I want to go to there.

Ohhh I'm so excited! I am going to New York in just a week for work, life, friends and fun. Annnnnnd I get to go to the new gorgeous looking Purl soho. My two favorite stores - Purl and Purl Patchwork - are now combined into one master store. I see a few hundred dollars flying out of my wallet and a few wonderful new project flying back to San Francisco in my suitcase. Swoon.

The one sad thing about a full week in New York is a full week away from my little family - Adam and Biscuit. This will be the longest Adam and I have ever been apart. I know we are very lucky that we have never had to spend more than five days apart in five years. Very lucky - but it will make this trip that much more difficult.

Luckily - I will some of my very best friends in New York to keep me very entertained. Here comes trouble of the best sort.

B.L.E.

morning walk.

Biscuit and I went on quite the walk this morning. There are these incredible trails just seconds from our house. Today - I just followed one to see where it would end up. This view is overlooking the military cemetery. Note that all the gravestones face the ocean - not a bad eternal view.

THREAD - cozy flannel heating pad cover.

Wow - the title of this blog post makes me seem super cool and hip doesn't it?? That's me - the awesome fun person that sits at home talking to the dog sewing flannel covers for heating pads on a Saturday afternoon. Good lord.

Alright - let me explain why this wasn't such a lame activity. First off - I really needed a cover for that damn heating pad. The original one (which was really lame to begin with) got lost in the move and I use it to warm my toes in bed when I am reading. Also - I use it all the time at this new house as I have determined that heat is for "rich people" after paying the first real heating bill of my life (it was always covered in the rent in previous places). San Francisco summers are cold!

Secondly - my sewing room is awesome - full of light with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge. I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon - sewing in the sun while listening to music and drinking a spicy bloody mary. It's doesn't sound as lame and sad anymore does it?

Anyhoo - here is what I made and how I made it. Stop judging me.

During my fabric and yarn binge about a month ago I picked up some super soft flannel designed by Anna Maria Horner whose prints I have always adored. Since I vowed to work through my piles and look less like a hoarder - this quick and easy project was a perfect way to move through some of my stash. Flannel is such a great material for something completely designed to be warm and cozy too.

I wanted the cover to have a little color contrast so I used two coordinating fabrics - a blue for the main and a yellow for the accent color. Using a 1/2 inch seam allowance I roughly traced the pad and cut out the pieces. Then I ironed the fabric since it was pretty wrinkled and got to constructing. The only really challenge was creating a place for the cord to go through. For that - I simply hemmed the bottom and left a 2 inch space in the corner for the cord - easy breezy. For good measure I attached two pieces of velcro to the top to prevent the pad from slipping out. All in all - I was done with this project in under and hour and less than one bloody mary.

Now - I'm off to do something outside.

B.L.E.

THREAD - Biscuit's new leash on life.

As you may know - Biscuit had a little "work" done recently. Some would say that he is now less of a man but I like to think that his surgery was more of a transition into the non-puppy stage of his life. Sort of like getting confirmed or having a Bar Mitzvah eh?
To celebrate his move into adulthood - I decided he needed a new leash and collar. I wanted him to have something more grown-up and less puppyish. He needed something to represent his new maturity and perhaps looking less like it belonged on a cat (he already sleeps in a cat bed but shhh don't tell him).

As usual - I gained my leash inspiration in a purlbee posting. In Molly's Sketchbook there was a great tutorial for a cotton leash with alphabet ribbon. It was perfection - from the color (red is Biscuit's signature color) to the preppy monogram. Luckily - it was very easy to do. The hardest part was finding the right hook for the end - I did find an okay one on amazon.com but it's still not perfect.

A few things to note -
1. Since the dog in the tutorial is a giant and Biscuit currently weighs 11 pounds (he'll probably top out at 18-20 lbs) - I reduced the leash length by a few feet.
2. It is really really important to take the time to pin the ribbon onto the cotton webbing every few inches  - otherwise it wont stay centered and the whole look will be off - more sloppy than preppy.

3. The pattern calls for invisible thread but this is harder to find than one would think - neither purlsoho.com or joannes.com had it in stock. I used white thread with a red bobbin and it turned out great. The only places you can see the stitches is at the loops for the handle and hook where the stitching is reinforced for strength.
4. I didn't make a matching collar for a few reasons - the hardware would have been difficult to find and attach, cotton webbing doesn't lend itself to being very adjustable and it would have been a really thick collar for our silly little dog. We did pick him up a nice new red collar from Target for around $7.00. It is thicker than his last one so there will be no more confusion with cat collars!

I hope this inspires y'all to do a little spring upgrade of your own.

B.L.E.

sock it to me.

Having plowed through hats and mittens, scarves and baby blankets and three (yes three) dog sweaters recently - I want to try to knit some socks. I have always been afraid of socks but I think I am ready to take on the challenge. I know there are lots of sock patterns out there but I need some help finding one that fits the supplies I already have. This is because I really need to work through my ever growing stash of gorgeous yarn. Like Rumpelstitlken - I need to spin this straw into some gold (p.s. - nothing better than a mini-man with a fondness for shiny).

Ok so here are my requirements - 

1. uses doublepointed needles - preferably 3.25 mm

2. easy easy easy - this is my first dabbling with socks and I don't want to get scared away 

3. requires traditional sock weight yarn,  or thicker wool - this is what I have plenty to work with

Bring on the suggestions and wish me luck!

B.L.E.

cone of shame.

Poor sweet Biscuit. He was drugged, had his manhood removed and forced to wear the dreaded cone of shame.

more birds.

As a few of you may know already from some previous posts - I love odd birds. Well - not real birds. Anyone who has seen a seagull eating vomit on the sidewalk could never love actual birds - they are disgusting.

Lucky for me - Potterybarn is on a HUGE bird kick right now. Everything they sell is now available in bird form - rugs and wall hangings, throw pillows and serving platters, sheets and towels and on and on - even weird big-footed bird sculptures. All these things are delightful - we even purchased the place mats and napkins for our new table. We did however pass on the bird candles - they looked too real. From less than a foot away it would appear that you were lighting a baby bird on fire.

By far the best thing available in bird form was the glass and porcelain scent diffuser (now out of stock online). I love the concept of a scent diffuser but am so done with the sticks and the reeds and blah blah. To me - it just screams "look over here - this corner of the house smells." I don't love obvious and do appreciate elegant (don't even get me started on those Glade Plug-In stink bombs). Nobody enjoys a stinky house and with the addition of dear Biscuit to our household (an 11 pound french gas machine) outside reinforcements were becoming necessary.

The bird is so delicate and pretty and lets off that great Potterybarn signature paperwhite scent. We now own two of them - one for the living room and one for the bathroom. I would like to think that paperwhite is now becoming the Elasticsandwich signature scent as well.

Chirping with delight.

B.L.E.

spring forward!

I understand why daylights savings time makes me feel tired but why does it make me hungry?

Today was quite close to being a perfect Sunday. The only flaw? Being robbed of an hour!! And not just any hour - a Sunday hour and Sundays are already the shortest feeling day of the week.

One of my bestest friends Alisa is in town from New York and we had a day filled with mani/pedis, boozy brunch with friends topped off by a trip to Target and Costco. Plus - the weather was warm and sunny with a slight breeze. Perfection.

Just for fun we may even dye some Easter eggs tonight. Because if you are going to have hard boiled eggs - why not have them be swirled-dyed with a "marble magic" kit??

Hope y'all had a great weekend too.

B.L.E.

current piles = future projects

Lately I have been on a bit of a bender. All the fabric and yarn shown here I purchased in the last 2.5 months. I think I have self control but I just don't. I think I can stop whenever I want but I just can't. Despite my obsessive watching of Hoarders I continue to purchase supplies for unplanned projects. I buy things "just in case."

The problem truly is that there has been so much great stuff around lately. Beautiful hand dyed yarns in incredible colors from purlsoho.com and my favorite local yarn shop Urban Fauna. Whimsical fabrics in fantastic prints (monkeys and robots and dots oh my!) from Etsy and then there was the gnome incident which led to a fear that if I didn't purchase now I may never get it.

That being said - I now have a wonderful stash of really great fabrics and yarns that need projects worthy of their beauty. This is where you come in.

Friends - I need help. Please help inspire me. I need ideas, projects, requests, patterns, something to get these great materials transformed into fantastical things. So...shoot. I'm all ears. And who knows? Your super idea could very well end up being a present just for you!

Cheers!
B.L.E.

YARN - knitted beanies.

Looking back on the blog I realize it has been a year since I posted any knitting projects. This is a bit odd given that I knit probably 5 times more than I sew. See - the sewing room is allllllllllll the way upstairs and the tivo and the couches are downstairs - where it is warm. Once the weather perks up and it is no longer dark when I get home - I'll do a bit more sewing. But this winter has been all about the knitting.

Here is a list of knitting projects I have completed since November.

5 pairs of fingerless gloves. Yes - five! I had my own Christmas sweatshop going.

3 baby hats.

1 hat/mitten combo for my baby niece.

2 adult beanies - including the one above which was a Christmas gift for my mom. The other was for me to walk the dog in.

1 gorgeous (if I do say so) baby blanket that I will have to blog about separately in all its glory.

I wish I could give you some fantastic tutorial on how I made these beanies but honestly - I have been making hats on circular needles for so long now I don't even pay attention to how/what I am doing. I cast on what "looks right" and start knitting then start to decrease when it looks about head-size. These hats are a bit of a change-up for me though because they are truly beanies. They have a ribbed foldover brim and a much more fitted look. I made the bigger one for my mom and then made a matching one for my niece with the leftover yarn. Want to know the cutest thing ever? They wear them together after their swim class. How f*cking adorable is that?

Since I am of no help at all with providing patterns or instructions - here are a few similar options for you to use.

1. Pill Box Hat from Lion Brand Yarns.
Single color, no brim, great for a first project.

2. Cashmere Hats for Mom, Dad and Baby from The Purl Bee.
Three great patterns. I'm especially in love with the baby hat with the little ear flats. Precious. Also - can we say cashmere? Yum!

3. Rolled Brim knit hat from Martha Stewart.
This one actually looks the most like all the hats I usually make. The difference is that it does not use circular needles which is nice given that many beginning knitters don't have all the supplies. This patterns also uses very chunky yarn - meaning you can finish in just a few episodes of Sex and the City on a weekend afternoon.

Enjoy.

B.L.E.

THREAD - I NEED this immediately.

That's right - I need - not want - this fabric. My body aches for it like a junkie in need of a fix. There are at least two dozen products I can immediately think of that will need to be made with this. Of course - it is only sold at Britex (huge San Francisco fabric store although a bit stuffy) and they are having a sale - 30% off and it ends today. I cannot get there before they close because Britex has the worst hours ever. It's as if they only cater to rich older women in need of chintz to redecorate their formal dining rooms with. Ugh.

Pining away at work.

B.L.E.

UPDATE - My dear dear husband risked life and limb and went to the fabric store sale for me. The place was packed with the above mentioned women and a whole gaggle of emo fashion students from San Francisco Academy of Art.  Unfortunately - the fabric - the NEEDED fabric - was sold out.

Being the sweet man that he is (and probably to emotionally justify the trip to the fabric store) he asked for any other gnome fabrics and came back with one yard of 3 different versions. They were - alright - nothing amazing but it will be fun to fuss around with them. One is a large panel piece - 3 gnomes each measuring over a foot tall. I think I will try to make a stuffed throw pillow out of it. This should give a pizazz to the chair in our sun room. Here is an example of the fabric that I found on the internet. I have no idea who this poor kid is but the fabric is pretty cute eh?

And all was not lost with the ideal fabric - I found it on etsy - 3 yards are shipping this week. Phew!

THREAD - inspired by Martha - again.

That Martha Stewart - she just doesn't know how to relax. She has another book coming out - this one about sewing. I usually like the  projects she has featured in her magazine but rarely go back and make any of them. Lately I have been doing my best to purge any crazy magazine piles. This is partly to maintain the fresh feeling after the great closet clean of 2009 and also because Adam and I have been watching a lot of Hoarders lately - which makes me want to throw away everything I own. So... Martha's new book is kinda awesome. There is no need to hold onto old magazines since everything will be in the book. Thanks Martha.

Of course - I already pre-ordered the book on Amazon. In the meantime - Martha has posted a bunch of her favorite sewing projects on her website. Here are just of few the ones I want to make immediately. Along with the 100 other projects I have in the works.

1. Linen trivet - perfect for our new table!

2. Dish towel sewing machine cover. It's so simple and divine. I almost want to replace the one I made last year.

3. Quilted coasters. These seem like the perfect solution for leftover fabric bits. Part of the their charm can be that they are mismatched.

4. Oilcloth lunch bag. Perhaps if I had this I would actually bring my lunch to work instead of making a daily trip to the Whole Foods salad bar?

Alas. I would be so much more sewing and knitting productive if I didn't have a pesky job/career. Hmmmpphhh.

Happy Monday.

B.L.E.

Love. Flowers. Romance. Valentine's Day.

If I had to say what a physical expression of love is to me - it is flowers. They bring joy and nature and beauty and I truly love them. Can I just say that I have a wonderful husband? Absolutely amazing. Just thinking about him makes my heart warm. Happy Valentine's Day. I hope there is love in all of your lives in some form.

Love it not what makes the world go round. Love it what makes the ride worthwhile.

B.L.E.

THREAD - more bibs.

I made these a while back on my bib making binge. I just couldn't resist making more bibs. You can finish a whole set in under an hour and baby fabric is just so darn cute. Just look at it - dancing monkeys and baby animals. Precious.

Luckily - everyone I know is having a baby. This may sound like an exaggeration but - I have three friends and my favorite hairdresser all due within two weeks of each other. Four friends - two weeks - how crazy is that? Something in the water...

Since none of these babies were actually born when I was making the bibs - I found my own models. Their names are Owen and Fiona and they are random bunny/rat creatures I picked up at my previous job. No - I did not name them - their names are embroidered on their chests. Odd little dollies.

These bibs were super easy to make. Three layers of fabric and a little velcro - done and done.

B.L.E.

duck. duck. goose!!

How amazing is this floor lamp? Beside the obvious (it's a duck!!) it lets off a subtle pale glow and stoically stands guard. When I was a kid - my aunt had this lamp in her hallway. At the time (when I was too cool for life aka 12) I thought it was a bit - shall we say "country clutter."

But now? Now I would give anything to have one of these silly floor lamps of my own. I lust. I covet. It would go perfectly at the top of our stairs. Of course - like everything you mock and then covet - it is unavailable. It seems as though the company that makes the lamp has gone out of business and the lamps have become this crazy niche collector's item. I guess I could get it from ebay - but I have a strange unfounded fear of ebay - so that's out.

If you see one of these little ducks waddling about in an antique store - call me!

Quack.
B.L.E.

FOOD - oreo cookie cake

This year for Christmas - among the many other wonderful presents Adam gave me (including The Penguin) - I received a cake mold and a box of cake mix. As my friend Sarah so accurately put it - Adam gave me "a task" for Christmas.

I know in his heart Adam really believed that this present was for me - I do like to bake. But let's examine the facts here - I'm not much of a cake person and he has been asking me non-stop for weeks when I am going to make the Oreo cake. It doesn't take Angela Landsbury to figure out there was some personal motive behind this Christmas gift. It is endearingly cute to me. It must be love. Swoon.

Since his birthday was fast approaching - I decided that would be the perfect time to unveil the great cake. So - with 25 people headed over to our house in an hour for a birthday BBQ (who throws a BBQ in SF in January??) and with my two year old niece Leila to entertain - I pulled out the goodies and got to work. Luckily - the whole process was relatively simple.

Here are a few pointers -
1. Don't work with a two year old as your assistant. Yes - she was absolutely adorable. No - she was not of any help at all.
2. Perhaps mop the floor after - not before - embarking on making a cake - especially if using a two year old assistant. It is very difficult to get dried egg off of white tile because "somebody" insisted on more whisking.
3. When making a chocolate cake with white frosting - you can't really get away with not washing the mixer bowl and paddle to save time. I figured - it's all going into the same cake - why bother rinsing between the cake and the frosting? The answer to that question is that you rinse to avoid having beige frosting instead of white frosting. Oh well - it was still delicious.
4. Perhaps now that I am an honest to goodness adult - it is time I stock actual birthday candles in my house. This will save us from having Adam hold a pillar candle in his hand instead of blowing candles out on his actual cake.
5. Perhaps now that I am an honest to goodness adult - I could use a real camera to take birthday photos instead of insisting that an iphone can be used in absolutely every situation. Maybe then my photos wont be so damn blurry.

This party was a good indicator of how our lives have changed over the last few years. It hasn't been all that long since Adam's 30th birthday. That event was legendary - imagine maracas and a banana costume and a lot of bar time. Many of the same 30th birthday revelers (the same one that contributed to our debauchery just a few years before) were attending this year's party but this time - things were a little more tame. There were 4 babies, 2 pregnancies and 3 puppies in attendance. Things were clean and organized and well lit and nobody (with the exception of one of the babies) threw up. All in all - it was delightful. Don't worry though - we haven't lost our flair for fun - the banana costume will be coming out again very soon. Promise.


Happy Birthday Adam! Love you lots.

B.L.E.

P.S. - the cake pan and mix and all that is from Williams-Sonoma in case you are in desperate need.

LOVE - the doctor and the penguin.

What can I say? I love me some bubbles. If I had the choice all of my beverages would be carbonated. My favorite wine? Sparkling. My favorite water? Seltzer. My favorite midday pick-me-up? The best soda ever invented - Diet Dr. Pepper (DDP to those in the know).

The problem with my love of bubbles is there are a lot of cans and bottles and waste when my thirst is finally quenched. This makes my yuppy, hippy, raised-on-recycling heart ache.

Short of installing a soda fountain in my house (looked into it btw and it's just not practical) I needed to find a solution for my bubble craving habit (sometimes up to 3 liters of water and 2-4 sodas a day). The solution came in the form of a glorious device called The Penguin. It's a carbonizer - a magic machine that turns regular tap water into fantastic bubbly water. It's kinda like how Jesus turns water into wine but more effervescent.

Now I can embrace my bubble water habit. The shame is lifted. I no longer have to take the recycling out at night so the neighbors don't see all my bottles. Honestly - I felt like some sort of closet drinker and I don't even have a boozy habit. I used to slip plastic Calistoga bottles into my bag because the work recycling bin is already full of my DDP cans. The hiding is over. I feel good - free - bubbly even.

Now let's talk Diet Dr. Pepper. My all time favorite form of soda injection is the fountain drink - lots of ice. The doctor is hard to find in fountain form but luckily my favorite Target store has it on tap. Someone up in the sky must have liked me just enough to put one of my favorite things inside one of my favorite places. Perhaps there is hope for me after all?

Located next to this glorious DDP flowing Target is a Costco. Two of my favorite stores - right next to each other!! Seriously - throw a J Crew in there and I could happily live in the parking lot. At Costco - I pick up a 36 pack of Diet Dr. Pepper and carry it around in the trunk of my car. I drive a Mini Cooper. This ridiculously large box of soda takes up half the space in the trunk but it is absolutely worth it to never be without the DDP. I then use this giant box of soda to restock the mini fridge I keep at work. It's the cutest little shiny orange refrigerator - it holds exactly six sodas. Yes - I have a problem but I embrace it and move on.

I think everyone needs some sort of vice. Being too pure it just boring. You will eventually end up with too many cats or become one of those people that pulls their hair out. I don't do drugs, I don't drink much, I run, I eat (relatively) healthy and I don't enjoy adrenaline sports. My vice is bubble water, Diet Dr. Pepper and sour candy. I'm ok with that.

What's your vice?

B.L.E.

Food: Christmas Pigs and wine.

Over the years it became apparant that Christmas was getting excessive with my family. Between the Christmas Eve dinner at my parents with my stepdad's family, to the Christmas brunch the next morning to open presents, followed by the jaunt to Nana's house for more food, more presents, 25 cousins (yes 25! cousins) and the annual snowball fight. Then...back to the parents for the "Christmas hangover" dinner of leftovers and collapse.

Nobody wanted to cut out the activities or the people - it is always wonderful to get together and see everyone but we needed to simmer it down on some of the presents and the big hosted meals. So...the Christmas Eve dinner has become the Christmas Eve wine exchange and Appetizer Extraganza. All the adults bring 1-2 appetizers and a whole lot of wine. Usually 5-10 bottles (from $10-$20 apiece) to exchange. Everyone eats what and when they want to eat - nothing formal, no fancy table, we sometimes even have (gasp! novelty paper plates). The kids open their present while the adults watch (and drink more) and then adults take a number to see where the are in the wine pulling line-up. We all take turns picking bottles until all the wine is gone. Everything is fair. You get to take home as many bottles as you brought and try out a bunch of new wines. Leaving with 6 bottles of great new wines is way way better than leaving with some scented bath salts and expired chocolates.

Now - everyone needs to bring an appetizer. I have tried to vary my offering - bringing a mix of high (goat cheese, pesto, sundried tomato spread) and low brow (onion dip aka onion soup mix, sour cream with a side of potato chips) but there is one thing I am required to make every year - per the request of young and old - the classic pigs in a blanket. I made them the first year and now there is no getting out of it. Luckily they are easy enough to make and can be assembled ahead of time and then baked when we get there.

Here is what you need -
1 pack Lil Smokies. I usually go with the beef in respect to my Jewish friends. These friends who occassionally show up to my parent's house on Christmas Eve because we are all home for the holidays and hey - eating and drinking at my house is pretty fun - especially compared to watching TV with their parents.
2 cans Pillsbury Crescent rolls. The regular kind, not the giant or the reduced fat or the extra buttery. Stick with the classic.

Directions -
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut each of the rolls into 3 triangular pieces.
3. Wrap each little weenie (hee hee I said weenie) in the dough - starting with the thicker side.
4. Arrange the wrapped weenies like soldiers waiting for battle on a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 11-13 mins. I usually keep it on the 11 side so they do not get too crispy.
6. Serve with BBQ sauce and a variety of mustards.

A few things to note -
- The amount listed above will feed around 6-8 people if there are other appetizers. I usually end up making double batches for things like Superbowl parties (people munch for 4 hours) and triple batches for the Christmas Eve festivities (20-25 people).
- Use silpats if you have them. If you don't have silpats - Jesus go buy some already - I have been talking them up for a year already. I swear sometimes you don't listen to me.
- You know they are done when the weenie is oozing just a little bit of delicious meat juice and the roll is just slightly browned on top.
- My friend Sarah had a nacho party for her 30th birthday and requested the piggies. Pigs in a blanket dipped in hot nacho cheese could be one of the most delicious and disgusting things I have ever tried. I had a stomach ache for days. I am not saying it was ALL the pigs fault - it was a nacho themed party after all. I am just saying it was probably what set me over the edge.
- Not matter how well you plan - you will never have an even amount of pigs to blankets. Don't fret - there is always that pesky vegetarian that just wants the roll or my 4 year old cousin that has declared he "likes pigs but doesn't like blankets." Go ahead and throw your leftovers onto the baking sheet. Nothing will go to waste.

Enjoy.

B.L.E.

The newest - cutest - member of the Elasticsandwich household. Meet Biscuit.

One of the 10,000 reasons why we moved (eventually I will write a post about the new house - be patient) is because we were desperate to expand our family. Unfortunately for my mom and my in-laws by "expand our family" I mean purchase a dog not produce a grandchild.

After months and years of waiting and weeks of researching breeders we took a looooong drive out to Manteca to bring home our new love. We spent 2 hours playing with all the puppies but Biscuit was a shoo-in the minute he got all kissy with Adam. Little puppy knew how to turn on the charm.

In the car ride home Biscuit went right to sleep in my arms with his little snoot cuddled up in my elbow. It was heart melting. Then he let out the kind of silent farts you expect from a 21 year old frat boy - this 5 pound beast had paint peeling GAS. It was with those little toots that we knew he would fit right into our lives perfectly.

In case you couldn't tell Biscuit is a french bulldog. All ears - no tail. We knew we wanted a dog that fit our lives and once we were honest about our true lifestyle it was french bulldog or bust. Let's call a spade a spade - the husband and I are not wild adventurers - we don't need a feisty black lab that wants to go camping and hiking and take endless walks on the beach. We wanted a dog that was cool with a casual trot around the neighborhood, a furry child to take to work and someone to talk with while making dinner.

Frenchies don't really need to be exercised. If it's raining - that's cool - he'll get his business done quick - he doesn't want to be outside either. This is the dog that wants to be with you - whatever you are doing - he's game. Close all the time. Honestly - watch your feet when you back up because most likely he is sitting right there. And Biscuit is way more up for a movie marathon on Saturday than a hike through the Marin Headlands. Thank goodness!

Biscuit is great for cuddling (not on the bed - he is crate trained) and good for blaming things on. Rip a fart? It was the dog. Forget to take out the trash or put away the laundry? Oh oh Biscuit really needed to go out. Don't really feel like staying late? Gotta go home and feed the dog. Snore a little too loud? Yup - it was Biscuit all along.

One more plus - he is also super cool with being dressed up in clothes. In fact - he needs them to stay warm. There is nothing I love more than an animal dressed up in people clothes.

He was 8 weeks old and weighed 5 pounds when we got him and is currently 4 months old and 8 pounds. When he is full grown he will be 20-25 pounds. Oh and yes - Martha Stewart does have two french bulldogs - and they have a blog. That tens of thousands of people read. Biscuit is not at all jealous. He does not need a life of fame and wealth to be happy.


B.L.E.

ps - All these photos were taken with my iphone - not bad eh? They were also taken in or around our new house - just to give you a little glimpse of where we are living now.