Riot and Frolic

a mostly ballroom dance, but also a bunch of other stuff, blog

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about

I own and rock people’s faces off teaching ballroom dancing at Dancers Studio in St. Paul, MN. My husband and I compete professionally in American style and wrangle eight children in our spare time. I’ve been teaching and competing in ballroom dancing for over 25 years and have lots of opinions on it. I am an expert by any means, but there are quite a few dancers who are better than me and I have a solid knowledge of basic technique, so suck it.

Category: Craftacular

  • It’s So Fluffy I’m Going to Die!

        The other day, I mentioned how I made up my own crochet pattern.  It's not the most original thing, but since I made it up myself, I feel okay making doodads with it and maybe selling them.  Or at least telling you how to make it (not today, peeps- I have a short…

  • The Pinterest Project- Flowers (Doilies)

    This week's project comes to us from the most awesome Yvestown blog via Pinterest.  I haven't crocheted for quite awhile and generally disregard it in the summer months, but Miss Yvonne of the wonderful house and projects at Yvestown made me want for a hook.   I mean, look at them!  They're so pretty! Part…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – V's first mani/pedi.  I was happy I didn't do it first, 'cause I wasn't sure how the G would like it.  He seemed to like it.  She was very careful with her fingers for about two days, no matter how many times I told her the paint was dry.  Thanks, Auntie!   – a…

  • The Pinterest Project- Mmmm, Chicken Soap

    To kick off my new to-do list, I wanted to make my swanky Italian bar soap into some shower gel.  Ever since my lovely cousin-in-law (that's YOU, Jimmay!) broke off the soap ledge in our shower, there's not a neat place to put a pretty bar of soap.  Plus, we're more of a liquid soap…

  • The Pinterest Project

    I love Pinterest.  You have probably gathered that by now.  It is a lovely timesuck and source of inspiration.  There's lot many things you can say that about.  As I was "pinning" the other day, I realized how my "boards" were fast becoming the junk drawer of my computer.  I mean, sure, all this stuff (the…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – four shirts and four pants pressed.   – a special wedding yo-yo.  Man, I hope that quilt makes it to Ojai. – after a long period of silence, the discovery of a new use for the kiddie pool.  Why, a reading nook, of course! – baby lemons!  They are all over Lola, the lemon…

  • History Lesson

    I made a ring pillow, or wedding ring cushion, for my bro-ski and his amazing fiance's wedding. This is one of the many things I never thought of while planning my own wedding.  In fact, I was wondering why the ring pillow exists in a wedding at all. I didn't find a great history on…

  • List of Last Week’s Labors of Love

    – a nap. – realization that Mae Cake is the best popsicle eating partner.  She slurps all the juice and I get all the ice.  It's perfect for my pregnant, ice-loving self. – an embarrassing number of popsicles consumed. – one quilt. – best lullaby ever.  (You're one step closer to being featured on the…

  • And the third day felt like a week again…

      This will be my fourth day with no one else in my house.  It's weird and boring.  G and the ladies went to visit my in-laws for the weekend.  I couldn't bear the thought of driving the 12 hours to Ohio being so crazy-pregnant, but thought they should go and have some big-family fun:…

  • Don’t Feel Bad, But…

    …you just got your ass kicked by a pregnant lady.  I've wanted to say this for a variety of reasons the last eight months, but I'll apply it to my craftiness today. Yep.  That quilt is all…quilted.  It awaits the binding process because, to tell you the truth, I cannot stand to sit at the…