Little moments

It's the little moments I want to hold on to.

Seeing Luke in a distance -- so earnest it makes me burst into laughter -- flailing at imaginary butterflies with a blue butterfly net, running so fast in the grass in bare feet, his fine hair blowing in the wind. Catching nothing but the wind. 

Seeing the other one dissolve into giggles the second his feet find their balance in the bounce house. Taking three wobbly steps before a face-plant, which he finds hysterical, cracking up into the red plastic, smearing it with wet baby slobber.

The way J.J. holds his mouth wide open for five seconds before bobbing his head down around a tiny plastic straw, wanting to be sure it makes it in there.

The way Luke grumbles at J.J. when he's frustrated with him, crowding him and grabbing him loosely around the head or body. But never, ever hurting him. 

The way J.J. calls everything Mama. The fridge. A banana. Other people. But mostly, the way he says it to me.

The way Luke falls asleep in the car, one leg tossed over the side of the car seat, his head tucked down onto his shoulder, quiet snores sneaking out from his mouth.  And then the way he denies it so vehemently, "No, Mama, I did NOT sleep in the car. No, no, no." Luke never sleeps in the car. (Except when he does.)

The march upstairs to go wake up Dada around 9 a.m., one following after another, both wearing dinosaur pajamas, me singing a marching song with glee: "Let's go wake up DADA! Let's go wake up DADA!" The way they fall all over him in the bed, and the way he grabs onto them to make sure they don't fall off the bed as they roll over him. Sunlight coming in the windows.

Hold onto the little moments. Aren't they so beautiful?

If you're game, share one in the comments. And Happy Mother's Day to all you moms.

#AverageDayinFlorida

Vacation was.... sigh.

 Lovely.

Warm.

Indulgent. 

I loved seeing my kids tiptoe through the sand, unsteady.

 

Or plow right into the waves, unafraid.

Loved seeing them discover new things, Like lizards.

 And dolphins
.

Loved discovering a few things of my own.


Loved time away. To sit and look at the ocean.

To lay around.  And do nada.



Loved getting to "sleep in...." and still catch a beautiful sunrise.



Of course, I loved eating way too much food. Especially of the fried (or beer) variety. So many delicious food choices to ponder!






And there were also very large pirates to pose with. That's important vacation work right there.

 

And I really loved spending time with family and friends we don't see all the time.



Vacation was great. We even survived two three-hour plane rides with two toddlers. AND we found a giant moustache! Check and check.



I've been back for a bit now. I just caught up on life this weekend. Mostly. (Do you ever really catch up on life once you're got kids sucking up all your time? Nah.) I did start a sewing project over the weekend and it's two straps away from being done. I'll be sharing it shortly. It felt comforting to be snipping threads and muttering curse words in my sewing nook once again.

Vacation's nice. But home is nice, too.

A Viking's take on Valentine's Day

Ah, Valentine's Day. The day to stress out about what box of chocolate best says I-am-so-not-buying-this-at-the-last-minute-really! How's it going for you? Around here, my husband and I are working opposite shifts and won't be seeing one another at all, outside of passing in the hallways at work. So to make up for our lack of actual Valentine's Day romance, we went out on Sunday afternoon.

We had a fine lunch out at this place, then we drove to this antique store. It's MASSIVE. Room after room, two floors. Doodads up the wazoo. We are not antiquers, but we thought it would be fun (and ever so romantic) to wander around with a mission: find a Valentine's Day gift for the other with a $10 budget.

Can I show you what he found me after nearly an hour of searching (and a stern warning that I did not under any circumstances want anything in the "figurine" category)?

I have to say, I was impressed. This is right up my alley, of course. And why wouldn't it be? Written and published in the early 1960s, it's a 16-chapter Bible of sewing. And of course, there are many lessons the McCall's editors want to pass on to me to make sure I am as prim and well-put together as I should be in my hand-sewn duds.

Let's take a look!

Here I get to learn about the appropriate attire for different functions. If I'm going to a "Club Activity," I should wear "Dressmaker suits, simple dresses, such as the sheath, shirtwaist and coast dress are always appropriate. They may have soft touches, but avoid fussy styles." Luckily for the McCall's editors, I almost always avoid the fussy styles, so no issue there!

I also get to learn how to dress myself according to my body type. Like if I'm the "Tall and Heavy" type, I'm told: "Lines for the 'viking' type are a problem." Wow, McCall's, really? A Viking? Seems very unladylike of you.

Here's a handy guide to female body types. It seems back in 1960, the top size --a  misses' -- was for a woman 5-foot-5 or 5-foot-6 and "average" waist and bust. A size 6 would be a 22-inch waist. Me, with my size 30-waist, which fits me into a size 6 or 8 in today's clothes? According to McCall's, I'd be a size 16 or 18, the largest size on their chart. (In other words, Vikingesque!) I guess this just shows the pattern-makers have been crazy all along.

 But all kidding aside, I think this book is great reference material. It covers everything from how to read a pattern to how to construct full garments. I'll use it, of that I'm sure. I'd still really like to make myself a dress someday. So, to my wonderful husband, a big thanks. I love my Valentine's Day sewing book, even if it is a teensy bit insulting in some sections. You clearly get me. And makes a girl feel good.

Happy Valentine's Day friends!

My 2011

I know this is totally self-indulgant and get that probably no one wants to see this but me. But here it is anyway, my favorite moments of 2011. It was a truly fabulous year. I hope 2012 can top it!

Happy New Year everyone!

Merry and bright... and really really busy

Sorry I have been a bit MIA. It's that time of year. I'm sure you're feeling it, too. So many things to do during the holidays. Does anyone else wonder why we try to cram so much into a few short weeks?

The last few years, I've taken a week off in early December to try and get all my shopping, decorating, mailing and baking done. I am now working just part-time, but decided to keep the tradition alive. It's nice to have so much out of the way early in the month. So I have been off for an entire week now and don't work again until Sunday. I wish I had more sewing done in this time to show you, but mostly, I've just been checking other holiday stuff of my to-do list.

Here's a big ol catch up post to show you what I've been up to. 

We got the tree up yesterday! We get a real tree. I love it but man, it's a lot of work. Getting the tree is truly an all-day affair, and we're not chopping it down or anything. Just picking it up in nearby parking lot. But anyway, it's up and I love it.

 I made this wreath yesterday. Super easy. We can't do a green wreath anymore since we painted the door green this summer. So I thought red might be nice. All I did was wrap a wreath form in red yarn, hot glue some small ornaments in one corner, and attach a wreath bow in the other. I plopped that twig of silver balls in for the last touch. Super fast to make and cost about $12 for all the supplies (I already had the wreath form.)

On Saturday, my Mom and Aunt and I went shopping in Detroit. It was a great day. I'm still planning to show off the stuff I bought at the Detroit Urban Craft Fair!  I forgot to take photos all day though, except for this festive light display in a store front downtown. So I need to snap some shots of what I bought, then I'll post!

On Sunday night, we took the kids to the Wayne County Lightfest. Which mostly, they slept through. But it was something I've been wanting to see for years. It's a 5-mile long road with more than a million Christmas lights set up in elaborate displays. It's about a 30-minute drive for us, but worth it. I hope when the kids get older they enjoy it more.

 On Monday, we hit up the mall to see Santa. If you want a professional photo with Santa, it's $30 at our mall. Or it's $5 if you want to take your own. An easy decision, if you ask me!

I also made our Christmas cards. I feel like a flipping genius this year, because I made this custom photo card and printed 75 of them -- for $5! I just used Picasa to make a collage and Snapfish to order .09 cent prints, which I might stick to a piece of cardstock. Or not. I am pretty excited about this though. $5?? I feel like an idiot for ordering such expensive cards in past years!

I've been working on a tutorial for the Scarflette! I hope to have it finished next week, which still leaves some time to make one or two or five for your friends for Christmas. Stay tuned!


And tomorrow, my ornament will be featured in the Sew Woodsy 12 Days of Christmas event! I thought I was Friday, but nope, it's tomorrow. This is actually the back of my ornament. Just wanted to give you a sneak peak.

So that's what I've been up to. How about you? Are you ready for Christmas?

Saturday ramblings and more sew alongs

I'm been so focused here on the Henry Shirt sew along that I feel a backlog of things I want to share. So prepare for a very random post!

I'll at least start on topic. There are a few more sew alongs happening in the next few weeks that I want to take part in. And maybe you do, too!

Over at Noode-head, the lovely Anna is hosting a sew along for Simplicity pattern 2226. It's a basic skirt, with a zipper. I am really excited to give it a whirl. Her sew along series begins Monday!

I've been watching from afar the sew along for the book Little Things to Sew over on A Little Gray. I want to jump into the fray this month! The pick for November is this adorable puppet theatre. I want to make it for Luke for Christmas. This is a month-long sew-along, so it's leisurely. Isn't that theatre adorable?

Finally, Marigold over on Hideous, Dreadful, Stinky is doing a sew along this month for colorful coats or cardigans. No specific pattern. The idea is to sew along together but interpret that theme however you choose. Basically, make something to keep you warn this winter that isn't boring grey or black or brown. You can refashion something, too, which is what I think I might do.

All fun ideas, right? I already have my fabric and pattern for Anna's. I'll show you on Monday!

What else have I been up to?

JJ turned 9 months old on Halloween. This is such a wonderful age. Love him.

We went to the cider mill two weeks ago. Old news, I know. But it is one of my favorite things about the fall. I must share. We went to Yates Cider Mill, which we also hit up when Luke was a baby. I am finding it astonishing that three years have passed between those two photos.

The other big thing happening around here is I'm starting my new work schedule tomorrow. I'll be working Sundays from now on. It will be an adjustment, but there are a lot of pros to my new schedule and my new job. Things are looking up.

Other than that.... I miss my friend Kim.

I thought about doing a whole posts about some of this personal stuff, but it's tough. This is a sewing blog, right? I've read some posts recently about what people hate about other people's blogs, and it makes me second guess myself. I don't like it because the truth is this is my space, my creative outlet, and my virtual scrapbook of my sewing life -- but also the rest of it. I shoudln't second guess myself. If you blog, do you struggle with this? How much do you deviate from whatever the "thing' your blog is about and into your personal life? And if you're just a reader, how much do you want to know about my personal life or other bloggers you follow? Do you get annoyed at personal posts and think, can we just talk about sewing/crafting/whatever? Be honest.

Sewing for Boys Sew Alongs!

Last weekend, I ran a 5K, one I do each year as a fundraiser for the hospital that performed my son's open-heart surgery. It's a big day.

It was bigger this year. Because it coincided with an indie craft fair! I was in things-I-love-about-life heaven. I dragged my husband there, me still wearing my sweaty running clothes -- except I took my tights off and put on a skirt. So I was really wearing a sweaty tank, two different colored sports bras, a flowy skirt and wait for it..... tennis shoes! Kind of embarrassing to look at cute artist wares looking like that sort of hot mess.

And of course, I happened to meet cool people. Of course.

First I met Emily from the blog EmmmyLizzzie! She was wandering outside waiting to go in; so were we. She noticed my 241 tote, and KNEW it was a 241 tote. Then she said, "I love Heather Ross fabric!" And that's when I was like, wow, she is my people. Then I was blown away to realize I recognized HER bag, the Showoff Bag from Made by Rae. Not just any bag -- this one! Because she was a pattern tester. I am such a sewing nerd, that this was like meeting a movie star or something. Her bag was famous!

We proceeded inside and I dragged my husband through three floors of cuteness. I really wanted many things, but wow, shopping with your ahem frugal husband really puts a damper on things. But there was one thing I just had to get -- the Sewing for Boys book by Karen LePage and Shelly Figueroa. I'd wanted it anyway and was thinking of asking for it for Christmas, but then I had my second total-sewing-nerd moment when I realized Karen was there, selling the books herself! How much cooler is it to buy the book from the author, talk to her about it and thumb through the rack of clothes she's selling from the book than to buy it from Amazon.com? Um, so cool! And she signed it for me.

I will indeed keep rocking the crafty goodness, Karen!

All of this is the lead-up to this: Karen is hosting a sew-along from the book over on her blog, One Girl Circus. The Treasure Pants! (Anna just made them here.) I really want to take part but am unprepared. And staring down a Halloween-costume deadline. But I wanted to spread the word in case you didn't know!

And guess what else?

I will be co-hosting another sew along from the book next week! Leila from the blog Three Dresses and I decided over on Twitter to make The Henry Shirt. It's adorbs. (Here's one cute one I found via Google.) I have my fabric, the main fabric anyway. We're ready to go, but will wait for you to get ready to join us. The Sew Along should begin middle of next week! I have never attempted a shirt for my kids. I have never even made a button hole! But it's OK, we can figure it out together.

Care to join us?

Changes are coming

I know I've blabbed on more than once here about how much my work set-up since returning to work has, well, worked for me. As moms, we're all looking for that mythical work-life balance, and I had seriously discovered it. Working part-time, almost all from home, doing things I loved to do. I could work hard all morning, yes, in my pajamas, drinking my favorite coffee out of my favorite mug. Then two seconds after my work was done for the day, I could wander downstairs and make my kids lunch. I even staved off most of the chore that is pumping, since I could grab the baby and nurse him while sitting at my computer, and then hand him back to Dada (or whichever other caretaker we had that day). Our childcare was totally free, and I didn't feel like I was asking too much of family, just one afternoon a week for each side, an amount they were happy to accept. I was feeling oh-so-lucky. I kept reminding myself to enjoy it why it lasted.

I'm glad I did.

Because it will be over by the end of this month.

Forces out of my control have led to me being reassigned at work. The job I was fulfilling is no longer needed, and it was the ONLY position for which my company offered the kind of flexibility I enjoyed. So by the end of the month, it will be back to commuting and being out of the house. As for what my job will actually be and whether it will be something I will enjoy, I don't know. I'm hopeful, but I don't know.

All of this is stressful. I am happy to be employed. It could be worse. But I'm also mourning the balance we've enjoyed. It's been wonderful in a way I couldn't have imagined. I feel seriously grief that it will be a memory come November.

I hope whatever comes, I'll still find time for sewing and creating, because it does feed my soul in a way I've decided I must have. It's funny, but this recent job news has made me more aware of how stress-reducing sewing is for me, and I wonder if that explains why it's become so important to me at this juncture of my life. Besides the stress of becoming a parent, we've had lots of job-related angst -- our company has had job cuts, furloughs, pay freezes, pay reductions, and heightened workloads for the last few years. The morale is bad. Good news has been minimal, and the outlook for the future is no better. It's been scary, negative, and stressful conditions for work. People sometimes ask how I can find time to sew, and thinking about it in this light makes me think the right response is really, How can I afford not to? Sewing -- and writing -- are my happy places, the things that keep my soul buoyed. Those things are essential, especially when stress creeps in.

I've said before that I will keep sewing and blogging despite schedule changes that make it tough. I suppose I'm saying that once again. I really probably don't need to. If you sew or create, you get it, right? Leave me a comment and tell me, I'd love to hear you take.

A summer tradition I'll miss

Many of our Saturdays in the summer start like this. A walk downtown to the Farmer's Market.

We always stop to throw a few pennies in the fountain. 

Then it's onto the market. I love this building. It's big, airy, kind of dark, and always bustling.



And the variety of foods and plants you'll find inside is pretty impressive.  

There's also antiques and vintage do-dads.

 
I buy veggies, herbs, meats, cheese, bread, flowers and more at the market. I love going without a list, just buying whatever inspires me that week. Once this summer it was homemade gnocchi one week. Last week, we brought home a locally produced spicy chorizo that I used this week to make delicious egg and chorizo tacos. I also bought a pint of cherry tomatoes that were so sweet, they were like candy. I snacked on them all week and am now daydreaming about them, they were that flavorful. And we bought basil to make pesto. So tasty.

Sigh. I can't believe this is the last weekend of summer. Where did it go? I know the market stays open through some of the fall, but it's really a summer thing in my mind.

What summer things are you going to miss as the fall comes? And did you shop your local farmer's market this summer?