danggit:: will never leave camera at home

again.

Not after today's ride through Hope: the autumn skies so rich with overcast gray tones that provided the most exquisite backdrop for the mostly ochre, russet, and golden leaves that are left.

new Buttercup for a swap

And then, as if to underscore my camera-less-ness, once on Rt.17 again, my favorite old lady (whose laundry line I stalk year-round as I whiz along at 50 mph) had two things on her line: 1) a big white tablecloth/sheet and 2) an old lady's larger-size fuchsia underpants, approximately the color of the buttons on this Buttercup bag.

OK, in your mind, start playing the BeeGee's Stayin' Alive. Now scroll down for this picture.

(white space is on purpose so you can be sure your mental soundtrack is turned on):

Still loving his handsome bellbottoms.

Mr. and Mrs. Travolta

From a sunnier day, when the maples were golden in the afternoon light:

I voted today. Took my absentee ballot right into the Town Office, to be sure it got put in the right place. Some of us in Maine are hoping that love and equality will prevail in this election for our neighbors, friends, and family, our state, and our nation. Because I don't want anyone to tell my sons who they can marry. Because I want my sons to grow up knowing that love is boundary-less and boundless; to know that families look all different ways; and to be certain that our nation believes in equality for all people. (stepping off the soapbox).

Brave Little Parrot

As promised, some visuals of this past weekend's performance, referenced in last post. First, an official photo montage from Kathryn, here. And here is my own amateur filming of the Regal Eagle!

A new Buttercup bag is in the making...a trade with a very talented quilter who has made custom-designed tank tops advertising our favorite exercise class, Sacred Sweat. So this little interior pocket is a nod to the quilting goddess who will carry it. Feels good to be sewing again!

Sipping chocolate from Black Dinah Chocolatiers, locally made chocolates on Isle Au Haut. Delicious and otherworldly: a little bit of warming spice (cardamom and cinnamon, maybe?) makes this a cup to savor. They ship. Seriously. To Die For. Oh and that adorable vintage tea cup? From P.O.S.H. Chicago, and I felt pretty posh sipping my chocolate from it. (thankfully, the gifter didn't give me this mug.)

the stitchin' vixen

Yes, ladies and (wait, do I have any?) gentlemen, the Buttercup Bag strikes again. It is a subtly matching accessory to my new Barcelona Tiered Skirt, because as you see, the interior fabric MATCHES my skirt. Can you believe it? Coordinated handbag and skirt. I had only grumpy helpers available today, so I couldn't pull the whole photo shoot together...but you can imagine.

I love that both sides are different. And I love that this Anna Maria Horner fabric is so varied in its pattern. Also, do you see I am using one button accent per side this time? I couldn't get excited about covering up any of the fabric, and wanted to use the buttons to accent the pattern in its interesting symmetry.

Inside, on the pocket, I did some crazy Traci Bautista-inspired stitching, just for a laugh.

And, oh, that awesome tee-shirt I am modeling? That's courtesy of my girl Rickie, who scored it at the Goodwill in Portland, and can you believe her generosity of spirit that she didn't just keep it for herself?!?! I love it so very very much. I can't quite picture the person who might have cast it aside, like how could you not want this in your wardrobe anymore? Perhaps the former vixen was ready to spread the vixen vibes in the wider world, sharing the bitchin' stichin' love. Anyway, I'm grateful it made its way to me via Rickie (who is stitching her own Buttercup bags like mad!). I wear it proudly!

then he threw the flowers on the lawn

(they were dying anyway)

::because there was only one adult lap to sit in after dinner. So I suggested that his brother might have a turn. And picture Rumpelstiltskin when he realizes his name has been guessed: that's what the transformation was like. Hopping and red-faced with rage.

With my supersonic mother radar, I saw his eyes flick to the vase of lupines (which were given to him in honor of his Bridge Crossing, from the sweet, tiny Z.). In his state of supreme dissatisfaction, he informed me that he was going to throw them on the floor in

 *three* *two*...*one!* 

Jonas and I played Scrabble and he won

because he is a master of strategy,

if not yet spelling

I said: That will make a big mess, and I can't let you spill water on the violin that is right on the floor. But you can throw the flowers on the lawn if you want.

quilt in the making for Sylvan's new Hedgehog

So he picked up the vase, opened the door, stepped onto the front porch and hurled them, vase and all (thankfully, the vase is made of metal).

newest Buttercup bag

for a July 1st birthday girl

There was still a mess. Lupine leavings, dried and shed on the floor of the dining room. I got the broom and the dust pan. And we swept up together.

The storm wasn't over. Some of us had smiled a little at one point in this charade, and it wasn't forgotten or forgiven easily.

the Rocket Ship ("rocketchip" was how I said it) Returns!

my crafty dad made it for me when I was little;

today it came down from the attic,

was thoroughly dusted,

so the Hedgehog could blast off

Did it matter to the sibling who was given his turn in my lap? Honestly, no. But for him it was the principle: no one should be able to have a raging fit and be rewarded with what he wants. I get it. But it was certainly a derailment of our otherwise calm evening.

Swap Love

two hankies for that Sew Groovy one,

with a Scrabble tile that happened to be on the floor

in her first initial!

Maybe you've stopped by A Sew Groovy Chick's place and seen her amazing creations for yourself, like these ones here and here and here. I have been an admirer of this woman's eye for color, bravery with bold fabrics, and attention for the technical details. It was with some shyness that I proposed a swap with her: a Buttercup bag (with a couple of hankies thrown in), made with love by me (a non-expert beginner bag-maker) for whatever she wanted to make me, because I was sure I would love it. I did and do!

Her package arrived first. But since mine wasn't done yet, I let it sit quietly on my kitchen window seat until mine was in the mail. Here's the card she sent, using selvedge edges and little strips to make a mini-quilt:

tiny, neat handwriting and kind words!

And inside the package, was THIS riot of color. Check Sew Groovy's post with her photos, as I was not able to capture the true colors of the bag's goodness.

my own cafe apron, an Amy Butler Swing Bag, and two fat quarters

she added a layer of cotton between the exterior and interior, 

so it's sturdy and can hold a book or two

(she must know me!)

love those interior sunbursts and spirals

goth cafe apron---reversible

and so cool

So. Here's what I sent to her (read her post here). This Buttercup bag, with buttons found in the store by Sylvan that were a perfect complement:

Matryoshka fabric lining---

Must remember to ask her about her Russian connections,

she alluded to being in Moscow and St. Petersburg at one time

So, thanks ever so much for playing, Ana! Thank you for saying yes, and for the wonderful gifts of love that you sent me. They are treasures! Wear your Buttercup with pride!

Buttercups are popping up

I'm sorry to tell you,
but I love taking photos of my clothesline,
so you may just be seeing more of these in the months to come.

Well, OK, not literally outside in the grass (which, please note, is green now!). But I had to make another trip to Alewives for MORE fat quarters and magnetic clasps to make MORE Buttercup bags. This is how deep my desire to get there was: I took the boys along with me. Which turned out to be great because Jonas (with his keen eye for color and 10 year-old fearlessness) helped me to pick out a lining fabric that was *just* a tiny bit out of my comfort zone. And Sylvan found buttons to match, amazingly.

I have a lot of spring/summer birthday girls in my life...so I am only able to show you a limited selection of combinations that will go to non-Blog readers.

It's going to be hard to let this combo go.
The red is the outer fabric.
I'm sort of in love with it.

Um, the flipping owls?!
And the buttons, in real life, are an amazing match,
which I am sorry my photo does not reflect.

The person for whom this montage is destined
actually DOES read this blog.
So she'll just have to wonder.

To reward these good boys for their patience, I let them both pick out a fat quarter of their own. Sylvan fell in love with this fabric which he proclaimed perfect for Miss E. He drew me a picture of how he wanted it to look, fingerknit the little button loop, and helped me guide the fabric through the machine. How wonderfully selfless of him! I am secretly so glad he didn't go with his first choice which were color-rich, intense fruits and vegetables. It's good to remember that frequently, an adult aesthetic is totally different from a child's (except in the case of my father-in-law who, left to his own devices, might paint his house outlandish colors).

I am just weeks away from the end of my first semester in grad school and already making my summer reading list...and sewing project list.