Insert standard blogger excuse for scarceness here

I know I've been scarce this month, despite the "Post a Day in May" thing (which I totally flubbed) but I've decided to go ahead with the dress sale that my friend Jane has been encouraging me to put together. Jane has been my friend for almost 10 years, and she has always been a great motivator for me, even back in the day, when she was my boss. Not only does she encourage those she cares about, she always helps, in big ways, to get things moving. For example, she is hosting the dress sale at her beautiful home and is fattening up the guest list with her contacts. She's good people. I'm lucky to have her in my life.

All of this to say, I've been sewing like a mad woman. It's been fun, something I feared sewing on a deadline would not be, but pretty much all-consuming of my free time. So I'm here, just not as much until the end of June.

A post a day in May

Though I am a day late, I decided to participate in Jenny's (of the lovely allsorts) Post a Day in May mainly because the button she has for participants is so pretty, I just wanted to display it on my blog.

And also because THE SPRING SEMESTER IS OVER!!! And now (well, in a few days, after the mountain o' papers is graded) I can give more attention to my beloved pasttimes. Like last summer when Mean Mommy was born and sometimes I posted twice a day and also kept up the now languishing Mommy Blog Roundup, whose abandonment causes me daily guilt and sadness. I love MBRU. I just haven't have time to maintain this blog, write for Momformation, keep up with work, laundry, diaper changing, general child rearing, and get my daily sewing fix.

Speaking of sewing, I have some gorgeous pictures to share. Both are amazing recent thrift stores finds: a vintage Singer 328K from the 1960s that works like a dream (for $10 dollars!) and an unbelievable quilt top, whose every hexagon is a beautiful piece of vintage fabric. (For more pictures of the quilt fabric, click here.)



I'm in love with both of these things. The sewing machine especially. It's such a good, sturdy machine, obviously lovingly cared for by someone for years, and I was very lucky to find it. When I sew on it, I feel giddy.

Ok, I promise, more coherent posts to come throughout the month.

New games

I know! Let's play "What's new on my sidebar?"

Then, after you figure out the new sidebar element, we can play "Watch how Ashley asks you to admire her sewing without directly asking you to admire it."

Then we can play the ever-popular "Find all the imperfections in these amateurish handmade dresses" and "Persuade Ashley not to quit her day job."

Yes, I'm still sewing busily and with as much zeal as I had right after I got my machine. It's been a long time since I got so much satisfaction and joy from a hobby, probably not since I was 13, writing dozens of treacly folk songs using the same 6 guitar chords. And maybe not even then.

If you're good, I'll post a picture of the three pounds of vintage buttons I just won on Ebay. Opening that package was bliss, a dazzling combination of my love for sewing and my long-time adoration for objects formerly owned by old women.

Look for amateurish dresses sporting Bakelite buttons on my Flickr page soon!

This is why I wanted a sewing machine

To make old fashioned, simple dresses for Paige. She'll wear this (probably with a sweater, sadly) for Easter.

It's the third dress I've made for her, and the most successful by far! The pattern was about as simple as it gets.

I'll post a picture of her wearing it soon.

My funny valentines

I made these for the young 'uns. They'll appreciate them for a much shorter time than it took me to make them, but I'm used to their rejection. I undertake these projects anyway, imagining a time shortly after my death, when they're all together, packing up the house. At the bottom of a box, they'll unearth these lovingly embroidered hearts and sob with adoration and gratitude...so...

Happy Valentine's Day!

Handmade hullabaloo

So a couple of weeks ago, I sorta took this pledge to buy/make handmade gifts for everyone on my Christmas list this year. I say "sorta" because I still haven't thought up any handmade items to suit my 9 and 12 year old nephews--I can't picture them getting really excited about a tote bag or a quilted belt. And I can't whittle.

Anyway, this new sewing hobby has me a little high right now. I can't tell you how exhilarating it is to finish a project, to feel the pride of having created something beautiful(ish). So to have an excuse to sew has made me a bit of a hermit. I have a gift/project list a mile long, a closet stuffed with vintage fabric that I scored at a yard sale last weekend, and a permanent crick in my neck. John misses me. When he complains, I remind him how much money I'm saving by making our Christmas gifts. Nevermind the twice weekly trips to Jo-Ann's and the notions and needles and interfacing and dish towels and sewing books I've bought. I'm saving money, dammit!

I would love to share my f.o.'s here (it's sewing lingo--you wouldn't understand), but I have family lurking about, and I'd hate to blow any surprises. Maybe I'll set up a flickr group and relatives can be on the no-snoop honor system. I'll just enforce the rule that my parents handed down when we were little: if you snoop and discover your present, you take it then and there, and you'll have nothing under the tree for Christmas. So there. Remember, I can trace your outclicks, people.

I think a great deal about all the other work I should be doing while I sew: blogging here and at BabyCenter...grading papers...taking care of the children...nurturing my marriage...watching my DVR'ed episodes of The Hills. But the Singer calls to me every night (Singer, you know, like a siren). I think (hope?) some of my enthusiasm is bound to wear off, but until then, miss me. I'm busy doing all of this:

(okay, okay, f.o. = finished object. And I just learned that yesterday.)