Seven Quick Takes Friday

1.  So, it's been a while since I've posted.  Since my last post, I've driven the girls to Albany and back to serve as slave labor paint my parents' bedroom and visit family, made two Halloween costumes, and....

Okay, so that's about it for big things, but I somehow tumbled into a veritable abyss of busywork that's kept me occupied most of the time. 

2.  Things I have not yet managed to do: weed the gardens, rake/compost/bag the leaves, vacuum out the cars, mow the lawn, sweep the deck, ready the potted plants for winter, make rice crispy treats with WNG, clean out the girls' closet, clean out my closet, clean out any other overcrowded closets, undungeonify the basement, locate-purchase-paint-set-up a bookshelf for the girls' room, brown-betty some apples, carve at least one pumpkin, make my bibliofairy costume, and nine kazillion-florillion other tasks that must—MUST!—be done before the winter.

3.  Wee Ninja Girl's secondary Halloween costume: 

The shell is made from two 22"x11" red felt half circles with fishing-line-spool-diameter black felt spots hot glued on, then sewn with a zigzag stitch to a black "youth cut" t-shirt. 

The wings are made from a single piece of black netting cut in the approximate shape of ladybug wings, knotted in the center, and sewn onto the t-shirt just under the spot where the half-circles meet.  Those were sewn through the red felt with more zigzag stitching.  The wings are tied onto WNG's wrists with black yarn threaded through two 1/4" grommets on each wing.

The headband is a cheapo plastic thingy with black pipecleaners wrapped around it and fed through two holes punched in a strip of black felt that was hot-glued to the plastic.  The giant pompoms (chosen by WNG and way too heavy for the double pipecleaners) are hot-glued onto the pipecleaners.  Easy-peasy, minimal sewing, and one very happy ladybug!

4.  I should clarify: WNG has two Halloween costumes because last year I made her a satin and brocade princess dress (hot pink, her choice!) and while it still fits her this year, she was supposed to dress up for preschool today and I didn't think satin/brocade + preschool was a stellar idea, so I whipped up the ladybug for her to wear to school. 

5.  Little things that make me happy:

 This rather plain butcherblock microwave cart has CHANGED MY LIFE.  My awesome-in-laws don't need it in their new kitchen, so they offered it to us, and even though my kitchen is puny, it fits in the breakfast nook and gives me 50% more food storage.  Yes, folks, 50% more!  No exaggeration, I promise!  My kitchen has a grand total of six cabinets, including the under-sink cleaning-chemical wasteland.  I used two for food, and now I have three!  I was also able to move the wine rack off the refrigerator and make it much more accessible, because, well, do I even have to justify it?

These little salt and pepper shakers belonged to my dad's father's mother, and may have even belonged to her mother.  I don't keep salt or pepper in them, but I keep them out because there's something so sweet and cute about them without being too kitschy. 

WNG cut these leaves out of construction paper a few weeks ago (I drew the shapes and hoped for the best!) and she did a great job for her first ever try with scissors.  They kind of blow out the door every time we open it and three of them ripped off today, but I think they are festive and beautiful and she is so proud of them!

6.  So much for the "quick" part of this...

7.  Happiness is...

Thank you to Conversion Diary for hosting!