{ FRESH! }

When I discover a new blog (and sweet mother, this happens all too often!) and read the first seven or so freshest posts, I then venture back to the very first entry, just to get a feel of where any given blogger (or usually, crafter) started. And since this blog is new - and the shop too, can't neglect the shop! - I thought maybe a little explanation of who I am, what I like, and what I do was in order. Here goes kids...

• I'm a single mom. By choice. Weird, I know. Well, not weird to me but in general I sorta get that weird look at the supermarket when I say this to people. It's tough yes and actually one could reason that it's twice as tough as raising a kid with two parents, but I've never done it any other way so I don't know the difference really. But along with it being twice as hard as it is for some I could also say that it's twice as rewarding - when he spurts out the alphabet just a few weeks before his third birthday, no one can take credit for that but he and I. When he counts to ten for the first time in the fabric store as we're picking out felt pieces, the congrats go to he and I. And the fact that he's well-adjusted, friendly, funny (he is probably this the most), and creative, I know that despite our little situation, I'm doing a good job.
• Speaking of the kid, he is the Bug. And I am Homegrown, by the way ;)
• I'm 25.
  
• I've attempted the college route four separate times and will definitely do so again in my life.
• I've always been creative...just not always with the sewing. When in college those 4 separate times I was a Journalism major and I swear, if it wasn't for my crippling writer's block I'd be a damn novelist by now.
• I'm a published author! You can find one of my original apron patterns in an upcoming book from Lark Books, called 'A is for Apron'. There's a little more about that here if you're so inclined...
• I've been blogging in some form or another since, uh...April 1, 2005! Damn me, nice work!
• I'm a raging liberal. I say this despite the fact that I may alienate some readers but seriously, it's bound to come out in some way or another before too long so a fair warning seems the nice thing :)
• Speaking of raging, I moonlight as a hippy too. I was raised by small town parents who drove classic rock into my brain from the day I was born. I'd live in a commune if I felt like I could part with 24-hour electricity and cable television.
• And music! I've got serious love affair with classic rock and folk music going on, that's lasted, well...since I was 15. I've typically at least one serious musical obsession at any given time - Jon Bon Jovi when I was 8, then Aerosmith and then the Beatles (that's ongoing, by the way). Then the Dave Matthews Band when I was about 16, a love that culminated in seeing the band for the first time (of many) on my 17th birthday with my best friend on their last show of the tour...from the 7th row. After DMB I took an obsession break because for me, that shit is literally all consuming. Lately though I've been obsessed with my records (all classic rock) and lots and lots of Joe Purdy.
  
• Because I love music, it goes without saying that I love concerts. I've seen some decent ones and some awesome ones but regardless I've enjoyed them all: Dwight Yoakom (my mother insisted we brave a tornado that touched down at the outdoor concert venue just to catch this show), Goo Goo Dolls, Sugar Ray (I'm embarrassed!), DMB (twice), The Wallflowers, The Black Crowes (twice here too), Blues Traveler, Bruce Springsteen (Bruuuuce changed my life), Simon and Garfunkel, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, John Fogerty, John Mellencamp, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, and Ryan Adams (though my glorious best friend and I did miss the show because I had to be carried out by security before the opening act hit the stage - damn my low tolerance for beer!)...
  
• I like new, fresh starts. They invigorate me like nothing else and seeing how motivation is hard to come by when you're constantly worn out from chasing an energetic screaming toddler, they're necessary in my life.

That being said (that can't be all, can it?!), let's move on. How about to the store! Homegrown & the Bug will officially open on December 14 and in the meantime I'll be doing what I usually do: scouring design and craft blogs (I'll be adding the ones I love to the blogroll here soon), finding inspiration in nature and from the mouth of the Bug, and sewing like my machine is going to break tomorrow. On the 14th there will be new bags and wall art (hopefully) in the store and I'll also be taking some custom orders if there's a demand. I'm hoping that I'll make some (new) friends along the way and that I can keep learning more about myself so I hope you'll all stick out the ride with me. And if you've got a question, you can always hit me up at homegrownandthebug@gmail.com :)

Feel It All...

Ah, new blog! Ugh, Blogger. I'm feeling out the new-to-me Blogger setup and getting used to being given options that weren't here last time I wrote away via Blogger. Wordpress is pretty but seriously, it's tough being you over there :)

So, the new blog is kin to the new store (it'll be here...soon!) and I hope to have some things up here in the next few days that will help anyone interested to follow along with me as I get my craft-legs back. There's some background info coming your way soon (about me...and the Bug!) and I'll most definately being doing as I always have - showcasing rad shit, posting tutorials, and sewing. I hope you'll stick around for the ride friends!