Today's Shelbyism

Shelby and I are lazing about in the living room, it's a perfect Saturday morning... I have coffee, my computer, and I'm wrapped up in my quilt... Shelby's on the floor coloring, the dog is curled up beside her. McClintock, one of my favorite movies (yes, I love John Wayne), is on AMC. Couldn't really ask for much more.

There is one line in the movie, where John Wayne's character says, " And I am not intoxicated.... Yet." Shelby, horrified, turns around and asks me if he's going to poison himself or something. She was incredibly concerned that he was going to kill himself. I said of course not, and wanted to know why she thought that. Logically, she said that she thought that toxic meant poison. I said that was kind of what he meant, but that in this case, he was probably going to have a lot of whiskey. She seemed relieved and went back to coloring. Me, thinking that I have an incredibly smart, well versed child, asked her how she new what toxic meant. She turns around, looks me straight in the eye and said "Brittney Spears."

I'm failing.

Quilt Number One

The first step in the last step.

Pinning the binding down

Cutting strips for the binding

The only scraps I had left. 

Binding

Done! This is laid out on a queen sized bed.

Detail in the actual quilting

More detail

A bit of front, back and binding.

I'm done with my quilt! Well, with my first one. I've got another one half done, but this was my first quilt. I've had it quilted for  months, but never did bind it off. I finally went over to a girlfriends house so she could show me how to do it. How cute is this?! First of all, can you tell what it is? Shelby says it looks like a bookshelf, but it is supposed to be a tree. An interpretation of a tree, anyway. I love it! Plus, there are no curves or anything, making it perfect for a first timer. All of the leaves are a different fabric, all different shades of green with various flowers/birds/leaves on them. I love that it has such a "scrappy" feel to it. I made my own binding using leftover scraps of all different patterns and lengths. I really think it adds to the "whimsy" of the quilt. The only pic you can really see that in is the last one. All told, I'm pretty proud of myself, and this is quickly becoming a bit of an addiction. I can't wait to get my next one finished!

How We Met

Okay, okay. Now that everyone already knows, I'll record for posterity how Daniel and I met. It was simple. It wasn't one of those saving a girl because her shoe is stuck in a grate and she's going to get run over by a dumpster thing. It was calm and simple... and pretty sweet.

As per usual for me, I was man hating somethin' fierce this past year. I was ready to rid the world of these menaces, I was all for girl power and kind of wished I could have bat for the other team awhile. Then my baby brother calls me and says that he's getting married. Awww. That shut me up for awhile. All I could remember was those times spent "submarining" the poor boy... The boy that was forever running around in his cowboy boots and his little ascot who wanted to be a preacher and Michael Jordan all in one. Anyway...

Kati and I talked pretty often by phone or chat since they started dating, so we got to know each other pretty well in some ways. She knew my feelings toward men weren't exactly awesome, but she kept talking up her brother. "He's wonderful/amazing/funny/irreverent/sarcastic/etc..." I never really paid much attention. I just thought she had discovered how awesome the Peck kids are, and wanted to monopolize our bloodline. Anyway, I was pretty wrapped up in my own crap, too busy and bitter to think much of Kati's brother. In fact, I'd pretty much forgotten all about it up until the time we actually met.

In a very long, drawn out, tearful and dramatic saga, we finally made it out to California for the wedding. I say tearful and dramatic not because of myself, but because my dad (whom I adore) was taken to the hospital some six hours before his flight was supposed to leave. At the time, we didn't know what was wrong with him, but when I found out, I was already on my way to Pittsburgh to catch my flight. I was wracked with guilt about not heading to dad's instead of the wedding. In case you were wondering, dad is fine. He had an evil case of colitis that did actually prevent him from attending the wedding.

So Sky and Kati meet Shelby and I at the airport, and we're all excited to see each other and to spend a few days visiting before the rest of the family got there. Kati's brother had come in a week or so before us, and was staying with them. When we got back to their house, there he was. Kati introduced us, but I couldn't hear a word she said. I seem to remember my oxygen sats dropping and my blood rushing to my head. All I could think was, "Dammit all to hell. Kati was right. Shit." A strange reaction, I know. But you see, I didn't want Kati to be right. I wanted to wallow in my own misery a while longer. But she was right. And we've been like peas and carrots ever since.

This was our first night out there. We were out there for a week, and by the end of it, both of us knew that this was big. Very big. It's been two months, and I'm disgustingly happy. He's in the Air Force, and has been moving around a bit for the last couple of months, and will continue to be moved around (as near as I can tell) through next year. It's long distance for now, but we've been able to get together every month or so. It could definitely be a lot worse. We call, text and video chat almost incessantly, which is really nice. Then he'll be here for awhile in December. I'm hoping it'll be at least a few weeks, but we'll see. I think we may also try to head down to Alabama so he can meet dad during that time.

So far, I've been out to Colorado Springs and San Antonio to see him, and will be heading down to San Antonio again three weeks from today(!). I can't wait to see him...

If you're wondering about Shelby, and how she gets along with Daniel, they get along like gangbusters. She adores him, and I think it's pretty mutual. I have so many cute pictures of the two of them from California, but they're all in my email. I'll add them all to an album soon.. In the meantime, I'll leave you with a few highlights from our trip.

(I'm in love!)

Fun Fact: Sky and I can both open beer bottles with our feet. Note: The feet in this pic are Sky's

Sky and Daniel breaking up... Sky decided Kati was his soul mate. 

In San Fransisco

Daniel being a good big brother...

Only pic of Shelby and Daniel that I got on my phone

Typical text message...

One of several thousand video calls. 

2012

I'm baaaccckkk!

Well, truthfully, I never went anywhere. But I know that I owe people phone calls, so until then, I know I have your rapt attention. 

Updates:

The job is the same, and it still kind of sucks. 

My baby brother is married and I love his new wife, but I'm still nostalgic about freezing his undies when we were kids. 

Shelby started middle school. I'm working on preserving my youth by drinking as much wine as possible. I figure I'll pickle myself eventually. Also, she decided to go out for band. She's playing the French horn. It's lovely. I'm reminded of piano lessons (some 20 years ago?!) and am looking at our mothers in a new light. It's lovely. 

My mom is still working in a mental hospital, but I think she's truly there for outpatient therapy but nobody is telling her.

My dad is living the American dream in Alabama and being the typical overbearing parent to my step sister, Sara. They're working their way through the college admission process. Poor kid...

I have a new computer and an iPhone. My posting shouldn't be as sporadic. Except that I live a boring existence, and generally have nothing to post about. 

And that's about it... Nothing else is going on. 

Oh wait! You wanted to know about this cutie?

Do you want the full "how we met" story, or the bullet points? 

What? Caroline's posting a blog? *gasp* This can't be happening! 

Okay. I'm here. I have not died, but just about all of my electronic devices have. It's terrible. My computer is on it's last leg of its last life. Which means if it works, I have to squeeze all of my blog stalking and pinning in as fast as possible before it dies again. This also means that I can't upload any pictures. I have not as yet figured out how to post pictures from my phone to my blog. As soon as I do, I'll get more interesting, I promise. As it is, the only way i get to post pix is onto Facebook.  I'm not really comfortable posting pix of stuff I make or "alter" onto Facebook. I much prefer to be asked in person (with excitement) "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT SKIRT?!?!?" or "Those shoes are bad ass. Where can I find them?" Then I get a somewhat sick satisfaction out of saying, "Oh, this? Yeah, I made it." You all need to visit. That's it. It's only been 6 years, but I feel like I'm finally starting to pull my house together (even though my Christmas tree may or may not still be up). Dear Baby Jesus smelling like Johnsons Baby Powder laying in your darling little manger with that perfect little halo: Thank you for Pinterest. 

My cousin is getting married in two weeks. The wedding is in Hendersonville, and a country club. The invitations specified cocktail attire. Harumph. I will post pics of my dress. I found it in a vintage shop. I love it. It's sunshine yellow. But not so much Sunshine as IwillrockyourworldandohbythewayIlooklikeamillionbucks yellow. My accessories are all a copper/brassy color and also all vintage. My shoes are my own creation. I found a pair of nude pumps. I am, in the words of the immortal Carrie Bradshaw, "styling them up." You'll love them. That is what I've been working on today, that is what I have to say.

My brother is getting married! He's getting married out near Sacramento, CA in July. If you know anybody who needs a kidney, let me know. 

I really have got to figure out how to post pics to Blogger from my phone. Any suggestions? 

Stuff I've been busy making...

This isn't a real post, per se, rather, a few pictures of things I've been doing. I don't quite know what's gotten into me, but it's a little terrifying. Among things not pictured: a full size quilt and a batch of jam I "put up" while the berries were in season. Yes, a quilt. I super cute quilt, if I do say so myself. It's off being quilted on a long arm machine as I write this. I'll post pictures as soon as it's done. Loving this book for awesome quilt (and easy) quilt patterns. I did the tree pattern, but I use that term loosely. I changed the size, colors, and branches. And yes, I did put up jam. Strawberry Banana Split jam. We've eaten 6 jars, and wishing we had more. Anyway, pictures and explanations:

The framed letter says:

Dear Fork,

I understand that we haven't spoken since I ran away with Dish, but I thought you should know that you have a son. His name is Spork. He has your hair.

Sincerely,

Spoon

It's on an aged linen paper and in a solid brass antique picture frame I scored a couple of weeks ago. I loved the contrast. It's now one of my absolute favorite things in the house. That may include Shelby.

The owl is a piece that I hand cut using the German technique, Scherenschnitte. He's on a background of old book pages. I call him Francis.

The make up holder in the bathroom is actually pretty cool. I got one of those metal oil drip pans from the automotive department and cut it up into 8 x 10" segments with tin snips. One pan will make about 6 of these. Then I covered it in a fabric that matched my bathroom and framed it. I glued magnet dots to the back of my make up and now it sticks right on the fabric.

The purse is my new pride and joy. It's definitely the hardest sewing project I've tried to date. I think it turned out well, especially for the first time, but I can't wait to try it again and make it perfect. There are pictures of the front (with the pleat and the bow), the back, and the interior. Yes, I lined it too. With a coordinating fabric. And pockets. See the tag that's sticking out beside the pocket on the inside? It is a professionally printed tag that says Made by Caroline. A friend of mine got me a whole roll of these tags as a gift. The purse is made of cotton fabric and incredibly stiff interfacing so that it will hold it's shape. 

The black flower wax art is also a new favorite. The pictures don't do it justice. The background is really a grey/silver that is darker in person. The whole piece is dark and I love it. I melted black, grey, and silver crayons onto the canvas I painted grey. I melted them in such a way that I could use them as flower stems. Then I made origami flowers from book pages that I'd painted red. It's not done yet, I plan on adding a couple more flowers of varying sizes, but I thought I'd share. I absolutely love it.

The afghan is self explanatory. It's warm, chunky and makes me want hot chocolate.

The other wax art is just melted crayons dripping across the top. I love the colors. It's bright and cheery, and makes me smile each time I look at it. It took me hours, several canvases, and one possibly second degree burn for me to figure out how to get them all to melt in a straight line like that. I love it, and it makes me think of "New York int he fall. It makes me want to buy school supplies." 

I'm working on a few other things, but these are my most completed pieces. 

Begin Scene: Shelby and I were home on Saturday, doing absolutely nothing. She was coloring/creating/painting my carpet and I was reading/dozing on the couch. We were watching some Disney movie, one of the newer, pre-teen angst things. It was something about a boy turning into a merman when he turned 13. Anyhoo. I finally liven up enough to think about dinner and Shelby pulls herself out of her what I call "process" mode. I call it this because if she's really involved in something artistic and I start talking to her, she'll gripe that I'm interrupting her "process."

Shelby: Wow. I was just thinking.

Me: (apprehensively) Okay... (I'm thinking she's got a body stashed somewhere).

Shelby: Can I skip puberty?

Me: Only in Neverland.

Shelby: Oh. Well, I guess if it HAS to happen to me, I hope it happens on a weekend.

Me: (choking on a laugh) I'm not sure it works that way.

Shelby: Am I gonna grow boobs?

Me: Not if you have your grandmas genes.

Shelby: Oh. Can we order pizza?