Hi. I painted a chicken.

Sis: Who is that for?

Me: A chicken? Really? 

Sis: Oh. Jill.

Me: Yeah. Why else would I paint a chicken??

Sis: Well, I was wondering ...

Yeah. My sis in law, Jill, is slightly obsessed with chickens. She's awesome. And she likes purple. 

Hence. 

I give to thee, for thy viewing pleasure, "The Chicken." Acrylic on canvas. 

Sometimes you forget // knitting inspiration

Sometimes you forget about the things you enjoy.

You get so caught up in school and work and stuff that needs to get done that you forget. And when you take a break from the monotony you automatically go online and browse around and blur your brain and you forget.

You forget the way knitting relaxes you, letting your mind wander and think things through as you go rhythmically around and around. The way it makes you feel accomplished and refreshed and creative and nostalgic. 

You forget.

But then one day ... you rediscover. 

And boy, is it good.

Mustard cowl

:: 29" No. 11 circular needles :: 4 ply yarn, doubled :: 60 stitches :: knit 2 purl 2 ::

What joys have you forgotten that you can rediscover?

1940s dance!

You remember how I was practicing my hair and makeup for a 1940s themed dance? Well the dance was this weekend. And it was ... indescribable.
So, of course, I have to try to describe it. -_-
I've been putting off writing this for a few days, because I know I'll get the writing wrong and you will barely even get a hint of how special it was, but dang it, I have to try!!

So let's get on with it, then, shall we?
I thought I'd share some about our costumes first, and then about the actual dance!

First, my sister's costume!
She based it off of the picture on the left, and this is what she came up with:

Closeup of her cool shoes:

And here's my costume!

Ok, actually, the shoes were just for the photo shoot. Because ... well, I can't dance in heels. *sad face*

So for the actual dance I wore oxfords with bobby-socks. :)

But hey. The heels just looked too cool not to be in the photos! Oh, and I think I probably used about half a can of hairspray on those victory rolls. ;)

Another costume idea? Cardigan. 1940s all the way, baby.

Even my brother got into it! 

Guys costumes are pretty easy for the '40s. Slicked hair with a bit of a wave in front and some suspenders! Easy and classy. 

Once we got all spiffed up, and after our super quick photo shoot, it was time to leave! I rode out with my friend, Liz. We were basically bouncing up and down and laughing with excitement silly-girl-style the whole way there. Girls just gotta do that sometimes ...

And then we arrived! We stood around and chatted and exchanged complements on costumes and tried extremely hard not to smear our extremely smeary lipstick (no wonder 1940s ladies had to go to the powder room to touch up their makeup so much!), and then ... the evening officially began!
Some of our great friends hosted the dance in an outbuilding on their country property. The atmosphere was just so happy!

There was even some really cool decor from the 40s to get us in the mood!

And then we took some "family photos" with our friends in the little photo corner.

One of the most attractive photos of the evening, and therefore my most favorite. :) Makes me grin like an idiot whenever I see it!

Sisters straight out of the 40s! I look really pleased about it, don't I? ;)

After a while those of us who dressed up had our costumes judged. These are about half the guys who wore costumes:

Girls and guys costume winners! 

And the guys costume winner with my mother, Rosie the Riveter. 

Didn't know she was my mom, did ya??

After some some more dancing, we had an intermission with hors d'oeuvres, including WWII appropriate spam! :P

There was a happy babble of chatter, and one of the guys wandered around playing an accordion (!). White Christmas lights were overhead in the dim room. Friends and family and familiar faces were all around.
Sitting on the cold cement floor, munching my spam (and other more delicious food items), I just felt so content and incredibly blessed to be a part of something that special.

And then of course we had to go around feeling each other's hair to determine whose had the most gel/hairspray and was therefore the crunchiest. Hehe! 

As the evening wore on my brother brought out an old army coat and hat. Totally changed his look! 

And then more dancing!
Wild dancing. Happy dancing. Laughter. Sweaty hands. Swirling skirts. Grand ballroom music and peppy '40s big band. We did the Spanish Waltz, Patty-Cake Polka, Posties Jig, Scottish Jig, Virginia Reel, Kaleidoscope, the Grand March, and the Fairfield Fancy ... all topped off with some swing dancing!

At about this point I wandered outside to cool off. It was so dark and still outside, light and music and laughter swirling out of that building in the most joyful way. 

I tilted my head back and stared at the glorious stars which I miss so much in town. The music trickled out the door and before I knew it I was waltzing by myself, eyes still upwards, hands behind my back, listening to voices chatting in the darkness nearby. Soaking up the goodness.

And then, as the evening wore on, we all gathered around and lifted our voices a capella, singing the Doxology, praising the One who blessed us with these friends.

And finally after one o'clock in the morning, and yet all too soon, the party completely wore down in that sad but unavoidable way parties have. 

I could feel myself dead tired, but the adrenaline kept me awake. 

People putting on jackets and saying goodbyes. Eyelids beginning to droop. 

Hugs all around. Thanks and smiles and see-you-laters. 

Finally we were home. Around 2 o'clock I made myself some tea and sat quietly, not wanting to take my shoes off or my hair down, not wanting it to be quite over just yet, reliving the funny moments and the awkward moments and the peaceful moments and the wildness and the happiness which is just hard to describe, smiling to myself into my cup of warm tea. Holding onto that feeling just a little bit longer ... blinking sleepily content.

Lately

Lately:

//Smearing my face in banana peel. It appears to be working.

//Realizing my mind was elsewhere only when I threw a dirty paper towel down the laundry chute...

//Movie night! Indonesian peanut sauce for supper, anime movie, laughing, good friends, goofy dog, discussing the sounds people make when they chew, random outbursts of cat poetry quoting. It was a good night. :)

//Starting up online college classes for the first time! I'm only on lecture two in my Western Civ. class, and my professor is already clearly enjoying grossing us out with stories about mummies. It's gonna be a good year ... 

:D

//Standing outside in the rain with the sun shining hotly on my right cheek. Rain & sunshine at the same time? Magical.

//Getting my 100th follower! Dude like whoa.

//Practicing my 1940's hair and makeup for a '40's themed dance I'm going to this weekend! Can you believe it?? How special. 

Victory rolls, snood & red lipstick for the win, guys!

After I got it to this point I did some exuberant one person polka-ing in the backyard to see if my hairstyle would survive enthusiastic dancing. 

I dearly hope the neighbors weren't watching. O_o 

What's new with you?

Oh, P.S., I used this tutorial for the hair. :)