a little inspiration

Last year at the sewing retreat I had a colossal fail  (but look how tiny she was!!) when I tried to make a bag.  I will admit, it was good for me.  This had never happened to me before.  And in the time in between I don't think I made any bags at all (except perhaps a library tote for E?)  This was a little odd for me because I have made quite a lot of bags and really got sewing as an adult because of them.  I've used patterns and made up things, done simple and embellished. Anyway, last year was a disaster and I wanted to redeem myself (okay, maybe it was sub-conscious...) and when I came across the Cooper from Colette Patterns I knew I had just the right thing. I spent a lot of time online looking at what others had done to figure out what kinds of fabric combinations I really loved and then I spent a few more hours looking at fabric online to pick just the right combination for me.  I searched around quite a bit for the hardware. ...

  This weekend is for sewing.  I have a few things cut out.  Two patterns from Colette.  It'll be interesting to see what comes out of the weekend.  Hope you have wonderful plans too!

Women spend a lot of time beating themselves up.  Mothers do it even more I think.  I recently had to rate my self confidence and I realized I had two completely separate scores.  As a human being, taking care of myself, making choices about what I want, how to get it, etc I score high.  As parent of a nearly 5 year old I am scrapping by each day, pulling myself off the floor and trying to get through it.*  (I know I am still in the golden stage with the baby.) Several weeks ago I participated in a parenting seminar and one of the facilitators looked me straight in the eye and said gently, "It sounds like you've really figured out a lot of things that work for your family."  I'm going to tell you my first reaction: I thought it was a pretense.  Giving me a little compliment that she didn't really mean to shut me up or get me to hold it together.  (I wasn't holding it together very well that day.)  But then I looked deeper.  She h...

These days are filled with wonder.  She invites me to walk with her with one finger pointed up.  She invites me to hold her with both hands out, twisted so her little elbows touch.  I can almost hear the request, "Hold me?" She loves to put on a necklace or my keys.  They bounce against her ankles as she walks.  She tries to put on shirts and sweaters on her own.  Over and over and over with no frustration.  She accepts help.  She toddles from place to place and tells a story as she goes.  She falls down and just crawls or gets up and goes again.  No frustration unless she is tired.  She seems to already know it is about the process, the journey.  She climbs everything she can.  She can get to the top of his loft ladder.  She is overjoyed as we are terrified. She loves small spaces.  You'll find her in the corner cabinet any time of the day.  She climbs into the toy bin.  She loves her brother. ...

How does your face feel?  Anyone try it?  I swear, it sounds weird but it is so good!  You're going to love this week. A few weeks ago we had our first really warm day. It was a surprise to me and I went and changed out of my pants and into a skirt.  When I looked at my legs I was a little horrified.  They were covered in red spots and the skin was so dry as to look fragile.  Ug!  How could they look this old??? (are you sensing a pattern here?  Clearly, I am delusional. ;) Here it is time for some confessions- 1. I don't often shave my legs in the winter and when I do it is almost always with my husband's electric razor (hi sweetie!) 2. I am beyond paper white.  Right off into pale marble. 3. I have several broken blood vessels on my legs from pregnancy and, eons ago, playing catcher in softball. 4.I have always liked my legs the least of any feature. Because we have a shower stall and not a bathtub I almost never see my legs in th...