There were eggs

We even had an Easter egg hunt. Everyone took turns hiding eggs, everyone took turns finding eggs. It was the first time in many, many years I had had to actually go looking for them. Still fun! There were also bacon cinnamon rolls and strawberry banana orange juice. And truffles!

Now we are 35

Officially, but I would like a re-do for the week. Both my kids came down with a cold the day before my birthday. Husband was already sick, turns out to be bronchitis. The high point of my actual birthday were these Brown Sugar Cookies made up with dark brown sugar, were a chewy delectable happiness even without frosting.
A box from Mara-Darling arrived later in the week filled with things that kept me from hiding myself away in the back of a closet with my knitting stash till May. Delicious chocolates from Snake & Butterfly , smoked cocoa nibs, gorgeous yarn, and a delightful book of Victorian needlework.
I also managed to finally find the cable to my camera, I suppose I should take some pictures.
I had finished a top this week, my "birthday present" to myself. Only to try it on and realize it's a style I should avoid at all costs as it was less than flattering with my broad shoulders. It will be frogged this weekend and the yarn re-purposed.
The fast approaching government shut down is also a point of stress.
Wahoo. Maybe we can just skip to next year?

Happy Distractions

This year continues to be more wonky and distressing than idyllic. As it becomes more and more evident that it isn't just us, I figured I would share a few idle and entertaining distractions that I have found to help.
Web comics abound, but Girl Genius is a fantastic story, lovely art and very popular with everyone in our house as is Finders Keepers.
I love embroidery, almost as much as I love knitting. It adds color and personality to rather dull but practical items. Urban Threads and Sublime Stitching have lots of less conventional embroidery designs, making them more entertaining to stitch up than standard fruit and flowers type designs.
Food is another creative outlet that the whole household can get involved in and appreciate. Cheeky Kitchen is lots of fun with good recipes. 101 Cookbooks has pictures that make you want to lick the screen, but that could be just me and how I feel about the chocolate cake.
Finally, my favorite thing (still), is to play dress up. I regularly peruse standard pattern sites that I may add to my already not insubstantial collection, with the majority of them being from the late '40's to mid '50's. Which is why I really covet so many of the things from Pinup Girl
and Stop Staring . Though steampunk also brings great joy, so Clockwork Couture has many adored items as well. I also love being able to close the window if the temptation becomes too much, or being able to go back and visit a favored piece whenever I like.
Those are just a few of my favored diversions, please note the lack of mention of yarn, I really do think about lots of other things, sometimes all at once. ;-)

There will be pictures...

...as soon as I find the cable to my camera. Though there isn't a whole lot to photograph quite yet. The plants are really trying, but aren't very impressive this early on. Knitting has been slow and not overly productive. I did make deodorant in a lovely amber scent. It's been working quite well, even during heavy yard work. Made some baked doughnuts with great success, the maple glaze I topped them with probably didn't hurt. Also started making my own laundry soap which has been working quite well in my front loader with cold water. I do thin it out with a bit more white vinegar than the original recipe calls for. It certainly smells better than standard laundry soap since I use peppermint castille soap.
The free weights have been thrust back into service courtesy of the combined panicked realization that the warm weather i.e. sleeveless shirt weather was going to coincide with my 35th birthday and it will not do to look flabby and pasty white, even at the start of the season. ;-)

Half- way through March? Really?

When did that happen? The last few weeks have been, not so much busy as full. Spring has finally hit, mostly, so the backyard has been weeded, prepped and partially planted. The seedlings of lettuce, kale, beets, black radishes, and melons just recently started making an appearance. The front yard is to be tackled and forced into shape this weekend
Darling Husband has been recovering well from shoulder surgery.
I found these lovely ladies. Even if you aren't big into perfumes, the descriptions are quite an entertaining read!
I would be remiss if I did not pipe up and mention the disaster(s) in Japan and encourage you to help in some way. Light a candle, say a prayer, donate a couple dollars, or even just send along a happy thought, right now, I'm pretty sure any of those things would be more than welcome.

The year thus far

We are not even through February and the words "wonky" and "emotional tumultuous" are already good summations. Silliness, mundane housekeeping and quite possibly, a few too many goodies have been helping to keep an even keel.
Plants have been ordered to actually landscape the front and back yards. Bright red, purple, gold and green for the front and a kitchen garden type theme for the back. I am really looking forward to being able to work in my yards again. Like so many others, by mid-February I am quite done with Winter, impatiently waiting for when I can play in the dirt again and make green things grow.

Time to Decompress

The last few months of 2010 were a little more overwhelming than normally anticipated, so I've spent the last few weeks focused on yarn and my standard routine.
I'm on my third sweater of the year (to the armholes already). The picture is of a shawlette also finished in January, really it was an excuse to try out a new yarn in a lovely bright colorway.
There will be more knitting. Most will be of the overly intricate lace variety as I have at least two shawls I have every intent to finish before the year is out. Along with seven more shirts, all of the short or no sleeve variety as well as embroidery, cross stitch and some minimal artsy type painting (as well as attempting to learn to spin properly in any left over spare moments) I figure I am pretty well set for things to do between loads of laundry and correcting papers.
While this is not everything I plan on doing during 2011, it certainly seems like some of the most fun thus far!

This about sums it up

The holidays were filled with all sorts of randomness for us. Cartoon hats, fluffy animal slippers(white tigers and sea turtles) , lots of yummy things to eat and one set of bunny salt and pepper shakers in an indelicate pose.

We have survived the holidays

And finally got snow today! There will be Christmas pictures in the near future.

I will catch up after New Year's

With pictures and everything! Right now, I am just more than a little pre-occupied. There's gifts to finish knitting, cookies still in need of baking, and presents still to be wrapped as well as all the standard housework paired with Husband working a lot of overtime. It's taking more than a little conscious effort to not stay in my pj's all day, curl up with my tea and a book and just let everything go hang. Ah well, back to being responsible. Maybe I will have a truffle or two to keep me going. ;-)

I'm over 30. Where's the fashion for me?

Be forewarned, this is a bit of a rant. I discovered a major point of irritation to me personally this morning and I am really wondering if anyone else has noticed.
I am a woman over 30. I have a dressy, all adult holiday party to attend in the near future. I have a dress picked out, Liz Claiborne wine and black floor length velvet. I am a bit nervous as I have been out of the social arena for quite some time, so I start looking up current styles. This is where the problems start. I start noticing almost everything targets females under 30, and while I could still wear much of what is offered, all too often the looks were inappropriate for meeting your husband's boss for the first time.
I found a page with a list of what I shouldn't wear, which was decidedly unhelpful. I did not need to be told a micro mini or regular mini skirt would be inappropriate for my age or that I should avoid glitter because it accentuates wrinkles.
Where is the style? Where is the elegance? Am I forsaken by the fashion industry courtesy of my over 25 status? I don't want a matronly version of some twenty-something's club wear or even a slightly less sparkly version of her showy holiday dress, vintage inspired or not.
I want glamour that isn't the neon and flash kind. I want clothes that are tailored, feminine, and have a bit of slink to them even if you are wearing a three piece suit.
I have no desire to look like some plastic fashion doll. I have wrinkles and I earned them. I would like clothes that respect that and the fact that women over 30 are sexy, without having to dress like they are barely twenty.