Utterly indulgent

Scents do something to me, trigger memories and emotions in an intense way. I had a full on hissy fit when my sister wanted to buy the same perfume as me. I won't tell you how old I was because it sounds like something a teenager would do and I was not a teenager. Not by a long shot. I just don't feel comfortable when I have a scent twin that's close to me in real life. It creeps me out.

A few weeks ago Anabela posted about CB I Hate Perfume, and I hopped over to his gallery. My jaw dropped. Try it. Go read the descriptions and look at the bottles. Even if you don't want to buy, it's a nice way to spend a half hour. (I did end up buying, so be forewarned.)



Tea/Rose was an obvious choice. Black tea and homegrown flowers definitely top my list of simple pleasures. It smells like an English garden, not like your grandmother's sitting room.

I was sorely tempted by Under the Arbor (crushed grape leaves, wood, moss and earth) and In the Library (novels, leather, cloth and wood polish) but I settled for Memory of Kindness (tomato vines and fresh earth). It smells sharp and fresh.

I've been alternating them according to my mood. I only got the little sample sizes, and I'm pretty sure they will last for a very long time because it's completely undiluted and all you need is a couple dabs.

New furniture

Crafting on a large(r) scale is incredibly messy. Our poor apartment has been covered with stuff for weeks. I was pretty sure the coffee table was still in the middle of the living room, but I had no visual proof, because all you could see was a big mound of ribbons and fabric.

The Salvation Army came to the rescue, yet again. We found a wonderful credenza for just $75. We had to lash it to the roof of our car and then undertake a rather perilous journey home on the 405, where I nervously spent the entire ride staring at it to make sure it wasn't slipping, but it was worth it.

It's scratched and dinged from age, but nice and sturdy. We briefly thought about painting it, because the wood isn't particularly nice and the top is laminate, but once we got it in place we decided to leave it the way it is. At least for now.

{new storage}

Our dining area is a wee bit crowded, but I'd rather be crowded than live amidst a heap of piles. And it has nine large drawers! I love drawers. I've already filled them with wonderful things that were previously jammed in boxes. Sometimes I open them just to peek inside.

{crochet thread drawer}

The weekend, briefly

Whew. It is hot in Southern California.

I still managed to get quite a bit of crafting done.

Thanks to the genius who invented otter pops.

And because Little Britain makes for good company.

The results of the weekend?

New rosebud headbands up in the shop in lovely new colors.

Friday flowers (fake out), thank you edition

I am absolutely overwhelmed by the sweet response to my shop. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Also, I have no flowers this week. But if I did, they would be for you. The only reason I don't is because every single surface in our apartment is covered with fabric, ribbon, and papers. You can consider yourself lucky if you don't sit down and land on a stray sewing needle or two.

This weekend I will organize like crazy, and I'm also creating the rosebud headband in some lovely new colors (including seafoam green, coral and chocolate). Expect a shop update on or around Monday.

Flowers will return next week, I promise.

Reading, lately

Now is the Hour by Tom Spanbauer - I loved, loved, loved this book. It's a pretty straightforward bildungsroman of a young gay man growing up in Idaho in the 60s but the voice is pitch perfect and the characters suck you right in. I was so grateful that it was nice and long because I didn't want it to end. I even re-read parts of it right away.

Drowning Ruth by Christina Schwarz - This is almost a mystery, with lots of secrets and tension. It's set in a rural area and takes place during and after World War I. If you love dark period pieces about social mores and family secrets, you'll like it.

Amy and Isabelle by Elizabeth Strout - I found this book hard to read, because the central mother daughter relationship is so painful. But the writing is absolutely beautiful and the characters come alive and I ended up loving it.

Weekly rituals

First of all, thank you all for the sweet comments yesterday about the shop. It's nervewracking, putting everything out there like that, but you are all wonderfully supportive and I feel very, very lucky.

I find rituals so soothing. Every Wednesday I pick up our CSA box on the way home from work and lug it home on the bus (this part is not soothing, I'll admit). Then I open it, excited to see what veggies we get for the week, pour myself a glass of wine and wash them all up while I listen to the evening news on NPR.

{just the beginning}

I stick to this because I find that if the veggies aren't washed and put away immediately, it's easy to put it off too long. And it's such a lovely way to break up my week because it forces me to slow down a bit.

I'd love to hear about any simple rituals you have, if you'd care to share. Maybe we'll all get some ideas.

A new venture

I am so excited to finally share this with all of you....

My own little Etsy shop!

This has been very slow to develop, and I like it that way. I've been mulling (maybe obsessing) over it for months, designing the banner, picking out packaging, and, of course, crafting.

Lots of these items will look familiar to you because I've shared them as DIYs over the last year. That won't change. I wholeheartedly encourage you to make things for yourself and I'll continue to update the DIY index. But for those of you who are busy, or don't want to invest in all the supplies, I'm offering ready to go versions of my favorite projects. Sometimes the sanest thing you can do is pass off a project to someone else, after all.

At the moment, you can find headbands (ruffles, lilypad and rosebud versions) in several colors. They are all slightly different, so read the descriptions for details about the fabric and finishing. I used several types of silks, so the textures will vary. Some of the edges are singed for a contrast finish and some are left raw for a wispy look. These details are all specified for each model, so you will know exactly what to expect. Any of these headband designs can be sized up into belts for custom orders. Just contact me.

{heart of light headbands}

(The model is my lovely sister! How lucky am I to have a beautiful sister who is willing to patiently sit still while I fuss around and tie things on her head and photograph her?)

I also have a limited run of embroidered napkins, which I absolutely adore. If you guys like them too, I'll look into making more. Currently there are only 10 sets available.

{EAT napkins from heart of light}

And I had to add in my meal planning notepads, because I love them so much. These are also available customized, and I love the idea of giving them out as shower gifts along with some little kitchen accessories.

{meal planning notepad}

I have to send out a big, heartfelt thanks to all of you. I am so very excited about this little shop and I could never have done it without all the encouragement and enthusiasm you readers have shown me in the past year. You are all truly amazing.