Funny Magic

Perfect.

Howdy! Just popping in to share a link to some words I read this morning which seem to express how I feel these days; perhaps you'll find a bit of yourself in them, too. Enjoy!

Crafting Through a Midlife Crisis (on Whipup)

Sewing for the Front Porch

The sewing machine has been humming away as of late; sometimes (well, lots of times) I just totally need the satisfaction that comes from being able to complete a project or idea within a mere day or two. 

I've had this vintage tablecloth lolling around for a while now, and was unsure what to do with it until one day I took a good look at my old, faded-out porch curtains and thought, 'tablecloth = curtains!"

Finish the bottoms with a little bias tape, and badda-bing, badda-boom. Done!

While I was at it, I took a vintage curtain valance that didn't really work anywhere else in my house and turned it in to a table runner of sorts.

 

It feels so great to be working through my stash of fabrics; at the machine right now are patchwork squares that I'm sewing together for a big 'ol quilt that we can snuggle under while watching tv and chillaxing this coming winter.

Oh, and guess what's right around the corner?? That's right, SOCKTOBERFEST! I'll be trying, once again, to take part in a mystery sock knit-along...last year I never finished, but this year I'm going in with high hopes!

Stitching

Hi there! So I haven't been feeling very "bloggy" as of late; seems I'm just trying to settle down to a new routine around here. Both kids are in school during the day, so when I'm not working I've got the house to myself. Well, sortof...my father-in-law lives with us, so he's here with me, as are my furry friends (2 cats and a busy basset hound). And while I must say it is nice to have this time to myself, today I'm feeling a bit lonely, which could have something to do with the gray skies out there...and that it seems I've forgotten how to really relax since entering the wild world of motherhood. Oh, and that I decided to turn on the tv and listen to the news after coming home from the busstop, and that surely put a damper on my day. (Note to self: NO MORE A.M. NEWS!) Anyhoo, moving on to news of the crafty sort, which is what I prefer anyway:

The other week I picked up a new book for myself:

And I'm so glad I did because it is awesome. Embroidery Companion by Alicia Paulson, author of the blog Posie Gets Cozy, is filled to the brim with stitching inspiration. Inside you'll find instruction and projects for embroidery, cross stitch, and crewel work; it didn't take long for me to get started on a pair of pillowcases:

In addition to stitching, I also knit-up a bear for a little girl who celebrated her first birthday this past week:

It's the Baby Bobbi Bear, a very quick and satisfying little project. (Details on my Ravelry page.) 

And now I've gotta go and make some calls about some squirrels - I think they've found a way into the house, as I can periodically hear 'em running about in the ceiling above me. Ugh!!

Turn the Page :: Tuesday

Hi there! I'm back in blogland, and just in time for a book review or two. It's been busy around here (nothing new), but I've been plowing through some books; here's a couple that I've enjoyed.

My mom recommended this one to me, and I was not disappointed. It's the story of Callie Anne and one life-changing summer during the year of 1956. Callie Anne lives in rural Indiana with her mother and father on the grounds of the Starlite Drive-In; her mother is afflicted with agoraphobia and hasn't left the house for years, while her angry and bitter father manages the drive-in. Everything changes when a drifter named Charlie Memphis shows up and is hired to help maintain the grounds of the Starlite. He is handsome, charismatic, and mysterious...and very much adored by not only Callie Anne, but also her lonely mother, Teal, which becomes a complication that adds to the drama of that summer.

Switching gears to something more humorous, I read this one:

I've been a fan of her show, "My Life on the D List," for awhile now, so it was only inevitable that I'd read her book, and I thought it was great. Her memoir held my interest, it was funny, irreverant and, at times, extremely heart-felt. She's worked her ass off to get where she is today, and it's her recounting of those stories that I loved most. Here's a little KG to brighten your day:

More TTPT here - ta-ta for now!