Tuning back in

I didn't mean to disappear; the lack of action here was counterbalanced with almost frenzied activity out here in real-world-ville. We've had out-of-town family visiting, we celebrated my brother Chris' 50th birthday, we did day trips , traveled farther afield, saw friends, hiked, fished, ate (and how!) and generally enjoyed ourselves dawn to dusk. Today is going to be quiet, catch-up time before back to work next week and then back to school the week after that.

In all the commotion I did manage to make the binding for my quilt; it is attached on the front but now I need to do the hand sewing to tack it to the back. The approach of fall gives me the spark to pick up the pace on my own projects and to get back to the Christmas-gift making. I'm not sure if it is a reflection of our collective advancing age, or a reflection of the times, but I'm amazed and delighted that my resolve to give primarily homemade gifts seems to have been met recently with more genuine appreciation than ever before -- people seem so happy to have been given something that was made just for them. Makes it worthwhile, and takes away some of my -- guilt? concern? -- at not being able to spend much money on gifts. When people seem happier with the simple handmade thing than they would be with something I'd gone out and shopped for, I feel this whole effort has been the right way to go. So this lights the fire to get going on Christmas!

For now, though, we are focusing on taking in these last days of summer. More time outdoors, more stops at farm stands, more ice cream (if that's even possible!). I feel ready for the adventures, and for the start of the new year feeling that always comes with the start of school.

Hungry

Happy Friday, everyone!

I'd like to urge all quilting and sewing enthusiasts to check out this doll quilt tutorial; this project (and the tutorial) by 'Lady Harvatine' was so well conceived and produced. I can imagine all kinds of possibilities from this beginning. For me, it's the kind of project I just keep thinking about during the day (this is probably where I get myself into trouble, but so be it).

And this little card will go off today or tomorrow in a package to a new friend. I still would like to spend some dedicated time to card making so that I had a handy supply to pull from -- or, at least, solid starts that I could embellish with particular recipients in mind. I did decide that this summer I will take my entire craft room apart, clean it ruthlessly, organize it, and invest in some storage/display/organization solutions so that it's a workable space that's inspiring to be in and that does NOT make me feel as though I need to keep the door closed if anyone comes 'round to visit. Anyway, being able to do things like make cards should be an easy thing, and should not require the rebalancing of several towers of 'stuff' just to be able to clear about a 5 inch workspace on the table....

A parent at our school submitted an article for this week's newsletter about how his family took the Food Stamp Challenge. The issue is that the food stamp program in the US (giving vouchers to low income families that they can use to buy groceries) has been grossly underfunded for years and is facing further cuts under the current administration. The program "allows" $1.00 per person per meal. Members of our congress undertook the challenge -- to feed themselves and their families on that budget for a week -- held press conferences offering lunches based on that budget -- and inspired the family at our school to try it. The result of course is that (1) you can only afford to buy processed, high-calorie, low-nutritional foods because (2) that's your only hope of filling yourself up so that you aren't constantly hungry. And the "option" of buying a lot of healthy, bulk foods to cook up yourself generally isn't a choice for these families, because the hours they need to spend working/commuting etc. don't leave the kind of time it takes to cook that way. And like so many other programs, this one has a vicious cycle built into it -- your income has to be really low to qualify, so you have no incentive to try to earn more because that will take you out of the program but still won't leave you with enough $ to feed your family. I don't know how much of my grocery bill I should subtract out to account for non-food items, but I'm calculating that we easily spend between $3 and $5 per person, per meal -- perhaps sometimes even more. And that includes snacks and drinks and things outside of "meal" time, which of course is a luxury that food stamp families don't have. I can't imagine living on $3 a day for food. Can you?

Whose memory....

Another calendar page in the works. This one doesn't feel finished yet, but I'm happy with the way it's coming along. It's helping me to end the day by doing something productive that comes out the way I'd like it to -- it's been a very weird weekend of fits and starts. (For the record, I scan in and print out copies of my old photos to play with -- I never use the originals. I feel I should be careful to keep all these 'purchased ancestors' aside and clearly marked, lest Dean or anyone else someday be confused about exactly how we're related to these people....)

Anyway, I also basted the Broken Dishes quilt (which I just may title "Too much going on") with the idea of starting it now and finishing it by the time we're back from our Maine vacation later this month (it's small -- a wall hanging or if Dean has his way, a blanket for a stuffed animal). I've never been good at getting projects done while I'm on vacation, but I'm inspired by Helen who seems to accomplish more on the road than I do at home. Oh, and I finally finished my pocket apron for the current tie one on challenge; just have to get photos taken of me wearing it and then get the filmed developed and then get a flickr account so I can post it. Before the end of the month. With the end of school and a vacation thrown in for good measure. I also scrubbed the upstairs bathroom today; that should count for something, right? and did dishes and helped Dean with a craft project he's giving as a gift this week and read him the last few chapters of Order of the Phoenix. [Apparently there is some magic protecting it; no matter what I do, I cannot get a link to connect to the book title. Harry Potter, in any case, you know.]

Never too late

Dean gets a wish come true this evening; his first time being left home with a babysitter. Yes, he's 9, and this is the first time Ken and I are going out without him and paying someone (nice girl who lives next door) to come and have pizza and watch a movie with him. We did go out one time before, and Dean's Uncle Bob came to spend the evening with him -- that was 5 years ago. It went well and everything; not having Uncle Bob over to watch Dean since has everything to do with the hour-plus drive each way for Uncle Bob as well as his intense work schedule. Also has to do, of course, with Ken and I not feeling the need to get out without Dean (a benefit of having been married almost 10 years before having him and being older parents so that we really would rather be home, or out early all together and back by bedtime). Please -- I'm not saying there is anything wrong with getting out on your own as adults or having other people watch your children -- it's totally normal and healthy; I'm just saying what our own situation has been. And, interestingly, it's made Dean eager to have this adventure. Ken and I agreed this morning that we'd rather not be going out (an auction to benefit our school -- worthy cause, but we'd still rather just be home) but we couldn't disappoint Dean by taking away his novel evening. If all goes well from Dean's perspective, who knows? Ken and I just might try going out to a movie or something completely amazing like that. Gosh, I remember crying and crying when my parents were going out for an evening -- they'd be getting all dressed up (those were the days!) and I'd be begging them not to go....

Determined to get some sewing and card making done today, and hoping to do a bit of cleaning up in my crafts' room too (the piles are starting to slip and fall over). I'm hearing the siren call of the doll quilts, but am trying to resist until my top-level WIPs are done.