Summer Abundance

Fish in the pond, although we haven't caught any, wild bees making honey, but I'm staying far away from those hives, wild mushrooms in the woods, although I have no idea which ones are poisonous, but the black raspberries! All of us go out every day and pick berries until our fingers and faces are stained. I have two baggies frozen, but no jam. I've never made black raspberry jam, or any berry jam for that matter. I like the idea of it, spreading it on my fresh from the oven bread, a smear of purple that tastes like summer. Maybe I'll have courage when the blackberries come on.

Boy's room design board.

Um, I'm having a little bit of trouble 'seeing' how this room will turn out. I'm starting to get cold feet. Do I paint? Blue? What if it's too cold? It's on the North Side. What if it's too dark? What if... I need to push back the doubts and go for it! It's paint! If it's dreadful, I can paint it something else. I am a good painter. I've had lots of practice by now, so long as I don't have to hold a baby in one arm, because that messes up my wrists.

I love Posie Gets Cozy softie animal kits. I want to make all of them. I'm getting one (maybe two) for my birthday. I'm so excited! I'm going to be sooo old. And wise. Although I still don't know how to shave my legs without getting nicks.

I love the picture from Venus A. Dodge's book, 'Dolls' House Needlecrafts'. It's a fantastic book. She's one of my favorite doll book writers. I want to make a rag rug for the boy's room after I rip up their carpet and hope that the floor underneath isn't a very big mess. If it is, I'm going to paint it. My husband isn't certain this is a good step, but I think it'll be wonderful. I think. Anyway, it's a small room for three boys. My darling is making a triple bunk bed. Now that will be fun! Any ideas for how to store legos and other boy stuff in a small space?

Fox Kit
Dolls' House Needlecrafts
Valspar Paint Sea Tickle (depending on how it looks in real life)

Clean Indie Review: Sweet: Pride and Butterflies, by Franky M. Brown

I met Franky online at Clean Indie Reads when I was asking about whether my books looked particularly clean or not. I love Pride and Prejudice type stories, so I got the sample to see how it would go. And you know what? I had to finish reading it, so there you go. It's a sweet like one of Emily Loring's old ones. I can recommend it with a completely clear conscience.

You can find it Here



The review:

This book, first off, does not have a lot of description and frankly, I always have a hard time with first person present tense, so when I downloaded the sample, I wasn't sure if I'd be able to finish it, but before I knew it, I was laughing out loud at this hilarious story! Caralyn is just lovely and ridiculous and human. We're in her head the whole time, a rambling, stream of consciousness that is so over-the-top, I just loved it and her. She's a mess and has to figure out what to do about it as her precariously built world topples over on her. The dream guy was a bit dull, honestly, but very nice. The kissing was sweet and fun! It's exactly like a sweet should be. Throughout the story I found myself laughing out loud, and sometimes gasping in shock as some new atrocity happened. Some favorite scenes: The ghost scene, the butterfly garden, the airport scene, and the shoe scene. Well done Franky A Brown. I know a new author I can go to for an uplifting lighthearted romance.

Planning Stage 1: Gold and Pink Girl's Room

I had the most fun putting this together. The fabric bundle is my 10 year olds coveted assortment. She really wants a whole outfit and wardrobe out of it, and the room, gold and gorgeous, is the room the girls share in the house we're moving into. I had an eureka moment as I realized how great the gold would look with the pink. The beautiful doe doll is an inspiration of how gold goes with pink as well. I am probably buying the pattern, although the kit is simply marvelous.

Fat Quarter Bundle

Doe Doll

Curtain Fabric

I am so excited to get started!

Catching up.

We're moving.
From This:

Green Acres is the Place for me!

To this:



High living in Society!


I'm a little bit trepidatious (is that a misspell?)

Although I'm sure everything will be wonderfully exciting and convenient, no 30 minute drive to buy bananas, it will be weird to have a million neighbors. How will I wave to them all without getting arthritic wrists? It will be an adventure for sure.

All my sewing, crafting supplies are packed up. It's nice not to have so much stuff, but also not nice to not have any stuff. Ah well. This is an excellent opportunity to focus on writing, wrapping up my House of Slide series!