angry chicken

I find this more amusing than my kids do

I made this block (you can see all the sides in this little video) because I was getting sick of nagging and sick of saying the same thing every day to my children. So I just hand them the block or leave it near by, as a quiet request. When I put this in instagram I laughed at what others said are their go-to nags.

It's rainy today, which is great because I really need to sew on costumes and staying inside and listening to audio books feels so much better when the weather is bad. I am facing Waltz of the Flowers again (The Nutcracker) for costumes, this will be my 3rd time making Flowers, all for different studios, using existing bits and pieces and adding. Flowers are tricky, but fun. It's hard though, working with sad well-loved tutus and tops that are not really the right color. My dreams have been a combination of costume sewing and apocalyptic events because we are almost done watching The Umbrella Academy and it's getting stressy. I am enjoying it a whole lot.

Thank you for your Paris and London and book suggestions!! I have booked our lodgings and train between the 2 cities, so now that I know exactly where we are staying we can start spending our hours on google maps walking around and finding all these places you have suggested. Last time I was in Paris there were no smartphones, and the last time I was in London there was no internet. I wrote a lot of postcards.

hamster hands

This is Mochi, our hamster. There is a zine about her you can buy from Sadie. She is so special. She waits for us every night to play with her. Pete is quite attached. 

We are in the beginning of spring break and I have a lot of sewing to do getting ready for spring shows. I had some not great success dyeing nylon, so thank god for Goodwill. I found the vests I needed and don't have to worry about the first dozen refusing to cooroperate. I have banished them into deep storage for now.

I have big indoor plant plans. I know this is the time to be thinking about outside gardening, but we have almost no direct sun, so I can only do so much. But indoor plants are calling to me. I plan to put them mostly on the mantel, to avoid the cats thinking it's a toilet, which is what happened last time we got house plants.

After listening to a large batch of podcasts (mostly catching up on This American Life) I am now listening to Becoming by Michelle Obama. I'm only about 45 min in, but really liking it so far. I am reading a historical romance, which I have a big stash of on my kindle because I need them and am always happy when I go back a to them. They are the perfect escape.

Delia and I are planning a trip to London and Paris this summer, so I am starting to make lists and researching shops, fabric stores, museums, cool cafes and all that. Any suggestions are appreciated! I haven't been there since 2001, so I bet a lot has changed.

one-color embroidery

I stitched this a couple of years ago for a book I contributed to, Embroider your Life, and I found it tucked away in my desk recently. It's stitched on a linen base and is a slipcover for a hardback sketchbook. So, it's reusable, which is nice. I forget how much I love one-color needlework, especially when I use different thicknesses of thread. This pencil was procured from the fabulous pencil shop in NYC, CW Pencil Enterprise.

I am up to my ears in costume construction and altering for spring shows. I also am going to finish Dune on audio book. I have 3 hours left. It's great—dated, awesome, and also goofy because the narrator does the women's voices too, but in a weird falsetto which is really amusing to me. Also, Paul is a kind of a whiner, but I know he's a teen, so I get it. It's hard being a teen messiah. I had never read it, or seen the movie, (I don't plan on watching the movie) but I know this book played a big part in forming my brother's personality and life view. That and Van Halen. I think for me it was Xanadu (the record and the movie) and Mists of Avalon.

I am really appreciating this list of recommended movies streaming on netflix right now from the New York Times. I feel like I spend more time trying to decide what to watch than actually watching, so this is helpful.

fabric happiness (and a blog anniversary)

These beautiful fabrics are from Bolt, which recently moved and expanded. They have such a good selection of fabrics and trims I got a little nutty. I am so lucky to have such wonderful local indie fabric stores in Portland.

I just saw on my calendar that Feb. 21st was my blog anniversary. I started it in 2005. 14 years? Incedible. And yet not. I feels like a long time ago. I go through my archives sometimes, with the girls. I just did recently with Lydia looking at all the homeschooling projects we have done. And the crafts, etc. We got a huge dumpster last weekend and finally cleaned out the garage and knowing I have documented so many of our learning projects, toys, costumes, and artwork makes it so much easier to send it away when it's creating clutter and chaos in my life. I do need to make a new banner for the blog, I think this one has been up for more than 7 years now. I am on instagram more these days. But sometimes I am not. I haven't really gotten into the stories thing. I am better with the photo and text format. Also, I like to reference what I have documented, so having it go away isn't so useful for me. Years ago I was printing out the blog and binding it in books, but I stopped after year 5? I'd love to keep doing this. I think I could easily get 2 years in a book because the amount of posts decreased as the years went on. But I also look at this project and get tired and think I a was totally bonkers.

glueing stuff on stuff and happy 2019!

I finally packed away all my supplies for making these—they went on various gifts this year as gift toppers, my new passion. I made so many different types, all from bits and bobs from my stash. They are all glued to clothes pins and then clipped on. After, they can be reused as ornaments! I'm all about making more of these next year, along with Christmas corsages, which was a huge rabbit hole for me late one evening. 

We are slowly getting back into the groove, this holiday season seemed impossibly busy. I'm relieved to get the tree down and clear the house of all the stuff that seemed to pile up.

Unrelated, I am smiling at this great video series over on the New York Times, a maker challenge called Make T Something. So cool.

36 hours in seattle

We had so much fun running around Seattle last week. We saw Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker. I had been dying to see the new costumes and sets designed by Ian Falconer a couple years ago. It was so good, and so wonderful to see it all in person. Here's my rock-star parkig at the market. I was so proud. It pays to get there early.

We shopped and ran around going to old favorites and now ones. I did not make it inside of Nana's Green Tea, sadly, because the was a crazy line around the block. And we went early! So, that will be for next time.

Sadie's zines (#3 is available now)

Sadie just finished #3 of her zine series about all of our pets. There will be 7 total. This one features her sister's hamster, Mochi. These are so funny and wry, I love them to bits. And they make great stocking stuffers! She will bundle #1-3 of them with a little ribbon, too, perfect for stocking stuffers or tucked into holiday cards! The title of this series is a quote from her father in regards to all of our animals.

You can send her actual $ in the mail, old-school style, or she can send you a PayPal request. Just e-mail me or DM her over on IG. They are $1.50 or 3 for $4 and that includes shipping.

happy thanksgiving and hello almost december-

We are are 1/4 done with our shows, and things seem to be going well! I love the last minute issues, like would a mouse tail be attached under or over a tutu? I decided over.

I couldn't sleep last night. I was up at 3:30am, too hot, and needing to get away from the dogs. I watched a movie, Eva Hesse, Portrait of a Ground-breaking Artist on Kanopy and was moved to tears. I studied her work in college, always loved it, and this film brought it to the front of my mind again. Seeing it now after so long and remembering her life story was so inspiring and emotional. She was working in NYC the same time as Patti Smith, I realized, and they were at the same clubs, not that they mentioned each other, but I kept thinking about that, having just listened to Just Kids. 

Kanopy, I read about when I was researching substitutes for Filmstruck (RIP) and I can't believe the catalog they have! And it's free, if your local library is signed up. It's kind of incredible.

I am 9 hours into Dune (of 21 total) the audio book version. I think I will need to switch to the physical book soon because I will be done with my sewing before I can listen to it all. I better be anyway. I have never read Dune, it is my brother's favorite book, all I knew is it was about big worms and I should avoid the movie. I love it so far. So epic.

This photo is from Acorns and Threads, my very local embroidery shop. I can walk to it. I was there choosing threads for my next project after all the sewing. This is how I rebel. Thinking about needlework while sewing.

I did not write a favorite books and gift guide this year. Time slipped away. I might post a book one soon. I love looking at the old lists to remember what has come into the house. Here's last year's with links to all the previous lists.

sewing costumes

The basement is a costume shop right now for the Vancouver Dance Theater's production of The Nutcracker. These are photos of Spanish and a Snow Queen headpiece. There's the making of Candy Cane headpieces, too. The bodices for Spanish were given to me white, I dyed them (and followed up with black fabric spray paint) to make them black, added a purchased skirt that I sewed the red trim to, and then added the sleeves and embellishments to the bodice. I love using existing costume pieces so much. It's such a fun challenge. The skirt is a petticoat that is really inexpensive, found on Amazon, so the whole costume came in at under $22 each. There are 4.

While I am sewing fro shows this year I am listening to books. I haven't really done this much before, mostly because I am not usually in one spot long enough to listen to anything. Airplanes and road trips got me through Calypso this summer, but that was it. Last year, I watched all the seasons of Parks and Rec while sewing for shows, but I missed a lot, not looking at the screen. So, I thought it would be great to try listening to some books I have been meaning to read. It has been such a good thing! I am so happy I dedicated my sewing time to doing this. I started with Just Kids, by Patti Smith, then Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders, Frankenstein by Mary Shelly and just finished Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I have meaning meaning read these books for so long, and never got around to it and just feel so happy to have finally experienced them. Woolf has always been hard for me to settle into, I have a hard time focusing on her writing, and the audiobook was perfect for that.

I'm not sure what I am going to listen to this week, I think I have about 2 more books I can fit in before the shows start. I love the idea of classics, but might want to listen to something contemporary next.

back in mid-summer

We found ourselves in a magical candy shop before seeing a movie at Cinetopia at Progress Ridge Townsquare. The girls knew about this spot, they had gone with friends, but Pete and I had no clue there was a little village in this suburban area, with shops, restaurants,  fountains, and pond. So lovely! It was one of those perfect summer evenings at dusk when it wasn't too hot and everyone was out having fun. The retro candy shop, Rocket Fizz, was pretty great, with all the candies and sodas I had forgotten about. Including two types of candies fart-related. Which were different than the candies toilet-related.

Today Lydia and I are going to the Portland Art Museum to see The Shape of Speed car show before it closes. Half of our family have already seen it and said it was amazing.

We are almost done with The Good Place, which has been the perfect evening entertainment to help us relax. It's hard for anyone to sit in one spot for more than 30 minutes, except the dogs. Actually, it's Pete and I who can't sit. It's a problem that we are trying to work on. 

movies we watched this summer

There were a few weeks this summer when only my eldest (almost 16) was home in the mornings. This the last year there were so many movies I wanted to show her and talk about, but they just weren't suitable for the whole family. I started making list and then in the mornings, after breakfast, we'd watch a movie. I got most of these from Netlix, and they were actual DVDs. I feel like I am the only one that still gets DVDs from them and I was going to stop, but am so happy I didn't because there were so many movies I couldn't get instantly on my list.

This was all pretty magical. Sadie is very open to suggestions and shares my sense of humor, so was game to watch anything. I also could get all nerdy with her about the shots, editing, and costumes. She would often stop the movie and share some personal story I hadn't heard before related to what she was seeing. There is no way this would have happened if other family members had been in the room. It was just a great way to discuss art and life and humor. These choices were pretty light and fun, which was on purpose. We always watch historical movies and the girls all all good sports about that, so I wanted to keep this list fun. I was laughing at how many movies Winona Ryder was in the the 1990s. At the time, it didn't seem like that many, but it really was! I crack up and feel old when the girls just call her "The Stranger Things mom."

 

zines for sale

Sadie is making zines and here are issues #1* and #2. There will be 7 of these, it's a series about our pets. They are very funny and 100% true. They are mini-zines, folded from one piece of paper. I had one of those heart exploding moments taking her her kinkos to make copies late one night and then staying up with her to fold them all and put them in little stacks.

She is selling them through the mail. They are $3 for both ($1.50 each, this includes shipping.) E-mail me for a mailing address or I am happy to send you a PayPal invoice if you want to pay online. Of course you can buy just one. Or 5! I think they are sweet to tuck into cards. I'm a big fan of giving little zines as gifts.

*this issue contains a swear word (sh*t) just so you know.

 

coffee, in this case, matcha soda. not coffee.

This matcha soda drink was a new experience for me. I liked it! I'd probably get an uncarbonated matcha drink next time, but it had a happy cool/factor I couldn't pass up. It made be feel both happy and cool. This was served at the very relaxing Good Coffee in the Slabtown location where I find myself once a week with some time to kill.

I'm starting to get a little twitchy and unsettled as the seasons turn. I want to do fall baking and decorating, but summer is still here and I don't want to rush it. So I am holding off.

Some you tube links:

• We are loving the Hidden Killers of The Victorian Home and all the others in that series. .
• The memorizing work of Creative Mom, who makes fairy houses out of recycled materials and is a paper mâché wizard.
• The Art Cooking series by the Art Assignment. This makes me have a very happy internet moment when I see them.

after a 3 year break from this, I'm working on it again

I have been working on this embroidery piece again. It's been about 3 years since I started it. It's been stretched on this beautiful frame the whole time, waiting. I've been watching (listening) to Red Oaks, on Amazon, and also the newest David Sedaris, Calypso, while I work on it. The girls are all home now. I love having them all here during the day, not in various camps or other cities—but it's busy with energy and conversation all the time, with little time to stitch, sadly. But I know the days of this are numbered, so that gives me some patience.

The summers are so different now with 15, 13, and 11 year- olds. I think it's more expensive. Travel and fancy bubble teas, and all that. Not as much swimming. Which is fine with me, really. The swimming, I mean. Not the spending of money. We are in a heat wave right now and we have no AC except for a pretty sad unit in the living room. So there's that. We have been watching a lot movies, but the roar of the AC has hampered the quiet dialog of the films—which drives me bonkers. We also have no TV, so we watch these on the laptop, which means the audio is not super great to begin with. The girls often bring up the things we have never had that other families do have—a TV, AC and grass in the yard are the most mentioned. Then we laugh. Or I do, anyway. I think they think it's kind of funny? We do have a lot of pets, I remind them.

This weekend I am pretty excited to go to the Portland Zine Symposium and Kumoricon Lite if I can make it with some of the girls, whoever wants to come. I also would love to go to the Top Down Roof Top Cinema this summer, I have never been and it looks so fun.

vintage cookbooks and chatting about being old and stuff

I think I have shown this self-published cookbook before on the blog. I am too lazy to search it right now, but it deserves another post, regardless. I am still off sugar (except for very special treats, like birthdays, sometimes not my own, etc.) so I have NOT made this exciting cake, but someone should. I love the box cake/pudding idea more than the reality, which is I can never eat them. But they are so funny and joyful to me. And who doesn't want a little European Grandeur?

I just met up with some great friends, and have also been chatting with long distance friends regularly (the app voxer and audio texts back and forth are a godsend for me) and there have been some re-occiruing themes among all of us: 

• getting old
• feeling like our kids and growing up so fast and how different our concerns are now that they are all 12-17 from when they were younger
• how this makes us feel old (and reliving, in silence, what we were doing at this age)
• taking care of aging/ill/ parents while taking care of the kids and also trying to have a marriage
• trying to clean out the house of all the kid stuff they have outgrown
• how this makes us cry
• crying in public for no reason
• feeling old when thinking about saving money for retirement
• feeling like cleaning out all the stuff in the house is too hard
• possibly some crying again
• feeling like we are going crazy
• perimenopause and what the heck (crazy enters here)
• foot/back pain 

It's so great to be able to share al these things, just to know it's not unique and we can all relate. When when say we have had a bad day, or lost it with the kids, we know how bad that can really get, and it's okay.

random items

Even though it's cold here and has been for a few weeks, my middle child wanted to stop by Zero Degrees to get this wacky sundae. It's not near us at all (Hillsboro) and it's a tiny little place, but it has some really fun teas/drinks and food items. 

Lots of sewing going on around here, and still some head colds and now possibly a stomach virus? I'm not sure, we shall see how the day progresses.

Lydia and I have been watching these Extra History videos over on Extra Credit on You Tube. There are so many! Also a ton about gaming and game design, which isn't really on our radar, but the content looks really interesting.

I just sent my mom this jimmy kimmel bit with the staffers reading texts their moms have sent them. pretty great.

I put a new tutorial on you tube

I was getting ready for a costume design meeting this week and was wishing again that I could easily print all my pins from pinterest to show. There are so many reasons why having actual printed images is valuable to me. I usually do a painful saving of each image and then laying them out in another program, but this time I searched you tube and found a tutorial on how to do it in a few easy steps. No layout program needed and no individual photo manipulation!

However, it went by so fast, like lightening speed, I had to watch it about 10 times to get it. So, I made my own which goes much slower. It's still only 6 minutes, which is how long it took me to print all the images I needed for my meeting. A miracle! I mention at the end of the video this method works for Instagram too, but that's not really true. It will only print about 20 of the favorites, so not as helpful. But I only have about 9 favorites in IG so I didn't know this until later.

I took a mental health day today. Well, that's not true. Really, I have terrible head cold so I am sick. There was family craziness starting at around 2, but I was in bed from 6am-until 2pm, so, I think that's pretty good. I finished Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold and after that I watched Dries, which is a documentary about Dries Van Noten. I can tell it was good for my brain and creativity. They both are streaming on Netflix right now.

Daily life has been hard, we have head colds and fevers that won't quit, some sudden ER and doctor visits, I had surgery (no more gallbladder for me!) and then toss in a few out of town gymnastics meets—this has all been in the last 3 weeks, so I feel like just getting dressed has been a victory for me. But, I have had a ton of help and I keep asking for help when I need it (always?) This is a huge improvement for me, in the past I usually am broken before I will asked for help.

wand making and props

Lydia and I are studying Inca history but took a quick unrelated break after lunch to make some of these wands. The internet is full of tutorials for these. We watched this one. They are so easy and so fun. You don't even need a tutorial. It's just hot glue on a chopstick. Then paint. Then paint again in gold (or Rub n Buff) and you are done! Very pleasing. We used glue gun embellishment in a similar way for our spooky bottles.

After that we had a prop-making tangent and watched a tutorial for making a Triwizard Cup and Maui's hook (from Moana) These were so fascinating! I love making props for the shows I work on. Usually that goes to the prop dept, which sadly, I not normally on because I am so busy sewing. These videos aren't really realistic for the normal crafter, but are still so fun to watch—like Marceline's Axe from Adventure Time.

 

a cold winter outing

Last week, before we had to start back to our crazy schedules, I took all three girls to the Portland Art Museum's Laika exhibit. We have to go back and see it again (kids under 17 are free!) it was really amazing. We actually haven't even seen all the Laika movies, but the ones we have seen, we loved, and examining the stop-motion models up close was so incredible. My deep love for making miniatures and models made me all crazy and I freaked out a little bit. Especially over the boards showcasing all the mini-clothes and accessories.

It was so windy and cold we didn't walk around downtown much, but were able to get a treat and talk about the show.

Unrelated, we are still watching movies over at Great Big Story. This you tube channel makes me so happy about the internet and what it can teach and provide for both viewers and film-makers. So cool.

making holiday gifts

We are madly making holiday gifts around here, it's so fun to paint, glue, assemble, and pack. These unpainted wooden bowls were turned into little salt cellars with some pink Himalayan salt and a little spoon. They look nice unpainted, but I can't resist painting wood.

We have been going out a lot this year—ballets, musicals, theater and choir performances. Last night we we took our parents to see It's a Tony Starlight's Christmas and it was so fun. I had not been there since they moved and it's a great space and was a great show.

• There are a few more holiday musts I need to get to. Like baking one of my all time favorite cookies.
• Also, I have had very little time in the evenings to cook so Pete and I have been taking turns making these one-pan dinnners. So easy!
• The girls showed me this and I laughed really hard
• And not for kids but so very very funny (and maybe for teens who can hang with mature content) is this Ruining History piece on The Bizarre Life of Johnny Appleseed.

old movies

In the evenings we have been streaming old movies. This is usually while I am putting my family to work hand-beading 22 tiaras for a ballet piece at The Portland Ballet (tickets are on sale now!) This is The Curse of the Cat People, which I loved. It's weird, boring, and funny, although it's not supposed to be. We really are loving Film Struck right now. We go though phases.

It's been a busy weekend! We went to Kumoricon and had a great time, went to 2 Halloween parties, and Monday we are going to see John and Hank Green. I bought 2 extra tickets that I need to sell, and I think it's sold out. Please e-mail me if you are interested! I'm pretty excited to see them and got a little panic and clicked to many times when I bought the tickets.

costume season

It's a crazy costume shop around here. I am working on 3 shows right now— all happening before the holidays, so my whole family is helping. There are some very good beaders in the house, so that's outstanding because we are making 24 tiaras. The solider hats are for a different show— these are made from board covered with fabric and embellished. I love making hats and headpieces so much.

While I am working, podcasts are my company. I heard a lovely and meaning one yesterday by Tara Brach. I usually listen to comedy and interviews, but also try to listen to deep stuff, too. This particular episode was great and I need to re-listen. When I hear about "trust" I think I know what is going to be said but she really had a different spin on this topic, which got me thinking.

stitching and learning about the Tudors

I started and finished this in August when we were on vacation. I'm starting to amass a stack of small stitched items. I used to always finish them as I go, in either hoops as wall pieces, or broaches, or something—but lately I've just been stitching and then putting them in a box. I  pull them all out at once, usually on a Sunday with tea and a good podcast, and see what they will become.

Lydia and I have been learning about the Tudors. I have only one homeschooler at home now—the older two are at the wonderful local performing arts school in 7th and 9th grade. Huge changes around here. It's been good so far, and teaching just one child at a time is new for me, and just heavenly. The older girls wanted to try school, this the the second year for my 7th grader and Sadie just started high school. They are the best students, so serious and on top of it. Their backpacks are ridiculously heavy. What's up with that? And no lockers. Crazy.

For the Tudors, Liddy and I have found so many great resources, this book, this irreverent book, this series on you tube, (sort of cheesy but good) and also this video (so interesting!!) on you tube. I'd love for her to see Elizabeth, the Movie, but it's not right for her age. We want to make a Tudor dollhouse.

dollhouse minis

I have been getting crazy working on my dollhouse. There's a story there, about my dollhouse, but I will save that for later. It's never been finished and I am finishing it now, slowly, and it's so fun. I've had it since I was about 5, I think. This is a dollhouse I made for the dollhouse.

Wood floors. This trick I learned in architecture school—you lightly draw pencil lines on balsa and paint with a watercolor wash.

These plates were printed on cardstock and pinched for a 3D effect. They have about 5 layers of clear nail polish on them. My Grandamother gave me Blue Willow china so this is to honor her. The clock face is glued on a button.

A yarn rug and some art minis, I used packing tape on the artwork to protect them.

This is the kitchen getting some finishes. I didn't make the furniture or food in here. I'm starting to apply the wallpaper.

This is the front of the mini-doll house in the first photo.

I made this sink and oven, the design is from the 1920s. So fun! I really like making the furniture. The metal sink is a mini altoids tin.

Bookshelves that have since been satined and/or painted.

This whole project is so great because I can work on it forever. I can built with wood, polymer clay, cardstock, and use yarn, metal, everything and anything I want to make—and then just put it in the house. You tube has been so educational. There's a whole lot of dollhouse action on instagram right now, especially with modern design houses. Are any of you working on miniatures? The Portland Miniature Show is coming up, which I am excited for.

Some inspiration:

Instagram:

• miniaturehandmade
• pretty models
• thesquaretospare
• my mini mansion
• calevie designer houses

You Tube:

• The Square to Spare
• akamerukawaii
• manmaruko49
• real life dollhouse miniatures

Iceland 2017

I got back from Iceland 2 nights ago. It was amazing trip although it was ill-timed—during the first week of all our activities, which require both parents and grammie for driving. When I am gone, it's pretty impossible. But it all got done and I am so happy I just crossed my fingers and left. 

I try to travel alone without my family every year, but it's hard to do. I took a little 2-day trip 2 years ago to Breitenbush. The last time I took a big trip was when I went to Santa Fe 3 years ago. On that trip I didn't know a soul and did the whole trip alone, but I usually know someone where I am visiting. This time, I was meeting a dear online friend for the first time in person and it was just so mind-blowing. I feel like the trip had 3 themes :

• Seeing Iceland for the first time and experiencing all it is—beautiful, powerful, barren, harsh, and welcoming. 
• Planning and taking a trip for myself with no thought of what my family might want to do and see, which is such a big part of family vacations. I could go to 3 museums in a day and not worry about the kids being bored.
• Connecting with a friend in person, after being online friends, in the most meaningful way. And connecting with her family and country. I find it hard to write about. I'm also a bit tired still. So imagine a lot more profound and descriptive words in this part here.

The trip was the perfect mix of everything— incredible nature sites, conversation, coffee, baked goods, yarn, and just hanging out. I am more afraid at this point in my life of NOT planning trips alone. They feed my soul and make me feel alive. I really want to go back to Iceland and am so excited for my friend and her family to visit us in Portland. 

Thank you so much for all your audio book info. I got some great ones—both from audible and the app hoopla, which is a library app. 

plant wall

I took down our needlework wall and have been working on this plant wall for a few months. It's still evolving. The wood panels came from craft warehouse and I glued various items to the wood to make little homes for the airplants. The bottom panel has 3 test tubes I can use for single stems—or grasses in this case. I'm so happy with how this turned out, it's so fun to tinker with. I still might add some plants to the bottom panel. I mounted the orchid on the left, which was really easy and very satisfying.

We have had busy end-of-summer weekend. Oaks Park, a sleep over, picking up a child from overnight camp, baby sitting a 1 1/2 year old all day, and attending the last night of Faerieworlds, 2017. This gathering is so great, please search google images "faerieworlds" to see all the amazing costumes. This was all in the last 48 hours. It's still so hot here, summer won't quit, which is fine with me. I love fall, but as I get older, I really like the warm, and the light.

Okay, is there anyplace to buy audio books besides audible? I get them from our library, which is great, but has some limitations, and there are a ton for free (in that copyright infring-y way) on you tube, but anywhere else to buy them? I just hate the idea of paying a monthly fee at audible and having to buy the audio book. grrr. 

LSP in the house. Or, in this case, the car.

The world seems to have gone bonkers. And the eclipse is coming up so Portland has gone a bit crazy because we are so close to the path of totality. That sound like a book title. The Path of Totality. It probably is. I'm not going to look.

Lydia and I made a huge Lumpy Space Princess (from Adventure Time) and she has been traveling with us, even on vacation. She was so fun to make. She is huge. Way bigger than reasonable.

I finished reading Mister Monkey and really liked it and now am reading Swing Time.

Craft-wise I have been all over the place, but hope to focus my efforts on building some stairs for my doll house that lives at my mom's. I also need to get the wallpaper in and the wood flooring. This has led me to you tube which has resulted in too much time watching miniatures being made. I find this very relaxing. 

crazy scary puppets

We learned about Paul Klee's puppets recently and they were new to me. They were mentioned only in passing, in a video or a book, I can't remember which, but he made them for his son. I am completely obsedssed wth them. I was terrified of Mr. Rodger's puppets (and the Purple Panda) when I was small. Why were their noses so big? And their voices so horrible? I still don't like them, but I do like these and I like the idea of disturbing puppets.

I want to make some and now that the kids are older, I don't have to worry about them actually being scared by them. All these images are from this book I bought myself for my birthday which is wonderful.

jello cake thing

The jello cake I linked to in my last post was made for the 4th of July.

It was really fun to make, but was pretty much a fail. We were able to get a good slice out of the middle for this photo. The white cake was fine, as was the jello/mousse layer, but when we poured the jello red layer on the top, it slowly started to sink into the mousse layer and kind of disappeared. It was really funny. Also, the cake was really gross, flavor-wise. The strawberry red jello might have been ok, but the blue mouse made it just so crazy sweet and weird, no one could eat it. So, there you go. It was still fun to make, but yeah.

I sewed 3 gymnastic leotards this weekend and am starting on a ballet leotard. I feel like my life right now is really about getting the girls to their various camps, events, and classes, which is fine, but I also want to just still in my backyard for a bit. I have so many things on the to-do list. All fun crafty things—mounting an orchid, making henna paste for hands and feet, getting the new facial products in my etsy shop, going berry picking. All that kind of stuff. I also have bought a plane ticket to Iceland in September, just for myself, and I am beyond excited! So, I am having fun researching for that.

knitting that I have been neglecting

This project is hibernating. For now. I did finish up some embroidery work at the beach recently and should have brought this project as well but instead started and almost finished The Nix, which is a very thick book. I'm almost done.

I have so many ideas in my head for projects right now and all involve money and time and then a serious analysis of what I would actually do with these projects when completed (sell? gifts? what?) but I try not to think about that part too much.

We are in full summer mode with the girls, getting them ready for various camps and trips. This is the first year all 3 of them will be gone multiple nights alone at different times. Exciting! But also a bit hard. Things seem to be moving pretty fast around here.

Every year for the big holidays I struggle between making a semi-gross yet funny dessert involving questionable chemicals or a simple elegant edible one that doesn't have the humor or spunk, but surely is the mature and choice. I usually make both. I will report back.

SaveSave

colors

This is a shot from the Portland Fjällräven shop. It makes me so very happy. This is a popular stop when we are at Lovejoy Bakers or the Tea Bar.

I'm in a sewing jag right now. I have a shawl knitting WIP that I was working on but got the urge to use up all the precious fat quarters I had to make totes, small pouches, and purses. These are going in the gift bin, or I may try to sell them on etsy/instagram. I just like making them and playing with the different color combinations. I also need to clean out my stash a little bit.

Thanks for the book suggestions! I just started and finished The Keep, by Jennifer Egan which was neither funny nor stress-free, but I loved it and read it in 2 days. I really liked A Visit from the Goon Squad, which I read a few years ago, also by her. We are headed to the beach soon and I'll probably just grab what I see at the library.

Podcast-wise I have been a big fan of Dear Hank and John, and the Nerdist lately. 

We can't stop watching this SNL skit. It gets funnier every time.

I'm working on some new facial products to add to my shop (very excited!) and I scheming a way to do a little pop-up sale here in Portland so you all can try before you buy and also not have to pay shipping. I just need to find a space. Stay tuned and if anyone knows of a place that would be down with this, please let me know.

air plants

I am working on a new decorating project in the living room. I took down our embroidery wall and am putting up a plant wall. I loved seeing our needlework everyday, but I needed a change and have been really loving air plants and their creepy alien vibe. I bought these from Aura Creations and they were packaged so cute! I have also bought some locally at Pistals Nursery, which is a favorite shop of ours. This wall is a fun challenge because I'm trying to mount plants, which I haven't done before. I have hopes to mount a staghorn fern and an orchid. There are many you tube videos on this which I have been staying up too late watching. These ladies crack me up. And this interesting way of mounting orchids with glue instead of wire is very cool. 

I will show the wall as I get it together, I plan to add to it and change it as I go, kind of a living art project. I have been told by the girls not to make it too gross and creepy. They also said that adding crystals and gemstones might be too trendy, which cracked me up. But what if I like the trendy thing? I was into crystals in the 80s in highschool, so I make no apologies.

this coat was a blanket

I have had this lovely lightweight throw for a few years and it was getting pretty damaged by cat claws and general life wear. It's lightweight cotton that's been hand quilted. I tucked it away and then realized I would actually enjoy it more if I could wear it. So I sewed it into a coat. I didn't use a pattern or tutorial but I did find this one later, which is pretty much how I sewed it. I added a pocket and also some hooks and eyes to close it at the top. I love it! my girls think it's a bit crazy, but you know.

It's been so busy around here, with both exciting things—recitals and performances and a birthday (I turned 45!) but also hard things, family members with health issues, the world in general and Portland dealing with tragic stuff. It feels so crazy right now. Everyday it seems like there is another horrible thing to wrap my brain around and also talk to the girls about.

We had a lovely blast of sun over the weekend. I made a crisp with rhubarb, we got some junk hauled out of the back yard, and I am almost done sewing for this week's dance performances at ACMA. I am half-way through reading The Handmaid's Tale, which I had never read. I wantedto read it before I watch it. While sewing, I've been listening to Call Your Girlfriend, which is really great. Two smart women talking about politics, music, books, and sometimes Keanu Reeves.

casting on right away

I casted on again and made this last week. It's so cold here I have already worn it a lot. I'm on the fence about blocking this type of thing. A wet block is what I am questioning. Maybe a light misting would be better? On big needles and with super soft yarn this grew quite a bit and I liked it better before it grew, but I am still quite happy with it. The details, there aren't many, are here.

I have a shawl on the needles now. It's all stash busting around here, and I mean it. Same with my needlework. No new purchases for a bit. I think I am in a process phase right now, not really too concerned with what I make as long as I am making, so working from my stash is easy. If it's not exactly what I would make for myself, it can become a gift.

Years ago a started a handmade gift stash, where I just make stuff, anything I wanted (this could be 1 scarf or 15 pin cushions) and then just kept it safe it a big plastic box with a tight lid. During the year I pull from it for gifts. I love it. I have hats, baby booties, pincushions, little charms, handmade books—all that. It's so freeing because then I don't have that "why am I making this?" feeling when I start something new. I know many of these items I could put in my Etsy shop, and I do sometimes, but often I just like giving them to friends that would appreciate them.

I have been making bubble milk tea at home, with instant bobba. More on this soon. I also am on a 16/8 eating plan and so far so good. My body has changed a whole lot after 40 (hello jowls in this photo!) and this has made my gut feel so much better. I'm on day 10 I think? I will report back. I don't expect it to help my jowls.

WIP done.

This project was from a kit I bought at For Yarn's Sake at the Rose City Yarn Crawl 2016. I bought another kit at the yarn crawl this year, from the same shop, and couldn't start it until I finished this one. So I did. I have all the info on my Ravelry page for it. The yarn was so fun to work with.

I met a dear friend for dinner last night and we were talking about kids, knitting and British mysteries (as we do) and I told her how I went to bed 2 nights ago at 7:30pm. I didn't actually sleep, I was just in our bedroom, with jammies on and did very little. I wasn't sick or upset. I went down because I was in a good mood. I NEVER do this. I never give myself permission to just leave and read or lie in bed or watch a movie alone for no reason. I need to be either sick, emotionally distraught, or have some type of back/feet/leg pain or a headache. It was so great. People and animals could visit me, but I didn't come back up. I did get some visits, but for the most part, I was left alone.

I'm going to schedule this early bedtime on a weekly basis. This seems both crazy and so obvious it's embarrassing. My hang-up is not just that I want to see my family, but also I feel to get the reward of alone time, I need to be creative with the time—adding oils to my shop, writing a novel, sewing a dress, or coming up with a concept album. I'm not really joking. I feel like I have such little time that when I do I need to use it as an artist, so I don't take the time because I will feel guilty not creating—which I realize it a very important thing for me to do.

I curled up with the trio of MDK field guides and read them and was so happy about these little books and knitting and stripes and fair isle and the awesome ladies of the internet who are still around kicking ass.

Unrelated:

We just found Artrageous with Nate, which is art history, science and history on youtube and we dig it. The episodes are a bit high energy and loud? I think that's just us. We are not a loud family. Well, the dogs are loud.

laurel burch

A couple years ago I was out to dinner with a close friend, exactly my age, who was wearing Laurel Burch earrings. She kept them from the 80s. I had totally forgotten about Laurel Burch but when I was in middle school they were a big deal. I usually stole my mom's, but I had a few paris of my own. Her early work was really expensive and done in cloisonne, and then later her enamel work came out and was much more affordable. I have collected about 5 pairs now, including a pair of cats.

When I wear them, women my age and older always notice, which is pretty fun. These I just bought, which are duplicates of a pair I originally had when I think I was about 13. They have never been worn and I was thrilled to find them. I don't have any of my original pairs, so I have been rebuilding what I remember having. The enamel still really easy to find and pretty inexpensive on easy.

albums and that whole thing

I have a decent to-do list going right now and I'm trying to hack away at it before adding new distracting crafts and projects. I finally finished the Japan photo album from our trip in October. It's shipping right now. I am so happy. This came together pretty easily. I had most of the photos on my phone so uploading wasn't too bad.

The key for me is to edit ruthlessly before I upload, so that I can use almost all the photos when I start to layout and don't have to stop and make decisions. This makes a huge difference. I have used Shutterfly for years now for our family albums, I make one a year. This is more of an ordeal because I collect photos from all our phones and cameras. I haven't started this year's yet. I usually finish them by now, but the Japan one took the lead.

Over the years I have made about 12 of these books, for trips, ballet performances, and yearly albums. For the trips, I add text. A whole lot, usually. I dictate on my trips (voice to text in Evernote) and then clean it up and drop it in the album later. I dictated during this trip every night, and told stories and little details I knew would be forgotten or couldn't be described and remembered with a photo. The text is such a great addition to these books. I don't do this for this yearly books because that's crazy.

The rain! It's raining here again. I know there is a lot of snow and power outages for people elsewhere, I'll take the rain. But I do wish for some sun. Just a little.

rose city yarn crawl 2017

I had a great time visiting some yarn shops last weekend during the Rose City Yarn Crawl. I only went to two shops, I usually go to about 4, but I still had fun. I spent less money this year which is good for me. I need to finish up my project from last year. I haven't been knitting much this year, I usually go through 2-3 month knitting phase, but this year I have been stitching and doing more needlework.

I took this photo at the Knitting Bee, where Yoth yarn was having a trunk show. Such elegant colors. Really lovely yarn. I also went to For Yarn's Sake and met some lovely designers (Debbi Stone and PDXKnitterati!) and picked up a cowl pattern and some yarn. I am really excited to get started on that project.

I'm almost done with The Girl That Fell From the Sky. I can't put it down. I feel like I have more to share, but I have a distracting headache right now. Unrelated, my brother is telling me I have to watch The Patriot. It's an Amazon series.

hair barrettes

On a lazy day a bit back I gathered up some stray hair barrettes and nail polish and fancied these up. They have held up pretty well. We have been wearing them for about a month. The teal one is painted with glitter nail polish and has held up the best. There is a little chipping on the others. I think next time sanding the surface lightly before painting would help. These all have about 3-5 coats of polish and then a clear coat. I glued the mini pom-poms on with E6000, which is what I use with metal. To paint them, I clipped them to a piece of waxed paper, first. Super easy.

There are ton of fun barrettes ideas here, all of which I want to try. (The comments are cracking me up) And here's a video and info on how to use bobby pins. It's pretty helpful (even though the video cuts off some of what you need to see) There is a way to use them so they lock and you don't need 100. We know bobby pin technique here in the dance/gymnastics house, but this is also good to for everyday hair.

custom birthcharts and our house is having issues

It's snowing right now. Again. We had some sun yesterday, but not now. And we had record rainfall this month. We have some flooding in our house, a broken backdoor, a wet/dry vacuum that now needs to stay in our downstairs bedroom "just in case", an overhead light fixture in the kitchen that is broken, and a leaky shower. So. It's feeling pretty college housing around here. I am procrastinating on my taxes.

We finished Stranger Things, which we loved, now I just need to get through Penny Dreadful.

I have been getting orders for custom birthcharts. They seem to come in waves. I just love making these so much. They are often baby gifts, but are lovely gifts for everyone. My favorite order was for a woman who was 78 —she ordered one for herself.

embroidered earrings

I have been stitching a lot lately. I was working on some pieces when we were in Japan and came home so inspired by I was seeing over there. Instagram has kept me going, especially ant sally who I have mentioned before as a huge inspiration to me right now.

These are stitched and finished as post earrings and I have been wearing them a lot. So much fun! And so quick. They are really satisfying to make. There is some beading in there, too, and sequins on the pair in the back.

I am watching Stranger Things, finally, I know I am very late to this. My middle daughter binge-watched it recently with a friend and is now obsessed and has watched and read everything she can find about series. She is eager to talk about it and it's killing her that Pete and I haven't finished it yet because she doesn't want to spoil it. So, I have 3 episodes left. We need to get on it, I am reminded daily.

I started reading Mothering Sunday and finished My Brilliant Friend, which I had mixed feelings about. I was moaning a lot while reading this. I loved the time, setting, and Italian-ness of it all, but was waiting for a story arc—and there was none. I have since been told that all 4 books were written as one, so the first book is not a "complete" story, and it reads that way. I want to know more about these women, but I'm not sure the story will hold me for all 4 books. We shall see, I am planning on starting the second book soon.

I am almost done sewing a leotard for one of my dancers. The outcome is still dicey. I put in a zipper in the front, (like this style) which I am now going to take out. It almost worked.

washi tape holder

I made this washi tape holder last week for my middle child and it was one of the most satisfying projects I have done in a long time. I found the wood square at craftware house, white-washed it with acrylic paint, and then screwed on the tiny hooks, which also came from craft warehouse. I already had the wooden dowels. She had her collection in jars and was hard to know what she had and if we had dupes. Now it's all organized and pretty. I need to make one for myself although I have only about 5 tapes right now because my children are thieves.

So, does anyone have this little fujifilm INSTAX share printer that you can use from your phone? We LOVE our INSTAX cameras, but there are so tricky to get a good photo from and these little printers print direct onto the fuji film, unlike the whole zink system, so you still get a photo that is exactly what would come out of the camera. I'm so curious if any of you have used it and what you think. I have to say right here that I am a printer weirdo and I have three printers—this would be my fourth. it's kind of a weird thing to collect. I use them all for different things and have never regretted buying one. And this one you can get a cute case for! I don't need this. Wanty!

coffee break

This was taken from before all the crazy. Before the weather and the travel and the bad head cold (flu?) I currently have.

A bit of a gripe—I've noticed at very fancy coffee shops, which I LOVE, often my drinks aren't hot. No big deal. I don't like them scalding. But sometimes they are like, not hot at all. Almost room temp. Which this one was. I was going to take it back but didn't want to wait in the very long line again, and also had a suspicion that I would be told they were made that way on purpose and then might be educated as to why. I'm not a fussy coffee person, but I do like cappuccinos (5oz) and for them not to be room temp. I had a barista gig in college and I know that if you use previously steamed milk you can make the drinks faster, but they aren't usually hot enough and this one came to me suspiciously fast.

I think I am feverish as I write this. It's before 7am and I am getting ready to do Delia's hair in Dutch braids before she leaves for school which starts so early. 7:40! for 6th grade!

Random Links:

I can't stop watch this video of the cutest porcupine. The sounds it makes!

 

yummy rice

I got this rice seasoning at Uwajamiya a bit back and it is delicious and so cute! see the little purple flowers? Adorable.

So, the snow has been crazy. Pete was in China all last week for work so when we lost power for 2 days I was cooking outside on the camp stove and trying to bundle us all with blankets as a single mom. We made it to my mom's, who had power, in the 10" inches of snow thanks to my brother and his awesome truck and stayed there with the dogs. It was crazy. Then we came home and then drove to Seattle for ballet auditions in the snowy ice. Once we got out of Portland, it was an easy drive and so beautiful. Snow on the trees, but none on the roads. I felt so free getting out of town after feeling so trapped. Plus, I had a fight with my frozen garbage can lid which didn't go well and at that point I had to get out of town.

Pete came back from Shanghai just two days ago and brought some cute little gifts and amazing stories that involved lots of karaoke (john denver songs are very popular) and eating chicken feet, jellyfish and duck heart. Life has been busy. I have been working on some embroidery projects for an upcoming book I am contributing to and also painting barrettes with nail polish in my spare time. Why have I never done this before? It's so satisfying! I will show the results soon.

 

the oregon coast

These photos are from our beach trip right after Christmas. The tide was so far in there wasn't much beach for walking. There were my favorite fish tacos from Local Ocean Seafoods however, which has the best seafood in Newport, in my opinion.

That trips feels far away, but also close, because we are in the middle of another weather episode here in Portland so things are shutting down again, which always feels like a beach trip to me. Everything slows down and is stuck in molasses. Or, I guess stuck in snow. We have food and power, so that's all good. And I can walk to the store. Having one child in school and two homeschooled makes "snow days" interesting. We have already had a few and probably will have one tomorrow.

• I have been trolling the amazing embroidery work over at ant sally on instagram. I am going to stitch something similar soon—they are so beautiful.

• Sadie and I watched The Fundamentals of Caring on instant Netflix and she liked it a whole lot. I saw it over the summer. Lots of swearing and older teen issues, and very well done.

• I'm between books so that means I pick up what we having lying around which is a lot of YA horror and paranormal. That's the trend over here right now. So, I am almost done with Frozen Charlotte and enjoying it quite a bit. Who doesn't love creepy little dolls that can eat flesh? The middle-school-aged V.C. Andrews fan in me is very excited by this book.

 

cactus rocks

The two younger girls were a bit bored yesterday and so they found this DIY over on Sea Lemon, went outside and got some rocks, and asked to go to the craft store to get some pots. My only involvement was driving to the craft store. I don't remember what I was doing during all this, but it's pretty great they are old enough to be self-sufficient at crafting and choosing projects. I can't believe how adorable these turned out. They were really inexpensive to make, which isn't always the case with DIYs.

The holidays have been good the last two weeks, but also hard. I hurt my head (I fell) and and foot (on the same fall) and it's taken a bit longer to get back to normal than I thought it would. I figured I'd be fine in a day or two because that's what my schedule would allow. You know how it is. I hear this term self-care and I don't think I really even know what that means on a basic level. I'm not very good at identifying what I even need at a given moment. I know when I am hungry and tired. This is good. But I am a far cry from  when I was in my 20s and just did what I wanted to do. I scarcely remember that time. This might be something to look at more closely and work on for 2017.

more holiday stitching

I finished this little piece when we were in Japan and have I all wrapped ready to be received. Portland is still playing catch-up with all the snow closures last week and many of my purchases have been delayed in the mail. grrr. My cat just barfed. We have 3 cats, 2 dogs, (and 1 fish) and so at some point something gross will happen every day. Usually more than once. It's morning still, there's plenty of time.

Stuff:

• I am teaching long division to Lydia and we found this really funny and very catchy tune on you tube (set to a Lumineers song!) for memorizing the steps.

• I knew I didn't dream that Bert had a nephew and it was the cutest bit on Sesame Street EVER. I die!!

• A tiny doll house in a walnut shell. stop it.

 

holiday stitching

I started and finished this little brooch last night and and am so happy with how it turned out. I used mostly crewel wool and then a little cotton floss for the detailing. It's on linen, stretched onto the clever brooch form made by Clover that I got in Japan. I haven't found it in the US, if any of you know where I can find them, let me know. I should have bought more.

It's been crazy around here—snow, ice, parties canceled, lessons canceled, one of our cars is stuck in a hedge blocked in by ice in a neighbor's yard. But, there is plenty of food and craft supplies in the house and it's been really nice not driving anywhere or 2 days. I've been baking and sewing and made a new sweater for our bad chihuahua. It's been an unexpected break, which I think we all really needed.

I am between books, which I hope to remedy today. I also have some netflix shows I need to catch up on. I'm not sure when this will happen. Now I just want to do more needlework.

gifts for sewers

I made more pincushions this year to give as gifts. I made some last year, too. These are simpler. They are backed with wool felt. I am always looking to use up supplies during the holidays. I bought the coolest fat quarters over the summer that have been made into aprons and bags and these are the scraps. They are heavy—I filled them with a mix of polyfill and crushed walnut shells (in the form of natural kitty litter) so they have a nice heft.

I listened to WTF while sewed, this time the interview with Dan Clowes, who I have never heard speak. I've read all his comics and interviews, but never heard him. It was so great to listen to. Sadie needs to read Ghost World. Wow, that went by fast. It wasn't that long ago I stashed all my comics away.

holiday gifts (that you can buy from me)

I have been getting more holiday orders from my Etsy shop, which is wonderful!

I have little sheer bags I tuck gifts into, and can add a little card (all for free) so please let me know if it's a gift you are ordering. This year, there are more oils than ever to try, many of them are a very price friendly range ($12!) and I also have one-of-a-kind jewelry alters available, which would be a an amazing gift for an arty jewelry lover. There are prints, birthcharts, and enclosure cards available, too. I also have a few PDF sewing patterns, which would be fum to give, or make into gifts for friends and family.

I will be closing up shops mid-December, so order soon and thank you!!