Well, how about that.

Look at this dandelion, springing up in in the middle of the back yard. It's still cold out (by Central California standards, anyway), but the dandelion is popping up and making a pronouncement of existence.

Just like me. Here I am, just popping up!

The frogs in the backyard are happy, and singing their little hearts out. It's been raining, raining, raining; good weather for staying in and working on projects. And, boy, do I have projects! After Christmas I got out all my sewing stuff, but I just didn't have any creative energy. I got out some old projects, took them apart, resewed them in new configurations, but I still wasn't feeling inspired.

I should have sewn it together like this.
Instead I got all conservative-symmetrical-matchy-matchy.
Now it's in the closet, waiting to be loved.

Then I signed up for a Bee - you remember hearing about how women worked together on each other's quilts to get them finished and to spend time together in bygone days. Now we do it online! I make a block for each of the 6 women in my "hive" using the colors they requested and my own fabrics, four times throughout the year. At the end of the year, I'll have 24 blocks made by 6 new, online friends from anywhere in the world. Choosing colors and patterns for other folks is intimidating, and the kind of pressure that pushes me out of my rut. And I enjoy sewing for a purpose, and sewing for someone else.

A block in progress for the Bee

Now I'm juggling several projects! Sewing fabric Laura brought me from Africa, hoping she can use my projects for her fundraiser auction. Sewing a quilt for Kathryn to take back to Portland when she returns from Morocco. (She's having a great adventure!) Fabrics from Kathryn's planned quilt inspiring a second idea, and the scraps from my Bee blocks also wanting to be combined into a new pattern. Ideas for the facebook pay-it-forward-crafty-projects I committed to. Making a wedding present for Sonja!  Sending blocks for an effort to benefit Japan. Projects for the quilt guild. A Roman shade for the guest room before our next guest come for a visit!

Fabulous color and pattern from Africa

African Churn Dash

Table runner and potholders for Sarah, for
Pay it Forward Crafty Goodness

I don't expect you to be as excited about all my projects as I am. Perhaps you'll see them, as I do, as instruments to connect my heart to others, and to the Creator.

Here I am!

This blogging stuff is harder than it looks. Especially around Christmas; I was so busy, too busy to stop, take a picture, and describe what I was doing or how I felt about it. Plus, I was working on presents, and I didn't want to post pictures before the giftees received them!

Star in Star for Molly

Star in Star for Emma

Dog for Mackenzie.
Made from a pair of Bill's Nordic ski socks.

Then, I had the BEST Christmas EVER!
There came a point when anything that wasn't finished didn't have to be finished. When the focus was on being ready for my kids to come home for Christmas, and that's all. The Tree got decorated, the lights hung on the house, cookie dough in the freezer. Ready.

What an honor that everyone came and stayed! There was lots of game-playing, and movie-watching, and hiking, and tide pooling, and visits to various parks, and cookie decorating, and lots of talking and laughing!

There was plenty of great food, but food wasn't the focus as much as being together, and working together. Though I didn't work at all! I cooked twice, and I cleaned once. The rest was all done by my great family! Homemade pizza, the most awesome macaroni and cheese, delicious tempeh and veggies, salads; healthy, wholesome goodness.

Honestly, the more I hear about other families, the more I like mine.

Joseph said, "I like this grown-up Christmas," and I know what he's talking about. The grown-up perspective that wasn't about presents or expectations, plus the magic of Poppy's Christmas experience made it all fun.

I wrapped several of my Christmas books, and every day Poppy unwrapped one or two, and we read them to her. After learning about the Nativity story, Poppy rearranged creches to honor the most important figure.

The adult kids enjoyed an evening out while Ralph and I took Poppy, with the required popcorn, hot chocolate, and Christmas cookies, to see lights on houses. And she loved Christmas presents, from the boring pajamas and slippers to the Light Brite and pink scooter!

On Christmas Day, the household doubled in size with the addition of many uncles and aunts and cousins. I loved every minute of it. Ralph never got to play croquet, thanks to the weather, but there was ping pong, Spades, Scrabble, and plenty of conversation to go with all the good food!

I still want to show you a couple other things I made for Christmas.

A dress for Bethany's favorite childhood doll, Becky. Remember the Strawberry Shortcake dress I made for Poppy? Bethany totally saw the resemblance, and loved it. Poppy isn't really old enough to love Becky yet, so Becky will continue to live here in uninterrupted sleep until Poppy is ready to treasure her.

You either think this is creepy, or cute. It's me, huggable, with a plateful of cookies and an armful of books. Got the idea from Angry Chicken. Bethany said Poppy had fallen asleep a few times holding a broken Christmas ornament photo of me. This will be cozier.

Have I gotten you caught up, now? I'm still trying to keep up, here!
Happy New Year! I hope I'll give you lots to see here this year!

Santa's headquarters may be at the North Pole...

Today in the mail there was a letter addressed to Santa Claus, at my address!

And inside, Poppy's Christmas list.

Ten out of twelve items begin with either "Barbie" or "Pony" as the descriptor. I'm guessing there's going to be a great amount of pinkness under the Christmas tree this year. Pink is fine! When Bethany was her age, she wanted everything Strawberry Shortcake for Christmas, and everything Strawberry Shortcake then was scented! My entire home smelled like strawberry jello, and I felt sticky just breathing the sweetness!

Shopping for this list isn't as easy as you might think. There are a lot of little girls who want the same things, and websites tell me the items are not available in stores. If I commit to buying online, I pay for S&H; is it worth it to look around town first? Of course, I need to check with Bethany and Max first, and see how serious this list is. 

Mrs. Santa had better get some sleep. Ho ho ho!

baby booties

I was invited to a couple baby showers recently. Look at these cute baby booties I made for them!
The instructions are here, courtesy of Joanna at stardustshoes.

 

Funlittlethings

I signed up for a potholder swap on A Stitch in Dye (take a look at what she does with fabric, color, and pattern: wow!). Before I send a pair of potholders off to my swap-mate, though, I am having fun trying out ideas.

Spoiler Alert! Photos of swap items ahead!

Here is a bird I'm piecing together with lots of ripping out stitches and trying again! It's fun to see it taking shape.

Next, I played with selvages; the side edges of fabric where the design data and color test are printed. I sent these off to Linda S, my sewing buddy!

My sister, Pamela, just moved into a new house, so I made these as a housewarming gift. The fabrics are two prints she sent me to use in Grace's quilt, and she told me they remind her of the doodles she draws. I know she'll like them!

And since I had some triangles left from making the flying geese in this Dutchman's Puzzle, I made them into little pinwheels and embellished a couple dishtowels.

Who doesn't need more dishtowels?

Here are a couple I whipped up for Laura A's birthday:

And here are the front and back of what I'm making for the swap. What do you think? Should I go with these, or keep trying?