Nothing much to report...

This coming month I will be starting on my master's degree in Humanities - I bought the cheapest text books at the university's bookstore and the rest on half.com, saving about $50, even including shipping. I'm excited to finally do something I've waited over 20 years to do; I always wanted to keep going in school past my bachelor's but never had the time or money to do so until now.

I am currently working on Loes Hinse's Tuxedo jacket for the Stitch and Flip Jacket class on Pattern Review. I am almost afraid to even declare that since I have so many unfinished projects lurking around in various closets. I have some lovely blue houndstooth lightweight wool silk suiting for it and just need to hunker down and make the silly thing.
Today I rummaged around in the costume cave and found four big garbage bags full of clothes and cloth to donate...yippee! Tomorrow Jennifer and I are hitting IKEA in the morning to check out storage solutions. Sort of low-key mundane things going on this weekend, but that's okay. Here's the highlight - a budding rock star is in our midst!

If only it were that easy...

The solstice is upon us and there's a tiny girl wanting to come into the world very soon. Her big sister Rosie showed us how it is going to happen. If only it were that easy, we'd all have babies. No one in the house got much sleep last night we're all so excited.

Holiday Hijinx Aplenty

Rosie's class had a Holiday performance tonight. All the first and second graders got up on stage and sang several fun songs; one about a turkey that liked to tango, and another about a penguin named Polka Dot who liked to polka. Everyone was very well behaved!











Of course, for a parting shot, I leave you with this eye opener:
I just knew it!!!

Oh Suzani, Oh Don't You Cry for Me...

I found another suzani I had to have...I'm waiting for it to be shipped to me from Uzbekistan...Last time I got something from Uzbekistan my postman, who is from the Ukraine, looked at the package when he delivered it to me and wanted me to open it right away so he could see what it was.


Today has been a lazy Sunday for me. It snowed, then it rained, then snowed, then the rain won the fight for good. I hate it when the weather is on that cusp between the snow and rain; a few degrees on either side of the freezing point determines which will happen, I suppose. Hate that. Harumph!
Rosie came downstairs for while this morning, got out her camera and took a picture or two of Jynx, who is a total photo hog.

The End of Phase One

I sent my manuscript off to the publisher's today. In the midst of a snowstorm. Just as I was printing out the final chapters, I suddenly realized I couldn't drive myself to the Fedex drop off because I had foot surgery only two weeks ago and still can't drive my Mini Cooper (it's a stick shift)!!! So Linda graciously drove me around and around an industrial park a few miles down the road looking for the Fedex building. In a snow storm. It didn't help that snow had covered all the street signs in that area. We came home and celebrated by having fondue for dinner (which Rosie thought was disgusting). I so wish I could take a bath, but because of my foot I'm not allowed a good long soak for another two weeks or so, so a hot shower will have to suffice.
Now I can have a social life for a few weeks and enjoy the holidays. First I have to clean my art space - it's a hovel right now.
A parting shot of my most favorite flower - the Lotus Maculatus

Me Now

Here's what I look like tonight with my new haircut. Sans makeup. Crooked smile. C'est moi.

What Mythological Creature Are You?

You Are a Mermaid

You are a total daydreamer, and people tend to think you're flakier than you actually are. While your head is often in the clouds, you'll always come back to earth to help someone in need. Beyond being a caring person, you are also very intelligent and rational. You understand the connections of the universe better than almost anyone else.

What Mythological Creature Are You?

Great Heavenly Days

I am FINALLY finished with shooting the step-by-step photos of my projects for the micro-macrame book. Here are three projects that didn't make it into the book.

This knotted cell phone bag isn't exactly micro-macrame; it's a nice piece of macrame, but it isn't the same scale as the projects in the book need to be. It was nixed.


I studied this pretty Celtic piece long and hard and determined that it was really too difficult to create; too many steps and permutations for readers of the book, so I came up with something else.

Good Hair Cuts, Bad Pedicures

Amidst my frenetic busy-ness, I managed to get a lovely short haircut (picture to follow soon) last week from my favorite hair stylist Zary. She just knows how to cut my hair - a rarity for me.
And today I had a terrible terrible pedicure: Okay, okay, it wasn't exactly a pedicure, it was foot surgery for a painful bunion. I'm still twirly-minded from the meds, so life is splendid.

Cinderella visits us for Halloween

We found the prettiest dress at the Disney Store and as the supremely giddy spinsters we are, we couldn't resist getting it for Rosie...

Bad Bad Colds, Cabin Fever, Missed Pedicures

So I have been laid low by a severe cold, that's left my rib muscles really sore from so much coughing. I was supposed to go to Olympus Spa this weekend and bask in the earth energy rooms...no such luck. So I've been stuck at home, sleeping, coughing, sneezing, blowing my nose, taking hot baths, soaking my feet, inhaling steam wiith Olbas oil, etc.

You Should Be a Doctor

You are practical, sharp, and very intuitive. Optimistic and energetic, you are a problem solver who doesn't get discouraged easily. You are also quite compassionate and caring. You make people feel hopeful. You're highly adaptable and capable. You do well with almost any curve ball life throws at you. You do best when you: - Are always learning new subjects - Use your knowledge to solve problems You would also be a good therapist or detective.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

PR Weekend in Kiel - hanging out in Oslo

I got back from the European Pattern Review Weekend in Kiel a week ago - also spent some time in Oslo with my friend Vibeke.

I've been so busy with the book project that I haven't had any spare time for anything lately - I've had to cancel all social appointments until December.

The World's Best Socks!

Today I received a package from my friend Tini who lives in Kiel!! Whoo hoo! I was eager to tear into it since I knew there were a pair of hand-made socks in the package. Tini is a marvelously talented knitter who also dyes her own yarn. She had also put some extras in with these gorgeous socks - some extremely yummy chocolates and some milk chocolate Kieler Sprotten! I laughed out loud when I saw the Kieler Sprotten - we had had a discussion on a message board on Pattern Review about souvenirs for the European Pattern Review weekend in October this year and I'd asked what Kieler Sprotten were and Tini said (and I paraphrase) that they were yucky little smoked fish that weren't even made in Kiel anymore...

Here are my happy feet in my beautiful socks! Wow! Socks that fit my size E for Enormous footsies! Me dogs ain't barkin' no more!

Nifty Snooters - Neat-o!

I saw this article on the BBC's website:

Double-nosed dog not to be sniffed at

Xingu, son of Bella
Bella


They're both probably thinking "What's the big damn deal? I got two eyes, two ears and two noses! So why dontcha keep your malformed single nose outta my business???"




Well, don't get too snooty about it, my smellicious pals...

My New Toy Car

Yesterday I finally got my new Mini Cooper - I ordered it a couple of months ago and it came in last week. I am soooo excited!




It has a very compact engine







Here is the salesman Jay explaining things like variable ambient lighting, and how to work the air co
I've waited 14 years for this! I know most people in the States buy cars more frequently than that, but I only buy one when I absolutely cannot stand driving my old beat up jalopies any more! In the case of my old Jeep, I was tired of getting soaked every time it rained. It rains alot in Seattle. Many years ago I had an Austin America, which was even tinier than this Mini. I loved that car and named it Larry O, short for Lawrence Olivier. Hmmm, what should I name the new baby?

The PNWA Conference

So the PNWA Writers Conference came and went this year. I only attended one day of it, Saturday, because I was one of the speakers. Melody and I had 90 minutes to blather on about why authors need to get blogs and web sites. I wish I could have stayed for the entire day, but I am still recovering from either food poisoning or a nasty virus and my energy is easily depleted.

It's Time to Dance!

Jennifer and Rosie have come to stay for a while. Rosie has been busy entertaining us with her magical dances! Her choreography includes a mish mash of hula, ballet, jazz, gymnastics and belly dance!
As you can see, we found a lovely silk-painted-with-the-salt-technique veil for her which she has dubbed the "water" veil.
Luckily, the weather has turned soft and silky cool again. I love sunny days in the winter, but prefer cool. cloudy days in the summer.
Incidentally, Rosie didn't like the pink velvet bubble skirt I made for her, so I'm going to donate it to a shelter for battered women (and their kids).

The Ovens of Hell

It was 101 degrees Fahrenheit here today. That translates to 38.3333 degrees C.

Scorch-a-roo!

Over the weekend I finally finished both the Athena blouse and the Hong Kong vest. I had given JoAnn the spring green Knipmode skirt I made a bazillion years ago, but she pointed out that it matched the Athena blouse perfectly so I should take it back! So I did! Ha! I had delayed finishing the Athena blouse because I don't have a proper way of making buttonholes with my blessed Singer Featherweight- so we got together last Saturday and she showed me how to make buttonholes with an old machine of hers. After viewing the photo I realized I don't like how the front hem came out - it shifts up too much, so I'm going to reposition it a little bit lowerThe fabric is a sort of barkcloth-raw silk-like mix I picked up at JoAnn Fabrics a few years back. It frays like crazy and resists ironing a smidge, but I love the colors.
The Hong Kong vest was a prezzie for JoAnn, what with her wild hair-do and all. It was made with a lovely asian-esque rayon fabric snagged at a Goodwill for $5.00.

Darling, You Need More Flair

Oh Christ God do I have hay fever! I'm stuffy, bloated and prone to fits of sneezing like you would not believe. That has not stopped me from sewing, though. I'm working on the Hong Kong Vest and just finished the Marci Tilton Vogue 8397 pants. Did I follow the directions? Heavens, no! Did I even follow the pattern exactly? No, I tell you, no!
I used the pattern for view C, which is only two pieces. The front and the back halves are the same piece. You're supposed to create three long darts at the sides and I did so , but was unimpressed with the look of it. I was too lazy to take them back out again. I think the side darts add to the "Size E for Enormous" look, but that's okay with me. We have a saying "There's enough blue in the sky to make a Dutchman's britches" I think these pants bring that to reality; here they are, made from patches of blue in the sky. (I hope I am not offending any of my friends and relatives from the Netherlands, it is a quaint saying probably thought up by Netherlanders who moved to the States a century ago. Like my grandfather.)Actually, I used a lovely blue checked poly I found at fashion fabrics club.

I recently found a whole slew of Flair pens! Whoo hoo! So what, you say. I remember when Flair pens were all the rage in the early 70's and I loved them for creating strange, overtly colorful sketches of hippies wearing psychedelic bellbottoms and doves flying over rainbows...I'll see if I can dig one out of the Annika archives...

Busy busy busy

I have been very busy this last weekend. Linda had her 40th birthday party at P.F. Chang's - here are some photos. The first is a picture of Linda's sisters (from left ro right) Lois, Lori and Linda's niece Sabrina (Lori's daughter)

Next is Zanne and Linda
And Matt sandwiched in between Linda and Fran...


Additionally Sabrina just graduated from highschool! Yay! Sabrina is a vibrant, clever force to be reckoned with! She's off to university in the Fall to study marine sciences.










Also on Sunday I managed to put together a bubble skirt for Rosie. It's an Ottobre pattern from one of last year's magazines. the fabric is a glorious stretch pink velvet with embroidered flowers. I couldn't find any velvet ribbon that matched the skirt so I used pale pink from my stash. Whatever! The stretch velvet was much easier to work with than regular velvet - the plush fibers sort of smooshed right into eachother and held fast while I sewed. Usually velvet slides all over the place whilst between the feed dogs and presser foot. This time I lucked out.

Simplicity 4076

I made this wrap version of Simplicity 4076 for my friend Linda out of a lovely silky single span I got from Emma OneSock. The print on the fabric is a medieval tapestry of a man and woman and various medieval beasties. See the teal version of this wondrous stuff in my previous blog below. I think the sleeves are a bit long, but she likes 'em that way. Sorry the photo is so murky - my digital camera broke today and had to use a spare camera...

The Swinging Sixties

Here are some of my favorite 60's book and magazine covers...if only I'd known that bellydancing could shimmy me into the big time...