~Third~Street~Studio~

Fetching Fabrics

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 01:53:00 +0000

With Christmas all cleaned up, Sonia and I decided to head over to Avonport for a little shopping frenzy.

What fun!!!

It may not look like much right now, but just wait for the new show!!

Could this be "The One"?

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 15:03:00 +0000

We are wrapping up the season with one doll remaining to be embroidered and two stockings left to assemble and embroider. Between that, middle-of-the-night vomiting, fevers, and croupy coughing, I've managed to do this: I bought a new sewing machine!!!!!

http://www.janome.ca/
625E Sewist Series

After a very fulfilling visit to New Minus' Knit and Stitch, I have ordered this gorgeous 625E Sewist Series Janome!!! She has all of the modern features that I was hoping for ... speed control, needle up/down, foot pressure adjustments, extra high presser foot lift and she is GORGEOUS!!
I would like to thank Diane and Wayne of Knit and Stitch for all their support and patience this morning in helping me pick a machine that I think will be right for me - they were friendly, knowledgeable and attentive and I am so glad that I chose their shop for my purchase. Plus, Diane used to make dolls! This not only fostered some great conversation, but also made my sewing machine needs easier to explain. Bonus!

So as I spend my days and nights sleeplessly wiping noses, checking temperatures, changing beds and cleaning up vomit (sorry for the visual!) I have this little sweet to look forward to. Just think of all that restless time I can now spend daydreaming about future creative exploits upon which my new girl and I shall soon embark!!!

Thank-you's

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 01:20:00 +0000

It was a busy weekend for the two dolly girls at the Dalplex Christmas Craft Market! It is with residual fatigue that I pop in now to share a few pictures and to take a moment to thank all of our friends and family for their support this Fall as we worked our fingertips bloody to prepare for the season.

It was great to see so many of you out at the show! Your support and encouragement are very much appreciated. We hope you enjoyed the show - the exhibits were all lovely, presented by inspiring crafters hosting an inspirational expanse of wares, treats and services. Hopefully you were able to put a little dent into your Christmas shopping!

All in all a great season and we look forward to next year!

Between Shows

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 15:02:00 +0000

Well, we're minus a few binkies, balls, bibs and dolls following the Acadia show. This week we'll be busy replenishing our stocks in prep for the Dalplex show this upcoming weekend. If you have a chance to make it to this show, we highly recommend it - the vendor list is awesome!! We'll be posting photos of new dolls in the 2011 Craft fair album on our Facebook Page as they are completed - so check back often. Let us know if there's something you would like us to set aside for you to pick up at the show - we're always happy to see our blogging friends at shows!! If your not able to make it to the show, send us an email at thirdstreethandcrafters(at)gmail(dot)com or by selecting from the options in the "contact TSH" link on the right sidebar.

We'll quickly share a few photos from the Acadia show, then back to doll making!

Our booth...

...again...

...and again.

TSH junior exhibitor

This little dolly got a little tired part way through the show and decided to take matters into her own hands. It's always sad when dolls do that...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 16:10:00 +0000

It's alive and hopping' at the Acadia Christmas Craft Expo in Wolfville today. Third Street Handcrafters are here all day until 8 tonight and back for the day tomorrow. Awesome art work, crafts and treats. Swing by for a visit if you get a chance - we're in booth #70 in the centre arena.

A Matter of Parspective

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:44:00 +0000

In one of Shawn's classes he is examining art for school aged children. As with much of his learning, he frequently engages the kids in little projects that apply some of the concepts he's been studying in class.

As of late, he and Julia have been playing around with observational drawing. Sometimes they look at pictures from the Internet (like flowers and insects), other times they draw from (pun intended!) things they see in their environment.

I was especially blown away with Julia's drawing of one of Dylan's toy planes...

Julia's observational drawing of a toy plane.

Front and rear cockpits, landing gear, propellers.
And she nailed the colours, too.

Awesome.

I love seeing the world through my children's eyes.

...Sewing, Sewing, Sewing...

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:08:00 +0000

Sonia and I have been sewing our little tails off and I thought I'd drop in for a sec to share our joy at having completed our first Christmas order.

These little cuties are presently on their way cross country to Edmonton where they will be Christmas gifts for a slew of lucky cousins. I have images of Clara and her cousins sitting together on Christmas Eve playing with their dolls in The Nutcracker.

Glimpse Into the Brain of A

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:24:00 +0000

See, I told you.

Always collecting, never resting.

I like my hobbies.

Treasury Love

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Just wanted to share some Etsy treasury love for Third Street this month.

Eye See You by TessieTextile

Remember Red by InStitchesCo

The Better to See You With by Fabgabs

Thanks everyone!

Punctuated Gasp

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 13:51:00 +0000

Why, you ask?

Sometimes words or combinations of words become trapped in my head. I find myself repeating them over and over. When I read, I often keep notes on my iPod of words and phrases that catch my fancy.

dystopian world ... phantasmagoria ... succumbing to newfound pointlessness ... after a fashion

Shocking, I know.

Unnecessary Insights
As a child I used to write book reports during summer vacation and 'hand them in' to Mom to review.
When I was a teenager I used to read the dictionary and keep notes on words I 'discovered' for later use.

Word collection is an underrated hobbie.

Maybe I missed my calling as an editor...

Blanche

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 01:21:00 +0000

Growing up many of us had someone like an older cousin or a neighbor that we held in great esteem. Someone you looked up to with little kid admiration and love.

In our world, this person was our Aunt Blanche. Blanche is our mother's youngest sister and when Sonia and I were young girls she came over from Newfoundland to live with our family.

Blanche was just a young woman then - pretty, stylish, smart, fun (much as she remains to this day, of course). She had boyfriends, wore makeup, and chewed gum. When I was little, amongst my many imaginings I believed that grown-ups would eventually grow down to my size. I used to make Blanche promise that when she grew down to my size that she would let me wear all her awesome clothes. I had a particular fancy for a pair of burgundy pajamas she was fond of wearing.

And Blanche was our very own - she loved us, played with us, and took care of us. Blanche has a great laugh and always laughed a lot. I remember she used to hide in doorways in the hall and j ump out to scare us all the time and then she'd hug us while we all laughed. She played games with us and let us sit with her during grown up card games to help play her hand. She took us for walks and berry picking and played with us in the snow.

She listened to cool music like the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, and Nazareth and she took us to do awesome things like rollerskating and to the theatre to see movies. Plus she could sing really well and knew the words to all the songs Dad liked to play on guitar. Whenever Dad would play Sing Me Back Home I remember I would cry. It's a sad song. Blanche would always dance slowly with me up in her arms during this song. It's amazing how something so small can mean so much and stay with you for so long.

Plus she was a friend and a support for Mom and Dad, something that I can now recognize for its true value. She helped take care of us and helped with the housework so everyone had more time to do fun things together.

Recently, while taking inventory of our dolls for the upcoming Fall craft season, Sonia and I decided that many of the dolls we have in our Big Sister collection were worthy of separate distinction on account of their advanced sense of style. And what better way to signify this beauty than to honor these special dolls with the name that exemplifies class in our eyes? Hence the Blanche Collection was created.

Blanche Dolls have more defined faces and wear detailed attire and accessories. The are sophisticated and fun and ready to take on the world!

And in honor of the new collection, we have listed these two all new Blanche Dolls in the Third Street Corner Store on Etsy.

Pop by the shop for a closer look at these sweeties.

Hello Reading my Old Friend

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 00:39:00 +0000

I love to read - my best friend is a good book. My guilty pleasure is enjoying a good book over tea.

Due to marvelous extenuating circumstances, this once prominent relationship has been subjected to an on-again, off-again affair for the last 5 years. But now that the nippers (a.k.a. extenuating circumstances) are getting older, my relationship with books has resurfaced and we've been getting on just like old times.

Since moving to Wolfville and adopting a simpler lifestyle for our family, I have read so many good books!

Room by Emma Donoghue
The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood
Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Lullabies for Little Criminals by Heather O'Neill
The Edible Woman by Margaret Atwood
The Art of Nonconformity by Chris Guillebeau
The Power of Less by Leo Babauta

I'm currently working on The Road by Cormac McCarthy

I'm looking forward to Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving and The Long Walk by Stephen King (thanks for the tips, Tawny), as well as the Game of Thrones series by George R. R. Martin.

What are you reading these days?

Any suggestions??

Oh yeah, we make dolls!

noreply@blogger.com (Sonia at The Third Street Studio) — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 18:11:00 +0000

We're gearing up to get back to our sewing machines, and start making dolls again. Our "little" hiatus has somehow turned in to a six month sewing strike, sponsored by Farmers ice cream and homemade chai lattes. I hope I remember how to use the iron.

In anticipation of this grand event, I took out all of our ready made little cuties for a Third Street Class Photo.

If you are interested in any of our dolls or would like to place a customer order please send us an email or message us on facebook. We are also in the process of listing our dolls in our etsy shop and maybe just maybe we'll be at a market this summer. We'll keep you posted ~ Sonia

Is she talking about food again??

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 00:26:00 +0000

I love cinnamon. Love it. And while I know that it comes as little shock to you that I love foods and drinks of this sort of spicy genre - please don't let her talk about chai tea again! - I feel it necessary to continually bring this love affair to light.

Let's face it: chocolate gets all the fame. As delicious as chocolate is, if taste sensation was a sport (isn't it?) chocolate would certainly prove to be a ball-hog. And the little bugger would always get picked first - but that's a separate issue.

Point? Be true to yourself. Just sayin, if chocolate was jumping off a bridge...

Actually, that's not the point. The 'point' is my most recent discovery: Farmers Homespun Sticky Bun ice cream. Yum!!

Disclaimer: For everyone's safety...as with all of my past discoveries, readers are strongly advised to refrain from pointing out a newly discovered item's longstanding existence prior to my discovering it.

Just the other day, I said there needed to be a cinnamon-y ice cream. Et, voila! This little piece of heaven landed upon my cone - creamy vanilla ice cream made even better with brown sugar swirls, bursts of cinnamon, and (pause for effect.......) ooey gooey pieces of sticky bun to savour! It's a desert in and of itself.

Plus it comes on a cone - and we all now that only the best foods come on cones.

And the best part: you can buy it in tubs at the grocery store to bring home with you. Ideal for the sort of ice cream love affair best suited to late night rendezvous in shadowy corners of the kitchen. Because if we've learned anything from ice cream, we all know that it's important to take relationships to the next level...

Try it. I assure you - you will not find yourself in further need of chocolate. Well, for about five minutes, anyway...

In Sight of Insight

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 12:26:00 +0000

Lame title, I know. I've been up all night, go easy on me...

Just a quick note to share 2 great *free* eBooks I've recently enjoyed.

The first is FOCUS: A Simplicity Manifesto in the Age of Distraction written by minimalist Leo Babauta, available as a free download on Leo's site zen habits. I've read a fair bit by Leo and boasted about him here on Third Street before. I'm just starting this one, though, so I will save my boasting for later.

Another great read I wanted to share is A Brief Guide to World Domination by Chris Guillebeau, who literally wrote the book on non-conformity. Chris also writes the blog The Art of Non-Conformity where he routinely questions the status quo and challenges readers to change the world simply by being true to themselves.

Shadows and Silhouettes

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 17:22:00 +0000

Yes, it's been a while. Yes, I'm here, in semi-hiding.

Rest assured - I'm slowly resurfacing.

There have been many changes around here - new house, new town, new job, new babysitter. Less time for blogging and sewing...

Wolfville Harbour

But it seems my creative self is slowly reemerging with flailing fists in an attempt to reclaim its rightful station on my list of priorities. As it turns out, we've been making some renewed progress with the endless unpacking and setting up, and as it becomes less and less smothered by cardboard my desire to make and create is resurfacing.

My fellow Nova Scotian blogger and etsy friend Amy Rubin Flett knows where I'm coming from. The Amy Rubin Flett etsy shop offers a collection of cards and prints featuring original words and images in the tune of "transition, passion, epiphany and beauty". Amy's artistry is an excellent source of inspiration - her miniature stories and messages are poignantly insightful and presented in a natural light devoid of commercial influence. Refreshing.

I especially love this little moment in time courtesy of Amy, as it speaks to my wonderfully irrepressible creativity.

Now if I can just free myself of the extra washer and dryer that are impeding upon my laudry /soon-to-be sewing space... Takers?

Touching Base

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 10:42:00 +0000

Remember when you were a kid and touching base meant you were free - exempt, immune - of being or becoming "it"? While this is not exactly what I was going for when I started this post, it still rings true and rather desirable in my current state of being.

I wanted to drop by to let you know I'm still kicking (and screaming) in the midst of my family's relocation. Things are winding down now, with only 10 days remaining before the move and assurances from all fronts that everything is in place.

Understand my nervousness and skepticism here: the first house we bought closed - with some degree of difficulty and a great deal of stress - in the immediate aftermath of a bank robery. We are able to look back on this day without cringing (too much) by reminding ourselves that we narrowly missed being present at the actual robbery by a matter of about thirty minutes.

You know when they say, "it could have been worse"? That would have certainly been worse.

Imagine my sense of euphoria as the title "Touching Base" emerged and my mind was brought back to simpler times when all you needed to do in a "battle" was touch base. Is this blog my "base"? Certainly I benefit from a degree of escape when I come here and delve into my shadowy mind with no objectives aside from reflection and expression. I'm lucky in that writing awards me a symbolic base that grants me a satisfying reprieve for which I am thankful.

Otherwise I would likely go as nutty as this overly sentimental post might lead you to believe I have already gone.

Purging for More ... Less

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 09:58:00 +0000

I guess it's time I came to terms. Lately, I've sucked at blogging.

It's true, don't even try to defend me. It's not like I've been busy in other aspects of my life ... relocating, buying and selling a house (and anyone who's ever successfully sold a house with two small kids feels my pain), looking for new childcare, not to mention a new job, and doing endless loads of laundry. Okay, I just stuck that last one in there, but you KNOW what I'm talking about.

Needless to say, things have been rather stark raving mad around here.And a little crazy, too.

So, just so we're clear: I'm moving. To beautiful Wolfville, Nova Scotia. Yippee!

One great thing about moving (cause there's so many wonderful things about moving to choose from...) is that it has helped me in my goal to live more simply. Well, paradoxically anyway. Amongst the whirlwind of activity, I have strived - and had some success in achieving - more ... well, less.

I know, very in vogue with the minimalist culture that has recently become so popular. I'm totally lame.

Lame or not, I have found myself being sucked into this decluttered, anti-multitasking, anti-procrastination uprising. An environment organized through nothing more than simple living is highly desirable to me and totally congruent with our situation.

As some of you may know, I work as a critical care RN in an environment that (sparing the extensive dream-job details) is at best - chaotic. In terms of my speciality (intensive care), embracing chaos is an occupational requirement for success, not to mention survival.

So dispite my distraction from blogging and crafting in the midst of my family's move, I have been examining this 'less is more' persuasion on a rather informal basis and trying to incorporate some of these values into the challenge of downsizing both my home and my life.

Something that I've found rather inspiring and captivating is a blog called Zen Habits created by writer and minimalist Leo Babauta.

With regard to my work, I've decided that my primary role amongst the chaos and technology is to provide comfort for my patient and their family. May seem like a no brainer, but when you've got plummeting vital signs, loudly alarming life support, team members yelling orders, crying, stress-induced body odor, cardiac arrest, running, sweating, prolonged intervals between bathroom breaks, too-unstable-to-move road trips, rapidly depleting bedside stock, devastating prognoses, policies and protocols, skin breakdown, multi-system organ failure and code pager assignment, comfort is often overlooked in favor of sustaining life - to put it 'simply'.

I'm coming to accept that while I can't change many of these things and I may feel conflicted in varying ways much of the time in this setting, I do have the ability to provide comfort within the chaos. I have specialized skills, professionalism and a disposition that fosters comfort, and this is something that I have relative contol over. And this is the simple truth that I am trying to focus on at work.

At home and with our move, I am trying to maintain focus on keeping things as simple as possible. We will be downsizing with this move and accordingly, various aspects of our home are in need of downsizing. All of those dishes you've accumulated since your first appartment - when is the last time you've used them. Likely not since before you bought the 'new' set you got 5 years ago to replace them.

Why do we do this to ourselves?

I'm here to tell you - the sensation achieved through the purging of material possessions is exhilerating. Do you have any idea how much I own that I don't need, use, or in some cases even care about? Of course you do, because you are in the same boat and likely getting wrapped up in the same minimalism net in which I've found myself. Corn-ily stated, yes - but true nonetheless.

This purging is also serving to help the many people who are in need of very basic things, right here in my own community. Whenever I look at something that I don't use or need but have been holding on to because it's really nice OR I might need it some day OR I got a smoking deal on it OR someone gave it to me OR I saved for months to buy it however long ago, I remind myself that someone else may be able to use it right now - that someone might need it right now. And this helps me feel good about my decision to part with the item, and reinforces my sense of selflessness.

As well, this has cut down on much of the casual spending I do with my over abundance of currency. Note the sarcasm... When I'm at the store and I see something that is on sale, potentially useful, that I've always wanted or cool and desirable I ask myself, "Self, do you really need this?" Yes you have space for it in a junk draw somewhere in the house where it can lay idle for the next 5 years, but there must be something that is more worthy of my hard earned and generally lacking funds. I think about the surplus of things I am presently wading through in an attempt to reestablish simplicity. Do I really need to add to that, even before I've truely trialed at overcoming that very thing?

So, unsimply put, this is what I've been at in my absent Third Street days. Hoping to see more of you as this adventure unfolds.

A little behind

noreply@blogger.com (Sonia at The Third Street Studio) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 00:38:00 +0000

Piles, bags of stuff, some else's TV, various sizes of hand-me-down baby clothes, remanence of forgotten projects and likely a healthy layer of dust. This is the contents of my sewing room, a forgotten space, some where in there is my lovely sewing machine, fancy notions, and our doll pattern. I did take a picture, however on second thought was too embarrassed to share it. It's a nasty mess in there.

Instead I thought I'd share some photo's of our first Chinese New Year Celebration. In early February the Nova Scotia Chapter of the Families with Children from China hosted the Celebration in Halifax at St Mary's University. In anticipation of this party, while we were in China we picked up special matching dresses for Dream Girl and her cousin (Andrea's sweetheart) to wear. We had a fantastic day and the girls looked beautiful.

Atrocities Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:50:00 +0000

I tried desperately this morning to find an excuse for the toothbrush faux pas revealed in last night's post. Surely I'm not to blame personally!?

While attending to my morning deeds, I discovered that hubby's downstairs toothbrush is also orange and tried to make a case that colour confusion is to blame for my err, what with an orange toothbrush upstairs AND downstairs.

But if anything I wrote in last night's post made any sense, you too are realizing that this makes no sense. Make sense? Didn't think so.

None of my toothbrushes are orange. So why do I continually reach for the orange tooth brush? Surely it's not that much more appealing than my "slouching" red one?

Deep breath.

I have issues, people - least of which is my need for a new toothbrush. The only reasonable excuse for my behaviour is a tendency toward disrespect and reckless endangerment. Self control and discipline are apparently severely lacking in my character and I wonder how much of this toothbrush lunacy is actually a cry for help with regards to my perpetual state of disorientation.

Laugh if you must.

But think about this:
Does someone in your life have an affinity for you personal hygiene equipment? It may not stop at toothbrushes, you know. People have been known to do disgusting things and I would hate for you to be put at risk by the inconsiderate behavious of other people, much like my husband.

This concern for your well being is, of course, the whole premise of my word to the wise self-exposing proclamation.

It has nothing to do with my many issues.

Nonetheless, fear for me people for it is I who is suffering.

Word to the Wise

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 02:09:00 +0000

If one tooth brush seems to be deteriorating faster than another, it may have more than one owner.

This piece of advise holds much significance with the frazzled-and-near-the-breaking-point fumbling-multitasker and expert-sock-puppeteer working mom.

Hypothetically speaking, of course.

p.s. did anyone else notice that the last post was our 200th post?
... me neither ...

p.p.s. My Sweetest, I know the orange one is yours. And even though it looks more appealing than the chaotically bristled red one slouching beside it, I don`t use it.
... often ...

Harvesting

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 00:35:00 +0000

Garment deconstructing and dissection continues. My family fears for the survival of their clothing and lie awake at night in fear that their blankets will be lost to Mom's fabric draft.

Nothing is safe while plans for the family quilt evolve; Mom's greedy fabric addiction does not allow for warm toes. So hold on to your socks!

I even found myself eyeing, and briefly contemplating the harvesting of a pair of My Sweetest's boxers. They are made from an attractive cotton print that would just add so much to the completed project!

I don't understand the problem - a problem that my silly conscience insisted existed - with using fabric from old (okay - not old, and actually in good condition) boxer shorts. What kind of mental jail do I live in if I limit my artistry to the confines of societal norms. I want this quilt to be meaningful, to say something about me and my family.

Perhaps I need to re-evaluated what it is I want that message to be??

Making Bread and Constructing a Family Quilt

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 19:10:00 +0000

What is it about making something with your hands that feels so therapeutic and fulfilling?

As you read in my last post, I've recently entered into the world of bread making. Making bread is a deep rooted tradition in my family. My grandmother Chaisson has achieved eternal reverence with regards to her best-in-the-world homemade bread.

When we were children, my sisters and cousins and I all lived for Nan's bread - many of us restricted to enjoying this culinary delight during summer vacation and the rare winter visit to Newfoundland. Sometimes Nan would even make bread on those extra special times when she and Pop came to visit us.

I remember watching Nan in fascination as she would knead the dough with diligence and determination; a perseverance worthy of true admiration.

Soon after my virginal introduction to making bread I had a conversation with my mother - also an accomplished family bread maker - and it was she who identified the labour of making bread as therapeutic and cleansing. Getting in there with you hands and pounding out the hearty goodness of the dough for the purpose of providing sustenance and enjoyment for your family truly is a satisfying endeavor.

Moreover, it is a great way to purge tension - much like other physically repetitive activities such as biking or running - providing one with a clear and undistributed mind for thinking things through.
Quilting is another well rooted tradition in my family that unites productive therapeutic activity with the wholesome nature of making something meaningful for someone you love. Selecting fabrics, arranging them in ways that convey a desired mood. Combining these elements in a custom that ensures longevity with the purpose of ultimately forming a single entity designed to provide warmth and comfort is - in my books - a very effective means of expressing love.

One of the especially nice things about visiting Nan and Pop was getting to sleep in one of the old kid's rooms warmly snuggled in one of Nan's quilts. Nan made her quilts with scrap fabrics salvaged from other projects, or from worn out garments within the house - curtains, work shirts, sheets. They were the kind of quilts that hugged you - heavy, big and warm. Their myriad of patterns, fabric textures and colours gave them a unique quality and her use of re-purposed fabrics added a personal touch that made you feel safe and at home.

I am fortunate to have one of these precious specimens upstairs, where it usually resides on my Sweetheart's bed. Decades after it's construction, my grandmother's quilt continues to embrace her family with love and warmth.

It is this degree of love that I hope to convey to my family with the making of my very own family quilt. So far in the process I have assembled my own collection of outgrown, out-fashioned, and plain warn out fabrics that have seen my family throughout its evolution.

This may take me a little bit longer than the two loaves of bread I made for my family, but it is my hope that - like the bread my grandmother made for her family - its sustenance will be felt by the people I love for a long time after its completion.

Pleasant Distractions

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 01:26:00 +0000

Lately I've been doing lots of recreational nonproductive things.
I've especcially been enjoying...

Making my own homemade bread
Snuggling with my new wobbie
Live 105 and their classification of The Beastie Boys as rock musi
This awesome Hollerado video

Listening to Florence and the Machine, Mumford and Sons, Metric and the Silversun Pickups

Will I Am's Sesame Street debut with "What I Am"

Natalie Portman as The Black Swan, and her exclamation that 'he totally wants to sleep with me" on the Golden Globes

My new iPod Touch - I think this is my favorite invention since the sewing machine
These apps: Momento, LineUp 2, Mobile RSS, Kobo and iBooks, and Safe Note

What's got you pleasantly distracted on these cold winter days?

Julia as a Bug

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea on Third Street) — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 01:34:00 +0000

Hanging out with Sweetheart and Funny Guy...

How cute is this?

My Sweetheart is growing up so fast. The other morning she got up, went downstairs, poured herself a cup of milk and got a yogurt. And fed our dog.

Later while at the grocery store with her father, she gathered an armful of lemons and informed her father that she wanted to make lemonade.

It's easy. Grover says all you need to make lemonade is lemons, water, and sugar. Now we have all the ingredients.

And a yummy pitcher of lemonade she did make - much to her Mommy's delight!