Playdate

They melt in your mouth, not in your hand

If you weren't strapped for cash thanks to the recession, gas prices, ever increasing cost of living, you can invest in these collectables...

Woaw.

Heartbreak in a box

My in-laws give me cash every year on my birthday. Adam tends to just put his birthday cash in his wallet and fritter it away, but I take it as my one opportunity each year to pick out something -- often something a little frivolous -- and blow the wad in one fell swoop.

One year it was a funky-arty necklace and matching pair of earrings from The Tenth Muse. I still love that necklace and get compliments on it every time I wear it.

Last year I took my birthday stash on the fabulously fun Find and Go Seek trip. I bought a quilt topper for Hannah and curtains for Joe.

It was such a great day that I was able to count that as blowing the money on me. Let's face it, I could have gone to Ikea and spent waaaaay less.

So this year, I agonized a bit. There was something I really wanted: a serger. But I was clueless as to features, etc. I should look for. I did a lot of research and finally, after much soul searching, decided to bid on a White 534 SuperLock. Made in Japan in the 80s, with all metal moving parts, it would fit in perfectly with my 1959 Necchi Automatic Supernova and New Home 443, both handed down to me by my mother-in-law.

Here is the picture of my serger, as it appeared in the eBay listing:

The day it finally arrived, I took one look at the box sitting on my front steps, and my heart sank. This machine which had served its previous owner so well for 20 years, could not possibly survived the beating it must have taken:

I'm still amazed at the 60-plus 41-cent stamps all over the box. And the fact that she shipped a 20 lb. machine just tossed in a box wrapped loosely with brown paper.

I opened the box and pulled out the first piece of paper. Little pieces of plastic came with it. I wanted to cry. I couldn't bring myself to fully unpack the box for a full 24 hours. With Adam and my cousin Emily by my side and armed with a camera, we carefully unpacked the box and my worst fears were realized.

While all the mechanics of the machine are metal, there is still plenty of plastic on critical parts. And we found 16 little pieces in the bottom of the box:

The thread stand snapped off:

The faceplate is askew:

And a little piece of the face plate -- that is attached to a thread guide -- chipped and is hanging down:

That's all I can tell without paying a repairman to open it up. What I do know is that these few things are enough to cost more than what I paid in winning auction bid and shipping combined.

I don't know how the post office handles it when the shipper does a lousy job of packaging an insured item. But I suppose that's not my concern, right? Now I just need get my refund and move on, I suppose.

I was just so excited, and now I'm just sad. Such a waste.

Composting? Me?

   

I guess I'm feeling guilty about all those disposable diapers we use.  I definitely feel bad about that summer I spent driving without a destination JUST to get my kids to nap.  It could also be my compulsive nature.  Recently, I decided to start composting.  I know.  Me, with my quick gag reflex.  Me, a self-professed city girl..composting? I know.  (Okay, so technically I've lived in the 'burbs for nine years.)  But I really want to give it a try. 

Last year, we had great success with our vegetable garden. 

  This year, I am planning a second bed.  Rob already moved some of our bushes around to make room in our yard.   It's very exciting.  (Yes, sadly, these are the things that bring me thrills.)  My kids love helping to water the plants and pick the vegetables off the stems.  My mom is also happy that I have taken such an interest.  She grew up on a farm and she has an amazing green thumb.  The woman can grow vegetables and plants in any container on her balcony in Queens.  ANY container.  I saw her growing scallions in a lasagna pan!!

So with my first vegetable garden under my belt, I felt I could move onto more things.  I had gotten a kitchen scrap container and box of BioBags from my MIL for Christmas (don't ask) so it seemed like a good time to try my hand at composting.

These BioBags are made of CORN and they biodegrade!  How cool is that?  Science is sexy.  No? 

Within three days we had filled one bag with kitchen scraps!  Think of all the trash we're NOT sending to the landfill!  But, Oh Crap!  I forgot about a composter!  Rookie mistake.

After a bit of web research and some advice from local moms, I found this unit to fit our needs.  The Eco-Cycle Base Tumbler.  Sounds impressive, right?

I can't wait for it to arrive.  (Perhaps it's complusive consumerism?)  No really, I AM excited to start my new "project" and I DO need to put these biobags somewhere.  I will say that even with rotting food inside, my kitchen doesn't reek.  Very impressive.  I heart BioBags. 

Sometimes I feel like I'm being guilted by the media into being "Green".  And some of this stuff can be really expensive.  It takes green to be green.  In the end, I feel like it's a good thing to do and just one more small step towards the bigger cause.

Wish me luck with the composting.  I hope I can produce some nutrient rich compost for my garden, for my mom's garden...and maybe yours.

Recycling

Whenever Adam gets a stain on one of his work shirts, I get a little knot in my stomach. I hate the thought of tossing them, but if they are stained I don't really think it's appropriate to donate them.

I have always wanted to make a "button downs and boxers" quilt, but that's also a daunting idea. I have nowhere to store the shirts until I have enough of the right colors, really; and with so many other little projects I want to do, it's unlikely that I would really ever bite off something so big.

Last weekend I found one of Adam's best shirts in the trash. Ugh.

But then, I had an idea ... What about a sun dress for Bean?

Shocking and uncharacteristic, I know. I took an idea from concept to completion in just a matter of days. Getting a Tuesday sitter for Miriam (!!!!!) certainly helped. I've decided Tuesdays are going to be my craft days.

Here's the back:

And a close up of the pocket:

Nothing fancy, but not bad for the first actual item of clothing I've ever made... er ... completed.

I might make some changes, though. I kept the shirt hem, and I think it's just a tad long. But I also think Hannah's about to shoot up, so if she doesn't complain I'll probably leave it. She has requested a second pocket, though, so I'll probably go ahead and add that.

As I was making the dress I was thinking what a shame it was not to use the yoke. Adam did a Google search and found this on the Craft Magazine blog:

How freaking cute is that? There's a detailed tutorial from "Cheytown" on crafters.org. Check it out even if only to see the incredibly cute pics of this dress in action.

Additional Google searches turned up ideas for shirt sleeves: skirts, little girl pants ...

Do you think Adam would notice if his shirts started disappearing one by one?

"You don't see those very often!"

Is what local pest-control extraordinaire, Jerry Buckingham, said to me. 

I'm not big on animals. 

Well, I like the friendly domesticated kinds.  I like watching animals in their habitat.  I just don't like wild animals in MY habitat.  Last year's Spring bunnies on our front lawn was almost too much nature for me.  When I thought it was a nest of rats, I mustered up all the courage I could find to expose the nest.  I figured nature's food chain (the vultures) would take care of things for me.  There are vultures in Maplewood, right?  When it became clear that they were bunnies, all of a sudden their cuteness factor increased exponentially.  They are very cute...

...until most of them die and I have to extract the live ones from under their siblings for the animal rescuer to take.  Not cute at all.

In the nine years we've been living here, I've only come across one (dead) mouse under my laundry basket.  Lovely, right?  See why I don't like nature in my habitat?

Sunday night I was cleaning up and I heard scampering above the kitchen ceiling.  I went upstairs to check on the boys.  All three of them were sleeping.  I woke one of them, my husband, and told him about the noises.  He came down and we determined that there was indeed an animal between our floor joists.  Just a 5/8" thin sheet of gypsum wall board separated me from this mystery creature.  I did NOT like this scenario.

First thing Monday morning, I called the exterminator.  He, thankfully, came within 30 minutes.  He saw no signs of mice (or any other animal) droppings in our basement.  Thank you.  After our recent basement renovation, we're down there almost everyday.  I would hate to know we're not alone.  The attic was another story.  In the eaves (I've only peeked into them once in nine years) he found squirrel droppings that were old, which is a good thing as far as finding animal poop in your house is concerned.  Then, he nicely pointed out the more recent mice droppings.  Aaeeeeeehhhhhh!!!!!  In the other eave, he found some more mouse poop then said, "Well you don't see those very often."  There in the corner of my attic was our little scamperer staring back at us. 

A flying squirrel.

If not for the fact that he is an uninvited, unwelcomed guest in my home, he would be very cute.  Looked like a chipmunk with a fuzzy tail.  Well, after a glance I had seen enough and decided to return downstairs.  Owen, the ever curious animal LOVER, was at the bottom of the stairs.  He was VERY upset when I wouldn't take him up to meet our flying squirrel.  Luckily, Jerry helped my case and Owen reluctantly acquiesced.

Later that morning, Jerry came back to set up some traps with peanut butter.  Now I have to listen for the SNAP! and the CLANGING of moving traps in my attic.  {{{shudder}}} .

Unlike the crazies who took this picture, I will NOT keep mine (or any of his potential friends) for a pet.

 

High Tea

When Hannah bought a teeny tiny tea set "for me" for Christmas, and then proceeded to make me play with it every day, I knew what to do for her third birthday. Little girl needed a tea party!

Tea parties require tea sets, of course, so I spent hours pouring over eBay listings for vintage child-sized tea sets. I bid on and lost several before finally winning one very cute little lustreware tea set with a floral pattern.

I also spent hours researching and planning the menu:

Tea Sandwiches: cucumber on pumpernickel; pineapple cream cheese; ham spread
Fresh scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam (my mother's homemade, of course)
Fresh berries
Birthday cake: Coffee Cream Torte from the Blueberry Hill Menu Cookbook
Tea served with sugar cubes and  cream

Everything was delicious, but some things were a big hit with the adults, but not so much the kids. For example, here's a picture of Hannah looking for somewhere to spit her cucumber sandwich:

Other things, like the Blueberry Rooibos tea, were a much bigger hit with the kids than the adults.

But I could have made three times as many scones and still not had enough.

What was fun for me was how much fun everyone had, even my sister who seemed dubious at the beginning and my ten-year-old nephew who sneered "Boys don't drink tea."

And especially my Hannah Bean.

It's knitting season!

Finally, the weather is actually like autumn which means it's knitting season!  I'm feeling the need to curl up with some yarn, casting on and never looking back.  (Too corny?)

My mom and my late grandmother taught me to knit when I was a pre-teen.  I never made anything beyond squares except for a jumper for my teddy bear, which they helped me to finish.  When my grandmother passed away, my mom brought over from Korea a wood bowl that my grandmother used to hold her yarns.  It's roughly carved yet has a smooth finish and it's precious to me beyond words.

   

I forgot all about knitting until after Ethan was born.  All of a sudden, I was inspired to pick up my needles and try to make a baby blanket and even a garment.  This was the first sweater I made.  It was a very simple pattern with very chunky yarn.  I used curlular needles for the first time and it was very exciting to make an actual sweater.

This was the second endeavor.  This took a lot more effort, and with No. 3 needles, a lot more time.

   

I've been known to ignore instructions booklets.  My motto is...If it's not intuitively designed, then it needs to go back to the drawing board.  So, the fact that I'm reading and following knitting instructions is uncharacteristic and strange.  I guess I do it because it's like constructing a puzzle disguised as a craft.  I love puzzles and I really like to craft...Martha style.  Love ya, MS!

I recently finished a baby blanket and hat for my soon-to-be neice.  And I need to put the finishing touches on this matinee coat.  It's curling on the ends, so I need to fix that too.  Love Debbie Bliss patterns.

I mostly knit for others but last winter I started a garment for myself.  This pattern is from Tracy Ulman & Mel Clark's book "Knit 2 Together" filled with lots of fun projects I'd love to tackle. Of course, I've yet to finish this sweater vest.  Again No. 3 needles...what was I thinking?  Some day I might be wearing this. 

Since I never made any baby things for my brother's kids (and they're 16, 13 and 9), I asked my brother if he wanted matching scarves for the whole family this year...and he actually said yes.  So, I just bought some more yarn from knitknack.  I'd better get to work if I'm going to make 5 scarves before the holidays.

But I'm a multi-tasker and don't feel right unless I have all the burners ablaze.  So, what else can I make???  Square potholders anyone? 

What I learned today:

1. There is a reason most people (including me) have a designated area in which their children are allowed to do arts and crafts
2. When 5-year-olds are doing arts and crafts, it is always a good idea to keep a close eye on them
3. If your child is going to go freelance with his arts and crafts, it is best -- both for his physical wellbeing and your desire not to be incarcerated -- if his partner in crime is not related to him.

How did I learn these things, you ask?

Well, while I was trying to put Hannah down for her nap, Joseph and his friend asked if they could paint the flower pot I gave Joe for his birthday.

This flower pot.

They did a beautiful job.

The problem is, when they finished with the flower pot there was still plenty of paint left. And they still wanted to paint something.

Had I been smart and made them wait for me to clean off the dining room table -- the aforementioned designated arts and crafts area -- then I would have heard (if not seen) exactly what was going on.

But, wanting desperately for my cranky toddler to get some sleep and knowing it would be easier for her if the boys were sequestered in Joe's room, I allowed them to paint unattended upstairs.

As I got up from putting Hannah down, they came bouncing proudly out of Joe's room announcing that after they painted the flower pot they had pretended that painting was their job. And that they had painted Joseph's room!

They painted the door:

They painted the floor:

They painted the bed -- the frame, the sheets, and the ladders:

They painted the walls:

And, of course, the ceiling:

Had this been something Joseph had done by himself, I'm pretty sure I would have killed him. Had he been with one of his cousins, there would have surely been yelling. Perhaps even cursing of some sort.

But, for some reason, because his partner in crime was one of his friends, I was totally able to take it in stride.

I didn't even get upset, really.

The first thing I said was, "Well, let's get some sponges; I'm sure it will wash off."

Then I quickly realized that if it were to wash off the walls too easily then I was totally ripped off when I bought the Paint-a-Pot in the first place. "Washable" would be a very bad feature indeed to have in paints that are supposed to be used to decorate a terracotta flower pot, no?

The paint only came off the smoothest of surfaces easily. These pictures are of the paint that wouldn't come off with soap, water and a scrubby sponge. I will definitely hit these remaining spots with the Magic Sponge, but I really hate that it basically just takes off a thin layer of the underlying paint. I'm not sure that will be much better than the offending streaks.

I'm glad I didn't blow up at them. Not because I'm worried about what Joe's friend will tell his mother, but because, while I was helping them clean, I was reminded of the similar things my sister and I did when we were little: painting jacks on the garage floor with nary a thought to using a drop cloth, the graffiti she and a friend drew all over the inside of her closest (snarky comments about classmates, and, I kid you not, something about a "Jolly Green Fart," whatever the hell that was), the huge messes she and I used to make as we concocted "potions" from cooking ingredients and my mothers cosmetics, toiletries and perfumes...

By not blowing up, I was able to remember that these were things we did, not to be bad, but for the sheer joy of doing them. Joseph and his friend seemed to be truly proud of their "mess." It had been a creative, imaginative game to them. They didn't try to hide it. And they didn't complain about having to clean it up or even give me a hard time when I told them they were done with handicrafts for the day.

They just moved seamlessly from the cleanup of their mess to, "Hey, let's go play dress-up!"

And off they went to wreak more havoc in the well supervised sun room.

Where has the time gone?

I missed my post date last week.  It was already late in the day Sunday when I realized that the weekend had, once again, slipped away.  So here's what I've been doing...

We had our basement modernized. 

Amazing what some paint, lighting and new carpet can do.  I ordered some FLOR tiles and we love them!  Super easy to install.  Although, we (and by "we" I mean "Rob") still need to finish cutting the tiles along the perimeter of the room.  Once we put up some shelves, I'll be able to reorganize the whole house.  Christmas is coming early!

Kris, Bill, Rob and I hosted a party for our sons - whose birthdays are mere days apart.  The boys wanted a race car party and they were pretty happy with the results.  Kris orchestrated a relay race with all the kids and it was a big hit.  (There are some crazy party ideas out there on the interweb.)  The night before the party, the self-proclaimed "non-crafty" Kris and I decorated the cakes. 

Betty MILF-y Crocker.  She claims this is her first and last cake...but I've got another 364 days to break her.  Mmuuuwwaaahhhh!  Don't the cakes look funny in my fridge?

I have to admit, I ordered TWENTY Chocodiles that I was going to decorate as go-cars and make as individual cakes for the party guests.  Well, they arrived today, exactly one week too late.  Chocodile and wine party anyone?

Ethan turned FIVE.  My MIL came to vist over the weekend.  Then my FIL and wife stayed with us for 2 full days.  I must admit, of all the visits, these weren't so horrible.  For Ethan's birthday, we got on the train and went to the American Museum of Natural History.  The boys, young and old, had a great time walking the exhibits.  Ethan LOVED the dinosaurs and Owen's favorite part was "riding the train".

(These trips are getting so much easier as the kiddies get older!) 

Now that it's September, there are only a few more days before back-to-school.  I'm pretty sure I'll do the "ugly cry" at the sight of my "baby" walking into the elementary school for his first day of kindergarten.  Then, I'll "ugly cry" some more at the sight of my second "baby" walking into his pre-school class for the first time. 

Seriously, where has the time gone?

Cats are fun!

I really wish I had some wonderful post about my fun vacation on LBI like Sandra.  Sadly, I do not.  I do, however, have this burning question.  What am I supposed to do with all of these?

Can someone tell me?  Cos they are starting to pile up in my basement.  Just a little.

I even tried to get that litter from Petco because someone recommended it (you know who you are).  You know, the stuff where you bring in the empty container and fill it back up from some massive litter box in the store.  But wow, did that stuff NOT work.  Ew, gross.  I won't even tell you the stories, because it will make you lose respect for me.  Or never visit my house again. 

(You can see that empty container on the bottom left, as now I've gone back to the Fresh Step.) 

But what to do with all the empties?  I just don't know.  Do I have to wait for container day and take a whole carload of them to the recycling center?

I need help, people!