Camille is Crafty

Blog Revival + Makeover

2011-10-03T14:03:00.006-04:00

Ahoj! Now that I am nearly finished with my MBA (one final class; the Master's equivalent of a capstone), I have time to actually do what I want to do (and if the list includes my ex-boyfriend, that's my bidness, not yours. ha... I joke!). Aside from a 15 page paper, in which I will have to fabricate certain parts of it (might blog about that one later on, IDK what I was thinking), I have no more required writing assignments... and thus, have time to write for fun again. Yay!

I'm not even sure where to start! So much has happened, and I've been gone for so long... I'm getting a divorce (may as well start with the happiest news first, eh?) finally. It's been a long time coming, but those of you who know me outside this blog already knew that. And, for those who don't know me, well... let me just say it was bad. And not bad as in good, but bad as in I'd rather spork out my own eyes than live with the guy. Enough about him.

The most exciting things which have happened to me lately are MBA related. First, I somehow managed a 4.0 for my last class, which was Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis (and boy was it a doozy!). I had to learn to use a stats program called SPSS, in addition to writing a 20+ page qualitative study. And, of course, the text book for SPSS was not overly helpful. But, I had an excellent instructor, and that kind of made up for the crappy textbook. The class was, in my opinion, misnamed. It really should have been called simply "Quantitative Analysis", since I learned little about qualitative analysis through homework and reading assignments... but, again, having an excellent instructor made up for it (apparently, since I rec'd a 96 on my final paper).

Second, I spent 9 days in Western Europe - Prague and Brno, Czech Republic and Vienna, Austria - and fell in love... I would move somewhere near Brno, CZ in a heartbeat. The trip was a requirement of my MBA (called a "global experience"). It was pretty darn expensive, but well worth it. Yes, my new goal is to find a decent job in the Czech Republic, and though I wouldn't mind living in Austria, the cost of living is pretty high in Vienna... I first need to learn another language, and brush up my French, at least.

And, last but not least, I have been making soap for the past two years... I finally made a facebook page for it: http://www.facebook.com/soapsbycamille Be sure to like my soap's page! Pics of Europe & kiddo updates will be posted very soon... it's time for a blog makeover, first though! Ciao!

I Kill Flowers/Plants

2009-10-11T15:07:00.005-04:00

Not on purpose! It just happens. I either underwater them, overwater and drown them, or I look at them wrong and they shrivel up and die. I've always had a problem keeping flowers and houseplants alive.

Ex-bf revisited planted some sunflowers for me in April (my b-day; sunflowers are my favorite). There were five of them, with a fake sunflower in the middle. Within a week, all five sunflower plants were dead. I didn't take pics of them, or I would post them, but trust me when I say I have a black thumb.

After they died (the pot makes a good ashtray!):

Another example of my gardening follies: The husband and I have been "working things out", and a few weeks ago he bought me some garden mums. They also died shortly after that.

Dead/dying Mums:

Fake flowers are the only kind I can keep alive!!!

The Bah Feels Better, Other Good News, and a Complaint.

2009-10-11T14:14:00.005-04:00

Well, the vinegar water mixture worked. Thrush is gone, thankfully. I was almost to the point of weaning because of it. It's all better now!

In other news, I finally got a job! I had an interview Friday and was hired on the spot. Granted, it's fast food, but we already spoke about working my way up in the company, since I have a degree in Business Administration... he was all for it. I have orientation Tuesday morning.

Complaint/whine: The transmission in my van went out Wednesday. This means I'm stuck with no vehicle until I get my student loan refund, which will take a couple of weeks. While Walmart is within walking distance of my apartment, it will be a giant pita to walk there with three kids and only a cheap umbrella stroller. I need a stroller with a basket!

DD1's self pic, too hilarious not to post:

The two younger kids were being so good
while I worked on homework last night:

The baby being silly (big sis took this pic):

Oh My!

2009-10-07T11:06:00.004-04:00

I did it again! I let my real life interrupt my blogging. Darn it all. I've been very busy. I still can't find a job. Because of this, I am in the JET program, which requires 40 hours a week of job search. Add in that I'm in week 3 of a 6 week MBA class (the first of many), and I barely have time to sleep.

I can't believe I'm actually a graduate student! I also realized, as I was reading over my transcript from Ferris that I graduated 'cum laude'! I had no clue. The Master's program I just started at Cornerstone University is all online, and every class is accelerated (6 weeks per class). Whew. A lot of work in a little amount of time.

The kids are doing well. My oldest started 7th grade. While she doesn't hate school, she doesn't love it, either. The boy started kindergarten. He loved it the first two weeks. Lately he's been whining about wanting to stay home. As a result, I have been enforcing a strict 8:30pm bedtime and may end up backing it up to 8:00 if I need to. The baby is still nursing, and will turn 19 months on the 9th (two more days!). I can't believe it.

I had my first ever breastfeeding issue this week (aside from the sore/cracked nipples in the first few weeks of nursing my older two), which isn't bad considering I've breastfed about 3 years between all three kids. I have thrush.

TMI for some to follow; scroll past if you are offended by talk of breasts.

I'm lazy, so I will C&P my thrush story from where I posted it:

"For the past three or so days, nursing off my right side (which is a cup smaller than the left and not the "preferred side") has been painful. Yesterday, the left side joined the right. It even hurts when Anne stops sucking and is falling asleep at the breast with my nipple in her mouth.

The pain starts in my nipple and radiates into what I can only describe as a chest pain (sharp and stabbing), but only in my whole breast. It makes me want to crawl out of my skin. Normally I sleep through night feedings. Not so last night. I woke up the minute she latched on, and then laid there in pain until she broke her latch and rolled over.

Upon examining my nipples this morning, I noticed tiny red bumps on them. They look similar to small pimples, but aren't white.

Sometime this afternoon, they started burning and itching.

So... first I tried yogurt (plain, unsweetened, all natural). Because it was cold and I literally dipped my nipple in a spoonful of it, it felt good... til it dried! I put a nursing pad on and checked them about 20 minutes later. It had dried on and resembled a yogurt covered pretzel, except it was a nipple.

I wiped off the dried yogurt with my nursing pad as Anne Marie watched intently. She very loudly exclaimed, "EWWW!" I asked her if she wanted bah, secretly hoping she'd decline, which she did with a very loud "No!" and a shake of her head.

Then, I tried white vinegar. 1 TBS mixed in 1 C water, dabbed on with a q-tip. Let nipples air dry. It stunk (I hate the smell of vinegar), but I feel a bit better.

Tomorrow, I plan on buying some probiotics at the healthfood store nearby. I'm just glad my little princess has no visible signs of thrush in her mouth. I did start her on yogurt; she likes the stuff anyhow. "

Now, a recent pic of the "No!" girl:

A few other pics. None of my kids really want to have their pics taken anymore. I have to practically beg the boy to let me take his pic!

Random Kid Pics!

2009-07-20T21:34:00.006-04:00

Only because I'm too lazy to type anything, or too tired, or something, I will just share some pics taken in the past few weeks. Took the kids to the lake:

Then to a pool party:

You sure they're empty?

Some random ones:

Downward dog?

No pictures please!

The boy being silly!

Doesn't she look so grown up?

My Kids Agree

2009-07-12T17:47:00.005-04:00

I recently discovered that banana bread made with gluten free flour is every bit as good as "regular" banana bread. I had to threaten the kiddos with being taped to the ceiling fan so they would save me the last two pieces. ;-) (keep in mind that I don't have a ceiling fan)

For some reason, the kids aren't eating bananas like they usually do:

Watery, eh?

My favorite loaf pan:

Baked:

Sliced:

Buttered:

The baby got the second taste:

Not sure about this look, but she really did like it!

And, my tween eating a piece:

The boy was not interested in being in my blog, therefore, there are no pics of him eating his four pieces of banana bread. :-( He's been such a stinker lately!!!

And, finally, an lolbaby:

Oh nos! I calledz China!

Another Gluten Free Experiment

2009-07-12T17:21:00.004-04:00

So far, all of the GF foods I've tried have been pretty good. I still haven't found any gf bread (and I will probably have to drive about 40 miles away to find any, evidence that small town life, while more relaxing, can be a PITA), so no sammiches for me! (I miss grilled cheese sandwhiches the most!)

I tried Ivory Teff wraps.

DO NOT eat them cold or at room temp. They are very dry when cold, and remind me of paper. They are, however, very good warmed up with hot fillings (beans, ground beef, cheese) and cold salsa, pico, and sour cream slathered on the top, a la burrito style.

Yum!

Adventures in Eating Gluten Free

2009-06-30T13:15:00.008-04:00

I won't bring up my bowels again while discussing why I went gluten free a month or so ago... but, I will tell you that I use way less toilet paper now than I did before. ^_~

I gave up pasta, breads, cookies, and cake, and didn't replace them with anything else. So, I've lost a little weight (about ten pounds), which is good, but I found myself craving sandwiches and pasta, especially spaghetti. When I was at Mejer a week or so ago, I discovered their little section of gluten free products. Spaghetti noodles were "on sale" $3 for a 10oz box. So, I bought two. I also bought Ivory Teff wraps in the hopes that I could satisfy my sandwich craving.

$3 spaghetti noodles:

Last week, the kids (younger two, as the oldest was visiting her father) and I tried spaghetti made with organic brown rice. It was different, but very good!

It cooked much like regular spaghetti:

Well, except the water became rather milky (I wonder if this is how rice milk is made?):

Drain just like regular pasta:

Interesting milky stuff in the bottom of the sink:

Looks like regular past:

Holds sauce well like regular pasta:

The kids agree, it's good stuff!

Mystery Meat

2009-06-29T01:12:00.007-04:00

I can't believe I forgot to post this!!! I took pictures for the express purpose of posting them on this blog! I guess I've been a little busy lately. Anyhow, on to the story of the "mystery meat".

Back in April, I ordered an Angel Food package. Generally, I just order the signature box. Most items in the signature box are pretty basic: meat, veggies, pasta, a 32oz container of shelf stable milk (which the boy absoulutely loves and will drink an entire container, room temperature, by himself), and other "normal" foods. This time, I decided, what the heck, to go ahead and order the "mother's Sunday dinner" box in addition to the signature box. It included a beef roast, a pork roast, and something called a "beef and vegetable loaf"! Umm, okay. So, once the other meat was gone, I thawed out the mystery loaf.

Still in the package:

I almost feel, IDK, almost blasphemous cooking this stuff in my pampered chef stoneware pan:

A closeup of the texture (you can see "vegetable" pieces, I think they were peppers):

Here it is cooked:

And plated up:

Overall, it wasn't horrible. It was salty and processed tasting. The texture was a bit odd, like everything had been pulverized before being smashed together into a brick. The baby really liked it, but she'll eat just about anything that doesn't have to be chewed, so I won't base its tastiness on her opinion. She still eats baby banana oatmeal mixed with vanilla yobaby, for goodness sake! It tasted best on whole wheat bread, with a slice of cheese, and slathered with ketchup. I wouldn't intentionally order it again.

And of course, I couldn't help but question why it was included in a box called "Mother's Sunday Dinner". What mother serves mystery loaf on Sunday? Peggy Bundy?

Finally! I can post pics!

2009-06-16T00:06:00.003-04:00

Just a couple for now, so the blog doesn't look neglected. It's after midnight and I'm tired!

My oldest child took this one!

The baby had an ear infection... here she is co-sleeping with big sis.

They put makeup on each other.

I think maybe the baby is trying to fix a spot?

My 100th Blog Posting!!!!

2009-06-08T22:48:00.006-04:00

Yay me! And it only took me three years to get there! lol. I really need to start knitting so I can post an FO. I think my wrists have finally healed enough so I can actually knit again. I see a dishcloth in my future!

Until then, here are a couple pics I took before Swiper swiped my camera cable:

Do rag

I knit this purse! She feels so big when she wears it!

Snakes make good scarves, but they don't keep you warm!

He's so cheesy!

Going Back in Time!

2009-05-31T22:34:00.005-04:00

To simply torture myself, I suppose, I am going to (finally) post the recipe for my favorite dessert (which I will not be able to eat unless I can figure out how to make gluten free angel food cake, any ideas?).

Ingredients Needed:
1 angel food cake (I'm lazy and buy pre-made)
2 packages vanilla or cheesecake flavored instant pudding (I use sugar free, fat free)
2 packages strawberry or strawberry banana Jello (I use sugar free)
1 bag frozen strawberries or equivalent of fresh
Cool whip topping

Directions:

Break angel food cake into bite sized pieces and line 9 X 13 pan evenly (I prefer a glass pan)

Prepare pudding according to directions:

Pour over cake pieces:

Put in fridge for 1/2 hour or so to partially set. Meanwhile, prepare jello reducing cold water to 1 cup instead of 2. Cut strawberries into bite sized pieces (like below)

Add jello to strawberries:

Remove cake and pudding from fridge. Stab evenly with fork (the jello will soak in these holes). Pour jello over it.

It's not supposed to float like that! I must not have stabbed it enough on that side! (still tasted good, though). Put in fridge for a couple hours or overnight. Cut into pieces and serve with huge dollop of cool whip! (sorry, no pic, as it's still on my camera and I have no usb cord atm, will add later!)

And the finished product should look roughly like this! Yum!

Day One of Gluten Free

2009-05-29T12:25:00.002-04:00

And I'm starving! The dinner rolls in my fridge leftover from last night are calling my name. Good grief! Carbs are addicting, aren't they?

I recently decided to conduct an experiment to see if I can eliminate or (at least) lessen my IBS-like symptoms by dietary changes. Quite frankly, I'm sick of crapping liquid. At this point, I am willing to try anything. So, I decided that going gluten free would be phase 1.

Luckily, I broiled steaks for dinner last night. We also had fresh green beans, corn on the cob, sauteed mushrooms and onions, and dinner rolls. So, for breakfast, I had everything except the rolls and added a little scoop of my redskin tater salad in the hopes that my body wouldn't realize that I didn't eat any bread.

Three hours later, my tummy is rumbly. But, I think I will eat some carrot sticks in a few minutes... I wonder if ranch dressing contains gluten?

What's for dinner?

2009-05-14T12:45:00.005-04:00

The boy was begging for pancakes so I could top them with Redi Whip. He might be a little annoyed to know that I just put cube steaks and a can of cream of cack, I mean cream of mushroom, soup in the crockpot. We are having dessert tonight, though. I will post pics and the recipe later. It's something my mommy taught me how to make. :-)

Until then, here are some cute kid pics to ooh and aah over. ;-)

Tevas make good pillows, it seems.

My little guy learning how to play Guitar Hero.

Yum! Coke Zero. (don't worry, it's not open)

My eldest child. IDK why she can't just smile when I take a pic of her.
I took ten to get one good one.

Her First Oreo!

2009-04-26T10:45:00.003-04:00

Actually, this was her second oreo, as evidenced by the accumulation of chocolate cookie already around her mouth! But, she had her first Oreo cookie today and she loved it, but boy did she make a mess!

ur doin it wrong! The creme is on the other side!

Oh so good I must close my eyes and savor this bite!

More please?

My Exciting Night -- Complete with Pictures!

2009-04-25T19:45:00.007-04:00

Tonight, for dinner, I made chicken and rice in the crockpot. I served it with garlic bread and corn. I gave the baby a bite of chicken (just a taste) when I was checking the rice, which she promptly spat on the floor! When I put her in the highchair, I skipped the chicken. She devoured the garlic bread and corn, and ate quite a bit of the rice, then decided the Tupperware bowl I served her dinner in made a very nice hat:

Needless to say, the "hat" made a bath a necessity. Because her big brother came in covered in mud and grass and he was so dirty it warranted an "emergency bath" even though dinner was ready, the kids' tub was nasty! I had to use my tub for her bath, and when I started the tub, I forgot that the water comes out much hotter than in their bathroom (IDK why, since my bathroom is further from the hot water heater).

I undressed her, carried her to the bathroom, took off her diaper, and checked the water temperature only to find that it was way too hot! So, there she stood in her birthday suit while I added cold water to the tub. All of the sudden, I feel her stomping around and splashing: she was playing in pee!!!! Ewwww.

After washing the rice out of her hair, I dressed her in a new outfit and her new "pretty shoes" (sandals I bought for her yesterday: the only way she will keep them on is if I compliment them).

We also got a new pet a couple of days ago. My son will tell you that Bones is "his snake".

Thanks to my cousin!

2009-04-25T01:05:00.003-04:00

My sweet little angel has two new adorable dresses. One has blueberries on it, complete with matching kerchief. The other one is lime green w/pink flowers. Anne wasn't overly impressed, as it's long and impedes her crawling (she still isn't walking, even though she CAN). Nonetheless, the dress is very very cute. :-)

Thank you cousin Jess!

See, it makes crawling slightly more difficult:

Cute Kid Pic Alert!!!

2009-04-23T22:53:00.004-04:00

Her bday present from my mom (note how she's on it backwards)!

Oh, how she hates her glasses! She has a new pair now (they're blue).

I let her eat mashed taters w/country gravy without assistance:

Don't ask me about the bow! I hid it so she'd stop wearing it...

I love mac n cheese -- especially in the middle of my forehead!

Note how calm the boy is while the baby flails and attempts to escape:

Coloring is hard work!

Today's pics were brought to you by sheer determination. My dipshit stbxh severed my camera cord and it took many tries to get the cord to work long enough to upload these pics!

Lookit what my little girl learned how to do!

2009-04-04T10:29:00.002-04:00

She looks very proud, no?

That's a whole roll of TP!

A couple older pics of the kiddos:

Lately, he's been dressing himself:

Just Some Pics of My Adorable Kids

2009-03-21T13:12:00.004-04:00

Took these last night, dd1 was staying the night at a friend's house, so no pics of her. Will get some later, and post more. :-)

She put this hat on herself and was ecstatically proud of her accomplishment:

He didn't realize I was snapping a pic of him.

There, now he sees the camera:

Now That I Have Internet Access

2009-03-15T13:21:00.005-04:00

I can blog again. Yay!

Anne Marie celebrated her first birthday on Monday, with a miniature carrot cake (no, I didn't let her eat it all, don't worry!). I didn't give her a fork, because I wanted to see what she would do without one. Of course, she dove in face first.

We also got cupcakes for my other two kiddos. They ate more than half a dozen between the two of them.

Here's a recent pic of them:

U of Mom, the Next Generation

2008-11-17T08:33:00.010-05:00

This is the computer we use to access U of Mom

It's a little slow because it's old. Sometimes it freezes up. It's also missing some keys.

If I nom the mouse button, like this, we can go to another forum!

And I push these buttons to leave some rep:

I am Having Too Much Fun With Photobucket!

2008-11-16T18:57:00.008-05:00

How cool are these manipulation tools? I love them! I can't believe that I missed it for this long.

A cool pic my dh snapped of Alyssa (edited in photobucket) :

Another cool pic dh took:

Chocolate Donuts Are Baby's Favorite!

2008-11-16T10:56:00.006-05:00

She almost looks Asian, doesn't she?

Wonder where she got them from?

A pic I took at my mom's house last night. They were looking at the guppy tank (nm my brother's feet at the top of the pic!).

How Cool is this???

2008-11-15T01:30:00.003-05:00

I hadn't realized that photobucket has so many cool photo manipulation tools! They're all free, even.

I turned this:

Into these:

Poster:

Cartoon:

Pop Art:

I played around with greyscale a bit:

Made a painting from a new pic:

And, shifted colors:

Very fun! And free!

He Shaved His Beard!

2008-11-06T23:41:00.002-05:00

Hairy husband no more! We've been separated for a few weeks now, but I took the baby over to visit him yesterday and while I was there, he shaved his beard (he let me start, I think so he didn't chicken out).

Here he is pre-razor:

After he shaved:

He's kinda hot! ;-)

Halloween fun!

2008-10-29T19:39:00.007-04:00

Last night, the kids and I carved a huge pumpkin we got from my mom and dad. Well, Ashton picked out the face, I traced it, and Alyssa cut it out. It was a team effort and it turned out quite well.

My niece carved this one:

My nephew carved this one:

All three in the dark:

Ashton posing:

Oh, and for good measure, a pic of one of the first pumpkins Alyssa and I carved together.

The next ones are of Ashton's first Halloween.

Bald Babies Deserve Cute Hats

2008-10-24T22:27:00.003-04:00

Yes, they do. I found this cute Gap hat at Goodwill yesterday.

FINALLY! An FO!

2008-10-24T20:38:00.003-04:00

I finally knit something! Here are a few pics of the umbilical cord hat I knit for Anne Marie.

Alyssa's New Used Bed

2008-10-22T12:32:00.004-04:00

So, this awesome lady on our local Freecycle gave us a twin bed with frame AND all the bedding. She even gave us a pillow that was still inside the missing sham. Alyssa is so happy that she has a bed now. :-)

Random Pic Thread

2008-10-20T22:08:00.006-04:00

Not because I don't have anything to say, but what I have to say seems a little too ranty for this blog. lol.

My really cool "doubled egg" container. Real tupperware!

You can see the awesome contrasting green lid!

He would've made such a pretty girl!

IDK why, but the boy looks particularly grown up in this one

Co-sleeping

Snuzzlehead:

Dear Ebay

2008-10-15T02:36:00.003-04:00

You suck. I mean you really really suck. For sellers, that is. I will happily wash my hands of you as soon as I straighten out these last few auctions.

That is all.

I found an easy way to make a little income!

2008-10-10T22:42:00.005-04:00

Cashcrate

So far, I've made about $50. Not bad for a few hours of clicking and typing. :-)

Now, for some pics of my cute children:

Okay, I know there's booby in there somewhere!

Where is the BOOBY?!?!?

Yup, that's what I'm talkin bout!

Awwww. Sisterly love. Admiration. How cute!

My husband took this one. Odd, yet I like it.

Well, Well, Well

2008-10-06T23:15:00.004-04:00

If the post below isn't proof that I shouldn't drink and post, IDK what is! lol. But, in honor of keepin it real, I am not going to delete or edit my blog (well, I will edit sins like grammatical or spelling errors, I'm too anal to leave those in!). Apparently, I thought it, there it will stay.

What I definitely don't understand is why I didn't post THIS picture of the cutie pie:

And one of the boy for good measure:

I will be moving to my big brother's soon. I have a lot of thinking to do. Especially since dh is in jail (once again) for child support. I must figure out my reasons for being with him. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not here for the right reason. Or maybe I am and just don't know it. (HA! Now you're confused, too!)

Sober tonight. And ready to lay down with the booby monster.

It's been two years

2008-10-05T02:24:00.005-04:00

Since he and I ended our existence together.

And, well, I'd so like to think I've moved on. lol.

And here is my proof of something:

Her First School Dance!

2008-09-19T15:08:00.005-04:00

Alyssa's first school dance (middle school) was Friday night. She was so excited. We had lots of fun getting her ready. I helped her fix her hair, put a little bit of my bare mineral makeup on her, and helped her pick out her outfit. She wore my "crops", as my son calls them.

I had a spy inside the dance. My SIL helped chaperone.

Some pics I took a couple weeks ago

2008-09-18T02:04:00.003-04:00

I've been really busy the past week, with Alyssa starting school, deciding she wanted to join the cross country team, then changed her mind, and joined band instead. Well, luckily I don't have to pick her up from school every afternoon anymore. Especially with gas prices as high as they are.

Enough rambling. It's been over a week since my last entry, and tonight I am just going to post some pics of Anne Marie playing with a mirror my dh bought at a yardsale for $12 long before our little baby was thought of. She loves the mirror:

Princess Mia is Six Months Old Today

2008-09-09T22:41:00.007-04:00

She's been with us for half a year already. It doesn't seem like that long ago I was holding her and kissing her sweet baby cheeks for the first time.

Here she is, my big girl. She weighs 18lb 4oz.

She sits up on her own.

She's started eating solid foods

She plays with toys

She has an attitude now

And her brother thinks he's a "minja"

Our busy busy weekend

2008-09-09T01:44:00.015-04:00

Friday, we took the kids to the local fair. I, like a silly butt, forgot to bring the camera. :-( We bought armbands for the kids for $20, and one for the husband so he could ride with my oldest. We let the 11 year old run off by herself (with her cousin, really) for a little while while we watched the boy ride rides in kiddie land.

As the boy was getting off of a ride, he fell. Really, the ride jock should have helped him off, since he's still pretty little (four and around forty pounds). He had a giant goose egg in the middle of his forehead. We took him to the first aid booth, and they recommended a trip to the ER to check for concussion. (Luckily, he is fine). So, that cut our night seriously short.

Here's his bump (taken last night), now just a bruise.

Saturday, we took the kids to the local high school pool for open swim from noon til two p.m., and then headed over to my mom's to pick tomatoes and visit for a bit. We brought home about twice the amount of fresh tomatoes as last time, plus some green beans. My dad also dug up some red potatoes to go in my beans. (Mia loves mashed taters!). I forgot to bring the camera along on Saturday, also. (Do we see a pattern, here?)

Sunday, we went back to the fair to ride some more rides and spend some time in my favorite part of the fair: the animal barns.

At the front gate, contemplating where to go first.

Turns out, horses love the boy. ;-)

Never mind my fingers in this one, look at the horse's face!

I love goats! The boy thinks they're cool, too.

Yum, boy fingers.

Sheep are okay in his book, too!

Sheep butts

Here is Alyssa, "kidding around". Apparently goats like hot cider.

Two of the kids in front of the big plastic pig

You can tell they are sisters:

A Percheron:

My favorite horse pic (I took quite a few): a pair of Haflinger mares

Ooooh! And a picture of me, taken by Alyssa! Okay, it's a little bit of me! Mostly the baby in the sling. lol. She was crying or sleeping shortly before this was snapped.

Alyssa took this one, too:

Sleeping in the sling:

Family Pic:

Family finger puppet portrait:

More Pics from the New Camera

2008-09-03T12:25:00.003-04:00

Mia fell asleep in the swing again:

I love our new camera

2008-09-03T12:15:00.002-04:00

Please pardon the picture hooring session

The finished product...

2008-08-27T22:44:00.006-04:00

And my first attempt at making completely homemade spaghetti sauce.

Cooking in the pot (I made this after midnight because my tomatoes were ripening too fast: we don't have a/c,either. So, another reason I was up cooking after midnight!):

Early this afternoon, I cooked up some of my husband's first deer (ground, of course) and added the sauce to it. I love ground venison in spaghetti. I'm really hoping he gets a deer this season. I want sausage, though.

Plated up:

With the finishing touch, parmesan:

It was very yummy, but a bit watery. Next time I will add tomato paste to thicken it. I will also add some yucky stuff my kids don't like (onions, green peppers, maybe some shredded carrot).

First Day Back Photo Shoot

2008-08-26T22:13:00.005-04:00

And, my 11 year old is now taller than I. At 5'5", I'm not particularly short, either. She is a full inch taller than I am now. Further proof that my kids are growing up too fast. She starts middle school next week. :-(

I have no idea why she has that look on her face:

He's angry with me that I told him to stop playing with the jogging stroller:

The one photo I managed to shoot of all three kids, and Alyssa has her face all screwed up!

My new camera is supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I can't wait! This one is a piece of crap.

Alyssa is BACK!!! YAY!

2008-08-26T00:58:00.003-04:00

She's been gone all summer at her dad's house. I picked her up tonight. I missed her bunches. She had fun there. She spent quite a bit of time at with her cousins.

I feel really bad, though. Mia doesn't recognize her. When Alyssa tried to hold her, she started bawling like someone hurt her. :-( I hope they bond again quickly. On our way home (it's fifty miles away from me), we stopped at Wendy's and I let Alyssa feed her baby sis a little bit of my Frosty. Mia gave her such a huge smile for that!

Photo shoot tomorrow!!! Hopefully my new digicam comes. Freaking UPS. It only came from Canada.

The $4.99 Shoes

2008-08-24T01:53:00.002-04:00

These ones:

Sold for $26!

We aren't making a whole bunch of money off our Ebay business, but we are making some, learning the ropes, and hopefully building our business for a better (and more profitable) tomorrow. At the very least, it will be a business oriented learning experience for both of us.

Check out our Ebay store.

I Will Not Abuse the Exclamation Point in This Post

2008-08-24T01:13:00.004-04:00

Nope. I won't even use one at all.

Even though my baby recently discovered her toes.

And how fun they are to stick in her mouth

And, she fell asleep not on me, for the first time.

Pretty cool, huh?

What's in YOUR reBag?

2008-08-24T00:43:00.004-04:00

I went to visit my mom today, and came home with this:

Full of these:

I love tomatoes!
The biggest ones are a slice per sandwich size! Perfect!

Jalapeños courtesy of Erica!
Thanks, they will make my salsa taste extra yummy!

Random Acts of Cuteness....

2008-08-22T12:08:00.006-04:00

What a cute little boy you have!

mmm. Chicken McNuggets.

Just a little closer and this processed meat food will be in mah mouth!

Followed by cheez-its

Nutritious and delicious. lol.

*Note: baby did not actually consume food products shown in pictures*

**No babies were harmed in the shooting of these photos**

My Son is Such a Ham!

2008-08-22T01:21:00.002-04:00

He models for every picture I take of him. He adores our weekly photo shoots. He is also terribly photogenic. In fact, I don't think I've ever taken a bad picture of my son in the nearly five years he's been alive.

A few I've taken lately:

Another stroller shot:

He is such a beautiful boy.

Thrift Store Find!

2008-08-21T17:05:00.004-04:00

One of my best finds of the summer.
We paid $8.99 for it a couple days ago.

As you can see, the boy loves it.

SO Happy to Be Home -- A Reminder :-)

2008-08-21T12:32:00.006-04:00

I didn't realize just how much I missed living in the country until driving to my mom's the other day. I drove by a field of sunflowers, which happen to be my favorites. I snapped a few pics.

I'm so glad that I no longer live in a place surrounded by concrete. I do not at all miss the daily sounding of sirens (police, ambulance, fire). I feel better living back home. I will never move to a big city again, no matter how boring this little town may become to me.

Why I love Thrift Stores

2008-08-21T01:05:00.007-04:00

I found this cute little outfit at the local Salvation Army this past Saturday. A couple times a month, their tag of the week is on sale for three hours on Saturday for $.49 (clothing items only). So, yeah, I paid less than fifty cents for this!!!

My Best Yard Sale Find of the Summer

2008-08-21T00:57:00.004-04:00

My husband LOVES garage/yard/rummage sales. I love thrift stores. Between the two of us, we've found some really cool stuff for the kids for really great prices.

The NordicTrack jogging stroller is my best find of the summer, so far. I probably won't top it. :-p We were out hitting yard sales on half price Saturday (everything at Goodwill is half price the last Sat. of the month). After we hit the Allegan store and spent a little bit of money, we stopped at three yardsales. The third one was right by my brother Casey's house.

They had this jogging stroller for sale for $10. I offered them $8. ;-)

She's Getting Big Way Too Fast!

2008-08-20T19:53:00.003-04:00

Monday, I took the boy and the baby to my mom's house. DH stayed home to catch up on Ebay crap. While we were at my mom's, Mia sat up for the first time all by herself:

The outfit she is wearing in those pics cost us .49 at the Salvation Army on Saturday. It's 6-9 mos, and she makes the buttons in the back bow open. LOL! Well, at least she got to wear it once!

My Goodwill Find of the Week!

2008-08-17T18:14:00.005-04:00

I paid $4.99 for a pair of Nike Air Rifts. I only tried on the right foot. Well, it seems that since I fell while pregnant with the Princess, my left foot is permanently swollen. Either that, or I never noticed that it is larger than the right foot.

In other words, I can't wear size 8s anymore. Well, I can on my right foot, but not on the left side. IDK. It seems weird to me, too. lol.

I put them up on my Ebay, if you want a cheap pair of like new ones, go bid on em! Here they are (along with cute baby feet).

I am SO Lame!

2008-08-17T18:09:00.002-04:00

I got all teary-eyed while watching what happens in Vegas. I don't even care for Ashton Kutcher as an actor, yet I let a tear or two slip out while watching the end of that dang movie.

Hormones from breastfeeding?

My Redneck Wedding

2008-08-13T23:16:00.007-04:00

Copied and pasted from my myspace blog (sorry guys, I'm lazy like that!).

Gary and I got married July 11 by the JOP in downtown Allegan. The whole affair, including marriage license, cost us less than $40. They gave us a cute little wedding cake before the ceremony.

The bride wore black shorts, a mandarin orange nursing tank, her black maya wrap, and a pair of black teva flip-flops. The groom was dashing in his camo Old Navy shorts, orange t-shirt, and brown leather Old Navy flip-flops.

Yeah, we're a little redneck. So what. It works for us.

My biodad, his girlfriend, Ashton, and Anne Marie were all in attendance. Dad and his gf went home after the ceremony. Gary, the kidlets and I walked over to the local pub with our little wedding cake for some celebratin'. We ordered two giant draft beers and drank them while we devoured the cake. It was very yummy. I love cool-whip icing. Anne Marie tasted it and agrees it's the bomb!

After finishing our beers and cake, Gary and the boy went to the computer store next to the bar (that's my hubby, lover of all things computer!). I wore the sleeping baby into the "Rock Store" (yes, they sell ROCKS) and had the lady who owns it make me a really cool nursing necklace with an orange donut shaped polished rock. Anne Marie doesn't care for it, yet. Eh, even if she never uses it, it looks cool and only cost me five bucks.

Did Anybody Notice How Nice Ashton's Hair Looks Lately?

2008-08-13T00:52:00.006-04:00

See the post prior to this for evidence of his shiny healthy hair. About a week ago, I bought some solid shampoo from this place, except this particular listing was on Ebay. It is Rosemary mint solid shampoo, made with goat milk. It smells very minty with a hint of herb (must be rosemary, either way it's not familiar to me). I've been washing his hair with the soap, and taking a dab of my conditioner through it afterwards to smooth his hair out (it's getting thick), then we rinse. His hair smells so good! It's also very shiny and healthy looking.

I have also been using it on my hair in an attempt to "go green". (See a previous post for my failed attempt at No 'Poo!) It works alright for me, but I really think my hair is a bit too oily for it, so I bought some different stuff (also solid, handmade, and all natural) but I will save that for another post after I try it (with pics, of course!).

Oh, and we've switched to all natural soap. I've been reading up on how bad body wash and regular shampoo is for one's skin and hair. That crap is chemical laden!!! I don't want to keep putting chemicals on my kids' skin! So, we ditched storebought cack and went all natural. I bought some soap for the baby that smells like Burt's Bees Baby Bee Buttermilk, and won a couple auctions of gourmet cold process soap for my mom (she has allergies and sensitive, dry skin) and I to share (Lemon pound cake, warm vanilla sugar, and sugared walnut; all three are very yummy smelling!). I bought two plus pounds of handmade cold process soap for less than twenty dollars. I lurve Ebay!

Ashton loves using the new soap. In fact, he doesn't complain about the shampoo bar hurting his eyes, even. I can only come to the conclusion that it is much more gentle than even the tear free baby stuff I usually use on him.

One of these days, I am going to attempt to make my own soap. I will likely start with rebatching and work my way up to cold process (after we have a house, so I can lock up my lye).

I just wish I had the money to buy cloth diapers for Princess Mia. The scarf, sadly, didn't sell. I will have to relist it closer to winter. ;-)

A FIL Rant

2008-08-12T00:50:00.005-04:00

Now, don't get me wrong. I love my father-in-law dearly; I really do. He's been there for us when my family wasn't (right now, for example, we are living in his livingroom, basically for free and Gary and I fight daily GRRRR -- my family wouldn't put up with that shit).

Anyhow, FIL has his issues, too. Yesterday, Ashton was playing with his new play dough sets (one is McPukes, the other is the Rat, CEC) OUTSIDE because a few days ago grandpa freaked about playdough chunks on the floor (they were dry and had fallen out of the box, we bought the two sets at a yard sale for fifty cents each). Well, for some unknown reason (beyond my comprehension, apparently) FIL thought it was the ultimate sin that Ashton got playdough chunks on the OUTDOOR PATIO! WTF? He was making my four year old pick it up. OUTFUCKINGSIDE. He was on his knees, yelling at ds about how he was going to throw out the playdough, and scraping the cement with a tent stake. Talk about OCD.

That was definitely an over the top batshit crazy response to a kid having a little bit of fun. I seriously felt bad for Gary having to grow up surrounded by that kind of crazy.

For the first time in my life, I chose to keep my mouth shut. I talked to my husband about it instead of going directly for the jugular of the person who was acting ridiculous about a four year old trying to have some fun. Huh. Mayhaps my filter isn't broken! As we walked the Princess around the yard, I explained to him how the main ingredient in playdough is flour, it is non-toxic, biodegradable, and is even relatively easy to clean off of carpet (you must let it dry first!).

So, in an act of extreme bravery, my dh confronted his father. He told him to quit flipping out, and explained to him the physical properties of playdough. He then told him, "IF you want to ruin the patio by scraping playdough off with a metal tent stake, by all means, do it. " LMAO.

I was so proud of my hubby. He stood up to his dad's oddities and kept a level head doing it. I love that man. :-)

Here he is, the evile little demon spawn who dared spill playdough outside:

Looks wicked, doesn't he?

I Can't Believe It!

2008-08-09T15:14:00.003-04:00

It seems like just yesterday I was nursing a newborn. Today, Anne Marie (Mia) is five months old! Where has the time gone? She is so big! She weighed 16lb 11oz at her checkup a week ago. The bad part is that she insists on being held all the time. She's too big for that, IMO. I do still sling her, though. She still loves it when I wear her. :-)

Wow. This is Odd!

2008-08-03T21:18:00.005-04:00

Mia is getting her first two teeth. Instead of her top or bottom two front teeth, she's getting her canines. Soon enough, she will look like a little vampire baby.

She's chewing on everything in sight and has been on tylenol for a week now. Ugh. Here she is with the monkeys Aunt Erica gave her. She loves to nom them!

I Can't Do It!

2008-08-01T20:32:00.003-04:00

I broke down and shampooed my hair this afternoon. I could no longer handle it. My hair is nice and clean now.

Maybe I will switch to all natural shampoo or something mostly natural, like Burt's Bees. All I know is my hair is too oily to go poo free if I have no vehicle to drive and buy the right kind of vinegar (you are supposed to use apple cider vinegar, I used distilled white, which is NOT the same and that's probably why it didn't work).

Eh, I'll admit I'm not the crunchy type.

A pic I took yesterday of the kidlets:

This No 'Poo Thing

2008-08-01T10:13:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was day four. I washed my hair with a concoction of baking soda, honey, and water. TBH, I miss the lathery goodness of shampoo. :-( I rinsed with watered down vinegar. My hair is still a bit slimy today, though it wasn't yesterday. The ends are a bit dry, maybe I need to condition longer today.

In all honesty, I am this -----> <------ close to shampooing my hair! lol.

Tomorrow will be better, right?

Cute baby pic:

Poo Free Day Three!

2008-07-30T22:46:00.003-04:00

And my hair looks a little greasy. My scalp itches. I don't think it stinks, but I will ask dh later.

If it doesn't stop itching in the next few days, I will use shampoo. /:=/

No 'Poo Day Two!

2008-07-30T00:56:00.004-04:00

I survived a second day with no 'poo!! My hair is beginning to look a bit greasy and it felt gritty when I scrubbed it in the shower tonight. My dh is wondering how many more days it will take before I go back to using shampoo. lol.

Speaking of my dh, he had a doctor's appointment today. While we were there, we had the chubbalub weighed. She is over 17lb. with clothes and a diaper!!! Holy cow! :-))

Here is a recent pic of her sitting on my shoulders (I don't know why, but she absolutely LOVES being on our shoulders!): *please 'scuse the no make-up look. it was hot as hell-o kitty that day*

No 'Poo Day One

2008-07-28T21:47:00.006-04:00

So, I've been hearing a lot about this "no 'poo" thing. Basically, shampoo is bad for your hair. It strips away the natural oils which would otherwise keep your hair healthy, shiny, and strong. Conditioner undoes 9nly some of the damage that shampoo does. Shampoo is basically highly perfumed detergent. Interesting way to look at it, eh?

I first heard about going 'poo free about five months ago, on a thread at Breastfeeding.com. I thought, "There's no way that my curly hair can go without shampoo." After much debating, I have decided to take the leap. OMG, I am one step closer to being crunchy!!!!

Day one of no 'poo, and my hair feels okay. This evening I rinsed my hair and massaged my scalp (it felt great!) and then conditioned the ends so I could comb through it.

I still plan on using my Curls Rock Amplifier! :-p

Wish me luck!

A Few Cute Baby Pics for Good Measure

2008-07-23T01:20:00.009-04:00

3/29/08

Big Yawn

How Cute Is THAT?

4/04/08

4/12/08

She hates the bouncy seat

5/04/08

Tummy Time

5/07/08

World's Smallest Violin Playing "Where is My Milk?"

You are a Loser!!!

6/05/08

Not digging the kisses!

6/27/08

My head hurts

7/01/08

Pretty Outfit

Unhappy Baby

7/08/08

Where'd My Brother Go?

A Rant

2008-07-23T00:49:00.002-04:00

Gary and I decided a couple months ago to start an Ebay business. Officially, one month ago we started selling stuff. I renamed my account (it was my former last name, now it's in honor of our daughter), and let him have full access to it. It's been a great learning experience for us.

The most important thing I've learned so far is that Doba SUCKS!!!!!! They offer a free 7 day trial, so we figured it wouldn't hurt to try it out. Let's just say that most of their items can be purchased for a better price on Amazon.com. Hopefully they aren't impossible to reach via telephone. Because I entered my credit card info, I have to call and cancel my membershit before my 7 day trial is up.

A Photo Shoot with the Boy

2008-07-22T13:53:00.004-04:00

As I was looking through my albums to post pictures of my younger two kids on this blog, I came to the realization that I have way more of the baby than I do of the boy. So, we had a photo shoot today. He is such a ham!

Sleeping Angel...

2008-07-22T02:01:00.000-04:00

This is seriously the only time that my son isn't talking:

My camera takes surprisingly good pics in the dark, doesn't it?

My DH and the "Jesus Thing"

2008-07-21T23:42:00.000-04:00

The other day, Gary and I were in the local grocery store when we ran into a girl we both went to school with. The first thing she said to Gary is, "I didn't recognize you with that "Jesus thing" you've got going on." (He hasn't shaved or cut his hair since Thanksgiving):

Heh, he does look a bit like the Messiah, doesn't he?

Some New Pics of The Boy

2008-07-21T18:10:00.000-04:00

I can't post pics of just one of my kiddos.

Here are some recent pics of my son:

Both of my kiddos (big sister is at her dad's for the summer):

A few weeks ago:

A few days ago:

My First FO Since Having The Baby

2008-07-20T16:00:00.000-04:00

Well, unless you want to count the dishcloths I've knit for FIL, I haven't knit a thing lately. Well, I just finished a scarf...

Mia approves of this scarf:

I am selling it on Ebay to buy cloth diapers for Mia. Check out my auction!

I'll Bet You Thought I'd Deserted This Blog

2008-07-20T15:12:00.000-04:00

And, it's very likely that you are correct in thinking that. But, I've returned. A summary of my life since I last blogged:

1. I was browsing PlentyofFish when I received a message from a guy who looked familiar to me. As it turns out, I knew this guy, Gary, from Jr. High. In fact, I had my friend Jenny ask him out for me (hey, I was 14!) and he turned me down . We've been together since.

2. Gary and I got pregnant.

Me, about 34 weeks pregnant. Ashton is hiding behind mah belly.

Here I am the day I was being induced (March 8, 2008):

3. I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on March 9, 2008 at 5:50pm. She weighed 6lb 11.60z and was 19 inches long. We named her Anne Marie and call her Mia.

I finally got to hold her (another story for another posting, ok?):

4. I moved out of the ghetto. We moved from Wyoming, MI (crappy neighborhood, slum apartment) to my hometown of Allegan, MI. Sorry, the website kinda sucks.

5. Gary and I got married July 11, 2008.

That pretty much sums it up!

I know, I know

2007-02-27T15:12:00.000-05:00

I haven't been keeping up with this blog because I'm still blogging at myspace.

So far this month, I have knit three dishcloths, finally finished the purple bag I started this summer (I still have to sew on one strap), attempted to sew the nylon straps on my Neapolitan tote (I will have to rip it out because I ignored my thread tension and have big loops on the inside -- doh), knit the earflaps on Alyssa's kittyville hat, halfway finished the peacock colorway scarf, and sewed my son two pairs of pajama bottoms.

I still have no digicam, but JeanPaul (part of the reason for my blog neglection) is going to get one from his house for me sometime soon. Oh, and I got Stitch n Bitch Nation in the mail yesterday. I love it! It was well worth the nominal fee I paid for it. I got it here.

Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned for another episode of Can Camille Finish a Whole Knitting Project Without Starting Another One?

Two Pics of FOs!

2007-01-06T20:22:00.000-05:00

So, my friend took pics on NYE of the girls with their hats.

Some FOs, But No Pics

2007-01-04T12:33:00.000-05:00

Because my digital camera walked off this weekend. *cries* I needed a new one, anyhow. The battery on the old one went dead after 10 pictures or so, and it was only a 2 mega pixel. At the end of this month, I will be purchasing a 5 mega pixel digital camera.

I have finished three dishcloths and two hats. I'm working on another hat (yes, still working on the kittyville) and a fourth dishcloth. So, by the first week of February, I should post some pics of what I finished so far. I might talk my friend into coming over and taking some pics of the girls in the hats I knit for them, but not until sometime this weekend.

Until then, I will be pic-less. *sniffle*

Shame on Me :-(

2006-12-23T20:57:00.000-05:00

I am a bad blogger. I've been neglecting this in lieu of my myspace blog. Well, I guess if anybody wants to read about non-craft cack, visit my page: http://www.myspace.com/angelah1975 Some of my blogs are public, some are only for my friends, and a few are private.

So, about my crafty crap: I've finished the easy part of Kittyville take 2, I have the ears and earflaps/i-cord to finish. I have many sewing projects waiting to be completed. Actually, I've only cut out the fabric. And, then, the cat chewed on the pattern. So, hopefully I can finish it without that part. I have half of a dishcloth done, still haven't finished the purple bag, and haven't gotten much knit on the booga bag I started way back in August.

I have a month off from work, and I plan on finishing some projects in that time.

Still No FOs

2006-11-27T12:32:00.000-05:00

What is wrong with me? I have no motivation to knit. I know that xmas is coming up soon, so one would think that I would get my ass in gear. I forced myself to start a dishcloth last night. I also worked on the felted bag I posted in August. A little bit, like I completed a dozen or so rows of it. I guess it's a start, huh?

Well, I must post a pic of my brand new nephew, who was born Thanksgiving morning. His name is Matthew Kai. I love the name Kai. A couple pics:

Big Yawn

They're so sweet when they're sleeping

No New FOs

2006-11-14T18:57:00.000-05:00

How about a couple of cute cat and kid pics instead?

I just haven't had time to knit lately. I can't wait for my classes to be finished this semester. I am just swamped with homework. I haven't even finished that purple and lime green bag. Ugh.

A Few More Completed Sewing Projects

2006-10-24T18:40:00.000-04:00

I haven't knit since I moved into the new apartment. I've had too many other projects to work on. This past weekend, I put together a set of bunkbeds and a kitchen table with four chairs. Today was a vacation day for me, but instead of relaxing like I wanted to, I finished two valances. Now none of the windows in my apartment are naked. :-)

The completed valance/curtain combo in my bedroom

The valance I made for the kids' room

The kitchen valance that I made a few weeks ago

A close up of the kids' valance: crayons!

New Livingroom Pics

2006-10-17T22:47:00.000-04:00

Just to make myself feel better, I took some pics of the livingroom I used to blog from and knit in. Then I took pics of my new livingroom, so I could compare them side-by-side. And, guess what? My new place is much cleaner and has less clutter.

Beloved knitting chair in old dark livingroom

Beloved knitting chair in new brighter and cleaner livingroom

The couch with a blanket that doesn't match and annoying pillows I left behind

Pillow and blanket free couch. Yes, I know that wrought iron thing is crooked. *twitches*

Nothing Craft Related

2006-10-15T16:42:00.000-04:00

So, my ex took my daughter this weekend. While they were out and about, they stopped by his friend's farm and picked up pumpkins for the kids. And, he brought me some dang blasted gourds. What in the world am I going to do with three gourds?

I have no idea what that little thing in front of the pumpkins is, but I will most likely toss it out.

Of course, Merlin has to check them out.

I Have Internet and an FO hore!

2006-10-11T22:14:00.000-04:00

I finally have internet access. I called SBC this morning to let them know that I was pissed that I still didn't have a working phone line. The impressive part is that they sent somebody out within two hours. I almost fainted when he pulled into the parking lot and he was there for me! Lol. The line was unhooked at the box. He also fixed the jack that I pulled apart in a (lame) attempt to fix it.

Most importantly, this weekend I sewed without a pattern! I am so proud of myself. It didn't turn out that bad. I am making a valance for it, too. Now, I must go back to Field's to pick up another half yard of the fabric, though. I will post a pic of the finished product when I am done. Here's what it looks like so far:

The valance (not yet finished) is a goldish shiny fabric with black velvet swirls. I think it will go well with my bedroom decor.

Let us not forget the random cat pics:

I think they like the new apartment as much as my kids do. (Please ignore the black trashbag in the corner of the pic, it's full of stuff I need to donate.)

I Am Almost Finished Unpacking

2006-10-05T16:21:00.000-04:00

Yippeeee! However, my landline doesn't work, so I have to blog from work. And, I happened to forget that I can take pics, load them on to the laptop, transfer them to my jumpdrive, and post them at work where I do have internet. Sometimes I just don't think things all the way through. *sigh*

More good news: my kids and cats love the new apartment. I think we actually have more room than we did at what's-his-face's house, but only because there are 3 less people and no big, hairy, drooly dog.

Next week, I will try my hardest to remember to post some pics of the cats and the new apartment. And hopefully by then, I will have finished the purple bag (I bought more lime yarn and have been working on the straps).

I Freaked Out Today

2006-10-01T00:42:00.000-04:00

I thought I lost my cats. (insert a crying emoticon here). They were nowhere to be found. I called them, searched the entire house, and then went to my neighbor's house. She helped me look for them. She and I both thought that my (not anymore) boyfriend let them loose because he hates them. I had the whole block searching for them. I even called him up to yell at him. I called him a liar. Then, forty minutes later, Ciatee finally heard me calling for her, and wandered into the livingroom looking all rumpled like she had been sleeping. UGH.

I felt bad, so I called him and apologized. No pics this entry because my digital camera is at my new apartment and I am not. I took the cats there, though. I don't want them to get lost again. I really freaked out. I will post pics of the new place as soon as I have it set up.

I Ran Out of Lime Yarn

2006-09-28T22:19:00.000-04:00

Damnitall. :( I would post a pic (I have the purple bag all sewn together, but I haven't finished the handles), but it's packed up ready to be moved Sunday afternoon. But here is what is currently on my needles:

Another felted bag. That is not red, it's rose.

Two Sides Done!

2006-09-23T16:59:00.000-04:00

Now I just have the pocket to finish knitting. And, of course, it has to be sewn together.

Here's what else I managed to finish this week:

Thank God I learned how to knit. It's keeping me sane.

Forgive me Blog Readers

2006-09-18T20:49:00.000-04:00

for I have sinned. It's been 16 days since my last blog entry.

I've been busy. I haven't been knitting much because I have recently discovered how much of an uncaring and unkind asshole my boyfriend can be. Apartment hunting is time consuming, especially since I'm trying to bring both kitties with me. I love Ciatee, who is sitting on my lap as I type this, and my kids love Merlin. The boy calls him his orange kitty.

I also went back to work on the 11th, which is leaving me less and less time to knit. And, to top off a crappy two weeks, my neighbor's son shared his cold with me. So, not only am I adjusting to Lexapro, searching for an apartment, packing, and trying to get my crap in order, I am also doping myself up with cold meds so I can breathe all while trying to catch up on the classwork I slacked off on while I cried over lost love last week.

So, there you have it, my excuses for not blogging. Thursday I start therapy, so hopefully after that I will have no reason to type lame ass excuses for not knitting or blogging.

What's on my needles?

First up, the umbilical cord hat for my new nephew (due to arrive in November). It matches the diaper bag I already gave to my SIL.

Next up is my adapted version of the same diaper bag, in purple.

I have about two inches of the purple bag finished on the needles, but didn't take a picture of it. IRL, the purple in the bag and blue from the hat don't look that similar. This is evidence of my need for a new digicam. I'm adding it to the list. *sigh*

Another Cat Pic

2006-09-02T16:30:00.000-04:00

The other cat in our house is Ciatee. I think I have one or two other pics of her on my blog. She isn't a photo-op cat like her brother, Merlin, but that's probably because she spends a good portion of her day hiding from the kids. I can totally understand why she hides. There are four of them, and if I could hide from them, sometimes I would.

Ciatee has chosen me to be her person. I think that somewhat bothers my boyfriend, who is used to being every cat's favorite person. Here's where Ciatee often sleeps when she isn't on my lap, like she is right now as I type this:

The bag I usually use for school books

I've caught her a couple of times sleeping INSIDE the bag or in/on my knitting bag. She also likes to nap on the back of my knitting chair. Crazy cat.

Crafty cack:
My wrists have been aching lately. Damned carpal tunnel! As a result, I haven't knit much the past few days. On a positive note, I haven't had to frog the purple bag again. :-P

Proof That Some Kids Will Sleep Anywhere and a WIP Update

2006-08-30T21:46:00.000-04:00

I took this pic the day before my darling little boy took a nosedive off the couch (note, the lack of stitches or scar). :-(( Yes, he is sleeping on a computer chair. He fell asleep watching his favorite show, Spongebob, or as he calls it, "bum-bob".

What am I knitting now? I started another diaper bag. This time I am using grape, the color the pattern calls for, and I have tweaked the pattern to make it the size I want it, which is a little bit smaller. I have so far frogged it three times. Wugh. So, I will post a pic when I'm a little closer to having one whole side finished. So far I only have four rows done. I've frogged at least ten times that.

Time for a couple random cat pictures!

2006-08-26T16:34:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I think Merlin thinks he's a person instead of a cat.

What are you looking at?

Just chillin' in the boy's chair!

We Have a Diaper Bag

2006-08-26T15:42:00.000-04:00

Even though it's a little bit lopsided, it's cute.

Front

Back

I still haven't figured out how I'm going to line the Neapolitan tote. I have some fabric that is quite a bit lighter than the cocoa color in the tote, so I am not sure if it will work. I've been to several fabric stores in search of a different color fabric with which to line it, but no luck finding anything I like just yet.

Most importantly:
Yesterday really sucked, especially for my son. He took a nosedive off the back of the couch (which, admittedly, he shouldn't have been standing on to begin with) into the coffee table. What happened: my boyfriend's two boys were using the small decorative pillows on the couch to bop each other with, and my little guy wanted in on the action, so he climbed up on the back of the couch (maybe he thought he was going to jump on one of them), and before I could tell him to get down, he had already fallen and was on the floor bleeding. :-(( It happened so fast.

So, after I applied pressure long enough to slow the bleeding from the downpour it started out as, we hopped in the car and took him to Urgent Care where he got three stitches. Poor little guy. He has two black eyes today and his nose is all swollen.

I'm glad that school starts soon for the kids because my son is a walking accident waiting to happen. About a month ago, he had to have his head stapled from falling off of a chair. Just a few days ago, he climbed on the kitty litter bucket and fell on it and ripped his chin open. Sigh. What am I going to do with this boy?

Showing off his Dora bandaid. Note the squirt gun, toy pliers, and recorder stuffed into the waistband of his pants. Pardon the shirt, he just finished eating fries with ketchup.

Sundaes Neapolitan Coconuts

2006-08-15T14:50:00.000-04:00

So, as I was knitting this bag, my boyfriend informed me that it looks like those Brach's candies that taste like coconut and are shaped like caramels. He is completely right. It looks just like these.

Before Felting

After Felting
(My son is being a kitty in case you're wondering why he is on all fours.)

I can't believe how much this bag shrunk down. Before felting, it was big enough for my son to use as a sleeping bag, and now it's the perfect size for a knitting tote. I need handles for it; I am probably going to buy the same nylon tape stuff I used for the tote bag I sewed. I am also going to line it and add some interfacing to help it stand up a little better; it's kind of floppy.

WIP
I started a diaper bag for my SIL. She's due to have a boy in November. My brother is so excited. I am making them this:

Sorry about the glare, it's a pic of a yarn label

One side is finished

As you can see, I've decided to use Berry Blue instead of Grape. The other color is Limelight. They are both Caron Simply Soft Brites. The pattern was on the label.

My Math Skills Need Some Work

2006-08-11T15:04:00.000-04:00

A week or two ago I decided that I needed a new tote to carry my knitting cack around in. So, I designed one using the booga pattern as a starting point. I measured, counted out a striping pattern, and figured that three balls of yarn would do it. Luckily, I bought two balls of the chestnut brown, because I ran out of the first ball on my second brown stripe. (Last week's posting shows why that happened.) This is how far I got with the one ball of petal pink:

It's almost 24 inches long now

I need 6 more rows to complete the stripe. :-( So, I call a few yarn stores in my neighborhood, and none of them carry it. One of them doesn't carry Patons Classic Wool at all.

Okay, I'm not freaking out yet.

I decide to just go to Meijer to pick up a ball since that's the first store I found it at (it's the same color that I used in my sil's bag), and figure that while I am there I can also pick up a couple cases of Mt. Dew because it's my boyfriend's drink of choice and on sale there this week. I then get my kids ready for a trip to the yarn store and begin look for my keys.

Meanwhile, my kids are completely clothed (the boy hates wearing clothes) and waiting on my front porch -- actually behaving themselves!! I call my boyfriend to see if he, by some small miracle, left the keys somewhere in the house after he used them yesterday, only to find out that they are in his pocket (he is at work).

So here I am, stuck at home with no car keys, no petal pink Patons Classic Wool, two kids, and an almost finished tote bag. *sigh* On a positive note, my boyfriend is picking the yarn up for me on his way home from work.

Today's lesson: Always grab an extra ball of each color, just in case.

Future WIP:
Despite my prior failed attempt at making the kittyville hat from Stitch n Bitch, I am going to try again. My daughter really wants one, so hopefully it turns out this time. Cross your fingers!

I'm going to cry

2006-08-02T22:01:00.000-04:00

I have no pictures of the Kittyville hat to post because I screwed up the ears on it. Then, I tried to cut one ear off and accidentally cut a hole in the top of the hat. In a fit of rage, I threw the entire hat in the trash. On a positive note, I learned how to seed stitch.

I am trying another felted bag without a pattern. This one is loosely based on the booga bag, with my own striping pattern. I'm still trying to decide what kind of handle it should have. It should be twice (or more) the size of a normal booga bag and will hopefully replace my current "knitting bag", a bag from Bath & Body Works my mom bought me for my birthday two years ago. It was filled with warm vanilla and sugar scented body wash, body butter, lotion, and body spray.

I am using Patons Classic Wool in the following colors: chestnut brown, petal pink, and winter white. As you can see, I haven't gotten to the winter white, yet.

And Yet Another Felted Bag

2006-07-31T14:00:00.000-04:00

It's finished. Noro, despite its uneven texture, felts up quite nicely. I had to run it through the hot wash twice, and it's still bigger than the bags I've knit with Patons Classic. This one is mine, unlike most of the felted bags I've knit lately.

Natural light

With flash

My first attempt at an original pattern

2006-07-28T12:05:00.000-04:00

I don't think it turned out that bad, either. It's for my SO's niece, whose 6th birthday party is Saturday. I'm going to fill it with girly stuff (hair ties, lip gloss, etc.) before we give it to her.

Before felting

After felting and blocking

This is what is on my needles currently.

A booga made with Noro Kureyon Color 166. Since I took this picture, I've finished the bag and have about a foot of the i-cord completed. I don't really care for the texture of this yarn. It's rough and the thickness varies throughout the skein. Also, the colors (even though all three skeins are from the same dye lot) are different. The green on the bottom of the bag never showed up in the other two skeins of yarn. But, I just had to have a bag made from Noro Kureyon. For my defense, it was on sale - 45% off! I think that from now on, I will stick with Patons Classic wool for felted bags.

I also started the kittyville hat from Stitch n Bitch. I will post a pic when it's finished; it's going very quickly.

I Love Small Projects!

2006-07-25T22:46:00.000-04:00

I finished quite a few of them this week. First up is the umbilical cord hat from SnB. I also knit two more cell phone cozies. My neighbor now owns the lavender and yellow one.

And now for a random cat picture. Merlin thinks he belongs on the table.

A Rant, My First Trip to My LYS, and an FO

2006-07-19T14:30:00.000-04:00

The Joanne’s by my house is the worst place to shop for sewing supplies. The last time I went there, I tried to get help with finding material for a pattern. (I am a novice when it comes to my sewing machine, and I need more help than the average person.) I wandered around aimlessly for a little while, and then found an employee and asked her for assistance. She was less than helpful; in fact, she basically stared at me, blinked a couple of times, then said, “I don’t know; I don’t sew.” Well, then, why the hell are you working in a FABRIC STORE??? From now on, I will drive 20 minutes to Field’s for any fabric/sewing crap that I need. Most of the people who work there wear the clothes they’ve sewn, so I know they aren't fabric-impaired.

AND:

Until yesterday, I had never actually been inside a yarn store. I had no idea what I was missing. I thought that the yarn selection at my local Meijer was impressive. Then I found the Knitting Shack. While it’s a somewhat small store, it is packed full of yarn, needles, and other knitting supplies. And, most importantly, the people working there (I assume they owned it) are very friendly and incredibly helpful.

Finally:
I finished the felted bag I was making for my mom.

Before felting

After felting with camera flash on

In natural light/no flash