Inspired

While I was making this with quilt rulers and fabric....



Eleni was beside me making this with quilt rulers and crayons.



And somehow, looking at both, I was hungry for this. Inspiration is funny. This is your window in to where design meets sugary marshmallow cereal. And crayons. Happens nearly every day here, actually.

You've also been given the sneakiest peek of a very tiny portion of my newest fabric collection (which, yes, along with many features includes some solids!). I would call the new fabrics a family rather than a collection, as its varied, related, sprawling and non-stop on inspiration. Total reveal next week!

For now, I need to exit the studio and clean house as we prepare for Roman's Baptism tomorrow and the 90 or so closest friends that will share it with us. Right after the triple-dunk festivities, I imagine I'll be right back to sample sewing for market, continuing work on 3 new sewing patterns, and wrapping up photography for book 2. Whew. Who wants to slow down with me? Me, Me!

Have an inspired weekend! xoxo, Anna

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But I don't want to use my time wisely

Each and every early morning for a few weeks, as I lay in the dark nursing Roman, while the rest of the house is still quiet, I think about pockets. Not side pockets or lined pockets or any other kind of pocket that fun. But pockets of time. I visualize our day in pockets of time, and what can be accomplished in each. Then I further think what else could be accomplished simultaneously if I plan, delegate and think hard enough about it. Thinking this way during the nursing pocket has proved very productive. The book is written. Still loads to do, naturally, to be completely done with photography, and all else, but I am so glad I can say that it is written.



We had a weekend in South Carolina recently to celebrate my sister's wedding, and we had a pocket of time to visit with some friends we hadn't seen in way too long. Though we needed to head home we chose to linger a bit longer and visit them at their temporary home on the lake. All of our children (11 between us) buzzed around the water in canoes, rode bikes in the breeze, fed bagels to the cat (bad idea, I think) while the moms and dads had coffee by the water. Because I wasn't at home, I didn't feel the pull into the studio that I normally would have, but just existed there for a while with everyone and didn't ask one thing of myself. The only thing I got accomplished in that pocket was nothing. It was the wisest use of time I've had all summer.

Flipping through the pictures of our visit several days afterwards, I realized that summer has come and gone. In that time, Isabela has lost a few inches of the dress that was made for her at Christmas, and she is edging dangerously near to becoming elegant. So sure-footed and curious. And after her begging me (again) last night to cut her hair short, that photograph means entirely more to me than it might have otherwise. It's her eight year-old summer-bleached blowing hair that is likely to be gone here very soon. At least a hundred little changes like that have been happening with everyone and I'm afraid I can't keep up, name, photograph or elaborate on them all. I needed to make a note here. Just to stop for a moment and write a little postcard to myself. I'm not really sure where this post is going. With Summer, I suppose. Away.

xo,Anna

My boys

One of these boys makes deadlines so much easier and one of them makes deadlines, umm, uhh, less easy. I love all four of them. Erhh two of them. (Well, I do love all four of my boys, its just the other two are at school right now, so of course I was talking about the two in the mirror. I might be the only human who could make it this confusing.)

I am so so so so so so close to being finished I can taste it. I don't know what it tastes like, but it seemed like I should say something like that for you to know what I mean.

Oh and Roman in jeans. I have mixed feeling about babies in jeans. I feel guilty for putting this stiff fabric on his sweet soft body (even the softest denim is still denim) but I also can't stand his little diaper butt in jeans. It overwhelms me with cuteness almost to the point of having to look away. Can't stand it.

Okay~have a wonderful long, long few days of sweet summer and I will see you on the other side of the weekend and my deadline!

kisses & cute babies to you (better than hugs), Anna Maria