Family

  • Let There Be Green

    ByHeather Bailey


    RetroVase

    Bless you, Goodwill, not only
    for the regular entertainment, but also for the occasional thrill. 

    -o-o-o-o-o-

    We're
    landscaping our backyard this week — finally!  I won't confess how
    long we've lived here with no yard (hm-hmm – years).  We installed a
    patio and raised garden beds last year, but then the summer overtook us.
    Outside is the last place you want to be in the Arizona summertime. 
    Now we have the sprinklers set and the garden beds filled with dirt. 
    Two pallets of sod arrived this morning and we're in the final sprint.

    Gardeners
    here enjoy two growing seasons each year.  (Yeah, I know, isn't that
    awesome. For the most part, the weather here is gorgeous.)  Though it's
    late for planting a summer garden, I'm not giving up.  I'm going to see
    about adopting some larger plants from the nursery.  Even if all I can
    do is tomatoes.  Then tomatoes it will be.

    In fact, I'm going to
    call the nursery right now. 

    -o-o-o-o-o-

    Here's the
    scoop.  I guess it's the tomatoes that are the bigger concern.  I'm told
    the blooms need to "set" before the weather reaches 100 degrees.  If I
    can pull that off, then I'm home free.  So, it'll be Early Girl tomatoes
    or Celebrity.  Then, I'm still in the clear for peppers, eggplant,
    squash, zucchini, etc.  And herbs.  Basil goes nuts here.  Last time I
    had a garden, basil was my favorite luxury.  Homemade pizza with basil,
    yum. 

  • Three Parties and a Pop-In

    ByHeather Bailey

    So, I'm logging into Typepad to post a hello just now, before heading out
    to my brother's surprise birthday party (with my sister's birthday party last night & Easter
    tomorrow, this weekend is just plain crazy), and look what greets me:

    100403_Typepad

    Gulp — goodness.

    So, hello!

    Last night my sisters-in-law, mom, & I
    whipped up a surprise party for Julia. Julia is just stubborn enough to
    not happily go-with-the-flow, especially on her birthday.  She fought
    the fake plan each step of the way, but never caught on.  Miracle! 
    There was even a mild tug-of-war over the newspaper movie-listings. Her
    body language growled, "It's my birthday and I want to see
    something else."

    We had dinner at a great Italian restaurant (she
    didn't know her friends would be there), then after presents and fake
    goodbyes, we all met back up at my studio for an All-Night Craft-Bash
    (big "Surprise!" there). We feasted like a swarm of piranhas on a buffet
    of fabric, beads, yarn, felt, and more.  It was awesome.  And here,
    Julia thought no one gave a hoot that she was facing the big 4-0.  We've
    got your back, Juju.

    Now for the next surprise party, Rock Band
    for Rybee. Ryan's turning 33. I've got 30 minutes to get there. Should I
    shred up a tee shirt, get out the black eyeliner, and rat my hair out
    like crazy?  I think so.

  • Pedal by Pedal

    ByHeather Bailey

    BikeLesson1

    My
    group of girls is coming over again this afternoon.  We're going to
    work on developing their sewing kits further.  I haven't decided
    whether to make sewing baskets or or to make slip-sleeves and necklaces
    for the rainbow-handled embroidery scissors I'm giving them. Hm.

    At our last activity, we learned all about bike care.  Girl power!

    We
    learned how to make sure our tires have the proper air pressure, how to
    fix a flat, replace a tube, adjust the chain, and so on.  Isaac was our
    guest expert.  He was big into cycling when I met him and has built
    bikes from the ground up.

    BikeLesson3

    If you're looking for something to do with/teach a gaggle of girls, try bike care lessons. The girls were totally into it.

  • Spackled

    ByHeather Bailey

    Hey all.  It's a good day.  I'm getting a ton done.  And there's a
    tower of amazing chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen, keeping me
    company.

    WallBefore300 Miss
    Charlotte's birthday is tomorrow.  But, last night,
    when I tucked her in, I told her that her birthday was today — big
    oops.  In fact, we told her all weekend that her birthday would be on
    Monday.  I didn't realize the mistake till late last night.  Shoot.  We
    did
    consider just rolling with it, but then we would have needed to include
    her preschool teacher, her brother, and her extended family in the plan
    — and that's just too much.

    I confessed this morning.  She took it well.

    Tell me I'm not the only one who has done this?!

    It's a busy time, I guess.  Charlotte's at
    a childcare place three afternoons a week for the next two weeks while
    I prep and move into my new space.  (I'm sure this has something to do with my
    improved productivity.)  I miss her little self hanging all over me and
    monkeying with my projects.  Ah well.  Two weeks, six afternoons.  I can take it.

    Check out my new wall.  It even has lights.  Oh yeah.

  • Lucky Number

    ByHeather Bailey

    My son is 13 today.  Thirteen!  What in the world?  I was such a little grown-up at thirteen.  At least, I thought I was. 

    BoxShot470WT Things
    have been extra busy this month.  Isaac has built a wall to divide the
    main floor of my new office, allowing pattern storage to be neatly
    hidden away — and allowing the main work area to be cute-ified. I
    don't know when I'll get around to that cute-ification, but it now has
    the potential, which is a start.

    I have successfully ignored the
    move in order to wrap up some pressing projects.  A serious feat.  It
    looks like I have one more week to go.  Next time I make my way up
    there, I'll snap a photo of the new wall.  It was a lot of work and is
    just about finished.  There is a lot more work to do, but it will have
    to be gradual. With Nicey Jane new on the market and several new
    patterns popping, we're extra busy behind the scenes.

    Box470

    On a
    personal note, I purchased some cool, mid-century modern chairs today. 
    They need refinishing and new upholstery, but I can do that.  If it
    weren't for birthday dinner & birthday baking, I'd be out sanding
    them this evening.  Perhaps tomorrow.

    OpenBox470My camera is back too,
    which means more blogging. I can't seem to get comfortable posting
    without including photos. Case in point, the photos in this post. They
    don't relate to what I'm saying at all, but isn't this a fun vintage
    box? I gave it to Lindsay for Christmas, along with some other fun bits
    & baubs.  It's probably a stationery box from the 60s or 70s.  All
    it needed was a good cleaning and a refreshed interior. I used one of
    Amy Butler's scrapbook papers from a while back.  Don't they say that the best
    presents are those you have a hard time giving away? 
    Something like that. I love funky kitsch like this.

  • |

    Holly Day Girls

    ByHeather Bailey

    I have a new 'job' at my church.  I've been asked to teach the
    10-12-year-old girls crafting skills, and to organize service projects
    with them.  Sure! I can do that.  Today is our first activity.  We're
    making holly pins from yo-yos & felt.

    HollyPin470
    Over
    the next few meet-ups, I'm going to help the girls put together their
    own sewing kits, teach them to crochet, develop babysitting kits, learn
    emergency skills etc.  I want to find a senior center we can visit as
    well. 

    They're the sweetest group of girls.  It should be big, big fun.

  • Couch-Plop, Flip-Flop, House-Mop, Non-Stop

    ByHeather Bailey

    CabinW This weekend, I relaxed at a cabin in Pinetop with six girlfriends and
    one agreeable little baby.  All
    we did was talk and eat sweets. My new quilt & I claimed the fat,
    fuzzy recliner. (Ugly never was so beautiful; I need a recliner now.) I
    also learned that I'm not the only one who isn't too cool for
    flip-flops-with-socks (Renee, you're awesome). It was
    wonderfully-freezing outside. 

    It's been a busy few weeks. I've been immersed in many great
    projects, and have been dealing with a few difficult things too —
    hence the blogging slow-down.

    After leaping from event to event
    this Fall, I am thrilled to stay in one place for a while. Carpools,
    family dinners, piano lessons, I'm loving them all.

    YarnFlowerCropT On the work front, I'm designing my debut stationery collection with Inviting Company, prepping for the release of my next fabric collection, and motoring-along on new sewing patterns and finished goods.

    At home, I'm getting my house put back together, including happy,
    new petunias and roses out front, and I'm enjoying time with my kids.
    (I like them.) Charlotte and I are playing with her new Knifty-Knitter Flower-Loom. We're considering crochet next. Is four too young for crochet?

    Elijah
    and I seek every opportunity for a bike ride. Even Isaac can be seen
    riding my new, pink bike around — usually when it's dark outside, for
    obvious reasons — it's that fun to ride. It's time to get that man a
    blue cruiser already.

  • |

    Re-Entry

    ByHeather Bailey

    I'm back from Market and restoring sanity at home — and
    cleanliness. My kids kissed me awake yesterday like two little pecking
    chicks. It was a contest.

    Market photos are still on the road
    with Isaac, so I'll save the reporting till he rolls in later today.
    I'm excited to be home and thrilled that my long-awaited
    bicycle-weather has arrived in AZ at last. It's gorgeous out today.
    We're packing a picnic to the park, for sure.

    DooHicky

    Also, here are a couple of discount codes for you, to shake things up and keep it interesting at The Heather Bailey Store.

    • 20% off of all Trash Ties™ with code "TwitTies" (posted on twitter first)
    • 25% off of Freshcut™ fabric with code "FreshOut" (Freshcut is no longer in production, so get it while you can.)

    Discounts available through Monday, October 19th. Both codes can be used on the same order.

    It has been a wild few weeks — since Creative Escape,
    really. I'm ready to move forward, with lots of design work up next (my
    favorite!) — after filling these kids up with love and attention,
    picnics and parks, movies and popcorn, haircuts, and a few home-cooked
    meals.

    Now to resolve my hopelessly-clogged kitchen sink. Next
    time I'm tossing the old spaghetti in the trash and not down the
    garbage disposal.

  • A Worm Named Snowflake

    ByHeather Bailey

    FabricStack
    We
    just returned from the best campout with my two brothers and their
    families.  Isaac set up a kitchen to feed an army, complete with
    stovetop, grill, wash tubs, canopy & a tank of water for clean up. 
    Fortunately for the rest of us, he also set up a hammock with its own
    canopy, so we could leisurely ooo & ahh at him while he cooked all
    of our meals — almost.  Cooking is Isaac's favorite pastime on
    campouts.  I prefer laziness (fatigue-ziness really — I'm not the best
    tent-sleeper), so it works out well all around.

    Boots300 We cooked, we ate, we sat about and we fished.  Then we repeated.  I haven't done that much sitting about for years. 

    Best Fishing Tip: 
    If you're fishing to make memories for a pack of little kids, pick up a
    tub of live worms.  The worms will keep the younger kids engaged while
    the older kids have their turn at the poles.  By the time we left
    yesterday, all remaining worms were claimed & named.  Every child
    left happy as could be, fish or no fish.

    Nothing like a bit of
    grime & a hot tent to help you appreciate a warm shower & clean
    sheets.  Works every time.  Camping is great that way.

    Giveaway News:  Thank you to everyone who participated in my Store Giveaway Promotion from the June Newsletter. Congratulations to Jennifer Dessert
    for winning the stack of
    Freshcut fabrics & strawberry pincushion above. If you'd like to
    find out first about future giveaways, tutorials, products &
    company news, sign up for the Heather Bailey Newsletter here.

  • Be-Spangled

    ByHeather Bailey

    There's been a lot of corn on the cob and swimming this weekend —
    dental floss and sunscreen.  (Somehow, in there, I completed the
    illustrations for another sewing pattern too.)

    America

    Happy Fourth to the U.S. Let's hold tight to our freedoms.  Educate
    yourself (real, balanced, self-directed education — not spoon-fed.) 
    Speak up when needed and don't just wait for election time.  That's not
    loud enough.  Fit it in.

    And God bless the troops.  I don't know how they do it — super powers? 

    Fourth of July 2009

    I'm grateful for the principles upon which this country was founded.  A favorite book of Isaac's, John Adams, was mentioned at election-time last year.  I've decided it will be my next read.  I know right where it is.

    And, check out that sparkler of a hairdo Isaac did for Charlotte.  A daddy 'do.  I don't think I've ever wrapped three different colors in one motion.  Impressive.  Yep, I wasn't even in the room.

    Next
    up, pattern testing/editing.  Today I'm taking 20 nickels to the
    nearest wishing well to wish for a skilled seamstress/writer to move in
    next door.  I hear there's a magic fountain at the mall, right below
    the escalator.