Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012!

2011 Projects ( not everything, but you get the idea!)

1. New Pillows!, 2. Washi Tape Phone Cover!, 3. Treat Bag, 4. Fall Runner (Front), 5. Bags!, 6. Hexagon Bag, 7. Drawstring Bag, 8. Mermaid Bag, 9. Mug Rug for Me, 10. Friendship Bracelet, 11. Pirate Pouch for a Friend, 12. Needle Roll for Mom, 13. Untitled, 14. Knitted Socks!, 15. Leapster Case, 16. Cocoa Cross Stitch, 17. Conversation Hearts, 18. Mug Rug, 19. Knitting Notions Bag, 20. Quilt for Callie, 21. DQS Completed, 22. Painting, 23. UHGS Completed!, 24. Sketching, 25. Working on Fini's blanket

Here's hoping 2012 is a kind year! It's my THIRTIETH! BIRTHDAY! on the 4th. I'm not quite looking forward to this one. It's big. But I've heard it's a good one, so I'm thinking positive thoughts.

Halloween!

(I didn't make Nibbler's costume.) I couldn't resist the hot dog costume for the dog. Poor thing, she was humiliated. But we were photographed for the local paper, so she'll live.

Eamon is so into Star Wars right now...so it was only fitting that Fini be an Ewok to his brother's Jedi Knight costume. In an effort to be nice to myself, I purchased the little sweatsuit for Fini, then free-formed an Ewok hood. It took about 20 minutes, but people who know Star Wars could tell what he was, so that was all that mattered!

Eamon's costume, on the other hand, took days. After the success of last year's Buzz Lightyear costume, I figured I needed to spend some time and make something that could take a lot of wear and tear. I couldn't find a pattern for a child's hooded robe, so I used an adult's pattern, and graded it down to size. It was a lot of pinning and trying on, but the finished robe is pretty cute. I regret not finishing off the inside seams, so I might go back and do that. I've already had to wash it upwards of 10 times, so I imagine it's going to disintegrate if I don't.

The pants and shirt are a karate gi pattern, with a few little changes (wider sleeves and a different front shape,) plus a slimmer fit to the pants for my skinny little guy. I whipped out the "newtility" (that's seriously what he calls it--too cute!) belt in about 10 minutes from a folded over piece of linen and some "d" rings.

I think the best thing about Eamon's costume is the fabric--I used a few JoAnn's coupons and got 100% linen for 50% off. I know he'll wear the heck out of it, so a quality fabric was a good choice. Maybe it will even last long enough for Fini to wear!

He really loved his costume this year!

Trick or Treat Bag

Eamon was so excited when I finished his treat bag! I brought it with me when I picked him up from school, and he wore it on his head the whole way home. But he wouldn't let me take a picture of his new "hat," so we found a tree for him to pose by. He arranged the whole photo shoot, and told me which photos I could post. So here we have it!

Washi Tape Phone Cover

The other day I was planning to cross stitch an image for my phone cover. But I couldn't find a picture I liked, and I already had the clear case. And a stack of washi tape (love this stuff!) Enter "aha moment!"

(I wouldn't call this a tutorial, because I'm pretty sure my toddler could do this, but just in case:) I cleaned my phone, then applied the washi tape directly to the outside. (It's paper tape, and has a pretty low sticky-residue-leaving factor.) Then popped on the case, trimmed the edges with an exact knife--being very careful not to cut into my phone--and voila!

Made From Crazy

I'm pretty sure the UPS man thinks I'm made from crazy. Wild hair barely contained by my scarf (it's cute and vintage, at least,) flour all over my clothes, dog barking, and kids running/crawling to the door: the older one shouting, "the delivery bus is here!"

Oh, well.

I'm making chicken and corn chowder with sweet potato biscuits for dinner. It smells so good: garlicky, onion-y, and biscuit-y.

Go on, make the biscuits, you know you want to. The crazy is optional.

Sweet Potato Biscuits, about 20

Recipe adapted from the 3191 blog, originally adapted from Martha Stewart Living.

1 pound sweet potatoes or yam (one large one is usually sufficient)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (chilled), cut into small pieces
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Prick the sweet potato and bake until soft (about one hour...you can also do this more quickly in a microwave). Once the sweet potato has cooled, scoop the flesh from the skin and pass through a food mill, ricer or sieve. You should have about 1 3/4 cups puree.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne. Cut in butter with your hands until it resembles a course meal. Mix milk with sweet potato puree and add it to the other ingredients. Mix dough, just to incorporate (I use my hands). If the dough is really sticky, add a touch more flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface and knead a few times. Pat out to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut biscuits into squares, or use an overturned glass to make circles (we don't have special biscuits here, square works for crazies.) Place on greased cookie sheet, then into preheated oven and cook until risen and slightly brown, about 10 minutes (longer for larger biscuits). Serve warm.

Fall!

I'm so happy it's fall! What little bit of summer we had was nice and all, but I'm more of a sweater wearing, soup cooking, bread baking, candle burning kind of girl.

E and I spent a Saturday morning recently running errands and stopping off for a coffee/hot chocolate with our new books. Bliss.

We found out F's hearing loss has reversed itself--he no longer has to wear hearing aids! In fact, the audiologist said he has "textbook perfect" hearing! So, so happy!!!

I sent in my doula certification paperwork! Now I'm just waiting to hear that I'm certified!

Daybook:

Outside my window...the occasional car. It's Sunday night, so pretty quiet.

I am thinking...that I'd like the vicodin to kick in.

I am thankful for...understanding people.

I am wearing...pajamas.

I am remembering...that I have a lot to tomorrow.

I am going...to work harder at keeping the house cleaner. It's not terrible, but it's not as well-kept as I'd like.

I am currently reading...Anil's Ghost.

I am hoping...that I do not catch the boys' nasty respiratory infection.

On my mind...midwifery, doula-ing, a ton of projects that I hope to have time to finish, Halloween costumes (Star Wars!,) grocery shopping.

Noticing that...I'm much happier if I take the time to do a really good job with my chores.

Pondering these words..."Mama!"

From the kitchen...pumpkin bread, apple butter, applesauce, gluten free peanut butter cookies, peach BBQ sauce, vanilla honey peach butter, the last of the roasted tomatoes, fresh bread (in 5 minutes a day!) and butternut squash soup.

Around the house...so. many. freaking. legos.

One of my favorite things...Our family doctor's cell phone number.

Newly Listed on Etsy!

Hexagon Bag, a photo by Tiny House on Flickr.

Check it out!