I need to VENT

Whoa.  I need to take a breath.  I seriously can't stand family sometimes!  Not kidding!  I grew up in a very small "family unit".  Most people have the mom/dad/brother/sister and then extended family close either physically or emotionally.  That's not how I was raised.  At.All.  My parents met in January and were married in July of the same year....and neither of my grandma's wanted it to happen.  So, when my parents got married they made the decision to move far enough away to make their own family unit.  And, so they did....my family growing up was my mom, dad, brother and sister.  Even through all of our issues, it was us against the world.  That was my family unit.  I was never super duper close to my extended family, none of us kids are really.  Now, don't get me wrong, I love my grandparents to pieces!  I really do, but I'm not overly close to them, and especially not close to aunts/uncles/cousins. 

To compound that slight issue, my mom's family dislikes us and we, equally if not more, dislike them.  Ever since my grandpa died the issues have only compounded more and more and more and more.  Let's just leave it at: after my grandpa died, I don't think my brother, sister and I have been in the same room as my cousins/aunt/uncle.  Not kidding.  We've (my parents included) have avoided any unnecessary contact with them.  B is over nine months old and he's never met anyone on that side of the family.  Not a single person....and I told Jamie that if she even thought about taking him to that negative of a place/home then I would physically harm her.  I was only like 1/4 kidding.  My grandma passed away in the middle of March.  I have yet to receive anything out of the will.  And, my aunt tells my mom that she's only been in the house once -- and that was the time that my mom called and told her to meet us there.  Well, my aunt got my grandma to sign over the house to her before she passed away.  Whatever.  I didn't want the house, but regardless, I don't think that was right.  Well, my aunt has decided to give the house to my cousin I guess.  Again, whatever.  The issues I have with all of this (yes, I'm airing dirty laundry, I'm that pissed right now)....

1 - My aunt thinks that my mom should pay half of everything for the house.  Um.  No.  My mom doesn't own that house.  I told mom to not pay for anything....she said she was going to appease my aunt until we got our stuff from the will....my response?  Fine, pay what you wish, but DON'T pay for shit after my cousin moves in. 
2 - My aunt *deceived* my one uncle to pay for the home owner's insurance.
3 - My aunt tells my mom that she's not been in the house, but she lives five minutes away, and her daughter is moving in there at some point?  I don't believe her.  Not at all.
4 - My cousin that's moving into the house posts things like this (taken directly from her fb): "Going yard saleing tomorrow with mom and Stacy and friends.....Hope to find some stuff for the house.", "Great weekend making everything look nice."
5 - Another post was put on her page by a friend.....but first a little back story.  When my mom and I went up there, my aunt asked me what I wanted from the house that wasn't listed in the will.  The one thing I asked for was my grandma's lobster bells.  I was told the other ones would stay there for my cousins.  I "wasn't allowed" to have them.  Whatever!  I only wanted the lobster bells anyways, and if the others were staying in the family I was ok with that (my grandma loved hanging on the porch listening to all her wind chimes/bells, they needed to stay with someone who would remember that).  Well, today I noticed this post on my cousin's fb: "heard you might have some windchimes you don't want"......This pissed me off sooooo bad and I don't know why.  I don't know if it is the fact that she's changing the house or if it is about her saying how she was going to be rid of them without asking any one of us about them.  I don't know. 


I guess all this put together really pisses me off more because we can't have our things from the will but I know those girls most likely have theirs because *THEY'RE TAKING OVER THAT HOUSE AND ALL THAT IS IN IT*.  That probably sounds incredibly selfish and materialistic but one of the few things that I bonded with my grandma /grandpa over is listed in that damn will and since I didn't spend a lot of time with them and wasn't that close to them, I'm trying to grasp at the few things we shared moments over.  I hope that makes sense.  I'm just ready to not have those people in my life but I'm forced to since they have my items.  My mom's items.  My sister's items.  My brother's items.  


I seriously think I'm going to ask mom for their phone number so that I can just go get my stuff and be done with it all.  I'm just so done.  I've got much more important battles going on in my life, I don't need them or their drama too.  I just don't.


I think I'm done now.  Do you have any ideas for me?  Has anyone ever been in this situation before?

My Jeep is a tough cookie!

A little back story.....The day I picked up my baby, a 2007 Jeep Patriot, I had to go through construction on the way back home....that construction involved loose stones on the road.  One of those stones ended up getting kicked up and nicking my windshield.  Well, when I went to the "down-home" guy dad sent me to first, he managed to make the nick a crack.  That crack didn't expand for the longest time, that is until we hit 90 degrees!  For the last few really hot days the crack went from about two inches to well over six inches big.  I knew I had to get it fixed, so one very crazy, teary phone call to dad got me the funds to have it fixed thankfully!  (I really do have the best daddy in the whole world!)

Well, that appointment finally came today!  Yay!  I took it to a shop I was comfortable with, one that gave me a lifetime warranty, nice people, etc.  Everything was going great!  I got there early and they took my Jeep back early, it was done in a good amount of time....and then drama.  There was one customer that was walking around (he'd obviously been there for a while and was restless) and kind of pacing.  No biggie to me, I was crocheting on Camille's apron, I had totally shut off my brain to the outside world.  Well, I heard him kind of make a sound so I looked up, and he looked at me and asked, "Hey, are you the one in a red Jeep?"  Um.  Yes?  "He just hit that white thing with your Jeep".  My first reaction?  I kept crocheting and chuckled with, "You're joking, right?"  I seriously thought he was joshing me because he was bored and I totally didn't think my Jeep would have already been done!  Anywhooo, I finally kind of believed him after he read off part of my license plate so I put away the crochet, sat there for a second to collect my thoughts before I got up to go outside.  Thankfully, the other customer walked with me a ways, when I saw the corner of my Jeep had a....moment?  I needed someone, anyone, there with me.  I hadn't even noticed the pole that he hit on my way to my Jeep....this is a white pole, with red paint on it.  Red paint from my Jeep....

Now, this is what I saw on my Jeep.....

Two fun little facts that I found out when I was researching these Jeeps before I settled on this one?  1 - This color red is a specialty Jeep color.  I had to pay extra for it, even on a Jeep that is 4 years old!  2 - The lights and side panels are the most expensive to replace on a Jeep.  Bumpers?  They're not cheap either.  Those pieces get replaced most often on the body due to what people put their Jeeps through. 

The managers were super nice though.  I laughed the whole time once I got over the shock.  I repeatedly said that accidents happen and that the guy that did it needed to stop stressing!  They're taking care of paying for it to be repaired at the local dealership which is nice, and they didn't charge me for the windshield which was super nice!  The one manager got even nicer when I explained that I wasn't working and was going to have to have family pay for the windshield to begin with.  Tomorrow, I get to go get an estimate to fax over to the manager guy so they know the costs then I get my Jeep fixed.  :) 

Hope everyone had a less stressful day than me!  haha

Today

Today was just what I needed.  Can I just tell you how calming it is to rock a baby to sleep?  I'm in love with my nephew, head over heels adore him I tell ya! 

I got to see my grandparents meet their great grandson for the first time.  I got to see my grandma's eyes light up when she saw my dad and my brother in B's face.  I got to see four of my favorite guys in life all together, four generations of guys from my family all together!  We even got pictures....well, I managed to take pictures on everyone's cameras and phones except for mine!  Typical! :)  Thank goodness for emails and picture texts!

I got to talk to my sister-in-law like we used to before all the drama.  It was nice to be able to talk to her like that again.  I missed our talks.  We have the best talks, really, just the best.  And we got to put B on the table and play with him after everyone left.  He's getting so big and really can just laugh and laugh.  It cracks me up!

I think that is all, just wanted to share my joy with everyone!  Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!  :)

Bookworm Wednesday! (v.3b)

So, today we didn't have massive, tornado producing, hail slinging, wind jamming storms!  Yay!  Without further ado, here is Bookworm Wednesday v.3....Biography edition!  I love reading about people, especially real people from that love has stemmed a pretty large collection of biographies and non-fiction.

If you follow me on Twitter a week or so ago you would have seen that Camille and I were chatting about Vivien Leigh and how I want a tattoo of inspired by her.  I *adore* her!  I feel in love with the green eyed beauty when I first watched GWTW.  She is a true inspiration to me, she was confident, ballsy, and had no hesitation to go after what she wanted in life.  How could I not look up to that?  I read things about her all the time and have a handful of pictures saved on my hard drive for that tattoo that I will get at some point in my life and this bio by Alexander Walker is one of the best things I've read about her!  I HIGHLY recommend it for anyone that has seen anything this gal starred in!

Jackie After Jack is another inspiring story.  Jackie wasn't going to let her marriage and widowhood while in the White House define her....and she definitely wasn't going to back down to the Kennedy's control her after Jack wasn't in her life anymore.  That is very ballsy to go up against, arguably, the most powerful family in the nation or even the world!

Alice is about Alive Roosevelt Longworth who was a teenager when her father Teddy Roosevelt was in the White House....that teenager became a major power player in Washington.  During her life she was the president's daughter, wife of the Speaker of the House, and lover to the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee...um how ballsy do you have to be to that girl to those guys?!! 

After looking back at this, everyone of these gals I described as ballsy.  That's how I want to be in life.  Ballsy.  Well, ballsy with a uterus.  :)

Bookworm Wednesday! (v.3a)

um..yeah....we're kinda getting some serious weather, so Bookworm Wednesday will be posted tomorrow so long as we don't have a repeat of this mess tomorrow! :)

Inspiration.....

Soooooo I had been talking to Amanda over at Sunflower Yarns about a project I'm going to start for my big swap and I described a colorway to her using these pictures......and I'M BEYOND EXCITED to see how it turns out!

 

 

from here

from here

 

 

 

from here

from here

How effing awesome are these boots?

....and they're all mine thanks to my ldb Camille!  I'm in love.  Head over heels (haha!) in love!  They're just what I needed to pick me up today....and all the other goodies?!?!  A cute charm for El (C - you have to give Annie and Lola a hug for El & me!), an adorable sewing book, and inspiration cards (something that I need desperately right now!)!!!  <3 you ldb!  Thanks sooooo much, you're the best!

Scarlett Key

Hey all!  I'm not sure I've put anything on here about my future with Etsy, but I'm going to lay some stuff out here since y'all are my sounding board!!

I've opened an Etsy account under the name Scarlett Key.  I *adore* the name; Scarlett comes from GWTW and skeleton keys are on the top of my favorites list - not kidding, on my necklace that I wear all the time is a skeleton key from my sister-in-law, my bestie bought me big ones for my wall for Christmas, etc.  I opened a gmail account for scarlettkeysales [at] gmail [dot] com.  I will be ordering business cards once I speak to my father seriously about getting a po box/using their farm/etc as the "business" address.  So, hopefully that will happen this coming week.  (random...if you wanna swap business cards once I get them, email me at the "work" email, I'm totally down!)

Now about the Etsy store.....once I get it open (I want to get a second card for my bank account since I don't want it flowing thru my main stuff) I have patterns for all of the following list, let me know what you think, if you have any other ideas that I can hunt for, etc...

1 - Travel Coffee Cup Cozy
2 - Fat Mug Cozy
3 - Fingerless Mittens
4 - Half Apron
5 - Pet Blankets
6 - Baby Blankets
7 - Fancy Doilies (I'm picturing these done in bright colors and mounted on black cardboard in a pretty frame)
8 - Shawls

Those are ranked pretty well in how long each thing takes to make (the quickest starting at #1).  There are a handful of things that I'm not sure how long will take me; fancy clutch, fun clutch from recycled plastic store bags, bookmarks (it really depends on the pattern), etc.....I need ideas girls! :)

I'm such a girl......

I went out tonight with the girls that I used to work with.  It was sooooo good to see them.  Those girls are what I miss like crazy about my old job and I'm certain that I will never find a group with that dynamic anytime soon, if ever. 

Anyways.....I went out with the girls.  Wore cute shoes, some makeup and half way did my hair.  Well, everytime someone said how pretty I was or how good I looked, in my head, I immediately dismissed the comment.  I'm such a girl in the sense that I don't give myself any credit at all when it comes to my looks.  I don't think I'm pretty.  I definitely don't think I'm beautiful.  My friends are gorgeous girls.  Gorg!  They're all skinny, pretty and have amazing boyfriends....in my head, I'm chubby, not pretty, and doomed to be single forever.  Gahhhhh!  I am FULLY aware that these thoughts are crazy, that they're not rational, but they will not leave my head.  They're stuck.  They aren't going anywhere anytime soon.  Such.A.Girl.

Ok....I think I'm done now.  Sorry for the sad girl blogger tonight.....

Crocheting away!

After I finished up the swap gifts, I took a little break from crochet, knit, all of it.  Well, on my mini trip I took my bag with me and did one whole round!  haha, not much, but it was something.  So, I'm still working on that second panel.  I WILL get it done at some point!  I'm sure of it! 

This evening I've been working on Camille's apron for work.  I found the most adorable apron pattern that shouldn't take me too long to complete, but it is all single crochet and I tend to go cross-eyed after a few rows if I don't have a break every now and then.

I've also got to find something for the second swap I'm a part of.  This is the one that I kinda took over.  It has a project piece that uses over 400 yards of something.  That sounds like a lot, but it really isn't.  That bag I'm making called for over 600 I think, so that isn't the daunting aspect.  I want to make something really beautiful.  My swap partner is the sweetest gal and I already adore her to pieces!  She's getting married on June 25th so I would like to have the package mailed out to her asap so that it gets to her before she gets married, but I don't know if that will happen.  I've been thinking of making my first shawl for the swap but I can't find one that really jumps out at me and really says "Make Me Now!"  I keep looking though.  I think I have something like 60 or so shawls saved in my favorites queue on Rav so I keep flipping through them.  I will find something.  I will.  I don't have a choice!  The best part is that if I do a shawl, you *know* that I will have to buy some yarn because everything I have right now is spoken for....well, maybe I can use the silver/gray from Sunflower Yarns, but that is a wool blend.....hm.  Decisions.  Decisions. 

Oh!  And I'm still working on my non-baby baby blanket every once in a while.  Just not as often as I would like. 

Pictures soon!  :)

Bookworm Wednesday! (v.2)

Cookbook Edition!  

These are my top three most used cookbooks!  They have a prominent place on my shelf and where I can grab them quite easily!

Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book is a huge amount of information!  It isn't just about recipes, it is about how to cook various meats, what each piece of meat really comes from.  It has true, honest to goodness, old fashioned, down home cooking tips!  This isn't one of the original ones, it is the reprint of the 1950 edition, it is just like the one that my grandma got when she was young and a newlywed! 

The Happy Baker is a new addition to my collection.  I literally picked it up on a midnight Kroger trip when I was hunting for cookies.  This book has this as a note on the front: A girl's guide to emotional baking.  When I showed it to my sister, she said she was glad I finally wrote a book!  haha, I just adore this book!  It has recipes named things like I Need a Real Man Maple Pumpkin Pie and Bite My Peanut Brittle Bi-atch!  And, to go along with the fantastic recipes, there are HI-larious stories!  I almost peed my pants from laughing while reading them!

101 Cookie Recipes is my go-to cookie book.  It has the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe in it that I have perfected over the many years that I have had this book.  I got it while I was still in high school and have used it many times each year since!  It really is my go-to book when I have to make something for a carry-in and just about anything else!!

While all of these are great books and they are each nearly priceless to me, there is one that trumps them all.  I mean, quite literally if my apartment were burning, I would save this before I saved some other things....

THIS is my recipe binder.  I have handwritten recipes from my grandmothers, my mother, my sister-in-law, friends, everyone!  And, they're all in here.  If I find a recipe on the back of the butter tub that sounds interesting, it gets written in here!  I've gotten it pretty full, and am looking for a bigger one, but no such luck yet....for now I just keep doubling and tripling up the the cards in each pocket.  When I get married, if I have bridal shower I want a recipe shower instead!  Everyone brings a recipe that they love, and all of those will go in here too!  At some point, if I can't find a bigger binder, I will probably have to go to a card holder, but that day isn't here yet :)

Happy cooking and baking!

Dear Heather.....

We miss you.  I still have moments every now and then when I almost reach for the phone to text you something funny and then remember you're gone.  Even after two and a half years.  These moments, though, seem to happen more often around this time of year.  You're birthday was supposed to be today, you would have been 26.  The catch up day to me; don't forget to respect your elders!  haha

I spent this weekend out of town with Tuesday, you totally would have come with us!  We had a blast but you were on our minds.  We even sang you "Happy Birthday" at midnight, because well, you know how much Tues likes to sing "Happy Birthday" to people!  And, last night at the casino, I had a Tom Collins for you and threw some money away into a slot machine, then today I won some back, and I know that was you.  :)  

Well, there is about 15 minutes left of your birthday, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY chick-a-dee!!!

Finished Stuff....

Just thought I'd share some finished stuff, I'm rather proud of all of this.  :)

This square-ish shape of half double crochet turned into...

Wrist Warmers!

....and this knitting start became....

A Coffee Mug Cozy!

I need to find a better way to attach the button closure, but I was kind of winging it since I didn't write out the pattern at all.  I also made some more travel/disposable cup cozies.  Those are wicked easy to make, and I can make one in about an hour or less.  Oh!  That reminds me!  I was at Pier 1 today (buying the white mug!) and one of the guys that works there got to talking to me, he's a potter and has been wanting to make the travel/throw away style mugs/cups but didn't want to add a handle....well, I gave him my Ravelry info (he asked for a business card but I don't have those, Rav was the next best thing....) so that he can look at my work and see if maybe he would buy some of my travel-size cozies to put with the ones he makes.  How cool is that?  I hope he contacts me, I just think it would be fun.  And, if I use Red Heart (I hate it, but it is cheap....and holds up.) then if I sold them at just a $1 a piece, after the second sold, everything would be profit.  Gotta start somewhere, right?

(and just for fun, a pic of my booger butt.  <3 my nephew B!)

Ravelry Swap

Hey all!  I'm running a knit/crochet swap over on Ravelry!  You have to be a member of Ravelry to use the following link, but if you're a knitter or crocheter then Ravelry is a GREAT website to be on!!

I took over this swap because our moderator went MIA.  I am hoping that is turns out beautifully, and I'm thinking that it will!  There are already 10 sign-ups, so it is twice as big as my book swap on here!  I'm getting nervous, but it is a confident nervous if that makes sense.

In other news, I am going to check out for a few days and do some soul searching and thinking.  Sooooo if I don't post here for a day or two, don't be worried!  I will be back soon!

I hate this.

I had a really rough day.  Rough enough that I cried the entire drive home from the farm.  But....I got to come home to this little guy and I got to give him an extra big hug. If you have a pet, or pets, hug them.  Kiss them.  Love them stronger and harder than ever before.....you never know when they won't be there anymore.

This is why she's my friend. :)

Sooooo my mail just came, and I could see the new gal trying to force the mail into my tiny mailbox, and I thought, Seriously...maybe there's a birthday card in there that you're folding all up and that doesn't make me happy.  Well, there wasn't a birthday card, and at least no bills either, no biggie!  I'm good without all that stuff....but then she came back.  With a bag.  And dropped it by my door.  What!?!?

It is from CAMILLE!  I just love that I've been able to 'meet' her, she really is the best!  I knew the yarn was coming, but not all the rest!!! 

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!  LOVE!  (please ignore the rumpled blanket in the back.....this is my couch blanket that is filthy!  haha)

This yarn is soooo fun!  And it sparkles!  Must.Find.Project!

Now this picture makes me laugh and tear up a bit.  This cameo pin is one I saw a million days ago on Camille's Etsy in a set of other pins/broaches.  Well, one day that whole set came down, so I sent a tweet asking about it and she said she would have to look for it...well she found it!  And guess what it is on!  A crochet chain!  I'm soooo proud of her and what she's teaching herself with crochet!

(isn't my guard kitty cute!  this is how he stands when I have just the store door open....)

It is my birthday, and I'll *GIVE* stuff if I want to!

So far today I've picked up breakfast for my old boss/close friend and took it to her at her new job.  I bought stuff for my swap with one of gals on Ravelry.  Oh, yeah, and I also picked up some stuff for a little package to be sent to Camille!  She and I have quickly become long distance besties!  I just love her attitude towards just about everything in life, she has the positivity towards things that I wish I had most days!  Everything I packed up for her quite literally made me chuckle a little bit and think of her so I hope she loves it all!!  I took a picture of everything before I sealed the box (but, sorry, I totally forgot to write a note to put inside!  haha!)

Wait, what?  You actually thought I was going to show you what I sent?  hahahaha I'm *NOT* ruining that surprise! 

Bookworm Wednesday! (v.1)

The Mitford Sisters fascinate me for some reason.  I think I'm amazed because for all of their closeness, they have issues, they have heavily disagreeing view points on some major issues....yet, they are still sisters.  In the Mitford family there were 6 girls and 1 boy spaced out over a very large window of time.  

The Pursuit of Love & Love in a Cold Climate is written by Nancy Mitford.  She was one of a few of authors from the family.  This book is also the one that opened my eyes to the Mitford family since she draws heavily from them when writing the characters.  I went through a time where I wanted nothing but vintage books, and that's when I picked this one up.  If you like romance, if you like family stories, if you like the romanticism of writers from the early 1900's then definitely pick this one up!

Wait for Me! is a dear favorite of mine as it is written by one of the youngest sisters, Deborah; being the youngest myself, I can relate to quite a bit about her younger years!  She later became a duchess, and seriously, who doesn't want to be some type of royalty as a little girl?  She also ended up with close ties to "American Royalty" the Kennedy's.  A true autobiography, you really see how she felt about some of the more important times in her family -- her sister's attempted suicide, a sister running away from home to Spain to be married in secret, etc.

The Mitfords: Letters Between Sisters is a collection of letters from the sisters that is edited by one of their granddaughters.  She pulled together a very concise collection of them, again, a lot of them coming from the highly important times in their lives.  I adore this book because I can pick it up and put it down whenever I choose because the letters are broken up into sets that go along with the major milestones in the girls' lives.  

I *LOVE* the family even through all of the turmoil; I mean seriously, two stopped speaking for the rest of their lives because of differing political viewpoints....I highly recommend any of these if you like drama, family, love, and so much more!

oh!  And I just have to share what I had for lunch!  Camille will get a kick out of this! haha

My Birthday.

My birthday makes me nervous.  Hands down one of the most stressful days for me.  Not because I'm getting older, that isn't it at all; well, ok, maybe a little.  I hate being the center of attention.  HATE it.  And everyone keeps asking me what I want to do....and I don't have an answer for them!  My family doesn't really celebrate birthdays.  Not kidding, I only remember one of my birthdays celebrated with extended family...and even then the only birthday related thing was the cake that we always had after dinner was the one I picked for once.  That's about it.  When I was a teenager, we were not even home for my birthday.  My mom would take my sister and I to Florida for that week but not because of my birthday, just because the airfare is really cheap for that week for whatever reason.  We wouldn't celebrate while we were down there.  It was always just another day.  My mom never made us birthday cakes for us kids, we didn't get presents, it was just.another.day.

When I got older, I just continued the practice of not making a big deal about it.  When Heather was here, we would do a dinner and go out with the girls for our joint birthday bash, and she always made that day really special.  We were so close, we thought the same way about stuff, we were so close in age, we grew up in the same type of home/area.  So, when my birthday rolled around after she passed away, I didn't do anything.  I couldn't.  I stayed home.  Last year Tony took me to dinner but that was about it.  And this year, the girls are forcing me to go out but I was supposed to be in Maine for this whole week with my mom -- those plans changed real quick when I lost my job....I picked the restaurant and Elizabeth picked out the rest of the stuff.  I hope I can get through it without too much drama.  The weathermen are saying that will be the best day of the week, sunny and mid-60's.  Honestly though, I don't expect gifts from anyone, or cards even, it is just another day, right?

How did you celebrate your birthday as a kid?  How do you do it now?

Book Swap

I've sent messages to all of you that asked to be a part of the Book Swap!  Please let me know if you have any questions at all!!!

Giveaway!

Ok, so I've been thinking about giveaways a lot lately!  I adore all the readers I've gotten (all four of you are awesome haha) and I want to show my appreciation.....with that feeling, when I get to, oh, let's say 10 followers then I will do a drawing of those 10 for something special!  Maybe by then I have made something cute, adorable, sweet, and wanted!  Let me know what you think about that!

Book Swap!

I will be working on the round robin list when I get back to town tomorrow, so you have until then to email me about joining the book swap!  prajaline [at] gmail [dot] com :)