Clever Lefty

What the...

I have to share something that created a whole 45 minutes of entertainmnet for Marc and I the other week. It is Choppable. I almost wet my pants, laughing so hard...

London Calling

Well, we've been back from London for about a month now. Click  here to get a photo tour of the whole trip (now, stop complaining about my procrastination, Marc).

To sum up:

1. It was expensive. Pants soilingly, jaw droppingly xpensive.
2. It only rainined 1 day (!)
3. Ummmm....chocolate....
4. Crazy drivers
5. Amazing buildings
6. I love the Tube! And Pret!
7. We had 5 TV channels in our hotel room and they were all FANTASTIC!

Ta!

Love thy Neighbors

It's been awhile...work's crazy, blah blah blah. I've been getting a lot of quilting done, but I'm too lazy to post pictures tonight...

It's hot, and the windows are open to let in some much-needed air. I'm distracted by the creepy sounds of pigeons that have taken up residence in the eaves of our house and the neighbors house. Every 10 minutes there's a fluttering of feathers as they fly back and forth. Sky rats.

The neighbor on our other side has invited what sounds like 35 ladies over for an early-evening booze-fest."Ha-ha-ha, turn up the Stix tunes and pass me another cooler". God Bless suburbia and open-windowed summer evenings. I'm moving to the country. Am I too young to be this crusty?

So..Father Ted. Ireland. Outcast Priests. Hilarity Ensues. Check out "Dougal faces mortal danger".

Done and Done.

The Jailhouse Ho-Down Quilt is now officially...DONE!

Noe more obnoxious "When are you going to finish the quilt for over the couch?"

And, the "Michigan Beauty" block for the collaborative quilt (now the Granny quilt) is done. It should be re-named the "Michigan-this-thing-takes-forever-to-piece" block. And the seams still don't match up perfectly. Sigh...

On Cobbler and Kimonos

My sister and I had an all evening pie/cobbler-thon Thursday (while watching Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban) before she travelled back to Michigan on Friday. Evidence below.

Strawberry Rhubarb, peach/raspberry and 2 blueberry pies.

If it is possible, I have found a joy greater than pie. It is the Cobbler. For those of us much more interested in the filling of the pie, as opposed to the crust on the bottom, this baked good is perfect. The only thing that we actually cooked on Thursday night was the cobbler; we froze all of the pies, waiting for the day that we will share them with lucky guests. Or when we feel like gluttons and eating an entire pie between the two of us. OK, between the one of us (me). Anyway, the cobbler was lovely. Here it is right out of the oven. Peaches, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Mmmm...

Marc had a small bit. My sister had a small bit. I am quite ashamed to say that this was all that remained of the cobbler, merely 48 hours after it was made.

Don't take my spoon away, or I'll bite your hand. 

On the quilting front, I've started something new (surprise). It has been big fun so far -it's a Kimono quilt. Here's one done already. No sewing required for the Kimonos - it's all Origami, but with fabric.

It'll be a Christmas gift.

I've also started on 2 blocks for the Collaborative quilt with my Mom. We are starting out with 5 different fabrics, but we're each allowed to add onto the 5 fabrics. The blocks can be anything, as long as they are 9 inches. The block below (Maple Leaves) signifies Canada. The one above is called "Michigan Beauty". I can't figure out how to piece that one, which is posing a bit of a problem. But I'm sure I'll figure out the most difficult and painful way to make it work.

I have more quilting progress to share, but later. The Cobbler is calling...

Back from Toronto

So, we're back. Here's Marc, taking a picture from the CN Tower observation deck (standing on the glass floor). I couldn't be convinced to stand on it. I was feeling a bit of  Vertigo just looking at it from a few feet away...

We managed to find THE ugliest purse known to man. See below.

The picture doesn't do it justice - it's purple lame, with the Eiffel Tower in purple and neon green seguins embroidered on the front.

More pics of Toronto can be found over here on Flickr.

Harry Potter has landed

I've joined the Potter frenzy and purchased the Half-Blood Prince. I bought it midnight, yesterday morning. Surprisingly, Wal-Mart didn't open it's doors, but in the parking lot was a book mobile from Chapters-Indigo. The urge to buy the new Harry Potter book in a dark parking lot at midnight was overwhelming, until I realized how much they wanted - $10.00 more than the local drugstore, I tell you! No clandestine Harry Potter transaction for me, thank you very much.

I started working on a new quilt last weekend. Originally, I was going to use some Ginger Bliss fabric, which was left over from the dresser runner that I made a few months ago. When I pieced the first pinwheel together, though, it just looked wrong. Way too busy. Something about the colors.

So I replaced the Ginger Bliss fabric with plain white. Much more airy for a nice summer bed quilt. For me. So selfish.

Paul Anka Rocks...really

OK...the giggle factor is through the roof on this one. Paul Anka's new CD, Rock Swings,  has made it to the top of our list of "Must Buy CDs". Laugh if you must. But it's oddly compelling, isn't it? ISN'T IT?!?!

Storm's a-brewin'

Who doesn't love when a storm rolls in?

And introducing the bane of my existence (at the moment)...the Mildew Mobile.

Look at it. Staring at you with it's headlights - leering at you with it's front grill. It's a right-hand driven Christine, complete with awful mildew-smelling interior (due to being stored in a barn for the last 12 years).  Now it's taking up residence in our garage, languishing until it's fixed up (or sold, if my master plan works).

Hot Gooey Lump

It's HOT. And STICKY. Which is why I've finished knitting the Aubergine Wonder Cardi (except for the zipper and weaving in the ends).

It was becoming really uncomfortable having a large pile of Peruvian Highland Wool on my lap while it was 82 degrees outside, so I had a marathon seaming/collar knitting extravaganza in the last 2 weeks. It's a good thing, because I should have it done when we meet my sister next month in Toronto. I'll be able to hand over the finished product in time for her to (hopefully) wear it this fall. Fingers crossed that it fits!

I should be working on the BasketCase sweater for Marc, but see excuse above - too hot! So I cast on a little sweater for myself.

I've been drooling over this ribbed collar sweater in Debbie Bliss'  pattern book, Simple Living.

The pattern calls for Debbie bliss Cotton Cashmere, which too pricey for me. So I'm substituting Jo Sharp DK Wool in Teal. I found it a few months back when Elann was having a special (I know, it's still wool, and it's hot. But it's a lighter gauge - really). The pattern called for working the ribbing 2 needle sizes smaller than the body, but I used the same size, as the wool is much more stretchy than the cotton would have been.  I didn't want it to suck in too much at the hips.