Memorial Day Goodies

Ah, it was nice to have a day off. Lots of things I'd been meaning to get around to. Between all of us, we managed to get the living room cleaned, new fan installed (I can't believe what a difference a better light makes - I'm all pumped to start painting the living room now!), bought fabric for dining room curtains, and made some truly fantastic burgers.

I'm actually so pleased with how the burgers turned out, I'm glad I wrote down everything I put in them. I'm going to try to work out some more specific measurements than 'some' and 'a couple of splashes', and maybe post the recipe in the next few days. I think with an egg and something to act as filler (my first thought is bread crumbs, my second thought panko or crushed bagel/pita chips) it would make an incredible meatloaf as well


I'm really loving the fabric I got for the curtains - I'm starting to wish I'd maybe gotten a little more to re-do the chairs, but I don't know that it would be sturdy enough for that purpose. It looks wonderful with the curtain rod (pictured), and it's going to go really nicely with the cobalt blue I've got picked out for the final coat on the walls. I'm starting to think maybe I should just do the cobalt as a wash over the cadet blue I've got going in there at the moment. Something to maybe try out on a piece of scrap wood, see how it turns out.






I also found some nice fabric for some 'around the house' shorts for Tiwaz. It's hard sometimes to find a nice masculine looking fabric that isn't obviously for someone under 12. (Not that I don't think he'd wear Star Wars or Transformers shorts, - hell, not that I wouldn't - I'm just saying...)



I also got a few things for the latest swap I've joined. I'm pretty excited about the projects I'm working on, trying out a few new techniques and such. Don't want to go into too much detail in case my partner is checking my blog, but I've got the supplies for all but one of my projects, and I'm really looking forward to finishing up the big project. I'm trading a friend some shrinky-dinks for the supplies I need to get it done, as I discovered this weekend that somehow she has managed to get through life thus far without never knowing the joys of shrinky-dinks. This is a state of affairs that I simply cannot allow to continue. I'm sure she will enjoy them thoroughly, and promptly use them to create something far cooler than I could have come up with, just because she's kind of awesome like that at times.

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Now playing: Dean Gray - Ashanti's Letterbomb
via FoxyTunes

Potayto, Potahto

So my assignment at work today was basically 'fit ten pounds of potatoes into this five-pound bag'. Turns out it's an easy enough task to accomplish, but when you're done, a lot of potatoes are going to be very pissed off at you. Fortunately, enough of the 'potatoes' have given me crap that I don't care quite so much if they're pissed off anymore. After all, you can't make an omelette without breaking a few potatoes...er...eggs. I probably should have had a better lunch.

You get what you pay for...

So I found out today that GameTap is offering Psychonauts as a free download. My first thought was 'great! I almost paid $15 for the XBox version'. My second thought, about an hour into the game, was 'oh yeah...I really hated trying to play the demo on the PC'. I just can't find a comfortable button layout to play this game using the keyboard, I really need to get it in a version I can play with a controller. Oh well, something to add to my Wists.

I've been doing good on non-jewelry items for Etsy as well, got a few notecard sets lined up, and a few scarves and hats are ready for their close-ups. If time allows this week, I'm thinking of maybe putting a pattern up in pdf format - although Ravelry added a function to sell patterns through them. I'm going to have to do a little research into their shopping mechanism to see which way I want to go with that.

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Now playing: Vampire Weekend - Oxford Comma
via FoxyTunes

I Miss Coffee...

Well, that drawing I wanted went up on eBay today - I got the first bid in, and was instantly outbid all the way up to my limit. I honestly didn't think for a moment that I'd be able to get it, but at the very least I was hoping to keep the lead for a full minute. And this is why I don't buy much off of eBay. Believe me, it's not for lack of trying some days.

Regardless, I've been on an Etsy restocking spree lately. Mostly jewelry, which I love making, but I really don't feel like that's what I want to focus on - it seems like such a large percentage of Etsy is jewelry. Ideally, I want a variety of types of items in my store until such time as someone actually buys something from me. I just don't seem to be able to get a good grasp on what exactly Etsy shoppers are looking for, I guess. I'm thinking of putting a few strategic ads out on Project Wonderful, but I want to get my shop a little fuller first. I've got a few knit items I'm finishing up, another painting I'm working on, and a cute linoleum block that I'm planning to use to print notecards, but it seems like there should be more I could get together.

And that's where the lack of coffee comes in. I love coffee so much, and somehow other forms of caffeine just don't seem to give me the mental energy, just physical. Of course, I don't know that I'd feel quite so strongly on the matter if I wasn't allergic, but still, every time I hit a creative block, I find myself thinking 'well, one cup wouldn't hurt...I've got antihistamines...'.

Oh well, I'll just drown my sorrows with yarn - I'm nowhere near having used up enough to fulfill my New Year's resolution yet.

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Now playing: Electric Light Orchestra - Turn To Stone
via FoxyTunes

multi-talented cat

As I awkwardly type this, all eleven pounds Miss Minerva is carefully perched on my kneecap, cleaning her own butt. I have no idea when she suddenly developed a sense of balance, as earlier today, she tripped over a rug in the living room. I shall attempt to get the hell off of me and continue later...