Like A Hole in the Head

Really. I need something new to do like I need a hole in the head. But there is no way I can resist. Resistance is futile.

What am I not able to resist, you ask? Embroidery. Yep. I am a goner.

Have you seen some of the stuff out there?

Like this

[Embroidery and Photo by Polka and Bloom]

Or this ...

[Embroidery Pattern and Photo by Penguin and Fish]

And just like quilting, there is this whole sweet little community of embroidery people and three of them are kind enough to be doing tutorials RIGHT NOW (Follow the White Bunny (on Magpie Patterns blog), Early Bird Special, and Style Crush). Which completely fits with my schedule.

You really need to see this blog too ...

C'mon, seriously. So not fair. Look how pretty that is. If their banner is that sweet, can you imagine what kind of stuff they do. Lovely. Must learn how ...

(I confess that I already bought some stuff. Because there is a class list of materials. I even bought some patterns. I am keen. Oh so keen. )

L xo

PS - The whole "fits with my schedule" thing, is a lie. I can't/shouldn't fit anymore into my schedule BUT because I am somewhat obsessive/compulsive and when I want to learn something, I want to learn it NOW, it fits with my schedule. See?

PPS - I used to knit like crazy. Now I sew like crazy. The only thing about sewing is that, except for binding, it isn't super portable. Which means I have nothing to keep my hands busy when I am watching tv at night. Which leads to the "Cereal Problem". The problem is that I eat a bowl of cereal because my hands aren't busy and I lay there watching tv, convincing myself I am hungry. The Cereal Problem wouldn't be a problem if the cereal were, say, Special K. The problem is that it is Lucky Charms and Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes ... you get where I am going with this?

PPPS - Speaking of knitting, why am I the last to know about this?

Amy Butler Midwest Modern Knits (Rowan)

A Post by E and L ...

Happy Easter

Here's hopping (heehee) your Easter is absolutely wonderful!

L xo

An Open Letter to J. Crew

Dearest J. Crew,

You know I love you. I have loved you for a long, long time. Like since Undergrad. And we know that was a long, long time ago. But, I have to be honest. Because true love needs to be honest, if nothing else.

So, in all honesty, I was really disappointed when I went into the J Crew store in Fashion Square Mall in Scottsdale this weekend. Not because of the staff or anything. They were lovely. But because there was nothing to buy. Not much anyway. Which is so not how it happens when I go to J Crew. Ask Mastercard, they know. Now, I know you were probably trying to do me a favour with there still being a recession and all, but I would have liked to buy a little something. You know what I am saying?

Do you know how much this hurts me? Because you are unwilling to open stores in my lovely country, I can only visit you every once and awhile. And to have nothing to buy? Heartbreaking.

But because love forgives, I am going to give you one more chance when I am in New York at the end of April. You have to understand one thing though, Purl, as in one of the greatest knitting and fabric stores EVER, is having their moving party the same weekend I am there. And they are moving into a very big, shiny new store. With lots and lots of tempting yarn and fabric. Just sayin.

[map by Lena Cowin from Purl Bee blog]

Obviously, there will be stiff competition where my fun money goes.

Let's hope May is a better month for you. Again, just sayin.

L xo

PS - One word. Romper. Seriously?

A Little Bit of Big News (for me) and a Big Thank You too

So, one night a little while ago, I was in bed watching tv and surfing the net. I like to go to PS I Quilt not only because I love Rachel's blog, but because she has a great blog list on her blog. Up until a week ago, I couldn't figure out Blogger/Google reader so I would go to Rachel's blog and click on her blog roll (is that a bad thing? Not sure). Anyhow, Rachel's blog roll has a lot of my favourite blogs and a few that I visit once and awhile.

Anyhow, I digress. There I was clicking away and reading blog posts when I clicked on Moda Lissa's blog. Now why I hadn't read her blog more is beyond me because that is one great blog. So I click on the blog, and start reading her post. And her post is about how she made the 55 Rad Blogs list in the April/May edition of Quilter's Home magazine. Which makes sense because she has one great blog (as I have already mentioned).

I keep reading and she goes on to tell about a few of the blogs listed, some of which she already knew about and some that were new to her. (Do you see where I am going with this?). And there I was. Which was so crazy. There I was. Unbelievable. For a million reasons. Me. Really?

But I wasn't really going to believe it until I saw for myself. Which I did today. Right after hot yoga, I went to the bookstore and picked up a copy of the magazine and, low and behold, there I was. Which made me kinda do that pee dance that preschoolers do when they really have to go. Because this is just really lovely. And I was a little excited. Just a little.

So a big thank you to Quilter's Home magazine (it is a great magazine, if you ask me). It made my month, that's for sure. And to all the other bloggers, I am beyond humbled because you are all so freakin' awesome. Really, really.

L xo

PS -The pee dance caught the attention of a wee little old lady who was reading knitting magazines beside me. Seeing me dance around, she directed me to the washroom at the back of the store. She was obviously hard of hearing because when I told her that I was just excited about being in a magazine and didn't need to use the washroom, she told me not to hold it in a minute longer or I would be wearing a diaper when I was her age. NO LIE!

PPS - Okay, you have to read the magazine. Because a magazine that has a margarita recipe is pretty much awesome. And even though I am not one to eat hardboiled eggs, the recipe for curried eggs is going to rock E's world. In a quilting mag, who would of thought? Awesome.

PPPS - The best 3 things to come out of being in the magazine:

1. the email my parents wrote me after I told them about the article and they went to my blog and read my posts. It was some of the kindest words ever. Even at 39, making your parents proud is an awesome feeling. If I am even half of the parent that my parents have been to me, I think my children will be just fine;
2. my best friend, Catharine, telling me that she wasn't surprised I was in a magazine but that what always floors her is how I come about these things. Just reading a blog and I find mine. She calls it serendipity. I like that word; and
3. my husband telling me that, just like Catharine, he wasn't surprised at all, that I had made the list because he knows that there isn't anything I can't do, if I put my mind to it.

All 3 things made me think about how lucky I am. To have people that believe in me in the way that they do. That is, by far, the best thing about all of this.

I am very lucky.

I Could Just Eat You Up

Without a doubt, this is my favourite sewing project ever. Would you believe that this absolutely fun project was conceived by my sweet 7 year old without help from anyone?

While we still have a way to go - we have plans for the rest of the ghosts, those little dot thingys that Pac Man eats and all the rest of it, I think this is a fantastic start. I just love it. And E has sewn this all by himself. He has his own sewing machine (which works better than mine, some of the time). How cute is that? I could just eat him up, he is so adorable.

What I love most about this little sewing project is the enthusiasm and sheer confidence my wonderful little boy brings to it all. To sew without rules or worry about making this fit or that work, sewing just for the fun and joy of it, is something to be seen. And the absolute love for whatever you make, however it turns out. How wonderful is that?

What a good lesson for all of us quilters, don't you think? To sew because it makes you happy to do so. And not to worry so much if all the points line up or your seams are straight ...

Am 100% behind that kind of quilting, let me tell you.

L xo

PS - Remember that big news I hinted about awhile back, well, I have confirmation about it. While it is big news to me, I don't think there is any news that would take precedence over showing you E's Pac Man sewing. So I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

Back

We are back from our quick trip to Scottsdale. A good time was had by all.

What I didn't have time to do before I left was tell you the story about that little poster. And this is a nice story.

A little while back on C Jane's site, she blogged about a little poster she has in her son's room.

The poster was made by Persimmon and Pink, a sweet little etsy seller that makes a few different posters.

Well, never one to pass up a cute poster (if I could only force myself to Ikea to buy frames), I bought two of their sweet posters. The one above (of course). And this one ...

They are just the sweetest . And I am all about counting your blessings (and a "Hello, Good Looking, every once in awhile doesn't hurt either). So they are good reminders too!

Here's the thing though. The week after I got my prints, I got a second set. Now, I thought that the second set might have been my mistake (I tend to do stuff like that) but when I checked etsy, it looked like the store sent them to me again, by mistake.

So I emailed them and told them I had received 2 sets and asked that they send me a bill so I could pay for the second set (I think they would make sweet little "thinking of you" gifts, don't you?).

And I got an email back saying it was their mistake and I was to keep them, free of charge. Which is just so kind. And such a nice thing to do. Because I would have gladly paid for them (everyone makes mistakes and this was a good mistake to make, in my books).

And so now the 2 extra posters are on their way to some quilting friends ...

Nice little story, don't you think?

L xo

PS - I met the nicest man EVER at Barney's in Scottsdale. His name is Jose and he works at the Cle de Peau counter. If you ever go by, stop in and say Leanne says hello. Nicest man. Really.

PPS - My most wonderfulest mom has my beautiful children for the next few days so I am going to work on getting some sewing done. Fingers crossed.