I totally jinxed us. I made the comment that Isabelle is rarely loud. So what happened? Loud happened. The loudness occurred at that used bookstore we went to the other day. We walked in. She saw all those books. She started saying in a loud voice, book! Booook! Boook! Boooooook!! I could hear her all through the store. I could hear her across the store. I could hear her when Alan took her outside the store. My little loud baby.

Go read cute baby #11, floor fun.

Posted in: Illustrations, Illustrations - "Cute Baby" Series
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Here are some more pictures from our busy weekend. We went to the Kidfest in Concord. I would say it’s for kids a little older. Isabelle is too young to jump around in bouncy houses with older kids. Or I should say we are too overprotective. But she still had fun. We walked around, listened to music, had festival food, and watched Isabelle enjoy herself. I could share a bunch of pictures but I’ll restrain myself and only show one…ok two. I’ll spare you the ones of her eating, us trying to give her cotton candy for the first time (aren’t we great parents? she didn’t want any), and her fascination with the Chinese lion dancers.

And after the Kidfest we stopped by the used book store right there and I found some old books. I love old books. Have I ever mentioned that? I found a sewing book from 1945 called Sewing for Everyone for $1.98. The other book, which I could not find a published date for, was in the children’s section. I have no clue what it’s about. I just liked the cover. And I figured I could read it to Isabelle when she’s older.

And since I’m talking about books, here are the books I bought when we went to Japantown.

Isbn 4309280463, on the left, is for me!! Finally a book for me! I love this apron skirt, this dress, and this top is so sweet.

I actually saw the other book, isbn 4418051244, the last time we were in Japantown for the Cherry Blossom festival. I kept thinking about party dresses for Isabelle and how they make the inside, under the dress. So since I couldn’t get it out of my head I knew I had to get it this time. Ooooh and it has some boy clothes as well!

Posted in: Books yum BOOKS, Family
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So the sewing I was talking about. Did you notice Isabelle’s outfit from yesterday’s post? I made it (fire ha ha ha)! The halter top is d-2 and the skirt is h-2 from isbn 4579109708. The red fabric was more $1 a yard fabric from Joann Fabrics. The plain gray cotton for her skirt cost more! And because I didn’t pay attention when I was making her skirt I cut it wrong so that means it was even more expensive! Wasted fabric, damn it! And I liked the plain fabric. I must get some more.

Something that I’ve been noticing lately with all this sewing is fabric choice. I don’t usually think too much about it. I usually get 100% cotton because I’m thinking about quilting, or something I think is pretty, or of course something inexpensive (hee hee hee I’m such a sucker for $1 a yard fabric). But I noticed that this skirt is very wrinkly. And I made myself a skirt and it was also very wrinkly. Why oh why is it so wrinkly? And oh, wait until I show you my new skirt that I used “pretty” fabric for. It’s too heavy. Such a bummer. I really need to think more about fabric. Anyone have any helpful information they’d like to share?

Posted in: Finished Project, Sewing
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It’s been busy here the past few days with outings and sewing and of course picture taking. So here is Friday, meeting Futuregirl and Bitter Betty. I had so much fun! These are two very awesome ladies.

We met at the Kinokuniya bookstore in Japantown, San Francisco where of course books had to be bought! Then there was much talking and eating (not at the restaurant pictured, I just liked the name) and shopping. I’m so glad Alan came along. He watched Isabelle so I could play and have adult fun. Ok that sounds weird. But you know what I mean. And fun isn’t enthusiastic enough. I mean I REALLY HAD FUN! I cannot even put it into proper words.

And Alan was so wonderful. We were both running low on sleep, I had about three hours but Alan had no sleep at all. He watched Isabelle who was a little ball of energy, she had the most sleep. You can see she didn’t want to be in the group picture. She thought it was much more fun to stare at the tanbark, talk to it, and run around.

It was such a great day. I hope to do it again, with much more sleep next time!

Posted in: Family
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So here’s the story. Usually when I bring the dogs out to pee, I will bring Isabelle with me or leave her in the living room to follow me. If she’s in the living room it takes her a little bit to follow so I will leave the door between the house and the garage open. Then what usually happens is I hear her stomping down the hallway. I peak around the door and she waves at me with her little hand on her forehead saying in her little high pitched voice, hiiiii!!

Well today right before Isabelle’s nap I brought the dogs out like usual. But today she didn’t follow me. I had put on a newly rented Kipper DVD so obviously she found that more interesting. So like usual the door between the house and the garage was open. So I thought great! While she’s occupied I’ll hose off the dog run. So I started and Waldo was chasing the water and he would not stop. So in frustration I slammed the door from the garage to the back yard in his face. I then tried to open it and it WOULD NOT OPEN!

OH MY GAWD IT WOULD NOT OPEN AND THE BABY WAS IN THE HOUSE! Can you imagine my panic? I tried to turn the knob but nothing. I don’t remember pushing the little lock button but the door would not open. In a panic I ran all around the house, with the dogs chasing me, hoping something was unlocked. But I knew nothing was. I saw my neighbor in front of his house and yelled at him oh my gawd stay right there! and ran back to the back door. (So glad I wasn’t in my nightgown and actually had clothes on. I mean we were right about to take a nap!) I told the dogs to go inside and blocked the doggy door so they couldn’t go chasing me again.

I ran back to the neighbor yelling oh my gawd I’m locked out of the house and the baby is inside! Give me your phone! He did. I ran back to the door again trying the knob while calling Alan and screamed at him, Oh my gawd! COME HOME! I’M LOCKED OUTSIDE AND THE BABY IS INSIDE! Alan’s yelling at me, WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE BABY IS LOCKED INSIDE?! Then me, SHE’S LOCKED INSIDE! JUST COME HOME!!! Then I ran back to the neighbor and gave him his phone and ran back to the door.

So I’m frantically trying to open the door about to break down crying. I reach in through the doggy door and try to turn the knob on the door which would usually mean unlocking it. But NOTHING. It will not turn. And then I push the lock button. And the door locks. IT WASN’T LOCKED BEFORE. THE DOOR IS JAMMED. That’s why I couldn’t open it.

So then I’m thinking all kinds of crazy thoughts. I’m thinking about breaking windows to get into the house. I’m thinking of kicking the door in like you see on tv. I’m thinking about how the doggy door is too small (because we’ve been locked out before and couldn’t squeeze back in) and how I’m willing to break bones to squeeze my way in there. You know your basic frantic crazy panicked thoughts.

So I must have tried pushing the door with my shoulder. I don’t remember doing it but I must have because I my shoulder hurts now. And then I laid down and put one arm in the doggy door. Only one arm and my shoulder because that’s all that would fit and then I squeezed the rest of myself in. I SQUEEZED in. It was tight but I got in. Really tight. Not like in my drawing. I don’t know how I did it. I don’t know if the last time I tried we had a smaller doggy door or if I’ve lost weight. I don’t know. All I know is I got back into the garage. I stood there for one second in total unbelief that I had just gotten back in.

I then raced back into the living room to Isabelle. And what was she doing? She was standing right where I had left her. Watching tv. She did not even look at me when I walked in! She did not even miss me.

And Alan was so mad. He had turned back to come home and then had to turn back. He was late for work. Then I had to take a shower. Ya know I was lying in the freshly hosed off dog run. Yeah. Shower. And I grabbed Isabelle and put her in the bathroom with me and she was so confused. She kept trying to climb in with me thinking it was bath time.

I don’t know how long I was outside. It felt like forever. Scariest, longest, what…five minutes of my life.

Go read Silly Parent #31, Happy When She Copies Me.

Posted in: Illustrations, Illustrations - "Silly Parent" Series
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Yesterday Alan had a tire blow out on the way to work. So today we had to get a new tire. And the floor at the tire store was squeaky, squeaky, squeaky. It was a new experience for Isabelle. SQUEAKY FLOORS. She had such a blast. She would walk on the squeaky floors, then on the carpet, and then back to the squeaky floors. Stomping, spinning around, and kicking her little feet. The look on her face said, Oh mama what is making such a strange noise?

I wonder if the people in the store thought I was weird because I just laughed and laughed. It was so fun. It made the time just fly by. She soon bored of it though and was more interested in the cookies in my purse. But now I want to find some squeaker shoes for Isabelle. Hee hee hee!

Go read cute baby #10, belongs in the circus.

Posted in: Family, Illustrations, Illustrations - "Cute Baby" Series
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We had a lovely weekend. On Saturday we went to Maker Faire. I enjoyed it very much, just like last year, unlike poor Alan. There was so much to look at I didn’t even get to see it all. Last year I went for the knitting but this year I was more interested in the sewing. I wanted to arrive by noon for the Bias Tape Tote demo by Belle Epoque but of course we didn’t arrive until after 12:30 P.M. Bummer.

But that was right in time for the Coke and Mentos demo by Eepybird. I didn’t bring my camera but this photo was found on Flickr taken by kwc. And if you look you can actually see Alan and Isabelle in it! We sat right up front and they warned us that we might get hit by Diet Coke. But we didn’t care. It was great!

Another thing I really enjoyed, Lotta Jansdotter’s talk.

Another picture found on Flickr taken by Ape Do Good Printing. Even though there wasn’t a demo I really enjoyed her talk. She was charming and funny. I especially liked her answers in regards to if she found sewing meditative like how some people find knitting. She very honestly replied no because she’s just trying to get it done. Ha ha ha! And then to the answer of how she balances being a new mother with work her answer was she doesn’t. That’s why she hired a nanny. So funny!

And the coolest thing! While I was sitting there a family came up and I saw the little boy first and thought hmmm…he looks familiar. And then the little boy’s mom turned to me and asked if I was Kuky. Imagine my confusion, someone who I did not recognize at all knew me. It turns out it was Joyce from Slate Blu! I’ve never seen a picture of her only her children Jason and Ava. No wonder the little boy looked familiar, I read Joyce’s blog regularly. Hee hee hee! How very cool that they jut happened to sit down right next to me.

And this is what I bought:

Clips from NifNaks. Actually the purple octopus was a desk companion. I asked if they had one as a clip but they didn’t so they kindly offered to sew it on for me!!

I just had to have them. I knew it was something I wouldn’t make and they make me sooooo happy. Just the thought of these big things in Isabelle’s hair….bwa ha ha ha!!

The clips are sitting on top of a shelf right now and I smile every time I see them.

Then on Sunday we went to a family party. Here is Isabelle playing with her uncle.

I really enjoy going to family parties because of Isabelle, all those kids around. And no new dress for Isabelle to wear. We put it on and it’s too big. So I’m working on a new one with the gocco fabric I made.

Posted in: Family
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