Sunshine Handbags

An Apple a Day

2011-10-05T07:43:00.001-05:00

Like I'm sure many of you, we went apple picking last weekend. The weather was perfect, the orchard at Appleberry Farm was very nice and the apples were plentiful, just as long as you didn't want any McIntosh, those trees were picked clean! We brought home several varieties I'd never had before- NW Greening, Connell Red and Ida Red. We also purchased a few heirloom apples that were already picked. My favorite was the Harralson, which tasted like an apple mixed with an orange - so amazing! We baked a pie as soon as we got home (okay, I baked the pie), and it was one of the best pies I've ever made, according to Steve. We have 2 bags of apples left so I'm going to try making and freezing a couple more pies. Apparently they come out of the freezer and into the oven just fine, although I've never tried it before. I hope it works!

anyone got a bow and arrow?

this apple looks like a butt!

As a child, he was only allowed to pick MacIntosh apples...

of course, Evan ate off all the caramel and threw the apple in the trash!

Ruffles, again.

2011-09-17T11:26:00.004-05:00

I know this seems a bit redundant, but I cannot get my mind off ruffles!

It's a girl!

2011-09-09T09:26:00.000-05:00

A girl-y bag, that is. And I love it! It's my very favorite thing I've made, ever. It will be in the shop soon, as soon as my darn camera battery charges and I can finish taking it's picture!

2011-09-05T22:25:00.006-05:00

I'm trying something new today.

I've been insanely jealous of Design Seeds and how she makes her breathtaking photos with matching palettes of color. I've searched the internet high and low and can find a few people who do something similar (but never as nice), but I was really having trouble finding out how to make one of these things.

I finally found one gal who says she uses Aviary to upload a photo and make her palette. So, I went to Aviary, uploaded my photo into the Toucan Color Editor, made my lovely palette and it was really fun and easy. But then I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get my photo and my palette together in such a nice way as they do. I was hoping it would just magically happen, that there would be a button at the bottom of my palette that said "put these two lovely things together and it will look great" but there wasn't.

So, I figured that it has something to do with my nemesis, Photoshop. I actually have never used Photoshop (haven't wanted to fork over all that money for it) so I've been trying to teach myself to use Gimp, which is like photoshop, only free. I gotta tell you, it's a struggle. I use it so infrequently that each time I try it, I have to relearn everything and it takes me forever.

As it happens, Aviary also has a free Photoshop thing called Pheonix, and my first impression is that it's a little easier than Gimp. That doesn't mean that it didn't take me, oh, about 4 hours to come up with that picture you see at the top. It's nowhere near as pretty as Jessica's pictures, but that's ok. It's the best I can do for now. I definitely owe a special thanks to my friend Kelly for her smarts! Once I finally got the hang of it I couldn't stop and I've been changing all of the main photos in my Etsy shop. Take a look and give me some feedback - Do you like them or not?

New Day, New Bag

2011-09-04T10:15:00.001-05:00

I've been toying with the idea of a bag with ruffles for some time. I want something flirty and feminine, without all the straight lines most of my bags have. This is my first attempt and I'm really happy with it. I just took the basic shape of the Meredith bag, added the ruffles and took out the stiff lining that gives the original bag it's structure. The result is a slouchy, casual bag with a girly attitude. I just might add ruffles to every bag I have!!

Can anything really be this good?

2011-08-26T11:13:00.002-05:00

Source: blog.craftzine.com via Susan on Pinterest

I grew up with Red Velvet Cake. It was THE birthday cake in our house. From Scratch. There was no such thing as boxed Red Velvet Cake when I was young. The recipe calls for two bottles of red food coloring - how decadent can you get? The cake actually plays with your head and your taste buds, because even though the cake is made with cocoa, your brain can't really wrap itself around the notion that the flavor of chocolate is coming from something so completely red.

Another lovely thing about scratch red velvet cake is the buttermilk. Hands down, there is no better cake of any kind than one that has buttermilk in the ingredients. The version in a box just misses the mark here - you don't get that yummy buttermilk smoothness and bit of tang out of the box. I really believe it's the key ingredient in a true red velvet cake. Well, except for the frosting, and I will go to my grave defending authentic Red Velvet Cake Frosting, and it IS NOT made with cream cheese.

Don't misunderstand me, I L-O-V-E cream cheese frosting - on cinnamon rolls and carrot cake, but it does not belong on red velvet cake. True southern recipes call for a delicious, slippery, subtle white frosting that must be cooked first, then beaten to the end of oblivion. That is what I'm talkin' about! I really find it almost impossible to enjoy a piece of red velvet if it has any other frosting.

There is one exception, however. That cake up there in the picture? That cake is frosted with whipped cream - and that's ok - because it is a "strawberry shortcake red velvet cake" and that is different. You put whipped cream on strawberry shortcake, so I'm in complete agreement that it goes perfectly with that breathtakingly gorgeous creation. I really want a piece of that cake. How do you even slice that cake? How would you get it to the plate in one piece? It really wouldn't matter, I'd eat that cake in whatever condition it was set in front of me. And I know I would love it, whipped cream and all.

Red Velvet Cake

(no, not like the one in the picture - you have to click here to get that recipe!)

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

2 Tbsp Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 ounces Red Food Coloring
1 cup Buttermilk
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
½ cup Shortening
1 ½ cups White Sugar
2 Eggs
2 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour, sifted
1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp White Vinegar

For the Frosting:
1 cup Milk
5 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
1 cup White Sugar
1 cup Butter
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions:
1. Grease two 9 inch round pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Make a paste of cocoa and food coloring. Set aside.

2. Combine the buttermilk, salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and 1 ½ cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the cocoa mixture. Beat in the buttermilk mixture alternately with the flour, mixing just until incorporated. Stir together baking soda and vinegar, then gently fold into the cake batter.

3. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before frosting.

4. To Make Icing: In a saucepan, combine the milk and 5 tablespoons flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. Set aside to cool completely. Cream together butter, 1 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla until light and fluffy, then stir in the cooled milk and flour mixture, beating until icing reaches spreading consistency.

****If you want to get really fancy, slice each cake layer horizontally to create 4 layers, and put frosting on the top and between the layers only - not on the sides.

2011-08-24T22:20:00.001-05:00

Source: weheartit.com via Amy on Pinterest

I need this for my dog!! Whenever I'm in the kitchen cooking or doing the dishes Sully is under my feet. We have a small rug in front of the sink and he thinks it's a dog bed we put there just for him. I am constantly telling him to get up and move, which he does, for a few seconds, and then he's back again on the rug. I don't really have room in my kitchen for an island, we have the peninsula shape thing going on in there, but with a little tweaking and losing a whole lot of storage space, maybe I could convert the peninsula and convince him to get comfortable in a space like this, instead of under my feet!

Etsy Treasury for the Day

2011-08-20T21:39:00.012-05:00

'A Golden September!' by dovetailvintage

A lovely golden September where summer melds with fall.

9 Fiery Needle Felted W... greenbaboondes... $18.00	Black and Gold Paper Ma... etco $10.00	NEW Crochet Flowers in... AnnieDesign $7.50
Suzani Pillow - Bright ... MaterialRecove... $118.00	Gorgeous Ladies Wallet ... SunshineHandba... $27.00	Flock Flying ducks cera... PrinceDesignUK $69.00
handmade White doll wit... timor $40.00	Purple Swarovsky, orang... OliveYewJewels $34.00	Yellow-Gold Designer Fa... HomeStyleMarke... $28.00
Origami stars - Gold - ... Signoraluna $17.00	Antique 1800's MED ... theprimitiveho... $58.00	The Golden Flower headb... littlehinLEE $76.00
Orange velvet decorativ... imali $10.00	Ladies lacy crossing pa... laurimuks $48.00	Carnelian Stud Earrings BatizJewelry $34.00
Vintage Wood Hoop Chees... TomLaurus $24.00

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Calm Waters

2011-08-18T20:20:00.001-05:00

The weather is (finally) perfect so a friend and I headed out to my favorite local paddling place - Cherokee Marsh - for a lovely morning of kayaking. Spectacular.

It's been a pretty exciting week

2011-08-16T19:04:00.000-05:00

Etsy has made some major changes this week that have truly polarized their members.

For all the details, see this post by the etsy admin staff
http://www.etsy.com/teams/7716/announcements/discuss/8808260/

I happen to be in the "thrilled with the changes" group, but based on the pages of enraged comments I've been reading in the forums section, I don't believe I'm in the majority. The new changes are a benefit to me because now I have a much better chance of people finding my store and my items.

And they already have.

Case in Point - I have been on etsy for a couple years and have never had any item from my shop be included in a treasury (a compilation of twelve to sixteen items created by another etsy member for the sole purpose of making a nice looking collection of etsy items.) There is absolutely no guarantee that inclusion in a treasury will lead to a sale, but it is great shop exposure to the etsy public, especially if the treasury lands on the elusive FRONT PAGE.

When the new changes were announced, I immediately went to work rewriting my product names and descriptions and re-working my product "tags" according to the instructions and advice given to me. And suddenly, within three days, I've had items included in three treasuries, I've sold one wallet and the visits to my shop have increased dramatically. Yeee-Haaaaaw!!!!

I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but this could be the start of something really great for me and Sunshine Handbags! I'm so excited!!!

Treasury #1

Treasury #2

Treasury #3

I'm in the mood for School! And Apples!

2011-08-12T16:47:00.000-05:00

Evan should bring this apple to his teacher on the first day of school, but since he has a 2 out of 3 chance of having a male teacher this year, the odds are pretty good that we're not going to be gifting this bag when September rolls around. I've been holding on to this fabric for at least a year, looking for the perfect mates, since it didn't come with any coordinating prints that I liked. I finally ordered the green leaf print last month and the red/black dot pattern jumped off the wall into my hands at my favorite local quilt store. I'm so happy with the results!

It Must be a Cold Day in Hell

2011-08-07T10:29:00.000-05:00

To paraphrase Andi's comment when she discovered that I had done the unthinkable - I've become a member of Facebook.

Almost everyone I know, including my own parents, have a Facebook page. I have managed to be very happy while not being on Facebook. I will admit that I have occasionally felt left out of a conversation because I didn't see what "they" posted on their page last night. But mostly I've been happy to not know every minute detail of peoples lives.

I also consider myself a fairly private person. I really don't want a bunch of people to know what's going on in my life every day. I am especially not fond of the idea of re-connecting with certain people from my past - you know who you are. I know, I know, I can protect myself from all of that by ignoring their request to be my "friend". But maybe that's the crux of this whole thing - I really dislike the idea of having to ask someone if I can be their friend. It seems so elementary school-yard to me. It also doesn't feel right to deny someone who wants to "friend" me...even if I don't really want to be their friend. What if I bump into them some day and they say, "hey, I wanted to be your friend and you said no, what's up with that?" Awkward!!

Enough of the reasons why I don't want to be on Facebook, real or imagined.

Why did I finally cave in? Mostly because I'm looking for more ways to draw people into my Etsy shop. That's probably not the best reason, but it's the real reason. I make a truly beautiful handbag and I want the whole world to own one. The problem is, I am struggling to get people to find Sunshine Handbags. I need to live in a bigger circle in order to market myself to a larger audience, and Facebook could possibly do that for me.

There is also a little part of me that is intrigued by the idea of finding a few of the people from my past, just to see what they've made of their lives, make sure they're happy and healthy. Maybe I'll have the courage one day to track them down. Maybe they'll find me first.

Also, Aaron is going to want his own Facebook page, and I have to do the mom thing and eavesdrop on his life and make sure he is making good choices and his friends aren't punks.

So, I guess I'm jumping feet first into the land of TMI. I really don't want to know that my little sister might be partying a bit too much or that a family had a really successful restroom stop while on vacation, but I guess this all goes with the territory. If you want to be my friend, I'll say yes, and I promise not to bore you with the mundane parts of my life.

One Decaf Easy Vanilla Iced Latte To Go, Please

2011-07-24T21:01:00.000-05:00

Last week I passed along my business card to the Barista at Caribou Coffee who admired the bag I was carrying, and while I was driving home it occurred to me that if this gal is nice enough to take the time to visit my shop, she is going to find absolutely nothing on the shelves.

How embarrassing!

Until that moment, I had been doing a really good job living in avoidance mode, not wanting to face the fact that I've been major-ly neglecting both my blog and my etsy shop for months. Yes, I've been busy enjoying the summer and the kids, but there has to be a way to squeeze in a little Sunshine Handbags time, too. So, I decided to try and make it work, and vowed to not get too stressed about the laundry, house cleaning and grocery shopping that will pile up a bit faster than before.

And wouldn't you know it, not 30 minutes after restocking the shelves, I had a sale!! Hooray for me!! Hooray for my customer!! Hooray for her friend who is getting the bag as a gift!!

I've added a couple new items this week and I've made some really exciting purchases of some gorgeous fabrics - I can't wait for them to get here!

So, thank you Barista gal, I owe you one for helping me get my groove back on, so to speak!!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh

2011-04-02T17:15:00.000-05:00

Goodbye Winter, Hello Lemon Drop Martini!

3 ounces lemonade concentrate
4 ounces vodka (preferably absolut citron)
1 ounce triple sec

mix in martini shaker with crushed ice. Pour into martini glasses with sugared rims. (recipe makes 2 generous drinks)

Let's Give This Thing Another Try

2011-02-07T21:02:00.000-06:00

Yes, I've been gone for a long time. Yes, my Etsy shop sat empty for months. Yes, I have spent too much time in some kind of funk. But now I'm back, my shop is no longer empty and I'm promising to shake off the dust and get back on the horse.

What went on while I was gone? Well, the holidays sort of ate me alive and finally spit me back out sometime in the middle of January. Too many stories to tell for this small square, I'm just glad I made it out alive. The kids are growing and getting smarter and, in Aaron's case, more teenager-ish (not always a good thing). Steve is back to steady work (whew!). Consulting can be such a dog-eat-dog business. I've been spending a lot of my time in the pool, swimming laps and doing my best Michael Phelps imitation.

I've also been logging a lot of time with my sewing machine, working on a new bag design. I've filled my shop with the new "Bagllet", which is a small handbag and wallet combo. The wallet is permanently stitched to the outside of the purse, and the strap is long enough to wear across your body. It's the perfect bag to bring on long shopping trips, vacations, any time you need a few essentials but don't want to carry a big, heavy purse. I gifted several to family and friends at Christmas and everyone seemed to love them. I hope everyone else agrees!

Pumpkin Patch Pickin'

2010-10-09T18:57:00.000-05:00

Last weekend there was a tiny bit of a nip in the air so we drove to the outside of town to our favorite pumpkin patch. My kids are almost to the age where this family tradition might not be so meaningful to them, so I'm capturing the moment while they're still happy to be there.

Kayaking Done Right

2010-10-06T16:30:00.000-05:00

It just doesn't get any better!

Mary, Jill and I went on a little adventure in the kayaks this morning. It was a gorgeous Fall day in the Cherokee Marsh - perfect temp, crisp blue sky, calm winds...this is the day I will look back on when it's late February and there are inches upon inches of snow piled at my curb!

Jill surprised us with a lovely picnic including wine (she knows us so well!), bread and cheese. A little tricky to do in a kayak, but we managed to drift, drink, eat and laugh away the afternoon.

My Little Soccer Star

2010-09-19T10:15:00.000-05:00

Sometimes he looks like this....

And sometimes he looks like this (yes, he's on the field, not the sidelines)

but he's still my little soccer star!

The Farm Dinner

2010-09-12T21:42:00.000-05:00

Tonight, Steve and I, along with our good friends Chris and Mike Hale, were lucky enough to have reservations for the Sassy Cow Creamery Farm Dinner.

This spectacular event is held just once a year (see how lucky we are!) and is limited to a mere 27 guests. The adventure began out in the country at the Sassy Cow Farm Store where we met our host, James, one of two brothers who own the farm and dairy. After a lovely cheese tasting, we were treated to a brief but informative tour of the inner workings of the dairy. We then travelled down the road to a freshly mowed hayfield and up a small hill to a beautiful, serene setting right in the middle of the family farm. Three tables under canopies were set with linens and china and glassware, and the view was just magnificent.

After an impromptu visit from the farm patriarch (who later joined our table for dinner and shared many great stories), we were introduced to Chef Eckles, who provided details of the four-course meal he had prepared. The first course, a butternut cream soup, was a-mazing. Creamy and rich, with crusty bread for dipping, we were all tempted to pick up our bowls and lick them clean. Our second course, a caprese salad with balsamic laced greens, included juicy tomatoes purchased Saturday from the Madison Farmer's Market. Fabulous!

The main course was a wonderful grass-fed beef tenderloin with boursin cheese, garlic mashed yukon gold potatoes and carrots glazed with Sassy Cow butter. The beef had a wonderful, fresh flavor, the potatoes had just the right combination of chunky and creamy and the carrots were perfectly cooked. And, as if it had not already been a dinner to die for, we finished off the evening with a huge slice of creamy pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust, topped with Sassy Cow butter pecan ice cream.

I am already begging for a place at the table for next year's event, but I truly cannot imagine having a more perfect evening than the one we just had.

Photo Booth Mayhem

2010-08-18T21:12:00.000-05:00

The boys and I were having so much fun with this feature on the mac! I was laughing so hard I almost threw up! I guess it's a good thing it doesn't take much to entertain us!

Cloudy with a Chance of Kayaking

2010-08-17T17:25:00.000-05:00

Today we were lucky enough to find ourselves invited to an afternoon on Mary's pontoon boat. The day wasn't completely cooperating with our plans, giving us a freakishly unseasonal 70 degree temp and clouds threatening rain, but we're tough and we really, really wanted to go for a boat ride.

The kids had a blast, as usual, and Aaron spent the majority of his time in the kayak, paddling around. He's perfecting the art of eating a chocolate muffin while kayaking and if it ever becomes an olympic event, he's destined for gold.

The heartwarming moment of the day came when both of my kids squeezed into the one-person craft and paddled around as though they were best friends. And then I was convinced to give it a whirl - what a blast! Mary and I now have plans to do some paddling of our own as soon as the kids start school. A little paddling, a stop for a cocktail, a little more paddling...sounds like the perfect afternoon to me!

Our Trip to The HOT Windy City

2010-08-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

We finally managed to get our kids to downtown Chicago for a mini-vacation. We travel to the suburbs a couple times a year to visit family but we've never had time to take the boys to see any of the cool places downtown. Steve found himself with a week off while waiting for his next contract so in a sort of "spur of the moment" whirlwind, we plotted our course, made our reservations, purchased our tickets, kenneled the dog, and (whew!) we were off!

Obviously, there are so many things to do in Chicago, but we only had 2 1/2 days so we had to plan carefully. Both boys are complete science nuts, they cannot get enough of Mythbusters, so the Museum of Science and Industry was a no-brainer. We had a blast! Tornados, explosions, creepy underground coal mines, fun mind games and a gigantic model train exhibit - it doesn't get much more fun than that! We spent about 6 hours at the museum, they practically had to kick us out at closing time, drove to our hotel, found a yummy place to have dinner and then fell into our beds, completely exhausted.

Day two was a trip to
the Shedd Aquarium located about 2 miles from our hotel, with a lovely lakefront sidewalk to travel there on foot. There was quite a bit of whining coming from our 8 year old, but even in the 90+ degree heat, we managed to get there, wilted but excited. The fish were amazing, especially the coral reef exhibit in the lower level...I could have spent all day down there watching the sharks, starfish and the other colorful creatures from the deep. Aaron loved the Beluga Whales, Evan's favorite was the Puffer Fish. At closing time we headed to the nearest water taxi - we were NOT going to survive the walk back to the hotel! The "Blue Dog" took us on a quick trip across the water to Navy Pier, where we spent time enjoying cold cocktails (italian ice for the boys), experienced Evan's first ferris wheel ride and then wilted some more in the 102 degree heat. Did I mention that it was HOT!!!!! A dinner at Gino's East Pizza (Super Yum!) and a nice walk back to the hotel made for the perfect ending to another great day.

Aaron was not going to leave Chicago without a trip to the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), so Day three began with car trip across town. We had been warned of the potential for very long lines to ride to the top but I'm happy to say luck was on our side and we practically waltzed right in. I have a really serious fear of elevators, but the trip to the 103rd floor only took about 60 seconds, not even enough time for me to break into a sweat. The big deal about a trip to Willis Tower for Aaron is the opportunity to step out onto the "clear floor" platform they have installed that allows visitors to sort of experience what it might be like to take a step off the edge of the 103rd floor. I actually had no intention of stepping near that thing, but once I was up there I had to try it. Stepping out there really goes against every instinct of self-preservation your body has, I've never had an experience like that in my life. I did not spend more than 60 seconds out there, but I did look down and I did survive without needing to change my undies!

Our trip home included a stop to see our newest family member, my great-nephew Stuart. He's only 3 months old and looks just like his daddy. So Cute!

And now we're safely home with lots of great memories (and piles of laundry). Our next scheduled adventure is the first day of school in a couple weeks. HOORAY!!!

The Farmers Market

2010-08-07T12:20:00.000-05:00

We are so fortunate to live in a community that provides such a wide variety of wonderful opportunities during the summer months. The lakes, beaches, outdoor dining, the zoo and my favorite activity of all, the Madison Farmers Market.

From April to late October, you make your way around the Capitol square, spending a sunny Saturday morning taking in all the delicious smells, the breathtaking colors and the comfort that comes from purchasing locally grown produce, directly supporting the farms and families who grow them.

Our family has established a routine with stops along the way at our favorite vendors - squeaky cheese curds from Chula Vista, hot and spicy cheese bread from Stella's Bakery, donuts from the Oakhouse Bakery and bison jerky from Cherokee Bison Farm. Depending on the season, we might pick up lovely peppers and tomatoes to make homemade salsa, fresh ears of sweetcorn and maybe a beautiful bouquet of wildflowers for the house.

I love that my kids can experience the market and have contact with the friendly people who are responsible for providing all of this wonderful food. It's a great family activity for everyone!

Is Your Mama a Llama?

2010-08-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

My family often refers to me as "the llama". I don't remember when it started, or why, but I have been putting up with it for years. They get a huge kick out of it. Me, not so much.
Why can't I be a giraffe? The long legs would be an answer to many prayers. Instead, I'm a pack animal with mangy hair, prone to spitting when agitated.
While at the zoo this weekend, my loving family thought it would be the perfect setting for a family portrait, maybe even worthy of this year's Christmas card...

The Dodson Family, 2010

Concerts on the Square

2010-07-26T14:39:00.000-05:00

We have been enjoying our summertime so much! Can you tell, I've been so busy I haven't even been sharing our good times here!

I'll promise to catch up before the leaves fall, but for now, here are some pictures of one of my very favorite things about living in Madison...Concerts on the Square. Lovely weather, wonderful music, favorite friends, ridiculously good food - what's not to like?

Found It!

2010-05-17T19:23:00.000-05:00

"Mom, you know the two couches in the basement, the ones we've kind of abused over the last couple years while playing Xbox, watching TV and maybe having a snack or two on when we know we shouldn't ? In the basement, where you don't like to go because there's always tons of Legos all over the floor, and maybe some of those snack wrappers that aren't supposed to be down there? Well, I've been missing a DS game and I think the couch ate it. Could we please turn the couches over and see if we can find it?"

"If you boys completely clean up the basement first, then I'll go down there and help you turn the couches over, cut slits through the fabric-stuff that keeps everything trapped inside, and we'll see if the couch really did eat your toy."

In My Garden

2010-04-26T20:23:00.000-05:00

I've been working outside as much as the weather allows, getting the landscaping around the house cleaned up after a long winter. I'm always amazed to see the flowers break through the ground, surviving after being buried under all that snow for so many months. I have been pouring over my gardening books for inspiration and impatiently waiting for the garden centers to stock up. This year my goal was to get the gardens around the garage in shape, so I spent last week digging everything out - a lilac tree gone wild that didn't get enough sun to bloom properly, several hostas that I already have too many of, and my arch nemesis, creeping charlie. The only thing I kept were two peony bushes that I've never been too crazy about, but perhaps that will change once I improve their surroundings. I know I'll be putting in a beautiful hydrangea bush and I'm considering a climbing rose bush to adorn the brick wall of the garage, but that will be a gamble because of our climate and my lack of gardening skills.

In the meantime, I took some pics of what is currently blooming in the yard - I love the spring color because I don't get much of it in the summer until the hostas bloom. Enjoy!

Virginia Bluebells

I love violets but not so much after they bloom!

Primrose

Beautiful Rhododendron

Bleeding Hearts

Trillium

Cool Find of the Day

2010-03-31T19:11:00.000-05:00

We've seen all kinds of cool things on the beach this week. Lots and lots of beached jellyfish, some as big around as a large pizza, and in low tide this evening we found dozens of tiny cupcake-sized ones. We've seen a dead puffer fish, a dead sea tortoise (missing his head - UGH!), and a dead ghost crab, all very cool things for little boys to marvel at. And tonight, while walking off the delicious dinner we had at Backwaters on Sand Key (yum!), we found this "blue button jellyfish"! We had overheard some people talking about them yesterday but we weren't sure if it was something they saw here at the beach or somewhere else. Now we know! I looked them up and technically they're not really a "jellyfish". They're a chondrophore, which is the same type of creature as a Portuguese Man-of-War, an organism made up of a bunch of small organisms. So cool!

Life's a Beach

2010-03-31T12:08:00.000-05:00

We're finally here and having a really good time despite the less than spectacular weather. I have to keep reminding myself, "it's better than Wisconsin". The sun is out and the temps are favorable, it's just the wind - relentless. The wind is coming from the north, so it's brisk to say the least. Today is much improved over the last two days, you no longer need a sweatshirt on while you're trying to get a tan. And the next several days are supposed to be warmer and warmer still, but I'm not sure if the breeze will die down or not.

Here are a couple shots of the kids on the beach.

I think my 13 year-old has learned a valuable lesson on this trip...when your mother insists that you put on sunscreen, listen to her even though you're a teenager and you think she's stupid. Sometimes she knows what she's talking about, and she didn't want you to have to look like this on your second day at the beach, trying like heck to keep any sliver of sunshine off your back.

And this one, he's been busy digging his way to China, building the Taj Mahal of sand castles and cleaning the entire beach of "cool shells". Plus, he wears sunscreen when his mother tells him to.

A Few Last Minute Things

2010-03-24T11:05:00.000-05:00

We're leaving in a few days for a much needed week in the sun. I've been trying to scratch things off my "to-do" list so I have a clean slate to come home to. Yesterday I finished my sister's cute wallet...we spent a good amount of time talking to each other on the phone, both of us scouring the internet together looking for the perfect fabric for her. I'm really happy with her choices and I know she will be, too. The fabric is from the Wild Thyme collection by Carolyn Gavin. It's so fresh and spring-like and I just adore the illustrations.

And now it's "thyme" to put away the bins of fabric and tidy up the shop so I can be at peace as we're backing down the driveway, our minds focused on the warm sand and sun, the smells of the ocean and the anticipation of a relaxing week away from it all.

Celebrating Spring

2010-03-22T14:05:00.000-05:00

I've been sewing my little fingers to the bone, trying to get some last minute things done before we leave for vacation. My mother's birthday was over the weekend and she's been coveting the new bird fabric in my shop so I encouraged her to pick out a style of bag she wants for spring. It's SO cute! I think she's going to LOVE it!

I've also been forgetting to put up a picture of the bag I made for myself. I am always so busy making things for other people or the shop, I rarely make anything for me! I finally sat down a week or two ago and put this bag together using some of my all-time favorite fabrics - I love it so much that the last bag I carried used the same fabric only in a different color scheme. I absolutely die for these colors together, they just ooze warm weather and sunshine, don't you think?

quick post - new bag

2010-03-19T09:09:00.000-05:00

Here's the new bag I finished yesterday. I have had several of my friends confess that while they love my handbags, they really want one that closes completely with a zipper. Ok, that's not the easiest thing to design because the whole concept of the bag coming together at the top often interferes with the rest of the overall shape. I have done a few bags with flap closures which I love but apparently no one else does because I haven't sold a single one. The slouchy hobo style seems to be prevalent on Etsy and in stores, it's a style that doesn't seem to fade out of fashion, but I find them a little boring. So, I decided to try and combine the two styles, Hobo and Messenger, along with the coveted zipper, and this is my first result.

I'm quite happy with it, actually. I think the size is right, I might not interface the lining next time to reduce some of the structure a bit. I like the way the top folds over to form a "faux-flap", I always love incorporating lampwork beads into my bags, mostly because my super talented mom makes them. Now we have to wait and see if anyone else likes it...stop on over to my etsy shop for more views of the new cute bag!

My IKEA Road Trip

2010-03-18T18:54:00.000-05:00

I went on a short trip last weekend with a friend to Chicago and spent the day doing what every woman wants to do in Chicago - SHOP! I am in the Chicago area several times each year to visit my in-laws but the visits are usually not long enough to work in a trip to one of the fab local malls. So, instead I just stare longingly out the car window every time we drive past Ikea, promising myself that someday I will get to go inside.

That "someday" turned out to be last Saturday. My lovely friend Sue is always up for an adventure, particularly if it involves escaping from her husband and two kids for the day, so we were up and out the door by 6:30 (that's A.M.)! Sue and I are very compatible shopping partners, which is crucial when you're trying to blast through Ikea, Home Goods, Marshalls, The Container Store and Crate and Barrel, all in one day. We had lots of laughs, some really good margaritas at lunch and both of us found some really great deals.

Sadly, I did come home without the one thing I really wanted to find - a salmon-colored fluffy throw to, well, throw over the back of my cute new settee in the living room. I want/need to bring some of the sofa color (which is salmon, Not Pink, but still a brave color choice, I know) over to that sitting group but I cannot find what I'm looking for - anywhere. I'm afraid I'm going to have to raise my own sheep, dye my own wool and weave my own darn blanket to get what I want.

"Help, I need a pretty salmon throw to drape over me!"

This is the new lamp I picked up at Ikea. It's kind of a stretch for my decorating style but I thought it might add a little funk to the room. Steve actually likes it too, and he doesn't like anything that comes from Ikea (I didn't know this until after I married him). He likes it enough that he thinks we need another one for the opposite corner of the room! Go Figure!

I must have been in the mood for lighting because this lamp caught my eye at Home Goods and there was no way I was leaving without it. What a find! It is the perfect marriage of both color groupings in that room. The salmon from the sofa and the green and deep brown/purple from the slipper chairs. Love it!

And now I'm officially broke, which means I need to get my butt in front of the sewing machine. I'm just finishing up a new bag style today, I'll show you a preview tomorrow!

The Learning Curve is Steep

2010-03-10T09:54:00.000-06:00

I love to learn how to do new things but I'm especially challenged when it comes to using a computer. Which is why I get extremely excited when I teach myself how to do something new and fancy using my shiny, super-sexy macbook.

This odyssey all started when my mother decided to take me up on my offer to set up a shop for her on Etsy. In order to have a nice looking shop, you need a pretty shop banner. I paid someone to make the banner for my store and I love it, but I want to know how to make a good one all by myself.

I have never worked with Photoshop because I just couldn't justify the expense for the little use I have for it, but I have always wanted it really bad. So, after some sleuthing around on-line, I discovered that there is a mac version of Gimp. Hooray! If you're not familiar with Gimp (I wasn't until yesterday), it's a sort of Photoshop wannabe with the best feature of all - it's 100% FREE!

So, there I was, pushing the download button and off to the races I went, ready to make my fancy banners and anything else I could think of. Except I barely made it to the first turn. I'm not sure who's less intuitive, me or Gimp, but it was a struggle. The on-line manual is not my friend, so I turned to youtube to see what I could find. After watching about 15 different tutorials, I finally figured out where I had been going wrong (something to do with "open as a layer" instead of just "open") and voila! Within 20 minutes (plus the 5 painful hours I'd already spent, but we won't count that) I had my first test banner.

It is ridiculous how proud I am of this thing. I know it's simple, but I did it all by myself!! I can't wait to get started on something for Pickadilly Beads!

Back off dude, I'm a mommy

2010-03-08T20:02:00.000-06:00

Ok, I have a thing against blogging about negative issues, there's enough junk out in the real world and I don't need to add to it with my little blog.

But something happened to me tonight that has crawled under my skin and won't leave.

My seven-year-old had swimming lessons tonight at a small local pool. After his lesson, he went into the small men's locker room to change out of his suit and I waited outside the doorway. As usual, he didn't dry himself off well and was having trouble getting his trunks off (the exact opposite problem from yesterday, see previous post). He called out from the locker room saying he needed some help so I replied "ok, I'm coming", and walked in to help him out.

Now understand, there are NO adults in the pool during these lessons except for the instructors, all of whom were in the pool at the time, so I felt it was completely safe to walk in and give my son a hand. When I walked in, there was another parent, a dad, in there helping his son who was maybe 4 years old, and another young child who was in the bathroom stall changing clothes. I walked over to my son, pulled off his trunks, told him to finish drying off and get dressed and then I left the locker room and stood by the door. After a couple minutes, the dad and son walked out of the locker room and the dad comes up to me and says, "We are very uncomfortable with you walking into the locker room like that".

Ok. Who says that? What did he think I was going to do when my son calls for me from the locker room? Yes, his son might have been in some stage of nakedness when I walked in, frankly, I didn't notice - I was focused on my kid. Besides, his boy is FOUR!!

Not wanting to make a scene in front of my child, I just looked at him and said, "OK", but I must have had "that look" on my face because another mother (the mother of the boy in the stall) who was sitting there caught my eye and mouthed to me, "what's going on?". I don't even know this woman but she could tell something weird was happening, so I told her about what he said to me. She couldn't believe it either...Ugh! On the way home I thought of a hundred things I would have liked to say to that jerk, like:

Maybe I'm uncomfortable with a weirdo like you in the locker room alone with my son!

or

How 'bout you take it up with the parents of the boy over there - he has two mommies - how would you prefer they handle the locker room issue?

or

I believe you need to rethink your choice of swim club, freak. Your kind isn't welcome here.

I can't wait until next week when I waltz right into the men's locker room, whether my son needs me in there or not!

Waterlogged

2010-03-08T08:57:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, the kids and I spent a really fun day in a huge indoor water park a short 45 minute drive from home. Aaron brought a friend to run around with and the only time I saw them all day was when they came looking for food! Evan and I buddied up together and splashed and played. We spent lots of time in the lazy river where his main agenda was to try and get my tube to float under each waterfall, thoroughly drenching me and giggling his head off. Thankfully it was not a crowded day and we rarely had to wait in lines over 5 minutes to get on most rides. The longest line we found was worth every minute as Evan took his first try at indoor surfing. I was nervous for him, he was stoked. I was sure he wouldn't even weigh enough to keep the boogie board under him but it didn't take long before he was belly boarding with style and had everyone in the crowd clapping for him. And then his swim trunks started to slip down! He was trying to hold on to the board with one hand, pull his trunks up with the other! It was so darn funny! His tiny little cheeks kept peeking out and by the time he fell off the board, I think everyone got a shot at his cute butt! He was embarrassed and elated all at once! Such a great day!

more on the bird theme...

2010-03-05T14:43:00.000-06:00

This is the bird fabric I'm crazy about. The photos aren't the best (still trying to figure out how to be a photographer AND a bag maker) but it's going to be one lovely purse. I'm a bit worried about it being on a white background. Lots and Lots of Scotchguard, I guess. I can't wait to get started, but I have a bag for neighbor Becky to finish first. Hers will be a spectacular red, black and cream bag. Love it!

Hot off the Machine

2010-03-05T12:20:00.000-06:00

Just a quick note to show you what I've been working on this week. My sister, Meredith, called to say several of her friends fell in love with the wallet I made her for christmas, so they placed orders for their own. So Nice! They chose nice bright spring colors and I think they all turned out great! It was also a great chance for me to work some more on my photography...I still suck at it but each time I get behind the camera I learn a little more. Right now my new light box is providing me with new challenges but I am going to learn how to use it even if it kills me.

Another Pretty Thing

2010-02-25T09:31:00.000-06:00

My Mom is a lampwork bead artist and she's really, really talented. She spends many hours in her studio creating things with glass that my mind can't even wrap around. She sells her beads in a couple shops and I've been trying to get her to open an Etsy shop...maybe someday. In the meantime, I'll dazzle you with one of her latest pieces, which happens to also be my birthday gift from her. Isn't it pretty?! It's kinda like that "ship in a bottle" thing - how'd she get that bead on that old key?

I'm Having a Bird Moment

2010-02-24T11:19:00.000-06:00

I'm really in to Birds right now, which is a good thing because they're everywhere! I've never seen so many choices of fabrics with birds on them (see soon-to-be post about some really irresistible spring fabric I have) and there are birds on everything from shower curtains to clothing to furniture.

Boy, would I love a piece of furniture with a bird on it for my living room...Oh, look! I found the perfect thing at my favorite haunt - Marshalls! Isn't it adorable?? It's so perfect I can't stand it. And, it was such a bargain, I won't even tell you how little I spent on it - you'd be too jealous.

Hmmmmm, now if I only had some really cute pillows to go in that room (ahem, Sara???)

A Mary Bag for Mary

2010-02-17T10:34:00.000-06:00

Monday was my dear friend Mary's Birthday.

Mary and I met almost 19 years ago at my future husband's Grad School graduation. She was an alumni from the same school and was there for a mutual friend who was also graduating. We shared a few hours in a crowded college bar and I remember that I liked her immediately but never considered that I would ever see her again after that day.

Three months later, Steve and I had comfortably relocated to Madison and were busy getting the hang of our exciting new city. In a crazy moment of some type of divine intervention, Mary and I bumped into each other at the local mall and the rest, as they say, is history.

And what a history it's been. We are lucky to have the kind of friendship you read about in a really good book - two women who have shared hours of side-splitting laughter and buckets full of tears, only getting better with age and the wisdom we pass from one to the other.

Mary has become much more a sister to me than a friend. I am so thankful and so happy to be on this journey with her, where our story will most definitely have a happy ending.

Happy Birthday, my friend!

Girly Cupcakes, For Me?

2010-02-09T15:45:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is my birthday and Steve will, sadly, be out of town. Concerned that I won't have a proper celebration in his absence, he trekked through the snow to find beautiful girly cupcakes. I'm so happy! The boys are hoping I'll share but I don't know...

This is SO Cool!

2010-01-29T09:06:00.001-06:00

I have found something that could potentially change the way I create with fabric. I was so excited yesterday when I stumbled upon this that I immediately called everyone I know who would also think this is SO cool. Okay, that list is short and includes only my sister and my mother-in-law, but still, they agreed that it is super cool - maybe not in the life-changing way I was suggesting while I was jumping up and down in my kitchen, but still cool.

My discovery is morecloth.com and it was created by Catherine who is, among other things, a fabric designer. She's a true artist with respect to the scientific way she evaluates and critiques color combinations and textures. Her obsession with fabrics led her to develop this uber-clever site that actually helps you search for fabric colors and patterns that complement each other. Not only that, but if you see fabric swatches that you can't live without, you just click on the swatch and you're taken directly to an Etsy shop where you can purchase that piece of fabric!

This site will save me countless hours of time searching for the perfect fabrics to use in my bags. If you are a crafter forever in search of the perfect swatch, this is your lucky day!

New Bags for My Shop

2010-01-13T08:46:00.000-06:00

I'm breathing some new life into Sunshine Handbags on Etsy!

I've re-styled the Sara Handbag a little bit, making it ever so slightly bigger and I added some cute details to the handles. I really love it and am so excited to make some more. I'd like to add one more bag to my line this season, something with a drawstring, but I haven't perfected the design yet. I also have a new Katie bag which features an outside cellphone pocket...I hope to get one added to the shop soon. The Dilly tote might also get a fashion makeover soon. I LOVE the flap on that bag but it hasn't been a big seller so I will find a way to keep the flap and change the rest.

I've decided to phase out the Venetia and Andi bags from the lineup. These styles are really just larger versions of the Sara and I think the structure of the bag has been sacrificed by going larger, so my goal is to come up with an entirely different shape/style oversized bag, possibly by this summer. Hmmmm, maybe it will be a beach bag....

Please keep your eye on my shop for new additions. I hope to keep on pace with at least 3 new bags each week, maybe more depending on how smoothly the rest of my life is running at any given moment!

Resolution #1

2010-01-02T10:09:00.000-06:00

Today is another in a string of lazy days. I feel I deserve nothing less after the crazy holidays. I am slowly moving toward something like motivation, I might join the 5000 other people who Steve promises will be at the club today. Evan yelled up from the basement that the next Rock Band song goes out to mom...it was Queen's "fat-bottomed girls". Yes, I will definitely go to the club today. Maybe twice.

I've been paging through some of my favorite creative blogs today, catching up on old news and I'm feeling very humbled. There is so much beautiful creative energy buzzing around out there. I'm just in awe of the freshness of other's ideas. My own work feels very stale and (no surprise, really) very linear. That's me, "linear girl". Thinking "outside of the box" just isn't my strong point, I can't even think outside of the corner of the inside of the box.

Therefore, my first official resolution of the year (I say "official" because I was talking smack last night about how I was going to get my bod bikini-ready for the beach, but I didn't actually write that one down, so it's not OFFICIAL) is to get wild and crazy with my bag designs. I'm going to mix it up, add some, and I hate this word because it's so overused, whimsy! I'm never afraid of color, but I need to do more with style, texture, dimension and flair. I have yet to really develop a signature feature and I have 363 days to find it.

Yes! I'm going to fill my Etsy shop to the brim and I'm kicking this silly hobby of mine into overdrive.

If I can still operate my arms when I get back from the club, I'll get to work.

Starting Out the New Year Yummy!!

2010-01-01T12:24:00.000-06:00

Slept in a bit this morning and woke up to this....

Oh, how I love my family! Delicious Ebelskivers (it's a danish pancake), crisp bacon, cool juicy fruit, a vanilla latte and mimosa.

I hope you all have a wonderful 2010!

Evan Said All He Wanted Was A White Christmas...

2009-12-09T08:07:00.001-06:00

Be careful what you ask for! No spoons under the pillow or backwards jammies required last night, as they cancelled school before they even went to bed. I've never seen that happen in my life time and I've always lived in snow country.

Steve got to put his new baby to work this morning bright and early. Ok, I agree, it WAS a good idea to buy the big snow blower. There's no way in hell I'm shoveling us out of this! The heavy, wet snow is dragging all my bushes to the ground and threatening many large branches of our trees. We'll be keeping our fingers crossed later today when the 50 mph winds arrive...at least we still have power (knock on wood). Maybe we can get out and make a cool snowman before the temps plummet.

Today we'll be hunkered down in the house, I'll be sewing sewing sewing and making a few batches of Chex Mix. YUM! Perfect snacking for a day like today. The kids will be climbing the walls because our satellite is out - no TV for them. Maybe a marathon monopoly game later today?

Stay warm and safe and enjoy the view!

It's Comin' on Christmas

2009-12-06T20:17:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling very merry this year.

I must explain that historically I dread this coming holiday. I stress about giving my family the "perfect" Christmas, starting with finding just-right gifts for everyone on my list and making sure my kids have exactly the same number of presents under the tree. I spend an unhealthy amount of time wishing I could wrap my gifts in color coordinating paper with clever cut-out tags a la Martha Stewart, but by the time I finally start wrapping I'm pretty much too tired to care if I have to resort to using birthday wrapping and a name scrawled in blue sharpie. I can easily wear myself out planning perfect holiday meals, even when in recent years I have had only my small family to cook for on our quiet christmas eve and morning. And don't even get me started with the stress of getting the house decorated inside and out, including making sure the members of my lighted deer herd all have working bulbs and both trees have the proper ornaments.

But this year is somehow different. I am scaling back the number of gifts I'm giving to relatives and have begged them to do the same for me. The house is decorated inside and out and while I still have to haul the empty boxes to the basement, it looks very holiday-ish around here and I have yet to break a sweat. My packages will be on their way to Colorado well before the last minute and (you might have to sit down for this one) I am working on my christmas cards, something I haven't done in at least ten years. My Illinois family is breaking tradition by having a gathering the weekend before Christmas, at MY house, and I'm feeling very calm, capable and ready, even though I have no idea yet what I'll be cooking.

I can find no other explanation for this jolly state of mind except to say that I'm simply happy. I am looking forward to the snow, joyful times spent with my friends and family and I know in my heart I could not ask for more than what I have with me right now.

I wish the same for you, my friends!

Happy Thanksgiving! What's for Dinner?

2009-11-25T14:02:00.000-06:00

Shrimp Cocktail

Assorted Cheese and Crackers

Roast Turkey with Fresh Herbs

Mashed Mixed Potatoes

Sweet & Sour Green Beans

Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Red Cabbage

Cranberry Apple Chutney

Assorted Breads

Pumpkin Creme Brulee

Apple Pie

I was in the kitchen this morning by 8:00 a.m. and by noon had cooked my cranberry sauce (nice and tart, just the way Steve likes it), made my world-famous "make the day before mashed potatoes", prepared the creme brulee and baked a mile-high apple pie. Tomorrow there will be even more kitchen craziness with The Bird, stuffing and green beans, and then the always challenging act of getting everything to the table, at the same time, while it's still hot.

I do not have a double oven. I would only use it one day of the year and therefore cannot justify the expense, nor could my recent mini makeover of a kitchen find room for it. For the last several years I have regrettably roasted my turkey in the Nesco to free up the oven for all of the side dishes. The resulting bird has always been moist but I miss that lovely caramel color, the crispy skin and the yummy roasted flavor you can only get from an oven. How can I make this work?

I have no idea, no real game plan, but this year I'm moving The Bird to the oven. I bought a cute little heated buffet server at Target this year, thinking my potatoes, stuffing and veggies could go in the three trays very nicely. However, according to the directions, it only heats to 185 degrees so everything must already be warm before putting it in the server. Hmmmmmm. Of course, there is the microwave, but I'm not sure how my potatoes will behave because I've always baked them in the oven - they get all puffy and fluffy in the real oven and I'm worried they won't be as delicious out of the fake oven. I guess I really don't have a choice...

We are not having a big crowd, just mother- & father-in-law, so we'll have LOTS of leftovers with a 22 lb turkey! Turkey and biscuits, Turkey cacciatore, Turkey pot pie, Turkey sandwiches, Turkey Turkey Turkey. It doesn't matter to me, I'm in it for the side dishes anyway. YUM!

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Few New Things

2009-11-11T21:44:00.000-06:00

Here are a few new bags I've recently finished.

The Daddy Diaper Bag is SO cute - every new Daddy must have one!!!

The Ballet/Soccer bag is for a little girl down the street and I searched the world over looking for the perfect fabric. I didn't want Teddy Bears in tutu's, she's too old for that. And the pink soccer fabric - PERFECT!! The flowers on the front of the ballet side were really fun to make, once I found the instructions on how to do them.

And the red and black bag is another rendition of a set of prints that continues to be my favorite. I think I've officially made every bag in my line with this fabric. I just can't get enough of it!
Enjoy!

Today is your birthday! Happy Birthday to you!

2009-11-08T17:46:00.000-06:00

Today is my baby's birthday. I don't think it's possible for me to be the mother of a THIRTEEN year-old, but I am. Yes, thanks for noticing, I was a child bride, and even younger when I gave birth to him.

To celebrate the big event we spent our weekend in the land of fudge and waterparks, the Wisconsin Dells. For anyone not familiar with "the Dells", it's exactly like Estes Park, CO and Myrtle Beach, SC, except without the mountains and the ocean. In the summer it's beyond unbearable, with crowds of barely dressed people of every size (ok, by that I mean lots of fat cheese-eating wisconsinites) and wall-to-wall minivans in the streets, everyone clamoring for a ticket to the water ski show or the bungee plunge. However, at this time of the year the Dells magically becomes much more tolerable, one only needs the street smarts to handle the obnoxious flat-landers (people from Chicago) and their badly mannered children to survive, and so it is this time of the year we make our annual trek.

We splashed and sprayed and flew down tubes and tunnels, all in the name of good clean fun, with the exception of the dreaded swine flu virus that was threatening to latch on to us at every turn. Seriously, could there be a better place to live if you were a virus looking for a home? I guess we'll know in a few days if our incessant use of the Purel dispensers did us any good.

Now we're home, dry and darn exhausted. An afternoon spent raking more and more leaves - we'd be up to 81 bags if someone hadn't come in the cover of darkness last night to steal all of the bags in our cul-de-sac. Who does that? I'm happy to give them to you...I mean, the city would have picked them up for free tomorrow, so it's no big deal, except that you could have offered to help us rake!!

The steaks are on , the ice cream cake is chillin' and it's time for me to go sing a little Happy Birthday to my boy...

I'm having a big Mac attack!

2009-10-14T08:45:00.000-05:00

I'm spoiled rotten.

Steve decided that my old, kinda clunky laptop wasn't in good enough condition to support my new business and my creative needs and energies, so he went to the Apple store yesterday and came home with my new MacBook! It's beautiful and shiny and has that new car smell and I am very, very happy. I have never worked on a mac before so this is new territory for me, but I'm learning slowly and so far I'm loving it.

Sunshine Handbags world is great, although if you take a look at my Etsy shop, you might wonder if I'm going out of business. In fact, just the opposite seems to be happening...I'm finally really, really busy! I've had a bunch of custom bag orders in the last few weeks, and I've been working day and night to stock up the Artsy Fartsy shop in town. My etsy shop looks so bare and neglected but I'm almost to the point where I can start adding new bags and wallets there, too. I have loads of wonderful fabrics to work with including a very cute trio of Pink Ribbon fabrics for Breast Cancer Awareness wallets, so keep checking my shop for new additions.

Photos will follow soon. I've got to dust off the camera and try to remember how to use it. I find taking good photos in the fall/winter light very challenging, but I'm going to try and not get too easily discouraged this season. Maybe it's time for a quick photo class at my local camera shop.

Oh, one last thought...I just reconnected with a mom whose son went to preschool with Evan. They've moved into our elementary school district and I'm happy to see her at scout meetings so we can talk. I was so excited to learn that she is an avid writer and is the About.com skin care specialist. Go visit Jen here and learn all about how to keep that young glow we're all so desperately searching for.

So Many Good Things

2009-09-24T08:39:00.000-05:00

I've been busy. My lack of blogging is a direct result of so many good things going on, which, it occurs to me, is contrary to how most people blog. I would guess that the freqency of entries increases for most people in direct relation to how much is going on in their lives. Leave it to me to be contrary.

Sunshine Handbags is taking off like crazy. It has taken almost exactly a year, which is typical for most home-based businesses. My shop on Etsy still pokes along, but my direct sales to friends and family keeps growing very steadily. I officially have "groupies" with Jan (aka "Nona") leading the pack. She makes regular visits to my shop (formally my dining room) and is always bringing a new friend with her. Yesterday three lovely ladies ordered five bags among them! Yippeee!!

And if my machine wasn't already smokin', it will be very soon as I anxiously await the re-opening of a local artists gift shop where my bags will be sold. Dina (new friend) and Teresa (long-time friend) have asked me to provide at least a dozen bags and wallets for their store opening which will happen by the first of October. The shop is in what used to be Prairie Flowers and Gifts, and the Gifts part of the shop is being re-vamped into a haven for local artists to sell their creations. I can't wait! I'll post pictures as soon as we're in.

On a more personal note, I am still coming down from my whirlwind trip to Denver for my oldest little sis' surprise 40th birthday party. What a blast. She could not have been more surprised. In her words, she felt exactly like the big black ladies on Extreme Home Makeover when they "move that bus" and they see their new home for the first time. You know, the falling on the pavement, eyes pouring tears, screaming and speechless at the same time...it was kinda like that. My dad and I made the trip out there and we all had a fantastic time. I got to see my mom and her beautiful new house, got to spend time with baby Thomas while he spent time trying to avoid me and/or hit me with his golf club. And I got to know Grandma Alice, my brother-in-law's grandma who is truly a gem. I know why my sister has such a special place in her heart for Grandma Alice, and now I do, too.

And one more thing...my son Aaron, who will be THIRTEEN (ugh!) in November, is a really good poet. He loves to write poetry, especially Haiku, which I think must be unusual for a pre-teen boy. But he is good. Really, really good. The following is a poem he wrote for English Class last week, his inspiration being a library book about WWII:

Remembering the Storm by Aaron Dodson

I sit here after dusk,
The sky as black as onyx.
Back facing the sheer cliffs,
I watch the dark waves rolling in
Grey stallions charging into the rocks.
I feel those barnacle covered stones.
They're rough, weathered by the events that have happened here
Where they lie marks the clash
Of good and evil, and where
Lead met flesh, and blood met sand.
A storm is brewing
As I leave, I dwell on the storm
That took so many lives long ago.
Remains of barriers stand idly
Like rusty crucifixes
For the forgotten souls

Do I look like a writer to you?

2009-08-18T15:29:00.000-05:00

The boys and I are back home after an adventurous trip to San Francisco to visit the city where Dad has spent most of the year working. Most of the time we had a lot of fun, the rest of the time we were dealing with a very wiggly and hungry seven year-old and a moody twelve year-old who likes to exert his big brother power over his sibling.

We did all the typical tourist-y things, but this was the kids' first visit so we HAD to. The weather was gorgeous, although I am not a big fan of the dramatic temp change in the early evenings - I couldn't get the hang of the layering necessary to survive outside all day. The kids were great walkers, hardly any complaints and when they did complain, I had to admit my feet were tired too, so who could blame them? In the tradition of scouts, here's a list of my "Roses and Thorns" for the trip:

ROSES

The garden tour of Alcatraz, We got to go into roped off areas where other visitors weren't allowed - very interesting history of the landscaping and the prisoners who tended the gardens

Evan's fascination with the lazy sea lions on Pier 39. I think we went back three times so he could visit them.

Muir Woods was Awesome! We all loved it, had a fantastic time learning about the redwoods. Steve's "junior ranger" badge should be in the mail soon. I just wish I could bring the smells from there home with me. Nothing in Wisconsin smells like that. My favorite memory here will be the Haiku Aaron wrote as part of the requirements for the Junior Ranger Badge. Aaron has always been good at writing poetry and was happy to take on the task. He sat down on a stump and wrote this in about 10 minutes...

A Haiku

Tall ancient creatures
Witnesses to birth and death
Kings of the forest

Lunch at Pier 23 where a waitress asked me if I was a writer. Apparently some customers there thought I was somebody famous (what?) I told her she could lie and tell them I was! (What I should have said was, "no, but I am a famous handbag designer" Why can't I be clever at the right moments?)

Parrot Perch - the parrots were cool but not as cool as the homes in the area. The most gorgeous views and unbelievable gardens/landscaping. It took my breath away. That is where I would live. Absolutely worth the climb.

The shark hat the boys won on the Embarcadero. It went with us almost everywhere.

Pat's Cafe - breakfast here, definitely. Off the wharf by a few blocks so it's not crazy-crowded and the food is superb. I thoroughly enjoyed the California Omelet. YUM!

Spending time with Steve, although most of the time we were too busy keeping track of the kids to enjoy each other's company...I vote for the next trip to be "Adults Only".

THORNS

Um, definitely the trip home. The part where our plane had to make an emergency landing because there had possibly been a fire in the cargo hold, which was possibly put out by the extinguishing canister that is conveniently located in that area. The one that had exploded and set off warning lights in the cockpit. That was definitely NOT the highlight of my trip, especially considering that I have a pretty big (irrational, I know) fear of flying. I somehow managed to appear "kinda calm" to my kids but the 10 minutes it took us to get on the ground...I'm just saying I could have used a fresh pair of panties, if ya know what I mean. So, after another 2 hour wait and a new, unbroken plane, we were off again, and I'm not even kidding you - the cocktails were on the pilot!! Hooray!

I didn't take the fancy camera with us, too much trouble, but the little one didn't do a terrible job - see for yourself. Maybe you will be inspired to visit...

I'm Getting Off My Butt, I Swear!

2009-07-25T18:23:00.000-05:00

The reason I haven't blogged about my handbag business in a long time has a lot to do with the sad truth that I haven't sewed in a long time. I slowed down a bit after the holidays to try to avoid the "burn out" I could feel creeping in. And before I knew it Spring was finally here and most of my free time was spent weeding and planting in my yard. Then came the last day of school which meant I suddenly had two wonderful boys home with me all day and, well, that sort of put an end to my daily sewing marathons.

I'm determined to get back in the saddle, as they say, thanks to a very loyal customer who keeps recruiting Sunshine Handbag Groupies (Thanks, Jan!), a few recent inquiries in my Etsy shop (at a time when I haven't been doing a bit of PR, so I have no idea how they found me in the melee of handbags on Etsy) and a very nice Etsy shop owner, KoolJewelry, who selected me to be featured in her weekly Etsy Blog (read all about it at www.kooljewelry.blogspot.com). All of this is very exciting to me and has been exactly the kick in the pants I needed to get me back in front of the machine.

I have a few "summer" bags to get finished before the weather turns but I'm really looking forward to making some bags for the new season because I just got my hands on some of the most beautiful fabrics - I can't wait to see them as finished bags and wallets! Keep checking my shop for the new arrivals! In the meantime, here are a few sneak previews of what I'll be working on...

Back to the Scene of the Attack

2009-07-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

Aaron has been away all week at scout camp and Evan has been very lonely and out of sorts without his big brother. I've been filling up his days with fun events like mini golf and trips to the pool to keep him happy. Today we decided to take a trip to the botanical gardens to see the butterfly exhibit. We had tons of fun, saw many beautiful plants and butterflies and contrary to the sign posted outside, we did not get attacked by birds this time. Evan was a bit disappointed.

The One About Me Starring in a Vintage Horror Film

2009-06-04T15:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I've been away for awhile. A long while. I might have been in a blogging funk, not sure. I've been busy, maybe even doing some things that were interesting enough to blog about, but I just couldn't. And now I am.

Today I got busy celebrating the last full week of school. I'm trying to pack in all those things I said I'd do without having kids in tow. It was a gorgeous day here, sunny and almost 70, so I decided to take off to the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. I love this place. It's best to go alone, really. Or maybe with a quiet friend who also loves gardens. Today it was just me. And the birds.

I should have interpreted the sign to mean so much more than I did. The hand-lettered sign politely told wandering guests that "it's nesting season for our bird friends and some get a bit nervous when we get too close to their babies. They might swoop around your head to scare you away, so don't be alarmed".

Okay, what the sign should have said was, "run back to your car and grab your hardhat if you've got one 'cause the birds are nuts and they're going to try and rip your scalp off".

I am not kidding. It was like I had morphed into Tippi Hedron the minute I stepped into the garden. Red-winged black birds were dive bombing me (and others) whenever I walked near a tree where they had a nest. These freaking birds were literally crashing into my head, squawking and then flying off frantically in the opposite direction from where they came. And often it wasn't just one bird at a time, they would tag-team their helpless victims. I had to walk through most of the gardens with my purse over my head as protection so the birds wouldn't get their sharp little feet stuck in my crazy hair. It was truly unbelievable.The high point of my visit was the part where I was screaming, running with my purse over my head and trying to hit back with my other arm. I now think I have aviariaphobia or something like that.

But, being the true combat photojournalist that I am, I was somehow able to keep my purse over my head and snap some photos to document my time in the battlefield. The flowers were lovely and so were the smells.

My New Lamp

2009-04-25T11:40:00.001-05:00

Here's a picture of the beautiful lamp my sister gave me. I absolutely LOVE it!

The Women Behind the Bags - The Sara Handbag

2009-04-04T09:54:00.000-05:00

This will be the first of my "Women Behind the Bags" series.

Sometimes I amaze myself with the clarity of my wit. Just when I think I will never again have anything of substance to blog about, the neurons in my brain decide to play nice and line up to fire with calculated aim and the proverbial lightbulb glows so bright it shatters into a billion shards of glass. Kind of a mess to clean up, but at least I get a great idea out of it.

Each Sunshine Handbag design has been given the name of a woman close to my heart. Some are true sisters by blood, others are sisters given to me by fate. They are all amazing, wonderful, classy, smart and beautiful and I'm going to introduce you to each one. (See why this was such a great idea - it's not going to be just ONE blog, but many blogs, hence the "series". I'm set for at least a week or two!

The first bag I designed was the Sara Handbag. Sara is a sister by blood - we share the same parents, unlike two sisters I will detail later with whom I share only one parent but love them all the same. Sara is younger by four years and lives in Golden, Colorado with her patient husband and three adorable boys.

She's incredibly talented artistically and isn't afraid to experiment with decorating ideas no matter how much work is involved. She's hung corrugated tin on the ceiling of her living room (it's awesome), painted a rug on the hardwood under her dining table (beautiful), and built a vanity for her half bath complete with an aluminum washtub for a sink (still haven't seen pictures of that one, ahem!).

She's a lover of all animals, has been caretaker of several odd pets over the years including a desert tortoise, several retired lab rats, a handful of noisy birds, some type of lizard thing that I definitely did not like and many dogs, the most current of which looks exactly like a wookie and I love him.

Sara is uncommonly generous and will always be the friend everyone feels lucky to have. Her neighbors can always count on her to deliver homemade cinnamon rolls and yummy breakfast burritos on New Years morning. And she doesn't think twice about dragging three kids to Target to pick up the magical floor lamp at Target that her favorite sister was coveting but unable to find (when are you shipping that to me, by the way?)

For all of those reasons and too many more to list, the Sara Handbag is more than just a purse. It is an artistically creative and generous way to keep close to you all the treasures in your life.

A Resolution Update

2009-03-21T17:05:00.000-05:00

Remember when, at the beginning of the year, I promised to start living healthfully?

Well, I've been pretty proud of myself up to this point. I've been swimming a few times a week, about a half mile in the lap pool each time. Sometimes Aaron comes with me, sometimes I'm by myself. I was going often enough that I decided I needed a new suit. The one I've been wearing was losing it's oomph and was no longer giving me support in the areas that were desperately in need of it, if ya know what I mean. Also, guessing by the look on Steve's face the last time I got out of the pool, I think it's getting a bit see through in places!

Let me tell you, finding a suit that is "suitable" to SWIM in, not just for lounging by the side of the pool in, is not easy. I do not have the figure of a 17 year old lifeguard or Dara Torres and cannot be seen in public in the type of suit they wear. I don't want a tankini or anything with a little skirty thing, that just is not practical for swimming laps. After days of searching and endless trips to the return counters (Steve cannot understand why I insist on trying suit on in the privacy of my bedroom vs. the store dressing room. I mean, c'mon! The fluorescent lights in there are pure torture to 44 year old skin! Especially when said skin hasn't seen the sun in 9 months!) I found a suit that is not perfect but is perfectly acceptable. I don't think it was made with lap swimming in mind but it covers what I need covered and is skirt-less, so I think I'm good to go.

I also have another fitness adventure of sorts to support my new years resolution. I never thought I'd have a chance to say this publicly, but I have started running. I have never understood running. My husband runs, and really enjoys it. Lots of people run and most of them look like they enjoy it, but not me. I've tried several times in my life to run but I never took to it, mostly because I couldn't make it to the end of the driveway without losing my breath and getting shin splints. This time, I'm not sure what came over me. I was taking Sully for a long walk on a gorgeous, slightly chilly morning, when halfway through our walk I said, "Sully, what do you think about us trying to run a bit?" Considering that running away is his hobby, he was all for it and off we went. The weird part is, I not only made it to the next stop sign, but I actually made it all the way home without stopping. I was stunned. Then I started wondering how far that must have been, so I got in the car and clocked it...it was exactly 1.5 miles on the nose!

Well, I was super proud of myself so I started going to the club to run on the track a few times a week while Steve was running on the treadmill (which I won't even attempt - too scary) and within a week I was running 2 miles without much hacking and wheezing at all. I really was SO surprised at how easy it was this time. I actually loved running. I started to think about entering into some short runs this summer and Steve was very supportive and excited for me. It was great fun, and then one day I went out for a run with the dog and something was hurting. Badly. And now I haven't been out for over a week. There is something wrong with my knee and when I'm not icing it and taking handfuls of ibuprofen I can barely make it to the other side of the room. I'm so depressed. I don't know what I did to it, I don't remember hurting it, it just suddenly was there. My doctor friend thinks it might be something with my patellar tendon. That sounds bad, doesn't it? UGH.

So, I guess I'm even more glad I found that suit because I guess I'm back to the pool until this thing heals or I decide I'm just not cut out to be a runner. Which would be a bummer because I just bought new shoes and some cute new running clothes...

Could it be True?

2009-03-18T08:47:00.000-05:00

Spring is finally coming...I have actual proof...see! These baby daffodils are trying their very best to break through the cold winter soil. My kids are in on the celebration of all things spring, too. Yesterday it was almost record-setting warm here in Wisconsin, the kids were out riding bikes and running around in short sleeves with no jackets. It's a big deal when it's that warm on Easter, so imagine how giddy everyone was on St. Patricks day! The first robin of the season was spotted while the boys were out geocacheing with Steve and we've seen quite a few since then. I can just feel my body relaxing into the promise of spring. I am so happy.

Another spring ritual around here, cutting down dead trees, took place in my backyard this week. We had to say goodbye to one of our old oaks, although he was already on life support when we moved in and I mostly just mowed around him and grumbled about it. Now he's gone and we have more room for the patio Steve has been threatening to build. It was pretty cool to watch the lumberjacks (and one lumberjill) take it down. Somehow they managed to squeeze a bucket truck into our backyard and then it was a symphony of chain saws as piece after piece, limb after limb tumbled to the ground. Those guys worked their butts off, and in about 2 hours the tree is gone. Amazing!

I'm working like crazy to get some things ready for my etsy shop. The wallets are turning out really cute. I can't wait for you to see them. I'm also getting ready for an exciting little "show" I'll be doing with a few other local etsy sellers in late April. I'll post more about the event when I get the postcards. It will be so much fun! I am really looking forward to meeting other etsy artists in person.

I hope you got a chance to get out yesterday for a green beer. I sure did - Thanks, Mary!!!

The Sun is Out and I'm Making a List

2009-03-06T08:22:00.000-06:00

Today I'm focusing on the positive so here's a list of the things that are making me happy today:

1. it's going to be sunny and mid 50's here today. Goodbye snow piles!

2. I'm going to take my silly dog for a very long walk in the sun.

3. I will finally be taking the christmas lights off the house today. I suppose the wreath can come down too! And the light-up deer in the yard...

4. the new TARGET store opens on Sunday!!! This is a super big deal to me. I'm considering sleeping in the parking lot in my minivan so I can be the first customer in the door! (okay, maybe I'm not THAT excited) I would vow to never step foot in our Walmart again, if only Target carried thread and zippers.

5. I'm going to bake a delicious apple pie for Steve today. He'll be so happy!

6. there was no yelling in my house this morning...the kids were so great getting ready for school, it brings a tear to my eye!

7. I'm making the cutest-ever bag for my stepmother. I can't wait to get it done.

8. I just got some new fabric from a lovely etsy supplier and I am so in love with it I might actually make a bag for myself this time!

I know every item on my list is admittedly fairly shallow, but it's working for me right now. Which gets me to thinking...

We all can find reasons to be stressed, depressed and "drag your ass tired", perhaps now more than ever before. And I'm not suggesting that we all need to jump on the page-a-day syrupy hallmark sentiment bandwagon for inspiration to get us through this mess. I hate that stuff. But maybe if we stop trying to "dig deep" to find our joy, just for now, we can kind of skim off the top and make it through this without inflicting serious damage on ourselves and others. Like everything else, it's a temporary solution, but I'm going to give it a try.

Take two aspirin and call me in the morning

2009-02-24T11:08:00.001-06:00

I'm taking it easy today, trying not to upset the "eye of the migraine" that I'm in right now. If I don't move too quickly, it's not too bad.

I think I'd better get my act together and find a new doctor and talk to her about the new meds available. Most of the time I can deal with the headache part, it's the temporary blindness that comes first that is such a nuisance, especially when it rears it's ugly head just as I am supposed to get in the car and drive my boys to school. I wonder if the new meds are for the blindess part or only the headache part? When I think about it out loud, I guess it doesn't make sense that it would eliminate the blindness part because you don't know you need to take migraine medicine until you go blind in the first place...I guess I'll stick to my routine of two excedrine migraine, a super strong cup of coffee and a bag of frozen peas on the back of my neck.

I guess the upside to all of this is that I've found time to be here writing. Truthfully, I could eek out time almost every day to be here but often I just don't have anything that worthy to talk about. I'm envious of people who not only find time to blog every day but also have something of substance to write about. Let's face it, there are PLENTY of people out there who blog every day and talk about things like how their dog peed on the carpet again today or how they can no longer find their favorite brand of something at the grocery. Possibly of interest to some people who know them personally, but not so much interesting to me. I've been spending a lot of time lately searching for blogs to follow, people who's writing or art or lives I find fascinating, and I've had to wade through a lot of meatloaf recipes and pictures of babies and dogs to find merely a handful that appeal to me.

I also love to see all the different ways people choose to design their blog page. I've been changing mine like crazy lately, mostly because I'm just learning about all the things you can add and use to fancy it up. I wish I knew how to design something really great. Some blogs have so much going on all over that I find it distracting, especially when they flash at me. I'm always afraid if I look at it too long it will somehow trigger another migraine! And I can't read any blog that has a black background because my laptop is kinda broken and has all these annoying liney things all over the screen when it's black. We've tried to fix it but can't.

So, I have to apologize for having a "blog of no substance at all" today, but I was feeling so guilty about not posting since Feb 11, I had to write something! I promise my next blog will have you riveted to your chair and leave you captivated by my witty narrative. Ok, maybe that's a bit too much to promise, but I promise to not write about dog pee or meatloaf!

It's Good to be Loved

2009-02-11T19:04:00.000-06:00

I have had such a great birthday! I have the best family and such lovely friends. Thank you to all for the wonderful gifts, the lunches out (I'm still laughing my butt off, btw!). And thank you to "John" in Alexandria, VA who bought a bag from my shop. He probably didn't even realize that he too was giving me a birthday gift!

Here's a picture of the cake Steve & Evan baked for me. Evan says he did most of the work, including spraying the pans, which must have been the hardest part based on the serious tone he took during that part of the story. It's so YUMMY!!!

A Birthday Bag

2009-02-10T09:32:00.000-06:00

Happy Birthday to me!

To celebrate, I've put a new bag in my Etsy shop. She's very cute and very spring-like. So perfect for today where it's going to be a whopping 58 degrees outside!! I can't think of a more appropriate gift for a sunshine and warmth-loving girl like me!

Thank god it's not Octuplets!

2009-01-29T11:43:00.000-06:00

I have finally given birth to two new handbags! It was a slow and sometimes painful labor but a very happy delivery! I'm now very much at peace with my five handbag designs (my babies) and can start spending the majority of my time sewing instead of designing. Don't misunderstand me, I love the design stage but it can take SO LONG to come up with something I like, and I HATE tearing out stitches to restyle again and again. So, now I can move into some zen like state in front of the machine and I finally get to work with all of the gorgeous fabrics I have piled up! I can't wait! Check out my Etsy shop and watch my inventory grow and grow!

Here are the new "twins", the Dilly Tote and the KT Handbag

2009-01-15T09:05:00.000-06:00

Remember when you were little and the elusive SNOW DAY was called, giving you and all of your friends a wonderful break from the every day drudgery of school? It never occured to me back then, of course, how such a cherished event could completely upset the time-space continuum of each affected parent.

We are exactly 1 hour into another "snow day" although to call it a snow day is not accurate at all. Yes, we have snow on the ground, some 40 inches I think, but it's not the impressive snow depth that has cancelled pretty much every school in the state...it's the frigid cold. It's so cold that, well I can't think of a metaphor that even comes close to describing what it feels like. I'm afraid to let my dog outside for fear his thin little ears or his poorly insulated weenie will freeze off before he can get his business done and scramble back inside.

I've already made the official Snow Day Breakfast of waffles and bacon (very yummy and oh so warm) and am doing my best to avoid the cleanup because it's too cold to stand in front of the sink for that long. Now I have to figure out what to do with the monsters for the next 6 hours. UGH. I really needed to immerse myself in the KT bag today. I finished the prototype (well, the second generation prototype) yesterday and it's good, but it is nagging at me for some minor changes and I SO BADLY want to do that.

Right now it seems like both boys are content to be lounging in PJs and unbrushed teeth, staring into various monitors/tv screens with expressions close to those seen on a good ol' fashioned zombie movie. Now the big moral question of the day...do I quietly just let that continue until one of them starts to grow mold, or do I corral them into some sort of Snow Day Extravaganza of Fun and Merriment that doesn't involve venturing out into the frozen tundra? Or maybe, in their minds, playing games on the internet & xbox all day qualifies as the perfect snow day activity, especially when still in your PJs with unbrushed teeth. That's probably close to what I would have done when I was their age.

So, I've found the perfect win/win situation. They can be zombies and I can be the crazy handbag lady all day long! I am going to come up with a marketable KT handbag today if it kills me. I'll even take a picture for you when it's done!!!!

Don't stop me now

2009-01-08T23:34:00.000-06:00

It's possible that I'm slowly getting the hang of this, or it could just be that weird short-lived phenomena that happens to us Resolution Makers during January, but today I sewed a bit AND I worked out! Ok, I admit, today it was Housework's turn to take a back seat, but nowhere on my resolution list did I include anything about being a better cleaner upper, so I think I'm good (and also smart for knowing better than to include cleaning on my list).

Today I finished a bag for a very special friend - shhhhhhhh - I can't say anything more about it right now. She might be listening. And I took my kids to the pool this evening and Aaron & I each swam TWENTY FIVE lengths of the pool! Hooray for us! While Aaron & I were doing our best MP impersonations, Evan played and went up and down the slide so many times that he probably burned more calories than I did in my 25 laps, but who's counting. It felt good, darn good. Aaron was happy, had very pink cheeks and an expression that only comes with the feeling of accomplishment. It was a pretty great day. Made all the better because I was able to resist the remnants of the Whiteys butterfinger malt that is left in the freezer (thanks, Merd). I am STRONG!!!

I was going to make the trip to my new favorite fabric store (in the only Waunakee in the world) tomorrow but we're supposed to be getting a butt-load of snow. Hmmmm. Perhaps I'll just get what I need from etsy and make the drive on another day.

Now I'm off to bed but I'm starting a new library book tonight so I might be up Late. I hope it's a good one. I love my library, almost as much as I'm going to love the new Target.

But will I be in pain tomorrow?

2009-01-05T15:48:00.000-06:00

HA! I've done it! I've broken the cycle of un-fitness. I dragged my sorry jiggly butt to the club today, got on a machine and made my legs go up/down for 3 miles. Hooray for me! And Hooray for Mary, my partner in pain who has a much more exciting carrot dangling for her at the end of our fitness quest - a cruise to Cozumel. Lucky Lucky Lucky!!!

Even Cruise-less, I'm happy to have started something. Part II of my fitness resolution will be to get my kids involved. I have activity and pool schedules in hand and will work some sort of routine out by the weeks end. Promise.

Now I just need to find a way to make fitness and sewing play nice together and not steal time from each other. Today they didn't even make it to the same play date. Maybe tomorrow. I have four orders to fill. Somehow I will figure this out.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-04T14:43:00.000-06:00

I can't remember ever being this happy to turn the page to another year.

Many of the worries I have are not going to be resolved in the coming 365 days, I know that. But the idea of a clean slate, fictional as it is, gives me such a sense of relief and hope. I'm also feeling especially optimistic this year as we say B'bye to W and welcome a new President who will rescue us from 8 years of complete embarassment and tragic disappointment.

In keeping with this fresh good spirit, for the very first time ever I'm going to make an actual LIST of New Year's Resolutions. I've never been bold enough to put these aspirations to paper because that might mean someone would hold me to them! Or I'd have to admit complete defeat by March 20th. I'll be honest, both are very likely to occur with my official list in hand, but I'm going to give it my best effort. One day at a time...here we go

1. Devote as much time as mentally and physically possible, without jeopardizing my relationship with family members, to my handbag business.

2. Yell less. (this one's for my kids)

3. Smile more. (this one's for Steve)

4. Eat and cook more healthfully. (this is for ALL of us)

5. Love the age I am. And everything that comes (and goes) with it.

6. Live my life, not someone else's idea of a life.

It's possible that my resolutions seem simple and too "SAHM-ish" to some. My list should not be read as a document of complacency but something more close to a petition for an emotionally healthy life. Personally, I can't believe that a good life has anything to do with things like obsessing over our bmi, how many degrees we have hanging on our walls or how many stamps we have in our passport. It's great to have ambitions, just don't let your ambitions ruin your life and the lives of those around you.

Piece of cake, right? Maybe I'll add more resolutions as they come to me. In the meantime,

Happy New Year!!!!

Is Santa Claus Coming to Town?

2008-12-02T21:38:00.000-06:00

In the middle of Handbag Frenzy, I took a long moment to slow down and enjoy my kids and an old favorite, Santa Claus is Coming to Town. I'm sure they both have seen it before but neither remembered it. Aaron was suprised to see that it was created using "stop action photography", nothing in his world is made that way anymore, except for his "cousin's" cool home-made Lego movies. I was worried the boys would think the movie was lame, not enough action and excitement for the "in your face world" in which they live. Surprisingly, they both sat relatively still and watched the entire show and we had some good holiday-ish family time together.

Even though I've been a card carrying Scrooge for a number of years, I am officially excited to watch more of my favorite shows from the good ol' days with my kids. Oh, I love the Grinch, always have (the OLD one, NOT the dumb one with Jim Carrey - an american travesty!!!) and Rudolph is fun, I especially love Hermie who wants to be a Dentist. But my All Time Favorite Christmas show is The Year Without a Santa Claus. It's not as widely known as the others but it's awesome - a true "can't miss". I can sing along with every song, including the catchy "I'm Mr. Heat Miser". I'm sure it's incredibly annoying to be in the same room with me!

Now I'm wondering what happened to The Little Drummer Boy. Does anyone remember that one? I think it was a good one but it's been a hundred years since I've seen it. My husband was especially fond of the part where the Ox and Lamb keep time.

Could it by that my renewed affection for these old shows is a sign that my Scrooge-y ways are coming to an end? I have already realized that I am much happier this year because I have less shopping to do (I know what all the women on my list are getting!! I'll give you a hint, it starts with an "H"! No shopping required for all of those gifts!)

Maybe I'll even go caroleing this year! I'll start us off with an oldie but a goodie..."I'm Mr. Heat Miser, I'm Mr. Sun. I'm Mr. Green Christmas, I'm Mr. Hundred and One. Friends call me Heat Miser, whatever I touch starts to melt in my clutch. I'm too much!" Second verse, Everyone!

No Rest for the Wicked

2008-11-19T19:08:00.000-06:00

Suddenly I find myself knee-deep in the "crazy busy" season and I don't know how I got here. There are so many things to keep track of, so many decisions to make and so many obligations to fulfill.

For example, even though I haven't written much about it, I am very much trying to get Sunshine Handbags off the ground. I've been spending a lot of time during recent months trying to learn the ins and outs of Etsy, the on-line location of my shop, and I still haven't figured out the magic yet. Sales are elusive in my shop and they are for many other Etsians according to the frustrated comments I read. Some blame the economy, some say Etsy is over-saturated with shops, others suggest we're just not out there promoting ourselves enough. I'm sure all reasons can be applied to me.

On a much more positive note, two of my dear friends have placed orders for a total of FIVE handbags!! This is super exciting for me because the more bags I have out in the world, the more people will see how much fun they are to own and carry and soon everyone will want one (or several!). Three of my bags will be going international to Portugal to live with Sergio's family! So very cosmopolitan, I can hardly stand it!!

In between the times that I'm sewing my fingers to the bones, I've been busy preparing for the coming holidays. Our Thanksgiving will be quiet this year with just the four of us. The Chicago side of our family will stay home to spend time with my brother-in-law who is recovering from very successful brain surgery. Hooray for Tom! Christmas won't be nearly as quiet as we'll travel to Chicago for a day or two and then will come home to welcome my sister and her family and my father, stepmother and the rest of that gang for a rowdy New Year celebration. Things should get back to normal here by mid January, if we're lucky.

As always, I have Evan here to bring levity to the chaos. Last night at dinner we were discussing his new career path as a "camera operator" (I wasn't aware that he even knew that was an actual occupation, but he's mentioned it several times at school and at home-go figure). He stated that when he grows up and becomes a camera operator he's going to change his name to Eric The Camera Operator. To which I replied, "why wouldn't you be Flynn The Camera Operator?" (confused? see my entry "If it's wednesday I must be Flynn"). Then Aaron, my twelve year old sometimes voice of reason, gives both of us an exasperated look and says, "why can't he just be EVAN the camera operator?
Well, that just makes too much sense and isn't any fun at all, that's why.

If It's Wednesday, I Must Be Flynn

2008-10-26T18:32:00.000-05:00

When Evan was preparing for his 6th Birthday celebration earlier this year, one of his classroom projects was to answer a questionaire provided by his teacher. There were questions on the list that covered the usual topics, favorite this and favorite that, but one question was really unique -"What other names did your parents consider for you before choosing the name you have now".

Evan was due to arrive in mid-June so we started working on names in early March, figuring that gave us plenty of time to argue about it. We worked our way through the baby name book a hundred times and we compiled a list of quality candidates but no name really grabbed us and said "Yes!" We didn't argue over them, we just couldn't pick one. So, in the spirit of March Madness Basketball, we decided to pull names out of a hat, seed them like a tournament and go from there. Each bracket had an agreed upon winner and at the end we had an Evan and a Lucas in the final game. Evan came in first, Lucas won the middle name trophy.

I kept the paper with the "tournament of names" on it tucked inside Evan's baby book so I pulled it out to help me complete the questionaire. Evan was looking over my shoulder as I was filling it out, reading the names as I went along. Cooper, Carter, Flynn, Jack...wait. Flynn? Flynn? Why didn't you name me Flynn. I like Flynn! Mom, I'm supposed to be FLYNN!!!!!

Now, I have tried in vain for MONTHS to convince him that Evan is a really good name, that he doesn't seem like a Flynn at all, but he's not budging. He has actually asked me to find out what's involved in legally changing his name to Flynn. He's threatened to tell his teacher and classmates to call him Flynn. You'd think a little six-year old would give up the good fight after a while, and he has for short periods of time, but out of the blue it will come up again and he'll start asking us to call him Flynn.

I have tried to compromise, mostly by suggesting that Flynn be his special nickname that only his family members use. Not good enough. I've gotten tough with him and told him I'm not changing his name, no how, no way. That only brings tears. So, most recently I've tried to suggest that we will call him Flynn only on the weekends when he's at home all day. That was countered swiftly with the exact opposite - Flynn during the week and Evan on the weekends. Nope. Can't do it. Ok, how about Flynn on Wednesdays AND the weekend, Evan the rest of the time.

Fine, I give in. I'll give it a try, but only at home. At school you're Evan Lucas and no one else. I'm not promising to remember it all the time, in fact, you're probably going to have to remind me every time I slip up (until you get tired of reminding me and just give up). OK, deal.

Good night, Evan. I mean Flynn. I love you!

Make Time for the Yummy Things in Life

2008-10-14T21:20:00.000-05:00

It's been a typical busy week with sewing, yard work, mothering, two boys scouting. Trying to find the good things in life sometimes takes more work than seems right, other times it's as easy as a date with a friend at a local coffee shop.
Usually my drink of choice is some kind of decaf latte, often vanilla, but definitely decaf. But not today. Nope, it's autumn and that means my favorite shop now has, for a limited time, PUMPKIN FRAPPES!!!! I really cannot convey to you just how wonderful this drink is. It is absolutely sinful, in taste and calories, and I (should) only allow myself one per season. The drink combines the perfect flavors of a fabulous, ingenius even, Pumpkin/Gingersnap ice cream, milk and chai mix (powdered, I think?). Of course, whipped cream on top. It's served in a big cup with a domed lid and has a straw that is as big around as my pointer finger- so you don't have to work too hard to slurp up the creamy goodness.
If I was a blogger with any street cred at all I'd be able to post a picture of this wonderful concoction. I should have. You really need to see it. Maybe it's a good excuse to go get another one tomorrow!

The Bed of Hot Mama Love

2008-10-03T20:51:00.000-05:00

Our six year old son, Evan, has started crawling into our bed in the very early hours of the morning. This used to be a big problem a few years ago because we couldn't break him of his need to sleep with us, and believe me, he was the only one getting any sleep. Finally, after countless nights of carrying him back to bed every couple hours, something clicked and he started staying in his bed all night.
Now he's back and I have to admit I don't hate it all that much. Most nights his dad is sleeping in a hotel far away and I have a king-sized bed all to myself, and I get a little lonely. I kind of look forward to the clanging sounds from down the hall as he climbs out of his bunk bed, the familiar sounds of his detour to the bathroom and the half leap into my bed, flinging "stinky"(his blankie) in first like a lifeline.
The other day, on our way to school, I asked him why he's taken to visiting me in the pre-dawn hours. His answer was rather simple - it's cold in his bed and he wants to get warm. I told him I was hoping it was because he needed some love, not just a "warm mama bed". To which he smartly replied, "maybe I come for the bed of Hot Mama Love". Well put, sort of.

Leaf me alone!

2008-09-21T19:26:00.001-05:00

I wish there was a store that sold time. I would buy as much as I could afford. Not the "I only have six weeks to live" kind of time - that's a whole different kind of time. I just want the "I can't get it all done in one day" kind of time. I imagine that particular type of time would be cheaper than the others, maybe I could pay for it with the loose change at the bottom of my bag.

What would I do with my extra time? Well, for starters, I would sew (of course). I really want to have enough handbags on my Etsy shop that I require a "page two". I have this crazy belief that as soon as I reach that additional page, the sales will start flowing in. I have nothing scientific to base this on, it just seems like those other purse makers who are selling TONS on Etsy have more than one page of stuff. So, to join the ranks, I must have more stuff to sell just like them.

Another reason I would like to purchase time has nothing to do with purses but has everything to do with leaf season. We have twelve very old, very large oak trees in our yard. You simply cannot imagine the vast amount of leaves these twelve trees shed onto my yard each fall. To add insult to injury, there is also a gigantic yellow maple that is technically not in our yard but somehow manages to bend over and deposit all of it's leaves into our yard, too.

My weapon against the enemy is a fancy leaf sucking machine that looks like a mower but it doesn't mow. All it does is suck, mulch and bag. Last year I had over 80 (that's EIGHT ZERO) bags of leaves at the curb. I'll be out in the yard every other day, maybe every third day, for six straight weeks, walking along sucking the leaves and the whole time I'm out there the trees are mocking me, dropping leaves so fast that the path behind me is already ankle deep.

Sadly, I doubt I'll be able to make many handbags during leaf season. I routinely avoid all kinds of household chores to get some sewing time in, and I don't even feel very guilty about it, mostly because nobody but my kids know about it. However, when I ignore the leaves for more than a few hours, the whole neighborhood knows and then I feel like the neighborhood slacker mom/yard lady.

So, because my google searches still haven't found anyone with time for sale, it will probably be mid November before I can get to the elusive "page two". Until then, you can find me out in the yard. And if you are lucky enough to have time to spare, bring a rake.

Handbags are a funny thing

2008-09-13T08:41:00.000-05:00

Ever since I started this "bag business" I've been paying a lot of attention to the type of bag women out there choose to carry. I believe there is a whole psychology around bags.

For example, my mother says she doesn't carry a bag unless it has at least two outside zippered pockets. My friend Andi won't consider carrying a purse unless it zips completely closed. My sister, when she's without small child and diaper bag, prefers bags so small I find them completely impractical. Chris has never owned more than one purse at a time (until now, of course!) and Kelli, well, let's just say the more bling and signature name brand hoo-ha, the better.

If you knew these wonderful people as I do , you'd see there is a stong connection between their personalities and the bags they own. Options that would be defended as strictly utilitarian are usually more telling to their lives and who they really are. You may think you're attracted to that purse because it matches the jacket you just bought but chances are, there is something about that bag that speaks for you, tells the public who you really are, if they are paying attention.

The question is, what do I do with this information. I love the diversity of my circle of friends but I can't possibly tailor a bag for each individual purse-onality, can I? How does one "appeal to the masses"?

My kids once told me I needed to have this purse they saw on tv that starts out small but expands as you add things to it. By the time the purse is completely full, it can hold your laptop, your labradoodle and a lap dancer, all in one "easy to carry" genuine corinthian leather bag. If only life were that simple.

I'm off to ponder what kind of bag I'll make for Sarah Palin...perhaps something with lots of hidden pockets on the inside but a big one on the front for her bible.

You have no idea...

2008-09-09T20:09:00.000-05:00

Wow. I am blogging. OK, that might not impress many of you, but it's a really big deal for me. Trust me. Not only have I managed to successfully get here, to this point where I'm typing, but today I also started my own flickr.com spot. That's probably not even what "cool" people call it - a flickr.com spot. But that's what I'm calling it and I did it all by myself.

My motivation for all of this internet adventure is my newest obsession, making and selling handbags. Sunshine Handbags. This is actually my second attempt at creating some type of stay-at-home mom business out of a hobby. That first time I spent weeks trying to come up with a name for my jewelry business, spending hours on-line and at a more desperate hour I even paged through a thesaurus for ideas! Because, I thought, it all starts with a name, and it needs to be PERFECT. I bugged my family members and friends for their opinions and finally settled on something that in truth probably wasn't worthy of such a long process. Certainly my short-lived business wasn't worth the effort in the end. Except for the "learning experience" part of the whole deal, of course.

When it came time to give this new baby a name, I never hesitated, never asked anyone for advice, it just was there, waiting for me to announce it. Sunshine Handbags. I don't even use the word Handbag in my everyday vernacular. I have always called what I carry a "purse" as in, "honey, do you know where my purse is". But Handbag sounds important, maybe a little old-fashioned, like something you don't want to get dirty or mussed up or set on the sticky floor of a movie theatre or bar. It sounds like something that is hand-sewn, tailored even. And that is essentially what my bags are. On the inside, they might end up carrying your used kleenexes and old grocery receipts, but on the outside, they look like a Handbag. A thing of style.

However, I'm not delusional enough to think my bags will be in the same league as a Dooney and Bourke, Coach or Prada. No, they are handmade, don't contain any type of tanned animal hide or super fancy buckles or chains. So, I am taking my handbags to a marketplace where people are not looking for a Coach or Prada anything. I'm joining the multitudes of other artists who have found the wonderful world of ETSY. A world where hand-crafted items are considered a luxury, a special gift. Where people, some of whom only loosely consider themselves an "artist" can be a part of a group where everyone has this unexplainable need to just create. And a need to make some money to enable them to keep feeding the creative mind with supplies and ideas.

So, I have this blog, I have my etsy shop, I have a flickr account. I'm going to try not to make this a SAHM blog. That is a big part of my life and I no doubt will entertain you with stories about my kids from time to time, but I also hope to help expand my creative thoughts here, get ideas from others and spread the good word of Sunshine Handbags!