Hello! This is the first Halloween in a long time that I haven't dressed up. Sometimes it's important to give yourself an 'out', you know? Plus, if all goes well in the next year, I'll have a small one to dress up for Halloween 2012. I can't wait for that!
This is last year's costume, where Mr. Jones and I went as these two characters:
Here are other Halloweens I've done (1, 2). Hope you're having a fun one! In my baking life, I have recently made (and not photographed):
Amy's Apple Cake (a little dry. heed what she's saying about adding a sauce, or eat it as a nice breakfast cake, with tea).My favorite cookies again (this time subbing half the butter for a half cup of apple sauce and cranberries for chocolate chips. divine.)
More sourdough bread (the starter is still going! And we are loving it.)
The Paranorman website has launched today. I think a lot is planned over there, so stay tuned!
Exciting news, friends! The poster and trailer for the movie I'm currently working on is out today!
The film won't be out until August (seems like ages away, doesn't it?) but I'm excited to show you a bit of it now (Google Reader people there is a movie on this post. Come over to my blog to see)!
Have I told you that I hate maternity clothes? I mean, I hate almost all maternity clothes on the market today. What is it about pregnancy that would make me want to wear synthetic fibers, almost exclusively? So I'm making some outfits of my own. I don't know if I have the time to make enough of them for a wardrobe, but I'm doing whatever I can with a 55 hr./week work schedule.
I found this pattern at the thrift shop for $1, and in a moment of 70s inspiration (those come to me more frequently than other kinds) I bought some complementary corduroy at Fabric Depot and made this dress. I also added a pocket.
My strategy is to make clothing big enough that I can grow into it things, instead of constantly buying things I'll be busting out of, month after month.
I particularly love the back, which I can let out incrementally, to make the front more accommodating.
The dress served me well at the pumpkin patch (we took a lovely drive to Krugar Farm), where I bought many pumpkins. I've made pumpkin soup, pumpkin thai curry, bombay pumpkin, and many toasted seeds. With this diet/pregnancy/wardrobe, I will soon resemble a pumpkin, but there are worse things. Do you have any maternity clothing solutions to share?
Recently I've taken what I'm calling a "sew-cation", a trip on my own, to learn new skills and be with people I never would have met otherwise. With my current situation, I have a feeling I won't get too many more of these in coming months/years!
I went to the Smocking Arts Guild of America (SAGA) annual convention. This year, it was in Anaheim, California. I attended the conventions two "pre-days", called 'Aneheim Down Under', taught by Australian smocker Judith Adams and Lyn Weeks. I learned so much, and had a great time!
My classes focused on making a Bishops Dress, named for English Bishops who wore them so many centuries ago. Now a popular style of heirloom sewing, they look so sweet on little girls. I feel so motivated to make one for our future baby.
The first class I took was Intermediate level, though it was originally listed for Beginners. At first, I was pretty overwhelmed. By the second day, however, I was much more relaxed, and it was so much fun to be around women from all over the world, focused on this specialized technique. I came away with two gorgeous kits, and the skills to almost believe I can finish them.
I've been doing a little smocking here and there, so as not to forget what I've learned. There's so much practice I need to do, let alone work on the garments' construction. I'm already dreaming of going to next year's convention in Atlanta, with more experience under my belt. Check out these gorgeous dresses by Judith Adams:
Smocking is such meticulous work that each night I retreated to my hotel room to knit a sweater for myself on giant 6.5mm needles, just for relief. A trip, just for myself, to indulge my interest, is just what I needed to reinvigorate myself when the queue of projects at home got so long and overwhelming. Have you ever taken one?
More photos here.
I've been ignoring this blog, but not without good reason. For the past few months, I haven't done much crafting. Truth is, I haven't felt well at all. 
There's a good reason for that, however. Mr. Jones and I are expecting our first child in April. An unexpected souviner from our recent trip to Hawaii, we know we're having a girl, and we're so excited. This raglan sweater is the first thing I've knitted specifically for her, and now that the sickly part of this pregnancy has mostly past, the crafting is back in full swing. I'm making things for her, and I'm making things for me. I've sourced a few great vintage maternity patterns, and am hoping to solve current and future wardrobe problems with them. I've also taken a "sew-cation"! I'll tell you about it very soon. Thanks for still stopping by!
This is last year's costume, where Mr. Jones and I went as these two characters:
Here are other Halloweens I've done (1, 2). Hope you're having a fun one! 
