2nd Annual BYOP

Things have been rather intense around here the past couple months, with layoff notice warnings & actual layoffs (one for each of us), the subsequent worries about making ends meet, trying to figure out how the heck to run a freelance and then new jobs lined up (yes, one for each of us), but one thing was clear even when it looked like we would both be out of work at the same time…

The show must go on and the annual BYOP Carving Party would happen. Even if we had to ask our friends to not only bring their own pumpkins, but to bring food as well.

Luckily, our luck shifted rather quickly. Mike was able to line up a new job a mere 4 days after being laid off (yet somehow I don't think he was able to enjoy his month of unemployment one bit). And I – well mine took a bit longer, about a month and a half after finding out my full time job would finished come the beginning of November, I was offered a new position at a company that (fingers crossed) will have a bit more stability.

Because of the shift in luck, we were able to treat our friends this weekend to fabulous fall evening, complete with pumpkin carving, food and silly costumes (though I must give a shout out to the De Wildes for providing a yummy pumpkin soup & a couple others who brought some sweets).

Since this year's festivities took place so close to Halloween, we left it up to our guests on whether they wanted to come in costume or not. We had everything from Babe-raham Lincoln to Where's Waldo to Lindsay Lohan.

I've been wanting to dress up as Coraline since last year. I was able to find the perfect rain slicker shortly after Halloween last year, so with my rain boots and some sprayed blue hair I was able to pull it off. Though I wasn't the most recognizable obviously since I was asked multiple times if I was the Morton salt girl - ha!

Mike surprised me the morning of the party, while I was cooking the day away, when he said he wanted to go to the party as the Fantastic Mr Fox. Now when we first saw the movie last year, I immediately thought he should dress up as him and even said I'd make him the costume. Nearly a year went by and no mention of it, not even when I spoke of my costume plans. But not wanting to snuff out the flicker of enthusiasm that matched my own, I said I would make it work - that I could make him a bandit cap to wear with a corduroy blazer & pants he already owned. I still have nearly an entire bolt of orange fur fabric from four years ago, so to Mike's amazement I was even able to give him little fox ears so he didn't look entirely like a burglar. If only he had told me the night before when I went to the costume store, I could have gotten him a fox nose to make the costume perfect.

It was a mellow evening that involved devouring buffalo chicken dip, Bugle crack (caramelized Bugles) and candy corn cupcakes. But it's definitely the kind of evening that suits me, and I'm already starting to think about next year.

And I did it!

After a few years of "talking" about it (ok, not really talking but it did appear on my 101 in 1001 list and subsuquent New Year's resolution lists), and almost a year of running, I finally took the plunge and ran my FIRST EVER 5k event on the Fourth of July - the Firecracker 5000 in Peoria.

Exciting, I know! Nerve-wrecking as well (see my apprehension here). But I did it, which is awesome.

Now I know I'm not the fastest, actually let me rephrase that… I know I'm really slow, but I accomplished all my goals and Mike's as well in this race.

Goal #1: Finish race by running the entire 5k course - Check!
Goal #2: Don't come in last - Check!
Goal #3 (aka Mike's goal): Finish in under 40 min - Check!

Though I started running at the end of last July (and it lasted until the beginning of November), I only started to get pretty serious about it this spring after I tried to start the Couch to 5k program again in February. I've been running the 5k distance pretty regularly since mid-May, so really this wasn't a giant physical breakthrough, it was more of a mental one. Showing myself that I really can do it. And though my 39 minute 5k was my personal best (PR came earlier in the week before the race when I clocked in at 38:05 one morning with Mike - after choking a couple days earlier during his attempt to get me in at 40min), I was so happy with the result.

When the race started (and I took off like a jack rabbit - unintentionally - according to Mike), I was totally overwhelmed. I wanted to step onto the sidewalk, sit down and start bawling. And though my breathing was nearing hyperventilation, I took to heart what Coach (aka Mike) told me and really focused on taking deep even breaths. Before the first mile was even complete, I had calmed down and spent a lot of time trying to not to focus on ALL the people flooding past me.

Seriously I felt like I was running at least a 15 minute mile and I was convinced that if I turned around, I would see that I was quickly becoming one of the last runners on the road. I was shocked when I came to the first mile clock and realized I was running an 11 minute mile (I NEVER run an 11 minute first mile, I'm usually lucky if I can hit 12:30). That worried me a bit, and I knew if I tried to continue at that pace, though the prospect of a 33 min time was tempting, I would end up needing to walk and for my first 5k that was not something I wanted to do. I wanted to prove that I could run the entire thing, gosh darn it!

So I tried to slow myself down, though I wasn't really successful until after my second mile (I hit mile 2 at around 24 minutes) - around the time I finally saw Mike on the course. Silly him, was panicking because he thought he was at the 1.5 mile mark and was freaking out that I hadn't passed him yet, little did he know (until he started jogging next to me and I told him) I was at the 2.5 mile mark. By this time I was really dragging and even though I knew the finish was so close and that I should push it, I wasn't really successful in doing so - though it sure felt like it while I was running. Looking at the photos from the last quarter mile or so are kind of embarrassing because it seriously looks like I'm walking. I swear I wasn't - I'm just not a very good runner, haha!

According to Mike, I was neck & neck with another girl coming up on the finish line and she kept trying to edge me out, but I'm pretty sure I succeeded in beating her (I can't ask Mike for sure because he's at a work thing, doh). I have no recollection of this at all. All I know is I was singing along to my ipod trying to get myself to just forget how hard I was having to work and to just push myself to cross the finish line.

Thanks to my trusty Garmin Forerunner, I was able to know my real time for the race (39 minutes) because though I was wearing a chip so therefore have an official time (39:26, I believe), the race coordinators didn't have us cross the chip pads to start the race, only to finish.

After getting my chip clipped, I grabbed some Gatorade and water and sat down to wait for the official times to be posted. As you can see by my last photo, I was really, really sweaty after running. Though the morning seemed like it was going to be awesomely pleasant (then again it was 5am when we left), it was actually pretty warm out that morning on the river and it didn't help one bit that we were on pavement and in the sun the entire time.

For some reason, earlier in the week, I got it in my head that I absolutely needed to have a Dunkin Donut pink frosted donut after the race, so Mike indulged me - though it wasn't nearly as yummy as I remembered (I swear, they had changed the recipe since I was a little kid!). Then we headed to Mike's parents' to have a lunch BBQ and wash up, and then headed to my college roommate's to visit and continue our 4th of July tradition of getting together (this year with a baby added to the mix!).

Oh! How could I forget, of course my first race couldn't go off without a hitch. As I stood in line for the port-a-potty shortly before race time, I hear my name (and ONLY my name) being called over the PA. Luckily the nice women behind me let Mike hold my place (because I REALLY had to go), as I ran to the PA person. Turns out the registration lady forgot to mark my bib number on my registration form - the form I forced her to take because though I paid online, I was emailed and told I needed a paper form for legal reasons, but she didn't think that was necessary - so it was nothing I did wrong, but it was still embarrassing. Thankfully it was also quick, so I was able to get back to my spot in the port-a-potty line before my turn was up because as I mentioned earlier, I REALLY had to go.

If you want to see a little video Mike put together to commemorate my first 5k, click here to watch it on YouTube. If you couldn't tell, we just got a video camera and Mike is obsessed (which has compounded in the past few days since we also got a new MacBook Pro that can handle the video editing way better than the netbook could).

Let's Go Fly a Kite…

While home for Easter (yes, I know, it was over a month ago), Mike & I, along with my mom, sister and Bray took the mini kites I picked up out for a fly. As luck would have it, it was probably too windy to fly kites, but that didn't stop us from tromping to the park a few blocks away for some tree-free kite-flying space.

Now I thought I was going to be the cool aunt who buys her nephew the awesome dragon kite, especially after finding out he had just seen, and I quote, "Dreamwork's How to Train Your Dragon" (yes, that is exactly how my 5 year old nephew referred to the movie - superb marketing anyone?). Well, it turns out that the dragon kite flies like crap, or should I say, does an excellent job of hover a couple inches off the ground before divebombing. On the plus side, the adorable little owl kite I picked up for myself (hmm, perhaps I should have picked up the turtle or fish instead of the dragon for Bray) was rockin' the airstream as well as a mini kite on an extremely windy day can be expected…until a certain 5 year old let go, and it flew right across the street into a neighbor's tree.

Needless to say, we didn't last very long in the park before heading home. There's only so many times even a 5 year old will "go run out there to the kite and hold it as high as you can while Uncle Mike tries to get it in the air."

But as it has been longer than I can remember since I flew a kite, it was fun nonetheless. And makes me think we should get a kite and find a clear field on of these days.

Easter 2010
(and yes, I'm in a dress…voluntarily, it was my little Easter surprise for everyone :-D )
(and I'd like to add that I am not the shortest in the family, by a long shot. As photographer, I had to run to get in the picture and to make sure I was in the frame I stood behind Mike - and was in extremely flat, practically pieces of cardboard, sandals)

For the Kiddies.

Project #44 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Activity Satchel

I admit it, I am one of those aunts (godmothers, adults in general).

I will try my darnedest not to give you the overly commercialized, plastic toys that you crave for your birthday or Christmas if you are a kid in my life.

As a kid in my life, you can expect books. When not books, handmade toys. When I can't find an appropriate book for the occasion or don't have time to make a handmade toy, you will most likely get some sort of activity to do - like an age-appropriate craft or a coloring books with crayons or if you're luckily a board game.

I can't say I'll keep this up when I eventually have children, but I like to think I will. That my home won't be overrun with brightly colored, breakable, plastic toys. And until then, I'll inflicted the wee ones in my life with my ideals.

Project #45 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Rodney & Chomps Stuffed Buddy Carrier

This Christmas I only crafted two gifts for the little kids in our lives (only our nephew, Braydon and Mike's cousin's daughter were lucky enough to make the list this year). The first being what I dub an "Activity Satchel" for a tiny little, princess-obsessed two-year-old who would be joining us for Christmas Eve dinner out at a restaurant. I figured she wouldn't be as quiet as she had been in the previous two years, so what better gift than one that could be put to use right away. This satchel is a simplified version of the Travel Activity Tote I made Bray a couple years ago, this time with only a pocket for a pad of paper on one side and 8 crayon pockets & a peg people pocket on the other. A simple loop handle fit for a small hand. And that was it. Compact enough to fit in mom's purse, but packed with an hour or so of continuous fun.

Happily, it was well received. She was able to rip it open almost immediately upon us entering the house and as the paper came out, little cries of "Crraaayoonnns!" were exclaimed and then she proceeded to go through at least 10 pieces of paper in the few minutes before we left the house. Luckily the restaurant table was covered in white paper so she didn't end up blowing through the entire pad in the one night.

A rather bad photo showing the special Chomps compartment.

The second gift I whipped up was for dear little Bray, who asked me before Thanksgiving if I could make him a special carrier to hold his two best buddies, Rodney the reindeer and Chomps the alligator. According to my sister, they had been out and Bray said, "Mommy, I miss Rodney & Chomps. I wish I could bring them with us." So Aunt Sarah got the call. At Thanksgiving, I took Bray to the fabric store to pick out any fabric he wanted for his bag. On the way there I was asking him what his favorite color was and if he had a favorite pattern (like stripes or polka dots) and he rambled on like only a soon-to-be-5-year-old can. Then as we started to walking through the aisle, we came across a large, dark blue striped home dec fabric and Bray exclaimed, "that's it Aunt Sarah, exactly the fabric I was telling you about!" Sadly I wasn't able to get the bag, which is of my complete own design, done in time for his birthday, but I needed to get his mom her hats and then time just slipped away until it was the weekend before Christmas and I realized it was now or never.

So last weekend I got to work whilst Harry Potter movies played in the background. It only took 3 HP movies to complete (#2, 3 & 4 for those who are interested - #1 was used in making the Activity Satchel), but it was completed in plenty of time to give at Christmas.

This bag was quite a doozy to work on. First my measurements of the stuffed animals were off, way off. As I cut out all the fabric needed for the outside and full lining, and then started to sew it together, I realized that I had an enormous bag on my hands. Like too big for even my body, let alone a 5 year old, so I had to much adjustments after having the entire outer bag sewed up. I'll just say it involved cutting off several inches of height and then sewing the side width in half. Second, I had a very specific vision for how I wanted the bag to work. It would resemble a tote bag with a long messenger bag style handle, but then it would have a side opening on the bottom appropriate for a long horizontal stuffed animal to sit and then a shorter inner lining that would act as a seat for our long time bud, Rodney. Since Chomps is an alligator, and I just so happened to have fishy fabric, I decided that Chomps needed a water based environment. The bag was lined in a watery blue and then I created a heavy interfacing base wrapped in fishy fabric that not only acts as food for Chomps, but also as structure for the bag.

In all the Christmas excitement, the bag didn't get nearly as much awe as it deserved. How can I compete with Bakugan & a real flying helicopter?! It was tough to get a picture of the little monster wearing it with his buddies stowed away. Though it didn't receive the Christmas glory, knowing how much Bray loves his Rodney & Chomps, it should get plenty of use. And that's what really matters. :)

Bray modeling his carrier (again) before heading out on Christmas Eve.

The Easy Way.

Project #46 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Set of 5 Super Chunky Christmas Cookie Mix in a Jar

I admit, I took the easy way out this year.

Instead of devoting a weekend to baking Christmas cookies to give out as gifts, I took inspiration directly from Rachel Ray Magazine and layered the ingredients in pretty jars and made my friends & family do the work.

I like to think I'm giving those friends and family members a chance to make cookies at their leisure because if they're anything like me, they come home from every event with a package of more cookies than they should be eating.

Plus they get an awesome jar!

I should send a shout out to the cashier at Hobby Lobby for considering the 3 I bought there as "decorative glass" and giving them to me for 50% off.

Project #47 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Set of 8 Felt Christmas Bows

You can kind of get a sense of my wrapping scheme this year as well by looking at the line of jars. I wrapped the majority of our gifts in brown kraft paper (until I ran out the night before we left and had to run to the grocery store and grab the cheapest non-blatant Christmas paper available) and wrapped a few strands of deep red yarn around instead of a ribbon. Simple, crafty, and very much the vibe I wish to give off at Christmas. Then a lucky few received a handcrafted felt Christmas bow in a deep forest green.

I saw a blog post by Twig & Thistle earlier in the month taking a tutorial by How About Orange for making package bows out of magazines and using felt instead, and I thought it would be an elegant way to finishing my simple packages. I had grand plans of making one for every package we were giving out, but alas, I started only on Monday night and then forgot to pick up more sheets of the craft felt sheets when I ran to Michaels on Tuesday before craft group. Oops.

I ended up topping each of the cookie mix jars with a bow and then placing one on a package for my mom, sister & mother-in-law figuring they would most likely actually reuse them which was the intended dual purpose.

They're super easy to make, especially assembly-line-style, plus they gave me an excuse to break out the hot glue gun which doesn't get much use around these parts. I'm thinking I might use some of my stashed craft felt to make some more. None of my colors are really Christmasy though, so I'm not sure how much use I would get out of them. They might actually become clutter in a different form. Maybe I'll just put that idea on the bottom of the list and if I need something to do, the idea will be there.

A Thanksgiving: In Pictures

Thursday, November 26, 2009: 10AM
After waking shortly after 9, getting my ipod fix & a shower, the day begins with a little breakfast and a review of the day's timeline.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 11AM
Appetizers in full swing, both must be baked & out of the oven before the turkey can go in.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 12PM
Turkey out of the brine and being prepped for roasting…a bit behind schedule.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 1PM
As the roasting turkey freaks Nibbler out (see her try to get as far as possible from the house), I try to sneak in a couple more chores before guests arrive…I don't make it.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 2PM
Then the prep continues, this time for all the side dishes.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 3PM
As the temperature rises in the bird, things get into full swing.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 4PM
Turkey out, side dishes in. Boy, would a dual oven come in handy, but I have to say I did pretty well managing my space & getting things out on the table pretty quick.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 5PM
Prayer said, plates dished, dig in.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 6PM
Dessert, a la Cheesecake Factory (but homemade).


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 7PM
An after dinner trip to stock up on pants for the ever-growing soon-to-be-five-year-old: denied. Unable to enter the store at 6:57, as the were closing at 7. Bah Hum Bug.


Thursday, November 26, 2009: 8PM
Winding down before calling it an early night (I had a 4AM wake up call looming over my head).

Hard At Work

Downside to not going to work: I tend not to drink anything when I'm home, therefore I get dehydrated and become plagued with headaches.

I even tried to make a conscious effort by having my water bottle filled and opened at the counter while I worked around the house. But here I am, at 9:30, water chugged, tylenol popped and I'm still fighting a headache that rears it ugly head every time I go from standing to sitting. Like my brain can't handle the altitude change or something…ha!

My day was spent accomplishing a lot, too much maybe. I was able to knock a lot of things of the to do list in a short amount of time, not exactly the precedent I want to be setting or Mike might expect that kind of magic more often.

But for the most part things are ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow. Last couple things on the agenda: put turkey in the brine and prep the crab rangoon (yum). Then I'm going to bed and sleeping until 10 (so Mike, you better not wake me up).

1st Annual BYOP

For many years, I have expressed desire to host a Halloween party. Not necessarily a costume party, but one celebrating the fun of fall - what better way to celebrate than with warm comfort food and pumpkin carving. The first year we had our own house, we had just moved into the house the month before and it felt like the house wouldn't be inviting. Last year, Halloween just snuck up on us and we couldn't pull it off. And this year, I almost let a vacation and overall social situation hesitance postpone it for another year, but Mike pushed me into sending out the invites and therefore planning the party.

Project #35 in '50 in 2009 Challenge'

What I was most excited about was a reason to cook the first real batch of Autumn comfort food of the season. And...tackling cookie decorating for a second time - especially after running across this blog post of tips from Sweetopia! Let me tell you, these turned out to be some of the best homemade cookies I've made, I even approved of their taste, and I am very much a lover of processed, perservative-filled cookies (I'll take break-n-bakes over homemade any day). It's strange because I've very much gotten out of the habit of using a lot of convenience foods, even things like taco seasoning, but when it comes to cookies, I have very particular tastes. Usually when I make cookies - yes, I still attempt to make cookies because normal people tend to like homemade cookies - I have a token sample, but the rest typically are left for Mike or visitors. Martha Stewart did me good (her Cookie Book - Cut Out Sugar Cookies) and I must say I've enjoyed a few of these in the past few days.

Anyways, I was excited to finally have a reason to use the Halloween cookie cutters I got a couple years ago, so I went all out. Searching for a recipe, looking up icing tips & trick, buying a rainbow pack of icing dye gel and then devoting several days to these cookies. I'm very happy with the results - especially when looking back on my first attempt (mistake #1: using store bought tubes of icing) - but I hope to try again soon as I suspect my icing needed more water so it could actually flood and I wouldn't need to smear. All in all, I decorated about 3 dozen Frankensteins, cats, bats and pumpkins, but was a fun-filled Friday night of listening to NPR well into the evening hours.

Besides the cookies, I made chili and corn bread; munchies like puppy chow, pumpkin seeds & buffalo chicken dip; a hot apple rum (as the signature drink); and savory hand pies, using my new apple & pumpkin hand pie molds from Williams-Sonoma, stuffed with sauage, feta, spinach, onion & mushrooms or potatoes, onion, bell peppers & cheddar. I'm going to have to think of a way to incorporate the hand pies into our next gathering, Thanksgiving, because they were really fun to make and delicious. It actually has me thinking that it may be a good idea to make some and freeze them already baked for easy lunches, so I won't need to rely on Hot Pockets so much.

My Jack Skellington, the winning pumpkin & Mike's Rod Blagojevich's Hair

Besides the food, you know, there was an actual party with people going on and I think it went well. At first, it looked like it might only be Mike & I, another couple and a friend from Mike's work, but by the end of the night we had 13 people there for the duration, plus another 3 drop in later on in the night. And the best part was everyone (who was there for the duration) participated in pumpkin carving despite comments coming in such as fear of pumpkins (several people seriously expressed being creeped out by pumpkins) and thinking that pumpkin carving sounds like something women would be in to! I was so surprised that everyone was participating that though I was prepared with a special trophy, I hadn't thought through how we would actually give it away. Seriously I thought there may have only been a couple other people besides Mike & I that would have pumpkins. I'm glad everyone "let loose" and got into it because it was neat to see all the pumpkins lit up together. Kinda like our very own Jack-O-Latern Spectacular which was nice since I've managed to miss it the last two years. We ended up really lucking out weather-wise, too. The area's been plagued with lots of rain and cold lately, but the rain held off until about an hour after everyone went home at midnight and though it was chilly, it wasn't cold enough that with jackets and a little fire & hot apple rum, we couldn't stay outside for the whole party (double bonus for us because it means besides the kitchen, our cleaned house stayed clean - yay!).

I'm already thinking about next year, and planning a trip to the party store on November 1 in hopes of picking up some more of the trophies on sale. Hee hee.

Cookbook Challenge: How to Eat Supper #7

The Splendid Table's Sweet Roasted Butternut Squash and Greens Over Bow-Tie Pasta

I have been on a How to Eat Supper kick lately, I ended up making this pasta the day after we had the Supper Tart (I've tackled 3 more recipes this week with another 2 planned). And considering this baby calls for a pound of bow-tie pasta and a 3 pound butternut squash, we were eating it for days after. I love when lunch is taken care of for me!

There may be nothing better in the crisp fall air than roasted butternut squash. Sweet and slightly caramelized…yum, yum, yum.

Gosh, I love fall.

I mean, look at those colors. And then there's all the cozy traditions this time of year brings out, like buying the first half gallon of apple cider (which I did this weekend, and have been enjoying a hot mugful at night), and digging out sweaters, and wearing furry slippers in the morning, and trips to the apple orchard (which I hope we'll be able to do this weekend). Then there are also new traditions trying to sprout up - I really need to crack down and set a date for my 1st annual BYOP party. It's something I've wanted to do for years, but each Halloween since we've had our house has slipped by me. I am determined to have a pumpkin carving party this year…I swear. With chili and hand pies and frosted Frankenstein cookies and trophies! Does anyone know where I can buy wholesale pumpkin carving tools? I'd like to have several sets on hand, but would prefer not to spend $6+ on each.

How I Spent My Easter Vacation.

Project # 15 in '50 in 2009 Challenge' - Cowboy Easter Basket

I was granted an additional day off (Good Friday is a work holiday) last week to allow me to recuperate from the previous two weeks of working non-stop trying to get our magazine done on time under the tight schedule.

It was great. Refreshing, relaxing and productive (if not a little destructive, too). Just what the doctor ordered. Though today was tough, I was getting a little too use to not going to work after 4 days off.

I started my mini-spring break, as I like to think of it, Wednesday night with a yummy homemade meal and my favoritest tv show. Then woke up a heck of a lot earlier than ever expected (8am) to start a day full of crafting and cooking.

I had grand plans for my two days off before heading up north to spend Easter with my family - like completing 2 large projects and 3 smaller ones, plus making pizza, bread and cinnamon rolls.

Instead I got:
- a completed fabric easter basket (in one day…squee!)
- beer battered chicken strips for lunch
- homemade pizza for dinner
- 3/4 of a completed doggie diaper bag…

which is when I busted my machine and all progress stopped (all in all, a good thing because we were leaving for the weekend in a few hours and I hadn't packed myself or the dog, nor picked up my dad's birthday present yet).

So yes, I busted my machine. My practically new machine's shaft does not raise without grasping it and shoving it up and then when stitching, the foot goes all crazy and turns to one side, eventually ending up underneath the needle and breaking it.

I actually tried to continue by using my finger as a guide to keep the foot in-line, but once I got to the point of top stitching the lining into the outer shell, I decided it would be too hard to manuever the stiff 3d structure through the machine with only one (non-dominate) hand.

So I stopped, disappointed, packed Nibbler's stuff in a American Girl shopping bag and headed to the Harley store to find my dad a present before we headed north.

Ingenius use of tools laying in the backyard.

The weekend was pretty relaxing. We got to my parents' house in time for dinner and it was still light (a big change from getting there at like 10 when we usually do). Then spent the weekend eating and watching some tv. Not much else. Well, besides chasing around Bray. Who is a handful, of course (oh! and he can spell his name now, so that was an exciting new trick). Nibbler cuted her way into being allowed to sit on mom's couch. I caught up on Castle (a new tv show) and finally spent my Williams-Sonoma gift card I got for my birthday last year by heading to the store (which allowed my to get a dough mat & mini rolling pin for only $4 since I didn't have to pay shipping). Mike watch 229 (HGTV) and got just a little bit drunk off scotch during our Saturday Easter dinner.

We were all pretty exhausted Sunday on our drive back. I was able to sleep a couple hours (much needed since I was up until midnight the night before making cinnamon rolls & then got up at 6 to bake them for breakfast), Nibbler quietly lounged the entire ride home (on the way up she has bursts of crying throughout the entire ride) and Mike drove in piece listening to baseball & golf without me bugging him.

We hadn't seen my family since Christmas and really hadn't been out of Springfield since then either, so it was nice to get out of town. But ask me at the end of next month, and I'll probably be singing a different story (we have another trip up there and a trip for them down here all within the next month and a half). ;)

Do you like the easter basket I worked up for Bray? Homemade from my stash (well besides the interfacing). The grass is actually green yarn, in a slightly neon shade, that I got from my mother-in-law's stash. And since I ran out of time to make any gifts, I provided Bray with some paints and wood easter eggs & a pair of plaster dinosaurs to paint. I try to give an activity if I can't make the gift, and he seemed to have fun painting a Black Brontosaurus & a Peach Stegosaurus.

Pink Perfection

In celebration of tomorrow's love fest, Molly and Kit have been decked out in their most perfectly pink outfits.

No Valentine's Day crafts here. No decadent desserts shaped as hearts and dusted with powdered sugar.

Just dolls.

Dolls in pink dresses.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll break out the valentines PEZ in celebration of Mike's gift to me. Let's hope for another weekend of good light.

I do have other things to share as well, but sometimes breaking out the dolls just makes you smile (and be glad I didn't bust out the close-ups of the doll shoes).

Parade of Gifts #5 - The Cozy

Project #38 in '50 in 2008 Challenge' - Nintendo DS Cozy

The last gift of my parade was actually the one I started first and finished last. A Nintendo DS cozy for Mike's mom.

I've seriously been saving the pattern since like February or something, before she even had her own DS. I knew it was enviable that she would get one, she's a gamer. Though having raised 2 sons, it's not surprising.

I actually finished this cozy on the car ride down to their house on Christmas Day. Then had to sneak into the bedroom and wrap it without her seeing. It all worked out. And from what I hear it is working out well. Large enough to hold the DS, the charger and her iPod Nano.

Granted I don't think it's really supposed to be that big, but that's what I get for not swatching. Perhaps I should start? A good new year's resolution, I guess.

Parade of Gifts #3 - The Wrap

Project #36 in '50 in 2008 Challenge' - The Gratitude Wrap

Just a couple more gifts left in this post-Christmas Parade of Gifts. Is that a sigh of relief or disappointment I hear?

Anyways, this Christmas, the stars aligned and I was actually able to plan a meet up with my dear friend, Darcy, whom I had not seen in two years. Knowing I would actually be seeing her, in the flesh, I knew I couldn't pull a stunt like we did last year where Christmas presents to each other didn't get mailed until May. So in the couple days before we headed north, I got cracking and pumped out this Gratitude Wrap, based on the pattern by SouleMama, to hold the personalized notecards I bought for her (along with a mini address book - complete with my address entered - and stamps).

Horrible winter weather almost prevented us from seeing each other…again. But Darcy's flight was actually able to land and Mike pushed through the nasty road conditions and car malfunctions and drove us our 3.5 hour drive to my hometown in 6.5 hours, safe and sound (despite me begging him to turn around an hour into the drive).

And now Darcy has no excuse not to write.

Is it wrong to give gifts with completely selfish motives?

Handmaking it has to cancel out some of the selfishness…I hope.

It turned out cute nonetheless, thanks to the free Amy Butler fabric I won. Now if only I could figure out how to properly do bias tape corners.






In other news:
Can anyone help me figure out how to wind my auto self-wind bobbin on my new machine I was given from my aunt? It's a Singer 9217, and I have no book. And I'm too too cheap to pay $20 for one - that kind of thing should be available for free on the internet! Every other machine I've used (albeit it only 2, but different brands), I've been able to obtain a manual online for free. What gives Singer?!

Parade of Gifts #2 - The Hats

Project #34 in '50 in 2008 Challenge' - Cream Bzz Hat

After presenting Bray with the Meathead hat I knit for him for his birthday, I was bombarded with requests for handknit hats when at home a couple weeks ago for my grandfather's funeral.

Ok, bombarded is a bit of an exaggeration but considering the proximity to Christmas, those two may have well been 20. I man what kind of miracle worker do my sister and dad think I am?

Project #33 in '50 in 2008 Challenge' - Striped Ribbed Hat

Well, they were right. I'm a Christmas miracle worker. Bringing handknits to all that ask. I guess I'm a little like Santa.

Both hats knit up in the course of a couple knits. Thank goodness for comfy couch, cuddly pups and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Despite needing to rip out the Bzz (do not follow the pattern, go to Ravelry and check out everyone's modifications before you start), I was able to get the rest of my parade of gifts done with enough time to wrap them as real gifts!

I must again advocate making a 2x2 rib cap THE beginner knitting project.

I seriously was able to make my dad's hat in just two evenings of watching tv. And it ends up looking like you slaved over it. Which is kinda nice to throw a bit of guilt back at those who put in such last minute requests. Not that I really want anyone to feel guilty about wanting one of my handknits.

Stay tuned, I still have a few more gifts I was able to crank out this past week.

But for now I'm putting down the iPod touch and I'm going to dive into the pile of great books I received for Christmas. Though I'm having a tough time deciding which to start with.

Parade of Gifts #1 - The Sock Monsters

Project #35 in '50 in 2008 Challenge' - 4 Sock Monster Gift Card Holders

We have a bit of a tradition each Christmas giving our parents, sister and brother gift cards. I know it seems like an impersonal gift, but we like to give each of our parents the chance to go out and have a nice dinner together free of charge. And our siblings get the chance to buy some stuff the really want or needs on us. The gift cards are just a bonus to the real presents we put together for them.

I try to make the gift cards presentation a bit more special since I've got skillz (last year was a bust for some reason).

Last year I saw this idea on Molly Chicken and wisted it immediately. Knowing it would make the perfect presentation for gift cards, that everyone could keep or continue to pass on (nothing like recycling/reusing, right?). Like I mentioned, last Christmas fell through, but I made sure to get them ready this year.

I picked up some Christmas novelty socks at Walgreen's on sale, used some buttons from my stash and made sure to add a loop for ornament-zation, and waala! We had 4 sock monster getting ready to gobble up some gifts cards.

Let me tell you, I've never made a sock monkey or anything, so I did not know what a pain working with socks is.

Nearly clogged the machine a few times. Luckily, I didn't. But there was some cursing.

Now I must start planning for next year. And I must admit, I'm a little stumped. Thankfully there are 364 days before I have to have it figured out.


I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. We've gotten back home after a massive, two day journey, including: A 6.5 hour drive to my hometown in sleet, freezing rain, ice, wind and snow…not to mention those broken windshield wipers that nearly made me make Mike turn around and head for home; Trips between a few suburbs seeing grandparents and family; A brief visit with a dear friend who I haven't seen in 2 years; A patient pup, who was better than could ever imagine in a jam-packed car over way too many hours; A present & cookie-crazy four-year-old; The ice slick that was my in-laws neighborhood (we didn't slip or slide our entire journey…until our last stop, when we pulled into Mike's parent's cul-de-sac and got stuck!); And the wonderful present that Mike gave me before we left to help pass the hours in the car…an iPod Touch (once we get our new wi-fi set-up this weekend, I may never leave my bed, I'll just lay there an surf the internet, play Tetris and watch tv shows on my iPod).

Now back to work tomorrow. Ick.