Happy Halloween!

This is the costume for this year. The only thing I made was the skirt but I'm still pretty proud of it.

The economy is in the toilet, the dirty, germ infested, paraphernalia scattered, gas station toilet. Now, I'm not saying this is a good thing, but maybe there are some good lessons to be learned. Since our grandparents generation this country has never been much for earning and saving. We grew up in an era of instant gratification with credit cards, fast food and prepackaged meals. My generation has no idea how to go without or cook from scratch. We don't know how to darn a sock, patch holes in jeans or fix a leaky sink. I have a feeling that these are lessons that are about to be learned and very quickly.

Pop is with my brother and his family now and will soon be on his way back to the desert. I miss him tremendously. If you hadn't guessed, he means the world to me.
This week is dedicated to readying for Halloween. I have costumes to make & finish, decorations to dig out and put up, pumpkins to pick and carve and candy to stay out of, that's the most difficult thing.

As if you didn't already know, my Dad rocks.

I have been searching high and low for a crucial piece for my Halloween costume. I'm going as a WWII pinup girl. I've got the jacket and shoes. I need to make the skirt. I bought a wig, broke my heart a little too. I used to wear my hair in Victory Rolls before I got it whacked and always got rave reviews on it, but I like my new do too. Anyway, I needed a Garrison cap to be the crowing glory but alas, our military surplus store closed. I hit the costume shops to no avail. I asked Dad to visit the surplus store by his house, but they didn't have any.
So how does my Dad rock, you ask? Because the Garrison cap I will be wearing with pride will be the one he wore when he was in the army. Thanks Dad, not just for the cap, but for your service to the country.

No rest for the wicked

I'm ready for the rest and relaxation of toddler chasing. I spent Saturday helping Beqi paint her living room the most gorgeous shade of coral. Its a perfect match for the mid-century kitsch of her house. I'm jealous. I got home around 6, ate a quick fajita that Mike was so wonderful to make and started in on scouring the kitchen and digging out the craft room. Weird, but working hard only makes me want to keep working until I drop.
Yesterday I finished off the craft room. Our neighbors, Paul & Sara (aka, Gryffin's girlfriend) gave us a really nice futon that I put in there. It is now MY room. A TV and DVD player, sewing machines, crafty crap, my knitting supplies, a lamp and a comfy place to curl up and relax. I spent the day cleaning and organizing, making everything pretty.
Yesterday I also picked up a nice metal rolling cart for a $1 at a yard sale. It has a drawer and door with two shelves inside and a towel rack. It looks vintage and I'm suspecting that it's pretty old because they don't make stuff that heavy anymore. Today I have to scrub it down and prepare it for a quick coat of paint. Mike agreed to let me buy it since I knew exactly where it would go. I'm putting it in the kitchen to hold my heavy duty mixer and mixing bowls.
Mike and I made an agreement a long time ago that we can't bring anything new in without knowing exactly where it will go and what it will be used for. This cut down our level of clutter dramatically.

T minus 6 days

Every morning Gryffin asks me if today is the day we see PaPa. I think he may be a little excited. Let's face it, we all are! There is so much to be done before his arrival. I need to clear out the craft room and make room for a futon that our neighbors are giving us. I need to get the master suite scrubbed and organized. I need to clean the oven and wash the windows. Not that my Dad would notice or care, but I would. All of these things have been needing to be taken care of for a while, he's just the best reason to get me off my duff.
Besides, the holidays are coming. Better to get a jump start on all the cleaning and organizing now instead of putting it off until the last minute, like I always do. I also need to get a jump on making presents, but that has to wait until after Halloween, which around here is just as important as Christmas.

Yesterday I was able to get some things accomplished. I ran an errand,made dinner,started digging out the craft room, made a new post to the food blog and finished knitting a new dishcloth. Today, more of the same. I'm still sniffling and coughing but I'm vertical. My voice has, sort of, come back and my headache is almost gone. So is my first cup of coffee, better remedy that.

So many things I could talk about: Strange Folk, the economy, the elections, the wonderful weather, etc. But I just don't have the energy. I'm sick. It seems that after running on empty for two months getting ready for SF, I have acquired a cold/sinus thing. For the past week I've shuffled around sniffling and snorting, coughing and hacking, dressed in pajamas and fuzzy socks.
I'm hell bent on getting over this TODAY. I'm going to guzzle tea with honey in hopes of my voice coming back. I'm going to set an alarm to take my medicine every four hours and I'm going to rest as much as Gryffin will allow.
I've got important stuff to do. Catching up on blogging and picture posting both here and at: http://frozensustenance.blogspot.com. I've got to get the craft room unburied and the laundry caught up. I also need to make a Superman costume for Gryffin for Halloween, not to mention make my own costume. Then there is the most important thing of all, Dad's visit in a week and a half!

Strange Folk Festival now a two-day extravaganza

BY SCOTT WUERZ

News-Democrat

O'FALLON --

--

Started three years ago as a way to give hip, young artists a creative outlet, the Strange Folk Festival has grown into a two-day extravaganza that has seen participation increase five-fold since 2006.

Organizer Autumn Wiggins said 20 vendors signed up for the first festival. This year, 120 will be there selling artwork, eclectic clothing, purses and other crafts, many of which are made out of recycled materials.

"The response, it's been just great," Wiggins said. "We have vendors signed up from all over the U.S. and Canada. The selection was juried this year, we had a lot more applicants than the 120 we approved."

The festival runs from Saturday through Sunday at O'Fallon Community Park.

Wiggins said the festival, which drew small crowds on one rain-soaked day three years ago, could draw as many as 10,000 people this year.

"When it was on Saturday only, some people had a tough time being here," Wiggins said. "Now that it has been expanded to Saturday and Sunday, it's only going to get bigger."

City Administrator Walter Denton is thrilled to hear those projections for several reasons.

"There are community benefits to festivals like this," Denton said. "First, it is an opportunity for residents to come together and enjoy a local event. Second, it is important to quality of life to support cultural events like the Strange Folk Festival. Third, these events have some economic impact in that visitors who visit the festival may stay in our hotels and shop in our stores."

In addition to a broader slate of vendors, Wiggins said a slate of musical acts are planned and food options will be greatly increased as well.

"This sort of event usually does pretty well in big cities, but I wasn't sure at first how it would go over in the suburbs," Wiggins said. "But it is one of the best-attended shows of its kind in the country. As far as local participation is concerned, it's one of the best shows there is."

This is an article that appeared in this mornings paper. When I read it I felt a little flutter of panic in my stomach. "As many as 10,000 visitors", that's enough to make me want to sew more. I struggled with sewing this weekend. Not just because my machines are worn out, I am too. Yesterday I spent the majority of the day making odds and ends, earrings, barrettes, magnets, push pins. By the end of it, I had a headache from the glue fumes and my hands were coated in sticky residue. But damned if I didn't get a lot done.

Time line to Strange Days:

Today- spend some much needed time with my son and work on displays

Tuesday- sew, sew, sew and oh yeah- sew

Wednesday- make the displays and make them portable

Thursday- last day of sewing for a good long while

Friday- pack it up and hit Oktoberfest for some family fun. My kid digs sausage and polka!

Saturday & Sunday- set up, drink coffee, hopefully not puke from nerves and then when I'm not selling my little heart out- crack jokes with Beqi. She pulled some strings and got me a booth right next to hers. Kind of makes up for the dream where while I went to get her coffee she packed up went home and the dream where she made me late and got us hopelessly lost.

Redemption through polka

Tonight Gryffin made up for the panic he caused me this morning. We took him St. Augustine's church carnival. To make a long story short because I'm exhausted:
Gryffin won a toy trumpet, sat in and jammed with the two accordionists while they played, what else, polka. He then took to dancing and noticed that it was all couples dancing so he told Mike to dance with me. Sweet, but neither one of us know how to polka so we faked it for a few seconds and quit. Then Gryffin handed Mike his trumpet and reached those little arms out to me. My kid asked me dance! And dance we did, until the rain shorted out the band and we had to run for cover.
My kid is freaking amazing, wonderful, loving and sneaky, but I wouldn't have him any other way.

The fastest (and worst) way to wake up

This morning when I got up I noticed the front door open. Then I noticed Gryffin's door open. Then my heart dropped somewhere around my knees. I ran through the house calling his name and woke Mike up. Lets just say, I've never seen him get out of bed so fast. I took off out the front door yelling for Gryffin.
I found him on the other side of our neighbors house, clutching one of the rings I made. He got scooped up and I ran him back to the house. Mike asked him why he did that and he said that he wanted to go over to his girlfriend's house. Said girlfriend would be our neighbor Sara, whom we had over (along with her husband that Gryffin calls her dad) for dinner last night. The boys three and already sneaking out of the house to see girls!
Anyway, I commented on the ring he had and he said that it was his power ring, like Green Lantern's. Mike told him that it was my ring and I promised to make him his very own power ring- in green, just like Green Lantern's. He sweetly slipped the ring on my finger and said, "Mommy, this is your power ring". I choked back tears.
I thanked God that he was OK and home and for giving me such a sweet, little boy. I think my heart is back in my chest, but its still beating pretty fast.
Needless to say, Mike is getting latches for the top of the doors today.

Weekend Update

Eight bags, five coin purses, one belt, a trip downtown for hot dogs and some shopping, a party in the middle of nowhere and a horrendous backache. That about wraps it up. My life is so exciting.
Today is back to being CEO of the house. I've been seriously neglecting my house-Frau duties. Thankfully, I must have been a saint in a previous life because I've got a great husband who hasn't complained once about having to be Mr Mom the past few weeks.
I've got the kid fed, a load of laundry in and four cups of coffee downed. Hey, its a start!

The Sweatshop is open

This weekend I have to put the pedal to the floorboards. The sewing machine pedal that is. I've only got 24 bags made. I've had to reevaluate my original goal of 50 because I also need to make belts, zipper pouches and other assorted small dollar amount/high profit scrap busters. Oh, and come up with a display set up, price tags and business cards.
How did I get myself into this?! Oh yeah, Beqi. I blame her, thank her and curse her all in one breath. Thanks for being my fabric pusher, Babe!

Did anyone see that bus?

I think it ran me over. At least, that's how I feel this morning. I slept hard last night, which is good, but I had horrible dreams the whole time, which is bad. On nights like that, I would rather get no sleep.
The last dream I had I remember being so upset and crying that I actually woke up with my face wet and my head pounding. Luckily, I awoke to a little voice asking, "Mommy, can I be wake?". Of course you can, Little Man! Saved by a three year old.
My face is dry now but the headache persists. Maybe another cup of coffee or the incessant hum of my sewing machine will cure it. Doubtful, but a girl can always hope.

Shower- check
Coffee- check
Goof on the net- check

I do more before Gryffin wakes up than most people do before they wake up. Its a stretch, I know. Actually, most mornings Gryffin wakes me up. Today is different, its the first day of Day Out. Its been out for summer break for a month and my, oh my what a month. I have loved hanging out with my kid and take comfort in the fact that Day Out is only two days a week, but I need to get cracking and work.
This session Gryffin has a new teacher, Miss Holly. Yay! His summer session teacher sucked, and that is putting it nicely. Miss Jan couldn't ever spell Gryffin's name right and didn't comfort him when he cried at my leaving. She even went so far as to tell Gryffin that maybe I could stay with him and help out. What?! Uhm, no. That's why I pay you (too much, obviously). This session will be different though. Miss Holly rocks.
Uh oh, I just heard a door open so my little man is up. On to the mommy duties!

27 - 3 = 40

Today is the third, Strange Folk is starts on the 27th and I have 40 bags left to make, not to mention headbands, belts and other assorted accessories to crank out. What does all this mean? I'm in trouble.
All of this trouble is multiplied by the fact that I cannot find black canvas for under $8 a yard. I use this to make my messenger bags. That way they are super durable and hold their shape. If I use a lighter weight material I would have to use heavy duty interfacing, which is a total pain and ain't cheap either.
I'm sure with the few brain cells the alcohol didn't kill Saturday I will come up with something brilliant.

No jail, no broken furniture- are you sure it was MY birthday?

Before y'all go wondering if I'm in jail from the confrontation with "She Who Must Not Be Named", I'm not.
My birthday started out wonderfully. Mike presented me with a card in all my morning-glory-bed-headedness, which announced that not only did I get a gift certificate to get my hair done but that my appointment was for 11:30 THAT DAY! We went to breakfast and did a little party shopping where afterward I jumped in the shower because I did not want to get my hair did in some fancy say-lon looking all homeless. About 15 minutes before my scheduled departure the dreaded doorbell rang. I opened it, told her that she had to leave now. She gave me a card and I reiterated that she had to leave and promptly shut (and locked) the door in her face. That was it, she left. I haven't opened the card and probably won't as there isn't anything she can say to make a difference. Then, I got my hair done. Three hours later I came home with the most awesome drastic swing bob with purple low-lights. Yes, I said purple!
Then it was party time! I would go into details but I don't think y'all would believe me anyway. I'll just leave it at yesterday was pronounced, Recovery Day.

Have to laugh

A little birdie warned me that my egg-donor has plans to accost me this Saturday morning. Some of you may not be aware but I gave this woman her walking papers several months ago. After a lifetime of hurt, I had finally had enough. Now, on my birthday none-the-less, she is planning on coming to my home early on a Saturday to beg for forgiveness, pull more crazy out of her butt, rant like a loony? My guess would be all of the above plus a couple more tricks from her unbalanced trunk.
I thought of a lot of ways I could handle this. From evacuating like a psycho hurricane is coming to having Beqi show her knuckles. Neither of these were suitable, but they were fun to think about. I have decided on a plan of action, with my main concern of not allowing my son to see or hear any of it. I'm not going to go into details because I want to know what my readers, all three of you, would suggest. Come up with something funny, just go crazy. Make me laugh about this, so I don't cry or punch a wall.
Leave it as a comment so we can all enjoy it!

Mmmm, doughnuts!

Gryffin's favorites are chocolate long john's and anything with sprinkles. I hope he never outgrows a love of sprinkles. I know I haven't!

Last night I was hit with a bout of mild depression/bad mood/stress. After talking with Mike, I'm thinking it has a lot to do with all the work that I need to get done for Strange Folk. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the sewing, but usually the fabric will kind of tell me what shape or style it wants to be made into. Not this time. I look at all the gorgeous fabric and get nothing. Except stressed.
I will prevail though. I will beat it into submission and make it talk, I have my ways.