Uncategorized

How are you my friends? Happy 2013 to everyone! I hope you guys have eased into the new year comfortably. 2013 is plugging along nicely for the Lyons’ Den. I have been focusing on long neglected house things. Things like the downstairs power room and my children’s bathroom:

Bathrooms: Downstairs Powder Room

Incremental Progress

Bathrooms: The Kids’ Jack and Jill

I am thrilled to report the powder room is 92% complete. I just need to find a suitable mirror and paint the switch plates with something wonderful like my friend Regina does for her line of switch plates (which look to be almost sold out at the moment!). The kids’ bathroom is 85% complete. Cabinets are painted and they look amazing if I do say so myself. Still need to wrap up a little more wall painting and then get towel racks and toilet paper holders back on the walls. Once the bathrooms are finished then I have some curtains to sew up for the dining room and one wall in our office loft to paint. Then comes the SUPER fun stuff:

Dream Studio Renovation!

A Couple Tweaks and a Price Tag

I don’t have the words to describe how truly excited I am about this studio renovation. The thought of having dedicated space for each of the areas of art I LOVE to work in and to be able to move from one to the next without having to stop everything to clean up and switch out gear and supplies is incredibly exciting. I can feel a huge creative surge coming! I cannot wait!!

or a housekeeper. No, a clone. Someone I could dump all my camp stuff on leaving me free to work on my own stuff that needs doing right now. Day Camp prep is taking over my life! TAKING. OVER. MY. LIFE. Weeeeeee.

Soccer has wound down, but school is ramping up with all the End of School Year Hoopla. Add in my market season starting this Saturday (with a whole of lot of my new work not ready for display just yet…) and Lynn’s new work schedule and I am left wondering what the hell I was thinking! Eight weeks to go and then my life will be back to normal.

Ugh.

Today is April 4th. April FOURTH, 2012. Do you know what that means? It means my baby girl has a birthday this month. In a couple weeks she turns five. FIVE!! It seems like yesterday she was but a few minutes old:

Today she is a clever and confident little girl:

And she still takes my breath away . Mom tangent over.

* * * * *
This will come as no surprise, but it’s been a madhouse around here lately. It is all soccer all the time: all three kids play rec ball (Lynn coaches the boys’ teams and assists with Molly’s team), Caleb also plays academy soccer and Lynn plays on an indoor and an outdoor team as well. We love it, but it can be a beating some days. Add into the mix all the other household craziness and that I am part of this year’s cub scout day camp administration and you get one very tired momma at the end of the day some days.

After the Easter break I will finally be posting pictures of some new jewelry pieces and maybe even some new fiber stuff. I am gearing up with fresh stuff for the new market season!

I have to get back to completing my camp program budgets now…no more procrastination!

I suppose it’s time to dust the cobwebs off this joint once again. I am mildly stunned I didn’t manage a single post in January. It’s mostly because we’re super busy right now as a family, but it’s also because I haven’t really been inspired to do anything in particular. Winter blahs, maybe? Yes, I think so.

We’ve had plumbers and electricians here at the house for one thing or another and have several other projects that are *this* close to being completed, but yet they are not done and I’m letting those lingering repairs and projects clog me up for a metric ton of other stuff I need to be or want to be doing instead.

I’ve worked on a few things here and there like the community quilt square Molly designed and I stitched down:

I’ve also been making stacks and stacks of colorful recycled sari silk bracelets. I’m still working out how I’ll finish these bangles…do I add enameled charms and/or lampwork beads? I will definitely include some embroidery or stitching of some sort. I’ve been wearing the first one I made for a few weeks now paired with my sterling bangles that I wear all the time and have received far more compliments on it than I thought I would…I mean, I love it, yes, but I know the style is not for everyone. Anyway, should the sun ever return I will snap some pics to share. I need to sit down to the bench to get another set of my Magpie Bangles (a project featured in the upcoming 30 Minute Bracelets due out in June 2012!) made. The two styles will blend together perfectly since these newer bracelets branch off from the design of the Magpies.

Okay! I’m glad I made a point to sit down and write something here today. It’s pumping me up to get something new made! But first I HAVE TO GET SOME OF THESE HOUSE PROJECTS DONE. They are like cinder blocks hanging around my neck! Sheesh. Be back soon with less cinder blocks .

Is there a version of pregnancy brain for moms who are not currently pregnant and have not been pregnant in the last 4+ years? Because I think I have that. I committed to bake and send two dozen mini corn muffins for Caleb’s class today…emailed back and forth with his teacher about it, put it in my calendar on my phone AND ipad. YET I STILL FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT. Uh, until Caleb reminded me about it this afternoon after school. What a douchey thing to do, right? I’ve been beating myself up about it ever since. Sigh.

These last six weeks have been wildly busy. It started out with the usual (soccer x 3) + (cub scouts x 2) + (everything else we do) plus my brother’s wedding. Then I added in the “Make Frenzy” that comes before a show and then the actual show (Denton’s First Annual Day of the Dead Festival which was awesome) and a flash trip to Houston Quilt Market (that’s right, Market, and it was awesome too) the morning after that show. After that we did Wurstfest with family down in New Braunfels. And then another “Make Frenzy” and another show (Argyle High School’s Holiday Shopping Extravaganza which was not awesome). Yesterday I spent roughly ten hours banging out my LONG overdue website re-build. I am not 100% happy with it right now, but at least it’s up and operational! I will spiff it up over the weekend after I’ve had a chance to figure out some of the wonk. In the meantime I’m going to catch up on my den leader duties and house duties and momma duties. And maybe take a nap somewhere in there too .

Get yourself over to Sew, Mama, Sew! blog and read up on the awesome little contest they’ve put together with Lark Books and Cathy Gaubert featuring a treasure trove of lovely prizes.

⌂ 1st Prize: $100 of fabrics from Sew,Mama,Sew!, a handmade softie (a surprise from Cathy), and a signed copy of Pretty in Patchwork: Doll Quilts

⌂ 2nd Prize: Handmade dolly (a sister to the one featured in the book) and a signed copy of Pretty in Patchwork: Doll Quilts

⌂ 3rd Prize: Handmade softie (either a bunbun or a dragon) and a signed copy of Pretty in Patchwork: Doll Quilts

*P.S. That’s my quilt second from the top! So very exciting to have another project published along with so many fabulous folks! Here’s a terrible camera phone pic of the quilt and book together (I’ll replace it with a proper pic when the sun comes back):

you should see the flow-chart slash mind-map slash to-do list I have created for myself. It is pure insanity! But now that all the bullet points are down on paper (and in the phone to beep reminders at me) I’m feeling much more peaceful.

I spent the better part of today applying to a handful of holiday shows…all very last minute mind you, so of course there will be a mega crunch of making things. It’s okay though. I tend to be more creative and prolific in my making when there is a deadline looming and a mile-high stack of things that needs doing at the same time.

This week will be spent making all the goodies I volunteered to make for my brother’s wedding: drawing/inking a robot wedding coloring sheet, cutting out a few wooden robot action figures, making a dozen or so little resistor butterflies, sewing a couple little robot softies and making a foamy flower arrangement. Mixed in with all the robot business I’ve got piles of half finished sheet metal magnets (Halloween themed!), enameled components waiting to be assembled into awesome jewelry (it’s awesome in my head anyway…) and some fiber/fabric projects to work on too.

Of all the work I need to do/make/finish, I am most excited about the doll make-over I dreamed up a couple days ago. Six or seven years ago I made a giant doll, she’s probably three feet tall, maybe four? Currently she has a simple face made up of button eyes and a skeleton key for a nose and mouth. I made her a dress that Laura Ingalls Wilder would’ve killed for. She is clutching a stuffed heart made from antique quilt bits. When I made her a million years ago, I loved her. And now I don’t. She’s been sitting on a chair above my credenza in the ‘puter loft for a couple years now collecting dust and the time has come for her to have a facelift and a makeover. I am going to turn her into a Catrina calavera complete with a painted and embroidered mask, silk flowers in her hair (when I decide how I’m going to do her hair) and a fancy new dress. I haven’t been this pumped about a project in a long time! Pictures to come in the next couple of days!

If you and I have had a conversation recently there is a very good chance I’ve made mention of Cardo’s Farm Project and farmers Dan and Amanda. Long story short? The Lyons’ Den thinks Cardo’s Farm Project and farmers Dan and Amanda are pretty awesome.

We were first introduced to Cardo’s and Dan and Amanda in May of this year via the Denton Community Market (another project near and dear to our hearts). Their tent display was eye catching: wooden crates, weathered boxes and baskets, mason jars full of wild flowers. Sort of country store homepun. And cute. I dug it. As we all know, I am a SUCKER for a good display and/or clever packaging. I wanted to buy my veggies from these people. Then Molly wandered over to Amanda asking her a barrage of questions (as busy-body four year olds are wont to do) and Amanda engaged her in conversation and offered her a piece of watermelon(?) radish instead of shooing her away. Then I really wanted to buy my veggies from these people.

Dan and Amanda invited us to come out the farm over the summer to see the farm. We went out a couple times to help with chores. We did some weeding; painted signs for their farm festival; picked vegetables from the field. Logan helped shovel manure and compost.

Farmer Dan even taught Logan and Caleb how to drive the tractor and then LET THEM DRIVE IT AROUND THE FARM. The boys still talk about it months later.

Dan and Amanda are young and smart and passionate about what they’re doing. Dan and Amanda have offered up samples of their fantastic veggies to our kids and as it turns out when someone other than your parents is handing you vegetables, vegetables are DELICIOUS. Even radishes and okra and rainbow swiss chard. Our kids have never turned their noses up to the usual suspects: broccoli, carrots, tomatoes (well, Caleb doesn’t do tomatoes), cucumbers, onions; but not in a million years would they have ever agreed to try a bit of raw okra if I offered it to them. Now everybody we know is eating raw okra like it’s going out of style.

Our kids are paying attention to the food they’re eating. This is a completely organic occurrence and a direct result of Dan and Amanda’s enthusiasm and patience. While Lynn and I pay attention to the food we are feeding our family, we have never really discussed it with the kids before…what kid wants to talk about how veggies are grown or where their chicken nuggets come from? Evidently, my kids do! Go figure. Another reminder to all of us as parents: just because our kids are young, doesn’t mean they don’t care, aren’t interested, don’t want to know. We have to feed their brains just like we feed their bellies! When there are fresh vegetables on the table, the first question they ask is, “are these from Cardo’s?” And since they’re asking about the vegetables, then they wonder about the steaks or the chicken we’re eating. It is amazing, really, and it makes me want to hand out high fives and hugs every time I see Dan and Amanda.

Farmers Dan and Amanda and Cardo’s Farm Project have Kickstarter campaign wrapping up this week and they need our support:

Every penny counts! If you decide to support their campaign in any denomination over $10 let me know and I will send you a set of note cards from my stationery line.

Send me an email at amy {at} aplcreations {dot} com with your name as it appears on the Kickstarter backers list, a mailing address and your card choice. I will trust you when you say you donated more than $10 . Thanks, friends! Go Team!

So the boys start back to school on Monday and Molly heads back the Tuesday after next. I’m sitting here wondering how it is even possible and what took so long at the same time. We had a great summer full of trips to visit family, market days and TONS of swimming. It has also been a summer of brutally dry and hot days which means we all get a little stir crazy being trapped indoors. Most nights it’s still 90+ degrees out at 9pm. We had days so hot things spontaneously combusted in the backyard:

Our poor yard is a wreck right now…here’s hoping for better luck in our fall gardening!

Lately I’ve been working on new stationery and jewelry designs as well as a handful of random projects that may or may not turn out the way I intended! I’ve been exceptionally terrible at taking and uploading pictures lately. My camera is FULL of pictures from all things summer and making, while at the same time my computer is practically FULL too. It is mind boggling how many bits and bytes one can accumulate over the years. There’s no place to store anymore pictures! Lynn has been offering to get a new desktop for me forever and I have been hesitant because I’m afraid some of my stuff won’t work on a new computer or I’ll have to shell out a ton of money to upgrade everything…technology makes me grumble sometimes. Sniff. Pout. I suppose it’s time to bite the bullet.

In other news, I finally got around to making a Facebook page for aplcreations.com so if you’re on FB head on over and click “like” for me! With the kids heading back to school I’m looking forward to getting closets and toy boxes purged and then finishing the rest of my website facelift and possibly loading some new work to Etsy. Though with all the bullsh reselling and mass produced garbage I’ve seen on Etsy over the last several months (okay, years) and the less than stellar press they’ve been receiving, I am debating on whether or not I should bother. Time will tell I suppose!

Here’s what’s cooking in the studio:
- more stationery
- I’m designing the poster for the Salsa Cook-Off being sponsored by the Denton Community Market at the first annual Denton’s Day of the Dead Festival.
- new enamel work
- new lampwork
- new metal work
- new leather stuffs (hair things and bracelets)
- new fiber stuffs (art quilts, felting, embroidery, etc.)

Hopefully next week will be full of photos of all this business going on! It’s always more fun with photos, right? I know .

July, yeah? We here at the Lyons’ Den have been busy with all manner of nonsense and some normal stuff too. So pictures of day camp swaps? Yes:

We swung by Legoland Discovery Center (panoramic photos courtesy of DerManDar iphone app…totally fun AND free! Thanks for the heads up, Mom.):

We visited my grandparents on the way down to Port Aransas. They have a new litter of kitties:

And lots of fruit trees fruiting:

While we were in Port Aransas Logan turned TEN. I have a kid with a double digit age. Time is flying. And I am getting old.

Among other things, we also made a surprise, last-minute trip to San Angelo (Happy Birthday, Poppa Lee!), took the kids to see Cars 2, plus the kids and I visited Cardo’s Farm Project to help with things like weeding and shoveling manure for the new fall field. If you’re local (or somewhat local) you can buy fresh veggies from Cardo’s at the Denton Community Market on Saturdays. Do it!

I’ve been making things like mad again so be on the look out for a couple posts about something other than mine and my little family’s running around of late!