What a week oh what a week it was.......

There was a Zoo trip...
meeting up with old friends and new....
lots more dog walks...
A trip over to West Seattle to have a play date with a very good friend...I had 3 kids in tow all on my own :) phew
Then there was the very Exciting and much anticipated Entourage in the evenings after kiddies went to bed...
flowers given by a good friend
a small bit of sewing
much purging went on...gathered approx 3 bags of stuff to sell at upcoming yardsale...and sent some to Give away...will also pass a few toys on to a good friend.
Errands to Goodwill, Trader Joe's, the Car wash all on my own....what a nice break that was :)
Not much at the thrift...a few books for Memphis and a GLORIOUS pair of wool/linen trousers for mister Soren by Flora and Henry no less....don't see that too often :)
a trip to Ikea and a new lamp....FINALLY!!! also a new shelf in Memphis' room for stuffies
and of course the 4th of July!!!
OH life...you give us so very much and when we choose to see the good and the beauty it can overwhelm us with joy....
yes...finally I am feeling oh so much better.
My creative energy is here again and I am dying to get sewing....:) Happy Monday...
Shop of the week later tonight...off to swim lessons all the way in West Seattle....:)

I have been lame...but trying so very hard not to be....

Tania....you are amazing and this makes me smile very big....wow...I love them both so very much!!!

Lulubug love this...I think more people need to read this and act accordingly...

Someplaceelsewhere I just love this....hmmmm

AbigailPercy...I love this too

Love love by Umbrellaprints


So...still in a funk but fighting my way out.
Thanks so much to those of you that left me such kind words, Jennifer, Jenny, Holly, Amy, Kristen, Lulubeans to name a few. I really and truly appreciate it so very much and at least I know that my village is growing and the members are all amazing and truly wonderful ladies.
Thanks
So...not much news on the sewing front...still stalled but slowly trying to come back to life.
Many errands of late, a birthday party at a place called 'Pump It Up' for a classmate of Memphis. Lots of dog walks.
A few park visits.
Made it to the library.
Fabric store visits.
Target.
Trader Joe's
Visit from dear Portland friends...Kim and Robby
trip to Ballard
Missed book club
missed party for friend turning 40
lost my mind a few times
Memphis had to go to the ER....she is okay...long story....
Soren is still waking up 3 to 7 times per night????????
The weather is gorgeous.
Not a huge fan of the 4th but at least the weather will be good.
No shop of the week this week.
Gotta run right now...afternoon playdate coming up as soon as my boy wakes up.
I will try and smile more than I frown and I will fill my head with positive thoughts about myself and the world.
Thanks for stopping by

It takes a village to raise a child....so where's MY village????

So....normally I keep things super light and fun and try to be inspiring but this week a depression has hit me and hit me hard. I don't know why but I suspect it is from trying to be as happy as I can and pretend that THINGS don't bother me. THINGS being that we live in a small space (yes I know I am a broken record) and it is hard to do but more importantly than how hard it can be is the feeling that we will be here forever. I know we are lucky and I do appreciate what we have, really....but to have a work space someday where I could leave my projects partially done...wow!! I mean I love the location and we are very very lucky I just wish with all my heart we had more space and that someday we will own our own home. Without help from family and without a more clear life path to financial success we have just always worked hard and tried to do the best we could. It all ties into success in life too and how maybe some of my choices were not the best and now I am where I am. So as many people do at times....I feel rather like a failure. I know, I know, I have my two gorgeous kids, I have an amazing husband but personally I just don't feel like I matter much. This depression is the kind that leaves you with the feeling 'Why Bother' and that scares me. I mean I KNOW that I matter but what can I say...somewhere inside my brain I'm not buying it. Okay...enough enough...the reason I am sharing this is because in the midst of my big depression...as I was feeling very lonely and sort of hopeless...my Friend Darcey calls and asks if we would like to go to the zoo. (She does not live in Seattle, so I see her but not as much as I would like.) Which is very funny to me because I was planning on surprising the kids and taking them to the Zoo that afternoon....so we met up with Darcey and her 3 kids and had a wonderful day...and I did NOT spend the day complaining or being a bummer. I had fun. The other really cool thing that happened yesterday is that Alison of Malisonian on flickr was also at the Zoo and she came up to me and told me she read my blog. I recognized her face but because I worked in retail forever I could not place how I knew her. She told me and we chatted about kids and having creative energy and lacking creative energy and I got to also meet Esmond, her son, who is super adorable. She was super nice and I told her to flickr mail me for a play date sometime this summer. So Alison if you are reading this...Hello and I can't wait to hang out at the Zoo again :)! I know both of those things are not super duper duper huge in the scheme of life but they were enough to pull me out of my depression a little and realize I am NOT alone. Life with kids is amazing, I do love it but I get lonely and we don't really have help so sometimes I become exhausted and overwhelmed. It was nice to chat with two wonderful ladies and to watch the kids go crazy at the Zoo. Soren was SOSOSOSO excited...he literally screamed at the Gorillas and loved the Penguins and each exhibit was just so exciting for him. He really loves life. Memphis had a great time with her pals Hazel, Leo and Ruby and it was just what we needed. So I guess today I am thanking the universe for sending me fun and love and hoping with all my heart that I can manage to love myself just a bit more and stop being bummed out by things that are out of my control and honestly don't really matter. It is hard to raise children without a village but if you want a village you have to build one...you can't wait for it to come looking for you and that is what I will try to do in the months to come. I hope all of you stay at home Mas out there have a village and if you don't feel free to come and join mine...you are all welcome :)

Shop of the week....Melanie Favreau

I have been a huge fan of Melanie Favreau for awhile now...and I own 3 of her pieces!!! One was a gift for myself the other two were from my fabu Hubby!!! I love her sense of humor, her use of silhouette images and the words she puts on her pieces. I own 'This is Fake I am not' and every time I wear it...it makes me smile. She is amazing and such a wonderful person....here is part of her Etsy profile....

Hi! I live in the city of Montreal, in Quebec, Canada. I can't picture myself doing anything else, I just love my job! And my husband, my 5 cats, my numerous pairs of eyeglasses (who's counting!), purses...I think I'll stop there! I love cheese too...and coffee cups :P

I get inspired by, well everything! A color, a song, a glass of milk...

She is wicked talented so check out her flickr, her Etsy shop and just look at all the beautiful work she creates....thanks Melanie....

In other news...

Today is day 2 of summer vaca and so far so good. We are going to have an amazing day and we wish you all the same....xoxo

Havin' fun...for no money

So....we have been out and about a lot.
Long walks on the beach, in the woods in our hood...
parks...swings...water...
signed up for swimming lessons for Memphis...
Poppy's day was super fun...
went for a long walk in the park, saw the water, hit the playground
had lunch at a Bagel shop
Last day of school was fun for Memphis
I made capes for her teacher and her teacher last year...
they play kickball with the 5th Graders that are leaving each year...
both the teachers wore the capes I made...
Memphis said is was super funny
Said summer good byes
Made plans for future play dates
Saturday
went to yard sales
was wiped out
had to do some resting later
oh and
On Thursday I got to meet MARTHA of Uniform Studio and
it was such a treat. Soren and I headed Downtown to meet her at her
Hotel over on 3rd close to Macy's and we walked to the Library...GORGEOUS...
then we walked to the International District and went to go to Kinokuniya, the
amazing Japanese bookstore attached to Uwajimaya....which until Thursday I thought was part of it and did not know it's name. I have been there a bunch of times but...
In Uwajimaya's first location it was upstairs and still super cool....
then we walked back and the entire time we chatted away...(my favorite part)
I forgot my CF cards for my camera after having emptied them the night before...
in the mad morning rush to get everyone ready for the day and Memphis off to school...I left them all at home :( Serious bummer at the library and lost my chance to get a shot of fantastic Martha...next time :)
So...I have no photos to share but it was so fun...Martha gave me one of her coveted scarves and I am wearing as I type right now...she is the best....
she said she will be back soon, with the whole fam, so next time I will be snap happy...
anywho...gotta run...
Happy Monday
What a great weekend it was...hope yours was great too

Shop of the week....Marilyn Patrizio!!!!

(all the above photos belong to Marilyn and I am just using them for this posting)

I have been a BIG fan of Marilyn Patrizio's Timmies ever since I laid eyes on them sometime in 2006!! I love ALL her stuffies...I love her sense of humor and she is so talented. When I first started selling on Etsy I did a trade with her and it was so great...Memphis named him robot 3-3 and still adores him :)!! I took the below Bio from her website...check it out....and check out her shop....her blog and her Flickr and run over right now and get your very own Timmie :)

Marilyn Patrizio was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She is a freelance
illustrator, fine artist and soft toy designer.

After graduating from the School of Visual Arts with a Bachelor of Fine Arts
degree in Illustration in 2000 she began working as a staff illustrator
at a children's educational software company.  In 2004 she dove into the world of
freelance illustration and has enjoyed collaborating with local and international
clients ever since. In the beginning of 2005 she discovered the art of crochet toys
also known as Amigurumi. This was perfect for her because her mother
had taught her how to crochet many years before, and this was a great way to incorporate
3-D items into her work. After a few months of experimentation making free form soft toys
she decided to start a company called So Softies in March 2005. She's grown the So Softies
line to now include stationery, t-shirts and accessories featuring the
original characters that she's created.

When Marilyn is not designing she enjoys stuffing her face with pizza, scavenging the internet
for cute items, and sipping coffee at cozy cafes.

She also makes notebooks, t-shirts, stickers and many many other things...she is amazing....

Yesterday
Memphis stayed home sick....ear infections, yup two....
spent day
going to Doctor
getting medicine
the first time we rec'd pills...Memphis threw them up
so then we had to call and ask for liquid form
back to Pharmacist...wait some more
liquid did the trick...
I feel pretty stupid about it too.
When we were at the Doc's she asked Memphis if she could take pills.
Memphis said yes and the whole time I was thinking...WHEN?
So I let her write out the prescription for the pills all the while thinking...hmmm....
this seems wrong...
I was tired what can I say?
she went to school today but
late
The Doctor said she was ok to go to school...no fever...and it is her last week...
one of her favorite friends in her class will be leaving the school and transferring so this will be it...
his family is tough so play dates are really hard.
English is their second language and I have tried to chat with them, given them a photo I took of their child and Memphis but not much happened...soooo I will try this summer but who knows....
I hope she makes it and is feeling better by
days
end
that's it from here
thanks goodness for my dear Mother
who came over and watched Soren
she was off yesterday and spent the day
helping me...
I love my mother :)

Friday+Flickr=FUN

1. to be framed, 2. alive, 3. Phoenix Modern Homes - The Casually Elegant House, 4. little pink houses, 5. TS372073姐妹俩, 6. Pink Pom-Poms, 7. One ugly dog, 8. white, my room to be, 9. Untitled, 10. Bexhill on Sea, 11. Line up for the Shuttle, 12. r2#8 - visiting at the kelso dunes [1], 13. www.flickr.com/photos/rosie-robinson/135835284/, 14. seats at the laundramat, 15. Toshiyuki Fukuda 3, 16. Lorraine McCue: Ripple Scarf, 17. 3S_002_lg2, 18. Tiki, master of the curious camera sniff, 19. Untitled, 20. Rear Window, 21. summer 2006, 22. WAWA007, 23. waiting for afternoon tea, 24. dolls, 25. indecisive, 26. *train station*, 27. wood_big, 28. Untitled, 29. Bow Down, 30. 07.04.06, 31. Red pattern II, 32. Urban Craft Uprising, 33. built by d view3, 34. Spooky Light after the storm, 35. wide eyed owls, 36. Untitled

Woke up in the night about 6 or 7 times
Soren has a cold and could not sleep
Jason had to get the outdoor rocking chair
and bring it in
We don't really have enough room for one
but maybe
we should re-consider that
Anywho
Got both kids ready for school
Memphis did not feel well
but she did not have a fever
So...she took some Tylenol and off we went
to pick up one
of her classmates that needed a ride
If only you knew how amazing that is in and of itself
since we are forever battling the morning
down to the very last second.
Phew, we made it in time
came home
watered the yard
wanted to go grocery shopping
Soren had another plan
Bottle and sleepy time
So...the day is still ahead of me
and there is much to do...much to do...
If you get a chance head down to Schmancy tonight
for Fiber Arctic 25 Fiber Artists ponder the environment and it's impact on the Arctic-one stitch at a time...wish I could go but alas...Jason has plans and I will not be able to attend...bummer
it should be amazing so go go go and take a lot of photos so I can see too!!