Anna Portraits 7/4/12

I was stressed and maybe a bit cranky-but I got some good pictures finally of my girls.

I need to remember that Anna looks good from above.  Almost all the pictures I like came from this 30 seconds.

And letting her do some weird poses gets me a more natural smile.  

I have no idea how she's posed, but she's happy!

Sweet pretty girl.

13 years

I think this was the best year yet.  

Quilt tablecloth

I saw this big quilt at Goodwill and couldn't resist it, even though I really didn't know what I could use it for.  It's heavy and would be a great lawn blanket, but I just made one...

But I loved it so I brought it home.  

And realized it would make a fantastic 4th of July tablecloth!  I'm so very happy.  

I love the farm. #5

You can't beat the commute.  :)

I love the farm. #4

Little girls (and big girls) get to walk across the yard and help Daddy in the shop sometimes.  

What's not to love about that?

I love the farm. #3

I don't know how to get a picture of the glistening green corn.  It's so much prettier than this.

I decided I love the summer fields because they're so tidy.

All even and smooth and uniform in color, it's beautiful and soothing to drive around in the summer. 

I love the farm. #2

These are the weeds that grow in the ditches.  Did you ever see such lovely weeds?  They make me smile any time I drive out to deliver a lunch or a dinner or a girl or a part.  

I love the farm. #1

This week I want to share a little bit of what I love about the farm.  Every year that we're here I love it more.  Even in the crazy busy summer when Daddy's gone and busy and working so hard-I just love it here.  

Wheat and sky.  

And did you know that the wheat makes a pretty loud rustling in the wind?  

All scratchy and whispery and rattly.

Father's Day Paintings

We've been doing Father's Day paintings for 6 years now.  

 Here's Anna's first masterpiece in 2006. 

I'm still not quite good at relaxing during the painting process.  We go outside, we wear old clothes, I don't worry about getting messy...but it still makes me a little crazy.  

But what wonderful things to have hanging on the wall for a year!  It's always worth it.  

Lottery!

Remember way back in the Spring when everyone was crazy for the giant lottery jackpot?

I gave in and joined the pool with my teachers at school 

(while simultaneously trying to explain to Anna why it was foolish)  

and we won!  

20 cents each.  

;)

Iron-on Family

I found these "Make your own alien" iron-on kits last fall on clearance.  On one rainy morning we had Daddy at home and had time to make some family shirts.  I can hardly wait for a family portrait!  Can you figure out who all the shirts belong to?

12th Anniversary

Our 12th wedding anniversary was last summer.  Linen is the traditional gift, so I collaborated with Anna to make something on linen for Daddy's office.  She drew the picture and finally this summer I got it stitched. I discovered that Anna is a picky collaborator, as any true artist is.  She's not pleased with the leaves on some of the corn.  :)   


This is my first embroidery project other than cross stitch, and I feel good about it.  It was fun and quick and I like the end result.  Those are pretty much my requirements for any crafting project.  I think we'll do more things like this in the future!


Now I have less than a month to figure out 13...Lace or textiles....  

Summer List

I could really feel life getting back to "normal" this season.  It was busy, and then things evened out and I started to feel in control again.  Time for a new baby, I guess!

Spring 2012 List

1.  Spencer Quilt  Done and delivered!
2.  Levi something Done-not delivered but wrapped and ready.  :)
3.  Lainey  & Mark something Lainey says I already got something for her wedding.  That may be just her being nice.  I really can't remember. 
4.  Drew & Jenna something I just bought something.  Which is fine. 
5.  Finish Threesie's blanket  Thanks to being laid up at the cabin and spending lots of time in a chair.
6.  Mulch the front bushes
7.  Fix the rose bush area by the back door.  Really I'm waiting on someone to bring me the dirt across the yard.  Too hard for this Mama to lug around buckets of dirt. 
8.  Plant some flowers on the porch.
9.  Finish Portfolio!!!!!!!
10.  Finish Sociolingüística
11.   Mail that pile of boxes!
12.  Make something to keep Anna school work-binder, digital album, something.  I just put things into page protectors in a big binder-a few things from each year.  

I'm trying to be reasonable and have low expectations-Summer is for enjoying.

Summer 2012 List

1.  Finish last class for Master's degree!!!!!
2.  Get out all the baby stuff. Abby came out and helped.  What would I possibly do without her?
3.  Figure out how to fit baby and Katie into one room. 
4.  Fix the rose bush area by the back door. Done 8/9/12-hauling of dirt and everything!
5.  Enjoy Summer activities-swimming and VBS and Arts and Crafts Camp and sno cones and fun.
6.  Start Chelsea's quilt (See how reasonable I am-my only goal is to START)
7.  Begin Library classes!
8.  Do some paper crafting.
9.  Make back to school skirt with Anna.
10.  Have a baby!
11.  Make Threesie CDs and birth announcements.
12.  Keep up with pictures and emails.

Pillowcase Blankies

On my luxurious weekend off back in May, I got to make some sweet baby blankets.

I dug into my vintage sheet box and pulled out some pretty pillowcases and just made simple blankies with pillowcase on one side and flannel on the other.  I love love love these.  Soft and cool and pretty and old, my favorite.

And it's so satisfying to use something you've been hoarding-like this Love pillowcase.

And I didn't buy anything new...

And I used a fancy stitch on my new machine.  It was so much fun.

For the sweet boy on my list I used this cute flannel I had saved.  Yay for time!

MJL's Office

One of my grand goals for last winter, which then rolled over into this winter, was to really finish MJL's new office.  Put EVERYTHING away and organize and decorate and give my hard worker a nice space to do his paperwork in.  

Did you know he's not only a fabulous farmer, but also a brilliant business man?  Now he has the desk to match.  

He's got a place to read and relax-or at least I do when I come down to visit.  That clock up on the wall is a customizable magnetic clock I found on clearance.  He took pictures of numbers around the farm and sized them for it.

The other half of the room is for the Rock Star part of life.  Drums and dulcimer and a place for all the music stuff that kids like to play with.  Those are painted drum heads on the wall, and his art that's been sitting in the basement for years while he didn't have a place to call his own.

And a new (old) guitar as icing.  I'll consider this my April craft project.

March Craft

 It was one of my resolutions this year to try to make something each month.  In March I did this mantle for Lent.

Anna made this cross with her Grammy a few years ago.  We've been propping it up for Lent the past few years, but I'm really happy with the purple cloth I pulled out this year.  It looks much more finished.

I also made a purple bow for this wreath.  I like how these are spare and a bit solemn and purple and Lent-y, but still pretty and nice.

yan yan

I found this in the dollar spot at Target and was intrigued.  From the outside, it looked like Pocky.

But once I was inside, I could see it had biscuit sticks, but with frosting to dip in.
 

Pretty tasty, but I still prefer my Pocky.

Summer

My friend Sarah had the great idea of asking her kiddos what they wanted to do this summer. Thinking of projects and goals, I sat down with Anna and asked her, and she wrote some things on the list.

Play with Spencer.
Read.
Learn to swim and PASS SWIM TEST!
See Abby.

It's good to remember what Summer is all about.  Swimming, reading, spending time with the people we love.

Miss you Mama.  

Flowers from Anna

The day before we left for the cabin Anna disappeared in my studio while we were all busying around trying to pack and get ready to go.

She came running up breathlessly with her hand behind her back and brought me these.

The best bouquet of flowers I've ever received.

A blankie for Threesie

At the cabin I spent a lot of time sitting in a comfy chair and crocheting, and so I was able to finish Threesie's blanket.  Now at least one thing is ready.

I like the three blankies together, with their varying degrees of wear.  I hope Threesie loves his/hers just as much.