Insta-Sista

This summer I have made it a point to do more of this, relaxing in my room reading or embroidering, but key word, relaxing...

Top 5 Conan Clips

Yeah you heard right. Sorry, I'm not sorry that this isn't a crafty post. I love me some Conan. Also, I've been hunched over hand-beading a collar on a dress for two days, and Christine reminded me of some Conan clips, so I've had plenty of time to re-watch them all. Without further ado, the best Conan clips ever.

Made and Found: Pickles

Most people who know me are very aware that I'm not a fan of cucumbers. I pick them out of fresh rolls, push them to the side of salad plates, and will slowly edge away from you if you're eating them. Blech and double blech! 

But pickles--now that's a different story. I'm a huge fan of pickles and frankly, find it baffling that something I loathe, when sealed in a jar with vinegar and spices for a month or more, becomes something I love. So, this year we planted pickling cucumbers in the garden and had a go at making pickles...

Peanut & Purls...and Curtains!

 This should be a shock to no one, but the Nicolai sisters have a very creative (read paranoid) imagination. I mean there isn't a murder, alien abduction, or con that we don't already think is happened/ing to us. That being said, I am surprised I lasted a full 2 weeks at my new home without putting up curtains of any kind because let's be honest, when the lights are on, people can see in and you can't really see out.

Brief Musical Interlude: Lightning Dust

Has there ever been a better, more dreamy synchronized swimming music video? I think not. 

The Vancouver, BC duo called Lightning Dust (Amber Webber and Josh Wells) are a couple of cool customers in my book. Their newest album, Fantasy, reminds me a bit of other artists with a slick, often hypnotic synth sound, like Bat for Lashes, Kavinsky's "Nightcall," and John Maus' "Believer." But Lightning Dust has roots in folk, so they're also masters of lush, sleepy ballads like "Moon" and "Agatha."

Lightning Dust was one of the bands I found through Amazon Discover Artists on the Rise. Every once in a while, I cruise by Amazon's MP3 store to poke through their new discoveries, and I've had pretty good luck finding decent new music. The Artists on the Rise page has a free download for each of the featured artists. Hello? That's a sweet deal. And smart on Amazon's part because, inevitably, I will purchase an album because of that free song. I'm thinking covetously of Lightning Dust's Fantasy right now.

In addition to "Diamond" by Lightning Dust, I also liked "Bad Apple" off Gauntlet Hair's album Stills, 

and "No Stranger" off Limits of Desire by Small Black. 

Handmade Homes: Unfinished business

rhododendron embroidery

A project for every mood, or so many projects not enough time? Whatever the case may be it's clear that I have several balls in the air right now, and many surfaces covered with crafts. Although I love the process, I will be so very gleeful when they are all complete...