firsts of summer

sculpted the perfect look ("I am six now mum....I need to look cool")


mastered the pump (licorice legs and all)


relaxed on the lake ferry (alright...I admit it. More like relaxed for five minutes until the "thrill" of the slow-paced ride was over. The remaining 50 minutes not so relaxed)

any firsts on your end?

Drumroll please......(or should I say fabric roll?)

Alright everyone....it's time to reveal my first big secret (with a second to hopefully follow soon....)
Do you remember those "day in the life" doodles I had done as a way to document my days with my boys when they were wee ones? Well, I am just so thrilled to announce that they will become one of a few designs I am working on for Robert Kaufman. Yes! My own fabric line with an amazing company due to come out in Spring of 2010, the designs will feature my crazy doodles and I just can't wait to sees the results. I am thrilled beyond words, and am relieved to finally spill the beans...........one down, and one more to go.

There is an explanation.....

Oh thank you for all your patience as my frequency of posting not only on my blog but also my shop has become so rare. Soon.....so very soon, I will be able to at least reveal one secret that will explain so much (and being someone who just cannot keep things quiet very well, I must give myself a few pats on the back for this one!) Things are happening so quickly, and at a rate that has forced me to put some things on the back burner for a bit. By the end of the summer, things should be resuming back to a more normal pace. I will post when I can, and hopefully the next post will be a big reveal!

times two.....

A family trip to visit two beautiful new nephews resulted in an intense two days of sensory overload as my head filled with many an emotional memory of when my boys were that little. Their coos and cries sounded so familiar, and I was instantly taken back to the days spent cradling their little bodies, trying to anticipate their next move. I remember questioning why I was always so tired, and looking at my sister go through it now I see why. My mind was always "on". Even through a good long nap, I was already thinking ahead to when they might wake hungry or be ready for a diaper change. Going to bed was always initiated with a, "I better go to bed now, because I know they will be up before too long". My mind tired me out more than anything, and now I take advantage of being able to go to bed knowing that night interruptions are mostly a thing of the past.
It was so wonderful to have those memories back, and even more so seeing my sister get the chance to do so as well. (although I don't quite miss the long feeds where my body would sweat under the heat of their little bodies, causing my limbs to ache in a desperate need to move again.
Oh the boredom and ansyness that would ensue sometimes! And I only did it one at a time.........impressive work there little sis.)
Welcome to the world little ones, and thank you for allowing me to go back six years and remember all those wonderful things that those new packages can bring. (although I must admit it feels pretty good to be sleeping again and no longer filling my days with washing and drying all those diapers.)

be back in a bit....

the lacrosse sticks are out, and we are ready.........


......ready for summer to officially begin. With only a few days left until the end of school, we have traded our collection of lovely plastic with some much "cooler" older kid toys. (which in turn made for one very happy mummy to finally leave the plastic stage behind)
To celebrate the start of what looks to be a great season, I have decided to take a wee break from my blog world to enjoy some good time with my boys. (I have a feeling the majority of that time will be spent searching for many a ball in our overgrown forest of hostas).


( Oh, and I musn't forget....little M was wanting to show you the super speedy ball his muscles can throw....and of course the very serious face that is needed to make it go even "speedier")

see you in two weeks!

blood sweat and milk....

What started out as a simple idea to "start" my night of work became a ruthless late night of frustration, tears, and many a naughty word out of my mouth. After four hours of trying to find happiness with a piece that just wasn't going anywhere, I held my breath and chopped away three hours of hard work and started again. (the background was a hand-stitched frenzy of trees, buildings, and cars..) Taking a step back and looking at it again (after a few stormed out walks of tears mind you), I simplified what was too busy and came up with the milk truck. The piece suddenly came together, and with a few extra stitches on Marge's dress to balance out the picture, I was happy.....finally. What initially started out as extreme upset over how much time had been spent on this piece, soon turned into a realization that I was actually productive all along. New ideas for future pieces were being generated, new techniques were explored, and a piece was created that would never have been if I hadn't gone that extra mile. In the end, it was all good. (but please let the next one go a bit more smoothly....my eyes need to dry up a bit.)

"I want to stop but I can't"

With the little one away at school this morning, big A and I decided to do one of our favourite things together : ink. We have only done this a few times so far, and he is already much more confident with the material than I am. Dipping, drawing, wiping..... his little hand makes the most amazing pictures. I found myself looking over at him and being envious of how at ease he was, with no worries about how the next line was going to turn out. At one point he looked up at me and said (with extreme frustration in his face), "mum....I want to stop, but I just can't". He then looked down and kept working until we had to tear ourselves away and run outside for the bus.

he's my little artist, and I just love having that connection with him.
(yes, little M....you are an artist too. It just happens that big A's preferred material is paper, whereas yours is the dining room wall, chairs, floor, etc...you can do ink next time)