and enjoying the process of making things but not letting this area of my life impede and direct my daily life as much as before.

I don’t like to think that making things was the center of my life but I suspect that it was a bit of an escape. Or maybe a way to claim something as my own when feeling overwhelmed by duties of motherhood.

Now that the kids are older and much more independent and I have large chunks of time to myself. I seem to be crafting much less than when I had very little time to spare.

With all that said I have a few projects I’m working on right now. That stack of cut and partially sewn fabric constitutes the beginnings of 16 camera straps, two totes, and some notecards. It is funny how I am working now a days. Today I only felt like sewing. Not turning, and only tolerated the pressing. Last time I had no desire to sew at all. But I did have a desire to cut things out and use my brain to practice math as I calculated the size of things and how to best use my fabric. Next time, I’m hoping I’ll have a desire to get out my iron and apply interfacing to everything. Or maybe I’ll decide to pull out my knitting project and sew up a few body parts or items of clothing. Or maybe I’ll start a new project. I’ve been hoarding fabrics to make a few quilts for babies on their way. Or maybe I’ll start sketching a blanket for my own summer baby.

I don’t think this change is a bad thing, it’s just a change.

Back in 2005 and 2006 I had grand plans to finish overhauling my knit bunny pattern. Adding instructions to make it a bear and some really cute clothes. I’d add a link but for some reason all my old links aren’t working anymore, hmmm. Well, here I am again. The pattern is finished. All I have left is to knit up a sample set for pictures. Correction, all I have to do is sew up all my little knit pieces and take some pictures.

My original plan was to make a cute little booklet full of illustrations and tips. Since the pattern has sat for so many years and to prevent 6 more years from passing by I’ve decided to scale things down a bit and simply get the pattern finished. Take out some of the bells and whistles and simplify the format so it works for a PDF that hopefully wont be a too long.

So, hopefully in the next month (I’m really hoping it wont take longer) I’ll have a pattern ready to show you.

Hiller Park

(Zoo photos by Thisbe)

Rapunzel’s Birthday Party

Its been a few day since the kids have been back at school. I’m feeling caught up with things and so I am here today! I do love this place.

So… Christmas Break,

I love, love, love it when the kids have breaks from school. It takes no time at all for the cleansing from structured school to begin. Usually it starts with a healthy dose of electronics. During the school weeks these are basically off limits and so they usually spend a day or so if it is a long break or a few hours if it is just a short one plugged in and entertained without very little thinking on their part. This is not my favorite part of the break by any stretch of the imagination but these devices are part of our family life and so I do allow it. I have found that if I let them have a good dose of it right off the bat and then a little here and there, the asking for it and addiction that these devices have is at a minimum and we always make sure to mix in an extra helping of imaginary supportive play afterwards. Usually inspired by said electronics.

This break I made an extra effort to schedule in a couple of play dates away from the house with a couple of other families. (this can be tricky) Both times we ended up at Hiller Park. I love this park. I do wish it was a bit bigger but as it is I feel comfortable letting most of my kids wander off with friends unsupervised. Free to explore, imagine, and bond. It also lets me have some wonderful time with only the  littles left behind so mamas can catch up as well.

Other than the actual holidays themselves, Dave only had one and a half days off this year. A little sad, but we did enjoy the time we had with him. For the one day that was not holiday related we headed to New Orleans to go to the Zoo. Over the years we have been to many zoos each its one or two attractions that set it apart from the rest. This zoo offers a fun dinosaur exhibit and the Swamp, featuring local animal life. The kids enjoyed them both.

Finally on our very last day, Bronwyn celebrated yet another birthday for her beloved Rapunzel.

*****

Now I spend my days alone in a quiet house. It is a little sad but also pretty nice as well. Today I’m feeling good, like really really good. Maybe sticking to my diet and actually exercising is helping things. We will see.

The tree was up before December this year but it isn’t until just yesterday that I corralled the kids around it for a picture.

After I snapped a few shots I couldn’t help but laugh. If all goes well, next year,  we’ll have a little one in the pic as well. (And maybe, finally, a new tree)

2009 – 2010

It has been quite a while but I’ve picked up my needles again. It took me a while to find them too. They were scattered among various started and finished projects in various places of storage. Sheesh! The last time I remember knitting regularly was when Bron was a baby and that was almost 6 years ago.

It’s about time!

A few weeks ago I participated in a craft show here on base in Mississippi and so I had quite a few leftover items to add to the shop. Today: Added (note – this also included taking all the pictures need to said Adding)

And just in time for cyber monday no less.

I’ve got some covered planners and a bunch of new camera straps along with a few sets of button magnets. And just so you know… All items are in my shop are 25% off thru December.

Hurray for productive days!

Thanksgiving for me was spent mostly in bed. You know, cook a little, lay down a little, cook a little more, lay down a little more. By the time it came time to eat I was only interested in a few bites and then it was off to hang out with mr toilet for a couple hours. You know, visit my new friend, lay down a little, etc… Once I got sufficiently desperate it was off to visit the ER to make a new friend IV. Boy I love her. Then it was back to bed for a good 29 hours.

Today I am feeling so very thankful.

Thankful for my patient husband and loving children.

Thankful for modern medicine.

Thankful for being able to see a healthy fetus with a strong heartbeat on the monitors early Friday morning.

Thankful for a quiet house (again, awesome husband) to reflect on my many blessings.

Hoping you all are realizing the great bounty of blessings in your life as well.

This year we had Pink Link, Harry Potter with his pet Buddy the Dragon, and Legolas.

It was a good Halloween:

First prize for best costume – Nice job Buddy

Enough candy to last the year

Pumpkin carved (with a proud owner no less)

Cant get much better. Well we could have done without the vomit but I suppose that comes with the holiday.