Marsbarn Designs...

I'm not really a zombie... I just play one after school.

Halloween is halfway done. Two school parties down, only trick or treating to go, and I might even have time for a nap! The heavy rain of this morning has passed, and maybe.. just maybe we'll get our trick or treating done before the next set of clouds bring more rain. Happy Haunting everyone!

The Want, The Tease, and the threat of being Popular

I have this nostalgic fondness for vintage light up plastic ornaments. It's not a scary obsession, I keep it under control. I have a snowman and two candles for Christmas time, and pumpkin on a cat for Halloween. I want a santa, but not a scary looking possessed one.. but that's another story.

This year I saw a giant light up pumpkin in the window of one of our neighborhood antique shops, and said to Big E "Oh, maybe I need that..."
He said, "No you don't."

Of course I don't "need" it, I'm pretty sure I don't even want it, but the next time we walked past the window with the girls I had to comment, "Oh... there is the pumpkin your Dadda won't let me buy."

Now, let me clarify, the girls know that if I really wanted it, I would buy it. This is all about The Tease. (It may also have something to do with the idea of showing them that we don't have to have everything we "want".... You know if parenting was at the top of my list instead of teasing my husband...)

So, Big E takes us out for a drive to look at Halloween displays in the ritzy neighborhood next to our more modest one.
Sweet G: Mom! There is one of those pumpkins Dadda won't let you have!
Little e: Mom! There's another one!

These light up giant pumpkins I've never seen before? They are everywhere.

Big E: Know what this means girls?
Sweetheart G and Little e: What?
Big E: Your Mom won't want one anymore.
Sweet G and Little e: Why?!
Big E: Because they are Popular.

Which of course makes me want one a little bit more... just to be contrary... because the only thing worse than being a follower is being predictable. (And yes, my inner 17 year old is apparently alive and well.)

Crowns and dice bags, oh my!

The shop update is done. New dice bags and a passel of crowns have been listed. (Hey, PPG, I did it!)

forward progress and some snot

Sweetheart G has stayed home today with a snotty cold. I've been making some progress on my sewing projects; I should be able to finish up 15 dice bags today, I have a dozen children's totes prepped, and I think I'll have my Etsy shop updated tomorrow with crowns and dice bags. It feels good to be moving forward.

Less than a month to that thing I'm not thinking about

Sometimes, when there is something really good to look forward to, I try to ignore it. Then instead of obsessing about how many days I have to wait for this thing to happen, I can be surprised when it actually does. Did I mention I made plans to go to Seattle in late November? For a girl's weekend? It's less than a month away... not that I'm counting days...

ironing it out

I've been ironing again. I think ironing is detrimental to my mental capabilities. It isn't like I hate ironing... it's just that it isn't good for my brain. Normally I consider myself to have a healthy, if not sometimes obsessive, attention span. Once I am immersed in a project, I can stay on target for hours. But, ironing is like instant ADD. The hot metal touches fabric, and I can think of 20 things I should/could be doing. My brain becomes a hummingbird on an energy drink. "Oh, I could be doing this, and this, and this... oh I forgot about this, and that... Oh, its raining.. That actor from last night was on Dr Who... I wonder if there are any chips." This bombardment of random trivia, tasks, and errata make any long term (ie more than one or two items) ironing a marathon event. "I can do another piece.. I can withstand the lure of distraction. Just push the iron forward, backward. No, don't look at the shiny object, just grab another cloth." Ever wonder why my shirt is wrinkled? It's 'cause the shiny object won.

If a girl pokes a girl in the woods, does anyone hear?

Little e: You can't poke me!
(Count to five.)
Little e: Ow! OW! My sister poked me!! Mo-om

I chose a walk in the woods over fabric shops yesterday, and Big E, Auntie O, the two monkeys girls, and I wandered through the bliss of a bit of wilderness in the city. The girls ran, walked, and playfully bickered their way through a multi-mile walk, after which we treated ourselves to pizza.

Science of being Little e

Little e wore her leg warmers today. They survived outdoor play, including tree climbing without unwanted slumping! (They are the same length, despite appearances otherwise.) A pair for Sweetheart G is currently on the needles.

Last night the topic of molecules came up during dinner. After a very brief explanation (they are the teeny, tiny bits that make up everything around you), Little e grasped the general idea... with some desire to test it out.

Little e: What about the table?
h.: Yes the table is made of molecules.
Little e: My shirt?
h.: Yes.
Little e: This plate? This spoon? The napkin?
h.: Yes, yes, yes.
A pause for the dramatic effect of the 5 year old....
Little e:What about my BUTT??
h.: Yes dear, your butt is made from molecules as well.
Little e: Oh... Okay.

Thoughts while ironing

-Must write up that list of things I need for the Halloween party.
-I haven't put the fabric coupon in my purse for tomorrow.
-Sweet G wanted to know what slate pencils are made of.
-Oh, there is still that Book Fair to do list to type up for next time.
-This could make a blog post.
-Must stay on target.
-Don't walk away from the iron. Must finish.
-I will forget all these things I've thought of to do.
-Is there wet laundry downstairs?
-No. MUST FINISH IRONING FIRST.
-Am I getting a pimple?
-Is there any chocolate?
-It would just take a moment to check... on both...
-Four more crowns to press... I can totally do this.
-Oh, look this one needs to be restitched.. maybe I should stop ironing to fix this...
-Hmmmm since I stopped... maybe a quick post.. ya.. this will just take a minute.
-Now.. what else was I supposed to be doing?

bits of this and that

The girls don't have school tomorrow. Its the second of those teacher planning/ inservice days this month. I worked in the yard planting bulbs for the spring, and spent twenty minutes pulling out grass around one of our blueberries. The leg warmers are done, and I've been sewing away on the crowns (25 done, 10ish? in progress). I am going to skip Ugly Betty tonight and continue to work on my project pile. Right now I am contemplating apple cider versus hot chocolate. Oh, and I picked up something wet and yucky on the knee of my jeans while planting the crocus bulbs (its not poop but it might be in the worm/slug area of yuck).