Oh My.... How Pinteresting: 07/19/12

What's catching my eye this week on Pinterest

Another lovely embroidery pattern

This is a brilliant idea!  Freezing fresh herbs with butter or olive oil in an ice tray.  Bag it, freeze it, and use it later.

YES PLEASE.... Banana Pudding Cake!

I'm looking at my dull craft table lamp and getting inspired

I need to do this.  No more digging around for wee jars of cloves!

Oh My...How Pinteresting!

I've tried to figure out this Pinterest craze for nearly a year.  After a couple days of pregnancy lethargy and reading apathy I figured I'd give it another whirl (the whole third times a charm thing).  I get it.  I completely get it.

I thought I'd share a few pins that have caught my eye recently. Instead of linking you guys to the actually pins, I've gone to the original source of the pin in order to give credit to the artists and creators and not just the "pinners."

Crocheted mug cozy

I love this simple pattern and it will really help me practice my French Knots.

A super easy baby blanket.  Since baby #3 and Atticus will be sharing a room I plan on making two coordinating blankets of different sizes. 

I love this idea.  I'm forever passing up vintage embroidered linens because of stains.  Now I have a reason to buy them anyways, salvage the good parts, and make a quilt.  Genius!

I'm not gonna lie.  I *HATE* summertime.  I found this recipe for pumpkin biscotti and I cannot wait to make it as a companion to my pumpkin spice lattes.  Oh, Autumn, I long for thee!

That's it for now.  Maybe I'll actually do a post like this again.  If you'd like to follow me on Pinterest click the button!

 

The Great Blogcation Debacle

It is a very good thing I went on a Blogcation last week. Not because I necessarily got any rest or relaxation... no.. last week was HORRIBLE.  I had a sinus infection, bronchitis, pinkeye, and Atticus was teething and vomiting from sticking his fingers down his throat.

Picture this.... Monday I was sent home from work due to a violent cough (yay sinus infection turned bronchitis).  I woke Tuesday morning with my right eye swollen shut from pinkeye.  I resolved to stay home in bed and sleep while the kids were at school.  Then Atticus puked.

There I was, lumbering around the house.  Coughing.  Right eye shut.  Nose running.  Unshowered.  One or both boobs hanging out from constant nursing.  Chasing a gleeful toddler who discovered a penchant for vomit.  Tuesday afternoon was a bit better; after Atticus napped and I read Charles Dickens with one eye open Atticus and I played.  He is quite fond of "line things up on the window sill" game. 

Things looked better after Tuesday.  Mostly because I tried to rest.  I read a little on Wednesday afternoon.  I skipped my knitting group to go to bed early on Thursday.  I took Friday off and spent time with Hope (she was out on holiday), exercising, stitching, and napping.  I napped on Saturday and then enjoyed Hope's birthday party.  Sunday it was back to work.  Not a lot of reading, but a whole lot of tea, exercise, and napping.

Okay.  This week WILL be better.  I did, however, finish the softies for Atticus' class.  I made 8 (one for Atticus and then one for each of his classmates).  I didn't get them done until Friday as I thought it best to not stitch things for toddlers whilst suffering from pinkeye.

On to a new week, filled with cautious optimism.

Thursday Threads: Finishing some WIPS and other plans

This week I plan on finishing two projects I'm nearly done with.  The first is an embroidery project I started ages ago.  I'm embellishing flowers on a thrifted pillowcase.  Then there will be some sarcasm and either couching or felt letters applies.  I cannot wait to finish it.

The second project is Hope's cowl.  I'm really sick of this thing by now.  There is actually a funny story behind this.  I crocheted myself a cowl and Hope balked at it.  Then she opened one of her tweenage celeb magazines and *SHOCK* Selena Gomez was wearing a cowl.  Now Hope wants one!  She asked for lots of colors and to make it long so she can make it "super loopy."  You're super loopy, Hope.  Harty Har Har.

Now, one to February projects.  My yarn project will be from this lovely book:

And I'm planning on making this:

I also plan to carry a skein of cotton yarn and some knitting needles to whip-up dish clothes.  My new favorite gift for teachers/family/friends has been baskets with a dishcloth, baked goods, and tea or coffee.  Folks seem to like them and I like being able to give folks something homemade.  I have plenty of cotton to keep me going:

Finally, lots of embroidery and sewing will be going on this month in the form of Valentines!  Atticus's toddler class sent home a Valentine day list (you know the list of names).  I feel silly sending scraps of paper to a bunch of under twos -- the paper valentines will be quickly destroyed and/or eaten -- and I don't want to send sugary junk.  So I've decided to make the kiddos these:

The pattern is from Belle and Burger.  I won't put buttons on as they are a choking hazard, but they will have wee stitched eyes and smiles and then the kiddos name on the back.  The pillows are small and there are less than eight kids in the class.  I should be able to whip-up these in a weekend.

I have a few other V-day stitchy plans, but they are secret and cannot be shared yet.

Making Me Crazy: a Plea to Crafters, Bakers, Stitchers, and Yarn Wranglers

Yes, the cat bed is on top of the craft table.

My beautiful craft area has become a veritable nightmare and the place where we put everything we don't want Atticus to chew on.  I am overwhelmed by the mess and all the projects.  I don't know where to start (or maybe it is when to stop!).  I have quit Pintrest temporarily because I am collecting more ideas and then doing nothing with them. 

My goal this week is to organize this wreck.  Then I am going to figure out February projects.  I think I need to limit myself to one project in each area a month.  I feel like a list may be in order. 

My question to all the creative types out there: how the hellfire do you organize /manage your projects?  Is this some sort of odd OCD?  Please help! 

Blog Vacation -- What I did

I must say I need to take planned blog-vacations more often.  To pick a week and say I'm going to to devote it to my family and doing things I love was wonderful.  I feel ready to write and share again.  Normally, I try to MEGA-BLOG when I'm on vacation and that never works.  I can stitch with the wee ones playing, but writing... well, that just isn't going to happen.

So here is what I did on my my Thanksgiving break from work and from blogging

Amassed more embroidery floss...

Hung out with this silly girl.  We caught the Muppets' Movie on Saturday and she got her hair cut...

Finally finished Wolf Hall (more on that later)...

Took advantage of an AMAZING holiday sale and bought more Harney Tea...

Started making the kiddos stockings for Christmas...

Hope helped out a lot... she even raked leaves...

Enjoyed a Thanksgiving day with my family...

Made some chicken stock for the freezer...

Chased one inquisitive toddler and discovered he has a penchant for felt...

baking, of course...

Hope even got her craftiness on and made some holiday ornaments...

Halls are decked and fa-la-la-laing is in full-swing....

Cat cuddles....

Simple Things....

... that make me happy

pretty leaves....

well-oraganized embroidery floss collection....

cookies

Things I'm Loving: 11/04/2011

Photo Credit

I love my little rental house, but the kitchen is functional and ugly as sin.  I'm been thinking of ways to spruce things up a bit and I love the idea of this fabric backsplash and the open cabinetry option. 

As I chopped a butternut squash last week to make chili I thought to myself, "my death will probably involve a knife and a butternut squash."  Here is a great tip for roasting a squash so I don't maim or kill myself with a knife. 

I'm totally signing up for this reading challenge.  In fact, next year I think I'll make a month my "read from my stacks" month.  I love supporting libraries, but I need to read the books on my shelf!

I desperately need a needlebook.  Luckily, I found a pretty awesome set of directions for a cute, scrappy needlebook.  I need to bust out those scraps and get to stitching!

I'm loving these beautiful Dahlia pins!  

As if I needed another excuse for plate thrifting.

Hello to all my baking and book buddies, Penguin is releasing in the US several titles from the Great Food series.  I want them all!  Geez those covers are lust-worthy.

Reason #372 on the "why I need a doughnut pan" list. 

Owl brooch!!!!!!!!!!!!

More embroidered book cover goodness.

L is for Lots of Books!!!

I hit up the gigantic charity booksale on Thursday night and again on Saturday.  I bought loads of books for just under $25 (which was my budget).  However, I just realized that I sat down a pile of books and didn't go back and pick them up.  Sigh.  Oh well.  I guess I can say that I stayed on budget and that someone else will get to enjoy those titles I left lying in a pile.

On to the bookish spoils!!!

I won't list out all the titles as they are all pretty clear in the picture.  It is a bit difficult to read the title on that top, left-hand side book.

That's right.  A copy of Carson McCuller's A Member of the Wedding with a funky embroidered copy.  SCORE!!!

Sweet.  I am one happy booknerd with incredibly cramped shelves.  I need to start reading off my shelves more, but I realize I'm saying this with plans to visit the library in the morning.  I am a book glutton and I'm totally okay with that.

Things I'm Loving...

1.  Bright green, thrifted cords

2.  Exciting Rumer Godden news from Virago (Thanks, Verity, for keeping us up to date!)

3.  Baking with apples.  I cannot get enough baked apples and I know I will be making some apple butter soon! 

4.  This autumn cowl (I'm starting it this weekend!)

5.  This be-cupcaked face:

6.  Easy birdfeeders!  

7.  A tattoo-idea.... This vintage owl embroidery pattern on my leg and the ink looking like embroidery stitches.  Whatcha think? 

8.  Made these pumpkin pancakes this week and they were FABULOUS!

9.  Super huge book sale!  I took a peek last night, but I plan on spending tomorrow hunting through thousands of books! 

10.  Lana Del Rey.  Lovin' her!

E is for Embroidery

I think I may love embroidery more than my yarn-crafts.  Although I will admit I'm smitten with knitting patterned dish cloths at the moment, my first love is floss, needle, and hoop.

There are many things to love about embroidery, but what I like most is the versatility.  Simple stitches... complex stitches... minimal colors and/or lines... tons of colors and/or designs... an exercise in one stitch or a palette of many stitches... plain fabric or print clothes.... Well, you get the picture.



I can remember vividly two stitching projects from my childhoods.  One was a blue, burlap cloth that I embroidered with Native American symbols for a school project (I can remember working rows of satin-stitched upside-down hearts) and a blue cloth sampler with my name and a few doodads (I remember loving stitched daisies at the time).  I have no idea why I put embroidery down sometime after the age of eleven, but I have a feeling it had to do with listening to Riot Grrrl Music, writing bad poems, and reading Sassy magazine and feeling like stitching (and baking too) were things that the Patriarchy used to Oppress me.  It didn't matter that I loved it, by golly I had a righteous anger to maintain!



I picked embroidery back up after college when I found myself battling an awful episode of depression.  I was reading, but I had ceased writing for the time being; it just zapped the energy out of me.  Reading was great, but that's an awful lot of intake.  I need to be producing something.  And there we have it... embroidery and to a lesser extent crocheting.  I stitched and stitched and stitched.  The first thing I made was a tea towel riddled with embroidered teapots and teacups for my mom.

I'm a slow stitcher, so I don't produce a lot.  For me it is more about the tranquility of the experience (well, most of the time it is tranquil, I do end up swearing a good bit) than the number of items made.



Right now I'm working on an August stitch-along.  That's right.  Here it is September and I'm still working on an August stitch-along and I'm nowhere near finished.  Oh well....



Basically I'm just learning/practicing different stitches using a vintage pillow case.  I think this might become a pillow or it will be placed in a hoop and hung on the wall.  We'll see how things shake out.

Now I think I have an urge to play in some floss.... g'night!