Project 365 - Day 26

Happy New Year! I finally found crackers at Meijer in their clearance section so we popped open some to get tiny toys (bracelet, toy top and a plastic scorpion), cheesy jokes and the best thing of all...a tissue paper crown! Yay for crackers!

Project 365 - Day 25

Went on a thrift store adventure and got this lovely little blue Estée Lauder mock croc makeup bag. Haven't decided if I'm going to use it as a pencil case or for makeup or just as a little purse. Doesn't really matter, I just love the color!

Project 365 - Day 24

Frosty trees against a blue sky gives the scenery outside a sense of magic. I love winter!

Project 365 - Day 23

Winter sunset at the stoplight. I actually like all the cars and signs and stuff framing the sun.

Jump into the pool, you loons!

Today I watched the last installment of BBC's Sherlock miniseries and actually enjoyed it. I say it like that because despite being terribly excited about the series before its premiere, I could not sit through an episode. I would start it and get bored or distracted or fall asleep. At one point I found myself putting it on mute so that I could catch the local weather report and it was then that I decided that Sherlock just wasn't for me.

Maybe it was because I'm a fan of the books and countless other adaptations of them, so it's hard to jump into an updated version. Maybe it's because I'm desperately in love with Arthur Dent (or Martin Freeman to non-Hitchhikers fans) and it's jarring to see him in another role. Maybe it's due to the fact that I spent hours coming up with amusing variations on Bendict Cumberbatch's name (fave: Bumblyshoots Cucumberbritches). All or some of these reasons just kept me from watching what I had heard was an excellent bit of television.

Finally a friend held me hostage and forced me to watch an episode with her and I was surprised to get all the way through it (and not just due to being held hostage!). The plot was exciting, the acting was great and the cinematography was both inventive and still inherently British. I left feeling like I wanted to watch the other episodes...only to get home and realize I couldn't. I started the second show and experienced the same sort of apathy. Something about watching Sherlock at home just didn't work and it wasn't until I went back to my friends house that I watched the next episode. After that I didn't even bother giving the third and final episode a try on my own. Obviously I have some sort of anti-Sherlock-alone problem so I just waited patiently until I could watch it with others. Now that I have, I really enjoyed it and am anxious for them to do another series!

I'm a girl who enjoys watching some things alone. I like rewinding Bill Pullman's speech in Independence Day over and over, I like laughing at the science in Stargate: Atlantis, I like being able to fast forward through all the bug scenes in CSI. But there is something to be said about watching with others, about the community sense you get when you are laughing or crying or being scared together.

Also, it helps when you get distracted and need someone to point out a plot point you missed.

Project 365 - Day 22

Today I made a casserole and it was very yummy. I fully intended to take a picture for the blog but I was busy trying not to burn my biscuits and accidentally breaking a plate in half and sadly the picture-taking got forgotten until after dinner.

Instead, I just drew a picture of me cooking!*
*picture may include items not actually seen in Jen's real life - such as apron, hat, and silver serving dish and may not include items actually used in Jen's real life - such as messy dishes, burnt fingers, or potato soup in hair.

Crafty Christmas

 

These are some of the potholders that I made for my mom. There were several firsts involved with this project. First time quilting. First time making potholders with Insulbright. First time binding. Sadly, not the first time doing binding well. I was really bummed at how badly the binding turned out (these pics are all before binding) because I loved how the quilting and piecing looked. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts!   

Heather’s elephant! I loved his little ears and the curly trunk and the little button on his tail. The fabric for the body came from the dollar bin from Walmart and I think the ear and tail denim were scraps from a shirt. I smooshed his button eyes together so that if someone uses him for a pillow, the buttons won’t poke them.

Pictured here are a fluffy pillow which has a cool tattoo-esque fabric on the front and black dot minky fabric on the back. I’ve always wanted to use minky fabric in a project and was thrilled with how well it turned out. It did shed a bit so that will be something I need to take in account in the future, but I will definitely be using it again. Soooo soft! Next is the paper I stamped for the calendar desk set. I’m too impatient for stamping to become my new favorite craft, but these turned out nicely. For some reason this is the only picture I have of the pillowcase I made…apparently the happy sharks on the fabric were camera shy. This was my first pillowcase made using french seams and it was a lot harder than it sounded. The tutorial I was reading assumed that I was a neater seamstress than I really am, so it didn’t mention that I should trim after sewing the first seam. Since I didn’t do that, there was rough edges poking out of the final seam. But other than that…it looks nice. It makes me want to whip up a bunch of flannel pillowcases!

 

Finally, cookies! I still haven’t found my camera cord so the shots of the baking are stuck in limbo. But here are finished shots of my cookies. In the top left are peach jam thumbprints, orange-soaked chocolate chip thumbprints with a rack of snowballs underneath, next over are cinnamon cookies and chocolate dipped soldiers and the cookies on the bottom are lemon glazed shortbread.

Project 365 - Day 21

A tiny snowman peeking out from an envelope. He's hopefully heading out in the mail tomorrow.

Things that make me smile

I have a bad case of after-Christmas blues so I’m trying to focus on things on happier things.

1. The NCIS marathon on USA is called “DiNozzo DiKnow’s Best” and no matter how many times I see the commercial, I still laugh.

2. Doctor Who season six trailer!

3. Finding other peoples self-portraits on your camera.

4. Hallelujah chorus flash mob. Awesome.

5. My new and very warm Christmas socks.

Project 365 - Day 20

You know those pictures that invoke your senses? A clear picture of a snowy landscape that gives you the shivers, a shot of cookies where you can almost smell the chocolate chips. This picture is like that for me, when I look at it, the sound of my friends laughing rings in my ears.

Meg and Shelby looking all pensive in black in white. Well, actually they were looking pretty normal in color but putting it in black and white makes them look much more serious and somber. Losing all your color will do that to you.

WHO IS WATCHING DOCTOR WHO??

ME AND ALL THE MOST AWESOME PARTS OF AMERICA! YAY BBC AMERICA! YAY DOCTOR WHO!

MERRY CHRISTMAS FELLOW GEEKS!

25 Days of Christmas – December 25th

“And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”  Luke 2:1-14

Merry Christmas!

Project 365 - Day 19

One crazy light display at a house in Okemos. Look at the size of that snowman on the roof!

Home! Now its time to crawl into bed and put on the yule log channel and get on with the visions of sugarplums and whatnot.

Christmas eve feast of gas station hot dogs while sitting in church parking lot. Not sure why I feel so sacreligious...