Lunch and Simplicity.

I usually work nights at the job that pays the bills. So, I try to do most of my crafty work during the day before I go in. This usually means that I skip lunch or eat a sandwich on the way to work. But these hot and humid summer days here in Indiana take a lot out of you and I decided I needed a real sit down meal while working. I didn't want anything that took a lot of time. And I wanted something simple. So, I made a plate of my favorite things to eat and munched on them while working. Honey toast on oat bread, orange juice, colby cheese, pecans and bing cherries. It was so perfect and I couldn't help but smile the whole time I nibbled.

Also, a fun story about the pecans. I work at an inn and I always get to meet really interesting people. There was a gentleman checking out yesterday who was all the way up from Georgia visiting his brother. We got to talking and he was telling me about his pecan orchard. And he "just happened to have a few bags in the car." (a sly salesman to say the least.) I took the bait, I think it may have been his smooth Georgia accent, and he came in with a bag of the most golden pecans I've ever seen. And the price was awesome; six dollars for a pound! I love things like this. Just some older man driving around with a trunk full of pecans he labored over himself.

The moral of this long winded story is that sometimes it's good to remember to keep things simple. A boy I love tries to get me to understand this everyday. I like finding ways to incorporate it into my life. His gentle reminders are working.

here's to lunch.

new business cards.

The other day I really needed a project to get my wheels turning. Do any of you ever do that? Just get stuck in a rut and need a good shovel to dig you out? Tedious projects are usually my shovel of choice. I find that something repetitive and creative greases my wheels and lets me work more freely. So, i sat in my living room watching a marathon of mad men and made these new business cards. They were really simple. I printed my business name, email and etsy store in a very simple font in light gray. I used the snap apart avery cards you can buy in a pack. Out of all the do-it-yourself business cards, I find these to be the brightest and heaviest. After that, I used wonder under on some fabric. (I don't even think it is called wonder under anymore. It's just called Heat Bond. but my grandma and mom have always called it wonder under and I will too!) I cut the fabric into one inch strips and ironed them directly onto the card. So each card is personalized with a different strip of fabric. It was a lot of fun. And now I have these really sweet business cards and greased wheels.  

Penelope Fox

I would like you to meet Penelope Fox. 

Yesterday, there was a strange creature out of my window at work. When I looked closer I realized, "It's a FOX!!" She was eating the birdseed that drops from the feeders. Her slim limbs and her long snout made her look so dainty, but as she walked and pranced around, her grace and cunningness came out. That's when I knew her name had to be Penelope. She was dark brown on top with a line of red and then a white undercoat. She was just beautiful. I watched her for a good fifteen minutes. And I knew I had to go home and make a fox immediately. So I did! 

I put the fox in the window at work because I thought maybe she'd be back tonight. She was. I snuck outside to watch her in the wild. It wasn't very long before she recognized my presence and stood at the edge of the wood to stare at me. We both just stood there waiting for the other one to move. Finally, she realized I was no threat to her and went about her day. I just stood there trying to memorize every color in her coat.