Still Mad About March

Yes, I've been paying attention to College basketball.  It's been a very exciting yr.  It is the one place that gender biases are disregarded. Where you are just a fan.  It is primal challenge meets challenger. The game keeps you engaged, doesn't matter who's playing, men or women. You want a winner and a looser with a robust passion that rivals the gladiator days. It's time for the finals. Strap on you helmets, grab your weapons.  It's time for battle.  My team, straight through, UCONN!!!!!

On a lighter note, I've begun a large knitting project.  An afghan for B.  It is 160 sts across.  40"x50" ribbed pink and purple fiesta of knit,purl. While I'm very excited about finishing something larger than scarf or pot holder, I am a tinsy-winsy bit scared of 160 stitches of knots.  The margin for errors is large and wide.  I'm holding steady though.  Taking my time.  Using stitch markers and paying attention. My knitting mentors are wise, like Mr. Miyagi, and I do as instructed, like a good Danielson (ah Karate Kid, reminds me of my youth).  This project uses two different colors.  I'm learning to carry the unused string up the side.  Not as easy as it sounds.  Master Rene reminds me to see the finished blanket, to beeee the finished blanket (can you hear the sound of running water, see us sitting in a beautifully manicured meadow, serenly knitting...). Alright, enough with the bad 80's movie comparison.  I'll update Project Afghan soon.

April is nearly around the corner.  For us that means birthdays.  We have at least one a month for the next 5 months (actually we have a birthday every month but, May's, June's, July's,Aug's and Sept's are close together).  The great thing about birthdays are crafts. I like to package gifts. I've recently taken to making them too.  Sure it takes a little time and preparation, but the results are worth it.  It says love.  To start us off this birthday season is our niece in UT.  She'll be 8 this year.  She's a sweet little girl with a wild streak, and we love her dearly.  Our gift this year is homemade.  I wanted to do something that B could do too.  Enter decoupage.  Glue, paper, sissors.  Easy, peasy.
I went to Michael's picked up a wooden letter, Mod Podge glue (though I think you could use any kind of white craft glue like Elmer's, thinned out a bit, for similar results), and a couple of glue brushes. We used oragami papers from our own craft box.  We cut and pasted.  We let it dry for about 15 minutes.  The results were great.

Friday night was a Date night for B and me.  On the menu was fresh pizza, mousse pie with grahm cracker crust, mommy and me dance party and cheesy movies.  We had a blast staying up late and "rockin'out" (she says).

Hello lovily...

I'd like to add a new element to my posts called Things I Love.  No set format just things I love and why I do. This weeks list:

Crazy Straws-
This week B made me breakfast one morning.  A tasty cold tortilla with nutella and a glass of day old coffee (bless her heart) served with a blue twirly straw.  Hmmmm... I thought.  Cold surgary stale coffee... weird unnaturally blue plastic...She was so proud of herself, how could I say no.  I'm now convinced that everything is better with a crazy straw in it.  

Movies from the late 80's & early 90's-
This week I did Grease, Dazed and Confussed, Say Anything, the Princess Bride,  Pretty Women and...Dirty Dancing (yes I did, guilty pleasure #1 I think.  I used to own the sound track too!!!ahhhahahhh).  So good it's bad.

Seriously...watch it again.  Leave it running while you keep reading.

Loose powder blush-
I'm fairly light on my make-up and  have been recently playing around with blush and brush of the drug store variety.  I love it.  Shimmery, soft and adds just a tint of color.  It's a great way to look natural, but not be.

The Library-
I love the library.  Everywhere I've lived a get a library card straight away (Yes, I do have quiet a few).  It really is a gateway to the imagination.  Books, movies, music, printers...you name it the library has it.  I got all my "How-to" knitting books from our local branch.  My recent obsession with Patti Smith...fueled by the library. Craft and cook books...that's right, the library.

Lastly...

Blood Oranges-
Beautifully analogous, sweet, and fragrant.  Oh...and you can make creepy orange smiles with them.  Fun with food never gets old.

Thanks for reading.

J