Gee, thanks Mom!

Scrappy Birthday to me!

My sweetie-pie Mommy sent me the gorgeous Quilts of Gee's Bend book for my birthday, and I keep getting up from my work to go look at it. It's like a bag a of Doritos being on the other side of the room. Well, better than that. What good timing, too as I was just about to share my scrap bookmarks with you. So in the fabric-saving-and-using spirit, here is my little scrap inspiration for today.



They are every bit as simple as they look:
* 2 rectangles of fabric, in any size you like, sewn right sides together with 1/4" SA
* leave one of the short ends open, clip the two sewn corners, turn right side out
* one rectangle of double-sided heavy fusible that is 5/8" smaller in width and 1" smaller in length than the fabric rectangles.
* folding the interfacing lengthwise first makes it easier to insert it snugly
* after getting the interfacing in place, fold in the open end and press entire bookmark both sides
* I added colorful running stitches with perle cotton for some home-yness (sp?)



I have to admit to not being much of a reader, I never have been. Always more of a skimmer, picture looker through my art books, etc. I do think writing a book (and this blog) has changed that a bit. So I've digested a diverse group of enjoyable reads this summer and I confess to pleasingly pairing up the bookmarks with the bookcovers. Go figure. Something about holding the warm soft fabric in my hand as I read is comforting. Most likely a baby-blankey-memory-thingy.



So if you have lots and lots of this, and not the time to make a giant quilt, maybe a little scrappy bookmark will do the trick for now. Oh! Speaking of giant quilts, I finally decided that I needed to say goodbye to that comfy bed here in the studio in favor of a design wall for making quilts (notice a white background in that first pic up there). I know! Sad, right? I hate not having that little luxury in here, but it was the only way to fit in a large open design space that I need. I do think I'll be able to situate a comfy armchair for hand-sewing and reading with soothing bookmarks in hand in it's place. More on all that soon enough!

xoxox, Anna Maria

There, that's Better

Hullo.
Hope everyone is having a great week!

As August approaches I wanted to mention a mention that many of you have already mentioned to me! (hi, thanks!) Better Homes & Gardens did a little Stylemaker blurb on me in their August issue and I am more than honored to be part of such a favorite magazine. And a very pretty issue at that! While the mag feature is just one page, from there they cue a 16 page slideshow a la Moi at their website that points to several of my free patterns, products, that many of you dedicated (sweetly wonderful) readers are familiar with. But a bonus is that it also points to the "blossom" pin cushion pattern that I did for their Quilts and More publication this spring, making it available to any of you who missed that issue. Hooray! I've added the slideshow link to my sidebar over there for you.

I've been working on several new little projects that'll be available to you here soon, one of them being a step-by-step for the fabric covered magazine organizer boxes shown in the article. I also have two new projects brewing that are perfect for your scrap box.

In other news, my dear Nicolas just told me that it costs 2 cents to make a penny. He's usually right about such things and both the idea of it and him sharing it made me laugh.

xoxo,AM

And Rain on Friday

How did he know that's what I wanted to do today too? Such a smart dog. I guess rain has the same effect on King Leo the VI. Though I'm fairly certain that sun, partly cloudy, partly sunny, snow and hail all have this effect on him too.

Thanks for all the nice color comments on my last post. I don't mean to imply that I ignore color theory. I adore color theory and play with abandon. The colorwheel spins in my brain subconsciously as I compose. I very often go with an obvious pairing, but add a variation for interest, or intentionally choose something "wrong" to add some depth. I also don't subscribe to calling the typical harmonious pairings rules so much as I think of them as scientific suggestions of what happens when combining. I'm also convinced that everyone's eyes actually see color slightly differently. No research to point to other than my sister and I spending about 20 minutes in a fabric store discussing (arguing) the properties of a certain purple-ish fabric that she felt was more blue/cobalt and I felt was periwinkle/lilac. We finally shut up when I suggested our eyes were wired differently (even though it was periwinkle).

A few of you asked for the color in the living room which is actually a Porter color called Green Wave. Green? It did look pretty green right up until I painted on the wall. I was searching for something aqua-ish...but non-intrusive...like if a color could actually act like a neutral, that's what I was looking for. Our wood floors have such a warm orangey/honey hue that the walls look blue because of the compliment contrast with floor. Had the floors been red.....the walls would look more green. See? I embrace color theory. We're bff's.



Okay, okay, I get it. Apparently color chat puts him into a deep sleep.

wishing you a restful weekend. xoxox,Anna

Living (with) Color

What is it that I'm thinking about when I throw all this stuff together, be it a fabric collection, a room or a single pillow? The answer might be the subject of a book one day, but for now, all I know is that in all those instances and more the process is just the same. Does it interest me? Have I seen it before? Does this feel new? Am I comforted by it? Would I wear it if it were a dress? Would I hang those colors on my wall? Am I cheered by this? These are the types of questions I ask myself when I am working at developing palettes and prints.



Sometimes looking at a combination like the pillow above, I think of my personal favorite color Q&A:

What makes a group of colors go together?

I do.

I know you would have enjoyed the look on my color theory professor's face when I answered with that 17 years ago. Back to today, I feel exactly the same way, only a bit more experience with the mix.

I had hoarded that center vintage barkcloth for months waiting for a good way to use it. Then for reasons that I'm not sure I can explain, that fabric seemed to marry the two moods of Garden Party and Drawing Room so well, that I created one big happy family with a pieced pillow. Now the feel of that single pillow has inspired a few other acquisitions for the living room.



I have really been enjoying working my new fabrics into the house and as a confessed serial wall painter I am about to make some more changes around here. I've been living with this blue in the living room for a few months and I am finally getting to know it better. The color feels just like water to me and always makes me want to put fresh flowers against a bare spot of it. The ceramic lamp I recently found at an antique shop and sometimes when we're watching movies it just decides to shut off. Then on. This doesn't bother me for some reason.



I have been on the hunt for small yellow vases to add to a few that Jeff's Grandma gave to me. No particular sort in mind, just that they be small and vaguely yellow. Guess what? Yellow vases are VERY hard to find! So whether I'm flea marketing, thrifting, or new goods shopping, I keep my eyes peeled. It's actually become like this thrilling challenge since they seem to be few and far between. The fact that it excites me so much when I find one, makes me wonder if I'm getting enough oxygen, but no matter. Pretty yellow vases.



Or pretty yellow tie backs sometimes can ignite the same happiness! Flea Market find.



So much happiness that the second of the pair has been sitting on the floor all day because I couldn't wait to take a picture of the first. I made two new curtain panels out of this print, and I am so happy with how cozy they make the room feel. I'll show you a room shot one day soon.



And what makes this vintage light fixture go with the rest of the room?

ME.

more soon, xo,Anna

Promised Postcards

First Morning



6:50 a.m.



Sun Glowing Grass



Gently Rolling



Front Row Seats



Gathering Storm

I warned you about the sky, sea, sand redundancy, but I found it all quite palatable.
Make a cutout of yourself and dance it along the computer screen or just close your eyes and listen for the waves.....can you hear it?

xoAM

Picking Time

If I could send a blossom-y gift to everyone of you, please believe that I would. Enough dreaming, let's get to it shall we? Here are the four winning party-goers with their comments and time posted:

Mo said....Seriously? I have to pick just one?! They are all lovely and they work so nicely together. Your daughters are just beautiful too! If I had to narrow it down to one it would be guest of honor in ice. Fanfare in gold and tablecloth in ice are close seconds though. at 12:45pm

Heidi Ann said...Hi Anna, "Social Climber" in teal, is my very favorite fabric, but they all are simply lovely!...Congratulations on such an "uplifting collection of prettiness"!...heidi XO. at 9:55pm

The Georgia Peaches said...Well, I can't just pick one! I like Centerpiece in the turquoise and olive colorway and Social climber in the green colorway. The little outfit you made in your fabrics is so cute. at 12:29am

Big Red Barn said...You know, I just don't know which facet of you is more inspiring to me. Your fabrics, your home and projects, or the fact that you are mother to 5 beautiful children! I am 9 months pregnant with baby #3 and frankly looking forward to #4 and maybe even #5. Your fabrics have me itching to sew every time I look at them and the vibrant color and creativity in your home makes inspires me to liven things up around here. Oh how I wish you lived in Birmingham, AL so I could have your over for a play date with the kids and a tall glass of lemonade. You seem like so much fun!

Send me those addresses you lucky winners! (and big red barn, birmingham isn't far and I love lemonade, especially the vodka kind, wink)



Congratulations and my sincerest thanks for all the encouragement and excitement for this lovely craft of designing, sewing, sharing and friendship. All of my favorite things, that wouldn't be nearly as gratifying without your charming and uplifting visits here. One comment that I can't forget is about the Social Climber Ice being "so pretty it makes me want to cry". Oddly enough I was completely flattered by this and totally understood the sentiment. I think that if I can create an emotional response, happy or sweetly sad, simply by putting color to cloth that I am in a fortunate place in the world. I allowed myself imagining the "cry" to be a good one...one that feels a yearning for something soft and comforting and a bit nostalgic. These are the thoughts I had as I composed those colors. Making people cry is not my goal, but I was touched by the idea that someone completely "got it", if you know what I mean. I know you know what I mean.



Now before you go off into a corner crying because you didn't win, I have been working away at lots of ways to continue sharing ideas and inspirations for this line. Here's a few:

*the Garden Wall Quilt pattern is over there and ready to download
*the Garden Party Sewing flickr group is set up and awaiting your amazing creations
*our shop is now loaded with Garden Party everywhere, including new rugs!
*and of course if you want fabrics by the yard online, some of my favorite spots like purlosho, sewmamasew, jcarolinecreative, and pinkchalkfabrics already have some listed...more on my find page (which is about to be updated again)

There are many, many other little and not so little projects that I've been working on for you with this line, so stay tuned!

have a super good night, with my love and thanks, xo,Anna

Party Crashing

I'm here. Vacation was so so wonderful and much needed and you know how the transition goes, its a bit painful. I will be boring you at some point soon with beach photos bc I took a bajillion of them. Mostly of sand, water and sky. But then there are also some of just sand and water, still more of just water and sky. Oh and clouds too. Lots of clouds. I'm just warnin' ya.

So I came home to this roaring party and feel like I missed all the fun! Okay, not quite. I've had a blast reading all (ALL) those comments! Thank you so much for all the generosities you left me! I apologize for the comment blipping that was going on! Geesh! Blogger flipped out at times and sent out error messages saying they didn't post, yet for the most part they were posting anyway it seems. This resulted in a lot of duplicates, and I've been weeding them out (ha! in the garden!) today to make the random drawing as random as possible. I am sorry if you tried, gave up and never got a comment posted. Wish we weren't subject to the imperfections that happen with this service, but for now it'll have to do.

I'll keep the commenting open till midnight tonight, then meet me here tomorrow to see if you're one of the 4 lucky winners (in honor of my fourth fabric collection!) Winners will receive the favorite(s) they listed along with some companion fabrics.

Hoorah. What a joy it is to have you guys to come home to. xo, Anna

A proper introduction (which is kinda long, but I'm giving something away at the end so I would read it if I were you)

Now that bits and pieces of my newest fabric collection have spilled here and there around the internet, I thought I should formally introduce you to Garden Party! Juliana and I just finished up some new photos for the line as shown above and I am so happy with the glowi-ness of it all. I waited as long as I could in the day to have a glowing evening sunlight and came close to not having enough time for the shoot. We went to the Cheekwood Gardens here in Nashville and both ooohed and awwwed the whole time we walked around taking pics.



My thoughts for Garden Party were first and foremost inspired by the palette of beautiful things I collected as I was preparing to host a huge engagement party for an old friend last year. I was gathering flowers, cakes, linens, cocktails mixes, wines, working in the garden, and thinking ahead to what it would be like to have such an eclectic group of people in my home all to celebrate the happy couple on a sweltering hot August evening. I thought about all the elements that pull a party together, from the bouquets on the tables to the tiles on the dancefloor and the sometimes quirky, sometimes romantic combinations of different personalities meeting up for the first time. I was inspired by the optimism of the 50's and the clever swank of the 40's.



The colorways were inspired by thoughts of a sunny morning of preparations slowly growing into an afternoon of fierce anticipation and finally a night of low-lit celebration. My memories of the evening are mesmerizing...... the way the fading light intensified the gardens around our gathering and how the energy of the guests maintained through the last glass of wine. I wanted the line to be colorful, but not without mood, so I set in some deep saturated tones.



Above is the Morning Palette. I've been wanting to use this little piece of free html that attaches to a flickr set for a while. Perfect excuse and nice to not have to load all the big pic files into this post.



Above is the Afternoon Palette. You'll notice that each slide has the title and fabric style number listed below. Keep going to the right (numbered pages below icons) to see more icons in the slideshow.



And the Evening Palette. Each of the images represents about 12 x 18" of fabric. This collection is the regular lovely and versatile quilting cotton weight and 45" wide. There are a total of 44 fabrics (whew) in the whole collection. Lots and lots of possibilities!



And this is the "Garden Wall" quilt that will be available here very soon. And speaking of available, most stores will be receiving their Garden Party shipments in the next few weeks. We'll have it up in the AMShop, just as soon as I'm all rested and back from vacation. (In fact some lucky ducks have already gotten a few surprise scraps in their scrap bags!)

You know. I'll be in such a good mood by the time I get back from the beach (as opposed to all the bad moods I'm typically steaming through) that I just might feel like sending a cordial invitation, in the form of a fabric stack, for a Garden Party in your sewing studio. Perhaps to a few of you. It is a party! Anyone? Join me? Pick your favorite fabric from the collection and leave the name of it in a comment. Take your time, I'll be busy sunning my lazy bones between chasing sandy-reared children up and down the coast of South Carolina. Be back in about ten days.

I'll miss you and have fun looking, hope you love it! It is for you, after all.

xoxo, Anna

Summer in Motion

I should make clear that I can not at all take credit for the idea of a dress from a pillowcase. I've known for years of the concept, and its been filed somewhere in the dusty recesses of my brain that were thankfully swept up a bit when I came across these darling little linens. And all one would have to do, of course, is google it and find a great deal, naturally. I made this one of Isabela's in the most straightforward way. It was harder to get straightforward photographs however since she has been in almost constant motion since putting it on. The dresses seem to inspire young girls to mimic freshly washed bed linens flapping about on the clothesline in the warm summer breeze. I am certain this is the whole point. She is now a flapper. A happy little flapper.



I used a very sheer pink gingham for the drawstring straps. And I used a preppy pink cotton shirting (think button-down Polos from the eighth grade that your mom was too cheap to buy - or too smart - interject your own adjective there) for the bias edging that creates the casing on the front and back and to edge the inner armholes.



And I didn't have to do a darn thing on that gorgeous hem. Such a smashing bonus to the whole ordeal. OH. Perhaps here is where I mention that I have handwritten an instruction sheet for you that you can view by clicking here or by clicking on the Pillowcase Dress link over there under the "make this with me" section. These started out as my handwritten notes that I would then draft into fancy computer-y instructions to give to you. Then it hit me I felt more like I was writing to a penpal or a neighbor or a family member. Which is just how I want you to have this. From me to you. And of course like any friend passing a note to another, you have to forgive the scratchiness and possible typo type things. Have to.

Helloooooo!

Here I am at your back gate with my folded up piece of paper to pass over the fence to you. Come on out back and take it. (Your dog won't stop barking!) And send your girls over for cookies and juice once they're wearing one, I would love to see.

xoxo, Anna

Saturday Wash

We have risen from trash talk to laundry. It's a small yet meaningful move, and I promise there's a point to it this time.

Summer has if nothing else, so far, been a refresher course on the mere maintaining of life. Lots and lots of lives. Little dripping wet from the pool, hungry, loud, fighting, bored, rambunctious lives. Did I say lots of them? The lack of a rigid school-schedule+homework does leave the days slightly more relaxed, but my brain is more crowded as I try to keep up with studio work and the rhythmic chaos of it all. I find myself daydreaming of doing nothing but taking care of the garden, and doing wash by hand, and sewing clothes for all, and home making bread and other things that feel all but impossible currently.

So while on the hunt for something entirely different that I never found at the flea market this morning , I instead came across a way to make one little daydream come true. Lovely vintage embroidered pillowcases which will become beach dresses for the little two. (We leave next week!) I was digging to find pairs for their beds, but all the single cases were my favorite. And way cheaper. Just 1 or 2$ for most of them. The cotton is sooooo soft, and slightly sheer with wear, hence the beach dress variety plans and not the Sunday-go-to-meeting variety. Though you could line them I suppose, but perhaps then they wouldn't be cool enough for the heat.

I take so much pleasure in making something from nearly nothing and also have a bit gratitude for whoever spent the time on these handmade lovelies, years ago. Thank you, whoever you are!

I'll get them done, and share the steps with you. Hope you're enjoying the weekend! xo,AM

TrashTalk

We thought it was the fourth weekend, which is flea market weekend, only to find a gated up fairgrounds then check our cell phone calenders and finally noticed it was only the third weekend of the month. So we settled on the Tennessee Antiques Mall. You know that I have a weakness for folky-ish-things. How adorable is this little trash can? It's older than me. (I would go on to say how that's really old, but ya know, no that old.) Anyway, we have what you could call a waste management situation in this house. All the little bubs love to draw. And also to change their minds about what they should draw, just a few strokes in. I could wallpaper the Louvre in their indecision. This causes said waste management situation. I have worked on the theory with them, that no drawing is ever beyond saving, and that lots of erased lines are cool and provide "texture". Which probably explains the recent giant pile of erase-y pebbles I cleaned off the kitchen counter. Can I win? I can't win.



Back to the prettiness of this little trashcan. Ack! On the inside too! I'm pretty sure the metal is screen printed, but looks almost watercolor-ish when investigated up close. Did anyone have one like this, say, 40 years ago? And if so, did you feel like leaving it empty too? I bet a set of crayolas that it'll stay mostly empty but will be kept company by several half drawn ducks, over-erased horses, and some half graphite/half markered Jedis on the floor nearby.

Yes, I did just blog a trash can.

And look at you, you read it. Awe, I love you. xoAnna

Migration

These little birdies found their way onto Juliana's bed. If any room is a drawing room in this house, it is her's. In the most literal way. (She has forgone a bulletin board of any sort and just tacked her random renderings right into almost every inch of one 14ft. wall.)

I meant to mention the finished size of this quilt in my post the first time and never did. If you make the quilt top, add a roughly 2.5" sashing all around plus binding as the quilt is shown, you'll end up at about 69 x 84". Which covers a double matress pretty well, though, not completely over the L & R sides. Would def. reach the box spring on a twin bed. I have also gotten lots of emails requesting a fabric kit for the quilt pattern. I think that's a fab-y idea! So we're working on it. In fact I thought it would be fun to also kit up an Eccentric version too. The sample one shown is more of a Nostalgic mix with just a dash of the hotter red. Hope to have it in the shop next week. The kits will be made as they're ordered, so they'll take a bit longer than the other usually swift to take flight items.

Hey! It is officially summer today, no? Tomorrow?

Sending you sunshine, xoxo, Anna

When a mother of five goes on a business trip

I feel a refreshing sense of singularity as I pack for one.
One bag to check, and glorious independence - a carry on item.
A quiet contemplative flight. Browsing in the layover airport bookstore for "the Forger's Spell" or "The Rescue Artist". One about a famous art forgery the other about recovering Munch's "The Scream". Didn't have either so I resorted to scribbling on the second leg of the journey.
The reality of what I am about to take part in makes itself known as I hear my name called over the airport wide announcement system while I'm in the bathroom stall.
It tells me and perhaps a thousand others that my Driver is at the information desk by baggage claim. And it pronounces my name right.
After I settle into the black leather and some conversation, he says "God Bless You" when I tell him I have 5 kids. Then he tells me about driving Prince Albert of Monaco and I'm fascinated by all of it. Not 5-kid like at all.
He personally introduces me to the executive hotel staff, and security and wishes me well.
The room is modern, bright, well designed. And empty. Which for now feels fine.
About an hour in something twinges. I need to tie someone's shoe.
The cell phone keeps me busy with plans. Then with changes in plans. Then with talks to the kids. A talk to mom. A talk to my sister. (Of course to Jeff.) Then with plans again.
Then dinner out by the River Walk in the dry, dry blowing heat. I felt like I would eventually find the world's largest hairdryer that was blowing that unforgiving wind. Never did. I did think about the kids splashing in the pool the next morning at the swim meet I would be missing.
Dinner included some pals with SVP. And Martha's security guard who joked that I can't mention his name. Actually the former NYC cop wasn't kidding at all, but we had some fun conversation about his four children and one grandchild, about my 5 and we shared a hi-five when we uncovered that we were both teenage parents. Nice guy.
My bed was waaaay too big and the room was way too empty when I got back. I think it grew while I was at dinner. I also think the quiet got even more silent.
I sunk into sleep quickly without even thinking about the next day. Woke up at 5 am when I thought I heard one of the kids. Maybe I did. But fell back asleep.
Wakeup call. Without a word I brewed coffee that should have been made by Jeff.
I dressed without stopping to talk to anyone or spread butter on a blueberry bagel or apologize for toasting a plain bagel that was suppose to stay untoasted.
I got dressed and contemplated shooting a picture with the belt, one without the belt, emailing them to Juliana for a final decision. I decided against the email and the belt.
The big event went exactly as it should have. Martha was engaging and insightful and it was clear that she truly enjoyed the conversation and I sat in that chair conducting it feeling very out-of-body at the fact that I never got nervous at all. I thought about home a lot. I thought about my mom. She talked about her mom. I thought about mine. I love my mom.
A late afternoon whiskey-sour and spanish ham and cheese croquets at the hotel with my friends from SVP, I was already at home in my mind. After, I packed up in no time. Didn't have to check under the bed for socks or toys, though I took a final look anyway.
The delay in my flight granted enough time to think hard about the gifts for the kids. Its a business trip ritual. I don't think I can ever top the scorpion suckers for the boys up there.
My eyes opened to a golden headed little thumbsucker standing by my bed this morning. After a warm hoist up next to me we both fell back asleep. She got a pony princess tshirt. The other girls got tshirts too. Jeff got some bizarre Mexican goat milk caramel candy that Juliana sampled and okayed the minute she saw it.
I got a ticket home. And what a gift.
xoA

The Stars at Night

The bag is big, the necklace is bright and I'm deep in the heart of Texas. I blog, dear readers, from a hotel room in San Antonio, where I've been lassoed into doing a fun little ditty tomorrow. SVP asked me to join Martha during her appearance here at the SVP convention. Why? Hmmm. Dunno. But here's what I get to do. Sit on stage with her in a cozy setting and interview her one on one about her personal sewing history for about an hour in front of 1500 sewing machine dealers. Sounds fun enough right? Should I have said yes? Dunno that either, but you can bet I'll be reporting back asap.



As I was dashing off to the airport this morning the bag and the necklace where the last things waiting on my bedroom hooks for me. Juliana helped me pick out the necklace the other day on an all-evening shopping excursion. Isn't the detail so dainty and cool all at once? I love it. Speaking of DETAIL. I was actually told by my driver from the airport that I have security detail while here.....?..... Like I said, I'll report back. Hope it doesn't have anything to do with my recent art stealth confessions.

Oh. And the bag, just a smidgen of a glimpse of a prototype of pattern due out this fall.

Oh. Oh. And I'm listening to Edith, and painting my toenails plugged-in-plum right now.

Back soon!! xoxoxo, Anna

Art and Confessions

I've had a random string of things I've been wanting to share with you, just for kicks. And here they are in no particular order along with my personal confessions regarding each.

::1:: I have a new favorite artist (as shown in these three images) that keeps me on the edge of my seat waiting for the latest.
confession: the artist happens to live at the other end of the house.

::2:: I recently watched the best documentary ever on Marc Jacobs with aforementioned artist and was entirely too captivated by it.
confession: I was immensely interested in watching him stare at an inspiration board and think in silence. It was my favorite part.



::3:: The kids have stumbled across what could be the most fun game ever on the computer called LineRider. And there's even a cache of videos that people have produced using the game. This counts as art because you draw a path for the rider guy to ride or crash on. Way too fun.
confession: While looking up the link for the game I was sidetracked for at least 45minutes playing the stupid thing.



::4:: Yesterday, armed robbers in Brazil stole a few Picasso engravings along with a few other pieces from the Museum of Art in San Paolo.
confession: I always am captivated with the notion of stealing art....its weird, and I know its really really wrong, but the idea that someone wants famous art badly enough to steal it, and be willing to hide it and appreciate it secretly, is almost well....I dunno...cool? You'll vouch for me if I get questioned right?

Have a great weekend! xoox, Anna

Allie meet Everyone, Everyone meet Allie

There is a new face in the studio and the kids never want to see me again. Allie this. Allie that. And she's not even here to babysit. Would someone please tell the kids that she is not here to babysit!? She is here to make coffee. Erhh wait. She is here to keep me company and make me giggle and keep me from crying while setting up international shipments.



Oh no, wait...she's here to take care of all the shop orders, cut and fold stacks, answer the phone, answer some customer service emails and run errands. Oh and make coffee. Did I say that already?



Or maybe she's here to make the studio a sunnier place as that seems to have happened ever since she arrived. Wow. How does she do it all? And cuteness wasn't even a requirement yet she insists on being completely overqualified for the job in that department.

Everyone say "hello" to Allie.

xoxo, boss anna

From your Room Mom

Well I will say this. Summer with 5 children home is a bit like walking through 18 inches of molasses. Really slow, kinda sticky but sweet, nonetheless. Keep in mind this is only how I imagine walking in molasses to be and I do not speak from first-hand experience, yet I feel almost certain by the end of this summer, that could change.

Anyhoo. FINALLY something for you big buncha sweeties!! Here is your free downloadable quilt pattern designed for the Drawing Room collection. (Though, as of yet there are no Drawing Room police who would prevent you from performing these quilting tricks with other fabrics!) So enjoy please and share with me when you make one, no matter which fabrics you make it with! Look over there ------>>> in the sidebar to click and download. And please do tell me if you find mistakes! I have become so dependant on an editor, who knows what will happen without one!

If you haven't dropped in already, the Drawing Room flickr group is off to a lovely start and I would love to have some more Roomies join up so we can see what the heck you've been doing with yourselves. Oh and what you've been doing with the fabrics too, of course. It must be something, because we sure have shipped enough of it lately!!

Oh and speaking of shipping, I have someone to introduce you to...tomorrow perhaps.

N'kay, more later, I gotta go watch my sweetie race around a track tonight, which should not be a problem at all. xo,Anna

Growing, growing, but not gone

A few days ago I left the household to Juliana's charge so I could run some errands. Upon my return, as usual in the midst of studio work, I headed straight back to the studio with only a hello to any child who was in my path. A bit later I was looking for Juliana to ask her something. Shout. No answer. Shout again louder. Still no answer.



I went to her room at the other end of the house, only to find it empty. Perplexed, I dialed her cell phone which is never farther than one layer of denim from her. No answer. Weird! She wouldn't have left the house when babysitting certainly...maybe heard me come in then ran to the neighbors' without asking....not unheard of, but unusual. I used my cell phone to call the cordless house phone, thinking it must be near her. Then I noticed her laptop was still in her room. So she wasn't off downloading some music or watching runway reviews.



Once I had no help from the rest of the clan in finding her, I actually started to worry. Where on earth would she be if not reached by some means of texting, dialing, emailing or indoor shouting?



I decided to walk over next door to see if they'd seen her. I gave a faint shout outside as I went knowing full well the chances of her frolicking around outside were slim to none. But then I heard "over here!" way in the back of the property. I can't remember the last time I reached Juliana the 16-year-old 28-year-old by hollering her name in the yard. Wow. It was a relief on so many levels. I found her making a wreath from wild and garden flowers. Just because.



Naturally once I decided the occasion was more than photo-worthy, the little two found us. And the three shared crowning rituals. We played right through the radiant afternoon becoming a glowing evening and I have a vault of pictures I'll cherish forever. I was thankful. Oh how they grow.

Wishing you endless summer days of hollering your children home.
xo, AM