Tea towel gift wrap

I picked up this sweet Christmas tree tea towel at my local thrift shop for 15c and realized it would make cute gift wrap. I'll have to look out for more throughout the year for next Christmas.

Wish list

Loving this Chester Wallace Tote from Canoe. Made from vintage canvas, it's a clever design, working both as a smaller shoulder bag and a huge tote if you need it.

You got your wish - it's *still* raining

You reminded me of an episode of Living With Ed where he buys a rain barrel and his wife hates how it looks. I actually kind of like the way it looks, but then you know how I feel about orange. I consulted his book to see if I could find a resource for you but alas there wasn't one. It does say it costs $90 which seems steep. He also writes you shouldn't water your vegetables with water collected from your roof, just your ornamentals, which I wouldn't have thought of.

Can you believe this weather? - I bet we could have filled up a couple of barrels over the past couple of days.

I do like the grey one below. If we lived in the city of LA we could get a free barrel as part of the LA Rainwater Harvesting Program. LA Times article here.

Update: I think I just found Ed's rain barrel here.

Rain Rain Don't Go Away

I am loving the wet stuff. We don't get enough of it over here - compared with you. Crazy how you can live in the same city and have completely different weather.

So I am thinking to maximize we should invest in a rain barrel.

I like these - but wonder if they are too "traditional" for our mcm home?

$149-$219 at Gardener's Supply Co.

Maybe this grey one instead. (Supposedly designed after an English "dollie"??)

$149 at Gardener's Supply Co.

What do you think? I am hoping they go on sale in the new year.

Or we could just go the "do it yourself" route. Instructions here. Will watch Craig's List for free barrels.

Stay wet! xo

Welcome To Our Cabin

You need this...



From the stick man

Good morning

Interesting link via Simple Lovely to a TIME mag article on overparenting...

Something on my mind...

Bits and Bobs

Those crewel kits you have in the shop are tempting me...

I am becoming obsessed with vintage (60s-70s) crewel work.


(This one I found finished at the Goodwill.)


(And this one I LOVE. It is hanging on the wall of a friend's home. I want to try and make a copy of it.)

I also found a bunch of vintage brochures at the Goodwill for crewel kits.

It all took me to the Permin of Copenhagen website. There is quite a bit I am not into here (viking needlepoint anyone?) but I am enjoying their monthly free graph download. This month - a sweet little Santa needlepoint by the fire. Also giving me ideas about designing my own crewelwork advent calendar. Hmmmmmm...

Did you guys get to see The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Oh. My! I am sorry we didn't get to go together. It really was Fantastic.

Happy December!

Anorak

I ordered a copy of Anorak, the self described happy mag for kids, from Little Bean the other week and I wasn't disappointed. It's beautifully illustrated and put together. It reminded me a little of the insert Martha Stewart Kids magazine used to publish. My six-year-old saw it lying on the kitchen table and was immediately drawn to it. However, even more of a hit with him, was the Anorak Mag app I downloaded onto my iPhone. Lots of fun, especially the cycling and whack-an -anorak games. You can read about it here.