Posted by scapina on 2005-04-11 21:45:35
Post Subject: in the matrix (knitting)
can someone tell me if the shell is really THAT much more difficult than the sweater? i have 5 skeins of matrix that i want to use, and i like the shell more, but i wouldn't consider myself to be an experienced knitter, merely intermediate (started up again last christmas after a 10 year hiatus). ;) i read the instructions and unless i missed something (entirely possible) it didn't seem too crazy...
Posted by april again on 2006-12-06 14:41:31
Post Subject: holiday present help please~~
I am drawing a total blank on what to get my sister-in-law. She and my brother in law just got married in August. I don't know them very well as my brother in law is in the Navy and she is in the Air Force, I just met her for the first time last Christmas and didn't spend much time with her one on one as we were at my parents-in-law.
She has all sorts of stuff from their wedding that they didn't even open yet...she is a very intelligent, sophisticated woman, but down to earth and friendly.
I just want a token thing but something nice, not too big as she has to travel back to California from Missouri, but something thoughtful..
Posted by sewing stars on 2004-06-28 14:35:18
Post Subject:
I had those feelings over a guy I dated for 3, or was it 4 years? Something like that. I would feel like he was so great and why did we ever split up. I have since met the guy I am with, and have been with for 5 years.
Last Christmas while home I went to see a movie with my ex and then hung out with him and sat around talking to him for a while. Mind you it has been like 7 years since we dated, and I was sitting there listening to him and suddenly wondered, "How was I ever with this guy?". It was like in High Fidelity when John Cusack is hanging out with his ex-g Charlie (Zeta-Jones) and wondering why he had liked her so much. I seriously didn't understand how we were ever together. It was crazy!
So although it may not be too helpful for now, I'll tell ya, time heals all wounds great and small.
Posted by Chelsea on 2005-11-16 14:02:33
Post Subject:
I wouldn't have time to make everyone something. But I'm making a scarf for my husband, my dad and my mom (they're all getting their own, I'm not making one they have to share, heh).
We always get my husband's brother &sister-in-law a bookstore giftcard. I'll put in a couple beaded bookmarks in with it so it's not just exchanging giftcards like last christmas. That's all they ever seem to give out.
Posted by artgeek on 2006-10-21 19:51:04
Post Subject:
Despite the fact that I think this is a one-post bit of "street team" advertising/spam, this really touched a nerve.
Watching a movie is not supporting a cause.
Nor, for that matter, is buying a Barbie doll with a pink ribbon on a box, sending in your pink lids to Yoplait or test driving a BMW.
Eating pink M&Ms while you read this? You're not fighting anything, but feel free to share the chocolate.
If you want to support people diagnosed with breast cancer, knit and donate some hats, volunteer to sit with people receiving treatment in the chemo room, or write a check directly to an organization involved in breast cancer research. Buying pink pretty much only allows you to pat yourself on the back for being an "aware consumer" and allows companies (some of whom are responsible for products tied to breast cancer!) to improve their rep.
Think I'm just being a grouch? I've come at this from two different angles--my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer (no fuzzy corporate bandwagon there, eh?) last Christmas, and my mother-in-law with breast cancer four months later, opening the floodgates for all this feel-good pinkwashed tripe. Still think I'm being too harsh? Read more of Rosie's blog (the Barbie link above) or the article "Welcome to Cancerland" by Barbara Ehrenreich.
Sitting on your couch Monday night, buying some pink TicTacs, and sending around a five-year-old chain letter via e-mail are all about the same level of effectiveness: zip, zilch, nada. If you really want to do something about any type of cancer, it's not hard to become educated about worthwhile charities and to send them a check.
Posted by stitchypoo on 2008-02-07 23:54:29
Post Subject: Holidays are for FUN!
My family is very weird (in a good way!) and we never have a very "traditional" anything.
We always find it is more fun not to make a "normal holiday dinner" like ham or turkey, but to make something delicious that we all enjoy and can share just so we can spend the time together.
Last Christmas dinner I made my family a huge "appetizer platter," with several kinds of chicken wings, homemade dip and chips, egg rolls, nachos, mozzarella sticks, and more! It was fun to eat as we all sat around and talked and laughed with the finger foods!
Here is one of the recipes I used that everyone really enjoyed:
Combine all spices and coat wings thoroughly. Spread chicken wings evenly on a greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with parsley. Broil wings until fully cooked, turning once. Remove wings when golden brown, serve hot with ranch dressing for dipping.
Hope everyone enjoys!
Get lots more FREE recipes on my homepage:
http://www.geocities.com/ediner1
Posted by kindarana on 2006-02-07 07:36:28
Post Subject:
This has nothing to do with books, but I hope it cheers you up:
When I went to a tourist trap in Mexico last Christmas, I saw all the crap they were selling and couldn't bear to buy it because if I wanted real Mexican art, I should just get it from Crafty Chica.
Posted by strawberryjulius on 2004-10-02 23:35:42
Post Subject:
did you have any toys in the separate room? that could keep her occupied maybe, instead of whining constantly. you can look at http://www.drsfostersmith.com/ for cat toys. i suggest making them yourself and getting ideas from the site, because the toy plus s&h is IMO way too much for something my animals would eventually shred to pieces. also, talk to your vet about this! i'm sure they've seen tons of dependent kitties or puppies and know some sneaky tricks of the trade.
my trigonometry teacher had a cat that lived to be 21 years old, and at the hemingway house in key west (which houses atleast 150 polydactyl cats) there was a cat named garfield who lived to be 24 or 25 i believe. my oldest cat, kelsey, is coming up on 15 and is extremely crotchety. she is very picky now, the most annoying cat we have, and years ago she learned to bang on our doors. imagine an old, obese cat using a scratching post. now trade the post with a door. she just bangs and bangs until someone lets her in. she also has panic attacks when she can see the bottom of her food bowl, which is why we think she may have been starved as a younger cat (we got her at the humane society as with all my other cats)
another of mine, ernest, who is a polydactyl (6 toes per foot) cat, LOVES to boob knead. and it hurts so bad! he's also very moody but follows me around. to keep him from constantly tripping me up, or jumping on counters and knocking everything on the floor on purpose, i cut him 2 or 3 shiney ribbons and placed them around the house. we figured this out last christmas that he LOVES these ribbons. he carries them in his mouth everywhere like his babies, and plays and pounces on them. it keeps him very pre-occupied and out of the way!
but i strongly recommend talking to your vet about some great methods! they usually know best!
Posted by neuroticdawg on 2005-05-11 02:24:39
Post Subject:
My favorite handmade gift that I unwrapped last Christmas was a scarf my MIL crocheted for me using 2 strands of red yarn; one of regular acrylic, one of this fuzzy, silky, eyelashy/feather boa-y kinda stuff. I could live in that scarf. If it were big enough, I'd move my refrigerator and my computer into it and roll around in its sensual fuzzy goodness for the rest of my days. Prrr... it was love, I tellya.
Random strangers would come up to me and pet it, lookin' to get a piece of that fuzzy red scarf love.
That scarf is the one reason I was sad to see the daffodils coming up. So I vote fuzzy scarf :)
Posted by Katydid on 2004-12-14 08:24:06
Post Subject:
Here's an excellent recipe for a breakfast strata - it's like a puffy egg, cheese, spinach and bread caserole. Seriously one of the best things I've ever eaten.
It's a lot of work, BUT it's all done the night before, then just thrown in the oven in the morning. I did it last christmas and I'm doing it again this year. I'n actually making two and giving an unbaked one as a gift - the next morning the recipient will have an easy, wonderful breakfast.
If you are offended by high fat recipes, don't even bother looking. This will ruin your day.
Posted by copacetic on 2004-10-16 21:27:04
Post Subject:
Last Christmas I had long metal knitting needles in my purse, sticking out for all to see, and no one ever stopped me or said anything! I even had the flight attendent teasing me, asking if I could knit him a scarf by the end of the flight! ;)
Posted by peppermintsquare on 2004-06-04 09:41:24
Post Subject:
I made the Windy City Scarf for my sister last Christmas. You can see it here:
http://sheis.youngandwithit.com/make/holiday03.html
(scroll all the way down)
I loved making the scarf and kept intending to make one for myself. Ah, maybe this fall. 100 degree weather does not make one want to knit a scarf!
I also made a cell phone cozy for someone? I don't have a cell phone. Writing this just made me realize that it is in the bottom of my knitting bag and I never sewed up the sides. Woops. I also suffer knitter's ADD.
Oh, and the umbilical cord hat! Which I still need to mail to it's recipient. Gosh, I am a slacker!
Posted by kittensrme on 2005-05-07 21:01:34
Post Subject:
I know how you feel, Aqua. I tried to put all of my mom's miscelaneous recipes in a notebook for last Christmas, but when I looked at the three shoeboxes full of Miracle Whip and Jello recipes, I just couldn't do it. It was just too much. But I was trying to copy them down by hand, so maybe a three ring binder would work a little better. Maybe this Christmas.
Posted by alteredwings08 on 2004-12-15 15:40:50
Post Subject: holiday songs...
i'm not into the holiday music but these three songs always make me smile:
last christmas, by wham!
fairytale of ny, the cover version by no use for a name
merry christmas baby, by bruce springsteen
Posted by Sewlittletime on 2005-07-19 08:35:59
Post Subject:
Last Christmas season, I actually got a jumpstart on shopping a little bit earlier than usual. It was nice to have a bit more time to relax around the holidays. I'm hoping to get the ball rolling just a little bit earlier this year. But I have no ideas in my head just yet for gifts.
Posted by Becky65301 on 2004-05-25 16:38:46
Post Subject:
I think I am kinda with Smudgy on this one. Although I like the advertising ideas thus far, don't be surprised or put off if you get some more crappy-crafters there.
Some other points- The older crowd might have kids or even grandkids, that your ideas would go over well. Things they hadn't thought of yet. Imagine the delight on some junior-high face, when grandma creates a Starburst purse for a birthday present. That's a cool grandma, and maybe she just needs the idea.
There are also some crafts that cross over. I am thinking for example, they were big last Christmas, those double-layer no-sew fleece blankets, that you fringe and knot? Know what I mean? Shoot, you have a million options with them, depending on why you're making it. Baby-size, afghan-size, lap-size. Kute Kountry print, or Elvis, or solids. Can make the matching pillow. Works for everyone. Yeah yeah quick and easy, and not particularly "artsy", but sometimes you just need a quick gift.
The other thing is, there are some crafts that are on the verge of extinction, that older ladies are a valuable resource. I mean, for a long time, you know knitting was really going out of style, I'm really happy it's making such a revival with the *younger crowd*. I know how to tat. Nobody tats anymore. I think it's cool, just cause nobody does it anymore. It's not particularly useful and it's waaay time-consuming, but one of the reasons I wanted to learn, is because it's becoming a lost art. If you get older ladies with skill like that, you want to grab onto them. They can teach you how to tat, and you can all make record bowls, it's a win-win.
Posted by Chelsea on 2005-11-18 14:43:52
Post Subject:
I definitely do. Usually I'll break up the gift (like last christmas I got a basket of candles that the smell makes me ill - too sweet) and I'll give some of it to one person, some to another, etc.
I don't do it to save money at all, but it's better than throwing it away or letting it sit in a closet unused when someone would love to have it.
I wouldn't mind getting a re-gifted gift as long as I liked it and they weren't being "cheap" I also wouldn't mind someone else re-gifting what I give them. At least it was SOME use to them. :)
Posted by lizzymahoney on 2004-11-01 22:55:06
Post Subject:
I'm going to make a few smelly jellies for my brother the smoker. There are recipes out there that use liquid potpourri from the dollar store and gelatin, and I already have the jars.
While I'm not a regifter per se, I do buy things for no particular reason and then think, "wow, my sister would love this!" I already gave her some sparkly pink and silver organza yardage and a few seconds instruction on how to wrap a wreath or cover the tree base or a table or make a window toppers from folds of it, or a shawl if she wants. She's definitely a pink and silver girl for Christmas. I know she'll want more stuff for Christmas though. All of my thrifted silver over the years has gone to her, jewelry and serving pieces and picture frames, etc. All of my teapots have gone to her collection save one. But I do have a teapot pincushion that was just too good to pass up she'll love, and some candle gift sets from after last Christmas that I will break down and remix with other pieces as a gift basket for her.
I've often given away things I loved to someone who would love them more. It's helped me let go of 'stuff'. Helped me get over the attachment. It's no longer mine to worry about or polish or whatever, and I no longer have to remember the provenance. My sister has a silver frame with a place for engraving something. It's very old, I replaced the glass, it has a family history but was never actually used or hung by anyone. She doesn't need to know the whole story, it's not that interesting anyway, and it looks great on her piano with a photo of her daughter and son-in-law.
I don't plan on buying anything if I can help it. i have so much craftable stuff, and so many things unused that I've set aside for 'whenever' that I might thrift an appropriate basket or add new handtowels, or buy some glitter spray, but definitely am not into shopping for the holidays. The way I see it, even if I get into a gift exchange at work, I probably have something that is appropriate, or can at least wrap it with stuff i already have.
Some Halloween packages went out to family members, and included some C'mas craft stuff I'd been asked to make or fix. Little trinkets and odd ball stuff I thought the little nieces and nephews would like were included. The newlyweds are in a hurricane damaged area, as am I, so I sent them some things that might make life a little easier: instant coffee mixes, antibacterial wipes, super hand cream and a sterno stove I had in storage.
Yeah, I'm a wacky aunt and great-aunt, but they've pretty much always known that. I'm the one that gave them jalapeno lollipops and mealworm crunch for their stockings one year... Big hit, by the way, but they were all preadolescent then.
I'll pass on books, plant trees in someone's name, and I'm painting my mother's front door with some embellishment. I don't do cards, but will make a few for my mother to send. She's always short a few it seems.
Posted by cackalackie on 2005-11-09 09:09:47
Post Subject:
Selah - I was afraid you were going to say roasted brussels sprouts. Those cashews sound great - is there a recipe?
Here's something I made a lot last Christmas season. It's great because it seems so luxurious, and yet it's simple and make-ahead. You can serve with toothpicks.
Posted by msfish on 2005-12-15 12:18:16
Post Subject:
modern:
do any so cal natives remember the KROQ christmas cassettes? you could buy them for $1.67 (for charity) for several years in the early '90s. they featured stuff like the smashing pumpkins doing "rudolph the red-nosed reindeer" and random cameos by people like ed mcmahon. i think my favorite track from those was "snow miser" by ween. ah, ween. good times.
i also dig wham!'s "last christmas." i blame this on too much MTV at a tender age.
traditional(ish):
now that i think about it, most of my preferences are a little perverse.
for pure weirdness, you can't beat "the little drummer boy" (a song that usually makes my ears bleed) as a duet with bing crosby and david bowie. i love all things bowie, so this is a shoo-in.
as i grew up in the los angeles area, i have an odd soft spot for jose feliciano doing "feliz navidad." it sticks in your head so completely that you either make peace with it or die trying. for the same reason, i'm kind of fond of "(mamacita,) donde esta santa claus?"
though christianity and i have long since parted ways, i have also always loved "o come all ye faithful." hearing the choir belt it out at my parents' church got me a bit sniffly.
Posted by researchasaurus on 2005-08-07 18:28:21
Post Subject:
Yes, I have to register my complaint about Martha Stewart recipes.
I always try one (like last christmas: coconut bars) and end up with a miserable failure. Then six or eight months later when I get all optomistic, I try another one (like last week: baked vanilla custard) and again it's a disaster.
One of these days I will learn not to use them! At least I haven't bought any of the cookbooks...I'm just getting them from the magazine (in doctor's office lobbies) or online.
Posted by nerf on 2005-05-18 22:15:15
Post Subject:
There's just a few:
1. making some pants for my husband. I have to sew two buttonholes for the elastic cording to come out, and I'm struggling, so they're just sitting around.
2. finishing my first ever quilt for my best friend's first child. The quilting stitches are quite uneven, but combined with the material I used it has a cool 'naive' look, so it's probably unnoticable.
3. planning on making several skirts with some cool fabric I bought on ebay.
4. planning my next quilt in my head, though nowhere near having the money to start it for months.
5. reconstructing a t-shirt that sadly still fit except it was scratching my neck.
6. about to go make some wookie cookies to take with me to Episode III tonight (wheee!).
(does that count as craft?).
7. making an advent calendar which should have been finished for last christmas (sigh).
I'm sure that by monday I'll have another 7 things added.
Posted by kindarana on 2005-11-22 07:57:00
Post Subject:
If you can find a Chinese tea shop near you, there's a fabulous Eight Treasure Chrysanthemum tea (baa bow cha in Mandarin) which is just too good for words. I also really like the taste of Yogi Tea's Throat Coat, there's some ingredient in there that is awesome and I end up drinking it whenever, not when my throat hurts. Currently in our tea cupboard:
* Good Earth Decaf Chai
* Stash Blueberry Tea (mmm)
* Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
* Celestial Seasonings Bengal Spice
* Lipton
* Two boxes of Chinese Jasmine Tea
* Bigelow Herb Tea assortment
* Tea Egg Spices
* Darjeeling Tea - we visited Darjeeling last Christmas but forgot to buy tea, so it's actually from Delhi!
A word to the wise: don't keep your tea around too long, I had some Earl Grey back in college that had gone moldy and I had it come right back up again :(
Posted by kazoogrrl on 2004-12-30 22:07:28
Post Subject:
My mom gave me the same sweater 5 non-consecutive christmases. It's the J Crew roll neck guys sweater.
1. Junior year of high school: medium gray wool
2. Senior year high school: dark gray wool
3. Early college: black cotton
4. Two Christmases ago: dark green cotton (returned)
5. Last Christmas: dark blue cotton (returned)
This year I told her flat out, "Mom, I have this sweater. Please don't buy me another one."
Posted by MizMosa on 2006-10-18 09:15:29
Post Subject:
I bought my husband all of the Hatchet books in hardcover last Christmas because he loved them so much growing up. I've recently picked them up and started reading them myself (I'm about 2/3 of the way through The River), and I really like them!
In no particular order:
-Are You There God? It's Me Margaret
-The BabySitters Club series (the first graphic novel is out, and the second one will be out in November!)
-Miffy
-Stuart Little
-Matilda
-The Witches
-The Snowy Day
-Bridge to Terabithia (did anyone else see that they're making this into a movie?)
-A Wrinkle in Time
-From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Posted by nataxia on 2004-12-13 15:51:21
Post Subject:
last christmas was not-much-fun and i'm not too idealistic about this one either...i am two-thousand miles away from my family and not very close to anyone i know here (i accept full responsibility)...the money is short but i'm going to do what i can to make something nice for everyone on my list as an expression of love and gratitude... as far as the actual day goes... i'm will not be celebrating...if my boy has time off from work we may meet up in vegas though this is not likely... it's just another day really, albeit one loaded with sentiment and tradition... and before you know it it will be over...
Posted by teagrrl on 2004-12-13 06:10:44
Post Subject:
i wouldn't re-gift something from someone close to me that i know they put a lot of thought into. and i don't re-gift things to my family members. if i think they would want it, i'll just tell them someone gave it to me and ask if they want to take it.
When I read Stella's post I realised that those are my opinions exactly. I don't regift stuff to family either (possibly to cousins and the like - but not to parents or sisters), if I receive something that's perfect for, say, my sister, I just ask her if she wants it (not in front of the gift-giver obviously...) and if she does, she can take it. Last Christmas I did regift a pair of socks to my mom - we'd had an "ugly gift" thing (white elephant? we were supposed to bring gifts we'd got but didn't like) with my class and one of the things I "won" was a pair of socks that played "Jingle Bells" if you pushed a button on them. I knew my mother would appreciate them so I gave them to her as an additional Christmas gift, she did know it was a re-gift though, and I gave her a "real" gift as well.
Any generic-type gifts (like allergy-inducing shower gels and stuff...they're generic to begin with, so why should I feel guilty for not using them when the person who got them for me didn't give the gift much thought to begin with?) that I wouldn't use anyway go into my "gift box" where I keep stuff I can give as presents. I just have to remember who I got the gift from to avoid embarrassing situations... I don't get a lot of gifts I don't like though, so I don't have to re-gift a lot.
As for re-using gift wrap, I think it's OK as long as it's not obvious. I save particularly nice papers (not your run-of-the-mill santa ones) with the intention to re-use...but only if they're in good condition so the recipient can't tell the paper is "old". Usually I can't part from the papers once they're in my "pretty papers" box though...but that's another topic. Crossing out names on the gift tag...no. That would only be OK as a joke, if the recipient has that kind of humour (say, my mom wouldn't mind).
Posted by breewell on 2004-09-30 18:24:00
Post Subject: sand and shells
Oops! I just remembered the ornaments I made my mother-in-law last christmas...
I bought plain glass ball ornaments from a big craft store (is it Michael's or something?)
and then poured a little sand in the bottom*, stuck in about 6-8 assorted tiny shells and I was done! I paired it with a mini fishing-net-float**. My MIL loved them because she loves the Jersey Shore and it remided her of the beach even though it was cold and blustery out.
*regular sand and shells would be more romantic, but I used the sand you buy for model railroads, and shells from the store, because I didn't want any kind of organisms crawling around in the ornament since it was the first time I gave her a gift on my own I couldn't afford any screw ups!
**a 2 inch version of the green or blue glass balls they used to attach to fishing nets to keep them afloat, the ones at the craft store even had twine woven around them, like these: http://www.cyberbeach.net/~dknetzke/collection_floats.htm but the ones my parents used to find floating in the ocean near Vancouver when I was a kid were at least 1 foot across
These are pretty fragile so they wouldn't ship too well.
Posted by alterego on 2004-09-02 16:22:13
Post Subject:
I definitely want to do this again! I ended up going through a break-up/move last Christmas and didn't even get to use the ornaments I got in last year's swap, so I'll have tons of new ornaments this year.
Posted by artgeek on 2005-12-11 22:41:02
Post Subject:
Before getting married, my husband and I had the kids talk of course. We both agreed we didn't really want a big family and thought we might have one--maybe two--kids when/if we were ready.
Somewhere in the post-wedding afterglow, we both kinda realized that having kids was the next logical step--and that we were utterly uninterested! I've since gone to grad school, he's found a career he loves, we've got a cat we're both silly for--and that's what we want for our lives. Eventually, we'd like to buy our own house, add a dog or two, but the longer we're together the less likely it seems we'll have kids. Now we just need to get our parents accustomed to the idea. (My mother is already on board; last Christmas, she addressed a set of packages to her "grandkitty.")
Partly, I know my feelings are influenced by being the next legal guardian for my young brother, should anything happen to my mum. Both my husband and I take that responsibility very seriously.
