The Savvy Crafter

Links and a Movie...

We watched a cute movie last night;  Waitress with Keri Russell.  We didn't really know what to expect and were pleasantly surprised.  Drama, a lot of creative pie baking, and a happy ending.  It was a perfect Sunday night flick, especially after my friend's farewell party.  Two of my best pals are moving home this week ironically.  One is heading back to Connecticut and the other to Portland.  It's going to be a hard week to say the least.  And on that note, I'll share some happy bead blogger links...

About.com Jewelry Making
Are your wire loops perfect? Why not? What the heck is wrong with you!?

Earthenwood Studio Chronicles
Melanie's Studio Tour continues with a look at the skeletons in her craft closet, and in a new magazine!

Jewelry & Beading
Cyndi has been working on her wire skills, and she's collected her favorite sites for learning the basics!

Make It Mine Magazine
Spread the word: Make It Mine's on MySpace.

PearlEsq.
Contest! Contest! Keep Robin busy while she recovers from her knee surgery and send Bandanna Technique Cards-You may win a full set of Ranger's new Adirondack(r) Pigment Ink Stamp Pads and Re-inkers! Bandanna on, Sister (or Brother)!

Snap out of it, Jean! There's beading to be done!
Jean explains why she is so proud of her wabi sabi compliment (concerning a ring she made) by the great Eni Oken, wire worker extraordinaire

Art Bead Scene
Economy Gone Bad? Read ABS Editor Cindy Gimbrone's series Beading on a Budget to keep you beading in style!

The Impatient Blogger
Madge takes matters in her own hands and collages an imperfect and quirky new bio photo. Just because.

Savvy Crafter
Candie shares a project for Ornament Thursday that she crafted with her mom.

Naughty Secretary Club
Jen has a fun DIY project showing you how to make a Tom Binns style No Time Watch in no time at all.

Katie's Beading Blog
Katie presents an easy wedding jewelry set this week. Check it out!

You have to see....

Lars and the Real Girl.  We were absolutely clueless about this film when we put it into the DVD player yesterday afternoon.  I can't tell you how much we enjoyed it!  To quote, Botch, "it had everything you like about a good book."  An endearing story with brilliant actors---the family gives it four thumbs and two paws up.

Tonight...

Well, we've turned the couch into our office tonight and are working.  It happens.  The man is putting out fires here and communicating back to the States.  One hand on his phone (which has been ringing off the hook) and one on the computer.  It seems that whenever you take a vacation, you have to work over-time.  And triple time in my case, after loosing a week and a half to pneumonia.  However, I think it's nights like this that make you savor the time away to come.  So since we would be working here in the living room tonight, on the way home from the studio I stopped by DVD-Boy's stand to check his offerings.  I scored 101 Dalmatians, the Indiana Jones set and Stand By Me, which is what we're watching right now. I'd forgotten how much I love this movie.  The lines, the actors, the life messages.  If you haven't seen it in a few years, I highly recommend adding it to your Netflix queue. 

Indeed we are actually leaving Shenzhen for a few days for a quick adventure.  We catch a plane to Kathmandu on Tuesday.  I haven't done too much research on what to see so I welcome your 2 cents.  All I know is that our hotel is next to the big square and it includes breakfast.  I know we will visit temples and markets....the bead market.  Oh yes.  We're so excited.

P.S.  If you have sent me an email in the last week or so, I haven't forgot about you.  Thanks for checking in and the nice notes. I'll be emailing this weekend, so talk soon.

P.S.S.  MySpace was also bl()cked a couple of weeks ago, so if you emailed me there, I cannot login.  :-(  But,  our class reunion has been set for JULY 26th. 

Potpourri Weekend...

I'm sitting here listening to the "Retro 80s & 90s" internet radio station.   It occurred to me that I always thought of "retro" describing funky silver Christmas trees and swanky lounge music.  Crap.  In other news, I seemed to have turned into the casserole queen over night.  When we lost our cook, I started "cooking."  (well, I can see this is going to be a quote-y posty, sorry)  Anyhow, I did what any Midwestern girl would do, go to the Campbell's soup website for recipes.  So far it's been successful.  I was telling some friends about the fabulous enchilada recipe they have.  Did you know not everyone in America "cooks" with Campbell's soup.  In fact this is the third or fourth time I've met someone who has never heard of this.  Gasp!  I always respond with "you don't know what you're missing."  "Really?"  "Yeah."  Maybe my pallet is little to be desired, but...I can sure put a meal on the table fast.

Peace of Toast, Candie Cooper 2007

Get it?  "Peace" of toast.  The piece of felt ended up looking like a piece of bread.  I stitched it to some blue felt, added some buttons and a dove.  It was a happy accident.  Or cheesy?  I don't really use chopsticks to eat toast, but they matched the wool and plate.  Here's one for you.  We own four pairs of chopsticks, one normal spoon, and three forks.    Something happens when you move to this culture.  I think it's that the "little" things aren't so important anymore.  I watched Imagine, the movie about John Lennon, the other day.  Interesting and inspiring.  Speaking of bread or Peace bread for that matter, I love the part where he talks to the random stranger that had been living in their garden.  He asks the man if he's hungry and then invites him in.  They all sit around the table and break bread together.  Incredible.  We need more peace.

I'm working on the next class for Second Saturday, the crafty class for kids.  I'm thinking about felted ornaments.  This was supposed to be a star or a heart, but once I finished it, I couldn't cut into it.  Sometimes you just have to follow the process instead of wrestling it into place. 

And with that I shall close to go make a cup of tea.  I can't shake this nasty, yucky cough.  As it turns out, my friend, knitting teacher, and nurse in her "past" life told me Friday she thinks I had pneumonia. "Huh," I said, "that makes a little more sense now doesn't it."  Oh, thank goodness for friends that can help shed some light through all the polluti()n over here.