BABY YOU CAN DRIVE MY CAR

FESTIVAL ITALIANO 2010 - WESTPORT, CT
beep beep'm beep beep yeah
(Hello Kitty - Don't Leave Home Without Her)

S.W.A.K.

WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS

Inspiration

I could use a little help from my blogger friends. Frannie is having a birthday soon - she will be turning nine - did I say that? Nine - holy cow! She will be having a "Learn To Knit" party and is inviting her Brownie/Jr. Girl Scout troop (the girls range in age from 8-11). A friend of mine has graciously offered her place of business to hold the party, and I have graciously accepted. She owns a stationery store called Paper Dolls and has the perfect room for our event - it has two large tables and plenty of chairs. The funny thing is, before she offered her store, I had already planned on having a "Paper Doll" theme (I guess it's just meant to be), along with a "Learn To Knit" activity. Here's what we have planned so far - I am making invitations using the large paper doll fabric. I have copied them onto card stock and I am cutting out the dolls. Each doll will hold a pair of knitting needles - I made them out of toothpicks with sparkly bead toppers for ends and put 5 yarn stitches on each pair - cute, if I do say so myself. Each girl in attendance will receive a pair of knitting needles (made by me - I'll tell you about that later) with twelve stitches already cast on, and a ball of yarn. The girls will only learn how to do the knit stitch. They will also receive a Girl Scout knitting badge for their sashes. I plan to make cupcake holders out of the pink paper doll fabric (again, copied onto card stock), and I'm thinking of using the light blue doll fabric as cupcake toppers as well as making some faux balls of yarn with thin strips of fondant or shoelace red licorice. I also thought that a reading of Knitting Nell by Julie Jersild Roth would be fun.

Knitting Nell

So this is where your advice comes in - what ideas can you think of for this kind of theme party? Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.

S.W.A.K.

MARTHA MY DEAR

I can hardly contain my excitement! I just found out that two of my Valentine ideas are listed on Martha Stewart's website under Your Best Valentines - Yes, that's right - I said TWO - Woohoo! And the best part is that there are only 13 (actually 12) picked as the best ones - so that makes it even better - I've got 2 out of 12 listed! Wait, wait - there's even a link to my blog in the bead-knitted purse description!

Here are the two links to her site where my Valentine ideas are - Valentine Heart Lollipop Flower Basket and Have A Heart Bead-Knitted Purse.

Thanks for listening - I just had to tell someone!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - I'm going to be having a Valentine giveaway - so check back soon and I'll let you know what it is going to be.

P.P.S. - Last year Frannie presented this bead-knitted purse to Martha when she visited Stew Leonard's in Norwalk, CT for a book signing.

I DIG A PONY

First Sighting

We're Getting Warmer...

We made it!

Frannie and General Sis Boom

Frannie and Annie

Frannie and I had the pleasure of visiting Jennifer Paganelli at her Sis Boom show this weekend. Frannie is a huge Sis Boom fan and was so excited to finally meet Jennifer. The Sis Boom show was as grand as it always is, but this time there were pony rides. What more could an eight year old girl ask for? Frannie is riding Annie, who is all decked out for the occasion. Her toes are glittered (yes, I said glittered) and she has pink pom-poms all over. Isn't that saddle blanket exquisite? It was created by Nancy Deweir Geaney of Dark Horse Farm Designs, who also attended the show. And that's Marilyn Miller who owns Annie. If you're interested in riding lessons, she's the one to go to. They're available on Kennsitt Rd. in Wilton, CT. So, who do you think has the longer pony tail - Frannie or Annie?

S.W.A.K.

BIRTHDAY

You say it's your birthday

We're gonna have a good time

I'm glad it's your birthday

Happy birthday to you!

Yes, we're going to a party, party
(That's our waiter, Jorge, and you can see
Saks Fifth Avenue out the window)

Yes, we're going to a party, party

Yes, we're going to a party, party

I would like you to dance--Birthday

Take a cha-cha-cha-chance-Birthday

I'm glad it's your birthday
Happy birthday to you!

S.W.A.K.

View The Beatles "Birthday" lyrics here.