Now when does summer vacation begin again???

In my area, school starts back for students tomorrow.  I'm not ready!!  In the past the school nurses (that is me) worked 12 months.  We had 6 weeks off this summer and it was so nice!!!  But I didn't get all the stuff I normally would have if I had been working.  So the past 2 weeks I have frantically been playing catch up with staff training and getting ready for my wee ones to return and I just don't feel ready!  I need summer vacation again.

Thus, I have not been doing the fun stuff that relaxes me; reading blogs, baking, sewing, spinning, knitting...I have been fretting and working :)  I need to just get 15 minutes of my fiber therapy in and I will feel better.  Know how that is???

Oh yes, and getting ready for my bellydance student performance!  Yes it is this Saturday and I am so nervous.  Though I have been doing this for almost 6 years now I still panic. 

the big eye...

I will be in 3 tribal "numbers" and one Egyptian....I love the sparkly costumes for Egyptian.  Hey, I just like playing dress up, who am I kidding?????  And getting to wear lots of make-up and false lashes :)  What fun...so if you are in Newton, NC on Saturday at 6pm come on out and see us!  It is a blast!!!  

I will be the one trying not to vomit from nerves or looking constipated (as I have been told I do) from concentrating so hard.

My Skinny Ruffles Shawlette....she is done!

This is the shawl from Ravelry that I finished, finally.

I am very pleased with the outcome; simple, fairly quick, feels great...I used Araucania Ulmo Multy and it took 2 skeins.

blocking...waiting

I blocked it out for a couple of days, though after one night it was dry.  I just got too busy to take out the pins...or you could say I forgot!!!

I love the ruffled edge, it really sets the pattern off, as does the center line...can you tell I loved this shawl pattern???

This is the pattern and I do recommend you try it if you want a simple pattern (great for car travel, waiting in line, walking around the home improvement store with your husband) that is very pretty.  I might make another!!!  But I have a few more things to conquer in the world of knitting first!

A red letter day....

My teachers came back to work today, which meant I had to get up in front of them and provide health training.  Ugh....I get so nervous speaking in front of groups.  It is worse when I am teaching people that teach for a living...very self conscious don't you see?

I calmed my nerves with my new red skips....my $3.00 tennies to be exact.  I just love these little shoes so much and for 3 smackers I bought them in navy blue as well.

They must have worked to calm my nerves, for no one threw food, pencils, books, or rocks at me.  I wasn't booed...not laughed at...so it was a red letter day for me :)

Now my kids come back next week.  Think I will sport the navy shoes for that day, break things up a bit.  Let them see how cool I am :)

You have to try this bread!

I love bread, man I love carbs...all carbs, but really love bread.  I found this recipe and tried it and LOVED it and now making it again...and again...and again... Cheesy Focaccia Bread.  It is so simple and quick and delicious. 

Here is the lovely bread rising for 20 minutes, right after my tender kneading of the dough...actually it was more like a beat down!

Tonight it will be the crust of my BBQ chicken pizza....the only change I made this time was used half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour...we shall see how it turns out.  Oh, and threw in some red pepper flakes. 

I further had my way with the crust when I spread it out on the pizza stone.  Shhh, I forgot to preheat the stone to give it that extra crispy bottom...don't tell His Majesty, he won't be happy.

Then I slapped on some BBQ sauce and scrambled for my toppings, which happened to be grilled chicken, sauteed onions and green peppers, and cilantro.  I think it looks rather tasty....oh yeah, I did cook the little devil pre sauce and toppings for 10 minutes...just to speed it along.  Then slung it back in the oven post toppings for about 15 more minutes.  (light on the cheese please, so I can justify ice cream and Diet Pepsi cupcakes later!!!)

Ta-da beautifully baked and crisped pizza with this amazing bread recipe.  Now, you may hate it, but I love it :)

***post eating note....next time remember to preheat the pizza stone then molest the dough all over it....that might help crisp it more, since the sauce stops a lot of the crisping process.

When you make this focaccia following the recipe and eating as a bread, it has a wonderful texture...go try it!

Now I can go spin some fiber and pick out a little project to use up 85 yards of my handspun...that means pattern search!

Oh, the joy of tidiness...also known as Oh crap, I have way too much stuff!

That happens when you start getting organized.  I tackled my fabric and started getting my stash a little more organized.  Years ago I had read a tip about using comic book cardboard to help fold stash fabric to keep it tidy.  It works wonders....when you do it every time!  I had been tossing my stash into the baskets, but was losing track of what I had, so back to the boards.  I don't remember where, who, or when I read this tip, but I'm passing it along in the hopes it helps someone...

Easy peasy fabric scrap filing system...

1.  I went to my comic book store and bought a box of 100 comic backing boards and broke out pins I already had in the cabinet.

2.  I lay the fabric "scraps" out and place a backing board on top.  I fold the fabric around the board, which gives it stability to keep tidy in a bastket.  I secure it around the board with a straight pin.

3.  Here you see how the fabric just folds over the board and easily pins in place.

4.  I then file the fabric scraps into my baskets, which allows me to see what I have at a glance and keep things tidy :)  The backing boards support the fabric, so it doesn't just pool up in the basket.

5.  And then the baskets go into the sewing room and onto the shelf...you gotta love that!!

And while you are organizing it helps to have a cat close by to help keep things running smoothly.  Ainsley is the perfect helper...but she will NOT work over-time, so make it snappy.

I hope this very simple filing system will help someone else...it is one of the best tips I have ever found.

My last trip....

A little late in posting, but a few weeks ago I took a little trip to Charleston (one of the best places in the world...in my opinion).  The weather was wonderful; sunny and hot...huge shower one afternoon.  We did the touristy thing and walked everywhere, took pictures, ate non-stop, shopped at the market and the outlet, and ate some more.We rented some bikes to tool around the town and that made sightseeing so much easier and fun.  But it was 98 degrees the day we rode, hot!  I survived the heat, but had to make a pit stop at Baked for a snack.  I chose a chocolate dipped macaroon and a peanut butter cookie.  Yes, I'm a pig!After the little snack-a-roo we pedaled around some more until we made it over to a knitting store.It was Knit to be exact!  I love this store.  It is packed with yarn goodness and I always make a stop here when in Charleston.  I made my yarn souvenir purchase (I didn't go crazy!) And then on over to a beading store where I bought 2 large beads for future pendants. I had to take this picture at Knit....I want those cookies!

More cycling and shopping and picture taking ensuedand we ate some more :)  It was a mini vacation, so we had to eat!

Winners!!

Thank you so much for commenting....it was easy, I have 2 winners!  Brenda and Fru-la-la (Silly Fru) left comments and will be receiving the stitch markers!  I learned my love of crafting like you ladies; from my grandmother and mother.  Wonderful memories and continued enjoyment.

So, shoot me an email with your address and I will drop these in the mail to you!!  You can reach me at wooliegirlnc@yahoo.com.  And I will see what else I can post for a giveaway...I'm in the mood!!!

Thanks again for participating!

A giveaway...

Recently, I was the recipient of a great giveaway by Stash Resolution.  I won a very cute 3-fat quarters gift and I love them....they are so cheery and I am incorporating them into a patchwork tote.  I decided I wanted to give something away as well and have 2 sets of stitch markers to give.

That means 2 winners!  Each winner will receive 4 beaded stitch markers, either green or red.  This will be my very first giveaway and I am very excited...I love this and see many more in my future!  I actually made several more sets for that purpose...whoohoo!

So, just leave a comment...oh let's say the topic is "who taught you the love of crafting" and I will pick 2 winners at random on Monday afternoon.  I will be taking my mammaw to breakfast Monday morning, so when I get home at 12ish (she lives a little over an hour away...so gives me time to get back home) I will post the winners.  Hey, if I only get one comment, then you win both!  Come on...join in ;)  I need to find homes for all the future beading I want to do.

Family

This has been a long week for my family, but we have survived and will continue.  We dearly miss my papaw and I wish he was still here with us, with mammaw.  We have spent this week remembering, talking, sharing stories and meals together, and being a family...a big family that can be scary to some people, because we are loud!  I like it!

When I got home from mammaw's I realized my house was a little bit a mess, since I had been in and out all week...in long enough to sleep and then right back out and on the road...so messy house!
I had also neglected (not on purpose) all of my furry children.

So yesterday and today I spent most of my time giving them hugs and kisses and cleaning.  You can see what they did....sleep.  Finley and Ava took their pillow positions.  Corbin grabbed a prime sofa seat, while Truman hid out under the table...ahhh just a normal day in my house.  I like the feeling of normalcy...it makes me feel like things will be okay.

Now I have clean floors, empty hampers, uncluttered kitchen counters, and an empty sink.  Tomorrow will be hiking, knitting, spinning and maybe a little sewing....trying to de-stress and lower the anxiety around here...happy thoughts.  AND I will be posting a giveaway!  I hope someone else will be as excited as I am about that!

My papaw

Carl Eugene Key

My papaw was the BEST MAN I have ever known.  This afternoon we lost my papaw, he passed away.  I have never met a man like him and I never will, the mold was broken.  He was a hard worker, an honest man, a Christian, a giver.....he was my papaw.

This picture was taken this past December when we celebrated the 60th wedding anniversary of him and my mamaw.  60 years, amazing!  He never liked having his picture taken, probably where I get that from, so I don't have many recent ones of him.

This afternoon my family was able to spend some time with him, remember him, laugh and cry.  Over the next few days I am sure all will be a blur...there are so many things I want to tell you about this remarkable man, but right now I just have no words.  My heart is aching.

I have the fever....for beading

I have been playing in my pile of beads the past few weeks and having a good time.  Today I went crazy with 2 bracelets, pair of earrings, and a watch.  What fun, to play with beads and wire and little tools.

I didn't spin today, but I have been knitting on my ruffled edge shawl...working on the ruffle.  I will be focusing on that project this weekend.  I have promised her my attention fully...I will be in a car, so I will be able to knit until I get car sick :)

Oh, almost forgot!!!  I made some beaded stitch markers and will be giving these away.  Whoohoo!!  I will post the pics of these this weekend and see how that goes.  I just hope there is someone out there reading this little blog...so I can give them away!

The doggie fence is coming....

Ava and Finley, also known as Ike and Tina or Bonnie and Clyde, are getting a fence!  It will be finished tomorrow, fingers crossed.


You don't know how happy this makes me or how much this will help me...open the door, let them out to tinkle....loving it!

Cats need a break...open the backdoor and out they go...genius!
Now placing bets on how long before one of them digs out and goes for help to spring the other...any takers????

On a knitty note, I am knuckles deep in making stitch markers. Truly enjoying the wire wrapping and bead playing that is involved...and since I won a fat quarter pack the other day from Stash Resolution (big happy dance) I thought I needed to pay it forward, like Coggietm talks about.  Thus, I will be making some more up and having a little giveaway of my own.  Exciting!!!!

But for now, the fence is not finished and the FrankenFinley is whining at the door.  Time to go tinkle ...or as we say in this house...group pee!!

Tour de Fleece 2010 has come to an end....

 

My handspun

So glad I joined TDF this year and didn't just lurk.  I had a great time, spun more than I ever would have without the deadlines, and will do it again next year.  

I met several goals, including spinning with mohair locks, spinning alpaca, and learning to love very imperfect yarn :)

I have to find a missing bobbin of corriedale-alpaca that went MIA yesterday.  I will be searching under beds, couches, and counters for the little booger.  I'm sure a cat or dog thought it was a cool prize...CSI will be called in for saliva prints and the guilty party will be placed in time out!

I suspect it is Princess Maggie, which is His Majesty's cat...she hates me.  Peed on me twice while we were dating...and once in my bag.  She is the confiscator of roving, as well as the sleep-on-top-of new-fabric diva...

Dogs and children...so similar (and a TDF update)

Have you ever stopped to think about how dogs and children are alike?  I did today and I feel there is a strong comparison between the two.  Maybe it is just me, but tell me what you think.

1.  You can never go to the bathroom by yourself.  There is always a little one trailing behind you to see where you are going and what you are doing.
2.  It never fails that when you get on the phone they immediately need to tell you something. Never mind they have been quiet for the last 45 minutes, completely ignoring you.  You will hear (at loud volumes) mommy, mommy, mommy/bark, bark, bark!!!!!!
3.  When you finally have 10 minutes of quiet (everyone else taking a nap or playing quietly) to sit and knit, spin, or close your eyes they instantly spring to life and begin destroying something.  If you are busy, they are fine.  If you sit down, chaos ensues.
4.  They do not want to share snacks, toys, or pillows.  Even if you give them an identical snack, they believe the other one has a bigger one or one that tastes better.  Even if you give them an identical toy, they must take the other's toy away and play with it....they do not share!
5.  They choose the moment you are walking out the door (with someplance to go and needing to look presentable) to throw up, pee, poop, knock over food/liquids...which land on YOU...or muddy feet.
6.  It never fails when you are in the check out line that they pitch a fit for whatever candy, hot wheel, pig ear, or tennis ball is hanging at the register....and scream/bark loudly and embarrass you to no end.
7.  They do not listen!  You tell them to quit picking on each other and be sweet and they torment one another...they smack with their hands/paws, they steal treats, they yell in each other's ears, they sit on each other's heads....you get the picture.
8.  They do the cutest things (repeatedly) until you want to show someone, then they act like you are making it up and refuse to cooperate.
9.  When they do something they know is wrong they run and hide.  It is usually after they come look at you (to see if you are on to them) then take off and hide.
And I began to wonder why do I do it...why torment myself with this madness.  People often tell me that since I don't have children I don't understand...well you are wrong.  I do understand.  I have not slept a full night in months, since Ava came along.  She has to get up and pee during the night, she barks for a drink of water, blah, blah, blah.

Anyway, I wondered why and then I remembered why we keep these poopies (and kids) around.  At night, after a long day of fussing, work, grumpiness, cleaning up a hundred little messes....they curl up beside you and lay their beautiful little heads in your lap.  They look up at you with big, puppy dog eyes full of love and trust and your heart fills with happiness.  That is why...the sweet moments.

And on the TDF update....still spinning along on the corriedale/alpace, which I like.  On bobbin number 2 and hoping to have 4 bobbins when I am done with this batt. 

The colors are a gold/yellow/brown/rust...hard to describe, but very much like fall leaves here in North Carolina.  Beautiful...

The Versatile Blogger Award

Holy macaroni (which would be really good right now) I have been tagged/picked for this award.  Me!  I am so shocked and honored, yay, picked!!!  I was always one of the last picked in PE, since I have NOT a single athletic bone in my body, but we don't have time for that today or enough tissues for my melodrama..

The Versatile Blogger Award....

So, the rules are to first graciously thank the person that picked you with this award... THANK YOU CoggieTM for picking me...I'm smiling!

Now list 7 things that people may not know about you...that is tough, since I can be a blabbermouth, but I will try.

1.  I have never been able to do a cartwheel, ever, and have such shame and embarrassment that I lack the skill and coordination to do such a simple thing.  Even boys can do a cartwheel, but not me!

2.  I buy things in twos for some odd reason and not sure why I do it, but just started noticing it.  Like when I buy toothpaste I buy 2 tubes.  Buy detergent, 2 bottles.  Buy cat crack treats, 2 packages.  Buy moisturizer, yep, 2 bottles.  What is that???  OCD?  I have no idea, but my buggy always has 2 of most things...  Well, it might be that I am stockpiling for when zombies take over, since that is a possibility :)


3.  I have an addiction to doing laundry.  I find the motions of sorting, washing, folding, etc. very therapeutic and look forward to the dirty clothes piles.  (I'm not a sicko, swear)  I will even strip the bed and wash everything if I don't have a load in the hamper when I am stressed.



4.  I can't operate our TV/DVD/Wii station.  I can turn on the TV, but that is as far as it goes, so I just don't go into the man cave to watch it.  His Majesty set up the system and it is so complicated I would have to go back to college for an engineering degree to figure out how to watch a bleeping DVD, so I don't.  (and I dare not ask, oh the ridicule....I think this was his way to keep me out of there!)

5.  I don't wear shorts in public.  Okay so most people I know know this, but they don't know why.  It too is a long story, but I just don't wear shorts unless I am on vacation.  (I wear skirts and capris).   I have an issue with how my legs look and I am too self conscious to wear them.  Oh, no bathing suits either!


6.  I lick the bowl!  Yes, I am a batter bowl licker and I don't want to hear a word about the raw eggs!!  I might even go make a cake right now, just so I can lick the bowl!  There is nothing in this world like licking that bowl....ah the memories of childhood and being the chosen one to lick a beater.  Good times!

7.  I have never been waxed on any part of my body, for I am terrified of the pain!  I think I am beginning to grow a moo-stash (or so the shampoo gal told me) and probably should look into waxing that puppy off, but it scares me so much!  And don't even talk about the bikini area, that is insane!

Well, I hope that enlightened you to how abnormal I think I may be at this point...it did me!  I will tag a few wonderful bloggers with this award and then go throw on some shorts while I make a cake, sort some towels for the wash, heat up the wax and roll around in the yard attempting a cartwheel :)  Thank you again CoggieTM

Please visit these wonderful bloggers that I am passing the crown to:
Stash Resolution
Quality Time
How to eat a cupcake

My little superfreak...part 2

Yes, the story continues...hum along with me...Rick James, bust a move...here is the little vixen on the yarn stretcher, trying to stretch out the kinks.  Did it work?  Well, no it didn't.  That is okay though, I have accepted defeat.  I cried my tears of despair and embraced our differences.  She is what she is, kinky.  I shouldn't judge.

 

After all, she is mine and she looks good in a ball...with a cricket.  I haven't counted the yardage and will have to do that tomorrow.  Still no clue what I will knit with her, but I will peruse the one skein books and get some ideas.  Kinky, who knew I had that in me (wink, wink)...

And the Tour de Fleece 2010 goes on for me with this little number; a corriedale-alpaca blend that is spinning quite nicely.  I am enjoying it.  I spin and watch my Netflix shows that I am now hooked on.  Yes, my addiction...no, not the wine.  That is a whole other story...I hate wine!  Yuck!!!  But then stumbled upon this winery at the festival a few weeks ago, taste tested, loved it, bought a bottle....celebrated with a swig after finishing this bobbin and starting another...so if you enjoy wine (good for your heart!) visit Carolina Mist Winery.  It is tasty!  ....maybe I should take up drinking to help my spinning....let's ponder this over a glass of wine, shall we???

Now, show addiction in a nutshell....I am hooked on a few shows that I can only watch through Netflix, since we only have an antenna and get 3 channels (basically, depending on the weather).  My secret pleasure viewing includes:
Sons of Anarchy, Rescue Me, Dexter, The Tudors, The Riches, Tru Blood, and Breaking Bad...to name a few.  Do you see a pattern?  I think I am a delinquent!

I love prizes...

I love prizes and I love reading my favorite blogs.  Sometimes they go hand in hand!  Today I am linking you to one of the blogs I read and podcasts I listen to, since she is having a giveaway...yahoo! Stash Resolution is hosting this fabric giveaway and my fingers are crossed that it is my lucky day.

I'm all about fabric these days and getting ready to start sewing a few tops and working on some baby quilts, so the more fabric the merrier.  Please check Stash Resolution out and join the fun!

Rockin a niddy noddy...make it yourself!

Yep, feast your eyes on what became my niddy noddy.  See, all of this TDF spinning has put a hurtin on my skeiner and I needed a niddy noddy.  Well, just needed one anyway.  So I went shopping online to find one, ikes, expensive for my budget.  I decided to just google how to make one and found tons of PVC directions out there.  They were everywhere, so I made a list of supplies and bing, bam, boom went to the home improvement store.

All of the directions were pretty much the same.  The only difference was the length of the pipes.  I had this puppy put together in 5 minutes, no joke.  And that was with the poopies wrestling under my feet.

So, go make your own.  Here is what I bought and the cost:

4 - 1/2 inch slip caps to put on the ends, total $1.08

2 - 1/2 inch Tee connectors, total .56 cent

a 1/2 inch diameter piece of PVC pipe (bought the whole piece, about 5 feet), total $1.02

CHEAP!

The wonderful home man cut the PVC pipe for me, saving me that work!  I had it cut: the center piece 15 inches long, then 4 pieces at 5 inches long each.

Then I just put it together...looks like this.  Now I have to go and slap some yarn on it!  I love it and it was cheap and fast and saved my some moolah.

That is good since I turned my back for 10minutes and Ava and Finley did this to a cushion...(insert bad words here!!!)

The good things today included having lunch with my baby brother, Quinn.  Also, sewing 2 scrub tops and 2 pairs of Elvis pj pants, those will go in the mail to my niece tomorrow.

Oh yeah, made some blondies too and they are pretty tasty :)  Tomorrow will be making a necklace and earrings, sewing my top, knitting and spinning...and dog walking !!

Fabric-eey goodness to behold...

to become tops...

Well the brown/green/pink will be a scrub top, the brown and teal and the pink will be a cute little top pattern I found that looks quick and only takes 1 1/8 yard of fabric, sweet...Butterick 5216 will hopefully end up cute.  Fingers crossed.

Elvis will become pj pants for my niece HANNAH...another cute Butterick pattern (3314).  She loves Elvis, but it is a secret, so don't tell anyone.

I have already made my niece CAROLINE her pj pants, well actually shorts...

and then I made her a Peace purse...

I recycled the handles from a thrift store purse....1 buck, that's talking!  All of this was due to "getting to know your Bernina" and the fact that there was a big fabric sale and I wanted to buy something.  Have you ever felt that way?  Just feel the need to buy something...I bought fabric.

My Tour de Fleece day has been a little slow; mostly dog walking, sewing, and laundry.  Just heated up a cup of coffee and will hit the wheel in a minute.  The poopies are sleeping and His Majesty is out looking at a car...no clue when he will be back.  It is quiet here and I had better take advantage!