pretty paper, pretty ribbons

This holiday season has left me feeling more festive than I have since I was a child.
Austin and I took his first trip to New York with my parents where he ate his first canoli and graced the sidewalks of the villiage where we had dinner. It's a big difference from Seattle, that's for sure.
In other news, I've been baking various different holiday treats every single day, and probably won't stop until after New Years.

I have lots more to write (and I will soon) but right now I'm just taking a break from shoveling over 8 inches of snow. Yikes!

Currently Knitting: the surprise...STILL!
Currently Loving: "Xmas (Baby, Please Come Home) -- Darlene Love
Currently Hearing: "Pretty Paper" -- Roy Orbison

You can never have too many books.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!


And now onto what truly matters, crafts.

My Top 3 Craft Book Wishlist:

1.) Sew U: Home Stretch by Wendy Mullin and Eviana Hartman
I loved the first Sew U, and when I found out the Built by Wendy crew made a new one (about sewing knit fabric!) I just couldn't hold myself back from gushing.

2.) Cool Green Stuff by Dave Evans
I cannot wait to get my paws on this book! How-to's on making anything from a record bookend to a cassette belt buckle. How could you go wrong?!

3.) Louisa May Alcott: Quilts of Her Life, Her Work, Her Heart by Terry Clothier Thompson
This book is high on my must-have list. Like many girls, I grew up and fell in love with Louisa May Alcott's books, and after my professor, Dr. Sornberger (a fellow quilter and Alcott lover), told me about this in class, I knew I had to add this to my collection. The quilts depict Alcott's experiences nursing during the civil war to the suffragette movement.

Welcome Winter!

It's been a year since I cut my hair short.

I was even able to pull it back today, and I thought it looked kind of nice.
I haven't been able to do this in years!

Also, Welcome Winter!

Recent Thrift Finds

An ex-ugly old sweater, now skeins upon skeins of 100% wool -- $4.00


Vashti Bunyan boots -- $5.00


Amazing vintage patterns -- .50 or less each


Blanche Devereaux Sunglasses -- pennies!


Victorian inspired blouse -- $1


Currently Knitting: a surprise!
Currently Hearing: doors slamming
Currently Loving: Austin Weaver

Mom

It has been quite a while since I've had time to write, so since I'm up earlier than usual, I thought I would take this opportunity to do so.

Last weekend my mother came to Mansfield to visit, and although I worked the majority of the time, we spent some well needed time together. We watched Secret Lives of Bee's (which we both enjoyed), listened to lots of Joni Mitchell, went thrifting with Austin, and had a great meal in Ithaca.

I'm taking a creative writing class this semester, and I'm choosing to write my extended project on articles of clothing that used to belong to my mother. I'm mostly writing about the stories behind them and how they make me feel when I wear them, etc..
My professor, Dr. Sornberger, thinks that I should write up a book proposal and make it an illustrated book.
That is very exciting.
I don't know where to begin, but I think I might try.


In the last few months I've been considering going to grad school to become a librarian.
I will write more later.
and more about that later.



Currently Knitting: a Christmas surprise!
Currently Hearing: Vashti Bunyan
Currently Loving: recent thrift finds / the Ntch
Currently Wanting: Louisa May Alcott: Quilts of her life, her work, her heart

Etsy

Seattle was great and so was Austin's family. I felt very at home and more than comfortable.
We ate some great food too! I'll write more about that when I get the chance.


In other news:
I started an Etsy!

Dear Pacific Ocean,

I'm feeling much better, I'm working a lot, and school is almost out for fall break.
This means that I'm heading out to Seattle with Austin. This is going to be the first time I'm going to meet his family or even see into his world, which is going to be one new experience after another.

I'm nervous, but excited to go back to Seattle. It was my favorite city when I was on tour with Billy Mack Collector this past summer, and I'm looking forward to seeing it for longer than a day.

Dear Pacific Ocean
I can't wait to see you again.
Love,
Connie

Sick In Bed Movie Marathon 2008

I just got back from the Pennsylvania Governors Conference for Women in Pittsburgh late Thursday night which was an honor (I was one of 8 girls chosen from the whole campus) and a great time away from Mansfield (my 3rd time to Pittsburg was the best yet! LuLu's Noodles was very yummy!), but I came home super duper sick.
I have a mixture of strep throat and the flu. Yuck!


So that totally stinks since I'm unable to go to class or work or go to my friend Liz's chocolate party that I've been looking forward to for the past month, but I think it's been a reminded that I need to cool it because I'm wearing myself out.


On an good note:
Austin and I took out 6 movies from the library and watched them all together while he made me tea and covered me with blanket upon blanket.
And so began the first Sick in Bed Movie Marathon. A lovely new tradition for a lovely new couple.

1. The Outsiders
2. Shine
3. The Triplets of Belleville
4. Waking Ned Divine
5. My Life as a Dog
6. Hudsucker

Currently Sewing: vintage fabric coffee sleeves
Currently Hearing: Jens Lekman
Currently Loving: my sewing machine

uh oh - oh oh

I haven't had much time to update lately, or even search the web for interesting things seeing as I'm a full-time student who's also getting her work on.
I've been stressing about what I'm going to do with my life after I graduate from school, which is scary in itself, but extra scary with the economy being as it is.

Options:

• Teaching Fellows

• Moving to the west coast

• Living like Woody through the depression.

Currently Knitting: Coffee slings
Currently Hearing: Neon Bird
Currently Loving: rainy Sunday afternoons off from work

free decorative lace circular scarf pattern

Since the last time I wrote,

• My lovely boyfriend, Austin, has arrived safely in Pennsylvania in one piece from Seattle.
• I bought an old man's sweater at a Good Will for $4, made of lamb's wool. I unraveled it, and I'm getting some great use out of that cheap, but yummy yarn!

(That's just a sleeve!)

• I have finished the decorative circular scarf.

It's perfect for beautiful autumn days like today, where it's much too warm for anything wool, but you still want something to block the wind from slapping you in the face.

Detail:

The pattern isn't completely my own. I found the simple lace pattern on a website which I can't find, so if this is yours...it's really great and I love it..I'm sorry I didn't bookmark your page.

Materials:
100% cotton yarn, in peaches and cream
Recommended Needle Size:
US 11, straight needles


Directions:
1.) C/O 34 sts
2.) follow the graph for the whoooole scarf

****slip the first stitch at the beginning of every row as if to purl for the whole project
****knit the last stitch at the end of every row for the whole project

3.) 3 needle cast off





enjoy!



Currently Knitting: Coffee Sling
Currently Hearing: Yawning
Currently Loving: Seeing old friends.

Why Elizabeth Welshans wished she lived in Sweden.

The martyr and the villain.

I just found this Swedish Lo-fi Collective called Models Inc.
Yet another reason why I wish I lived in Sweden.
I can't imagine making music that the majority of the people around me actually liked.
That's not to say that people don't like the music I make, but lots of people don't care for it much either (and that's okay). I just think it would be interesting to be around lots of fun, excellent indiepop.



Currently Listening: "winter comes to town" by jssfrk
Currently Knitting: That scarf!!
Currently Loving: My job/Swedes.

Oh, Jacob Borshard! Be still my ukulele loving heart!

Look at that uke!

This is Jacob Borshard, and, well, I sure do love him.
He has the amazing ability to make everything so light hearted and sweet, and equally heartbreaking.
Here are a few of my favorites of his songs:
(which are all available for free download off of his website)

1. First Girlfriend
2. Grass Stains
3. Sarah
4. Mary 1994
   
5. If you loved anyone (Mary 2004)

Currently Listening: "Whistle" by The Motifs
Currently Knitting: Decorative Lace Circular Scarf, 100% Cotton (STILL!!!)
Currently Loving: Polka Dot Dot Dot

Dream Babes!

Anyone who really really knows me, knows that I have a healthy interest in girl groups of the 50's and 60's.
Now there's the basic Supremes, Shangri-las, and Marvelettes..but what about all of the other fine ladies who are often looked past?


That's where Dream Babes comes in!
Dream Babes is a 8 volume compilation of various, rare British girl groups of the 60's...and quite honestly, I could listen to them for hours.
Each compilation focuses on certain areas that span the Brit girl group genre such as:

• Backcomb and Beat (vol. 3)
  
• Folk Rock and Faithful (vol. 5)
• Beat Chic (vol. 7)
• Stockingtop Pop (vol.8)
  

My favorite is Dream Babes vol. 4: Go Girl, which is the first Dream Babes volume I found after searching for original Twiggy recordings. So through sweet, sweet Twiggy, I discovered my new favorite mod Brit-pop girl groups, The Orchids and The Mckinleys.

Here's my favorite song on the compilation,
"Love Hit Me" by The Orchids

Don't you wish little girls in pop music still looked like little girls?

Well, I'm quite the busy little beetle lately, and I'm only about to get busier!
Last night was my first day working at Night and Day Coffee in Mansfield, PA.
Out of all of the coffee shops I've played at, and sampled drinks from, Night and Day has by far been my favorite. After I first picked up a guitar and taught myself a few chords, Night and Day was the first place I preformed at and the people there encouraged me to keep going.
Here I am three years later, well-traveled to places that I can hardly believe existed with the music I've enjoyed making by the encouragement of these great people.
And now I'm working there.
Isn't it funny how life works?

My first two days have been A+.

Art by Paul Bozzo

Currently Hearing: Beirut's the flying club cup
Currently Knitting: decorative lace circular scarf, 100% cotton
Currently Loving: the smell of espresso

Mod Green Pod

I just discovered this website, Mod Green Pod, specializing in whimsical hand silk-screened 100% organic cotton fabrics and vinyl-free wallpapers.

It's positively stunning!

Speaking of fabric and the like:

Yesterday I went to a local coffee shop, (where I have been recently employed at) for some knitting and tea drinking with my friend, Michelle. On our way back, we ran into our friend Sarah who invited us to go to the Good Will with her. Of course, we said yes.

$25 of vintage fabric and patterns later..

Currently Hearing: Dear Nora's Mountain Rock
Currently Knitting: Decorative lace circular scarf, 100% cotton
Currently Loving: Cotton Bird Designs

Figs and Ginger for madre?

Last weekend our family dog, Dick (Dixie "Ghost-face Killa" Jordan), died.

She was my mother's companion for 13 long years, and she's reasonably upset because of this, and I've been trying to think of something nice to do for her.
I found these absolutely beautiful eco-friendly necklaces by Figs and Ginger that I really think she would love, that would symbolize her and both me and my older sister, Jen.

Currently Hearing: MarkKozelek's White Christmas Live Album
Currently Knitting: Decorative lace circular scarf, 100% cotton
Currently Loving: Raspberry Jam

The beginning of a new chapter.

This is the beginning of a new chapter in my life.


I'm mostly going to do lots of talking about crafting and music. What else do I really do anyway?





Currently Hearing: Paul Curreri and Devon Sproule's Duet albums
Currently Knitting: Decorative lace circular scarf, 100% cotton.
Currently Loving: Vintage paper dolls.