tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219629942011-11-27T19:47:36.211-05:00Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.comBlogger761100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-14727702433215691262011-02-12T12:55:00.001-05:002011-02-24T19:29:37.916-05:00

 I had a little of ground turkey breast leftover  and  a hankering for something spicy. I decided to use it to make some Dan Dan noodles. Dan Dan noodles are usually made with pork but with all the spices the sauce contains, I'm sure the turkey would work fine as long as I got it to the right consistency . Then, I couldn't find my recipe, one of the few that I have hand written. None of my

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-32674518973836426862010-07-22T21:37:00.001-04:002010-07-22T21:53:50.954-04:00

2 cups water 1/3 cup vegetable oil 1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup raisins 5 tablespoons brown sugar 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C) 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-14192580314926683052010-06-08T22:37:00.001-04:002010-06-08T22:37:55.903-04:00

Quinoa with roasted vegetables and Moroccan spices Originally uploaded by Saltygal. 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided3 garlic cloves, peeled2 teaspoons cumin seeds2 teaspoon turmeric, divided1.5 teaspoon smoked paprika,* divided 2 cups water1 cup quinoa (about 6 ounces) rinsed well, drained1

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-28804664239041306642010-05-20T00:03:00.003-04:002010-07-22T21:51:17.666-04:00

Squaw Bread Originally uploaded by Saltygal. When I was a child we took at least one trip a year up to the mountains, to Bishop, California. Before we returned home we would go to a local bakery there and load up on  their specialty, Squaw bread, an absolutely delicious whole grain bread sweetened with raisins and molasses. Then, when I moved to Hawaii , there was a French baker Jacques,

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-76048444160717725192010-04-09T13:05:00.016-04:002010-04-09T16:25:02.905-04:00

Chicken tsukune Originally uploaded by Saltygal. I had purchased some ground chicken to make the chicken onigri from Everyday Harumi but decided to try the recipe for these little meat patties instead. They would make great little sliders or appetizers for a party. I adjusted the recipe for the ingredients I had on hand . 1 lb ground chicken 2 stalks celery finely diced 1 small round

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-91837608332182767642010-03-23T15:41:00.001-04:002010-03-23T15:41:10.655-04:00

Super good banana bread Originally uploaded by Saltygal. 1/2 c unsalted butter softened1 c sugar ( I like to use lt brown or 1/2 lt brown and 1/2 white)2 eggs1 c mashed bananas2 c flour sifted1 t baking powder1/2 t baking soda1/2 t salt 1/4 c buttermilk or sour milk optional 1/2 c chopped walnuts or almonds or mini chocolate chips Cream butter and sugar together until light and

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-21471024796704476872010-03-18T11:33:00.001-04:002010-03-18T11:33:14.500-04:00

Sourdough Annadamna Originally uploaded by Saltygal. I'm trying to get a little variety into my baking but I love the sourdough so I was happy when I found this recipe for a sourdough Annadamna bread.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-39479503584589987412010-02-26T08:32:00.006-05:002010-02-26T09:56:23.611-05:00

So if you know me then you know I used to be a cratfter plagued by ADD with too many projects and not enough time to complete them . A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with a neuroendocrine tumor on my pancreas and had a major surgery to remove it along with numerous other parts of my digestive system. During my recovery I couldn't sit at the sewing machine and sew and I couldn't eat much

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-10296798729565057992009-07-09T11:11:00.001-04:002009-07-09T11:11:34.338-04:00

Many Mushroom Buns Originally uploaded by Saltygal. Many Mushroom buns

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-62148110497102015602009-06-15T13:25:00.002-04:002009-06-15T13:27:57.288-04:00

The cooking continueschop chop chop Originally uploaded by Saltygal.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-78424919330961142962009-06-15T08:31:00.007-04:002010-02-26T09:53:12.505-05:00

Well we are days away from "early summer" when I predicted Saltygal would reopen on the web. I don't think I will reopen anytime soon. I am almost fully recovered from my surgery and able to stand and sew, but right now, I just have no interest, and that's not the way to run a business. Lately what's interested me, is food and the garden.I've always been an avid gardener, but last summer I

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-80287630852625236912009-05-18T13:53:00.006-04:002009-05-28T14:00:39.395-04:00

I know I've been quite and gone for a while. I promised updates but I wasn't sure if and when I would be able to return to work and reopen my shop. I was waiting until I was sure of a date. My surgery went well. I was in the hospital for a little over a week and was able to come home under the care of a visiting nurse.I had a minor setback two weeks after my discharge and had to be re

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-66723175315575954472009-03-11T01:03:00.007-04:002010-02-26T09:56:55.368-05:00

I closed my Etsy and Artfire shops this week, hopefully just for a month or two.I'm having some health issues and have had to close shop several times since November.I'd sewn like a demon in October and November to participate in a couple of craft shows and have a nice full shop for the holidays.That didn't work out I missed the show and had the shop closed most of December.When I was feeling

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-61065323862496871432008-12-24T15:14:00.001-05:002008-12-24T15:17:36.764-05:00

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-22076389350662115882008-12-16T13:35:00.008-05:002010-02-26T09:55:46.905-05:00

When I first moved here and the kids were young,I went all our for Christmas. I decorated the door and window frames with elaborate garlands and wreaths I made myself,filled the window boxes with more evergreens and had spectacular trees filled with ornaments collected from all over the world. It was a lot of work ,weeks worth and my family appreciated it . This year with Jon away and the cost

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-17706679125641298982008-12-14T00:08:00.008-05:002010-02-26T09:55:16.703-05:00

I made this chart several weeks ago after watching the same items being featured over and over on the front page of Etsy. Is it scientific ? No. However between the time I first made the chart and now, I've noticed that most of the treasuries I've seen fall within my table of possibilities .I am having a glitch with Google or Blogger or both so I am unable to post it here. I've provide a link to

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-39765786463682269512008-12-12T16:27:00.010-05:002010-02-26T10:02:19.388-05:00

I've had an increase in the number of mini cases I've made lately . After the Macbooks, the Dell "Mini" and Asus EEEPC are my most requested sleeves. One of my customers posted a video about his sleeve.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-7640623354878830772008-09-20T08:01:00.006-04:002010-02-26T09:57:37.522-05:00

After a lazy summer of gardening and collecting , I'm getting back into sewing and creating new products. Sales have definitely slowed for me on Etsy, where I used to get new customers without even trying . When I first started making my laptop sleeves, there was only one other person making them and theirs was a true bag, one with a zipper and handles. Gradually more sellers started

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-91609147001317930302008-09-02T12:09:00.009-04:002008-09-02T13:39:11.732-04:00

My favorite new(to me) blog is True Up . It's all fabric all the time! The current meme is to post your favorite contemporary fabric.After much consideration, I've settled on Kiku Stencil by Makower. I love everything about it. It's simple yet complex , old fashioned, yet modern.Kiku is Japanese for Chrysanthemum, which happened to be my mothers favorite flower. She grew at least 10

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-81478521015303373922008-07-01T17:42:00.007-04:002008-07-01T18:00:18.090-04:00

Woof Nanny's latest challenge was to up cycle a t-shirt into a bag . My son recently let go of some of this favorite t' s so I decided to use one of them. I decided to make a messenger bag since it was a man's t shirt and would be a good choice for the print. I backed it with some stabilizer but it was still too soft to keep its shape so I used some black twill for the body of the bag. I used

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-51617432682562171902008-05-02T17:14:00.008-04:002010-02-26T09:49:14.111-05:00

This is my submission for Woof Nanny's current bag challenge, which is to remake a bag. I did more of a rehab than a remake. I bought this vintage straw bag at an estate sale. It had been packed away for years and had no major issues other than a strong musty odor. After giving it a good cleaning I tried airing it outside in the sun for a few days. It worked a bit but soon the scent would come

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-11170512183128881012008-03-01T21:44:00.007-05:002008-03-01T23:25:25.218-05:00

Last month I participated in Barb's (Woof Nanny) purse project challenge which was to make a bag from vintage linens (curtains, dresser scarf, tablecloth, etc). I thought it would be easy but I just couldn't seem to think of the right bag for the linens I'd designated for cutting. Then recently I came across a towel that looked like ones we had when I was growing up. A lovely

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-35653116812843997332008-01-27T18:57:00.001-05:002008-02-05T10:30:30.169-05:00

The recent changes in international shipping rates have really put a crimp in overseas sales of my laptop sleeves and bags. To ship an average sized sleeve to the UK used to cost $10.50Now to ship the same sleeve cost $20.00 which is about half the price of a sleeve.When a return customer ordered one for a gift, I worried about losing a sale. She asked if their was any way I could send it

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-60546015373110826292008-01-17T09:13:00.000-05:002008-01-19T03:06:29.279-05:00

Borrowing from the Daily Show, the year has started with a whole lot of indecision for me regarding Saltygal. I didn't start the business for any single reason , it was a way to keep busy, make a little money and feed my fashion and fabric obsession. Etsy made it easy for me to have online storefront. I opened one up and made a sale the first day. I was hooked. When I started taking custom

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-13896380558560430762008-01-04T00:30:00.000-05:002008-01-04T00:48:41.727-05:00

Yes, it's been a very long time since I've posted here. I have barely been able to keep up with flickr. But new years is wonderful, the perfect time for a fresh start, so here I am back on the blog. I'm trying to stay optimistic about the future of just about everything. I will try to be more productive with my time and I've set some concrete goals to strive for as far as my business and craft

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-25585087795161556452007-08-05T11:03:00.000-04:002007-08-05T12:01:30.100-04:00

I have just returned from a trip to Indiana. My sister in law, Gay died suddenly last week. She had waged a ten year war with ovarian cancer. It was stage 4 when she was diagnosed, her doctors told her she had about 6 months to live. She did'nt accept that, she had too many things to do, too much life left to live. She and her family live in the mid west, we are in the northeast, so we didn't

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-15280126432525737222007-06-17T11:40:00.000-04:002007-06-17T12:35:41.371-04:00

I've been stuck in an enormous rut lately making the same things over and over. While being successful and making lots of sales has always been one of my goals, it's not exactly why I started my Saltygal business. I started it because I loved thrifting old items and recycling them into something new and useful, especially fabrics. I had made and gifted just about everyone I knew with my projects

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-46946223880565831612007-05-29T21:42:00.001-04:002007-05-29T22:26:54.947-04:00

Barb aka Wolf Nanny has been an inspiration for me since I first found her blog and fabulous flicker photos. She is an incredibly talented writer and crafter and one of the best thrift hunters around. She started a new blog called the Purse Project and challenged anyone that's up it to join in and create purses according to a theme or material. It's not a competition, it's a fun way to

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-72198476863013145342007-05-22T01:47:00.001-04:002007-05-31T09:18:12.237-04:00

group portrait Originally uploaded by Saltygal. the latest batch of owl pillows just before they head south . I'll miss them

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-28822585979233827282007-05-22T01:38:00.001-04:002007-05-22T01:44:54.471-04:00

ready to ship Originally uploaded by Saltygal. I just finished my first reorder from the new account. Everything that could go wrong did and I thought I'd never get it done. I know how long it will take to make things. I figure that out when I price my items, but that is in an ideal world. I don't live in an ideal world. I will add another 20% on to my time estimate next time. I have three

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-78751779724727889692007-05-05T18:59:00.001-04:002007-05-05T19:51:15.092-04:00

Hearts and Roses Jacket Originally uploaded by Saltygal. I think Cinco de Mayo is destined to become of of those holiday that in the US everyone celebrates. Just as we are all a little bit Irish on St Patricks Day, we will all be a little bit Mexican on Cinco de Mayo. Tequila and tamales instead of whiskey and corned beef. I grew up in Southern California where Mexico's history was taught

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-64938832787276462072007-04-26T12:18:00.001-04:002007-05-31T09:16:32.437-04:00

Wish you were hereOriginally uploaded by Saltygal. The craft blog had an entry on pillows that told stories through needlework. My first true craft was embroidery which I learned from my Grandmother when I was 8. I embroidered pillowcases ,towels and mostly useless things like dresser scarves and arm chair covers, using Vogueart or aunt Martha transfers or pre printed linens from

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-19476696599637388692007-02-18T12:20:00.001-05:002007-02-18T12:26:08.053-05:00

yo yo tote Originally uploaded by Saltygal. I been sewing up a storm but my camera still hasn't arrived and I haven't been able to borrow a camera. My broken camera is still working , but I have not been able to get the settings right and the pictures are awful. My camera was shipped last week and I have a feeling it was on one of those trucks that got stuck in the big snowstorm that shut

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-2253555072090201632007-02-15T08:04:00.000-05:002007-02-15T23:50:22.244-05:00

I have been going mad for fabrics lately. I keep swearing I won't buy anything new and just *use what I have* but now is the time when new collections are coming out and I don't want to miss a thing! I have a particular weakness for Japanese fabric, both traditional and modern, with shipping they can easily cost double the price of domestic cottons. I am also enamored of reproductions of 30's

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-79665356033318148392007-02-10T21:00:00.001-05:002007-02-10T21:42:17.842-05:00

Today's haulOriginally uploaded by Saltygal. Today was the first estate sale I've been to this year. I went for the button collection . We had to wait over an hour ( in 23 degree weather) to get inside. They only let a few people in at once. I was number 65 and I thought for sure the buttons would be gone, but I got 2 huge jars and a bunch of other sewing things. I love old tools and supplies

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-76134118235447414122007-01-29T12:08:00.001-05:002007-02-10T22:00:07.926-05:00

Alice's setOriginally uploaded by Saltygal. This order serves as a perfect example of the dangers of attention deficit crafting. I had an order for 2 sleeves from one of my favorite customers . She is a real peach and has sent business my way many times. I wanted to really make this set perfect. I made the outer sleeve and it fit like a glove. I started on the small sleeve. The small sleeve

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-29145560702623643622007-01-26T19:51:00.000-05:002007-02-10T21:47:16.238-05:00

Winter is finally here. Today the highest temp in my yard was 10. It was nice and sunny but with the wind it was brutal. Good time to stay inside and sew. I would love post a WIP but my camera is broken and I am waiting to see if I want to fix it or trash it. I bought this camera, a Nikon after my first digital; a Canon broke on a day just like today. My son was playing Hockey at the Larz

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-41630471908882881372007-01-20T02:39:00.000-05:002007-01-20T02:43:51.302-05:00

So I am finally able to post . I decide to clean up my blog and when I change the template and attempt to paste in all my links I find that the disk I copied to is corrupted . So new links a new page ( for now I like simple but it's a little stark . Then my camera breaks .Great

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1169135871668679572007-01-18T09:11:00.000-05:002007-02-10T21:52:31.051-05:00

I have no idea how it happened but I can now access my blog again. First through flickr now the right way ! Hurrah! So to catch up ... I've been busy still mainly sewing. The warm winter has made it possible for me to continue working in my basement without having to stoke up the wood burning stove to keep cool. A small portable radiator found at the recycle center is very efficient and much

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1168906415954844902007-01-15T19:12:00.000-05:002007-02-10T21:55:39.686-05:00

Upcycle bb entry Originally uploaded by Saltygal. Wow! I think I finally figured out a way to get back into my blog through flicker ! I have had trouble ever since google came on scene. Anyway if this makes it you'll be seeing more posts from me.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1156397065822218312006-08-24T01:00:00.000-04:002007-02-10T21:56:51.295-05:00

This is awful. No posts in forever. All apologies. Damn, I have been busy. A good busy, a satisfying busy. I have been making lots and lots of the laptop sleeves. I need a new map. I have been tracking all my sales and placing a little pin on the map for each one. My "target market " has shifted considerably since the boingboing post . I have sold in the UK , Japan and Germany. I only have a

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1154053668261831192006-07-27T21:56:00.000-04:002007-02-10T21:58:23.734-05:00

The summer is passing me by. I waited so patiently for summer, to have the luxury of time to myself, time to catch up on all those projects that require fresh air and warm temps. Somehow it hasn't worked out that way. Good things and bad have kept me from any routine and the bulk of my time has been spent just keeping up. I am free right now because I have just returned from the airport to

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1153234406088341702006-07-18T10:43:00.000-04:002007-02-10T22:00:57.579-05:00

The rain and heat have given me a bumper crop of pikaki blooms. Two days worth was enough to make a single strand. I wish I could post the scent ,so fragrant and beguiling that dozens of songs have been written about it. Pikaki is the traditional lei for lovers and weddings.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1153105954284875612006-07-16T22:14:00.000-04:002006-07-27T18:17:01.226-04:00

Just got back from the movies... Can you guess which one? Now you know as Saltygal I"m going to take in any good sea farin tale but the main reason I went to see this wasn't Johnny Depp it was my brother Ron. He has been working on it ( and the sequel) for over a year. I wanted to see his name roll by at the end. He's not an actor,he's a craftsman, one of hundreds that work so hard to set the

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1152930212379638282006-07-14T21:04:00.000-04:002006-07-26T13:52:23.930-04:00

It's been a frustrating week. The first part of the week was focused with getting my son cleared for takeoff after his surgery. He has to keep the sling on another 3 weeks and can start physical therapy when he returns. One good thing ,if you can call it that was that I had to take him to the airport extra early to get him an aisle seat because he wouldn't be able to crawl over people to get in

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1152506640985323162006-07-10T00:32:00.000-04:002006-07-16T18:36:10.313-04:00

It might have worked, had my neighbors not gone away for the weekend and left their dog locked in the house to bark and howl for 45 minutes out of every hour. Their insensitivity towards their neighbors is only exceeded by their cruelty towards their dog. Since this is supposed to be my craft blog not my bitch and moan one, I will tell you that this reminds me of one of my first craft projects,

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1152253453669509402006-07-07T01:30:00.000-04:002006-09-13T14:23:01.726-04:00

Arrggg my sewing machine is dying a slow death. I have had it for 30 years. 20 of them were in Hawaii where heat,humidity and salt air are constant. I didn't use it much when I was there, mainly for alterations,repairs and Halloween costumes. When you own a clothing store and your best friend is a seamstress extrodinare why sew? I don't think it would have lasted this long if my current

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1151991043334195722006-07-04T01:21:00.000-04:002006-07-16T18:37:24.006-04:00

I finished a few projects that have been cluttering up my desk. One the prototype design for the vintage fabric I found at the dump. I'm glad I didn't cut into the fabric. The bag is very cute but not for me.. The other is another bag made from men's pants. This one is simpler than most but the colors are really beautiful. Now I have a large order to fill and must buckle down and sew sew sew.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1151601581398372022006-06-29T13:14:00.000-04:002006-07-01T15:40:31.436-04:00

A while back I met the incredibly creative and talented Jes when I made one of my recycled cargo bags for her. She was in the process of building her own online shop JunqueRevival. The shop is now open and is filled with fabulous one of a kind wearable works of art. I fell in love with them the moment I saw them. I literally flipped a coin because Ihad to have one and was torn between two of

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1151592745932318122006-06-29T10:01:00.000-04:002006-06-30T00:34:18.473-04:00

The change of seasons and school years has left my household in a bit of turmoil for the past 2 months. My daughter returned to Hawaii yesterday after a 6 week visit. Tomorrow my son will have othroscopic surgery to repair his shoulder which he has dislocated 5 times in 3 years. Ouch! My husband is also taking a weeks vacation starting tomorrow. In 2 weeks my son will go to Hawaii for his summer

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1150859147950077112006-06-20T22:28:00.000-04:002006-06-27T07:56:04.080-04:00

Back in April I wrote about my daughter and her birthday. Today I celebrated the birth of my youngest child, my son who turned 16 today. Boys may not celebrate "Sweet 16" but it's an important milestone on the road to independence. Being eligible to learn to drive and getting a license is a very big deal. We live on the edge of town, miles away from friends,sports, activities, school.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1150394560983467422006-06-15T13:48:00.000-04:002006-07-16T18:42:05.780-04:00

Here are some pics of the fabrics I found yesterday at the dump, all washed and sorted by color. Some of them really are quite spectacular in their strangeness. How did we live with such prints and colors ?These two are my favorites ,a good sized piece of an avacado floral that is destined for a handbag and a skinny piece of voile in shades of pink and brown that will make a lovely scarf.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1150345358654283432006-06-15T00:00:00.000-04:002006-06-15T13:48:19.626-04:00

Inspiration comes from the strangest places. I am lucky to live in a town with an amazing recycling center. Virtually everything can be recycled there and residents can take some things back too. You can get free compost, once every couple of months you can shop in the "paint store" there is a library section and another one for household, office and sporting goods called"take it or leave it". I

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1150082171256604022006-06-11T22:05:00.000-04:002006-06-14T22:06:50.606-04:00

Today I took a carload of accessories to Boston's South End Open Market to sell at the Etsy Booth. Traffic was pretty good, I received many compliments, sold 20 items to 14 customers , but overall,(sales-wise)it was a disappointing day. The best part was meeting other ETSY sellers,some incredibly talented people. I shared a booth withsweetestpeawho makes the cutest stuffies around , all hand

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1149566770472654952006-06-05T23:56:00.000-04:002006-06-11T22:04:13.076-04:00

Holy cow I just realized it's been almost a month since my last post. Lots has happened to keep me form posting and crafting. My daughter is home for a month and I've been spending time with her. I celebrated ( not really ) another birthday. I've been busy in the garden and at my other garden. Baby muskrats have emerged from their den under our dock and the swallows will be fledging soon. I have

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1147631635105834652006-05-14T14:09:00.000-04:002006-05-16T15:48:27.306-04:00

My mother was an amazing woman. She was a stewardess for PamAm Airways in the forties. She met and married my father a pilot, in the fifties. My father said he married her because she was smarter than he was and was not impressed with his good looks. She was a gifted artist but did not work outside the home until all her children had gone their own ways. She was politically active, had a deep

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1147569697153892342006-05-13T20:47:00.000-04:002006-05-25T17:42:58.700-04:00

I should be sewing but seeing how I left my mayday post sitting on the dashboard for two weeks, I'm feeling guilty about not updating. It has been raining steady for almost two days and we have one more to go. That will keep me out of the garden for a while. My "other" garden has been planted but I haven't seen it yet. I laid it all out and I hear it's beautiful. Hopefully I'll get a dry day and

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1146711762001114182006-05-03T22:30:00.000-04:002006-05-13T11:57:40.890-04:00

Here I am late again, but better late than never. May came in windy and cool and I spent it at the nursery picking out plants for the "other garden". What a pleasure to be able to pick whatever I fancied without looking at the price and then deciding if I wanted it or not. In less than 2 hours time I spent $1,000 dollars. I still have another dozen shrubs to find somewhere else. I have a half

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1146026628165228672006-04-26T00:29:00.000-04:002006-04-27T16:09:13.420-04:00

I’m having a difficult time getting into the blogging routine. All my routines are off with the change of seasons. The weather has been off and on…. warm and sunny and cool and rainy. We needed the rain, but damn if it didn’t knock most of the cherry blossoms off my tree before I had a chance to get a good shot. Last year I was managing a children’s store and did next to nothing in the garden (

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1145497426467162062006-04-19T21:39:00.000-04:002006-04-24T11:47:45.960-04:00

My grandson's, two years apart both had birthdays last week!

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1145164401421689552006-04-16T01:07:00.000-04:002006-04-20T21:09:37.746-04:00

My daughter Heather had her second son this evening ( I forgot to ask what time) A boy 2 weeks early but still a healthy 6lbs 11 oz and 20" long. She sounded great, but I know she was tired. He sounded hungry. I'll post a pic as soon as I get one. Now I can go to sleep.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1144803530783837642006-04-11T20:21:00.000-04:002006-04-14T23:05:52.266-04:00

I was thrifting last Friday ( see my flicker vintage children's books for my two 50 cent finds) when a terrible headache came over me. I spent the better part of the weekend in bed. On Sunday my husband was going a little stir crazy and we went out to the Grafton flea market. Oh what junk, it was awful, The few decent tables were loaded with a few good things mixed with trash can material. No

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1144039406439410952006-04-03T00:21:00.000-04:002006-04-06T09:55:28.956-04:00

I had a request for another pocket bag and so I whipped this one up for the very nice Amy from Illinois. While in search of materials for the bag I found some really odd grandpa shorts but I just fell in love with the fabric, a tissue thin cotton plaid. I made a cute little skirt from them, but I am just too damn old to wear it. I'm going to take some pictures and sell it on Etsy. I am just

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1143903858345104102006-04-01T09:40:00.000-05:002006-04-29T20:57:27.616-04:00

Today is my daughter's 19th birthday. This is the first time I will not be with her to recount the tale of how she came into the world. When she was smaller it was a long story, she always begged for more details. As she grew older, the story grew shorter. Slowly it morphed into a family legend.I feared I wouldn't have another child after my first.Years went by, doctors said it was improbable.

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1143523179862897132006-03-27T22:53:00.000-05:002006-03-28T00:19:39.886-05:00

I am a thrift shop and garage sale maniac. There are no thrift shops in the town I live in, only "Designer Resale" shops that I can't afford to shop in. In the winter no one has garage sales so I get pretty happy when spring rolls around and I can go treasure hunting. So last week while browsing I see an ad for an upcoming garage sale in my town. It reads "Estate Sale- Clothing, furniture and

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1143180360300416122006-03-24T00:38:00.000-05:002006-03-24T01:06:00.313-05:00

I finished my second reconstruction project, which was the one I started on first. A skirt with ruffles of a gorgeous Amy Butler cotton sateen floral. I had originally bought the fabric to make myself a bag but this year I think I'm going to macrame one or go with a solid color. So, I had the fabric and the colors worked very well with the cargos, but more than that I loved the contrast of

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1142992707605911022006-03-21T20:34:00.000-05:002006-03-21T21:53:55.086-05:00

I tried to finish up a few unfinished projects this week. I have a bunch of ipod and laptop sleeves that I cut out weeks ago. All I need to do is sew them.I moved everything downstairs (in anticipation of spring) But I'm not quite organized , all my stained glass and mosaic projects are also waiting to be finished . I started to clear a space off, there was a bag of my sons clothes for

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1142635488494890342006-03-17T16:59:00.000-05:002006-03-17T17:44:48.506-05:00

Is there such a thing? I got a little excited last week when we had some sunny warm days and moved all my sewing projects downstairs. I had planned on waiting until Easter but my daughter called and told me that her brother had complained that we weren't eating at the table as a family. She told me to pack it up and give the table back to dinner. So I did. Family dinner is one ritual I have

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1142207166026261832006-03-12T17:51:00.000-05:002006-03-16T00:56:21.693-05:00

Well it's been a while I know. I actually wrote a nice long post last week and then had a major crash before I posted. I guess I should write in word where I have auto save, I just don't. So, I had the crash while my Palm desktop was open and lost 7 years of data. Yes I had a backup, but it took me a half a day to figure it all out. So my post was about owls ,which are suddenly popular. I have

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1141152835933655652006-02-28T13:53:00.000-05:002006-02-28T14:50:41.616-05:00

Per tigerluxe" I'm inviting everyone who reads my blog...if you have read this far...to list on their blogs 5 books that have changed their life...i hope this hasn't been done before (in the many corners of the intranet)It was difficult to just pick 5 but here are mine in the order I read them.1.The Collected Works of Dorothy Parker2. Slaughterhouse Five Kurt Vonnegut3 Silent Spring Rachel

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1141148178758092472006-02-28T11:31:00.000-05:002006-02-28T13:21:24.586-05:00

being strangled by a weak man .........All day. Mitch HedbergRest in peace Mitch. I am sitting here procrastinating. Comedy Central is airing a half hour of Mitch. He really had one of the most perfect deliveries ever. His comedy was so original. The other night I was questioning if there are any original ideas left. How do you know we haven't seen or heard something somewhere else, long ago and

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1140848969798851002006-02-25T00:12:00.000-05:002006-02-25T01:41:07.880-05:00

My husband hates the name of this blog. He thinks Attention Deficit is a condition and I shouldn't joke about it. I really think, he thinks people will not understand or somehow look down on me. For the record, I am not joking about it, nor have I been diagnosed with ADD, but when it comes to crafting and gardening, I do have a difficult time keeping focused on one thing at a time. There just

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1140731841897381732006-02-23T16:29:00.000-05:002006-02-23T16:58:04.116-05:00

Well my week sans son will be over tomorrow. I haven't accomplished much , but it was great to have a break. I really needed it . It's the first one I've had in at least 6 months. But I did miss him . I'm looking forward to seeing his photographs and hearing his adventures.I did manage to finally make Deb's apron and get it into the mail. It didn't turn out quite as I had envisioned . I like the

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1140364045054855582006-02-19T10:41:00.000-05:002006-02-19T10:52:56.673-05:00

I haven't been able to get much of anything done this past week. It's winter break time here. I spent most of the week getting my son ready for a 10-day visit to Greece with his photography class. Now that he is gone, I'm hoping to make progress on some of ideas. Inspiration arrived for me in the form of a bundle of fabric from my best friend Deb. She is an accomplished seamstress and her fabric

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1139609779095252002006-02-10T17:03:00.000-05:002006-02-25T01:33:11.743-05:00

I am amazed at the creativity of the crafters online. They are both inspiring and intimidating. I have been having a difficult time getting anything done this past week. I can't seem to get more than an hour here, twenty minutes there. If I was more organized, that would be more than enough time, but I'm not. Two weeks ago I had a creative burst and filled pages of my idea book with things I

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21962994.post-1139078159624635992006-02-04T12:44:00.000-05:002006-02-23T17:02:44.730-05:00

This is my where. A little about me, who I am. A middle aged mom.Actually I prefer mid century, I was born in the fifties and now I am in my fifties. I come from a family of artists and other creative types , but I never considered myself artistic. My mother worked in many mediums and was a crafter before they had crafters. My father was an airline pilot whose regular route from the fifties to

Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02138674683273971392noreply@blogger.com0