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Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik - I kept seeing this title pop up in the various places I see titles pop up, and was intrigued until I picked up the book at the library and saw that it was in the shape of the casual beach reading paperbacks I used to read in the 1990s. Complete with super small print. I put on my reading glasses and decided to dig in. No wonder it was popping up on book lists. Angry Housewives is about a group of neighbors who form a book club and sisterhood, and the story follows their lives for 30 years. Faith, Audrey, Kari, Slip, Merit, and then Grant are all of us. They define friendship, love, loyalty and sisterhood. What could be more beautiful?
Summer is here! The past two days were super hot and sunny and Peter helped me to open up our screened porch. A few years ago I bought new fabric with which to cover the chair cushions, and yesterday I started the project. The first two are finished and look great. At some point I'd cut into the main fabric, so I have to do a little patching and piecing to get the third cushion finished, but all in all I'm happy with the fabric which is a black background with colorful parrots as the print. I have solid fabrics in three of the colors from the print with which to make coordinating pillows. By finally using this fabric, I've freed up some shelf space in one of the fabric closets, so some of the fabric that is here and there (on the bed and nightstand in the guest room) can now be put away. As soon as I've finished, I'll post pictures of my happy little porch.
Although I sewed and did some catching up at my upstairs desk (which, once again is really messy) I didn't accomplish nearly as much as I'd wanted to. I still have a few hours, but it's dark now, and once it gets dark it's like there's a wall that prevents me from being productive. It's great that I'm almost finished with a beautiful skirt. The fabric came from the downtown Vogue Fabrics some years ago. It's a black wool with a 5 inch band of black/white/grey. I made the skirt mid-calf length with that band at the bottom, and it looks good. So yeah. I just have to do some pressing, some hand finishing and hem it, and I'll post a picture.
Now I'm going to finish the pressing on the skirt, get the hand sewing ready so that I can do it tomorrow at bead group, look for fabric with which to recover the kitchen counter stools, go downstairs, get a load of laundry in, figure out something to eat for dinner, read the paper, read the mail, make sure the kitchen is in pristine shape, and then will I have time to do anything in the dining room? I honestly don't know. None of this sounds fun. After dark. I'm all caught up on my Scrabble games for the moment, so there's no imminent escape there. OK, Dianne, just get going!
The Cheez-It box is my new Facebook profile picture.
I love all the parts of sewing. I love wandering through fabric stores, feeling all the fabric and gorging my eyes on all the colors and textures, I love going through pattern books, and opening up a new pattern. I love pinning on the pattern tissue, cutting out the fabric, unpinning the tissue and sewing the pieces of fabric together. I love the sewing machine and serger. I love the hum they make when you have to make a long seam. January is sew everyday month for me, and I've sewn every day except for 2. Here's what's been keeping me busy:The purple nightgown is finished. 
If you recall, I'd cut it out a week ago, so one night I decided to sew on it, and finished it that night! I changed the yolk to an open style lined with white trim, rather than the buttons. I also sewed on the yolk without inserting said trim first, and rather than take it all apart, I just topstitched the trim onto the seam.
I think it looks great, and can't wait to wear it.
Then I worked on the cherries jacket. 
I didn't have quite enough ric rac to complete it, and just have to trim the bottom with the ric rac I bought the other day, and it will be ready to wear.
I love the big red button at the top, too.
Last but not least I made my first Vogue pattern! I wore it last night to movie night, and it kept me toasty warm. It's a longer hooded jacket of blue fleece with off white pockets and hood trim and embellished with butterflies. I have one more butterfly to add onto the back, and it will be good to go. 
So tonight's work is cut out for me. Finish the ric rac on the cherries jacket, add another butterfly to the blue jacket, and start the red white and blue fleece throw which will be a gift for my friend Linda's au pair, who has just become a U.S. citizen. There's a red white and blue party for her on Saturday at Linda's house. How perfect is this?
It's so sad that my font is back to black! It's because I have so much crap piled up on my closet shelves that I never switched officially from summer to winter on the shelves or with the shoes on the floor that I'm not going to show. Here's the dirty little secret:
I'm going downstairs to eat now. It's 2:10. My plan is to read the paper and eat and be done by 2:30. Back upstairs to spend 1 hour in that closet. And to get rid of 20 of those items. Out of there. I don't know where they'll go, but I'll try to get things out that I never wear. Maybe they will go into the back bedroom closet in the space where the fabric was! I hope not. At 3:30, I want to be immersed in fleece embellishing.
OK, I went downstairs, had a quesadilla with swiss cheese/mayo/pine nuts, read the paper, and was only 15 minutes behind schedule. Came upstairs, put on my iTunes full volume in the office, and emptied the shelves:
This is not easy for me. However, I do have 12 items going out. I hope permanently, but then I think....I could use this cotton as a lining for one of those sweater purses I plan to make. And I don't like the lining in the one I have, I could change it out. Will I, though? Especially since I have real lining fabric in the stash. ANYWAY, it's 3:40, I'm 10 minutes behind schedule, and half the job is complete:
To me this is still a messy looking closet. There are way too many tee shirts. Going all the way back to college daze. Maybe one of these days I'll make a plan for how to part with them. They are nothing special. Almost all 50/50 cotton and pretty beat up. I wish my nieces would come and think they are cool and wear them. You know that's not going to happen, though. I showed them to Peter one day. No go. Maybe I'll pull them out one day, take pictures of them one by one, and post the pictures here with the story behind the shirt. These stories will not be interesting, but then maybe I could part with the tee shirts. OK, now it's almost 10 to 4 so I'm 20 minutes behind schedule and there is another section to go. Here goes. I hope I can find 8 more things to give away.
It's now 4:35, an hour and five minutes past my deadline. However, the second part of my closet project is complete:
This is going to feel so great when I need something on those shelves. I think I'll work on the floor tomorrow. Right now I'm going to use the waning light to look at all my fleece patterns and fleece and get going on the fleece jacket.
For me there is nothing like order. Order from chaos might be good for some, but I like constant order. I'm really trying to get there again.
Purple in honor of the purple flowery nightgown I just cut out. It feels good to have it ready to sew. I also tried on a number of tops that I bought at Macy's yesterday with gift cards and a little cash thrown in. And I want to do some desk work today and also start on a fleece house jacket: Cut it out and start embellishing the pattern pieces before sewing it together. I'd love to keep all the tops, but that entails emptying out my closet of some things I don't wear anymore and that don't get to take up precious space in there anymore. Can this really be done? On a Saturday morning? Oops, it's almost 2 O'Clock! On a Saturday afternoon? Oh no. So much to do, so little daylight. I have found time to play in a number of my Scrabble games. Claudia seems to be playing this afternoon; the others were catch up.
Hurry, Dianne!
Sarah Palin's Alaska - We watched the one about Tod passing his Salmon fishing business to Trac last night. Sarah and her gang are just taking taking taking from nature. How much fish do these seas have? Is it really limitless? Does anyone care?
Not to mention the part about killing living beings. Some of the fish got away, and I was so happy. She's all into her family which is a good thing, but I don't know how she had time to read a thing on that 4th of July weekend at her in-law's house. I don't see this woman as a politician or leader. Especially of the greatest country in the free world! Notice I didn't put this review in my post title. Couldn't do it. Not because I wouldn't want anyone to know I watched, but because I wouldn't put her name in a title! Her little daughter Piper was my favorite. I hope that girl grows up into a democrat. So far she's the presidential material in that family.
Somewhere - I saw Sophia Coppola's latest movie yesterday, after skimming a good review and seeing some pretty trailers. Oops. It was somehow not a bad movie, but it never had a story or purpose, and is just a series of pretty scenes of the actors interacting. My friend Susan didn't know what she saw, either, and not wanting to miss anything, said that she'd read some reviews when she got home. Which is what I just did. Essentially, the reviews say that this is a minimalist, modernist movie about a time in the life. In this case it's the time in the life of an actor, Johnny Marco, and some time he spent with his 11 year old daughter. This is a perfect late night, romance channel movie for when you can't sleep. It will put you right out!
I did work on sewing my nightgown yesterday by making the buttonholes
on the yolk. Here's a picture of the lace trim at the neckline. 
It turned out beautifully Today I plan to finish it and cut out another nightgown as well as cut out a fleece house jacket. Yea!
The barest minimum is happening with getting the house together - it's the worst it's ever been. The worst. Really the worst. So bad that I don't know where to start to feel the least bit of accomplishment or pleasure from it.
But my reaction today is to be OK with that. Slowly I'll get this done.
The Jewel of St. Petersburg by Kate Furnivall - I just finished the last of my vacation reads, and I think it is a cleverly disguised romance novel. If you're into romance novels as a genre, then here you go; I think you'll enjoy this one. I liked the setting of the early 1900s leading up to the Russian Revolution. The main character, Valentina (I love that name, too) is spunky and clever. I think I read The Red Scarf by this author, and might have liked it a bit better.
I'm thinking of separating out some of my book reviews into an additional category that will include only the book review posts of those books I've really loved reading. The ones you wish wouldn't end. The ones you couldn't put down because you had to know what would happen. The ones that still give you a start when you hear the title years later. The ones that you might read again someday because you couldn't get enough. The downside is that a number of good books that don't quite reach the heights might be forgotten. Hmmm.
As for my Resolution to sew every day in January....Let's see.....I cut out the fabric on the first, didn't sew at all on the second, made good progress on the third, and today's the fourth. I could finish this nightgown today if I choose buttons, make the buttonholes, attach the yolk to the body of the gown, finish the sleeves and hem.
BUT I'm out the door to see a movie first, so we'll see....If I can get back to the nightgown before dusk, I'll be fine. I need the light to choose the buttons.
Look! I've cut out the pattern pieces of the nightgown and it's time to sew, except I'm starving and the sewing machines are blocked by stuff. I'm going to see if there is a newspaper outside and have a little couscous. I also unpacked my suitcase which isn't saying too much in the overall scheme of needed unpacking around here. Still it's better than nothing. And I'm playing Scrabble. Claudia and Marie are playing and they're tough but I'm holding my own. I've won 70 games so far, on my way to 100. My poor little brain!
When downstairs I'm going to find the two books I finished on vacation and review those, too. That's the one thing about blogging....since the freshest material is at the top, you've got to start at the bottom to be chronological. I'm not going to think about that though, because if I've already written those reviews, then you've already read them.
I love fabric. This is a flannel that I bought ages ago I don't remember where. My new year's resolution is to sew through my fabric stash and get rid of all the old stuff that's holding me back. To that end, I've already posted my old cutting cardboard on Freecycle and am using my new one starting now, all the time. I'm going to make a Lanz style nightgown with my trusty Butterick Pattern. Flannel and fleece take up a LOT of space, so a few nightgowns and fleece house jackets (I need a catchy name for these) will give me a quick start to my goal. I don't know whether I'll be wearing the nightgown tonight, but maybe I'll try. Tomorrow night for sure.It's another New Year's Day, and my resolution for the day is to sew and unpack. We arrived home from Florida last night, unpacked the car, cleaned up and went to Valerie's for New Year's Eve where we had a great fun time. I love seeing the new year in with our friends. It's a happy and relaxed way to begin. I forgot to take pictures, though, so here are a few from Naples with my mother and her husband, whom we affectionately refer to as G.C. (btw Mother started the GC thing).
On the road yesterday, with nothing but my thoughts for company, I pondered Her Heart On Her Sleeve and whether to go deeper. I just don't know. I think the question is to what end? OK, here I go to sew! Happy New Year!
The Aviary Gate by Katie Hickman - This is the story of Celia Lamprey, daughter of a merchant ship sea captain in the 16th century. At the same time, it's the story of Elizabeth, a PhD scholar at Oxford who is doing research and stumbles across some old writings about an English girl who may have been lost at sea. Celia's story is really interesting since she ends up as a "slave" in a Turkish harem. It's so interesting to learn how the inner workings of a harem and it's hierarchy. A little guide to the characters and map of the harem rooms at the beginning of the book is really helpful to keep track of what's going on. Throughout the book, I didn't need to be reading the modern day story, but at the very end, it comes together nicely. I liked it, although the book that took place in Venice was better. I reviewed it a few posts ago...
Today I somehow got real busy in my sewing room, and am so happy to be doing so! I also started to seriously get rid of stuff that I'd collected in the large dresser I recently sold, so condensing my things and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of went well. Tomorrow I'll put a few things for sale.
My Christmas decorating theme is going to be silver and white this year. I'm just finishing up a white satin table cloth that will go on the round table in the dining room with a sheer silvery snowflake fabric overlay. On that will either be a white tree or silver tree. Both fabrics are from my voluminous stash, and I even used up two spools of silver metallic thread. That I have to replace, but I'm super psyched about using the satin and the snowflake fabric. Once the little vignette is finished I'll put a picture up.
When I was a little girl I loved to visit my grandparents. I especially loved the summers at their house on Schoolcraft Avenue in Detroit. My mom would drop me off there and I'd spend the day with my grandmother, hanging around the house, watering her flower garden, sitting in the sunny kitchen, waiting for the most delicious fluffy scrambled egg made in her funny small iron frying pan, angling for a handful of m&ms, chatting with the next door neighbor, Mrs. Thompson, who would stand in the kitchen, just inside the back door, having shell macaroni for dinner, doing a little sewing project, just following her around talking and learning. She's the one who first taught me the Greek alphabet, showed me Bewitched, watched movies with me, fed me toasted pumpkin seeds. When my mom came to pick me up, I'd beg to spend the night there even though I didn't have nightclothes with me. If I spent the night I was supposed to sleep in the pink room, a place of endless fascination with its waterfall vanity and deep dark closet. I didn't like sleeping in there though, even if the pink flowery sheet was on the bed because the window would be open and they lived on a busy street, and it would be noisy/scary. I preferred to sleep with my grandmother, on the side of the bed close to her waterfall vanity and the treasures in her jewelry box. My grandmother seemed a rather big woman in those days - by today's standards she'd probably be a size 12. In those days she was a size 16. Anyway, there was one nightgown in her drawer that was smaller than the rest, and that's the one I wore. And still wear. Over the years it's become almost threadbare and I've repaired it and repaired it. I decided years ago that Mom must have made this since it's a simple design with bias tape trim and a ruffle. It almost completely fell apart this summer and has been on my to-do sewing repair pile for months. Just now I patched it up yet again, and as I did so, I noticed that the seams were serged. That means Mom didn't make the nightgown. She didn't have a serger, and home sergers were not even on the market in those days. Further inspection showed that in the shoulder there is a faded tag. Mom didn't make the nightgown. Nevertheless, someday when I die and the daughter-in-law I don't yet have, or one of my nieces or goddaughter is going through my stuff, they will come upon this rag. I hope they wonder why it's in the drawer, but they might just shrug and toss it out. That's what happens with our histories.....except if they read my blog, they will know the story of the pink polka-dot nightgown.
How am I going to do it? I wish I could do nothing but sew for a week. Every day all day long. No calls, no kitchen, just sewing, a little computer (Scrabble as a treat every time I complete a little project), no going out, no cleaning other parts of the house, no reading the paper, no having to pick up or drop off from anywhere, just Sewing, Scrabble and selling stuff to people who will come and buy it from my Craigslist ads. Blogging would be OK to report on my progress, so maybe if I list all the sewing I want to do, it will help. All I'd then have to do is choose a week.
1) Alter White Cotton Capris
2) Mend Peter's favorite tee shirt
3) Final fit and pin black and white pique skirt for hemming at bead group
4) Alter Jeans so they're ready when the weather gets cold
5) Alter the second pair of jeans for the same reason
6) Make Yellow Organic Cotton Nightgown with lace trim
7) Make Pink Cotton Nightgown and trim differently or make a different pattern
8) Make Pajamas for Peter
9) Do Ironing
10) Mend Pink Polka Dot Nightgown that was my YiaYia's that she probably made, and that I used to wear when I spent the night at her house that is one of my most precious possessions even though it's falling apart. It's perfect for these hot nights and takes me back to similar hot nights in Detroit on Schoolcraft sleeping with her in her room, or in the pink room, and all that that means to me, because it's about how you can't ever get it back especially since the only pictures of it are in my mind.
11) Design and make a great creative valance for my bathroom using the linen type fabric and green stripe fabric I bought for the purpose a few years ago including the green stripe that I just found recently that matches
12) Design and make two great creative valances for Peter's room using the blue denim look fabric and sailing fabric that I bought for his room for something a couple of years ago.
13) Design and make a creative summer shift piecing together the piques that I bought for the purpose a couple of springs ago.
14) Design and make a coat/jacket to match the skirt that I completed last fall with the raw silk pink/peach Chanel like suiting I bought last year.
15) Fix up the felted sweater purse by working on the handle to strengthen it and improve its look
16) Finish sewing the black wool skirt with self trim that I cut out last winter
17) Make a ton (at least 50) of shoe bags for all my friends for Christmas gifts this year even though the two who read this blog now know what they might be getting.
18) Make some carryall bags with the heavy pink canvas and trim it prettily
19) Make a denim wallet and trim it with the stud trims and beadazzler and then use it
20) Make a plan for all the fleece and all the flannel that I bought ahead so that it gets sewn this year and clears a ton of shelf space for me
21) Pull out the Singer 301 Slant Shank Featherweight, set it up, take pictures of it and list it for sale on Craigslist to free up space and share a great machine with a sewer
22) Make myself a Scrabble nightgown with the Scrabble pants flannel
23) Make a cool scarf with the crushed velvet
24) Make Steve a pair of pajamas if any of the flannel is appropriate for a guy
25) I forgot to add up near the Peter valance project to make a duvet cover or box spring cover for Peter's bed that matches the valances because I have more than enough of that fabric, even though it will be a heavy duvet cover, so figure out some way to do it in a lighter way, like piece together the two fabrics for the top of the duvet, and use a sheet for the bottom.
If I could get even a fraction of these tasks finished, I'd be so happy. I love to sew and I want my guestroom back. If these sewing projects were completed, there would be practically nothing on that bed.
Yesterday upon returning from Florida, I took the plunge and sent in my check to buy a table at a small Artisan Fair on the north side of Chicago on December 5th. The original plan is to sell my jewelry, but I'm allowed to sell whatever other things I make, and gift items. They should all have a handmade artisan aspect.
So I'm on my way. Valerie gave me an idea yesterday when I was "discussing" with her all the things on my list and the lack of time to complete said things because I get so distracted. She said "just do three things, and those things will at least be done". So I did, and it even led to my completing extra tasks! Today I decided that every day until the Fair, I'll make at least three things to sell at the fair. If you saw my calendar this week, you'd know that this will be a great challenge for me. However I'm halfway through the first three things. Oh, there's the phone.....and it's Amvets. I agreed to a pick up tomorrow! So I've got to finish these three shawls pronto and get the Amvets
bag ready.
Here are the shawls, not quite complete, but almost......
I've always got a stack of books from the library on how to do stuff. Lately it's been jewelry making of the metalsmithing variety, a Martha Stewart Craft book and Sewing books. Oh, also how to do things on the computer books. Fiction wise I tore through Carrie Fisher's books, Surrender the Pink and The Best Awful - A Novel. I mean I tore through them. Read a few chapters of Surrender, said "I can't do this again" and read a few chapters in the middle and the last chapter. For Awful, I read the first chapter, a couple in the middle and a couple at the end. Carrie's a constant person. Her mind never never stops and it's really clever and loves words and plays on words and playing with words and wordplay. (as she might say and believe me, she'd have 3 or 4 more little phrases to add to my little line up).
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman - This might be one of the best self help books for marriage around. It makes perfect sense, but of course, you've got to do it to make it work. The five languages are Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service and Physical Touch. If you figure out the language of your partner, and do their language, you'll be filling their emotional tank, and your marriage will improve. Most times, people are speaking their own love language to the partner which doesn't work, because the partner has a different language. Anyway.
This week I am determined to finish the little lap quilt I started making for Peter 7 years ago. There was a new quilt book at the library, and something about the "how to finish a quilt" words in this particular book sparked the task. I've probably read 30 quilt books and the same number of "how to finish your quilt" instructions. I even bought of couple of the books. Now it's clicked. I'm going to bind it with self made bias binding. I've made the binding, trimmed the batting, and I hope today I'll find the minutes to sew binding to quilt. And then post a picture of a completed project from my sewing pile.
Yesterday I was so inspired by the Note to Self nonsense, that I completed a number of tasks, NONE of which was on any of the notes to self! Today is going the same way, only less productive so far. I was determined to make the round tablecloth out of this beautiful fabric I got from a Drapery Company via Freecycle. The round table unadorned was getting pretty old....Voila! Isn't it pretty? The fabric doesn't have that sheen in real life. It's kind of a beige/natural color. Lots of measuring 10 times and cutting once with this project, and the hem is just serged. Yea!
Then I was cutting out the front of a box of Fruit Loops because I have this idea that I am going to frame colorful cereal box covers for Peter's room. Well, no time like the present, there was a frame
in the back hall next to the back door with some 4th grade artwork that had slipped from it's matted position. It seemed like the Fruit Loops was the right color and size. Eh Voila Again! 
It's so happy looking, and makes me smile as I go out the door. I managed to read the paper and do my nails which haven't been polished in ages. A long time ago my favorite nail color was Cocoa Pearl by Revlon. I've been looking to duplicate it for years since it was discontinued, and I think this Limited Edition Revlon color called Femme Petale does the trick. So pretty. That's three coats plus base and top, looks like I'm going to do 4 coats next time. 3 nails are already marred with today's tasks and my constant hand washing.I made some healthy Black Bean/Tomato/Onion/Corn salad with Brown Rice/Wild Rice in the Green and Red bowls. Sorry no picture. Needed something sweet and made a Bougatsa. I've been wanting to make this since having it on Crete. It's Galatoubouriko without the syrup and turned out sort of plain and delicious. 
The Bougatsa place is right behind this fountain in Iraklion which is the largest city on Crete. The bougatsa I made was per Vefa's instruction, which has the taste but not the form. The form is to put the filling into the filo and wrap it up like an oblong envelope. I'll do that next week and show it. It seems like just last year I googled Bougatsa
and there was nothing. Now there are a many references and there's even a Wiki! All this makes me hungry. I'm going to have a piece right now.
Finally, here I am....Since arriving home from vacation, it's been a whirlwind of activity and things to do around here. Of course I'm still not caught up! Today I finally finished making this skirt to match a jacket that I made a couple of years ago. It feels so good to complete a project that has been on my lists for weeks. I've seen a few movies and read a book......
Burn After Reading - This was a great little Cohen brothers movie with Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, George Clooney and others. It's changing and engaging, and you can't believe what these people get themselves into all for a little nipping and tucking. Too funny and too scary. Just what we like.
What Happens in Vegas - How can you go wrong if you want a few laughs from Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz? It ran a little long, but otherwise, you know the drill. Couple meet in Vegas, except what happened there didn't stay there. Fun to see On Demand. For free.
Paradise Lost by Giles Milton - Smyrna 1922 The Destruction of a Christian City in the Islamic World - This is a non-fiction book about the Smyrna Catastrophe. The Smyrna Catastrophe took place in a land called Asia Minor in 1922. The Greeks were encouraged by the allies to invade western Turkey after the first world war, in 1919. They never really came close to establishing power because the world leaders never gave clear direction, and didn't want to offend the turks after all. So the turks pulled themselves together under the leadership of Mustapha Kemal (Attaturk), and pushed out the Greek soldiers, and then the Greek and Armenian population, straight into the sea. The turks set fire to one of the most beautiful of the ancient cities of the world, and it was all lost. This was first documented by George Horton, the American Consulate in 1922 who lived in Smyrna, a few years later in a book called Blight of Asia.
This author, Giles Milton, has used Blight of Asia as well as numerous accounts of the British and French Levantine population of Smyrna to compile a complete history of those times and those events. It's remarkable reading and so thorough, and adds a new dimension to the history through these new accounts.
My grandmother was one of the Smyrna refugees. She was on that pier, and she and her sisters and brother survived. I know her story, but now after reading this book, including a day by day account of the last days of Smyrna, I have more questions than ever about how she and her siblings (who had been orphaned years before) made it to the city from their village (which is an 1 1/2 hours from Smyrna by car now), then made it onto a boat and to safety in Greece.
This is a story that is known the world over by those people called "Refugees" and their children and their children's children. Some children and grandchildren know it and live their lives. Others keep the story inside them always, and it's a part of who they are, and they are always aware of it. It's just a word. Refugee. Except if you think about it, it's about a life lost. It's about never being able to go home to home as it was.
It's about painful and life changing events.
Tonight is Easter Eve, and we are going to church where my candle will be lit in honor of my Grandmother and her siblings. Xristos Anesti.
We are loving juvenile humor comedy movies here lately. Last night we saw Balls of Fury, a satire about championship Ping Pong players. It was very goofy and funny in a sweet way. This morning I finished
Miles From Nowhere by Nami Mun, about a runaway girl. If you're not into first person fiction about life on the streets, this wouldn't be the book for you. Each chapter is a self contained short story. Fit them together and they become a remarkably readable novel. Joon is a tragic character if you think about her rationally, intellectually, but emotionally you wish that you knew her so that you could protect her from herself and her choices.
My plan to accomplish a little bit each day has been working out. As long as I stay home and don't venture out to stores. A short walk to town or the library seems to not derail me, even inspires, but getting in the car to go anywhere dooms me to failure!
So here's another day. I think I'll tackle the dining room table and that valance. (Right, I haven't touched the valance since I measured and sewed lining to fabric. What has to be done next is to decide the style of the valance, and mount the curtain rod hardware; if I can do those two things, then the project will complete itself. So the roadblocks are decision making and Steve help - maybe I'll put up that curtain rod myself).
I made the little flannel blanket today, and it's just perfect. First I serged the flannel all around, then I used the zig zag stitch on my new sewing machine to attach the binding per the instructions on the Wright's Binding website. It couldn't have been easier. At the end I decided to tack down the mitered corners. I am starting to love the new sewing machine. I figured out a way to thread it super fast by avoiding the spool cap step. This has made all the difference; the reason I had continued to use the Featherweight was because it is so quick to thread. It still is, but the Singer people have sped up the threading process after all. Threading a new bobbin is a snap, too.
I had a some fabric left over from the Scrabble Pants, so I made a little surprise present for my sister-in-law, and today I made one for myself. Et Voila....
It's a Scrabble Tile bag made out of Scrabble fabric! If I could score some more of this fabric, I'd make these for everyone. So, if anyone EVER sees this fabric out there, please let me know.
It's time to make Wendy's Soup. She takes a can of Muir Glen Organic Black Bean Soup, which I have, and adds a package of Uncle Ben's Southwest Style Rice, which I don't have because I can't find it at the Jewel. I'm substituting my brown rice/wild rice combo. Heat it up and serve with Sour Cream and Grated Cheddar Cheese. I'm out of Sour Cream, and might not have the cheese, so I'll substitute an hour of Heroes, and a side of The City, and although it will be enjoyable, it won't be as good as Wendy makes it!
Skip Hamlet 2. It wasn't funny in either a good way, or even worse, a bad way. We all know I'm perfectly happy to recommend a badly funny movie like Step Brothers or Superbad, but this one was a dud. There is maybe one slightly entertaining minute in it, and you'll see that in any preview.
The Counterfeiters is a different story, however. It's a true story about how the Nazi's gathered and separated a group of prisoners at a certain concentration camp and ordered them to produce counterfeit English Pounds and American Dollars with which to fund the Nazi war effort.
On a personal note, the straightening, organizing and trying to purge goes on. (and on and on and on). Along with that goes using up supplies in my fabric, beading and scrapbooking stash. Today I made a pair of Scrabble pants for my niece who outgrew her last pair. It's so nice to complete a project and get it off lists and then out of the house! Next up is a flannel blanket. I bought the fabric years ago in Mexico at the fabric store in Puerta Vallarta, and years and years before that I bought the blue satiny wide blanket binding. My favorite blankets are the satin edged ones, so I'm finally going to make one myself. Tomorrow I'll post a picture of the finished blanket, since we're supposed to have another really really cold and blustery day, and I'm going to avoid being outside. It's March now; wouldn't it be great to have some spring like weather once in a while?
