The Footiful Girl

I found this painting at a thrift store last week and have been wanting to work on her. When Josh saw me working on her he said, "Oh, a footiful girl!" We think that translates to Beautiful girl! So I thought I would show you before and after.

She was already pretty cute when I found her,

But I wanted her to look more like she had spent time in somebody's attic

I muted the colors, added crackle glaze and a shiny varnish.

I am quite happy with her!

The Reason I am Looking So Tired This Week

I discovered this BBC series at my library this week, they also have it on netflix. I think Miss Vanessa recommended it to me. I am a sucker for pretty much anything set around the turn of the century or earlier. I have been staying up late this week because I just can't seem to stop watching the Forsyte family, and I do have a few projects I am trying to finish up. It is kind of a Victorian soap opera but well acted and nicely put together. There is a second half I started today. Luckily I don't think it is as long so I should get some sleep soon!

Hurray for Blue Skies!

I think maybe because I didn't have to suffer through a Utah inversion last year it was really getting to me this year. I was starting to get claustrophobic. Sunday night a storm showed up to save me. After a day of snow yesterday, which I have to admit we really had a good time playing in, this is what we have!

Welcome back blue sky! Why don't you stay awhile?!

Valentine's Day Babushkas!

I finished a batch of Valentine's Day Babushkas. I guess I can't really call them Matryoshkas because they don't have little sisters inside. I am quite happy with them, wish I had bought more of the heart fabric. I think I just might use this picture as a banner for Valentine's Day!

They are in the shop.

New Funny Guys

I have been wanting to try making a stuffie/doll that was a little more manly for awhile. So I made these guys out of recycled goods. My boys seem to think they are okay, although Joshua thinks they are scary guys. They are going in the shop today, I haven't decided whether to list them as buddies or individually. What do you guys think? Do you like the funny guys?

Spring Fever!

I am wishing for sunny beaches. Utah has one fatal flaw in the winter, it is called inversion. The air basically turns to yuck and won't clear out until we have some kind of storm to shower it clean. So I am missing sunny beaches today. And wishing my little girl was still this little so I could put her in one of these adorable swimsuits from Chasing Fireflies.

Maybe I will stick my boys in one of these instead. Wouldn't this be awesome suspended from Matthew's bedroom ceiling?

A Good Day

I don't get political on my blog. But today, no matter what your political opinions are you have to admit it was amazing to see this. Our first African American president. And to see all of those people who had traveled to fill the Mall in record numbers. The ones watching around the world. Those like me watching in their kitchens. What a good feeling. I hope it lasts.

Long Weekend Entertainment

Okay, so didn't these kids just go back to school? Now they are home with me instead of at school learning about Mr. King. Then tomorrow is a teacher prep day so still no school! Oh well, I am going to make them watch the inauguration with me tomorrow. We are struggling with how to burn off all this boy energy without destroying Grandma's house, furniture, treasures or each other. Today Matthew came up with a great pass-time. A package of plastic cups and he was good for hours.


First you build a big tower


Then you whack it!

Then you build another

And let your sister whack it!

Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

I bought more cups for tomorrow.

New Nesting Dolls

Thanks for all of your kind words about me and facebook, I am feeling much better about myself!

I have been working on these girls for forever it seems and today they finally made it into the Shop!

Facebook and Me!

So before Christmas my sister started telling me how much fun she was having finding old high school friends on facebook. I knew I didn't have time for another time-sucking activity so I wouldn't let myself try it until after Christmas. Can I say I am having so much fun! My high school reunion is this summer, we won' t talk about what number, but facebook is helping me get much more excited. It seems a lot more appealing to hang out with people I now remember for an evening than folks whose names I cannot remember at all! Plus it is giving my girlfriends that I have never lost touch with and I a whole new category of things to giggle about! I have to admit that a ridiculous amount of effort went into finding a picture to post of myself. William says this one looks like I am trying to smile but it is the best we have folks.

However, speaking of giggling, look what I got linked to today? Yep, that is me in the front row. Man, I loved that Gunni Sax dress! I should have been wearing glasses but must have self-consciencely taken them off. If you read my friend Circe's blog she is on the row behind me next to our teacher. My dear friend Sarah is on the other side of Casey, the boy in the wheel chair but for some reason blogger won't let me make the picture small enough for you to see her, I guess she is spared being exploited here! Ah, good times. So you never know what my show up on facebook, or my blog I gues. Now to work on the 15 pounds I need to misplace before this summer...

May I Present Our Spelling Bee Champ!

Today was the school spelling bee at the kids' school. Brittany was one of the three representatives from her fourth grade class. Fourth, fifth and sixth graders participated. She has been working so hard for the last week and a half. Doing online spelling games, typing them over and over again, having us quiz her. Last night we even looked up a pronunciation guide because I was afraid she might miss a word because her mom said it wrong. These were hard words too! Like geosynchronous, sphygomometer, and obstreperous. Well all that hard work paid off! She was the winner out of all three grades! I was so proud of her I almost cried (we won't talk about the heart attack I almost had the entire time she was spelling!). She is a great kid and today she learned that if you work hard enough you can even beat a sixth grader! The picture was taken with her principal who was very impressed a fourth grader won. Way to go Brittany!

By the way, spelling bees are not as much fun if you are two. So Joshua entertained himself by throwing pennies under my shoe. Yep, another genius I am sure. Good thing I was wearing shoes with a heel!

Poppy Seed Bread

Another favorite recipe! This one came from a gal William works who sent it home for Christmas. My kids practically inhaled it, 'cause as you can see it is almost cake. I made it to celebrate or being over the flu, well most of us anyhow.
Throw all the indigents in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
3 C flour
2 1/2 C Sugar
1 1/2 C milk
1 1/8 C oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. of each:
salt
baking powder
vanilla
almond extract
1 T poppy seeds. Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes. Makes two loaves.

New Pendants in the Shop!

I've been trying to get some goodies in the shop for Valentine's Day. Yesterday, as predicted, I was hit by my kids flu. Lucky for me it was the 24 hour variety, especially since William reminded me that was as long as moms are allowed. My friend Circe was impressed I got that long, I told her it was only because I am at my mom's house and she took care of me! Anyway, today is better and the sun is shining so I could take some pictures. I have been playing with Scrabble tiles and vintagey papers. This is the end result and they are in the shop. Well some of them are. Let me know if there is one in the picture you would like that isn't listed. I sort of ran out of steam along the way.

And how was I able to get this done this morning? Remember the sun I mentioned? Joshua was really happy to see it too!

Mac and Cheese

Okay, when I started blogging my reasons were pretty simple. To keep in touch with friends and family and to have a place to share my crazy-craftiness. It still serves these purposes but oh so much more. I have found it a very handy place to keep track of things I don't want to forget. During this move I have discovered that the only recipes that I have from my trusty cookbook, you know the good one that you add to yourself and that is all splattered in all kinds of batter, are here on this blog. Unless of course they originated with my mother, thank heaven's I still have her! So I am going to keep adding recipes, gluten-free and otherwise if for no one's benefit but my own.

William had a real craving for macaroni and cheese after he found some decent pasta. This is really his recipe, modified from a few others. Again the good cookbook is in storage so here it is going to live before I lose the scrap of paper it is written on. Oh, and it really looked better than this when it came out of the oven. I forgot to take it's picture so this is the reheated version.

Sauce:

12 oz evaporated milk

3 T butter

2 T cornstarch

This goes into a saucepan, the cornstarch mixed in while things are still cold.

Add:

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1/4 t cayenne pepper

After it has heated enough to thicken add

1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 C medium cheddar

Combine that with 8 oz prepared pasta and put in casserole pan to bake for 30 min at 375

Yummy!

My New Exercise Program!

It's called Dancing with Josh. A lot more fun than yoga!

New Matryoshkas!

I have been working on a new design for the Matryoshkas lately. Not sure why since I probably won't be able to sell them when the toxic toy bill takes effect February 10. If you haven't heard about how Handmade toys will become endangered species go here to read about it. Anyhow, I wanted to get these made for Valentine's Day so I am hoping they will be in the shop tomorrow!
**They are in the Shop now!**

The Ticking Time-bomb

Okay so today my boys and I were sharing an unusually affectionate moment. Unusual not because they aren't cuddly boys but because I usually don't slow down long enough to take time to snuggle them. So here we are on the couch, although you can tell they are much more into the television show we were watching than me. I am thinking to myself in this picture "Gee, I really ought to do this more often. Soon my boys won't let me snuggle them at all. I am really going to enjoy these moments!"

About three hours later this boy, this super-cute, wonderful, funny, cuddly boy is... big time sick. Lots of sore tumminess and finally the dreaded puking. So now I am afraid I am a ticking time-bomb. I mean my mommy antibodies are good but are they that good. Only time will tell.

Big News!

Isn't that a beautiful image right up there? Yep, it is true, our house in California is officially under contract to a buyer! I can't tell you how nervous it makes me to even type the words. I might jinx it somehow you know? Which is why I haven't said anything until all the paperwork was signed and approved. So now please forgive my pitiful post from here. Although who knows, all those lovely positive thoughts and comments I got as a result must have really helped! We still have a couple of weeks until the sale is completed so things will be a bit tense until then. We do have the much more enjoyable task of finding the next house though. We have a short list so hopefully it won't be long. I will show you a picture when I know for sure!

Oh, and my laptop displayed the dreaded blue screen of death, as my husband calls it, this morning. So I am using my dad's, but I may not be around for a bit. Let's hope super-husband can fix it!

"Don't Eat the Bad Guy!"

This "Joshy-ism" is so funny I had to share it! Last night for a special treat my hubby was making me a lobster tail for dinner. He called the kids over to see how neat it is when the tail turns from grayish brown to red. When he held Josh up for his turn he became very upset. "Bad Guy! Bad Guy!" I guess in his two year old world it was definitely not a good guy, and turning colors sealed the deal! In fact he is standing at my elbow as I type insisting I just posted a picture of a "Bad Guy!" Imagine what would happen if we had a whole, live lobster!

One of my Favorite Gifts

Don't you love it when someone gives you a gift you didn't know you wanted? William did that this Christmas, he is really good at it actually and did it a couple of times this year. This post is about the new markers he gave me. About 30 brand new, super juicy, bright colored, never-been-used-by-kids, markers. And I love them! He and my dad were watching the Sugar bowl last night (way to go Utes!) so I had a chance to play with them. I wish my doodles were more accomplished but here they are. Some things I am hoping to work on, maybe for Valentine's Day.

So if you want some fun, and want to remember how fun drawing was when you were 10 go get some new, super juicy, bright colored, never-been-used-by-kids, markers!

Happy New Year!

Mr. Joshua has put on his best hat to help me wish my blogland friends a Happy New Year! I am confident 2009 is going to be a great year. Thank you for all the great sympathy on my last post, I knew I could count on you guys for that! Things just may come right sooner than later, but I am not going to even type a word until it is a sure thing! I hope you are all having a lovely holiday and enjoy a fabulous New Year!