noelle o designs

the note

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 18:25:00 +0000

The note the kids left on the countertop in the kitchen the morning (Friday) we had to brush the sand off our feet, pack it up, say goodbye to the beach house and drag ourselves back to Utah.
The teens got up at 6:30 am for some last minute surfing, good work team members.

sharing the wave

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:12:00 +0000

Three kids, one wave. I clicked 1 second too early to get everyone standing up. I love Doheny waves.

tiny flower quilts

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:04:00 +0000

It seems like I've been cutting out circles of fabric all summer. Everywhere I go I bring a bag of scraps and some scissors, and here is why...

To make these little wall hanging quilts.

It's been years and years since I've made this kind of quilt. It's been fun putting colors and patterns together, but more fun sitting on the beach and doin' it.

open house

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:36:00 +0000

This spec home just built on Capistrano Beach, just down Beach Road from where we stay, was just finished a few months ago. We decided to take advantage of the open house going on this past weekend and do a little walk through.

The kitchen- the whole house is very modern, black (dark brown) and white, clean lines and open spaces, I like it.

Lovin' the sink in the extra bathroom but it might need Windexing daily.

The icing on the cake was the master bedroom with a cherry and whip cream on top being the master bathroom. Oh man, dream bathroom. Two sections of wall, which is made of glass, fold back in an accordion way to open the whole room to the ocean, including this section between the tub and shower (closed in the picture).

If you aren't big on privacy then perhaps this isn't the bathroom for you, anyone walking down the beach need only glance up as they pass.

I think I could do without the privacy (having kids make you change your mind about the minor technicalities of life such as nudity...) and I will likely dream about this shower/tub (indoor-outdoor option) for the rest of my life, as will my children. I need to use this as a teaching tool, "if you focus, study and do well in school and then go onto an excellent college, you may someday be able to afford a beach house with a bathroom like this one..."

baby, there's a shark in the water

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 19:04:00 +0000

Who feels like a swim?

Thank goodness for the cast cover (and the wetsuit) for not keeping this kid out of the water. It's fun to watch and listen to comments from passerbyers as they try to figure out what is going on with the blue rubber arm. I think the webbed finger aspect makes up for having a cast on your arm when it comes to paddling into waves.

A little light reading in cousin Megan's hammock.

This little fella wandered into the house and the kids easily caught him, I think he was a little dehydrated and was missing his mum. We set him free as soon as possible, he was looking too feeble and exhausted to keep as a pet for very long.

amarillo

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:19:00 +0000

The color of choice, in all things... yellow.

the next batch

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:55:00 +0000

Another batch of purses... almost ready to go, or I should say- with their faces on.

Scribble sewing on a few...

Waiting to be washed, for a more weathered looking face.

It's time for a vacation, which just means bringing my sewing machine to a different place. Going to the beach, and sewing at the beach is ALL good.

I love this town

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:51:00 +0000

Did I mention that I love my new hometown? I've been taking advantage of the summer mornings to get some outdoor fun in while things are still quiet and kids are still asleep. This morning we went for an open water swim in Deer Creek- delightful, followed by a run- not so delightful, in fact a little painful, but I got it done.

The thistle (I think that's what they are called) here, a prickly weed growing everywhere is even picture worthy, just don't try and take a bouquet home without gloves or a pair of snippers...

My mountain bike had been feeling the love too, Dutch Hollow trails are just a hop and skip from the house. I sure do love summertime in this place.

getting it together

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:15:00 +0000

Purses, put together (but without their handles, yet). It's been so long since I've made purses, and I'm not sure why- moving, procrastinating then running out of time before a deadline- you know- stuff like that. I've enjoyed the process, more than I thought I would. I should make bags more often-

For the dog lover, more Heather Ross fabric that I only have left in bits and pieces, so I have to try and make the most of it. I put some city fabric behind it, Hudson Bay to be specific (I can't remember the manufacturer...). Loads of whimsical silliness in this batch- dogs, monkeys, elephants, unicorns, loteria cards, owls, birds and bikes. If you want to get your eyes or hands on these bags you've got to come to Swiss Days in Midway Utah (Sept. 2-3) where we will making our big debut, with other sewn goodies as well, stay tuned to see just what else I'm making.

cast art

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 20:29:00 +0000

The first question one might ask is what color was the cast? The answer is green. As we left the doctors office with the brand new cast (about 2 weeks ago)F told me he wasn't going to let anyone write anything on it, ever. Oh well, so much for that plan.

Paint pens come in very handy at times like these, even better than Sharpies on fiberglass.

There should be a cast decorating contest, and the winner gets, um, let's see... all their medical bills paid!

This piece of art stays on for another week, then the doctors will take it off, take out the pins that are holding the ulna bone in place (sticking out of the skin but buried under the cast), put a short cast on and he'll be able to bend his arm once again.

The original x-ray... ouch!

lake day

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 17:42:00 +0000

We got together with the cousins at Deer Creek this weekend- everyone brought their floaties and water toys (for some this means their full scuba gear... Auntie April) life jackets and trucker hats.

...plastic bags and duct tape

When it gets too hot you'll resort to getting submerged any way you can while still keeping the cast --and the pins under that cast-- dry.

Cousins, diggin' in the sand. M has her 'pretty' bathing suit on, if it's not decidedly 'pretty' she'll discard it for another outfit, Precia (her mom) loves this. Thanks to all who planned the fun, life is complicated and busy and why do I need to get pushed out the door for an afternoon of relaxing?

A day by the water is just what we all need- that means you too.

Tie-Dye Party

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:40:00 +0000

Super Dad Steve O has been preparing for this party for weeks... he ordered all the supplies from Dharma Trading- a great resource for all things tie-dye, and they were off...

We made a trip to the local thrift store and picked up some white dyeables. We found these white pants that Q cut off and worked some magic on (go ahead and remark on the unfortunate placement of color...) she'll just be able to discern which of her friends and family are polite and well mannered from, well, the rest.

Tank top for M (from the thrift store, thank you) turned out cute with the little white beads and stitching not dyed, good work on the collared shirt too.

Team broken arm, with the job of rinsing and 'accidentally' spraying each other quite a bit too, keep the cast dry please boys.

The team above all made themselves matching rasta colored tank tops. If it were me... the tank top would fit lengthwise, once I got it pulled down around my middle. But in their case, I think we are going to have to take off an inch or two to insure it doesn't get mistaken as a skirt.

making purses

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 17:55:00 +0000

For the first time in what seems like forever, I am getting a batch of purses ready to be sewn together. It's one of those things I procrastinate because it feels like such an overwhelming project-- but once I get rolling, I can't stop. Another idea strikes me and I have to design just one more...

Occasionally, I have a panic attack thinking that I am running out of fabric, which is completely ridiculous and would likely never happen even if I didn't purchase another yard for the next 5 years. But, I am running out of the bicycle fabric going into this purse. I think it's from the Heather Ross Lighting Bugs and other Mysteries line of fabric from a few years ago. I only have a few little strips left. I kind of want to hoard what I've got left, maybe I'll hang onto a bike or two. I'm almost out of VW Vans and goldfish fabric from the same line- for those of you who remember. So stinkin' cute.

So, whoever gets this purse should feel super lucky...

It's all about the circles (and bikes and flowers), this batch of purses is full of them.

rescue heroes

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 03:10:00 +0000

I was working away in my basement 'sweat shop' (the way I lovingly refer to my sewing room when I'm under the gun/working with a deadline) when I heard something in the window well. This tiny dude had lost his way and taken a tumble. Thank goodness I heard him and was able to save his little life before he succumbed to the elements.

Q was more than willing to rescue the poor little fella. We debated putting him in a box and observing (or keeping him as a pet, whatever you want to call it...) for a little while but he was squawking away and we could hear his mama, not far away, calling back.

He took off running when Q let him go, so I never got a full body shot, dang. We need a bird book so we can look up his type- some sort of a duck, hopefully magical, and I can start using my three wishes anytime...

real issues

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 05:23:00 +0000

painted desk

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:47:00 +0000

Here is the before picture...

and the after... I finally sat down with a brush and leftover garage door paint (Martha Stewart for Home Depot- 'Hosta') and got her done. I purposely brushed it on thinly, I wanted some of the wood grain still visible without getting out the sandpaper and officially antiquing it. Looks cute, with the silver bed next to it too.

morning paddle

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:04:00 +0000

We rolled out of bed early today and got the kayaks out onto the lake. The sun was just coming up; rain (and a very impressive thunderstorm) rolled through last night and left everything shrouded in mist and feeling fresh.

Deer Creek reservoir is chocked full of water, I don't think I've ever seen the water so high. It's nice to not have to look at the high water mark around the edges of the lake.

I'm glad I wasn't swimming- in the swamp sections, I can only imagine feeling the underwater growth touch my legs and losing it. The plants were magical from above, with the pretty pink blooms.

glassy water

wild roses

Looking toward Midway... I decided to avoid getting attacked by the swans and not try and get any closer than this.

first broken bone

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 19:25:00 +0000

My dude F broke his arm at Camp Woodward in Pennsylvania yesterday. He's been a ski camper all week- working on his ski jumping, flipping and grinding skills-- loving every minute of it. Apparently, he fell hard on a box jump and broke both bones just above the wrist- ouch. It was a bit of a compound fracture (the bone sticking out) so they whisked him into surgery to make the necessary repairs and add a little hardware, I think temporary though- on the hardware. Luckily his Dad was there with him and they fly back tomorrow.

Poor fella, it's going to be the summer of the cast, no more par-core for awhile.

the next project

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:35:00 +0000

I finally found a desk for M's room (the room with the silver bed we just painted). After driving past it about a thousand times, we finally stopped into that antique store in Scipio, the one with piles of antiques and junk scattered out front- year round. Yeah, well, this desk was in the jumbled mixed on the stoop, but under a tarp. This view makes it look pretty good- I love the wood colors.

Then you get a closer look and see that it really needs some love-

The dovetailed drawers cinched it for me- under all of it's nicks and gouges, this $15 desk is a steal. When we barely got it stuffed it into the back of the Altima, I knew it was meant to be. Now I just need to decide how much work to put into it. Unfortunately, I don't have time to refinish it. It will likely end up with a coat of paint. A bit of a shame to cover up all the woodwork, but shame on the person who dragged it outdoors and let it rot.

summer projects

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 17:11:00 +0000

I'm finally getting around to the front porch chairs... perhaps it's mostly because I couldn't really come up with any more colors I liked after all of the sudden adding so much with the garage, front door and shutters. I've collected these chairs over the winter, with the front porch in mind- the rocker one was given to me by a storage unit neighbor (yay, I love free!) and I found the other two in an antique store's back lot- super cheap.

I like the pink, even though it looks a little bright in this picture, the silver works too. The silver chair stood out when it was white, I figured a subtle 'satin nickel' would be better than a bright color. I think the yellow is too bright, I think I'll take it down a notch with yet another can of spray paint- when I get a minute.
By the way- if you are looking for great spray paint colors, check out your local craft store. I discovered (a little late unfortunately) that Michaels had a much better color selection than even Home Depot or Ace hardware stores.

finally feeling like summer

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:03:00 +0000

Today feels like the first day of summer- first of all it's finally hot, it's supposed to hit 90 degrees (hallelujah!) and I for the first time yet this summer I basked in some sunshine at the edge of a body of water. How can such a simple act make one feels so good? The kids played (in but mostly out of the still freezing water) and I read (book group book: Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld) and napped. This sort of activity (or lack of activity) is what summer is all about.
Deer Creek is lookin' beautiful, completely full and Mt. Timpanogos in the background...

one more thing-

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 21:14:00 +0000

So just one banner, and then I'll stop. I got the idea for the Swiss flag banners a few months ago about as I was thinking about Swiss Days, the cute little town of Midway, and how much I love flaggy things (makes everyday feels like a party) and all of that. It's taken this long to finally get one put together.

I think I'll make a few more for Swiss Days, maybe someone else wants to show some town pride or honor their heritage or perhaps they are on ski patrol, or they just love the Swiss flag. By the way, for all my neighbors who are wondering what could be next? when is she going to put out her extensive collection of garden gnomes... it'll skip it and sell them on ebay. No really, I am Swiss, somewhere back on my mom's side.

I promise when the flags get faded, I'll take them down. If there is one thing I can't stand it's the faded Himalayan prayer flags that people leave up for-e-ver, hanging in tatters across their yard or porch. It reminds me of Miss Havisham's mouldering wedding decor. Take it down people, I don't care if the superstitious folklore prohibits removal, do it anyway and stop embarrassing yourself.

and the mailbox too

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 06:35:00 +0000

I just had to do it, while all the paint was still out. Once again, chocking up hours and hours with the paintbrush in hand...

flower painted shutters

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 06:06:00 +0000

Here they are folks, my folk art flower painted shutters- in all their colorful glory, with their corresponding front and garage door. I got all crazy today and got my planters chocked full of annuals and the front flower bed planted with my favorite perennials and a few herbs too. Let's not forget what I think is now my favorite part- the window boxes.

I picked up these metal baskets years ago in an antique shop's back lot. I used them for displaying goods when participating at art and craft shows over the years. It's nothing short of a miracle that they made the move and I still have them kicking around- not to mention- I have two of them, they happened to be about the right size, I figured out a way of mounting them to the wall (anchored with 3/8"C hooks that screwed deep into the wall to the sub-layer of wood) without having to order some crazy expensive window-box-hanging contraption off the internet. Then, without even really searching, I found the coconut husk liners you use with this kind of window box at a local nursery, got the boxes planted and hung up- all in a day or two. Ahhh, I have always wanted something to water twice a day all summer long... Seriously, they are so cute, I don't even care how many times a day they need water.

progress

noreply@blogger.com (noelle) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:21:00 +0000

I've been working on the shutters all weekend, I wonder how many hours I will have logged when this project is finally finished? I started with the stencils I made, then tossed them aside and started just hand drawing everything in pencil, then paining over my lines. The shutters won't be identical, which I think is more fun anyway; maybe I should hide a bee/Waldo/my name/butterfly/I {heart} JB on one of them.
My goal is to have them (all 6) done and installed on the front of my house no later than tomorrow.
But then I got the mail today and realized that my mailbox is so boring and white and I do have all the paint and brushes out...