umm…are those the four horsemen riding down our street?

the weather here can really only be described as apocalyptic, in that it is March 28th, and toonie-sized flakes of snow are swirling in great clouds to the earth.  we are all agog.

question o’ the day, then: what is the most unusual weather day that you can remember?

psst…it’s here.

the fabric.  the bold-beautiful-vibrant-now-in-the-wash fabric…long may its colours and fun patterns live!  i’m taking orders, p.s. by the way…..

oh, and i’ve got 6 yds of gorgeous espresso brown, for a solid look on l’autre sides of these…..

question o’ the day:  what book are you reading right now?  do you like it?  do you wish it would end?

Version 1.0

so…it took for freaking ever, but i finally put needle to fabric, and lo, the first reversible dress was born. there were some hiccups, since sewing reversible items means reversing ALL the laws of seam finishing, but it turned out all right. and promptly had blueberry pie spilled on it this evening, by a very sugar-high four year-old. so, rather than nice Etsy worthy photos, i attach these little snapshots. please excuse the ugliness of the printed material, it’s JUST A TRIAL, after all. enough with the self-deprecation. without further adieu, i give you the dress:

there are some kinks. but it is thoroughly wearable, which is more than i thought i might accomplish with a first try. wish me luck……..

question o’ the day: when you travel, what is the item you find most indispensable?

sometimes…

i take an okay photo.

Come fly with me.

I’ve just been for a good run (yeah endorphins!), had a shower, a hot coffee and a wee piece of Almond Roca. Does it get any better than this? I don’t think so.

clearly, i’m all about the small things–those little luxuries, little thanksgivings. The small-but-not-insignificant things in the natural world: the first glimpse of a summery blue sky through spring rain clouds, the fiery scarlet of cherry trees before the blossoms burst forth, being pushed about by a rogue wind on the ferry’s sun-soaked upper deck. I also like the human comforts–coffee (clearly), tasty food, surprise emails from long-lost friends, blog comments, (though, i suppose we could debate whether technology qualifies as comfort), falling asleep with my head on jaegen’s chest while watching t.v. The cheesy things. The predictable things. I think that i used to view these small joys as sort of embarrassing, as if an adult should have more complex likes and dislikes. As if the surge of glee i feel each morning about every hot sip of coffee was somehow juvenile, and best left undiscussed.

i don’t think that anymore. the more i get to know the people i love, and meet new people to love, the more i realize that all of us are made up of these tiny, simple delights–these semi-secretive thrills over things that other people pass by. and i like that. in fact, it makes me think that everyone around me lives an intriguing secret life, and, even more, makes me curious to know what these little loves are. hence, the

Question o’ the day: What is the most ‘insignificant’ thing in your life that gives you the greatest joy?

oh, and another shot of fabric. this time, it’s coming to my house. as we speak. wending its way across the continent into my eager sewing fingers. agatha chose it for her sample dress.

With a Little One At My Knee

literally.  and he’s trying, intermittently, to type, or hit me, and generally get my attention.  and here i am, shirking my motherly duties by writing.  ah well.  today, i can live with that.  WARNING: WHAT FOLLOWS IS ANOTHER OF THOSE MOMMYTUDE ANGSTY POSTS.  IF YOU PREFER SARCASTIC AND SLIGHTLY NEUROTIC JENN, SEE OTHER POSTS.

As I mentioned yesterday, i’ve begun looking into wholesale fabric, as it seems brutal to pay retail, when the fabric manufacturers are online.  Of course, my inquiries lead me to the conclusion, again, that if i want to do this, i mean really do it, then i’m going to have to invest in it.  somehow.  with funds as yet to materialize.  Which, of course, sends me into a bit of a tailspin, since i feel like my (potentially) dream job is just dangling like the proverbial carrot in front of me, and i’m still parked here in mommyville, guiltily convinced that it should feel like my dream job.  It is, in many ways.  I have, for the first time in my adult life, a limited amount of discretionary time during daylight hours.  (though, with napping on its way out, that window is rapidly closing.)  I get outdoors a lot.  I get to call the shots a fair bit.  And for a bossy firstborn, let me tell you, that’s a big frickin’ deal.

But this need to create things, it just isn’t going away.  When all this somewhat silly panic subsides, i know what i need to function optimally as a person, and as a mom.  I need one day every two weeks.  A creative day.  A day to make mock-ups of the little reversible dresses i want to sell.  a day to move back and forth from drafting table, to sewing machine (in my dreams a serger), to iron, and back again fifty times.  How i’ll make this dream day happen, i don’t know.  I welcome any thoughts and suggestions that don’t involve taking in extra children on other days   oh, what a petty and selfish person i am.

BUT, to help this all go down a bit more smoothly,  here are some photos (finally) of my actual mommy life:

When you give up practising your letters, it’s always advisable to draw Mary and the Christ child.  Upside down.  seriously.

Some of us really like to say “Stinky Undies” for the camera.

Just like mummy’s house shoes.

Well, since the 5 min. of t.v. is no longer a sufficient bribe, i need to go attend to mommy things now.  adieu, mes amis.

Question o’ the day:  What is your dream job?

is it just me?

or, does everyone get this excited about fabric that looks like this:

Okay, so maybe it’s just me. but, i’m looking into wholesale stuff with Michael Miller . Here’s hoping they’ll let me buy from them directly. Oh, and my lenten thing–i’m already at 42 days since I swore off the art-supply buying…so, does that mean i’m into bonus time?

if i took a photo of my creative work right now

it would be a picture of a single mitten. a pink-and-nubbly-right-handed mitten.

if i offered you a metaphor about my thoughts right now,

it would be that they are pop rocks–explosive, plentiful, and more-than-occasionally uncomfortable.

if i said what was on my mind right now

i think i’d regret it later on.

if i told you how i feel about all of you right now

that would be simple.

you’re great and i love you. seriously. i sit here thinking about the precious, few people who read my random scribblings on a regular basis, and i’m grateful. i wonder about what each of you are doing, about how each of you are doing, about how grateful i am to all of you for your comments, your silent support, your places in my life. don’t stop groovin’.

Question o’ the day: what is your favourite colour, and why?

Just when i’ve been a whiny sniveller…

i get to witness this:

oh, child of the anemone head, were you always this cheerful and…spiky???

seriously, am mucho thankful for a multitude of things:  a warm home, a great family (near and far), excellent and exceedingly generous friends….

still looking for ways to make a positive impact, though, so don’t think you can weasle out of my question o’ the day, people….

Positive thinking.

i ‘love’ that expression about as much as i love, “Attitude is a choice.”  nevertheless, i find myself in need of some uplifting turns of thought, as i struggle through these last two weeks of lent.  i keep telling myself that jesus went without water or food for forty (!!!) days, so a little restraint on the whole art-supply-buying thing should be no big deal.  but, i have to confess, i feel restless and edgy–in general, but this lenten thing is part of it.  i realize that there should be a positive part of lent too, a giving, a sharing, an impact, a….??? on this i’m lost.  since i was spending money i shouldn’t have been, i can’t really give it away (can i?  i feel guilty saying that i can’t).  but, what should i do instead?  you don’t have to be ‘religious’ to offer your advice here.  i’m just looking for things for all of us to be/feel positive about.  Question o’ the day, then:  what do you do to lift your mood?  to give yourself a healthy dose of positive perspective?