Finally doing it

Doing what?  Starting up a baby stuff business.  Putting my love of making things to good use by selling them.

More specifically - my teaching partner Kristina and I (who between the two of us have 3 kids under 3!) have a decidedly crafty bent.  I got her going on her sewing machine a while ago, and we did a great little project for her nieces.   We will both admit that we are not "artsy" but we are "crafty" and we've been toying around with this idea for a while to make stuff and sell it at farmers markets locally.

This last weekend we actually decided to really go for it... no more hypothetical.  We decided on a name, we bought a URL, a business license, signed up for etsy, decided on a bank to go through (I still have to actually set up the account), designed a label for our stuff (and ordered the stuff to make the labels), came up with a general stall concept decor and we are figuring out what items we want to really go forward and make (10-15 different things we think).

Kristina has done this stuff before - she used to sell jewelry with her mom at the farmers markets, so she's definitely the expert in that area and I'm following her lead.  We have a lot to figure out still, and we won't really start selling for a few months (we have to make things first after all - and report cards are due at the end of this month) but we are excited.  We both needed something like this to really spark us.  Plus it gives a purpose to the summer.  Last summer was all about little baby time and getting used to mommy life - this summer will be lovely in a whole new way.

I think it'll be good for her boys, and for Kate, to see their moms following through with their dreams, even if they don't really understand it yet.

Look for more information when it becomes available!

At the start of 2015

Miss Kate, you are almost 8 months old and if I don't write these things down I'm afraid I won't remember them. Things like:
- you are almost cruising.  You want to walk so bad.
- you army crawl very well. I wonder if you don't crawl on your knees because we have so much wood flooring. You try and get on your feet but are still using your hands (bear style?).
- you've been rolling back and forth for months now- you used to roll across the floor until thanksgiving or so when you really started army crawling, but you haven't figured out how to get from crawling position to sitting up position.
- once you are sitting up though, you can pull yourself up to a standing position, so we've lowered your crib because it's coming soon.
- your first word was maaaaaaam.  Then bye-bye. Lots of babbling going on these days.
- you are a good eater, even eating broccoli and cauliflower which you get from dad, certainly not from me.  You aren't big on meat though- puréed chicken was a no go, shredded chicken you'll eat if it's on your tray with other things. You wave your hands, or bang them on the tray when you want food and I'm. to fast enough for you.
- you have just two bottom teeth, you've had those since five months or so, and those two top teeth are just about to arrive, I felt a sharp one poking through a week ago, but then it went right back up. Even without teeth you are good at gumming your food up.  You really like feeding yourself and you are getting better at it, the pincer grip is getting there, with both hands,
- you feed Shaylee,  but you haven't figured out just dropping food on the floor for her yet.  You sometimes hold food in your hand over the edge of the tray and she eats out of your hand.  I think you'll be in cahoots once you figure out dropping food on the floor on purpose.
- you've just started getting some separation anxiety, but it comes and goes, it's not consistent.
- you still are a great nurser, but now you make huffy noises if I'm too slow for you, which apparently is all the time.  I like to play with your hair when you nurse - it's so fine and straight and light.  I don't think it will last.  You will move my free hand (the one that isn't supporting you) where you want it.  Usually you move it down to your side / hip region, you don't like it in your hair usually.  Sometimes you want to hold my hand.  When you are done nursing you arch your back and lean back and make a big content sigh, sometimes you babble a little, or you start to doze off if it's a night feeding.  If it's day time sometimes you play with your dinner after eating by squeezing with your fingers, and usually you don't bite, but you get sad when I scold you when you do bite.
- you get really excited when you see me after a day at daycare. You squeal and wave your hands and smile real big.  It's the best.  You usually do the same thing when you see dad when he gets home from work, but sometimes you are fickle.
- you love when dad throws you up in the air and catches you.  You squeal and laugh.
- your laugh is the best.  I love to kiss on your tummy and face and make you laugh.  Peek-a-boo can make you laugh too.
- you love remote controls and cell phones and the iPad and the computer keyboards and mice and dad's headset and anything we don't really want you grabbing / smashing on.
- you like to run your fingernails on the fireplace grate.  So we are keeping the fireplace off.
-you love to splash and play in the tub and chew on the bath toys.
- you are a people watcher, you enjoy going to the stores and seeing things and you don't like being ignored - you want people to pay attention to you.
- you like playing with the older kids, at daycare or other places, because they like to play with you. You haven't figured out sharing yet - if you want a toy you go and grab it.
- shaylee doesn't mind sharing her toys, but she doesn't share her food treats.  We are working on that, and her not stealing your toys.
- you have so many clothes and shoes (even though we aren't really putting you in shoes yet).  I haven't bough you hardly anything,  you are quite spoiled in that, and I am so grateful for it.
- you are on the high side of the percentiles, 70th something percentile for weight, 80th something for  height and 90th something for head size,  you are currently about 19 pounds, and 29 inches tall.

That's what I can think of right Joe.  I can't believe it's been almost 8 months, and how much you've grown already.  It makes me sad and nostalgic.  But I am excited to see what you will become.

My Little Pumpkin

I was planning on taking the kiddo to the pumpkin patch, but, that just didn't happen. So my friend Kristina and I took our littles over to the nursery and plopped them in the pumpkin display and took some pictures.

I particularly love Kate's little orange hat courtesy of my cousin Beth.  It just seems so fitting for the season and location.

Determined

Dear Kate,

You are very determined, and I dare say stubborn.  You get the stubborn thing from both your parents.  You like things the way you like them.  In your mind milk comes from nursing and while you vaguely accept it from a spoon you'd rather not if you weren't forced to.  You know when the bib comes towards you you're about to be fed milk and you start complaining. You love eating big girl food.  You are trying to feed yourself- you try and grab the spoon from me when I feed you and you put it in your mouth. You don't particularly care for peas, though you seem to like them better when they are mixed with sweet potato.  We tried green beans last night, you seem to like them more than peas, but not nearly as much as anything else we've given you (thus far avocado, sweet potato, butternut squash, bananas, peas and green beans).  When you were being fed green beans you seemed to say you were done with mom feeding you and you wanted to feed yourself, but you still made the same faces when you realized that it was still green beans.  You like to watch people, and see what is around you.  You get bored at home with the same toys and people around and you do well out and about including at school. You love grabbing your feet (and putting rm in your mouth).  This makes changing your diaper easy and difficult.  Easy to clean you and nice because you don't put finger or feet in the mess.  Difficult because I have to attach the diaper which is hard with legs in the way!  You enjoy your excersaucer - now you are trying to put things in your mouth, probably because you are getting your first tooth poking through. (Actually on second inspection you have one tooth already poking out and one almost there). You've started to complain as soon as I sign you into daycare, and complaining might be too gentle a word for the head back, arms out, screaming that happens.  But you almost always need a nap at that point or if you don't you stop screaming when I've left.  But you make the biggest smiles and reach for me as soon as I show up to pick you up.  And that makes me feel pretty special - like I'm your favorite person. I'm certain that will change, especially when you're a teenager.  You can roll over, back to front and front to back, but you don't do it often. You really want to crawl. Those legs get going but you haven't figured out how to lift your belly off the ground.  I wonder if you'll walk before you crawl. You've loved standing for a months now, and you've had amazing head and neck control almost from the beginning, I feel like you didn't really have that newborn neck thing. You certainly have your own timeline. I'm curious to see how it changes, but I'm a little sad about how fast you are growing and changing., you aren't my little baby anymore.

Love, mom.

Baby Kate

Dear Baby Kate - you are four months old! (4 months and one week to be precise).  You're a funny little thing.  You were born a big girl - those almost two weeks of extra cook time might have something to do with it - at just over 9 pounds.  (That sure surprised your mom). And you were long - 21 inches.  You are still quite long, 25 inches at your last check up, and you have a very large head - I think you must have a very big brain - you certainly are too smart for my sanity right now - more on that later.  Your check ups are always good - but, they prove you are stubborn.  You were stubborn when you were born - we had to force you out with an induction (you were supposed to arrive on April 28th, you didn't show up until May 9).  And you are stubborn still - mostly when it comes to eating.  You have been a great nurser since day one - for which I am very thankful for - we've had no issues whatsoever in that arena - but when it comes to other people feeding you - no way, uh uh, nope.  We've tried so many bottle / nipple combinations, all of them met with screaming - OH the screaming.  We tried mom giving them, dad giving them, people who were watching you giving them.  All with no success.  It's probably my fault - I should have started introducing bottles sooner, but I didn't want to jeopardize the great nursing you were doing.  And you were starting daycare, which stressed me out. You went 11 hours one day without eating at daycare.  You weren't unhappy at all - unless you were given a bottle - then you were VERY angry.  Take the bottle away - you played and napped and were generally happy. So we tried sippy cups.  While you don't hate those, you mostly just play with them, and we haven't had much luck with you drinking milk from them.  We've discovered that you will take milk via spoon. Which confounds me. But at least you are getting something.  Not enough to make the doctors happy, because your weight percentage keeps dropping, now you're at the 33 percentile.  My long lithe girl.  So we are starting you on solids - just at daycare (except when we introduce them first at home).  I'm dubious about rice cereal, so we started with one of mom's favorites - avocados.  You actually don't seem to mind them.  It's a messy business - we've just decided to put you in a high chair in a diaper and bib.  You make the most ridiculous faces when we feed you, and half the time you spit some of it back out (am I giving you too big of bites?) but you keep opening your mouth for more, and you eat what I consider quite a good amount.  And you ate it at daycare too, which makes Ms. Sylvia happy too.  So with your avocado and milk diet I hope you will gain a little more weight, because then I won't worry as much.  It just amazes me though - because you are hungry - but you are willing to wait for mom to come and feed you directly.  Hence the stubborn.  I think mom and dad are going to be in for some interesting times in the future, because we are both stubborn in our own ways - wish us luck, we're going to need it.  It's time for me to get ready for work now, so I can wake you up and get you ready for your day.

Love - Mommy

So... it's been a while

It's been a while since I've blogged, and a lot has happened (in no particular order).

I had a baby.

There was other stuff too, but that's the big one.

Other people got married, got engaged, had life drama, moved, had babies too. 

I taught a lot.  I sewed some.

We had to put Solomon down.  That was really sad.

I got a new (to me) car.

The cat went on a six-week plus adventure. We thought he was gone. But then he came back,

Our yard is a weed patch disaster, but we did build an awesome gazebo.

I had some adventures with friends.

I switched grade levels to fifth grade this year after years in sixth.

My gallbladder had to be removed.

In having that baby, I also had some serious morning sickness and gestational diabetes.

But I think the big one was having that baby. :)

Another try with a pen

I used to be a big journaler .  I have a shelf full of written pages, full of angst, drama, hopes, dreams, puppy love and unrequited love. Sometime around my mid twenties, when I started working full time maybe, it all but stopped. I think it might be time to go back to them. The online blog is great for certain thing, but, maybe it's time for a private one too. One that will last when web blogs go defunct. Besides, it cathartic to just let the words out knowing that they may never be seen by anyone else. 

Alone in a crowded space

It hit me last night, as I was sitting around the fire with the almost youngest members of the social gathering ( the second and fourth graders .... The toddlers were either sleeping or somewhere else at that point) that for the majority of my life, I've not belonged with my peer group. I didn't / don't seem to have much in common with them. As a child I was with the adults, or with the MUCH younger children. Now it seems I prefer the company of children, as the adults don't seem to acknowledge I'm there most of the time.  The one exception to this is work. The people I work with I have commonalities with. I can talk to. They want to talk to ME instead of me trying to awkwardly force myself into a conversation. At work I am actively included. It feels right. I don't see coasters of people with me cropped out of the picture.  Aside from work, the majority of the time I feel like I'm alone, even when there are lots of people around, especially when there are lots of people around. It seems I do better actually being physically alone, because for whatever reason I can justify it to myself.  That is ok to be sad and lonely when you are in fact, alone, compared to feeling unwanted and unwelcome and unworthy.

It frustrates me, this situation. I've tried to change it so many times. I've tried to become like them, doing what they do, thinking like they do, but it's not me. I don't feel true to myself, and I do like myself. I think I'm interesting, if maybe a big strange,but who isn't in their own way. I've tried to be myself with them, but that doesn't work either. I'm not a force myself into a situation person, I'm scared of being rejected and hurt because I've been there far too often, and it's not a place I feel safe and welcomed and willing to take a chance.  The fear of failing is far to intense. It's not worth the chance, I'd like to keep what self confidence I have left.

I have watched for years. Years. Standing on the sidelines, waiting to be picked. Wanting and trying to join, only to be passed over by every single new person, watching them welcomed in. Watching them invited and included. Feeling more and more left out, more and more alone. We moved closer, thinking the living in the boonies was part of the problem. At least then when we arrived there was acknowledgment of being there, a hey you guys came all the way down. Some days now I could just wander around and nobody would say a thing. I feel invisible. Unwanted. Unknown.

There was a time, a few years, where I had the group of friends. When I felt included, at least most for the time. It wasn't a big group, but we supported each other, most of the time, I miss those times.

I wonder if anyone would miss me

Etsy and doing what I love

Blogging hasn't happened much lately. I've done some projects, and I'll post pictures and information soon (I hope). But, this post is for a different reason. This winter break, more than any other time that I can remember, I don't want to go back to school. I made a couple of baby girl quilts - one for a co-worker at school, and one for my college roommate Maggie - and I enjoy making them so much.  I was calm and the stress of school was so far away. That feeling was so foreign, and realizing that was quite shocking.  As much as I love being with kids, and I do love teaching -it's all the other stuff that goes along with it that I can't handle - I was contemplating resigning my teaching contract to sew. However, financially that won't work for us. Buying a house in Seattle isn't cheap and while I probably could downsize on the lifestyle, I'm not sure Robert would or could.  So I pondered other options. I could work part time - I loved working at the library - and sew the rest of the time.  Etsy, the online marketplace, would be a good place to sell what I make. But figuring out what to charge would take some thinking.  I'd need to ensure that our income level won't change.

The point of all of this is this, I'm not going to quit my job, as much as I feel the stress would decrease. This summer I will start making things, building up an inventory, setting prices, etc.  Then I'll set up an etsy account. My dear friend Carthey, if she moves to Seattle like she's hoping too, would contribute as well - she's so creative. She makes jewelry, paper flowers, and can draw, unlike me. Between the two of us we might have something special.  

Here are some of my ideas:
- zodiac onesies
- baby kimonos ( I made one for a shower last year and it was adorable)
- premade baby quilts
- the option to have someone order a custom baby quilt ( they tell us about the couple / family / likes etc and we make a special quilt for them)
- receiving blankets and burp clothes (either separately or bundled into amatching kit)
- baby booties
- stuffed animals or toys
- baby gear ( maybe like accessories for car seats or shopping carts)
- bags / diaper bag / changing pads
- bibs
Plus whatever else Carthey comes up with.

Any other ideas?

Baby Boy Brown Quilt

Now that I've delivered the finished product, I can post pictures. 

I went with a brick layout with black sashing and a variety of Dr. Seuss fabrics.

 I ordered the fabric from Fabric.com, they had a lot of variety.

I got the black and white polka dot fabric from Joann's.  I thought it didn't need another layer of sashing would be too much.

I did a basic black fleece for the back and stitched in the ditch so I didn't quilt over any of the Dr. Seuss fabric.

And it's big enough for little Davis Ray Brown to grow into and use for quite a while.

Summer fun?

There is a ton and a half of things to do before summer break, a month to go as of today until we are done.  But, unless I write down my plans for the summer I'll focus on those instead of what I need to do to get to summer break.  So, my goals for the summer - both work and non-work related include (but are not limited to):

• Getting the yard into some sort of shape - this ideally includes creating raised garden planting beds with gravel walkways around them (less mowing, Solomon can't walk all over them), creating a stone retaining wall and extending the raised planting area by the fence and weeding / replanting those beds with low maintenance perennials / herbs / flowering bushes
• Finish unpacking everything and organizing- this mostly is the downstairs library area, but includes other areas
• Create artwork for the empty walls in the house
• Sew - I don't know what yet, but sew something
• Start the Pro-Teach process to renew my certificate during the 2012-2013 school year
• Read a lot - especially the classics as I require my class to read them, I should be re-familiarizing myself with them.
• Camp / boat / hike
• Reconnect with my girls
• Redesign the science curriculum for my class - go over the state / national standards and incorporate what we are supposed to be doing in the terrible kits we get with the idea of a year long curriculum based on the local environment - including earth history, biology, botany and our school's bioswales.  We have an amazing local environment to take advantage of with the creeks and Puget Sound and the students will be going to camp in September so I want to build on that excitement and continue it all year long.  I want it to interdisciplinary, and include becoming an advocate. There's a lot we can't do because of district regulations on the school property - but we can walk to a local lake and there is a stream system just on the other side of the school that we can learn about water quality and macro-invertebrates and invasive species of plants.  I think we could really make it into something special 
• Check out my new neighborhood - explore my new community
• Increase my physical fitness
• Take photographs

I think that's quite a bit of list for now.  I'll probably do more things, I know I will, but it's a starting place. 

Granola

I know we just moved in, we are still getting settled, and kids aren't in the picture yet.  But, they will be in a year or two, and when they happen, the people around me better get used to the reality that I will not be giving up my "granola" habits and I have some strong feelings about how kids should be raised.  Do I think it will be perfect, easy or simple? Definitively no.  Will this future child have only wooden, organic things? No.  But I will try to have as few chemicals and cheap plastic things around. If it's a sunny day and this kid insists on playing a DS or whatever the handheld gaming device of the day is, then at least they can do it outside - because I know that there will be video games in this child's life.  But there will be a balance.  There will be playing in dirt and mud puddles and playing with plants and make believe and blocks and legos and books and painting and field trips and animals.  There will be a concerted effort to have healthy, not so processed food, but I know there will be junk food too.  Chances are this kid won't be a vegetarian like me - and I don't really care.  If they want to be when they are old enough to decide then they'll need to have a balanced diet - and that's something I know I'll have to work on myself.  While there might not be "church" in the strict sense of religion - there will be an understanding of spirituality, kindness, respect, and giving back to the community.  I'll try and balance the consumerism with simplicity.  I can't give this child the childhood I had - and it was a great childhood, but not perfect.  I'll still lean "granola" as those people in my life like to call it in their disparaging way -but I don't think that's a bad thing.  I'll strive to have a well mannered, respectful, polite child who keeps their sense of wonder and creativity, who likes to learn and play and experience.  I'll strive to have firm and fair expectations, consistency and routines that have been shown to be helpful for children.  I'll try to keep to a normal schedule with regular bedtimes, but I know that it won't always happen.   Back to basics isn't a bad thing, and this "granola" life that some look down their noses at worked out pretty well for me.  

Home ownership

Now don't get me wrong, I really am enjoying living in our own place - not a rental, not a property owned by family members.  And I love that it's a place that we get to make our own - it's not a place that one of us has lived in for years and the other person moves into their space.  But home ownership is a lot of work and so far it's been expensive.  It's the end of the 3rd weekend we've lived here and I wouldn't call us close to being done unpacking.  Some rooms are close, the bedroom is probably the closet, or the guest room, my sewing room isn't bad (though, I have a feeling it's going to change arrangement shortly with the arrival of a "new to me" sewing machine and table so I haven't done the final touches).  There are some rooms that are still almost completely in boxes - the "library" is one of those rooms, I haven't unpacked a single box of books.  In the office my desk is now built but I haven't unpacked my computer yet, and Robert's desk hasn't even arrived so that area is still very much a work in progress.  The room that is the least set up is the living room upstairs - the furniture is ordered, should get here this week, hopefully it is in better shape than the table (still waiting to hear back about that repair).   Other than mowing the lawn this weekend no work has been done in the yard, but, for the most part it doesn't really need anything right now - there are summer projects that need to happen, but that isn't here or now.  We've done our fair share (and then some probably) of stimulating the economy so there better be some growth on that front.  My commute is different, but not bad, and Roberts is infinitely better.  We are close to friends and family (well, Robert's family) and the house is really set up for the kinds of socializing that we do - boys downstairs, girls upstairs,.  Solomon is so happy to have a fenced yard to run around in, though the cat is not pleased that we have a busier road making him an inside only cat.  I definitely have some projects in mind for the summer - in the yard, decorating inside, etc, but for the most part, I think we will be settled in shortly after the rest of the furniture arrives - a good time to have a housewarming party I guess. It's not unlivable as it is though - there is more space than I know what to do with at the moment - which is good, we wanted a house we could grow into, and we have that - no plans for children yet, but when that decision does happen my sewing room will just move downstairs.  I'll post pictures soon, but, I haven't taken any yet so it makes it hard to post them.

Kitchen

 Kitchen, I am so ready to move in and use you.  Hopefully you and I will be great friends in a week, and you'll be full of dishes the next day.

auction baskets

Our "Boy" Basket/Tub

Our school hosts the rotary club evening homework support club a couple of times a week and the rotary has been very supportive of our school and programs, donating supplies and whatnot.  Every year they put on a fundraising auction and this year Ruth and I took the lead on a baby basket for the auction.  I didn't have a lot of time or energy to devote to it this year what with the moving and thinking I was doing National Boards, so I made a large number of simple projects.  Jo-Ann fabrics had their $1.99 flannel sale and so I got 10 different fabrics at 1 yard a piece.  I used this flannel in two ways - I made an approx. 36"x36" receiving blanket (basic hem) and used the rest to embellish burp clothes.  One of my new favorite projects is making burp clothes - I used to do terry cloth / flannel burp clothes (double sided) but then I decided to use the pre-fold diapers (they usually come in packs of 10) and use flannel and grosgrain ribbon to make them look pretty and more special.  So for less than $20 worth of fabric, the cost of ribbon (of which I already had some) and the cost of the prefold diapers I ended up with 10 sets of matching burp clothes and receiving blankets. We ended up making two baskets - one girl and one boy because between Ruth and I and the other donations we had a lot of stuff for this basket. Last year our head custodian won it - which  was great because later in the year he ended up fostering his darling little girl.  Who knows who has these baskets - lucky them is all I can think :).

Briana Buholm's Baby Projects

I admit it.  I love sewing baby things.  And so far I haven't had a lot of excuses to make little girl things.  But, I did recently.  I have also found that sewing really de-stresses me, which I have needed quite a bit this school year - not because of the kids, but because of the other things going on related to school. I completely disengage from my worries when I sew and focus just on what I'm doing - which is so helpful sometimes.  So, not only did I get to unwind a bit, but I got to finally sew some of the adorable girly things that I've been wanting to sew.  So, here's what I've been up to sewing for the yet unnamed Baby Buholm.

 First project is a little baby cotton kimono.  I had this fabric left over from a skirt I had made and already had the green binding.  It has a tie on one side, and a button on the inside to secure it.

 The second project is a flannel lined sleep sack.  It velcros along the side so you can easily put the baby inside for a nap.  This project actually was the second version.  I had made a mistake with the first one using the wrong marking pen (and then mistakenly sett the ink by ironing it) so I had to scrap the first version, but, I had the right fabric in my stash to make another one (and I actually like this one a bit better).  But again, I didn't have to buy anything to do this project.

Project three actually required that I go out and get fabric as my flannel stash is mostly little bits of fabric, nothing big enough to make a receiving blanket out of.   But, it did give me a chance to peruse the lovely flannel section at Pacific Fabrics.  The first one (far right) is a bright pink with little white lambs (and a few black ones) with flowers.  Then pink daisys (this one is sooo soft), then there is a cream background with little hats, dresses shoes and purses on it - so very girly.  And the last one I picked out because I had seen pictures of the baby room and it was pink with green accents - so I picked out this flannel because of it's green background and pink flowers.

This project is a pair of baby Mary Jane shoes with pink flowers  on the toes made out of felt with pink ribbon ties and pink embroidery details.  I stuffed the shoes with a bit of pink lace that I had around just so they could hold their form.  Perhaps not so practical for walking outside, but, really, how many baby shoes actually are used for walking?

Then there are the obligatory burp clothes.   These are a bit different from the ones I have made in the past.  This time I used prefolded cloth diapers as the main part.  Then I used flannel scraps to make them girly down the middle (just serging the edges to avoid raveling).  Finally, I used grosgrain ribbon that I had to  add embellishment and an extra little pop.  Flannel fabric used featured fashion accessories, polka dots and flowers. 

The last project, is actually the first one I created.  Every baby needs a special quilt made JUST for them.  I know Briana loves pink, and since she is having a girl I thought that would be a good starting point - something girly and pink.  So I thought and I thought and I thought.  And I looked at books and ideas, because I didn't want to do the same style I have used in the past.  For whatever reason, maybe because I knew Briana was going to basically be raising this baby on her own while dad is up in Alaska, or something else I wanted to do something special.  I decided on this modified 9 square quilt.  I ended up finding a charm pack that I really liked (pre-cut squares all from the same collection so they all go together).  The charm pack used a lot of pink, and I wanted the pink to pop so I decided to do the background, binding and accent color in gray.  Now, I didn't quite realize how hard it was to match grays.  Thankfully, the ladies at Keepsake Fabrics in Country Village were super helpful and they probably pulled every single plain gray and print gray fabric in the store so we could match the right color.  I do love that store - they are incredibly wonderful to their customers and know so much about fabric.  I decided on super soft bright pink minky for the backing as the front was more subdued and retro feeling.  My dear friend and co-worker Ruth did the actual quilting of the front to the backing in this lovely thread that changes from gray to shades of pink (I can't remember the name of the kind of thread at the moment).  

So those were the projects.  At least the ones that I had ready for the shower.  I figured though, that I needed some sort of indication that these were made by me.  So after some searching and creative thinking, I created my own labels.  I used a picture of a Newfoundland (because of Solomon the dog) and found the perfect font for my name.  I basically printed these mirror image on the special paper that you iron onto fabric.  I ironed them onto ivory satin ribbon that I had, melted the edges so they wouldn't fray and then sewed them onto the already finished projects.  I wouldn't do that again - the sewing the labels on after they are finished.  Next time I'll incorporate them into the actual sewing of the garment.

There is one more project to do, and this is one I couldn't do before the shower because it is a baby shower quilt.  I cut out squares of the cream fabric for guests to decorate for the baby at the shower.  The other fabric will be the binding, border and contrasting squares (going for a simple checkerboard pattern).  I'll probably go with fleece for the backing. but I haven't picked it out yet, I'll wait until the top is done. 

Same Sex Marriage?

First, this post is not about sewing or projects or anything like that.

This video made me think this morning.  Those of you that know me, I'm sure wouldn't be surprised that I fully support the idea of gay marriage.  I'm on the liberal end of the spectrum. So when I was watching this video, it wasn't making me change an opinion, or rethink my view on a position.

What this video made me think about is the definition of family.  It seems that a lot of people define a family as a married husband and wife and their children.  Does that mean then that committed man and woman in a relationship, but not married in the eye of the state, who have children, are not a family?  Does that mean that a war-widow raising her children on her own isn't a family because they don't have a husband and a wife?  What about the single dad who is raising his children without the biological woman who is the mother of his children because she is incarcerated - are they not a family?  What about the woman who decides that she wants to have children on her own - and gets a sperm donor, does she not have a family?  What about the grandparents raising their grandchildren?  Or the older siblings raising the younger ones?

What makes a family into a "family"?   What is the purpose of marriage in terms of government?  I'm not talking religious definition of marriage - religions can define it however they want, I believe that is their right, I'm talking about how the government defines marriage, the legal rights associated with it. There is freedom of religion in this country and that's a great thing in my mind - I might disagree with your religious beliefs, but I don't deny you that choice of your beliefs.  If you offer legal marriage to one group of people you should offer it to all people, not discriminate, not by color, creed, age (if you are a consenting adult) or sexual orientation.  I won't go into the issue of consenting polygamy here - so if you want to define marriage as between two adult people I'd be happy with that.  But leave it at that.  Let them decide who they want to spend their life with.

Because, why can't two women or two men raise a child?  What makes them less than fit?  If you say a child has to have a male parent and a female parent otherwise they are getting a disservice or something terrible is happening to them, that they aren't fit parents, then you need to equally consider the fitness of single moms, single dads, parents who are drug users, drug dealers, work-a-holics who are never home, grandparents raising their grand kids, parents who have nanny's raise their kids, etc.  If your definition of what makes a good parenting situation is simply one man married to one woman, then you are discounting all the other types of "families" that have gone under the radar.

If you want to have this fight, then really have the fight - don't pick on just one small group of people and deny them rights you give to others, if you are going to deny rights do it across the board and see what happens then.  Because I don't think you'll win.  How does this hurt you?  Maybe it doesn't conform with your beliefs, but does everything in the world conform to your beliefs?  But don't make others second class citizens because of it.

A Quilt for Baby MacDonald!

Quilt one is allllll done.  Ruth did the swirly quilting for me - now the quilt has a fuzzy and soft pink polka dot fleece back.  And the brown and white polka dot binding is around the edges so it's complete.  

The baby that this quilt will go to is the future child of one of the guys Robert works with.  I can't wait to give this quilt to Andy and Lori MacDonald for their new girl on the way!

Figured out #3.

I've been ruminating over the third baby quilt for weeks now.  Looking through books and magazines, looking at websites, even looking on etsy to see other people's projects. There have been plenty of things that I have been interested in - either for me personally or for this baby project.  All of them got rejected for one reason or another - too complicated / time consuming for my time frame, don't have the right fabric stash for some of the scrappier quilts, too big, too blah, nice pattern but wrong for the situation, etc.  Quilts have been on my brain though - it keeps me from stressing out too much about other things (and I've been seeing the typical overly-stressed signs for a while now - my massage therapist said I had the tightest neck they'd ever seen - and that wasn't a good thing).  I've been dreaming about quilts even.

I went to Pacific Fabrics on Veterans Day and got the other two quilts fabric - but couldn't come up with anything that spoke to me.  So today, as I was getting the fleece for the back of one of the other quilts I came across a cute little booklet that finally inspired me.  And I knew Joann's (as much as they are great for some things) just wouldn't have the right fabrics for what I wanted.  So, down to Country Village I went to visit Keepsake Cottage Fabric because they will always have what you need.

I love that place - not only because it's in a big barn -but because the people who work there are SOOOOO helpful and friendly and give you such great service.  I found a "charm" pack that I thought was absolutely darling with it's pinks, and taupes and golden colors, found some shades of gray that go with it for the backgrounds and borders and binding.  

Now I just need to interpret some instructions that are a bit confusing to me (I'll check with Ruth she's amazing at things like that) and get started when I need some more un-stressing. 

Thanksgiving-less

For the first time I can remember in my life, there is no plan for anything special for Thanksgiving.  For the majority of my years the day was spent with my immediate family - mom, dad, and brother.  Lots of pumpkin pie, and vegetarian staples.  I can remember one year we were moving shortly after Thanksgiving and we spent it with friends, but still, it was with family and it was special.  Then there was the one year in the apartment in Bellingham with Hoopla and Kestra where we made the garlic mashed potatoes that were divine and paired them with burritos and went to the movies.  Still, a special day. There was a year in Yelm with a family that was not mine that I thought was something more than it turned out to be, but still, it was planned, and it was a special day.  There was the year I arrived back in Spokane at some ungodly early hour after far too many hours in the backseat of a far to small car - but, it was spent with family and special in its own way.  And there were the number of years in Seattle - with Robert's family and friends.  But this year, it turns out, we have no plans at all.  What we thought was going to happen was changed, or canceled, or, something.  I don't know the details, nor do I really want to, I'm feeling bereft as it is.  This is one of my favorite holidays - maybe because it never was ruined with the commercialism the haunts other holidays thereby making it one that my parents actually celebrated fully.  It is a holiday filled with cooking together, wonderful smells, hearty food, and a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation that seems to get lost in the other holidays.  I could make up some special food on Thursday, I have the day off after all, but, it's not the same without other people to share it with, and Robert doesn't have Wednesday or Friday off so going out of town just doesn't work.  So I'm feeling a bit heartbroken and sad about the loss of this special holiday this year.