Sunday, December 27, 2009
Book for my Mother
I love my Mom so much and I'm so grateful that our adult relationship has turned out exactly how I hoped it would be. She is amazing! I made her this book to let her know.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Christmas Gifts I received
Alec and I exchanged gifts early because we'll be out of town for Christmas. These are the fantastic things he got me.
An embossing heat gun and embossing powder! Now I need to come up with some projects for these. I had something in mind when I added these to my wishlist...but since I didn't' write it down... poof! Any ideas?
Biscuit/cookie cutters so I can make TONS of yummy things. I've been wanting to make a recipe for ricotta dill bisquits and now I will!
A Jenny Hart, Sublime Stitching, book full of magic. I can't wait!
An embossing heat gun and embossing powder! Now I need to come up with some projects for these. I had something in mind when I added these to my wishlist...but since I didn't' write it down... poof! Any ideas?
Biscuit/cookie cutters so I can make TONS of yummy things. I've been wanting to make a recipe for ricotta dill bisquits and now I will!
A Jenny Hart, Sublime Stitching, book full of magic. I can't wait!
Things I Made This Week
I got quite a bit done this week in spite of not feeling super well. The first project was spray painting this little metal basket to hold keys, wallets, sunglasses etc. at our by-the-door landing place. The basket came as the base of a gift basket, but red was a little more my style.
I finished both Alec's and my stockings this week. I forgot to take a photo before I stuffed his full of stuff so the ankle looks a little wonky. He has mine hidden away somewhere so you'll just have to appreciate his and know that mine is a variation on this theme. They're made of fleece so they'll stand up to all of the heavy gifts inside!
I had seen a wreath like this awhile back on someone's blog, but I don't remember where. I thought it looked pretty easy to do. I used my old streetfinder map that is obsolete with the advent of GPS. That makes me a little sad because I bought streetfinders shortly after learing to drive so I could find my way anyhwere. Now it seems too easy. Working to find things was part of the fun! I cut the map into strips and applied them to the wreath form using mod podge. What a fun craft! You get to have glue all over your fingers just like elementary school!
I wanted more room than what I had for hanging Christmas cards so I chain stitched two colors of yarn together to make a pretty chain. I hadn't chain stitched since i was about 8 years old and luckily it came back, just like riding a bicycle. Back then I chain stitched an entire skein of yarn and never learned how to go back and forth to make it into a blanket. Did anybody else do that?
Hopefully more crafts to come after Christmas!
I finished both Alec's and my stockings this week. I forgot to take a photo before I stuffed his full of stuff so the ankle looks a little wonky. He has mine hidden away somewhere so you'll just have to appreciate his and know that mine is a variation on this theme. They're made of fleece so they'll stand up to all of the heavy gifts inside!
I had seen a wreath like this awhile back on someone's blog, but I don't remember where. I thought it looked pretty easy to do. I used my old streetfinder map that is obsolete with the advent of GPS. That makes me a little sad because I bought streetfinders shortly after learing to drive so I could find my way anyhwere. Now it seems too easy. Working to find things was part of the fun! I cut the map into strips and applied them to the wreath form using mod podge. What a fun craft! You get to have glue all over your fingers just like elementary school!
I wanted more room than what I had for hanging Christmas cards so I chain stitched two colors of yarn together to make a pretty chain. I hadn't chain stitched since i was about 8 years old and luckily it came back, just like riding a bicycle. Back then I chain stitched an entire skein of yarn and never learned how to go back and forth to make it into a blanket. Did anybody else do that?
Hopefully more crafts to come after Christmas!
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Jewelry Tree
So now that school is out for 5 whole precious weeks I have some time for crafty things again. My friend Laura helped me make this jewelry Christmas tree two years ago. I used jewelry I had been saving for years to put it together. There is some of my mom's old jewelry that I used to play with in her jewelry box when I was little as well as some of my grandmother's old broken clip-on earrings. Almost everything on it has some sentimental reason for being there so the tree makes me very happy to put out every year.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Amazing Speech on Marriage in America
It's too bad her speech did not lead to change at this time in New York State, but hearing politicians speak in this way gives me hope that eventually America will do the right thing and grant equal right to ALL of our citizens.
Senator Diane Savino words are spoken with good purpose but she includes humor, remarking on the "sacred institution" of marriage that brought us such shows as "Bridezillas" and "The Littlest Groom" where 30 desperate women competed for the hand of a dwarf.
Senator Diane Savino words are spoken with good purpose but she includes humor, remarking on the "sacred institution" of marriage that brought us such shows as "Bridezillas" and "The Littlest Groom" where 30 desperate women competed for the hand of a dwarf.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
Needlework from Travieso
My awesome friend Travieso made us this awesome needle work as a wedding gift, but it took us forever to figure out to how to frame it! I ended up sewing black fabric around all four sides so it now has a fabric mat in the frame. You can't even tell when you look at it! Anyway, Travieso is so cool. He knows tons about astrology and he made us this artistic interpretation of our star charts combined into one. We love it! It is now displayed on the mantle above our fireplace.
Estate Sale Finds!
It's pretty amazing how many folks will turn up to an estate sale in the pouring rain. I found two super cool things to bring home. I got another pretty Pyrex to add to my collection towards my goal of having a turquoise and red kitchen and a cool old globe.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
One Year of Marriage
Traditionally for your first anniversary you are supposed to give a gift made of paper and for once in my life I decided to be traditional. I got Alec this awesome custom portrait of us done by the totally awesome Ashley G.
We love it!
We love it!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Proust Questionnaire
Alec and I spent several evenings on the couch asking each other these questions. It was fun at home in the cold entertainment. I recommend it!
The Proust Questionnaire
The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature. Here is the basic Proust Questionnaire.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
5. Which living person do you most admire?
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
7. What is your current state of mind?
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest regret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?
The Proust Questionnaire
The Proust Questionnaire has its origins in a parlor game popularized (though not devised) by Marcel Proust, the French essayist and novelist, who believed that, in answering these questions, an individual reveals his or her true nature. Here is the basic Proust Questionnaire.
1. What is your idea of perfect happiness?
2. What is your greatest fear?
3. What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
4. What is the trait you most deplore in others?
5. Which living person do you most admire?
6. What is your greatest extravagance?
7. What is your current state of mind?
8. What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
9. On what occasion do you lie?
10. What do you most dislike about your appearance?
11. Which living person do you most despise?
12. What is the quality you most like in a man?
13. What is the quality you most like in a woman?
14. Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
15. What or who is the greatest love of your life?
16. When and where were you happiest?
17. Which talent would you most like to have?
18. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
19. What do you consider your greatest achievement?
20. If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
21. Where would you most like to live?
22. What is your most treasured possession?
23. What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
24. What is your favorite occupation?
25. What is your most marked characteristic?
26. What do you most value in your friends?
27. Who are your favorite writers?
28. Who is your hero of fiction?
29. Which historical figure do you most identify with?
30. Who are your heroes in real life?
31. What are your favorite names?
32. What is it that you most dislike?
33. What is your greatest regret?
34. How would you like to die?
35. What is your motto?
Willis - Word Up
We are getting closer and closer to our 1st wedding anniversary so I'm getting sentimental and nostalgic. The night we got engaged we were eating at a fancy restaurant in Chicago and this song came on. I asked our waiter what it was because it was the first song we heard (or paid attention to) after we got engaged and he wrote it down on a post it note for me. I never found it until now. I think it is hilarious that it is a cover of Cameo, but I like the way Willis covered the song.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Awesome Quilt Wedding Gift
Alec's cousin made us the most awesome and thoughtful wedding gift. I have been wanting to post pictures of it but a day of sunshine and my memory and schedule haven't coincided for awhile. Anyway, she made us a lap quilt in the colors we had for our wedding with a monogrammed message on the back along with a really cool red stripe for interest. I love the back just as much as the front. Just in time for cooler weather we have a blanket with style! We keep it on the back of the couch, but we never have any natural lighting indoors because we are surrounded by so many trees so I took it outside so you can see it better. I love love love it!
Thanks, cousin!
Thanks, cousin!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Life List
I made this list awehile back, but all of it still rings true and none of it has been accomplished.....the future looks fun!
1. Travel lots more, but that’s a separate list
2. Learn real photography
3. Master photoshop, lightroom, etc.
4. Sew myself a dress from a pattern (did it in 4th grade and never since)
5. Make a quilt from beginning to end all by myself
6. Expand my cooking skills
7. Make my recipe gathering process more organized and accessible by others
8. Figure out how I’m going to handle keeping up with photographs in the digital age. I used to make complicated photo albums in the film days. Now I almost never print pictures, and I’m just not sure what to do with them that works for my lifestyle.
9. Learn more HTML
10. Make a really weird exercise video on YouTube wearing a side ponytail, and possibly recruit my mother and mother-in-law to co-star in it with me
11. Live on a body of water
12. Walk the entire Lost Pines trail at Bastrop State Park (Texas)
13. Take my Mom on a trip, just the two of us.
14. Take more family trips with my parents and Alec’s too.
15. Someday I want to be the “cool” aunt that my nieces and nephews come visit for a week in the summer when they are older than they are now, but maybe not old enough to drive. That freaks me out.
16. Learn to re-upholster furniture so well that nobody would suspect I did it myself
17. Live outside Texas, even if it is temporary.
18. Learn to be a formatting genius using Excel.
1. Travel lots more, but that’s a separate list
2. Learn real photography
3. Master photoshop, lightroom, etc.
4. Sew myself a dress from a pattern (did it in 4th grade and never since)
5. Make a quilt from beginning to end all by myself
6. Expand my cooking skills
7. Make my recipe gathering process more organized and accessible by others
8. Figure out how I’m going to handle keeping up with photographs in the digital age. I used to make complicated photo albums in the film days. Now I almost never print pictures, and I’m just not sure what to do with them that works for my lifestyle.
9. Learn more HTML
10. Make a really weird exercise video on YouTube wearing a side ponytail, and possibly recruit my mother and mother-in-law to co-star in it with me
11. Live on a body of water
12. Walk the entire Lost Pines trail at Bastrop State Park (Texas)
13. Take my Mom on a trip, just the two of us.
14. Take more family trips with my parents and Alec’s too.
15. Someday I want to be the “cool” aunt that my nieces and nephews come visit for a week in the summer when they are older than they are now, but maybe not old enough to drive. That freaks me out.
16. Learn to re-upholster furniture so well that nobody would suspect I did it myself
17. Live outside Texas, even if it is temporary.
18. Learn to be a formatting genius using Excel.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Kings of Convenience New Album!
YAY! I'm so excited they have a new album out! Alec and I saw them live the 1st time we hung out together as friends way back in 2005. They put on a super fun live show.
Monday, October 19, 2009
I've just returned from Nashville!
Lovely flight there:
Stayed in a crazy hotel that had a whole city underneath the large roof. When I say stayed in, I mean I never went outside!
Learned a TON. So exciting!
Spent time with awesome people (only some of which are pictured here):
Had an awesome flight home:
Stayed in a crazy hotel that had a whole city underneath the large roof. When I say stayed in, I mean I never went outside!
Learned a TON. So exciting!
Spent time with awesome people (only some of which are pictured here):
Had an awesome flight home:
Friday, October 9, 2009
Men at Beach
This pattern was included along with some others I picked up at the thrift store. I have yet to convince Alec that this is the must wear outfit of the season. I think today might be a good day to start working on him though...
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tara McPherson embroidery patterns via Sublime Stitching
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Old lady chic
I love wearing my old lady chic clothing, but I never thought of putting them together in a polyvore style mashup. Here is attempt #1 using SAS classic shoes and an afghan jacket pattern I found at the thrift store.
Friday, September 25, 2009
FAME!
I went to see it tonight with my friends. It's what you would expect. The best part is that I didn't even go to a cool theater to see it but I still wore this:
20 Questions
I saw this over on FreckledNest and thought it looked fun.
Wanna play too? Answer these 20 questions on your blog (or just the q's you want to answer) and share a link to your 20q in the comments of this post :) Have fun :)
2. What's the last homecooking you had?
We made this pork loin with a blackberry sauce, green beans with parmesan, and baked beans (we like the beans around here!)
3. What do you miss? (no dead people please)
Since I'm so busy with school most of the time I miss a LOT of the things I used to be able to do when I had free time. I miss traveling more often
Believe it or not, I sometimes miss teaching. I loved seeing the joy of discovery on kiddos' faces. I also loved field trips and picture day and holidays with them!
I miss having dance parties with my awesome friend Eric:
4. What makes you laugh often?
here
5. What's your favorite word?
CAKE! I love the way the word feels in your mouth when you say it. I also love to eat it!
6. What are you trying to quit?
Stressing...
7. What's your favorite commercial right now?
We don't have TV, so the only commercials I see are movie previews online. This one looks so funny.
8. Whose style do you dig?
Masuimi Max and Bernie Dexter. These images from here
9. Link to a great blog you've discovered lately...
Mental Floss Blog
10. What's the last craft you made?
I made a quilt square for Janel's blogger BFF quilt.
11. A photo of the last happy mail you got :]
Alec bought me this shirt as a surprise/gift
12. Something you've got lately?
My new cousin Karen gave me a crochet hook so I can learn to make all kinds of cool things! I like crafts made with fabric and yarn because you end up with something that you can display or gift nicely.
13. What are you looking forward to?
Alec and I have a lot of anniversaries. We don't know exactly when we evolved from friends into dating so we arbitrarily decided it was the first time we ate at Arby's together. We joke that we owe it all to that delicious Arby's sauce. YUM! We call that one our Arby's anniversary and it is coming up on October 13th. Can you guess how we'll celebrate?
14. Post a recent snapshot of yourself.
I realized I don't have any recent snapshots of myself. I either need to recruit Alec to start taking more pictures or start taking them myself. This is from this summer. That's my awesome mother and my awesome husband there with me. I call this picture, "Hello our names are..."
15. Recent Favorite Movie?
I haven't really LOVED any movies I've seen recently and I often choose to watch streaming TV shows instead of movies lately due to the shorter time commitment. Anyway, we've been watching the IT Crowd and LOVE it! It is so hilarious!
17. If a movie were made about you, who would play you?
Ally Sheedy from Breakfast Club, of course.
18. What gives you goosebumps?
Stories about otherworldly events.
19. Share a new obsession.
Embroidery, sewing, crafting in general...whenever I get a moment!
20. What's the meaning of your life?
Being the nicest and best person I can be and inspiring others to be the same.
(So you can copy and paste it easy)
1. Show us the inside of something cute
2. What's the last homecooking you had?
3. What do you miss? (alive)
4. What makes you laugh often?
5. What's your favorite word?
6. What are you trying to quit?
7. What's your favorite commercial right now?
8. Whose style do you dig?
9. Link to a great blog you've discovered lately...
10. What's the last craft you made?
11. A photo of the last happy mail you got :]
12. Something you've got lately?
13. What are you looking forward to?
14. Post a recent snapshot of yourself.
15. Recent Favorite Movie?
16. Something you're working on right now?
17. If a movie were made about you, who would play you?
18. What gives you goosebumps?
19. Share a new obsession.
20. What's the meaning of your life?
Wanna play too? Answer these 20 questions on your blog (or just the q's you want to answer) and share a link to your 20q in the comments of this post :) Have fun :)
2. What's the last homecooking you had?
We made this pork loin with a blackberry sauce, green beans with parmesan, and baked beans (we like the beans around here!)
3. What do you miss? (no dead people please)
Since I'm so busy with school most of the time I miss a LOT of the things I used to be able to do when I had free time. I miss traveling more often
Believe it or not, I sometimes miss teaching. I loved seeing the joy of discovery on kiddos' faces. I also loved field trips and picture day and holidays with them!
I miss having dance parties with my awesome friend Eric:
4. What makes you laugh often?
here 5. What's your favorite word?
CAKE! I love the way the word feels in your mouth when you say it. I also love to eat it!
6. What are you trying to quit?
Stressing...
7. What's your favorite commercial right now?
We don't have TV, so the only commercials I see are movie previews online. This one looks so funny.
8. Whose style do you dig?
Masuimi Max and Bernie Dexter. These images from here
9. Link to a great blog you've discovered lately...
Mental Floss Blog
10. What's the last craft you made?
I made a quilt square for Janel's blogger BFF quilt.
11. A photo of the last happy mail you got :]
Alec bought me this shirt as a surprise/gift
12. Something you've got lately?
My new cousin Karen gave me a crochet hook so I can learn to make all kinds of cool things! I like crafts made with fabric and yarn because you end up with something that you can display or gift nicely.
13. What are you looking forward to?
Alec and I have a lot of anniversaries. We don't know exactly when we evolved from friends into dating so we arbitrarily decided it was the first time we ate at Arby's together. We joke that we owe it all to that delicious Arby's sauce. YUM! We call that one our Arby's anniversary and it is coming up on October 13th. Can you guess how we'll celebrate?
14. Post a recent snapshot of yourself.
I realized I don't have any recent snapshots of myself. I either need to recruit Alec to start taking more pictures or start taking them myself. This is from this summer. That's my awesome mother and my awesome husband there with me. I call this picture, "Hello our names are..."
15. Recent Favorite Movie?
I haven't really LOVED any movies I've seen recently and I often choose to watch streaming TV shows instead of movies lately due to the shorter time commitment. Anyway, we've been watching the IT Crowd and LOVE it! It is so hilarious!
17. If a movie were made about you, who would play you?
Ally Sheedy from Breakfast Club, of course.
18. What gives you goosebumps?
Stories about otherworldly events.
19. Share a new obsession.
Embroidery, sewing, crafting in general...whenever I get a moment!
20. What's the meaning of your life?
Being the nicest and best person I can be and inspiring others to be the same.
(So you can copy and paste it easy)
1. Show us the inside of something cute
2. What's the last homecooking you had?
3. What do you miss? (alive)
4. What makes you laugh often?
5. What's your favorite word?
6. What are you trying to quit?
7. What's your favorite commercial right now?
8. Whose style do you dig?
9. Link to a great blog you've discovered lately...
10. What's the last craft you made?
11. A photo of the last happy mail you got :]
12. Something you've got lately?
13. What are you looking forward to?
14. Post a recent snapshot of yourself.
15. Recent Favorite Movie?
16. Something you're working on right now?
17. If a movie were made about you, who would play you?
18. What gives you goosebumps?
19. Share a new obsession.
20. What's the meaning of your life?
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