Signs that the LSU home opener is approaching. Seriously, there are actual signs.

Ever since moving to BR, I've had to adjust to the LSU mindset. I actually did a lot to help me in the transition from red and blue to purple and gold. I bought a t-shirt, some LSU flip flops, folded away my Tech shirts (mostly), and got an LSU themed debit card. I know, I'm pretty extreme. I've also learned that Les Miles is the LSU football coach and everyone has a different opinion of him depending on what part of the year it is, tailgating is an all day and sometimes, all night thing, and my assignments are likely to depend on the Tigers' performance. I have also learned that by the time school starts, football frenzy is in full swing and the season can't start soon enough. Though this is just my third football season, I've also learned that one can have no clue as to the football schedule, but can easily spot when it is time for the season home opener. See below.

These are student season tickets. That's right, for about two hours I was the owner of season tickets to LSU football. Not to worry Tech, I gave them away. But anyway, the SBA has the lottery and hands out these tickets to lucky students the week of the first home game.

This is a billboard. I'm sorry the picture isn't framed perfectly. I was driving. Give me a break. This billboard came up about two weeks ago. There are several others in the area. Including a handful that feature Les Miles. He seems to be a big deal. Almost to the level of Derek Dooley's former fame.

Here's the first parking sign upon entering campus. That's right. A real sign. For some reason, the people who matter don't want tailgaters to park directly on the road. I can't imagine why.

This is yet another, actual sign. Please note, ticket holders and tailgaters can only park on the non-fraternity side of the road. I'm not sure why. Probably to ensure that drunk fratters don't run into parked cars.

Yep, here's another sign. LSU is all about signs. And preserving sidewalks.

And here is the most definite sign of all - the scattering of portable lavatories around campus. Charming, I know. Alas, a necessary evil. In fact, these treasure stores are on the grounds for the entire football season once they are placed. For this sole reason, I can't wait for January.

I'm no Martha Stewart

For the longest time I have wanted to make a frilly apron. You know what I mean, the Suzie Homemaker in an evening gown baking cookies kinda apron. I wanted to make one. And wear it. I bought a pattern around Thanksgiving of last year. Matt bought me the fabric I wanted to make the apron with - red toile - for Christmas. Finally, last night I made the apron. From start to finish. I was both impressed and disappointed. You'll see why in this picture laden post.



First, my work station. The machine - still in the box, the bed as my table, the fabric, the pattern, and my trusty sewing kit.

Next, a close up of my essentials. Again the sewing kit, fabric, and kit.

My favorite and most useful tool. The pin cushion and corresponding pins.

After adorning my pin cushion with. well, pins, I cut out my fabric pieces. This was incredibly complicated and difficult. Seems like it shouldn't have been. I mean, cutting. How hard can it be? Trust me, when you don't have a table and can't see the chalk line you are are supposed to cut down because the fabric is light-colored, cutting can be very hard. All the same, I eventually got it done. Please note, the little piece that looks like a pocket. I decided, after spending an hour cutting out that pocket, that I didn't want to put it on my apron. Such a waste.

Now, the next thing I did was attach the ruffle. After all, the thing I was most excited about on the apron was the ruffle. The picture below is the ruffle, only un-ruffled. I haven't read a pattern since 9th grade home economics, but I think I can safely say that the pattern did not have instructions for how to affix the ruffle to the skirt in such a way that the six feet of ruffle would match up perfectly with both sides of the top. I decided to wing it. I pinned it with my oh so handy pins and just went crazy with the ruffle. For about the first six inches. Then, I decided to just stick it in the machine and free style it. That worked amazingly well. Until about the half way point on the apron and I realized that I was out of ruffle. In fact, I used the entire six feet of ruffle in about 16 inches of apron. I know, I am a ruffle freak.

This is a picture of me, free-styling it with the ruffle. Look Mom, no pins. No, my mom does not read this blog.

And again. I know, I'm pretty handy to have around. So, once I realized my ruffle error, I cut out another six feet and free styled it some more. Just think, a total of 12 feet of ruffle on a 3 foot apron. Be impressed.

Looks pretty serious huh? Look closely. Notice anything wrong? You might not can see it, but I committed a grievous error. I free styled it a little too much. See how in the above picture the print is facing each other? Well, in my second batch of ruffle, I sewed the ruffle on to the apron backwards. Yep, I'm a winner. And by backwards, I mean that the part where it was stitched together was on the front and completely visible. In other words, wrong. Fail.

So what happens when you sew something incorrectly and care enough to want it to be correct? Ripping. Seam ripping. Know what the instrument is called to rip? A seam ripper. Pretty intuitive huh? Just think, about 18 inches of seams on 6 feet of fabric. Gross.

I fixed it. Finally. It may have taken about six hours, but I did it. Here's a picture of the finished product. Crafty. In know, right. Well, it isn't exactly perfect, but you can't tell. It was not my "vision," but it works. It is an apron. It has ruffles.

I don't think I'll be making anymore ruffled aprons. Next "task" will be onesies. With about a million babies coming to my friends in the near future, I can make the onesies and then spend the money on monogramming or screen printing. I'm excited about that. Perhaps I can make some with ruffles.

What I saw today...

Okay, so today I saw a pink diamond ring. It was amazing. I'm not really a pink person but I saw the ring and I coveted it. In fact, I seriously considered busting the glass and taking it. I decided not to solely because I was the only customer in the shop and am pretty certain I would have been tasered before taking a single step towards the door. Alas, I really wanted it.

Thanks to Google image, here's a picture of a pink diamond:

And here is one very similiar to the ring I saw:

See what I mean? It is beautiful! Though, in about a week or so I probably won't like them anymore....