Shala loves making things

From Mike

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:11:48 GMT

He's still not sure about the blogging thing, but he did email me a rant he wrote and gave me permission to post it. If you like reading his very honest feelings, please do leave a comment, so I can use it as more proof he's got something to say and people would like to hear it.
This DOES have swear words in it, so if you have work filters that want to tell you what you can read, or if you don't like rough language, skip it. It's a direct cut and paste, I did not censor for language or edit it all.

_______________________
Okay, here is what the day had in store for me..As I am walking away from work in the downtown area, got my Ipod on and playing some good rock music as I walk my 1.5 mile path to where I park my car (story for another time)

As I am walking across the park strip, which is a really nice park like setting in the middle of downtown Anchorage. Lots of green grass, just a few trees, throw in a few statues and kite flyers, a nice area to just walk across, thats where I had my “nice” day.

I see a couple of dudes by the fence of the softball backstop, looked like one guy helping a another in a wheelchair through the dirt to the sidewalk, nice, that was cool, I almost turned my attention away, then the dude helping out swings the guy in the chair around, pulls the strap of the little bag he had around his neck, he begins walking away fast to a privacy fence area where the groundkeepers keep their stuff.

The chair guy didnt say a word, I thought that was strange but I moved to intercept that guy that took the bag, as I came around the fence he was sitting on the ground pawing through the bag and dumping the stuff everywhere! So, I decided, bad guy....failed my “hello” test...not someone I really have to be polite with....hmmmmm
I asked him “did you just take that bag from the guy in the chair?” he looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language then realizes that the big guy is not looking really happy at him. He responds in his best intelligently thought out and concise manner “ I didnt do nuthing!” oh boy, here we go...sigh...

“Dude, I just saw you take the bag off the guy's neck and shag your ass over here to go through it, do I look I'm imaging it?” “now, pick this stuff up and lets take it back to the guy in the chair”
I get the equally intelligent response of “ who the fuck are you?!” I love this question, I can not tell you how happy I am when its asked...

I looked this “nice fellow” in the eye, I explained in my softest voice as I moved right up on him, “I'm the guy who is going to knock your dick in the dirt! Now get that shit picked up and give me that fucking bag!” I can't begin to tell you how compliant he became on this, am I bully? Probably, but you know, I hate seeing people preying on each other, its the worst thing I can imagine but wait my story isn't done yet...so Mr. Givemethatbag, picks up all the stuff, paper napkins, a plastic tupperware style bowl/cup and cheap red pen, can you imagine? Jeeebus! What a fuck to do something like this for all of this! Sheesh! And to listen to him grumble about cleaning up his own mess, what a jerk! I should have just wailed on him to begin with and give him something to whine about! I took a prudent course of action first, see?
shows how much I know

After getting the bag, the guy takes off with his pint of vodka I could see in his own bag walks up the strip, turns and curses me out, whatever fuckhead! I turned to look for the chairdude, no sight of him, move to the sidewalk and see he had made some progress heading back the way I came, I gave him his bag and ask if he is alright, he nods his head and signals a thank you kind of...
Something is not right here
I look a little more closely, his right hand is turned up in a claw, and right leg isn't moving but his left is. I ask if he can talk, he shakes his head, I ask if he understands me and he nods, so, I am thinking what a fucking a bastard Mr. Grabngo is someone is in need a serious adjustment with my left foot!!!

No wonder he didn't yell for help, he couldn't! He could only watch this asshole walk away with his stuff, and not have any recourse but to let him! I offered to call the police for him, he shrugged and signaled a no, kind of, I am sure he is wondering how he is going to explain to them with one good hand and no speech at all or if the cops will do anything for that matter, got write those tickets for the city coffers you know.
I ask if he needs help going anywhere he “says” no and I was about to walk away when I thought about the all of nothing he had in that bag. How can this happen? How can someone get around with no real way to communicate and how utterly helpless it feels not to be able to do anything to assist.
I asked if he ate lately, and got the “no” again, so I gave him some bucks and told him to make sure not to flash it around, keep it in a safe place and be careful, and if he sees me around again to stop me or get my attention.

I tell you, this shit pisses me off!! it is bad enough with the economy going into the bucket, a crappy war still grinding on, government trying to limit freedoms, now we got street folk preying on other street folks, what the fuck!?! “Niiiiiiiiiice”

Is it not quite bad enough yet? Geez!! someone has to prey on a wheelchair bound, paralyzed/mute dude for a bag with napkins in it? Was the allure of the red pen so overpowering you leave any semblance of being a human being behind and mug this poor guy?! If you want to revoke your humanity I guess thats the way to do it! Or start working for the McCain election I guess * shrug *

Well, enough ranting, it just pisses me off. It really comes down to this, all we really got is each other, governments come and go, bad times do the same, I feel, that I have a good life, I don't need to be rich or live in the biggest house, or have all the latest greatest stuff ( I do like stuff though!!) but we really need to look out for each other, help each other get along down that road, step outside of yourself for a minute and try it. You don't have to do it every waking moment, just when you see something that you can do something about, no matter how small it is, just do it for gosh's sake! Its the right thing to do, if not you? Who? Could you be that person in a wheelchair next?

Now, I need to find my walking stick and teach someone some manners....do not confuse me with someone about to let that shit go, someone still needs an adjustment out there....and I like a project to work on * evil grin * nice huh? Heh heh heh!

stop wasting time reading this shit and go do something productive for once! Like you will fucking do anything! Fuck off!
_______________________

This has been a PSA from Mike. If you'd like to see more, you can email him at mikesimbeck at gmail dot com.

Delica 15/0

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 21:46:32 GMT

I wrote about them, and posted the pattern here
And yesterday at HT!! They are having one of their fairly regular 1/2 clearance price sales, and they also had clearance jewelry for 1.00 each yesterday and I found these..

2 holed metal beads! 125 per bracelet!

I also got these in the mail a couple days ago..

I've got a friend who's going through a really hard time right now. I'm really not sure what else to say about that, it's hard to be happy when I'm worried about her.

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:08:17 GMT

I want to do some screenprinting.. because I have a brand new screenprinting book full of great ideas. But I'm not going to.

Because I have size 15 delicas! So I'm making up a pair of my skull and crossbone earrings to show the size difference. So far.. I'm loving them. I can't find my black bugles though, so I'm going to use white luster in the fringe, and possibly fire polish crystals instead of the craft size E beads I used in that pair.
We shall see.

Surplus happiness

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:59:23 GMT

Went to the zoo. Walked around for an hour and half instead of going to the gym.

Completely blew all that exercise by going to Tommy's after for burgers. But trust me, if you are going to walk for a while to exercise then want to have a caloric heart attack on bread after.. Tommy's is the place to go. And I have Cajun Delight in the fridge. So I know the people on my flist who've been to Tommy's envy me deeply.

After that, we stopped by Second Chance Surplus, which, if you judge by the website is a very professional scary so of place.. but if you actually go there, it's a tiny building FILLED, ground floor, basement, outside with treasures waiting to be found. They had ammo cans. Now, if you've been reading this for a while, you know I have a real weakness for surplus army green metal boxes, but not a lot of use for surplus army green metal boxes, so I usually resist the urge to buy things like milk can boxes I think would be wonderful to store my yarn in knowing it's got sharp edges and I'll stub my toe on it repeatedly.

Usually anyway. The ammo cans were irresistible. I got 2 of the smaller ones for W to keep his cards/miniatures/whatever in. I told Mike "as soon as I figure out what to use them for, I'm getting myself some." Later I told him "The bigger ones would be good to mail stuff to Mel in, because I'm sure she would love to decorate an army green surplus ammo can." The little ones like I got W were 3.50 each. Well.. just like those.. but cheaper with no shipping.
Mike was in absolute heaven, being all ex-army and a sharp shooter and ex-professional security.. tac vests and stuff like that make him happy. He managed to get out without spending any money, but with lots of ideas of stuff he *wanted*. He wants to go back with a few hundred dollars.
AND they have vintage wool blankets. You know, I can't wear wool, but Mom used to make the neatest capes using old wool blankets, and being all felty and stuff I could easily turn one into a really warm shawl for E and embroider it with crewel flowers. Because.. I have lots of crewel wool. So I guess I have a wishlist too.
E got herself a digital camo cap, so she's happy.

I did tear up for a minute at the zoo, but I'll write about that later.
Really a nice day even if I didn't finish any projects.

Bazaar Bizarre

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 19:00:18 GMT

I was gifted with Bazaar Bizarre and a few other books *squeeing excitedly*.. but I want to talk about Bazaar Bizarre.. because.. well.. it's the first book I looked at..
And ♥ LOVE ♥. The book is great, I love a lot of the projects in it, but my favorite is the melt and pour anarchy soap. I know I'm not a big fan of melt and pour glycerin soap but E likes it, and the same technique used for the anarchy symbol would work for peace signs. Which E would love. She thinks it's the neatest thing ever that her grandma was a real hippie. And yesterday, when I skipped the gym and opted to take a walk with E instead, we found Sitka roses, which are actually Rosa Rugosa from Japan that have been adapted to the Alaskan climate (which is possibly more then you needed to know about them) growing in an undeveloped lot, so we can pick the blossoms and use them as an inclusion in peace symbol soaps. Flower Power!!! I showed her a few edible flowers, and she enjoyed eating them and smelling the ones I was fairly sure wouldn't trigger an allergy attack. (Lilacs unfortunately seem to be the worst for her allergies. Shame, because lilacs smell so lovely.)
The book also had a nice felt wallet project which will be excellent sewing practice for E, and a bunch of other very adaptable projects. Such fun!! Another of my favorite projects is the deck of cards. There are cards in it you can photocopy, but I think I plan to design my own. I wish I could find the files for the trumps type game I invented for my son when he was little. That would be fun to make a deck for with rules. Well.. I'm learning to document everything and back stuff up with friends if I'm not ready to put it on the net.
We walked the bit over a mile to Kaladi Brother, which is right next to a yarn shop. I resisted the temptation because I had 14 dollars in my pocket. Which would pay for either 2 balls of yarn or 2 coffees with some change leftover. We ran into a good friend of my brother's there, who apparently lives a couple blocks away from us. We've run into him occasionally on our walks and he offers us rides. But E and I like walking together.
Mike met us there after stopping at the American Legion to get the membership information. One *nice* thing about the Legion is that they have a Sunday brunch and a steak dinner on Fridays, so a couple times a month, we can go there for dinner or brunch if I'm too hurty to cook.
Today I think we may go to the zoo. Not sure yet, but it sounds fun, and sounds like a lot more fun then going to the gym!

Chat tonight

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:45:04 GMT

But I'm not going to be there until probably 7 PM PST, because I didn't go to the gym yesterday. Or this morning. So E and I are taking a long walk, then after that, I'm going to go lift weights for a bit.
See.. I made myself a promise.. as long as I don't give up on working out and physical therapy, and do make it if I'm strong and pain free enough.. in October, I'm rewarding myself with a Wonder Woman tattoo on my right bicep.
Anyway, chat starts at 6 pm PST here. And I will check in as soon as I get home. Promise. Even with really cool amigurumi books that .... got me and I'm super duper happy about and even sort of bouncy.. I'll not look at them until after I'm done checking the chat room.
If you aren't a beader, but want to come into chat anyway and discuss crochet, etc, that's cool too. They hardly ever stay on topic.

OOOH! and Alaska Bead Company is putting out the size 15 delicas Sunday. So.. my whole week? Other then of course the pain thing.. and the weird dream I had the other night about Mike trying to send me to Russia has been really really wonderful.

Comic book love..

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:34:33 GMT

You know you're way too into comics when

You are a DC fan who's in a serious relationship with a Marvel reader and don't worry about religion, you're too busy trying to convert them to your comics.
You told someone once as an insult "You read Harvey Comics"
They understood the insult and took it personally.
You occasionally refer to DC as Dell Comics
You can name all of the Earth Green Lanterns (John Stewart, Hal Jordan, Alan Scott, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner)
You've spent more then 20 hours on a cross hobby project. Such as my Wonder Woman bracelet.
You saw someone else's stack at the comic book store and worried because it was larger then yours.
You asked if it was a week or a month's worth
You fretted when they said it was a week's worth
and felt better when you noticed a couple graphic novels and back issues in the stack. (that you already had from when they first came out)
You chased someone down to prove to them you were the better geek.
You STILL haven't gotten over the Lobo/Wolverine match in the crossover DC/Marvel event.
You want to see Joe Q.'s head on a stick for what he did to MJ and Peter.
People don't want to go to comic book movies with you because you come out screaming about canon and the way the characters were badly written.
Someone told you they spent about 100 dollars a month on comics, and you thought "Oh, how cute!"
You laugh whenever you see Stan Lee in his cameo appearances in Marvel comic films, and can recognize him easily.
You really still aren't over Chaos Comics just ending without finishing a lot of story lines.
The people at the comic book store have a special nickname for you.
Everyone who knows you doesn't ever make plans with you on Wednesday nights. They know you'll be out buying and reading comics.
You can identify ages and storylines of major characters by costume.
You know the names of all the Robins. (Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Tim Drake) (edit: And you think the way they brought Stephanie back to explain Batman's unwillingness to put up a shrine for her was absolutely cheesy, but you're still happy for Tim's sake)
You know what Power Girl's relationship is to Superman.
You wonder who would win in a fight between Mary Marvel and Carol Danvers, since Mary Marvel went all dark and scary, and Carol was once a Herald.

I could go on.. and on.
Maybe I need to quit comic books cold turkey?

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:34:05 GMT

Today we are making homemade butter with organic cream and sea salt. Because.. well.. we can. But since neither me or E feel like shaking it for 20 minutes, we are going to drop a couple marbles in the jar we are making it in to agitate it a bit more.

The other day.. I got Drunken Sailor stuck in my head badly.. but part of my brain was singing "What do you do with an angry Klingon?"
Lock him in a room with Wesley Crusher is entirely too obvious.

View Poll: #1212081

I debated this one.. because I'm honestly not sure if anyone on my flist would know who Jonah Hex was, but my Uncle who snuck me comics as a kid was a huge Dell Comics fan, and did read Jonah Hex, so... so did I. But honestly, the fight is as unfair as Lobo vs. Wolverine (which came down to a popular vote, and even the artists couldn't draw the popular choice, and had to hide the fight scene because in any sane reasonable world that includes alien bounty hunters who destroy their own planet.. everyone knows Lobo would totally kick Wolverine's ass.. and uh.. yeah.. still annoys me.)
Mad Max won last week's at the store, but here? The winner was Tank Girl.(Which wasn't an option at the store, and I think I may start casting random votes to reflect what I actually post here at the store) Maybe I should suggest they do Tank Girl vs Mad Max and see what happens.
Vic. But you've got to really know post apocalyptic movies to remember him.... A Boy and His Dog if you were wondering.

sighs

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:04:53 GMT

It's a high pain day. Not the sort of pain that just puts me to sleep because it's so exhausting to hurt, but the sort that doesn't like me moving around much.
Obviously, I skipped the gym this morning. And I'm trying very hard not to feel guilty about the days I skip.

And Mike forgot to get a loaf of bread, and E didn't want a sandwich on a whole wheat tortilla. So I said "Want me to make biscuits?" then I hobbled into the kitchen.. and there's a pack of hamburger buns. I held it up for her, and she just gave me that LOOK. So I made biscuits. And all her fussing about wanting a sandwich? When they came out, she buttered one and ate it.
Tricky kid.. she just wanted biscuits.

So we are watching a childhood favorite of mine today. Remember the Shazam/Isis hour? Of course you don't. I'm so old! Anyway, Secrets of Isis is out on video. So I picked it and Voyagers! up yesterday. (oh yeah.. those are Amazon links and tied into my associates account)So we are watching Isis, eating biscuits and I'm crocheting something simple that isn't going to take too much focus.

So.. yeah.. I hurt.. but hey, 70s style super hero goodness with my daughter.. it's fun.

Crafty Cakes

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 21:08:03 GMT

You all remember the Vegan YumYum's knit cupcakes right? Since they were all over the place, and so cool with the marzipan knitting.
Anyway, the other day I got some books from a lady on Craigslist who has a lot of crafty books for sale. I bought all her bead books of course, but I also got some Wilton books including the 1977 Wilton Yearbook (and looking at some of the price differences in pans they still make.. wow!!)
In there, they had a couple cute crafty themed cake designs.

I think the crochet one would be a lot cuter without the rocking chair, but I'm also thinking maybe a piped pineapple doily? And of course.. cupcakes. Because that's what we all like now. Cupcakes.
The embroidered one is done with gum paste, which I'm less then thrilled with. Gum paste IS edible, but nobody recommends eating it, and gum paste decorations can be kept for years to reuse, which also kind of freaks me out a bit.. why would you want to reuse something you can't really wash? But I'll betcha you could bake cookie embroidery hoops and use a rolled icing or marzipan for the cloth instead. Again, I'm thinking cupcakes with cute little crewel lazy daisy flowers on them.
EDIT: Well.. read the comments for another great suggestion.. but Jehanna and I are talking about it and came up with..

S: I mean.. gum paste flowers sure
S: but the entire CAKE?
S: uh uh.
j: yeah. usually they use rolled fondant for that--which also doesn't taste all that great
S: Hmm.. could.. make a mold out of foil over a cake pan and paint it with white candy melts
S: that wouldn't taste dreadful.
j: that might work
j: it'd be quite fussy to do
S: Umm.. well.. not too bad on cupcake scale I don't think
j: could also make it out of piped baked meringue or something
j: on cupcake scale there's also marzipan, for people who like that sort of thing
S: *nods*
S: meringue would work well
S: I wonder if you under whipped it just slightly so it was pourable if it would come out flatter?
j: possibly. you can achieve the same thing by piping the shape and then using a flat spatula to spread it thin, too
j: actually, on cupcake scale, fruit leather would work really well also if you didn't mind colored "Fabric"
S: I don't think I'd like the taste of that though.
j: probably still better than gum paste. :-)
S: *nods*
S: or that edible "clay" for kids made with peanut butter?
j: I've never seen that. sounds scary
S: peanuty butter, honey, and instant milk
S: it's not bad..
j: tasty ingredients anyway.
S: peanuty butter?
S: *blinks*
j: hee
S: MARSHMALLOWS!
j: Oh yeah
j: you could make them in big flat sheets
j: I love homemade ones
S: and big flat sheets would be somewhat moldable with finger pinching.
j: yeah.
j: you could just paint the underside/edges with white chocolate to seal them from moisture from the cake, and it'd be fine

And I think marshmallows would work for scrolls too.

Mike's scarf

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:21:46 GMT

I finished it last night while we finished watching Tin Man. I downloaded it a few days ago on itunes, and we watched it as a family over the last few nights.

Including a pattern, although, it's all single crochets, so it doesn't need a pattern. But if you're an absolute beginner, and trying to figure out a scarf for a big guy, this works for mine.

The finished scarf is about 73 inches long, maybe a bit longer. I didn't measure length properly, and about 7 inches wide. I sized it for my husband who is 6'1" and likes handmade scarves best because they are the right size for him. However, because he works a very conservative job, all his scarves are very conservative.
The yarn is a weaver's wool that's about worsted weight that I got on a cone at a local spinner and weavers garage sale.* The wool is tighter spun then the stuff you get at the yarn store, and not as stretchy, but for a scarf, stretchy doesn't matter as much. So if you run across a good deal on cones of worsted weight wool, this scarf is perfect for them.
I used a size H hook.
Chain 243 loosely, single crochet in second ch from hook, and all the way across.
Rows 2-28 ch 1 to turn, doesn't count as first stitch, sc in every stitch across.
Rnd 1. Ch 1 to turn, single crochet in each stitch, on the last stitch on the row, work 3 single crochets and single crochet across the short end, on the first stitch of the beginning chain, work 3 single crochets, back up the length, but keep count** so you don't accidentally do too many stitches, so 241 sc after the 3 sc corner, then 2 more single crochets in the same stitch you made the last of the single crochets in (for the 3 single crochet corner),sc across short end, and do 2 sc in the same stitch as the first st on the round. Slip stitch to first stitch, break off and weave in ends.
The nice thing about working with wool is with a little bit of water and pressure from your finger tips you can felt in the ends of the yarn just a bit so it locks the ends nicely into place after you weave them in.

*Yes. I'm repeating myself, but some people are coming to the pattern alone possibly, and don't have all the back story.
** I use bits of a contrasting color yarn as stitch markers every 50 stitches so I don't lose count.

I've still got most of this cone left. It was a huge cone for 5.00. So I'm working on some other projects with it. It's not the best for hats since it's not really stretchy, but I'm thinking it will felt nicely to make a mock map case for W, or possibly still another dice bag since he's keeping some of his miniatures in the last dice bag I gave him. E wants something out of this wool. I'm thinking maybe a flower encrusted headband because the juxtaposition of that army green wool and pretty flowers appeals to me.Plus headbands that cover ears are nice in the fall/winter here.

She's an unusual girl

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 22:18:23 GMT

But we all knew that.

E has decided she likes raw brussel sprouts, this? Is the kid who won't eat a banana. No way, no how. Bananas are squishy and icky.

When I was a kid.. my parents told me once if I couldn't leave the table until I ate my brussel sprouts. But they had to let me go to school the next morning. That was also the last time they tried to force me to eat something I didn't like.

Dominoes

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:35:11 GMT

I posted basic domino instructions today here.
As you might remember, I did those pendants ages ago, but I've been caught up all week on working on Mike's scarf which is very nearly done. See.. Mike's scarves? Not quick. He likes them about 6-8 inches wide, and about 6 feet long, and wool. I'm using the big cone of army green wool/wool blend (just not sure, it was unlabeled, but it chars not melts, and it *itches*), and doing it lengthwise in single crochets so it gets that long vertical stripe texture you get when you do rows of single crochets. I'm going to do one final row all the way around it which will help block the starting chain which turned out just loose enough to slightly ruffle. I know, I could block that out, and probably will, but the final round will also neaten up the ends a bit.
What I've found, working with the weaver's wool instead of regular yarn is that it's not as stretchy because it's tighter spun, so using a size H hook with what's about a worsted weight yarn, I've got a lot of stitch definition. It looks *good*. E wants me to make her something out of it too. Possibly a new poncho. She wore a granny square poncho I made for her when she was about 5 to the solstice fair, I made it big, and it still fits her very nicely, but it's got holes in it from every other use she's used it for the last several years.

And.. um.. I was going to write more.. but I just realized the last time I ate was about 8 hours ago after I got home from the gym. So.. off to find food.

Just wondering..

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:17:53 GMT

What makes lasagna tricky? I got a recipe in my email for "Fool Proof Lasagna" and I just don't understand why it would have to be made fool proof. Boil noodles. Cook meat/sauce mixture, mix cheeses. Layer, bake. Well.. maybe a touch more complicated then that, but not much. The only problem I ever have is I tend to make my meat/sauce and cheese layers pretty thick so I don't have as much noodles as most people. I don't make it often because it's a lot of standing.. but with tomatoes being so cheap.. I might make some this week.

Ahh well..
I designed a pan in my dreams. I'll have to draw it up and figure out how feasible it is to make a pan.

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 09:42:10 GMT

*grumbles* While Mike was building my new shelves, he threw away a few things, including apparently my brand new bottles of two part resin, mold release and possibly some of my cab molds. Naturally.. he found my purple and black bat shaped confetti. So I have the confetti and no two part resin.

I do have the catalyst kind.. but it smells so awful, and my resin colors. I was planning to set the bats in blue colored resin with a touch of glitter to look like stars.

Ahh well.. I have new shelves in my kitchen. The rest of the stuff is a little pricey, but more shelves in my kitchen.. priceless. :)

Oh.. I'm setting up a filter list for slightly embarrassing off color humor shared between my husband and I.. so if you want to be on that filter, let me know. It may not be safe for work, but it won't have pictures or anything like that, just occasional rough language. (This is specifically for the people who told me they wish they were flies on the wall when Mike and I are talking sometimes).

Solstice..

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 00:28:07 GMT

Every year, for a few years now, our local abused women's shelter puts on a big awareness/fund raising solstice fair, and every year, we go. We buy our lunch from their big tent, and we buy raffle tickets, and we look at the local art and usually I spend entirely too much money on pretty things.

This year was a little different. Instead I ordered a couple pretty things. Fish Lips and Bird Teeth Studio was there of course, and she hasn't been doing magpies lately. Nobody apparently in Anchorage really likes them, in fact some people have said "Oh.. I used to shoot them." They all want the ravens. Which isn't to say ravens are bad. I like ravens, but I like magpies more. Anyway, she had *censored* with ravens I really loved, but I asked if she could do it with magpies instead. I bought two of her magpies a few years ago, one for me, and one for a friend. She said no problem, and we talked ideas for a few minutes, and I left her my number. I asked her to make 2 *censored* since I plan to give one to my 'pie sister, since I think she really like the last magpie I gave her.

There was a rockhound who calls his business Department of Redundant Redundancy who does pretty fractal teeshirts, note cards,posters and spinning tops.I bought 3 basic fractal notecards from him to frame. Because.. I like fractals.

They had a kiddie section that a lot of not kids were getting stuff from, so we made a donation (a lot of people didn't.. it was sort of sad) and the kids each got a beanie baby they wanted. Then we had lunch, bought our raffle tickets, a couple of inexpensive shirts from previous years.. and started heading back to the car. The kids stopped to play for a little while.

It was a lot of fun.

Bead Chat

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:54:00 GMT

Bead chat tonight at 6 pm PST.
Click here to join in.
Please come. Discuss beads. Last week it wound up a bit off topic. It was sort of scary.

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:19:10 GMT

I'm spoiled you know that? Really. :)
The incomparable Gina made me a shiny new alien bead too!!!

View Poll: #1207886

Well.. a lot of people didn't vote in the last one, at the store, the result came out 41/24, in favor of Dr. Doom, and that was counting each of my family's votes for Lex. They always let us all vote. The results here were considerably more satisfying. Lex won. YAY LEX!!!

Aliens!

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:00:27 GMT

This post is temporarily highjacked for the squeeage. I just got a picture of a bead that Ziggy made me.. Contact her for pricing and ordering information if you're interested.

It has sparkly eyes. Stardust eyes even. It had to be said.
She also made me a grey, and some matching accent beads.
*does the happy alien dance*

Back to your regularly scheduled post..
One of the dolls we got at the thrift store a few weeks ago was a Kelly doll with long black hair and short bangs, so I'm having W bring over his paints tonight so I can re-do the eyes/lips color to start turning it into a little Shala doll. Because I'm amused with a self portrait doll, and if I don't keep it.. I'm pretty sure I can find a home for a mini shala doll.

Wow.. I had lots of ideas for this post.. but.. I'm all alien headed now.
GOSH!!!!! I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:09:30 GMT

One of those finds at the garage sale Saturday was a HUGE cone, I haven't weighed it. Maybe I should bring it with me to the gym tonight? Of army green wool yarn. Seriously, the stuff reminds me strongly of army blankets. It's wool, but since it's spun for weavers, it's not real stretchy, and it's itchy to me. Mike however has no wool sensitivities, so I'm crocheting him a Mike sized scarf. Mike size scarves are taller then me and a bit wide. He likes a scarf that will wrap twice and cover his ears,nose and neck. It's turning out really nicely because the yarn is so tightly spun, my stitches (size H hook) are very defined. So last night, we re-watched the first few episodes of Jeremiah (there is a shawl somewhere in the first season I want to screencap) and I crocheted.
It's a lot more green wool then I'll use for one scarf, but I think it will felt well which means I can use some of it for a mock map case or something similar. Hey, a 17 yo and a husband who can use wool.. I'll figure out something!
I also have 28 balls of perle cotton, about half tangerine and the other half coral that I got for 3.00, which is a LOT of knitted/crocheted pendant bags, but I couldn't turn it down for the price. Again.. I'll figure out something. Heck.. some of it I'll use on my inkle loom!
His first day at his new job went well. He's still very excited about it all.
We have a huge white board. I'm not sure what we are going to do with it, but it turned up in lost and found and went unclaimed at his last job, and he brought it home a couple days after I got some free dry erase markers in the mail. We had told E she could use the markers on the big mirror in her room.

OOH! I keep forgetting.. check your local Michaels. I got some manga drawing pads at mine clearance priced for 3 and 4 dollars each. Decent quality drawing pads costing what they do.. that's a good deal. They also had "Draw your own" comic book sets which are decent drawing paper stapled into a comic book type book for 3.00 each, I got the kids each a couple.

meme

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:32:47 GMT

From a few people-
You know how sometimes people on your friend's list post about stuff going on in their life, and all of a sudden you think "Wait a minute? Since when are they working THERE? Since when are they dating HIM/HER? since when???" And then you wonder how you could have missed all that seemingly pretty standard information, but somehow you feel too ashamed to ask for clarification because it seems like info you *should* already know? It happens to all of us sometimes.

Please copy mine below, erase my answers putting yours in their place then post it in your journal! Please elaborate on the questions that would benefit from elaboration! One-Word-Answers seldom help anyone out.

First Name:Shala

Age: 37
Location: Anchorage
Occupation: Craft Goddess in Training- 3rd Level

Partner(s): Mike! For 13 years now. Astoundingly enough to people who went "Logan and Para are WHAT?"
Kids:One of each kind, both teens. I love it!

Pets: Passed away.We adopted two rescued cats, and they died within a couple months of each other after 9 years, one was 14, one was 16. Replacing soonish.

School: Was a long time ago.

Brothers/Sisters: Eldest of 3. I have a brother who is 2 years younger, and a half sister I met in the last few years who is 12 years younger.

Parents: My mom passed away 10 years ago. My step dad is alive and cranky.

Health: Hmm.. yeah.. that. I'm reasonably healthy except for the back and knee issues, but those aren't going to get better, so I'm learning to live with them and around them.

List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:
I can't. I mean.. really.. the most important thing in my life is my family, after that, creating things, after that.. a far way after that.. my health. All these are always going on. Biggest temporary thing right now is Mike's new job. But it won't be new long.

Well.. time to get back to work!

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:17:51 GMT

Speaking of tracing paper.. to Jehanna..
*nods* half as thick, twice as much seems to be the standard.
it's worth then women's lingerie where you pay more the less there is of it.
worse not worth.
I'm lisping in text!

So much for all that thpeech therapy.
Okay.. R? Ignore this next part please? Just skip to the lj cut at the end. I know what you'll say. I don't want to hear it.

I'm reading knitting mysteries. See, mysteries to me? Kind of like potato chips. I can go weeks, months without, then I need 10 in a week. I can't stop. And I read Hooked on Murder which is a crochet mystery, and I've read some coffee themed mysteries. Themed mysteries are a lot of fun.
So where are the bead mysteries? Early to Bead, Early to Die. To Bead or Not to Bead, Death is the Question (okay, long book title) but there needs to be beady mysteries to go with the miniature mysteries and the chocolate mysteries and the mystery of the secret formula of Coca-Cola. Really.
Now, my only problem with a lot of themed mysteries is our heroine, the hobbyist/cook/barista/foodie/werewolf whatever.. seems to stumble into the answer after a few gut jumped wrong answers.. what I'd really like is pulpy bead themed mysteries with a bit of Nancy Drew in them. You know how Nancy Drew actually found clues and figured out the answer from there? Heck.. Trixie Belden even. But figuring out as you find the clues instead of stumbling onto the answer that makes sense of all the clues.
And.. as a side note.. I like themed mysteries. But referring to a spinning teacher, in a spinning class who was in love with the guy who got murdered as "tightly wound".. well.. I hope that was deliberate. Because it tossed me right out of the book and it took a while to get back in it. And she didn't do it just once. She described the spinner as tightly wound a couple times, maybe even a few times.

Okay R, you can come back now.
I made a couple printable alien boxes to email to anyone who donates to my printables page this month, I'm thinking of offering a different box monthly.

Aren't they cute? I'm probably going to give them to W, they are sized for collectible trading cards. The one on the left is a lidded box, and the one on the right is a standard deck box.

Mike got this sudden urge to mess around the kitchen yesterday and spur of the moment decided I needed more shelves (not gonna argue that) so he built more shelves. And stocked them with stuff that needed a place to be. So now in that window that shines directly in my eyes too often, I have shelves built and canned goods neatly stacked. Now.. he just needs to call me to give me his new work number.

OH YEAH!

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:05:06 GMT

85.25 later.. I have much yarn. I didn't get any of the fine cottons, though I considered it.. and I didn't buy the tabletop loom.. which I also strongly considered.. but I'm more then happy with my stash enhancement. Even with having really itchy fingers from all that wool! (I can work with wool with a protective lotion, but that much is an issue)
I got a nice big very full cone of a worsted weight wool in army green that will make a great scarf or hat for one of my not-wool affected family members, lots of cotton, a half cone of a gorgeous blue silk that was the most expensive thing I got (15.00) and some linen, some in a golden color, some in red, and a bunch of bobbins that are plenty long enough to use on my little inkle loom.

Ahh.. just enjoying the afterglow.

I also got a book on wool embroidery that looks interesting, it's an older book, possibly late 50s/early 60s, and one on basket weaving.

I still need to make myself an Alaska icon

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 07:59:58 GMT

There are so many reasons I wouldn't move. But today we went to one of my favorites.
About 15 minutes away from me is a wildlife viewing area, that was closed because they are extending the boardwalk. About 5 minutes past that on the gorgeous road to Girdwood, Chugach State Park begins. Which includes Mc Hugh Creek Park. This place was where I wanted to get married when I was kid. I loved going there so much. It was open, and darn near empty. Maybe a half dozen people there, which means we saw someone coming down the hill when we parked, and nobody else while we hiked the trails.
Isn't it pretty?
Along the path, we spotted a tree that had been cut down from side of the trail (yes, even in state parks, sometimes thinning is necessary, but they use a light touch) and the stump had been carved into a chair.
The Chair. I took a picture of E in that chair I'll put behind a cut later. Pictures are shown at 25%. Leave a comment if you want me to email you the originals.

E had a blast. We saw a huge granddaddy of a tree that had been cut down. No kidding, this thing HAD to be 4 feet in diameter. E tried to make a guess at the number of rings. It was cut down because it was on a slope that's eroded some due to weather, and it was pretty dangerous. Lots of birds. Lots of bird song. We passed a brook and E stuck her fingers in to see how cold the water coming down from the mountain was.
It was a little damp. (the weather, not the brook. Of course the brook was wet, not just damp) but other then weather, it was very nearly perfect. Why nearly? Because Emily found an ax.
Yeah.. I had a moment of rage. We picked it up and carried it with us the rest of the way, pretty sure if we ran into a park ranger we could explain why we were carrying an ax in the woods. But better we found it then some kids out hiking or anything like that. We also found one bottle cap and one broken bottle, but that's not too horrible, it could have been worse. It's a very clean national park. Of course we picked up the broken bottle and the bottle cap. E asked why, and I said "Look around at how gorgeous this is. You need to pick up stuff that's not supposed to be here." and that's when she spotted the bottle cap.
After we came back into town, lots of pictures later, including some touristy pictures of the inlet since I like taking touristy pictures of stuff other people take for granted (I'll post a couple of those tomorrow), Mike said "What now?" and E and I both answered "I don't know." and he took that as "Let's go to Borders." So we did, and I picked up a few books and the current Craft magazine, which happens to have sandal instructions in it (serendipitous that is.. ).. Ahh happiness. Mike got a new cookbook, and E got a Ripley's book of bizarre stuff.
What a lovely evening. I'm so glad I live here.

And in the recycling corner..

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:53:28 GMT

Shoe idea from spankmyspatula. I wouldn't do it with brand new shoes though when you can find old clogs with wooden bases or Dr. Scholl's sandals for the asking a lot of time. Or hit a thrift store for the right shoes.
This looks like a fantastic shoe for E. Who loves it funky and fabulous, and with the right base, you could glitter and decoupage that as well for extra personal sandals!

Also.. You could crochet a pair out of "plarn" (plastic bag yarn doncha know) or if you have tires around that your dad isn't having you hold on to because he knows he'll need them someday even if he sold the car 5 years ago and you've had tires in your shed for the last 17 years that he was going to use someday.. you can make sandals out of tires. (Not actually the link I wanted.. Jehanna? Don't suppose you still have the link I gave you in your history? Please?)