Again

So this Sunday is my second & final craft show. It's in Orange & I'll be selling my "baubles" along with my co-worker Bronwen who's selling her dolls & other baby items. Her aunt is an herbalist & sells delicious spices/rubs & teas. There will also be pottery & other items for sale. Again, this very small event is free but I'd love it if you could swing buy.

The address is 1420 E. Mayfair, Orange & is in a women's front yard so dress weather appropriately.

The Most Beautiful Thing I've Ever Made

So here it is. The dress that almost didn't get built. It's for SCR's "A Christmas Carol". The actress plays Uncle Scrooge's Niece In-law. The actress that had played "Sally" for 15 years didn't return this year & since there's no way to have made her size 14 gown fit the new 5'0" actress, I got to make a new one. That's write people! No pattern, no instructions, nothing but a rendering & the old gown. I started with a blank piece of paper & armed with my Hunnisett book I ventured out into the world of a cutter.

Here's the back view. The gown is made of embroidered silk, with silk organza oversleeves. I made silk piping for each of the seams in the bodice & made her hoop petticoat too!

The designer opted out of the butt bow (which thrilled me) & wanted what I soon named a "butt corsage". But I didn't want stupid looking rosettes that I already knew how to make (although very poorly) so I taught myself to make ribbon roses only used the silk fabric rather than ribbon.


Those are hand beaded sleeves caps, thank you very much!

Needless to say I'm tremendously proud of this gown. Mostly I'm proud of the patterning I had to accomplish & that even my mock fit great. Making the finished gown was just the icing on the cake.

Thanks for letting me brag. I LOVE my job!

I Fondue. Do you?

We threw Daryl a 30th birthday party tonight. It was fun. I love throwing parties for people. That was the idea behind my "Food Survey" post. I offered Daryl any meal he wanted for his birthday but he needed to decide. He didn't. He said having an blank slate made it too hard. So I finally decided for him.

I decided on "Food on a Stick". Which thankfully Daryl really seemed to enjoy. I served fruit skewers & meatballs (no, not on the same stick) for appetizers & a build your own kabob with bar pita bread wedges on a stick for the main course. I left the pitas in the over too long so they were like pita chips but they still tasted okay with the dill sauce I made.

For dessert we had fondue. That's more work than I thought it would be. Apparently if you double a chocolate fondue recipe it more than quadruples the cooking time. I also made a marshmallow cream fondue. Tasty. Now that I've fondued, I'll be a little better at gauging how much time I need. Regardless, it was tasty. More importantly the food & company was enjoyed by all. (Not to mention a game of pictionary with minimal mocking).

Happy Birthday Daryl! I hope you know you're loved by many.

So This time I'm Early

Happy Birthday Dani! I know I'm an hour early but I'm usually at least a day late with these. I hope you have a great Thanksgiving Day & an even better Birthday! We miss you! Happy Birthday, girl!

Food Survey

I've a question for you all. Here's the scenario: A good friend has offered to have a dinner for you. The only catch is you need to choose what to eat. That friend has offered to home cook or order in anything you'd like. What do you request and do you prefer this home cooked or order in?

O.k. this is where you all comment back with an idea.

Is My Job Great or What!

Here are some photos of my Earthworm for James & the Giant Peach. The show closes this weekend so I'm glad I finally remembered my camera to capture it on Tom. It's just not the same on a dress form.


















You can see that the designer made several changes from her rendering to the final product but I still think it's fantastic. Angela always has great designs for the children's shows. But that's not pre-quilted & ribboned fabric my friends. No, no, no. That's shiny, salmon spandex quilted onto muslin over various levels of batting. Yes I made a sleeping bag. Poor Tom is going to die of dehydration after wearing this thing for 3 weeks. He's a great sport though.

Here's a photo of Di as the spider. I made her costume too.
Tom & Di are significant others & their baby's due in Febuary. I'm going to make a baby worm hat out of left over pieces from Tom's costume. They're gonna love it.

Sorry for the brag session but I'm really pleased with these ones.

Grandma Fell

Ok guys my family needs your prayers. My 83-year old, 89 pound grandmother fell on Saturday. She broke her wrist & really hurt her pelvis (hospital 1 said it was broken, hospital 2 said it wasn't). She's been transferred to a care facility really close to her home & my mom's. Please pray for the Lord's will in Grandma's healing & pain & for peace & strength for my mom.

Thanks!

Other than the nurse, social worker, teacher thing, okay

You Are An ESFJ

The Caregiver You are sympathetic and caring, putting friends and family first. A creature of habit, you prefer routines and have trouble with change. You love being in groups - whether you're helping people or working on a project. You are good at listening, laughing, and bringing out the best in people. You would make a great nurse, social worker, or teacher.

What's Your Personality Type?

Can't Complain to Me

Every year we all complain that everyone else is hard to Christmas shop for. I'm breaking the trend this year & letting you all know what I want: Home Depot gift cards.

Kaisara & I have one last room that's nicotine stained from the previous occupant of our condo. Sad, I know. We've been here almost 6 years & we're still wiping brown crud off the walls of our master bath walls after a shower. Sick dude! That crap's in your lungs!

ANYWHOOOOO, I want the brown crud gone & covered with new paint, I want the yucky linoleum replace with new tile & I want to hang a decent light fixture & towel rack. I ain't gots the dough for any of that let alone all of it so my solution is Christmas. Bring on the gift cards!!

Yum

Just so y'all know...this stuff's AWESOME

Especially over warm homemade-from-scratch brownies.

Happy Birthday, Nei!

Today is Kaisara's sister, Luanei's, birthday. I think this is only the second or third year that I've gotten her & her mom's birthdays straight. I guess I'm a little slow.

Here's a picture of her when she was the age that her oldest son, Sai, is now. Cutie huh?

Happy Birthday girl! I hope your day is a happy one. I love you!

Great Show

A group of us went to see Jars of Clay perform at Biola University last night. I haven't heard any of their new stuff other than a hymn CD they put out last year (which I love). Other than that, I've only got their first 2 CDs that were out in 1995 & 1997. I love them I just haven't kept up with them. Regardless, it was a great show with great friends & I'm now I'm off to use up the last of my birthday iTunes gift card to download their latest CD of which a portion of the proceeds go to provide clean drinking water to Africa through their charity Blood Water Mission.

Third Grade Geography

I didn't pass this test until my second try. How 'bout you?

Yesterday is a blurr

The day started at 6:30. That's A.M people! Dana & I have gotten up for 7 mornings (in a row, thank you very much) & walked before work. We decided that since it was Saturday we'd sleep in a little & meet at 7:30 (again, that's A.M.). While setting my alarm I somehow turned my clock an hour earlier. So I was up at 6:30 & didn't know it until I was out of the door. Back in I went to kill an hour. I thought it best not to go back to bed 'cause that'd be murder trying to get up again. I got the car loaded with my craft fair stuff, 2 loads of laundry going, & wrapped a "welcome to the country" present.

After our walk I readied myself for the craft fair & headed out. I didn't sell anything but 1 of my coworkers showed up & ordered a buable in purple.

I left the show early to pick up Kaisara & went with our wrapped gift to Sharon's welcome to the country party that she & Steve threw for her sister, Ruth & family. Delicious burgers grilled to perfection I might add ;-)

We left the party & I dropped Kaisara off at Dana's for band practice & picked up Lydia to hang out. We made caramel apples for the whole lot of us. The band picked us up for their dinner break, we went back home & watched "Big Fish" then went to Dana's to enjoy caramel apples with the group, drop Lydia off & pick up Kaisara.

We arrived home & collapsed.

Wow. I Think I'm Embarassed.

Orange County

You're rich, pretty, and living a charmed life. (Or you seriously wish you were.) From Disneyland to Laguna Beach, you're all about living the California dream life. Just make sure to marry rich - so you don't have to work for it!

Where Does Your Inner Californian Belong?