Lizzy's done an interview about her color choices for Lizzy Dish here. Once you read her inspiration about for the color palette, you immediately see where she was coming from.

Interview from the lovely peeps at Quilts and Creativity.

I'm not sure where I found this one in my web wandering, but I really ike the paitings of every day objects and food this guy does.

Ryan Studio

Please check him out!

The Storque has put together all their online selling how to's in one location!


The Etsy Seller Handbook: All Our How-Tos about Selling

I don't have an etsy shop - but this would be my first stop if I was going to set one up. I'm not sure how the current economy is going to effect etsy at all but my assumption is that luxury items such as jewlry etc. will go down. I'm going to wait a bit longer before I decide on starting one up.

Mielie

is a South African company that makes some really cool and funky accessories. The rugs and handbags are really cool.

found via Orange You Lucky!

12 Bikes for Girls


I found this article in the archives of Coolhunting and while I don't agree with all of it, it's kind of interesting. I personally think the more gears you have on a bike the better, but they seem to lean more towards the fixie's than I.

check out the Chanel bike at the bottom of the page. I saw it in person at Harrod's and it is even nicer in person, but still not worth the $$.

Anyone who has been reading awhile knows I made this frilly scarf for Sewing Lori in the “I Love Buttons” swap on craftster.org. I wrote down the pattern as I made another one in the Ongoing Wish List Swap. I’ve finally gotten around to actually typing it up. YEAH!!



Granny Square Frilly Scarf – or the Lori scarf.

Supplies:

* Any yarn you like
* A hook in the size recommended for your yarn
* Needle to weave in ends

Pattern:

Make 6 basic granny squares – you can use any granny square pattern you like – I prefer this one because it works up really quickly.

Granny Square pattern:

* Ch 4, sl to join round
* RD1 –ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), 2 dc, chain 3 *3dc, ch 3* repeat * to* until you have 12 dc worked in the loop, sl into 3rd chain of 1st dc
* RD2 – sl to next ch sp (should be a corner), in ch sp - ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), 2 dc, ch 3, 3dc ch3, *in next ch sp - 3 dc, ch 3* repeat * to *until you come to a corner. in the corner, 3dc, ch3, 3dc ch3 (repeat each set of instructions until you come back to the beginning stitch) sl to join round.
* RD3 – sl to next ch sp, ch 3 (counts as 1st dc) in ch sp 2dc, ch3, 3dc, ch 3, *in next ch sp 3dc, ch3*. Repeat * to * for each ch sp until you come to a corner. For corner ch sp – 3dc, ch3, 3dc, ch3) repeat this pattern until you go all the way around. sl to join round
* FO leaving a long tail


When all 6 squares are completed begin to join squares by using the tails

* sl to the corner using your tail yarn. Sl into corner of a square, making sure that the tail yarn for you’re the following square is as close as possible to the opposite side you’re working on.
* Continue joining all 6 squares in the same manner.

You will be working the finishing like one long row all the way around.

Pick up your working yarn again.

* Starting at one corner end, join yarn in the 1st dc next to the ch sp. sl in 1st dc
* PART 1 - 6tr in each ch sp, sc in each dc until you reach a join between squares.
* PART 2 - Make 3dc around the join (like you would in a loop) – this should be treated like an extra ch space. Since the corners of the joins use the ch space in the corners you will need to sc until you get to the next ch space (see image below to get an idea of what it should look liek when you go around the second half of the scarf)
* Repeat Part 1 then Part 2 for each square and each join all the way around.
* FO
* Weave in ends
* Embellish as you please!



Please post pictures in the comments if you use the pattern!

I have no idea where I found moyou, but her patterns are really pretty.

moyou

check out the jewelry she makes as well.

Marimekko Winter 2008-2009, Holiday Fabrics

From the Marimekko blog comes a preview of their new fabrics - I love love love the ginko leaf print.

About 17 years ago I was in college, my first year to be exact. I was taking classes at Austin Community College to get some easy credit before I headed over to the University of Texas.

Every day I would trudge in at 7 AM with my Dad who worked near the college. He would drop me off at Captain Quakenbush's on the Drag in front of UT. I'd have a cup of coffee and head over to class on the Dillo buses. I had a two hour break between a couple of my classes so I used to head back to the same coffee shop, grab another cup and walk another block and play video games at Le Fun. At the end of all my classes I'd bus it over to my job as a picture framer at Michael's.

One Friday afternoon when I didn't have to work, I was taking the Dillo back to campus and there was this guy waiting too. He started chatting me up - which I didn't mind because he was VERY attractive. We talked about our favorite authors, and electrical engineering, the TV station he worked at, and few other things. He got off the bus before I did and I never got up the courage to give him my number or get off the bus with him.

I felt like a chicken for months before I forgot the whole thing because I started dating a sweet guy.

Fast forward two years...

Sweet Guy and I have broken up. I'm working somewhere else and spending a lot of time hanging out at a goth industrial club downtown regularly with a friend of mine. I start catching glimpses of this really really hot guy at the club and he looks familiar. I'm still chicken so I don't go talk to him - plus it doesn't help that I usually see this hot guy with another girl.

I start asking around about this guy and get lots of different opinions. He's awesome, he's an jerk - that sort of thing. Rumors abound at this club so I don't listen to any of the opinions really.

Fast forward almost another year....

Finally one night, Mr. Hot Guy is talking to one of my friends, someone I've known since high school. I walk up to talk to my friend and get introduced. We all sit talking for awhile (and I'm nervous as hell). Some how, one of us gets side tracked and I end up on the dance floor dancing to my favorite song at the time (which they played every Tuesday night at the same time) with the guy I'm semi-dating.

Mr. Hot Guy, super gutsty I thought, walks up to me on the dance floor while I'm dancing and asks me out and for my phone number.

EEEK!!!!! I say "yes," of course. He has a cell phone and I am duly impressed - he put my number in. A few days later I get a call from Mr. Hot Guy. I tell him point blank, I've had some weird dates and I'd like to something relatively normal and average for our first date. We go out a few nights later for Dinner and Movie.

Why am I typing all this you ask? you'll see.

So at dinner, we're talking about our interests and everything he's telling I've heard before. I have met this guy before! He's the guy from the bus!!!

AND it turns out the girl he's always with at the club is his ex-girl friend and just recently ex-room mate.

We keep going out and a week or so later we are at the club again. He and his buddies have been drinking Rumplemintz while Mr. Hot Guy is kneeling down next to me the ground. After a bit, I notice Mr. Hot Guy is oddly quiet. He's got his head down on the arm rest and it's wavering a little bit. Friends rally around, pick him up and walk him to the men's room, and finally to the back room of the bar which is closed for the evening. I ask the friends to take me to him - Mr. Hot Guy is gagging and passed out on the couch.

I volunteer to drive him home! (what am I nuts?) He throws up out the window of my car, narrowly missing his best friend in the back seat.

I figured I must really like this guy a lot if I can take him home in this state.

Fast Forward a few days....

Mr. Hot Guy has strep throat and apparently this is what caused his abnormal reaction to alcohol. I gave it to him on our first date. I had strep a month before and didn't think I was still contagious. I'm forgiven - I guess this guy must really like me.

Fast forward a few months....

I'm basically never going home and spending all my time between work and school with Mr. Hot Guy and crashing with him.

Fast forward a few more months.....

Mr. Hot Guy really does have a name, it's Lee. Lee and I are living together and sharing a place with his best friend.

Fast Forward eight years....

Lots of flack from the parental units over the years, but we're both out of work and need a change. Our current room mate needs a change too. The internet jobs have tanked and no one can get a job. We pack up our entire house and move to Los Angeles.

Fast Forward three years....

It's down to two people in a cute apartment in the middle of Hollywood. We only have each other - no one to speak for either of us if something goes awry. Taxes are kicking our asses.

We break down and do the inevitable, even though we wanted a different ceremony, even though we've been committed for twelve years and didn't want to do it unless we went mad and decided to have kids. We get married.

Fast forward to today....

It's been thirteen years. We are happy, we make each other crazy, but we love each other more than anything.

Happy anniversary, Love.

I just got back in from a leisurely bike ride with the Husband.

We were tootling along La Brea when we saw this:



That's me and my bike in the back ground. The letters and logo are from a real retired Bank of America sign, we found out when we talked to the sales folks.

The store is called Voila! and it's more like an art and antique gallery than a store. I was drooling the whole time we were in there. It's the perfect mix of industrial and antique (mostly books and science related stuff) that both the husband and I like.

When we left, I thought out loud that I would love to have our apartment decorated like that store. Husband immediately answered that we are no where near rich enough for that!