sugarbaby vintage

Time to dust the sand off...

 

Admittedly, I need to get back to business now that our beautiful summer is over here at the jersey shore.  No not THAT jersey shore, the one where we live;  where the beach is filled with families, there isn't a mono-kini in sight, and we prefer the sand between our toes rather than between our implants.  The one where for the best of times, all you need is a Sunday sitter and a bike to go for a beer, mini-burger and a steamed lobster on the backporch of the Parker House.

After a brief dissent into bizarro world (which happens to reside just outside Philly, in case you were wondering), I am now once again free to get back to my kids full-time and back to sharing the sweet, little vision i created 4 years ago called "sugarbaby vintage".  I will be doing only the local shows this fall, but by spring i will be back out where friends and newcomers alike, appreciate what i do and always stop by to see what what i have been working on and what new vintage patterns or crazy color-combo chenille quilts i have managed to rummage.

My little Sadie girl is now almost 16 months old and full of the old "P & V", as my mom likes to say (just like her sister, which is a little crazy).  I am convinced that she is the fastest crawler on the east coast (definitely on the jersey shore anyway), and is not all together concerned about how or when she will try to walk.  She also loves nothing more that to ramble on in gibberish and to make funny faces at you to try and get you to laugh, which is not unlike her dad.  I mean he tends to favor jokes and random comments, but the vibe is kind of similar, he just does less with physical humor which between a 16 month old and a 36 year old, is probably to be expected.  Anyhow, i am feeling a little guilty because big sister Violet has been highly documented throughout this journey (on the website, at the shows and on the blog), so i will share some silly Sadie moments only this time.  I have lots of fun new things in work, and will post again soon (don't hold your breath, but i am trying to get better at making time...)

 

 

  

Lots of love and hope to see you soon....

 

 

 

Oh, in what a twisted world we live... seek solace in the beautiful people and the good they do....

i just realized after checking my msn account, that tonight is the night that john allen mohammed will expire.  who, you ask?   well, the guy that spent 8+ days terrorizing the beltway and areas around DC, western VA and MD, with a teenager in his trunk shooting a deadly gun (out of neatly rounded and shorn holes, i might add) at random people traveling home from work, or school, or a good party - wherever, with the sole intent on killing them....  sick, twisted, random, and totally bizarre.  i remember this little bit of unattractive american history because i was on my way to a good friends' wedding in virginia on 95 (i was a bridesmaid), ducking my head everytime we filled up on gas or needed a bottle of poland spring, and filled with fear that this was going to be my senseless demise, or her wedding weekend memory.  WHAT IS THAT???  i feel like screaming a good RYFKM, john allen mohammed????? (and i did after sadie and violet were in bed tonight).  but it does no good, and will not answer any questions.  So instead, i have to choose to focus on the good in our hearts and in our world, and the positive that we can bring when we give back....

www.ryansgirls.cmarket.com 

it is an amazing story of a regular guy, who just believed that he could make a difference.  for his family and for those that loved him, it is our time to help out and make a difference....  if you can not believe in a legacy like his, i am not sure what you can belive in.  sugarbaby vintage is so proud to be a part of this auction, and our little sweet vintage quilt is not even in the same league with the other things being bidded on...  get involved.  xxoo

lots of love and send me your sugarbaby pics...   (i promise miss sweet sadie's sugarbaby quilt debut soon, i am so negligent - it is a second child thing!) but she is amazing and so smilely and sooooo
lovely.  xxoo,

Sweet Lili and Stand-offish Sadie....

As the proud, second-time parent of a 4 mos old girl, i must share our latest adventure...  the attempt at solid foods.  there is nothing like a little rice cereal and sweet potato to get the day started (well, errr there wouldn't be if she actually got some of it)...

So far, not so good!  but i will forge on, in hopes of one day getting to a more nutritionally fortified version of this meal.  Perhaps Sadie's next photo will resemble something more angelic and satisfied, like sweet lili here... our beautiful sugarbaby representing the state of Colorado - Boulder, no less!!

Our newest "sugarbaby"....

Our newest sugarbaby hails from the great state of Tennessee...  little Walter is the son of a good friend's, best friend..  and boy is he handsome!!!

As a blogger, i sucketh....

OK, so i am now easily able to admit that i suck as a "blogger".  As someone that tends to be verbose, i actually did not foresee this failure coming, but again it has been atleast 7-8 weeks since my last post.... 

So, this summer has brought new challenges for me.  Like how to physically get a 3 year old, a 6 week old, a double jogger, 2 beach chairs (of course violet needs one, even though she never sits), a portable little sand bassinet (a borrow from a friend that is AWESOME for this age on the beach, complete with zip up sun shades, sandblocker and wind breezeway), a beach bag with towels-block-mags(that i never get to read)-diapers-wipes-snacks-water-wallet-cell phone-baseball cap-changing clothes-ect.-ect.-ect., an umbrella and a sandscrew, a bag of buckets and shovels, a bag of pool toys (just in case the 3 year old decides the beach is lame when we get there, and wants to go up to the pool), and i am sure that i forgot something, but you get the idea....  (And, oh yeah, this morning i tried to incorporate a cup of hot Joe into the equation and that did not work out very well!) 

Then there is the day when you manage to do the above, stick in a drop-off and pick-up at swim school, and get back down to the beach only to have the heavens open up and get poured on while trying to repack and scrabble to a drier locale - THAT was fun.  What is the rule??  No solo cocktails before 1pm??

Anyhow, life is grand and i really shouldn't complain...  here is a new pic of my girls and another "sugarbaby", errrrr, i mean "sugardude".  And officially Sadie will make her debut as a new "sugarbaby" when i manage to snap a pic of her with her quilt.  It is a sweet one, I made it a couple of months ago and hid it from my customers in case I had a girl - then low and behold, i had a little girl named Sadie....

New Jersey's aspiring chef "CJ"...  looking dappier, yet edgy in his baking apron and ready to whip up a culinary delight for his mom and dad...  a brontasaurous burger, I think!

It is a BIG week, baby.....

we have opened our ETSY shop!!!  this is a very exciting time for me... ETSY shop today and new baby tomorrow.  please take the time to peruse the current one-of-a-kind quilts that i have on hand for your special baby gift needs.  since each piece is unique, this inventory will rotate as i design and create new pieces and sell others.  ETSY is a great outlet for SUGARBABY because it will enable me to accept paypal, as well as personal checks and allow customers from all over the country view what i have on hand in quilts.  any questions, please drop me a note by using the contact tab on my site or through the ETSY conversation tab.  i really love your comments and your feeback!

WWW.ETSY.COM & WWW.SUGARBABYVINTAGE.COM

Regarding the second highlight of my big week....  i will get back to you after the weekend with some details.  but i can tell you one thing for sure - violet is very excited to become a big sister!!!

Sugarbabies slice, dice, sautee and bake with attitude!!!!

There is nothing more appealing than a girl who not only knows her way around the kitchen, but who also works it with style, grace and unparalleled confidence!!!!  The beautiful Miss Theresa, who hails from Greenwich, CT, whips up fantastic, toddler culinary delights for her mom and dad, and (even more importantly perhaps) puts her great fashion sense and creativity to task by turning her apron into a halter!!! 

Now THAT is what i call an "original sugarbaby...."

She muses, "Now, to get chopping those avocados for the guacamole....."  (using her mom's recipe, of course!)

"sugarbaby vintage" comes out for charity & a little gem called "Em"

It is times like these that make me realize even more clearly how important it is to not only give back wherever and whenever you can, but to try and be a part of things bigger than yourself....  so, the timing was just right when i was asked to be part of the charity benefit for the Children's Specialized Hospital in Westfield, NJ.  It is being held on April 1 from 10-4, at the Westfield Tennis Club.  Incredibly, The Children's Specialized Hospital is not only a remarkable facility, but is also the largest rehabilitative pediatric hospital in the country.   Being a mother of a 3 year old, with another due a mere 6 weeks after the event it's self (thanks mom in advance for the help lugging boxes, folding quilts and aprons, and setting up racks and tables...  love ya!), i can think of nothing more fullfilling than setting up my wares with other artisans in an effort to make a large contribution to this cause.   There will be crafters and other vendors from all different walks, putting their talents to good use and donating a portion of the proceeds back to a hospital that serves the children who really need it.  If you are in the area, or know someone who would be interested in attending, please pass the word on... the more people perusing and purchasing on April 1st, the better!!!

Here are some new "sugarbaby" pics...  a little gem called "Em"

Sophia Grace and "sugarbaby vintage" sitting in a tree....

It is such an amazing feeling as an artist to be complimented by another artist...  and when it comes completely out of the blue - WOW, does it feel good and make your day!!  A wonderful child photographer from Beacon, NY had the honor of photographing one of the newest "sugarbabies" to enter the world and her mommy brought along the "sugarbaby vintage" quilt that she had just been given as a gift.  I then, received a surprise email complimenting my work and showing me the images.  And i must say, not only did the photographs really capture the sweet essence of little sophia grace, but the quilt doesn't look to shabby either!  Take a look when you get a chance and hey if you need a photographer and are in that area, look no further!

www.dawnsela.com/blog

Denver's most beautiful "sugarbaby"....

Ok, so i will be the first to admit that my new "blogging" career is starting off on a snail's pace...  as the old cliche goes - "so much to say, so little time".   However, on the flip side - it took only the beautiful pictures of little maddie to pull me from my slump!!  Having known and loved her mommy for what seems like forever (and in reality is over 10 years - pre-marriage, pre-diapers for both of us), i am amazed as i look into madeline's eyes now and remember how painstakingly i culled and picked through all of my fabrics to come up with just the right combination for her quilt.  Laying it out, walking away, coming back, swiping it up and starting again....  and the run-on sentence (err, paragraph) of thoughts that were running through my head (really humorous visual actually, if you REALLY know me - think daydream bubbles by a cartoon head...)  "hmmmm, it should be somewhat organic in feeling, loving the indian woodblock print idea, should mix it with small calicos and chambrey stripes, christie would love some shades of muted, denim-friendly blues, but i definitely want to incorporate some dusty pinks, so that it maintains a certain sense of "girliness" and modernity, it definitely needs hits of chenille for texture and coziness, and a really buttery handfeel, and on and on and on,...."  It is a funny thing actually, what happens, when you tap into something you love, let some creativity ride and get wrapped up in developing something for a loved one (whether yours or someone else's).

Anyhow, I guess the ultimate hope is for a result the produces a heartfelt gift that will be loved for it's uniqueness (quirks and all) and therefore cherished forever.... and it is this little notion that urged me to take the leap and create "sugarbaby vintage" .....

 

West Coast babies

Considering how inept i am at technology (downloading photos being part of that category), you call all expect the sugarbabies to come rolling in one or two at a time like waves on a mellow october day.  Here are some of our California friends.... Hana and her little bro Wyatt... absolute perfection...