A Parently Speaking

RIP Genevieve Gesin

2010-07-16T12:23:00.000-04:00

Genevieve Gesin with a 3-month-old Sprout
(photo taken in 2007)

Gentle tatters, some sad news today.

My grandmother's fragile health has been failing for the past few weeks. This great, elegant lady died five minutes before midnight last night. She was 101. (Her 102 birthday was coming up - August 20, 2010.)

There is no doubt in my mind that she will be greeted by throngs of family and friends who have gone before her. Once she has reunited with them, the tatting angels will gather to welcome her home.

You can read more about her in my tatting ancestry.

Here is a photo of the three of us together.

Genevieve, Is'Dihara and Sprout
(photo taken in 2007)

Goodness, look at those glasses, I am glad I don't wear those anymore. ツ

Gran was the one who taught me to tat. She out-lived every member of her immediate family. Hers was a life well and fully lived, and she was ready to go.

So while my heart is heavy today, I take heart in the many fond memories I have of her. And I proudly carry the lace legacy into the future.

Funeral arrangements are being made for Monday, so I will be out of town for Tatting Tea Tuesday on July 20th. I beg your indulgence as my parent's home does not have Internet access.

In lieu of condolences, it would make my heart glad to know that you spent a few moments tatting and celebrating the tatters in your life whoever or where ever they may be.

Rest in peace, my beloved tatting friend. You will be sorely missed.

RIP Nellie Miller

2010-05-02T10:05:00.000-04:00

Nellie Miller (standing)
during an SCA hafla in 1999

So sad to relay news of the death of Nellie Miller (AKA Baroness Agnes Daunce and also AKA Placida Fondacara) in the SCA. She was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer on April 18 that had metastisized to her brain. At the time of her diagnosis, her cancer had spread from her lungs to her abdomen and brain. She died peacefully on May 1st at 2:53 p.m.

Always a lively character and a loyal friend in need, she will be sorely missed!

Nellie Miller (second from left)
during an SCA hafla in 1999

Happy International Tatting Day!

2010-04-01T15:17:00.000-04:00

Wishing you all a wonderful and fun-filled International Tatting Day!

This wonderful animation was created by Tatman, aka Mark Myers! He has granted me permission to post it on the blog today. Thank you, Mark!

Don't forget about TattingChic's 2nd blogoversary giveaway! It's not too late, but you need to hurry. You have until Sunday evening to get in on this goodie!

Tatted Cherry Blossom Jewelry

2010-03-27T10:47:00.000-04:00

Have you seen this amazing cherry blossom jewelry tatted by @mahiru? It is stunning, stunning, stuff!

Martha Stewart's SnowflakeDecorations — Stiffened Doilies

2009-11-27T14:15:00.000-05:00

Simple, yet stunning and if you use TATTED doilies, you probably won't need to stiffen!

Martha Stewart's Doily Snowflakes
http://ow.ly/GhnC

2009-11-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Image reprinted with permission from Urban Threads.com

Wouldn't this machine embroidery pattern from Urban Threads looks cool (no pun intended) on hand towels for the holidays? Just sayin'...

2009-11-12T14:26:00.001-05:00

Martha Stewart gets me every time. Loop-edge Paper punches: http://ow.ly/BHLL

You're Invited!

2009-11-05T07:32:00.000-05:00

Bostonians (and visitors) are so lucky! They are perfectly positioned to go see Carol Gillott's watercolor art exhibit, "Paris Façades" at the Alliance Française Boston. Wish I were so lucky.

But if you can't see it in person, content yourself with the delightful Paris dreams she paints every day and posts on her blog, Paris Breakfasts.

The Tea Rap by The Tea Cup Mafia

2009-10-27T22:58:00.001-04:00

Oh Sweet Mercy! The Tea Rap by The Tea Cup Mafia that Tatting Goddess posted today over at Threads of a Tatting Goddess is a riot! Who knew?

You really must go pay her blog a visit to catch this video. Just be duly warned, the language is gangstah (not PG-rated). Take that, coffee snobs.

eebee Adventure Board Book Giveaway

2009-10-21T10:07:00.006-04:00

Just had to share this awesome giveaway that Jentifa is currently having at The Dirty Shirt.

eebee is an adorable puppet that helps spark babies' and toddlers' imaginations for learning.

eebee’s Make it Happen and From Here to There adventure board books are based on the award-winning brand, eebee’s adventures. Winner of 20 national parenting awards including NAPPA’s Gold Seal Award, Parent’s Choice Gold, and the National Parenting Center Seal of Approval, and whole-heartedly acclaimed by popular mommy bloggers across the country, eebee’s adventures is the innovative and popular multi-platform infant and toddler brand for today’s active families.

So go on over and enter for your chance to win!

"It's Dead, Jim."

2009-10-08T15:35:00.002-04:00

Sill Hat Central's lone household PC died. It is not currently reading the hard drive as a boot-able device. I will be offline until it gets fixed. Until further notice, this is IsDihara, signing off!

LIPDUB - UQAM - "I've Got a Feeling"

2009-09-27T23:38:00.003-04:00

This takes me back to my French Immersion Summer à l'Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQATR). Wishing I could share it with mes chères amies.

If you ever stumble across my humble blog, Antoine, Oriana et tous les autres, this one is for you!

Win A #Year of Lace

2009-09-21T08:54:00.004-04:00

Re-Tweeting @yearoflace: I would love to win a subscription to the 2010 #yearoflace! Sign me up!

Go to the Year of Lace website to enter for your chance to win. And if you Twitter, don't go sign up or you'll make it harder for me to win. Just kidding and good luck!

Insider (Germ) Trading & Motif #4 of 25 Motif Challenge

2009-09-15T10:08:00.009-04:00

School is back in session and the first wave of germ trading has begun. Three days into the school term The Sprout got sick and developed an ear infection.

This is me blogging from bed, cuddled close to an alternately teary and talkative boy. He has been watching cartoons, marathon-style (Toy Story, Little Einsteins, Dinosaur Train or Pinky & The Brain). We have also read several books and even made up a few stories to break up the monotony.

And Big Daddy seems to have caught the germ(s) from Sprout. How I have managed to escape (so far) is a mystery. Knock on wood that I don't get it next!

Tatting under these conditions is not ideal, but I have managed to finish this little bit of lace for my design class homework. It is tatted in Manuela size 20.

Motif #4 for 25 Motif Challenge

It is my latest experiment with stabilizing chains. I worked rings after short series of chains and used a split ring-chain combo to add more strength. The design ended up being wavy and square. Added bonus! One repeat makes a nice chandelier earring, especially with beads or small dangly bits added.

Overall, I am pleased with the results even though it turned out to be more ornate than I expected. Stability and negative space are both good. It makes a nice motif #4 for the 25 Motif Challenge.

They Might Be Giants, "The Elements"

2009-09-08T23:28:00.003-04:00

I love TMBG!

Thank you, boingboing.net, for debuting this awesome video.

Can't wait for the arrival of the new album, "Here Comes Science!"

Rainbow Quiz

2009-08-28T10:26:00.003-04:00

Everyone seems to be taking this quiz so here I go, lemming-like.
No surprises here.

Your rainbow is strongly shaded violet.

What is says about you: You are a creative person. You appreciate beauty and craftsmanship. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Stencil With Your Lace

2009-08-07T09:13:00.002-04:00

New CraftStylish post "How to Do Spray Stencil Printing" using lace for the stencil. http://ping.fm/cObUb

Take your old snippets and cast offs to create a collage or scene.

Imagine the holiday gifting possibilities. Lace makes great looking snow and snowy effects.

Is She a Winner?

2009-08-02T15:41:00.008-04:00

(Click on the photo for a larger view.)

YES! Look what I won.

Back on July 5th I posted about receiving a super-duper awesome gift in the mail from JB. It was my prize for winning the Pay It Forward Giveaway on her blog. The workmanship and thought that went into this gift were jaw-droppin' awesome and I'm thrilled to be able to show them to you now.

Isn't this the prettiest heart-shaped bookmark? Be sure to click on the image because it is even more beautiful close up. I cannot tell where she made her final thread joins. It looks completely seamless. And yes, this bookmark is my new favorite!

But that's not all! This splendid embroidered linen hand towel she made for me. Linen! Aren't the colors vibrant? The flowers cheery? Just look at the details. I just LOVE IT! Here is a close up of the monogram.

(Click on the photo for a larger view.)

It looks so pretty hanging in my powder room. I wish I had another one for my other powder room. Maybe I'll proffer a trade or offer to pay her on commission. But a trade would be more fun. JB, if you're reading this, would you be interested in making one more of these lovely hand towels? Let's chat about what I can make for you (that is, if you are interested). :-)

Tatting Tea Tuesday - Birthday Edition

2009-07-21T11:37:00.004-04:00

New blog post on Ambitatterous: Tatting Tea Tuesday - Birthday Edition. http://tinyurl.com/l3d7dw

(because my ping.fm post didn't work right and I don't have the energy to recreate the post)

Christmas in July

2009-07-18T10:41:00.004-04:00

Today I received a piece of email marketing (what I like to call SPAM mail) from JO-ANN fabrics. Normally I just delete these but the copy caught my attention. It was promoting Christmas in July.

Growing up in small town USA we always looked forward to Christmas in July celebrations such as sidewalk sales, lifeguards wearing Santa hats at the pool, strolling around the KOA campground admiring the holiday decorations and making Santa smores around a campfire. Do people do this anymore?

Six Word Saturday

2009-07-11T15:18:00.007-04:00

It's that time again! For details on how you can participate, visit Call Me Cate's blog (by clicking the button below).

Consuming rage eats my soul whole.

And of course the follow-up is...

*drum.roll*

Get over it already!

(I said it so you don't have to.)

Pay-It-Forward Giveaway Teaser

2009-07-05T21:41:00.004-04:00

A bit of a post backlog is building so it is time to make an announcement:

An incredible, super-duper awesome gift arrived in the mail this past week from JB!

But I can't tell you about it just yet. All I can say is that it was my prize for winning the PIF Giveaway on JB's blog. I was floored with the workmanship and thought that went into it. And I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it! See I can't stop gushing.

A proper blog post will follow in a few days (with photos!) so you can share the awesome-ness in all its glory. Thank you, JB.

Happy Anniversary to Teapot Tuesday!

2009-06-23T11:05:00.002-04:00

Love @Mothermark's charming one-year anniversary Teapot Tuesday post: http://ping.fm/JqwZD

Tatting Tea Tuesday

2009-06-23T01:30:00.006-04:00

Thread: Handy Hands' Flora 20
White-to-Dark Purple variegated

It’s time for another Tatting Tea Tuesday!

Tatting hubris got the better of me this week. I imagined sitting down and working stitches quickly and effortlessly the first time through, regardless of the new techniques involved. (Go ahead. Laugh. I make these mistakes so you don’t have to.)

The false starts began with me not paying attention to which shuttle I was using. Then I jumped into the Self Closing Mock Ring (SCMR), forming the loop with knotting thread, not core thread. Sorry Shuttle Brothers! Your excellent instructions clearly state that it must be done with the core thread.

Following that I used the core thread shuttle to tat the center ring. Another big no-no. It only took me about an hour to painstakingly open up that center ring and pick out the stitches. I got lucky, the thread didn’t break and I was able to recover.

Tiny Round Teapot pattern is not difficult. I just kept making basic, careless mistakes. That said, I don’t have a finished teapot to scan in for you this week. But I have successfully mastered the SCMR.
It is time to step back and practice folded split rings before working the one in the teapot. So I’ve stopped for now at the folded split ring and switched to a set of practice shuttles.

It may not look like much, but the small snippet of lace above shows quite a bit of progress made this week.

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.
See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

On a completely different thread, I saw an adorable tatted heart pattern for sale on Etsy called Paw Prints on my Heart.

I’m a dog lover so this heart is a perfect addition to my collection of tatted heart patterns.

Six Word Saturday

2009-06-20T19:41:00.003-04:00

In honor of my neighbor Eva, whose candid simplicity says it all:

"You need to get out more."

The Ants Come Marching In, Day 2.

2009-06-19T14:54:00.014-04:00

Mass genocide ensues after ants demoralize mommy.

Longtime friend and undercover war strategist Marty gave me some very good advice after yesterday's post:

Take the war to them!

So I did. Or more accurately, WE did...

My neighbor Eva suggested I mix up a batch of DIY ant-killer using 40:40:20 (or 2:2:1, same thing) ratio of water, alcohol and dish soap. She even came over to help. This stuff works great! It kills ants on contact and is safe for pets, kids and the environment.

What? You want a tale from the trenches? Well, okay.

While outside on backyard ant reconnaissance, Eva and I discovered a mondo-gi-normous infestation of ant larvae being tended to by a small army of what I can only describe as Nanny ants. Upon detection there was a mad scramble to save the babies, but we (Eva and I) eradicated the ants with the homemade spray. We were quite the pair of war mongers!

But one question remains...does anyone know if it will kill the larvae? I mean, it's not extermination if the eggs are allowed to hatch.

2009-06-18T19:25:00.001-04:00

#b Mood: disgusted
Rain, rain, falls all day. Ants stream in and overrun kitchen. Launching umpteenth ants-b-gone campaign. When will it end?

Happy International Sushi Day

2009-06-18T09:57:00.002-04:00

Hilarious new Teapot Tuesday post from @Mothermark: http://ping.fm/49w3R

Tatting Tea Tuesday

2009-06-15T10:11:00.093-04:00

It's time for another Tatting Tea Tuesday!

The Chantilly Border from last week is still in progress, but I couldn't wait to start a teapot from Tea is for Tatting by Martha Ess. Her collection of tatted teapots is a natural choice for lovers of tea† and tatting.

Quite frankly, it was difficult to decide on a pattern because every single one is adorable. The Celtic and Maltese teapots are stand outs, but I could easily tat my way through this book cover to cover. In the end I decided to start small with Tiny Round Teapot.

The tiny round teapot pattern calls for two shuttles and one color thread. Martha Ess doesn't mention winding the shuttles continuously, but I did. Here is my spout:

Shuttle Love
My favorite rosewood shuttle (photo above) has a tiny embedded crochet hook. Years ago the wood cracked. I was devastated. Later that same year the tatting angels were watching over me. At the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival I found a vendor who sold small, hand-turned items. He only had three shuttles on his table. EUREKA! It was the same craftsman. Thank you, tatting angels!

(Does anyone else have "I'm a Little Teapot" stuck in their head? No?! Guess it's just me.)

Even though it is a small piece, Tiny Round Teapot presents
three new techniques for me: the
folded ring, the folded split ring and the self closing mock ring.

The folded ring worked out well on the first try. Now on to the
self closing mock ring (SCMR).

More photos are coming! And
I will post a finished teapot
as tatting time permits.

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.
See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

† For coffee-lovin' lacers, try this recipe for cold-brewed iced coffee.

Six Word Saturday

2009-06-13T09:03:00.031-04:00

Whoa, where did the week go? Summertime always rushes by so quickly, with festival outings, ice cream socials, barbecues, stayin' cool by the pool...

As much as I wish these days would last forever, without seasonal changes my psyche would suffer.

But back to six word Saturday.

Today's effort was going to be about the sunburn I got yesterday, but I only managed four words before wincing from the sting of moving my arms to type. Hee, hee! I'm such a sun weenie!

Then I remembered the bit of excitement in our neighborhood.

Without further adieu, I give you...

Carjacking teens evade police after wreck.
or
Derelict car recovered after teen carjacking.

A slew of squad cars patroled our neighborhood all day looking for two teen-aged carjackers. There was a brief high-speed chase that led to a collision with a truck. The teens abandoned the crashed car on foot, running into our neighborhood to evade police.

Seriously, when I was a teen-ager (back when rocks were soft and dirt was new, hee hee!) our stoopid antics maxed out at toilet-papering cars. But forcing a woman out of her car for a joy ride? What's the matter with kids today?

Pay It Forward Giveaway

2009-06-12T01:30:00.000-04:00

I won the Pay It Forward giveaway on Knot Enough's tatting blog. Yay me!

Thank you JB! It was especially nice of you, considering you had to track me down to award the prize.

Pay It Forward is such an empowering concept and I'm delighted to be doing my share. Now it is my turn to offer a giveaway!

Here are the rules: If you want to play along, be sure to comment on this post. You must have a blog in order to enter. If you win, you agree to "Pay It Forward" (i.e. keep it going) on your blog by displaying the PIF graphic and offer a giveaway. The handmade gift you make and send to the winner is entirely up to you. You may either reveal the gift at the beginning of the giveaway or not; it's your choice.

Want more chances to win? If you post about the giveaway on your blog, or mention it on Twitter or Facebook, you get an extra entry. That adds up to three more chances to win! Just be sure to come back and comment again on this post with the link to your blog, Twitter or Facebook update.

The prize?

Your choice of either the blue or the purple cotton hanky (please indicate your color preference in the comment) AND a 9-inch round linen doily. All lace is in the classic hen-n-chicks pattern.

IN MEMORIAM: "Pushing Daisies"

2009-06-11T14:52:00.006-04:00

The good die young.

Which Pushing Daisies Character Are You?

More on Pushing Daisies. Created by BuddyTV

Tatting Tea Tuesday

2009-06-09T01:00:00.003-04:00

It's Tatting Tea Tuesday!

I am so excited to start this communi-tea! I hope you all have fun.
Here are the rules:

Set aside some time on Tuesdays to tat.
Put the kettle on for tea.
Share your progress on your blog or your favorite tatting group list, with "Tatting Tea Tuesday" in the headline or email subject line.

(Adding the Communi-tea part is optional...I just like the pun.)

And don't forget to leave me a comment with a link to your post or message so I can come see.

This week I began tatting an edging called Chantilly Border.
Source: May/June 2009 issue of Piecework magazine, p. 41

The original pattern was written in longhand notation, which I find hard to follow. So I read through the instructions and re-wrote them in shorthand formula. I cannot post the pattern though, until I have been granted permission by the magazine.

What I can tell you is this: the pattern is gleaned from Weldon's Practical Needlework, Volume 4. And facsimile printings of Volume 4 are available to order from Interweave Press by visiting Interweave Store. Or purchase a copy of Piecework magazine.

Chantilly Border is a lovely edging pattern that tats up quickly and is easy to memorize. I am using a vintage Coats and Clarks varigated tatting cotton in size 70 so it tats up dainty and delicate. Click on the image to see a larger view.

Did you notice my two twisted joins in the large rings at picot #6? I didn't notice them until I saw the image full size. How would you work an awkward join without twisting it? Tips? Suggestions?

UPDATE: Georgia Seitz has a great page of notes on joining above as well as below the normal line of progression: Thoughts on Joining - The Shuttle Join

Unfortunately The Sprout woke up early from his nap so I only managed 2 1/2 repeats before having to stop. Not that I'm complaining. Today's effort is the first tatting I have done since 2005. The shuttle felt so good in my hand. The tea delicious. Taking a few relaxing moments for myself? Priceless!

Wishing you all blissful me time to create something beautiful.
See you next Tuesday for more communi-tea!

Six Word Saturday

2009-06-06T15:26:00.012-04:00

Today's installment of Six Word Saturday describes a fun family outing. True, we got up way-too-darned early, but it was so worth it. Without further adieu, I give you...

trains + summer = supreme happiness

And in case the formulaic approach counts as cheating,
here is another one:

Sprout conks out after train festival.

It was a really good day. (Hey that was six and it rhymed!)

R.I.P. David Carradine

2009-06-04T18:03:00.031-04:00

My mom always says bad news comes in threes.

First, David Eddings. Now David Carradine. Is this some trippy coincidence or a macabre chain of events? I can't help but wonder if another "famous Dave" will turn up his toes for tagging.

The news of David Carradine's passing came as such a shock. The actor, 72, was found dead in his hotel room yesterday in Bangkok, Thailand, where he had been filming a movie called Stretch.

Elizabeth Snead (who writes The Dishrag for The LA Times Entertainment section) posted this several hours later: Director Adam Rifkin doesn't believe David Carradine killed himself
Mr. Carradine's obituary is linked at the bottom of the story.

The Associated Press offers up reaction to the iconic actor's death:
Friends, family react to David Carradine's death

However the story plays out, David Carradine's memory deserves to be treated with dignity.

Farewell, David Carradine, you will always be remembered for your candor, your brilliant, selfless demeanor and your role as virtuous warrior Kwai Chang Caine.

R.I.P. David Eddings

2009-06-04T00:26:00.013-04:00

Sadly, one of my favorite Fantasy novelists has passed away. The Belgariad cemented many a friendship as well as got me through boring, small town doldrums. His vibrant characters are etched indelibly on me. I would not hesitate to say he shaped what I perceive to be "good" science fiction (leaning more toward fantasy than tech) and instilled in me a life-long love of great stories.

Heartfelt thanks, Mr. Eddings, for being brave enough to chuck the safety of university professorship and boldly step into the far less financially secure world of struggling novelist. You found your niche and influenced a generation. Not unlike J.R.R. Tolkein...

Fantasy Novelist David Eddings Has Died
David Eddings, the acclaimed fantasy novelist and author of such series as The Belgariad and the Malloreon, has died at the age of 77. David Eddings was predeceased by his wife and writing partner Leigh two years ago.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1810562/fantasy_novelist_david_eddings_has.html

David Eddings passes away
Fantasy author David Eddings has sadly passed away, aged 77, last night. Best-selling and popular are often epithets that are applied to authors on writers' press releases, but in David's case, it was well deserved. His commercial success, says fantasy author Stephen Hunt, paved the way for a whole generation of doorstopper sized fantasy series.
http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/news/arc/2009/nz14000.php

Fantasy Great David Eddings Has Passed Away
Fantasy icon David Eddings, known and beloved by millions of readers for his Belgariad and Mallorean series, has passed away at the age of 77.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1810962/fantasy_great_david_eddings_has_passed.html

Randy Fanney said it best, but it is worth repeating.
"Farewell Mr. Eddings, you will be sorely, sorely missed."

Tatting and Belly Dancin' Teapot Tuesday

2009-06-02T16:24:00.031-04:00

Today I discovered a lovely scrappin'/belly dancin'/tea pot post from Colorado stampin' mom Mothermark. It hits upon three things I love so I just had to share.

Mothermark says since we can't all get together for tea the next best thing is a Teapot Tuesday Challenge. Her blog, This is my Story, has a terrific slide show of amazing hand-made cards inspired from fun teapots. Go see all the lovely creations.

And lest you think I've forgotten, this concept lends itself well to a Tatting Communi-Tea. So I'm brazenly hijacking the idea for my own tatting purposes! Are you all on board my thought train?
Here's how it will work:

Set aside some time on Tuesdays to tat and put the kettle on for tea. Share your progress on your blog or your favorite tatting group list, with "Tatting Tea Tuesday" in the subject line.
(Adding the "Communi-" part is optional...I just like the pun.)

And don't forget to leave me a comment so I can come see. It will be fun!

ASH (Rupert Giles on Buffy) in NBC special, "Merlin"

2009-05-31T20:31:00.002-04:00

If U watch BBC One, Anthony Stewart Head acts in "The Invisibles" and NBC's "Merlin:" http://ping.fm/0Ta3c

Tatting & Lace

2009-05-31T18:50:00.003-04:00

What an evocative photo: http://ping.fm/0kM1U It almost pulls you out of time.

Memorial Day Weekend, Part Two:Farmer's Market and Strawberry Pickin'

2009-05-24T16:06:00.068-04:00

Day two of our long weekend started off bright and early at our local farmer's market. This is the first weekend of the season for some open-air markets, but ours has been open since April.

We bought kettle corn for the drive and left to go berry pickin' at Belvedere Plantation. The weather was perfect: slightly overcast with a breeze and enough sunshine to put you in the pickin' mood.

Photo Credit: Anne Marley

And pick we did. Our two flats of juicy, red berries weighed in at 20 pounds. That's even after the Sprout's tasting spree.

I wouldn't say he feasted on berries fresh from the vines, but...

...the berry stains speak for themselves.

For Sprout, tractors working the farm are every bit (bite?)
as good as the berries.

If it wasn't the tractor pulling the hay wagon or the tractor team removing round bails from the next field over, it was "'Tain, ma ma! Choo choo tain. Over dair!" when he heard the train whistle blowing faintly in the distance.

Sprout did enjoy some spirited jumping on the moon bounce.

He also found a pen of miniature goats that were eager to be fed.

In counterpoint to morning events, late afternoon naps were at the top of our itinerary after we got home. What's a three-day weekend without some good R & R? Imagine the whole house, dogs and all, sacked out in slumber for a few hours before supper. It was heaven.

Tomorrow is a "do nothing" day. (Of course, "do nothing" means endless piles of laundry and other chores to prepare for the week ahead.) But that doesn't mean we won't pay respect to those who have, or are now serving, our country.

If you find yourself at a cookout, lift your glasses (or grill forks)
in honor of those lost. Wave a handheld flag during your local parade. Spend a few moments in conversation with a service member. Whatever you do, seize the day and enjoy it.

Memorial Day Weekend, Part One:Barbeque to Baby Ducks

2009-05-23T20:52:00.052-04:00

The unofficial beginning of summer at Silly Hat Central looked something like this.

Big Daddy fired up the grill and made kicked-up veggie kebabs for lunch. He also steamed a redonkulously large spaghetti squash. Add a splash of balsamic vinegar and it was a feast fit for kings.

But the day started with an early morning trip to IKEA for $49 Expedit bookcases. We scored two of these birch-stained beauties, plus Dröna fabric baskets for each cubbyhole. As you can see, Silly Hat Central was in desperate need of a storage solution for the Sprout's toys.

Now we have plenty of storage space for the trains, tracks, trucks, plastic food items, play kitchen utensils, power tools, and stray Matchbox^® cars that have routinely littered the floor. A big win.

After supper, Big Daddy took Sprout down to the lake in his covered wagon to feed the "ducks," (Sprout-speak for geese) including four "baby ducks" (goslings). He must have been pretty worn out from such a full day of excitement.

The unofficial ending of the first day of Memorial Day weekend looked something like this.

Here's hoping your day was as eventful and enjoyable!

Tomorrow — strawberry picking at Belvedere Plantation. And a scrapbook page Big Daddy created to record the Sprout's 2007 visit. Oh, ha, ha, ha! Look at that sweet, berry-pickin' bunny!

Six Word Saturdays

2009-05-23T01:15:00.004-04:00

C. Beth, the sparkling mommy blogger of One Minute Writer and
C. Beth Blog fame, recently began posting Six Word Saturdays on her blog. My response was "Eureka!"

My first post is dedicated to C. Beth and also to my very good friend Caelie, without whose wisdom I never would have realized the folly of these words: "I can't strings six words together."

More Toilet Talk

2009-05-22T09:26:00.009-04:00

As if my earlier post on this topic wasn't enough, add this "scratch your head" public service toilet site-ing to the list.

Run Pee
Tagline: "Can you hold it?"
This beta site tells you when you can afford to miss a few minutes of a movie to go pee.

What at-home movie watcher can't operate the pause button on their remote control? Do movie house patrons arm themselves with pee-break-points before heading out to see a flick?

Sheer madness...

Front Porch Tatting

2009-05-18T10:10:00.017-04:00

Another wonderful tatter, Sister Anthelma Feuerstein, 99, of Wisconsin, has passed on. The obit in her local paper is a wonderful and sweet dedication to her life and her tatting. Thought I'd share since there are several notes about tatting.

I particularly love her memory of gathering on the front porch to tat. So simple. What a lovely way to unwind (hee, hee a pun!) our shuttles or needles while catching up with friends on mild days.

Regretably, I don't have a front porch. So I will be taking my tatting on the road to visit friends whose porches just BEG for gatherings.

Thank you, Sister, for reminding us about the simple pleasure of front porch tatting. Let's keep it going!

Gingerbread House Mold circa 1955

2009-05-09T23:37:00.090-04:00

Little Sprout being chauffered around the festival

While at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival last weekend, I ran into my friend Miriam and her awesome stonehouse man, Chris. We were standing right next to each other in the food vendor area and hadn’t noticed. If you have ever been to Md. Sheep & Wool, you know how easy it is to bypass friends in the milling crowds. After a joint moment of startled surprise, we hugged and started nattering about photography, food, the nirvana of fondling luxurious fibers and sock knitting, not necessarily in that order. Then Miriam said, “You’ll never believe what I brought for you!”

She pulled this goodie out of her bag. Of course, I didn't have the presence of mind to photograph it while at the S&W festival. Too caught up in the fiber-friend-zy!

“Remember when you were looking for a gingerbread house mold?” Miriam asked. “I looked through storage boxes for this but couldn’t find it. And then out of the blue Chris found it!”

I was floored by their kindness and intrigued by the gift’s design. It is a mold for a SOLID gingerbread house. Not the flat pieces you cement together with royal icing, like this NordicWare® mold.

See where it says "make a friend happy" on the back cover?
The small print reads:

I want to make a friend happy. Please
send me __________ WOMAN'S DAY
Aluminum Gingerbread House Molds.
I enclose $1.00 for each mold, postpaid.
Total enclosed: $______

Well friend, color me happy! Thank you, Miriam & Chris, for your thoughtfulness. Can't wait to try out the new mold.

Ghosts of Gingerbread Houses Past
Autumn 2008 will be fondly remembered for my first forays into edible architecture. One dark October night a group of friends met to drink martinis and decorate haunted gingerbread houses.

Here's a batty, backside view of the one I worked on.
And a cat-y view from the front. See the pretzel fence?

The rest, as they say, is history.

November saw a second event, this time with a Thanksgiving theme. Traditional Christmas cottages came next. By now the creativity was really flowing and we didn’t want the fun to end.

So we built Valentine love shacks and Easter bunny hutches in 2009. They were fun, festive cookie construction sessions.

Image Source: Amazon.com (until my copy arrives)

After Easter, I hit a lull in holidays around which to build cookie constructs. Believe it or not, I miss it. So with this book, "The Gingerbread Architect," I start dreaming of creations to come.

Calling All Cookie Construction Workers

Do you decorate gingerbread houses for holidays other than Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day or Easter? Please leave me a comment and let me know.

You prefer making gingerbread castles, churches or cathedrals? Tree houses? A bat cave? I'd love to hear about it.

Edible Architecture 2009 will officially begin with Haunted Gingerbread House Night in October. There will even be a gingerbread house blog contest! Check back for details.

(See, now aren't you glad you read all the way to the end?)

2009-05-08T18:12:00.001-04:00

See Sean Connery & Gina Lollobrigida tonight on TCM 12:15 a.m. in 1964 film "Woman of Straw"
<a href="http://ping.fm/XZaL1">http://ping.fm/XZaL1</a>

Brilliant New Tatting Technique

2009-04-29T15:02:00.022-04:00

Sharing news of a new (at least to me) tatting technique that has knocked my socks off today.

First, British tatting ace Jane Eborall has posted about a "double double stitch" on her blog, Tatting and Not Much Else. She says the idea of the double double stitch isn't new and isn't hers. It first appeared in Rhoda Auld's book "Tatting the Contemporary Art of Knotting with a Shuttle" (1974).

And the amazing Ruth Perry (a.k.a. Rozella Linden) posted a YouTube video showing how to tat rings with rings thrown off using a reverse ring technique.

Need more to impress you? Ruth shared a technique she calls Balanced Double Stitch with the online tatting class last year.

It turns out that Ruth and Jane are actually describing the same technique. They just approached the idea from slightly different perspectives. You know what they say about great minds thinking alike...Ruth and Jane are Genius Minds in Tatting. (Hmmm, doesn't that sound like a good title for a tatting book?)

Have you seen this impressive stained glass effect that Marilee achieves with her tatting?

Image from Yarnplayer Arts

Find out more about her strikingly beautiful work on her blog, Yarnplayer Arts.

Sharing new techniques over the Internet is quite exciting, as it opens up new lace design possibilities. It also shows the dynamic state of our art form. Tatting is not a lost art!

You can bet I'll be focused on learning them all over the next short while (don't know how long it will take...) and working them into new projects.

Watching big names in tatting circles (like Georgia Seitz, Mark "Tatman" Myers, Martha Ess, "Maus," Karey Solomon, Betsy Evans, Wally Sosa...just to throw out a few off the top of head) weigh in on these new developments is pretty awesome too.

Thanks to Mark and all the other Genius Minds (GMs) out there in tat-land who so graciously and generously share their breakthroughs with us.

Thoughts on Chagrin and Embarrassement

2009-04-29T01:21:00.006-04:00

I like Jessica's style on It's My Life blog. Her writing is real and effortless. Uncontrived. Its spirit speaks to the writer in my soul.

So I sympathised and agonized along with her when she shared her embarrassing writing story.

Could I commiserate by sharing my own doozies? Sure! But unlike Jessica, I probably couldn't handle the scrutiny and rejection.

Like Kari (comments), I think I want to hear more about the naked babysitting adventure...

My First Sock!

2009-04-26T11:53:00.037-04:00

In knitting news, I've launched into the realms of sock knitting with my first practice sock. It's a toddler sock made with some cheap-o, self-striping acrylic in fun springtime colors.

As is the norm for me, I jumped in without a plan or a decent set of instructions. Instead of following a basic, top-down sock pattern, I decided to knit from the toe up.

Having never done short rows or turned heels or Kitchener stitch, it seemed smart to try toe-up first. Anything to avoid Kitchener stitch grafting, right?

Online resources favor the magic loop technique for toe-up socks. This knitter knows naught of the magic loop technique. I freely admit rationalizing about needing to buy a set of Addi Turbo Circular Lace Needles. (For more on knitting impulses, see my blog post: Startitus and Knitting Delusions) Rather than buying new circulars to tackle magic loop theory, I'm using DPNs that I already have.

No one ever said my way (a convoluted dirt-track meandering aimlesly along the the path to sock knitting enlightenment) was easy. Needlessly complicated is how I do things, whether or not I mean to.

Wiping away sweaty palms, I set to work: adult-size Toe-up Socks with a Difference by Wendy D. Johnson, stitch counts from a top-down kiddie sock pattern, plus an actual toddler sock for reference.

First, I learned the Turkish cast on; a fascinating, weaverly technique. It did take several tries before I got the correct tension in my wrapped loops, but it was so much fun to do I didn't mind ripping out and starting again until I got it right. This link includes a quicktime video tutorial: Mingled Yarn: Turkish Cast On

That got me to the point of creating the gusset. Wendy's toe-up sock pattern uses gusset increases on the bottom of the foot, instead of two small side gussets underneath the ankle.

The photo above shows the halfway point in the heel gusset increases by my best guess-timation. After this section is finished it will be time to turn the heel and tackle short rows.

But I've blathered on long enough about this little sock. The rest is best left for another day.

2009-04-24T11:02:00.001-04:00

"Turn Coat," the new volume in The Dresden Files series, is #1 on the NYT Bestseller List! http://ping.fm/Q15I8

Emancipation Proclamation

2009-04-23T11:12:00.002-04:00

Today our miracle dog Julie officially stops taking steroids! We're having a pork dinner tonight to celebrate.

NY Mom Leaves Bickering Kid on the Road

2009-04-23T10:40:00.002-04:00

My mom wanted to do this many a time!
http://ping.fm/hDt9l

Puddle Jumpin'

2009-04-20T15:11:00.029-04:00

In sharp contrast to the sunny and bright weekend, today the skies opened up and a steady, drubbing rain poured down. Lucky for us, mommy bought a new pair of rain boots so she could tromp around in the rain with her splash-happy son.

And that's how we spent the morning. We didn't go far; barely past the neighboring yards. Mother Nature provided plenty of small, muddy pools to run, stomp and frolic in in front of our house.

Sticks and pebbles probed the murky waters, but most of the morning's effort was spent splashing away. A couple of twigs and...drum roll, please!

Right outside of our front door is a small sink hole that usually gets filled with a flower pot to prevent tripping accidents. It was a perfect wading pool-for-one. Boots water tight? Roger that.

It is a good thing the puddle wasn't any deeper. Little Sprout would have needed waders.

Check out the self-satisfied smirk after a good depth check. Mission accomplished.

Posts Gone Awry

2009-04-19T08:47:00.025-04:00

I've been posting from my ping.fm account lately, so that posts upload simultaneously to several places (LiveJournal, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and this blog). It's a marvelous tool when it works, but lately the files have not been posting to Facebook.

This morning is promising to be sunny and bright, so we'll most likely spend it out in the yard, playing with sidewalk chalk, water toys and the inevitable sticks, rocks and dirt that boys love. We did this yesterday for a bit while I weeded the flower bed. Big fun!

The spring flowers really make the yard look inviting and
Little Sprout's pinwheels add color and energy to the garden.

During today's front yard foray I'll snap a few shots of the pinwheels and upload them for you all to see.

What a difference a year makes! Look at this photo of Little Sprout out in the front yard on April 1, 2008.

And here is what he looks like now. They grow up so fast!

Oh JibJab, How I Adore Thee

2009-04-09T14:51:00.004-04:00

Sharing some 2008 Easter egg goodness from JibJab: http://ping.fm/Dky5h

Easter Eggs!
Uploaded by JibJab

and new JibJab chocolate bunny funny: http://ping.fm/Z9gd8

JibJab - Chocolate Bunny Attack!
Uploaded by JibJab

Couch Fort Confidential

2009-04-07T00:33:00.030-04:00

We've been spending a lot more time on the couch lately, but not zoned out in front of mindless television. Interest in fort-building has ramped up! Just look at this happy face.

Some call them sofa forts, while for others they are couch or indoor forts. Lil' Sprout has taken to calling his latest creations "choo choo tents."

Here's my lil' conductor sitting in the caboose, not the engine, shouting, "All aboard, mommy," and "Choo, choooooooo" in between juice breaks.

It brings back memories, doesn't it? Those forts and tents of yore, built from household furniture, cushions and old blankets. Who could forget the rush of crawling along the tunnels and around the corners, feeling hidden and stealthy and proud. Did yours have a secret back door for emergency escape? How about walkie-talkies? It pays to be prepared on cold, rainy days.

Let's not forget the thrill of knocking it all down and rolling in the rubble! Or in Lil' Sprout's case, running wildly back and forth over the debris, pretending to be a bulldozer.

Sometimes an expression says it best. "Oh no! What have I done?"

Not to worry, little man. We'll build another one tomorrow.

International Tatting Day -- No Foolin'!

2009-04-01T10:25:00.019-04:00

For many, April 1st is a day for tomfoolery, pranks and hoaxes. But for tatters it is a day devoted to furthering a lacemaking art.

This time last year I described why I think April 1st is the perfect day for International Tatting Day. Links to honor the day:

Martha Ess released her new book today! Tea is for Tatting
TattingChic honors the day: Happy International Tatting Day
Oldie but Goodie: Erin's "The Buhlawg" post from ITD 2006.
(Be sure to click on her banner for today's big announcement!)

This morning Little Sprout and I copped a squat on throw rugs and sipped tea out on the deck. Amazingly enough, it was HIS idea. He has been in a tizzy about deck activities lately. So he dragged three small, braided rugs outside to sit on, announced his intentions saying, "Murmel, murmel, murmel, dowt-sss-EYE-d. Mommy too!"

It was a beautiful, springtime morning so I took my cup of tea, poured some into his kiddie cup, sat down cross-legged on a rug and set about soaking in the morning air, the sweet birdsong and the blooming trees. It is so great to share such simple moments. They come all too infrequently.

This afternoon we'll take a moment to nibble on dark chocolate covered strawberries and play with string. For him, stringing wooden beads on long shoe laces. For me, finger tatting.

Happy International Tatting Day!

Sk8ter Boy

2009-03-19T09:48:00.012-04:00

It has been quite awhile since last I posted photos of Little Sprout. It is high time to fix that, don't you think?

Spring is almost here. Before green grass and blue skies lure us outdoors for grand explores and other rough-and-tumble fun, I thought it best to catch you all up on some recent photos.

Little Sprout's fascination with pizza boxes continues. He carries them around, opens and closes the lids, folds and unfolds the tabs, sits inside, plays pretend and even practices his Sk8ter Boy poses.

When asked if he wants to eat pizza he runs to the front door enthusiastically. Because he knows that the pizza man comes and hands over a box with a yummy-tasting, cheesy pie inside.

Entertaining Astrology Signs

2009-03-11T11:54:00.004-04:00

Re-Tweet from @Felicia Day: Fast forward to your sign, you won't regret it. http://ping.fm/LVnwW

I love that they've chosen a belly dancer's artistry to compliment my sign.

Be Still My Heart

2009-03-11T11:15:00.002-04:00

Great White Snark posted a Serenity cake photo.
It's shiny, dong ma? http://preview.tinyurl.com/bu9xze

This Fall Evil Has a Name...Anna

2009-03-09T09:50:00.012-04:00

Sci-Fi stunner Morena Baccarin is cast to lead the alien invasion in "V: The Series." http://ping.fm/WV7z6

She puts the sizzle in Sci-fi to be sure, but let me gush about her elegant grace. Can't imagine another actor portraying high-class companion Inara (Firefly and Serenity). I missed her role as a nurse in the TNT hospital drama "Heartland." Shame on me.

Personally I thought her recurring role as Adria on "Stargate SG-1" wasn't meaty enough, but I loved the scenes she played with Claudia Black (Farscape). And lastly, her role in "The O.C." as Maya Griffin was too shortlived for me to form an opinion. That said, I can't wait to see what this classy beauty brings to the role of "Anna," the sensual manipulatrix lizard leader.

A fanboy named Hugh gushes more than me! http://ping.fm/TNx1s

2009-03-07T23:03:00.001-05:00

GeekSugar, how I adore thee. http://ping.fm/WFSMw

The Dirty Shirt

2009-02-27T14:52:00.013-05:00

One of my Google Alerts flagged a cool mommy blog featuring reviews and posts on children's books, music, educational products, toys and more. It is the home of the bi-weekly Full to the Brim - Kid's Book Giveaway List, which is where I found the link to The Dirty Shirt!

Don'tcha just love how interconnected we all can be on the Internet? (Like anything else, it has its drawbacks too.)

The Dirty Shirt has a Baby Signs Potty Training Program Giveaway that runs through March 11. The winner will be announced the morning of March 12.

We're big fans of Baby Signs here at Silly Hat Central so of course we had to enter as often as rules allowed.

The fact is, both Brimful Curiosities and The Dirty Shirt have LOADS of great giveaways to choose from, so head on over to browse all the stuff you could win.

But be sure to visit Jennifer's blog to get the Baby Signs Potty Training Program giveaway details and enter to win a potty training kit for your child. Good luck!

Happy Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T15:57:00.013-05:00

This morning I was surprised (as much as anyone with an exuberant two-year-old can be) with a heart-shaped box of dark chocolate-covered strawberries. So sweet!

Two Valentine cards accompanied the big red box. One was handmade by Little Sprout and Big Daddy and the other one was a "lil' lovebug" card that both Little Sprout and Big Daddy embellished with fancy signatures.

After naptime, Little Sprout had a Valentine's Day finger painting activity that involved heart-shaped potato stamps and champagne corks as well as fingers. I had cooked up some washable finger paints on the stove. Here are more recipes for edible toddler paints you can make at home. It was fun and we now have artwork drying outside on the deck to show daddy when he gets home.

Update: The finger painting is now dry and I've decided to use it to make cut-out hearts for a home-made card for Big Daddy. Cross your fingers that this turns out, since I'm making it up as I go along. Ha, ha!

I was planning on making meatloaf for dinner, until I scanned back through old blog posts and found one where Big Daddy had made a three-pound, heart-shaped meatloaf for us last year!
Ha, ha! Looking at the photo still makes me laugh.

So here are my second try at dinner: heart-shaped, Sweet Griddle Cakes.

2009-01-31T23:36:00.002-05:00

Fave Tweet today, courtesy of Neil Gaiman: Day finally ended. Now food, then sleep. What a crap Twitter. Okay. Um, now food, then TOTAL WORLD DOMINATION! Or sleep.

I love that he writes "what a crap Twitter" days after receiving the Newbery Medal. Oh, and that part about total world domination? That's personality, baby!

I'm so enamored that I've started reading his blog:
http://ping.fm/fGDiI

2009-01-30T15:19:00.002-05:00

Oh bugmenot, how I love thee. http://ping.fm/0BjC9

2009-01-27T00:01:00.006-05:00

I'm thunderstruck at yesterday's news of a woman giving birth to octuplets. Thank you Felicia Day for posting a link: @FeliciaDay: "8 BABIES AT ONCE?!?!" http://ping.fm/1g5Ld

Introspection and Perspicacity

2009-01-26T10:30:00.044-05:00

I have a confession to make. Over the years I have tried to avoid Martha Stewart's influence. Don't know why, really. I don't think she's evil or anything.

Perhaps it has something to do with her focus on domestic bliss. She cooks, cleans, arranges, crafts, entertains and even gardens to perfection. I, on the other hand, was the girl in my pre-teen gaggle who didn't want to get married and start a family right away. I wanted a career!

Sitting on the swings at the local park, I shared my secrets and divulged my dreams: a maid would do all my housework. My home would be a palace! With polished wood and roomy spaces. Eight long years was plenty of time to conquer the business world and rise to a lofty rung on the corporate ladder. At the ripe old age of 26 I would be ready to start a family. Then I would have three or four gorgeous and intelligent children with a charming prince of a husband and my life would be picture perfect.

Now that I've walked the road of stay-at-home mom for two years, I feel a bit sheepish. Those childhood goals molded my first post-college years. I enjoyed 12 (not 8) career years. And I didn't get nearly as high on the corporate ladder as I thought I would. (Though I certainly tried.) I did have a cleaning lady for 2 of those years. But I didn't get married and start a family by age 26. I married at 39 and gave birth to Little Sprout at the pivotal age of 42. I feel certain that I have more than a few career years left in me, if the fates allow.

What is even more strange is dabbling in Martha Stewart recipes and projects. Here is my list to date:

Chocolate-filled Eggs for Easter These are dramatic and delicious!
Tomato Tart ...layered with roasted garlic and fontina cheese
Felt Fortune Cookies made as favors for a February group dinner
Heart-shaped Soap easy and fun, especially with a soap kettle
Ginger Carrot Soup Sweet mercy, this soup is good!
Chai-Spiced Cider Punch I use the spice blend for mulled cider.

While the list isn't long, I use the recipes repeatedly and often. That Martha, she gets me every time!

Perspicacity
Last evening I had a very introspective chat with a longtime (though not childhood) friend. She intimated to me reactions to old letters that her deceased parents had exchanged in the 1950's, when their young adult lives were just getting started. Her father, then traing to be a pilot, had written with a perspicacity that belied his years. Her mother had aspired to career success as a writer. They were going to conquer the world!

But life for most women in those days meant getting married and raising children at home. My friend's mother had gotten caught in that stereotypical role and ultimately had become embittered that her intellect (which was considerable and impressive) hadn't been enough to sail through the social mire.

Do today's stay-at-home moms still worry about being trapped in their child-rearing role? What are the economics of motherhood for today's woman? Are comeback moms opting back in as often as we'd like to think?

If my own experience is any indicator I would say yes, we still do worry. But perhaps not so much. What are your thoughts? Leave your comments either in the comments area or send me an e-mail. I'd love to hear what you think.

2009-01-20T13:22:00.002-05:00

Retweet: Text of Barack Obama's Inauguration Speech from the Chicago Tribune http://snurl.com/af4r5

Tatting in the News (Nova Scotia, Canada)

2009-01-20T02:11:00.012-05:00

It amazes me how fervently reporters cling to the notion that "tatting is a dying art." Before the Internet such a statement might have been more believable, but these days tatters around the globe have found each other and no longer feel isolated. Thousands of tatters are furthering their art all over the world. Dying art? Not so.

Once I got past the dying art nonsense, I found this article to be rather nicely written. It includes perhaps the most graceful and lovely description of tatting that I have ever read. Here is a brief excerpt:

By all accounts tatting is a dying art, but according to Gail Larder, an interpreter at the Ross Farm Museum in New Ross, “we’re trying our best here to keep it alive.”

There was a time, in the 19th century for example, when tatting, which has been described as “threads lovingly shaped around air to create beautiful lace,” was not only popular but very fashionable, especially among the higher classes.

Click on this link to read the full article.

If you find yourself in or around the area of New Minas, Nova Scotia, Canada, please do drop by the Ross Farm and let them know you saw the tatting article online. I'm sure they would be delighted to meet fellow tatters or other tat-friendly folks!

Funny Celebrity Tweet: John Cleese

2009-01-20T02:07:00.003-05:00

Retweeting @JohnCleese: "some people spout complete twaddle. they could be spouting incomplete twaddle and leaving the remaining twaddle for us. thoughtless!"

Doesn't that just make you smile? This is why I love Twitter.

Toddler Mischief

2009-01-14T04:29:00.002-05:00

Little Sprout and I got locked in the powder room yesterday. He ran in and climbed up onto the step stool to play in the sink as he does most days. And I dutifully followed him in. After a few moments of water splashing he decided to slam the door shut. And of course the child safety gizmo on the outside door handle kept the handle from pushing down (and opening the door). Thank goodness I just so happened to have the phone in my hand when I went in there! I was able to call a neighbor to come to the rescue. We had a laugh over it when all was said and done.

New Year, New Look

2009-01-14T02:08:00.025-05:00

Well, more of a refresh really. I've tweaked the banner and brought the tatted heart widget up higher on the page, since I've been getting more visitors from the tatting community.

The top two posts are still about banana bread. But there was a noticeable spike in traffic for the shiny knitting post, blasting it into the number three spot. I had no idea there were so many Firefly/Serenity fans who knit!

Thank you for the lovely emails encouraging me to post more often about the 'verse. And just because you asked for it:

My result for The Firefly / Serenity Test

BRILLIANT! You scored 96%!

Take The Firefly / Serenity Test at HelloQuizzy

Well, it's late and I must give these tired eyes a rest.
A toute à l'heure, mes amis and keep flyin'!

The Pop Culture Archetype Personality Test

2009-01-08T09:12:00.002-05:00

Your result for The Pop Culture Archetype Personality Test...

The Cleric

Ninja, Monkey, Zombie, Clown

Clerics are conscientious teachers and tutors, healers and enablers, eager to spread the word about their beliefs to other people. Bestowed with tremendous charisma, spiritual awareness and salesmanship, they are capable of swaying minds and hearts, and are always welcoming of new members of their flock, preferring many shallow (but sincere) acquaintances instead of intimate close friendships. Their focus on the big picture, and the desire to help and teach everyone, often gets them into trouble. Not only do are they forced to juggle many responsibilities and relationships, but they often neglect themselves, letting down their boundaries to let others in and thus risking heartbreak when they are attacked. They are ever optimists, always looking for the silver lining in all people and constantly searching for ways to improve the world.

In darker hours, clerics tend towards Obsessive-Compulsive behavior. Their preoccupation with orderliness and perfectionism means that they become focused on rules, lists, and schedules, often insisting that others submit to their way of thinking. Devoted to work, they avoid distractions to the point of procrastinating about decisions, and they are often unwilling to spend time or money on things that do not benefit them and their goals directly. Their conscientious but inflexible focus on morality and ethics can cause problems when they run into people who do not share their world view, and they are often reluctant to express affection at all, preferring to keep the world at a distance while struggling with the desire to let everyone in.

Famous cleric types include Abraham Lincoln, Sean Connery, Andy Griffith, Oprah Winfrey and John Cusack.

Take The Pop Culture Archetype Personality Test

Happy Shiny Knitting!

2009-01-07T22:43:00.005-05:00

Another sweet find for fellow Firefly and Serenity fans courtesy of knittyBlog: a pattern for Wash's Sweater, based on one seen in two Firefly episodes — "Out of Gas" and "The Message."

It is a lovely masculine cable design and one day I hope to see one of these beauties on my man (who is not as much of a fan of the series as I am, but not totally hopeless in his acumen for sci-fi.)

A Life Well Lived

2009-01-05T04:25:00.010-05:00

I couldn't help but be moved by the words you are about to read. They reminded me of my older sister (now dearly departed) whose final years were spent in a nursing home. Multiple Sclerosis claimed her life at the age of 38. My grandmother turned 100 this past year and she currently lives in a nursing home.

Whether or not the following story is true is inconsequential. If there are people in your life that you love who rely on managed care, please go to SEE them. The young soul within them will rejoice at the footprint they have left on your heart.

When an old lady died in the geriatric ward of a small hospital near Dundee, Scotland, it was believed that she had nothing left of any value.

Later, when the nurses were going through her meager possessions, they found this poem. Its quality and content so impressed the staff that copies were made and distributed to every nurse in the hospital. One nurse took her copy to Ireland. The old lady’s sole bequest to posterity has since appeared in the Christmas edition of the News Magazine of the North Ireland Association for Mental Health.

And now this little old Scottish lady, with seemingly nothing left to give to the world, is the author of this simple, yet eloquent, poem that is traveling the world by Internet. Goes to show that we all leave "SOME footprints in time".....

A Crabby Old Woman
What do you see, nurses ….. What do you see?
What are you thinking ….. When you’re looking at me?
A crabby old woman ….. Not very wise?
Uncertain of habit ….. With faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food ….. And makes no reply,
When you say in a loud voice ….. “I do wish you’d try!”
Who seems not to notice ….. The things that you do,
And forever is losing ….. A stocking or shoe?

Who, resisting or not ….. Lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding ….. The long day to fill?
Is that what you’re thinking?? ….. Is that what you see??
Then open your eyes, nurse ….. You’re not looking at me.

I’ll tell you who I am ….. As I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding ….. As I eat at your will.
I’m a small child of ten ….. With a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters ….. Who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen ….. With wings on her feet
Dreaming that soon now ….. A lover she’ll meet.
A bride soon at twenty ….. My heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows ….. That I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now ….. I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide ….. And a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty ….. My young now grown fast,
Bound to each other ….. With ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons ….. Have grown and are gone,
But my man’s beside me …..To see I don’t mourn
At fifty once more ….. Babies play round my knee,
Again we know children ….. My loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me ….. My husband is dead,
I look at the future ….. I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing …..Young of their own ,
And I think of the years ….. And the love that I’ve known.

I’m now an old woman ….. And nature is cruel;
Tis jest to make old age ….. Look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles ….. Grace and vigor depart,
There is now a stone ….. Where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass ….. A young girl still dwells,
And now and again ….. My battered heart swells.
I remember the joys ….. I remember the pain,
And I’m loving and living ….. Life over again.

I think of the years ….. All too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact ….. That nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people ….. Open and see,
Not a crabby old woman ….. Look closer …. see, ME!!

~ Author Unknown

2009-01-03T18:03:00.001-05:00

Celebrating another year of wedded bliss with rum cake and champagne.

2009-01-02T12:21:00.001-05:00

searching for Pocoyo videos. Who is Pocoyo? http://ping.fm/ghlos

Big Damn Movie Debut!

2008-12-31T16:11:00.022-05:00

(image is a screen grab from Sci Fi channel website)

Serenity to air on Sci Fi channel
Preempting my previously scheduled post to jump for joy at the cable debut of Serenity on the Sci-Fi channel. That's right! For once a departure from the greasy, crap-tastic standard fare that Sci Fi airs in its weekend lineup. It's the Big Damn Movie broadcast (ain't it just) and it's gonna be shiny.

Now to go make some Fruity-Oaty bars and I'll be all set. You won't find any questionable concoction labeled Mudder's Milk at Silly Hat Central. A girl's gotta have standards.

Anyone want to come over for a shindig?

Of course you can bring your Jane Cobb hat. Toy dinosaurs and Hawaiian shirts too.

I scrapped! Weeeeeeeee!

2008-12-26T18:24:00.013-05:00

Yes! I found time to scrap! And I wanted to share the page with everyone who has been so wonderful to us this year — all of you steadfast, patient and creative blog-friendly folks. Wishing you (Each and every one!) a love and light-filled year that is better than you could possibly imagine!

L-AHHHHHHHHHHHH-tke!

2008-12-19T21:41:00.060-05:00

As a parent who is trying to raise a child with a lifelong love of reading, the bedtime story is an immutable part of our evening routine.

However, once he has finished pointing out all the pictures in the books that catch his fancy, Little Sprout usually loses interest and tries to run off. What's a mother to do? Make sure the story is entertaining for you too, of course.

Tonight I read a new holiday book: The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming - a Christmas Story by Lemony Snicket. True to persnickety type, the main character is an increasingly irate latke (a potato pancake) trying in vain to get a little respect from three Christmas-centric icons.

The Latke story appeals to me kids of all ages. It is irreverent, silly and blends holiday traditions while managing to teach about Hanukkah.

Before we go any further, my favorite stuffed toy as a child was a Jonnycake (a cornmeal cake that was a pioneer staple) which had yarn hair, hands and feet sticking out from its perfectly round body. Much like the Gingerbread Man, early memories involved the Johnnycake jumping out of a hot oven and running away. Presumably screaming.

Anthropomorphic flapjacks railing against their lot.
(See, the symmetry is almost poetic.)

Er, um . . . back to bedtime reading.

At first, Little Sprout didn't show the slightest interest in this story. He would wander off to play with Matchbox cars or trains or beg Big Daddy to flip him upside-down in a somersault. But I kept on reading aloud.

When the latke started screaming Little Sprout took notice. He could identify with ~~a hysterical hashbrown~~ that frustrated little latke. Whenever I would exclaim, he joined in with his own loud, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

After storytime was finished I said, "Sprout, what does the latke say?" and he rushed up to me (hugging me at the knees) and yelled, "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!"

I think we just started a new holiday tradition.

You Still Have Time to Vote!

2008-12-17T13:24:00.020-05:00

The holiday rush is on. Whew! So much to do and so little time to get it all done.

But I had to take a few moments out of the mad scramble at Silly Hat Central to share my overwhelming gratitude to each and every one of you who voted for my Chocolate Rum Cake in the Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge.

A huge, velvety, dark chocolate Thank You!

Voting ends December 19 so, if you've been wanting to vote, you still have time. Here is the link to the round up page:
Ultimate Chocolate Cake Round Up

I couldn't believe my eyes today when I saw my name near the top of the voting list. See?

There are so many incredible and masterful-looking cake submissions that I presumed my humble (though very tasty) entry wouldn't get many votes. Now I'm jazzed!

I encourage you to visit NotQuiteNigella and take a gander at all the delicious cakes. Drool, indulge in a calorie-free chocolate fantasy or two and cast your vote.

Mine is the last cake before the voting ballot. The recipe lives right here in the original post.

As I've said before, there are so many mouth-watering chocolate confections to choose from, I couldn't possibly expect you to choose my entry. Many humble thanks, though, if you do.

The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge

2008-12-03T00:28:00.063-05:00

Mmm, chocolate is food of the gods. So when Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella emailed me about her Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge, I jumped at the chance to participate.

Did I want to bake chocolate cake and ~~not have to share it~~ enter for a chance to win a prize? Is this a trick question?

So I put the kettle on for tea and set about choosing a cake that was dense and decadent.

None of the recipes I found were exactly what I wanted so I adapted two recipes into one sinfully rich, satisfying confection. Et voila! A Chocolate Rum Cake was born.

NOTE: Several recipes called for chocolate frosting (or chocolate mousse frosting - yum!) and/or chocolate shavings. I chose to forego frosting and shavings in favor of a buttery rum glaze.

Next time, I will try dusting the cake with powdered sugar to showcase the lovely fleur de lis pattern.

Chocolate Rum Cake
4 eggs
6 Tbsp. butter
1 ¾ cups sugar
2 Tbsp. Rum Extract or dark rum
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
Dash of ground nutmeg (optional)
½ cup dark cocoa (unsweetened)
2 cups sifted flour
1 ¾ tsp. baking power
½ tsp. salt
⅔ cup milk

Rum Glaze:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup butter
2 Tbsp. water
½ cup dark rum

In large bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy; gradually add sugar and lemon peel, beating well. Add eggs. one at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add rum; beat until blended. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Bake in greased and floured pan at 350 degrees F, 50-60 minutes or until cake tests done. I used a 10-cup nonstick Fleur de Lis Bundt^® pan.

Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out on cooling rack. While cake is cooling, prepare glaze. In saucepan, combine sugar, butter and water to make a syrup and heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil for a minimum of 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Add rum.

Transfer cake onto serving plate. Pierce cake with a toothpick, cake tester or fork in several places. Pour warm glaze over cake. Serve warm or cold.

Makes 16 servings.

Sources: NordicWare Bundt Cookbook, Swedish Rum Cake, pg. 7.
Grandpa's Chocolate-Rum Cake, AOL KitchenAssistant recipe

Click on links to go to The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Challenge hosted by Not Quite Nigella

Special thanks to Not Quite Nigella for hosting this contest. I had great fun and got to eat cake!

Longing for line-item veto power

2008-11-25T12:43:00.037-05:00

Beth over at C. Beth Blog posited today about the wishful joys of having line-item veto power.
What an intoxicating idea!

So I'm spreading the love, which is so much nicer than saying I stole her idea, don't you think?

Like Beth – I'd keep cooking, but I'd veto dirty dishes!

I'd keep newborns but veto labor pains.

I'd keep my husband but veto nasty habits (like toxic gas) and petty arguments.

I'd keep ageless beauty and vitality but veto PMS and menopause.

I'd keep sexy firemen (or insert your favorite: men in uniform, cabana boys, men who love housework?) but veto pot bellies.

I'd keep snacks but veto empty calories.

Isn't this fun? While we wait for our line-item veto power, why don't you go over to C. Beth Blog and tell Beth how you'd make your life easier with that powerful red editing pen?

A New Quiz

2008-11-25T01:06:00.007-05:00

I found this quiz on Baron Durr's Live Journal page.
I thought the dragon tarot was exquisite.

You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight.

You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Just FYI, there are three other tarot card options to choose from if you prefer. All are beautifully rendered (which is one of the things I love about tarot cards) and the outcome seems accurate.

Nigella Lawson — Banana Bread†Scrumptious Banana Bread Pudding

2008-11-20T22:13:00.055-05:00

The other day I went on a baking spree, resulting in a loaf of banana bread and 6 1/2 dozen pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. The cookies turned out great. The banana bread did not.

My apologies to Nigella Lawson. Her banana bread recipe has been my go-to gold standard since I started feeding bananas to Little Sprout sometime last spring. But I got overconfident.

Attempting to execute her recipe from memory, I added a whole stick of vegetable shortening (1 cup) instead of the ½ cup of butter called for in the recipe. Remarkably, the baked loaf held together. (Just barely.) It had a light crumb but an oily texture.

I'm not afraid to admit when I screw up. What I like even better is turning a failure into a success! So the greasy banana bread got a makeover into a dessert pudding.

Banana Bread Pudding ^‡
⅛ cup apricot brandy
½ cup raisins
1 loaf banana bread
½ cup graham cracker crumbs
½ bag (6 oz.) mini morsels chocolate chips
2 cups milk
½ cup butter, melted
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
4 eggs

Put the raisins and the brandy in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and leave for an hour, or until the raisins have absorbed most of the liquid. Drain remaining liquid into a mixing bowl.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 2 quart baking dish with non-stick baking spray.

Crumble banana bread into baking dish. Add graham cracker crumbs, chocolate chips and drained raisins. Mix thoroughly.

Combine milk, butter, vanilla, and eggs into the bowl with drained off brandy. Beat until blended. Pour over bread mixture, soaking thoroughly. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until set.
____________________________________
† Link to original post about Nigella Lawson — Banana Bread and the Banana Bread Bake Off contest sponsored at Not Quite Nigella

‡ Special thanks to the incredible cooks in my dinner group for their advice on how to salvage a greasy loaf of banana bread.
You are my foodie heroes.

For examples of mouth-watering dishes my dinner group has made in the past year, read Food, Glorious Food

Cuteness Wins Again!

2008-11-20T01:09:00.030-05:00

(Photo taken July 2007)

The October Harry Potter Costume Contest results have been posted over at The Leaky Cauldron.

Five month old Little Sprout in his Baby Mandrake costume won second prize in the Experienced Handmade category. Squeee! It is so much fun to win!

Forgive the shameless promotion, but I can't help but be proud. This is the second time my Baby Mandrake won a prize. Woot!

(Photo taken July 2007)

Who am I kidding? All of the costumes are incredible.

Don't miss the seriously adorable six-month-old girl wearing a golden snitch costume in the Inexperienced Handmade category. Or the Harry Potter Horse!

Then come back and tell me how Little Sprout is the fairest of them all. Or else I might just dress up as an old peddlar woman and deliver a poison apple to your door. Mwahaha!

(We've been watching a lot of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs of late. Can you tell?) It's late and I'm getting positively punchy. Time to head to bed. Good night, everybody!

Daily Distraction: Puppycam!

2008-11-19T02:15:00.004-05:00

I'm sure I'm a Jenny-Come-Lately to this insanely popular internet sensation, but so what if I am? Who can resist a puppy cam? Have you seen the six adorable Shiba Inu pups? So cute...

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/shiba-inu-puppy-cam

Startitus Relief & Holiday Ornaments

2008-11-18T10:55:00.059-05:00

Another harsh, croupy cold has kept me away from the computer for the past several days. Glad to finally be on the tail end of it.

During the down time, a few crafty things happened.

Art Pen Pals
I took part in an Art Pen Pal project exchange over at the C. Beth Blog site. Since I was feeling under the weather I didn't have the fortitude to oversee an artsy toddler free-for-all. So I sent a handmade card to my swap partner instead.

I received the cutest art made by the Toncrey family from Mobile, Alabama. This SAHM and her daughter are wicked good with pom pom balls, googly eyes and Popsicle sticks!

Thank you, Toncrey family! I love it!!!

I Knit Something
Yes! A test hat out of a cheap-o, chunky, 50/50 wool-acrylic yarn, using size 13 circular needles. The Toddler Felt Hat pattern calls for 100% worsted weight wool so I reduced the number of stitches from 90 down to 60, and crossed my fingers that the hat would still be in the general ballpark to felt down to toddler size. It was a crap shoot, pure and simple.

I got lucky. The hat felted down to just a hair bigger than I wanted. The dimply crown, however, is my egregious error. I didn't follow the pattern correctly, ending up with a pointy top instead of a smooth curve. Plus, the only DPNs I had on hand were size 8 (quite a difference from size 13) which warped the crown even more. Kind of looks like a nipple, doesn't it?

That's why swatches and tests are good. I got some practice felting, made a bunch of mistakes and learned a lot in the process. This project knit up so quickly that I will be doing another one out of the same yarn, just because I like the colors so well.

Felt Christmas Tree Ornaments
A "no fragile ornaments" rule has been imposed on the holiday tree this year. That means, if I don't come up with some soft ornaments, my tree will be pretty darned bare.

So I've chosen to create felted pear and partridge ornaments. To that end, I've created partridge template pieces that resemble the animated partridge from the opening logo of the popular 1970s TV show The Partridge Family.

I started out thinking in 2D, but after seeing this adorable felted bird in Warm Fuzzies by Betz White, I had to make them 3D. See?

The pears will be two-dimensional with classic blanket stitching around the edges, just like in the photo below.

Did I mention that my holiday tree this year will be purple? Traditional red and green is done to death on my street so I decided to color outside the lines. Convention? Ha! I laugh at you.

That mean the pears won't be yellow. More like red Bartlett or Anjou pears. When I have one done I will post photos and you can judge how well I executed the concept. Right now, the prospect of needle felting roving onto the pears for shading excites me. Once I sit down and try it, we'll see if needle felting qualifies as a delusional activity.

The Cocoa Kid

2008-11-12T13:07:00.021-05:00

Wordless Wednesday is suspended this week to bring you two photos of Silly Hat Central's resident villain, El Cocoa Bandito.

This time instead of snitching brownies off the kitchen counter he was "gettin' all Maverick-y" after his first taste of delicious, homemade cocoa.

That mustache puts me in mind of two things: Dick Dastardly from the cartoon The Perils of Penelope Pitstop — Maybe it's the stripes? — and a young Salvador Dali.

Special thanks to Stephanie Nissan-Nichols for pointing me in the direction of this last image. It is the best comparison yet.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

A Fistful of Brownies

2008-11-04T01:00:00.068-05:00

The other morning while I was washing up the morning dishes, Little Sprout crashed around the main floor in full-tilt mode.*

All of a sudden my mommy sense tingled because it had gotten too quiet and I went to investigate. Here's what I found:

Oh, ha ha! He had gotten the brownies down from the counter without me knowing! AND he carried them just far enough out of the kitchen to be out of sight before settling in to enjoy his spoils.

The caveat is that the moments that were captured on film weren't as priceless as the one when I first entered the room.

Imagine this angelic, brownie-smeared face looking up at you as if to say, "What, mommy?"

Little Sprout had three brownies gripped together in two, barely big-enough hands. Rounding out the scene are my two half-beagles poised eagerly over the open brownie box like Snoopy vultures, just waiting for their chance to pounce. **

All of these photos were taken a few moments later, after the initial shock had worn off and I'd made a mad dash for the camera.

All it took for me to get these reenactment photos was to take the box away for a moment and hand it back asking, "What do you have there, little guy?" See how eager he is to show me his stash?

The time it took to grab the camera and start snapping was just long enough for this contented little bandit to put his fistful of chocolaty evidence back into the box and close the lid.

No evidence, no crime. Get it?

SO BEGINS THE TERRIBLE TWOS...

Can you believe he has been asking for brownies for breakfast every morning since? I really have my work cut out for me.

* Full-tilt mode is generally recognized as a talent unique to toddlers. However, I have met one or two grown men who can still pull it off.

** Yes, I do know that chocolate is bad for dogs. My opportunistic beagles (Very Bad Dogs) and I thank you for your concern.

A Haunting He Did Go

2008-11-03T12:54:00.015-05:00

A ghost haunted Silly Hat Central this year, and what an adorable Lil' Boo he was! He wasn't the least bit shy about knocking on doors and asking for treats. To him it was spooky, good fun!

Our neighbor, who goes by the moniker SkyGranny, invited him over to haunt her garden and he had a grand time running in circles with his spooky dags flying.

In fact, running at top speed is his new favorite pastime, so we couldn't have planned a better costume for him if we tried. All that energy just added to his spectral appeal.

Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test

2008-10-30T07:45:00.003-04:00

Another quiz! This one tests which type of intelligence you use to gain knowledge. Find out which intelligence you use the most.

Here is how I did:

Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...

Linguistic

27% Logical, 25% Spatial, 47% Linguistic, 20% Intrapersonal, 31% Interpersonal, 45% Musical, 29% Bodily-Kinesthetic and 22% Naturalistic!

"Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words and dates. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, and via discussion and debate. They are also frequently skilled at explaining, teaching and oration or persuasive speaking. Those with verbal-linguistic intelligence learn foreign languages very easily as they have high verbal memory and recall, and an ability to understand and manipulate syntax and structure.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include writers, lawyers, philosophers, journalists, politicians and teachers." (Wikipedia)

Take Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test at HelloQuizzy

Startitis and Knitting Delusions

2008-10-29T14:13:00.028-04:00

Ever since late summer started making way for early Autumn I have been itching to knit. It is like this for a lot of knitters. Cool weather is a siren call. It stimulates the knitting receptors in our brains and we instinctively reach for needles and cozy yarn(s).

But this case of startitus is particularly acute. I want to knit or spin everything in the house. I see a friend knitting and want to pet their yarn.

"Toddlers and needles don't mix," I reproach myself, forcing my eyes downward and slowly backing away from the yarn.

So far chasing around my toddler has tempered my self control, but the two or three chilly evenings we've had this week are unraveling my resolve. Knitting delusions are starting to set in.

Yesterday I got an email from a local knitter on Ravelry announcing a new knitting circle forming in my area. Wham! I replied how I would love to join in the fun. And don't we all need a reason to get out of the house to work on our unfinished projects once in a while?

All afternoon I fantasized about finishing the baby bootie I started a month an a half ago for the baby shower that is taking place at my house in three days. Talk about a knitting delusion! What kind of twisted math was I doing in my head to rationalize that plan?

But when you are actually willing to lie to yourself about how long knitting takes in order to rationalize your plans, this is what happens.

Little Sprout needs a cap to keep his head warm on our morning walks. Delusion: start it now (Yes, start it! Cast on.) and you'll have it finished by next week! Reality: God only knows when that hat would get finished.

Then I read Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's latest blog post over at Yarn Harlot and I felt better. She and I have a few things in common: age (her 40 to my 43), oatmeal (tho' I know exactly where I stand on raisins) and a yen for starting projects.

All is right again with the universe because I know I'm not alone.

Sugarplum Pie on My...

2008-10-25T01:00:00.016-04:00

...2^nd Anniversary!

Today marks two years since I started this blog. Happy Blog-iversary to me! Instead of passing around the cupcake tray, I've decided to share a recipe I found over at Emiline's Sugarplum blog (my newest food blog addiction). This recipe has a festive feel to it and it results in a purple pie. A fine choice for a celebration!

Sugarplum Pie (Recipe by Emiline)
Ingredients:
Pie dough:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for rolling
3/4 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 Tablespoons (trans-fat free) shortening
5-6 Tablespoons ice water

Filling:
2 lbs. black plums, peeled, pitted, thinly sliced
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried plums
1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (not too coarse)
1 egg whisked together with
1 Tablespoon milk
1 Tablespoon Turbinado sugar (raw)

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Work the butter and shortening in, using a pastry blender or your fingers, until pea-sized lumps form. Sprinkle in the water, 1 Tbsp. at a time, stirring gently with a fork after each addition and adding only enough of the water to form a rough mass.

Using floured hands, divide the dough in half, and pat into 2 smooth, flattened disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together plums, dried plums, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and pepper, until well combined.

Remove pie dough rounds from refrigerator, and allow to warm up a bit before you start rolling. Roll out one of your pie dough rounds, thinly, on a floured surface, and fit into a 9-inch pie plate; dust bottom of dough with a little bit of flour to prevent the crust from getting soggy. Pour the plums into the pie plate. Roll out the second pie dough round and fit it over the top of plums. Trim away the excess dough, and make the crust look all pretty. Brush the egg mixture evenly over dough.

Bake pie for 40 minutes; remove from oven and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar. Return pie to oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until crust is golden brown. If your crust or your crust edges starts to brown too quickly, cover with foil.

Cool pie on a wire rack to room temperature before slicing.

Yield: 8-10 slices

____________________________________

But, dear readers, that is not all!

I would like to thank you all for sharing in my journey. This blog started out as a journal/brag book of sorts, and has grown into a window into the world of first-time parenting in which I live, laugh and love.

In the beginning I expected this blog to fill a creative void. And it did (and does). The social aspect of blogging, however, took me completely by surprise. I didn't expect to make social connections: to post opinions and ask for others, to start conversations that often end in observations of things I have never considered before, to grow friendships from tiny seeds of ideas. The social aspect of blogging has made this blog worthwhile. So, hats off to all of you!

Look Who's Feeling Better

2008-10-23T23:59:00.036-04:00

You know you're overdue in posting photos of your progeny when you get ~~death threats~~ requests from his adoring public.

Please don't send thugs with cement shoes or sexy assassins to my door. (Big Daddy is sure to object to that last part!) Here are three quick shots snapped today while Little Sprout was racing around the house, burning off bursts of boundless energy.

For the past week everyone (including me) has been sick with head colds at Silly Hat Central.

So I would have welcomed a visit from Guido or a Ninja assassin (to put me out of my misery!) a few days ago. But now we are all thankfully on the mend. I have always said the only thing worse than having a sick man moping around the house is having a sick kid and being sick yourself! *lol* I’m so glad that’s over.

Little Sprout is happy to be feeling more spiffy too. See? After up-ending the drawer of plastic container lids onto the floor, he turned the dishwasher into a drum set. (I captured a short bit of video, but it hasn't been uploaded to YouTube yet.)

This photo should be captioned, "Getting to know you...."

Yep! That's my lil' guy bonding with his Thomas & Friends potty seat — by dragging it all over the house. Wonder where he abandoned his slipper?

Toilet Talk

2008-10-22T23:26:00.014-04:00

I stand (okay, sit) scratching my head at not one, but TWO public service toilet sites out there on the Net:

MizPee
Tagline: “Where to go on the go.”
According to the site: “MizPee finds the closest, cleanest toilet and gives you entertaining reading material once you get there. Since the service is cell phone-based, it’s always with you, when you really need it.”

Sit or Squat
Tagline: “A place to find and record bathrooms anywhere in the world.”
This site shows you the closest place to potty and whether that place qualifies as a sitting or squatting spot.

I can’t decide whether this is a good idea, or a bad idea.

Would you use either of these services? Would you send in a photo of a particularly appealing (or appalling) throne?

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-22T16:20:00.002-04:00

Check out other Wordless Wednesday participants too.

Let Me Have My Words and Eat Them Too

2008-10-20T00:16:00.087-04:00

I love words.

So when Clothilde at Chocolate & Zucchini added an Edible Idiom feature to her website I almost fell out of my chair in glee.

What is an edible idiom? It is Clothilde's series on French idiomatic expressions that relate to food.

This series is such a treat for me. The culinary-inspired phrases she serves up feed my French-starved soul. And the black & white photographs aren't bad either.

Want to play but ne parlent pas français?
Take this English food idiom quiz.
__________________________________________________

Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames
Clothilde's Edible Idioms reminded me of a delightfully diverting 1967 French tome entitled Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames by Louis d'Antin van Rooten.

At first glance, Mots d'Heures: Gousses, Rames is a collection of poems. But these funny little verses are not what they seem. Intended to be read aloud, they are a cleverly transcribed collection of nursery rhymes.

The best way to experience the richness of this silly collection is to uncork a bottle of wine (preferably red) and read it in your best French accent. Several times, until you get it. Try this one:

Chacun Gille
Houer ne taupe de hile
Tôt-fait, j'appelle au boiteur
Chaque fêle dans un broc, est-ce crosne?
Un Gille qu'aime tant berline à fêtard.

It's the Mother Goose rhyme Jack & Jill.

For two more excerpts, click here.

On February 2, 2005, Andrew Hearst wrote about this book on his cultural surveillance blog, Panopticist . I swear his experience was identical to mine, except that I was ~~older than 15~~ out of college when my friend turned me on to The d'Antin Manuscript.

Like Mr. Hearst, the book was out of print when I first learned of it. So I photocopied my friend's book. All 40 pages. Over the years I have hung on to those woefully tattered and faded, binder-clipped pages. Flipping through them once again, the rhymes have not lost their appeal.

Un petit d'un petit
S'etonne au Halles
Un petit d'un petit
Ah! Degres te fallent....

Oh, ha, ha, ha! Such silly fun.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-15T14:01:00.004-04:00

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