This is me at 35

It's my birthday today. Have you ever heard an old person admire their own beauty when they look at younger photos of themselves as though its some other person?? The first time I ever heard this was from my grandmother. I remember thinking it didn't sound vain. I think what she was saying more was 'look at how young I was.' She had the space of time to forget about what she didn't like about herself at the age she was in the picture and just appreciate the memory of a young able body. I'm sure she, like a lot of us women, undoubtedly had her own internal list of attributes she was less than fond of. After 5 healthy children I think a lot more about what I've gained (not pounds, but happiness) and less about what physical attribute is slowly going out the door. Life seems a healthy distraction from self.



I'm forced every now and then to take a look at myself 2 dimensionally and I do notice laugh lines that are showing up when no ones laughing and various other subtle changes. I hope I live to see and appreciate these images as really young portraits of myself. Right now they're the oldest me I've seen. I hope I remember how fun it was to take them, that my mom bought me that dress, that today we buried Jeff's great Uncle Morris and that it was a really beautiful service.

I like 35. It feels really, really young and optimistic. Happy Birthday to all you other summer babies out there. Be well!
xo,AM

Summer Sewing

Is there an empty spot on your sewing list (doubtful, I know)?? After quite a wait (which is partly my busy fault) the free quilt pattern for "22 Lollipops" that I designed for the Chocolate Lollipop line is finally up on the FreeSpirit website. For your extra added convenience though, I've added a link to the PDF in my sidebar over there, as well as the link for the Bohemian Quilt. I'm just nice like that. Whether you tackle this one now or a year from now, don't forget about the ever popular Super Circles tutorial to help you smooth out the circular spots. This quilt is a sumptious pleasure for those who enjoy handsewing, because all the circles are appliqued on. Which is one of my favorite endeavors.



Speaking of endeavors, you guys are making some of the cutest stuff with Choc Pop! If you haven't looked at the Lollipoppers flickr group in a while, go take a gander. You bunch a smarties. I've also been playing with the new flickr badges that you can customize for your site, so I have links to the Lollipoppers group and the Bohemian Beauties group over in the sidebar too. Too fun. Now everyone can see random little thumbnails of your creations on my site. Okay, maybe that badge thinger isn't new, come to think of it. It just takes me a while to notice stuff like that. Anyway. Ho-dee-do ramble.......ramble....hmm what else...

Oh yea, and my purlfriends also just listed all the Lollipop fabrics. They were on the second wave of shipments as the first wave in May enjoyed a quick sellout. Yay chocolate. Oh and I wanted to mention too that PurlSoho has the absolute best color representation of my fabrics that I've seen online. 'Least thats what my monitors are sayin'. They rock! Nkay. Talk soon! xo,AM

Cleansing the Palette

I spend my days in the studio accompanied by a spectrum of every type of material, consciously surrounding myself with vivid colors. I only get a break from it when I close my eyes, walk outside or take a shower and stare at the pale 1960's lemon yellow shower tiles 6 inches from my nose. Taking in the gorgeous coast was sort of like closing my eyes, taking a shower, and taking a walk all at the same time.



The first morning of our vacation I sneaked out of the house before anyone was awake to take some pictures of our temporary abode by the sea. (more snapshots of it here) I am not really a morning person, but I was wide awake and kept thinking I was missing something out there. What clean long breaths I took watching this sun come up.



With few visual distractions I noticed little things like the sandy footsteps that were already dusted onto our stairs and stomped into the beach to and from the water even though we'd just gotten there less than 24 hours before.



Everything was in layers. Steps, grass, sand, surf, waves, calm waters, sky.



It was a refreshing group of days that had me appreciating something subtle. Don't expect me to wear khaki anytime soon. But I'm coming to appreciate something quieter. Nonetheless, the quirky walls were glad to see me when I walked through our doors too, greeting us with hue and familiarity.



Like everything else, a little of something different every now and then is good.

xo,AM

Coming Down

I'm back. Not all the way back though, you know how that is. I think I might be about a third of the way down that kite string, though gravity and reality are slowly slipping the string through my grip and will soon plant my feet on the ground.

I've got bunches of beach pictures to go through. And I'll do my best to spare you the monotonous cuteness of giggles in waves, etc. There are a few images in my mind of our trip that I don't have a picture of and I've been committing them to memory so I won't forget them. Like the walk my sister and I took one evening after a huge thunderstorm. We got down to the end of the houses on the beach and the light was eerily beautiful, emanating from clouds that someone must have just finished painting with orange and pink and lavender onto the denim gray sky. It was that kind of threatening but glowing light and it made the sea look so dark but the caps on the waves even brighter like someone turned up the contrast. Then it hit us. We saw nothing. Nothing. The houses, people, lights, cars, boats, bikes, surfboards, everything was all behind us and out of view. Only sand, sky, clouds, and ocean all running along side each other to a final point we that couldn't see was in our view. We stood and looked and laughed about how one could believe that you might just fall off the end of it if you kept going. I didn't want to walk anymore, and see something that might ruin the picture in my mind. So we turned around and walked home to our families with the beauty at our backs.

More soon, nice to be home. And thanks for all the sweet anniversary words, it was wonderful. xoxo,AM

Nearly 14 years ago

There must be some mistake. 14 years? In some ways if feels longer, then again like we just met and still trying to figure each other out. We're such kids, how could we be married 14 years already?? It feels like we grew up together since I was only 20 when we wed. I love you honey.

He loved my dress. I'll never forget that. I carefully composed the design and sewing of that treasure and it was very wonderful that he kept telling he loved it. Outside of children it's most precious thing I've ever made.

Well I am signing off once again cause we are beach bound baby! We head out tomorrow for the east coast and I cannot wait!! Like the rest of the kids, Jeff and I won't be able to sleep tonight because of the excitement. We'll celebrate our anniversary during our trip. Should be quite romantic in a beach house full of 10 rowdy, sandy sunburned cousins and 7 adults taking turns at running the blender and cooking dinner. Bliss nonetheless.



I made this Marriage Rules collage a few years ago after I had made the family rules for the kids. Jeff doesn't like rule number 3, or rather he doesn't like the phrasing. He thinks it should read "Wife, be on his side"....but us wives know thats not always possible, so I think sometimes you just need to say it. Just as important. They innately know the difference, which can be both angering and helpful. So be it. The last rule negates the doubts all the rest might produce.

I wrote up a project for this collage in this month's issue of Cloth Paper Scissors, and it follows an artist feature/interview they did on little ole me. So pick up a copy if you miss me and I'll be back soon!!

Now Showing On (above) the Big Screens

How long ago did I embark on some changes in this studio space? Truth is they have been happening. Slowly. Each wall finally has its own color now and the dead non-reflective pukey-bone-grey-taupe is gone. Good riddance. Here's what I see now when I glance just above my monitors.

Oh its much cheerier. A little lineup of happiness I can change out as thoughts are brewing on new projects. It's just screw-eyes and dowels. No thinking involved, really. Also some happy pink wall baskets for some mail, stationery, magazines and such. They started out office-y metal, but soon succumbed to my spray painting ways. Anything that keeps piles of things off the tabletops is welcome.



Man, the sunlight bursting through the adjacent window makes every attempt to show the real wall color futile. Oh well. Maybe I'll try again when the light comes through a different window. As for the real color, it's sunny yellowish, straw-like and warm and pretty. There. Who needs pictures with such expert descriptions. Pshaa ;-)

xoxoAnna

Since I'll never buy one....

...I guess there's no harm in letting her look at the catalog. I've never really understood the appeal of those dolls. My suspicion is that she's having almost as much fun looking through the catalog (32 minutes now) as she might if I were to cave. Which I won't.



Not even for that one. Wow, Bunny looks interested.



Wonder how she feels about all this. Don't worry, Bunny, I'm totally on your side.

xoAM

Peeking Out

Hi, it's me. Everyone still here? Yes, this is a close up of a slightly dusty patio plant. We're just living the come-as-you-are mantra over here lately. You know, summer-ish. No plant dusting before photos falls under that category, fyi. I seem to remember some other rule I made about no flowers on the patio, just greenery this year. Oh well, this is a colored leaf not a flower.



And look at the happy home its bursting out of. I don't know what I would call this. I guess a large flower planter fashioned into a table re-fashioned back in to a planter by letting a flower, erhh-plant, grow out of it. All I did was stack any old empty paint can, block, brick, whatever I could find under the plant's container to get it to the same level as the large planter top edges. Like a toddler stacks books, chairs, boxes and toys to reach cookies. Not like a toddler, I filled in the empty space of the planter with plastic grocery bags, then covered the top in moss. I've had this iron thinger-ma-doogin around for a while and it had a center open spot to poke that flower-like plant through.

I don't know what makes me happier...my plant-y table or the simple fact that I took the time to do it. We spend so much time out on this patio that I've been giving it some more gussying lately. It's been nice to throw my sights and attention more on some things and some people over the past few weeks. I like that days are feeling a little slower. A slow day. Whats that? My work hasn't slowed down, but my attitude has, which is helpful. Work (or as I like to call it) has actually been really fun lately. I've had to do less kinda-okay stuff and more really inspiring and creative stuff. I'll share details soon! But you knew that.



You guys said the nicest things when I asked for blog-break permission. Thanks. Did I do that, ask for permission? Kinda felt like it, in a good way. I tend to mother everything and everyone and I didn't want my dear readers to think I'd forgotten them! If I had a dime for every time I thought 'oooo I wanna show them this, or wait'll I tell em that', well I'd have tons of dimes. So here's the first of the "ooo I wanna show 'em" posts. Hope summer is happy where you are today. xoxo,AM

Independent thinkers

Right to bear artist arms.


Freedom of expression.


Every color created equal.


Pursuit of happiness.


Happy Independence Day!

from the Horner kids