1.11.2013

Adventures in Site Development


So for the last week, I've been building a new website for Scott's Bicycle Centre. Go ahead and take a look at what mess content currently exists at their domain... Well, whatcha think? It's been a really fun process - I had some help from our Web guy in uploading the theme, but I've been solely responsible for content and minor layout changes. IMO, it looks much cleaner and much more navigable. Go me!

Some of you may know that I also keep the blog on Scott's Bikes: Women. While baking and crafting are really, really fun, cycling is what keeps me in shape... and I'm a much better cyclist than I am baker or crafter (you are what you spend your time doing, I suppose). Any of you gals (and guys too!) out there that enjoy cycling, you might find some good resources on the site. I've got some online tutorials about changing a flat, picking out padded shorts/chamois, fitting helmets properly, and dressing for winter riding (not that it's been "winter" around here, or anything).

In other news - got some sewing done this morning before work. Only have 2 steps left! Can anybody guess what it is yet?

The "stuffing" is in...

Finito!

1.10.2013

Adventuring to Get Crafty

For years I've been jealous of my friends' abilities to reach into the right side of their brains and come up with ridiculously awesome crafts... and each of them make money off of their artistic hobbies. What a life! Crystal's Etsy Shop (which is currently on hiatus due to moving, getting engaged, buying a home, and all sorts of other important life things... that I still have yet to do, besides the engaged thing... been there done that) was full of all sorts of goodies that she found time to do on road trips and in the evenings. Blaire paints, and mostly has a modestly-priced custom pet portrait line, but is also known to do ornaments, Christmas paintings, and other homey goodies. She's the ultimate animal lover. Perry is super-mom extraordinare! She paints with and on all sorts of mediums, she gardens, she cooks, she takes care of her two beautiful babies & husband... the list is endless. Once I let her borrow my sewing machine & gave her some fabric scraps, and she made a zillion "Perry's Pretty Petals" flower hair clips. Luckily I came out with a few for the sewing machine useage. Love them (and you can find them, and her artwork, on display at Local Color in Brevard, NC)!

Wait a second... did you catch that? I have a sewing machine. I have a sewing machine. Previously, I'd attempted one project (an apron) and failed miserably due to my fabric choices & inability to sew in a straight line and hold a steady pace on the pedal. Yeah, minor flaws. Well Christmas came around this year and I was without my notoriously awesome stocking stuffers. I had previously purchased from Blaire & Perry, but this year I was far, far away and stuffer-less. So, I perused the internet and came across simple sewing projects, including drawer sachets. Seemed easy enough - and alas, it was! I've now made 78 sachets for friends & family, and even made my own aromatic filling! I've started digging on the right side of the brain, and find myself getting more & more excited about arts & crafts. I have a few new projects in the works, and can't wait to share them with you!

Oh, and I've also been cooking. Most recently, I made Baked Oatmeal with Bananas & Pumpkin. Yum! My husband, who likes neither baked oatmeal nor pumpkin, thought it was delicious too. And it's a great power  food for all you athletes out there!



::Edit::
Here are a couple photos of my new project. Any ideas what I could be making?
We have a small house, so I have to use the bed as a fill-in "large flat surface"!
And this is my SMALL sewing desk. It usually does the trick.

Ok, now here's the actual goods. 3 fabrics sewn together... Not much of a clue, I know.

1.06.2013

Back in Action

After visiting family and friends over the weekend, my husband, dog and I found ourselves on a busy southern interstate in drizzly conditions pondering life. A & I are nearing a major life intersection - as he is graduating graduate school in May (hooray!) and we are wishing that the world would spill the beans on what's to come for us post-graduation. Ideally, we'll find our career-minded dream jobs in our dream city, finding a dream home to rent while we dream money into savings accounts so that we can eventually leave dream rental for dream home...

Realistically, we're stuck waiting it out until the time actually comes (how boring). And worse than that, the weather has turned our training "regimen" to sour grapes.

So clearly, there's nothing left to do but bake & sew. And adventure along the way.