Monday, June 30, 2008

The Weekend in Photos

Pond visited (Green Heron)

Deck flowered


Guest room fluffed...

...from both directions

Iris transplanted (in 3 locations)

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Tami wins :-)

I've sent Tami a private note, but just in case she doesn't see it...

Tami, you are lucky #4, so you win the little give-away. Send me your snail mail address and I'll get the fabrics out to you.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

About Words on Fabric (with a little rant)

Don't worry, I'm still having the give-away. And all the pieces of fabric - all smaller than a fat quarter, mind you, but still very usable by crafters and dollmakers and other lovers of cotton fabrics - will have words on them, but they are part of the design. Pre-printed phrases or words or script or maybe even some "foreign" text, but they are the fabric pattern. I'm not doing any writing or printing or stamping, ok?

Not that I don't like the things that other folks do with making their own fabrics - the journal skirts, the bags - some stamped, some stenciled, and lots of other techniques - I love and admire them. It's just not one of the things I'm doing right now, but I truly do appreciate them.

However, that brings me to something I don't appreciate, courtesy of a trip to a shopping mall last night. Don't worry, I haven't lost my preference for non-mall stores, but some things you just have to do at a mall. Barnes & Noble is attached to the mall. So is Sears, the place we buy most of our tools and appliances - or at least we did until recent purchases keep failing us - which is why we were at the mall last night.

And there I saw something that really troubles me. No, it offends me, and it makes me really want to shake some people. It's about words on fabric; on articles of clothing to be precise. Articles of clothing worn by young, pre-pubescent girls - things like little pink short-shorts on a girl with a body that's just starting to develop, where you find the words "juicy" appliqued across her young bottom, or "hottie." What is wrong with their mothers? Those girls are so young, they can't be buying that clothing themselves. Sure, they probably pester the heck out of their mothers, and the mothers give in, but for heaven's sake, how can you be so spineless as to give in and let your tender BABY go out in public wearing such things? It's not much better when you stamp it across their chests, for pete's sake. My daughter and I have had endless (agreeable) conversations about not putting those kinds of words on the front of my granddaughter's chest. Really, do you want people reading your baby's chest? And then taking that next leap of thought? I shudder.

And speaking of shuddering, and bottoms, let me rant further. Form-fitting white summer cropped pants, no matter how good your figure is, and even if you are considerate enough to wear undergarments that keep you from having VPL (visible panty line) should NOT be made of material thin enough to allow the glow of your cheeks to shine through. And if your figure isn't good enough, PLEASE spare us all. Buy a mirror, have some pity.

Aren't you glad I don't go to the mall often? OK. Now, go spread some joy.

Spreading Joy, and a Give-Away

This morning I read a great post on Ricë Freeman-Zachery's blog, which began with a review of a couple of books, one of which is on my wish list but went on to talk about attitude, happiness, perspective, and many more things that I couldn't say nearly as well, so read her post, ok?

And, in the spirit of Ricë's suggestion, I'm listing three MORE things that make me happy, and I'm going to ask you to do the same thing right here. You can leave some on her post, too, but I think we should generate some joy, so leave me a comment listing three things that make you happy/give you joy. At 8 PM (US EDT time) this coming Sunday, Oldtimer & I will "draw" one of your comments, and I'll give away a goodie packet of fabrics - all with words on them. That's one of the things I love - fabric with words on it!

Here are three more things that make me happy:


1. Good quality handmade soap - mine or someone else's

2. Hearing my granddaughter laugh over the telephone

3. My blissful, Saturday morning lattes, shared with Oldtimer


(I've omitted - almost anything that sparkles/shines - but you know that, right?)

What's that nursery rhyme? "The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings."

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Plunk Your Magic Twanger, Froggy!

Remember that old line from the Andy's Gang show? As a child, I actually had a toy Froggy - there's still some grainy old black & white photo in the album somewhere of me, my cousin David, and Froggy - two toddlers and a weird toy on an old plaid couch. Only last night, listening to the odd noise made by the bull frogs in our pond did I understand where that "twanger" line came from.

Cute, no?

(We need to weed the pond!)

(His throat is much greener than it shows here.)

(What lurks here?)

(Frog at dusk - this is my favorite of the four photos.)

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Feeling Lucky

I've been living in Ohio now for nearly three years, and my dear Oldtimer has continued a Saturday morning tradition this entire time - going out about 6 AM and getting me a latte. I love feeling so indulged, and this past Saturday was really lovely. Oldtimer got up, got dressed, and went to the grocery store before visiting the "latte store" because we were out of cat food. What a guy! AND, when he came home from the store, he also had a bouquet of flowers for me. Just look at these...I don't think they could have been better if he had selected every stem for me.
I'm working on some cute little fabric birds for a swap on the CPS list. I put them on the kitchen counter last night to photograph, thinking the jumbo jar of pasta might make a nice backdrop. (My light cube is at the office, so we can take photos of ebay auction stuff...) Just as I snapped the photo, I noticed Cosmo peeking around the jar. Doesn't it look like he's sneaking up on the birds?And here they all are, lined up in a basket, with their contrasting breasts showing. I still have to close the tails, and do some embellishing. I only signed up to swap two - not sure what I'll do with the other two. The pattern came from the Spool blog, and they recommend making a mobile.
Sunday was Father's Day. The hairy boys and I gave Oldtimer a new grill. It was on sale! I made barbecued shrimp and corn on the cob on his new grill for a special supper on Sunday.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Mostly Photos






It's been crazy busy here! Mostly the day job is interfering with my real life, but there are other things in PLAY too - like the Mario Cart game. Since I'm not feeling very clever right now, and all talked out, how about a bunch of photos. If there are any you don't understand, drop me a line!