happy new year, ummm, over a month late...

OK, so I just realized it has been 8 months since my last post.  Aye!  I am inept with technological connectivity.  Bloody hell.  It's now my February resolution--to become technologically ept.  Anyway, much has changed since last posting.  New abode.  New state.  New kitty.  And my human baby is now a toddler.  It's craziness.

Anyway, I just found a video I had to share.  I've always been a fan of Make, but I just found Sylvia's Mini Maker Show for the first time.  What's wrong with me?  Why haven't I seen this sooner.  She's so freaking talented and cute and knowledgeable, I can't take it.  Enjoy!

Have an extra hour and a half?  Then you should watch the season 2 finale of the Masterpiece Sherlock series.

Watch Sherlock: The Reichenbach Fall on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.

Yeah, just found out that you can watch all the full episodes of Sherlock online.  Guess who's not sleeping tonight . . .

my booty (not literally)

Got a chance to go thrifting with Mr. today.  Didn't do too badly . . .

Found a craft bag from the 60s (definitely smells like the 60s); wooden hangers; a neato, silver tri-bowl; bee pants for Mr.; and a wooden box that seems like it will be useful for organization.  The best picks are by far the bag and the tri-bowl--even the lady at the thrift store mumbled something about how she hadn't seen the bag.  Too bad, it's mine, lady!!

Looks like the bag is a small wastepaper basket with some fabric and handles sewn to the top.  This bag has seen better days--looks like it has been smushed for a few years.  Hmm, I wonder how to bend caning back into shape.

And the bowl.  Actually, I should say bowl-bowl-bowl.  What's the fate of this fine vessel, you ask?  Fancy craft room storage, I reply.

new year, new skill

So the year is not exactly "new" any more. And the skill I'm learning--it's actually ancient. But I digress . . . I'm spinning! Not just with excitement but also with wool! For my birthday my super, kick-ass mother-in-law bestowed upon me her spinning wheel (an Ashford Traditional, which was stained and assembled by my father-in-law for those of you interested). It's awesome. What's even better is that I can use it! My wonderful and amazing hubby got me spinning lessons. And thank god, because upon first sitting I was mystified. There are bands and tensions and flyers and bobbins and maidens (love that . . .) and tons of other things that I didn't know anything about. Although much of the mystery still remains, I've been able to create yarn on it, and that's all I can ask for. It's all I've ever wanted. Hmm, when did this turn into a melodrama?

Here is my first handspun yarn!



Next step: figure out a better way to hang up the skeins to set.

Also: put stuff away in the bathtub when taking pictures to post on blog.

On a completely unrelated note: I had a baby, hence my blogging hiatus.

Related to the note above: He's the sweetest, smartest, and cutest baby in the world.

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.

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 . . .

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.

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?

sigh.

Judy, I could listen to you all day.



Oh wait, I have been . . .

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.

snow day!

This is what happens when a blizzard comes through town.



Well, to be honest, there was more, but I thought I'd spare you.

p.s. Have you thanked your environment today?

darn it!

literally.





I've officially learned something new today. Now I know how to fix all the knits that the dog has ruined. Your bite marks are no match for me Fredder-butt!

people who are awesome: the first installment

For our first anniversary, my sweet and darling husband gave me a book entitled Knit Knit. It's a collection of biographies about interesting and talented people whose knitting challenges the great divide between "art" and "craft," a divide that sadly still exists. Though it's slowly falling away. I'd also like to point out that this same divide also happens to have some definite gender implications, but hey, that's for another day. Well, anyway, I was looking through it today (for a little inspiration), and I was thinking, well, damn, these people are awesome and I should blog about them. So, damn, I'm going to blog about them. I'd like to institute my inaugural post about people who are awesome with Lisa Anne Auerbach. And I know from first hand experience how awesome she is. Well, at least how awesome her work is . . .

Picture it: Aspen, November 2008. While on our honeymoon, the hub-ster and I were walking around town (like Howard Moon, man about town), and we noticed that several shops were showcasing sweaters in the front windows. We stopped to take a closer look at the intricate fair isle designs when I finally noticed *hello!* there was so much more to them. Each sweater contained two differing campaign slogans from history (some well known, some not so much, some inspiring and some scary). My expectations were completely completely thrown off. Here I was expecting to admire a geometric design, something without an opinion, without a story and as it turns out I'm completely wrong. There was a whole political debate going on in one sweater. And not only that, they were playing off ideas about the domestic and the political spheres, the past and the present, nostalgia and humor. With some freakin amazing fair isle patterns. So neat!

Here's a link to the sweaters on Lisa Anne Auerbach's website--I definitely recommend downloading the pdf, which shows all of the designs.

And and in case you are wondering, oh yes, I got her charted pattern book so that I can make my own political sweaters. Anyone for a "Praise the Lord and pass the Ammunition" sweater?

p.s. On a completely unrelated note . . .

possible eye injury or a collapse in the space time continuum

Holy crap, where is time going? Yesterday, I went to sleep--it was January 2009. I wake up today, and it's already mid-December.

Oy.

Makes me think of Patsy from Absolutely Fabulous (only one of the best tv shows EVER) when she says: Time is like a stretched elastic band. You can't let it go or it'll come back and take your eye out.

Never a truer word.

Well, anyway, if you're looking for some last minute gift ideas, I just added a few new bags to my etsy shop. The cutoff for Christmas shipping is next Monday. Next Monday, can you believe it?!




As for me, I am in a state of disbelief. But that's nothing new...

p.s. If you want to see Patsy's quote in action, your wish is my command.