The World of...

Knitting

2010-10-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

Years ago when I first learned to crochet, the internet had not yet been invented. I struggled with my yarn and hook, begging strangers to help me figure it all out. Knitting? Uh, no. I had enough on my plate.

Time passed and I learned crochet. I actually stuck with it, through the cursing and yelling. I did pretty well with it. And then I got bored.

After staying at home with the girls, my brain needed exercise. I needed to learn a new skill. I needed to work the synapses. And that lovely crystal vase of knitting needles that I had been hoarding called to me...

I have made so much progress and I have to say that I enjoy it more than crochet these days. I love the challenge of learning new stitches and new techniques. I love the lovely foil that it offers crochet. I find myself craving more interesting yarns. It is such joy.

Butt Camera, Here I Come!

2010-09-13T08:27:00.001-07:00

For the past few weeks, I have been having bowel issues - let's just say more famine than feast. Blood work was normal, physical exam showed nothing enlarged. I am also having pain in my back on the left side. I suspect the pain is muscular as I took two hard falls in the river a few weeks back while we were tubing. In one instance, I turned to the right and fell on that side on a rock.

With the bowel issues, my doc has ordered a colonoscopy. Its tomorrow. Today is the prep work. This means clear liquids all day followed by a gut-busting rinse this afternoon. The doc is the same one who did my rectal reconstruction and 'rhoid surgery to correct the issues I had from having two huge babies. I am trying to think of something witty to write on my ass for a cheap laugh. Maybe, "Welcome Back!"? Or "If something did actually crawl up my butt and die, please don't tell my husband because I will have to admit that he was right." Yes, that probably would all actually fit on my butt. Sad.

I am really, really scared. Of course, I cannot help sitting and wondering about all of the outcomes. I can't seem to have a rational thought about the whole situation.

Light up the sky like a flame

2010-08-19T05:21:00.000-07:00

I love living on a dirt road. You know, my shop catch phrase is, "Like a disco ball on a dirt road." I took these while taking the girls to school this morning. They have not been altered in any way. Check out the little circles in the above photo...phantom disco balls. How cool is that? Oh maybe I just need to clean my camera lens.

On the way to school, my best twirly girly whirlies!

The scarf I currently have on the needles, a simple feather and fan but with a black yarn with tiny sequins woven through it. Everyone should have more sparkle and glitter in their life.

Suck it Pioneer Woman

2010-08-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

I saw The Pioneer Woman on The View this last week. I check her blog on and off. She has good food, nice pics. Not sure I get the hype. I mean, none of those food items on the show were really new or inspired - potato skins, jalapeno poppers? Have folks become so far removed from cooking as a skill that these things are genius? I don't want to hate on her, I really don't. She's a mom to four kids (edited), bless her heart. But I make that stuff all the time and frankly no one really gives a crap. Maybe I need better pictures?

So the only things still producing in the garden are the jalapenos, the okra, and the tomatoes. I blogged about the tomatoes. This was my other project to do today to use up some produce.

I love canning. Some of the stuff ends up as gifts, the rest we use during the winter. The only part that aggravates me is that it can require such precise measurements. This is the reason I dislike baking.

I really didn't have a recipe for this and I was I used 7-8 jalapenos that I seeded. I used 4 big hot red peppers, not sure what kind since they came from my mother-in-law. I added three green bell peppers and whizzed it all in the food processor. I added about 4 cups of sugar, a little vinegar, and some pectin. I think it looks right pretty with all of the green and red. I just hope it sets up.

This is really tasty on a grilled cheese - sharp cheddar, sourdough and a dash of pepper jam and then pressed in the panini press.

Roasted Tomatoes

2010-08-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Had a buttload of tomatoes and I had to use them up. I cleaned off the pokey stems, rinsed them off and tossed them with some olive oil and salt and pepper. I put them on 2 cookie sheets lined with tin foil. I roasted them at 450 for about 25-30 minutes. I left them to cool for a while.

Came back and sauteed some onion in some oil. I added some garlic. I added one sheet of the tomatoes and some chicken stock, basil and marjoram. I let the soup simmer for an hour, then whizzed it with the immersion blender. I added a pint of heavy cream. At this point, I tasted and realized it needed to be strained. I whipped out the chinois and strained it. Smooth and tasty. We'll have it tomorrow with subs.

The rest of the tomatoes got tossed in another pot and simmered with garlic for a while. I added some onions and red and orange peppers and meatballs. We will have spaghetti and meatballs tonight.

Mission accomplished!

I have not abandoned my blog.

2010-08-01T19:29:00.001-07:00

I have not. In fact, I am going to start (again) using it more. I want to share more items in progress, do some writing, share some projects I have planned, etc.

Got me a fancy new widget over there. Thanks to the folks at craftcult.com.

Out with the pig, in with the cat. She is a lovely long-haired tortie named Megatron. She came to us named that way.

Reading a lot of historical fiction, specifically British history. Signed up for NANOWRIMO.

Knitting a scarf, planning a quilt. Making stuff from the garden, lately jam and ketchup.

Baby Abraham

2009-11-22T15:41:00.000-08:00

Yes, we finally got a pet pig. His name is Abraham. He's pretty cute. Scott has wanted one forever so know he's got one.

Made an excellent pasta dish tonight:

Pantry Pesto Pasta

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti

1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers (I used jarred ones)

1 heaping t minced olives

2 T pesto

1/2 c heavy cream

1 egg

Cook the pasta per the directions. While its cooking mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir thoroughly. Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Makes 4-6 servings.

I might also add some walnuts, chipotle, or shredded spinach. You can do a lot with this.

First Fall Excursion of 2009

2009-09-27T14:17:00.000-07:00

Reverse order because I can't figure out Blogger. This is Jaemor Farms, which is just up 365/985, not too far from us.

This was taken on our hayride. The pumpkins are looking fine!

Della on the hayride.

Lucy and Daddy on the hayride.

Another view of the farms. Reminds me of France in some ways.

We did the mini-corn maze and you had to dip your fingers in the paint stations, one color on each finger. Your pattern determined your forture. This was Scott's.

This could not have been more appropriate for Della.

This was Lucy's.

This was mine.

We had a nice time.

The flu has found us.

2009-09-25T05:44:00.001-07:00

Just after we all got over a nasty cold, Lu has come down with the flu. Not sure what kind (Type A or swine) but it doesn't really matter. Poor baby girl. She's down for the count.

I've been dyeing a lot of slips lately. I am trying to get good and stocked for the holidays. I've also started listing some hats. I am also making some wreaths to take up the the gallery. I found 4 wreath forms at a yard sale and Lord knows I have enough stuff to whip up some pretty holiday things.

Last year, I made a bunch of "Lipstick on a Pig" ornaments and I still have some that didn't sell. If I can re-work them and get the lipstick off, they will become Swine '09 ornaments.

Hunting season is here and Scott will have some wonky hours. But that also means its soup season and I am looking forward to getting my soup on.

What a mess here in Atlanta with all of this rain. According to our rain gauge, we got 13 inches over a week. Our creek didn't get near the bank, which I think is a benefit of having a big hole (Lake Lanier) for it to drain into.

But wow....all of the pictures sure do bring back memories of the floods in S. Georgia in 1994 - the brown much, the water lines, the piles of garbage outside homes. I will have to scan some photos. That is also when Scott and I started dating. We worked together but didn't know each other well. We were sent down as a "disaster team" to work in a disaster center and to help people clean their water wells. The man had me laughing my ass of on the drive down. I pretty much knew then I was going to marry him.

Good News, Bad News

2009-09-06T08:24:00.000-07:00

Well, the bad news is that Malcolm's time with us has come to an end. I finally found his owner's via Craigslist. I had been searching CL, the local papers and petfinder.org daily since we got him. And while I had been searching Lost & Found on CL, I didn't know there was a separate section for Pets. Yesterday, I found the listing there. Turns out his owners miss him and were quite distraught about his disappearance. His name is actually Spike and he is just 5 years old. He's quite large for being so young.

We've all enjoyed our time with Spike/Malcolm but I am very happy that he is loved and missed and will be reunited with his owners. I know they will be happy too. We looked at the address of his home and where was found on mapquest. Looks like he managed to travel 1/2 mile away from home over the two days between the time he left and the time Scott picked him up. That is quite a distance!

So long Spike/Malcolm! We sure enjoyed our time with you.

And more pictures.

2009-09-04T06:58:00.001-07:00

Jumping on the trampoline.

Lucy models her first day outfit. Della has the same shirt in her size because I am a dork like that.

More trampoline fun.

Lucy wasn't so fond of Malcolm at first but she's come around. Fun story about this picture. Lucy kept saying, "I smell poop." Well, I looked all around her and couldn't find it. I said maybe one of the dogs pooped outside the fence.

Turned out she was sitting in it. Ewwwwww.

More pictures.

2009-09-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

This is me, tarted up with make-up like a French whore for Mom's Night Out.

This is Scott, none too happy that Lucy is taking his photo. I adore my lime green kitchen (and my adorable grizzly man hunk of a hubby.)

Obligatory photo of Malcolm. He is still doing well. He loves our weeds, bok choy, and collards.

Our MOMS Club did a field trip to the local Humane Society and Della got to walk a dog. I think this is about 2 seconds before she stepped in a pile of dog crap. She did enjoy walking her puppy though!

More on Malcolm

2009-08-24T09:30:00.000-07:00

We are really enjoying him/her. There is still some debate as to what sex we have. Regardless, Malcolm is quite social. He loves to follow us around the yard and he mowed down a whole squash yesterday which the girls loved.

I was poking around on a tortoise forum and they say Malcolm looks quite healthy with clear eyes and all that.

I'll spare you pictures of his first poop but it was rather interesting and a good sign that things are moving along.

Turtles, MNO and Entrepreneurs

2009-08-22T17:56:00.000-07:00

Recently, we had our MOMS Club Mom's Night Out at Loco's in Gainesville for Trivia Night. We started out strong but then after a few drinks and more interest in conversation, we didn't do so well. Our team name? The Real Housewives of Gainesville. :P Our sign says "We don't just wipe asses - we kick them too."

This is Malcolm, an African spur thigh tortoise. Scott got a call about it roaming in someone's yard. We are apparently keeping it. He really is GORGEOUS.

Some men get convertibles or motorcycles - not my husband! I guess he gave up on getting the tea cup potbelly pig.

The girls wanted to have a lemonade stand but we live on a super rural road and had no lemonade. Daddy was outside weed-wacking so I told them to set up a beer stand (and some diet Sunkist). They ended up with $8. Not bad for an hour's worth of work....

Our First Family Camping Trip

2009-08-09T14:14:00.000-07:00

We took our first family camping trip this weekend! I have been waiting for this for years. Scott booked us at a lovely campground called Jackrabbit in the Nantahala National Forest in North Carolina. It was only 54 miles from the house, just over the state line near Hiawassee. We were right on Lake Chatuge. There was a wonderful beach area which we really enjoyed. We grilled hamburgers, ate 'smores, had a nice 2 mile hike and had a really great time. Well, Scott broke his toe which wasn't too fun, but that was our only big crisis.

View of the fire ring. Scott broke his toe on the metal grill while stumbling around in the dark.

On our hike, we spotted some spectacular fungi. (I have a thing for mushrooms like Scott has a thing for herps.) I saw several that I hadn't seen before. I'd seen this coral fungus before but this was the best picture I had - it was getting dark and my pics weren't so great.

The girls on our hike. I always bring up the rear because I like to look for stuff. Notice Della's blue sequin shoes.

Our beautiful tent, a gift from my parent's last Christmas. Being very claustrophobic, I wanted something very big. This one fits the bill. Easy to set up and break down too. Love it.

The girls upon arrival. They had a really great time, the 'smores being their favorite part.

It was quite warm but we went to the beach to swim both days and it was quite tolerable. I can't wait to go again.

Gardening, Reading and Frelling Anxiety

2009-07-29T17:46:00.000-07:00

I finally managed to enter my Duct Tape Wedding Bouquet in the Etsy Martha Stewart DIY Wedding contest. I don't think for a second I will win but the exposure is nice. I also found out I've been featured on at least one fashion blog lately. I need to read my Google Alerts more often I guess.

The garden seems to be petering out, perhaps due to a lack of rain. I've put up a TON of green beans and bread & butter pickles plus blueberry jam. I am still hoping to get some peach jam done, as well as fig and quince plus apple sauce and apple butter.

My etsy shop is cranking along. I need to get moving on winter hats and scarves. I will be making some wreathes as well but those will likely end up at the gallery depending on how many I have.

I've been having a very hard time lately with my anxiety. Its been really crippling to where I don't want to leave the house. I've had anxiety all of my life to some degree but it really seemed to skyrocket after Lulu was born. Its been in various stages of control since then. When it gets bad, it gets very bad. When we first moved to Gainesville, I went about 6 weeks without leaving the house without Scott. Its very scary when its bad.

School is just 2 weeks away. Lucy cannot wait to go back despite my keeping her busy with the pool, the garden, learning to cook, reading and math challenges. We went tubing last weekend and it was so crowded. I am really looking forward to camping when the weather cools off some.

As for reading, I am currently engrossed in Love Stories of WWII compiled by Larry King. I am still plodding through East of Eden by John Steinbeck and I have Love in the Time of Cholera on its way to me. I've been itching to read some classics lately.

Right now, I am just getting by. I do so want to get past this.

Our harvest totals so far...

2009-07-12T17:18:00.001-07:00

Every year, I mean to tally our harvest totals. This year, I finally remembered to do it. I thought it would be fun to see how much we harvest and use it as a math teaching tool for the girls. I am only tracking yellow squash, tomatoes, green beans, and cukes as the other items are not as plentiful. So far, we've harvested:

16 lbs of yellow squash

9 lbs of tomatoes

22 lbs of green beans

5.5 lbs of cukes

Pretty impressive, I'd say for a small garden like our's. We've eaten most of it. I've frozen some green beans and we'll give some to the local food pantry. I am hoping they will take it frozen, which I think would be much more useful to folks if they don't have to eat it immediately.

Sharpies and Duct Tape

2009-07-09T07:53:00.000-07:00

I have always loved Sharpies. They are so fun to doodle with. This is a white scooter helmet that I found at a yard sale. Initially, I wanted to paint black cabbage roses on it. However, my black cabbage roses need more practice. Instead, I grabbed a trusty medium point Sharpie and drew my interpretation of chrysanthemums on it. I like the way it turned out.

These are the duct tape flowers that Lulu and I made the other day, along with the white cabbage roses I made.

A closer look at one of my roses. This is an original design and much prettier than any of the other duct tape flowers I've seen out there. Martha Stewart, I can demonstrate these on your show....call me.

The Deer

2009-07-08T15:28:00.000-07:00

You can imagine my surprise when Scott brought his work home with him today. This is the fawn that was turned over to Scott today. It was hit by a car and some folks were taking care of it. She's very sweet. She is missing part of her back leg. She is going to a wildlife rehabber tomorrow morning. In the meantime, she is in our bath tub. The girls have named her Fifi the Fawn.

Deer in the Tub

2009-07-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

View from the door of the girl's bathroom. Good news is that we've found a place to take it. The girls and I will take her tomorrow.

Terrariums and other stuff.

2009-06-29T10:50:00.000-07:00

So the girls and I made terrariums a few weeks ago. They are still doing great! In fact, we are making a bunch to sell at the Farmer's Market here in town. I ordered some little plastic critters (Big Foots, deer, bunnies) in addition to the handmade mushrooms we made. So the plan is that the terrariums will be $10 and that will include the accessory of your choice. (The big foots are so cool.) They really do make great gifts for anyone and they are so easy to take care of.

The beans have pretty much gone insane. Scott picked around 15 lbs the other day. We have given a bunch away to neighbors and relatives, in addition to eating them with every meal. These are a bush bean, different from the ones we grew last year. They are not nearly as stringy, which is nice. I can pretty much just rinse them off and cook them without having to string them. We've had a few tomatoes and a good bit of squash, as well.

I finally sat down and got some things done on the computer that I had been putting off. One was to get my domain to redirect to my etsy shop. So hooray http://electricbluebird.com is up and running. I've also updated my flickr with a bunch of pics. I am still in the process of getting my kid's shop, http://snicklesnackle.etsy.com, up.

Scott turns 40 this month (July 14)! I promised him I would not send a stripper to work or otherwise embarrass him any more than usual. Luckily (insert sarcasm), he has his first furlough day coming up and I've planned for us to go to the Georgia Aquarium. We've never been so it will be fun. I am also planning for us to try and eat somewhere fun, maybe at one of our old faves. Is Tortilla's still open? I'm afraid I wouldn't recognize some of our old stomping grounds. Maybe we'll even show the girls our old house in East Atlanta.

In the Garden...

2009-06-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

We have about 7 apples on our 3 apple trees.

Our garden.

The girls show just how much they love green beans.

I realize that I duplicated some of the Florida pics. I am trying to upload pics, blog, watch the news, and make mushrooms for our terrariums out of clay.

Our garden is coming along. We have planted green beans, tomatoes, corn, yellow squash, cucumbers, onions, asparagus, pumpkins, potatoes, jalapenos, red bell peppers, eggplant - I think that is everything.

Florida!

2009-06-17T13:22:00.000-07:00

Della Fern at the beach.

This was a state park called DeLeon Springs near Deland. We took an ecohistory boat tour here and saw 4 alligators, 2 limpkins, 4 osprey, a bumch of morehens, and a couple tri-color heron.

Lucy at the beach. Matching bathing suits courtesy of Gramma.

Lucy loved this recumbant bike. We rented these one day and Lucy loved it so much we rented one for her again the next day.

Florida!

2009-06-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

This was our first family vacation ever. We went to Ormond Beach, where we stayed in the home of Scott's aunt and uncle. They spend their summers in Boone, NC so they were generous enough to let us use their GORGEOUS home. It was truly beautiful, right on the Tomoka River. The girls loved the beach.

OK Scott...I am pretty sure I didn't take this so I wonder how it got on the camera...

Scott driving on the way home. He is growing his beard out, or has he calls it - "Going Gandolf". There is a lot of gray in that beard Old Man!

For Mom.

2009-05-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

On our little dirt road we have a horse farm (and a cattle farm, goat farm, and donkey farm). In the last month, the horses have had 6 babies. Every day when we drive past, we say good morning.

I love it when all of the moms are standing around the hay bale eating while the babies are asleep at their feet.

Della decided this was a good time to strike a pose.

More pictures.

2009-05-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

I gave the girls some neon hairspray yesterday. Della looks like she rolled around in a bag of Cheetos. Yes, that is a chest tattoo.

Fun activity last night. I wrapped duct tap around the girls' wrists with the sticky side up and they collected things around the yard to make nature bracelets.

Probably one of my fave purchases ever. These came from http://lennymud.etsy.com/. They hold the bouquets that they kids bring me from the yard. I love how they look together. They make me smile.

An Post of Pictures

2009-05-12T16:09:00.000-07:00

Our apples are doing well! My use of the macro setting - not so good.

Our garden is on its way. We've planted asparagus, potatoes, tomatoes, squash, green beans, onions and jalapenos. Still to come - corn and maybe eggplant.

Another view of the garden. The asparagus patch is on the far end.

This is a dam Scott was working on with the kids, also referred to as Aswan 2. It was breeched 2 days later when the water broke through underneath.

Thing One and a Bullet Proof Weave

2009-03-02T14:51:00.000-08:00

Lulu had to pick a Dr. Seuss character to dress up as for a parade at school. I was trying to lean her toward Daisy Head Maisy or The Foot Book. She had her heart set on Thing 1. Luckily, the costume wasn't too hard to pull together. Scott wanted to get her picture crawling in from the window, because apparently this is what Thing 1 and Thing 1 do. Unfortunately, we didn't have the first Cat in the Hat book to refer too, only the sequel. Still, she looked great and she was the ONLY Thing 1 in the parade.

This morning Della Fern decided she wanted to wear her pink weave. I set her up, added 4 or 12 pink hair bows and a tutu and she was a happy camper.

Happy Valentime's Day [sic]

2009-02-14T16:47:00.000-08:00

Lucy mispronounces it as "Valentime's Day", so that typo is on purpose for a change.

The girls spent last night at my in-laws. Sweet! Scott and I went out for wings-n-beer last night and had fun. Today, we've piddled and enjoyed the quiet.

For dinner, I made good old comfort food but upscale. I made a roasted cherry tomato soup and a grilled cheese using a sun-dried tomato foccacia with asiago, havarti, and Swiss inside. It was so yummy!

The other day, Della was taking a nap and her little hand was smooshing up her face and the light was just right... She looks a lot like her sister at 3 in this picture. She thought it was really funny to see herself sleeping.

Girls Girls Girls

2009-02-14T16:44:00.000-08:00

Lulu loves to dress her little sister up. She would be a great costume designer.

But her sister also likes to dress herself up. This was the outfit she picked for her 3 year well check last week.

Lucy handmade cards for each of her 15 classmates. Each one had the recipient's name in a fun lettering along with a coloring page. She then glued each one to a sheet of red paper and used some sticky felt to stick a lollipop on the front. Man, were we proud of her. That was a lot of work! It took her a solid week.

I can't think of a good title.

2009-02-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

It was so warm yesterday (in the 60s) that we decided to pack a picnic and go fishing. I made up some tuna salad, packed some bread and fruit. We stopped and bought minnows and then headed to the lake. Well, it was really windy, our poles haven't been relined in forever (meaning they break when you try to pull on them too hard), and I accidentally left the tuna in the fridge. The girls stayed in the back seat of the car reading while Scott and I fished in vain. Can anyone say snowtubing? It did give me any idea for Valentine's Day - Scott is getting 6 rolls of new fishing line.

Dawson County is doing a free wedding/vow renewal this Friday, February 13th at the courthouse. I love Friday the 13ths (and my husband) and was really excited that we could do this. Sadly though, Scott will probably have to work. Bummer.

I sold three paintings in the last ten days. That is exciting. I do get sad to see my girlies go but I know they are going to good homes. I've been listing the last of my new hats until fall. After that, I am concentrating on getting some hand-dyed vintage slips listed. I did two that are the most gorgeous shade of purple. If I can get my hands on some neon yellow dye, I will be a happy girl.

My shop really has never looked prettier. I am working on getting a small ad together so I can advertise on some blogs. I haven't done must of that since I opened. Most of my off-etsy promotion has been on facebook, myspace, and twitter along with some prize donations for blog contests.

Scott is off squirrel hunting this morning. I am cheering for the squirrels.

Thinking Toward Spring

2009-01-28T05:02:00.000-08:00

So I have slowed down with the hat making lately, mostly with my eye focused on warmer weather. I am trying to work on items that I can stock in warmer weather since demand for hats is low in the summer. One of my favorite new iems is this messenger bag. I picked it up at Goodwill in Athens and I had plans for it immediately. I had picked up several bags of vintage lace and other trims from a wonderful shop on etsy called . I hand-sewed several rows of the lace to the front of the bag and added a signature neon poppy. I had all of that neon chiffon leftover from the girls' holiday outfits so I've been cranking out these poppies. They make the prettiest hair clips and pins.

I've posted a couple new pictures of the girls. The close-up of Lucy is once of my faves.

My car is still out of commission. Until we get our tax refund and get the new transmission, I will be driving Miss Vicky. Her power steering is iffy so I've been really limited my trips to the Y or the library.

I've been spending a lot of time on Facebook. Its been really fun to reconnect with folks from the past, even folks I didn't really connect with at all from high school.

Cheap Fun

2009-01-26T07:10:00.000-08:00

Saturday was so warm and we had to get out of the house. We headed down to Buford to the Fish Hatchery to feed the fish, do a little hiking and fish the family pond. The hatchery guy was really nice and gave the girls a bucket of feed to feed the trout. We then hiked over to the family pond and didn't catch a thing. Still, it was nice to get out of the house.

Flower Power

2009-01-13T09:27:00.000-08:00

I recently donated a hat to a silent auction benefitting a local pre-school. Fern models it for me before I send it off.

Sadly, I am having to part with my beloved lunchbox collection. They are just taking up too much room and I haven't actively collected them in a while. I will be listing them at http://electricbluebird.etsy.com and my vintage/supply shop at http://allskate.etsy.com.

We doing a good bit of spring cleaning in order to get Della Fern her own room. Since we don't have a basement or a garage, storage is a big problem. We just have to get rid of a lot of things. I am fine with it because we have way too much 'stuff' as it is.

This past weekend, we visited the Gold Museum in Dahlonega, Georgia. It was quite interesting. I look forward to doing more local site seeing once it warms up. We are actively planning our first camping trip as a family and I am sooooo excited!

My Husband the Artist

2009-01-01T14:57:00.000-08:00

Scott will tell you he doesn't have an artistic bone in his body but that just isn't true. I woke up this morning and found this...

Bottle of Canadian Mist: $12
Sharpie: $2
Spaghetti Squash: $4
Your husband's artwork: Priceless

Happy new year and all that! I am looking forward to an exciting 2009. I am excited about so many things this year. I am excited about camping! My parents gave us a huge family tent for Christmas and I am so excited about us finally all going to a state park for a few days. We are lucky to live near several really great parks (Unicoi, Vogel) and I think the girls will really enjoy it. Lulu in particular loves the outdoors. She just finished reading a book about the 50 state flowers, and managed to identify a (faux) magnolia in the doctor's office.

I am also excited about my etsy shop. I am painting more and I really enjoy it. I am looking into doing some prints, maybe t-shirts with my artwork. I also plan to do more sewing like pillows and the vintage slips.

And I am excited about hitting the gym again. Its been spotty the last couple of months - either I was sick or Fern was sick and unable to be in the childcare. Now that I have discovered the guilty pleasures of the Real Housewives of the OC, its all good. I can do an hour on the treadmill with no problem. But I also want to get into yoga. I just wish the Y had regular yoga and I didn't have to suffer through the Christ-centered stuff. So not my bag. No offense, but this Buddhist-leaning non-Christian wishes it was the plain old yoga without the bible lesson.

Cheers for 2009!

I've been tagged - one word answers.

2008-12-16T14:23:00.000-08:00

I am a tag virgin. This is my first one!

Where is your cell phone? car
Where is your significant other? kitchen
Your hair color? auburn
Your mother? creative
Your father? smart
Your favorite thing? happiness
Your dream last night? none
Your dream/goal? happiness
The room you’re in? livingroom
Your hobby? electricbluebird
Your fear? illness
Where do you want to be in 6 years? here
Where were you last night? mall
What you’re not? patient
One of your wish-list items? tattoos
Where you grew up? Atlanta
Last thing you did? mail
What are you wearing? black
Your TV? off
Your pet? DH
Your computer? crap
Your mood? up
Missing someone? no
Your car? shithole
Something you’re not wearing? mask
Favorite store? yarnstore
Your summer? blazing
Love someone? yes
Your favorite color? pink
When is the last time you laughed? today
time you cried? Monday

I will be tagging bonnie at http://clayandchocolate.blogspot.com .

You might be a redneck...

2008-12-16T05:31:00.000-08:00

So we scored a free trampoline from a guy who works with Scott. It was unassembled and dirty so Scott set it up in the yard and scrubbed it down. The mat was still wet and Scott didn't want to take it apart again so we figured we would store it across the road on our neighbor's property so we could work on it without the kids seeing it.

It was much too heavy and cumbersome to walk across the street, not to mention I was sick and Scott's back was hurting. So, we had the bright idea to drive it across the street. I mean, who needs a truck when you have a 1986 Crown Vic Ltd?

I laughed so hard when we finally got it on top of the car that I tinkled. The things you do for your kids' Christmas....

We took the girls to the mall last night so they could discuss things with Santa. Lulu had a nice long talk with him but DF was scared of him and would only laugh and high behind Scott while muttering 'piano'. So while I didn't get a picture of the two of them on Santa's lap like I wanted, I did score some very nice photos of them while they rode the miniature carousel.

The Holidays and Birthdays

2008-12-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

The holidays are in full swing. Thanksgiving is behind us. I am done with our shopping for the girls. Lulu is getting a pink boom box, a 3-CD set of 80s tunes (hey, if I have to listen to it, it better be something I like), a retro shirt with roller skates on it, a book about fashion design, a scrapbook, and 7 rolls of colored duct tape.

Yep, you read correctly - 7 rolls of duct tape: red, pink, yellow, blue, silver, purple, and green. One day while staying with my in-laws, she managed to take some plain old duct tape and turn it into a crown. I was blown away. I heard her say she wished it came in different colors. SCORE Mama! I am not giving her any books or instructions - the child is creative enough to make stuff on her own.

Della is getting an electric keyboard, some bath paints, some clothes (she loves getting clothes), a book, and some My Little Ponies to go with the MLP Amusement Park she has been amassing piece by piece.

From Santa, the girls will be getting a trampoline. We have folks against it, somewhat understandably. We do plan to find one with the net and the pads. It will be considerably different than the one that Carrie Marxmiller had when we were little.

While I am here, I should mention that I had a wonderful birthday courtesy of my BFF Christine. She planned a Girls Night at Wild Wing (THE ONLY local hot spot). It was well attended by many of the Real Housewives of Hall County - Karen, Teal, Kate, Vicki, Tina, me, and Xine. Wings were eaten, drinks were drunk, and young, hot waiters were oogled. A wonderful time was had by all.

Neon Pink Glitter Chiffon

2008-11-28T06:51:00.000-08:00

I finished the girls outfits and they looked so cute. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication about the custom hair bows so I didn't have them. I might try and retake photos for the cards once I get them.

We had a nice visit with family yesterday. The girls enjoyed playing with their cousins.

Scott finally got to Quick Care last night and he does in fact have shingles. He got some Valtrex and ibuprofen.

Today is cleaning and laundry day. Ugh.

Scott has cooties.

2008-11-26T05:27:00.000-08:00

Scott developed this mysterious rash on his back. It started as an itchy spot with no rash. Now, it looks downright nasty. Its on his chest as well. I am sending him to the doctor this morning.

Blue Beards and Jean Purses

2008-11-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Miss Della Fern was painting with watercolors. Apparently aware of a momentary lapse in her supervision, she seized the opportunity to paint a moustache and beard of blue.

She is modelling her new jean purse. The other night, it was just us girls at home so we broke out the fake jewels, the crazy trims and satin ribbon. DF chose her usual blue scheme and Sissy opted for a mix of colors. These purses have been around for ages but it was a fun way to recycle some old jeans and do a totally girly craft. See, this is what Daddy misses out on.

We all currently have silver glitter shoes. I have this completely dorky need to see that us three girls have at least one matching pair of shoes. It started with the hot pink Crocs two years ago... I couldn't talk Dada into pink Crocs and he assures me that Georgia Boots do not come in silver glitter. I approached him with my hot glue gun, my Bedazzler and some glitter and he promptly told me to back away slowly...

Rapture Marionette is Complete!

2008-11-19T14:20:00.000-08:00

This is the art doll I have been working on for the last two days. I am thrilled with how she turned out. I don't know what she is really but I am pleased. I still have to make the stand using some old lumber but I don't trust myself around power tools so I will design it and let Scott make it. You can't see her hands but they are silver hand charms that say 'handmade' on them, and they are suspended from split rings from some wire around her wrists. I am calling her Rapture. She is such a departure for me and she was so much fun to make. My only rule was that I had to use things I already had. I can't wait to make more.

Beyond the Yarn

2008-11-18T11:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I really feel a need to move beyond my traditional mediums. I've had a lot on my mind lately and I needed to work on something that would really occupy a large part of my brain for a while and test the limits of my creativity. This is the beginning of an art doll. It started with a lump of polymer clay, some beads and wool roving. I am not sure where its going but it will be fun to see what happens. I have tons of craft stuff that I can use, and even some non-craft stuff. I think it looks like a creepy possum person right now.

I did buy a few canvases the other day because I can feel some paintings moving around in my head. I have a collage up there too using felt.

I did get to list a bunch of new hats last night. Etsy was moving quickly so I was able to list them faster than normal. Still waiting on my big yarn order for one of my wholesale accounts.

Just pics really.

2008-11-17T15:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight's dinner. I took the sauce left over from the pasta last night that had a ton of Italian sausage and peppers and onions and I added instant brown rice. I stuffed the peppers with it and topped with diced tomatoes. Yumola. A salad with a homemade creamy garlic Italian dressing rounded out the meal.

My new spice rack courtesy of my in-laws. I really needed this as all my spices were woefully old and I had been meaning to replace them. How embarassing for a foodie. Very chic rack.

I found these in the middle of the road. I actually had a rubber pair of these on the truck. These are hanging from my kitchen window.

I listed a ton of new stock tonight. And I picked the only blurry pic to list here. Blame it on the cab sauv.

Tattoo Sketch

2008-11-17T07:25:00.000-08:00

I've been sketching my next tattoo. Basically, it will be a pin-up style girl sitting on a ball of yarn. (The ball of yarn will cover the crapping rabbit currently on my ankle.) She will have a paintbrush in her right hand, painting the word "crafty" in a pretty cursive script. In her left hand, a crochet hook. Above her left shoulder will be a flying bluebird (my shop is called electricbluebird). The end of the yarn will be left so that I can add to it in the future. She will have reddish brown hair with bangs (like me) and a cocked left eyebrow (I do this all the time). She will be wearing a vintage slip (I embellish them and sell them in my shop). She will be curvy but not too busty (a departure there - finally I get my breast reduction lol). I would also love to have the girls names added to the back of my neck but that might have to wait. Hopefully, I'll have it started this week!

Mullets and Tattoos

2008-11-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

I found this mullet wig on clearance after Halloween. We've all had great fun trying it on. I think Scott was googling squirrel recipes or bounty hunting. That is the power of the mullet wig.

The Big 4-0

2008-11-13T17:29:00.000-08:00

The other night, Scott made bear burgers. Despite my hesitation, they were actually pretty tasty. We seasoned them with some Dale's and grilled them. They were less greasy than I thought they would be, and less gamey. (He did not kill the bear - the meat came from a friend).

My glitter Cons. They are the best. I've worn Chucks all my life. I still have a pair from the early 90s that have fetuses painted on them (an artist friend in college went through a fetus stage) and "RIP Kurt Cobain" on the toes. I am saving them for the girls.

Commando Fernando dressed up.

Apparently every slug in the neighborhood came to celebrate my birthday. This was taken this evening on the back deck and gives me the freaking heebs.

The Skirt Machine

2008-11-08T12:01:00.001-08:00

I had a hankering to make the girls some twirly skirts. This is Lulu's skirt, my first effort. Not bad considering I didn't use a pattern. Fern's turned out a little better. I will be making more for sure - they are so freaking cute and I have a bunch of vintage fabric to use up.

Fern refers to my sewing machine as my "skirt machine" since she's only seen me use it to make skirts. Cute.

Goofy Girl

2008-11-05T12:16:00.000-08:00

I got the Playdough out today for Fern and when I came back from folding some laundry, she was using her foot on the table to play with it. This is the same child who cannot walk from point A to point B in a straight line - it always has to involve jumping, twirling, wiggling, or moving in some goofy way. That is peanut butter on her face.

2008-10-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

This is our Halloween/Fall wreath this year. We all picked a pick at Hobby Lobby and stuck it in this grapevine wreath that I have had for 15 years. I helped Fern make the bat.

I took this picture tonight. I think she is starting to look like me me a little bit. She's a hot mess just like me too.

First Pictures of Fall

2008-10-05T14:50:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen such a happy African violet? The girls gave me this plant 2 years ago for Mother's Day. It wasn't doing too well so I bought a new pot at IKEA. I think there must be 15 blooms on it at least. Its very happy in this spot.

We have a bunch of old doors outside that we plan to use to build a headboard one day. They came from an old house down the road. I moved a couple to use as a backdrop for my mannequin. Between the last two, I discovered a black widow. I am leaving her. She isn't hurting anyone. I peek at her every day and she just sits protecting her egg sacks. After she dies, we'll move the sacks somewhere further away.

The last of the tomatoes, still hanging on. We are still having 80+ degree days so we are still getting a few. The rest of the garden has already been tilled under.

The dress is done!

2008-09-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

Fernando developed a fever this morning so our trip to my parents is on hold until I hear from the doctor. In the meantime, let me share with you the finished Poppy dress. This is the dress that almost did me in. This is the dress where the dye didn't work and the dress onto which Lulu threw a freshly painted green balloon.

Yesterday, I threw caution to the wind and tossed it into a bowl of scarlet dye. I rinsed it and threw it in the machine on the hand-wash cycle. It was a MIRACLE. It came out beautifully. I was able to photograph it last night and get it listed. It can be yours for just $175.

Pneumonia!

2008-09-26T04:28:00.000-07:00

I was planning to have a booth at the Athens Farmer's Market this weekend but Commando Fernando has pneumonia so that is a no go. She has the running, jumping kind. The only reason I took her to the doctor was because the coughing at night was driving Scott and I insane, and to rule out something more serious like...pneumonia. She is on antibiotics and we hope that does the trick.

Still plodding along on my order. I hope to take some pretty pictures today.

Busy Busy

2008-09-18T08:43:00.000-07:00

I just got a big wholesale order for a Chicago boutique so I am going to be busier than a one-legged man at an ass-kicking contest. Its a little bit of everything - baby afghans, hats, and hair clips. It does mean a merry Christmas for our chitlins baring any other disasters that deplete our meager savings. And maybe I get that new tattoo that I want for my upcoming 40th birthday! w00t!

We will going to the Clermont Days festival this weekend. My BFF Christine and my artist friend Suzie (owner of the gallery where I sometimes exhibit) will be sharing a booth. (I generally don't do a lot of local festivals because my stuff is too strange for this area.) Anyways, there is a lovely parade with lots of tractors and its a nice start to the fall festival season up here.

I will be doing the Athens Farmer's Market next weekend with Christine. It sounds like it will be a lot of fun. I will be taking my art work, slips, hair clips, and some hats. And I am sure I will be working on this big order!

Oh, and congratulations to my mom, http://silksiren.etsy.com, who made her first etsy sale! Way to go, Mum!

Poppies Dress

2008-09-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

Oh, this dress is killing me. She is gorgeous but aye aye aye. First, Lulu threw a freshly painted balloon at me while I was working on so it has a dribble of lime green poster paint on the side. Then, I discovered that something had mysteriously eroded the dye on the side in patches.

I have spend hours upon hours beading this thing. There are two rows of beads around all of the edges and then one row around the bodice. The poppies were appliqued and the sequins were all hand-stitched and the veins were embroidered. Right now, I can either dip dye the skirt or just re-dye the whole thing. Re-dyeing the whole thing is very scary. I am hoping to get $125 for the dress when its all said and done.

I've started to list my hair clips and I have a boutique in Chicago interested in a wholesale order. I am going to be one busy beaver.

A Picture of Lulu

2008-09-09T10:31:00.000-07:00

I forgot to add this picture of Lulu in my last post. I took this one yesterday evening when we went to pick up my car from the shop. She is so pretty. I just love her sweet smile and the little sprinkle of freckles on her nose. I hope that she is always as confident and gregarious as a young woman and an adult as she is now.

She is already planning to enter the school's talent show at the end of the year. She will be singing (not lipsynching) "We're Not Gonna Take It" by Twisted Sister. Today, she planned to tell her best friend that she would be her back up singer. Can't wait to hear how that went.

Gem Grubbin' with the Girls

2008-09-09T05:47:00.000-07:00

Sunday we took the girls gem grubbing up near Helen, Georgia. Its not that far away - maybe 40 minutes. They had a good time. Fern didn't quite get the hang of it and wanted to just put all of the rocks in her baggie but we got it all straightened out and the girls came home with lots of valuable treasures. If we can find someone to tumble them, they will really be quite beautiful.

After gem grubbing, we playing Pirate Mini-Golf in Helen. Scott kept score. Playing mini-golf with a 2 year old who wants to do EVERYTHING herself is nothing short of a challenge. We muddled through and had an ice cream at the end. It was quite fun.

We got my car fixed - it had a cracked radiator. That completely wiped out our Christmas fund. I am still working like a dog to get the shop really full. I did pretty well last year so I am hoping for a good holiday season this year as well. And outside of my recent yarn purchase, I have vowed to use what I have for a while.

We've never cared about having fancy things but I think struggling and never getting ahead wearing thin on both of us.

What Have I Been Making Lately?

2008-09-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

Well, let me show you in pictures.

These are the felted hair clips that I've been hand-beading. The last picture are the ones made from fabric yoyos. Once I figure out how I am going to list them (individually? in sets? how many in a set?), they will go up in the shop.

This is a sweater that I knitted for a very special 2 year old (not mine). I just love how it turned out. I spent an hour looking through my stash of vintage buttons for two perfect ones. Finally, I decided on two mismatched ones because it just seemed to fit the recipient perfectly. One is actual shell. The yarn on the yoke is a wool/synth blend from Hobby Lobby's own brand - I want to say Mosaic Twist but I can't recall. The bottom is Jiffy faux brushed mohair in Oat. It was knitted on size 13 needles.

The Lake Lanier alligator has been captured!!!

2008-09-05T04:16:00.000-07:00

Scott got a call last night about 7:30 that a Gainesville resident had an alligator in their backyard. Scott wasn't feeling well but the guy on call lives north of Blairsville, and he knew there was a very good chance this was the alligator he'd been chasing for the last few months.

Well, he caught it!! And it looks like the infamous Lake Lanier gator.

http://www.accessnorthga.com/detail.php?n=212975

He was so glad to finally nab this thing and be done with it.

Cue the Banjos - We're Going Down the River!

2008-09-02T05:38:00.000-07:00

So we decided yesterday to head over to Scott's mom's and go rafting. Bama and Pappy Jack live on the Cartecay River and with all of the recent rain, we figured it would be a good time. We got everyone loaded in the raft and Fern decided she was going to flip out so Bama took her back to the house.

Scott, Lulu and I had a nice float down the river. We did get stuck a few times but the second half of the trip was nice and calm. We floated under a huge fallen tree and were just inches from a HUGE spider (4 inches across) holding an egg sack. Ack.

On the way home, we stopped for fruit pies (peach and apple) and a sack full of fresh peaches. Yum.

Christine left me a gnarly evil manny head yesterday. As soon as I find my camera, I will post some pics. She needs a name.

Five Hour Baby Sweater Flickr Group

2008-09-01T06:54:00.000-07:00

So my BFF and I have been making the infamous Five Hour Baby Sweater. I've done two versions, but with chunky yarn and bigger needles. She is on her third I believe, in a variety of sizes. Since this is probably the most popular baby sweater on the internets, I created a flickr group for it:

http://flickr.com/groups/793449@N25/

Its open to anyone so if you have pictures of a Five Hour sweater that you've knitted, feel free to post the pics!

Good-Bye Summer!

2008-09-01T05:36:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was the official end to the garden. Scott mowed it and then tilled it under. I think he has plans for some lettuce when the weather cools down some. Its a lot of work for him (planting, weeding, dealing with pests) but its a lot of work for me too trying to pick it and cook it all or can it, trying not to waste food. I actually had to buy a tomato last night, which about killed me after such a bumper crop. He actually left a couple cherry tomato plants so we have some for salad.

Today is Labor Day. Not sure what we will do. We had a wonderful time at the new Francis Meadows Aquatic Center on Saturday. It has a great water park and the kids had a blast. Tubing is also an option - with all of the recent rain, we won't drag our butts.

I have been hand-beading and hand-dyeing some vintage slips. I managed to find some L and XL slips so I am excited to get those finished and added to the shop.

In yarn news, I hit Hobby Lobby Friday and picked up some interesting yarns. I really want to get about 200 items in my shop in time for the holidays.

Oooooh... Scott has made panacakes! Breakfast is on the table!

Get thee an Etsy shop NOW!

2008-08-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

My mother has been painting silk scarves. They are simply STUNNING. OK, maybe not an Etsy shop (she doesn't have much interest in running a shop) but a boutique for sure. They are just gorgeous.

So we dodged some tornados Monday. Apparently, 7 tornadoes touched down in Hall and Jackson County. Where was I? Flapping my yap with my mom on the phone while Scott was frantically trying to reach me to tell me about the tornado sirens going off and the tornado headed right for us. I remember telling my mom that the rain and wind were getting worse...

I've been hooking up with a lot of people from high school lately on the time suck known as Facebook. As I have mentioned previously, high school was not a fun time for me. I didn't fit in with anyone, had no tight friends and no dates really, and it made high school hard. At the time, I was pretty ok being in my own little world and I didn't really want to be a part of the 'popular' crowd but it would have been nice to have a group of friends to hang with. Of course, 20 plus years later and it seems so silly. I mean, what was so wrong with me then? Meh. It has been fun to 'see' folks again via Facebook, but I still don't plan on attending any reunions.

Touch-A-Truck!

2008-08-25T09:33:00.000-07:00

Our city does an annual event called Touch-A-Truck where the kids can explore all sorts of trucks and other vehicles: a fire truck, a tractor trailer, a police car, a cement truck, a big tow truck, etc. Its always lots of fun, although it really should be called Honk-A-Horn because its non-stop. Lulu got to meet a female police officer (she is really into COPS and law enforcement lately). The girls also got to sit in the back of a police car. Hopefully that will be the last time for both of them!

Sunday, we went to the Oakwood Pool. It was pretty chilly so I think we are done with the pool for the season. The girls had a good time and I did a few cannonballs for laughs.

I am still working to fill my shop to the gills. I have discovered felting and hand-beading, so look for that to make an appearance in some form in the shop. I will also be adding more kids hats.

My blog is so lame.

2008-08-15T05:21:00.001-07:00

Scott showed me this blog last night, which includes a very cool video of some freaky Andalusian trail of death:

http://neath.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/el-camino-del-rey/

It really serves to remind me how lame-o my blog is.

I am looking forward to the Bigfoot press conference today. Allegedly, some guys stumbled on a Bigfoot gathering in Clayton, Georgia not too far from here. What is a group of BigFoots (BigFeets?) called? A den? A covey? A pride? A joke? That's it - a joke of Bigfoots.

Tomatoes and Blueberries

2008-08-12T05:05:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, the best meals are the simplest. I used some of the cooked tomatoes, added some half & half and made a delicious tomatoe bisque. A crusty loaf of dense whole grain bread, sliced and topped with melted cheese was perfect dipped into the soup. Simple and wonderful.

We finally made it to the neighbor's house to pick blueberries but no doubt we should have been a week ago. We picked enough to eat but not enough to make into jam. The bushes were being fiercely protected by a large and menacing European hornet. They are the size of a small hummingbird. I watched in horror as this thing DEVOURED a yellow jacket like corn on the cob. My mother-in-law was stung by one a few years ago and it was a nasty, nasty sting. Needless to say, I really didn't want us to hang around too long.

I want to say that the weather is just starting to change. Its been breezy the last two days and it just feels different. Its still hot - in the high 80s, but its tolerable. While we've had a great fun this summer with the kids, I do look forward to fall.

I am gearing up to start stocking the shop for fall. I have lots of new hats, a lot of great funky designs. I am hoping this fall/winter is at least as good as last year.

Tomatoes Everywhere!

2008-08-10T13:11:00.000-07:00

We picked every last ripe or nearly ripe tomato this morning and made a batch of marinara. Yum! We still have some tomatoes on the vine but everything else has pretty much given up the ghost. Boo hoo.

I was working on a second 5 Hour Baby Sweater since the first one turned out so well. I need another skein of the faux mohair and I cannot get it locally. Looks like a trip to Hobby Lobby is in the cards tomorrow....shhhhhh. I am also trying to write a crochet sweater based on the 5HBS design.

Tomorrow hopefully I can start going to the gym again since we are all over the stomach virus. I hope I didn't jinx myself.

Oh, and after Fern decided to use the ENTIRE TUB of my new Lollibomb body butter, I ordered a new tub. This time, I picked Frosted Donuts. The time before, it was Birthday Cake. You should really try her stuff: http://smellpretty.com. Besides smelling heavenly and delicious, her stuff works wonders for dry skin.

Ballerina and Lipstick

2008-08-09T05:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Fern felt good enough to play dress up. This involved a tutu, some jewelry, and some make-up. She did her own lipstick.

I think we have turned the corner on the stomach flu. Hooray! Perhaps we can do some sort of family activity today. I've been promising another trip to the pool. I wouldn't mind going tubing again. We are still trying to find a cheap tent so we can start camping with the girls.

I've been poking around on Facebook (aka Crackbook) the last two days. I've run into a lot of folks from high school, summer camp, and other places.

We have acquired a new vehicle! Its a 1986 Crown Victoria LTD. It belonged to Scott's grandmother. We've managed to survive with one vehicle for a while, but it will be nice to have the option or going two different places. Thanks Bama and Packy J!

Stomach Virus

2008-08-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

I know I've been MIA lately. The stomach flu is making its rounds here. Lulu is the only one who hasn't had it. Between being showered with assorted bodily fluids from both myself and my family and doing endless laundry, I haven't done much making. I am working on a second sweater like the one in my previous post, and that is about it.

Lulu started first grade today. She is excited that school is starting again.

I am sort of taking a break on etsy until I can get caught up on stuff around the house and get my family healthy again. Orders will ship, but I won't be listing anything new for a while.

I finally conquered the Five Hour Baby Sweater!

2008-08-02T07:34:00.000-07:00

For two years on and off, I have tried to knit this bastard. I started out knitting the version with the lacey yoke. The lace was flipping me out and causing me to gain and lose stitches when I was not supposed to. So I poked around on the internets and found a version where some brilliant lady had revamped the pattern to eliminate the lace and replace with ridges. If I could find her, I would kiss her.

I know its supposed to be a baby sweater but I took a chance with some bulky weight yarn and size 13 needles and dove right in hoping it *might* fit Fern. (Gauge? I don't need no stinking gauge!) You know, it fits perfectly. I would say its a 5/6. We even picked out the cutest buttons. Now, its not perfect and if you look closely you will see flaws but hey - its my first knitting sweater. And I cannot wait to cast on for the next one.

Speaking of other projects, I am working on a baby dress from a vintage pattern book. So far, I have crocheted the bodice, but its pretty clear that I won't have enough of this hand spun and hand-dyed yarn to finish. My options are a) knit a skirt, b) use fabric to make a skirt to attach to the bodice, c) find a nice coordinating yarn to knit the skirt and some details or e) frog the whole damn mess and toss it back the stash....

Lastly, I had been promising the girls that we would do some tie-dye. I think they turned out pretty cute as I used a clearance kit from Wally-Word.

Fun Weekend and Its Monday!

2008-07-28T08:59:00.001-07:00

I hate not having pictures to share but I did want to post so here goes....

We did the Hall County Farmer's Market this weekend. I didn't sell squat but Lulu did about $10. They really need to get their act together and get some better leadership. The set up of the booths is a real problem. I don't think I will do it again.

Yesterday, we met the grandparents (Scott's mom and step-dad) for lunch. The girls had a blast seeing them. We had a nice lunch at Sydney's off Jesse Jewell.

Later, we went to the Oakwood pool. We had a really great time. The girls adore swimming.

in knitting news, I have picked up a couple patterns and I am knitting the INFAMOUS 5-Hour Baby Sweater. I've given this a go several times, always ending in frustration. I finally found a version that eliminates the lacey parts, which is what threw me. I am having great success. I did the yoke in a bulky varigated yarn in purples, pinks and orange. I finished that skein (it was a discontinued bargain bin skein) and I am knitting the rest in a pretty shiny watermelon pink from Caron. I am using size 13 needles so it actually may end up fitting Fern.

I took that Tokyo handspun I bought from etsy and I am crochet a little dress from a vintage pattern. There is something nice about using a pattern and not having to design. I can just lay back and follow the instructions.

Today, we did some tie-dye shirts. I did a skirt and some leggings. We should have finished shirts tomorrow and I will definitely have pictures.

I have a cold right now, so we are taking it easy today. I am going to teach the girls to play Jenga.

Apples and Bluebirds

2008-07-25T05:25:00.000-07:00

The night before last, we picked apples at a neighbor's house. It was great fun and the girls took their baseball mitts as Daddy used a long tree pruner to pick the best ones from the very top of the tree. There were gorgeous and tart.

So last night, we peeled them and made applesauce. The girls LOVE applesauce. I managed to skin a finger and cut my thumb in the process. (I am not clumsy, I swear!) We ended up with 7 quarts and 2 pints of applesauce. We gave one pint to the couple who owns the apple tree.

We usually pay $4 at least for a big jar of store brand applesauce. So for the price of the sugar and cinnamon and the labor less the cost of the fun, we have a bargain!

Sad news to report on the bluebird front. A predator has wiped out Pinkie nest. I do smell the faint aroma of a skunk outside this morning, but I am not sure if skunks would raid a nest. However, the two babies are still doing well in Rainbow, although that third egg has still not hatched. I do see them laying all over and around it. Its pretty cute.

I've been painting a few more tote bags, this time with the traditional Russian nesting dolls called matryoshka. They are really fun to paint.

Baby Bluebirds!

2008-07-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

Have you seen anything cuter lately? These babies are less than 12 hours old. The third egg has not hatched yet. This is the Rainbow nest group. The Pinkie eggs are about 5-7 days behind Rainbow.

This is the harvest from the garden today - tons of tomatoes (cherry and Big Boy), some purple peppers and one lonely Japanese eggplant. I think I will make pizza tomorrow night. I'll make a sauce with tomatoes and roast the peppers and eggplant.

Cupcakes on the Brain....

2008-07-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

I had all of these random things laying around that I planned to paint - a vintage purse, a tote, a vintage cookie sheet and my last small canvas. Cupcakes are popular right now. I especially love the first bumping cuppies.

We went tubing againt yesterday. This time we decided to do the long trip. It would have been fine but the first part was pretty shallow and we did a lot of walking, pulling the girls in the tubes. It was also pretty crowded. Fern fell over the side this time and got a wet surprise.

Saturday night we went to the pool downtown. Its been around since the 1920s. They have a special family swim on Saturday nights from 7-10 pm. The girls thought it was great fun to swim under the lights. Fern found a friend in the baby pool and they had a wonderful time together.

Mom of the 80s!

2008-07-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

A fellow etsy seller has started this blog:

http://trappedinthe80smoms.blogspot.com

I graduated high school in 1986 and I am total child of the 80s. I look forward to reading it and contributing.

Scott got home at 2:30 this morning after darting and relocating a bear in Hiawassee. What a fiasco!

Fern now has Fifth Disease. They are both a mess with the rash. We went to Blockbuster and picked up 3 of the pinkest, most glittery movies we could find and they are settled in on our bed.

What a wonderful day!

2008-07-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

Well, our tubing trip to Helen yesterday was FANTASTIC. We've had some rain lately so the river was up enough that we didn't drag much. Scott tethered his raft to Fern's and Lulu was tethered to me. He had a push stick but I did not. This would have been handy. It was about 90 minutes down, and gentle enough that Fern almost fell asleep laying in her tube. We saw a couple snakes and turtles too. We can't wait to do it again.

We got home late afternoon and we decided to get all dolled up and take Daddy out for his birthday dinner. I even put on a skirt. He picked Wild Wing and it was tasty.

I believe that Lulu has contracted Fifth Disease. She has that 'slapped cheek' look, sort of a lacy rash. She's had it on her arms as well. She has a very mild fever and some diarrhea. We are going to take it easy today. Apparently, it can be quite dangerous to pregnant women.

An update on the bluebird: we lost on egg in Rainbow nest. I found part of one on the ground. We have got to install a predator guard.

Back to Nature

2008-07-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post a few nature pictures. The first one is the caterpillar that bit Scott a while back. Apparently the crazier they look, the more noxious the bite. He had a nasty red welt for a good week.

The second picture is just a tiger lily in the front yard. I was experimenting with the macro function on my camera. Perhaps inspiration for a hat?

The last picture is the current nest from Pinkie. So currently, both bluebird boxes have nests with 4 eggs each. This will be the third nest for Rainbow and the second for Pinkie.

Clumsy Mama

2008-07-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

As part of Scott's birthday present, I decided to mow the lawn yesterday while he took the girls off swimming. While I was mowing, something stung me on the back. I thought to quickly disengage the blade but then I have no idea what happened because the mower stopped and lurched and I went flying backwards off the back. I landed on my hip and elbow. I am quite sore this morning, especially my elbow and neck. Coupled with my fall from the moving carousel a few weeks ago and I am one clumsy mama. Scott says I have always been this way and that it is not a new thing.

We had planned to go tubing today in Helen but rain is moving in so it looks like we will go tomorrow. With the recent rain, I think it will be fun with minimal butt dragging on the river bottom.

Prairiepolitan Flap Hat

2008-07-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Probably one of the prettiest hats I've made in a while. This style will make up part of my fall collection. I will have loads of unique designs like this.

In bluebird news, I am happy to report that we now have 2 eggs in the Pinkie nest! I guess he finally managed to talk a female into a mid-summer fling. The four eggs in Rainbow nest are still there and are being tending to by their parents. I still want Scott to build some sort of predator guard so that these babies stay safe.

I had great fun last night with the MOMS Club of Gainesville at the MOMS Night Out. We met at another member's beautiful home for Bunco. I had never played before but my BFF Christine is apparently the game type like me and talked me into going. We had a blast and I can totally see joining up with a group to play more regularly. There is absolutely no skill involved but it was fun to rotate tables and visit with some of the other moms that I don't see very often.

Nothing exciting planned for today except cleaning. And maybe casting on for a new hat....

Scott's birthday is Monday and we plan to bake a cake, buy him a new machete, and take him tubing, along with dinner at his fave place, Sonic. Chili cheese my friend!

Handspun Happiness

2008-07-08T07:07:00.000-07:00

So I have started purchasing a few skeins of handspun here and there. I recently purchased a wonderful skein of bulky yarn from http://simplytwisted.etsy.com. Of course, I was immediately drawn to it because it was pink and brown. I am knitting up a pair of gauntlets that I hope to list soon:

My car is messed up - something with the brakes. Ugh. I am taking it in today. Hopefully, it won't be terribly expensive.

In bluebird news, we now have 4 eggs in Rainbow and Pinkie's nest is still empty.

Yummy Fig Chutney

2008-07-06T16:10:00.000-07:00

I managed to score about 3 lbs of figs at Scott's dad's house this weekend. I thought I had enough to make two different things but decided I only had time and patience to make one: fig chutney.

I looked around online and got some ideas from other recipes. I ended up using dark brown sugar, white sugar, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar, jalapenos, golden raisins, a ton of fresh ginger, some red onion, some red pepper and spices like cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and red pepper.

It is TO DIE FOR DELICIOUS. I haven't canned it yet, but I will end up with much less than I thought, maybe 6 pints or so. Freaking gold. I just might have to make it again if I can remember how.

More Bluebirds???

2008-07-06T10:16:00.000-07:00

As you may know, we currently have two bluebird boxes in the front yard. One is called Rainbow and one is called Pinkie. We had one nest of birds earlier in the spring in Rainbow. We then installed Pinkie, and had two more nests with eggs. Both sets hatched, but sadly we believe that a predator got to the babies in Rainbow before they fledged. On a happier note, the first babies from Pinkie were robust and fledged successfully!

I cleaned out both boxes the other day, and less than 24 hours later the birds had built new nests. Rainbow currently has 3 eggs while Pinkie is still empty. I will continue to post about our bluebird boxes as I have become fascinated with their life cycle.

Still trying to get out of the avalanche of craft supplies and make sense of my space. I've been knitting booties, although I tire of the yarns quickly so they will become ornaments for sale in the shop:

Its Friday!

2008-06-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

Woo hoo!

To answer Karen, I did ok at the EIllijay Market. I sold one painting but I did get to pass out some business cards and got a lot of compliments on my stuff. I will be back at the Hall Co. Market this weekend.

So I rescued a 6 foot blow mold Santa from the neighbor's dumpster, as well as a foot stool and a double head board. I am in the process of repainting the Santa. Lulu has taken the foot stool and is rehabbing it for a table for her bracelets at the Market. I have primed the headboard and will be painting it white and sage with magnolias.

I've made a few other art pieces lately:

Ellijay Farmer's Market This Weekend

2008-06-20T05:48:00.000-07:00

I will be at the Ellijay Farmer's Market this weekend. They actually promote handmade crafts, unlike the Hall County Farmer's Market. I am hoping I have some better luck. Scott is going to help out his family with his aunt who just had back surgery. It also means I keep to shop my very favorite thrift store. This is the same store where I found some vintage McDonalds fabric for $1 and sold it for $90.

I have a newly listed hat. It was inspired by a fellow seller with an incredible shop: http://bonzie.etsy.com.

I bought several framed mirrors during my last IKEA expedition and I decorated a couple last night. This one sort of reminds me of vintage Florida colors. I have a few other's to list. I will be bringing them to Ellijay as well. Wish me luck!

Les Fleurs Jolies

2008-06-17T15:10:00.000-07:00

I was so happy to get this piece made. I've been thinking of it for days now. Its on a piece of door that was in our neighbor's dumpster....shhhhhh. I have it listed for $38 in the shop. I have a couple more pieces of door that I am working on. Sadly, they took the dumpster away. But they replaced it with a new and empty one so who know's....

The next piece involves a deer antler. I need to find some eye hooks.

Craft for the Birds

2008-06-16T12:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is not an original idea. I had seen this on etsy, and it looked like something the kids could do. I purchased the grapevine ball at Hobby Lobby. Believe it or not, the kids stuck bits of yarn and fabric in this thing for a good 20 minutes with little argument. Its probably a little late in the season for nesting but who knows? We just might find a bird nest with some gold glitter yarn woven into it. We've nestled the ball in a crape myrtle out front.

The Afghan of Love and Scraps

2008-06-16T10:07:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to make a mish mash scrap afghan big enough for two people to snuggle under. This is a MONSTER. Its probably 7 feet wide. I've been working on it for about a week now. Its double stranded. I have two balls of yarn going that are scraps tied together.

I am not looking forward to tucking ends...

Father's Day

2008-06-15T14:17:00.001-07:00

Well, so much for big plans. Fern felt hot last night and woke up with a pretty high fever of 102.6 under the arm. She threw up once (all over me - hey, at least it wasn't dad). Her fever has sort of come and gone all day, but no more puking and a whole lot of nursing. At least I know she is hydrated.

We gave Scott his gifts: a half-pint of Jim Beam, a bar of Pabst Blue Ribbon Soap, a new rain gauge, and some scratch-off tickets. We had previously given him a hoe. He took Lulu to the pool this afternoon.

This evening, its hot wings, cole slaw and homemade ice cream with peaches.

Yesterday, we noticed a few fruit trees near the road on the way to the house. Turns out they are sugar pears and damson plums. Scott and Lulu went and got permission from the folks to pick them. Lulu and I picked a few plums last night but we need to go back with a ladder. Its going to make the BEST jam. The pears aren't quite ready but we will be back when they are!

The shop is going well. I've sold quite a bit lately, even hats and scarves.

Speaking of crochet, I am working on a HUGE AFGHAN. Pics tomorrow.

The Garden is Coming Along!

2008-06-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

We have a few tomatoes turning and the squash are coming. We have nine squash plants - Scott cannot get enough squash apparently. We can sell or donate the excess.

An Addiction to Handmade Soap

2008-06-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

Between my friend who makes goat's milk soap and all of the soapers on etsy, I have become addicted to handmade soap. Commercial soap is really nothing more than a harsh detergent with the glycerin removed. The handmade soaps are so much nicer. Today, I placed an order from http://dennisanderson.etsy.com. He has lovely soaps, and recently quit his real job to pursue his soaping full time!

I purchased tangerine bergamot, peppermint oatmeal, pomegranate olive oil, lavender fields (I love lavender), the poor man's beer soap (for Scott for Father's Day), and some lotion in a Blackberry Amber scent.

Bath and body items are probably my favorite things to purchase on etsy. I have a a few soapers like Dennis and Hiromi (http://soap.etsy.com) that I purchase from regularly, but I also have a long list of shops that I will try in the future eventually. Really, once you use handmade soap, you cannot go back to the store crap.

The girls and I ended up going to IKEA today. All of our kitchen chairs are old and broken so I picked up 4 Herman chairs. I got a few new towels, some potholders, scissors, and a beach tote. I put the girls in the childcare there and they had a blast. I enjoyed a little peace and quiet as I tried every chair IKEA had to offer. I really liked the clear ones but they were $90 each.

I've got to get back into the gym again. I've been lazy of late and I gained back the 12 lbs I lost. I have a raging ear inner infection that makes me dizzy, so hopefully this antibiotic will do the trick. There is no denying that I will have to have surgery eventually to get rid of these chronic ear infections. Ugh.

The garden is coming along. We had our first harvest on Sunday. I harvested the Swiss chard, and sauteed it with some garlic and olive oil. Lulu loves it, Fern not so much. We do have one red tomato and a few green ones. The beans are coming along too. We cut down the size of the garden a little this year so hopefully we can keep up with picking.

Pretty soon, it will be blueberry picking time and we will make jam. When peaches come in, we'll do preserves. They make lovely Christmas gifts and its fun to do together.

Speaking of family time, we are on the lookout for a big tent, like an 8 person tent. Yes, we are only 4 but I am very claustrophobic and need the extra room. We are so looking forward to taking the girls camping at some point this summer.

MEDUSA of the Woods

2008-06-07T04:38:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of newly listed items in the shop. Love those eyes!

Very exciting news! I am finally getting a dress form. Scott's aunt has one in her basement that she is giving me. w00t! I am hoping that using it to photograph my clothing will make a big difference in sales.

I managed to snag a treasury yesterday. Check it out here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=49072

I did wake up to find I sold a painting. "Rosemary Takes a Bubble Bath" is on its way to a new home.

Pictures from the Yard

2008-06-04T04:44:00.000-07:00

More pictures as promised. The headboard and the concrete stand are things I found by the side of the road. I will probably make a bird bath to go on the stand. The headboard will probably get painted and used in my Farmer's Market booth.

There are more pictures of the garden, and a couple of the bluebird houses.

I have been fascinated with guerilla knitting. I started this purple piece and then realized it was too narrow to go around much, so I made Scott a hoe cozy.

Garden of Eating and Bluebirds Too!

2008-06-03T18:17:00.001-07:00

This is our 2008 veggie garden. We are growing sweet corn, tomatoes, eggplant, hot peppers, banana peppers, carrots, onions, potatoes, green beans, Swiss chard, cucumbers, yellow squash, and zucchini.

We also have blueberries, apple trees, grape vines, and a fig bush. I will have some more pictures once I get them turned around and saved.

Oh, and we have a total of 9 bluebird eggs between the two boxes! How exciting! If they all hatch and fledge, that will make a total 14 this season. I also spotted a quail this morning as we drove down the dirt road. It was just peaking out from some poison ivy. I went to take a picture and it ran off.

Oh and mercury is in retrograde? That apparently explains a lot about the absolutely insane week I had last week.

I will be listing a ton of new stuff this week - fabric cuffs, vintage lingerie, a new baby blanket, two scarves, and even a few pillowcase dresses. That means dragging out the iron....OH NO!

Oh and I'll give you a peak at one of Scott's Father's Day gifts next time!

Locks of Love Donation!

2008-06-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

I took the girls to get their summer haircuts yesterday. Lulu and I talked about donating her hair to Locks of Love a few times of the last few months. At first she wanted to do it since her penpal also did it. Then, she changed her mind. Well yesterday, she decided she wanted to donate her hair. So the folks at Great Clips did their thing and Lulu was able to donate 4 10" long ponytails of gorgeous hair. I am very proud of her.

In bluebird news, we currently have one box with 4 eggs and a second box with 3 eggs last time we checked. We fledged 5 birds a few weeks ago before adding the second box. We think we have enough room for a couple more boxes.

I have made some nice sales lately through the shop. I woke this morning to see that I sold my pink and black gardening visor. Hooray! It was very cute.

I am furiously trying to keep up with spring and summer stock while also making new items for my fall collection of hats and scarves. I have some really interesting things in the works. Stay tuned!

Wild Wookie Stashbuster!

2008-05-30T05:40:00.000-07:00

So in light of my supply restriction, I am forced to be extra creative. I started to knit a cowl and got bored so I turned it into a hood. I think I used 20 different yarns. It might be my imagination (or wishful thinking) but I think I can actually see my stash growing smaller.

We had a fun night last night with the MOMS Club of Gainesville. It was a family potluck at Laurel Park. We were supposed to have the Sprayground to ourselves but it was a little chilly for water play. My sweet husband agreed to put on a little talk about bears for the kids for the evening entertainment. I think they enjoyed it. Despite the fact that he hates speaking publicallly, he does so well with the kids.

Its overcast here today. I have a few new projects I am working on - a painting, a vest, some hats. I think I'll drag out paints for the girls too.

I am on restriction!

2008-05-28T11:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, well its a voluntary restriction. I am not going to buy any craft supplies between May 19 and June 19. During that time, I have to use what I have. (If I get a custom order and need to buy something, I can.) Its forcing me to be quite creative, and to finish some projects that I started.

I have been knitting some amazing scarves and hats. I am using up stash pretty quickly. I have some very, very amazing pieces to list this fall for my 2008 Fall/Winter Collection. Stay tuned...

I am still on the hunt for a dress form. I think it would make a huge difference in my sales if I could photograph my vintage and handmade clothing on a dress form.

School has ended for the year. I was a weepy weepy mess at kindy graduation. I was thrilled to death when Lulu won an award for art. The art teach recognized 6 or so kindy students who showed excellent talent in art and Lulu won! I was so proud.

We are looking to buy a tent soon and hopefully, we can do a LOT of camping this summer.

JAKES Day and Moccassin Creek

2008-05-18T10:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we headed up to Smithgall Woods to attend the Jakes Day by the National Wild Turkey Federation. The girls got to see lots of animals, including snakes, hawks, a owl, and turtles. Lulu and I had pictures take with a Harrison hawk on our heads. Lucy also got to shoot a BB gun. She is obssessed with all things law enforcement lately, including the show Cops. She enjoyed meeting all of the law enforcement guys. Or maybe she just has a thing for men in uniform, just like her mama. Yummers!

After Smithgall, we headed up to Moccassin Creek State Park to do a little fishing. How frustrating it is to see an assload of fish and not catch a single one. Lots of bites, but I think those fish are really saavy. Regardless, it was a beautiful day and we enjoyed the view. Lake Burton and Moccassin Creek are two of my favorite places. I would love to spend a week up there camping with the family. You can rent boats, bikes, canoes, kayaks, etc. They have a playground and a kiddie fishing pond. Really, we need a big, big tent and we are set.

Lulu and Scott went to Atlanta today to see a Braves game with his dad and his dad's great-grandson. Its Lulu's first game so I hope they have fun. Of course, Scott wore his Ryan Klesko jersey.

Entertainer of the Year

2008-05-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

Our MOMS Club Annual banquet was Tuesday night at the Chattahoochee Country Club. I wasn't going to go but Christine was going and offered to drive. I just hate getting dressed up, mostly because I have no clothes that are stay-at-home-mom stuff and I am too fat for anything super cool.

But I managed to pull something together and go. I ended up receiving the award for Most Entertaining/Funniest Mom. That was really sweet. I also won an auction for 3 hours of babysitting. It never occurred to me to donate something for the auction, say a pretty tutu and tiara or $100 gift certificate to electric bluebird.

I had a wonderful time. I am so lucky to have hooked up with such a great group of moms. I look forward to seeing what the new board plans for the club.

I whipped out my paints and knitting needles again. I needed a change. I haven't decided if I am knitting a scarf or scarflette. The picture is called "Cats Don't Eat Cupcakes".

The New Addtion!

2008-05-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Scott visited a woman in Lula today who found a baby red-tailed hawk that had fallen out of its nest. Until he can find a rehabber to take it, we are fostering Roscoe. He's very cute, a big ball of fluff. He's been eating ground beef and has a good appetite. The girls are quite taken with him. Scott said maybe he would take up falconry...hahaha.

I am still recovering from my fall from the merry-go-round. I have some lovely bruises. I haven't check youtube yet to see if someone captured my gracefulness.

Happy Birthday Lulu!

2008-05-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Lulu's birthday last night. She asked to go to Build-A-Bear and eat Chinese food so we headed down to the Mall of Georgia. She made a pink leopard with an Aurora outfit and she was named Peppermint Rose. Fern made a white kitty and chose a yellow fairy costume and she was named Beebop.

We took a ride on the merry-go-round. I made the mistake of riding with Lulu in the spinning bucket. As she twirled the bucket faster and faster, I was sure I was going to either throw up or pass out. I made the stupid decision to get up and exit the bucket and was subsequently was flung off the ride and onto the floor. The ride was still going just inches from me and I was afraid my foot or hand or piece of clothing would get entrapped. The ride finally stopped and I was helped up. I am quite sore and bruised this morning, particularly on my right side.

Kids, let that be a lesson for you. Do not move about the ride while it is in motion.

I added this new visor to the shop last night, inspired by birthday cake:

I will be adding more of these once I get my yoyos from http://yoyocottage.etsy.com.