This milk jug just completely freaked me out and slapped me in the face really hard. Ouch.

September? Sept. Tem. Ber!?

I was perfectly happy in book deadline denial until I went into the kitchen to pour a tall cold glass of distraction. And right there, printed at just the right angle for my eyes, and in the snootiest rub-it-in-my-face font, my milk screamed September. Seriously? September is just one drink-by date away!?

Oh geez. I gotsta do what I gotsta do, and I may be a bit quiet here for another week or two to do it. Maybe a photo here or there. I almost always think of a zillion things to blog when I decide I need to not blog for a bit. I'll try to keep a list & get to them after my deadline....ooohpp-no, no I won't, I don't have time to keep a list. You see, there I go.

Be back soon.

(It should be noted that, sell-by dates aside, the milk is likely a much better choice of book-writing fuel for a nursing mother than all the late night hooch snacks that got me through the first book. I am learning.)

xo, anna

3 months

I should begin this meeting with the bottom lip. This is Roman's bottom lip. Should you begin a conversation with Roman when he's not quite ready for your face or the sounds coming out of your loud mouth he does this bottom lip thing. To all of us. Even me, his favorite. In certain situations (like singing to Prince really weird right in his face) the bottom lip will turn out even further and then his whole face turns into a big red crying raisin. But usually after some intense bottom-lip-thinking on his part......



...his face turns into this, for only the fortunate. If you're stupid enough to get really excited about the smile, and show such in a squeal or any other abnormal sound you might be right back at the bottom lip again in a split second. This is just one of the emotional adventures of a 3 month old. I have unfortunately pointed out the phenomenon to the other children and a favorite thing to do now is see if they can freak him out enough to cry. I know. Not cool.



So I've been trying to encourage his other tricks. Like holding stuff. He will give you a huh?-look when you put something in his hand, and think about it very intently.



About five minutes later , since he doesn't know how to let go of the object, it occurs to him to look down at the noise that thing in his hand is making and then hit himself in the head with it a few times. Then we're back to where we started with the evil siblings trying to give him objects that he'll hit himself in the head with (I should state that its mostly just one or two of them, who shall remain nameless, that do this, while the others come to Roman's rescue before things get out of hand). It's all just a lot of silly fun, and he has no idea that he is the only human on earth who can get such laughs out of his siblings. Belly-aching, falling over, rolling in the floor, tears in the eyes laughs. All because he hits himself in the head with a rattle. He's a comedic genius.



My personal favorite is when holding a rattle turns into the elliptical-trainer-marching-band-style-all-four-limbs-going-at-once thing. I love it. Like he had know idea how exciting life could be. Just wait little one....

Oh- and the quilt-in case someone asks-just nine log cabin blocks made into a square quilt, about 38x38", made with Good Folks when I was pregnant. We use it as a floor quilt for him all over the house. Now that he's rolling over, he LOVES sitting up on his forearms and having a good look at the prints. I should have gotten a picture of that too, but I think I've indulged plenty today!

xo,AM

Sometimes I Stitch

And stitch. And stitch. I then I go off to do other things but I think about stitching as I'm doing the other things. Then I finally get back to stitching after I've done other things for about seven minutes.



When I'm stitching I'm not emailing. I'm not texting. I'm not talking. I'm not writing. Not negotiating. Not invoicing. Not shipping. Not receiving. Not cutting. Not even sewing. I'm stitching.



I don't know what I would do without it. I'd go do the other things, I guess, and maybe be just a little less happy. I dare say I would know myself less, too.

Stitch, I love you, don't ever leave me.
your friend, Anna

last light tonight

A shower, one last nursing for the night and then I'm calling it.

goodnight, anna

Greg + Amy (+ Amy's Granny) Are So Cool

**

We recently sent some Studio Scraps to a very happy customer who let us know (in the customer comments section, no less) that she would be using said scraps as part of her wedding decor. We couldn't have imagined it more beautifully, and I was thrilled to receive images of the wedding.

**

Looking through the photos, (which you can find more of at the photographers' website-stunning!) it was evident that every piece of this day was put together with love....from this image of Amy's Grandmother imparting her wisdom to the guests....

**

...to the gorgeous quilts made by Amy's great-grandmothers and aunts that softened the hay bales seating everyone.

I'm pleased as spiked wedding punch that my fabrics were the teeny-tiniest part of such a day.

Perfect. Run off and be happy now, you two gorgeous people!

xo,Anna

**all photos by thenichols and used with permission :: wedding also featured here

A Change

To avoid eye-rolling and a verbal lashing I had to secretly shoot this through a window (and a few trees). To be fair it was a virtual 100 degrees yesterday and that tire jack wasn't the only cranky thing out there. They may still retroactively kill me for this. Its just that I think they'll also thank me one day. Not entirely the point, really, but I'm thanking me for taking these photos.

I have my favorite capture of Summer 2009 (although this one is a tie for first).

What's yours? Photographed or remembered.....

xoxo,Anna

Handmade Beginnings...

photo by angela crutcher

......is the name of my next book. And this book is the project that has had me captivated for almost a year now (and has had me dropping hints either with words or pictures here, here, here....hmmm here, oh and here too.)

Last September while working with my publisher on the second book concept (yes, before the first book was even published-it often works like that) I learned that I was pregnant. I found myself even more inspired to make the book that I'd already had thoughts and some sketchbook scribbles about. Even earlier, as I wrote Seams To Me, I kept thinking of another book that could be devoted solely to welcoming a baby into the world- a book that would celebrate the anticipation, the arrival, the mother, the father, the siblings and give everyone in the baby's life, including the baby, of course, a place and a project.

I have so many feelings about motherhood that are intermingled with feelings about making, and I find the joy that arrives out of each endeavor, to be from the same place perhaps. Its with this spirit of wanting to create things that are good, that are useful, that are beautiful, that are nurturing and loving that I've been developing, writing, sewing and working. Both my belly and my baby have been my muse as I write for maternity projects, baby projects. My family and my home have been my bare canvas, as I write for older sibling projects and nursery projects that will help to welcome a new life into the family home.

How many people do you know that jump at the chance to make something from her hands when she learns a loved one or even someone she barely knows is expecting a baby? I know many! And I am writing this book as much for the aunt, sister, grandmother, adoptive mommy, foster mommy, best friend, or neighbor who loves to sew for others just as much as I am writing it for the pregnant mommy who loves to sew for herself. Its a book that I hope stays on your shelf as an inspiring resource to reach for every time you receive that wonderful piece of news that always makes you smile....the news of new life waiting to meet you. I've been wanting to spill these beans forever it seems, and so glad that I have you to spill them on- mean it. I can't wait to share the book with you! Oh, which won't be until Spring 2010, but you're patient, right?

Now I have a bit of -uhem- new life making a ruckus in the other room, so I better scoot before he loses patience with me.

(and thanks for all the 37 love!) xoxo, Anna