Hand-over

Okay, firstly, thanks to those who showed thier concern! I really appreciate it, you have no idea.
Secondly, my brain is feeling a lot less fuzzy as of yesterday evening and then again today. I feel a lot clearer. That's a relief, nothing sucks quite as much as not having your wits about you. I'm still a bit dumber than I'd like to think I usually am (lol, i may be giving myself too much credit) but I don't feel like my brain is sluggish anymore. I'm going to assume that was a result of a knock or two to the head. It also turns out that while I do not have any prior problems with blood pressure, or fainting, it turns out that I have a family history of it, with no diagnosis ever reached as to why. Comforting/not comforting kind of thing. lol.

Anyways. I'm going to shift you off to Petchy's blog, Made By Petchy, to see her tutorial on quickly and easily making toddler aprons out of dishtowels. I've seen some really cute dishtowels at my local dollar store so I'm thinking I'll be making some cute aprons for my little-person gifts! So without any further ado, get thee hence!

Oh and I appear to have lost about 50% of my intelligence so please bear with me until I return to normal. :S

Ummm...

Okay, here's the thing... I still intend to post and be normal and everything, life is normal plzkthx. But in case I seem to drop of the face of the planet, here's the scoop...
Last night at about 2am I was up with my DD and suddenly in the middle of changing her (no, I'm not normally up with her at 2am, she is 17 mos after all, but she was not feeling awesome yesterday, constipated, poor baby, and finally got somewhere with it.) Anyways, so I'd be up for about five minutes or so already, when suddenly I started feeling woozy and kind of faint. I thought for a second I might faint, but decided will power wins out, because I've never fainted in my whole life, and kept changing the diaper. My next aware thought was that I kind of hurt, I'd passed out, very uncomfortable all over my DD's little Princesses table set. She was still on the change table, and still lying there, so i must have only been out for the fall and the bang. I got up and removed the dirty diaper and folded it up, then started to feel faint again, and my head was ringing, so I got on my knees and tried to stay concious, calling for my DH to come because I was clearly having problems and was afraid for DD. I had decided that I had succeeded in not passing out, but I changed my mind when I woke up lying on the floor with a crying DD looking down at me from her changing table (might have been out a little longer this time)... banged my head on a little Princesses chair (ouch, nice face mark for me. lovely.)
So then I shoved a new diaper on DD faster than you'd believe (and halfassed as can be, i assure you) and ran to our bedroom with her to wake up DH and tell him he had to take her because I kept fainting. Then I laid down and that stopped me from fainting the third time. DD was very upset and worried for me and she kept hugging and kissing me to reassure herself (poor baby.)

So, that's clearly not a great thing, seeings as how there is no obvious medical reason for that to have happened. My doctor is sending me to a few specialists, including a cardiologist. My heart is racing, apparently (had not noticed) and my blood pressure drops like a rock when I stand up, then goes back to normal when I sit. I'm getting some tests done on monday, and have a series of doctor appointments coming up now to figure out what is wrong. In addition to that, I'm not supposed to drive, or take showers or baths without DH nearby in case I faint. And if I pass out again I am to go to the hospital right away with a letter from my Doctor that she wrote for me.

Soooo. Yeah. I feel woozy and kind of foggy, I can bring myself to focus but I have to actually do that, it isn't just there. This all really came out of nowhere, I've been feeling fine until this morning, I am not anemic or pregnant or on any sort of medications. I'm 22 years old so this is kind of random, and my daughter is 17 months so it's not likely to be a post-partum kind of dealio.
Hopes and prayers it's nothing big! Nothing ruins a good holiday season like a medical emergency. I hope this is just a crappy week in the making and nothing more. But if I disappear from the net without any notice, I might wind up needing some prayers.

I'm a big enough person to admit in a small small voice that I am a little bit scared. Life will continue as usual as much as possible, if a bit paler and woozier. (and hey, I did hit my head TWICE last night, so the foggy-woozy thing could be from that. lol)

Today

So today I made a jewelry holder that is not as crappy as it looks (lol)... it is ribbons that open and close with magnets, 100% materials that were either recycled or on hand. it looks like i didn't do a nice row b/c the magnets were closed in kind of a hurry (sigh)

And below we have a sexy shelf for my craft room! I covered it in coordinating papers. lovelove. Except it is so pretty i want to hang it up as art instead of using it LOL. it is a shame that it will be covered with Stuff. My house is not as bold as this, this is for my craft room, which is My Room and I can decorate it as eclectic and diva-esque as I want to. ; D

...and the Winner Is : Digital Misfit!

draw closed! winning number is: 6! Digital Misfit!
I will be contacting you later today to get your info!
(I'd do it right now but DD is snotting on my arm to get back at me for rushing off to my computer room to do this, lol)

edit: and she's a fellow canadian, how cool is that ;D we're practically neighbours. (if by neighbours you mean around a 20 hour drive with minimal pee breaks and no sleeping)

Drumroll, Please!

Kfirst, I was trying to get a lovely picture of DD in her new fancy sunday coat that I love so much (Children's Place. Less than $30. Go. Now.) ... so anyways, huge fail on that one. Was not in the model mood. However I did snag this cute little picture of her trying to steal a candy cane. (suceeding, actually, but I freed it from her)

I'll be closing the draw tonight at midnight, if anyone scootches in by then they are good, anything after that is out, no go, nada, sorry. I'll put the numbers in the randomizer tomorrow morning and let you know who won!

So guess whose hair fits in a full pony now?! *sniffsniff eyewipe*

Mommy is a WRETCHED BEAST for inflicting this on her though. We had a few big fights about it. The pony doesn't hurt her, she just likes to pull stuff out of her hair once she notices there's something there.

But it's so cute! I fought it out anyways. She wound up keeping it in.
Not one to go down peacefully though, she sure Showed Me. Pulled on her hat so that I wouldn't win all the way. Cheeky little monkey.

Oh, and I have not been up to nothing. Here's a sneak peek at a current project... an old toddler's chair. I'm in the middle of adding a puffy pink seat cushion, some paint, and some mod podged scrapbooking paper. Stay tuned! If I can find the spare staples for the staplegun, this should be done this week yet. Oooh, and my MIL is giving me some fabric, including some vintage stuff her mom took with her from Holland when she came over! Ooooh! Hope it's some nice treasures.


And one final thing... Modish is having another giveaway!

This giveaway is worth $726 and is filled to brim with handmade goods galore! HOLY WOW! THAT IS A LOT OF GOODIES! click on the pic to get there.

Meaningless Coveting moment

Okay, I don't normally blog about products or gadgets, but here is my meaningless covet of the moment (aka, I won't even add it to my wish list but I'd LOVE to have it.) This little number was originally spotted masquerading as a clutch on the Spring 2009 runway! It was designed by Vivienne Tams and coordinates with her Spring 2009 line. (let's be honest, I've never heard of her before this, but I don't care, it's still a really, really pretty computer)

This adorable little laptop looks like a clutch when it's closed (note the picture on the screen of the laptop, where somebody is holding it.) Computers sure have come a long way, from nerdy to chic. I'm still sticking to my chunky clunky desktop, it's still too new to replace. But if somebody with about $600+ extra change wants to buy it for me, my friendship is SOLD. lol. If I ever do go for a laptop in the future, I want something as pretty (and portable) as this.

http://www.shopping.hp.com/minivt/

Giveaway Post

Hi, for those of you wandering over from Craft and Found, the giveaway post mentioned can be found here : http://onthelaundryline.blogspot.com/2008/12/draw.html

I'm going to be doing a children's item swap through Craftster. I'm ridiculously excited. My item to make will be some little crocheted stuffies, which I've never done before but I'm going to freehand. In fact, I think I shall run off and do that now while I watch All My Children! (oh, Annie, you are some crazy lady.) (I am sad that they killed off Babe, I'd love to switch her back on and throw out Bianca for the trade, for some reason Bianca just drives me nuts, I want to smack her. "oh, my mother is such an angel, blahblahblah." At least Kendall is more like "My mom is one conniving lady, but she's got Girl Power and I just love her." But I digress... I loved Babe.)

Quick & Easy Scrummy Brownies

It takes like ten minutes tops from pulling out the cookbook to shoving it in the oven, if you let the margarine melt while whipping the eggs to make efficient use of your time. This is doubled from the cookbook i found it in because the cookbook recipe makes a tiny little batch, and then adapted some on top of that.
If you're gonna make brownies you want them to last two days until they're gone instead of just one. If you really don't enjoy brownies, or if you eat brownies alone, you can cut it back in half. (if you really don't enjoy brownies I'm not sure that you'd make them at all, now that I think about it.)

Quick n Easy Scrummy Brownies
1 cup butter or margarine
1/2 cup cocoa
4 Eggs
2 cups Granulated Sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 tsp salt (or a few sprinkles from your shaker, to be easy)

In a small saucepan, melt butter/margarine with cocoa, stirring occasionally as it melts. Remove from heat when melted through.In a medium bowl, beat eggs until frothy. Add sugar, flour, nuts, and salt... don't stir yet. Pour cocoa mixture on top and stir it all together. Scrape batter into a great big greased squares pan. (for best results, grease the pan and then dust it with cocoa) Bake at 350F (180C) for about 40 minutes until the top starts to crack a bit and a toothpick pulls out clean. Baking time may vary based on the dish you use, the thinner the batter lays the earlier you have to pull it out.

You can ice it with store bought icing, if you'd rather, or there's this one:
2 2/3 cups icing sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
3 tbsp butter or margarine
5 tsp hot coffee or water (coffee gives you a richer taste)

beat all together, adding more liquid if mixture is too firm to spread easily. Spread over baked brownies. Allow to set before baking. (for a glossy look, frost while brownies are still warm)

or this EVEN BETTER GLAZE
2 cups milk chocolate bits
1/4 cup hot coffee (stronger the better)
1/4 cup icing sugar

melt the chocolate in the microwave, then beat in the coffee and icing sugar. You want something that has similar consistancy to the original melted chocolate... add more icing sugar if it's too liquid, more coffee if it's too solid. I want to say 'drool it over the brownies' because that's what I feel like you're doing lol... but yeah, glaze it. coat it. Let it drip off the sides! Then let it harden. Then fight your friends and family for it!


TIP: if you have some spare time on your hands, put the brownie batter in a pasty bag and pipe it (you can scoop but I find the pastry bag winds up neater and quicker) into greased and cocoa-powder-dusted mini muffin tins! Then you have two-bite brownies! serve as is, or turn them upside down and ice/glaze them.

lol

I was just peeking at DD because we were making a lot of noise banging around with some more christmas stuff and such... I crept up and watched her sleep for a minute, she was restless and then she opened her eyes and looked at me. I froze, certain that a loud wail was imminent as our eyes locked. She blinked sleepily at me, then said, "Byyyye," waved, and rolled over. As she fell back asleep the rest of the way, she firmly muttered, "NO," probably to make sure I didn't think she was being compliant, and then drifted off.

~

DD models a boyhat that I whipped up in grey and blue, inspired by and made for one of her friends.

I bought her that coat I wanted so badly. I bought it in size 18 months, and hopefully it is big enough that it will fit her this year and again next year. It was on sale for 20-something bucks! It's dry clean only, but I'm not exactly planning on feeding her while she's wearing her winter sunday coat, so not such a huge deal.
Can't wait to take a picture of her in it.

NOMNOMNOM! mini cakes, from a mix, with a cherry in each one, and glazed with a thrown together mix of baking chocolate, icing sugar, and coffee. I also glazed a large cake with the stuff as well... very good. I'm super in to the whole chocolate + coffee flavour sensations. I'm also super into the semi-homemade thing... not as lazy as just from in a mix or store bought, but just lazy enough for me. :D

Hey Buddy, Wanna Buy A Kidney?

Okay, for serious? I found two, yes TWO, dress forms for $125 and $130 respectively on buy and sell sites local to me. Both of them are NEVER USED and about a year old, from two separate people. One is size 16-22 and one is 8-16. BUT IT IS CHRISTMAS. And we're in the middle of reno's. And my DH just got ahold of a Wii for me after we've been calling around every day for two weeks and bought it, with the goal of getting me a Wii Fit as well. (my mom lost 20 pounds doing that every morning. I wouldn't joke about the fact that my mom is thinner than me now.)
Here's the dillema: 1) do i convince myself that i have good reason to convince my DH that it's something I need? 2) Which one do I get? I am the size 16 (shame) so either one works. The goal being to get thinner, I should go for the smaller one. BUT IF I GET FATTER I AM SOL. But if I get the bigger one and I get thinner I'm still SOL, and I really shouldn't give myself the mental okay to not get thinner so my dress form still works *lol*

Man, I wish I could get both. Even one would be awesome, but still. So I was wondering if anyone wants to buy a kidney or something? lol. I suggested to DH that I could trade or sell my Cricut b/c I barely use the thing but he freaked out. He considers that the Rolls Royce of Gift He Has Gotten me, as it is one of the few things that have had no benefit to him whatsoever, and as a crafting 'power tool' he thinks it's the bomb diggity. But honestly? I use it rarely. I'm more into sewing than scrapping lately... But yeah, that's something I'll probably regret if i ditch it. *sigh* And I don't really have any other assets that I can liquidate to feel like I am trading over to something else instead of just selfishly spending.... ) :

I may just have to let these incredible deals slide on by... *siiiiigh* At least until the drywall is up in the basement... and the new hot water tank has been purchased. Dangit @ responsibilities. lol.

Out of the depths, i SUMMON THEE!

We put on our boot all by ourself, and we chat on the phone with no pants on. It must be friday!

Okay, so I'm a bit of a habitual lurker. I have like 60 feeds in my Bloglines thingy like, every day. But I very rarely comment (i can pretend it's because it takes the extra click from bloglines to the actual blog, but that's bull.)... I also view almost every single clothing item that goes through Craftster, and admire most of them, but very rarely say anything.

So today I make a vow, I will comment on at least 1-5 blogs/threads per day. That may not seem like much but it's kind of ambitious considering with a 1 year old, moments in my computer/craft room tend to be kind of precious. She doesn't understand 'don't touch'... well, okay, she does. She doesn't have the reasoning and negotiating thing down enough to try and get something out of me for not touching yet, so she just touches. Regardless.

I'd like to encourage other people to do the same! And if you comment on this post, I promise I will go scope out your blog and say at least one thing. By which I don't mean 'lolz lolz ur funny n u has nice pix' but something that indicates that I did, in fact, actually READ your blog, as opposed to just clicking to it. Like coming over for coffee!

My baby girl's hair can fit into a full pony! *sniffle* her first one... awww. *emotional breakdown*

Twinkle, my little Star

So perhaps she does not know the words. And okay, she doesn't know the tune, either. But it's still music to my ears.

Draw / Giveaway

I got my prize package from Indie Fixx's giveaway today! I'll be giving away a few things that were in the package that aren't quite my style/my thing/I wouldn't use it/whatever... the soaps and body sugar I'm giving away because my mom has Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Disorder so I can't use anything with fragrance in it!

Details: 1. Sublime Stitching embroidery pattern; Print from The Happygirl Shop ; Soap from Feto Soap; Shea Butter Sugar Scrub from Bidwell Botanicals; Necklace from Karalee Designs; sampler from Catja Chien

Want all this plus a necklace that didn't make it into the photo? (it's in the photo description anyways) Comment by Wednesday Dec 10 and I'll do a draw!
(and this is just the stuff that WASN'T my thing! Thanks, Indie Fixx! I'll post more details and such about the stuff I am keeping later.)

Bonus: from me! I decided to throw in a few more things from my own Stuff. And I'm from Canada and I will ship internationally, no problemo! And, in addition to this stuff, I can throw in a few 12x12 sheets of scrapbooking paper in your favourite colours, too, if you like. (I have enough to supply 12 x 12 families LOL) Just tell me some of your favourite colours in your comment! Those who have already commented, I'll just ask you when I contact you for your contact info if you win.

Vogue Pattern, heart charm, Sugar & Spice ribbon+brad kit, mini clothespins (i love these things, I hang pictures on ribbons and patterns on strings all over my office, my little clotheslines of LOVE), unknown lace/fingering weight fuzzy grey yarn + 3.25 bamboo needles to knit it with (you could easy get a lacey shawl or scarf out of it i bet), pastel glass beads + wire (its from dollarama but i know not everyone has access to those... if you want me to leave those out i will), 3 mini sets of little acrylic stamps (perfect for cards / scrapbooking)

I might throw a few more things in there yet, maybe some glitter or lace or buttons or something. Maybe even a book or something... depends on how things heat up. If 50 or more people enter I will throw in a crafting book, and if 75 or more enter I will also throw in a blank mini book for scrapbooking!