Reversible Tote Bag

I made a(nother) bag. Since I didn’t post the first one I completed, you could be forgiven for wondering what I’m blathering about, but this is actually the second bag that I’ve sewn and finished. The first one is a cute little patchwork drawstring bag. And is also reversible. I think it’s pretty smart to keep making two bags at a time. In between, I started another bag, but I haven’t been able to find the perfect fabric for the other side of it, and so it remains unfinished.

Please forgive the weird cell phone photos that I took. They somehow introduced an icky-looking shadow that does not really exist on my bag (thank goodness)! I know that it would look better if I’d pressed it, but I was short on time, and as soon as I finished it, I had to dash out of my house for a knitting bar crawl. I know, I know. I lead a tough life.

I made the bag according to this very awesome tutorial. The only thing that had me scratching my head was when I tried to figure out how to pinch the corners, but eventually, I understood what she meant.

Edited to add better photos.

I’m am crafty

I somehow decided that I needed to learn how to sew. The exact why is now fuzzy, but once this idea got into my head, there was no getting it back out. I pored over sewing machine specifications and reviews, and then promptly forgot everything when I went to the new Jo-ann’s in Paramus. No worries. I let the nice saleslady give me her best pitch on everything that they had, and then scanned item barcodes and checked reviews and prices on Amazon when her back was turned. I left the store with an adorable pink sewing machine, which I have named Rizzo and I so far love. This love is so deep and true that I am willing to admit that any crooked stitches that I produce while using Rizzo are entirely my fault.

So I am practicing my stitching one day at a time, and have so far made Porkchop two new bibs. She is under strict orders not to soil them with any unnecessary baby fluids, and so far she hasn’t. Good Porkchop.

Never fear, I have not abandoned my new love of crochet. I actually crocheted a nifty little pincushion for myself. I’d always wanted to crochet a toy, and now I’ve killed two birds with one stone.

Can you tell that I really love my Android phone?

Making this was actually super fun, and I’ve already made all the parts for two more of these babies, although I’m not sure when I’ll get around to putting them together. A tiny, sweet grandmother in my knitting group suggested that I crochet a voodoo doll next, and I’m not going to lie: I am totally tempted.

Dear world, you may want to stay on my good side. Seriously.
Love,
Nicole

Missoni! For Target!!

I’ve been a fan of Missoni’s look for several years now. I’d never heard of this design company prior to seeing Amber Tablyn in this dress:

So interesting! So expensive!

but after that, I just knew that Missoni and I were destined for one another. Unfortunately, that dress cost more than the balance on some of my student loans, so I resigned myself to admiring Missoni from afar. Fast forward several years to the present, wherein Missoni are producing a line for Target. Hallelujah! Alas,  I have to admit, I don’t love everything.

This patio set looks un!comfortable!

I am, however, a fan of the following:

Assuming that I don’t get mowed down by other Missoni fans when I go to Target to get something, starting on September 13, I will be able to realize my dream of having something by Missoni in my closet. Yippee!

You wish you could have such awesome exchanges at work

Guy patron using public computer: “I need your help.”

Me: “Sure, what can I do for you?”

GPUPC: “I really need you to move me to the furthest computer  away from [girl patron using public computer]. She’s farting. It smells.”

Me: “Of course.”

Giggle.

These people are both at least a decade and a half older than I am, and this whole exchange/incident cracked me up and released some post-earthquake stress.

So now I crochet, too

I finished my first crochet baby blanket. It is – and I say this without any undue pride – ridiculously cute. For years I’ve been all “Oh nos, crochet!” but, amazingly enough, once I actually decided that I wanted to learn how to do it, I realized that I pretty much already understood the basics. I think this is going to be for Baby Girl W, who had the temerity to be born a couple of weeks early, meaning that this gift is official late. Thanks, kid.

Anyway, behold:

In the early stages

Blocking

Despite the fact that my stomach starts to hurt if I look at this for too long, I really like this blanket. So much so, that I decided to make another one. This kid isn’t due until November, but maybe I better pick up the pace, just in case…

UPDATE SOME MORE: In which I tentatively decide to believe in this again

Second update: Maybe it’s not a hoax after all? I give up.

Update: It turns out that this was a hoax. Bummer.

Original Post: Sip and Pay It Forward

Social science + Starbucks? Two great tastes that taste great together.

I was clicking along at MentalFloss and came across a tidbit in a blog post about Jonathan’s Card. Jonathan Stark has posted an image of his Starbucks card’s barcode on the internet. Anybody is able to download it and use it to purchase items with it. People are also able to refill the card. This twitter feed updates whenever there’s a transaction on the card.

This is pretty cool. People seems to reload the card quickly, although I notice that it seems to be in pretty small denominations. As an experiment, it seems to prove that people will pay to allow something like this to continue, although presumably the card barcode download is anonymous and there’s no onus on them to do so.

If you were a librarian, you’d get emails like this, too

I get the oddest work-related emails:

I admit. I am a crazy cat lady, but my obsession is currently contained to three kitties in home…but that doesn’t mean I’m not obsessed with Maru. YOU KNOW MARU. You have to know Maru. He’s a YouTube sensation! This Japanese Scottish Fold (that sounds oxymoronic) is famous for fitting himself into teensy boxes, jamming his head into paper bags, jumping in and out of pails, and basically being the cutest critter, ever. William Morrow will be introducing the American version of owner mugumogu’s international bestseller, the eponymous I AM MARU, on 8/23/11 ($15.99; ISBN 13: 9780062088413). The US version also features a special edition inside jacket poster and adorable four-color photos on each page. It’s a great book for any cat lover (and legions of rabid Maru fans who have been buying the Japanese version on Amazon for $49.00!).

We would love to invite our cat loving friends to have an advanced preview of I AM MARU – click the image below to log into NetGalley, and get ready for a cute overlord moment!

Have a purrfect weekend!

Love & paws for thought,

[Redacted]

In case you had any doubt, it should now be clear that there is not limit to how much PR people will debase themselves for their job.

So much win

The best things about the comments section in this Deadspin post are 1) while nobody is commenting directly on the post, they’re all making jokes based on it, and 2) all of those jokes are hilariously random. I may end up visiting Deadspin more often, just for the funny commenters. Deadspin: what Gawker was 5 years ago.

Total downgrade

Seriously, Kal Penn???

It’s a tarp!

I’d love to believe that Mitch McConnell and the rest of Congress (not just the Republicans) have suddenly become a lot less crazy, but recent political history (2009 – now, for instance) has convinced me that this is unlikely to be the case. I can’t even imagine what their end game is here.