simplesparrow

Good to go

Being totally consumed with getting ready for our trip to Italy, my birthday almost slipped by. Funny. I can remember a day when I made sure everyone around me (just my family) had plenty of notice, like a week or two in advance.

Anyway...what I'm really excited to show you is my new tote~

I*love*this*. I'm so happy with the way it turned out, and I can't say that of everything I make.

No pattern, but the style is so simple. Basically just a large rectangle that you fold into shape. The straps are attached on the upper side of the back.

Again, love the big vintage button. A pocket for the inside with one of my reject labels. So there you have it. I'm so glad I was able to get it finished and I can't wait to put it to use!

And here are the passport holders. I ended up using the brown cotton for mine too, glad I did. I think they have a very utilitarian look--love that. Mine has the leather strap, Mark wanted a shoelace. He's happy, I'm happy. I'm having all kinds of thoughts on how you could embroider these...little country shapes, names of countries, suitcases etc....sounds cute ya think?  I've had a few inquiries on how to make these, so maybe a tutorial is in order down the road sometime. (gratuitous doe figurine because I want to be a Japanese craft book)

So yeah, I'm 41 today. FORTY ONE! eek. Time is ticking by. So far my day has been filled with:

*waking up to a pancake breakfast made by Nate and Hannah

*3 birthday e-cards from Hannah

*one happy birthday email from Micah and my parents in Italy--plus a phone call.

*the happy birthday song being sung to me over the phone by my dear friend and her two little boys.

*Mark, being so happy with his new passport holder, told me he wanted to buy me some more thread so I could do more sewing. hahaha...it was a joke of course....hahahaha...(yeah buddy, you better have something better then that up your sleeve)

Well, I think that's about it. I leave Wednesday and my blog will be sad and lonely until sometime mid October. I'm looking forward to sharing pictures and stories with you when I get back. I'll leave you with some essential Italian phrases I'll be practicing--

Ho fame. ....(i'm hungry)
Dov'e una pasticceria?....(where is the pastry shop)
Quanto costa?....(how much is it)
Lo prendo. .....(i'll take it)

Ciao. :)

WIP

Because everyone always needs a new bag before a big trip--right Blair?

I hope, I hope, I can squeeze this in. I leave Wednesday and there is SO much to do before that. I'm really excited about the fabric combo I chose for this travel tote. The brown floral will be the outside, the pink chenille for the lining and a pocket or two from the little green piece that Manda sent me a while back. I *heart* that big brown beauty of a button too. Perfect. This is a little (maybe more then a little?)  on the funky side, but I've told you before, deep down inside I'm a hippie .

And because we want to appear to be really experienced world travelers (we have been overseas, like, never ) I'm going to make Mark and I each a passport cover, the kind that hang around your neck. Our friend Ross has traveled the world a lot, and he wears one every time, so, we want to be just like Ross. I'm making mine from some pink cashmere that was reclaimed from a thrifted blazer. Mark's will be just plain light brown, cause I don't think the pink cashmere turns him on. Maybe he'll let me add a felt posie? JUST KIDDING!! Now I just need to locate some leather cording for the strap.

Because he was handy and working on his own forever WIP, this is Otter. Always, always grooming that coat of his.

Ready for winter

Not me, but my cell phone. On our drive back home from Washington I crocheted a cozy little sweater for my cell phone while Mark and I talked about politics, answered Noah's numerous questions and gushed about just how good Dutch Brother's mocahs are. I'm telling you--REALLY good.

The oatmeal colored wool is from Ukrainian sheep and it definitely smells, well, sheepy. I'm still deciding if I mind that or not..hmm. The vintage trim is one of my favorites and I didn't have much of it, so I was waiting for a small project that it would do well with. I put the wool that Alicia gave me this past weekend right to work in the form of a fall colored posie for the final touch. Ideally, I want to make myself a new bag for fall (or 3 or 4!) that will have a snap loop on the inside that will hold my new cozy.

The fabric  you see underneath is from SuperBuzzy . I'm so excited about this new business venture and plan to give them lots more of my business! Thank you Kelly and Mariko !

Back Home

I'm home now--back to leaves all over the deck and patio (no denying it, it's Fall), back to a plump, furry kitty that was so happy to see us, back to a pile of mail that was not only bills but also held a lovely surprise from an old friend and back to my own bed with the cool ocean air coming through the window. Hello home, I missed you.

Our time away was wonderful. Relaxing and lazy some days, and full of things to do on others. Micah flew out of Portland with my parents for Italy just 3 days after we arrived. The rest of the time I kept having this funny feeling, like I was missing something---Oh yeah! I was missing something, Micah.

A few family highlights were:

*Watching Noah become comfortable in a swimming pool. He was full of panic and extreme excitement all at the same time. It was hilarious. As long as he was wearing his life jacket, I was not full of panic ;)

*Mark and I dancing into the night with Seth and Vanessa and all the kids in the living room to 60's, 70's and 80's music. Oh my gosh, that was SO fun.

*Discovering Noah driving around my parent's back yard in their golf cart--ALONE--and realizing he was a pretty good driver. (Yes, we did catch him and told him that solo driving was not for 5 yr. olds)

*Jumping off the deck roof into the pool. It's not as wild as it sounds. But, when it came my turn to do it, I accidentally stirred a wasp nest and they were not happy. Nothing like a swarm of wasps chasing you to rip away any hesitation I might have had. I couldn't jump off that thing quick enough. I did get one sting. And provided a few laughs for those watching. I'm glad no one was video taping.

*Getting to meet Alicia, Blair, and Vicki.

Meeting those three very lovely women was certainly a BIG highlight for me. Like Blair and Alicia said, there is a certain excitement and unknowing in getting the chance to see each other face to face. You know them, but you don't know them. You have formed some impressions, but what will it really be like eye to eye? Well, the truth is, that these three are every bit the kindness and friendliness I expected. Seriously, I loved each of them. Once we got done playing musical rooms--first on the patio, too chilly--then to the formal living room, umm..not quite right, then finally we settled into the dining room where we sat and talked for hours! I can't believe how fast so much time went by. Hannah and Vicki's daughter Grace took over hostessing for me,(thank you girls!) set the table and brought out the dessert--Alicia's incredibly tasty sour cream apple pie. WOW, SO GOOD, THE BEST...and that about sums up the pie.

We exchanged gifts for each other because bloggers just can't help themselves. They are some of the most generous and thoughtful givers I know. I was given so much goodness. So much more then I can list right now but here is a sampling--one of Blair's adorable stuffed birds, a handmade and embroidered mini tote from Vicki, a luscious pile of wool felt from Alicia--and the goodness goes on and on.  Each of you will be getting a gushing note from me in the mail, and you totally deserve it.

Blair got to stay the night with me and how I wish we were able to stay up until the wee hours and talk, talk, talk. After we exchanged several yawns each we concluded it was time for bed. Oh, but how I loved the time we did have. I honestly couldn't get enough of her...when it was time for her to leave all I could say was, "It wasn't long enough!" And that goes for you guys too--Alicia and Vicki. It just was not long enough. So, you know what that means---we must see each other again! Thank you, so very much, for giving me a day of your life. xoxo.

The rose pictures were all taken by my daughter Hannah. I was so impressed when I saw them! She might be following in her brother's footsteps. The day these photos were taken was the day I met Sally at the Portland Rose Garden. She brought me a Japanese craft book and some of her super cute gift tags that she makes. Sally is so easy to talk to, and so very sweet. Thank you Sally for taking time out to spend a few hours with me and for your kind gift. A gushing note will be coming in the mail to you too :) And Hannah, how fun was it to get to meet you accidentally at the garden? So fun. You were a great surprise.

So I'm off now to unpack and ease back into home life for just a few days--I leave for Italy on the 27th, the last leg of my roller coaster ride. Then I'm staying HOME for a good long while! I suspect I will fit in another post or 2 or 3 before I leave :)

On Pure Style Living

I didn't think I would get a chance to post while here in the northwest, but I seem to have little bit of spare time. It very well may be my last though because my dad's computer only has dial up and it is so incredibly slow. Snail slow. Turtle slow. Molasses in January slow. Gee-whiz.

When Blair posted about this book , Pure Style living, It was such great timing for me. I ordered it right away from Amazon (only $8 used!) For the last couple of weeks prior to her post Mark and I had been talking about how desperate we were to simplify our home, and thus our lives. We have been going through a purge--slowly but surely we are getting rid of so much stuff. I can't believe how much clutter we had/have. It hides. And I guess I just tried to block it out because it felt way too overwhelming to deal with it. Until I have a bad day, and then I see it ALL and it drives my batty. Poor Mark, I was better at blocking it out but I think he was just secretly going batty everyday. So we are trying our hardest to bring this cycle to an end.

That is where Pure Style Living comes in. I have about 3/4 of it read already and it is so very inspiring, so full of the way I want to live and keep my home. In my words, it is a book about living simply but not without beauty--about paring down,but not being deprived--about savoring the simple joys in life and about creating a living environment with intention and thoughtfulness to the things that are important, practical, healthy, and conducive to happy family living.

The photographs are very beautiful. I have a sense of order and calm and being content with a whole lot less when I look at them. And that is the very thing I want to reproduce in my home. It won't happen over night, but I feel more committed to this now then ever. One cabinet, one closet, one corner, one room at a time.

I got to meet my very first blogging friend--Sally of shim and sons. She was so sweet and friendly. We share much in common and ended up talking for a good long while. I got to meet baby J, and let me just say he is 10 times the sweetness in real life. Give him a big kiss for me Sally! I want to share more on this later, but I'm getting called to come join the family. I'm c-o-m-i-n-g!

Heading out again

Noah and Hannah playing covered wagon

We're back from our weekend away only to pack up and be on our way again early Wednesday morning. Remember, I'm riding the roller coaster now. We're off to Oregon and Washington to visit family and friends and to spend some time floating in my parents pool. One highlight of my trip will be getting to meet Alicia, Blair, and Vicki . I'm so excited about this. I really get to look them in the eye, hear their laugh (I do plan to do lots of laughing!) and give them each a big hug. Can't even wait!! Did you hear that girls? Can't even.

I thought the picture of Noah in his make-shift covered wagon was a perfect fit for this post. Although I am very thankful that we will be heading up north in our suburban, and not a wagon. So dear friends, goodbye for now--I'll be back around the 20th or 21st. Don't have too much fun with out me!