The kids costumes

Eli was Han Solo (with some reasonably dyed hair) and Lily was Leia.  Lily decided at the last minute she didn't like the hair we designed for her, so she went with the hood up.  Looked great anyway.

They preferred the blasters I made them to the ones they made out of legos.  Good call:

As for their pumpkins:  (Eli's)

And (Lily's)

Hallowii-een

Well, we got our costumes done in time for the party down the block, even if a lot of the people there didn't know what a wii-mote was. But as always, there is a joy in being the obscure.

Scrolly Goodness

Someone asked recently if I'm posting these things realtime or am I back filling from my collection. And if it's realtime how on earth do I find the time to do all of this stuff?

Well, a lot of the posts are older items I'm just trying to document, but some of them are realtime. In this post I have a lot of scroll saw items that really don't take that long to do, it's just a matter of planning, executing, and following up. All three steps are difficult for me. :)
J and I were in the garage and while she was sorting something or other I picked up a tiny scrap of wood (final puzzle is about the size of a quarter) and knocked this out in a few minutes:  (yeah, I can be cheesy sometimes, but I always mean it!)

This next one is from a book on Fantasy and Legend Scroll Saw Puzzles, which I really like because of the specificity of subject but the variety of examples.   I've done quite a few of them already, just have to post them:

Finally, three images from a common theme:  Sea Life.  I used some patterns from a simple scroll saw pattern book, and just improvised a bit as well.  Final pieces are about two inches wide/tall.  The original patterns didn't have puzzle shapes cut in them, and I'm just now learning how to cut them so they stay together:

So no restrooms for customers..

.. Just the general public?

Yet another lighthouse

I'm a sucker for the nautical stitchings, apparently. This was fairly easy and a heck of a lot less work than the more detailed 'gold' Dimensions lighthouse with a similar look.

It's no Surly Coffee Bender..

.. But lots of fun anyway. It just didn't have same amount of that coffee taste. And you don't want to know how much it costs per bottle.

The quest continues.

My Worst Nightmare

"Hey dad, come look in the garage" is what the note said. When I opened the door and saw this.. vehicle.. I was surprised but guardedly so. I knew Jill wouldn't just buy a car without me but WTF?

Turned out ok as it's a rental from the dealer while they sort out a troubled seat belt in our car.

Whew!

DMC Ship and flags

Another pattern from the DMC brochure I got with set of floss. It had been a while since I found a pattern I really wanted to do for myself, and this was a fairly simple and quick one. I chose a cream 18 count aida in order to highlight the detail as well as give it a weathered look.

Adriano's fun commute

Nohohon At Night

So I got this toy a year or two ago.  It's a little nodding happy face guy -- called "Nohohon Zoku."  It's solar powered and just nods back and forth.  I've always envisioned it after all the humans die just nodding away.  The post apocalyptic happy face.

But there was some office discussion about whether or not it would keep going -- and it occurred to us that we didn't know if it kept going after dark on the ambient light we get downtown.  So I set a webcam on it and this is the result:

Taylor's Falls

Another beautiful fall afternoon picnicing in the autumn colors.

Your kids are pattern designers

Eli designed this himself. He wanted me to do a cross stitch for him, but he didn't want any of the patterns I had found. So he took matters into his own hand.

All it takes it a kid, a sheet of graph paper, and some crayons and you've got an awesome cross stitch pattern that's one of a kind, personal, and usually quite beautiful! And if you use the right (read: selective) set of crayons, picking the colors out from your thread stash should be a no brainer.

Graph paper isn't that big when you get down to interpreting it via Aida, and the crayons or markers they use are basic colors which you can then match with those random leftover skeins of floss you have in that drawer.  So these are usually pretty easy and quick to stitch.

It's also really fun for kids to see their work reinterpreted in something as elegant and substantial as a cross stitch.  

If you're feeling really adventurous, these are nice small stitches to experiment on if you're trying to get into framing your own work.  You could even attach a magnet to the back and put it on the fridge, just to come full circle.

Guys who Cross Stitch

If you're interested in my cross stitching, either click on the "cross stitch" label on the right, or on this link.

Enjoy!

Happy Anniversary

11 years with my honey!

Tintin

I started this just in the last week while we were visiting relatives up north. It's from a pattern I got on the Internet, but it appears to have had a slight aspect ratio issue. Seems a little thin but I still think it looks okay. It was free and you get what you pay for.

Tintin is one of my favorite series', and I've been looking for a pattern for some time. I have a few other characters but I may have to either adjust the aspect or just go ahead and make some of my own.

I miss Dark Lilac. :(

Grand Rapids, Grand Forest

On a walk near the Forest History Center, which unfortunately was closed.

XML

When asked if my sticker was reflective I responded with "No, XML does not have reflection" and three people actually laughed because they knew what I meant.

We're so tough.

Why? Finally, Why?

Because we sat in that car and you told me I hadn't changed at all. Even having been through all of that stuff, you couldn't see that I had changed, even a little. Yeah, I was still pretty young and naive and ignorant and cocky. But in looking back, so much of what I went through and learned during that time shaped who I am today. And so much so that I feel like I'm a completely different person before those years and after.

I'm sorry. I wish I could have done that differently. I wish you could see my wife, children, career, hobbies, life. I miss having you there.

[If you don't understand this, it's probably not something aimed at you. :)]

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

We went to the Renaissance Festival yesterday - the last day of the festival and a great day.  One highlight was Eli on the climbing tower:

 

Twins Saturday

We're in the second to the last row, spent a ton on food and the kids are still trying to figure out where the quaffle and bludgers are as they think it looks like a Quiddich stadium. It's awesome!

Town Talk Friday

Bear Lake Crossing

I made this about two years ago. It sits on the mantle at the cabin, which is of course on Bear Lake. This is my own design and I wish I knew then what i know about stitches, as I could have made the background a bit more smooth. It's taken this long to take a picture of it since I keep forgetting when I'm at the cabin.

Home Fight Club Kit

Our own little fight club at Bear Lake. The kids are working on making soap from a kit.

TNR Lovin'

And yes, it was good.

Men In Stitches

Hard to find much information about men cross stitching online. As a guy who stitches it's always amusing to deal with people who have assumptions about "mens" hobbies vs "womens" hobbies. I've always said cross stitching was the "manliest of the needle arts" and that really if you think about it, it's just pixels. Makes perfect sense that someone into technology would be doing something that so easily translates pixels into stitches. I will admit it's tough to find compelling content for cross stitches, but with some creativity we can all get past the teddy bears and angels.

Last night Lily noticed a framed cross stitch in our hallway that a family friend did for our wedding. When I told her the name of the woman who made it Lily said "Can girls do cross stitch too?" and then followed up by noting that apparently so, as even she herself has done some cross stitching.

Hee hee hee.

Grape Smuggler!

I just invented a new drink. I'm calling it a grape smuggler. It's Grape Crush and Mr Pibb mixed. Takes like grape crush but then it smacks you in the face with the Pibb.

We have free pop at work and sometimes you get to thinking about combinations. So I'm going to focus on that a bit. Now if only I could come up with a "banana hammock"...

3D Puzzle Time Lapse

I lost the files for this animation for YEARS. Just found them and decided it was time to assemble them. So here is my latest video amusement..

Eli in his beepin' boat

He's about a year and a half old in this video? If you look carefully you can see I'm pushing him from behind, but it was so funny because he was so little and it looks like he's just a little old man driving his boat around.

This was a favorite video of many of my co-workers at the time, and we would try and get this into any demo we needed video on..

Why are the tops of...

... Sherriff's trucks white? Caught this awful low quality phone cam pic from Dreez' office. So now we not only have to wonder about the UPS trucks but the cops too?

Cross Stitched Yoda!

This is the one.  It's the cross stitch I'm most proud of at the moment, and it's the one I most hope will be seen by someone out in the world.  Eli loves Star Wars (duh, who doesn't?) and as it was difficult finding good "boy" patterns I decided to try making an original.  I used the generator at Dark Lilac (which is sadly not online these days!) and a snippet from the cover of a Star Wars Adventures graphic novel.  It does appear a little "jaggy" but I'm cool with that.  It measures about 15" tall, so it's a substantial wallhanging.   The framers were pretty jazzed about it, as well.

When I went to my LNS for supplies the ladies there were suprised that the list of floss colors was for me, not my wife.  I get that a lot though.

So I still don't know how to take a picture of something that's been framed.  Anybody have any advice for me?

Chess Pillow

I had previously posted about Lily's rose pattern pillow, but this was the true original pillow.  I got the pattern from the book "Mini Cushions In Cross Stitch" and while I had actually finished it some time ago (just after Maker Faire*) I hadn't gotten it sewed and stuffed until just lately.  Again, I love it so much it's hard to part with it, even if it will still be in the house...

(* I was so thrilled at the Maker Faire because I figured if there was one place in the world a guy could cross stitch in public and not warrant a bunch of funny looks, it was at the Maker Faire.  Or maybe the Pith Helmet distracted folks...)

DMC Leaves

Unframed, un-ironed, and just recently completed.  Got this pattern out of a free pamphlet from DMC with a set of floss.  I just liked the simplicity of it.

Look now to the heavens...

The original phrase was "Look now to Heaven" but I changed it to "the heavens" in a successful effort to heathen it up a bit.  I think it worked out quite well.

One of the frustrations I have with being a guy who cross stitches is not just the overly spiritual nature of a lot of the content out there like in this case, but the cuteness factor.  I'm having to sort through endless collections of teddy bears and cutesey sayings in order to get to anything I find remotely interesting.  This is why I end up doing so many lighthouses.  

Anyhoo, I did this one for Jill for our (eighth? ninth?) annniversary a couple years ago.  I gave her the cross stitch undone and promised to complete it for her.  And I did complete it, too, just a few weeks shy of the NEXT anniversary.  But she liked it a lot and said she had never had something like this made for her.  It was one of those rare moments when she seemed genuinely excited about one of my many craft adventures.  She's awesome.

(And no, I don't know how to take a good photo of something that's been framed.  Deal.)

Blister Run Complete

Got home last night at about 7, having driven 552.6 miles, very tired! But it was well worth it, lots of fun!

Hinckley

Yay, Tobies!

rutledge

Stopping to remap due to a detour, Stacie decides to make a hands free call.

Hell's Kitchen

Woah, what do you mean we're EARLY for our reservation?!? Maybe Lora can fil the time with the story of Boris and Natasha's fight in the motel parking lot last night...

Sup town!

6:35: With just a smattering of rain and no incidents we pull into Superior WI to our not so shabby hotel across from the Hammond.

Port Wing, WI

5:26: Halfway to Superior. Yays. Getting colder though.

Leaving the island

3:30: Off to Superior after a lovely day on the island. It's a sort of "low rent" Mackinac island, and a lot of fun! Got some great souvenirs, too!

Lunch on the island

After a nice - though cold - ride around the island, we're having lunch on the deck. Erik took a spill on a corner - gravel sucks. Other than some scrapes and scratches he's ok, thankfully. Oh and I got to take pictures of a lesbian wedding party on the beach. Except they left before giving me the beer they promised to me... A sprinkle or two here and there but no real rain yet...

Riding the ferry!

After a long wait for breakfast we're finally boarding the ferry for Madeleine Island! Not only did we get the "moped discount" but the captain herself checked our tickets! But then, can you blame her?

Mornin'

(yawn)

BAYFIELD!!!!

5:29: Bayfield,yay! And no rain!

hayward

... 2:52pm..

Cumberland, WI

12:20: Made it to Cumberland with no troubles! Lots of wonderful Wisconsin lettered roads, cows, and not too much roadkill.

Blister Run 2008

9:15: We're off to a great start.. Well.. Tom R is off to get gas and Erik is bodging his spark plug...

Gadget Guy - Episode 1

Eli and I made a movie. We've actually worked on a few now, but this is the first one we've actually made, edited, done post production on together, and completed. Hopefully it'll be the first of many. He's such a creative and imaginative thinker, and a wonderful production assistant. And I think he finally has the attention span to do some crazy good!

We're ignoring the fact that his idea and storyboarding for the sequel was the original idea but rehashed with unrealistic expectations for production ability which would then be pared down into a shoddy half-done copy of the original. Which actually, for a sequel, is about right, isn't it?

Blueberries for Lil

Picking blueberries in the wilds of northern Minnesota..

Eli is the coolest

I guess you'd have to know him, but this captures so many of the elements that make Eli the wonderful boy he is:

• His devotion to Frank and Big Red. 
• The lightsaber collection. 
• Messy hair. 
• Dinosaur shirt. 

And the fact that he's thrilled to be posing for this picture with all of his favorite things...  He just rules.

Scooting to work.

Adriano took the concept of scooter commuting to a whole new level. When he got in the elevator with the scoot (which was luckily not running) the other occupants assumed he was going to the fourth floor. Which is the floor which we think houses the mob, based on the sketchy characters who go to that floor.