Bari J.

 

Well, guys, I did it (she said with some measure of disbelief). The Sweet Scallop Apron Sewing Pattern is up and ready for you on my website! This was so much fun, I can't wait to get the next patterns ready!

It was all of my own doing.

I didn't check the calendar before I hit "purchase" and "confirm". 

Last month, in lieu of a birthday party for Emily, we decided that as a family we would go see "Wicked!". So in an excited flurry and afraid I wouldn't get tickets anywhere near her birthday, I got the ones closest in date which were this past Tuesday.

But I didn't check the calendar first as I was confident we couldn't possibly have something going on on a Tuesday night.

And "we" didn't. But Emily, the birthday girl, did. She was scheduled to go to her fifth grade outdoor ed event for four days starting that morning.

So after a month of trying to sell the tickets, I came up with a plan. I would drive out to the camp (2.5hrs one way) with the class, spend the day there with Emily as parents were invited to do anyways, and then go to the city to see Wicked. Super Husband and Anna would take the train in, we'd go to dinner and then see the show. We'd go home for the night and then I'd make the trek with Emily back to camp the next morning.

All of this worked out perfectly. Until... the show ended... and we made our way onto the dreaded Bay Bridge. 

I was totally bragging that I got us to the highway without getting lost ... la la la... when we came to a complete stop. The never-ending construction was in fact still taking place at 11 PM. And in fact, we were being routed off the ramp, back into the city, up a couple blocks, and then back onto the loathsome bridge.

We finally made our way home at 1 AM. And I had promised that I would leave to take Emily to camp by 7. 

Which I did. We finally got to camp at 9:30 in the morning, and I actually napped in the car for half an hour praying she wouldn't see me before taking off to go home. 

And you know what? Despite the fact that I was totally exhausted, we had an incredible time. The day at camp was lovely (the scenery was something out of a dream), Emily and Anna were both beaming with excitement through the whole show, we laughed our way through dinner and the kids slept the whole way home. Plus Emily certainly had her cake and ate it too. 

Super Husband thinks I'm nuts, but I'd do it all again.

It's official. I understand Twitter. I know what an @reply is. I know what a tiny url is too. So, like, I'm totally on the inside now. Hope you'll Tweet with me... Aw, come on, give it a try. Click here.

I am a total freak. Just ask my 11 and "almost 13" year old girls. They'll tell you. I need to get a grip. 

Of course there are many reasons why they think this. But I think I may have added icing to their cake last week. 

They were with me when I visited my UPS box as we do a couple times a week. This time a package from Windham arrived. I dragged it back out to the car where the girls were patiently waiting for me to take them to their various activities.

I knew what was in the package. A couple copies of my color cards. I opened the box and pulled them out. And to the utter dismay of my very, very hip and cool pre-teen girls, I start crying. "Oh my gosh, girls! Look! It's real! Your mom did it! I did it! Oh my goodness. I can't believe it!" and on and on just like that.

Until I started laughing... And saying the same sorts of things. The girls are now frantically looking around to make sure no one can see them in the car with their mother, the freak, now crying and laughing because she got a box with some stuff in it that totally did not relate to them. Emily is crouched down low in the back seat.

Finally Anna yells, "Mom! Pull yourself together!". 

This sort of shocked me out of it. Pull myself together? I'm not apart. Don't you two get it? I did it! 

Well, no they didn't get it. Still don't get it. 

Or maybe they sort of get it, because about five minutes later, Anna pipes up again, "When I grow up, I'm not going to have to get a job for real because I'll take over the Bari J. empire.". 

I try to hide my new round of tears (uh, and laughter). The "almost 13" year old Anna responds with a sharp crossing of the arms and rolling of the eyes. "Thank goodness we're not sitting in that parking lot where everyone can see us.", I can hear them thinking.

I did pull myself together in time to drop them off, and before they got out of the car, they quickly looked around to see if anyone could see them, hugged me and said, "Love you."

"Love you too. And, btw, work hard because you're going to have to get a job 'for real' when you grow up." 

Of course, if the "Bari J. empire" is what Anna so graciously (and a little bit frighteningly) thinks it will be, I'd be happy to have her hang around.

But don't anyone breathe a word to her about that until she finishes college. 

Yay! Good news. My friend Jennifer has opened her new Sis Boom web store with home goods, childrens, women's and more made from her own fabrics. As expected, it is super beautiful. The site, first of all, is just so Jennifer. She has the most wonderful (I'd say classic/vintage-modern) style...

I am especially happy that she decided to sell her tunics in finished form. Methinks I'd look super-cute in this one! I think it's going to have to be a gift to myself when I loose that last 10 lbs. When am I going to do that?

And I'm also thinkin' this pillow would look really fluffy fun on the little settee in my living room.

This is one of my favorite Jennifer Paganelli fabrics. There's something so not-too-sweet-but-just-sweet-enough about Jennifer's designs.

So, if you haven't already stopped by the new site, it's definitely a must do/must see/must shop.

I've been wowed by something recently. Kindness. I know. Sometimes it's super hard to come by. Our world is moving so quickly it seems, but more and more I am grateful for moments that just make me stop. And realize good and kind and generous people are out there. Especially true in this little world of craft blogging, I've noticed.

One of these time-stopping moments happened Wednesday. I went to my UPS box to be greeted by a wonderful surprise. Melissa Schoenhardt (Find The Joy in Each Moment) sent me three of her adorable paperweights (see her store, Paper flowers, for more) which two little girls are already eyeing. I'm determined to keep them here in this little nest to be used as pattern weights before little hands take them off to stack on their own goodies.

As adorable as this present is, what really gave me a moment to pause was the note enclosed. It said, "Just wanted to thank you for inspiring me.". I stopped and just sat there in my car for a moment where I opened the envelope. I was wowed. First that I inspired someone, and then that Melissa took the time to tell me so. 

I can't help but be incredibly grateful. That note will do it for me for a long time to come. Melissa. Thank YOU. Every time I look at this special gift, it will make me smile and remind me to see the good and pass it along.

XO,

They're letting me talk... and show... I know, I know... I already gave out a lot earlier, but now they've completely uncorked me! This is pretty much the whole enchilada! Below is a virtual quilt (ie: I put it together on the computer as I don't actually have any of the fabric yet). It will be available as a free download when the fabric hits the stores May 15. Shop owners! You can order from Windham now. 

I love Mondays. It sounds funny to say that. It used to be that Friday was my day... seems more logical. But some time last October I started making Mondays my day. I spend the entire day at a drop in sewing class at my local quilt shop. Sometimes just a couple of us show up, and some days there's up to ten of us. It gets crowded and crazy, but there's nothing like sewing with a group of women of all different ages from different backgrounds. We laugh and we sew... and we eat. Everybody does their own project with help there if you need it from Margaret and Janis. Plus goodness knows, I'd never leave my little studio if I didn't have a plan, so Mondays is also salvation from talking to the walls.

Last week I worked on my little shoe pin cushion, and this week I went back to work on my King size quilt of heavenly Anna Maria fabrics. I'm taking my time and making it up as I go along. I finished what I'd call the center of the quilt in November or December. Now I'm recreating what I did in that portion except flipping the left and right and top and bottom. Then for the top where the pillows go, I think I'm going to do random vertical pieces for a little contrast. I'll figure out the borders when I get there. 

I did score some of the pieces from AM's Good Folk line too and added them in with all the goodies from the last group... they blend in seamlessly as I believe she intended.

You'd laugh if you saw me trying to figure out what to do next. Going back and measuring each square, sometimes coming up a 1/4" short here or there, and then having to make up something new to compensate. Or cut and re-sew. I'll never ever be able to recreate this without going blind, I think. And, I'd certainly never be able to tell you what the heck I did. It's kind of a hoot.

Next week I'll bring my camera (I always forget it), and I'll take some shots of what the other girls are up to. You'll be amazed by some of the applique, paper piecing and goodness knows what else they are doing. I know I am. And I am learning so much. If I ever move away from here, I'll have to check the city I'm moving to first to see if they have a good quilt shop with a Monday morning drop in and fabulous ladies to hang with. 

Sigh.

Have a great night!

 

I've been quiet for awhile... Not much to say, or much that I can say. It seems I'm working on things I'm trying to keep secret all the time... Not anything new or earth shattering or anything, but you know... Bottom line is... today's post is because I miss you, and so I'm going to blather on about this and that to hopefully entertain you...

I haven't mentioned it before, but I'm a big reader... recently finished Shelter Me, The Hour I First Believed, Water for Elephants and several others. Highly recommend Water for Elephants. I have to admit, that I read through the entire Super Bowl even when Super Husband was jumping up and down and hooting and hollering.

Made a "virtual quilt" for the back of the color card for the fabrics... can't show it yet. Apparently, Windham has opened sales to stores already though. Yay.

 

Worked on several more bits* for upcoming patterns... found out that making a pattern for a shoe is not as easy as it looks, but I did it, baby! And learned some fancy-schmancy pattern-making tricks along the way. *There's an English woman, Helen, in my sewing drop-in on Mondays, and she talks about her "bits" all the time. I love it. So, I'm taking it in as part of my regular vocab-repertoire.

Decided that vacuuming up Isabelle's fur is a lost cause. None-the-less, I still torture myself daily. (Isn't she the cutest dog ever? Too bad she weighs 100+lbs and thinks she's a lap dog, huh?)

I believe that the key to happiness is clean laundry. I finally got to the bottom of that situation yesterday and am overwhelmed with joy today. Love that smell coming from the dryer exhaust outside too.

I need to go see some movies ... I don't think I've seen anything but kid stuff for a year.

I'm playing hooky Friday and doing that. (Hold me to it.) Think I'll see Slumdog Millionaire. I would also like a pedicure if I can squeeze that in.

Am really mad that Simon and Randy were so transparent about bikini girl last night on Idol... I do not hate anybody, but I intensely dislike that girl and think that she is an insult to smart, talented girls everywhere. And certainly is not a good example for my two smart and talented girls. 

Yuck. Yuck. Yuck on her!

This morning I forced myself to the health club though it was the last thing on earth I wanted to do. I've been listening to craftsanity podcasts as I work out. So far I've listened to the interviews with Amy Butler, Alicia Paulson, Betz White, Anna Maria Horner, and Carol Duvall... all while on the elliptical. I highly recommend listening to these. Very enjoyable and whiles the time away very nicely. The elliptical is SOOOOO boring.

I'm thinking of taking an oil painting class, but I also want to take tap dancing and a pattern making course as well. It's a toss up.

 

I love Facebook. It has connected me to so many people I would not otherwise be in contact with.

But I am clueless about how to Twitter. I even asked Libby (the really sweet 21 year old gal that works at Peets Coffee where I am a regular customer) if she knew how to Twitter, and she said she didn't get it either... thank goodness, because I thought I was getting seriously old. I pride myself on the fact that I am nearly 40, have a pretty good understanding of html, and I am very technology literate.

That's all folks... more randomness (or less randomness) tomorrowish. If I start writing about meals I'm cooking turn me in to the blogging police because I don't really cook anything that you would be interested in as I am mostly interested in getting it over with (unless I have a ton of time) so clearly I'd be making sh-stuff up.

XO,