Here's to your nutrition

I made a feast last night! Salmon cakes, polenta, broccoli, with a honey dijon vinegrette. Yum!! I get flack for not eating well. Personally I think cooking for yourself is overrated and at the base of what's wrong with the world today. heehee. Anyways, here's my smorgasbourg fit for a Templeton Rat.


In other news; I slept through the inauguration and awoke to finish my slouchy hat. Don't worry folks I caught the speech later via videostream for my casual enjoyment. The hat was made out of yarn I recycled from a thrift store scarf I bought for a buck. It was exactly the type of yarn I was looking for and worked perfectly since it unraveled really easily. The pattern was called sneaky snakes slouchy hat and I'm proud to say I did not divert at all from the pattern, though now would make some changes to it. It came out rather well I'll say.

I'm soon to be off to bellydance with a newly jangled belt I adourned with cut apart necklaces I found appropriately in a necklace store. Pics of that to come but here's my just done hat!


Perhaps tonight I'll start the beret I've been commissioned to make for Papa!

Warm Snake Arms

Finished my bellydance arm warmers! I suppose they don't have to just be for bellydancing but that was what I made them for so that's what I'm calling them. They're a little different from each other but it's not hugely noticeable so I'll ignore it. I find I'm a fly by the seat of my pants kind of knitter. Sort of using a pattern but not really using it. I wasn't sure two skeins of this bulky stuff would be enough but it turned out to be just right and up to the elbows like I wanted.

I do believe I'm going to knit some knee high socks next if I can figure out the foot part. Or possibly a belly top since I'm on the things to wear to bellydance class kick (currently I'm crocheting arm bands to go with a belt I did).

Had a good day today with a museum, indian food, and a movie all with good company. I've been craving indian food and I don't know if I satisfied it completely since I'm a little mouth watery over thinking about samosas but I dampered it.

The penn museum of archeology is quite a place with tons of neat stuff to oogle. I can't even process all I saw but a few things stuck out like chinese lions, islamic moonlights, a huge crystal ball, and Qilin statues that I wanted to ride (half dragon half lions).

I'm sad I ate all my marzipan piggies but dark chocolate with caramel filling is mighty good!

Oh to be a honey bee...

Pollenatin flowers and buzzin around in the springtime breeze.

But I only have chilling wind howling at my puppies ears. Oh well, to savor the spring we must swallow the winter I guess. or something. This puppy makes me feel warm and snugly though.


While I haven't been a honey bee, I have been a busy bee! knitting left and right, crocheting and making prints all for christmas. Those that follow this blog probably already know this, since they were the benefactors of my handmade gifts this year, except Robby who was MIA! I got everything done knitting up to the last minute (literally) and now I've moved on to projects for little 'ol selfish me.

Currently I'm working on some bellydance goodies like a belt and arm warmers. I have one arm warmer done and it looks amazing!! and..I have no idea how I'm going to replicate it for the other arm. hmm. rats buckets.

here's a few of the gifts;


Mama's bird print I made but didn't sign (I will I promise!)

And Ishmael's print for his birthday.



I made knittings for Amy and Eric. Amy got a cell phone cozy and ankle warmers. Eric got a camera case and soap in a sweater. (It felts in the shower and shrinks with the soap. cool!)

And Kasia got to open her gifts! Umm, those aren't all hers, though she did try to open them. Such a good puppy waiting all day and really being tortured by them sitting there!


Finally!!!


And making his debut in my blog is Miles, my belly. My Christmas belly!


ate waaayyy too much yorkshire pudding. mmmm.

New Years tomorrow... which doesn't usually mean big stuff to me, but something will be done I'm sure. Kasia hasn't shared her resolutions but she was making a list. Donny called her fat so maybe trimming down is on it!

I should be sleeping...

But I have beats running through my head.

This week has been full of BuildaBridge activities. We had our ending celebration on Wed. night. We made pizzas with the kids and their families. They had their dance celebration while they cooked, and then everyone sat down to fellowship together.

After that I picked up Ishmael from the tea house and since we didn't have time to go to the Tulva throat singing concert, we decided to see a movie and get some duck dinner. Papa had us both craving duck after thanksgiving so we had some really good asian dishes and caught the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It was a good flick. I reccomend it (not too graphic for you ma) I love going to movies by myself, though, I have to say it's fun to sit next to someone :)

Today I just got done with the Latin rythym workshop I signed up to help with. It was totally worth only getting 3 hours of sleep after working an overnight shift. Held out on 43rd street in a huge church, I walked into the office not knowing where to go. There was a group of women laughing at one of the toddlers strutting around in diapers, cowboy boots, sunglasses, and a scarf. Really cute and a good way to start things out. Found where to go and went downstairs to help set up. We had a proffessional drummer, Josh, running things and ready to teach instrument making and beat laying.

The women and kids came downstairs, sleepy and a little not ready to have loud noises played. Josh started playing on one of the buckets, and you could tell everyone had no choice but to wake up fast. We played a couple games with making up beats and listening to each other. A few people weren't so enthusiastic but they warmed up in the next part where we made our instruments. Josh showed us how to make drums, shakers, and mallets out of everyday materials like cans and soda bottles. I helped the toddler from upstairs make a mallet and beat on a drum.

We sat in a circle and had a little jam session. Everyone was into it, all the kids were following the rythym and everyone did a solo. The people who were rolling their eyes were drumming and connecting with everyone and it was just really awesome. The young ones were following how to make different sounds and get the drum to change pitch. The teens were being really inventive with their drum creations and adding grips on the mallets. So much fun to be a part of this. I'll get some pictures up when I get them, but here's my drum and little shaker!



And now I sleep to be able to go to holiday party tonight with Ishmael without shut eyes. More fun!

~also, I have a print job on monday which is great! no so great it's right after my overnight but I'll deal. I can sleep anytime yes?

Motility at 95%

Ummm, that's not..... Yes. Yes they are.

Monoprint #2 in the series. (technically #3 but wasn't satisfied with the real 2nd)




Motility at 95%
I think that will be the title. Running some others through my head like;

The Race

Good Little Swimmers

Get the Bitch Pregnant (only people who I went to school with will get that one)

Stud Dog Meet Handler

pretty pleased with it! Next up: Blood Cells with Bartonella I think?



My Picture for Bike Riders Against Pneumonia. (so damn cold out)

Pups for Barack

I had my second culinary class at Project Rainbow, a daycare and service facility for women and their children in transitional homes. Chicken tenders were on the menu to make with a spin on the fried version, teaching healthier alternatives to cooking. The kids substituted olive oil, crushed crackers, and honey mustard for the fatty butter breading you fry up. I don't know if they were completely convinced but it was a fun process and cute to watch them sit down and eat what they made.

It's amazing how things can differ each week just within how the kids respond. The little boy who was so quiet and good last week was a bubbly explosion of hyper this week. It matters a lot of who they're paired with too, of course. One boy was focused on the music playing in the background and didn't really want to cook since he had made fried chicken the night before. But it's fun to try to change that around and he was interested that I took hip hop and started getting enthused when we talked about dancing = which helped get him enthused about chicken tenders! ha. I told him no wonder he was hesitant about cooking today since he seemed like a pro, which made him nod in agreement. so adorable.

Things only got slightly tizzied during the wait for the baking. Juice is a good havoc calmer though.

They started to eat the goods when mothers came in to round them up. They have little patience. The weaving workshop I helped with the other week was great in getting good interaction with the moms and kids. Half of getting the kids to stop calling each other stupid is to get the moms to stop calling them stupid.

a glimpse of my new jacquard bellydance top with knitting needles and arm warmers.

Currentlly I'm obsessed with knitting. And this begins (mother) the trade of photo's with what I've made. Starting with what Dottie at work calls a 'Dickie'. I don't know if that name will stick since it's coming from someone who refers to female parts as 'chicken', but I thought it was funny.

Reversable neckwarmers. I stole the idea from a guys mom. I met him on an art crawl in his store of designed t-shirts. He was impressive being so young and having a really creative idea and his own shop. There was a cabinet with knitted wears and he said his mom made them all. hats, neckwarmers, and scarves. At least I told him I was going to steal the idea.

So here's my first made item.

I met some new people at the art crawl. It was a fun night (sans the losing of I.D. and CC, ick)

Some really good galleries are in the area with unusual art. Made friends, danced to 80's new wave, Learned that porn editing isn't as exciting as some people think, and ate some eggs. it was a good night.

I've been sick all week which sucked donkeys breath. couldn't see marie's baby yet. not nice to cough on infants.

I did make it out though to a dance party Fri night for a bit. Veg chinese food first with a new friend then dancing while people in pizza costumes were crowd surfing. Met some more good people.

Now I have to go to work, ugh. good thing i bought juice and soup.

Riot the Streets

Two Riots, halloween, and a giant Pinata. Full week in the Phil streets, this one might mimic it depending on tonights outcome.

Well, the Phillies win was had. After much buildup with the last game broken in two by mischievious thundergods, the game concluded with a strike out pitch and the streets flooded with havoc drunken phanatics. There was no terror of being taken with the crowds as I tucked myself away in a movie theater. The woman in the box laughed when I walked in and said "you're the only one in the whole place" i said, "oh nice!".

Seven people were behind the snack counter listening to the game, two of them made me my tea. (note for next time if i bring my own cup and tea bag i get hot water for free)

I watched Happy-go-Lucky an english flick about a chick who is happy. obviously. the guy who was the villain/driver teacher/stalker did an amazing job and overall i liked the movie. little annoyed that they had to throw in a love interest for her to be happy, but that wasn't a huge part so not a big annoy. I liked how it ended with her character not changing too much but feeling like the movie moved somewhere.

It was low key for the Halloween celebration. Sugar cookie baking and handing out candies to little mexican kids driven around by the van fulls. We actually didn't have that many come so here I am eating 5 pieces every night with my two bite brownies. good thing i bike.

The giant Pinata isn't even worth talking about. A Carnival Cruise marketing ploy used to lure peole into their ick. I got lured, but more because I couldn't sleep. They built a 3 story pinata but built up to a nonrelease of candy and no demolishing. disappointing.

Sleep was my friend last night, and waking up likes me too. though it helps to have your maid knock on the door to be let in. umm, I have a house cleaner, did i write that ever? ridiculous, but damn she does a good job down to the organized soybeans in the freezer. it's weird though. i haven't had her do my room, i just can't. i always seem to want a shower right at the moment she's cleaning the bathroom.

Voting is going on right now. and the outcome will decide if i move to Germany or not. I'll take Kasia having to wear a basket muzzle over Palin running this country (McCain's going to keel over with how suprised he's gonna be if he wins, you don't give gramps heartshockers).

But I feel the streets will riot again in Philly with the joys of an Obama nation. I hope, otherwise I might not make it home on my bike tonight. eep.

I'm off to take a shower in a spotless bathroom, then do art, then knitting store, then train a dog, then bellydance. chock full day.

(i'm serious ma about the knitting challenge. expect some pictures of socks up here within the month, i expect you to knit bird cages)

Pizza, rolled up shirts, fringed jackets, and a kiss.

Here's one for South Philly.