Here kitty, kitty

Each year I help a friend create a personalized calendar he then gives to his lovely wife for christmas. Previous year's themes have included Pirates of the Caribbean and weight lifters. This year he gave me a book of babies in kitty suits, I think it might be one of my favorites.

On the road

My dearest and I had a wonderful 17 day road trip vacation with our new 'puppy' Rover. We drove through parts of 6 states, multiple National Parks, and more gas stations than I care to count. We saw lizards and cranes, antelope and petroglyphs, cliff sides and natural wonders; met new friends, laughed with old and had our fill of 90' weather, atleast for awhile. We decided we like traveling in an RV even if it's a much slower pace and we like spending time with each other.

Newest project

One of my favorite people gave me some lovely vintage fabric so what better use for it than to make her a quilt from it. My second ever quilt, I love how it turned out.

Rain

We have had such a string of wonderful weather. Sunny days, warm but not too much over 80's. Blue skies, not much smog. Cooler nights with enough dew to keep the flowers happy. So you can imagine my surprise walking out of a store today to feel raindrops on my head. I have to admit to being startled, it took me a minute to figure out what was happening. I did get a good laugh out of it, even if it will spot my freshly washed car LOL

Green is the new blue

We have been trying to paint the outside of our house for the last 2 years. Last years bad weather caught up to us so we were left with a leper house for almost a year. This summer we tried again. So far most of the house has 1 coat of paint and much of it 2. Even some trim is completed. If the weather cooperates we might even finish it this year, just in time to start painting all over again. I love the green I picked but bugs also seem to love it, each day I walk outside to see them all over my freshly painted walls. Guess they have good taste too.

Our new puppy Rover

They say when peoples kids go off to college they get a new puppy. Well since the 'center of my life' has fur allergies we got an RV instead. Our colors are a little different but you get the picture. It used to belong to a friend who generously agreed to let us keep it at their house but we get to visit it when we want and will take our maiden voyage soon to Utah. Kind of like a cruise without all the water. Wagons-Ho...

Launching my birdie, or CU later

My baby bird has flown the coop. I just returned from settling him into his new digs. We had a couple of days of shopping, and unpacking, and attending long orientation classes before it was time for me to leave. J bonded with his new roomie, found some new best friends, made his room feel like home (only cleaner) and hasn't looked back. I'm excited to hear all about this new chapter in his life.

Vroom vroom

Big D bought his first ever vehicle today. He LOVES it, and might sleep with it if he could. I may never sleep again.

Favorite artist

I have a couple of favorite artists, whose work I greatly admire and aspire to be just like. One is a lovely woman in France named Anne Le Toux her pieces never fail to touch something in me and she has always been very giving with advice and willing to answer my questions. Please check out her blog: http://bullesdorees.blogspot.com/

Blueberry heaven

Today I woke early and headed to my favorite blueberry farm in Snohomish. Unfortunately so did everyone else. It's been a hard year for farms of all types with the weird spring weather we had. The farm was packed but I found a lovely bush crammed full of berries. Half way through my bucket a woman asked if she could join me on my bush, there were plenty to share. Less than an hour later I had filled my bucket (11+ pounds) of huge gorgeous berries and looked up to see 6 other people picking from my wonderful bush too. The farm staff was overwhelmed there were so many people out there but how can you resist this bounty?

The Aussies are here

We were blessed to be able to 'billet' a group of young adult Ultimate Frisbee players for a few days. Their team from Australia is on it's way to Vancouver to play in the Junior Worlds Tournament next week. They were amazingly generous, friendly, open and inquiring young men. They bonded right away with my J and became fast friends. We will greatly miss them and wish them the best of luck in Canada, and hope we can make it up there to catch a game.

Fabrics Galore

My First Best Friend called me last night and invited me to descend on a fabric estate sale she found on CL. Ends up a woman and her quilter friends were selling some of their stash and fabrics from her moms collection. We made a killing and both came home with big bags of lovely vintage fabrics and other assorted quilting items. My favorite was a Omni storage bag. Can't you just eat all the lovely colors? I plan on the perfect apron for the chicken print on the end. Yay!

Quilts

This last January I reconnected with a childhood friend. She makes wonderful quilts, and when I went to visit she showed me many she had made. The next thing I knew we were at the fabric store buying fabric for my first ever quilt. I consider myself a very basic seamstress, I can usually sew a straight line, so of course we started with quarter circles! I adored the batik fabrics and loved how it turned out. I am now planning my second one and think I may have picked up a new addiction. Thanks Ilsa.

Art in a Carton

I just received a fabulous package in the mail all the way from Germany. I'm taking part in a birthday celebration for Susan Letham called Art in a Carton. (see link to the right) She sent me some beautiful items she made. It's now my turn to create something and pass it along. I am really excited by this and have already begun my gifts. Thanks Susan! And Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to Me!

My sweet friend Wendy makes amazing cakes. She surprised me with one of my very own for my birthday...yay Wendy....and yay me! It's as yummy inside as out and I feel very lucky to have such a sweet friend!

Bucket List

Celebrating my 25th anniversary of my 25th birthday got me to thinking about what to do with the second half of my life. I haven't seen the movie the Bucket List but I get the concept, so in no particular order I want to.........

Drive a camper van around Australia
Visit Hawaii
Be the best grandma (someday not right away)
Learn to eat right and stick with it
Travel to Europe and see history
Climb a pyramid
Live on the ocean
Finish my book group book
Discover my artistic style and become an artist not just a crafter
Live like these guys: www.theburiedlife.com
Live greener

What's on your list????

Old and new habits

I was reading a really old article in O magazine that talked about changing habits. The author said it takes about 28 days to change or form a new habit, so every month he picks 3 things he wants to change and just focuses on them. I think if you start small that might be very workable. What 3 things would you pick?

Randomness

Just a peek into my life the last few days:

We were happy to host a Ultimate Frisbee team overnight from Eugene Oregon. We ended up with 9 HS boys, 3 girls and a couple of parents spread out on the living room and dining room floors. Wonderful, funny kids, it was a joy to have them here. The next day was a local 'pick-up' tournament.It was a overcast but warm day, I was burned to a crisp!

Today I was shopping at Freddys for some family birthday gifts when I backed into a hook and tore out the bottom of my pants, of course they were my fav but really old. Thankfully I was in a store and able to grab another pair though the cashier got a big laugh when I showed up at the register holding out the tag on my new pants.

My latest craze has been beading these little spirit dolls my friend Linda taught me to make. They are fun, full of meaning and keep my hands busy...good all around.

Graduation

My baby has graduated. I find this has closed a door for us, no more intimate connection with the public school system and all the frustrating regulations and wonderful teachers some whom I will really miss. I'm excited for the new challenges our son will face and know he is ready to spread his wings, hopefully he will revisit the home nest often.

Aprons

Taking up quilting has branched out into a reawakened love of all fabrics, old, new and the new that just looks old =o)
I find wearing an apron puts me into the zone while cooking, and while making art. Give one a try and see what you create.

Welcome little one

This is my neighbor and their new baby. I am thrilled they managed to survive the cats and crows and have such a healthy looking child. I'm sure some of that luck is due to the parents aggression towards anything even resembling a threat hence my sneaky position behind the iris hoping for atleast one photo. Best wishes for a long life little one.

Joy

What is joy? A kitchen floor full of teen boys trying to create a hover craft that is due tomorrow out of take-out containers, plastic garbage bags, and a old computer fan. The sounds of joy as it actually lifts off the floor is priceless.

Life lately......

Now my baby has almost graduated and flown the nest I guess it's a good time to find more projects to fill the hours. My boys will be relived =o)