sheppard girls

cursed

When I was working, I did fund raising and event planning for a local college.  There was one donor, who was very nice, very cordial, very professional.  My every single interaction with her was a colossal screw-up.  Lost her receipt.  Made an error on her thank you letter.  Her RSVP was misplaced.  Forgot her husband's name.  Her answering machine wouldn't record my messages.  I even made extra extra special care to ensure that everything would go well.  It never ever did.  I feel the same way about making bibs with this apple fabric.

   

EEEEEEEEEEK

This SPIDER was outside our family room window.  It is the biggest spider I have ever seen in Minnesota!  I took it's picture, went back into the house and it was gone!!!  Where did it go!  It is so creepy, I don't think I can keep the picture on my pretty blog.  But yikes.  It is like junior high science class when I had to tape a piece of paper over the picture of the snakes in the back of the book, just in case the book happened to fall open to those pictures.  This is worse than the mice.

Two weeks

'til Junk Bonanza.  I am super excited to be participating in Junk Bonanza out with the JunkMarket girls in Medina, Minnesota. 

 

But a three day sale, just after the first day of school, is crazy!  It is only the second big show I have ever done.  I was so tired after the St. Paul Craftstravaganza that the dad and I just sat on the front steps drinking champagne.  It was a good sale. :)  And I will be in Portland, visiting my sister, for four of those days.  I am eagerly anticipating my visits to Uwajimaya, (for Japanese craft books) and Tumbleweed, which is up near Bolt, and Office PDX.  My knowledge of Portland geography is limited, I know.  Up the hill, over the river, out in the valley....

Ten days to sew.  I feel like Monica in Friends when she is catering Carol and Susan's wedding.  "do you want to see me cry?!"

At the fabric store

 

Wright's seems to be changing their packaging.  I am going to miss Jane Wyman, the Falcon Crest Years, on my seam binding.

Reason #147

We are city people.  We live in the suburbs.  And not even the inner ring suburbs where the houses are older, there are sidewalks and real neighborhood stores.  A second ring suburb with houses built no earlier than 1980, and retail space clustered around a Noodles and Company.  We ended up here because back when we were looking to buy, houses were selling the day they were listed, with multiple offers, much over the list price and I was six months pregnant (with the artist pictured above).  We couldn't have been more lucky.  Our neighbors are amazing. 

And if I ever needed more proof - one of them is having a backyard, outdoor viewing of High School Musical 2.  Projected on a big screen.  Preteen rejoice.

We're all in this together...

 

I am a little bit excited about this.  Shhhh.

I am autumn, I am love

Remember The Cosby Show episode when Rudy wanted to wear a purple sundress to a birthday party, but Claire had already put it away for the summer and Rudy kept getting it back out until she got sent to her room?  (Remember when you used to identify with Denise, instead of with Claire?)  And Cliff helped Rudy pick out an appropriate outfit and they did a fashion show "I am autumn, I am love..."

I may have protested the idea of fall catalogs, but the big piles of them arriving in my mailbox, brings me nothing but joy. 

What is it about the pictures in JCrew?  I am still wearing a red shetland wool cardigan with wooden buttons because it was pictured so cute in the catalog while I was in college.  After flipping through the catalog, I am on the lookout for jeans I can roll up, and some bright patent heels. 

 

They will blend so well with the rest of my khaki and flip flop wardrobe.

The big and little ones, will look very sweet in this dress from Olive Juice Kids

This dress from Chasing Fireflies

These shoes from Target

This hoodie from MiniBoden

   

And this t-shirt,

also from MiniBoden, because let's face it, if you put my kid's name on anything faded and vintagey, I am so going to buy it.

I dig my new labels

I am so excited about my labels.  Actual real woven labels.  I was previously using twill tape, with sheppard girls ironed on it and then using a little piece of Steam a Seam to adhere it as a label.  I felt a little embarrassed about it.  But I think these look great. 

The fabric is from Digs in Northfield.  I was so excited to visit there.  It took all my self control not to pile the cutting table seven bolts high, three piles deep. 

Still on the hunt for the Joel Dewberry pink woodgrain.

Nine

   

It is our anniversary today.  Nine years.  I kind of forgot and invited people over for dinner.  In my defense, we've been trying to plan this dinner nearly all summer, so I was just so relieved to find a date that worked.  And the husband of the couple was in our wedding.  I don't know that I will mention it.

For dinner we are grilling fruit with a molasses and rum glaze.  In part because, when we got married the aforementioned friend was living in Australia and brought home rum, which the dad and his friends drank before our wedding.  We got married at 11 am.  Classy.

On Sunday nights, after the girls go do bed, I am totally into watching Platnium Weddings on WE.  I love to point out, "the candelabras on the aisle in the church, cost more than our whole wedding!"

I also heard on the Today show that the Olympics starts one year from today. 8.8.08.  That will be our ten year anniversary.  I think the dad should get me an anniversary ring with 8 diamonds, yes?

I knew it

I knew the time would come.  The big one wants a room redo.  I totally understand that the pale pink walls, with a big darker pink scallop are babyish.  But it still makes me a little sad.  She has also decided she is too old for child menu items, barrettes with flowers on them and even walking down the aisle with her sister in a big plastic shopping cart is nearly too much embarrassment to stand.

She is thinking beach-themed - inspired I am sure, but her BFF who just got an entire beach mural painted on her bedroom walls.

I am thinking that I don't do themed rooms.

But I may agree to hibiscus bark cloth and vintage travel posters.