tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46759451984134093912024-03-14T02:54:21.599-04:003 Am FeedingsBleary-eyed musings of a sleep deprived mindDesireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.comBlogger314125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-65992501759680806742012-01-14T14:06:00.004-05:002012-01-14T14:14:30.544-05:00Northman Cowl<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjwxU7ZnsJk/TxHTlD9q_5I/AAAAAAAACjA/6VxRitNJYZk/s1600/cowl.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 227px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xjwxU7ZnsJk/TxHTlD9q_5I/AAAAAAAACjA/6VxRitNJYZk/s400/cowl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697567637272985490" border="0" /></a><br />I designed this cowl last year for my big-headed brother, and then knit a second for my big headed, big shouldered and necked husbeast. I love how the textured, but super easy stitch pattern looks, especially when worn.<br /><br />I got to try it out myself last night on my thin neck and shoulders and it was wonderful. I loved the height of it, though it could have been an inch or two smaller around for me, it still worked well. As you can see I could even pull it up over my hat to keep myself warmer while I pumped gas!<br /><br />It was inspired by Eric Northman of the Southern Vampire series and I wrote the pattern in a simple to follow, row-by-row stitch diagram that leads you through 3 pattern sections seperated by simple garterstich.<div class="notes markdown"> <p>The size may be adjusted by going up or down in needle size <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFsQvP8nYE4/TxHT1AP-2YI/AAAAAAAACjM/L6nA5gaefZA/s1600/cowlcold.JPG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 244px; height: 183px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nFsQvP8nYE4/TxHT1AP-2YI/AAAAAAAACjM/L6nA5gaefZA/s400/cowlcold.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5697567911153949058" border="0" /></a>and using heavy or finer weight yarn. As is, it’s sized One Size Fits Most.</p><p>I used almost 2 balls of Lana Gatto Camel Hair yarn in navy for the first one, and less than one skein of Kramer Yarns' "Perfection" for the 2nd (pictured on me). Any similar DK weight yarn of around 250 yards would work.</p><p>Click <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/northman-cowl">here to go to the Ravelry pattern page</a>.<br /></p> </div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-40081938826845100472011-07-06T21:48:00.001-04:002011-07-06T21:52:58.446-04:00I have been severely neglecting this blog; I have in fact been wooed over by the quick and easy use plus social media platform of tumblr.<br /><br />It's so easy to just hit "text" and type out whatever frustration I'm having at the time.<br />I'd love to get back more to this one though, as this was my creative-outlet blog where tumblr is more my emotional-outlet blog. My Dr recommended I blog or journal so that I can better manage my anxiety and not have to go on Xanax LOL! So far, so good. 2 yrs and counting.<br /><br />I also regret to inform you that I haven't knit any hats for the homeless yet this year. I think I can still pull it off though.<br /><br />I've done a moderate amount of quilting, finishing up a couple lap or baby sized ones to list in my etsy shop and I've managed to add a single row down the side of our previously queen sized shaggy quilt! It now actually covers our huge king sized bed and will wonderfully once I get the 2nd row done. <br /><br />I'm getting ready to take on a whole new different type of quilting project than I've ever done before. I'm going to make a quilt, slightly bento box style, out of t-shirt fabrics. A woman my MIL works with gave me an entire rubber maid tote the size of a coffee table full of her grandson's baby blankets. I've bought some fusible stabilizer and next week I hope to set forth on this adventure.<br /><br />For tonight, I'm going to play Transformers with my son and finish knitting a "True Loves Socks" pattern sock (search Rav for pics).Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-22062091609735647602011-03-06T18:31:00.002-05:002011-03-06T18:36:42.273-05:00Trying to reply to a commentCarla Dawn commented on my "<a href="http://hamncheezr.blogspot.com/2010/09/big-ugly-man-mittens.html">Big Ugly Man Mittens</a>" post/pattern for plain 'ol "man sized" mittens saying, " Hi Love your blog !!! Can you tell me how big these mittens are when complete. I have a male friend who wears 3 XL hands. I have been searching for a pattern to no avail. This is a wonderful pattern. I didn't see any finished measurements, perhaps, I missed the numbers. Thanks for the pattern. "<br /><br />Unfortunately I can't reply to her, and her profile isn't public so I have no way to contact her directly to answer her question. I'm hoping she will see this post.<br /><br />In answer to her question:<br />Laying flat the mittens are:<br />8" from the tip of the fingers to the inner edge of the ribbing (where the ribbing ends and the mittens start).<br />The ribbing is 3.5" long.<br />Across the widest part of the hand they measure 5" (unstretched, not including the thumb)<br />The thumb is 3.5" long at the longest edge (from the edge of the palm out to the tip)<br /><br />If these would still be too small a person could knit with the yarn held double and do the ribbing on size US 5 needles and the body on size US 8 needles, with the same row and stitch numbers and it would increase the mitten size without having to alter the pattern.<br /><br />I hope this helps and that Carla sees it!Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-7926853888257902382011-01-07T21:06:00.005-05:002011-01-07T21:12:40.516-05:00Hats for the HomelessLast year my goal for the year was to knit one hat every month to donate to our local homeless shelter in downtown Knoxville called Knox Area Rescue Ministries.<br /><br />Along about October I realized that 12 hats would not be a drop in the bucket so I began to knit hardcore. My younger sister Diantha knit 4 or 5 hats for me, and I found a couple laying around the house I'd knit for no one in particular so I washed them and tossed them in the pile.<br /><br />I ended up with 36 different hats!! That's more than twice my goal!<br />I don't know if I'll do it again this year; I wanted to. But it made me so sad when I dropped them off, it was not quite cold enough to snow and even though it was only about 2 in the afternoon the streets around the shelter were already lined with homeless who were sleeping or just hanging out on the sidewalks. I was thinking maybe my time and money would be better invested to buy in bulk things like sweatshirts, tube socks, etc? things that would help more people than just the few I was able to help this year?<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfH7wqM7JI/AAAAAAAACis/kfx1CiwWHSY/s1600/hats.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559632094500285586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfH7wqM7JI/AAAAAAAACis/kfx1CiwWHSY/s400/hats.jpg" /></a>I haven't decided yet; I'm still thinking about it. Whatever I decide, I'm pretty pleased with my turn out last year and I was excited to get to try some new patterns like the HeartFail hat (pattern on Ravlery) which was just great. Will definitely have to knit it myself again.<br /><br />If you'd like to cruise my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Hamncheezr">ravelry projects</a>, most of the hats are listed as projects there. If you're not a raveler, here's a picture of all of them together just before I dropped them off!Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-12326663955232269382011-01-07T20:37:00.015-05:002011-01-07T21:03:01.681-05:00Quilts, Quilts, Quilts!I am sooo behind in blogging. Allow me to try to catch up.<br /><br />The last 2 weeks of October and the first week of November was Massive Quilting Time around here as I prepared to do a craft show. I had plenty of quilted bags, though I did also put together 3 Learning Purses to take with me.<br /><br />I made several lap quilts, one was huge--nearly twin and then a wall hanging. I, of course, true to form only sold ONE batik tote at the show and right before we shut down the final night. Oh well. I've sold 3 of these quilts out of my etsy shop since, and one actually before the show, so I am not complaining.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfBmIAdHPI/AAAAAAAACiE/nIRTl9_qHvM/s1600/whirlwind.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 215px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 174px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559625125740748018" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfBmIAdHPI/AAAAAAAACiE/nIRTl9_qHvM/s400/whirlwind.jpg" /></a><br />First we had Whirlwind which was a lap quilt made from a fall 5" charm swap I'd participated in through the Quiltsy etsy street team. It's a Disappearing Nine Patch pattern and actually this also was my Weird and Ugly Challenge entry for the N2Quilting yahoo group I'm in. I cut the W/U fabric into 5" charms and <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfCawAsDYI/AAAAAAAACiM/b8v86xYj_8U/s1600/red3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 202px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 192px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559626029832342914" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfCawAsDYI/AAAAAAAACiM/b8v86xYj_8U/s400/red3.jpg" /></a>dispersed it throughout the quilt top. It is sold.<br /><br />Then I made a simple pinwheel quilt from 50 different red charms and one white on white print fabric. I called this one The Red Queen and it is still available for purchase in my etsy shop here: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60750900/the-red-queen-pinwheel-lap-or-throw">t</a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60750900/the-red-queen-pinwheel-lap-or-throw">he Red Queen</a><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfDDpgFIsI/AAAAAAAACiU/4L7Hlxucsqo/s1600/moria3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 213px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 189px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559626732459598530" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfDDpgFIsI/AAAAAAAACiU/4L7Hlxucsqo/s400/moria3.jpg" /></a>Mine of Moria was one of my favorites and actually took me the longest to do because I left it on my design wall for months so I could rearrange the squares here and there until I got them just how I wanted them. It's a Jewel Box pattern and done with a single White on White print and a ton... I think around 100?... of different batik fabrics. I named it Mines of Moria after the mines the dwarves dug in the Lord of the Rings... 'cause I'm just that cool. This one has (thankfully!!) already sold! It was the biggest too, almost twin sized.<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfDzgC4LZI/AAAAAAAACic/JhtRpu0c0-U/s1600/native.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 300px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559627554554916242" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfDzgC4LZI/AAAAAAAACic/JhtRpu0c0-U/s400/native.jpg" /></a>I finally finished the Primitive Nativity folk art quilt I'd been working on for years. I'd made the top but had never gotten around to stitching down all the shapes or quilting it. It is finally done!! A nice Christmas wallhanging, it made it thru the holiday season and is still for sale in my shop <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60720863/primitive-nativity-folk-art-appliqued">here</a>.<br /><br />Then I put together a very simple charm quilt from a moda <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfFVPuVcfI/AAAAAAAACik/FmsQIgTgJ5w/s1600/printemps.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 309px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 224px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559629233800966642" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TSfFVPuVcfI/AAAAAAAACik/FmsQIgTgJ5w/s400/printemps.jpg" /></a>charm pack someone had sent me last year. I pulled all the pink and lime fabrics out of it and arranged them in a checkerboard pattern. Then I appliqued huge whimsical flowers around the borders with some moda fabric from the same line that I picked up at the quilt shop. I love how cute and simple this one turned out to be!! It went to a new home just before Christmas! I called it Printemps which is French for "spring."<br /><br />It had been a long time since I'd done any quilting, piecing or actual quilting, and I really enjoyed putting these together!Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-20384931691026912592010-11-18T09:45:00.035-05:002010-11-18T11:00:56.745-05:00Yarn LustI have yarn lust. I've been knitting almost exclusively for the last couple months for the local homeless shelter, using acrylic/wool blend yarns and I find myself looking longingly at my sock needles and my etsy favorites for some more higher end and/or exotic yarns and fibers.<br /><br />I thought I'd share with you a few that particularly caught my eye. Christmas is 37 days away and for us knitters that means panic! A couple of these yarns are worsted or bulky weight so would knit into a super quick gift for you if you too fall in love with them.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOU8_H231cI/AAAAAAAACgg/tNtMMgDqr6E/s1600/goldyarn.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 108px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 105px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540901971687888322" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOU8_H231cI/AAAAAAAACgg/tNtMMgDqr6E/s400/goldyarn.jpg" /></a>First we have "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60590591/">Caramel</a>," a hand painted merino/cashmere sock yarn in a gorgeous burnt gold color. I am not normally attracted to gold but the color on this yarn is delicious and who doesn't want to knit with cashmere?! <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOU-IYysA5I/AAAAAAAACgo/MtF0-PqZSTI/s1600/truthordare.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 128px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540903230364189586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOU-IYysA5I/AAAAAAAACgo/MtF0-PqZSTI/s400/truthordare.jpg" /></a><br />Find it at: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60590591/">http://www.etsy.com/listing/60590591/</a><br /><br /><div><p></p><p>Then I saw "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61576187">Truth or Dare</a>," a fun and funky bright colored thick and thin handspun plied with a commercial black yarn. At super bulky weight this would make an almost instant (and most awesome) hat. I'm thinking a Gnome hat, but that's just me! You can go drool over it at: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/61576187">http://www.etsy.com/listing/61576187</a><br /></p><br /><p><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOU-_qYf_6I/AAAAAAAACgw/dDpoBwburYo/s1600/midnight.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 115px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 103px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540904179978993570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOU-_qYf_6I/AAAAAAAACgw/dDpoBwburYo/s400/midnight.jpg" /></a>Back to sock weight, we have "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/59567388/">Midnight</a>". Oooh... I love this one. Gorgeous, gorgeous blues. With my love of short socks this 400 yard skein could get me two pairs of luscious socks! If you'd like to nab it before I do, hit: <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVAfd6J_BI/AAAAAAAAChA/5OMFHun3mW8/s1600/bamboo.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 143px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 127px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540905825897937938" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVAfd6J_BI/AAAAAAAAChA/5OMFHun3mW8/s400/bamboo.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/59567388/">http://www.etsy.com/listing/59567388/</a> </p><p>Or cool down your color palette with this super silky handspun bamboo yarn, "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/34354541">Ice Princess</a>." Barely discernable colors lend this the hues of reflections in ice and would make a wonderfully soft scarf for someone special on your list! Check it out at: <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVBLboDbpI/AAAAAAAAChI/luLcnrG-95g/s1600/mystic.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 139px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540906581199384210" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVBLboDbpI/AAAAAAAAChI/luLcnrG-95g/s400/mystic.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/34354541">http://www.etsy.com/listing/34354541</a></p></div><div>I've had the pleasure of working with "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/52996563">Mystic</a>" and I was not disappointed! It knits up super squooshy and warm, with the blue and purple colors pooling and patterning nicely and is very soft on the feet! Pick up your own skein from: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/52996563">http://www.etsy.com/listing/52996563</a><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVG05NKW0I/AAAAAAAAChQ/c4eR9-bhq6E/s1600/chutney.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 125px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540912791072430914" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVG05NKW0I/AAAAAAAAChQ/c4eR9-bhq6E/s400/chutney.jpg" /></a><br />"<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/43135560">Chutney</a>..." how warm and inviting are the colors in this yarn?! It makes me think of sitting before a fire, eating a hearty bowl of soup and keeping warm. And warm is just what this BFL wool yarn would keep you. I'm thinking some chunky mittens. What do you think? <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVHzDBq-kI/AAAAAAAAChY/yjuutcKm6RI/s1600/greensockyarn.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 122px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 123px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540913858860481090" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVHzDBq-kI/AAAAAAAAChY/yjuutcKm6RI/s400/greensockyarn.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/43135560">http://www.etsy.com/listing/43135560</a><br /><br />The wonderful color of "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/56257584">Eire</a>" makes me think of course of the rolling green hills of Ireland and maybe even, a little luck? And again, this yarn is a superwash merino/nylon/cashmere blend! Knit your man some lucky luxury socks to stick in his stocking this Christmas. Go ahead, you s<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVJRsQzrRI/AAAAAAAAChg/tIAqbGXAYiI/s1600/palette.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 110px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540915484837522706" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVJRsQzrRI/AAAAAAAAChg/tIAqbGXAYiI/s400/palette.jpg" /></a>till have time! <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/56257584">http://www.etsy.com/listing/56257584</a> </div><br /><div>And how can I not include "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/41657777/">Palette</a> by Yarn Lust? A super stripey cashmere blend of pinkish-red, yellow, green and blue, this yarn would be so much fun to knit with! Let the fun begin at: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/41657777/">http://www.etsy.com/listing/41657777/</a> </div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVKFJGkhQI/AAAAAAAACho/b0sW5xmF2oQ/s1600/blackbeauty.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 112px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 117px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540916368752542978" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVKFJGkhQI/AAAAAAAACho/b0sW5xmF2oQ/s400/blackbeauty.jpg" /></a>This "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60304939/">Black Beauty</a>" is simple gorgeous. Slightly thick and thin worsted weight yarn, handspun from local (to that shop) alpaca. Could it be better? Could it be more warm? I don't think so! Very manly but very beautiful, truly a unisex yarn. Drool over it at: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/60304939/">http://www.etsy.com/listing/60304939/</a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVLiERvdpI/AAAAAAAAChw/7LYPBzaqWQA/s1600/pink.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 117px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 139px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540917965185054354" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVLiERvdpI/AAAAAAAAChw/7LYPBzaqWQA/s400/pink.jpg" /></a></div><div></div><br /><div>"<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/33263078">Pretty in Pink</a>" is another fun and chunky handspun. If the blend of very soft merino, bamboo and sparkles weren't enough it's also had some light pink jump rings spun into it! How fun is that?! Jump on over to it at: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/33263078">http://www.etsy.com/listing/33263078</a></div><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVNBZD0x_I/AAAAAAAACh4/9GsEKBv3lTY/s1600/bloodlust.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 147px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 156px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540919602851399666" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOVNBZD0x_I/AAAAAAAACh4/9GsEKBv3lTY/s400/bloodlust.jpg" /></a>And last but certainly not least, I give you not a yarn but a decadent carded fiber batt. I have a CD spindle just itching to get this fiber on it! It's gorgeous!!! "<a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62070749">Bloodlust</a>" is almost 6oz of scrumptuous, yummy fibers like superwash merino, bamboo, milk fiber, etc. It will make a killer yarn! Lust over it at: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/62070749">http://www.etsy.com/listing/62070749</a>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-48433652691008598032010-11-17T21:55:00.021-05:002010-11-18T00:08:29.452-05:00I can TOO make Pumpkin Pie!I've never made pumpkin pie before. This is because I have a mother. A mother who makes the best pumpkin pie ever. But... <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>My church let all the kids decorate small pumpkins for Halloween and had a ton leftover and my boss let me take 4 home. So these pumpkins are sitting around, staring me down for a week. I know I have to do <em>something</em> with them before they expire. Finally I got up the nerve and called my Mom.</div><div><br /></div><div>"Can I bake pumpkin pie from a real pumpkin?" There was silence on the phone, I assume she was deciding whether to pretend she didn't know who was calling. Finally, "Yes."</div><div><br /></div><div>"Can I bake pumpkin pie with <em>small</em> pumpkins?" Sigh..."Yes."</div><div></div><div>"How do I do that?"</div><div><br /></div><div>The instructions were: Cut the pumpkins in half and lay them on waxed paper on baking sheets and bake for a couple hours until they were mushy. I didn't have waxed paper (or tin foil, this brought more sighs.) So I lined my baking sheets with butcher paper, plastic-y side down, and sprayed it with Pam. This worked marvelously but left the edges of the pumpkins a little black (not burnt!) but I dealt with that later.<br /><br /><div>Amidst this there was a lot of, "Are you <em>sure</em> this is gonna work?" "Yes." <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSy19pJqXI/AAAAAAAACgY/mD3HzI79esU/s1600/pumpkinbake.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 219px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540750081722526066" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSy19pJqXI/AAAAAAAACgY/mD3HzI79esU/s400/pumpkinbake.jpg" /></a></div><div>"ARE YOU SURE?!"</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I baked my pumpkins at 375 for 3 hours; while I watched TV. You may choose to clean or knit or have a roll in the hay with your hubby; any of these are an option for passsing the time.</div><div></div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>Then I turned the oven off and went to bed, leaving them to cool in the oven overnight.</div><div><br /></div><div>The next day:<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSx5OSyOzI/AAAAAAAACgQ/_u4vEa3tS4M/s1600/pumpkintrim.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 229px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 159px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540749038220098354" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSx5OSyOzI/AAAAAAAACgQ/_u4vEa3tS4M/s400/pumpkintrim.jpg" /></a></div><div>"What now?" Sigh. "Scoop the guts out."</div><div><br /></div><div>"How do I do that?" Sigh...</div><div><br /></div><div>I cut each half pumpkin in half again just to make it easier to handle. </div><div><br /></div><div>I armed myself with a gallon size ziplock bag, a large spoon and a smallish sharp knife. </div><div><br /><li>First<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSvnns850I/AAAAAAAACgA/fx8mZBRMANE/s1600/pumpkingutsscoop.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 228px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540746536779835202" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSvnns850I/AAAAAAAACgA/fx8mZBRMANE/s400/pumpkingutsscoop.jpg" /></a> I trimmed the black edge off the pumpkin, which I assume was just caused from the butter flavored Pam. This did not harm the pumpkin nor the flavor.</li></div><p><li>Then I used the spoon to "scoop" the guts out of the center of the pumpkin. This was SO much easier to do after the pumpkin was baked!! </p><div><li>Then I used the spoon again to scoop around just between the rind of the pumpkin and the mushy pumpkin I wanted to "harvest." Kind of like you do with avacado. See picture. This also was a lot easier than peeling the pumpkin before hand, and was actually easy to do with the spoon than the with knife. I tried both ways.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSvHc6OG0I/AAAAAAAACf4/3ykuv8tTd_M/s1600/pumpkinscoop.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 224px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 172px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540745984126884674" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSvHc6OG0I/AAAAAAAACf4/3ykuv8tTd_M/s400/pumpkinscoop.jpg" /></a></li></div><div><br />In the middle of this my darling husband called and said, "What're you doing?" To which I replied, "I am channeling the spirit of my prairie foremothers in preparing food from raw form with my bare hands." He said, "Sorry I asked. See you later."<br /><br /></div><div></div><div>Once you have all your pumpkin scooped and the part you want to keep (that's the mushy soft part between the rind and the guts, okay?) put all the "keep" pumpkin in the gallon sized ziplock and throw it in the fridge overnight. Throw the rind and guts away in an manner you wish (compost pile, garbage, pig slop, neighbors' door<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSdLt4WGaI/AAAAAAAACfo/-ZhlUZs2nD8/s1600/pumpkinbag.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 187px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540726266192599458" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSdLt4WGaI/AAAAAAAACfo/-ZhlUZs2nD8/s400/pumpkinbag.jpg" /></a>step).</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>The next day:</div><div><strong>The <em>Making of the Pie:</em></strong></div><div>A text to Mom: Pie. Directions.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The resulting ingredients and directions were:</div><div>1 1/2 cups pumpkin</div><div>2 eggs</div><div>1/2 cup sugar</div><div>dash of salt<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSdbEXZKII/AAAAAAAACfw/99xpXBqrqGA/s1600/pumpkincrustcheat.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 224px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540726529926441090" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSdbEXZKII/AAAAAAAACfw/99xpXBqrqGA/s400/pumpkincrustcheat.jpg" /></a></div><div>small can of evaporated milk (5oz I think)</div><div>about a teaspoon total of pumpkin pie spice or a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg (I used almost 2teaspoons)</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>Bake about 45 minutes at 400 degrees. It's done when a knife comes out moist from steam but not gooy with pumpkin.</div><div><br /></div><div>This makes ONE pie. You can double it for two. It's good.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOScc9vjg-I/AAAAAAAACfg/bVj_mf0ZatI/s1600/pumpkinpieraw.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540725462996845538" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOScc9vjg-I/AAAAAAAACfg/bVj_mf0ZatI/s400/pumpkinpieraw.jpg" /></a></div><div><br />To do all this I started with the pumpkin and the eggs in the bowl and beat them to total mush with the mixed. Then I added the sugar, etc and beat it. The mix is runny when you're done (I was concerned but Mom assured me it was fine). It does set up just fine in the oven, so no real cause for alarm.<br /><br /></div><div>I cheated and used a STORE BOUGHT CRUST. This is because I was leaving for a 34hr trip to Parris Island, South Carolina the next morning and was also baking an applie crump-topped pie and a spiral sliced ham. I can make pie crust. I can make really good pie crust. I ju<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSboIT75gI/AAAAAAAACfY/3wj56Fwb4KI/s1600/pumpkinpie.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540724555300726274" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSboIT75gI/AAAAAAAACfY/3wj56Fwb4KI/s400/pumpkinpie.jpg" /></a>st chose not to. Don't judge me.</div><div><br /></div><div>Bake your pie; let it cool while you run to the grocery for a small container of heavy whipping cream. Do not eat Cool Whip, it will kill you. I never understand people who buy Cool Whip "cause it's easier." Heavy whipping cream is $1.48 at Walmart. You need about 1/4 cup of white sugar, a clean mixing bowl and cold beaters and 4 minutes. How hard is this?</div><div></div><div><br /></div><div><em>So if you want to put <strong>whipped cream</strong> on your pie:<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSa59bBOzI/AAAAAAAACfQ/GKj_vD3Bdwg/s1600/whippedcream.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 174px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540723762103663410" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSa59bBOzI/AAAAAAAACfQ/GKj_vD3Bdwg/s400/whippedcream.jpg" /></a></em></div><div><br /><li>Toss your metal beaters in the freezer for 5-10mins. </li></div><div>You don't have to, no, but it helps.</div><div><li>Pour cream in mixing bowl. </li></div><div><li>Begin to beat on speed 1 for minute or two. </li></div><div><li>Slowly sprinkle about half your sugar in the cream. Increase speed to 2. </li></div><li>Continue to beat until it begins to thicken. Sprinkle the remaining sugar in and continue to beat until it's completely whipped and fluffy <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSanGKulrI/AAAAAAAACfI/v_JNxvlouD0/s1600/pumpkinpieplate.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 172px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540723438033737394" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TOSanGKulrI/AAAAAAAACfI/v_JNxvlouD0/s400/pumpkinpieplate.jpg" /></a>in texture.<br /><br /><div>Enjoy! Impress your inlaws! Or, keep it all to yourself and eat it out of the pan in front of the TV. Just <em>enjoy!</em></div></li></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-43767547450146987992010-10-07T19:24:00.020-04:002010-10-07T20:23:26.038-04:00Des and Tony take a Grown Up TripLast Saturday (October 2nd) was my husband's and my 6th wedding anniversary. Jeremiah arrived a quick 9mo and 10 days after our wedding (our honeymoon lasted 1 night before Tony had to be back to work) and we've never been away from both kids for one night since. Jeremiah has spent the night from time to time with Nana but there's always been Hannah here.<br /><br />Tony put in for some vacation so he'd have a couple days off and my MIL Cheryl volunteered to watch the kids Fri and Saturday and then on Sunday so we could take the TN hangun safety for carry/conceal permit class.<br /><br />Friday we drove over to Gatlinburg and got a motel room with hot tub access for the night. We took a stroll down the main drag of Gatlinburg trying to decide where to eat and finally settled on TGI Fridays since neither of us had ever eaten there. The food was *wonderful*. Best meal I've had out in forever! I can't tell you how relaxing it was to sit there, have grown up conversation and eat a meal (hot) without having to get extra napkin, forks, take salt out of little hands...<br /><br />We took a soak in the hot tub afterward and I'd never been in a hot one, just one with J<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5bMbKRXPI/AAAAAAAACdw/3M02wtFBtj8/s1600/knitting.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 168px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 126px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525454061837573362" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5bMbKRXPI/AAAAAAAACdw/3M02wtFBtj8/s400/knitting.jpg" /></a>eremiah once that was the temp of bath water. I can understand why they're popular because after 20 mins I was soooo sleepy and relaxed! Wonder if we can put one on our front porch? It was nice to lay around on the bed and watch non-PBS sponsored TV and knit on a sock a little while Tony talked to me.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5b3rOnYVI/AAAAAAAACeA/VCj87RaIUpo/s1600/dessleeps.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 171px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 129px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525454804885135698" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5b3rOnYVI/AAAAAAAACeA/VCj87RaIUpo/s400/dessleeps.jpg" /></a>Saturday morning I awoke to my beloved coming into the motel room with a box of a dozen glazed fresh croissants from The Donut Friar which is located in "The Village" in Gatlinburg. They open at 5am! Apparently Tony also sneaked a photo of me snoozing away in the middle of<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5ba_gqROI/AAAAAAAACd4/GiTvldRTJqA/s1600/donuts.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 168px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 106px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525454312113325282" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5ba_gqROI/AAAAAAAACd4/GiTvldRTJqA/s400/donuts.jpg" /></a> the bed. If you are ever in Gatlinburg at any time of day, you owe it to yourself to hit the Donut Friar. They have the best donuts ever (HUGE eclairs, delicious a<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5afApRexI/AAAAAAAACdo/6Fap9UnPdh0/s1600/donutfriar.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 156px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 128px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525453281625733906" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5afApRexI/AAAAAAAACdo/6Fap9UnPdh0/s400/donutfriar.jpg" /></a>nd almost too much to eat!) and it's so much better than standing in line at all the local resteraunts. Good coffee too, which you'll need to wash down an eclair. We each ate a couple and brought the rest home to the kids.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5aB0HroGI/AAAAAAAACdg/Azz4PBSifFI/s1600/descar.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 166px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 126px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525452780047409250" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5aB0HroGI/AAAAAAAACdg/Azz4PBSifFI/s400/descar.jpg" /></a><br />Then we walked around town a little more, did some browsing in a few stores (and how nice was it to go into a store, look at what you wanted to look at and not have to pry a single thing out of tiny fingers?!).<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5cJ-6zU9I/AAAAAAAACeI/XLwFS3Ta1XY/s1600/tonycar.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 171px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525455119408387026" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5cJ-6zU9I/AAAAAAAACeI/XLwFS3Ta1XY/s400/tonycar.jpg" /></a>Then it was time to head over the mountain to the 2nd part of our Grown Up Trip: Harrah's Cherokee Casino. I'd never been, not having been old enough to enter a c<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5eiBzdGYI/AAAAAAAACeg/998ER6nNshk/s1600/mountains2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 195px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525457731522992514" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5eiBzdGYI/AAAAAAAACeg/998ER6nNshk/s400/mountains2.jpg" /></a>asino when we married and Tony has only been once since then. We're not big gamblers. He's a bad gambler and I'm cheap, so taking some cash in with us suits us fine. We played some .25 bet card game the whole time we were there LOL! Lucky 7s or something that had rules kinda like anything, straights, flushes, 2 pair, 3 of a kind, etc. If you got 3 7s you got to rub one of 3 pots of gold that appeared and t<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5ddJ04TgI/AAAAAAAACeQ/JKumpcykFKI/s1600/mountain.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 192px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525456548265479682" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5ddJ04TgI/AAAAAAAACeQ/JKumpcykFKI/s400/mountain.jpg" /></a>hat would be bonus winnings. I lost $10 out of my $25. I think Tony lost $60 LOL!!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5d3GDy2II/AAAAAAAACeY/huEQweJC5e4/s1600/mountains.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 199px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 147px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525456993930893442" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5d3GDy2II/AAAAAAAACeY/huEQweJC5e4/s400/mountains.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The drive from Gatlinburg to Cherokee is a gorgeous 35mil winding road up and back down a huge mountain. I could hang out the car like a dog to look at the view, I really could.<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5iJ1zp3nI/AAAAAAAACfA/twriI16cuHU/s1600/trees3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 206px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525461714032254578" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5iJ1zp3nI/AAAAAAAACfA/twriI16cuHU/s400/trees3.jpg" /></a><br />After we left we went into a couple tourist traps in downtown Cherokee to get the kids some <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5hvOl2WAI/AAAAAAAACew/-k7SqyXNLQ0/s1600/trees.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 202px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525461256828770306" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5hvOl2WAI/AAAAAAAACew/-k7SqyXNLQ0/s400/trees.jpg" /></a>"Indian drums", feathered headdresses, etc then it was back home to Cheryl's house here in town. By the time we got there the kids were asleep which was sad to me because we were reall y missing them at that poin<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5gmaEMLZI/AAAAAAAACeo/iB5xW-3aLgE/s1600/mountains3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 207px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525460005778369938" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5gmaEMLZI/AAAAAAAACeo/iB5xW-3aLgE/s400/mountains3.jpg" /></a>t but we spent the night there, left their presents and donuts and got up early the next morning to take the gun class.<br /><br />We got done with the class and the written test, which w<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5iFMqCo5I/AAAAAAAACe4/DiwGI-Kzu4Y/s1600/trees2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 183px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 139px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5525461634266604434" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TK5iFMqCo5I/AAAAAAAACe4/DiwGI-Kzu4Y/s400/trees2.jpg" /></a>e both passed, by about 1pm on Sunday and finally got the kids back. The rest of the day we laid on the couch, snuggled and watched movies. It was a very nice weekend, indeed!<br /><br />In retrospect casinos are really depressing as hell. None of the games run off coinage or 1 dollar bills, they all take $5s which isn't too bad. They also give you a "member card" which you put in each game and the more you play, you rack up points that you can redeem as coupons off food, hotel, etc. These member cards are attached to small bungee cords. We only saw 3 other couples our age, everyone else was 65+. Looking around you saw hundreds of old people, tethered to whatever game they were playing and most of them chain smoking, their walker or oxygen tank next to them. Atmosphere of lost hope and dissapointment. BUT they serve alcohol now so if you're of that mindset, you can drown your sorrows (we didn't) and then it won't really bother you LOL.Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-51794602374371355972010-09-19T14:32:00.011-04:002010-11-17T21:35:18.748-05:00Big Ugly Man MittensMy brother Artemas is heading off to college in New York in January and has been loudly complaining that even with all the knittes in the family he still doesn't have any knitwear to keep <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TJZZyNQpRHI/AAAAAAAACdI/BH-kA_TZzjc/s1600/artemits.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 209px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 179px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518697112476927090" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TJZZyNQpRHI/AAAAAAAACdI/BH-kA_TZzjc/s400/artemits.jpg" /></a>him warm. My sister Diantha and I have secretly begun knitting him a little cache of cool weather warmies. I could't find a suitable plain ol' mittens pattern I could use so I came up with my own. I thought I'd share it here so you can use it too.<br /><br />These mittens look incredibly huge but they fit my big handed husband (and hopefully brother) really well. The decrease rounds toward the fingertips make them fitted through the fingers and less bulky for handling things.<br /><br /><b>Big Ugly Man Mittens</b><br />I used 1 skein (approx. 200yds) of “Encore” worsted weight yarn by Plymouth Yarns. The fiber content is 75% acrylic, 22% wool and 3% viscose for some nice warm and user friendly mittens.<br /><br /><strong>You will need:</strong> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TJZbK3k7wZI/AAAAAAAACdY/iMOEXM4tV7A/s1600/artemits2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 208px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 206px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518698635664802194" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TJZbK3k7wZI/AAAAAAAACdY/iMOEXM4tV7A/s400/artemits2.jpg" /></a><br />1 200 yd skein of worsted weight yarn<br />1 set of 4 size 3 (3.25mm) DPNs or one shorter circular needle of the same size<br />1 set of 4 size 5 (3.75mm) DPNs or one shorter circular needle of the same size<br />One stitch marker<br />Waste yarn (2 pieces approx. 6” long) or 2 stitch holders<br />Yarn needle<br /><br /><b>Abbreviations:</b><br />Sts = stitches<br />K = knit<br />P = purl<br />Kk = knit knit, knitting a stitch then pulling the yarn to the font before removing it from the needle and knitting it again, effectively increasing 1 stitch <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TJZaVjyqgEI/AAAAAAAACdQ/nIJyMOyvnCw/s1600/artemit2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 209px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 169px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5518697719820615746" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TJZaVjyqgEI/AAAAAAAACdQ/nIJyMOyvnCw/s400/artemit2.jpg" /></a>(making 2 sts where there was 1)<br />K2tog = knit 2 stitches together, effectively decreasing 2 stitch<br /><br /><b>Directions:</b><br />Both mittens follow the same pattern thru row 32 and then again from row 48 on.<br /><br />Loosely cast on 48 sts (16 sts on 3 DPNs) on the size 3 needles.<br />Join in the round without twisting, placing marker at the end of the row and work in k2, p2 rib for 24 rows.<br /><br />Switch to the size 5 needles and work in plain stockinette for 8 rows (you are now at row 32).<br /><br /><b>1st mitten:</b><br />Row 33: k47, kk<br />Row 34: k47, kk, k1<br />Row 35: k47, kk, k2<br /><br />Continue in this manner, increasing 1 stitch on the 48th sts every row for 15 rows (until row 47).<br /><br />Row 48: k48, place next 15 sts on waste yarn or stitch holder, make a loop of yarn by twisting yarn backward onto working needle twice (effectively “casting on” 2 sts). Join back in the round and knit 2 rows.<br /><br />Row 50: k23: k2tog, k23, k2tog<br />Rows 51-55: knit all sts<br />Row 56: k6, k2tog to end of row (42 sts)<br />Rows 57-65: knit all sts<br />Row 66: k5, k2tog to end row (36 sts)<br />Row 67-69: knit all sts<br />Row 70: k4, k2tog to end of row (30 sts)<br />Rows 71-79: knit all sts<br />Row 80: k4, k2tog to end of row<br />Row 81: knit all sts<br />Row 82: k3, k2tog to end of row<br />Row 83: knit all sts<br />Row 84: Cut yarn about 10” away from knitting and using the yarn needle thread that tail through all remaining sts, pull tight and tie off to the inside. Weave in end.<br /><br /><b>Thumb:</b><br />Using your size 5 needles, pick up sts from waste yarn or sts holder and 5 more sts over middle/web of thumb area (where you increased by casting on 2 sts when working the main body of the mitt) You should have 20 sts.<br /><br />Work in stockinette for 14 rows then cut yarn about 8” away from knitting, use the yarn needle to thread that tail through all sts, pull tight and tie off to the inside. Weave in end.<br /><br /><b>2nd mitten:</b> (follow previous pattern thru row 32)<br /><br />Row 33: k47, kk<br />Row 34: k48, kk<br />Row 35: k49, kk<br /><br />Continue in this manner, increasing one stitch at the end of each row for 15 rows (until row 47).<br /><br />Continue previous pattern directions for rows 48-end of pattern.Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-56613029694014457752010-09-07T21:43:00.003-04:002010-09-07T22:02:10.476-04:00Incredibly Veggie and Beef StewCooler weather is finally upon us here in East Tennessee. We've been able to have our air shut off and our windows open for 4 whole days and nights now; which may not seem like much to you but I am thrilled!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TIbuZ4AGIGI/AAAAAAAACdA/VmJxZO51caA/s1600/stew.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 215px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 166px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514356922058678370" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TIbuZ4AGIGI/AAAAAAAACdA/VmJxZO51caA/s400/stew.jpg" /></a><br /><br />To celebrate the reprieve from the heat my dinner menus have turned to warmer meals. Tonight's was incredibly veggie beef stew. Yes, I mean "incredibly" instead of "incredible." This is because there is an incredible number of veggies in my stew.<br /><br />I use:<br />1 14oz can of petite diced tomatoes<br />1 30oz can of tomato sauce<br />1 14oz can of low fat/low sodium beef broth<br />1/3 cup frozen peas<br />1/3 cup frozen corn<br />1/2 a container of mushrooms, sliced<br />2 huge cloves of garlic, minced<br />2 stalks of celery, sliced<br />1 large onion, diced<br />1 green pepper, chopped<br />1 cup of sliced carrots (I use baby carrots cause they're easy to cut & good for snacking)<br />2 cups fresh green beans, snapped into 1.5" long pieces<br />5 small red potatoes or 2 regular potatoes, cubed<br />1 package of beef tips or a large steak cubed<br /><br />I start with the heartier veggies (carrots, celery, green pepper then onion) sauteeing in about a tablespoon of olive oil. Then I add the garlic, peas, corn, mushrooms, green beans, and cans of tomatoes and broth. Season with about a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and some pepper. Add potatoes and beef. Simmer, stirring occasionally for about an hour or until all veggies are softened (but not mushy.)<br /><br />Delicious, low maintenance, low hassle dinner! It keeps in the fridge for several days, tastes wonderful reheated and also freezes well. Pair with some crusty bread and there's your meal!<br /><br />Variations: Use whatever veggies *your* family likes! Like okra? Add it! Don't like peas, leave 'em out! Want to try it a little spicy? Substitute a can of rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies for the can of diced tomatoes. Don't have any beef tips? Cut up a couple chicken breasts or toss in some sausage! The sky--and your budget--are the limits.Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-88251778070810335492010-08-16T22:00:00.012-04:002010-08-16T22:19:03.300-04:00Princess Lily Turns 3<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnut0XbnYI/AAAAAAAACcQ/4umSDO8kT3A/s1600/lily5.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 209px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506194490355588482" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnut0XbnYI/AAAAAAAACcQ/4umSDO8kT3A/s400/lily5.jpg" /></a>Princess Lily turned 3 a week and a half ago, but aside from a couple Dollar Tree gifts her birthday this year went by without much ado because this week her Daddy comes back for a visit from his current tour in Afghanistan and they're planning a big <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnw5rUCAlI/AAAAAAAACco/82qMmW5sD48/s1600/lily2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 160px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 227px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506196893107094098" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnw5rUCAlI/AAAAAAAACco/82qMmW5sD48/s400/lily2.jpg" /></a>birthday party for her to share with her sister and brother to make up for their missed birthdays this year. <div><div><div><div><div></div><br /><div>Lily, my Goddaughter, is very opinionated about all things girly. For instance she asked for a big, poofy, fluffy, pretty princess dress. It needed to be pink. Pink is a girl color, or maybe purple she <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnwkjMQl2I/AAAAAAAACcg/An_AAQOp2uU/s1600/lily3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 194px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 145px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506196530149758818" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnwkjMQl2I/AAAAAAAACcg/An_AAQOp2uU/s400/lily3.jpg" /></a>said. Not blue, blue is not girly enough. Sparkles are good.</div><br /><div>So, Auntie Des headed off to the fabric store with a sample dress (from Lily's older sister Summer's 2yo old days) and a plan and returned having met <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnu8PFZiJI/AAAAAAAACcY/7BBfGkIBpKY/s1600/lily4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 154px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 207px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506194738045880466" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnu8PFZiJI/AAAAAAAACcY/7BBfGkIBpKY/s400/lily4.jpg" /></a>with a great sale. </div><br /><div></div><div>Princess Lily is getting a huge, poofy, fluffy, sparkly light pink satin dress for her birthday, just in time for Daddy to come home to see.</div><br /><div></div><div>My own Princess Hannah will be getting a matching (though smaller) <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnxFnmaGOI/AAAAAAAACcw/TN6cbAt6is8/s1600/lily1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 167px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 277px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5506197098268858594" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TGnxFnmaGOI/AAAAAAAACcw/TN6cbAt6is8/s400/lily1.jpg" /></a>dress in light purple from us for Christmas. Hannah's dress has not been cut out yet but the materials were bought during the aforementioned great sale.</div><div></div><div></div><br /><div>Lily's dress was made 2" too big around the middle so it will fit her longer, but with ties at the side to make it fit now. It snaps at the shoulders because I didn't want to snag the satin with my cheapy machine trying to zigzag stitch button holes. The buttons at the shoulders are for show but are pearlized and have small, girly flowers on them. The material for the bodice of the dress is pink satin with sparkles. The sheer fabric over the plain pink sating skirt also has sparkles and rhinestones. The skirt of the dress has a lining complete with 4 layer section of toule to make it fluffier. It is long, good for twirling. I know she will love it.</div></div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-35271187901239926092010-06-11T22:57:00.014-04:002010-06-11T23:05:49.272-04:00The Ride HomeI took these pictures around town a couple weeks ago and they have been hanging out and waiting on my desktop for me to finally post them. I truly love where I live, here in the foothills. Things have a little more color on them now with all the rain we've been having but you can still see how beautiful the countryside is in the little town I live in.<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 309px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481717906939983122" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TBL5ZJoONRI/AAAAAAAACcI/rAkoRymHkNE/s400/ridehome6.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 306px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481717442726219026" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TBL4-ITCTRI/AAAAAAAACcA/adrZQXJRfMY/s400/ridehome5.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 314px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 196px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481716474255220946" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TBL4FwdjoNI/AAAAAAAACbo/zK7TBREpZzE/s400/ridehome2.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 312px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481717265167436530" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TBL4zy1uSvI/AAAAAAAACb4/NdFuieXnuSo/s400/ridehome4.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 316px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481716928145733394" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TBL4gLVfNxI/AAAAAAAACbw/ioL15TgPLxQ/s400/ridehome3.jpg" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 308px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 198px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481716267089712978" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TBL35stc11I/AAAAAAAACbg/BeH_pBhA_rs/s400/ridehome.jpg" />Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-27883702730787968662010-06-08T22:18:00.013-04:002010-06-08T22:49:03.930-04:00Just Call Me Murphy<div><div><div>I don't know if it's creativity, a mischievious muse or maybe just pride that makes me look at something that's already wonderful and think, "Yeah, I can do better."<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TA7_xEki_jI/AAAAAAAACbI/xsl6OeQkcQE/s1600/iracebeth.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 142px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 170px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480599015062175282" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TA7_xEki_jI/AAAAAAAACbI/xsl6OeQkcQE/s400/iracebeth.jpg" /></a>It all started with an idea. Let's have another TwitterKAL. I've had that Susie's Reading Mitts pattern in my queue since the last TwitKAL and 2 skeins of Lavish super-fine alpaca in a gorgeous blood color, sent to me by a fellow knitter in a yarn swap. In preparation for the cast-on date (which is Fri!), last night I took my beautiful yarn and wound it around the back of my Mom's couch so I could dye half of that skein and the yarn would self-stripe. (We discovered Mom's couch is actually the perfect circumfrence for dying yarn for socks/gloves so that they stripe in 2row wide stripes!)<br /><br />For some reason the black dye I used didn't work. This morning I mixed orange koolaid with grape koolaid and the resulting color is very dark dried-blood/almost black which works for me cause I was planning on channeling Tim Burton's version of the Queen of Hearts with my mitts anyway. I'm calling this colorway "Iracebeth" in her honor. </div><br /><div>Which brings us to Murphy's Law. If it can go wrong, it <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TA8AaJU_PgI/AAAAAAAACbQ/bi3lavhZXRg/s1600/iracebethtangle.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 155px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 237px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480599720713731586" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TA8AaJU_PgI/AAAAAAAACbQ/bi3lavhZXRg/s400/iracebethtangle.jpg" /></a>will. Great idea, bad in execution. The part that went wrong? The re-skeining. I made sure not to tangle or twist the HUGE skein while it was dying, being rinsed and hung to dry. I began to wind it around my swift to form a 2yd skein and got exactly 3 rounds before it all went to hell. Tangled. Terribly tangled. I think it took me 3 hours to untangle it. While I was working on it, I made homemade pecan cinnamon buns though so it wasn't a total loss.</div><br /><div>But finally, I have my 200yd ball of dark red <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TA8A598rVsI/AAAAAAAACbY/UaS1XeGruaA/s1600/iracebethball.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 173px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 176px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480600267414787778" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TA8A598rVsI/AAAAAAAACbY/UaS1XeGruaA/s400/iracebethball.jpg" /></a>and darker red which will stripe in a spectacularly gothic manner. I wonder if I should try to wind it into 2 center-pull balls so I can make sure to make each mitt the same size (since I'm already 20yds short, gonna have to tweak the length) or if I should just wing it? After all, it isn't like I couldn't dye the other skein....</div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-67504614909244884262010-06-06T22:00:00.004-04:002010-06-06T22:29:07.719-04:00How About We Twit-Along?<div>At the beginning of the year <a href="http://twitter.com/SpazzyYarn">SpazzyYarn</a> hosted a Twitter-Knit-A-Long thru her blog. We voted on the top suggested patterns and eventually settled on knitting the <a href="http://hamncheezr.blogspot.com/2010/01/wandering-aimlessly-shawl.html">Travelling Woman</a> shawl (<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/traveling-woman">pattern</a> available on Ravelry.) It was a ton of fun!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TAxZK4iSUVI/AAAAAAAACbA/9OWyyLwnsVE/s1600/readingmitts.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 144px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 167px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5479852890112807250" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/TAxZK4iSUVI/AAAAAAAACbA/9OWyyLwnsVE/s400/readingmitts.jpg" /></a>One of the patterns we voted on was <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/susies-reading-mitts">Susie's Reading Mitts</a>; an adorable fingerless gloves pattern that could be knit from wool to be warm for winter or from cotton or silk for a pretty little summer accessory. From what I've read while paging thru the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/susies-reading-mitts/people?page=10">pages and pages</a> of completed projects they knit up quickly (graduation present anyone?) and seem to look good in solids and variagated yarns!<br /><br />Let's have another Twit-Along, knitting the Susie's Reading Mitts! How about if we have a cast on date for this coming Friday, June 11th and a finishing date by Wednesday, June 30th.<br /><br />The pattern for these mitts says it calls for approx. 220 yards of yarn, which I'm sure most of us have in our stashes. Join us! If you tweet about the KAL or your progress, make sure to use the "hash tag" #TwitKAL2 so we all can track progress!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>This will be FUN!</div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-26833894420956021422010-05-22T10:27:00.007-04:002010-05-22T10:40:44.491-04:00I Love my Living Room<div><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S_fsDnoQLEI/AAAAAAAACaw/gnhG2k33CYE/s1600/lvrm2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 244px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 196px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474103419013704770" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S_fsDnoQLEI/AAAAAAAACaw/gnhG2k33CYE/s400/lvrm2.jpg" /></a>Finally, finally we have our living room "back to normal." It's taken almost two weeks (though I've been sick this last week) but last night for the first time since we tore it apart to paint the floors, it's clean and decorated like we usually have it!<br /><br />We still need to paint the trim along the back (or side, however you look at it) wall and put the quarter round molding around it and the entry way but at least where any furniture needs to be the molding is complete and the trim is repainted! Amazing what a difference a little piece of quarter round makes.<br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S_frlNv7FPI/AAAAAAAACao/vry00lGtToA/s1600/lvrm1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 260px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 186px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474102896670479602" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S_frlNv7FPI/AAAAAAAACao/vry00lGtToA/s400/lvrm1.jpg" /></a>Tony also found us some beautiful grate covers for our air conditioner vents in the floors. Since we moved in we had these ugly generic brown ones that didn't fit in the holes. They just sat in them, lopsided, half sticking up on one side. We'd spent hours looking at them at Lowes and Home Depot but didn't think they made ones that fit. Tony, on a lark, picked the next size up from what we thought and beyond belief, they fit perfectly! Black wrought iron looking too like our lamps and DVD racks. I love them.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S_fsdGAgHMI/AAAAAAAACa4/uFLTC2y0fR4/s1600/lvrm3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 248px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 189px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474103856665205954" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S_fsdGAgHMI/AAAAAAAACa4/uFLTC2y0fR4/s400/lvrm3.jpg" /></a>I am so happy with our progress. We are still planning to texture the ceiling to cover up some patchwork we had to do before we moved in, and hang a ceiling fan but for now the living room looks AWESOME! I love the black floors, what a great idea!! I love how the new bright white molding and trim just pops. </div><div></div><br /><div>In other news... we passed the building inspection for our bedroom upstairs, just need to get the electrical inspection ordered on Tuesday (ran into a little snag and that got delayed a week or two). Then it's on to insulation and drywall! Stay tuned....</div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-69082130143819129522010-05-09T16:48:00.013-04:002010-05-09T17:28:53.821-04:00What We've Been Up ToWhat did you get for Mother's Day? I tend to be a little unconventional, and my husband hasn't had a day off since April 12 so I took the liberty of shopping for him. I got a really awesome, sexy pair of black high heels, 2 books by Janet Evanovich and a painting for above our fireplace.<br /><br />When Jeremiah was about 18 months old I let him <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-clMu8shAI/AAAAAAAACag/UenBA0dk9xM/s1600/painting.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 211px; height: 158px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-clMu8shAI/AAAAAAAACag/UenBA0dk9xM/s400/painting.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469381173156021250" border="0" /></a>finger/brush paint an 8"x10" canvas and we have it framed hanging in our stair well because it turned out really cool. We've been unable to find an appropriate art print or painting for over our fireplace for an amount of money I want to spend on one, so Friday I bought a large canvas, set the kids up with paints and brushes on plastic in the yard and let them have at it. The result was awesome! Mom and the kids showed up as they were finishing painting on their way home from Kentucky to pick up ducks so w<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ck5qYivwI/AAAAAAAACaY/PC5c3-VzV6k/s1600/painting2.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 214px; height: 161px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ck5qYivwI/AAAAAAAACaY/PC5c3-VzV6k/s400/painting2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469380845513129730" border="0" /></a>e painted duck feet and let the ducks walk across the painting as well. I try to be a cool Mom and I think I succeeded this week.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckvQ5NIII/AAAAAAAACaQ/calud8enSI8/s1600/painting3.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 189px; height: 171px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckvQ5NIII/AAAAAAAACaQ/calud8enSI8/s400/painting3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469380666872111234" border="0" /></a><br />I, we, also got the "gift" of re-doing our living room floors this weekend. I thought we could do it yesterday but it's turned into a 3 day thing as we put the first coat of clear/hard sealer on it this morning and have another planned for tomorrow morning since my MIL will have the kids all day. We can insulate around the cracks and put up half round molding too and finish it with one fell swoop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckk8DjU6I/AAAAAAAACaI/wfz7hSHrpxc/s1600/nastyfloors.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 168px; height: 126px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckk8DjU6I/AAAAAAAACaI/wfz7hSHrpxc/s400/nastyfloors.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469380489479672738" border="0" /></a>Conventional "wisdom" said we couldn't paint our nasty, stained and dog-urine ruined hardwood floors without sanding and re-staining them. Bah. I laugh in your general direction, sir. Our theory was that if we could find the right <span style="font-style: italic;">type</span> of paint/clear coat we could simply paint the floors the black we wanted without staining and ruining the wood (that way if we ever get tired of the dark, we sand up the paint, sand up the sealant already ther<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckZjREOkI/AAAAAAAACaA/Itp3_kAPecc/s1600/blackfloors2.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 167px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckZjREOkI/AAAAAAAACaA/Itp3_kAPecc/s400/blackfloors2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469380293846907458" border="0" /></a>e and have light wood to work with.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckM3m8i8I/AAAAAAAACZ4/bCqUNy_Erc4/s1600/blackfloors.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 187px; height: 141px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-ckM3m8i8I/AAAAAAAACZ4/bCqUNy_Erc4/s400/blackfloors.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469380075969088450" border="0" /></a>It is fabulous.<br />We are so in love. Now the molding looks shabby but that's nothing another gallon of bright white paint won't fix.<br /><br />We've also still been making progress upstairs, we have both windows in now!!! Our friend came over Tues and helped us finish the electrical so<br />we're ready to order BOTH the building and electrical inspections!! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-cj7x7lkNI/AAAAAAAACZw/z5umDyDS0y8/s1600/newwindows.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 210px; height: 157px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-cj7x7lkNI/AAAAAAAACZw/z5umDyDS0y8/s400/newwindows.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469379782387273938" border="0" /></a> Hooray! We missed calling the electrical inspector this week, he only takes calls on Tues and Thurs mornings from 8am-9am and we called the building inspector but apparently he took Friday off, so tomorrow... it's on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-cju71nbGI/AAAAAAAACZo/qYPjFmO5SLg/s1600/momeraths.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 118px; height: 91px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-cju71nbGI/AAAAAAAACZo/qYPjFmO5SLg/s400/momeraths.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469379561708285026" border="0" /></a>I've also spun this skein of hurt your teeth pink merino I carded with black merino, blue bamboo and blue and black angelina (I handdyed the last 3). I got 167yds of bulky wieght average yarn.<br /><br />And I was in a yarn swap and received this gorgeous hummingbird green 100<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-cjRRUvGRI/AAAAAAAACZg/TX4f914sqtc/s1600/cherysocks5.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 116px; height: 139px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S-cjRRUvGRI/AAAAAAAACZg/TX4f914sqtc/s400/cherysocks5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5469379052079880466" border="0" /></a>% bamboo sock yarn. I have a wonderful mother in law. She loves green, hummingbirds and all things luxurious. She is allergic to wool so bamboo is perfect. She can wear them, sitting in her menopause-ily freezing air-conditioned house, in comfort. She loved them.Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-83211593994099758572010-04-19T16:11:00.013-04:002010-04-19T16:23:15.449-04:00Betsy Dresses, round 1<div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y7VEvj3lI/AAAAAAAACZQ/jnAmGmggvIo/s1600/betsyshrooms.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461946418818440786" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y7VEvj3lI/AAAAAAAACZQ/jnAmGmggvIo/s400/betsyshrooms.jpg" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y7Zggm73I/AAAAAAAACZY/ch6MMq8WF0U/s1600/betsyshroomclose.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 175px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 251px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461946494991396722" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y7Zggm73I/AAAAAAAACZY/ch6MMq8WF0U/s400/betsyshroomclose.jpg" /></a>Two new dresses for my babiest sister Betsy, who just turned 3. Her favorite color is red and she had startling blue eyes just like the vampires in the Underworld series (when they start to feed, LOL! Google image search if you'd like.)<br /><br /><div><div>When I found this small mushroom print in the clearance rack at a local quilt shop, I thought it was perfect for a Betsy dress. I pulled the perfect red from my stash, washed and ironed it and then realized it has very faint paw prints on it. What the heck? Anyway, it doesn't show up very well and I am unable to go buy more fabric right now so the pawprint fabric was made to work for the top of the dress.</div><div></div><br /><div>For the skirt for the 2nd I used a 1/2yd of "fat <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y60FYpleI/AAAAAAAACZA/AZerPHOMfVM/s1600/betsyblueback.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 169px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 256px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461945852055098850" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y60FYpleI/AAAAAAAACZA/AZerPHOMfVM/s400/betsyblueback.jpg" /></a>eighth" fabric that Tony <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y67MEaEeI/AAAAAAAACZI/AJovBs1Evp0/s1600/betsyblue.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 171px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 254px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461945974108328418" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8y67MEaEeI/AAAAAAAACZI/AJovBs1Evp0/s400/betsyblue.jpg" /></a>got me for our anniversary years ago. I think it was our 1st anniversary, he and baby Jeremiah went out and bought me several half yard cuts of fabric (3 of which were these type), some thread and a really good pair of scissors. : ) He's so sweet! I had to piece the lining of the top to get it all cut out of the piece of solid blue I had but it looks very nice inside so I'm happy with it. I would rahter have to piece the lining then just throw the larger chunks of fabric in the scrap bin.</div><br /><div></div><div>I have a couple more dresses I'm planning for her, one shaped just like this from some AWESOME fabric I found in mine and Mom's stash. You'll just have to stay tuned to see it, I'm excited so I'm not giving anything away.</div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-60564386247411419792010-04-18T22:04:00.018-04:002010-04-18T22:30:20.172-04:00Bouncy House USA<div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u9wskA7cI/AAAAAAAACXo/rW7wfiawSEQ/s1600/bouncysign.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 189px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 119px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461667617410444738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u9wskA7cI/AAAAAAAACXo/rW7wfiawSEQ/s400/bouncysign.jpg" /></a>This post is basically for anyone in the Knoxville, Tennessee area. Hidden away in the gently rolling hills off Clinton <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u96zqpiQI/AAAAAAAACXw/jHVUHtI6VTE/s1600/bouncy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 216px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461667791116011778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u96zqpiQI/AAAAAAAACXw/jHVUHtI6VTE/s400/bouncy.jpg" /></a>Highway in the Shaad Rd. area of Knoxville is the most wonderful creation ever: The Bouncy House.<br /><br />An indoor, heated and air conditioned, fairly clean, inflated playground wonderland awaits all children for open play between 10am and 2pm on weekdays! Have a roudy kid? Boucy House! Raining, don't know what to do? <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u-H7WKfCI/AAAAAAAACX4/MkFU6U-mRLE/s1600/bouncy2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 195px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 144px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461668016515873826" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u-H7WKfCI/AAAAAAAACX4/MkFU6U-mRLE/s400/bouncy2.jpg" /></a>Bouncy House! Can't take anymore sun exposure? Bouncy House!<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u-P8I8yFI/AAAAAAAACYA/EhFNnLQS8IA/s1600/bouncyslide.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 153px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461668154167838802" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u-P8I8yFI/AAAAAAAACYA/EhFNnLQS8IA/s400/bouncyslide.jpg" /></a><br />This place is awesome. My friend Tara has 3 small children roughly the same age as my own and we hit this place several times over the winter because there isn't a whole lot to do indoors for pre-k kids around here (though the Children's Museum in Oak Ridge is terrific too!) We love this place and go as a treat every few months.<br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u-qPpEhHI/AAAAAAAACYY/hjoSxImhxlc/s1600/balltumble.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 155px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 129px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461668606079435890" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u-qPpEhHI/AAAAAAAACYY/hjoSxImhxlc/s400/balltumble.jpg" /></a>They have one moonwalk type thing specifically for children 2 a<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u_Dc8VXPI/AAAAAAAACYg/dfkWjNSPDro/s1600/bouncyslide4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 144px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 197px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461669039146622194" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u_Dc8VXPI/AAAAAAAACYg/dfkWjNSPDro/s400/bouncyslide4.jpg" /></a>nd under, complete with a mini slide & ball pit; another one that's a mini obstacle coure just for 7 and under and then all the others are any age!<br /><br />We took Tony and Artemas while Tony was on vacationed the day it rained because the kids had been wanting to show him how much fun it is. For the 3 of us adults to take the 2 kids to bounce for the 2hrs we stayed cost me $14.60. Where else can you entertain the whole family for <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u_h-h9c6I/AAAAAAAACYo/P7cbw9byy58/s1600/moonwalk3.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 207px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 169px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461669563558884258" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8u_h-h9c6I/AAAAAAAACYo/P7cbw9byy58/s400/moonwalk3.jpg" /></a>that??<br /><br />The larger obstacle course one is quiet a workout for grownips and the giant slide is a BLAST! They have (slightly overpriced but still fairly<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8vADVehwAI/AAAAAAAACYw/f8CDvfyDLxs/s1600/climbingbouncyslide.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 142px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 217px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461670136654184450" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8vADVehwAI/AAAAAAAACYw/f8CDvfyDLxs/s400/climbingbouncyslide.jpg" /></a> reasonable) drinks/snacks you can purchase and they also do birthdays, but for us just going during open play works well.<br /><br />If you go, make sure you bring socks as the bouncing area is strictly no-shoes but don't worry, if you forget they have socks for sale for about $.75 LOL!</div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-47419086160620374822010-04-18T19:50:00.010-04:002010-04-18T20:06:03.286-04:00Lily Dresses<div><div>Lily is my 2nd and youngest, beautiful Goddaughter and she loves to dress up pretty! She's very girly, into accessories and frills. She loves cake.<br /><div><br /><div>I've been having a lot of fun lately making those few sundresses for Hannah. They were so easy and so quick, and honestly write now my quilting and knitting have taken a back seat because I just can't deal with the tiny bit of added stress of another ongoing, long suffering project. These dresses take about an hour and tada! Something to show for your effort!</div><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8ueMB3P77I/AAAAAAAACXg/ORGFAAbC3BY/s1600/lilycupcake.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 148px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 202px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461632902612643762" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8ueMB3P77I/AAAAAAAACXg/ORGFAAbC3BY/s400/lilycupcake.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8udRLKa-qI/AAAAAAAACXY/A_S0tBqqjo8/s1600/lilyblue.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 144px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 204px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461631891496696482" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8udRLKa-qI/AAAAAAAACXY/A_S0tBqqjo8/s400/lilyblue.jpg" /></a>The other day I took advantage of JoAnn's 40% off quilting fabric sale, raided my stash to see what larger pieces I had that would work and came up with materials for 4 little dresses for Lily. I actually dreamed the cupcake one and I was so thrilled when I made it first and it turned out just as cute as it was in my head! For Lily, who wears about a 4-5T and has about a 24" waist, I needed 1/2yd for the skirt and about a 1/2yd for the top (though I bought 5/8ths/yd just to make sure I'd have enough.) For Hannah's I used the same 1/2yd for the skirt but it took considerably less for her tops, in fact one Mom managed to squeeze out of an FQ and the rest I bought 1/4yd cuts for.</div><br /><div>One has the same skirt fabric as one of Hannah's, <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8udE21nucI/AAAAAAAACXQ/FLlPV-AQ7E8/s1600/lilypurple.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 141px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461631679882312130" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8udE21nucI/AAAAAAAACXQ/FLlPV-AQ7E8/s400/lilypurple.jpg" /></a>where Hannah's was dark <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8uc3roOuvI/AAAAAAAACXI/xH1A9dVA6Yk/s1600/lilychicken.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 138px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 198px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5461631453535058674" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8uc3roOuvI/AAAAAAAACXI/xH1A9dVA6Yk/s400/lilychicken.jpg" /></a>purple on top Lily's is blue. The brown colored bottom of the one dress is a old-prairie looking chicken fabric. Lily also loves chickens. : )</div><div></div><br /><div>I can't wait to get these to her, and I so hope they fit! I will probably have to come up with a couple dresses for my other Goddaughter, her older sister Summer too but might have to use a different pattern. We shall see. : )</div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-2937965284637751742010-04-13T22:28:00.033-04:002010-04-13T23:39:32.557-04:00Slowly, slowly<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U3jJeQ7-I/AAAAAAAACXA/iQUfzAcLHUE/s1600/tricycling.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 131px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 151px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459831200234401762" border="0" alt="Kids Tricycling" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U3jJeQ7-I/AAAAAAAACXA/iQUfzAcLHUE/s400/tricycling.jpg" /></a>We have had a very busy couple of weeks. I've had good intentions of keep y'all posted with pics and whatnot, but honestly, at the end of the day I'm too tired to bother with the computer. Plus my darling hubby bought me 4 of the "Full..." books (Full House, Full Tilt, Full Blast, etc) by Janette Evanovich so I've been reading instead of wasting my life in the internet.<br /><br />We had great expectations of Tony's 2 weeks off. We greatly over estimated not only our ability, but also our energy and the amount of help we'd be a<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U2o9bne3I/AAAAAAAACWw/2YYsvAsaaWM/s1600/veronicasmiles.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 167px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 140px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459830200569658226" border="0" alt="Veronica" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U2o9bne3I/AAAAAAAACWw/2YYsvAsaaWM/s400/veronicasmiles.jpg" /></a>ble to get. As it stands it was pretty much Tony and Artemas all week, with our friend George coming by a couple times to help out invaluably and me helping when I could and the MIL had the kids. We had thought we'd get the room done (at least to the point of <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U3Mzu2crI/AAAAAAAACW4/mkM1iKHUkec/s1600/playground2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 145px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 152px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459830816441266866" border="0" alt="Upsidedown Jeremiah" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U3Mzu2crI/AAAAAAAACW4/mkM1iKHUkec/s400/playground2.jpg" /></a>drywall, though I had hopes for paint and carpet too), paint the floors in the living room, build the tiny little deck for the other side of the front porch and put in a small garden. Go ahead, laugh. It's okay, we are. What did we get done? We got the bedroom destroyed and *almost* framed back in. All the other stuff will either become morning before Tony leaves for work or weekend-warrior type things.<br /><br />At this point we still have one small triangle piece of wall to tediously built on the left side (if<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U1vtRphhI/AAAAAAAACWg/ouTbkhYkROQ/s1600/house41210.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 214px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 161px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459829216980338194" border="0" alt="Back of the house" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U1vtRphhI/AAAAAAAACWg/ouTbkhYkROQ/s400/house41210.jpg" /></a> you're looking at the back of the house) and then put "flashing" <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U2Pdw8bmI/AAAAAAAACWo/yH6cSMENjnM/s1600/sparklytoesshoes.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 121px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 92px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459829762572447330" border="0" alt="Hannah's Pedicure" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U2Pdw8bmI/AAAAAAAACWo/yH6cSMENjnM/s400/sparklytoesshoes.jpg" /></a>along the edge of the new structure and old shingles so that crack won't leak. Then it's *simply* putting up siding, putting in windows and putting on shingles. For the outside. Inside we still have to run elecrtical (a friend is supposed to come help Artemas and I do it Thurs while Tony is at work but we'll see if he can make it), then insulate, drywall/tape/mud/sand. Then it's ready for paint and carpet. Will this <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U1ZdylnVI/AAAAAAAACWY/6qHAb_tpjn4/s1600/lassos.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 169px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 116px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459828834866404690" border="0" alt="Artemas Lassos" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U1ZdylnVI/AAAAAAAACWY/6qHAb_tpjn4/s400/lassos.jpg" /></a>ever be done? *sigh* Eventually. The good thing about this project is that it's sort of like pregnancy; once it's begun there isn't an out and you just have to grit your teeth and see it<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U1GfkpNeI/AAAAAAAACWQ/tygl2OTLc1Q/s1600/piniata2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 174px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459828508927276514" border="0" alt="Hannah whacks piniata" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U1GfkpNeI/AAAAAAAACWQ/tygl2OTLc1Q/s400/piniata2.jpg" /></a> through til the end. The end result is always worth it; it's just the process that's laborous.<br /><br />We had a great day on Thursday because we took the day off on the count of rain and treated the <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U0vwSsk1I/AAAAAAAACWI/aEsOznUOiWQ/s1600/presents2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 177px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 111px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459828118278411090" border="0" alt="Opening presents" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U0vwSsk1I/AAAAAAAACWI/aEsOznUOiWQ/s400/presents2.jpg" /></a>kids to a trip to the "Bouncy House." I have a whole blog post about that planned in my head because it is really an awesome thing to do around Knoxville, for fairly cheap, in rainy (or too hot or cold) weather.<br /><br />Saturday we had Hannah's 2nd birthday party at the little park behind our house. We set up under the shelter, and in retrospect should have set<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U0XG0kgdI/AAAAAAAACWA/as0nfzVeF-g/s1600/firemancarryDi.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 153px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 190px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459827694829339090" border="0" alt="Tony Fireman carries Diantha" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U0XG0kgdI/AAAAAAAACWA/as0nfzVeF-g/s400/firemancarryDi.jpg" /></a> up in the sun because the cool breeze left the kids freezing while they ate (though the strong sun left my shoulders and neck su<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U0B5QnpYI/AAAAAAAACV4/-TPrwqzDZX8/s1600/desswings.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 123px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 172px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459827330411636098" border="0" alt="Des swings" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8U0B5QnpYI/AAAAAAAACV4/-TPrwqzDZX8/s400/desswings.jpg" /></a>nburned while they played). Hannah got a bunch of really nice presents but what is more spent some quality time having a ton of fun with her aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. We let her pick out the decorations which were simple flowers with a gigantic 10lb princess tiara piniata. I packed that sucker full, I'm telling you. It was so heavy in fact that on the first whack the loop on the top broke and Tony had to rig it up again by wrapping the rope around the middle of it. Still, a blast!!<br /><br />I've been trying to spend as much time outdoors as I can with the kids who are tired of being in the house. Lots of sunscreen has been used, lots of knees have been scraped and lots <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UziTV8kDI/AAAAAAAACVw/xbNpQpSI_-4/s1600/hannaswings.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 138px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 184px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459826787657486386" border="0" alt="Hannah swings" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UziTV8kDI/AAAAAAAACVw/xbNpQpSI_-4/s400/hannaswings.jpg" /></a>of showers <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UzLWLtBZI/AAAAAAAACVo/MnKXcKjl44E/s1600/jeremiahswings.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 134px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 181px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459826393282839954" border="0" alt="Jeremiah swings" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UzLWLtBZI/AAAAAAAACVo/MnKXcKjl44E/s400/jeremiahswings.jpg" /></a>have been taken afterward but we are having fun. I have been trying to knit Jeremiah another pair of socks, something mindless I started on Thursday to help me relax and cope with the stress we had/have going on with not finishing the room and getting ready for Hannah's party. It hasn't exactly gone as planned though since the first sock I finished too small and (after throwing it across the room) I had to pick out about half of it and start over. Then in the middle of finishing it I dropped a needle at a local pizzeria (New York Avenue Pizza, newly opened on Kingston Pike between Lovell Rd & Campbell Station Road, <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8Uyz-hv2DI/AAAAAAAACVg/atlsAGcVycY/s1600/betsyswings.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 124px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 174px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459825991795857458" border="0" alt="Betsy swings" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8Uyz-hv2DI/AAAAAAAACVg/atlsAGcVycY/s400/betsyswings.jpg" /></a>VERY YUMMY PIZZA). Thankfully the bamboo needles I use come 5 to a pack so I had a "spare" at home.<br /><br />The only bad thing about the newly gorgeous weather and spending time <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UygOIHJFI/AAAAAAAACVY/usXpG_gS100/s1600/flowersinpocket.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 123px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 164px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459825652385915986" border="0" alt="Flowers in her pocket" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UygOIHJFI/AAAAAAAACVY/usXpG_gS100/s400/flowersinpocket.jpg" /></a>outdoors in it is my son Jeremiah's allergies are acting up terribly! He went through this last spring too, after the first few weeks when the pollen died down he was fine but for now, poor baby. He's been almost mainlining benedryl or zyrtek, itchy eyes all the time (medicine isn't helping that at all.) We're trying flushing his eyes with salt water; my MIL says that helps her sometimes and I don't want to use eye drops on him if we can help it. Even with the <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UyQnI17xI/AAAAAAAACVQ/P3Tw5bLzGsE/s1600/jeremiahinyard.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 177px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 123px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5459825384221962002" border="0" alt="Dancing in the yard" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S8UyQnI17xI/AAAAAAAACVQ/P3Tw5bLzGsE/s400/jeremiahinyard.jpg" /></a>medicine in his system his face is still swollen. If it doesn't slack off in a couple days I am making him a Drs appointment. I'd hate for him to have to have allergy shots or something but I would rather the little pain and bother to help him be able to play and sleep without a problem. : ( Still he's a big boy and is very diligent about washing his hands before rubbings his eyes, etc and is having so much fun playing outside though he told me tonight "Pollen is the worst thing. Ever."Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-2656011315900961372010-04-01T21:21:00.023-04:002010-04-02T00:37:38.923-04:00Demolition is finished!<div><div><div><div><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7VymAIyhMI/AAAAAAAACUY/OXaw5tL_O7A/s1600/bighugehole.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 186px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455392520826684610" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7VymAIyhMI/AAAAAAAACUY/OXaw5tL_O7A/s400/bighugehole.jpg" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Vzgdz_XUI/AAAAAAAACUw/RteGLeOY2JU/s1600/tonythruventhole.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 161px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 137px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455393525224922434" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Vzgdz_XUI/AAAAAAAACUw/RteGLeOY2JU/s400/tonythruventhole.jpg" /></a>My Mother in Law was off work today and picked up the kids for a day of who-knows-what kind of fun, leaving Tony, Artemas and I to finish the demo which involved tearing down the rest of the ceiling (top and left side), taking down the old ceiling fan, bagging all the old insulation, remove the rest of the roof, the rafters and the frame for the side wall. A big task!<br /><div><div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7VyM8kxOkI/AAAAAAAACUQ/hKi7EvTHh20/s1600/baggedinsulation.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 154px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 118px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455392090373569090" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7VyM8kxOkI/AAAAAAAACUQ/hKi7EvTHh20/s400/baggedinsulation.jpg" /></a>We got it ALL done!! This morning Tony and Artemas took a load of <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Vy3qUJ7RI/AAAAAAAACUg/f7rykL6wu7U/s1600/cuttingroof.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 170px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455392824206421266" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Vy3qUJ7RI/AAAAAAAACUg/f7rykL6wu7U/s400/cuttingroof.jpg" /></a>debris to the dump that involved 12 bags of insulation. This is a picture of my front walk right now--all these bags are full of insulation too. We're not sure the dump is open tomorrow with it being Good Friday and this being the Bible Belt. Anyone local know if the one on Racoon Valley is open? LOL!</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7VzFgOgmlI/AAAAAAAACUo/KR9Y_qEtkvE/s1600/debris.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 179px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 123px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455393062016555602" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7VzFgOgmlI/AAAAAAAACUo/KR9Y_qEtkvE/s400/debris.jpg" /></a>The windows in our "bedroom" seem quite superflous right now, so we left them open for the night. <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Vzvc9ZHUI/AAAAAAAACU4/wRWNP_ftXaI/s1600/noroof.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 211px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 141px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455393782693961026" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Vzvc9ZHUI/AAAAAAAACU4/wRWNP_ftXaI/s400/noroof.jpg" /></a>Tomorrow the goal is to lay the subflooring, build the "knee wall" and begin putting in new support beams for the roof. The actual secondary goal is to be able to at least put the roofing felt on, so when the expected (and therefor definite) thunderstorms hit Saturday night we don't have to worry about our house getting wet inside!</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7V0A-aVjBI/AAAAAAAACVA/Zd2bJkbZPQ4/s1600/noroof2.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 176px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455394083731508242" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7V0A-aVjBI/AAAAAAAACVA/Zd2bJkbZPQ4/s400/noroof2.jpg" /></a>We'll see though since the kids will b<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7V0YEvQsJI/AAAAAAAACVI/VKNpd9KXSlM/s1600/rosslean.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455394480566874258" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7V0YEvQsJI/AAAAAAAACVI/VKNpd9KXSlM/s400/rosslean.jpg" /></a>e with us tomorrow. We are really missing them with the time we've had to be gone away from them already this week, and know they miss us. I am going to try to spend my time with them tomorrow reading books or rocking while watching TV. The house needs housework stuff done again by now but I am really missing some time with my babies.</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-82018419736981915802010-03-31T23:33:00.043-04:002010-04-01T00:49:35.616-04:00Him vs Me<div>Not that productivity is a competition at all! In fact, we've been working together upstairs in that he tore everything up and last Sunday I cleaned it, LOL!! But since then, this is what we've been up to:<br /><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><br /><div>Upstairs, before you get to our coming-along bedroom, there is a <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QWdPUoq7I/AAAAAAAACSg/2QRbvaZTQFY/s1600/before.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 197px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 135px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455009740237614002" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QWdPUoq7I/AAAAAAAACSg/2QRbvaZTQFY/s400/before.jpg" /></a>nice little bookshelve/reading area. I <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QWtbsppEI/AAAAAAAACSo/sO4exjMvgKM/s1600/after.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 198px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 159px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455010018437473346" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QWtbsppEI/AAAAAAAACSo/sO4exjMvgKM/s400/after.jpg" /></a>have books and decorations up there and everything had gotten mighty dirty when we put up the outside wall of the bedroom so Sunday night I cleaned it. This is before, and then after. I'm pretty happy with after though the chair isn't staying (I have a nice arm chair awaiting reapholstering at Mom's) and it's being covered with destruction/construction dust again as I type this. </div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QcjIkedDI/AAAAAAAACSw/G9zv_CgSdRw/s1600/shed.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 244px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455016438573986866" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QcjIkedDI/AAAAAAAACSw/G9zv_CgSdRw/s400/shed.jpg" /></a>The next day, he laid pavers and count them--26--bags of white rock in front of his shed building. The shed honest to God had a 4 feet by 10 feet section of mud in front of it, every time it rained even the tiniest bit. He couldn't even get into it because the mud was so bad. We found these pavers at Knox Rail Salvage and laid them out (with me very neurotically overseeing the layout process) and then he and Artemas filled the inner area with rock, creating not only curb appeal but making the building functional once more no matter what the weather.<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qf3edymDI/AAAAAAAACTQ/ctSpPxlUCto/s1600/newfaucet.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 205px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 131px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455020086583793714" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qf3edymDI/AAAAAAAACTQ/ctSpPxlUCto/s400/newfaucet.jpg" /></a></div></div><br />Then to one-up me just a little, he put in the new kitchen sink faucet we'd bought on Sunday. It's nothing really fancy, just a bigger arch and an "uber-sprayer" LoL! But I am so thrilled with it!<br /><br /><div>Monday we also purchased windows for the bedroom at the Rail Salvage place and ordered the rest of the supplies (sans drywall, next week!) for the new addition. Yesterday we got a call at quarter to 8 that the supplies were being delivered, which was a Godsend because they had told us they weren't sure they could make it by Wed (today) and we needed them ASAP but that also put us 3 hours late leaving the house for Dalton Georgia where we were going to purchase carpet. We ended up getting a nice berber carpet for the stairway for $5/yd and a nice regular carpet for our room (about 40 linear yards!) for $8/yd, plus the padding at half what it costs here in Knoxville so a long day but in no way a wasted trip! We'd left the kids at Mom's house and took Tony's truck with a borroned 14" trailer attached at the back.</div><br /><div>This morning he begin cutting the hole in the roof, for the section we thought was coming out, that the new dormer-roof would attach on to. I took some before and then right after pics, of Tony cutting nice little neat holes in the roof. He said when our friend/contractor George came over, they began just bashing the roof out and it came down in a matter of minutes compaired to what he'd gotten done all day! I told him George is sort of goal driven and gets things done with the quickness, LOL! A male/contractor version of me that I can truly appreciate! ;-)<br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QedGF-dlI/AAAAAAAACS4/rkDZDk3l6EQ/s1600/dressbutton.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 123px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455018533853230674" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QedGF-dlI/AAAAAAAACS4/rkDZDk3l6EQ/s400/dressbutton.jpg" /></a>Today, I made Hannah another dress. Oh, I know. I said I was done, that <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QfAvg_PdI/AAAAAAAACTA/qFurdjcREII/s1600/mushroomdress.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 133px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 197px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455019146267803090" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QfAvg_PdI/AAAAAAAACTA/qFurdjcREII/s400/mushroomdress.jpg" /></a>she had enough dresses to get her through a week for this summer. But then I saw this so totally adorable mushroom fabric by Alexander Henry. I bought a 1/2yd of the mushroom fabric and a FQ of the gold fabric. I actually cut the mushroom to 14.5" by the width of the fabric (roughly 44") so this dress would be a little shorter than the others. I belive it falls to about her knees. I made it while she was napping and when she woke she carried it all over the house telling us about her "pretty dress!" I love the buttons, though the dress is crooked as everything in this pic.</div><div></div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QhKPCInDI/AAAAAAAACTY/pumT4yi6gak/s1600/backofhouse.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 191px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455021508370406450" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QhKPCInDI/AAAAAAAACTY/pumT4yi6gak/s400/backofhouse.jpg" /></a>I had to work in childcare at church tonight and when I left there was a nice little hold developing on the roof. In fact I took a pic from<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qh366rsLI/AAAAAAAACTg/zwjSR4KqpsE/s1600/view1.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 202px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 124px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455022293244424370" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qh366rsLI/AAAAAAAACTg/zwjSR4KqpsE/s400/view1.jpg" /></a> the yard of Tony sticking out of the roof, and then some pictures from the roof of the view standing up through the hole. See the pretty view?</div><br />This is what I <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QjXtusniI/AAAAAAAACTo/8-AvnOIriOM/s1600/backview.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 187px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 151px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455023938971934242" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QjXtusniI/AAAAAAAACTo/8-AvnOIriOM/s400/backview.jpg" /></a>came home to. Once George got here, apparently the "plan" changed to take-out-the-low-ceiling-and-"just"-do-vaulted-ceilings. Ei, plan 6.5. This is like the ever evolving remodling job. It started with simply moving the doorway back 3 <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qj_8aJ8UI/AAAAAAAACTw/aWjPjb0RaI0/s1600/bighole.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 188px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 133px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455024630107074882" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qj_8aJ8UI/AAAAAAAACTw/aWjPjb0RaI0/s400/bighole.jpg" /></a>feet and taking out the existing and un-needed 2nd closet. Then it morphed into take out the side wall and build a dormer roof over the eaves to make the room 8 feet wider. Now it's tear out the ceiling too. I am having a hard time staying off <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qkc_H69rI/AAAAAAAACT4/iS8JWGolnP4/s1600/inside.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 191px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 131px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455025129052108466" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qkc_H69rI/AAAAAAAACT4/iS8JWGolnP4/s400/inside.jpg" /></a>a panic attack. In fact, I had a small one complete with crying, at church in front of 5 strange children but it's okay, it only lasted about 2 minutes. I just needed some <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qk_pAUBZI/AAAAAAAACUA/lYv7ElmdPOw/s1600/tonyhammer.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 207px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 169px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455025724410037650" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7Qk_pAUBZI/AAAAAAAACUA/lYv7ElmdPOw/s400/tonyhammer.jpg" /></a>time to adjust. Honest. I'm good. It's gonna be great. In 2 weeks...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QlggqQRCI/AAAAAAAACUI/2ajG5nt7jHU/s1600/rafters.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 204px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455026289105716258" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QlggqQRCI/AAAAAAAACUI/2ajG5nt7jHU/s400/rafters.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S7QlggqQRCI/AAAAAAAACUI/2ajG5nt7jHU/s1600/rafters.jpg"></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-74542159647381863172010-03-20T11:26:00.003-04:002010-03-20T11:30:56.478-04:00National Quilting Day<div>Today, March 20th is National Quilting Day!<br />In honor of this momentous occasion I am running a FREE SHIPPING special on all <em>quilts</em> listed in my <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/Hamncheezr?section_id=5564489">etsy shop</a>! Now through Sunday night you any of the quilts I have listed will ship to you, or to a loved one, for free!<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Tp63KQNFI/AAAAAAAACSY/--kFkYnETN0/s1600-h/eventually.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 170px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 157px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450738646473782354" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Tp63KQNFI/AAAAAAAACSY/--kFkYnETN0/s400/eventually.jpg" /></a>I have a recent new quilt listing, one I call "Eventually...Spring". </div><div> </div><div>I also have recently listed a few new bags so be sure to check out the "Shop Home" link on my etsy page. </div><div> </div><div>Tell your friends, and have a very happy National Quilting Day!!</div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-1011978638924125392010-03-19T22:25:00.030-04:002010-03-20T11:26:00.732-04:00A Long Day<div><div><div><div><div><div>Today started out with a quick trip to Oak Ridge, where we got pulled over by 2 K-9 cops who followed us for over a mile and then ticketted us for the window tint on my car being too dark. Their reason? After discovering me & Tony up front with 3 kids (in car seats and seat belts), they couldn't see into the car at all or tell how many people were in it. Maybe because the 3 in the back seat's heads don't come up ABOVE the back seat? And how is it I can see through my car, with all the windows up and read signs posted in buildings behind it but they couldn't? Whatever, I am paying the fine and <em>not</em> removing the tint I've had on the car for *2* years.<br /><br />After that majorly crappy start we hit the butchers and spent $60 on about $100 worth of meat for our chest freezer. Pretty excited about it.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TogC7TS7I/AAAAAAAACSI/P9W3KO092Ac/s1600-h/pavers.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 135px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 136px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450737086264200114" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TogC7TS7I/AAAAAAAACSI/P9W3KO092Ac/s400/pavers.jpg" /></a>On the way home I talked Tony into running back out before work and <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Tn0uqEcZI/AAAAAAAACR4/ipDohVfSZWQ/s1600-h/trees.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 139px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450736342088839570" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Tn0uqEcZI/AAAAAAAACR4/ipDohVfSZWQ/s400/trees.jpg" /></a>renting me a tiller for the weekend since today & tomorrow were supposed to be beautiful and sunny. We have an old stump between our driveway & mailbox that had these scrub grass like bushes planted around it (like these trees in our side yard) and I wanted to dug a flower bed on each side of our porch across the front of the house.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TnhzvltsI/AAAAAAAACRw/72UcxzR63lE/s1600-h/nakedstump.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 149px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 114px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450736017036654274" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TnhzvltsI/AAAAAAAACRw/72UcxzR63lE/s400/nakedstump.jpg" /></a>It took me 4 hours to tear out the bushes around the stum<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6ToAwRxbhI/AAAAAAAACSA/HaK1LCeIavc/s1600-h/hannahdtump.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 113px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 171px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450736548682231314" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6ToAwRxbhI/AAAAAAAACSA/HaK1LCeIavc/s400/hannahdtump.jpg" /></a>p, and then I still had to move pavers around another bush and plant bulbs and pansies I'd picked up in a quick run to Kmart. Artemas helped me by tilling in front of the porch because after Tony left I couldn't get the tiller to start. And then the tiller "broke." We have no idea what happened and since it's a rental, I am a little worried. Did I mention that Tony, who didn't really want to go get it today, ripped his fairly new and very good blue jeans taking it out of the truck? Well he did. Oops.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TlCcgvrUI/AAAAAAAACRY/4w2usQiutUA/s1600-h/adorablebetsy.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 119px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 169px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450733279201176898" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TlCcgvrUI/AAAAAAAACRY/4w2usQiutUA/s400/adorablebetsy.jpg" /></a>I alternated pansies with daffodil and tulip bulbs that may not come up this year because it may be too late for me to have planted them. I want to pick up some more pansies or maybe even some marrigolds or mums to plan to add more color. It's looking a little bare outthere.<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Q-zr9DlVI/AAAAAAAACRQ/zAMqzP8A2UM/s1600-h/servingspoon.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450550506718205266" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Q-zr9DlVI/AAAAAAAACRQ/zAMqzP8A2UM/s400/servingspoon.jpg" /></a><br />Mom and the kids came over and played for a while, Betsy had her hair up in a curly little pony tail that was SO adorable!! They got some pictures of me sitting in the dirt, and who cares if I plant flowers with a serving spoon like a redneck? I forgot to buy a spade!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Q-mouvQsI/AAAAAAAACRI/W5DgJ8NGnAE/s1600-h/bushes.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 149px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450550282514547394" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Q-mouvQsI/AAAAAAAACRI/W5DgJ8NGnAE/s400/bushes.jpg" /></a>Hannah had fun dancing on the stump, Mr Strong aka Jeremiah helped me by picking up sticks and piling them up out by the curb for the city to remove. Mom and I made a big stack of the pavers out by the mailbox which I'm sure my maillady will LOVE. I <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Tozlv60qI/AAAAAAAACSQ/GNp2Dc9oj8k/s1600-h/pansies.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 146px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 131px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450737422029214370" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6Tozlv60qI/AAAAAAAACSQ/GNp2Dc9oj8k/s400/pansies.jpg" /></a>wasn't about to carry them all around to the back yard to put with the other things Tony needs to take to the dump. They can sit there til Monday. All the little bush pieces you see on this tarp were around the stump. Incredible huh?<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TlpSG_rJI/AAAAAAAACRo/YiStpMaFKy4/s1600-h/mrstrong.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 124px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 194px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450733946423717010" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TlpSG_rJI/AAAAAAAACRo/YiStpMaFKy4/s400/mrstrong.jpg" /></a>Now I am sore, sunburned, I have a headache...my wrist is hurting me so badly I think I may die but I am happy to have accomplished something that wasn't sweeping the floor, showering the kids or sewing. It was nice to get out there in the sun <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TlVGUKCSI/AAAAAAAACRg/nEHtEoDkC3g/s1600-h/flowerbed.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 178px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 127px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5450733599660312866" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S6TlVGUKCSI/AAAAAAAACRg/nEHtEoDkC3g/s400/flowerbed.jpg" /></a>and do some manual labor to add to the curb appeal of the house! Tomorrow, I may try to tackle the hutch in the basement. :-D </div></div></div></div></div></div>Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4675945198413409391.post-82693230142215921652010-03-15T21:44:00.017-04:002010-03-15T22:05:35.526-04:00Soooo crafty<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57kZJljujI/AAAAAAAACQo/UrmC_4v0KJM/s1600-h/happydress.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 193px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449043719886191154" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57kZJljujI/AAAAAAAACQo/UrmC_4v0KJM/s400/happydress.jpg" /></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57kEfAsf0I/AAAAAAAACQg/eiyoepeWT9g/s1600-h/dress4.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 122px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 219px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449043364859903810" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57kEfAsf0I/AAAAAAAACQg/eiyoepeWT9g/s400/dress4.jpg" /></a>I got 2 more dresses for Hannah made this morning and this evening. The last dress made was actually the first fabric I bought, LoL! The 2nd dress she liked so well she wore today to run errands. It was of course miserably cold outside today so she wore a white turtle neck and white leggings underneath and was very stylish.<br /><br />Her favorite color is purple (I've probably mentioned that before though) so the final dress is a pretty little purple and blue floral pattern with <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57kpHYdFnI/AAAAAAAACQw/3K1bp1JIrP8/s1600-h/button.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 116px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 108px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449043994172266098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57kpHYdFnI/AAAAAAAACQw/3K1bp1JIrP8/s400/button.jpg" /></a>metalic gold edges. I am in LOVE with the buttons!!! They are some of those 1860s repros buttons JoAnn's carries now and I originally bought them to use on a bag for my shop but I just had to put these special buttons on my special girl's pretty dress.<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57lmbQd3LI/AAAAAAAACQ4/zeJwxZKgNxQ/s1600-h/newdress.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 223px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5449045047479491762" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TfMCNEkxL0o/S57lmbQd3LI/AAAAAAAACQ4/zeJwxZKgNxQ/s400/newdress.jpg" /></a><br />I also finished squaring pieces for my Weird & Ugly Fabric challenge quilt and sewed the first 3 rows together! Kickin' butt and takin' names today, I tell ya!<br /><br />See yesterday's cheery dress <a href="http://hamncheezr.blogspot.com/2010/03/instant-gratification-sewing.html">here</a>.Desireehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928532557412782871noreply@blogger.com3