Random: time to time

It has been a wonderful week, even it is Tuesday! It is sunny and warm in ND, but I am in my fall clothes, instead of summer clothes. When the windows are up and the breeze comes in the room is still a little cool for me. Summer clothes is a little too early for me. Unlike me, S is in summer shirt and shorts. She is HOT!

The month of May has been difficult for grocery shopping, since our departure day is approaching us very soon. We ran out of few ingredients already and  I have been alike Arrietty whom borrowing ingredients from friends more like, sugar, coffee, and some spices for cooking. It has been crazy to ask for these, but our friends are just so kind to share their ingredients with us and having us over for dinners to get by till we move. 

S' couch is gone, so we moved all the storage boxes out and the { kitchen sink quilt} is on my chair now. It makes the chair cozy and comfortable to sit on. We actually second the idea of selling the couch, but we both think it is too big to move and put in the storage. It was actually our very first own couch, so we were attached to it more!

Sun is out and about so much earlier now and I love S asked  me what are you making when she walk in the sewing room.  This morning, I spent a good part of the time piecing the new tote that I plan to take for our trip.  For S, I used the same block pattern, but will make a smallish messenger bag for her and her mini travel fund.  What have you been busy sewing lately? Hope some gardening for you as well! We are hoping some gardening this summer as well!
 
P.S. I have a proposal for you tomorrow...

xxc

Random: Monday

A travel tote in process and a piece of cheese cake by my side! It has been a wonderful day in many ways.  Finally clothes are washed and folded. S asked this morning if I can handle all the laundry by the time when she gets home. I told her, that's what mama powers for.   

If I shared with what S read from her comments this morning would you not tell her? I am not allow to read her comments until she finished them. She feels fabulous this morning when she went to school. 

You all have made a great Monday for her and I, { thank you}.

xxc

Weekending

S and I loaded up the car and took our furniture, box fans, tables, storage units to the community rummage sale on Saturday. We sold most of our larger furniture and it feels great that we will move less! Tomorrow our couch will be going to a new home { S is a bit sad, since she loves that couch so much}.   As I stayed throughout the sale, S went with our friend to her violin class and later she went swim with the family. She had a great day! After I came home picked up few boxes for donation and a quick trip to the grocery store I was ready for a little quiet and rest time. 

The Saturday afternoon was quiet and then made the simple tote for my friend Elisa's birthday after a little rest at home. She turned 45 yesterday and we had a little celebration together. She is originally from Mexico and always so warm and kind! Her Mexican food are the best! I have requested a dish for the next weekend gathering. The base width of the tote is really wide; 5", since Elisa carries large folders for her classes, so it is perfect size for her.

It must be the spring or phase a little resting after the busy week. I pulled out many new fabrics and started a new tote for myself.  The pattern is hourglass pattern. Since we'll be traveling so soon. I though I'd making a tote with a cover on the top, so that would give some privacy.

You know! It is cheese cake time! I love baking cheese cake in the spring and summer time. We like "cool" sweets in these seasons. It makes everything taste better!  After take the cake out of the oven it needs to be refrigerated overnight, so tomorrow we will have some after school. 

The afternoon was warm and sunny! S went outside to work on her poster.  She likes to be outside when the weather is nice, so she can enjoy the fresh air.  She keeps tell me that the grass is greener each day. Yes, her favorite color, green. The tree buds are coming, but slowly~ We hope to see some green trees before we depart.

S has published her first {blog post} today. If you get a chance, please stop by.

xxc

Update: 1/4" mark shop

Update:

{1/4" mark shop} has added more Patchwork Style zippered pouches. Each zippered pouch has its own characteristic. There are varies sizes for the zippered pouches. The larger scale is perfect for carry sewing tools, makeup, or small stationary supply. The smaller scale is great for passport or small cash when running a quick trip to the market or keep precious jewelry.  The metal zipper gives nice enforcement of the zippered pouch and added a zakka style look.

enjoy~

xxc

Random: Sew many

{shop}

In this transition of moving, the sewing projects are rather simple. Small projects are so much better  and still keep myself moving.  The last ironing board cover was made 5 years ago and it had a hole for a very long time. Finally I took a quick trip to the fabric store and got a piece of home deco fabric. She looks clean and sweet again and it is so much better pressing fabric.

Remember the {half triangles} sewing?  It is a lovely kin-cha-ku now. It is hand-quilted for the bag and this time I added handle on. It is a gift to a friend I hope she will like it.  The second set of half-triangle pieces are nearly ready to assemble together.

The wall in the sewing room is bare! The design board is down and giveaway to a friend here. These stamp blocks are press and ready to store away. They will be waiting for me to come back and continue working on them. I have added more 1.5"x1.5" squares in to the stamp box.

My Tova madness hasn't gone! I need some good space in the living room to work on the cutting. Hope I'll have a new tops to show you.

xxc

Random: sew, the book club

...... {thank. you} for all the encouraging and well wishes! I read them to S and she looked at me in a happy face.  We are looking forward the trip and finally, the trip plan is all settled by the end of yesterday. We are holding new tickets without any mistakes on the tickets this time.  It feels very good to have the ticket ready and the traveling dates are not affected by any of the causes.

I'd love to show you what I found and what they transferred into.  As I go through my school studio I found some older projects that I started with in my graduate program. I did a series of numbering printmaking and was planning to collage textile on the print, but the idea fail apart. I have kept these embroidered numbers in the studio. Yesterday, I found them and took them home with me.

I wondered if you have nice bookmarks around when you read? S' bookmarks are pieces of salvages that I cut from sewing or zipper that can slip in her pages. Sometimes, she use scrap batting that I put in the recycle bowl. It has been a long over duty project; make bookmarks for S!

As our mini book club has just formed this past weekend. I made S two bookmarks and one for myself. They turn out really nice!  You may do any patchwork you like in the front and machine quilted on the batting. I used linen and cotton blended fabric for the backing to give extra firm texture.  S hasn't seen them as she was too busy this morning. Hope she discovered them later today.

 xxc

Random: heading East

Happy May 1st! When we lived in Iowa, Julie always prepared May first baskets for the kids that she babysit. Of course, S got one, too! Inside the basket always full with homemade cookies,  little flowers that kids picked from the morning walk and a note from each kid to their mama and dada.  I heart that tradition in Julie's house!

It has been a week that full with busy and some better news from the travel agent.  We should have everything settle by the end of the week. Thank you for all your well wishes I think they worked! Thank you for all the sweet and lovely comments on {keep it simple}.  {Thank. You}.

It is May 1st! We are moving in 24 days from today! Finally, I am more settled and ready to share with you where we are heading! It is not a secrete, but we have not feel that we are ready for this and with all the busy events lately. Everything just got postpone..

It has been little over a year of decision making and planning about where we heading. We are heading to East, Taiwan for a year! The thought for going to Taiwan came to me the summer before my last year of graduate study. I have listed many pros and cons about the move. S and I have talked about it before we approach our family. The move scars her to begin with. Every time, we talk about the schooling in Taiwan that brought her lots tears. She is fluent in conversation and listening, but reading and writing are not something that she can work with like her English.  We have done some new study at home since then, but it is still limited.  I have promised that we'll work together and we'll have great experiences instead of worrying not being able to catch up. 

I have always though it would be great to let S exposes to the culture that I came from, but it has been hard to find the good timing to do so. The post graduate year seems appropriate for taking the year off. This year would allow S and I spend time together, read, travel, make arts, be with family, and of course, pup, Lucky, the boy.

Beginning of this year, I have approached so many blog friends who homeschooling their children { thank you friends for you kindness}. There are so many information about homeschooling and I made many phone calls to find out the appropriate way for homeschooling. This is the part that I am not ready for! Homeschooling S for her U.S. study. I went and sat in her classroom one day in February and try to figure out how the teachers teach and oh boy, it is not as easy as I thought. Many of our friends have kindly offer Skype reading time with S once a week and help out her study via Skype. It really helps me out in many ways.  {My stars of Learning} is where S will post her readings and things that she enjoys while oversea. It is considered a portfolio that she can record her study on her own, so we can submit it in when we return next year to the school where we'll be.

My mom is overjoyed when I told her on the phone back in March. Oh, no screaming or tears! But I could hear her voice was higher when I told her our decision. That's a lot for my mom; a very conservative lady. I know that we'll have an interesting year together, but we'll try to be sweet and kind to each other.  It will be some adjustment to live with family again, but S and I both started looking forward coming home that grandma might be cooking dinner and Lucky might be waiting to play.

S is finally comfortable to share and talk about the move! She still unsure about schooling in Taiwan. She has many uncertain feelings about study in Chinese, but she will do well and hope gain tremendous great experiences for her little life.  She helps out packing her books and toys to store away. She picked out the clothes that she would like to take with. She gets involved with the move and be part of this adventure this time.

We'll still be here at {1/4" mark}, but we are away from the land that many of you and I are stand for. It doesn't seem like that going oversea is so difficult this time, but we do have more preparations to make and careful planning for S' schooling.

Within the year of oversea:
S will ...
-attend Taiwan's elementary school as an exchanged student and learn some Chinese.
-wear uniform to school everyday.
-greet the teacher before class starts and when class ends.
-spend time with extended families
-have a real pet, Lucky
-go to market with grandma at 6a.m. in the morning
-enjoy night markets
-travel to South East Asia
-experience different holiday traditions
--- much more

I, on the other hand would like take the post graduate year to work on some new sewing patterns and possible some a new quilt. A full suitcase of fabric is what I am taking and a full suitcase of books is what S is taking.  We both have our loves! 

The year of 2013 has been so great already even it is only May!  I hope to keep blogging and sharing even we are oversea. I'd love to show you my hometown and show you some fun places. Of course, I will continue sharing sewing with you and keep {shop} running.  This blog brought S and I many amazing friendships and many encouragements to keep moving on the days good and bad! Thank you for coming here to read a bit of this and that~  

now,
Stella.. are we ready for this adventure? It is going to be an excellent year ahead of us, i promise you!

xxc