Our wee cardboard valises have arrived!

My daughter, Ella, almost passed out when she saw the pink ones.

There are three sizes and we have them in cherry red, baby blue (holy crap..I typed baby Glue!)and girly pink.

They'll be going up at amyrue.com very soon!

Finn & Ella are so vain that it makes me laugh. When they see the camera in my hands, the posing and preening starts, and if I don't take the hint immediately, they'll soon demand a picture. Now that they are getting older, I see myself in their faces... silly expressions, serious ones and definitely the mad looks. Ella has my pissed off face down pat...watch out world, you thought that I was scary? Pfft... Ella will have everyone on their knees.

Can't help but be proud.

Funny little Neko is getting bigger. Her fur is so strange.. it used to be solid black, but now her body is going grey with stripes, while her face and paws stay black. I've never seen a cat marked this way. I saw her brother yesterday and he is three times bigger than her! Neko is the runt, but I didn't realize just how much smaller she is.

Hans is in New York right now, he and his coworkers are going on tv studio tours and in the morning Hans is going to be a guest on Dan & Steve's show . He's very excited to see Dan & Steve and everyone else at Food Network. When Hans was in the hospital, everyone at Food Network sent the most beautiful flowers to him...huge arrangements! Hans' room looked like a jungle.

You'd think that I would be getting a ton of sewing done while I'm all lonely...but no, I've been looking online for the kid's halloween costumes ( and mine!). We start getting excited about Halloween early around here. Finn is going to be a glow in the dark skeleton, Ella will be Cinderella and I will be a Pirate lady. Had to order a new corset as my old one that I used to wear clubbing is a bit too...well, revealing. Don't want to scare the neighbors that way!

I'm ready for Fall!

blueberries & bunnies

Hans brought home a gallon of local blueberries the other day...so we've been a bit blueberry mad around here. I'm ready for summer to be over, but I will miss the fresh blueberries!

More Lumpling pillows are popping up around here. The top one has a pocket with a funny little Lumpling hiding inside. The lower picture shows the sketches that I start with before making them into fabric appliques. Last night I began some more patchwork pillows, so we'll have more of those soon!

Some really lovely fabric came in today that I'm itching to get into, but we are off to a sweet little girl's birthday party! So everything will have to wait! Finn and Ella get positively buzzed when there is a birthday party to attend and they've been bouncing off the walls today. I distracted them by making crayon cupcakes today (thanks to Kiddley for the idea!). I'll post pictures of our success tomorrow. My thumbs hurt from peeling crayon paper.

thanks go out to everyone for adopting pillows and lumplings last week. I love taking huge stacks of boxes to the post office. I either get a nice post lady who chuckles when she sees it coming, or a grumpy one that sighs and slams things around. Last year I had one make me cry and she's been reeeaaal nice to me ever since. The whole 'don't upset the crazy ones' thing. Hans and I have been known to go to the little village of Tate, where we used to live, for their post office; the ladies there are the nicest ever. When we aren't in a hurry, it's worth the extra drive.

Last Saturday the kids got these cute little squirt cars from their Dairy Queen happy meals.

Finn turned it upside down and decided that it looked like an even cuter toy...with headlight eyes, nubby arms and a square belly. So that night, I made a plushie for him...of course, I added funny little ears and longer legs. I used felted wool for his body and belly pocket. He's a bit primitive, but my first ones usually are. I gave him to Finn as a going back to school gift and he was pretty tickled.

I have more pillows in the works, but blogger is being stubborn about letting me upload more pictures today... I'll have to add the pillow pictures later. There are more Lumplings in the works too, so hopefully I will have an update soon. I have also ordered a new product for the amyrue shop that I'm pretty excited about; little euro cases of pressed paper that will be the perfect size for Lumplings, doll clothes, tiny quilts and other small treasures. I can't wait to see Ella's face when she spots them...they are perfect for small children. We'll have pink, baby blue and red.

Isn't is too early?

Just a sneak peek of the tiny herd that will be showing up on amyrue.com at

Noon (eastern) today.

How many Lumplings does it take to make a herd?

I woke up early today just to get them ready. But then I realized that it isn't very fair

to everyone on the west coast if I put them up for adoption this early!

It was overcast yesterday so the pictures really aren't the best and I was a flibbertigibbet and forgot to put on the name tags. They have tags now!

Once the pictures go up, email me at amy@amyrue.com if you see one that you'd like to adopt.

Sometimes they go faster than I can type or update the site, so if the Lumpling has already been spoken for I will email with an apology! If it hasn't, I'll send a Paypal invoice to you!

Oh! With such a tiny herd, it will be one Lumpling per person! Thank you!

Updating!

If you are trying to get on the amy rue website and things seem a bit wonky, it's because I'm updating it today!

Four new pillows were added this morning, and two are already sold.

I've added a gorgeous french violet perfume.

And either tonight, or in the morning, we'll have four Lumplings looking for new homes!

I'm still trying to get my stuff together regarding the lavender sachets...soon, I promise!

The 'Forget Me Not' vases are all sold out. They were lovely and a big hit with everyone, for that I'm very thankful.

Back to updating!

Kitty drama halts Lumpling production!

Hans on his birthday. His day started out with being in charge of the kids while I had some tests on my foot at the hospital. And then the poor sucker had to go into work.

I did manage to send him a large sunflower arrangement to his work with an obnoxious birthday balloon. That evening we went to see Pirates and we all had a great time there.

Ella told me "You and Dada are pirates. Yeah, and I'm gonna kill you". Isn't she a sweet little thing?

That afternoon the newest and smallest member of our family came to stay.

Please meet little Neko, our kitten:

Only a few hours later, my 14 year old cat, Tiggy was sunning herself on the back deck when a strange dog came and attacked her. I chased him off, but I knew that he had gotten her because her fur was covered in dog saliva. I got her in and she seemed to be in shock, but I couldn't find any blood or wounds. At this point she was able to run and hide under a bed.
Tiggy stayed under the bed the next day, but she would play with a string and purr every time that I came to check on her. I kept telling myself that she was hiding because of the new kitten or the loud work as our kitchen was being redone.

Finally, at four o'clock, I lifted up the mattress and got her out of there. She could hardly walk! Her hips didn't seem to move the right way.

Cursing myself for not getting her out earlier, I called her vet and the receptionist said that they wouldn't see her!! What? She's injured! Grr. Never going back to Wayside Animal Clinic in Jasper again!

I took her to a new place farther away and everyone there was the best! From the receptionist to the nurses, they all cooed and fawned over Tiggy.

If you want to get on my good side...kiss my cat's butt.

Yeah, I'm totally ok with being the crazy cat lady on a hill some day. I'm halfway there with the crazy part down pat.

They took xrays, expecting to find her bladder popped, because she tinkled blood on the counter. The xrays came out fine! But they did find three or four deep puncture wounds on her body. How did I miss those!?

Tiggy now has shaved spots and staples for the larger wounds. I have to give her pain killers and antibiotics every day. Today, four days after her attack is the first day that she's gotten up to actually walk around the house.

So please forgive me for not updating the amy rue shop! I have to find a good way to sew with a kitten about. Neko sat on my head while I tried to sew, but then she launched off to attack the sewing machine! Not good!

I promise that we'll have new items up soon!

There are a few Lumplings, pillows and a Violet perfume from France that are all just waiting to be snatched up!

Shakin' it all off

First, I want to thank everyone for the sweet words and thoughts that were sent our way after my last post. It really does truly make a difference when you are going through something difficult to have that support.

Here is a sneak peek of some Lumplings and a pillow that will be going up in the shop soon.

I have three more pillows just waiting to be finished at my side. I'll attack them in just a minute!

I think that I've finally figured out Lumpling dresses. For the most part anyway. And this little gal in the picture is wearing the newest Lumpling design. She's awfully snotty about it too. Total Lump attitude.

I've also been selfishly working on a quilt for me. Ella is so offended that I would dare make something with pink fabric and not give it to her.

I'm in the middle of quilting it and then I have to figure out the binding. The binding is always the hardest part for me.

I started by just pulling out all of the fabrics that I'm loving right now. I have some sort of problem when it comes to cutting into a lovely piece of new fabric; it seems bad somehow.

I spend a lot of time with the fabric after I find it; it's washed and then pressed, with lavender water, no less! I fold it and squirrel it away in my fabric closet. And then when I go to start a new project, I fret about cutting it!

Tomorrow is Hans' birthday! 34! Hopefully this year will be much better to him!

this is the day your life will surely change

-the the

July 2005

One year ago today our life took a major turn.

Hans was feeling unwell; he was weak and dizzy. I had been poking at him to see a doctor and on July 8th, 2005 he finally agreed. His friend, Karen, at work knew someone at a local Dr's office who could get him in that day.

Hans went to work like normal, the kids were spending the day with their grandparents and I went shopping.

After lunch time, Hans was driving south on the highway towards the Dr. I was driving on the same highway, north, to meet him there. He called me and said that he was feeling so weak... it was hard for him to stay awake even. As we were talking his left side went numb and his voice started to fade.

At this point, I'm screaming at him to please pull over... please keep talking to me... no, please call 911. Please don't die. Please don't have a heart attack. Because you have to be having a heart attack.

We hang up and I call 911. The girl says that they have Hans on another line and an ambulance is on the way. I'm still so far from the hospital, screaming and sobbing at how helpless I feel.

Please tell me he's talking? Yes, he's talking.

I've called his parents and his dad is already in his ancient mercedes that can still haul ass...he's on his way to find Hans on the side of the highway somewhere.

Finally, we are in the emergency room. Hans can talk and smile. The paramedics have been teasing him about losing the Food Network show. They tell him that he's not having a heart attack; he's just in shock from what happened on that show, because Hans was the best one there.

Almost everyone and their mama around here watched Hans on that show.

His blood shows a hemoglobin level of 8. The nurse says that a man of Hans size..6'4" and over 200 lbs should be at least a level of 12 to 14.

The first doctor comes in and actually lectures Hans about eating more red meat. Idiot.

Another doctor comes and says that Hans must be bleeding internally.

They give him two bags of blood that night and schedule an upper endoscopy for the morning.

After the endoscopy a doctor comes in armed with pictures. I ask brightly "Hey! How'd it go?".

He shakes his head and looks serious "I don't like what I see", he says.

I start to feel pins and needles across my face.

He shows me pictures of a tumor in Hans' stomach. A bleeding tumor.

We are sitting in front of the window, our knees almost touching. Hans is asleep on the bed. I want Hans to wake up... I want theis doctor to go away... I want us to go home and pretend like none of this happened.

The doctor is saying everything but what I know he's really saying. I finally ask, "Are you saying that this could be cancer?"

"yes"

We are in a room just down the hall from where Hans' sister died the year before. Sonja was 34 years old and her little body couldn't fight the breast cancer anymore.

My mom comes to the hospital. She's hugging me and saying, "honey, it's not the same. It's not like your step daddy. It's not the same"

But it is the same. I know that it's cancer. I don't need to wait a week for the stupid test.

My step father was 29 when they found cancer in his esophagus. He died from the surgeries. The same surgeries that Hans would have a month later.

On July 12th, 2005, the day before Hans' 33rd birthday, the doctor calls to say that it is cancer.

Here we are a year later. 65 lbs lighter.

In remission.

fairytale of new york

'You were handsome,

You were pretty,

Queen of New York City,

When the band finished playing

They howled out for more.

Sinatra was swinging,

All the drunks they were singing

We kissed on a corner,Then danced through the night '

-Pogues with Kirsty MacColl

New York was big and hot. We had a fun time showing the sites to the munchkins. Avoiding the major tourist attractions, we stuck to walking the streets and taking in the local flavors.

But we did hit the big toy stores! As much for us as for the kids. The toy stores are complete sensory overload and Ella was near tears most of the time because she was just frantic to hold and have something to call her own. And with kids grabbing things left and right, running and yelling...it was a bit much for her! Finn is quiet and goes straight for his intended toy prey, none of that running and yelling from him, he's serious about his toy needs.

Ella adopted the sweetest baby doll, but that afternoon she managed to swipe a ballpoint pen across the baby's face! And it won't come off! I've written to the company asking if they have any secrets to cleaning and there are several sites online that suggest putting oxy zit cream to remove ink from vinyl baby dolls.

I found The City Quilter shop right down the street from our hotel and splurged on a few fabrics. Things that I wouldn't likely find in Atlanta. You had to ring a bell to be buzzed into the shop, and that nearly kept me from going in. I like to shop without the entire place knowing I'm there. So ringing that bell and looking like a desperate fabric dork on the sidewalk took all of my courage in tapping down my anxiety. And then, when you ring it and they all look at you, are you supposed to smile? make a goofy face? Look serious? Or just wide eyed and scared? I think I had the wide eyed look. But they buzzed me in, so I guess I didn't look armed and dangerous.

I got to see the Cath Kidston store! It felt just like I knew that it would and they were playing The Smiths! I loved it in there. I could have just cozied right down and stayed.

FAO Schwartz toy store had marbles!

The toy store also had guys dressed up like toy soldiers to open the front doors. The kids were so impressed with this until one of the guys saw a customer's shirt that he liked and yelled out, "AW! HOLY CRAP!". That totally blew the fairy tale image there, bubba.

But inside there were Steiff toys and beautiful dolls. Not enough action figures to keep Finn all that interested.

By this time in our trip, our friend Kasra had joined us and he got to experience trying to keep the munchkins herding in the right direction. But he was so good with the kids, even if he probably needed a strong drink afterwards. The kids adore him and really wanted to please him. And because they are Hans' children, they tried to please him by giving him food from their plates. They get that from Hans... the world moves about better if you make people happy by stuffing their faces.

Finally, we are back home and I have a ton of laundry now and general cleaning. Plus all of our orders that came in this weekend have to be packed up!

This picture is for my Dad.