Cat video and Post of Randomness

Happy Monday video! I saw this a while ago, so maybe some of you have already seen it. I just can't get enough of cat videos. Watch this one first!


Now watch this one:


As I was watching this, Delilah was purring and talking back too!

Ok, now that you know how crazy of a cat lady I really am, here is my post of randomness:

1. Wow, it's 9:24 AM and I have already planned my grocery list and meals for the week. Are you jealous of my amazing productiveness? Well, don't be too jealous because I don't have a job!!! ;)

(ok, I do have a job but I don't work full-time)

2. I made this bag for Sister Rachael last week. It came out really cute!

3. I had a good dose of children this weekend, and I think it will hold me over for a little while. On Friday, I babysat for my friend Becca. She has a 3 year old and a 1 year old. Julia (3) asked me, while giving them a wagon ride, "Abby, what are those green things on your legs?" To which I replied, "Oh, those are veins!" I guess my veins were sticking out. haha- Leave it to a 3 year old to point it out! Then, I wasn't sure if I could make it up a hill while pulling both of them in the wagon, to which Julia replied, "Abby, you just have to try your best and you can make it!" So cute. (I made it up the hill, in case you were wondering.)

Then, on Sunday Josh and I were the teachers for the children's ministry at church. I was with the babies, and Josh was with the older kids. The babies were very fussy. I don't seem to have that "motherly touch" to get them to stop crying.

4. On Saturday I went to brunch for my grandmother's (Mimi) birthday. I made her this purse and she loved it. It was my first time doing pleats. I think they came out pretty good.... but once again, my measurements were off. WHYYYYYYY???????? The pleat in the back ended up not being centered, hence, the reason it went to the back.




5. Then, Josh and I went to the wedding of one of his old high school buddies. The reception was at a beautiful farm with a pond and a creek on either side of the tent.



6. I am a techie. I think I just saved my computer from a virus. There was this pop-up that kept invading, wanting me to run this program, so I ran some virus tests, found the problem, and ZAPPED it. Yep. I feel like I am a techie (which is just ABSURD, because I clearly am NOT). But this morning, it seems as though the virus is gone!

7. I have lots of sewing projects planned for this week, including another shirt and some pillow cases for Sister Bekah. (I think that's how I will refer to my sisters now: Sister 'blank'. I like it because it makes them sound like nuns. I like that.)

Have a good day!!! Go hug your cat!!! (if you have one, if not, hug something else)

My Favoritest Thing

"Most Favorite" just doesn't have the same ring...

Ok, are you ready??? I know you've all just been dying in suspense!! I must make a disclaimer, though. I can't really take ANY of the credit except for the sewing part. I will do a BIG OL' LINK to my source below.

This is my favoritest thing lately: (the shirt, that is)

I made this shirt from a pre-existing shirt (I know, I know, so GREEN of me!). It's called a "refashion." It was previously a collared, 3/4 sleeve, button up shirt from Target that I got on clearance because I needed a white shirt because I was an usher at an Eastern concert (wow, run-on sentence). I never really liked it. It was bulky. So, when I saw THIS idea from My Mama Made It (that's the BIG OL' LINK), I just knew it was love at first SITE (get it??)

What I did was I cut off the sleeves and the collar and I used that fabric to make the ruffles around the neckline. I was technically supposed to have enough fabric to make the belt too, but alas I didn't, probably because the sleeves were only 3/4 length. So I used some other scraps I had to make the belt. I love this shirt!

Here is the back:


A close-up:


And here is me trying to be casual by petting my cat:

Let me know what you think. Now get off your bum and go make yourself a shirt!

Favorite things and non-things as of late

Recently, I've acquired some new things around my house, and I wanted to share them with my treasured blog readers (Yes, Bekah, Becca, Josh, and Lula, that's you!) And if you read my blog but don't comment.... come out come out wherever you are.

1. I am loving my new bedspread. We had this other one and it was just too hot for the summer, so I bought this one at Homegoods at a pretty decent penny. I am planning on making some throw pillows to match though, because it's a bit bare. 2. I love the design of this new fabric I bought at Joann's. I bought it with the throw pillows for my bed in mind, but tell me your thoughts. Does it really go? It's hard to see in the picture, but there is blue in the comforter, it's just a lighter shade.

3. Josh and I went to Ikea last week with the intent of buying a desk, but we came home with a sewing table instead! We don't have room for both a desk and a sewing table, and the thought was to make it both, but I think I took over a bit.

4. This was one of my first sewing projects (well, I can't really call it a project because it took about 10 minutes): A curtain for the shower so our neighbors can't look in anymore! One could most definitely see shapes and colors through that window, so, sorry neighbors... no more free nakey shower shows anymore!
5. I FINALLY got my diploma in the mail last week! WAHOO! I was getting a little worried that something was wrong with my transcripts because it took so long to come, but, alas, it is here. It looks so official, doesn't it? Well, I guess it kind of is.

6. My new Pampered Chef knives! They are so awesome. You don't really know just how bad your knives are until you get really good ones. This was part of my anniversary present from Josh (that I picked out). Sooo romantic, thanks Josh :)

7. I had a gift card to Crate and Barrel from Christmas, so I bought this fun glass leafy bowl thing. It matches the green in my living room. Now I just need something to put in it...

8. This isn't really a thing, it's a non-thing, but I have to put it in here somewhere. This is Dangles. Also known as Delilah. Delilah Dangles. She will find any little ledge, and she will dangle. So cute.

9. I can't mention Delilah Dangles without mentioning Samson. He has been BEGGING me to give him violin lessons. (that's a shoulder rest he is hugging) Seriously though, I just found him like that one day.

10. This is a two-part favorite thing. The first part is this book I am reading, The 19th Wife, by David Ebershoff. It's really really interesting, and I am learning about a culture and history that I hardly even knew existed. It is a modern day fictional story, but in between chapters are historical documents and an autobiography... it's really two stories in one, a real one and a fictional one. Has anyone read it? I would love to know your thoughts.

The second part of this favorite thing is another non-thing... brace yourselves... Josh is reading! I have known Josh for about 6 years now, and I haven't ever seen him really read a book. He usually starts and stops books, and usually they are just Christian non-fiction books. I said, "When was the last time you really read a "storybook" (haha) A book with characters, and a plot?" He said, "Probably middle school." So, he's been reading The 19th Wife. I'm so proud!! (And I bet he's embarrassed right about now :)

Well, I have one more favorite thing, my favoritest thing, but I will leave you in suspense. I can't ruin the perfect 10 and end with 11 things, now can I?? You'll just have to come back tomorrow.

And what are your favorite things or non-things??

I made this new bag this weekend. I present, the Lotus Bag:Let me tell you, it was QUITE a challenge for this novice sewer (what's the difference between a seamstress and a sewer? I like the word seamstress better but I feel like maybe it is only for people who make clothes?)

Anyway, I used this pattern/instructions from CraftApple. I am quite proud of myself, though. It wasn't really a tutorial, it was just measurements and very broad instructions, but I managed quite well, thankyouverymuch. I was supposed to put a little arch in the bottom seam to make the bottom a bit rounder, but I forgot to leave extra fabric so I just did it straight. I think that would have given it a better shape. I like it, but it's just a little long and awkward. I also didn't feel like buying leather straps, so I just made fabric ones.

For some reason, whenever I try to measure things out, it ALWAYS comes out wrong. I was never very good at math, and planning, thinking ahead, you know, all that stuff that is essential to sewing. I am getting better, but I usually just get frustrated that my measurements don't match up the way they are supposed to and I end up just doing it based on what looks "right." You can tell that my measurements are a little off because the diagonal lines aren't quite at the same angle.

(Yes, I was wearing my pajamas when I took this picture! And yes, those are my "booty sweats" Don't judge me. Who doesn't have at least ONE pair of tiny shorts and/or sweatpants with the words HOTT, or BABE, or SEXY LIL 'THANG, or HILTON HEAD written across the tush??)

Anyway, so that's the Lotus Bag. I think I will make more of them, and at least I have had practice now with using more than one pattern on the front and back of a bag.

I also made this, because I didn't have one!
The back.

I got the instructions from Whip-Up.

And can I just say, I am the WORST person at closing seams by hand, doing a slip stitch, I think it's called. Like, seriously, my cat Delilah could probably do it better than me. It's AWFUL, and I HATE doing it. I don't know what it is. I just can't get it to lay right. On this pincushion you can't really tell because the stuffing helped fill it out, but GOSH, I am awful at it. I learned from a YouTube video, maybe that's why? Any suggestions or helpful websites would be appreciated. I am glad that usually when I have to do it (and I avoid it to no end) it is on the inside of the lining of a bag, so it's not very visible. But if I ever have to do it in a visible spot, it won't be pretty, folks.

T-Swizzle and my weekend

Happy Monday, everyone!

Here is a little Monday laugh for you: T-Swizzle and T-Pain. Maybe I am the last person in the world to see this? I'm not the most up-to-date person in the world, but Josh showed me yesterday and I thought it was entertaining, and who doesn't like Taylor Swift??

Well, I had quite a busy weekend. On Friday our friends Ben and Lindsey came over for dinner. I made an awesome dinner, if I may say so myself :) I made this and this and it turned out great! Josh usually says he doesn't like any Asian food, and I just told him I was making "chicken on the grill," even though the recipe is called "Asian BBQ chicken." Sneaky, I know. But he really liked it! (at least that's what he said at the time). And Lindsey made this:
It was so pretty, I just had to take a picture of it! I told her I would blog about it later and she laughed :) And Josh and Ben made mojitos:
They are good buddies. They made a fire in our fire pit out back and smoked cigars (from 7-11 across the street, haha) much to Lindsey's and my dismay. Ben and Lindsey got married only a few weeks before Josh and I did last year, so it's been fun bonding over newlywed trials and tribulations :)

On Saturday, I went out with my sisters for a girls day. We went to lunch at the Tea Room and it was yummy. Then we went to JoAnn Fabrics and got some fabric for me to make Bekah some couch pillows and Rachael a shoulder bag. Love these girls:

An oldie, in the bathroom at the Continental.

We did the whole Father's day outtings with both of my dads, haha. I ate so much this weekend. Too much eating out. We went to a small Italian restaurant with my dad for lunch, then went to Outback with Josh's dad for dinner. I wrote "Dad" on the outside of Josh's dad's card... it was so weird. I actually got the willies. When do people start calling their in-laws "Mom and Dad"? It's just so weird to me. My mom always called her father-in-law "Dad," but when does that start? The day you get married? If so, I sure missed my opportunity and now it's just awkward. Awkward turtle. Or do people in my generation not even do that anymore?

Well, check back tomorrow to see the sewing projects that I did this weekend. I can't put EVERYTHING in one post!

Vacation recap

We got back from Riviera Maya safe and sound on Tuesday night. No swine flu, kidnappings, people forcing us to take drugs, etc. We had a GREAT trip! Lots of relaxing, eating, reading, eating, with some more relaxing thrown in between. We didn't do any extra "excursions," because we figured we got the trip so cheap, why turn it into something expensive? And we were happy just staying at the resort anyway. If we were there much longer I would have wanted to get out of the resort for a little while, but 5 nights was a good amount of time.

Some highlights:

1. Josh speaking Spanish... Josh continuing to speak Spanish by saying "si" to the girl in Starbucks in Wayne, PA yesterday.
2. Josh being the most prepared man in all of Mexico. Seriously people, my husband is the best person to travel with, so if you ever need a companion, just let him know. He is just ALWAYS ahead of the game. While I am immersed in my book or Martha magazine, Josh is just waiting for what we need to do next, passport and boarding pass in hand, opened to the correct page, boarding pass facing the right direction. He has every step of the traveling already planned out in his head. When he knows he will need to tip someone within the next two hours, he puts the right amount of money in his POCKET, so as not to take more than three seconds looking through his wallet for cash. The entire trip I did not have to worry about a single thing- room key, towel cards, dinner reservation ticket- he always had the proper card or document, in hand, ready to go, 5 MINUTES before we even reached our destination. This is why I want to have lots of babies with this man. (well, ok, there are other reasons too)
   
3. Topless women (sorry, no pictures). When we went to Punta Cana on our honeymoon, no one was topless, and we even stayed at a couples-only resort. This was a FAMILY resort, kids all around, and still, many many topless women. Josh didn't seem to mind. I know it's a culture thing- I am just not used to it because no one does it in the States. But... WOW, it really takes you by surprise at first! So, you know how you give people you never talk to names, based on what they look like or how they act around other people, even when you have never talked to them or met them? I do that a lot. I know you do too, so don't judge me. First, there was HOTT GIRL. Seriously, she was hott with two t's. Or is HAWT cooler? Whichever word is hotter, she was that. She sat in the very middle of the pool where there were lounge chairs, for all to see her hawtness when they walked by. I even saw her walk over to the bar and/or bathroom topless. I mean, she was HAWT/HOTT and she knew it. Then there was WATERMELON LADY. Seriously.... the girls were HUUUUUGE. I mean, she was a bigger woman, but... wow. Then there was CUTE GIRL, who got reallllly sunburned... ouch. Then there was FAKE GIRL... yeah, they HAD to be fakies. Well anyway, the funny thing is, all of these people laid in the same vicinity and they had their own club. It was like they bonded over their toplessness. Then there was Mrs. Sagsalot, who wasn't in their club, and I saw her one night at dinner. It's just weird eating my dinner, drinking my champagne, knowing that I saw this woman topless earlier in the day. Weird.
4. Every day, when we got back from the pool/beach there was a new towel figure on our bed. So cute! This was the first one. There were swans, mermaids, shells, and old ladies with hoods on (??). Not sure what that was about.
5. Pina coladas: I loooove me a pina colada. I probably had like 10 of them. All week though, there was this drink I kept seeing around that was like a pina colada, but it had this pink strawberry yummyness on top. I didn't know what it was called but I wanted it. I never figured it out. Humph.

All in all, it was a great trip. I feel very blessed to be able to go on a wonderful vacation, with the man I love! Now, I am back home and am really looking forward to getting back to sewing. Ohh, the projects I have up my sleeve! :)

I'll take a pina colada, please?

Just a note to say that my husband Josh and I will be in Riviera Maya, Mexico until next Tuesday, so don't think I have given up on blogging. I look forward to blogging all about my trip when I get back!

Abby

My weekend

Hi! I am trying to think of something special to do on Mondays- like a funny video or how-to or something- you know, to give Mondays a little lift (not that it matters to me, since Mondays are pretty much just like any other day for me!) So today, the special treat is this link:

Our Best Bites

I don't really know how I came across it, but seriously, these recipes are so good. Most of them are very easy, and you don't have to go all over the world to find the ingredients, which is important to me. I hate buying something I will only ever use once in a recipe.

I made the Spicy Honey Chicken, Spicy Honey Chicken salad with the leftovers, cupcake frosting, grilled potatoes, and creamy pesto pasta so far- YUM! Everything was so good.

Ok, now for my weekend update:

On Friday, I made these:

I actually didn't try them so I don't know what they taste like, but they look yummy! I used the cupcake frosting recipe from Our Best Bites. I did have a taste of that while I was making it and it was sooo yummy and creamy.

Then, Rachael and Austin (sister and boyfriend) came over and we watched He's Just Not That Into You. Did anyone else see that yet? I never read the book, but I didn't like the movie very much. A lot of it is about how girls just talk and talk and get these things into their heads about how much a guy likes them, and they read into these "signals" (which aren't really signals), and inside the girl's head the guy is in love with her, but the guy is actually thinking "when can I end this?" This all seems very true. So, this is what happens in the movie and it's funny and ridiculous, but then everyone is happy at the end and it doesn't seem like anyone learned any lessons! (sorry if I ruined the ending for you).

On Saturday, I had a recital for some of my students: (hence the cupcakes)

Me with five of my students.

They did a great job! I always get nervous before my student recitals because I just want them to do well (and all of their parents and grandparents are in the room). Don't they just all look so cute? I love it. I also make them introduce themselves and their piece before playing, for a few reasons:

1. because it is good for them to practice speaking in public and projecting their voice
   
2. I had to do it, so they should too.
   
3. It is just so darn cute! (is that mean??) "Hi, my name is so and so, and I will be playing such and such." but in a 5 year old's voice. I love it.

It was a very nice recital, very short, with yummy treats afterward.

After the recital, Josh and I went to the mall to get a few new things for our vacation! We decided this past Friday to go to Cancun for a few days! We are very excited/I am a little nervous. You know, just about the kidnappings, drug cartels, and swine flu.... that's all. So, if you don't hear from me by next Wednesday, please come to Mexico and rescue us. Gracias. No, but seriously, they say it is safe, and we will be at a big resort..... sooo, yeah.

So anyway, we (and by "we" I mean mostly "I") bought a few new clothing items for our trip. Then we went to our friends Ben and Lindsey's house for dinner. Fun day!

On Sunday, I made this:

A sunglasses case!

I noticed that I had a huge scratch on my sunglasses, so I need to get another pair before we leave for our trip. I always just buy the cheapos. But I wanted to make a case because that sounded easy and so that my new pair wouldn't get scratched in my purse. Here is the lining:
You can see that I kind of messed up the top stitch. I should have had it on a bigger stitch. It got a little crooked. However, in my defense, it was really hard getting it under the machine because I put some kind of felt in there to make it soft and give the sunglasses more protection. So it was a bit "fiddly" under the machine. I learned that word from a blog I read and I just love that word. It gets stuck in my head. Does that ever happen to you? Just one word getting stuck in your head?

Anyway, last night we went to Rachael's softball game. Good job, Rach!

I think she was embarrassed that I was taking pictures. I snuck this one on the right!

Josh was embarrassed too. Come on people, I am a blogger now! :)

Have a good Monday! Make something yummy for dinner!