Seamstress M.I.A.

Okay, okay okay... I know I TOTALLY slipped on posting! But in my defense at this point only one person even knows about this blog... So we're good. Right, Rach?

October is ALWAYS a crazy month for me, costume orders galore, our anniversary, and fall photos... so here are a few glimpses at some of the wonderful things that claimed my time in the last month... Enjoy! ;)

Okay... so we didn't get married THIS year... but here is a peek at what it was like October 2002...

A couple of my favorite client photos from fall shoots... 

~joi~

A.D.D. or just too inspired?!?!?

A friend of mine and I were chatting yesterday about whether or not artsy people seem to be predisposed to ADD like behavior?  I know that I get SERIOUS project ADD... I mean, if I don't focus I can only stay on task for about 30 minutes or so without getting distracted by something else in my studio that I want to make.  Case in point... I have my nephews quilt to finish quilting (tonight), a few customer orders, and the 47 projects that I've gotten started for myself/family/home... okay, maybe not that many, but there are quite a few.  

And now I find myself just wanting to pick out yarn to make this sweater designed by my friend and fellow Etsian, Anji Beane.  

I just want to start it NOW!!  Why oh why can't I?  ;)   By the time I get to it, I'm sure I'll have to make it a little less fall themed... haha  

I was up until about 4 am with sick kids last night, hoping that they will both be feeling better by the morning, but Little man is wound for sound right now, 2 hours after his bedtime, fever and all...  Sleep little one, sleep...     He seems to have the night-owl gene as well.  It doesn't matter how tired I am, once it hits the time I should be heading to bed, all I want to do is dig into a project. 

With the munchkins being under the weather today, I wasn't able to go to my MOPS group. It is always so nice to get together with the ladies and chit chat, enjoy a great brunch and craft the last half of the time away... booooo!!!  It's nice to have a designated time twice a month that I know I get to be creative for ME... that doesn't happen all that often...  then again, if I could focus on specific projects at a time, I'd probably be able to get things done so much more efficiently.  See that... I even blog in circles...  I guess it's just how I work.

~joi~

would you like to ride in my beautiful balloooooon...

Let me pour out a little of my motherly tidbits here... First let me properly introduce you to my munchkins.  Our daughter, Kaidence is nearly 7 (December can't come soon enough for her) and our son, Thane (or Sulley, as I'm sure will come out from time to time) just turned 5.  They are amazing children as any mother would tell you of her own children, but in this case, it is TOTALLY true! ;)

There have been a few times that I wonder how petty my worries are...  such as this main case in point.

Do other creative/artistic parents worry when it seems that their child has no interest in things in the creative world (i.e. music, painting, dance, etc)?

My daughter refused to color and it's not like I pushed it on her by any means, she just didn't care... at all!  She like dot watch me color and would get involved by dictating which color belonged where.  I was honestly a little bit heartbroken that she didn't like coloring... Seriously?!?!  What kid doesn't like to color?  This phase lasted for about 2 years (up until about a 18 months ago) when my Mom sat down with the kids and just started drawing out beautiful princess dresses.  Oddly enough... that is my first memory of coloring/drawing with my Mom... those same poofy sleeved Cinderella-esque princess dresses.  ;)

Ever since then, she hasn't stopped... I mean she doodles on EVERYTHING.  Her school work comes home with extra little flowers and hearts down the margin of the page.

We met up with my hubby's family on Saturday and at the restaurant, I glanced over at my daughter's cup... *bliss*

Thane has always been interested in all things creative and would beg to stay up so he could watch me sew, which until he started school I allowed him to do.  *another fond memory from my childhood... "working" in my Mom's shop with her in the wee hours of the night"

After lunch we journeyed on to the hot air balloon festival with Mamma & Papa B (Brandon's folks), which I'm sad to say never really happened.  The weather was too breezy for them to lift off,  but the kids had a fun experience with our without balloons in flight.

The kids were able to climb intot he basket and see what it was like... 

Even on the ground Thane preferred the notion of sitting on the floor.  ;)

There were a few arts & crafts vendor there.  Kaidence spent a little bit of time (and Mamma's money) at the face painting booth.

brownie points

So, we made a whirlwind trip to a larger town (not by any means a city) to purchase some fabric and other such supplies for costume orders that I have.  I have been asking my kids for the past few months to be thinking about what they would like to dress as for Halloween.  My daughter is notorious (even with an alias) for changing her mind  27 times until FINALLY deciding a day or two before.  Well, last week it was a princess, then it changed to Rapunzel a few days ago, then a medieval  princess pattern struck her fancy at JoAnns tonight.  Finally, while waiting for my fabric to get cut... she looked at me and said she had decided FOR SURE on what she wanted to be...  "a fashion designer/sewer lady, just like YOU, Mom".   

*GULP*  did she really really truly just say that?!?!  

I swear a hush fell over the fabric store followed by a sweet motherly "sigh" in unison from every woman present.  That pretty much made my night and I think we've figured out a very "Project Runway" look for her... including a trick or treat bag with a sketch pad on it... ;)   

Little man decided on a dinosaur/dragon... he's not quite sure yet... "but they are close enough that it doesn't matter".  The kid is kinda right... I mean, you don't see either of them roaming around now-a-days, do you?   BUT he made it clear he doesn't want it green, well at least not plain green, that's just boring!   You can't have a boring extinct potentially fire breathing creature now, can you??  


So, my trip proved productive in a few other areas... I had to find backing fabric for my nephews quilt (because I'm dumb and didn't plan ahead)... I just used the fabrics that spoke to me, and none of the cuts I had were enough.  So sue me!   

I just needed ANOTHER excuse to buy fabric, right?  Well, as I got looking I couldn't help but eyeball some patterns for the throw quilt I want to make for my living room and well... many many MANY 1/8 yard cuts later... we've got the beginning of what BETTER be the "perfect" quilt for my couch.  Here is a glimpse of a FEW of the fabrics.

a life less chaotic?

so... here i go... again... wait, is it technically again AGAIN?!?  Okay after umpteen gazillion attempts at trying to juggle motherhood, marriage, a home and small business and adding a regular oh so enticing and witty blog to the mix. ERRRRNNT!  Fail! But ahhh,I have a secret weapon this time... elementary school.  A bus that comes too early and returns the wee ones oh so late.  This yields a FULL day... yes, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9!  You counted it, folks...NINE full hours of a child free home.  *gasp*  Say it ain't so.

Don't get me wrong.  I love my kids. Nay, I adore my children with every fiber of my being.  (are you anticpating the "but" here?  Ahhh... you know me so well, and we've only just met)  BUT this has become a new adventure in MY life... reclaiming me!!!  Making my proclamation (or is it still more of a question) of who I am...  

So, follow me on my voyage of all things crazy, creative, chaotic and hmm... shall I throw in yet another C?   ahh...   confuddled?  hmmm... cankles?  catywampas?  okay, this was actually easier than I made it out... Cooking, canning, clothing, crafty, cameras, and of course children.  

here is what i know...

i am:
joi
32
wife
mommy
artisan
seamstress
designer
photographer
spiritual
daughter
sister
inspired
friend
passionate

Welcome, to my world, my life, my rants, my creations, my all...  

~joi~