Happy Zombie

All this week I’m at a work related seminar with my husband at the BEAUTIFUL Naval Base Kitsap - Bangor (Washington). Of note… there are about 35 males in the class… and I’m one of four females. And this is what’s called justice…

Sashay.
Sashay.
Sashay, sashay away - it’s good to be a girl today.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your kind and loving comments about my upcoming fabric!  I think I read each comment 5 or 6 times - soaking it all in knowing how lucky I am to be surrounded with such warmth and kindness.  So much is going on at my house, and I wasn’t able to answer the wonderful comments.  Please forgive me.  I’ve been sooo busy - that even most of my bolts are STILL wrapped in plastic.  I KNOW, crazy.   I had some really cool company come last week, so I had a lot to do before hand (because I’m not blessed with he cleaning gene).  Probably the most exciting visitors I ever had… and I can’t talk about it until 2011.  I KNOW, crazy.  

So last week in prep for my company - I decided I needed to go to Ikea and redo my living room.  I KNOW, crazy!  But not to worry, I didn’t.  But… Ikea did give me a thrill.  A red and aqua thrill.  I’ve been loving the red and aqua since before September 2006 (I know this because that’s when I partook in my 1st red & aqua swap), and NOW, almost 4 years later… Ikea is FINALLY on board with the color combo.  I KNOW, crazy.

I don’t need any more drinking glasses… but I had to get these. My cupboard complained. I KNOW, crazy!

Have to have the dinner napkins. And the best part… I get to rub red and aqua all over my face and not be looked down on like a weirdo. I KNOW, crazy.

Picnic trays.

The cherry on the aqua pie:

I did find a really cool red shelfy thingy at Ikea that I HAD TO HAVE. It was intended to go in my studio, but it didn’t work out there. I tried it in the kitchen and then twitpic’d it in it’s temp spot… and then I got tweeted that it’s a good spot. I do what my tweet peeps tell me. And plus my DS walked into the kitchen and said, “wow, perfect spot” (I KNOW, crazy).

My favorite thing to do at Ikea (besides filling up the yellow bag), is to pick out a showroom flat (notice I didn’t say apartment - because I always feel so Euro when I’m at Ikea) and pretend it’s mine. This was my flat pick - my Mo Faux Home - I’m gaga over the navy/pink/red/white combo. Ga. Ga.

Here’s the living room - I love the pink club chair (bottom left, just barely). Perfect to have *Secret Society of Something meetings in.  Jona is bringing cheesecake, and Mary is bringing her specialty.  Anyone else want to bring a snack?

*So secret - it’s not even been established yet. I KNOW, crazy.  No membership dues, no business meetings, no blech… just food, fun, sewing, crafting and friends.  Some day - so be ready!

… and he’ll be wearing cute brown shorts and driving a big brown chariot and hell bring me the glass slipper.

I’ve been waiting almost to years for this - but the wait these last two days… AGONIZING.

I have a big fat super secret - that I’ve kept under wraps for ALMOST 2 YEARS…  I finally get to officially reveal it… and it’s takes me a week to do so!!  That car you honk at that sits at a green light?   That would be me.   Part life, part nerves.  I’m wresting with the *what if’s*…  what if no one likes my BFSS… what if my BFSS doesn’t sell… what if no one orders my BFSS.  Yeah… it’s got me nervous!!!

I could not be more excited and more happy… it’s like a holiday at my house.  It’s Holiday Happy.  By me.   BY ME!  I’m so excited my head snapped off.  And then it rolled around the world twice - and then I had to duct tape it back on.

So I was pretty good about keeping the big fat super secret.  I say pretty good.  If Lecien asks, I was 100% good (whispering… I had to let out a few leaks - otherwise I was going to pop like a balloon filled with bacon, lettuce and tomatoes - and that would have been too big of a mess for my family to have to clean up).  Nothing could be better than being a part of the Lecien family and being with my good friend (and mentor) Bren and my new not yet met friends Rosalie and Atsuka, AND drawing in my favorite colors, AND having them put it on fabric!  My artwork usually hangs on the fridge.  I am here to say one’s doodling is MUCH BETTER on 100% premium quilting fabric than it is on white powder coated doors.   Way.   Better.

Here it is .  My baby.  My first fabric line.  Starring my little half Santa - half gnome… Gnoma Claus.  And because I can’t go for a third post in a row without talking about the Olympics… my Gnoma Claus’ beard was inspired by the torch during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.   Ok, end Olympic mentions.  Holiday Happy coordinates beautifully with Lecien’s Color Basics and 1000 Colors Collection (solids), and I’m ITCHING to get sewing with them all.  I’m also fantasizing about seeing Sandra Bullock in an Oscar gown made out of my fabric.  Oh so fun to imagine it.

Holiday Happy in red colorway and a peek at the Gnoma Claus panel:

Holiday Happy will debut and be available for order at the 2010 Spring Market in Minneapolis, MN.   I do not know when it’ll be available retail - but I’ll update that info as the time nears.  Oh you BET I WILL!  And what retailers are carrying it, and who’s making something with it… and me goin’ on and on about the Olympics is NOTHIN’!

DH and I are headed up to Vancouver this afternoon. Normally we turn right at I-5 and go to Vancouver, Washington. Today we turn left - and make our way up to beautiful Vancouver, BC… and I CAN’T WAIT! We have no itinerary, no plans, no event tickets. Lodging is the only thing I’ve taken care of. We’re having a little Winter Olympic adventure, Monica style - my little Mo’lympics.  I sure hope they take my passport from jr. high at the border!

Hopefully we’ll find ourselves in interesting places and among interesting people.  I’ll be tweeting while I’m there if you want to follow along with me.  I hope I’m able to catch Shaun White, Stephen Colbert, Chris Collinsworth & Johnny Weir milling about (maybe they’re shopping for red mittens too!).

A big bah hum bug about being in Vancouver, BC on Friday… there are no Jack in the Box’s in Canada. WHAT THE WHAT? I guess I’ll have to hop down to Blaine, Washington to participate in JITB Taco Friday. This should make The Anti JITB Taco-ite very happy. If anyone is not familiar with the JITB two for 99¢ tacos - they are delicious deep fried treats of who knows what. Elizabeth says they moisturize your lips as you eat them.   And it’s true!  Elizabeth, Kathi, Camille Pot Pie, Jona, Vanessa… just to name a few - we’re all doin’ it (and workin’ on the Fat Quarter Shop girls… Kim, Debra and Ice-karate champ Jocelyn).  Join us!  Come hop on the JITB Taco Friday bus.  Just watch out for Pam…

she will snag your tacos, lock you up and throw away the key if she catches you.

No White Christmas like last year… so I stay focused on my tree and pretend.  Sipping my hot cider while Christmas with the Brady Bunch plays softly in the background Mr. Zombie’s Mythbuster’s marathon and roaring fire lulls me into staying in my jammies and eating way too much spinach dip.

Again… ham dog Madison wants in the shot.

Showing off her acting skills… Clint Eastwood imitation: “Get off my lawn“. (thanks Heidi and Frank!)

Yawn.  I’m boring her.

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!  May your day be filled with family, friends, food and frivolity.

And may all your Christmas photos turn out G Rated and your ornaments be well hung.

It all started with the little one for my studio.

And then the medium one for the kitchen.

And FINALLY came the big one from Santa Kohl’s.

It was a week long event. It took only minutes to put the baby tree up. But the big tree… that was a week long chaotic, messy event.

My white Christmas trees are multiplying like little white bunnies. I think I even saw one of the trees smoking a cigarette.

The absolute best part of my my week long decoratingpalooza - was putting all the storage boxes and all the decordoohickies away. I can’t stand anything on my table other than meals and table-bling - so when all the decorating by-product came off the table and the floors - and went back into the garage…. THAT is when sighed and oohed and took a deep relaxing “it’s Christmas!” breath.

Next year’s Christmas… I’m starting next month.

Edited in:
Thank you for the tree-skirt lovin’! Actually, it’s more like tree-pants. It’s just a bunch of basic 9-patch stars set into a big square (I’ll try to make a pattern for it, but it’s really basic). The hardest thing about making this was cutting into the quilt to make the “legs”. Also hard to take pics, as someone kept trying to get in the shot.

Who says it takes days to decorate. I did mine in about 3 minutes.

Before…

After…

Indecision is my middle name. Because Monica Inability To Make A Decision Solorio was much too long.

Before…

After…

And THAT was my Christmas decorating for 2009. ONLY because I’m still waiting for the 7′ white tree I ordered from Kohl’s. They sent me a green one by accident - so I wait for the replacement. Customer service (via their facebook site) was so outstanding in the matter… that I’m all good with the little extra wait. Indecision may be my middle name… but Procrastination is my first name. Plus the MaryKate-mas tree wants to come out of the attic.  Just in case.

Darling, darling, darling owl and adorable dress/apron ornament made by my seriously talented and sweet friend Laurie of Old School Acres (and she’s got a wonderful etsy shop!).