Cloud Atlas!!!! :)

I am getting so excited for the movie "Cloud Atlas" to come out! My husband and I are reading the book and are more than half way through it. The book is very witty and clever beyond words. I saw this really fun post today from the Toronto Films Festival and found this engaging clip of the press conference for "Cloud Atlas". There are some enjoyable comments from the cast and crew in the clip and I hope this sparks an interest for more viewers and such or at least someone else to gush to about this phenomenon:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnG5zbg8NoM&feature=player_embedded

It doesn't matter how many years have passed since September 11th 2001, I still feel this great sense of loss and shock to my system every time I think about that event in time. I remember not being capable of doing anything but staring at the TV that day. I couldn't understand others going about their daily activities. Every year since on the anniversary, I have felt this hollow, gnawing, pit in my stomach. So I think I'd like to start a new tradition. Every year I want to ask myself about how I've conducted my life since the previous year. Have I shown a greater commitment to peace, love of mankind, and Charity? Not monetary charity but the pure love of Christ. Have I, since this time, worked to deserve the life I live? Is my life an instrument for good in serving others? Do I live a life that promotes peace and love to everyone? Do I pray for not just myself, but others, even my enemies? I hope that next year as I remember the lives that were lost surrounding this awful event I will have truly remembered the commitment I have made to deserve the life that I live, in a country whose sacrifice has been many, for my life.

My husband and I have been looking for a hardback copy of "Cloud Atlas" by David Mitchell. We can find so many paperbacks and the only hardbacks are signed so they're $$$$. Oh well...we are really pumped to read it. The preview to the movie looks fantab.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWnAqFyaQ5s Most any movie with Tom Hanks, I will love. The trailer editing was done well, I thought. When you can connect and feel something stir inside of you after only a couple of seconds...that's when you start to anticipate the future ride. I love it when movies introduce you to books that you would never know about otherwise. Although, when a book is so amazing and the movie doesn't do it justice it's hard. Especially when you have this picture in your head with the way everyone looks or feels like. So...we will read it, review it, and measure the results.

“Design for Shabby Apple”

I couldn't choose just one design that I wanted to submit so I did a small collection. If I were given a go I could definitely create more designs but I have to submit these drawings tonight! Let me know which one you like of these : Shabby Apple Dresses

The Violet Dress would be made from cotton and the baby blue edgings would be embroidered.

I'm sure this cut would look good though with a few choices for color. Maybe white with blue or violet embroidery. There are plenty combos that work. 

This red dress would be fun in a heavier fabric close to canvas and the  ties for shoes and top would be fun as a checkered print white and red flowered, or a sample I included in the picture is more of an indie print. Or you could even switch the fabrics entirely and have the red for the ties. So many fun things with this cut. Definitely good for any bright color. If you cannot tell there is actually cut outs in the edging.

This green number was definately a 50's inspired dress. As with the other two above many colors would work for the style. The fabric I was thinking of would be more of a hugging one like polyester and spandex mix. Maybe to get the edgings to standout like they do in the sketch they might have to be corded inside.

This last suit dress or what have you is supposed to be cream with navy edging. It would need to be a heavier woven cotton and the edging would need to be either embroidered or ribboned.

 Obviously I like old fashioned things but I'm not the best at shading and have not finished my art training so I hope you don't have to use your imagination too much. These were actually inspired by Hallmark's version of "Camille" that came out in 1987.

Summer Time

I know it's summer when I have to give Oscar, my cute baby puppy, a haircut. Here is his latest.

Cabbage Patch anyone?

I need to take a baby on the trek and the only dolls I can think of that might be just right would be a cabbage patch kid. Maybe the kind with no hair but they seem kind of expensive new. Maybe I can borrow one?

Working on the clothes for the trek.

I found this free pattern for bonnets:
http://www.sewchicpatterns.com/free.html