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2008 hangs above us waiting to surprise and inspire. Wishing you and your loved ones happiness hanging from every corner. Be back soon! xo, Anna

What a full year. Do I dare sound too typical and ask where its gone? Here we are nearing the end of December and I still can't find November. Looking over my shoulder, I am in awe really at what 2007 has been. Fruitful. Sweet. Challenging. Exhausting. Just full. And blessed, every last day of it. Thank you for being part of it. You're the sweet part. I'll be breaking for a bit, friends. There are sweets to bake. Gifts to wrap. Children to cuddle. Handsome eyes to look into. Couches to be slumbered upon. Oh and theres a book due in four weeks too. All these souls and blessings need some nurturing to carry them into the new year, including mine. I'm wishing days of peace for you. I'm praying for peace everywhere. I'm hoping for our awareness of the good around us. And I'll see you here again very soon. With my very best, Merry Christmas, xoox, AnnaMaria

Every weekday for two weeks now the weirdest thing has been happening. Little Eleni, yea, I said little...teeny tiny Eleni is up and dressed at the crack of dawn. What could possibly be so important? Shoes too? Really? As in you're leaving the house? Certainly not. Neh-nuh neh-nuh no. Just days ago she was flitting her sparkley self around the house barefoot from one adventure to another. Some with me, some without me. All of them near me. I could hear the adventures, and would look up from my work sometimes to see them. It was good. I was happy. She was happy. But now. Well. Eleni started a new adventure. Pre-school. Sigh. In fact I haven't even been able to write about this until now. I have been a bit reflective though, huh? I thought I would feel like 16 years of waiting would make me happy to have all the children cared for during the day. Happy would not describe this feeling. It's an ache of sorts. I can't explain it. My nose starts to st...

Merry 8 days away! xoAM

My little shop is open for business at 11am CST today. Whew. I'm gonna go clean house now. Hope you're having a good Saturday. Love love love, Anna Maria

Last year I wondered why it was called a Christmas cactus. This year I 'm wondering what I did to deserve this little bloom of progress. A small but welcome joy. Wishing you such. xoA

Well its not exactly popcorn, but snowflakey thingies came more easily somehow. The cheer shown in the tree day post was unfortunately not felt so much by me because I was too busy coming down with something. I felt so guilty for not feeling good and not being peppy for everyone, but just going through the motions. Fancy festivities. Not fancy feelings. So I spent 6 hours on the couch with that garland, ibuprofen and tea on Sunday morning so it actually got finished. But I'm better now, thank you. And I am happy with the garland, but maybe the stringy parts between are too belt-like and thick. Dunno. There could be lots of posts coming that are more photos than words, because thats the easier, faster part for me. I have to tell you. I have to. I never want to work as hard as I'm working right now ever again. In one way I love the amount of things that are getting accomplished but some days feel like I'm dragging a pile of boulders for miles before I can see som...

Killing time with crafts. Setting the stage. Nativity play. Let's do this thing people. Wait for me! Captives Nope. He just works there. Seriously. Just a coincidence. Up on the rooftop and heading home. Good Night. xo,AM

The spirits are lifted here a bit after a trying week or two and I could almost say jolly to describe it. Guess who's back? Now to restore my faith in technology. Is that even a real thing? I think not. I have other sorts of faith so technology can do what it wants. (Obviously it already does) Trimming time here.....unboxing stuff tonight! My mind instantly goes from that to all the sticky candy cane wrappers stuck between couch cushions that I'll come across in a few days and how the candy canes on the top of the tree will be among the only that survive for more than a week or two. I do love the family life. Have a sweet weekend! xoAM xo,AM

Before I forget, I wanted to share this inspiring book by Jeanne Williamson that I recently came across. It would make an ideal gift for someone who loves to quilt, collage, paint or all of the above. The concept behind the book in itself is a very inspiring thing for a designer. Jeanne set out to make a quilt every week for one year. 52 quilts! That dedication alone is so inspiring. And she continued this from 1999 to 2005 until she had 365 quilts . Not quilts in the sense that most people think of them, but smaller scale "art" quilts, for lack of a better description. The materials she uses in many of them are uncommon to say the least...cupcake wrappers, potato bags, newspaper .... along with more traditional things like paint, fabric, stitching. I love her choice of consistently making them about the same size of about 8x10" so that the resulting collection has a stunning flow but such variety. In the end they seem to be a mental landscape of sorts and rec...

Hey did seven days just pass since my last post ? Is time moving faster or am I moving slower? I am certain that I'm not moving slower. I really appreciate the shoulders that nuzzled under the crying from my last post. Boy howdy. I had actually gotten my camera back the very next day after that, quite surprisingly. I was so overjoyed and snapping pictures of stupid anythings. But then the playback button wouldn't work. I don't need to describe all the emotions, etc. after that. You know, if you can't say something nice. But I will say that while I feel I received a lemon, that the Canon people have been extremely helpful, and, umm, human . Do you ever feel like no matter what you say that the person on the other end of the line is going to repeat the same phrase?? They really seemed to listen to me when I calmly suggested that instead of me shipping it back again, that if perhaps one of their repair technicians in New Jersey could just step outside and open ...

Whether I like it or not I have over the years become well acquainted with the proverbial plan B. I don't even remember what plan A is on most days. Do I have an A? I forgot to get an A. Where do I get one of those?? I think really this is the consequence of having so many plans that they can't all be A's. For a few weeks now I've been battling short-light days, rain, cold, and schedules to get going on the photography for my book. I had cleared a day with the lovely Hannah (above bundled in her coat between takes) to do a few (sleeveless) shots on Saturday and the rain was just barely holding off. We were all set, make-up- check, hair- check, camera charged- check, drove out to the farm and started walking to our destination. The camera however had a different plan. The 4 week old fancy pants camera decided it would be the malfunctioning lemon type of camera and forced us to institute plan B. Which was to instead talk on the phone to 3 camera stores, my husba...

My morning. So slow-paced and cozy here today with all my little ones in the house. Isabela and Eleni had gone back to my mom's with her on Saturday after she was watching them during our excursion . So it was just Juliana and the boys for 4 days and it was so...weird and, umm, manageable. Not right at all. So we retrieved the rest of the brood yesterday where we met up at my in-laws' farm and shared a wonderful day full of food and yarn . Anything better? I think not. So its Black Friday is it? I will not be shopping. I actually do like shopping a great deal (I know some people hate it) but I've done enough lately in preparation for the MS show. Every other day Jeff says "hey, I like that shirt, is that new?" and I reply, "oh this was just a Martha runner-up". Truly obnoxious how I worried about what I would wear. But seriously, wouldn't anyone? Anyway, yes down with shopping. But by all means go blow all your money today in my honor ...

Too much to be thankful for. Counting blessings here with every stitch. Wishing you days of rest and togetherness, brightness and love. Happy Thanksgiving! with love, Anna

We got home last night to a few excited kids and a few whose little slumbering bodies wouldn't accommodate our return flight delay. I thought I would say just a little more about the experience of doing the show. The actual taping was such a very small part of the entire production. Weeks spent on the projects getting just so, sending up samples, taking photos of the kids, studio, etc. just in case we covered that in conversation the cameras could throw those up on the television screen. Lots of preparation for a few minutes that could go any direction really because its live. Anyway. I thought you'd enjoy seeing a little glimpse of the art department at the Martha Stewart offices where I spent an hour or two of the afternoon before the show touching up the projects and getting to know the stylist/artist Hosanna and a few other folks. One thing I can tell you for sure is that place is filled with very sweet, down to earth, friendly and very talented people who made me f...

So. We're here . We just put the finishing touches on the new website via tiny tables and 3$ per hour internet hookup. It's already to go folks, so go have a look and let me know how it works out for you. I'm finding it looks best on Firefox, and does a few weird text layout things on Explorer. So be it. Oh and theres a mailing list feature too on the "news" page, and hopefully you'll receive a cute little email from me if you sign up on it. Let me now how that goes. Whew. Whew. and. Whew. Already went into the MSLO offices this morning for final touches on the project and now to find some lunch and take a nap! I have to be at the studio in the morning at 7:45 am to get prettified (which good take a while) for live TV. Hope you like the new site , and that it'll take the place of no pictures today. Thanks for all the good thoughts, hoorahs and prayers, totally feeling it and really calm today. And now for my next act...... xoxox,AM

In the spirit of just barely getting by that I am so fond of, I wanted to share just a few un-artistic snapshots of life here lately as we ALL prepare for the big day . Juliana has been stacking and packing her little heart out so that audience members will walk away from the show with a little taste of chocolate. Go Juliana. She is a very valuable person to have around when you want to dream up all the possible ridiculous catastrophes that could ensue while tackling live TV. This man has been around, managing a smile (fake ones sometimes) and has provided support for every detail of my website renovation. He was able to go out for a timed run yesterday and even checked his watch and promised to come back, which if you've been here lately, you'd know that means a lot. Oh. And. Uhh. He made homemade applesauce cause we had too many apples. Twice. I know. No clue how I managed this guy. And so easy on the eyes. Pumpkin pie number five has reminded me that as long as y...

Someone made quite a menace of herself today. Little miss flight attendant seems to think that she is now my assistant and insists on running around the studio at the same pace I do. Even during photo shoots! I spent 3 hours cleaning up in here today to get some good photos except I couldn't manage to scrub this little pink blur off the floor. Everywhere I turned, there it was. Hey don't look now but thats a sneaky little peeky of "Drawing Room" my new line of home decor fabrics set for a January/February debut. I've been awash in color and happiness here in the studio as I go over all the strike offs from that line as well as the "Garden Party" quilting line set for a May release. Oh and hey don't look now, but behind that little peeking blur girl there's a wall full of Garden Party strike offs too. I've tricked you with my blur powers, good idea Eleni! Anyhoo, enjoy a little palette tease for now and details and up close portraits...

Poke. Pinch. Pull. Poke. Pinch. Pull. That's how its going here. Trying to keep things evenly spaced and in a straight line, with as few un-threadings as possible. You have no idea how much appreciate the hoorahs, wowees, and omg's that you sprinkled in my comment box regarding the excitement around here. I am very humbled and thrilled to take this little adventure on, but not with a small amount of nerves tingling. To dish a bit, I've known since February that it was a tentative thing but just recently had it confirmed. So yes a full hearted whoopee from me. Really looking forward to taking you along for the ride. That's kinda the best part if ya wanna know. So much fun at Quilt market, extra special with pumpkin along. As usual, though, I have few pictures but lots of good memories of meeting some long distance friends in person for the first time and reuniting with my favorite pals for shop talk, laughter, and support. Many very-together quiltees re...

When's it gonna go? Whoa! What was that? Weeeeeee! Don't be scared Bunny. This is so cool. It was like a dream. For both of us. Home safe now. talk soon, xo, AM