tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26287195427724892752024-03-14T02:40:23.707-07:00Purple VeggieThe life and times of a purple obsessed, bellydancing, bookworm vegetarian in love.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-12094009254043586672012-11-14T11:13:00.002-08:002012-11-14T11:16:01.819-08:00Paperwhites On The Rocks<c>While I am usually more of a "straight up" kind of girl, today's recipe really requires some rocks.
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River rocks to be more specific. Today I want to show you a quick and budget friendly little project that I tossed together last night. If I timed it right (IhopeIhopeIhope) and they don't die (pleasepleaseplease), I will have some pretty little blooms at Christmas to help combat the heavy winter gloom that inevitably works into my head every year. Paperwhites are easy flowers to grow in the winter, and you don't even have to have soil! I am a big fan of having plants in the house, I think it makes the air feel cleaner, and the mood just a little more cheerful.
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On to the show!
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Step 1: Gather supplies.
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I used a bag of black river rocks from Lowe's ($4.98), four paperwhite narcissus bulbs out of a kit that I also got at Lowe's ($5.98) and an 11" decorative bowl from Meijer ($19.99). Both the bowl and the river rocks can be reused in the home after your flowers have gone to a better place (moment of silence). Oh, and you'll need some water, but I'll get to that later. If you can't find river rocks that you like, or you just want to do something different, you can use any non-metal vase filler-like material. I'd love to use those plastic gem shaped filler beads, or even clear glass marbles in the future for a whole different look. Or bright colored pony beads would be fun!
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Step 2: Lay a base.
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Use about half of your rocks to create a base in your bowl. It should be at least an inch above the bottom of the bowl so when roots develop they have somewhere to go. Try to place the rocks rather than pour them in, I think I came very close to having a shattered bowl because I was impatient.
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Step 3: Seat the bulbs.
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Pop the bulbs into the bowl, root side down. In my bowl I tried to keep them in the middle-ish, since farher out to the side the bowl gets shallow again and the little rootsies might not like that.
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Step 4: Rock blanket.
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Use the rest of the rocks to secure the bulbs in their places and keep them from tipping over. Unless you have a ton of rocks they won't be completely covered, it's okay, they don't need to be. They just need some stability since as they grow they become top heavy and might try to topple and jump ship.
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Step 5: Water and wait.
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Add water to the bowl until it just covers the bottom of the bulbs. Too much water can cause the bulbs to rot, which would be a bad thing. I learned that a clear bowl is pretty handy for seeing exactly how high the water level is. I can see that my bulbs aren't drowning and I can see when I need to add more water. Now all I can do is wait. It should only take a few weeks for the paperwhites to grow and begin to bloom. And after they bloom, they should stay pretty for a few more weeks. I'll try to post a few progress pictures as these babies grow. I've heard that paperwhites are <b>really</b> hard to kill, so the odds are with me on this one.
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One more <b>VERY</b> important note is that paperwhites are part of the daffodil family, which are toxic to pets. Your pets shouldn't ingest any part of the plant, but the bulbs are the worst for them. You can bet your ass that if Zula even looks at this arrangement for too long it will go live at my parents cat-free house, up on a counter away from the dog. So far Zula hasn't shown any interest and the bowl has been sitting on my table for more than a day, so I think we are in the clear, at least until stalks and flowers start to grow. If you have a kitten or a cat that really likes to chew on things I would recommend that you keep this in a room that they are never allowed in, or skip this project altogether.
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Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-33559746986347762012-11-08T06:12:00.000-08:002012-11-08T06:12:10.701-08:00Life Is HappeningAnd unfortunately I didn't blog any lot of it. Whoops.
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So here are two of the major highlights:
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1. On July 7th 2012 we got married!!! I will never be a girlfriend ever again, because now I am a WIFE. Cray cray. The wedding was amazing. It surprisingly went off with out any real disasters. At least none that I remember. It was HOT. But beautiful. So beautiful. It makes me smiley every time I think about it. I am still wedding-crazy so expect random wedding posts to pop up every now and then.
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2. We bought a house!!! Well, kind of. We are at the beginning of what could be a long house buying process. The point is we put in an offer, it was accepted, and no one else can have the house. I can't put up any pictures of what the house looks like because I don't have any of my own yet and all of the pics on the internet can easily be traced back to the address and selling price of the house. Not something that I am super eager to have out there for all the strangers to see. Haha, it sounds like I think there are a bunch of serial killers out there reading my blog. I don't think that. But maybe there is one, and that's all it takes. So until I have some images of my own, I'll just use this image from <a href="http://weheartit.com">weheartit</a> to let you get a feel of what the house looks like:
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As you can see, it's just your typical midwestern colonial. ;)
Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-67023114395879568212012-11-07T08:34:00.000-08:002012-11-07T08:34:21.524-08:00I Wish I Knew How To Quit You!That's a lie, Blog. I dont want to quit you. I wish I knew how to stop sucking at being a blogger. It's been more than a year since my last post. There's A LOT of really exciting stuff going on around here that I can't wait to catch you up on. But today is not for that, that's for later. Today is for this:
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Oh yes.
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Today I will spend some time drafting a few other posts that I am so excited to write. Stay tuned! I am going to try really hard to not be such a flake this time around.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-28100506503485834292011-09-21T17:19:00.000-07:002011-09-21T17:19:21.044-07:00Want It WednesdayI'm a knitting fiend lately. Fall always does this to me. Also there is a project that I'm working on for a certain amazing baby in my life. The hope was to have it done before she was born...she's over three months old now...whoops. Hopefully it will be finished this weekend. <br />
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So, since it's fall, and I will be starting a new project soon, I return to trolling the internet for amazing knitting things. There is one thing that I have wanted for a few years and still don't have. A set of Options Interchangeable Harmony Wood Circular Needles from <a href="http://knitpicks.com">Knit Picks</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6170438511/" title="Knit Picks Harmony by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6160/6170438511_c6672b0724.jpg" width="246" height="500" alt="Knit Picks Harmony"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.knitpicks.com/needles/Options_Interchangeable_Harmony_Wood_Circular_Knitting_Needle_Set__D90306.html">Options Interchangeable Harmony Wood Circular Knitting Needle Set</a><br />
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The link takes you to the page of the online catalog, so you can buy them for me. Thanks! :)Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-74847675822026610462011-09-14T07:28:00.000-07:002011-09-14T07:29:47.270-07:00Want It WednesdayIt's been a little while since I've done a Want It Wednesday. Firefighter and I moved in to a new apartment last month and we <i>just</i> got internet and cable. No internet really hurts my internet window shopping addiction, so I'm baby-stepping back into it with a little Amazon browsing.<br />
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So here are five (really) random books that I (really) want. If you're interested in learning more, the links underneath the pics will take you to the Amazon page for each book.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6147318668/" title="completedogbook by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6147318668_30d63da07e.jpg" width="330" height="500" alt="completedogbook"></a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Dog-Book-20th/dp/0345476263?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">The Complete Dog Book: 20th Edition</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0345476263" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6146768893/" title="nycballetworkout by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6153/6146768893_f9f63ae7ff.jpg" width="325" height="400" alt="nycballetworkout"></a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/NYC-Ballet-Workout-Stretches-Exercises/dp/0688152023?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">NYC Ballet Workout: Fifty Stretches And Exercises Anyone Can Do For A Strong, Graceful, And Sculpted Body</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0688152023" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6147318542/" title="encycofnatmed by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6201/6147318542_7a6a670c42.jpg" width="404" height="500" alt="encycofnatmed"></a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Encyclopedia-Natural-Medicine-Revised-Second/dp/0761511571?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, Revised Second Edition</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0761511571" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6147318488/" title="d30004dummies by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6147318488_c7c0d97451.jpg" width="241" height="300" alt="d30004dummies"></a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-D3000-Dummies-Julie-Adair/dp/0470578947?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Nikon D3000 For Dummies</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=0470578947" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" /><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6147318708/" title="weddedperfection by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6160/6147318708_033267bdfd.jpg" width="433" height="500" alt="weddedperfection"></a><br />
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.amazon.com/Wedded-Perfection-Centuries-Wedding-Gowns/dp/1904832849?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&link_code=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969">Wedded Perfection: Two Centuries of Wedding Gowns</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=btl&camp=213689&creative=392969&o=1&a=1904832849" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important; padding: 0px !important" />Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-36449032712822441862011-09-13T15:59:00.000-07:002011-09-13T15:59:29.805-07:00Best Vacation Ever: Day One, Part ThreeOr, "Ohhhhh, <i>that's</i> why he was acting so weird!"<br />
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Or, "The Main Event"<br />
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When I last left you "we" were napping before our trip to Sears "Willis" Tower. I slept, he paced the hotel room.<br />
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Firefighter told me that as long as we were in line before they close at 10:00 they wouldn't kick us out until we were done.* So the plan was to arrive around 9:30. We left the hotel room and walked to the tower with plenty of time to get to the observation deck before they closed. We were pretty quiet on the walk there, I blamed it on post-nap sleepiness. When we got there we were lucky enough to be able to walk right up to the desk, no lines! Win!<br />
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Next came the scariest elevator ride ever. I'm not a huge fan of elevators, they make my stomach flippy. The prospect of a 103 story elevator ride made me <i>very</i> nervous. I made it though, luckily it was really fast and not too bumpy. Shortly after we got up there we saw that one of the Skydecks had been roped off and there was a couple standing on it enjoying the view. Then I saw the woman start to cry! I whispered to Firefighter, "He's proposing!" He started walking in the other direction and stated that we should give them some privacy. I noticed that while we were up there Firefighter looked at his watch <b>a lot</b>. I was suspicious. Very suspicious. And there were all these announcements telling us that Skydeck was closing and we should make our way to the elevator. I thought we were allowed to stay! He didn't seem concerned about leaving so I went with it and keep looking at the view.<br />
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The view was AMAZING. Chicago at night with a little bit of clouds...breathtaking!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961318254/" title="Skydeck view by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6003/5961318254_cf94d22f4f.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Skydeck view"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5960760303/" title="Gotham by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5960760303_8e62cd2d28.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Gotham"></a><br />
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Then things get a little bit fuzzy...<br />
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We headed to the one of the Skydecks and I got to take the one picture I knew I wanted to take:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5960761369/" title="Skydeck by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6145/5960761369_3353038ee1.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Skydeck"></a><br />
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And then I got to take the four pictures I didn't know I wanted to take:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6145536748/" title="One by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6145536748_b2a9ab1ce7.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="One"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6145536242/" title="Two by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6178/6145536242_144056f54f.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Two"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6144984255/" title="Three by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6151/6144984255_1a976d0a24.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Three"></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/6144984739/" title="Four by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6144984739_80bcf0e7a9.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Four"></a><br />
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He asked me to marry him, and I said yes because there is nothing I want more than to spend my life with him. There was a speech, I didn't remember it. AT ALL. He repeated it to me later after we got back to the hotel.<br />
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*sigh* It's difficult to write even now because my ring is so damn sparkly. It's a major distraction. And driving hazard. Wanna see?<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5957769309/" title="Sparkle in the sun! by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/5957769309_e37fceb5b7.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Sparkle in the sun!"></a><br />
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It's not blue. I think that's the sky reflecting in it's loveliness.<br />
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God I love Chicago.<br />
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*Big fat lie, they will kick you out. Unless you have prior arrangements for them to keep things open just for you!Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-13180930675474886752011-07-31T17:44:00.000-07:002011-07-31T17:44:49.638-07:00Best Vacation Ever: Day One, Part TwoOr, "Seriously, why is he acting so <i><b>weird</i></b>??"<br />
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So after our yummy lunch we decided to head to <a href="http://www.millenniumpark.org/">Millennium Park</a>. One of my trip goals was to go check out Cloud Gate, AKA The Bean. First we stopped at Crown Fountain so that I could take a photo of Firefighter looking awkward.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961320342/" title="Akward fountain by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6126/5961320342_c3c193bf1a.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Akward fountain"></a><br />
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See that wool coat he has on? It was BLAZING hot in the sun. I suggested he leave it at the hotel, he said he wanted it. I chalked it up to him being a weirdo.<br />
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After that it was off to The Bean!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5960762153/" title="Bean! by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6004/5960762153_a38726d3aa.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Bean!"></a><br />
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More awkwardness:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5960757765/" title="Bean! by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6025/5960757765_5efa2d9a72.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Bean!"></a><br />
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I played (also, my left ring finger just a few hours before it would never be naked again):<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5960758523/" title="Bean! by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5960758523_0ff2af47d3.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Bean!"></a><br />
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He creeped:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961317222/" title="Creeper by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6142/5961317222_177520ec89.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Creeper"></a><br />
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After The Bean we wandered around for a little until we were hungry again and decided it was time to find another amazing place to eat. Italian was the final verdict. We stumbled upon <a href="https://www.italianvillage-chicago.com/index.php">The Italian Village</a>. Dudes. It. Was. Amazing. After this trip I am entirely convinced that all the food in Chicago is wonderful. After an amazing and romantic dinner with some delicious wine I was knocked out. We had a couple hours before we wanted to be at Willis Tower so we went back to the room where I took a little nappy nap, and Firefighter had a little anxiety attack.<br />
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Up next: The Main Event!Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-12371822402310741252011-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:002011-07-21T10:44:07.317-07:00Best Vacation Ever: Day One, Part OneOr, "Why is he acting so weird?"<br />
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Our two year dating anniversary was May 15th. We decided to do it up right and take a four day weekend trip to Chicago. We planned and planned. The idea was to take the train down early in the morning, see all the important things, eat amazing food, and just enjoy each other for four days.<br />
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The morning of the 19th we got up crazy early and got to the train station. I am not a morning person. I can not even really be called a person in the morning. I am some sort of space taking, oxygen using thing that can't be communicated with. Not this morning, on this morning I was a person! It was an anniversary miracle. I was just so excited!<br />
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We got to the train, boarded, and had a pretty uneventful ride. *A Piece Of Advice: When riding Amtrak, UPGRADE TO BUSINESS CLASS. Just do it. It's waaaaay better.*<br />
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We got to Chicago and rolled our luggage out to the street and realized our hotel was close enough to walk to. Jackpot! Also, our hotel was gorgeous.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961317562/" title="The Congress by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6026/5961317562_ef4b923456.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="The Congress"></a><br />
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With gorgeous staircases.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961319512/" title="Staircase at the Congress by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6135/5961319512_02f5e9c996.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Staircase at the Congress"></a><br />
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And gorgeous elevators. (Good thing, because I wasn't about to do all those stairs, we were on the 11th floor!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961318984/" title="Magic elevators by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6002/5961318984_ce0aa0430f.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Magic elevators"></a><br />
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So now we were in, we were settled, and we were HUNGRY. We asked the front desk where a good lunch spot was and the woman recommended the Artists Cafe.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/purpleveggie/5961317886/" title="Artists Cafe by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6028/5961317886_1f4626083f.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Artists Cafe"></a><br />
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Sooooo good. With full tummies we planned the rest of our day. Stay tuned, I'm getting to the good part!Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-87594568433478559772011-07-20T09:18:00.000-07:002011-07-20T09:18:16.786-07:00Well, that didn't go as planned.Or, "God, I'm a terrible blogger."<br />
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It's been...a while. I have a trip to Chicago to tell you about. It's good story, I promise.<br />
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***SPOILER***<br />
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I got engaged!!!!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/65443309@N07/5957769309/" title="Sparkle in the sun! by purpleveggie, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6132/5957769309_e37fceb5b7.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Sparkle in the sun!"></a><br />
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<3<br />
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I'll be back in less than six months. I think.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-10976331435092142172011-03-01T22:24:00.000-08:002011-03-01T22:24:58.559-08:00God Damnit, I wanna blog!It's been more than month since I popped in and said that my holiday break from blogging was over. <br />
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Then I dissappeared again. Whoops. <br />
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Well, I want to be back and I actually have ideas to blog about! So, later this week I WILL have a "real" post for your reading enjoyment (if there are any of you left).<br />
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I pinky swear this time.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-38722137968036382972011-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:002011-01-10T11:25:45.946-08:00Back from the void.It's been a while. The Holidays have passed (I miss them and their craziness though!) and it's time to jump back into "normal" life. I'm gonna ease back in with a tiny little post about a tasty little drink.<br />
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In early December Firefighter and I went up to my parents 2nd house in northern Michigan. Lots of fun was had, and one night we decided, "Let's do shots!" My favorite shot is a Lemon Drop (I'm a vodka girl), so we bought lemons. We couldn't find sugar anywhere in the house, so we had to get creative. We accidentally invented the Best Shot Ever:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5343828316/" title="DSC_0203 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5343828316_dfe9e52bbc.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0203" /></a><br />
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Fun Dip instead of sugar! Genius! And yummy. <br />
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The few days that we spent up there were wonderful. Good food, good conversation, new experiences (we went to an auction, I almost bought an accordian...) I want to go back!<br />
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It's good to be back Blog, I hope your holidays went well and everyone made it out in one piece!<br />
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RIP Christmas tree, you will be missed. See you in 11 months.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5343831350/" title="me xmas 2010 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5168/5343831350_94e0989ef0_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="me xmas 2010" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5343830482/" title="ff xmas 2010 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5343830482_f17a40c9de_m.jpg" width="240" height="161" alt="ff xmas 2010" /></a>Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-20010461168368116522010-12-21T19:21:00.000-08:002010-12-21T19:22:27.055-08:00I'm sorry Blog.I've been neglecting you. I've been neglecting...everything. You see it is The Holidays. And during The Holidays life as I know it gets put on pause, and the world is different. So, I'm sorry. But as a Christmas present to you (you don't care, but play along) when The Holidays are over and my life returns to relative normalcy I will have lots of pictures of projects. I hope to have new updates on the Touchdown, some photography fun and all kinds of adventures with my new sewing machine (!). Again Blog, I'm sorry. I'll be back I promise.<br />
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P.S. Firefighter and I went to <a href="http://www.bronners.com">Bronners</a> a few weeks ago and decided to start a tradition of getting an ornament with our names every year. Here's the beginning, it makes me happy.<br />
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<center><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/debikay/5242612132/" title="DSC_0201 by debikay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5006/5242612132_cf43251c0a.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0201" /></a></center><br />
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P.P.S. Happy Solstice Blog, days are officially getting longer now!Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-45309355839009772782010-12-15T20:02:00.000-08:002010-12-15T20:02:58.737-08:00Want It WednesdayI want more time. <br />
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<center><a href="http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/glitteringninja/?action=view&current=FreakOut.gif" target="_blank"><img src="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/glitteringninja/FreakOut.gif" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center><br />
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I feel like I have a hundred things to do and about two minutes to do them in. I'm sure most of this feeling is because it's winter. Winter and I have some issues. I'm sure I will write a more in depth post about my Winter Issues another time. For now I will just say that I'm glad it's not November any more, but things like motivation, and energy, and general not-losing-my-shit will be difficult for me until March/April.<br />
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Until then I am on the desperate search for more hours in the day.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-50534027548019483992010-12-09T09:40:00.000-08:002010-12-09T09:40:09.917-08:00Want It...Thursday?Whoops. I am a slacker. No Want It Wednesday post this week. But here is a special installment of Want It Thursday - Book Edition!<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0749928263?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0749928263">The Lazy Girl's Guide to Green Living</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0749928263" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
I don't like to think of myself as a "lazy girl", but (at least sometimes) I am one. I do like to think of myself as an environmentally conscious person, so this book seems pretty perfect.<br />
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2. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1933027002?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1933027002">Vogue Sewing, Revised and Updated</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1933027002" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
I'd like to have a beyond-basics reference book. And I'd like it to be this one. I've come to respect Vogue publications on knitting, and I thoroughly enjoy Vogue patterns. So yeah, I want this book.<br />
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3. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1931543771?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=1931543771">Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume One: Knit & Purl: The Ultimate Stitch Dictionary from the Editors of Vogue Knitting Magazine (Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Series)</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1931543771" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
Speaking of Vogue Knitting. I'd like to have all of the Stitchionaries and I don't have any. Some day this will be remedied.<br />
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4. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0307473708?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0307473708">Darkly Dreaming Dexter</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0307473708" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
I don't know that I really need to OWN the Dexter books. But I would certainly like to read them. I'm pretty much obsessed with the show, I don't really know how I could not like the books.<br />
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5. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425227782?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0425227782">The Belly Dancer</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0425227782" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br />
It's a romance novel, and that makes me scared. But it's titled "The Belly Dancer", so that means I gotta have it.<br />
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Thus concludes the first installment of Books I Want. There will be many more to follow. I really like books.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-49207246899089432002010-12-07T15:37:00.000-08:002010-12-07T15:37:27.280-08:00Touchdown costume - Part 3, a trim story.I got this far:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5241967813/" title="DSC_0186 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5088/5241967813_10ebe9d689.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0186" /></a><br />
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And then I stopped. I had this lovely trim:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5241968237/" title="DSC_0187 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5042/5241968237_a67f383618.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0187" /></a><br />
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Upon closer inspection it was even more wonderful than I thought:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5241968655/" title="DSC_0188 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5127/5241968655_aabac2ba10.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0188" /></a><br />
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See that!? See how the little metal parts of the trim coodinate with the medallions that I already have on the costume?? But I only had a couple yards of the trim and that's not acceptable. And I can't get any more. So I went to work with the scissors:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5242563454/" title="DSC_0190 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5242563454_dc0569d7bd.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0190" /></a><br />
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Perfection! I have since sewn some silver coins on, and have started with these teeny little mini-medallions. But I don't have pictures yet, so you'll have to be patient. I am very excited about this costume, can't wait to get my dance on in it!Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-33878595546238695042010-12-01T17:54:00.000-08:002010-12-01T17:54:41.225-08:00Want It WednesdayNow that my dreams from last week have come true and this Christmas I will be receiving a brand spankin' new sewing machine (!), I have moved on to dreaming of things that go with that sewing machine. I do not have a house of my own, or a room that I can dedicate to creativity, but if I did I would want koala Cabinets for my sewing machine and serger. I would want the "simple" ones. The Cub IVs.<br />
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<a href="http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/glitteringninja/?action=view&current=koala.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/glitteringninja/koala.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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These "simple" cabinets are $1400 EACH. Yep. But they are faboo. This is one installation of Want It Wednesday that will not be fulfilled any time in the near (or probably far) future. Unless I can find used ones somewhere that will work for my machines...Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-47446933142897171472010-11-29T19:23:00.000-08:002010-11-29T19:23:26.180-08:00Touchdown Costume - Part 2Finally finished the never-ending black braid. The whole thing is trimmed and starting to look like something I might actually wear. I used just over six yards of trim, but my fingers feel like it's been about 20 miles.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5219366593/" title="DSCN0906 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5219366593_9dc5f66756.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0906" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5219958878/" title="DSCN0907 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5219958878_576287634a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0907" /></a><br />
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Now the real fun part. This is where my brain gets to let go of the more technical thinking and let the design part go wild. I have small box of bits and parts to start with, but there will be more.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5219957998/" title="DSCN0909 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5168/5219957998_cf164274de.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0909" /></a><br />
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I started by adding the center piece to the top, I like to start symmetrical and build from there, so the middle is a good place to begin. Then I added medallions along the tops of each cup. I am now in the process of doing the same to the belt.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5219366119/" title="DSCN0910 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/5219366119_a0ff028194.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0910" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5219958412/" title="DSCN0911 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5201/5219958412_8883398d62.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0911" /></a><br />
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And! If I had panned a little to the right in a few of the above pictures, you would have seen this:<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5219959034/" title="DSCN0908 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5048/5219959034_8c486f0b83.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0908" /></a><br />
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It is my Christmas present from my amazing, wonderful, magical boyfriend. Yaaaaaaay! I can. not. wait. Oh man. It's beautiful.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-62137672927518825992010-11-24T20:26:00.000-08:002010-11-24T20:43:24.062-08:00Want it WednesdayI want a sewing machine. I'm tired of using my mom's. I have a serger, and I love it, but I need a plain jane machine for all my flat, non-seaming sewing. I just wanna be able to put a hem in a costume with out having to pray that the machine isn't up north or at my sister's house.<br />
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Doesn't need to be fancy. Simple forward and reverse stitch, and zig zag. That's all I ask. *sigh* Someday...<br />
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<a href="http://s662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/glitteringninja/?action=view&current=squid.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu343/glitteringninja/squid.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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By the way, I have no idea what that picture's about. Thanks photobucket.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-84526053978627781002010-11-23T21:17:00.000-08:002010-11-23T21:17:14.320-08:00Touchdown Costume - Part 1I have been meaning to make a costume out of this fabric for at least 2 years. I finally decided to do it. It will make a fabulous renfest costume, and I think I'll be able to use it for most of my more fusion-y pieces. With different skirt/pant/accessory combos it should work for the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FVGLBG?ie=UTF8&tag=purpvegg-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000FVGLBG">Balkan music</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=purpvegg-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B000FVGLBG" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> that I have fallen in love with and the "steampunk" choreography that I learned at <a href="http://www.thebellydancedivas.com/greatlakes.htm">GLBC</a>.<br />
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On to the creativity!!<br />
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So when I started making this I didn't have this blog, so I didn't take pictures of the very beginning. I bought some molded foam bra cups from Joanns and cut up a pair of Firefighter's old jeans to make the base for the rest of it. I cut out my pieces and covered them in the fabric.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5203574184/" title="DSCN0897 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5203574184_3d1e447bb3.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0897" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5203574312/" title="DSCN0898 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/5203574312_579894a8db.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0898" /></a><br />
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Then the hardest part of the whole process...making a dance top that doesn't make the tatas look really weird. It's a science and requires a lot of trying on despite the risk of death by pin sticks. Once I got everything figured out I sewed it all together into a top that I am pretty satisfied with.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5203574688/" title="DSCN0905 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5045/5203574688_f702a863a1.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0905" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/20918326@N02/5202977907/" title="DSCN0904 by AlterKnitively, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5202977907_8e2f2839cd.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="DSCN0904" /></a><br />
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Now that I have that figured out the fun part begins, embellishing. I'm starting by trimming the whole shebang in black braid. I may have lied two sentences ago when I said this was the fun part. This part sucks ass. The fun part happens after the trimming when I get to put coins and medallions and shiny things on the costume. This part sucks because I don't have a sewing machine at the moment, so every single stitch on this bad boy has been done with my poor little fingers. I'm almost sure this costume (like most of the things I make) will be composed of 27% blood and swear words. But that's also part of what makes a handmade costume wonderful.<br />
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I love it already.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-22722158566443970672010-11-17T06:56:00.000-08:002010-11-17T06:56:39.963-08:00Want It WednesdayAs I mentioned in my last post, my computer is dead. D-E-A-D. So I need a new one. And this is what I want:<br />
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<a href="http://s1093.photobucket.com/albums/i439/purpleveggie7/?action=view¤t=untitled.png" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i439/purpleveggie7/untitled.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a><br />
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It's an <a href="http://www.hp.com/united-states/campaigns/touchsmart/#/TouchSmart-Tm2">HP Touchsmart Tm2</a> and it's beautiful. Like really beautiful. And I can write/draw on it because it's a <i>touchscreen</i>. Look how it flips around and turns into a tablet, and it's pretty swirly design...goodness gracious I want it now. But it will have to wait. I still have one more payment to make on my Bestbuy card, then Stanley - my camera - will be paid off (yipee!) and I can start making payments on this bad boy. Oh man. So excited.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-59810805834993324782010-11-16T08:44:00.000-08:002010-11-16T19:24:16.910-08:00Cast of CharactersIf you plan on reading this blog (and really if you're reading now I'm shocked, my plan is to basically speak into the void, I'm not getting my hopes up for actual <i>readers</i>), you will be reading A LOT about the following people (well, 2 people and a cat). And you will see more pictures of them once I have a computer again. Until then I have to work with my very limited resources, bear with me, imaginary reader.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/debikay/4736342193/" title="zulajun26_3 by debikay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4736342193_98bb159d76.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="zulajun26_3" /></a><br />
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My cat, Zula. I adopted her in June and she is turning me into a cat lady. Her name is Urzula, it's a Polish name that means "little she-bear" and it is a perfect match for her personality.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/debikay/4516772788/" title="DSC_0036 by debikay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2740/4516772788_44517e37d4.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0036" /></a><br />
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My boyfriend, Firefighter. He loves me and I love him and we are happy. There will be lots more to follow about our relationship and how awesome we are.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/debikay/4505878341/" title="DSC_0004 by debikay, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4505878341_de876cf57c.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="DSC_0004" /></a><br />
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And me.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2628719542772489275.post-57789660173517910082010-11-15T21:48:00.000-08:002010-11-15T21:48:14.060-08:00testtesting. testiiiiiiiing.Purple Veggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11256884782419166168noreply@blogger.com0