crochet — Page 22

My Stuff is Everywhere (& Cupcakes)

January 26, 2011 at 10:57 am by Claudia

It’s now official. I have taken over every available surface with my various projects. Yarn for an obsession scarf on a chair…

Dollhouse, paint, brushes, and other supplies in a corner of the den….

Script and all Shakespeare research materials on the kitchen table.

Yes, I have a studio upstairs, but none of these projects can fit in that tiny space. So I guess you could say my studio space has expanded to include the entire house. There is relief in sight: I have one more act to research in The Merchant of Venice and then the books can be removed from the table. Speaking of MOV, as it has been dubbed in all rehearsal correspondence, I officially start rehearsals this coming Monday. My days will be long, but exciting, for about 5 weeks.

Yesterday, I needed to catch an early bus to Manhattan. When I woke up there were 2 additional inches of snow on the ground. If you had driven by MHC, you would have been treated to the sight of me shoveling snow in a parka and pink flannel pajamas. Oh, what blackmail photos could have been taken! Upon seeing me out there, Don yelled out the window and berated me (kindly) for not waking him up to help. Can’t help it…I just get a notion in my head and I start in.

It was a snowy bus ride to Manhattan and as I walked around Greenwich Village with big, fat snowflakes falling, I fell in love with the city all over again. Though there are some taller buildings in the area, the predominant style is a 2 or 3 stories. You aren’t surrounded by skyscrapers. It has much more of a cozy, neighborhood feeling. Very picturesque yesterday and very photo-worthy. Alas, when I am toting a bag full of the books I need for my work, the last thing I need is the additional weight of my camera! Once we get into the rehearsal space, my books can stay there and I will once again have my camera in hand. It will be fun to share some shots of the city with you.

Where did I stop? Do you have to guess?

The Magnolia Bakery, of course. As you gaze upon these lovelies, say a fond farewell. This is the last hurrah – at least for a while. We have been indulging in way too many sweets this winter. After the last cupcake has been consumed (and two of them are already gone) it’s lights out for sugar. This winter is one of the toughest we’ve had in a long time – more snow is due tonight – and since we have at least 2 more months of it, we’ll really be packing on some pounds if we continue at this rate.

I will miss you, pretty and delicious cupcakes. Sob.

Crochet, Weaving, Dollhouse & Snow (Again)

January 21, 2011 at 11:37 am by Claudia

This just about sums up my snowbound life of late. If you added a copy of The Merchant of Venice and some cookies, this vignette would be perfect. And no, I didn’t arrange this photo. I looked up from my laptop and this is what I saw on top of the music cabinet: Monty the cow surrounded by dollhouse furniture and another obsession scarf on the hook. Speaking of scarves, here is #6:

Blocked and ready to send to my Best Friend Since Junior High. It was not called Middle School in those days. I much prefer Junior High. “Middle” sounds like a sort of limbo, but “Junior High” sounds like one is right on the edge of experiencing the wonders of High School. Why did the powers-that-be feel the need to change it? Leave well enough alone, I say.

We had more snow last night. I’m not kidding. We’ve had 5 major snowfalls since December 26th. I did manage to escape the house yesterday. I broke out of our icy prison and ran errands. It sounds mundane but after being stuck here for several days, it was heaven. I hit Michael’s, Lowe’s, the supermarket, the Vet’s and the yarn store. Then I chopped away at more ice on our driveway. This weekend we are supposed to have below zero temps. We’ve changed the name of Mockingbird Hill Cottage – it’s now Ice Station Zebra. (Remember that old movie?) Here’s one positive – in one of those conversations you have while shoveling snow, my neighbor told me that when the snow pack stays around for a long time, it’s bad news for ticks. And that’s good news for us.

You know I adore my sister, Meredith. Besides being a wonderful person, she is a mega-talented knitter, crocheter and now, weaver. She bought a loom a year or so ago and she has been creating such gorgeous stuff. Look at this scarf. (I stole this from her blog.)

She has an extremely busy life, with two teen-age boys, her work as an Occupational Therapist and caring for my parents who live just a few miles away. The loom is set up in her bedroom and gives her the perfect excuse to retreat from the craziness in her house and create. You know I’ve mentioned setting up an Etsy shop….well, Mer and I are thinking seriously of setting one up together. We’d carry handmade items as well as vintage. And you’d have a chance to buy her gorgeous woven creations. And maybe some of my scarves…or whatever else I can dream up.

Random On Wednesday

January 19, 2011 at 6:14 pm by Claudia

:: Letitia has taken to wearing my ratty old parka and snow shoveling hat (faux fur, of course.) Perhaps that’s because I’ve been wearing it a lot myself lately. Of course, I don’t wear the flower when I’m outside in the snow. Yesterday was just a horrible, terrible weather day. Snow came down and turned to sleet, then turned to freezing rain, which turned to ice. All the trees and plants are coated with it. Our driveway, which slopes down to the street, was completely iced over this morning. Oh joy. Don salted it and about an hour later, there we were, hacking away at the ice. It’s a long driveway, so excuse me while I pause for a moment to curse. I’m also dealing with sinus/allergy/whatever and feel a more than a bit under the weather. Thank goodness I didn’t have to be in the city yesterday or today. I wouldn’t have been able to make it.

Spring cannot come soon enough.

:: After trying a new recipe for Oatmeal Cookies yesterday, I wasn’t sure I liked the results. Today, however, they taste great. But during the time I thought the cookies were a bust, I quickly scoured the pantry to see what else I had on hand to make another batch. Ah, molasses. So I baked this favorite of ours:

These are “Ben’s Favorite Molasses Sugar Cookies” from The Bake Sale Cookbook, which you can get here. I may not like to cook, but I do like to bake. And I have a sweet tooth. Which is why I don’t bake very often.

:: I’ve just finished another obsession scarf. I haven’t blocked it yet. It’s for my best friend, Laural. Since she doesn’t read this blog, I don’t have to worry about her seeing it. Debi and Karen, I had to special order the yarn for your scarves and it just got in today. Hopefully, I’ll be able to break out of my prison house tomorrow and pick it up from the yarn shop.

:: I’ve decided I’m going to post something about the dollhouse every week. That way I will be forced to keep plugging away. It’s been completely primed. Now I have to paint the outside and figure out what I want to do with the rooms. I’ve been pouring through my catalogs and am getting ready to order baseboards, crown molding, window trims, spindles and railings for the staircases….if I let myself, I could go nuts. Working on this dollhouse is tricky because it was already assembled when I found it on Craigs List. Usually, all the painting, etc. is done before assembly. Since I can’t do that, I have to work in very tiny spaces and it isn’t easy. The dollhouse came with this door:

I don’t particularly like it and it doesn’t close. So, I bought another door.

What do you think? I like it much better. It’s a bit larger than the other one and that means I might have to do some sawing…any tips from my mini friends on the best way to do it? By the way, that plant and urn came from my friend Jayne of Tallulah – Belle Originals. She sent me lots of wonderful things for my dollhouse – she’s incredibly generous.

I’m off to drink hot chocolate and blow my nose.

My Stuff is Everywhere (& Cupcakes)

Crochet, Weaving, Dollhouse & Snow (Again)

Random On Wednesday

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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