where did I go and when am I coming back

Well how nice of you to ask.

Last week I must have been feeling like I had too much fabric and time on my hands, so I decided to do something to get rid of both. I signed up to participate in a craft fair on November 2nd and 3rd. Then I realized that I had to make enough things to fill a ten foot table, plus extras in case people actually buy stuff and I need to replenish the supply. Then I started sewing frantically and I haven't stopped.


That's not entirely true. While I did use the weekend to finish the hand sewing on six stuffed balls, it was so beautiful outside that I had to get out a little bit. So out we went, in search of a fall festival and some pumpkins.

We found a festival, although it wasn't quite as much fun as it looks. But it was nice to walk around and feel the crisp air and smell funnel cake cooking. There were no pumpkins though, which in my opinion makes it a pretty poor excuse for a fall festival. I mean, come on- no pumpkins? Who planned this thing and how long have they lived in America?

So we left the alleged "fall festival" and went to a pumpkin stand (not as good as a patch, but a step up from Lowe's) and got three pumpkins. Tomorrow I will post some pumpkin pictures. Be forewarned- there are lots of them. Pumpkins are a great picture subject. And they sit very still.

We wrapped up the weekend with a true celebration of fall- homemade pumpkin ice cream and snickerdoodles. The pictures don't do it justice.

And now I'm off to- you guessed it- start sewing some more. Today I am attempting to make two purses. Ambitious, but not impossible. I'll let you know how it goes.

the view from here

I have been trying to spend as much time as possible outside this week. Although it's still a bit hot for my liking, the skies are so blue and the breeze is so pleasant that I barely mind. Monday found me on our patio, staring at the patterns that the trees make on the sky. Lovely.

My vegetable garden is now a series of random pots and plants that needed to get in the ground before a frost. The lavender likes to hang out there in the winter.

These yellow mums are in their third year. They just keep getting bigger and are practically a bush now. I'm so glad I planted them right by the front door because they make the house look so cheerful when you drive up.

Yesterday I both started and gave up on a new project for the shop, so now it's back to square one. Hopefully by the end of the week I'll have something new to share in that area.

*A big thanks to Steve for showing me several neat Photoshop tricks last night and making it possible for me to post pictures again. He sure is a handy one.*

nothing to see here

I have somehow lost the ability to post pictures on my blog. This is the second day that I have tried, to no avail. And, as I find blogs without pictures extremely boring, I plan to save all my stories until they can be told with the proper illustrations.

But I wanted you to know that I haven't disappeared.

Here's hoping you'll be seeing me tomorrow.

starting out

Today I am packaging up some gifts for people who are just starting out. I think that every new beginning is a gift-worthy celebration and am so thankful to actually have the time to make these gifts.

This little embroidered zipper pouch is for a sweet friend who is just starting out in college. What an exciting/scary time that is and I have been thinking about my early days in college this week as I think of her. I am hoping that this pouch will be a little reminder of home and a reminder that someone back here is rooting for her.

This ball is a gift for some family members who are just starting out as parents. There is nobody who deserves presents quite like a new baby, even though they can't appreciate them. But what a gift, when you get older, to be told by your parents, "All these people sent gifts when you were born because you were that special."

I also think there is a friendship just starting out for me. While I was on a walk today, I met the two little girls that live behind us. I knew something was up when they came running to meet me as I approached their house (we have never spoken before). Our conversation was brief, but hilarious. It went something like this:

girls: Hi! What's your name?

me: My name is Lauren.

girls: Lauren with an L?

me: Yes. Are you enjoying the sunshine today?

girls: Yes it's hot outside. Do you go to school?

me: No

girls: Oh! We're homeschooled too!

me: (silently wondering why I am so easily mistaken for an 8 year old)

girls: Where do you live?

me: Back behind those trees. (I point to our house.)

girls: How did you get all the way over here?!?

me: I walked. I'm taking a walk.

girls: We're going to go inside and get something to drink now. You'll probably need a drink too when you get home.

me: Probably so. It was nice to meet you both.

girls: (one of them is holding hands with me at this point) We like you. You're very very pretty.

me: Well, thank you. You are both very pretty too. I'll see you later.

girls: Bye! Bye Lauren! Lauren with an L!

I am sort of waiting for them to show up at the back door and ask Steve if I can come out and play. I hope he says yes.

warning: this is mostly about footwear

It's official. Today was the first day that I had to wear real socks. It's been a good five months or so since my feet have seen real socks. I'm not talking white, athletic, I'm wearing tennis shoes and taking a walk socks. Real socks. With colors and patterns.

And what else to wear with real socks than my trusty old shoes? Today I pulled the winter shoe box out from under the guest bed and there they were, waiting for me. Steve and I attempted to calculate when I purchased these fine clogs. Our best guess is somewhere in the late 90s. I know, right? Those are some old shoes. And still perfectly good, although I have sewn them back together three different times. And yes, they do say Faded Glory, and no, I'm not ashamed. Because when you are willing to wear a pair of $8 Walmart clogs for twelve years, you obviously have other priorities.

Other priorities = slippers. I am very passionate about slippers. This is a picture of Steve and I last Christmas. Some people photograph their tree. Not us.

These slippers are the real deal. Three Christmases ago, we had a fantastic idea. We picked out a pair of Land's End slippers for each of our immediate family members (which may not sound like a lot of slippers, but we have between us ten parents and siblings). We also each picked out a pair for ourselves. When the twelve pairs of slippers arrived in December, we wrapped them all up and put them under the tree. Even ours. We saved them until Christmas Eve, when we could no longer wait to try them on. They are amazing. I have been excited every year since then to get them out from under the bed and start the fall season with these red wonders. They are like a hug for my feet.

Last year I decided that the worst thing about going to work in the winter was that I didn't get to wear my slippers while I was there. So I picked out a pair of work slippers. (What? Nobody at your office wears work slippers? Weird...) They are black and very demure and I was CERTAIN that nobody ever even noticed that every day I would slip off my work shoes and leave them under my desk and put on my slippers for the day. I mean, I was wearing black pants- they should have been camouflaged, right? But one day I overheard someone make a comment about "Lauren's slippers" and I knew my secret was not so secret. And I kept right on wearing them. When I finally packed up my office to leave that job, the box I took home on the very last day contained a plant, one picture, chapstick, and my slippers.

I'm not exactly sure how the two pairs are going to coexist at home this winter, but I sure am glad to have options.

at home with lauren

Today you are all invited to my house. I have been wanting to show off my fall decorations and today there was finally enough sunlight to get some pictures.

I love pulling out the same decorations, year after year, but arranging them in new ways. The mantle is always my favorite spot to decorate because it is such a focal point for our family room and kitchen.

I also make a point to decorate the kitchen windowsill. I find myself at the kitchen sink a lot during the fall/winter months and it actually helps inspire me to keep working on the dishes when I have a little display to admire.

The dining room table isn't getting a lot of dining use lately. I had it set up as a project center for a couple weeks and we play cards there. We did use it to eat while Mom was here this weekend though. I think it looks so festive that we will start eating in here more just to admire the view.

And now, I think I hear the mail truck. You know how I love Mailbox Mondays.

satisfied

There was something very satisfying about finishing these little blocks. Their chunky square-ness reminds me somehow of a three year old boy with stocky legs. Sturdy but cute. Apparently someone else felt the same way, because they sold within an hour of posting them in the shop. So now I get to make another set.

Also satisfying? Soup and homemade bread for dinner. This is my favorite soup and I could probably eat it for two weeks straight without minding a bit. In fact, every time I'm done with a bowl of it, I feel a little sad (much like the CAC hot dog incident, if anyone remembers that). I found the recipe here and now I don't really remember what I did before I had it.

Although I don't always have the time, I love to make things that take a long time to prepare. I think I feel like the food actually tastes better or is better for us if I've spent hours on it. (And just in case you were starting to think I am a total weirdo, let me mention that I would only spend hours preparing a meal that would provide at least three more meals of leftovers. I'm not crazy.)

This loaf of french bread also turned out rather nicely. For the first time, I used my Kitchen Aid mixer for the kneading and although it took a little fine tuning, I think that it was a success. We've been eating it with the soup all week, but I think it would make great sandwiches as well.

I am very satisfied with all that today holds- a trip to the grocery store, cooking at home, coffee with a friend, and then my mom arrives! What a terrific start to the weekend! I hope that yours is equally satisfying.