Sunday, July 25, 2010

Some help is not always better than no help


Last night I heard what sounded like a battle going on our computer room/ my craft room. To my utter horror the picture above is what I found my craft room looking like. There have been times when I have referred to my craft room as my crap room, but nothing prepared me for what met me at the door. What started out as my husband innocently saying he was going to tidy up the computer desk ended up nothing short of a catastrophic disaster. Basket were turned over, nothing was where I left it. My craft table was in a completely different part of the room. Total shelves were now on the floor along with things he just wanted to "sort through".

I am here to report that my husband is alive and unharmed. Believe me the thought to kill him or do bodily harm seriously crossed my mind. In the state of Michigan if you kill your husband after he completely destroys your craft room it is not considered a crime of passion. (Bastards!)

He did "clean" the room as best as he could. I still do have to re-organize my craft room again but I am able to walk around the room without being fearful of being buried alive and having to be pulled from the wreckage.

Although to be honest know is the time to clean and de-stash in just about all my crafting areas. Perhaps I can do that in my "free time". LOL!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Bunnies and Llamas and Sheep Oh My!



Today my mom, little man and I all went to the Fiber Arts Festival in Charlevoix, MI. I'm proud to announce that I merely window shopped and none of the very lovely yarn, kits, books, roving or fleeces came home with me. (Although at the end my mother did have to practically drag me out.)

Little man loved the animals and at times would pet them only after sending Noni in first. (Noni means little grandmother in Italian and is what little man calls my mom.) I have a few pictures of him with the animals.

There were many vendors from all around Michigan selling wonderful things and doing spectacular demonstrations. Everything from felting to spinning to sheep hearding. This has been a family tradition of the three of us going since my son was 1 and could barely walk. (He's four now.)

My hsuband is not into that sort of thing and was just happy that I didn't bring anything home.



Friday, July 23, 2010

It's all about me

I'm back again and I figured I'd give you a little more back round about me and my life. I'm an Army brat so I moved around a lot when I was younger. I have a younger sister who is two years younger than me and we are polar opposites. We also have many other "siblings" but more on that later. We lived in Germany until I was four. Picture this if you will, me as a toddler with a speech impediment (think Elmer Fudd) and a southern drawl trying to speak German. Hilarious I know.

After my dad retired from the military we stayed put in Tacoma, Washington. I didn't know it then but apparently our family wasn't "normal". OK so that's not really a surprise to me. Our house was the house where everybody came to hang out. During the summer our friends would stay for days, my mom would feed them and do wash their laundry so they could stay longer. My mom was the one to go pick up my friends after they snuck out of their house. My mom would be the one to take us to Denny's at 3 am in the morning just because. Did I mention my mom also worked full time for the local sheriff department.

My mom was also "mom" or "shorty" to a lot of kids she didn't even give birth to. Whole hockey teams in fact because my sister played hockey (both co-ed and girls teams). If any of our friends got kicked out their house my house would be where they would come to. It was very common for my mom to call home before leaving work to find out how many of her "kids" were at the house. There were times when the number would be well into the double digits. Did I mention we only had a 3 bedroom 2 bathroom house. When it came to sleeping we became very creative.

As teenagers my house would be the house where our friends bands would come to practice. Not in the garage but in the house, again did I mention we had an open floor plan. In other words no doors to shut if the phone rang. Although who am I kidding between the amps and the sub woofers there was no chance of hearing a SWAT team breaking down the door let alone the phone. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

Even as an adult my mom never really got a house to herself. I joined the Army Reserves out of high school, where I recieved my schooling and training as an X-Ray Technician. I met my husband while in training. My sister was dating a guy from his unit. My mom and sister actually picked out my husband but had the good sense not to tell me. What 19 year old listens to their mom. What started out as one little date turned into a three year serious relationship. My husband and his Army buddies would come over and invade the house for the weekend (or week). Why go to the Army chow hall when you have a mom to cook for you.

During any holidays our house was filled with people. I thought everybody had 20 - 30 people over for Christmas and Thanksgiving. I mean who doesn't cook two 15 lbs turkeys for Thanksgiving? Everyone has both turkey and ham for Christmas right? My mom had holiday feasts (and I do mean feasts) down to an art form. She knew the exact timing of when to do what. The biggest fear in our house was that someone would go home hungry and if they did it was their own fault. That's the Italian and Portuguese side coming out.

Now as an adult I still take great joy in holiday cooking, although I have had to learn how to downsize. Cooking for 6 is a lot easier. Our holidays are still spent with family. My mom moved to Michigan to be closer to her grandson about four years ago. Both my in-laws and my mom only live 10 miles from us. Talk about a great support system, not to mention I have on call babysitters.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Hello There

Hello, my name is Shannon. I'm a 28 years old army wife and working mother of one. My husband, Chris just returned from his second tour in Iraq. My son Austin got to have daddy home for his fourth birthday. We live here in beautiful northern Michigan and moved here from the Tacoma/Seattle area 6 years ago. I'm an X-Ray Technician at a small local hospital.

I came up with my blog name because I mainly crochet, knit and quilt. I also scrapbook, cross stitch, embroider, cook, bake, read and garden (and I use that term very loosely). I knit/crochet/quilt so I don't kill people. I find it as a way to relax and I love gifting my things to other people. I am also very blessed to have such wonderful family members and friends that truly appreciate what I make for them.

I have been wanting to start a blog for a while, but have always said "someday". Someday has become today. My expectations for the blog is to chronicle my crafting life as well as my life "in the real world". While I hope people will read this blog I don't really think that I'm that interesting. Time will tell.

Upcoming Events In My Life

1) Fiber Arts Festival at Castle Farms in Charlevoix, MI
July 24th and 25th



2) Chris's 30th birthday on July 26th


Projects in Progress

1) My first pair of socks - I took my first sock class at Imagiknits in Gaylord, MI and will be returning soon to learn how to turn the heel and do the gusset..

2) Basic Washcloth - I mad up my own stitch pattern with left over 100% cotton

3) Kids Stripped Yolk Sweater - for Austin, I got the pattern from lion brand.

4) Civil War Block of the Month (BOM)done through my local quilt shop, Hearts to Holly.


5) Over the River and Through the Woods embroidery / quilting panels from Crab Apple Hill. This is another BOM from Hearts to Holly


Fortunately for me I just finished a few things so I don't have quite as many things going on. But obviously there is quite a bit to get finished.

Well so long for now. It's late and my bed time. Awful isn't it? I remember when I would get off work on a Friday and go clubbing Friday, Saturday and Sunday night then go to work on Monday and be productive and brighteyed. Now I can't keep my eyes open past 11 pm. So it's bed time and I look forward to doing this again soon