Yeah, yeah. I never post here. Let's just skip that conversation from now on, shall we? Saves time.
I couldn't break from tradition though. Had to share my birthday shoes for this year.
Miz Mooz Billie
There was something else I wanted to write about but now I can't remember what it was.
This is the best post ever.
There is a chance I won't post again until next year. What, am I averaging 3 post a year here now? Maybe I should just rename this my Birthday Shoe Blog.
Until next year!
A huge shopping bag did the trick. Made with vintage curtain fabric. I LOVE this fabric and have been holding onto it for a bit. So glad to use it.
I've used it twice for shopping and also for beach trip last weekend. So perfectly satisfying.
I feel much better now.
Seriously. I have no idea how to do this anymore. I haven't posted here since November. I miss it though, so I'll give it a shot even though it feels awkward.
Obviously, I've neglected this poor little blog in favor of its crappy sister. But more than that I've been secretly writing a book. The book is done. Although, not really - we're editing it right now and while my editor has given me positive feedback I still can't shake the feeling that any moment they are going to say "No, it sucks, please do it over from scratch." So it feels risky saying it is "done" until I see some solid proof, which apparently will happen in the next couple months when they mail me the page layouts.
Dude. I wrote a book! In the wee hours of the night! How the hell did that happen? It still feels completely unbelievable and amazing.
On the other hand, in the last six months I have had mono, bronchitis, strep throat, laryngitis and pericarditis. I'm horrible at taking care of myself when I have other stuff to do. And there is always other stuff to do. So my summer goal is to learn to take care of myself even when shit hits the fan. Like when technical stuff on my blog breaks which always sends me into a tailspin of panic. Or when I'm very busy which sends me into a tailspin of stress. Why do I continue to sacrifice basic human needs like sleeping and eating for getting work done? Why can't I make eating and sleeping a priority? I can. I just haven't.
Now that I have a little more free time, I wish I could tell you about exciting sewing projects I'm starting. Or ceramics. Or gardening or baking or wooden toy making or any of the other various things I did back in the old days. But honestly, I'm feeling sort of lost. I think this is probably a common experience after completing a long-term project like a book, but I'm new to long-term projects. (I usually prefer ones that can be completed in a single day. Instant gratification is so satisfying!)
In other words, I am feeling rather itchy inside. But I don't know how to scratch it yet.
It turns out I can only go so long without making something pretty.
Pretty much all of my free time is spent on Illustrated with Crappy Pictures™ these days but I started getting itchy to make something that looked, well, good again.
So I finished a twin bed sized quilt for my eldest, since he recently (okay, 6 months ago) moved into a bigger, big boy bed.
I made my own binding, but not in a "look how crafty I am because I can make my own binding" way. It was because I lost the binding that I had purchased nearly 6 months ago. It is buried in my craft room somewhere and the clock was ticking so in a panic I just made my own.
My craft room that now looks like this again.
Notice that little birdie fabric on the binding at the top and then again 6 rows down? Designed by my friend, Marisa. She gave it to me recently, so it is a good thing it took me so long to finish this quilt. Things always work out for the best, don't they?
Have a happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrate!
So it is a tradition that I get shoes for my birthday. It is also a tradition for me to post about it! My birthday was last weeked and my mom sent me a pair of TOMS in Morocco Classic.
They looked like this when they arrived:
So of course I couldn't let that be. A couple hours and several fabric markers later:
Ah, much better. I actually picked them out with the intention to color them in. Love them now, I don't think I've ever had such colorful shoes.
By the way, here are my birthday shoes 2008. And here are the ones from last year. I couldn't find the rest but I'm sure there are in the belly of this blog somewhere.
Just a quick note to direct you over to my other blog for a post about My Friend Wendy...Breast Cancer because it is an important one.
Wendy was also interviewed right HERE on GirlCrush today. And it would be awesome if you checked it out and commented over there.
Thanks everyone. Hope to be back here soon with some random ramblings as usual.
It has been over a year since I last posted about ceramics.
Had been a long time since I did a kiln firing, I had even been holding a batch of work by Marisa hostage in my garage from a clay date last year. I very strongly dislike not finishing things, so I was hugely relieved to fire Melvina last week. I did get Marisa's work back to her finally. She forgave me because she is cool like that.
Some of the kiln was filled with my 4-year-old's ceramics.
Of my own work, these were my favorites:
I made a whole lot of little things with some thrown bowls thrown into the mix.
I made many beads and tiny little jewelry pieces that I'm excited about playing around with.
And the houses, oh I adore the wee houses:
I have a fun little project planned for these guys that I'm excited about doing.
But more on that when I get around to it. I can't promise that it won't take a year. But it probably won't. Probably.
Feels SO GOOD to tie up loose ends like this.
Went out to lunch with Wendy last week.
After a lunch she took me to a vintage clothing shop on the same block. I walked in, saw this skirt peeking out of the rack and grabbed it. In less then 2 seconds. I fancy these appliqued skirts (I think I'm officially collecting them now that I have more than a handful) and I could spot one a mile away. Fortunately, everyone else seems to think they are ugly so it was 50% off.
I mean, it really IS kinda ugly.
But when I saw that the hen's wing lifted up and had a baby chick underneath:
One does not let that sort of thing go.
So I bought it.
I've shared a few of my other applique skirts here before, like the house one I made. And this house scene one that I was wearing when I bought the chicken one. And also the velvety mushroom one. Oh, and this happy flower one too. Yeah. It is sort of a thing. I LOVE them.
And now I want to make another one. And possibly with a lift up flap that hides something else, just like the little chicken. Hmmmmmmm
I have this ongoing problem. Time. There is never enough of it for me to do everything I want to be doing. I take on too much and say yes too often.
My husband is the same way. What can I say? We love living life and we tend to pack it all in as much as possible. But there is a great divide between packing it all in and choosing to do less so you can truly savor the things you love. I'm working on it.
For example, I've accepted failure for our garden this year. Every year just when our garden is getting established we leave town for a week and it gets fried. We even pay someone to come and water but it doesn't matter. This year it was particularly fried when we returned. And on top of that we have rabbits and raccoons coming every night and eating absolutely everything that is left. All the tomatoes are gone. Even the squash has been eaten! We've tried everything short of putting fencing all the way around it but we aren't going to do that this year. So I'm walking away from the garden and a weight is lifted.
I also sold one of my websites this week: Fulfilled Homemaking. I don't have the time I'd like to give to it and I know in someone else's hands it can grow into an amazing resource. I'm a little sad to lose all the little drawings I did for the logo and buttons on the site though, seeing them just makes me want to draw!
I also have accepted that we won't be painting our patio, doing any landscaping in the front yard or a multitude of other things I could be cramming into our weekends. And this is okay. There will come a time for all of it eventually.
Do you take on too much? How do you know when/what to scale back?
-------------------
PS - Parenting. Illulstrated with Crappy Pictures™ was nominated for Funniest Mom Blog on Parents.com. You can vote for Crappy Pictures here!
Use coupon code: summer
To get 33% off everything left in the shop.
UPDATE I'm officially hibernating! Shop is in vacation mode.
You totally saw this coming, didn't you? Yes, my annual simplifying attempt. I'll be taking a woodmouse break for a bit while I focus on the rest of summer. I'd like to clear it out, so as a thank you, I'm having a 33% off sale. Will I be back for the holidays? Honestly, I can't answer that right now. I just don't know.
A proper post on simplifying and "taking on too much" coming soon. In a good way.
PS - if my last post seemed down and dreary, I had a fever! No seriously, I had mastitis. Ick. Feel much better now.
