Cold Coffee Friday

So its only fair that I give you a more realistic photo of my life every now and then. And since today is the first day of the kids' fall break, realism is hitting me like a freight train.... a freight train with five monkeys aboard. In anticipation of my mom visiting this weekend, I darted here, there, and everywhere around the studio to tidy up, fold laundry, and prepare for a weekend of making. She's been in Greece with my dad for a few months so there is lots of making to catch up on! I did watch my step this time. Remember the last time I was quickly tidying up in the studio in anticipation of fun?



So this is what the studio bed looks like on a more typical basis. As much as I would like to romantically convey this nook to be a spot for resting my overworked creative mind, it truly is a laundry hub most of the time. Laundry is just one of those things that becomes a nightmare in this house of seven if you let it go too long. In a weird way, I don't mind it an awful lot...the folding party anyway, its the putting away I hate. I also figured out that I have a very low tolerance for folding whites....they're just so boring. My favorite, or least annoying, is folding the little girls' silly colorful duds. They're so much cuter than everything else and makes the whole chore easier to tolerate.

Main point here, just about the only reason I can get housework done, is to clear my mind and conscience so that I can get to something more fun. Leaving too much undone around the house, and instead working on a project, is sometimes like trying to ignore a smelly baboon tapping you on the shoulder as he clears his throat. Oh thats a weird analogy.

Anytime my mom comes to visit, it is a ceremonial given that we will spend the time either gardening, home-improving, sewing, knitting, crocheting, or shopping. The shopping would usually only be for whatever items we need to do all of the above. She is the single only other person on earth who will team with me in a decsion to repaint a living room on a whim starting at 9 in the evening.... or rebuild a staircase, until Jeff thinks I'm doing it wrong and he takes over (it's kind of this trick I play).

This weekend we have stacks of not only laundry but other projects lined up waiting for us. My Juliana has requested and adorable new frock, the style of which she keenly picked up on in Lucky magazine. The fabric and buttons are bought, we just need to measure her and get to work. We'll start with sketching out just exactly what she wants and then proceed to the part where she is convinced I'm screwing the whole thing up until its done and then she'll barely eeek out a prompted and obligatory "thaaank you mooom".

So getting back to the other conversations that were happening between this and this, there was so much chatter going on the the studio last night that I could barely hear over the fun. But it produced another playful patchwork that will also follow the same big plans as this one. Although, those big plans happen to be for some little people.



But grant the weekend for mom and I to realize these mini dreams, and I will share more next week!!

OH!! And why cold coffee?? Those are days in the studio when the mere enthusiasm of what I am doing makes me forget about the usually very necessary cup of coffee. Would make a good mocha milkshake later though, as we celebrate ourselves and our creations.
xoxo, Anna