Sunday, December 30, 2007
And Better...
Friday, December 28, 2007
WIP Update
It just keeps getting better
This morning, DH woke up with food poisoning, or perhaps it's a stomach virus. Either way, he's in bed and I'm trying to take care of him, DD, and myself. The toughest thing is I'm not supposed to pick up more than 10 pounds for another week, so I can't pick up DD--she weighs about 27 pounds. Which makes things like diaper changes and washing her hands at the sink very interesting.
I did do some stitching last night on Springtime Roses. I've put down the secret project until I can get the silks it uses rinsed. The good thing is that DH gave me my own digi cam for Christmas, and it's hooked to my computer--so no more waiting on him to download pics from the camera so I can post them! Yay! I'll be taking a pic of Springtime Roses later.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Blah
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Butterfly
The frame (made out of 6 wire coat hangers and duct tape):
The wings covered:
The harness (just 2 pieces of elastic):
I didn't like how the pictures of the antennae came out, and she refused to wear them anyway. She wore a black shirt and pants and *loved* the wings. They didn't take that long to make--maybe 8 hours? And they bounced and wiggled as she moved.
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
1-1
The Halloween butterfly pictures are still on the camera. I'll post them as soon as DH downloads them.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Happy Halloween!
I also had a good laugh at myself...trying to remember how to thread the sewing machine and wind a bobbin. I actually had to drag out the manual. I don't use the machine often, the last time was probably 5 or 6 years ago.
And yes, I will post pictures. (and I even remembered to get pics of the frame before I covered it, so you'll get to see that too!)
Friday, October 19, 2007
Not so evil....
How evil are you?
Friday, October 12, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
0-0
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Interview
1) What is your favorite college memory?
Hmm.....I have to pick one? Hanging out with our little group at the townhouse and watching lots of movies until the wee hours. I love being surrounded by friends.
2) If you could change one thing from your past, what would you change?
Tough one......I think I would've moved south and auditioned at a certain theme park for a puppetry job after graduation (and not let a certain someone talk me out of it).
3) What is your favorite thing about your house?
The amount of storage it has.
4) If you were a super-hero, who would you be and what would super-power?
I don't know who I'd be....but my power would be telekinesis. I would love to be able to move stuff without touching it. Just think of the puppet shows I could do! (Look Ma, no hands! No strings attached!)
5) If you could have any job in the world, what would you pick?
Puppeteer. Or any theatre related job really. But puppeteer is number 1.
There ya go! If anyone wants me to interview them, just leave me a comment (make sure I have a way to contact you)
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Pictures!
I also took the opportunity to photograph some puppets I made many years ago. I'd helped build puppets before these, but always with instruction/guidance from other people. And I'd repaired many puppets that had normal wear and tear from performances/touring. But these were the first puppets I made completely by myself, from designing to building. They are Bunraku/rod puppets. The characters are from Rapunzel--the Prince, the Witch, and Rapunzel. If anyone would like details on how I made them or what they're made of, please let me know.
Friday, August 03, 2007
Accomplished
Monday, July 30, 2007
I am a creative person
And I think he's right. My only creative outlet recently has been my stitching. And I don't get to do that very often. So, in a sense, I've been dying, little by little, over the last 3 years. The last time I was onstage was for a magic show. I drifted away from the community theatre I belonged to, partly because I didn't like the atmosphere there anymore and partly because DH was discouraging me ("rehearsal again?") Then I got pregnant, had DD, and we moved. That theatre is no longer a viable option, since it's now too far away. There is a theatre about 5 minutes away from our new house, but I'd still have to put up with DH's comments. Plus, I gotta worry if he'll be home in time from work to watch DD while I go to rehearsals/performances......sigh. I want so badly to get back into it.....I really want to do something puppetry related, but there's nothing around here that doesn't involve a bit of traveling. Which DH would definately frown upon. Even if I could stitch more, I don't think that it would be an entirely acceptible substitution for performing. With performing, there's instant gratification--the audience's reaction. I don't get that with stitching--if I do show off my progress to DH I get a ho-hum "That's nice."
I want to get my creative self back. I feel like some vital part of me has been missing, and it hurts. I am not myself anymore......
Friday, July 27, 2007
Not a good season for me....
Monday, July 16, 2007
Still here
I am really proud of DD....when we were at my parents' house, my best friend (that I've known since kindergarten) came over and brought a toy. DD loved the toy, and when best friend was leaving, she took the toy to her and said "Thank you" without any prompting from anyone. Not bad for a 2 year old!
Thursday, June 14, 2007
So You Think You Can Win? (aka Round 4)
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Looking to the past
One of my favorite pictures was taken Christmas Eve 1993. I was on a puppet tour at a resort hotel, and we were enjoying some down time in a sitting area. KC, M, J, and I are sitting on a sofa, with tiny D laying across our laps. We visited this resort every Easter and Christmas, doing puppet shows and holding puppet building workshops for the guests' children. And for poor college kids.....a room at a 5-star resort and breakfast and dinner for a few days were more than enough payment for a few shows and workshops. While I was growing up, Christmas Eve was when my family gathered for the big dinner. So this picture, taken on Christmas Eve, after we'd had a lovely dinner and performed our show for the evening, represents another kind of family in a way.....
There's pics of SC, my roomie and friend, with whom I had so many adventures...getting lost in Pittsburgh, getting lost in Baltimore, getting lost in Maryland....actually Virginia--we went the wrong way around the DC beltway! Pictures of SP and C, more roomies and friends. Pictures of J, the first person I met at college and still a very good friend. Pictures of KS, J's roomie and another friend. I have fond memories of the 6 of us watching lots of movies on the weekends....Each of these people challenged me in different ways, forced me to grow....put me on the path to become who I am today. And I hope I did the same for them.
So I look at these photographs, these snapshots of the past, and realize that what once was, is no longer.....things change, people change, but it's nice to revisit the past, see where we were, who we were. And remember the good times we had. And maybe someday we'll all be in the same place again and have new memories to add to the collection.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
I Can't Think of a Title....
I finished the treasure braid on Celtic Spring this afternoon while DH was watching the Indy 500. So now I only have the 5 colors of beads to do. I started on the beads but DD woke up from her nap so I didn't get very far--maybe 14 beads. I really need to update my pictures! Maybe I can take some on Tuesday.....
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Randomness
1. Each player starts with 8 random facts/habits about themselves
2. People who are tagged write a blog post about their own 8 random things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog you need to tag 8 people and post their names
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment and tell them they're tagged, and to read your blog.
1. I studied (and received a degree in) puppetry in college.
2. At one time, 4 generations of my family lived in 3 different houses on the same street.
3. I like giraffes.
4. I collect shot glasses from different places I've been.
5. I played soccer for a season as a child.
6. I used to take piano lessons.
7. I twice competed on a national level in dance while in high school. (placed 2nd in tap duet and 1st in open/lyrical small group)
8. My favorite candy bar is a Toblerone.
I'm not tagging anyone--most of everyone I know has already done this one....if you'd like to play along, please feel free to do so!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
0-3
Earl won Survivor, so DFiL gets kudos for picking him....
Otherwise not much is going on....
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Checking In...
Haven't gotten much stitching done. I still need to take more pictures and post them.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Another one down.....
Both new projects are coming along, and I've even worked some on Celtic Spring. No pictures still. I promise to post one of the finished blackwork eventually! I'm starting to want to work on Convent's Herbal Garden again....but I'm not looking forward to those Jessica stitches. (upper left yellow flowers) I think I'll do a Jessica, then work somewhere else, then back to a Jessica, etc. It's not that I don't like the Jessicas--they're just not fun in pale yellow on white. I think the ones I've done look great, it's just I'm not crazy about doing more! But I love this design, and I love other Chatelaines, and I plan on doing more--at a rate of one big one at a time. I gotta finish this one first....
Friday, April 13, 2007
Secrets and Silk
Tuesday, April 03, 2007
Out of the slump?
I never really remember why I go into a slump. This last one however....When DD was younger, I could stitch while DH watched his Nascar--DD would be happily bouncing away in her bouncer, squealing and laughing. Now, she's more mobile and she likes to sit beside me on the couch or throw herself in my lap. I don't like to have needles out around her. I can't even knit around her--she loves the scarf I'm knitting. I made the mistake of draping the short bit of scarf across her shoulders and she thought that was pretty cool. She's so tiny it was more like a shawl. So now she tries to steal the scarf out of my lap and wrap up in it. Funny, cute, but annoying when the needles get jerked out of your hands. I can see myself slipping easily back into a slump again--I can only stitching when DD's asleep, and many times by then I'm too tired. And I don't want to create a frogging situation. I could stitch during her nap, but I'm usually doing housework.
So many projects waiting in the wings....
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Finally Happy Dancing
Friday, March 30, 2007
Wow!
DD can count to 6. She's not even 2 years old yet. I think she could count to 10, but she refuses to say 7. Won't even attempt it. I know she doesn't realize that the numbers represent specific quantities. She was counting blocks as she stacked them and the number she said as she stacked never corresponded to the actual amount of blocks in her stack...she just said numbers, in order, from 1-6. Today when I put her down for a nap she was saying "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (pause)
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Oh the irony....
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Girls' Night Out
DH stayed home and kept DD. Who unfortunately was not the same sweet little girl after her nap that she was before her nap. I think I jinxed it with my post yesterday!
Friday, March 23, 2007
My sweet little girl is back!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
A little of this, a little of that
She surprised us by saying some numbers out loud while "reading" a book. I had been working with her on letters, but not numbers....
I think she's got the last of her molars coming in--she's been really fussy the past few days. To the point of crying and saying "NO! NO! NO!" when I get her dressed in the morning. And I was putting on one of her favorite shirts. She usually smiles and laughs and says "Sirt! SIRT! Pan! PAN! Ka! KA!" ("Shirt, Pants, Socks") when I dress her. I hope the terrible twos aren't starting early. I've been putting Baby Orajel on her gums, and that seems to placate her for a while. I can feel maybe one spot that a tooth could be starting to break through.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Eh
Monday, March 12, 2007
Not so Amazing for me
Sunday, March 11, 2007
More Pictures
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Pictures
Friday, March 09, 2007
A.I.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
I need to get out
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Getting out of the house
I'm itching to get back into theatre, and I need something to get me out of the house without DD--of course I love her, but right now it's like a 24-7 work schedule with no time off. DH does relieve me some when he's home, and he will keep her on the weekend and let me go out shopping or something, but as much as I love shopping, weekends are not the best time to go--traffic extreme. And since the point is for me to relax, and there's no way to relax stuck in traffic....I end up just staying home.
*Clique problems: Just one example--A show, in mid-run, was shorthanded backstage. I signed up to work a few nights. The stage manager would not assign me any jobs--they'd gotten used to working shorthanded I guess. So I just stood around, and tried to jump in when it looked like people were struggling. And they wonder why no one wants to work backstage--there's about 3-4 people that do it regularly (every show, every play) and they work out a routine that works for them, and aren't willing to adjust when other people do show up, but complain when no one does.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
This and That
Amazing Race: All-Stars has started, too. DH chose Dustin and Kandice (yes, my picks from the last race) and I picked Rob and Amber. I know, I know, everybody's tired of them. But, I choose who I think will win--not who I necessarily like. There's a difference. Rob and Amber are strong. As they've proven time and time again. They don't panic, ever. And they don't bicker with each other. (I did almost pick D and K again. I may regret that later. Especially since DH snatched them up after I said no to them. It was 50-50. Really.)
American Idol--DH and I will officially pick when the top 12 finalists are named. We do have our favorites already out of the top 24, er...20 now. I think the winner will be a female. I have my eye on 3 of the girls....they *should* all make the top 12, so I might have a hard decision. DH sees 1 girl he's leaning toward, and has already declared her off limits to me. Not very impressed with most of the guys. Thank goodness the audition episodes are done. I like when they get into the voting part much better.
And now to completely switch topics--I plan on taking pictures of my stitching WIPs and finishes hopefully sometime soon. I've photographed any of them. Even though I've been stitching for almost 22 years, there's pitifully few projects in either category I'm sad to say. Plus, there's some I've given as gifts to people I am no longer in contact with (and I'm kicking myself that I have no pics of those!) On the plus side, when I do get around to photographing them it shouldn't take very long! I'll be posting them somewhere at some point. I'm jealous of everybody else's pretty pictures. I wanna show mine off. Stay tuned!
Friday, February 23, 2007
Movies
SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own blog, paste this. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun!
(x) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
(x) Fight Club
(x) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
( ) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 7
(x) The Princess Bride
( ) AnchorMan
( ) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
(x) Anger Management
(x) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 12
(x) Scream
(x) Scream 2
(x) Scream 3
(x) Scary Movie
(x) Scary Movie 2
(x) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
(x) American Pie
(x) American Pie 2
(x) American Wedding
(x) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 22
(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
(x) Harry Potter 4
() Resident Evil 1
() Resident Evil 2
(x) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
( ) The Village
( ) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 27
(x) Finding Nemo
( ) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
(x) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 33
(x) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
(x) Along Came Polly
(x) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
(x) Meet The Parents
(x) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
(x) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
Total so far: 41
( ) A Cinderella Story
( ) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
(x) Dumb & Dumber
(x) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving X-MAS
( ) Flubber
Total so far: 43
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
(x) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
( ) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
(x) The Whole Nine Yards
(x) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 46
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
(x) Ten Things I Hate About You
(x) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
(x) Sixteen Candles
( ) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
(x) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 50
( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
(x) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Seven
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremecy
( ) Lone Star
(x) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
( ) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
( ) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
( ) Curious George
Total so far: 57
(x) Independence Day
(x) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
(x) My Bosses Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 62
( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
(x) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
(x) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
( ) The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 68
( ) X-Men
( ) X-2
( ) X3
(x) Spider-Man
(x) Spider-Man 2
( ) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
(x) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
( ) The Skulls
(x) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
(x) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
( ) Shrek 2
Total so far: 76
(x) Swimfan
( ) Miracle on 34th street
(x) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
( ) A Walk to Remember
( ) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
(x) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 79
(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 85
(x) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devils Rejects
( ) Elf
( ) Highlander
( ) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History X
( ) Three
Total so Far: 86
(x) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 90
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
( ) Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
(x) Waterworld
Total so far: 92
( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) The Last House on the Left
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 92
( ) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
( ) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 95
(x) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
(x) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
(x) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
Total 98
98. Wow, I'm surprised it's so low. It could be higher--there's several movies that I don't remember if I've seen them. And there's one--Joyride--that there's 2 movies by that name. And I've seen both. So I guess technically my total should be 99?