Owl Tote

Here is my 1st attempt at an Owl Tote bag. I ordered the pattern & tutorial online from this site on Etsy for $6.50. (If you order online be prepared to wait a week because Paypal takes FOREVER to process payments). I’ve decided sewing in circles is not for me so in the future will figure out how to glue the eyes on. I’m pretty happy with the overall structure of the bag and I only had to do the wings twice! Yay me!

Oh, if you need to kill time (not at work, of course) peruse Etsy for a bit. So many great ideas for anything and everything!

Sewing!

Last year (2010) my Dad gave me an awesome sewing machine for Christmas. Since then I’ve made a few wine bags and a lot of sachets. I decided now that the holidays are over and I have a little extra time on my hands it’d be a good time to work on my sewing skills. Plus, there are so many things I want to make!

Today I took to making an owl. I downloaded a free pattern from the blog Toad’s Treasures which also provides tutorials. What a find! Toad’s Treasures is full of fun craft ideas and the sewing patterns and tutorials being free is amazing. Especially for a newbie like me who needs a lot of practice.

Here’s my first attempt at a stuffed owl. I have to say that sewing the eyes on is the hardest part. Those darn circles. I sort of think it looks like an Angry Bird, but as long as it’s in the bird family I’m happy.

#1 Finished!

I decided I could surely do better. The second one was easier except that I put the feet on upside down. Oops.

#2 finished!

Downton Abbey

What a great way to get through the post holiday doldrums and start the year off right. The PBS Miniseries Downton Abbey is back! Season 2 started last night and it is so good I don’t know how I’m going to make it another week until the next episode.

The costumes are amazing.

Like Anna, I too fancy Mr. Bates.

I think most of all, I love Maggie Smith as Dowager Countess of Grantham. She is quite the stubborn matriarch. I’m not the only fan…check out the Countesses Facebook page!

Sky light

It was so nice to leave work at 5pm (on the nose) and head to the gym. En route there was this stunning sky which added a little spring to my step. Clearly not enough spring to get me up a few hills for a better view, but enough to get me to pause at Van Ness @ Lombard to snap a pic. Notice the layer of thick fog beneath the clouds…a wee bit of spook in there, if you ask me.

Merry Christmas

Down to the wire…about 3 more hours of work until I have successfully made it through the Holiday season. After that it’s making the rounds visiting family & friends. Up to St. Helena tonight to visit friends and down to San Jose tomorrow to spend Christmas with The Pookies. Can’t wait!

Merry Christmas to you & yours!

Knocked-out!

I think I’ve been sick the entire month of December. I’m certain the makers of the flu shot are punishing me for missing my appointment. Couple that with working in Retail during the Holidays and that’s a knock-out combination. I’m not a nutritionist, but I doubt surviving on a diet of pizza, wine, orange juice, and canceled workouts has been helping. Well, maybe the orange juice has been helping.

So, yesterday after feeling a little better (and with a nudge from the expiring veggies in my fridge) I decided to make Potato and Leek Soup. I followed this recipe on cooks.com which was really easy. I had carrots and celery so I tossed those in too. Lord knows I can use all the veggies I can get my hands on. It’s not hard to make at all…and it’s quite delicious…especially when served with a grilled cheese sandwich. I told you I wasn’t a nutritionist…

Cute to boot!

My goal is that the next time it rains I will have new splash-worthy rain boots for puddle jumping. It’s good to have goals, right? And with rain expected next Thursday I better get on it!

I’m really leaning toward the classic Hunter rain boot (color TBD); however, after reading a few reviews I might need to settle for the shorter version…thanks to my…ahem…”big-boned” calves. Those green Sperry Top-Sider boots are tempting too. I think someone might need to do a little personal Christmas shopping this weekend!

Do you have a favorite pair of rain boots? Please share!

Hunter ‘Original Short’ Rain Boot

Sperry Top-Sider® ‘Pelican’

Hunter ‘Original Tall’ High Gloss Rain Boot

Rise & Shine

It is SO hard hearing my alarm go off at 5:40 in the morning, but in the end, after returning from the gym it is so worth it! What a great jump-start to my day. Not to mention, I treat myself to my version of an egg sausage mcmuffin if I get up to workout. Sure, my version is made using sandwich thins and Morning Star Sausage Patties, but it is still yummy. Not as yummy as the real thing, but if I don’t watch my girlish figure, who will?

Here’s a snapshot of me working out…taken by my personal photographer.

For a laugh…

Melissa McCarthy is hilarious. I loved her as Sookie on Gilmore Girls, but had no idea of her comedic breadth until I saw Bridesmaids. I am so glad she is getting the kudos she deserves and more thrilled that we get to see some of her “real life” hilarity. There is nothing better than people who are funny in movies actually being funny in real life.

If you need a chuckle be sure to check out this clip from the Ellen show.

Deep Thoughts

It’s interesting what crosses ones mind while sitting on the bus watching people step on and off. Here are a few of my “deep thoughts”:

• I sure am glad that I have all my teeth
• I hope I don’t smell like that
• It’s nice that all of my skirts cover my bum
• Why does the largest man have to sit right next to me when there are plenty of empty seats?
• I am so glad this big man sat next me…less likely to get mugged
• Dirty, smelly people sure do kill an appetite
• I am way cuter than any of these people