In which I make a to-do list

My I-Want-To-Make-This-Awesome-Thing-Right-Now list is getting bitch-ass long. (Yes, I used bitch-ass. Your point?)

Anywho, since I am spending more time thinking of things I want to make instead of finishing the projects I have to do (I'm looking at your quilt back, Modern Gal.) I thought I'd show you some things on my crafty to-do list.

I want to make this super-awesome quilt using Anna Maria Horner's latest fabric line, Loulouthi. I like that the big blocks show off the big patterns, and mean that the quilt wouldn't take very long to put together. (I like to plow through projects, not spend years on them. I am all about crafty instant gratification.)

(Photo by Pins & Bobbins; Pattern by Stitched in Color.)


This awesome needlepoint pattern. Keep in mind, I don't needlepoint. But I grew up watching my mom do it and I've been dying to learn and this kit by Modern Needleworks has me drooling, in large part because nothing about it says grandma. And because it's a full kit that has the pattern painted on the canvas. I may be a math nerd at the office, but I refuse to stitch things that require me to count to recreate a pattern. (I'm looking at you Counted Cross Stitch.)


A version of this pillow by The Rebel Homemaker, with warmer colors in the panels.



Anything that could even come, maybe, possibly, sorta close to look as awesome as this stitching by Prints Charming.


And, last but certainly not least, this kick-ass crewel sampler made by Alicia Paulson. The practical among you will point out that I don't know how to do crewel. I will grit my teeth and stomp my feet and say, so?!? And then figure out how to learn.


So that's some of what I've been drooling over. What are you and your fingers itching to get into?

So much to say. So much to say.

"The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated." - Mark Twain

Yes. I started a post with a quote. I'm that uncreative girl. Sue me.

Surliness aside, I thought I'd pop back to these parts to say hello and dispel any rumors (among the four of you who read this blog) that I've vanished. In fact, here I am! In all my saucy glory, alive and kicking.

Here's a much-abbreviated, much-forgotten summary of the past many months.

_ I started running. Yes. Me. And not like that last time, either. In fact, dare I say, I've become a wanna-be Sporty Spice since last we left this space. I started in February, doing the Couch to 5K program. I was running for 60 seconds at a time my first week, with the goal of doing a 5K by my 30th birthday in May. Somehow, some way, the process clicked and for the first time, I actually started to get the hang of it. I rocked the 5K with the help of some fabulous girlfriends who ran alongside me as part of the b-day celebration. (Sadly, I opted to leave a birthday tiara at home.) And after that, I kept going. And this Sunday, I shocked just about everyone (and most especially myself) and ran my first-ever 10K, running every freakin' step of the 6.2 miles. Craziest of all is that I knew after the hard run, I'd need to take a few days off to recover and I'm already antsy to get back out there. Say it with me: WTF.

_ I got to see The Modern Gal get hitched to her super awesome Modern Mister, who is technically known as The Modern Love Machine, but don't you just like Modern Mister better? As one would expect from someone with The Modern Moniker, her wedding was super fun and super chill and all around awesome, despite the crazy Memphis heat and the fact that one of the photographers had to go to the hospital to get stitches the morning of the wedding after getting thwacked in the head while shooting the guys playing disc golf. Unlike other weddings I've been to, where it's obvious people are trying too hard or trying to fit themselves into very specific boxes of what they think The Perfect Wedding should be, The Modern Matrimony (or, Modtrimony as we called it on Twitter) was completely authentic to this couple. It was a lovely, refreshing change.

_ I went to DC to hang out with my peeps. It was our annual reunion. We ate lots of crabs.

_ I turned 30. And celebrated by the aforementioned 5K, which was followed by karaoke. I have yet to have an Oh-My-God-I'm-30 Crisis. I take this as a good sign that this decade is going to kick ass.

_ I've sewed. A lot. And embroidered. And stuff.

_ I spent far too much money on stuff.

_ I read many awesome books.

_ I took a seminary class. And decided I should not, not NOT go to seminary. What was I thinking?

_ Despite all that, I made a new Chicago BFF, who of course is leaving in several short weeks for a new adventure in New Jersey where she's off to ... wait for it ... seminary. Follow her adventures here. And note I'm already lobbying for inclusion as a sermon anecdote sometime in the future.

_ I developed an unhealthy obsession with banana pudding. Please, if you're in Chicago, make me some.

_ Oh, and three days after my last post it snowed buckets and buckets and buckets. Today's 98 degrees.

There you go. You've been caught up on the past five months. Or something.

Feel better? Me, too.

Craft Porn.

Ok, ok. It's not porn. Hold your horses.

Instead, this is a super-awesome compilation of 100 of the best crafty-type tutorials posted in 2010 from around the interwebs. If you're a reader of the big craft blogs, you'll have already seen some of these, but others were new to me. And, of course, totally drool-worthy.

Big props to The Long Thread, which has been compiling its annual Top 100 list for three years now.

Happy crafting.

Home

There's been a death in the family, so I'm back home on Maryland's lovely Eastern Shore. I used to hate this place growing up and left when I was 16 to go away to school. I visited after that, but never really came home. Despite the years and the travels that have taken me across the country, it's weird how you never really can leave home. (Or maybe home never leaves you?) And almost 14 years after I first left, I realize that I sorta like this like place. Actually, I sorta love it.

It's weird and quirky and sometimes backwards, but it's teeming with its own unique heritage (Two words: Oyster Wars!) It's a weird town: similar to a small suburb, it's the only city in the area. And outside of resort spots that balloon on summer weekends, with 28,000 residents, it's the only game in town.

It's changed since I left. There's a Starbucks now. And more big box stores. And houses along the coast are being sold at Sotheby's for more money than I'll ever make in a decade.

But its rural roots are everywhere. Which leads me to this.




For the curious:
a) Muskrat on the menu is a seasonal fare. You'll only find it in the winter months.
b) I just stopped to take a picture. Not take a bite
c) But I hear it's tasty.
d) Don't believe me? Here's a list of muskrat recipes.
e) My favorite, in name only, has to be either smothered muskrat (with onions) or muskrat casserole.
f) $10 says this post is NOT going in the direction you expected.
g) For the record, during other parts of the year, I'm fairly certain some places serve nutria.
h) Which, P.S., are super cute little invasive species.

Addendum: My friend Doug says I should have called this post Muskrat Love. He's probably right. Well, crap.

Taking on the Aughts

My lovely pal Ginny wrote up a list of the ten most important milestones she achieved in the past decade and e-mailed it out to some of her closest friends. I loved what she said (among my favorites: "Met the South.") and decided I'd play along too and look back at the past decade.

So, my beloved readers ... here you go. In no specific order: Noodles v. the Aughts.

1) Graduated from college and entered a career with what was probably an overabundance of optimism.

2) Fell in love with that career. Recognized the early signs of burn out. Realized true love comes with a backup plan.

3) Made new friends, but (for the most part) kept the old.

4) Moved to, for varying amount of times: Washington, D.C; Wichita, Kan.; Tampa, Fla.; Belfast, Northern Ireland; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Indianapolis, Ind.; River Forest, Ill.; and Chicago - starting over from scratch almost every time.

5) Adopted a dog, then proceeded to spend copious amounts of money on her medical care, food, toys and subsequent peace offerings with the neighbors who quickly grew tired of her squirrel-fueled barking.

6) Fell in and out of love, breaking a few hearts. Including my own. Several times over.

7) Learned more than I ever expected about myself, my craft, my world and the people whom I love.

8) Bought a condo. Promptly regretted buying a condo.

9) Grew up and became my own person, only to realize that this who growing/becoming thing is a process that will probably never, EVER be finished.

10) Found my faith and became _ I hope, anyway _ a better person for it.

What about you?

Thanks. Part 1.

Today, for the first installment of the Thanksgiving Challenge, I'm grateful for these 20 things.

_ My bat-shit crazy dog, even though she hogs the bed, occasionally barfs on my floor, and has a freakishly high decibel-per-pound ratio that annoys the neighbors.

_ The chance to be a penpal to my (almost) 101-year-old grandma and the new relationship we're building through letters.

_ My job. When it's good, it's inspiring and thought-provoking. When it's bad, it at least pays the bills.

_ My bus commute to work, (No, really.) for giving me 45 minutes of time twice a day where I am forced to not be in control and am allowed to sit quietly, read, and watch Lake Michigan. And for keeping me from having a car payment.

_ God. For awakening in me a part of myself I didn't know was there.

_ Books and the authors who write them. For taking me away, making me think, and teaching me new things.

_ My friends. For listening to me spiral. For making me laugh. For humoring me. And loving me even though I'm a royal pain in the ass.

_ My sewing machine. For giving me a chance to create and mend.

_ My church. For helping me find a home in Chicago, challenging me to be a better person, and giving me the chance to give back.

_ First snowfalls. First fall leaves. First flowers. To everything there is a season.

_ Down comforters, down pillows, pillow-top mattresses, and Egyptian cotton sheets. Because after a long day, nothing is better.

_ Except maybe a crisp white wine. And a hot bubble bath. All things to be grateful for.

_ Jeans that fit without muffin tops or camel toes, that are just stretchy enough but aren't too baggy at the end of the day. That make my ass look magic and go with dressy shoes or Chucks.

_ A scarf that goes with everything.

_ Generic mac n' cheese. It makes hangovers better.

_ Perspective. With out it, I'd be lost.

_ Outlet malls and sale racks.

_ Trips away from the city. And that feeling of relief when you finally return home.

_ Art.

_ Gummy worms. Because sometimes, you just need to murder a worm with your bare teeth.

_ The smell of Christmas.


So tell me ... What are you grateful for today?


Image via SnoShuu.

Twenty Things I Want.

In no particular order and not necessarily inclusive:

1) Libraries in every neighborhood with speedy inter-library loans.
2) The chance to sew and/or create every day.
3) To be part of a community that fulfills as much as it gives back to others.
4) The body I had 10 years ago, the strength I have now, and the knowledge I'll have in another decade.
5) A strictly enforced mandate that girlie exams be completed in under 15 seconds.
6) The golden rule to be universally practiced and karmic punishment for those who commit serious infractions.
7) Inspiration when I least expect it.
8) Inspiration when I need it the most.
9) Wisdom that finds me every day.
10) A magic bank account that pays my ever-increasing condo fees each month.
11) To run in reality the way I do in my dreams. (You know those dreams where you're not just running, but FLYING and leaping without effort or sweat or feeling like your lungs are being suctioned out through your rib cage?)
12) A dog who's made peace with squirrels, rats, and all variety of small-and-furry mammals.
13) To wake up every day more excited about life than I was the day before.
14) To feel the same way about a boy the way I felt at that first dance during summer camp in 1993.
15) To never be without a DVR, a good book, or both.
16) Fearlessness.
17) Shoes that are simultaneously stylish, comfortable, and affordable.
18) A home that's clean and uncluttered.
19) To be surrounded by smart, talented, and driven people who make me smarter, more talented, and more driven.
20) For my friends to realize how important they are.

What's your list?

She's back.

Sweet Jesus, it's July. How the HELL did that happen? Seriously. Wasn't it still 50-something degrees about 30 seconds ago? Oh wait. That's because I live in Chicago and it was 50-something degrees 30 seconds ago. (I watched fireworks last night in yoga pants, a t-shirt and a hoodie and was seriously regretting not having socks. Yup. I know. Eat it, southerners. :P)

So, what to update you on blogosphere...

1) The Try-Athlon.
The triathlon is next weekend and I am, in a word, screwed. Really, "fucked" would be a more appropriate term, but I'm trying to cut down on the swearing. I got cocky and fell off the nice happy training regimen I had set up for myself, since I could easily do the half-mile swim and 12 mile bike. (The lazy was augmented by the fact that I decided I would walk the 5k. Because I'm that much of a slacker.) But yesterday I went for my first open-water swim and just got schooled by Lake Michigan. Because, unlike pools that have nice walls for you to push off from, lakes have these things called waves. Big-ass ones. And currents. And they're not so much with the "clear," which makes for lots of fun when you're a) blind as a bat anyway without your glasses; b) wearing totally fogged up goggles. The first quarter mile was pretty shitty, what with the water being 62-degrees and choppy. Every time I tried to breathe, I sucked up a bunch of water because of one of those pesky waves. But the way back, the waves were at my back and I could get into a cadence I was comfortable with. Of course, my shoulders feel like they've been pulled from their sockets today. I figure I'll be able to finish the tri, but it won't be pretty. And I will be in a world of hurt come July 13.

2) Hello, Nature. Meet Noodles.
Nature and I have no beef. In fact, I dig almost all our furry friends, magestic sunrises, blah balh blah. So why, why, why can I not commit to going on a weekend-long camping trip at the end of the month? Oh, I know, because I'm insane. Here's my hang up. We get there Friday evening. We have a campfire. Eat. Go to sleep. Get up. Enjoy the scenery. And, uh, then what? Then I'm stuck in the woods for a whole other day. I mean, I'm sure I can keep myself entertained: there's lakes, and beaches, and row boats to rent. Bonding with friends. Beer. But I can't get my OCD Type-A head wrapped up around the fact that you just SIT THERE. And relax. Wha? No errands to run? No stores to visit? No projects to complete? You. Nature. A bunch of friends. And silence. And I'm scared shitless that I will go insane. Why!?

3) Sew, baby sew!
I'm teaching a sewing class. And by teaching I mean teaching-ish. And by class I mean, class-ish. Mainly, two of my girl friends want to learn how to quilt. They're taking a class, but they wanted to learn the basics of a machine without paying $50/each for a how-to-sew class. So they're coming over tomorrow afternoon for some girl time. We're going to make a project, which should be fun... currently I'm thinking patchwork pillows. Yay!

4) There's more, I know.
But I don't want to bore you guys. Plus, I need to clean my house for tomorrow's class since I have a D-A-T-E tonight and, er, may be home late. :-)

Sorry to have been AWOL. Promise to be better.

Love ya,
Noodles

I'm such an inspiration. (Humble, too.)

So, it turns out that I'm an inspiration. Hear that? IN-SPIR-FREAKING-ATION! To someone other that my mom!

It turns out that after I posted my 25 Things list, a former editor decided to turn part of it into a song. Specifically, No. 24: "I love to screw up the curve."

How fucking cool is that? I have inspired poetry, or so The English Professor I briefly dated claimed. But never MUSIC. Much less recorded music that includes LYRICS!

This song is performed by the musical duo "The Great Mystery." And according to their Web site, the song "I Screwed the Curve" is a "modern-day version of the Ramones classic "Rock 'N' Roll High School." Except this time the smart kid wins."

Hell yeah!

You can listen to the song, and its lyrics, here. Both of which, I must say, are completely, totally and utterly jam-packed with awesome.

Bowls!? Pillows?! Drinkies!?

I have a three-day weekend rapidly approaching, and if I have my way, I'll spend it covered in thread while sipping wine. (Possibly with a bubble bath thrown in for merit.)

I'm planning to start off the weekend with a humor reading, conveniently located in a bar, headlined by my one of my favorite authors. (Deets are here, Chicago peeps, if you want to meet up.)

Then there's a co-worker's "Fabulous, Slightly Blasphemous Martini Luther King Party" on Sunday, where the slogan is: "A martini delayed is a martini denied."

Yep, because that's how I roll.

But in between, I want to sew, sew, sew.

I totally want to try making this fabric bowl, featured over at Craft Stylish.


OMG, isn't it cute???

And I've already written about my intense, overwhelming need to decorate and re-nest. Which, btw, has been heightened since I saw this super-cute pillow over at Chickpea Sewing Studio, which is the perfect inspiration for my effort to re-cover my own pillows.


I also have an ambitious plan to unbury my car from its icy encasement and head over to Ikea, which, who knew, has FABRIC BY THE YARD? Of course, the Scandanvian's won't let me buy it on line so I have to trek my ass way the hell out to the suburbs. But, wouldn't you do it for a chance to own this at $6.99 a yard??

I know! Me, too!!

Ack! Why can't it be the weekend already?!?!

Songs to sew by

A few years ago, my friend Currer Bell tried to get me to go with her to Zen meditation. Half an hour in to the multi-hour ordeal I was almost kicked out. Why? Apparently, I'm not so much with the sitting-still-in-quiet-thing.

It's true. I absolutely cannot be left alone with own thoughts. I wiggle and fidget and yawn and squirm. My mind wanders. I make lists. I suddenly develop impossible-to-reach scratches. It's freaking weird.

Anyway, all of this is a prelude to the fact that I hate operating in silence. Even when I'm writing on a big deadline, I have my iPod headphones jammed in my ears. I have mixes for everything: working out, writing, relaxing, sorted by genre, for happy moods, sad moods, contemplative moods. You name it.

So last weekend, I decided I needed to create a quilting iTunes mix.

I know, according to Shakespeare, brevity is the soul of wit, and all that. But I have trouble winnowing stuff down. Which explains why my playlist is roughly seven hours long. (Sidenote: have you ever tried to enter "quilting" into the iTunes store? Yeesh.)

Since I love you, dear reader, I won't bore you with my list of all 107 songs. But I thought I'd give you the names and artists of a few of my favorites. Most of them are of the girl-with-guitar persuasion. Which, frankly, is not only fine with me, but it seems kind of appropriate, no?

But here's the deal. You've gotta share the love and pass along some of your favorite sewing/crafting/chilling with your favorite hobby songs. Because, just like fabric, you can never have enough good music. :-)

Two Dozen Songs To Sew By:

"Jolene" - Dolly Parton
"Shining Waters" - Andy Leftwich.
"Careful" - Guster
"Jezebel" - 10,000 Maniacs
"Taking The Long Way Round" - Dixie Chicks
"Circus" - Britney Spears
"Galileo" - Indigo Girls
"Regretting What I Said" - Christine Lavin (Live version mandatory)
"Nutshell" - Alice In Chains
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - George Harrison
"The Dress Looks Nice On You" - Sufjan Stevens
"Like A Prayer" - Madonna
"What Is This Feeling?" - Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenowith from Wicked
"She Don't Like Roses" - Christine Kane
"Smart Girls" - Jonathan Rundman
"Fuck You" - Ani DiFranco
"Slopes" - Strength in Numbers
"Closer to Me" - Dar Williams & Bela Fleck
"Roam" - B-52s
"White Room" - Cream
"Walk The Same Line" - Everything But The Girl
"Straw Hat And Dirty Old Hank" - Barenaked Ladies
"Cigarettes And Chocolate Milk" - Rufus Wainwright
"So Long, So Wrong" - Alison Krauss & Union Station
"Desperately Wanting" - Better Than Ezra