We survived the "squall" yesterday pretty much unscathed. We lost power, and had a small branch come down, but that was it. I took a picture of one of the candles with both cameras: my regular one (above) and my phone's camera, here. Quite a difference, huh? I'm not sure how long the power was out, because we left about an hour into it for John & SIL C's birthday dinner.

For the weekend, I'd pretty much like a do-over. Saturday was really rough, and was basically a wash. Note to self: you really have to eat breakfast,and within an hour of waking, miniumum. Not doing so will make you cranky and moody and unpleasant to be around. And when you do finally eat (about 5 hours after you get up), you'll feel somewhat better, but still be anxious and have a headache.

I did manage to get some matchboxes covered and bundled up. pedal_pushers  suggested I combine the twine I planned to use with buttons, and I think she was exactly right. Another picture (overhead) in my photostream, here.

While I worked on these, I watched some of Buffy, season 6, starting with Once More with Feeling (the musical, if you're not a fan). I still have "Walk through the Fire" stuck in my head.

Totally random observation: when you watched these episodes, did it bother you that of all the people that lived in that house, only Buffy had to go get a job? Willow and Tara lived there, rent-free, and never appeared to pony up for groceries or anything. (Yes, I know -- it's TV, and doesn't have to make sense.) My folks helped out quite a lot when I was in college, but I still had to get a job, even when living at home, even if it was part-time. Tara had been cut off from her family, so they weren't sending her $. Maybe Willow's mom gave her $ for living expenses, so why not contribute that to the bills?


Back to reality. Apologies for the terrible quality, but none of us brought a real camera to dinner. (Bad blogger!)

We've always celebrated birthays in pairs, by going out to dinner as a family, with the birthday people taking turns picking the restaurant. My dad & brother were both born in January, and my mom & I in August. Christie (a June baby) came along, and for years got her own dinner, then I married John - another June baby - and now they share.

This year's dinner didn't really turn out as expected. John wanted to go to a restaurant he liked, and we were all for it, but we picked a location that was very different from the one he'd been to. It was loud and almost impossible to hear anyone at the table, which was one of those stupid circular booths that no one over 21 should have to sit at. Most of us were pleased with the food, though, and the cake was excellent.

Of course, we brought the cake in with us. SIL C, who has a small cake (cookies, cupcakes, etc.) business, made John's cake. (I flaked on doing anything for her (last year I got pie), but she was fine with that -- she's seen enough cakes this week.) It's a one-layer round Rice Crispy treat (John's favorite snack). She made the Superman shield as well. No candles, no singing, just the way John likes it. (None of us like singing when it's done by restaurant staff.)

Because the ornaments I'm selling at the show are glass, I want to package them so they have a chance of getting home safely.

Of course, since the cheapest boxes I could find in the style I wanted were 60¢ each plus tax, buying boxes would mean I either charged a bunch more to make up for the cost, or made a small amt. of money.

SIL C has one of those cutters that you attach to your printer, and they have a small take-out box pattern available. She was going to order it for me, but she spotted these in the kid's craft section at JoAnn Fabrics: stack of 5 for $1. SOLD! Totally worth it, considering how much time and effort it would take. I got 25 boxes for what the pattern would have cost. I should have known better than to assume that the gift wrap section is the only place to get this kind of thing. Glad she was looking out for me!

They fit perfectly!

Into the box went a small handful of the shredded paper I got on sale last weekend (less than perfect colors, but for 97¢...), then the ornament.

I decided to use some of the bakers' twine to tie them up, since a) I have a lot of it, and b) I think it's cheery and pretty and stuff. (I'm also going to use it on the matchboxes instead of the button/ribbon ties.)


Speaking of the bakers' twine... I am going to put out a few of these spools, plus 3 or 4 of these little center-pull balls in clear containers. The one pictured is mine, because I'm not risking my adorable acorn dispenser out in public. I'll put together a packaging basket like my at-home one, but with things I won't freak out about losing if someone goes off with them.

Craft show veteran lilfish    recommended that I have a variety of things at the show (already planned), with at least one item for $1. So the spools will be $1. I won't make much of a profit on them (the spools are new, purchased in the wood aisle at Michaels), but they won't be a loss, and I think she's right about having some really inexpensive things.

The dispensers will have tons more twine (spools have 6 yds, dispensers have 50 yds), but I'm thinking of selling them for $5.

My new box of Moo Mini Cards arrived over the weekend. I realized while I was ordering that I had not been uploading pictures like I used to, so I had to go back in time to find images I like. Four are repeats, 'cuz I like them, and the rest are new. I'm not doing swaps very often (read: hardly ever), but I really like having these on hand. I only pass them out to people that I don't mind knowing about my blog (so no one at work has ever seen one). This time around, I added my Halloween links site as well as the blog and the currently-empty Etsy shop.

I'm deep into craft show prep. saltnlt552   has rented the space, and we've paid extra (ooo, $5) for a canopy. I've knit eight bowls and partially felted seven of them (dropped one on the way to the laundry room).

This morning, I took a pair of scissors into my ribbon garden (that's what it felt like) and snipped random lengths of ribbon (instead of herbs). I can cut them into the appropriate lengths and group them together while I'm on lunch today. I got washable fabric glue, which I can use to attach the ribbon (once I find the picks). I'm on the hunt for a box of plastic toothpicks. I know they exist, but have had no luck thus far. I want the cupcake flags to be reusable (and more sanitary).


Happy Monday, y'all!