People Watching

i need to master my super secret ninja moves so that i can start taking photos and/or videos while i'm people watching
  


people in the last couple of weeks that i wish i had documented:
  
1. the guy at the gym who neighed and whinnied like a horse while on the elliptical next to me. this went on for about 20 minutes. yes... he really made horse sounds. for real. 
 
2. the 80's rocker wannabe in the supermarket. since there is no photo, i'll have to describe him as best i can. i hope i do him justice. 
   

i wish i had a witness with me. i was walking down the cereal aisle of the supermarket and this guy came strolling around the corner into my aisle. strolling like he was in a music video from 1986, not in the supermarket buying cookie crisp. he was probably 45, 5'9" and kinda scrawny. He had on white high-top sneakers with brick red hammer pants tucked into them and a red t-shirt with a big white star on the front and the sleeves ripped off. the sleeveless shirt was tucked very tightly into the hammer pants. he also had a matching red bandanna around his head, but he was careful not to cover his rod stewart hair-do. oh and a mustache. i'm talking magnum p.i. mustache. i told you i should have taken a photo. classic. 

Kendi Cracks Me Up

image via better off wed

i have found {via darling notes} a blog that i cannot stop reading. better off wed is written by kendi, who also writes kendi everyday. she is hilarious! i'm literally reading her blogs from cover to cover like they are books. i've tried to pick a favorite post to share with you, but i can't. they are all gems. when was the last time you had a really good laugh? even if you answered with "umm, like an hour ago", it has been too long. trust me - check out better off wed. i promise you will laugh.

MIA

let me blow the dust off my blog... there. that's better. 


so as it turns out, having a full-time job and going to school full-time takes up a lot of time. add to that living with a family of 4 (including 2 small children), homework, knitting, crocheting, origami, reading, sleeping, eating, studying for the praxis, shoveling snow, making a hanging jewelry display, graduating college (i finished my bachelor's and am now working on my masters), christmas, birthdays, family visits, socializing with friends, and various other things; and what is left is umm.... not much blogging time. but i really like blogging, both reading and creating and so i'm going to try to squeeze a little more time in for it. 


my name is jen and i'm a hobby-aholic. i like crafts. i like making things and giving them to people to enjoy. if i could make a living on crafts i totally would; i just haven't figured out how yet. i the meantime i work to afford going to school so that i can eventually have a job where i will have more time and money to make fun things. make fun things and travel. :) that is my happy place. crafting and traveling. do you know anyone looking to hire a traveling crafter? give them my name. that would be awesome. thanks.     jen.

Wonderful Wall Planners

Miriam Bereson

VanhooseDesign

VanhooseDesign

VanhooseDesign

VanhooseDesign

Cut a Rug

Do you have a plain, old, boring floor with a flat, single-color carpet, hard wood or tile? Here are some rugs that will liven up your space... or at least have your guests shaking there heads.

 If you guests need some extra entertainment, perhaps they can follow the maze in your carpet!

Image found on Dornob, Available at Amazed

Sign me up for one of these moss carpets when they go on sale! The concept is pretty interesting. The mats are made from a special foam that is well-suited for moss to grow and the humidity of the bathroom is enough for these three types to live. There you have it... a live bath mat!

Image found on Dornob, Concept by La Chanh Nguyen

Perhaps these tire track rugs might be best in a man cave, game room or garage, but they will certainly have your friends taking a second look at your floor. 

Image found on Dornob, Available at Amazed

And something a bit more girly than tire tracks. This awesome, giant rug is knitted by hand!

Created by Christien Meindertsma

I think these are my favorite of the bunch! They are made from upcycled leather belts which are mounted together and cut into tiles or an area rug. I might have to raid the local thrift shops for some belts to see if I can recreate one of these. The round leather rug goes for $688 at Branch, so it would be great if I can figure out how to recreate it on a budget.

Image found on Dornob, Available at Ting

Image found on Dornob, Available at Branch

It's All in the Details

I love the inside of this Christian Dior wedding gown! Such an unexpected way to add your "something blue".

Image via Pretty Little Things

Kitchen Couch

I'm a chef - well not professionally anymore, but I still love to cook for fun. Unfortunately, our kitchen like many others in older homes, is not well-suited for socializing while cooking. Perhaps the designers of older homes didn't cook much.  If they did, surely they would have realized that cooks like to talk while they work. Thankfully, kitchens designed for entertaining finally did catch on as open kitchens are quite popular these days. 


I love this kitchen with the lounge area so close to the workspace. Friends can sit and relax while talking and not be in the way - great entertaining solution! 

Image found on Made By Girl