Handmade Home book release party

August 21, 2009

Last Friday night before our anniversary supper date Damien and I attended SouleMama's book release party for Handmade Home. Silly but true: I was nervous about meeting thee SouleMama in person. She's one of the most well known bloggers in the crafty mama world which makes her kind of... famous. And of course it's not just her lovely-life blog but 2 books that she is also known for. She's probably as famous a person I'll ever meet.

And she's practically a neighbor. Well, not really she lives an hour away from me but we do have a friend in common, the amazing photographer who shot her back cover photo. Anyway, I went to the book party and noshed on crackers, bread and a couple cheese cubes and drank a small amount of white wine which was too much in any case on my empty stomach.

It was all quite lovely, I had a nice chat with said photographer friend, met Amanda in person, saw her sweet kids and husband. That in itself was kind of strange to meet someone who I know more about than they could possibly know about me. The classic "hey, I know you but you don't know me" introduction.

I spent that first night flipping through the projects in the book and to be honest I haven't had a moment since to delve further. This week has almost wiped me out as I'm spending these hot summer days, days we should be at the beach or at the very least enjoying my beautiful garden, painting the living room in the tenant's apartment. The worst part is I'm putting in all this work and I won't even enjoy the fruits of my labors. We never work this hard on our space because it's too exhausting!

All that to say I'm dreaming of days when I can sit down to stitch a few projects in this book. I'm dreaming of days I can sit down...

kyndale on Aug. 21, 2009, 2:07 a.m.

Oh, I would love to meet her. What was your biggest suprise when meeting her? Was she the kind of person you expected?

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Kika on Aug. 21, 2009, 2:54 a.m.

That's so cool. I've been itching to get my hands on those books but doubt I'd really make many projects from them. I'd DREAM of making them... I'd DROOL over the photos... but then I'd probably never actually DO any of them. I've had the first book on order (for ages) from inter-library loan so whenever it arrives I'll go from there:)

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- Kika on Sept. 2, 2009, 1:52 a.m.
  
  I ordered both books today! It was a splurge. I don't think I'll ever get a copy from the library. I also just bought "Weekend Sewing" by Heather Ross and it is really good. I've been so inspired and made some pillow cushions and more cloth napkins and will soon make some pj bottoms from fabric I bought years ago in Africa :) I've decided to spend some $ this year on inspiring, creative resources such as these. Now my daughter wants to make her Maplelea doll some new clothes!
  
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nicola on Aug. 21, 2009, 4:18 a.m.

oh, how fun! you are both in portland or you are just outside portland, right? a place i have always wanted to go! i wish i had gotten in on her interview conversation when it happened last week. i am so curious about what she did (or if it was just fate) to promote her blog way back when. lala and i are picking up the copy of handmade home on hold for me at our local bookstore tomorrow (complete with gift card and coupon, of course!). i am so curious to read it, because so much of what i have seen thus far are things we already do/have made ourselves. now why does it never occur to me to document it in a similar way? ;)

i know just what you mean about working harder on the space for future tenants than your own. (ditto for me about buying/making things...i spend more time/effort/thought on things for others than i do for myself.) i hope you finish soon and you can rest and get some space to read/knit/sleep/enjoy life again. hugs, nicola http://whichname.blogspot.com

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- renee on Aug. 21, 2009, 12:47 p.m.
  
  Thanks Nicola. I am managing to get enough sleep, barely. And eat well but the rest of life feels way to crazy with not enough down time to create & relax (both with my kiddos and on my own).
  
  This too shall pass.
  
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Simple Kids on Aug. 22, 2009, 12:36 p.m.

Oh, how wonderful! I bet it was a truly lovely event. I would have been totally star-struck!

Megan at Simple Kids's last blog post... August 21st: SK Showcase and Weekend Links

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HomegrownLife on Aug. 25, 2009, 12:51 a.m.

I really wonder if we were there at the same time! I was there with my husband and three children enjoying the scene and completely relate to feeling "star-struck" when meeting Amanda. How silly really. She seems so awfully sweet and humble and I have been busy choosing which projects from the book to start on first. Enjoy your copy!

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