Today She is Five.

To Maisy on your Fifth birthday

Five years ago today, you came into my life.

With your big, big blue eyes and big, big heart.

You've taught me the value of silence and to see all the beauty around me.

You've taught me the true importance of joy and laughter and simply having a good time.

You've taught me not to be so afraid because really, it's all just shadows.

You've taught me so much and I know you'll teach me some more.
And I sure don't know what I did right in my life to become your mama
but I am thankful every day that I am.
Happy birthday, my girl.

Photos Courtesy of Matt Needham Photography

You know, I don't hate it.

One dress down, one back pack and assorted softies to go.

I know the posts have been short lately but that's just due to low brain function and the party to get ready for. Promise I'll be wordier soon. :)

Look what I found outside.....

Some weebunnies and a little bag. Just right for one of Maisy's little friends.

Who said anything about at baby blanket???

So the other day I was tagged for a 7 random things meme by the lovely Cindy over at The Chickencoop. (Can you guess that she shares my love of chickens??)
Here goes:

Random thing #1:
Instead of working on Maisy's birthday stuff, I had to whip up a baby blanket for her pre-school teacher. I had completely forgotten that they were having a baby party and that we hadn't gotten a gift. So voila` a baby blanket fit for a little boy or girl.

Random thing #2:
I still drive the same car I got my senior year of high school. Yep, still cruisin' in the 95 Honda. It's 12 years old, bumperless, losing paint and the muffler fell off when I was pregnant with Arlo but it's paid for and sometimes that's all that matters.

Random thing #3:
My all time favorite bar, The Replay Lounge, just got voted Best Bar in Kansas by Esquire (warning: Their description is SUPER LAME but I'm still glad we got picked) . I have so many fond memories of that place. It's where I hung out with my good friends Amy, Nick, Kenyan and Darrell for years. I worked there as a waitress for a while (back when you could stay up until 2:30 am and still get to work at 9am.) and Matt and I met there. Even now, on Sunday afternoons when there's an early show, we take the kids to the ol' Replay to listen to live music. You've got to love the local bar that lets kids in free in the afternoon. So if you're ever in Lawrence, give me a call and I'll take you out for a beer in the best bar in Kansas!

Random thing #4:
My middle name is Dawn, named for my father, Don.

Random thing #5:
I am not a skinny woman. But I would still like to be able to buy somewhat fashionable clothes made with natural fibers. Who ever came up with all of these dang stretchy fabrics should get a swift kick in the pants!

Random thing #6:
You know, I don't think I'm that interesting because I'm starting to run out of random things..... so my favorite movie is Amelie`. It's french and absolutely darling.

Random thing #7:
hmmm.... oh, I've got a good one. I hate nuts in my food. I like them just fine on their own but put them in a salad, cookie or main dish and I'm completely grossed out. I know, strange.


Okay, I've obviously just taken the random thing and run with it. So if you're reading this, consider yourself tagged. I'd love to hear what random things you guys have to say. :)

Livin' la vida loca.

Have you figured out yet that I like to live on the edge?
I laugh at planning ahead or starting early! Pshaw, I say to getting things done well before hand. What fun is it if you're not sweating the deadline?
Well, Maisy's birthday is in less than two weeks and have I been a good mama, working on all her presents and gift bags diligently? Nope and I think I'm going to be ill.

But I did make a practice drawstring bag. I thought that these would make great treat bags for all the kids. Happythings has a ton of wonderful tutorials for all different types of drawstring bags. This one is lined and when open looks cute. But when closed.....

That's a whole other issue. Technically there should be more of a lip (?) at the top of the bag. I'm not quite sure what I did wrong but it might have something to do with using a yardstick to measure less than 6 inches. There's nothing like using the wrong tool for the job.

On a happier note, Look what I got in the mail today! This book is AWESOME. It shows you how to make your own patterns for skirts using your own body measurements. Woo hoo! I'm so excited to try out all of the different options, you know, AFTER Maisy's birthday.

Happy Mother's Day!

There are few things I'd like to do today.

First, brag about my awesome Mother's Day Loot.
Maisy painted me a wonderful tile and made a great picture frame at pre-school. She even managed to keep it a secret all week, I'm so proud :) Matt and Arlo got me a pair of chicken salt and pepper shakers from the local antique mall. They are the perfect addition to my collection. (you have seen the collection, haven't you?)

Second, Here is the finished bag for my mother-in-law. At first I was worried that the fabric would be too busy, so I thought I would pair it with some nice linen fabric and make something subtle. Well, since there was no decent linen to be found (at a reasonable price or in town) I said to heck with it and made the whole bag with the birds. And I loved it!!!! I loved it so much that I contemplated being a selfish, selfish girl and not giving it to my mother-in-law. Lucky for Kathy, I didn't let my evil side win over and she loved it too.

Third is my favorite "mother" poem. It's written by the fantastic Billy Collins. If you haven't read any of his work, go out and read it right now! I'll wait........

This poem, I think, speaks to not only the mother in everyone but the child too.

The lanyard

The other day as I was ricocheting slowly
off the blue walls of this room
bouncing from typewriter to piano
from bookshelf to an envelope lying on the floor,
I found myself in the "L" section of the dictionary
where my eyes fell upon the word, Lanyard.
No cookie nibbled by a French novelist
could send one more suddenly into the past.
A past where I sat at a workbench
at a camp by a deep Adirondack lake
learning how to braid thin plastic strips into a lanyard.
A gift for my mother.
I had never seen anyone use a lanyard.
Or wear one, if that’s what you did with them.
But that did not keep me from crossing strand over strand
again and again until I had made a boxy, red and white lanyard for my mother.
She gave me life and milk from her breasts,
and I gave her a lanyard
She nursed me in many a sick room,
lifted teaspoons of medicine to my lips,
set cold facecloths on my forehead
then led me out into the airy light
and taught me to walk and swim and I in turn presented her with a lanyard.
"Here are thousands of meals" she said,
"and here is clothing and a good education."
"And here is your lanyard," I replied,
"which I made with a little help from a counselor."
"Here is a breathing body and a beating heart,
strong legs, bones and teeth and two clear eyes to read the world." she whispered.
"And here," I said, "is the lanyard I made at camp."
"And here," I wish to say to her now,
"is a smaller gift. Not the archaic truth,
that you can never repay your mother,
but the rueful admission that when she took the two-toned lanyard from my hands,
I was as sure as a boy could be
that this useless worthless thing I wove out of boredom
would be enough to make us even."

(billy collins)

The season has officially started.

This is my house.

And it may sound stupid but today was the first day that I swept our front porch.That always marks the begining of Spring and Summer for me. Sweeping the porch is one of my favorite things to do, that chore that never really bothers me. I enjoy the simplicity of it, the fact that my porch is now clean and inviting whereas before it looked like hobos lived there.

I also love our garden out front. I adore how green it gets and how it's obnoxiously overgrown.

And the fountain that eventually becomes a fishing pond for the raccoons.

I'm just so glad that spring is finally here.

It may not seem like much.....

But I got lots of my fabric for various projects washed, ironed and folded.

And I even managed to cut out the pieces for my Mother-in-laws bag. Now all I have to do is iron on the interfacing and sew it all together and then make a tissue holder and zippered pouch and..... whew, got a little head rush there just thinking about all I need to do before Sunday.

Now don't even talk to me about what I've got to get done before Maisy's birthday.

psst, Lori, great minds think alike, eh?

I know, I know, It looks like a trashcan.

But I can cross one thing off my list--- The Towel/ Magazine Holder for my Mom.

I sure had a rough time with the heavy duty interfacing, it didn't like me and I sure didn't like it. It is a pain in the a-s-s to turn and it tore up my thread like you wouldn't believe (at least until I finally slowed down. oops.) All in all, I think this turned out okay. If I have more time I might try to make some matching towels or something.....

Sew much to do and so little time.

So I go out of town for 4 measly days and come home to a trashed craft room. It's amazing what will happen when you're not around to defend your space. (hahahaha- admittedly some of it is mine but not all of it)

This sorry state of my craft room prompted me into thinking about all the projects I need to complete in the month of May. Um, Mother's Day is less than 2 weeks away! Just thought I'd put that out there in case anyone forgot. (like me!)

First projects are: The Big Tote Bag

- one for my Mother-in-law to take Birding

-two for Maisy's pre-school teachers. They're both leaving us this summer and have children so I thought that these would come in handy.

- one for my Mom without handles to use as a magazine holder/ basket. (I hope it works out because I just came up with the idea this morning and thought it would be cool)

Second Project: 3 Wee Bunnies from Wee wonderfuls

Hopefully this will make a nice birthday present for one of Maisy's little friends. Who doesn't love little bunnies, right?

Third: Something For ME!!!
I'm planning on making the Amy Butler Chelsea Bag. I'm making two because I want to practice first with the less expensive fabric (the black) before I use the good stuff that Capello talked me into buying.

Fourth: A simple baby blanket.

You've all seen this one before except I'm not going to make it so freakin' big this time.

Okay, now that I've bored everyone with my to do list, cross your fingers and hope I can get off my hiney and get all these things done! Especially since I still have to make stuff for my girl's birthday, I can't believe she's going to be 5 at the end of this month. I just have to remember to breathe!