However, Connor really needs new diaper covers. These were cut out a few weeks (months?) ago, and I'm now getting them put together. Next I'll do something fun and pretty.
"I paint too, Mama!" You can see we had some excellent help in getting the kitchen painted. :D
When the boys and I got home on Saturday night, from Chicago, we found that David had painted all the trim! Hooray! Less painting for me! This meant we could start right away on painting the walls. Sunday morning I started the cut-in work. I prefer to freehand the edges instead of taping; in the few places I taped, it doesn't look as nice. After I had gotten about 3/4 of the way done with the cut work, 
David came down and started rolling. Once we got the first coat of paint on, we left for the hardware store and mall (I needed to pick up some outlet covers and switchplates, plus we needed to get a birthday present). When we got home, I started the second coat, with more cut-in work. Monday afternoon I finished the second coat on the walls. There are a few little touch ups to do on the trim but ....
.... it's done! :D We are thinking about stamping a fleur de lis design on the walls in silver, and then roughing or wiping it off so it looks worn. 
Saturday we went to see the Day of the Dead exhibit at the Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum. Families had come in and made ofredas to the deceased. We saw altars to people of all ages: a singer, a radio personality, a police officer, and more. One could look upon their whole life history in the altar. 
There was an area that we could leave ofredas of our own, and both Caleb and Calvin left a note for my dad. We also browsed the little gift shop, along with 2 other exhibits. 
Otherwise, we spent the time just hanging out and playing with Cuzzy. Calvin read stories to him, Connor read stories to himself. They wrestled and roughhoused, and pouted and cried. Laughed and played, watched TV and ate lots of treats. 
This is what the kitchen used to look like (if you click, you can look through the album and see our progress). Saturday we painted the ceiling. On Sunday David went and picked a color for the walls (it's some kind of dark blue), and also got trim paint and primer. Yesterday I started doing the cut-in work on the primer. We put some texture stuff in the primer, and it was like painting with pancake batter! It worked great. 
The kitchen is all primed and ready for the regular paint. I'm going to do the trim next, then we'll paint the walls.
It's the sweater on the cover. I'm using Classic Elite Duchess yarn (color is Priveleged Plum), size 10 Brittany needles (gotta have pretty needles), and it's coming along fast. I cast on for it a few weeks ago, and finished the back on Tuesday, at the dentist's office. 
Sunday was trick-or-treat here (it's always the Sunday before Halloween, since at least 1977 when I moved here). Caleb was a Mad Scientist, Connor was Superman, and Calvin was an Archery Guy (NOT Robin Hood). They got lots of candy, and we're going again tonight, in a friend's neighborhood that does an organized night trick-or-treat. Pictures of that later, as there will be different costumes. Can't wear the same thing twice, now, can we?
Darnit, I didn't get pictures of the kids in their costumes last night. David had the presence of mind to get a picture of the mamas, though. I was a pirate, and you can't see them here, but I had some killer boots. :) It was quite cold and Connor only lasted for half a block. Calvin made it a bit longer, and all the older boys stayed out almost the whole time. We have TONS of candy!
Off we go to meet Peter at mile 8 in BoysTown! We walked over there, and it was a Par-Tay!
Yay! Eight miles down, eighteen to go! He ran the race with his friend Brian, who lives in Washington D.C. This was Brian's second marathon. They look pretty good here. 
The night before the race he looked up his name online and found out there were 3 other Pedrazas running. Get this -- one of them was named Rolando (that's my cousin's name)! How crazy is that? (Pedraza is an uncommon last name)
As we were right by a watering station, the runners were just throwing the cups on the ground. Most of the time the cups still had gatorade in them, and we started getting splashed. Calvin told me, "Mama! It's raining Gatorade!" 
After we left Peter at mile 8, we went over to get on the El, in order to meet him at mile 17. We took a quick break in a Starbucks to get hot chocolate. While we were on the train (with 18 million other people going to cheer for their friends and family), we got stuck in a tunnel. I guess there were repairs or something going on. Julie made the executive decision that we would instead go on to ChinaTown and meet Peter at mile 21. It's a good thing we did that, because just as we got off the train at ChinaTown, she got a text message that he had just passed mile 17. They still look pretty good here! Only 5 more miles!
We didn't get finish line pix -- it was just too crowded. But finish they did, in about 4 1/2 hours! Peter said that last mile was just agony. It stretched forever. But he kept putting one foot in front of the other and did it. I had a good time cheering him on. Hmm, I wonder if we'll be doing this next year???
However, even with the frost each morning, I still have a few glimpses of summer and pretty flowers. This iris is blooming by the (broken) air conditioner. There are at least 3 of these flower stalks. It's quite pretty, no? Next spring I will have to divide it up some more, and plant it along the sidewalk. Then everyone that walks by can also share the last bits of summer. (I don't know what kind it is, my mother gave it to me. She said it's a double blooming iris: once in the spring, and once in the fall)
Here's a detail shot of the quilting. Michele (the woman who does the longarm quilting for me) suggested the medallions in the corners. I chose a wool batting -- my absolute favorite batting to use. While I'm not crazy about the backing fabric, it's not bad, and gives the quilt a peaceful feel.
I made this top, sans hems, on Wednesday night. It's Simplicity 4076 (view D), and has been cut out for a while, and after dropping Calvin off at gymnastics, I came home and sewed for the 45 minutes I had before needing to go pick him up. Yes, this top is that fast to make. I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, and will definitely be making some more. I used a size 10 in the shoulders, swinging out to a 16 in the hips. I did a FBA, and then rotated that dart into the center front, where the gathers are. I did a cursory glance at the directions (I've sewn oodles of tees, I don't need no stinkin' directions!), and eliminated the edgestitching on the neckine -- that just ain't gonna work with those gathers.
I still had our mittens/hats/scarves in there, in a big container on the floor, but it was always a mess. Last week I came up with the idea of using a sweater organizer thing for our winter accessories (I found it at Target for $10). We each get a 'cubby', and hopefully this will keep things in order. | You Are 25% Left Brained, 75% Right Brained |
 The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports. |
Rice and beans (recipes are here), 2 corn tortillas, some Cheddar Bunnies, and a Fruit Leather. The fresh pineapple is for his snack this morning. He wanted to buy milk to drink (he's pretty sure Tuesdays is chocolate milk day). 
My friend Luther gave these to me today. The treadle works, though I don't know if the timing is right and if it actually stitches. 
Here is a close up of The Free machine. The drawers won't open unless the top is opened. They lock when the machine is put away. One drawer pull is missing, and some awful metal one got put on in its place. 
This is all the stuff that was in the drawers. I have no idea what most of it is. 
Here is the other machine. It's either called The Homemaker or The Homestead. I can't remember, and I don't want to go down the basement to double check right now. It's missing the base.
This is all the stuff that came in these drawers. I think the bullet looking thing is a bobbin case. The two little envelopes have machine needles in them. 
On his special day. I am honored to be his Godmother.
Full view. I took this one after I pressed it on Sunday. I used a pima lawn purchased from Handmades.
I stitched the cross while watching Caleb's soccer game on Saturday. :) The featherstitching was done in bits and pieces. The pattern calls for five rows of featherstitching on each side, but I liked only three, plus three is symbolic of the Trinity (also why I chose to do three french knots in the center of the cross).
Back view. I only used 7 (instead of 8) buttons. I have a thing for odd numbers. 
The monogram is done in shadowwork. I did most of it on Wednesday night, finishing it up on Thursday during soccer practice, along with the featherstitching. The whole thing took me about 3 hours (yes, it's all handwork). I was a bit nervous when I traced the design -- she had you use a regular #2 pencil! It was perfect, though. btw -- the monogram is for his last name, so this gown will be used for any siblings. :) 
This is the bottom band. I ordered this edging from Handmades as well, and it finally arrived on Saturday!!! It was worth the wait, though. It is really really wide, so I trimmed it down to 1.25" above the crosses.
The sleeve bands. I had the beading and edging in stash. :) 
The shoulder and underarm seams are french seamed. The rest is entredeux which is stitched on, trimmed to about 1/8", and then zigzagged. 
I started working on the binding for the green baby quilt (baby was born in February!). A lot of times I like to bind quilts in 1/4" black binding, so whenever I buy some black, I just cut the whole piece up into 1.75" bias strips. Thankfully I had just enough of this black dot to bind this quilt. After stitching it down, I had about 15" leftover. 
I think this quilt is looking quite nice, although I guess it's not your typical baby quilt. I've been stitching the binding down while watching Season 1 of Project Runway, thanks to Netflix. We finished disc 1 yesterday, and I've got half of the handdwork done. :) I've been almost 100% right about predicting who gets Auf'd each episode, and about 75% right with who wins each one. I already know who wins season 1, but that's it.
On Calvin's birthday we decided it would a good time to harvest one of his melons. 
Alas, it was NOT RIPE!!! Calvin was so let down, I thought he was going to lose it right there (he didn't). I don't know how to tell when watermelons are ready -- do you? We thumped it and it sounded like the ones you buy in the store. We have two more on the vine, though one looks like it's dying. So I think we have one more shot at having a home grown watermelon. Please, any advice on how to tell when it'll be ready is greatly appreciated.
