Sunday Stash?

Oops. I'm a little late on this one, but it's been a hard, hard week. I wish it was still last Sunday! Anyway, I think this Kokka fabric would work really well on a large totebag with contrasting red/brown for handles or trim. Yes?

Pink Slip Special!

In honor of my recent redundancy, I'm offering a super deal: Just mention "Firefly Express" and get 20% off any order in my Etsy shops until the end of August! My loss is your gain!

Billy Ball Ring!

Hey guys! As a kid, I thought that when I was a grown-up, I would be so happy because I'd have the freedom to buy as much "sugar cereal" as my little heart desired. And while I do eat my fair share of Lucky Charms (sometimes marshmallows first, oaty bits second), sometimes I hate the responsibilities and hardships that every adult has to face. More on this at a later date.

On another, totally different note, I found this great ring by RecycledRings on Etsy that looks just like a billy ball (craspedia)! It's a little pricey, but pretty darn amazing.

Hey America!

There are some lame stories going around the Internets right now. First, the legendary Bob Dylan gets mistaken for a transient. Then Shah Rukh Khan, a beloved Bollywood star and one of the most famous people in the world, gets detained at a New York airport.

It is beyond ironic, and just gets into plain ridiculous territory when you discover that Khan was in the US to promote a film he made about racial profiling after 9/11. Seriously? Really? I am astounded by the TSA's levels of ignorance, yet absurd things like this happen routinely, and not everyone has celebrity status to back them up. Blergh.

The only thing I can do as an American citizen is apologize to super-hottie Khan by playing this video from Kal Ho Naa Ho, a great Bollywood starter film that will make you weep like a little weepy baby by the closing credits.



Moral: don't be a racist, an ageist, or a jerk, and above all, know your celebrities, people.

The (My) Great Depression

Nerds! Just as I was getting all cozy and comfortable at my job, I get the axe! Such is temp life. Honestly, with all the relentless cutbacks at the company, it was a miracle that they let me stay as long as I did, and I am very grateful for that .The good side: I actually did a lot of real work during my time there, so my resume is vastly improved with new skills. The bad side: People were nice, and I need money!

However, time heals all wounds, and so does a classic screwball comedy! Here's one that fits the day perfectly. My Man Godfrey is the story of Godfrey, a "forgotten man," (read: homeless dude) ruined by the Depression and living in a dump, and how he comes to work for a prominent family as a butler.

There are so many snappy zingers and unforgettable character actors in this movie, I can't even begin to tell you. It's truly, timelessly hilarious. And, it's in the public domain, which means you can watch it online for free or buy a copy for $1 at Walgreens like I did.

Here's the preview, which contains zero zingers, but just a wee taste of the atmosphere (unlike modern previews, which always give away the best jokes!).

Onward and upward!

Happy Feet!

Something magical must have been in the air last night, because Peter agreed to take dance lessons with me at 200 Grand next month!

This is kind of scary for both of us. I'm a terrible dancer. It is not one of my many, many, many natural skills. My friend once convinced me to join her at an intermediate level salsa lesson, and I still cringe when I think about it. (Yes, I made it out of the room before I started crying.) Pure torture!

I need about double the amount of practice time to catch up with the average person. And that's frustrating because I like to excel at everything immediately without having to work at it. Doesn't everyone? :)

But I've always wanted to know some traditional dances, as well as some zippy swing moves. And now I have someone to practice with. This video of the foxtrot doesn't look too hard...

When Opportunity Knocks...

I've been reading a little self-help literature lately, and my most recent book told me that I should give myself permission to do something frivolous and not worry about it.

Therefore, as a gift to myself and a boon to my always questionable mental health, I made the bold step of ordering three tickets to go see PEE WEE HERMAN, live on stage!

I've invited two dear friends to accompany me, and come November, I'll be traveling to Hollywood to see this beloved kitsch icon! I can't wait. I wrote a whole other super-serious post about Pee Wee and television and youth and creepy adult stuff, but it got too big and intense for such a joyous occasion, so for now I'll just say that I heart Pee Wee and his Playhouse and I am SO excited to take a little trip.

Here's a clip I remember well. Ice cream soup!

Projects projects projects....

I've got a lot of projects brewing in my mind right now. It's exciting to have ideas! Here's the project I'm most set on doing (and the one I'm most likely to finish). I'm no great embroiderer, but I love how stitched prayers and sayings look; there's something about embroidered words that seems extra meaningful. My parents have a beautiful cross-stitch of the Irish Blessing (less cool version above) that hangs in my brother's room; it's one of my favorite things.

When I came across this poem last week while doing my "lunchtime literary studies" (browsing various authors on Wikipedia at work while eating my cup-o-soup), I knew what my fall project would be.

Late Fragment

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

--Raymond Carver

Carver wrote this poem when he was getting his last book in order before his death. I love it very much. I've only ever read his short stories, which I also love very much, but now I'm definitely going to read his poems too. I think this would be really special to stitch by hand and hang in my house.

The question is, how do I find a good embroidery font? Everything online is just cheesy or made for machine stitching. I want to do something like the below; I think I'll just end up using my own handwriting though. Any advice?

Sunday Stash!

Thanks to my new blogamigo Chantry, I'm now introducing yet another Sunday feature, Sunday Stash. This is when people with absurd amounts of fabric showcase a favorite every Sunday! I totally fit into this category, so here goes!

This fabric is a new addition to my stash, from the fine folks at Superbuzzy, who have unequaled taste in zakka. I call it my depression-fighting fabric, because it's all about being mindful of the little things, like tea time and good books and cute birds.

If I can ever bring myself to cut into it, I might make a tiny quilt with little squares for each activity/reminder. Can you think of any other ideas?

If your drawers are overflowing with unused fabric and you want to join Sunday Stash too, go here and sign up!

New Weekly Feature: Sunday Laptop Matinee!

Hey gang! I just wanted to clue y'all in to the fact that a very special movie is now available on Netflix Watch Instantly for your lazy Sunday matinee!

I've mentioned The Ruling Class on here before; and it's a weird and haunting and hilarious piece of art. Here's a preview, but it doesn't really offer any insight on the range of insanity that you will see if you watch the whole movie. Seriously.

No, seriously. It's got auto-erotic asphyxiation, slapstick comedy, a murder mystery, lots of dry British humor, and more Peter O'Toole than you can shake a stick at.



If you do end up watching it, and find yourself asking, "What the hell was that?" here's a helpful article about the historical/theatrical context. Then we can have a fun conversation about whether it was more influenced by the Theater of Cruelty or Theater of the Absurd! I'm ready!

Dollyannacowgirl

I love this doll. And I'm not alone. There are kazillions of grown-ups playing with Blythes, which I think is awesome. Why not? Making tiny clothes for her is an activity I love doing! I always wanted to design clothes, and now I have my chance!

Therefore, I present to anyone interested, my new Etsy shop, Dollyannacowgirl. I'll be selling the dresses I make, as well as tiny-sized versions of Pollyannacowgirl jewelry. Hooray!

Also, I look like this now.