clothing bug and hummingbirds

I've been bit by the home-sewn clothing bug, at least a little. I was pretty excited about it all until I wore my homemade blouse today, and the sushi chef asked me if I was trying to save money by sewing my own clothing. (sigh) Some people just don't get it, I guess, that some people sew because it's FUN, not because we're cheap. I made the blouse from a super-simple pattern, but I cut it out from a quilt top I'd bought a while back (simple squares of fabric), so it looks more complicated than it really is. I attached a bead with tied silk ribbon at each square's corner - hard to see in the photos. Anyway, it was fun, and now I have something else to wear to meetings with artsy craftsy people.

The other exciting news is that we've discovered a hummingbird's nest in our atrium, right by the window! It's perched delicately on a branch of Heavenly Bamboo, and is smaller than my fist. And I have a small fist. I think the cats knew about it way before we did. So we've been watching the parent birds coming and going, but today we definitely saw babies for the first time! I believe there are two. One of them is in the bottom photo - notice that his beak is still short. It will gradually grow out.

The colors of the bird and nest look different from one photo from the next, I think because I used a flash in one but not the others.

Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day and I'm remembering my mom with gratitude. She taught me to read and to sew, two things I still love to do. Here are some other things she taught me:

Art matters.

Smile.

Stand up straight.

It's okay to think for yourself.

Eat chocolate.

Mom never wanted us to make a fuss on Mother's Day, because Dad's birthday fell on or around the same date. So of course I think with fondness about Dad today, too. The most important thing he taught me was to try to find humor in things. Another one was to always have dessert. He had an eye for things that were unusual or whimsical (Dutch doors, ventilated sunglasses), and he was a terrific role model.

I try to take their teachings to heart (although I could be better at standing up straight ;-)) and I am grateful to my parents.

The Alzheimer's Project, and Auction

I understand there will be an important series about Alzheimer's coming up on HBO. It's called "The Alzheimer's Project," and it begins this Sunday. I'll be watching. They interviewed Maria Shriver on Good Morning America this morning. She has something to do with the series, and her father has Alzheimer's. She calls herself "a child of Alzheimer's," and so guess that makes me one, too.

In the meantime, there is an auction to raise money for a cure for Alzheimer's. There's still time to make a bid on 26 small quilts. The auction ends on Mother's Day at 10pm EST. It's all for a great cause.

Here's the link: http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html

Life's Little Detours

I just learned that my "Foot Square" auction piece is up on the SAQA website. It's called "Life's Little Detours." The auction isn't until September, so I'm one of the early birds.

http://www.saqa.com/newsebulletins/Squares09_2.aspx