a nice village, a not-so-nice dog

Okay, I disappeared again, but this time I have a better excuse.
We're moving!

Yes, we're saying goodbye to Ugly Suburban Townhouse and moving to a lovely detached house in a quaint little town we now refer to as the Nice Village. Why? It was what Autumn called it the first time we went to look at the house. "Wow you guys,"--do other kids call their parents "you guys"?--"this is a really nice village!"

We thought so too, and decided to rent the house as soon as we finished the walk-through. It's a clean, sunny two-story with a finished basement, a fireplace and a gigantic yard in a sweet, quiet neighborhood. Yesterday we picked up the keys. Our lease here isn't up until the end of the year so for a while we'll have two places, but that just gives us plenty of time to pack, move, organize and clean. Stress free moving. I dig that.

And as if a new house wasn't enough of a change, Adam's mom will be coming with us! For various reasons we decided that it would be best if she moved in with us, at least for a few years, to make life a little easier for everybody. It's going to be a big adjustment (and probably not an easy one) but I'm hoping we can make it work. Don't get me wrong--Michele is great and I love her. We're just very different people. It will take some adapting on everyone's part. But I really don't mind his mother moving in with us as much as I mind this...
Seamus, a.k.a. Satan's Lap Dog, a.k.a. the bane of my existence. I love animals, I really do, so when I say I hate a dog you know it's bad. This dog is pure EVIL. If he hasn't chewed up everything I own by this time next year it will be a miracle. He eats EVERYTHING, and I mean everything. Nothing is safe from his deceptively mighty jaws.

One thing he loves to nibble on is feet. Everyone thinks it's cute. He'll playfully lick everyone else's feet, but if I am in the room he comes straight to me and CHOMPS DOWN on my toes like they're kibble. He especially loves to do this when I'm sitting at the table and trying to enjoy my dinner. Michele seems to think it's because he likes me, but I think it's because he has a personal vendetta against me and he's hoping if he gnaws hard enough I'll slowly bleed to death. Can dogs sense when you don't like them? That must be it. I don't fawn over his sickening cuteness like the rest of the family, and therefore I must bow down or be eliminated.

Dealing with him when we visited Adam's mom was bad enough, but now we'll be sharing a home. Hopefully I'll at least find relief by hiding in my no-demon-possessed-dogs-allowed craft room. I may have to wear my boots at all times to keep my toes from being turned into hamburger meat. Wish me luck.

omg

yesssssssss.

Caught the bug

Orange Summer

Crafts for my Kid

As the name implies, Craftster's Craft for my Kid Swap is a swap in which partners send handmade cuteness to each other's children based on their interests. I was partnered with a lovely mama in the UK and her two kiddos, 5-year-old Luke and 3-year-old Abby.

As I was running out the door to take their package to the post office today, I saw that our package had already been delivered! Of course Autumn had to tear into it as soon as we got home, but first here's what I made for our partners.

Drawstring backpacks-pink hearts for Abby and Transformers for Luke.

Abby's was filled with star shaped crayons, an apron and matching potholders for kitchen play. I absolutely love that apron fabric, especially paired with the aqua blue trim. Luckily I bought extra so I can make something for myself with it later on.


For Luke I sent a mixed media painting to hang in his bedroom, a "Super Luke" cape (which was photographed before ironing), and my favorite, a Power Rangers tee. Can you tell I used this swap to experiment with applique?

Autumn also drew pictures for each of them, which I forgot to photograph. She drew a family of pink and green fairies and Optimus Prime. And now what Autumn received:

A Transformers purse (how funny that we both made things with felt Transformers appliques) filled with chocolate coins, jewelry, fun erasers and a tiny pirate photo holder

A Spiderman tee (Autumn's favorite)

A picture frame, Transformers magnet puzzle, and a piratey door hanger

An adorable rainbow sock monkey

A sweet polka dotted dress, an inflatable shoulder parrot (awesome) and a little sewing kit

Needless to say, this swap was a lot of fun and I had an AMAZING partner. Everyone says Craftster swaps are addictive, and I'm beginning to see what they mean. I'm already signed up for another one for next month, and I'm thinking about joining another (or two or three).

Thoughtful Friday

"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."

--Jane Howard

Thanks to Cassi at Bella Dia for starting Thoughtful Fridays. Glad to join in.

Feeling Springish

"Springy" sounds like more of a commitment to spring than what I'm feeling at the moment, so let's go with springish.

I had big plans for our back yard this spring. I was going to clean the whole thing up, yank out all the weeds, plant some planty things, and make it all clean and shiny and lovely. Then The Incident happened. I went outside to clear some toys and debris from the yard, and just as I was lifting up a plastic tarp out popped A FREAKING GIGANTIC TARANTULA THING. Okay maybe it wasn't a tarantula but it was the biggest dang spider I've ever seen in my life. When a spider makes a thunking sound as it falls it's way too freaking big.
Luckily Adam's friend who doesn't mind spiders was here at the time and found the creature, picked it up and threw it out of our yard. We named it Aragog.

Now, I know most people aren't fond of spiders but I really think my fear goes beyond the norm, to a genuine case of arachnophobia. I cried, people. Sobbed. That night I couldn't sleep because all I could think about was The Incident, and when I did sleep I had spidery nightmares. And I'm so sad now because I don't think I can go back into the yard again, at least not for a while. Our garden will have to wait. In the meantime I'll stick to my usual method of gardening.

Other than being scarred for life, spring in Maryland has been very pleasant so far. The sun is sunning, the birds are birding, the flowers are flowering, and so on and so forth. It appears that since last spring Autumn has done that growing thing that children tend to do, and most of her warm weather clothes no longer fit. We'll be doing some shopping (and maybe some sewing) to remedy that soon.

I wish I was still growing so I had an excuse to get new clothes every season. Not that the lack of an excuse stops me from doing it anyway. I love getting new clothes, especially springish clothes. Crabmommy's post about shorts reminded me of the endless joy of spring skirts and dresses. There are few simple pleasures more enjoyable than a crisp cotton a-line skirt or a flouncy sleeveless dress on a hot sunny day.
Up until this time last year I wore jeans and t-shirts almost exclusively, until I had to buy new clothes for our Florida vacation. I left store after store empty handed, unable to find a single pair of shorts that fit me properly. Apparently women of my proportions are thought to be extinct because if you have a small waist and a big butt you're pretty much SOL when it comes to shorts. If it fit my hips, it was too big around the waist. If it fit my waist it squished me everywhere else. If it fit my waist and hips, it was way too short. After emerging from the tenth fitting room I threw my hands in the air and said, "Screw it, I'm wearing dresses this summer!" and never looked back.
Best style decision I've ever made. Not only do dresses and skirts actually fit, but they're way more fun. Why would you want to wear boring old shorts when you can wear polka dotted confections like this every day?

I know you're all jealous of my awesome modeling skills. By awesome I mean terrible and by skills I mean complete lack thereof. Anyway, that dress is freakin cute.

Turn that frown upside down

Life hasn't been too happy for me lately. I'm not sure I want to talk about it here just yet, but suffice it to say that Adam and I have been under a lot of stress recently, and probably will be for the next few weeks. I could use some cheering up, so how 'bout a list (in no particular order) of things that have been making me smile? Here we go.


1. Autumn in her Easter dress. The kid may be a tomboy, but I can't help but squeal when I see her in something so deliciously girly. More Easter pictures here.

2. This very funny and very informative bias tape tutorial over at Angry Chicken.

3. This conversation I had with Autumn today.

Her: Why do kids have parents?
Me: Kids have parents because they need adults to love them and take care of them.
Her: But I didn't always have parents.
Me: What do you mean? I've always been your mom.
Her: No, not when I was a baby and I was at the baby doctor.
Me: You mean the hospital?
Her: Yeah that.
Me: I was your mommy then too!
Her: No I mean when all the babies are in a room next to each other, and you picked me out and you buyed me.

Of course even though her thoughts on the origin of babies were completely adorable, I went on to explain to her that babies start out in their mommies' tummies and then come out when they're big enough. She thought this was hilarious, but didn't feel the need to ask any further questions. This was our first "Where do babies come from?" conversation. As she's gotten older and more inquisitive I'd been wondering when the inevitable questions would start, and now here it is. This was the easy one. The more detailed (and less comfortable) conversations will occur as she gets older, I'm sure.

4. Frank's video of Oliver rolling over. So sweet! I watched it three times in a row. Wait, I have to go watch it again. Okay, four times.

5. The pincushion belt I made for The Beast. I officially lost my old pincushion along with all of my pins, so when I came home with a fresh supply I decided to make myself a cushion I can't lose. I used some scrap felt and my favorite Alexander Henry fabric (Skull-finity). I must say he looks quite stylish in it. And yes, those are devil horns on my sewing machine.

6. The weekend. Today the three of us are driving up to Pennsylvania to visit my grandmother. I think all of us could use a little mini vacation. Hopefully the quiet and the fresh air will do us some good.
7. My newest zombie doll, Sarah. She's the cutest zombie ever (well, second cutest) if I do say so myself. I think I'll make a whole army of these. Spattering her with fake blood was a little too much fun.

Well. Seven things! That was easy. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

Hello Spring!

So good to see you!

Crap I've learned recently

1. I'm not a fan of While You Were Out, but good lord does Mark Montano know how to get his craft on. I thought Dollar Store Decor was a fun book, but then I picked up The Big-Ass Book of Crafts during an impromptu weekend shopping trip. Oh. Holy. Craft. I want to make every single project in this book. Like, now. I decided to start with something I already had the materials for, so I made the Rolled Magazine Basket on page 281. Countless hours and hundreds of little paper circles later I've got an awesome trash can for our first floor bathroom.A garbage can made from garbage. How poetic.Oh, and the unfinished project makes a spiffy hat. Thanks, Autumn.

2. Our kitchen gets the most sunlight in the house and is therefore the best place to take pictures.

3. I will never, ever get tired of this song. Or this one. Or this one (check out the dresses on those dancers. Love.)

4. Making handmade paper is highly addictive.
5. When you're a young mama with laser beam red hair and (frickin' sweet) calf-length combat boots visiting a particularly stuffy craft fair full of older snooty art collectors, people tend to stare. And point. And whisper.
6. Autumn has, to my dismay, learned how to lie. Not well, but still. While she was taking a bath yesterday I told her it was time to wash her hair, and she shooed me from the room because she wanted to do it herself. I stepped out into the hallway until she called me back in.

Her: Mommy I'm DONE!
Me (walking in): Okay, great job--uh, Autumn, your hair is dry.
Her: No I washed it.
Me: No, you didn't even get it wet.
Her: I dried it.
Me: You washed your hair and then completely dried it by yourself even though there's no towel in here?
Her: Rosie helped me.
Me: You're telling me that your teddy bear helped you wash and dry your hair? Rosie's not even in here.
Her: Well she came in here and helped me and then she left.
Me: Autumn, I think you're telling a lie.
Her: No I'm not!

This went on for another minute or so before the child's pants burst into flames.

Cough. Sniffle. Ugh.

Don't worry, I'm not dead (yet). January was pretty much a wasted month, 3 weeks of which was spent hacking up a lung (Adam), sweating out a fever (me) and spreading germs (Autumn). So I haven't had much to blog about, unless you'd all like to read about just how much snot a single preschooler can produce in a day, or how poor sweet Adam actually volunteered to sleep on the couch so he wouldn't keep me awake with his coughing. We've been a pretty miserable bunch, to say the least, but we're (mostly) fine now.
I was finally feeling well enough to sew something, so I whipped up a new nightgown for Miss Little in a flannel she picked out herself. She said she wanted jammies with "a Dinosaurus Rex" on them.
Doesn't she look thrilled? I guess the grumpiness hasn't completely worn off yet. The pattern is McCall's M4497, altered to lengthen the top into a dress. It was a quick, easy sew, finished while the prehistoric princess napped.
Dinosaurs are her latest passion. It all started when we took her to the Science Center to see the "Dinosaurs Alive! 3-D" IMAX film. Now every weekend she begs us to take her back to see the huge skeletons and dig for fossils for the millionth time. She has officially proclaimed dinosaurs to be as cool as dragons, "because they growl and stomp their feet."
I love all her various interests, and the unwavering excitement she shows for each one. Whether it's dinosaurs, pirates, fairies or baking, she greets every new opportunity to learn about and interact with our world with such wonderful enthusiasm.

Thank you to everyone who left comments on Autumn's guest blog entry. She was so thrilled to see that people were reading her story. I'd like to make her presence on my blog a regular occurrence, maybe a monthly guest blog entry. She had so much fun creating a story to share and acting it out (all her idea, by the way). I can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

I'm off to down some Dayquil, but before I go, great big HUGE congratulations to Frank and his partner on their freaking adorable little ball of cuteness. He is precious.

Two Scarves and Swap Goodies

I've had this red polka dotted fabric sitting on my shelf for a while now and I've really been itching to do something with it, but couldn't figure out exactly what. Last night I decided to try making a kiddo-sized patchwork scarf. It was super easy, and I loved it so much that I decided to make an adult-sized one today while Autumn was napping. For a while I was torn between keeping the scarves and selling them on Etsy, but in the end I was too attached to them to give them up. So now we have matching scarves for fall.
And yeah, we're wearing short sleeves. It's not quite cold enough for scarves yet, but when it is we'll be prepared! Hers has a little felt loop on one end to hold the scarf in place. I might make a few more similar scarves for the shop, but these are definitely ours.

My last three packages from the Sweat Shoppe Swap have arrived, and I love everything! Swapping has been so much fun, and I'm looking forward to doing it again. First, just in time for Halloween, Roxanne sent me this gorgeous beaded black widow pendant:
Hmm, that picture is kinda Myspacey, no? Oh well. Next came a Boo Boo Bunny from Cara, which Autumn fell madly in love with. She pretends she has boo boos all the time now so she can use it.
And last but not least, PJ pants from Kate, which fit Autumn perfectly and look adorable on her. Ignore Adam's messy office in the background.
All of my swap partners did a fabulous job and I am so grateful for the amazing work they did for me and my kiddo. Thanks everyone!

A Quiet Fall Day

Wearing my favorite thrifted boots.Walking to the park to photograph a new scarf for the shop.Collecting leaves for a craft project.Loving my freshly dyed hair.

Breathing the crisp fall air and watching the trees change.

Teaching Autumn how to preserve leaves in beeswax.Wishing every day could be like this.