Little Leap Peepers

In light of the recent economic downturn, we had to wallow in the leaves this weekend - how much fun!

Ok, I HAVE to rant. People - you should know who you are - STOP, repeat, STOP sending me helpful emails regarding safegarding my child against the evils of the world. Please verify all outgoing mail through snopes.com. I don't need to be notified about candy flavored drugs being passed out in schools. It's not real, it might have happened somewhere once, 10 years ago, but really, people caught on. STOP. If it was real, CNN or Nancy Grace would be all over it. Really. Do other people hate stupid forwarded emails too??

summer leaves us...

Summer is gone, but one last look before we head into the coziness of fall.
How flippin' cute is this birdie in her dress I did out of Jennifer Paganelli's fabric? Got this at the last show - her next one is in December. Get ready - the shows are great!

Today

I have a bunch of sewing projects going on - camo curtains for my brother in law's cabin, pillows for the reading carpet at school, misc. crap. Hoping to work hard and this will in turn lower the level of "stuff" in my work room.

Ah, I also went to the dentist for a filling so large the dr. was shocked I didn't feel it. Can I get a cheer for high pain tolerance?? Instead of a filling, I am a big winner on a root canal!! Argh. Add to that a dash of a bladder infection?

and Yes, I just called to get info on a much needed Yoga class. My quest to take care of myself is taking some weird turns.
Hope YOU are doing better than me!

Improvements

during

after

There is no before pic, it was just too hideous.

Birdie is home with a tummy bug today and I am just cleaning up the digs. Remember the "take care of me" plan. Yeah, on hold now. Damaged my hip running last week. Still bothering me. Now my Mom is calling me telling me that I am old now and need to go to see the Orthopaedic surgeon. Really? She's had 2 knee replacements. My plan was to get healthy so I don't go that route. So no, I'm not going that route - I'm aiming higher. Hip replacement. Nice one. Now, I am trying to nurse it back to normal with rest (@#@!) and the heating pad. Maybe we'll Yoga next week...

I leave you with pics of an awful 1980's country style coffee table. I duded it up with shiny black paint and neon for the Youth Center area at our church. I loved it so much, I am going to make one for us. Brown, not neon. Could you imagine!?!

Monday morning...

I get up with all determination to get the mini on the bus and head to the gym. Alas, not to happen. The mini is in the paper today for donating her hair! How cute?? so I field phone calls, scan the article, share with the husband, email the family. The gym, but a dream. But oh, my treadmill! I am SO proud - not only did I get on and stay on, I ran!! Don't know how long because the batteries died in the unit that tracks that. Why isn't this connected to the electricity that runs the whole machine? So confused. Either way, sweat ensued. Now I am headed to the dermatologist for a yearly body check. whoops, after a shower. Pale girl, freckles, blue yes - yes, the dermatologist is my friend.

I did it.

Gym - 2 days - check
face washing - check
fresh decaf coffee in hand - check
lunch date with friends - check
start painting table for church - check
call MIL - check
yell at husband for snoring again - check

I am starting to get back on track. sort of. I'm a tired girl from the snoring.

Just made this dough for cookies tomorrow for football game tailgate. Throw all other recipes out - this is THE one to use. http://http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/091crex.html

the lack of posts

I found another 4 leaf clover. 2 last year, one last month.
What's that about? someone trying to tell me something?

Life gets in the way of life. I have no excuse, no reasons in particular or every reason in the world. I stopped posting. I am going to give it another go. I went from virus to poison ivy to sick child to school starting to overwhelming freelance gigs to over volunteering. I am just one girl that needs to take care of herself. There, I said it. Isn't it weird, when you say things out loud they become more real? I need to take a step or 3 back and go to the gym, scrub my face with something more than a damp wash cloth, paint my nails. I am going to pull myself together. watch me.

I know. 2 posts in one day.

HAD to share this one - I am with a really terrific women's volunteer organization. I know - insert eye roll and yawn here. But NOT with this group!! The amount of work that gets done with a bottle of wine in hand is astounding. I have made life long friends and mentors in this group. Anyway, the story... Ask and you shall receive. Putting together school back packs for neglected and abused kids. 2 quick emails in the middle of the summer and wa - la - you have NINE!!! Filled to the brim back packs AND a box of random supplies that will be totally well used. I love being a part of this. Even better is both my husband and 7 year old helped pack the bags up - took a couple hours to sort and eat taffy whilst doing this. Bonding. Good deed. Love.

Cape Escape and funny things

Just returned from Cape Cod. Never want to leave and this year was no exception. More on that later.
THIS is the funniest thing ever:http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/business/media/11martha.html?ex=1219032000&en=b55688b0fbf64f27&ei=5070
You have to check out the blog of Alexis Stewart and Jennifer Koppleman Hutt. http://www.whateverradio.com/website/blogs.php Rip roaring hilarious and now they are doing a show where the premise is them ripping apart old Martha Stewart shows. WITH Martha's consent. Dying. Can't wait to see it! Hilarity ensues during each episode, I'm sure!

thanks fellow bloggers...

So fun are the connections we make in the blog world! Inspiration, support, ideas, friendship, justification for our wild behaviors!! Always at the ready to help rationalize a crazy fabric purchase or talk us down from a bad day. Today, I read a post from Tara http://bellapink.typepad.com/bella_pink_postcards_from/ about her so cute Gap dress. Guess what I had to do? Yup, get in the car and go to my local Gap store - I posted on her site just now that she was lucky they had my size - just a few left! I might have had to go swipe hers! SO cute and I can't wait to wear it. Anyone else have a cool story how they were inspired by a fellow blogger?

ok, also currently obsessed with Schuyler Fisk, daughter of Sissy Spacek - amazing voice. You can hear her at her here: http://www.myspace.com/schuylerfisk . She doesn't have a CD out yet, but should. Her voice is that haunting/folk sound that just stays with you. The guinea pig likes it too!

ohh, the busy summer

*** found this on Anne Taintor's site - LOVE it!

how does this happen? I fear for the worst at the end of May when I have to be the entertainment coordinator for the summer for a 7 year old. Now today, there are so few days left of vacation it's sad! We've been really busy this summer - not sure with what! We have had lots of fun though!

I did manage to get roped into a massive project at my church. I know, how do you say no?? but I have to learn.
It involves re- decorating 9 huge classrooms - window treatments, painting furniture, miscellaneous decorating. The mind boggles. I just purchased 21 yards of fabric to make window treatments. I supposedly have the help of 2 elderly ladies in the sewing circle, but frankly, it will probably be all me. I think the "young renegade" sewers like me scare them a bit. My wrist still doesn't work from spraying 5, yes 5 full cans of spa blue paint onto 1960's metal cabinets. After we peeled off the wood toned contact paper. It was gorgeous! (I kid)
The deadline is Sept for the beginning kick off of church school. Wrong all this swearing when it's church...
I also made 2 more of those handbags from the other day - one for my mom and one for a girlfriend. Also placed my order for a cool tervis tumbler from http://mpmdesigns.blogspot.com/ for same friend. Her bday is in Oct and I like to organize ahead of time.
And another cute item I am sending off to PVE for a wonderful job she did on the illustrations. Hope she loves it! My sewing machine is also crabby - sense a theme here? and I hate bringing it for repair - it's usually some older guy that doesn't LISTEN to me - he thinks he knows. Ahem - I am on that machine 24/7 - I think I-I-I know what's wrong - you, Mr. Certified repair guy, just need to make the repair. Wow, I am cranky today.
Anyway - good always comes from good - you MUST check out www.wordle.net. Fun doesn't begin to describe. Tried to give you an example, but couldn't get my crabby computer to cooperate. Oh, not, it's ME that won't cooperate. You also have the option of plugging in your own words. Think family names, descriptions, etc - makes great gift-y ideas! Thinking Christmas...
Off to my parent's pool hoping the chlorine might get rid of the poison ivy I have in between my b**bs. Don't go there - I have NO clue how that happened but holy cow!! irritating and annoying. gross.

Handbag Love

LOVE the lining

So, I dreamed of this bag a few weeks ago. I had attended Jennifer Paganelli's awesome shopping experience - watch for it - it comes again in the fall! - and gotten a few yards of fabric and a bag of odds and ends. That bag turned out not to be just odds and ends, but bigger pieces mixed in. So - I LOVE black - favorite color ever - but sometimes I like to throw in the punch of lime, pink, orange, chocolate or purple - I have to be seriously in the mood. Plus, I hate handbags. One more stupid thing to keep track of. I know - sacrilege -esp. since the husband spent 8 years of his life working for Coach Leatherware - don't hate me. He did slightly convert me, but more succeeded in raising my taste level and expectations. Now, nothing less than a $350 handbag will do. And really, purses are for lips, so it's a HANDBAG...
Anyway, the fabrics were taunting me, so - here's my pattern -

look, I make the patterns myself when the mood strikes. So what if it was reading the morning paper. don't judge, it's how I function. Hmm, wonder if I have ADHD?
So, back to the handbag. Don't tell Birdie I swiped the lime green intended to be her new skirt. All the fabrics are Jen's - different seasons, but I LOVE the way it looks together. Tried the Pellon version of Timtex - it's iron on and didn't like that, but the weight was decent. You all know Timex is no longer?? If you see it, swipe it up before it's gone from the stores.
I added the magnetic closure under the tab and a small bow. That will get swapped for a big bow later on, but really? I needed it for tonight. Gotta hit the showers, I just beat the tar out of my treadmill for a couple miles.
Have fuN!
C-ya!

P.S. - Oh, Jen, I need more fabric!!! Birdie is beating it up the stairs to investigate the skirt progress - quick, lock the door!

charge it!!!

So ladies, get out your credit cards, tell your husband you are going out for awhile and go hide by your computer and shop away!

There isn't nearly enough monogramming in the world (I LOVE it!!) and FREE shipping until July 30! Wha hoo!!http://mpmdesigns.blogspot.com/ and this
http://www.preppypapergirl.blogspot.com/ site will help with my paper addiction, surely. At least a good start! Check out The Pink Clutch blog http://thepinkclutch.blogspot.com/ too - it's terrifically funny!
Two very talented ladies - enjoy!
C-ya!

psyched!

How cool to pop on line to check in at pve design and see the house she recently illustrated for us! She even blogged about my red door. It was in addition to the surprise redo for my sweet husband. I hadn't had a chance to ask her if it was ok to blog about, but figured we are a go!! She did an amazing rendition of it - the details were so great. She even got the little curvy drops in my living room window treatments. He couldn't believe how great it was. Getting it framed next week - wanted the husband to at the very least get to choose that, since I commandeered the whole bedroom re-do. I feel like a superstar! Thanks Patricia! omg, and can we talk about the one she did of Birdie?!?

http://pvedesign.blogspot.com/

THE plastic bag

THE is capitalized for a reason. really. best shopping bag ever. I made this out of 4 plastic shopping bags. I found a tutorial on etsy one day, stumbled across it and felt compelled to try it. I have since made a pile of these crazy things. The Target ones are really cool too - the dots are a really cool design feature. I have been using them for about 6 months now for all of my shopping - grocery, target, hardware store, fabric store. They hold a lot more than it's original bag and they are very strong. Only supplies you need - 4 plastic bags, iron, parchment paper, handle materials.

I was inspired to pop this on line because I have been a lurker on http://beachbungalow8.blogspot.com/2008_06_01_archive.html for awhile now and she's got some really great ideas. She tossed this idea around on here site and wondered if anyone had tried them. Well, I DID! I even had a little class at my home one night for a bunch of ladies in my volunteer group - they loved them and they have contagiously all made more as well.

I like that they have saved my from using hundreds of bags so far - I've done the math and it's really true! - and they are cool and sturdy. I love when a trend is good for the environment and serves double duty as a craft! Let me know if you need info - I can talk you through construction and give you some great tips on sewing one up for yourself!

finito and salad

The ugly before:

The awesome after:

and yes, that is the very same corner of the room!

What a great surprise. The husband was totally shocked! He just stood in awe and looked around the room speechless! Birdie and I were very tired, but very happy with the results. She seems to think the beautiful new bed was hers! Well deserved on his part and my favorite thing is a spot for ALL of our clothing and my new silk drapes. Found a great fabric that's both liner and bump in one and it was terrific to work with. The room is a soft putty color with an ocean grey ceiling. It's soft and soothing and quiet feeling. We LOVE it!

Sad the project is over, but off to additional fun things - a new dress for Birdie and some cute new bags for me...

And a yummy salad recipe - sort of a combination of yumminess(is that even a word? but I KNOW you know what I mean!). A great combo of salty/sweet.

Delish Salad

Baby spinach leaves,washed

feta broken up (not crumbles, too little)

diced watermelon

sliced red grapes

grilled chicken breast

a citrus vinaigrette (either make your own or I love Newman's Lime Vinaigrette)

Enjoy!

C-ya!

The big surprise!!

** I'll post pics later, I need sleep!!!
For several months, my 7 year old and I have been keeping a HUGE secret from my husband. It's actually pretty hilarious that I think I've told everyone and she has told not a soul! What a good girl. Now we tell all!
Here's the stealth scoop - my very giving and kind husband has volunteered a few summers with Appalachia Service Project. If your aren't familiar with it, think Habitat for Humanity, but on existing homes in some of our poorer areas of the country. He doesn't talk about it much, but I know he is very moved by being involved. He leaves for 9 days - we miss him so, but we have lots of work to do!! So, back to the surprise - I cooked up a scheme in January or February to make over our bedroom while he is away. How cool?! Since I handle the family finances, he was none the wiser. I started furniture shopping and finally found the perfect things back in March - it's now sitting on a truck and the attempt is to get it delivered this week. Furniture companies are none too reliable - there are way too many variables to get this moving, so to speak. BUT... when you share a super secret surprise with the girls in the office, they can't help but step in and try to help out. We'll see.
My little one and I have picked out paint, fabric for window treatments, lighting, bedding. You name it, we did it. I even hooked up with Patricia from PVE design (see "inspiring minds want to know" to check out her talent!) I sent her a photo of our house and she did an AMAZING watercolor of it.
The whole thing was to really show my husband how great he is and he so deserved this. We have built a loving home together. He works hard and has set a wonderful example to our daughter. We had my old high school hand-me-down furniture from when I moved into my brother's old room, no headboard, cute but cheap-o night tables I refinished. You know the drill - the kid gets the beautiful new furniture and we get, well, yuck - topped off with horrible yellow walls.
I have been working really hard since Saturday am when he pulled out to make this happen. I am just about finished painting and next have to deal with straightening the room out and cleaning the carpet. Birdie and I sewed the drapes last week together - yummy silk dupioni.
Wish us luck that the furniture arrives and we can pull of this great surprise for a very deserving husband.

We did it!!

I donate my hair every couple of years. Not sure why it grows so crazy fast, but I eat pretty well and take care of it. I cut around 12 or 14" off, Birdie cut off 9". She asked me last year if she could donate with me, so we waited a year to cut. Wow, it was a long year, mine was really ready last year, but I wanted to experience this with her. And yes, that is the infamous tunic again - note the shorts this time, different color. But I am obsessed with it!

My hair will go to Locks of Love and hers will go to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. Her teacher even let me come talk to the kids about it - it was so important and the kids were pretty interested in it. Birdie is like a mini-star at school this week. She is fortunate to be in a loving, kind class this year. SO sweet.

Father's Day is this weekend and we have a cook out planned here - hopefully the husband will have an enjoyable day. Birdie chose to buy him deodorant. Yes, you read that correctly. She is hilarious. I asked her what she wanted to get him, and she says "well, I sometimes see him putting this stuff under his arms..." LOVE that!!

Enjoy the day!

C-ya!

Finally

Finally posting, finally showing. I finished my oh so cute tunic made of the fabric from Bell Bottoms. I LOVE it and hope everyone else does too, because I will be wearing it alot. alot.

I thougt it was going to be more "purple" but it's really very blue. I wear black alot and hate blue, but this is ok for me. I'm a curvy girl so I don't know if the tunic look is the best on me - the top sort of falls straight down under the b@@b area, but in real life, you can tell I'm under there and it's a little more flattering than the pic. At least that's what my mirror told me. It also told me to get my tushie in the car - Jen Paganelli is having an event at her house this weekend so I must stock up my inventory!!!
I plan on making Birdie her own tunic or dress to match. I love when the minis match the moms, but not many people do that anymore. sad.

Birdie got the sewing bug yesterday too and made her dolls the cutest blanket on her Hello Kitty Janome machine. Let me say, this is really a great machine - it sews very well and is easy to use. The back stitch button is a little stiff, so I am needed there, but no worries.
C-ya!

Frequent Suppliers

Ok, sort of sound like frequent fliers - just use your imagination!

Here are a few faves:
Tombow roller adhesive - can't breathe w/o it! https://www.scrapbookpal.com/Index.asp?
best price ever. My crafty sister and I buy these in bulk - free shipping if over $25.
J. Caroline - I love her, love her site, love her blog. In. Love. www.jcaroline.com
Fabric.com - lots of great fabrics, even a design board to see how fabrics work together.
Can't wait for this fabric: http://portabellopixie.typepad.com/portabellopixie/ to be released. And her music on the site is terrific. I love to read Sandi's blog, but I admit, sometimes I put it on the computer b/c I am far to lazy to fire up the ipod. Silly!
More later - I am working on the black/gold wedding now so lots of paper cutting on my well used Fiskar's rotary cutter. This changed my cutting life!
http://www.fiskarscrafts.com/tools/t_12-homeoffice-rotary-paper-trimmer.aspx


And could we possibly have more inspiration and planning ahead but from Patricia at http://pvedesign.blogspot.com/. Ingenious - basket of homemade goodies at the ready for gifting! I do this, but they don't seem to make it into a basket of sorts, they sort of hang out on my work table and take up space.
Perhaps a trip to the warehouse, I mean basement, for a cute basket for sorting things out!!

the Berkshires...

oh, this beautiful part of Massachusetts's - it's so gorgeous here and it was a beautiful day to go exploring. It's not too far of a drive from where we live so we picked here:
http://www.hancockshakervillage.org/accounts/28/homepage/ to visit today.

so cute - the new mom takes a minute out to snack on some hay that my little person fed to her.

Then of course, the requisite shopping at the outlets and a stop for candy here:

http://www.chocolatesprings.com/

YUM!!!
We had a really terrific day - the husband, little person and I. I truly love to explore with these guys - both are pretty adventurous and fun - but they both love to learn about the places we visit. Most little people would be bored to tears at the Shaker village, but no, not ours! She was having a ball talking to the sheep and taking their photos. It wasn't busy at all, so we had many buildings with only a few other families visiting with us.
A GREAT day!
Now they are unwinding with a rousing game of golf on the Wii. Greatest. Invention. Ever.
NEED the fitness program - out on Wednesday - super yay!!

C-ya soon!

It's been too long...

I've been a busy girl lately and also haven't thought I had anything post worthy. This is what I've been up to-
order fabric for a cute tunic:I know, totally cute, right?
It will have a contrasting trim. Thought I'd get more of this one for my little person - a skirt or something.
It's Jennifer Paganelli's new line, Bell Bottoms. SO cute, beachy feeling, great with denim.
I've also been busy doing the invitations for a local bride. I have been doing this on the side for awhile and really enjoy it. I know I should be getting paid so much more, but I totally love the creative process. It's great to be able to produce something that the bride is thinking about. Today we finalized her invite - black, gold metallic and white. Really pretty and old school Hollywood looking. I feel like I need a martini now!
We're also working on 50 - yes fifty - out of town guest bags. I suggested a made in CT theme - so we will have soda, pez, Munson chocolate bars, CT magazine. Fun, practical and cute!
Now, what to make for dinner....

Tulips and Steamers

Just finished scrubbing a bathroom floor with comet and a toothbrush. I know, you are VERY jealous, right?? Then I used my new favorite tool - the shark steamer mop. Hoping for steamers and beer, right? I love this just as much!!

A little gardening today, watering grass seed - (ugh - hate that job!), a little sewing. Laundry folding - why can't the husband fold what he puts in the laundry? I appreciate the effort, but I HATE laundry thats been sitting unfolded for days - all wrinkly and messy - his solution? Rewash it! How wasteful. Oh well... at least he helps!! An eye dr. appointment for Birdie later today but wow, the sunshine is delicious!

It's beautiful out today!

Today is sort of a weird, open day. I don't necessarily have a lot scheduled, and that's always hard for me. I automatically occupy myself every day with lots of activities and projects so when I don't have a specific responsibility, I get a bit antsy. That's not to say I don't have a lot to do today, but I don't have a lot that I HAVE to do. We'll see how I get through the day!

I got this fabric at the quilt show on Saturday - it's a 2006 Alexander Henry. Older print, I know, but really caught my eye. It's pink, but not nauseating pink.

and I think I might make a little jumper dress for Birdie. She thought it was cool. She does enjoy her animals!
And then maybe some laundry and yardwork. Maybe lunch with my sister...
enjoy your day!
C-ya!
CC

Tuesday

The charity event was wonderful and they raised alot of needed funds. My husband and I checked everyone out so we were the last to leave. Needless to say, we were tired. Sunday, we were SO lucky as to get a new piano from a friend that was moving. It's really beautiful. Great color, sounds beautiful. It's really neat because it's the piano her three grown boys learned on and it's from England, their home country. It lives on under the learning fingers of my little person. (her skirt is made from Japanese fabric from Purl Soho. GREAT shop and good online resource).

Gardening day, sewing project day. Starting to feel like spring now. My plan is to fortify the parts of my lawn that I "saved" with organic fertilizer last year. Good plan - we just have dead areas all over the yard now. Ugh. Then finish some fun projects. It's still early here and the garden center wasn't even open yet - I might lose my momentum. Ever feel like that??
Listening to some great music on portabellopixie's blog - Annie, the guinea pig and I like it. Thanks Sandi! Anxiously awaiting some round labels in the mail this week - I discovered some cool stuff last night by clicking a few buttons that I oddly never investigated on my graphics program. I made super cute address labels for Birdie and want, I mean NEED to make more. I am obsessed now. Ever get like that when you find a new project?
What are you doing today?

Oh the insanity...

what was I thinking? or not thinking? or is this how I run my life? There's no time to analyze! I've got things to do...
Here's my laundry list of crazy projects we've gotten done over yesterday and today:
**note I write WE, like there is more than one of me. I wish!
-go to fabric store and buy a zipper - end up loving new black linen and find patterns are on sale so I buy the supplies to make a dress for Saturday night. I know, this is normal? do other people do this? I think my friends make these rash decisions, but they buy new shoes!
-make cupcakes, from scratch - awesome recipe! Love them - vanilla cupcake, lightly tinted orange icing and creamsicle sprinkles. Delish. Fun for the kids for Saturday night while Grandma babysits our Birdie and her 3 cousins.
- make bagels, from scratch. Birdie enjoys measuring and some baking, so this was a fun lesson in yeast and rolling. Fun!! They cooked a bit too long b/c I thought I could squeeze in some treadmill time while they baked. Slightly darker than planned, but really good!
-finish the bag (the purchased zipper) for a friend - very cool bag in brown Sis Boom, covered in vinyl. She loved it! Even called to tell me so - it's nice to have cheerleaders!
-at 10 pm Friday, let's ice the cupcakes! Cleaning up powdered sugar from counters at 10:30 is not fun.
-Sat am go to a quilt show! Totally fun - joined by my mom, niece and cousin - good times. Lunch after - cute fabric to make a Birdie dress.
-Go buy a belt to go with newly made dress.
-whoops - have to go hem the dress!! Let's finish this while the husband goes to mall to satiate his shopping love and know he is coming home with new pants. Must hem these before we go to the dinner dance.
whew!! We so deserve a nice cocktail and fun evening of fundraising for the husband's charity. Good times!
So, what'd you do this week?!

A Sunny Day!

Oh, the days of crafting and baking... if I could do that all that the happy girl I would be! Just finished watching Martha's cupcake episode today - Graham crackers, chocolate and swiss meringue - YUM! Got my cake flour today to make a vanilla batch with fun orange cream sprinkles I bought from online resource Sugarcraft.com. Great resource.
Made the below cupcakes for April Fools Day - Birdie, the 7 year old, was thrilled to eat her vegetables for dessert! Back to the sewing machine to finish a couple of tote bags for friends. Inspired by Caroline - http://www.jcarolinecreative.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Store_Code=JC&Screen=VINYL_TOTE . Made it my own with some changes and techniques I like. They are surprisingly durable and really fun to make!

Beautiful day here and enjoying the sunshine and lunch out with friends.

virgin territory...

Welcome! This is monumental to me to have started this blog! I feel like I should announce something really important for the first one, but alas, I don't have anything really earth shattering to share. Many thanks to Patricia of pvedesign.com for her kind words and encouragement to get me started.

Maybe I'll tell you a bit about myself - I love lots of artful and crafty things - enjoying and participating in. I love shoes (really love shoes). I love fabric shopping, don't even have to buy, just look and touch and feel. I do not like blue. I love black. I love graphic prints to look at, but maybe not to wear. I have a beautiful and complex 7 year old daughter. I have been married for 12 years to an awesome man (also complex)! I love them. alot. I love to sew. I do not like quiliting. I love to bake. I love details. I like to volunteer. I love to inspire people. I love to BE inspired.

I think that's a good first blog! I look forward to many more and sharing ideas, photos and projects.