Mission Accomplished?

You be the judge. I of course couldn't get them to stand still long enough to take good pictures. The other little boy in the jacket over a Spiderman costume is Dallan's friend, Lawrence.

The Aang collar does have the little pie-piece cut out of the front, but she kept turning it sideways.

I even made little webbed feet things to put over Dallan's shoes. You can't see them very well b/c of the bag, but they were velcroed (is that a word?) around his shoes.

There's mushrooms in my army...

My zombie mushroom must have had a coffee bean to be out in the sun....

Building my plant army

This one looks better in person than in the pictures. It was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be. It was basically a sphere with a sleeve around it. Again, I used a skewer for the stalk. This time rather than wrapping an i-cord around, I made a little 3-row sleeve to stick the skewer in. I think it looks better.

At some point I'm going to get something to mount these things in.

Song-a-Day May: Where the Road Disappears

I can't believe this is the last day!

To celebrate, we wrote a super emo tune about the lengths of the months.

I feel that it is reasonably likely that, after today's song, Schmitty will no longer need to ask me how many days there are in a given month. Good thing, too, as I always have to do the trick where I count across the tops of my knuckles in order to remember.

Well, except February. That one's pretty easy, other than the whole leap year bit.

The plan going forward is that, while we won't write a song a day every day this month, we'll probably write more songs, and perhaps we'll also revisit and improve some of the things we put together thus far.

It should be neat.

Also: The Schmitty has asked me to apologize to you, the internet, for his, as he puts it, "terrible singing." I don't think it's that bad, but then I might be biased, as I am rather fond of the fellow.

you know how some people just can't pull off elegance?

I consider myself in that category. Not that I wouldn't want to, mind. I mean, it's a lovely thing to have people walk in to your home and say, "My what an elegant foy-yay and such a fabulous patina on that armoire!" but these people are not going to be swinging by my apartment any time soon. I mean, first of all, apartment. Not exactly Auntie Mame, either. No, I find myself in a place that has white walls and beige carpet, again, with miniblinds, again. At least this one has a few fun details that make it distinct from my last place. Like stairs. But I do not own. I do not even rent to own. I just rent. And that means I know, with absolute certainty, that at some point all of my belongings will be packed up and moved out, and I'll need the place to return to its white and beige self.

People say I could repaint, but who wants to do that when they are moving out? I could put up curtains, but with the exception of my kitchen there are drywall issues involved. No carpets yet, but I know one day I'll be able to tie the room together. Until then, I'll just have to find other ways of adding a bit of color. Like this:It's amazing what you can do with temporary spray mount and old betty crocker recipe cards. And I can look at things like chicken salad in melon rings every day! Inspirational!

No, I haven't been just goofing off...

I had a shower to go to. I made a duck with matching hat. It also got wrapped nicely with a little hand stamped card. Now, I have to go to work.

Successful hat attempt!

I tried making this hat for the Nuggie once before, but it came out way too big. Truth be told, it was actually too big for me as well.

This one came out nicely, though:

Busy, busy, busy

I have done quite a few projects over the holidays. I made 4 scarves for the Moms (i.e. my Mom, Stepmom, Mother-in-law, and Sister). They were inspired by "Mommy" necklaces that have little people as charms. There is one for each child, and the girls have little triangle dresses, while the boys have rectangle or oval shaped bodies. I made the scarves with a Knifty Knitter, and crocheted the tassle children.

The ones for my Mom and Stepmom were the most time-consuming because they have 7 grandchildren - 6 girls and 1 boy each. Lots of little pink triangles. My sister's and MIL's didn't take quite as long as Nique' has 3 kids, and my MIL has 4 grandchildren. Like an idiot, I forgot to take pictures of my Mom's and my MIL's. Here are the ones of my Stepmom's and my sister's, though.

Then, scarves done I decided to knit a present for Adoxograph. I'm not posting a picture here, because I'll let her do that when it arrives. :)

I also made a few letters for little girls' bedroom doors as presents. Once again, the idiot factor kicked in and I forgot to take pictures before I gave the presents. I have the H still, so here is that:



Last,but not least, my little boy spotted me working on a hat, and asked me to make him one as well. I did that yesterday:

Halloween Costumes!!

Okay, so I know this post is a little late, but I thought you might like to see the dinosaur costumes I made the kids for Halloween. Dallan's tail came out really nice, if a bit long.

Skill to aspire to

My mother made this sweater for my daughter. I'm not sure how much detail you can see in this picture, but it is just amazing. The little pink parts around the edges are actually ruffled. This thing looks like something that you would buy at Children's Place for $40.

More to come later today. My current project...Scarves!

See, this is what happens when you mess around

Detail from one of our homemade holiday cards. Limited editions, anyone want to buy a set?

Excuse me, I was promised there would be hats.

So far, since we moved here, I have made seven hats. Yes, seven. Scary, eh? It's good, because I need hats to wear over my hair at work, as opposed to always working the Aunt Jemima/ gang warfare look that is the bandana.

I've never really gotten the hang of bandanas, I have always felt.

Anyway, the small single skein crochet project that is the hat seems to work for me. I was even going to make seasonal ones if I can muster up appropriate yarn. I couldn't get candy corn colors that weren't acrylic (bastards!) but I still have hopes for an election day hat. Guy Fawkes day hat is a little much, though. I even have budget hats! I made this one with yarn from the dollar store and everyone loves it.

I've also started playing with stitch patterns and the like, with some successes and some weirdness. But honestly, for working, this green, floppy organic cotton one is probably my favorite.

It is really difficult to take a picture of yourself wearing a hat.

Hippo Birdie Two Ewes

I got a glue gun. AND a staple/nail gun. I also made two hats. It is hard to take a picture of yourself wearing a hat.

The ghost in the machine

My sewing machine was my mother's, with all the baggage that you can imagine that brings. My sister and I both learned some of our craft skills from her, and a whole lot more on our own, after she died, when faced with the piles of her unfinished projects. The sewing machine is the only sewing machine I can remember, and the memories are not always happy. Trying to stay still while yet another stupid dress was pinned on me. Her critiquing over my shoulder when I tried to sew something. Fights that usually ended with me giving up, and her taking over to finish whatever it was I was working on.

This is why I give serious thought to my training methods at work.

I take these memories with me every time I lug the heavy thing out of its case and set it up on my dining room table. And the machine objects to me. I know it does. I don't understand it, don't understand why tensioning knobs don't work, how thread can get knotted up inside the bobbin, why I have to keep rethreading the needle at random intervals. It didn't used to act this way.

It hates me.

Still, I manage to turn out some ok looking things. Maybe it has personal pride at stake? I don't know. I made this Japanese style knot bag because I hate a purse but like having something for my wallet and phone on a plane. Not bad, right? It's good you can't see in between the two fabric layers. And it isn't exactly reversible the way the pattern is supposed to be. (Hey, props for taking a picture of my own arm!) But passable enough that I'll use it.

A couple of parts of the machine broke off recently. Kinda important parts like the thing that holds on the foot. I went to Jo-Ann to ask about the existence of replacement parts. A lovely woman called Viking for me after we discovered no such listing for the model in the parts book. New parts, they said, are just not available anymore, even to those who would be able to service it, if I could find someone. The lady at Jo-Ann broke the news. "You're going to have to start looking for a new machine."

I know this will help my sewing. A new machine and I could become at least understanding if not outright friendly. But I'll admit it, I'm not ready for a new machine just yet.

Projects Completed

Does hanging a pre-made curtain count as a craft? It did involve tools and I had been putting if off for only a year and 2 months. Of course I bought the curtain on clearance without actually measuring the window first. As you can see it is too small...I need another one, but I figure it took me over a year to hang this guy, obviously this window is a low priority in my home decor.

I DID actually craft this week. I have been trying to come up with something I could make and sell at craft fairs and such...drum roll please...tooth fairy pillows!

I am really pleased at how these out. My 1st two pillows (LSU ones) were a little too big, so I shrunk my pattern down an inch and they are now perfect.

1st first photo (disregarding the curtain one) is of my wool felt teeth after they have been bowed, smiled and eyed. Everything is sewn on but the jiggly eyes.

2nd photo is a close-up of a finished pillow.

3rd photo shows all of the pillows I was able to complete in 2 days!! I could have done a couple of more, but my sewing machine flaked on me. OK that isn't the truth. I thought my machine was acting up, turns out I hadn't changed out my quilting needle to a normal needle. Apparently quilting needles are not only sharper, they are also longer. Now we all know :) Unfortunately it took me 2 hours to figure this out. :P

I also designed and made "Official Tooth Fairy Tooth Transaction Logs" to go with the pillows. The card contains: a tooth chart so kids can color in which tooth was lost; a log to note the date of the tooth loss (I even threw in a bow for the tooth fairy to check off she received the tooh) , a pocket to hold a tooth, a reminder that healthy teeth are more valuable so brush and floss and finally instructions.

First Baby Quilt for 2008! Only 3 Months Late.

For the record I had finished the top of the quilt before the baby shower in February. I just was unable to layer it together, quilt and finish the binding.

I truly enjoyed making this quilt. I made it for the baby girl of my close friends Marty and Chappell. I have known Marty since he and my little brother became friends in middle school! (I am very close to my little brother, so we actually share some friends.) Regardless I wanted this quilt to be extra special.
I chose colors and traditional patterned fabric to match the look of the nursery. I would have used toile, but couldn't find any at Joann's. I know I should have looked online, I just wasn't thinking in that mode. Selecting fabric has always been a hands-on thing for me. I do have to put a shout out to a great online store, Quilt Taffy, that I have recently discovered. I can not wait to start buying from this gal.

I have another quilt to make soon. My little brother is expecting his first born June 5th. They don't know the sex so I am waiting to the little bundle is born before I begin.

taking my lemonness to new levels

I made pie. Lemon pie. It uses the whole lemon. No meringue. I totally dig it. Also, I have sprouts of oregano, chives and basil, but the picture was blurry.

I am totally domesticated. Wait, is that what I mean?

Total Fluke

I needed to not cook tonight. I decided this after making my dinner, while I had my favorite rhubarb dessert soup on the stove. Yeah, what can I say, I'm really good at making definitive decisions. Phblt.

Anyway, I wanted to do something that didn't involve food, and I am really glad that I did. I realized just how long it had been since I played with my crochet hook when I picked it up and could not remember how to start. Yeah, bad. So then I went in search of a project that was small enough to finish easily this evening and not food. This is what I ended up with:



Meet Blimey, the nearly blind whale! I know, you're saying, "Nearly Blind? That eyeball is a gazillion times bigger than it would be really!" I know, I know. But it took 6 tries before I found a needle small enough to fit through the hole in the back so I could sew the eyes on. Hence, nearly blind. Glad I found one. The eyes make a big difference. That and the tail. I got a little crazy with the tail....

yes i know whale is edible. shut up.

Well, no, we don't NEED a third one...

but could you turn away such a happy face?

Hey, when did this whole March thing happen?

I hate daylight savings time. I predict that everything I make this week will be surly. And that makes me happy. Yes, that is my second pink surly shrinky cake. The first one broke and I can't find it. But hey, rubber stamps and shrinky dinks? Way cool...