What I Did On My Summer Vacation

Hi.

Is anyone still checking in here?
Couldn't blame you all if no one did. I just disappeared.
Suffice it to say that I just wasn't too sure anymore about what I was trying to do here and so I just started living in the "meatspace".

And I went to Italy.

It was great...
But I came home just Obsessed with Food.
So for awhile now that has been what I have been crafting up the most.

But now there is some new sewing on the horizon, a sale to sew for, and a new sewing circle forming.
Maybe I can find something to say about sewing and cooking and growing.

Just in case there is anyone still out there.

If there is:
Hi! I missed you!

Where Ya Been? Wednesday: The Weekends of Joy Approacheth

This weekend I will again return to this:



and I will be amoungst the cool geeks once again!

And then next weekend I will go HERE and see this:


I am busy completing all the costumes and props required for such ambitious adventuring...
One day of inspiration and the a 4 day uber-deluxe camping and music adventure in the bosom of the Sierra Nevada mountains.

Stay tuned though. I'll have sewing tomorrow and hopefully a Fancy Prize on Friday.

Ooooh! Ahhh!

Monday Musing about Meet-Ups.

First Things First:

Karen... you're the winner! 

You get a genuine Utili-Obi. 

Please send me your address!

Karen was the first to correctly guess who was in the photo with me:

It's Dorie from Tumbling Blocks! 

( Please note: Dorie requested that we pose properly as demonstrated here.)

We had a fantastic meet up in Japantown in San Francisco a week ago and we just happened to be there for the Cherry Blossom Festival which was much more fantastically chaotic than the name would imply.

   ( random costumed gentlemen who were happy to pose- pretty sure this is cactaur from Final Fantasy and a white batty thing I don't recognize...)

There were actually quite a bit of folks dressed up in Anime and video game inspired outfits, as well as quite a few ladies dressed in the gothic lolita genre.

I was so thrilled to get to meet Dorie because Tumbling Blocks has been one of my long term, must read blogs.
And she made that paper doll sweater and wore it to the meet up just like I was reeeallly hoping she would!

We both started blogging a few years ago and have had similar interests, in fact we have even been in a couple of "Pretty Little" books together... except she can knit and has actually really quilted and can write code. ( Which makes her somewhat of a hero of mine.)

We poured over the craft books at Kinokuniya for what would have been far too long for mere mortals and  both bought a fashion book by the same author, sort of like sewing soul mates.

Had a blast, wish she lived closer!

This is actually the second bloggy meet up I have had in the last month. I also got to meet a blog buddy in Hawaii too!


Kristin LaFlamme was kind enough to wait around as we stumbled our way through Honolulu looking for the World's Greatest Shave Ice place.

Now Kristin found her way into my heart during KnitSonya's mushroom swap when I found her via the Flickr group when she made THIS:

I know.. Unbelievably cute huh? I got one of hers and she got one of mine and boom: Internet friends.

These days Kristin is dominating the world of marbling on fabric, and in the mean time was kind enough to wait for us and bring us the biggest bag of treats for our plane ride home. (BTW Red Coconut Ball Candies are like bite sized macaroons from paradise! They would make really cute cupcake embellishment!)

These experiences are leading me to tell you all something Very Important:
If you get a chance to meet someone you like and admire out there in Blogland:
Do It!
If you are going to a town/city/ general vicinity where one of your blogland friends live,
Email them!
Meet up!
It is fun!
I know you probably feel a little shy but, it will be fine!
It is a chance to me another kindred spirit, face to face.
Odds are definitely in your favor that you will like each other in real life too!


Thanks Dorie and Kristen for the great meet ups. Awesome on the internets+Extra Awesome IRL.

Tuesday Teaser

Guess who I met on Sunday?

 Be the first to Guess it Right and win a prize!

Bitter Betty Remote Update:

having a wonderful time, wish you were here...

Maybe I'll post this week ... Maybe I won't...

Fortunately, Unfortunately

Do you remember that kids' story Fortunately ? It was this huge see-saw of a picture book where things were good, and then went horribly wrong.  That pretty much describes this years tree hunt.

Fortunately, we were on our way to our annual super fun tree hunt.
Unfortunately, we were in a serious car accident.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.

Unfortunately, the car wasn't going anywhere, we were on a busy scary hiway, and we had the dog with us.
Fortunately, my sister was meeting us nearby and could pick me and the dog and the boy up so I could go with her husband to get our other car, and boy could get lunch and hang out with his cousins.

Unfortunately, the Holiday Parade was that day, and traffic was insane.
Fortunately, we made it back to my car and put the dog safely and happily in the house.
(Dogs who already hate the car, really hate to be in accidents. He's all A-OK except the stress.)

Unfortunately, it's 30 minutes back to the rest of the family and now MY husband is at the tow yard in a different location, different town.
Fortunately, we have two cars, so we divide and conquer.
Unfortunately, everyone is very low on fuel.
Fortunately, we pick up family members, find gas stations and head up the hill.

Unfortunately, Sister's car breaks down on winding one lane mountain road and is not drive-able and must be towed. And she and her husband have all the kids.
Fortunately, we were right behind them and took the kids back to our place so we could wait to find out where they would be towed.

Unfortunately, it looked like it would be expensive. And we still had no trees.
Fortunately, it was free if they were towed back toward our house, to our favorite local mechanic.

Unfortunately, no rental cars until the next day means they are stranded.
Fortunately, that meant a sleepover... with cocktails.

Unfortunately, that meant after a trip to the drugstore, sister Sarah had to leave her contacts in saline solution in little pudding dishes and we are pretty sure the cats drank one of them.
Fortunately, she was fine with one and we got the rental car and it was upgraded to a hybrid and we were on our way to the tree hunt.

Unfortunately, it started to rain.
Fortunately, we were beyond caring.

Thrift Thursday: Storybookland

Well... Here we are in October. That means the Birthday Season has officially Begun. I am going to the city Today with Julia from Mariquita Farms to deliver fresh organic veggies to hungry foodies and then out to eat. Hurray. I am very excited. I like food and people and good physical labor. A fun adventure to be sure.

I decided there will be an over arching yet lax theme for the BBI for the month of October. That is Storybookland. My little light yellow red ridinghood ceramic bell is my thrifty storybook example for day one. I love storybooks. I love all books. Right now I am reading 4.

Here is a quick craft I did a few weeks ago. I dried my late summer hydrangeas and then stuck them to a straw wreath form with T pins. The wreath and the tpins? Thrift Store. Thrifty Homegrown Fast Craft...You gotta love it. Total spent 1.50.

I also need to clean out those closets and get ready for the rain. I'm even uploading a picture of every single vintage pattern I own to flickr to make myself a reference and get ready to send some away.
But now I gotta run.. The veggies need me.

That's how we roll here at Chez Betty: We bite off more than we can chew.

Let's Hear it For October!
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

So Where Ya Been Betty? Saturday

Man... Where do I start. I have been everywhere and up to everything.

Last I checked in here you saw me scrubbing my ceilings. That was fun and productive and all that goody goodness. It was all part of a grand effort that went far beyond a mere spit and polish!

Later that weekend, I retired to Indian Springs in Calistoga to do a little Spa-ah down time with a lovely group of ladies.

Spa Ladies
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo. Kristen Jones Photographer)

I think this is the 7th year ( 6th for me) that this annual get away has happened. This year we took a bike tour of the local wineries to boot.

Bike portrait with basket damage
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo)

Fine Winery
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo)

That was a kick and improved the experience of soaking in the geyser heated waters of tranquility.

Indian Springs Pool
( Polaroid Land Camera Photo)

It was also the perfect time to show off some great New Vintage Wardrobe creations... and I will hopefully have them for the blog very shortly.

I threw a tiny but festive 42nd Birthday dinner for my Mister.

Over the last couple of months we kicked it into high gear on the fix up/clean up front to get ready for our families to gather for Jake's Middle School Graduation. (High School next year???... gulp.) He has now officially survived 3 of the most universally acknowledged as harrowing years of the human experience. I want to thank all of our loving family members who came to celebrate. We love you all, so much.

the Graduate

I'm working on gathering some before and after pics of the many little home improvement projects we took on, but my computer is acting like a neglected boyfriend and is acting out. Falling asleep in the middle of my projects, etc. Perhaps it needs a trip to the computer spa.

Anyway, for those of you who have been leaving comments and asking questions and checking in, I send my smooches and gratitude and I will be getting to the aging pile of emails as well.


Phew.. Well here's to summer! I hope it's a gem!

Here's to Splashing in your Sprinkler,
Betty

Thrift Thursday:Thrifting Therapy from my Hometown

It was a fun day of shopping in my "home county" of Tuolumne on Tuesday. I came up with some fun and lovely stuff. Vintage patterns, all cute! And one is a western shirt with fun cuffs!

Vintage Sewing box in a most covetable color.

Hmmm, not usually a label girl, but I am able to make exceptions...

And a cookbook that was likely bought for the red cover with black dots...


Because it sure wasn't for the delicious looking color plates that dwelled within.
Yipes!

It was very theraputic to make a fun thrift haul because my last retail therapy was buying a great new pair of jeans. I got lucky and found a pair that fit, were flattering, had those cute pocket flaps, and were relatively cheap. I got them up near my sister's house which is an hour and a half away. I left them in my car, and left my car unlocked in front of my house... and somebody stole them! So frustrating! Did the thief know they were getting a one in a million purchase? Could they possibly understand what a good pair of jeans can mean to a woman of 40 who just put back on all the weight she lost last spring? I knew better than to leave the car unlocked, and as for replacing the jeans, I know that will not be so easy. Jeans and bathing suits... they make the dressing room a battleground. All that therapy... straight down the toilet.

Oh well. At least there was good thrift. And one of the patterns has sailor pants.

Fashion Friday: The Western Mermaid Shirt Goes To San Francisco!

Hi Gang..
Well, the crafty Mojo kicked in to high gear pretty much as soon as I posted (eek...) 2 weeks ago! and I have a lot of stuff to share... Must have been all those nice comments!
I appreciate you all so much.

Today, I start with Aquarium pictures and the second shirt of the Western Shirt Series:

The Mermaid shirt.

( click on photo to enlarge for detail)

Arty anemone photo for fun...

This is the same pattern as before but I used Heather Ross's Mendocino collection for the main panels. I don't remember the other fabrics name, but I like how the dark fabric framed the Underwater Sisters pattern.

that is a lot of water!

the strangely cute spiny lumpfish

We took the pictures on a family field trip to the New Academy of Science in Golden Gate Park.
I had been there on a field trip I had just taken with Sonya and her lovely youngster (Want to see pics?) , and was excited to go back with my big kid. He really enjoyed it.

The building is wonderful and organic, with a living roof.

We are also working on a fun Photo Scavenger Hunt for Great Buildings in San Francisco.
We got a deck of cards and we are trying to get a photo of Jacob with each building.

This is the Phelps House.
This is going to be a really fun project.

Made it Myself Monday: A New Tradition

Look at these beauties.

No more stockings for us! 

We are now leaving our wooden shoes out for Santa to fill with treats!

We purchased the shoes as a  memento of  diversion we took, on our way down to visit family, for Thanksgiving. What a good idea it was to slow down, and take a look around for once.

The shoes were plain carved wood. I just painted the insides with contrasting acrylic paint and finished the outside with matte Mod Podge to make them a little more "goodie proof". 

I love them. I never made stockings for my little family in all these years.  I ve cut out something like 3 sets.. but never sewn a stitch! That is probably because my mom knit some super great personalized ones for everyone. They are beautiful and detailed and can double as a sleeping bag, they are so large. This presents a certain daunting challenge when it comes to the the stuffing of same said stockings.

The shoes? Not so much. A candy cane, chocolate bar, i-tunes card, and you're close to capacity.

A cute tiny stuffed dog and a comic book should cover it.

Want some? Here come the internets to the rescue.

To procure our clogs, we stopped by Solvang, CA. 

(Say it like you are introducing "The Soul Train"... Fun huh? That's courtesy of my sister.)

 

I saw a couple abbelskivvers posts around the internets and as we happened to be headed  in that direction, far be it from me to say no to a doughy fried confection of legend

 The diversion planned and executed!  A 15 hour mini vacation.

Solvang is a town that is designed to be darling. Which is fine. It simply is doing what it was designed to do. And on top of that it is jam packed with pastry. ho ho ho!