Things I Am Thankful For. (In No Particular Order.)

-Spacebags.

-Family and friends who are willing to spend hot sweaty weekend days hauling our crap across town. Seriously. We have the best people in our lives, and are super blessed.

-My hair being long enough to throw into some semblance of a ponytail. If it weren't I would have gone Sinead O'Connor after the first day of painting. The mini-tail has risen again!

-Spacebags again. Except for the ones that break, or deflate randomly, those are on the list of things I spit at.

-Getting the best mail ever: on the first day of moving, I got my vintage sheet swap package, and on the second I got my Dubb Nubb CDand an amazing pity-letter from Raych. Maybe the mail will always be more exciting at this house? (Ha.)

-My mother, who CLEANED OUR OLD APARTMENT. All of it. The kitchen, the bathroom, the 2-inch thick layer of animal hair on every surface. She even washed the dirty dishes I still had sitting in the sink. Sainthood, I think, is in order.

-My mother-in-law, who made brownies and cookies and macaroni for the 13 people that were here on Saturday, with a lot of leftovers, which she left for us. I have not had to even think about what will be for dinner for the past four days! Joy!

-Brian, for being patient with me when I was freaking out, which happened a few times. Also, for helping paint the millions (three) of rooms we painted. And for schlepping all my stinkin' craft stuff around.

-Having a back yard we can park giant trucks in. Convenient.

-Costco, for carrying the giant pack of Spacebags, and $10 pizza, and for the giant pack of allergy medicine.

-Netflix, and Netflix streaming, and Party Down, and The Sopranos on dvd. Because at the end of the day, you need SOMETHING to make you not want to curl up in your box-shanty-town and die.

-Tiny light, at end of tunnel.

I am sure there were more, but I have forgotten them, because my brain is still stupid with exhaustion. Come back again tomorrow, and maybe I will have found my card reader. And when I do, your eyes will be ASSAULTED with NEW FABRICS! Or something?

Cleaning, Packing, Painting, Pledging, LOST.

There were potential new tenants in our apartment today. People I do not know, who I cannot ask to excuse the mess, along with my landlord. Do I need to say what I have been doing nonstop for the past two days? A massive cleaning effort, that for the most part is only a "pre-clean" for the one we will have to do after our stuff has been moved out. It was crazy, and we are tired, but it is nice to see a lot of stuff packed up, and GREAT to see a lot of things cleaned. Did I mention that my husband cleaned the bathroom? Meticulously? Did I mention that I have the greatest husband ever? In the history of the world? All of the above is true, my friends.Also, I am taking part in r0ssie's Process Pledge, here it be:
I, Lauren Hunt, pledge to talk more about my processes, even when I can’t quite put them in the in words or be sure I’m being totally clear. I’m going to put my thinking and my gut feelings out there.
So, there it is. Hopefully this will help me to start work on all of the sketches I have yet to turn into quilts? I hope so. I am also participating in r0ssie's Mid Century Modern bee, more on that later as it develops.A few REALLY EXCITING THINGS are happening, and number one is that today I went and picked up paint test-pots! AHHHHH! Right now four of them look pretty much identical to me, but I am hoping that will change once I get them up on the wall. And by the wall, I mean, "the paper I am painting them on and taping to the apartment walls". Because we close next Wednesday, and would like to paint some on Wednesday and Thursday before we move in on Friday. Not ideal, but it is the way cookies are crumbling, and we can probably get a fairly decent idea of what the colors look like? Worth a try.
Number two exciting thing is LOST! LOST LOST LOST LOST! Have I mentioned that I am a LOST dork? Because I am, people, I am. And less than a year ago, had you asked me if I watched it, I would have snidely said something along the lines of, That deserted island show? No, I don't really get the point. Well, I wouldn't have SAID that, because that's a pretty jerky thing to say, but I would have thought it. Because, from the outside, it really doesn't look like the show can go much of anywhere. People. Plane crash. Deserted island. Not really enough to be interesting, right? WROOONG. Dead wrong. There are a million people saying a million things about how brilliant it is, but what I love about it is that it is a fully formed fictional world in the way that most TV is just not. It is book-worthy fiction. It is a valid cultural text. They knew EXACTLY what it was they were making, and they CREATED it, they didn't just slap a bunch of wacky crap together at the last moment. My criteria for a really great fictional world is if it pops into my head while I am driving. This sounds stupid, but most of my best thought happens while I am driving, and if I find myself asking questions about the story during drive-time, I know it has sunk deep. Into my SOUL. Or maybe not soul, but pretty deep anyway. So, if you are someone who sees it as just another network melodrama, I encourage you to give it a chance and START FROM THE BEGINNING. You MUST start at the beginning, or you will get totally frustrated and hate it and I will cry. And also, be a little bit patient, it seems simpler in the beginning than it is, and ignore the Nikki and Paulo episode, because everyone knows that episode stunk.
Post summary: Wow, I forget. Cleaning, paint samples, process pledge, and most importantly, watch LOST, it will make you smarter?

Vintage Sheets and Tote Bags.

Title pretty much says it all, folks. Today was the sendoff day for the vintage sheet FQ swap I am participating in on flickr, organized this year by the talented Kate of See Katie Sew. What you see here, my friends, it 80 vintage sheet fat quarters. 80. For serious. And I will get 80 back, and on that day, I will prance around like a moron, and make a big pile, and jump in it like Scrooge McDuck, but I will get hurt, because 80 FQ's a big jumping pile does not make. Expect sprained ankles. Anyway, I sent these off today, so alls I have to do now is WAIT.Last week I made a zillion tote bags (read: 15 ) for the craft sale I did on Saturday, where I sold exactly 2. A triumph it was not. But, this means a biggish etsy update, with more coming in the next few days. I am super pleased with how these came out, and I reeeeeally like the new shoulder/messenger bag things that I did. They have a magnetic snap closure and are a great length for carrying as a purse. And they are ships! Also, I am quite fond of the vintage fabric totes, because, c'mon, it is vintage fabric. I dream of this kind of stuff. So, everything is in the etsy shop if you're interested, and more coming soon! Also, take note of my fine (and by fine I mean awkward) modeling work. Somebody call up Tyra! Also, I have grandma hands. That is all.

First Pyrex!

I finally found a nice piece of Pyrex while thrifting! I have been drooling over In Color Order's collection for a while now, but it has been hard to find a nice quality piece. Yay! Of course, it is somewhat counter-productive to buy ceramics right before moving, but...And thanks for all the boat love. I am printing it in 4 more colors, and will post them just as soon as I get them... I can't wait!
PS: Sorry if this posted in your reader a bunch of times-- I tried using the new blogger editor, and had ISSUES. I am way behind the times.