Tag: family

I'm loving this!

I’m loving this!

Amy2 Comments

I don’t get to make it everyday, but when I do, I’m very happy. The perfect home-brewed latte.  Brew Cafe Bustelo (or your favorite espresso) on the stove top…

Heat fat free milk – I nuke it for a minute or so….the mason jar is a requirement because I give mine a good shake before heating.  Your call-if you like a little foam (and I do like a very little foam)…

Then I get out one of my favorite cups-today’s happened to be  this mossy Frankoma number….I squeeze a small amount of light agave syrup in first, followed by the espresso (quantity varies by taste-I like mine strong!) and the the hot, frothy, milk.  Spoon out a bit of foam and dollop it on top.  Delicious!

General

Independence!

Amy2 Comments

We were thankful for our midweek Independence. So easy to take our freedom for granted. So difficult to imagine the realities of those who have never tasted it.

We embraced the day and gave into a couple of kiddos who couldn’t wait for night fall to pop their treasured fireworks!

 

Gardening · General

Summer-ing…

Amy11 Comments

It’s been an incredibly busy week.  We are a household in chaos.  Drama camp, Sewing camp, Vacation Bible School, two full time jobs….it’s depleted all of us.  The children are fussy, the parents are fussy, the uncut grass is tall, the laundry is piled in a chair, and takeout reigns supreme.

But this morning, I had a few minutes…

 

To look around…to enjoy things that are beautiful today…in this moment…

The morning glories have overtaken my favorite birdhouse. I love the messy opulence of it…

The illusion of the trailing vines spilling onto the ground…as opposed to their herculean effort of reaching toward the sun.

Zinnias so bright and beautiful that I had to capture them, just for a moment.

And bring them inside with a little Lantana

and Lemon Balm….heady stuff!

Just a few minutes of peace and purpose, tucked in at the end of a flurry of summering.

 

 

General

Awards are Nifty!

Amy10 Comments

I’m always thankful and moderately amazed to get feedback on my ramblings. I’m still fairly new to blogging, and I’m not sure when you become cavalier about being “read” or “followed”, but I do know that I’m not there yet. I am completely susceptible to flattery.  It’s just how I roll.

I’ve been passed two very thoughtful awards this week.

Seasonsgirl forwarded the Sunshine award.  Her blog  is lovely and certainly brings sunshine to my day!

Marsha Lee at Streaming Thoughts bestowed the One Lovely Blog Award. Her blog is a wonderful blending of her thoughts on blogging and life in general.

The rules for these two awards vary, so I’d like to give both of them to a handful of blogs that are lovely and bring sunshine.

The Giraffe’s Hat-whimsical and colorful

House of 34-stylish and funny

Stir and Stitch-talented and tasty

By Number 19-crochet wizardry

Oh Sew Tempting-amazing patchwork

Chic Envelopements-radical refashioning

They’re all fabulous! Take a moment and check them out.

Now, I’m supposed to tell you guys 5 or 7 or 11 or 600 things about myself.  So hard.  I think I’ll aim for three.  I’m all about setting achievable goals 🙂

1.  I listen to NPR whenever I’m in my car.  I don’t know when it happened.  One day I listened to a wide variety of music.  The next day, I had crossed over to all talk radio all the time.  I can’t tell you what songs are top 40 and I don’t know who most of the new artists are.  This morning I busted out of my rut and listened to Def Leperd, the Pretenders and 50 Cent.

2.  I can’t tolerate reality TV.  Because of this I’m hopelessly out of the loop at the water cooler.  I didn’t even watch Dancing with the stars this season. I have, however, tuned into A&E’s Duck Dynasty twice in the last week.  Not sure what’s happening there…it’s kind of like watching a wreck.

3.  I have three favorite drinks currently:  1) Latte made at home with Cafe Bustelo, fat free milk, lightly sweetened with agave syrup 2) Dripping Springs Vodka with Fresca 3) Diet Dr. Pepper from the Sonic

What’s your favorite drink this summer?

 

 

 

Crochet

Tunisian…Ta Da!

Amy9 Comments

I completed the first panel of Jennifer Hansen’s Tunisian Multi-Garment!

It was fun.  Learning Tunisian has been very gratifying. These pictures  were taken after my first quick run at blocking.  I still have some perfecting to do with the structure.

I have a sneaky suspicion that I would have been happier with a slightly larger size.  I won’t know for certain until I’ve completed the second panel.  The sizes were based on bust circumference and I think I would prefer a little more length on what will inevitably be the “torso”.  Maybe I’m long-waisted….or maybe my tummy is a little more of an issue than my bust….

The color work is fascinating.  Let it be known, however, that it leaves a gazillion ends to be woven.  Hence the probable delay in starting the second panel for the garment.  I need a little time to forget what a pain those ends were.

All in all, however, I’m extremely pleased!  The Craftsy class on Tunisian was a great experience.  I’ve signed on for three additional classes since beginning the Tunisian.  I’m not sure that the instruction I’m seeing is the same quality that Jennifer Hansen provided in the Tunisian class, but I love the platform and  recommend it for anyone who struggles to find classes available in your location or that work with your schedule.

Crochet

Playing the Field..

Amy2 Comments

I’ve been multi-tasking….burning both ends of the candle, if you will.  On the one hand, I am full steam ahead with my Tunisian Crochet class and the Multi Garment.

Simultaneously, I am “go” for my sewing “Do Over”.

It’s like dating two guys when you’re single.  You usually spend one date wishing you were on another.  Then you feel guilty when you’re on a date with a guy you really like, because  the other dude is more responsible and more stable.  Usually things fall apart with both of them at about the same time and you wind up with no date…but I digress…

Apparently the sewing “do over” is Mr. Stability.  The Tunisian multi-garment is the hotter Mr. Smooth. (This is a bizarre analogy, but let’s go with it.)

The stitch patterns are gorgeous.

Even though I’m using cotton instead of silk, the stitching still promises attractive drape. With the Tunisian, despite being in learning mode, everything is easier.

Sewing, not so much.  I’ve finished my first set of pillow covers.  I haven’t worked up the enthusiasm to photograph them yet.  They’re cute….that’s it.  Just cute.  I wanted spectacular…wow! But nope, they’re cute. Like I said, the craft equivalent to Mr. Stability.  I think I’ll wait and post them when I can add a few more for a grouping.

Until then, back to Mr. Smooth…

 

 

 

 

Sewing

A Sewing Do-Over

Amy14 Comments

Sewing and I have a love/hate relationship.  I’ve always been fascinated by it in theory.  But it’s always fallen apart in practice.  As a kid, my mom put in a good faith effort to teach me to sew.  The poor woman finished every item I ever started.  Unfailingly, the projects were miserable experiences.  The detail…The jargon…The need for constant focus…all of it worked to my weaknesses.  Even then, I was a big picture girl-conceptual and broad in my focus.  Attention to detail has always been an “opportunity” for me.

After I began crocheting, however, my craft blog obsession led me to all that sewing can produce.  The adorable, the beautiful, the intricate, the awesome projects on the web beckoned….and I began to covet.  I began to covet the ability to sew.  Per my usual mode of operation, I made the decision to learn and immediately began collecting all the accoutrements needed.  Especially fabric….stacks of it.  That’s what I do-I collect…

Over the last three years, I’ve completed the following:

  • One apron
  • A handful of cup cozies
  • One skirt
  • Approximately 25 pair of pajama pants
  • Curtains
  • Monday’s  pillowcase

I enjoyed the curtains and the monkey pillowcase.  The others? Not so much.  I make so many stupid mistakes!  So I’m regrouping.  I can do this!

I’m starting over….that’s right, a sewing do-over.  First, the basics….pillows! I’m more than tired of the throw pillows in the living room.  I’m going to use some of this freaking fabric if it’s the last thing I do!

I’m thinking some combination of these…They make me happy.

I’m also going to look for a class.  I won’t let my past define me.  That’s right, I call “do over”.

 

Sewing

A little monkey business…

Amy7 Comments

I spent a little quality time with my number one girl yesterday.  She’s developed a new obsession with stuffed monkeys.  She’s apparently in the middle of some kind of tween self re-branding and the monkey seems to be symbolic and key to her metamorphosis.  Anyway, the long and short of it is that she’s proclaimed herself to be a monkey collector and now she’s doing the Vulcan mind-meld on me and lobbying for new and more fabulous monkeys in her life.  I’m standing firm.  Her room is already a fall-out shelter for stuffed animals.  No new monkeys!

So, ever the rock, I asked her, “how about we find a pattern for a monkey?  Maybe we can make it?”  (Be advised, I carry much mother-guilt over how little time I spend with my craftiest child doing anything that could be characterized as crafting.) So I’m thinking, two birds-one stone.  I assuage the mother-guilt aka-the “monkey” on my back .  She gets a monkey.  She was lukewarm to the idea. None of the free patterns we found on-line really floated her boat.  I rejected the amigurumi patterns she liked.  I didn’t want to present her with a monkey.  I wanted her to participate in making a monkey.  Then she presented the solution, “Mom-how about we make a pillowcase like I did with Memaw (her grandmother) that time?  Then I can like, draw a monkey on it!”  Great idea, angel, but maybe we try doing the monkey in applique?  So here is the compromise.

Behold our first applique ever! He’s a cheeky rascal…

He’s just lightly fused with some iron-on strips pending stitching. I think he’s cute.  My crafty little diva did a great job picking fabrics, cutting and even doing some of the stitching.  She’s awesome!  We’ll finish him next weekend and place him in a position of honor and prestige in her sanctum, which is of course, a hot pink, black and zebra striped zone fit for a tween!