I'm all better now!

My living room has become Santa's workshop and I have two skog-elves to help me. I've pretty much caught up on the shopping I had originally planned to do last weekend, before I got sick. I need to double-check my list, but I think I'm done with Christmas present shopping. I have two more gifts to finish sewing. Then I can concentrate on wrapping and decorating. Cards are almost finished being addressed. I'm on top of things this year.

I've had to put aside my raincoat sewing. I'll get back to it soon.

As I was buying a bottle of vanilla that cost nearly $10 and that I'm hoping is large enough for all my holiday baking, I was reminded of a gift tip in my Amy Sedaris book (see sidebar at right). She recommends vanilla as a hostess gift for someone who likes to bake because it's so expensive. Keep that in mind when you're running into Stop & Shop or Safeway on the way to someone's party, desparate for a gift to bring that is thoughtful yet effortless.

Also, if you give someone stationary or note cards as a gift, include a book of stamps. That's not specifically from Amy, but it's what I inferred from some of her advice.

I have a lot of free time on my hands.

Germs.

I'm sick. I've been asleep for days. I woke up Thursday morning feeling a little sniffly, but by noontime I had massive sinus pain. I thought I'd just take a nap and then be fine for dinner with my friends. Not really. I woke up long enough to call and tell them I couldn't make it. I'm sorry I missed it but I couldn't get off the couch.

Saturday I was feeling better and went to Mike's cousin's home for the family Thanksgiving. I daresay I even felt great until I woke up Sunday morning and seemed to have a relapse. More sleeping.

Better today. Good enough to work.

My Hero

I was feeling a little blue this morning, but then I remembered that as I was watching Heroes last night I thought about browsing the internet to find pictures of Peter Petrelli, The Boy Who Could Fly (right). So I did that and I'm all cheered up now. I am a dork.

I think I must be dozing off during the show sometimes because I learned some things in last night's episode that I think the audience is supposed to know already. Like, Peter's power isn't really flying. He absorbs the powers of those around him. I don't want to say much more. Everyone really should start watching. You can catch up with the episode guide: Heroes.

celebrity!

I'm not a huge Imus fan, but I am a big fan of my friend Vicky. Imus or someone on his staff noticed an entry in her blog. Go to The Imus Show Blog and scroll down to the November 19th entry. See The Mummy Chronicles there?

And I was excited when the PRGayBoys responded to a little ol' email I sent them.

Great publicity Vicky!

yes

What Pseudo Historical Figure Best Suits You?
created with QuizFarm.com

I know I don't normally clog up this space with quizzes, but I'm very happy with these results.

And I'm still a little tired from my Saturday night out and don't have the energy right now to offer anything more creative or enlightening.

Think Pink! Garment List

Okay, I could probably blog about my SWAP all day long. For now, here is my list of planned clothing.

1. Reversible Coat. One side is a boucle that has pink, brown, and purple in it. The other side is a candy pink twill. Modified from Simplicity 4403.
2. Jacket in white cotton pique. New Look 6487.
3. Wrap Dress in "Raspberry Sparkle" rayon jersey. New Look 6429.
4. Wrap Dress in "Elephant" rayon jersey. New Look 6429.
5. Shirt Dress in photographic floral print cotton. Modified from Simplicity 7731 (a vintage pattern).
6. Shirt Dress in tan cotton twill. Modified from Simplicity 7731 (a vintage pattern).
7., 8., + 9. Simple Ts in celery, lilac, and aubergine rayon jersey knits. Jalie 2005.
10. Skirt in solid gray. New Look 6570. --Done! 1/2/07
11. Floral print skirt. McCall's 3341. --Done! 1/2/07

Some pics of my fabrics and patterns.

Oh, and my raincoat fabric arrived yesterday! I started cutting out the pattern piece immediately. I love this fabric.

Think Pink!

I'm pleased to show off my SWAP storyboard!

Think Pink!
Subtitle: Pink is the color of breast cancer awareness. Visit AvonFoundation.org or Komen.org for more information.

Do a Good Deed

I ran my miles in the fight against breast cancer, but the journey is not over. My friend Vicky is walking for the cure in Washington, D.C. next year. Please consider a donation to her team here. It's the season of giving.

having kittens

Do I really need these? Oscar de la Rentas on sale until Friday... I have two days to think about it. They have some good reviews from Zappos.com. I've never ordered from Zappos but I've heard good things about their shipping and return policies, from their own testimonials and from people I actually know.

It seems like I'm splurging quite a bit on myself lately. But I'm also buying and making many Christmas presents. I can't post much about them in case the recipients read this. And I'm staying on top of housework and healthy eating. I sent Mike a box of home-baked cookies. I think I've earned a couple gifts for myself. When I buy fabric I have to actually make the fabulous clothes. These shoes will take no work at all.

I think it would be too much print if I wore them with my yet-to-be-made raincoat. So what else in my wardrobe, existing or planned, can they be worn with? They would definitely fab up a couple dresses and skirts I have.

Rationalizing, rationalizing.

I have a sickness

I'm obsessed with wanting to make coats. I was browsing fabric.com and I was supposed to be shopping for linings and keeping my eye out for 2 more shirt fabrics, all for my SWAP. But I was diverted by faux furs on sale. I bought two different ones. So, I have four potential coat fabrics now. At least one has to be used for my SWAP. One definitely has to be a raincoat. What in the world am I going to do with four coats? Especially two furs?

beep, beep!

The car's working again! Yay! As it turns out, changing the battery is the easy part. Lifting the battery is the hard part. Luckily I had a friend on call to help me out. He did all the heavy lifting and I baked cookies. Fair trade I'd say.

Now, where should I drive to?

Fabric Luv

To divert my mind from car troubles and other minor annoyances, I made an impulse buy of four yards of snakeskin print water resistant fabric for making a rain coat. Fabric and image from Emma One Sock.

For my SWAP, I've chosen a pink boucle for the coat that will be the centerpiece of the collection. It is so cozy and soft and rich that I just want to wrap up in the fabric and sleep all day. (The raincoat will match the SWAP colors, but I most likely won't include it as a final piece. Ideally I'd like to have it finished well before the SWAP sewing begins.)

In other news, I have a date tomorrow for meeting a friend to buy and replace a car battery. Thank goodness I don't need the car every day and so can take care of this at a leisurely pace. Dealing with the car this week has distracted me from my attempts at fabulousness. (Maybe that explains my sudden urge to make fabulous coats? I can plan "fabulous" much more easily than I can do "faboulous".)

Also, I just wanted to say that it's no mistake that Foucault's Pendulum has been on my "Currently Readling" list for months. It's taking me a long time to finish it. It's dense. And I have to stop every couple of weeks to rest and read something else.

Fab.

I feel inspired by Swagger Design to try and be more fabulous. Since I work from home I find myself wearing jeans, t-shirts, and flip-flops or sneakers every day, even when I leave the house. So, armed with inspiration and information I'm going to try and make an effort. Wear jackets to pull an outfit together when I'm out of the house. Even if that outfit is jeans and a t-shirt, wearing nice, clean, well-fitting jeans and t-shirts will make a difference. Wear shoes other than flip-flops and old sneakers. I do like wearing heels and skirts, but feel like they are too dressy for trips to Target and the grocery store.

I don't have kids. I don't commute. I should have the energy stored away somewhere for making myself look more presentable on a regular basis.

One thing I do feel good about is my workout routine. I've graduated to doing some of my arm reps while sitting on the giant ball. I told Mike last night that I'll be well-balanced by the time he gets home. And I thought I caught a glimpse of a tiny bicept popping up.

I am also planning a fabulous SWAP! Details forthcoming. I'm almost done with my plan.

Vote Vote Vote Vote

I voted this morning. One night last week I set aside some time to find and go over my sample ballot, and it made me feel better about voting. Then I watched that HBO documentary and it made me scared again. But I decided to go out and do it. My polling place was at someone's house, which was weird. I'd never heard of that. But I brought my trusty sample ballot with me, very carefully filled in the circles, and scanned my ballot away. Hope it works!

Now I can succomb to the head cold I woke up with this morning and over-indulge on MSNBC election coverage. (I *heart* one of their newer political analysts, Mike Barnacle. What a great name.) Keep an eye on the Rhode Island senate race bewteen Chaffee and Whitehouse. To me that's the most exciting one, knowing Rhode Islanders and their finnicky ways.

If you missed Hacking Democracy last night, or if you want to revisit it, The Daily Show's Resident Expert John Hodgman does a fantastic analysis of voting machine technology. The episode reruns today (Friday) at 2 pm and 8 pm.