Is it safe to come out?

Whew! All of the Lumplings were adopted after only being up a few minutes!

I've replied to everyone and sent out the invoices... err, if you haven't heard from me, or didn't get an invoice please let me know!

I'm pretty sure I'll need botox to get rid of this crease between my eyebrows and little finger splints. As I'm typing to people and updating the site with which Lumplings are adopted, I found myself with my face all squinched up and typing like a maniac.

Neko the crazy kitten gets very concerned whenever she spots us packing up Lumplings.

Neko is very much into comfort plushies. She doesn't play with the Lumplings that will be on the site, but the kid's Lumplings are attacked and snuggled daily.

Our kitten carries around a tiny fleece dragon finger puppet. She flings it into the air and runs all willy nilly around the house with it between her teeth. Sometimes she'll hide it from herself and act all surprised when she uncovers it later.

A close up of Treat. I freaking love Treat, he kind of has a glum expression. It was Hans' idea that I make a little candy corn buddy...and this from a man that doesn't even like candy corn!

Here's the gang, all together for the last time!

Now they are being boxed up and sent all over the world.

I hope that they bring some Halloween love to all of their new homes!

Do you hear the pitter patter of little Lumpling feet?
Here comes a new Lumpling herd!
http://www.amyrue.com


They will all go online on:
Wednesday, September 27th, 2006
At 1pm Eastern Standard

If you see a Lumpling that you would like to adopt, please email me at amy@amyrue.com and
I will send a Paypal invoice your way or a note letting you know the Lumpling was already snatched up.

Remember to ‘refresh’ the adopt page every few minutes, because I start putting up the ‘adopted’ notices as soon as I can!

I have more than just Lumplings in the shop now; there are little carryalls, pillows, soaps and other fun items. If there is something that you would like to add to your invoice, just let me know!

Sometimes Lumplings go very fast and I will be typing my little heart out replying to emails, but I do reply to
every email. If you don’t hear back from me, please check your ‘spam’ folder… sometimes those emails are sneaky.

Adoption fees are Paypal only.
Shipping for one Lumpling $6.00 in North America and $8.00 International.

Please remember that Lumplings should still be considered choking hazards with wee babies under age three.
Or anyone who likes to gnaw on little animals. You know who you are.

Autumn Equinox

We celebrated the first day of Fall with a trip to Japan Festival at Stone Mountain Park today.

It was a crush, full of people, so we didn't get any decent pictures except for the origami treats that we came away with.

We stopped at the Buford Highway Farmer's Market on the way home. It's an International market and they have lots of strange and fun things to goggle at.

I snatched up this little pink box of cookies. Finn asked me what was in the box, and I had to admit that I had no earthly idea. Finn sighed, "Mama, you only got this because it has a Puffy headed character on it, didn't you? You always want things with Puffy Poofy heads"

Yup.

We picked up this old tin dollhouse from a junk dealer on the side of the road some weeks back.

I've given one coat of white paint, and it needs more, but I couldn't wait any longer to put it in the dining room as our Holiday House. I have grand plans to deck it out for each holiday...but check with me next year to see if I hold true. I'm famous for coming up with things and never keeping it up.

It sits on a huge antique mirror backed sidebar that belonged to my Great Grandmother Ella Catherine. The sidebar is a pretty dark wood with elaborate carvings throughout and lately I've been dreaming about painting it white. I just found out from my mom that it was painted white when she was a little girl, but when it passed down to my Grandfather he had it stripped and stained.

Maybe one day when I feel like taking on a huge project, this sidebar is massive.

This evening we had roast chicken, mashed sweet potatoes and green beans before taking what is becoming our nightly neighborhood walk. Later, we played with glow in the dark sticks in the back yard and looked for stars peeking out from behind the clouds.

It was, quite simply, a wonderful way to begin my favorite season.

Now, I'm going to go fall on my face.

The night is still

and the frost it bites my face

I wear my silence like a mask

and murmur like a ghost

"Trick or Treat"

"Trick or Treat"

The bitter and the sweet

~Siouxsie & The Banshees

I'm almost done with the newest herd of Lumplings.

Almost...barely...not quite yet!

But I'm thinking that they will launch early next week. Maybe Tuesday?

I'll be sure to update here and send out an email to the list when I know for sure.

The days and nights have been cooler here in North Georgia, and I'm revelling in it. I've been so ready for cardigan weather again. I've been on a cleaning streak around the house; windows and bathrooms positively sparkle!

Hans says that most people might get Spring Cleaning Fever, but I've always had Fall Cleaning Fever.

Hans and I are very proud that our son, Finn, tested so high that his school enrolled him in the 'Gifted Program'. I don't like that they call it "Gifted"... it just seems like an exalted label that might give some kids a big ego. Not saying that my kid will get a big ego...but, you know.

Hans said that for a while our school system called the class 'Discovery', and I like that... because it is a class where they are discovering new things.

Finn is a bit miffed that he still won't be learning science in school. He'll have to keep learning that on his own at home. My darling little nerd.

I was explaining to my daughter that women are born with eggs in their belly, and that maybe one day when she's married (!), one of her eggs will become a baby.

Trying to keep it simple, but honest.

Ella tells me, "Um, Mama, I don't have a baby in my eggs."

"You don't?" I ask

"nope, I got broccoli in my eggs"

Merry Fall Equinox everyone!

Lumpling left behind...

Update! Piffle Lumpling has a new home!

There will probably be a new Lumpling herd early next week!

There is one little Lumpling Lurking at amyrue.com.

It's poor Piffle from the last adoption... his adoption fees were never paid!

So I hope that there is a home out there ready to love him, because we both feel bummed about his being dropped.

Blogger isn't letting me post pictures today or I'd show Piffle's cute little mug!

Halloween fever strikes

well i live with snakes and lizards

and other things that go bump in the night

cos to me everyday is halloween

~Ministry

I'm all sorts of eager itchy for Halloween. This is my favorite time of the year to shop and make things... Boo for my wallet, but yay for anyone that likes to adopt Lumplings!

The new Lumpling herd is coming right along! All of the Lumps are lovely fall and Halloween colors... a cute little batch of Halloweenies that I'm having a great time making.

Yesterday, I pulled out two great big tubs full of our Halloween decorations. The kids were jumping all around and chattering with excitement over each and every treasure.

I will restrain myself from decorating outside until October first, but inside the house is fair game!

Three new pillows just went up at amyrue.com!
We also have a couple of jars of Hans' new honey spice rub left. Ms Sarah over at Out of the Blue sold out in two days and I'm almost out at amyrue too! Hans is going to find himself back in that kitchen mixing if this keeps up!

The Drama of 'Little Guy'

Last year, while shopping at TJ Maxx Ella found this dusty little plushy for 99cents and fell in love. She named him Little Guy and has to have him every night to sleep. The Lumplings are understandably bitter about this, but Ella has no sympathy for them.

Little Guy's soft satin ears are falling off and he somehow has a slash across his face. We keep telling Ella not to play with knives, but you know how preschoolers are.

I knew that I would never be able to sew Little Guy's face and ears back without him looking like Little Frankenstein, so I began the search for a replacement.

After cursing people on Ebay a bit I finally won a new Little Guy and he arrived safely this week. I was biting my lip when I gave him to Ella, because you know this is kind of like an organ transplant...will it take or be rejected?

Sigh of relief that he has been accepted! and the old Little Guy is staying around to show the new Guy the ropes (and knives).

Little Guy is a Cozy Cradle doll from Manhattan Toy He's just the right size for little arms to cuddle and safe for even the smallest babes. I had to hunt a new one down Ebay style, but I highly recommend getting this toy to anyone with small kids!

Giving Thanks

I am so grateful that Hans' PET scan came out clear. These words seem too small for how I feel... hardly eloquent enough for the true force of my emotions.

No Cancer. My birthday is next week and this is the best gift ever.

Now MD Anderson recommends that we come every six months, instead of every three as we did this past year. I feel pretty mixed about that; on one hand I want Hans to still be looked after closely, but on the other, we will have longer to act like a normal family again.

The doctors were alarmed at Hans' weight, so a feeding tube will probably go back in. We have experience with this, so at least it won't be foreign territory. I yanked the old one out of Hans' belly after he finished radiation last winter which his doctor had told me that I could do, but I guess he didn't really expect me to because he cracked up laughing when Hans told him. He said that he didn't expect any less from me. Which I think is another way of telling Hans that he's married to a weirdo.

The day before we left for Houston, we took the children up to Chattanooga to visit the aquarium and water park. It was a hot day, and there were entire families playing in the fountains, but Finn & Ella managed to eke out a spot to frolic.

Ella wore her Koi dress that I made for her a couple of years ago and we played 'camouflage the Ella' at the koi tank.

In Lumpling land we are in the beginning stages of a new herd. I like this part where I rummage through the fabric closet and find what will soon be a new Lumpling. Mohair, cashmere and minky, oh my! I have three pillows that are almost done and they will go online soon.

New products are being ordered for the Amy Rue store... things that I hope everyone likes as much as we do. The whole family is thrilled with how well the paper hold alls are doing; Ella gets excited everytime we ship them out. She carries her little pink ones around the house, full of play jewelry and princess lip gloss.