What Has James Been Up To?

I am sure you are just dying to know what my busy little bee has been up to! Well, here is a run-down of the last few day's activities!

He was being naughty and I told him so, so he went and stood in the corner BY HIMSELF. I was dying laughing! It is hard to keep your composure during moments like this!

He has been very fond of taking his big stuffed dog for a "drag." When I was a kid, we had this great dog named Rascal who was so excited to go for walks that he would drag us down the road on his leash. Mom always said he was taking us for a drag instead of a walk.


He has been wearing this construction hat again, non-stop! He won't even take it off when he goes upstairs for his nap. I have to finally take it off of him once he is in his bed.


A new pastime of his has been to load his dump truck with toys and run them around the kitchen and then drop them off in a pile on the other side of the room. (Which, of course, is no where NEAR where they live when they are not being played with!)


And of course, there is the Diego fascination. I have cut him down to one episode per day, for fear of rotting his little brain with too much boob tube influence. But look at the SHEER RAPTURE on his face!


And this might be my new favorite photo ever ever ever of him (for now, at least.) I mean really, how cute can he get?

And another video of him, dancing to Diego. He is a little miffed that I don't do the Diego Dance with him anymore (in which I used to pick him up and Tango him all over the living room). But lately that is making me very dizzy, and I don't want to have to explain to the ambulance driver why I hit my head on the coffee table while holding my toddler and dancing the Tango!

I Took the Etsy Plunge Today!

Today I finally created my storefront on Etsy.com. I am so excited! I love how the site really caters to individuals who love handmade things. I am hoping to turn my weekend vintage button hobby into an opportunity to make a little play money.

The site is nearly free (20 cents per listing), is really easy to work with, and I can log in just a few times (weekends, mostly) to check on my progress.

Last night I played around with a store name and designed a banner. Here it is:

Tonight I listed 7 button rings and one button bracelet. If you look back through my previous posts, you can learn more about how I make this button jewelry.

You can check out the Etsy storefront at Sugar Plum Designs.Whoo hoo! We'll see how well I do. Thanks Mom for all of your help pricing these exquisite buttons!

Sabotage!

I must admit, I have been very careful about gaining weight this pregnancy.

I am watching my calories and working out, and eating healthy. I have been doing well, only gaining 2 pounds into my 15th week. With James I had already gained 14 pounds. (Thanks to a LOT of homemade banana bread).

Imagine my surprise when I got on the scale and was up a total of 6 pounds! How could I have gained 4 pounds in 24 hours? (Especially with my marathon hour-long workout yesterday?)

Hmmm . . . could it be my new best friends?


Aaahhh . .. their lovely, sweet and sour goodness! Only 140 calories in 16 pieces--5 servings per bag for a total of 700 calories.

But who would eat an ENTIRE bag at one sitting?

Why, that would be me, of course. A couple of nights a week. Me thinks the Sour Patch Kids could be sabotaging my goal to gain no more than 25 pounds this pregnancy . . .

DRAT!

Edited at noon to say: OK, I just did a re-weigh and it was some funky error. Back to only 2 pounds. Must have been my big fuzzy socks, LOL. OK, so where is that bag of SPK?

My 10 Favorite Movies

That don't include Curious George, Thomas the Train, Little Bear or Go, Diego, Go!

I totally swiped this from Badger.

Here are the rules:
1. Pick 10 of your favorite movies.
2. Go to IMDB and find a quote from each movie.
3. Post them here for everyone to guess.
4. Strike it out when someone guesses correctly, and put who guessed it and the movie.
5. GUESSERS: NO GOOGLING/using IMDb search functions. I mean, you can cheat if you want, but is it really that important?
6. One movie guess per blogger. Give people a chance to guess before you steal all of the awesome!

Okay! Let's go!

1. Mom again! This one is Labyrinth. "Give me the child. Through dangers untold and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the Goblin City to take back the child that you have stolen. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great..."

2. No one got this one--it is Schindler's List. "We were on the roof on Monday, young Lisiek and I and we saw the Herr Kommandant come out of the house on the patio right there below us and he drew his gun and shot a woman who was passing by. Just a woman with a bundle, just shot her through the throat. She was just a woman on her way somewhere, she was no faster or slower or fatter or thinner than anyone else and I couldn't guess what had she done. The more you see of the Herr Kommandant the more you see there are no set rules you can live by, you cannot say to yourself, "If I follow these rules, I will be safe."

3. Mom knew this one, too. It is The Little Princess, a great old Shirley Temple film. "Daddy! I found you at last! Oh, Daddy, Daddy, you won't ever go away again, will you? Will you, Daddy? What's the matter, Daddy? Why won't you talk to me?"

4. Good job, Redhead in Vegas! This one is Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Character A "Give me the whip."
Character B: "Throw me the idol. No time to argue. Throw me idol, I'll throw you the whip."
Character A: [throws the idol] Give me the whip.
Character B: "Adiós, señor."

5. Congratulations Mom! This one is Gone with the Wind. "No, I don't think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That's what's wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how."

6. I can't believe that Tara didn't come thru on this one--it is from Shakespeare in Love. (Truthfully, when I told Chris what it was, he said "I thought so!" which goes to show you that he is a TRUE Renaissance man!)"I will have poetry in my life. And adventure. And love. Love above all. No... not the artful postures of love, not playful and poetical games of love for the amusement of an evening, but love that... over-throws life. Unbiddable, ungovernable - like a riot in the heart, and nothing to be done, come ruin or rapture. Love - like there has never been in a play."

7. Whhoo hoo to Illegal Movie Downloader, who guessed Juno. That's right! "You should've gone to China, you know, 'cause I hear they give away babies like free iPods. You know, they pretty much just put them in those t-shirt guns and shoot them out at sporting events."

8. Congratulations Beezus! This one is Bowling for Columbine. "It was the morning of April 20th 1999, and it was pretty much like any other morning in America. The Farmer did his chores. The milkman made his deliveries. The President bombed another country whose name we couldn't pronounce. Out in Fargo, North Dakota, Cary McWilliams went on his morning walk. Back in Michigan, Mrs Hughes welcomed her students for another day of school. And out in a little town in Colorado, two boys went bowling at 6 in the morning. Yes, it was a typical day in the United States of America."

9. Amy got this one. The Last Unicorn. "I am no longer like the others, for no unicorn was ever born who could regret, but now I do. I regret."

10. OK Mom, no more guessing! She's right though, this one is the Wizard of Oz. "Courage! What makes a king out of a slave? Courage! What makes the flag on the mast to wave? Courage! What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? Courage! What makes the sphinx the seventh wonder? Courage! What makes the dawn come up like thunder? Courage! What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the "ape" in apricot? What have they got that I ain't got?"

A Little Boy, Some Buttons and Vintage Treasures

We took the boy to the Springs Preserve yesterday. It is a neat interactive museum with walking trails that highlights Nevada's history, plant and animal life, and efforts to conserve water.

Here's James looking all punky before we left.
This is typically what I get now when I ask him to smile for the camera.

Here he is learning about how much water was used in the 18oos.

Uh, that Pioneer girl didn't have anything to say to me, Mom.

Dad, where are you? And who are these freaky people?

Here he is learning about early pioneers that came
through Nevada on their way to California.

Walking through some of the trails with his Da da.
He SO does not want you to hold his hand!

Learning about a little Sioux Indian girl.

Checking out a wigwam (I think it is called a wikkiup.)

He had such a great time running all over the place.
Needless to say he took one loooooong nap when we got home.

* * * * *

I made five more button rings. I think I have a sickness!
These are so much fun!


* * * * *

Mom has some fun stuff up on this week's auction.
Take a look!

Clock face die-cuts. NEAT!

1950s red print circle skirt

Vintage retro paisley fabric

Gorgeous old feed sack star quilt

Here is a link to her auction: Pollyanna's Antiques

Sunshine Makes Me Happy

I like to play outside.

First thing in the morning, I start asking to go out and play.

I love to play in my sandbox.

I like to play in the rocks.

When Mommy asks me to come in, I get REALLY mad, and have a big temper tantrum.

Like this.

I found out that if I do this for long enough and loud enough, I get to go BACK outside.

Yay!

Button-palooza

So . . . .

I went a little nuts last night.

Whaddaya think?

******

Gini--I know, I am nuts. I probably couldn't do baby bedding, I mean, how do you even make a fitted sheet? I think that involves elastic, and that scares me! Yeah--make your pillows already!

Hey Mom- I need more buttons! Yes, I remember that one bracelet you made with all of the hearts and flowers and dogs--way cute!

Alice--I think black and white would be great. Maybe with one fun RED button thrown on!

Jo2308 - thanks for visiting! Yes, looks like primary colors are getting a big nod. I was thinking about what you said with yellows and orange for spring, and that is why I went with the yellows and greens.

Redhead - those little shiny buttons make very cute wrap rings. You should get started again. Isn't it fun?

Stephanie- the buttons are so pretty. James likes to play with them, and then I have to re-order all of them by color (and I end up sucking some up in the vacuum!) Thanks for the book suggestion--I think I'll take a look at it this weekend.

Amy!! - Hi! Thanks for commenting! Luv u! Wow-I don't even remember you being there at the gym. How did Mom keep you entertained? And J.S.??!!! You freaking remember that? That is NUTS! You should be making tons of button jewelry--after all, you have access to some of the best vintage buttons in the world! Some I got from Mom, most I got from E-bay.

I've Got That Button Feeling

A couple of years ago I was visiting my Mom and Dad back in Maine, and hanging out in their shop. My Mom was showing me these really beautiful bracelets that she had been making out of old buttons she has in her shop. She has tureens FILLED with buttons of every kind, material, color, you name it. She said I should try making one.

I spent the next couple of days sitting on the floor in the shop, combing through buttons like I was hunting for Easter eggs. I would pull a button out and say "Can I use this one?" I would get a "Sure, that's fine." or a "No, are you crazy? That one is so rare!" or a "Mmm . . ., well, I GUESS so." Let me tell ya, those rare "Well I guess so's" are the BEST buttons on my bracelet!

Here it is:

I love the color palette, mostly greens and purples, and the exquisite buttons on it. Every time I wear it I get compliments, and people want to know where it came from, so needless to say I have made a few since that first one. But of COURSE, this is my favorite!

I have been thinking that it is time to make another one. I have been CRAZED with this desire to make something lately. I have always been interested in drawing and painting, and some amateur sewing. I think my need to make something is my version of what some pregnant women call nesting. I am pregnant with our second child, and I am just compelled to create.

When I was pregnant with James, I took up knitting. On another trip back East, I asked my Mom to teach me how to knit. She did, and then later that same vacation my SIL Kimmy refined what I had learned (and spottily remembered) from my Mom. Kimmy is a pro-knitter, and has made things that I could never even dream of attempting, like actual sweaters and cable throws.

After that, I spent months knitting baby blankets, (5 of them) baby hats (6 of them), baby booties (1 set, those were HARD), and three lap throws. After I had James I struggled thru a blanket for my husband who was a slave driver. Every night I would show it to him and he would say "NO! It must be LONGER!" and I knitted until I couldn't stand knitting anymore. I haven't picked up the needles since then.

Pregnant again (but flatly refusing to knit) I have considered taking up sewing. I have been talking to Mom about what would be a decent beginner's sewing machine to purchase. I used to help her sew quilts in high school (I know, I was SO COOL). That reminds me of a time when we needed a really big space to finish a quilt and so we went to my high school to lay it out outside the gym, and there was cheer leading practice going on right next to us . . . OMG I felt like such a DORK I would way rather have been on the top of that pyramid then sewing. Oh, the things you take for granted. At 34, I don't imagine I would be doing any cheering, but I could definitely be sewing my ass off. Thanks Mom, I do love you for that. Really. You are the best.

SO-I think it is time to make button bracelets again. Until I find a good sewing machine and start making my new baby's crib bedding. (I have to find out the gender first, and that won't be for another month, so I've got some time.)

* * * *

Hmmm . . let's take a look at what I've got.

Should the bracelet be blue?


Yellow?


Brown?


Pink?

Black?

Red?

White?

Sparkly?

I am leaning toward blue and brown, or white. What do you think?

Swirl-ey

I am feeling

sort of

swirl-ey

after spending too much time

looking for just the right

swirl-ey, curly, twirl-ey wood cut type of artwork

for my new blog heading.

Fresh & Easy and A Spring Swing

What can I say? It is a two post kinda day. (It must be going around.)

Anyhow, James and I took our once a week grocery shopping trip to Fresh and Easy today. I know that you know that I am just enamored with that store. When we got home, I felt compelled to post.

First of all, I find something new and amazing every time I go there. Like today, for example. I found this whole end cap filled with ready made sandwiches. Some were red onion, roast beef and arugula, some were chicken salad, some were Italian BMTs, and then I found the one that was calling out my name: A mozzarella, tomato and basil on fresh focaccia. YUM!

I added a dash of balsamic to it when I got home.


Now TELL ME that you wouldn't just reach right thru your computer screen to grab this?

Way back at the beginning when I was dating Chris, his cousin Paul took us sailing off of the Connecticut shore. He had packed these AMAZING little sandwiches, the likes of which I have never been able to find or re-create on my own. Well, I just found it. So, from here on out, this Fresh & Easy sandwich will be known as the "Paul's Sailing Special."

I do our grocery shopping once a week, and try to stay within $100 bucks. I am always with ten dollars of doing that. AND I am not tempted to buy a bunch of crap that you find in the regular grocery stores (crap meaning crappy produce, crappy deli meat, crappy baked goods, crappy meat).

Here is a little collage of our favorite F&E items, (otherwise known as the things that MUST MUST MUST be on our grocery list every week.)


If you haven't made it over there yet (and you happen to live in CA, NV or AZ) take my word for it and do it. (They aren't paying me or anything). Which is why I can say that I think they must put CRACK in the OJ, because when we start running low Chris gets this crazed, worried, OMG ARE YOU GOING TO FRESH & EASY TODAY look on his face!

Oh, and you scan your own groceries, but an employee bags. James loves this part, because he gets to run his little motor mouth off to a captive audience. Today he said "Hi!" to the bagger like 40 times. And she was so sweet and say "Hi!" back every stinking time. LOVE HER! Then, when she put the last bag in the basket (in my post-consumer-waste, recyclable, reusable bag) he said "Thank you!" to which she said "Why you're welcome!"

Then, here is the cherry on top, he waved at her and said "Bye bye!" I am SO PROUD to be seem him be so polite and friendly. I basically left the store with a crazy case of happy tears!

When we got home, the sun was shining and so warm still for late in the afternoon that I set up James' swing. Here are some pics of the fun. ENJOY!