Thankful Things Swap

I came into work today to get a few things done before we take off this afternoon. I was excited to see this box on my desk!

I had an idea that it was waiting for me because my partner in the swap, The Stitching Surgeon mentioned that she had sent it. Everything in it is so perfect! Included were:

• Fabric Scrap Pack - Ironically two of the fabrics in here I once had! I loved them so much I used the rest of what I had on my little birdies...I'm stoked to have more of the brown and blue polka dot along with some other great prints.


• No Cash Wallet - Along with my partner, I don't carry cash...EVER! This little walet is perfect for when I go out and just need a few cards and my id.


• Fabric Covered Button Hair Elastics - I've been dying to try and make these, but just haven't gotten my act together. My hair is always thrown up in a pony tail shortly after I get into work so these will be great to keep in my desk.


• Vintage Tea Towel - The towel has eggplants...my favorite vegetable! So sweet.


• Vintage Apron - I am a huge fan of vintage aprons and have started collecting some. My mothers friend got me started with a few from the 70's that I just love! This will be a great addition to my budding collection. The little cherries on it are priceless.


• A Monogrammed Wallet - I love anything with a monogram on it! I have been doing A TON of hand monogramming for christmas gifts, but can't post much about it because of my regular readers. A monogramming machine is on my list of 'wants', but because of space I haven't been able to get one. This wallet is great...plus K is obviously the best letter in the alphabet!


• Smelly Creams & a Loofa - I ALWAYS need bath gel. I run out and forget to buy more. This bottle will be my backup, which means that when the one I'm using runs out I will be using this bottle. Also, I keep cream on my nighstand so the bottle of lotion already has a spot!


• Clothespins - I am a fan of clothespins because they remind me of my grandmother. I always used to help her hang her clothes outside. She said that drying outside just gave your clothes a fresh crisp smell. I remember dipping my dirty little fingers into the hanging bag with the pins in it and putting clothes on the line with her. These made me think of her today!

This swap was one of the funnest things ever! Thinking of things for my partner and then receiving is just such a fun experience. I think that if I knew my partner in 'real life' aka not through blogs we'd be great friends!

So busy!

My parents are here and we've been pretty busy. Saturday we shopped all day and yesterday went to the Encinitas St. Fair and watched football. Today was pretty mellow, which was good. Tomorrow evening we take off for our California Coast Trip!

Before my parents got here I made some truffles. They were the easiest thing...just really messy! I had brown fingerprints all over my kitchen.

it's done...and I'm never making another!

I finished my quilt. It was a huge undertaking and there are many unique details aka mistakes. Instead of doing a lot of stitching and giving it that quilt affect I just did a border around the middle pieces. I used the buttons to cover up some weird corners and edges. I told Chris to stop me from EVER making something of this caliber again!

So many crafts..

but none that I can post! I've been working away on varying projects that are Christmas gifts. Unfortunately a lot of people read my blog who they are for so I can't post them.

In other news we hit up the four seasons this Saturday to check out a performer for my work holiday party. I had the most amazing mojitos! They have a different flavor for each season. I had a Fall and Winter. I would've enjoyed all four seasons if they weren't $15 each and I wasn't driving. Ells and Chris crashed a fancy hospital fundraiser and we ended up with 1/2 a bottle of fancy wine and a beautiful table centerpiece!

What's a tesseract?

I was flipping through the on demand movies last night and there was one titled "The Tesseract". I knew that I had heard this word before and was pretty sure it was somewhere in the book A Wrinkle In Time. Tyler confirmed that it was from that book and that a tesseract was an actual wrinkle in time. After looking it up on wikipedia (best site ever) I learned that a tesseract is to the cube as the cube is to the square...four dimensional cube...math nerd stuff regardless. In the book a tesseract is similar to folding the fabric of space and time. Which if you think about the two they can be seen as related.

After deciding that these were both appropriate definitions we went on to decide the following:

1. Many writers of fantasy books that children enjoy are from the UK/Ireland - Tolkein, CS Lewis, etc.

2. There should be a movie version of A Wrinkle In Time (not a stupid made for tv or pbs version)

3. That Tyler MUST read the Cask Of Amontillado

4. Ring worm is the same as an STD

5. That Orson Wells did NOT write 1984

6. Sofie and Almond are not allowed in the family photo because Maizy can't be in it

The madness has begun!

This weekend was nice and relaxing...and that 'ah' feeling was ruined by a slap in the face of reality this morning upon entering work! My work computer went into 'hate' mode and after many attempts to fix it with the help desk it just crapped out...now its on its way to help desk land to be fixed. Naturally this happens when I have a proposal going out! Thankfully I have a loaner for the next few days. Hopefully I'll get my machine back before I take off for Tennessee...yes I'm going to Tennessee...for a long long time...to work on a proposal. The timing is pretty crappy since there is a lot going on here and my parents are coming to visit. However, its a great job opp for me so it will all be worth it in the end. I just need to get all the loose ends here tied up before I feel like I can go.

Over the weekend, when I had the 'ah' feeling I got a lot accomplished! I am about 90% finished with my quilt, just needs some flair added. I even got this precious little project done while watching True Blood last night. Don't know what I'll do with her yet...maybe I'll bring her to TN with me for good luck.

HOW COULD I FORGET........

..............to blog about my parents 30th wedding anniversary!!! It was on Tuesday. With all the hype surrounding the election I guess I didn't get a chance to blog about it. I didn't forget though...they got a card and I notified them that we are taking a family portrait when we are all in Chico at the end of the month and its going to be hilarious! Anyway, my parents have been married for 30 years and in a relationship for 40! How amazing is that! I think my parents are very lucky to have found the person they are supposed to spend the rest of their lives with on the first try AND at such a young age to boot!




Here is a list of some of my favorite things about my parents...as a couple...certainly not complete, but good for now!



They :

• work very hard in their chosen paths - dad as a workin man and mom as a mom


• don't 'let' kids win at games - they play for real, although dads "losers/winners clean up" rule is in my opinion still stupid


• have chosen some of the most AMAZING friends in the world - when you have a small family your parents friends become your family and we've been lucky with those my parents have chosen


• aren't afraid to disagree - I hate nothing more than people agreeing with each other for the sake of agreeing
  


• encourage their kids to disagree (hit the jackpot with me)
  


• encourage their kids to be their own person, even though its challenging (ding ding on Ty)
  


• get upset about different things - if you did something to make one parent mad the other wouldn't be hatin on you so you ALWAYS could go to the other to escape..this sounds like it could confuse a kid, but it works for our family
  


• prepare for the future - but more importantly are getting better at enjoying the now
  


• support their vegan son and vegetarian daughter - though they are serious carnivores
  


• do their own thing - they don't rely on each other to solidify who they are as a person
  


• are parents and companions to my brother and I, but never just 'friends' with us...they'll always put us in our places
  

and last but not least....

they love me even when I act a fool in public, which is more than 80% of the time!

New Amy Butler Squares

I received my lovely Amy Butler squares today. I ordered them from Imagine Fabrics on ebay. The fabric was exactly as described and fabulous. I am terrible at measuring and cutting so having fabric squares come this way is a HUGE relief for me. Now all I have to do is sew it up and it's good to go. The fabric is even cuter in person! I will certainly be ordering more from Imagine Fabric. For just under $10 shipped I got 30 5X5 squares of 5 different prints. The prints are from the Lotus & Belle collection and are the cutest. I'm going to try and make lap blanket.

It's a privlege not a right...

On a day like today, so many people are saying 'I'm so glad this is almost over' and 'I'm sick of politics'....well, feeling that way is a privilege not a right! Our ability to vote is something that many have fought long and hard for us to maintain, you don't need a degree in political science to know this (although I do). When I was younger I didn't much understand the hype or the proud attitude some had about voting, but now as an adult I understand it with a vengeance. Aside from the presidential ballot, here in CA there are quite a few props that are important to me. Prop 8 will ban gay marriage in California...and that kills me. There are people all over the place with Yes on Prop 8 signs that drive me nuts, however its the people with the No On Prop 8 signs that have been catching my eye. So many of them are young kids, students, teenagers, etc... This to me is a hint that a future of understanding and acceptance may be much brighter than we think!

A pink wig for the baby girl

Halloween was a fabulous time! Costumes came out good and we had a great time in them.

Sofie also enjoyed her fabulous pink wig!