Home & Family

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    The New York ‘Post’

    ByHeather Bailey

    Guess where I’ve been this week!  Times Square, Rockafellar Center, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park, Greenwich Village, Soho, Washington Square, Union Square, The Empire State Building and Free Spirit – a virtual travel guide to New York City. The strike-offs for my new line of fabric with Free Spirit are in from the mill. I flew in to review the colors in depth, hang out with the ladies and enjoy a weekend traipsing around with my mother. Flagrant fun! 

    To hear more about my trip and a sneak preview of my fabric, click here.

  • Fishin’ Accomplished

    ByHeather Bailey

    Success. Fishin’ Accomplished. After several hours drive and a few near-misses with leaping elk, we set up camp on the Black River. That is, Isaac and Elijah set up camp, while I chased Charlotte around in the dark. She is fearless and couldn’t care less if she can see where she’s going. Hence, the bandaid. 

    A friendly camp-neighbor came by to offer assistance. Within minutes, Isaac and he discovered that they were born within days of each other in the same exact hospital and were there together as newborns. Weird! This has made me wonder…How often do we come across people that we’re connected to in some strange way, never discovering the connection? We’ll never know! What if the bank teller is really my best friend from kindergarten, I just don’t recognize her? Frustration and fascination all at once. Makes for a great camping memory though, doesn’t it? Especially because Gavin, the virtual twin, took us fishing the next day and Elijah caught a “Cut-throat” trout (that’s really what they’re called). Very exciting! But, I missed it –I was napping in the car. As you can see from the photo, we were up watching Teletubbies into the night, trying to contain Charlotte and lull her to sleep. Aaah, technology! It was a good nap though.

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    Boy Bands & Campfire Girls

    ByHeather Bailey

    What a hoot! You guys left the funniest comments on Turkey for a Straw. Thanks for the laughs! We’re going camping tonight. This is the third effort to go this month and we’re not letting anything stand in our way. It’s not the best timing for me though — I have a lot on my plate this week.  But, I’m not up for being the wrench this go round. So, off I go with a smile. (First time taking baby Charlotte too – yikes!)

    On a different note, Sally (Shim and Sons blog, 2006) made the most fabulous headbands this week! And they’re for her adorable little boys. Finally, a “boy band” worthy of accolades! (Has anyone ever seen Conan O’Brien’s spoof on boy bands? – I swear, it’s the most hilarious bit ever!) Anyway, you should go take a peek at her beautiful photographs and use of color. She always does such a classy job!

    Lastly, the baby shoe pattern is done. I still have to make a couple of sample pair to photograph. After that, I’ve got to learn more about bandwidth and how to avoid going way over my allotment, so my site’s ready for a flood of downloads. Once that’s all sorted out, I’ll get the pattern uploaded. Any suggestions?

    OK, time to pack, the s’mores are calling. ☺

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    Recipe for Good Times

    ByHeather Bailey

    Good Times – serves 2

    Ingredients:
    1 heaping bag of vintage micro-scraps
    1 good friend or loved one
    A pinch of beads
    A dash of ribbon
    A sprinkle of buttons
    1-2 hours of silliness

    The result?  Two funky portraits of me 🙂

    My mother in law, Elinor, envisioned me with pink hair and a purple plaid baby in my belly.  The fabulous coat shows my vavoom, don’t you think?  In my version I have pigtails, a duck knee and a tricky puff-sleeve.  Good times.

    Flatdoll1Flatdoll3Flatdoll2c_2

    Insider information for all of you Portland Oregonians, Elinor’s teaching a class on flat dolls with 5 other wacky ladies (all bigtime professional doll designers) over at Fabric Depot in August. Full day, SIX patterns and only $40.

  • Turkey for a Straw

    ByHeather Bailey

    Stackofstraws_1

    I love straws. I do. I love them enough to grab a stack, tie a bow around them and use them as the subject of my first lesson on my husband’s fancy, enormous and heavy camera. That being said, this temporary focus on straws forced me to analyze my affection:

    •  Straws are empathetic. Your drink can be mighty-crazy cold and a straw will deliver it right past your sensitive teeth.
    •  Straws are heroic. A straw will save you from a block of ice barreling toward you as you tilt your head back to drink. This is especially obnoxious when the ice has managed to form a virtual iceburg, the shape of your glass. Your beverage may then splatter from the thrust of the dislodged ice and you’ve gotta change your shirt. Not if you use a straw!
    •  Straws and lipstick get along.
    •  No orange mustaches.
    •  Straws are great for driving. With no head tilting, you can keep your eyes on the road.
    •  Good for smiles. It’s actually better for your teeth, when enjoying a sugary drink, to use a straw.
    •  You can match your straw to your mood. It’s like saying, “That’s right, I’m feeling pink today!” Children instinctively understand this.
    •  Straws are cheap fun. (I get my fix at Ikea, they sell boxes of 200 straws for $1, in funky color combos)
    •  Straws like to party. Display an array of cute, coordinated straws at a baby shower or birthday and it’s inexpensive table décor. Functional too.
    •  Straws like to dance. Stir your drink to “In the Good Ol’ Summertime,” while kickin’ it on the hammock. Straws like that.
    •  Straws reduce stress. A straw can help you keep track of your glass.  Everyone gets a different color — easy living.
    •  And, face it, slurping is fun!

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    I’m not alone. My sister, Julia, loves straws too. When she serves me a drink, it’s always, “And what color straw would you like?” She keeps a serious stash of options. (What’s that all about? It’s not like straws were a big thing at our house.) So, after much analysis and self-reflection, I’ve come to the conclusion that straws are just great. I’m convinced that there are folks all around the world like my sister and me, who anonymously keep an ample supply of straws on hand for all of the glorious reasons above. You should too – go get yourself some!  Straws are neat.

    For a good, old-fashion “Turkey in the Straw” sing-a-long, click here.

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    Flouncy Bouncer

    ByHeather Bailey

    Wow – thank you for all of the feedback! (I’m working on the baby shoe pattern and I’m hoping to have it up for you by the end of next week)

    Ok, so I was thinking of making a tomato-esque pincushion pattern for myself.  I picked out this rich mustard wool/rayon felt and the plaid/floral cotton, then started sketching out a pattern.  As I was working out the dimensions, my mind wandered… I could make a ball… I could make a ball for Charlotte… Why are there no girly balls?…(indignant)Girls like to play with balls too… This fabric over here would make a fabulous ball… What if I made Charlotte a girly ball instead?  So, I moved to a new sheet of paper and designed this:

    I stuffed each ball lightly, then added in a little beanbag filled with poly-pellets. Then I added more Polyfil until the ball was rather firm (so the beanbag ends up in the center of the ball, with padding all around it). The beanbag gives them the perfect weight for tossing and somehow, magically, they actually bounce a bit!

    Elijah wanted some too and these ones go with his room so well — It’s important for children’s toys to enhance the décor of their room, right?  Ha!  Just a bonus ☺

    Isaac even got in on the action this time and snapped this beautiful still-life. Now, back to that pincushion.

     

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    Big Plans, Small Pins

    ByHeather Bailey

    Elijah’s summer started a week ago. I still can’t believe school gets out in May — that’s nutty. At the beginning of the summer I always conjure these fantasies of a regular craft day with my son – like –  every Thursday we’ll make a Christmas present for someone, or every Tuesday we’ll make a paper project. One year we even got so far as to list out a dozen ideas. I’ve got to find that list.

    So, once again, the cogs are turning (I love when he’s home, it just feels right). What would Elijah like to learn? How do you find that interface between all the girly crafts out there and the interests of a nine-year-old boy? He wants to learn to sew and to knit and to quilt. I’ve explained to him the potential social ramifications and he’s cool with it. He likes the things I do. When I started an art journal, he started one too.  When I made pincushions, he made one too. When I tried out Hillary’s shrinky-dink pins (Wee Wonderfuls blog, 2006), he made some too! I think it’s fantastic – and great fun for me. Moreover, I want him to have every opportunity to find what he likes best.

    Now, I’ve given it some thought and here’s the plan: sign him up for a couple of sports, invite his friends over like crazy, do the macho boy stuff: computer games, sword fights, remote control cars, etc. Then, in a quiet moment, sit him on my lap and teach him about the things I love to do. Make things, make memories. He’s growing up so quickly and I’ve just got to go with it now, this summer, before he’s off to college… What? Next year?

    Here’s my adorable family of pins: Heather (me), Isaac, Elijah and Charlotte.

    Note:  Try doing shrinky-dinks with a heat gun (like what you use for embossing), instead of the oven — INSTANT gratification and no bent pins.

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    Yippee-Ki-Yay

    ByHeather Bailey

    I came across this box of pencils at my antique store.  I HAD to have it.  I carried it around with me for an hour, flipping it over and over again to admire the illustrations. I love the colors and the energy.

    I was with my mom. We headed to the antique store on a lark, having to purchase a $10 umbrella stroller on the way for Charlotte – no lack of wheels would interfere with our fun.  And fun it was.  We didn’t adopt many items, but the wandering conversation that accompanies such a hunt is a treasure on its own.  Thanks mom, let’s do it again!