Stool Time

Posted in Homey Goodness, She's Crafty by

I have been looking for a little step stool/ottoman that I could use as a little low table next to an Ikea chaise lounge that I got for the office. You know, just a little spot wear I can rest a cup of tea while I read a book, or a landing area for my knitting ephemera. Well, I have been looking online and in stores for a while now with no such luck. So I decided, hey maybe I can figure out a way to make one!

I went to Joanne Fabrics and found a little unfinished step stool made out of pine. It seemed sturdy and was just the blank canvas I was looking for. I brought it home and painted it with some red acrylic paint I had around, then rubbed on some copper acrylic paint to give it a distressed feel and to soften the brightness of the red. I then took an old towel that I had cut up for rags and stapled it to the top to give it a little padding. Next I covered that with some remnant fabric that I had stashed and stapled it over the towel. . . and Voila! I am thrilled with how well this turned out. It was SUPER easy and was a simple, cheap (under $20!!) and eco-friendly solution. I could imagine making this again for a gift for a child or fellow vertically challenged adult.

Orangey Goodness

Posted in Lists, She's Crafty by

Hurray! I received an new envelope from my Ravelry Knitting Swap. This time I received some amazing goodies from “Silverbirks” in Benbrook, TX. She decided to go with an orange-colored theme, knowing that it is my favorite color. And did she ever hit it out of the park! Take a look at all the treats I got.

I really love being able to be a part of this swap. It is so much fun to make up packages and send them around the country. It gives you a look into peoples lives and what they like and dislike. It also seems to give a sense that the world is a little smaller by sharing a common interest with others around the workd. Plus, when you get one in the mail, it makes you feel so special.

Good times, great friends.

Posted in Travel by

Came home from my Girly Weekend in Columbus yesterday. I am missing Dawn and Kaci already. It was so good to spend some quality girl time together. It makes me realize how much I miss that female camaraderie. We’ve decided that from now on I am going to make the trip back whenever Shawn has his golf tournament. That way I can guarantee that we’ll be able to get together at least once a year. The great thing is that I will see them again in a couple of weeks for Kaci’s baby shower. That made leaving not quite as hard as it otherwise would have been.

Side Note: I must mention that Shawn came in second place in the Palmreuter Invitational this year. He was sorely disappointed that he lost by one stroke, but I am still proud of how well he did.

Girly Weekend, Here I Come!

Posted in Travel by

I am so excited! This weekend I am flying to Columbus to spend the weekend with my two best friends, Kaci and Dawn. Each time we’ve been in Columbus, it has been a whirlwind tour, so the most I get is a few hours at brunch or something. So an entire weekend of uninterrupted girly time is a real treat.

These girls were my sisters and a source of family while I lived in CMH. We have been through many ups and downs together, from surviving college, boyfriends, and financial crisis to weddings, buying homes, and now having babies- they are both pregnant. Not me! I have shared more laughter and tears with them than anyone else I know, including my husband. (They have about twelve years on him, but he’s catching up.) I really am at a loss for words to describe how much they mean to me. I truly consider them as my two additional sisters, more so than friends.

I will be sure to post some highlights of my weekend, I am sure that there will be some good stories to tell. We always have a knack for some hilarious high jinx!

Socks!

Posted in She's Crafty by

I am sorry, but I must congratulate myself. I just finished knitting my first pair of socks! Can you believe it? This was a knitting project that I was pretty intimidated by, but had always wanted to attempt. Thank goodness for Silver’s Sock Class website. I found the pattern and link to her site on my precious Ravelry. I was a bit nervous starting out, but the instructions were very easy to follow and not at all intimidating. There are a ton of photos for each step along with great words of encouragement. I will highly recommend it to anyone that has wanted to knit up a pair of socks, but was too afraid to try.

I decided to make this first pair for Shawn, since I haven’t knitted anything for him yet. ( I think that he was getting a bit jealous.) I picked out some lovely Bernat Sox yarn in Wooded Denim. I liked the muted colorway and how it was self-striping. It brought some interest to the rather basic pattern, but wasn’t too crazy for the hubby. He seemed pretty happy with them, although he’ll have to way until the weather cools off to give them a spin.

I am so happy that I was able to accomplish this project. It has been my most difficult one so far. Now that I have it down, I’m already planning on starting another pair. This time for myself!

Feral Houses

Posted in Art by

For all of those that share my love of dystopian images, please check out “Feral Houses” by Sweet Juniper. You will be blown away. James Griffloen and his wife are a couple that raises their children in Detroit, MI. He is an insanely talented photographer that focuses on the city’s urban decay. Check out his works here, they are not to be missed!

Image by JDG 2008-09

Never Coming Home

Posted in Travel by

Brief update from the paradise that is Hilton Head Island, SC. I have never coming home. Decided to open up a frozen drink stand on the beach and Shawn will run a t-shirt shop. . . no more cold Wisconsin winters for us! Well, at least I can dream.

The Modern Wing

Posted in Art by

While down visiting at Club Ponderosa a few weeks ago, my mom and I decided to go down to the Chi and check out the Art Institute’s new Modern Wing. I have been dying to get down there since it opened back in May, but haven’t had a chance, so I was pretty pumped to see it. Let me tell you it definitely lived up to my expectations! Designed by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Renzo Piano, the Modern Wing provides a new home for the museum’s collection of 20th- and 21st-century art. The building is amazing. The way the light filters through the windows while still allowing you to view the Chicago skyline, it just blew me away. I also love how it is incorporated into Millennium Park. I sincerely cannot do it justice with a description, you must go check it out for yourself.

We only had a few hours to check out things, so we didn’t get to cover all of the collections. We did get to check out the Modern European Art Collection, Contemporary Art from 1945-1960, Contemporary Art from 1960-Present, and the Cy Twombly Exhibit. Sadly, we didn’t get to Photography or Architecture & Design, so I need to get back.

I loved every bit of what we saw, but two stand outs for me were the Twombly Exhibit and the works of Gerhard Richter. Both are favorites of mine, so it was great to see more than one or two examples of their work. I am already wanting to plan another trip so I can complete the rest of the Modern Wing as well as revisit some of the oldie but goodies the Museum has in it collection.

Image: Cy Twombly, Note III, 2005-2007, Acrylic on wood panel 96 x 144 in. (243.8 x 365.8 cm)

Knitting Swap Swag

Posted in Lists, She's Crafty by

I participated in my Ravelry knitting swap for July, which had a”Summer Fun”and here is the great things that I got from “Solopoodle” in New York: a TON of knitting patterns, two NYC postcards, some tea bags, a knit check (used to check needle size, gauge test swatches, and measure your work), a yellow lab puppy bookmark, some wool wash, stickers, a bit of pretty blue grosgrain ribbon, some aqua buttons, some sticky notes, a yummy Tootsie Pop, a mini beach ball, two yarn samples, and some beautiful hand made stitch markers. So excited!

Time keeps on slipping. . .

Posted in Uncategorized by

Once again, time has gotten away from me. I must apologize for my neglect. The month of July has been very busy with much traveling and visits with the family. I will quickly sum up so you can see what I’ve been up to, other than blogging, for the past weeks.

July 4th weekend: Went down to Club Ponderosa to share in the celebration of our country’s independence. Although torrential rain kept us inside for most of the day, I am happy to report that the skies cleared for Shawn to have his annual fireworks extravaganza. Fortunately, the safety record stayed in tact for another year.

July 11th weekend: Mom and Dad came up to visit us here in the land o’ cheese for the weekend. Highlights included sushi dinner at Takara on Friday night, (Dad is getting pretty good with those chopsticks!) going to the MMOCA Art Fair on the Square on Saturday – one of the largest and best juried shows I have been to in some time. Excellent quality and variety. Sadly, we came home empty-handed.

After the parents left on Monday morning, I drove down to Club Ponderosa the next morning. Had an amazing trip to the Modern Wing with Mom. (Will be following up with a separate post, since too much to say about it here.) Did a little swimming and general hanging out with Roz, Luke, and the parents. Shawn came down to join us for the weekend.

Back up to Madison, this time bringing Roz and Luke to visit for few days. Had a good time taking Luke to the Middleton pool – he is now the water slide champ. As well as just some good QT with my sister. Would love to have them as a permanent installment up here.

Thursday, July 23rd, we drove back down to Club Ponderosa to return our guests and to be able to fly out to Shawn’s nascent city, North Canton, Ohio, for his cousin’s wedding. (Congrats, Kara & Eric!) Was great to see his mom, grandparents, and Big Al. Wish that we could of stayed a bit longer, but Shawn had to get back to the salt mines so we came back yesterday.

And. . . we are here for this week and will then be off to Hilton Head, SC for a week of rest and relaxation. Quite looking forward to it, since we’ll be seeing some dear friend from CMH. Salty Dog Cafe. . . here I come!