Silas turns three!

My youngest boy, Silas turns three! I've compiled my favorite photos of him from his third year going back to his second birthday.

Silas at his third birthday party- a "messy" party!

Silas on his second birthday.

See his pictures from his second birthday.

Inspired by Katie Aaberg.

Messy party!

Today I threw my youngest son a messy birthday party for his third birthday. This was so much fun!! Seriously, it was the best birthday party ever!

We held it at Fern Ridge Reservoir just outside of Eugene, Oregon. That way we could be super messy and I didn't have to worry about my house getting messy too! Also there's the lake so we could swim/wash ourselves clean afterwards. We told the guests to come in play clothes or swimsuits. Bring towels and a change of clothes for the ride home.

We laid down plastic sheeting and secured the corners with stakes. One on sheet I made slime out of cornstarch and water. I also dumped in Kool Aid packets to color it and make it smell good. And added tons of glitter. Always add glitter.

On the second sheet, I set up washable tempera paint and paint brushes I got at a craft store. The kids could squirt, paint and all around cover themselves in color.

On the third sheet, I squirted shaving cream and set up more cans. The kids could slip and slide and style their hair and pretty much just get messy.

Last night my husband and I filled a big tub full of water balloons and we all had a huge water balloon fight!

Instead of cake or cupcakes, we served ice cream sundaes with lots of candy toppings, syrups, whip cream and sprinkles. Such a hit on such a hot day.

Clean up was super easy. We just pulled the sheeting up with everything on it and dumped it in the trash! And we ended it all by floating in the lake.

Happy birthday Silas!

It Was a Good Day

In the words of Ice Cube, "Today it was a good day."

As most of you know, I'm running this year for the title of Eugene Slug Queen.  I'm knitting my gown and I've also knitted a parasol to match.  Today, I finally finished it and put it on the umbrella frame.  It looks so amazing.  If I never knit another thing again, I'll be okay.  Because I have this.

Name: Parasol Fit for a Queen
Pattern: Frosted Ferns #7633 by Herbert Niebling
Yarn: Huckleberry Knits BFL/silk lace
Colorway: Weeping Willow
Yardage: approx. 500 yards
View more photos and details on my Ravelry page.

Please like my Sadie Slimy Stitches page on Facebook to keep up to date with my crazy slug 'trail.'

Also today, my family took a little road trip up to Woodburn, Oregon today to see the Tulip Festival.  Tulips are my favorite flower and I haven't been to the festival in a few years.  Here are some of my favorite photos from today.

Jell-O Art

I recently took my 5 year old son Bailey to a local art show featuring Jell-O art.  I have only recently heard of this art form from my friend Diane.  Diane makes amazing Jello-O art and even won this year's title as Jell-O Art Queen.  View her wiggly, jiggly Gelatinaceae blog here.

At the Maude Kerns Jell-O Art Show Diane gave Bailey a bag of unflavored Knox gelatin and some instructions so he could experiment and make his own art!  You pretty much just use a lot of gelatin, a little water and pour it into thin sheets.  Let it solidify, cut and shape and dry further.  When it's dry, it's very hard like plastic.

Bailey made a chicken and a flower.  His chicken was too thick and ended up molding before it could dry completely so we tossed it.  This very wet Oregon weather has not been cooperative in helping gelatin dry.  But his flower petals dried nicely.  He used 3 colors.  We dyed some of the gelatin black, blue and left a part undyed.  With the advice to use re-melted gelatin as glue Bailey attached his petals.  Bailey had so much fun he told me he wanted to enter the art show next year.  I think that's a great plan!

Lemon Marmalade

My mother-in-law is in town and she brought us tons of lemons from her lemon tree!  I didn't want them to spoil before I could use them so I've been busy.  This past week I've made lemon bars and candied lemons.  Today I made lemon marmalade.  I absolutely love marmalade but have never had a lemon version before.  When I looked around for recipes most call for Meyer lemons which these are not.  I finally found this recipe at  About.com and went for it.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 55 minutes
Yields: 3 pints

Ingredients:
10 large lemons
4 cups water
4 cups sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove yellow part of peel in strips from lemons.  Cut stripes into 1-by 1/8- inch strips.  With knife, cut off all white membrane, or pith, from peeled lemons.

Cut peeled lemons crosswise into 1/4- inch thick slices.  In heavy non-aluminum 5-quart kettle combine lemon peel, sliced fruit and water.  Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.

Heat lemon mixture to boiling over high heat, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lemon mixture is very soft, about 1 hour.

Add sugar to lemon mixture and increase heat to medium-high.  Stir until sugar dissolves.  Heat to boiling and reduce heat just so mixture boils gently.  Boil uncovered, stirring frequently, until candy thermometer registers 220 degrees F., 45 to 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare three 1-pint canning jars with their lids and bands for processing following manufacturer's directions.  Spoon marmalade into hot jars, leaving 1/4- inch space at top of jars.

Wipe jar rims clean.  Seal with lids and bands.  Process jars in boiling water bath 15 minutes.  Cool jars on wire rack.  Store in cool, dry place.  Refrigerate after opening.

Let me share some notes and observations I made while making this.

• 25 minute prep time my butt!  Peeling and slicing all those lemons took at least an hour to do.
• I used 9 lemons and one orange.  No reason, just because I felt like it.
• I didn't refrigerate my lemons in the water bath (no room!).  Just used cold water and kept it on the counter for 3 hours.
• After I added the sugar, my marmalade never reached 220 degrees.  It stayed at 210 for an hour.  Around that time, the consistency was jelly-like so I called it good and ladled it into the jars regardless.  Turns out it was fine.  My marmalade is the perfect thickness.
• This yielded slightly more than 2 pints for me not 3.
• This is an awesome marmalade!  My husband used the word 'rich' to describe it.  It's definitely not a marmalade for the weak-hearted.

Valley Girl Swap

I got my package today!  My favorite Ravelry group Knit Knack had a swap! We picked a movie or TV show that we wanted our package to be themed about.  You can read about the Hedwig and the Angry Inch package I made for Amber here.  I chose the movie Valley Girl!

Georgia got me and did an awesome job with my theme!  She included two packages with movie quotes on them.  "Gag me with a spoon!" and "It's like sushi, ya know?"  Inside was a sewn spoon and a sushi toilet paper cozy!!  Hilarious!

She sent hot pink neon yarn and knit me a fabulous 80s inspired cowl.  Also she sent some jelly bracelets and a friendship bracelet.  So great!

Of course I had to put my hair in a side ponytail for the photo.

And a temporary tattoo!

She also sent some nail polish from Zoya!!  Midori and Kissy!  You all know how much I love my nail polish!  She included emery boards in a matchbook!  So cool!  I've never seen anything like that before.

Dark chocolate!

And she sent some things from her Dio de los Muertos shop!  A chicken toy for my kids.  My son Bailey is totally mesmerized by it.

And a Day of the Dead candle boat!  So cool!  I can't wait to try it out with the kids.  Click this link to see a video on how it works.

Thanks so much Georgia for everything!  I love it all!  Totally!  Like for sure!

Hedwig and the Angry Inch Swap

Once again, my favorite Ravelry group had a knitting swap.  This time, it was movie themed.  We all picked what movie we wanted our package to be created around.  I got Amber and she chose Hedwig and the Angry Inch.  What a great movie to pull inspiration from!

I knit her the Charlize shawl.  I've knit it before and it's a great pattern!  I saw at one point during the movie Hedwig wore a black shawl that was lacy.  Perfect!  The yarn I chose has actual silver spun into it.  The best part of this shawl?  When you lay it flat it looks like Hedwig's hair!

Name: Hedwig Hair
Pattern: Charlize by Vanessa Smith
Yarn: Kraemer Yarns Sterling Silk & Silver
Colorway: Black
Yards: 420
See more photos and notes on my Ravelry page.

Knit Knack's mascot is Helen, an owl.  I borrowed some felt from my friend Katie and made Amber a Hedwig Owl!

I also crocheted her a flower brooch with cassette tape.  So rock and roll!

I made her crazy glittery fingernail polish inspired by Hedwig's amazing make-up.

I dyed her yarn inspired by Hedwig's hair.

Lastly, I sent some candy.  If you've seen the movie then you know the significance of gummy bears, sugar daddy and German chocolate- with nuts!

Stay tuned to see what my buddy sent me!  My theme was the movie Valley Girl.  Can't wait!