Thanksgiving passes, and Halloween cometh.

Since I'm Canadian, Thanksgiving was last weekend. That means I have very little time to make our Halloween costumes. It also means that the frost has started to appear in the mornings.*sigh* The girls are both being Smurfette, and I think I've decided on bright blue sweatsuits to go under their white dresses. It can be really cold on Halloween here, and they need to be able to go outside. I want to be City Hunter. Only, you know, I'm not a guy. So, a female ninja? City Ninja? In military coat and boots, maybe? Truth be told, I just like the black flu mask. Sad, but true. (Who thinks I could use it as an excuse to get new boots!?!?)

Thanksgiving in Saskatchewan. Yes, that is the moon.

We had a lot of fun at the farm for Thanksgiving. Got to see the twins, and my bigger niece too. My little daughter spent the whole time whispering everything in my ear so quiet, it was more like breathing heavy. She gets soooo shy. The big one changed diapers all weekend. Since it was also Hangeul Day, we got our names. Amaryce = 연미 (yon-mee), Gwendolynn = 수경 (soo-kyong), and Ellora = 예은 (yay-eun). They seem about perfect to me. I love them!

I have a head and hands in need of a body. Polymer clay, not real! (You're morbid!) I'm thinking wizened, feathered, and maybe he eats ants.

His eyes aren't really blue like this. They are actually an iridescent black. Doesn't he look like a friendly bug eater? Like a happy old bird. Now I just need to find the time to make him a body. I've never done a whole body before, so it should be interesting!

Don't you just love him?

Anyone ever done a wrapped wire body before? Any tips?

Hangeul Day Project

Hangeul is the name of the writing in Korea. October 9th is Hangeul Day. The website we are using to learn Korean from is called Talk To Me In Korean. The teachers from the site are putting on a display of Hangeul written by their students this year, and we thought it would be fun to submit entries. Since I do almost nothing without fibre in it, I thought it might be fun to try out a new batik technique I saw recently. Turns out that as long as your dye uses cold water, you can actually use white glue as your resist! So, first I picked what to write.

 My first attempt. Sloppy, and way too big.

I decided to write "I Love South Korea". Well, sort of. As close as I can tell, since I don't speak Korean well yet. It took hours to get the words looking like I wanted, and then I finally got to the shirt.

 

The glue is applied.

I placed my stencil, written in washable black marker, under my shirt, and added a layer of glue in the lines. This took longer than anticipated. A lot longer. Turns out I can only manage this with a toothpick. I don't know if it was because I was using old glue, or maybe the brand is just thick, but it really didn't run well. Then, I left it to dry. ALL DAY!! Actually, once I put a fan on it, it went a lot faster, but still.

The inside after drying.

After is was no longer tacky, I turned it inside out and removed the excess paper. Now, the instructions implied that all of the paper should be glued on. This was my first sign of trouble.

First of the dye.

I got out the easy tie-dye kit I had hiding in my stash, and got out the red. I started by squirting it on, but it didn't look like I had enough, so I put it in a spray bottle, and that seemed to work better. This shot is after the front top half was covered. I then flipped it, and did the back. Once the bottle was empty, I filled it with water again, and did the bottom half, front and back. Then, following the directions, I sealed with plastic.

Sealed with wrap. Doom imminent.

I left this for about 2 hours, and then I couldn't resist peeking. The glue was tacky again! I uncovered it, and paced around, thinking I'd screwed up. I spent hours coming up with fun, but labour-intensive ways to save it if the words weren't visible, and then finally went to bed.

I soaked the shirt for 10 minutes in cold water, and then spread it out for inspection. The words look a little lighter, and the washable marker did bleed a little, but only the last step will tell.

I tossed it in a hot water wash, as instructed. Two, actually. And then I dried it on hot in the dryer. And...voila!!

My submission.

The shirt isn't red, that's for sure, but I still like it. I definitely needed another coat of glue beforehand, and another shot of dye in the end, but it still worked ok! The writing on my neck is the hangeul for Hangeul Day. Doing that in the mirror is harder than it sounds!! 

This is Gwen's submission.

So, I sent off both pictures. However, I only got a response from Gwen's. I had fun making it, and I guess I'm okay if it doesn't get included, since it doesn't really look like writing, but still, I'm definitely pouting right now!! I would happily do one on paper, if I get response in time, but since it's the middle of the night there, and it's due tomorrow, I might be out of luck. Oh well. OH!! We requested Korean names, so we might get to see those on Oct. 9th, too. The girls are excited. I'm doing another shirt, long sleeved, with more writing, more glue, and in red and blue next. Watch for it, and let me know if you've ever tried batik!!

Happy International Talk Like A Pirate Day!! Give me Smurfs!

Arr, me mateys, have yee any Smurfs? Perhaps some blue paint with which to swab me chil'ns? Or some rum to make me Smurf search easier? Okay, that's annoying, isn't it? I'll stop now.

See, this year I need to make 2 Smurf costumes. Smurfette, to be precise. Sounds easy, right? Well, the only problem is that Hallowe'en here is generally below freezing, with a decent amount of snow. So, the kids need to be able to go out trick or treating in the costumes, but also wear them indoors at school all day. They  really loved the movie (who doesn't like NPH), but I was hoping I could do something more fun. I'm loving feathers lately.

 I really like this suit that Kim Junsu wore when they performed in Vancouver. See the feathers on the shoulders? They form a V in the back. (From withJYJ.)

I would love to do this for Hallowe'en for one my DD's.

(From MelissaJane Boutique.)

Or at least some traditional Korean clothing. They watch a lot of kdramas, listen to kpop, and are learning some Korean through Talk To Me In Korean. But alas, no, Smurfette it is.

I also get to get rid of 75% of my stuff, and we have to finish all of the renovation on our house, preferably by Christmas. Mind you, we can't find any land to move onto, but my DH can only commute the 3 hours a day for so long. I'll crank up the kpop, dream of feathers, and try to whittle down my extensive stash. *sigh*

Wow, a whole year.

Well, I got sick. But it is now being managed. My daughter's diabetic control went to crap while I was sick, but now I'm on top of that, too. And I have to move. Actually, I have to build a house. Now that I am, I'm starting to come out of my cave a little. Talking to people, doing research. It feels good to join the land of the living.

The girls and I are caught up in the Korean Wave, too. We watch Korean TV, listen to Korean music, and are learning the language. Anyone who is okay with reading subtitles should really see some of the movies. Sungkyunkwan Scandal is unbelievably sweet. We also think everyone should support K-pop artists. No matter your style, more R&B, more Hip Hop, more Pop, they have it. Dance music, ballads, and all with role models I like my kids looking up to. It's great!! My oldest DD and I are even learning the dance to Lucifer by SHINee! I haven't played with any fiber in so long, I'm getting tremors. So sad.:(

A Weekend Out

Well, I had all kinds of plans this weekend. Lots of things to get done. And then DH gets all excited about taking the kids to a lake we've never been to, and how can you say no? I've always been a sucker for the puppy eyes. The lake was a clean saline lake, so everything kind of got crusty when it dried, and of course, it was COLD. That is the sky of an impending thunderstorm, which we seem to just have every day now. Feels like Tornado Alley is creeping north.

Yes, the sky really does look like that. And no, I can't see my dog running away for days, I don't live in  that part of Saskatchewan. We also took the kids to Crooked Bush. All the aspen trees in this little grove are deformed, and they don't know why. Genetic mutation! It's kind of creepy, but very cool.

We got the Rosetta Stone Homeschool program for the girls. And me. French, Japanese, and Latin are what we're starting with. And Montessori math to keep DD's brain from going to sleep over the summer. Our summer is packed pretty solid, so not many days lazing around the house. Hopefully I'll have lots of time to actually DO something fun and personal while they do "schoolwork". I think I'm finally going to do an infinity dress. I really need something for the summer, and maybe doing something quick that I can wear will inspire me. So far, I keep thinking "I can't go play, I have to...." But I'm going a little crazy!!

I am going to a movie, without the kids, on Saturday. And yes, this is my first adult movie out since the kids were born. I'm not even taking my DH! Well, not adult movie, chick movie. Eclipse. Out in public, with other people, as a person, not a mom! I feel a little weird. We shall see whether I miss them, or feel like I'm free. I've been on dates, and the odd candle or purse party, but never to the city for something not a doctor's appointment without them. In almost 7 years. Wow. Am I pathetic or what?

Birthdays!!!!

Well, it was my DH's 34th on June 10th, and he was a little spoiled. The girls made him a treasure chest cake, and they did almost all the work themselves.

Of course, the gold coins had Disney fairies on them, and the cake had to be reinforced by icing, since it fell apart during construction, but it still tasted great. He got pen kits for his lathe from me, and a tackle box from the girls. Since it was his birthday, we went to the lake with the in-laws. It was really nice, we'd never been to that lake before. We went golfing. Well, rode around in a rented golf cart for a couple of hours. I got a sunburn that prevented me from wearing anything that touched my back, or really even moving, for 3 days. And I was wearing sunscreen!

My poor little diabetic DD is too small for her tricycle. We had to get her one for up to three, even though she's 3 1/2. She's a little afraid of falling, but we got that covered. Now if she falls, she just bounces! No scrapes, nothing! All that birthday cake and camping food meant her glucose readings were through the roof all weekend, and we were up all night, with her crying. The insulin just doesn't act fast enough sometimes! I didn't get anything "fun" done recently, and to make matters worse, I got a Sony Reader as an early birthday present, so now I have one more other thing to do! It has RSS capabilities, as well as the books, and audio, and pictures, so I may not get to anything in a timely fashion!! Not enough hours in the day! On the bright side, I have a place saved at a playschool in the fall, so I can start to get some time to myself. Because of the diabetes, it's just one morning a week to start, but some time is better than no time!!

More Time?

My physiotherapist gave me an okay to return to active duty, and my kinesiologist gave me some new exercises. That means that I no longer have almost 2 hours a day of exercises to do! Which is nice, because they didn't actually help me lose weight, or get in better shape, they just increased my flexibility and forced my discs back in my spine. Now, I have real exercises, and am starting to get desperate for yoga and bellydance. I just got Rachel Brice's Arms and Posture video, and figured that it was in line with the exercises I have prescribed, so why not?

I was also thinking of a project to give my DD. She seems to be missing me a lot (I'm either stretching or purging for the garage sale), and I wanted to give her something. I thought I could make her a friendship bracelet while we have movie night. She loves the idea of sympathetic magic - she tries to save all her toenail clippings and hair - so I thought I could put some of my hair in it. She could wear it to school, and feel like part of me was with her. 

My DH spent some time in his garage, and then gave me this. I only hope that I'll get as much time to do my own thing. But , y'know, not likely. He started on another large blank, and I bought him some pen kits for his upcoming birthday. Meanwhile, there is a project waiting on my cutting table, a head that needs a body, and a mask that needs painting. And I'm slowly gaining back the few pounds I lost now that I'm a recovering cripple. Oh well, microseconds are just not enough!