Sewing Bee

Several weeks ago, over a particularly delicious dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, Julie H., Julie L. and I made plans for a sewing date.  For one reason or another, the plan never came into fruition -- until today.

Julie H. and I actually made it happen, which was a good feeling.  I taught her how to make pillows.

Look what she created!

The best part about sewing with a friend are the conversations that take place as you work.  The problems of the world can be solved around a craft table.  Plus there's a lot of laughing and Diet Coke.  I always go home feeling so up lifted.

Maybe we need to replace war rooms, with creativity centers.

On My Desk

I've been making this dress, on and off now for two years.
I was recently motivated to finish it -- for a sweet new baby that I have not yet seen.

It's hard to get a good shot of a baby gown.
I hope her mother likes it.

Did you know it's a tradition to embroider on the slip,
 the name and baptismal or blessing date,
of every baby who uses the dress?

I love that.

Calling all Crafters

A few of my friends from are getting together in Arizona for a weekend of fun.
A crafting, laughing, shopping and eating.
We are renting a house that occupies 12.
We have three spots left.
Do you want to come??

Look at your calendar and see if you are free the weekend of April 14th.

Email me for details:  crystalbeutler@msn.com

Boo Google

I just read that Google Friend Connect is going away in April!
And Picnik!!!
Is that true?
If so, then I am very sad.

How are we going to keep in touch with our blog friends?
Does this mean that "buttons" are the way to go?
Or links?
Any thoughts on this?

And what about Picnik?
Best place ever to make a photo collage.

I think I'm mad at Google, are you?

Who wants to picket HQ?
Me, that's who.
I'd probably look stupid standing out there all by myself though.
I can picture it now:
Groovy Googlers staring out the cafeteria window
at the old woman holding a sign that says
Bring Back Picnik and Friend Connect!!!!
They'd snicker and go right back to eating sushi.

I can't sit back and let it happen without at least writing a letter.
The squeaky wheel get's the grease after all.

Go here if you want to jump on the Boo Google band wagon
and write a letter too.

Book Worms are the Best

I sent out a call, and many responded.
Look at this list of books!

Wildflower Hill
The Blue Castle
Saving Cece Honeycutt
Stargirl
Roses
The Walk
Cranford
Rainwater
The Paris Wife
Room

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

My Name is Brandy

The Kitchen House

Austinland

Goosegirl

Book of a Thousand Days

The Saturdays (children)

Gone Away Lake (children)

These Is My Words *

The Glass Castle*
Her Fearful Symmetry *

13 Reasons Why (young adult)
The Future of Us  (young adult)
Some Girls Are (young adult)

Looking for Alaska (young adult)

Paper Towns (young adult)

Some of them I've already read.  I put a star by those.
If you haven't read them, do, they were so good.

As for the rest, I'm off to the Barnes and Noble site to check them all out.

Thanks so much for sharing!
I knew I could count on you.

P.S.  What was your favorite Superbowl commercial?  Mine was the Dorito's dog.

The Vortex

I got sucked in to the swirling mass of chaos again.
But it was necessary.
It was d-day for my friend Dana.



A few years ago, my living room looked like this too.
Biggest nightmare.
It made me feel like one of those hoarders you see on television.
This is what happens when you sew for a dance studio.
Your life turns upside down for a good 6 months
and your family has to eat dinner standing up
because the table is covered with sewing machines.

I retired 5 years ago,
but my dear friend Dana kept the sweat shop going.
This year she made 300+ costumes, which included 9 bear outfits.
When I heard that, it made me shiver.
 I went down the bear road in 2004,
and it was ugly.

That year, we had to make 18 bear suits,
which included bloomers, hats, and aprons.
Have you ever sewn fur?
Awful.
My vacuum never recovered.

Today I called Dana to see how she was coming along with the sewing project from you know where.
She said: We have our first competition this afternoon and I'm not done.
So I had to help.
Dana is the person in my life, who helps people in need
no matter how busy she is at the moment.
Really.
She would probably donate a kidney if I asked.

I dropped what I was doing and drove to her house,
which is out in the boondocks --  high up on the top of the Temecula Hills.
I got lost twice.

I opened her front door and there it was . . .
a vortex of lycra, feathers, an sequins.

We had fun running our machines at warp speed.
I love working with Dana.
She is hysterical.

I could tell you some hilarious stories
about our trips to Las Vegas for Nationals.
But I won't.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,
including the time I almost ran over a homeless man
who popped out of a manhole cover
just as I was driving through an intersection at 1:00 a.m.
Our kids are still talk about that incident.

We finished up the last of the costumes just in time.
Dana threw everything in the car and sped off into the sunset
while went home covered in thread.

When I walked in the door Claire took one look at me and said
Dana?

And I said Yep.

Wired

It's Eden's turn.

I think he looks really cute.
{It bugs him when I say that.}

But he needs a haircut.
{It bugs him when I say that too.}

Funeral for a Friend

Looking around at the people sitting in the pews was surreal.  Some were familiar, while others had changed drastically.  Hadn't I sat next to that guy in English my Jr. year?  Why can't I remember his name??

There was a time when my life intertwined with this group daily -- sitting in classrooms, cheering in stadiums, roaming through hallways lined with lockers.  Three years of dating, loitering, dancing, laughing, studying, working, and playing made us a close clan.  I loved these souls like family.  It never occurred to any of us in those days, how the choices we made then, would affect our future lives.

Today was an accounting of sorts, as we stared at the pine box at the front of the room.  Minds deep in thought as each of us pondered who we were then, and who we are now; how our personal actions had influenced, for better or worse, the friend whose life was cut short as a result of addictions.  The answers could be seen in the bowed heads, and shoulders that shook in sync with heavy sobs, while teenage daughters stood at the pulpit and paid tribute to their father.  Daughters much too young to be picking out caskets and writing eulogies.

A woman sat down at the piano and began to play -- a melody we all used to sing in unison at the top of our lungs:  Sing us a song, you're the Piano Man, sing us a song tonight . . .   

It transported me back to an 8-track tape player mounted to the dashboard of a yellow Maverick, and it's driver, a blonde haired boy who wore surgeon pants to school.  He was so carefree then.  A good soul who made me laugh with his telling of funny stories.  A friend who would listen when you needed to pour your heart out.  He saved my life once, on a summer day when we were cliff jumping at a lake.   I was injured and too tired to swim.  He pulled me out from under the water just as I began to drown.  I'll be forever grateful that he rescued me when I was in trouble.  How I wish that I could have saved him too.

 I don't know when it first started, but there came a time in high school when the boy started drinking, and using drugs.   Sadly, like friends who died recently under similar circumstances,  the boy couldn't stop.   As the years passed, his addiction became rope-like, binding tighter and tighter, until he no longer had the power to break free.  His body grew weary, and last week, his heart finally rebelled.

How did this all happen in the first place? Why did a sweet boy from a loving family turn to drugs?  Was there too much pressure to fit in?  Did he have feelings of worthlessness?  Were drugs an escape?

I wish I had answers to make sense of it all.  But I don't, and never will.

What I do know is this:  It was a huge price to pay -- those choices at 16.  If the boy had understood then, that this is how it would end, he would he have done things differently.

 If he realized just how much he was loved by the people who sat in the pews, he would have fought for himself, and the chance to see his beautiful daughters grow old.

Farewell Brett the Camel.  You were a wonderful friend.
Your memory will forever be in my heart.

P.S. If you have a child in trouble, visit here.

It could save their life.

Recommendations Please.

Sitting at a red light yesterday,
I had the thought that I didn't read much last year.
Could it be due to the disbandment of Book Club #1,
and the un-organization of Book Club #2?
(BC # 2 met approximately 3 times last year --
we were all just too busy to get together.)

I need to get going again.
Listening to the Hunger Games trilogy over Christmas motivated me.

What have you read lately that you just loved???
Don't say anything si-fi, or fantasy, not interested.
And don't say The Help -- I've been there, done that, and really liked it.
Haven't seen the movie yet, can you believe it!

Has anyone read The Lantern by Deborah Lawrenson?
If so, what's your opinion?
I'm starting it tonight.

If you haven't read Extremely Loud and Incredibly Up Close,
you have to get on that before the movie comes out.
I mean it.
It's such a good book and if you do the movie first,
it will ruin it, I know it will.
Isn't that usually the case?
(Thank you to the Lurker who recommended it.)

M.I.A.

I know, I know . . .
I've been missing in action for a few days
But it's January and I'm in purge mode
My "to do" list is a mile long
And you know me
If I don't focus on that list
It will haunt me all year

So excuse me for a week or so while I
clean out closets
organize a garage sale
relocate my studio
oversee the painting of  bedrooms,
ripping out of carpet
and other fun stuff

I'll be back
I promise

And hopefully
I'll have something to show for it

Happy Martin Luther King day