Do SomeTHING: Day 26

B. Done.

I know it isn't much, but we've been busy playing with the neighborhood "gang'.  They just showed up one day.

All seven of them.

Then last night, three new ones showed up on my patio.

I love it.  I adore all these boys playing with my boys. 

Love it.

Do SomeTHING: Day 25

As I said, my boys like stuff.

Homemade stuff.  I can't blame them, though.

I've been busy making needle felted fish.  Four for the boys, and one you saw yesterday.  They really are pretty cute.

Spending the evening with my husband of 12 years tonight.  Looking forward to a nice anniversary dinner.

 Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 24

I made a fish!

It was so fun to get back to needle felting.

The boys watched.  Now they each want two fish (one American flag colors, another just like this, one blue with purple stripes and the other red).  Oh, and Sam would like a snake tongue.  Well, one per day until he has enough.  I have no idea how much is enough, but I do love that boy's creativity.  I think it was to make me a softy and actually make these items for him, but he told me he loved me.  Twice.  That never happens.

Yes, Sam, tell me you love me and I'll make you anything these hands can produce.

Back to this fish.  I need to create a couple more anemone fronds (what are the individual things called?) to make the fish more protected.  Trim it up and insert a zipper.  I really like this one.  Fish on Coral. 

 Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

{this moment}

No words, just a single photo that I want to savor and remember.

Do SomeTHING: Day 22

This may be a bit of a cop out on a DoSomething.  Been a rough couple days with Sam and school, so much of my time is spent researching ways to help him from the Internet at night, checking in on my on-line support groups and exploring new food restrictions to increase positive behavior.

One thing that has helped me through those late mornings thinking about what is happening TODAY with him, I've enjoyed a GuzzBagel.  After I re-discovered eggs, I have been enjoying a scrambled egg here and there.  My usual breakfast is Rice Chex or a gluten free Udi's Multigrain bagel.  So I introduced my bagel to some eggs, and cheese.  And Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle from Penzeys.

Heaven, even if just for 15 minutes.

 Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 21

 Crewel!

My Great Grandmother Ghee used to do crewel. I never really understood the difference between embroidery and crewel.  Easy, the thread.  Crewel uses wool and Embroidery uses cotton floss.

I enjoy how the wool fills in the spaces more softly than the cotton.  The wool, however, has a tendency to thin and break.  I'm just getting used to that part.

But I love this.  I purchased this sampler with the yarn from Alicia Paulson (unfortunately, the kit is no longer available, but you can still get the pdf of the pattern) at PosieGetsCozy. 

I've made a lot of things for gifts.  This time, this is for me.

In honor of Ghee.
 
 Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 20

 It's felted.

What is it?  A purse, yes.

The detail?

Any guesses?  I still need to trim it up and add one integral part.

I also began working on a new crewel sampler.  So smitten with it.  I'm keeping this one.  Keeping it to pass it on to my grandchildren (hopefully).  I'll show you tomorrow.

Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 19

Apple Picking!

Yesterday, we drove out to our brother-in-law's house to meet up with his family and went apple picking.  They are lucky to live near a great farm, Stonehill Farms in North Collins, that has a ton of apples.  Not a bare tree in the place.

I left my camera in the car, which was fine, since we all split up and I never saw my eldest.  He became adopted by his cousin for the afternoon.

I have fallen in love with a Spartamac.  Oh...it is delicious.  Sweet, but hard, crispy, but not break your teeth hard.  The skin is thin and it is so packed with flavor.  I used to be a Gala or Jonamac girl.  But this Spartamac owns my heart.  Little Man and I were together and decided to try a Jonathan and a MacIntosh to figure out the birth of the Jonamac.  Eh, after the Spartamac, Jonamac doesn't do it for me.  We also tried Elstar.  Little Man liked that one, I thought it was just okay.

So...now to find some recipes for apples!  Big Boy declared that he would eat 3 or 4 per day.  Maybe I won't have any left to bake with.

Oh, and I FINISHED IT!!!!  Finally a UFO that is FO (Un Finished Object)!
 
Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 18

We went for an outdoor picnic and walk on the boardwalk in our neighborhood.

It's a beautiful pocket of nature just around the corner.  The swamp is drying up, but it's still filled with wonder.

I'm happy to say that I finished something last night...you'll see tomorrow.

Have a great Sunday!

Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

{this moment}

Late...and doubled. I couldn't choose.  

And I'm writing.  

So, it's a little bit this moment, a little bit Do SomeTHING.

Today we drove down to Jamestown to celebrate my Dad's Art Opening at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute.  What a beautiful building.  Arts and Craft styling, with beautiful things to look at, including my Dad's artwork (Dan Meyer), and his buddy Len Rusin.

My mother-in-law joined my little men and I for a day of driving and exploring.  We walked around the campus on a couple trails, saw lots of fungus, and some birds.  We saw more wildlife as we were hanging out in the library.  It was the most relaxing, enjoyable afternoon I've had in a while.

Sam told Papa that he really, really, really would love a pair of powerful binoculars like the ones he used this afternoon.

Perfect person to ask, Sam.  Perfect.

Do SomeTHING: Day 16

I cooked a real live dinner.

One that isn't thrown together at 4:55 pm and eaten at 5:05 pm.

I wanted corn on the cob for lunch yesterday.  I cooked up 5 ears to perfection.  Actually, I totally forgot about them while I was at my desk working, until I smelled the smell.  Thankfully, they were perfect.

I had my corn. 

Then I remembered the bacon.  The bacon I bought for dinner, but only needed 3 slices out of the pack of 10 or so.  Hmmm.  BLT!  Yum.

Cooked up the bacon, looked at the recipe for dinner tonight.  It said to cook the meat in the bacon grease.  Yes!  That is what you see above.  Ground turkey in bacon grease with onion and Forward! seasoning from Penzey's.

Suppose I should back up.  Yesterday, a friend and I took a lunch road trip to Penzey's Spice store on Elmwood Avenue.  Who knew I needed $30 worth of spices?  When I started smelling these jars of spices, I realized that my Dollar Store $1 jars just don't cut it.  No wonder I used 1/2 cup of cumin in my taco meat.  It is so old and processed that there is no flavor left.  I went to buy this Forward! spice.  Actually, I had a free coupon for it, with a purchase.

I needed this spice to make Cowboy Beans.  Tom saw it on the cover of the fall catalogue and wouldn't stop talking about it.  You can download a pdf of the Fall 2011 catalogue that has the recipe on page 63.

It looked delicious.

And tasted even better.  I skipped the BLT and ate the beans.  There may not be any left by the time he comes home!


Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 15

 The Pea!  The Pea!

I pulled out this UFO from last summer to work on it a bit.  I realized...I was on the pea part!  Hallelujah. 

I was going to start the next part, the bed skirt, but the directions kept moving around and letters were jumping all over.  It was also midnight, so perhaps the paper was magically moving...

Here is the before picture of where I started from.  I know it doesn't seem like much progress, but I tell you, filling in satin stitch is quite laborious.

The one fun thing about this project...it's intended recipient has changed so many times.  Each time I think I can finish it to gift it, that girl turns 18.  Maybe not 18, but I think you know what I mean.

I have a couple more embroidery projects in the works, but I think it's time to get to shop work, mama needs a new pair of shoes!

Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.

Do SomeTHING: Day 14

 Wooden Pants.

That's what these are called, per my oldest child.

Sam is tall.  And 'small waisted'. 

The dude is super skinny. 

He is also extremely sensitive as to clothing.  It must be soft.

Soft I can deal with, but guess what?  I can't find a soft, slim or skinny pant with drawstrings.  All the workout pants or sweatpants have elastic that is still much to big for this waist, or has fake drawstrings.  That one really chaps my hide.  I can add elastic.  I can put a drawstring on.  I can add belt loops.  This time around, I set the inside elastic for his waist, he tried them on.  Then last night, I sewed the elastic in place, removed the excess elastic strip and removed the button.  On three pairs of pants, that he previously tried on and liked.

I washed them again, in fabric softener.

He went to put them on today and called them wooden pants.  In tears. 

Then he came down in huge sweatpants that he couldn't tie the string (because, mind you the waist could fit two of him in).  More tears of frustration.  He found another pair that is identical to the ones he wore the first and second days of school.

He wore all black today.

I ate an ice cream cone at 8:55 AM.

Kahula and coffee is next.

Do SomeTHING is a month long of creativity, project finishing, exploration, and imagination.  What was your THING for today?  Leave your link in the comments for us all to see.