Marsbarn Designs...

Oh the genius (or at least the wit)

So I was wandering the internet (instead of cleaning behind the bathroom door), and I found this link (at Magpie & Cake) for Miranda July's book of short stories. If I wrote a book, this is the type of website I would want to build. It made me laugh.. and shake my head.. and laugh some more. The site actually made me want to read the book (although normally I don't read short stories; they frustrate me.) Take a look, and just follow the arrows in the lower right hand side. (I wish my stove were that clean. And we won't even talk about the top of my fridge.)

And then there is one more thing

I have been wrapping up projects for the upcoming Holiday Market. These are little wool felt Christmas Stockings. (What do you do while watching Dancing With the Stars?) I made a garland of these a couple of years ago for each of the girls to use as an advent calendar. I have also made cream colored ones. I think they make great package toppers, and are perfect to slide a little treat into.
I used some of my collage images to make simplified gift tags. I like the way they turned out, but it was really, really hard not to keep adding things to them. Simple is hard!
Right now, things feel under control. This is always the scary time when I get tempted to start a new project, or to make 'just a couple more' bags. Hmmmm... more little pom-pom bags would be good.. Maybe be holiday themed ones. I have some fabric I could wash up...

Can I have an apology with that?

Hey look the Insurance Company called me...
"We misquoted you your benefits.." (Really? Gee, isn't that what I said? Lookie.. I was RIGHT.)
She went on to say that all our appointments up until now will be paid, but we can't have anymore. Then she said, "The exclusion (of speech therapy for Speech Delay) is clearly listed on page 45 of your handbook."

I turned to said page; "No. On page 45 it tells me how to appeal a refusal of benefits." With her help on the phone, I could not find the exclusion even when I searched the on-line benefit book. I don't doubt (now) that it is there, I just think it is buried in the text... somewhere.
So she followed up with, "Well.. if you ever have any questions about coverage you can call us.."
So I said, "That's what I did!!!"
"Oh, well, I hope you try us again another time... Because you can call us anytime!" I feel so confident in my healthcare. I just can't wait for my next medical need.

On the upside, our clandestine speech therapy has done wonders for little e! Hearing her say, "Sister Sally sails to school" is beyond wonderful.

Insanity? No. Let's say incompetence.

Little e and I went downtown today to pick up art supplies. Upon returning home, I girded my loins for battle and called the Insurance Company. Suprise! We are still having trouble with Little e's speech therapy coverage. Now it looks like we may never have had coverage. It looks like the information gained by me (in two phone calls, 4 months apart) and by the speech therapist's office (in three phone calls), which all matched in content, was wrong. All of the information was wrong. They were wrong, but consistent in their wrongness. Now they are reviewing our case and our phone calls (which were all recorded, supposedly), and will tell me by the end of the week who pays. Incompetence doesn't even begin to cover it. Pardon me while I return to banging my head upon the wall.

ladybird fly away home

Have I mentioned that I run a boarding house?
No? Oh well, every winter we house a colony of ladybugs. They are pretty good tenants. They don't make a mess. We don't see them from November to March while they hiberate in the walls of our house. And theoretically they protect our garden during the growing season. Of course we only offer the most minimal of services. And its pretty much C.A.Y.O.R. (Come At Your Own Risk). Have I mentioned we have an amazing collection of fat spiders camped out in our yard this fall? Today is a rare sunny fall day, and the spiders are having a good day.

Small triumphs

I was forced. Forced! To go buy socks last week. It was buy socks or go sock-less.. and even I draw the line somewhere. So I bought 8 pairs of socks, and they all came on these silly little plastic hangers that have "Send Me to the Landfill" written on them. (Well, not really, but they should.) But look! They make the perfect little hangers for my little wallets! Now I can hang the little wallets with the little purses. Joy! Landfill, you are denied! Ha HA! HA! HAHAHAHA! (Maybe I need more sleep.. or less caffine.)

Virus versus the timeline

Big E seems to be finally recovering from his cold. I am in the slow tailspin of fighting-off-the-cold. This game of "When Will the Cold Hit?" makes me crazy. Will it be the Book Fair? The Antiques Expo? The Holiday Sale? And the girls? The girls had their flings with this cold and are off on their own adventures.

This afternoon I have a large window of time to myself. The girls are going pumpkin harvesting, and Big E has work. I want to finish my gift tags for the Holiday Market, and I would love to make some more pom-pom bags or collages. The Sale is in less than 2 weeks, and I am starting to get jitters. I will be emptying my Etsy shop around Halloween, and reopening a week later with whatever is left from the sale.

Stuck on you

I have gone on about how I love my little sticker machine... well, I found the 250 model on sale, and it followed me home. I didn't think it would be possible, but its even cooler than the little one. It has a Crank! (Hey, winding that little arm makes me happy!) And, I think the stickers come out with a cleaner edge!

I have this ritual I follow when I see a new fabric, notion, or tool. First, I admire it. Then, I crave it. I plan for it, and wait. I long for it. I plot. But, once I buy it or acquire it as a gift... I don't use it right away. It sort of sits around for a bit. Maybe it needs to acclimate to my house. Or, I have to adjust to its vibe. Often, I have to observe it to see how I will use it. Maybe, I just like to enjoy the fact that it is mine. My pretty. My precious. Sometimes, this stage takes weeks. Months. I always use it. And, I almost always find a great use for it. (Unless its a dud. And then, I pout.) But, I can't seem to just see something, go out, buy it, use it and be done with it in one day.. or even one week. Which is why my model 250 sat around for two weeks before I used it this week, and discovered even more sticker love.

G's fruit

Sweetheart G found this cool little fruit lying on the sidewalk on the way home yesterday. Since the light wasn't good (code for: "I left my camera at home."), I carried it home and took photos this morning during a sunshine break.

Treasures in the Post

This arrived in my mailbox last week.


The story goes like this. Uncle was cleaning out my Grandfather's old hunting bag, and found the red kerchief wrapped around the compass. My grandfather used to wear this compass pinned to his coat while he hunted deer in the U.P. (That's Upper Penninsula of Michigan for those not from that neck o' the woods.) What a lovely thing to find in the mail. How marvelous it made me feel that I was thought of when it was found. I am a lucky, lucky girl. Thank you Uncle Lloyd!