the perfect summer bag?

Except for really liking my scotch, and a weird attachment to "Law & Order", I don't think I am one of those people with an "addictive personality". Except in one regard...I kinda have a problem with handbags. I don't even carry that many of them, I just like having them. Lately, I've been dreaming of a big oversized clutch, but one with a vintagey, touristy feel to it...like those bags that women picked up on Mexican cruises in the 60's. You still find them in thrift shops sometimes, but these days most of the ones I find are really sad and beat up. I have several awesome vintage straw bags, but they aren't sturdy enough for all the junk I carry around each day.

So I went ahead and made up the one I had in my head, and I'm pretty happy with the result! I used burlap instead of straw, and I made the flowers using a vintage flower loom. They were super easy to make, and once they were stitched down to the burlap they almost look like really elaborate embroidery. I added a chain handle that tucks inside so you can use the handle or not depending on how much you need your hands.





Anyway, I think it's pretty fab. It makes me want to put on a vintage sundress and go to a pool party and dance a rhumba. Now I'm thinking about laptop bags, and how most of them are so ugly. I know I could come up with something way cuter...

2 bedroom, 2.1 bath apt

That's the love of my life right there, also known as Grimy the cat. 'Aint she gorgeous? I love having a cat, but of course with a cat comes the dreaded litter box, and the subsequent issues of where to put the darn thing so you and your guests don't have to see and/or smell it.

When we moved into this apartment (about 4 months ago) one of the first things I wanted to do was find a good place for the litter box that wouldn't offend me. Luckily my bathroom has this great cabinet next to the toilet. I don't know what else it could even be used for, but it's a perfect little private place for Grimy to do her thing.




I put a tension rod on the inside of the cabinet and made a little curtain with rings at the top to hide the box from view. Grimy has no problem pushing the curtain aside, and I think she actually appreciates the privacy!



You know it's a success when guests use the bathroom and don't even notice that the cat box is right next to them! Now if only I could find a cute solution for keeping it clean...

trying this again...

I tried to host this blog over on Wordpress, 'cause they had the name "Craftnik" available and I didn't have to add the "online" to the address. But I dunno, something funky was going on over there, or maybe it was me, or maybe the problem was that I use Safari, or a mac...anyway I came back to Blogger which is less customizable but waaay easier to deal with.

So here I am, and I'm ready to start posting all the cool stuff I've been working on. It's been a flurry of activity here at the Craftnik HQ, I've been crazy busy getting the book proposal put together. Who knows if anything will come of it, but it has certainly kept me busy during my current spell of unemployment. And I've felt so creative lately, which I am learning to accept in whatever form it takes these days.

So here's one of the latest projects, Bargello Pillows!



I'm seriously obsessed with this form of needlepoint, "Bargello". It's been around since the 17th century apparently, but I had never really paid any attention to it until I saw these gorgeous pillows at Jonathan Adler. Then I found an AMAZING cache of old but pristine Persian wool at a local craft store (more on that later) and I finally tried doing a Bargello pattern. And then another...and now another...



it's seriously addictive, I'm telling you. It does use a lot of yarn, though, so I'm quickly running through my supplies. Looks like I'll have to head over to the craft store and dig through their stock again soon!