Dainty Kitty

2005: A Retrospective

I spent a little bit of time organzing some files on my office computer this morning and came across a slew of photos I'd kind of forgotten about.  They're from when I was digital camera-less and borrowing a co-worker's to sneak (really lousy) shots.  I had my hands in all kinds of crafts then.  I was sewing more and had just learned to knit.  I can't believe I've only been knitting for three years.

I'll start my little retrospective with my very first scarf.  I must have picked up a dozen extra stitches by the time I got to the end of it!  I think I wore it twice but, even though it's pretty hideous, I'll never get rid of it.

A couple of scarves later I made this for Debbie's dog Roxanne for Valentine's Day.  She couldn't wear it until it lost the scent of me because I, for some reason, really excited her. 

For the same Valentine's Day I made a bunch of little Sculpey devils named Boris and sold them to a coworker.  My first real sale!  I hated making the same thing over and over so I really haven't made anything to sell since (except for some bunnies for the same coworker).

2005 was the only time I participated in A Month of Softies (that's the old school, non-Flickr link).  It was a Self Portrait of the Artist as a Child theme.  The tiny fingers were a bitch to turn.

I'm quite a bit happier with this doll I made for Mom that same year.  I think this is one of my very favorite projects and I've been meaning to make one for myself ever since. 

Before I get into more sewing, here's a matchbox shrine I made to, ahem, Elvis Costello.  Can't you see I could be, I could be your spooky girlfriend?

That lyric still stands true for me!

Here are a couple of bags I made.  I still carry both of them once in awhile.  I made a few of the Dainty Kitty ones to sell at a jewelry show at a friend's house.  I didn't sell even one at the show but she bought all three after.  I had big aspirations for that show - I even bought a display trunk - and was going to make several sized bags as well as some embroidered buttons (because I was into that craft,too) but...I got bored. 

I especially love the Strawberry Bag but it got snagged on something last year and I'm going to need to do some repair work before I can use it again.  That's the business card Big gave me when we very first met peeking out of the pocket.  It showed off the pockets of several projects around that time even though moving to Columbus was partially to get away from memories of him.  Believe it or not, I still have that freaking card.  It's in the drawer of a little spice cabinet which was packed up last night.  Kind of sad but...the memory of the night he gave me the card is still a very sweet one. 

And I'm a sentimental pack rat. 

2005 was also the very first round of Back Tack.  It looks like it's been a defunt project for a little over a year now but it was a lot of fun and I'm glad I got to play the first time around.  It's particularly special to me because it's how I met my friend Delly.  You sent fabric and other notions to one partipant who then made a sewing case (at least) for another participant.  Delly sent me the goodies I used to make these as well as the sewing case that I never really got a good photo of. 

So anyway, that's a little glimpse of Dainty Kitty three years ago.  It was kind of fun to recall some of those projects.  :-)

Blurg.

Some good news - I'm nearly positive that Dad and I are building the doll house this weekend.  I'm going to Hobby Lobby today to see if they have sheets of balsa wood like I think they do.  I sent him some photos of what I was thinking about and he thinks it's pretty eaily doable. 

And I made this guy out of socks on Sunday afternoon. He started out as a cat but became more alien-like when I decided to make a shirt of sorts out of the cuffs.  

 

The Weekend

It's sixty degrees outside and I have the windows open.  That is a beautiful thing. 

First of all, thank you for all of the hugs and comments from my last post.  This is unfamiliar territory for me and, while I feel pretty okay now, the news was...well, upsetting.

I have managed to do a couple of things this weekend, though. 

I covered a couch. 

A doll house couch but still a couch! It was a hideous yellow with flowers.  I think I'm back on the doll house kick but I'm not going to finish the one that I bought and started to build.  It's too cheap and flimsy.  Instead, I'm going to see if my dad would like to do a father/daughter project and help me build a fairly simple, plain, two story box house.  I haven't asked him yet - I might even have a template made before I do.  I'm sure he'll be willing - it'll just be a matter of finding time to do it.

I made Cheddar Baked Chicken for dinner which was phenomenal.  Seriously, I know it sounds weird with the cheddar and the Rice Krispies (although it's a combination I've seen one other time) but...I'm really looking forward to having the last piece for dinner tonight [edited to add: it's REALLY not very good the next day - it loses its crispness and it just kinda greasy.  I'm taking this as permission to eat every single bit the next time I make it].   Teeny tip - it's best right out of the oven.  I tried a bite as soon as it came out because I was a little leery and it was wonderful but the potatoes still had a few minutes so by the time we sat down it was still great but...much better right out of the oven.

I'm growing my hair out so I've been wearing scarves nearly every day.  This is one I found in the dollar section at Target.  A dollar!

I also picked up another one with skulls on it.  This photo, I noticed, is also a testament to the fact that I'm tired.  Hello, dark circles! 

Anyway, I love cute skulls like this sticker I have on my car:

And, yes, I really do carry a Vera Bradley purse.

I am also in love with the movie, soundtrack and star of Once.  It's a great movie and I can't stop listening to the soundtrack.  "Falling Slowly" won an Oscar which was nice because things I like never tend to win anything.  Bonus: Glen Hansard is yummy...and I don't even like redheads.  I also bought a cd by his band, The Frames, which is like more of Once which is beautiful.

Oh and I've nearly finished my other mitten. 

So that's it.  I'm sad that the weekend is nearly over but there's something that makes me feel better about starting a new week.  Before this weekend had even started, I had deemed last week The Week That Never Was because it Sucked. 

Christmas Meltdown

<rant>

I had a little Christmas meltdown last night.  There's just too much to do - especially since we're going to Norfolk, Virginia to visit my brother for the holidays this year.  When my dad called last night to let me know that dinner with his mom and her husband is Friday at six - just an hour after the children's holiday party starts at my office - I just lost it.  I cried.  And I was in such a great mood before that phone call.  I'd gotten my hair done and I was well on my way to getting a little housework done.

Between finding time for two Christmases, making stuff and shoping for Christmas, two office Christmas parties and deadlines here at the office...it's too much in two weeks.  Why in the world my company decided to have an incredibly important deadline on the last business day before a holiday is beyond me.  And my office also decided to have out grown up party the night before said deadline, the Thursday before the holiday.  I think office Christmas parties should to take place in late November - right after the Thanksgiving holiday - or early December.  I heard on the news today that one company decided to skip the annual party and gave everyone the day off instead.  Brilliant!  Sure, it's fun to get drunk with your coworkers but, when time is tight, I'd much rather have the day off to get things done and polish off the evening with my own adult beverage, thank you very much. 

I did manage to get a lot done after said meltdown. 

Last night was actually spent sewing which is something I haven't done in a long time.  I cut out the pieces for the Zakka Owl Style Pennant (which I'd bought material for yesterday, thank goodness, because now it has to be finished by tomorrow night), sewed up the little owls and stitched letters on their bellies (and managed to get fusible webbing all over my iron because the directions were terribly unclear and I've never used it before).  I should be able to finish it up any machine sewing tonight after dinner (if I'm not drunk, which sounds so good right now) so that I can do the buttons and beaks while watching NBC Christmas goodness tomorrow night. 

Have I mentioned that I've had a tick in my left eyelid for about two weeks?  Well, I have.  I feel like it's never going to go away.  Someone said it was due to lack of calcium.  I thought ticks like that were due to stress.  That makes more sense anyway. 

</end rant>

Totes, Stardust, David Brent et al

I just ordered the Total Tote on the left there (in lime) from Joann's - a late birthday gift to myself.  The Krafter's Purse (below, on the right - mine is purple and oh how I hate it when people spell "craft" or "country" with a "k") I currently carry is just a little too shallow and a little too small.   It's cute with a "c" but not very good for carrying a crochet or knitting project. 

Monday night I finished my first Kolenya and found that thumbs aren't so hard after all!  I cast on the second one last night and if the weather ever brightens up around here I'll take a photo. 

Last night I went over to Jake's and we tackled the graphite mess left from the fingerprinting process.  That stuff comes up a lot easier than you'd think it would.  Oh, and someone logged on to his MySpace account at some point on Sunday - how weird is that? 

We went to see Stardust on Friday night.  It was very good but it would have been better if Claire Danes didn't use a British accent...and maybe if they hadn't dyed her hair blonde.  I mean, I realize that she's a star therefore the blonde hair makes sense but it just looks really weird.  And Robert DeNiro didn't put on an accent - I don't see why she had to.  One more negative remark - I've decided that Ricky Gervais has one character and one character only.  I loved him as David Brent on The Office but after watching him in Stardust and the series Extras (it wasn't very good so we only watched one disc) I realized that David Brent is all he has which is really too bad.

Anyway, I read the book, Stardust,  by Neil Gaiman this weekend and actually found that I liked the movie better.  So I now have a list of Movies That Are Better Than the Book because two things makes a list, right?  I also read Dances with Wolves and it was horrible.  Anyway, Stardust - very cute movie.