:: Changes

It’s been awhile... I know.

A few posts ago (when there had been quite a spell between my postings), I apologized & promised that I would be posting more, & more often.

But then, ... Life.

Life has become increasingly more complicated over the last few years - & so recently, with one more life event coming into play, I decided to make some changes. Changes that I think are for the best overall.

To play a little ‘catch up’..., my father, who turned 90 last January, lives with me. While he has been doing great for a man of his age, this past June he had to have emergency surgery, & it has taken a toll. He’s working hard to regain strength, but there is a marked difference. He’s now using a walker, & was told by the doctor that he didn’t want him driving, & that has been a hard pill for my Dad to take. But, I’m just so thankful that he's here at home & I can check on him easily.

I don’t know if I ever mentioned it - but about 4 1/2 years ago - when health insurance (especially for us here in Arizona) went sky-high, I decided to get a little outside the home - part time job. I was blessed to get a job with a company that provided full benefits to employees that worked 20 or more hours. It truly has been great, it was the kind of a job that didn’t use a creative bone in my body - & I could even take some design work with me to do when it got slow. (Truly a blessing of a job - right?!!!) 

It’s been a great chapter - but with the changes at home, I know that it’s time to leave the part-time job. While I love the folks I’ve worked with, I know I want to be home. Available for my Dad. Also, I started the part-time job just before my first fabric collection, Ambleside, came out with Moda, & I’ve always felt that I’ve had to put so many things that relate to developing my own business on the back burner. So, It will be so wonderful to get to focus more on designing more, & building up my little website shop. I’ve got so many things that have been floating around in my head for the past few years - that I haven’t had the time to develop & follow up with... so I’m looking forward to working on some of those projects.

I also have really missed the interaction with all of you. If there is one place I have kept up with things - social media-wise, it’s been over on Instagram. While I’m not the biggest fan of some if the changes that have happened (new algorithms) - it still is the easiest way for me to communicate quickly. So, I encourage you - if you haven’t created an account (which, by-the-way, you don’t ever have to post anything... you can just follow the folks you want...) to go ahead a check it out. My IG account is @brengr. (... & if you do decide to join up - leave me a comment to let me know!)

The other thing that I will be having more time to do - is to post here. To be honest, for a little bit, I did consider closing the blog. But, I’ve decided that really what it needs is just some attention & a little tender-loving-care. So, I’ll be working on that. For me, because of the fact that Instagram has adopted some of the Facebook algorithms, (which too often means to ‘now you see it - now you don’t’), I want to keep this platform open to communicate with my friends & customers. (... and, as this post demonstrates... sometimes ‘talk’ your ‘ear’ off!)

So, there are some changes in the wind. And, while I know some changes can take some time, I’m hoping that this change - of me being more present here on the blog - will be a good one... one that you will enjoy.

Thanks for being here.

With all my ♥ - Bren

:: oh my . . .

            

. . . With my last post titled 'carrying on'. . . & two months (!) since then, & no posts from me, you might be wondering just what kind of  'carrying on' has been happening...? (... & for those of you who have sent emails & notes wondering if everything is okay... thank you. Your sweet concern touched my heart!) So, just to let you know everything is fine with Bailey, & Dad is doing fine. He has battled a cold for several weeks that has somewhat 'taken the stuffing out of him', but he is recovering, & has been pretty good about not trying to do too much - too soon. (His usual practice...)

I was planning to put together a post tomorrow, but we are being warned to not be surprised if there are power outages starting tomorrow. For the second week in a row, Southern Arizona weather is being affected by, of all things a hurricane. Last week it was Norbert, & this week it is Odile. Last week, the remnants (& only the outer bands) of Norbert dumped a lot of  rain, & did a good soaking of our ground... & starting tonight, the remnants of hurricane Odile are making a direct path towards us, & with our ground already soaked, they are worried about the flash flooding that could occure. While watching the news this evening, I saw that even Jim Cantore for The Wearher Channel is here in Tucson, & we are told that some members of the Today show are arriving tonight to cover the storm. So... needless to say, we are taking it a bit more seriously & wondering just what might happen. They have said that if you don't have to be out tomorrow... don't go out. Hmmmm.

So, here I am putting together this little post to say "Hi!", & to let you know I'm still here, & to give you a few peeks of my new fabric line with Moda called Ambleside. (& yes, I'm still pinching myself!) My sample fabrics have arrived & I've been crazy busy making the final decisions on new designs & getting projects planned & started. Even though it's exhausting, what fun it's all been!  Bailey isn't quite sure about his mommy being so busy with it all! but I've made sure he gets his share of snuggles & cuddles. In the photo above, he just got his face (eyes) washed & he was waiting to get the curlies brushed out... (He thought he looked too girly...)

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of this autumn season (spring for the So. Hemisphere!)... This is my favorite time of the year... & I can't wait for the cooler temps, & the pretty colors of fall!

Take good care! 

xo, Bren

:: carrying on

Here in Arizona, there are some years when it feels like summer starts somewhere mid-spring. 

(The temperatures can hit in the 90's as early as March some years!)

But, this year we had a wonderfully mild spring, & now that it's July... summer has definitely arrived. 

In the 23 years I've lived here, I now feel like summer is officially here when we get the start of the summer rains... or what is called the 'monsoon' season. When I first moved here, I didn't care for it too much ("but I thought it was supposed to be a 'dry' heat!"), but now I love it when they arrive. 

And just the other day... they arrived!

In the top photo, I had opened the front door to check to see if any storms might be building (they often come up from the south during the summer), & although it was still very sunny (& hot!) over us, you can see what was coming! Bailey was just finishing 'watering' one of the bushes...(he's such a helper in with the gardening!)... when a big low rumble came from the direction of the mountains (& the big dark clouds), & within a split-second he was making a bee-line for the front door! So we went inside & put on his storm gear... his Thundershirt. He actually likes having it on & it does really help with the thunder-boomers. He was a happy camper throughout the 1.5 inches of rain we got that afternoon.  

The photo at the bottom was actually taken only about 15 minutes after the top photo! Within a few minutes we had a nice little lake build up on the side of the house... which my Dad loves (& actually created a dam so that  the rainwater wouldn't run out the side yard to fast) as it then soaks down & deep waters the trees we have on the side yard. You can see by the patchy grass, that we were in such need of rain. Hopefully with one or two more good rains, the grass will become more lush & green & less patchy. (... & all the bunnies that visit our backyard will be so happy!)

I hope you all (in the States) had a great Independance Day celebration. I watched some fireworks on TV (with the sound turned down as my little pupper doesn't like the booms at all...) & thankfully none of our neighbors set off any fireworks in the neighborhood. I love fireworks... ever since I was little... but having a pup that gets really traumatized by the noise has tempered my appreciation of them being allowed to be set off  within a neighborhood. I know I must sound like a firework 'Scrooge' , but honestly I do love them... in their proper place. 

I've had my nose to the grindstone with some new projects, & I'll try to snap some photos for you for another post. I'm putting this post together on my iPad, to see if this makes it easier for me to 'find' the time to post a little easier... So we will see if it looks the same. As I'm looking at this post as I'm putting it together, the photos look huge... so we'll see!

 Until then, I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

xo, Bren

:: happy May Day!

From my childhood, (just a fews years ago… *cough-cough*!!)… I remember at school learning to do the dance around the Maypole. . . I think my very favorite part was all the pretty ribbons & how they would weave themselves into a beautiful design as the dance progressed. I remember looking up (because I wanted to watch the ribbons) & bumping into my friend over & over, & we got a case of the giggles that refused to leave!

 . . . Sweet memories.

. . . I wonder if kids are still taught that dance. . . I haven't seen a Maypole in years. . .

I love May. It's that sweet spot between summer & spring (here in the northern hemisphere) where it isn't too hot yet & for us - it means windows open in the mornings & evenings - & the fresh air allows the house to 'breathe' again. The back yard is exploding with color. . . & although we only have two small bougainvillea plants now (we had to cut back the 'wall' of them that we used to have as they can be very aggressive & its a challenge to be sure they don't take over everything.) - I took a photo of the blooms on one. . . & it was so bright I had to tone down the color before posting it!

I've had my nose into my laptop for days (& nights!) to finish-up a project that I'll tell you about in a couple of days. . . & as I went to bed last evening, all I could think of is that I wanted needed to sew! So today, I'm spending some quality time with a bundle of 30's repro fabrics, & plant myself into my stitching chair. I can hardly wait! but, before I shut down the laptop for the day, I wanted to let you know that loaded a bunch of those wonderful little Moda mini-charm packs onto the website. . . I just love them & I've put them on a fun little promo - with 'buy-three-get-the-fourth-free'! You can mix & match the mini charm packs & just let us know which collection you would like as your free one!

I also added this sweet quilt - that I made for display of the first Durham Anew line that I designed - to the 'sample quilts for sale' page. There is no pattern for it - but it would be ideal in a little girls room or as an accent in any 'shabby-chic' space!

Happy May Day!

♥ Bren

… finishing & starting. . .

Thought I'd give you a look at my progress on the snow-people table runner. . . as it's getting close to the finished stage. I'm almost done with stitching the border down & then it will just be adding a few final touches & I will have this ready for decorating the house! I usually wait to start with decorating for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, but since Thanksgiving is so late this year, I've decided that I'm going to start decorating this weekend. Also, since being on Instagram (& following others). . . I've realized that most of the folks in other parts of the world have started decorating for the holidays! So, since I haven't added much to my autumn decorations for quite a while (need to work on that!),  I'm thinking that the white pumpkins that I have out can be incorporated nicely with some Christmas touches. . .

So with all the stitching that's been going on. . . I've discovered a new favorite. . . Dove Dark Chocolate Mint Swirl pieces.  Oh. My. Yummy-ness. I'm hoping that these are not seasonal as I'd love to keep them around all year 'round. (…& don't they look right at home in my aqua Ball jar?!?)

The other think that I've been busy with, has been cleaning out my office. I have 'straightened-up' in there over the years (I can be a 'pile-r'. . .), I have never done a big clean-out in there since I moved my office into the back bedroom almost six years ago. So, it was due overdue. 

My thought was that it had to be thorough. . . & it was …every drawer, every file, every cubby kind-of-thorough. It took me 3 days, & to be completely honest - I still want to spend another morning to finish up a few more things. I took a photo of it when I was midway. . . but I'll save it for when I take the 'finished' photo.

With going through all the items in the office - I found a couple of boxes of items that I had pulled for my website, but they got buried . . . so now that I've done the photography & listings. . . I wanted to let you know that I've also just added pages (several of them!) of items (fabrics, kits, notions, tag-sale items) to the website! Also, we've added another colorway to the 'Remember 'Whooo' Loves You' special order quilt options. We're having so much fun with making these & if you've been thinking about having one made - to be able to give for Christmas. . . it's looking like the cut-off date for that will be mid-week next week. (Unless we get more that we expect & then it will be sooner.)

. . . & then there's my little guy. . . doing the thing he does best - wondering when I'm going to go to bed - um, supervising.

Hope you have a great week.

♥ Bren

… getting ready

Hi there. Sorry for the lack of posting. . . I've been having issues with our internet connection for the last few weeks. . . & so trying to do anything more than getting some emails done & shipping printed has been most of the extent of my online experience lately. We have been replacing cables to see what the issue might be & now are hoping that we might (?) have solved the issue. We'll see. (crossing fingers!)

With all the July 4 preparations winding up here in the US

. . . for me it brings a bit of worry. . .

. . . worry that this little guy will have to suffer through hours & hours of fireworks going off in the neighborhood.

Now, I first want to say that I have always loved firework shows (& still do!). . . but for some reason, the people who live in my county voted to make it legal for anyone to shoot off fireworks. (sigh).

 So what ends up happening is that the booms & loud pops start around sunset & continue on & off until after midnight, causing Bailey to shake & fret for hours on end. Then, for the next several evenings, as the sun sets, he gets scared all over in anticipation of the booming starting again.

Poor baby.

Thankfully, last year - because we had not received any rains yet - the fire marshall put a ban on the public setting off fire-works. (they actually even called off the commercial displays last year - it was so dry.) I know I sound like a party-pooper, but to have my little guy suffer so breaks my heart. So-far this summer, we have had about 30 days of 100° (F) (or higher) & no rain & I'm actually hoping that we don't get any rain until after next Thursday, & they set the ban for no fireworks in the neighborhoods again. (. . . but I'm hoping they do have the professional displays. . . they are far enough away that the noise is manageable for us.)

But, just in case, I got Bailey a 'Thundershirt'. They are created for helping dogs that suffer anxiety from thunderstorms, fireworks, separation. . . etc. I went down to our local PetSmart & found his size & talked with the lady there & they say that they have a more than 80% success rate. They are made to literally envelop & hug the dog & hit specific pressure points that help calm them & most will even relax to the point that they fall asleep! (. . . here's hoping!) I also picked up a new little fox (unstuffed - how perfect!) & after I tried the 'Thundershirt' on Bailey - he got his new 'baby'. . . so that hopefully he will already equate that putting the 'Thundershirt' on brings good things. I actually thought he light not like having to have it on - but he actually didn't mind it at all. He chewed on his new little fox for a little bit & then settled in & napped. Gives me a bit of hope that he will get to have a calm holiday.

By the way. . . there are some new items that I've put on the 'Tag Sale' pages on the website. . . !

Hope you have a great week.

♥ Bren

... peony love

                                          

          

                                         

                                          

Where I live (southwest US), peonies are all but impossible to grow. After several years of drooling over seeing them on other folks' blogs. . . Brought in fresh in from the garden, when I went into our local Trader Joes market & saw them by the bunch, I just couldn't resist. (& for the record, I'm considering these the best $7 I've spent so far this summer!) 

When I brought them home, they were all in their not-yet bloomed ball form. Believe it or not, the first two photos were taken about 20 - 30 minutes after I trimmed their stems & placed them in the 'vase' (for me - that is usually a ball jar, I just love flowers in ball jars.)! I was afraid they would only last a couple of days, but they stayed pretty for almost the whole week. For every day they were here, they made me smile every time I looked at them. I'm hoping to get another bunch before they are out of season. What a sweet treat.

On the design front, I'm so excited to announce that just a few days ago, I got my confirmation & room assignment to be an exhibitor for the Fall Needlecraft Market! (I'm so excited!) Needlecraft markets are put on by TNNA (The National Needlecraft Association), & while they have four markets each year, two of them focus mostly on the counted thread, embroidery, stitchery side of the industry, & this market will be one of those. So, I've been a busy little bee working on new stitchery designs, as well as getting a couple of new quilt patterns ready for release.

We've also been getting our summer heat waves starting. . . so it's been a good time to keep indoors for most of the day, & it's been good for getting a lot done. I know you'd never know that from my lack of blogging, & so I'll try & do much better on that front.

I'm also hoping to get some new 'tag sale' items up onto the website early next week. . . (yep, I've been stash busting again). . . so keep a look out!

Wishing you many pretty posies to make you smile!

xo, Bren

... blooming yard

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                      

                                     

                                      

                                     

                                      

                                      

The other day, I was feeling a bit of dread at our temperatures rising from the wonderful spring temps that we've had... to temps rising into the 90's.  Then, as I was leaving the market the other morning, & hearing others at the Starbucks (right inside the market doors) talking about how soon it might hit 100 degrees (what we refer to as the "icebreak" here), I felt a little wave of dread for a brief second.  Then, as I exited the market doors, I looked out to the paring lot that is filled with blossoming trees, & I realized how  really lovely it is here, & how much I love lining here.

Then I went home & as I was putting my groceries away, I turned on the tv, to catch up on what was going on, & getting ready to send the rest of the morning working in the studio. The channel happened to be on CNN, & I was drawn into the stories of the survivors of the tornado that hit Moore, Oklahoma. Suddenly I was struck at how small & silly my dreading our temperatures getting hotter was. I looked outside & was drawn to all the beauty that as happening just outside my windows & took a good amount of time going outside to my backyard to appreciate what surrounds me & yet so often I take for granted.

I love all these blooms... & each one has some special meaning to me. It's just the start of the blossoms that will be happening in our yard this summer... & I plan to take the time & to look at them in a whole new way. 

It's good to have our eyes opened now & again...

(& my prayers & thought continue to be with all the victims of the tornado...)

xo, Bren

… springing

. . . no 'springing forward' on the time zone front

(we don't do that here in Arizona... no 'springing forward' & 'falling back'...while the rest of the country changes time two times each year... we stay the same... all year 'round.  (Although when I woke up at about 2:30 a.m. this morning & couldn't get back to sleep. . . I wouldn't have minded getting up the hour earlier!)

. . . but with the snow & rain showers we've had this past month (with days up in the 70's in the midst of those!) - you can tell that spring is itching to get started around here!

While at our local 'Trader Joe's' a couple of days ago, I couldn't resist the little bunches of daffodils they had. None of the buds were open, but after trimming the stems, & putting them in water, by the next morning they were blooming away! 

Then my Dad surprised me with a little birthday lunch last week with some of my sweet quilting friends (thank you sweet my ladies!), & in the middle of the table in the cafe was a beautiful bouquet of yellow roses (with stunning orange edges on the petals)!

They are now gracing the breakfast table where they seem to open up a little more every day, & where we can both see them the most.

Today, after working so very hard at it, the sun is actually shining away, 

& it is forecasted for us to possibly reach 90 this week! I think our flowers & plants & grass & birdies will be giddy! I know I will!

Hope you have a wonderful week!

♥ Bren