Indulge Your Shelf

Against my better judgment, at a book fair earlier in the school year at my son's middle school, I purchased Pride and Prejudice and Zombies .  I know, I know -- as a die hard Austen fan I should have resisted.  I've been trying to read it for weeks now, but it is slow going.  What I've determined is that it is so not worth reading -- all of the really great parts are the parts Austen wrote that I've always known and loved.  The zombie scenes and zombie-fighting talk are just dumb .  There was only one point in the book where I laughed out loud at some of the additions to the original Austen and thought to myself, "How clever!"  That was it.  Don't bother. Jane Austen: Accept no substitutes! So, my husband was off work today and we went to lunch at our neighborhood Chinese restaurant.  He had a wild hair and ordered the PoPo platter, for lunch. Why am I telling you what my husband had for lunch today, you may wonder?  Well, it's because ...

Feedsack kitty Teacup in blue and pink Button flowers Inkwell and quill I'm in the midst of sewing five pillows!  Most of the seams are done and I need to begin embellishing -- the fun part.

On Sunday I spent some time with my linens...sigh.  It is always so relaxing! I had sorted out linens that inspired me for pillows some weeks ago; so, I just had to make final decisions and then prepare them for sewing.  I paired up pieces, and planned. I love everything about creating with my linens, except the ironing - I burned myself not once but twice ! I remember I used to enjoy ironing.  I must have been very young. Here's the only piece I managed to finish, and really, it was a no-brainer because the velvet rectangle came to me already sewn (thank you, Linda Sue !)  I added some gorgeous old hand crocheted lace, also via Linda Sue, fancy stitches, and antique glass buttons. Besides that, I have been busy photographing and listing linens for my Spring Sale -- with still more to go! Here are just a few of those that I have newly added to my Etsy shop : handkerchief apron vintage but new Irish linen towel sweet whole cloth baby quilt daffodil...

How many of you are Project Runway fans like me?  I LURVE that show -- sincerely, it's the only series I will make a point to watch on television.  This last season started out a bit dull (and Heidi was pregnant yet again!) but ended with a bang.  And the one I wanted to win most of all, DID!  Seth Aaron!  Woo hoo! one of his designs Last week I was rolling on the floor laughing at Sandy from Quill Cottage's blog post about her studio.  If you're a Project Runway fan, you'll like it, too!

This is what we awoke to yesterday: It really piled up later, too.  When it stopped snowing, it continued with the rain on and off.  It was about 42 degrees but the wind made it feel much colder.  The worst part is that at 4:30 p.m. my son drove off about 3 hours east (where the storm that had left us headed) on another camping weekend.  Have I mentioned the blahs I've been having? And what a wind!  It blew all night.  We sleep on the second floor, on a corner lot, and so we get the full force, plus all the assorted sounds of I-don't-know-what (gutters? chimney caps? cows?) blowing around.  I just lay there thinking about Ben being lifted off the ground with the wind and deposited in Kansas.  (He was already almost in Kansas, anyway.) Now it's Saturday morning and it's snowing and blowing, but the sun makes an appearance in between so I think it will clear up.  I had planned to go to this but the weather's too bad to drive the 2 hours...

My blah-ness has continued this week.  In an effort at cheerfulness, I visited my friends with the puppies again. How they've grown!  Look at those chubby little paws! Their little ears are popping up and they're beginning to look like the Cardigan Welsch Corgis they are! Few things in life are more cheerful than watching a brood of puppies play...or puppy kisses! Want a puppy?  Here is more info.

I wrote an article for my examiner.com page featuring a couple of my blogging friends who had creative ideas for garden containers, plus a couple of my own.  It's here if you'd like to join in the fun!

Yes -- I know it's Tuesday but I'm talking about yesterday , when I was madly typing away.  I was listing a bunch of the linens in my Spring Trunk Sale!  Here's a sample: pretty monogrammed (W) towel   yellow floral tablecloth fun "Mr" and "Mrs" towels Vera apple tablecloth Prices are low .  Go see ! This is just the beginning -- I have oodles more to list and am looking forward to sharing all the linen love with everyone! And, hey, have you listed on Etsy lately?  I was pleasantly surprised that they've made a few changes to their listing tool.  Especially nice is the ability to browse for all your photos and then choose upload at once.  ( That was a long time coming, huh?)

This is my monthly post where I introduce you to another member of the Etsy Blogger Street Team.  This month the lucky blogger we're featuring is Pam from Magdalene Jewels .  Pam has two Etsy shops: Magdalene Jewels , where she sells her lovely jewelry creations, many featuring Swarovski crystals, and Magdalene's Knits , where she sells scarves and many sweet baby items.  Here are a couple of my favorites from each shop:   Swarovski Crystal Hanging Earrings of Pink Crystal Teardrops   Crocheted Baby Moccasins in Sage 0-6 mo. SWEET! What I love about her shops is that she features the supplies of other Etsy shopkeepers, and highlights this in her shop information.  I really like all that crafty cooperation!

I have the blahs today. I think because it's gray, foggy, and rainy. Not only that, but my son is camping nearby in the forest, where it's grayer, foggier, and raining more heavily.  I didn't sleep much last night, as I listened to the rain on the roof, and imagined my son shivering in his tent listening to the rain on the canvas.  I've resisted many urges today to drive over, pick him up, bring him home, cook him soup, and wrap him in a blanket! On the bright side, I saw the first color in my garden so far: daffodils.  They're stunted and short, but shock yellow.  A little further away my purple hyacinths are peeking up.  It's very strange that they're blooming at once, but I'll take what I can get.  (I would have taken a picture for you, but it's so cold and wet and gray out...) I have managed to do two squares on my embroidery project: A silhouette   A little house and tree (spells contentment to me...) I'm not sure whether or not...

When we were visiting Jenni and her family in OK, we went out for some antique shopping, of course.  Here are some of my purchases: This pretty little pillow that someone made by hand, using pretty trims, beads, and crochet lace. This colorful, unfinished cross stitched rooster; it will be a great addition to some farm-style linen creations I have in mind! I really liked this little mid-century dog pen holder! Some wonderful composition books that are full, and an old stenographer's notebook full of shorthand.  The little needle books shown with them were gifts from Jenni's father, who is an antique collector (but Jenni's not -- it skipped a generation!)  Her parents also sent: ...these amazing sewing baskets!  I adore the floral design on the yellow and green one with roses!  It was chock full of supplies, including a pair of pinking shears, which I had been needing! The little wicker one is so sweet!  Both are vintage.  And not only that....