Hailey's Days

Hey there guys —

It’s been awhile with no news from me, but I assure you I am still crocheting and baking as much as ever. I have no pictures (my camera broke!) but I am going to see if I can borrow my moms and post the super awesomeness that is what I’ve been doing.

Just checking in since I haven’t in awhile. I have found some cool new recipes on foodgawker.com that I cannot wait to try. I have a rather large amount of tomatillos that I need to find a use for — besides salsa I’m going to have a lot of that!

I thought about starting Christmas presents already which probably should have been started a long time ago to insure that I won’t spend too much money.

Alright so! pictures to come — a possible move — news to follow!

So – it started by watching my mother crochet. I used to watch her fingers just fly with how quickly and naturally she was at it. I used to always want to learn how, but every attempt at my learning was a set back. I just couldn’t grasp it. It looked so easy when she did it.

So, I started watching a bunch of tutorials on youtube, my mom sat patient with me, and more actual practice and dedication from me. I can do the basics. I am currently making the simplest of the simple granny square throws.

I am so excited by my progress that I have been looking at patterns for new projects and have inspired another of my friends to also crochet. She’ll probably say that’s not exactly true and that it just looked fun – but I like to think I inspired her.

Like I said, exciting times my friends.

Now – I have ideas for Christmas ideas for friends and family that involve crocheting (this may be discarded for other hand – made gifts… but that will be saved for a blog nearer to the holidays!)

I’ve been looking at different patterns for possibly joining my mom in the craft fair in our town next summer. I’m thinking some summery/fall throws – maybe a table runner?

Quilting Update:

I’ve got some pretty quilting squares for my niece’s quilt. I’ve only got five squares but it’s a start. I’m going to start looking more, but I’ve been so excited by actually being able to crochet that I’ve been contemplating retrying to learn knitting.

Maybe one day, I’ll be able to do all three… Oh a girl can dream. 😉

So far, I’ve been doing fairly good in learning how to crochet. My mom even says I’m doing good (she doesn’t throw around compliments just because she’s my mom.)

I’ve made a couple of “pot holders” in my practice of stitches. I’d show them on here, but then my thinking of ‘I’m doing good’ may be banished from my mind.

I’m excited – I’m thinking of upping the game to granny squares. I love the idea of them.

I found a book that was very helpful from the library and now I’m going to be very sad when I have to return it.  I’m going to have to find it and buy it at B&N or some other book store. It shows how to read patterns/abbreviations and what they mean/and how to do some pretty cool stitches.

All in all – I’m excited where this is heading.

Meg Frampton is a guitarist/pianist/singer in a band called Meg & Dia. I love this band so much that I have a tendency to thrust their greatness upon people and make them love them as much as I do.

I met and spoke with Meg and Dia Frampton of the band for the first time ever when they played at the Triple Rock Social Club in Minneapolis. They were the nicest people and I could hardly breathe let alone speak to them because I was so nervous – but they were very sweet and didn’t laugh at me for my awkwardness.

They played an amazing set for their newest EP It’s Always Stormy in Tillamook – and songs from earlier albums and one from their new full length album (It’s not out yet and has no title yet! SOON THOUGH…) It was amazing. Life changing. It made me believe in music again. I danced, I sang and left feeling refreshed and changed. Moved.

Now – Meg is making jewelry and it is just as wonderful as her song writing. I encourage anyone and everyone who reads this blog to check it out and possibly order yourself a piece of her work.

website: http://chandlertherobot.blogspot.com/

gallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chandlertherobot/

Now here’s my own plug for their band… Check out their music!

http://www.meganddia.com
twitter – http://www.twitter.com/megdia
myspace: http://www.myspace.com/megdia

buy their music at: http://megdia.bandcamp.com/

I won a nook from our local library system. I was looking at some of the accessories for it and they are quite expensive. I found this idea – she used it on a kindle, but I think if you found a smaller book it could be used on the nook with no problem. I thought it was clever. She also links to a youtube video to show you how to hollow out the book which is nice. Especially when one is on a budget.

http://cozihome.blogspot.com/2011/02/kindle-case.html?showComment=1299386267926#c2340179152121731424

Some of the other things she has done are pretty neat too.

This is so absolutely true and made my night to read. I have done this, and know people who have done this. My fiance especially!

Optimism This isn't that bad. I can totally do this. I'll put some peppy music on, pull my hair back, push up my sleeves. I'll bet I can get this done in 2 hours, tops. I am good! Devastation MY. GOD. There's no end to the mess! Who am I kidding? I can't do this I can't do this I can't do this. Where did it all come from? Where do I put it? Why do I have one red shoelace? Why am I keeping every birthday card I've ever gotten? Ewww–why is there s … Read More

via Oh My Words!

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve been looking up quilting ideas to make my niece a quilt for either Christmas or maybe her birthday. The two are relatively close together. I seem to lose ambition halfway through projects and forget about it. (Which is probably why this isn’t as filled out as I would like it to be.) 

I was thinking various light pinks and a yellow to off set the pink in a nice way. She’s 2 now, and will be three by the time this is done – but I want to make it bigger so that she’ll grow with it. The nice thing about my family is that we’re all fairly short people. It wouldn’t take much to make her a nice quilt that she’ll be staining for years to come.

I’ve made tie – blankets out of fleece for them all – just recently I made a HUGE one for my oldest niece. I was so glad she liked it. I haven’t made anything for my youngest  niece yet. I feel like I’ve been neglecting her. And by neglecting her I mean not spoiling her and her brother not nearly as much.

I’m trying to convince my mom to make a whole bunch of sock monkeys. I think that would be so cool. She’s sending me to the library later to make copies of the pattern for her. Half the battle people – half the battle. She’s going to teach me how to embroider too so I can possibly make her this embroidered redwork quilt that I have the pattern for. It seems like something she would like and I want to do something nice for her.

Now I just need to set a date with my grandma to teach me how to crochet…

Image via Wikipedia

I’ve been thinking about different cupcake recipes to do – and I have found several that I want to try. My friend and I are going to do a slumber party for her cousin and my niece because they are around the same age and we were going to make several goodies for them. We just need to figure out when we’re going to do this.

I tried to the eggnog cheesecake bars – they were excellent. I didn’t get any pictures (my camera hates me!) but I would make them again. It made quite a bit of batter so if you wanted a thinner bar you could easily make two pans of them.

I cannot wait to show pictures/recipes of different cupcakes/trying new cupcake variations.

On another note – the same friend that is planning the slumber party for our cousin/niece – is making a chart of which serial killer was from where. We have strange hobbies!