Every Now and Again...

You are pleasantly surprised.

The kids and I dined at one of the fine local eateries near the mall (ok IHop) today.  We were there in the after-lunch-not-yet-dinner (Senior) time frame.

The nice young man serving us had long hair and a tattoo (or 3).  I admit - such appearance leads me to certain expectations - young, rowdy-ish, perhaps disconnected from my POV, did I mention young? (Gosh now I feel really old).

Today I GLADLY say I WAS SO VERY WRONG!  I listened to this young man speak with tenderness and care to each older customer he was serving.  He asked, in earnest, the man behind me about his time in the war - REALLY wanting to know; it was clear that the young man wanted to befriend the gentleman (who was dining alone).  To my shame (and his credit) I am deeply touched that this (or any) young man took time out of his serving to sit and make someone feel less alone.

I hope that my children grow to be as caring and kind as this man is.  I pray for myself to be less judgmental.  Until then - I hope we are all pleasantly surprised more often.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Heaps of Grace

I am extraordinarily hard on myself.  It's only now that I realize (mostly) that my standards for myself (which I constantly fall short of) are, in fact, impossibly high. 

I begin to remedy this constant feeling of failure with much prayer and heaps of grace bestowed to myself.  It isn't easy after 38 years of constant practice, but I am beginning and you know what I find?  I find JOY.

So I encourage each of you to allow YOURSELF heaps of grace - especially during THIS season.  Please try and remember that Christmas is about Christ and love and hope and GRACE.  The rest of it - the gifts and the mall and the parties and the obligations are all contrived; not real.  In the long run the contrived bits are not even important and they certainly are not CRITICAL - regardless of what stores lead you to believe.

This Christmas and in life don't be fooled - love and grace for others and maybe most importantly for ourselves are the things that are critical.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Slowly...

Slowly - that's the mantra I keep repeating to myself.

I am working hard at keeping a slower pace these days.  Working at letting things go.  Working at being reasonable with my expectations.  Working at looking at what I have done instead of what's left to do.

I have to work at remembering that life is about moments; when I stay so busy and focused on the "To Do" list I miss those moments.   I am such a Martha.

Not Casey - he's a Mary.  He's always aware of the fun and joy of life and he's right in the middle of it most times.  I am learning to follow his lead.

Dishes and chores will wait.

This won't:





Remember to take things slowly this week.  It is NOT easy in a world that wants everything to be RIGHT NOW, but your life is worth it. YOU are worth it, so am I!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

For Clarification

Thank You so much for the positive responses to Riley's Hats!  Your generosity is overwhelming and much appreciated.

For Clarification:

Knit OR Crochet is just fine

Made for girls OR boys

DEFINE "SOFT" - If you'd put it on a baby - that's soft enough.  I am using lots of Michael's & Hobby Lobby brand chunky acrylics as they are soft, washable, and insanely bright colors that I think the kids will like.  Just be sure and test it under your chin (for softness) as not all acrylics/yarns are created equally.

Deadline:  Please have the hats to me by 12/15/2011

If you have any further questions please leave them in the comments - I'll get back to you I promise (sometimes it just takes me a bit).

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Thank You and Hats...

HUGE THANKS

to all who commented or wrote personally to send me love and prayers.  It means so much - truly.

I am doing well and remembering that I can only do one thing at a time and THAT'S OK.

Now on to hats.

Earlier this summer my nephew Riley was diagnosed with Leukemia.  He is 5 years old.  He's been going through Chemo and as such has lost his hair. 

I am participating in a team project over on Ravelry called Nerd Wars (geekery and knitting fun combined).  As part of the challenge I have committed to making 12 hats for Riley and his friends going through Chemo.

I have also committed to requesting donations from my knitting friends for at least 8 more hats.  I'd love for all of you the help me blow that number out of the water.

DETAILS:

The deadline of having the hats to me is 12/15/2011

The hats need to be kid sized (any pattern - the sillier the better) and made of very soft MACHINE WASHABLE yarn.

IMPORTANT: These hat must come from healthy, non-smoking homes. These children are immuno-compromised and must be protected from all germs and contaminates; what might be the sniffles to you is life-threatening to them.

Please leave me a comment or email me directly for more information and most of all Go Make Some Hats!

Thanks again guys - you ARE the best!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

A Fresh Start

Impossible Expectations.

Impossible Standards.

Self Imposed Deadlines.

Overwhelm.

Abject Failure.

Depression.

This is a personal emotional cycle I am desperately trying to break.  It's a struggle I don't talk about. It's not something others want to hear.  Mark Twain said "We are like the moon, we all have our dark side that we never show to anybody."

Medicine is helping.

Giving myself a break is helping.

Sharing my struggle (which is SO VERY HARD!) is helping.

Putting myself on my own 'To Do' list is helping.

I spoke with an older man on the flight back from Seattle recently and asked why he was away from home so often (he was in Seattle for 2 months and headed home for ten days before venturing to Jamaica).  He joyfully replied "Just living Life!"   I surprised myself by responding "Well no one else is going to do it for you!"  And it's true.  No one else is going to live my life for me.

So I start fresh.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Round em Up! Head em Out! Move em On! Rawhide!!!

Sorry - I got a little carried away there.

I am busy this week finishing my challenge quilt for the Atlanta Modern Quilt Guild.  And since I cannot show you pictures I give you a little list of things that are inspiring me and touching my heart this week.

Why Our Parents Put Us to Shame - this one really strikes a chord about how I want to live with my children

Geography for Children and a New Map - Geography is NOT my strong suit - this will help.

Crumbs Scraps and Strings - Doesn't this look like tons of fun?  I can't wait to try it with some of my new sewing buddies.

Action Kivu Wrap Up - Congrats to Alissa for meeting her fundraising goal.  Thanks to all who helped and Pryers for all the women and children this money will provide for.  What's your favorite Grass Roots charity - please leave me a link.

Living the Millionaire Life - This is what life is really about and theirs is such and interesting and methodical approach.

There's my weekly round up.  It's been quilting quilting quilting on the Kona challenge project and lots of blog reading for distraction.  I should finish up quilting and binding today just in time for the challenge deadline.  What's inspiring you this week?  Leave me links in the comments so I can check them out.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Give: It Feels SEW Good...

Please check out what Handmade by Alissa is doing this week for KIVU.  Action KIVU has such a great ideal at it's core and really speaks to crafters and sewists and women such as myself.  Please check them out and give what you can.

Alissa has many prize offerings for different gift levels, but that is HARDLY the point.  Even a little money (by western standards) makes a BIG difference.  Check them out and follow your heart.  Let's run that gift thermometer right off the charts!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

I've Said it Before...

And I'll say it again:

Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Salad may be the ONLY decent excuse for Southern Summer Weather.

TODAY	TOMORROW	WED	THU	FRI	6-10 DAY
Partly Cloudy	Mostly Sunny	Sunny	Isolated T-storms	Scattered T-storms	Extended Forecast
High: 95° Low: 72°	High: 98° Low: 73°	High: 100° Low: 75°	High: 96° Low: 75°	High: 94° Low: 73°

(I am officially boycotting Wednesday btw)

I'll keep you posted!
AmyDe

More Hexagon LOVE...

I'm working slowly but surely on the hexagons.  I think they are so pretty in their boxES.  Yes - I'm onto box #2.  I'm in the homestretch of only 300 or so more to make (it's not just me right - that sentence IS ridiculous).

I might be a crazy person - but I like that about myself!

That little green Gizmo on the right?  That's my new best friend.  It's needle threader from clover and it's the best $15.00 I've spent in a long time!  I LOVE that needle threader!

The rest of my week was a busy blur but the HVAC was replaced and I am enjoying the super-cooling of our new high efficiency model!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

"I Know You. You on List"

I LOVE lists: They keep my mind clear and I feel empowered when I mark things off.

The UFO's or WIPs or whatever you choose to call those lingering projects most of us have are getting to me in a BIG way lately.

Unfinished business is holding me back from starting new things as well as having the actual finished project to use.

So I made THE LIST: A master list of projects I have started.

It's LONG.

Really LONG.

SEE:

Knitting:

• Qiviut/Silk Scarf
• Casey's Blue & Gray Socks
• Anna's Gray Jumper
• Advent Trees
• Green Irish Folk Shawl
• Michael's Gray Socks
• February Lady Sweater (yes from the Knitwits KAL)
• Liesl
• Crocheted Washcloths (many)
• Crocheted Afghan
• Blocking and Photographing
• Send Mitts to Nancy's Friend

Stitching:

• Dragonfly Cross Stitch
• Anna's Seasonal Girls

Spinning:

• Eric Carle Yarn
• Jackson Pollack Core Spun
• Merino Tencel Basic Yarn
• Ply Toby's SW Merino
• Yellow Spindle Spun
• Have 2 fleeces processed
• Wash and Set all Finished Yarns

Sewing:

• Anna Maria Quilt
• Madras Quilt
• Floral Quilt (Connie)
• Floral Quilt (Anna)
• Origami Bags
• Tiny Totes
• Zippered Pouches
• Coasters (many)
• Fabric Apples
• Mending
• Kauffman Quilt
• Basic Gray Hexies
• Yo-Yo Flower Quilt
• Curtains Pressed and Hung
• Toby's Curtains Embellished and hung

That's a whopping 36 projects.

Before I actually WROTE the list (while it was still in my head and about 12 projects long) I had an insane idea of finishing everything by the end of August.  After my friends laughed themselves silly (I know - you're laughing now too -it's OK) I agree that idea IS in fact - insane!

I scaled back my intentions (a bit) and am making it a game to see how many UFO's I can finish in the next six weeks.

BETTING POOL:

Any takers on how many I'll actually finish?  Leave a comment with your guess and when all is said and done I'll give a prize to the person who is closest.  

I'll keep track of progress here and announce the winner Sept 1, 2011.  Just for fairness I'll only consider comments posted between now and Saturday July 30.  You can still heckle me all you want after that, but it won't count as a contest entry.

I'm going to get to work now.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

I Hope I'm Not Too Late...

To be the first to wish my friend Andrea:

HAPPY PIONEER DAY!

...because I know how you LURVE you some calico ;-)

I love you and hope you have a wonderful birthday filled with peace and love!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

And Now for Something Completely Different...

I'm struggling lately (ok that's not different) but I am working my way through and enjoying quilting and sewing and knitting as I do.

Thank you for all the kind comments and emails and new followers (you can do that over on the right) - it is so encouraging and fun to hear from all of you.

Right now I am working on a Challenge quilt for the Atlanta Modern Quilting Guild and bugger it all, I can't share any pictures or details.

What I can share is this:

Hexagon Madness

Know what that is?

That's a whole lot of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

We've been powering through the Buffy series on Netflix instant view and this is what I do while we watch.  It's called English Paper Piecing and it's a hand-sewn hand-pieced quilting technique.  I have plans for a king-sized quilt for our bed.  I have over 400 hexagons made and need to make about 800 more.

Problem is we're almost finished with Buffy - maybe we'll move on to Angel?  I don't know - the brooding whiny version of David Boreanaz isn't my fav.

So help me out please.  What are your favorite shows/movies/audio books?  What should we try next?

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

I Might Be In Love...

With my pressure cooker that is.

I've had a very nice pressure cooker for years (many years) and have never used it.  I have fear of "learning curve."  Anyway - last week I decided it was TIME to master the pressure cooker.  So I looked up the information for how to cook black beans and gave it a go.

It was so EASY!  The black beans turned out perfectly and were ready in less than 30 minutes.  AWESOME!  Now I'm like a woman possessed.  I want to know what ELSE I can make in the pressure cooker (in under 30 minutes).

Had I known - I'd use the pressure cooker all the time.  NOW - I will.

Last week I also made:

Kale chips - I liked (though too salty) the kids almost liked.  They ate one and said "Hmm, that's pretty good."  Then as they finished they sneared and said "they taste like Kale at the end!"  We'll try them again later (I got these a little too toasty).

And

Speckled Butter Beans - always a win.  I now make them vegetarian for Anna, but they're so good I almost don't miss the bacon (almost).

What are your favorite pressure cooking adventures?  I'd love to hear your best tips and recipes.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

How to Get Out of Making Lunch...

I think I've mentioned here before that I HATE making lunch.  Big Breakfast? Lovely Dinner? Yes, those I am good at, but lunch - UGH!  So here are 3 no fail ways to get out of making lunch for your children.

1.  Starve your children.

I stopped buying most packaged foods - even the organic healthy ones so apparently "There's nothing to eat!" and they're "STAAARRRVIING!"  Eventually they get creative and begin to realize that apples, oranges, bananas, celery, and strawberries are actually foods - foods they enjoy even.  Of course it helps if you just bought one of those countertop apple peelie/slicie thingies that looks to children like a fun torture device.

2. Be Sick (ie unavailable) for a week.

Children are resourceful little buggars and hungry children are doubly so.  If you happen to have a massive chest cold that makes going downstairs to the kitchen feel like you've run a marathon (and lost) your kids will figure out how to make all sorts of things - peanut butter and honey crackers, cheese sandwiches, microwave leftovers - all kinds of things.  Of course when you DO feel like heading down to the kitchen - BEWARE - I didn't say this was a "Get Out Of Lunch FREE" plan.

3. Keep the cereal where the kids can reach it.

One of the few packaged items I still stock regularly.  Just be sure the your Honey brings home milk (since you're still sick) or there will be serious mutiny.

There you have it.  3 No fail ways to get out of making lunch.

I'm feeling better now and after unearthing my kitchen have quickly cooked up all the produce from last weeks Garden box (you know - just in time for this week's delivery).   I'll tell you about those adventures tomorrow.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

A REALLY Long Time...

That's how long I've been married today!

17 years!

Yep - Casey and I got married in 1994 on the first day of spring and here we are happy as larks (I wonder if larks really are happy - we are) 17 years later.

Casey I adore you!  Thanks for being my champion all these years.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Changes...

Today is Casey's last day at The Weather Channel.  It's strange how I feel.  I am excited and a little sad, but never regretful.  TWCi was the perfect job at the perfect time and we've had a great time.  Now, after 5 1/2 years, it's on to new adventures and exciting challenges.  Thanks TWCi for being such a valuable learning experience.

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

Happy Birthday Casey!!!

Happy birthday to the love of my life!  

Whatever did I do without you?  We've been best friends since 1991 and I really can't remember my life before that.  Thank you for all that you do and all that you are.  Thank you for two amazing children and for sharing every day with me.  Thank you for not just putting up with me and my craziness, but for loving me through it all.

You are my best friend.
You are my Heart.
You are my Breath!

I love you!!!!!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

A Penny A Day...

See Saw Marjory Daw

Amy shall have a new master

Amy shall earn but a penny a day

Because she can't blog any faster!

I struggle with the inanity of blogging.  I mean really - do I have anything interesting to say and if so why does anyone care?  It seems so self-important even narcissistic to think that I am so important that virtual strangers want to know what I'm up to.

Recently (ok this morning) it dawns on me that my blog is MY personal journal and if it's only EVER just for me - that's enough.

So I reset my thoughts and processes and aim in a new direction.

There is SO very much going on right now and I like lists so here goes:

• Casey and I joined the gym and hired trainers - it's HARD, but awesome because I keep having to buy smaller pants!
• I decided to learn everything I can about knitting and spinning and crochet and fiber this year and am doing research and practice in the field.
• Took an awesome spinning workshop with Jacey Boggs  - it's still blowing my mind.
• Found a tea shop and have become obsessed and addicted to the whole tea process (don't get me wrong I still love coffee too).
• Casey just quit The Weather Channel to take a better job.  He's chomping at the bit to start the new work in just under two weeks.
• My new refrigerator get delivered tomorrow!  Yahoo - it's about time.  Samsung french door bottom freezer LED lit angel I LOVE you already!
• I got a new spinning wheel - a Majacraft Suzie Pro Alpaca - it's dreamy.
• Anna is a pescetarian - that means she is a fish-eating 'vegetarian' and that's kind of a fun challenge.
• I'm going to CampKIP in April with lots of podcasters/knitter and Carin from The KNITWITS (if you haven't listened to their show - go NOW - hilarity awaits).
• The kids are reading and learning and playing as always and doing great ('cause they're awesome).
• My friend is 'training' me in the ways of sushi - I kind of LOVE it - just not Octopus - YUCK!
• Casey turns 38 tomorrow and I am so excited.  Birthdays are awesome!
• Stitches South is coming up soon and I am very excited.
• Quit Facebook, but joined twitter @EemayDe
• Am planning my Daddy's 70th birthday party - He's awesome!
• I'm sure I missed something huge, but it will keep.

Leave a comment or a question - what are you up to?

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe

January 1, 2011 - Already

People always say "Time flies when you're having fun!"  I usually reply with "Even when you're not..."  Part of that response is my sarcastic nature and part is just plain practical truth.

Everyone talks resolutions or anti-resolutions or goals or promises this time of year - from the lofty high-minded and ridiculously impractical to the super-detailed-finite-box-you-in-destined-to-make-you-feel-like-a-loser-by-January-12th type.

Me - I've thought of both of those sorts - pitched them - and come up with some ideas for life.

In general (not just 2011) I want to:

Love more and Yell less

Live more and Complain less

Do more and Postpone less

Learn more and Worry less

Enjoy more and Owe less

Play more and Weigh less

Listen more and Talk less

Give more and Take less

Pray more and Criticize less

Right now that's More or Less where I'm at!

I'll keep you posted!

AmyDe