Misadventures of the So Cal Peacock

Stop and Smell the Roses?

2012-01-06T15:55:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had one of those days... you know "those" days... the ones where it is sunny and warm in the first week of January and all you want to do is pack a few things in the basket of the bike you don't have and set off for the park. The ones where the last place you want to be is work, but let's face it, you know that is exactly where you have to be because you owe so much money to Sallie Mae it makes you physically ill to think about. We are talking so much money that, while it would not pay for a whole house, you should at least have a kitchen and master bedroom to show for it, but you don't. Instead you have a Bachelor's degree that hangs uselessly on the wall laughing at you and your conviction that a degree would make you a more marketable asset to a company who would see your brilliance and pay you well enough to pay off those pesky student loans, but your graduation and subsequent foray into the job market coincided with the housing bubble reaching maximum capacity, so while you were lucky enough to find a job pre-burst, any promotion and/or raise is totally out of the question. The kind of day where you turn to retail therapy, not the fun kind where you actually buy things though, the kind where you load up your online shopping cart with hundreds of dollars of fabric, books and the above mentioned bike and then close the browser, because even if you did have the disposable income you would have no place to put it in the closet that you lovingly refer to as your apartment, because it is already full of your husbands ninja turtles, he-man, and every video game he has ever owned since he was six... not to mention your books, fabric and kitchen supplies. I mean how much stuff can you really hope to fit into a 650 square foot apartment anyway!

{Sigh}

I give up. It's Friday... enjoy the flowers while I go grab a Stella.

Only 126 more to go.

A Couple of Points...

2011-04-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

1) Yes, I continued on with the build-up to the Training Schedule.

2) When they tell you to Rest or CT (which I am assuming means Cross Train), you should definitely CT. If you do not your muscles become quite sore, and you swear that the act of sitting down will cause every muscle in your leg to snap, hit you in the face, and then proceed to wind right up like a cartoon window shade.

3) Those flowers on the side of the road... you know the ones with the purple flowers that look like chives, but smell more like cat-pee... are not a runner's friend, at least not an out-of-shape-wannabe runner who is huffing and puffing their way down the street. That smell is horrendous and deep gulps of it... not so good for the stomach.

4) While I would be lying if I said that I am enjoying this, it does feel good to get out there and run/walk myself into exhaustion. I have definitely been sleeping better, and it is a good way to wear the stress out.

I will try and make the next post about something besides attempted running... and maybe throw in some pictures. :)

Um, yeah...

2011-04-13T08:37:00.000-07:00

So last night I laced up my sneakers and headed out into the world.

I jogged from the apartment to the traffic light, continued to run in place while waiting for the "Walk" signal, and jogged through the intersection, all the while thinking, "This isn't so bad. I can totally do this."

Then I made my way down the street... and suddenly my lungs were on fire. The burning was rising to my nose, until every breath I took was a fiery death. I was sure that it was the onset of cardiac arrest, but I told myself I at least need to make it to the end of the block.

I did, but barely as my legs suddenly became as solid as Jell-o. The last step was one of those odd wobble leg steps, where you swear you will end up face down on the pavement.

No, I didn't end up kissing asphalt; however, I decided that to maintain my ability to intake oxygen, I should walk the next block... and that is how I continued for the duration of the mile: walk a block, run a block.

It will definitely be at least two weeks before the "schedule" is brought into play.

Crack...

2011-04-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

I blame my poor decision making on the liquid crack I ingested this morning. (For those of you who are not familiar with my vernacular, liquid crack would be a Vanilla Latte from Starbucks, Coffee Bean, or Coffee Klatch.) It has this habit of putting me in an unnaturally good mood. I feel happy, confident and apparently... in shape. It was riding this sugar/caffeine high that Carley struck.

Email to me: Shall we do a 4th of July 10k and use it as motivation to get in shape?

Email to her: Did you send this to the right person?

Email to me: Yes, Peacock…

Email to her: I looked that up... It's 6.2 Miles!

Summation of further conversation: I point out that I am much further off the road to fitness than her little vegetarian self is, but she expresses confidence in my ability to rise to the challenge. She forwards a beginner runner's training schedule for a 10k run. It looks feasible except for the part where I am supposed to be able to run 1.5 miles right off the bat! My liquid crack tells me, "You keep saying how you would like to be a runner, this maybe the motivation you need to actually get off your sorry ass and run. There is no reason you cannot do this." I "nay-say" for a few emails knowing that I will give in because, after all, I am a happy, confident and apparently... in shape individual (at least while the liquid crack is in my system).

Conclusion: I agree to sign up for a 4th of July 10k...

Yes, that is July 4th, 2011... No, I can't run a mile without swearing I am going into cardiac arrest... Yes, I realize that this decision, like all drug induced decisions, is a toss up between stupidity and insanity and may pose life-threatening consequences.

So why after months of silence does this warrant a post? Because if I didn't I wouldn't run and I would waste my entrance fee. I need people to check up on my training and make me feel guilty when I don't follow it. I figure if I have to track my progress, then I would be more like to make some. Feel free to check back later in the week to find out if 1) I can even run a full mile, and 2) if I can do so without landing in the hospital. In case you are interested here is the aforementioned schedule, which will go into effect either this week or next (depending on how long it takes me to build up to the 1.5 miles).

Beginner Runners' 10K Training Schedule

Week	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
1	Rest	1.5 m run	CT or Rest	1.5 m run	Rest	2 m run	25-30 min EZ
2	Rest	2 m run	CT or Rest	2 m run	Rest	2.5 m run	25-30 min EZ
3	Rest	2.5 mi run	CT or Rest	2 m run	Rest	3 m run	30-35 min EZ
4	Rest	2.5 m run	CT or Rest	2 m run	Rest	3.5 m run	35 min EZ
5	Rest	3 m run	CT or Rest	2.5 m run	Rest	4 m run	35-40 min EZ
6	Rest	3 m run	CT	2.5 m run	Rest	4.5 m run	35-40 min EZ
7	Rest	3.5 m run	CT	3 m run	Rest	5 m run	40 min EZ
8	Rest	3 m run	CT or Rest	2 m run	Rest	Rest	10K Race!

It's Official

2011-01-14T07:43:00.001-08:00

I guess we really are getting married... the first official wedding present came in the mail, yesterday.

Who says that Customer Service is Dead?

2010-08-25T15:49:00.000-07:00

Personally, I find it sad that politeness is now a novelty. The fact that you are genuinely taken a back by just plain friendliness speaks volumes about our culture. Is it really that difficult to smile and practice good manners?

On average I am one of those people who say that Customer Service is dead... the majority of us are far too self centered to even contemplate going out of our way for anyone else. However, I have found that there a number of places where this line of thought does not hold true: Mainly, in smaller businesses, where store owners are store owners because they believe in their products and enjoy what they are doing. There is a coffee shop near my mother called the Coffee Grinder... little place, great coffee - Anne's Blend is delicious (dark, robust, with vanilla overtones). The previous owner was this good natured old man who really loved a good shot of espresso. It was recently purchased by a woman with a charming attitude, who again loves the smell of coffee and seems to be perpetually smiling.

Have you ever purchased anything from Anna Maria Horner's website? Same principal holds true. They are so nice; you just want to support their efforts.

Most recently however I was looking for some solid fabric to compliment Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet 2. I begrudgingly headed off to Joann's (we have a love hate relationship). As usual, there was no help to be found and they had little to no selection of solids. I can't say it was that disappointing, because in all honesty my hopes were not that high. With hesitation, I began to look online; colors never seem to be quite the same on your screen as they are in person. I remembered reading about a Kona Color Card on Film in the Fridge... Did a little research and sure enough Pink Chalk Fabrics has Kona Color Cards, which is this handy little thing that has swatches of all the Kona Solids.

Perfect! Then, I could be sure that the solids I was buying online really did compliment the prints I had at home... not to mention that Kona Solids are $0.49 a yard cheaper at Pink Chalk than they are at Joann's... And they have a Much larger selection... AND I don't have to go to Joann's and endure their horrifyingly long lines! Oh the euphoria!!

I logged on to Pink Chalk only to find they have sold out of Kona Color Cards... Rats... and they are not sure when they will be receiving more... Double Rats! Despite this set back I decide send an to email their customer service address to ask to be alerted when the Cards are back In Stock and mention that I was hoping to match the Meadowsweet 2 line. An hour or so later I received an email back from Kathy letting me know that I have been added to the "alert-list" and inviting me to send scraps of the fabric for them to match... Whaaaaa! Holy Crap... Are you kidding!?!

I sent them off that night, and you know what... she emailed me back with the colors she thought coordinated the best, picture and all! I was so excited not to mention impressed. Isn't that amazing! I ordered four of her choices and could not be happier. I highly recommend Pink Chalk, just really wonderful service and a very nice selection. Awe-some.

Summer

2010-06-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Prime sun, peaches, flips, homemade ice cream... I'm ready.

Jam Sessions (Part 2)

2010-05-20T19:33:00.000-07:00

So I am on the phone with my mother, and she says "I saw you started trying jam recipes." We went on to discuss the semantics about what went wrong and how to change my delicious ice cream sauce from Round One into the jam I was hoping to create. I noted that I thought it was too sweet to which she quipped, "It is jam Rebecca; it should be sweet." I complained that the Champagne wasn't pronounced and she said that in the end it might not be... as I have to boil it with the pectin, it may just add a depth of flavor that normal strawberry jam wouldn't have.

I love my mom. She is very practical and usually right on the money with anything that happens in the kitchen... Now that I am thinking about it, she is usually right about things outside the kitchen as well. She has always been the type of mother that is honest and forthcoming without worrying about how her opinion will come across. She knows that we are secure in her love for us, and has never been nervous about telling us exactly what she is thinking. I really do appreciate that about her. Like in the conversation above, she also wanted to be sure that I knew she didn't care one bit if the wedding was formal; as long as there was a wedding and I stopped living in sin, she would be happy... see what I mean. Oh right, we are talking about jam... In the end we came up with a Recipe for Round Two.

Ingredients:

3 Cups Mashed Strawberries

10 Ounces Champagne (Again, I am using the Spumante Diamante)

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Pkg. Low to No Sugar Pectin

Outcome:

The jam was delicious. The fruit stood out on its own without being weighed down by all that sugar, and the tropical notes of the Champagne really came through. I also love the color... so pretty. The BF thought it was a little tarter than jam should be. I think for Round Three I may add an additional half cup, but no more. We are getting close. I am thinking about getting some of Sandi Henderson's Meadowsweet (like this one or this one) to dress them up.

P.S. Here is a picture of my new favorite sundae: Vanilla Ice Cream, Homemade Strawberry Sauce, and some Chocolate Chips for fun. YUM! :)

Jam Sessions (Part 1)

2010-05-17T22:06:00.000-07:00

Background:

I am getting married next April.
I owe an ungodly amount of money in student loans.
I am having a very hard time legitimizing the expense of a wedding.
I think bridal magazines and the knot must be on crack if they think I am going to drop $10,000 on a wedding, and feel like I kept it low-key.
I whole-heartedly agree with the olds at work that wonder whatever happened to cake and punch.
I question the necessity of wedding favors... I mean let's be honest; you know you throw that crap away when you get home.
I have a sneaking suspicion that a more formal occasion is being expected than I am actually planning.
Per the bridal propaganda mentioned above, artisanal foods are the new "it favor".
My mom makes superb jam... like mind blowing.
Southern California strawberries are delicious... large, red, juicy, flavorful and naturally sweet.
What is more romantic than Strawberries and Champagne

Now that you are up to speed, my current project is to find/create the perfect Strawberry Champagne Jam recipe. The hope is for it to emphasize the natural sweetness and flavor of the strawberry as well as the light effervescence of the champagne.

I did a basic search for recipes online, and to my surprise only found one. One! It only called for two tablespoons of Champagne... that hardly seemed like enough. How are you supposed to taste the delicate flavor of the Champagne if you are only adding 2 Tablespoons? I did however find a recipe for Champagne Jelly... and I have my mother's jam recipe. SO... let's experiment, shall we?

Round One

The Ingredients:

2 Lbs. Strawberries
325 ml Champagne (I am actually using South Coast Winery's Spumante Diamante, which is a sparkling wine made from their Muscat Canelli. It is a sweeter sparkling wine with tropical overtones... I give it 5 stars for drink-ability, and they always tell you not to cook with something you wouldn't drink.)
6 Cups of Sugar
2 Tbls. Lemon Juice
1 Pkg. Pectin

The Process: I won't go into great detail here, mainly... I am doing the basic combine all ingredients (with the exception of the sugar) in a large stockpot, bring to a rolling boil stirring frequently, stir in sugar, boil hard for an additional minute, remove from heat, transfer into sterilized canning jars, blah, blah, blah, and process in a water bath for 5 to 10 minutes. If you aren't familiar with canning, I would suggest researching the how-to. I'm not going to outline it because I know myself, and I would undoubtedly leave out a very basic but very vital step that would ruin the quality (or worse the safety) of your jam. So for your safety and my conscience, we will leave it at that.

The Outcome: Too sweet! While the BF may argue this point, I thought the sugar was overwhelming. Great as an ice cream topping, but not so much on top of toast or a scone. The problem is that you need a certain level of sugar to work in conjunction with the pectin for your jam to set. I think for Round Two I will get the low-no sugar pectin. Yes there is a specific pectin for that. I didn't know either, but mothers are a fount of information. Also boiling the champagne throughout the "strawberries cooking" process, decreases its presence of flavor. I am thinking maybe it should be added post rolling boil. Success not achieved as far as jam goes, but we do have some very yummy strawberry sauce... Sundaes anyone?

My least favorite part...

2010-04-27T08:26:00.000-07:00

Cutting.
I love picking out the fabrics. Really enjoy deciding what shapes, patterns, or designs to use. I even don't mind ripping out now and then, but I do not like the cutting. I think it has to do with the fact that I cut everything out on my dining room table, which at 5'10 is about a foot too low.

As you can see I am busy cutting triangles out of Anna Maria Horner's Little Folks. I really loved the look of Ashley's Moonlight in the Trees Quilt, but wanted to do something other than squares. I opted to use Anna Maria's Folk Dance Quilt Pattern, which you can download from her blog for free. I am a little nervous about the points though...

Sick Again...

2010-04-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else suffering from repetitive cold syndrome? Three weeks ago, one week ago, and now... that old familiar feeling in the back of my nose. What is going on!?

Engaged...

2010-03-20T10:19:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was our 5th Anniversary. We decided to go to C&O Trattoria in Marina Del Rey for some killer garlic rolls and a evening stroll on the beach. Well... as we were walking along the beach he told me that there was something he wanted to ask me, and that happened to be if I wanted to marry him. I immediately said, "Yes." and was rewarded with this gorgeous ring.

As if the ring wasn't perfect enough, it is actually his grandmother's... I know right! I cried.

Memory Blocks

2010-03-03T19:30:00.001-08:00

We have decided to stay in our current apartment for another year. After scouring the web, cleaning, packing, and haggling, we have signed up for another 14 months. The upside to not moving is that I was finally able to get the BF to hang my Memory Blocks. If you aren't familiar with Sid Dickens' Memory Blocks, I would encourage you to check them out. I think the are simply gorgeous... like little snippets of art and architecture married together.

Here they are hanging on the wall in the dining room (read "area", I mean it's an apartment you can't really call it a room).

Don't they look lovely. *sigh*

Nicey Jane Squares...

2010-02-10T08:38:00.000-08:00

So this is what I have been working on...

I just loved the look of Heather Bailey's Nicey Jane line. I decided to use the Porch Swing palette for my second quilt, and I am quite happy with the results thus far. Not only that but this quilt has come together much quicker then my first one.

Tonight, I am off to Joann's to get some batting.

Keeping Warm

2010-01-23T09:16:00.000-08:00

Oh! I almost forgot to show you how we have been keeping warm.

Yep, I finished the quilt. Isn't he such a good sport.
Here are a couple of close-ups.

Snow in them there hills...

2010-01-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

So for the last six days in a row we have had rain... and not your typical Southern California rains for an hour and suddenly we must be in the middle of a tropical storm rain, but real honest to God rain. You know the kind that the rest of the country gets... where it actually rains all day and through the night. Needless to say it has been utter pandemonium here. Freeways riddled with accidents, newsreports of hurricane like weather, carports collapsing from the weight of snow... the list goes on. We are expecting more this coming week, but for the time being it is beautiful outside. Sun shining, bright blue skies, chill in the air, and snow on the mountains...

Aren't they gorgeous, and the sky is so blue, no smog in sight!

I made this!

2009-11-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

http://projectpeacock.site11.com/

I know it is just the site from my workbook and doesn't really serve any purpose or reflect my personality at all, but I am still quite excited about the fact that I created it... from scratch... on my own!

That's it; nothing crafty going on here as of late. Some birthday fun the last two weeks, adventures in paella, but no sewing. By the end of this week, maybe I will have a finished quilt to post.

Four Months in the Making.

2009-10-23T08:04:00.000-07:00

Remember this; this lovely stack of strips and half sewn blocks from a few posts back?

Well, now that stack of Freshcut strips and pieces looks more like this:

and this...

I finally finished my quilt top for the Quilt Along over at the Old Red Barn Co. I do realize that I am a bit behind the curve (Yes, you are counting correctly; it's four months behind), but I am quite pleased with the fact that I saw the project through. Especially after all the cutting... so much cutting. I am also ecstatic that I was able to line up all the squares! All the seems matched up beautifully, with only one hiccup. Hooray!
The Joann's in town is having a sale on all of their packaged batting. Buy one get one free. So last night I ran over and grabbed a couple.
I think this weekend I might, at long last, find out what a quilt sandwich looks like!

Yum!

2009-09-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

As promised...
Here are the pictures of "Canning Day" at Mama Peacock's house.

That was 16 Pounds of Apples I was in charge of peeling and slicing... needless to say that my poor little hand was very stiff and sore. I personally thought there should be a picture of my hand at the end; it was so cramped up I couldn't even open it up to let go of the knife... but my mother, loving as she is, thought there was no reason for me to post about what a "whiner" I am.

While claiming "arthritis" for the peeling bit, she did get into the action when it came to seasoning.
I just love her hands. There is something magical about all those wrinkles that she won cleaning, cooking, loving, and caring or us.
At any rate, we peeled, boiled, mashed, and canned our way to Apple Sauce and Apple Butter, and let me tell you, it was worth every minute.

Here are the jars of applesauce fresh out of the water bath.

I love Fall!
Now we just have to wait for the cool weather.

She'll be coming around the mountain...

2009-09-18T09:06:00.000-07:00

My mom and I are headed up to Oak Glen this weekend. We were very pleased to hear that the apple orchards remained unscathed by the recent fire in Yucaipa. We will be picking apples galore (and maybe a few raspberries), in anticipation of canning the afternoon away.
Applesauce, Apple Butter, Apple Pie... so excited.
Pictures will hopefully follow.

Guidance

2009-09-04T13:42:00.001-07:00

Kinda odd. Lately I have been feeling homesick. Not for the home of my childhood (which is only thirty minutes down the road), nor the apartment in which I am now living, but for a home of my own... my future home. A home in which I can paint the walls, and unpack all of my things. A home with a backyard to plant a garden and play in the sprinklers. A real home of my own, where my tastes and fingerprints are reflected.
A few posts back, I mentioned being ready for a change. I have had this feeling for a while now... This feeling of disconnect, like I am not where I belong. Not where I am supposed to be. It is beginning to weigh on me and make me uneasy.
But where am I to go? I don't feel pulled anywhere specific. Nothing is saying, "Go here." It is just this voice telling me, "Not here. Keep looking."

This One's for you...

2009-08-18T13:02:00.000-07:00

After being thoroughly chastised for neglecting to update my blog, here is a bit of what I have been doing this summer. I started this cute Oliver + S sundress for my niece using Heather Ross's Mendocino Line, which to me epitomizes summer.
I love how the mermaids seem to be leading the little girls into an underwater wonderland. (Did I mention that in addition to buying enough fabric for the dress, I also dropped a small fortune on more of this gorgeous line for projects to be named in the near or distant future).
I haven't finished, and yes I realized that it is already the middle of August. Fortunately I had the foresight to make it a size larger, mainly because I know what a "dedicated" seamstress I am. At least she will have it in a timely manner for next year.

I also started a strip quilt out of Heather Bailey's Fresh Cut Line. The idea being to keep up with Dana's Quilt Along over at the Old Red Barn Co...

As you can see, I didn't keep up.

In purchasing the fabric for the quilt, I decided that this fabric from Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks line would make a beautiful border for a summer skirt.
So naturally I found a great pattern, that I could whip up in no time. There was no whipping.

In point of fact, the only project I did finish was this Tote Bag that served as the gift bag for my best friend's birthday present.

I did finish about a dozen good books though. That counts for something, right... and three full seasons of Dexter. I made a couple of peach crisps; the boyfriend and I had no trouble at all finishing those, that's summery.
The sad thing is that usually I won't start a new project without finishing the previous one, but there is just so much cute fabric out there... and my little pointer finger can click "Purchase" much quicker than I can tell myself that I don't need it.

I also went on a date with my mother. We made these cookies, which we then smuggled into the movies to nibble on while we watched Julie & Julia. I mean do they really expect you to eat movie theater popcorn, while watching a film about JULIA CHILD... it just seemed wrong. Meryl Streep did an exceptional job of portraying Julia Child. She was so animated and absorbing... you really fall in love with her, which is good and bad; we both wanted to see more of her story and time in Paris, and in the end felt a little unsatisfied that we couldn't.

Well, as you can see I already have a "To Finish" list for the Fall. Hopefully the next couple of posts will be of my completed projects.

Help...

2009-07-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

So I have been furiously crocheting away at granny squares. Okay so furiously is a bit of an exaggeration, more like leisurely in between my bouts of sewing, and reading, and Excel Homework.
At any rate I now have a ridiculous amount of squares, but no clue in the world how to put them together into a blanket. I am beginning to think I should have just kept going and made one big square of a blanket... Oh well next time.
So here is my plea: Does anyone know of a good online tutorial that shows how to crochet these stupid squares together? I suppose this would be a good time to mention that I am pattern challenged; dc1,c1,dc1 - completely lost on me... I need visuals and lots of them. Thank you in advance you crafty little bloggers for any insight you can give.

Also I realize a picture of the squares would have been nice, but as I am secretly posting while at work (I know, I know, but it is Friday afternoon), it just wasn't in the cards.

What To My Wondering Eyes Should Appear...

2009-06-11T21:02:00.000-07:00

I realize that the title is un peu Christmas-y, but that's what it felt like.
I had to make a trip to JoAnn's today. This is an event I tend to dread due to the sheer amount of time involved in such an errand. I walk in for a spool of thread, and thrity minutes later I finally emerge bedragled yet trimuphant, clutching my spool in victory at having won the battle against the long line of coupon laden ladies and the occasional "Can you price check these five things for me I couldn't tell if they were on sale" which of course are all being helped by the One Lone Checker. I am not sure if it is every JoAnn's that seems like more of an endurance trial, or simply the one closest to me. At any rate there I was waiting in the Fabric Cutting Line, when the boyfriend (Yes, the poor thing does come with) says to me, "I'm gonna go look around."
To which I respond, "Okay." All the while thinking to myself what are you going to go look at, there is nothing in this store that will interest you in the slightest, by look do you mean head over to ToysRUs and check out there Video Game selection? But off he trots to go "look around". Meanwhile I continue to wait, as patiently as my rather impatient little self will allow me to, as the ONE woman cutting fabric continues to make her way through the evergrowing line of women who need a 1/4 yard of this and a 1/2 yard of that. In all honesty, they really do just need more help at that store.
Finally I am in the front of the line... ready to ask for the whole bolt of interfacing I am holding which should surely save me from having to come back at any time in the near future, when the boyfriend reappears holding a bag. "Ah-ha," I think to myself. "He did mean ToysRUs. No, wait... That is a JoAnn's Bag." Rather inquisitviely I ask, "What did you find, babe?" "Oh this," he responds. "I was talking to this little old lady about the quilt you are working on, and she said this would help you cut those two inch strips a lot faster, and since you have been having trouble with it, I went ahead and got it.
Now I know most of you know what was in this bag, right?!?!
Need a hint...

I know, right! Can you believe it? God bless that little old lady... and the gorgeous BF who went ahead and got me the good one.
Best JoAnn's trip ever.

Clutch

2009-05-31T13:04:00.001-07:00

So here is the finished Super Cute Clutch... well almost finished.
I still need to find a button.
The pattern for this adorable Ruthie Clutch is the same one mention in "Sew Nice" and is available on Anna Maria Horner's website. The directions were very straight forward and the bag came together easily. I would Highly recommend. This particular one is for my sister, but I will no doubt be making one for myself as well.

May Giveaway Day

2009-05-27T11:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you are crafty or not, but you may want to head over to Sew, Mama, Sew! and check out their May Giveaway Day Posts. Beginning today a number of designers are giving away little goodies such as fabric, buttons, yarn, handmade items, etc. All you have to do is leave a comment on their individual sites to enter. I am working my way down the list, and it is proving to be quite fun. And after all who doesn't love to win little prizes.

Green with Envy...

2009-05-22T13:47:00.000-07:00

I am not sure how many of you have checked out the blogs to the right, but if you do you will note a common theme in their recent posts... Quilt Market. In reading about this event, I have become absolutely Green with Envy. It sounds like everyone had a good time and if you take a look at their pictures you will note all the gorgeous fabric collections and patterns that were previewed and will soon be hitting the market. How do I get to go to this? I wanna sign up; however I don't think that Insurance Professionals are invited... Damn! It looks like their will be a great deal of fun in my creative future, though.

Change.

2009-04-24T14:55:00.000-07:00

They say that change is good for you... that it is healthy.
Well, I am ready for some change. A change of scenery, a change of career, a change in my finances... actually a change of life. If you hear of any openings in your area, as long as it is far away from Southern California, let me know. I am interested.

A Good Reason to Splurge...

2009-04-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

So my mother was recently telling me about this phenomenon regarding Honey Bees; she had seen some PBS Special that outlined how Beekeepers were losing their bees. They would leave to collect pollen, but not return to the hive. The bees would die, the hive would suffer, the flowers and trees were not being pollinated, and honey was not being produced.
Well, I recently received a monthly Newsletter from Anthropologie in which they were raising awareness about Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), which is exactly what my mother had seen in her PBS Special. Beekeepers have lost more than one-third of their bees as they mysteriously abandon their hives and die. While the exact cause of CCD remains uncertain, pesticides, viruses, and cell phone signals are often cited as culprits. Agricultural experts and scientists agree additional research is needed in order to preserve Honey Bees, who are responsible for pollinating more than 100 crops such as almonds, apples, oranges, peaches, sunflowers, blueberries, avocados, soybeans, etc.
Haagen-Dazs is also working to raise awareness of this alarming phenomenon as well as donating money to fund Honey Bee research. When you buy pints of their "bee-dependent flavors", a portion of the proceeds goes toward their support of this cause. So now you have a good reason the pick up a pint of that delicious White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle... You are supporting the Honey Bees, and by proxy farmers nationwide. Good for you!

Sew Nice!

2009-04-07T11:21:00.000-07:00

So I ordered a super cute clutch pattern from Anna Maria Horner's website. The next day, I fell in love with the tote pattern also on her website and went ahead and ordered it. I get an email saying that she will be combining the orders to save me the extra postage... How nice is that!?!? How often do people go out of their way to make your life easier and save you a few bucks? I am really quite impressed. You should definitely check out her site. In addition to having adorable bags and creative books, she also has created gorgeous fabrics... Amazingly talented and genuinely nice.

I Love Spring.

2009-04-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

I do. I can't help it. I love the sunshine. I love the warm days and the cool breeze. I love the flowers in bloom and waking up to birds chirping away. It just makes me want to be outside barefoot in the grass for some reason.

I picked up some sunflowers and daisies this weekend... aren't they lovely?

I also started my very first quilt... can you believe it! In all honesty, I am quite the novice at sewing. My mother decided a couple years back that I needed a sewing machine because I wasn't quite domestic enough. Here is a picture of my first square. I will post a couple of pictures of the final product as well. That is if it looks decent, no sense showing off how bad of a job I did...

Is it over!?!?

2009-03-27T09:55:00.000-07:00

I do not believe that every day is 24 hours long... or that every hour has only 60 minutes. I think we are being lied to; this has been the longest week of my life! I swear this week had 1008 hours in it as opposed to the 168 hours they tell us a week has.

Proof

2009-03-24T16:00:00.000-07:00

So as proof of my "mental old age" please see the picture below. That's right I sew. I sew... undoubtedly like your grandmother did before the arthritis took over. Not only that, but I also crochet and have "big plans" to get a garden going, so I have homegrown tomatoes (which honestly do taste infinitely better than store-bought ones) to can this summer. See mentally I am at least 60 years old.

With that said, isn't it a cute bag!?!? Check out the little flower pin I made to go with it. I was so impressed with myself. I made it for my niece, the one featured in the Mickey Ears a few posts back. She is going to be a big sister in a matter of days, and her mom had the, I think genius, idea to give her a "Big Sister Bag." Which will be this adorable bag (made lovingly by her talented aunt) filled with crayons, coloring books, snacks, etc that she can take to the Hospital with her to keep her occupied while she waits for her little brother to be born. Such a great idea!

Yikes!

2009-03-16T13:31:00.000-07:00

So I have recently come to the realization that I am mentally an old woman, which is quite startling to someone who is only in their mid-twenties.

Well What Do You Know?!

2009-03-04T16:21:00.000-08:00

So guess who ended up spending the weekend in bed with a heinous cold... oh that's right, me! In addition, I had to use two days worth of vacation/sick time, which I am trying desperately to save. Ugh... wolves, wolves raised these people!

Just a Case of the Sniffles...

2009-02-25T14:00:00.000-08:00

Why do people come to work when they're sick? What part of the brain tells a person that it is a good idea to drag themselves into work when they have various forms of mucus oozing out of every orifice of their body? Who lies to these people in the morning and gives them the impression that their co-workers would simply die of heartache if they didn't drag their snotty, red-nosed, watery-eyed, hacking every time they open their mouths to breathe, contagious asses to work? What delusions run through these peoples minds? Do they really think that the whole office would rather be exposed to whatever heinous diseases they may be carrying, than be forced to not "enjoy" their company for one day out of the week?
Well, all of you delirious germ-ridden individuals, this is most assuredly not the case. We do not like you enough to spend the next five days (three of which inevitably end up being our first long weekend in months) writhing in agony suffering from whatever you decided to pass on. No one wants you to come in, and proceed to smear your nasty little viruses all over the phones, fax machines, copiers, water coolers, microwaves, bathroom doors, etc. No one wants you to stop by their desk and tell them how you really had to struggle to come in today, all the while spewing microscopic bugs at their faces. No one wants to go over to your desk and help you with "the little problem you are having with your computer", which forces them to use your now slimy keyboard and mouse.
We are not your mother, wife, husband, or significant other. We do not love you. We do not care if you don't feel good, or if you have a fever, or if you didn't get much sleep last night because of your cholera-like cough. We just care that you cover your mouth and wash your damn hands. We aren't interested in hearing about your aches or pains, let alone catching them. We are not concerned about the alarming frequency with which your bowel movements occur; we simply want ours to remain untainted by the bug that is current inhabiting you.
I have a very low immune system, people! It takes a great deal of effort for me to stay well during this particular season... PLEASE, for the love of God and all that is Holy, keep your germmie little selves home and in bed, and away from my cube!

In Response...

2009-01-22T08:19:00.000-08:00

Apparently people are actually reading this... In all honesty, I thought that my classmates might, but never did it even cross my mind that anyone else would. I am not Cal Peacock the artist... while I may have crafty bones, I definitely lack artistic ones.
The Disneyland excursion went well. As predicted my shoes were scarified. I think people should have to have licenses to navigate strollers. Is it really that difficult to pay attention to the fact that you are running into people and over their feet? While we only were able to actually ride about four rides due to the throngs of people, my niece thoroughly enjoyed herself. I was completely taken aback by her infinite patience and positive attitude. I have never seen a three year-old so content to simply wait in line. Here she is in her Minnie Ears... cute huh?

It's a Small World After All

2008-11-22T23:11:00.000-08:00

So my brother flew in from out of town with family in tow, and of course, they want to go to Disneyland. I don't understand people's fascination with the place. I am not sure if it because I grew up in Southern California, so the "magic" and "wonder" has worn off... or if maybe it is because I have actually started to work for my money and cannot see the sense in paying $70 just to walk through a gate. I suppose my jaded attitude regarding the happiest place on earth may also come from the thousands of people you have to compete with to get anywhere in the park... I am a shoe person and the idea of at least ten strollers running over my cute new polka dot converse makes my stomach turn. In the end I will go and sacrifice my shoes for the greater good of seeing my niece jump up and down at the prospect of seeing her favorite princess and the almighty mouse.

With Reservation

2008-11-20T11:06:00.000-08:00

I must admit that I am uncomfortable with the idea of having a blog. I told myself that I would not join the ranks of millions who type away with feverish intensity and dedication only to have there comments go unheard. I would not be counted amongst those who deluded themselves into thinking that the world would stop and take note as they blog their thoughts, frustrations, and daily activities. But, here I am. Once again I had a price, and it was named. So in the name of a better grade I sit and type... Disgusted, ashamed, and a bit nervous that I may enjoy this and will find myself becoming the exact person I mock.