fun with …..

Do you ever feel like life takes you by storm and you are helpless to do anything about it? Even when those storms aren’t bad, or bring hard things, it can still be difficult to catch your breath. Well, that’s exactly how I feel. Life has been good. Life has been busy. Yet, I feel like I can’t keep up! Just like a wood pecker, he pecks and pecks away at the tree, and never seems to get anywhere. Or to anything. Yet he must, for he’s still alive….

(this picture was taken from our porch, with the wood pecker in a tree across the street)

We have been very busy this Summer with functions and the county meal attendance increasing greatly. This has been a good thing, for as the Fall slows down (please?), we have a good back up in the bank for the high heating bills come snow time. Plus, it means that our business is growing, at least word-of-mouth wise, and that is always a good thing for a self-employed family to know.

We have been in school now for 2 full months and while we’re not quite as far as I had hoped we would be, I’m satisfied with what we are doing. I’m still tweaking the schedule, for I’m not sure we’ll ever find that “perfect one”. I suppose I never have spoke about what we’re doing this year. I plan on doing a 2 month school review here shortly, so I’ll go into depth of what we’re using, how they are going, and what I’m thinking of changing.

I’m 14 weeks along now and while I’m finally out of that nausea-all-day-long trip, I’m still not feeling so great (hence the self-seen behind-ness in school). I’m not sleeping very well at night, which doesn’t leave me with much energy for the day. Around 1 pm, I’m finding that I need to take a nap. I hate that!

Most people don’t believe me that I’m only 14 weeks along, for I’m  quite a bit bigger than that. But I suppose that’s to be expected, seeing that this is my 9th child.

I’m still keeping myself sane with my sewing. I am accused often of sewing and quilting being the only things I’m really interested in. While it is a hobby of mine, and something I have tried to make into a business, it’s not the only  thing I’m interested in. I love doing things with my family, I love to decorate, I enjoy being outdoors (although I’m not really an athletic person), I love all crafting in general (from using a glue gun to a needle, I enjoy it all!), I enjoy baking….. No one is so 1 dimensional that they don’t have several interests. I will attempt to do a better job at being more “rounded” in my writings.

With that said, here is a fun little contest that I’m entering. Every now and then, Stitched in Color holds a contest for people to make a “fabric bundle” in the designated theme. This time, the theme is “Folksy Fall”. The words “folksy” can conjure up so many different images for each individual, doesn’t it? Below you can get a feel of what “folksy” means to me. What does it make you think of?

The rules of the contest are as follows:

Carefully craft your mosaic of 12 fabrics from among the offerings at The Intrepid Thread.  Choose fabrics to express your interpretation of Folksy Fall.  Your collection of fabrics can be pretty, funky, dramatic or totally playful.  Just make sure to include a variety of colors complimented by some rich fall neutrals – browns, grays or navy blue.

This is my first interpretation. It’s a calm, soothing palette.

And this is my second. It’s a bit more funky then I usually do, but I’m totally enjoying those owls! I’m not sure which 1 I like best. What do you think?