ProjectTime

The idea behind ProjectTime is to hang out with clever women who do clever things for an evening. Usually everyone has something that they are working on/need to get to. Cool creations that involve needles (small and pointy or knitting), thread, yarn, glue, crochet hooks, scissors, buttons to sew, papers to sort, socks to sort... whatever. If you are completely caught up with everything in your life I can create a project for you or lend you ideas. Of course there is always my laundry that needs to be done. ;) The Beehive Bazaar is the first weekend in December and I'm gunning for it, making my whimsimobilia. Some of it I work on alone, other things are nice to have company for. ALSO: It gives me a touch of focus and a reason to clean up a bit. Bring a friend if you'd like!

Susan C.R. wrote on FB:

"So Mom, is ignorance bliss, or does the truth set you free?" Lia, age 12. Help, anyone?

I commented:
Ignorance isn't really bliss, and it isn't much fun either. And truth doesn't really set you free. And everything will not necessarily be ok in the end, and there really are endings. Also Jesus said cool things but never said it would be easy or worth it. Platitudes to inspire gratitude. Hope that helps. :|

A is for Amazing Alpine Loop!

JUST REALIZED THAT I NEVER POSTED ABOUT THE MOST MAZING PART OF THE SUMMER! I RODE THE ALPINE LOOP WITH MY PAL ABL! FOUND THIS IN the DRAFT FILE OF MY EMAIL... DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T SEND IT. THE BREATHLESS QUALITY IS FUN. I WAS ON A HIGH FOR WEEKS AFTER THE RIDE. I HAD NEVER EVEN DRIVEN THE LOOP. WE RODE ON THE 3RD OF JULY, the weather was perfect. Spin 3x/wk isn't enough or the same... I CAN'T WAIT TO GO AGAIN!

Hi ABL!

To be read with a grin spreading across your face: I told a tricked out cycling pal that I rode the ALPINE LOOP! "You?! Rode?! the Alpine Loop?!" Yes, I did!!! and it was AWESOME! My friend ABL is so completely amazing!

Everyone I have told the broken brake story is amazed. 5 min earlier or later and you would have been seriously hurt, if not killed. Tender mercies. I've also heard some stories of bad spills, both of them on the DOWN hill -- tell I.

***--->How many tickets do we need for Oz tomorrow? I'll make sure I get the right amount first thing tomorrow, after spin.

I feel great by the way. Yes tired. Fasting didn't really happen. In the middle of Primary I raided the junk drawer in our car. Ate 2 melted granola bars ... grains, sugar & chocolate (yicky milk chocolate). Thanks for taking me! I had a GREAT time. I was feeling extra bad about how long it took and then I realized we stopped and then we also stopped and talked at different points, which was also great!

Onward!

We are about to leave on a picnic.

Love you,

H

M is for Missing ... K & J!

K is coming home on Tuesday night! Wa-hooo! I haven't laughed once, not once! since he has been at camp! Boo hoo hoo. Well, maybe once... I miss his silliness, having his friends around, his singing, talking about the news with him and the cello! He broke his right middle finger at camp, not sure how that will affect his cello-ing. His hand is taped up like a sharp shooter.

Tonight N & M were singing a song, well, 2 songs, not at all similar to each other though sung at the same time ... for J! They miss him the Most they say. He is both of their [?] best friend and their favorite brother. I can write this because I know that tomorrow they will say that K is their favorite ... what a fickle family of favorites. I miss his sweetness, his spontaneous kisses, his imagination and believe it or not his whistling! I also miss reading to him.

We've saved a few weeks worth of the funny pages for them both to fight over!

I don't miss the extra laundry, which I am getting 100% caught up on -- now that I've rinsed my last tie dye ever. School starts Wednesday for J! (C & I are really happy for him. The new school will be fantastic!) I'll just drop J & N off and take K & J's bags from camp directly to the Soap Box Laundromat and let Joyce work her magic -- then I'll come home and incinerate the boys' shoes. :P

House Update: My goal was to have the house "landed" before school starts. Every room.

GARAGE: Getting more and more there. H Bike, huge fan, wire equipt., tie dye materials, clay etc. now have a place to call their own. The entire space is now overrun with school supplies & donations, and of course the tub/misc. stuff to sell. Tie dye and clay are neat and tidy and put away. Still need to move and sell or donate the tub, then I can park INSIDE the garage. Huge sofa-holding-cardboard boxes are gone. Donation stuff needs to go.

DINING ROOM: Almost useable for working in. Will have Project party to celebrate the landed room. Sewing projects are in boxes, fabric is folded and tidy, do-dads are in boxes. To mend pile needs attention and to be done, at night.

LAUNDRY ROOM: So close! The floor is visible (a flood helped). Must iron all the wadded up stuff and fabric for quilt edges. Moved it into the family room, which violates a new rule: All laundry stays in Laundry Room -- didn't want to get dye on it as I rinsed out the tie dye. Amazing amount of clothes, table cloths, towels, getting rid of lots of it actually.

MASTER BEDROOM: Perfection. Simple. Empty. Clean.

ENTRY WAY: Clean. Counter useable for the "don't forget as you go out the door" spot! L------ville is up and looks fun, complete with new architecture, touched up buildings, stars and N's new fort. :)

V is for Verb-ing. Or: I got a bad case of the Verbs.

I'm up late. Have an odd sore throat, should be in bed but I'm doing something I haven't done in weeks & weeks... catching up on friends/family via blogs. Honestly, I don't get the entire computer thing but I did love watching my niece KtG's 2 beautiful daughters be adorable with lollipops (she calls the candy "a sucker"--which is what S, at age 2.5 (14 years ago!) wanted to name her little brother, which is how he got the nickname, Lollipop, just sounded like a more polite name). And I enjoyed seeing my pals Noelle & Molly in the fine Utah Valley Magazine. Zina's very authentic chicken stock is, ummm, inspiring.

Learning Facebook, houseworking, reading, grooming, shopping, cooking, loving, spinning, yard work/rototilling/planning, speech therapy going, homeschooling, churching, skiing, visiting, quilting, attending parent/teacher confrontations, I mean conferences... Right now I feel that I'm doing a lot and none of it very well. Did I mention praying?

Actually, my mind often drifts to a cousin, the mother of a baby who later this month will have surgery for bilateral cochlear implants. He is actually a very blessed child. (N & M would really benefit from bi-lateral CIs but I can't sacrifice my family on the alter of insurance appeals and we really don't have approx $+50,000 EACH right now.) My thoughts are on his mother though. For all the blogs, Facebooks etc. I wish I could just call and talk to her. How is she doing? This is a brilliant, connected mother, with a super-fantastic husband. I don't want to intrude or leave any more messages. Their family is huge and supportive so I wonder if I need to talk to her for my sake. There are so many questions that I'd like answered. Perhaps I could answer some of hers...

M, whose language is faltering, told me today that my sketchbook is all fulled-up. I'm going to filled it up a bit more and am looking forward to starting a new one.

h art idea ... from sidebar

From an email to Julie T:
I know I'm a dork but it is cool that you are on line and I am too. I am contemplating painting. I'm in my studio pulling out things to contemplate on/about. Random (small) canvases. There is a story there, did I already write that to you? Have been thinking of Shelley [Turley] and Lee Bennion. Saw my old paintings at the office... kinda liked them! Making money, we need a bit, might make me focus my skills into a form, a sell-able form. But (!) creating art to sell is tricky. Landscapes or drapery? Cow? Figures? or my children? Always add a touch of red? Funky or classic. Ya know? Dang, where's the devil when you need to sell your soul?

B is for Bee.

Been busy lately... like a bee (Groan, my apologies for the cliche.)
Had some help from many people but ONE in particular I'm sending a shout out to:
THANKS NANCY NAY! It was so lovey working with you!

FUNNY true story

One advantage of not sleeping is making discoveries while not making any noise in the house... can't vacuum, might as well clean up my computer's desktop. Realize that I've never posted this. It is a sketch of a night a year and a half ago:
26 May 2007
6:40 p.m.
Roll Camera! Action.

Higgin-s drive up in a full Suburban. Steph, Dave, 4 children and one friend, Tatum. The plan is to do some tie dye.

H is asleep in the van, lost track of the time. Crashed there after a Long day. Even in the van 4 people have come up to her and talked to her, before the friends arrive.

One little boy w/o his CI starts out the evening with a time-out in a closet. Freaking out in family room.

Adults at counter calmly eating fruit, bread and cheese. Roses on the counter, v. smelly.
Conversations about high school senior parties/trips. Drunk kids.

Amy, Jay’s wife, walks in with the wee bitty baby. Asking if it’s OK to change the baby’s diaper. Fine, fine. That means that Jay is here to get the llamas, all 7 of them? Just having a little party, did you call to say you were coming by? An hour later she is seen feeding the baby in the dinning room. No one sees or hears from her the entire evening.

The children are playing out side, they take the taekwondo kicking target outside and fill it with water, first time in 1½ years.

Wee bitty baby crying in the back ground.

Jumping on the trampoline?

The children start helping Jay get the llamas. Karl gets kicked in the hip. Joey, Karl’s friend in a tie dye shirt, was not out there at the time.

Julian’s animated friend Jared is visiting. They start making a movie.

Tie dye starts, can’t get the kids to come in to soak their shirts. Stephanie mixes up the die.

H starts to clean out garage, extract a second table. Gets a phone call about needing to pay $1.50 for Nathan’s school lunch account. Never mind that it is a Saturday night and he doesn’t ever take school lunch, and the one day (practice for 1st grade) he did he brought the money but the school never got it. Will send it again.

Sick boy in hammock: Gabe. Oh dear.

3 little girls, 2 w/ hearing loss. Running around squealing. Flashes of cuteness.
Gama (from California, didn't even know she was in town!) shows up with a very elegant silver cake server in a humble, crumpled brown paper bag. Talk about family reunion of sorts.

Neighbor Jeremy, C’s friend, shows up on a racing BMX bike riding wheelies. Tries out C’s grandpa bike, does wheelies on that too! (Later we found out that Jer's wife (also a close friend) was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and that same week his sister had passed away, to cancer.)

Husband of the house, C, is cleaning his mountain bike?
Jay & Jeremy talk.

Ann Maeser drops by mail from old house (we moved 4.5 years ago)
- announcement: random (unknown) ugly girl getting married. Good for her.
- K’s scholarship certificate $100.00, for string camp.
- Precious niece’s birth announcement!

Random neighbor with a dog shows up, we don’t know her but her dog drives our Ginger nuts. Must put G in studio. Bark bark bark.

Tie dye squirting all over.
S’s friend Ashley shows up. They start to tie dye. Will wear shirts on yearbook day.

Llamas in a trailer, some in the road. (K got kicked here) Some llamas attached to trailer, others loose walking in the road. Cars going by some slowing down, some going fast. Tatum combing baby llama -- it rears up scarring her and H.

Ice cream treats. Can I have seconds? NO. Push ups, drum sticks, fat boys.

More tie dye. More shirts, plastic bags, drips.

A cel phone rings.

H is wearing some favorite clothes, a linen shirt. & A tie dyed apron.

N is coughing.
Dave is coughing.

C takes girls on bike ride in trailer.

Children spinning around fast fast in hammock chair.
Dave sitting with Gabe, who is really not feeling well.

They are about to pull out when it looks as though Gabe is going to puke. H dumps cute plastic tub of rubber bands on to table. He doesn’t puke. She swaps for not so cute hotel ice bucket.

S and Ashley are sitting in a car, anxious to practice. No license.

All the lights are on in every room of the house.
9:40 p.m. Fin.

This is S & C.

S and C in Southern California. They went last week (?) to visit the Ostergars. S played on the beach while C went to a conference about local banks and marketing. Thanks Ostergars! They had a great, fast time! rented a Mustang to make it extra fun.

F is for a Fish (Plate) tale.

Here is a fish plate tale. No wait, here is the tale of the souvenir fish plate that Rona received from her friend.

Rona has a d-i-l that took a trip to Mexico. Instead of bringing back a lovely, garish piece of silver jewelry the gal brought Rona a stinkin' fish plate. This is an oft told story... Jump ahead: R's stylish pal went on a trip and found this lovely fish plate and told Rona that she brought something back for her, so fantastic that she'd have to open it in front of her beloved M-F a.m. class. It was in a huge diaper box. It was a BIG cool thing! She was so excited. Rona was counting down the minutes until her friend arrived.

Then she opened it! Wow. What a disappointment. Almost as bad as when her d-i-l cut her grand daughter's hair, wacky short... Rona was cruel, but not vicious, that day.

Everyday there is a story, or she relays the latest celebrity news. Weird celebrity baby names, what to do/say on dates, her whacked out cravings. There is never a dull moment. Latest: Prevention magazine says to wear rings to look younger, gives your hands interest, makes you look hip. R is all over that and was wear a great (!) big piece of starkly bling on her hand for the class. Another health tip: get some sleep. The more you sleep the thinner you will be.

H is also for Heartthrob!

These pics of N are for his friend Hadley. I showed him pictures of her on her Mum's most excellent blog and he said, "NO WAY! She has 2 brothers now? When do I get to play with her!?" :)

T is for Tissue, boo hoo hoo.

Yesterday was a day full of stories... left me in an odd mood to go and cavort with some way hep, way way hepper than I, chicks at Molly's Soiree Centrale. I was glad to go though. Thanks Molly! Thanks Steph for inviting me!

For the Beehive Bazaar I made some lovely wool felt tissue holders and felt needle books (May 07). They sold well and so I created a few sets of "pocket projects" to work on while waiting etc. for the children. Well, there wasn't a lot to show and sell at the December and the May show. Finally, I finished this one, only this one. I made it for my friend Sis. Lemone; she was recently called as the Stake Relief Society President. When I heard she was called I knew I had to make one for her. The only tangible requirement for her job is a shoulder to cry on and some tissue. She has phenomenal style and in an incredible gardener.

C is for COLLECTIONS.

My friend, and new mother of a beautiful baby boy, LHA mentioned once that her beloved brother collects silica packets. She asked if she could have one of mine. Sure. That was all it took, I started collecting. Finally the collection became too powerful, breaking the glass jar that I put them in. Also, what could possibly be a better baby gift than a collection of assorted silica packets? She was over-joyed! Really! She said she liked the baby book (Boynton's Red Hat Blue Hat: a Favorite of ours, no idea why except it is simple and silly) and the baby outfit.

The silica packets are interesting. Collecting is interesting. So many varieties, questions. Don't know if he'll buy a new curio cabinet for these but I hope he enjoys them. They are certainly more interesting than my neighbor's Lladros. Really.

H is for big Hats!

S is ready for the races at Ascot.

C and Kent C.

Thought you might like to see the hats that Nathan and Margo decorated 2 Friday nights ago in Park City at the Kimball Art Center. We figured it out once we got home: two paper bags rolled, sculpted together into a hat. The hat-lady goes to events with hats already assembled and painted. The children have a bunch of goodies to choose from: googly eyes+pompoms+feathers+beads+stickers+glue+big hat base = fun. I wish I could find her card.
We went to see our pal Kent Christensen's very sweet paintings. Just looking at the dark chocolates made my head ache. Poor ol' pitiful me. The rice crispy treats? They were ok. :) N and M LOVED them all! Wait, they WANT them all! I wouldn't mind a few too, remind me of the sweet life.

Valentine Special: Rejection Lines... perfect for all your confectionery put downs.

Before embarking on the confrontation cookies (see previous post) we came up with a list of rude, but not mean, things 12 year old boys and older girls could say to someone they would like to know less. Once I reached my 20's I realized there were many scenes that I didn't have the script for. Just trying to help my kids learn the script. :)
Here are some examples that I am trying to teach SKJN&M:
Someone asks you to babysit, go on a date etc.? I'd love to but I can't.
Someone asks you a very personal, and inappropriate question? Why do you ask?
What is your phone number? 8o1-WAY-WRNG. [just give a wrong number, practice before you need it.]
::X::X::X::X::X::
The phrases needed to be short and slightly funny. Here is the list we came up with:
Scram
Plop
As if
Don't even
ha ha ha ha ha
1800 GET LOST
Get Lost
Thanks for Asking
Next Time
Not U Again
Just Try.
Ha Ha NO.
Go Away
UR A ...
Poop
Nasty
Forget It
& Who Are You?
What's that Smell?
Maybe next time?
No Thanks
No
Now Go Away
Hardly
Love to, Not
Right
Gross
Sick
In Your Dreams
My favorite: What's That?

Nice ones:
Cutie Pie
Ask Me
I hope.
Cool Cat
(heart) of Gold
Smiley Face
Cupcake.
Hey Z! Have any contributions?

S is for Star Mill Antiques fire.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_7655704

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695233686,00.html

Last night my sister-in-law MVL told me that she saw on the news that there was a big fire the Star Mill Antique store in American Fork. My heart sank. Daniel Copper is a friend of ours, he has always been very kind to our children, us and very generous. What is he feeling? What will happen to his store? How is he doing?

I read that the main building, the mill itself was not harmed. Yet... smoke is an insidious neighbor. I will go visit today with some fruit and a note from all of us. K especially loves Daniel's place! It is a treasure trove of beautiful old things, lots of wonder and great combinations. In one corner of a warehouse he might but a collection of globes, hanging upside down from the ceiling. One room is white. Doors on doors on doors. Jars of old bottle caps, pennies, rubber balls, random mystery relics of past simple consumer goods.

Daniel Copper is an architect and a very nice man. He reminds me of a starling (the bird). Simple and practical on the outside and then with closer look you see all the colors and depth, talent and grace, strength, and the fragility of a bird. He has restored the mill and several of the surrounding houses. I was also saddened at the possible loss of another historic structure in Utah, especially one so cool. Old buildings are torn down here like the owners/cities are swatting flies... witness downtown Provo in 2007.

Another reason my heart sank: What about the 15th? A while ago I bounced into Daniel's store and told him that I was painting our living room purple! and our handrail red, and our entry green, a bathroom yellow, the kitchen gray, the outside blue... Without a pause he said, "Then you'll be on our Christmas home tour right?!" I said, "Sure!" before I knew what I was getting into. Every few years he hosts a home tour of/for friends of the store, of homes that decorate with antiques, or "junk" as he sometimes calls it -- especially "junk" from his store. I prefer Nanette's reference to my "authentic" style, a combination of Daniel's style of junk and my sense of humor & history. The house is shaping up into a glittery house of ORDER! Complete with cupcakes, and gingerbread, on the 15th.

For Daniel, who has told people if you only go to one house go to [ours]... I have been dolling (literally), lighting, glittering, gingerbreading this place up. My studio, with a large shelf from his store, is even scheduled to be cleaned up for the tour! And I'm serious about the cupcakes. Until he tells me otherwise I am still planning on an open door on the 15th, it might be a good way to help him out.

Since I don't know who is reading this blog, the good, the very good, the bad and the ugly, I'm not posting the details (addresses) here. The other homes are far flung about Utah County. If you want more information leave a comment or contact me.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to include Daniel Copper in your prayers.

T is for Thistle!

C macheted [cut down with a machete] all the thistles in the back field, which is a good thing since now the 9 llamas can tromp on them.

Too many llamas for that space, the ground is hard as rock, nothing will grow there unless we plow, water, seed, water and let it rest. Sans-llamas for a while. The beautiful babies break out and head for the softer, greener grass ... on the other side of the fence! Nevertheless. the llamas wont eat the tops or middles of the thistles. Such incredibly stunning plants, not too tasty though.

Thistles: Not served for lunch at dear lizzie's. Had a blast with Noelle O and her beautiful baby boy C with my baby girl M.

Will post about the house soon. Colors.

M is for Minneapolis and Mary Esch

I have been pouring over the images of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis. How can that happen? My heart, recently returned from San Francisco, is Aching for that city. The photographs show such complete destruction. "Calamity" is the word for the scene. Sudden, complete disaster.

My college (CCAC, now CCA) friend Mary Esch lives in MN. She is a great artist. C and I went to Minneapolis to she her show at the Walker Art Center in 1997. It was great to spend time with her. Strange that it has been 10 years.


We spent a lot of time together at CCAC. One, of several things, that she taught me is how to listen more carefully. The cadence of her voice was thoughtful and yet light. She didn't seem to pause to think just thought before she spoke and chose her discriptive words carefully. I loved collaborating with her. I think of her often. Wish I heard from her more...hope that somehow she is well tonight.