all buttoned up.

Wishlist

We are getting ready to go away on an airplane.  The five of us will be flying the friendly skies in three seats and I'm already preparing my Friendly Face for our fellow travelers.  It should be obvious then, that I'm whiling away my time stacking stuff up in my online shopping cart.  I need something to look forward to on that awesome plane ride home.  Plus it's hotter than all get out, and the air conditioner sits right next to Mr. Computer.

So-- there's the obvious.  Amy Karol's Bend the Rules with Fabric.  I already know that this is going to be a great book.  I've seen a couple of the projects and I know how hard Amy worked to get this book right.  I was thinking of getting a whole pile to give as Christmas gifts, but now I'm thinking that I want to make stuff out of this book for gifts instead.  Maybe both?  We'll see how ambitious I decide to get with Sam in Kindergarten.  It comes out so soon!!

 

I'm excited about Rashida's book, too-- I Love Patchwork.  I've loved her projects in Stitch and on her blog.  She has a great aesthetic and I'm hoping that this will fall into the Japanese Craft Book (but in English so my Head Won't Hurt) Category.  

Whatever you do, you need to look into this book.  It is the funniest thing I've read in so long-- am I late to this party?  Is this one of those books that I missed by not being in school and not having a kid in one yet?  

What books are you waiting for?  I've been reading Russel Hoban's Omnibus bit by bit this summer and really liking it.  It's a bit big for the plane, though, so I hit my friend Beth's bookshelf and walked away with these two zine turned books.  Who am I kidding, though?  There won't be much reading on that plane. 

Small FOE Projects for Your Head or Hair and a New Blog

Lest you think we have the monopoly on cute children in my family, I have a whole pile of nieces and nephews who outshine ours a good amount of the time.  My sister asked me to rig up some sort of kerchief for one of my nieces since keeping a hat on her was proving very difficult.  The easiest thing I could think of was to hem up a triangle and attach Fold Over Elastic to its long side.  Turns out that for once something so easy to do, can also work out pretty well!

I made her a few and then turned this linen napkin I'd been stashing into a matching set for a fantastic Mother/Daughter duo I got to see last week. 

To make one like it, cut the triangle about 2" shorter (on the long side) than the circumference of the intended head.  For my niece's I measured 17" on the long side and then squared up the other two sides to meet in the middle.  I attached a long piece of FOE using a zigzag stitch (I used a broken/stretch zigzag that's on my machine, but a regular, long zigzag would work great, too), being careful to leave tails at either end (I left about 3").  You're going to need to stretch the heck out of the FOE while you sew it. 

And that's it!  For the larger kerchief, I left off the FOE and sewed to strips of skinny elastic to the corners-- this way you can get it on tight without having to manage bulky knots. 

FOE also works great as a straight up headband when attached to these mini belt clips (they are La Mode brand buttons, actually) that I bought at Bolt. 

Locally, you can Fold Over Elastic at the Depot and Bolt.  Ask for "Elastic Trims" if they look at you funny.  I got a whole pile of it at Sewzannes last year. 

Finally, Bolt has a new blog!!  They will not only share updates on sales, classes, and neighborhood doings-- they will be providing sewing tips and tutorials.  I have spent many a happy hour in that store (they have air conditioning, fyi) and if you're coming into town, I recommend a little stop-in.  I'll be teaching a couple of classes there in the next two months, too, and all that info will be going up over there. 

Dark Matter

Doings this week:

• We went out to eat.  We eat out for breakfast/lunch when we're able because dinner is too complicated and our children make trouble.  We go to the same places all the time.  They are like home.  Hi, Muddy's.  Incidentally, I recommend doing this if you are new to a place and want to make friends.  Pick a place that is locally owned or run by good people that will eventually become your good friends, and tip well.  Local Tip:  The Krakow Cafe in North Portland serves Prince Puckler's Ice Cream.  Apparently, this is a big deal. Their Mexican Mocha ice cream is about the best thing I've ever eaten. 

• August swallowed a small bolt last week.  It was about an inch long and it slipped right down just as Paul was sweeping his mouth to get it out.  It was not sharp, but not round either so the Dr. said to give it a week and then come in for X-rays.  He passed it this morning on the sixth day.  I thought toddler stomachs would be more eager to give up foreign objects.

• We went to a show last night.  It's the first time we'd left all three boys with someone else and maybe the first time we've been out together since October.  I say that knowing our anniversary was in October and I'm *assuming* we went out, but I can't for the life of me remember.  Anyway, we went mostly for Andrew Bird-- were you there?  Did you hear that shrieking when he came out?  That could have well been Paul throwing himself prostrate in front of the stage. It was all so good. The Hazards of Love is such a beautiful, beautiful record and hearing it played front to back was amazing.  And as weird as it was to see the two little girls in front of us dance to a song about a father doing in his children one by one, it was also perfect.  Paul and I met at a show (a hardcore show in a sweaty basement at the University of Illinois) and we used to hear live music all the time and DANG IT, I miss it so much. 

• Paul ordered an Iron Gym (As Seen On TV) and a set of the Perfect Pushup (also, As Seen On TV) and as instituted a new evening fitness regime.  This is providing no end of prime time amusement.  See Scrawny Paul Get Puffy!  Watch Melissa Dangle in the Air Whimpering!  We also have heated debates about the usefulness of protein powder and what really constitutes the Perfect Push Up.  Occasionally, I sit on the couch eating ice cream while heckling. 

In short-- Mr. Bird, can we come live on your farm?  We bring to the table a deep, abiding, affection for you and a good breakfast, a pull-up bar, and children who rarely swallow small things, but when they do, pass them easily.

Perhaps the most useful thing I've ever made.

 

Hey!  Thanks for all the affirming words.  I don't find it particularly easy to write seriously about my children or my family-- but I think that it's sometimes worth a try.  So, thanks for reading. 

Now on to some silliness:

I bought some heavy-duty elastic at the Depot's outdoor sale a few weeks ago.  I think it was 75 cents a yard?  I had been looking for something like this for a while and immediately began looking for the sort of belt hooks I remembered using on my elastic rainbow belt I wore as a child.

Gina was good enough to order them (1.35 each) and with two quick rows of stitching on either side, I have a great belt.  Thanks to my friend, Martha, they are called Surcingle Buckles, and you can order them here.  I think your local fabric store would also be happy to get you some in if you ask nicely.  I know you know how important it is to be wearing a belt whilst bending over and picking up children and their junk.  It's about as important as me remembering to put on deodorant before heading out of the house.  It is VITALLY important.  I can't remember the last time I tried to buy a belt and usually resort to poking holes into one of Paul's old ones.  This is much better-- much better. 

In other news:

• We're pretty sure Paul flushed his wedding ring down the toilet in a cloth diaper *off loading* venture.  Other than sucking, this has tipped the economic viability scales against cloth diapering.  The environment and my pride still stand, so that's something.  RING FOUND!  Hooray!  (And of course, it wasn't in the toilet.  Which is good.)
• I'm sure you're already aware, but Hillary is offering Olive and Archie and all of their clothing/accessories at a huge discount.  This is very worthwhile if you're looking ahead to the gift giving season.  I never posted the whole kit and caboodle I finished up for my niece and nephew (here's a picture), but I just can't say enough good things about these patterns.

I am off to pay some bills.  And maybe start cruising etsy for a man's ring.

This Baby.

We finalized Manny's adoption last month.  The day itself was kind of unremarkable-- we appear by phone in a Miami court, answer a few questions, and then receive papers in the mail shortly after.  I had a devil of a time getting a reliable Mobile Notary to come to the house and swear us in however, and in the end we had to load everyone into the van and conduct the whole shebang on the side of a small freeway.  His car had broken down.  He did not charge us the convenience fee. 

This baby is very sweet.  He'd be even sweeter if he could work out all these teeth that keep him up all night and from finishing bottles.  He's crawling-- scooting really-- all over the place, mostly crying or yelling because someone is going somewhere without him.  He cuddles.  He does not smile easily. 

He and August look so similar that family members are already having a hard time telling Manny from August when he was that age.  And while he looks and laughs and snarfles in his sleep like his older brother, his personality is years different.  August is our sunshine and laughter.  Manny is our calm water.  He loves his dad more than he does me.  As near as we can tell, he's an introvert that acts as surprised by his own accomplishments as we are.  "Today I will stand! (But I do not know that I am standing.)"

Both finalizations have felt like formalities-- as far as all the parties are concerned, we were a family the minute we were allowed to leave Florida with both of the boys.  This was in large part to the diligent and thorough work that our agency in Florida does to protect all the parties involved.  (Choosing and trusting an agency is one of the most important things an adoptive parent will do and I don't think you can take the choice too seriously.)  Adoption is complicated-- even the *straightforward* ones.  As much as you prepare yourself for what your family might look or feel like, there are always surprises and heartbreak and lessons learned.  This is the same for all parents and children, I think, but by looking at the relationship through the legal framework of Adoption, it gives the complications a name-- it gives the heartbreak a scapegoat.

More importantly though, it has given us more family.  We love her for trusting us with her children and for letting us know her, no matter how complicated it might turn out to be.   We know that finalization day was not merely a formality to her, and one day this baby and his brother will know it, too.

Pitter Smackdown.

We just returned from a week away at my parent's house in B.C.  I'm glad you liked the dress because I wore it twice in that week, which makes it a gigantic success in Melissa Terms.  Plus, I have another one ready to go that I'm going to try and line.  Oooh-Whee. 

So yes, a week away, in part for my sister's wedding (of which I have no pictures) and because we finalized Manny's adoption earlier last month and finally got his traveling papers (more on that later).  Instead of beautiful bride pictures-- of which I should have plenty-- I have pictures of beautiful cherries.  Two varieties-- both lovely, and both producing more than 120 people marching around the yard could eat in a weekend. 

Between wedding prep, rehearsal dinner and post-game gift opening, people stood around eating and spitting.  Loads of my new brother-in-law's family and friends were in town and some of them had never eaten the fruit off the tree before.  Then, when everyone left, it was time to get serious about picking.  And trying to moderate the small children and their intake.  But mostly, picking and pitting.

The night before we left my dad pulled out a pitter (or stoner) that they had acquired from an old family friend.  It was made in West Germany (Westmark brand) in the 60s (I think).  I tried looking for it online and came across similar, but less impressive models.  Apparently Westmark is still in the stoner business and that Germany has a corner on the market, as my search didn't get serious until I searched the term Kirschentkerner.

See what I mean?  Not messing around.  The first thing I said was something like, "that thing would eat Amy's for lunch", which prompted Paul to get out the Flip.  I didn't realize he was filming so that is my dorky voice talking to my dad about 1. a rickety swing in the backyard, and 2. making baby voices at my tiny nephew.  That last bit is a scary shot of Paul's nostrils and bloodshot eyes.  Again, you're welcome.