What's New Around Here?

Two posts in one day?!?!  Lawdy, Lawdy...  that Theresa is on a roll :)  The other post is a lot of lovey photos of our visit to the Divine Mercy Shrine - so click over there first and then this little post will  be waiting for you when you get back!

So what's new around here??

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Well, first and obviously, a new header!  See?  ^Up there^ !  I loved the old one, but was itching for a change.  I don't love this new one (I just can't get it to look like what's in my head), but I love the idea of it:

I love blowing bubbles - it doesn't matter how old you are, bubbles are fun.  And beautiful.  To me, that picture captures all the special moments with my kids and a child's ability to appreciate the leisure and loveliness of life.  

I just love my rainbow quilt, flaws and all.  It reminds me of my colorful nesting phase before James was born.  I love the bright colors and the fact that all the patches were entirely from my scrap bag and I can identify most of the original projects they came from.  I am so cheered by having handmade things in our home.  This is one of those things.  

Is there anything so cheerful and delightful as the pure, sweet, simplicity of forget-me-nots in Spring?  It's like a blue checked gingham dress or a crown of dandelion flowers.  Hard to beat, right?  

And finally - I simply adore (that's French for love...) the last picture up there and have been waiting and waiting for an excuse to share it with you.  Those sweet feet are baby James just two days old in the hospital.  I spent so much special time there crocheting with him on my chest or in my lap.  (I did with Clare too, but sadly don't have any pictures.)  To crochet in uninterrupted peace and quiet with the sweetest of sweet smelling babies on  me?  Heaven.  I get all warm and fuzzy just writing about it and don't think I will ever forget that time that was so dear to me (or how cute he looked in those hats!  They only fit him for four weeks or so, but it was worth it!)

The hats were made from this pattern by Delia at Delia Creates.  I tweaked it a little bit to get a size that would fit a newborn.

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I've joined the Amazon affiliate program.  I am not expecting to make many pennies from it since every other blogger in the universe is an affiliate and there are only so many Amazon pennies to go around.  But still, if you are making an Amazon purchase and you think to click through the link on the right sidebar or any other link I include here, I will earn a few pennies, and I thank you!  I promise, of course, only to buy wholesome, high quality literature (or expensive crochet hooks) with pennies earned through this high class blog.  That's what we're all about here - high class.  And culture.  Which reminds me of one of my favorite Muppets sketches...

                         

"Someone must work for integrity! and decency!"  Oh, I love you, Sam!

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I've mentioned it before, but in case you missed the big announcement, Ordinary Lovely has a Facebook page!  If you like Ordinary Lovely, then perhaps you'd care to "Like" me over there!  In addition to notifications about when new posts are published (for which I know everyone is always holding their breath) I'll also try to mix things up with other blogs and articles I like and older posts from my archives.  As if all that fabulousness wasn't enough, Facebook seems to allow for easier conversations among readers than blog comment boxes do, so come join me on Facebook and let's chat! Who knows, maybe I'll even get 100 followers one of these days and Facebook will give me an award.  (From what I gather, the award is a Thumbs Up and a "Now Try to Get to 200 Followers!")  

Any Dilbert fans out there??

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And finally, well... it's nothing new but it's just an announcement that you can expect more of the same.  I loved Mary's encouragement for small-time, mediocre bloggers.  That's me and I'm so happy to be that way!  Sometimes I think, why aren't more people reading this?  What I write is awesome!  But that's what every blogger thinks, and we know that not every blogger is awesome...  (Ahem.)  So maybe I'm a little-less-than-awesome and am small-time.  Small is ok, it works for me, and I like it especially if it means avoiding becoming impersonal.  

I love when blogging is like "backyard chatting" (taken from Mary) with a friend - Have you tried this great recipe?  How do you manage the monster that is the laundry pile?  Let me tell you about these amazing permanent markers / fabulous shampoo / pencil sharpener/ ___(fill in the the blank)___ I recently tried!  What did you think of that book, or movie?  I'm making the cutest toddler dress -  want to see it?  I found an awesome crochet pattern - I'll send it to you!  Wow, that Gospel reading the other day - it really got me back on the right track with my commitment to daily prayer.  And on and on.  That's what I love about blogging. That's what I love to read.  And more than anything, those are the kinds of conversations I want to have with readers here.   

With that in mind, I think I may start writing a little more about stuff that I'm really enthusiastic about (maybe you'll enjoy it and will want to stick around and chat, but if it's not your cup of tea, I know there are plenty of other bloggers out there writing about stuff that you are enthusiastic about.)  

* At the end of each month I'm hoping to write a new installment of "Happiness. Lately." to express gratitude for God's goodness manifested in simple blessings and to take note of the things I've been into and up to that month.  I hope you'll share your simple blessings and goings-on with me too!

* I also think I'll be starting to write more about books!!

* I'll share more sewing/crafting projects that I'm working on.  I've sometimes hesitated to share creative projects because I have this impression that readers will construe it as "showing off" (that sounds so grade school but I can't think of a more mature term at the moment.)  But believe me, my stuff isn't that great.  Also, I read this blog post and realized how significant compulsive creativity is to who I am.  And I never think that other bloggers are "showing off" when I read about their creative endeavors.  I LOVE seeing what others are sewing and baking and growing and creating.  I'm so interested to learn what their passions are and what gifts they nurture in their free time.   After all, aren't those things of interest to friends?? 

* I will also practice writing *shorter* posts about meaningful things.  When I try to write about something that's personal, or somewhat controversial, or sensitive,or important, I get nervous and I write too much.  It's long and the writing can get clunky and awkward.  If I'm going to write about something more significant than yarn or children's books (!) I'm going to work on being concise and clear.

So - if it's something I'd chat about with my dear friends over a beer on my back porch (mmm!  beer!), I'll let you in the conversation here!  Backyard blogging is my new way of thinking about what I do at Ordinary Lovely.  I think it's always been the way I've blogged here, but now it's going to be that way intentionally.  And it's got a name!  I hope you'll join me in the conversation!  Cause backyard blogging is where it's at :)