The Birds Are Singing

I woke up this morning to the sweet sound of songbirds.

It had rained all night and the snow is mostly gone now. The creek is spilling over and there are small ponds covering my back yard. The geese who have their babies here each year, have returned and were making a fuss. Now I know that Spring is on it's way.

Crocheted eggs.

Vase and leaves made from recycled materials.

An apple made from linen and recycled wool.

It's raining again, but the birds are still singing. They are happy that Spring is coming too!

Have a wonderful Monday everyone!

Thanks for stopping in!

Karen

Oscar De-Nomination

This is a post about pop-culture and once again, I'm on the forefront of the trend as the Oscars are currently being shown, I wrote this post weeks ago, and am putting it up now.  I normally don't write about pop-culture because, well mostly because I don't know anything that is going on, which doesn't make me less opinionated or less correct, just perhaps slightly less informed.  Anyway....on to the oscars!

 I’m writing this: 1) Because I’ve had too much caffeine this morning [Update-several weeks ago], and 2) because I abnormally know a lot about what is going on in pop-culture. For example, did you know the Oscar nominations came out? I’m sure you did. I, however, never know this stuff so the fact that I do know it means for sure I should write my unknowledgeable opinions about it since I have seen approximately none of the Oscar nominated films. Who better to write an in-depth critique on the nominations??? You guessed it! Me!!! [Update: I still haven't seen any of the Oscar nominated films, so this post retains its integrity]

It’s really a minor detail that I haven’t seen the films as I can tell based on the preview, the actors, and what others have said.

Okay let’s start with the worst offender, The Social Network. Oh man, why are they giving this movie awards? It should be banned from everything because: #1-Jesse Eisencrap is horrible. Hi, my name is Jesse Eisen-crap and I just mumble a lot and have bad hair-give me an Oscar! I saw him in Zombieland (or at least I think I did-I certainly couldn’t hear him because he was mumbling worse than I do) and in some camp movie…or not a camp, it’s like a carnival, Adventureland maybe? Yeah, it was that memorable.

I flat-out refuse to see any movie that he is the lead in. Period. And Oscars you are encouraging this man to act more? Why????

#2 why this movie sucked, it’s about Facebook and Facebook sucks so A + B….

Facebook (and yes, I am on it technically) is a breeding ground for married individuals to commit adultery, encourages stalkers, and somehow went from a college networking tool to where everyone and their mom (and yes their mom is on it) can spy on each other. If I wanted you to know everything about me, I would tell you. But I don’t.

Yes, the facebook can be treacherous grounds for those with a lack of a moral compass.

And yes, I get the irony of me having a blog and being a private person. But it’s what I want to tell people-not other pictures people can put up, or things people can write about you, or private messaging, poking…blah, blah, blah.

Oh please, re-connect with all your exes…yeah, awesome.

Where was I? Yes, Oscars.

I think I heard a rumor that the Tourist was nominated, or at least it was for the Golden Globes (which I think already happened???-not sure who won). I’m going to ignore this because I have decided this is a joke.

I did see that Twilight was nominated for a Razzie. Awesome… don’t even get me started on that. Okay, well now you did. Hi, I’m a vampire-I just met you-we are supposed to be like 12 years old, we’re instantly in love and I would do anything for you. Also, you’re a really bad actress and mumble and make the same weird face that looks like you have to go to the bathroom the entire movie. OH MY GOD!! LET’S FREAK OUT ABOUT THIS MOVIE!

Okay so it's one thing if you're a teenage girl.  Fine, you like the romance, you don't understand character depth, and the books are written at a level that even 2nd graders can read.  "I am a girl. I want to be a vampire. I love you. Bite me now."  You know what would be worse, grown adults who are married (or even divorced) and have their own kids and who re-connect with their high-school girlfriend/boyfriend and pretend that they are like the people in Twilight. No one would do that….would they?

Here is how the script for Twilight reads, for those of you who haven't seen it:

Vampire: makes mysterious brooding face-stands there staring

Kristin Stewart (KS): mumbles (debates whether she has to go the bathroom)

Vampire: Oh my god…you smell really bad-I want to eat you, no wait, I love you unconditionally forever. Brooding stare-applies extra white makeup

KS: like…what is going on? mumbles.

Vampire: We can’t be together, you’re only 13 and I look like a 28 year old freshman in high school

KS: No-I want to be a vampire.  Because I feel lonely and all the decisions I make when I am 13 seem like really good ideas and I have not yet developed the part of my brain that things of like consequences or understands the meaning of words like “long-term”

Vampire: Look-I added glitter to my makeup…but whatever, mumbles…. I don’t care because I’m super cool and mysterious

KS: Okay, well I've narrowed it down between you and this werewolf who doesn't wear a shirt.  I already know it's going to be you because I just have this glitter thing, but I'm going to drag it on for like 6 movies to make some money...trails off, maybe goes potty??

And Scene.

Well, I’m pretty much out of material for the Oscars since, like I said, I haven’t seen any of the movies. I do want to see The Fighter and True Grit. The Fighter was directed by David O. Russell and he’s pretty much super freakin’ awesome, but I can already tell I won’t like the supporting actress played by Amy Adams. Was she nominated? Ugh, that would figure. This is my impression of a female in any of these types of roles “I have no life of my own, my entire job is to support you and you’re probably going to treat me like crap at some point but I will selflessly give up everything in my life for your dream. Also, I talk in a really annoying and in a bad accent.” Give me an award for being a one-dimension female character whose entire purpose in life is to support a man! Awesome!!!

I have also been told that the girl in True Grit is like a mini-version of me, so I kind of want to see that. My parents said I had an “attitude problem” from basically the age I could talk until I moved out at 18. Why couldn’t I have taken that attitude (some would call it sass) and become a rich Oscar nominated child actor? Oh yeah, probably because I grew up in central Wisconsin and have no talent. Damn you destiny!!

What other movies… oh yeah, the King’s Speech. I love Colin Firth so I have no qualms about him being nominated. He’s a great actor and I’ve never really gotten over my crush from his Darcy role in Pride and Prejudice (yes, it started with the BBC version). And, at least his speech problem is written into script unlike Jesse Eisen-Mumbles.

Inception-I really liked and thought should have gotten more awards-direction, writing, “cool”-is that an award? It should be. Maybe it was too long ago though.

I don’t understand how a film can be so cocky that it thinks it is Oscar-worthy so it decides to come out right before Oscar season. It seems like the Oscars fall for this everytime (well-they said they’re Oscar worthy in the preview and that they should get an Oscar….guess we should!). Half of them are crap and just because a movie came out earlier, it may still be a lot better. If I could think of a good film, I would put it here…but I can’t. So I guess that says something in it of itself. Although I heard there were 10 movies in Best Film nominee-are they not limited anymore? Well crap, why don’t you just list every movie that came out this year. That would at least be all-inclusive.

I know Toy Story 3 is going to win for best animated, although this wasn’t my favorite animated movie and I love animated movies. Maybe because I was in a bad place when I watched this, or maybe all the emphasis on Ken & Barbie left a bad taste in my mouth. Either way, I’m not as excited as I normally am about animated movies. I would love it if an animated movie won the Best Picture award someday. In your face actors, we can draw what you do better than you do it yourself. I wonder when Pixar is going to come knocking on my door asking me to do some drawings for them…. probably any day now.

Plenty more where this comes from Pixar!

Well, I think I pretty much covered everything you need to know about the Oscars. Any other questions, feel free to ask. No, there was nothing in here about fashion-deal with it. Who cares about the fashion? No one, that’s who. Wow, you all look like you spent 8 hours and thousands upon thousands of dollars getting ready and yet some of you still look like crap—how is that possible? Also, eat something-you make me feel fat.

I heard that the movies are about acting and talent, but that was all sunk when they gave all those awards to Titanic.

Yes, that was a fun.  See ya next year Oscars.

Update: All I can say, is thank you Funny or Die. I knew I wasn't the only one whose appreciation for Jessen Eisen-crap's "acting" ability.  Here is audition of Jesse Eisenberg auditioning for 127 hours. Audition

Recycled Goodies For Your Home

An old friend once told me that I was "good at making things out of nothing". I think what she meant was that I have a way of turning old, discarded items into pretty things for my home.

It started out as a necessity and has now become a passion.

These bowls were crocheted from strips of outdated sheets. I was putting them in a box to donate them and remembered that my Grandmother used old fabric strips to weave rugs, so I thought why not crochet them into something instead.

I'm happy with the way they turned out and I'm going to make rugs for my kitchen as well.

I've listed some of my recycled items for sale in my Etsy shop.

There are strawberries made from recycled wool and stuffed with lavender buds and lavender sachet pillows made from recycled 1940's feed sacks.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

A Box Full Of Nature

This started out as one of those little unfinished boxes that you buy at the craft store. I removed the hardware, added wooden drawer pulls for legs, painted it white, then sanded it to remove some of the paint.

Next, I added the collage to the top and sealed it.

I replaced all the hardware and filled the box with little things from nature.

I like the way it turned out. It's another little thing for my home that makes me think of Spring.

I'm still playing around with ideas for my Umelecky shop on Etsy.

I needed to make a fresh start, but can't decide on a product.

I've been thinking of a shop where everything is made from recycled materials. That would give me a broader selection of things to make and would give me the choice of creating several types of items as opposed to just one. I get so bored making the same things over and over again.

Anyway, that's just one idea. I'm not going to get in a hurry to decide right now. I'm having fun with my vintage shop and will continue to think about ideas for my handmade shop for a while.

I'd like to say thanks to everyone who has been following my blog and thanks for all your kind comments as well. I love reading about the things you're up to and the projects you are working on and it feels good to know that you also read mine.

Thanks for stopping by!

I'll be stopping in to visit you too.

Have a beautiful day everyone!

Crocheted Containers

I said I was hanging up the crochet for a while, but I have to have something to do when I watch TV, so...

last night while watching "Damages", I crocheted a couple of containers.

This first one, made from natural jute is my favorite.

This next one is crocheted from double thick cotton and has a linen lining and a lid.

I'm not sure what I'll use them for, but I think the eggs look cute in the jute one.

I hope you are all having a good day!

Thanks for being here!

Talk to you soon!

Karen

Almost Garden Time

After I finished shoveling the snow from my deck and driveway this morning, I made my way to the garden shed to look for flower pots and garden tools. Before you know it, it will be time to start planting.

I came across a vintage garden tool that I had purchased a long time ago.

This little tool has seen a lot of gardens over the years.

I think it's time to retire the poor thing.

It will make a charming display item alongside some potted plants.

Are you planning a garden this year?

Thanks for stopping in.

Karen



Sleek & Snotty Sinus Surgery

I don’t know how to properly convey my sarcasm of my recent news that I need surgery without offending someone-so I’ll skip the sarcastic comment and get right into the details.

I’m having surgery this Thursday. I still don’t know what I’m actually getting done, what time I’m having it, how long, etc. But the surgery center doesn’t seem to want to bore me with such unnecessary details or return my calls, so I will fill them in as best as I can.

My Ear, Nose, and Throat (“ENT”) for those us in the loop, said it’s technically 3 surgeries. I have made myself a punch card and have decided that whatever happens in life, I will submit this card on my 10th surgery and it better darn well be free. I mean if we do it for coffee, why not for surgeries? One word-Capitalism.

That is my digestive tract-in case you didn't recognize it in such detail and color.

The billing woman (yeah, they’re pretty good at calling to see if they get paid), listed off 3 different things that started with an S or something—but I didn’t really catch it. However, on my consent form, it states that the procedure will be a: “Septoplasty with a take down left Concha Bullosa with a Bilateral Maxillary Sinuplasty Balloon.” I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure that’s a football play. I’m going to get in there and it’s going to be Felix with his helmet on talking jibberish to me and putting his paws up my nose. Oh but he’s still so cute!! I need to figure out a way to take a picture of the CT scan and put it on here, because that made it more clear. Not that my drawings aren’t medically accurate, but theirs are slightly more…drawn to scale. I actually should see if any medical textbooks want to purchase the rights to these drawings. In fact, although the Dr. wanted me to bring in my CT scan for reference, I should probably just bring in my drawings instead.

So the surgeries are to correct (which I had no idea I had) a deviated septum. This is probably why I can’t breathe out of my right nostril. I also have extra sinuses on the sinuses up by my nose and these are conveniently located right on the narrow part so that air/drainage, etc. can’t get through. From my understanding, the septoplasy is to fix the deviated septum and that balloon thing is similar to what they do in your arteries when they blow the balloon and sort of push the sinuses out of the way. I hope that as a souvenir from this surgery I get to keep it in the shape of a dog balloon animal!!! Ruff!

And yes, I had to googlesearch what I was getting done. I don’t know if I would have actually done it on my own if not for writing this post. Maybe I’m just too trusting. You want to knock me out and stick a bunch of balloons up my nose and cut a bunch of stuff? Yeah, sure, where do I sign? Okay, I looked up Concha Bullosa, because it sounds like a disease elephants get. I thought this might be the part related to another extra sinus or something in my nose that in the CT scan showed up as a big pocket of air, when the Dr. said it should be gray/matter-so he was going to slice it open or something. Here is what the Doctor of the Internet, Wikipedia, has to say, “Concha Bullosa is an abnormal pneumatization of the middle turbinate which may interfere with normal ventilation of sinus ostia and can result in recurrent sinusitis.” Yep, that helps-thanks Wikipedia. Oh okay, in the next sentence they dumb it down for us lay people: "Concha bullosa refers to an enlargement or ballooning of the nasal turbinate (which is a normal structure in the nose). Concha bullosa is a normal anatomic variant, but occasionally, a concha bullosa can be very large and contribute to sinus obstruction. In these cases, the concha bullosa can be reduced by surgery."

Part of why I finally got the CT scan, was years of repeated sinusitis/sinus infections.  Here are some "real" medical pictures.  Show offs.

Warning: Not an actual balloon

Oh Maxillary Sinus!  You're so tricky!

Let’s talk dollars and cents, with a lot more of the former than the latter. Since this is a brand new year (thanks 2011 for being so super sweet awesome thus far), it’s a brand new deductible. Last year I was lucky enough to reach my deductible somewhere around December 26. I went pretty crazy those last 5 days. Oh wait, no, I was working. Thanks 2010!! Man, I’m noticing a pattern….

Anyway, so since the hospital is being all “we want to get paid for providing services”-they’re asking for the remaining amount of deductible-up front, 2 days before. I debated writing on check “Please do not cash until February 24, 2018”-but I somehow think the joke would be lost on them. Plus, as we all remember from our Negotiable Instrument class in law school, writing that on a check doesn’t mean they can’t cash it. Damn you lady law!!!

Okay, I got distracted by Section 3 of the Uniform Commercial Code…that happen to anyone else? Yeah, then you are also really cool. So bad news is this is going to cost me some $$$, even better news is that I’m no longer going to be on Cobra at the end of this month, so I will: a) not have health insurance, and b) potentially have complications from the surgery.

This leads me to my (7th?) point, in my true melodramatic fashion, whenever anything slightly risky is going to happen to me, I like to mentally prepare for my untimely death. This involves, in no particular order, (1) flying, (2) surgeries such as this one involving general anesthesia and sharp objects cutting into my face and in the middle of my head, (3) my driving and semi-trucks, (4) flying, (5) downhill skiing, and (6) me and anything that can potentially burn me. This list is not exhaustive, but you get the idea. Basically, I am always prepared for the worst.

And what is the best way to prepare for a potential death or complications than to celebrate LIFE!! So please, join me at a happy hour tomorrow at Karma where they will be having a food and drink special of $10 all you can drink in honor of my surgery. Okay, this special might not be only in honor of me, but also because it’s Tuesday-but whatever, semantics. Please let me know if you need directions, if you are unaware, this was also the location of the extremely successful Team Challenge Fundraiser of 2010. I’m sure when we go in there will be some sort of plaque or memorial, I really hope it’s bedazzled. Oh man, I need to put those pictures up of that bedazzled jar. It’s amazing what happens when my creativity is allowed to roam free, and I get to play with sparkling things.

Okay completely lost my train of thought there. Oh yeah, surgery. This is serious stuff people! Well, I think that’s about it. I think I’m most apprehensive about what it will be like after the surgery. I’ve read stories where people are really fatigued for 2-weeks, heard about the pain, etc. But then I am also excited to think I might be able to breathe (and possibly run??) better. It is with mixed emotions that I contemplate the loss of my snot rockets. While they are really annoying, distracting, and an inconvenience to say the least, especially indoors, I feel like I do them so much that they are integral to my athletic endeavors-my theme of “mud, snot, and tears”---will be missing one of the 3 amigos.

I will be grateful for the money I will save on 3,000 boxes of kleenex, doctor visits, antibiotics, over-the-counter medications, etc. I even tried a Netty-Pot. This is a pot, that you sti c k in your nose and use to flush out your sinuses. The saline goes into one nostril, through the sinuses, and out the other nostril. I should have figured out I have a deviated septum when I tried to do this and got saline all over the sink/down my throat, etc. on one of the sides. But besides that, it worked really well and it looks sexy, so really a win-win.

That is actually about the size of my nose.

Thinking Spring

Since it's freezing outside and we are supposed to get a foot of snow today, on top of the two inches of frozen slush that we got last night, I decided to finish some projects that make me think Spring.

This wooden candlestick has been in my craft room for years.

I painted it white, distressed it a bit, and embellished it with vintage lace, seam binding, and a pretty, paper flower. The chippy spindles in the photo are going to be candlesticks some day too.

I used some of the vintage lace that I've been stock piling, to make myself a scarf for Spring.

I made the base from a piece of linen, then stitched random pieces of lace over the surface. I added some vintage buttons and made a brooch from a glittery flower.

There is a  pocket at one end of the scarf that I salvaged from an old tattered apron.

These little lavender sachets remind me of Spring and Easter.

Whimsical, green and white polka dots and stripes.

Stuffed with lavender from France and tied up with seam binding.

Each set is adorned with a little bird charm.

I know if I just keep thinking Spring, it will get here eventually.

What are you doing to get you into Spring mode?

Thanks for stopping by!

Karen

Shabby Chic Candle Platform

I've always wanted to do something crafty and shabby chic with some old architectural pieces.

I picked up the base from an old pillar at the local junk store a few weeks ago (I wanted the actual pillar, but the price was way out of my range) and here is what I made.

It was a dirty, old square block of wood to begin with.

I sanded it to get off all the dirt and loose paint chips.

After it was sanded, I glued some old, wooden drawer pulls to the bottom for legs.

Next, I painted the entire thing white.

This morning, after the paint was dry, I sanded it some more, to give it a distressed look.

I placed mercury glass votives and 3 sizes of pillar candles on top.

It is now a center piece for my kitchen.

I had a lot of fun working on this project.

I think I'll be doing more projects like this one in the future.

If you like collecting antique curiosities or vintage treasures, you might find something you like in my Etsy shop.

I've been adding lots of pretty and primitive pieces.

Everything from shabby chic to country farmhouse.

Thanks for stopping by my blog today!

Your visits mean the world to me!

Hugs!

Karen