Happy Zombie

I first heard about the Mother’s Day Project through Raesha on her post about Carrie. As soon as I read it I was off to sign-up. Being a veteran myself and a wife and a mother to veterans… I feel so honored to be able to participate in something so wonderful. You can read all about the project here as well as sign-up for yourself.

My stitchery tribute is to Juana Navarro Arellano of California, who at the young age of 24 was killed in Iraq on April 8th, 2006. Juana was born in Mexico and at age 13 became a US citizen. I stitched her name in red since the Mexican, US and California flags all have red in them. As I was stitching this tiny teenie small name, I thought to myself that this was the hardest thing I’ve ever stitched. And it seemed so fitting because I’m sure this is the hardest thing Juana’s family has ever gone through. I found it comforting to not only have had a difficult time stitching this, but for actually doing it. For me Juana is not just a press release or a statistical number. I know her name and have learned about her much too short life.

The little pic tease’s goodie came. OH MY! That sweet little Doe… look what she sent! An effing adorable little Cath Kidston mushroom pin cushion that I JUST LOVE (I’ve had a thing for mushrooms and Heinzelmännchen since I was a little kid!). And the best part is Doe’s little tag hung on it. And if that wasn’t enough… Doe also sent some killer CK stationary - which I can’t bear to use and will keep it by my computer, staged, so I can pretend it’s something I use on a daily basis in my little realm of unreality. And no, that is not a flash. It’s not lighting. That my friends is s-u-n-s-h-i-n-e!

So here’s where my little Doe-shroon is now sitting. On my shelf-o-joy right by my beaver (crap… you know THAT’S gonna get me a ton of spam) that Laurie sent me and my little aqua/red birdie in a mailbox that Pam sent me. Click here if you want to see the goodie love close-up.

Panning out… my shelf-o-joy is right above my “ironing center”. I really was hesitant about taking a shot of my messy studio. But WTF… it’s how I live. One day I plan to clean my mess and take some nice shots and use it for posterity - like looking at a skinny pic of me to motivate me to kick the Best Foods habit. And one day I may even straighten up my cupboards and show what cotton treasures are hidden behind Door Number One, Door Number Two, Door Number Three… AFTER I tackle my closet that’s still in boxes and bags from my move last summer. Hidden somewhere in that closet are other mailbox love treasures I have not yet shown (and need to COME OUT). I also need to get them out to show what beautiful people are in my life and what beautiful things they’ve done for me! I’m such a scheißekopf of a friend!

Jack’s coming out of the closet - from last year’s Halloween. I know… it’s kind of like handing out stale left-over candy from last year.

No dust, no rot, no seeds, no funny smell. Just Jack. For your own recycled Crayon Jack, click here.

Jeopardy anyone?

A: $24.75
Q: What does it cost to visit That silly lil’ Doe’s blog?

A: Frack
Q: What is an addiction to fabric called, especially when pimped by Doe?

A: Frackhead
Q: Who/what is a person on Frack?

A: Frapendant
Q: What should be a fabric stash claim on our tax returns?

A: Pic Tease
Q: Who is a person who sends you a snippet pic of something mysterious she’s sending you - and it’s driving you bonkers with anticipation?

We all have a favorite spoon. This one is mine. In honor of Raesha’s IRL Mousetrap game… this is my favorite spoon. Spoon-n-Tell. Spoon-Aid for Raesha. Won’t you join me?

When I was little, our kitchen was all aqua. Well, back then it turquoise. Oven, stove-top… even the fridge. Years later my mom had that fridge painted harvest gold. Can you imagine! Of course at the time harvest gold was all the rage. Right up there with avocado. So this spoon is all that’s left of my mom’s little Aqualand. I’m thinking it must at least be 40 - 50 years old and treat it as if it was one of the crown jewels of Casa de Zombie Chateau de Zom’bet. Caught hubby once using it to make ice tea - now I keep it hidden.

Because of the Great Watermelon Disaster at Raesha’s house, she wasn’t able to post the meme she learned about from Apron Thrift Girl. Such a wonderful Grateful meme ATG is starting (and I love her dinner table ritual… I’m gonna start that too) - I’m acting upon it as a general tag for Apron Thrift Girl’s meme. Again… won’t you join me?

I am grateful:

* For my family, my friends, my neighbors, my community, my pets and kind strangers.
* For the people in my community who greet you with a hearty “Good Morning!”
* For having an underground water tank while my neighborhood has been out of water since early October way too effing long.
* For rain.
* For not being eligible for Extreme Home Makeover.
* For Adam Carolla who makes me laugh and think.
* For Cheeze-It’s.

Note to Mr. My Love… MOVE. THAT. STOVE. (Please).

Seriously. Go play on the freeway. Or at least here in Astoria… go play on US 101. Yesterday was the 26th annual Great Columbia Crossing. Starting on the Washington side, over the Astoria/Megler bridge and finishing at Astoria High School on the Oregon side. I know of no other time one can walk or run across our little bridge. It’s no Bay to Breakers, nor is it the Golden Gate… but it is big in fun and community pride.

Our youngest son was volunteering at the race (along with his XC teammates) . Finally a chance to get to see him run in an event. DS2 is on the Cross Country and Golf teams at school. Both not very good spectator sports for parents. This was a great opportunity for us to see him run like the wind and cheer him on! Ooooooh mahm.

I dragged DH out of bed and pumped him up with some coffee and off we went. The city of Astoria and ODOT did a fantastic job of diverting traffic and staging those of us who wished to drive across the bridge. We could see the hundred’s of people on the top span and hoped we wouldn’t miss seeing our son. The runners are not visible in this photo… but there were gobs of them.

While waiting to get onto the bridge (what felt like ferry parking), there was our Oregon State Senator Betsy Johnson (who I adore) handing out treats while we waited. And I think she brought the sunshine in her goodie bucket as well. We discussed the benefits of running - and buns of steel. And we both agreed the best buns of steel were dusted with cinnamon sugar and drizzled with icing.

And here’s our boy! I couldn’t believe we actually found him in the thousands of runners. DS2 is in the gray sweatshirt/black shorts. The back of his team XC shirt says, “Our sport is your sport’s punishment”.

This year’s Great Columbia Crossing poster/t-shirt (in the top photo) was done by local (Ilwaco, WA) artist Don Nisbett. I love this man’s work. Paula has a nice sample of his work as well (I think I saw it on her blog, but now I can’t find it - if that’s where I even saw it). Anyhoo… I especially love what Nisbett did from a photo by Lori Assa for the Daily Astorian/Coast Weekend from an article about our quilt guild a few years back. When art imitates life. Something like that.

I realize I’m the last person on the planet to be Simpsonized… but here is moi:

I title this self portrait, “How I spent killing an hour on the internet instead of pulling weeds on a rare sunny day”.

I love Redwork and embroidery.
I love tats.
I love watching LA Ink (and LOVE their theme song from Nouvelle Vague).

If Redwork had a scandelous trist with a tatoo… this is what it’d look like.

I haven’t found such a great combo since french fries & mayo. I learned about this M’broi-d’tat (my new word - so very Stephen Colbert-esque of me, eh) from Floresita, and you can get your own Santa Muerte tat here - for free. Love her work… and I’m especially fond of her Zombie Girl.

If you’re from Astoria, you’ll get a kick out of this.  The place the cruise ship visitors flock to en masse.

My one lonely cranberry… Mr. McCrannycran. I don’t know that I qualify as a cranberry farmer, but he’s been nurtured in his little glass womb on my windowsill for a few months now. Picked with love from my friend Karen’s bog. Maybe his buddy O’Pee-weecran will grow to be as big and strong too. Mr. McCrannycran’s brothers and sisters are now in their new home at Ocean Spray, waiting to become a part of your family. So if you see one of his siblings… give a shout out to them from his brother, k.

Or more appropriately… On pins and needles - jammed in my foot  (and I know I’m not the only who kicks off a shoe to sew).  I use a lot of pins and needles ’round here.  And they don’t always end up tucked snugly back into their emery cushions and sharpen while I sleep.  My cat Mochi has a pin fetish, so I must keep my straight pins secured.  My safety pins on the other hand get raked into a jar.  I do most of my basting with these killer and incredible anodized basting pins from EZ Quilting by Wrights.  Oh but what a pain to open, close, open, close, open and close those little suckers all the time.  I’ve found that it doesn’t have to be that way, and now I keep my pins permanently open.  Oh yes… what a time-saver this is.  Not to mention sooo much easier on my pudgy appendages.

What looks to be a jumbled mess of side-show salad… all you need to do is GRAB - LIFT - DROP.

And this is what you get.  It’s magic.  If only I had a fast trick for my other most used tool… my seam-ripper.