Bari J.

Home and a Quilt.

We finally got word from the bank. They accepted our bid on the short sale. Which means we got an exceptional deal on a really awesome house! With a pool. This has been a seriously long road and I realize it could have been far far longer and more difficult. And for that, I am grateful.

We won't be moving in until after quilt market which is mid-may though we close on the house May 4... I just can't imagine finishing up quilt market prep and moving at the same time. So, we will wait until I get back which is really a blessing because the kids finish school for the year two days after I get home. The furniture will arrive the day after Em's graduation.

In other news, I finished the next fabric line for Art Gallery, and it will be available to see at quilt market in may at Art Gallery's booth. I need to think up a name, stat. Meanwhile, my booth will be filled to the rim with LillyBelle which ships in June. The sewing with LillyBelle has begun in earnest. I need loads and loads of aprons for part of my booth, so if you're interested in sewing a full length apron with the pattern of your choice, let me know. There's free fabric involved in that deal, you know... and of course, after market, the apron is yours to keep. 

Above: first blog of starlight quilt... which will be a free download. 

 

Home Really is Where the Heart Is.

We've packed it up. Our house is under contract and we are now in Arizona ... staying with my parents (that's an interesting one at 42 years old) and looking for a new home. My mom has generously let me set up shop in her den. My computer and sewing machines are easily accessible as well as my shop goods.

The adventures are many... mostly in arranging schools for the girls. Arizona has open enrollment so we can put our kids in Scottsdale schools even though we are currently staying in Fountain Hills. It hasn't been as easy as I thought it would be, and one girl is still not registered. I'll have to do it on the first day of school because the offices are closed for Winter break. All said, if selling the house didn't kill me, then getting kids in school shouldn't either. Though I acted like the world had ended when I couldn't get one of the girls in school due to a red tape issue. Drama.

It was rough getting here. But we all went out to dinner the other night and I realized I wasn't (per usual) busy envying big families sitting together because we were one big crazy happy family. So though we are currently in cramped quarters, I have no idea where my younger daughter is going to school, and I am generally discombobulated, my heart is content. I grew up in Chicago, and after 14 1/2 years in California, I am finally home.

It still doesn't seem real...

We have lived in Northern California for 14 years. That doesn't seem real. And now we are getting ready to move, and that doesn't feel real either even though we've known for about three months that it was a very real possibility.

Super Husband accepted a job in Arizona about a week ago. And I've been staging the house for sale for a month.

We've loved it here, we've raised our two girls here who are now almost 14 and 16. But all this time, we have desperately missed having famiy here. 

When we first moved here, I cried every single day for about a year. I was pregnant with Emily, our second daughter. After being here for four months, I ended up on bed rest for pre-term labor. A bit of a conundrum when you have an 18 month old, no family, are new to an area and your husband is traveling on business all the time. In the end, of course, everything worked out. Somehow or another we made it through, and we are stronger for it.

Today one of my sisters has two little boys aged two and two months. She lives in Arizona near our parents, and I've been pining to live there for years now. My wish has finally come true, and it's bitter sweet.

I love my life here, but I love my family even more. I miss my sisters, my brother and my parents. I wish the girls could have spent their whole lives near Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and cousins. So though I will miss Northern California, it's beauty and it's weather... and our friends, the only thing that would make this move better would be if my other sister and brother could live in Arizona too. It seems unfair that we all can't be together.

We have lived in this house for eight years. Longer than we've ever lived in a home our entire married life... nearly 17 years. Getting it ready to sell has been a huge undertaking. And now that it is decluttered and beautified, I sure would like to take it with.

Of course new adventures and a new home await ahead of us. I don't know when this house will sell, or when we will finally make it to our destination. I do know that good time are ahead. I'm looking forward to playing with my nephews, family dinners and holidays, dropping in on my sister and parents without a moment's notice and a new life in a new home.

Good Lord, My Sewing Machine is SMOKING!

This is not the way I planned for her to go. 

I bought my sweet and lovely Pfaff about eight years ago used and she worked extremely hard for me for those eight years. And she was well taken care of. She had yearly/bi-yearly spa dates over at the sewing machine shop. She has had her circuit board replaced. 

But despite all her tender loving care, when it's time, it's time. And you know it's time to replace your beloved sewing machine when certain things happen. One of them is she starts to smoke.

No. I'm not kidding. There was actual smoke coming from the top of my sewing machine. Now granted, I let her cool off for an hour and then sewed two king size pillowcases with her and she seemed just fine. But the truth was undeniable. She'd been on fire. Somewhere within the mechanisms of her sweet little frame, there had been an actual fire. Or was about to be a fire. 

I could no longer be in denial. I needed a new sewing machine. And considering what happened to her sister, Babylock Grace, when I opened the rear gate on my SUV (she may or may not have fallen out), I knew I needed a work horse that would not be in need of a backup for at least a little while. (Have no fear. Grace is currently undergoing a series of treatments at the spa. I will need her and all of her stitches very much.)

I ended up buying the above sewing machine, a Juki T2010. I am totally in love. Of course there are a few things I'm not totally in love with, but let me tell you, this baby is a speed demon work horse. 

Made of steel, the Juki T2010, has some incredible industrial like features. She's a straight stitching/quilting machine. No fancy schmancy stitches or functions that can break.

Here are the things I love about her:

• Has a built in cutter in the foot pedal. You just step back with your heel and the thread is cut. Love that!

• Great LED lighting.

• Doesn't make any clicking or crazy sounds when you turn her on.

• Has a handsfree knee-lifter lever for the presser foot. This is key when you are fiddling and fuddling with pieces of fabric trying to keep them straight while putting under the presser foot. In fact, I had no idea what I was missing. This thing is the bomb.

• This sucker is FAST and has three speed settings.

• I haven't witnessed it myself yet, but I hear tell she sews through multiple layers flawlessly.

• Has a needle down and feed dogs down position.

• Came with an extension table that has legs that pop up for easy storage. My last table's legs we stationary or screwed in, which made it very difficult to store.

• The stitches look impeccable.

What I don't love:

• The bobbin case is to the side, and it's a little goofy to reach in that way to put it in.

• You have to screw off the presser feet, which is inconvenient.

 

Overall, I am crazy about this machine so far.

Now, let's get sewing, right? Last night I finally finished my sister Ilisa's 40th birthday quilt using my down and dirty new sewing machine ... It is *slightly* overdue. Her birthday was in April.

But alas, the top is finished and I'm sending it out for quilting!

This quilt is made from Flower Sugar by Lecien and was started last winter. You might want to check out the post. There are links to videos on how to machine stitch a hexie quilt. 

I have to admit to procrastinating on this quilt. Once I got to the white hexies it became quite boring and tedius. I'm thrilled it's finished. And I really can't wait to give it to my sister, who I adore. Happy (um, belated) birthday, Ilisa!

 

Dear Blog,

It has been a long time since I last wrote. I'm sorry, and I've missed you. 

We were in Arizona last week. And I didn't even say goodbye or leave you with something fun to do. To top it off, the only pics I have are of my sister's son who is adorable, but since he's not mine, I don't feel right posting those even though I know you will oooh and ahhh because he is the most adorable baby in the entire world. I'm not biased. Really. He is. Edit: Except for my brother's baby who ties for first place in the cutest baby in the entire world contest.

Oh! But I did take a photo on the road of my two babies! Too bad they hate posing for pictures. We always take the dogs with us so we are on the look out for Good Places to Let Them Do Their Thing. On our last trip we found this amazing orchard at the end of a dead end street. This time, I was sure to take a photo. I'm positive we are not supposed to let them out there, but ...ahem... we do pick up after them so I hope Farmer Brown never comes after us with a shot gun for trespassing. 

At any rate, this here is what you get when you ask 12 and 14 year old sisters to pose for a photo after they've been in a car for five hours and still have eight left to go. I say, "For crying out loud! Just go stand together over there and look like you like each other! One, Two, Three!". Snap. Sigh. Give up.

 

In other news, I'm getting ready to go to Sisters on Sunday. So I have been making extra samples, copying patterns and generally planning my classes. In the middle of this I was asked (and I'm glad I was, trust me) to submit some art work to someone ... but within three days. So, I gratefully scrambled to get all that done. Pretty happy with the results too. Last night I stayed up until two in the morning. I don't think I've done that since college! I mean stayed up to work. But I did what I had to do, and frankly, I loved every minute of it. However, due to the stress, my darned chin broke out again. (I feel the need to say this so if any of you see me Sisters and you only see me at events, where I am generally stressed out, you will know that I don't always look like I have the measles.)

But, I digress. Before I go I wanted to leave you with at least a little something to make up for my desertion last week, but then I never got anything done to give you. And then I remembered... I have been meaning to post about this for a month! Actually since Spring market in May. I did a little project with my Art Journal line for Sew4home. I just love their website. It's full of fabulous projects. 

I did two for them. A pinwheel playmat and a little burp cloth. I hope you will make them and enjoy.

And btw, you can get some Art Journal fabric from many online stores including Fabritopia, Fat Quarter Shop, Hawthorne Threads and more! Just saying.

 

 

Well, have a great holiday! See you in a week ... or less if I figure out how to get photos off my camera and on to my laptop while I'm away. (I know. I'm a genius.) 

XO,

Bari
 

 

 
I'm not usually such a pill here, but I guess I won't beat around the bush. I totally lost my mojo after quilt market. It seems so long ago, I've almost forgotten it. It was rough. And unfortunately my mom hasn't been that well lately... she's on the mend, thank goodness, but it's been a trial for her for sure. Market was kind of up and down for me partly because she was back in the hospital in Arizona while I was there. Not just for that reason, but if you saw me there you know I was kinda' sorta' ... to put it mildly ... emotional. Apparently that's my natural reaction to not sleeping for days on end and generally being a complete freak. That and The-Great-Chin-Breakout-of-Spring-Quilt-Market-2010 will go down in history as my worst ever. 

To top things off, when I got home I thought I was going to quickly get our house into ship shape for putting on the market (ie: the next morning I painted the front hall), when our "The Ackermans are Moving to Arizona" plans came to a crashing halt. That totally threw me for a loop since I really want to move near family. Had planned on being there before our 14yo starts highschool in the Fall. But alas, it is not in the cards... yet.

Unfortunately, I didn't take very many photos while I was at market due to my disastrous mood, so I hope you'll forgive the lack of detail. I did, however, have the best roommate in the universe... Rebecca Makas from Restitcherator. I can't tell you how she saved me... And we just met! I also managed to interview Amy Butler, Pat Bravo, Kay Whitt and Lizzie House while I was there. So you have that to look forward to through Boutique Cafe. And I did take some limited photos of Country Lane samples before I left. My favorite is this ottoman slip cover. The flounce took some figuring out, so I was really thrilled with the end result.

 

And a pillow... 

 

I mixed some turned under applique with my always first choice: collage. And then, because I can't leave well enough alone, I also did some hand embroidery on the top. I may be certifiable.

 

I also made a Lill Street Messenger (see below... it's one of the new sewing patterns):

 

And, the center of what will be my free quilt pattern... the Bed and Breakfast Quilt.

 

I actually did quilt and bind this... and it appears I took the photo upside down, but there ya' go...

This is a virtual version of what the quilt will look like when all is said and done...

And an alternate colorway of the same quilt:

 

With what was the cut-away fabric for the flounce there was a circle left over, so I made a little dresden plate table topper... this is it before it was finished (ah hem... taken with my iphone):

 

and then I quilted it by hand and put on a binding:

... and then I proceeded to completely forget to take photos of it in the booth. 
 Along with the finished version of this sign:

 

 

Also while I was at market, I introduced two new sewing patterns which are TBD June 30 and are available for pre-order now. They are the Gracie Girl Pincushion and The Lill Street Messenger. They will be available through me and distributors as well.

 

 

Since the moving plans were "revised", the whirlwind tour of crazy hasn't stopped. I have the "flow" for my book (which is the unformated/undesigned version) to get through and approve. And I have another project for which I had have photographs taken of myself. Eeew. And do a sewing project for. Which is altogether exciting, but getting photos taken of myself is not really my dream job, ya' know? I'm also getting prepared for a trip to AZ and then to Sister's Oregon where I'm teaching. And somehow I need to keep my website updated (there are some new things on there and a SALE). So... I know I've made most of the crazy all on my own, but I feel generally insane of late. And I'm going to have to figure out how not to do that in the future. Although if you know me, you know there is not much hope for that. I apparently, like my mom says, "Thrive on Chaos".

 

 
 

 
  

When I was a little girl I watched my mom make a poodle skirt for me for Halloween. In 1976 she made me a Statue of Liberty costume, Uncle Sam for my brother and The Little Drummer Girl for my sister. We won best costumes that year at school. 

Mom also made an array of dresses for us (3 of a kind at one point). She knitted and crocheted and she spent a period of 10 years (I think) making a breathtaking needlepoint of an urn of flowers in gorgeous jewel tones. Every time I see it it still puts me in awe. She is also a really talented painter.  

  

(Above: Me and my sister Ilisa in pinafores by mom 1974)

 Not surprisingly, I grew up thinking my mom could make anything. Her creativity was endless. And a gift that she gave to all of us. 

Mom is most definitely why in my early thirties I turned to art. And then to sewing. And design. (Despite the fact that I started out in theatre, later graduated with a degree in Social Sciences only to end up working in advertising.)

 

(Right: my sister, Ilisa (Don't kill me for that picture, Ilisa... you are cute.) in the center, brother, Neal on the right, and me on the left half out of the frame... who knows who the deer in the headlights behind us is. Ilisa and I are again in pinafores by mom. Probably also 1974)

She's also the reason why when Emily wanted the sold out "Bella Bedding" (the bedding at Target inspired by the Twilight movie), I said, "Well, we can make it, you know.". Only problem was I couldn't find any fabric that was remotely similar. But thanks to the magic of photoshop and Spoonflower, we designed our own. Which is exactly what my mom would have done had she had such things at her disposal. 

I was talking to my mom this afternoon and she said the reason she started sewing was because she saw a dress for me at Marshall Fields. She loved it, but it was $50, a heck of a lot at that time. So she decided to learn to sew.

It's that kind of thing that makes me think about who I am, the path I traveled and what I'm doing today. I sure wouldn't be doing it had it not been for my mom. Without even knowing it she set an example of optimism, resourcefulness and a willingness to be creative and think outside of the box. 

For that and so much more (including not killing me when I was 16), thank you Mom. I love you!!!

Happy Mother's Day to you all... and an extra special hug and smooch to my sister, Lara, who is celebrating her first mother's day! Give that baby a kiss for me too, Lulu!

(Below: Bella Bedding inspired swatch... I think I'll add a leaf to the top of that stem.)

   

 

More old photos just because...

 

Me... pixie cut above.

 

My brother torturing me in any way he can.

 

Me. Center of attention. I wonder if this was even my own birthday.
 
  
 

 

WARNING... BEEP BEEP ... WARNING... 

The following message is delivered by a bragging mother and it might make you feel like vomiting or otherwise becoming ill. You have been forewarned. I take no responsibility for any negative response you might have.

So... back to that jabber about my kids being talented and all: 

The girls and I were back at painting class this evening. And as you can see... they are clearly gifted. Anna can free hand just about anything. I have no sense when it comes to being able to look at a picture and then draw it. She can do it in her sleep. (As a side note: she's been doing it since Kindergarten. I noticed she would place her hand with her pencil in it above a drawing she wanted to do, move her hand in as if tracing it, and then place the pencil on her paper and draw... she's a genius, I know!) And I simply can't get over Emily's painting. I know I'm her mom, but I think it looks downright professional. 

This is Anna's work in progress based on a Japanese cartoon:

 

And here is Emily's finished Cabin in Winter painting.

 

I know, right? They are incredible!

I on the other hand, required much attention from our teacher. She may have been the tiniest bit frustrated by my lack of following directions. I'm just saying. 

This is my rose in progress. A bit cartoony. It needs several more layers of paint including a glaze plus I totally think it requires a stem because it totally looks like a floating rose here. **sigh**

 

BTW, we have a fantabulous teacher, Kathy McCartney. If you are in the SF Bay Area you might want to take a class...check out her work here.
 
 
 

Murphy's law. I call it "Magical Thinking". And as a rule, I'm against magical thinking. What I mean by that is that I think that things don't just happen. I think that we make them happen. Just sayin'.

But over the past week, a series of unfortunate events (really just a couple) have caused me to look at that Magical Murphy's Law. {{{BTW, an aside and another reason not to like it... It's a negative law. So in the way of magical thinking, I think it's a bummer. If I'm going to think magically, it should be good things. Not: "if anything can go wrong it will.". Seriously, that's ugly.}}} But none-the-less here's how things went down:

1. I'd been rushing like a demon to meet a deadline, sewing and writing away when ... POOF! The circuit board on my sewing machine decides it's time to call it quits. 

I looked over my shoulder. Murphy, are you there? 

No. No. No. No magical thinking. At least not the negative sort. 

I called The Sewing Machine Shop in Walnut Creek, and happened to get the owner when he came to pick up the mail. He was just stopping in as he just had knee surgery. Anyways, I explained my situation, and he graciously lent me a machine until he can fix mine. 

The result of which is... this infinitesimally small peek (you are looking at about two inches of it) at this project... See that pretty Laura Gunn fabric?! To die for.

2. I lost the pen to my graphics tablet which is my life line to drawing. Of course, I really needed it right then. I had to think quick in order to save one of my favorite designs in fabric line number two from the cutting room floor... which is a cute story in and of itself and I'll tell you about that when I can show you the whole line in a finished form... which I think is really really soon. But I digress... Murph's law had me loosing a pen just when I needed it. Was I actually going to let him get to me again?

First of all, dear Murphy, I'd drawn my little hand off about a week ago, and found the perfect element I'd already drawn and finished to add to a pattern. (I'm sticking my tongue out and blowing razzes here.) Ha. I saved the "fabric pattern from having it's little head chopped off. 

(a peek at somethin' or another in the works, but it's not the one that almost got chopped.)

Then even though I knew it was a trick, I decided to use this so-called law in my favor. I figured this was the best way to find my old pen. I was already on the magical thinking tear so what the heck, I'll give in... I ordered a new pen that afternoon, and wouldn't you know... found the old one the next day. I'm keeping the new one as a back-up.

3. After Murphy had wrecked havoc twice in a week, I got a letter from my child at overnight camp that started "As I write this I am crying...". So of course this causes a flood of tears from me. (I don't know where my daughter gets her dramatic streak.) I wanted to rush right up there and get her. But. I think. And I realize that this note is written the first night of camp, she's tired, she's in new surroundings. And Murphy's law would tell me that by the time I got up there, she'd be having a grand old time and wondering what all the fuss is about. I'll wait a day. And I was right. Today's letter from her had a really happy tone. She's canoeing, hiking, and told me not to worry because she is drinking enough water and eating the food.

Ha. Magical thinking, Murphy's Law ... You've got nothin' on me.

PS... Just so you know, if that letter hadn't come today, I'd be in the car right now, feeling guilty that I left her there for an extra day. Murphy's law be damned.

 

This is the Garden Tea Party Quilt shown in my sidebar. Before it gets shipped off to hither and to yon (apparently there is some taking turns going on), we decided to take some pics. 

This first photo was Emily's idea. She said, "Hey, let's take one of those Pottery Barn photos and I can be in it!". Sounded like a plan to me. Sweet thing called dibbies on this quilt upon the first stitch. That's a kid after my own heart.

 

 

I have a confession to make. I'm the mom who always perpetually runs in at the last minute. And if I turn up on time and have breath to spare, it's because I had the time wrong, and got there early. Like today. I arrived half an hour early for one of Anna's activities because I had it wrong on my calendar. "At least I didn't show up later," I said. 

I am the mom that forgets things like bake sales, school luncheons, getting the charity fundraiser cookie dough sold and in on time. I forget it's picture day. And to send in field trip forms. Forms are a terrible one for me. I get them and if I don't fill them out right away, well, I totally forget about them. I once forgot to sign Emily up for Soccer and by time I did, it was too late. She was left on a waiting list the whole season. 

 

I have tried to combat my enemy, the clock (and the calendar), by setting alerts on my phone for every single appointment even if it is an appointment that occurs each and every week. And still, I have more than once forgotten to pick a kid up from school... ok not so much forgotten, but I run out the door five minutes after the bell has rung. Often. And there was that one Wednesday that they got out of school early, and I forgot my kids and other peoples kids.

But I cling to the phone alert because most of the time it works. Unless it is in my handbag. And my handbag is in the kitchen while I am in the studio, and I have music playing loudly so the alert on the computer was useless.

For instance, this evening, I was caught up in here, and realized at 7:10 that I was supposed to be at a summer school parent orientation at 7:00. I raced down there only to find that it was over. And, by the way, twisted my ankle running in. There were some uber-organized super moms hanging around who gave me the low down... get here at 8:30, bring a snack... the whole drill. This, I have to say ticked me off to no end. You had me come rushing my rear down here to tell me the same thing you said in the darned letter you sent me? I missed dinner. Hmmpf. This is why I miss these meetings, I told myself.

All of this makes me feel incredibly guilty. So, I try to tell myself what I do get right.

Little absolutely necessary things: I do always make sure my kids have the clothing they need, are taken to the doctor for their yearly appointments, have their teeth cleaned every six months. I make a mostly healthy dinner most nights.

Household things: Although I might have a little time management issue, I can organize stuff. I usually know where the forms are, I just don't actually remember to fill them out. I keep things relatively clean.

Things we do together: I hang out with them, we cook, we get our nails done. I craft with them. We listen to music and watch movies. I don't forget birthdays, and always make a fun party. You maybe remember the story about taking them to see Wicked? That was a good mom thing. 

 

 

Things to boost their confidence: I tell them how wonderful they are, and I tell them when I think they could do better. I ask them how their day was, and I always hug them and smile when I see them. I tuck them in every night. I sing to wake them up... which they hate ... and I find endlessly amusing. But I bet they remember it, and sing their kids awake too.

 

I tell them to stand up to bullies. And, ... and I do insist that we eat together as a family. No TV. No cell phones.

 I love them to pieces.

So there are a few late forms, missed appointments and a whole lot of rushing around. But mostly I get it right. And that, is what counts.

Plus, I have a super backup system, Super Husband... ie: Super Dad. 

It's been a long two or three weeks. I've been in Las Vegas (an early celebration of my 40th birthday), Phoenix, and home. I've been doing a lot, but have not found much to say that is a cohesive thought. So you'll bare with my rambles I hope. 

I'm working on projects to take with me to quilt market including some kitchen items including the little tea cozy above, and hopefully soon I'll be working on a large scale quilt. I'm waiting on getting my hands on a large amount of fabric. I've got the pattern made. Directions are almost done too, and are for public consumption. I can tell you from first hand experience now that if you design a quilt on paper, it maybe helps to work with scale in mind. I found out that it's pretty hard to go back and arrange the measurements to fit a design. May be kinda sorta a good thing to do that first. I dunno'. You tell me.

Vegas was fun. I was with my sisters and my mom. I hadn't told you yet, but Lara is pregnant again (Vegas wasn't exactly her idea of a rocking good time at the moment, but we all survived, including those of us who are not pregnant... so...).

My mom got me hooked on the darn poker machines where a heck of a lot of cash was thrown down the darn toilet. We saw Jersey Boys... fabulous and a highlight of the trip. Another highlight was that incredible outlet mall in Vegas. We spent an entire day there, and other than that, we never left the Venetian, believe it or not. We ate, we spent, we left. Just what the Nevada visitor's bureau was hoping for.

And since this was the start of my kid's Spring Break, my brother in law flew out to San Francisco and DROVE back to Phoenix with Super Husband, super kids, and two insane labradors. I drove to Phoenix with my mom and sisters from LV.

Mostly a good time was had, and I got to see my friend Jona (Fabritopia) and two of her kids. There are pics on her blog.

Unfortunately, the day after we arrived in Phoenix, my mom caught a virus (probably from those NASTY poker machines). And then things turned kinda' ugly. Poor mom mixed her blood pressure meds with Sudafed (don't do this). Her blood pressure dropped like a rock, and she passed out COLD. I mean... COLD. I heard her head hit the floor from across the house. It was midnight and my dad was screaming his head off, "Call 911!". I went running willy nilly not knowing what was going on and couldn't find a charged phone in the place. My dad didn't think she was breathing (she was). When I did find a phone, thank goodness she had already come to, but she looked like something the cat dragged in (sorry, Mom) so we got the paramedics and they took her to the hospital. 

But you know what she says as we are waiting for the paramedics? "I can't go to the hospital. Look at my hair.". I love it.

She spent the rest of the time we were in Phoenix in the hospital. Pretty awful. But thank God not worse.

On Friday, we made the trek back to San Francisco in record time. Don't tell CHP, but we got back in 11.5 hours. We made TWO stops the whole way back. Unheard of for us. I will tell you we were a bit hungry by time we got back, but we were back.

Since then I've been mostly on a tear. I'm getting ready for quilt market, I've got a project I'm working on that I can't wait to tell you about but I do not have permission as yet to speak, I'm working on my next fabric line, there are bag orders looming, and good grief is there isn't paper work out the ying yang.

So that's that. Below: a couple some bags I've been working on, and I'm off. Back to the grind. 

These are for some Frannie Bags...

The one above is for a present... wanna' guess who it's for? Is it for you? 

I think I might be loving this fabric combo.

And, this one, I'm tempted to keep, but it's a special request from a customer. I made two, so we'll see...I'll probably put it on the website for sale. I can't say I don't have enough bags.

 

No one every said I was a morning person (really. not. ever.)

On a Saturday morning I get particularly nasty if you want me to be up before 8 am. So when I had to take my daughter to an event this morning by 9 am and get up at 7:00 am I was a little snippy, one might say.

Super Husband was conveniently sick is sick. He sounds and looks like something the cat dragged in.

I had to be on clean up patrol for the event. This involves dragging a large bin of garbage across hither and to yon to pitch it. Plus taking the used icky coffee cups that they people don't bother to throw in the trash and do it for them and other disgusting stuff. For someone with a thing about cooties, this is an issue.

I spent the whole time complaining in my head to myself about what a pain in the tush it all was. Gritting my teeth too. I wasn't nice. And I sincerely hope no one noticed. If you did, apologies all around (sort of).

By 10 am I was wishing desperately I was home. 

It's sad how little tolerance I have.

Especially since, the truth is, the time went faster than I thought it would, and the kids and I spent the afternoon sewing. I made the patchwork portion of Frannie bags (the rest of it goes out to a seamstress) and the kids each took an end of two yards of fleece to stitch the blanket stitch all around it.

They swear they are going to share it and cozy up on the couch. Yeah. Right. I'll believe that when I see it.

So, now, what's next? Cleaning up my own darn mess, cooking dinner and staying as far away from Cootie-Man on the couch as possible.

Hope you are having a nice weekend.

Oh, she is baby! Too cool. Much cooler than I ever was. Anna made these yesterday by cutting out motifs and glueing them on with permanent fabric glue. The back is just written in sharpie. Easy-peasy... and you gotta' appreciate her composition. I like her "Anna-tude" (until she uses it on me, that is)! 

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.

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. 

 

My Sweet Emily Grace... Eleven today, but it seems like yesterday...

Each year you grow more beautiful. You are kind and sweet and so smart. You always do your best in whatever you do. You are a good friend and a good sister. And your giggle makes everyone around you a bit happier! And that freckle face! I wish I could just slow time down and look at it more before it grows a year older.

I hope you had the happiest of days. 

I love you more than you can imagine.

XOXOXOXOXO,

Mom

As you might know from my previous post, my family has been in need of a little of this. Thank goodness it comes in many kinds... we could use all the therapeutic treatments we could find... My sister and I found some of it when I visited her this weekend in Arizona. One of which was getting some blond highlights in her hair by a super fantastic hair "therapist". I have to say, Lara looked amazing, as did our mom. She needed a little treatment too.

I am relatively scared of hair color and thank goodness, I unbelievably haven't but a few stray grays. Plus, I actually like my hair color (hmmm... now that's unusual. I said aloud that I liked my hair.) Which makes me think... why didn't I go get the alternative and much-needed nail therapy? I shall indulge later this week, me-thinks.

In addition to beautification therapy, we also spent time getting some of our most favorite therapy of all... retail therapy as it is commonly known.

Amazingly enough, we didn't indulge in food therapy because we figured that would have been therapy that eventually would have made us feel worse. Plus, of course, the thought of weighing in at WW and weighing more is enough to scare me straight any day... Good girls...

The retail therapy was as expected very, very satisfying.

Below... a goodie from that part of our adventure... at Paris Envy, a shop in Phoenix that carries my bags... and btw, is undeniably "Wow.". I'm not just sayin' so because my bags are there either, it really really is. And the prices are reasonable too which I'm finding unusual (someone remind me later to show you the little spread about it that was in the Arizona Republic a couple weeks ago... it looked incredible).

There is also Puppy Therapy ... Lara has much of this... Roxy, our girl, will not leave her side and barks at anyone who comes near Lara these days. Amazing how animals know when we are vulnerable, isn't it? I threatened to take this cute potato home with me... She's the most amazing rescue dog ever. We think she had been abandoned... who in the world could abandon this???

Then all said and done I came home tonight finding the squeezing of my little peeps and Super Husband quite therapeutic as well... Then, unexpectedly... an added bonus... my own personal form of therapy... my Very Own Fabric Therapy... it arrived while I was away. I did really cry too. Very, very good therapy.

My most favorite therapy of all however... My Family. Seeing my Lara, hugging her and knowing that everything will be alright. There really is something to be said about the connections that siblings have. The shared experiences, all the ups and downs. I'll never know anyone like I know my sisters and brother. They are undeniably the best friends I'll ever have.

We have our mother to thank for that. She has always said, "I always wanted four kids, because I wanted you all to always have each other." And we do (she said through happy sad, sad happy tears.). Thanks, Mom.

Awww... darn. That was a sort of emotional post. Off to hug the squeezy girls some more!
Thanks for listening... Hmmmm... blog therapy too! Good stuff!
XO,

Sadness

We've been mourning. Last week my sister miscarried her twins at 19 weeks along. I don't know what to say, or where to begin, but it's been just horrible for her and her husband as well as the rest of us.

To Lara I'll say what I've said over and over... I know you have the strength to carry on. We all love you, and we are with you. And to our beautiful angels, Max and Michael... you were and are loved by the most wonderful parents God could give you and your family will love and think of you always.

No, my goodness, no. Not me! My sister! Lucky girl is preggers w/two little boogers. She always said she wanted four so she's off to a roaring start don't you think?

I told her that she must be having twins because God doesn't want Mom and I fighting over who gets to hold the baby.

More good news... Amy Butler's Little Stitches for Little Ones came out just in the nick of time... Oh baby! (Pun intended) Projects up the ying yang! I am the official nursery designer, don't ya' know.

Can't wait to find out what she's having! And to kiss chubby little baby toes. I'm putting it out there... my prediction is a boy and a girl.

Weekend synopsis:

When there wasn't some of this...

Or some of this...

or this...

There was some of this...

And I loved this...

And I know I promised you some of this...