Inspiration: Buttons Buttons Buttons

The above buttons are currently available here on eBay and exactly what I'd really like to score on my next thrifting run. I'm infatuated with buttons lately and want some pretty ones to add to my craft supply stash.

So taken with this

I spotted this eBay listing for this bracelet while eyeing a buttons auction from the same seller. Can we say (all together now), do not click 'pay now'?

The view today

We had a nice outing today. This is what I saw when we got home after visiting with friends.

Such an awesome view from our place! It was warmer/sunnier out today.

Greetings from Little Mouse

Hello Blog Friends,

I've had a wonderful life so far after just having been made recently (you may have heard a little about me here and here). Just a little background about me; I'm just a few weeks old and I'm stuffed with wool fleece and crocheted with thrifted cotton yarn. My eyes are light pink beads and have been pulled at in a way that they feel (and appear) loose, but I like them just the same. My nose is embellished with a few stitches of peachy-pink embroidery floss. My ears were stitched on in haste because a sweet (sleepy) young girl was in a hurry to see me with my new big ears before she could get ready for bed (great size btw, I can hear very well). I've been chewed on, stuffed into cardboard tubing, and thrown around by several young humans. At times, I lay on fuzzy light brown flooring (carpet?) while watching the flurry of activity that happens around me every day. I eat crumbs of delicous fresh food that gets spread around me often and carelessly (thankfully mostly organic food), but sometimes a huge loud machine comes around and consumes most of my bounty of deliciousness. I'm glad to report that I am often placed on a wooden table (by one of the humans) so that I can escape the wrath of the crumb-sucker. Thankfully, around mid-afternoon I nap, sweet sleep, so restful. Such a lovely life I have.

Yours,

Little Mouse

Pagoda Hat, 1938

I've been obsessing over crochet patterns lately. I found a cool-ass listing on eBay for a set of 1940's crochet hats patterns . At first I thought I couldn't pull off a hat from this era/in this style, but now I think I can. Now I want to make one.

Pagoda Hat, 1938

I think I'll try to make this pattern for a Pagoda Hat and I've got a nice moss green and white yarn that I could make it with. This yarn was a fabulous score about a month or so ago while thrifting during a 50% off sale. I got two super huge skeins of this yarn which looks like homespun wool yarn. The yarn isn't the softest but for outerwear it may work well. The "stiffness" of the yarn might also help support the structure of this style of hat. Off to start working on this. So excited!

**update: Started on this and realized my yarn does not work at all for this project. Looks like I'll have to get some crochet cotton for this hat.

Our indoor garden

The next few photos are of one of DH and DS's projects. This is our indoor garden that consists of a few plants, but honestly I'm not sure what is growing there. I *think* there is one type of mint, bell pepper (that is starting to fruit, see last pic), a type of basil, and maybe other types of plants growing.

Sadly, in a recent much needed decluttering of our ownables, a plastic crate that held files was moved and hence the second light to our garden was moved as well (this light used to clamp onto this crate). DH mentioned that the lack of second light source isn't helping our plant garden to grow as well. Hopefully we can put the second light back to enjoy a better pepper harvest.

Indoor garden on our kitchen counter top


Pepper Plant

Peppers to come

Sunday: Out and About

Trees just outside of our place. Photo taken by my 4 year old son.

Vacant building somewhere on East Hastings.

It was really sunny today! We went thrifting, stopped in at the library, had bland chinese baked goods, got cold, and went home.

To do craft list

I want to make:

A Waldorf Doll from scratch

Crocheted hand puppet

Crocheted doll perhaps in amigurumi style - There are a few awesome ones to look at here.

A Waldorf Doll in this style

a Matryoshka Doll something like this one.

I also have a few other art/craft projects that I'd like to start/complet.....so why am I online blogging then? Off to craft!

Newest Haircut

In this picture, I just finished having my haircut and my eyelids look heavy and sleepy/squinty, but yes, I am/was really happy with the new do'! So glad, especially since this was a new hair dresser who I was trying out and who seems to do well with cutting a style from a photo. The purple scarf is my remodelled Maya Wrap sling. I took out the rings and made it into a rebozo/scarf. Those rings were heavy! And yes, I love purple.

Out and About

Above Pic: The view from where I was sitting (pic below)

How I looked on December 28, 2006 with a mouthful of jalepeno chiabatta.

My first knitted thing

I knitted this short scarf. Turns out I like it more tied in the back as a head band. It keeps my ears and head warm and toasty.

Little girl's eyes

DD2 saw the birds (pic above) while I was placing her in my Purple Waves Didymos. So glad she spotted them as she was quite unhappy just before. We were out on a thrifting run and had just scored some vintage Buster Browns!

Little Mouse without ears

Mentioned our Little Mouse in a previous post. Here is LM without ears. I'm just about to crochet the ears and then attach them. Finished pics to follow.

Meal planning when I really want to crochet

I've taken an interest in crocheting lately. I find it much faster, easier, better looking that my knitting. I bought a few anodized aluminum crochet hooks (one red, one yellow) while thrifting this past weekend, and yeah, I also got a rug hook! This is the crochet project that I am working on. I've had a few attempts at this pattern which is easier now that I understand the terminology better and now I'll be using stitch markers too! My first attempt using white thrifted cotton yarn with tiny random black speckles ended up turning into pretend dessert icing with beads as candy sprinkles. I had misread the pattern and ended up doing way too many stitches per row and so the mouse's head was gettting very wide by the time I decided to quit and start again. My kids love the icing and I also needle felted some wool white-yellow-pink ice cream to go with it. Pics to come...

Inspiration: Zebra Yarn

background, contrast ideas for video WIP. above picture also seen here

Working on a script for a video or film

reading some scripts here: http://www.dailyscript.com/movie.html

went over old footage of mine, none of it i care to use for upcoming projects. i found some footage shot in detroit in 2000, maybe there is something there i can use.


other script resources: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/filmnetwork/filmmakersguidewriting

i'd like to watch "middle of the world" soon. if i do, i'll post a review.

Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies -- so tasty!

These remind me of Nag Champa when they are in the oven baking. They also remind me of Djarums. Such a lovely smell - and without the carcinogens!

Spicy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies - copied from here

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter, softened (I use 1/2 c. or veg. shortening instead)
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening (I use 1/2 c. or veg. shortening instead)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar (I omit the white sugar)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups rolled oats
1 cup raisins

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, butter flavored shortening, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Stir in the oats and raisins. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes until light and golden. Do not overbake. Let them cool for 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets to cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Tasty: Lebanese Walnut Cookies

Copied from here: http://www.recipezaar.com/83833

Lebanese Walnut Cookies

These are so good! Little nut filled bites, with a hint of cinnamon. Translated from "Cocina Libanesa," by Anne Wilson. -canarygirl



makes: 25-30 cookies, cook time: 30 min, prep: 10 min


Cookies:
1/2 lb or 1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange blossom water (sub. 2 tsp vanilla instead)
2 cups flour

Filling:
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon


Line cookie sheets with parchment paper, and heat oven to 375°F.

Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add orange water (sub. 2 tsp vanilla instead) and sifted flour, and stir until the mixture forms a thick dough. Set aside.

To prepare the filling, combine the nuts, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Form 1 inch balls with the dough, and press the center to form a dent for the filling. Fill each cookie with about a teaspoon of the filling, and place the cookies on the parchment.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Cool on wire racks.

Colour Inspirations: Zone Out

Try it! http://myth.com/color/med.html

Sneaking in here: The Detox Diet

Perhaps this will help to re-energize me.

http://altmedicine.about.com/cs/dietarytherapy/a/Detox_Diet_Plan.htm

AND I'm going to a Buddhist meditation this Sunday and looking forward to it.

Last night was my first yoga class in about a year. Prior to this, it had been a few months since I've really last practiced. I'm making it a weekly goal to get out to Yoga class.