mr. monkeysuit

I'm loving...

...Floyd's art. He is a prolific artist at the moment and it is such a joy to watch. These are his drawings from the kids ATC swap. Dinosaurs, castles, pirate ships and houses, all good stuff.

...my new stack of freshly washed Liberty fabrics.

...our spring table.

...and remembering to have a snack ready when the kids wake up/ get back from school.

...seeing the back of this commission.

...baking with my new bowls (you knew that was going to happen).

...a rainbow of felt for a new project.

...finished blocks for Block Party.

...sorting through our photos from London.

...the expression of concentration on these little faces.

...and the fact that it is the last day of March.

another quick fix

I am finding it hard at the moment to concentrate on any complicated sewing projects. I think I have got commission burn out. I am almost finished three, I have one more on the table and then I am off duty for a while .
In the mean time I have been enjoying little bursts of quick, satisfying sewing projects; pajamas, ribbons on dresses and that sort.
Here's another one. This time for Project Improv.

I choose aqua and red for my block because it is not a color scheme I have worked with very much.

This is what I came up with.

I like the freshness of the blue and red together. It puts me in mind to make a whole quilt...like I need to start another project.
I have really enjoyed following along with the Project Improv flickr group and seeing all the results. Like lots and lots of people I went with a fairly traditional log cabin style. On reflection I probably could have pushed myself out of my comfort zone a bit more but I just wanted to enjoy this project.
I have a project on my table that is proving quite challenge enough.

What's your latest challenge? I'd love to hear about it.

down right simple

from irritating....(note the flippy up hem)

to perfect....

in under 10 minutes.

 

Is that windmill ribbon not the loveliest?

I love a quick fix bit of sewing.

eta :: perfect except for the muddy paw prints all over the door. Ew and the more I look at it the more I realize that door needs a lick of paint too. Damn, if I never spent 10 minutes fixing that dress I wouldn't have to spend a day painting that door! Post renamed : down right irritating.

pajama day

5.17pm Wednesday evening

me: Ohhh Floyd it's pajama day at school tomorrow.
Floyd: Yup
me: Well, which pajamas would you like to wear. You could wear your new ones we bought in London.
Floyd: No thanks. (pause)  You know, last year you made me a pair.

7.48pm that same evening

8.07pm

8.49pm Finished (just in the nick of time for Lost) and outside his bedroom door.

7.48am A morning surprise. A happy boy. And a new pair of pajamas.

Wrapped. around. his little.finger.

the state of my stash

before

There was some order but things were getting a little out of hand.

after

Ahh, order. And for me, a sense of calm.

Last week was more than a little chaotic but amidst all that craziness I new I needed a project. I didn't have enough focus to sew or even to knit. I needed something that would restore order. Tidying my sewing room was the perfect solution. Fabric all neatly folded, computer is on the third floor, one less table, one less set of shelves and the room has opened up. So have the possibilities.

Claire - I used the happy zombie method for folding my fabric and I'm a convert. Just in case you need to make some space.

the sun was shining today

Oh yes it was. And I am feeling much better. And I am down to just three loads of laundry today. So far.

A certain little brown-haired, blue-eyed, cute-as-can be boy will be turning FIVE in about three weeks. How can this be? How can this have happened so quickly? When you have kids, it's like someone puts the foot on the accelerator of time. You speed through years as though they were months.

He announced the other day that he wants to learn to read and asked me to teach him. He meant right there and then, like I could I teach him to read now. Sure son. It'll just take a minute.

Claire and I cranked out these alphabet magnets as part of Floyd's birthday present but I'm toying with the idea of making some more because A - Z is good but you really want to be able to spell words....luckily there are no repeat letters in his name so if laziness prevails he'll at least get to spell that.

Of course, back in the hospital almost five years ago I said to Andy, "Love, pick a name with no repeat letters in case one day I want to make some fabric covered button alphabet magnets and I only want to do A - Z."

I think March might hate me

If ever I am going to have a nervous breakdown I feel fairly certain that it is going to happen in March. This is always the month that has me crying...no sobbing and desperately praying that it will leave more gently than it arrives. Last year March was about comas, ear infections, cellulitis and four trips to ER. This year we are all about heaving coughs, stomach flu, minor operations and exhaustion. Oh and laundry. Last count was 19 loads in 4 days. Did I mention that I am exhausted?

So there we have it...that's me but hey, how are you?
Thanks for all your nice comments on my last post we had a swell time in London. It was really super fun. It was so great to visit the city as a tourist and do all the fun things that I never did when I lived there, like visit the Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, watch the changing of the guard, go to the Egyptian Hall in the British Museum and take the kids to Hamleys. The kids were stellar travelers and despite a little confusion on Cissie's part about us permanently living in the hotel, they did great. I have lots of of fun things to show and tell but haven't even managed to download my pictures yet. See Claire's post for a run down of the shopping that ensued.

But I can't leave without posting something nice to look at, so here's a commission that made it out the door just before we did.

Simple, sunny and cheerful. Just like March!

Back to regular programming soon...laundry permitting.