Racing Over the Cliff

Remember Me?

2010-03-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

Taking a little break is reasonable. Not blogging since last fall is ridiculous. Sorry about that. (I'm assuming there might still be one or two people who haven't given up hope, who still check this sad blog, and who will actually read this.)

Let's see: there were birthdays, Christmas, snow, cold, winter, more snow, more cold, and more winter. Daughters 3 and 4 went to cleft clinic: a fun-filled, action packed day with 13 or so specialists who evaluate all the many, varied things that can be "wrong" with a cleft kiddo. Seriously, it's a good thing and we learned some good things and the doctors are all fantastic with the kids.

We learned daughter 3 has gigantic tonsils but they're helping her talk--really--and so, if a sleep study shows they aren't bothering her sleep, she gets to keep them.

Daughter 4 charmed the socks off the doctors and caught their collective attention. They all agree she's smart, engaging, etc and there's no physical reason she can't speak. They suspect she has dyspraxia--which I'm still researching. Daughter 4 is scheduled for about five million tests over the next few months but we're getting a handle on this "thing" which is keeping her from telling us everything on her mind---and we know there's a lot on her mind.

On the creative side, paint is the new rage here. As a special treat, we've been pulling out the acrylic craft paint, the wooden toys and dolls, and enjoying some quality time together. Okay, it's a bit challenging to make sure the paint goes where it should and everything gets cleaned up but we have an old knackered dining table and chipped tile flooring so spills are no big deal.

I started making these spool/ peg dolls. It's been quite a learning curve--learning the tricks of painting small, etc. I'm still trying to master the craft but we're having a blast on dark winter nights, hoping for spring to arrive soon.

My Creative Space Digital

2009-10-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

I'm working on a plan. A Christmas present plan. If it works, it could save me massive time and stress.

Okay, here's the deal: I'm designing a school girl (and possibly boy) pattern. Saved as a jpg I'll send it off to be printed by Spoonflower. Three wonderful cheers for Spoonflower. I'll whip together the front and backs patterns and presto! Little dolls wearing our school's uniform and ready to be given to teachers and students.

(I have not grown big ears and a tail. That is my assistant Pep helping me. If he tries to tell you he does all the design work around here, just smile and ignore him.) And then click here for other creative spaces with amazing ideas although perhaps not with sock monkies.

Michigan is Growing

2009-10-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

For the Coopersville Farm Museum art and photography contest. The theme is Michigan's bounty. Actually, graphic--computer generated illustration does not neatly fit into one of their categories so this may not be an official entry. We'll see what they say when I submit it tomorrow.

**** The fine folks at the Farm Museum loved the illustration and placed it in the "catch all" category. Yippee!*****

My Creative Space--Be Prepared

2009-10-21T21:53:00.001-07:00

Christmas is coming whether the goose is on a diet or not. You know and I know it.

I have just finished my calculations. I estimate that I will need approximately 455,672,003 Christmas presents--give or take a few thousand. I'm not talking about gifts for family. I'm talking about tokens of appreciation for all those "others": the butcher, the baker, the burrito maker.

You know how it is. You go through life meeting people who then must be given a Christmas present. Just when you think you've got it sorted the taxidermist gives you 15 lbs of reindeer meat gift wrapped in a buffalo hide and then what do you do? You've got no more paper mache machetes to give--augh!

That's why I'm making my list early and checking more than twice. I'm thinking the gift of choice this year will be notebooks with hand-embroidered covers--at least for teachers and preachers and friends. Which is why I'm getting started now and why My Creative Space features lots of floss.

For more creative spaces (which probably do not mention reindeer meat) check here.

My Creative Space--I Got Fleeced!

2009-10-07T21:16:00.000-07:00

Cold winds. Grey days. Rain. And a 50% off sale at the fabric store. It all adds up to a bundle of new fleece which is being transformed into softies.

Sorry the photo quality isn't great. My camera is being wonky; I'm not best pleased. Find other awesome creativity here.

Gone Batty

2009-10-06T07:35:00.000-07:00

Flaps Battingwood has taken up residence at our house. He is of the Battingwood Pest Control family, of course. The Battingwoods are graduates of the University of Kansas. Therefore, when they find pests: ants, beetles, spiders, etc. they relocate them to K-State.

Flaps is my design made from fleece and felt--so quickly stitched that I think I'll need to make more of the Battingwood clan.

Encircled

2009-10-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

I got yet another project finished. Wahoo! I am on a roll which is sort of "pun"ny considering my latest finished work is a wreath.

I wrapped a metal wreath with fabric strips which I had sewn end to end. Then, I whip stitched my jumbo yo-yos together and tacked them to the wreath. Lastly, I created my Wreath Wren and added it to the centre. Easy peasy.

So welcome Fall. You're coming here anyway so we might as well be cheery about it.

One Done

2009-10-01T15:17:00.000-07:00

I finished one of my projects! Here is my latest softie, a cat named Autumn Night. It's made from fleece and felt. My design. I think I'm going to tweak the face size for the next one.

Onward and upward!

My Creative Space--Fragmented

2009-09-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

I have a starting and stopping problem. I need to stop starting projects before the last project(s) is finished.

Just look at all this stuff: a Halloween cat softie, a WildOlives Halloween embroidery, more yo-yos for a fall door hanging. And I didn't even include my Frank N. Stein's garage piece which is awaiting bonding and applique.

And then I wonder why my life seems so fragmented and stressful....hmmmm....maybe because it is fragmented.

Memo to self: finish these projects and the other half dozen before you start on anything else. (Internal voice: but I have a great idea for a Christmas softie....)

Find voices of reason, finished projects and organized crafters at My Creative Space.

I'm Ready!

2009-09-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

For once in my life I am totally prepared for an upcoming holiday. Yes, indeedy. Not Thanksgiving. Not Christmas. No, I---organized person extraordinaire--am ready for Ground Hogs Day! I know, I know. It's hard to believe. It's fine; go ahead and weep.

Seriously, remember how I told you Spoonflower was offering free fabric swatches? Any money you wanted to contribute towards your swatches went to Heifer Fund? Remember?

Well, I got these lovely samples printed. Yes, Ground Hog Day Gig is ready.

The sample pieces are sort of small so I think I might better order a couple of yards of this groovy fabric designed by yours truly. I'm thinking pjs. But curtains are an idea. Does anyone else have holiday curtains? Curtains for just one day of the year? I could start a trend. I could start an industry. Someone get me the phone number for Hallmark quick!

My Creative Space--Falling

2009-09-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

The temps are starting to cool off, the leaves are starting to turn, the mums are in full bloom.

There won't be many more days for me to sit outside and stitch while the girls play.

This is my latest work-in-progress (in addition to the millions of yo-yos I am still making): Frank the Mechanic.

Hey, check out more Creative Spaces. For bonus points, pop over to WildOlive's etsy site. All profits this month go to World Vision Caregiver Packs.

Cowgirl Red

2009-09-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

I had planned to enter this in the Online Hand Embroidery Exhibit. I got it completed in time. I just didn't get it entered. The deadline was 1 Sept. Oh well.

* This embroidery has nothing to do with the Red Work Quilt Project over at kootoyoo but if you want to see some amazing, inspiring, gob-smacking great stitching and design, go over and check out the project.

N-C-I-Yes!

2009-09-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

I am fanatical about very little. I don't have a favourite brand, place, dog breed, sport, perfume, detergent, breakfast food. I barely prefer one colour to another. I'm pretty low key.

Except about my favourite television programme: NCIS. Let's review what it isn't: it is not going to inspire the viewer to go out and change the world. It will not expand your mind. It will not teach you new things. It's just a prime time American television programme.

But it is funny, entertaining, engaging, suspenseful, well written and it has Mark Harmon, sign language, agitated nuns and Abby.

1) Have I ever mentioned I have a bit of "a thing" for Mark Harmon? Probably not. I'm subtle with my drooling. In addition to the fact that he is handsome, he seems like a really nice guy. "Niceness" is pretty much at the top of my list of attractive qualities in a guy. (And what does that tell you about Head Honcho?) Mark Harmon refuses to dye the grey out of his hair and he's been happily married to the same woman for over 20 years. Years, not months. And he raises money for special needs kiddos. He's nice....and hot.

2) Abby and Gibbs communicate via signed english/asl from time to time. (Dare I mention that Mark Harmon was also a signing hottie in Reasonable Doubts, another of my fave shows?) ~~I love knowing what they are saying while the rest of you don't!~~ Uh....I mean I love having additional insight into the characters and would be happy to translate for anyone. Cause signing rules!

3) This show is really funny. You'll have to watch for yourself to find the agitated nuns reference. If you ask nicely, I'll tell you it's in Season Six.

4) And then there is Abby, the forensic scientist who dresses goth and rues meeting her former boyfriend in a graveyard. Did I mention funny? She is smart, gorgeous, adorable, sweet. I just know that Abby and I would be BFF.

5) Did I mention Mark Harmon? Cause I might have forgotten to say that he is in every single episode and his character is very interesting and he looks great in black. Did I mention him?

And so in honour of the kick-off episode of Season Seven I offer you NCIS: Amigurumi. I didn't have time to finish Gibb's arms yet but I think the pattern shows promise. So turn off your computer, grab your crocheting and watch NCIS!

Click

2009-09-19T10:48:00.001-07:00

For some reason my girls have been clamouring for a camera. I simply cannot imagine why. After a disaster with a $20 Hello Kitty camera which was broken almost as soon as it was out of the packaging, I realized something different was in order.

First of all, I needed something which was gorilla-friendly or at least gorilla proof. And I realized a camera is a Magna Doodle. Some toys can and must be shared between sisters. Some toys cannot be shared and either each girl must have her own or we shall have none at all in this peaceful (hahahaha) house. Magna Doodles and cameras fall into the second category.

This fall, when summer school was adequately completed and surgery was successfully endured I rewarded my girls with their own cameras. I found some Crayola cameras which have been terrific--dropped many times but they keep coming back for more. In addition, all the pictures save to a standard HD memory card so there's no odd software to load, etc.

The girls can edit the pictures of the camera--especially nice in order to delete the 16 pictures of their foot, the electrical chord or their sister with rice krispies in her nose. For the record, none of my daughters have ever stuff rice krispies up their noses. Cheerios are a different matter.

The youngest two have been using their cameras for a school project. The local farm museum is hosting a photo contest; the theme is bounty. We are studying farms right now so....click!

My Creative Space--Achoo

2009-09-16T19:33:00.000-07:00

Alas, as the weather turns colder and the kids return to school up here in the North, the cold germs have come a callin.

This is how I feel today. Blah...chooooo.

I did manage to finish my Sherlock Hones embroidery. Maybe I'll embroidery a cold germ next. Hope all the rest of you are well and rested. Check out other Creative Spaces.

It's Not Even Thursday

2009-09-15T10:13:00.000-07:00

Lately, it seems I only update my blog for Creative Space Thursdays. Not good. Creative Spaces is good--it's great! Me not posting otherwise is not good.

Schooling my girls, who are none too sold on the value of education, is robbing me of all my spare time, creative energy and will to live. Okay, maybe not the will to live but any of you who have stood over an unwilling child and demanded that they do yet one more page of math understands.

The problem is I need to be creative, imaginative, expressive. When I'm not I get glum, depressed, irritated, crabby....you get the idea.

That's why I've been hitting back, fighting for creative time and energy. First, I completed this banner using Wild Olive's Ice Cream Socializers. I intentionally kept the stitching big and bold so it could be seen from a distance.

Second, Head Honcho very graciously offered to take the girls to the park yesterday evening so I could have some "down time." In addition to a nice spot of uninterrupted...yes, I did say uninterrupted....reading, I got a good start on this embroidery piece of my own design: Sherlock Hones.

Next on my "to do list" is to catch up on all my fave blog reading to get inspired by everyone else's creative flame.

My Creative Space--Screaming

2009-09-09T20:09:00.001-07:00

This week I'm doing a wee bit of screaming....for ice cream. I'm working on another great embroidery pattern from Wild Olive--this time of her ice cream socializers.

Yes, summer is over (for us in the north), but this weekend we're hosting our church's Special Needs Ministry "New School Year" kick-off ice cream social. Whew. I think this pattern is going to look great as a banner hanging from the trees.

As a bonus, I will show you yet one more cool yo-yo project. I had some pj pants which became too small through no fault of my own. They shrunk in the dresser. Really. I hated to give them away because the fabric is so cute--Hello Kitty! And my girls gave them to me as a gift. Then I bought the jumbo yo-yo maker. I figured why not.

The soft, often laundered fabric, makes the very best yo-yos ever. I haven't decided what I will do with them yet but suffice to say it will be something that will not shrink in the dresser. Plus I love a project which fits completely in a quart size ziplock--the perfect grab it and go kit.

Check out other creative spaces--which won't shrink--here.

Down Wonder!

2009-09-05T20:56:00.000-07:00

Hey little bunny! What are you doing upside down?

I'm practicing so I'll be right side up when I get to Australia.

Why are you going to Australia?

I'm part of the Softies for Mirabel crusade. This is the 3rd year that cool crafters have banded together to make softies for the children of parents with substance abuse. I'll be traveling to some awesome kid's home for Christmas.

Well now! How cool is that! I think other cool crafters should check out this to learn more information about how they can join the crusade too. And now it's time to get you off on your journey little rabbit.

My Creative Space--Books and a Box

2009-09-03T10:53:00.000-07:00

School is back on. I'm the teacher of four kids, four different grades and about 4,000 different subjects. I'm also taxi driver, cook, supply officer, nurse, mechanic, char woman....you all know the drill.

But in the midst of all that I need creativity. Like air, like water, like chocolate...it's an essential. I know you can relate.

That's why I had my eye on this little beauty: the purely portable, highly durable, darlingly adorable small sewing box. I've been wanting, wanting, wanting it but held off until Head Honcho got paid last week. Then, I pounced.

It's perfect for holding everything for hand-sewing yo-yos: some pre-cut fabric squares, the yo-yo maker, thread, needs, scissors...and a hippo for company and good luck.

I can make yo-yos while my daughters are reading to me, yo-yos while daughter number one pokes around not getting her math done (rolling my eyes), yo-yos while overseeing recess, yo-yos in the evening during Scooby Doo time (cause you know my girls can't live a day without watching some part of a Scooby Doo dvd).

That's my creative space. What's yours? Don't forget to check these ones out too.

The Colour of Learning

2009-08-28T15:06:00.000-07:00

Another summer is gone. The days are getting shorter. Which means that three things will happen: 1) Merchants will start dousing their stores with Christmas paraphernalia 2) Cold and possibly flu germs will start planning extended visits to our house and 3) The kids will start back to school.

Back to school has been THE topic of choice at our house for weeks. How many weeks until it starts? When can I pack my backpack? Can I wear my new clothes yet? It's been on my mind constantly too. But school and learning colour us each differently.

Daughters 1 and 2 start attending afternoon classes three days a week at a Christian school. Daughter 1 has a few "new school" hesitations but that blinking yellow is going to change to pure green once she gets started. Daughter 2 is purple passion--happy to be out and about with normal hearing kids, looking forward to an adventure. I think this is going to be a good year for her.

Daughter 3 is dead set against going anywhere away from home. Even though she could start kindergarten at this same school she won't. Won't. She's the one with attachment disorder. In her case, she has the more rare form called Anxious Attachment. She is terrorized by the certainty that something bad will happen to her or me and she **much** prefers to be home with me at all times. That's fine. We'll paint her red. We could also paint her black and white since that's how she often sees things. She isn't happy her sisters are leaving home to go to school but I think, ultimately, she's going to be tickled pink to have more one on one time with me.

That leaves us with Daughter 4. Her colour is orange...as in the Agent Orange or dioxin poisoning which we are becoming increasingly certain she suffered from before birth. All the pieces fit: cleft lip and palate, hernia, pervasive but scattered developmental delays. She was born to a family who lived on the Mekong River Delta, an area of Vietnam with high Agent Orange exposure. And birth defects certainly remain prevalent in Vietnam despite time passing. I'm knee deep in pages of highly technical medical reports about the effects of dioxin on fetus; it's sobering reading. She and I have a lot of work to do this year which we are going to accomplish via play with a purpose.

And then there's me: a bit blue that I have three daughters facing difficult futures as they work harder than their peers to overcome their disabilities, a bit green with envy of other parents with "normal" kids, but mostly white with fear that I'm not going to "get this right"--that I'll miss something I need to give my girls, particularly Daughter 2 and 4. I have neither a background in education nor early child development. But these kids are golden. I can do a lot wrong and they keep coming back right--not to mention colourful characters.

So think of us Monday morning when we start off our learning kaleidoscope. One thing is for certain: it's never boring and I'm glad I get the pleasure of raising these rainbow girls.

My Creative Space--Yo Yo Ma

2009-08-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

Help me! I'm addicted. Not just to Cadbury almond chocolate bars--that's old news. No, it's worse.

It's yo-yos....those cute little puffy medallion things. I.......love......making......them........ Someone help me!

I've loved them all my life. My step-grandmother had yo-yo covered throw pillows on her couch. Even though there were some serious family tensions that swamped us all when we visited, I loved that house: the fruit magnets on the fridge, the black and white linoleum and the yo yo cushions.

A month ago I took my mother to a quilt show where I confessed to my love of all things yo yo. Was I surprised--she loves them too---because her mother and her aunts used to make them all the time. In fact, it was my grandmother's yo yos which became my step-grandmother's pillows. (Feel that mucky swamp water rising?)

And so, armed with the knowledge that I was continuing in the steps of a grandmother I never met...and that Christmas will be here before I know it (gifts, gifts, gifts), I hopped down to the fabric store where I purchased a Clover yo yo maker--size x-large.

And I've been yo-yoing since. It is......so.....addictive....... but it's a family tradition. More great creative spaces here.

My Creative Space-Crossroads

2009-08-20T06:48:00.000-07:00

Just like Vera, the new sock puppy I made this week, I'm at a crossroad. Most of my big projects are finished: two quilts for Breaking Traditions, redwork piece for the Embroidery Expo, first piece of Bearly Fall.

With Littlest One recovering from surgery plus all the rest of us getting the cold--and summer colds are ick--I just haven't moved on to a new project. Maybe today I'll stop drifting and settle on something new.

More Creative Spaces including one amazing "shoe-in" for best redwork ever can be found here.

FREE SWATCHES

2009-08-19T10:06:00.000-07:00

Spoonflower is offering free swatches tomorrow as way of helping one of my fave charities Heifer International. Now how cool is that? Win, win, win, win!!!!! Jump over here for the details.

Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off to the hospital we go

2009-08-17T08:16:00.001-07:00

If you wonder why it's been so quiet here at the ranch, our youngest daughter had surgery Friday. As many times as I do this, it never gets any easier to take my kids to the hospital and turn them over to ~~some maniac with a knife~~ skilled medical professionals.

You think to yourself...as many times as you have done this? What? Is this the second time? third? This marks the 13th operation for the girls--and that doesn't count two for me and three for Head Honcho--in the past five years. We love our medical insurance! We send BCBS a Christmas card, never forget birthdays, send "just thinking of you" cards...

So daughter number four, sighing with resignation, had hernia repair surgery--two incisions in her abdomen. Then, she caught a cold from another child whose idiot, irresponsible, brainless, imbecile parents were stupid enough to bring in for surgery. Did I mention I want to drag these people through hot lava? My poor sweetie has been miserable this weekend. Even Scooby Doo could not cheer her up.

All of which did not lead to crafting this weekend.... But that's small fries when it comes to the important thing like raising healthy tater tots.

My Creative Space Stitched

2009-08-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

This is the first panel of a series I'm doing called "Bearly Fall."

I know! I know! We shouldn't even be thinking about fall yet. It's still summer! The thing is it's been so cold up here in the North (coldest July on record) that it's no stretch of the imagination to think of fall days.

I also have a certain longing for the girls (my oldest two) to start school. They will be going three afternoons a week. Bad Mummy to wish her kids to school--but they're going to have fun and it will be so much easier to do therapy with the younger two this way.

Okay, so don't forget to visit the other My Creative Spaces here. Since it's gone Friday in Australia I'll probably be the last to enter. (Apologies to the Southern Hemisphere readers who are probably thrilled to be thinking of Spring.)

Moooo ve on over

2009-08-12T11:11:00.000-07:00

Although I purport to be a softie maker I have not been making a lot of softies as of late. This causes me some concern. Does anyone know: if a person were to report on their income tax or some other official paperwork that they were a softie maker, would the federal government require that said person create a said number of softies? Could there be fines? Charges of false impersonation? Questions of libel?

With something more than a little apprehension I decided perhaps it was time to make a softie or two. Here is "Seventeen", the sock cow. That is her name: 17. She's not the 17th cow. Or the 17th softie. It's just a nice prime number which makes her.....yes, indeed....prime beef. Hehehehehe....

That should put the IRS off for a few weeks while I think of more sock animals to make....

Finished!!!

2009-08-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

This art quilt came into the world kicking, screaming and fighting every one of it's 12 square inches. Or is it 24 square inches? It's 12 by 12. Well, whatever. Let's just say this thing seriously tested my patience.

To recap, I created the hula bunny using crayon and embroidery. So far so good. Then, I had the brilliant idea to turn it into the focal point of my second ever art quilt.

First, I fused it to a pink floral fabric but, after one week, I cut that away. A trip to the fabric store for something else entirely scored me this cool black-red-orange floral. Cut away the first fabric, rebond, rework, add leaves.

I spent a very hot and humid Saturday machine appliquing the pieces. This is the very first time I've tried that little trick--5,000 miles on my button hole stitch. It's not perfect but it was really satisfying.

Then, there were two days and two shopping trips to find the right embellishments. Thank you Hobby Lobby for having flat flower buttons. Trim added to the edge to frame it, a final pressing, and it's now ready to head to Detroit--priority mail. Cause it's due by Saturday. Sigh.

Nickel

2009-08-07T16:56:00.000-07:00

The other night I transformed a doodle from my planner into a little embroidery pattern. I've never embroidered something this small.

I like the way Nickel Dog turned out--so much so that I'm wearing it today. I covered the front in clear vinyl, added a pin back and voila! wearable art.

Isn't life grand?

My Creative Space needs a cleaning

2009-08-06T13:24:00.000-07:00

This week I've been working and working and working on another art quilt. I've still got time to enter it in the Breaking Traditions Exhibit....maybe....

If only I could get it to sort itself out. I've been through so many scraps of fabric trying to tie this together...no pun intended.

Pop over here to see more very inspired and probably less messy creative spaces.

Let Me Off of This Ride

2009-08-05T13:35:00.001-07:00

That's how I feel today: four kids, all out of sorts, all getting into mischief and sometimes being down right disobedient. Forget the Calgon, I want the Mounties to take me away....hopefully to a very secluded lodge on Lake Louise.

I will be amazed if anyone is still reading this blog seeing as I haven't posted for days and days. First, my parents arrived and stay for six days. House guests are hard no matter how much you like them. The visit unsettled our youngest daughter: read not sleeping through the night, has hot glued herself to my leg. And then the house guests left which has thrown the entire house into absolute bedlam. Even Bedlam couldn't hold a candle to us. Oh, did I mention summer camp? This is T-Rex's first year to attend. I'm trying to remember why I thought a child with attachment disorder could handle house guests and summer camp at the same time. Today, she hit her younger sister with a book and gave her a nice bruise...under her eye. Oh, let's just call it what it is: she gave her baby sister a black eye. Oy! Where are those Mounties already?

But through it all I have still been crafting. Of course, I've been crafting! It's my only source of sanity. I test drove a softie pattern for WildOlive. I won't show the pictures of that though until she releases the pattern. I finished The Secret Entry for the Embroidery Exhibit. After I photograph The Secret Entry I can put that aside. And I got this finished:

It's Super Cheddar--the Sharpest Mouse in the Universe. I'm not sure exactly what he fights for: truth, justice and cheese puffs? Anyone have a suggestion?

And there you have it....life from the nut house.

What grows

2009-07-28T08:50:00.000-07:00

What grows on your work table or work basket? In mine is this:

I doodled a hula bunny one day while on the phone while "on hold" for which ever medical personal office I was blessed to call that day. I liked it (the bunny, not being on hold) so I reworked it larger. Then I did my colour, embroider method--which needs a really awesome name...hmmmm....like Crayola DMC method--maybe Coats of Crayola?

So I was thinking, thinking, thinking...~~I know there's another chocolate bar somewhere around here~~ what shall I do with this embroidery?

At that moment, more or less, I got an email that Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit still needs submissions. For whatever reason, they've been slow to arrive. Since we are allowed to submit two pieces I figured I'd have a second go at an art quilt. This time I'm using iron-on fusing for the pieces. I'll let you know how it goes...maybe in time for My Creative Space.

For good measure, see what else grows at our house. This is a tree in the front yard. Could it be summer?

That Silly Game

2009-07-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Remember how much I love Pet Society? The game on Facebook?

They're having a contest to celebrate their first birthday: what would you do with a million coins. Coins in this case means Pet Society coins, not English pounds or American dollars.

My idea: A public paradise....yes, what Pet Society needs is not only a beach but also a cute dog like this. (Which could be turning into an embroidery pattern soon.)

Back to parenting and crafting and cleaning....

My Creative Space is Home

2009-07-23T12:24:00.001-07:00

I am SO excited to show all of you in blogland my first ever art quilt. And it's perfect that I finished it this afternoon just in time for My Creative Space. Pieces of it have been all over my creative space all week.

A week ago my friend Kate featured her entry in the Breaking Traditions Art Quilt Exhibit on her facebook page. Breaking Traditions hosts an art quilt exhibit each year at the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Michigan. Although the art quilt exhibit occurs each year I'd never heard of it. Yippee for Kate!

A quick aside about Kate: she's an amazing artist, skilled at all things sewingish, super sweet, always thoughtful and she has this slightly sarcastic, fairly self-centred but always witty monkey named Nigel who has his own blog. Last year Kate gave me the heads up about an opportunity to exhibit a few of my sock softies at American Sewing Expo.

The instructions for the exhibit are to make an art quilt measuring 12 inches square which embodies the theme "home." My piece is called "Side to Side", referring to the two sides of Michigan where we have lived over the past 16 plus years.

Here is how I did it:
1) Traced my own designs onto white fabric with crayons. I colored them, ironed off the excess and put them in the dryer on high for 15 minutes. I wanted to make sure nothing was smudging.
2) I added the embroidered details using stem, split, satin stitch and french knots.
3) The layers of the top were appliqued. Next time I will fuse them before I stitch them. I had a little bit of shifting that made a few less than perfectly flat places.
4) I machine quilted the fabrics and then added the binding trim.

I made lots of rookie mistakes, learned heaps while working on it but I'm all aglow now in "Look What I Did" joy. And for more joy hop over the see more My Creative Spaces.

Celebrate Summer

2009-07-22T13:42:00.000-07:00

My new Summer Time Celebration banner is so cute it could not be captured digitally until the National Science Folks created a higher cute intensity camera. Really. I haven't just been goofing off. Cause I mean it's super cute.

Featuring the Bar-B-Cute designs of Wild Olive.

Got to run write a thank you note to those nice scientific people....yep. Don't forget that tomorrow is My Creative Space. Will mine be clean or messy....tune in tomorrow to find out.

I'm Still Here

2009-07-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been working on a lot of things lately. Really, I have. I know that I don't have to justify myself to you blog readers. It would be okay if I hadn't been working on a lot of things. But then I would have been playing so I could blog about that--my weekend trip to the Riviera, the week in the Catskills, punching cows out in Wyoming--maybe just waving at them since I'm a non-violent sort of gal. But, no: I have been working. (Okay, Huckleberry and I did go for a Turtle Sundae on Sunday but otherwise I've been working.)

I just don't have anything finished which I can show you. I'm making my first ever art quilt and it's a tonne of work. (Tonne is like ton only even heavier.) I had no idea. I'm finished with my wonderful camping banner, pattern by WildOlive, but haven't made time to take a picture of it. I'm working on a secret project for the Embroidery Exhibit which I cannot show you on penalty of death...or at least disqualification. I added two rows to my embroidered quilt but I haven't taken it to the quilter yet. I've created two new embroidery designs but want to stitch them up before I show you.

Oh and I'm getting ready for a visit from my parents, trying to keep my deaf daughter moving forward with her reading, trying to get my stubborn daughter to work a bit on math, trying to get applications completed: the two oldest girls are going, if I ever finish the paperwork, to afternoon classes at a Christian school next fall.

And I'm searching for a way to keep the house neater...along with peace in the Middle East and the Holy Grail. Of course, in cleaning up around here I just might find the Holy Grail. And, if it were neater, I could more easily take pictures of the finished projects without using creative framing to make sure no junkie backgrounds show. Okay, it's onward and upward.....

Bear with me---tutorial

2009-07-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

Continuing where we left off yesterday...embroider your pattern as you see fit. I used a split stitch to outline my bear. For the nose I used a fun, funky stitch--I think it's called woven spider's wheel. Embroider both the front and back patterns.

Placing right sides together, pin. I sew the seam around the outside of the pattern and then trim back the fabric. Be sure to leave a gap where you can turn your sewing back rightside out. Stuff. Sew the hole closed. Play.

Simple, eh? And I'm sure you could figure it out yourself without any help from me but I had fun working through it. I hope it was fun for you too.

My Creative Space and Tutorial

2009-07-16T05:49:00.000-07:00

This morning, in addition to a picture of my creative space...where I am finishing up my summer banner using the awesome embroidery patterns of Wild Olive--I have a "as promised" tutorial on how I made my Glen Village doll. This is part one of the tutorial.

You will need white fabric, crayons (not the washable kind), and a pattern. I made this bear pattern to show you. Feel free to use it or you could use coloring book pages, etc.

Place white fabric on pattern and trace over it using your crayons and not your normal transfer pen etc. It should be fairly simple to see the pattern through the cloth, but, if not, use a lamp, light box, window, etc. Turn your paper pattern over, trace over the lines in black pen. Now trace with crayon this image to the white fabric next to your first image. Place it a few inches apart so you can cut out the two pieces later. This will give you a front and back piece.

Color in the patterns on your fabric. Be careful not to use too much crayon. Light and easy seems to work best.

Here is the crucial step: place the fabric in the dryer and dry on high for about 15 minutes. I tried using an iron to set the crayon but it didn't fully set it. Using my dryer I've gotten much better results. This will set the colour you have just added so the design does not smear.

In the next post I will tell you how I embroidered it and then turned it into a little doll.

Ya Never Knew Me New

2009-07-14T07:34:00.000-07:00

Playing along with the weekly blog hop, today I feature three things you never knew about me:

A couple of weeks ago I got a tat:

It washed off a few days later.

My favourite holiday in all the world is:

Groundhog Day--no presents, no stress, no fuss....just fun and a really cute furry creature.

I have been to all fifty states except: Hawaii, Alaska, S. Carolina, Georgia, and New Jersey. I've lived in the states of: California, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Michigan, Disillusion, Denial, and Chaos.

Click on some other links to find some other cool blogs.

Glen Village Stitches

2009-07-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Think about embroidery for a minute. Really. Okay, so there's embroidered tea towels, napkins, tablecloths, wall hangings and pillowcases. You could embroider a shirt, a tote bag, a tea cosy or a hot pad.

My problem with embroidery is I can only use so many tea towels and pillow cases. It's hard to think of new embroidered projects. Mollie at WildOlive has had some great ideas: bracelets, bookmarks and even cupcake toppers. But still I ponder: what can I embroider?

So the problem of what to embroider intersected with the fact that I'm a softie maker. Some might call it a collision. And this is what I got:

Meet the members of Glen Village. These are the prototypes. I've got loads of other ideas. What I love about these is: they're small and kids love small. They fit easily into a pocket. They're washable. And they don't take too long to make.

Tomorrow I'll tell you how I made them and provide the patterns in case you think these are as fun as I do.

A MIA WIP IS AD

2009-07-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

Translation: a missing in action work in progress is all done. Okay, so it still needs to be pressed...and quilted...and binding adding...oh and I think I might add a blue strip down each length to make it more standard twin bed size. But.....other than that it's finished. :-D

The thing I love about this project the most is that I found fabric which matched the embroidery perfectly in my fabric stash. How often does that happen? Score!

This project had been languishing in my work basket...work barrel? for at least a year. Whew! Onward and upward.

Check out other awesome creative spaces, works in progress and other scrumptious projects here.

This is Real

2009-07-07T07:50:00.000-07:00

Mostly on this blog I do fun, cute, crafts chatter. But the truth of my life is that I'm living with four adopted children, three with special needs, one of whom has attachment disorder and the baby who has brain damage. I never say that because it sounds so final but yes, she has brain damage.

Want to know what life is really like? Read this real post by my friend Leslie. And then say a prayer for her. And then think about whether you might know a family like this in your real life--and whether you could help. Because that would be real wonderful!

Blog Hop--Are you Chicken?

2009-07-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

Bird Brains in Conversation

This is Huckleberry, my sock dog, at the Farm Museum in Coopersville, MI. Why do I love this picture? It makes me smile.

It Stays Clean!

2009-07-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

Some of you understand the life of a mum....sweep, mop, clean, sort, put away, wipe, scrub, vacuum, wash, scour...repeat....repeat... repeat....

That's why my newest obsession and love is...Pet Society. Have you heard of it? It's an online game on facebook and myspace. You create a cute pet. Then, the fun begins. Dress her. Take her to her friends'. Enter her in a race. Play games with her. Buy her clothes and furniture and toys. Feed her. Take her to the cafe.

This is an embroidery of my bear Bubbles. Isn't she sweet?

But the best part, for this mum, is creating Bubble's home. Each pet starts out with two rooms. As you earn more points your pet gets more rooms plus a garden. At this point Bubbles has five rooms and two gardens. Did I mention this is uber fun?

Okay, but get this...get....this: the whole place stays clean! Stays clean! I kid you not. There's no scrubbing, no sorting, no putting away, no picking up after, no washing crayon off the wall, no chipping petrified cheese off the floor, no throwing rocks back outside, no finding bagels under the couch....NO.....Cleaning!!!! Are you hearing me?

That must be just about as close to heaven on earth as possible. Ahhhhhhh....

Happy Independence Day!!!!

2009-07-03T11:50:00.000-07:00

Just in time for your 4th of July celebrations: Miss Liberty Kitty....also known at the Catue of Liberty. This is a free pattern for your use. Please don't sell the pattern nor anything you make with it.

If embroidery is not your thing, print these, let the kids color them, glue them to a popsicle stick and voila! a puppet.

~~(I'm working on my embroidery version and hope to add the photo later today.)~~

Illustration Friday: Worn

2009-07-01T09:50:00.001-07:00

This weeks topic: worn

Last week it was hot, hot, hot and humid so my mind went naturally to being worn out from the heat.

Happy Canada Day!!!!!

2009-06-30T21:25:00.000-07:00

To all my friends, wishing you a very Happy Canada Day.

Here is a free embroidery (or colouring) pattern to craft your own Mountie Bear. Please don't sell this pattern nor sell anything you make with this pattern...cause the mounties might come after you and they always get their ~~man~~ person.

Share and share alike

2009-06-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

After reading this post from the brilliant Forever Mommy from Planet Mommy it occurred to me that each of us mums have cottoned onto some gems in raising our kids--whether it be things that work for teaching hearing impaired kids vocabulary, helping foster attachment in kids with attachment disorder or just plain "raising them the way you want them to go."

Want to share some of your stellar parenting ideas? Come on and jump in! I'll start:

1) Pie Shop. Set up your living room as a pie shop. Cooking area at the back, cash register and counter at the front. You don't need great props. Just grab a dining chair for the counter and a bench or table for the cooking area. I make picture cards for four different kinds of pie and add sign language. You could write them down if you have readers or print out pictures from the Internet.

Divide up your kids into customers, cashier and cooks. After one turn everyone rotates. Mum and Dad should be the first customers. Drive up to the shop erratically. Order 15 pies. Eat them all there. Roll on the ground groaning. Mix it up. Have stuffed animals come by for pie. Have the animals fight over who is next in line. Have fun!

2) It's a hurricane. We all love this game so much. Everyone in the family sits on the couch. Daddy announces that the radio says a hurricane is coming. Quick! Grab your stuff, we've got to drive north. Grab stuffed animals, blankets, funny things. We have a papasan chair we all pile into. Daddy drives. Some of the animals are on the hood. Of course, there is lots of turns, twist, everyone trying to stay in the car. We stop suddenly and we're at our "cabin." Everyone piles out...and then gets to spread their blankets and camp on the floor that night. The next morning drive back home. This is perfect for a Friday night.

3) White Water Rafting. Our girls will beg for this game. Place a crib mattress on the floor. Don't have one....improvise. Everyone piles on including stuffed animals. It should be crowded. Mum holds onto kids. Daddy starts the raft down the river. First it's calm then oh no! Rapids. Daddy jerks the mattress all different ways while Mummy tries to keep the kids from falling in the water. All children are saved if they fall off. Stuffed animals occasionally don't make it. Repeat calm to sudden rapids until everyone is laughing so hard they cannot breathe.

Okay, your turn. Share the good stuff!

This is why I make softies

2009-06-28T20:55:00.001-07:00

You think there's going to be a picture of a little girl sleeping with her teddy bear, a boy playing with his stuffed dog, a teen hanging on to an old, much loved tiger. But no!

What you get is a sob story. We live in a 1945 sq ft house built in 1946 in which everything was painted peach and green (originally) and nothing was built in a normal (interpret as reasonable) way. The hot and cold water facets are switched. The house was wired completely wonky when we moved in and there's not one square corner in the place. Every single window is slightly a different size. You get the idea.

Needless to say, things happen in a house like this. Uhm...like....the toilet was leaking and we had no idea. And now, unexpectedly, we have encountered a large area of the flooring which must be totally replaced. And Head Honcho spent the weekend chipping out floor board and treating the world's worst mold while I kept the girls outside. Oh, and there's an old half bath upstairs but this is the only main bath...with a tub...in our house. You do remember we have four young girls, right?

While outside I noticed that fungus has attacked our tomatoes. All but one tomato plant. Of 25 plants. And they all have to be destroyed. All....have....to...be....destroyed. Whaaaaaa!

At times like this I need a break. I need a release. I need a means of coping.

That's why I make softies. Because everyone needs something to make her smile.

It's a bird, it's a plane...

2009-06-27T20:46:00.000-07:00

No! It's Super Uper Duper Bear! What we need at this moment: a super hero with a heart of gold...although her paws are a bit sticky.

(I thought a blog which says it's about a softie maker might just should feature a softie now and again. :-D)

Beary Patriotic

2009-06-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

I finally finished this little banner....just in time for the 4th of July party at our house next Sunday.

Here's the way I went about putting it together: While on our family vacation in May I drew this little bear on white fabric with a wash-away pen. At that point, I didn't know what it would be. Once I had it finished, rinsed and pressed (a big shout out to kimmymade for blogging about the importance of pressing, a step I used to omit but really makes a massive difference) I started playing with it against different fabrics.

When I saw the doodle against this red fabric I knew it would make a great 4th of July banner. I pulled out rick rack, trim, ribbon, etc and later buttons and played with placement. I have to stop myself from rushing through a project. Sometimes everything comes together all at once but usually a project is improved by a few days of "mulling time." Don't you think?

This same doodle could be used just as nicely for a Valentine's Day decoration or card, a birthday card/decoration. It would even look sweet in a baby's room. Change the heart on the flag and you have a million other possibilities. Pretty cool, eh?

After I tweak things a bit, I'm going to put the bear pattern up for free on flickr. I'll post the link next week in case you want to make your own beary banner.

Stitched Up

2009-06-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Yippee! Thursday means My Creative Space. I know I always provide the link but, seriously, go over there and check out other entries--dripping, positively gushing with sparkling new ideas, whit and zest! Yes, get your zest today.

Last week I completed this project for a Brown Owls sewing badge. It gave me an idea to make this--a cover for my Book of Common Prayer.

Warning: mild discussion of religion to follow.

Recently, during a lecture on the history of Christianity, I was introduced to "The Jesus Prayer." Used by the Eastern Orthodox Church among other denominations, it's most common form is: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

My focus these days has been on being the hands of God--remembering to pray and then do. I love the verse from Micah 6: ⁸ He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

So I altered The Jesus Prayer a bit to reflect my current thinking. Just a personal little project that I really loved completing and will enjoy using.

End of mild discussion of religion.

The other projects: remember the flowers which were to be a 4th of July wreath? Well, I decided to go with a throw pillow instead because I've decided to redecorate my bedroom in red, white and blue. I'm not massively patriotic, I just like the way the colours look together, particularly red and white. (Wait, those are the colours of the Canadian flag. Perhaps this all started in my youth.) It may take me until next year to finish all the flowers and crochet the white background but I do think it will be nice when it's finished.

And, lastly, I've got to start working on making some summer clothes for the blythe dolls.

Flower Power

2009-06-24T08:42:00.001-07:00

This weekend I was cruising around the internet (beep beep) when I stumbled upon this great pattern on this great blog.

Love, true love. I love to crochet with cotton. I love cute patterns. I love easy, quick, small projects I can do in between massive disasters like spilled milk, sisterly fights and missing shoes. I love making these.

Then, Spudly, my oldest daughter, made a revolutionary suggestion (pun intended, snicker, snicker): why don't I make some for a wreath for the door...like a 4th of July, Independence Day sort of wreath. I've got the yarn so stay tuned.

Hooo Hooo Hoorah!

2009-06-23T08:17:00.000-07:00

Remember how I told you about those funky crafting divas The Brown Owls? Well, they sure are funky...and very busy hosting meetings all over Australia these days. I thought it would make me feel sad to be a world away but it's actually fun to read about all the things they get up to.

The Brown Owls are sort of like Girls Scouts or Girl Guides. There are projects to complete for different badges. I completed the crochet project. Now, I've tackled the sewing project. Truth be told, we were supposed to make this as a pencil holder but....uhm...I'm not much for transporting pencils around...it's sort of the computer age and all. But crochet hooks...that's entirely a different kettle of swedish fish. This makes the perfect crochet hook holder, organizer and transporter. Wahoo!

(You did notice the owl fabric, the owl embroidery and the fact that I actually posted about something I said I would, right? Right!)

:-)

Can We Get Some Order Around Here

2009-06-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

How do you eat corn on the cob? Do you eat all the way around or side to side? Me, I gnaw all over the place--a little here and bit there.

How do you mow the lawn? I go side to side....for about five minutes. Then I go in a big square. Then, I go kitty-corner. And then I can't figure out where I've mowed so I always leave a few strips of grass I've missed.

Are you seeing a pattern here? I believe I am fundamentally unable to organize myself. I start on projects and then I start on more projects. Pretty soon I can't remember what I was doing.

My question is: am I the only person in the universe like this? If there are any other former "neurotic, organizationally-challenged" people out there, how did you reform? Is there hope for a person who just cannot move in a straight line from point A to point B without visiting points C, D, E and F in the process?

Right now it would be nice if one of you piped up and told me Einstein was like this. It would make me feel better. Plato? Pluto?

I've created a list of things I want to do each day--breaking down cleaning the house, schooling the girls, and crafting into small bit size chunks. I've had my list for three days. And the most I've hit of the 8 items is three. This is depressing. See why I spend my time playing with dolls?

This week I'm going to try really hard to get organized. I'm going to take it day by day. And in that vein I will tell you some of the things you will read about on my blog this week: Making a crochet hook holder for a Brown Owl sewing badge, crocheting cotton flowers and the newest Crochet Hope project.

Hang onto your hats and let's see if an old dog can learn a new trick.

Dolls, Dolls, Dolls

2009-06-20T20:41:00.001-07:00

I warn you: this is about Blythe Dolls, the ones which look like they are either possessed or need Prozac. There is nothing else in this post. Okay? Warned.

Remember how I said I had bought a Petite Blythe doll and how it would be the only one I ever owned because they are so expensive and there are so many better ways to spend my money? Well, I lied. Or rather, I didn't yet know what the future held.

Yesterday my long awaited second petite blythe arrived. She's an Aloha Spirit, rescued for a very low price. I've renamed her Hibiscus Ann.

And then today my third Blythe arrived, again a rescued petite. She is a Shanghai Season, renamed Pepper Lynn.

Ahhhhhh....this is SO FUN! I feel just like a kid again. I know, I know. It's not like I was ever going to win the Most Mature Adult contest. I make and hang out with softies. But still, it's fun playing dolls--especially taking pictures.

And just in case you think I'm really a nice person, let me tell you a secret: I don't let the girls touch my dolls. How mean is that? Okay, there's basically nothing in this house but medicine, mail and my sewing supplies that the girls can't touch. We've got no fine china, no expensive living room set. The girls play wherever, get into whatever. That makes it all the more fun to tell them hands off! And it's good practice for them to learn that even Mummy has a life of her own...well, a little bit of one. :-D

I'm off to tuck my dolls into bed. (The girls are long since asleep.) Good night.

A Sticky Situation

2009-06-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

I admit that I have no idea what I'm doing. Actually, that statement applies to most of my life but this time I'm referring specifically to my attempt to sew vinyl.

There has got to be a secret. The stuff sticks as it is feeding through the sewing machine and I think it's too stiff to hand sew. Hmmmmm..... the mysteries of the universe: where is Jimmy Hoffa, why does North Korea's leader look like an Elvis impersonator and how do you sew with vinyl.

If you know the answer to any of these questions: dish!

(Why the vinyl? I'm trying to figure out a way to create bookmarks which are stiff and which protect the delicate embroidery stitches. This sample: Howling at the Moon, which is my own design, didn't turn out too badly but I know there has got to be a better way of sewing them....perhaps buried with the Amelia Erhart's body.)

B Mobile: My Creative Space

2009-06-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

My three special needs daughters see enough doctors/specialists to staff a hospital. And the hospital these doctors happen to already staff is the large university hospital across the state. Translation: a lot of time on the road. A...lot....of....time.

Making the best out of a tedious situation, I have learned to take "work" with me. It's been a learning curve--packing the essentials but not extras. There's nothing like hitting a "project road block" when you've still got 100 miles of real road to go. I've found that keeping my materials in small bags and boxes all the time helps me grab what I need fast when it's time to hit the road. Also, I like to keep emergency supplies with me at all times: cotton yarn, g size crochet hook and scissors. At least I know I can make a washcloth or two in a pinch.

This week I'm working on an afghan which will be going to an orphanage in India via Craft Hope. I'm doing more embroidery doodling. And I'm still working on the summer bar-b-cute banner and the 4th of July bear.

For more glimpses into other creative spaces click here.

Words and Pictures: B Rosy

2009-06-16T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today's B object: beautiful blanket....made as a gift especially for Stinkerbell by the wonderfully thoughtful, awesomely talented kimmymade. Isn't it great? And let me tell you, Stinkerbell loves it.

Here she is all rosy pink on the very first day of the summer that it was (finally) warm enough to swim. (In the wading pool.)

Don't worry--I did not let her take the blanket into the pool nor let her get it dirty. It's sooo soft and sooo cute--got to keep it extra special nice for bedtime.

(Yes, I made the bear--Clyde--a Once Again bear.) More Rosy Words and Pictures can be found here.

B Independent

2009-06-15T18:23:00.001-07:00

Remember me saying everything is about B's these days? Well, we continue with this banner featuring the incomparable darling designs of WildOlive.

When you have a stressful event coming up in your life how do you prepare? I tend to duck off the Responsible Road to lope through the Meadow of Creativity.

We are hosting our house church at our place on the 4th of July weekend. Instead of doing things like repainting the bathroom and clearing out cobwebs I have been busy making decorations. Okay, right--not such a bright idea but which would you rather do?

And maybe all the decorations will be so cute that no one will notice the pealing paint and the dust....

B Bold

2009-06-14T10:42:00.001-07:00

If you are familiar with Veggie Tales then you know that Everybody's Got a Water Buffalo. Of course, the problem is that everyone does not have a water buffalo (unless you happen to live in Asia.)

But Softie Maker Extraordinaire that I am (applause) I am working on making sure everybody does have a water buffalo.

This is the proto type. I need to tweak it a bit. Say hello to Linh--which means Gentle Spirit in Vietnamese. Isn't she fun? And best of all she's a Once Again animal made from an old turtle neck that had stretched out at the bottom. Yes, indeed--from turtle to buffalo in one easy step.

Check back here for the free pattern as soon as I get the kinks worked out. (And no, that does not make Linh a kinky buffalo.)

B Natural--My Creative Space

2009-06-11T20:10:00.000-07:00

Summer is here...uhm...sort of. I know I say that weather in the Frozen North is nine months of winter and three months of very thin ice but, seriously, we do usually have a bit of summer. I said usually because I don't think it's going to happen this year. Haul out the blankets, it's cold!

Despite the frostier than norm temps, the girls and I have been spending loads of time outside. That means My Creative Space looks something like this. When the clover blossoms--ehem....yes, our yard is 90% clover and 90% dandelions--I find myself crocheting less and embroidering more.

The light is better this time of year for embroidering. (I do not need bifocals she said as she paddled up da nile.) And, while it's nice to drape a thick afghan-in-progress over me in the winter, it's usually too hot to get up close and personal with blankets this time of year.

I never thought about it before but there are seasons even to crafting.

Today, I hand-stitched some tiny rick-rack around my bear embroidery doodle. This will be a 4th of July decoration soon. I worked a bit on a late season afghan which will be going to the Pregnancy Resource Center as part of Mars Hill Knit Together. And there are some more of the flags, in progress, featuring the embroidery patterns of WildOlive.

B Major

2009-06-10T21:22:00.000-07:00

There's a little girl who is about to get a big surprise.

Stinkerbell, as discussed numerous times before, has some brain damage. She doesn't talk--at all. Imagine my surprise when, a few weeks ago, she started singing along to the radio. Okay, she makes a "whawha" sound instead of singing words but she is singing....and having herself a good ol' time. She's waving her hands, throwing back her head, closing her eyes, belting it out.

She only likes the music of one singer: Dierks Bentley. Mostly, she likes the song "Sideways" although she does sing to "Every Mile a Memory" and "What Was I Thinking." Yep, she's selective. Just this morning, as we left the doctor's office (the next surgery looms sometime this summer), "Sideways" was playing when I started the car. Squellllll! Hands Clapping! Big Smile! Yep, she's a DB fan.

Dierks Bentley is going to be playing here in town this month at the famed B93 Birthday Bash. The local country radio station brings in a bunch of acts for a two day sell-out party at the fair grounds. I think Stinkerbell would be really excited to see her guy in concert but there was no way we could wait in line for tickets. She doesn't do "waiting" well.

I wrote to the radio station, told them a little about Miss Stinkerbell, included a photo and asked if we could have tickets. I figured it was possible but not likely. Wowzer! The next day they contacted me and now Stinkerbell and I are headed out on the 21st to see Dierks Bentley in concert. Wowzer. Aren't people just amazing? I cannot believe how nice B93 has been to us.

Now, I know what you are thinking: that I'm the one who really wants to see Dierks Bentley. Not true. I do like his music and I think he's a nice guy. I love that he got my silent girl singing. But I'm not a concert goer normally. I'd rather listen to the cd in the quiet of my own home but, for my sweetie pie Stinkerbell, going to see Dierks Bentley is music to my ears.

B Nutty

2009-06-10T06:22:00.000-07:00

After reviewing all the things I want to blog about I have determined that they are all "brought to us by the letter B." So hang onto your hats while we whip through things to B happy about. (Yes, I ended that with a preposition. Yes, I homeschool my children. Prince Charles is already investigating.)

First, here is one of my doodles--Acorn Squirrel, stitched up, and made into a Bookmark. I never have enough bookmarks and I have way too many embroidered pieces sooooo...it's a win, win.

I love how different this squirrel is, designed by me, compared to the squirrel in the Bunny Stitch Along piece designed by PolkaDot Bunny. Isn't it amazing the way one subject can be treated in so many different ways?

Now Where Did I Put My Brain

2009-06-09T06:35:00.000-07:00

I've been working non-stop around here plus the girls have been accomplishing all sorts of awesome stuff. I've got a lot to blog about but...my mind is mush. I'm going to have to make a blog list. Oh my. Am I the only one in the universe so disorganized?

The only thing that comes to mind right now is: I finished the embroidery on the Bunny Stitch Along. I love the way it turned out although I do wish my satin stitch looked less wonky and more...satiny. Check out this to see some beautiful versions of the same pattern. I particularly like the redwork one. I'll be making mine into a hot pad.

IF: Cravings

2009-06-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday Theme: Craving

Throughout the lesson on reptiles all the teacher could think about was turtles.
(Turtle sundaes: chocolate, caramel, pecans over vanilla ice cream)

Lovely Lemons and a Pig Pin

2009-06-06T06:39:00.000-07:00

Guess what I got in the mail yesterday???? This amazing, lovely, perfect painting which I won on a WildOlive giveaway. Ahhhh....I've been all into lemons and oranges this summer. It's already up in my studio--sewing room where it shall be included in My Creative Space next Thursday. If I forget, remind me, okay? I love it! Thank you Mollie! (BTW, any package that comes wrapped in paper and string is going to be stellar just on that account.)

Currently, my creative space is in disarray--or messy--or a pig pen which reminds me of this: my brand new pig pin feature the character of the summer: Suey Pig. It's so much fun to wear fun stuff that you've made yourself. Wahoo!!! Oink! Oink! Oink!

Two for One

2009-06-04T11:53:00.001-07:00

Time is short but my blog posts never are so...I'm going to try to hit two messages in one post.

The fine folks at Sew, Mama, Sew! are celebrating Sewing Machine Month. They're giving away a beautiful new Viking. I actually don't want the machine because I have Flossie. Flossie and I have an understanding. She doesn't tell anyone my secrets and I keep her as top queen bee.

Don't tell Flossie but I'll let you in on one secret: I taught myself to sew...on Flossie. I had one semester of home ec in junior high, memorable only because I backstitched an entire seam as well as my thumbnail. Yes, really. But, later in life, I wanted to learn to sew, I wanted a machine and Head Honcho ever so sweetly agreed to get me one. After nervously looking around one sewing machine shop, we went with a moderately priced model. Little did I know what a little beauty she really was.

Flossie is an Elna 2004. She has about 18 stitches, bobbin winder, a couple of different feet. I think the stitch dimensions are something like 4 mm and 5 mm. I've had her for about 10 years, maybe a bit more. She was about $100 when I got her brand new.

Enough tech stuff: bottom line is she is great. I read the instruction manual, threaded the machine, got her going and we've never stopped. Mostly, I use a straight stitch. I mess with stitch length a bit. Otherwise, I don't change much. I have used zigzag and some of the decorative stitches. I've never tried a button hole. She and I hang together about six hours per week--sometimes a lot more than that--and she has never once complained. She just gets on with the job.

There's not one single thing I dislike about Flossie other than that they no longer make her so if she ever breaks...don't think about it. I don't want an embroidery machine. I don't quilt. I don't need anything computerized or fancy. I just need a hard-working, plain kind of gal like my Flossie.

Second, I'm going to take my first shot at My Creative Space: the part of the show when I show you the mess that is my work area and admit to only a small fraction of the projects I'm currently completing. (Check out the link to see more creative spaces plus Kootoyoo's awesome blog.)

Here you see my sewing table. There's my work "basket" which is a clear plastic tub full of floss and embroidery projects. There's my lightboard (homemade by my father) underneath two new projects. I'm participating in the first ever Bunny Stitch Along. And I'm making a bunting for our breezeway using this great fabric and patterns from WildOlive's Bar-b-cute pattern. There's probably a bunch of other junk in the pictures. What you won't see is a heart cause I forgot to add one. Cringe. It's my first time opening up to the truth about the chaotic way I work; sorry about that.

There you have it: deep dark secrets from the softie maker on Mulberry Lane.

The Hunt is On!

2009-06-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

Here's one of the embroidery "sketches" I did while on our road trip. I love foxes.

I think I'm going to do more and make them patches on a quilt-blanket.

From Germany with Love

2009-06-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

This week's Words and Pictures theme: Souvenirs

And so I present to you one of the first softies I ever owned and my most recently acquired softie. Two softies, spanning ~~40 years~~ a few years. One a donkey, one a bear. But they both came from Germany with love.

When I was a wee baby my father traveled to Germany once as a part of his job. I think once was enough since my mother was stuck with a toddler and an infant in a tiny Ontario town...with no car...in the winter. Yep. Money was tight so my father brought back one souvenir to be shared by my older brother and me.

I challenge you to find a finer donkey in all the world than Stonkey. He and I have had many adventures. Fortunately, my brother agreed that Stonkey could come live at my house. He is a TOTPOD object: touch on the penalty of death. i.e. my girls aren't allowed to even think of getting him off his shelf.

For many years he has been the only German in our house. Actually, I'm not sure what his immigration status is: did he become a Canadian or is he German or did he get US citizenship. I'll have to remember to ask him.

Anyway, there's a new bear in town. Ava arrived this week courtesy of the amazingly talented flufftail. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I admire her work. I really scored big when I got her on swapbot. Yes!

Ava is a darling--pleasantly plump, made from fleece, four way jointed softie with a terrific bemused expression. I thought she might be a bit of a wall flower but no, she's a get up and go kind of gal. I turned my back once and off she zipped to do a spot of construction on the Tea House of the Chicken Moon. She even fell a couple of times but she bounces. She and Stonkey seem to get on like a house on fire--lots of talk about the Rhine and castles and strudel.

And so there you have it: two German softies sandwiching decades but souvenirs of the same great land.

We Have a Winner!

2009-06-03T08:15:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that T-Rex is graduating from therapy. After one year of hard work she is ready to move to monthly meetings for a couple of months and then she's done.

Did I mention hard work? Her therapist says "the amount of change in her is immeasurable." She's like a different kid.

Yes, there are still ghosts of the attachment ickies in her--a harder time transitioning, a somewhat aggressive personality, fear of new situations. But we haven't seen a rage in forever and even the hissy fits are few and far between. She's even able to get herself out of a bad mood. Did you hear that? Get herself out of a bad mood. There are adults who never mastered that.

So she'll keep her one-on-one helper at church, she still has to stay away from artificial dyes (i.e. kool-aid, hard candy) and we will still need to work on forming bonds, creating neuron pathways, but.....my baby done graduated. Wahooooooooo!

In Compliance

2009-06-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

After a dreadful period of sheer panic, I am happy to report that we are in compliance with the Home Schooling Goat Ordinance.

In other words, we've got your goat. Or our goat. Or something like that.

Out of my mind with fear that the Home Schooling gestapo would be breaking down our door at any moment, I frantically searched the web where I found this pattern. Isn't it great?

Yesterday, in moments stolen from my cleaning schedule (bahahahahaha) I whipped it up out of an old sweat top. I finished it last night. Whew. Oh, I changed the nose and added a crocheted collar because it is impossible for me to ever simply copy a pattern.

Webster Goat is happily munching her way through old workbooks and new worksheets, ready to testify at any moment that this school has goat.

Got Goat?

2009-05-31T20:52:00.000-07:00

We educate our girls at home--i.e. we home school. We have for a few years.

While homeschooling has gained greater popularity and acceptance, homeschooling special needs kiddos is still considered at best misguided and at worst criminal. Put away the lock and keys. My girls are thriving at home.

Case in point: Sparkle, deaf, has just finished her math book and yet another of her readers. Wahoo! She has taken first grade by storm. Here at the No Dumb Bunnies Home School Sparkle is able to get the one-on-one attention she needs. If she were in a classroom, that girl would be faking it big time. She hates to be noticed as different so she just slides right under that radar. At home, she gets busted when she's not getting the concepts. As a result, she's doing great. She is one smart cookie. All my girls are.

Just tonight I found out that our home school experience is sadly, perhaps even criminally lacking. A very reputable source informs me that we are supposed to own a goat. I had no freaking idea. Hello?! Was this in some handbook I'm supposed to own? Was it covered in Home Schooling 101? Did I miss that day? What else are we missing? Hand loom? Oxen? I hope someone tells us because the last thing we want is to be arrested for Home Schooling Without a Goat.

Where I Live

2009-05-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

Road trips can be very bad. Consider four girls trapped in a moving tin can for about six hours. Yes, the fights, boredom and tears pour out in droves.

But road trips can also be very good because sooner or later all the above mentioned angels fall asleep or zone out or simply give up and drift into silence. At those moments Head Honcho and I can finally have a conversation. You know--the kind where you make a statement, he hears it, you do not have to shout and repeat yourself 20 times, no one interrupts, he replies, you can hear his reply quickly without misunderstanding "I think so too" as "You stink, you're poo." Conversation.

And so, while cruising the roads of Indiana, I timidly (I know it's hard to imagine me as timid but this was a icky subject) brought up how things are going with Stinkerbell. Or maybe how things aren't going. As in she's now 3.5 years old and not talking.

Here's the deal: I am blessed and encouraged when people say "she's fine" "She'll be fine" "my brother was a late talker" "she's going to take off any day now" "they can do so much with this sort of disability now". I appreciate the way everyone cares and wants to be positive. I really do.

But the cold hard facts are I just need to know where we are and admit it. Head Honcho felt the same way. We needed to say to each other: this kid is not talking, there is something seriously wrong, this kid maybe--probably--could never talk. There! Said! We both needed to name where we are living.

We are living with a little girl who is smart in many ways and then shockingly behind in others. We call her our swiss cheese girl--holes here, holes there. She does not talk. Sometimes, she says complete phrases. They appear out of the blue: correctly pronounced, understandable, in the right context. Perfect. And then we never hear them again. Augh. And she could have some other cognitive problems--like not being able to read or write. The specialists have warned us.

It's not that we aren't going to work and fight for the best possible outcome. And I'm not losing hope. I believe Stinkerbelle is capable of great things. But I need to admit to myself, Head Honcho and I needed to admit to each other, this is big...and scary....and it isn't just going to resolve itself....and we need to figure out how we are going to live with it. Change of address: we have a daughter who may never be able to live independently. There, said it.

Because that's where we live.

Drops of Gold

2009-05-28T09:34:00.000-07:00

It's rainy, it's cold (for summer), it's grey. Blah!

But check out these little nuggets of sunshine:

Amigurumi kitty for my very last swap. Wahoo. She's winging her way east to new home right now.

The first of my SSS goodies. SSS: Summer Sidewalk Series featuring the fun-loving Suey. Spudly is helping me think of other pictures to do. Isn't it funny how it isn't until you look at a picture of your sewing that you see all the wonky stitches. Oh well.

And check this out: Let's say you had a couple of hearing impaired kids. And the entire family needed to keep learning new signs. And you just happened to order these awesome images from here. And you created cool sign language vocab cards which will be laminated by tomorrow. How totally sunny would that be? I've also got a cool game in mine. Hopefully, you can check that out tomorrow right here.

And last I leave you with Cookie, the Monkey, who came to me in the mail from Ontario yesterday. Poor guy. I hope he didn't think by heading south it was going to be warmer. We just might have to make some cookies for Cookie--to welcome him and all.

Illustration Friday: Cracked

2009-05-26T10:18:00.001-07:00

The theme for this week's Illustration Friday: cracked

That's what the polar ice is.

Doll-ish-cious

2009-05-25T19:58:00.000-07:00

I'm trying not to add soap to this post but it's so tempting. Okay, I'm giving in.

What is it with all the blonde, blue-eyed dolls? Walk down an aisle at Walmart and every single blessed doll is orange. (Orange being the colour that my beautiful oldest daughter from India calls "white people." And let's face it, we ain't white. We are orange.) Geesh louise. Enough with the northern European complexion complex America. Wake up!

This world is full of beautiful brown girls. Beeeee uuuuu tiful! Can't we have a few dolls in luscious shades of mocha? Hmmmm????

Therefore, I was delighted to see the call for brown skinned, black haired dolls over at Craft Hope. The dolls are going to Casa Bernabe Orphanage in Nicargua, one of those places with gorgeous brown skinned kiddos.

And so with glee--I'm telling you there was enough glee in me to fuel16 Glee Clubs--I designed and crafted this little cutie. I'm very pleased with her. I plan to make more.

Cause Brown is Beautiful!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T16:40:00.000-07:00

I'm not an overly patriotic person but I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU to all those who have risked their lives for the safety of others. For the sacrifices you have made, we remember.

Dishing the Dirt

2009-05-22T06:27:00.000-07:00

There are two seasons at my house. Not baseball, hockey, basketball, bowling, badminton. No, it's either gardening season or planning the garden season.

We don't have a giant garden. We have two medium size patches and some outliers. But the gardens get bigger each year.

Yesterday, I put in 25 tomato plants and helped the girls plant five banana peppers. Dang! That would have been a perfect post title: Five Little Peppers and How They Grew. I'll have to try to remember that title for later in the summer.

Anyway, it is gardening season here. Usually, I try to put the garden in by Victoria Day because I like to live on the edge. Yes, while the other gardeners in the frozen north wait until Memorial Day I plant an entire week earlier. Don't hate me for my daring.

I still have all the seeds to plant. I am so late! When summer only lasts three days you've really got to make the most of it.

These softies are more Ugly Dolls, not my own creations. They were out looking for plants of particular interest: POPI. POPI include the cocoa plant, of course, as well as the whip topping plant, the ice cream bush and the much beloved hamburger vine. What will they do when all we get are beans, zucchini and peppers?

Remembering Softie Style

2009-05-22T05:59:00.000-07:00

The theme for this week's Words and Pictures is Remembering. I am not going to touch the subject of how fast my girls are growing, remembering them first home, first steps, etc because I don't have time to admit myself to a mental hospital this week. They are growing up too fast (although the moments when they are fighting I do find myself wishing they'd grow up faster--baaaaad mummy.)

Instead, I'm giving you a rare glimpse at a fellow who helped shape who I am. My love for him predicted all which would come later. I speak of: Ruff Ruff, the giant stuffed dog. Ruff Ruff came to live with me the Christmas I was 12, a gift from my mother. My estimation of my mother shot up given the fact that she was always complaining I had too many stuffed animals and then she bought me a giant one. Wahoo!

Ruff Ruff was the only giant stuffed animal I had. He was great. He laid on my bed eating cookies and reading all day until I got home from school. He went to university with me where he majored in aerospace engineering. He flew helicopters. After university he went to live with my parents. Small apartments never suited a dog who likes living large.

He is still living with my parents. I give him a big hug and snuggle as soon as I arrive. But now he's got a whole new gang of co-conspirators. My girls love Ruff. And so do I.

Owls and Oranges

2009-05-21T07:25:00.000-07:00

Today is brought to you by the letter O

I am an owl. I am! I'm a Brown Owl to be exact. The Brown Owls are a group of nice women who get together to craft nicely. It's the brainchild of the lovely, effervescent Pip from Meet Me At Mike's fame.

The main group of Brown Owls meet in Melbourne, Australia. (See previous post about those crafty Aussies.) I long thought I could never be a part, seeing as the travel to Melbourne was a bit out of my league. (Okay Honey, I'm off to my crafting meeting. Meals for the next four days are in the fridge.) But then I saw that there are international memberships.

I can join! I joined! I'm in! I'm a Brown Owl. See the nifty badge on the sidebar? It says I'm a Brown Owl. And I've just completed my very first project. I submit this crocheted potholder for my crochet badge. Judges please convene.

While the judges are looking over my handiwork let me tell you about this fine potholder. It's made with cotton "sugar and cream" yarn, a g hook, crocheted in the round following this pattern. It is indeed an orange. Doesn't it make you think of summer? Summer in the 1970s? Ahhhh....I love it. There's nothing like making something you really love.

So sit right back, grab some OJ and we'll wait to see if the troop leader says I get my first badge.

It All Settled South

2009-05-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

When God was spreading around talent He was fairly even with His sprinkling--a little here, a dash there. But when it came to crafting, and especially softie making, He poured it all out Down Under. Fair Dinkum. Australians are ace.

Case in point: One Red Robin, Dear Fii, Two Little Banshees and Meet Me at Mike's. I've read them--drooled over them--for years. And that's just a sample of the eye-popping craftiness on Australian blogs. I bet they could even make fishing lures look cute.

All that said I only own one softie from Down Under, a little monster made for me in a swap. Maybe one day I'll be able to add to my collection. Maybe one day I can even make a crafting tour circuit through Oz. Can you imagine? "Sheila, there's a ripper stuffie maker outside. Crimey! She's got a seam ripper."(Apologies to all real Australians for my terrible impersonation attempt.) Seriously, I'd be headed all over Australia, looking in shops, going to houses, saying "show me your softies". Of course, I'd soon be deported, perhaps even for not being crafty enough, but probably just for being weird. But I'm sure even as they deported me the Aussies would be very kind and friendly.

In the meantime, all I can do is dream and...become an owl. More about that in the next post.

Monkeying Around

2009-05-20T05:41:00.001-07:00

You didn't really think I was going to talk about dolls today, did you?

Today, the topic is monkeys.

I was at the nursery last night getting plants for the garden. All of a sudden, a monkey popped out of a plant. Hmmmm.... A little later the same monkey jumped up again. And again. Finally, I asked the Monkey her name: Splendid. Which she is. She promises she knows a lot about gardening. I noticed she was mainly interested in the banana peppers I was buying though. She promises she will help me in the garden. But she only asked where I was planting the banana peppers. I brought her home. I don't think she knows the difference between cucumbers and clover but she is enthusiastic and I think she had worn out her welcome at the nursery.

Actually, Splendid is a "Once Again" softie. Stinkerbell is the last of the tribe. The plan is that we are done adopting, done increasing the family (except for softies.) So I'm constantly going through the girls' clothes, getting rid of the too small sizes. The things which are still in good shape go to thrift stores. The stuff with stains on them--which is a fair amount--get cut up either for rags or to make softies out of. I call them "Once Again"s.

Splendid is made from a 12m onesie and a 12m t-shirt. I didn't realize the onesie material was so thin, a real challenge to sew because it kept stretching. Also, I cut out the pattern freehand so Splendid has a bit of a long neck. I think she's one of those Long Necked Monkeys from Laredo. Something like that anyway.

And speaking of monkeys, I ran across this project last night. They send sock monkeys to communities ravaged by AIDS in South Africa. You know I believe that laughter is very good medicine (me, who is always very serious.) so I knew I was game to make a monkey or two. Anyone else a dab hand with a bit of thread and a sock? Geesh, there's no end to all this monkey business.

Take Wing

2009-05-19T09:51:00.000-07:00

We are back from our vacation. Slides to follow at a later date. (Is anyone else old enough to remember seeing vacation slide shows? Did anyone else nod off at the sound of the projector engine?)

While riding back and forth across Indiana I worked on some free form embroidery. I took my blue washable ink pen, drew a picture, stitched it and then wondered what they heck to do with it. And wondered....

Here is project number one. I totally cheated. I saw the idea here but actually here first. And I thought "how cool is that." So I grabbed some fabric I bought two weeks ago at the "Fabric Department at Walmart is going out of business sale." 50% off. How not cool that our local Walmart will no longer sell fabric. Anyway, I put this all together: free form embroidery pattern, fabric, idea and got this:

An embroidery sketch book where I can try out new stitches, new patterns and create new embroidery which I will have no idea what to do with. (Yes, I ended that sentence in a preposition. Go ahead and report me to the grammar police.) Hopefully, I'll find new ideas on all the creative blogs. And how cool is that.

Tomorrow I talk about dolls...unless I forget or something else occurs to me. I leave you with a picture, which will be sewn on her school bag, of Spudly holding a dinosaur bone.

Tripping Over The Falls

2009-05-12T05:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry--there's no Illustration Friday this week because we are going on a ......wait for it.....wait.....road trip. Yes, four kids, two adults and roughly 6,000 stuffed animals packed in a minivan for two states. Wahooo! Did I remember to pack my Prozac? Got to go find that.

Okay, so Spudly, being a wonderful mature girl of eight years old, is getting to stay at her grandparents by herself. Just her and 2000 stuffed animals. Grandma and Grandpa will spoil her rotten. I've heard whispers of horse farm, ice cream, park, lunch out. I suspect the stuffed animal population will have increased by the time we pick her up.

The rest of us are headed to Clifty Falls State Park on the beautiful and probably fairly extensively polluted Ohio River. T-Rex is excited because her favourite book in the universe is Johnny Appleseed. And the book goes: "Who is that walking beside the Ohio?" Yes, T-Rex is off on a Johnny Appleseed scouting expedition. If she finds him, I hope she doesn't tell me seeing as he has been dead for a hundred years or so. Spudly ask if he was in a car accident. I think we'll do a unit study on Old Johnny when we get back.

Now, here is the problem....no, not how to stay sane on the ride down and back. No, not what to do when one of my kids falls over the falls. No, not how to cram all those stuffed animals back into the van.

The problem is for me, the crafter: which of my many projects do I take with me? Mother Bear Project? Redwork quilt top which I started two years ago? Granny squares for A Granny A Day? yarn to make amigurumis for The Toy Society? cotton yarn to make more dish cloths for Knit-Together? Should I make another afghan for Project Night Night? What about clothes for Lilly-Jane?

Van time is work time for me. You should have seen the year I tried to scrapbook in the van. I've since given up scrap-booking, perhaps because of that very episode. The girls are strapped in, restrained--and it's not even against the law. I've got the length of time we're on the road to work. The only constraint is space. Those stuffed animals take up a lot of room--not much space for fiber fill and bolts of cloth.

So today is packing day--clothes, diapers, cochlear implant kit, meds, books, stuffed animals and crafting supplies...but which crafting supplies.......

It's All Good

2009-05-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

and if it's not...well, there's chocolate.

Sigh.

Mother's Day threw T-Rex for a loop. She's disregulated. That's tech speak for she made a bleeping terror out of herself at the nursery this afternoon. Nursery as in place to buy plants. Because she could not live if she didn't buy me flowers today.

Head Honcho and I both paid for the flowers--in different ways. But it's worth it because this kid is gold. She is. There might be a load of prickly crap on top of it but she's gold.

Besides, T-Rex was hardly the only one making life difficult. Stinkerbelle was making a fuss because she has a yet another ear infection and Spudly is trying out being an opinionated teenager with attitude. (Let's just say I'm about to cancel her performance for lack of interest.) Sparkle was perfect. I'm sure her day is coming. :-D

I love my kids. I love being a mother. I'm serious. And I love chocolate...especially on days like this. Happy Mother's Day Everyone!!!!

She's HERE

2009-05-09T16:41:00.000-07:00

It's my new Blythe doll. It's my only Blythe doll. It will always be my only Blythe doll.

Four kids, six special needs and one salary does not equal spending cash for a $300 doll. Not even a $150 doll fits in our budget. I knew I'd never be able to have one of the full size Blythes. That's okay. I think the petites are cuter--with a nicer smile. A petite will fit in my camera bag. A petite is in my budget..or at least this one was.

Meet my $20 doll (including shipping from Hong Kong.) Happy Mother's Day to me! I am so excited.

Her official name is Running Deer. She came in Native American garb.

She is now Lilly-Jane, with slightly shorter hair and a new wardrobe thanks to the kindness of the little brat dolls. Okay, so the little brat dolls did not want to share. I'm bigger than they are. And I don't take attitude. Well, maybe a little attitude--from Lilly-Jane.

Head Honcho thinks I'm crazy. He says Lilly-Jane looks possessed and needs prozac. He also calls her mini-me, says she looks just like me. (She's a few dress sizes smaller though.) What does that mean?

Oh well. I'm happy. Lilly-Jane is happy. Happy Mother's Day to all of you too!

Not Pretty

2009-05-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

I like pretty things--pretty flowers, pretty little girls, pretty fabric, pretty chocolates. And I want my blog to be pretty--at least that's the idea.

But there is one ugly truth lurking around here. Trust me, it is not pretty. And it's time to pull it out of the corner, name it and then show it the door.

The truth is: HIV-AIDS scares me. I don't want my girls to hang out with another child who has aids. I don't want to know someone who has aids. I don't want them in my house, at my table. The U.S. government used to prohibit families from adopting children who tested positive to HIV-AIDS. And rightly so I would say. Ugly had a nice corner chair at my house.

I went on the AIDS walk, I raised money to support the cause, I spouted all the right phrases about being tolerant and loving. I listened to Bono. I joined One. I cried for the children of Africa. I prayed for the people suffering. But I wasn't going to have an HIV positive person in my house. Nope.

And then my friend Chantelle started talking about HIV-AIDS....about the desolation this disease causes...about the children who need to be adopted. Knowing Chantelle, I knew where this was going. Yep. Soon she announced she was adopting an HIV positive child. I wanted to say "Get a grip Chantelle. This is a bad idea. Stop before it is too late." But something changed.

I think my heart just got sick and tired of living with Ugly.

So I didn't tell Chantelle to get a grip. It wouldn't help anyway. She's that kind of person. :-D Instead, I read her blog. I read and read and read about AIDS. I started to rethink and relearn. AIDS doesn't spread through the air, it doesn't pass by touch. It's not a death sentence. It's a disease that most people, with the proper care, live with just fine for a very long life. Hmmmm....

It started reminding me of attachment disorder: the child who has done nothing to deserve the condition, who needs proper help, who can live a normal life....who people don't want at their dinner table. We have been told many times that T-Rex is not invited...to a party, a dinner, an event...because she has attachment disorder. Now that's monstrous. Not the attachment disorder......Not the AIDS. Hmmmmm....

Take a hike Ugly. You don't live here anymore.

Am I going to adopt a child who is HIV positive? I don't think so. You can never tell for sure but I think we are done adopting any more children. Am I going to cheer Chantelle on? And try to think of ways to help her and others who are adopting these wonderful kiddos? Absolutely. And should Chantelle and her new daughter come to town...the light's on, come on in.

Take It Out On The Lawn

2009-05-08T21:16:00.001-07:00

Okay, so as I mentioned here, I got these awesome embroidery patterns from WildOlive. Unique and witty art deserves an unusual execution. Not execution as in "off with her head" but execution as in use of.

Basically, I wanted to do something different with these--different from the usual embroidered napkins, tea towel or pillowcase.

One of the three patterns I ordered from Wildolive is called The Stuff of Fairy Tales. This pattern pays tribute to the stuff that never gets it's moment in the spotlight, that same stuff that makes the fairy tale. I'm talking about the beans from Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella's shoe, the Three Bear's porridge bowl, Aladdin's lamp, the Emperor and His New Clothes' clothes hanger, Red Riding Hood's picnic basket, the pea and mattress featured in The Princess and the Pea. Isn't that hysterical? And unique? I knew this was where I was starting.

At the same time Head Honcho has asked that we refrain from fast-fooding so much. Yes, that is a verb. Yes, I did coin it. Yes, I do expect fame and fortune--or maybe just a few emails from irate school teachers and Prince Charles. We (our family, not Prince Charles) make a lot of road trips to doctors' appointments and to see my family down in Louisville. Fast-fooding expends cash resources while increasing both fat deposits in the adult family members and plastic junk hording in the juvenile family members. Fat and junk are not good.

He suggested we should take our own picnic more often. Hahahahaha. Oh yes. I did laugh. My girls...picnicking. Well, Head Honcho was serious and picnicking is also good for the environment, especially if we had our very own picnic kit.

Voila! The "Stuff of Fairy Tales" embroidery patterns made their way onto a picnic blanket. I thought it was fitting. I found some super cute vintage looking material for the coordinating fabric. And I discovered that the whole thing had even more zing when I added some buttons in funky citrus colours. I bought some inexpensive plastic dishes to fill the coordinating tote bag. All I need is a waterproof drop cloth and the kit is complete.

As far as the embroidery, I used number three thread--that really big, thick stuff that I swear could be used for ship rope. I thought it would show up better and wear longer on this hardworking blanket. It was hard going, especially for this fair maiden who is used to the ease of regular embroidery thread. I used a running stitch on everything. And I swore a little.

I think the whole thing turned out great. So no more fast-fooding for us. From now on, it's lunch on the lawn using our super cool, very unique, incredibly witty picnic kit.

How Cool Is That Friday

2009-05-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

I think I'm supposed to be doing some other theme for Friday...tools of the trade? homemade? I don't know. Frankly, I have never been organized and the likelihood that I will start now is very slim. So, at least for today, let's play "How Cool Is That."

I'll say something or add a picture and then you say "How Cool Is That." Got it? Okay.

Yesterday, I got bonanza mail. First, I got my order from WildOlive. I had already received my embroidery patterns via the modern miracle of pdf. In my next post I will talk more about the terrific patterns and what weird and dangerous things I'm doing with them. Not really dangerous but I thought if I said that you'd be more likely to check back later. Snail mail brought me the "recycle" fashion pins that everyone who is anyone is wearing these days. I also got two of WildOlive's awesome remade, recycled notebooks. I love them. She threw in some cute freebies plus look at this cut-out?

How cool is that????!!!

In addition, I received the nicest thank you note from the Mother Bear Project. They liked my bears and they invited me to make more. Don't you love the picture of the African boy holding his bear? I am so in love with this project--sharing the love, sharing the bears!

Okay, all together now: How cool is that!

Second, last night while shopping for a broom I discovered these cute packets of colour coordinated buttons. Do not ask what buttons have to do with brooms. Let's just pretend that my local WalMart is organized alphabetically with all the "b" items on one aisle. Anyway, I fell in love with a packet of blue-greens. Yes, love. All last night I wondered what I could do with them. There's not a lot of things I can think of which call for roughly 130 buttons. Then I thought "bracelet." Clearly, it was a b sort of day. This morning I made this cute bracelet that I absolutely love. The whole thing costs less than $2 and took me less than 20 minutes. It's love. Ahhhh. So the rest of you are free to fight over the Hope Diamond while I hang out with my button bracelet.

And they all said "How cool is that."

Finally, spring has arrived but good. The trees are gor-geeee---ous this year. Dang! Of course, the grass is high and the dandelions are popping up but look at my crabapple tree. Stunning!

And "how cool is that."

Weak in the knees

2009-05-07T09:30:00.000-07:00

There's an adulterous relationship going on here: going out on me, causing me pain, refusing to cooperate and now the final stroke...seeing other people.

No, it's not Head Honcho. He's solid as a rock--the same rock I would bury him under if he weren't...but he is. It's my knees. Yes, betrayed by my very own body.

It started last summer. By Christmas I could not deny it. Three weeks ago I went to the doctor for help. I can't remember what the official diagnosis is. I'll just call it Adultery of the Knees.

The x-rays showed no abnormalities so it's off to PT for me. I've got a lovely therapist who didn't even blink when I whipped out my camera and starting taking snaps of Eileen. That tells you a lot right there. Really.

So my knees are taped, I get to work out on some scary looking devices which actually aren't so bad, and I'm determined to get these knees back on the straight and narrow.

(Eileen is a KittyPinkyStar Sock Creature all the way from England. Head Honcho gave her to me for my birthday last year. She came with me to therapy this morning because it is Monsters on Thursday!)

Photo Captions:
1) Alex getting an x-ray. 2) Here we go!
3) Eileen in the coat rack--I tried to tell her that was not exercise equipment. She never listens. 4) Eileen is really on the ball. Of course, someone else needed it and she wouldn't get off. 5) And Eileen telling the therapist all about her addiction to crisps. I kept telling her the PT isn't "That Kind" of therapist but Eileen never listens....

Smell This

2009-05-05T21:22:00.000-07:00

Hyacinth--I can't spell the name but I sure love the way they smell. Mmmmmmm.....

Random facts about the H Flowers:

1) They originated in the Mediterranean. Yep, the things popping up in my lawn are pretty much as close as I'm ever getting to Club Med. It makes me feel like a world traveler just smelling their perfume.

2) Botanists used to think they were in the lily family but they're in a class all their own. Or a strata or a family or species or whatever.

3) There is a Saint Hyacinth--he's from Poland.

4) The coolest name for a town is: Saint-Hyacinthe. It's NE of Montreal, Quebec. (Canada does have the coolest town names in the world.) If you know any French, think about how Saint-Hyacinthe is said. It sounds pretty much like san a san. Oh, how I loved to hear the weather reported out of Saint-Hyacinthe in the sweet days of my youth. The weather was probably always fairly lousy--Montreal gets a lot of snow--but just to hear that name.... it warmed me by several degrees. I could almost imagine myself....in the Meditterean....

Which way is up?

2009-05-05T16:16:00.001-07:00

My work for Illustration Friday, Theme: Hierarchy.

Piglet

2009-05-03T21:07:00.000-07:00

First and foremost, I want to say that I cannot imagine the pain and grief of those who have lost family members to the recent swine flu--n1h1. My sympathy is with them.

Second, I would like to go on the record as believing it's much better to be prepared for something that never happens than to be caught by surprise.

However, I have gone just about crazy with all this swine flu news. Good grief. How many people die per year, per month in Mexico from the drug wars? How many people died in a millisecond after the tsunami? How many people will die this week from malaria? (Small aside--I suspect that we Westerners don't care much about how many people will die this week from malaria because we know it won't be us.)

And what about all the little piggies of the world--misrepresented, misjudged, and maligned? I have just read that the pigs are now getting flu from us humans instead of us getting flu from them. Shocking!

So I coped in the only way I know: first, I ate chocolate. Then, I made a softie. Meet Primrose, the petite pig. Did I ever mention I love alliteration? Isn't she great?

I made her from a couple of shirts Stinkerbell could no longer wear--and I've still got fabric left over. Now to keep an eye on her and make sure she stays well.

It's a Boy!

2009-05-02T16:04:00.000-07:00

Despite numerous, vocal protests by the girls, a boy monster has been created at our home. We're not certain about a name yet. Fred seems like a good possibility.

What we do know is that he is a nice guy, on the quiet side, with an interest in horticulture--or at least playing in the dirt. (Technical specs: this crocheted softie is crafted from worst weight yarn, stuffed with poly-fill. He is 100% baby-safe and has been approved by my girls for huggability and fun. He is a one -of-a-kind currently, but I might make more.)

In other news: April showers did indeed bring May flowers. The tulips are up and about.

If you are keeping track, the score for this week is:
4 bears sent to Mother Bear Project
1 afghan (+ purchased stuffie and book) sent to Project Night Night
3 swaps completed and mailed (which means I have almost completed all my obligations on Swap-Bot)
1 cotton wash clothe completed for Knit-Together
1 monster

Which leaves me with only 4,562,841 projects to complete. Wahoo!

Illustration Friday: Theatre

2009-04-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

I couldn't find much inspiration for this one. I am not a Marlon Brando fan but I did have the most hysterical conversation with my husband which went something like this:

Me: so what do you think? (showing him the illustration.)

Head Honcho: Hey, that's good. It actually looks kind of artistic.

Me: What? As opposed to the usual ones?

Head Honcho: Yeah, not like the usual c*^p you usually make. (Laughing.) What are you going to call it.

Me: Marlo

HH: You mean Marlon.

Me: Marlin? Like the fish?

HH: Marlon.

Me: I thought his name was Marlo.

HH: No, not Marlo Thomas. That does not look like Marlo Thomas.

Me: I know that!

HH: Look it up and see.

(After looking it up on the internet) Me: Okay, so it's Marlon.

typing in the labels: Marlon, Brandon

HH: That's Brando. Marlon Brando. You really don't know what this guy's name is, do you?

Me: Well, I know Alan Ladd wasn't tall. * Line from While You Were Sleeping.

HH: What? (Who sleeps through While You Were Sleeping.)

We'll Find Out Tomorrow

2009-04-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

I know the question which has been on all our minds is will alllllllll these April Showers indeed bring May Flowers.

Experts believe that if the flowers do not fall ill to Swine Flu nor declare bankruptcy, they are likely to float away. We've had some serious rain up this way. And we're seriously bored by it. Seriously.

So we are doing school work, being sick as dogs (stomach flu on the heals of a cold but no swine like symptoms), watching dvds, watching it rain, drying water out of the basement, crocheting and...mailing this afghan, book and rabbit to Project Night Night. I did make the afghan--one of the unfinished works which is nicely finished now. I did not make the rabbit though.

The UglyDolls in the picture are neither made by me nor headed to a homeless shelter..yet. But, if they don't stop sniveling about this rain, they might be on the next bus....or boat.

Bag It!

2009-04-26T20:25:00.000-07:00

What have I been doing this weekend? I'm glad you asked. Let me show you.

Isn't it cute? Okay, background: ~~almost 20 years ago~~ a few years ago I embroidered this napkin. It was one of four, part of a pre-printed kit that I suspect I bought at Walmart. I can't remember if I embroidered all four and I have no idea what became of the other three. This one with a pink and yellow flower (which goes with absolutely nothing in my kitchen) has been floating around our house for years. It's been washed and put away five million times only to be pulled out of a drawer or cabinet by my girls.

This week I'm in the laundry room looking at this one poor napkin which I've washed for the five millionth and one time wondering what to do with it. I can't give it to the thrift store. Who wants one napkin? I keep looking....thinking....looking....thinking.

Along came a couple of fantastic blog posts. WildOlive featured a free Earth Day embroidery pattern. I knew I was going to have to try it on something. And then Anja posted about the cute skirt she made from an old shirt and a darling library bag she crafted. And then it hit me. Kazam!

I could make a bag from the napkin. Not just any bag. I could craft a bag for my cotton yarn--the same cotton yarn which I throw in my purse almost every time I head out the door. (More about this in a future post.) So I spent a rainy, stormy Saturday watching Get Smart with my girls, embroidering and then sewing this together. Now I'm using this fab bag "and loving it" to quote Maxwell Smart.

A House Guest

2009-04-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine came to town. She's been staying with us for a few days. We have a lot of things to do together. I think we've spent just about every moment since she got here together.

Come here...a little closer...can I tell you something...in secret? I want her to go home! Seriously. Just take a bus gus.

Actually, some of you might know her. Her name is Worry. I don't think she ever stays home. She's always mooching at someone's house. Causing drama. Creating problems.

So what are she and I chatting about? The Economy. Jobs. Loss of jobs. People hurting. Homelessness. Bailing out banks. Hard times.

And health and getting older and losing my mind. Worry favours me moving out some essential stuff in my brain so she can expand with more of her stuff.

And then there's kids. Worry and kids. Worry and kids. Have kids. Will worry.

Mostly, I'm worried about Stinkerbell. Okay, here's the serious, heavy stuff. She's three. And she doesn't talk. At all. She babbles. Sometimes she rattles off an entire phrase like yesterday when she said "move, it's my turn." Great! Wahoo! We will never hear that phrase from her again. Or at least we won't hear it for another 12 months. I'm serious. It's like she has a short in her brain. Sometimes, the info gets through but most of the time it's just static. Like an old radio. Last summer she had three words: no, Mummy and bye. She still has Mummy. That's it. Last fall she said "mine." Gone. Into the void.

So Worry and I chat about what will happen to Stinkerbell. Will she ever get a job? Will she ever learn to read? Will she ever talk? Will she be happy? Worry can eat your heart out and leave you destroyed. And Worry rarely travels alone. Sooner or later her pal Fear shows up.

That's why I've invited a couple of other friends over to help me kick Worry out: Hope and Faith. I'll let you know next week how we do packing up Worry. But if she comes to your door, be warned: do not let her in.

Catching Up--in lots of ways

2009-04-23T20:43:00.000-07:00

The theme for this week's Words and Pictures is: Catching Up.

And today is World Book Day. So I figured the perfect mix is to highlight the books I am reading or wish I was reading or need to be reading. Here's a collection pulled from beside my bed:

Joan Hess' Malpractice in Maggody (hysterical mystery set in Arkansas),

Valerie Shrader's Pretty Little Potholders (which is strangely enough about how to make some really cute potholders)

And since I do have too much stuff I am reading Kathryn Porter's Too Much Stuff: De-Cluttering Your Heart and Home.

A mum of special needs children is never still. I've got Childhood Speech, Language and Listening Problems; Developmental Speech and Language Disorders; and Communication and Communication Disorders to wade through at my leisure. Oh--and let's not forget Asthma for Dummies. You realize that I am going to get a master's in communication disorders once the kiddos are grown, don't you? With all this practice, I'll be a pro in no time. Or maybe I'll just make more softies.

I'm reading a children's book Culture of the World: Bhutan by Robert Cooper because I'm a huge fan of Cooper's. Kidding. Actually, I'm really interested in Bhutan but there's no way I'm wading through some academic adult text. Kids books are perfect when you want to know a bit fast. I make Spudly check them out for me so no one knows my dirty little secret. Kidding.

And for pure pleasure I've got N.T. Wright's The Crown and the Fire as well as Josephine Tey's The Singing Sands. Both are excellent, both are rereads.

Of course, reading is best when shared with a good friend or two like Josephine and Alex Bear.

Next on the business list: from book worms to cute worms. Here is a picture of my worm pattern sewn up into a little badge-pin. I like him. Hope you did too.

And finally, here is an update on all my granny square work. I'd like to have the freedom to work in every and any colour and then throw it all together in a gorgeous hodge podge. Alas, 1) I am anal. And 2) I'm making this as a gift for a little boy whose parents may or may not want him to be exposed to the more feminine of colours. Perhaps, boys are not allowed to know about pink and yellow until they are older and can more easily resist the temptations to experiment..... Having all girls, I'm not sure.

And there you have it: catching up on reading and crafting and blogging and life.

First Free Pattern

2009-04-22T17:33:00.000-07:00

In honour of Earth Day here is a free embroidery pattern based on my favourite quote from one of my all time favourite movies:

"When you kill a worm you kill a friend."

Head here to flickr and pick the size you want. Print, transfer and start stitching. Please do not sell items you make with this pattern nor sell the pattern itself.

Happy Earth Day Everyone!!!! And check out "Teahouse of the August Moon". It's really funny.