what I've been up to, Pt 2

Getting geared up and organized for school. Buying used textbooks and new pens. And skinny jeans. Organizing our school carts. I've decided I need one more cart. For me! Adding it to the IKEA list.

We attend a Christian homeschool hybrid academy for the last two years. We absolutely love it. However, it snuck up on me this year. Even though everyone else I know has been back in school for several weeks. I cannot think how the whole summer has actually got by me like this. Was I clubbed over the head? Did I fall through a wormhole?

Y'all. I have a high schooler this year. NOT POSSIBLE.

Pretty paper in your binder covers helps make up for some shocks to the system. A bit. Totally justifies hoarding all those gorgeous Rifle Paper Company calendars I've bought over the years. They make capital binder inserts! Cut to fit and slip it in. Tired of the picture? Whip it out and put another in.

Undoubtedly buying another pretty pretty one this fall for future binders! Have you seen that Geninne Zlatkis has a Feathered Friends calendar out? Sold!

Also I have been furniture shopping because my well-loved leather sofa and loveseat now have tape on the cushions covering actual holes. TAPE, people. My mother would be shocked and appalled. But not duct tape. I draw the line there. Because clear packing tape is way more classy.

Worn out furniture kind of snuck up on me too. That's my theme this summer, I guess. So this^ is the gray fabric for the new sofa and loveseat (left) and blue fabric for the chair (middle). I get pillows thrown in also so I chose the mustard dot (right) for those. Now I have to wait several weeks for the new stuff to arrive so I'd better put a fresh patch of tape on the couch in case company comes.

In entertainment news, I read this book recently. Wow. I loved it. Such a well-crafted and delightfully creepy story! I recommend it to you. I'm trying out The Nightingale at the moment.

It's possible I've been burning an inordinate amount of time on South Korean dramas. I'm hooked bigtime. Both my girls lean over my shoulder to see what I'm watching on Netflix and if they see subtitles they immediately roll their eyes and groan "not another Korean drama!". What do they know, anyway? I keep insisting to them it's educational. I know how to say 'hey', 'hello', 'no', 'wait a minute', 'thank you', 'I'm sorry', and 'yes, your majesty' in Korean. I'm burning with curiosity to taste kimchi.

Anyway, the dramas are not all fantastic of course but I have seen some really great ones! The pacing is set on slow and the acting style can be a bit over the top, so brace yourself. I think I might be slightly in love with Yoo Ah In. *eyes drifting up and to the side, dreamy smile*
If you are curious I highly recommend: Moon Embracing The Sun (top photo), The Slave Hunters (middle photo) and Sungkyunkwan Scandal (bottom photo).
(Yoo Ah In plays the role of Moon Jae Shin in Sungkyunkwan Scandal. He's adorable.)

And of course I've watched Stranger Things along with the rest of humanity. Dug it so much. High fives to Winona Rider! She was so fantastic. I confess I had to watch some of it with a pillow over my face. All the 80s nostalgia (man, those clothes and hairdos were spot-on) and a government conspiracy worthy of the X-files. Thumbs up! I never did play Dungeons and Dragons but I tell you I was friends with exactly the same type of close-knit nerd boys who did.

what I've been up to, Pt 1

Y'all, thanks so much for your very encouraging comments about my first talk in Madison! Here is my report:

1) No one left

2) No one threw anything

3) I did not throw up or faint

So, it's all good. The Madison Station Quilt Guild folks were very gracious to me. And so talented! I really enjoyed seeing their quilt creations. And I got to show them some very cute childhood pictures of my big sister (their quilt guild president), Leigh Hubbard. She loved that part! 

I will take a few mental pointers with me to the next talk I am forced am privileged to give (if in fact I ever have to decide to do that again). Like that it's very important to have the laptop with your Powerpoint presentation in front of you and not behind. Sorry to those who had a hard time hearing me as I constantly turned around.

Photo above is Team Holland that same week at my beautiful niece Jamie's wedding. L to R, Thing 2, Schmoopie, Yours Truly, Thing 1. OK my dress. Yes, that's a tunic from Target. She was married outside. In August. In Alabama. I'll just let you think about that for a minute. Combine in your mind pavement liquifying heat with 400% humidity and then imagine yourself wearing a form fitting evening dress with a satin lining and Spanx for several hours. NOPE.

After purchasing and returning several dresses, I thought the tunic was genius because:

a) it in no way touched any part of my body except at the shoulders

b) it's lightweight

c) it has strategic placement of dark blue insets under the arms to disguise unladylike amounts of sweat

d) it's not a black dress at a wedding, which is the only other color that would have been feasible under the circumstances, since I tend to 'glow' more than other ladies

The low heeled shoes pictured were not supposed to actually be on my feet at the wedding but after several trips back and forth over uneven brick pathways and grassy lawns I wisely decided my (much more elegant) platform wedges would be suicide.

The modified tunic was too short for a dress, so I made this decorative slip to go under it at the last minute, which in hindsight was not as cute as I'd hoped, but it worked. It would've looked better to have a more full, ruffly hem. Duly noted.

More importantly, here's my radiant and very happily married niece and her Prince Charming, Isaac. Their personal vows of marriage were just beautiful. I'm so happy for both of them! In the background note my great nephew ring bearer (6) 'encouraging' my great niece flower girl (4) to come with him down the aisle like she was supposed to. She declined. It's a girl's prerogative.

I spent part of my summer break designing Jamie and Isaac's wedding invitations, luncheon invitations, and wedding fans. I will photograph them and show you! I love how they turned out.

Have you missed me here lately? It's been hard to post regularly this summer. Here I thought I'd have heaps of free time for a few months. Instead it's been like a blur of activity. I'm still kind of shocked school break is actually over. Feeling a bit grumpy about that, in fact. Like I've been cheated somehow. Must get over that and get on with Things!

More of what I've been up to coming soon!

giving my first talk

Putting together a display board for my Twelve Days series of ornaments. It's a good thing I'm only up to number 7 or I'd have to make another board. I'm thinking when the series is complete I'll need an actual white Christmas tree especially for them (instead of foam core).

The display (and these bags of samples) are for a talk I'm giving at the Madison Station Quilt Guild meeting next week and I don't mind telling you I'm a little (VERY) nervous about it. Talking. Out loud. About my stuff. In front of actual people. My sister is currently serving as guild president so she'll be there for moral support or perhaps to heckle me from the front row.