Baby Blues

My mom introduced me to the cartoon strip "Baby Blues" either just before or just after I had my first, and I've felt their pain all these years . . . and been glad to know someone else feels mine . . . and been so grateful to be able to laugh at myself and the challenges that are monumentally daunting in the moment, and so yesterday once we've overcome them (like getting my first to sleep through the night).

After a particularly contentious weekend when we were all particularly contrary, my husband and I had the same nearly hysterical reaction to today's strip. (That'd be Jan 24, 2010.)

Why stop there, though. Baby Blues had an archive. Go there. Go directly to there and enjoy laughing at yourself. We are!

Grandma's Shawl

I'm supposed to be sketching one of the two remaining quilts I have to design for a Quilting Arts magazine article that is due in a week, but procrastination is an important part of my creative process, so I'm feeding my creative side by posting. Really! Just ask my mom!

Anyhow, my Grandma made knitted and crocheted and beaded and plastic canvas stuff for us when we were young. She and Grandpa whipped up wonderful meals of pot roast or turkey and lefse (like potato tortillas) and komla (potato balls) and butterhorn rolls and grape salad. We had homemade buttermilk pancakes or oatmeal for breakfast, and there was always plenty of kringla (soft cookies) and krumkake (crumb bombs) to keep 9 people happy for several days.

Grandma always smells good and her skin is like silk. She has always listened when I shared the little trivial things that were important to me. And I could feel her quiet, low voice and Grandpa's rich, deep one way down in my heart.

Being at their house was like visiting a wonderful other world of special food, music, familiar old toys, tea parties, and all-day playtime, and I always cried when it was time to leave.

Grandpa is gone now, and Grandma, now in her 90s, lives in a retirement home 14 hour away, so it's hard to make sure she knows, every day, how much we love her and how often we think about her. I made her this shawl and some neck warmers--and some krumkake--for Christmas in the hopes that they will speak for us when we can't be there. 'Bout time I made her something comforting and wonderful!

Free Stuff Soon!

Don't get all excited--I'm not giving away anything shiny or colorful . . . or green.

However, I'm madly working on a new talk that will partner with a new class and I thought, "You know, there's some information that every quilter needs to have . . . and I have it written down . . . so I think I'll post it."

I had time to think that but not time to post it since I have two talks this week and an article due for Quilting Arts next week. Hopefully this'll remind me to post it the week after that!

So check back then to find out what the heck I'm talking about and to see a few images from my new talk!