brookaloo

loch ness girl

remember growing up and being a horse girl? i went through that phase in 4th grade. i loved the appaloosa. deep in my heart though i've always been a loch ness monster girl. i can remember checking out the same loch ness book at the library week after week. so needless to say, i've never quite got over my obsession with the loch ness. when it comes to crafting ideas, i tend to gravitate towards what i love, so it's natural that i would have to crate a loch ness monster softie it took me a few tries to get the pattern size just right, and i had to experiment with the eyes, still don't know which ones i like the best. i made 5 total, and don't know what to do with them yet. i'd love to make more loch ness inspired items, t-shirts, patches, notebooks, it's a theme i can take a lot of places! come on who doesn't need a loch ness monster spoon rest with matching apron and oven mitts? i'm aslo inspired by big foot, goat boy, and ufos. i don't think i'll ever get those things out of my system. i've been a big fan of ufo's for quite awhile, and even though i haven't really continued on all the writing and "research" if you could call it that i used to do, i still have a blast talking about it. needless to say, i loved the new "indiana jones" movie. so right on! my reading tends not not reflect my love for all things unusual. i'm currently reading the new David Sedaris book, just finished "dog man" loved it. and 2nd and 3rd on my list are "pledged" by alexandra robbins, and "the shadow of the wind" by carlos ruiz zafon. i'm open to further suggestions.

summertime

schools out, well has been for a week now, and we are still working on a good routine.  this is the first summer that i have had to work, and so it's been sort of a challenge since i take the girls with me.  in order to assure they would not get themselves in all sorts of trouble, i went with the first option i could think of, bribing them. money is a great motivator with my girls and so far it has worked wonderfully.  but they don't come cheap, but it is cheaper than hiring a babysitter and i can get a lot done with minimal stress.  

The garden is doing great.  the beans are growing what seems like an inch a day, the tomatoes are filling out nicely.  my spinach and greens are well green, yahoo.  this is the first year that i have really stuck to making the garden grow.  i do have this $%#@ dog that has made her way in the fence some how a few times.  i'm pretty sure that they could here me down the block yelling threats of sending her off with some gypsies, a threat that i usually save for the girls.  i have since reinforced the fence with more fence, and she can't get in there anymore, if she does, then she is a ninja.

we had our neighborhood yard sale a couple weekends ago.  i wasn't as excited this year, only because i really want to get rid of stuff more than get more stuff.  i also get this overwhelming anxiety about the sale. the neighborhood gets kind of nuts, and i'm a freak about timing.  i can't stand to wait around for everyone (meaning other members of my family) to look. i have to basically be on my own so i can browse quickly and move on.  i'm pretty sure that shawn hates to go to garage sales with me.  but we did get some good stuff, hockey skates, roller blades, books, lots of books, some artwork, and these things too:

vintage table cloths and runners for 50 cents each.

cute kittens

the girls and i drove about 25 miles on thursday to go to this tiny little church rummage sale, the church was tiny, but the sale was huge.  we all scored some fun stuff, me lots of old patterns and books, the girls got knick nacks, and craft stuff, it was all so cheap, so it was worth the price in gas to get there.

I also got an old Husqvarna Viking 6000 sewing machine for $12!  it works great, maybe needs to be cleaned, but it is such a great machine.  so that was a great find.

it's tuesday, so we're off the the library.  summer reading has began, i'm reading "dog man" by Martha Sherrill.  it's making me feel very peaceful which i need since i have two dogs who are currently driving me crazy.