From Cozy to Corn Dawg?

It's been raining for three days and we're experiencing flooding throughout our state of Maryland.

Despite the rain, I've been at Jack's school every morning helping with the Used Book Sale.

It's also time to think about school fundraisers.

Remember the Cozies (posts here and here) that were such a fit with my friends and family?

Well, I have been on a committee for a few years where we made gourmet gift baskets to raise money. In the past few years, these have not sold as well due to the recession so we're searching for new ideas for this old committee.

What about a Cozy, I thought? They're great for keeping you warm in the Winter when you can't afford to keep your heat up high...

I sewed together a few more and tried to make a version with the school colors -- blue and gold. Last time I made Cozies, I wrapped them in tulle and made pretty Christmas tags...this time I was trying to make the wrap more rustic and masculine since Jack goes to an all-boys' school.

And the name? Well, "Cozy" sounds a bit too girly so I'm looking for ideas for a name for these microwaveable heating bags...

I drew inspiration from my oldest niece's boyfriend who received one of my Cozies for Christmas last year. She told me he refers to it as his "Corn Dog"...

That gave me an idea for a name...

I showed the idea to a few folks at the school yesterday -- we would sell them at a fundraiser Fashion Show that is held the end of October. I won't find out until next week what everyone thinks.

I'm heading back out to school to sell books again and it's still dark. My biggest concern is the flooding that started yesterday in my home town of Ellicott City...

Here's a video of Main Street yesterday...

YouTube Video: Ellicott City flooding

The sun hasn't risen yet today but it has been raining all night long and is supposed to continue all day today. The river has already flooded its banks and today the question will be how high will the river get before it recedes.

Don't worry about me and my house. We're up on high ground but the Patapsco River is just down the hill in the valley and Ellicott City, an old mill town, is built along that river...

I'll check in again later.

A Woolly Mother's Day

I started my Mother's Day with these alpaca brothers...they're two years old. The one in front was just shorn and the one in back was up next...

Jim and Jack slept in late so that I could head out early to the Great Maryland Sheep and Wool festival. It's always the first weekend in May.

You'd be proud. I didn't buy any yarn.

I just drooled over it...

Actually, I haven't used the pink yarn I bought from this same vendor a few years ago so I exercised restraint.

Well...I guess I didn't exercise complete restraint.

I did buy some more curly roving from this old friend from last year. It was only $3.40!

Do you think he can see anything through those dreadlocks?

This was the same guy who gave me Alice's hair last year for my Alice in Wonderland block. He's got the curliest locks at the Festival -- IMHO.

The weather was perfect.

And the animals were putting their best fleece forward...

Or their best face...

In addition to the cool sheep, I met some very interesting people.

Like Violet, the hooker from the Mason Dixon Chapter of the Rug Hookers Guild.

Her name is Violet, she wore a violet colored shirt, and...she was using all shades of violet in her rug. Yet another example of women who wear clothes to match their projects...or...who work on projects that match their clothes.

I also was psyched to meet Amy Singer, founder and editor of the awesome online magazine Knitty.

The funny thing is she thought she recognized my name and face from being on TV! And then it was me who recognized her!

If you don't know about Knitty, it's an amazing FREE , quarterly online knitting magazine with all kinds of great articles and projects. See the recent issue here.

After meeting Amy, I ate lunch...

And made my way through more of the vendor stalls...

And I bought one of these tassel thingies imported from Peru.

Evidently, in one of the villages in Peru, the young men let these hang out of their pockets to show that they don't have a girlfriend.

I bought one for Jack.

And I also bought a few buttons and stickers for friends to whom this saying happens to apply...

And just before I left, I made a tour through the Award tent.

I fell in love with this vest which won first place...

I'd love to make one of those. *sigh

All in all, I'd say it was a great way to wake up on Mother's Day.

And yes, I did eventually make it home to Jim and Jack who had weeded the yard and were taking me out to dinner -- God love them.

But that was not until after I said goodbye to this fella...

I think I would have adopted him if he was available.

Hope your Mother's Day was just as sweet.

Coal Hunting

I've been wanting to spend time with Jack after all the business of sewing and preparing for Christmas.


Monday we went on a nice long hike in the woods near our home and yesterday we went back down into the park for a very different purpose.


We followed the railroad tracks into old Ellicott City to get a bite to eat but mostly to collect coal.


There are many trains that still run along the Patapsco River along the B&O Railroad (the first ever rail line in the U.S.). Ellicott City has a great little railroad museum which is worth a look if you ever come this way.

Well, our job was to collect as much coal as we could to burn in the firepit for New Year's Eve. It seems a good enough activity for Jack and his Texas cousin who are both 12 years old. A treasure hunt, of sorts, followed by the promise of playing with fire. Just a 21st century Mom looking for creative ways to get these boys unplugged from electronic devices. Though the iPod did come along, by the middle of the hike, it was out of his ears...success!


We did learn that the kids had much better eyesight than us older folks when it came to spotting the coal. Can you find it in this picture?


We were lucky enough to have a train come by as we were walking along.


I don't care how old you are, it's still exciting to be that close to a big, powerful train that's motoring along.


I don't have a picture of our hoard but it was substantial. It should be quite the blaze this evening when we burn it. Anybody ever burned coal? This is a new one fore us!

We've collected coal a few other times so my brother John made coal buckets out of old cans for the kids.


I carried Jack's bucket today since it wasn't big enough for the amount of coal he was able to find. I just think it looks cute. Jack just rolls his eyes at that one...

Window Shopping

Last night, Jack was going to his first girl-boy party.

So, while Jack struggled to figure out the opposite sex, Jim and I decided to take a walk down Main Street in Old Ellicott City which is the town right near our home. All the stores were closed but it was fun peeking in the windows...










I was particularly fond of these two handmade ladies...


When we finally picked up Jack, he was all wound up. It turns out we weren't the only ones window shopping. It turns out that he sat with groups of girls throughout the night -- but he didn't say anything. He was listening though... Here's some of what he said...

"Mom, I'm really proud of myself. I've really gotten better...this time, I could actually sit with a group of girls and be around them!"

"It was really easy. They all just start talking...I didn't have to do anything."

"Girls talk way different than boys. I was sitting out by the firepit, which was good, because all these girls came and sat around and started talking. That was a lot of work Mom. They talk way different than boys...I mean, a boy says something at lunch and everybody listens or...we interrupt...BUT there's usually only one guy talking at at time. Girls are all talking at once and there was like 5 different conversations going on..." Jack hangs his head, shaking it back and forth in disbelief.

Me: "Jack, did you actually talk to any girls?"

"Yeah, one girl asked me my name, how old I was, what grade I was in, where I go to school..."

"Well, did you ask her anything about herself?"

"God Mom, I was afraid I was going to say something and mess it up and she would think I'm stupid."

"Well, Jack, let me tell you a secret about girls. We love a guy even more when we can tell he's nervous but tries to talk to us. Girls happen to be more empathetic than boys and they're likely to sense your uneasiness and try to make you more comfortable. Give it a try. The problem with not saying anything at all...it makes them think you're not interested in them at all so then they get self-conscious and then you're both standing there being self-conscious..."

"Oh yeah, Mom, and then nobody says anything...which is death. It says that in the Dangerous Book for Boys...But I really think I did better this time. Yup, I'm getting better..."

"Good night, Jack."

"Ok, yeah, good night...but Mom I'm warnin' ya...I'm gonna probably be talking about this for days!"

I hope he figures it out or, at least, some girl figures him out...that might be easier.

As for me, Santa has put me in the Remedial Program for Procrastinating Elves. I'm happy to say that it's working but I can't show you what I'm making this week because they're surprises for Christmas day...

Stay tuned for the week after Christmas when I promise to show a Parade of Presents -- one each day. Until then, maybe I can squeeze in a sneak peak or two.

On another note, I completely lost my email inbox history on Friday...if you emailed me anytime Wednesday, Thursday or Friday, I'm likely not to have received what you sent so please resend if it's important!

Back to the workshop...