Although it's actually more a Punisher icon.
When my son was 5, my mom made him a Captain America costume. I let mom hit my fabric stash and old clothes stash for the fabric for it and loaned her one of my sewing machines to make it. We didn't know it at the time but it was the last costume she was going make him. The following year she was in California helping out Grandma after surgery, and the year after that, she died suddenly.

Now skip forward 13 years, and I spotted a Captain America costume teeshirt at Hot Topic, so I had to get it for him of course. He still has the same shield from the costume mom made him and he said he would use it. Of course, a shield scaled for a 5 yo William would look like, as Mike put it, a dinner plate. So E and I made him a shield yesterday. Dad was impressed, William was happy.
Also yesterday I wrote an article on how to do nice neat loops for eyepins.
AND cute paper snail craft .
Plus I made up some cinnamon-y goodness shortbread.
Cinnamon Vanilla Short Bread
Pre-heat oven to 375°F
1 cup of butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
Cream together.
Add in 2 cups of flour. Mix for a few minutes and knead lightly with clean hands.
Pat into an 8" cake pan. Sprinkle top with a mixture of 1 tsp white sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and pierce with a fork and score lines to cut it apart.
Put it in the oven for 10 minutes, after 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 300°F and bake for 20 minutes more. Take out the oven and cut apart along score lines. Let cool a bit.

Turned out really good. I think I'm going to go have a piece now.

( Skrulls, Blackest Night, Deadpool, the new Batman )

At Don't Eat the Paste, Cupcake box sized to hold one standard sized cupcake, and pictures of a magpie and mushrooms

Don't Eat the Paste: Tie dye effect petal close box and a GL logo knitting graph.

In happy comic geeky news, I'm actually really happy with how they are playing out Dick as the Bat. It works for me. He's not trying to be Bruce. I'm still not thrilled with Damian as Robin.. but it could be worse.

( cut for spoilerific ranting )
Mike's planning to get a digital frame for his office, do you think I can convince him that the clone pics or the picture I drew of myself for my website would work for a picture of me at the office? I really really hate having my picture taken.

Poll #1388674
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 10

Mr Clean vs Brawny Man

The Avengers vs. The Care Bears

Dread Pirate Roberts vs. Captain Sparrow

So I feel awful, since the last few were great.

This morning:
E: "So do you think Batman is like a cake?"
Me: "No." (really, I didn't need it explained, because Batman and something sweet and frosted made no sense to me)
E: "All those layers."
Me: "He doesn't really have layers. Just one."
Mike: "Justice. He has justice."
E: "So maybe he's a pancake!"
Me: "Better with maple syrup?"
Mike: "That's Justice Juice!"
Me: "I'm so blogging this."

The plan was for a loaf of bread that tasted something like French toast. But I used my homemade vanilla because it smelled good, but it hasn't quite completely matured, and I only had 2 raw eggs. So it turned out to be maple-y sweet and cinnamon-y and very good, but really not what I had in mind.
( recipe and pictures )

Well, my initial template didn't work, because I made it just a bit too big, so I'm going to make it smaller today, and do more casts tomorrow. I need to pick up some more polyester resin because it does better in layers than the epoxy type does.
( here are the cabs that worked )

Last night I got my ears pierced again. The bottom hole on my left ear was pierced too low to begin with, and now, after 27 years, and the big earrings I wore in the 80s, I was nervous every time I wore earrings, so in a couple months, I'll have 2 new holes to wear my fashion earrings in.

The current issue of Batman was soo good. If you're a long time fan like I am anyway. They picked the right writers for it.

And when I saw this on the Super Friends? Oh yeah. Poor Dick. Just hanging there like that.
Well.. the jokes sort of make themselves too don't they?
Snaggable. *grins* for other Dick Grayson fans.

I do love Dick!
*happy dances* There is a reason why he's
1. A lot more popular then certain DC execs would like. They were considering killing him in the last Crisis, and fans went crazy.
2. Referred to in the DCU as "The one person other then Superman that the whole hero community trusts."
3. Constantly told how cute his butt looks in those tights.

Of course, in the list of stuff that will happen in the next year, there were 5 that won't, and 5 that will. You're supposed to guess. One of them is the death of Dick. *grumbles* I'm starting to get really annoyed certain editors keep trying to kill him. Straight up? I love DC comics. Have since I was a kid, but they can bring back Travis Morgan, Cain and Abel in more active roles, do a ton with the new Batwoman, all of whom I love, but if they kill Dick? I'm done with them.
Now I must go have a geekgasm.

But it doesn't make up for canceling Nightwing. Nope. It really really doesn't. I wouldn't mind seeing Tim become Batman. But keep Nightwing as Nightwing, and Jason Todd.. they swore they weren't going to bring him back. Then they did, and then they brought back Stephanie. I don't like it, don't want it.

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?

This is a collection of the bead patterns I put did based on comic books I love, I'm posting it here so I can find it quickly.
( yeah.. I'm geekiest beader ever )
I've been sick all week. I'm sort of tired of it now.
I made an Invincibility Star necklace I need to get a picture of soon.

I have a beaded Green Lantern ring!
( in brightest day, in blackest night )

Poll #1105396
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 4

Casper vs. Moaning Myrtle

My favorite ghost is ...

Why does Mike hate Casper so much?

Seriously. He was grumbling about the choices, and picked Myrtle simply because Myrtle isn't Casper.

Okay, porcupine quills are found. Time for me to make quill earrings. Yep yep.
Today the kids wanted to come with me, so since my gym is right by the hospital, I sent them there for dinner while I lifted weights. After I got done, we walked through and looked at the art and discussed it. The art there is so pretty, every bit of it is done by NA artists. I showed them pretty examples of Athabaskan beadwork, and discussing the drum making class I wanted to take with W, who thinks it's a great idea. Then we went for comic books. *shudders* This week was expensive.
And Buffy? Season 8? Getting ready to make me nuts. I know they are going on hiatus soon, they mentioned it a couple months ago. But so much is going on! Giles and Faith! Not sure what I think of Angel Season 6, but I do like the dragon. (see? Teaser. To get the people not following the new seasons to start following them.)

Bunny Figure, note the price. That's not an accident. It really does only cost shipping. But I can't find a single gift card around here that I know has enough of a balance.

*sobs*

Limit of 16. I want 2. One to put away, one to put out. Because Bunny? Is the bestest witch comic ever. Seriously.

Poll #1027927
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 6

Tonto vs Little John

The Hand vs The Foot

I forgot to post it last week, and when we went to get comics today, I had completely forgotten what last weeks was. So I had to ask.

First, this weeks versus..
Poll #994509
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 5

Willow Ufgood versus Frodo Baggins

You all, as usual, went against the masses last time. Wesley was the overwhelming winner at the store, and Jack won by a 3 to 1 margin here.

I'm following this post with a second so the crochet pattern I'm posting will be all by it's lonesome instead of mixed up with my updates.
( there was a pink pink lady )
I've been debating writing instructions for making stitch markers. They are awfully simple, but sometimes step by step instructions are helpful. Do you think I should?

Let's see.. had eldest child over Monday night, and made him his favorite dinner. Prawns with lots of garlic, red onions, crimini mushrooms and butter served over pasta with real cheese on top. Not that icky powdered stuff. It was nice. The next day he and Mike had a Mel Brooks marathon, and he asked me to put the Dead Kennedys on the next mp3 disk I make him. My BOY!
Today I went to HT with the youngest, and she chose herself a pair of footless tights from the clearance racks with skulls and stars. She's mama's girl all the way. With skulls on her legs and her hair tied back with a orange piece of fabric that matches absolutely nothing in her wardrobe. It's perfect.
Summertime, so Mike's working late hours. Not nearly as late as last summer yet at least.
Today, I finally stopped and picked up the new NIN, and while I was at the music shop, I got that itchy feeling, the one that says "check over here" so I checked the S's in the used cd racks and found the Some Girls album I've been looking for. Happiness!!!! I also ordered the new Blackfire album, and made some album recommendations to the girl working there.
I'm paying for it though. I knew I didn't have the spoons, and now I'm wiped, hurting and cranky.
So far, the winning recipe for breakfast cereal for eldest child is the 7grain, but he prefers the raisins/brown sugar/butter powder flavoring stuff/instant milk to the farina. Same price. We've agreed though to keep experimenting with different dried fruits and he did *finish* the cherry. He just thinks he'd like it better with raisins.
The health food store we get our bulk stuff like that from has a dried vegetable soup mix that apparently is absolutely great in ramen. I need to remember to send some to Mel. When I find her bookmarks. The comic book store had these kickass ad bookmarks for some of my favorite comics. This week, they also had "free" download cards for e-music.com for 35 songs (credit card required) with a Marvel theme in lightweight plastic, so I grabbed one for her. Does anyone else want one next time I go in?
Speaking of which.. the store I get my coffee from? Has these neat Japanese pain patches, menthol and camphor, but unlike American patches, the menthol is the strongest, they smell like winter green lifesavers, and are *exactly* the right size for just under my knees, and cost 3.50 for a box of 20. So I'm going to pop a couple of them in her box. I'm posting it here, in case I forget to tell her, so she understands what the white tape things are.

This morning the weatherman on the news said "It's colder in Kentucky then some parts of Alaska", and Mike said "Times I wish I had a blog. So I could say NYAH NYAH NYAH!" So I'm saying it for him. But I still think he should have a blog.
"The Bead Widower's Guide to Wasting Time" subtitled "Annoyances and Amusements", which is really mostly for my amusement. I like the alliteration.
Starting with of course, carts at Michaels. Every so often he needs something for work that Michaels is the most convenient place to buy.. Michaels, being a store that primarily women go to has small carts. I'm sure you've never really noticed, but they are so much more convenient for people like me who just sort of graze at 5'4" and swear that's how tall they are. If you are 6'1" and doing the gentlemanly thing and pushing the cart.. they are *tiny*, like little toy carts. Shades of pre-school here.
Ahh.. but you should here his rants. Even more amusing are things like the conversation I overheard him having with E yesterday about civil disobedience.. I forget exactly what he was saying, but I was in the bedroom just overhearing his part of it, and just *dying*. I yelled "Hey, for an ex-cop, you sound an awful lot like a hippy anarchist."
We went and bought comics last night, and I put on my new bracelet happily anticipating nice comments about it. NOBODY noticed. Usually they do notice what I'm wearing, but they were too busy discussing Steve Rogers, The Hand, people being brought back to life, the effects of the Secret War on current Marvel history, and a smattering of DC. I forget exactly what they were trying to figure out, but Mike had the answer and told them. I just sort of gaped at him. Now it's one thing to be buying 40-60 dollars worth of comics weekly, I can almost ignore the inherent geekiness in it, but another to be discussing them with the "professional" comic geeks.
We also stopped by the bank before hand, so we could take out a loan to pay for our comics. (I'm kidding. But Mike did need to get some money for them)His bank is at Fred Meyers, and they have really good clearance deals. A couple weeks ago, I grabbed Mike some shirts from there, and noticed which ones he liked best, so while he was getting money, E and I went over to check on the clearance racks to see if they had anymore of the 2 styles he liked. No joy on the ones he liked best, but the other one, they had several, so I got him 3 more in different colors. He was happy, they wound up being about 14.00 each, and anytime I can find him a casual shirt that's still good enough for him to wear to work for under 20 dollars in his size, I'm ecstatic. I get a high off good deals shopping.

Came home, read comics. Ordered pizza. Did some tatting. Got the joins figured out,but miscounted the peice I was doing so I cut it off the shuttle and ball and tossed it. Thread is cheap, the headaches from unknotting it to get to the mistake weren't worth it since I'm just playing around getting it figured out.
I need to scan it, but the last Superman/Batman has Jimmy Olsen in a Blue Sun teeshirt. Mike was terribly amused.

I do believe you learn something new every day, so part of our evening is always me asking everyone what did they learn new today. It could be a new word, an idea, anything.
Yesterday, Mike and I learned together that Peerless handcuffs are a lot harder to pick then Smith and Wessons. Yes. We spent part of the evening mutilating my hair pins and picking handcuffs. Yes, we do actually have pairs, plural, and different brands. Mike used to be a cop you see. Dirty minds.

Neither one of us could get the peerless cuffs open, both of us could pop the Smith and Wessons. It's driving me mad. I can FEEL.. almost, the tension bar in the Peerless, I just can get it to go down.

So now we need lockpicks. Because we've agreed that we want to learn to pick locks together. Which is marginally more useful then last month learning how to walk coins down our fingers.

So I called my dad to ask him if he had any lock picks. You never know. Turned out he doesn't have them anymore, but had a couple sets a few years ago. He told me about what price range to look in, and gave me information about where he's seen them in the past. Then asked why we want to learn to pick locks. I said "Because it's a mountain." He said Oh.

When Mike came home, I asked him to grab dinner for us, and he stopped by Mc Donalds and came back with an almost complete set of the Madame Alexandra dolls. Which TOTALLY rocks. They are Wizard of Oz themed this year. He missed the Munchkin and the Scarecrow, but I got both witches! He didn't get Emily a set, but did get her a happy meal, so she got Dorothy. I told her she could play with mine if she put them back when she was done. So a few minutes later I hear "I don't care if you've got magic powers, you're going DOWN" and Dorothy pushed the Witch of the West off a chair. I said "I don't recall Dorothy being so blood thirsty. Besides, the witch can fly." and she popped a melted bead ornament under her and said "ALIEN witch! On a flying saucer" then asked me why witches were green. I said "I'm not green." and she said impatiently "I know that. I meant costumes and pictures and stuff." This is an absolutely normal evening really.

I posted instructions for the clasp on my Wonder Woman bracelet here, and the bracelet?
( Stop a bullet cold... )

So the other day, I made the mushrooms that are on BentoTV, and they were a huge hit with Mike. Emily was less enthused, she dislikes mushrooms, but she loved the filling. EASIEST thing in the world, really.
Then tonight I made little octopus hotdogs for dinner.
Now, imagine for a moment, me taking the time to arrange gorgeous plates of food.. simple dinner. seasoned rice, lightly sugared strawberries, and kosher hotdogs painstakingly hand cut into octopusses by hand because I don't have a nifty octopus cutter. (cut in half, then 8 legs cut into them a bit over halfway up)
I put the octopus on slices of cheese, rice and strawberries on the side.
Then served Mike.
Now, imagine, my sweet, wonderful, patient, ex-cop husband looking at the octopus hotdogs, and trying to find *something* appropriate to say.
"That's so wrong."
Hmm.. guess I'm glad I didn't use the fish cookie cutters on the cheese. Maybe a little too much on the cute side?
I replied, with all the dignity I could muster up between giggles "Excuse. The right response to a meal lovingly prepared for you with these two hands is "Thank you darling, this looks wonderful."
He said "it looks amazing, thank you for dinner sweetheart"
Somebody has GOT to find me a heart shaped egg mold. Because I *need* to see his response to delicately pink heart shaped deviled eggs. Making one of his favorite foods in the world cute would be entirely too much fun.
---
Because of traffic and lack of parking at the hospital, I was late to my PT appointment. 15 minutes late which is usually a re-schedule, but I've got an awesome therapist. She figures if you get there close to on time, she'll squeeze you in and rush you through, which is exactly what she did. What should have been a 30 minute session was crammed into 20 making her just a bit late for her 3:00 appointment. But OUCH. Seriously. Rushing through her upping the intensity left me just a bit spasm-y and sore. I asked her about a workout I wanted to try, and she gave me a long list of "donts", I was expecting her to say "Just be careful not to push yourself too hard" I guess I'm not yet used to the limitations on my life. It's frusterating, because in some sort of silly way, I guess I believed somehow I'd get close to my old level of activity, and some stuff is just completely out for me. Maybe I'll just walk the mall. I can't get too hurt walking the mall right?
I've got almost full mobility back in my legs though. This is good. The mobility was lost because of pain issues, and she's been putting me through some gentle stretches to get it back.
After that, we got to the comic book store for the 2 weeks of comics we missed. Mike and I disagreed on when the last time we went was, he was certain it was more recent then I thought, so I checked my "versus" tag to find out. Which means I missed a versus. The winner was Pokey and Gumby, but I have no clue who they were fighting. I'll get this weeks up tomorrow.
So I missed an issue of 52. This is huge. This bothers me a LOT. Especially since they revealed this week who Supernova was.
( 52 spoiler for the people who might actually be comic addicts reading this and who are later getting comics then I was! )
Started my nephews hat, at a stopping point while I wait for a measurement. I'm really loving working the Lion Brand cashmere blend. It's got just enough cashmere and acrylic blended with the wool (it's mostly wool) to make it very soft, and it's somewhere between a worsted and a bulky, so it's working up super fast and solid with a size H hook. I'm using the ribbed pattern I used for my son's hat. I've also decided Mike's next scarf is going to be made in this stuff. And oh yeah.. it's not expensive, and Fred Meyer's carries it and frequently has "buy 2 get 1 free" coupons for craft supplies. :)