Tale of Two Cities

 The most recent show at work was the Tale of Two Cities. It is a rendition of the classic Charles Dickens novel. The production was great and the set was amazing, not that I’m biased or anything. Kacey our set designer does amazing work. One of the most fun and cool aspects of this set was the wood. We actually found a guy online who was selling an old barn located in southern Utah. We bought an old barn and used it for the majority of the woodwork. The first joy that we ran into working with an old barn was cleaning up the old wood. This was not the typical woodworking clean up to make the wood smooth and pretty, we wanted the old weathered wood look. We had to clean up the wood from mold, dirt, and manure (it was a barn after all). How many colors of mold have you seen? We encountered almost the complete spectrum; green, black, white, gray, and many combinations of the colors. Once we cleaned up the timbers a little we were able to take the large beams and planking and make two staircases that sat in the entranceways into the theater. We also built a third stair that we made to look like stone. Along with the stairs, we made a variety of platforms that gave the stage different levels and made it look like the old wood flooring or cobblestone streets. Since I kind of feel like I am bragging if I continue to write about what we built. I will end with saying that here are a few pictures of our stairs, platforms and things that we built for the show. On a fun note, we did also make the sewer grates under the stone platform and the corbel type corner brackets.

My turn, Since Adam wont brag, I will. Adam and his dad built almost this entire set. It is an immaculate piece of art. The reviews were raving, and even the author herself wants them to design and build all her sets, and even stated that she wish they did the set for this show on Broadway.

Now here are the pictures Adam promised.

February

The last month was absolutely crazy. Needless to say there has not been much time for blog updating. So here is the run down.

First of all Valentines

Adam and I did not see much of one another the first half whole month of February. Our Valentine’s day was a bit anti-climactic. So I decided to make some cookies for Adam…and his whole work crew.

These cookies are amazing!

 Red velvet gooiness

What can I say. I'm trying the whole domestic thing

The next week the valley (let alone the mountains) was slammed with snow. Adam and I found a killer deal on snow wear and so we decided that we needed to try them out.

This is what came out of it.

After building the Snow Dog we walked through the park.  Aussie usually likes it.

But that day it was incredibly slick…she wasn't too much of a fan of it.

I waseven having a hard time walking straight…if you cant tell

I also finished the Iris blanket.  These pictures arn't great, but you get the idea

 This blanket is for a very dear friend of mine.

  I hope that she enjoys it.

I scream! You scream! We all scream for Ice Cream!

I know, I know…It just snowed 4 inches and is freezing outside. But how can you blame me? With the Indian summer (or was it an Indian spring since it was in February? Or was it just Mother Nature playing a cruel joke on us? Either way) I found myself craving ice cream.
(no I am not pregnant)

Have you ever asked yourself why ice cream is so good? Is it because it's creamy and sweet and melts on your tongue and slides soothingly down your throat? Or is it because it melts on our melancholy and slides soothingly down your sadness with comforting creaminess?

Is it because it’s nostalgic flavor and pure sensory delight reminds us of simpler times when a scoop of ice cream would make everything better? Or when a scoop of ice cream only cost $0.50?

Maybe it’s because ice cream is with us when family and friends get together on hot summer’s evenings and when we celebrate landmark occasions such as birthdays and graduations? Or the simple fact that ice cream is universally accepted as pure yummy-ness?

I say yes to all of these! Ice cream has reassured the apprehensive, and comforted the sore of throat as well as the sore of spirit. Ice cream reminds us of contented times when we had less worries. Ice cream is with us during our joyous times and most proud moments. Ice cream is there when loved ones are near to us. Ice cream is even un-discriminatory; there are so many varieties and flavors that anyone can find a taste they enjoy. There is even soy based ice cream so even the lactose intolerant and the vegan populace of the world can enjoy the creamy goodness.

How many people desserts can claim the same?

There is a reason why ice cream is the number one consumed dessert in the United States. There should be no confusion either when you find out that Utah is the number one consumer of ice cream in the nation. With a high concentration of the population being people who don’t drink, smoke, or even partake of coffee...ice cream is next closest thing to a legal addictive stimulant you can get.

 So I say SCREAM away!

I'll scream!

Do you scream?

Let’s all SCREAM for Ice Cream



Projects

So I have already started…let alone finished quite a few projects this years.  I have limited time and don’t get the chance to work on “extra-curricular” activities let alone photograph them.  However, I’ve decided that along with my goal to journal slash blog more I am also going to spend more time on documenting the things I’ve been working on. 

While thinking about all the new things I want to try this coming year (here I come sewing machine!) I thought about all the things I did last year and figured that I should probably document some of those … I must admit that I didn’t photograph all of what I worked on … ok most of what I worked on.  Pathetic I know.  Needless to say I have given away half of everything I made.  

So here is my pathetic try of recording last year’s attempts at craftiness.

First off “The TuTu”

For my niece’s 1^st birthday, I created my own version of a dress up Tutu and a wire ribbon flower.

I ended putting the tutu on Toto (HA a tutu on Toto…that’s funny) because it looked pathetic just lying on my living room floor

Baptism Filet

I wanted to do something special for my nieces 8th birthday and her baptism.

So I crocheted her name.

Ear warmers and scarves

I was hired to make a barrage of ear warmers and scarves for a friend’s seven granddaughters.  My goal was to finish them in two weeks…it took three.  I enlisted some help. FYI: I didn't pick out the yarn...not my style

These two flowers are my favorite

My help

This is what I got when I asked him to sit up straight...apparently this is his impression of me...

Not sure how I feel about that

 He did a really good job.  Check out the length on the scarf.

 Last but not least:  Marine Corp Coat of Arms

This took me about a month to do.   Grandma was proud about the lace. Gubby just saluted.  He didn’t care how or who made it as long as it was Marine.

I hope you enjoyed 2010 in a glance.  Hopefully this coming year I will get better at the whole taking pictures of things before I give them away.