Surprised Crafter

As some of you may know, I am a crafter...or as I like to deem myself, a 'surprised crafter' because about a year ago, I didn't even know how to sew on a button. I like to blame my Mommy friends for my newfound talents. They started to get pregnant, so I started to brainstorm what gifts I'd like to purchase for them. Since I was on a buy-local-or-handmade-things kick, I stumbled upon the most wonderful web site in the world: Etsy. How did I manage to live my life prior to this site?

As I was browsing the many baby-related items, my eyes zeroed in on the most adorable little baby hat. It was cream-colored and had a little flower attached to the side. The price was right, and the look was very "posh baby," so I was sold. Then my eyes glanced at the description which stated "crocheted." That's when my brain started to form memories of my late grandmother teaching me the art of crochet about a million years ago. After a few "you can do it," pep talks in my head, I went to the library and checked out two books so I could re-teach myself how to crochet.

Since then, I've dabbled in all sorts of different projects: making tutus and coordinating tulle puff headbands, taggie blankets, felt flower pins/broaches, fabric flowers (which I turn into pins/broaches/hairclips, adorn on headbands, add to dog collars, etc.), necklushes, statement necklaces, table runners, crocheted hats and headbands, and most recently---sewn items like bags and skirts. At one point I was participating in craft shows and selling items on Etsy.

Anyway, I haven't let moving to St. Kitts stop the madness. I packed my mini sewing machine, my crafting materials (including my self-healing cutting mat), and as much fabric as I could fit into the spaces between my clothes and toiletries.

Here's a headband I made a few days after I arrived on the island.

After a few disappointing searches at Port Zante for a slim across-the-body bag, I decided I would find a pattern online somewhere, and make my own. Here's the end result:

I needed a small change purse as well...so I made one.

And since I loved the fabric I used to make my across-the-body bag, I decided to adorn a headband with fabric flower rosettes.

Then I met Erin, another VIP. Eventually the topic of crafting came up, and we immediately scheduled a trip to Basseterre so she could show me where all the main fabric stores were. When one crafter meets another crafter, inspiration and excitement spreads like wildfire. Consider yourself warned.

When we entered Karron's Fabrics, I felt like a kid in a candy store. I could not have been happier to see bolts of fabric lined from floor to ceiling! It was amazing. Although the fabrics aren't what you'd typically find at Hobby Lobby or JoAnn's, I am quite satisfied with their Caribbean-inspired prints.

I made Erin take my photo.

Erin and I stumbled upon a very Caribbean-inspired fabric and bought 2 yards each. I have since made a skirt, and plan on making a table runner for our little coffee table.

I have...no idea why that isn't upright. 

In addition, I tried my hand at these fabric flowers. I have always wanted to make them, but never got around to it...well, now I have, and I love them.

When the skirt and singed fabric flower hairclips weren't enough to satisfy my crafting addiction, I decided to sew all of my scraps of fabric together and make something...crazy. A skirt maybe? Not sure---but the busy patchwork pattern is so cool (or so I think). Stay tuned...

Crafting is a fun world to play in...and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it. I love the hours of research I spend obsessing over crafting blogs and finding new challenges. I must say that my favorite thing to create, thus far, are the fabric flowers. They're so versatile and you can literally put a fabric flower on anything...except for your husband or two male doggies. I may or may not have tried.

Sunday Guidelines

Our Sunday routine seems to follow these guidelines:

7:00 a.m. --- Matthew grows tired of trying to sleep in, so he gets up, lets the dogs out, makes coffee, putts around in the kitchen, and lets the dogs back into bed with me.

7:30 a.m. --- I grow tired of Milo stretching out on his back and pawing me in the face, so I drag myself out of bed...also because I can smell breakfast.

7:45 a.m. --- We sit on the deck and enjoy our 'Sunday Morning Meal.'

8:15 a.m. --- We hop into the Suzuki Sidekick and head to North Friars Beach with our landlord's dog, Pumba.

9:30 a.m. --- We arrive home from the beach, I watch tv or get online, and Matthew studies.

11:00 a.m. --- Off to the Firehouse Fields for Flag Football. Erin, another VIP, and I sit and cheer on our guys and chat about what we did Friday or Saturday night. We try to stay out of the sun, and somewhat pay attention to the game.

12:30 p.m. --- The game finally ends, and we've made it home just in time for an afternoon nap...well, for me, anyway. Mateo usually starts studying again.

1:00 p.m. -- 4:00 p.m. --- I spend this part of the day lazying around or working on craft projects.

4:15 p.m. --- My intramural soccer game starts at 4:45 p.m., so I gather my things, and head out to get some rigorous exercise.

6:15 p.m. --- The game is over. Time to head home for a relaxing evening.

7:00 p.m. --- Dinner is served followed by some sort of dessert—probably cookies I made earlier in the day.

The rest of the evening is spent watching tv, crafting, reading, facebooking, skyping, or whatever else comes to mind.

Beach*Fest (January 29, 2011)

Simply put, Beach*Fest is a big party, hosted by the SCUBA club. The event was held at one of my favorite places, Reggae Beach—on the Caribbean side of the island.

After we feasted on an amazing breakfast at Michaelene's, our group hopped into Kennedy's Space Shuttle, and made the trip out to the peninsula.

Passing around the bubbly.

Ready to get our beach on. 

The event also held beach volleyball and corn hole tournaments. Matthew and a VIP named, Tracey, actually won the corn hole tournament last semester. Unfortunately Mateo, (and most of his semester), stayed home to hang out with their books and notes due to two exams the next week. So I opted to play with Tracey...with a bit of coaxing. We won three games, but eventually, we did get beat. Oh well---it was fun either way. Matthew was happy to hear I tried to represent. Bahahahhahahaa.

Anyway---It was a fabulous day for the event. The weather could not have been more perfect, the music was blasting, the sea was calm and inviting...talk about "livin' de life."

Beach Volleyball and Dinner at Bombay Blues

Friday is the best day of the week, even for me, being temporarily retired and having little responsibility. Why is it so awesome? Well, mainly because it's the one night that the students get to have a little fun between weekend studying. 

After Mateo arrived home from school on Friday, we headed down to Timothy's Beach to yet again cheer on our friends' teams. Watching the volleyball matches are becoming something we do every week, and I quite enjoy it. It's fun to meet up with your friends, cheer on the folks who are actually playing, and of course—meet new people. 

For dinner, we decided to meet our friends at Bombay Blues, an Indian restaurant on the Marriott strip.

Me and Emily Yaw, Taylor's wife.

My Nerd Herd. Beginning with the bottom row, left-to-right: Zack, Jacob, and Ryan. Top row: Taylor and Mateo.

The food was delicious. I had never eaten at an Indian restaurant before, and I absolutely loved it...although, I suppose my one complaint, (if allowed one), would be that the portion sizes could've been bigger. Blame it on my Michigan roots, but this girl likes to eat.

We had quite a few other people join us for dinner and by the end, we probably had about fifteen dinner guests. It was a great night filled with good food and good people.

On The Hunt for a Muffin Pan

On Friday I went to campus with Mateo, worked out at the gym, and then headed home in search of a muffin pan, per my husband's request. I was put in charge of baking a batch for the big breakfast scheduled at Michaelene's on Saturday. Our plan was to gather at her apartment to pig out prior to heading out to Beach*Fest (more about this in a later post).

Once I finished getting ready for the day and had given the doggies some attention, I headed out to the IGA, one of the grocery stores. I figured that they would carry something common like a muffin pan; I was wrong. So I left and headed to Karibhanas, which is a department store in Basseterre.

I pulled into a parking lot near Port Zante (where the cruise ships port), and walked the short distance to the store. There were two cruise ships in that day, and as you can imagine, a lot of tourists were out and about. It was actually nice to see all the people visiting.

While walking through Port Zante, I saw local Kittitians dressed in tribal-wear, performing a dance.

Having been to Karibhanas before, I knew right where to go to find the much needed muffin pan. SCORE!

On my way back to my car, I took a photo of the National Museum.

The present building was completed in 1894, replacing a wooden structure which had an archway that people walked through when arriving and leaving the island. This lead to the building being referred to as "The Gateway to Basseterre." www.stkittsheritage.com/national_museum.asp

Ear Infection Gone...Eczema On.

It has been eight days since my ear infection made its lovely appearance. I am now happy to report that I'm about ninety percent back to my normal self. Whew. I did try contacting the doctor's office at one point to make an appointment, but they never called me back. I consider myself lucky that my little ear healed on its own. I've never had an ear infection as an adult before, and I do not wish it on anyone. I lost an entire week because of it, not to mention that it was quite painful, and I couldn't sleep on my left side---which is my preference. Blah.

Wednesday was the actual day that my ear started to feel less painful. Yay. However, I then noticed later that same evening that I had small clear bumps/blisters all over my hands and fingers. WTF? Since the healthcare here hasn't been amazing, I hopped on the internet to diagnosis myself. GREAT. Fifteen minutes later, I diagnosed myself with a slight case of eczema most likely caused by the climate change. It is now Sunday, and my hands and fingers are back to their fatty sausage-like selves---sans the small blisters. 

Rainy Monday Topped with an Ear Infection

Yesterday was an 'inside' day for two reasons.

1. It rained off and on all day.
2. I've been battling an ear infection since Saturday, and I've just been feeling really crummy.

I did go to the Nurses' Station on Ross' campus early yesterday morning, and she informed me that my ear canal did in fact look inflamed. Great. She said I could make an appointment to see a doctor, but I declined. It's 100EC for a doctor's visit, and who knows how much it would cost for the prescription. I'm willing to see if the ear infection will heal itself...*sigh*

So I spent most of the day bumming around. I caught a showing of The Blind Side on one of our movie channels so that was a minor bonus. The doggies knew I wasn't my normal self, so they spent most of the day napping too.

Sunday Matinee

St. Kitts has a movie theatre. Let me repeat: St. Kitts has a movie theatre. Annnnd, it's very similar to one you'd go to in the US.

Matthew loves movies, so naturally, we went to see one today. After our little jaunt at North Friars Beach—we went home, he studied, and I blogged. Eventually we decided on a movie and a time, and hopped back into the Suzuki.

Let me state now, that when I write that 'we' chose a movie, and that 'we' picked a time—I really mean that Matthew decided on the movie and the time. Our friends and family from back home won't be surprised by this.

I wanted to see Burlesque so naturally, we saw The Green Hornet instead, and we attended the 2:00 p.m. showing. The movie was entertaining, and the popcorn was fresh. I was a happy camper. No complaints.