Baby in the Cupboard

My son Sage has progressed, at this level of dexterity and mobility, to opening cupboards and pulling everything out of them. Yesterday he managed to pull out the Cheerios box (he definitely recognizes this box as something pleasant--whenever he sees it, he starts smiling and--there's really no other word for it--panting. So he got that out of the cupboard, opened the box, pulled out the bag of cereal, and commenced to eat right out of the bag. And that was all in no time flat. And too cute not to photograph! :)

He's going to be a year old in exactly one week. It's pretty crazy to think that it was just a year ago I was still pregnant with him. He just learned to clap this week, and I think walking is going to be coming up pretty soon. I remember being in 5th grade and thinking that it took forever just for a week to go by. In college, semesterd went by pretty quickly. But now that I have a child, it seems like a year is gone like that! Can't believe it.

Another Freeform Cuff

Here's another freeform cuff I just made--I love the colors. I'm really on a purple kick these days. I just applied for a total dream job--more later on how that's gonna go. I'm seriously praying about it. Non-stop--it's like a mantra in my brain.

I also submitted poems to two of my favorite journals this week: Ninth Letter and Hunger Mountain. Ninth Letter is absolutely amazing. The visual art and written works co-mingle on the pages--it's a big format and one that I would LOVE a subscription to sometime when I have some extra dough. Hunger Mountain is VCFA's (where I did my MFA) journal. They were both online subs, so hopefully I'll hear back before too long.

Oh, so many things happening! How exciting!

Freeform Crochet Foray! Hurray!

Oh, I am such a geek with my word selection! Anyway, I have been SUPER inspired lately by some freeform crochet pieces I've happened upon on Flickr and other places, so I decided to try my hand at some myself; let me tell you WHAT FUN!! I love making scarves, but occasionally I get a little toasted after doing V-stitch or grit stitch for a few days, and doing this cuff was seriously like shaking out your foot when it's all pins-and-needles! It was like a big, reaching stretch. Just FUN.

Here's my first piece: Apple Kiss



And here's the back:



I'm already working on another! It's great because going into spring, I don't do a lot of scarves--I do more jewelry and hair items. So I expect to be putting more energy into these are spring approaches.

I've also got to get working on some pin-up style snoods--I just love them, and I haven't found a lot on Etsy in the retro style I like. Taking photos of my own head is kind of tough though, at least getting them to look how I want my photos to look--might have to enlist some gals I know to be models. . .

Lovelorn Scarf and a NEW Blog!

This is my newest scarf and I have to say I love it! I started with the tweed and suede yarn, and it just grew from there. I love the weight of it and how it drapes, the scallop edge--the fringe is so cool too! Okay, I will no more gush over my own item. But I do like it.

In other news, I've started a new blog on poetry, writing, and such. It's called "Out of Slumber and Dreams" because my poems often seem draped with the mist of the freshly awakened. And the unconscious mind is so important in writing poetry and dreaming both.

The Heart of the Hopeless Romantic

I've made a few felted heart brooches this weekend, and I really like how they came out! The above is the Hopeless Romantic's Heart. This is really the first time I've produced items specifically fora a holiday--usually I have all kinds of ideas that never get put into motion, but I wet felted on Thursday and made these, and I've been beading and stitching last night and today. I can't even remember what brought the idea on, but I just started thinking about creating a visual representation of the heart. I also have the Mermaid Heart listed, and in progress are the Punker's Heart and the Fairy's Heart. I've also got some other ideas for love-themed scarves; we'll see how that goes!

In an Etsy Finds Email!! Yahoooo!!!!

So today I opened my Etsy email and lo, and behold--there I was! Well not me, actually--it was my Downtown Tribal Collar/Fiber Necklace!

I think it's the first time I have ever been featured! I was just very excited, so I wanted to share! :)

New item!

I started making these cool wrap cuffs from my stash of leather and jersey remnants (leather's from my grandmother's leather goods designer days, the jersey is from a great boutique in Montpelier that designs and cuts a lot of their own pieces). I love the combination of the toughness of the studs and the drape of the jersey, not to mention I think the matte black studs are deathly cool.

I've listed a purple stitched one, and one with three big silver studs with lime stitching.



Oh, I forgot to add that they're actually convertible into a headband too! :) I love versatility!

Celebrity Look-Alike?

These are the varied women I have been told I look like (and not just once--by a lot of people. Like I meet someone and they say "Hey, you know who you look like? That girl on Scrubs (or "that girl on That 70s Show" etc etc)!

And I really can't see any of them. Here's me (when I was my natural blonde, for the sake of comparison).



Hm. Nope, still don't see it. I think they all have smaller noses. . .

Anyway, I'm hoping to be able to do some sewing today. I got some gorgeous t-shirt weight jersey recently in a beautiful orange and a lovely, au courant medium green. Plus a great linen neutral plaid. . . Hooray!

Worth Pondering

(Cleft lip progression: Sage at a few weeks old, six months old, and 10 months old, a few months after surgery)

Actually, I realized after I finished that last post that I *do* have something to say and that is this: Today my husband was feeding Sage, and he was talking about Sage's past and upcoming surgeries. And he said that we were "un-perfecting what God made perfect." I have to admit that I've thought about that before. Certainly I wouldn't want Sage to go through life feeling Other and ostracized--but I think the way I'm planning to raise him, he probably would anyway. I always did.

I've settled on the conviction that if it were simply cosmetic, I don't think we would've gone through all of it. I think that would send a message that he is unacceptable as he is, which couldn't be further from the truth. But since these things affect his functioning (lip, palate, teeth) I think it's justifiable. I guess that's my little thing about acceptance and what God makes and all of that difficult stuff.

Still Sick!

I can't believe how long I have been this sinus-y! Beginning this afternoon, the space between my ears (temples, cheeks, nose, etc) felt like that photo every time I coughed. Or leaned over too far. I'm sure you can imagine what a fun day I've had.

In other news, I will try to write something interesting in the next day or so, as this is certainly not exciting reading.

Snagging a Treasury

The numbers count down . . . 336 . . . 335 . . . Hours ago I entered search terms relentlessly, seeking the perfectly curated collection. . . I have my title scribbled on a piece of scrap paper next to my computer. I'm knitting to pass the time until suddenly the number drops to 333. . . the words "The Treasury is full right now" blur before me on the screen, my fingers hovering over my keyboard, waiting for the title box to appear. I have an almost uncontrollable urge to apply chapstick to my dry lips. . . The box pops up! I type furiously and hit "Create!"

Yes, that's what it's like every single time I make a treasury on Etsy. But I got one today, and this time my inspiration was "The Night Dances" by Sylvia Plath. I used search terms found in the poem (tiger, petals, lilies, spirals, black amnesias, lamps, planets, six-sided, comets, ego) and I think my favorite item in the treasury is the ring pictured above, by Mercury Orchid. Love it!

New Year, Better Blogging?

I sure hope so! I'm going to make a concerted effort to blog more this year. Actually, after having more time to think about it, I have since added to the list I posted to Alison Tyler's blog (for which I won a snazzy Elvis quote pendant). So add to that: 1) posting on my blog more; 2) getting better at knitting (already working on that--see photo above); 3) trying to make something happen with singing/band thing (I want to be Karen O.); 4) potty training Sage! Okay, so he's only 11 months now, but summer is a great time to potty-train, I hear.

Since I am no longer on Facebook, this blogging thing should be a bit easier--the time I used to spend on FB I can now spend blogging about something interesting. And actually I would like to spend less time wandering around the vast internet and more time creating.

I have some great new ideas for products, so I'm hoping to get those new things started up and posted--unfortunately EVERYONE in the house is currently ill--even the baby. He has the saddest little cough. But he still smiles and laughs almost as much as usual. I'll post some Christmas pictures in the next day or so (his first Christmas!). Meantime, I'm off to try to snag a Treasury spot, finish my knitted cowl (first thing I've made for myself in about a year), and play some Beatles Rock Band with my brother before he has to fly back to CA tomorrow!