You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November 2008.
Happy Thanksgiving to all. I love a holiday that causes one to pause and reflect on all of life’s blessings; we have much to be thankful for this year. A few of my favorite quotes, from some of my favorite authors:
10. All you need is ignorance and confidence; then success is sure. -Mark Twain
9. The great charm of all power is modesty. - Louisa May Alcott
8. It is the vice of a vulgar mind to be thrilled by bigness.-E. M. Forester
7. I have only got down on to paper, really, three types of people: the person I think I am, the people who irritate me, and the people I’d like to be.-E. M. Forester
6. A person who has not done one half his day’s work by ten o’clock, runs a chance of leaving the other half undone.- Emily Bronte
5. You know full well as I do the value of sisters’ affections: There is nothing like it in this world. - Charlotte Bronte
4. Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. - Charlotte Bronte
3. We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us. -E. M. Forester
2. Don’t wait around for other people to be happy for you. Any happiness you get you’ve got to make yourself.-Alice Walker
1. Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.-Mark Twain
We braved another cold, incredibly windy day. It was worth it (though Lottie might disagree) because we were able to see the little owl. Can you see him?
A post was written yesterday that summed up my week. MP has been gone for 7 days (first Colorado, then Vermont), broadcast news is a never ending downer, I’ve gone up a size in pants, and just generally feeling the echo of a sinister, self-defeating mindset. But – I never posted it because it was too whiny. Everyone is feeling a little edgy lately, so why add to that anxiety?
Instead, I decided to opt out of all this recession talk and I gathered up the mountain of coupons that had been mailed to me for a new JoAnn’s Superstore. Now, JoAnn’s is not the place to go for nice fabrics. But, it’s a great place to go for notions, patterns, utensils and cotton & corduroy solids. I’ve never been to a “superstore”, as this is the land of the rundown mini-store. My curiosity got the best of me and I managed to blow a ridiculous sum of money in the shop. In fact, I spent enough money to get a gift card to a local chain restaurant (which I gave to the toll booth worker on the ride back because I have no idea where to find that particular restaurant. It made her day!) But get this – I saved over 50% on my entire purchase. So, it’s a win-win. Ever more exciting, they had Stitch in a big display and I finally got a copy.
In additional to bulking up on organic cotton solids, I met a lovely British woman in the cutting line and she was out of her mind with glee. She was here visiting her son and said she had to buy an entire new suitcase to get all her fabric home! We talked about the exchange rate, the cost of things in Wales and the rest of Europe, and what all she did while visiting…. it was a long line. I didn’t have the heart to ask if she had coupons. I figured she’s probably already on an exchange high, right? And most of her fabrics were on sale anyway…eh, I feel like a bad person for not sharing my coupons…..
I’ve seen Amy Butler’s Little Stitches on a few craft sites & shops but I’ve yet to see it in person. My Border’s never has it in stock, and I almost never go to my Border’s because it is inside a dreadful Mall. Today I made the journey because I was looking for the new Stitch magazine showcasing Martha and Jenny’s patterns, but they did not carry it (damn!). On a whim, I checked for the Amy Butler book (I’m not gonna lie, I’m mildly obsessed with having a look at her kimono pattern) and they had one! It was badly torn, but I purchased it anyway because I must make this little top:
The book is wonderful. Beautifully art directed and photographed as usual. I highly recommend it, even if you don’t have kids because she has a few bag patterns, technically “diaper bags”, that are great.
On the trail today, I practically ran to the tree hoping to find the little owl. No luck. It was incredibly windy, probably not too safe for sitting high up in a tree if you are only 8″ tall. Most of the leaves were scattered along the trail, the overcast skies and low sun along with the chilly air all hearkening the coming winter.
Just when I was thinking that I would start to tackle my stash, Amy Butler comes out with more colors and patterns for her Midwest Modern line.
I feel I need some of them to make proper holiday…things. It seems to be available from all my favorite haunts.
Today we made our weekly trek to the Pond for Lottie’s walk. I intentionally sat the camera near the door because for the last few weeks I’ve forgotten it and missed some great photo ops. For instance, the 1 year old Labrador that came trotting along the trail with a 10 foot long tree limb in his mouth. He pranced around, proud of his ’stick’ and would not let anyone take it, even if it was 6″ around and banging into everything. Today, I missed several opportunities because I forgot the camera yet again. I missed Lottie running and playing in the crunchy leaves, I missed the spectacular golds, rusts and reds on the trees and I missed something I am not likely to see again: a tiny Eastern Screech Owl perched in a hollow in a tree, just sitting and staring at the passersby.
(This is not my photo, but it’s exactly what the little guy looked like)
Speaking of things I don’t want to forget, trying to get back into the swing of things is proving a bit overwhelming. I have to many projects in various states of completion. I also have many ideas fomenting in my head and they are scattered around. In an effort to remember them all and keep them straight – I’m listing them out here.
- finish knitting floria’s stocking
- start and finish milo’s new stocking
- felt milo’s stocking
- felt floria’s
- ship stockings along w/ floria’s coat
- put ears and Totoro faces on the kids’ hats for Christmas
- finish this shirt
- finish 3 new sewing patterns and photograph
- update existing patterns with alternates and more details for etsy shop
- purge fabric stash
- buy another Bertoia chair so MP will stop taking mine
- make up Christmas list
- make presents-to-buy list
- design lap quilt
- buy fabric for lap quilt
- make winter lap quilt
- make floria’s Christmas dress
- mend Lottie’s favorite toys
Voted., originally uploaded by creature of habit.
The most important thing you can do this day, this week, this year…. ever.
