You can fool the fans - but not the players.... John Cage

The beginning and the end of the day...

We are experiencing an unbelievable spell of stable, warm, sunny weather. You wouldn't think that would be anything to write about except that it means we are not getting the water we need for the rest of the year. Everyday starts with a look at the weather, the realization that again it will be in the 60s and sunny, the acceptance and embracing of that, the worry, and the pushing back of the worry.

 

We are now making history with this dry spell -and is that even what I should call it? When does a dry spell turn into drought? The first snow survey showed us to be at 17% of normal in the Sierra. Yes, it is only January but I just looked at the next seven-day forecast and I see no moisture coming. That puts us into mid-January and that is getting late in the season.

At the same time who can complain about the lovely, lovely afternoons I've been having?

 

There are two lists sitting beside me on the kitchen counter, where I've set up this impromtu stand-up desk. One is a list of to-dos for my classes, the one I'm taking, and the two I'm teaching. The other list is wedding stuff and I keep marching through it, tackling one thing at a time. Work and these lists get juggled, then I head out for a few hours to make sure the dogs and the horses get attention, exercise, and training.

 

Yesterday was a huge break-through for me and my mare. I saddled up the mustang and ponied the mare around for about an hour - now that my teenage helper has bailed out on riding I have to devise efficient ways of getting both these horses out and I especially need to make sure that Rhea is not just standing around. Everything went well and it was such a lovely afternoon I didn't want to stop. So without thinking about it too much I just took the saddle off the mustang, saddled up the mare, and turned the tables. I hopped on Rhea and ponied Smokin' around. And guess what? Once my head was out of the way everything was just fine. Just FINE!

I was floating on cloud nine.

 

Then I went home and made a little floaty crema di limoncello to celebrate. Before getting back to tackling the lists.

Wedding Planning - it is now "go" time around here

It is crunch time now and we have to stay focused on the wedding, which is really just around the corner. I have a list, he has a list and we have decided to do regular check-ins over dinner so that we don't forget something critical. We have people to meet with, cupcake flavors to determine, and a photobooth to build and refine.

 

Last night I worked on the photobooth props. Thanks to the wonderful people over at oh! happy day I downloaded and printed up some props, used spray adhesive to adhere them to foamcore, and am in the process of cutting them out with an xacto knife... harder than it sounds. I think it is going to take me a few evenings to get these cut out and then, since I bought white foamcore instead of black, I'll have to go around the edges with a black marker. The white is too glaringly white.

I'll pick up some dowels and fasten the props to them, put them all in a pail or vase, and let the fun begin!

 

Bringing in the new year

2012 has arrived and it is still weirdly, strangely warm in the Sierra. If it stays this warm we won't be ice skating much longer - we'll be getting out our hiking shorts and shoes. And the only snow we'll see at our wedding will be the fake stuff in the snow globes.

Kids were here over the weekend and it made New Year's really fun, REALLY fun. Making big meals, running the dishwasher multiple times a day, football, the Rose Parade... it did seem like a holiday weekend. Everyone is going home today and the house will shrink back down to just us.

 

We took the kids to Tenaya to skate and because they are still kids to us and they sleep in late and take forever to get ready, we didn't get up there until the afternoon which turned out to be just lovely. The ice was just as good, there were people all over it, and we just had a blast.

 

Once the sun started to go down the light on the granite domes and in the sky began to glow. Down along 395 it was windy as all get-out on Friday, but up in Tuolumne it was calm and cold.

 

December 2011 will be remembered for the skating. We'd like to think that we'll skate in the new year, but the reality is that the wedding is really just around the corner and we still have A LOT to do. So we'll be hustling to get ready for that.

 

I can't help but wonder what the rest of the winter will bring... it already is beginning to feel like spring. Everyone in our neighborhood was out watering and doing yard work over the long weekend... I had to water all the potted plants that normally survive with the little bits of snow and rain we get here in the valley.

 

We'll make the most of whatever the rest of winter brings, and we'll make lemon drops out of lemons.

 

It is the new year.

From stock designs to dreaming up your own....

First of all, many thanks to Natalie Chanin. I think it was about a year ago, maybe a little more, that I bought my first Alabama Chanin book and made a pincushion:

 

From there I made a corset top, then another corset top, and then a dress:

 

I bought a second book. I used the stencils that came with the books and I refered back to them time and time again for inspiration. I started following AC's tweets and blog. I was hooked.

This fall, I started thinking about a design of my own. I bought some yardage to make a dress, and then decided that it was too light for a dress (for me). I tend to drop things on white and cream colored pieces of clothing and a dress was a lot of fabric to quickly ruin. My plan morphed into another corset top. Nice, plain, and simple in the front with an intricate design like a tattoo on the back.

I had the stencil - I'd bought it at a thrift store some time ago and knew I'd find a use for it.

 

I had the fabric paint from some long-ago purchase and plan that never materialized...

 

Cut out the pattern, painted the stencil, and started stitching...

 

I love this hand sewing. I love watching the garment take shape under my hands and I like that it takes awhile. It becomes an addiction and when I have one of these in progress you can find me any evening with my needle, thread and something on the TV - sewing. It is a perfect winter evening activity.

 

And now - I can wear it!

 

I love these tops - only I have to remember to cut them a little higher in the neckline next time - for me they are a little low cut. But I just wear a cami underneath and it works out fine and one of these days I'll remember to cut it higher. Next time.

 

The cotton molds to your body and is supremely comfortable.

I'm going to have an entire wardrobe soon - I've got to turn my attention to some other designs - like a jacket or something (a completer piece, thank you Stacy London) since I also have a dress in the works.

This:

will turn into this (or something similar):

Photo found here.

Of course, I'll look just like this model!