Frogging Out

I don't get many requests from my DS/23 for sewing projects, but he asked if I could make him a costume of "Max" from "Where The Wild Things Are". (It was one of his favorite books as a kid.) Of course, I told him I would make it for him. It was shipped it to him today. Sure hope he likes it! It's snowy where he is stationed in the army, so I don't think it will be too hot in all that fur!

The Jockstar (love him!) modeled the hood part of the costume for me to get photos. What things we do in the name of love!

The costume is made of light grey fur. The lining of the hood is showing a little, but it can be tucked in. I was in a time crunch so I didn't have time to tack it to the hood. :( I designed the ears in a cone shape (like the "Max" costume in the book). Black pipe cleaners were used for wolf whiskers.

As for the crown, I would have probably use felt or gold poster board to make one. DS/23 wanted to buy his instead.

Here's the front and back. I would have liked to have altered the pattern for the front and put a placket and buttons (with velcro closures), but I had already cut into the fur before I realized I hadn't modified the pattern yet! It was late at night and I just got carried away with the cutting. That meant I had to go with the pattern and put a zipper in the front. Oh well... By the way, the zipper zips all the way up (I just forgot to do it before snapping the photo!) Arrrgh...
The back of the costume has the "wolf" tail. You can't tell in the photo, but the tail turned out quite realistic. Hancock Fabrics has just enough of brown/black fur for just the right touch!
I cut 2 rectangles of fur for the hands/paws. I used white craft foam cut into triangles for the claws. I sewed them upside down onto one long edge of the fur, then flipped them the right way and top-stitched. Next, I sewed 3/4" elastic (from my stash) to each side. The are a little big for me, but should fit DS/23.
Pattern Review:
I used Easy McCall's Pattern M5956. It wasn't a difficult pattern to sew, but the fur made it tricky. If I was sewing this for a child, I would probably make it in fleece instead of fur. That would make the costume lighter (weight-wise) and I would modify the front as I mentioned earlier (but only if I was creating a "Max" costume, though). Also, the pattern instructs to "clip curves as necessary" in the general info. However, it isn't mentioned again in the numbered instructions. So beware.... if you sew this pattern, don't forget to clip each and every curve! On another note, since the movie "Where The Wild Things Are" just came out, why aren't "Max" and monster ready-to-wear costumes available? I think they would have been a big hit this year! Here's the trailer, if you're interested.

Rockstar is in a new band, On The Move (or OTM). They will be playing receptions, corporate gigs, and private parties. Love the tuxes; love the song list so far which includes Chicago tunes! Hopefully, I'll hear them rehearse soon. Can't wait!

If you are in the Memphis metro area, they are available.
Ok, end of shameless plug. Can't promise it will not happen again, though!

Well, here is what DS/12 and I came up with for a t-shirt that he never wore. He wanted a book cover for his library book. He already had the patch, too. I just laid out the shirt, put the book on top and cut out a generous amount to allow for error. It was so quick, maybe 30 minutes. He was excited and I was glad to recycle something he had never worn.












It snowed like crazy yesterday! We got between 7 1/2 to 8 inches of glistening snow. You can see my "wedding cake" table to get an idea of just how much snowfall.











Oh, we just discovered our dog, Lucy, thinks she can sing...

We've had a busy few weeks, so no blogging, but I've been trying to keep up with some of my favorite blogs. DH played keys with the awesome Fried Glass Onions band for the Shannon Street Blues Festival in Jackson, TN. It was packed. I had no idea so many people would attend. The crowd seemed to really enjoy the music. Here he is (far left) along with the horn section and the fabulous Jackie Johnson. She has an outstanding voice, so it was a joy to hear her sing again.


You can read more about who's who here, if you're interested.





On Tuesday, I hosted my Bunco group at my house. We had a luau and I made the tissue paper pompoms that are so popular lately. (I made mine own instead of buying Martha's kits). There are a couple of tips I found after searching online. One is the tissue should be 1/3 longer than it is wider. These are very addictive once you get the hang of it. I hate to take them down now that our party is over. I served fresh fruit, fruit dip, chips with cheese dip, deli sandwiches, pineapple with cheese squares, potato salad and assorted cheese cakes for dessert. The table cloth is actually a vintage sheet that I had in my linens for just this type of occasion.

Well, this past Tuesday, our Bunco (aka Bunko) was at my house. Everyone had a good time, though we only played with 2 tables (total of 8 players) instead of 3 tables (total of 12 players). Music can really make or break a gathering, as I discovered that evening. I put the T.V. on XM Radio (channel 804 in our area). This channel, called "70's at 7" played 70's music continuously. Everyone loved it. I'll have to remember that for next time. Every time I looked around, several of the ladies were groovin' to the music. They even started rolling the dice to the beat. It was a hoot!

DH is doing well in his class, with all A's so far. He's a rock star AND a computer geek! Imagine that!

Now, if I could just find a J-O-B. Between Hotjobs, Craigslist, the local newspapers, private business career pages, Beyond.com, and others, it's just confusing to sort out. Surely, one will turn up soon.

This has been an eventful past few weeks for our family, so the blog has been neglected. My bad.
DH thought it would be a good idea for me to take a continuing education class to learn web design. After I did the research and we discussed the options, he decided he would take a class on web design. Who knows, after he finishes this class, which counts as 3 college credits, he may go for a degree. We'll see. He also joined another band, Tuesday Sun.

In the meantime, DS/10 has started a new school. He likes it so far. Since school starts at 7:15 a.m., he has more time in the afternoon that he did last year. His soccer season has started, he joined Awanas at church on Wednesday nights, and Scouts meet on Mondays. It's a busy schedule!

I've been busy with the usual. I'm also looking for a job. I will probably be taking some classes in the next year, also. (Oh yes, we attended a wedding and I attended a funeral since I last blogged). The photo is from the wedding we attended.

Next Tuesday is my turn to have the Bunco group at my house, so the next few days will be filled with house/yard cleaning.

I haven't cross stitched at all the last few weeks, but I plan to get back on track! I have been keeping up with my blogroll visits, though, and I am very inspired.

I have lost 12 lbs. Go me! It's not much, but it's better than gaining 12...right?! Now if I could just lose the rest of extra lbs., that would be awesome!

I'm still busy dragging out all our belongings! What a process! We painted our master bedroom and recarpeted. Boy, does it look better! We also hung 2" blinds in the windows and trashed the old ones (the old ones were 16 years old). We are hoping to sell our home soon so this is only the beginning. We still have to tile 2 bathrooms, paint them, and maybe replace a tub.

Per Doctor's orders, DH is having to stick to a no sugar, bread, rice or potatoes diet. You would be amazed at the food that has sugar. It has been quite an education to learn what he can eat. In 2 weeks, he lost 8 lbs! I told him I would follow the same diet which can't hurt (especially if the result is losing a few lbs.!) We shall see....

I finally received a letter from my DS/20 who is in Basic Combat Training for the Army!! He's been there since Sept. 18th. He's doing okay. I'm sure he'll be fine, but it was still a relief to hear from him.

I have stitched on Gathering Honey a bit, and have made some progress.

Also, my Bunko night was last night. We dressed in costumes. I was a tiger. The best costume winner was actually a tie between two ladies who had the same costume. They were designed and made by one of the two ladies. Instead of the Spice Girls, they were "The Dice Girls"! They had on black tops and pants with large dice appliqued on them. They had square hats that were also dice. All the costumes were great, but these were especially original and creative. Hopefully, I can share some pics soon.

DH will be performing at the National Shrimpfest in Gulf Shores, AL, this Thursday and Friday. You can get more info here....

Last, but certainly not least, today my husband and I have been married 15 years. I look forward to the rest of our lives together.

Finally, a progress pic of Gathering Honey! I've stitched the bottom inside portion of the "frame", the bottom portion of the verse, 1 bee, and the start of the leaves and strawberries. I've only backstitched the bee and the center section of the "frame". I know several of you are stitching this pattern, also, but you won't be able to get an accurate feel for the time it takes to actually stitch this by my progress. I have put it down several times, and not stitched at all for weeks. I have really enjoyed stitching it so far.

Some of the reasons my blogging and stitching has been sporadic of late....

We are having a lot of life changes in my family at the moment.
I've been visiting a loved one in the hospital regularly.
I'm looking for a job, (one with an actual paycheck)
I'm trying to find a place for my mom to live
We need to complete a few large projects around the house
Still de-cluttering and simplifying

...to name a few.

DH is on the road again with the band. He'll post some pics probably by tomorrow. Check it out.

A stitching update...finally! I've finished the "hedges" in the upper right corner of the garden. Then, I moved to the lower left corner and stitched 3 of the 4 rows of plants. The green x's are part of the fourth veggie row. I've completed them, but I need to take another progress photo.

We celebrated Valentine's Day over the weekend by dining at Bonefish Grill. Ymmmm! We had a delicious meal! HAPPY VALENTINE"S DAY TO ALL OF YOU!



DH is performing this Friday and Saturday night for release parties for the new Fried Glass Onions, Memphis Meets the Beatles Volume II CD. Both CD release parties are at Heartsong Church. You can get all the info here.

I finally finished cross stitching the upper left corner of Gathering Honey. Next, I backstitched that corner. I had not backstitched the stones yet, so I backstitched all the stones in the path. Lastly, I backstitched the beehive in the center. Now, it really looks like a hive, instead of a bell (which was my son's "guess" on the blob in the center LOL). Now I'm working on the upper right corner's "bushes" around the edge. I still love this design, which is a good thing, since I have a looooong way to go!

New Year's Eve was great! My DH had a televised gig on TV (Countdown on Beale) which was a lot of fun. Over 75,000 people attended the event, and a few thousand saw the performance live, while many more watched by TV. In the past, we normally aren't even up at midnight on New Year's Eve, but this was a nice change. (DH is on the left in the white shirt)

We all had a very good Christmas. I got the twin size Aero bed I wanted (to take on our yearly Girl's Gathering), and some Beautiful perfume. My DH got a bike, so now we can all ride together. DS/8 got PS2 games, a Taylor guitar, and a media chair that plugs into his game system. My DD/24 and her fiance got lots of items for their home. DS/19 got items for his apartment. The biggest gift we got was just being together. I'm so thankful that most of our family lives nearby.

Looking forward to the New Year....
DH will be playing in the Countdown on Beale St. tonight and it will be televised on Channel 5 in Memphis. They will be performing at 10:20 p.m. , if you want to tape it, or better yet, celebrate downtown with us!

I have been getting a little stitching time squeezed in here and there, so I'll post a pic very soon. I'll also post some pics of Christmas when they are transferred. Gotta go for now....

But first...

Today is my DH's birthday! Maybe we'll go out to lunch (great idea!)... He reads my blog, so Happy Birthday, Honey! Two of his gifts were the cd's at the left, The Very Best of Supertramp and The Alan Parsons Project: The Definitive Collection. Boy, do these songs bring back memories!

I've backstitched some of the stones on Gathering Honey and all of the upper right corner of the garden area. I want to backstitch the hive before posting a progress pic.

I have really loved seeing all the photos of CATS and the stitching retreats that some of you have posted on your blogs. I've never been to anything like that. I think it would be great fun. Maybe someday.

Today, DH is on his way to Gulf Shores, AL, to play music at the National Shrimpfest. He'll play today at 2 p.m. and tomorrow at 4 p.m. If you are going to the Shrimpfest, be sure to check out the band & Dani. DH took the new digital camera with him, so I'll post some more progress pics when he returns home.

Last Friday, DH and I went to see Henry Gross in concert. He was one of our favorite musicians when we were still in high school. Henry has still got "it", the voice and the showmanship. For those of you are saying, "Henry who?", well, maybe you remember some of his songs..."Shannon" and "Show Me To The Stage". DH got his picture taken with him. How cool is that?! We had a great time reliving the memories of some of the tunes.

I actually got some stitching done and I will take a pic as soon as I can borrow my DD's camera.
(Henry Gross and DH at Blues City Cafe, Memphis)

These past few days have been very busy.

• Last Tuesday was Bunko night at my house. We all had a great time.
• Wednesday night was church/choir night.
• Thursday night was DH's gig at the Shanti Steak House. (DS/8 and I didn't go, but worked on homework.)
• Friday night, DH played a gig at Isaac Hayes.
• Saturday, DH had a gig at City Cafe in Holly Springs, MS. It was a Jimmy Buffett Tribute. It was a fun night.
• Sunday, we went to church and had a potluck lunch.

Yesterday, DH finally had his appointment for the neuro dr. to read his MRI and discuss treatment. He has a ruptured disk (L4) and he is having a nerve block on Monday. He will begin physical therapy soon. He'll be off work for at least another 3 weeks. He's already been on sick leave for about 1 month.

DD and I went to Macy's and she picked out her china pattern and silverware. The china she picked is Vera Wang's "Golden Grosgrain" Dinnerware Collection.

As for cross stitching, I haven't stitched one "x"! I hope I can squeeze in some time on Gathering Honey in the next day or so. I miss it. Cross stitching keeps me sane, I think.

DH went on a road trip with the band and Dani to the BayDays Festival in Hampton, VA, last Thursday. They had 3 gigs, one on the way, and the other 2 were at the festival. On Friday night, they were the headliner. On Saturday, they warmed up Bo Diddley, the famous guitarist! DH got to visit with him in Bo's trailer and got a photo with him. DH was supposed to arrived back home Sunday night. Instead, the trailer, that hauls the music equipment, broke an axle. So, DH had to spend another night and he should arrive home this evening.

I've been trying to get the house in order because I have Bunko at our home tomorrow night! The kitchen is about 85% complete, and I hope we can knock some more of the work out tomorrow during the day. The great room has gotten in such a mess that it has been a "de-cluttering process" before I could begin to clean.

I still have to buy the food for Bunko and clean the house. I have already bought the gifts for the winners. I'll try to get a photo of them.

DS/8 has a soccer game tonight, so this will be a late night for me.

I haven't cross stitched any, but I can't wait to get back to it.

Here's a review from a couple in the audience last night during DH's gig. The review is the Aug. 11th post. "Le Chat" and her fiance came to hear the concert in Court Square. Dani and her band put on a great show. This particular couple had front row seats, so they got a close up view of the band and Dani's performance.

It is always nice to get feedback following gigs, especially when it's so complimentary!

Here's a photo of DS/8 enjoying the concert, also.

On Monday I went back to Dr. Brain. Since the medicine he gave me helped my migraines, he doesn't need to see me again for a year (unless the migraines get more frequent). He did tell me that the MRI scans were consistent with having migraines and he didn't think it looked like MS. Well, that's a relief!

Tuesday was Bunco night. It was a great time. I won the "door prize": 2 sets of tongs. One set of tongs will even lock. They are really cool. Next month is my turn to have Bunco at my home. My house needs a lot of painting and repairs, so not as much stitching will happen in the next few weeks.

Thanks for all your comments on Gathering Honey. It really motivates me. 12 women coming to my home in a few weeks will hopefully motivate me to patch holes, paint, lay carpet, etc. Hopefully, we'll get it done in time.

Tonight DH played with Dani and the band at the Summer Concert Series at Court Square in downtown Memphis. It was hot and humid, but when the sun went down, it was tolerable. The radio station, FM100, was the host. The music was great and the crowd seemed to enjoy it. A coworker of DH's even brought some friends from England. (DH hurt his back so he wasn't able to do the splits like he usually does at the end of the show......Just kidding!)

I'm making progress on my cross stitch WIP, Gathering Honey. The lower right corner of the garden is "planted" , I mean to say, stitched. I also backstitched that area because it would have been too tedious to go back later. I haven't backstitched the stones or hive yet. I am enjoying this project so far. I get to use a lot of my favorite colors, which is nice, and there are lots of color changes so I haven't gotten burned out on any one particular shade. I tried to keep up with my time (even bought a timer), but I've failed at it miserably so far. I'll try to do better.

Thursday, I registered DS/8 for 3rd grade (school starts Aug. 15th). It's hard to believe his summer break is almost over! He took some beginner swim lessons this week and started practices for soccer.

We've had a busy few days with DH's music schedule, also. Thursday night he played at Rum Boogie Cafe and Friday night he played at B.B. Kings on Beale Street. Both shows went great and the crowds responded well to the music. This Wednesday, he'll be playing at Court Square for the Summer Concert Series.