Dale Watson

Dale and his Lonestars were really kickin' it at the Handlebar in Greenville, SC when Tom and I went to hear them last August. This is one of the songs they played to a packed and rowdy audience. Some guy was sitting in on string base in this video. --L

Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell

Wish this band was still together. They were the best to swing dance to! --L

Springtime Fun with Retro Bikes

Steph wanted to see my cool ride as of late. Tom named it Ms. Canary (you can see the canary between the handlebars if you zoom in). I named Tom's bike, "Lil' Cherry Picker." Since it's been warming up outside, we've been biking instead of driving whenever possible. The wire baskets on the back are perfect for carrying groceries. Tom thinks we should strap a couple of the cats into the back so they can travel with us. Somehow I don't think that would go over too well. --L

Quick Wedding Gift

I wanted to make a homemade gift for a family friend who is getting married, but I haven't hung out with her since elementary school. All I know is that she's the editor of Time magazine and she's very involved with politics. She also just wrote a book called, "The Party Faithful." The shower invitation said "no gifts," but I felt I had to do something. So here's the result: a decorative throw pillow. It's made of chenille fabric, a vintage handkerchief and a vintage button. It was actually a combined effort-- Tom picked out the handkerchief and sewed the buttons on. (What a cute, domestic guy!) It's a little on the conservative side, but I figured this couple isn't exactly the "Urban Outfitters" type, anyway. --L

This Room Ain't Got No View

Masterpiece Theatre this week was a masterpiece disappointment. Their recent BBC production was an adaptation of E.M. Forester's A Room With A View proved to be completely lame. That's right, I said lame. Of course, why would anyone try to improve perfection? I'm speaking of the 1986 version starring Maggie Smith, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day-Lewis, and many other great British actors. I was hoping that the new version would at least be decent and not be a complete disaster. How could I have possibly liked a version where Mr. Beebe grumbles, George seems to have a lisp, and I don't even know what was going on Cecil? You really let me down this week PBS, but that won't keep me from watching every future episode of Masterpiece Theatre! Does anyone else have such strong feelings on the topic? I would love to hear your comments. Anyways, back to the real world... which does not include taking carriage rides through Italian countryside... sigh. -S

Kitchen Symphony (1961)

Easy listening with dancing turkeys and exploding salads? Ah, those were the days. --L

Patchwork Pincushion

I haven't used a sewing machine since early high-school, so once mom's old machine was working again, I thought I'd ease my way back into it by making this lil' pincushion. At least it's a start. I found the tutorial here: http://paperstringcloth.blogspot.com
--L

Klimt Costume-y Dress

As I am compiling images together for my portfolio, I decided to include this dress I made for Halloween a few years ago. I was inspired by the painting by Klimt called "The Kiss". I made the dress out of a slightly shiny gold fabric and then, with the help of a friend, we painted on the dress to create a similar pattern to the dress in the painting. I had so much fun making this! Weee! Costumes are fun! --S

Clothing Of The Future - Clothing in The Year 2000

If only this it was true... -S