Wolves on T-Shirts

I suppose you've heard about the Three Wolf Moon shirt phenomenon. Last May it was all the rage. You can still get the shirt on Amazon but it isn't the #1 selling item anymore. It is a really stale internet meme, but Dwight wore the shirt on The Office, so I share a video I shot with my family months ago.

We went to the Wisconsin Dells way back in early May (and didn't know about the Three Wolf Moon shirt) . The Dells are home to gorgeous upper-midwestern scenery, excessively fun waterpark hotels, and tourist trap souvenir shops. This shop was near the Ripley's Believe It or Not! museum, which we had just visited for laughs. We found several other versions of this shirt. Our favorite was one we called "Purple Wolves in Love":

These are all extremely elaborate designs for t-shirts. They are all quite um.. distinctive. Please note, I know the plural of deer is not "deers". It was just a slip of the tongue.

Also: This article at the Onion seems relevant: CLICK HERE.

Kreativ

Aww-- Thanks Nan!

Rules:List 6 things that make you happy. Pass the award on to 6 bloggers for Kreativ. Link to the blogger who gave you the award. Link to the blogs receiving the award. Notify the recipients

So.. 6 things that make me happy:

1) My family. My husband and I have the same goals and values. We enjoy many of the same things and agree on so many essential things about life and faith, except politics. We avoid discussing politics. Our children are delightful!

2) Nature and the outdoors. I love living where we have dramatic seasonal changes. I enjoy nature walks, geology, birdwatching, camping, cooking over the open fire, all that outdoorsey stuff is awesome.

3) Seeing movies at the movie theater.

4) The ability to see things and know that I can make them myself if I try hard enough. This is also a curse because I don't always have the will or the supplies to try hard enough.

5) Going away on vacation to a cool, quiet, natural place. If I can't do that, then I want to go somewhere historic and educational.

6) When we all sit down to supper together and everyone likes the food.


Okay, now for my 6 award choices. I read so many inspiring blogs! It is hard to narrow it down.

I love the creativity gone horribly wrong over at Craftasrophe.

Bent Objects makes the most humorous wire sculptures.

Syko makes fantastic things up in Finland.

Sharon-Lizette cooks vegan and creates gorgeous projects at NastyWench's All Things Crafty

Peacock Chic might inspire me to try harder at garment sewing.

Quilt While You're Ahead- beautiful, colorful projects.

25 Random Things Meme

Alex tagged me on Facebook with these 25 random things. I love reading these things about people. I'm not going to single anyone out, so consider yourself tagged if you read this and feel like sharing silly disjointed thoughts.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You must tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.

I'm supposed to post these at Facebook, but I'm putting them here instead. These are my 25 things:

I almost minored in Spanish in college until we got to serious grammar and I lost interest. I was all about conversational Spanish.

Chocoholic

Presbyterian

Lived and taught school in south Texas

Happily moved back to the chilly Midwest

The worst thing about being a stay-at-home parent is the constant, unceasing requirement to provide foods for the family.

The best thing is time!

The other best thing is shopping while all the people with crazy lives are at work.

I wear men’s shoes and men’s socks whenever possible.

I spent two summers as a teenager in rural Latin America building latrines and giving immunizations. I slept several nights in a chicken house. Roosters do not crow in the morning. They crow all night long to each other across the countryside.

I love movies, but I dislike action movies most courtroom scenes. Courtroom scenes are lazy screenwriting. That’s my official position.

I love dipping buttered toast into my hot chocolate.

I love slow cooker meals, but I don’t like to think about cooking supper right after breakfast.

Sometimes tourist traps are really fun. Have you ever been to a Ripley’s Believe it or Not! museum or the Wisconsin Dells?

Golf courses are ugly. (Edited much later: I don't like all the artificial landscaped look. I like things to seen natural and less composed.)

I don’t think I’m ever going to finish that one quilt I stuffed under the bed. Who am I kidding…

I feel spiritually called to be a teacher, but I also feel called to stay home with my kids. When is the right time to go back to my profession? I am not sure.

The secret to delicious Kraft mac ‘n cheese is lots of extra shredded cheddar and always use butter not margarine.

In fact, always use butter except when you should use light cooking oil or olive oil.

I will smile and say something nice about those brownies you made from a boxed mix, but I can tell the difference and I feel just a little bit sad for you. There is nothing easier to bake than homemade brownies.

My car is messy. I pretend to care, but I really don’t care that much or I would clean it out more often. I also don't care that your car is messy. Really.. I mean it. Don't worry about that.

My house is also kind of messy except that one day when the cleaning service comes and I organize everything.

The best way to use free time is to read. I wish I did that more often because a very alluring way to use free time is video games and television.

I must procrastinate to get things finished. I work well under pressure, but I am usually quite relaxed so I have to amp up my stress by putting things off.

I get kind of bored at the beach. I’d rather be at the mountains or in a lovely cool north woods out of the direct sun.

Awarded and Tagged

Reading Carina just now(from whom I stole the title of this post), I remember that I also was awarded by Martha and now I've been tagged.
Here are the award rules:
(1) The winner can put the logo on their blog.
(2) Link the person you received your award from.
(3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
(4) Put links of those on yours.
(5) Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated.

Thanks Martha! I like your blog too. She just redecorated her house in some lovely greens. I promise I didn't copy you, Martha, but I changed out my brick red curtains a couple weeks ago for some new leafy green ones from Ikea.

Other blogs I like are Mom-O-Matic - She could only stay away from blogging for about 2 weeks and is thankfully back to keep us updated about the ups and downs of her family life.

Rebel's Work In Progress- She knits, but most notably, she abruptly quit her job to take up language studies in Thailand and is sharing her adventures.

Lily's Block-a-Day- I think she really does quilt a block a day. So inspiring!

Syko- Colorful charming whimsies from Finland

Welcome to Girl Land - Vintage adorables from my old stomping grounds in Metro Detroit

Feeling Stitchy - All the coolest embroideries are featured here.

Crazy Mom Quilts - Inspiration from another fabric junkie like me!



And then Carina tagged me (Carina, I love your blog too!)

The rules are: Post rules at the beginning of the post. Answer all of the questions, tag 6 people, go to their blog and leave them a comment to inform them that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog for rules. Let the person who tagged you know when you've posted your answers.

1) What were you doing 10 years ago?
2) What are the 5 things on your to do list today?
3) Snacks you enjoy
4) Places you have lived
5) What are 5 things you would do if you were a Billionaire?
6) People you want to know more about


1) 10 years ago, I was caring for my 18 month old baby boy and living on a very tight budget working my way very slowly through graduate school in Michigan.

2) I just got over a migraine, so my to do list has already gone to hell.... I would have gotten something homemade cooked for supper, folded the rest of the laundry, finished sewing up the cut off bottoms of those Ikea curtains into tote bags and pillows, purchased some underwear that fits for my daughter, and retrieved my watch from the inside of our tent which is already compacted into it's nylon bag. I'll do that stuff tomorrow or maybe this evening..

3) I enjoy hummus, chocolate brownies, crackers and cheese, Japanese rice snacks, and cookies of all kinds

4) I have lived in Arlington Heights, Illinois; St. Louis, Missouri; Winnetka, Illinois; Bloomington, Indiana; San Antonio, Texas; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Commerce Township, Michigan (this area is known as Metro Detroit and is quite distinct from actual Detroit); Grayslake Illinois, (which we sometimes refer to as "Almost Wisconsin"). I actually despise moving more than pretty much anything else, but you would never know it from all the times we've moved... (edit: Yipes What a dull list! We love the midwest!)

5)Honestly, I'm not sure I want the responsibility of being a billionaire. We are pretty happy already... I don't want my life to be about managing money so I think I wouldn't want people to really know that I was extremely wealthy. First we'd get hubby the new hearing aids he needs. For sure we'd finally take that dream trip to Alaska. We'd probably get a home in this same community that would have an office for my husband, a craft room for me, and a nice extra bedroom for visiting friends and family. I do not want to live in a giant house! And then there are all the charities we'd give to, and the tithe to the Presbyterian Church. We'd probably go a little bit wild with some extravagance, but wealth wouldn't make us suddenly not like camping or anything like that.


I tag anyone who is looking for blog inspiration!

Summer Reading Meme

Rebel just posted this and since I'm trying to amp up my reading and spend less time at the computer and sewing machine, here's mine. I can't seem to pick only one book in some of the categories.

1. One book that made you laugh: The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols. The movie isn't nearly as funny.

2. One book that made you cry: Where the Red Fern Grows and The Snow Goose. As a child I read those books over and over each time knowing the endings and I'd weep throughout the entire reading. I cry pretty easily over sentimental things.

3. One book that you loved as a child: See above. I also loved reading fairy tales, mythology, and folk tales.

4. One book you’ve read more than once: One Hundred Years of Solitude

5. One book you loved, but were embarrassed to admit it: I am not embarrassed to admit anything. My friend brought Growing Up Brady to a summer cabin trip we take and I loved it. Did you know that Greg took Carol Brady (his mom on the show) on a date?! This is the book that confirmed all our suspicions that Greg and Marcia really were making out behind the scenes. The Brady Bunch is the Full House of older Generation Xers like myself.

6. One book you hated: Hmm.. I never finish anything I hate. I recall in school that Bartleby the Scrivener was very hard for me to get through, and it's a short story. I also hated The Handmaid's Tale.

7. One book that scared you: I don't read scary books... Hmm.. as a child I used to have many fears about hellish paintings and artwork imagery (traditional stuff like Bruegel or gargoyles and things like that). However, I couldn't help myself and I'd look at the images in my mom's art book collection.

8. One book that bored you: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King God, what a slog that is. Get back to the Shire already! Wicked is also really really boring after the fun beginning when the good witch and the bad witch are roommates in college.

9. One book that made you happy: I like The #1 Ladies Detective Agency books. Those are always a quick happy read.

10. One book that made you miserable: Twice, I've gotten about 200 pages into War and Peace only to give up with a "who the hell are they talking about?" problem. I've also read some of The Slave Narrative, and those true stories are sickening.

11. One book that you weren’t brave enough to read: My brother says that Moby Dick is fantastic, but I haven't tried it. (See Bartleby the Scrivener above.)

12. One book character you’ve fallen in love with: I love that guy from Angela's Ashes. I read all 3 of his books and love it that he became a teacher.

13. The last book you read: I'm currently reading The Count of Monte Cristo. I just finished The Last Battle in the Chronicles of Narnia. I was hoping to get my son to read the Narnia series, but he's not interested.

14. The next book you hope to read: I'm trying to read classics, so I hope to do A Tale of Two Cities or The Good Earth.

Fabric ABC's

Time to get back to crafting and away from hometown gossip and 70's pop culture.

I saw this at Lily's blog and thought it was fun. Here's the ABC's of Me and some of the fabrics I got during our recent Mother's Day trip to Shipshewana, Indiana. Yes, we stayed at a water park hotel overlooking the Amish/Mennonite farm countryside (it was a smaller waterpark hotel at least..). We are not Amish... They make the best pies!

Accent: Midwestern and mildly Chicagoan. Chicagoans speak like Dennis Franz from NYPD Blue or those guys from the SNL "Da Bears" sketch in the 90's.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Yes! Always with coffee. My favorite is cold pizza with coffee. I love cereal, but I don't start my day off with milk or I will be quite uncomfortable very quickly.

Chore I don’t care for: Laundry and being responsible for a constant stream of meals. Never ending meals... on and on with the "What is there to eat?" all the time... I like to cook, just not constantly.

Dog or Cat: Pet Free! We had a cat who urinated inappropriately and was aggressive with the kids in her old age. Is was sad to lose her.

Essential Electronics: Hmm... clock radio? Obviously I like the computer and my computerized sewing machine.

Favorite Cologne: Yech.. no cologne please! Makes my throat close up. I like natural clean floral scents like lavender.

Gold or Silver: Thanks! I'll take either!

Handbag I carry most often: I hate carrying a handbag. I get cheap ones, or I try to use a handmade one I find online. Once I had an expensive Dooney and Burke bag. I still have it, but I don't like to carry things with chic brand names on them.

Insomnia: I love late nights and I think if I can't sleep, it's like bonus free time. I can have this attitude because I don't have a job.

Job Title: Slacker housewife. Frustrated former teacher.

Kids: Son 11, daughter almost 8.

Living Arrangements: 3 bedroom suburban home built in a newer subdivision. We have all those cheapish builder details like faux wood trim and hollow core doors.

Most Admirable Trait: I know how to make things and teach myself new skills by reading directions. I can go for a very long time without buying anything new, or spending money so I am very thrifty.

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: I was a nice, quiet girl, but the mess in my room was epic.

Overnight hospital stays: When I gave birth both times, we stayed overnight in the hospital.

Phobias: I'm not too fearful. I have the attitude that bad things don't really happen and when they do, I think, "Aren't we lucky that wasn't worse?" (I think I get this optimistic attitude from my Dad.) I used to get panic attacks in gym class. Because I was so paralyzed in gym, in the 9th grade they put me in a special gym class with the mentally and physically handicapped kids. They took me out pretty quick, but still.. I really hate sports and I would prefer to watch your softball or volleyball game than participate.

Quote: Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers. - Homer Simpson

Reason to smile: It's a great life!

Siblings: My brother and I are very close in age and had/have many of the same friends. We were in all the same activities together in high school and he was my roommate for a semester in college after he transferred to my university. I wish he and his family lived closer to us. He is really funny and extroverted (I'm introverted). He is hilariously competitive with me when we play card games. I never remember what trump is and I always forget that it is my turn.

Time I wake up: At 7:25am, I stagger downstairs to get my daughter's snack into her backpack. My husband does the kids' breakfast and I do the snack and school papers.

Unusual Talent or Skill: Hmm... I have no trouble assembling Ikea furniture.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Squash! I like zucchini, but sweet butternut squash makes me want to gag.

Worst Habit: I keep such a low key schedule that I sometimes forget important things. I also hate making telephone calls and making arrangements for things. Thank goodness I'm already married because planning a wedding would make me crazy. At age 23 when I got married, I had no clue..

X-rays: Normal.

Yummy Stuff: My favorite pie is buttermilk pie, bratwurst, Thai food, pizza, country fried steak and potatoes, Toblerone or Lindt chocolate, Mom's chicken and dumplings, mother-in-law's roasts, apple pancake, potato pancakes with sour cream and applesauce. Anything my friends cook at our annual cabin weekend.. Now I'm hungry.

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Monkeys and giraffes

I tag any bloggers looking for inspiration!

Happyscape Campaign and Stitching Q&A

Happyscape Campaign '08, originally uploaded by wardi.

Don't forget to vote in the Softie Awards! This is Carina's Happyscape.

It's my favorite in that category, "Embroidered to Death".


I saw this stitching Q&A today at Emily's blog. I like reading questionnaires on blogs, so here's my contribution. Feel free to grab them and answer them too!

1. How do you hold your fabric? In a cheap plastic hoop. Years ago when I cross stitched on aida or hardanger cloth, I never used a hoop.

2. Floss licker? Yes!

3. How do you thread your needle? Trim neat ends and lick and thread. If the floss doesn't go through easily, I try threading the other way through the needle or I also lick the needle. Is it gross to do all that licking? I lose my needle threaders if I try to use those instead... Did you ever notice that the damp end of the thread secures really easily in the back under the stitching when you are starting a new length of floss?

4. What needle do you like best? Super long sharp needles. I think the ones I go to first are called chenille needles. I'm still using up the piles of supplies from my grandma, so I'm not sure.

5. Are you a needle loser? Yes.... I had to quit stitching when my children were babies because I couldn't be sure I always got all my supplies up out of reach.

6. What fabric do you prefer to stitch on? Hmm.. I dont like gauzy lightweight fabric and t-shirts are a special challenge...

7. Bobbins or floss bags? Big bin of floss organized by color.

8. Are you a scissors collector? Sort of. I like to get my kids new scissors for school every year and then I use their old small ones with my projects.

9. Do you do your own framing, and if so, do you lace or pin? I haven't framed a stitching project in many years... I think stitching projects are meant to be handled, so I like making towels, pillows, napkins, sachets, stuff like that...

10. Are you a floss floozy? Hmmm... maybe

11. Silk? Some day!

12. Railroader? I would be if I wasn't a chain stitching obsessive.

13. Are you a pattern or designer snob? Not really. I think it is important to credit designers and pattern makers when displaying photos of stitching on the internet.

14. Do you get antsy when you give someone a stitched gift? Yes! I worry that they will not understand and value the handmade nature. Then I worry that they will think it is "too much" or will feel obligated to like it. Then I wish I would have made another version to keep for myself.... Swapping with other stitchers is much less stressful.

15. Have you reached S.A.B.L.E.? ( SABLE = Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy) Yes.. sadly.. yes... I inherited my grandmothers SABLE too, so it's really bad.

16. Do you wash your projects? Yes! DMC floss washes up great and I secure my ends really well in the back. Thank goodness, right? Because I have to lick my thread to get it in the needle.

Random things

Nobody tagged me that I know about, but here are some random things about me. I'll let you decide if they qualify as "weird":

1) I routinely fall asleep in action movies, particularly during the "exciting" sequences.

2) As a teenager, my dream car was a station wagon. I always thought that sports cars and sedans were impractical. This has not changed, although now I'd like a fuel-efficient minivan.

3) I have giant feet and hands. I wear men's sized gloves, socks, and shoes.

4) I "watch" (actually "craft-to") Oprah and The View every morning. The View is goofy and Oprah has a lot of "Well, Duh" moments, but I watch anyway.

5) I didn't realize how much I enjoy quiet solitude until my children entered grade school and I had long hours alone in my house.

6) I have terrible listening skills. I can't remember names until I see them written down and I must doodle to pay attention in classes. Conversations are different. I remember those, but there are more visual and social cues in a conversation.

7) I blog actively and embrace the internet, but I am a lone holdout against cell phone ownership.

8) I have always hated writing. Can you tell? I do, however, like chatty correspondence and explaining things, so blogging is fun.

If you read this, have a blog and haven't done the list of weird or random things, consider yourself tagged!

Christmas Q & A

My friend Sarah just posted this Q&A. I like to read about how other people handle the holidays so here goes:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping Paper.. I don't like storing the gift bags over the rest of the year.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial.. we have limited space and the artificial tree is more narrow at the bottom. I also always forget to water a real tree and then I worry about the giant dry fire hazard of a dead pine tree...

3. When do you put up the tree? Late in the month. I do all the other decorating first and then we have a special night with the kids and do the tree.


4. When do you take the tree down? First week of January.

(The perils of cutting and pasting.. #5 was missing!)

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Hmm... I always got great gifts as a child.... We had a funny tradition of new socks and underwear, and my mom used to give me various kinds of gourmet chocolate... yum!


7. Do you have a Nativity scene? YES! I have dozens... they are handcrafted from all over the world, but they are a pain to set up. All our books have to be stored away so the bookcases are clear for them. We really play up Advent with our children.

8. Hardest person to buy for? Anyone who says they want gift cards... I hate exchanging gift cards and refuse to do it anymore. My policy is that I really don't care if someone wants to return my gift for the money, but we are going to go through the ritual of picking something out and wrapping it up.


9. Easiest person to buy for? Our own kids.

10. Worst Christmas Gift you ever received? All my Christmas gifts have been perfect! ;)

11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail, but I give myself a pass and this is the last thing I do for Christmas. My cards usually are Happy New Year cards. Just to get the word out: I love those photocopied newsletters about what you were up to this year! Please send those along! When we just get a photo, I always wonder what my out-of-town friends have been up to.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I cannot list one favorite movie in any category. I like A Christmas Story, Meet Me In St Louis, It's A Wonderful Life, Elf, The Nativity Story...(Actually, I can name one favorite movie in one particular category: My favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movie is Conan the Barbarian...)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I get serious after Thanksgiving.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Hmmm... maybe...;)

15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? Treats! Endless treats! And the cheese fondue our friend John serves at his annual tree trimming party.

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Clear, because our tree is pre-lit, but I like the colored lights best.

17. Favorite Christmas song or album? We have a Billboard Christmas album that is our favorite.. it's actually a cassette tape

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay HOME. Hooray!

19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes!

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One on Christmas Eve and then the rest in a marathon on Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Everything happens all at once.

23. What is the “silliest” family tradition you do, or miss doing? When I was a kid, we had small family Christmases, so my mom made up some little traditions. The silliest was that we always baked an angel food cake and put our number 1 birthday candle on it and sang Happy Birthday to Jesus.

24. Ugliest Christmas Decoration ever invented? They are all great! I have to say that I think it is really boring in some upper class communities when they only put up tasteful white lights and green garland outside... I like color and some silly inflatable lawn ornaments!

25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? Homey all the way!

26. Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Gingerbread with lemon icing



I'm not in this photo. My spot is the empty place on the sofa. Happy Holidays!

Wardi.DK

Pile of granny triangles, originally uploaded by wardi.

I've been interviewed by the wonderfully talented Carina over at her blog, Wardi.dk. I first spotted her blog awhile back when she posted these gorgeous triangle crochet granny squares. Aren't they fantastic?

My interview is HERE.

She also contributes lovely embroideries to our Flickr Embroidery group. Look at this happy summertime pincushion:

Pincushion challenge - Summertime, originally uploaded by wardi.

Here is another embroidery that suggests the changing seasons:

Seasons embroidery, originally uploaded by wardi.

She is also a talented softie maker. These went to the recent Plush You event:

The three Quapos, originally uploaded by wardi.

Thanks, Carina for interviewing me. I admire your work very much!