We’re wrapping up a simple weekend that included a couple of fun outings: a housewarming party for friends and a polo match. Spokane has one of the oldest polo clubs in the U.S. It’s great fun to pack a picnic and go watch a match, but hardly anyone around here does. Maybe I’ll start a new trend.
Anyone else have the book "10 Apples Up on Top"?
Mostly, though, we’ve been packing for our two-week trip to Bellingham, Wash.--my hometown—to see family.
I took a more-is-more approach to packing this time, sort of throwing everything but the garden hose into the suitcase. I’m sure I’ll regret it in a few days.
Bo caught on and decided to remove every single pair of shoes I own from the closet and attempt to cram them into my already-stuff suitcase. Thankfully, I’m not a shoe whore, but there were still some ridiculously inappropriate ones on display tonight (can someone please slap me for buying a pair of platform shoes covered in sequins?).
Speaking of gardens, I'm going to miss our little patch while I'm gone. The sungold tomatoes are just starting to ripen and they are delish. Bo likes them enough to just suck out the juice (and then leave the flesh on the ground), sort of like a vampire.
Check out the scarecrow she made a few weeks ago (the garden has grown considerably since then):
I managed to sew an Emmeline apron for my sister, who’s letting us crash at her house for one of the two weeks we’ll be there (my parents’ house will be occupied by our Rhode Island relatives, making my headline here somewhat deceptive; we got a smokin’ deal on a nice hotel for the other week).
I think this is the fourth Emmeline I’ve made now, and every time I do there’s always such a strong response to it, as in “I will pay you whatever you want to make me one of those!!!” Kudos to Meg over at Sew Liberated for designing such a successful pattern.
Because of that, I’m thinking of taking part in her cottage license program, which allows you to pay for the right to sell the items you make from her patterns. The cost is $75/year, which seems reasonable to me, and you have to be approved by Meg (understandably, she wants to make sure you know how to sew). What do you guys think? Is it worth pursuing and applying for? I'm always trying to reinvent the wheel, but maybe I should just do this since it's already such a hit with people.
Other thoughts …
Can someone please tell me how I can run 30-40 miles a week and not lose a single pound? I’m trying to burn off these last 10 baby pounds, but apparently my body is on strike. I know you’re not supposed to get on the scale every day, but I swear to you I stepped on yesterday morning, ran seven miles and ate healthfully all day (minus one smallish cupcake), got on the scale today and had gained two pounds. Seriously. 7 miles. Gained 2 pounds. And no, I'm not pregnant.
I had hoped this was going to be the summer I didn’t have to wear a skirted swimsuit but it’s mid-July and I’m losing hope. Grrr …
A few things I’m loving right now …
-Amy Butler organic bedding now available here. (Scratch one more project off my sewing to-do list, I guess.)
-The before-and-after gallery on Design Sponge. If I only had 1,392,022 hours to kill:
-Daydreaming of building a modern playhouse for the girls in the backyard. This one is awesome, but it’d pretty much be nicer than our actual house.
This one is adorable, in a different way.
I’m thinking we’ll start collecting supplies from the secondhand building-supply store, come up with a plan over the winter, and attempt carpentry next summer. Stay tuned.
Since we’ll be out of town, I’ll probably have a craft hiatus for a couple of weeks (God help me). You never know, though. My sister and I grew up in the same house. She must have a glue gun stashed away somewhere. If nothing else, I’ll have to share photos of her always-incredible cooking.
Muscle weighs more than fat. So you run you build muscle you lose fat and yet you still can gain weight. Maybe try measuring your waist instead or going by how your clothes fit. If you've only got 10 pounds to go you may just end up swapping fat weight for muscle weight which is a good trade indeed!
Posted by: greeblygreebly | July 20, 2009 at 08:39 AM
YES! Buy the cottage license...I'm telling you, those aprons are a goldmine waiting to happen in your hands. :)
Have fun with MAC and the 'Touli family...and Jackie!!
xoxo
Nis
Posted by: nis | July 21, 2009 at 01:23 AM
About losing weight - remember your body will store fat if you aren't eating enough calories and working out a lot. Add more protein.
GET THE LICENSE!!!!!!
The last one you made looks like a summer dress. You could totally wear that out.
Don't even get me started on the Design Sponge before and after gallery...
Posted by: Klay | July 21, 2009 at 07:04 PM
Yes! Get the license so I can buy an Emmeline from your esty shop! (I'm especially fond of this latest fabric choice too)
Posted by: Amy | July 22, 2009 at 12:04 AM
Have a wondeful trip! Regarding the running and weight loss...I had to start sticking to 1200-1400 calories a day until I began to see the weight start dropping again. Everyone is so different though. Good luck.
Posted by: Jeanne | July 26, 2009 at 10:55 AM
Meegs, I've been working on my holiday shopping (yes, scary, but decided that THIS YEAR I would get it done as the year went along...best on budget, memories of what people comment on actually wanting, and my sanity/ joy of holiday!) and just realized that I have three people I'd buy an MC Emmeline apron for... so get that license! :)
Posted by: nis | July 26, 2009 at 01:34 PM
Oops. I tried to leave a comment here the other day, but it looks like it never went through.
Anyhow, thanks for the votes of confidence, guys. I got Meg's approval--I'm in! I'm going to start sewing some Emmelines for the shop as soon as I get back home to Spokane. Yea! I'll definitely make some basic ones, but I have some ideas for embellishing the bottom part a bit. Fun, fun.
Thanks for the fitness advice, too, ladies. I think it's a protein thing for me. If I had my way, I'd eat only fruit, cheese and bread the rest of my life. I need to add some meat.
Posted by: Megan | July 26, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Yea for the Emmeline! Yours looks more like a dress than an apron... and I love it that way! Did you tweak it at all, or just wear it over a shorter dress?
Posted by: Amber | January 27, 2010 at 05:38 PM
Hi, Amber. No, I didn't tweak it at all. I just like to wrap it around me nice and tight when I wear it. Otherwise it gets too billowy, especially around the, um, boob-a-roos.
I was wearing it over a shorter dress in these pictures. Ah, summertime ...
Posted by: Megan | January 27, 2010 at 06:22 PM
Good stuff. Thank you so so much for sharing your knowledge with the world through the Internet. Wonderful blog and post you got here
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