Liquid Paper

the one that i want

Here it is! This is the bag I bought from orla kiely's flagship shop when I was in London. Oh, it was almost impossible to choose. I made at least a dozen passes around the shop trying this bag and that on my shoulder. It was such a pathetic display of indecisiveness that the people I was shopping with kindly offered to let me come back again the next day so that I could think about it (i.e. calm myself) overnight. Although, I highly suspected that my circling was making them dizzy and they were in desperate need of fresh air. Whatever the reason, it was just the push I needed to make up my orla-overloaded mind.

I also bought a meter of her signature pear oil cloth. The shop assistant was ever so helpful, but I got the distinct impression that most shoppers don't buy the cloth. I'm pretty sure she confirmed that I wanted it three times. (Fortunately for me there were only two fabrics to choose from -- I felt so decisive -- sadly that was prior to the purse dilemma so the sense of victory was fleeting.)

More photos of the shopping bag and the fall/winter '07 catalog here.

just because i can

That's why I'm posting today... just because I can. Two posts in as many days. I haven't been able to do that in four whole months. Oh, how I missed my little blog! And have I mentioned lately how much I love being home. It was wonderful to see everyone over the Summer and spend time with family and friends. But there really is no place like home for a little hermit such as myself. I could stay inside for days and days without ever venturing out. Well, I would stay in but for the lure of the Wild Flour Bakery across the street, and Michelle's coffee shop just down the block. Nothing gets me out of the house faster than baked goods and coffee. Which, I might not have mentioned, are even more devine when you're only a few steps from home. Home!

Here's another etsy score from this Summer: Teeny tiny vintage bird stickers!

orla!

I made it back from London and Scotland and only have one more trip to go before I'm home for good. (Or at least for the next two months.) I have so many things to show you and stories to tell you about my summer. Unfortunately, I'm already packing because I leave tomorrow on that one-last-trip. So, here is a little sneak peek of the good things to come...

This was my favorite orla kiely mug. I loved the patterns on many of the other mugs, but the shape of this one was right up my alley:

Ack! It was just so unbelievably hard to choose from among all of the lovely things at the orla kiely flagship store. As I was checking out I let out such a huge sigh of relief that the poor shop girl actually asked me if I was okay. Sad but true. Stay tuned for more stories and more orla -- next time I post I'll show you the bag and fabric I finally settled on!

p.s. I sure have missed you guys + I promise I will never leave you for so long again! ♥

summertime, and the thrifting is easy

One of my top ten favorite Summer past times has to be searching for thrift stores. I can always count on finding a little gem of a shop in the small college towns that Mark and I travel to during June and July. For example, check out the fabric and quilt squares that I found in Warrensburg, MO where it was warm, breezy and sunny the whole week. Nice. Very nice. Next week we are off to Oxford, OH and Keene, NH where I hope to do some serious thrift store stalking. Be very twiet, we're hunting fabwic. Oh yes, I did just say that. I have a certain charming/lame quality to my humor. I know this and accept it. I can also be very dry, sarcastic and witty. This too I accept, though perhaps a little easier than the lame part.

almost ornithology

I found this odd bird at a small shop in Blaine, MN and could not leave without it. It was a have-to-have item and when I get that have-to-have feeling I'd best go with it. You know? Plus, I think that those are green pussy willows underneath. I ask you, could you could pass that up?

step aside morgan spurlock

I found these two supersized spools of twine at Tilda's Bake Shop. Now, I know that you know how much I love the new MARTHA STEWART: CRAFTS product line. But I'm just saying...

In Other News
Today I was able to get over to the thrift store and found that they had completely reorganized everything. It was a little disorienting (I'm a big time creature of habit) but once I found the fabric bins I was set. Plus, all baskets were half-price so I found a couple that were perfect for making basket bags. I haven't made any since the Christmas before last so I think it's about time for a couple.

Here's the fabric (with a little bit of basket peeking out at you from the top):

tuesday

Yes, I know that today is Thursday. I had to go with that title because this was me on Tuesday. I'm wearing the top that Mark gave me for our Anniversary. It's from Alena Hennessy's shop and I really like it.

I also love her card/tag so I took a photo of that too.

And in case you can't get enough of me, here's a picture of me at my desk that Mark took while I was playing around with Photobooth. Actually, that counts as me x 2 + the first photo = 3 pics of me in one post. Are you sick of me yet?

p.s. I've been playing around with Photobooth a lot lately. I'm trying to figure out how not to look terrible in pictures because I am SO NOT photogenic. Mark tries to give me advice like, "Don't smile too much and don't make faces at the camera." And I say, "But that IS my face. It just looks like that. I'm not photogenic like you are." Blah, blah, blah. You get the picture. (Excuse the pun.) So anyway, I am practicing and one day I hope to look a photo someone has taken of me and think, "Hey, that's not so bad."

market + garden

Hurray! I made it to the Falls Park Farmer's Market today -- it was the first market day of the season.

It rained buckets earlier in the morning, but by the time we arrived on the scene it had setled into a light drizzle. I dragged Mark along with me and we took tons of photos and bought a few of our favorite things:

(You can find larger images of these thumbnails here.)

may} to market

Shanna Murray of Two Trees has a new website, a new blog and a new concept for her etsy shop. This month's theme is may} to market and all of the photos, like the thumbnails from her shop (below), make me restless for fresh new things.

*sigh* It's raining here and supposed to rain all weekend. I'm longing for:

- a trip to the farmers market
- bike riding along the river that runs through our town
- more lilacs (enough to fill all of the vases in my house)
- time with my nieces and nephews (both far and near)
- a tidy studio space (my afternoon project)
- a roomy linen market tote (my next project)

martha, martha, martha

Did I mention that another benefit of living in a small town is that whenever there happens to be a cool item availble in shops, something that is inevitably sold out in all of the major cities, I can find it in spades here? Such was the case for these shoes that I found in yellow(!) and it is equally so for the new Martha Stewart: Crafts stuff. I walked into my local Michael's and the shelves were packed with all of the latest goodies. Everything all in a row, just waiting for me to pluck the ripest, cutest crafty fruit. Here are a few of my favorite things:

Pastel Cupcake Liners in delicious Springtime colors.

Bakers Twine that I have to admit was a little hard to find. Little being the operative word. Maybe some day it will grow up to be a big set of twine? Until then I'm happy to settle for junior size.

Twill Tape in all the right colors.