Real Justice League

Lawyerboy has been way more crafty than me this week. I screened a dozen tshirts for his law office to wear for our Base's Independence Day celebration, but he helped built his team's boat for the cardboard boat regatta.



It was awesome. Their boat wasn't the best looking one (there are some seriously creative people here),










But they did win! And they looked awesome doing it.

Moooooooommmmmm!!!!

Yesterday, after a noisy day of mysterious peeping, we found a nest full of brand new Mockingbird chicks in our front yard.

They are adorably hideous.

Holy smokes, look at those necks.

Their beaks are downright freakish.

But I seem to recognize that look...

Doll Quilt

Please forgive my crummy taken-on-the-floor-of-my-craft room picture; I just finished my Doll Quilt Swap quilt top! Now I need to figure out what the devil I'm doing for the quilting part of the operation.

It seems I am also prepared to make another quilt (or two) from all the strips I cut and sewed.

Yikes, Stripes!

Some time last week the Monkey and I charged into the fabric store, intent on purchasing 1/4 yard of a bazillion different cotton fabrics so I could get to work on the Doll Quilt Swap. Within 5 minutes my cart was full of a dozen choices. But then I started to doubt-Is it too modern? Too pastel? Too something that my non-blogging swapee is not going to like? How am I supposed to stalk this lady so I know what to pick? I picked up and put back approximately every single bolt of fabric in the quilting section before choosing a half dozen fabrics I hope she loves, or at least doesn't dislike.

Once I actually had some fabric in my hands the work has been really fun. I decided on a roman coin design, and actually got up early (well, earlier than everyone else) to sew strips together Saturday morning. It is coming together so quickly, I should have the top finished in the next day or two.

Unless something comes up, which it never ever does in our home. Nope, nothing but smooth sailing here. We never, for example, spend an afternoon binging on white chocolate mousse and crying after a stressful meeting with the Psychologist evaluating Monkey about speech and behavioral therapy where he screamed for the entire 1 1/2 hour appointment.

Donuts

I had the weirdest experience this morning. While getting the Monkey ready for yet another speech evaluation I promised that if he hurried and got in the car early I would get him a donut. Donuts are possibly the ultimate treat for him, and he actually hurried. So we stop at a donut place on the way to his appointment and rush in, asking for one glaze donut (least messy). So the guy grabs him a donut, puts it in the bag and says "$1.26". One twenty-six? How can it be one twenty-six? "With tax" he informs me. But the sign says one donut, 59 cents. How can the tax on one donut equal one twenty-six? "$1.26 with tax," he tells me again, and I begin to think that this might be the extent of his English. All I have in my wallet is a single dollar bill, and he doesn't take credit. Aaaaarrrrrgggg. I'm short on time and confused and frustrated, and Monkey is thrashing around. Finally he takes the dollar and tells me I'm fine. I'm not fine, but I'm in a hurry so I flee instead of pressing the issue. I buckle Monkey in his car seat and race off, tossing him the little bag with the donut. He happily munches away as I drive, completely perplexed. A stop light or two later I turn around to check on him, and he hands me the paper bag, which you have of course guessed by now, contains another donut. Man did I feel like a genius. This poor donut guy must have thought I was a complete idiot. On the other hand, if you work at a donut shop you may need a better understanding of the phrase "One donut please."

Opportunity

Recently I was suckered into offered the opportunity to become one of the leaders of our church Young Women's group. As much as the thought scared the crap out of me, I accepted anyway and am having a surprisingly good time. And the nice part of being in charge you make the decisions about what activities to do. So when I have a pet project come to mind, I can just set the minions girls on it. Recently I heard that Skip to My Lou was collecting tiny blankets to send to China with her nephew. He is traveling there with Hope's Heart in order to work in three orphanages. So I bought some fantastic fuzzy flannel and some satin, and in one short evening of music and pizza rolls we cranked out 12 little blankies. I got them in the mail that night, and at the end of the month they will be on their way to China.

Doll Quilt Swap

Before I even had a chance to post about it, the Doll Quilt Swap has filled up. Holy smokes, I am glad I heard about it early. I do much better in my life (crafty and otherwise) with solid goals with deadlines. I am impatiently waiting for the next sale at the fabric store, so I can go in and make some poor employee cut 1/8 yard of a dozen fabrics.

I finished this skirt last night with more space between finish time and deadline than usual (I needed it finished by Sunday, as I'm tired of wearing the same black skirt to church). I love it! More girly than usual for me, but when you buzz your head you sometimes have to step it up in the female department. Skirt assembled with a few tips from this snappy tutorial, and pattern drafted with lots of help from geometry, my friend and yours. Pictures taken inside on the self-timer because there was a fantastic lightning storm going on. I feel especially smug because I used <$8 worth of broadcloth.

Sticky

Monkey and I have plans to hide inside the rest of the afternoon eating Popsicles. It rained really hard this morning, but it turns out that precipitation does not equal cooling trend here in the South. Here, you just have hot rain. You can see how humid it is in this photo. It was so wet this morning that even thought the rain had stopped the water in the air was making the light do strange things.
These hot pads and towels are now on their way to California, to be prizes for my little sister's bridal shower. I felt like a bum for not trekking across the country for her big party and volunteered to make something for the winners of assorted silly shower games. The hot pads are inspired by Denyse Schmidt's beautiful quilted oven mitts. Only not so complicated. Initially I intended on accompanying each towel with a rectangle and circle hot pad but at some point I remembered that I had a deadline and circles are rather difficult to edge with bias tape (if anyone knows of a good tutorial let me know, as it stands I have three beautiful circular hot pads that are finished except the edges). So congratulations, Little Sister! I wish I could be there with you but plane tickets for the Monkey and I cost an entire paycheck, and that would make me feel like a huge jerk. Give your boy a kiss from me. Wait, never mind. Give your boy a firm handshake and a heartfelt congratulations, and I will see you in August for your big day.

Hurricane season

My first official day of Hurricane season has so far gone without a hitch. There is still time though. Anyone else notice that the 5th Atlantic hurricane/tropical storm is going to be named Erin? I advise you to watch out for that one.

I really do still knit, although my thoughts have strayed from my sweater and Adamas shawl; it is just too stinking hot to sit under a big pile of wool right now. The project of the day is a pair of socks for the Dulaan project-a pair of Horcrux socks, to be exact. First pair of socks made following someone else's instructions, instead of making it up and flying by the seat of my pants like I usually do. This is going to be one sturdy pair of socks, I'm using the worsted weight yarn called for and size one needles. Six, maybe seven stitches per inch? Who knows; I didn't exactly gauge this one (gasp!) The yarn is a ball of Nature Spun worsted in China blue or Nordic blue or Someothermeaninglessdescription blue, overdyed with a smidgen of red to make it less flat.