Around the Corner

Ever since 9/11, Christmas has come earlier and earlier. Target started putting out decorations before Halloween. The retailers have learned to prey upon our emotions. Everyone is all down about the economy and Christmas cheers people up...until they realize they have no money. This season is supposed to be a big hit for retailers.

But it is Christmas (your whatever winter holiday you celebrate) and gifts will be given. I'm a fan of handmade items. I like supporting individual creativity and there are a lot of special, unique items. I've become addicted to Etsy...there are so many beautiful and affordable things. I've rounded up some of my favorite sellers to share today.

*from left to right*

*top row*

Tilly Bloom - Surreal jewelry and art
Joanna Rutter - Simple silver jewelry, mostly nature themed
Zygopsyche - Neat stuffed animals

John W Golden - Cute prints
Toy Breaker - "Ties that don't suck"
*bottom row*
MaryInk - Screen printed clothing and housewares
Bunny With A Tool Belt - Fine art sculptures
Revisions Design Studio - Neat housewares and jewelry
Blossom Toys - Adorable baby gifts
Luxedelxue - Beautiful jewelry. I've bought a necklace from here and it's very well made. Also, there's an under 20 dollar section with nice things.

**Also, there's a thing on Etsy called Alchemy. You can request custom items and designers will bid on making them for you. I've had good luck with this.

There's a Handmade Pledge website if you want to sign up or find more gift resources. I don't plan on buying handmade gifts for everyone so I'm not officially taking the pledge because I know I won't buy everything handmade, but will look to buy some things.

Shooting Weekend Number 2

Despite the bitter cold, this weekend was a blast. Waking up at 5 am and working for 12 hours on the weekend isn't most people's idea of fun, but the awesome crew and script make it worth it.
Also, I don't get to see the sun rise often. It's not called the magic hour for nothing.

*This is less magical*

Did we encounter a fancy hobo tent? Nope. This little lean-to is something I helped put up to keep out the icy wind while we ate lunch on Saturday. Sunday was more pleasant.

The wind stopped and I got to be in the crew car for our mini car chase around the capital. It was really fun to see people on the street reacting to our "gang members" hanging out of their low rider screaming hilarious insults back at our main character. I think some people who didn't notice us following them with a camera were truly terrified and will tell their friends that Austin is going downhill.

We've got one more weekend to go. There will be more car action and hopefully more "freaking' out the squares" (as a friend used to say in high school).

In Defense of Food

I highly recommend "In Defense of Food". It's fascinating and, I believe, will slightly rock your food world. It's a modern version of "The Jungle" but instead of uncovering horrible slaughterhouse conditions and lack of regulations, Pollan sheds light on the the underbelly of the food industry, the incredible influence of nutritional science on our food products and calls us out on our lackadaisical attitude toward food.

According to one statistic in the book, the food industry puts 17,000 new products on the market each year. That blew my mind. He also makes the interesting point that as a country, we are obsessed with our health but yet one of the most unhealthy populations in the world. He correlates the amount the average family spends on food (about 10 percent of their income) to how much they spend on health care (about 17 percent) and makes the case that if we spent more on better food, we would spend less at the doctors dealing with chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease.

The last third of the book is devoted to his personal opinions that he has formed after doing this research. Rather than being snobby and elitist, I found his his tone and "rules" to reasonable and pragmatic. Pollan recognizes that not everyone has access to or the ability to afford organic, locally grown food.

*I love me a good tomato*

We eat pretty well here. Mr. W is an excellent cook. I am a vegetarian and he only eats meat on his sandwiches and when we go out. But reading this book has made me hyper - aware of what I'm putting on my plate. I've been checking labels now and Pollan is right...it's pretty much impossible to find a boxed food item that doesn't have a dozen unpronounceable ingredients and a claim to protect against heart disease or cancer or whatever.

*The Chico, CA farmer's market rocks*

One of Pollan's recommendations is to circumvent the "food like items" that line the grocery store shelves and avoid the pitfalls to your health by buying quality over quantity.

I have a really hard time with this for some reason. I like to eat good food. I like to eat knowing that what I'm putting into my body is good for me. But I'm cheap. I love a good deal.
We have an ok farmer's market here (though nothing like the one my sister has in Chico). It is very expensive, sometimes twice what the grocery store charges.

We also have Greenling. For $35.00 a week, you can get a box of seasonal, locally grown produce delivered once a week. Again, expensive. We spend much less than that a week buying conventional produce that we pick out. You don't know what comes in the box. Apparently you get a lot of okra in the spring.

*lemon cucumbers from Chico*

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants. I'm trying.

Sorry Jesus

Instead of going to church on Sunday, I woke up at the crack of dawn to make a drug lab.
Oops.

Yes We Did!

The Day Has Come...Almost

And I'm not talking about election day, though the title is befitting of that as well. No! I am speaking of Malabrigo Sock yarn! The sock version of my most favorite yarn in the world! I just pre-ordered a skein from Webs. One day, one day in late November/December, this yarn will be mine at last! muhaha!

It was so very, very hard to pick just one...

My, Aren't you Fetching?

*my goodness, my guinness!*

Pattern: Fetching
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Needles: Size 6 dpns

I heart this pattern for sure. Easy, quick, fun. I learned a lot of new things, and it's been awhile since I learned some new knitting tricks. I learned the cable cast - on, made cables and did a thumb gusset. Good times! I have also immediately displaced them. Opps.


I really like the Ultra Alpaca. Probably not the best choice to show off the cables, but it was in the stash and there's still enough left over to make another pair.

Maybe I will use it for my big seasonal project...or maybe it will fall by the wayside as I am tempted with more little things.