Little Bunny Fou-Fou: Easter memories

This is the first year that Viv will be able to appreciate Easter in all its non-religious glory -- baskets, bonnets, chocolate eggs and, of course, that Bunny. When I was a kid, Easter had a very specific ritual:

7:00 a.m. Wake up and pounce on the basket that the Easter Bunny had left at the foot of my bed.

7:15 a.m. Start bouncing off the walls as the sugar from the various chocolate and marshmallow candies kicks in.

8:00 a.m. Fall asleep on a bed of plastic Easter grass as the sugar high crashes down.

8:30 a.m. Have Mom start taking out the pink foam hair rollers.

9:00 a.m. Put on fluffy Easter dress and take picture with sisters on the lawn (along with whatever our "big" toy from the Easter baskets were that year -- I remember Cabbage Patch dolls figuring significantly in those photos)

9:15 a.m. Drive with the family to my grandmother's country club.

10:00 a.m. Jump up and down on the Easter Bunny's lap (who was actually probably a poor teenager who was conned into this sorry job).

10:30 a.m. Try not to get run over by the older boys during the Easter egg hunt on the country club lawn (those kids were vicious, and probably ended up as second-string linemen for the San Jose Saber Cats)

11:00 a.m. Get in line for the brunch buffet. Skip the poached salmon in gloppy hollandaise and head straight for the dessert bar.

2:00 p.m. Finally leave the country club. Race to take off the tights and uncomfortable shoes.

This year, we're heading up to Kingsburg to celebrate Easter with the extended Manfredi clan. One or another of Richard's aunts and uncles always have big family holiday celebrations, but we never seem to attend because they just never seem to match up with our travel schedule. But this time, we're determined to do it.

I've had these grandiose ideas about all the crafty projects I'm going to do for Vivian for Easter, and then, last night, I realized that Easter is NEXT WEEKEND. Crap.

So here are the projects I want to do. We'll see how many of them actually get done by next Sunday.

Bunny Hat & Paw Mittens
Soft Easter Basket
Recycled Cashmere Bunnies (I have a tattered pink pashmina somewhere that would be perfect for this)
Chibi Rabbit
Fabric Easter Eggs
Wintertime Teddy (with long ears to turn it into a bunny)
Amigurumi Birdies

If I actually get two or three of these done in the next week, I will be thoroughly pleased with myself. I'll probably focus on those that I already have the materials for, i.e., the basket, the cahmere bunnies, the chibi rabbit and maybe the bunny hat. I have actually finished an adorable little crocheted sweater for Viv to wear on Easter, but I haven't uploaded the photos yet.

Drive-by photo post

I actually have a bunch of stuff to write about here, but I'm so behind on posting, I thought I'd throw out some fun photos from Valentine's Day. How can you resist? I know you are powerless in the face of Vivian in her adorable heart dress...

Vivian at her Music Together class. Apparently, Viv thinks that the red sticks are tasty. I'm sure glad that all the playthings get washed after class.

This is what happens when you try to take a photo of a toddler who doesn't understand that she should stop walking towards the camera.

Having fun during the dance party!

After music class, we headed out to the zoo. I love this photo of a mommy gorilla and her baby. That's love.

I think this zebra looks so majestic. Of course, two minutes later, one of the zebras tried to hump another,, and everyone starting running, jumping and bleating around the enclosure. Pretty cool stuff.

The flamingos are still a favorite ("Mingos!")

Yes, I have the attention span of a gnat

I have a serious case of Short Attention Span Theater right now.

As I posted yesterday, I have several projects that I need to finish in less than a month. So why is my brain buzzing with new projects—ones that I patently cannot start until after the holidays?

In an effort to catalog them, and get them out of my system (at least for a month), I'm going to list those ideas here.

1. I've been inspired by this Apartment Therapy post to paint my boring Ikea wardrobe a bright yellow. A couple of months ago, I successfully stripped and painted a Victorian-style side table, so I know I can do it. I think it will help bring even more color and design to my bedroom.

2. My sister Jenny bought me a gift certificate to SuperCrafty! for my birthday and I just used to to buy some Malabrigo Merino Worsted yarn in Sapphire Green. It's so beautiful. I am just itching to cast on for a Liesl sweater for me because I think it would be so yummy in this color.

3. I saw this beautiful letter quilt highlighted on the Spoonflower blog, and I want to make one for Vivian.

4. I'd love to make my winter coat before, you know, winter is over.

5. Every knitter I know is making cowls, which seem to be the must-have accessory this winter. I need one. I've got several skeins of sock yarn that will never be made into socks, no matter how many times I say I'm going to make them, so a cowl would be a good use.

Ok, I think that's it, at least those are the projects that I'm obsessing over right now. Gah!

I must finish gifts for others before starting something for myself.
I must finish gifts for others before starting something for myself.
I must finish gifts for others before starting something for myself.

Roller coaster

I have been dragging my feet regarding posting here, and I'm not sure why. Life here at Chez Reeve-Manfredi has been up and down.

Obama won! Yay!
Prop. 8 passed. Boo!
The holidays are coming! Yay!
Richard got laid off! Boo!
Friends Thanksgiving happened up in Seattle! Yay!
Vivian was a bear on the flights (a cute bear, but a bear, nonetheless), and I had a mini-nervous breakdown the first night in Seattle! Boo!
Richard and I had our 6th wedding anniversary! Yay!
And we both completely forgot about it until the next day! Boo!

So, um, yeah.

I am trying to stay focused on the positive. I am trying to be a crafty diva. Just about everyone will be receiving at least one crafted (sewn/knitted/crocheted) gift for Christmas, but of course that means I need to get busy.

I did manage to finish a cute skirt to wear for our Christmas photos, which we took on Saturday. I almost had a heart attack while making it, because it was supposed to be a vintage-inspired dress (made from an awesome vintage cotton that I picked up last year at the Pasadena City College flea market). But when I put the bodice together and had Richard pin it closed on me, it was awful. I'm not 100% sure what went wrong, but it was all wonky. Luckily, the dress had a circle skirt attached, so I just ditched the bodice and made a skirt and petticoat, and bought a sweater at Target.

I also made Vivian a winter (ok, LA-winter) coat out of an adorable vintage pattern. It was a size 2, and knowing that vintage patterns tend to run small, I figured that would be ok for her. Um, no. When I put it on her, she looked like the coroner from The Wizard of Oz. So, it will be coat for next year! Finally a project I'm early for!

I still have to finish two quilts, 1 sweater, 1 bag, 1 hat, 1 doll, 1 apron, placemats, table runners, 2 eye masks and probably more stuff that I can't remember right now. And I officially have 1 month to do it all. It may be a photo finish, but I'm feeling positive. I think I can do this.

Fateful last words, don't you think?

This is Halloween!

Happy Halloween, all you ghosties, ghouls and goblins!

I bring you a photo post...

Boo at the Zoo!



A visit to the pumpkin patch:




I finally got around to carving one of those pumpkins last night:



Stitch n Witch 2008:

Thing 1 and the Fish

A Viking family ready to pillage the Farmer's Market

Spider Granny!

Gnome-mar Garciaparra

Look! It's Bai Ling!

This little cowgirl is ready for some treats now.

Happy Halloween!