random bits of busy

For those of you not privy to my facebook feeds, here are the latest installments to "how I spent my summer vacation", which would be more meaningful if everyday were not a vacation (ie:I had gainful employment.) Ah. Well. Nothing to be done about that now. I'm looking forward to getting caught up on some trashy television and dancing my way through summer. And, just maybe, getting both the border on this scrap quilt and the mates to these socks knitted...

I haz muh priorities, you know. The dreaded second sock syndrome struck in a big way this past winter, so there's much to be done, and about three other mateless socks trying to crawl over my body to work on their match.com profiles, but I had to bribe (threaten) small humans to score computer time this morning, so the socks can bite me. Yeah. Throwing around some attitude. Gets me absolutely nowhere. Quilt tops going up on Etsy this morning. I'd do a link, but I concentrated too hard on my macaroni salad recipe yesterday, so I'm fairly certain I've forgotten how to do that. Oh, it'll keep me up tonight, and I'll fix it later, but for right now I'm focusing on Monday's big ass bash (that's just the working title). If you're in the vicinity of Morgantown, Indiana on Monday, stop in for some beer and grub. I'll have a big bowl of that memory-sucking mac salad for you to sample...latah, kittehs...

decidedly lazy

today i mailed a baby quilt to england. grossly underestimated how much shipping to charge, so, aside from the sheer, unadulterated glee i feel at having sold something from the etsy store, profit didn't happen. learning experience, blah,blah,blah... yeah. events of the past week have me feeling very stressed out, so that has actually aided my knitting. upping the knitting ante also means less nom,nom,nom... so, yay. still in those itty bitty britches. spent my meager allowance on some new sneakers. the plan is to have them worn out by the time snow flies, though if the buzzards can't keep the roads any bit nicer, i'll be stuck in the basement on the elliptical. i can't stand trotting past the stinky dead things.

i finished a sock today, and immediately cast on it's mate. making some pretty good progress on it, too. i have a bit of the one sock syndrome, so this is a huge advancement for me. keeping the ADD under control, one stitch at a time. lessening my beer consumption has speeded up the knitting as well, but tomorrow will find me back in front of the new sewing machine that still has me feeling startled all.the.dayum.time. it really isn't so complicated, i'm just a spoiled, untrainable monkey and every encounter with the brother leaves me feeling bewildered. gah. dammit. anyhow. so, whilst i'm off doing nothing every dang day, little things are moving along. hopefully at a slightly quicker pace. a decidedly lazy summer is not a good thing for me.

Drawstrings and things...

This post is being brought to you by our sponsors, WTF Happened and D,Amnmy,&Ipod. Both come in handy whenever I want to skip a workout, which sadly was NOT today. Can't exercise without tunes and the option of listening to myself wheeze, while often entertaining, just wasn't making me happy today. i pod on the charger, and I'm consuming my latest food fetish while the caffeine takes effect (hey, gotta get the heart rate up somehow!)... oh yeah, back to that food thingie... it's a simple thing...graham crackers smothered in Nutella and loaded with mini marshmallows. Disgustingly fun eat. A s'mores without having to toast anything sticky. Instant gratification.

I've been away from blog land for two and a half months. Nothing much happened besides some knitting and my new belly button (yee haw!!!!) and now, for the first time I finally get the importance of the drawstring. As a bigger grrl, waistbands were simple things, I thought, except for the damn dangly ornamentation of the drawstring. Yesterday was almost pajama pants day (sewing, not wearing) so the strings were already on my mind when I dug out my favorite pair of yoga pants for this morning's workout. Haven't worn them much post-surgery, so I was surprised to find the dayum drawstring actually serves a purpose, which now affects how I approach the strings in the pajama pants that didn't happen. For once Karma didn't had me my arse on this one. Had I made non-stringy pants and suffered a 'FAIL', my ego would have crashed, there would have had to be beer, and no Snoopy dancing would have happened around the new sewing machine... oh yeah, I forgot to mention there is a new crafty pal at Becher Haus, as my Viking decided to become a delinquent or develop Alzheimer's or whatever. I still have her. She sits in the corner blowing spit bubbles and chewing thread. Sometimes she'll straight stitch for a little while, but then she gets confused and starts whining for ice cream while she pees her pants. It's not pretty, and just as the last breath of sewing joy was being sucked from my body, along came Brother. He's a quilting genius. Wouldn't expect that coming out of the 'hood, but I haz big crush on him... and no permanent sewing station. Hence the sewing what dinna happen yesterday. I have big plans though...and several fun fabric combinations swimming in my head. Other plans for the month include taking the chirruns to a giant air show, with the largest fireworks display in the midwest (Lawd, I love Derby time!!!), planning my first ever adventure hike in a real woods, and finding a job that doesn't make me grind my teeth or want to punch someone in the throat. All good and fabulous things. I've given up on getting my phone to burp up photos... I just facebook those. Over here... who knows? Technology isn't my bff, so I'll have to find a workable plan, and then make something worthy to show off... or I could put the new belly button on display...

All hail the hot fudge and bacon sundae...

on a Thursday. Yes, indeedy. Want a new taste sensation? Go try it. Best ordered in a family style restaurant that serves both soft serve and items with those big, chewy bacon bits. Crunchy ones simply will not do for this treat. I have a great picture, but my phone is holding it hostage. It was actually last night's tasty concoction, but I've had much pre-employment paperworky stuff to do, so this is my first chance to tell y'all about the squealer sundae. That's just the tentative name. Needs something a tic more snazzy... discuss amongst yourselves, then leave me a comment... and for those of you daring enough to try it fer realz... make sure you're sitting down. Yeah, it's that good!

oooh...shiny!

See, every little once in a while I listen to Miss Croucher, especially when she's showing me a super-cutie-something-or-other in a boutiquey little bag with fluffy bits of tissue and pretty ribbons frothing out of the bag...
Well, let me just tell you... it's worth listening to The Croucher. I went into a little shop in Greenwood today called 'Lottie Dottie'... AHHH mazing. I bought skinny black jeans. A little black beaded sweater. An "I'm going to wear this 'till I die" grey tiny cardi. But the most unbelievable thing, for a formerly plus size girl such as myself, was the silver sequined top, to be worn with said skinny jeans. Me. Sequins. Shopping in a boutique full of adorable clothes. Trying things on and not having to settle for whatever will fit, but actually getting to be picky-choosy about what got to come home with me, in that beribboned and tissue filled bag.
Thank you, Amanda. It could only have been a better shopping experience if you'd been there with me!

girl, interrupted

Well, so far my lapse back into blogging has been a little hit and miss, but overall, I think progress is being made. If one considers how little time I'm actually anywhere near a computer, you'd be amazed I got THIS far...I'm actually considering just tweeting for awhile, but the tactile satisfaction of tippity-tapping on a keyboard keeps me here.
Now for a wee bit of show and tell... here you will see the old knit pit sofa, recovered in home dec fabric. I can honestly say it's an improvement, but she does require some toss pillows. I'm on it, though they may be just store bought cheapies from Target initially...or perhaps I'll venture over to Pier One after the holidays. Hmmmmm...

The other day when I burped the knitting stash, these were one of the projects I had to take out and fondle for a few rounds.  A delicious alpaca blend in tropical colors... and it's so FUZZY!!!! (Hey, Croucher!)

Now, as for the cookie recipe I said I would put up here... turns out I already DID... in November... two YEARS ago. There's even a picture, so just go dig into the archives, November 29th, 2008 and go crazy. They're totally yummy and calorie-worthy. I have much to do if I'm going to be ready to go watch Amy belly dance at Acropolis tonight. She says she wants to get me up and dancing with her... can you believe she starts drinking so early in the day??? LOL!

cookie monster

Yes, it appears signs of life do exist on this blog. I spent the day with flour and spices up to my eyeballs... well, truthfully, my bum was sporting the majority of the flour, cuz I have an obnoxious hand-wiping habit, and never seem to have an apron on when the really dusty stuff is going on... *sigh*
BUT, needless to say, I baked up eleven dozen and two molasses spice cookies today. They turned out perfect, crinkled and chewy and oh, so deliciously scented. Mmmmm. This batch is being gifted, but I'll try to get a photo and the recipe up here by the week's end. As I type this, I'm also baking the last pan of runzas. For those of you without Russian heritage, the idea of meat, cabbage, and onions seasoned and baked into a bun might seem a little strange, but I was able to fly to Texas last week and learn to make them properly literally at my Grandma's side. I'll put that recipe up too, since this knit blog is getting back to it's beginnings as an everything blog... and you know if both my sister and I were chowing down bowls full of the runza filling, it's daaayum good!
Becher Haus is holiday ready. The newly re-covered sofa (remember the knit pit? ol' girl is sporting some Denyse Schmidt now!)is home, looking all English and awaiting scads of throw pillows. To that end, I'm hoping to get some built from the remaining stash of home dec fabrics very soon. Knitting continues to crawl along...I took out a few projects and knitted a round or two on them last night, just to remind them what it felt like. Oh, before I forget... I just loosed a bunch of knitting books on the Franklin Goodwill this morning, so go lurk a little if your crafty book stash wants padding. I'm deep into de-clutter mode right now, and the back of the Suburban was full of a closet's worth of nightmare... I even got rid of the pink and orange 'Library' bag from L.L.Bean... and boy, howdy, was that hard to do, but someone will see it and love it and take it for walkies to visit the library, and maybe toss in their wallet and knitting and drag it absolutely everywhere...
well... that's what we hope for when we give away our perfectly good junk, right? Right now, some former crack head is stocking the shelves at Goodwill and thinking "shit... I was never THAT f^cked up!" Srsly. My pink and orange phase is over. At Goodwill. *gigglesnort*
Tomorrow is another day, and I've got plans in it, so it's off to sleep for me. You go do what you do, and stop back here...
you know you're curious about those runzas!

Back from the bar, y'all

Actually, I've been thinking about this dead blog for awhile and since certain persons in this haus refuse to follow the "if she's asleep, don't for fucksake wake her" protocol, I find myself with some quiet, alone time to sit here at the keyboard.  News of note, for any of you following along, I'm in single digit pants sizes (but a 6 only in the really expensive, vanity-sized brands), I meet with my plastic surgeon in January to plan the removal of MUCH extra skin...it is disgusting and must go, so I can wear my shirts tucked in and my rocking cute rhinestone-studded skull belt buckle.  True story.  Found him at a flea market.  Now I don't need to drive back to Nashville and try to steal one off the waitresses at 'Coyote Ugly'.

Made the discovery of Madison, Indiana a few months ago.  Not only does that town sport a gorgeous riverfront, but also a chocolate shop that sells chocolate covered salt caramels.  I can assure you that it's worth the trip to Cocoa Safari, and be sure to grab a bag of the dark chocolate covered almonds while you're there.  It's a little bag of foreplay for your mouth... just sayin'...  Also, be sure to hit the end of the street for a visit to 'All Good Things'. It's an amazing little shop and the proprietor is also the creator of really delicious, richly scented soaps.  I'm still partial to Mandi's (formerly my Monday Mandi) handmade soaps, and I do have a huge, Jude Law worthy crush on the Zum Bar 'anise and lavender' scented soap, but THAT aside, the soap store in Madison is a MUST see. I even ventured into the quilt shop there, Margie's Country Store (so as not to be confused with the OTHER fabric shop in town that looks like a thirty year old rummage sale with bad lighting and the ceiling about to fall in)... but I digress... anyhoooo, I left with bundles of civil war era prints in golds and reds and creams. Yeah. Me. I nearly passed out from the shock of it, too!  Not to worry, though.  I found a funky pattern in an Australian quilting magazine that will set off the colors nicely and provide the proper visual punch.  What? You thought I was going to piece wee, teensy stars or itty, bitty 'courthouse steps' blocks with my bag o' retro?  Silly baby!

Now that I'm back in school, with no 'day job' to keep me busy, things are pretty dull around here.  I'm still knitting socks like a fiend, and even have a sweater on the needles...with cables, no less.  It's a gift for a lovely woman who needs a knitted hug. I can't wait to finish it and see her wrapped in it's warmth. Good motivation to keep my hands busy!  This post has been a long time coming, and I don't know if any of you are still checking out the activity over here, but if you are, give me a shout out in the comments.  This posting hopefully won't be an isolated incident... latah, knittahs!

the downside

and there is one, to all that damnable sleep i got last night... wired and wide awake would be this poor girl's status for now.  add to that the fact that everyone else in becher haus is sound asleep, thereby precluding me from doing anything remotely noisy, and you have one bored little blogger.  so, blog, how was your day?  me? oh, i went and hung out at the willard for awhile, since our croucher-comma-amanda was working and it turned into a beer day.  then, when i thought the day was over, i was coerced back... much diet soda was consumed, as my evening duties included 'designated driving'.  i rock the dd job, btw.  my companion not only clutched the ohshit bar the whole way, but was also sighted squinting his eyes shut, and, if i'm not mistaken, clutching his stomach with his free hand.  it was a very fun drive back to the haus!

tasks for the week include cranking out another pair of baby socks for an upcoming shower, getting three baby quilt tops into final assembly stage, and unearthing the walking foot for my sewing machine.  i don't care how boogered up it gets, i am going to machine quilt at least one of those darn things myself.  alone.  independent of a professional quilter.  yup.  i'm going right over the edge to the dark side of quilting.  it's a win-win though.  i'll have a completely finished baby gift AND i'll improve my on-the-fly cursing skills.  you know the ones... the special superpowers you get when you stub your toe or sideswipe a pole with your car.  yeah, sewing can unleash them, too.  soooo, anyhow... i suppose i could just medicate and zonk and get the day over with.  seems like too good a night to waste, though.  i stood outside awhile tonight and found pegasus and hercules and the corona, and a few other constellations i had to look up.  binoculars would be helpful.  remind me to hang them by the door tomorrow so we can have another lookie-see.

my official take on this sunday: ugh. just ugh. glad it's over, though my hair turned out fabulous today.  so, not a total loss, i guess.  g'nite, kittens.  *mwah*

helloooo, august

I'm usually not a big fan of summer, fall being my favorite time of the year, but this has been an exceptional summer so far, and with more to look forward to this month, I can't say I'm sorry to see the calendar page flip.  my cousin Dorothy's wedding reception in Chicago is in less than 2 weeks... I'm so thrilled to be going, I'm not even freaked out about driving through the windy city (as opposed to riding shotgun... always).  A side trip to Navy Pier to ride the Ferris wheel, stay to see the fireworks, and head back to the haus.  Just an over-nighter, but an adventure all the same.

Currently sitting on front porch while my hair dye 'cooks' the gray off my hair, then I can go out in public today.  Yesterday was spent cleaning the dregs out of the store.  Clementine's is officially over.  Done.  Finito.  and after catching nearly nine hours of sleep (yeah, me! who'd a thunk it?) I'm feeling pretty much like a new woman.  Well, at least I was till I took a gander at the boxes stacked in the entryway at Becher haus.  Much go go through and a big sort/pitch will have to happen soon.  The design studio is ready for action.  I'm moving my home stash of fabrics over there today, along with the rest of my sister's Bud Lite Limes... for when the creative process fails me, you know.

Little sister came for a week's visit, bringing my niece and nephew in tow.  It was the first time I'd gotten to meet young master Harrison.  He's super cute, with his Mississippi drawl and my niece is so different from her seven year old self.  She's thirteen now, and smart and funny and pretty.  She came with us to the tattoo parlor to watch as her momma and auntie got their matching cherry blossom tattoos.  I haven't taken a decent photo of mine yet, but will post one when the healing process has finished.  Some things are worth the wait...

Time to stop scaring the neighbors as I sit out here with the smooshy, sludgy dye on my roots.  Time to make Sunday happen.  Be well, all y'all... I'll see you back here in a bit, once I burp some photos out of the camera.

ha!

this isn't even a real post, in case you were wondering.  it's just been a crazy week and i'm too full of thoughts to even begin getting them down... that whole "nailing jello to a tree" analogy comes to mind.  so, instead, i'll just throw random bits of happy out and you can ignore or ponder them at your leisure...

county fairs and demolition derbys.  yes. i came. i saw. i sweated like a whore in church... and loved every damn minute of it!

running away from home?   head to louisville, but unless you're a huge fan, skip the urban bourbon tour. i have exactly one stamp in my bourbon passport, and i'm quite ashamed to say i dinna even drink the damn stuff.  had to leave the nasty, mulchy-smelling stuff there on the bar.  thank gawd for tequila... and irish whisky...

getting asked if you've recently undergone gastric-bypass surgery.  this happened to me at belly dance class last night, which in my brain is really still tonight (cuz i'm up typing in these wee hours of the morning, the sleep, she eludes me).  should this question thrill me so much?  hellz yeah!  i'm at my lowest weight in sixteen years.  sixteen.  years.  yeah, baby...
and my weight doesn't even start with a 'two' anymore.  i might faint from the thrill of it all.

moving into the girl-cave this week has been hot, miserable work, but the end is near... and there's cold beer in the fridge and the air-conditioning is cranked.  that first electric bill might make me swoon, but as an official resident of the girl-cave, i have to gird my loins (i just wanted to use the word loins... makes me feel all 'wild kingdom') for the shock of it.  also, i need to remember that hot air rises, so maybe winter won't be so bad... plus, that's what the handknits are for.  i iz knittah.  chillz?  bah!

little boys with fresh haircuts.  sleeping siamese cats on comfy chairs.  girls in glasses looking super-cute.  realizing that the world doesn't come screeching to a halt if you take a breather to collect your thoughts... or to bandy them about.  deciding not to decide about some things... only open-minded people think to mix their italian ices.  i might love that a little... okay... a lot.
lemon-blueberry, anyone?

enjoying the ride?

today is an 'out day'... i'm running on fumes, but the weekend is just a few days away. hang on and enjoy the ride... words to live by, for a few more days at least!

the girl cave...

okay, tomorrow is the last day of painting... the girl cave is nearly finished. yeah, there's the whole 'moving in' thing to get through. i keep forgetting about that part...

not much to see here. just walls and ladders. just preserving the memory of a nearly pristine workspace. the next time you see it, it'll be full of color and chaos... and quilts, if i get my arse moving.

the wonderous view of a brick wall out the back kitchen window. i'm embracing the whole 'city-apartment' feel... perhaps i'll sneak out for smoke-breaks. my bum fits the windowsill.
i checked already...

lil' bitty update

Today was a busy little day at Becher Haus...
these two had a birthday. Thirteen and fifteen. I'm pretty sure we just brought the wee girlie home, but now she's ready to learn to drive. I need a lie-down...

Knitting happened whilst I waited on getting the tires re-balanced... and yeah, I'm verrry into pirates right now. He's the perfect knitting companion. The baby socks are random bits of Opal sock yarn, and the goal is handsful of mis-matched 'thockies' for baby gifts. I just need scads more before October, when all the wee ones start making appearances.

First thing this morning... dermatologist appointment. Got a nice little speeding ticket on the way there, but the scary part was the NEEDLE full of lidocaine STUCK IN MY EYELID. Oh. Was I shouting? Sorry. It was a little harrowing. Even birthday cake dinna make it better. Tomorrow I expect to not look like a bruiser. I'll still have sock yarn in hand, though...