The Wench At Home

House cleaning!

2010-09-30T17:46:00.001-07:00

Hello? Is anyone still here? (looks around) Man this place is dusty and out of use. Hmmm. Must fix that...

*dust dust dust*

I don't know that it's any better but it's a start! Lets see now where did I last leave off? January!?! Eek. Clearly I have allot of cleaning to do (I've pictures to share...*wince*). I have been crazy busy this year and wasn't really able to type (or knit-cry) from about April until, well, now. I've tendinitis in my left arm that I've been going to Physical Therapy for so it's been slowing down everything. My Husband also deployed back in May so i moved back in with my parents (again). And aunt passed away, my final school semester started and I got an office job (my first). Oh, and I feel head over heels in love with Jane Austen and all things pertaining to her. Pride and Prejudice (the 1995 BBC version) doesn't leave my DVD player (honestly) and I'm on my 4th reading of the book. (I've watched the DVD 20+ times)That also means I've gotten into English Country Dancing and having tea parties and I've a ball coming up in TWO DAYS!! If you click HERE it'll give you the So Cal Dance/Ball info.

Anywhoodles, That's all a huge lead up to say my home is a disaster. By home I mean my bedroom, bathroom, and family room that I've taken over but share part of with my mom for quilting purposes. Ahem. I've even got a storage unit since, indeed you can't put an apartment's worth of stuff into a house that already has stuff.

Speaking of stuff, I'm also going to do a major clean up! If it stops being ungodly hot. So Cal was in the 100+ this week but is "supposed" to cool down. How I envy people on the East coast. Fall here is still summer alas. So there's a little quick update for you and I'll show you some pictures another time (my arm is hurting) well, if I can stand the shame.

Ta!

Wherin Time Kicks my Arse

2010-01-29T12:57:00.000-08:00

So for the last two weeks my life has been, shall we say, insane? Two weeks ago the husband was home from work (when California was drenched in rain so it was a good thing) thanks to hives and poison oak. Naturally, nothing got done other than the sewing of these two pillows:

How gorgeous is that material? Love! Also there was cooking and knitting involved but I've got to make this fast...you'll see why soon. I also got a new job (at home like I wanted!) For Slipped Stitch Studios(linky) sewing these bags:

Now this bag I didn't personally make but am making others like it. It's taken over my "dining room". Thankfully my husband is a gem and hasn't said anything....

THEN! Last week, School started, I rearranged my schedule a zillion times, and since the husbands car was in the shop, I had to drive 4+ hours a day to drop him off at work and pick him up. Consequently, NOTHING has gotten done at my house and it looks like this:

Nothing got done. So now you know why this has to be a fast post. I need to go clean!!! Ta!

Just a Quick one

2010-01-10T11:23:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I've been away first due to the holidays and then second because I've been nesting with the hubby and staying in mostly. I'm working on a new ("real") post and will get that up soon. But! I took this quiz over on Sproost-it's about what is your decorating style and I got:

Wine Country Style
Tuscan sun, here we come! The Wine Country Style reflects the feelings evoked by the seaside regions of Europe such as the South of France, Spain, Italy and Greece. The style manages to be both refined and casual, such that you can mix beautiful antiques with more rustic wrought iron or wood and the result is both sophisticated and cozy. Furniture is large and comfortable, colors are bright and cheery, and regardless of the color palette the spaces almost always feel warm. You can easily translate the style into the perfect family environment but you can just as easily emphasize the more formal pieces and make your room the perfect adult getaway.
50% Wine Country Style
33% Nantucket Style
17% Traditional Country

And once I get pictures going again (or glimpse through old ones) it's totally us. Although we do like to say our *very specific* to us style is: Dark&Light Traditional meets Gypsy Caravan.

:) More later!

Trying To Remember That it's Winter

2009-12-19T18:37:00.000-08:00

Happy (ish) Saturday everyone! I've been in kind of a funk lately and haven't really done much of anything useful. Well, except for the fact that I finished my finals! I am done, done, done for 5 glorious weeks. What will I do with myself?

In any event, it doesn't feel like Christmas per-say lately. How can I when it looks like this outside:

And I'm doing this:

Winter is in two days and California was resoundingly cliche with 78 degree weather today. There's a blizzard on the east coast and I can't even get some clouds? Luckily, it's supposed to reach the 60's tomorrow!

But other than Finals and hanging out with some friends and doing a little bit of knitting, not much is going on around Casam Wench. I'm hoping the dissatisfaction and stress and doubts and nerves go away soon, it's driving me batty. Maybe I'll go knit something.

Happy Yule to those who celebrate it.

Woo Hoo!

2009-12-11T17:06:00.000-08:00

Hubby's coming home tomorrow!!! (it's been 5 weeks)

Not so woo hoo, it's finals week. THEN!, THEN we'll be back to the regularly scheduled posting. :)

School

2009-11-29T11:16:00.001-08:00

So, I hope everyone had a lovely thanksgiving (of those who celebrate it). I've got a few things I want to post about but haven't the time since I've two exams on Monday, a project due on the third (it's a knitted scarf, I just need to wash and block it) and a paper I need to read for and write by the 9th.

So, my posts about Yule/Christmas Decorating, Sewing (because I did do a sewing project at the beginning of the month), knitting and house in general are going to have to wait a few days. :)I might be able to get something up on Wednesday, but of course, finals are around the bend. LoL, Have a great rest of your weekend. (I'm off to Latin tutoring)

Quilt Run

2009-11-21T16:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Saturday! Yesterday, my mom, two of her friends and myself went on a mini quilt run to nine of the local shops in the "area". Some we like more than others, but most are lovely and run by lovely people. Along the way we saw this stunning home, and while I took pictures, sadly only two came out nice. I'll have to go back later with the good camera.

This archway I assume, leads to the front door. Everything is covered in ivy, flowers and plants. It is such a gorgeous home!

We had a lovely and grand time, and I really didn't spend much since money needs to be spent elsewhere but here is what I did get. THe left side of the picture is what I bought, the right are the free fat quarters and (not shown) free patterns each shop gave out.

What amuses me is the Christmas material with the bells on a black background have little penticals inside the bells. From my favorite shop, which isn't surprising since the owners are quietly Pagan. And my mom, because she loves me, bought me this wonderful Panel-any suggestions on what I should do with it? I was thinking of framing 2 and making pillows from 2. But I'm open to suggestion!!

Gratitude List

2009-11-19T17:41:00.001-08:00

1: My husband
2: Knitting
3: Sewing
4: Hot tea
5: Indoor plumbing
6: Books
7: My Health
8: My friends (online or off)
9: Being inspired
10: Love

What are you thankful for?

And as an aside, I'll be updating with pictures here in the next few days. :) Lot's of stuff going on.

Beef Steeeeeeeew

2009-11-15T18:04:00.001-08:00

So I attempted to cook today. Now, usually this doesn't go so bad. I follow directions and all is well. This time however was a resounding failure. A nasty, make your stomach not-quite-the-thing mess. But it started out so well!!!

All but the beef assembled and good to go.

The potatoes and what would eventually be too many carrots (and the gratitudious ring shot. :} ). But cut up and cleaned ever so nice.

I mean, it even looks good cooking!!!! That looks yummy. I put it on low heat on a timer for 3 hours. Thank the gods I'm paranoid about this sort of thing and stirred and checked the pot every half hour. At the hour and a half mark, when the apartment was smelling yummy, I went to stir it and saw that it was A: Mushy and B: the spoon hit resistance. Digging deeper I discovered the bottom layer had blackedned and burned into a foul-burnt coffee sort of mess. I quickly turned the heat off and salvaged what I could.

That was one mushy mess. I ate a bowl, decided that there is no way I could stomach another and tossed it out. Thankfully my water runs as hot as scalding so the burned blackened mess didn't ruin my pot, and it's clean and shiny again. I think I'll stick to spaghetti for tomorrow.

Harumph!

2009-11-11T17:18:00.000-08:00

I was all set to display the pretty lighting the world deemed fit to show this evening while I sat at home by myself. Took all kinds of pretty pictures and then...realized I didn't have a sd card in my camera. Gah. I'll try to salvage something but for now...

Wow. What a weekend it was. I'm still recuperating. Last Thursday was dinner at my bffs house, Friday was the dress rehearsal for her wedding, Saturday was the wedding (crazy fun and when I get pictures I'll post some) then Sunday was the USMC ball then Monday morning I had to take the hubbs to work at an un-godly hour so he could leave me for a month or so for training. I slept over 14 hours Monday, missing my Latin class (gah again), slept more after work last night and am already tired but I'm determined to go to knit night tonight...I think.

But since I have no new lovely pictures for you of my house, here's one of us at the ball. It's by far my favorite and I can't get over how, well (pardon the vanity) amazing we look. The dress was borrowed from my bff's mom, clearly the woman has amazing taste.

Now for myself, I'm off to sit in traffic for 35 minutes to go 10 miles or so. Ta!

20 Things I'm Grateful For

2009-11-04T15:12:00.000-08:00

I (as many of you know I'm sure) received less than stellar news today and it's really thrown me in a funk. So that being said, it's the perfect time to make a gratitude list. I'm a firm believer in them and even when I'd really like to smash a piece of cookware upside someone's head, I make one. So here's mine:

1: My husband and his love
2: My Best Friend
3: My Family
4: My School Friends
5: My Reclaiming The Home friends (rav link)
6: Being able to Knit
7: Being able to sew
8: Having a roof over my head
9: Having food in my fridge (erm..well, when I remember to grocery shop anyway)
10: Hot tea and cold nights
11: Books, because they've gotten me through so much
12: That I'm an intelligent, smart woman
13: That I've the self-confidence to say, "I'm Pretty" or "Damn I look good today"
14: My Iphone (because it's so useful)
15: Being inspired by nature
16: Being able to sing
17: Being able to be creative
18: The ability to appreciate what I have
19: My Religion
20: Never taking my husband for granted

And as an extra:
21 My husband being able to put up with my charming self and indulging me. You've got to love that.

Sew Something Month

2009-11-02T19:22:00.000-08:00

Hello! So today, on Creative Little Daisy's blog she's decided that this month is officially "Sew Something Month". How handy is it that I had already decided to write a post about fabric and sewing today?

So I photographed my Holiday material, and then realized I have *ALOT* of pretty material. Granted, my fabric stash is much smaller than say...my mom's, but considering it has to compete for the limited space in my 700ft apt with my yarn, roving and spinning wheel, well. That's alot. Never you mind that my sewing machine, rolling sewing cart and 3 huge project kits are at my moms saving me space. This is just the stored stuff. I'd already decided that I needed to sew this stuff up, but I'm at a total loss. The only thing I've planned thus far is to make a holiday apron out of poinsettia and gold material: (the top two fabrics)

Of course then there is the stocking and misc material:

Don't forget the regular stuff and Santa panel:

and of course the prime goods. The stuff I'd dearly love to use but don't know what would do it justice:

See what I mean? That's just the holiday fabric. Gah! SO suggestions, Comments, ideas, patterns, *anything* would be greatly appreciated. It would certainly help if I could just concile myself to having my decorating theme be the traditional red/gold/green combination, but my apartment is like that year round (I'll do pictures to prove it later) and I so desperately would love to have it be silver/dark purple/green. But I think it'd clash with the 3 big color pieces int eh apartment (yellow couch, red/gold rug the hubby bought home from Iraq for me and the green/red/gold curtains we have). Help!

Halloween Quilt

2009-11-01T19:41:00.001-08:00

Hello Everyone! How was your Halloween spent? Mine was interesting. In the morning I went and paid my respects to my grandparents grave and cleaned it up a bit. Afterward, my mom and I went to a quilt shop and bought some material 9yea for gift cards!) then I headed home to bug the hubby for a bit. We wandered around the "Old World Village"-a cute shopping center made to look like a German village with shops on the bottom floor and apartments on the top. Sad thing is it's not doing all that great. What happens is people buy the unit then just rent out the apt leaving the shop empty, so there's not much foot traffic for the ones who DO have shops. Ideally, if I was a shop keeper (Tea parlor anyone?) I'd love to do it there.

After that we went back to my parents where he watched weird internet videos with my dad and mom and I spent our time making these:

Cute, adorable Halloween wall hangings. Now I just need to save up enough money to send it off to be quilted. :) And NOW I can start thinking about my holiday sewing.

Keep your home in your heart! (is that too cheesy? what do you think?)

Puttering Around

2009-10-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

So i was all set to go out and get pictures of my new shawl, some things around the house and perhaps some fabric I am thinking of using to make a new holiday apron.... But alas. No one was able to take pictures of me with my shawl that I wore today as a scarf/kerchief thing and while some house hold pictures did get taken hubby came home VERY early (and unexpected) from work. Which was fabulous! We treated ourselves to pizza (which, of course, I'm now regretting...when will I learn?) and playing computer games...well until I fell asleep at 8 pm that is.

But before all that, I did start a new pair of socks from Tilli Thomas *Cashmere* yarn that friend gave me for my birthday this past year. It's called Tilli Thomas Milian and the colorway is hydrange which is pastel blue, purple, pink, and pale, almost white green. I'm improvising the design and like it so far. It's just two simple cables down the front but I'm a little irked because looking at it, i should have made it three. I just don't want to rip it out... again :)

Tomorrow is Samhain (or Halloween for those non-religious) and so I'm expecting fun stuff. I think the hubby and I are going to pick out a pumpkin and carve it, I'd like to visit the graves of my grandparents and my recently passed on cousin. We'll have to see what happens. I hope you all have a wonderful evening and thanks for bearing with me while I get the proverbial (and literal) kinks out.

Keep your home in your heart! (I'm going to have to learn how to say that in Latin. :D)

The Wench at Home

2009-10-27T15:46:00.000-07:00

Hello world!

I'm TheWench in most knitting circles so you may know me from there. I've got a knitting blog that has kind of morphed into a knitting/sewing/life blog and while I enjoy it, and will keep up with it, I've been getting interested in writing a Home blog. So that's where this ones comes in.

This blog is going to pertain to all things about my home and what I do to make it a home. From learning to cook, to sewing, to (yes) knitting, decorating, cleaning, moving, nesting and the general what have you. I want to it be inspirational, educational, and creative and FUN! That's the game plan.

So, until next time (which, knowing me, will be sooner rather than later) keep your home in your heart!