Shopping with Martha Pullen

I spent some time talking with a wonderful person in Alabama today. We spent time shopping while flipping through my Martha Pullen catalog and cruising her website to gather the items for Oliver's christening gown.



Last night I plowed through boxes to find my box of patterns. Finally I found it after about 10 boxes -- ln a box at the bottom of a large stack labeled "downstairs, red box, miscellaneous." Who knew?

Anyway, after checking that I had all the appropriate pattern pieces, I made a mental list of what I needed: Swiss Nelona Batiste, French Val lace, swiss embroidered entredeax, mettler thread, schmetz needles, and a pair of lace point scissors. Instead of worrying about finding things in that mountain of boxes I ordered almost everything I need at one time -- it should all be here the beginning of next week. I think I must have ordered a hundred yards of lace!! All I have to find now is a spool of Sulky embroidery thread.

As I wait for delivery I will make my pattern with the adjustments that need to be made. I will say that it is simple, elegant, and long. I even have Merle's approval on it's design! I will give you a sneak peek at one of the laces ... the rest will have to wait until it is finished (c:

Note to Self

Oliver's Christening is June 27, 2010.

I have selected the pattern -- now to find the pieces and order everything!

Question or Answer?

We can be as honest as we are ignorant. If we are, when asked what is beyond the horizon of the known, we must say that we do not know. -- Robert G. Ingersoll

Photo: Jenny Kellerhals

Creative Summer

I have finally finished classes for this semester and am really looking forward to trying to jump start my creativity again. Looking back at one of my previous posts on this same subject, I realize that it had some good advice! So as I clean up, unpack and restructure my downstairs space I am going to carve out my creative "studio" space. I have a lot planned for summer projects -- fall will be hopelessly busy with classes four days a week so I want to have the house unpacked and my creative self in a routine!

Here are my plans. First I have a christening gown to make for Oliver Matthew Grim. The Bernina has been taken to the shop for a tune-up. The electronics guys who checked everything after the fire said it was in working order, but I still want it serviced so it will hum along as I work on the gown. I have narrowed the design down to two. Fabric and lace have been chosen and will be ordered when I make my final design choice. The christening date will be sometime late July or early August. My hope is to break my usual routine and have it done early.

Jenny gave me a wonderful "roll up" piano for Christmas last year. I asked my musical friend Caryn what book would be good to use as an adult for self teaching piano. I really have a basic understanding of music -- due to the really good music teachers I had in high school. I can read notes and scale, understand timing and know the difference between a sharp and a flat. With this book I hope to be able to play a simplified version of Fur Elise by Beethoven by the end of the summer.

One thing I have always wanted to do is draw/paint. Jenny has given me pencils and books to get me started, plus I have some of her 'left over' art supplies (c: I am going to unpack those and start sketching even if I am terrible. Practice makes perfect...right? So, I thought I would start with one of my favorite things...Dragons! It will probably be way out of my realm of talent, but I am going to try them and maybe even Fairies.



If I want to be able to keep up my creative endeavors though my fall semester I am going to have to be proficient in math. So proficient that I don't have to worry about what we are covering in Math 106, 'Quantitative Reasoning.' So I will have to be spending time with this book too!

Then there are cookbooks, SciFi/Fantasy, philosophy, classics and a myriad of other books that are calling my name. Hopefully I will be able to enjoy some of them too.

Oliver Matthew Grim

This sweet boy was welcomed to the world on April 11, 2010 at 4:37 am. He weighed in at 7 lbs. 1 oz and was 20 inches long.





His mother Beckie was wonderful and let me hold him before he was 24 hours old. I will have to get busy making his christening gown!










Of course being the photographer I don't have a picture of me with Oliver ... so one of Merle holding him will have to do (c:

My Pursuit

Keep it in the middle of the road.

Still Awake

Ever close your eyes
Ever stop and listen
Ever feel alive
And you've nothing missing
You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on

Let the rain fall down
Everywhere around you
Give into it now
Let the day surround you
You don't need a reason
Let the rain go on and on

What a day to take to
What a way to make it through
What a day to take to a wild child

Only take the time
From the helter skelter
Every day you find
Everything's in kilter
You don't need a reason
Let the day go on and on

Every summer sun
Every winter evening
Every spring to come
Every autumn leaving
You don't need a reason
Let it all go on and on

What a day to take to
What a way to make it through
What a day to take to a wild child

Wild Child - Enya

Photo from here.