28 February 2008

flickr favorites

i have a nice inherited sewing machine
that sits on a desk unplugged.
and a bathroom cabinet turned fabric holder
hording lots of pretty fabric.
and a stack of sewing manuels from multiple
decades all piled up collecting dust.


27 February 2008

trying too hard.

Interesting: I recently found out from a friend that apple cider vinegar is a remedy for the most random of minor ailments.

Take for example, a completely random example of course, dandruff. Not that I would even begin to know what that's like! No. Not at all. It just popped in my head for an example to explain the wonders of apple cider vinegar. I could have used other examples, of course, this one in particular just stuck with me because, well, I mean, come on--dryness of the scalp? That's a pretty nasty ailment, in my book. Not that I would know. Definitely not.

So anyway, back to my friend who wasted countless hours googling "cures for dryness of the scalp that doesn't involve shelling out fifty bucks for head + shoulders in a fancy bottle." She told me about this apple cider viegar concoction---1 part ACV and 3 part H20 (look at me! i'm speaking science!) --mix it up, pour it over your dry disgusting scalp (no judgement!) and let it soak in. Massage it in, talk dirty to it, whatever your preference. Then, wash it out with with shampoo unless you enjoy smelling like a big ol' smelly bottle of apple cider vinegar (again, not judging!).


Got real bad nasty dry scalp? Do it every day! Then do it once a week! Then do it when you feel the need!

If I had a tv show on cable all about the wonders of vinegar, I would totally pull a rachel ray and insist on shortening apple cide vinegar to ACV but then every time I use it would say ACV and then continue to say the full name: apple cider vinegar, therefore really defeating the whole purpose of an acronym.

There you go! Lady Friend's "a la natural" tip of the week. So go take care of those dry scalps of yours. My friend gave her thumbs up on this ACV (apple cider vinegar) trick. She's trustworthy. Not to mention very witty and pretty.

25 February 2008

thanks.

this weekend I sold the Kelly Girl Skirt to a girl named kelly.

i also ate a fantastic brunch, played a board game and went out a ghost tour.

it was a lovely, lovely weekend.

*********

i have to say, i'm very thankful + fortunate to have some items listed under the "sold" catagory of my little etsy store. each + every sale has been exciting + nervewracking. i've been so proud to wrap up a little pouch or a warm cardigan and ship it off to its new home in canada or michigan. right before i send something off, usually waiting in line at the post office, i have this flash of insecurity, worried that the vintage something won't be treasured or loved or appreciated. you'd think i was sending puppies through ups.


i have to admit, i'm a bit of a dreamer. waiting in line, sitting in traffic, lying in bed, i concoct great schemes which i safely keep all locked up inside my head--rarely doing anything as drastic as following through (oohhhh....scary). well, this idea of a wee little store online has been nestled up there for a great while now and after some serious stalking, i mean, casually looking + reading about others making it happen, i did it. and regardless of how tempted i am to constantly change directions + start over, i'm moving forward. it might seem small, but to those of us who know much more about the "dreaming" than the "doing," it is an exciting big step to stand in line at the post office and actually follow through with one of those saved up dreams.

19 February 2008

eating habits


This past weekend I had three main jobs:

1. Set the Table.
2. Eat what is put on the Table.
3. Clean the Table.

In case you're wondering, my order of preference would be 2. and then 1. and then 3.

I've been told, by loved ones and such, that my eating habits consist of bread and cheese. In the midst of blubbering defenses, I've discovered that, when broken down, pizza, grilled cheese and even pasta can be boiled down to bread. and cheese.

So basically, my eating habits consist of bread. and cheese.

Yum.

I mean, no! I need to diversify (if that is actually a word. i think I saw it in one of my "how to manage money for idiots who are careless with money" books. thinking of it now, it probably has more to do with stocks and important things like bonds and less with broccoli and carrots.)

If I was a cookbook I would not be this:

I would be those oversized shiny recipe cards you get in the mail for free to convince you to pay $3.99 monthly for ten more oversized shiny recipe cards in the mail every single week for the rest of your life until you have piles and piles of oversized shiny recipe cards stacked in your cupboards because you have no desire to cook apricot meatloaf or oreo cream pie.


Ok, so the oreo cream pie wasn't terrible.

People who would be the lovely, simple, Real Simple cookbook don't actually buy the cookbook. It's like the world of self-help. They already grow fresh rosemary and understand the subtle difference between extra virgin and virgin olive oil and have large blocks of exotic looking cheese in their fridge.

Here's my theory (my bias, if you like): It's the people with the pre-packaged American slices & the the three cans of Pam cooking spray (in multiple flavors) that scramble to get this exact cookbook because they know, simple or not, they want to open their fridge and feel an instant lovely calmness like they feel when they look at the cover of this book instead of standing with the fridge door open suspiciously wondering what tupperware is the culprit of that smell.

So yes, I bought this cookbook.

I want the calmness, the exotic cheese, the simplicity, the muted color palate, the homemade vinagrette, the pantry full of capers and mustard seed and other things edible things I don't really believe are edible. I want to understand what kale is and how to roast garlic and is a radish a beet? is a beet a radish? are they related?

You should know, I've never bought a self help book. And I don't have to--because every single book I buy is self help. How to cook, sew, save money, save the world, etc.... it's really all my way of stacking up an unread pile of "How to Change Me."

While I do think that personal growth is a lovely, lovely thing---I don't think I should be banking my amazon account on my own.

I need to go a little deeper than roasted garlic and homemade marinara. Yes, I want to expand my bread & cheese diet, but I think my cookbook (granted, my new and very pretty cookbook) needs to stay a cookbook & not my personal revelation.

So much pressure for something that is really just trying to get me to steam the cauliflower right.

15 February 2008

more love!


One. Two. Three.

Today is my 3 year anniversary with K.

It started off with a serious discussion of whether or not a 3 year anniversary means that we have been together for three years or that we're headed into our 3rd year of bliss together.

I mean, sure, I could see how one could get confused. I mean, really, no, I can't, but I am willing to believe she was still sleeping and instead focus on how cute she is with bedhead.

One thing that K and I have been all about from the beginning of our three years (yeah, we finally figured out that we have actually been together for three years after some intense finger math) is dining out. As far as social activities go, sure we enjoy bowling and walking around cute neighborhoods and fighting for the armrest, I mean holding hands, at the movie theater, but throw us in a restaurant and now we're talking.

We've also been known for doing some early bird specials, if you know what I'm saying. And, if you happen to be under the age of 60 and don't know what I'm saying, well, we like hit up the hot spots at about 4:30 in the afternoon. You know, before the kids come in and make it all loud and such.

We're headed to upstate NY for a little cabin fever this weekend and before we leave we're squeezing in an anniversary dinner at a softly lit romantic place here in providence right after I get off work at 4pm.

It's really the perfect celebration of us---doing something we love with each other at a time where it could seem out of place but really is just absolutely, well, perfect.

Here's to a weekend of rest & relaxation & fresh mountain air.

14 February 2008

love.

happy love day to all.

and i hope that somewhere, where ever you may happen to be, you are being loved for who you are by your mom, dog, grandpa, best friend, son, soulmate, partner, brother

or,

if you're as lucky as me,

the girl that knows
just how to hold your hand
soothe your fears
light your fire
support your dreams
fit in your nook
make you laugh
take your breath away
and love you so damn well.

and if you do happen to be just so lucky,

don't ever her go.

13 February 2008

the f word.

why i like feminism:

I like to vote.
And wear pants.
And make as much money as my male counterpoint.

I like to drink in public.
I like reading whatever books I choose.

I like to consider certain people enemies.
I enjoy the concept of owning my own body.
I think equality sounds peachy.

I like writing emails and making phone calls to people like this.
I throughly enjoyed going to college.
I believe rape should have serious, lawful consequences.
I think maternity leave is nice.

I like being able to talk about my vagina.
I like having the option of whether or not to reproduce.
And not to mention, my kitchen floor is usually too dirty to stand on with bare feet.

I like to own property.
I enjoy respect.

I think it's nice that my career decisions aren't decided by how fast I can type.

****

You know, just one of those rainy Wednesdays where I like to ponder on this endless list of why I embrace and identify so strongly with this f-word.

11 February 2008

her first.

This weekend my best friend S came to visit. S lives in upstate NY and before that in rural Maryland and before that with me in Chicago. We've gone from three feet to a thousand miles to three hours.

I learned that S has never been thrifting---which I didn't really understand. I just blinked at her for a while, trying to imagine what she does every Saturday. She probably reads. She's smart like that.

I was more than happy to drag her out and about, digging in racks searching for the perfect finds. I won't lie-- I'm sure I was patronizing, holding her hand around the store so she wouldn't wander off and talking slowly as to not shock her system with too much information.

Yeah, so here's the thing. S is amazing at thrifting. Once she got over the flashbacks of skorts and junior high, she started pulling out adorable. amazing. priceless. perfect. vintage goodness.

She did go on a bit of an excited rampage near the champagne glasses and we had a couple of casualities (at least she did while I hid safely near the angel food cake pans), but all in all, she was an absolute thrifting partner delight.

Now I just have to lure her back to little rhody every weekend to find more goodies like these.

07 February 2008

because i've resorted to watching reruns of reruns.

I'm know I'm about three years behind on the bandwagon---but I just made my pitiful morning so better by signing up for my free trial on Netflix.

Thanks, Netflix, for this free trial.

(And my morning could have been worse. It's not like I don't have coffee. I just didn't have hot water. Therefore, a shower. Therefore, a nice clean awake feeling.)


But anyway, netflix! Lately I seem to have forgotten about movies. Thanks to a gift card stuck in my stocking from my sweetie, I saw a fantastic movie just a couple of weeks ago and since then I've thought: movies! i need to see more movies! It's rejuvenated my movie mojo, so to speak.

I have to say, I've got a bit of greedy queue fever right now. You'd think it's my new job to watch movies, the way I'm throwing 'em in there, left & right. I want them all! drama, indie, comedy, foreign, award winning! whew! Now I do need that cold shower!

If you have any suggestions for movies that have changed your life, please do share. (and if it didn't change your life, did it make you laugh really, really hard? hard enough to pee a little? that'll do too.)

I'm trying to re-learn to knit. Which, is going to happen while Netflix and I become very, very close. Now, if you excuse me, I think I need to re-re-re-re-rearrange my queue. Again.