Last night, about 5 pm, my back started spasming really badly, and didn't *stop* even with muscle relaxants, so I went to sleep about 8 pm. Pain is exhausting. I had a dr ask me once if I needed something to help me sleep through the pain, and I explained to him "No. Sleeping isn't an issue when I hurt really badly because I wind up exhausted. All I want to do is sleep." That's what convinced him I really was in chronic pain despite the fact I look good for it. (that's a quote by the way, from one of my physical therapists)

When I get tired, my mind tends to range all over the place, and I started thinking about a spoon my mom used to have. It got broken after 20 years of regular use, but it was carved out of cottonwood by my paternal grandfather, and it had a deepish bowl and a beaver carved on the handle. He was the traditional chief, and a really good wood carver. Mom used that spoon all the time. She believed strongly that pretty and precious things were meant to be used, to be enjoyed, not just to have.

So while Mike was tucking me into bed, I asked him if he had ever wanted to carve spoons, and he said yes. I'm not sure if he does, or if he was just humoring me and trying to get me to go to bed since when he got home I was a bit weepy and emotional. But I think I want to this summer. I'm not sure if I'll use cottonwood, cottonwood is really easy to carve, and it's what I've carved in the past, but I want spoons out of a harder wood. I need to find my tools and find some wood blanks, but that shouldn't be too hard, I'll ask my brother if he has scraps I can use.

I'm feeling a lot better today, and made it to the gym this morning.

and I'm working with Mike and my brother to see how we can do it and how much it will cost with stuff scavenged where ever possible..
I think we can make a heated food dehydrator in an old tower case using an older power supply (because we have a brand new old power supply in a box from about 4 years ago) and scavenged fans, and light bulbs. But I think it's such a great idea I figured I'd share.
See, the best food dehydrators has fans on the sides of it instead of at the top or bottom. Top or bottom fans don't evenly distribute air through the layers, plus if it's on the bottom, food/liquid can drip in them and needs to be cleaned. But good food dehydrators with fans on the side can be a bit pricey. Computer parts are easy.

I was also watching E turn a plastic bag into a wind sock and remembered another one of those things mom used to do with us.. she would give us washed used aluminum foil and plastic bags to make comet balls out of. We had a lot of fun batting them around with old badminton raquets.

Yesterday I learned about Armenian needle lace, which is a very pure form of lace making. You need a needle and thread. Traditionally it's done with a size 100 thread. Uh... yeah.. no. I'm too modern. The world is instant, and I like my gratification close to the same way. I'll use something like a size 20, which is more then fine enough for me.
Today I learned that during Victorian times, men would retire for brandy and cigars, women would have wine jellies, since it was a more genteel way to have a drink after a meal. Well, these days it's jell-o shots for men and women both. But I LIKE the idea of wine jellies. I had lots of fun making coffee and tea jellies with the kids.

You can use pectin, gelatin or agar agar for jelling I'm sure. I'm not sure what's most traditional, so I'll have to look. (well..I'm reasonably sure it's not agar agar)
Imagine a blush wine with rose petals suspended in it. How pretty would that be? With a bit of whipped cream on top and if you wanted to be truly over the top, candied rose petals on that to decorate! If you skip the whipped cream and use whipped until silky tofu with vanilla and sugar, and use fruit based pectin or agar agar, it's a vegan variation of a Victorian victual. Okay.. sorry. I couldn't resist the alliteration though.
A dark wine in flutes with dark grapes in it could be really pretty too.

<beadgeek>
Generally, in the last 35 years at least, most loom beading is done with a double weft, and isn't really weaving. You're sandwiching the warp threads between the double weft. That's the instructions with the little "Indian Bead Loom" (I have a "Genuine Indian Bead Loom" that belonged to my non-Native grandmother she got 32 years ago). So I assumed that was the standard, because it's been the standard for.. well.. my lifetime at least.
HOWEVER.. rigid heddles were used in the past by some NA weavers. They used a double warp, and a very finely carved rigid heddle that allowed matched sets of up/down warp in a box shaped loom, not a tape loom, it was basically the heddle suspended in between 2 ends with round dowels to wrap the warp/completed beadwork around.

I'm not sure if anyone makes heddle that fine anymore, but I'm going to talk to my brother about what I need to build a similar loom. I'm wondering if modification on an inkle style/string heddle loom could work for a similar effect. It's going to have to be built to spec though, which means if my brother can't build it, I'm going to have to figure out someway to build it myself with Mike's help. Maybe I could cast the heddle to get the spacing I need?
</beadgeek>

Oh yeah, and sorry R. I just couldn't picture a way to do bead weaving with a rigid heddle that would still look neat and work as well as the double weft method. I still think the double weft method would be quickest, and I think this may be too thready, but I want to try it and see.

Also, we made cupcakes!
We used this recipe but modified somewhat.
First, no almond extract. We used a full tablespoon of good organic vanilla instead. We also added a tablespoon of instant espresso to the batter. The batter? SOO fluffy. I've never made a cake with batter that fluffy.
Like I said, we made cupcakes, and the recipe makes 36 cupcakes. Plan accordingly. Reading the comments, I knew it made a lot of batter, so I used my 12 cup cupcake pans. Shorten the time to 35 minutes.
We frosted with an espresso butter cream frosting that I made WAY too much of.
Espresso Butter Cream Frosting-
1 cup of butter
1 T of vanilla, or less if you don't like vanilla as much as I do.
2 T. of instant espresso powder
2 T of cold milk
2 T of coffee
2 lbs of powdered sugar

Cream the first 5 ingredients with an egg beater, then work in the powdered sugar a bit at a time until it's all incorporated and beat it until it's light and fluffy. Give one egg beater to your husband and one to your kid, unless you have two kids, then give both to your husband, because you can't expect the kids to share one. *laughs* I'm joking of course, but Mike does like to lick the beaters.
My mom always asked "Who's gonna be the slickapot?" so we use that term too for whoever gets to scrape the edges of the mixing bowl for frosting/battery goodness. E slicked the pot happily and got all covered with coffee frosting.
Dad's coming by after work to pick up some of the cupcakes, because we really don't need 36 cupcakes.

Today it's running on loser. *points to icon*
Finished my first inkle loom woven strap, and yes. I will HAVE to get a picture later.. because? It's horrible. Mike LAUGHED. Even from a distance it's BAD. The edges aren't just uneven, aren't just dancing to the beat of their own drummer, but are breakdancing to a ukulele. So I need to get a picture for every single one of you who says "Everything you make is so beautiful."
I'm still proud of it, I finished it. And finishing when you're starting something new and you know it's turning out terrible is a good thing. You learn from it.
But it's *really* bad. However, I got the loom warped, and I know what I did wrong. It's tension issues. I worked with the small loom in my lap like I do with pouch looms, and for this style weaving, it just meant the tension varied so much.

I figured out something that could get me to embroider. I'll have to work on a pattern, but I just decided, I need a denim jacket embroidered with a picture of Martha that says "What Would Martha Do?" Which means getting in touch with oh.. anyone who lives in a major city who's mailing me something soonish to have them check thrift stores for denim jackets, because up here? They generally want 10-15 dollars for an old Levi's jacket at a thrift store, and every other city I've been to asks half that.
I'm going to have to start collecting and making lace for it. Yes, it will have hand crocheted lace on it. It must. It's a What Would Martha Do? jacket after all. Maybe I'll even tea stain it.
In the meantime, after I finish the book review I'm working on, I'm going to have to work on my inkle lack of skills. I'm thinking of a simple pair of round shoelaces next just to really practice my tension. Sure, they will turn out boucle, but hey, that's just fun right?

The chicken turned out nicely with the yogurt/egg combo for the coating. REALLY moist. Next time I'll try it at a slightly higher temperature to make it a bit crispier.
I'm afraid I can't really post a recipe, because.. well.. I'm really bad at measuring when I'm cooking main courses.
But I'll try.

1 small thing of non-fat plain yogurt
2 eggs (or actually, a good sized splash of low cholesterol egg goop)
Mix well
---
About, umm.. 3 cups I think it wound up being? Of cornflakes. Smashed well. The 12 year old loves smashing for me. She vacated when it came to the slimy part.
Seasoning. I used a mix of a non-salt herb mix, garlic, cayenne, seasoning salt, and of course, lots and lots of black pepper
Mix well

4 chicken breasts cut into smaller chunks. Not quite nugget sized, I cut each breast into 4 pieces.

Preheat oven to 350°F (375°?)
Coat chicken pieces in slime, then in cornflake mixture, put in the pan
Bake for 30 minutes, or 45. Depending on if you completely lose track of time doing other things. Which I did.

Turned out well. For some reason, some pieces got a lot more cayenne then others. So mine weren't too hot, but Mike felt the burn.

The coffee jelly turned out well, and E thought it was big fun making it. She had some with whipped cream, and thought eating coffee was great.While it was setting, I said I wanted to get some agar agar, and according to thier website, The Natural Pantry has it, so should New Sagaya right? She asked "What's agar-agar?" and I said "It's like a vegan gelatin." Whoops. Naturally, she asked.. "So why isn't gelatin vegan?" and I sighed, and said "You really don't want to know." and she said "Yes I do." so I explained gelatin. Well, she wasn't grossed out, just facinated. She's never gone through a vegetarian stage like her brother or like I did. She actually was just impressed you could use that much of cow/calf. She's also having fun thinking of other things we can use Knox in.
She told me that her brother would probably love green tea jello. She's right of course. So I can see green tea jellies in the future. Probably with apple or pear slices.
Mike and I were on our way home from the store tonight, and I asked him "Are you going to try the coffee jellies like you said?"
"Yes, but not right now."
"I didn't mean right now. Do you think I have a pocket full of jelly?"
"You could. I wouldn't doubt it."
"I would not fill my pocket full of jelly."
"Are you sure?"
"Not without a good reason."
"So it was 'I wouldn't have a pocket full of jelly' and now it's without a good reason? So you think there could be a good reason for it?"
"Well.. I don't know what a good reason could be. But there could be one."
"Ahh.. yes. Bill Gates just died, and his will states that the only person who gets the money is the person with jelly in thier pocket."
"Yes, and now, don't you feel foolish for telling me there wasn't a good reason to have jelly in my pocket!"
When we got home, I asked E, "Is there ever a good reason to have jelly in your pocket?" and she said "No." Flatly. And gave me that *look*.

This post on Craftster makes me think I need to make marshmallows soon. Because those chocolate drizzled and sprinkled ones are so pretty! Jehanna's made them in the past, and said it was fun, and pointed out she could make a huge Peep if she wanted. I don't want to make peeps, I want to make pretty marshmallows!

This week I..
Recovered from the Crud
Turned my WW laminated earrings into two seperate necklaces instead for E and I
Crocheted a pouch for my nano, because somehow my woven one disappeared
Beaded a couple leaves
Will take pictures soon.

Because you know, I'm prone to boasting. *laughs*
But I told E I'd pick her up breakfast, and with the time crunch.. that wound up being a burrito from the convenience store. And she acted like beans and cheese were geniunely what she wanted first thing in the morning.
W offered me a plastic spider, and said "I'm sure you can do something crafty with this."
Oh yeah, and both kids are being very patient with the sheets of aluminum foil in the sink that need to be "cleaned" for crafting. Since you know, using new aluminum foil would be too easy and wasteful when we do use it occasionally for covering things in the oven and fridge.

The idea is to use it to cover notebooks, with holes cut out to make "bezels" for cast resin cabs, so stuff that's wrinkly will be more interesting once we use the acrylic paint to bring out details.
Of course, this would work better if I had the slightest clue where my spray adhesive was. I know where my repositional spray is. And where my acrylic clear spray is. And a bunch of cans of spray paint. But not my spray adhesive. But how cool would a plastic bat encased in resin look on the cover of a notebook covered with crinkly foil? Hopefully, very cool. I'll let you know.

Working out today was hard, but since I'm over my excitement, I was able to pinpoint exactly which exercise made me ache last time. Chest press. Yep. Definately not my favorite. I've never really weight trained before. I had this awful nightmare I was all ripply with muscles. *shudders* Yeah.. definately going for high reps, low weights. Because ick. Really. My trainer added a new exercise today to work on my triceps. And today I counted. What she said was 12 reps was actually more like 16. It's a sneaky plot isn't it? Make people do more then they think they can. New shoes though. I did enjoy the new pumas. We exchanged ideas for places for good deals on clothes, I guess her kids were into Abercrombie and Fitch, which is another thing that makes my kids wonderful. So not brand conscious. Both kids love garage sales and thrift stores, and E actually gets a major thrill out of it, finding cool stuff to work into her very unique warddrobe. E's favorite current item of clothing though is a corduroy jumper I got her in Hell for 12.00, she loves it so much and it's such a basic item of clothing I went back and got her 3 more. She gets compliments on her jumpers and teeshirt combos whenever she wears them. Usually from older people who just seem shocked to see a 12 yo girl look like a 12 yo girl instead of like a miniature woman.
I got this *great* knitting with beads book to review, and one of projects is this lovely vintage-y looking cap I think I want to replicate the shape of for E for the ren faire next year.
Of course, right this minute, I'd embrace anything that wasn't single crochet in the back loop with dark blue wool. BORING.

Don't forget, Chat tonight at 6 pm Pacific Standard Time. Bette is going to be having a super secret word contest, she's picked a word, and anyone who says it will get beads. Last week she came in with a secret identity, and said anyone who guessed who she was would win beads. So I've got charlottes coming to me in the mail!


I'm talking to R about holiday gifts, I've got friends who tend to spend too much on gifts that never get out of their boxes. This year? I took the handmade pledge, and I'd rather have handmade, but if that's just not an option, I want gift certificates to indie businesses, like Microcosm Publishing or if Alternative Tentacles offers one, Alternative Tentacles.

Me? Well.. as Mike says, with the tween and the teen, all handmade isn't an option. I can't crochet a working GH 3 game and controller even if Mike does do the electronics. But I will crochet a few more pouches for W, who uses them for all sorts of things. Not sure what I'm making for E yet. I'm making my dad a blanket like the ones we use here, and the kids are going to a paint pottery place and painting a mug for his milk and a plate for his cookies to give him along with a box of oreos.

I want want want the DIY Screenprinting book from Microcosm. One episode of ThreadBangers was about how to make simple screens with embroidery hoops, I've seen it on the net before and always wanted to try it, but now that E's seen it, she wants to try it too, so chances are most of my friends will be getting something screenprinted.
( the ThreadBangers video )
Doesn't that look fun??
In my last entry, jenna_thorn left this comment...
"For a foldable, squashable, travel set, broad grossgrain ribbon in red and black, eight strips woven tabby then stitched (or glued) with squarish bits of ribbon snipped off to be the pieces.

Tends to float off in a breeze, but is light enough to fold up in a jeans pocket and go anywhere."
I like the idea, but not with the ribbon snips because they would float off too easily, but maybe combine it with washers that will fit the squares painted to match and a long narrow ribbon to tie it up that the washers could be threaded on?

( a potholder design )
Ideas for making checkers-
E and I were talking about checkers last night, and ways we could make checkers and checkerboards. The boards are easy, ideas we came up with for checkers...
Bottle caps filled with resin and glitter or pictures
polymer clay
buttons
shrink plastic
candy
paper
hardware, washers et cetra
Fruit Loops
bread dough clay (white bread mixed with glue)
Beads

Still working on other ideas, willing to take suggestions. Marble magnets would work too. We could make a board in pretty papers on a cookie sheet, then use the marble magnets for a magnetised game.

I love origami, and today while we were getting groceries, Mike spotted packs of translucent origami paper in the clearance section. They were marked down to 4.16 with an additional 50% off the clearance price. Happiness! We dug through the bucket of various paper products and found 4 packages total.
( a scan )
The cd under it to show how translucent it is at least on my scanner is Ernest Cline's The Geek Wants Out, click on the second little icon to hear/download samples off it. Mike loves it in a big huge "I don't normally like poetry but this stuff makes sense" sort of way. If you like the mp3s, and he's got a good selection off the album, get the album. It's worth it.

If you're an intelligent woman is interested in breaking into the adult film industry,
and if you can tell me the name of Luke Skywalker's home planet,
then you are hired.

It doesn't matter if you think you're overweight or unattractive.
It doesn't matter if you don't think you're beautiful.
You are beautiful. . .
And I will make you a star.

From Nerd Porn Auteur.

I still owe Mel big for pointing this out to me.
I gave E a package of the paper, and she asked me why my models always turn out so neat and not crooked like hers. Of course, she was going a LOT faster then me, so I pointed that out. "I've been doing origami a lot longer, and I'm slower, I take my time with the folds." She said "BLAH!" which has been her way of saying "Enough already" for the last few weeks. BLAH BLAH BLEH BLEH BLAH. So there.
She's decided painted small bubble paper makes excellent carpeting for cardboard box dollhouses. She's right.
We've been discussing alternatives to dragging her baby blanket with her whenever we go to the hotel or when she knows she's going to be at grandpa's for a while. The current leader is the idea of making a fleece quillow together with buttons on the pocket that handles can be attached to.
Check your listings on your local PBS station tonight for "The Way of the Warrior", it's new, the first showig was a couple days ago, and it's good. It's about Native Americans in war from WW1 to Vietnam. Well.. you don't have to. But I'm watching it again.

Halloween was fun. We went to a house of horror at E's insistence. She let herself be very scared. W was amused by the whole thing and walked through it with a half smile and his hands in his pockets.
Then we went trick or treating at very specific houses. Friends or family. The kids of course wound up with way too much candy. E was incredibly hyper, so I asked her "Did you drink coffee?" "No." *thinks* "How much candy did you eat?" She held her hands out, indicating about 3 inches "about this much chocolate?" Next question.. "A piece that big, or a stack that high?" Silence for a couple minutes.
"A stack that high."

Now, mostly, chocolate doesn't effect my family. Makes W break out a bit, and Dad considers it a food group. E on the other hand.. gets loopy. Hyper, loopy, chocolate is very good drugs indeed for E, and she loves the stuff.
She bounced like a superball in a shower stall. The kind with a door not a curtain.

On the crochet nunchaku thing.. how about quilted shuriken as well? and a plastic canvas needlepoint katana? I could be the CRAFT NINJA next year.Embroidered black outfit..

Of course, that would mean that R would have to figure out a way to be a Craft Pirate.

I henna'd W's arm with a dragon, and I still have a cone and half left. Oh yeah. I really mixed entirely too much.

I also worked out, in my head at least, a spiderweb potholder, should I make it and post the pattern?

OH! VS! Before I forget.
Poll #1081106
Open to: All, results viewable to: All

Iron-man vs. Batman

Last week, it was a tie between purple lightsaber and Luke. In the store that week the winner was Mace Windu. Mike's vote was "you know by posting that, you've become a geek poster girl right?"

And yes. I know, Joss, Eliza, new show. Which is cool. But I'm not getting my hopes up. Fox? Has a serious habit of cancelling shows I like without giving them a fair chance, for a station that was originally willing to settle for a small slice of the tv viewing pie using really new concepts and shows, they've really become a shining example of sell out.
I'm not at all bitter. Really.

E got in trouble last night for helping herself to a roll of duct tape. She knows she's supposed to ask about using my craft supplies, but frequently gets so caught up in the moment, she doesn't. She used *most* of it.
When I said "Well, what should we do about it?" She replied "You can stop buying so much duct tape."

Yeah. No. Not an answer.
But I guess I should be grateful, I mean, she's 12, it could really be so much worse. Of course, last week she tried to borrow one of my leather jackets, and I said "NO NO NO. And besides, it needs to be cleaned." She said "oh.. okay." and I said "Nice try though" (she had put it on and was heading out the door wearing it) and she said "I know."

The tape was for making paper nunchaku (what is the correct way to use that word? A set? A pair? Or is just nunchaku enough?), and I'm not sure I have enough left, however, it occurs to me, I could crochet a pair with fun foam to stiffen and fill it. It also occurs to me that even hypothetically designing crocheted nunchaku brings me to whole new levels of crafty geekdom. Time to just go ahead and bead myself a bracelet that says "Shop Smart, Shop S-mart".

How to make Angel Wings gave me a probably impossible idea. Wouldn't it be NEAT to make a pair of magpie wings and dress all in white and black with *tons* of sparkly jewelry next year for Halloween?
Maybe a tiara. Ahh.. to be a magpie diva in sequins, beads and big pretty wings.

Well.. time to go check my tape supply, hopefully I've got a roll stashed away of black duct tape.

A friend of mine, because I have the most wonderful friends, offered me a healthy chunk of server space. So much that my mind is boggling and thinking of things I can do with it.
Like.. my server doesn't allow MP3s, hers does, I'm reasonably sure, since she's a musician. Which means I could do a podcast. Well.. if I replace my headset. My daughter is a very wonderful girl, but she's also hard on headsets. Or I could really start updating my printables pages, and put some stuff in .pdf format.. or..

Which made me think of my printable miniature books. Very cute, very fun, and hey! Actual pages, but since I did them a LOT of computer crashes ago, the only copies of the files I currently have are on my webpage. Yeah.. I know, I need to download my webpage again. So I decided to look them up and get a reminded of how I did them. I started by googling printable books, and found these. Ah.. bookplates! I'm not sure anyone really uses them anymore, but those are neat, and I was thinking, maybe I should design some while color copies are cheap, and then get color copies made and make envelope glue to paint on the back. I should make some anyway. I have all the ingredients, and I'm sure the kids could come up with something fun to do with it.

They made pizza together a few days ago. Actually, they each made their own. Which is a good thing, because nobody was trying E's recipe. She mixed hot sauce, taco sauce and pizza sauce, and put cheese and pepperoni on top. She swore it was good, and tried to tell me "How do you know you don't like it if you don't try it?" and I said "Nice try kid." W packed his up to take home with him, but left two pieces for Mike and I. Mike ate both slices.

Today the new elfporn book comes out. A Lick of Frost. I called and had a copy reserved, and told Mike to pick it up for me on his way home. He's not thrilled about it, and made sure I had them hold it in my name. He doesn't want anyone thinking it's for him, and I think he brought latex gloves with him to pick it up.

Sent packages to Mel and Pamy. Not to everyone else I need to send mail to, it was hard enough getting stuff organised for them. I managed to forget to put the keyring flask in Pam's package before I sealed it up, so I tossed it in the mel box. I also forgot to pack both their pennies. So now I have a half dozen pressed pennies in my purse.

But hopefully they like the goodies I sent them.

We skipped E's craft class because of a bead show downtown. Before we left, we checked the mail, and my books from Microcosm were there. More on those in a bit.

The bead show was missing some of my favorite sellers, but I did manage to find entirely too much to spend money on. Fish Lips and Bird Teeth had a couple wonderful poly clay pins, no magpies though! She said she would have some at the next show, after finding out that jays, while corbies, weren't my favorite. I like magpies. I got a pin from her that says "I'm not bossy, I'm just always right", Mike and the kids thought it was hilarious, and entirely too perfect for me. Alaska Bead Company had a trunk show going with sparkly after market coated riviolis. Too shiny, too pretty, and too much. I spent a lot of money on 6 pretty crystals. One of them is triangle shaped and just incredible shine. Since I'm getting some gold beads from Pamy, I think the triangle crystal will be my "Not a Christmas Party" necklace this year. I also got a pretty blown glass angel to hang from my window, she's holding a rose.
After that, E and I went for lunch at the Brewhouse, yeah, I know, tight budget I totally blew yesterday, but it was fun. She had halibut fish and chips, and I had a garlic-y pasta/chicken dish I love. I did not have creme brulee. See? I was watching the budget.
We walked for a bit, and going by town square, we ran across Eyes Wide Open, an exhibition done by American Friends Service Committee. It was amazing. In the center of town square was a neat square marked off with American flags, filled with neat rows of combat boots representing a small part of the soldiers that have died in Iraq. Surrounding that, on the small hills around the center were pairs of regular shoes all marked with names and ages of Iraqis that have died in the war. They were everywhere, baby shoes, kids shoes, slippers for elderly women, all with names and ages. I started crying when I saw a pair of shoes that represented a 12 year old, with my 12 year old daughter next to me. There were a lot of people looking at the names in the section with the soldiers boots, but for me, it was the rest that was heartbreaking. The servicemen and women who died signed up for it, and even if they didn't really know what they were getting into, they knew there was a possibility they would be asked to fight for their country. A 6 month old, an 80 year old, a 12 year old, they don't ask for it. They weren't waging war. They were trying to live. I picked up literature about the exhibit for my son. I didn't realize until I'd gotten home I should have picked up extra copies for Mel. I'm sorry!
After that, we walked over to Nordstrom's for coffee. You know, when I was 16, it was 25¢ a cup, it's gone up to 2.50. E and I each had a cup of coffee, and split a piece of chocolate cake (it's really rich and dark chocolate, even sharing, we didn't finish it, E did NOT want to admit the cake had her beat). After you've seen an exhibition like that, and when your shopping bag is filled with catalogs from a place like Microcosm, you feel strongly like saying very rude things to people spending hundreds on dresses and shoes, you know that? I settled for leaving a couple catalogs in the ladies restroom lounge.
Then we walked to the hotel, and just when we were a block away, Mike called to say he was off work, so we waited for him by the door, and he picked us up. Then we went to get Wm.
About the books-
The cookbook, Hot Damn and Hell Yeah/The Dirty South had a recipe in it for a mushroom gravy, that modified a bit, made a marvelous "safe to eat even when on a diet" gravy for Mike. So last night, he had leftover chicken instead of halibut with the rest of us with gravy on it. Since he hasn't had gravy in a month, he loved it.
( gravy recipe )
Before bed last night, I read some of Stolen Sharpie Revolution, which is as amazing as it sounds. I know at least one person on my flist has a zine, and I've considered starting one a few times. This book is absolutely chocked full of information. The real question is, who would be interested in a zine I was doing? It would be a lot like this blog, a mix of crafts, politics, ideas, and journalling, in print form.
Making Stuff and Doing Things is full of a lot of ideas I won't use, but it also has some great ones I will use. One of them is to make buttons using safety pins, bottle caps and can tabs. Which I had some of. So I tried it out.
( Bottle cap buttons )

Mike only lost one lb last week, he's a little grumpy about it. I don't think I ever really understood food addiction before seeing Mike start to work at breaking his. It's really like any other addiction I think, you can't be cured, but unlike other addictions, you can't abstain either. You have to eat. You can make yourself eat the right things, and the right servings, but that temptation to go overboard, or eat a handful of chips or a twinkie is always there.
I also don't think I understood how bad his cravings for sweets was. Me? I'm pretty happy with caramel rice cakes, or other healthy alternatives to sweets, lately, my sweet treat has been 100% pure grape juice, because it's a memory trigger for me of being a kid in California. Mike on the other hand, is really wanting that candy bar or maybe some oreos, and it doesn't help that we buy them when they are on sale for my dad, and have them here until we see him.

So yesterday, I found brown and pink yarn clearance priced at Michaels (this is related, I swear), now, one of my noticeable whines about yarn here, is that I have a hard time finding my worsted weight cotton in brown or black. If I'd had more money, I'd have just pushed the whole sale cart up to the register. Seriously. Because it might take me years, but I will eventually use it all. I did buy as many balls as I could comfortably afford, even if it wasn't nearly as much as I wanted. They were a dollar a ball, not a *great* price, since it goes on sale for that price fairly frequently, but not bad. And brown, and pink. So I got home, and had all this brown and pink yarn, and whipped this up.
( little purse )
I asked Mike how it looked, and he said "It looks like something to eat", which was really the point, but I didn't realize a crocheted purse could trigger it. He said later "If I dream about cupcakes, you're in so much trouble." and I said "I didn't think you would find yarn appetising" and he said "Fat man on a diet, do you know how much I want a cupcake?"
Whoops. But is cute.
It's made with a size G hook, and the bottom has a bit of plastic canvas in it to keep it flat, why plastic canvas not recycled milk jug plastic or something like that? Because I couldn't find any milk jug plastic, and all my cheese tubs and stuff have been used to send food over to dad's house and I didn't have any of them handy. I did have circles of plastic canvas handy. Just FYI, for the re-purposers who read this, the cheese containers for the alouette cheese and soft spreadable cheeses I use on roasted mushrooms make great bento side dish containers if you need a possibly disposable bento. E likes them for some of her crafting supplies too, and a lot of them are actually fairly pretty in a plain way.

Currently working on- some mood icons
In the line up- a gift card holder based on the key card envelopes from the hotel. I like the simplicity of them, template and some designs for printing.
A tessallated skull pouch. Pattern made, need to get the beading done.
A circles lariat necklace- just an idea, need to make the necklace then the instructions.
A pattern for a "sponge" I crocheted. ( picture here )
A tutorial for using international crochet symbols
An html annoyance. Like the happy birthday marquee I posted recently, but I'm thinking personalized backgrounds to use sort of like a note card to leave in people's comments, so.. designing a card, then writing the code, then re-writing the code so it can be cut and pasted and making a tutorial for using the code with your own images. I haven't written a psp tutorial since the bleeding text one I wrote ages ago after making the crocheting until my fingers bleed icon.

( the weekend, image heavy )
I hope your weekend was as nice!

I graphed out a dark mark bracelet in even count peyote if anyone wants the pattern.

Yeah.. and R? You really don't have to reply. I know you want the pattern.

Today was craft day. Today's craft was really entirely too simple. There was also a free make it and take it, but entirely too many people to fuss with it. Afterwards, we went to Sam's Club as usually for the inexpensive lunch we follow craft class with. But dad was with us, and he loves to browse.

( E's haircut )
( The funnest of all her fun hats )

I picked up a new heat tool today with the weekly 40% off coupon for Michaels. I still feel like an idiot. I KNOW I have one, just no idea where. Heat tools are incredibly handy for shrink plastic, because you can see exactly what you are doing.

I had an idea, I still need to try it, but I think if I print out pictures of constellations and scale them right, then transfer them to card stock and prick holes in the card stock, then lay that over one of those big camping types of flashlights pointed up at the ceiling, E and I can paint constellations on her bedroom ceiling with gitd paint. It's an idea anyway. She currently has footprints on her ceiling. Like she stood on it, and traced around her feet. Yeah.. I had to ask. She traced her feet paper, cut it out, then traced around the paper footprints on her ceiling, but she was snickering as she explained, I think she's been waiting for me to ask.
Things you *never* think you'll say "Why are there footprints on the ceiling??"

( Trying to get the look of tatting with beads )

I also made E a penguin necklace based off my penguin earring, just bigger and fatter. She likes it. :)

Only one person did my how well do you know me test. Bunches more did the versus.
Stewie won both at Boscos and on here. By a much smaller margin at Boscos though. 25 to 22 I think. Personally, I like the Brain.
This weeks is a bit harder unless you are a comic geek..

Poll #938390
Open to: All, results viewable to: All

Iron Man Vs. Captain America

Okay, if you aren't following comics at all (most of you I know. I'm a little bummed because Boscos shipment is hung up in Seattle, they told us as soon as we walked in.)Marvel just had this little civil war. In one corner was Iron Man, firmly on the side of the government for registration of the metas to protect society, and in the other corner was Captain America.. well.. for truth, justice and the American (ideal) way. In the end, Cap walked away, and turned himself in to protect innocent lives and property which was being destroyed by meta battling, but before he told his people to stand down, they were winning. I was a bit bummed, because I think Cap was right. It was well done though, all sorts of neat questions that I'm sure weren't at all political comments on the current administration.

March is coming in like a lion. Windy, which with temps barely climbing out of single digits mean incredibly cold wind factors. Like 20-30 degrees sub-zero. Like I'm glad I still haven't put back in my earrings from my last round of tests or I'd have frost bite.

Went to Boscos today. No comics. All was sad. Went to Michaels, got the yarn I needed and another box of colored pencils. Because you know, colored pencils in a house with teens and tweens disappear frequently. Also got some little wedding type bubbles to work up a bead pattern for. Box of 50, so there is a possibility that some will wind up in packages I'm mailing. I didn't need 50. I only needed 5 or 6, but they don't come in boxes of 5 or 6.
Went to McDonalds. Shamrock shake happiness. All was right in the world except for Mike having to work too much.

We were cuddling, and he'd just finished finding out what Harry wore to the Vampire Ball and we were both giggling insanely, when his cell rang. Yep. You guessed it. He had to go back into work. I'm trying my bestest to be supportive rather then screaming "This is supposed to be your slow season. MY time." Yech. If things are this bad in March, can you imagine May?
Last night he bought me a new stock pot, mine are all 5 quart sizes, and I needed a bigger one. I was planning on 8 quarts, but what with sales and coupons, a 12 quart wound up being nearly 15 dollars cheaper. So I have a pan much bigger then I need. I can live with that. So I made a big pot (okay.. about half that pot. It's huge) of chili. Mike usually makes the chili, and i was pretty insecure about the whole process, but it got the E seal of approval, she ate two bowls, Mike had 2 last night then 2 more today. I made good chili.

EDIT: 9:30 am. He's on his way home finally. Yikes. He's not used to staying awake 24 hours at a stretch anymore.

Michael says he supports all my life style choices except glitter. Of course, I don't wear glitter often, but you know how the stuff is.. one application will last for months and people will have odd sparkles here and there.

My shoulder still hurts too bad to do anything. I'm still trying since not doing anything makes me crazy. I think we are going to go the ER today or tomorrow.
So I'm trying to make another shopping bag out of yarn. I was thinking of trying with plastic bags, but working with them is a lot harder so I won't until my shoulder is better.

I got a Valentine from Mel!! and it's the second coolest Valentine ever! (Roses are red, Raisins are black, You love me so I love you back comes in first) It's got hearts, it's got a skull. How perfect is that?

I also got in an order from Science and Surplus since I had a bit left on a Mastercard gift card, I decided to indulge myself. I did not order anything beadable. That was my deal with myself, this was pure play. All the stuff I usually don't play with. They have the shiny prism type sticker type paper 3 6x6 sheets for 95¢. WOOHOO. Shiny holographic foil! I got rulers and paint and gross poetry magnets for E, who is thrilled with the idea of poetry magnets that include words like snot and booger. I also got her a Power Puffs soap making kit. I got a folding box knife for Mike who really can't wear his good tactical knife on his belt as a executive like he used to in security (he popped it open, looked at the blades, and smiled. Apparently they are the same sort as blades that the regular box cutters he uses at work uses. So he's got refills). I also got him a screwdriver set because we lose screwdrivers constantly.
So other then shiny sticker paper what did I get for me? Black legal pads, black astrobrights paper, a whole bunch of 6 inch ballchains with connectors (purse charms!), a pair of "oh my goodness they cut felt so cleanly!" scissors, and alien poetry magnets.
Total damage, including shipping: under 40 dollars. I love American Science and Surplus. They specialise in stuff, and I like stuff.

We also got in a bunch of the magazines we have subscriptions too. E was happy. I subscribed to Parents magazine and Family Fun magazine for her because I was able to get them both for under 10 dollars for a couple years. Parents has a lot of easy recipes for kid friendly food, and Family Fun is filled with crafts and recipes. Anyway, her Parents came in, so she was happy. She's putting together a book full of recipes from magazines she wants to try. Youngest child LOVES cookbooks. Even with my 100 or so.. she still buys cookbooks everytime she's given her choice at a bookstore, and at the library, she hardly ever checks out fiction, it's all about craft books and cookbooks.
I got my Blender magazine, which has a picture of Anthony Kiedis in a Catholic school girls uniform on the cover.

You know.. paint chips with holes cut with a regular sized hole punch (I'm not sure where any of mine are. I know where my little one is, and my heart and star ones are) with a ball chain threaded through them would make a cute little memopad/booklet to keep notes on. Also good for Cat Morley's Memory Charms, instead of making a little book out of a sheet of shrink plastic, cut a bunch of strips and punch holes in the top and put a ball chain through them, write down phone numbers, and then take them off to bake them when you get home to put on a bracelet or if you use bigger holes, on another ball chain.