blah, blah, nasty, blah.

today i've had the blahs. the weather was beautiful, thehobbit well-behaved, the cupboards stocked with food & treats - yet i felt blahish all the while. don't ask me to explain, because i can think of no reason for the mood. blah, i say.

i did manage to get a few things done through my blahish haze. i made some magnets for theshop, helped thehobbit build a catapult, & tended the farm. sadly, that was pretty much it.

the hardest part of the day for me was not ripping a hobbity head off. he did nothing wrong; he was sweet as can be; it's just that the blahs are usually accompanied by the inability to tolerate the good mood of others.

right now he & his daddy-o are in the kitchen making pizzas. they are also being extremely silly, & laughing quite a bit. sadly i'm unable to enjoy listening, because i'm using all my concentration to keep from running in there, & shrieking at them to stop!! having!! fun!! & maybe smacking them about the head & shoulders with whatever is close at hand.

the blahs are nasty, & so am i.

ugh. if you weren't already thinking dreadful things about me, you surely will now. thehobbit just brought me the pizza he made for me -- it's heart-shaped: just for you mama, because i love you.

sigh.

ok i'm off to eat my love-pizza, made with love by my most beloved boy. i hope i don't burst into flames.

~peace.

** blogger is removing spaces between paragraphs again. sorry for the scrunched-togetherness.**

in which the day was lovely

today was lovely. the weather was warm, with a slight crisp breeze - perfect for a light sweater, or not.

we spent the first half of the day out & about. we hit the library, the farmers' market (eating more than our share of tasters), then celebrated our full bellies by popping into a thrift shop.

today's treasures: a cookbook, an extra-long camisole, & a black zip-hoodie for thehobbit. do you know how difficult it is to find hoodies without pictures or writing on them? & in black!? it was a christmas miracle i tell you. i love his fashion sense, but at times it makes finding clothes difficult.
** in case you were wondering: he thinks the black hoodie will look fabulous beneath his black suit jacket. **

the second half of our day was dedicated to hobbity scootering. with the lovely weather, i wasn't content to read on the porch whilst he puttered along. i walked alongside him so far behind that he had to stop regularly so i could catch up, looking at all the flowers in bloom.

now he's happily drawing, & i'm goofing here until i have to make dinner. i found this recipe that i'm going to drastically alter. if it turns out well, i'll post my version. it's been a long time since i last posted a vegetarian recipe.

***

totally unrelated to my day, i had to share this beautiful paper doll. she is the creation of one of my favorite bloggers, & illustrators belle & boo. would you look at her little shirt?!!!

photo :: property of belle & boo

if you aren't familiar with her blog, or her work, you should pop over & poke around. her illustrations are utterly charming.

that's all the time i have today. a certain person is starved unto the very brink, so i should get dinner on. thanks for the chat.

~peace.

kats hibernate too

i'm sorry i've been so quiet of late. manlyman left for his annual week at the bob hope classic, & i responded by hibernating. thehobbit & i filled pages in our sketchbooks, read books, worked on homeschool projects, watched the rain fall, & drank gallons of hot cocoa. i also spent a day & a half on the couch with a mildish bout of food poisoning, but i'm trying to forget that bit.




i wish i could say i managed to get a lot done around the house whilst home; cleaning, laundry, finishing either room i'd torn apart; but it didn't happen. we weren't forced to run about nakie, nor eat off of dirty dishes, but i do have quite a bit of catching-up to do on top of the catching-up that already needed getting done.

now that manlyman is home, & back at work, i'm attempting to get back into the normal swing of things: play dates, field trips, chores, & crafting. oh! & blogging of course.

tonight i get to see my girlies for the weekly craft night! did you see that exclamation point? yes, i am that excited to see them. i didn't get to attend last week, which in craft-night-years equals at least an eon.

& now, my one & only reader, i'm off to get ready for the day. i hope you get to do things that bring you joy today.

~peace.

she made me do it

i'm playing along with my sweet felt. if you play on your blog, let me know so i can peek.

1. Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 18, find line 4. Write down what it says: the laws of nature, so did his rulings, (su dongpo)
2. Stretch your left arm out as far as you can...what do you touch first? a velvet pillow
3. What is the last thing you watched on TV? the news
4. Without looking, what time is it? 9am.
5. Now look at the clock, what is the actual time? ha! 9am!
6. With the exception of the computer, what can you hear? thehobbit trying to suck the insides of his grapes out.
7. When did you last step outside? What were you doing? last night. waving to manlyman as he left on his trip.
8. What are you wearing right now? jams & a red, faded hoodie.
9. What did you dream about last night? i don't recall (she said with a grin)
10. When did you last laugh? earlier this morning
11. What's on the walls of the room you're in? a map of the world, hat pegs, a rustic sconce, & a length of twine with hobbity artwork hanging along it.
12. What's the most memorable experience you've ever had? holding my babe for the first time.
13. What's the last film you saw? the curious case of benjamin buttons
14. If you became a multi-millionaire overnight, what would you buy first? lunch for all my friends.
15. If you could change one thing about the world, what would you change? hate
16. Do you like to dance? very much & i cannot be stopped. thehobbit will tell you this is so.
17. Imagine your first child is a girl. What would you name her? he was going to be olivia rose.
18. Boy? thehobbit :-)
19. Would you ever consider living abroad? i can be packed by friday.
20. What time did you get up this morning? 7am
21. Diamonds or pearls? hmm. i like them both in antique rings, beyond that - neither.
22. What's your favorite TV show? currently: how i met your mother.
23. What did you have for breakfast this morning? oat cereal, & mango tango juice.
24. What's your favorite cuisine? japanese & indian.
25. What foods do you dislike? i like most food, i'm just freakypicky about how they're cooked.
26. What is your favorite chip flavor? barbeque mmmmmmmm.
27. What's your favorite song at the moment? whatever is not stuck in my head.
28. What kind of car do you drive right now? a saturn vue.
29. What was your first car? 4-door volkswagon rabbit that i adored even though it didn't always start when i wanted it too.
30. Favorite sandwich? a crusty baguette, with mayo, cucumbers, spinach, dijon, & marinated artichoke hearts.
31. What characteristics do you despise? small-mindedness, meanness, intolerance.
32. What is your favorite article of clothing? that is like asking me to choose between children!
33. What color is your bathroom? white with a periwinkle claw-foot tub.
34. What is your favorite brand of clothing? i prefer a look to a brand.
35. Where would you/did you retire to? the south of france please.
36. Favorite time of the day? sunrise.
37. What was your most memorable birthday? i've enjoyed all of my 28th birthdays.
38. Where were you born? california, usa.
39. What fabric detergent do you use? biokleen cold water formula.
40. Were you named after anyone? yes - great aunt, & a grandmother.
41. Do you wish on stars? every first star, & every shooting star i see.
42. When did you last cry? yesterday :-)
43. Do you like your handwriting? sadly no. i have dreadful penmanship.
44. If you were another person, would YOU be friends with you? of course! i think we'd have a lot in common.
45. Are you a daredevil? hahahahahaha - no.
46. Do looks matter? i like when people are clean & take care of themselves, but i don't need to be surrounded by stunningly gorgeous people.
47. How do you release anger? thinking nasty thoughts :-)
48. What were your favorite toys as a child? anything for make-believe.
49. What class in high school was totally useless? photography. i haven't used a camera like that since!
50 Favorite movies? lotr, harry potter, romeo & juliet, excalibur, a knight's tale.
51. What are your nicknames? i don't have any. i'm nicknameless! poor me.
52. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off? my only shoes with laces are boots, so yes, i have to.
53. Do you think that you are strong? stronger than most realize.
54. What's your favorite ice cream flavor? coffee
55. What are your favorite colors? taupe, barn red, sage, creamy white, black.
56. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? i hold grudges.
57. Who do you miss the most? deceased: gramma - alive: spryte.
58. If you were a crayon what color would you be? black.
59. Last person you talked to on the phone? manlyman.
60. What is the first thing you notice about the opposite sex? the eyes. definitely the eyes.
61. Favorite drink? a strong iced tea.
62. Do you wear contacts? nope.
63. Favorite day of the year? thehobbit's birthday.
64. Do you prefer your endings happy or sad? i need happy endings.
65. Winter or summer? both are too extreme for me. i like spring.
66. What is your favorite dessert? angelfood cake with strawberries & whipped cream.
67. What book(s) are you reading? nothing for me.
68. What's the furthest you've been from home? hawaii.

that was it. a strange number to end upon, but who doesn't love strange? your turn!!
~peace.

what a day!

thehobbit & i woke at 6am, & spent the majority of the day camped in front of the television. he was so adorable; in his jams & hat; taking it all in with such seriousness, & asking loads of questions.

we took a break when they began their luncheon, to go to whole foods for popsicles groceries, then rushed home to resume our positions on the couch.

by bedtime i was inaugurationed-out, but thehobbit wasn't in the least. he nearly cried when i said he couldn't stay up to watch the ball.

i hope you had a day filled with joyous hope.

~peace.

show & tell

i thought i'd show you a few things i'm working on. this square of linen will be stitched onto something for theshop:

this dinky creature is for one of my swaps:

***

& would you look at this?! i did not create this amazing piece, but i love it so much that i just had to share!

it is done in paper, inside a matchbox! a swap partner sent it to me, & it arrived yesterday. i thought i took a better photo of it, but the shadows look more dark here. the patience it must have taken to create all those teeny furnishings out of paper. i haven't that much patience i can assure you.

that's all from me today. i slept poorly last night, so am beyond sleepy today. i've not the energy for anything more strenuous than sitting in a sunny window. i hope the remainder of your weekend is lovely.

~peace.

oops

i chose the wrong room to begin tbooan. don't get me wrong; it feels great to have the playroom on its way to becoming a more usable space. the problem is - by not starting with the studio, i'm still no closer to being able to get to my bins of fabric than i was when this whole mess began.

each day i think ooh! i have a fabulous idea!, or hmm i really should get some sewing done, so off to the studio i go. once there i'm thwarted by stacks & piles of things that belong elsewhere - & quite possibly a family of trolls.

being unable to sew is driving me batty. i have a few wips that needed to be finished weeks ago, & project that must be completed before the end of january. other than that, i just really want to sew - mostly because i am unable to. thwart me will you?!

our plans for today were cancelled, so i may try to dig out the bins. i haven't the time to get the whole studio seen to, but that bit i can manage. happily my studio opens to the backyard. with such gorgeous weather, we shall be able to leave the door open during the dig-out.

just thinking about a wide-open door, warm air, & sunshine makes me feel quite lucky. as i type this i'm chatting with my most beloved spryte, who is dealing with 15 below zero. is there even a single word to describe how cold that is?

ooh! i want to know what your weather is right now. leave a comment with your town's temperature (include f or c), if it's day or night, & where in the world you are.

~peace.

shiny, happy people

do you remember that song? is it now stuck in your head too? you're welcome. of course since becoming a mama, this is the version playing in mine.

we are definitely happy people today. for starters, the playroom is coming together. thehobbit has gone through most of his things, & we have the new shelving unit filled. did i tell you about that?

the other day we were playing outside, & went to say hello to fryingpan. it just so happened that he was getting rid of his giant shelf thing. it's not my style, but it is perfect for what we need, it was free, & i won't have to look at it, unless i'm hanging out in the playroom.

here it is filled to the brim with hobbity toys:


try as hard as i might, i could not get the whole thing in one photo. it's 6ft long, & nearly as tall as i (be quiet my freakishly tall friends - you know who you are, & yes i can hear you mocking my petiteness through the internet.)

to give you an idea how big this unit is: that basket of blocks on the bottom shelf is a laundry basket!

the rest of the playroom still needs to be decided upon, but gathering all the toys in one place was half the battle. a definitely happy me.

***

thehobbit is happy because he scored the bestest hat in all the world! today. we popped into a thrift shop on our way home from running errands, to see what treasures we could find. oh boy did we find one.

those of you who've been reading for awhile know that thehobbit loooooves fancy clothes. i wish you could have seen the absolute joy on his face when he not only found the hat (original tags still on it), but was told he could have it for his very own.

once home, he asked me to take bunches of photos of me in my hat, all sides of it, & some without me too. above we have hobbit in hat from behind - in case you wanted to search for the print in a gallery ;-)

so yup - shiny, happy people.
~peace.

a bit of earth

the weather here has been stunning - so warm, so clear. after too many weeks of bone-chilling cold, the warmth has made me so very happy. we've spent a good deal of time sitting in the sun, baking away the dregs of the pestilence, & watching the crows fly.

we've also begun getting the farm ready for spring. yesterday thehobbit & i spent the first half of the day tending the beds, & making notes of what we'll want to grow where. i couldn't stand the bareness, so we drove to the nursery to see what was to be had.

not much unfortunately; but we did get an artichoke, 9 strawberries, and a small flat of lettuce. i'm already dreaming of freshly picked strawberries, dipped in whipped cream mmmmmmm.

***

poking around the internet for inspiration, i came across this photo:

ooooh i want this garden for my very own. i want it bad. i came across the photo quite by accident, & haven't been able to trace it back to post the owner's info for you. for now i'm content to pretend this bit of earth is all mine.

what about you? do you have an urban farm? a flower garden? a bunch of things in containers? what's growing?

~peace.

life is funny that way

why is it that whenever i announce to the universe (or blogosphere) that i am going to do xyz, i suddenly find my plans thwarted?

the playroom is no closer to getting sorted through than it was when i posted my tbooan post the other day. instead i am miserable with the first pestilence of the year. very funny life, ha ha ha.


i thought we could easily slide back into our post-holiday just being, but thehobbit is no longer content. he is ready for the next adventure.

rats & fleas.

***

these are more jars filled with treasures. the top photo's jar is filled with things found in the ocean: pottery, shells, rocks. the next shows a jar of sea glass, & another with stones from our holidays. that tradition began years ago, when we hadn't enough money to buy souvenirs. we'd just find a smooth stone, & write the place & year on it. our collection of holiday stones long ago outgrew the apothecary jar, but that won't stop us from bringing them home.

so that's where i am right now: miserable with a cold, stuck staring at things in jars, & thinking that life has a naughty sense of humor. please tell me you're having more fun.
~peace.

tbooan

i've begun the long process of getting the house in order. not content to merely deep clean, i'm trying to figure out how our home can be changed to better suit our lifestyle.

when thehobbit was younger, a playroom was a wonderful thing. he could spend hours in there playing with toys, or engaging in complex games of make-believe. unfortunately he's spent little time in his playroom the last 6 months, so the room morphed into a dumping ground.

we discussed moving his bed in there; many of his friends now sleep on their own; but he's still happy sleeping in our room. what we need is an in-between room - not quite a playroom, but not yet a bedroom.


i also need to transform the studio. it's so far removed from the main part of our home, that i don't like working back there. a few months ago thehobbit gave up his nook (the little sun room off the kitchen), so i could move my sewing machine there. that has worked out wonderfully well. it's not a large enough area for anything but the basics, but not so far from the studio where the rest is stored.

having moved the sewing machine, & always having crafted at the dining table, i rarely have a reason to go into the studio. my studio is now a dumping ground - like mama like son. what i need back there is a wall of shelves. i like those ugly, metal garage units, because they are sturdy, & deep. they can hold stacks of fabric, & bins of art supplies. once we get those, i'm sure i can figure out what to do with the rest of that room.



i'm not comfortable living in a home that has unused areas - i find myself stressed by them. not to mention how easy it is to let an unused room get stacked with crud, & dusty beyond belief.

so what shall be henceforth known as the belfry overhaul of aught-nine (tbooan) starts this week. thehobbit & i are going to fill bags of unwanted toys for donation, & pack away beloved, but no longer played with toys for visiting. he likes to occasionally visit things he loves too much to give away in their garage bins. if you have a softie kid too, i recommend this practice.

once we are left with just the basics, we'll figure out what to do with his room. i think deep shelving is the answer in there as well, but i'd love something enclosed instead. with his dust mite allergy, it makes more sense. perhaps a desk as well. he fell in love with an ancient roll-top at a thrift shop last month, but it was much too rickety.

if you have any fabulous ideas for me, please share!!!
~peace.
** the jars shown house some of my favorite treasures: pottery bits smoothed by years in the ocean, tiny shells from various vacations, & old wooden alphabet beads. **

my rose-colored world

the past few days have been spent at home, just being. few chores have been done, even fewer homeschool projects, & absolutely no crafting of any kind. it's been lovely.

at first thehobbit flopped about the belfry, complaining of boredom. after i lovingly pointed out the room filled with stuff i could get rid of to make way for my very own dressing room reminded him of all the wonderful things he could do, he set about creating his own entertainment.

he's been wearing a groove into the sidewalk with his new scooter, drawing pictures of slightly steampunked submarines, jamming with elvis on his guitar, watching documentaries & science programs, & reading stories to mo (pet betta).

i have been quietly watching him, marvelling in who he is. i wish i could bottle his passion, his curiosity, & his hunger for knowledge & adventure. he fascinates me, this little man of mine.

right now he's at the stove, cooking his lunch. if you could see the concentration on his face, the serious eyes, the pride in his stance - it's beautiful, but as his mama i get to admit it's a little funny as well. after all, this is the same person who thinks that top hats are appropriate (& at times necessary) when going poops.

other than enjoying my child, i've done little more than warming my chilled bones in the brief spurts of sunshine. how have you been spending your time?

~peace.

** the photos are of flowers waiting to be added to the rose parade floats. **