Ok... with my creativity at a summer low, here is daughter #3 filling in for me!  Acadia loves books and photos and stickers... so she sure was thrilled when I dug out her scrapbooking toys for some work on her summer album!  Here she is showing her things to Grammie!  (And Wiggles is in the background wondering if photos are edible...)

I'm in Florida for a few days with hubby and kiddo #4!

Have a happy day!  And I *promise* some quilting soon :o)

Summer slacker....

Summer is here and I am enjoying long, lazy days with the kiddos.  Or wildly busy, chaotic, fun days with the kiddos.  Either way, with the kiddos seems to be the opperative word.  Which, loosely translated, means I haven't designed a blasted thing in July....  It's a quirky phenomenon.  I start to go a little flat when I'm not exercising some creativity. 

I'm also at a bit of a crossroads with my work.  Although I love most of the current projects, I feel like I'm done with them.  Ready to move on with something else.  So, I'm considering breaking up the book proposal and submitting magazine articles instead.  Or self-publishing individual patterns.  But maybe that is not a decision to make while feeling flat? 

In the meantime, I'm going to dig out that sketch pad and start working on something new.  Try to carve out an hour or so a day to work on getting my zest back.  While, of course, still enjoying lots of summer with the kiddos!
 
(The previous post links to a longer bit of writing and several summer photos on my other blog.)
Have a happy day!      

Happy Thought for Today: A mix of news...

Happy Thought for Today: A mix of news...: "Ok... I'm 'fessing up. I've been neglecting this little blog. Too much fun in the sun. We recently got back from Maine where, among other..."

Just 'cause she's cute!

Just wanted you all to meet my little quilting buddy!  This is Fudgie, one of a pair of guinea pigs that live right next to my "office".  Yes... these would be the guinea piggies that get hay all over my books.  Fudgie squeaks and talks to me while I work.  She loves to snuff my hands and can smell a carrot from 40 feet away.  Piglet, the other guinea pig, is a shy gentleman.  When the camera comes out, he turns away and we get butt photos.  He seems happy to let Fudgie do the squeaking for both of them!

Sooooo... have I been working since we got home from Maine?  Nope.  Not much!  I'm spending the lion's share of my days carting kiddos around to work and friends houses!  Oh... and trying to keep up with the mess that seems to accompany kids home for the summer.  Did I mention that I LOVE SUMMER???

Have a happy day!

I broke the rules...

Quilting purists might want to avert their eyes.  Or squeeze them tight shut.  While sticking fingers in their ears and singing "lalalalala" and quickly clicking the "next blog" button.  Anyone sensitive to quilt mistreatment won't want to read the rest of this post...

I have a gorgeous antique quilt.  Beautifully hand sewn and hand quilted.  Oh!  I love this quilt!  We use it for a background for numberous family photos.

Have I mentioned lately that we have a new washer?  And that it is a front loader?  No little bar thingy sticking up in the center to catch on quilty fabrics...

I think I heard screaming as I mentioned an antique quilt and the washing machine...  Was someone sensitive  still reading?

  Please forgive me....  The quilt was greasy feeling.  I bought it from a run-down antique store.  The dubious recent past of this beauty was still clinging to its fibers.

Sigh.

Really... I wanted it to feel nice.

Yup... I broke the rules.  Threw it in.  Gentle cycle with regular detergent.  I even dried it.  In the dryer.

Please don't tell the quilt police.

But it is nice and snuggly now.

I hope the quilt purists recover....

The rest of the cast and who dunnit

So....  some more characters from the crazy murder mystery!  "Char Broil," Millie's chef, was briefly under suspicion when it was uncovered that he was being blackmailed by the deceased.

 

Cameron Tripod, young and bitter photographer, believed that Millie Cash (the deceased) had caused the death of his mother.  He was also plotting with one twin against the other for the inheritance... and didn't want Millie out of the way until there was a sole inheritor.

Ann O. Ying, the chief competitor, may have been involved with the disappearances of previous competitors.

Ann's model "DD" (yup... my dad) and his hair and makeup assistant, Belle Chesnought, were a mighty crafty pair.  Belle got most of the table settings into that big purse by the end of the evening.  And DD was hiding under an assumed identity because he (she?) was wanted for assault in several states.  Oh,  just a side note, my dad is not at all short....  Does that give any clue to Belle's (daughter #2's) height???

And Cindy R. Ella, the frazzled assistant from whom Millie has been stealing designs for the past dozen or so years.  (Aka, daughter #1 who planned this whole evening!)

SOOOOOOO.....

WHO DUNNIT????

This crafty pair...

Ron Dewing, the security guard who was sole beneficiary of a $1,000,000 life insurance policy AND...

in a surprise twist, MILLIE HERSELF!  The deceased was actually Ima Heckler, the gypsy.  Millie stuck around (disguised as Ima) to wait for the insurance policy to arrive.  Hmmmm... better be careful around oldest daughter's boyfriend and my middle sister!

Whew!

What a fun and whacky evening!

Have a happy day!

Vacation continues....

Did I mention that my family is rather... goofy?  My oldest daughter (top row, third from left) planned a murder mystery dinner for 15.  Yup... FIFTEEN!  Our night of hilarity is a favorite for the neighborhood!  Our upstairs neighbors came out and snapped pictures.  For us... and plenty of their own!  We slowed the traffic down for a few minutes...  My dad (the vivacious redhead in the front row) stole the show as he flaunted his new wardrobe!

 

Yup... that's my dad!

Oldest kiddo really outdid herself.  The cast list includes "Ima Heckler," "Ron Dewing," "Lottie Cash," "Flo O. Cash," "Lawrence Suit," "Pat Prime" (NOT "Past Prime"... no matter how many times my husband said it!), "Ann O. Ying," "Char Broil"....  and one of my favorites...

"Cici the monkey!"  Yup... my little one with extensive special needs had her own part!  "Cici" loved dressing up and sitting with all the goofy people for the mystery!  And when she wandered away from the table (not until nearly the third act!), she spent several minutes squealing happily at her reflection in the hall mirror!

Oh!  Here are lovely twin sisters to the deceased!  Before they found out that one of them was plotting to "kill" the other over the inheritance.  Well... what was left of the inheritance after my dear husband, the financial advisor from Vegas, got his hands on it....

Oh... and the wasted fortune wasn't left to the twins after all...  It was left to "Kay Nein" of a yappy dog rescue society.  Too bad Kay didn't really love dogs...

We also had in attendance a competitor with a nasty temper, "Ann O. Ying", and her model "DD" (my dad), and her (his?) sticky-fingered hair and makeup artist, "Belle Chesnought",  a tough and boozed up security guard, a disgruntled (and black-mailed) chef, a bitter photographer, an overworked assistant, and a traveling gypsy who had overstayed her welcome.

Oh... and the deceased's aging top model who was in danger of being fired... (yup, that would be me!)

 

Ah... not quilting yet.  But we sure are having fun!

Have a great week!