Seagram: 1993-2008

Last night, I made the choice with my husband, Greg to say goodbye to our sweet dog Seagram. In the past couple months, Seagram declined significantly from the effects of lymphoma. In addition to failing appetite and intestinal distress, breathing problems and muscular-skeleton issues, the last couple weeks rendered him completely blind in one eye with the other failing fast. This being said, I can officially say that I am a complete disaster as my mind second-guesses my decision. It's difficult to process that yesterday, he was here, and today, he’s gone. Words really can’t describe how sad we are and how much we miss him. Seagram has been around for nearly half my life. He was born in New Orleans sometime in July of 1993 and came into our lives after someone found a litter of puppies in a garbage can and took them to the LASPCA. He was a mess when we got him with gross intestinal parasites and a big spot of ringworm on his back leg. Nonetheless, I couldn’t help but think he was adorable after watching him pounce and wrestle with his brother. So Seagram went home with us to 916 Audubon Street, his first home of many. During the New Orleans days, he romped around with his fellow college partner in crime, Champ Bell plotting ways to tip over the garbage can so he could drag the trash to Barrett’s bed or how he could eat an entire tray of brownies sent to me for Valentine’s Day from my Grandma Schutte. He also accompanied us on many hikes, the most memorable one to St. George Island where he was carried 2 miles in Barrrett’s back pack on what later became known as the “Spring Break from Hell.” When he moved back to St. Louis with me in 1998, he was able to become a full time roommate to my childhood dog, Charlie, then living with my mother and my cat from 4th grade named Dusty. Seagram pretty much sealed the deal on Dusty’s moving papers and she decided to adopt our neighbors as her new parents because I guess that she didn’t like to be out-numbered. Then came Suzie and Miles who have been his longest companions yet…Suzie for the last 8 years and Miles for 5. He has spent many a day laying in the sunshine with Suzie (and avoiding Miles) watching the birds and clouds fly by. It’s amazing how he seems to be one of the only dogs that I have known to really take in all of his surroundings. Seagram will be forever remembered for his sensitive nature and for his caring intuition for his humans. He was a very good dog and I am lucky to have been able to have him share in my life.

And again...Why did I not learn how to Crochet?

Holy cow. I want to make these. Except bigger and I wanted them like 3 weeks ago so I could have my one hand smack my other hand around when it got out of line during the debates.


Barack Obama Crocheted Finger Puppet from Lion Brand


John McCain Crocheted Finger Puppet from Lion Brand

The Jib Jab Guys are my Heroes

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Hickory Dickory Dot Sweater

I have officially finished the Hickory Dickory Dot Sweater by annypurls. It's for our friends, Sarah and James (and Sadie) who are expecting their first child due September 24. I don't think my sweater is nearly as cute as hers, however I used yarn that probably wasn't as nice. I get worried about using yarn that is too expensive for a baby. They either grow out of it quickly or get it terribly stained and you can't throw a lot of the yarns in the washer for a good scrub. If anyone has found a good DK yarn for baby items that is not TERRIBLY expensive, let me know.

While at Jujube&Lolo, I discovered anny has a new pattern. Yay! It's called Duck Soup. I really want to make it for Ethan, but I'm a little worried it looks too girly. I wouldn't make the closures multi-colored. I think that would help lessen it's feminine effect. What do you think?

E's Birthday Party Invitation

So, as my good friend Ellen pointed out in my last post, I didn't show a picture of Ethan's invitation. Here it is.

I am selling ones like it that I will customize with your child's silhouette and colors in my Etsy shop: www.inviteddesign.etsy.com

Happy Birthday to E!

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know it's been a month and a half since my last blog post, but it's not like I've been sitting around twiddling my thumbs. So here's what I have been up to ...

Knitting: I am almost done with Hickory Dickory Dot by anny purls. I'm just finishing up the mouse and deciding if I want to put a squeaker in it before I finish seaming. I'll post a picture of it when it's complete. Next on the needles: A sweater jacket for me! My first. Here's the pattern I'm using: DROPS Jacket

Invitations: I guess you can say I have started an invitation business. This has taken up most of my spare time. It's too much to go into now, so I'll save that for a later post. Maybe tomorrow.

My son's second birthday: Yay! Ethan turned two! With all of my efforts towards designing invitations (which I really have enjoyed) I was totally the slacker mom about the E-Man's second birthday. I couldn't really even decide on a theme. I was torn because he really likes cars. However, we got him a train set because he loves playing with them at other people's houses and has really started to say "CHOO! CHOO!" whenever we're driving or walking and see trains. On the other hand, he's totally obsessed with balls. So the theme became "All things that roll" I made his invitation and lined the envelopes with paper printed with little cars. I love to make cakes, so I totally stole the idea of this train cake and made my own. Here's mine.

OK. So mine isn't as fancy, but it's OK. I used my Grandma Young's Lady Bird Johnson Chocolate cake recipe which is one of our faves.

The weather here in St. Louis has been beautiful for August so we were lucky enough to be able to have the party outside. Here's some pictures from the day.

That's my husband's tortoise, Buddy. (Notice I say my husband's tortoise. He came with him in the marriage.)

So, Ethan wanted to play with "Daddy's Lawn Mower" (it's really a blower) more than anything else. Eventually, we had to put blower "Night. Night" "Bye. Bye. Wawn Wower."

He can finally rip wrapping paper. Yay! He eventually got the hang of the present thing. Here he is playing with his Thomas book from Aunt Lynn and Uncle John.

How cute is my niece?
These are the lion cupcakes I made and brought to school for his birthday. I got the idea from here. (I'm such a cake hack.) Ethan doesn't like cake...I have no idea what is wrong with him, but I figured he would like the candy. Plus, I wanted to hear him say "Wion. RAARRRR!"
He's a good "rarrr-er".

So that's it for the birthday. I can't believe my little love is two.

First Carnival For the E-Man

So, my son is going to be a daredevil. (Worried sigh.) On Thursday and then again on Friday (because we forgot our camera- doh!) we went to the Webster Groves Community Days Carnival. I have always LOVED carnivals, so much so that I would happily hop out of the car on my way to dinner to take a couple rides. We decided to take Ethan to the carnival thinking that he would like the lights, but expecting that he would be too scaredy to go on any rides. So, when we got there and saw they had several kiddie rides, we decided to start small with the train. By the end of the night he was giggling through the "Bigger Kid Kiddie Rides" that even sort of scared me. Here are some pictures from our revisit on Friday (which was WAY more crowded and crazy than our visit on Thursday.)

Everyone has a little 15 year-old in them, right?

At one point in time, I could have called myself a "reader." Unfortunately, five plus years, a child, a full time job, knitting, designing, not to mention trying to fit in maintaining a house, bills, cooking, cleaning, and spending a few moments with my husband, I find if I do pick up a book, it takes me a very long time (as in months) to finish it. But that was not the case with this book.

I think you can say I am officially obsessed with "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyers. I read it in a couple days ... and those days were work days. The entire time I read it, I felt this overwhelming sense of guilt that if I AM ACTUALLY READING, I should be reading something that would be more "beneficial" (whatever the hell that means) to me. I dunno, like maybe I should finish some of the books I *should* have read in highschool like Tolstoy (whom I have never read). The reality is I think I want to read Tolstoy because it is representative of a specific historical time and a plight of a people who helped create a foundation for what we have today and I find the idea of that compelling, but when I actually sit down to read Tolstoy, eh, it's not as interesting. (I'm saying this having not read anything by Tolstoy, so it could be completely gripping for all I know.) On the other hand, reading "Twilight" for me was like drinking a Cherry Coke -- something I totally enjoyed doing, but not sure if I should be expending my calories on something so unsubstantial. I realize that's not very nice to say about the book, and I kind of feel sorry for saying that, especially after having read Stephenie's inspiration behind her book and really relating to her plight as a mother trying to complete a project that she was passionate about. Another thing to feel guilty about: wishing for bedtime or naptime for your children so that you can work on your own selfish, creative obsessions. That's an entry for another time, though.

Regardless of my guilt issues, "Twilight" called to the younger girl within me and reminded me of what it's like to love and live passionately -- something that I'm sure we all forget how to do as time goes by. Unable to say goodbye to Edward and Bella, I'll be picking up Twilight's sequel tonight, New Moon.

Ellen's Bachelorette

So, my lovely friend Ellen is getting married in less than two weeks and I am going to be in her wedding. A couple weeks ago, my co-matron-of-honor, EB and I threw her a Bachelorette Party at Dave & Buster's. Ellen is a little Freaky Friday over games. I am too -- especially board games, but I digress. Here are the invitations I made for her party. I was trying to go with the video game theme. If it had been a shower, I would have made her a bride cake that looks like the pixel bride, but it wasn't so, oh well.







I also designed her wedding invitations, but I'll let her post them on her blog first. I also made here Save the Dates, that you can see at the following link. Ellen's Save the Dates

I would really like to start doing this on the side. I was a Printmaker in college, so this is right up my alley. It sort of bridges the gap between art student and sorority girl, both of which I was and both of which left me feeling conflicted.

mom

I miss my mom today. Everyday I miss my mom, but today there is a familiar ache and longing that accompanies my normal everyday wistfulness. I have a picture of her pinned to the board above my monitor and I’ve probably looked at it 30 times and it’s only 10:50. Because I’m missing her so much today, I’m allowing myself to indulge in remembering her details. I normally don’t do this because it’s comforting and painful at the same time – comforting when I first remember the way her hair grows at the nape of her neck, or how her pores looked on her cheeks and her nose, but then painful when I realize that the only place this is recorded is in my memory. So then I stop thinking about her. I also worry that thinking about her details too much will damage them. Sort of like handling a piece of silver adds tarnished fingerprints that change its composition. I should probably stop now and concentrate on my work. Maybe this is what it's like to get old or to know that you have alzheimers. I wonder if everyone is afraid of losing memories.

The Babied Baby – Ethan's Farm Nursery

EthansNursery, originally uploaded by lucyschutte.

My friend Ellen is getting married, and watching her, I don't think anything can become quite as big of an obsession as planning your wedding. After you get married, you buy a house and become all-consumed with decorating. Still, it doesn't quite compare to planning a wedding because decorating a house is a long term (really an endless) project (plus, you just blew your whole budget on your wedding, so who can afford to make over their whole house at once?) Then, you get pregnant. Budget? Who cares about a budget when we're talking about you CHILD? As evidenced in $900+ chandeliers for a baby nursery from PoshTots. My husband and I tried for years to get pregnant and when we finally did, I was hesitant to start planning our nursery (although I had been secretly planning it in my head for a very long time.) When the time did come, I was pretty disheartened with the examples of baby nurseries out there. I couldn't really find anything. Eventually I would like to start a website where people can post pictures of their nursery so that expectant moms and dads can see all the cool things that people are doing in preparation for their newest member. Until I do, I decided to post pictures of my own nursery here.


I decided to do a Farm theme based on a print that was given to me from my grandma. It's a picture of a milk maid and a little kid drinking milk on a farm with cows and cats and a farmer standing in the background. My Grandma Young would hold me in front of the picture when I was a little girl and tell me stories about the farm family. I decided to hang it in Ethan's room. My husband and I added the mouldings and I painted all of the silhouetted animals. Also, in rebellion against paying $900 for a chandelier, I made my own. I sculpted a pig, a hen and chicks, a cow and out three dogs for each arm. (If you are interested in a custom chandelier, feel free to email me. dianacweir@yahoo.com)

Here are some images from the completed room...

Here's a list of where I bought everything:

• Freckles Farmyard 4-Piece Crib Set
  


• Espresso Pinehurst Lifetime Crib from Babies R' Us (It looks like they don't have the Espresso one anymore)


• Waverly® Carlton Drapery Rod - 26-48"


• Old MacDonald Had a Farm Rug

I'll add more to the list as I think of things, but if you have a specific question, just let me know.

If I Crotcheted (or had a cat)

Image from Lion Brand's Newsletter
Goldfish Cat Toy
This cracks me up. I can just see little kitties wriggling their little tushies in the pounce position and sending this little guy flying into the air with his little bulgy eyes.

E is for Easter, Ethan and Elmo?

I'm not exactly a huge fan of childhood characters. Don't get me wrong, I definitely qualify as immature when it comes to my love of cartoons and "kid" movies (at least the good ones.) However, I can't stand the syrupy, commercialized cartoon characters plastered on every kid product from diapers to baby yogurt. I also don't like to put my kid in "character"clothes. I just don't. I like the basics. Lately, however, in a quest to build my child's language skills and attention span (and to give mom and dad a break from climbing furniture, tormenting the dogs and throwing everything but what he's supposed to), we have Tivoed "Sesame Street" so that Ethan can have some quiet time. It has worked. He sits still for more than five minutes as Elmo rides his bike around talking to the same Gordon and Maria I watched 25 (maybe even 30) years ago. So, I have to admit, when he looked at his Elmo and Cookie Monster laden diapers and said ecstatically "MoMo" and "Cookie" it made my heart melt.


I really wasn't going to do anything for Easter, because he doesn't really get these things yet. He wants to throw Easter eggs, not hunt them, and God forbid he should get his hands on a bunny. Guilt (or Patti B. at my work) got to me and I decided he might enjoy an Elmo egg like the Ernie and Bert my dad made me when I was little. It was one of the most memorable things my dad did for me. I loved my Ernie and Bert eggs that he blew out and decorated. They were in my Easter basket every year. So hopefully Elmo can be in Ethan's. That is, if we can keep him from throwing it.

Finished Sweater for Ethan

So, I finished the sweater for Ethan with the yarn that my mother-in-law gave me. It's a little big. (At least in the arms and neck...ha! I'm definitely still learning.) Maybe if will fit him better next winter.

If you want to see more pictures of the sweater, click here.

If you would like the pattern for the Pullover Sweater, it is free from Lion Brand's website.

Pictures of My First Project

The very first project I completed was the Cross Over sweater from Debbie Bliss "Essential Baby". I didn't take pictures of it before I gave it to my niece for Christmas, but my sister-in-law brought her over in it last weekend. Here is is, (if you can see past the adorable dimples.)

Anniversary Flowers

Everytime we go to the local grocery store together, my husband goes to the flower case to try to guess the arrangement I would pick. After I'm done checking out, we compare notes. I love the flowers from this florist. He used unusual grocery items like cabbages, brussel sprouts and onions.

On Saturday, we had our 6th wedding anniversary and Greg surprised me with these. They are way too expensive, but they're beautiful.

Booties for Ethan's doctor

I don't think there are words for how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE my son's pediatrician. Dr. Terrill is so upbeat, supportive and understanding. She is possibly one of the peppiest people I have ever met, but not in an annoying way. You just can't help but love her. She has two sons and is now expecting a daughter, so I decided to give a try at making the ever-famous Saartje's Booties [PDF] for her. I had a little trouble understanding how to make the strap, but I think they turned out OK.

I HATE Thunderstorms at Night

Not because I'm afraid of them, although the idea of an enormous oak smashing into our house is a bit disturbing, but because my geriatric dog leftover from college gets up panting and pacing from one side of the bed to the other. To make things worse, it makes my husband insanely angry, so not only is there the CLICK-CLACK of Seagram's (my dog, not my husband) nails hitting the hardwoods, there are also sudden, unexpected outbursts from my bed felllow.

We have started putting him in the bathroom downstairs on these nights because it is completely impossible to sleep and there is absolutely no way to calm him down (he's even afraid of camera flashes because they remind him of lightning.) Plus, when he's scared and we're not there, he always jumps in the bath tub as evidenced by the dirty dog footprints I find when I go to take a shower. The only problem is that inevitably, we wake up to a lake of pee on the bathroom floor the next morning. Sigh.

Giraffe Booties

These are the first set of booties that I knitted. I made them for the son of one of our friends.  I made him little giraffes from the yarn and pattern that came with this: Baby Knits Kit: Instructions and Tools for 20 Snuggly Projects I then knitted little ears and embroidered the eyes and nostrils using embroidery thread. The tie and the name on the heel was done with Lion Brand Chenille. I cut out little circles of tan felt and stitched them on randomly to make the spots.

My first post -- How I started knitting

This is my first post to my blog. I am still unsure if I should keep this name. I like to do more than just knit, but I can definitely say that knitting is by far my most pressing current creative obsession. I really have only been knitting for a very short time. It all started in September 2007 on a family vacation with my in-laws to Crystal Lake, Michigan, which, by the way, is a beautiful lake in the northern part of the state.


Here are two pictures of the view of Crystal Lake from the cottage we rented.


I brought three little embroidery projects to work on during our week-long stay. Because of this, my mother-in-law took me to a yarn shop around the corner in the the town of Beulah. I had never picked up a set of knitting needles in my life; I thought knitting needles had curved little hooks at the end. (No Diana, that's crochet.) I just couldn't wrap my head around how one could make a fabric with straight needles. The little yarn shop in Beulah is called "The Yarn Market" and it had many pretty yarns, but what caught my eye was a book on knitting clothes, blankets and toys for babies called "Essential Baby" by Debbie Bliss. OMG! I had never seen something so cute. The little sweaters and socks were the sweetest things I had ever seen, but "No" I declared. I didn't need a new hobby. I had just started embroidery and I had enough to concentrate on. Well, I finished the three embroidery projects by the end of the week (which were by the way Christmas presents for my aunt, grandma and family friend) and I had a really good time doing them.

A week after getting home, I couldn't get the little baby book out of my head, so off to the bookstore I went and I bought it. My first project was to make the little crossover top for my darling niece, Erin. It was October, so I had three months to 1. Learn to Knit and 2. To Successfully finish the sweater by Christmas. I did it. With a little help from You Tube's instructional videos (I love that I learned to knit on You Tube!) and Debbie Bliss' "How to Knit." I think that you need to see someone make the stitches when you are first knitting. I can now read instructions and understand (most of the time) what they are talking about, but at first, you need someone to show you. If you have someone to help you in person, that would be ideal. Otherwise, here are some links to the You Tube videos that I found very helpful.

Helpul You Tube Videos

Casting On
The Knit Stitch
The Purl Stitch
Knitting Increase
Knitting Decrease
The Kitchener Stitch