Wee Wonderfuls

I don't see you snow

One of Oscar's latest tricks is to stand behind a chair and not look at you, thus rendering himself invisible. I'm going to try this out with Winter. If I don't see the snow falling it doesn't exist. Instead I'll focus on my new bag of thrift store sweaters. Easter's on it's way.

countdown to Oscar

It's been nothing but Oscar Oscar Oscar on the tv lately. And every single time I look up.. what about my Oscar... oh that Oscar. It's not as interesting when you haven't been to the movies in 15 months. In crafting news I finally managed to tear myself up off the couch and get some sewing done the last couple of nights. I made this little ribbon pincushion. I think I may make some more tonight while watching the big show.

Chiri and Chiriri

Here's the translation for Chiri and Chiriri. Thank you so much Cary!!

“The weather is nice today, isn’t it, Chiri?”  “It sure is, Chiriri.” Chiri and Chiriri got up really early one day and decided to ride their bicycles.

Chiri & Chiriri, by DOI Kaya (Doi is the surname)

ChiriChiriri, ChiriChiriri rode into the forest.  They noticed a really good smell coming from somewhere.

It was a forest teahouse.

On going inside, they saw a lot of different sized tables and chairs.

Chiri and Chiriri chose a table and two chairs that were just right for them.  Just as they sat down, they heard a voice say, “I’m sorry you had to wait for your tea.”  Oh!  We haven’t ordered anything yet!

It was the violet tea that the bees had ordered!

Chiri and Chiriri ordered the acorn coffee and the lotus tea.

Chirichiriri, Chirichiriri, the two once again rode their bicycles.

They crossed a bridge, rode on a bumpy path, and then over a high hill.

Oh!  Now there are hungry.

Just then, they came across a forest sandwich shop, with different shaped breads and various colored jams. “Irasshai/Welcome”

Just then, the rabbit and the bear arrived.  “Itsu mono/I’ll have the usual.”

The bear had the honey bread and mulberry jam sandwich.  The rabbit bought the carrot bread and the yuzu (pronounced you-zoo, a citrus fruit that is like a lemon and orange mixed together) sandwich.

Chiri and Chiriri bought an acorn bread and strawberry jam sandwich, and a kinako (soybean flour) bread and chestnut jam sandwich.

They rested next to a pond.

They passed their time bathing in the pond and taking a nap.

ChiriChiriri, Chirichiriri, the two rode and rode their bikes.

Before long, the sun began to go down.

Going a little further, they came to a forest hotel.

On going inside, they saw a lot of different sized keys.  “Konbanwa/Good evening.”

The doors were of many different sizes.

Chiri and Chiriri were led to a door that was just right for them.

Inside the room, the bed was also just the right size.

“Pretty soon the forest concert will be starting!”

Just then, they could hear music from the other side of the window.

Upon opening the window…

The concert began.

ChiriChiriri, ChiriChiriri, without thinking, they began to sing.

The other guests also began to sing.

ChiriChiriri, ChiriChiriri, it was night in their favorite forest.  The end.

Aranzi Bunko postcards

I also picked up this book of Aranzi Aronzo postcards at the Japanese bookshop. I'm always looking for something fun to put in packages and these are so good. 50 of them!

most beautiful book ever

I found this gorgeous book the other day at the Japanese bookstore. I'm in love with it! I had to show some restraint not to photograph every single page and put it up here. Now I just need to figure out what the story is. And the title! It goes something like this...

We're the cutest little twins ever. Let's go ride bikes!

I know this cute little restaurant in the middle of the forest

Not only is it woodchuck-accessible, but bear and squirrel and bunny and...

bumblebees!

our waiter is foxy!

back on our bikes

Welcome to the Forest Hotel. How long will you be staying?

Tonight's entertainment, the famed Woodland Symphony

the end

New Auction

Up for auction this week is Sunshine! I'll be so sad to see her go but hopefully she'll find a new loving home. There are a few new pictures of her up on the auction site, her shoes and her coat (which I finally finished lining!) and a close up of her face.

I think the auction is working really well! I haven't had any feedback though. If you bid (or didn't) and have anything to add please send me an email. Also I heard from a few people who were interested in having an auction like this on their site. I told Tim I'd throw it out there and see how many people were interested and he could proceed from there. So let me know... hillarylang at gmail.com

Pieceful Heart

Week before last I found myself with a car on a day Oscar and I are normally stranded at home. So instead of going to the grocery store or the playland Oscar insisted we head out to Lisle, IL to check out a new (to us) quilting shop. Good boy! The store is Pieceful Heart and I loved it! My new favorite. Everyone was so nice and they carried so many beautiful things... Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler, and many others. A bunch of the things I have on my eQuilter wishlist were there and I got to drool over them live and in person. I have no fabric budget left whatsoever but I couldn't help myself. Just a few fat quarters to tide me over.

In other quliting news... I finished basting my Plain Spoken quilt at my parents' house this weekend. Now I just need to finish some of the other projects I have piling up (I'm always saying this!) and then I can start quilting it. I can't wait to have it finished and have no quilts in progress...so I can start another one of course.

And check out this great racetrack quilt Kerrie made for her son!

evidence of a busy weekend

I'm so scattered today. Stuck somewhere between ok and a miserable funk with too much to do and no focus whatsoever. Here are some pictures I took this morning. Maybe accomplishing one thing on my list - writing a post - will snap me out of it.

Here are some attempts at painting fabric. It's in the washer now, we'll see how it holds up. And I threw in those pretty lustreware cups I mentioned the other day to distract from my lame design.

Some fabric I thought might work with the paperdoll fabric for my next baby quilt.

Wool felt for my stash.

More goody bags and other finds from the American Science and Surplus.

From our trip to the children's resale shop... these adorable pink baby Minnetonka moccasins!

Also we found this cute scooter thing for Oscar that he loves. And here is his latest discovery - that he can stand on it! And he can use it to gain access to all sorts of new areas. There was some emergency makeshift babyproofing this morning.

Thank you Rachel!

Here's some excellent swap goodness that Rachel in Australia sent me...

Pretty bird fabric, awesome bird iron on transfers (that work beautifully!), some great huge wide rose ribbon and fun vintage notions.

Neat embroidered ribbon, fantastic vintage buttons, beautiful sparkly trim.

And, uh, what the heck are Snugglepot and Cuddlepie up to here?

Thanks for the trade Rachel, I love it all!

Day of Fun!

I had what my Mom would call an "outing with the ladies" this past Friday. Brandy & Cinnamon came out to Oak Park to play with me. We got to check out some places that amazingly I hadn't yet made it to, the Buzz Cafe for lunch, a fun bead shop Bead in Hand, and the new Brown Elephant thrift store. I got some lovely beads and buttons at the bead shop and found some great trim & vintage greeting cards at the Brown Elephant. Oh and some pretty lustreware cups and saucers. Then we checked out OP's cool new gift shop Flybird and then back to my place for some hanging out in the craft room. It was so much fun to spend the day with a couple of crafty gals. They both know all about having a small business, fabric, sewing, etc. I learned so much! Cinnamon even pointed out to me that I was using the wrong foot for zippers! Now that I have the actual zipper foot installed look out!