Knotted Hobo Bags

Inspired by the breezy, colorful bags I've seen tossed over the shoulder of every teenage fashionista in town, I set out in search of a tutorial to make my own. The one I found from LivingCreatively was just what I was looking for! My appreciate for all things versatile made this right up my alley. No seams! No cutting! And when you're through, a perfectly usable scarf still intact. I knotted up four in a jiffy.

Hobo Bag Tutorial

{My favorite! Scarf from Tzinus.}

{A pareo makes an odd shape.}

{Smaller, I think the way the pattern  made a border on this one is cool.}

{ Second favorite - itty bitty bandanna bag with chunky nautical chain necklace as handle. <3!}

Being from delicate fabrics, they all fall rather limp when put to use, but I surely see myself taking one or two of these along when we visit the beach next month! Next month? Goodness, is it autumn already?

{Behold Anthropologie's one oh-so-similar!)

Are you watching?

(I haven't played with photoshop in forever! You can tell - everything is quite pale. ;)

Beware of Cake-Eaters

More US History goodness. The very real Anti Flirt Club (1923) was "composed of young women and girls who have been embarrassed by men in automobiles and on street corners."

Anti- Flirt Club Code of Guidance:

1. Don't flirt: those who flirt in haste oft repent in leisure.
2. Don't accept rides from flirting motorists—they don't invite you in to save you a walk.
3. Don't use your eyes for ogling—they were made for worthier purposes.
4. Don't go out with men you don't know—they may be married, and you may be in for a hair-pulling match.
5. Don't wink—a flutter of one eye may cause a tear in the other.
6. Don't smile at flirtatious strangers—save them for people you know.
7. Don't annex all the men you can get—by flirting with many, you may lose out on the one.
8. Don't fall for the slick, dandified cake eater—the unpolished gold of a real man is worth more than the gloss of a lounge lizard.
9. Don't let elderly men with an eye to a flirtation pat you on the shoulder and take a fatherly interest in you. Those are usually the kind who want to forget they are fathers.
10. Don't ignore the man you are sure of while you flirt with another. When you return to the first one you may find him gone.

Amusing, yes, but I do tip my hat to these ladies. 

Dear Diary...

{Never underestimate the tag art from a can of peanuts -

this is probably one of my new favorite journal pages....}

I've been a journaler for a long time and have the shelves full of tattered bindings to prove it, but it's always been a struggle for me to get beyond a shallow ramble when I write... This blog series at A Holy Experience encouraged me lately and I thought I'd share. 

It's funny how each time I sit down to write, trying hard to listen for my Redeemer's voice, the Jason Mraz song 'Lucky' plays through my head! 

". . .Do you hear me? I'm talking to you

Across the water, across the deep blue ocean

Under the open sky, oh my, baby I'm trying.

Boy I hear you in my dreams

I feel your whisper across the sea

I keep you with me in my heart

You make it easier when life gets hard. . ."

He's there.

5 Lovely Things

{Loving this illustrator and her vintage fashion sense.}

{Do peek at the botanical background/image on this illustrator's site!}

"The Leopard of Little Breezes yawned up and further off from the rooftops of Omaha, Nebraska, to which September did not even wave good-bye. One ought not to judge her: all children are Heartless. They have not grown a heart yet, which is why they can climb high trees and say shocking things and leap so very high grown-up hearts flutter in terror. Hearts weigh quite a lot. That is why it takes so long to grow one. But, as in their reading and arithmetic and drawing, different children proceed at different speeds. (It is well known that reading quickens the growth of a heart like nothing else.) "

- The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making, Cathrynne M. Valente

{One day, Laura and I are going to go on a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang tour 

- especially to the very real Cobstone Mill. }

{Are these paperdolls by Breezy Tulip and Emily Rose not the sweetest things?}

Also, you may have noticed a new poll in the sidebar. Now you can put your 2 cents in on what this blog should post about next! (Highly useful to indecisive characters such as myself...)

Where Beth Skwarecki Writes

"I'm a freelance writer by profession (nonfiction - mainly science writing) and I've just moved into a new house, where I have the best office ever. Feels like I'm in a little cabin in the woods.

The desk is an old kitchen table that is big enough for not just my laptop, but any papers or notebooks I care to work from. Cubbies and drawers built into the walls hold my office supplies, reference books, and spare notebooks (I'm a notebook junkie). There's also a couch to lounge in for a change of pace."

Just spied this on the Nanowrimo blog. Isn't it yummy? I love the cabinets inset into the wall - they're practically invisible!

Bucket Bike Giveaway

Now imagine the library books, farmer's market muffins and cut flowers I could tote in that!

Check out the weekly (yes, weekly!) Madsen giveaway HERE.

What would you do with such a cool bike?

Veggielove

The beautiful fluffy puppies that I just posted about have parvo and since we're worried about one, I'm up on night duty - Annie shift. 

Bear with me as I distract myself here.

{I wish these pretty little oriental eggplants tasted as good as they look. They're akin to kosher squid substitute IMHO!}

{My favorite part.}

{A FoodNetwork recipe, Giada I think, for eggplant with goat cheese and fresh basil. Balsamic vinegar makes it very fragrant!}

We Have Puppies!!!

Adeline, Roo, Annie (the sinking fluffball) and Arizona ZoZO are our first litter of foster puppies! They're going like hotfire - already everyone but Annie is spoken for. They are all adorable! Puppies are easy fosters too, especially these. They entertain themselves, sleep a lot, and only require us to go down to feed and clean them every few hours. And to play with them of course... Hard work that!

Lady Bird Johnson

CollegePlus!

{calling cards maybe? image from darknoises }

Dear friends,

I haven't sat down and told you how much of a blessing CollegePlus! has been. In the four (!!?) months since we started, I've been able to earn 21 college credits and am only 2 1/2 CLEPs away from finishing freshman year. Working with my coach has been a wonderful experience...the set up there has been great for me, since I'm sort of a self-starter who needs one-on-one attention to keep going. It is a real blessing to be able to do this at home, where I can still be with my family.  It's college, just home-style. :)

If it's something that you've been considering, I'd encourage you to enroll soon. (Before September 30th would be lovely because I might win a MacBook then. That would mean more blog posts and comments for all - and every one likes that, right? ;D)

Please do use this Code: 5134

Red Dress and Silver Slippers

{Portrait of Grace Coolidge}

I wonder what sort of dog that is?

A Look I Love

{Redbook}

{Rutherford B. Hayes and his bride Lucy on their wedding day}

  March  16, 1853.-On the 14th, Rutherford and I had our daguerreotypes taken. No difficulty in getting pictures to suit us. The large one is for ourselves, that as old age draws on we might see what we once were. Rutherford has that expression I love to see. 'Tis a mixed one, love, happiness, and a tinge of pride - enough to give a noble, manly air. And he seems to have just said, "This is my wife." How dearly I will prize this pic- ture. It will always bring sweet memories. And whatever shall be our lot, may he retain that look. It is a speaking one, but I cannot tell all it shows. To me the greatest and best expression is only love. I am pleased with mine. It has rather a meek, subdued air, clinging to its only support,-remove that and it will droop.  -From the Hayes journals. 

Falling Early

Way back in December, I promised my big sister Rachel a Clemson-orange hat. She looks so cute in hats! 

The pattern: Foliage from Knitty's archives.

The yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted, Orange You Glad

It took me three fun days to knit - my first attempt at circular needles. EarthHeart Designs saved me there, with their handy tip to make the circle smaller with a double-pointed needle. First I had to uncurl grandma's long curly plastic needles. Running them through hot water water was not enough for these...maybe they were too old and stiff. A quick swish in just boiled water and then a run of cold tap water did the trick. Yay!

As usual, the pattern threw me a little and I had to bluff for part of it. The resulting hat is a little large even on my big head, so I hope it fits RayRay! It's *awfully* comfortable to wear though and if she doesn't want it, I do! I heart orange. :)

What have you been up to?

Bags are Essential

Custom Amy Butler bag giveaway @ Grosgrain!

Masking Tape is my new best friend - and it comes in colors!!

I can think of about 3 dozen different things (at least!) that I'd do with this HappyTape.

Country Living used it to dress up a lampshade with stripes.

I love this little card garland from the HappyTape blog!

What would you do?

Ruling Passions

Once upon a time...there was a charming little quiz in a gardening book. (I don't remember which one, alas.) After making a  list of 21 favorite plants/uses/accessories, you played them against each other in 'survival of the fittest' until only one remained. 

These are the "Ruling Passions" for my dream garden:

{Ruling Use: A quiet place to drink tea and think.}

{Ruling Sensory Pleasure: Something to taste at every bend.}

{Ruling Emotion: A place to inspire.}

{Ruling Accoutrement: A garden gate that clicks or squeaks.}

{Ruling Plant Category: Herbs.}

{Ruling Plant: Old-fashioned climbing roses.}

www.gardenrooms.typepad.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/june-oka/129224213/

Carnation Lily Lily Rose - John Singer Sargent

http://www.flickr.com/photos/medicalvegetable/3791404288/in/pool-herbs

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liquidskyarts/163210529/

Pirate

Another puppy dog portrait. This is Pirate, a very handsome and dapper chap. He's at least a little Blue Heeler (Australian Cattle Dog) - he's on the small side. His fosters all adore him, but come this month, he'll be going to a forever home of his very own!! It was very tempting to slap a King-of-the-Pirate's crown on him in Photoshop. I resisted.

Happy August!

Yumberries

I haven't had much success at battling the bugs, birds and beasts away from our new little pot of strawberries. (Yes, beasts. The dogs seem to think "treats"!) Just the same, they've been delightful neighbors. Tolerant of all my neglect, the little pot of strawberries is always fresh and cool looking - even in the muggy weather we've been having lately. The leaves are refreshingly, uniformly green, the flowers are perfectly pink, the berries are a delicious shade of red and this week, I got to taste one.

There is was, a tiny gooseberry sized dot hidden in the foliage, ripe and unblemished.... 

Even at this late date, it was yummy. The flavor was exactly half sour and half sweet - like a candy. 

I'm looking forward to next year. :)