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I'm one of those people

who hates being bossed around.

Not really a radical statement.

I think people who really like to be bossed around

visit professionals who wear uncomfortable shoes.

But me,

I mean, even the hint of bossy

makes me crusty

and bossy.

So...

I'm a little worried about my new banner

On a bad day I'd be all

"Don't tell me how to feel!"

Probably those are the days when I should practice

 the calm part more.

But that's me

not necessarily my neighbourhood.

I've seen this a few places and it just seemed so

goooood

I visited a friend who had three kids spinning around her

at full volume

and she said this sentiment gave her solace

Still, I'm now hollering out into our street

not the sneaky alley

but the full blown street.

Loud mouth!

Always me with the two cents!

My other kids-playing sign got stolen, so on the flip side

The best part about this piece

was my sweetie climbing the tree in the dark

headlamp on, hammering the hockey stick

and wincing at the thought of waking babies and rabid raccoons

very romantic.

He didn't even hesitate when I asked for help.

Lucky me,  I still have a big crush on him

Floppy Hat

So very very floppy!

Nu has just gotten to that phase where she flings off her hat

This one has staples on the inside

OK not really.

Not many.

But it does have the longest ties in the world.

For extra lock down.

Only...

I made it when she wasn't home so measuring didn't happen

It really needed to happen!

Maybe Pu will get the new hat

After all, she is the original flinger of hats

I'll add some interfacing

Or make it reversible to stiffen up the flop

Otherwise Frannie the Lamby gets a chapeau

Ah now that's better.
Less flop, more rock

Or in this case

More of the blues.

Snack Bags & Booty

My latest renewed obsession

Is feeding my kids in reusable containers

I know, I know,

late to the party.

I went through it with kid Uno

(I am one with stainless steel)

And now with kid two

I'm at it again

But, I can't escape the plastic wrap and sandwich bags.

So for the plastic wrap I'm trying what seems to be an awesome product

 from http://www.abeego.ca/

the only draw back is I can't see through it

Go figure, I'm kinda a visual person.

Things grow if I can't see them.

By things I mean green, hairy, smelly things with five eyes and mangy personalities

For the sandwich and snack bags I made these

Thanks http://angrychicken.typepad.com/ !

Old school, '70's style, no Velcro, no suspect coating.

Fold them small for wee snacks.

Wash em,

toss in aforementioned snacks

wash em.

Feel better about footprint.

I'm giving it a whirl.

And now to end the week

a purple end

Recycled t-shirt ruffle bootie.

From her dad's old 'back in the day' shirt.

I left the edges rough and I expect it will ruffle more in the wash

and turn into shabby ruffle butt.

As an adult, not something I aspire to

Gotta Go to Greece Dress

I mean doesn't everybody?

We had brunch with friends on the weekend and they are about to go

where Azure meets Cerulean

 blue

 blue

so blue

with a side of

white wash

what an incredible place

what an incredible colour!

Nonetheless she said aqua was her favorite colour

So...

her daughter gets this

With my obsession for making clothes that will grow with the kids

I'm a little afraid it's a ball gown

Perhaps she can wear it as a burka for the next few months

Must

measure

short

people!

Oh,

 and then a few of these guys showed up again

The little bunny was the only casualty from our summer

planes

trains

& automobiles

zombie-tron

adventure

So I say kiss my grits little bunny stealing vortex!

There has been this little thing.

This little thing that has bested me

over

and over

and still over.

Well, no more!

Me vs. snaps

I say HA!!

I bought a kit.

I failed with the kit

I bought a million doller do everything including put in snaps gun

I surrendered the weapon.

I asked at a store and made the sales person cry.

Then left scratching my head.

I tried to muscle and menace and convince snaps to snap

but neigh.

I finally after staring, staring, justifying, looking in wallet

 more staring

bought second, different incredible do everything snap tool

and

I won.

Here's a little sunsuit with snaps for easy access!

(thanks http://www.made-by-rae.com/)

I can't get enough of this easy and ever adjustable back closure

She can totally wear this in grad school

And I'll bring her smores in this matching frock

it'll be awesome

she'll talk to her therapist about it for years.

The above is a little bathing suit cover up for that quick change by the pool

Now you see them,

Oh no you don't!

Things you should never post on the internet

Boobies!!

Well, thankfully covered boobies.

And that was really the point of this 'refashion'

I got a $5 top at Joe's last summer

(harumph)

 a pregnant summer if you know what I mean

Well this year it needed some help to

um

to...

downgrade the situation

Ruffles to the rescue!!

Not entirely modest

But WAY less XXX

Comfy

and still $5!

Fast and Fugly

Today was a day.

The kind of day

 where a little creating

No matter how useless

Or fugly

Still helps

So a wee, mostly fugly crinkle toy

And

A little grab, squeak, ring toy for a nice baby I know.

I put her name on it but did it so fast

It looks like a serial killer made it.

I really ought to take a course in free motion quilting.

Itty Bitty Top x 2 and Shorts

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Apple.

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Apple.

Knock knock.

Who's there?

Orange you glad I didn't say Apple?

That's a killer over here in these 3 year old parts.

It may have influenced my fabric choices

I'm very suggestible.

Here's another itty bitty tank with that awesome material

I made one million mistakes on this and the next top because I didn't want the shirring

to get in the way of the beautiful fabric design

The sewing play by play would make you hang your head in despair

If you cared about this sort of minutia

 This top was my Nemesis

I think Pu felt the same way because I could only get one snap

In the bathroom

On the toilet

Rats.

Then I made some itty bitty shorts for those fat baby thighs

Next round will be shorter for this frickin' heat.

Pu has announced a pox on dresses because they cramp her

bike riding

So shirts and shorts it is!

We're Back & At it Top

While I was away on my fair journey

I went to my first Quilt Show.

There were quilts, lots of them.

 and
 then there was

Etsuko Furuya fabric

I have a HUGE crush

This is the front of a new Nu top

complete with wrinkles

And this is the back

Isn't this material most excellent?

Stay tuned for more of these tops

'cause

I just need to get out of the way of the fabric

And let it rock and roll.

Live action shot to follow.

Fun!

So fun,

that I had to make another

Only the model was too busy to pose

Pretty sure I'd get kicked out of feminist boot camp if I said

Put down that book and smile pretty

I'm staying in feminist boot camp

they have good boots.

I can't decide which is the front

Or which is the back

I love that I don't have to decide.

Hiatus

This blog has been a little quiet lately.

We've been on the road

travelling with the posse and visiting the peeps.

I'll be back by the end of the month

until then...

This is a photo of some of the handmade things that came on our trip

The crazy thing is,

it's only about half.

Yeah for handmade goodness!

And this...

Is the next project!

I tried to pull it off while visiting

but all the humans got in the way of me counting stitches

I had to put it away before my cousin disemboweled me with a crochet needle

I can't believe how beautiful the wild flowers are here

This Queen Anne's Lace kills me.

We also rode these guys

5 cents a ride

over and over and...

so many other excellent things

with excellent folk.

Back soon.

Hope you too are having an excellent time

wherever and whatever you're up to.