Easter Felt

Some weekends you just get to do something fun with friends, and the bonus is when you get to take something tangible home with you, besides the glow of friendship. This was one of those weekends. I spent most of Sunday at my friend Jennifer's house with about 12 other ladies (and young ladies), a big bowl of colorful hand-dyed wool roving, some felting needles, and our imaginations. Jen's mother Pat (http://www.decadentfibers.com/ )was there to guide us, and the above picture is some of the fruits of our labors. Aren't we good?!

This little chick in a basket was Nancy's creation--she has sons, and doesn't get to do "girly" stuff very often. This was her first time trying needle felting, as it was for many of us. She was VERY enthusiastic about the whole thing--as you can see by her creation. Fantastic!

Needle felting consists of a barbed needle, some wool roving, and a piece of foam. You punch and stab your wool with the needle until it holds together in any shape you wish. Obviously, we were working on an egg theme. It was very interesting to see what everyone decided to do with their eggs. Some of us decided on flowers, while others went for bunnies, chicks, and butterflies.
This one's mine--a blue egg with 3-D flowers, which I felted separately, then applied to the egg.

Kathleen felted a bunny directly onto her egg. I was very impressed with the perspective/pose she used. The kid's got talent!

And of course, there was a bunch of food, including a blueberry buckle that Jennifer made, that I could just NOT stop eating. I grabbed the recipe from her, and I'm going to share it with you...as soon as I can put my hands on it! I know it's here somewhere.....in the mean time, how about a picture of it--just to get your mouth watering? :)

That crunchy topping was to DIE for. Yum! Needless to say, BF was extremely disappointed at not being invited to this little shindig...he had to stay home and do "boy stuff"....lol...I'm SO sure he was crying in my absence. :P To make it up to him, I harangued him into cutting 8 pieces of plywood for me later that night. With his tools at work, we were done in 10 minutes. If I had had to do it myself with a jigsaw or something, it would have taken me 10 times longer. Thanks, BF! ;) (Ya' gotta love a man with power tools.)

UPDATE 3/2/08 Recipe for Blueberry Buckle

350* oven for 45-50 minutes for 9x9x2" greased pan

Sift together:

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Beat together in a bowl:

• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg

Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and bead vigorously for about 2 minutes.
Stir in 2 cups of blueberries. Spread batter in pan. Sprinkle topping (see below) over this, and pop it in the oven.

Topping: (mix together until crumbly)

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup soft butter (NOT melted)

Let me know if you try out this recipe, and if you like it!!

Good Night, Moon

As I was headed to the movies tonight (saw "Jumper"--it was good!), the moon was rising, and looked large and luminous. I had to stop at the end of my street and take a picture. THEN, as I was driving home, the eclipse was taking place, so I pulled over and shut off my lights. It was beautiful. Out of the 20 or so pictures I took, the one below is the best I got. I was wishing I had my tripod with me. This one was taken with the camera propped on the top of my car.

Seeing the moon like this reminds me of summers as a teen, when I'd lay out in the grass with my boyfriend, and we'd just stare up at the moon and talk for hours. He knew a lot more about the constellations than I did, too. When I think about it too hard, it makes me realize how small we all are. If I can make an imprint on one person's life, just half the size of the moon's imprint on me, I'll call it good.

Good night, Moon.

The Big Apple

Kathleen is off to NYC this week with my brother-in-law, and her cousin Madeline. They are headed to Long Island to visit Matt's family, and then into the city to see the sights. The kids are VERY excited. They've been counting change (found in couch cushions, and in various bowls around the house...lol) and have accumulated $150 for spending money. What they will buy with that money remains to be seen. Dang....I should have told her I wanted a Rolex! I think they're going for about $15 on the street! Hee!

Have any of you ever skated at Rockefeller Center? I have! That's me up there, in all my second-grade glory, knee-socks and all, skating at the rink. What a trip that was....me falling flat on my butt, whacking my head on the ice, seeing stars...some stranger helping me up....then we're all on the subway, and some big woman who was taller (and tougher) than me shoved ahead of me when we were getting off, and the doors were shutting, and my father threw himself between the doors so I could get off--AcK! I was so shy back then, too. Scary, man. Of course, we then had to have the whole discussion about "what happens if you get stuck on the subway car." You ride it to the next stop, get off, and WAIT. Oy. Glad that never happened. I don't know if any of you remember NYC in 1974, but the homeless people were EVERYwhere, and talk about DIRTY. There was trash everywhere, and it was smelly and scary. It's a different universe down there now.

I remember our biggest complaint ("we" being myself and my three sisters) was that we were wearing sneakers with our dresses and white knitted ponchos. We were horrified. We had never worn sneakers with dresses. Dresses were for Sundays at church, and you always wore your "dress" shoes. Well, not in NYC you don't. You wear your white sneakers, so that you can walk for miles without complaint. Nice try, Mom and Dad. Oh, and I had to visit just about every bathroom in NY. If I had been my parents, I would have lost my mind. Seriously. I have a nervous bladder. I think I peed 4 times during the Rockettes and the movie "Mame" at Radio City Music Hall. My mother should have been sainted.

I hope Kathleen is spared the stress of wardrobe issues and knocks on the head, and doesn't get lost on the Subway. If she can avoid all that, she should really enjoy herself! They brought a video camera and a digital camera with them--can't wait to see THOSE movies! They'll be back Friday evening. Meanwhile, I have work to do.

Happy Valentine's Day!

How cool is this collection of heart shaped rocks? This was a table set up by an aquaintance of mine on last year's garden tour in New Baltimore, NY. She has the quirkiest, most interesting house EVER. I should ask her if she'd mind if I posted some pics on here. These rocks are fairly anonymous, though, so I don't mind posting them. :) They're very Valentine-y, and I keep thinking that I should start collecting heart shaped rocks! It's sweet!

So...who got breakfast in bed this morning?! Heh. Me neither. I guess I'll have to wait a few more years til Valentine's Day falls on a weekend. Kathleen sent me a little movie message on my cell phone, though. We've been catching that commercial with the guy who is frosting a cake, and he's leaving a message for his significant other--have you seen it?--He says "Hi honey. I've baked you a cake. It's burned, but that's because you're a HOTTY from HOTTINGHAM." LOL. We crack up every time we see it. So...she made her own kid version, and sent it to me. Too darn funny.

I'll leave you with these beautiful crepe paper roses from Martha Stewart.com. They're on my list of "projects to complete before I die."

Have a great Valentine's Day. I hope you get something special from the ones you love!

Double Digits

My niece Madeline turned 10 this weekend. It's hard to believe she's already into double digits! She's still just as cute as ever. She had told her mother that she wanted a cupcake tower instead of a cake--you know--the kind they have at weddings these days? So my sister told me that and I volunteered to do it for her. This is what I came up with! Not bad, eh? :) This is a picture of it on the dinner table at my sister's house last night. Madeline loved it. I think her new jewelry box from her mother was the big hit of the night, though. The giant makeup extravaganza from Kathleen came in a close third to the cash from her great aunt Susan. ;) Even at 10, they know the value of a buck! Kids! Can you tell I asked her to pretend to blow out the candles for a photo op? Heh...I kill me...and I love that she plays along. You should see all of her poses with her presents. She cracks me up.
My sister sets a pretty table!
I tried to get a picture of the girls with Kathleen's eyes open. This is what I got. It's funny how the more pictures I took, the more hilarious it all became. So the last picture in the series is where I said "Ok, now FORCE your eyes to stay open, Tat!" Hence the strained/pained grin. Too funny.

Valentine Displays at Bolt

Valentine's Day displays have been put up at Bolt. Rosemary (one of the owners) loves to do displays, so she did these up. I especially love the "lady in the chair" down below. She saw this idea in a magazine ad for some high end fabric--I can't remember what it was. She ran with it, and I think it came out great. It really does look like a woman sitting there, doesn't it?
We are running low on accessories. I think we should go to the gift show in NYC and buy some new stuff. But we still have a bunch of antique majolica, which is very pretty.

I'm trying to think of something sweet and clever to get for Kathleen for Valentine's Day. Last year I gave her a pretty necklace. I'm thinking maybe a new shirt or something this year. hmmm...any suggestions?

Valentine Jewels

I just listed another necklace on Etsy! I'm on a roll, I tell ya'! I really don't have time for a "real" post here today, so I'll just leave you with my latest:

Fiddleheadstudios

Wow, has it really been eight days since I've blogged?! I can't believe it. How 'bout those Giants, eh? Ha! What a great game that was last night. BF (who still isn't home yet, mind you) was shocked that I had watched the game. He's all "but you don't LIKE football" and I'm all "but it's the SUPER BOWL, and the GIANTS!" Hee. The poor guy has an eight hour flight from Seattle to Atlanta, then Atlanta to Albany ahead of him today. It'll be good to have him home. Of course, we're supposed to get snow and sleet tonight. That should make for an interesting ride to the airport. :-O

How do you like my latest creation? It's limey green freshwater pearls with rainbow jade focal beads, spaced with lime jade rounds. It feels very girly to me. I love it! And of course, it has Valentine's Day gift written ALL over it. I'm going to list it on Etsy as soon as I'm done here.

I took Kathleen and my lovely niece Madeline bowling this weekend. What a riot. You should have seen Madeline's dance moves after each throw of the bowling ball. The kid was cracking me up. I could kick myself for not having my camera with me. The girl's got MOVES! I kicked both of their butts handily, though. Too bad, so sad for them...lol.

Saturday night I went to see "Michael Clayton" with my friend Kelly. GREAT movie. Gotta love that George Clooney. The eyeliner was a tad distracting though. What's up with that? Kelly swears it wasn't eyeliner. She thinks he got it TATOOED on there. WTF? Who tatoos their under eye lids? Hmm? Maybe George will stop by here and set the record straight. I think I'll start holding my breath...NOW. Heh. At any rate, you should really go see the movie before they take it out of the theatres again. Now I have to go see "No Country for Old Men." I think that's the last one on my list that I haven't seen yet. Have you all seen any good ones lately? Any must-sees?

Heart Felt Bouquet

Remember me talking about my friend Pat, and her gorgeous hand dyed wool? Well, she and her partner Christine have come out with a great needle felting kit for Valentine's Day, and I just had to share it here. If you click on the photo, it will take you to Decadent Fibers, which is the website where you can buy the kit. Be sure to surf around while you're there. If you are a crafter, this will be a great new craft for you to try! And even if you are NOT a crafter, needle felting can be a really fun place to start expressing your creative side, while making great gifts for your friends! I mean really, could that bouquet be any cuter? You should see the penguins, and snowmen, and pumpkins, and...well...you're just going to have to go to the website and check it out.

This Heart Felt Bouquet was featured in February's "Create and Decorate" magazine, too, so they're famous as well! :) If you live anywhere in the vicinity of Pittsburgh, and you're into wool and knitting or crocheting, look for Pat and Christine at the Pittsburgh Knit and Crochet Festival February 9th and 10th, at the Crowne Plaza, Pittsburgh South. You won't be able to miss them...their yarns will be the most gorgeous! :)

Is it wrong to covet a necklace? "Thou shalt not covet thy Etsy necklace"...lol....I don't think I've heard that one before, what with all my Bible reading and all. Double ha. Anywho...I just listed this yummy garnet and jumbo pearl necklace in my Etsy shop. I hate to part with it. I just Luuuurve it! I listed matching earrings too. I figured I might as well create something for all the January birthday girls out there. I bought these garnets around the holidays, and have been admiring them ever since. They look gorgeous with the pearls, and the little Hill Tribes silver twists I bought around the same time. I didn't have a plan for those, but they all came together nicely, don't you think? (Boy, I need to eat some humble pie or something...lol.)

Speaking of humble...here's the part where I brag about my gorgeous kid. She just made me take some pictures of her since I had my camera handy. Tess just happened to be nearby too. And of course, Puff is being his normal energy-filled self:

I'm off to the grocery store to bring my movie back. Have you guys heard of redbox? It's a big red kiosk that dispenses movie rentals for $1/night! I just discovered it yesterday, and I rented "Good Luck Chuck." You just put in your debit card, and voila, out pops out your chosen flick! I grabbed it on my way out to the car. Very cool. I think I may rent the latest Harry Potter tonight...we haven't seen it. It's a toss-up between that and the Pirates of the Carribean. Hmmm...

Enjoy your evening!

Lazy Sunday

Did you ever just have one of those days? The sun is shining through my windows, and it's colder than a....well...it's COLD outside today...and I have Romantic Country magazine, the "Bedrooms" edition...and I've been lounging about in my giant bed, reading, and surfing blogs all morning. What you all may not understand, is that I have SO much work that I should be doing right now, so the guilt is getting to me a little bit. The good news is, Kathleen has a playdate tomorrow, so I'll be working double time tomorrow. Does that assuage my guilt? Eh. Only a little.

I think what threw me off is that I had to bring BF to the airport this morning at 4am (AGAIN--please tell me WHY his company insists on these ridiculously early tickets?! Does noone think of ME--the poor schlub who has to drive him to Albany?! Argh). He's headed to Washington for 10 days to install a big job (indoor water park) at the new (opening soon!) Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, which is about halfway between Portland and Seattle. One if these days I'm going to tag along on one of these jobs. He keeps insisting that it's not a vacation--that it's nothing but WORK WORK WORK, but what he fails to realize is that if I went, it would be a vacation for ME! Ha! He can work all he wants, and I'LL go see the sights. Right?! Sometimes he just fails to find me amusing. So, here I am, enjoying my solitude, and enjoying all the surfing and reading. I'm sure I'll eventually emerge from under the covers and get something done--like all the piles of laundry, and the sewing that's piling up by the job. Maybe. Here's to all of you out there who are surfing blogs and happened by mine this morning. Enjoy your lazy Sunday!

Atonement

I saw "Atonement" last night, and can I just say...it's a MUST SEE. Beautifully shot, brilliantly acted, and heartwrenching. Wow. Loved it. Two thumbs up and all that. And I'm sorry, but that James McAvoy is a regular hotty. Do you SEE those eyes?! There are plenty of closeups of those babies in the movie, so get ready! He's my new "movie boyfriend."

And HELLO...but does anyone deserve to be as gorgeous as Keira Knightly?! She looks absolutely luminous in this movie, and skinny as ever. Bitch. Heh. Seriously, she can act too! I just can't imagine a face like that looking back at me in the mirror every morning. Must be nice.

Go see this movie. I'm not going to say anything more about it. Don't read reviews, or spoil the story for yourself. Go in blind--it's the best way to watch a movie anyway. Don't forget the Kleenex. ;)

Oh, ok...if you need to see some preview stuff...go to this website. Check out the photos. The music is really great, too. I don't usually gush about movies, but this one really deserves it.

I think I really need to head down to Florida to see my sister and my father. I can't seem to stop making pearl necklaces. They just appeal to me on so many levels. And I've always loved silver. I think I've only owned two gold necklaces in my life. (Word is, I should be hoarding gold these days, right? Dang--I guess I missed that boat.) And when I look at these pearl necklaces I've been making, I can't help but think about the beach and the warm sun. I do love the change of seasons up here in NY, but there is nothing like the sound of the surf, a good book, and the sun on my face. Maybe we'll head down over Easter break. I'll have to check my calendar. I just got an email from Southwest advertising a $49-99 each way sale if I fly on a Tuesday or Wednesday. Sounds like a bargain to me!

In the mean time, I'll just keep making jewelry that inspires the beach...I can live vicariously through my necklaces! Ha!

Skim Coat

Well, so much for our touch of Spring! It snowed last night, leaving a blanket of snow over everything, and sticking to all of the trees. It's gorgeous. I may have to go for a drive and get some more pictures. You can't have too many snow pics, can you? I love how the snow is a great "leveler"...breaking everything down to its form, eliminating the distraction of color. It makes for an interesting view of everyday things. Case in point: the hay bales I photographed last week. Gold and white. That's it. Love it.

I've got Valentine's Day on my mind, and I've listed another necklace at Etsy in honor of the holiday. I'm in love with pearls of any kind, and I'm not afraid to show it! These top-drilled chocolate freshwater pearls are just so delish! I'm just here to share the love! If you'd like a closer look, go to fiddleheadstudios.etsy.com

Well, it's the start of a new week, and I'm feeling refreshed now that my mother's house is all cleaned out (FINALLY!) and the closing is this Friday. It'll be good to close that chapter, and move on. It's time to start thinking about a house of my own. I need some SPACE to put all the stuff we pulled out of there...lol. Of course, we still have boxes of videos and cassette tapes that need to be checked out ...and old papers to go through. That's going to be no easy task. But it'll be nice to do a bit of time travel that way. We found an old "newspaper" that we wrote as kids...The Lalor News. I believe it was dated 1977? It was hilarious. If I can find it again, I'll have to scan it so you can have a look. It's amazing the stuff we did to fill our days before computers and television were the norm. At the risk of sounding old, I'm going to say: "Those were the days."

Snow Cat

The snow is fleeting these days,with the spring-like temperatures we've been experiencing up here this week in NY. This cat was sculpted by my friend Jennifer in her back yard last week. Today, the snow has all but disappeared, replaced with green grass and mud. Global warming? Who knows? All I know is, I haven't had to wear a coat in DAYS! I can smell spring in the air, and it's such a tease! We have months to go before we can expect this kind of weather to stick around. I think I'll enjoy it while it lasts.

I've been listing some new items on Etsy this week. I especially love this one. It's faceted smoky quartz and Hill Tribes silver. I'm headed over there to list it now. Then it's off to work with me today! Tomorrow my sister and I make our final trip out to Elmira to clean out my mother's house, and then it will FINALLY be over. For such a tiny house, Mom sure had some STUFF! (Now I know where I got it from....lol.)

Have a great weekend, y'all!

Winter Fun!

Now isn't this what winter in the Northeast is all about? It's not about icy roads and paying oil bills and freezing to death...it's about sledding on big awesome hills with ramps that Dwight built in his back yard! (Dwight is my friend Jennifer's husband--a gem he is!) I brought Kathleen and her cousin Madeline over to Jennifer's this morning, and they had a blast.

Even the dogs had fun!

Happy 2008!

I'm baaaack! It was a hairy holiday, but I made it through the stress with a fresh new outlook, and some renewed energy (after taking about 5 days off) for a long list of new year activities that await. It's late, and I really need to get to bed tonight, but I didn't want to go one more day without posting.

I went for a drive a few days ago after a beautiful snowfall, and took some photos. Here they are for you to enjoy!

Sweet dreams, y'all. Stay tuned for some new jewelry and some more regular postings from me.