If it Doesn't Kill You,

storm
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

it only makes you stronger. I would like to know if the person who said that lived through whatever catastrophe they were talking about. Just when I think I was sure if I couldn't handle working 28 hours in 3 days.... My favorite boss calls me up and asks me to work 10 more hours this week. The other woman I work with at night, fainted and was in the hospital. She's okay, she's going through tests to see why it happened. I had a feeling something was going to happen to her. She has quite a few problems like something with her back, carpal tunnel plus something neurological. She can't feel her hands so she doesn't feel pain. She had been talking about neck pain she was having when I worked on Weds night of last week. On Sunday night she seemed better almost like her body was over compensating for her. She kept nodding her head which is very unlike her to do and I said something to her because she claimed she was feeling better. So I'm hoping they find out what's wrong with her and she gets better!
I will be working 36 hours this week and probably 6 days in a row! Hopefully not anymore than that because I will need a break!
I love this picture. I took it when we had those thunderstorms rolling through last week!
I will have to put major crafting on hold. I did finish a shirt for my oldest for school. Picture coming soon. Really!

Closet Lighting

closet lighting
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Does anyone remember when I bought this? No... well neither did I! It's finally in the closet! So I'm excited and it's a step closer to becoming a functioning closet. Now I need to work on the layout for the drawers and hanging rods. You may notice that my husband hung the sconces upside down. I may point it out but he did check how they were built well and hopefully they won't break. What do you think, change it or keep it the same? Does it matter? There is going to be a full length mirror inbetween them.
I seriously do not like fleas! I never had a thought about them before but now, they are pains at my ankles! My floors are covered in baking soda and salt, hopefully dry them out! My girls are home and I really do not want to use chemicals with them around. It is supposed to dry them out and make them too thirsty to bite. Go figure on that one but it does make them act slower. So I haven't been getting bit that much lately. The soap traps are still catching a ton! I'm hoping we are on the down swing of the cycle and they will be gone in a week!
It was a very trying weekend with a new kid in the department. I do not like to babysit and that's what I did this weekend. The kid was so slow and I swear disappeared during his shift. I did scare the crap out of one of my co-worker's after my Sunday shift. That moment made up for the tough weekend. I seriously scared the crap out of him! I called the store and no one answered in the department. So I had him paged. Well he picked up and answered the phone with "Hello". It's not proper phone protocol and I called him on it. He didn't know who I was, so all I hear is him taking a big deep breath and his brain going "OH shit, I'm so in trouble!" I only let it last for 3 seconds and burst out laughing. He was relieved that it was me and we had a good laugh. He's really a good kid, just a little airheaded at times! Hopefully he will mature and common sense things will click! If not watch out airline industry because he wants to be a pilot!

Happy Texting Anniversary!

new
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Today is our 12th anniversary and look what my husband got us! His and her phones so we can text each other. Even though he is home during the summer we really do not spend that much time together. Then when he goes back to work, it feels like we never see each other. There's meetings, meetings and more meetings! So now I can let him know that I'm thinking about him without feeling like I'm bothering him.
Not that I would do that anyways or do I?

Out Of Reach

luna
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Our house has been an unhappy cat house lately. My crazy psycho cat decide to climb up my husband's show display and nap here. Hoping we wouldn't be able to reach her! This is in our 2nd kitchen, the apartment kitchen that will one day be the main kitchen. Right now it's part kitchen/room where everything gets stored!
We have fleas! It really sucks and I don't wish it upon anyone. I guessing the free fabric had a few and that's where they came from because they are all upstairs. Which is where the fabric is. Thankfully our house is big enough that I can section off portions so the cats are downstairs and have minimal flea problems. Unlike when they were upstairs and I would comb Luna and I would be combing 50 fleas off her at a time.
I found a great website that is helping get rid of them here. I'm going to try the lemon thing today. I am using a chemical when the kids are in bed. To kill the fleas and eggs. When they go away this weekend I plan on striping their beds and spraying everything too. The trick with the night light and soapy water really does work. I've caught fleas, fruit flies and mosquitoes! Nothing like reducing the bug population in my house! Yikes!

Dunn Metal Designs

I know I promised a while ago reviews of my favorite artist's/friends from the show we did. Sorry it took forever. It's been crazy here.

First up is a very good friend of mine, who I went to college with. We were in the same program and worked for our professor too. He's a great guy and does wonderful things with copper. Everything you are looking at is made from copper. At least I'm pretty sure it is, every once in a while he may throw in brass to get a different patina. I hope you like his stuff as much as I do. Check out his fabulous website because he has lamps too! He didn't have any at this show but we own the Foxglove lamp and matching vase. We LOVE them!

I really admire this piece. This is not easy to do, with all the different patina's going on. Look at the gorgeous blues! Plus the red on the coral. It takes skill and patience to create the patina's for this piece.
Aren't these the cutest trio of vases you have ever seen? They remind me of Brancusi's sculptures but with function.

Tim's most popular item is his Calla Lily candlesticks. Very simple yet elegant! He does have more candlesticks but I don't have pictures of them but you can look at them here. Also I don't have picture of the wall pocket vases which are my husband's favorite. Check him out he does do quite a few shows a year, mostly in NY, PA and MA but he does do business over the internet. I hope you enjoyed looking at his metal work, and I hope to have another artist up this week.

Last Month Of Punk Rock Sock Yarn

Last Month Of Punk Rock Sock Yarn
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Here it is the Final shipment!! Isn't it pretty and it works with the album so well. It doesn't even look like Dookie, so I will be happy when I finally knit this up. Actually I'll be happy when I start knitting any of the 3 months worth of yarn I received from Melanie! My problem is that I'm trying to learn Cat Bordhi's New Pathways For Sock Knitters and I'm having problems. The problem with sock patterns is that I get to the heel, make it and don't know where to go from there. In her book it says look at this panel before you move on. It doesn't say exactly when to implement said panel. It probably does say some where and when to apply it but I need my neighbor to translate for my tired brain! She will be by later this evening and will point me in the right direction!
Until then I will be doing laundry and sewing because the house it empty again! My husband went back up to his mother's to pick up the counters, the island and the kitchen sink! He had a late start because she didn't call him because her phone was off the hook all weekend! Her mother doesn't know how to hang up the portable properly! I had a good chuckle when I heard that. My MIL and I often talk how having an elderly parent living with you is like having children at home. We have many a good laugh at things that we've been through.
My husband is testing my super woman powers this week. He decided last week to order 20lbs of sour cherries for smoothies. I was talking to my MIL and she thinks we won't like them because they will be too sour. So I have 3 pie crusts waiting in the fridge to be made into cherry pies! With 20lbs I may end up making 10 pies, thankfully I can freeze pies or freeze the cherries to thaw later and make pies! Did I mention that these are organic or low spray cherries, they are pitted and only cost $1.50 pound! Considering cherries on sale at the store are $4.99 a pound, I think this is a pretty good deal.
My children will be leaving this weekend to go visit their Aunt, Uncle and niece's house. It's a 4 hour drive from my MIL's house so from ours it's probably 5 1/2 hours away. The cool thing is I do not have to drive! My MIL loves to travel so she is picking the girls up after our dentist appointments and whisking them away! My husband and I are going to try and sneak in a movie on Friday afternoon before I go to work. He would have lots of studio time but he's helping a friend's wife move on Saturday. Maybe Sunday too if it's not all done. Our friend is up in the Adirondack's taking an all paid for painting class! He was selected out of a lot of applicants and received a full scholarship to attend for a week. How cool is that?
I'm definitely feeling better now that the crazy weekend is over. Just a little more sleep and I'll be good as new! I forgot to mention this also came with a handmade stitch holder that say's Dookie! Too cute!

Empty House!

Woohoo!  We had to ask our guest to leave!  For those of you who maybe visiting relatives or friends this summer or anytime really, here are some things that probably won't be appropriate.  At least they will get you asked to leave our house.  Sexual comments about the opposite sex, even when meant to flatter, they just don't fly with me.  A remark questioning fidelity of some one's marriage.  Yeah that didn't make my husband happy.  Claiming you are spiritually better than the person you are talking to.  Hello, aren't we all equal in god's eyes?!  At least that's what I've heard.  

Last night I just couldn't take it.  I didn't have anytime with my husband.  Seriously the private class is supposed to run 9am-3pm and it was 10pm before he could get away.  He was exhausted and upset.  I hadn't slept very well the night before. I couldn't take him anymore!!   Plus his buddy was supposed to be staying with us tonight.  After a long discussion my husband went down and told him we are private people and need our privacy.  So they spent an hour calling hotels within a 15 mile radius.  After getting no where because there's a HUGE paint ball tournament going on and no rooms available, my husband and I went to bed.  We found a place today that charges $160 a night is an hour away.  No wonder they didn't want to pay the hotel fees.  Everything else is $200 or more around here.  Which really surprises me because I really don't consider this a tourist area.  

So I have my house back, I don't have to worry about being perved at.  Or feeling extra creepy vibes I was getting when he was around my children!  

I totally forgot, I gave blood today for the 1st time in my life!!  I've always wanted to but didn't weigh enough.  I hope it helps someone out, who really needs it. 

Hope  you all have a great weekend!

Full House

summer heat
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

See the cat sacked out on the couch! That was a week or 2 ago when it was super hot and the humidity was high! I don't think it really looks like a nice cool place to hang out but maybe she needed to some couch love. She'll probably on the couch again today because it's going to be super hot. There's a poor quality air warning for around here. Wish I had known that when we decided to walk not bike to summer rec! Oh well I have to drive to pick up my oldest since we leave for swim right after.
So this week I've had my SIL stay with us and she maybe leaving tonight. She'll know after her class ends today, if the woman thinks they crammed enough in to 4 days. Last night a guy who is taking private lessons from my husband came to stay with us. I'm not terribly happy because my his plane arrived at 9:45pm, then he called us at 10:45pm because he had his rental car and would be here in 30 minutes. Well 2 hours and 45 minutes later he shows up. I can see why he wanted to stay with us, he has no sense of direction. He kept bouncing back and forth on this one expressway.
On Friday his apprentice is going to be staying with us, to take a class my husband is teaching at a local function. I wouldn't mind if my husband would teach and then we could hang out. Unfortunately this guy already has him off schedule and will take up the whole entire day. I probably won't see him until he goes to bed. At least with my SIL is helpful and has homework, so I don't have to entertain her all the time. Plus she quilts and sews so I can ask her questions about the shirt I'm working on for my daughter. I have never made children's clothes with a pattern. So I'm a little confused about the placement and stuff.
I guess I should be happy the guy's will be paying us to stay here but I worry because we really do not know the one guy. The other guy we only met him when he took private lessons in April. How long does it take to know a person to let them stay with you?
On a funny cat note, my psycho jungle cat loves to play with wasps! Seriously, the one day she was doing this frantic meowing. I walk over and she is playing with this black and blue wasp. She grabs it in her mouth and runs upstairs with it and begins batting it around like a crazy woman! It was 5 minutes of craziness while my husband tried to swat the wasp to death while the cat kept running around with it in her mouth! Oi vey!

Guess What?!?!

Hidden Nest
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

I'm going be all by my little old self tomorrow for half a day! Whoo hooo! I'm so psyched! I'm cleaning the fridge, freezing swiss chard and doing laundry. I've been doing laundry but our basement has turned into "THE LAND OF DIRTY LAUNDRY"! It is really bad because the land has been divided and now is taking over the hall in the basement. Don't worry the laundry shall not win. I plan on going forward with a full attack all day on it! It will be done or almost done by tomorrow. I will rule the basement and proclaim myself Queen!
Okay on to another topic. Isn't this nest so cute! I found it while we were black raspberry picking yesterday! I almost missed it because it had leaves hanging all over it. I'm hoping it was a safe place because look at the size of those prickers! Yikes! The berries are in season here and I do have to travel far. This picture was take right in our neighbors backyard. Not my quilting neighbor the other neighbor and not the crazy neighbors backyard either. I guess they hit the berries too! I didn't get a lot but I plan on going out and see if those red ones are black!
So you are probably wondering how I ended up getting half a day to myself. Well my husband is driving to his parents house with the girls. He's picking up a top to an island and a kitchen sink. They are getting new counters (granite countertops) and a new sink. They are lucky! This stuff is coming to our house and will be put in the scabbed together kitchen. We are cheaply putting an island in there and will move it around. It will make it easier for when we can afford to do the whole kitchen the right way. Also if either of us do not like the set up we can move it! Smart, I hope so!

125 Things You May Not Want To Know

Here's my 125th post.  Included are odd facts and tidbits of why I am the way I am.  I've had a full life, not by choice but because of the situation I was born into.  Hope you enjoy the strange and unusual life I've led.

1.  My biological mother died when I was 2 and my brother was one.

2.  My mother (the woman who adopted me and my brother) married my father when I was 2. 3.  They also had a son together, who I guess is my half brother but he's 100% family to me.  

4.  My father abandoned his family while my biological mother was dying.  Only to re-appear and take us kids away from my grandparents after my mother was in the grave.  

5.  My father is an alcoholic who has been in and out of my life like a yo-yo.  He did stay married to my mother for 13 years.  She should have dumped him sooner but she stayed with him because of us kids.

6.  We moved 14 times while I was growing up, to avoid having a relationship with my biological mother's family.

7.  I found out in 3rd grade that I had another mother and a whole family I didn't know about.  We had visitation with them for a brief time but it was really hard.  

8.  My father constantly runs away from his problems and to this day we still cannot talk about what has happened without him blaming everyone else.

9.  I didn't have any real friends growing up because we moved so much.  When I did have friends they meant well but would bully me into doing things I didn't want to do.

10.  I dated a boy when I was 14 or 15, that I really didn't like.  I wasn't allowed to date, so everything had to be kept secret.  That was an awesome time (not).  See #9.

11.  I only dated 4 other boys before I met my husband and #10 isn't counted among them.

12.  My husband is 6 years older than I am.  With maybe half the maturity on good days.

13.  When I first met him, I thought my husband was arrogant and egotistical.  I didn't like him at all.

14.  I have a tendency to piss people off because I don't like secrets.  I don't mean to but if you trust me with something that I don't think should be kept secret.  Can you blame me for opening my mouth?

15.  I pissed off my last roommate in college and I don't know why.  I feel really bad and it had to do something with my husband.  We sort of made up before the year ended but I never did find out why she was so mad at me.

16.  I dated my husband for 1 month before he proposed and was married 3 months after that.  We joke that we married for health insurance reason.  It was a big reason but not the main reason.

17.  A professor of mine over heard my engagement talk and the part about the health insurance only.  So I got talked to about getting married for health insurance.  She was a big feminist and yet was married to a guy.  Which always threw me off.  Not saying that all feminists are lesbians but she acted like she was.  So when I found out she was married to a guy, I was confused.  

18.  I know all my roommates thought I was dumb for getting married so quickly but I had dreams that I was going to marry him.

19.  I have had many dreams that have come true.  I dreamt that my youngest brother ended up in the hospital and it happened.  I would have deja vu experiences all the time because I had dreamt of events happening.

20.  Once I had my daughter all my premonition dreams stopped, now I just getting feelings that something odd is going to happen.

21.  I was pregnant before I graduated college. 

22.  I never wanted to have children.  Sorry I am selfish that way but I didn't have the easiest childhood.  

23.  My mother and I have different clothing styles.  She hates floral prints and I have returned things because she has disliked them so much.  Only to regret it later.

24.  Since our styles differ so much, she thinks I need to wear short tight clothing to look good.  Which I disagree with.  She can't appreciate the beauty of a well made long dress.

25.  When I was 16 I wanted to be a fashion designer.  I would watch Style with Elsa Klench whenever it was on.  I had a portfolio but no understanding of trends.  My desire to become a designer changed when I saw my designs on the runway.  

26.  I would like to adopt a child or 2 one day.

27.  My husband and I took Southern Renaissance and Italian Art together.  We studied Ravenna, Italy and I knew if I ever had a daughter her name had to be Ravenna (rah ven na).  It's know for it's beautiful mosaics.

28.  For our 2nd daughter I wanted to name her Seraphine Soliel but neither my mother or my husband wanted that name.  

29.  Our 2nd daughter is Melia (may lee ah) Mielikki (Me lee key.  Melia is  plumeria in Hawaiian and is also the nymph daughter of Oceanus.  Mielikki is the Finnish goddess of the forests and the hunt.  

30.  So now when we yell their names in a crowd, we know they will turn around.  That was another criteria.  They had to be unusual.

31.  I love to read.  It is so bad, I will read the packaging that comes into the house.  Like a box of toothpaste or anything else with writing on it.

32.  I never really traveled when I was younger.  I went to Disney World once when I was 12.  

33.  Since I haven't traveled or camped I have very high living expectations.  There has to be a flushable toilet.  

34.  I was not allowed to watch movies when growing up.  Especially rated R or scary movies.  So I have missed out on a lot of 1980 movies.  Like Caddyshack or Freddie Kruger movies.  

35.  I love movies and will watch anything once.  

36.  My favorite movies are Pecker, Memoirs of a Geisha, The Pillow Book and pretty much anything indie. 

37.  I love to dance but only at Goth night clubs or gay bars.

38.  Technically if you go to a gay bar you should not get hit on by a guy.  I went out with one of my best friends to a dance club on drag night.  We ended getting hit on by the creepiest guy there.  Cross a hippy with a trench coat kind of guy.  We started holding hands and getting cuddly and I think he got the idea.  

39.  I pierced my nose 2 years ago and love it.

40.  I do not think I'm pretty.  

41.  Embarrassing situation, sort of.  Went to a birthday party for a friend and the birthday boy and I were talking.  He looks over at the kids playing and I just assume that he's talking about his daughter because she is beautiful.  He's talking about how beautiful she is just like her mother.  Then it hits me, hey moron he's talking about you and your daughter.  Thankfully he had been drinking and didn't realize how dumb I am.

42.  My favorite colors are purple, green and black.  

43.  I do not like pink at all but it works for my  blog.

44.  I wore a lot of black, my senior year in high school.

45.  In college I didn't have that greatest of laundry habits.  If I didn't spill food on my clothes I would wear them until I spilled food on them.  When you work in clay and plaster you can't tell how long your clothes haven't been washed in.

46.  I worked at 2 different jobs with my best friend.  We didn't work at the same time a lot but they were both fun jobs.

47.  I have 3 best friends and not a lot of friends.  

48.  All my best friends I have, I've known since high school.

49.  I would like to got to FIT to take some pattern making classes.

50.  I believe in instant Karma.

51.  I'm Buddhist, sort of.

52.  I was married in my MIL living room

53.  I wore black to my wedding.  

54.  We had 2 best men too.

55.  I didn't go to my college graduation.  Instead I went to see Liar Liar with my mom.  (Yeah I'm a rebel.)

56.  My 1st daughter was 9 days late and was almost 9 pounds.

57.  With my 2nd daughter I was walking around 5-6 centimeters dilated for about a week and still  had to go into the hospital to be induced.

58.  My oldest was at the birth of her sister.  It was pretty cool.

59.  We had the meanest night time nurse for my 2nd child.  It was enough to make me never want to go to a hospital again.

60.  In movies they always show the woman who's giving birth sweating up a storm and screaming at the top of her lungs.  Yeah, I didn't do that.  Not that it didn't hurt but I just didn't feel comfortable screaming.  The sweating thing I didn't do either.

61.  I love Seeds of Change Chocolate!  My absolute favorite from them is Santa Catarina, which has dark chocolate with mango, toasted coconut and cashews.  My 2nd favorite is the one with dark chocolate and coconut.  

62.  I'm an enigma.  Once my husband thinks he has me figured out I change.  Sorry honey!

63.  I snort when I laugh.

64.  I dislike cooking but enjoy baking.

65.  I do not enjoy cleaning the house, unless it's empty of people!

66.  In 2 years my husband would like me to get a real job which means during the day.

67.  I like nibbling on my children's noses.  I think it's because they are so freaking cute that I just want to bite them.

68.  When I was dating my husband I hit him in the head with a lamp.  In my defense, I swung the lamp at him and he saw it coming.  He didn't move, so it's his own fault.  

69.  I think I was testing him to see if he really liked me and would take all my quirkiness.

70.  I love the fall.  I think it is a magical beautiful time.

71.  My perfect romantic day is a warm day, cool night.  That's it.

72.  I drive a Prius and LOVE it!  It's the 1st brand new car I've ever owned.

73.  My last car was a stick shift Saturn and it took me 6 months to figure out how to drive a stick shift.  Yes I'm that slow.  I didn't have the greatest teacher either.

74.  When I was in college my mother was so strict that my youngest brother and I started sneaking out of the house during the summer.

75.  I never was into heavy drinking during my college years.  

76.  If you haven't read my profile, I love, absolutely love to peel paint!  It's an obsession that one of my BF's and I share.

77.  I'm very sarcastic and that sometimes comes off as bitchy.  But I'm not bitchy, just trying to be funny.

78.  I love rainy thunder stormy days. 

79.  I've seen green and red lighting.  Which is really cool.

80.  My pinkie toes have freakishly small toe nails.  It's really gross, so I try to wear shoes to hide them all all times.

81.  My mother wouldn't let me shave until I was 14 or 15.  It was really embarrassing growing up.

82.  I can hit the broad side of a barn with a car.  I did it when in my 20's, to my professor's barn.  

83.  In my defense I was backing up and flirting with my husband (who was outside the car).  Those 2 things should never be done at the same time.  I damaged the car slightly but not the barn.

84.  I come from a long line of accountants and mix up my #'s all the time.  I'm slightly dyslexic.

85.  Since my husband is a teacher he thinks he's a celebrity in the town he works in.  We can't go anywhere without his students coming up to him and saying hello.

86.  He's been in a magazine and people have asked him for his autograph which only feeds his ego of being a celebrity!

87.  I had a bleach blond streak in my hair for my senior year in high school. I would dye it emerald green because I loved the color!  

88.  I let my brother cut my  hair with an electric shaver when I was in college.  It was totally uneven but I didn't care.

89.  The same brother had a problem with dealing with emotional things when growing up.  He cut himself to release his emotional pain.  

90.  He ended up in the psych ward for about a week and was pissed.

91.  Luckily he grew out of it and wish he had never done it in the 1st place.  

92.  We have easy check out at our grocery store and I love it.  Easy check out is where you can get a scan gun and scan your items while you shop.  It helps the nutty crunchy people like me, pack their own cloth grocery bags.

93.  I almost didn't pass math in high school.  Luckily I had an awesome teacher who could teach you 4 ways to figure out a math problem.

94.  My brother and I were in the same math class and I kicked his butt on the regents exam!

95.  Some day  I would love to own a gazillion acres of land.

96.  I would like to build my own environmentally friendly house one day.

97.  I would love to start a farm and donate all the food to poor families who live in the big city in this county.

98.  I'm still waiting to win the lottery but I think I should probably play if that's going to happen.

99.  My youngest loves Walter the Farting Dog books!  I seriously get creeped out looking at the artwork in the books.  It visually disturbs me.

100.  I love learning about artist's but think that schools never teach enough about women artist's.  This includes colleges.

101.  My favorite trees are Japanese Maple trees.  I just love them and the way they look.

102.  I can remember my 1st thought I ever thought.

103.  I'm very stubborn and can remember being stubborn at the age of 2 or 3.

104.  I remember wanting to put a band aid on a cut and my father wouldn't let me do it by myself.  So I wouldn't let him put the band aid on me.  He put it on my dresser and put me to bed.  Well I got my little chair and tried reaching the band aid on the dresser.  It was a very tall dresser and I never did find it!

105  My night time ritual once I put my youngest to bed is to check all the blogs on my list.  It never fails that she needs something.  So I don't mind getting interrupted a million times to get her what she needs.

106.  My 10 year old is at that rebellious stage, so we argue a lot.  Which drives me crazy!

107.  I feel bad not mentioning her a lot on the blog but you really do not want to hear how unfair her life is.  

108.  Secretly I would like to sent my 10 year old to China for a week and see how unfair her life is after that.  

109.  I do not like sharing my art supplies.  They are mine all mine and I do not have to share because I'm the mom!

110.  When my oldest was 3 she overheard us talking about how her grandparents spoil her all time and we wished they would stop.  Later we got into the car to go visit them and she was very quiet.  Which is very unusual for her.  So we asked her what was the matter.  She asked why grandma and grandpa boiled children.  We had a good laugh over that!

111.  My favorite word is loquacious.  I love how it rolls off the tongue.

112.  I realize that in 2 years I have to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.  My youngest will be in school full time and remember my husband would like me to work a day job.

113.  When I was younger I used to read intellectual books (or what I thought was) by Herman Hesse or Vladimir Nabokov, now I only have time for quick reads like Janet Evanovich or Jane Austin.

115.  I used to read so much when I was younger that it would make my mother mad.

116.  My mother wouldn't buy me books when I was growing up because she said they were a waste of money.  I think it was because we didn't have any money. 

117.  I can't sit still and do nothing.  I can't watch TV without something in my hands.

118.  Even though I'm a semi-good gardener, I can't raise radishes.  They go from seed to bolt for me.

119.  At our last house the chipmunks used to be so friendly they would eat out of my hand

120.   I own 3 orchids and one of them is supposed to smell like chocolate when it blooms.

121.  It must smell like something because my psycho cat keeps eating it.  It is now surrounded by a zap mat and making a good recovery.  I'm hoping for it to bloom in a year.  

122.  I would love an indoor garden/greenhouse someday.

123.  I would also love an indoor koi pond one day too.

124.  I do not like plastic or porcelian dolls.  I was scared of them when I was younger.  

125.  It was super hard to do this list and by the time I reached 50, I couldn't think of anything else.  I hope that reading it wasn't as hard as it was for me to write it!

Mary Had A Little Lamb Apron Top

Mary Had A Little Lamb Apron Top
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Here it is finally! My mystery project, I thought I would never finish! The newest apron top for my daughter, with lots of sheep. It took forever because all the legs and heads of the sheep are so small they have to be hand sewn on. So count how many sheep there are and do the math. It means too many to get done in one week time!
With all the construction going on around here I had to wash it twice because of the dust. I thought her room was untouched because we kept it closed but there was just enough to make it dirty again. It's still wet from freshly being laundered!

Ruffled Capri's

Ruffled Capri's
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Look I actually made something this week. It feels like I haven't made anything in so long. Even though I did finish my mystery project too, but that will be posted next week. I have to work all weekend and clean too. My SIL is coming to stay with us this week because she's taking a class in a town near by and didn't want drive an 3 hours from my MIL's house everyday.
So back to the capri's. Made from vintage 1970's fabric that my Aunt gave me. They were supposed to be shorts but I worked on them when I was tired this week and made them way too long. Opps! So I still have enough fabric and will be making shorts plus maybe a shirt to match. The shirt will probably out of green fabric.
I realized that I have a ton of posting to work on. I still have all the pictures from the show of my favorite artist's/crafter's. Plus my 125 things about me post is done but needs to be put up. I hope everyone has a great weekend! It's going to be hot here but I'm working in super cold AC and will be dressed like it's winter!
On a totally off note, I received a snail mail scam saying I won $75,000. I'll scan it in because it certainly looks real.

Such Is Life

Yarn Lover
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Can you believe it's Friday tomorrow? My week has flown by here. I will be picking up my daughter tomorrow from horse camp. There's a show before we pick up our children to show off their newly learned skills. If I'm on top of things, I'll remember to bring a camera and take lots of pictures. Since I also have to remember to bring the gift for the birthday party we are going to after I pick her up, the chances are high that I'll forget. I'm really going to try not to, since my husband can't make it. He's going to be playing D & D. Yeah he's a big geek.
The plaster and lathe is gone and the studs are left to be taken out. It's dustier here than the desert during dry season! I've mopped, washed down everything and it's still gross. My husband has a couple of electrical issues to deal with but nothing major. Hope we can get it all done before she gets back!
So we had an appliance technician come out to take a look at our fridge because it died last year. Well to fix it, it would cost $600 and only be guaranteed for 90 days!! It only lasted 4 years! So we will be using the apartment fridge for another 2-3 years. I just feel that nothing out there really stands for quality. Maytag appliances who had the commercials that they never needed a repair man, doesn't hold true anymore. I think I would like this but I'm wary. So we will live with this one until it dies!
I hope all had an enjoyable week! I'm pretty happy because I worked in my favorite department last night. I'm tired but that's fine, I had a good time. So such is life and cute kitty pictures always make me smile! Especially since she is a yarn lover like I am!

Tie Dye Done

Tie Dye Done
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

I could not get a photo without someone or cat being in it. Here's the 2 shirts after drying and I'm glad I waited. You can see that the shirts aren't solid in color which I like. Some of my favorite J Crew shirts have been dyed to look uneven. The one on the right isn't as interesting as the left one. It was just an experiment and I love the color. I did dye some hemp/linen fabric to make capri's for the girls too. I don't know if you can see it but my daughter is wearing ruffled capri's that I made today. It's the yellow and pink fabric. I'll take pictures tomorrow because she is not willing to get out of her dress.
I was called into work this evening and don't know when I will go in yet. I'm going to call to see when the truck comes in. It's going to be another long day. I may take a nap but probably not.
It rained here but the humidity has not left the house. It's really gross in some rooms where the breeze doesn't quite make it in. We do not have screens for all our windows. They are enormous and probably painted shut too. It seems to happen a lot in old houses. I personally do not like painted windows. I like a stained look.

Tie Dying

Tie Dying
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

I have been so busy and this is one of a few projects I've been working on. I've had these shirts for 10 years but with children and well myself, they haven't stayed stain free. So I'm dying them purple to give them a new life and to hide the stains they have. I decided to go crazy with one and minimal with the other one. I used yarn to tie the sections off and the shirts are done but drying. The purple one looks the best while the tan one needed to be more uniform with the tying. I'm not trying to go for a fashion statement.
Strawberry season is done here and I've frozen 3 flats of strawberries. I also made another flat of strawberry jam. With the food sensitivities going on here I make my jam with honey using Pomona's Pectin. I really do not like using so much sugar and the recipe only calls for a half a cup of honey. Also on a side note, sugar is going to be made using Genetically Modified plants. Kellogg's is going to be using it in their cereals starting soon.
My oldest is at horse camp this week and we are tearing out the carpet in her room. We also decided to take down her wall since her room is so small. It's cramped and crowded and she probably won't like it at first but once she gets used to it, she'll realize it's for the best.
We bought another coffin freezer on the 4th too. We bought half a cow and realized that if my garden produces as much as it should. We will be running out of room in December, with the deer and veggies. On the plus side the freezer was made in Canada! Yeah!
Have you ever heard of Cutco? Neither did I until my husband read about the garlic press I wanted. The company is only an hour away and everything made there. They also have a guarantee on their items. So if I break their garlic press, they will give me a replacement.
The puppies have been born too! July 1st and 2nd but one died 3 days later! There are 3 black boys and 1 girl. The girl appears to be at least 4 days behind the other puppies. A little dog info. Dogs have U shaped uterus's and can have different fertilization times plus multi father's but that's not the case. So we are hoping the girl catches up with the other's because my SIL really would like a black girl. There's only 1 other girl and she's liver colored.
Summer's just seem so busy and the time flies around here! Swim lessons start for the youngest tomorrow. My oldest will be going to Williamsburg, VA in August and will be gone for 11 days with grandma. How exciting for her! I wonder what we can do next in house renovations!

Mojito 4th of July

safe
Originally uploaded by catscluttercrafts

Happy 4th of July! I took a picture of my husband's new safe because it's so blue, that it reminded me of the 4th. Isn't it the prettiest safe you have ever seen? We thought we were getting a baby blue colored safe and were very surprised to see this beauty! There's nothing in it, so no need to try to rob us.  Can you see my cat at the bottom of the picture?  I took this in a dark office and couldn't believe she followed me in.  She must have liked the flash!
We decided, since we saw fireworks last night that we would relax and have mojitos tonight plus watch Juno. We had them at our friends wedding and loved them. My husband got the recipe off the Bacardi website and they aren't as sweet but still yummy. We were invited to my Aunt and Uncle's cabin but my youngest came upstairs after our evening walk and fell asleep on the couch. Which is fine with me I plan on going to bed early tonight. The working till 4am isn't always easy to do.
I am almost done with the top I have been working on! I can't wait to be done. We went to Joann's today and I bought 2 patterns for my oldest. I'm not going to play the I'm going to wear it  mom and then have her not wear the clothing I make her game. So she's pretty happy with what patterns we picked out and even has layed fabric out for each item. Let's hope she wears them!
We looked at dishwasher's today, since ours has been dead for 2 years now! We are one step closer to getting one. Woo hoo for me. I some how got a scratch underneath my wedding ring and it became infected. I didn't realize it until it started itching from doing dishes and washing strawberries for jam. I'm fine but I do have to rave about tea tree oil. I put it on it and had fantastic results! If you don't know about tea tree oil it's anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-bacterial.
Speaking of looking at things... I've been trying really hard to buy American or close to it and I so want this garlic press! I have broken 2. I use garlic a lot! It's made in Denmark but I can't afford $98.
Okay I've rattled on and on. Happy 4th of July!

If You Don't Hear From Me...

It's because I've collapsed from biking to drop my daughter off at Summer Rec.  It's only half a mile away from our house but it's down hill there.  Then it's all up hill all the way back with an almost 40 pound little girl lounging on the back of my bike.   I had to walk up a very steep part of the hill and lost the balance of my bike.  So it went over with my youngest all strapped in.  She landed on the grass and I think she was more shocked than hurt.  Sometimes being a good environmentalist just sucks!!!

I did get lots of stares from the SUV driving parents who were pulling into the parking lot.  We live in a small town, can't these people walk, bike, no they can't.  We meet at the middle school and there are no bike racks!  I was really shocked.  So I had to lock my daughter's bike to a wooden bench.  Well I'm must recharge my battery and hopefully I won't feel like the little engine who couldn't!