Um, Yes Please.

So, here's some cute stuff. I decided I was too lazy to be creatively bloggy today so I'm just going to post some things I found on Etsy that are awesome and deserve some notice. This, for example is an adorable bag by Deadworry. I bought a t-shirt of this same design for Tim for Christmas. Who can resist Mr. Fancy Rabbit? Nobody, I say, nobody! Go and buy this, and buy one for me while you're at it.





These adorable illustrations by Matteart remind me of old Disney movies, especially 101 Dalmatians. Don't you want to live in one of these little townhouses? Can't you imagine taking your groceries up in brown bags?




Um, if you consider yourself an adorable person, as I'm sure you are, you're probably going to want to get one of these adorable hair clips and wear it every day. They're from Modernbean and they have a bunch of other cute things as well. Check it out!



Okay, I don't wear belts myself, but my boyfriend does and I'm pretty sure he would love this one. This is from Buncombe Buckles.

Okay, that's all for this edition of things you should buy me. See you next time!

Some Helpful Advice

I noticed these books at work the other day and had to take a peek at them. The language is hilariously uptight, although that's not too surprising for the time period. At one point she refers to sex as "overtures". She must had been a satisfied woman.

Anyway, here are some quotes I thought you might find amusing. These books were written by Blanche Ebbutt in 1913 and while most of her advice is absurdly archaic some of it is rather timeless.

For Wives:

Don't manage your husband too visibly. Of course he may require the most careful management but you don't want your friends to think of him as a hen pecked husband. Above all, never let him think you manage him.

Don't say it's a waste of time to make marmalade at home when you can get it better made from the stores. Your husband and children never like any so well as yours, and it is worth the trouble of making it to see how they enjoy eating it.

Don’t let your husband think it is a matter of indifference to you if he wears his socks wrong side out, or odd boots on his feet. Some men are absent-minded enough even for this; and if they can’t keep a valet, their wives should see that they are dressed properly.

Don't be satisfied to let your husband work overtime to earn money for frocks for you. Manage with fewer frocks.

Don't interpret too literally the 'obey' of the Marriage Service. Your husband has no right to control your individuality.

For Husbands:

Don’t be afraid of lending a hand in the house during a temporary servant difficulty.

Don't be conceited about your good looks. It is more than probable that no one but yourself is aware of them Don't try to be a Sultan. This is the West and you can't shut your wife away from all the other men.

Don't be too exacting about your food. If you can't afford an accomplished cook, don't demand accomplished dishes.

New Year, New Blog, New Unnecessary Pictures of My Cat

Well, what can I say? I've made blogging my New Year's resolution and already it's taken me until almost midnight at the end of the first week of the year to even BEGIN accomplishing my goal of posting regularly. But you know, I feel good. This is gonna happen.

I'm like one of those plucky heroines in movies who leads a listlessly dull life until something sparks her to become ambitious and confident, and then she moves to New York or Paris or something and becomes a top pastry chef or frees someone wrongfully imprisoned or finds the cure for a rare disease. Ok, actually I'm not that person at all. I'm just blogging and crafting over here, there's no reason to get carried away. But, still, I'm confident that I'll cure Lupus by the end of the year.Also, I'm going to create some really awesome felted things. I got this book for free because they were throwing it away at day job (Barnes and Noble) and have now become fascinated with the idea of putting nuts or marbles into wool, rubber-banding them securely and felting the heck out of it. It sounds insane but this book makes it seem like a REALLY good idea. I'm not finished with the scarf I'm going to try it on and I have to be sure it's still long enough to be a scarf after I felt it so I have to make it extra long. If it turns out well I think I'll send it to Detroit where I'm selling some things at City Bird. So, if you live in Detroit you may one day have the opportunity to BUY one of these crazy experiments of mine.

I think I also may try to knit an actual garment, like a little sweater or something. This idea terrifies me. I'm imagining spending hours and days and weeks sweating over this project only to end up with a useless mass of knotted yarn only suitable for a toddler to suck on. But I feel it's a challenge I must take on if I'm to call myself a knitter.

Ok, here's the picture of my cat as promised. I got a light box for Christmas to photograph crafts to put up in the shop. I unfolded the structure and went into the other room to get the camera. I came back to find Rilke(cat) looking at me curiously from inside the tent. She loves things like this. Every time I do laundry she ends up pulling the basket over herself. Anyway, when she would sit still I got some pretty cute shots. Here's one:
Rilke says Happy New Year and demands adoration for her photogenic adorable-ness.

Hey You! Sit down and Listen!

Over the last few years (specifically, the exact amount of time Tim and I have been together) I have found myself thrust into an environment that I would have never guessed I would be around, let alone a part of. I have always loved music, but I loved it for it's comforts, for it's familiar words and tunes, for it's reminder of love and family and car trips I might have otherwise forgotten.

I never felt that devoted to KNOWING music or knowing and hearing lots of bands. In fact, whenever I went to a concert I mostly just felt bored. I mean, really bored. Not necessarily because the music was bad, but something about that environment just couldn't capture me.

Well, needless to say I've had to get over a lot of that. There's a lot of waiting involved with being in a band. A lot of waiting and then hurrying up. It's taken me a while but I think I've finally learned that the secret to enjoying music and enjoying playing music and simply to allow yourself to enjoy it. So often, I get caught up in the hurried details of having to do this or that or forgetting something or thinking we forgot something, or forgetting the words or the keys or the chords.

This week we enjoyed a house show at our friend Jesse's house, featuring the extremely talented Chris Bell. There's just nothing like enjoying the music of your friends with your friends.

Last Breath of Summer

I think today is the day. It feels like it anyway. This afternoon I went outside to read and that's when I noticed it. The light had changed. It was warm but there was a strong breeze weaving through the overgrown grass of our front lawn.

I walked around. Sure enough, a spider clung to it's dare-devil web while light glinted off of the strands. Our garden stood, blooming and lush, almost bursting, but not quite. Objects stood transfixed by the warm light shining down on them. Even our cat was itching to get out and laze in the heat of it's rays.

What does it mean? Fall is coming. In fact, on the brink of already being here. It makes me want to stretch my muscles and yawn. It makes me want to smell grass and taste apples. It makes me long for picnic blankets, or just any blankets. I always forget how much the seasons affect my mood until one I actually enjoy rolls around. I actually feel relaxed. I actually feel ok about speeding tickets, and love drama, and longing for home, and wanting run away from home, and hating my job, and loving my other job.

So, I reccomend everyone take a moment and take a step outside they're house and just take one breath. Fall is here.

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like . . .

Okay, in all honesty it looks nothing like Christmas. In fact, at the moment, it look s alot like April with all of the rain we've been getting. However, I've been told that this isn't so in other/most parts of the country. In fact, I hear it's rather chilly up there in the Northern regions of the country, and perhaps quite cold in other countries as well. Thus begins my yearly ritual known as the knitting season.

I just can't bring myself to knit during the warmer months, so during spring and summer I focus on other things like felt, which is also quite warm, but I don't make things to wear with it so it's okay.

Actually, this year it was a customer who reminded me to start knitting again, when she came back to purchase more hats and I only had one in the store.

So, for all of you folks who are gettin' cold, I'm looking out for you!

I Have a Dreamcast (And so Should You)

Okay, so there's no denying that me and most of the people I like are overwhelmingly nerdy, and I love that. Well, in order to confirm this nerdy-ness they decided to celebrate the underrated and underplayed gaming system, the Sega Dreamcast.

Tomorrow (9/9/09) is the 10th anniversary of the day the Dreamcast was released in the U.S. In celebration of this we're throwing a party and a show at Go Bar. There will, of course be birthday cake. There will be Dreamcast playing. There will be a raffle to win a Dreamcast. If you are a nerd, and I suspect you are, you should come down and celebrate with us. There will also be lots of good music, including songs about the Dreamcast and other awesome gaming systems.

If you do not come I will assume you are not a nerd and be very suspicious of you.