Yarn Along

Birdie is three!  

If you saw her as the sickly baby that she was, you would hardly believe the firecracker that she is today.  She still has her health problems and we really only get a break of a few weeks every summer before the cycle of sickness and respiratory crisis starts again with her and her older brother, but every year has been a little bit better, so that is something.  We've gotten fairly adept at managing her condition, and her medication schedule is much easier than when she was a baby.  

She is my climber, and daily scares the pants off me with her daredevil antics.  She has started in with the challenging three-year-old behavior already, but she is also incredibly funny and articulate, which does help matters a lot.  She starts preschool next week, and the teachers have been warned.  :)

She loves classic Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers and just about anything read to her.  She gets on particular book kicks and wants them read over and over again.  (Currently her favorites are Curious George and the Pancakes and Dinosaur's Binket, but she has cycled through The Best Nest, PJ Funnybunny, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Katie Morag's Island Stories, The Monk Who Grew Prayer, and Mr Brown Can Moo)  She remembers songs that are sung to her once, and has a pretty good ear for sounds and letters and numbers.

In other news, sleeve progress.  This is the second sleeve, and I'm done with the increases.

I'm still poking away at Peter King's book, but it is pretty dense, so it is slow going.  I really think he has something important to say, and I'm trying to understand it all, and really take it in instead of rushing through it.

And some cards!  I've not stamped in ages, and it was nice to get everything out and make a few cards this morning after cutting out a blouse.  I CASED (copy and share everything) all these from others, but changed a few elements here and there to make them my own.  I printed off pictures of the cards I wanted to CASE, and worked off the printed sheets.  I think I might do this regularly, as it kept me focused, kept the overall crafting session limited to a few cards, and was still enjoyable.

 I certainly have a big enough idea file and enough supplies on hand to do this a few times a month.

The vellum butterflies on this card make it for me.  It is for my son's godfather and his new wife; we attended their wedding on Sunday but in the chaos of the trip, I neglected to bring a card, so I'm sending it now.  I figure I have a year, right?

My goddaughter and her husband are celebrating their anniversary this week and I usually forget until the last minute, so this will probably be a bit late.  I'm quite pleased with how it came out, however.  I just stamped the images, colored with a white crayon (I tried a chalk marker first on scrap, and it didn't show up well), added a little Pear Pizzazz marker on the leaves, blended again with crayon and Bob's your uncle!  

This card was CASEd from Jan Tink, and I really just changed the colors and the ribbon.  She used in-colors, I think, and I used what I had, which was Marina Mist, Crushed Curry, Soft Sky (for additional shading) and some purple dsp that I dirtied up with Early Espresso.  Marina mist ribbon to finish.  This card is a thank you for the occupational therapist who has been treating Birdie for the past few years through Early Intervention, and since Birdie is three, will no longer be able to see her.  Fortunately, Birdie is doing so well that she didn't qualify for renewal in the next stage of the program!

Finally, this one is based on a card from Julie Davison.  I think she CASEd the catalog.  I changed the colors and the stamps, but the basic idea is the same.  I almost scrapped this one halfway through, but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out in the end.  I always seem to need thank you cards.

The circle flap keeps the card closed, which I think is a neat feature.

I'm also not generally one to make little fiber bundles as an embellishment, but I like how it turned out on this card.

Go see Ginny for more Yarn Along!!

7QT:Vacation Hangover Edition

--1--

We spent part of last week at my parents' house, just spending time with my family and hanging out in the AC, and it was great.  So many extra hands to help with the kids, meals, etc.  I even had time to get a proper hair cut and do a little thrifting.  Took the sting out of a SEVEN HOUR flight delay on the way out.  The kids did really well, all things considered, but we didn't get to my folks' until 2 a.m., so it wasn't a great start to our trip.  But our return was completely uneventful and on time, which was good since the boys started school the next day.

My main thrifting find was this fantastic 1940s-era plastic brooch with maracas.  They even make a little clicky sound when I move.  So cool.  And for the even cooler price of under $2.00.  Yay for great jewelry finds!!

--2--

Piglet started kindergarten this week, and Boo started Pre-K (they are at the same school this year) and things are going well.  Boo hasn't had any accidents at school (yet), so that is good.  I thought things would be quieter with just the girls, but Birdie hasn't napped the whole week and Ponchik has spent every afternoon being supremely unhappy, so I'm not impressed so far.  Hopefully things will even out soon.

--3--

I posted a photo on facebook a few weeks ago to show how I double-baby wear.  A friend asked how I did it, so I took the photo to show her!  I use two ERGOs, and have done this since Birdie was born.  It works pretty well with an infant and toddler, but two toddlers is a bit much in the weight department.

--4--

I keep meaning to say that my late-August Netflix obsession was Ripper Street.  I'm only sorry the season was so short and there was only one (so far!)  It is sort of like a Victorian CSI.  With Matthew McFayden at the helm, you can't really go wrong.

--5--

While we were visiting my parents, we celebrated my dad's birthday.  I was super excited to give him the little fishing ensemble I made him, and now I can show it here!

I claim absolutely no credit for the idea--I basically CASED the card and basket from Heidi Baks.  

The fishing vest gift card holder I CASEd from several ideas out there, but the basic template idea came from Jenni Ingerick.

--6--

I've also decided to participate in the Fall for Cotton Sew-A-Long this month, and was pleased to find my fabric waiting for me when we returned. 

It is a novelty cotton from Joann fabrics and I'm in love.  I'm going to make an A-line skirt with it.  I initially thought to make a gathered skirt, but decided that the a-line was going to be a bit more flattering and showcase the print better.  I'm using a modern pattern, but the lines will still work for a 1940s silhouette; all I have to do is add 3" to view B.

--7--

I'm also working on quilts now.  I got some quilt toppers to make quilts for the boys (they are super easy blocks that will quilt up quickly, I think, and I finished piecing a small quilt and matching pillows this morning.  I'm waiting on some extra batting for the quilts, so I'll probably start with the pillows.

--Bonus--

Last week I saw Ron Rifkin's doppleganger driving a car in my neighborhood.  I was so taken aback that all I could think was: Arvin Sloane is alive and well and living in the Philadelphian!  Ha!

(As a random aside: is it totally weird that we can now populate Wikipedia entries with fictitious television characters?)

Right, go see Jen and the other QTers!

Saturday Stamping: Twitterpated

Day 6 of Seven Days of Posting.  This little exercise has been illuminating to me.  It has been hard to come up with that much content, after blogging once a week or less for the past several years.  I did a lot of creative work this week, but not much in the way of stamping.  I had great ambitions, but Ponchik was very fussy in the afternoons this week and it just didn't happen.  I can show you a few cards I made for the troops last spring using the Twitterpated designer series paper, however, and I have a recipe to share!

And my recipe.  I saw a recipe for no-bake cookies circulating on Facebook, and I suddenly had a vague memory of my mother making something similar when I was a child.  I looked at the ingredients (peanut butter) and knew that couldn't be it, since I'm allergic to nuts, so I asked her if she remembered them.  She did!  And sent me the recipe with her modifications for my allergies.  I adjusted the sugar (the first iteration was far to sweet) and they are just as good as I remember!  (and reducing the sugar makes them taste richer--win!)

Look at the deliciousness.

Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin No-Bake Cookies

Boil for 2 minutes:

1 cup sugar

6 Tbsp cocoa 

1/2 cup milk

1/8 salt

Add:

3 cups oatmeal

1/2 cup butter (or peanut/soynut butter if you prefer)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup of raisins

Mix and spoon on waxed paper and chill - makes 3 dozen or so. It's been so hot I've been keeping them in the fridge so they stay solid, but you don't have to.

Orchard Harvest

Day 4 of Seven Days of Posting.  The high is supposed to be 74 today.  Seventy-four glorious degrees!  The low overnight was 63 and I was almost (but not really) chilly!!  The house is 78 degrees currently, and I'm in weather heaven.  At least, weather heaven for July.  We can talk about weather heaven in November (40 degrees or less, crisp air, sweaters and tights, turning leaves, stew and bread...that is my idea of a good day).  But it is still July, and in the middle of this nasty summer, I'll take this wonderful day!

In honor of the early-fall-like weather, I thought I'd share a series of cards I made late last fall using the Orchard Harvest designer series paper.  It paired well with Perfectly Preserved and Friendship Preserves, both of which I used on these cards.  Many were CASEd from other stampers, some were tweaks of other cards I saw, and I think there might be an original or two in the bunch.  I made at least 6 of each card as I was trying to use up the paper pack and was making cards for From Our Hearts.

Six-Sided Sampler

So the thank you cards I made last week?  I couldn't send them without a congratulations card (since it was for a baby's birth), but I wanted to use new rubbah, so I inked up the six-sided sampler and made this quick card in between diaper changes and refereeing kid squabbles.  This set is so easy to use!  I was worried it would be pesky, but with the coordinating punch, easy as pie.  I used a ruler to draw the box inside.  I've gotta say, I'm kind of in love with Crushed Curry!  It didn't make a great impression on me the first time around when it was an incolor, but I'm really liking it now as a core color!  Yay for color refresh!

Supplies:

Raspberry Ripple, Whisper White cardstock

Six Sided Sampler, Express Yourself (hostess) stamp sets

Raspberry Ripple, Crushed Curry, Bermuda Bay ink

Hexagon punch

Ruler

Raspberry Ripple marker

~phfr~ Of dolls, cards and scarves

Linking up with Like Mother, Like Daughter this week for Pretty, Happy, Funny, Real!

~pretty~

I made some cards!  Granted, it took me two days to complete 12 cards (prior to Ponchik and her hungry afternoon ways, I would have gotten these done in an afternoon...), but at least I made them!  It feels good to do something "normal" again.  I made them for a friend at church who just had her second baby.  We were due within 2 weeks of each other, but because Ponchik came early and her little girl came two weeks late, the girls are six weeks apart in age.  Funny how that goes!  

Anyway, I love this hostess set from the new Stampin' Up! annual catalog!  I usually don't get that excited about hostess sets, but this one had my name on it.  I was particularly taken with the catalog sample, and used it as my inspiration for these cards.  I just changed the background paper to solid Bermuda Bay instead of the polka dot designer paper (mostly because I didn't have enough on hand and didn't want to change the color scheme!)  Cutting out 12 of the little flourish things was a bit pesky, but it didn't take very long.

~happy~

I've been reading Zero Waste Home in bits the last few weeks, and while I think a lot of what she suggests is pretty extreme and unreasonable if you live anywhere but temperate San Fransisco (I'm not making my own make up or going to one season's worth of wardrobe anytime soon!), she did have some good de-cluttering suggestions, especially in the kitchen.  I thought the most useful piece of advice was when you empty a drawer to evaluate the contents, really evaluate each piece--do I use it, is there something else in this drawer that serves the same function, how many do I really need?--and don't be afraid to let things go. I have two drawers in my tiny kitchen that make me crazy because they just overwhelm me.  After reading her chapter on decluttering, I emptied both drawers, took a look at what was really in there, and simplified both to a much more manageable state.  This is my miscellaneous kitchen tools drawer, after the clean out.  So.much.better.

The other thing that makes me happy?  Finally figuring out how to tie a headscarf 1940s style without looking like a goofus.  Retro Chick's excellent video tutorial gave me some nice tips.

~funny~

Birdie picked up some dolls out of the bin yesterday, and she and Boo were having a high time playing with two of my old dolls (Special Dolly and Grandma Ropps dolly, for those in my family who care about these things...).  But Birdie being Birdie, her play was more on the order of this:

She walked away for a few seconds, then came back, picked up the doll, clapped her hands and exclaimed, "Yay! Good job!"

(Don't worry, the potty was clean)

 ~real~ 

This is the temperature inside my house.  For realz, ya'll.  

~phfr~

Birthday card for Emmabug

My niece turns 9 (yikes!--where did the time go??) next week.  Her birthday always catches me out because it tends to fall toward the end of Lent or sometimes during Bright Week, depending on the year, and I just forget about it in the busyness of the season.  This year, however, her birthday falls squarely mid-Lent, so I have no excuses!!  I decided to make up her card this morning so that the week wouldn't get away from me and I'm going to try and drop it in the box later this morning when I go out to get my hair cut.  (Don't worry, just a trim, nothing drastic...)

I had in mind to do a fairly intensive card for her this year (you might remember the castle card I made for her last year), but I just don't have a lot of creative mojo (or energy), so I went with a pretty and simple card instead.  She is a girly girl, so I think she'll like it.  I'm hoping to find some stickers or something light and flat to include with the card.

Oh, and I totally CASEd this card from Sandi McIver--she used Regal Rose, I think, instead of Pretty in Pink, but I wanted mine to be a bit softer.

Supplies:

Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Whisper White cardstock
Summer Silhouettes, Friendly Phrases stamp sets
Pretty in Pink, Daffodil Delight, Gumball Green ink