The house is starting to look like a home!

So after a chaotic summer, things are finally (crosses fingers) starting to fall into place around my house. I've starting finding time to read again, and what I'm reading right now is Julie Powell's Julie and Julia. She blogs her cooking project, she's got an audience, she uses hilariously colorful language. And then I thought, "I have a blog, too!" Immediately followed by, "and it won't have an audience much longer if I don't start posting something!"

Everybody has that mailing list that they belong to, where after a while you just start deleting the emails without actually reading them because you feel guilty/are too lazy/don't want to hurt anyone's feelings/whatever, and never quite get around to unsubscribing. ...And I've had the horrifying realization that chaos like this past summer is precisely why I started this blog in the first place and OH MY GOD! What if I write the posts that everyone deletes without reading and HOLY CRAP! I should do something about that!

And as I write this I also have the realization that I should have refilled my OCD meds like a week ago and I haven't yet and that might have something to do with the panic and the unreal speed that my hands are flying across the keyboard and yet if it has stirred me to think about my blog and my audience again, I can't help but think it's a good thing. (Maybe I should get in touch with Julie Powell about motivating me???)

At any rate, the studio is not really coming together yet due to a hilarious story involving my mother in law and more floral supplies than I've ever seen outside of a craft store (which I will cover in another post, because it's too good to not share, but would completely derail what little cohesion this post is still holding on to.

Suffice it to say, I've got to completely rethink how I'm going to handle putting the studio together. On the plus side, the house is starting to look like people actually LIVE here as opposed to the look of migrants surviving in a construction site that it has had since May.

The kitchen only needs the phone jack fixed and the silverware drawer installed. The dining room just needs the blinds hung. The living room floor and front porch need sanding and refinishing, but that's all that's left. Then the touch up painting and decision about whether we're recarpeting the staircase.

All in all, I've actually be able to hang a wreath on the door and decorate the kitchen some and it's really starting to feel cozy and livable in here.


I'm making a commitment here to start posting on a regular basis again. I'm also making a commitment to make the husband get the wireless set up again, because I can't take the pained looks he gives me when I pry him away from RPG.net so that I can actually use my own computer.

Wish me luck! See ya sooN!

Studio: Reboot

So, no access to my art supplies is driving me crazy. That combined with the fact that I have things like Ink and Paint that can't remain in the basement much longer now that the weather is getting colder, has made us come to the decision that I really need to put my studio back together. What does that mean to you?

Well that means:

• new items in the store (which will hopefully move off of Etsy)
• updates to the website in a more timely fashion
• new patterns!
• a permanent move from tripod to Tilghman Street Studios (fewer, more targeted ads)
• possible addition of video to the how-to's instead of just pictures

I'm feeling pretty ambitious about all of this. I'm up in the middle of the night, wide awake from having badly overslept and evening nap, and my brain is going a mile a minute.

We'll need to the get the hubby's computer up and running to make up for the fact that I may be living on the laptop for a good portion of our vacation next week. We'll be getting our new washer and dryer before too much longer with also means that I can felt without having to run down 3 flights of stairs to the washing machine. (The hook-ups are in the basement right now and the studio is on the 3rd floor. The hook-ups are getting moved to the kitchen!)

Speaking of kitchen, I had one that usable, if not actually finished and I'm thinking about trying to custom dye some yarn. Maybe doing some tie-dyes and such.

That's it for now, I think I need to spend some serious time with my notepad and my sketch book. I'll keep posting as new things happen!

And cooking some more

At my mom's again, because we still don't have a kitchen. Work has been prolonged due to failing a building inspection.

On today's menu:

• Tarragon Chicken
• Baked Chicken stuffed with Fresh Mozzarella, Fresh Basil and Roasted Tomatoes
• Bulgar Salad with Roasted Anaheims, Fresh Heirloom Tomatoes and Fresh Lime Juice
• Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Cream Sauce and Feta Cheese. This will be served over Fresh Spinach
• Fried Chicken dredged in Whole Wheat Flour
• More Energy Bark
• Fried Red Bananas with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon
  

Cooking, Cooking, Cooking

Due to the Kitchenless state of my house, I am at my mother's today to borrow the stove (and catch up on some laundry). Been cooking since about noon, here's what's for dinner. So to speak.

• Energy Bark (recipe on Live Like a Hippy)
• Tomato Salad
• Lemon Pepper Tilapia
• Tilapia with Beans and Sweet Corn (great in a Tortilla with shredded cheese)
• Orange Glazed Rosemary Pork Chops
• Breaded Pork Chops
• Chile and Cumin Fried Chicken
• Italian Sausage and Veggies Tossed with Penne Pasta
• Chicken for Chicken Ceasar Wraps
• Middle East- inspired Bulgar Wheat with Toasted Almonds
  

The tomato salad is for the PotLuck at work tomorrow and hopefully the rest of it will hold us over for a few days. Also, I will be leaving a serving or so of most of the dishes behind to thank my mom for use of the kitchen.

It would have helped too, if I had remembered to buy shredded cheese and ceasar dressing.

Dalmation Photo Journal.

So I decided to make my dad a dalmation for his birthday. And I decided to make a photo journal of my progress, so everyone can get an idea of how my doll-making process works. Also, to keep me on track for my deadline. Which was today.


Day 1.



Just a couple of legs, but a good start.


Day 2.



Starting on the body.


Day 3.



I've got the body finished, and arms attached. Just starting the head. One of the reasons this is going so quickly is that I'm using 2 strands of worsted worked together.


Day 4.



No measurable crochet progress, but I did buy his hat.


Day 5.



Body is finished and stuffed, just barely got a start on the detail work.


Day 6.



Great start of the detail work. Ears, tail and a few spots.


Day 7.



Trying out his hat. No eyes yet, I bought them but then I realized I don't have access to a glue gun.


Day 8.



Hanging out in my locker. I borrowed Darlene's glue gun to put the eyes on.


Finished!



Packed in his gift bag and ready to go.


Everybody got a kick out of him, particularly the Fire Truck bag. Hope this gives a least a little bit of insight to you all.