What Have I Been Doing While I Wasn't Blogging

Well, The first week of high school is over and the second week began today. I was moody but I'm going to be okay.

get smart alack kid back in school... check.

I think it is always catching me by surprise that back to school comes the same couple of weeks that canning gets into full swing.

make pickles the old fashioned way...soaked in brine at room temp for 3 weeks...
work still in progress... pungently so.

On top of that Back To School time makes me want to get organized ( Is it that several hours of uninterrupted thought?), and it reminds me with a stinging swat that I probably won't get all the holiday gifts done before October. Harumph.
It usually makes me think of all the practical stuff that I need to do, like really build a reasonable emergency kit, catch up on my paperwork and get shots for all the pets. I expect this year will be like the past years... I'll get shots for the pets and just worry about the rest of it.

visit the ranch in inappropriate attire... check.
(The boots, aquired at the thrift store the day before, were indeed, made for walking.
the minidress-Amy Butler- not so much...)

I did make a binder to keep all the recipes and gardening tips and crafts projects I have gleaned recently. I hope it works out. Sometimes these organizational tools work out and sometimes I find them years later and think, "I only vaguely remember doing this. It made a huge mess though, and took forever. And all these articles and stuff look awful now. Yipes!"

pick garden b-day flowers for best neighbor ever... Check.

And now for one of the crafty projects that happened in the whirlwind "Last Week Of Summer/First Week of School" Blog Break:

Happy Trailers to you- Til we meet again

The old travel trailer in my back yard got facepaint. A Jacob and Betty collaboration.



It needs a whole face lift , but we could only perk it up a little.

Now we have to tackle the inside. Yes another crazy WIP to last a lifetime. Or maybe, if we get it all buttoned up and cleaned out...The Future Craft Cave. One Never Knows.

shiny thrift fabric... oooh ahhhh.

I do Know I could use the room, because the fabric fairy won't stop dropping off yardage. I am a lucky girl. Must Sew More!

Fashion Friday: Making It Up As I Go Along

you can click on the photos if you need a close up

This is a pattern free self designed top made entirely from thrift store fabric and buttons. Did you catch that folks? Entirely thrift-begotten supplies and designed by Me!

I did use new thread. But, hey, that's like 95% green. Super economic at 3.00 in fabric and MAYBE another 50 cents in thread and buttons, and it only took a day, plus hemming and attaching buttons. So it was also quick like a bunny.

this was supposed to show that it buttons up the back but ...oh well

And Voila. I am doing something that helps me define myself the way I have long aspired to.
"She is the kind on woman who designs her own clothes."



Yeah. That is definitely the kind of person I long to be. It does have more sophistication than
"She is the kind of woman who dries tomatoes in the back seat of her car."

And look how great it goes with the earrings that Susan made. I wore this when I had dinner with her on our trip to Portland... and she liked them so much she put more of these in her shop.
Must be said that she was as delightful IRL as she is on her blog... and I think Jacob was a bit smitten because he talked as much during our dinner together as he did the rest of the trip.

(You know you want to buy them.. Then we can be like twins, or sisters or something. And you can even be the younger sister with less gray hair, because I like you that much!)

See You Next Week,
Betty

Thrift Thursday: Road Trip and Local Thrift

The Thrift Haul this week comes from the Gualala Pay and Take, and my own local fave, The Abbott's. Total spent? $12.50. A steal!!! A farmers market shopping basket, metal film canisters, sewing anvil, great huge length of vintage blue lace on the bolt, vintage Artware fabric and resin bowl and enough old ribbon for all the holiday presents this year.



Are you kidding me? This is pure gold! Is it just me or did folks in the "olden days" have more fun that we did? There is a Night Sledding Photo lighting how to in here. And sing along after flippin' sing along! The kids and the dogs are adorable!!!



I sense a vintage photo tutorial coming on.

Picture Me Yours,
Betty

Tutorial (Almost) Tuesday: Lovely Lace Jellyfish

You will need:

supplies

• doilies. I trimmed mine from an old crocheted lace place mat.
• Lace of several widths for jelly underskirting and tentacles!
• (Man, do I love a craft with tentacles!)
• Mod Podge or slightly thinned white glue
• 36 gauge wire ( Thinnest available.)
• doily colored thread.

tools

• Cutting instruments for wire and thread and lace.
• Paint brush
• Curved circular containers to use for molds.

1) Trim doilies for the jelly domes to the ideal size for you. Mine are small. 2-3 inches. But I think this would work to make much larger Jellies. Just select your lacy underbits to match the scale of your doily.

2)Find molds for your doilies that will give you the curvature you prefer. I used an old jelly mold and a margarita glass.


3) Generously coat one side of your doily with Mod Podge or thinned glue.


4) Place in molds and allow to dry.


5) Make a rosette (gather lace and sew into a spiral). Stitch into place in the center of the doily.
You may want a thimble for this part.



6) Cut lace and wire to double the length that you would like to use for your tentacles. I cut 2 of each, both the same length.

7) Weave the wire into the lace using a "running stitch". To finish fold the wire end and end of lace over and pinch to crimp the wire.

8) I folded the wired tentacles in half, but unevenly, so they would be staggered, and stitched
into the center of the rosette.


9) Fluff up your jelly and string him up for hanging.


additional note: I used two different widths for the tentacle lace to make the 4 tentacles feel like more. Also.. if you were clever and used only cotton lace these could be dyed! I'd love to see someone try that!
Please let me know if you make some. I'd love to check them out!

And for Inspirado?


Welcome to Team Jelly... No Hearts. No Brains. No Blood.

Squishily Yours,
Betty

Made It Myself Monday: Our Book Is Coming Out in A Month!

Well, all last summer, I wasn't blogging much because I was writing this book with my sister and Now it is coming out in just a few weeks! That would be September 22nd to be exact!

it's US! aren't we cute without features?

Show Off is a fun graphic how to book for 8-15 year olds, or anyone who might want to see how to dye their hair with kool-aid, build a jello city, or do the "Angus Spin".

Now my sister has written 60 kids books, but this is my first! I am so excited, I could plotz.

Think of the Holiday gift possibilities!

seriously...I am so full of myself right now!

Now I know what you are thinking... How can I get my hands on that book?

Well, you could pre-order it here. And if you live in the middle of nowhere, or in a strip mall laden suburb, with no local bookshop... Please, do!

But if you are Super Cool you will contact your local independent bookshop and ask them to order it for you. Because local independent bookstores are the BEST. And, let's face it, they could use the biz.

Oh and by the way? Auto Sundried tomatoes? ROCK!!!
Good for the prostate and the karma.
These took 1.75 days!

Hoping to Autograph your Copy,
Betty

Silly Sunday: Back Seat Sun Dried Tomatoes

Hang on to your hats, Ladies and Gents... You are about to see why I am the unchallenged captain and mascot of the US Olympic Rationalization team.

Well, I had to get a new used car.
My old Honda Accord had lasted as long as it could. 225,000 miles was the tipping point where we had to decide if we loved it enough to pour money into it, or whether it needed to be donated to charity. We opted out.

I feel a little guilty. I know that the greener idea would have been to spend a few thousand to repair it and just keep driving it until pieces were literally falling off. When we took a close look it seemed environmentally responsible but fiscally irresponsible to keep repairing it.

I can lean that way: Planet>pocketbook. I pay more for organic, or handmade, or local small batch products... Eagerly.
But this time I made a different choice. I threw in the towel on that car because I really hate being broken down and that was what the next few years would likely entail. Me, stranded here and there. Irritable, late and likely as not with a dead cell phone and a smelly dog or cranky teenager. I am not that good of a person.
Being a libra, and always seeking a balance in all things, I decided to make adjustments to green up my choice. I picked a more efficient car. It isn't a hybrid... But it rates above average on MPG and emissions. I bought used and will keep it for many years...Until My electric plug in is ready and my solar panels installed

So, what else could I do?
The same inclination to do good by the environment had me planting veggies last spring and now my tomatoes are producing in spades. Too few to can and too many to eat fresh. I wanted to sun-dry them but wasn't too sure about my local humidity and how fast I could dry them without bacteria taking over. We are in the redwood forest and half a block from a rather large river. Hauling the tomatoes around on an old window screen for 4-10 days, praying for them to not mold? Hmmm... There are a couple of oven options... 8 hours of slow roasting (hot out already, thanks), or microwaving for 1/2 hour. Nuked tomatoes anyone?

1)Tomatoes are quartered, seeded, and drizzled with olive oil,
placed on a rack over a metal baking tray.

2) Season to taste with sea salt and herbs.

Or a recipe I found here that calls for Putting Them In Your Car. Using my car as a passive solar food dehydrator? That is just the kind of thing that would help me rationalize my luxurious new/used auto as being just a teeny bit greener. And of course it also indulges my infatuation with the sublimely ridiculous masquerading as the practical. Good thing I like the smell of tomatoes!

3)Put in hot sunny car window for 1-2 days. Remove at night.
Finished tomatoes should be similar in consistency to raisins (dry and leathery-chewy)
and stored in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Using My Powers For Good Whenever I Can,
Betty

Fashion Friday: Burda One Day-Day Dress: Green Edition

please click photos to enlarge and decrease odd blurring sensation

Here is a sweet green shift I made from Burda. Vintage fabric with green peacocks has made this little dress one that has come out of the closet time and again this summer. It's green and green becase all the supplies used were thrifted by me and my talented thrift fairy step-mother, Diana.

I think my favorite thing about this shift is the neckline in the back which is kind of a sexy little surprise.

The Burda magazine patterns are very simplistic but pretty wearable. They are also fairly easy to alter, which is good because they seem to be naturally on the boxy side.
Using the vintage fabric, this really seems to fit with the New Vintage Wardrobe stuff... But being a modern pattern it doesn't quite qualify as NVW.



I have several other summer garments to share... And I better do it quickly too because I am already itching to make new yummy stuff for fall.

What are you guys going to make?


Comically Yours,
Betty

Home Again... and Buried in Laundry.

Hi Bloglandeers!

Had a great road trip with Jacob and I have a lot to share. Just Unpacking and Re-acclimating today though.

I plan to post some fun stuff from the trip tomorrow...

And I will have a Big Announcement on Monday!

I will post the Jellyfish tutorial on Tuesday,
(and I thank you for letting me know that you want to make these little cuties.)

Love to Travel...
Good to Go and Good to Come Back Home,
Betty