Secrets are no fun

Remember back in January when I alluded to a big change coming in 2014? Well, I suppose it is time to 'fess up.

Emily is moving.

I know I don't owe you all an explanation, but I hope you understand that we feel it is in her best interest for her to live with her father. It was a hard decision, as I'm sure you can imagine, and it has been followed by many difficult steps to prepare us all for this change.

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ~ Elizabeth Stone

At summer's end Ben and I will have to take on an entirely different parenting role - a long distance one. Luckily, we live in the age of the internet so we'll be able to "see" and talk to each other regularly.  We plan to have some fun finding creative ways to say "we love you" across the miles. Of course, there will also be visits and family vacations. Those are some of the silver linings.

A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. ~ Agatha Christie

My personal journey will be a search for my new place in the world. Who am I outside of "mommy;" what do I like, how do I act? I suppose some excitement can be found in the prospect of looking for myself...but I'm not there yet. I'm still struggling a bit with accepting this whole scenario. I imagine this is a lot what parents sending their kids off to college, or those in the armed forces preparing for deployment feel like. It is a strong cocktail of grief, apprehension, and anxiety, with a spritz of excitement and a sour lemon twist.

It's not only children who grow. Parents do too. As much as we watch to see what our children do with their lives, they are watching us to see what we do with ours. I can't tell my children to reach for the sun. All I can do is reach for it myself. ~ Joyce Maynard 

As in all things, We can only do our best with the time we have left of Emily living here full time, and with the time that follows. And with whatever time comes after that.

Welcome to Virginia

Dear Internet,
I guess I took an unexpected blog hiatus. I had given myself permission to slack off on blogging on account of the move. Then, I got behind - so behind I didn't even know where to start. So, I just never started. Whoops. It has been implied, however, that curious minds want to know.

I'll try to catch you up.

It was a week before we actually closed and moved into our house so we chilled at a pretty nice Residence Inn for a week. Admittedly, the cats were able to settle in more quickly than Ben and me.

When I say we moved into the house what I really mean is "camped out." It was another three weeks before our stuff was delivered. Hence the photo here of our classy evenings together. Ben took his frustration out on our kitchen wall.

Does this remind you of anything?

I continue to struggle with the idea of doing one thing at a time so...

I had to do it, Internet. I mean, the master bathroom was brown. I'm actually quite fond of brown, but this particular shade in this particular room was a bit...off-putting. Perhaps a different angle will help you to better understand.

Sadly, neither the bathroom nor the kitchen has been finished.

After all, why spend time in a bathroom or kitchen when every inch of your neighborhood is begging me to come outdoors?

That's right, I took those photos in my neighborhood. Where I live. Don't be jeal.
Yeah right; you should totally be jeal. It is gorgeous here.

That's a snippet of my life the last few months. If you are very good I'll give you more snippets again soon!

Love,
J-

Bag Lady

Over the winter holiday, Santa brought Miss Emily a very special new friend.

This is Caroline Abbott, an American Girl from 1812. Caroline is a perfect match for Emily because she's smart, brave, beautiful, and more than a little headstrong. You know, nothing like my daughter.

Just before the flight home from Grandma's house, we saw another little girl toting her American Girl in one of these nifty  things.

American Girl Starry Doll Tote

Oh how nice it would be to let Miss Caroline see the world instead of being clutched tightly against Emily's chest! Unfortunately, the carrier has been sold out.

It took my daughter about three minutes to get over here disappointment and  start shopping for an alternative. Is she my kid or what? As it happened, we didn't have to look very far because I had a nifty bag pattern bought way back when.

It doesn't look as though it is still available through Simplicity, but the Tuffy Girl Vintage shop on Etsy has it.

We also didn't have to go far to find fabric. See! I knew all those scrap bin purchases would pay off!

I just love that tulip print! Em chose that for the lining and trim, and the pink-tinged leopard print for the bag's outside.

No offense to American Girl, but our tote is way cuter!

Not to mention one-of-a-kind. just like a certain spunky somebody...

It is a bit big for Caroline, but that just means there's more room for her stuff to go with her!

And that doll already has a lot of stuff.

And I have one happy little bag lady.

If I had a million dollars...

As I said last week, I love to gift  I really love buying things for my daughter. It is actually a challenge for me to not buy her things. Alas, money and the logic of good parenting dictate that I cannot get her everything.


However, if money were no object, darling daughter I'd get you...

..a fantastical playhouse that sings of fairies and smells like the hours just after rain.

via a Place Imagined

an Emily space that makes all your reading, writing, and 'rithmatic a little more magical

via A Beautiful Mess

a day at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium

Hope, a wild dolphin cataloged in the Clearwater Aquarium Phinventory.

And, of course, any number of things with sparkles, fur, or shades of teal. I love you, baby.

Scrappy Hangers

I don't know about you, but I tend to bungle at least one part of every project I take on. I know - big surprise.

Click on the image to see it on obstacol.

At least I've learned from these mistakes:

Always. Buy. Extra.

Of course, I don't always need all the extra I've bought, and when it comes to sewing that can leave me with a lot of leftover scrap fabric. But - another shocker, I'm sure - I have an incredibly hard time throwing away scraps.  What if something needs to be patched? Or I need to stuff a pouf? Or intergalactic war is imminent unless we can offer a patchwork quilt several acres square? What if?

Never have I claimed to be logical.

On the other hand, scraps piled up in my studio are pretty much going to waste, which is also unacceptable. Use them I must. I don't quilt (yet) so that's out. Nor do I make rag rugs (yet). I do, however, pin, and I just happened to have the perfect pinspiration for scrap-busting:

mondocherry via Pinterest. Click on image for details.

Except...I have no bangles to cover. Oh I know! I'll cover hangers!

Clare's tutorial pretty much tells the whole story, but for giggles, I'll walk you through my bangle-wrap-to-hanger-wrap process.

Begin with a big o' pile of fabric (or ribbon) scraps. I used a single fabric, but I think it'd be equally cute if you want to combine snippets from coordinating fabrics or even go wild with any and every scrap type you have on hand.

I'd recommend pressing your scrap fabric, but I doubt skipping the iron would kill the final product. After pressing (or not) cut your fabric into strips. I started with a width of 2.5 inches, but decided I liked the final look of using 1.5 inch wide strips.

Next, I combined all my strips into one really long strip. When making bias tape, binding, or anything else that requires a long, thin piece of fabric, I use the method Ashley talks about on Make It and Love It. To summarize:

Place

Sew

 Unfold

Voila

 I repeated the place, sew, unfold process until I had seven yards of 1.5-inch fabric.

Then, I introduced - cue the music - the hanger. I chose one of those thick plastic jobbies because that's what was on hand Clare's tutorial used a wide bangle so I had an idea of how the knotted fabric would loo in the end. If you use a wire hanger feel free to let me know how it turned out.

Step One: tie a know at the base of the hook leaving a tail at least 12 inches long.

12 inches of fabric to the left of the know, 6.66 yards to the right of the knot.

The 12-inch tail will allow you to tie the finishing bow.

Step Two: Actually, step two is probably best told in photos.

Take the long end behind the hanger.

Pass it through the center of the hanger and under the fabric loop.

Pull the long end until you have a knot.

Repeat all the way around the hanger making sure to keep the row of knots on the outside.

 
Step Three: When you get back to your original knot you should have enough fabric left to tie both tails into a sweet little bow around the base of the hook.

Confession: When I was done I had enough fabric leftover to wrap the hook as well.  I secured one end to the hanger with hot glue, then simply wrapped the fabric strip around the hook and secured the second end with more hot glue.

Thanks to bad lighting, I can't show you what they look like hanging in a row in Emily's closet.  You'll just have to trust me when I say they look just adorable.

Is it just me or would these make the perfect gift for just about anyone?

Yeah, I thought you'd agree.

Wondering where I've been?

Oh, kids, it has been crazy 'round here. I have been crazy. I'll ask you to forgive me once again my inconsistent posting. If you were looking for me Friday I wasn't here.

Digitally, I here tooling around again:

People are some saying really complimentary things about this one. I'm pretty proud of it, myself, so, yeah, I'm boasting a bit.  Go see it!

Physically, I was living the good life with my family in Tallahassee.

Breakfast at Up in Smoke

Cypress trees at the Tallahassee Museum.  Isn't it gorgeous here?

Amazeballs corn hoe cakes with blueberry jalapeno delightfulness at Kool Beanz.

I had to proceed with caution at that last place. Ben told me I might scare the hipsters. I think they could've handled it. Maybe.

Oh! We also:

Trail riding at Conner Carriages and Occasions.

It might not be quite the offbeat vacation you'd expect from yours truly, but it was absolutely awesome!

I missed checking in with you guys, though.  What did you get up to this weekend?

As far as I'm concerned, today is Mother's Day

My mommy is in town! I love that woman. She's just so...so. There is no one word; I just love that woman.  In honor of her [being here to put up with me for five days I've assembled a few mother-daughter favorites.

Card from Spiffy Little Things

via Whateverishly

via All That Marina Dreams

doodle print by Artsyville

via Going Glam with Gigi

I think that pretty much sums it up. Now go call your mothers.