Photo of the week - Ding! Your time is up!

So while in San Francisco yesterday, I came upon this sight - a permanent porta-potty! At first I thought it was a genius idea. I mean really, if you can cut down on public urination on sidewalks and building facades, then you're surely on to something.




But as I got closer and saw the sign on the side of the porta-potty, I had second thoughts about how great of an idea it truly was.




A 20-minute maximum limit?!? Um, ew! So what happens if someone reaches the 20 minute limit? Suddenly, I had a vision of a loud warning bell ringing, the porta-potty door swinging wildly open, and a man with his pants down around his ankles being booted out upon the sidewalk!

Thankfully, I always take Mom's advice: Hit the bathroom before you leave the house!

Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, I give thanks to those who have fought for our country, our freedom, and our rights. I also take time to remember those who have gone before us.




I wish that my all of my grandparents were still alive so that I could tell them how much I love them and miss them. Now, go kiss the ones you love and hold them tight. Not only today, but always.

Photo of the week - Set in stone

While on a walk, I came across this message written in the sidewalk. It reads, "It's getting worse and you're not HELPING! 2002."




I wonder who carved these words into the wet concrete. What was the terrible situation that is now permanently recorded in stone? Did this plea get the writer the help that was so desperately needed back in 2002? I need to know the answers to these questions! Not knowing is like reading an entire novel only to find out that someone has torn out the last five pages! What happened!?!

What do you think?

Handmade Parade fun!

This morning I got up early, headed over to my friend Janeen's place to pick up her and her cup of coffee, and then we were off to Handmade Parade! And how fun is this photo? A room full of crafty goods! Vendors lined the outside of the large room and craft demos and make 'n' takes ran down the center of the room.




One of the first vendors that we saw was Katie Jean! Katie has been on a circus themed fabric kick lately and she made these really cute baby sets with her new fabric finds. All of her handmade goodies are vintage inspired and I just can't get enough of them! I would give up ice cream to be able to spend one afternoon fabric shopping in her studio!




Next, we ran into The Tin Thimble, a sewing store located in Newcastle. They were setting up to do a fleece dying demo and had several stunning pieces of felted creations on display. I have yet to visit their store, but I'm already planning my road trip!




Here's Jessica of Outro Designs. Her handbags are created with vintage fabric and estate sale finds. Aren't they some of the coolest purses you've ever seen? She's another one that I want to go fabric shopping with!




I was thrilled to see my Craft Mafia sister, Rain of Rain's Embellishments! She lives and breathes beads and it shows in her stunning works! I own several of her glass fused necklaces and always get compliments whenever I wear them.




And last, but certainly not least, the woman behind the curtain - Claire! Handmade Parade is her baby and she did an amazing job putting this crafty event together. Everything went smoothly, there was a huge variety of vendors, and everyone in attendance was shopping, shopping, shopping!




Speaking of shopping, check out these yummy fabrics that I purchased from Claire's booth! They are vintage sheets! Isn't she a genius? I already have something in mind for them, too!

The cat's in the cradle...

...and the silver spoon.
Little boy blue and the man 'n the moon.

So I've been on a hunt lately. My search for the perfect shelving unit has been relentless for many weeks. You see, I'm turning my front sunroom into an art studio! So in my effort to become obsessively organized, I began my search for the perfect solution to storing fabric, craft supplies, and canvases. I've looked high and low at the usual suspects - Target, Office Depot, IKEA, but was only left dissatisfied.

So while on the way home from a client meeting earlier this week, I made a short detour to the local Goodwill store. And that's where I came across this little gem! I figure I can sand down and refinish this baby doll cradle and paint it so that it has that kitschy feel I so want. What a perfect solution for storing fat quarters and other sewing notions! And the best part - when I got to the counter and flashed a smile at the cashier, he gave me the "furniture discount" and this catch cost me only $5!




I brought my new find home and set it down in the dining room. And that's when Zoey happened!




I had the best intentions with this baby doll cradle, but it looks like Zoey has another idea altogether! Perhaps I'll sew her a brightly colored cat cushion to go inside her new cradle. So I'll be back at the Goodwill store again soon to see if I can't find another solution for my organizational challenges. I'll also work on not falling victim to the cat's persuasive ways!

Feeling crafty?

I am! So to get my artsy inspiration on, I'm going to stop by to visit my crafty sisters at Handmade Parade this Saturday! And you should, too!

There will be free swag bags, craft demos, make and takes, and dozens of vendors! And I can't wait to get my hands on the Handmade Resource Guide - it's chock-full of info on where to get craft supplies and handmade goodies!

Handmade Parade
Saturday, May 23 from 11am - 5pm
Giovanni Hall at 1333 58th Street in Sacramento
www.handmade-parade.com




Keep on crafting, my lovelies!

Persian Rescue Project

Yesterday's Photo of the Week was of a Persian that was recently rescued from a breeder's home after she passed away. Named Liberace, he is now in the care of Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary and will be available for adoption at the end of the month.

I wanted to share some more photos of the rest of the Persians that I visited with at the Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary on Friday. Ladies first, of course!

This little girl's face is so sweet, especially with her tongue sticking out of her mouth!




This tiny girl had a healthy appetite and ate lots of her "cereal" err, crunchy food.




Here she is again with her new lion haircut.




This beautiful girl has a white marking across her face and it almost looks like a handlebar mustache!




She was very friendly!




After leaving the Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary, I went over to their new, but not yet opened location to meet the boys. So now for the gentlemen.

You met Liberace yesterday. Here he is again playing with a feather toy.




This guy looks like a little lion!




And last but not least, this silly little boy was named, "Grandpa." He is an older cat and is very friendly. But here's where he melted my heart - he makes the funniest noises! It was a combination between loud purring, an old man snoring, and a gurgling gremlin! I laughed hysterically which made him purr even more!




Here's Grandpa again, perhaps shocked that I stealthily snapped this photo of him in his skivvies!




Please visit the Happy Tails website for additional information on these sweet Persian cats and to learn how you can give one a forever home.