Wooooo hoooo

Is it wrong that this sort of thing gets me going? Yes indeed, 62 new skeins of DMC pearl cotton. Hancocks was having a sale and my stock we quite low so it seemed like the perfect treat given the very nice sale price! I tend to use pearl cotton for just about anything that calls for embroidery floss. With the exception of very small details I really like the way it looks when stitched. It's very lustrous and I don't have that " splitty" problem that I have to floss.

I love the way it looks when hanging so I think I might make the pearl cotton it's own little wall rack in my new - coming this weekend studio! During the move to new digs I am going to be doing some sorting and cleaning out so make sure to keep your eye right here since some nice little giveaways are planned!

Using your Biggest Sex Organ

A girl can't spend all her time between the sheets. Sometimes a book is a nice diversion and this one is as fun as it gets. Once you get over the silly title it's another interesting book from Mary Roach who's previous book, Stiff ( as in dead....not as in... well you know) was a book I found when we went to the somewhat shocking Bodies exhibit when it made it's way to Atlanta a few years ago.

In the same engaging style as Stiff, Mary looks at the world of sexual research with any eye towards the absurd and a flair for the funny. If your brain tends toward your facts with a dose of fun on the side this books makes a nice read and makes it clear that we still have a long way to go when it comes to understanding the interplay between whats between our legs and our largest and best sex organ, our brains.

A Tisket a Tasket, what's in Maddie's Basket?

A couple of people have caught me around and about with my basket in tow and asked what it was all about. So I thought I would spill the beans about the " modern pioneer girl look" I have going on with all this basket business.

In truth my basket is no different than hauling around a tote bag when there is no longer significant real estate in one's purse to hold the load of stuff we need to carry around on a daily basis. Or at least that is how it started ( insert ominous music)

Now the basket has become my faithful companion, you know sort of like a puppy but without the wet nose or lake size piddle puddle on the floor! It goes with me though my day holding all the things I might need at one time or need to drag upstairs with me at night ( cell phone, drink, current book I am reading, small snack, papers to review etc...) or perhaps down stairs to watch the boys in the pool ( bug spray, cell phone, lap top, magazine, drink etc...) or when I go out it acts as an adjunct purse holding all the stuff that I need during my trip out of the house but might not want to carry into every stop ( snacks for the kids, items I need to return, day planner etc...)

So obviously useful... but you ask.. why a basket and not a tote bag? Well.. good question and mostly it's a stupid answer that I am going to share with you anyway. The basket has a flat bottom and open top making it easy to see and retrieve stuff and with the flat bottom it also allows me easily to carry a drink down ( or up with me) without spilling. So no real magic or simplicity movement ideal.. it's just practical :)

** In the basket above you can see part of what I hauled down to the pool with me for the boy's afternoon swim.

1 hammer to fix the support post of the bean trellis down by the pool
1 staple gun to hang trellis netting
1 book Getting Things Done by David Allen
1 can diet root beer, nabbed from the fridge on the way down to the pool
What you cannot see but is in the basket
1 cell phone
1 bag smoked almonds
1 note cards
2-300 Stablio medium fine pens, my be all and end all pen for creative writing.

Happy Polka Dot Day!

Well it took a while and it was a lucky find that is for sure but I finally found some cushions for my new-to-me wicker front porch set. I was getting to the point where I was thinking that I was going to have to make them and really do not have time for that right now. But all I could find were tropical prints or nautical prints, neither of which was right for my front porch. But this.. yes.. pink with polka dots.. just right. I can't wait for Les to get back in town to see it. I am blessed with a husband who does not think that the color pink drains away your manhood and he indulges me in all things pink. I am one lucky girl!

Wicked Wednesday

This week's question from the ever so fantastic Babeland crew is, In what ways does motherhood make us better lovers? I think this is a great question since the assumption right off the bat is that over time we do become better lovers and I do think that can be the truth. The further we venture into motherhood and aging the more we understand about our bodies, our abilities and our responses. Let alone I think we get better at communicating those needs and desires if we work at it.

Maybe it's that so much of our time is no longer our own that we feel the need to get straight to the point ( pardon the pun!) or maybe it's because as mothers be begin to learn ( maybe from our children) that we can only really get what we ask for. So unless we ask directly and frankly for what we want we have little chance of getting anything close to what we need.

Perhaps in our younger pre baby years we make the mistake of thinking that our partners were mind readers and could hear our desperate mental pleas that went unvoiced during sex for "harder", "softer" or " a little to the left" and then we seem so surprised and disappointed when they keep on doing just the opposite! What an unfair expectation to put on a person we love. So to nowbe at the point where we are comfortable enough with a person to express these needs and desires surely makes us better lovers.

But perhaps we are deep into motherhood and still not expressing our true desires in matters sexual. What can we do to find that voice that gets past the sexual shame cast down on us during our childhoods, society or unwelcomed encounter. How do we become more comfortable with our own skin ( stretch marks and all!) enough to flash a bit, or more than a bit to the one we love?

My first choice is some of these fantastic books:

For those dealing with sex after sexual abuse Healing Sex can be a great book to check out. This coupled with the appropriate therapy can really mean regaining a healthy outlook on one of life's greatest pleasures.

Or maybe you skipped out on the sex-ed day in your highschool or worse yet your mom would not sign the permission slip so you are still a little fuzzy about how all your parts work and would like to learn how to rock your own world. If so, Sex for One is really the be all and end all but on the subject and I highly recommend it. Extra points for you if you then give your husband the full tour!

Just want to shake things up between the sheets a little? How about Sex with the Lights on It's casual and comfortable question and answer format makes it an easy and informative read that I really think couples should read together to spice things up.

And of course if you just want to know a bit more on how to handle your man, this book lays it all out there ( ooops.. another pun!)

Have fun!.. be sexy mama!

S'more Party Kits!

Not much time but I did want to post these photos of the S'mores kits that I made up for Greg's birthday a couple of weeks ago. I sure wish the photos were better and much more worthy of the killer products that I ordered from the folks at Garnish. From them I got the very cool trays and the oh so cute little cups with the lids that we used to fill with sprinkles for the s'mores. In the bottom photo you can see the brown and white bakery twine that I also got from them. ( the ribbon was a on a mega sized kit we made up as a hostess gift! You can also see s'more ideas ideas over on the Garnish site. ( hahahah.. I made a pun!, lord I need a life!)

Balls in the air

Once again, NOT a wicked Wednesday post.. and we are all glad based on today's title! But it is true that I am juggling like mad with little time to stop and enjoy the process. For that reason with the exception of the posts I will have to do for Babeland during the rest of May I am going to be taking a little blog-holiday. But before I go I have two more wonderful Stitch a Chocolate Egg Ornament kits to give away from the oh so fantastic Brooke Nolan!

Random Generator spit out the numbers for the last two very lucky folks..

#7 Claudia E bemgelado @ aol . com

and

#124 Mare marexstitch @yahoo.com

Ladies, please contact me so I can get these in the mail to you!!

I'm in the Mood for Love

Ah, the song might have been written in 1935 and recorded by everyone from Frank Sinatra to Kenny G but it's often not the song of the night when it comes to most mothers of young children. In fact half the time you are falling asleep at the dinner table if there happens to be a lull in the time between body function jokes and someone spilling their milk. This really is an irony since sex is most of the time what got you into this motherhood business in the first place and yet now more often than not you are too tired for it!

Well the folks at Babeland are happy to help you with a whole bunch of reasons to stay up late and enjoy a little time with your husband as they celebrate moms of all types for the month of May. As part of the Sexy Mom month I hope to tackle one topic per week and this week.. you guessed it.. lets talk about what you can do so you have at least 1/2 of chance of being in " the mood for love" while at the same time making your way through a full day with kids or kids and a job.

My top suggestions are as follows:

Take at least an hour for yourself in the evening to recharge your personal batteries, do something not having to do with either laundry or scooping the cat box. Get your partner to take over for a bit. The bed time routine can be a great time for dads to connect with kids in a way that will make memories for a life time. Around here, soon as dinner is done I am off-duty and daddy takes over the bathing, bed time reading and tucking in giving me some quite time. He is more than happy to do this know that I then come to bed with a MUCH better attitude, one where I am in the mood for love!

Hone in one what gets you going, is it music, maybe a certain song?... a book, an erotic poem. It does not really matter what it is.. what matters is that you take the time to indulge in this bit of metal foreplay in order to switch from "mommy mind" to that of a sexual partner to your mate.

Speaking of foreplay, it's not just the hour before then deed that counts, how about setting the stage over the course of the whole day with some teasing texts to the one you love. These little text-teasers keep your libido turned on just as much as his. A very fine use for that unlimited text plan you never use!

Most of all know that making the time, setting the stage and doing the deed on a regular basis is not only good for your marriage, it's good for you.. since when have you ever felt bad after a wonderful night between the sheets with the person you love?

Carnal Nation - Wicked Wednesday

Seems that Wednesday got right past me this week. For even more reading check out Babelands Sexy Mom's in celebration of Mother's Day!

Lois Anne, you are a winner!

True Random Number Generator Min: Max: Result: 76

Lois Anne, you are the winner of Brooke's oh so adorable Chocolate Egg Ornaments to stitch! Please contact me so I can get your prize in the mail!