squirrel momma

Books I'm Lovin'

I listen to a LOT of books while I'm crafting, and here's a few of my current faves...

Laurie R. King's mystery series about Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes:

 

I have to admit I was hesitant about this series--a fifteen year old girl meeting up with Sherlock Holmes and gradually becoming his partner and soulmate--but the wonderful historical detail, plus a new angle on Sherlock Holmes, make them really good.  

Laini Taylor's young adult (tween?) fantasy series, Dreamdark, which starts with Blackbringer:

 

was a fun, fun read.  She just won the National Book Award for her collection of short stories, Lips Touch; be sure and check out her fabulous hot pink hair on her blog! 

Last, one off the NYT bestseller list: The Piano Teacher.

 

And while it wasn't the greatest work of literature I have ever read, I have to say it was very entertaining. I could easily imagine it as a film starring someone like Olivia de Haviland, and, hmmm, someone who can be both charming and brooding. Ray Milland? Have to ponder that one. 

Now I have to go add Ray Milland's classic ghost story The Uninvited to my Blockbuster list...

 

Well, That Was Interesting

I now am a much older, wiser woman.  I have undergone the hard drive death of our family computer--yes, everything was lost, most importantly three years of photos--and I have processed the seven stages of grief, including rage (why won't this #$%@!!! thing turn on?!) and denial (if we take it to the Genius Bar at the Apple store one of those geniuses can surely fix it!).  I have learned many things, not the least of which is setting up a Mac from scratch.  Which, it turns out, is not so hard, as long as you don't have any qualms about closing your eyes and stabbing at random keys when asked if you run on a LAN or PPP or PPPoe.

So. What else have I been doing? Frame purses.  

 

Have to say, this may be the best craft ever. Aside from the fact that you have to mail order the frames (I got mine from the Etsy shop 3Dpatternpaper) they are very simple to make, and there are plenty of tutorials out there that explain all the details very clearly. Which is my way of saying I'm too lazy to do it for you.

Of course Squirrel Momma can't make normal purses. No, no, no. She must make Monster Purses. So meet Juanita...

 

...and Dwayne...

 

In my own defense, I tried to be normal, really. I had silk dupioni, in a nice sedate chocolate brown, all picked out at the fabric store, but then the fake fur called to me. And then I had to add fangs. And then I remembered I had green cat eyes. And then...

Squirrel Accomplished!

 

There.  Now 2010 can officially begin. 

Travels with Hedgie

Hedgie is visiting his Gamma Hedgehog in Great Britain.

 

I thought he was going to visit Australia next, but those itty bitty seven pointed stars are giving me pause... 

 

So right now Monaco is looking a lot more appealing.

 

  

Silence. Or at least a little less noise.

For those of you worried about my hearing--and my sanity--I am happy to announce that we are now the proud owners of a set of drum mutes.

 

Basically they're just a set of rubber circles that lay on top of the drum head. But they've cut the noise waaaaay down--that, and the fact the drum set is now living in the basement.

We just got back from a short trip to Chicago.  So what is this?

 

This is yuuummmm! Xoco, in downtown Chicago, is Rick Bayless's (of Frontera Grill fame) new restaurant.  I love Rick--isn't he a cutie?

 

And I love Rick's food. The review I saw in the Chicago Reader referred to him as "The Chef Who Can Do No Wrong", and I'd have to agree with that. The menu at Xoco is very casual compared to Frontera, its big sister next door, with the menu made up of sandwiches and soups. But the most amazing sandwiches and soup you've ever had--the four of us each got something different, and it was all incredible, with plates being swapped back and forth and forks attacking other people's meals like crazy. And if the food wasn't enough to wow us, there were the hot chocolates.

  

Made from scratch--and from scratch, I mean they're grinding those cacao beans on site and blending in their own Aztec spices. We got two, with churros, for dessert, but I was severely disappointed I was too stuffed to order a chocolate latté for the road. Definitely going back for breakfast next time we're in Chicago and fueling up for the day on chocolate and pastries.

I wonder if they would consider moving Chicago a little closer to my house?