I recently did a mini clean up in the studio and at the end I had six quilt tops (with their backs!) waiting for quilting. There are also two quilts that just need to have the blocks sewn together. Honestly, I have no business starting another quilt top until some of the unfinished become finished. But a quick look at the calendar tells me that time is flying fast and there is one quilt on my to-make list that has a firm deadline. Two months from today, Fatty and I will move Jane into her college dorm room.Let that sink in.Of course, I am cutting into that pile of fabric. She gave me a color scheme and I pulled the prints. I showed her some ideas and we came up with a loose plan that I will execute improvisationally. I am going to savor every cut and every stitch of this one. I know that keeping my hands busy helps me when I am anxious and excited and heals my heart when I am sad. I need to make this just as much for me as I do for her. I plan on pouring all of my love into this quilt so she can take a small piece of me with her when she goes. Wish me luck.

Cleaning out the kitchen last night, I stumbled across these artist trading cards that Jane painted last October. Using her own photos as reference, she used watercolors to render small snapshots of a trip that she and Fatty took to San Francisco over her fall break.  I find them completely charming and delightful - I think I will have them framed as a little memento for her. And I just love, love, love that she always finds a way to express herself creatively. She inspires me to continue my own painting practice and now I am itching to get to the studio later today. (Friday is painting day!!!!)

Finding these cards was perfect timing. One of my readers, Rose, has an active group of kids (ages 4 to 14) that swap artist trading cards like these. I told her that I would help her spread the word. I remember just how much fun my girls had when Blair and I hosted the kids atc swap six (!!!) years ago. If you think this is something you and your children would be interested in, you can find more information in Rose's group on Facebook.

Have a great weekend and Happy Valentine's Day!

A friend of mine recently emailed Fatty with a link to this video about moms and their kids (go watch - it's amazing). She then asked his help to make a video of my girls telling me why they are thankful for me and why they love me.

People, this is quite possibly the best gift I have ever received.

Not only was it incredibly thoughtful, but it's a great reminder that even though I sometimes doubt my success as a mother (who doesn't?), my kids don't see me that way. It was something I needed to hear and the bonus is that I will always have it to look back at. I am so thankful for this.

Why don't you do this for someone you love? Your spouse, the grandparents, a friend, teachers....the list goes on. All it takes is a little time, a little technology (iphone, ipod touch, ipad, computer, video camera) and you can send it via email Christmas morning or put it on a CD/DVD to send in the mail. If you have technologically savvy kids, like mine, they can probably do it all on their own with a little direction from you. Heck, if you have extra time, you could even make a movie out of it. No matter how you do it, it will be treasured.

Like I said, possibly the best gift I have ever received. Well, besides the kids themselves. They are pretty damn great.

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My children gave me their permission to post this video on the blog. Please respect our wishes that it not be uploaded anywhere else. Do not pin this video to pinterest, share it on facebook or the like. I appreciate your understanding - thank you.

Fabrics chosen by the girls - their buy-in is absolutely necessary if I'm going to do this. Also, my list is a little long and maybe a wee bit ambitious (they are both in a women's xs now), but I'm in. How about you?

It was all her idea.  She thought her sick sister could use some sunshine and drawing with sidewalk chalk wouldn't be too much, would it?  No, not at all.  So while Kate drew flowers and butterflies and practiced her lower case cursive, Jane took out her new favorite book, Looking At Pictures, An Introduction to Art for Young People and got busy doing what she loves to do.  She would have kept drawing if I hadn't made her stop to get ready for soccer practice.

Thank you sun.  Thank you blue skies.  Thank you spring weather.  Thank you Jane.  You are delightful and never cease to amaze me.

Fatty and I gave Jane a guitar for her 10th birthday in December.  Included with the gift were lessons and the promise of a mommy-made guitar strap.  A promise because this girl is picky.  If I had gotten it wrong in any way, she wouldn't have used it.  She may not have ever played the guitar.  That's how particular she is.  On the upside, it's good she knows what she likes and she isn't afraid to tell me.  (No pink, but still girly.  Green is good and so is aqua.  Remember, no pink!)  As a result, this project was a complete collaboration.

The bummer about having a December birthday is that your mom might be a little too busy to sew your guitar strap right away.  (Ahem.  And let's not even get started about the birthday shirt.  I swear it's next on the list!  Again, I was afraid it wouldn't be right...)  Thank goodness that her lessons didn't start until January - that bought me some time.  It was a good thing, too.  There were a couple of fabrics that she liked and then abandoned.  But when I bought fat quarters of Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane, she zeroed in on one print in particular.  Ten days later, she was still sold on that print.  On Saturday, she picked the others to go with it, laid them out in the order she wanted them and I started cutting.  She went to swim practice and I got sewing while bread was baking.  It was finished when she came home.

I made two other guitar straps for friends this past fall.  With both of those and this one, I bought inexpensive nylon webbed straps and cut them apart for the hardware.  I searched the internet a few times and couldn't come up with decent leather bits at a reasonable price so re-purposing was necessary.  I made all the straps (one for an adult, two for children) adjustable so that the fit would be just right.

She likes it a whole heck of a lot.  That makes both of us smile.

I sat down multiple times yesterday and tried to write this post.  I'm not sure why I am having such a hard time with it, but I am.  Jane turned ten yesterday.  Ten.  That's a big number.  And it's a little number, too.  It's a milestone for her and for me.  A whole decade of life.  Double digits.  And the realization that I have spent ten years being a mother.  It doesn't feel like a long time.  Say "ten years" aloud, though, and, yes, it is a long time.

I was twenty-eight when she was born.  And we had wanted a baby for awhile.  She was born four weeks early and was tiny.  Four pounds, thirteen ounces tiny.  Looking back, I had no idea how small she was.  I had no clue that the people around me were worried about her (and me, with pre-eclampsia).  I wasn't concerned a bit - just over the moon to have this little girl in my life.

She is still charming me daily, ten years later.  It's been an amazing journey full of laughs and tears and I feel that it has really just begun.  But at the same time, I am aware (so so aware) that she will fly out of our nest in less time than she has been in it.  That makes my heart skip a beat.  The years go by so fast - I want to hold on tightly and not let her go.  But I am also excited to see the young lady that she is growing into.  I know that she is going to be an amazingly wonderful person.

At ten, Jane is sensitive and kind.  She is friendly and social.  She likes talking to anyone about anything.  She is a talented artist and a wonderful performer.  She was super excited about her new guitar - I have a feeling they will be a very good match.  She loves to read and loves to draw.  She plays soccer and likes swimming, but has no interest in basketball.  She is dramatic.  All. The. Time.  She bugs her sister, but counts Kate among her best friends.  She has a winning smile and beautiful eyes.  She has her own ideas about fashion, still detests the color pink and her favorite shoes are red Converse high tops.  She is sweet to little kids (a future babysitter for sure) and wishes Scout would sleep on her bed.  She got her ears pierced on her birthday and amazed herself (and me) by not crying.  I have a feeling that she's going to keep amazing both of us for years to come.

Happy Birthday, Jane.  I can't wait to see you in another ten years.  I have no doubt that I will be just as proud of you then as I am now.

She is full of energy and full of life.  She wears her emotions on her face - you can always tell if she is happy or sad or excited.  There is no hiding it for her.  She is stubborn and determined - if she wants something she won't quit until it's hers.  She is funny and good at making puns.  She is kind and helpful, almost always willing to do what I ask.  She is messy and doesn't like to put her clothes away.  She does like cleaning toilets, though.  This past year she learned to ride her bike and multiply and divide.  She likes the colors pink and purple the best.  She is adept at changing the subject when you aren't talking about what she wants.  She started to play the piano and I often hear her practicing on her own.  She devours books and goes through reams of paper writing stories and illustrating them.  She sings loudly and jumps high.  She has a sweet tooth.  Pasta is her favorite food.  When she grows up, she wants to live in the house next door.  I think that would be nice.

She is Kate and she is eight today.

Happy Birthday to my sweet girl.