San Diego Sewing Reflection

Looking back on the pictures from our trip, so many pictures of fabric and sewing projects stare back at me from the screen. Oh what a glorious amount of sewing was done! And stitching in the quiet hours at night or in the early morning - so much time for reflection and appreciation on where we were and what we were experiencing. 

The picture above was taken during a late night of sewing little adventure pants (quick change trousers) for my baby boy. I wish I had captured this space in better lighting, but I am truly glad to have captured this space in at least one picture. 

My dad had moved around furniture in preparation of us coming so that I could have my own little sewing space to create. My dad's thoughtfulness never ceases to move me. So I took advantage of his rearrangement and worked this corner - and I mean worked it. 

Looking at the collage of projects completed or started, it makes me so happy to have worked on them in San Diego with the family around. Those items will always carry those memories. Finding fabric with my dad for mom's quilt. My mom standing over me as I put the blocks next to each other and saying, "oh that's nice Karis".  Stitching on the little abc sampler  and my dad coming to check on each new emerging letter. And Liam's little bear pillow. How Ross broke it in for Liam during a family movie that we were all watching together. Isn't it funny - how objects hold such memory. How there are memories attached to handmade items. How they take us back to a time and moment made during their creation. Amazing! This gift that we not only give to our loved ones, but that we give to ourselves.

 And I must not forget Liam's quick change trousers. Liam went everywhere in his little trousers! How wonderful it was to see him experiencing life with loved ones in his mama made pants! I cherish each little stain his adventures have left on him. From BBQs, to grass and leaf exploration, visiting with friends over tea, to adventures in the garden with Papa. Oh these little pants have been on adventures with him! And that is the best kind of sewing in my opinion! 

So we are back home on the Island right now, and I have been busy trying to keep my hands busy, because when there is time to stop and think about the family we left in San Diego, it makes my heart hurt. So I am keeping my attention focused on finishing up one out of two projects left for Liam's birthday. And oh how exciting it is! Things are really coming together, and I can't wait to celebrate this little boy's first journey around the sun.  

Aloha and Happy Thursday everyone! 

Endings

 Oh how bittersweet it was to say goodbye to the San Diego family and come back to the Island. The last weekend that we spent together held such an amazing energy. All differences put aside - it was like everyone was on their best behavior in order to truly enjoy each other this one last time.

The entire family headed over to the San Diego Wild animal park and we got to go and take the little tram that takes you to see the large section where all of the animals are free to roam. Oh Liam's face - the way it light up when he saw those animals. His little "Oooooh - whooooaaaas". Oh be still my heart! 

San Diego got hit with a storm so by noon it was really coming down hard. We tried to go and see more of the animals - but all of the animals were seeking sanctuary from the rain, so we took our cue from nature and followed suit. 

After a brief rest, there was a cook out with every good thing to eat and then family games followed by a movie. This was my favorite day. My favorite moment of our entire vacation.  There is something so wonderful about loved ones gathering for food, and a time of togetherness that makes such lasting impressions in my mind. So much nurturing going on. Both for the body and the soul. 

This picture is one of my favorite pictures. Dad and Liam playing on the ground with his little puzzle before we left for church. Dad telling Liam the sounds of the animals and admonishing him to not throw the pieces, but to place them nicely in his basket. These two became such fast friends. As I knew they would.

And finally, while the house was asleep that last Sunday night, I finished my abc sweetie pie sampler. The last stitch went in. How apropo that it would be a safari animal seeing as how some of our favorite memories happened at the Zoo and Wild Animal Park. All of my goals for Liam's birthday corner are finished and awaiting assembly. I will always remember that his abc sampler and bear pillow were completed in San Diego - our home away from home - filled with so many loved ones. Filled with family and laughter and joy. Oh so so much joy. 

Endings - life is so full of them I want to tell my little boy. So enjoy each season as they come to you. And be joyful and bask in the love surrounded by you. For there is so so much love. And we are oh so blessed. 

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

 ~ Mary Oliver from The Summer Day. 

10 Things

Two weeks into my goal of posting at least three posts a week and I am already behind! But that's alright! It's a process! And I hope to get better and better. We made a trip up to Bakersfield to visit with some friends of ours and the friends that we were staying with didn't have internet access. Which was hard because we were unplugged. But it was also wonderful because we were unplugged. 

Lately I've been really into lists. We played a list game on our trip up and down.  Topics for this little game were: 

Ten things you loved eating

Ten things you were blessed by

Ten things you want to remember 

Ten things you want to forget 

So in the energy and memory of that amazing trip, I want to include this game in this space. 

The topic is: Ten things make me oh so happy right now! 

1. This age. Liam is finally able to play with little figures. The picture above is at the Natural History Museum and we stopped to discover the dinosaur figurines that were there.

2. Amber Baltic Teething Necklaces. Oh my! How this little piece of wonderfulness has made a difference! We were having such a hard time with his teething and when Ross mentioned it on Facebook, a bunch of our friends told us about it. We got ours from here if you're interested.  

3. Mama mades on this little boy. These pants have taken him on so many different adventures during this trip. How wonderful it is to watch him learn and grow in a piece of clothing that you made for that very purpose!

4. Fabric for new projects. Those two cream prints are going to be the background for this project. I am looking forward to starting it as soon as Liam's birthday corner projects are complete. I've missed embroidery so much! 

5. New DS fabric to add to the log cabin blocks I am working on for my mom's quilt. 

6. Learning to let go of project goals and just enjoy moments that you find yourself in. My mom's quilt was suppose to be finished before the end of this trip. I had to let go of that goal when I found myself getting stressed out. I was putting in a lot of hours into this and it was pulling me away from spending family time - which is the reason that we came out here in the first place! Oh how wonderful it is when we are able to let go in order to embrace something new. 

7. Stationary! Cute stationary! Oh how I have missed this! I have been taking weekly trips to Barns and Nobles and my collection of cute little notebooks is growing! Did you know that Katie Daisy art work is now available there? Wow! I am a bit slow on the scene but I am so glad I was able to get this little padfolio. 

8. This book.  I was wandering the aisles of Barns and Nobles one day and this book title caught my eye. Blogging has been such an amazing space to document my creative journey - and since having Liam, those wonderful small precious moments that I just don't want to forget. This book is wonderful because it introduces you to amazing bloggers and also gives you tips on making your blogging space even more welcoming. If you're interested in checking it out, I got mine at Barns and Nobles but you can also get it here. 

9. These colors. My dad's garden is bursting with this vibrant shade. Oh how I can't stop taking pictures of them!

10. And lastly - these feet. These little leather shoes were found at a baby trader thrift store for three dollars and oh how they have been used lately. Liam started taking steps while he was on this trip. This seems to be his rhythm. Waiting for a visit with grandma and papa in order to show off his milestones. He did the same with crawling and sitting up. And the same goes for walking. Oh this little boy of mine. How much joy you bring! This season is such a wonderful time!

Are there ten things that make you happy? I'd be so blessed if you'd share them with me.

Gratitude

Gratitude. Nine letters out of Twenty-six. One word out of the millions we have in the American English lexicon.  Such a small word for so loaded a concept.

This journey through motherhood... what an eye opener it is. I feel like only now I understand how much a parent gives up when they choose to have a child. One of my favorite quotes about parenthood that really embodies that sacrifice was stated by Elizabeth Stone. She said,

"Making the decision to have a child - its momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart walking around outside your body." 

You're never really the same again once you become a parent - are you? All of your wants really get pushed aside so that this little person that depends wholly on you will thrive. Parents are like the ground that seed grows in. Giving so much of itself, of it's nutrients, of it's life force, so that this one little seed can grow into what it was meant to be. So that it can flower and shine.

Oh life - how beautifully painful in all of your life's lessons.

So what does gratitude have to do with all of these deep musings?

Well, Liam was sick during our stay in San Diego and my mother stood like a sentinel beside Ross and I as we treaded through these new and ground breaking waters. And break us it did. But in a good way. It broke us in the areas that were still single and apart and fused the pieces into one working functional unit.

Through cleaning, and laundry, and meals, and being in the care giving rotation at night so that one of us could rest - how humbled I am by my mother. How much parents know and how they are like a fountain of wisdom to draw from. It almost makes me ashamed of thoughts I had growing up when I wanted to be anything but my parents (ever think that?).  But now that I am a parent... oh how much they are valued in their life's experience. I don't mean to write this to say that I will model my parenting in a cookie cutter version of my parents - but more so that I will be able to use their knowledge and expertise as an amazing reference book that I can pull from the shelf to learn and to glean from. How wonderful to have access to that power house of information. It makes me question if I take advantage of their wisdom enough. And in return - am I showing my gratitude towards them. Not just for their advice - but for their perseverance in their parental journey. In their failures that led to learning experiences that eventually yielded triumphs.

I am so blown away by how much parents give. I am so humbled by the way my parents have taught me, and are teaching me through their example.

Can you feel it mom? Can you feel how bowed down I am with gratitude? How much love is here?

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

A new project in the air

My mom has been requesting a quilt for her bed, her king sized bed I might highlight, and I finally picked some fabric up and started cutting.  I went to Joanns and pulled all of the DS fabrics I could find.  I just love the bright colors that Denyse Schmidt uses and I know that the cottons will be of good quality.

I first learned about Denyse Schmidt's fabrics and how beautiful they are from Chase, author of quarter inch mark,  one of my favorite bloggers. The way that Chase uses fabric is so vibrant and full of life. And that was one of mom's requirements. "I want a quilt that is happy! I don't want any sad colors in my quilt!" I think these fabric choices fit that bill - don't you?

I want to make a quilt like this one because it's familiar territory for me and a lot of fun to sew up, but I'm not sure if I have enough of a variety of fabric to really make this quilt seem special.  But we will see because I've started cutting and I am going full steam ahead with this project. I'm going to do a test block and see how the block plays out. Crossing my fingers!

And here we have it. I think we have a winner. Please excuse the wayward threads - don't know how some snuck into my picture! =) I like how playful the colors are. The feel of the block is exactly what I'm looking for. Originally I was going to put sashing like I did in my last one, but I think this quilt will look better without.

Also, I think that the composition will look better as a throw. A fun, wacky, throw quilt to watch movies with. I asked my mom if I could down size her quilt (with the promise to make her another quilt using different fabrics and a different pattern) and got the ok.

Isn't it funny how projects change so dramatically than the original ideas in our heads? Or is it just me? Am I the only one who starts off with something in mind, only to change it when the fabric and the blocks emerge? I think that it is wonderful - the way projects speak. I feel more of a crafter in those cases. Like I am merely helping to create something that is aching to be in existence. Projects can be a bit bossy at times in my opinion. =)

So with those changes in mind,  I will be pressing onwards with this project. I'm excited to see what I will find when another few blocks emerge!

Happy Sewing!

Oh the places we will go!

We have been busy taking Liam to a lot of places that I grew up going to. It has been such an amazing experience looking at my familiar haunts through his squeals and fat baby fist pumps. Oh sweet boy how I love you so! 

If you are ever in the San Diego area I must recommend going to Seaport Village. It is such a nice place for walking and shopping!

My sister also introduced us to the indoor playground, My Kids Club House. Liam had so much fun in this little place. He really enjoyed playing in the kitchen area.  My mind is already whirling for his second birthday in which I want to get him this and set up an area for some dramatic play. It is never too early to start planning right?!

When Ross and I were relaxing at the end of the day  I asked him what his favorite part of the day was.  He answered with this big smile on his face, "being able to play with Liam." Oh my heart! It's moments like this when I realize how blessed I am. This sweet man works so hard and gives up so much so that I can be home with our son. I hope that I never take the time that I have to play and to teach and to create with and for our son for granted. Thank you thank you thank you!

We were invited to our friend's annual neighborhood Summer Fun party and oh how they know how to party! There was BBQ and ice-cream and soda and fireworks. The smell of sunblock mixed with grass and tangy BBQ sauce perfumed the air as we visited on throw blankets and watched the kids play. Oh summer how I love you!

 The evenings have been devoted to working on this little sampler. It is so nice to be able to slow down and stitch and remember about the blessings of the day. And oh how many blessings there have been! Is there anything better than this little boy laughing, and family, and good food and familiar and loved places? Oh summer I hope you go on and on and on!