Loving the Liverpool

Have I ever told you about my girls and their "twinspeak"?

Having identical twins - my first born(s) - I was clueless to language development.  What should be occurring when, etc.  They were communicating.  I understood them.  I thought all was fine.

But one day, while at a doctors appointment for me, my doc said, "Hey, you should have them evaluated.  They have a speech delay."  Huh?  What the heck!  There's nothing wrong with my kids.  Well, come to find out, they had actually developed their own language - twins speak - it was so intense that it began to interfere with their academic development.  It has hindered their ability to read and comprehend.  Their articulation has been very poor.  And still, in the 3rd grade, we are working so very hard, to get them where they need to be.  I mean, they would turn to each other, say something we couldn't began to understand, the other would run upstairs and bring her sister a pair of socks.  What?!  They look at me and go, "yeah, sissy asked me to get her socks".  Seriously, crazy.  Cute at first.  Now that we have baby number 3, her language development is a night and day difference.  Way more advanced than the twins.  Who knew?  We didn't.

We have been incredibly blessed - incredibly blessed this year, with a wonderful teacher who has made more strides with our girls than any teacher ever has.  She has reached out to them and to us in a way no other teacher has.  And we are so grateful for her.

Guess what?  She sews.

Yep.  I mean, am I little biased over my enthusiasm for her because she's a fellow "seamstress"?

OK, maybe just a little (tee hee!).  But she is the most dedicated, hands on, exciting, loving teacher my kids have ever had (and we've had some wonderful teachers).

She makes loads of cute things to wear to school.  Recently she sewed up the Liverpool shirt which is a new pattern from Amy Butler (our "neighbor" here in the next town over).  I asked if she would share her experiences with the pattern with you all and she took on the challenge.  So...if you've thought about sewing this up - here's her experience with it!  Enjoy!

I recently sewed the Liverpool by Amy Butler, and I was asked to write a quick review on the pattern for this blog.  Although I have enjoyed sewing since middle school, I still consider myself at a mid-beginner’s level and the amount of projects I have done with sleeves is very limited, so the Liverpool was a definite challenge.  I tried this project because I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.  :>)

There are several different options to the Liverpool, and I chose to sew the tunic with ¾ length sleeves.  I had a friend help me modify the pattern to ensure the proper fit, using two different sizes at different places on the tunic based on the measurements of my hips and chest.

Directions:

Most of the directions were clear, but I did have to read some of the steps through several times before I felt comfortable enough to execute that step.  For example, step 7 tells you to sew the two back panels together with a French seam.  It was the first time I had done a French seam and there were no pictures illustrating this step at all.  However, I proceeded with this step even though I was very unsure.  Despite my misgivings, I found the French seam to be quite lovely when I was finished!  I will try this seam again.

Most of the difficulties that I did have would have been easier had there been a few more illustrations.  The illustrations that are in the pattern are excellent – with labels indicating sides of fabric and more.

Amount of Time

This project was definitely time consuming for me, but this may not be the case for more experienced seamstresses.  I spent about 4 days on it – working when I could on the weekends and in the evenings after work.

Fabric Choice

Upon completing my project, I was not happy with my choice of fabric. I had chosen a solid color of relatively cheap fabric for the simple fact that I wasn’t sure I would be able to complete the project.  I did not want to spend the money on designer fabric when I wasn’t sure if it would turn out.  Next time, I will chose a nicer more colorful print, which would have led a little excitement to the piece, which has simple lines and a loose fit.

Finishing Touches

Finally, I want to point out that this pattern, like other Amy Butler patterns, included some finishing touches that I have not seen in other patterns, such as the French seam mentioned earlier, and sewing the edges of the darts.  I like these additions, as I feel they make the garment more stylish and more complete.

Thanks so much Mrs. R for the review!  I love it!

xoxo,

Trish

Heavens to Murgatroyd!

OK, so I'm hanging out with the wee one getting ready to put her to bed and I say to her, "Heaven's to mergatroid child!". Seriously?! Where did THAT come from? Heavens to mergatroid?! So, that got me curious, and as I do typically each night, lock myself in the bath and step into a steaming tub and catch up on blogs on my iphone (that's right, don't act like you don't do it too,risky, yes but I'm very careful not to drop it in the water : )

So I'm googling, Heavens to Murgatroyd. Turns out this is a take on Heavens to Betsy - no one is quite sure who Besty was but the pink mountain lion, Snagglepuss, on Yogi Bear coined this twist on the original phrase. Then I keep reading and it says, of all things, that the pink mountain lion on Yogi Bear was gay. What?! Gay?! I didn't know that, did you? Of course, at the age I was watching Yogi Bear I suppose I didn't even know what it meant to be gay but I was shocked. "Not that there's anything wrong with that " (remember THAT Seinfeld episode) I just didn't know. I mean, he's pink and all but he could have just been all metro sexual kind of thing but, whatever.  He's a cartoon character.   So, now ya know and when you are playing trivial pursuit or something, you'll have that little odd fact about this phrase to tuck away into your memory banks. What that has to do with anything I'm not sure...

Moving on...been super busy catching up on party orders! I do home parties,

Trunk Shows I call them. You host a party at your house and then I bring all of my purse samples, and loads of fabric swatches and you get to build your own bag, or quilt, or bib, or dress, or skirt, or whatever...I make loads of

stuff. Anyway, its a blast (and you can host an online party too if you aren't local - hey, just email me twopeasinapoddesigns at gmail dot com).

One of the ladies ordered a patchwork skirt. Well, I was dying to try out this pattern I found here by Chelsea Anderson of Pink Fig. I love her stuff because it is SO easy and the results are amazing. So, here's my first try at this skirt from the mag. LOVE IT!  Want one?  They'll be loaded on my website soon.  (ohh!  Launching my dot com soon - you'll love).  Here's one more quickie photo from the iphone of an order from Julia's party...

And on top of all the sewing I've been doing...whew! we had swim team practice, practice, practice and then

championships and then banquet followed by a super fun

pool party. Really, that was so much fun to swim after dark with the kids! One of the Dad's DJ'd and it was such fun.

And check this out!  THIS is India from our office.  First of all, isn't she beautiful?!  Well, one of our student workers, Allison, has been teaching herself how to sew.

She took a tunic from her Mothers closet, laid it out and cut a pattern and made this shirt.  Huh?!  That's a girl with a great sewing future!  Don't you love this!  Now, the seams were a bit rough inside but  at the time she didn't have a serger.  Problem resolved, I sold her my old one at the end of the school year.  I can NOT wait to see what she creates next!  I think she did such a fabulous job!

Ok, breathe, breathe...is this like too much information for one post?!  I'll stop now, mostly because the gardener is at home with three kids and I'm sure tapping his foot waiting for my arrival home.  (no internet at home - have to schmooze it elsewhere to post - blah!)

So, next post - get ready!  I have a fun little service project for us!  I was reading this story in People magazine about a soldier who had asked for bedding from home to be sent because their linens over there stink.  I thought, all of us sewing goddesses that we are, lets sew up some pillowcases to send over!  Sound good?  Next post will be a pillowcase tutorial and my giveaway for August will be some fabric so you can make one more and send off.  I'll post their contact info and all so you can mail off your little bundle of soft love for a wonderful soldier to bury their tired head into at night.

Be good everyone!  School is back in session in 28 days!  Yippee!  (oops!  That came out like a shout of joy, didn't it?  That was sorrow - I will MISS the little ones terribly and wait at the window just watching for their return each day from school - after I do my happy dance!!  Just kidding - a little.  I just want to catch up on laundry - we've been playing and working a lot - not much house cleaning going on).

Ok seriously, I'm signing off - I'm writing like I'm on crack or something - get ready for pillowcase construction, ok!  Go getcha some fabrics!

xoxox,

Trish

{Bad blogger, baaaddd!}

I know, I know...I've gotten behind.  I'll blog more later...I promise. The girls are in swim team which is very time consuming with practice in the morning and the evening and quite frankly, they are just home.  Enough said...right?  I mean, I'm making full out fancy lunches to keep them fueled for practice and really, my only "me" time for sewing, which is really for everybody else as I'm working on orders, is during nap time.  Of which, I am blessed to say that around 2pm, the baby, AND the twins AND the hubby are all usually asleep for a good hour or so.

I'm doing trunk shows again this summer and I'm making a new top to wear to these shows.  I got this pattern from Sew Serendipity and I picked out 3 fabrics from Amy Butlers Daisy Chain line to go with it.  I'll share when I get it done...you can see the baby is my little helper, reading at such an early age and helping me to figure out button holes.  yuck, right?!

And I did get a slew of those notebook covers done for my girls teachers just in time for the last day of school.

I have a handful of new bag designs I'm working on.  A hobo bag that my friend said it looked like the snap flap on it was a maxi pad - oh thanks Renee : ) SOOOO I'll be reworking that little design into something um, a little more pleasing of a shape.

Also trying out new ideas for backpacks.  Had a vision last night of how to put a zipper top on it but it would actually be on the front panel...hmm, gonna try that one out tomorrow.  Cross my fingers it works.

When I get a bit more time, I'll post more and share more.  Hope the start of your summer is going well.  Keep in touch and don't forget our monthly giveaways!  Set of market bags this month from recycled fabrics - Go Green!

xoxo, Trish

Quilt Market

I know, quit complaining, right? I mean seriously, how much can you possibly stand to hear me moan and groan about my nervous stomach and anxiety over this whole process of trying to become a textile designer. This has been a long and trying journey so far. OK…so here’s the “story” of my experience and interviews at Quilt Market.

The night before day one, I could not get to sleep. If you were following me on Twitter, you know, I was up way late, up way early and was losing my mind. Not to mention the fact that I’m still nursing my baby, who I left at home, and who I have never been away from for more than a few hours. Heart wrenching. A few tears were shed.

Once I got to market the next morning, within minutes I had my first appointment. And it went well. I got great feedback and was asked to resubmit in a different format and add some things to show my line in finished product within the next 10 days. I had two other companies who liked me and we had a really great connection. Crossing my fingers. I had two complete rejections which was ok. They said, and it’s true, that the market is getting saturated with designers. Scrapbookers and graphic designers – everybody is designing for fabrics and it’s just very competitive right now. They both told me that before they even looked at my designs and then looked and gave me advice and feedback. That was very nice.

In the midst of the interviews, I got to visit with some people who have been mentoring me through this process as well as some new friends. I had the best time meeting Kay Whitt of Serendipity Studios. She is just without a doubt the sweetest thing ever! We had talked before market about intellectual attorneys via email. She was wearing this super stylish coat! I love it! I bought the pattern to try making one for myself. I told Kay it will be cold weather again before I get it done! I think Kay and I could have talked all day about dust bunnies in our machines, top stitching, button holes and dishonest people. Super wonderful person!

Amy Butler is a “neighbor” of mine. She lives a few towns over from me. I have met her once before and I was absolutely shocked that when I walked over to her booth she greeted me with, “Hi Trish! You made it here! So good to see you!”. One time I met her and she remembered my name, remembered the thank you card I had sent her for helping me out, wow! I hope I can have a memory like that! I mean, she is one busy person so that’s pretty impressive. No doubt, one of the reasons why she is so well liked. Not only does she make amazing things but she is one heck of wonderful people person. So very warm and just nice, nice, nice. One of the things I’m trying to push with my line is for it to be green. And Amy and I had a nice conversation about organic cottons and dyes, and recycled materials and where the demand currently is. SO, listen up…if you are someone who thinks it’s important for us to support farming in the US, support organics, support sustainable business practices – you need to let the textile companies know that you want and will pay for organic cottons. It would be great to see there be a cry for green products in this industry!

(Are you sick of seeing photos of me yet? Sorry, my first market - playing major tourist!) Patty Young had a colorful little booth and her handy husband was with her over in the Michael Miller area. You gotta check out her blog and read about what happened before she got to market. Holy moly! But as you can see, her booth looked fabulous. And her new sewing patterns – they are really cute.

Lila Tueller, she started all of this! Oh, she may not remember BUT Lila was kind enough to browse my portfolio last fall and sent me the nicest, longest e-mail about how I needed to take my work to the next level and that I had really great quality work. She gave me all kinds of tidbits of advice that got me started on my portfolio. So when I met Lila finally in person, she could not have been nicer. She made my day because she was just gushing over my portfolio and made me feel so good on a day when I was feeling incredibly nervous and doubtful.

And her niece Chelsea,

you’ve heard me say before, amazingly easy patterns! Looking for something cute to make, easy – I mean I made my girls Easter dresses from her Lily pattern in about 3 hours.

All in all, a great trip. I took that first leap. I made all the connections. I networked. And now I have 3 great leads I’m working on. Within a month, I should either know if I’m getting my own line now or if I have to try again later. I’ll keep ya posted!

I can say, my stomach feels much better now. I got so many emails and voicemails from family and friends who said they were praying for me while I was at market and I have no words to tell you how much I appreciate that.

I was asked to provide a giveaway for a website called TryHandmade – way cool! Hop over and give them a peek and subscribe to their newsletter. This country is packed with fantastically talented women!

I may be slow to post for the next few weeks…drawings to complete, orders to go out, shows to prep for, kids to take care of, and oh yeah, I actually have a “real job” too! So what’s new with you? Drop me a line and let me know what you have going on in your sewing room!

Xoxo, Trish

{Homemade is best...and a little easy Mother's Day tutorial}

OK, so last week when I was visiting family for Easter, I started to notice that everywhere I looked - um, there was stuff I made hanging around. Little paintings, a fabric covered journal, quilts, stockings made from my great grandmothers old raggedy quilt, napkin rings, placemats and of course, purses. I'm really all about this handmade thing - it truly is a wonderful gift when you can give someone something you made by hand (or something someone else made - something unique - you get the idea!)

SO...here's a cool idea for you crafty types for a Mother's Day gift for YOUR Mother - a set of placemats and napkin rings! Seriously, easy project. Here we go:

Materials needed - the obvious, sewing machine, thread, etc you'll need fabric (see below), fusible interfacing and prequilted fabric.

Pick 4 different fabrics (I picked some Amy Butler dots to coordinate with some vintage kitchen prints I found). For each placemat, CUT four 5" x 14.5" panels.

Using 1/4" seams, piece your panels together. Press your seams open. Next, cut a piece of fusible fleece interfacing to fit on the rear of your front panel. Cut it 1/4" smaller all the way around than your front panel. Following the instructions with your interfacing, fuse it to the wrong side of your front panel. This will give your placemat some extra oomph and keep your cotton panel looking crisp - in my opinion.

Once you have your front panel complete, use it as your pattern to cut a solid rear piece from your prequilted cotton fabric. I used a cream color - the same I often use in my purses - sound familiar?

With right sides together, pin and sew with 1/2" seams. Leave an opening for turning. Turn right side out. Top stitch. I also typically add some "steam a seam" to my opening just to make sure it stays shut. That's it kids! Done! Now repeat for the rest of your set of placemats you want to make.

Napkin rings are loads of fun when you use old buttons. My parents had given me an old tin that belonged to my grandmother full of buttons. I glued some of the pretty and larger ones to magnets and gave those to my family. For the rest, I cut a piece of wide elastic just big enough to fit around my napkins. Then I stitched buttons galore until the elastic was fully covered. I warn you - it takes a lot of buttons to cover one and it actually took me several, several hours to stitch all of these on for 6 rings.

What a great gift set. My Mom still loves hers and I loved seeing them adorn her table last week at Easter. Even my kids were impressed. "Did you make these Momma?" Ah, yeah. Hope that gave you a good handmade gift idea.

A few more dresses and embellished jeans went out this week and a cute little tie tote that my girls gave to their girlfriend for her 8th birthday. These will be finding their way to my etsy site pretty soon.

Lots of orders being mailed out this week - thanks to my neighbor Barb for helping me cut everything! We need to do that more often because we never did get to our banana split desserts!

Don't forget - just a week or so left on this month and our April giveaway will be done. The two peas will be picking a comment out of a hat and we'll be sending you, the lucky winner, a way cool, patchwork accessory bag with an awesome buckle...I'll share that photo with you later next week.

Keep Spring coming - I'm begging for the sun and warm breezes to start coming every day instead of snow, rain, sun, snow, rain, rain, rain, sun...we just need some SUNNNNN to stay in O-H-I-O for awhile!

xo - Trish

Amy Butler at the Bloomsbury Loft

Look at the smile on my face. Does that say it all or what?! I have other photos of myself with this big of a smile. My college graduation. My wedding day. The birth of my children. And this. Ranks right up there :>)

Amy Butler has been a huge inspiration to me over the last several years. She lives about 30 minutes from my home and I first read about her in Country Living magazine and then found that ebay was loaded with handmade items utilizing her fabrics and I was enthralled with the colors and designs. She is really the reason why the sewing industry is where it is today and she has brought it to a whole other level that is bringing in new and younger sewers every day. She is just a class act all the way, in every way.

She was at a meet and greet event at the Bloomsbury Loft last night. Check out these sweet little treats they served – I brought these home for my girls. I think I was one of the first ones there for at least 20 minutes or so and I had the wonderful opportunity to actually have a nice long conversation with her about my aspirations, the business, her history and how she got started…it was really wonderful. She was generous in her time and advice, warm, sincere, and very gracious. I was so excited to go and meet her and I was not disappointed. She offered to help me out as I prepare to hopefully go to the Spring Quilt Market and I left there feeling truly energized that I CAN achieve success in this business. I loved hearing her tell her story about how she got started because it really made me believe in myself – that this dream is really achievable. I purchased one of her books, Little Stitches for Little Ones, and she signed it for me. Thank you Amy, it was such a pleasure.

About 5 am this morning, after I crawled back in bed after nursing the baby, my husband rolled over and put his head on my hip and said, “Are you still excited?”. I said, “Yes!”. He said I wiggled all night long and just laughed at me. I wasn’t dreaming about the evening I had just had but I was actually dreaming about my 3 girls. Nature and nurture.

My one pea, who is such an amazing creative artist. She picks up bottle caps from the sidewalk and general junk all over the place and then makes little sculptures and works of art. She amazes me in the depth of her imagination and what she pulls together. One day, she got into my beads (I used to make jewelry) and when I found her with all my expensive findings, she showed me that she had made the most beautiful pair of earrings to give to my mother. I couldn’t be mad at her. I couldn’t believe that a 6 year old could find all of those things and put them together the way she did with no instruction or help. And the other peas, she’s got such raw natural talent. She can look at a thumbnail picture from one of her magazines and recreate it and every detail in large scale perfectly. Wonderful artwork. And then I watch the baby and I am amazed at her dexterity at just 9 months. The way that she uses her index finger and thumb to delicately manipulate and pick up objects, wow. She has spent most of her life in my sewing studio either playing in the room or sitting on my lap while I’m at my machine. I think she will actually be the most amazing artist of us all. I just see it in her eyes.

And that’s why I was wiggling in my sleep. Because I have felt led to where I am today. Because I feel that nature and nurture in myself from what I can just naturally do and what I have been taught by my grandparents, great aunt, mother, father and teachers. Because I have always been encouraged in my art and crafting even when I didn’t want to do it. Because at this time in my life, this feels right. Because when I think about my girls and the talents that they have already, I know that artistic ability is both nature and nurture. They have watched me and also their amazing Aunt (who shares her talent with the kids and takes them to museums and draws with them. check her out here and here and here) and yet they have incredible talent that they were just born with. And so my dreams last night were of my future and all I could see was my 3 girls succeeding far more than I ever will.

But this just feels right. I had been feeling paralyzed. I had been praying for guidance. But I woke today feeling energized, and encouraged, and I feel hopeful. And ready. I am really ready to try.

Today, my kids were off school and we went to COSI, our local science museum. They love this place! In one of the exhibit areas, there was a needlepoint on the wall. It said, “HOPE. 1) A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectations of its fulfillment 2) to have confidence 3) Trust. Reliance.” I love this. And so I will. Hope.

I have a busy week ahead of me with my twins birthday coming up and a party this Saturday. I have 6 more aprons sets to make for their party just yet and tonight one peas said she wants a “sleuth kit”. They love mysteries and love the mystery in the Kit Kittredge and Nancy Drew movies. So any ideas? How do I make a “sleuth kit”? Seriously need some help on this one. A compass? A magnifying glass? Notepad and pencil of course. My husband being in law enforcement said he’d bring home some crime scene tape and might have a few other things he could come up with but…I need some ideas here! What would you put in it? And I only have a few more days to come up with this…kit. Which requires, you guessed it, a very specific bag to hold it all in. More sewing!

Update on my friend and her husband after undergoing some complications from his surgery, is now home and doing better. Thanks for your prayers…his one hour surgery turned quite complicated and we are so glad that he is now on the mend.

I’ll be back late next week with photos from the birthday girls shindig! They are so excited to have all their friends over and play and cook with their dolls. Do you get the feeling that I like it too? Still a kid at heart I guess!

Seriously? Could my life BE a bit crazier...really? Really.

I complain a lot here don't I?  I am SO glad you all are out there and just let me unload my woes.  Yeah, seriously.  I'm taking the day off of work tomorrow to clean house.  The MIL is coming to hang with the little one so I can zoom around and sort through junk that has been deposited...well, everywhere in my house so I can put some order in place.  And quite frankly, I'm looking forward to it.  Really.  I mean it.  I have a lot to look forward to this Spring and a good place to start is an organized house.  I have 4 bins of clothes and 2 bins of junk to go through and I can say...I am done.  I have gone through every closet, corner, nook and all of our house.  Started when I was pregnant...ah, in the fall of 2007.  Sprout is 9 months...I'd say I was fairly efficient, right? Don't laugh!  I hear you snickering out there...you got junk laying around too, don't you?  Come on,  you all email me on the sly and nobody ever wants to comment out in the open but hey, don't be shy.  You can own up to it.  Makes us all feel better to know we are not, gasp, perfect.

Anyway, still have some major cabin fever going on.  The kids are back in school..and guess what, they have Friday off!  Let's see, snow day, snow day, snow day...oh yes, let's have another day off.  I don't even know why they have it off but I for one, am headed off to our local science museum where we have a membership with the girls.  I can't take not even ONE more day in the house with them and their - oh I hate to admit this - crafting everywhere.

What have I done?  My little designers...they each made a quilt this week.  With scraps.  And a lot of glue.  A LOT of glue.   Once they dried, cute...and they put their new quilts on their sock monkeys (see sock monkey post) you should see the mess they left behind.  Now, they'll clean it as best they can but really, right now, my nerves are just frayed.  I'm crazy anxious about this whole - sewing industry leap - I'm about to take and...I don't know.  Is it just me?  Am I over sensitive?  Oh whatever!  :>)

I did get out on Sunday. 

Sprout took her first whirl around the park in the backpack.  Check out the thumb in the mouth.  Her top tooth just cut through that day.  We all enjoyed the sun although the trails were covered in ice so not so good for hiking.  It just felt good to get out.  And who would have guessed that it would 45' and everybody would be running around town with their car windows down and no coats.  Does that tell you how much we've become accustomed to subzero temperatures.  The 40's and we are all..."it's like Spring!".

And Thursday, I'm off to a meet and greet with Amy Butler. Like a stupid starstruck fan, I'm packing my camera along for sure.  My husbands aunt invited me - she's a buyer with the Limited brands.  She travels ALL the time to Paris, Rome, New York, Milan, etc for Limited in the textile industry and she's been trying to find me some connections to get my fabric line looked at.  So, she invited me to this little event and I'm really very excited and also nervous.  Will I get to talk to her?  If I do, what do I say?  "Ahh, hi.  I wanna be just like you."   No, that's stupid.  True, but stupid.  I'll just carry my bag I designed made with her fabrics and stare, I'm sure.  Listen, hope to glean off some secrets that will help motivate me to move MOVE MOVE these fabric patterns off to the testers and off the printers.  I just feel like I'm paralyzed though.  As long as I don't move, nobody has said no yet.  This is the whole anxiety thing.  See what I mean?

I'll end with this - there are much greater things in this life to fret over than a messy house and my nerves over my artwork.  My dear friend Kris, from LivyMarie handbags - you hear me chat about her once in awhile with her 5 kids she homeschools?  Well, her husband is having some heart issues and having surgery tomorrow morning.  Please lift them up in prayer as you read this.

Along with that, we have a local twins family who had their sweet peas born much too early.  They have been in the NICU and I made some quilts and hats for them last week.  My peas will deliver them next week and I'll share a photo later.  Please lift them in prayer.  Visit their journal and send them warm happy thoughts of the life to come for their family.

4:17pm.  I was going to leave the office today at 2:30 so I could work on some orders.  4:17pm.  Ugh.  Aprons are the hit lately...here's some more on their way to Morroco (is that how you spell it) to travelinmama who bought these on my etsy site.   She does some seriously cute paper crafts!  And I hope her little one likes the american girl set.

NOW I'm really, seriously, really...no I mean really, going home.  Really. Seriously.

Slan Leat, (a new one for me - goodbye in gaelic - a little nod to my Irish father)

Trish