Obsessed

Five more aprons.
Because I'm obsessed.
I don't know when to stop.
I can't help myself.

These, however, will likely be going up for sale....

Cheers,
A

Letting Go

Sometimes
giving up doesn't mean you've failed.
Sometimes it means
you're strong enough
to let go.

Cheers,
A

Kitchen Aid

I can't exactly cook.

Okay, let me rephrase that:

I don't consider myself a cook.

In the kitchen, I need all the help I can get.

So this weekend,

while recovering from bronchitis and effectively quarantining myself in the house,

I decided to try my hand at making an apron.

I traced the outline of an apron my fabulous Auntie Kay made for me a few years ago,

and winged the rest.

I was really happy with the results,

and made Elena a matching apron, in case she needs help in the kitchen, too.

But I still had all this fabric laying around the house. 

So I thought to myself,

"Self, you'd better keep on sewing."

This one was made using Anna Maria Horner voile for the ruffle and ties.  I LOVE how it turned out.  Vintage yet modern.

Grey+Yellow is a hot new trend.

And I am in love with this apron.

You may remember this fabric.

I made Elena a skirt using it (see here)

I had just enough stashed in my fabric bin to make this.

The question now is:

What do I DO with all of them?

Cheers,

A

Fashion Week

Top and Skirt: Hazel
Belt: Target
Shoes: Liliana

Dress: laJoux
Shoes: Liliana

Shirt: Gap (outlet)
Jeans: Seven for All Mankind
Shoes: Payless

Shirt: Blue Elephant
Tank: Old Navy
Pants: Gap
Shoes: Target


Cheers!
A

Big Plans

If any of you wonder what I do on the weekends,
allow me to put your minds
at ease.

Yarn.
Fabric.
Kids.
Camera.
Coffee.

Lather
rinse
repeat.

Cheers,
A

Keeping Busy

I've been neglecting this blog lately,

it's true.

I am sorry. I have been busy. 

On top of some ruthless sewing,

a nice batch of viral (read: the non-responsive to antibiotics kind) pink eye, 

a chest cold that is threatening to turn into bronchitis,

and a severe allergic reaction to a few fire ant bites

me and Photoshop: We have become besties.

Well, kind of. It's still a tenuous relationship, at best.

Nonetheless, I've been up to my eyeballs in photo editing. 

I've finished all of Reece's photos, and moved on to pictures from

Rachel+John's Wedgagement shoot this past weekend.

Below are a few of my favorites from the wedding portion of the shoot:

You'll have to check out my other site here for the rest.

Cheers,
A

Laugh, Out Loud.

Lately I've been laughing.  A lot.  Out loud, even.  Or, as some would say, "lol"ing.
Yes.
Me!
Such numerous lolcasions have caused some to wonder if something has gone wrong.
A few extra screws knocked loose, perhaps.
But no.
Nothing is out of the ordinary.
What has happened, I fear
is a gross misunderstanding of my discernible distaste for the use of LOL.
Allow me to rectify the situation with the following:
I am okay with the use of LOL.
When the user does, in fact, laugh.
Out loud.

Meaning, just in case this needs further clarification,
that when someone
even myself,
finds something humorous enough to cause one to make an audible noise
like a laugh, or a cackle, or a giggle,
it is perfectly acceptable to type "lol."
Because,
as it indicates,
you did just Laugh.  Out loud.

I hope that helps.

Cheers,
A

Today Was Fun & Fun Is Good

I'm writing this post at 10:20 pm.
This is when I do most of my blogging for "tomorrow."
You're reading this at some point on Friday.
Or later.

But today?
Today was fun.
Today, the girls and I played with sidewalk chalk on the driveway.
We drew.
We giggled.
We got graffitied.

Because that's what girls do.
Duh.

When we were all done getting dirty,

we got clean.

Allow me to be a total blubbering sap for a moment and tell you 

how much

I simply adore

these two little girls.

Cheers,

A

Hat Season

No. Absolutely not.
It's in the triple digits here,
with no end in sight.

But should Texas ever dip down into frigidity,
I'll be ready.

Extremely ready.

Cheers,

A

Gratitude

I thought I should take a moment to let each and every one of you know just how amazed I am that you choose to come to this blog and read the trite, trivial, facetious things I write.

It means the world to me.

Cheers,

A

Reece

Yesterday I had the extreme honor of photographing this little boy.
My uterus has betrayed me,
and is working hard at trying to convince me
that I need another one of these.

I don't blame it: He is crazy cute.
And small.
And he smells just wonderful.

New.

I'm pretty sure I'm doomed....

For more photos of Reece, please click here.

Cheers,
A

Priority Mail

I've mentioned before that I like to craft, right?
I've also mentioned that I'm a top-rate blog stalker?
Okay, not really.
I mean kind of.

Maybe just a little.

I feel it necessary to mention that I only blog stalk people who I think are fabulous.
And who I think I could actually be friends with if ever given the chance to meet in person, properly introduce myself, and woo said stalkee with my real-life awkward charm.

Exhibit A: Jasmine Star.

Me and Jasmine? We're practically the same person.
Minus the whole dropped-out-of-law-school-to-become-a-world-renowned-international-wedding-photographer thing.
But I digress...
The other day she had mentioned her love of all things stationery,
and being the crafter
and blog-stalker giver that I am
I emailed her that I would be sending her some hand sewn blank notecards.
But she'd have to send me her address.

Then I promised I was totally sane and I have two kids and okay fine I go a little nuts sometimes but I mean who doesn't and don't worry I won't pull a Selena or anything like that I just want to send you something nice because I pledged to "Pay it Forward" in 2011 by sending handmade items to five people (who volunteered to receive them) but I don't care I want to send moooooooore.  *deep breath*

So she replied to my email,
kindly as ever,
and let me know that I am her "favorite stalkerish friend"
and gave me her address.

So I sent her these:

But I didn't stop there.
I kept sewing.
Because I like making things.

Even more, I like surprises.
Especially ones I manage to keep....

Which leads me to a story about my dear friend, Anda, and a funny little thing I like to call
Serendipity.
I decided to make her a little journal.
A place to write her dreams.
Wishes.
Gripes.
Somewhere to play a game of M-A-S-H with a girlfriend.
Or tic-tac-toe.
As it happens, the day I finished the moleskine, I read the following on Twitter:

anda_marie Anda Marie 

I bought these three awesome notebooks a few months ago. I guess they were so awesome I totally misplaced them. Story of my life.

31 May

I almost peed my pants.
But I did a kegel and took a breath.
Then I readied my thumbs and almost tweeted her back, "Not to worry, friend. Check your mail in a few days."

But I didn't.
I set those thumbs down and took twelve paces backwards.
Counted to seven.
Threw some air punches, just for good measure....

And quickly went to the post office to mail her gift.

I designed it to mirror the look of her blog.
Her amazing re-brand.
The launch of which caused her night sweats and stomach knots and oodles of worry.
Silly, I know, as it's basically complete amazeness.
I don't know that I did her vision justice,
but I sure tried.

I do love how the little hearts turned out....

I had two moleskines left, so I decided to make one for Gladys.
She had been under the weather for a few days.
Then Adele, her favorite, had to cancel the SFO leg of her tour,
leaving Glady with tickets to a non-existent show.
Since I couldn't console her with an actual cupcake,
her second favorite,
I sent her one:

If I could have fit myself into that envelope
I would be in 'Frisco right now.
Sitting in a pool of dreamy light,
or on the dock of the bay,
and standing next to Gladys to see who's taller
only to find out we're exactly even.
Except she's totally prettier. And younger.
And less jiggly.

....

I was so inspired by the use of the Heather Ross fabric on Gladys' notebook,
I made another for my greedy little self:

The spools?!?  Of thread?!? The soft colors!?!? Purple?!?!
Swoooon!

But I think I might need to gift it to someone.
Or maybe have a give away?
Or maybe sell it?

Turns out that being a greedy little wench just doesn't suit me.
I can't bring myself to keep something that could bring joy to someone else.

But how much would one sell such an item for?
Certainly it wouldn't fetch a first born.
Or a sixpence.
Maybe two bits?
Does anyone know the actual value of two bits?

Anyone?
Anyone?
Bueller....?

Maybe I ought to just give it away....

Cheers,
A

Sneak Peek

Cheers,
A

Fashion Week

I upcycled this t-shirt. It had a stain on it.
I covered the stain with a necktie that has never been worn by DRL.
I happened to ruin it in the wash, but it was fun while it lasted.

Dress & Belt: Target
Boots: Steve Madden

Cardigan & Tank: Old Navy
Jeans: NY&Co
Shoes: Payless

Dress: Upcycled by me
Belt & Shoes: Target
Necklace: Hannah D's

Top: Old Navy
Skirt: Lauren Conrad for Kohls
Belt & Shoes: Target

I started out with the black tank (Lauren Conrad for Kohls) but it just didn't...work.
So I switched to a plain white pocket tee from the Gap.
Skirt: Banana Republic
Shoes: Payless

Sweater: Arttie
Top: Habherdashery
Shorts: Target (upcycled)
Shoes & Ring: Target
Bracelet: Silpada

And...just so you don't mistakenly believe I'm all fashion all the time,
this is what I wear almost every night when I get home from work.
Well...something like it at least.
Pants & Tank: Old Navy
White Tee: Nordstrom Rack

Sweater: Lauren Conrad for Kohls
Tank: Target
Jeans: Gap
Shoes: TOMS

Toes: Me.

Cheers,
A

Delayed Gratitude and Musings on Art

Memorial Day has come and gone.
I enjoyed the day off.
Provided to me by men and women who went without rest
so that I could have mine.

I thought it better late than never
to share my immense gratitude to those
who have valiantly served this country.
Who have written a check that only deals in the currency of lives,
and walked, unafraid, into battlefields.
Of every shape and color.

Thank you.

Last night, I came across a paper I wrote in college
a reflective essay about a paper, authored by the artist Maya Lin, that I had to read for class.
Below is an excerpt.

I hope you enjoy:

I saw an aerial photo of Maya Lin’s Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial while I was still in high school.  I remember thinking the sculpture was magnificent, and so uniquely unattractive.  The monstrosity was large and black and menacing, and I was certain that it looked the way the soldiers who survived Vietnam must have felt: scarred.   I had read that Maya had wanted it to look like a scar on the face of the Earth.  That it was to be a reminder of those left on the dead, the wounded, and the veterans of such a horrific war.  It was the first time I ever thought a scar was beautiful, and certainly the first time I ever thought of one as poetic or poignant.  It was also the first time I realized what “art” actually was; that it was not a term used exclusively for gallery paintings and church ceilings, but that it is a feeling.  It is the feeling that brews within your soul when something powerful happens; something rare and unexpected. It is the roar of thunder on a balmy summer’s eve as the storm erases the day’s hot sun.  It is the rush of adrenaline that pulses eagerly through veins as teenagers plunge headlong into love for the first time.   And it is the calm serenity, the gentle knowing, that washes over you at the very moment that you comprehend precisely what it is that you are yearning so desperately to say, and you finally find the media with which to say it. A voice. A brush. A shutter and lens. Song. That is art; it is alive in everything. It exists everywhere.

Here's to making art.

To creating something,
each and every day,
that puts breath to your voice
while simultaneously taking that very breath
away.

Cheers,
A

Knitty

On the off chance that you thought perhaps I didn't do enough crafting over the holiday weekend,

I also finished a knit jumper I had been working on for Stella.

The pattern was sized for 6-12 months,
but since my kids take after me in the height department,
I simply added an inch to the pattern and called it even.

It's made from a super lightweight bamboo/cotton blend
so she can stand to wear a knit jumper
in the Hades heat of central Texas.

I'm thinking Elena might need one of these, too....

Cheers,
A