Happy Spring!

Just a quick shout out to say howdy. Lots going on lately. Nothing earth shattering but I have spent almost no time in the sewing room and little time knitting! Took a mini vacation with my son. My daughter got accepted into her first choice for college - THE Ohio State University. Had a fantastic birthday. Two of our three cars got hit. Resurrected dinner club - co-hosting this weekend. Oldest daughter graduates with accounting degree - interviewing with fingers crossed in this economy!

I miss sewing and knitting but I really miss my bloggy friends!! Hope you're all doing well and enjoying spring!!

Photo-less posts are boring so here is a shot of my "Not Your Standard-Issue Sweatshirt, Take Two by Julie Carles and Jordana Jacobs". Yarn is Knitpicks Mainline - a cotton wool blend.

And I leave you with our dinner club menu for this weekend. Wish us luck! All new recipes!!

Dinner Club Menu:
Cucumber Gimlet
Coriander Lime Shrimp
Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini
Asian Pear salad
Chilean Sea Bass with Wild Mushrooms on Three Cheese Polenta
Roasted Asparagus & Red Peppers
Coffee-Chocolate Layer Cake with Mocha-Mascarpone Frosting
Cheese / Fruit / Nuts assortment

Quack Quack

I finished the Ducky Hat and Booties for my brother and SIL's new baby. They really turned out cute! Pattern here if you're interested. A few flaws in the pattern but easy enough to work out.

The sisters I never had!!

I grew up with three brothers. I always wanted a sister (although being the only girl ensured I got my own room). So I'm thrilled to have been bestowed The Sisterhood Award by three of my blogging sisters! Thank you to my gals Lindsey, Ann and Louella!!

But don't go borrowing my clothes without asking or I'm telling Mom!!

The Purple Fat Lady Dress

I have had my eye on Butterick 5244 for some time. Simple lines but fun details. I loved the purple version on the package and decided to make it exactly as pictured after finding a great deal on clearance matte jersey ($1.50 per yard!!) from one of the online fabric stores in a gorgeous imperial purple color.

PR reviews indicated some issues with the pattern but sounded like nothing that couldn't be resolved. One of the complaints about the pattern was the bulk around the neck. I couldn't tell in the pattern picture or drawing but there is actually a collar on top of the yoke that is the identical shape as the yoke. I didn't realize until I cut it out and re-read the pattern that it was even there so after reading the criticisms of the added bulk and how it lays on the back of the dress, I decided to omit the collar. It definitely is not necessary.

The welt pockets were was a challenge for me and although not perfect, I was happy with how they turned out:

And look how cute the tabs on the yoke are:

I finished the dress in time to wear it to my son's mother-son / father-daughter dance. I paired it with black tights and black boots. I really liked the look and was happy I got it done in time to wear it out. We took lots of pictures of my son and I. So why did I post a picture of the dress on the hangar? Well, after viewing pictures of me in the dress, I appear to be 20 pounds heavier than I am. I am stumped. When I look in the mirror, I don't see the same thing and I even asked my daughter who is always honest when I've sewed a dud. She didn't think I looked fat either. But I definitely do in the pictures; thus, no modeled shot of the dress! I think it's a combination of it not being a figure hugging dress with the fact that I really do need to lose a few pounds.

Seeing those pictures of me provided a good kick in the butt to return to WW and start exercising. I've had a fair week. I did get out and walk twice and even did a pilates routine this morning but I ate and drank more than I should have. Somehow the scale was on my side this morning and I hope next week is even better. Bathing suit season is around the corner and I plan to be ready!

How adorable is this sweater?

Go see this clever replication of a $112 Anthropologie sweater. You won't believe how cute the recreation is nor what it cost her to make it!!!

And you can enter her contest to win it!!!

Pumpkin Hat

A friend of mine is newly pregnant and I wanted to make her a little something to celebrate but she doesn't know yet whether the baby is a boy or girl. I don't like "unisex" presents so I decided a pumpkin hat was in order and good timing since the baby is due in August. He / she will be ready for a Halloween hat in no time!

There are many free pumpkin hat patterns out there but I used the one from Itty-Bitty Hats by Susan Anderson (awesome book; I highly recommend it). Lion Brand CottonEase for the yarn (of course!); the orange is the old version and the green and taupe are the new version. More details at Ravelry if you're interested.

A Must Read

I just finished a fantastic book. The first book I would rate a 5 out of 5 in several years. I'm never very good at summarizing a book so I will rely on Amazon's description:

" Some failures lead to phenomenal successes, and this American nurse's unsuccessful attempt to climb K2, the world's second tallest mountain, is one of them. Dangerously ill when he finished his climb in 1993, Mortenson was sheltered for seven weeks by the small Pakistani village of Korphe; in return, he promised to build the impoverished town's first school, a project that grew into the Central Asia Institute, which has since constructed more than 50 schools across rural Pakistan and Afghanistan. Coauthor Relin recounts Mortenson's efforts in fascinating detail, presenting compelling portraits of the village elders, con artists, philanthropists, mujahideen, Taliban officials, ambitious school girls and upright Muslims Mortenson met along the way. As the book moves into the post-9/11 world, Mortenson and Relin argue that the United States must fight Islamic extremism in the region through collaborative efforts to alleviate poverty and improve access to education, especially for girls. "

The author of this book, Greg Mortenson, is an incredible guy. He is surely a contender to win the Noble Peace Prize someday.

Testing Testing

1...2...3...

(just checking on Blogger)

Friendship Scarf

t



I needed a better name for this scarf than simply 2x2 rib scarf as I originally named it on Ravelry. I purchased the yarn while visiting Allison. In fact, she purchased the same yarn in a different color. Every time I wear the scarf, I know I'll think about the nice afternoon we shared so I thought Friendship Scarf would be perfect.

Speaking of friendship AND Allison, look at the cute little thing she sent me last week. By her own admission, she is a wee bit obsessed with making these little stockings and she is trying to convince me to join her. After seeing how cute this is, she might have me hooked!

Cabin Fever - it's a good thing!

We got more snow yesterday. Another 6-10" depending on who you believe. This was the fluffy powdery stuff that is easy to shovel so I was happy! The dogs like running around in it although they get cold fast and run right to the fireplace when they come in.


Due to the weather and family car issues (why do they all have to break at the same time?!) I have worked at home for five of the last eight days, which saved me 1.5-2 hours commuting time each day. Not to mention that I haven't gone anywhere for several snowy evenings. As a result, I have accomplished a lot on various sewing and knitting projects. Not a lot to show yet though; still finishing up several things.

But I did want to post this super easy and adorable project that I made for my brother and SIL's new baby born a week ago. It's a variation of the tied edge fleece blankets but a lot cuter in my opinion. It's round and the edges are "bunny ears." The pattern / directions are in a book called Nancy Cornwell's 90 minute Fleece projects. I bought this book just for this pattern and it really did only take 90 minutes. Maybe less. I used a plain white polar fleece for the back but the front is this so-so-soft "cuddly fleece" from JoAnn's. Thanks for the inspiration, Stacy!

Facebook & Misc Chit Chat

Lately, it seems like all of a sudden everyone is joining Facebook. Carolyn discussed this phen0menon and posted a link to a Time Magazine article that I thought was interesting. I signed up a few months ago and have really enjoyed re-connecting with people I knew years ago. Previous colleagues.... friends from junior high school.... old sweethearts. It's really a lot of fun! And of course, there are sewing and knitting groups among many others to connect with others who have similar interests. So like Carolyn, I'm curious... have many of you also joined?

For those of you experiencing this huge storm, be safe! We got 6" of snow yesterday and freezing rain that coated the trees all night. Now it's snowing again and they are predicting another 2-4". The concern is the snow on the icy trees will cause they to break, pulling down power lines. I hope that none of you lose power!!!

Finally, a customer service announcement. If you have never tried M&J Trimming, now might be the time. They are offering 20% for first time customers. Use the code First09 to get the discounted. I have no affiliation with them, in fact I never even received a first time discount but I had a good experience with them and love their selection.

Knitting question

Edited tonight: Thanks for all the input. Unblocked it is! Working on the matching headband now.

Simple question to which I probably should know the answer....

Should I block this 2x2 rib scarf? The beauty of the 2x2 rib is how "bouncy" it is. if I block it, will that take away some of the springiness?

A little spring cleaning

In blogland that is.... I took my cue from Melissa (adorable design, Melissa!) and revamped my blog using a background from The Cutest Blog on the Block. They have some really cute designs! I, of course, went for something very loud. LOL. I know nothing about html and blogging in general but the directions were very clear so if you're looking for a new look, I encourage you to give the site a try.

Thank you, St. Anthony!

Woo hoo! My deadline for finding the buckle was tomorrow. I told myself if I didn't find it by tomorrow, I was ordering a new one. And as you can see, I FOUND IT!! It was in the basket where I keep my cutting tools. I have no idea why I would have put it there.

That's the good news. Yeah, there's bad news. All I had left to do was sew the buckle on. Before I did that, I tried the jacket on to see how to best position the buckle. THE JACKET IS TOO SMALL! Normally, I make the bust / shoulder / bodice area a size smaller than waist and hips to fit my body. I did that with this jacket and should not have! I am so annoyed!! I had been trying it on throughout the construction of the jacket but I think I neglected to try it one more time AFTER I lined it. The fabric is a knit matte jersey so even though it was snug fitting, the fabric allowed for some stretch. Well, once I lined it with a woven, the stretch disappeared. DUH!! I am so annoyed. Look how cute the lining is!!



Ugh. There was a lot of hand sewing on this one. One good thing is this is made from fabric I got for a song on clearance - $1.50 / yd and I have plenty more. I'm not sure if I'll try to take it apart or start over completely.

FYI, the pattern is Butterick 5142, view B.

Kreativ Blogger Award

Thank you to Lori for nominating me for the award. As erratic as I post, I do not deserve this award but I appreciate the nomination.

Here are the rules for this award:

1. Copy the award to your site.
2. Link to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers and link to them on your blog.
4. Then leave a message on their blog notifying them you have nominated them for this award.

It would be easy to list more than 7!! I tried not to nominate people who had already been nominated.

Christy at Designing Creations (a new-to-me blogger with great designs)
Kasey at Kasizzle (whose blog I miss reading!)
Laura at Laura's Sewing Room (Incredible designer and sewer; another blogger I miss!)
Kellie at And She Can't Even Cook (love her energy!)
Karyn at Trail Mix Designs (Congrats to Karyn on her upcoming nuptials!!)

And of coure, I can't forget my two best bloggin' buddies!!
Allison at Res Ipsa Knit With Her
Jen at Knitting Adventures

Thanks again, Lori!!

Yum Time

My office mates just finished up the last of these Caramel Pecan Cinnamon rolls I brought in. Recipe on my other blog.

Belated Christmas gift & more animals

My daughter wanted a headband similar to the ones I made for my mom and me. I tried to convince her that a calorimetry style would be warmer for walking across campus but she liked the simplicity of this one. I intended to give it to her for Christmas to match the gloves I bought her but alas, I ran out of time so I instead wrapped up the yarn and gave it to her. The look on her face was priceless when she opened it. She looked at the yarn and said, "Don't tell me you expect me to learn to knit." I think she was afraid her gift was knitting lessons or something. LOL. Anyway, it's a very quick knit. In fact, I knit it on the way home from San Fran at Christmas and it has been sitting on the counter since awaiting a size check before I seamed it together. The yarn is just a simple Paton's wool that I had in my stash.




And here is the newest animals to move into our home. For some reason, my daughter and her friend (both seniors in high school) thought it was a good idea to get goldfish. Here are my daughter's two fish. Yes, that is a wine decanter they are swimming in. And yes, that is Fiji trying to get them. They have since been relocated to a fish bowl on the fireplace mantle where Fiji can't get them.

Burda 08-2008-118

This s a long overdue post. I finished this dress on Christmas Eve day just in time to wear it to Christmas Eve dinner. I don't think the picture presents a very flattering image but it really is a very cute dress! And comfy to boot!

The details:
Pattern: Burda World of Fashion 08-2008-118 (Pattern was for a tunic; I lengthened into a dress and made the sleeves long.)
Fabric: a sweater knit purchased from JoAnn Fabric

This was a simple dress to put together. In fact, I didn't read the directions. I cut out the smallest size (34) and still took in the side seams a few inches to get rid of some of the excess ease. I rotated the argyle print on the yoke so it would clash with the bodice that is slightly gathered.

I like the cowl neck but it is very different than what is shown on the technical drawing and seems to be bigger / floppier than the other versions I saw at PR. Maybe I cut it out wrong? I plan to make a short sleeve version for spring and will simply bind off the neckline.

Pray with me

Ok, that may appear to be too dramatic of a title for this post but after this afternoon, I'm desperate. Remember the post in which I ask for your advice in a closure for the jacket from Butterick 5142? I ordered the cute little leather buckle closure from M&J trim. Shipping was a little slower than I'm used to (maybe 2 weeks) but it finally arrived and had been sitting in my sewing room on my cutting table for at least a month when I decided to organize. I SWEAR I put it right next to the sewing machine since the jacket was an active project.

Ya know where this is going, right? The jacket has been done for a month except for the sleeve lining and the closure. After finishing the hand sewn sleeve lining this afternoon, I spent 30 minutes trying to find the damn buckle, with no success. It's in a SAFE PLACE, PEOPLE!!!

So.... after some cursing and slamming cabinets, I realized I needed to do something else. St. Anthony came to mind! According to Wikipedia: St. Anthony of Padua is invoked thousands (maybe millions!) of times daily to help find items that have been lost. This novena, or nine-day prayer, to find a lost article reminds us as well that the most important goods are spiritual.

Pray along with me folks:
St. Anthony, perfect imitator of Jesus, who received from God the special power of restoring lost things, grant that I may find the cute little buckle closure which has been lost. At least restore to me peace and tranquility of mind, the loss of which has afflicted me even more than my material loss. To this favor, I ask another of you: that I may always remain in possession of the true good that is God. Let me rather lose all things than lose God, my supreme good. Let me never suffer the loss of my greatest treasure, eternal life with God. Amen.

I AM the Psycho Internet Friend

MWAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!! For the meaning of this title, go read Allison's post. Interestingly enough, two years ago, I was dubbed "Mom's Myspace Date" by the son of another blogger friend I was lucky enough to meet. What's the matter with these kids? Why do they think it's so weird to meet friends over the internet. Oh yeah..... the whole don't-talk-to-strangers on the internet speech they've been hearing since they were first allowed to go online might have something to do with it.

Anyhoo, one of the reasons Allison and I hit it off is that we are both a little, ummmmm, let's call it Type A personalities and oh perhaps a bit competitive. So I can't very well let her show off her scarf when mine was just hinted at!!! I have knit about 45" so far. I seem to remember reading somewhere that a scarf should be knit to about the height of the person who will be wearing it, which means I have another 18" to go. The scarf I wore to work today (which coincidentally was knit by Allison and sent to me a couple years ago) is the perfect length for me and I measure it to be right around 64". I may embellish with a knit flower like this one.

Like Allison said, the photo doesn't do this yarn justice. The color looks washed out but it is a lovely, vibrant shade of turquoise. In fact, yesterday a woman on my airplane tapped me on the arm to tell me what a beautiful color the yarn is. I encouraged her to feel it and got the expected, "oooh, that's so soft" response. LOL.

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I am grateful.....

for my blog friends!!!!!!

I LOVE NANCY / NANFLAN!!!!!!!

She suggested new batteries might fix my camera. I remembered that this "malfunction" happened right after I THOUGHT I had recharged the battery. I just recharged it again and reinserted into the camera "fixed" it. What a knucklehead I am.

Nancy, I just sent you a big hug and smooch to say thanks!!!

Here's me hiding my face in shame. LOL!

What are you grateful for?

Thank you, G, for nudging me. I have been very busy but I've also been pouting. As you can see, this is a pictureless post (I hate those!!) because my STUPID camera broke right before Christmas. I have no idea what happened. Took it out of the case and the lens is partially open. Stuck that way, it would appear. The kids have NO IDEA how that could have happened. Uh huh. You long-time blog readers may recall the demise of my last camera.

So anyhoo, I have no pictures of the last minute Christmas gifts I made; no pictures of my FANTASTIC meetup with my dear friend Allison in San Francisco (more on that later); no pictures of Christmas morning; no pictures of my recent knitting projects (yes, I DID say knitting).

My daughter and I went to the San Francisco area the day after Christmas for a basketball tournament. The team did well, made it to the final and the players, cheerleaders and families had lots of free time for sight-seeing. But the best part of the trip for me was getting the opportunity to FINALLY meet Allison. We "met" during a felted bag exchange several years ago (how long HAS it been, Allison?) and became great online buddies. We have wanted to meet up for a long time and this trip finally afforded us the opportunity. We met in what I think Allison said is the Castro District of San Francisco. Why there, you ask? Well, so we could go to Imagiknits, of course! LOL. What else would fellow knitters do? We enjoyed a great lunch at a Hunan restaurant whose name escapes me and exchanged Christmas gifts. Allison gave me the most awesome book of apron patterns and a very cute apron "kit" with a martini theme (imagine that!) OH! And I can't forget about the DELICIOUS Rocky Road Candy she made. (I almost forgot because it became history very quickly. Yum!) Then, we headed to the yarn store.

It was a great store! We both purchased a yarn called Azapa from Araucania Yarns (sky for me, natural for Allison). It's a lovely alpaca/merino/silk blend that we both cast on right away for scarves.

Finally, Toya posted a great message on her blog in which she asked readers what are they grateful for and encouraged comments. It gave me a wonderful "feel-good" feeling to stop for a moment and think about some of the things I am grateful for.

So.... leave me a comment (or leave a comment on Toya's blog) and answer the question:

What you are grateful for today?

Can be something large or small. I bet it will make you feel good, too.

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New Recipes

I have posted the recipe for peppermint bark on my recipe blog. I will post the Bailey's Truffle recipe later.

Brrrr.... And some progress!

Is anyone out there warm?? I am surely not. The weather across the country has been crazy over the past week. It was 7 degrees when I drove in this morning. Way colder than usual for December in Cincinnati. Thank goodness we missed that terrible ice storm in the northeast.

Over the weekend, I made good progress on the "homemade" Christmas gifts. Pictured here is a robe for my mom. Last weekend, my mom asked if I would make her a lightweight robe after the holidays to send to her in Florida. She picked out some flannel and a pattern and I told her I would add it to my project list. Of course, I had to make it for her for Christmas! I cut it out Friday night and finished it up around 2 pm on Saturday, in time to hit the post office with my last package.

The robe is Simplicity 3573. Just a simple button down robe with yoke. She wanted buttons all the way down so I adapted the facing on the bottom part of the robe to accommodate additional buttons.

So why the crazy masked ninja model?

Me: Son, I need you to model this bathrobe so I can take a picture.
Son: No Way. You're going to put the picture on your blog.
Me: Yes I am, but nobody you know reads the blog so who cares.
Son: Can I wear my ski mask and goggles?
Me: I'll get the camera.

In other homemade activities, my kids and I made cookies and candies yesterday - peanut butter blossoms, lemon bars, iced sugar cookies, Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles, peanut butter/chocolate swirl fudge, peppermint bark, fruit/nut bark, chocolate covered pretzels. I was so sick of looking at sweet stuff by this morning that of course, I took no pictures. I also have a couple other crafty things in the works but updates on those will have to wait until after the holidays.

Lunch Tote

My parents came out for a weekend visit (my mom is doing much better!) and we made the most of every minute. My dad worked his tail off fixing things around the house ( and doing some much needed clean-up as well!) and my mom and I spent the weekend shopping and crafting. I'm still not nearly where I'd like to be shopping-wise, but I feel like I made a dent in it. In between, we spent a lot of time laughing with the kids and eating and drinking. And of course, watching Christmas videos. "You'll shoot your eye out!"

My mom loved all the different fleeces at Hancock's and picked out some great colors to make one of those tied blankets. We knocked that out this afternoon in about an hour and a half. I wanted to make my niece a little tote bag to carry the books I bought her but when I found a pattern for a lunch bag, I changed course. This is what I came up with:



The fabric is an embroidered denim I found on clearance at JoAnn's and the lining is a pink/white quilt fabric. I dusted off my embroidery machine (and manual!) to put her name on the bag.

I made a couple modifications to the pattern. I lined it and added a handle. If I did it over again, I would use two pieces of velcro for the closure to make it seal a little better. And I didn't realize until well after I was completely finished that I was supposed to sew the crease in each side to define the sides. Oh well, it is adorable as h*ll if I do say so myself. Even my 14 yr old son thought it was cute.

Merry Christmas!

I would have waited to post this until next week but I wanted to throw out a product endorsement in time for anyone who may be procrastinating on Christmas Cards. I haven't sent out Christmas cards in several years due to my personal life. Seemed hypocritical to send out the smiley family photo when my marriage was in the tank. Well, I am fully experiencing the Christmas spirit for the first time in a few years so the kids and I decided to do a card this year.

So, after our tree hunting last Sunday, we got out the camera and tripod and took some photos. I always have trouble picking a picture for the Christmas card so I was thrilled to find multiple photo layouts at Snapfish. We took the photos at 3 pm, designed the card at 4 pm and ordered at 5 pm last Sunday. The order shipped Monday and I had them in hand on Tuesday. Free shipping, by the way. I have no affiliation with Snapfish and this is my first time ordering but high fives to them for their speedy service and good selection of products. Oh... the cards cost 45 cents each (when you order 80+).

I just scanned the card and posted it and can't figure out why it's so small but you get the general idea.

Finished Knitting Project

Shockingly, I actually finished a knitting project! I started this wrap last January and after getting about 75% done, put it down and didn't pick it back up until Thanksgiving. The pattern is Long Tail Wrap by Carolyn Steele and the yarn is Prism Kid Slique in Tumbleweed. I saw this made in a yarn store in Lexington several years ago and just loved it. I am pleased with the finished results and look forward to wearing it. Here is a link to full review on Ravelry.

Note to Brigid...

and anyone else in the Cincinnati area. I should have identified the accessory store yesterday as it is a fun little place that my daughters and I really enjoy. the store is called The Next Best Thing and it is in downtown Blue Ash (9662 Kenwood Rd). It's a great little gift shop that sells jewelry, purses, scarves, unusual gifts, etc. It is all very reasonably priced. Unfortunately, they do not have a website.

It is always my first stop when I'm looking for "a little something" to give to a girlfriend or one of my daughters.

Painting the Town Red

Wow, you gals like red. And yes, Summerset, after I posted the last entry, I realized I should have said that YOU do not get a vote. LOL! Thanks to everyone for the comments. Lindsay and Leesa, the black shoes do look cute, too, but I wasn't sure how to accessorize.

So I made a quick trip to an fun little accessory story and picked up the purse, necklace and earrings. A little red and a little bling. Merry Christmas to me! (Picked up two gifts for the girls, too. Woo hoo!)

A Special Offer from Fabric.com

I just received a nice note from Crystal at Fabric.com. She thanked me for mentioning them in a previous post and is offering a special deal to my blog readers. If you type in Bloggers in the coupon code, you will receive $5 off your order, no minimum purchase. They also have free shipping on orders of $35 or more.

And yes, I did order the aqua argyle faux fur. LOL. I have this old baseball style jacket pattern that I'll use for it (after I made the other six coats I have purchased supplies for.) I hope to find some brown rib trim for the neck, sleeve and waistbands
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Red patent shoes or Black patent shoes

Edited to say Red it is!!



Which should I wear with this dress to the company Christmas party?

One trick pony

That would be me after looking at my last two posts!

This is TOO CUTE!

I am a sucker for faux fur. Many think it's tacky. I love it and think it is very fun. So when Fabric.com sent me an email that they had fur on sale, I had to check it out. I was not expecting this:



This would make the cutest jacket, wouldn't it? The fabrics are $13.99/yard and also available in white/black and shades of browns. If you click on the fabric swatch, it will take you to the website.

And so it begins...

The frantic Christmas season, that is. I had a wonderful visit with my family for Thanksgiving. Thanks so much to all of you who sent emails and comments wishing my mom well. She was released from the hospital at 10 pm the night before Thanksgiving and although she continues to be tired, she was thrilled to be home for the day. She has been diagnosed with colitis and diverticulitis and has some fun times ahead until her condition can be brought under control with diet.

Traditionally, my mom and my daughters and I head out on Black Friday. We no longer go to snag bargains but we just think it's fun to be out in the chaos! LOL. But because of the circumstances, we didn't make it. I did take a quick visit to the JoAnn's in the town where my parents live and picked up a couple things. The pink plaid is a flannel for pj pants and the argyle is a sweater knit that I plan to make a tunic length top/dress to wear over leggings.



We started a new family tradition this year that was hilarious. The Ugly Ornament Exchange. Everyone brings a wrapped ornament, as ugly as you can find. (JoAnn's had the motherlode of ugliness at a bargain 60-70% off!) Then, everyone takes a number and we do a Dirty Santa gift exchange. It was a fun exchange that even the kids could join in. Afterwards, my brother hid all the ornaments around my parents' house. A fun little surprise for my mom when she gets better and is up and around. LOL

So now the Christmas shopping begins. I haven't purchased a single gift yet. I hope to do much online and I've already warned the kids that this is the year I really mean it when I say I am cutting back! We had planned to go get our tree today but it is nasty so I think we'll hold off.

Knowing when to punt

First of all... thanks so much for the unanimous vote on my request for the jacket closure. Leather tab closure it is! I neglected to mention both trims were from M&J Trimming. Never ordered from them before. Guess I will now.

Anyhoo... one day can make a big difference. As of yesterday, almost my entire family was planning on arriving on Wednesday for Thanksgiving. Mom & Dad... two brothers... two SILs... three nieces/nephew. My three kids were thrilled with all the arriving guests and kept throwing out ideas for when they arrive. My son SET THE TABLE for Thanksgiving dinner last Saturday!! China... Crystal... the works! I started annoying my kids with "To Do" lists. Two turkeys. Lots of cheese & snacks. Liquor store run. Baked goods in the freezer. Do the laundry. Scrub the bathroom walls. Then I began annoying all the family that were coming with plans of "family photo", trips to the zoo, Christmas tree farm, game night, etc. But, bottom line is we were all very much looking forward to getting together.

Then BAM. "Bon, Mom's in the hospital. Better call Dad." Damn.

Hopefully not life threatening but days of tests ahead.

So plan to have all the east coast family come to the midwest no longer makes sense. Time for Plan B. Lucky for us that not many people are traveling this Thanksgiving. Snagged two frequent flyer flight tickets on Delta for my son and me.

Crazy thought - can I pack 26 pounds of thawed turkey in my suitcases? Yeah, probably not. But we just moved turkey day to my parents house where my mom can lay on the couch and convalesce with her family around her.

Anyway... Thanksgiving is about giving thanks. Mine have already started.

Gobble gobble.

Need some help / advice

I am making Butterick 5142, view A (cream version shown above) in a cranberry red. I can decide if I want to use a frog closure like this one:


Or if something like this tab would be nicer.

Any other suggestions or sources of closures?

America's Next Top Model

Proud mama moment about to launch.

My daughter was recently invited to be in a fashion show. She did not want to do it. AT ALL. Good mom that I am, I told her to shrug off her nervousness and told her it would be rude to decline. (Actually, the words "Suck it up" might just have come out of my mouth.) Dontcha just love me!

The rehearsal was Tuesday night during which I received quite a few texts from my daughter with the theme, "I can't believe you made me do this." Turns out, the models don't just strut down the runway in a cute outfit. No..... You are actually assigned a theme - the outfit is just one aspect of the theme but you also must dance a routine to the song that has been choreographed by the organizers. my daughter was assigned Clumsy by Fergie and was expected to trip deliberately as part of the routine.

She was fantastic and when she hit the runway, all signs of nervousness disappeared and she looked like a beautiful, confident young lady. I am so proud. BTW, the outfit was quite cute. Top and skirt are both from BCBG and found at Macy's.

Here she is awaiting her turn and wishing she was anywhere but there:


And this is her on the runway looking FIERCE!

Have any good camp memories?

My dear friend Jen is writing a book with a camp theme and is looking for some inspiration. I had fun recalling some of my camp adventures today and maybe you will, too. In her words:

I'm past the 20,000 word mark on the 50,000 word novel. Although I have more than half to go, I feel I have crossed over the top of the mountain. Still a few peaks to go, however, and I need some help.

I need some inspiration. My story is about a 10 year old girl at typical camp in New Hampshire. Mountains on one side, lake on the other. An out of control fire on the first night consumed the high ropes course so now the campers are going to have survival training and overnight camping trips in the mountains. She also likes a boy who has been hanging around with her arch enemy - a snooty rich girl who never has to wash the toilets like the other campers do.

Anyway, I want to add some realism so I'm looking for memories. If you've ever been to summer camp, please share with me your best or worst memories of it. I'm looking for specific events as well as generalities such as how you were dismissed from the campfire or how the day was structured. I'd also be interested in hearing about any odd personalities you encountered. You can leave them in the message section or email me at jennifer.news@gmail.com. In exchange, I will send you a copy of the novel when it has been edited. If it is ever published, I will also send you a signed copy.

If you think of any fun anecdotes, please do drop her a note or visit her blog to leave a comment. I can't wait to read her book when it comes out!!