Ice cream social

Farm girl MaryJaneButters had a blog post the other day about how to organize an old-fashioned ice cream social. You guys know I'm a sucker for anything that builds community, so you know that kind of thing is right up my alley. But what kept lingering in my head after reading the post? Duh. A craving for ice cream.

The girls and I solved that tonight with a trip to The Scoop, a local shop that makes its own cold stuff. We always have to opt for "the kind that doesn't hurt our tummies," as Bo always tells the workers, so our order was 3 grape sorbets on sugar cones. Delish.

Fingers work just as well, apparently:

I knew we needed to linger a while because J was home sleeping (we're working our way through a case of the icks), so I brought along our felt pencil rolls and some paper.

We parked ourselves at a kid-sized wooden picnic table (easier for some of us to maneuver than others) and colored away.

Bo wanted to hang the signs on the shop's bike rack just to remind folks that they sell ice cream inside, but alas we had no tape ...

... She thought maybe curling the paper onto the bike rack would work. When it didn't, she moved on to twirling around in her rainbow dress on the lawn.

By the way, that beauty is NOT my bike. Too bad, huh?

We were there for so long that Bo built up the courage to ask two other sisters if they wanted to play with her. She's not shy, but she gets nervous about that sort of thing. The girls were thrilled and they played for all of 30 seconds until their mom announced it was time to go. I could just tell she wasn't one of those moms who likes to socialize, and that's fine, but I felt bad for Bo. 

The pencil rolls got me thinking about Amanda Soule and how her new book is coming out tomorrow. I should have pre-ordered--I would have had it by now--but the anticipation of going into a bookstore and flipping through the pages for the first time is fun, too.

Not that I have any time to follow her projects quite yet. I'm still swamped with writing deadlines and other responsibilities, including filling a few orders for book slings in my Etsy shop. By the way, I officially have a cottage license to make and sell Emmeline aprons now! I'm going to stock the shop with some once I get a chance, but for now I have a listing there for custom ones.

Are you ever so tired your stomach hurts? Ugh. Can't blame it on the sorbet, so it must be time to sleep.

Comments

[Rhonda]

Oh! I can't wait for you to have those aprons in your shop!!

[veganmomma]

Bo's dress rocks!!! Did you make that? If so, put THAT in your shop; I'd buy one for my daughter (and one for me, too, please) in a minute. If not, where on the g-ddess's beautiful green earth did you get it?

[Greeblygreebly]

Don't feel bad, I preordered and don't have it yet. (Ordered it from Target because I had a gift card) Now I'm having to restrain myself from running out and buying it. I mean I could always give the other copy as a gift....hmm..

[Megan]

Thanks, guys!

Veganmomma, that's actually Magpie in the lemon dress. That's a good reminder that I need to update my "about" page with some more basic info about who we all are.
Thanks for your kind words about the dress. Yes, I did make it. You can read about it here:
http://pennycarnival.typepad.com/penny_carnival/2009/02/lemons-out-of-lemonade-.html
It's a commercial pattern, though, so I don't think I can make and sell it. I read something recently that some pattern makers say on the pattern envelopes that you actually can sell what you make from their designs. I'll have to check that envelope because I do get compliments on that dress a lot. Thanks for the encouragement!

Greebly--I wouldn't blame you if you bought a second copy. Like you said, you can always give away the other one. Christmas is sooner than we think!

[Carolyn L.]

I just want to know when I can expect my invite to the ice cream social.

[tiffany]

your blog is darling! I don't even know how I happened upon it. I loved the picture with the chalkboard in the background with your lovely drawings while your girls were cutting with the cookie cutters! fun! What a beautiful style you have!