Little Roo (#2) on the Way!

I was testing a new widget to add to the blog in a few weeks, but more than one eagle-eyed tatter spotted it (for the few seconds it was live). So yes, indeed, I am pregnant with my second child. Squeeeeee!

I am so incredibly excited over this news! Having to sit on my hands so I didn't blurt it out was so hard to do! That is why my blog has been a bit quiet these past few weeks. Looking back, remember my posts about feeling all scatter-brained and my tatting not working out right?

Heh, heh, it turns out those were early signs. I was aware as early as three weeks after conception, but wrote off the "pregnesia" even as I described it to friends as "a lot like pregnancy brain, but not."

So far I have been lucky and have not had any morning sickness, but last time around I did feel nauseous for a short period at the end of trimester one. So the jury is still out on whether or not I will feel ill later on.

Since it is still too early to tell if we're having a boy or a girl, we've decided to use Lil Roo as an in vitro name.

Lil Roo's due date is estimated to be on or around June 2nd.

Cross your fingers and say your prayers that everything progresses well until we're "out of the woods" (week 12)

Big Daddy is rooting for a girl this time. I am happy either way, so long as the baby is healthy. And of course The Sprout is quite pleased at the idea of being a Big Brother.

On Chocolate, Movies & a Contest!

One of my favorite chocolate quotes is:

"I could give up
chocolate but
I'm not a quitter."

Chocolate & Zucchini

I feel the same about Chocolate & Zucchini. (C&Z)

Though the blog was only created in 2003, I have been a fan of C&Z for what seems like more than 10 years.

C&Z author Clotilde posts a weekly column called Edible Idioms. This clever column speaks to my love of idiomatic expressions.

Today Clotilde posted an Edible Idiom that was new to me: faire son miel de quelque chose. It means to profit from a situation.

In honor of today's edible idiom, let's "make our honey" with a crafty tatting contest!

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Tatted Chocolate Box Contest

To compete, you will need 1 empty chocolate box.

How you choose to empty it is entirely up to you. ツ

Or, if you're feeling super crafty, make your own box. Here is a link to a commercial site showing several different styles for inspiration. It can be big or small, any shape, whatever suits your fancy.

Please note, however, that hand-made boxes will not get preferential treatment over up-cycled chocolate boxes.

Tasteful entries that make me laugh will get preferential treatment. Please no nudity, zombie apocalypse or chocolate Jesus art.

(Alright, for all you Gleeks, the most tastefully decorated "grilled cheese-us" that includes 50% tatting will get an honorable mention. Apologies to tatters who have never seen the TV show GLEE.)

The RULES

1. Decorate your chocolate box with tatting. You may also use decorative trims, ribbons, papers, fabrics, flowers, beads, beer labels, etc. But 50% of the decoration must be tatting.

Any theme. (honey, holidays, Elvis, spa day, knots, pets, wine, Jane Austin, shoes, chain mail, passion for tatting...) Let your imagination run wild.

2. Photograph your tatted chocolate box and leave a clickable link to the image, along with your name (screen name) and contact information in the comments of THIS POST. Comments left on other posts will not be considered.

3.  Entries that do not include name and contact information will be disqualified. 

4.  International entries accepted!

5. Deadline to submit your entry is November 30, 2010. Winner to be announced December 7, 2010.


A Honey of a Prize!
Here's what you could win: 25 free balls of Lizbeth thread, in the colors and sizes of your choice.

Yes, I will ship internationally! (Or, if Barbara Foster at Handy Hands agrees, Handy Hands will ship direct to you at my expense. I am still waiting for a return call from Barbara on this point.)

Finally, Chocolate Fantasies
At the risk of veering off into an unrecoverable tangent, let me just add that Clotilde's blog posts (remember Chocolate & Zucchini?) frequently speak straight to my love of food and romance. Take, for example, this post about Quail and Rose Petal Sauce from the movie "Like Water for Chocolate" (1992)

"Like Water for Chocolate" is a perennial favorite at Silly Hat Central. But then, foodie movies have always held a special place in this chic's flick-friendly heart. Consider this foodie flick top 10. I have seen them all (more than once) with the exception of "I Am Love."


So go pop in your favorite foodie movie (or make a date to do so) and think about how you will decorate a box of chocolates.  Remember, 25 free balls of thread are waiting for 1 lucky winner.

Brain Boost?

Found this today via @AlyssaMilano's Twitter feed:

How to Rebuild Your Attention Span

Maybe there is hope for my brain? (Heh, heh, at least until I acquire my own version of Brain Cell #3.)

The enviable CrazyMom visited Toccoa, GA, this past weekend to share some tatter-bonding time with KarrieAnn, Sharren and her friend Catherine. Read all about it: Fun with the girls

My friend Leslie told me about a lady she has been chatting with in her daughter's youth conference group who learned to tat from a group of British ladies several years ago. This woman wants to get back into tatting and Leslie graciously offered to introduce her to me. Cross your fingers that I will meet and re-introduce tatting to this new friend in the next few months.

Well, I don't have much time to blog these days, but I wanted to check in with you all and let you know that I am still reading as many of your blogs as I can and commenting as often as possible.

Missing you all!