'The rain is like a baptism'

One of my favorite movies in high school (and this might make some of you youngins realize how old I am. 35) was "Say Anything." I was so in love with Lloyd Dobler. Still am, really.

The movie is set in Seattle, which of course is thrilling when you're 16 and you sort of think Seattle belongs to you even though you live in a suburb 86 miles away. That was before Nirvana and Pearl Jam made it big, and then we really thought we had something to brag about--even us sheltered kids from the 'burbs who probably couldn't relate to half of the angst those guys sang about.

My friend Simon, who lives in Seattle, has this for his status update on Facebook this morning: "The drive to work in the rain through tree-lined streets that were shedding their leaves, listening to Classic King FM ... I heart the PNW!" (Translation: Pacific Northwest.)

I'm four hours away, on the "dry" side of the state, and it's pouring down rain here today, too. The rain is like a baptism (a Lloyd Dobler line) on my back patio. (I don't have any profound rebirth to report. That line from the movie has just always stuck in my head.) 

The rain sounds more torrential than it is because we need to clean the pine needles out of the gutter, but I almost want to keep them there because the sound of the water crashing down onto the concrete reminds me so much of home. 

Rain was a constant growing up in northwest Washington. It didn't keep you indoors during recess--you just wore your slicker or played kickball under the "covered area" at Roosevelt Elementary School. It didn't stop you from riding your bike through Whatcom Falls Park. On especially wet days at home, you stayed inside eating grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup and doing arts and crafts at the card table with your big sister. When you got older, there were first kisses in the rain and nights out with your girlfriends when the roads always seemed to be wet.

I've got the icks (again!), so I don't much feel like being out there today. But it's a perfect day for hunkering down, getting some work done, and then hopefully finally sewing up the girls' Halloween costumes later tonight.

If it's rainy where you are and you're looking for an arts and crafts project to do with your kids, check out these 3-D pumpkins I wrote a tutorial for for the new About.com site. You can use them as Halloween decorations or save them for Thanksgiving dinner and set them out as place cards.

One other crafty thing to report--the last book sling I'll be making for a while:

 

(Note to self: if someone ever asks me to applique the letter "S" again, just say no! Damn those curves.)

I put my little Etsy shop on vacation for a bit. Just too much other stuff going on. It's not like I had that many orders, but it takes a lot of time and care and I really admire the people who make a living out of doing that. I'll open it back up soon, but I need to get some Christmas and birthday gifts made for my own family first.

Don't forget that you can make your own book sling. Tutorial here.

And speaking of book slings, one that I had the pleasure of making recently is hanging in a home that many of you are probably familiar with, if you're a fan like me. Meg from Sew Liberated did a trade with me--a book sling in exchange for some of her patterns. I was quite honored that a talented person like herself would want something from my humble craft room. You can see it hanging for little Finn here.

Comments

[Jennifer]

I love your book slings, saw Finn's earlier this morning. I plan on making one for my girl's bedroom soon, just as soon as I have a spare minute. Thanks for the great tutorial.

[Julia Ruddell]

Ahh, I know what you mean about the rain! It's raining here in the high desert, well, snowing now! I lived in the valley (western Oregon) before moving to Bend(central Oregon). It rained alot and I loved it! It's supposed to rain in the PNW, it's romantic. I called the kids that lived next door "the moldy kids", rain never stoped them from hanging outdoors. Rain boots are cool and umbrellas are just a pain! Enjoy the grey! Cool paper pumpkins!

[Rachel]

I love that rain! It's one of the things that makes the PNW one of my favorite places in the world.

I just found your blog via a link on Sew Liberated to your book sling. It's fantastic! I would love to link to it if you didn't mind.

[klay]

I love the part in Say Anything with Lloyd and his sister (joan) where he's complaining that she used to be fun. He tells here just to get in a good mood " how hard is it to just get in a good mood?" - her response "gee it's easy" in a very sarcastic tone. This movie kind of guided me through my twenties. I'm sort of disappointed in John Cusack these days. He'll always be that boy from Say Anything. It's funny how the weather makes such and impact. The "new" weather here is so weird to me. It feels strange not getting all bundled up to go out into the crisp autumn air. There are flowers blooming here! Happy crafting Megan - I think I'll make a book sling for Emmett's new room.

[anymommy]

This cake made me think of you - it just seems like something you would come up with and I thought, oh Meggan would love that!

http://aroundtheisland.blogspot.com/2009/10/where-fairies-live.html

[Megan]

Thanks, guys!
Welcome, Rachel and Jennifer. Good to have you here.
Julia--I totally agree about umbrellas. I think they're pretty, but what a pain to have to carry one. Wet hair dries eventually.
That said, I bought the girls rainbow umbrellas when we were in Portland a couple weeks ago because it was pouring down rain and we were going to a football game. As I walked down Northwest 23rd using one of their umbrellas, I got a ton of compliments from passersby. I liked using a small (kid-sized) umbrella, I think. Or I liked getting compliments. One or the other.
I miss you, Klay! We had snow here today. Jealous?
Stacey--I've seen the tutorial for that cake ... somewhere! Oh my goodness, I'm going crazy now because I can't remember where. Anyhow, I loved it when I saw it. Totally me. That's so great you thought of me when you saw it. Oh, how I wish I were a little wood sprite living in a frosting hut.

[Julia Ruddell]

Hey Megan,

Have you checked out the Patty Young Flora and Fauna line? She has a really pretty hummingbird print.