Six Glorious Days

11.30.2010

Between the crazy weather we've been having around here and some pre-planned time off, I've had six glorious days off of work. 

A day to lounge around the house by the fire.

A day to tromp around Seattle with my favorite little sister.

Okay, okay.  This is actually an old
picture...but you get the point.

A day to gorge myself on stuffing, mashed potatoes and apple pie.


A day to go see Santa.


A day to get things done around the house.


A day to enjoy a snow-filled forest.


It's truly been six glorious days.

Holy Heart Failure, Batman...

11.25.2010

...it's been snowing in Seattle!

The Debut

11.23.2010

About four years ago I purchased a sewing machine and started a new tradition - the tradition of the Thanksgiving Debut - which is basically exactly what it sounds like.  Around the holidays I work on a new project and bring to it Thanksgiving dinner for its "debut."  The first two years I "debuted" dresses that I sewed for myself by wearing them to dinner.  Last year, still in a post-partum haze, I decided that bringing my six month old would count as a "debut" (after all, I did make her!).  This year, I've decided to debut a dress for Baby O (much more manageable nowadays than a dress for me).

Behold...this year's dress.

The Front... 

...And The Back
Made with the pattern for the Ice Cream Social Dress by Oliver and S.  (Any mistakes in this dress - and they are definitely there - are all of my own making, not caused by this amazing pattern company).

Want to see the dress on Baby O?

You'll have to wait for "The Debut!"

Ahhh, That Felt Good

11.21.2010

This morning we had a play date with a mom's group that I joined back when Baby O was just this tiny.

Please note the receding hairline.
It's awesome to be an infant.

Usually I leave these play groups feeling like a lame-o parent after hearing all the activities that the moms do with their kids and all the places that they take them.  Today, though, I just left feeling like I live in a pit filled with crap.

People (who obviously don't know me very well) always comment that I'm so "domestic" because I cook (occasionally) and sew (occasionally).   My dirty little secret though is that my house is an absolute disaster area and it drives me nuts.  Today I left inspired to at least start getting rid of all the stuff around the house that we don't need or use.  I wrangled my husband into the task while Baby O slept and we filled the entire trunk with stuff to give away.


It feels so good to get rid of this stuff and to know that it's going to somebody who will at least have a use for all this crap (I mean, stuff).

Farewell, my former belongings (and good riddance).

Our New Sign

11.17.2010

Hey, you.

Yeah, you.

Don't even think about ringing that doorbell.

Can't you see the sign?


That's right.  No soliciting, sucker!


*A special thanks to my husband who pointed out to me before I started all the embroidery that I spelled "soliciting" wrong.  I'm not quite sure what "solititing" is, but I'm guessing that the sign wouldn't have the same effect.


**And an extra special thanks to Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching for the luchador embroidery pattern.  Genius...as always.

Shhh, Don't Tell My Dentist

11.14.2010

I must admit, I have a great fondness for any sort of candy that could potentially pull out all my fillings.

Black licorice? So good!

Sour patch kids?  More please!

Caramel?  Must have it now!

And so I found myself spending my Friday evening stirring a glorious mixture of cream, sugar, and butter for a long (LONG) time and in the end creating these little beauties!




Both so cute and so delicious!

(I better start socking away money right now, because I'm afraid I'm going to have quite the dentist bill after eating these.)

Oh, and here's the recipe that I used.  I give it two very sticky and delicious thumbs up.

Sewing - My Frenemy

11.11.2010

Sewing and I don't always get along.

Six months ago I ran over my finger with the rotary cutter. 
I cannot even begin to tell you how disgusting that was (and how much I screamed when it happened).  Honestly, it didn't hurt that much but the sight of the blood that WOULD NOT STOP COMING kind of freaked me out. 

On a far less gruesome note, four months ago I ran over a straight pin with my serger blade.  I had always heard that this was a no-no, but I thought that real damage would only be done after repeatedly making this mistake.  I've come to the conclusion though that apparently one time is enough.  Ever since running over that tiny little pin my serger has not worked the same.  I've fiddled with the dials thinking that perhaps the tension was off, but recently when I tried to serge something the blade didn't cut any of the fabric off and instead just folded it over and made a hideous looking edge.  It's time to accept that I need to break out the manual and learn how to replace the blades.  Damn that pin!

Thankful

11.09.2010

Have you ever read something on the internet or on someone's blog that just makes you want to hug your child and be thankful for all the little things that you complain about?

That happened to me yesterday.

Here's to being thankful for my little one (and all the craziness that comes with her).

Pumpkin Disposal

11.08.2010

How we dispose of pumpkins in our house.


What?  Do you throw them in the garbage or something?

One Week Late...

11.07.2010

...but better late than never...the cutest little beaver on the block.

My Ode To The Triangle

Quilting has led me to develop a new found respect for something that perhaps doesn't get a whole lot of respect - the triangle.  It's an amazing little shape.

Turn a couple triangles this way and you have a square.

Turn a couple triangles that way and you have a diamond.

Spin them around a bit and behold, you have a pinwheel block (or lots of pinwheel blocks)



And that's how the triangles will stay.



I'm in the midst of making a pinwheel quilt...finished size yet to be determined.  Not a whole lot of planning went into this quilt.  I'm going to see how many blocks I get from the 7 fat quarters that I had, see what size sashing looks best with the blocks and go from there.  Of course, I could have calculated this all beforehand but that would have required a little thing that I like to call effort...and that is something that is in short supply around here nowadays.