In which I compare applique to childbirth. Really?

I make a tiny hoop. I get a giant mess. Doesn't this somehow violate the laws of physics?
It makes me think of those days following the birth of a wee baby (a phrase that calls to mind my lovely Scottish midwife, who, trying to prevent me hyperventilating during labor, kept saying "blow into the wee bag")--the world's smallest person wrecking the whole house, or at least incapacitating the full-sized residents to the point where they're unable to keep things tidy, I guess. I'm not sure what my excuse is now. Short attention span? Artistic license? Whatever. At least felt messes are pretty!

Why Can't We Make Our Own Weather?

The weather is downright dreary today (winter rain), so I had to push this hoop right up to the window to take its picture. To cut down on the bad-photo quotient, I'm only sharing this springish snippet--more to come. It's terribly early, of course, but a Mother's Day image popped into my head and will hopefully materialize on this pale-blue linen before long. Wait for it.

I'm Tired. For Reals.

Right on, owl. Now would be a good time for a little shut-eye. After all, you let Jillian Michaels shred your behind in the wee hours, and since then you've done laundry, made a healthy lunch, given Tavi a makeover (to reflect his blue-blue eyes and soft baby features), and completed a whole custom order...of, um, an owl. You've earned a nap is what I'm saying--never mind it's the middle of the day. I'm behind you. I've got your back--and if anybody tries to call you lazy, well, they'll have me to contend with. Ahem.

Another Boy's Forest

Having fallen in love with Finn's Forest, one of Meg's readers asked me to make something similar for her Tavi.
This hoop is on its way to Switzerland--I wish I could go all the places my feltscapes have flown: Brazil, Australia, England. I am, vicariously, quite the world traveler.
Personally, I'm off to King of the Roll. I will be eating sweet potato maki, but I'll be thinking of you. ;-)

P.S. That fat rabbit is cracking me up.

For the Love of Dots (or "obsessive-compulsive buys fabric")

Here's that Center-Hall Colonial, finished all plush-like and smelling of lavender. And it's also sporting, at the back, some of the new fabric I just got from Sew, Mama, Sew.
I am, as a fabric buyer, mostly inclined toward the basics--lovely solids with luxurious textures (linen--I'm a linen addict), graphic prints with crisp, clean lines and absolutely no bleeding or heatherishness in the colors, and plain old stripes and polka dots. But the polka dots have to be just right--orderly, evenly spaced, all-of-a-size, just like this green-and-white-honeycomb goodness. Perfect.

What a Wednesday

Yup--I'm ready to declare it. Wednesday's my favorite day of the week. (I didn't exactly make that valentine for Wednesday--not that Wednesday doesn't deserve a valentine, but that one up there was for Mark.)
Smack dab in the middle, full of symmetry and promise--it's a good day, folks. On this one in particular, I got a little alone-in-the-house time (alone except for Sophie, that is--but she's generally a quiet and agreeable mate) thanks to a friend taking A. for an afternoon of swimming and vegan milkshakes. I worked out, reluctantly. (We're headed for a very walking-intensive family vacation in a couple of months, and if I don't build some stamina, said family is going to hiss and boo me the whole time.) I took some product photos.
I worked on a custom scented house--that's a center-hall colonial down there, folks. Felt style.
And I went to my favorite restaurant with my favorite (well, only, but still) sister.

Wednesday--you know just how to make a girl feel good.

Home Again

Just finished my first custom house portrait since returning from my post-holidays break. There's always a little bit of anxiety at the start of one of these projects--after all, someone has purchased the portrait in hopes that it will become a kind of memento, maybe even an heirloom--often, as is the case with this one, the portrait is a reminder of a house the owner no longer lives in, and what kind of reminder will it be if I get it wrong?
But by the time I'm sewing on the little leaves or flowers, finishing the last brick-indicating stitches, the piece usually says home to me at least, so clean and cozy and bright. With maybe a little kitty waiting in the window to welcome you back from wherever in the world you've gone.

And the truth is, if I got it wrong, I'd start over until I got it right, so there's no need to worry. That's what I'm telling myself, anyway, as I head back the studio (fortified with carrot-ginger soup and sesame tofu for lunch--yum!) to start another.

Just So You Don't Think the Juggling Goes Easy Around Here

Today?

* setting aside brooch making (reluctantly)

* abusing my power to make Fraggle Rock episodes stream into our house via Netflix (desperately, a little guiltily)

* ignoring the dirty dishes and lack of clean towels (pretty happily!)

* putting my custom-portrait-making nose to the wool-felt grindstone (finally)

Tomorrow?

* I can't promise anything! Maybe just eating sushi and snuggling with my the-whole-day-off husband--or trying to erase Fraggle Rock from Annabelle's mind with lots of real-human interaction. (Maybe making more brooches? Let's call it an obsession at this point.) We'll see...

P.S. More "Friends" prints have arrived, and they're available in the shop now!

A Winner--and a Question

Who, me? Yes, you, Laurel (comment #16)--send me your mailing address, and "Friends" will be on its way! I always feel like Oprah when I'm announcing the giveaway--look! under your chairs! a car!--and then a little like the Grinch when it turns out only one person has a car (or, um, you know, a print) under there. ;-)
And speaking of prints--wanna be my focus group for a minute?
Here's what I need to know: of the five images pictured here, which would you be most likely to buy as a print (for yourself or as a gift for someone else)?
I want to add a second print to the shop, and I'm not sure which is likely to be most appealing as a reproduction. I'd love your thoughts, ladies (and gentlemen, if there are any of you out there)!
(Meanwhile, I'm off to judge the Southern Maine regional competition of Poetry Out Loud, a poetry recitation competition for high school students. I'm psyched!)

Psst...Postcards

You should absolutely feel free to keep those giveaway comments coming on the previous post (I love you guys!)--I'm just popping in to say that there are now postcard/note card sets (with envelopes) featuring my new designs in the shop.
Roundy corners. They are to note cards what reversibility is to pin cushions, right? No choice but to love 'em. ;-)

Brooching (and a giveaway!)

Well--since we last met, I attended my first gallery opening, and the Saints won the Super Bowl. Who knew? You, that's who! (Okay, so you may not have foreseen the Saints' historic victory, but you certainly saw that gallery opening coming a mile off, what with my going on about it in post after post--sorry, folks. Anxiety makes me repetitive.)

The opening was lovely and busy and a little strange--the tiny space so crowded with people and me with my little entourage feeling a bit in the way. But we had excellent Japanese food, and my work looked great on the wall (Thanks, Kim!), and I got to see friends' work at Nachotta, too--gorgeous. All in all, I feel like I now know what the whole thing is about, and I can stop worrying!
In a fit of post-show relief, I'm right back to making stuff--right now, I'm on a bit of a brooch kick, specifically embroidered and beaded wool felt. So fun! The periwinkle number you see up there (still a work in progress--no back yet) kept me occupied through the second half last night.
And the test prints of "Friends" came--I'm pleased, and as a reward for your patient listening and perfect support, I'd like to offer one as a giveaway. They're 8.5X11" photographic prints with a .5" white border, which means they can easily be framed as is or inside an 8X10" matte.
If you'd like a chance to win a print, just leave a comment on this post before Wednesday at 5:00, and I'll pick a winner all random like. Thanks, my dears.

Pink House Press Room (a.k.a. "the squivers")

I have a friend visiting--an old fashioned sleepover--which means not much work is getting done, but I felt like it had been too long since I popped in for a chat, so I'm here to share a couple of fun publicity-type images before heading off for a little lunch. Above is an outfit put together by Ez from Creature Comforts featuring my new beaded, wool-felt brooches. I squealed a little bit when I saw this because it makes my handiwork look so darned chic.
And here's the postcard for the Three Graces show, which I will shortly stop talking about all the time--I promise. This image, with all its enticing thumbnails of things I will soon see up close and in 3D, makes me squiver (a term Annabelle coined in her toddlerhood--perfect for the lovely, shivery feeling up your back when something excites and surprises you).

I'll be back on the weekend with a report on the opening, my dears. Meanwhile, here's hoping something makes you squiver today!

Friendly Toast, Friendly Tute

To all of you who wished for me to have a better day today, thank you. The good vibes seem to have done the trick. Annabelle dressed herself and cleaned her teeth this morning without foot dragging, mirror trances, or moaning. Nice. We drove to Portsmouth and had lunch at The Friendly Toast--yummy and full to busting of mid-century yard-sale goodness (think sad-eyed puppy paintings and Camel cigarette dispensers). Then we dropped off six ready-for-gallery-eyes canvases at Three Graces, and all the while, the girl was pleasant as pie. This particular child always behaves better when out-and-about. Why do I always forget this?

P.S. The "Be My Bluebird" tutorial will be up on Sew, Mama, Sew on February 4th. I can't wait to hear what you think!