It all started with this thing...

...which I found in a consignment shop, brand new with the tag still on the bottom. It came from Ikea. I'm pretty sure it's a watering can, but who's to say it can't be a pitcher? Anyway, I thought it was different, and really, REALLY red, so I bought it. Several years ago. And Ever since I've wondered what to do with it. It seemed to me that it needed to be used as a gift-basket thing, but what to put in it? Gardening stuff? Too obvious, and it's really not very big.
At some point, I came across a remnant of apple fabric, which i thought was really cheerful, so as I have a thing for remnants, I picked it up. When I brought it home I set it down next to the watering can. Hmmmm....And then today, while I was looking for a new doormat, this plain set of apple-green potholders and dishtowels SCREAMED at me from the shelf, and that's when it all jelled. A little applique', a little strip here and there, and another project is completed! Well, almost.

Inspiration...

....comes at me from all angles, and there are not enough hours in a day for me to perform all the tasks that my muses throw at me. Check out this fabric that Buffy gave me for Christmas:The background is much pinker in person. There's just enough of it for a little sundress and bonnet...BUT I have 5 other projects started already and can't let myself start this one yet!! Oh who am I kidding, I've already got the pattern out and am making plans for the trim to go with it. I'm tellin' ya, it's nervewracking how many cool things I don't have time to make. And being a big fan of Mary Engelbreit, I find cherries very appealing and bright and cheerful so it makes me happy to sew cherry fabric. Thanks again, Buffy! And on the subject of cherries, I already have a cherry dress started. Black background, white collar with handpainted cherries on it, HUGE red rickrack trim that I picked up somewhere so long ago that I don't remember where. BY the way I went to JoAnn fabric yesterday and was amazed to see the price of huge rickrack trim. Makes me very glad I am a packrat, as I have a big tote of various trims and whatnot that I picked up here and there and now I'm finding uses for them.

And on THAT note, it's time to go to work!

Coming to you LIVE from a state of extreme displeasure....

...and feeling like my head is going to pop from the sheer stupidity of recent events.

This is not a politically-oriented blog. I am not a politically-oriented person, don't have a whole lot to say about politics. HOWEVER, something has happened that I find astounding and deeply disturbing. In their infinite wisdom, and we'd all like to believe that THAT isn't just a myth, our government, who is in charge of keeping us all safe and happy and well-cared-for (yeah I know, but just stay with me here) has changed it's schedule to accommodate fans of a TV show. If you haven't heard, the fans of "Lost" contacted the White House by the thousands, begging the press secretary to PLEASE move the scheduled broadcast of the State of the Union address because it was going to pre-empt the season premiere of their favorite show.

When I heard this little tidbit, which was reported on the national news with the same gravity given to the previous story regarding the CIA agents who were killed in Pakistan, my left eye began to twitch and I wished I could rewind the radio because I was sure, sure, that I could not have heard correctly. And I thought, wow, that's really beyond stupid. What these people are saying is that not only don't they care what the President has to say, but that the fate of fictional characters on a show that could undoubtedly be seen on the internet after its initial airing is more important to our country than the Presidental address. AND, they are demanding that the President interrupt someone else's TV show, anyone else's, except theirs. Wow, how incredibly selfish.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to watch the address. As I said: not politically oriented. Also I've never watched "Lost". I get annoyed when whatever I'm watching gets pre-empted by press conferences and speeches or whatever. But I've always respected and been somewhat comforted by the fact that my government doesn't have any regard for what else is on TV, because THEY SHOULDN'T!!!! This is real life here!! You don't want to watch it, don't watch it. Turn the TV off, watch PBS, go play on Facebook. But to ask that the government rearrange it's schedule to accommodate you so you don't have to miss your TV show... and the fact that it DID? What are these people thinking?? There are just not enough adjectives to describe how messed up this is.

If I can stop sneezing long enough....

...I'll see if I can post something. Preston gave me a cold for Christmas, thoughtful man that he is, and it truly is the gift that keeps on giving. But he's suffering right alongside me, so that's just one more thing we do together.

As it does every year, the spring cleaning bug hit me the day after Christmas. I think it stems from the fact that I have a very, very small house and Christmas, however wonderful, makes a big fat mess. I'm not a neat freak, far from it. Very, very far. But even I have my limits. Plus, ever looking forward, I am seized with the compulsion to begin the spring's projects. This probably all adds up to why I never get that post-holiday letdown I've heard about. So many things to do! I've got my spring "line" of clothes started, 5 outfits in the works and many more planned, I've orders still to finish for several people; ribbon shirts, regalia, a vest, Victorian dress shirts, and Kristel's Franken-dress. Also working on the granny-square afghan I started so long ago (we're talking years here) that the person who ordered it no longer wants it. It's a dark-red-and-cream checkerboard design, so I'd like to finish it in time to put out for my shop's Valentine's Day decor. But I have to work on it in between more pressing projects, so we'll see how that goes.

Today I'll review "Knowing", starring Nicholas Cage. If you haven't seen it, and you're one of those people for whom hearing the ending ruins the whole experience of the movie (I am not one of those people), let's just say I recommend it and you should read no further because I'm going to ruin it for you.

"Knowing" is one of those end-of-the-world disaster movies, much like 2012, although with not quite as many special effects. However, I liked this movie so much that I can't wait to watch it again. I am a person who tends to fall asleep as soon as I sit still for more than 10 minutes. I usually have to watch a movie in segments, because I have to keep rewinding to the last part I remember seeing. I had no problem staying awake for this one.
Buffy tells me that lots of people did NOT like the movie, because it doesn't have a happy ending. Yes, the world comes to an end...for the most part. As it turns out, knowing it's coming doesn't mean you can prevent it. It does, however, mean that you get to tie up some loose ends, which actually does lead to as happy an ending as one can expect when the world ends. And the story has a lot to say about faith. I found "2012" unsettling (which is not to say I didn't like it, more on that later), and as few movies do, it gave me a few nightmares. No nightmares from "Knowing", even though it did have a few disturbing scenes; the one that sticks in my mind the most is the scene when the little boy is shown a vision of the woods on fire. The other thing I heard about this movie was that Nicholas Cage's acting was less than impressive. To which I would reply, how would YOU act if you knew the world was going to end (and when)? I thought he did a fine job.
All in all, as I said, I liked this movie a lot, and plan to see it again as soon as I can sit still for two hours.

The Return of Crash....

...to the compound was a happy occasion indeed. Having survived his bronchioscopy with nary a scratch (except the weeks' worth of IV holes, of course), he looks better than he has in weeks and fully enjoyed a home-cooked meal for the first time in 6 days. Armed with a smorgasbord of new meds, he now awaits the results of his test. I don't know why these things take so long. Two weeks? Really? But then, I have many customers who could say the same about ME, so I shouldn't bark too loudly. Just as tailoring customers must wait their turn, so must patients.

Today's review is All About Steve, starring Sandra Bullock. If you've not seen this movie, my recommendation is: don't bother. I like Sandra Bullock, I've probably seen all of her movies, and I think she's a great actor. But the nerdy Mary, with whom we're presumably supposed to empathize and root for, was just too annoying for words. I couldn't get past that. Mary is a crossword puzzle writer by trade (excuse me, cruciverbalist), and her parents set her up on a blind date with Steve, whom she then proceeds to stalk across the country. Sounds like it could be funny, and there are a few moments, but mostly it falls flat.

Birds are at my feeder....

...finally. I was beginning to think they ALL went south this year, chickadees and cardinals included. But today there was a sparrow on the feeder and a nuthatch on the suet. Maybe they'll spread the word. I've heard that there is a dip in the bird population this year because of the crappy summer we had, weather-wise. I don't know where that info came from or how true it is, but I guess it makes about as much sense as anything else.

As some of you already know, my dad Crash is in the hospital. Tomorrow he's having a (and pardon my spelling) bronchioscopy to see why it is that he can't get enough air. Sparky is maintaining, going down to see him every day and taking care of business at home. I'm pretty sure she didn't need anymore holiday season stress, but it is what it is. So now we just have to wait and find out WHAT it is.

Today I'm reviewing Angels and Demons, which stars Tom Hanks reprising his role from The DaVinci Code. Having read all of Dan Brown's books (except his latest release), I have to say that while I really liked DaVinci, I thought Angels and Demons was a much better book. Ditto the movies. It may not actually be the case, but I got the impression as I watched this movie that if I hadn't read the book, I would be having a bit of difficulty following the intricacies of the plot. It stands on its own as an action movie, but as is usually true of movies based on books, there is only so much that translates to the screen. Tom Hanks and Ewan MacGregor both gave excellent performances, and the machinations of the villain reminded me of "Se7en" (a really well-done movie which I liked but still found too twisted to ever watch again) I think that if you've read the book, you will not be disappointed in the movie. If you liked the movie, you should read the book. And if you've done neither, read the book first.

How do people in Florida do it?

So the other day here in southern RI, it was 75 degrees and sunny. It's RI and it's DECEMBER, and it was 75 degrees and sunny. How in the world is anybody supposed to muster any Christmas spirit under these conditions?? But today it's supposed to snow, and I've heard that if you don't like the weather in New England you should wait a minute, but this is just stupid.

Today's review is Nights in Rodanthe, based on the book by Nicholas Sparks and starring two of the most attractive people on the planet, Richard Gere and Diane Lane. I read this book several years ago, and if you liked the book you should see the movie. As far as I can recall, it stayed pretty true to the book. For the people who haven't read the book, it goes like this; Diane is estranged from her cheating husband and comes to North Carolina to get away from it all for a weekend, managing her friend's inn. The one guest, Richard (who is struggling with his own crises) arrives soon after. If you're a fan of Nicholas Sparks' work, you know that things don't always work out the way you think they're going to. That's all I'm going to say about the plot. I liked this movie, which was indeed filmed in Rodanthe and other locations in coastal North Carolina. There are several aerial shots of the inn itself, which is built right on the beach and made me want to stay there...although it did make me wonder why people go through so much trouble to build such things in a place that gets whacked by hurricanes on a regular basis. But I digress. This is, of course, a chick flick. But a good one.