Down to Just Fingers

I was wondering when the panic would set in...there it is. Everyone keeps telling me to keep breathing and not to freak out if things go wrong, etc etc.  While I appreciate the advice and well-meaning behind the words, I feel like turning around and reminding them of how THEY (if they're married women) felt a week and a half before their wedding, and if they were "calm" and open to the idea that the whole day might be a train wreck.  While I am confident that my day will go just fine and that I'll roll with whatever happens, I'm also confident that that relaxed attitude will be well-earned because I've sweated out all the details and freaked out about every little thing for the past 5 months.  So yes, I get that it's going to be a magical day and that anything that goes wrong will be laughed about later, but just let me bask in the stress and the hard work that's going into it, ok?  If I weren't worried about things, it would mean that I don't care about them. Stressing, at this point, is normal and valid and while I'm doing my best to keep it to a minimum, I don't feel at all bad about letting it get the better of me on occasion.

Anyway, off my soapbox.

I can count on just fingers now how many days left until I'm a Mrs.   That's awesome.  MOTU and I have been keeping each other going, alternating stressor and stressee, and it's just reminded me over and over how glad I am that I get to marry him.  When times get hard, we're there for each other the way we need to be, and that's critical.  He's a good man and I'm a lucky girl.

Here's our song:



I'm mostly done with stuff. I need to make 2 more directions signs and I need to make a trip to the Halloween store to get funny hats, but that's about it. All the reception decorations are done and in boxes, ready to be loaded in the car.  All the ceremony decorations are the same.  The programs still need a little work, but they're getting there and if I had to ditch the effort they'd still be ok.  All the wedding party gifts and florals are in boxes, ready to go.  I haven't at all started thank you notes yet, so if you've sent us something and haven't heard, please be patient.  I've been trying to make sure to let folks know we at least got stuff and are grateful though, even if the handwriting isn't on the card yet.

In other news, we're officially NOT a Marine family!  It's be TOUGH for MOTU the past couple weeks because the decision wasn't ours to make, but in the end...I can't hide the fact that I'm relieved and thrilled to have him with me for the next year instead of far far away! For the sake of his privacy, I won't go into details, but suffice it to say God answers prayers, even silly little ones.  :-)

And finally, obligatory pet pics: 

Kini wanted very much to be in on the conference call I had this morning.

She's just so very excited about customer process management software. Wouldn't you be?

Anyway, that's the news.  Might be sparse posting for a while, with all the chaos coming up and such. 

I swear, this isn't unexpected

In the past few months, it seems the only one who hasn't been completely shocked by my ability/tendency to sew/craft/make stuff is my mom.  Maybe she had the genetic heads up and should've been shocked too, but I really don't understand what all the fuss is about.  This isn't really "new" per se, it's just a different symptom for an underlying diagnosis: I am an engineer to the core.

Let me explain.

When I make something, only about 10% of it is me saying "ooh, that's pretty!" The other 90% is doing the math (guess what, I have a scientific calculator in my sewing room.  It's not buried under other stuff either), putting puzzle pieces together, and figuring out how to "do it better".  Quilting, making, etc...it's just a puzzle to me.  It's taking something I see already made, then making it myself.  The first time is always a little rough, but then usually I have a good idea of how to make it (or at least the process) a little smoother, better, etc next time. 

The mental...space?...that I go to when I'm creating is the same space I used to go to when I worked with (not for) Matlab.  I'd spend hours staring at the same stuff on the same whiteboard, erasing and marking, tweaking until it was perfect, then coding coding coding.  It's the same now...I stare with what probably looks like a vacant look at fabrics, but really my wheels are turning and it's a process similar to what Stephen King described in Bag of Bones (something about movers in the attic...I can't remember exactly).  Generally, both processes involve(d) having multiple sources of white noise (MOTU, I'm sure, gets sick of me leaving radios and TVs on all over the house, but that's how I roll) to keep me focused.  It's a strange system, but even now, the thought of that atmosphere is soothing.

Anyway, that's my story.  It shouldn't shock anyone out there that quilting, for me, is textile mathematics. 

A couple quick pictures:

 Zoey, probably fixated on my necklace (again).  Cutest set of claws west of the Mississippi.  So hoping Alishia will decide she'd make a great "wedding gift" for us lol.  Definitely getting a kitten next time I get a cat.

 Teaser pic of my first attempt at free motion embroidering.  Yes, Mom, that's my handwriting when I try.  :-)  I still use cursive sometimes.

 Pew decorations are done.  Pretty lame, but they serve the purpose - little punch of color down the aisle.  (Incidentally, can anyone else not believe that's TWO WEEKS from tomorrow???)

My rehearsal bouquet, made from shower ribbons.  Friendly reminder of how very loved I am.  :-)  Life is good.

Another Send Off

It's been a particularly busy week...I can't believe my mom was here 2 days ago lol.  Last night I had a meeting for work at 1030 at night, so I needed to keep myself occupied until it started.  I put the finishing touches on the surprise quilt (which I've posted below, since I'm fairly certain momma has better things to be doing right now than reading my little ol' blog), then tried my hand at making bibs (MOTU's coworker's wife just had their first baby - a boy). 

This was SO much more fun than I expected!  I'm finding myself actually putting in the effort of pinning and marking stuff now...and it's really paying off!  See how straight those lines are! 

I bound it with this blue stuff I had lying around, cut on the bias (the second time I've ever done that...first was on the surprise quilt below).  It really is pretty stretchy that way.  I think it turned out pretty well!  Just need to put on some velcro and this one is done!

The other side.  I've got one more of this fabric, then two of this adorable dinosaur stuff I found as well. Though I also have some green terry cloth that I'm debating using as the back (or front) for those, so maybe I'll end up with 6.  Bibs are a great way to use up my batting scraps stash...that was getting out of hand.  It's also a great way to use up the flannel I can't resist buying...it's so cute!!!

The big reveal!  This quilt was a lot of firsts for me...first time I'd done letters, first time I doodled a pattern on the quilt then followed it, free-motion, first time cutting fabric on the bias (did not go well the first attempt...I have a 2.5 inch wide Charlie Brown strip now...), first square quilt (ok that's not as big a deal, but still). 

Here's the back...you can't really see the quilting, but it's there.  I did a flower in two squares, a heart in two squares, and outlined the letters in three squares.  The other two I left empty.

Here it is all boxed up and ready to go!

*sigh* I always feel like I'm sending a piece of me when I put these things in boxes.  Am I the only one who aches a little every time a quilt leaves home?  It's even worse if you don't get to see any sign of whether or not the recipient even got it (let alone if they like it)...it's like a lack of closure.  I guess that's better than finding out that all your time and love and effort was wasted on something the person never even uses...I won't specify, but I'm pretty sure at least one of mine is in someone's closet somewhere, on a stack of "too many blankets".  Ouch.  Won't pretend that doesn't hurt a little.

Anyway, moving on.  I posted this quilt on Etsy as well...well, not this specific one, but a custom one.  I'm sure no one reading this (since most of you are quilters yourselves) has any need for it, but it's up there.  It was so quick and fun, I think I could get one or two done before the wedding if they were ordered.

Oh!  In completely other news, once again I was blindsided yesterday by how crazy awesome my friends, family, and coworkers are!  The two wonderful women I work most with banded the office together (keep in mind that I work in the tech industry, so this is mostly guys we're talking about here) to throw me a SURPRISE bridal shower at work!!!  I had no idea!  They caught me completely off-guard - I almost worked from home yesterday, even!  They got a bunch of lovely things for us, including a picture frame I've been coveting from afar for a while.

I cannot express (which makes thank you notes hard) how completely awe-struck I am at the uninhibited outpouring of love and support MOTU and I have been experiencing.  I had no idea I'd made enough of an impact on people for them to band together like this and be so unrelentingly positive.  It's really beautiful.  This wedding has taken on a life of its own, and it has definitely had some stressful moments, but overall, I am SO excited to spend the day embraced and surrounded by people who genuinely care for us and genuinely want us to succeed.  It is just amazing and wonderful to feel so completely loved.  I have never been so at peace, so content, and so filled with joy, even during the most mundane moments of my days, as I have been the past week or so, and will continue to be knowing these wonderful people are in our life. 

I almost forgot!  I got the stamp for the programs, so here's what the covers look like now (well, 20 or so of them...I still have about 80 or so to put the leaves on).  

The stamp came from this lovely Etsian, who was extremely responsive and very quick with her work and the shipping.  Soon I should have pictures of our napkin rings, and when I do I'll post a link to that shop as well.

I hope everyone's feeling at least a fraction of the love and happiness I'm feeling today! 

Practically Super Models!

Yesterday, MOTU (Nick) and I had our engagement shoot with our photographer (well, the first of two shoots anyway...Helen wasnt ready for her closeup, so we did half this weekend and will do half in August).  They turned out incredibly well!  We took Kini with us for this shoot, and she was the best puppy ever.  There are some great shots with her smiling face in them!  All images copyright Margaret Michaels Photography. Enjoy: 

 Man, even just looking through them again, Im just floored by how well they turned out!  I cant believe thats us!  Margaret is just phenomenal (and she does baby/belly/family/senior pics too!) and super easy to work with.  By far, shes my favorite vendor.  

The location is where we.ll be having our reception, at Snow Farm Vineyard, in South Hero on Lake Champlain.  I highly recommend stopping by for a tour or a tasting if youre ever in the area.  Harrison (the owner) is a hoot and kept telling us to ..quit necking!..  (Sorry, my apostrophe key is DOA right now.) 

We hammered out some of the timing details for the big day, and that actually  took a LOT of weight off my shoulders.  As Im typing this, Im taking a break from (you ready for this?) organizing MY NEW SEWING ROOM!!!!  It has been a fabulous weekend.  I might even have a design wall again soon!! 

Anyway, enjoy the pics and enjoy the weather...its been great up here! 

http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=231545&id=102318335878&ref=mf

Holy Unintentional Sabbatical, Batman!

Oy vay!  Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything even remotely entertaining!  Life's been CRAZY the past few weeks, and Shelby (the 6 lb little troll MOTU calls a kitty) has kept on with her campaign to puke or pee on everything dear to me.  Seriously.  MOTU is out of town for a week, and Monday night I came home and couldn't find Shelby...she was sitting in the bathtub, all but beaming over her "handy work" on the new bath mat I bought Saturday.  ARGH!  She couldn't have just peed down the damn drain???  Now she's sleeping under the sink, in the cabinet.  I don't get it.

In any case.  The wedding plans are coming along nicely.  I've been watching unholy amounts of wedding shows while I work on the bouquets, etc. and it's doing me no favors...either I get a complex (thank you, David Tutera) or I get all paranoid that I'm a brat (thank you, Bridezillas).  Not to mention Girl Meets Gown (way better than its TLC counterpart), Say Yes to the Dress, Bridal Bootcamp, etc.

The new room is coming along nicely...I need about 6 more coats of paint total (3 coats in 2 colors), and then I can move bedroom stuff into the bedroom and reclaim my sewing space!  Since Shelby's taken up residence in the bathroom, the bedroom has become critter-free, and I'm hoping to keep it that way.  Kinda want to keep the bedroom that way too, but we'll see what MOTU has to say about that. It would reduce the amount of dust kitties floating around for sure.

Given that I started this post 3 days ago and am completely scatterbrained now, I'm going to leave it at this and post when I'm more with it.  thanks for your patience.

Finally! Something with Fabric!

Ok, it's not much, but it's what I've got.  I've resurrected the flower sweat shop table in the living room, in hopes of maybe finishing the rest of the bouquets soon.  Unfortunately, I only have one picture for you for now though:

This is the flower I put on the back of Alishia's bouquet.  (She's the one that gets the Save a Horse quilt, and is one of my bridesmaids.)  I have another button like this for Jimmy.  We've had a long-standing series of pirate-related inside jokes, and when I saw these at JoAnn's, I couldn't resist.  I think it's hysterical.  :-D

I suppose I do have a couple other pictures I can post, just for kicks:

These aren't us, but the strip down the middle is what will go in the middle of the strips that come out of the photo booth I've rented for the reception.  I can't tell you how excited I am to have unlimited photo booth pictures for our guest book!! 

And this steaming pile o' potential is our cake topper!  It's about 7.5 inches long, which I hope means that the wheels are less than 6 inches apart, since that's how big the top tier of the cake is.  If not, we'll have to get creative.  Since Helen isn't painted yet (she's getting a makeover), I don't know how I'll paint this one, but I'm looking forward to it for sure. 

I saw these at a winery in CA last weekend and just fell in love with them!  I have a friend who does metalworking, and he said if I come help him, he can make these for centerpieces!  I'm thinking leaves around the base, and I can give them away to guests at the end of the night (with his card, of course). 

 Also in CA, we found where the seals/sea lions hide out at one of the docks.  There's no zoom here:

 No zoom here either.

 And here's the bait:

On that note, happy Thursday, all!  :-D

Bloggin on the Sly

Taking a quick breather between meetings to post some good stuff.  Unfortunately, none of it is quilting-related, but you know what?  Life is good. 

This weekend, my baby brother graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.  He has been through some tough times through his college career, but you know what?  He pulled himself up from rock bottom (not without the help of our awesome parents, whose love and support have gotten both of us through some mess) and is officially a college grad with a GPA just shy of 3.0, if I remember correctly.  I can't tell you how proud of him I am.  He's awesome. Here's us about 4.5 years ago.  Still one of my favorite pics.

Today, MOTU finally got some answers.  Well, one at least.  His waiver got accepted at BuMed, so now he can move on to MEPS and keep moving towards OCS.  Anyone catch that?  :-)  Basically, someone stamped a piece of paper saying the ulcer he had when he was 16 was a fluke, and he's now fit enough to take the medical exam so he can eventually (soon I hope) take the fitness exam, then submit his application and all that.  We still don't know if he'll be in the October or January class, but he's on his way.  You can't imagine the sigh of relief (and subsequent happy dance) this invoked. 

I think I'm finally at peace with him joining the Marine Reserve.  Don't get me wrong, if he decided it wasn't for him, I'd be more than a little thrilled.  But the thought of being away from him for an indefinite amount of time while he's in some God-forsaken country doing things I don't even want to think about doesn't phase me as much anymore.  I'm sure that will change when he gets his first deployment, but for now...I'm excited to see him in uniform.  :-)

That said, on my way home from CA this weekend I saw some poster thanking our troops, and I felt that all-too-familiar lump in my throat come creeping back up.  Maybe I lied.  Maybe I'm ok with him going off to training, but I'm not at all excited for deployment.  I'll make it - I'm tough and Kini is cute - but it's not going to be easy.  I'll make it though.  And so will he.

Last night, I tied and stuffed 90+ invitations, and all the counts came out correctly.  The first time.  Phew!  MOTU, bless his heart, tried to tie one of the cards for me but it came out so badly I told him he could just walk Kini instead and that'd be enough help.  But, the important thing is that they're all done.  I'm just waiting on my special stamps now, and then in a couple of weeks I can put the whole mess in the mail and wait for either RSVP cards or return to senders.  We'll see. 

Anyway, back to work.  Hopefully I'll have more pics of the critters and the wedding chaos later. 

Cricket Cricket

My sewing machine has been collecting dust (well, cat hair) and not in the fun way lately...it's been a busy week, as usual, but at least I have a few fun pics to show for it:

First, my anti-kitty protection system. Yes, she even tries to sleep on the ironing board. She doesn't like the fan, which goes all night, so she doesn't sleep on the bed anymore.

 Usually she sleeps in one of MOTU's backpacks, which is spread out on the floor.  After a little spring cleaning, she couldn't find the backpack and in the morning we couldn't find her. Dig the the deepest, darkest corner of the closet and you'll see a little head:

 Yep, she sleeps just like that. Doesn't want to risk getting zipped in, so her head is always out.

Last night, Kini was feeling fashionable:

 No really, she loved wearing MOTU's shirt:

 Ok, maybe she wasn't all *that* excited about it...

Aside from critter craziness (Grisgris is still making his rounds as household bully, too, if you're curious) it's been a productive week.  The house is clean, we had a bbq on Monday, and I've run 10 miles so far this week...Tuesday I ran 8 and yesterday I ran 2 - I got my personal bests for longest run and fastest mile, respectively, per my Nike+ thingy.  I'm hurtin' just a bit today.

Anyways, as usual, it's off to meetings and meetings and meetings for me.  Hopefully I'll have something interesting to post soon!!

Friday Fave Five - The Allergy Edition

No explanations this week, I'll just jump right in:

1. Sweet sweet irony. Did anyone ever see "The Happening" by M. Knight Shamalayan?  I know I probably butchered that name, but bear with me.  First of all, I'm going to spoil it for you.  It was the trees.  They somehow rapidly evolve so that, when humans are grouped together (in decreasing numbers until the end, when Marky Mark displays how very little he actually reads before signing a contract for a movie), they emit a chemical that causes spontaneous, and often so over the top it's comical, suicide.  Seriously, one guy throws himself in front of his lawn mower.  A hand mower.  Just silly.

Well, the irony here is, given how much we mocked that movie when we saw it, both MOTU and I are suffering in ways that could only be described as "the trees are trying to kill us".  Our cars are yellow.  Our clothes are yellow.  I literally can't swallow today because my throat is so swollen.  And all I can do is shake a fist (thereby stirring up the pollen even more) at the trees.  Stupid trees.

2. Vantage points. (And as I typed that, FFF #3 occured...remind me.) There's one corner in our house where  two baby gates meet, to keep Shelby "safe" in her room (see FFF#3 for why that's in quotes), Grisgris safe in his space, and Kini from eating everything in half the house.  It's been happening more and more frequently that the three critters meet at this junction...what's great is that I'm the only one tall enough to see that all three are present...usually Kini and Grisgris are fussing at each other while Shelby just sorta howls at anybody blocking her from getting outside.

3. A living house. I lived by myself for a long time...3 or 4 years I think, all said and done.  It got to the point where I would go out just to avoid coming home to an empty, silent house.  I didn't want roommates, but it really gets lonely being, well, alone all the time.  I'm not alone anymore.  Now, even if MOTU isn't around, the house is ALIVE.  Just this morning, during a meeting I called in to from home, I had to put the call on mute and sprint across the house to grab Grisgris as he was leaping over the baby gate that protects Shelby from his big, fat presence.  Stupid cat.  He literally just went in to drink her water.  Kini will poke her nose in to eat Shelby's food, given the chance.  It's pure chaos, I tell ya, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.  I love our little zoo and how much it makes our house feel like our home.

4. Good, long runs.  Tuesday was the season finale of The Biggest Loser.  I ran for 1:15 of the show, covering just shy of 8 miles.  Seriously, if I'd known I was that close to 8 miles I would've just stayed on the extra minute.  But.  That's the furthest intentional, consecutive distance I've covered since high school, maybe ever.  Best part is, I'm not even sore from it!  Though I will say, the best way to sabotage a long run is by wearing short shorts...yikes.

5. Flexible work geographies. Yesterday, I had meetings pretty much straight from 8:30 am to 3 or so pm.  I called in from home to the first one and ended up just working from home the whole day. Over the course of the day, all three critters came to visit me:

Grisgris just purred away next to me on the couch when Kini was in her kennel: 

 Shelby tried to remind me that the dining room/kitchen/laundry area table isn't mine, it's hers:

 And eventually, Kini settled down enough to take Grisgris' place on the couch:

 At some point, MOTU came home and took over.  I love my life.  I love OUR life.  :-)