Post Thanksgiving Recovery

I am still alive and kicking just recovering from a long Thanksgiving weekend. Happy belated Thanksgiving to all of my American readers. It was a happy, loud  reunion for our families.
 Jess took a half day on Wednesday and we down to California. It was a really easy drive with no hiccups along the way. We really enjoyed the drive and made awesome time. We didn't hit any traffic until we got into Riverside. The 15/215/91 interchange is always a mess even with the new overpasses. It wasn't too bad though. Jess decided he wanted some Baker's since it had been over a year since he had had any. I had a taco. I wanted to get home as quick as possible to have some of my moms cooking.
It was nice to be back home without my father around. It was a lot calmer and quieter. Well not exactly quiet because my family tends to be loud whenever we get together.

Dinner was pretty good. My mom and I did all the cooking. A turkey, ham, and the traditional sides. Let me tell you, cooking a huge dinner is hard work. I had forget how much work  goes into cooking for more than four people. It was tiresome but everything turned out well. My in-laws came over and it was very obvious that our two famlies are very different. My family tends to be loud and close knot while his tends to be more quiet and detached. It's actually one of the things that sometimes bothers me about Jess. He can be affectionate but then he doesn't show any emotion. Like he keeps things hidden and he's secretive. I know there's nothing to be secretive about but I'm not used to his monotone voice and stoicism. I guess it's just one of those things I'll have to learn to deal with.

I'm not much for Black Friday shopping but since I wanted to spend time with my mom and sister we went to the mall. Not to mention that I needed to buy some new jeans. I haven't bought jeans in a couple of years. I love wearing jeans especially in the cold winter months. After shopping at the mall (which was insane and my sister was starting to get all anxious and panicky) we went to a couple of thrift store. The first one didn't yield anything interesting but Salvation Army sure did. The entire store was 50% off which was totally cool and they are a HUGE store. Back when I was in high school I found all of my cardigans and blouses there. I did find this vintage sweater. I don't know how old it is but it looks like it's from the 80's. Brand new no stains or rips.






I've been looking for a strawberry purse for a while now. I have quite a few saved on my Etsy wishlist but most of them are are bit too pricey for me. Imagine my delight when I saw this lovely peeking out from a bin of purses. I snatched it up and put it in my cart. Sure it has a little bit of dried mud here and there but it's in great condition and will so be washed.





Since I was a little girl and we bought a lot of things used and in thrift stores, I've always had a special place for the star-burst lights. You know the ones that are pointy and hurt like heck if you step on them.Yeah Ive always loved those. There are items that I always keep in the back of my mind whenever I got to thrift stores or garage sales. Vintage ornaments and purses being the top two. I got this lovely topper for a $1.50 it made my day all the sweeter. Now we have a topper for our Christmas tree! I also bought this ball of lights (don't know what to call it). My in-laws have the same one but in blue. I think I'll hang it out on our porch.






We had a nice visit with my in-laws too. They threw a  family get together so we could see all of Jess's relatives. It was nice and quiet. It was hot too. I packed jeans and sweaters thinking that it was going to be cold and overcast but it wasn't. Oh well. I guess I'd forgotten that California weather can be very temperamental at best. I was nice to have the warm sun on my face. My mother-in-law surprised me by giving some of her jewelry from when she was a little girl. My mother-in-law is going to be 60 I think so a lot of these pieces are from the late '50s and early '60s. She said she had her grandmother's rhinestones but she wasn't ready to give those away yet.















This vintage leather purse was waiting for me when I got home. It was a present from a former customer of mine. She thought I might like it. I do! I need to make a strap for it since I'm not much of a clutch kinda gal. I figure I can use some duck cloth to compliment it.






I was nominated for a Liebster Award thanks to CityScape SkyBaby!  Thank you! I do  plan on making the post next. Im just getting things together.

 Ridley hasn't wanted to pose for me. He was mad that  we left him alone for a few days. He got his revenge: he destroyed a roll of toilet paper (again) and bite me and the hubby. Now he's all loves and cuddles. Darn cat but we love him still. I hope everyone has a great week and weekend.

Mama's Got a Brand-New Hat

Saturday I woke up and was surprised to find the  world had been blanketed by a couple inches of snow. I was super excited! I ran around the house opening the blinds and curtains. I truly love snow and how it mas everything look a lot prettier. Ridley wasn't too impressed that is until I opened the back door and he got a whiff of the snow. Then he couldn't wait to get out.





 

 Snow always makes me happy. I get all giggly and just stare out the window.  To me it's such a great part of nature. I love rain too and love watching it fall with a nice cup of hot tea and some cookies.

Over the last week I've knitted a couple of new patterns. I bought this book a couple of months with birthday money.  It's a big honking book. It has a lot of lovely projects too. The best thing is that most of the patterns are in my bust measurement. I've been wanting to up my knitting skills and this book will do that. I'm learning to read knitting charts too. I made the "Pictoral Sunday Beret" out of this book. It was an easy knit just really slow going since it was on small needles. I may remake the bow. It's a lot bigger in the book than in real life. Please. excuse my slightly frizzy hair. One side is always more manageable than the other. I used to have curls when I was a baby  so my hair can be nice and wavy or a frizzy mess. Today it was both






I also made a pair of fingerless gloves in matching yarn. These were really easy to make and I used a chart to make them so I'm getting practice in for bigger projects. Both the beret and glove are made from wool so they should keep me pretty warm. I'm going to take this for our trip down to So Cal.



Thanksgiving in less than a week away and I'm totally psyched to see our families. I need to start packing and making lists of the things we want to do and buy.  Tonight we're going to a cheese store that is opening in Reno. One of Jesse's co-workers knows the owner and mentioned it to him. We both really like gourmet cheese especially goat cheese. It has  very smooth and sweet taste to it. It pairs wonderfully with sweet apples and grapes. Wine? I'm not so sure. We're not big wine drinkers but I really like dessert wine.  I guess we'll see how ti goes tonight.


Here's Ridley playing at Secret Agent Cat. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Afghan is Done!

The wind outside is howling, there are grey clouds on the horizon and we are suppose to get some snow showers tonight. It's perfect weather for bundling up, getting a nice cup of tea, and starting a crocheting or knitting project. That or baking some delicious cookies.
 Last week I began crocheting an afghan to get rid of all the small scraps of yarn that I've been saving. I saw no point in getting rid of them since small bits of yarn lend themselves well to making throw pillows and blankets. I used this vintage pattern.  I really liked this pattern for a bedspread but I'm afraid it would cost me over $100 in materials since we have a queen size bed.  I made a lap blanket measuring 48" x 60" It took me about 5 days to make 80 squares. I was really cranking them out. I used worsted yarn and a size 8 crochet hooks so they were very easy to make. I love making squares. I don't really like joining the squares  and then rows is my least favorite part of crocheting projects. I was able to join everything in one day so it wasn't too bad. I have this issue where once I'm about  90% finished with a project I just want to jump on the next one and not finish the current project. I'm slowly training myself not to do this.
I had hoped that it would have been big enough to use on our bed but this way it's easier to way and throw about. I ran our of yarn so I didn't add a finished border. I'll get around to it eventually. Maybe.

 

A couple of weeks ago I bought some vintage millinery. They are in great condition with no cracks or damage. I have been seeing some pretty pretty combs .  I'm still trying to figure out how I want to make my combs but in the meantime I made this brooch. I used a wood button I bought at Joann's to attach the brooch pin and fruit stem. I used an epoxy to adhere everything. Let me tell you, epoxy can really stink up a room and give you a massive headache. But it was all worth it. I love the way it turned out.




We're about two weeks away from going to visit our families for Thanksgiving. I'm so excited! I get to see my mom and siblings as well do some much needed shopping. Not just for new clothes but thrift store shopping too. I just have to remember not to spend too much money. We're trying to save up.

My mom's 50th birthday is next year. She keeps telling me how tired and stressed out she is. I've been thinking that since it's her 50th birthday we (my siblings and I) should take her to Vegas. She really loves Vegas and really deserves to relax even if it's just for the weekend. I want to take her to an  all male strip review but have mixed feelings about it. On one hand I know she'll love it and have looks of fun. On the other hand, I don't want Jess to think it's okay for him to go to strip clubs. I just wouldn't feel right if Jess went to strip club and came home all horny and looking for action. I'd feel like I was being use. He says he's okay with it but I'm not so sure.

I hope everyone has a productive warm week.  I leave you with this photo of Ridley and his handy work.

Halloween and some projects.

Happy (belated) Halloween. I hope everyone had a fun and stayed safe. Today I woke up with a menstrual migraine. Yeah, it sucks. I really hate it when I get a headache first thing in the morning. It takes me most of the day to feel better and functional so chores and most projects get pushed aside.
Halloween was fun and low key we stayed at home, eat some pizza, and handed out candy to the neighborhood kids. It was nice we didn't have a great turn out because it was so windy and cold. I dressed up like a skeleton.  I did my hair first and then did my make up. We bought some make up at the Halloween store and it was okay. I wasn't able to get a good base but it worked out okay.









 


The last couple of weeks I've been  hailed by my Muse. I've been having a creative and productive streak. I finally made the stockings for my family's Christmas presents. I forgot to take a photo but it's just a basic felt stocking. I also stained my sewing table turned vanity table.  I don't know why I out it off for so long. I took me about an hour to stain the whole thing. It was  pretty easy and I really like the color.

BEFORE: The front was water stained and there were numerous scratches and stains in the wood.


AFTER:  I sanded the entire table and removed most of the major stains and scratches. I used Min-Wax stain in gun-stock grey which is funny because it was more of a red oak color. Whatever. It matches most of the furniture in the bedroom. I removed the trellis wicker in the front because it didn't stain evenly and looked crappy. I replaced it with a faux suede fabric panel and Jess really like it.





We went to Reno last weekend for a HAM radio swap meet. It was really small and Jess didn't find anything that he likes. I checked out the local Salvation Army but they didn't have anything that was worthwhile or in my budget. There we some vintage sewing needles that would have looked great framed and mounted but I just couldn't bring myself to spend $10 on them.

After that rather uneventful trip, we went to the Reno Antique Mall. If you remember, this is the place where the old biddy was being a condescending bitch to my sister and I. I like to ramble about the mall and look at all the pretty things I'd love to own. In one of the stalls, I saw this cute swan powder bowl. I picked it up and saw that it was FREE. Yup, free. I don't know about you but I've never gotten anything for free at an antique mall do I jumped on it and took it. Some lady held it for me up front and told the same old biddy that it was free. That old woman got very angry and said "We don't do that here. If she wants to give something away she can clear out her stall and sell at the local flea market." Wow. There was so much hate and anger in her voice. It was totally uncalled for. I really like this place but every time I go there that lady kills it for me and I don't go back for a few months.

Here's the lovely swan. There are a few chips but that doesn't bother me. It can hold a lipstick on her back and the top is removable. Now I just need to get some body powder and make a fluffy puff.



I also found this awesome pineapple brooch for $3.50  I found the exact one on eBay months ago but didn't win it. It's a really neat brooch because the body of the pineapple is made of metal but the inside is made of plastic.


I had the car on Wednesday so I checked out the local thrift store. I lucked out. The entire store was 50% off. I bough a few throw pillows for $1 a piece. It was a really good deal.
How bitching is this Tiki themed pillow?  I only wished that there had been a pair instead of just one but oh well. I washed and dried the pillows twice just to be on the safe side. That thrift store is really good at cleaning items but my mom taught me to was everything that wasn't bought new.


I also found these gloves and they fit me! They're a longer length and I'm debating weather to shorten them or not. I haven't decided yet. Since they're kind of plain, I was thinking of embroidering some flowers on the back of the hand.



I hope everyone has a pleasant and fun weekend. Until next time, Ta!

Knitting up Some Christmas

I've had a busy and productive week. I've been knitting up a storm. This week alone I have knitted four hats for my nephews, niece and brother and two new snoods. I've been busy I have three nephews from the ages of 7 to 8 years old and my niece is 4 years old. Hopefully, I'll be able to go to Joann's to buy some felt and make them individual stockings. I figure a hand-made hat and some small toys will make a good stocking.

Two of my nephews really love Spider-Man so I made them each a beanie in alternative colors so they can know who's is whos but I'm sure they'll be switching back and forth.






This is for my other nephew. He really likes Angry Birds. This was fun and challenging. I've never really made a character hat before this. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out.



This is for my brother Rudy. He likes the tigher fitting hats. Oh, it's reversible too.


This one is super cute. I had the hardest time trying to figure out what I should make my niece. I figure all girls like cute animals and what's cuter than a panda! I know my sister is going to want one but I've already made her  three hats. I'll make her one for her 17th birthday.



 Oh, did I mention we're going down to visit our families? I'm so excited!  My mom is besides herself with happiness. She's already planning what we're going to do while were down there. She really wants to take me shopping. I do miss shopping with her. Even if it was just window shopping.  We used to talk and just hang out. I talk to her a few times a week but it's not the same as being there in person. While we're down there we're also going to be looking into buying a car. We keep fixing things on the Toyota and it still has the same problem. It's stupid to keep putting money into something that doesn't work.

Jess has been wanting to take up hiking. I got a pair of hiking shoes a few weeks back. I think it'll be a good way for us to get some exercise and maybe meet some people. He wants to go camping next Spring/Summer. I'm kind of freaked out by the idea of sleeping outdoors. My father wasn't  the type to let us sleepover at friends house so camping was out of the question. It may be fun to go outdoor activities. Jess seems to think that I'll like it once I get a taste of it. 

We've also been preparing an emergency kit. We have a grab-and-go bag ready for Jess. Now we just need to get one ready for me and Ridley. We've talked about how things will get handled and who will do what. I know the basic items that need to go in a pack: medicine, glasses, first aid kit, etc. One thing I started to think about was feminine hygiene. I know that just because an emergency happens my period isn't going to stop.  It'd be nice if it did but then again it wouldn't be good for me. I started looking at reusable pads. Yes, I'm a pad girl. My period is light enough that using  tampons would be uncomfortable.  I decided to try my hand at making reusable pads. They'll work perfect in an emergency setting. They seem to last a long time and are there ready whenever you need them. I'll let y'all know how it works.

The weather has been getting colder. It's been sprinkling this morning and we're suppose to get some snow this week. We bought a humidifier. We've been looking at buying once since last year but it was $90 and I just couldn't commit to buying something so expensive. Let me tell you, I regretted that decision. We've been keeping our eye out on that and finally it paid off. This last weekend Costco had the humidifier on sale for $15 rebate. We jumped on it.  It's made a HUGE difference in our bedroom. I no longer get a that horrible dry throat where I feel like I'm going to choke. My face and body don't feel as tight either. It's nice even Ridley seems to be enjoying the moist air in our bedroom.

As always, here's Ridley-boy! He really likes wool yarn.

Weekend Fun

Fall is finally starting to make me want to bake. I've been having a hankering for scones and Earl Grey. I like baked goods a lot. I need to buy some dried fruit though since plain scones are okay. I also need to buy some new Earl Grey. i bought a box last week but it tasted more like English breakfast blend than Earl Grey. My favorite brand of tea is Tazo. It's always fresh and the tea is delicious.Enough about tea and scones.

My in-laws came over last weekend and for once it was pretty stress-free and fun. The arrived Saturday and we hung out before going out. They came bearing gifts. They brought us a few of our favorites snacks: rice crackers and some curry sauce. My mother-in-law also bought me this really cute make up bag and kitty creamer.Oh and I got a hand crank kitty flashlight it's really cute and works great. I'm keeping it next to my bed. They also brought us some yummy extra sour dough bread. It's really good buttered up and with a cup of tea.  I tend to drink a lot more tea in the fall and winter months.



Anyways, my in-laws took us out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. We went to this restaurant called Kokopelli's in the walkway between Circus Circus and El Dorado casinos. It's was a Mexican restaurant with a sushi bar in it. I know it sounds really odd but it was a really good combo. My in-laws didn't want sushi but I did so it worked out really well. It was really good sushi too. Fresh, good fish, and great consistency. I also had a miso soup. They surprised me by singing "Happy Birthday" to me and getting the restaurant to bring me a chocolate cupcake. It was really nice. I wore my new dress out but need to get a few photos from my father-in-law. I did get a few pics of my hair though. I really like the bumper bang. It keeps my bangs out of the way.






On Sunday we were all invited to Jesse's uncle's house for brunch. I've never had brunch before and it was pretty nice. I even had a mimosa. It was a nice day out in the low 70's. We hung out there for a few hours before my in-laws had to get on the road. They had to be back in town by Monday since my father-in-law was teaching a class. Since we were taking easy that day I wore my hair up in a scarf. It turned out really cute. I also wore my airplane necklace out. I think I may need to get a new chain for it since it kept traveling and getting stuck in my hair.




 

On monday I went out thrift store shopping and went to Joann's. I bought some yarn to make a few beanies for my nephews. They LOVE Spider-man. It's been an easy project so far. I used a combination of patterns to make my own.My mom really liked it and my sister said she was jealous and that she wanted one. I've made her three has for her Christmas present.


I also bought a hamper that can be used as stool. I need to change the icky wall paper set to something made of fabric. It was only $3 too. I figure I can use it for my vanity table once I get the darn thing stained. I've been meaning to stain if but I start a new project and get side tracked. Jesse has been working overtime this week and has been really tired. I wanted to have a dinner date this weekend but I guess we'll just take it easy and hang out at home.


I hope everyone is having a great week. Here's Ridley being a cute and cuddly boy.
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Lots to Do

Well, I'm back! We didn't got far but we definitely had some fun this weekend. On the spur of the moment, we decided to stay at a hotel and get away from the house for a night. We had been invited to a local Anime convention by one of Jesse's co-workers. We had been looking for an anime convention for awhile since moving up here and had turned up empty handed. It was a very small con. They had about 300 maybe 400 people show up. They had some vendors and artist  selling their wares. They had a HUGE section full of video games and board games. That was pretty fun. I got to plan on the Sega Dreamcast. We hung out with Jesse's co-worker and his wife. They were fun but we're doing the parent thing. Hanging out at the con because their daughter was there. They weren't having fun but at least they are supportive. I didn't buy anything. Jess bought a Gundam (robot) model. He really likes them and they keep him entertained.

I did my hair that day and I was really happy with the way it turned out. At first it reminded me of Marylin Monroe. Then as it settled into place, I thought it kinda looked like River Song's hair looks like.Please excuse my PJs, if I don't take a photo early enough I forget to do it later. What do you guys think?




After we hung out for a few hours we checked into our hotel room and it was pretty awesome. Did I mention it had a two person spa? I LOVE spas. When we were living in Orange County, we would go to this place called Neptune's Lagoon. They would rent  rooms with full-sized spas by the hours. At first I was kinda weary of the place because it was in a questionable neighborhood. It turned out to be  really fun and relaxing. The place even sold alcohol and snacks. We would take a trip there about twice a month. It was great. I wish there was a place like that around here. Anyways, back to the room. It was really nice it had a GIANT four post bed that we had to use a footstool to get into. Yeah it was a good foot higher than any bed I've ever slept on. It was pretty awesome.

The car seems to be doing better. We bought a new battery and tried to change out the terminal. It didn't go so well so we're going to wait until my father-in-law comes over this weekend to look at it. They are taking us to dinner Saturday to celebrate my birthday. Yup, I'm another year closer to 30. I honestly don't feel as old as I am. Everyone thinks that the hubster is older than I am by a few years so that's a plus for me. I just need to keep up on my face cream rgiments. They're not really regiments just a habit I need to stick too.
Jess got me a sock knitting book I had on my Amazon wish list. It's pretty nice except all the instructions are on charts and I can't read charts. Guess I have another thing to learn.



I've madly been working on Christmas presents for the family. I've got to make my mother-in-law a hat and make a few stockings. I finished making a couple of stockings for Jesse and I. I still need to make Ridley's.  Ridley is doing a lot better now. His teeth and gums look much healthier and his stinky breath is back down to normal cat breath.





Here's another thing I've been working on. Every once in a while, I like to do some embroidery to keep up my skills. I've been wanting to make a traditional Mexican tablecloth but I need to brush up on my cross stitching skills. It's been a few years. I'm hoping I can get another one of these made in a couple of weeks.



I'm dying my hair today and hopefully cleaning up the guest room. My in-laws are staying overnight on Saturday so I won't have to cook at all. It's nice when they come over because they usually pay for food. Even if we insist they still treat us like children.

Here's a gratuitous photo of Ridley since he's really good at posing cutely.







I hope everyone is having a great week.