secondhandsewn has moved! new website!

secondhandsewn is now its own new and improved, self designed, completely fabulous and wonderful website!

here's a looksee:

so go to www.secondhandsewn.com, poke around, SUBSCRIBE people! see you soon!

wouldn't it be fabulous to have...

personalized pencils?

i think i would feel so glamorous if someone asked if they could use a pen- and i pulled out a pencil with my name imprinted on it with a flourish.

i think mine would be tiffany blue with a gold or silver imprint... faaabuloussss...

for the long weekend...

it seems like summer is the time to read good books... more than any other time of year. was anyone else in a summer book club? we used to join one at the public library every year when i was a kid... you'd set a goal for a certain number of books to read and if you met your milestones you got free ice cream and carriage rides. awesome right?

well if you're looking for a good beach read (for 4th of july weekend perhaps?) here is a list of "1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die."

personally, i don't believe in having lists of things to do before i die... so i am not regretful when that day comes (because i never finish my lists!). STILL- looks like there might be some good suggestions on this list.

i am currently reading:

trying to refresh my memory before the movie comes out! (and secretly... i never read the end because someone told me a sad spoiler... and i didn't want to experience it.)

i have been horrible lately.

completely unable to control myself and yield willpower against the beast we all know as... 'the summer sale.'

luckily- or unluckily? my hubby totally supported my addictions this week...

check out my bargains!
**sorry for the poor photo quality!**

$5 "gift wrapped ring" from jcrew- looks like a present bow, right?

$19 felix rey tote from target... seems a little marc jacobs esque to me... and a good laptop tote?

$24 pink chucks from tj maxx! i have always wanted a pair of chucks!


so now that i've busted my budget... have you found any treasures in summer sales?

the best part of waking up

some days, waking up early and going to work just stinks. i just want to cuddle up with my blankets and pillows and hubby and stay in my bed all day.

coffee is the one saving grace. seriously, sometimes i'm getting ready in the morning thinking 'man, i can't wait to get to work and have some coffee.'

another thing that helps is a cheery coffee mug... and maybe a pretty trivet or tile to sit your mug on... i know it makes me smile to see my pretty coffee in the morning.

my mug was only $.50 at a thrift shop!

you can find lots of pretty options online at one of my most favorite places...anthropologie...

like these:

happy coffee!

the most perfect bike

if i only had $600 extra dollars...

saw this beauty on a walk through carrboro yesterday afternoon. the leather seat! the leather handles! the color! the creamy wheel wells! the vintagey amazingness!

olde town art fair

hand blown glass in all different fabulous colors... i love glass. these would look beautiful all lined up in groups atop an all white fireplace...
this next one is a graphite drawing- as in pencil- and was as tall as me. that's not saying much, but DANG i bet that took a long time.
these next paintings were fabulous. i saw someone buy one and was so super jealous. my favorite was the yak... but there was also a beautiful minty-blue cup that i didn't get a pic of...
these pretty orbs were handblown glass, and on a pole so you could put them in your garden. what a pretty modern take on a gazing ball!

so on my free day in chicago, i checked out this super cool art fair in old town.

"The Old Town Art Fair will celebrate its 60th anniversary on June 13th and 14th as the charming, tree-lined streets of the city's historic Old Town Triangle District will set the stage for 260 nationally acclaimed artists and an estimated 50,000 art lovers."

Chicago!

sorry for the lack of posting last week... i was in the lovely chi-town on business (neocon 2009!).

here is one of my most favorite things that i saw in chicago... the bean! or, 'cloud gate' which is its official name. i think it's one of the coolest public artworks out there... especially as far as involving the public, getting people to interact with it and each other- it's amazing. you can read all about the artist and its construction here.

i'll try to be back for good... and post every day this week! possibly more pictures from chicago...?

the smell of summer

the day june 1 hits... i miss the beach something fierce. i miss the beaming sunshine, the sand between my toes, running from the waves, hunting for seashells, and even the moody clouds when a storm is coming...

i also miss being able to just head out to wrightsville beach on a whim, driving along in my yellow beetle with the windows down and the music blasting...

one thing that helps bring me back to the beach is the smell of hawaiian tropic.

lately, i've been slathering it on my arms every morning- it's actually super light and moisturizing, has spf (duh!) AND that amazing summery coconut-y smell that takes me right back to the waters' edge.

really, you should try it. you'll be driving to work, catch a whiff, and suddenly you're on vacation :)

music i like right now

after a bit of a hiatus... i'm back. and i'm going to be posting about all kinds of randomness... the usual crafty things, plus great design, do it yourself ideas, and things i just plain like.

speaking of things i just plain like- check out lisa hannigan's new solo album. super cute name, super cute cover art, and check out this super cute video. amazing use of arts and crafts (pop up book! yes!) in a really creative and fabulous way, i think.

oh yeah- and it's super cute.

valentine's day flowers

you know what- i used to be super cynical about valentines day. one of those people who said 'the only good thing about valentine's day is the 50% off chocolate the day after!' maybe it's just because i'm happily married now or maybe i've just gotten older and wiser (ha!), but either way i have a healthy respect for valentine's day now.
i mean c'mon- who can't appreciate a holiday that's just trying to make it a little less awkward for us bumbling idiots to tell each other how we really feel?
and...we all know the flowers, chocolate, and jewelry (i got all three!) don't hurt!

i hope you had a happy valentine's weekend. and if not- you can share my flowers, and i love you :)

texture

les fleurs

it feels like spring here this week...in the 70's in february! it's just insane...

it's been a long while...

shouldn'tve left you...without a dope beat to step to...step to...

hehe

i know i know i haven't posted in ages. this photo makes me want to go on a road trip...

piccys

in lieu of other crafty delights...i am giving you these :)

i love dish towels...

...i know it's silly maybe, but i absolutely love dish towels. they are such a cute way to add character, color, and texture to an otherwise sometimes sterile room- the kitchen. and, they're cheap! so you can afford to switch them out with your moods and the seasons.

the one on the left is from williams and sonoma, and is purely for practical use (although i do love a good stripe...clearly). the one on the left is the reason for this photo- a christmas present from anthropologie!

i love its embroidery and the tassels at the bottom...and you can't see it but on the edges there's a cute vintage-frenchie red and blue stripe. i didn't make this one, but i am planning on doing some using these super cute vintage transfers sometime soon.

prettyyyy

isn't that color amazing??

these are the curtains in my bedroom, which, are not at ALL that color. ok well they're blue and stripey, but i don't think that they are nearly that intense in person.

it's awesome what color and light can do when all smashed together and poured through and around each other...

p.s. my husband took this one, not i

treasure

i found this little owl guy hanging out in my husbands old bedroom at his parents' house. isn't he cute? he's a bank!!!

the little glass birdie is a tealight holder from the mast general store in asheville, nc...and the bowl is my creation you may remember from a previous post.

cookies

cookies cookies...something about baking is so pretty to me.

these are cinnamon butter cookies...i added the raisins because my hubby loves them. and i mean loves them a lootttt.

here's the recipe. they came out a little cakey this time, and i used whole wheat flour so i think that maybe had something to do with it. more than likely, a little too much flour, a little too little butter. balance is everything!

new year, new camera

so, i know i'm late (as always)...but HAPPY NEW YEAR!

expect to see some hopefully prettier photos in the new year...as i got a fancy dancy new pentax dslr for christmas :)
disclosure: there may be some more photography and less crafty posts in the near future. MAYBE.

anyway... i hope to be more crafty, take more time to do things, blog more, be better with correspondence, and not sweat the little stuff in 2009.

all the best to you and yours, and i hope that your holidays were ahmazing!