Make it Work

I've been asked (or maybe I asked...) to make my sister's wedding dress for her early March nuptials. Before you start envisioning me drowning in white tulle and slaving with needle and thread while hand-beading late into the night, don't. While I appreciate any sympathy this image may create, I must tell you the facts.


First, the dress will be short. It will not include yards of tulle, lace or a bustle. In fact, the only fabric purchased is 2 yards of beautiful light dusty rose 100% silk and 1.5 of a matching crepe pictured on right.

The inspiration comes from Grecian style draped looks, as seen below.




And so, I got to work, using a skirt pattern as guidance. I love the draping effect that pleating both the top and sides of the skirt creates. Also, you gotta love that it has pockets!




After consulting my sister and mom, we decided the skirt needs to be fuller with more of a bubble style on the bottom. Also, please disregard the pepto bismol pink-- this is only a draft! I am still contemplating where the zipper will go but I think it will be on the side and I will change the back skirt so there isn't a seam down the middle. Next step is draping the one shoulder crepe over the bodice which will be completely covered. Then, it's back to the skirt for a complete redo. I'm hoping to have the draft done in a couple weeks and start on the real thing in January. Thoughts, opinions, and suggestions are always welcome!

Save my pennies for a winter day......

Exciting news to share with the cyberworld today - an engagement!  Down by the lovely Mississippi River in Saint Paul, MN, love was in the air.  This cloudy diamond ring is handmade by a wonderful artist in New York, Katrina Lapenne from the store Catbird and I absolutely LOVE it.  It's simple, classic, gorgeous and the matte diamond has a subtle twinkle - even more so on cloudy days.  The diamond is more of a shimmering gray color - which I love.  I know diamonds are supposed to blind people, but this is a cloudy diamond which makes it look more natural and that's just the way I want it.  Now for a picture (or 3):

My Dr. Evil pinky pose - always a classic. 

As a person who doesn't favor the huge, heavy, boulder sized diamond, I wanted something different.  My man and I scoured the interweb, uncovering more and more headlight-sized diamonds, gems and other shiny rocks.  Where was the simplicity?  If you find it out there, please share, because there just aren't any local shops, or online shops that cater to the simple life.  I did manage to wrangle a few together in this lovely little collage I share with you now below:

Most from Conroy & Wilcox, others from etsy.com

Of course, you don't need me to sit here and tell you how blown out of proportion weddings have become.  According to the popular website, The Knot, the average wedding now costs an astonishing $27,800.  Come again?  $27,800?!?!  I'd rather take that money and not work for a year, or two and take a trip around the world.

Summer special

Looking for a unique, handmade necklace? Earrings that dangle? Jewelry created from recycled parts? Then stop on by our etsy shop for a special sale.  Starting Wednesday, June 15th, all jewelry will be 50% off! Enter coupon code BLISSFUL50 at checkout and the discount is yours. Here's a preview of what we are offering:

A Fine Mess repurposed fringe charm statement necklace
original price $36, now $18

Jubilee colorful charm necklace
original price $20, now $10

Finding Neverland multi layer beaded necklace
original price $44, now $22

Harmony wire wrapped tornado necklace
original price $20, now $10

Cake, they've got the groove

Last night I spent 'an evening with' Cake at the State Theater in Minneapolis. Playing to a sold out crowd, Cake entertained and involved the age-diverse audience (even though lead singer John McCrea joked that most of us probably weren't born when their deput album came out) and put on a show comparable to no other.

The hits poured out one after another as folks got up out of their seats and sang along. Cake repeatedly engaged the audience in their music so we were one mass of voices chanting the already spoken-sounding lyrics. Stand-out hits including 'Sick of You', 'Federal Funding', and 'Long Time' from their newest CD 'Showroom of Compassion' were played alongside old-time favorites like 'Never There', 'Rock-n-Roll Lifestyle', and 'Short Skirt/Long Jacket'. Even if you didn't know a song, you felt like you did because of the way McCrea easily and smoothly sings out the non-chalant and smart lyrics. The style of Cake's music cannot be categorized easily as they have aspects of many types of music. The trumpet and signature vibraslap sounded crisp and refreshing.

It was a relaxing evening which is what the band wanted as there was no pre-determined set list and we were told we didn't need to be shouting songs out... whew what a relief! An intermission broke up a long, almost 2.5 hour show.

Sweet little Sunday treasury.....

It's freezing cold here in Saint Paul today.  It's May 1st.  I want to go out on the balcony and scream with frustration, but it's too dang cold to even do that.  Instead I was calmed down by seeing this lovely treasury featuring a necklace of ours on etsy:

And on that note - Happy May Day! Here's hoping next month won't feel like December and warmth will slowly seep back into my fingers.

Indie rock and definition necessity....

I enjoy Indie Rock music.  I don't know what else to call non-mainstream alternative-country-atmospheric-rock music.  Essentially though, indie rock just means that an artist/band is signed to an independent label.  That's it.  It doesn't always refer to a varietal of hippie music, it doesn't necessarily make you a hipster, it doesn't mean you wear pants so tight you can see the quarters in your pocket or wear your sunglasses at night - it just refers to the label (but go on, indulge yourself in the Hipster Olympics video below).

Driving along in our automobile the other day, Gandalf asked, "does Indie Hard Rock exist?"  I laughed out loud, how silly I thought, Indie Hard Rock, but in my head I was thinking, the man's got a solid question there.  As I began to spew hogwash I realized the term "indie rock" was being mis-used too much by the public, myself included.  Of course Indie Hard Rock exists.  So does Indie Country, Indie Folk, Indie Jazz, but for whatever reason the term "indie rock" has been associated so deeply in my mind with bands like Belle and Sebastian, The Postal Service and the ever-rocking Silversun Pickups that I cannot accept the indie association with other genres.  How dare indie cheat on me!

Silversun Pickups, Photo: Schröder+Schömbs

Band of Horses, seems to me the wooly beard, sadly, is here to stay.
Photo: Jason Persse

Here is my conundrum: so if I want to call Band of Horses Indie Rock, because I lump them in with the same sounds as the aforementioned bands, should I not?  Because they are signed with Sony, which is definitely not an independent label.  I guess I will call them Folk Rock or Alternative Country - I don't know.  This Indie Rock term has really been driving me crazy for years.  Since when did we start describing music based on record labels?!  

Jeff Tweedy takes on a raucous crowd in Minnesota......

Who: Jeff Tweedy of Wilco with opening band Snowblink

Where: Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, MN

When: Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Highlights: One Wing, I Am Trying to Break Your Heart, Walken, Jesus, etc., Hummingbird, Theologians

Photo by OpenEye/Mike Flickr (photo not from Rochester show)

Jeff Tweedy had his hands full last night.  Playing solo to an audience of 1,170 the magnetic Tweedy had to deal with the following: a man child in the front who brutishly shouted, "nailed it" after one song, a balcony girl who chirped, "whatever" when he claimed all the songs he was playing were requests (Tweedy, rightly so, jokingly replied that she had a "shitty attitude"), a girl next to me repeatedly screaming "I love you Jeff Tweedy" and the pièce de résistance: after a pause from Hummingbird lyric, "remember to remember me, standing still in your past, floating fast like a hummingbird" a high pitched, singsong male voice echoed, "hummingggggbiiiird" causing the audience to erupt into fits of giggles, leaving Tweedy to reply at the end of the sing-and-whistle-along song, "Nice job, nice job, except for that one guy back there.  He kept jumping the gun."  


I quickly concluded that intimate concert settings don't make people act any differently than they would at an arena concert with 10,000 people.    


Tweedy handled the attention-starved hecklers with wit and his infusion of lively conversation was a delicious bonus to his unquestionable talent.  Tweedy surrounded himself with six acoustic guitars on-stage and cracked out the old harmonica for a few numbers.  His thumb picking was hypnotic, but then you've got his voice.  Does Jeff Tweedy not have the best rock and roll voice of all time?  Ok, ok 2nd best, because I have to give first place to Eddie Vedder.  You can argue with me all you want, but I'm sticking to it.  It's raspy, spirited, deep, sometimes nearly a whisper.  When he launched into the heart achingly beautiful "One Wing" singing, "you were a blessing and I was a curse, I did my best not to make things worse for you" the ice-block I've been encapsulated in all winter began to melt a little.  


"Jesus, etc." and "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" had the audience shyly murmuring the lyrics, while "Theologians" and "A Shot in the Arm" injected buoyancy.  After a standing ovation from a voracious crowd, Tweedy took the stage to deliver a boisterous "Casino Queen", followed by the sweet little Golden Smog tune "Pecan Pie".   


For the second encore we were treated to a truly raw performance - no microphones, no amplifiers, just Jeff Tweedy and his guitar, at the edge of the stage, belting out the lyrics to "Walken".  The man is a Midwestern wonder.   


And I simply cannot write this review without mentioning the alluring opening band Snowblink.  Featuring the luscious, velvet vocals of Daniela Gesundheit with Dan Goldman on guitar, Snowblink immediately captured the crowd's attention and it wasn't simply because of Daniela's antler-adorned guitar.  Together the Toronto based duo creates a quirky sound of ethereal folk, which translated into a wonderfully soothing, enrapturing performance.  

Coming soon.....

Review of the Jeff Tweedy solo show in Rochester, MN should be up Wednesday.  Wilco is one of my top five favorite bands of all time, so I am curious what the show will be like with just the lead.  Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, enjoy one of my favorites, Pick Up the Change (singing doesn't start until 0:58 seconds in):

Rural Alberta Advantage commandeers bodies at First Avenue....

Today I bring you a concert review of a wonderful band called The Rural Alberta Advantage.

Location: First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN
Date: Friday, March 25th, 2011
Highlights: Don't Haunt This Place, Stamp, Frank, AB, In the Summertime

Photo: Joe Fuda

Taking up a position in the back of the sold out venue, I wasn't sure what to expect, but from the first song to the last, I found my body jerking around like a muppet (that's just how I dance OK).  The thing that amazed me most about this group is that they only have three people, yet the sound they created was so capacious it overflowed into every crack of First Avenue.  Most songs didn't even include guitar; bass or acoustic.  But they made sure to fill up that space with anything they could find.  There were keys, clapping, drum sticks beaten together, tambourine and I think I heard xylophone at one point from multi-instrumentalist Amy Cole.

Lead singer/guitarist Nils Edenloff had a unique, powerful, rolling voice that demanded attention.  Just when you were getting lost in the valley of sound, his voice unexpectedly surged, delivering a vigorous slap to the face - I don't know about you, but a face slap is a great way to get my attention.  This is one of those bands that thrives at live shows.  

Drummer Paul Banwatt played as if his hands might cease to exist tomorrow, unleashing on the audience a fury of movement I haven't seen since somebody zealously shook a stop sign at a bluegrass festival in Denver.  But I don't need words to convince you, see for yourself  in this live video below from Toronto:



The crowd was abuzz with his talents - I don't think one person in the audience wasn't moving - the band was sending telegrams through the floor imploring our feet to do crazy things.  Dealing with a rough Minnesota winter, we were all transported to a sundrenched daydream when they launched into the gorgeous, mesmerizing In the Summertime: 



This is a MUST SEE live show featuring a gracious, passionate, energetic band.  The Rural Alberta Advantage told the audience the show at First Avenue was one they'd never forget and I guarantee those of us lucky enough to be there felt the same.

Historical headlines.....

Researching old newspapers is a challenge.  Print can be smudged, sentences aren't grammatically put together the way we are used to and items they deemed newsworthy are just plain odd.  I always love a zany headline though, so here are a couple of my favorites to carry you through this Wednesday:

"Dead People, Cats and Wooden Indians Were Counted in the Twin City Census Padding of Twenty Years Ago"
-Minneapolis Morning Tribune (1909-1922); Apr 17, 1910; 
ProQuest Historical Newspapers Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1922)


"Mrs. Bones Says that Susan B. Anthony is Downright Mean" 


And the two subtitles within the article which also need to be noted read: 


"Says Susan is Mean" 


and my personal favorite:  


"Mrs. Bones Charges Miss Anthony With All Sorts of Things"
-Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1908); Feb 26, 1890; 
ProQuest Historical Newspapers Minneapolis Tribune (1867-1922)


Geez, Mrs. Bones - what did Susan B. do to you?! 

Rain soaked history seekers.....

This morning, Gandalf (aka, my gentleman caller) and I were out on a mission, braving the Saint Paul rain to take photos of my favorite building, the now abandoned, Pioneer Building, which used to house the Pioneer Press.  

Pioneer building:
 built in 1889 it was the first 12-story skyscraper in St. Paul!

Front entrance of building with a glimpse of
a toasty little skyway in the corner (we LOVE skyways!). 

This isn't the building, but I love rain on windows.
This is a blurry view of our apt in Saint Paul taken before our mission.  

Our goal is to gather some research on the buildings of Saint Paul, dig up some interesting facts and post some photos (new and old) on our Tumblr blog (first posting coming this week!).  If you're a history buff (and we both are, so it's ok, your nerdiness is welcome here), or interested in architecture, or just plain curious about what kind of place Saint Paul, MN is, then latch on for the tour!

Generating dollar bills.....

A couple of years ago I convinced myself I would make buckets of money writing ehow articles.  So I got to work straight away.  I wrote and wrote and wrote and ended up with...........five articles.  I only had five articles in me.  I quickly learned that, a.) I did not have any technical skills to share, b.) I am lazy and get bored very fast and c.) Technical skills aside, I couldn't think of any skills I had (I do have some skills, but let's be honest, who wants to read an ehow article about how to be a good multi-tasker....)

It was a sobering realization.  So what did I write my five articles on?  Well I had to really think at what I was good at (or just happened to know something, anything about): moving, bars, skiing, running and the wild card - emailing large files.  And here they are for your viewing pleasure:

How to Ski in Colorado for Less

The gorgeous, the one, the only, Winter Park, CO

How to E-mail Large Files (I don't recommend the steps outlined in this one, because I don't think I was able to send my large file)

How to Complete a Half Marathon with Minimal Training (really stretching for articles to write)

Seriously dorky picture of me running the
P.F. Chang's 1/2 marathon in Phoenix, AZ

How to Move with Little Money (pretty much the only thing I do know how to do)

How to Go to a Bar by Yourself (it happens ok)

So how much money do my five articles bring in every month?  I couldn't tell you, but I can tell you that every 8 months or so, I see a check for $10.34.  Buckets of money no, shot glass of pennies, yes.

And then these beauties came along....

Lately I've found myself staring dreamily at the gorgeous selection of hinged cuffs from zanneavenue.  Zanneavenue is a wonderfully unique shop on Etsy that features cuffs, necklaces, rings, belt buckles and more.  Her products are created using a combination of maps, industrial metal, recycled eye glasses, leather, and picture images, inspired by her background in mixed media sculpture and photography.  Essentially, "Zanne Avenue Jewelry is a reflection of my passion to travel and to give "mundane" objects new and beautiful life."

She certainly has succeeded in creating beautiful items out of everyday things!  The structure of the cuffs, with the hinges and the snaps is just so appealing to me - I can't get enough of them!  Below are just a few of my favorites, but you can view 42 other amazing cuffs here: 

Music Notes Cuff by zanneavenue

Blue Graffiti Cuff by zanneavenue

Photo Strip Cuff by zanneavenue

The blogosphere is cold, dark and empty today.....

Today I did not run from the mundane and that is OK, because our blogger stats show that we had 0 page views today.  Typically we get about oh....I don't know, three page views per day, so dropping to 0 has not derailed our blogging dreams.  When we have three views, that is a good day - it makes us happy.  However, lately I have become slightly concerned that two of those page views are from me and my sister (three if she's checking the blog at work....didn't even consider that one until just now).  Must make it a point NOT to look at blogger stats anymore.  Good night Saint Paul, MN!

Live free on your birthday....

It's your birthday.  All you get these days is another candle on the cake....another card with pictures of senior citizens on the front mocking your old age.  "Ha ha ha - you're so old!" they all say.  You hope people won't remember (including yourself) so you can claim you are three years younger than you really are.  But.....today I bring you some birthday cheer and hope.  Something to look forward to every year - free stuff!

I first discovered these loads of free things last year.  Not on purpose, purely coincident.  I was signed up for way too many websites mailing lists, but this time, I actually welcomed their emails with open arms, because they were offering me things for free.  Below is a list of places which will shower you with love on your birthday:

Aveda
The Swag: you will receive a coupon for a free "Personal Blends™ Pure-Fume™ or body care product offer (worth up to $24) custom blended with the aroma of your choice"
Verdict: awesome.  I brought my coupon in, smelled all these different scents, chose my favorites and they mixed up a small spritzer of perfume just for moi.  Granted I smelled too many scents at once and threw off my sense of smell, so for all I know I might be walking around smelling like a bottle of vodka mixed with patchouli.
How: sign up for their mailing list at avedabday.com

Kona Grill
The Swag: you will receive a coupon via email for a free entrée worth up to $20!
Verdict: well....let me ask you - do you like food?  I do, and I very much enjoyed this.  Kona Grill specializes in sushi, but when I went I had the Sweet-Chili Glazed Salmon, and only paid $0.75 (plus tax and tip of course)
How: become a Konavore

Noodles and Company
The Swag: well, they are noodles and company, so they give you what they can, and that is.....free noodles!
Verdict: again, can you go wrong with free food?
How: this one is going to take a little advanced planning on your part, because you need to sign up at least 60 days before your birthday.  You can do so from their website here.

Sephora (did I just hear angels singing?)
The Swag: Sephora Collection Beautiful Eyes Kit featuring: Lash Plumper Volumizing Mascara in Black, Nano Eyeliner in Silver Green and Colorful Mono Eyeshadow in Aspen Summit
UPDATE: the above gift was last years gift, this year I received a 6 oz bottle of Vanilla Birthday Cake shampoo, shower gel and bubble bath from Philosophy!
Verdict: used all three and am now a devote follower of the lash plumper volumizing mascara - the stuff just doesn't run.  The eyeliner and eyeshadow I could live without, but to each his own...plus it's free!  UPDATE: the shampoo works just fine - it's not too sweetly scented, the bubble bath doesn't really bubble, but I can live with that.
How: become a Beauty Insider

Yummmmm!  This bottle is many things, but edible it is not. 

And for the locals in the Twin Cities area......
Pazzaluna
The Swag: how old are you turning?  Here you get a bottle of wine priced at your age, so the older you are, the better the bottle.  
Verdict: don't know yet, but will let you know after I go for my upcoming birthday this week!
How: purchase of two entrées required and proof of age.  


Downtowner Car Wash
The Swag: free gold wash - a $21.99 value!
Verdict: well my car is sparkling like a rich man's fine china collection and they did the inside too!
How: one week before or after your birthday, march yourself down there with this coupon


And there you have it - free gifts you can look forward to on your birthday that will have you eating well, drinking well and looking fabulous.   

An Experiment in Dyeing

I bought some white cotton voile a while back in the hopes of someday (and I use 'someday' loosely) dyeing it to the color of my choice. So, on Sunday as I was moseying about trying to figure out what to do with myself I took out my yellow Rit dye that I got just for such a day. After carefully reading the instructions 5 times (it really is not that hard) I was finally ready! I wanted to create a dimensional look and try a technique with the dyeing so the fabric wouldn't look so flat. After folding the fabric the long way and then the short way, I ended up with a cube of fabric that I kept held in place with string. It was in this way that I thought I could make a sort of plaid with stripes going across and down with more dye being on the ends of the cube where the most dye would end up. Well... it didn't exactly turn out that way but I am still happy with the results. I will definitely keep experimenting with different ways and who knows, maybe I'll even go back to my roots and rock a tie dye effect soon!

It should be mentioned here that my interest in textiles, fibers, and dyeing have taken me all the way to Joybilee Farm in B.C. Canada to learn new skills in this area while staying at the farm as a wwoofer. Here I learned knitting, spinning, carding wool, weaving, and some dyeing techniques.

Tonight as I was cleaning up the remains of my Valentine's Day flowers I had a vision. Surely, I can't let these beautiful flowers go to waste! So, I looked up how to make a dye with the flowers and sure enough there is an easy way that I currently have simmering on the stove right now. I am uncertain of the success of this experiment but it was fun none the less. I pulled out the roses from the bouquet and sprinkled them into a large pot with water and brought them to boil.

Now I am letting them simmer for an hour until the petals lose mostly all their color. The petals will get strained and then I will add some lemon juice which I read will make a more vibrant pink. I will add my fabric that has been sitting in cold water mixed with alum to help hold the dye even after washing. I think I will let it sit in the dye pot overnight (off the heat of course) and see how it turns out in the morning!

Stepping out of my box

Today I ran from the mundane (woo hoo - I should be running from the mundane at least one time every day!).  It was a very, very small activity.  So small that it might not even be counted as an activity, but it was something I had not done yet in my new apartment.  Here it is folks: I took the stairs from my 14th floor apartment to the ground floor.  I had been wanting to start taking the stairs (on a regular basis) ever since January 1st, you know, the same time everybody else thinks walking for 5 minutes on a treadmill is going to transform their body into Heidi Klum's.  And so, while waiting for the indolent elevators, I decided today was the day for the stairs and I to get better acquainted.

I feared the stairs for a few reasons:

1. Sure it was easy to get in the stairwell, but could you get out?  What if I became trapped?
2. I might discover escaped convicts hiding out, who may or may not ask for my assistance
3. Rodents - yes I know stairwells aren't reminiscent of a NYC subway station, but rodents thrive in many places

Pushing those sensible fears aside, I went for it.  Fear #1 was actually pretty spot on, because once I started to get closer to the bottom, all the doors said you could not exit through them.  And the reason I couldn't even try to exit through them is because there were no knobs to even grasp.  I saw nobody in the stairwell during my journey.  One flight from the ground floor, I went through a metal cage, which locked behind me.  So much for taking the stairs back up.  When I reached the ground floor I felt dizzy, but overall proud to have taken the stairs less traveled.  And so, stairs get my recommendation for sporadic use.  

Stairs: the best escape route.  Clockwise from top left: the stairwell inside the
old Saint Paul Pioneer Press building, outside of the SPPP bldg,
my stairwell and steps leading to the Mississippi River at Harriet Island

You were never lovelier.....

Elsie Adams Photography is a great new shop on etsy featuring fabulously beautiful pictures and she has just been nominated for a 2011 Lovelies Award!  Show your support, like the shop on facebook and/or leave a comment.  Share the love - remember, what goes around, comes around!  Check out a couple of her works below:

Celebration by Elsie Adams

Autumn Glow by Elsie Adams

Sunshine Sunshine is Fine

Yesterday I created my first treasury on etsy. Boy was it a challenge! In Minnesota the only good thing about February is that it's short. Everyone is anxiously awaiting spring and things start to slowly change. Windows get rolled down at 35 degrees, pants turn to skirts, nasty bitter looks from strangers turn soft... you get the idea. So while I sat on my computer waiting to be inspired the natural choice was for my brain to think of the sun- not to mention my laptop is bright yellow. Be happy and have a great day today!

Fresh Grapefruit

Sigh. Oh grapefruit. You smell so fresh, you are so bright, today is your day to shine. All of these items from etsy artists are so beautiful. We highly, highly recommend the Grapefruit Peppermint Luffa Soap from Apple Valley Naturals. It will make you smile every time you use it.

1 day until the fair.....

One solitary day left until the craft fair. I stayed inside all day yesterday contemplating how on earth I was going to set up my display. Last time I threw a bunch of wire wrapped necklaces in a box that had 12 little slots. Mistake. This time I knew I had to do something different. And while I found a website that had some great examples and tutorials on Craft + Show Designs , I didn't have the supplies (ahem, or the skills) to create these awesome designs.  Why not just go get the supplies you ask.  Well here in MN the weather likes to dip into negative digits and since I loathe the cold I couldn't bear it.  I am so pathetic.  So how was I going to make a display?!

Then I remembered the miniature belts. Light bulb. And so I got to work. Now I realize miniature belts aren't just laying around your house, but if you have a surplus store nearby (Twin Cities folks can check out Ax-Man or ArtScraps, both highly exciting places to visit) zip on down there and see what else you can find. Chances are you aren't as afraid as the cold as I am, so you can actually get in your car or take a train or bus and go somewhere!

Then just grab an old picture frame and get to work. All I did was hook the mini belts together and screwed them to the frame. Since I have a larger frame, I had to add some support to the top middle row as some of my earrings were a wee bit heavy and making the belts sag. As for the cord, that's just a leather cord tied to both ends. Seems to be working so far. Mission completed - am now ready for the craft fair.

How exciting is this picture?!

And here we have the back of the frame....riveting!

And there you have it, yet another purpose for the miniature belt!

Trapped!

The past couple of days I've been stuck in bed - head and chest smothered with a cold. My mind isn't thinking clearly, although sheer willpower provided me a brief moment of clarity last night to watch the Bachelor. I'll understand if you want to stop reading now.

But if you've decided to give me the benefit of the doubt, then you are in luck. Because I am going to list for you, the top 10 things to do while you are sick in bed. Right now. For your reading enjoyment.

1. Use Google Earth to try and find your car from the most recent satellite image (I found mine - in Denver, from 2009, parked at my old job - it was truly a thrilling experience)
2. De-friend people from your facebook account who you don't know...just be honest with yourself
3. Write a haiku
4. Sign up to be a volunteer
5. Take a tub (if you can manage, crawl if you must)
6. Watch youtube videos so you can be on the same page as the rest of the world (I had never heard of the annoying orange until one week ago...apparently 17 million people knew about this before me, like one whole year before me)
7. Netflix watch instantly
8. Do your taxes (it sounds worse than a cold I realize, but since it's tax season and you are stuck in bed then just get them done already!)
9. Write an ehow article (they'll pay you....I won't tell you how little, but they'll pay you)
10. Sleep all day (then you won't have to worry about doing any of these things)

And to end on a crafty note, you could always teach yourself how to create something. Here's a fun video from ThreadBanger on how to create a collage necklace from fabric scraps:

We thought spring would never arrive.....

It is negative two degrees outside right now. I was planning on never leaving the apartment, dreaming of California and having an accusatory conversation with the thermometer. Then a message popped up in our etsy mailbox and we learned that an item of ours was featured in a treasury about spring! We were flattered to be featured amongst such gorgeous spring-like items and just like that, my mood changed. If you are feeling winter gloom, then I recommend staring at this treasury for at least one hour. That should cure you.



Thanks to sacredsuds for including us!

Miniature Belts Have Feelings Too......

This morning I pose this question to you: how do you know when you have too much time on your hands?  I discovered the answer to this after I snapped the nonsensical photos below.  These are part of a collection titled: The Usefulness of the Tiny Belt.

Accessorize your figurines

Know without-a-doubt, which glass is yours

This look says: simple, yet classy

Beat the hipsters to this next trend

Nothing says 'Happy Holidays' like miniature belt garland

And since I have a flurry of thoughts to dump out of my brain today, I also feel the need to tell you that when you hear the phrase, "do one thing every day that scares you", it doesn't mean you should kick-off the karaoke contest at your boyfriend's holiday work party.  Unless you have a voice that challenges Sara McLaughlin's, then by all means sing on my friend.  I am referring to those of us who could end up on the reject reel of American Idol auditions.  We should truly stay in the shadows when entering a room with a spotlight and microphone.  It wasn't put there for us.

And now folks, drum roll please...........I have finished my ten new pieces for the month of January.  I missed my original deadline by two weeks, but scraped together enough ambition to complete the alternate deadline. Has this posting of new items helped sales, or simply increased any activity on our site?  Well it generated a little interest -  maybe a few new items added to favorites and one sale.  New goal to be posted later this week.  Until then.

It appears to be made of plastic and is absolutely fantastic....

While out on a California adventure last week near Point Reyes National Seashore, my gentleman friend (we'll call him Gandalf for anonymity reasons) and I spotted this unusual bicyclist: 

We saw him throughout our day on the point and even our shuttle bus driver gave him a shout-out over his intercom as we rolled past proclaiming, "my goodness he's unusual!".  Unusual yes, but he brought a smile to us all.  We collectively determined that this type of contraption is used as a wind-breaking device.  Now if you are one of our wiser readers and know our explanation is hogwash then please expose us and tell us what this silicone-looking-spatula-without-a-handle thing really is!

Speaking of sharing, check out this breathtaking view from the edge of the point.  We arrived at this point after weaving through numerous dairy farms (26 to be exact, one for each letter of the alphabet).  Thousands of cows were grazing in extraordinarily green pastures that abruptly dissolved into sheer cliffs, which prompted an elderly bus passenger to ask, "do the cows ever fall off the cliff?".  Think about that....until next time!

p.s. I haven't forgotten about my ten new pieces challenge.  To put your inquiring minds at ease, you should know I only have three more to go!

I did it... a small feat for me this weekend was accomplishing my challenge of PURCHASING FABRIC! As I was perusing the aisles of the local Joann fabrics, I was not impressed by what I was finding. I am going to make spring scarves that are ruched and I need a very light weight cotton fabric. What I found were some 100% rayon prints that are nice but I'm not certain about. Are they ugly, are they cute? I also bought a white voile 100% cotton piece that I plan on dyeing with natural dyes. More on that next week! This week the challenge is to get a scarf done and posted on our etsy site.

Overachiever attempt....

The challenge was to create ten new pieces by Sunday, January 16th. Did I successfully do this? Ashamed, dejected and publicly humiliated, I have to tell you that no, no I did not. To help you better accept this failure, I've compiled a small list of excuses: a mysterious party guest from Saturday's wine club stole my tools, all of the arts and craft stores in the Twin Cities area ran out of beading wire at the exact same time (weird how that happens) and then to top it all off, I was called upon last minute to be a judge at the annual dog show (my only credentials being that I enjoy looking at them).

Don't worry though - by the end of January, I will have these ten pieces done. I will, I will. Must stop staring out the window and daydreaming....and must stop creating challenges of Oprah-like proportions.

On a sunnier note - the treasury went well. I did learn something from another etsian, however, and that was to fill up all 16 spaces in order to be considered for the front page. Noted.

And then there were two...

I am writing this to you from my cubicle while I eat a meager lunch of veggie burger and apple. At least I have a chocolate Prairie Dog bar to look forward to for dessert.
My goal for this week (given to me by my sister and business partner) is to inquire about advertising our etsy store on another, more popular, blog. A seemingly easy task but somehow I have yet to complete it. Enter 'lack of motivation' that haunts me nearly every day. So, in an attempt to change this and become a successful, productive member of society, I will be contributing to 'Running From The Mundane' blog declaring and holding myself accountable for my goals.
1st step-- get to the fabric store! Seriously. I need a lightweight breezy fabric for some ruched spring scarves I plan on making. And that is my one and only goal for this weekend (besides the ad inquiry which I will update you on later).

Good day and happy Friday!

Digging for Treasure...

I had secretly planned another goal for myself this week and that was to create a treasury on etsy. It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. First of all, coming up with a title for the collection was tough. I didn't want to have a similar collection as 100 other folks. And so I went with a history theme: when in doubt, nerd out. So I had my title, but then I couldn't figure out how on earth to do a history themed treasury. So I just started searching keywords like, "history" "kings" "americana" "wild west" and was able to get on a roll from there.

Searching for items to include took a lot longer than I thought. I thought by saving my treasury I could come back to it later before I published it. That is not true. Not a huge deal, but my poor little brain was confused. And now ladies and gentlemen (all 2 of you following who were forced to diligently read this blog due to relation) I give you........the treasury:


p.s. as for my challenge of getting 10 new pieces done by sunday....I have one done. That's right, 9 to go. Outlook = bleak.

In the beginning, there was a mess

It is a mess I cannot bring myself to clean up.  Beads, buttons, chains, glue, leather cords, wood blocks – you name it, it’s most likely loitering on our living room floor, waiting for a pick-up at a defunct stop.  These items cannot and will not be picked up.  They have a purpose: obstruct, trip, pierce.  By doing so, they will hopefully prevent me from reaching my final destination: the couch.

Usually it's a sharp piece of 22-gauge copper wire that just dives right in and takes the lead in this task.  As I scream out in pain and fall to my knees, I pull a 1-inch sliver out from my heel and am swiftly reminded I should be working on beefing up our etsy inventory instead of watching brain-numbing jibber jabber from Kathie Lee and Hoda.  Which conveniently leads into my goal for the week: create ten new pieces for the etsy store by Sunday, January 16.  I am short on willpower, ambition and supplies (ok, ok I don’t need more supplies), but let us hope I sleep-craft* and wake up to these ten new pieces by Sunday. 

When crafts attack

*Sleep-craft v similar to sleep-walking, but the subconscious purpose is to create ie: I sleep-crafted last night and woke up with this fabulous, crocheted scarf.