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Happy cookie day! This weekend was one of my sporadic "make and bake" weekends...except, I only did the baking part. I made several batches of cookies: (clockwise from left) Gingersnaps, Snickerdoodles and Shortbread. They are for a Halloween party at Corrupt & Cutie's house this coming weekend. I'm so excited with how perfectly they came out! (Unlike the photo, which is unbelievably blurry, even after touching-up.) It makes me want to bake dozens more cookies! Although, I feel my cookie-mania is a bit ill-timed. I fear if I get carried away crazily creating cookies, I'll be burned out baking-wise when the holidays (with their requisite sweet edibles) roll around. I've already experienced a bit of foreshadowing when this past summer I went a bit overboard with banana bread. It'll be a while before I make anything even remotely resembling a quick bread. [shudder]

Inspired

Well, here I go again! I've been lurking around a few sites recently that have inspired me to get in touch with my sewing side...and reunite with my blog, which has lain so patiently all these months.

I was flip-flopping on starting the Wardrobe Refashion challenge. While I am confident I can avoid buying anything new off-the-rack, I doubt my abilities as a seamstress to be able to assemble clothing that I could actually wear out in public that wasn't a costume. But...it is a challenge, right? What the hell!

I, The Mad Tatter, pledge that I shall abstain from the purchase of "new" manufactured items of clothing, for the period of 4 months. I pledge that I shall refashion, renovate, recycle preloved items for myself with my own hands in fabric, yarn or other medium for the term of my contract. I pledge that I will share the love and post a photo of my refashioned, renovoated, recycled, crafted or created item of clothing on the Wardrobe Refashion blog, so that others may share the joy that my thriftyness brings! Signed, The Mad Tatter.

Let the insanity...er, I mean, the craftiness begin!

Finally!

Remember those gloves that the dapper gentleman in the picture below is modeling? (Go ahead and take a peek...I'll wait.) Well, I finally finished them. The right glove went so well that I should have known that the left one would give me problems. Yeah, I only had to restart the &@#ing thing 10 times. Yes, 10. Of course, now that I've had so much practice, I could probably whip out a pair in my sleep in about 2 days, which is good, because I owe a pair to my sister and a pair to my father. [Sigh] I need to hone my sizing skills a little. The right glove is noticeably larger than the left one and the left pinky is a little too short. I blame that last part on my anxiety to finish the glove. In any case, I will post pictures as soon as I unload all my pictures from summer vacation from my digital camera.

We remember

For all those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks five years ago today...

Fast forward

Well, I am back again. We'll see for how long.

Update: I have graduated from Kent State University with my Bachelor of Arts in English. The whole teaching thing didn't work out. It seems to be for the best, though. I ended up moving back home, so all my stuff is taking up half the garage, which my father is hoping to have back before the snow flies. I have recently landed an editing job at Thomson West. I'm really excited about the company and I'm looking forward to retiring from there. Now, I just need to find an apartment...

I have more time for knitting now, so I have started a pair of cabled gloves. I actually found a pattern that included an intarsia snowflake pattern, but since I have never made gloves before, I thought I'd try something a little less complicated. Of course, I've never done cables before, but it seemed a little less threatening than working with more than one color.

I was a baking fool this weekend. I made 2 apple pies, 4 dozen apple cinnamon muffins from scratch, and 2 dozen frosted cupcakes. I wanted to make a coffee cake and some English muffins, but I just don't think the house is large enough to contain that many baked goods. Next weekend.

It's so weird having so much free time. I keep thinking that I need to be doing something, like studying or writing a paper. It is very bizarre that I lament that there is nothing on T. V. when a few months ago, I wasn't even watching it.

Crawling out from under my rock...and a new idea

Well, I've decided to rejoin the blogging world. How I've missed it!

I came up with an interesting idea yesterday. After reading the new challenge for Self Portrai Tuesday, I wanted to start something new and totally random--something to do with a journal. So, I thought and I looked at fabric and [REFRAINED from buying any!!!] I got a pizza and I picked up a sketch journal and I came home and I thought of verbs.

Yes, verbs, those funny little words that make you DO things. I thought it might be fun if I could be given three verbs a day and I had to go do them. While all verbs are open to interpretation, some are easier to adapt than others. For example: "surf" Lacking much of a wave center here in Kent, OH, I could surf the internet. Not overly flexible. But "play" or "think"--the possibilities are endless! With "think" I am going to encourage myself to think of something new or challenging.

So, last night I combed through a few issues of a certain temporal magazine I had lying around and started cutting our verbs. Useful verbs, mind you. Nothing harmful or destructive.

Now, drumroll please..........the words for today are:

THINK

TAKE

DRIVE

Speaking of take, I was wishing that I would take my digital camera everywhere I went yesterday. I saw an SUV that had some truly awesome Star Wars stickers on it [Sith Happens and WARNING: fully-charged light saber on board!] and I met a cat with two names at an art supply store.

Well, off I go! Got some verbs that need to get done.

That's me all over

You Are a Seeker Soul

You are on a quest for knowledge and life challenges. You love to be curious and ask a ton of questions. Since you know so much, you make for an interesting conversationalist. Mentally alert, you can outwit almost anyone (and have fun doing it!). Very introspective, you can be silently critical of others. And your quiet nature makes it difficult for people to get to know you. You see yourself as a philosopher, and you take everything philosophically. Your main talent is expressing and communicating ideas. Souls you are most compatible with: Hunter Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?