A Little Bit of Sewing

It seems like my entire life recently has been consumed with writing, publishing, and marketing my book. Now that it has been released into the wild I have been able to find a little bit of time to get out my grandmother's sewing machine (mine is broken) and fiddle around a bit. I had a bunch of half-square triangles that I had started when Iw as talking a quilting class about two years ago for my "first" quilt. I hated the pattern and didn't love the class so I never finished. I decided to take them and make them into pinwheels because I adore the fabrics.

I took the rest of the fabrics that I'd originally had picked out for this quit and started some Pinwheels in the House blocks as designed by Kaye Prince. I love the idea of these blocks. I kept my log cabin strips thin instead of sizing them to my pinwheels like Kaye did in her quilt, just because my pinwheels are huge and I'd end up with like four total blocks in a quilt. I still love how it looks.

While I sew I like to put on a movie - but it has to be one I've seen a lot so it doesn't distract me from what I am supposed to be doing. One of my favorite go to sewing movies is She's the Man with Amanda Bynes...don't judge! I love Shakespeare's Twelfth Night and I think this is one of the most faithful adaptation of it - and it's funny! And highly underrated.

Do you have a favorite go to entertainment while you sew?

Support Indie Film - Old Man Cabbage

My friend Raymond is totally awesome. He's funny, smart, talented, and the greatest friend ever. I have literally run through the streets of Los Angeles with Raymond while holding dozens of purple roses and a bridal runner, ah good times.

He's also super cool. He's a puppeteer (yes, I know someone whose job title has puppet in it!), and a video director. He's travelled all around the US and lived in Iceland. Really. Iceland.

I'm pretty sure Ray is an artistic genius. Don't believe me? Check out this amazing video of him talking about his new project - a long form narrative music video.

Right?

The awesome thing about independent art, and independent film, is that it's free from the constraints of big Hollywood. I'm not entirely sure that whoever green-lit Smurfs would see the artistic merit in something like Old Man Cabbage. But then, they green-lit Smurfs . . .

The problem with independent art and film is that, unlike big budget crap like Mission Impossible 4 (yes, they're making a fourth . . . also, I didn't want to appear to be unfairly targeting Smurfs, but really people stopping messing with my childhood), it needs to be supported by it's fans monetarily, sometimes before it even comes out.

Raymond and crew are fundraising to complete Old Man Cabbage. If you want to support amazing art I would be forever grateful if you would make a donation. Pledges start at just $5 and you get awesome stuff in return. Just think you could be a patron of the arts! Where would art be without patrons? Even Shakespeare had them!

So to sum up:

Raymond is awesome, you should love him like I do.

Raymond's art is fabulous, it is amazing and beautiful!

Smurfs is bad! Mission Impossible 4 is also bad!

You should help support the Old Man Cabbage video and receive awesome goodies in return!

Tangled!

Somebody is excited!

Tangled came out on DVD yesterday and Maddie couldn't be more thrilled! She and James both loved it when we saw it in the theater (more than once), we have the Tangled app on the iPhone so they can take their picture with Pascal and watch the trailer, and Maddie even got to meet Rapunzel at Disneyland a few months ago. The whole time we were in line Maddie kept calling "Apunzle, Apunzel, let down your hair!"

Our version of the movie came with a brush and comb, and Maddie has done everyone's hair - including James who has been very sweet to put up with the multiple hair stylings.

I have to admit that I love the movie as much as Maddie does, if you haven't seen it (and Mom, this means you!), I highly recommend that you do!

In Celebration of Spring - My 5 Favorite Baseball Movies

One of the surest signs of spring is the return of baseball! I am actually obsessed enough to watch spring training games, so for me baseball has already started. It is fun to see all the minor league talent that is invited to training each year as well as the veterans that we know and love. So in celebration of spring I thought I'd share my top five favorite baseball movies with you!

As a note: this is no way meant to be an exhaustive list and is based purely on the enjoyment I receive from these movies and not on authenticity or what critics consider the best representation of baseball. I'm just a girl who likes baseball and movies!

5. The Rookie

The Rookie is just a fun, sweet, family oriented movie about a high school coach, Jimmy Morris, who makes it into the majors after promising to try out if his high school baseball team made the playoffs. There is something about Dennis Quaid's understated performance that just sells this whole movie.

4. Frequency

I always have to have a controversial pick on my lists! You may not realize that Frequency is a baseball movie, but I assure you it is (as well as a thriller, mystery, and family drama, also oddly, my second Dennis Quad movie on the list). "The Amazing Mets" are integral to this film, and it is awesome! In fact, everything about this movie is awesome! One of the things I like best about this movie is it shows how baseball, and a favorite team, become an integral part of a family. How that team's history becomes part of the fabric of the family's history and influences how the family communicates. It is also one of those totally quotable films. The song in the final scene & credits kills me every time. Watch it. Love it.

3. Field of Dreams

Of course this is on the list. It is gorgeous and moving. It's about fatherhood, and America, and America's pastime. Who doesn't tear up when they flip the lights on for the first time? Or get a shiver up your spine when you hear "if you build it, he will come?" Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson is perfection. When Ray Kinsella gets to play catch with his Dad? Well, by then I am usually a puddle of goo and sobbing quietly into my popcorn. I also have to give a shout out to the book this movie is based on Shoeless Joe by W.P. Kinsella. Seriously one of the most beautiful things I have ever read.

2. Major League

And now for a comedy! Major League is truly hilarious. It is also rated R for pretty good reasons. There is a reason this is on most people's favorite baseball movies lists, it is a screwball satire full of great characters and amazingly quotable lines. I am sure I don't go a day without quoting Major League ("What do you want me to do dive for it?!" "Juuuuuust a bit outside.") Also, Corbin Bernson, whom I love, is in it. (Also, pre-insane #winning Charlie Sheen and the always fabulous Tom Berenger). Good times, people, good times!

1. The Sandlot

Best baseball movie ever! There a million reasons why I love this movie. First of all, it is about a pure, unadulterated love of the game. These kids don't play for big salaries or fame, they play because they love baseball. It's set in Los Angeles, and it's such a gorgeous representation of suburban L.A. in the 60s. Also, it starsJames Earl Jones and Dennis Leary, 'nough said. But the kids - and baseball - are the true stars of this film! "You're killin' me Smalls!" will immediately be your favorite saying after watching this movie, I guarantee it. The Sandlot also makes it into my top 5 buddy movies, kid movies, and L.A. movies . . . so I think it's a pretty good all around pick for my top baseball movie.

I must also give a quick honorable mention to A League of Their Own, mostly because I tell Maddie "there's no crying in baseball" at least once a week ;)

So, what about you? Any favorite baseball movies. Shocked that I left out classics like Bull Durham (yawn) and The Natural? Or maybe you haven't ever watched a baseball movie. If so, I suggest you start with my list ;)

My Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movies

Ok, so I am a leeeetle bit late with this, but it's still the Christmas season, so there is still time to watch some awesome Christmas movies. Here are my top 5 . . . I realize this could be a very controversial list!

5. The Santa Clause

Why? Cause it's fun!

4. Die Hard.

Yes! It IS a Christmas movie! And has the best quotable lines ever! And the sexiest villain! ("Shoot the glass!")

3. A Christmas Story.

Hilarious. I watched it almost 4 times in a row this year (setting up the play kitchen), and you know it's a good movie when it's just as funny the FOURTH time. Also, haven't we all had at least a few A Christmas Story moments? We had one this year when we took Maddie to Ho Ho China for her 2nd birthday and they put a candle in the almond cookies and sang to her in Chinese and English. But, we didn't have any duck . . .

2. It's a Wonderful Life.

Of course. Jimmy Stewart . . . 'nuff said.

1. White Christmas

This is my personal fav. It is a much watch. Here is the secret of White Christmas . . . it has almost no plot! I am convinced it was just a vehicle for all of the extra songs left over from other musicals. But you know what? I don't care! It is the total awesomesauce and no one can convince me otherwise. Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye equals total win (side note: my mom and my husband are both huge Danny Kaye fans . . . totally irrelevant, but just thought you should know).

So what are your favorite Christmas or Holiday movies? Are you horrified at my list? Are you shocked I left out . . . Miracle on 34th Street . . . or Charlie Brown Christmas (I swear it would be #6 if this list went to 6) . . . or insert your favorite movie here?

Back to the Future

If Doc Brown had actually been able to go forward 25 years in the future, instead of being shot by Libyan nationals for stealing their stolen plutonium . . . he and his DeLorean would have ended up at the Puente Hills (Pine Hills) Mall today!

So to celebrate, we were at the Puente Hills Mall AMC Theater last night to see Back to the Future on the big screen! We also got to see a tricked out DeLorean and the actress who played Marty McFly's girlfriend Jennifer in the first movie.

Happy 25th Anniversary Back to the Future!

Summer time!

Summer time is officially here! How do I know?

Here we are waiting at the drive in for the sun to set so we can watch our movie!

Don't they look excited to get to hang out of the car window?

And here is our really sad attempt at a family photo via iPhone . . . Ed has is holding the phone out the window and pointing it through the windshield. Note how thrilled Maddie is . . . also note I am missing the top of my head . . .

What says summer to you?

The Adventures of Maddie - Independence Day Edition

We celebrated Maddie's first Independence Day at the Beal's house. Steve made amazing ribs with bourbon maple bq sauce (so yummy), and we go to eat and hang out. After that we went to the drive in and saw Hancock. I gave it a 7 out of 10, Ed was a bit more harsh with a 5 out of 10 rating. The second feature was Don't Mess With the Zohan, and it was so bad we decided to just go home. We saw a few fireworks from our vantage point at the drive in, and a between films a few people toward the front of the theater set some off. Next 4th of July we will actually go to a show of some kind, or set off our own. A notice was sent out at our apartments saying we couldn't set any off, and that was disappointing.

The best part of the day though, was watching the six one hour episodes about the Revolution on the History channel.

The Adventures of Maddie - Movies Under the Stars Edition

We had quite an adventure on Friday night!

During the summer the city of Bellflower shows "Movies Under the Stars" every Friday night in a little open air plaza off of Bellflower Boulevard. Friday, was the first movie of the year - Grease. As Ed had band rehearsal, Maddie and I decided to meet Liz and Daniel at the movie. The plan was to walk down with the stroller, and have Liz drive us back home when the film was over. So we set out a little after 7, packed diaper bag in tow, and strolled on down to the plaza. I was feeling very proud of myself that we'd managed to both bathe, get dressed, and out of the house on an outing within a decent time frame. About halfway there I realized I'd forgotten her sweater, but never fear - Ed dropped it off on his way to band practice.

We got to the plaza, and it was packed. Probably about 300 people or so, all of Bellflower turned out it seemed! I got a hot dog from the hot dog guy (at some point I really should learn his name), and he was very happy to meet Maddie. Mads was super good, she only cried twice when she was hungry, the rest of the time she enjoyed snuggling under blankies and getting held by Liz and Daniel, and admired by random toddlers.

About halfway through Grease a horrible thought occurred to me. I had thought through what to put in the diaper bag, getting the stroller ready, digging up my sneakers, but it had only just hit me that we needed the CAR SEAT to put in Liz's car for our ride home.

About halfway through the movie it occurred to me that I had neglected to bring her car seat! We were so prepared except for the most important travel item! The car seat had been left in the living room, and it's base was still strapped into the backseat of my car. Ed had already gone to practice, so we had to figure out how to get us home.

My first plan (pay close attention, it's complicated) was that I would take Liz's car and drive home, park her car in Ed's space, get the car seat from the living room, hook it into my car where the base already was, drive back to the plaza, load us all up, drive back home, and Liz and Daniel would take their car and go home from there. Brilliant plan.

When I got home and ran into the house to get the seat, it suddenly hit me that my trunk is FULL of random junk and hasn't been cleaned out since I graduated in 2005. There was no way we could fit the stroller in the car with all of us in it! So I scrapped my original plan and grabbed the base from my car. I'd never installed it before, Ed usually does that, but we'd figure it out.

When I pulled back up to the Plaza Liz and Daniel were the only people there except a few volunteers cleaning up. We managed to get the car seat in, Maddie strapped in, Daniel situated next to her, but we could not get the stroller into the trunk of Liz's car! We took pretty much everything out of her trunk, and it still wouldn't fit! So we decided to leave it sticking out of the back along with her bottled water and other Sam's club purchases.

We finally get into the car, sweaty from our battle with the stroller, and we realize that we've left everything else - purses, sleeping bags, folding chairs - on the bench in front of the car! So, we had to pile back out of the car and shove everything into wherever it would fit - which was mostly on top of Daniel. I had a folding chair in the front with me, and Daniel's school project diorama on dinosaurs under my feet, so I rode home with my feet up on the dashboard. Luckily we all, including the diorama, made it home in one piece.

In the immortal words of William Shakespeare - "All's well that ends well.