happy august!

And happy birthday to the most lovely and most wonderful mom in the world! Hope you're having a super fabulous day. Wish I could be with you to celebrate.

hide and seek

This morning was like every other morning for me. Got out of the shower, brushed my teeth, combed my hair--got ready in the same way as always. And like most every morning, I went into the living room expecting to be greeted by my most adorable pup curled up on the couch. Well, imagine my surprise when I poked my head into the room and didn't see his cute little mug staring back at me. I quickly scanned every room in the house, and he was no where to be found. Now thoroughly confused and concerned, I went back into the bedroom. If he's not on the couch, he must be in the bedroom--there's nothing he likes more than elevation off the ground and a soft cushion. Lo and behold I see this:



Have you ever seen a more adorable looking pillow?

a video doesn't get much cuter

Want to see something adorable? Well then, you must watch this video. Pay particular attention about a minute in.



If you're wondering who the teenage cutie is, that is my brother-in-law. No, he's not the furry one. He's the tall, skinny one feeding the furry ones. And I'm sure he just loves being described like this . . .

Hope you had fun with the alpacas, G. And by fun I mean, hope that you brought one home for me.

oh so bad, yet oh so good

Me dearest hubby forwarded me a link to a most awesome blog--Bad Postcards. What is it about, you ask? Well, I guess one might say it features bad postcards. Who'd have thought?

Seriously though, this blog is cracking me up. It's so bad that it's so freaking good. I love the post for June 27th. What I wouldn't give to be having a gay old time right now . . .

Wonder how Fred feels about that.



Should have seen that coming.

etsy find that i (and the fuzzy beast) heart

Sorry for being negligent, peeps. It has been a hectic week (+ end) to say the least. Alas, it's the curse of moving your whole life from one place to the next. But now the schlepping is over (thanks, friends o' hubby!), the internet is working, and the hubby and I are in our new--yet very old--house. We finally can start to get life back to normal. Thank Zeus!

So in honor of getting back to normal, I'm going to spend some time blogging about stuff instead of unpacking those pesky boxes that hold everything that is useful and familiar to us. Naturally . . .

Etsy is an amazing place to feed into all my house-on-the-brain obsessing. And my pet obsession. And my vintage-things obsession. And my clever-use-of-materials obsession. Well, I found a shop that combines all those obsessions into one--it's Love Nostalgic Whimsy, which specializes in recycling old awesome things into clever and new awesome things. In particular, I love the Vintage Upcycled Suitcase Pet Bed.




How freaking adorable is that?! LOVE it!

Well, I guess I better get back to the maze of boxes that awaits. And gotta find the cat and tell her about this bed . . .

bare bear butts

Mr. fuzzbot and I officially became homeowners on Monday. Woo woo! So we've been in the process of sorting through our clutter, packing it all up and schlepping it around. Gotta say I'm not a fan of moving. Blech! However I am a fan of our new house (!). And I am a fan of looking through all those bizarre mementos that I've collected over the years. Those little bits of my past represent different moments of my life, moments that I haven't thought about in a long time. Or in some cases, moments I've forgotten. But either way, it's fun.

This is paper towel doodle is one of my favorite finds . . .



On the back it says "BUTT-DANCIN' BEAR!"

Damn, I wish I could remember this one . . .

it's friday

I'm in love.



Do you think Robert Smith would hang out with me if I had a trunk full of dress-up clothes?

Sigh. I wish . . .

whistle a tune for the pattern o' the month for june

Show pops and grandpops just how much you appreciate them with this quick and easy Family Ties Father’s Day Card. The card template is included, so all you have to do is crochet up a snazzy tie embellishment . . . And sign it . . . And give it to your dad and/or grandfather . . . On Father’s Day . . .

It’s that simple!

my favorite day

. . . is today. Because it's my hubby's birthday. And I am so glad that he was born. Happy birthday, darling! Let's go ride a dragonfly to celebrate!



Also, it's Judy Garland's birthday today, so TCM is showing her movies all day long.



I don't know if I can handle this much excitement in one day.

p.s. If you're looking for more awesome vintage images like the boy riding a dragonfly, you must visit The Graphics Fairy blog. LOVE it!

the latest commission mission

Presenting a few pics of my latest commission--matching aprons made for a bridal party.





Have to say, this has been one of my favorite projects so far. It was fun coming up with a different take on the traditional apron form. Plus, I got to break in my serger (which was awesome!). Not to mention, I'm in love with the floral fabric used for the tops and pockets. It makes me think: "Mai Tai, anyone?"

Why, yes, that would be lovely.

feature on facebook!

Warning: The following post may contain shameless self-promotion . . .

The Craft Lounge posted a little ditty about me on their facebook page. And a pic of the nanimals.



The Craft Lounge ladies are sweethearts. I heart them (and their shop).

uh-oh

It's Rosalind Russell morning on TCM. I heart her.




The Feminine Touch at 8 am, No Time for Comedy at 10 am, My Sister Eileen at 2 pm, and The Women at 4 pm.

Why does this have to happen on a weekday?! Damn it.

I'm breaking out the VCR, people.

ms. mcclanahan (1934 - 2010)

My mother-in-law just told me that Rue McClanahan died.

:(

nana

Nana falls into the category of one of the most amazing people I've ever known.

And I miss her.

etsy shop (that i heart)--and it hasn't just developed

If you are in the market for some awesome photography, than you are in luck. ChoraScholarette has a most amazing shop on etsy. LOVE it!

Just see for yourself.

Is it weird that I want to smell this? (If I had a nickel for every time I've said that . . .)




Love this perspective . . .




And my personal favorite--a photograph taken outside the Tate in London:



Makes me giggle.

a pack o' alpaca

Does anyone else want to steal them and start an alpaca farm? Or is it just me?

I had the pleasure of going to a local alpaca farm called Abenaki Acres last week, and it was freakin awesome. And educational. And beautiful. And did I mention awesome? I got to see an adorable little cria who was just born a few days before--to an alpaca mama that only has 3 legs. Well, she has 4 legs if you count the prosthetic. Either way, I hope she got something nice for Mother's Day. I mean, something freakin' amazing . . .

Anyway, here's a pic of a few other lovely ladies. Those faces!



If you're ever in the area, I highly recommend taking the farm tour. It's a great way to spend a couple of hours. But be forewarned--the alpacas won't follow you home no matter how hard you try to lure them away.

my morning

It all goes back to 1 am this morning. The hubby and I are woken up by unusual meows coming from the fuzzy kitty beast. Hubby checks on her, but she seems fine, and nothing seems out of the ordinary; so we go back to sleep. Several hours later, we do our morning routine--I feed the animals, hubby gets ready--and it's not until after he leaves for work that I see the cause of the early morning outburst.



Yep, it's a mouse.

And Ethel wants to eat it.

Really bad.

Long story short, after a few failed attempts at trying to catch the mouse in a paper bag (hey, it was closest to me at the time . . . don't judge me), I finally find the humane trap. At this point, Ethel has the poor thing cornered. So I exploit the situation and swoop in with the trap, luring the little guy out with some tasty peanut butter. Now the teeny-weeny beast roams free in the shrubbery behind our apartment.

I love a happy ending.

But I think Ethel disagrees.

may day! it's free pattern day!

Is it May already? May be. Har.

Anyway, the new month means a new pattern. And this time, it's for all you sewers out there. I love you guys sew much.

[clearing throat] Um, I digress.

Stitch yourself the Bring-May-Flowers Pincushion, and you'll have one heck of an organized and cheery sewing space. They're so useful and fun, you'll be making a garden of these little guys in no time.



And I gotta say, this project is bloomin' perfect for a gift.

Seriously, all these puns . . . I'm starting to roll my eyes at myself.

Sigh.

m.i.a. and t & a

Sorry that I have been MIA for the past week (plus). Much of that time was spent being drowsy on pain medication--damn you, wisdom tooth extraction! When I wasn't in a dazed stupor, the rest of my time was divided amongst knitting baby blankets for a commission, working on new pieces for Mother's Day, and stressing out about purchasing a house. Still working on the last two bits.

Anyway, to cheer me up Mr. fuzzbot (the sweet darling he is) bought us a pair of freakishly awesome vintage highball glasses to add to our collection.

On the outside, you see sassy ladies.




And on the inside, you REALLY see sassy ladies.



The one on the left really cracks me up. You'd think she would have worn undies if her skirt was so breezy.

Oh, rationality . . . you wouldn't make a very interesting highball glass.

all the wisdom has been drained from my body

Actually, the wisdom hasn't been drained. It has been cut, yanked, ripped, and extracted out of my head. Yesterday I had the pleasure of having my wisdom teeth pulled--a pleasure I had been avoiding for over 10 years now. And I just want to point out, my avoidance was totally justified.

The oral surgeon assured me . . .



But in reality he turned me into a demented chipmunk.

Mr. fuzzbot had his taken out just the Thursday before, and his cheeks were practically back to normal the next day. Mine however have been gaining mass by the minute. My theory is my hubby's facial hair absorbed some of the impact and provided a soothing mask to aid the healing process.



I'm totally right--this mustache is really helping.

nanimals let loose in leonia

Nanimals are now available at The Craft Lounge! In case you haven't read earlier posts about The Craft Lounge, let me catch you up. It's a most wondrous and awesome shop in Leonia, NJ; and I wish I could live there. Period. Actually, an exclamation point might be better . . . !

Anyway, I'm very honored to have the Nanimals in such a great shop. Yay!

I received a message from those little fleecy beasts earlier today, and it looks like they're pretty happy about it as well.



Lovable and sweet, plus they can write. Who knew fabric could be so talented?

the latest weekend find

I've been having some damn good weekend finds. It's uncanny. This time a book tops the list.



Found it for a dollar at a used book sale for our public library. What a deal! Why anyone would donate it is beyond me. This book is freaking hilarious. I give you, an excerpt from the publisher's website . . .



HA! I think I just peed a little . . .

The author, Ms. Stitchy McYarnpants, has a blog with even more kitschy, yarny fun; and she has an etsy shop too, which is awesome.

Next time you see me, I'll be wearing one of these:



I wish . . .

(amazing!) find of last weekend

Looky what I picked up at a garage sale last weekend. Isn't it a beaut?







And guess how much it cost. Just guess. $35! Isn't that amazing?! Gotta vacuum out all the dead bugs and dust and whatnot. But still, it's in splendid shape. This steamer has got to be one of my best finds ever. I'm still excited about it!

And thanks, Kyle and G (you dear sweet men, you) for carrying up the stairs! I'm a lucky lady. That thing is freaking heavy . . .

april showers bring cleanliness

April's free Crafting Pattern o' the Month pays homage to the adage that surely you will be hearing over and over again for weeks--April showers bring May flowers. Well, instead of dreading the rain outside enjoy a shower of your own inside with the knitted Spring Showers Washcloth. It's perfect for anyone who gets a kick out of scrubbing their body with a cloud.



Warning: this month's project won't bring any flowers, but it will help you smell as sweet as one.

find of the weekend

Looky what I got...





It's a sewing basket. And it was only $6 at a antique shop sale. Woo woo! I'd show you a pic of it in all it's functional glory except that it's currently dysfunctional. The fabric is worn and stained and funky. The strings on the side that hold it open have disintegrated to the sands of time. And there are some mysterious bits of debris floating around the bottom of the basket. But isn't it great?

I got some awesome fabric to make it brand new and beautiful.



So there you have it--that's my next project. Well, in addition to all those other ones I'm currently working on. Damn, I'm a project junky (and I ♥ it).

blobby irony

OK, I'm about to ruin the ending to The Blob. So if you haven't seen it and you want to be surprised (or as surprised as you possibly could be) then you should probably stop reading this post. But if you haven't seen it and you don't mind spoilers then read on, my dear rebel you.

So I just saw the part where Steve McQueen and Co. figure out that the blob can be fended off with cold. Everyone starts using carbon dioxide fire extinguishers as weapons, and eventually someone comes up with the brilliant plan to plop the blob in the arctic so that it will be frozen forever. But as everyone knows, carbon dioxide is a major player in global climate change which means that with each burst of the extinguisher, there's just a little less time for the blob to be frozen. In essence, the whole town is fighting off an alien monster in a way that completely undermines their long term plans of disposal.

Thanks, Steve McQueen.



And happy birthday, too.

p.s. For more Blob fun, look no further.

etsy find (that i ♥) - i need wine, stat!

Most people that know me know that I love the Golden Girls. Hmm, "love" might be the wrong word. Perhaps "infatuated," "obsessed," "powerless-against-the-greatness-of-those-sassy-ladies-of-Miami" would be better choices.

But I digress . . .

My friend (hi Noa!) sent me a link to Flavorwire.com's guide to all things GG, and it got me thinking--why haven't I been searching on etsy for GG paraphernalia? What kind of fan am I? Anyway, I found these wine charms made by Whimsy at Handmade (different than the ones linked in the article), and I just absolutely ♥♥♥ them.



Anyone else thinking of the episode where the ladies vow to Rose that they'll freeze their heads when they die?

You didn't tip the guy?

spring has sprung

And so have the nanimals! I was commissioned to make these wee little creatures for a couple of cutie kids. Hope that they love them! By which I mean hope that the kids like the nanimals. Fleece can't love, you know . . . sadly.

sigh.

Judy, I could listen to you all day.



Oh wait, I have been . . .

kiss me, i'm irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day!



Don't forget to make your Two-Sides-of-Drunkenness Eye Mask for tonight and tomorrow. Luckily you could be three sheets to the wind and still get it finished before bedtime . . .

p.s. Don't be a stupid drunkie.

p.p.s. There are more fun vintage St. Patrick's Day cards at Vintage Holiday Crafts.

birthing complete

The sweater was finished just in time to wear to my friends' wedding. Woo hoo! There were some doubts when on Saturday I was finishing up by candlelight. No, not for romantic effect . . . we were without power for the night ("powerless" by the way, is a sadly accurate double entendre). Anyway, we drank beer, I hid tails--it was a good time all around. And the next day, the power was back, so not only was my sweater finished, but I could also shower. Always a bonus.



Yay, creating my first pattern for a lady sweater is done! I'm crossing it off my to-do list at this very moment.

et tu, conair?

Beware the Ides of March!

And apparently, also be aware of curling irons . . .



Noted.

I love how this is more a statement of fact rather than a call to stop eye-burnings. So if I ever need to know how to burn an eye, I know where to go.

sweater-thon

My friends are getting married this weekend (congrats, Vickie and Aidan!), so I thought, hey, wouldn't it be nice to make a sweater to wear to the ceremony. So 2 days ago I decided, yep, that's exactly what I want to do. Planning isn't exactly my strong suit.

After sifting through my stash I found a few balls of Classic Elite Fresco in blue turquoise, which has been waiting for a project such as this. Awesome. So I:

Perused my stitch books--found one for a twisted openwork

Took some quick measurements--what was my gauge again?

Thought about my time frame--figured on a shrug

And bam {insert sound of majestic chorus singing an epiphanic tune of joy and inspiration}! A sweater was born.



Well, it's being born. Still gotta finish a sleeve, sew it up, and knit a collar.

My first lady sweater pattern made under the pressure of a few days. Love it.

p.s. If this thing comes out funky, I'm totally not posting pictures of the finished product.

etsy find (that i ♥) . . . literally

I loved this poster by Roll & Tumble Press so much that I had to buy it for Mr. fuzzbot.



Who knew internal organs could be so damn cool? I just want to eat it; it's so awesome! Ummm, and no, I'm not a zombie . . .

classic movies are a banquet

Last week we found out that Turner Classic Movies has just been added to our basic cable package.



It's so wonderful. And yet, it's so dangerous.

etsy find (that i ♥)

Holy crap I found the most amazing amigurumi creature ever on etsy--the Siamese Cat Twins made by Lazymuse.



Oh, yep, the drooling has begun.

I can't imagine if my evil cat had twice the cunning power. She'd be an evil super power. On the plus side, she doesn't like when things get in her face, so maybe she would attack her twin; and that would really slow her down.

Did I just go to a weird place?

marching in with a free pattern

I'm kicking off my inaugural Pattern o' the Month with an accessory made in the spirit of St. Paddy's Day--The Two Sides of Drunkenness Eye Mask. This comfy double-sided eye mask will help you sleep like a baby after passing out from a day of intoxication. Plus it will nurse you back to reality the next day. When you're in hangover hell, just dampen the mask with cool water (throw it into the fridge for an extra chill boost) and place it over your aching noggin. You'll be as good as new in no time.

Charts are written for "i ♥ beer," "i ♥ wine," and "i ♥ booze" options.







p.s. Don't be a drunkie.

p.p.s. Turns out that the pattern wasn't loading properly in google docs. Poop. I think the problem has now been fixed (knock on wood), but if I am wrong, let me know. Experiencing technical difficulties = crappy

snow day! again!

Yesterday was officially the second snow day for the husband and me. Yay! So how could we not make another movie? Without further ado, please enjoy this tribute to alpine skiing.



Looks hell has frozen over. Har har . . .

i need to get my drink on

Remember this from a couple years ago?

The Landlord from Will Ferrell

Damn it cracks me up.

brit knit

I must say, I was a big fan of the Brits before. But after discovering the Victoria and Albert Museum collection of 1940s knitting patterns, I now ♥ them even more.

happy v day

Pun, anyone?



Damn, I heart the vintageholidaycrafts.com . . .