amarillo

The color of choice, in all things... yellow.

finally feeling like summer

Today feels like the first day of summer- first of all it's finally hot, it's supposed to hit 90 degrees (hallelujah!) and I for the first time yet this summer I basked in some sunshine at the edge of a body of water.  How can such a simple act make one feels so good? The kids played (in but mostly out of the still freezing water) and I read (book group book: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld) and napped. This sort of activity (or lack of activity) is what summer is all about.
Deer Creek is lookin' beautiful, completely full and Mt. Timpanogos in the background...

danger, intrigue- the thrill of the hunt

What is an easter egg hunt without a little menacing peril? ...prickery bushes...

I hope you're current on your shots...

 hideously deformed creatures

 stagnant, murky depths

    about that tetanus...

splinters anyone?

dizzying heights

...and here they are, the brave and tireless hunters. The final report in-  the best easter egg hunt ever,  thanks to the fear factor. 

 This final picture will become one of what we call the 'cry baby series'. You know the memorable group photos from your childhood with everyone but you in the picture. As you drearily speculate, "Where the heck was I when that picture was taken?" and "does my family care at all about me?" 

Then, your mom takes a look and imparts, "No, don't you remember? You were just throwing a fit when that picture was taken."

So, just to keep things clear in future scrapbooks, (no more racking your brain, "was that the year I spent a week in the hospital after falling off the storage container or just the time I just being a chump and refusing to be photographed??") if you are mid-tantrum, you still have to be in the picture- then we can laugh about it later- one day later (and for the rest of your life). That'll teach 'em.

village people

It wasn't me... like it usually is- thinking about my Halloween costumes months ahead of time, it was Steve O. He just showed me the YMCA video by the Village People (fun fact: from 1978), have I ever seen it? or did I just mentally block it out?  I wish I could embed it here, because it is so fabulous (somehow it's been blocked from embedding), so here is the link to watch for yourself- be amazed, wistful, work your way into a nostalgic stupor or just laugh your head off at the dancing, camera work and men in costume taking themselves way too seriously.
What would be awesome is if we could pull off there costumes as a family. But, the kids would never do it. I could buy the each a ski resort, a Ferrari and a pony and they still would never do it.
Actually, Q might do it for a horse...

Given the choice of costumes- which one would you be?

St. Patrick Day intentions

All my best intentions for some really fabulous St. Patrick's Day front door decor are sitting in a heap in the corner of my sewing room. I had (wait... still have) this great idea- to make a scrappy, wacky sort of wreath with all these green bits and a leftover wreath form I found laying around. As you can see, it never got done.  But, it's going to happen, cause little naked, leprechaun/monkey guy is not going back in a drawer. He's staying on the shelf in plain sight,  staring me down and daring me to get him up on that front door. Maybe I'll make some tiny pants for him too... maybe not, for sure a tiny hat (tiny Easter dress?).

The Converse sneakers really have nothing to do with the wreath plan, I just threw them in while wondering how they ended up on the floor of the bedroom and not rockin' St. Patty's Day at the Middle School?

Be My Valentine

Here are some vintage Valentine wishes for you, Valentines that might keep you guessing-

I'm feeling faint... losing a lot of blood with this creepy Valentine.

I hope this was a special valentine purchased for that one special someone, not purchased in a box of 35 for your whole 3rd grade class, breaking hearts all over town with the promise of 'some day'.

More like... "Hey Valentine, I need a nappy change- on the double?!"

So, what is going on here? Is he trying to say, "I may be a chubby kid, but I promise to slim down when I become a man", so please be my Valentine?

I think this is really a waterhorse dressed as a frog, a salamander in shorts perhaps...

Didn't you play 'court' when you were little, right after that tea party? I'm seeing a little role play coming on...

So cute, I'd like this a wallpaper somewhere in my house.

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Tutorial: Fabric Party Banner

Make a decorative banner from your own eclectic mix of fabrics. Liven up any room or occasion. Customize your banner for a nursery, theme party or color scheme. Here is what you need to know, and the 12 easy steps to make it happen.

Tools you will need: a cutting mat, rotary cutters- one with a straight blade and the other with a wavy blade, scissors, ruler, seam ripper, cardboard pattern for the flags that make up the banner, an iron, and a sewing machine. You can decide what size to make your flags, the pattern pictured here is an equilateral triangle with all sides 8 inches long.

Step 1: Begin by picking out 20 or so different fabrics (to use for the flags), into triangles.  Using the wavy rotary cutter (and the ruler if you're feeling wobbly) cut two sides of the triangle. Use the straight rotary blade to cut what will be the top of the triangle. Cut two piece of fabric for each flag, one for the front and the other for the backside. Pick a few stripes, some small repetitive patterns,  and a few larger prints. Think color and pattern when choosing your fabrics.

**This is a smart way to use up fabrics from your scrap bin.

Step 2: Set aside the triangles of fabric.  

**The fun part of making a banner is in choosing the fabrics. It is easy to include fabric that you might have in your sewing stash that you don't particularly love; but in small pieces, really add color and flavor to the overall project. You might even get carried away- and the next thing you know- you have stacks of triangles piled up everywhere. 

Step 3: With the wrong sides of the fabrics together (right sides out), sew both sides together with a straight stitch along all three sides of each triangle, with preferred thread color.

Step 4: Line up your flags in the order you prefer, keep a few extras on standby.  You might need more flags to achieve a desired length. When you are finished deciding the order, stack the flags and set them aside.

Step 5: Now it's time to choose what you will use to string all of the flags together. A few options include ribbon (more expensive), or bias tape (considerably cheaper per yard or foot).  Or let the creative juices flow... large rick-rack, lace, an old dog leash... you get the picture). I like grosgrain ribbon, I've used 7/8 inch wide ribbon on this banner. 

Choose a desired length for your banner and add 12 inches on either end (for versatile hang-ability). For a generic party banner (for use on many occasions), I would recommend making the banner at least 12 ft. long.

**If you use bias tape make sure to purchase the double-fold kind like the turquoise one shown above, both unfinished sides are pre-pressed into the middle making your life a bit easier.

Step 6: Press the ribbon or bias tape in half lengthwise with an hot iron. This isn't essential, but makes sewing the flags to the ribbon/bias tape a lot easier.

Step 7: Get your flags and ribbon ready to sew together. Flags should be organized in the order you wish them to appear in the finished product.

Step 8: Measure out 12 inches from the end of the ribbon. Then using your ironed crease, find the middle of the folded over ribbon and begin by placing the straight-cut side of the first flag into the ribbon crease and sew with a straight stitch close to the edge of the ribbon, and through all layers.  

Step 9: Continue using a straight stitch, sewing the flags to the ribbon. Stitch close to the edge, overlapping the flags about an inch. 

Step 10: It may be useful to use a seam ripper ( an indispensable tool for so many applications of sewing and otherwise, I always have one close at hand) to ease the ribbon through the machine and avoid ripples or creases in the finish product.

Step 11: When you have finished sewing the entire length, carefully leaving 12 inches of extra ribbon at either end, turn the banner over.  No matter how careful you are, there will be places on the underside of the folded ribbon where your stitching missed the ribbon, like the above picture. No worries, simply sew back over the missed places, or sew another straight stitch the entire length of the banner, just 1/8 inch or so away from your first pass.

 Step 12: Now take your completed banner and toss it in the washer with a load of laundry, extra long cycle. When the load of laundry is finished, remove the wet, frayed banner and lay it out flat to dry or tumble dry on low heat.

 After the banner has been washed, the wavy cut edges will be slightly, cleverly weathered. Press with a hot iron or smooth flat with just your hands. You are finished, your banner ready to display. 

Enjoy!

the big day

C picked this book to read with me last night. Appropriate, because as of today, I have been around for 40 years.

I love this book, and especially this page. I am going to try and internalize all of it as I try and get used to my new number.

Thanks bunches and bunches to Steve O for the (very) surprise party last night- you got me good- it was delightful to see everyone, get all choked up, feel the love of friends and family and mark this momentous occasion- yikes. Thanks everyone!

a grim concept, but none the less... reality.

As I was finally putting away all the Christmas goods, I noticed this amendment (made with a post it note) to the advent calendar.  We are realists here folks, no pussyfooting around the truth.

This little tattooed lady, made by Dallas Russell of Easily Amused has been straddling a branch on the Christmas tree this year- even though she's about 15 inches tall, freaking a few people out. For the rest of the year- I hang her on the wall and leave visitors guessing all year long.

Plus, I think she looks a little like me, minus the tattoos.

Christmas week

Sure hope everyone has has a fabulous Christmas- we've had a great time of it so far. Here's what all that snow looks like at about 9000 ft., at the top of Deer Valley on Christmas Day. We've had a Christmas of ski, ski and more skiing and it's been a blast, we are blessed to live in such a beautiful place.
Now, I'm happily enjoying a quiet house, while the kids ski (some more)- getting organized and putting finishing touches on the basement (a bit more caulking, hanging curtains, putting in door stoppers) and it feels good...

gingerbread

In keeping with holiday tradition and because the kids wouldn't stop hounding me... we (finally) made gingerbread houses.

We managed to get 4 small houses out of one batch of gingerbread, thank goodness, a few wreaths and one evergreen tree too.

A couple of regular houses, one A-frame and a modern design that looks a lot like a church built in the 70's- everyone was happy armed with handfuls of sugar plums and candy canes ready to decorate. I think I might have gone a little overboard on the amount of candy, but you don't want to perhaps impede the serious builder with a lack of proper sugary & colorful ingredients.

M's house has star shaped windows...as you can see, the Dots (candy) are so irresistible, one has already been snatched and gobbled off the front entryway.

Apparently, a fancy yard means more than a really elaborately detailed house, or maybe it's just easier to pick M&M's off a flat surface a little later on. I think that's how you know you're not a kid anymore- eating candy off a gingerbread house sounds kind of like drinking water out of the gutter...

time for the Beehive Bazaar!

Tomorrow is the opening night of the Beehive Bazaar- 9pm for all you late nighters who are all about handmade goods(don't forget $4 for opening night admission), Friday and Saturday all day too.
Don't miss the best mix of handmade goods in Utah, excellent one-of-a-kind Christmas shopping opportunities await everyone on your list- and don't forget to pick up a little something for yourself.
Sneak peek participating artists and crafters here. See you there.

Sound of Music drapery costumes

Years ago, when the internet was a baby and no one was blogging (2000ish, I think) we went to a Sound of Music sing-a-long at Sundance. We wanted to participate, Rocky Horror Picture Show dress-up-and-run-around-on-stage-during-your-scene style, so I sewed us up some play clothes/curtain costumes just like Maria.

Thinking economically and in a bit of a rush (as I recall now) I didn't try and match the movie costumes exactly (more of a green fabric) but just went for the goofy upholstery/drapery fabric look. Here we are, all of the Von Trapp children in our winning stage moment- Gretel, Kurt, Marta, Brigitta, Louisa, Friedrich and Liesel, and Captain Von Trapp too. If you remember Gretel has a hurt finger in the movie, the real broken arm on Gretel during our stage moment was a big hit.

These costumes have been in storage all of these years. Because they need to be worn all together to bring the full effect and none of my kids have been interested in taking part in such silliness for Halloween- we have never worn them again.  I set them out at the yard sale (about a month ago) and the Warren family here took full advantage of their purchase over this past weekend. I heard this picture was taken at the end of their performance... even better.  Way to bring back the curtain costumes guys!

For more photos, look here.