I'm Back! With a few topics du jour..... :)

#1 -

Mumsy - January 2, 1915 - April 23, 2012
Yup, that's 97 full & fabulous years :)

The inevitable arrived, and my darling, precious Mother passed peacefully, in her sleep, early Monday morning on April 23.  I could write volumes; I've already spoken volumes to my incredibly supportive and amazing and healing friends, colleagues, hospice helpers ... even strangers I meet in every day life.

All I will say at the moment is that I am blessed - blessed to have been born of this gentle, honest, loving, and forgiving woman, and blessed to have been her caregiver for the past 5 years.   The challenges, the lessons, the laughter, the joy .... all of it was, and continues to be, one of the most amazing journeys of my life.

Yes, I am blessed :)

#2 - The month following Mom's death has been packed to my eyeballs with activity, grieving, healing, support, and, in short, transition on steroids!  I had been doing a TON of clutter-clearing, organizing, and gardening in the past months, and decided to go ahead with my planned yard sale a mere 2 weeks after her passing.

This was a smashing success!   Cleared out LOTS of crap-I-mean-treasures (even sold 2 of my sewing machines!) & made a bit of spending money to boot :)

#3 - I dove back into the gardening & house cleaning...

Built these steps from 4X6's & granite fines -
a great way to keep the old body in shape!

View of the backyard from my office window

...in preparation for...

#4 - a Gathering of Gratitude/Celebration of Mom & Life & Friends, which was another delightful, and healing, success :)

Pear Tree, gifted by a special friend in memory of Mom
The tree became a very special focus during the Ceremony honoring Mom :)

#5 - After all of that intense activity, (and a few hit-the-wall-and-sleep-all-day times of much needed focused healing and rest) I feel like I have a world filled with paths of opportunities in front of me.  I'm definitely in transition, still recovering, and thoroughly enjoying the freedom of being able to go out & about & play...and stay out as long as I want...and absotively RELISH time with friends!

This weekend has been one of those times that's been filled with the freedom of flitting about hanging with people I like, doing things I love ~ like eating gourmet food, feeling up fabric, enjoying art, having heart-opening experiences and conversations, and lots of laughter!

It all began with a yummy lunch & Fabrix shopping time with the always fun-to-be-with Shams and  ReAnn, who I was delighted to finally meet during her visit here :)   Besides our love of creative sewing & fabric petting, we share a love with a certain footwear manufacturer, and by pure coincidence (yeah right...) we all showed up wearing said shoes:

Whose feet belong to which sewist?
(and for those who are not yet obsessed with these outrageously fabulous shoes, they are Trippens)

And I have to add that our footwear was admired by total strangers who stopped us in the street to comment :D

You will notice that Shams & I have similar-sized bags -
it wasn't until the following day that we discovered we each went home with the wrong bag!  
Good thing we plan on meeting again soon :)

#6 - The Big Question - What's Next on the Sewing Front????????

Here's my poor, neglected sewing room as it looks right now:

Add caption

LOADS of opportunities awaiting here:

• Finish the Soho Raincoat?
• Finally make a tablecloth skirt?  (I'm feeling a lack of transitional season long skirts, so this is a strong possibility, especially since I already have 3 fabrics chosen for one!)
• Pick up on my promise-to-self to perfect pants fitting this year?
• Make some always needed new knit tops?
• Clean up the sewing room & just start on the first thing that sparks my fancy?  (that's kind of my style......)

Stay tuned.....I'm back!!!!

And by the way, my motto of the moment is that I'm ready to do anything & everything (within a modicum of reason) Because I Can!!!!!  (that includes a bit of blog-reading catch-up....)

Here's another little gardening shot to leave you with....

Matillija Poppies in the wind......