Babies, Quilts, Paint and More

I’m still here.  Sort of.  But I still don’t think I have much to say anymore.

One thing I’ve done is remove my computer to my craft room, and because of that it’s been real easy not to even check my emails.  I’m finding I like not checking emails.  I’ve also turned off my cell phone.  I’m finding I like not hearing it ding or demand my attention in any way.  The funny thing has not been my cutting back, because truthfully I’ve come not-so-willingly into the computer age; I find I can take or leave it.  And I’d rather leave it.

Rather, it’s been interesting how much others demand to have my attention when they want my attention.  Sometimes even my kids will call me within the 20 minutes it takes to run to town for snail mail just to ask something so minor I think, “How are they going to figure life out if they have to call me just to ask if it’s ok if Ruby’s socks don’t match for the day?”  The question that begs is, do I want to be immediately accessible to everyone?  I guess my answer is no. Guess I’m a hermit in training.

Despite our differences in theology (for starters), one thing I admired about Tasha Tudor is that she chose to live her life as she wished.  She picked her own lifestyle  and didn’t seemed to be swayed whatsoever by the world around her.  I want that kind of strength.

I’ve been enjoying spending play time with Ruby, just entering her own little world on her own little terms.  I’m glad one of my kids ran for the camera to snap this shot of us having “tea”.  Ruby is still non-verbal, but she speaks in other ways.  We still communicate.

My friends hosted a baby shower for myself and another mama, which was just lovely.  It’s so nice that with even being baby number seven, my daughter is welcomed and loved with open arms and hearts.

I’m working on binding a very large quilt for our queen sized bed.  It’s a yummy collection of colors with a strawberry pattern quilted over the top.  I had enough scraps to throw this little table runner together, so you can get a teeny flavor of it.  I’ll share the quilt with you when I’m finished.  It will be on a brand new bed I’m putting together with finds from the Goodwill and a large yard sale (aren’t you curious yet?).

This was one of my most favorite recent days.  I made a lemon rhubarb bundt cake and shared it with my book club friends over a tablecloth with china and real silver forks.  Oh and real plastic cups (haha) for the lemonade.  I also brought my art journal in which I am trying this and that (pencil, watercolors, pen, collage….) to see what mediums I like best working with.  Anyhow, it made me very happy to love on my friends that day by the beach while our children played.

I bought some Annie Sloan chalk paint and nothing in my house has been safe from my paintbrush!  I’m painting bed rails, tables, chairs, shelves, a desk, even a large birdcage.  I love this paint!  It adheres to everything (no priming or prepping) and the best part is that it is easily distressed.  I am terrible at painting, but this was easy even for me to manage (and that is saying a LOT).  Whenever I came upon a gloppy bit of paint (unintended of course), I just took my little scrap of sandpaper and LaLa Dis-Tressed away!  I love that the vintage-distressed who-in-the-world-painted-that look is IN!  Instead of brushing on a wax finish (that would entail me using, well…a brush), I just sprayed a thin polyurethane coat on top to seal.  So far, so good.  And yes, I’ll share those projects too.

Oh, and it’s our 20th anniversary! On the left is a photo of us about a year before we were married, and on the right is how we are now.  I don’t even recognize the kids on the left!  I sure do miss that hair, though!

That’s all the update for now.  I’m very much enjoying my time at home with my babies, and am thankful for all of the cutting out and back regarding my technological toys.  I’m going back to school (online) again soon, too, because I love to keep on learning.  I’ll be working on a Clinical Master Herbalist degree.  The blessing is that I got reimbursed for some tuition from my Holistic Nutrition degrees (two of those), and the rest of the tuition I need will be paid for by scholarship.  I’m pretty amazed I get to do that and I’m happy about it too.  There’s no shortage of things I want to learn and do.

Blessings to you and yours!