So much awesomeness

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First things first, I’m getting a new sewing machine. It will be on my doorstep sometime tomorrow thanks to Amazon’s super fast shipping options. There’s no need to say it, but I’m going to anyway: I’m totally freaking ecstatic. I’ve wanted a new sewing machine for ages. I love my old sewing machine. It was hands-down the best wedding present ever and it’s saved us tons of money in uniform alterations over the years, but Bessie 1 is a finicky broad sometimes. Here’s hoping that Bessie 2 will have a slightly more even temperament.  She’s certainly got more capabilities out of the box than Bessie 1 had, but that doesn’t exactly mean she’ll perform well. Either way, I’m thrilled because it’s the first sewing machine that *I’ve* bought, and I’ll probably love her forever just for that reason alone.

 

Bessie1 and Bessie 2

On the left, Bessie 1, on the right, Bessie's pretty daughter, Bessie 2

Did I mention that I can’t wait till Bessie 2 shows up here tomorrow?

If that wasn’t enough awesome for one day, I got a few Kiki Comen (of Kiki Creates) prints in the mail today. I can’t wait to get them framed and gifted! The light here today was deplorable, so I’ll try to get some decent pics to share tomorrow. Kiki & Company is her new store, and to make me happy (OK she has no idea who I am, but I love her prints anyway) she’s got an overstock sale going on as she transitions to the new store. Head on over. The overstock prints are 50% off, so you can’t beat THAT. Especially for a print that is going to make someone have a brighter day!

And, last, but not least for the day, this evening, I’m participating in the Friday Night Sew-In hosted, this week, by Crafty Vegas Mom. I’ve got a few mug rugs in the works that need some more attention because, although I planned on sewing earlier today, that did not happen. I’m snuggled in my comfy sweats with a glass (or three) of wine, and hoping like hell I can still stitch straight by the time the wine gets me all warm and fuzzy.

That’s all for today, folks. I’ll be back around tomorrow to squee about Bessie 2, and, possibly, show off my prints. That last bit all depends on if it’s another dreary day tomorrow.

Happy weekending!

 

Better late than never?

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I’m late. I know. “Let me ‘splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.” (I’ll heart you forever if you know the movie and quote it as fanatically as I do.)

First I was busy. Then I was sick. Then I was knocked on my ass by being busy while being sick. Then I was lazy. Then I was busy. Then I was sick some more. And now I’m back to busy, although, between you and me, I’d much rather be lazy right now.

So, I’ve been doing the knitterly stuff not much at all. Instead I’ve been working on getting things together for my swap and finding out all sorts of cool things about my swap partner and, generally, making a new friend. It’s fun!

Oh my lord, I have such a TERRIBLE time keeping the goodies a secret though. Every time I find something cool to pack in the swap box, I want to pop over to my partner’s house and thrust it at her right away simply because I am too easily excited about giving gifts.  And then I remember that it’s a secret, so I get all bummed out until I find something new to put in the package and the whole evil process repeats.

So, today, instead of thinking about the swap and how bummed I am that I don’t have everything in yet so I can send it, I worked on my free motion quilting. I would like to take this opportunity to inform you that it’s quite likely I’m the worst free motion quilter. EVAH. I may have mentioned today that I hate it. I would not have been lying, at that point. My shoulders are strained and tense, my machine won almost every battle we had today, and the straight pin I dropped in my lap poked through my sweats and into my leg while I was rounding a corner. That corner is now more cornerly than roundy.

Here’s the horror, warts and all:

Free Motion Quilt Challenge Jan

Jan FMQ challenge. (AKA the project from hell) It makes me want to hang myself.

Since the challenge is to learn how to do this well enough to work the design into a quilt, I’ve obviously got a long way to go before I can call this month’s challenge a success. But hey, I’m doing something new. Check another 2012 resolution off the damn list already!! That makes at least 2 things off my list. I’m a freaking success this year compared to most years. ;)

 

Weekend love

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It’s finally the weekend, and boy, have I been waiting for it! This week has been busy–consuming, even. I feel like I’ve been twirling so fast my head is spinning.

So, here’s a brief rundown of the week so far:

  • Hubby back to work, but still on a holiday stand-down schedule which is totally borking MY schedule
  • Kids (and by default, me) back to school. Much less time for slowing down and enjoying life.
  • I found Ravelry. Good lord, that website can suck. you. in. So many patterns, so many yarns, so many people.
  • I found a local knitting group through Ravelry, got to go out to it on Wednesday evening, and had a great time. This was my first time without kids and hubby in well over a year and a half–and I’m going to have to repeat the awesomeness every week, I think. I don’t hate my life, but I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders for a couple of hours just because I didn’t have to be catering to the family every second of those two hours.
  • I joined a craft swap, and I’m looking forward to getting to know my partners. This is a big deal for me since I’m not very sociable.
  • I helped a couple of people with their websites, and sadly didn’t get a minute to spend on any of my own.
  • I tried (and failed) to catch up on laundry. I got most of it done…there’s just the bulky stuff left.
  • I started the new year purge because I can’t stand the clutter that accumulates and I want to minimalize all our crap.
  • I worked on my checkerboard scarf and borked it, so I spent a few hours ripping it out and catching my stitches and threading my needles back through. Spending a few hours on that sucked, but it’s better than losing the whole thing.
Today, I’m hoping to get my laundry put away and my desk cleaned up. If I can get those two things done, I can move on to the fun stuff like making goodies for the boxes I hope to get mailed out next weekend. Goodies like these pecans:

Honey Sugar Pecans

Honey Sugar Pecans

So, I’m off to do the housework and hopefully knock a couple extra things off my gigantic weekend to-do list. Think of me. If I don’t come back it’s probably because I died under an avalanche of laundry.

Happy New Year!

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My gorgeous disaster, Punky, is bringing in the new year in exactly the way she has spent the rest of the year: as a non-stop eating, dancing, mismatched, wild child. She’s been alternating between stuffing her face and twirling in her scrappy tutu all evening.

Happy New Year

A very Punky New Year

See the galoshes in the background? Yeah, she was wearing those with her twirly outfit. She and her sibs are anxiously waiting to get their faux drunk on here in a few minutes when they get their yearly sparkling cider and juice. The little non-speaker is adamant that “I gonna get my BEER!!!”  Daddy is bringing in the new year with margaritas and shrimp and Momma is going bring in the year with screwdrivers and…screwdrivers. And maybe some wine. It’s been a hell of a year. ;)

Happy new year to all of you. I hope it’s wonderful and that you’re able to accomplish all the things that will mean the most to you.

 

A Rag Doll for Christmas

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Mackenzie (aka Punky) is quite demanding this year about what she wants for “Ho Ho Ho” (aka Christmas…Christmas is one tough word to say when you’re a primarily non-verbal child). She wants a “bike-a-bike” and a bear and a doll and books and a purse and shoes and boots…and…and…and…(it continues in this manner for a while and each request is punctuated by the corresponding word in sign language) and she wants her “bike-a-bike” NOW! I know this because she has informed me of this at least 7,642 times in the last two days.  I had nightmares all night in which an evil Punky chanted in a sing-songy voice, “I want my bike-a-bike” and when I refused to give it to her she went all Firestarter on me and howled with laughter as I burst into flames.

The bike is safely (for now) ensconced where she can’t get her hands on it yet, so we’ll move on to other Christmas presents. For the doll, she fell in love with the Black Apple Doll (template and instructions and a video are all on the webpage) from Emily Winfield Martin.

Here is the Punky version:

Punky's Black Apple Doll

Punky's Black Apple Doll

 

Here’s my big secret regarding this particular doll…I put her stupid arms on upside down.  I have a feeling this blog is going to turn into more of a crafting misadventure blog than I’d like.  *Sigh* In my defense, it’s bloody difficult to pay attention to what you’re doing when you have four kids hanging on you, two cats scrambling over everything, and one huge dog who thinks he should take up residence in your lap. However, that’s no excuse for putting arms on upside down. I guess I’ll have to make her another one eventually…perhaps with the arms attached correctly. The older girls think she looks like she’s getting ready to give out hugs, so they like the mistake. It does sort of look like she’s ready to throw her arms around you (or maybe she just woke up from her nap and she’s stretching). Either way, she’s here to stay, flaws and all.