Get thee an Etsy shop NOW!

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!

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.

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

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!

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

 

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

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!

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!

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

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!

 

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....

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!

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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???

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: