progress

Here is the progress so far,on the new purse

I don't think I'll have it done for christmas though, I started it too late.

I have a thing for round corners lately, I don't know why.

in other news we got a new tree and got it trimmed and everything.

It fits nicely into the space between the Piano and the radiator.

the stockings and silver bells are up

I'm not feeling very christmasy though that could be due to working in retail for the holidays

I hate working retail.

new purse

struck by inspiration I started a new purse, this one I will try to keep a better photo diary of as I go along, so you all out there in the ether can look in and see the progress if you are so inclined.

I still haven't finished the china purse or decided what to do with it.
my inspiration is sketchy at best.

I haven't gotten the Christmas spirit yet so I thought I'd try to decorate a bit.
it will be a little hard this year as the 8 ft artificial tree we've had for the last 20 years just bit the dust, and we're having a hard time replacing it. just the swag isn't doing it for me.

Tv I can't stop watching

I have discovered food porn!
Help me please! I may need an intervention!
I love the food networks diners, drive-ins and dives, hosted by Guy Frieri on monday at 9cmt.
OMG! how much can this guy eat! I wish I was following him!
its entertaining evocative and delish!

FireFighters Union Local #2 Christmas Toy Parade

Every year the Union Stewards & Catholic Charities go out to every firehouse in Chicago for donations for this toy parade. the firefighters and their family's all donate time and energy to give the children a happy Christmas morning. its our little way of giving something back to the community. every year we get about 20 children to shop for and we usually get enough to spend about $20-$30 per child and my kids bless their mercenary little souls love to go shopping for it!

Here are the the guys at the union offices loading all the toys onto the fire trucks and other vehicles,

they'll do the same bucket brigade unloading at the union hall with more volunteers

And here they come over the hill

there were no wagons for the kiddies to pull this year, but everyone is in fine spirits, despite the cold (28* & snowing!)

there are my two girls in red right up front!

Here come the bikes.

and look at all those toys!

Don't it make you feel warm and fuzzy all over!)

Every boys dream, have the picture taken & spend time with the family!

Jeez I didn't think I worked her that hard!

more sketchbook art

I am in a sharing mood this morning ,

and so I thought I would share with you some more of my doodles.

Some I've added on to since last you saw the page

some are designs I've tried to work out.



some are from work

enjoy.

books to read

I just started to read Lois McMaster Bujold's Vorkosigan series ( again, for the 100,000,000th time!)

I love just about everything this author has ever written and Shards of honor is a good jumping off point, if you like Strong women characters a smart story and lots of humor with your action/sci-fi/drama.

there is usually so much going on in one of her books, it's a little hard to synopsis and the jacket blurb just makes me laugh because its so vague it could be any book!

needless to say, our two unlikely heroes come together under bad circumstances, that just keep getting worse.

Just when you think things will get better they don't. it's all very well written and I keep promising I'll savor the story then end up powering through it in a day, then go back and read my favorite bits again!

If you like Sci-Fi, you will like this author!
unfortunately my copy of shards looks like this,

as you can see this is a very loved and dog-eared copy!
here is the sequel, also dog-eared but at least you can See the cover art!
see what I mean, tough women!

another monster

Here's a monster for youngest DD.
Ever since I made one for her sister,
the world was not complete, until I made one for her too!

I've put no real embellishments on either of these,
though they would be prime candidates if not for children.

here's an update on the Pineapples and palm trees block

I still think it's missing something though

happy halloween a day late

(Picture by Roxanne Anderson)

whellp folks, no pics today just a little whining

I just started to work again at the jewelry shop, (were i worked before i was hired and inhumanely laid off from the dealership) and i have to say I am not at all pleased to be back. Before the Christmas season gets into full swing, i will be subject to the most stultifingly boooring days EVER!

I promised myself I would not Ever, ever, ever go back to sales, Ever! and here i am, tail between my legs a supplicant to the most dull job in the world, sales.

of course on the plus side i get to spend more time at home with the DH and kiddies, and you, my dear readers whom ever you may be.

in other news i went to Cabela's sporting goods store and availed myself of the wonders of the great outdoors inside this HUGE shop. when they say they have everything they mean it!

they have a simulated mountain mid store, with stuffed representatives of the local game, including the wily and vicious squirrel ( which I found funny) an enormous fish tank with the biggest, fat and happy bluegills I've ever seen, along with rainbow trout, carp, bass, and a muskie that must have been fed into solemnise to not have eaten every other fish in the tank.

in one corner of the second floor to one side of the gun library and a truly startling array of firearms, they've got a shoot'in gallery arraigned like annyhoo yokels backyard trash heap equipped with an assortment of tin cans old boots bottles and other detritus not to forget the outhouse, each furnished with it's own target.

amongst the other wonders of the Cabela's are the buffalo burgers, (MMM Buffalo!) i was expecting them to be gamey but, they're a bit leaner than cow and have more of a musky flavor to them. If you are interested in hunting, fishing, camping or just the big outdoors in general, check them out they're a cool place to while away a few hours and keep the kiddies entertained for a few hours.

room re-do

This what I have been doing instead of sewing since I got laid off.

It started, as most of these projects do, with a leaky ceiling.

In tracking down multiple leaks during a four day rain storm.

We started, innocently enough, just removing a few ceiling tiles only to discover the true extent of the problem(rats!- not real rats just the sentiment) inadequate insulation, gaps and a hornets nest(fortunately all dead and gone!)

This room was always my favorite in the house due to this veiw

and was originally my sewing room.

DS and I switched rooms when it became necessary to further remove the boy from the girls.

it's hard enough to get them to bed without the steady stream of tit-for-tat going on when they were all upstairs together.

and so my sewing room became DS's room and vice versa.

It's now so bright and cheerful I'm almost thinking of switching again!

I suppose it would have been more dramatic to show before and after pics but I just now thought of sharing(Duh!)This is my Ds's Room now. He (poor dear) has been living in the basement for the last three weeks while we tore apart his sanctuary.

I'm very glad we did, as it used to look like this!

This is the mud room, as you can see we use it for coats and temporary storage.

It's just out side his room and done in the same awful paneling!

its dark and not very user friendly.

adding more

I find in going through my older projects the need to add more to some of them and so I have been working on the Pineapples and Palm trees round robbin block,

nancy's block Lori's block

Janets blockAnn's block

taking inspiration from the blocks I got back and incorporating some of the design elements from their pieces into my block.

originalnew

It still looks naked to me

hooligans

Just a few pics of my hooligans
for your enjoyment