2012 - The Year of The Sock Monkey(hat)?

Hiya! 2012 has been a full year for world of whiskerbeans and for me. Here are some highlights:

January - Я and I surprised everyone with a little trip to the local courthouse. It is affectionately remembered as "B**** & B****** day". That is what our best friends called us on that day, on separate occasions. (asteriks for the kiddles) Tricksy (naughty) hobbits, we are. 

February - Я and I went to Universal Studios for our honey(potter)moon.

March - We travelled to Morgantown to hang with our kstar and see the Avett Brothers perform at the Creative Arts Center. We probably ate some Wings 'Ole on the way. We also saw Jane's Addiction at the Louisville Palace with our friends Mike & Lori.

You know, my mom bought these sock monkey hats thinking they would not be worn. I guess 2012 was the year of the sock monkey(hat)? 

April - Our reception. It was so good to see friends and family that we had not seen in awhile. The ones who were unable to make it in person, were there in spirit. 

Our niece wanted a VIP pass so she and my friend Sandra's little girl had special VIP sock monkey hats, instead.



A day later with a couple of tickets in hand, a show and then a dark alley later, we were fortunate enough to meet Arlo Guthrie.

Also around this time was the jury process for the WV Pumpkin festival. I was totally surprised (and wondering what I was getting myself into) when the judges said "yes". 

June -  Radiohead at Riverbend in Ohio

June also included a wonderful surprise in the mail:

August - A trip to Holden Beach, NC where one our of friends let us stay at her beach house as a wedding present. On the way home, we stopped to meet up with one of my old high school buddies. Good times.

Yep, that's me…sewing at the beach house. 

My first Cheerwine experience. Not a fan. Sorry, North Carolina.

My first Piggly Wiggly experience. Exciting :) (it's a grocery store - for anyone who is not aware)

October - The WV Pumpkin Festival. All of the work (sewing, sewing sewing & more sewing) was worth the experience. One person strolling through asked "what is so special about world of whiskerbeans"? I know that my stuffies bring smiles to people's faces (not to mention the onslaught of "cuteness squees"). That makes it special to me.  

One of my friends from college came by to drop off this amazing piece of art. Please visit Staci's site.

November -  Thanksgiving. I was fortunate to be able to spend with my brother and my parents. B(rother) took me on my first geocache experience. Fun!!!

2012 wasn't always peaches and cream, but a good year all in all. Bring on 2013! 

photo credit: Cala Clay

Birthday Bestie

Today is my bestie's (aka best friend) birthday. Kristi (kstar) means the world to me!!! AND the world to whiskerbeans. She has also been there to support me and be inspiration for my stuffies. Did you know that my owlies were inspired by an owl drawing that I had done for her house in Nashville? When kstar was diagnosed with lung cancer (www.kstar76.blogspot.com), I made her a little star stuffie (mainly in her favorite colors, purple, magenta and teal). She also wrote a theme song for a gnome (not sure if the gnome stuffie pattern came before or AFTER the song…hmmm…). It goes something like "Gnome, gnome, mommy I want a gnome! Can I take the little gnome home?"

Kstar and I share a common love for the blogger Heidi Kenney of mypapercrane. The lucky little stinker got to meet her last year without me, but got me some cool "HK" swag. A little gnome and gnomey fabric (as pictured). Hopefully someday we will be able to see HK together. 

Also pictured is us enjoying our Yummy keychains (created by Heidi and produced by Kidrobot). Kristi's croissant makes little alien slurping noises when it * crawls *. Doesn't it look like a little alien?

Kristi was able to hang out last year when I had my first craft show at her parent's church bazaar. Like I said, she has always been there to support me and one of the few that encourage and fully support the dream. 

I am not great at expressing myself or my thoughts and hold too much in. I am not sure how to express how much this girl means to me, but thought a blog post might be appropriate to wish her the best-est of birthdays!!! 

I LOVE EWE, kstar! You mean the world to me! 

- bean