van gogh, eat your heart out.

just a few shots of sunflowers in the garden and on 'mt st. hugo'. that's my pet name for the highest point in hugo, the pile of peat moss that we turned into our ill-fated sledding hill where my nephew matthew broke his leg just after christmas (he's totally fine now BTW).


volunteer sunny in the weedy garden. none of them have 'perfect' faces'. last year we had some crazy double-faced ones. i don't see any of those yet this year.


some 'teddy bear' sunnies and red ones in the veg garden. since i got the job it's been very neglected, and the weeds have really taken over. in the back are the rain barrels my dad set up. since remodeling the studio, we added a gutter to the front of the barn. it captures up to 55 gallons of rain PER SHOWER from just the front side, and instead of just letting it run into the driveway and then the yard, we're going to use it to water the gardens. my dad is so proud of all the engineering he did on these barrels. i am going to paint a lot of the garden accessories this blue color next year. i love it.



secret garden. here's how it looked last year.
it's really growing like crazy!




more of mt. st. hugo. look at all those wildflowers! there's tons of bees and butterflies that flit around. sounds like a million tiny vuvzelas out there.

Tiiiiiiiiiiiny house!

i had heard about this guy and his tumbleweed tiny houses somewhere on the internets, and now, here's a walkthru of his 96 sq foot house. WOW.




as a maximalist, i am quite impressed by this guy's organization and skill in living with so little in such tight quarters. i think my room is bigger than his whole house.

What's the buzz? Tell me what's a happening...

Oosh. What a couple of months.

The posting has dried up, as you faithful readers would have observed by now, due to new jobbage and general lack of time due to new jobbage. I haven't sewn any duckies since the beginning of April, due to the studio being remodeled and expanded so my mom can have a workspace again.

But the weight loss has continued, and I'm the lightest weight I've been in 10 years. I don't feel like I've had to 'give anything up', I just have to make other changes, like working out or having less of something I decide I really want! I'm not saying I'm perfect by any means, but I've discovered that I am addicted to sweating every day!

I'm excited for my siblings and their kiddos to come home next week...what else can I say? I'll have photos, news, and a real update. But for now, I hope this will do.

another day, another dress

dress: super on sale Calvin Klein from macy's. first item of mr. klein's that i have owned. i think it was 80% off. RAWK!
shirt: generic macy's brand shirt but i have it in purple and pink and i loves it.
shoes and earrings: borrowed from my sis.
pins: thrifted from various sources. loves me some bling!
i worked at the church AND the store today. busy day! my summer is going to be fully of days like this: 5-6 hours at the church, 4-5 hours at the store. tomorrow is an all store day. i am going to work on class ideas and sew some more alabama-chanin inspired items to rev up the wardrobe. i'm also window shopping some more dresses..i think it's time to break out the sewing machine and whip up some jersey dresses for myself. we'll see if the heat breaks before or after my ambition.

SoD and MAX!!!

Max my nephew is finally here! more photos to follow, of course but here's a teaser with big brothers Matthew and Michael. 9 lbs 3 oz. That's a big baby! I won't get to meet him in person for a few more weeks, but he and his momma are doing great!

Today I kept up the summer of dresses with this little number from Lane Bryant. I wore it to a wedding two years ago, and haven't worn it much since. I lost one of the two (removeable) straps, so today I made it into a halter so as not to lose the top. With the cardigan over the top, you can hardly tell! I feel very 50's housewife-y in this dress. It's super, super big on the top so if I lose any more weight this summer, I don't think I can wear this one any more.

I am totally loving the Summer of Dresses, but I'm either gonna have to start sewing or hit the thrifts on Monday to pad my stash!

Summer of Dresses!!!

Even before I knew about this blog, I was determined to wear more dresses and skirts this year.

Here's my first submission to the Summer of Dresses. I notice that my farmer tanned arms are like two shades darker than my legs. Better break out the fake tan lotion and catch those puppies up!

Dress: Merona (Target brand)
Jean Jacket: Style and Co (Macy's brand)
Boots: Thrifted from the Goodwill

farm shots

i have had very little art-making energy lately. instead i've been enjoying the great outdoors. here are some shots to help you understand what i mean.

summer has arrived!

super cute shoes by land's end outlet, amazing landscaping by my parents and a small army of diligent workers.

I'm back baby!!!

I got the job I so mysteriously hinted at several weeks ago...working in Children's Ministries at my home church. YAY!

It's very similar to the job I held through high school, college summers, and after I got back from Chicago. Nothing like coloring, playing games, and singing songs with elementary kiddos! I love it!

Today was my last day at the major department store. I'm glad they employed me for a time, but I'm also glad to be done. It allowed me to get a YMCA membership, and I've been going before work, after work, and sometimes exercising at home, too! The weight hasn't been coming off as fast but I'm feeling bones emerge where earlier there was only layers of flab. It feels good to have a waist again!

quickie

i did a saturday earth day work shop for artscraps and had a fantastic time. being outside, with kids, crafting with recycled materials...how could it get any better than that? i'm so looking forward to my signatures camp this summer, i'm getting all sorts of ideas on what to teach the kiddos.

we are also planning an addition to the studio. a room for storage. i'm SO happy about that. my situation is OOC (out of control) and i know it's frustrating for my mom to not be able to use HER studio since MY stuff is in the way. over there is a studio board with the theme of 'wings', and with about as much yellow as i can stand to look at. HA!

i have an interview tomorrow, which i'm very much looking forward to, which i will tell you about at a later date because i don't even know if the job is actually open. we'll see.

Camera located! Worthy pictures taken, not so many.

The headline pretty much says it all.

Here though are some shots of Oscar the Octopus, made for submission to the One Yard Wonders 2 book. I thought the one in the 'cave' was especially hilarious.

On a side note, YMCA joining comes in the midst of a 3-month weight-loss plateau. I keep hovering around the same 3 lbs lost and gained. I know I could be tracking more dilligently for one thing, and that my clothing and measurements are really changing, I am able to walk longer, faster, and further, but darnit I want to get past this hump! Hopefully the return of the Farmer's Markets will help me to eat more fruit and veg. Our Chives and Asparagus and Rhubarb are being consumed almost daily.

this whole week has felt like monday....

not having a regular work schedule tends to mess up your internal clock a bit. this entire week i've had to check my phone, a calendar, etc. to see what day it really is because i was sure it was still monday. yes, i do feel a wee bit like garfield this week. that photo over there is of Katzen Ploofen, sold last year on ETSY.

had a shopping spree with my mom at the rosedale location of the Store-Not-To-Be-Named where i am currently part-timely employed. she helped me find all the black pants and tops in the plus-sized section. but.... i was SHOCKED to be buying clothes in a size 16. i am utterly amazed because the last time i remember wearing a 16 was early in college. or about 30 lbs from now. so either i was wearing WAY too large of a size (grunge was on its way out so i might have been ahead of the curve so to speak) or they've slid the sizes up again. you hear how marilyn monroe was a 12 blah blah but really she was more of an 8 by today's standards. or maybe a 6.

joining the Y today instead of in May. though spring has hit MN it's still chilly out there. and though i'd rather exercise out-of-doors it's just not going to happen when it's 38 degrees. they are remodeling the place and the pools will be ready in June. i can't WAIT! i love to swim. gonna need a new suit though my old one was a size 22!!!

one last tidbit that i feel needs commenting on: this monstrosity from KFC.
wow. 540 calories and 32g of fat. did the WW points on it and it comes out to 13. TWO slices of bacon, cheese, two patties, and sauce. ugh. it's like they let the stoners into the kitchen to make whatever they wanted.
this exhaustive list will tell you how much activity you need to burn this baby off.

Yah, spring has sprung!

Well it's officially, REALLY spring here in Minnesota. The 'last hurrah' snowstorm has yet to arrive, but I'm starting to doubt it will rear its ugly white head this year! Wouldn't that be a miracle? Speaking of miracles, Dorothy has lost all the hair she had at birth and is now bald as an egg. Appropriate, since this photo of her was sent to us on Easter morning. Betsy and David came for a visit last weekend and Dorothy got to meet most of her second cousins and great aunts and uncles that live here in MN.

I seem to have misplaced my own digicam so I borrowed my mom's for yesterday's trunk show at the Beeb. The coat I'm wearing came from last year's Halloween Costume and back then, I couldn't even button the thing. Now I can button AND zip it closed! And roll up the sleeves!
The best part is it came from Goodwill and cost only $6. I'm gonna get a lot of use out of it this spring. The dress and shoes were also thrifted and were very lucky finds. I know I don't *have* to buy clothes at the GeeDub but it feels extra awesome when I do.

Anyway. Back to the Trunkshow. I was pretty happy with yesterday's outcome, but I wish as always that I had made more lower-priced things that people would snap up. The plus side is that I now have a whole pack of giant pastel rabbits to put in my Etsy shop. Providing I don't keep them for myself.

The new job at a giant department store not-to-be-named* has gone quite well so far. My co-workers are all EXTREMELY nice and though I have yet to catch any shop lifters or buy anything new, I am getting excited about having a regular source of income. Since it's so close to work, I'm going to join the YMCA in May, and the first 5 hours of work each month will go towards paying for that membership. It will be my reward!
*In training they said I couldn't blog about my job and mention it by name. So I won't! I've learned my lesson from Dooce!

Tunk Show!!!

yesterday was SO much fun-meeting customers at the bibelot and seeing so many friends and relatives....more photos to come but I wanted to just give you a quick taste. Happy Easter to all, we are off to church then back for lunch. Photos of baby D coming soon!

Pop Fizz Trunk Show Article!

From PopFizzDaily.com

Talk about a bad start.

You overslept. Your boss shot you nasty looks all morning. And just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, the cute office manager caught you scratching your nose in a manner that might easily have been mistaken for picking.

You're inclined to reach for the chocolate, but why not try hugging a cat, a bunny, or a bird instead? The fuzzy types from Duckie Uglings, a collection of insanely adorable stuffed animals, handmade by artist Rebecca Jo Malmstrom of Hugo, should do nicely. They are more like art than ordinary plush toys, and they're perfect for keeping at the office as a source of comfort. Each features adorable details like button eyes, dresses with rickrack, vintage name tags and tongues sticking out. One look and the disappointments of the day melt away.

In other words, they're the best cheering-up you can get without a ridiculous number of calories.

Duckie Uglings, $10 to $50, available at Bibelot Shops locations and I like You (501 1st Av NE, Mpls, 612-208-0249). Trunk show on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bibelot (1082 Grand Av, St Paul, 651-222-0321). Special Easter creatures and bunnies, birdies and nests will be available. Plus, register to win one of her creations.

Ooh! Trunkshow in the St. Paul Paper!

Give your Easter basket an edge with Duckie Uglings, loveable little creatures handmade locally. Artist Rebecca Jo Malmstrom will hatch her spring collection, including bunnies, birds in nests and of course, ducks, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Bibelot, 1082 Grand Ave., St. Paul. Register to win a one-of-a-kind creation.

— Allison Kaplan

Saturday's OOTD

I thought I looked super cute on Saturday. I didn't feel like washing my hair, and it was *just* cold enough that one needed extra layers to preserve optimum body temperatures when out-of-doors. So out comes the trusty Beret. But off came the bling that usually decorates the brim.

Here's my outfit o' the day.

beret: super old GAP, like 15 years ago. I know I had it college because one year I was a squirrel and i made my boyfriend at the time be an acorn. He didn't like dressing up. That should have been a major clue that it would never work out.
scarf: I knit it about 2 years ago.
brown cardi: From marshall's. Some random plus size line
tank top w/ beading: old navy
jeans: Liz Claiborne via my MOM! Yes they are Mom jeans, literally. And they are also 6 sizes smaller than the jeans I was wearing last year at this time. Though women's sizes go by 2's. So really, it's 3 sizes. But the math is pretty exciting regardless.

The sun has FINALLY come out in MN and that means everyone and their dog heads outside to soak up the sunshine. I've walked outside the last two days instead of in the mall and it's been GLORIOUS. Just when you get sick of living in a miserable gray and rainy world the sun comes out and reminds you that spring is worth going through winter. We know there will be a few more blizzards before winter slinks away for 9 months...but we don't care!

Dropoffs, pickups

Dropped off some new creatures at Bibelot this week. Some Easter-y, some not. Those over there are nests, blue birds, and little rabbits. I also dropped off some giant rabbits and some gianormous cats. Whee!!!!

I have been thrifting like crazy, probably a little *too* crazy, and I found these sweet little bottles! You can have them for your very own if you visit my etsy site.....




I also got a *very* part time job this week at a local department store, in the home department. I'm looking forward to the employee discount and a regular source of income! So that's pretty awesome....

Where you at?

life has been like a hugh grant movie for me. minus the witty comebacks and age-inappropriate romances.

i have driven about 1800 miles in the past week to visit my new little niece dora and then return for a wedding in MPLS and a meeting for easter with the bibelot folks (more on that later).

on the way back to mpls, i heard the sad news that my former roommate's father passed away, so on my planned return to IL i attended a funeral in des moines. i'm now back in chicago to enjoy the little babe for a few more days and we're leaving tomorrow AM to get back to MN so i can house sit in MPLS. it's a whirlwind, i tell you!

i can't believe how much she changed in little over a week. she's growing like crazy and is SO strong...i don't want to leave!

Welcome Dora!!

My older sister Betsy gave birth on Wednesday night to her first kiddo, little Dorothy! She's named after our Grandma and her husband's aunt as well. Just the first of what I can assure you will be many, many pictures.





and here are a few oldie-but goodies of matthew and michael. now, i know i'm biased, but are these kids cute or what!?