Helter Skelter

My life is visually defined by my design wall right now. Unfinished. Busy. Happy. Bright. Crazy.

I haven't intentionally tried to ignore you! Life and deadlines took over. I'm going to be profiled in a magazine this year so I had to design a project to accompany it. I have a few other deadlines and hubby has been away. I can usually get a lot done when he's away but this week has been the exception. 

These two characters have kept me busy. We've been swimming, building Lego [I have discovered that I do not possess the ability to figure out the Lego manuals.] and generally running around. Funny, we travelled all summer last year and I didn't feel so crazy. This year, we've laid low and stayed home though we've travelled a bit. I feel as though I'm working an 80- hour week.

Batman has been defending my universe. He fights crime so don't mess with him! [Summer Recreation - Halloween in July]. Dr. A is no match for the little crime fighter.I've been playing around with my computer too. I usually design a birthday or a holiday card and I got carried away designing little storyboard collages.

I think that I'll be printing these and framing them or I'll stick them to my inspiration wall.

Summer recreation is ending tomorrow and we are expecting a visit from one of our favorite little guys, my nephew, Jack! It will be a fun week! I hope to have some finished things for you to see in the next week or so. Hang in there with me! xo, L

Whistle While You Work

I've been working this week amongst a bazillion other things. And, while I've been working, I've been thinking. Dangerous thing according to my husband! I did an overview of everything that I've done and wondered what was next. Hmmm. I have a few ideas that are in the early stages of development and can't be mentioned but in general, I wondered where my interests will take me in the next while. Do you ever do that or are you a steady quilter, knitter, or scrapbooker? I go back and forth though I consider my "profession" to cover more of the quilting/sewing projects and my "personal" interests to be just as strong in the paper arts [my first love], photography and knitting.

Are you still interested in making quilts or do you love purses? Do you like to sew more than you like to quilt? What sort of projects are you interested in seeing more of? Or have you found a new hobby in photography or knitting? Most of all, do you always fall back to your comfort craft?

Just curious. xo, L

Lucky Me!

I am almost finished his hat. I used the Spud and Chloe Flap Happy Hat pattern until I got to the crown shaping. Then the pattern lost me or I perhaps I just felt the need to do it differently. I still need to add a pom-pom. Isn't it darling? I had fun with the the three colors. Now I am starting one for Big A and I was told that I needn't put so much green in his toque. So funny, I don't even think that anyone around here knows what a toque is and I think that the earflaps might disqualify it from being an actual toque.

When I woke up this morning, I discovered that I had won a copy of Photoshop CS4 over at the Pioneer Woman. [Thanks, Ree!] She's so funny and generous. Her new lodge is beautiful. She should have a quilt retreat there! I'll teach! Now I have no excuse to laze about and not design, right? 

I think that this contest hit closer to home and it humbled me to read about what everyone else fights against in their lives. Her topic opened up a lot of thoughts and though I've always been an optimistic person, I must say that it felt good to say my battle out loud. Big A is a super bright kid who happens to be impulsive. Lots of effort to get things together and I don't regret it one bit. Now that Little A will be going to school all day in the fall, I'll get a bit of free time. So here's to more design and more fun. I thank you guys too for loving my stuff! Thanks again to The Pioneer Woman! You rock! Go over read about her awesome readers' thoughts and about The Fat Cyclist and his family.

 I think that Little A was secretly helping me out and he didn't even know it!

xo, L

A Rubber Ducky Day

I. am. tired. today. I was up all night with Big A because he was sick. Nap time later for me. That's for sure!

We had a great weekend. I'm almost finished the hat and I did some sewing. We managed to get to our town's annual rubber duck race for charity. So many people entered. No, we didn't win the trip to Disney or any of the other great prizes.

We walked around a bit and enjoyed the great weather. Eventually, we ended up at our favorite local bookstore, The Clinton Bookshop.

The kids love to browse and Little A fell in love with these two cute books by a local writer, Daryl K. Cobb.  The books are so silly, bright and fun.

Here's to getting back to normal boring posts. xo, L

Phew, It's The Weekend.

This week has been insane. Lots of things, lots of little things that added up to lots of running around. Lots of fabric work that I can't show you just yet. Also, one of the biggest things was dealing with the fact that my neighbor's car rolled backwards in a semi-circle down two doors and hit ours. Yep, unbelievable! Oh well, it's just a car and we can fix it. Luckily no one was injured.

So, I tried to focus on good little things. The boys and I read a lot, played board games, did some homework and I started to knit a hat for Little A. If you have kids around the house, get a copy of Eric Wight's Frankie Pickle and the Closet of Doom. I met the author and had him autograph the book for Big A but Little A devoured the comic book type pages the second I got home.

I'll be back sometime next week. Enjoy your weekend! xo, L

A Fine Day At The Fair

What did you do this past weekend? Besides drawing the winners for my giveaway, we had a relaxing weekend though we did get out to the Kutztown Folk Festival. The drive there was so beautiful. I love the blue skies and the beautiful, fluffy clouds.

There was lots to see and do for the kids. They did some crafts, got to pet some animals, ran through some mazes and bounced around in some inflatables. Big A even got to participate in a roof raising activity. There was a lot of food to eat and we had lots of fun!

I got to go to the Quilt Barn.  It was a huge place with lots of quilts for sale. Quilt heaven!

Of course, there were other crafts and lots of other things to see and do. Check out my Journal for some more fun photographs. xo, L