Candid Reaction Pictures

I love photos by Tom Robinson.  He knows how to take perfectly gorgeous, simple pictures.  I first heard about him with his Feet First project.  He took pictures of his and his girlfriend’s feet while they were traveling. 

It makes me want to go someplace gorgeous.

Lately, I heard about his I'm Going To Be a Dad project.  He told My Modern Met, “Hand on heart, absolutely none of the reactions are staged. My friends and family are used to me having a camera hanging on my shoulder, so it wasn't out of character when I said, "Hey, can I take a photo of you?" I'd snap a few frames, then while continuing to hold the camera up, I'd move my head to one side and say, "Guess what [pause], I'm going to be a dad." Snap, snap, snap.”

 

Martin- he's already a dad so was very happy

Harwin- hates children

His wife’s brothers (who soon went back to their computer game)

One day, when I’m pregnant, this is how I’m going to tell everyone.  Maybe also when I get engaged some day.  It would be awesome.

Picnic with Friends

Some friends invited me to a picnic in a local park Sunday night.  I knew it was going to be fun, but it turned out hilarious after we decided to take pictures in a tree.  I won’t post any of them, but here’s a couple from early in the evening.

This is my friends after racing up the hill in the park, with me following at a sedate pace taking pictures of them the whole way.

This is a friend’s boyfriend, and was taken just seconds after the first shot.  I was hoping to catch him in that same sun with maybe a washed out face or a sun flare on him or something.  I did not expect a perfect silhouette.

Sewing Summit: Day 3

Today featured Free Motion Quilting with Allison from Cluck Cluck Sew (where I learned about this shindig in the first place!).

Then was Improv Piecing with Jess from Urban Patchwork.

Both classes were challenging and inspirational.  Improve Piecing was definitely a step outside my comfort zone, but my block turned out great.

Free Motion Quilting made me want to quilt more!  I think the next quilt I do is going to need to be machine quilted.  And it will definitely need to be Free Motion quilting.  There’s a different type of creativity that Free Motion Quilting takes that you don’t get from a quilt pattern.

Once again I ended up with a ton of ideas and inspirations and spent my afternoon planning out quilts.  And I’m definitely going next year!  (And dragging my Mom along for the ride!)

Sewing Summit: Day 2

Today was fantastic!  My first class was about Blogging with Dana from Old Red Barn Co.

Then was Photography with Vanessa Christensen from V and Co.

I could not get a focused picture of her face!  Every time I got her in focus she turned away.  It was brutal.

Then was lunch, with a great presentation by the organizers, Amy Ellis and Erin Singleton.

Then was fabric selection with Jeni from In Color Order.

They gave all of us Color Cards from Robert Kaufman.  The room loved it!

Followed by Refashioning Garments with Melissa from I Still Love You.

I took so many notes, and came away with so many ideas and projects and plans!  Today just flew by, but I can’t wait for tomorrow!

The Sewing Summit it here!

Today was registration and the opening reception.  Can I just say I love being in a room full of fellow sewists!  I took my camera but didn’t take any pictures, having far too much fun talking to everyone, and getting to know people.  It was exciting and nerve-wracking, and so much fun.  I can’t wait for tomorrow…pictures, I promise!

Bloggers Block of the Month

It started and I totally forgot to talk about it!  Of course, I haven’t even picked out what fabrics from my stash I want to use…but anyway.  So first up is:

September - Sherri McConnell - A Quilting Life

The tutorial was posted on Sunday, here.  So get over there and start quilting!

And yeah, I have not finished September’s quilt.  I’m kinda busy lately.

The movies I cannot stop watching

This post was originally over on my other blog At The Moment I on 9/2/11, but I’m transitioning into telling my friends and family about that blog, and I do not want them seeing how Speed is one of my favorite movies.  But, I didn’t want to lose this post, so I’m bringing it over here instead!  On to the post:

I was thinking today about all the movies that I watch over and over again.  There’s about a million of them, as is evidenced by my rather extensive dvd collection.  But I do have a few that I just keep watching.  I was going to put them in an order of favorites, but really it’s just whatever I thought of first.

1. Speed

I know, it’s an R-rated movie.  But it’s one of those movies that I can rationalize.  It makes me laugh like crazy.  Then the next minute I’m covering my eyes cringing like crazy. “What do you do?”

2. The Lakehouse

This movie typically follows Speed in a double-feature.  I watch Speed, love Jack and Annie so much that then I have to watch Alex and Kate.  I love everything about this movie.  The plot, the music, the architecture, the cinematography.  I love them “fighting” in the park, and them trying to understand what is happening.  When he goes to her apartment, which isn’t built yet and his brother pushes the “buzzer” bzzt, bzzt.  I love it every time.  “You’re going to think I’m crazy.”

3. Practical Magic

All too often I watch Speed and then The Lakehouse, and then the next day I end up watching Practical Magic.  I love the crazy aunts, the girls doing magic when they’re little, when Sally ends up yelling at Angelove in the car, the fact that Sally “doesn’t do magic” but she still stirs her coffee magically, that Hallet is so drawn to Sally and doesn’t know why.  It’s tragic, heart-wrenching, hilarious, and adorable.

4. You’ve Got Mail

I think this might have been the first movie I ever REALLY fell in love with.  It’s so funny when they’re “at war” and heart-breakingly adorable when he goes to try and “be her friend.” I could go through every line that I love in that movie but that would take a few days, so I won’t.

5. Desk Set

This was the first Tracy-Hepburn I ever watched.  Watching it you can tell just how much they love each other from the first moment they see each other.  I love that her name is Bunny, I love the classic rom-com misunderstanding that fuels the plot, and I LOVE the entire scene in the apartment.  And the drunk Christmas party.  And the giant plant.  I could keep going.

6. Elizabethtown

Many people hate this movie, I on the other hand…I don’t know, I suppose I relate to it well.  Drew is charming and sweet and a touch awkward.  One of my dreams is to take a road trip  across the US and this movie added a few more stops.

7. Pride and Prejudice

I am not a big fan of Keira Knightley.  But I think she played Elizabeth well.  I love the music, the cinematography, the acting, the part when Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth meet in the pavilion…sigh.  Or when he helps her into the carriage and then they focus on his hand flexing.  I have a major crush on Matthew Macfadyen.  I actually ended up watching the British show “MI-5” just to get to see more of him.

8. While You Were Sleeping

I just realized this is the third Sandra Bullock film in my list.  I think Lucy and Jack are one of my favorite couples.  Ever.  If anything you have to watch the dinner scene, with the two simultaneous conversations “These mashed potatoes are so creamy.” “Ricky Ricardo was Cuban.”  The rom-com misunderstandings, the horrible 90’s clothes…Bill Pullman, it’s all wonderful.

9. Stardust

Tristan and Yvaine.  I love watching their relationship go from enemies, to allies, to friends, to lovers.  Her speech about love and life is so insightful, and him growing up and becoming a man is fantastic.  “But you wanted cheese!”  hehe

10. Tangled

I watched this movie and went home quoting it.  It’s cute, it’s funny, it’s beautifully animated (drawn?), and it will make you want to light floating lanterns (which I’ve now done).  The songs remind me of the classic Disney movies.  And the lantern scene makes my heart race every time.

Honorable Mentions:

Pat & Mike- I love how much fun Hepburn seems to have playing all the sports in this movie and how Tracy seems to enjoy watching her have fun.

Without Love- I would own this movie except it’s nearly impossible to find.  I need to watch it a few more times before I declare it one of my all-time favorites but it’s close.  If you watch it, watch for Lucille Ball’s role as the friend.  It’s amazingly subdued.

Little Women- I used to camp out in my sister’s room with her tv and watch her copy of this movie over and over.  It’s one of my favorite books and I always feel this movie is one of the best adaptations ever.  It’s funny and sweet, and everybody plays their roll so well.  And Christian Bale as Laurie?  Love it!

Sabrina- Two words: Harrison Ford.  I love him playing Linus, and his assistant?  Hilarious.  And his mother.  And Greg Kinnear.  I love everything about this movie.  “It was like touching the Shroud of Tourin.” (Did I spell that right?)

Beauty and the Beast- This was my favorite movie as a kid.  I watched it as often as I could.  I love the music and I love watching that growing relationship.  I could watch “Something There” again and again.

That Thing You Do- Did you know this movie was written and directed by Tom Hanks?  That makes me love it more.  I love that the bass player doesn’t have a name, and I love Guy.  Oh do I love Guy.  “I…am…Spartacus.”

French Kiss- Meg Ryan’s character is her usual quirky self, but Kevin Kline is phenomenal!  I love that scene on the train car when she kisses him in her sleep, and he realizes he has feelings for her.  Once again, I could go through all the scenes I love but this thing would be ten times longer than it already is.

Someone Like You- I can’t decide if I like the book (Animal Husbandry) or the movie more.  They’re both funny, sweet, and relatable.  You completely understand her obsession.  And I love Hugh Jackman.  The midnight-snack in their underwear scene is pretty hilarious. 

Tin Man- This was the movie when I fell in love with Zooey Deschanel.  Technically it’s  a mini-series, but all in all it’s only a few hours.  I can’t even explain why I like it, just watch it.

Smokey and the Bandit- A young Burt Reynolds and Sally Fields.  Car chases, ridiculousness, a fat dog, a stupid sheriff, and some great one-liners.

Okay, I’ll stop now.  Someday soon I’ll do an entire post about tv shows. There are a lot of them.  That one’s going to be long too.

Swim Bag

So, I’ve been a little slackery lately.  I still haven’t finished my September quilt (crap!) but I did get a new swim bag made.  I started swimming about a week ago and realized right off that I needed a bigger bag.

I love it!  It’s big enough to fit a rolled towel in length-wise as well as my change of clothes, shower stuff, wallet, cell phone, goggles, and lock.  It fits a ton!  I got the pattern from Amy Butler’s book.  Ironically, it’s the bag from the cover.  Yup, I’m in love…with a bag.

In other news, the summit is coming up!  Super excited about that.  Only three more weeks.  And I’ve got two quilt-alongs I’m going to do.   The first is Quilt-Uberfest over at Blue Nickel Studios.  It’s the first 16 days of October.  The second is the Blogger's BOM Quilt Along over at Canton Village Quilt Works.  It’s a block a month for the next year.  I still need to pick up the fabric, but I’m thinking I might pick most of the fabric at the Summit’s Shop Hop.  So many projects, so little time.

Whoops

I kinda missed my August deadline.  I blame it on the West Wing.  I started watching that show, but I just can’t sew when watching a show where I need to pay attention to the dialogue.  And then it was just too hot to hand-quilt.  That heavy quilt on my legs?  Ugh.  I know, excuses, excuses.

But, in other news, I am psyched about the Sewing Summit in October.  And a little nervous.

July 2011: The Modified Nine-Patch

Haha!  Done just in time!  I finished the binding just a few hours ago.  This is a modified nine-patch, done entirely out of charm packs from Walmart.  I picked up the fabric months ago, and actually started it a long time ago.  It was going to be my June quilt, but then I was trying to get the Zig Zag done for my trip so it got pushed aside.  It’s entirely hand quilted, but it’s fairly small.  Maybe 3’ by 4’? 

The blue and orange quilt is coming along.  I’ve pieced 10 out of the 16 blocks together.  I think it’s going to end up being September’s quilt.  It’s looking like August will be a new quilt for my bed.  It’s a DIY of an Anthropologie quilt I found on a blog.  I’ll post more about it some other time.  For now, I’m just happy I got July done!

Chinese Lantern Side Projects

I redecorated my living room a few months ago and always meant to finish my bedroom.  So I’ve started taking the first steps by making my own chinese lanterns to decorate.

Did you know they make balloons this big?  It’s supposed to be 36 inches, but I don’t think I blew it up big enough.  My arms got tired.  Anyway, the big one will be covered in coffee filters and the smaller ones will be covered in pink muffin liners and white flowers.

Also, I’m making some Scrabble tile pendants and some more skirts (I’ve already done 2, pictures later!).  And a dress.  And I’ve got plans for a new duvet.  Too many projects, too little time!

How is it already July 20!?

Bah!  Just realized today how late in the month it is.  I have got to finish my July quilt and get cracking on August’s!

Sewing Summit

Just registered for the Sewing Summit here in SLC in October. Super excited about this! We'll call it my first foray into the online sewing world... (eeee!)

June 2011: The Zig Zag

So!  I know it’s already July, but I did get finished with my June quilt on time.  Sorry about the bad coloring from the living room.  The picture was taken at about midnight the night I finished.  And the next night it was hauled to Manti where it got something sticky on the binding.  Some people’s (adult) children…

Ta-da!  I got the inspiration from Cluck Cluck Sew’s Zig Zag.  She has the cutest ideas for quilts!  Anyway, the fabric’s from all over the place, mainly Fat Quarters I picked up at Joann’s, but the blue and greens are discounted Charm Packs I picked up at Walmart.  It’s bound in bleached white muslin and the back is a mint-green striped flannel with some leftover blue flannel (both from Joann) and some extra blocks from the front (sorry, no picture!).  This is the first quilt I’ve ever actually completed.  By myself.  I’ve done other quilt tops, but never have I really finished a quilt through the binding process.  And it’s the first quilt I’ve ever machine quilted.  My first hand-quilted still needs to be completed (it might be July’s project) but it’s close.  Just a few more hours and then the binding.  But still it’s pretty small (baby-sized).  My next quilt is a great blue and orange log cabin quilt. 

It’ll be pretty big.  I figure the blocks will come out at around 15” apiece.  I alternate between calling it the “Log Cabin” quilt or the “Sherbet” quilt.  It’s still in the piecing stage, but I’ve gotten 3 of the 16 blocks done already.  Although I’m planning on hand-quilting at least some of it, so it probably won’t be completed until August.

I was talking about quilting with my sister today and she asked me how I get them done so fast.  Was it speed or simply time?  I figured it was a little of both.  When I am working, I’m speeding through, and I can spend big blocks of time in the evenings working on them.  Ah the joys of only going out on the weekend!