Under Construction

I think the readers should win a prize

Yes, I survived NaBloPoMo. I must say, it was somewhat more challenging than I expected. The posts got pretty lame. I did get a nice pep talk from Becky around the 25th when I was starting to give up so I know a (very) few readers stuck with me on the journey of every day posting.  You deserve an award!

I also survived another craft show. This one was actually really fun and well attended (and I sold stuff!) I focused just on my kids stuff-very limited product offering-but it seemed to work. In addition to sales I feel like it was a good networking opportunity and a lot of folks took cards.  I also wrote (very) detailed descriptions about each product and noticed quite a few folks stopping and reading. I know some people are too shy to ask so I thought this might be a nice way to get across that, yes, I did make the doll bed and the trucks from actual wood. And yes, the bibs are small but they are for newborns. I can also use these descriptions to list the items on etsy.  Speaking of etsy, when I sat down at the computer 10 minutes ago an email popped up and it was an etsy sale. That's a nice end to the evening!

Anyway, at the very last minute I decided I wanted to make clothespin dolls and kits. I ended up changing the sign and selling them for a dollar. Probably sold only 4 or 5 but I had a darn good time assembling the kits and then creating samples. Addictive.  I'm saving some for little gifts for my nieces but I have several kits left. 

If you actually read all those posts in November (scouts honor) leave a comment. I'm not sure how many people actually read and how many of those would even want a clothespin doll kit but I'll do at least 5 kits and have a drawing (if there are indeed more 5 of you) My dad's a reader but I don't think he's in the market for a clothespin doll.

Even if you didn't make it through the crush of November posts, thank you for reading and commenting. I have a lot of fun with this little blog and you readers make it way more fun. Even if I'm a complete idiot at responding to comments with any consistency!!

Happy December!

Success!

It's after midnight so it's November 30 which means the last day of NaBloPoMo. I made it! Posted 30 days in a row.

I also finished the gift just in time. It's wonky and has issues but it's done.  I'll tell you more about it later.

Goodnight!

Linky

Things I found interesting around the blogosphere today (geez I read a lot of blogs!!):

Wait, before we begin, don't miss this event.

Ok, now the links:

This post (and photos) about an abandoned building full of school supplies was really interesting. And depressing.

Swistle reminded me that I really should have taken the holiday card photo already.

This Christmas tree is super cool

This contest has some really good prizes--just make an "American" craft project

If you are bored and love cats. Or knitting. Check out this photo set from Crazy Aunt Purl.

This silhouette project from Anna Maria Horner looks cool and she was on the Martha Stewart show!

And I think that's it. Hope you had a great Monday!

Swaps and other goodies by post

I joined the patchwork swap organized by Linda and got matched with Laura.

I got some fabric scraps

And Laura sent the nicest purse/bag with an appliqued apple tree. Biscuit has (temporarily) adopted it for block storage.

The back is striped in fall colors

Continuing the theme of really bad photos, a horrible shot of the adorable tutu from Dana.

Which I somehow won for contributing to Marimello's Witch Fire Etsy Shop
It seems like the perfect item for a two year old girl but so far I haven't been able to get it on her! I think once she tries it, she'll like it.

So that's it for day 3. I'll close with some flowers I bought my mom--we're off to their house for the day.

Links for Nov 1

Just because I'm a blogging dork I decided to participate in NaPloBoMo. Or is it NoPloBoMo. Or NaBloPoMo. Or whatever the heck where you post every day in November. I think it was only a thing last year but Manda is doing it so I'm copying her.

Expect randomness, photos, links and hopefully a holiday gift guide (I'm working on it. Send ideas).

So to kick us off for this exciting challenge, some links:
Marie (aka Marimello) is running an Etsy shop where all proceeds go to those affected by the fires in San Diego. Go check it out.

You'll also notice I updated my Blogroll (over there to the left).  There are some good blogs over there and each worthy of an introduction but how bout a few shout outs?

Angry Chicken posted a convenient recipe cheat sheet

Shelterrific had a really interesting hanging cradle

Decor8 always has eye candy including the calendar review up now

Biscuit was only a costume away from the most famous kid on the internet. See, Biscuit? That chicken suit was ADORABLE!

Also, another blog posting every day this month is Sew Mama Sew! and they will be doing a gift idea sewing pattern/tutorial EVERY SINGLE DAY. How awesome is that?

Let's end with a photo, shall we? Some coasters:

Hasta manana

Working

I've got a show next week and a birthday party in two weeks and no inventory and no birthday party plans. I think posting is going to be a bit sparse although I'll try to check in periodically with updates. In the meantime, I just found this site of lovely wooden toys.  And here's a photo of one of the scarves I just finished.

I really like how the back and front match and contrast making it interestingly reversible. It's kind of wide and large so I'm not sure how functional it'll be but it looks good anyway.

Hope you had a good weekend!

Links and a recipe

Links:

• Doll quilts that I really like (Flickr favorites)
• A video of Biscuit "reading" her new favorite book. Thanks, mom.
• A really good (craft related) segment of This American Life. Listen to the third act; I can relate to that guy.
• And speaking of Martha Stewart, have you listened to this Craftsanity podcast? One of my favs.

Recipe:
For the mushroom soup that looked oh so appetizing in this post:

Hungarian Mushroom Soup (from the Coffee House Cookbook)
3 cups nonfat milk (I use lowfat, it's what we have)
2 small onions, diced
1 tbsp plus 1/4 cup butter
1 tsp salt
2 pounds mushrooms, sliced (cremini are good, button are fine)
4 1/2 tsp dill
2 tbsp plus 1 tsp paprika (yes, that's a boatload of paprika)
2 3/4 cups water or vegetable stock (I use stock when I can)
1/2 cup flour
2 1/4 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups lowfat sour cream

1. Begin warming milk in a saucepan on low heat (I totally skip this step, too lazy to wash all those pots!). In a soup pot, saute onions in 1 tbsp of butter and the salt. When soft, add mushrooms, dill, paprika and 1 cup water/stock. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
2 In a separate saucepan, melt remaining 1/4 cup butter. Whisk in flour forming a roux. Slowly add milk (warm or not) whisking out any lumps. Add roux and milk mixture to the soup pot. Add remaining stock/water and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Just before serving, add soy sauce, lemon juice and sour cream, whisking thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Yield: 10 cups

This is one of our favorite soups and perfect for fall. And, really, when the heck did it get to be fall? I'm stuck way back in July waiting for my summer vacation!

Happy linking and cooking!

Oh, wait. Can't go without a photo!

Mary had a lamb that followed her to school one day. Biscuit has a blow up dinosaur :)

Toddler Fixation

Toddlers are funny creatures. If you've ever hung out with a toddler you know what I mean. One minute screaming for pizza and the next minute refusing to eat pizza in favor of cherries which are being called grapes.

Biscuit is at an unbelievably fun and adorable stage. Even though an emphatic, "NO LIKE," is probably her favorite phrase there are plenty of things she does like. And she likes them a lot.

Have I mentioned the sprinklers?  She loves sprinklers. On or off, it doesn't really matter. She seeks out sprinkler heads on every walk and points out sprinklers that are on. Or off. Or suddenly, "all gone." She calls them "prinklers" and as far as I can tell spends a good portion of her brain power thinking about them.  Oddly, she doesn't actually like getting sprinkled.

And fans. Several months ago she was terrified of fans (which made a summertime trip to Home Depot pretty much a nightmare--they have a lot of powerful fans to show off right by the registers). Then, inexplicably, she decided she likes fans after all. Ceiling fans, whole house fans, table top fans, air conditioning vents, she's an equal opportunity fan lover.  For now...

Several months ago, when Biscuit was going through a phase of wanting to be held up to peer over the fence into the neighbor's yard (to see the boats it turns out) I decided to start chronicling these funny, strange and often fleeting obsessions. Because I'm already a year behind on the scrapbook, I decided to use a blog. 

I do this just for me and post infrequently at best. A title and a photo, that's it.  I'll do two posts in one day and then none for several weeks. But already I enjoy going back in time a few months and remembering the things I've  forgotten.  I thought there might be a few readers out there (hi, dad) who would also enjoy this photo chronicle.

If you want a bit more Biscuit in your life, swing on over to Toddler Fixation.  It makes me smile every time.

P.S. I'm no photographer but this is my favorite shot so far (don't think about the germs).

Forgot to mention

There was CRAFTING at BlogHer.

And not just crafting, crafting with the winner of Project Runway season 1 (although I never managed to meet her). And crafting with free alcohol and snacks.   

And crafting in the "Under Construction" section of the very awesome Chicago Children's Museum.

Stay tuned tomorrow for a photo of my (not especially successful) t-shirt refashion project. (Hint: I didn't follow any of Chloe's patterns)

Greetings from Chicago

HI! For those of you following along, I survived the red eye to Chicago and after much walking and wandering made it to the BlogHer conference.  That was yesterday.

Today, the conference is over and I'm worn out.  And a little tired of talking about blogs and blogging and why we blog and the business of blogging and the politics of blogging.  Lovely to meet so many amazing and talented women in person by by 8 p.m. tonight I was ready to head for the hotel to relax (and read blogs).

One lovely re-discovery is Jen Lemen.  She has a beautiful art/mommy/life/inspiration blog and led me to Nikki McClure who has some amazing papercuts that remind me of Switzerland (lots of papercutting art in Switzerland). I can't wait to check out all the other blogs of fellow BlogHers but for now, Harry Potter is calling, I'm on page 354.

Photos and more on Wednesday when I'm back home (I'm at another conference in Chicago for work starting tomorrow, going through Tuesday).