Yes, sometimes I put birds on things

I finally learned how to embroider! Thanks to Katie and lots of super cheap embroidery floss from Knittn' Kitten.



Here's what I like about embroidery: it allows me to feel productive while I spend evenings inside catching up on TV shows that I really should have watched awhile ago. TV and crafts go so well together.

Cherry Pie

Last weekend I went out to my grandpa's ranch in Tygh Valley, Oregon to swim in lakes, ride ATVs, and take advantage of the overwhelming number of cherry trees on his property.



Recipe from here. No, collegecandy.com is not a website that I often consult for recipes. It just happens to have been the first website that popped up when I typed in "vegan cherry pie".

No pictures of the finished product, as it was cut open late in the evening and then finished up over breakfast. Pie and black coffee, Twin Peaks style.

I've been hearing that pie is the new cupcakes. I think I'm OK with that.

Guerrrrrrilla Girls

Sometimes I think I would be happy making greeting cards for the rest of my life. When I'm asked about my dream job, I go back and forth between card maker and erotic baker.



Katie's b-day/going away card. (I MISS YOU, LADY)

The origami dresses were made out of security envelopes after I watched this tutorial a few times.

Hoops

I'd been meaning to do this for awhile.



I think they're CUTE.

Hair Clips!

My grandma recently cleaned out her garage and unloaded a bunch of craft boxes onto me, so I've been trying to come up with projects that require felt (she gave me SO MUCH FELT). I am suddenly super addicted to making felt flower pins.



I used this tutorial for the pink flower, and now I'm adapting them to make use of various buttons and fabric scraps hanging out in drawers around the house.

These are perfect to make while taking to long distance friends on the phone. I kind of want to make one each time I talk on the phone and then send them to that person afterwards.

Friday, 6:23pm

My favorite time of day.



ESPECIALLY when there are tulips on the dining room table.

Cigars

I found this cigar box on the side of the road and brought it home to store my cards and envelopes inside of. I'm hoping this box, sitting in front of me while I'm at my desk, will remind me to be better at keeping in touch.

Cozy

Due to a whole bunch of recent stomach aches, I've been using my hot water bottle a lot. And the thing about a hot water bottle without a cozy is that sometimes it burns you if you fall asleep with it on your belly. So I decided to knit what will probably be my last knitting project of the season (cause who wants to knit when it's sunny outside?), a hot water bottle cozy. I found the project here, via domestic affair (which, I must say, is one of my favorite blogs). This was my first time trying the cable stitch, and I was pleasantly surprised by how super easy it is.



I figured out what was causing the belly aches (I'm allergic to cooked tomatoes? What?) but I'll still be using this when the menses come.

If it weren't for Katie, this project might not have happened. It's good to have a crafting buddy again.

bedside tables

Via the Bitch e-newsletter: Read about what I've been reading!

let there be lamps

I made a lamp! For Joel. Using this bottle of mead from Honeymoon, this wonderful place in Bellingham that I miss all the time. This project took awhile to assemble, but I learned a lot about the right way to drill a hole into a glass bottle. I also found it immensely satisfying to mess around with lamp hardware for an hour and then plug the cord into the wall to find that it WORKED, there is LIGHT.



Also, adding rickrack to a $1 thrift store shade can work wonders.

Hat!

I made this hat and gave it to Joel for our 4th anniversary (yes, it's really been that long). I somehow managed to knit the whole thing without him knowing -- which can be tricky when you live with the person you're knitting for.


I knit him a hat using this very same pattern awhile back and it's still on his head a few days a week, so it's obviously worked out well. I dug the pattern out of a bag of yarn that I hadn't touched in over a year and got to work. This pattern is called the Simple Soldier's Hat -- they recommend this pattern for people knitting hats to send to soldiers since it's warm, easily washable, and easy to ship. It's also a really straightforward pattern, so if you're new to knitting you'll have no problem knitting this one.

messy college bedroom

I miss this room the most.

Holiday Hightlights

BFFs came for my b-day!


Thanksgiving Rummikub.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes before the frosting.


Homemade envelopes.


Solstice feasting before the puppet show and poetry.


Christmas dog!

Fire! Fire! Fire!

A couple nights ago, a few of my roommates and friends decided to have a burning party. We burnt the things that we would like to leave in 2010. I'm kind of a pack rat and don't like to burn letters or pictures for fear of missing them down the road, so I opted for writing down things I've struggled with and throwing the pieces of paper into the fire.



It was super fun and rejuvenating and I would totally recommend that everyone does this.

New Years Eve

Tonight I placed an avocado pit in a glass of water, with hopes that it will sprout in the new year.



I'm going to spend a bit more time reflecting on the year and baking some cookies before I go find some friends and ring in the next decade.

Vagina Thumbprint Cookies

I'm sure by now you've heard that I like to make vagina cakes.

Well, Abby and I made some vagina cookies.





We have big plans for these erotic sweets. I'll keep you updated.

Snowflake Curtains

I've said this before: I really, really like taking paper to the sewing machine. Maybe because it feels like something I'm not supposed to be doing? Whatever. It's fun.

I've been making lots of snowflakes lately. I'm kind of addicted to it. They were piling up, so I decided to sew some snowflake garlands.

Some to go in the kitchen:



Some to go in my bedroom (with the curtains that I just finished sewing):



They're pretty festive and cute and make me very happy when I wake up in the morning. And Jill just pointed out this 5-pointed snowflake tutorial. So now I'm going to try and master those.

Cute Things to Make From Soda Cans: Pt. 1

My sister and I made these for our mom awhile ago. For her birthday, in May. We dug through my neighbor's trash can and ended up with some nice & colorful magnets.



Tutorial is here.

Triple Chocolate Fat Pants Cake

Abby and I made this delightful cake last Friday night. The recipe was discovered in Babycakes, a bakebook that I actually find to be kind of annoying because it uses celebrities to sell the readers on all of its recipes. And what do I care if Pamela Anderson or Natalie Portman likes the cupcakes I'm about to bake? But Jason Schwartzman was right, the triple chocolate fat pants cake is amazing. Plenty of chocolate, coffee, and coconut oil. And the whole thing is topped with broken chocolate chip cookies. And guess what, kids? Vegan and gluten-free.



Mouthwatering delicious, seriously.

Pumpkins!

I've always wanted to break away from the traditional jack-o'-lantern . Not that silly and scary faces aren't wonderful, but this Halloween weekend I felt like it was time to try something new. So I made a bird (cause birds are one of the only things I can cut out freehand). I think it turned out quite nicely. This weekend I am in love with our front porch.