Sheer Amazing Genius

...and somehow fitting during finals week. This dude is my hero currently. Read his books. NOW.

No Photos, So I'll Keep it Short

My parents came to visit for a few hours and we ventured downtown. Turns out I drive past the public library every Friday and have never seen it. Oops. Well, anyways, we went exploring downtown and happened upon a particularly fantastic antique shop. "Antique shop" sounds awfully pretentious if you ask me, but this shop was well organized, had a good price range, and was actually pretty family friendly. Mom is eternally searching for a specific type of cookware and a replacement for our faulty dinning room chair set. I love looking for old photos, quilts, jewelry, etc. I'm pretty easy to entertain at these places. Dad, however, likes old tools and toys that he remembers having because he gets to tell stories, which I really do enjoy. The thing that really gets his goat, however, is marbles. Not just any marbles, those abnormally large ones hidden in jars of smaller ones. 

We found several collections of marbles, mom found some furniture items and plate wares she looked at for awhile, and I found some supremely groovy canister sets. We just looked around, but we found some awesome things. My personal favorites: 

• An 8 mm camera that sounded like it might still work ($20)
• A super long framed photo from WWII soldiers in the south pacific ($65)
• A dated wedding photo, 1929, AND the wedding dress in the photo ($70)

I don't need any of these items, of course, but I really can't stop thinking about them. The men in the WWII photo all look so....human. They are happy, in the prime of their lives, and staring at me from over sixty years ago. The wedding photo is amazing because she's staring at me from even further back in time, and yet I can hold the clothing she had on in my hand. The camera is just amazingly retro and cool, but more than that, what if it could capture life again? I have no idea where you'd even begin, but its still an interesting idea. 

Required Viewing

Hey, you. Yes, you. You MUST watch this. Why? Because its Friday night and you are surfing the tubes instead of running a marathon or saving African children, so you must be bored or something. Here, watch this: 

In case you need distracted from finals...

...or are a little high. 

Yarn Dolls

No, they're not voodoo dolls. Well, that's not what I made them for. My mom is a school nurse and as part of her Christmas, I'm hoping to make some small toys for her office. I want them all to be the kind of things that if a kid took a liking to it, it would be okay for them to go on to a new home. I found instructions for these little guys here . I made both of these in just a few minutes and would recommend this project to anyone, especially if you had young kids to entertain.  

Jingle Bells

Despite the mountain of things I should have been doing, I crafted last night.There was success and there was failure. Since blogger's formatting is being less than loving right now, I guess I'll start with the failures.

There are little conveyor belt like thingys on a sewing machine known as feeder dogs (I have no idea why they're called that). Well, mine are from the early 1970s and they are quite unhappy to still be asked to help the fabric get through the machine. So instead, they try to eat some light weight fabrics and sometimes they just get lazy and cause the above havoc. 

A sewing machine works by feeding thread through both the top and bottom of a fabric. Basically, the needle with thread goes down through the fabric and catches the fabric being feed through the bottom making a stitch. Depending on the type and thickness of a fabric the tension must be adjusted to get even stitches so the bottom doesn't bunch up like the above photo.

To be fair and honest, not all of the problems with this little wallet is my sewing machines fault, of course. I can't particularly sew in a straight line when I'm hurrying (bad idea) and I didn't plan very well. I didn't make a pattern or template and cut rather haphazardly (also bad idea). However, all things considered, I kinda like this wallet. I was going for a single pocket, but ended up with two (long story). The fabric is ADORABLE and I kinda like the wonkiness.

I've almost got three feet of the Doctor Who scarf completed. Thankfully. I need...uh, 7 more feet, but at least I have that much. Also, it is super soft and super cute in person. I'm kind of in love. 

If you're feeling overwhelmed...

Still Here

Me dressed up (!) really early one morning 

I guess you'd probably guess I've become a youtube junkie if you've been following as of late. Unfortunately, college has been eating up a lot of my time. You see, there's this paper on Faustus (2 extensions later) that's making me want to look into the soul selling business, an epic end of term paper on Wicca that keeps getting longer and more complicated, a chemistry class that is kicking my butt, and two other classes that aren't that complicated,

 just one more thing to do. I've also been struggling with financial aid and the bureaucracy of colleges. With all that said, there is a light at the end of the tunnel: Thanksgiving Break coming up and Christmas only 42 days away! 

The hat addiction continues: 2 baby hats, 5 kid sized hats, 3 adult sized hats. One of which I really need to just claim as mine. Funny that I keep making hats but I don't have one! I should fix that.

My current project is a long one: one of my best friends asked me to knit her a scarf for a Christmas gift. Sure, I thought. One thing though: she wanted a Doctor Who inspired scarf approximately 10 feet long. O.O I don't think I could ever knit something that long as slow as I knit, so I'm definitely loom knitting this puppy. She didn't care about the colors, thankfully, but I decided to check at Wal-Mart for some softer type yarns. Lo and behold, Wal-Mart now carries a limited selection of Vanna's Choice! This yarn is super soft, easy to work with, and now you can pick some up with the milk. It is on the pricier side of Wal-Mart yarn, (about $5 a skein, though $3.99 online) but completely worth it. The best part is all of the colors work really well together, so hopefully random stripes will look great on this scarf. I need to knit faster though! 

Forget the Pony, I Want a Tiny Hippo

You look like you need a funny

My Endorsment

I know its almost a cliche for a young college student to be moved to vote for a young, hip, candidate. However, this is the man that's won my vote. I believe with the deepest sincerity that we are all valuable human beings on this planet and within this nation. It is simply wrong to ignore the suffering around us and to duck our heads when doom is coming and attempt to divide ourselves by blaming others, hence escaping blame ourselves. I think with such a charismatic leader, we have the chance to truly make a difference, both here and around the world. 

I hope you vote, and if you don't believe in voting, I hope you will at least donate your time or money and help make a sincere difference not only now, but years into the future.

Etsy Finds

I'm avoiding studying for chemistry, so here's some pretty for you! (Edit: Links are up now. Sorry!)

I love this adorable ode to one of the coolest superheroes ever. From Gr0glmann.

Aww, softie love fest. ^_^Found over at Cuore's shop. 

This lovely necklace is actually quite light weight, yay for aluminum, and quite a deal! Find it over at nicholasandfelice's shop, or here. 

And the creme de la creme of tonight's esty browsing, KungFuCowgirl's shop is full of adorable goodies, but these elephants are just too adorable! Quick grab one!

JDP: Toe in the Water

I will confess, I don't know how to quilt. No idea really. Yes, theoretically,  you cut out some pieces, you sew them together, you put some \ fluff in between the top  bottom fabrics, then sew it all together (quilt it), and lastly bind off the edges. But....I don't feel like I know.

Well, I've started my first quilting project, ready or not. I've got a sketch, some rough dimensions, and I cut out the border. There is nothing like laying scissors to fabric to commit yourself to a project; cutting out the pieces sort of freaks me out, not going to lie. I'm pretty sure I've got all the fabric I need to complete this project, but I need to pick up some more thread. I have a feeling this could get interesting. 

Currently Obsessed With Cable Knits

I am seriously in love with cable knits right now. I am blaming the fabulous fall weather, though the leaves haven't really changed quite yet and its supposed to rain the rest of the week. Of course, I've developed quite a soft spot for fancy-pants knitting projects as of late, whatever the pattern.

Photo credit (which happens to be a lovely knitting blog) 

Whatever the cause, its quite frustrating because my knitting skills are still, uh, lacking. I use a loom for my hats and such (speaking of, I finished two hats over the weekend), though I really would like to pick up the traditional two needles. Perhaps a project to tackle in earnest after the holidays. 

Anyways, I can always put cable knitting on my quickly growing list of craft skills I wish I had. Or, there's always etsy....

John Deere Project

I want to make my nephew a John Deere themed quilt or blanket for Christmas. Two of these prints are from the dollar table at Marshall's, my fabric store of choice. (By the way, this sexy awesome amazing fabric store is now online!) The rest are because I had a bad day and had to make a Wal-Mart run and simply couldn't walk away. Yes, I am a fabric-holic.

Anyways, I'm not quite sure how to actually go about it yet. I don't know how big to make it because he's almost 1 year old and I don't know how fast I can work on my first large sewing project. 

I'm planning on sketching out some possible patterns and looking around the internet, and of course, I'd love suggestions if you have any.  I can't wait to blog about this! 

Photography

Butterfly at OKC Zoo

I have a pretty nice camera, but I will admit that I don't really know what to do with it. Honestly, I didn't think it was even all that great of a camera until a 12 year old borrowed it and took an awesome photo of his plaid pants. Who knew, you know?

The Boy has since attempted to explain photography to me and supplied me with several links to wikipedia articles. I hope to have them read soon and that they might actually help. Maybe. 

In the mood to vote for something guaranteed to not fail you?

I know I sure am. I enjoy politics, don't get me wrong, but sometimes, I want to just pick a favorite that won't let me down. Such as, "Huh, do I want to knit or sew all afternoon?" Of course, I haven't had a whole afternoon in a while now, and I know you, gentle reader, are probably reading this on your cell phone, while making dinner, with a baby on your lap, and a disgruntled kindergartner screaming at you. Or at least a physics test you should have started studying for, uh, yesterday looming. 

That's why I am digging ivoteforart.com. Artists (or yourself) post their works and you get to vote for them to promote them to the front page. The works are also for sale, so if you find something shiney, you can buy it. The art I've been seeing on there is hip, modern, and way cool. Great for inspiration or 5 minutes worth of distraction. 

So there's your really cool website for the day. Enjoy! 

Ending of Pimp My Dorm Month

Seems like the New York Times and I had similar ideas. Well, sorta. I am not finishing grad school with a great little apartment in New York City. I can flatter myself at least we were on the same track. Anyways, I enjoyed the theme and I hope ya'll did too. 

I'm super excited about October this year. I think October may be my favorite month. Beautiful weather, fantastic holiday, and loads of events and such happening. What's not to love? 

from the camping trip last weekend

I'm looking forward to crafting for the holidays (only 81 days to Christmas Eve!) and sharing some of those projects here. I have some lovely fabrics and yarns just begging to become gifts.

PMD: Guest Post!

Today's post is from Rachel Millsop, mountain biking diva extraordinaire!   

How long have you interested in design? Ever since I was little I remember always being interested in design; I used to watch HGTV as a kid. I have been fascinated by spatial relationships. I love architecture and have a little bit of interest in landscape design.  

Can you tell me a little about your major or career plans?

 Well, I started out being an art major. After my second semester in college I decided to change my major to psychology (quite a jump). Hopefully I will be able to blend my art passion and my interest in psychology together. I hope to become an art-therapist after I graduate. This way I can utilize my interest in art and help people with their issues at the same time. Who knows, I may change my major again to design...we'll just have to see how things pan out.

How much do you think a design can affect someone?

 I believe design can affect individuals. Just think, everyone has their own opinions, likes/dislikes when it comes to design, so naturally design can be a large part of an individuals' life. To most people, their home is a sanctuary; the design that is chosen reflects an individuals' personal style and personality. Design lets people express themselves.

 How does color, design, and the arrangement of a space affect someone? Color has a major impact on an individual; bright colors can lift you up, and energize you. Dark colors are soothing, calming, and relaxing. Colors can affect individuals' mood and activities. I beleieve color choice in the home is especially important. Arrangement of space depends on the individual. A cluttered space may seem "more like home" to one person, while the next feels claustrophobic. 

Do you have a favorite color, photo, or song that makes a hard day easier? Usually if I'm having a hard day, looking at pictures of nature helps to calm and makes me feel at peace.

What are some of the pros and cons of a typical small living space, such as a dorm or starting apartment? Some of the pros are: less area to clean up and easier to decorate. Cons are not enough room and  not full ability to decorate (such as paint the walls).

Since you are an avid biker and enjoy card making, how do you deal with storage of your bike and supplies? This has continually been a problem that I have had to deal with. I now have 3 bikes, but luckily I have been able to live in spaces that have more room. My first semester I lived in a dorm that had an extra room for my (and my roommates) bikes. Now I live in an apartment off-campus with a bunch of teammates, and we use the entrance hallway as a line-up for our bikes. My art stuff has created more of a problem. I have a lot of stuff that I like to have with me. I use storage boxes and containers to store all of my art stuff together in a small space. I have had to leave some of my art stuff at home because I do not have the room to keep it all with me. I would really like to take my sewing machine with me, but it is way too big, so it stays home. The essential art materials I do take with me to college, and use often.

How have you personalized your space(s)? Any project you particularly have enjoyed? 

I have put up a lot of photos and posters around my room. I have also some of my bike parts (an extra frame, and odds and ends pieces) hanging up on my wall for art. I really enjoyed making curtains for my windows. They took quite a bit of time, but they are the most useful thing I have put in my room so far. 

Is there anything you just can't live without or that you really recommend including in a dorm room? The pasta cooker I have it really great in a dorm room situation. Also, good lighting I think is really important. Organization tools, storage containers, decorative boxes, baskets, ect. can be extremely helpful with creating a dorm room. Anything that makes you feel at home and comfortable in your space is a must.

What's your favorite... a) color, b) type of art or craft, c) food, d) book, e) movie. 

Color: Red, Orange, & Yellow

Type of art/craft: greeting card making

Food: Anything Italian

Book: The Magus

Movie: Life or Something Like It and Memento

I'm learning

This sewing machine was my Aunt June's. The built in light is out (hence the obnoxious desk lamp in the background), the feeder dogs are lazy at best, and I've already managed to break a needle. I love this machine. 

I still don't really know what I'm doing, but I do know how to thread it and how hypothetically I should wind a bobbin. Except I don't have enough umph to turn the stupid release yet. All in good time I suppose... 

I've wasted a lot of thread in the last two days. I've failed a lot in general, actually. But you know what? Sewing makes me happy. I can't really understand why I am not frustrated (I guess that's what chemistry is for) or why I am not angry at my poor, tired, machine (that's what old politicians are for), but I am not either of those things. Its rather nice. 

PMD: Personalize

There's nothing more depressing than a sterile dorm room. Its true that most people I know have more trouble with clutter than a blank slate, but I know of the occassional room where everything simply MUST have a PURPOSE. Its true that it can be difficult packing everything you need and everything that makes you feel at home into your tiny Prius to treck thousands of miles from home, but realistically a $4 (or $20) poster, stuffed animal, or whatever can make all the difference. I personally think every dorm should have at least one (offline) photo, lest you appear Dexter-like, or at the very least put your peeps on your screen saver. Sometimes life sucks and its important that your room makes you happy and not remind you of a prison. 

Besides, when you invite someone into your room, you'll appear quite lovable with a WALL-E at your desk. (Who could say no to a face like this? You'll at least get some pizza out of the deal...)

A word on poster selection (that time honored constant of dorm decor): Put up whatever poster you happen to like. Whether its a landscape or your heroes, within reason, ignore your roommate....

even if you are in the heart of Republican teritory. Just put it on the inside of your closet door.

Australian Crafty Love

I'm a google reader junkie, I admit. When I get all my feeds read, I add more. Its an odd sort of addiction. I've been collecting crafty blogs mostly and I'm always surprised by the variety of bloggers that are out there writing about their craft. 

Particularly today, when I found this crafty fellow. He's (apparently) an astrophysict who teaches high school, has two cats, from AUSTRALIA, and he knits. He does weekly podcasts and let me tell you, its not just the knitting patterns that will get a girl motivated, if you catch my accent lovin' drift. ^__^ 

Anyways, I have mucho homework I should be doing this weekend, but instead I've finished the second season of weeds and started another hat. Sigh. 

PMD: Organization

I'll admit, I suck at staying organized for more than a week at a time. I'll do really good for a few days but then I'll do laundry and forget to put it up for a few hours, and then I throw my dirty clothes on the floor in the corner to keep the clean clothes off the bed and.... well, you get the idea. Living in a dorm doesn't really help, what with the lack of real estate and the pile of textbooks that inevitably end up on the floor, the better to trip over when I need to go to the bathroom at 4 am. 

To make it worse, I've become crafty. With all the tiny buttons, sale fabrics, and odds and ends that set my heart a flutter lately, its getting harder to contain all of the stuff  I've acquired. My weakness is yarn. At $1.87 for this absolutely FABULOUS yarn (found it at the Evil Empire of Wal-Mart, I admit it) its the cheapest thrill I can get. (No, seriously, if you have any appreciation at all for yarn, this is pretty much amazing. Best hats yet!) Yarn may keep me entertained for hours, but I have these small-ish odd sized balls left over that run amok. 

Fortunately, I've found these adorable little red cubes at Fred's, a local dollar type store. They are really durable and hold my office things, such as staplers and paper clips, as well as odds and ends of yarn. They meet all my criteria of functional home decor: cheap, cute, and durable. What more can anyone ask for? 

Uh-oh

The hat making has returned with a vengence. Two of these hats already have a home, they just need to be taken to the post office (assuming I can find it), but the white one is just so sumptuous... I may have to work extra hard to find someone to adopt it. 

Anyways, TJ/Ike/laziness sorta derailed my pimp my dorm plans for last week, but never fear! More are on the way. And most likely more hats. >.< 

Meet T.J.

Oh sure, Tiger Junior (T.J.) looks all cute and innocent right here. But really, he's a Tiny Jihadist  whose only goal is to DESTROY.

See? He's a total terrorist. 

Thankfully, he's still a little jetlagged. There's hope he can be caught yet!

(Disclaimer: I do know what day it is, and what month, and I am not religiously intolerant. I'm only making fun of my cat, who is currently sleeping on my lap, and the current political climate. Not that any of you care, I'm just pointing it out for prosterity.) 

PMD: Shag is Not the Answer

I'm not really sure why, but colleges tend to brag about flooring in thier admissions material, especially in new or renovated dorms that have hard wood floors. I lived in a brand spanking new dorm last year, complete with hard woods, and they were consistently cold and remarkably easy to scratch. This year, I'm in a 1970s era "apartment" with the same cheap carpeting from elementary school. Its ugly and about as easy to keep clean as a toddler. 

However, I don't care! I covered most of the ugly carpeting with a fabulous rug:  

This groovy little number is canvas, so it will last basically forever and is washer friendly. The colors are a little off in the picture, but its a lovely light blue that looks pretty good with my chocolate brown bedding. Found it at Lowe's, that evil empire of home goods.

So, if you've been assigned to a year of cheap "hard wood" or gross carpet, you'll want a rug that's a) washable, b) durbale fabric, c) not an obscene color. Shag will only trap allergins, and whatever other foul things you might track in, and will probably fall apart if you try to throw it in the industrial strength washer.

If you do put a rug on hard woords, you might want to tape it down to prevent sliding. There are some handy non-skid strips available for purchase, but any tape that won't destroy the finish on wood or rug will work too. Be sure to test an inconspicous corner before duct taping. A good rule to follow no matter what, actually... 

Pimp My Dorm Month

Dorm life can be crazy amazing. I mean, what can be better than a printer jam at 3 am, cold pizza that is most likely a biohazard, and a roommate that could possibly qualify as crazy? Obviously the tiny hole housing assigned you to, of course!

I'm declaring September Pimp My Dorm Month here at inklingspot. Why? Well, because I said so and because tiny bland dorms can be seriously depressing. Besides, they don't have to be sad little holes. Really! 

I have a mystery guest bloger lined up (I know, how excited are you?), some nifty style ideas, and if anyone has any tricks they've used to make their dorm room homier, I WANT TO KNOW! Send me pictures or whatever. 

September is going to be pimp. Really. 

Froggies

My Dad, manly man that he is, has always been freaked out by those green tree frogs. I always thought of them as ninjas of the woodlands, clinging to everything, waiting for the right moment to attack. Or something. They are pretty sweet little slimy critters though, ninjas or not.


I made this little guy at the beginning of the summer out of old t-shirts. I am super surprised he turned out this well because when I printed out the pattern, I proceeded to mutilate it. I mean, if you look close enough, he's got a Finding Nemo inspired leg issue. I also failed to locate thread and ended up using blue embroidery thread. I love the little guy all the same, but hopefully sometime soon I can make him a less gimpy mate. Mere weeks before my local Wal-Mart stopped selling crafty items, I bought a printed cross stitch sampler for a baby blanket. I bought a few skeins of embroidery thread and didn't worry too much about acquiring the rest of the thread. Which leads to this freakily eyeless frog in the rain. Fast forward a year or more, I finally bought the remaining thread at Marshall's Fabric Store. I've finished quite a bit more on these, probably because I cross stitched at Six Flags and other weird locations this summer, so I might someday finish this quilt. Maybe.

Thoughts on Bread

I love bread. On the trip to San Francisco, we went to Boudin Bakery on Fisherman's Warf. The fact that it was a tourist trap and packed with people was all made null and void because it was positively packed with golden brown goodness in the form of bread. People from all over the world, with lots of beautifully mingling accents, all tried to communicate their need of bread. Any time a war starts, I always wonder if they could at least agree on the goodness of a good loaf of bread. Unless they are some of those anti-carb heathens, in which case, pass the T-Bone and celery?

Each native land has their own way of doing bread. Manna, sourdough, whatever. My people, Southerners, have an affinity for corn bread and the biscuit or roll found on almost every dinner table. Last week, I decided I HAD to have my all time favorite biscuit recipe before I went back to school.

First, we were out of buttermilk. A quick google search, I learned that lemon juice + milk will substitue. Maybe? The reciepe called for 90 degrees F water for the yeast. I could not find a thermometer that read under 110 degrees F. I ended up using a digital meat probe.

One of things I like about baking bread is its touchy feely-ness; the next step was heating until lukewarm. Now, I know what it meant, but that is one of the vaguest temperatures ever. I ended up poking my finger in it ever couple of seconds.

I rolled out this beautiful dough and reached towards Nirvana cutting out the neat little circles of beautiful light wheat floured goodness. Ah.

AND THEN

I was cleaning up and noticed that the yeast packaged had already expired- a year ago. It was too late to do anything, they were already in the oven, but I panicked. If it was just substituting for buttermilk or just the possibility of bad yeast, I think I would have just shrugged it off. But two boo-boos? How could this divine gift direct from God be acceptable with two major mistakes?

They turned out perfectly. I learned that bread is indeed the most magical of foods, forgiving and beautiful in its many forms. Its comforting and peaceful and its a food that everyone, no matter the culture, can find something to love. Of course, I also learned to always check the expiration dates.

Transfer Student

I would like to see statistics on how many people transfer colleges. I'm doing it and so are several people from my high school class. Not that my high school class is a good indicator; we've always done crazy things like that.

I once changed my major on a flip of a coin, and I feel a lot like that about this decision. In about a month, I've applied and deposited to a new college. I'm leaving the big university for a private religiously affiliated college. I started out with about 18,000 classmates and will now have 500.

You, gentle reader, may be inclined to ask me why I would make such a drastic change in so short of time. You might also want to inquire on my mental health and if you over the age of 55, you may want to know what my PLAN might be. Because I must have a PLAN.

Well, I do have a plan. Sort of. I want to enjoy my undergraduate degree AND finish it, whatever it ends up being. I really want to indulge my need to craft and volunteer. I want to be a Big Fish again. I want to be closer to my family. I want to go to graduate school. And maybe rule Cuba one day. Just kidding.

I've decided in the last month that I'm okay with a little debt. The Boy has been supportive (as always) and I believe that this decision is in my best interest. I think.

And that's how I decided to transfer. I'm scared, of course. New place, new faces. Probably a new major. Maybe it will work out. Hope so, anyways.

Ch-Ch-Changes

Well, I made it back to The Homeland from the wilds of California. It was an awesome vacation that deserves a full post. I also should post about my transferring colleges and my latest crafty plottings. Maybe tomorrow.

But first, you may have noticed something different about this blog. (Okay, probably not, but maybe you'll actually leave google reader to check out what changed. Like, now.) The Boy worked some tech god magic and made this blog an honest to goodness website, making up for being gone most of the summer. Isn't it gorgeous? I'm probably a little partial, but I think its great. Its a little creepy/amusing that he could do that without me knowing, but hey, not complaining.

I feel really behind on most of my projects, but I did get about half of my school shopping done today. I now have bras, blue jeans, and a new backpack (notice the order of importance). My family always gets those sorts of items on the cheap at a Vanity Fair outlet in Missouri in one big shopping trip. As much as I hate to admit it, I actually followed those silly fashion magazines advice and got all dark wash and straight legged jeans for this year. They are all FREAKING awesome; I'm in love. However, my jeans were between $5 and $22. So they can basically suck their fashion advice because I did it better. So there.

School shopping is one of my absolutely favorite activities. I CAN'T WAIT until I can rip open a package of G2 Pilots and slip them into my fabulous pencil case next to a brand spankin' new notebook....Ah. So good. Even better, my new backpack? Its brown on the outside and bright blue on the inside. Same colors as my senior prom dress and backboard for my science fair project. Its a good omen.

Stating the Obvious

It is HOT. I know a lot of people already know this, but I read some chick's blog from Australia who just gushed about how lovely the weather was being winter and all down under, and then The Boy had to tell me how chilly it was with a sea breeze.... So, I just had to share how HOT it is in The (very much land locked) Homeland right now: 95 degrees F, 47% humidity, and a heat index of 103 degrees F (39 degrees C, if anyone cares to know.) All numbers courtesy of NOAA.

I keep knitting onwards and worshiping the (brand new) central air unit. It might actually look like a dish towel soon, or be large enough to photograph; either way. I have grand ambitions to actually complete one t-shirt refashioning this weekend, but I can really only cross my fingers on that one.

On the bicycle front, a quick search tells me that Murray was bought out in 1986, again in 2000, filled for bankruptcy in 2004, and has been bought out since. The Murray Illusions 10 seems to have been a cheap bicycle that no one really cared about then or now. Which is really too bad. I haven't given up on the old bugger yet, but its not looking good.

In Whence I Attempt Blogging With Dial-Up

Lord, do I hate dial-up. Or more importantly, do I ever hate that dial-up is the ONLY option for the internet out here. Especially when facebook decides to release a new version. Or I want to chat with The Boy. Oy.

Well, I finally got some flippin' amazing watermelon today. Ah, I needed a reminder of why I love Arkansas. It was like a piece of cloud from the pearly gates themselves. Which are apparently blood red. Who knew?

In the crafty/projects I'm working on/stuff to talk about front, my mom bought a bike in the mid to late 1970s from a store that was going out of business. It was $10. Now, its not in hopeless shape after some unknown amount of time behind the barn, rusting away. It needs new tires, bit of wire brush time, probably a new chain, and a different seat (as it has a really uncomfortable one). Other than that, its totally pimp. I'm basically in love.

BUT. I went to the mart of walls looking for tires + tubes and a tire is ~$15 and a tube is ~$4. If you are playing along at home, (15 x 2) + (4 x 2) = $38. A new purple Roadmaster with shock absorber like things on the front, not likely to fail brakes, a good squishy seat, and purple (!!) is ~$68.

I'd really like to make this 1970's heavyweight uber sexy again, but really, I think it is worth more as scrap metal. Really depressing. I'll have to think about it some more. I mean, do I really want to blend in with most other bikes on a tiny campus? Why NOT ride something that's built like it wanted to go to Vietnam? I need to look on the tubes for a better deal on parts, but its looking like the ole monster may finally bite the dust.

Crazy Times, Compys, and Cookies

Its been a bit crazy the last few weeks. Camp is winding down, increasing the total drama in my life, and I've been frantically trying to decide whether I should transfer from my huge state university to a tiny 500 student private school. I've also been to St. Louis, The Homeland, and a 4th of July festival in Corning, Arkansas! (Big shout out!) I have to say, the small town 4th celebration was awesome. I got quite a kick out of the tractor pull and Ms. Independence pageant.

If I do transfer, which I probably will, I'll be getting a laptop from the school. Even though the reviews for the ThinkPad R61 are pretty good, I love my tablet. I don't use the tablet feature much yet, but I have big plans. Besides, I've moved in by now. That being said, what I really want for a secondary computer is an eee pc like this one. One can always dream, I suppose. If anyone has any opinions about these computers, I'd love to hear them.

While in The Homeland, I had made plans to go see Wall-E. It didn't quite happen, so instead, I baked some cookies (and hope to see Wall-E on Sunday). They are some of my all time favorite cookies, so I knew I had to share them here. If you care to know, the recipe is from the July 1992 issue of Progressive Farmer. Pretty sure anyways.

Wedding Cookies
1 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup finely chopped pecans OR walnuts
Powdered sugar

Beat butter until fluffy. Gradually add sifted sugar. Add flour; beat well. Stir in vanilla and nuts. Shape into small balls (I use a small ice cream scoop). Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Cool and then roll in remaining sugar. Enjoy!

My Stash

This is my stash. Most of the fabric is from a fabulous store in Batesville, Marshall Dry Goods. I thought it sounded like a feed store, but it is actually a haven of fabulous fabrics. A very wise friend of mine said that Marshall had done more for women's mental health than anything else in the area. It is packed full of fabrics, notions, and even had the embroidery thread I needed. I squealed when I walked in the door. I think the elderly lady picking out quilting fabrics understood.

The Pooh and blue stars came from Wal-Mart. The Batesville Wal-Mart still has fabrics, thankfully, but its one of the few that still caries it. Too bad, but maybe some boutiques will come into small towns as a result.

This is just the yarn I took with me to Batesville. I'm a little ashamed to have this much yarn and still haven't learned how to knit or crochet properly. I have lofty goals, but until then, I'll keep loom knitting. Despite being June, I've continued churning out hats. I've also got an afghan and a purse in production.


Speaking of current projects, my frog embroidery quilt is coming along nicely now that I have all the thread necessary. I've learned a couple of new stitches and may actually finish stitching the first panel within the week. I'm a little worried about how to quilt it all together, but one thing at a time I suppose.