Heartless Bastards

Heartless Bastards: the name is very deceiving. Though their music isn't easy-listening, it also isn't hardcore. Their lead singer, Erica Wennerstrom, has a rare combination of a powerful voice and evocative lyrics.

Even better, they are proof that good things come from Dayton! After seeing them at Canal Street about a year ago, I became an even more devoted listener. Good news! They are coming back to Canal Street this December 27th.

Here is a link to their website:
www.theheartlessbastards.com

Here are the album covers so you know what to look for next time you're at the record store:

Handmade owl doorstop

What's better than a plaid doorstop? You got it- a plaid doorstop with owl features. I found the base (see first picture) at a local antique store. I thought it was the perfect shape for an owl body. Add some felt and buttons that were begging to be used, and ::hoot!hoot!:: I had a charming little owl.

I realize owls are kind of trendy now, but I have always had a fondness for the feathery creatures. Perhaps it is due to the wisdom they symbolize or their iconic features.

Please post your own owl adaptations and keep crafting alive!

Vintage Tablecloths

I love our kitchen. So much so that I don't particularly mind washing the dishes or cooking because it's that cheery. We painted the walls light yellow and the windows let in a pretty light that makes the kitchen glow.

Our table is a perfect complement too, as it belongs in the same 40s/50s era as the house. I collect tablecloths that were also made in that same time period. Stay tuned for more pictures of quirky tablecloths and tea towels from my collection.

As seen on the table, I share Claude Monet's sentiment: "What I need most are flowers, always, always."

Chopping off my cold feet

I have always loved the quote, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." (Leave it to the Chinese Philosophers like Lao-tzu to say it best, hunh?) The quote is rather fitting for the first posting on this blog because I have been wanting to start for quite some time now. Unfortunately, that "overplan" feature of my brain has been holding me back. Often, I think we procrastinate because we want our end product to be flawless and that is such an undertaking that it's more tempting never to start. Well boo to that- here's to just going with it and accepting imperfections!

Speaking of Chinese quotations, here are some of my favorite Chinese proverbs:

Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a singing bird will come.

To know the road ahead, ask those coming back.

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song.

One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade.