Treasury Time Again!

Abbe Gore Creations was kind enough to include my Large Rainbow Fierce Flowers Tote in her delightfully eclectic treasury entitled Small Business Saturday, Made in the U.S.A. You can check it out here.*

Thanks for clicking through!

*Treasury deactivated.

Something New and Sparkly: Fabulous Felt Fast Food Necklace

Fabulous Felt Fast Food Necklace

And . . . we're back. To the kitsch and the craziness, that is. After completing the restrained and elegant Pink Victorian Corsage Necklace, I had to cut loose and make something loud. A felt cheeseburger, soda, ice cream cone, and French fries strung with bright, plastic beads seemed to fit the bill. As usual, these photos leave a little to be desired. (This time they're too glarey.) But perfection will have to wait.

For my next course, I'm itching to offer up some cupcakes . . .

Something New and Sparkly: Pink Victorian Corsage Necklace

Pink Victorian Corsage Necklace

For Thanksgiving, I wanted to wear a kinder, gentler version of the oh-my-god-what-is-she-wearing necklaces featured in my signature go big or go home corsage line. So, I attached quaint paper roses in shades of mauve and even quainter ribbon roses to a small circle of felt (with my ever-trusty permanent adhesive glue) to create a demure corsage. A few classy faux pearls later, and I was confident enough to give my creation a moniker including the word "Victorian." It was a hit at Thanksgiving dinner. "It's . . . smaller than your others," commented my mother. "And richer looking." Sounds like I achieved the desired refined effect. If the mood strikes, then I just may whip up a whole hoop skirt's worth of these to post in my Made to Order Necklaces section.

Etsy Buy: An Ooey Gooey Girly Purse to Add to My Collection

Sometimes, all that glitters is gold. Such was the case with my new Cupcakes and Glitter Purse from Glamour Damaged. I bought it because of the cupcakes. And the ruched gold fabric. And the chain strap. And the hot pink heart bangle accent. But even I was unprepared for just how awesome it was until I peeled away the packaging and unleashed an all-out, unabashedly girly squeal of delight. I even set it on the coffee table so I could stare at it while I watched TV. And that, as every shopper knows, is the hallmark of true adoration.

Book Report: (Deciphering) The Geometry of Sisters by Luanne Rice

Not too long ago I finished reading a novel called The Geometry of Sisters, by Luanne Rice. In many ways, it was your typical soap operatic family drama complete with decades-old secrets, runaway children, and lost loves, all set in posh Newport, Rhode Island. Which is to say, I enjoyed it in that familiar way I enjoy all such drama that the chic lit genre so loyally delivers.

The most interesting parts, to me, were about Katherine, an artist and the estranged older sister of the heroine. Of Katherine's experience at The Rhode Island Institute of Design, Rice writes, "Art school and ironworking opened brand-new worlds for her. She met other people like herself, independent contractors and artists who didn't do anything automatically, who questioned their parents' ways, who broke free of anything traditional, who went looking for their own answers, who thought rules were for people who needed to be told what to do. Artists followed their own compulsions and didn't always know why they did what they did" (32-22). I don't pretend to have a lot in common with Katherine. She was an ironworker, a woman whose material was "hard and sharp" and caused her to "take on these qualities herself." She wore only black, favoring a tuxedo jacket for dress-up, and reportedly never cried. Nevertheless, I was struck by her, or more particularly, by Rice's portrayal of her and of artists in general. I never thought about it in so many words, but the idea that artists think of rules as being reserved for people who need to be told what to do is an exciting and jarring one, and in many cases holds true. On a personal note, I distinctly remember screaming my head off in preschool and being put in the corner because I wanted to do my art projects my way instead of following the teacher's instructions. I didn't understand why everyone's project had to turn out the same. In the years to come I somehow ended up being one of those irritatingly well-behaved students, my rebellion seemingly quashed. But only on the outside. Even now, I like to think that I haven't forgotten how to color outside the lines.

Fattening and Festive: A New Kind of Ice Cream Sandwich (Or is It?)

I'd never heard of "The Original" Fat Boy ice cream sandwich until tonight's trip to the grocery store. (If anyone has heard of this campy-sounding frozen delight, then please don't be shy about owning up to it in a comment.)

I had to buy them. (Even though up until the frozen food aisle I'd proudly been heaping my cart with fresh fruit.) How could I not? The name, the mint, and the tantalizing photograph all conspired to lure me into a world governed by impulse spending and empty calories.

Other Fat Boy snacks include eggnog ice cream sandwiches and some sort of popsicle called peppermint sundae on a stick. The eggnog sounds promising; the sundae not so much.

I'll let you know if the mint is a keeper.

Etsy Buy: The Bf's New Hat

How hilarious is this hat?! I found it at Tara Duff and instantly knew it would become a future purchase. I wanted to give it to the bf for Christmas, then realized I didn't know what size he needed and had to ask him, spoiling the surprise.

When it arrived in the mail, he put it on right away. It's incredibly well made and fits perfectly. Hats off to handmade! (Like you didn't know that was coming. :)