By the bed

I seem to be building a mini library by my bed, in stacks and piles. With feverish babies, lately I’ve neglected my poor stacks and am just now getting back to my midnight reads. Here are some of them:

• Freefall of the American University (A recent, timely gift from my mom. Why am I worried about college/careers for my little (please stay little) ones now? But I am, and she knows.) Does this make me a radical? Probably. I’ve always considered myself a pro-Harvard kind of home school mom. For the whole 11 weeks I’ve actually been a home school mom. I’ve witnessed many times the benefits and perks of having a prestigious diploma – it does make the path much much easier. That is, if you are looking for the easy path.

• Craft, Inc. – just plain interesting. And good for a short 5 minute read every now and then.

• and Amazon delivered this: Writing Road to Reading: The Spalding Method. Like I need another phonics book. We are moving along quite nicely with Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons and our Explode the Code primers… but I’ve having a few reservations about using this long term. And the Writing Road came highly recommended. So… we’ve been learning the 70 odd phonograms together and I’m taking “night classes” (there is a special numbered “code” needed to teach this method) in reading theory in order to keep up with the program. It’s great. It’s thorough. It’s not easy for the teacher (or at least this teacher), but once adequately prepped for the lesson, it seems to be very easy for my learner to grasp the concepts. So far, so good.

• The Hidden Art of Homemaking, by Edith Schaeffer is just pure inspiration. I’ve read a few Schaeffer books, but this one was completely new to me when I stumbled upon it on Amazon. Written in 1971, the author includes chapters on painting, sketching and sculpting, music, food (she’s a big believer in beautiful dishes and creative table settings), drama, creative recreation, and, of course, a few chapters dedicated to the first artist. Most of all, it’s a book about beauty. Creating it. Living with it. Sharing it with others. What a refreshing way to look at homemaking!

• The book I’m reading (for the second time) right now (as in right after this blog post, hopefully) is Future Men, by Douglas Wilson. Wilson makes a very strong case for an individual, masculine, adventurous education for boys. No gender fluidity here, so be warned (or encouraged, if you’re like me!).
• My future little man:

The Birthday

Lalu is two. We celebrated quietly, but messily with the chocolate cherry chunk cake from this book, Kitchen Playdates. I substituted dried cranberries, and would recommend nixing the fruit altogether if you have a picky eater in your family. You may end up with spit up drools of chocolate cake all over your carpet otherwise as they exclaim: “oooo, yuckeee, a raisin!.”

Okay. So this is a picture of something any mannerly mother would not permit at her table. A very. loud. burp. It was perfect comedic timing too. I can blame this on my sweetie. Who picked up the camera all on his own and took a bunch of pictures of the party so our kids would know I actually was present during these activities – so I can’t actually be mad at him for anything right now. (Those of you without town-close grandparents will understand this.)

The pictures taking was just one in a long line of things he has done for me in the past 2 weeks. I am a very lucky girl. The GB Packers are on a roll. Maybe that explains it?

The dillema

Ooo. October. Love the change in weather, not so big on the holiday that lands at the end there. Or the fires that came raging through our county (San Diego), and right to the top of the hill above our house.

For those of you who know what I’m talking about with regard to Halloween, you’ll understand why I debated posting any pictures here. I really do feel like a Halloween scrooge (is that a cultural or internal pressure? why do I feel trapped in my house on Halloween if we do not participate?), but this year we walked around a few nearby streets, talked with a bunch of families and generally had a nice walk. And the best part, the part I really did enjoy? Dressing up.

No new costumes – just some old favorites. Oh, I wish we could do this a couple times a year. (I guess there is nothing stopping me – I’m already an eccentric!). And reading this article really did help me feel better about it, even though I don’t agree with it entirely. A little bit of theological cherrypicking, I admit!

As for those famous fires, we were evacuated twice. Twice. But nobody in our neighborhood lost their home, thank goodness. The only evidence left is the weird brown patch in our grass – see above.

My sweetie determined that nothing in our house was worth saving (Not that we had time to think about anything other than getting out the first time. The fires were that close, and the winds were that strong. And it was 3:30 in the morning). I, however, determined that there were all sorts of things I would miss and could not easily be replaced. Besides the obvious pictures & papers… just the little things like plates my kids have eaten off of, first books read, my spice rack. No joke. I would really miss my spice rack. I figure there are two possible explanations for this behavior: I am either getting shallower with age, or (hopefully) I am recognizing that I store memories and feelings visually, with certain things as touchpoints for those memories.

I’m still unpacking my minivan.

Yeah for November!

Still quilting. Sort of…

festival quilt II

Originally uploaded by laluandmatt

I really dislike parties (I’m wanting to use the word “hate here, but my mother’s strong aversion to the word, and the principle itself, it beginning to sink in, finally, at age 33.) Really. Can’t. Stand. Parties.

All that socializing with way too many people, some of whom I am never properly introduced to. Yuck. I much prefer to sit down and get to know people one at a time or at least in a small group. Really listen to them and get to know them. Break bread with them and all that. Not exchange niceties in a forced environment. Plus, all that standing around trying to eat and drink without a proper table to do it at is so awkward.

But baby showers, to me, are such a wonderful exception. Maybe it’s because the reason for the celebration is life itself, or the clear expectation and eagerness of the mother to be showered. I’m not really sure what makes it different for me. But I love going to baby showers, and last weekend I went to a party in the mountains, in a vintage Victorian cottage, with lemon chiffon cheesecake and my dear friend expecting a baby. What a treat.

So this busy little quilt was her present from our family, along with all the puffs and puckers that come along with not measuring properly and having my walking foot go kappooot after only 2 passes. In the end I tied the quilt up with embroidery floss. But I think it might work better as a lopsided floor mat than a quilt. So fun to make though, because it was for someone so special to me, even if it didn’t quite turn out as I wanted.

And you know, this new almost-mom received at least 6 handmade gifts that day. Another gorgeous quilt (designed by an architect! Ha! Architects should design all quilts, it was amazing), and a shopping cart cover and a nursing cover designed by another mom who started her own business this year, and a changing pad and knitted (bamboo!) baby mittens and, well, I lost count. A crafty revolution, I tell you.

And lemon chiffon cheesecake is on the menu for tonight. Which is completely ridiculous since I just finished an old 1980′s Buns of Steel workout with TamiLee Web. Cheesecake and buns of steel do not belong in the same paragraph. Does anybody remember her? Legwarmers and all. My little guy was laughing so hard at her, I don’t think he even realized how silly I looked trying to copy her. Thank goodness for that.

Raindrops on Roses: Part 1

Another list. A favorite things list. In two parts because I”m lazy. Of course.

• In case you’re new to my blog, there is nothing, obviously, that can come close to my favorite people, and the things they do are actually my favorite ‘things’ – but this is not going to be a sentimental list of mommy moments. There have been so many of those lately, and if I start to make a list, I’m sure to start weeping uncontrollably out of pure joy. (For those of you wondering, MM has recovered remarkably from his hospital visit!) So this will be a superficial list of ‘things’ you can actually buy (for the most part), if you are so inclined.

• Stuffed little martryoshka dolls here and here. The last batch of cuties sold out almost immediately, but I think Ella is planning on making some more for her etsy store before Christmas. Her scarves are amazing too – I need to stop dropping by unexpectedly at Etsy. Even more dangerous than ebay. Here is Lauren (also below) with her little doll. While I was trying to take the pictures she kept bringing the baby up to the lens to kiss the camera. Ha. Fun stuff. ( I know, I know… a haircut is in order. The hair clippies are sooo cute, but they last all of 5 minutes in her hair. She is my wild child!)

• This apron pattern, and these dress patterns/kits. I’m not sure when the order site will go live, but I’ll be standing in line. After I sell some of my own stuff on ebay, that is.
• And Anthropologie has this duckie mama and babies toy, an adorable set of journals from, who else, Denyse Schmidt (who also has this string quilt for sale at Sundance, which is not at all affordable, but I will drool nonetheless), and this, maybe in the small size for our kitchen. And also this happy colorful beach umbrella, on sale! Who wants to buy a beach umbrella when fall is just beginning? Um, that would be me.
• Many of my favorite things are already in our home. Well loved, and full of memories. This quilt is a recent addition to that pile. A crazy beautiful, frayed and ripped, cheaply thrifted one. I love it already. And so does Lalu. But it’s too heavy for her to drag around… doesn’t stop her trying though. (!)

• MM’s new skateboard is not one of my favorite things. I’m not sure exactly what to think of the developing ‘coolness’ of our not so little boy, actually. Crocs? Black t-shirt? Bumble bee skateboard (no, I didn’t see the bumble bee at first, either)? Someone is influencing my child, and this (below) is not my influence. I am the opposite of cool. I’m sure I’d have him wearing little gnomey covered handmade knickers and knitted (by me) mockneck sweaters (I wish). Guess he wants to be more like his dad. Weird, huh? So much for gender neutral childrearing. Except for the occasional theft of my lip gloss to draw graffiti on our mirrors, and the bumpy ride he gave Lalu’s little doll in her dolly stroller to see how far he could throw the ‘baby’ out of the stroller when he hit a bump, there is absolutely no neutral tendency evident. Should I be worried?
• An adorable ebay dress for 3-5 yr olds here, by Cactus Blossom Designs. Out of Aunt Grace repro fabrics. And a matching hat. Need I say more? Okay, yes, maybe that I can’t possibly buy anything like this on e-bay when I can (theoretically) make it myself. But really I have no idea how to do that “ruching” thing with the gathered top and bottom tier. Very nifty trick, I must say.
• And after a list of rather pointless things (depending on the severity of your fabric and color addition), here is one of my very favorite things in the ‘whole wide world’ (as my little MM says): The ‘look’ my husband gives our children…
• I know I said no sentimental items on the list… I can’t seem to help it! More inconsequential, but lovely items to come in the next post.

Ribbon elastic

Elastic… that looks like ribbon

Originally uploaded by laluandmatt

Why is this crazy woman posting pictures of weird looking ribbon on her blog, you say? Well, it’s not because I don’t have a completed “sewn” project to show you… well, maybe that’s one reason. But really, I just wanted to show you what I found here, on ebay from nzbug, who also happens to be having a fine and dandy little fall fabric sale in her ebay store. It’s lingerie elastic (?) being used in kids clothes in the most creative ways. True, these would be best used in summery dresses and tops… and it’s quickly changing seasons, even in Cali. I’ll find something to do with these soon anyway, I’m sure, besides taking pictures of Lauren running off with them saying, “Agoo, Agoo, Agoo”. I have no idea what that means. Here she is just getting her hands on them!

Four Generations

elnasophia90thsurprise

Originally uploaded by laluandmatt

Great-grandma turned 90 (ninety!) last week and we had a party. Guess who made her laugh the most?

It’s a pretty neat feeling to watch your babies grow up able to relate with people (you think) they have very little in common with. Humbling, that.

And Lalu sat in a big girl chair all by herself… and climbed right up on the table to grab a handful of whipped cream and strawberries!

(I’m not sure how much I’ll be writing for the next week or so… I seem to be running in a gear that is entirely focused on Thursday. Surgery day. But I’ll be posting pictures, even if the commentary may be truncated. )

The Gifted Baby Quilt

festival folded

Originally uploaded by laluandmatt

The long awaited baby quilt is finished and home now with the sweet girl it was intended for. It’s always hard for me to part with a project, I think, because every project entails a learning curve at this stage of my domestic education, and therefore a huge time investment. But today, I felt elation (yes, elation) when I gave it away. She literally grabbed the quilt and pranced around the fancy schmancy hair salon (she’s a stylist) showing off her present. Now, folks, this thing is full of mistakes, quilting (forgot to use the walking foot), sewing, embroidery, sizing, mistakes… all over the place. But she just gushed and gushed. And others did the same, and called me, get this, an *artist.* (I failed to point out that the artist they should thank is a Ms. Amy Butler who designed the fabrics, but, hey, I was on cloud nine and didn’t want to disillusion them).
And I learned (awfully late to be learning this) how important it is to be grateful when someone gives you something they made, and not just purchased. Because I did put a lot of time and thought into this, and I feel like a million bucks right now. My friend recognized the effort that went into it, and made sure I knew how she felt.
I LOVE getting presents. Just love it. Today, though, it was far better to GIVE .

I also named this quilt. I know. Crazy to be naming little baby quilts. But I did anyway… festival. I used some leftover chenille, and scraps from the front to complete the backing. Inspired, as always, by other crafty bloggers, but especially Rosa Palmer and Dogged Knits, both of whom I found on Flickr. In the end I did a tiny wee bit of hand-quilting, just to get a feel for it (that, and I didn’t feel like changing the thread color on my sewing machine at that moment) and I am addicted. I used the fabulous waxed hand quilting thread, which truly makes a difference, and I didn’t use a quilting hoop (or a thimble). This hand-quilting thing is so much easier to control and the results are charmingly off-kilter. Which is why, maybe, I’m in love with these adorable miniature quilts from Turkey Feathers. (While you’re there you may want to take a peek at the *Playhouse Projec* picture gallery on the right side of her blog.  Super cute.)

Now I’m off to finish our homeschool schedule. My sweetie promised to watch the babies while I finished up…told him I need about 8 hours at the library. Hmmm. Hopefully I won’t get distracted.

A Promised Quilt

almost finished.  The pieces are ready to go together, and I’m hoping to finish it up tonight when all the sane ones are sleeping.  This little project has been in the works since January.  The baby girl it is destined for was born in December, so each passing month means I really need to make a bigger quilt to suit the growing baby.  Right?  So this one ended up about crib size.  Just right I think.   Good for dolly picnics when she’s older.

I’m still not sure about the mustard color I inserted at the last minute to spice things up… but with Amy Butler fabric it is hard to mess things up.  I’m trying to resist the urge to make a few more log cabins for the back.  We’ll see!

My Joy…

my Heart… (crown from *little red caboose*)

my Love…

Off to Wisconsin for a few weeks…