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yeah, I know I've been rotten at blogging lately. Really rotten. I did explicitly state it would be sporadic, so no apologies for you, too bad. Oh, well. I do think about and even take pictures for it, but to no avail. And then the longer I wait, the more daunting catching up on all the pictures and topics I've thought of the more heinous of a task it is. Its a vicious circle. So, I'll attempt now to break the cycle of blog neglect and perhaps a call to blog welfare services will not be warranted.
What I HAVE been up to:1- Realized I was quite deficient in the earring department, so I went on an earring kick, and made a bunch of really cute earrings (and NO, I don't want to and shouldn't make more and sell them in my etsy shop, which is currently very much on the hate spectrum of our love/hate relationship, and even if it weren't, earrings are so not my focus). But it was fun, and much needed.
2- Went on a sewing kick, and made a crapload of baby diaper holders, baby headbands (and even documented both projects to possibly make into a tutorial, if you are interested, and ask me very sweetly I may even get around to posting it/them here someday) as well as diaper bags, and very recently Halloween costumes (despite my resolve not to go crazy this year). ...and I'll post costume pictures later.
3- I've been trying to be a grown up about keeping my house consistently cleaner, instead of just giving up on it in between cleanings. I've also started making my kids to chores now (I'm a mean, mean mommy!) so they are partly responsible and when its messy 30 seconds after vacuuming, its THEIR job to clean it up. As well as cleaning, I'm trying to be more organized too. In that vein I re-arranged my living room to accommodate part of my studio up stairs where I can work much, much easier (and not bogart the kitchen table). Which leads me to my last point...
4- I've been trying to really focus on illustrating my book. And realizing it is a massively overwhelming and daunting task. I still want to do it, but it scares the snot out of me and frequently makes me feel completely inadequate to the task. (then I wonder why didn't I go for my BFA and specialize in illustration, instead of just a general BA in visual art? oh, wait, a year or more of classes, plus another application to get into that program, a BFA show AND I couldn't decide at the time to focus on illustration or drawing/painting... right, NOW I remember. I wanted to GRADUATE) However I still can't decide between using ink and watercolor, or switching to prismacolored pencils. Both have plenty of advantages, and disadvantages. But I've resolved not to do another finished spread until I decide once and for all what medium I'll use. When I've done more little practice pictures in both, I'll do another blog entry, because I desperately need feedback. I wonder constantly if I'm totally crazy for trying to do this.
...but I've still been busy trying to grow stuff. My problem is I planted all the flowers first, and ran out of steam before I got to the garden. I'm not that great at planting flowers even... I only have about a 50% or probably less success rate. In previous years I've planted one rose bush that took,
but of the 17 or so lily bulbs only one has ever had a single blossom 
(which lasted a day, and then was destroyed by massive hail stones) and hasn't lived to bloom since. Which saddens me considerably!! I love lilies! My daisies are finally going strong,
but it took them a while to get that way, and my black eyed susans and my poppies haven't even bothered to sprout. (I could list a bunch more that have failed to even show themselves above ground, but I won't) I have a couple of remaining sunflowers that have managed to cling to life through the snail wars, but I don't know how much longer they will last. I have managed to NOT kill off a few things, like my lillac bushes, 
and the pre-existing roses. But I can't really take much credit for those, they're pretty tough plants, which were well established BEFORE I took over. 
Well at least I have lots of fruit trees, if I didn't get around to veggies. Austin convinced me pruning was a good idea and lo and behold we have apples for the first time in any quantity at all!
I guess pruning IS a really good idea. We've always gotten a disproportionately large amount of pears for the size of the tree. This year its even smaller than last year, thanks to the breakage of a rather major branch from all the weight of the pears last year. I think we'll still make out rather well with pears despite the loss. Dried pears are awesome!
However my pride and joy is my beloved peach tree! 
I planted it myself, and it has bore fruit every year (including the first, which it isn't supposed to) granted it was only four peaches but... still. This year I have even thinned out the fruit, which is incredibly painful for me to do, because it means one less peach I get to eat.
But it will hopefully spare the weak little branches of my young tree, and make the remaining peaches that much bigger and juicier!! There is not one single more delectable food on the planet for me than a fresh from the tree, warm, dripping, juicy, fresh peach. So, perhaps next year I'll actually get the vegetable seeds in the ground, and if by some miracle they manage to not only sprout but to actually produce food, maybe then I can eat nice crunchy fresh veggies too. Good thing I like fruit better anyway.
Here is yet another fabulous trade I did at the bazaar. I LOVE my new diaper bag. I've been waiting to blog about this until there were more bags like this in her shop, and here they are! It is SO roomy and has so many great pockets without the massive duffel bag-ish wide style like so many other diaper bags. Its utilitarian without screaming " I AM A MOM WITH A MASSIVELY HUGE UGLY BAG THAT NOT ONLY HAS DIAPERS BUT AN ENTIRE ARMAGEDDON SURVIVAL KIT". Its actually cute, without being grossly cutesy and baby-ish. I am not a big fan of most diaper bags. I have tried various things besides an actual diaper bag to haul all the crud around that I never thought was necessary before I was a mom. But nothing I tried (backpacks, messenger bags, tote bags) were really accessible while I was still wearing it, I always had to take it off to get stuff out. Which sort of defeats the point when you're dealing with kids and have limited arms, attention and time. This has the awesome front pocket you can fish around in without taking it off, with its additional pockets inside it. I am a sucker for pockets. And then it has even more pockets in the main compartment too. I can't believe this was made by hand. I am not lightly impressed, I have sewn since I was a little kid, and have been even employed to sew a couple of times, but I really don't have the time or patience to do that much detail work.
Speaking of detail work.. I was delighted to find out during the trade, that she also has the shop vanilla pie that I got Lucy's awesome leopard print boot/booties at last winters Bazaar. 
Again, I was very impressed by the attention to detail and just how functional and well made they were. I would get comments on them constantly when she'd wear them. AND not only did they stay on (which is more than can be said of any other shoe or sock you put on a little baby) but usually even stayed UP. ..and I've already said what a weakness I have for chubby baby leg attire. Anyway, a plethora of adorable and well made stuff. Definitely worth checking out.
The recent Beehive Bazaar wasn't my first opportunity to trade with my little sister. I first fell head over heels in love with this tote bag she made. Then she went above and beyond that one and customized another one with the lining and baby whale corduroy I liked combined with a darling hedgehog appliqué. You may have seen me with it, I use it ALL the time!
This one wasn't a trade, but I couldn't help myself last bazaar.
I had been drooling over the darling lion tee-shirts in her etsy shop for a while, and seeing them in person (in my son's size, and on a darling green ringer tee) was just too much even for my frugal, non-shopaholic, normally restrained self. It mattered not that I wasn't getting something for my daughter, it had to be snatched up! I love it every single time he wears it.
Makes me want to squeeze him, even more that I already do, if that's possible.
This time at the bazaar, I got to see all the goods as we were setting up. She makes the cutest felt button bracelets and watches ever. I saw a cutie cute bright yellow one and secretly hoped it wouldn't get sold. To my delight it didn't, and I traded it victoriously!
And THEN, because she's such a great sister, she GAVE me a absolutely darling, delicious smelling, lavender filled, flower button appliquéd, vintage kitty fabric sachet for my birthday. It almost makes up for the fact that I turned 30.
She makes some REALLY cute stuff, this is only a teensy tinsy sample of it. So, if you haven't checked out evieivyoverstreet's shop lately (or ever) you totally should.
I finally finished the digital editing of my newest animal illustrations, just in time for the Beehive Bazaar last weekend.
The Bazaar was a fun and learning experience. Anyway if I do it next time, I've learned a ton both about what sells, and how to prepare, and will be able to implement it. I'm totally glad I did it though, I had a great time, ended up doing much better the last day than the first two, got to hang out with my little sister Eve, had some fantastic trades (more on those later), met some awesome and talented people and got good publicity as an added bonus.
Thanks to everybody who came, or wanted to come. I wish it was closer.
<= this for this =>
I think trades are superb. Wouldn't it be cool if you could trade for everything? I don't suppose the power company wants to be paid in crafts though. But seriously, when money can be circumvented, trades are my ideal way to acquire stuff. I have thoroughly enjoyed every trade I've done and I look forward to many more great trades.
I had a lovely trade with my sister that not only inspired an awesome planner design I will be making many more of for the upcoming beehive bazaar, but Lucy got some super sweet legwarmers that show off her chunky little legs to perfection! It was a perfect trade. Kaarina wanted the perfect sized planner (which if you didn't know, happens to be checkbook sized) to fit in her purse, but without preprinted dates, so she could start and stop whenever she wanted without the planner being rendered obsolete. An idea I myself, not being a great planner aficionado, had already implemented in previous planner designs. Whilst I was dearly in need of more stripey things to adorn my baby girl Lucy's rolly polly thighs. Especially if those somethings were tactile and chunky and hand knit. Despite my many and varied random skills, knitting is not one of them. Thus the perfect trade was born. 
Of course Lucy wouldn't hold still so I could take a picture, so I was chasing her all over the house, while she gleefully slobbered on the packaging they came in.
Aren't they lovely!! My sister is so very wonderfully handy (and neat and patient) with yarn! Clever Kaarina! Yay for trades!
4- I've been trying to really focus on illustrating my book. And realizing it is a massively overwhelming and daunting task. I still want to do it, but it scares the snot out of me and frequently makes me feel completely inadequate to the task. (then I wonder why didn't I go for my BFA and specialize in illustration, instead of just a general BA in visual art? oh, wait, a year or more of classes, plus another application to get into that program, a BFA show AND I couldn't decide at the time to focus on illustration or drawing/painting... right, NOW I remember. I wanted to GRADUATE) However I still can't decide between using ink and watercolor, or switching to prismacolored pencils. Both have plenty of advantages, and disadvantages. But I've resolved not to do another finished spread until I decide once and for all what medium I'll use. When I've done more little practice pictures in both, I'll do another blog entry, because I desperately need feedback. I wonder constantly if I'm totally crazy for trying to do this.
