Another Announcement

Because my life isn't crazy enough...

In March the book is coming out.

Our basement is on it's way to becoming a functional and beautiful space, but not without the noise, chaos, mess, and extra people in my house all the time. All. The. Time.

And now I've gone and got myself knocked up.

(That's me in the top left, complete with an airplane/baby in my tummy and my growing boobs. Thanks to The Monster for this family portrait.)

I'm complaining about none of it.

Okay, I might complain about the reno stuff more than I should and I really dislike being pregnant. So, if you see me in person there is a good chance I will whine about something. And me, such a process person, I'm only interested in the end result with both these scenarios.

Because I need a little bit of order in my crazy life...

My new website launched. www.cherylarkison.com. This is a landing zone for all things about me, including a portfolio and quilt gallery. It is a live site and will get updated as I photograph more quilts and write more articles. My teaching schedule is also on there. Let me know how you like the site.

This blog will be changing over the next little while. Many of you were reading me over at Backseat Gourmet as well. In an effort to streamline the work I do that I don't get paid for, I am consolidating my two blogs. You'll see the new name up there and a few other changes. This space will become something that combines all the things I do as I survey the world from my dining room empire - quilting, crafts, parenting, writing, cooking, and generally being crazy. And I'm going to be sharing it all here. Especially the crazy part!

I am pregnant after all...

Jane Austen

Full disclosure: I've never read Jane Austen before.

When I told my sister-in-law this she commented that she felt like she didn't know me anymore.

I've always been totally honest in this space, so I thought I better make the confession to all of you. And yesterday I went out and bought all the books (on sale!). It will take me a long time to get through them at my current pace of about 5 pages before my eyelids close at night. Besides, I can't take away from my quilty time...

Looking Down

Inspiration comes from the strangest spots.

There I was, insanely groggy from anaesthetic and painkillers, looking down at my hospital gown, and all I can think is, "Gee, that would be a cool quilt."

I debated snitching the gown and using it for fabric. But for one, that would be wrong. Two, the health care system doesn't need any more shortfalls. And three, it was a poly/cotton and I'm a fabric snob. I remembered that my camera was in my purse, asked the nurse for a bit of help, and snapped a photo.

Surgery is in the past now. Recovery ahead. The anaesthetic did me in more than it ever has before. My sister so kindly pointed out that I am getting older after all. But the knee is doing okay, better than I expected. I'm hoping that with more time and some therapy it will indeed be more or less 100% as the surgeon hopes. I'm anxious to go for walks with the girls, ride my bike, and test it out. Baby steps.

For now maybe I'll work on some sketches...

Crazy Busy

This is a post of random notes.

Thank-you so much for the support for Quilts Recover. I'm seeing posts go up around the blogosphere by friends. Emails are coming in already. If there wasn't this rotating postal strike some quilts might even be on their way already!

There've been a number of suggestions for Quilts Recover. Different chapters, financial donations, and offers of quilting tops sent from far away. I promise you that I'm sorting through all the ideas and figuring out ways to maximize quilts and quilters' generosity. You folks are just awesome.

There wasn't a lot of quilting done in the last week. I was up to my eyeballs in writing deadlines. In one day I interviewed Jennifer Paganelli (Oh, she is so awesome!) and a handful of goat farmers (also awesome). In between butt wiping and baking muffins for preschool. Now that's the life!

Lastly, I'm getting the binding on the Shades of Grey quilt. That's today's task, along with prepping for The Monster's 5th birthday party tomorrow.

Then, on Thursday, I'm having knee surgery. Finally. Just one of my knees, but they will check out the other while I'm down for the count. Needless to say, there won't be a lot of quilty action, aside from handstitching that binding, for the next week or so.

On that note, time to get prepping!