{Tiny Wings}

Happy Halloween, everyone! Of course, I took a bazillion photos this weekend. There were so many photo opps!! We carved pumpkins and went trick or treating. I even staged a photo shoot in the woods so I could take some fall-ish pictures, so I would have something to give my dad for his extreeeeeemely belated birthday gift! (I’m so on top of things!!)

But rather than share a ton of photos, I’ll just post two of the kiddles in their costumes. I kinda-sorta made them this year. Since I’ve had children, I’ve only NOT made one of the costumes — the year Reilly decided to wear the Star Trek costume I’d found at Goodwill!! This year I knew I would be extra busy . . . so I limited the amount of stuff I had to sew!! Meg found a fabulous cowgirl hat at T.J. Maxx, so she decided to go as a cowgirl. The skirt, hat, bandana and boots were purchased. I just made the vest and the lasso! Reilly knew in July (when he received the Darth Vader voice changer mask for his birthday) that he was going as the Evil Lord Vader. Of course, Mommy could have run to KMart to purchase this year’s hottest costume . . . but NO! She had to find a vintage Darth Vader costume pattern on Ebay, and do it up right!! LOL! So, I made the cape, the breastplate (freakin’ nightmare!), the boot covers and the wrist shields. The black sweatsuit and Darth Mask — purchased at Target, of course!!

I still did my usual Halloween Costume Sewing swearing . . . but maybe not as much as usual!! Why do I do this to myself?? Tradition, I guess. Plus the fact that my kids still adore it when I make their costumes. I told Reilly that when it becomes “uncool” for him to wear a handmade costume that he shouldn’t be afraid to tell me!! But it definitely didn’t happen this year. The hugs and “love you, Mom”s were enough to make me want to do it again next year!!

I’ve been scrapping for 8 years now. I’ve obviously invested a lot into my “stuff.” My darling husband, while not a gushy kind of guy, really hasn’t complained about my addiction to scrapbooking, and has been supportive of my craft in a quiet sort of way. He’s always said he needs a hobby, though.

So, about a year ago, he got involved in a local Brew Club. Way back before we met, he used to be into the homebrewing thing, making all sorts of weird stuff like Kiwi Meads, blah blah blah. (I hate beer, can you tell??) Anyways, he’s excited to be involved in this again. He just won 3rd prize in a homebrew competition, and wore his dorky medal with pride afterwards. (But if I’d won a scrapbooking contest, I guess I’d be doing the same thing!) So far, he has been going to his brother’s house to do the brewing, which is fine by me since it tends to be stinky and messy. And I fear that if he tried brewing at home, he’d attempt to use my sacred “studio” aka the laundry room to do some of the stuff. (Remind me to tell you about his wine-making experience a few years back. Grrrrr.)

WELLLLLL . . . 2 weekends ago, he discovered this refrigerator/tapper thing on clearance at Sam’s Club. He’d been coveting one after his brother got one, but damn, they’re expensive! So, this clearance one was a decent price, so I told him to buy it. It was still a lot of money, but I was hoping to be supportive of his growing enthusiasm for this hobby. After all, that’s how I’d like to be treated, ya know?? (“Sure honey, go out and buy that Quickutz alphabet you wanted!! You SO deserve it!!” LOL!) So, the old keggerator went on my credit card. As we wheeled it out the door, about 15 college aged kids asked when the party was starting.

So, now that the we had refrigeration for future homebrews, it was time to inventory the supplies. We’ve been carting around/storing a big glass carboy and some tubing since forever. Let’s just call this the starter kit. You know, your basic paper trimmer, ZIG pen and stack of cardstock we scrapbookers innocently started our obsession with. Of course that wasn’t enough to make the perfect product. So, last week, Dear Husband placed a $80 order online for some brewing supplies. (Which he paid via Paypal linked to my credit card). Trying to be supportive of his hobby, I smiled and acted enthused. Order comes yesterday, and he realizes he needs a few more things to get brewing. $50 (on my CC) later, the 2nd order is on it’s way. Way to go, honey!! Can’t wait for the first brew!!! (Insert fake smile here)

So, today, I check my e-mail and realize that he won an ebay auction for a Guinness beer sign for the “bar” (a countertop in the basement family room) Again, paid for by yours truly! Folks, I think I’ve created a monster.

My conclusions:
1) If he complains about my credit card bill this month, I will kill him. Someone is going to have to sneak scrapbook supplies to me in prison.

2) I think it’s time to do a little supply shopping of my own!

3) He lost me at the Guinness sign. I mean, really, dude. (While he’s thinking, “Well, she bought that freakin’ Chatterbox luggage . . . “)