May Birthday Buddies

May Birthdays! 

My Oldest Son, and ONLY daughter ... 

For Her birthday, we met up with Zac and took him to dinner,

so, it only seems fair, tonight we take "the girl" to dinner

to Celebrate!

Happy Day!

The NEXT Chapter of Our Life

Uncle Alex Reads to Ted, Hospital Waiting Room May 9, 2011

Chapters:

1. The Early years
2. Boy meets girl ... Toni & Peter est. 1982
3. Parenthood ... Introducing: Zac, Alex, Samantha, Derek
4. Arizona, a place to call HOME =0)
5. Homeschooling FOUR children
6. Back to Kansas ... starting the College years & "Real" School
7. Children: college & marriage .....  Sunrise, Sunset   .....{remember: Fiddler on the Roof}
8. ... Becoming Grandparents!... Introducing: Ted
9. OMG  ~  Peter's Open Heart Surgery, 5/9/11

May 2012 marks ONE YEAR after Peter's Open Heart Surgery ... who woulda' thunk it? ...   We will survive.  Something like that helps put things in perspective. With a "NOT Quite Empty Nest" ... while finding balance &  truly making adjustments...  Part of the "next chapter"  the Downsizing Begins... We have really tried to focus on what's important.  I don't know how we've done it, but we have always managed. 

... There are things I'm going to miss (My yard & My dog) but I have never loved this house,  & NOW it is TOO much for me.  It has served it's purpose. But it's never felt like HOME, so moving on will be easy (I PRAY) ... NOW for Prioritizing - What's Really IMPORTANT? ~ Two more years of High School for the youngest remaining in the "nest" ~ OUR Health ... and most of all: appreciating the people i love, as well as  making time for more CREATIVITY.  Last weekend was a great get away, left very inspired - but TIME went too fast ... Maybe i didn't get very much accomplished, but i spent it with some of the best people.  I would like to say i made something super amazing ... My Wassily Knadinsky Inspiration Fabrics (mostly hand dyed by me, and some shott cottons) went along to play, but ... I DID work on My Bee Blocks, Converging Corners... (i'm yet to take a picture *TBA) ...

WK Challenge fabrics that went on the retreat, but ...

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back 

and realize they were the big things.”

Ever see the movie "Parenthood" ? ... with Steve Martin' and the comparison to life being like a Roller-coaster Ride ... that has been my husbands mantra since he's seen that movie.  Going on 30 years of marriage, just saying it's been one big roller coaster ride.  I wouldn't mind so much spending the next couple years on the "Merry-Go-Round" ... time to get off the ROLLER COASTER, I want to enjoy  the whole amusement park ...
A FAVORITE MEMORY:
I love to look back at the video Zac made of Derek's tenth birthday at Worlds of FUN - certainly a GREAT DAY ~  Looking forward to more time with the kids

"... I don't remember growing older, when did they?"

... SLOW down already!

~ Adroable & Adopted!!! ~

http://www.dogster.com/dogs/961455

... We are downsizing & making difficult choices.  

As many know, this year has been a crazy one. We will be moving the end of the school year - DOWNSIZING.  Flooded with many bittersweet emotions.  Grateful for a second chance - only fair to give our furry girl a chance at yet ANOTHER good home.  She's got lots of love to give.  Great companion - looking for a good    she has found a GREAT home !!! ~ such a sigh of relief to know she is where she needs to be & they love her.  As much as we miss her, and the comfort she brought us - we realized how tough this past year has been on her.  Feel so very blessed to have had her in our life, and to share her with a family who will love her as much as we did!
Lucky girl!!!

Discharged Fabric

more UNFINISHED Business ~ Design Wall Today

 Not from the military, although it kind of looks like Drab Green/Grays ...  It's Discharged.
Meaning - it's been, quite simply, BLEACHED
...  follow this link for a tutorial, on HOW to ALTER Fabric.
I like to get Blacks from different fabric lines, and see what the base color is.  The above photo started out Blacks and Greens
{there is a bit of blue ;0) at the bottom *obvious* }
I think i will piece it - chop it up some more - and applique with wool!

I think the Wool & Embroidery will really pop on here.

THIS HAS POTENTIAL!
iT's UgLy Now ... BUT Just You WaiT!
 

~ unFinished BUSINESS ...

~ a beautiful day to play hooky!
things to work on:
> Mary Anne's blocks (KC Scrappy Bee)
> Quiet book
> dejunk & inventory WIP's ...
> maybe clean a wee bit, maybe
... {HAD to a bit cuz my computer knocked a FULL cup of coffee over,
amazing how far it can go so fast, how much it can ruin,
and how long it takes to clean it up!}
... but first, heading to Qt for a DP with a LID
... in my jammies, still, cuz i can! ...
(sending DH in~! i'll drive, i'll pay!) ...
then, i will come home and move a table for him

... happy playtime to you! Share your stuff! 

Sunday SHARE ...

~ a look back - last summer.  just some of the folks i love most ~

I confess,
On Sat/Sun - i like to spend a portion of my weekend on my laptop, catching up - reading - REAL stuff, having snippets of conversations with friends and family via Facebook and texts, usually all at the same time, while BLOG HOPPING ... and dreaming about what i'm going to do when i am off the computer, when i am done catching up with the people i love - FOR The people i love - the things i want to make, because i love them so - before they grow any older, hopefully i can finish some of the things i WANT to make, while we ALL still share the planet.  

It's all a matter of balance.  It reminds me of when I nearly plowed into a little old  lady while we were ?shopping? i think.  My mind was full, truth is i really don't remember where i was, or what i was doing, just trying to multi-task with alot on my mind, which is the norm.... as i frantically over-appologized for nearly flattening her, she said "oh sweety, don't worry about it ~ we's all in this mess together" ... funny thing, in that brief moment it is as if our souls collided, and she saw into mine - our eyes met ... funny, as much as i don't remember - i still can see her face!

"We's all in this mess together!"

MY SHARES: Yesterday i had a great morning, despite the drizzle - which i actually loved for a WINTER DAY, i am NOT complaining by any means.... I joined my brother, sister-in-law, and friends for "first Friday weekend" ... for some Urban Mining and then off to Good Ju Ju and surrounding shops ... (i will try to post photo's later of my Linen finds, etc!) ...

Today, i am starting my day off perusing Blog world, and want to share some of my blog stops: 

KCMQG took me to a cuppa & a catch up ... and so on and so forth ... now, to work in my studio ... inspired to do some stashbusting ... 

~ join me on our own SUP`ER  BOWL SEW-IN! ~

Faith ...

"faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see" 

Hebrews 11:1

... HAPPY Belated New Year ...

note to self: FIRST CHALLENGE ~
{it is clear, regular POSTs is NOT my new year resolution! ... those who really know me are aware that i do NOT participate in such utter nonsense and who-ha as New Year RESOLUTIONS
... i do set GOALS, ALL THE TIME! ;0) ...}

MY First Challenge of the year,
besides survive constant change and improvement,
is through the KCMQG ... i picked this Wassily Kandisnsky Print for INSPIRATION! ...
~ more later.
Ciao!