A little warped

Look what followed me home yesterday.


Yep, a loom. A Glimakra Ideal, to be exact.

I had no idea what kind of loom my friend had to give me, but I'm tickled it's a 'real' loom that actually has an existing company and customer support and supplies. I've already contacted Glimakra and they've been wonderfully helpful with some parts info.

Speaking of assembling, it was ridiculously easy. Really. I did it with a picture off the internet and less than 30 minutes. No tools or real instructions required. Big I 'helped' of course. It is missing a couple of minor parts that I should be able to replace from the hardware store. Now we just have to untangle all the treadles and lamms and shafts and get it all hung up.

I have no room in the house for it, but the price was right (read: free) and did anyone notice the price of a new one on that link up there? Yeah. You'd take it too.

Big I's already figured out how to use the ratchet to wind the warp beam and apron and then release the pawl to let it all unroll down to the floor.

Trick or Treat

Big I got the trick or treating thing down pat this year. Turned the cute on at every door and brought home plenty of goodies to share with daddy.

Last year a cow, this year, a cowboy...

A Morning Hike

Big I and I went down to LLELA this morning. We had a wonderful little adventure.


We saw a creek, a feather (which Big I used to paint the tree), snail shells,


a really good example of a snake skin (rostral scale and lower jaw still attached - cool),


a butterfly wing,


mud, deer tracks, trees and best of all:


A toad! But sadly, no armadillos.


Here's Big I's shot of him.

Take a listen

Thanks to Uncle Mike for passing this on. Gianna has been in this area several times but I've never been able to see her until now. Very interesting story.

All Snuggled In

We haven't been blogging, but Big I's been discovering the joys of snuggling in. In all sorts of places.


Yesterday, for the entire time it took me to vacuum the house:


(When was the last time I washed that dog bed?...yick.)


Today for his nap:


(That's his tent, recently installed in his bedroom.)

At least he doesn't try to climb into the rabbit's cage anymore.

Birthday Boy

The Big I is the Big 2 as of yesterday. He had a yummy pizza dinner and then some cupcakes with his Grandpa and Grandma T.


He also enjoyed his first foray into finger paints today. Look out carpet!


He got a bunch of new toys that he enjoyed all day today as well. This is not one of them - though he made himself right at home in the vacant toy cubby.


Since reaching the ripe old age of 2, Big I has started contemplating his future career..."Have you ever considered piracy? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts."

Packin' it in

I've been keeping an eye out for a little backpack for the Big I but haven't been able to find anything. Then I came across this pattern. What do you think of the results?


Big I was very insistent on that fabric. He grabbed the bolt from me in the store and put it on his lap in the cart. I offered a few other options but it was always 'green one!'.


I love that there are no zippers or snaps or anything else to foil little hands. The little flap at the top is all there is. I added the front pocket and the top loop as well.


As soon as I showed him the finished product this morning, he immediately started shoving his two bears in and out.


We put it on his back and he was off for adventure for the morning along with his faithful, um...rabbit.

Beer, Pizza and Pretzels

You would think by the title we were entertaining a bunch of frat boys at the house, but it was actually just dinner tonight. I made some pizza using this recipe for beer dough from Penzey's.

Note, when the recipe says it makes a big batch, they are not kidding.


I made up two pizzas, which hardly made a dent in the dough supply. They were pretty good, but one was overbaked and Craig commented that it was more like a pretzel on the edges than pizza crust.

'Pretzels' you say?? Coming right up!


We used this recipe for the boiling/baking parameters.


15 minutes later, they turned out very nicely!


It should be noted, I still have enough of that dough in the freezer for at least three more pizzas.

---

I finished a hat for Big I for this winter. Of course, I didn't think to try on last year's hat to see how it fit until after I finished the new one. Yes, the old one still fits fine. (Fortunately so does his coat.)


Anyway, doesn't he look like his cousin B-man in this picture?

New Pants

Craig got some new hockey pants. He was so excited, he had to share his enthusiasm.


Big I seemed quite comfortable, if a little confused.

Budding Photographer

Craig has a thing for the pictures Big I takes, "They could be real art someday!" I'm not too sure about 'real art', but sometimes they're kind of funny. These are from a couple of days ago.

A few samples of the many, many self-portraits:

(Don't you love how intently he's obviously thinking about what he's doing?)

("Maybe if I press this one here...")


He's also recently figured out that he can turn the camera around and take pictures on purpose. He thought he might have luck with the local fauna:

(Olie's ear.)

(Olie's rump.)

(Olie's....um, oh nevermind.)

Later he moved on to still life.

(The desk.)

(The desk.)

(Still the desk.)


(What's on Woot! today?)


I think he's got potential.