Boutiques and Raves with a mild Rant

Knitting is Knotty…
So I’m told. Today I visited Magpie Yarn [ here ] in downtown Lexington and now really wanna learn how to crochet or knit or something with the amazing collection they have there. Who cannot love soft, beautifully colored balls of yarn? I’m just sayin’…
I’m definitely not the domestic type but I’m definitely not going to pass up anything that could possibly be pretty and promise me some awesome accessories so knitting, I’ll give it a chance.
When checking the shop out I met a very pleasant woman, who I never got the name of but I’m guessing its Jane Homeyer, the owner. (If not, tell me your name hun, I think you’re amazing). The shop holds classes and she says that the shop welcomes those who just want to come in and sit and knit for a while (how homey can ya get?).
BTW the site is easy to navigate, and I for one will not even take the time to learn how to use a site if I have to (lazy I know).

Magpie Yarn is right there in a square of amazing boutiques such as Out of the Box featuring funky jewelry, art, and very cool clothes. There’s also The Black Market, another boutique with great shoes, books on the craziest stuff and art, mini Buddha candles, etc, etc.
Also check out Sqecial Media. Sqecial has the largest boutique like store I’ve ever seen in this region. They have boks (old and new), clothes, wall hangings, candles, incense, jewelry, and just rows and rows of stuff! I was able to get my hands on Francesca Lia Block’s Hangman and Ruby today (YAYAYAYAY!) as well as a bumper sticker for my laptop that says Faith:verb which I certainly think is awesome.
Downer to boutiques: Incense induced headache/dizziness.

Rave
Handmade paper! So today, looking around boutiques and all I ran into a lot of different handmade products, including journals (my addiction). Reading about handmade paper was super interesting too. Apparently the stuff is made from Lokta, a plant that regenerates way faster than trees (6 years I think) and is way easier on the environment that way. So cool ya? Plus handmade paper looks great and feels really nifty.

Rant
Starbucks. So they want to help the environment?
1) Why aren’t they using Fair Trade Coffee?
2) Why don’t they have recycling bins in their stores?
3) Why are they using paper towels in their bathrooms instead of hand dryers?
I mean, really?

Rant

Un-Christian
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2007/nov/03/a-momentous-shift/I found this article through Stumble and was like, “oh hey, we sell that book.” After reading the article I’m reminded yet again why I’m aggravated by people, both Christian and non-christian alike. Everyone is judgmental, even the hippie-I’m all for everyone to be happy people. Jesus, Ghandi, Buddha, and so many really cool peeps said a lot of stuff about love and a lot of stuff about how to live but they all were down on the judging others thing. Everyone should look at themselves before they tell someone else how to run their lives and try to be an example not a dictator (Hitler’s bad ok). Sure, if you see someone looking for some guidance give ‘em a hand don’t cram a bible or a torah or a whatever down their throats. Sheesh. BTW this book sounds pretty cool…I’m just sayin’.

Today...boring title i know

My friend K is heading to LA! Next week she’s going through the next stage of Hollywood’s Best New Talent. There will be a song part then two monologues, comedy and tragedy. She’s super excited and so am I, for her. My prayers are with you K!!!

JUST got my hands on Lisa Samson’s third Hollywood book!!!! Romancing Holllywood Nobody promises to be an amazing ride with Scottish hotties (I miss my beloved DC) and new adventures.
Publishers Weekly says
“One of the most powerful voices in Christian Fiction.”
I say one of the most powerful voices in fiction! Anyone can get in on this great story not just Christian readers who frequent Family Christian Stores and Lifeway.
I’ll be sure to get my review up asap!

IZZE
So I’m going into RITE Aid to get my mom some cigs and a 3Muskateers when I’m looking at the drinks area (parched form work) and there are these nifty bottles of soda promising real fruit and it has a cutie flower on the front. I bought the bright orange one and tried it. IZZE’s Sparkling Clementine drink is awesome! It’s real fruit without preservatives or caffeine! It’s sorta like an Italian soda and it comes in Blackberry, Pomegranate, Clementine, and other fruity flavors. Check it out!

SerendipiTea has the cutest lil site! The front page looks like a collage of vintage tea stuff and it totally made me love it immediately. The company is also a sponsor for many organizations like The New York Women’s Foundation, Fair Trade Certified, and Co-op America. How cool is that? Check out the site when you can, each section has it’s own really cool lay out.

Coffee Coffee Coffee

So I’m a big fan of coffee, though I have had to switch to tea after bouts of ulcers and kidney issues but I still haven’t fully abandoned my first love. I mean, who could turn their back on lattes, mochas, machiattos, etc.
In tribute to this love I have found some great sites and places to share with you.

First lets get this out of the way
Starbucks
Yes I drink Starbucks, I like Starbucks, and Yes I know it costs a lot.

Coffee Education
Coffee Research
Everything you ever wanted to know about coffee and then some. This site has information about buying coffee, coffee defects, the making of coffee, and where coffee comes from. With over 300 pages of facts you’ll never loose at coffee trivial pursuit…good idea for a game in my opinion.

Baxter’s Coffee
Site
Located in three areas around Somerset, KY Baxter’s Coffee has that down home feel of a simple treasure with a bug business style that rivals Starbucks. Baxter’s has a great variety of coffees and teas as well as smoothies, blitzes, sandwiches, and soups. If you’re ever in the area check the place out.

A place with more opinions and facts about coffee than me?
Check out Coffee GeekMuch like Coffee Research, Coffee Geek has tons of information about coffee except with some stuff that the common person who isn’t buying international coffee can use. The site also includes How To’s.

Decor Designs Books

Top Design
September third
YAY so excited. I loved Season 1 and got so many design ideas.

Speaking of design ideas
Tiana made the cutest Parisian bedroom with all kinds of amazing details [ here ].
I love these rooms and ideas; makes me want to gut and redo my room all over again even though I just did it in Roman theme last summer…
I do get to design a dorm room with my new roommate this year ^_^ Red and Black will be our themed colors I think with lots of Emily Strange lol.

Quote
Love is a canvas furnished by Natureand embroidered by imagination
Voltaire.
I found this quote on a site filled with quotes on love { here }

Reading
Life, Libby, and the Pursuit of Happiness by Hope Lyda
Adam Bede by George EliotI still haven’t really found a book that I can fall into yet, and probably wont until I can get my hands on Book 3 of the Hollywood Nobody series…or a great book falls into my lap. Lets hope eh?

Coffin Jewelry Box DIY

Picture Here

I'm sorry if my instructions are incoherent. I've never been good at explaining things but it all makes sence in my head.Also, the above coffin jewelry box is a little messy. I'll post a prettier one soon.If you are using Super Glue make sure that the room is ventilated. I didn't and I was a little dizzy after a while.
Materials
Cardboard (mine's from a cereal box)
Printer paper
Scissors
Tape (duct or wrapping tape)
Super Glue/Art Tacky
Paper clips
Fabric (mine was scrap from my cousin's halloween costume)
Gems, lace, etc as decoration (i used quartz b/c it was lying around)

1. Cun a coffin shape from some printer paper. Mine was 5 inches long, 3 inches at the wides, 1 inch at the shortest width. Make sure its symmetrical. If you need to fold the paper down the middle once you cut it out. This will be your stencil.
2. Use the stencil to draw the coffin onto the cardboard. Measure out 1 and 1/2 inch out on all sides and creat a rectancle from each side of the coffin shape. This will be your coffin base.Use the sencil again on the cardboard and measure out 1/2 ince rectangles on all sides. This will be your lid.
3. Cut out the cardboard coffin shapes (DO NOT CUT THE RECTANGLES OFF THE COFFIN SHAPE). Fold along the boarders of the rectangles and coffin shape and tape each corner together a couple of times for stability.
4. Cut the fabric into a coffin shape large enough to cover the coffin base, sides and fold in. Then glue the bottom of the base to the center of this fabric (careful if you're using super glue, i got it all over my fingers >.<)
5. Once the bottom dries fold in the fabric (good gift wrapping skills come in handy here) and glue alogn the insides one side at a time. Once the fabric of one side is down use the paper clips to hold it until dry. Repeat.
6. Do the same with the lid only do not glue the top of the lid to the fabric as the glue shows through a little. Instead glue the fabric to the inside of the lid only. Use small paper clips to hold here.
7. Use stencil to cut out fabric for the inside bottom of the base and inside of the lid. Glue.
8. Decorate once dry.
Tell me if you need more of an explaination.

Cars, Diners, and Pollution

1948 Ford Convertible [ check it out ]
I have found my dream car.
Last night I went with my parents to a car show in Georgetown, KY. My dad frequents theses to sell Chrome insurance for antique and exotic cars. After eating at the amazing Sam’s Diner (where guys that look like bikers and girls that look like teeny boppers in tees serve amazing home cooking) we walked around to check out the show. This is where I saw my dream car. A 1948 Ford convertible in a chocolatey red-brown with a cream colored interior. It couldn’t have been better with whipped cream and a cherry on top. It’s perfectly wonderful.

Speaking of Diner…
Sam’s Diner is amazing. Very home-town good food with so many interesting characters I couldn’t help but get into a writing mood. The head chef looks like he’s part of a biker gang and the owner is sorta burley himself. We sat at the bar, the best seats in the place in my opinion. The head waitress asked us to watch the boys in the back and tell her if they were slacking.
While sitting there, looking around the décor, I decided I want a kitchen decorated like a diner with metal antique signs, diner counter tops with funky stools, and all. I think it would be awesome.

Rant
Pollution
Ok, so we hear all the time about how selfish, horrible Americans created Global Warming and all that jazz because we waste and pollute. This week’s Weekly has an article on China’s pollution. A few facts: Beijing has 40% more smog than Los Angelas (you can even taste grit when you breathe in the air; many Olympians have pulled out, feeling their health was more important than competing), China produces a 3rd of the worlds garbage (only 10% of which is recycled), a majority of China’s rivers are polluted, and 20% of Chinese babies have defects due to pollution.
I’m not saying America shouldn’t do it’s best to try and make our world a cleaner place. The world and it’s care is in the hands of all people. We should be encouraging others to do their best to do what they can.