June 23rd

Just a little update today. I planted some beans last week as of today, all of them have sprouted! I need to set up some kind of trellis for them, but it's getting about time to rip up the peas, so I may see if I can reuse their trellis... I don't know what to put in the whiskey barrel once it's empty though. Maybe I'll just go crazy and plant twice as many beans!

I also have a miniature rose blooming that I bought for a couple bucks at the grocery store this last winter. All of the buds fell off as soon as I transplanted it so I hoped it would re-bloom for me.... and it's just one bloom, but it makes me so happy to see!

Lastly, I also got engaged! Be prepared for some wedding planning related posts in the coming year!

May 8th

I made jelly for the first time!

More specifically, redbud jelly. From this recipe. In hindsight, it's a bit sweet so I may find another recipe that uses less sugar.

Now that I've had my first canning project, I'm looking forward to doing more! It wasn't nearly as difficult and time consuming as I feared. I'm thinking strawberry jam.....

March 18th

I have a few more sprouts coming up in my winter sowing jugs.... the lettuce isn't doing much more than it was in my last post, but now I have alyssum, pansies, and some onion seedlings!

Alyssum

Onions!

Two little pansies.

I've started working at a local greenhouse part time and it's amazing how far ahead everything is there.... the pansies have been in bloom there for weeks! It would certainly be nice to have a little greenhouse to start things in.

Here's one more picture just for good measure of our new kitty cat! We've had him for two weeks now and he's fantastic.

Jan. 20

Aaaand I fail at resolutions apparently. I can't even make it through the first month? I have been slightly overwhelmed with activities and jobs... at least in another week I'll have one job and not two (but what did I do tonight? Oh yeah, get applications for another second job... smart.) I'm trying to get cards made up to give to a gallery here in Lawrence which is also taking up time, and I haven't even given them any yet! I think I am worrying about how to present them too much.

Anyways, because I am lame here are a couple more photos I've taken recently on our trip to the KC zoo.

Dec. 31

Something is very wrong this year... only two days ago my family and I went to the zoo in Kansas city and I didn't even need a coat. Today it's supposed to get up to 63 degrees! I don't know what's happening, but I'm trying to make the most of being outside in this gorgeous weather.

Since I seem to be neglecting this blog as of late, a good resolution for the new year would be to post more often... maybe once a week? I'd also like to spend more of my time creatively, that's been lacking in my life lately too. I think I'm going to take a screen printing class at the Lawrence Arts Center and I'm excited to learn a new medium!

Until then, here are some pictures of the last month of my life with my lovely little Diana Mini.

Nov. 19

Goodness, I've been busy. I went to Chicago last weekend (and had a blast!). Among many fantastic things about that weekend, one in particular was extra fantastic: I got a Diana mini in a big Urban Outfitters sale. Sarah is happy.

I've wanted a lomography camera for quite a while, but didn't want to mess with the medium format film, pricier developing, and less pictures. This little camera just uses 35mm film and came with a flash (with interchangeable color films and adapters for use on different cameras!) and a book of photos. I'm mostly excited about the flash. I can use it on my Cannon AE-1, which has previously never had one. I went through a whole roll of film in about a day, and while most of the pictures were underexposed, a few came out really well!

I'm really going to try and take pictures more with it, since I don't have to really worry so much about them being perfectly composed or in focus.

Oct 30

St. Vincent at Liberty Hall last month.

It's getting colder and leaves are pretty! I've been baking and sleeping and working and failing at making the most of my time. 

Things I should work on: 

Spending more time on my Etsy shop.

Exercising

Reading

Cooking meals instead of just baking

Oct. 5

This last weekend was quite fulfilling.... it was Lawrence's Final Fridays art walk which is always fun, and the weather was lovely. Me and my friends mostly hung out around the Lawrence Arts Center where there were some bluegrass bands, but we made a detour to a gallery right above where I work called Wonderfair which was great. I bought a print by this wonderful artist (though the print I purchased isn't on her site. It has a gold spaceship floating above mountains). 

Saturday had me meeting up with the same lovely friends to go to a local flea market that, though smaller than we had anticipated, I still managed to find a piece to purchase. I got a set of cameo clip on earrings to make sweater clips out of. We then stopped by the farmers market (where I bought some cider doughnuts from Rees's Fruit Farm) and a local thrift store (where I bought a frame for the spaceship print).

Then we split ways and I journeyed alone back to the Arts Center, but this time for their Silent Film Festival! I watched City Lights, Limelight, The Man with the Movie Camera, and Phantom of the Opera. They were all great, but I have to say my favorites were the first two (which were by Charlie Chaplin), especially City Lights. I had a fantastic time, though it's a shame not more people are interested in silent movies... it would have been great to have a friend tag along.

Me hanging out in the park between films.

Tonight I have had quite a bit of spare time, so I made up the sweater clip I bought the earrings for. I think it turned out pretty good! I really need to find more excuses to wear things like this.

Sept. 27

Um... yeah, I haven't even started on that book embroidery contest. Pretty sure I don't have time to do much with it now. I have, however, been trying to exercise a bit more, so today I went on a bike ride (a quick online calculator says I biked 3.2 miles!) and I've started a really simple 60 day routine that builds up on itself every day until I'm in better shape. So far I'm just at jumping jacks and sit-ups, but that is just fine by me. Toward the end it goes to jogging for a whole hour. Yikes!

During my ride I stopped downtown at the big antiques mall and spent a whole hour and a half there! I was looking for a pair of boots and ended up with the following:

A Muppets glass! They had three different ones but I figured I should only get one for now.

Some vintage photographs.... there were quite a few in the series of these silly college students on the right... maybe I'll have to go back so as to not separate the pictures from one another.

This is the crowning glory of my trip though... an ET board game! It comes complete with a little ghost costume for ET! I love it and I can't wait to play.

Another happy addition to my life is Kate Beaton's Hark A Vagrant book that I just got in the mail! I have already read all of the comics, but I am super stoked to re-read it in book-format. I'm so happy to finally own something made by her, she is amazing.

Sept. 12

I have the day off and have been trying to fill it up with productive (or at least semi-productive) things. So far this has consisted of hooking up my new printer to the wireless network, spray painting a bumper sticker on the back of my truck, and experimenting with a bleach technique to make a logo-ed shirt for work. It certainly doesn't sound like much eh? Of course I was supplementing my tasks with looking up recipes on the internet (now I need to figure out which one of my new amazing recipes to have for supper!)

I still have a few things I want to do this afternoon, so we'll see how much gets done.

My new "bumper sticker." It is a Mystery Science Theater 3000 reference from the Final Sacrifice episode.

My somewhat failed attempt at this bleach dying technique. I think it looks cool, but is not suitable for work at all. I have ideas on how to fix it though.

Now maybe laundry?

Sept. 7

I finally got pictures taken of the magazine I'm in! I'm quite stoked.

It is the Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts magazine and I'm on page 66!

They changed a bit, like the order of how I do things and using twine instead of ribbon, but I think it looks nice anyways. Here's the cover of the magazine so you can be sure to take a peek!

Aug. 19

I have definitely been feeling the two-job business this week, so not much of an update. I worked both of them back to back today and picked up a bit of frozen yogurt at 3 Spoons afterward. I kind of really wanted to do something else afterwards, but I couldn't figure out what, so home I went. Tomorrow I need to do some more pottery... it's the last day to work with wet clay, so hopefully I can get up early and head over.

I still have yet to get myself a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine to take some better pictures of my project for you... I looked online and it doesn't appear to be anywhere. Alas. My Craptor embroidery was featured on Mr. X Stitch today though, which is pretty cool. I like that site a lot. 

Right now I'm listening to Nat King Cole on Spotify and it's so peaceful. I think it's about time I go to bed.

Aug. 13

I meant to get this out yesterday, but it turned into a late night, so this morning will have to suffice.

I spotted these on my way to Topeka, they were so smooth and painterly I couldn't resist a photo.

Just throwing some pottery... it's a new clay so let's hope it does okay.

And lastly, I went to Hobby Lobby and remembered to look for the magazine my Dala horse ornament is in! Right there on the front page of the segment and everything. I'm most pleased. I didn't have a chance to look through it all, but it seemed full of cool things to make, so I would recommend checking it out. Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Crafts mag, it'll be on the stands for a few months I believe.

I hope everyone has a great day!

July 21

Today is a big day in Lawrence... We have a great downtown and every year there is a huge sidewalk sale! I got there pretty early and I'm so glad for it, as i was actually able to find a parking spot and it wasn't yet unbearably hot (we hit 102 even without the heat index!) 

I don't really like shopping for clothes in that kind of crowd (long lines, crowded, etc), but I did walk away with some booty from a couple of the antique stores. I got a great deal at one booth on some sweater clips, a necklace, and a super cute pin (all for $6!). At another booth I got another necklace, some buttons, and a gorgeous vintage scarf.

I love this pin! And one of the sweater clips is of angelfishes, the other has kind of creepy hands!

I also went out to Milton's for breakfast, then had a job interview, took a nap, and completed a little art project that I'll post about tomorrow. It was a productive day!

July 14

Well I'm home and well and happy I went on my trip. I have frittered away a couple good days on the couch watching Netflix and embroidering... I guess that's what summer is about?

After spending so much time in Florida and having NASA on the brain, I was seriously craving some space movies, so I watched a documentary called The Wonder of it All which was quite good. I just may still have to watch Apollo 13 this week though.

I also came across Twin Peaks and decided that I had heard enough about it and I should really just watch an episode.... or two... or three.. or the first season and a half... It is fantastic folks. I am hooked and I have Jennifer Andrews to thank. She has a series of Twin Peaks embroideries that I love and it got me curious as to what kind of characters these people were. I like her self portrait as the Log Lady best I think.

Also, in Sarah news this week, my Mystery Science Theater 3000 embroidery was featured on the website Mr X Stitch! This is exciting for me. I have more MST3K ideas to do... so maybe this is a sign for me to do them. I also just joined a Star Wars themed needlework group on Flickr, so I just may have to do one of those first.... I have also been lamenting my lack of flat pattern drafting since I got out of school. So much to do! I'll put that in another post however.

I just finished an embroidery that I'm super proud of today, but it is for a friend so I can't post anything until August. I'm getting close to finishing a space themed (naturally) one that I don't know what I'll do with yet. What does one do with embroideries that don't fit in hoops well?

Because I don't like having posts without pictures, here is another from my trip that my friend Kim took. How is my manatee impression?

July. 8

If you have tried to go to my Etsy shop, you will have noticed that I am in vacation mode. Why would this be you may ask?

I have been on vacation.

But that is a given. More specifically, I have been in Houston and then Florida. To see the last NASA shuttle launch. I'll wait for the envy to set in a bit.

...

Alright. 

I'll be uploading some photos of it to my Flickr, but here's one to wet your appetite a bit.

Photo courtesy of my friend Kersten Ficke.

June 29

This sign is especially cool because it also features my friend's band Cowgirls Train Set!

Last night I went to a fantastic show called Horror Remix! I may have mentioned it before at some point; I used to go to them in Kansas City but now they have moved to Lawrence and I couldn't be more pleased. The premise of the show is taking two or three bad horror movies and editing them down to their most essential half hour ("all killer, no filler"). Each show has a theme (shopping mall movies, biker movies... etc) and the theme for this one was The Beast, or more specifically, evil pets!

The movies were amazingly bad and the show was hilarious. This was also the first benefit Horror Remix, a local organization named Fix Our Friends was there taking donations for low cost spays and neuters for pets of families who can't afford to fix their pets.

Here's the trailer:
Horror Remix Presents BEAST from Edward John on Vimeo.

May. 2

The time sure is flying... school is almost over and the summer is so close! Things are getting pretty busy at the greenhouse and I certainly have the garden bug in me at the moment as well, I'm also very envious of those with a yard! The best I can do is an potted herb garden and my houseplants. I can't wait until I can plant perennials!

Yesterday was the annual Lawrence Art in the Park fair downtown. I was sadly working throughout all of it, but I hopped over there afterward and saw some of the booths while they were closing shop. Next year I'll hopefully have a table there myself!

I'm going to keep it short for now so I can hit the sack. Soon I'm hoping to update with everything I made in my sewing class and some of the things I worked on in pattern drafting. Having more time to do things will be so so so nice.

In closing, I found a great Tumblr blog that is entirely filled by various animals with Tom Hanks heads Photoshopped onto them. Here is one of my favorites!

April 13

I have been chugging away on my first pattern drafting project today, with a bit of a break to go to a KU music department jazz show downtown (which was faaantastic!) Then I enjoyed a glass of chocolate milk and some relaxing music... I'm looking forward to crawling into my bed.

Not before telling you about a great post from one of the blogs I read, Eighteenth Century Agrarian Business. This lovely lady just gave a tutorial on some super simple window shades that I can't wait to use... if only we didn't have ugly mini-blinds in our apartment! They just use dowel rods, hooks from the hardware store and hook and eyes. So easy.

Check it out HERE and be happy!

April 10

Every year my school has an event called JCCC's Night at the Nelson, where they reserve the Nelson-Atkins art museum for JCCC students and various arts and humanities professors lecture on select pieces of art. It is fantastic! This year I went with a couple of friends and was able to hear a lecture from my old Classical Mythology teacher, Dr. Michael Robertson, whom I really enjoyed (how many professors can teach you ancient Greek?) I didn't get a good picture of him though, so the one I have below is of Larry Thomas, one of the fine arts professors.

Afterward we stopped at Winsteads to enjoy some cherry milkshakes. Yum.