on a friday afternoon:

nice weather is much less scary than stormy weather.

no flower in the world is better than a lilac. i'm sure of that.

the Noticing Project is officially 33.33% finished. some days I just sit and look at the archive page. it makes me happy.

your Guest Week photographs are amazing. THANK YOU.

my sweetie is sick. home from work sick. head in the toilet sick. poor thing.

and tomorrow is our eleven year anniversary. bummer. (the sick part not the eleven years part.)

tuesday's Shop Mayfly update is still on. it will be sewn items this time- artist totes and a few new things too.

george w. sent me a check. so i'll be stimulating some old-camera-repair-guy economy now. yippee!

i'm hoping each of you has a wonderful weekend!

Posted by Alicia at 05:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

like poking a nesting goose in the butt with a stick. Or wasting a big batch of homemade yogurt, which were two things that happened. (don't worry- we told the boys to stop poking!)

Thankfully, I don't have bad seasonal allergies, but yesterday I woke up with itchy eyes and the sneezles, so I took a Claritin. I was in a sleepy fog all day. I made a batch of yogurt from my favorite local milk and left it on the counter to cool... all night long. I'm blaming it on the allergy. I'm not feeling at all sniffley today. Perhaps I'll attempt another batch.

We're planning something special over at the Noticing Project next week. Heather and I want you to Be Our Guest. We're betting you are noticing some fantastic things these days. Please share them with us!

And lastly, we (especially N) was thinking about you yesterday, our favorite little Earth Day baby. You're really not much of a baby anymore, huh? Hope you had a wonderful birthday! Maybe we'll Skype you later.

Take care, friends!

Posted by Alicia at 08:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)

Hello, friends! We're fine here, how are you? My dad will call soon and say, "You haven't updated your blog in awhile." I know. There's so much to see and do and make and not quite enough hours in a day. I'm sorry if I seem quiet.

We've been busy playing soccer, cooking, reading, enjoying the slow unfolding of Spring, taking photographs (always!), studying spelling words, building a fancy closet (more on this soon), helping out at school, working in the yard. You know- making lists. And checking things off lists. All the while watching children grow at lightening speed. Good stuff- Exhausting stuff.

I still have several long overdue baby gifts to share and some ideas to bounce around. I'm planning a shop update soon, maybe around the 21st, if I can eek out time to work on some of these new ideas.

I hope you're all doing well. Take care, my little cabbages.

Posted by Alicia at 10:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

We're having a little bit of a hard time. Poor little N is still sick. She's been up in the night for several nights. She feels unwell. I feel tired and crabby. I feel guilty for being crabby. Brian is tired too, and I get mad at him for saying he has a meeting. Yeah. I wish I had a meeting. The washer broke, so I'm up to my ears in dirty sheets and clothes (that special kind of dirty that is such a treat for the mother of a three year old with the stomach flu.) Brian fixed the machine last night so I'm trying to catch up. J is bored and tired of scrambled eggs and leftovers for dinner. The weather is lovely, so I hear. N and I are missing it. We really haven't been outside since Saturday.

Everything is on hold. These canvases have been patiently basking in the sunlight for days. We'll catch up soon, paints and brushes.

I think I'm going to take a few days off here as well while we all recover. I hope to catch up with all of you soon too.

Until then, STAY WELL.

Posted by Alicia at 09:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (32)

sticky sweet hugs and kisses to you.

may you get a little taste of something special today!

p.s. I forgot to mention that the basic idea for these lolly flowers came from here. If you're ever at a loss for ideas for ANY holiday, Cindy is where it's at.

Posted by Alicia at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Ba dum bum. It's a bouquet of baby doll arms. Get it? Ok, sorry.

A few baby dolls ship in a day or two, and one blond will head to the shop after all- maybe next week. I'll let you know.

I got tons of paperwork and accounting done this weekend. It always surprises me that my (very!) small business can be so complicated to keep straight. But it is done, and a huge weight has lifted off my shoulders. Now we tackle the taxes, which of course, is not a complicated proposition at all. (wink.) The rest of the weekend was filled with exactly what we all needed: french toast, tickle fights, smoked ribs and pasta salad, a little painting, some sewing, pancakes, a little Rufus Wainwright. Maybe more than a little. Brian is sick of him, but I'm addicted.

We have a busy week ahead of us- good busy- but words from me may still be scant.

Happy Monday Morning!!

Posted by Alicia at 09:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Surely by now you've seen Six One Way. It's a heartfelt little photographic collaboration, and now we can all play along. Thanks, ladies. You're both pretty cool.

Here's our first contribution:

The newest round of colds (the kids) and a quick but painful bout of food poisoning (the mom) has left me feeling a little behind and without much to say. I'm going to take a few days off here, ok? But of course I'll still be posting photos over at the Noticing Project.

Have a great week, guys!

Posted by Alicia at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

I promised handmade somethings to share, but the plan was foiled. Feverish and coughing his way around the house, the boy was home from school for two days. He's better now, though the cough still sounds low in his chest. And this morning a certain someone else, tinier and in pink pj's, is coughing. Winter. Blah. February first. Cold and gray. Here we go again (except I'm not going to post everyday.)

I have several paintings in beginning stages, ideas for some shop surprises, a mural painting job this weekend. I'm working on six custom ordered baby dolls: three blonds, two brunettes, and a red head. And always taking the photographs. Always. Oooo... and the quilting bee starts this month. I'm trying to head off the sinking winter feeling by keeping busy. Think it'll work?

To get your mind off my annoying whining and lack of fun things to show you, here are seven random things about me (tagged by Lauren and Heather, way back when.) I did this one once before. I'm not that interesting. This is hard.

1. I love bacon. A LOT.

2. I hate laundry. A LOT! I bet there are 10 loads down there to be done right now. At our old house when he was still a baby, J rolled right down the stairs to our basement. It was scary, but I swear the giant pile of laundry on the bottom landing saved him. ; )

3. I love wine and coffee. But I don't know a thing about either. Cheap wine tastes fine to me, and we borrowed a French press from my mom to try it out. It was annoying. I gave it back.

4. I have a poetry phobia. I try. I really do. It just makes me feel dumb. (Any suggestions? Mary Oliver is lovely, but she tends to lean towards the religious, which intimidates me even more.)

5. We are very environmental, but I really cannot limit my hot shower. I don't have the will power in the morning.

6. I don't bite my nails, but I pick at my cuticles all of the time.

7. Things I aspire to be but probably never will: a runner. a Buddhist. an organic farmer. an architect. a neat freak. stylish.

Enough about me. How are you all doing this February first?

Posted by Alicia at 08:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)

Good morning, everyone! Photo-less posts depress me, so here are a few pretty pictures from others. Please click through to Flickr to see the credits. And while you're enjoying their neutral-palleted loveliness, I have a few quick things to mention.

First, please let me say how happy we BOTH are with your response to our Noticing Project. We are having great fun, and it is so gratifying that you are responding so positively. It's thrilling actually. Links and mentions have been popping up all over our little bloggy-world. Thank you from the bottom of my extremely happy heart.

Second, it appears that Shari is leading a winter whites photography/arts week next week and I'm all over that one. Therefore you may just be seeing double the photos from me all week. I'm terribly behind, and ideas are bursting out of the top of my head, which makes it all the more difficult to concentrate on the tasks at hand: Laundry. Making the bed. Preparing birthday party treats. So this challenge is very timely. If I comment less on your sites too, forgive me. I REALLY need to keep myself on task. OK?

Third, to my local peeps, stay warm and cozy this weekend!!! Yikes! 3 degrees is not enough.

Posted by Alicia at 09:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

for us and for the birds.

I'll be taking a break from this website for the holidays, but you know I can't resist the Flickr. If you think you might be the recipient of a little handmade treat from me, don't go snooping around over there! Unless you've got your heart set on ruining the surprise.

I'll be back in January. May the next few weeks be filled with peace and warmth, love and laughter for us all. And may this magic linger throughout the new year...

Cheers!

Posted by Alicia at 04:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

I love these deer. They're old. Probably as old as I am. Their plastic-y dime store glory pleases me a lot. I swiped them from my parent's Christmas box last weekend. Thanks, Mom.

It's officially winter break. J climbed in bed with me this morning and said, "Thursday is N's day at school, and I'm supposed to be at school, so if we were both at school, you'd have some quiet time, wouldn't you?" Uh huh. No quiet time for me. It's ok. I'm ready for some holiday fun with my family. They seem to be adjusting to this down time quite well already.

Thanks for all the advice on the camera. I *think* after your help and a call to the Canon help line, that I have narrowed it down to the card reader. Thankfully, that's the cheapest problem to remedy. Woo hoo!

After tomorrow I'll be signing off for the holidays. (It appears that I changed my mind about keeping quiet this week...)

Posted by Alicia at 09:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)

I am remembering this from yesterday:
____________________________________________

It's eerily quiet. The power has been off for a couple hours and the house is as still as it's ever been. I'm under a blanket on the couch, and I finish up as much of the crossword puzzle as I'm going to finish. I get up to look for something to eat. Not even bothering with a plate, I lean over the sink and eat a cold, leftover cheese and chicken quesadilla. It tastes really good. I stare out the window at the ice. It is so amazing. The icicles hang down off the trees like tinsel, off the power lines like party decorations. I cut a piece of gingerbread and eat it too. I look at the crumbs in the sink. Pouring some not-quite-cold milk, I realize there's a hum to home that disappears when the electricity goes off. I can hear the milk slosh into the glass. I can hear myself think.

I go upstairs to wake up my daughter. She's a light sleeper and usually sits straight up when I open her door. But the silence and the warmth of her down comforter has gotten the better of her. She's out. I sit on the edge of the bed for several minutes, studying the tiny veins in her closed eyelids, listening to the her rhythmic breathing. Suddenly she's a baby again. I see it in her face. I stroke her cheek and she opens her eyes and smiles. Hello, sweetheart. I carry her downstairs with her head on my shoulder and quietly get her ready to go pickup the big kids. We open the garage door and the noise and cold flood in.

____________________________________________

Do you ever have little bits of time like this? Everyday moments that are intensely enjoyable. Time slowed down and I could feel each second pass. We've been so busy fussing over things like auto loans, interest rates and origination fees. Power outages, food spoilage, tree limbs. Yet these few minutes of total calm were meaningful to me. I felt content.

I know you've got to be tired of seeing ice photos, but I couldn't help it. The sun came out and made everything sparkly. Yet when I lifted up the camera to capture what I saw, I couldn't! It's like taking pictures of the Grand Canyon. Sometimes you just can't get the scale and beauty of nature on film. (or cf card in this case.)

Tonight I'm making a special St. Lucia dinner- something I'm inventing as I go. We're going to eat by candlelight. The power was only out for a few hours, so candlelight has not worn out its welcome here. I hope to be able to share with you tomorrow.

Take good care.

Posted by Alicia at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)

It's ice storming here. Our temps have been hovering just above 32º F, so for us it's been mostly rain. Some of our neighbors to the north have not been as lucky. Stay home, local friends. Feels like a good day to "call in tired" to me.

I had a bad day yesterday filled with nasty things like multiple furnace repair men, a cut knuckle and several band-aids, a demanding toddler, a mechanic who utters the forbidden T word about my dead station wagon. Sigh.

BUT school has been canceled today. We're all still in our jammies, except for poor daddy- be careful, Brian. We love you- and we've made plans to paint gift tags and bake gingerbread. And sit at the window to listen for the smoosh of big chunks of slushy ice falling and not the much scarier crack of tree limbs. (knock, knock, knock on this pressed wood substance that is the top of my desk.) Today may just redeem yesterday.

Stay safe and warm. Please.

Posted by Alicia at 08:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

It is warm and cozy in here. One kid is off at school (feeling fine but with a secret stash of cough drops in his pocket.) The other is at nursery school. I have an egg and sharp cheddar cheese sandwich, a hot cup of coffee, baby doll hand-sewing in front of me.

and it's snowing.

I'm calling it good for the week. Happy weekend, my friends.

Posted by Alicia at 10:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

I hope you all have a great week. We're off for a little Thanksgiving vacation.

May your turkey be moist, your mashed potatoes lumpy, and your belts loose. (seems like I said something very similar last year...)

See you next week! Take good care.

Posted by Alicia at 04:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

I'm messing around this morning trying to take another self portrait. The weather is weird. It's cool and windy. One minute the sun is shining like crazy, the next it looks like it's thinking about storming.

Thank you all SO much for all the wonderful birthday wishes! Alas, there was no cake. But there were very yummy birthday cinnamon rolls and fresh squeezed orange juice for breakfast. And for dinner there was a little bit of fun out at a restaurant. Brian is in trouble.

Posted by Alicia at 10:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Doesn't thirty-five sound so much older than thirty- four?

I'm not complaining. My life couldn't be much more blessed than it is right now. I am exactly where I want to be.

Posted by Alicia at 01:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (49)

I always say Fall when speaking, but when I write I use Autumn. It's much more romantic.

Things that have pleased me in the last week:
The trees are turning for real now.
We had some good rain and now it's cool and crisp.
Soup season has begun.
I dug out some gloves for my morning walk.
I'm craving cinnamon in everything.

Autumn-y photos make me happy:
disappearing
a walk
friday

A few inspirational projects:
This vest. The entire outfit really. But in my size.
Lauren's in-progress Post-It Note quilt. Such perfect colors.

Not particularly Autumnal but worth visiting:
Rachel's new Etsy Shop. I hope she adds some of these soon. Eeeek!

Big plans for an Autumn day (with no school):
Sweet rolls and hot coffee.
Mail a package or two.
A little hike with cameras. Mine and his.
Snooping around a book store.

I'm putting together a requested tutorial for Monday. Then the rest of the week it'll just be photographs. I'm in need of a little break to make some art.

Have a great weekend!

Posted by Alicia at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Oh, Internet. No, we're not breaking up. I just have been too busy to hang out. What's so important that I've neglected you so? Well. Let's see...

Painting the inside of a playhouse. Here's a peek. I've been there every free minute for a few weeks. Good things these clients live close. I have a feeling photos aren't going to do this little room justice. It might just end up pretty darn cute.

Redesigning this website. You like? (please say yes. please say yes.) I used to work for that company way back when. Now I maintain their website.

Reading this book. I'm hosting book club next week. The book is GREAT, and I do love my book club ladies.

Starting to get ready for my shop opening. The canvases are just about stretched. Time to gesso.

And the usual suspects: kids, toys, messes, meals with family, appointments, Cub Scout meetings, soccer practice, playing outside. Life.

I'd have to say, Internet, it feels healthy to take this little break from each other. I've needed it. I'll be back. I promise. I just need a little space.

{You know I still love you.}

Posted by Alicia at 04:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

** the good **
Friday night pizza with friends and a quick walk through the art fair.
A sudden downpour that makes us run for the car, whooping and laughing the whole way.
(fun for us, but maybe not so much for the artists.)
Painting Saturday for the sweetest clients ever- I'm working on the inside of a playhouse. It's going to be SO cute! I'll post pictures when it's done.
A little yard work before dinner.
A sputnik fire to celebrate the last day of summer.

** the bad **
Little N gets tangled in her tiny lawn chair, does a face plant onto the patio, develops a huge goose egg on her forehead and scares us all royally. (she's just fine now.)
Waking up early Sunday with ANOTHER raging migraine, which is unscathed by a fancy migraine pill.
Packing up the family to take Mom to urgent care.
A shot in the butt of something that doesn't help much, but that makes me sleepy enough to keep more fancy migraine medicine down.
Missing valuable mural painting time sick in bed.
(It's been an unusually bad migraine month for me.)

This is the one I really hate: I'm going to have to push back the shop opening. The new date is Thursday, October 18. As soon as I committed myself to the first date, my time filled up with painting jobs. (Yay and Oy!) I have realized after studying my calendar that there is just no way to finish it all in time. I can't pass the murals by when they appear; they're too unpredictable. That's the beauty of being in control of your own online shop, right?

** and to end with more good **

When I squatted down to take the photo, I half expected a little elf to scurry off.

Happy Autumn, everyone! Well, or Spring- depending on where you are. ; ) Here's to the good outweighing the bad!

Posted by Alicia at 08:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)

Hello and happy Monday, friends! We had a good weekend, worked some and played some, and the weather turned cool. We broke out the jackets and a blanket for the couch and baked banana bread. It's warm again today, balmy but the wind is strong and feels different. Autumn is coming.

I was tagged by Ali for this nosy meme. It's really interesting to me to learn this information about other bloggers, so here's the scoop on me:

1. Do you promote your blog?
Yes. Sort of. I'll explain. I always had a link to my murals on my weblog but not the other way around. I felt like there was no need for my clients to know so much about me. But recently I've consciously been taking a turn toward more assertive self-promotion as an artist, which is SO HARD for me. I feel strongly that life is the core of my art and photography. All of it is who I am. So when I reworked my main web page, I bit the bullet and linked to it all. Lately I've been spreading the word about my main site more among my friends too as a way of advertising my services, therefore more of them are finding out about the blog.

2. How often do you check hits?
At least once a day. Usually at the end of the day before I go to bed. If there's an unusually high number of hits, I'll look into who came from where. This can be totally addictive and at times a little spooky, so I really try to limit myself.

3. Do you stick to one topic?
Of course! Me. And my art and craft and photography. And my life and family. Boring stuff like that. ; )

4. Who knows that you have a blog?
Pretty much everyone now. I went to a mural estimate recently and the client asked me all about my Etsy shop. (Excellent.)

5. How many blogs do you read?
Too many. I subscribe to 74 feeds in Bloglines, but some of them are foodie sites and some are sites like Whip Up, which are just impossible to read everyday.

6. Are you a fast reader?
Yes, thankfully. But the thing that has made it all much more speedy lately is that I'm commenting less. It is so freeing to just pipe up about things that really strike a chord with me instead of feeling so obligated to comment on each entry I read.

7. Do you customize your blog or do anything technical?
Why yes, yes I do. I build it all by hand using the free version of Moveable Type for the weblog and the free software Nvu for the main website. And I am darn-tootin' proud of myself even though html makes my head ache and my eyes bug out.

8. Do you blog anonymously?
No. I use my my real name, just not my last name. I use the kids' first initials instead of their names just to make myself feel a bit safer, though I doubt it would make much difference if someone really wanted to hunt us down. Really, I think it is terribly easy to find out anything you want about anyone you want to so the small things I do to protect them are probably all just for my peace of mind.

9. To what extent do you censor yourself?
Um, quite a bit. I try to keep this place positive. No one's life is as pretty and happy as they make it seem on their website; I just don't like to bitch and moan here. Usually. I struggle with a touch of depression especially in the winter months, so this is a good way for me to find some beauty and happiness in the everyday. I also don't like to talk politics or religion here. We have different views on these things as even some of our close friends and family, so what's the point. Let's embrace the differences, people. We're all really our own brand of crazy, aren't we?!

10. The best thing about blogging?
The part I just said about finding beauty in my everyday life, and OF COURSE all of the real life friends I have made. (Hey girlies, how are you, sweeties?)

So that's it. If you made it this far, you are nosy. Wink, wink. I won't officially tag anyone, but feel free if it floats your boat too.

Posted by Alicia at 04:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)

We'll be away from the computer all weekend, so publishing comments will have to wait until I return. And I'll share my news with you next week. It may be much more exciting to me than to you.

(It has nothing to do with moving, babies, or grand life events, but you may find a hint if you snoop around at the changes I've been making here on the weblog.)

Have a wonderful long weekend, friends. Love to you all!

Posted by Alicia at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

School started yesterday. My son will now be gone all day. I find myself swinging between sheer excitement over more free time and sadness over not seeing him enough. We're looking for our footing with the new routine and I really want to make our home as tidy and streamlined as possible, which just isn't always possible with two small children. But I sure am trying! Life feels like one unsteady marathon of finding your footing sometimes, doesn't it?

It's still very hot outside- and humid too. When we go outside we move in slow motion. But inside I'm stuck on fast-forward. Cleaning and purging once again. How does all this make its way here? And I'm making lists like mad. Lists of books to read. Lists of errands to run. Lists of things to research. Projects to start. Projects to finish. Goals to accomplish. Sheesh. There's always so much to think about. It gets exhausting.

I've got some computer projects to work on and little gifts to make. I'll be posting just photos next week so I can concentrate on them and finally call them done. The photos will be inspired by the idea behind this book I saw over at Shari's. It looks so beautiful. I requested it via interlibrary loan yesterday. I hope it comes quickly.

Life IS art. Yes. That's the thing right there, isn't it? I SWEAR I will find some of it under all this clutter. : )

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

Posted by Alicia at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (19)

We had another bloggy ladies get-together yesterday afternoon. Our group of local crafty bloggers is growing quickly! Jenny and Laura used the opportunity to organize a little baby shower for Amy. Oh, you should have seen the wonderful baby goodness- and a lot of it handmade. This is a lovely group of smart, funny, talented women. I even remembered to take a few photos of them all this time.

(L: Jenny's cake from Andre's. R: My gift to the baby, a linen smock with matching bloomers.)

Thank you, Jenny for hosting us all! I had a wonderful time, girls. Let's do it again soon.

Posted by Alicia at 09:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)

I'm missing it terribly.

I am trying to add some CAPTCHA code to my comment fields here on the weblog. Please excuse the bumpy ride. It's down there, but it isn't working. I hope it isn't keeping any real comments from coming through.

Why? When I got back from vacation I had over 1200 junk comments to wade through. In the hour and a half this morning that I spent trying to add a free plug-in and code I downloaded, I got 18. It's terribly annoying and I know nothing about html. I'm bumbling through it all with only the help of my fabulous web hosting company- ICDSoft. They're nothing but helpful but it's not exactly their job to write code for me. Sigh. I think now I have to go and undo all I've done this morning. And call a friend who knows about this stuff. Michael? Are you out there?

Right now though, I'm packing us up and going to the pool, where I can pretend I'm still looking out at the sea.

** I undid what I did earlier and everything should be back to normal. Please forgive me while I figure this all out. **

Posted by Alicia at 11:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)

J and I in our last-minute-thrifted sunny hats.

We're ready. The wagon is gassed up. The oil's been changed. She is freshly washed and vacuumed and so well organized. There's the correct amount of air in each tire. Our auto club membership is up-to-date. All that's left to do is paint honky lips on the side and listen to this song as we pull out of the driveway. Hee hee!

We're off now for a beach holiday. I'll be offline (thankfully- it's time for a break) for a few weeks, so once again I won't be able to publish comments. PLEASE feel free to leave them anyway. I'll put them up as soon as I get back.

Love to you all. Take good care!

Posted by Alicia at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

As requested by Emily, 7 Random Things about me:

One: I had never eaten (thanks to my dear mom) a Pop Tart when I went away to college. So of course I lived on them for a couple of years. And now if I even see one, it makes me gag a little.

Two: I once wore Paul Newman's nightshirt. I worked at a dry cleaners in high school for a little bit and he was in town filming a movie. His assistant brought in his laundry and I put on the nightshirt. Over my clothes, of course! I was unprofessional, but not THAT unprofessional.

Three: I love all kind of rodents and bugs. Ants, worms, bats, spiders, caterpillars, mice, etc- I find them all very fascinating. But if I see a cockroach it sends me running and squealing like a little girl.

Four: We had a car accident (just a fender bender) on the way home from our wedding. When we got out of the car still in our formal wear, a sweet lady came out of a nearby store to see if we were alright. She asked, "Awww... are you on your way to prom?!" Um, we looked just a little young.

Five: When I was 15, I spent two weeks with a friend sailing around the Virgin Islands on a 45 ft. sailboat with a friend of her dad's and his girlfriend. It was The Trip of a Lifetime. I still think about it often.

Six: What's my ultimate favorite junk food? Funyuns. No doubt about it.

Seven: I wear my emotions on my sleeve. I'll cry at the drop of a hat and when I'm happy, I'm really happy. And I think because it is so hard for me to hide how I feel, I am a terrible liar. My children are exactly the same way.

** the top is made from a thrifted straight skirt that I stole was given to me by my mom. I thought it would be cuter as a little halter shirt using the same method as the pillow case pj's. I do believe it's downright beachy.**

Posted by Alicia at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)

to those of you here in the states. Sorry no yellow photograph- we're neck deep in red, white and blue today.

We spent the evening at a get-together in a neighboring county in which the firecrackers aren't illegal. Crazy fun- burned my finger on a sparkler, but it was totally worth it.

Posted by Alicia at 11:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

quite literally!

We're off for a little family lake time. Please don't feel offended if you leave a comment and it doesn't appear on the website for a week or so. If I didn't get about 127 junk comments a day, I could turn this all on auto-pilot.

But I do, so I can't.

Take good care, friends!

(I know- this photograph has nothing to do with fishing. I'm sure I'll have plenty of those when we get back.)

Posted by Alicia at 11:48 PM | Permalink

I pulled over and took pictures of this trellis/arbor/entry gate on the back way to the grocery. Amazing! Gardening friends, is this wisteria? Whatever it is, I LOVE it and want some.

Abrupt topic change:

It feels good to have a weekend with NOTHING planned. No ball games or practices. No parties. The only possibilities looming on the horizon include gardening but only if the weather is good. Fishing with Papa but only if the weather is good. Vodka tonics on the patio... but only if the weather is good!

So what happens if the weather isn't good? Sleeping in. Coffee. Cinnamon rolls. Crossword puzzles. Sewing. (J has a project he's been working on too.) Teacher gift making. Reading. Vodka tonics in the family room.

So some of these things may happen. Or not. Fine by me. (Except for the little teacher gifts- they have to get done.) For the next few days we're just going to play it by ear and relax.

Oh, yes. One last thing, WOO HOO for summer!

Posted by Alicia at 08:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

to all you fantastic moms out there. I'm wishing for a mild sunny day, breakfast on the patio with a big mug of coffee and a crossword puzzle.

I'm also wishing for a peaceful day for all of you too.
(Especially you, Grace. I'm thinking of you, my dear.)

Posted by Alicia at 02:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Yesterday was warm and mostly sunny.
The basement is still dry as a bone.
The weather people have revised the forecast.
There's still a chance of thunderstorms,
but not torrential rain like earlier predicted.
I switched the camera back into its regular color mode.
Tonight is book club.
Friday is J and Coach Daddy's first baseball practice.
I get to put up a clothesline this weekend.
The garden is ok- waterlogged but alive.
The Siberian Iris are blooming.

I'm feeling better already.

Posted by Alicia at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Here's J hitting the world's strongest piñata at his Cinco de Mayo party. After about ten minutes of each of them patiently taking turns, the teachers resorted to unmasking them and letting them beat the stuffing out of it on the gym floor. You should have seen those kids, normally so well behaved and calm, all wild-eyed and wack-wack-wacking that stubborn thing. I've never laughed so hard in my life! I couldn't even hold up the camera- I was completely in tears! Oh, it makes me start up again just thinking about it...

breathe. calming deep breaths.

Anyway, we're on our own this weekend. Brian is off on his annual boys weekend. I'm not bitter at all that he left on the day of our ten year anniversary. (Ok, maybe just a little. In the grand scheme of things, I really lucked out in the husband department, so I'll get over it.) The three of us have nice calm plans for the weekend, hanging out together playing, maybe baking some sweet rolls and tending to our garden.

You go have some fun yourselves, you hear?! Take good care, friends.

Posted by Alicia at 11:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

(I swiped this photo from his MySpace page. I hope he doesn't mind. Go there and you can listen to a few songs. I took my camera, but felt dorky and locked it in the trunk at the last minute. I wish I hadn't.)

I just HAD to pop in and say how much Andrew Bird rocks. We went to see him (+ Martin Dosh and Jeremy Ylvisaker) last night at the Blue Note in Columbia, MO. Now I have some of his music on cd and on the computer, and he's very good. But live he's surprising, amazing and totally rockin'. Totally. It's like nothing you've ever heard. Plus I really dig that geeky, intellectual songwriter vibe.

Enough. Give me a few more days and I'll be back. xo.

Posted by Alicia at 02:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

• Find pleasure in the small moments
• Be grateful for my loved ones
• Get going on our veggie patch
• Hang a clothesline somewhere
• Enjoy the weather; Spring is back!
• Make a spinach quiche
• Knit something. Wish me luck.
• Finish several baby gifts
• and a birthday gift
• Barbecue with good friends
• Go see this guy in concert- yay!
• Celebrate Earth Day

I'll be back in a week or two. Take care of yourselves, friends.

Posted by Alicia at 08:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)

Hello, friends! I hope you're doing well.

We had a wonderful trip to Texas. It was so relaxing and the three girls, my two nieces and little N, played splendidly together. Splendid. The new word of choice thanks to my (almost) three year old niece. I took about 125 pictures and that didn't include the ones I deleted on the spot. I've put just a few up over at Flickr. And IKEA? All I can say is we need one in Kansas City. Or in St. Louis. I could live with that.

The photograph above is one of my favorites from the trip. I took the girls on a short walk to the neighborhood park one morning. It had recently rained, and the sky was sort of bright but overcast and oooo, the flowers looked so vibrant and well, splendid.

I'm ready to get back to this site now. I've got a few small swaps to finish up and a couple of gifts to work on, so I may even have few arty things to share. And our yard is waking up. I think I'll spend the day tomorrow raking and digging and sprucing. It's time to get my hands dirty. Maybe I'll share a little of that too.

We'll visit soon, my friends. Take good care!

Posted by Alicia at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Is it too early for this? Are we supposed to wait until after Memorial Day or something? Well, I don't care. I'm so anxious for Spring, that I dressed us both in crops for today's 60-ish degree day.

We have planned an impromptu girls-only trip to Texas to see my sister-in-law and her family. Little N, Maw Maw and I are hitting the road next week, which means my blog break may last longer than planned. If you don't hear from me again before we leave, visit me over at Flickr. I'm having a GRAND time with the new camera and just as I suspected I would, I'm uploading way too many photos. It's already full-blown Springtime in Dallas, so there will be plenty to photograph (yipee!), and they live near an IKEA. Trouble, I tell you. Trouble.

I hope this entry finds everyone in good spirits and health. Take care, everybody!

Posted by Alicia at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (24)

Today? Today was a nice day. Amy and Laura came over with their kiddos for a little visit this morning. They played together nicely, and the moms gabbed and drank coffee. Well, Laura sipped her tea. She also brought gluten-free Madeleines. Very very tasty. I wish Amy lived here. We seem to have a lot in common. Hear that, Amy? If you ever get a hankering to move back to Kansas City, you just pack up and do it. Ok? And speaking of Amy (and all the Smocket love) don't forget to go visit her and tell her thanks. It's her pattern after all. : ) Thanks, Amy. For the pattern, for the visit, for the little fabric coaster. All three lovely.

Here are Bea and Darwin hanging out in the living room. Aren't they cute? N spent most of the morning glued to my hip. Later in the day she kept telling me her mouth hurt. I got to thinking maybe she was getting a sore throat. Great. Invite some friends over and infect them. That's a little too friendly. But after a huge crabby fit with Grandma I got to poking around in her mouth. All four two year molars are just barely poking through. Awwwwww- Baby N. I'm sorry, my love.

One more day, folks. Then I'm taking a break. But do come back tomorrow to see MY new Smocket.

Goodnight!

Posted by Alicia at 10:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Waiting this afternoon for J to finish his Spanish class at school, N and I explored his school's garden.

At first glance it seemed not much was going on, but as we walked around we saw and heard otherwise. We enjoyed looking up at the winter blue sky, feeling the wind in our hair, watching two mice dart in and out of the ivy, examining the compost, squishing in the mud, looking at the goldfish in the pond, and listening to the chattering birds.

There really is no greater teacher than nature, and there's little as amazing as planting a seed and watching it grow. I'm looking forward to J becoming a part of this school garden and for them both to help with the little vegetable patch we're planning here at home. Not long now.

Posted by Alicia at 05:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)

the boy is all better.
the girl is finally on the mend.
mommy is at about 90%.
the laundry is almost caught up.
the house is clean.
the studio is organized.
the weather is SO much better (sunny and 50's today.)
a painting job is in the works.
some creative projects are planned.

thank goodness.

Posted by Alicia at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Hey, Erin! Check me out!

(my mom is trying to teach me how to knit.)

Posted by Alicia at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

The weather cooperated this time around, and all these ladies came over this evening: Estea, Laura, Jenny, Amy, Lori, and Michelle. The food was all super, the company even better. We talked and ate and LAUGHED and traded fabric ( Jenny brought tons- We scored BIG time!) and ate some more and laughed some more. Oh, these ladies. I swear we could all be friends anyway, but isn't it strange and fun that our little crafty websites brought us together? At the very last minute as we were all hanging out by the door and Jenny had already gone, we realized we didn't take any pictures! A few were quickly snapped, but this is all I got. I'm hoping one of the other ladies got some good ones.

Thanks, girls. I had such a nice evening. You are all so fun and sweet and we need to do it again soon. SOON. And thanks for the fabric, especially you, Jenny. That was seriously generous. With all this I'll be busy for months. The ideas are already rattling around in my head.

Have a wonderful week, everyone. Joining in with Amanda and company, I'll just be posting photos for a few days. Take care.

Posted by Alicia at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

You guys... you warm a girl's heart. And with cold days like these, I can use all the warmth I can get.

Thank you so much for all of the amazingly sweet comments about J's birthday and his pillow.
You're too much.

Posted by Alicia at 09:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Sadly, I postponed the get-together on account of bad weather,
which ended up bad but not that bad.

Sorry ladies- We'll do it in a few weeks.
Enjoy the tasty treats with your families!

Posted by Alicia at 07:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

I have always loved a nice egg sandwich with cheese (this time muenster) and a sprinkling of pepper on whole wheat toast.

I also love short work weeks- oooo, if only they all were this short.
and play dates. at their houses.

My energy for cleaning is fizzling out, but we're on our fourth car load to Goodwill. I love donating to and buying from second-hand stores. What could be better, really?!

I ADORE this new site. So far it's eerily beautiful and peaceful. Shari's set of black and white photographs is peaceful too. Simply perfect.

Generous people are the BEST. Have you seen how much money the auction is raising? Everything is way out of my price range, but that is quite alright!

I'll be back next week with the last of my handmade gifts and the first tiny baby steps of my new More Art Plan. Happy weekending, everyone! May you all discover, or visit, or do, or create something you love too.

Posted by Alicia at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

It's a new day, a new year. The prospect of a fresh start has us positively in a frenzy. After a couple of weeks of overindulgence and lazing around, something has snapped. Buzzing like bees I tell you. In the last two days we've put away the holiday decorations, cleaned, organized, pared down. It feels so good. The rushed gift making is over, and it is time to clean up the studio. That's my goal for today. Studio and laundry room. And maybe the pantry.

As we all seem to be doing, I've also been pondering resolutions. The usuals are contenders: staying organized, eating healthy, more exercise, yadda yadda yadda. But what I really want to do this year is start making more art. Since I've gotten interested in this art and craft blogging world, I have really expanded my definition of art (which is a long rambling post for another day.) But even with that said, I'm missing the basics. Painting. Drawing. Oh, how I miss printmaking. There's no reason I can't do hand-printed linocuts and woodcuts and maybe some small scale screen printing here in my studio. It's time. It's been too long. And photography. I love taking pictures. I need to take a class. Hmmm... much to think about. Actually, I may be over-thinking. Alicia, just jump in and start creating. Yes. yes.

But all of this creating will have to wait another day or two. I want to ride this cleaning wave while it lasts, because around here they don't roll by too often.

Best wishes to you all in the new year!

Posted by Alicia at 08:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Happy Winter Solstice everyone!

Isn't this garland with the dragonflies nice? It's from our local Ten Thousand Villages. I love it. It's "all year worthy" I do believe.

Deep breath. The dolls are done. almost. The gifts are purchased. The errands are finished. The bags are nearly packed. It's our year for Christmas in St. Louis and we're off this afternoon. It's time for rich food, sweets and more sweets, family ruckus, quiet time after the kids crash, gifts all around and love. I am READY.

I'll be taking a break from this site too, maybe until the new year has arrived and my head is cleared. (Just in time for the Kim Family Auction. Have you seen the wonderful things that have been donated? Wow. Save your Christmas pennies!) I'm sure I'll still be puttering around at Flickr, posting pictures of the kids and their cousins getting into trouble together.

Happy Holidays, friends. Warm and snuggly wishes to you and yours.

Posted by Alicia at 09:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

This Santa and I seem to have similar expressions. Frazzled yet dazed. Totally fried.

The baby dolls are almost done, but still naked. As soon as I crank the dresses out, I'm calling it quits. I've scratched some of the list; I'm running out tonight to buy some little things instead. And I have a game to get ready for J's party at school tomorrow. Well, and there's something for my mom, but we're not doing gifts until New Year's Eve morning, so I'll have a day at the end of next week to finish that.

not long now... not long now...

Posted by Alicia at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Hello!

I struggled (and I mean Struggled) through Friday alone with the kids, collapsing into a heap as soon as Brian got home. Several times during the day J said, "Mom, I think I want Daddy to come home now." I decided if I didn't feel better when I got up the next morning, I'd go to the doctor. Sure enough, after dragging myself up there Saturday, I had Strep Throat. I've never had it before and man, that's miserable. They gave me a prescription for the wonderful and magical gift of modern medicine, a "Z-Pack." By Sunday, I was once again functioning, with a migraine from all of the dehydration, but functioning.

And yesterday, I was myself- hollering at kiddos, sewing faces on baby dolls, decorating the house, but worrying terribly about a little family that I don't know. I have been slightly obsessed with this story. As soon as I heard they found Kati Kim and her children, I cried like a baby. I think it's just seems way too familiar. So many times we've been off on some camping adventure, with our little ones strapped in our wagon, on some winding highway, semi-lost, no cell phone service. We could be them. I desperately want this to have happy ending.

Please find him soon.

Posted by Alicia at 01:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Yesterday the high was a balmy 65º F. (or something like that.)

Today the mercury is dropping all day, and they're predicting freezing rain and maybe a little snow. Time for a big pot of soup. Too bad we finally finished all of the turkey. (Did I really just say that?) A nice bowl of turkey and homemade noodles would have been nice. Any suggestions?

Posted by Alicia at 08:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)

We had a great Thanksgiving filled with friends, family, love, good food and and gratitude. One low spot though. News came that an old friend passed away after a rough battle with cancer. One of the sweetest humans to ever walk the earth. Sigh. Makes me even more thankful, but breaks my heart for his sweet wife. He was way too young.

I did get my dominoes game in. Many actually. Many, many.

He loves it. And is good. Watch out.

Guess what?! I met Amy and her family last week. We ran into each other at a nearby park. They were here visiting for a quick holiday. And sweet Bea, all strapped in her seat in the car, smiled at me and said "hi." She really is a cutie. Next time, dear Amy, we MUST get together.

This week I'm planning a Blogging Lite® week. (term inspired by a friend.) I'm getting serious with the gift making and don't want to get sidetracked. Maybe I'll just post a few photos here and there. Katherine... are you out there? I'm almost done with the baby doll. And if you're expecting a package from me? They'll be out soon. I promise.

Have a great new week, everyone. Take good care please.

Posted by Alicia at 09:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

Well, all. All has not been well here. My sweet J had a rotten day Friday, which quickly evolved into a nasty fever, which has left in its wake a puzzling case of night terrors. Completely new territory. And wee N had a head cold and poor mommy hasn't gotten a thing done. Except rub tummies and wipe noses and administer meds. At least it's good to be needed. They're both feeling better, and we're hoping J's night terrors wind down now. Mommy and Daddy are tired. Thankfully, he remembers nothing.

Tomorrow I need to prepare for our Thanksgiving meal here with friends and family- a nice day of children running crazy in the yard, an enormous meal and maybe even a dominoes tournament. In fact, I'm going to take a long blogging break into the weekend to enjoy the holiday and catch myself up.

May all of your turkey (or tofurkey) be juicy, your cranberries tart, and your belts loose.
Love to all.

Posted by Alicia at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)