See Suzy Spin

What is Your Furniture Name?

2010-02-05T20:39:00.002-05:00

So, if you were a piece of furniture at IKEA, what would you be called? Check out this awesome name generator and let me know what you really are. Apparently, I'm a ...

Yeah. A dresser. At least I'm not a chair like Tim and Oscar.

Ragweed

2010-01-30T15:44:00.005-05:00

I'd like to start blogging more frequently. It's just when I sit down to do it, I think of all the way cool things I've just read on my RSS feed (Google Reader is either a wonder or it is my bane...). Anyway, I sit down to post and I feel like I really have nothing to add. So I've been thinking about something that is unique to me, something that I do that you probably wouldn't read on any of the cool crafty-mom network of blogs, something that I could contribute. And I think I've come up with a solution. I'm gonna do a by-weekly post on my little book clubs and the funky themed snacks I bring! (As long as the book and snack is worthy of writing about and as long as I have the drive to keep at it, that is.) It's something that I have a fabulous time doing, plus I always put a lot of research into it, so who knows? It may be helpful to someone else doing a book club. Hope you think it is a fun as I do!

So, I host two book groups at a local library - a third grade club and a fourth grade one, too. (They used to be combined, but it just got too big - like 28 kids at a time, big. SCARY.) I do one every two weeks, so that I don't lose my mind.

My last group was this past Monday, the fourth graders, and the book we read was Ragweed by Avi. It's the prequel to the famous Poppy series and is a cute little story about a country mouse who leaves the nest and goes to the city. (I can identify with him!) This story starts off a bit slow, but eventually you get introduced to a funky green-haired skateboarding chick mouse named Clutch, and the party begins. The evil villain is a fat white cat who wants things to "return to the good ole days" and has plans to exterminate the rodent problem in her city. Well, la dee-da! This is a decent read for fourth graders; they all seemed to enjoy it once they got into it. Who doesn't enjoy skateboarding mice that play in a rock band?!?

Onto the snack... This is a big part of the fun. I always try to made something wonky for them as a special reward for reading the book and for coming. It's kinda a big deal and it seems to make their day, too. At my last group, we read The Chocolate Touch and I made some chocolate-covered bananas and some fudge. One boy was biting into his banana and he gasped and looked at me and said, "Amazing." I think I almost cried. Let's get one thing straight about me, NOBODY ever says that about my cooking. This is why I go overboard for these kids. They make me feel like a million bucks.

And so, without further ado, here is what I served my fourth graders. They went nuts. I didn't have any leftovers. Not even cheese. The mice are peanut butter cookies with M&M ears, tiny semi-sweet morsel eyes, and candy sprinkle noses with licorice tails. I got the recipe here and if I was to make them again, I'd want to think of ways to maybe make them somehow creamier. (To any of you seasoned cooks out there, any suggestions?) Otherwise, they turned out pretty decent. Here's to another success.

Busy Bee

2010-01-29T18:58:00.002-05:00

Here comes a brag post. (Sorry, but I need some place to showcase this jive. I live with a bunch of boys and they could care less, know what I mean?)

I have been getting some great thrifted denim lately from my momma and have been at work putting together some cool things. I made a couple of marker rolls for some of my favorite little people... yeah, my own pattern but based loosely on this one. These made for great Christmas gifts! Let me know if you are interested in the measurements.

Also, I made some fabric toy boxes for Oscar's bookcase! These I'm quite proud of.

I went through several needles and loads of patience before coming up with something that works. It really cleans up the clutter, too. I got my inspiration for this project from these two creative bloggers - Jodie and Jill - Jodie has a great tutorial. I altered it a bit and came up with some soft denim cubes. I just couldn't seem to find anything that would fit into this space and hold all the extra books and toys, so I decided to make EXACTLY what I needed. Now I wonder why I wasted so much time searching!

My cubes are 10 inches all around, with extra fabric at the top to fold down and give it a bit of extra stability. What I did, because I wanted my cubes to be 10 inches wide and tall, was basically quilt strips together. I say "quilt" because instead of using interfacing, I used a thin batting between the layers. This gave the cubes the extra thickness it needed, but fraking killed me on the sewing machine! I swear, I must have gone through 3 or 4 denim needles on this one project. I don't do "breaking sewing needles" in a pretty way, either. Oh well. I like the way these turned out, so I guess it was worth the drama.

101 Things in 1001 Days

2010-01-21T18:50:00.003-05:00

Okay, so I'm going to throw down the gauntlet and issue myself a public challenge. (This is in no way prompted by the last good movie I saw, Julie and Julia - wait... who am I kidding? It totally is. I'll admit that want to be Amy Adams when I grow up. Uh oh - aren't we the same age?) Well, I was inspired by the Day Zero Project and my love for making lists, so I figured I should really go for it. Anyway, I figure if I POST a somewhat yearly "to do" list, I'm far more likely to at least do one or two of the things I've got written down. So here it goes... my list of things I want to get done in 1001 days. Notice I'm giving myself more time than just a measly year... Day Zero says it's best to include more than one season so you can realistically get your jive done.

*** EDIT***
I've been a long time in creating this list and posting this (about 4 days), so please note that I have completed some of these tasks. Go me. They are starred.
***********
1. study 6 different cultures per year; have a themed weekend for each with food, music, culture and geographical info for the family.
2. make a quilt
3. buy a house
4. go fly a kite
*5. get a new pair of shoes (got me some funky brown boots)
6. make a first aid kit for my car
7. learn to make crepes
8. create a dance mix for me and Oscar
9. go through my closet and get rid of or refashion my old clothes
10. share/conquer my biggest fear
11. make a stranger smile
12. call my sister at least once a month
13. watch all of the star trek movies
14. re-read a favorite novel
15. meet some new mommy friends
16. plan a weekend getaway
17. finish Oscar's baby book
18. throw a fancy party
19. learn how to edit movies
20. handwrite someone a letter
21. skype with the grandparents at least once a month
22. get dirty and plant some veggies!
23. make business cards for "the purple peachicken"
*24. find a good church (in process...)
25. get rid of at least two boxes in storage in VA
*26. eat/drink a pomegranate (did this on 1-19-10! it had an interesting texture)
*27. take my kid to story time regularly (so far, so good - 3 in a row!)
28. watch an old tv series (like mork and mindy or something)
*29. check off 5 things on my NYC list (Project Runway Day was 1 of my things... 4 more to go)
30. finish my european trip scrapbooks
31. grow some flowers from seeds
32. create my own crafty pattern and a tutorial for my blog
33. organize the guest room closet
34. play with a yo-yo
35. make a felt playhouse for Oscar
36. post a blog entry about each of my family members
37. work on building my etsy site
38. visit Mystic, CT
39. have another baby (!!!!) yes, really.
40. tour a working factory
41. learn to cook at least three new meals (successfully)
42. write up a living will
43. make a recipe cards and copy down/organize all of our recipes
44. compile a "year one" oscar video
45. reorganize the storage in the basement
46. redecorate/paint our bedroom
47. take a class with Tim
48. make a slipcover for the bedroom chair
49. go on a road trip to at least 4 different states
50. update/redesign my blog and oscar's blog
51. sew up Oscar's car play mat (bought some super cute material at Purl Patchwork...)
52. go through all my magazines and save only the good parts - recycle the rest
53. get a new bicycle and start taking family bike rides
54. learn to make some jewelry
55. learn to do wool felting
56. make lots of felt play food for Oscar
57. get caught up in my photo editing/posting
58. figure out some crafty things to do with my millions of baby food jars
59. reorganize my craft cabinet and reconfigure my crafty space altogether!
60. learn more about different types of fabrics and how to use them
61. get a real (non-point-and-shoot) camera
62. purchase (and learn to use) a serger
63. do my first cartwheel
64. visit 5 different museums (that I've never visited before)
65. clean out my (scary) garage
66. rent 26 movies (I've never seen before) each starting with a different letter of the alphabet
67. create a font out of my own handwriting
68. try a new food, regardless of how frightening it is...
69. go camping with the boys (Andy can come too.)
70. read a classic novel that is over 500 pages long
71. lose 20+ pounds and keep it off
72. floss my teeth every night for a month
73. buy a stunning little black dress and go out on the town
74. learn how to fold 25 different papercrafts
75. watch all of the James Bond flicks, from start to finish (currently on the netflixs que...)
76. memorize one of my favorite poems
77. watch 10 movie "classics" that I've never seen before
78. visit Seattle with Tim
79. write and illustrate my very own children's book
80. use the GPS to try geocaching
81. go for a ride in either a helicopter or a hot air balloon
82. reconnect with an old friend
83. clean out my filing cabinet
84. make Tim take me to Cape May for Victorian Week
85. go skinny dipping, preferably some place warm
86. learn how to build a good camp fire
87. research our family tree
88. learn how to cut my kid's hair
89. walk in a marathon of some sort
90. weed my book collection
91. figure out how to use my stupid cell phone
92. drink more water daily
93. watch 10 movies from the year I was born - 1979
94. put together a giant puzzle with hubby
95. win a giveaway or a contest of some sort
96. create something using iron-on printer fabric sheets
97. learn how to properly use chopsticks
98. go see a hockey game
99. read a biography, 100+ pages, at least...
100. host my very own cocktail party, dresses and all
101. spent a week on the sea

So did you actually read the whole list? If you did, thanks. I appreciate it. It took me a while to figure out what I wanted to put on this bad boy. And reader, if you create a list, I'd love to read what you have on your itinerary. Leave me a comment. And don't judge me for watching too many movies.

Project Runway Extravaganza

2010-01-17T21:19:00.004-05:00

Oh, I'm what you might call a Project Runway fan... maybe even an addict. I'm thrilled whenever I can immerse myself in a season. I also know enough to recognize that I'd stand a better chance competing on Survivor than to attempt getting on this show, but it's so fascinating to watch. (Alas, I am such a voyeur.) Anyway, my friend Emily and I have been talking about having a girl's day for the longest and we decided that this would be a fun way to spend a Saturday - taking a fashion walk Project Runway style! And since I'm such a tourist, I made sure we took cheesy pictures. Here is where you can enjoy them at your leisure... but I also made a video for your enjoyment! And be sure to note the music. If you are a true fan, you should recognize it. (Word to the wise, if you are viewing this on FB, the video may or may not show up... you may actually have to physically GO to my blog. Oh the humanity!)

What's My Type?

2010-01-11T12:14:00.004-05:00

Saw this on one of my favorite blogs and gave it a whirl... it is surprisingly accurate! Give it a try right here. It's easy. He'll ask you four questions about your preferences and diagnose you (P.S. - the password is "character").

My resident psychiatrist says my typeface is "Archer Hairline." It's "a modern type face with a straightforward appearance but one that has tiny outbreaks of elegance and tiny dots of emotion, only apparent on closer examination." Excellent! He said that I'm "outwardly composed but will occasionally run into the bathroom for a quick laugh or a quiet cry, only to reemerge outwardly composed again." Yes. It's true. He knows me!

Merry Merry

2009-12-24T16:22:00.007-05:00

Happy Christmas. I hope you have a delicious time with family and friends - whoever and however you choose to celebrate this time of year... Here we are in front of our tiny tree. Optical illusion. It's actually a 4 ft. tree on a table so Mr. Dennis the Menace doesn't completely destroy it in his fascination with "LaLaLa Lights." (And yes, his current unicorn bruise has been fashionably photoshopped out. So sue me - this is a picture of Christmas as it SHOULD be.)

I still have things to do before tonight; some cookie baking, present wrapping, stocking making (oh time crunch!)... It's the usual last minute rush-about. But at least we made our annual pilgrimage to see Santa today. We did that this morning and I just have to say that our little photo elf kinda sucked. There were tons of moments of cuteness, but she didn't seem capable of capturing them. Oh well. I did get a video of the fiasco. (And at least my kid didn't scream bloody murder like the preceding children and the ones that followed us. Holy Excedrin Tablets!) Here is Oscar meeting Santa. Watch for the "wow" and then followed by the terror of the "who the heck are you, creepy man holding me?!?" then chased by a polite wave.

Our photographer elf left us with this charming picture that seems to says "Santa is infectious and I now need to wash my hands." What a wonderful way to capture a memory. Anyway, Merry Christmas.

A New Favorite Song

2009-12-09T13:48:00.005-05:00

Here is Kristin Andreassen singing "Crayola Doesn't Make A Color For Your Eyes." Is she not the cutest?!?

Vader

2009-12-04T10:21:00.003-05:00

So, I don't have a real post today cause I'm not really in the mood to write anything, but I wanted to post these funny pictures that Tim and I created. We got a Darth Vader costume at a thrift store around Halloween and played dress-up with Oz a little while back. The legs were too short, but we managed to squeeze him into the outfit for a couple of fun shots. Oscar tolerated it for a bit, long enough for us to get a few good pictures. Tim mounted them on some images I found online. I think they turned out so well! This one below is my favorite - he doesn't quite look like an evil Sith Lord, though.

Happy Turkey Day!

2009-11-26T10:06:00.001-05:00

So, I didn't make another turkey costume for Oz. I know that was not received well last year. But come on... It was stinking cute. And Oz didn't mind. (He might later on, true.)

I chose another route this year - something that I can preserve and keep forever. See, I'm sentimental that way. I saw the idea on Wee Wonderful's blog and fell in love... (She has an Oscar, too!) Here is my end result. You like?

The gingham one is for me and the other is for Tim's amazing grandma who is hosting us this year. I can't wait to give it to her! Can I just say that it was crazy hard tracing the hand of an ACTIVE 14 month old. And sewing up something this tiny was no walk in the park either. (There is a reason I don't make doll clothes.) Anyway, happy turkey day. Hope all ya'll are stuffing your faces with something delicious today and that you are surrounded with family who love you even if you unbutton that top button on your jeans after dinner.

Sleeping In

2009-11-21T12:15:00.003-05:00

This illustration is so perfect for today... (It's from one of my favorite blogs - A Print A Day by Yasmine Surovec. She's so talented.)

Anyway, Tim let me sleep in today, which really means not getting up until 7:30, and it was heavenly. After a long-ass week of yuck and sick and Tim having SO MUCH WORK and not having any Suzy time whatsoever because I'm a glorified babysitter, I really needed it. It's not that I resent being a stay-at-home-mom or anything, but sometimes it kinda sucks. Like this week. Whoa momma. In his defense, Oz is getting molars and has a cold that makes him very annoyed. On the up side, he has learned where his nose is and even how to "blow" it! So, I guess my glass is still half full. But yeah, it wouldn't be had I not gotten some sleep.

Suzy Cupcakes

2009-11-17T14:12:00.003-05:00

I do a book club for 3rd and 4th graders at my library, and while I love picking out books for them each month, I REALLY love surprising them with yummy (and wacky) treats. It's sometimes difficult coming up with a great book when I tend to want to figure out a funky snack to go with it. (Yes, I know. It's a bad way to choose a book. I can't help it.)

This month, in honor of Thanksgiving, I chose The Hoboken Chicken Emergency by Pinkwater. It's a story about a boy who went out to get the Thanksgiving turkey and came home with a 266 lbs. chicken named Henrietta. It's a funny little book. Anyway, Henrietta really enjoyed the Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, hence my silly snack for the group...

They are white cake cupcakes with butter cream frosting and caramel sauce on top, with a pad of Starburst. Nice, eh? I got the idea from a book called Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson. So cute.

Anyway, I kept the cupcakes hidden until the end of our group meeting, whereupon the kids begged to see what the caramel smell was... I gave them a clue and said it was Henrietta's favorite food. They said "Potatoes?!?" and asked if I had caramel-covered potato chips. I was like, "Do what?!?" Third graders totally crack me up. And I have to admit, I laughed at their initial responses to the final reveal. Most of them looked horrified. But when they sank their teeth into the cupcakes, I had some very gratified kiddos. Any ideas for my next book club? I'm doing The Fantastic Mr. Fox (in honor of the upcoming flick).

Leaf Love

2009-11-09T20:36:00.002-05:00

It's crazy what happens when time passes. To me, it looks a little something like this:

And this...

And also this...

All is Love.

2009-11-02T23:34:00.005-05:00

Here is a little animoto of our "wild thing" dressed for Halloween... (if you're viewing this note via facebook, go to my blog - animotos don't post right on that jive.)

Wild Thing, You Make My Heart Sing

2009-11-01T17:05:00.006-05:00

Here he is... Oscar as Max from Where the Wild Things Are! I had so much fun making his costume this year. Sike! Remind me to never sew with fur ever again. But even though it was messy and out of control, I am still quite happy with the results. Oz had so much fun smacking things with his giant padded paws, though not so much in trying to walk about with the huge floppy footies! (It was rather entertaining, however.)

(In case you're wondering, dad was a "tree" because I was unsure if making him a monster would freak Oz out. And since we went into the city for the Halloween parade this year, we needed to be able to carry the little monster, so I was the boat that took Max to "where the wild things are." My arms are supposed to be sails.)

Also, as a side note, apparently great minds think alike! Oscar's cousin Emma was a wild thing too!

Happy Halloween, Pumpkin!

2009-10-31T07:41:00.002-05:00

Happy Halloween! These are the three pumpkins we carved up... It's a little pumpkin family. (Let's hear it, a collective "Ahhh...") Anyway, carving pics to follow, as well as costume pics!!! Stay tuned!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-28T10:35:00.003-05:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

(It's the whole cast!)

Family Time

2009-10-23T13:57:00.013-05:00

Around the (fast approaching) holiday season I tend to get all cozy and nostalgic for days gone by and for my "Bennetch" family. Usually I get to see them all at some point - typically around Christmas - but I'm not sure what the plan is for this year. It's hard to be all spread out like this. I sure do miss everybody. (I'm so glad that baby brother lives a train whistle away though! I love that kid.) It seems like it's always a party whenever we're all together. Sure, we fight and drive each other crazy too, but it's the good times that stick and make you crave more.

Anyway, I know that every family has their own traditions, but one of my faves is family game night. The last time we all got together was this past June and my crazy older sister brought with her a true vintage jewel, the one and only Girl Talk Game. (I love that this wiki entry says that the game was designed for "pubescent and pre-pubescent females." Nice.) My folks couldn't take the pressure of the "zit stickers" (yes, they were still intact!) so they called it a night before we started. But I have photographic evidence of what ensued... Take a look. Don't you wish you were there?!?

(Picture explanations: Andy drinking with "no hands," Becky unwrapping gum with "socked" fingers, me eating a freaking mustard and pickles sandwich - which was just awesome, Jerry all dolled up, giggly boys, and Tim telling a "love" story...)

For those of you who have never played Girl Talk, basically, it's a truth or dare game with WAY cheesy dares. It seems like the guys usually got the craziest pranks, which made the game hilarious. Some of my favorites were the random crank calls, "hitting on" inanimate objects, Becky wearing her clothes backwards and putting ice in her armpit, Tim's ketchup sandwich, and Andy's Louis Armstrong serenade. It was memorable. I can't wait till next family game night!

I'm also including a few videos for your viewing pleasure...

Apple Picking Animoto

2009-10-20T19:08:00.000-05:00

Pumpkin & Apple Pickin'

2009-10-18T14:15:00.007-05:00

Yesterday, the three of us braved the (unseasonably) cold weather to pick some produce at The Wilkens Farm in upstate NY. We picked out three pumpkins, one for each of us, and snuck into the apple orchard to get some apples, too. There is nothing better than a very FRESH apple, pulled straight off a tree! (And I like my apples kinda cold, so because of the weather, viola deliciousness.)

Oscar totally loved taste-testing the apples. I think he also liked the fact that it cracked us up when he took bites of the apple - he sunk his whole face into it. Hilariousness.

Now I have three pumpkins to carve up and a ton of apples. Anyone have any good recipes?

The Birthday Party

2009-10-04T09:03:00.015-05:00

Well, I've finished working on all the pictures finally! You can see them here. Also, I just finished a little animoto video of the day's events for your viewing pleasure, reader. Take a look...

So anyway, I couldn't be happier with how the party went. Oscar was surrounded with some of his favorite people and the weather was perfect and, although it was TONS of work, it looked incredible. But I will just say right now that there is no way I'd ever consider party planning for a living. Holy man. I get too worked up. My friend Celeste is right - I'm much more of a "Bree Van Dacamp" or a "Monica" at party planning than a "Phoebe," it's true.

Well, if you weren't able to make it to the party, here is what it looked like...

But first, grab a sheriff badge and a bandanna.

The tables were covered in daisies, cowboy goodness, and old pics of Oscar (that picture was taken one week after he was born).

The food table had mason jar glasses for sipping lemonade and rootbeer, fruit ca-bobs, Chex-Tex-Mix, "Cowboy Caviar" (courtesy of Oscar's Diva), popcorn balls, and western animal crackers (not really - they were just regular animal crackers, but it sure would have been cool if there was such a thing)

and yummy gummy "desert snakes" with chocolate lassos
(made out of chocolate Twizzlers - courtesy of Oscar's Grandma)

and horsey cupcakes with green grass frosting...

(Here is Oscar's Diva...)

We had all sorts of fun games, too. I bought a pull-string pinata so all the littles could play along, there was a bean-bag toss, rubber horseshoes...

and even pin-the-tail-on-the donkey (awesome antique store find with my homemade tails).

And here's Oscar little birthday cake; a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and a gum paste topper... (to which I will say that I will NEVER try to use gum paste again. No sirree.)

We even had a special guest... (Oscar's crazy uncle Andy!)

Fun was had by all, especially little my "Cowboy Small."

Happy Birthday, Little Cowboy.

2009-09-20T21:07:00.001-05:00

Yee Haw
Originally uploaded by peachicken.

This picture was taken when you were only one week old... It's hard to believe that was a year ago. Little Oz, you've hijacked my world and stolen my heart.

Oscar's First Haircut

2009-09-13T15:19:00.004-05:00

(See Oscar's blog for more...)

Cowboy Invitations

2009-09-10T13:49:00.006-05:00

Well, I waited as long as I could to post these... I wanted the invited to see them in their mailboxes before they saw it posted here... But I think that by now, most everyone has received their invites (save some Canadians), so here it is! The invitations to Oscar's Cowboy party!!! And some fun cowboy pictures of my silly little cowpoke... (The first pic is his "growly" face - it's something he can kind of do on cue now! And it is pretty dang funny. There is a sad cowboy in there too, just so you know that being a cowboy is tough.)

As far as the invitations go, I really liked the way they turned out! I knew I wanted to do them on wood and I found some tutorials online for doing it. All it is, basically, is an iron-on! Tim and I created the image in photoshop and just reversed it. Tim chopped up some plywood for me and sanded the pieces down. I did the ironing on, but wasn't completely happy with the way they adhered, so I distressed them a bit more and burned the edges for a truly authentic "cowboy" look. I bought some cheapy Walmart sheriff badges that I sanded and glued on for the finishing touch. Then, we stuffed them into bandanna colored envelopes with some shredded paper (it is nicer than hay) and sent them off! Viola! (address and phone numbers are bleeped out, of course...)

Wedding Travel Guides?!?

2009-09-04T08:11:00.005-05:00

Do you remember the invitations I did for my friend Christina? Well, since her wedding is a bit of a road trip away, I figured she might need some Travel Guide Booklets, for all the guests. These were a blast to make and I think they turned out pretty nicely. I bound them with twine so they'd be easy to pocket and flip open. And since I was able to print out one whole booklet per sheet of card stock, it was pretty economical, too!

Really, I did these a while back but just forgot to post it. Since the wedding is this weekend, though, I figured there's no time like the present! We're on our way to explore some of the fun things to do in Lancaster... Hmmm... I still can't decide on whether to go for an Amish buggy ride, or to the Candy Americana Museum, or to the first commercial pretzel factory, the Julius Sturgis Pretzel Bakery - maybe I'll skip them and just go see the funky Biblical Tabernacle reproduction!!! (Yes folks, for reals. There is a FULL-SIZED reproduction of Moses' Tabernacle out in Lancaster, PA. And I'm betting it's awesome.) As you can see, I tried to pack in some versatility in sightseeing.

Are travel guides the best? Do you think there is a market out there for this?