gallery stroll

Ahh, gallery stroll in downtown Provo. I got to stop by for but a moment between swim team drop off, then pickup. But what I saw I loved. Mode boutique featured the art of Molly and Duane Call, an extremely talented duo and good friends. Way to go dudes. Here are a few more pictures...


some of Duane's groovy artwork


my favorite painting by Mrs Molly Call

Trimming the tree

We finally got the tree up and decorated, and all of the other Christmas decor in it's place. This is quite a job, 2-3 days of pulling out tubs of Christmas goods, putting it all up, rearranging furniture, cleaning, and then putting back away all tubs and other stuff before it makes you crazy.
Being the Mom at Christmastime is a special job, very busy indeed.
So, here she is this year... the tree. We couldn't cut our own this year. Oh no, we got to find out first hand that the last of the cut-your-own Christmas tree farms (that I know about) just turned into a subdivision. Bummer.
The lot where we got this tree swore up and down this one was just cut a week ago- so far she's holding up nicely, smells great, drinks tons. So today on this rainy Friday (please change to snow, please!)I spotlight just a few of my favorite ornaments I've collected over the years.


I think I've blogged this one before. I love it so much, I leave it up all year. I got it at Felt Club last year.


Reminding us the reason for the season, from Blue Cockatoo.


Nancy Drew, original artwork by my friend Edie, from the Beehive Bazaar last Christmas.


Voodoo dolly ornament made by my friend Molly, from the Beehive Bazaar a few years back.

Well, it's back to the sewing room. I took the handmade pledge, and I've got work to do.

workin' out

This is crazy- but, before October I had never done yoga, ever. I am not a gym girl. I have never had a gym pass, I don't do classes, not to mention I live 20 minute drive to the nearest gym so I would rather just run, bike or swim- leaving straight from my house and cherish that extra 40 minutes of sleep. Then when a friend mentioned that a tiny dance studio just minutes from my house was offering yoga a few morning a week- I decided to give it a try. Well...I LOVE YOGA SO MUCH. I feel fabulous, I wish it was every day for 2 hours. (I suppose I could do yoga at home with a DVD, but that sounds even worst than going to the gym) It's the whole mind- body- spirit thing that feels so good.
Steve O has even taken a few mornings off from swimming to yoga. The winter workout routine gets so boring so fast- we needed to mix it up. After so many years of just running, cycling etc. I am so happy to have added yoga. And, who would have guessed a non-class going gal like me would love my yoga teacher, but I do. Thanks Val.

We have had this book for a few years, the kids love it. Every time we read it the kids have to do all the poses as we go. Now, I finally know the poses personally, but I still feel like an elephant on some days.

while you were out

This is what happened while I was absent this weekend, working the Beehive Bazaar- which, by the way, was fantastic, better than ever.
Here is perhaps just a taste of how things roll on daddy's watch, a bit more 'freestyle' than when mommy is present and bossing everyone around.
When I saw it yesterday on Steve O's blog I laughed 'til I cried.
Here is the text that accompanies the picture:

I thought he was taking a nap or something.
I rounded the corner and there he was.
It appears that someone has figured out how to use PhotoBooth on the Mac.
We just found the evidence, 10 Jillion self-portraits.
(The photo: "The Doctor" 3 years old, December 2007)

Steve O you are such a fabulous daddy and husband. Thank you for supporting me in everything I strive to accomplish. I love you!

koyaanisqatsi

life out of balance....
so...all I do is sew- and here are some pictures to prove it. I am getting ready for the Beehive Bazaar coming up here on Friday- which- by the way-is going to be so great, if you live in Utah you have to go!
If you want to see a few more aprons, skirts, and what not look here.

hiking in Torrey Utah

Here are a few nature-ific shots from a super-fun hike we went on while visiting the grandparents for the holiday.


I finally got the super macro setting to work on ye old camera... I love that you can see the individual grains of sand that make up the sandstone in this picture.

I'm thankful for...

...kids and puppies. This is not our puppy, but a visiting neighbor puppy getting a little socialization. So cute, the perfect age and chubbiness for cuddling. I couldn't get enough, I took lots of pictures and the next day even begged the kids to borrow her back again. I could just carry her around in a baby sling all day.

book group

Last night I hosted book group. We had read Lord of the Flies, a very good re-read, it's been since high school when I read it the first time. It was surprising how much I had forgotten, other parts I still remembered all these years later, but quite different from an adult/parent perspective.
Anyway, as you can see...I got a little crazy with the treats. I went with the theme of the book. Fruit, and lots of it, pig, (pulled pork from Smokehouse...yummm) guacamole, mango salsa and- I had to throw in cupcakes- because if it had been girls on that island don't you think we would have figured out how to bake up a batch of scrumptious treats one way or another!?
We even had a conch on hand, although we didn't bother passing it around to speak, that might be taking it a little too far.
I felt like a Piggy (or the Piggy) after the feast. I lieu of a warm beach on a coral island to lay on, we basked in front of the fire on the couch. Good times- it's always super-fun to relax, eat too much, talk about a book (or not) tell a few stories, and chit-chat with my book group ladies every month.

little aprons

This is what I have been doing...making aprons.
Check out what else will be shop-able at the Beehive Bazaar, coming up here in a few weeks.

MB ride

Today was absolutely gorgeous- sunny and about 70 degrees. After pretty much ignoring the great weather all week, today I put aside all of my duties, chores, and sewing that needs doin' and went for a long, super-fun mountain bike ride. We rode up on Mount Nebo around Payson Lakes, about 13 miles in all. I haven't ridden in that area all year, (I think) it was quite a late fall treat. As you can see there were no leaves left, it looked very winterish with the bare trees, no color left. There is nothing like a good ride, especially single track through the mountains, to clear my head and leave me in a peaceful, happy state of mind.
In case you were wondering about my tooth problem...it was tooth #30, and it was in some serious distress, almost dead and the beginning to absess (yuck). So, I got a pulpectomy- or something along those lines. I have to go back to my real dentist, get numbed all over again and have a root canal in about a week, yeah! But, today I feel about 1 million times better, and I shant be taking my good health for granted anymore.

what a week!

I am trying to think positive. I'm killing time. This sounds weird, and is just about the last last thing I should to be doing right now but, I have the worst tooth ache and I have 2+ hours to wait until I can get into the Emergency dentist (sounds a little sketchy and desperate I know, but my real dentist can't fit me in and I have reached the point of absolute desperation) Remember the scene in Castaway when Tom Hanks knocks out his own tooth with and ice skate blade? I can see where he is coming from. 800 mg of ibuprofen seems to be taking the edge off.
I type because I can't concentrate on anything else.



This little note gives you a brief look into how my week has been. This week confirms my theory that it is easier to parent toddlers and babies over pre-teens (in some aspects). This does not mean that I don't absolutely adore my children and love being a mother-'cuz I do. It only means that when kids get to a certain age they develop their own 'agenda'.
You can't just say, "get into the car we need to go run errands", because they won't go- it isn't part of their 'agenda'. (they are thinking "what's in it for me?") In these cases parenting isn't so cut and dried. I'm not talking about don't hit your sister or stay out of the street. I'm talking about issues that don't have an obvious right or wrong answer. Answers to questions like, "Can I have my own cell phone/ipod/bedroom?..."
How can you do the right thing as a parent when you don't even know what the right thing is. Do they need all of these things? How can you teach them about needs vs. wants without being the big-bad-mommy.

As you may know- my kids are note writers. Here is just some of the notes we have gotten this week from our oldest, Q. She wants her own room, and I would like her to have it, but it would mean that the toy room would become another bedroom and the toys would be homelessly squatting throughout the rest of the house- something I don't think I can handle.



Her clever tactics amaze me. On Monday she turned in a 3 page report called "My Research says..." with some charts and graphs on the hourly usage of the room in question as toy room vs. her bedroom, percentages etc.
We were treated to an oral presentation on Tuesday explaining the research. When we quietly remarked that giving her the toy room probably wouldn't work she left the room rather abruptly and these notes (and a few others) were posted to her door.
On Wednesday and Thursday she started cleaning up the toy room and making space for her things PROMISING the little ones can still play there (the- I just ignore my parents and do it anyway game plan).
Last night she even slept there. Steve O and I even joked about rustling some leaves outside her window or lightly tapping on the window- a few scare tactics- while it might seem kind of funny- especially in like 10 years- maybe not the most mature way to parent.
So we'll see how it plays out. When I get my tooth problem fixed or get my hands on some serious drugs to ease my physical suffering then I can likely bear the mental and emotional aspects of my life a little better.

camera club

this photo needs a good caption...

time to get serious

OK, no more costumes to make, but plenty of time at the sewing machine coming my way. It's time to get serious about the Beehive Bazaar coming up quickly- the weekend after Thanksgiving- yikes!
I am going to be making the usual fare: aprons, purses, skirts for little ones (not us grown up gals, but perhaps some tweens) and perhaps shirts with a bit of applique and some felt ornaments. We will see how the next few weeks pan out. Life seems to take over when I would really rather be sewing up a storm in my cute little workroom.

let them eat candy

Halloween is just so much fun. The simple fact that one night out of the year you can knock on just about any door in America and be given candy seems almost magical to me. And dressing up...that's my favorite part.
Cloths have always been important to me ever since I can remember. My Mom said that when I was very little she could name someone we saw that day and I could describe exactly what they were wearing. Halloween, to me, is an excuse to take clothing to the extreme- and I'm all over that. I love to sew, whatever the occasion, but especially when it comes to costumes. My kids know that they can ask for just about anything and I'll give it my best shot to make it happen.
Over the years we've had Elvis (size 18 months), "Bo" in her monster costume from the movie Monsters Inc., matching vikings, and many various and sundry princess/fancy lady types. I don't think it matter much to my girls 'who' you are exactly, but that there enough fabric in the dress so that a hoop may be worn underneath. As you can see, this year was no exception.
My kids are the perfect ages for good old, old fashioned Halloween fun... trick-or-treating until you drop. Getting ready for bed tonight I heard M sigh and say, "I love Halloween, it's my favorite." I agree. It's all about kids, a day when you can get dressed up, wear makeup, parade around and collect candy from adults while they smile at you and compliment your costume is just about a perfect day.
Right before bed I overheard M counting her candy, the number was around 150 pieces. You know what I say, go for it...let nature run it's course. Eat up my friends until it's all gone, but don't forget to brush your teeth really good. And, as your mother I will continue to insist you get your 5 servings of fruits and veggies and balanced meals in between all that candy.


Q as Marie Antoinette. Inspired by her trip to Versaille this summer. And of course, falls into the fancy lady (or royalty) from history who wears a hoop under her dress, that costume prerequisite.


I must admit I begged F to be a fish taco and he eventually agreed. It was very funny and got a lot of laughs. Kids were a little confused, (you eat fish in a taco??) This costume probably won't make them want to try one either, with the image of the head and tail still on when it's served to you burned in their little minds. Oops!


This is the first year any of my kids wanted to be something "scary", she may be a dead bride but she still looks very cute. At school today she said, (about the boy she has a crush on) "I wish he was dressed up as a dead groom". This picture is sans blackened bouquet of flowers, too much to worry about when you're toting 3 lbs.+ of candy around the neighborhood.


This policeman costume is recycled from a few years ago. We got lots of mileage out of the donut clipped to the belt next to the handcuffs and billy club. It took a bit of convincing for C to agree that real police are 'nice' and are there to protect you, not just handcuff anyone for no good reason...

Happy Halloween

cinderella and the frenchman

Halloween parties are always the best, you can step out of the monotony of real life and dress up, get silly, take hundreds of pictures, eat delicious snacks and dance the night away. When you hit middle age- is that where I am- scary?! Wait, let's say middle 30's- the opportunity to cut-the-rug doesn't come up very often. So, when it does... you just have to go for it, no matter what moves or costume you're sportin'. Halloween is a great excuse to wear way too much make-up and splash on generous amounts of glitter.
So, thank you to the Call's for the supergroovin' Halloween spectacular. It's always a pleasure. To take a peek at some of pics I took at the party look here

the less serious side...

This is very funny and absolutely true.

a bit more serious...about tolerance

This is a good message all the parents in the world need to keep in mind.

here kitty, kitty...

Here is a little funky decor, perhaps for Halloween or all year if you like. The frames are the deep box frames from Ikea, about 8 by 11'' The heads were lapel pins I picked up at Dear Lizzie, and took the pin back off. I made the bodies for the kitty and other guy (?) out of felt, the stars with the kitty are covered with glass glitter. The orange head guy is holding some black roses, but you can't really tell from the picture. The pitchfork and little bottle are random things I found in my craft bins or around the house.
I must admit I didn't come up with the idea for these boxes. I saw them in the Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion magazine. The artist I got the idea from is Magda Trzaski. Her boxes are so very fabulous, expensive and mostly sold out. You can see more of her boxes here

halloween dollies

Here are a few little Halloween friends I made a few years ago. These guys are about 18 inches tall and made of wool felt and other random fabrics for their clothes. I was kind of thinking about the trick-or-treater kids from Nightmare Before Christmas when I made them. I haven't made any dollies lately because they are so labor intensive, but maybe someday I'll get back into it. They are very fun to make, I love coming up with wacky faces and clothing for the little fellas. Oooh- looking at that witch now, I think she might need a halter top to complete her outfit.
yes, she has her witchy woman heels on.

many are chosen, but few come when they are called...

After much hounding (no pun intended) on the kids part, and deliberating about breeds and characteristics such as intelligence, barking habits, shedding, tolerance toward being mauled by multiple children- you know...that sort of thing. We threw all caution and research to the wind and adopted a "mutt" into the family. She is the exact sort of dog you might see roaming the street of any third world country, a truly mixed breed. Hopefully, a mix of all the good qualities you might want in a dog.
I began calling her Gloria (a fabulous dog name if you ask me, no offense if this is your name) but was quickly shut down by tears- nearly to the degree of 'weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth'. Wow- OK, I can take a hint. The name The Smalls themselves settled on is Izzy. I guess I can't complain, the name Gloria achieved middle-name credit.
She is very sweet, quiet, and not excited about being in the house, I'm pretty sure she's never been indoors before. By the end of the first day she was wrapped, like a baby, in numerous blankets and splayed out on the toy room futon with every imaginable puppy necessity The Smalls could dream up- surrounding her. Seeing her laying there in the lap of luxury, it occurred to me- Izzy is probably singing in her head "I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here" from the movie Annie.

Megan's pick

I just finished reading My Sister's Keeper for book group. I really, really liked it. I find myself missing the characters and wondering what they are doing right now...I know, I know- kooky! But, to me that is the sign of a good story. It was thought provoking, and a good discussion starter. Highly recommendable.
Next month it's my turn to pick the book. I tend to want to pick classics (previous picks: Great Expectations, The Hobbit to name a few) This year is no exception, next we read- Lord of the Flies. I have had this book sitting on my night stand for about 6 months- waiting. I read it in high school of course, but I want to reread it with an adult/parents perspective.

calaveras

Here is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. The Hallstatt Austria cemetery is short on space. So, after about 100 years in the ground you get dug up, your family paints your skull, and your skull and other bones that remain go into the bone chapel.

The kids were tired and hungry and getting ready to mutiny when we begged our way into the bone chapel a few minutes after closing time. Jason, tour guide extraordinare and German speaker- knew we couldn't go back to Salzburg without making this one last stop. We were all in awe, utterly amazed- there in a little dark room hundreds of skulls were neatly arranged along three of the walls, big bones filled the shelves underneath. It might seem morbid, but standing there- it didn't feel that way at all. The paintings and designs, the deceased names and dates, sizes and shapes, teeth- I could have stared for hours.

I picked up this paper mache skull on Olvera St. in LA this last weekend. I have never been on that street before, Steve O said he used to go there as a child and buy piggy banks- anyway, for me it was love-at-first-sight. A whole street dedicated to Mexican goods, art, and dia del muerto paraphernalia. If you've been to my house you know that I am way into Mexican art, especially Day of the Death goods, so- some time on Olvera street was quite a treat.
Steve O spent a few weeks in Oaxaca (said: wa-ha-ka, it took me a while to figure that out) Mexico a few years ago working on Nacho Libre. He came back with lots of great pictures, stories, Day of the Dead goods and wrestling masks. This calavera, about real skull size, is adding to my ever growing collection of Mexican art. I would love a trip to Oaxaca someday (maybe next year for 17 wonderful years...)
Looking at this skull reminds me of good times, with good friends in Austria. Maybe, I'll keep it up all year and not just for Halloween.

beach fun

This was the view on Saturday afternoon from Capistrano beach. Dana Point is just barely out of the picture to the right. It looked like perfect sailing weather, not too much wind, just enough to pull out the spinnaker if you like.


16 wonderful years of marriage, set in stones and pebbles.


We took about 200 pictures in 20 minutes- the beauty and downfall of the digital camera. By downfall I mean the trouble of keeping track of hundreds or even thousands of images. Sorting and storing all of those wacky pictures- ('cuz I have to keep them all, even the blurry ones- just in case I need them sometime) is a full time job I'm afraid I've fallen behind on. But, I still can't help myself, I fall further behind, I can't stop snapping.
Super silly stuff- handstands, jumping, spinning, cartwheels etc. This one is pretty funny with Maia pulling off a great handstand in the back there.

some good october reading

I would like to recommend some good October reading. This book is fabulous, one of my favorite picture books by Chris Von Allsburg. (sorry about the bad picture, the book's a little beat up and the photo raw) A wonderful October read with a little mystery, action and adventure.

We are heading to California for our school fall break- to spend some time at the beach with grandma and grandpa. I am really looking forward to spending some time at the beach house, we haven't been since last summer and I think we've all really missed it.
It's our 16th wedding anniversary tomorrow and the spouse and I are going to bust out and leave the kids for a few of the days. THAT I am really looking forward too. Steve O and I haven't been it the same place at the same time without the kids for too long. See ya'll next week.

5 euros well spent

I saw this 'afro' plant in Denmark this summer at a grocery store. I couldn't keep my hands off of it. The plant was perfectly shaped, round and dense, I just wanted to lay my cheek against it or have a bed made out of it.
About a week later I found this planter at a flea market I knew the combination would be perfect. I got back to the US of A and could not find an 'afro' plant anywhere. I couldn't even ask anyone because I had no name for it.
Finally, I tried Cactus and Tropicals- a fabulous greenhouse in Salt Lake with every plant can dream of- and there was my little 'afro' plant, official name- 'baby tears'
I'm so happy to finally have this baby planted, the plant got a little munched during the transfer- it will take a month or so to grow in all full and give this baby a full head of hair.
This is just the sort of decor I love to have in my house, something that reminds you not to take yourself or life so seriously. I think he/she needs a name now.

laughter IS contagious

Fischer, my 9 year old showed me this. You can't help but smile, or all-out belly laugh.

Escalante

We went to Escalante for the weekend to hang out with my family and to get some much needed 'cousin time' for the kids. Here are all the Phoenix/Springville cousins together again and having so much fun. That's Parker in the middle, bustin' a move.


A funky spot I found on a hike- you don't usually see moss growing in the desert, but this spot shaded by the cliffs looked like it belonged in a deep dark forest.

cowboy boots

Here is the cowboy boot quilt top- all pieced together- that I've been working on for my mom and her bed and breakfast Slot Canyons Inn. I've got so many projects started, it feels good to finally have something finished. OK well... once again part-way finished.
It pieced together pretty fast once I had the fabric all picked out and cut to size. I am still trying to decide on fabric for the border, there is a thin strip (2 in.) and a thicker one (3 in.) that go all the way around. I always get antsy at this stage of a quilt, I want to see it all done and quilted. Unfortunately I am on a waiting list at Corn Wagon (a great quilting store just down the street from my house) and they are 8 to 10 weeks out. I should have gotten on the quilting list a little earlier.

scrappy apron

tah daa, I finally got a recycled fabric strips apron made...what do you think? I will probably have some like this one or similar at the Beehive Bazaar in December, maybe I'll get organized and get something going onEtsy one of these days.

racking my brain

I saw this license plate today, it made me laugh. We say this all the time, but, I can't remember...what movie is it from?