Home & Family

  • Miss Amazing

    ByHeather Bailey
    Missamazinghb

    Breaking news. This just in. The true identity of Miss Amazing, Domestic Superhero has been revealed… and she’s started a new, tell-all blog (no longer in existence).

    AmcarOh my goodness, I’m so excited to introduce you to Anna Maria. Not only does she make the coolest things and have a fab kitchen, but she’s also a fellow fabric designer and mother of five. Check out her incredible painting, “new mother peeling pears,” and this happy little car. Ooo, and the pillow! What a range, huh? We’ve been pretty chatty with the emails this week and I tell you, you’re going to love this girl.

    Ampeelingpears_1 So, go say “Hi” to Anna Maria. Word is, she lost a battle with a pencil today and had to visit the emergency room. Tough work, being a Domestic Superhero.Ampillow_1

  • Clickety-Clack

    ByHeather Bailey

    Remember the birthday card and what I said about knitting myself a scarf? Well, you won’t believe what I stumbled across (press ‘play’ below) …and the deep self-analysis it’s caused me! I swear, it’s an allegory about calmly-crazed me. Perhaps I should get a haircut (figuratively, at least).

    Thefirstknit_1

    Just kidding. It’s all good. If it’s not the knitting needles, then it’s the scissors – or the sketchbook, or the sewing machine, or the computer. There’s always something else to fidget with. Clickety-clack, clickety-clack, clickety-clack… the soundtrack of my
    life.

    I thought you might relate ☺

  • Smart Cookie

    ByHeather Bailey

    On Saturday night, Elijah and I got take-out — dee-licious — and here’s what my fortune cookie said:

    Then, yesterday I received two incredible packages. What a smart cookie! First to arrive (at left) were these potholders, frog towels, and vintage fabric scraps from Elinor Bailey. I especially love the odd little Scotty dog potholder. Thanks Elinor, you send the best presents!

    Later, when I returned from picking Elijah up at school, I was met by another box of happiness. Mo (Lemongardenia) sent me some vintage hangars for my collection, some incredible “Heather” cards she designed, and wooden cutouts for my kids to paint (at right). The mustard hangar is killing me – what a fantastic color! And I’m in awe of Mo’s incredible line of custom stationery! Thanks Mo — I’m wafting good vibes your way — what a generous soul!

    To see these mail goodies close-up, click here.

  • |

    Oodles of…

    ByHeather Bailey

    I have several sewing projects in the works right now, but nothing is to a photographable state:  apron, purse, baby dress, etc. Expect a ‘flashflood’ in the next week or so. 

    Barretteflip2For now, I offer this silly vintage book for smiles, and the vintage barrette I found on my eBay hunt. We had a couple of pet poodles when I was a kid.  Summer was first, short for ‘Hideaway’s Indian Summer.” She was super smart and very sweet. Summer was given away when we moved to California because she didn’t respect the carpet in our new home. 

    Years later, when my older brother went off to college and my younger brother was lonesome for a roommate, Buddy came into our lives, along with Midnight Jazz. In the next few years, they had 3 different litters – imagine little black poofs running all over the place – such sweet childhood memories. I tookPoodlepage3 responsibility for keeping them groomed. At times, this would involve six poodle haircuts in one day. It was exhausting. But, several doggy mohawks and beards got me through the long, hot days on the back steps with the clippers. 

    Our toy poodles were hardly lap dogs, mainly hanging out atop our hill, chasing skunks, eating mice and basking in the sun. At times matted and filthy, and at times fluffy and trimmed, we called them “Poodles of the Serengeti” and enjoyed their many quirks.

    So, this book makes me laugh. In fact, most illustrations of poofy, prissy poodles bring on a smirk. My experience was so different. 

  • Hang-Ups

    ByHeather Bailey
    3babyhangers_1

    I adore vintage children’s hangers. The wooden ones, like those above, are my favorites. It’s not often that I find one at an agreeable price though, so my collection isn’t very big… yet. The plastic ones, with the cut-out shapes, are pretty fabulous as well, and they’re not quite as pricey (check out these lambs close-up — they have creepy human faces). When I’m able to make a new dress or shirt for Charlotte, it undoubtedly ascends to its throne on one of my cherished baby hangers.

    Plastichangers_1

    Occasionally I daydream of merry hanger-making — visions of Scotty-dogs and jump-roping girls on custom-cut hangers. Soon, I drift and imagine the childhood symbols of our times — how satirical to make a vintage-y hanger with a Gameboy painted on its throat or junk food? My brand of humor, I guess. But, then I find a happy medium, imagining a spooky teddy bear or a redhead with knotted braids. These are happy daydreams.

    Anyway, why hangers? 

    Ah yes, I just unearthed these striped baby tights I bought when I was pregnant with Charlotte. I purchased them at a used kids store for 50¢.  She’s finally big enough to wear them — yay — but, of course, she has nothing to wear them with. With fall fast-approaching, I realize that it is now or never. It’s time my girl had just the right sort of thing to wear with such fabulous tights as these – a fun little number to hang on a silly little hanger — inevitable happiness. So, stay tuned — I’ve already made the pattern!

    …oh, and I’ve won the Plummy — what a hoot! “Best Newcomer” it is (ah, man, now I have a reputation to uphold). But truly, thanks for the votes, I’m honored.

  • A 3-Hour Tour

    ByHeather Bailey

    Well, I’m back.  It was a beautiful wedding and a delightful visit with Isaac’s family.  In between the wedding and the reception, I snuck off with my aunt for a family history tour (what a good sport – I hadn’t spoken with her for years and years, then she got a call from my dad that I was nearby and would like to spend the afternoon with her). 

    I never knew any of my grandparents and I can barely connect names with faces when it comes to extended family, but oh how I’ve longed for those relationships!  In three-hours’ time, my aunt was able to show me the home or business of two sets of great grandparents and one set of great great grandparents.  We popped in for visits with 3 of my dad’s cousins (two of which are his ‘double cousins’ – his mom’s older sister married his dad’s older brother!).  Oh how I wanted to latch onto their legs and beg to be their granddaughter!  We only visited for a few minutes, but I was choked up at parting. 

    The most emotional part of the day was meeting my grandmother’s sister, Joyce.  Currently 96, she was only one year older than my grandmother  — they were very close.  I learned that they shared a room in the attic of their home and were the same grade in school — their grandfather had donated the land for the one-room schoolhouse they attended.  My grandparents met in school, and before they married, Joyce and my great uncle double-dated with them.

    What a wealth — my goodness, where has she been all of my life?  How come I never realized that she existed?  Here was this woman before me who held so much of my family history in her heart – so many of the stories and memories I’ve longed for from a grandparent.  I wish we’d met two decades ago and I had grabbed onto her leg back then — I’m sure she would have said, “Yes, I’ll be your grandmother!”  Now, at her age, she’s fading, as are the memories of her time.  I’m grateful to have met her and for that momentary glimpse of what my grandmother might have been like if she hadn’t passed four decades too early.

    (Click here to read more about each photo — including one very sheepish memory)

  • Mysteries, Mysteries

    ByHeather Bailey

    A little WIP for today – mystery project in different sizes with mystery dog-tag thingy in the bottom photo.

    I’m also having fun unravelling the mysteries of the internet. I don’t know anything about HTML and programming, but I’m getting such a kick out of figuring it out. Well, I haven’t figured it ALL out, but little bits and pieces. For instance — the link over on my sidebar that says, “Subscribe to this blog’s feed” — it’s boring. I checked out the source code for it and compared it with the source code for the Bloglines button at the bottom (because it has a graphic). With some fiddling and a quick image for my new “button,” I was able to make this:

    Click it — it works! (Note from future Heather: It USED to work back in 2006 when blogs were followed closely on RSS feeds. Haha.) I know that I’m way behind many of you — you know who you are — with the fancy site-design and custom buttons. But, for a  girl who still doesn’t know what-the-html she’s looking at… hey, my button rocks! And, of course, now I want to re-vamp my whole sidebar — someday.

    Dogtag2_1

  • Blog Therapy

    ByHeather Bailey
    Elijahpaintinghb_1

    I have a babysitter for today — the idea was to hunker down and meet some of my work goals before heading out of town for George’s wedding (Isaac’s brother). But, here I am all flustered and unable to focus — as I type this, my brother is in surgery for a kidney transplant — my dear, sweet brother and his dear, sweet donor. I’m both excited for him and nervous. So, admittedly, I’m indulging my distracted self in a little blog therapy — photograph something fun I’ve made and show it to my friends — a sure-fire, feel-better solution (you always say the nicest things – thank you!). And, here it is – a watercolor of Elijah’s name (if that wasn’t obvious). The “E” is a disembodied bird beak – who knows what I was thinking, but it’s cute, huh?

    Anyway, if any of you are praying-types, please say a prayer for my brother! I should have news in a couple of hours.

    UPDATE:  Well, everything went very well and all parts are working. It’ll be a number of weeks, with close supervision by specialists, before he’s given a full stamp of approval. Thank you for your prayers. 

  • Bake Break

    ByHeather Bailey

    I finally pulled out the wheat grinder I got for Christmas and gave it a whirl. Elijah needed some ‘mom and me’ time, so we baked whole wheat biscotti. They turned out OK — just a little bit too healthy-like. But, hey, they’re almost gone now, so that says something.

    Wheat

  • Fleshy Purple Fruit

    ByHeather Bailey

    Plummy_1
    Wow, it appears that I’ve been nominated for a Plummy (originally at plummies.plumofthemonth.com) – thank you Oz (or whoever’s behind the curtain). There are some dang fun links on the ballot too, like this (boygirlparty) and this (art school dropout). Oh, and they’re all craft-related — fun stuff — voting ends August 31st.