Happy Zombie

Plasma for the Sewing room AQUAfication! Light aqua? Robin’s Egg blue? Tiffany Box blue? For me it’s Aqualicious! Within a two year period my little sewing room/studio/office has gone from Wisper Yellow to French White (lt. pink) and now a WIP to Aqualiciousness. A few months back I bought a gallon of aqua, and I just thought it was too dark for this small 10×10 room. I have a nice big window with a heavenly view… but it faces north (Hey… Washington state! I see you!) and natural lighting is not the best.

So eventually the light bulb went on… Hmmm… a lighter shade. Yes… lighter, that’s it! Ding, ding, ding! I don’t like Behr paint, but I do like their colors. I took my swatch to my local Pratt and Lambert dealer and had it color matched to the shade lighter of what I wanted. And it was perfect! So now I’m painting wall by wall. I just have way too much stuff and wanted to tackle wall #2 so DH could get my new cupboards up. Why move crap two times when you can do it once! <— This is not a lesson I learned right away. I’m learning, I’m learning.

Anyhoo… The current state of things looks like a baby nursery on crack. Wall by wall, pile-o-stuff moving from spot to spot… de-pinking has begun and the AQUAfication has started. Changes are a comin’! Already my teeny tiny little space looks like a sunny day, and since this is the North Oregon Coast… I need all the sunny days I can get! Even if it’s faux sunshine!

My other WIP is not for me. It’s a shop quilt for Anna Lena’s. Darling, darling Dick & Jane fabric from Michael Miller.

I love it, but not something I’d buy for me personally. I do see myself buying some of those 40’s/50’s looking graphic fabrics. I love it! Unless I’m inspired by something amazing to make with this (maybe an apron), this is not on my personal shopping list. I blame this on the fact that we had German children’s books when we were kids. Not the sweet Dick & Jane… we had end-up-in-therapy-worthy scary crazy maniac books like Der Struwwelpeter! And while I’m at it… we had to go to German School (in Oakland) on Saturaday’s. Yup - we missed out on the Saturday Morning Cartoon experience. And people wonder why I don’t get The Road Runner and the whole Acme gig!

Posted in Stuff | 13 Comments

Ok, it’s not really a birthday celebration. BUT… seeing what everyone got in the Potholder Swap is like being at a birthday party and seeing all the gifts being opened! There is a Flickr photo pool and you can see lots of photos there. Not everyone is on Flickr, but are posting on their blogs. Below are the partners if you want to see what they’ve posted on their blogs. Fun, fun, fun!

If you don’t have Flickr and want it, you can get it free here! Before sending your swap photos to the pool, first you must set up an account on Flickr. Next - to join the pool (no diving in the shallow end please):

1. Log into your Flickr account
2. Go to the Potholder Swap Pool page.
3. Underneath the “Search discussions” field you’ll see a link that says “»join this group”. Click it.
4. Go back to your flickr account and click on the photo(s) you want to put in the pool.
5. On the top left of the photo is a small icon that says “SEND TO GROUP”.
6. A menu will drop down and the PHS-Winter 2007 icon will be there… click on it and your photo is in the pool! Tadah! Easy cheezy!

I thank you all so much for participating! It was so much fun for me to host this swap and I’ve met THE MOST amazing and talented women from all across the globe. It sounds really cheezy and corny, but it was such a pleasure for me for you to have enjoyed this experience, especially if you made a friend from this. A special thank you to the first time swappers who choose my swap to jump into! :) Bloggy-love super power activated!

Posted in Rico Swappy | 2 Comments

My WONDERFUL potholder swap partner was Autum of Creative Little Daisy!

Before I say more about all the lovely things she made and sent me, I must tell you that we had no idea what each of us was sending each other. Autum told me her fave colors, and I told her mine. Our packages to each other were literally two ships passing in the night (more like two USPS trucks rambling down the highway in the wee hours of the morning). So as it turns out, each of us had made the other two potholders (you can see we’re not blog-law abiding citizens and broke the rule of sending ONE potholder)! In my case, I couldn’t decide which one to send her, so I sent her both. In Autum’s case, she not only sent me two… but she made this darling crafting apron too! OMG… I love what she made me and her workmanship is so beautiful and skillful! The potholder has a darling 30’s looking teakettle that she embroidered AND it has one of Autum’s signature yo-yos! It’s JUST DARLING!

The ovenmit I just love too, and no way am I going to let food goop get on it. I’m thinking of hanging it on the wall and popping some of my vintage enamal spoons in it. And the pot holder I think I will use, but for only something sweet like serving tea to my friends. Who am I kidding… I’ll be serving wine! But I may serve tea just because!

And if that wasn’t enough… there was more! Autum sent me four fabrics, all beautiful and all something I myself would pick out! All these fabrics are delicious! I don’t know if I watch too much TV (watching shows like Lost and Hereos), but I’m convinced Autum has a super hero power and can read my mind! What did I send Autum? You guessed it… four little swatches of fabric (or as Autum calls it… “yo-yo ammo”! Wild, eh!

Of course the icing on the cake was how Autum wrapped it all up. She did EXACTLY how I did it (but bigger and better). White tissue wrapped and tied with ric-rac. Is that not too wild! Autum also used the darling daisy trim (I love, love, love daisies) and a generous amount of red/white floss I had never seen or heard of (but instantly fell in love with) called “baker’s twine”.

Everything Autum made - made me smile and I’m feeling so blessed. Not blessed because I scored (and boy did I score!)… but because such a beautiful person did such beautiful things for me! Thank you Autum!

Posted in Quilty n Crafty, Rico Swappy | 4 Comments

Has anyone ever done something for you that was just so BIG? Really, really, really big? Well… that happened to me this afternoon! Thanks to Pam, I got to experience something so big it made me bawl. Who knew that Pam going to the dentist today was going to make me cry!

So you see this photo of this house and I’m going on and on about a gift from Pam. Are you thinking, WOW… did Pam buy her a house? I guess I should back up a bit. At some point in our young lives, Pam and I were neighbors in a then little community nestled in the hills of the East Bay (of the San Francisco Bay Area). We didn’t know each other, that we know of. Who knows… maybe we’ve met before when we were little and don’t know it. Kind of like the TV show Lost where everyone has crossed paths at some point. Anyhoo… In Pam’s busy crazy day, she takes the time and effort (and the curious stares of onlookers) to snap some shots of the first home I lived in. I was overwhelmed by her kindness to do something like this for me!

So this is where I lived for the first few years of my life in the early 60’s. My mom said they paid a hefty 12k for it (new) in 1960. I just Zillow’d it and it’s now worth over 500k. We didn’t live there long, and soon moved to Orinda there after. Oh, and that house we lived in in Orinda… now worth about 1.5 million. And no… my folks didn’t see a dime of those big bucks from either house. But I do have the best memories, and those are priceless!

And now the part of my story that’s a zinger. This isn’t actually my childhood home. It’s the one next door to our old house where an elderly couple named Phil and Ina lived. Regardless… it’s the fact that Pam went and did this for me that’s priceless and brought me so much joy. I wish you all some PAMKITTYMORNING in your lives!

Posted in Stuff | 10 Comments

WOW… I’m beyond thrilled and touched by all the comments you guys left for me on my New Digs/100th Postaversay post! Have I said WOW yet? Thank you is not a heartfelt enough word, but for lack of a better word… THANK YOU!

Anyhoo… Angelina and Michelle prompted me to post about the switch from Blogger to WordPress. I’m far from an expert on blogging matters and programs, but this is what works for me.

When I first started blogging (pre Happy Zombie) I wanted something free. The best free choices for me were Blogger, WordPress.com and Vox. WordPress and Vox gave me no option to hack my template. I like to “decorate”, so those two were out. Plus Vox was too myspace-ish for my taste (not that there’s anything wrong with that). So I went with Blogger. I could do what I wanted with my template and that was a HUGE factor in my decision to go with Blogger.

I like TypePad and like visiting blogs on TypePad… but I didn’t want to pay the minimum fee and still not be able to have full control over my template. Like paying rent and not being able to paint my walls or hang pictures. Blogger had recently updated some of their functions (categories, faster updates, blah, blah)… but not enough for me.

I really liked what WordPress.com had to offer. Being able to edit comments, responding to comments via email, and easy commenting for my visitors. I’d been having a lot of problems with posting comments on blogger… either people emailed me saying they couldn’t comment on my blog or me not being able to comment on other blogger blogs. And of course the biggie… I’m a Mac user and Blogger is NOT Mac/Safari friendly. Every time I wanted to link a word I had to code it by hand. Any html in a post I had to code by hand. It gets old. I was not willing to open Firefox or Camino just so I could write a post.

I kept thinking about moving my blog to my website. I figured I might as well use it for something other then storage. And then… it was like the clouds parted revealing sunshine when Wende left me a comment about WordPress.org. I thought to myself… wow… Wende’s blog is from WordPress? Hmmm… I’ve loved the ease of posting comments and reading her blog every day (ok, maybe even TWICE a day!). Hmmm… I must look into this WordPress.org further.

So come to find out, there are two WordPress programs. The WordPress.com is where they host it for you. The WordPress.org is where you host it on your site and you have full control of it. Hmmm… the latter sounded really good! I was really hesitant at first. UGH… changing my url, loosing all my posts and comments… thinking I had to start over! OH BUT NOT THE CASE. Wether you go with WordPress.com or WordPress.org, there’s a nifty little easy cheezy button that lets you import your Blogger posts and comments! WOW… sign me up!

So I took the plunge and set up a WordPress.org program (free BTW) on my site. I did find a glitch, and the easy cheezy import button wouldn’t allow an import from “new blogger”. Putting my thinking cap on, I opened a WordPress.com account and imported my Blogger posts and comments to that. I then imported my new WordPress.com account’s posts and comments into my WordPress.org (this blog here) account. It worked! Did you follow that? I couldn’t got from point A to point B… but a little pit stop and I’m there! Or HERE I should say! Some of my transfered posts are a little tweaky and the commentors names lost their hyperlinks, but I can fix that with editing (some day when I have time, hahaha). Tweaky or not… I have them and that’s all that matters to me. And not only is WordPress.org easy cheezy… there are HUNDREDS (I’m guessing over a thousand) templates to choose from should you want a pre made template.

Blah, blah, blah… I ramble on sometimes and say nothing. I hope I made sense of that all! If you have questions… post a comment! Thanks to WordPress I can answer you right in your comment (like Wende does!). I’m givin’ up the Bloggy Love to Wende who showed me the light! Applause, applause, applause!

Posted in Stuff | 10 Comments

Welcome to my new home! In celebration of my new home and my 100th Postaversary, I will have a drawing for this darling Japanese quilty-craft book appropriately titled “House”. On Saturday (2-17-07) Friday (2-16-07) I’ll draw a name from a comment left on this post for this darling book I got at Kinokuniya in Beaverton, OR. I want to thank you all for the wonderful comments you left on the Bloggy Love Drug post. I had no idea my jar would be filled with so much BLD! You guys are GREAT and THIS IS WHY I blog - because of you!

It was time to kiss the “B word” (Blogger) good-bye and hello to WordPress.com (I’m actually using WordPress.org)! Moving over was a snap, but re-hacking all my hacks was a chore and a half. I hope this will be an end to all the problems I had with Blogger. I still have a few glitches here and there with font size and color… and a few little tweaky tweaks that need to be done… but I think I’m good to go! Some of the posts and comments didn’t move over that well. The dates are whacky and your names are not linked with your blogs (I’m still working on trying to fix that). I’m just glad I was able to transfer everything over (another gold star for WordPress). All new comments should be fine (typing with my fingers crossed).

I’m hoping making a comment will be a breeze now. No more word verification here. Though… the first time you comment your post will be held for moderation. Once your first comment is approved, you’ll be free to post comments with no moderation or word verification. Easy cheezy, eh! This is not to have you wait in line for the bouncer to let you in… it’s to keep the rif-raf spammers out.

I have a favor… if you spot anything out of whack, please don’t hesitate to mention it! Especially you PC users, as I have no idea how everything is functioning and looking on a non-Mac computer. I appreciate it so much!

Welcome to my new home and thank you for visiting! Putting your feet on the coffee table is allowed and encouraged! - Monica
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Posted in How I Live | 43 Comments

WARNING: The Bloggy Love Drug has reported known sides effects -Friendship, inspiration, swapping, shopping, laughter, saying “OMG” repeatedly, and last but not least… cravings for Cheez-It’s.

You’re here either because you’re already on the Bloggy Love Drug prescription plan, or you’re here because maybe you read about blogging in the April issue of Better Home’s & Gardens - American Patchwork & Quilting (or you read the full article online here).

If you’re already taking your daily dose of the Bloggy Love Drug… I just want to say thank you for being a bloggy pal, visiting/commenting, having me on your blogroll or bloglines, being my cheerleader, and inspiring me in ways I didn’t even know was possible. Thank you my bloggy pals for keeping my Bloggy Love Drug prescription filled!

Are you here for the first time and thinking what the Cocoa Puffs is she babbling about? Well you, our future bloggy pals… need to get on the Bloggy Love Drug prescription plan! There are quite a few pharmacies out there, but the most popular by far are at Blogger.com (free) and Typepad.com. Edited in… and Wordpress.com (free) too. Thanks Wende and Linda!

Fast forward - You now have a blog of your own and now all you need is your BLD prescription filled and re-filled:

STEP 1) Write on your blog what’s of interest to you. Show us your WIP’s (works in progress), tell us about your family and friends, show us your photos… it’s up to you what you blog about. Besides uploading photos via your blog service, you can also get free photo storage at places like Flickr and PhotoBucket.

STEP 2) Keep a blogroll (links) of your favorite blogs. This is a benefit for yourself, but it’s also a way sharing and/or promoting other blogs that are of interest to you. Putting someone’s blog on your blogroll is a nice thing to do. You don’t have to ask… just do it and you’ll be surprised how happy it makes a fellow blogger!

STEP 3) Comment, comment, comment! When I first stated blogging I thought I had to literally be friends with the blogger to make a comment. SO NOT TRUE! It’s actually HOW you become friends! I know, that sounds so puppy dogs and rainbows the way I put that… but commenting really is the way to meet other bloggers. When you fill out the little comment box, there’s also a field where you can enter your blog’s URL. Now when you make a comment, the other commentors have a way to pop on over to your blog and visit you. Easy Cheezy.

STEP 4) Have coffee and snacks handy (Cheez-It’s), for you may be sitting at your computer blogging for many hours on end and you’ll need your nourishment.

Steps 1 - 4 is only the beginning! There’s so much more to the Bloggy Love Drug and I hope you all get inspired to blog as well as to share your thoughts on your own views of the BLD! And if you’ve never commented before… ga-head… give it a whirl! You’ll be glad you did… and so will I!

Posted in Stuff | 21 Comments

The Potholder Swap sign-up is now closed. Our lovely swappers have been paired up and are ready to play! So who are these lovely ladies? From the US, Canada, Australia, Turkey, Italy, Norway, Holland and Spain… I’d like to introduce to you the fabulous 2007 Potholder Swapettes!

Swappers… grab your towel and dive into the Flickr photo pool!

Posted in Rico Swappy | 4 Comments

Last summer my friend Karen and I went down to Asilomar to attend The Artist’s Way for Quilters. One of our assignments was to “go out” and get inspired (for lack of better wording). I was just in the beginning stages of my aqua obsession, so I was snap happy with my camera capturing all things aqua in and around Pacific Grove. All was humming along… Karen was seeing/finding her inspirations… and then lighting struck when I saw the Atomic Aqua Potty. There it was, all hooked up with electricity shining like a beacon in the night waiting for me. I loved how the orange fencing looked like a patch of poppies planted in front of this little man-cottage. Red and aqua is my thing… but I like orange and aqua too (Karen’s thing).

Now I know this little man-cottage is not really juiced up with electricity, and that the aqua potty is just being used as a “post” for the electrical thing-a-ma-bob. BUT… being that I’m estrogenly inclined, I can’t help but believe that this aqua potty actually IS juiced up. I imagine there’s a TV in there set to ESPN, a DVD player, a satellite box (and of course a half dozen remotes), a boom box, a kegorator, a microwave, a small fridge filled with Hot Pockets and a reading lamp for the small library of SI and Maxim. Ok… I’m being sexist. So for the sake of not being offensive to all men, let’s just say SOME men.

So now I’ve become so enamored with this Atomic Aqua Potty, I’ve been designing in my head an Atomic Aqua Potty quilt since last September. I actually have not gotten much past my title and inspiration… but it will come to me.

Posted in How I Live | 10 Comments

I finished my little shop quilt WIP, and I have to say… it was so much fun making it I kind of hated to finish it. Sort of. I’m always happy when a shop quilt is done and I can turn it in. It’s one thing to put my stuff off, but I can’t do that with someone else’s stuff especially sister friend Karen!

I did change the butterfly that came with the pattern into an “Anna Lena butterfly”. Karen did the beautiful machine quilting (maybe you can see it in the second photo)… and all the beautiful fabrics are from Karen’s Wash Tub fabric line. It’s hard to see in a photo, but with these vibrant 30’s fabrics it looks like candy on a quilt IRL.

It’s not often I want to make a shop quilt a second time (or for me for that matter), but I think with this one I’m going to get a kit and make one for me too. How can I not… it’s so beautiful and packed with all that Snyder goodness!

Second photo used with permission from Anna Lena’s

Posted in Quilty n Crafty | 9 Comments