Easter Dress - long overdue

I did actually get this done for Easter Sunday, but Cora was sick that day with a 104 fever and we didn't go anywhere.  So finally, I got her to model it for me.  The pattern was a Vintage 50's pattern #2392 by Simplicity, but as patterns go, was not so great.  I ended up doing a lot of modifications.  I guess in the interest of keeping it 'simple', this pattern cut a lot of corners and left a lot of inside raw edges exposed.  Even though I had read through the pattern, I'm a 'learn by doing' learner so I had to rip out a lot of things to get the inside to look nice too, or at least not be itchy.  Also the sizing was pretty off.  Cora is small, but still was squarely within the weight measurements for the 18 month size.  As I looked at it, I decided to go with the Medium (12 month) and when I got the bodice done, even that was huge!!  More cutting down and modifying.  Sigh.  It was worth it for how cute she looked in it.  It also came with a bonnet, but she staunchly refuse to wear that, except backwards and untied.  I'll spare you the photos of that and of the howling that ensued when I made her stand barefoot in the grass.

Inhabiting the days

If I could inhabit a color, it would be this one.  Blue like the sky, blue like a Caribbean sea.  Blue like a secret swimming hole.  Swim around in it.  Eat it for breakfast.  Wear it on my skin.  The spring brings this blue back to my spectrum, after the gray and white winter skies.  My part of the earth turns on it's axis to face the sun and the world grows vibrant again.  This week we are relishing and reveling in the glory of the colors of Spring, spending every waking moment 'aside' as Cora calls it.  She loves making pictures on our sidewalk amidst the tall, still unmowed grass that is full of flowers, dandelion puffs, and yes, our little snake habitat.  We stay out of the grass for now.  Soon our garden will start growing high and we will spend time outside weeding.  I look forward to it.

Much too much.

No excuses.  I'm just not a consistent blogger right now.  For all the same reasons.  Life and all it's responsibilities are just much too much right now.  I'm working a ton, all at home, for various folks, but it takes up all those little nap times that I'd use to blog or make something before.  Plus, add to that my very first garden and you have it all summed up, right there.  If you have about 6 and a half minutes, click the link below and think of Spring.  I am enchanted by this piece today and want to share it with someone.  (I was unable to embed it here.  You have to follow the link.  Sorry!)

Melodie for cello and orchestra Op.20 No.1 by Alexander Glazunov

An end to radio silence

My camera is not doing so hot lately and without fun stuff to show you and a sick girl on hand, I am less inclined to blog than ever.  Actually the radio silence began with the miscarriage.  There was just so much stuff going on in my heart that I didn't feel like sharing with the world in general and it seemed disingenuous to write silly or frivolous things while my heart was so full of sorrow.  So I stopped.  But I like writing here, so I will return, with more frequency, soon.  I hope. 

Until then, happy Spring, happy Easter (and yes, I did finish the dress, but someone was sick on Easter Sunday so it remains un-worn.  Next Sunday, I hope!!).  I am going to sit out on my front porch steps in the sun while the baby girl sleeps off her third day of virus related fever.  I will be holding a stick in case the little inhabitants from the nest of garter snakes that are living under my front steps decide they want to share the sun with me too.  I sometimes have to give them a poke and send them retreating. And I'll be enjoying the tall grass that is all over my lawn.  Our mower wouldn't start after sitting all winter and I am rather enjoying the crop of violets, clover, dandelions, and wild green onions that are making our front lawn a veritable feast for the local bee population.