So You Think You Can Dance - Melanie and Neil

Did you see GaGa on So You Think You Can Dance last night? Her shoes - crazy town. Now this dance is worth watching just for a amazing jump/catch? So do you watch this show? If you do who are your favorite dancers this year. Mine at Melanie and Marko, for sure!

Ooooops

Wooops I've messed up my posting for this week. So no real post today. In it's place enjoy this cute reminder that Boden's new fall clothes are out.

Songare un piccolo sogno di:

It seem that I have been dreaming of Italy these days, I go through these spells every six months or so, times when I can't get enough of things that remind me of a country that stole my heart. I have been reading Under the Tuscan Sun, watched both Enchanted April (not great) and the Masterpiece Theater A Room With A View (wonderful) and been plotting about where I would go if I was visiting all the lovely cities there. Is there a place that you find you dream of over and over?

This week - It is gettin' hot in here

Like most of the country we are experiencing one hell of a heatwave, with everyday in the high 90s (I think we topped out at 101 on Thursday, but it felt like the surface of the sun!). Well anyway in addition to being one of the hottest months ever I'm dubbing this July the Month of Babies. So far every week this month someone that I know has had a baby from my friend Peter born on July 1st to the very tiny Mary born this week to my cousin and his wife.

• Did you have a play house growing up? I didn't and I think that is why I have such a love of magic little houses like these. I have great plans to one day have a small gypsy wagon in my back yard for a play house for people big and small!
• My latest obsession is the band Meg and Dia, for reals guys listen to Cocoon like NOW!
• Are you a crocheter? I know what my next project will be!
• I pulled together a round up of Moon Landing inspired goods.
• I've invited you to take a look around my house - see my dining room and my kitchen.

What are your weekend plans? I'm looking forward to a fun night with friends and cousins!

Fun with Fungi or I'm sorry about writing stupid titles

Do you want to know what I've been working on while rewatching Cameron Crowe movies? You do? Good because I was going to tell you anyway! I have been working on a few new Christmas ornaments. Like what you see? There will be plenty more coming up in the next few months.

Share - Meg and Dia

Did you watch The Voice earlier this summer? Around here we (my mom, my sister, my fake sister Kimmy and my soon to be sister in-law Kelsey) were big fans of the show and even more so of the (in my opinion) break out star Dia Frampton. So you can imagine how tickled I was to discover that she had a band with her sister Meg that had already put out a few albums, the most recent being the very cool Cocoon. You can stream the whole album on their website, which I did over and over after discovering it, and you can also buy it on iTunes and Amazon, I did because I want to be a supporter.

It was hard to pick a favorite song, but for today I think this one is my fave. Ask me again tomorrow it is sure to change!

Fly Me To the Moon

On this date in 1969 the first man to land on the moon took his first steps on her dusty surface. In celebration of that momentous occation and to mark the end of the current space shuttle program I have pulled together a little space themed round up for our Wednesday Find session!
This collectors plate was issued in 1969 and show cases a lovely artist's rendering of what the first men on space must have looked like hard at work.
If you want to believe, you might like this flying saucer charm, I'm thinking I might need one for my charm bracelet! Personally, the Tomorrowland the future through 1960's colored glasses has always been a favorite, these magnets based on a 60's game fit right in.

Personally, the Tomorrowland the future through 1960's colored glasses has always been a favorite, these magnets based on a 60's game fit right in.

Now if this bad boy wasn't 90 bucks I'd be announcing here that it was on it's way to me as I was typing this for you to read. Sadly it is $90 and I just can't do that right now, but if you have a spare hundy kicking around I would so get behind your buying this. I think it is amazing!
Finally we have this cool quilt, it looks like they may not sell it any longer, but if you are truly crafty you might be able to make one with your own two hands!

As always when I do these little round ups there is more over on Pinterest, check it out and let me know if you have any other spacey finds!

And of course if all else fails, you can always just sleep under the stars!

Come on in and take a look around - Dining Room

Did you like last weeks look around the kitchen? You did, good because this week we are going to take a quick look see about the dining room. The dining room is painted the same light blue as the kitchen and has the same blah flooring, but that isn't really all that important because for all it's faults the dining room has wonderful windows that fill the room with the most beautiful golden light in the early evening just as I'm arriving home from work.
I was still in college when I found the yellow dishes (that if you have been following the blog for a while you might remember used to be the header), I loved the color and design so much I bought them even though I had no use for them and they were not a full set. Over the years I have added some other white and yellow pieces into the mix. These dishes are the inspiration for the yellow in the kitchen.
Along the wall covered in weird 70's faux wood paneling I have framed a post card collection from The Black Apple. I think the bearded lady is my favorite!
Okay some details, the table cloth (crooked) is from Target, but the last time I was there I didn't see them any longer, so I think they are done selling it. The chairs were found by my brother Sam at a consignment shop in Ann Arbor, they are not the forever option, but work well for now. The table was free from someone moving and has a very cool feature where the sides fold down and the whole table goes down to about two feet across. I just have simple white sheers on the windows because I like as much light as possible to come in during the day. The carnival glass is from my grandma (she always passes along green glass when she finds it because she knows how much I like it). I made the paper chains just for the fun of it a while ago and can't bring myself to take them down (ever!).

Yay! I hope you have enjoyed having these little looks into my home. I really love creating spaces that are totally me!

Cool Treat for Hot Days - Cherry Lime Ices

The kitchen is getting a lot of action these days! Today I'm sharing a recipe that I have been making a lot this summer and nice cool alternative to ice cream and popsicles.

Cherry Lime Ices:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Juice of 8-10 Limes

4 cups of cherries pitted and halved

Make a simple syrup by boiling the sugar and water together until the sugar has melted completely, set aside to cool. Juice your limes and pit and half your cherries (This takes a million years be warned.) toss cherries into lime juice. Mix juice and cooled syrup and let sit in the fridge for at lease one hour. The longer it sits the most the cherry flavor gets mixed in.
Finally put it all in the freezer for a few hours and then enjoy this nice ice-y treat!

For Today

I missed yesterdays weekly wrap up, but it is fair to say that my week was made up of mostly late nights and sleepy eyes. Today it is going to be a scorcher and I'm heading to the ball park with: a father, some brothers and sisters, a few aunts and uncles and a dozen cousins or so! Lets go Tigers!

Make: All Day & All of the Night Baby Blanket

I started this blanket a million years ago and finally finished it, just in time for the birth of another little friend! As almost always I used knit picks yarn, in shine sport this time, I don't remember the names of the colors though - might be caution and high dive. There is no pattern for this bad boy it is just one giant granny square I love how it turned out I really do, but I will say there were far to many ends to weave in for my taste (if you are ever with me when I am crafting this is a normal whine of mine, it is horrid I need to stop being such a baby about weaving in ends, but my word they suck!). So there you go a nice light summery baby blanket named after a rockin' song by The Kinks!

Happy Bastille Day!

Hello ANOTHER bonus post, don't get used to it this week I just have to much to say! If I had a vintage Paris pin like this I would be wearing it today!

Share - Mollie Makes

Finally after much searching (okay I just checked the fabric store a few times) I have found a copy of the new British crafting magazine Mollie Makes! And let me tell you it was so worth it, each issue is packed with projects, home tours and resource guides plus a cute little kit to get you started.
I think I have already flipped through the magazine at least 5 times and you will definitely be seeing some Mollie Makes projects popping up around the blog! To start things off I've made a few of the strawberries featured on the cover.

I'm always on the look out for new craft and shelter magazines, have you found any good ones lately?

Caught on Film

This week is all about the fun extra bonus posts! There is a movie being filmed across the street from my mom and dad's for the next week and a half and I am a little crazy obsessed with the way they have done up the house for all it's late 60's glory.
I know that the swing is from Athro, but I wish I knew where the chair was from. So cool and groovy.
Please don't get me started on the bikes, they are way to much. I'm still hoping to score a tour of the house, though I'm not counting on it. Maybe they will just let me move in after they are done filming!

The Girl In the Heart Scarf

I have always loved scarfs and have often been tempted (and sometimes give in) to buy them at second hand shops and yard sales. My problem is that I never know what to do with them, but after seeing this Girls With Glasses video I have been inspired and have had a scarf in my hair at least once a week for the last few weeks. Now I'm sure you will be able to find some awesome scarfs if you keep your eyes peeled at your local Goodwills and neighborhood yards, but for now you might want to join me in saving your pennies for the totally cute ban.do signature scarf!

Meet my new friend IV

Extra bonus post to welcome my new little nephew to the world he is named after my brother Andrew (his father) and is the fourth Fink with his name. His mom and dad don't know what he will be called yet, but for now I'm thinking of him as little IV (Ivy)! Is he a cutie or what!

Come on in and take a look around - Kitchen

When I was taking the pictures of the iced tea I wrote about yesterday I thought it might be fun to give you a look tour of how the kitchen looks right now. Some day I plan on painting the walls white and I need to tile the back splash sooner than that, but here is what things look like these days. This corner (you can see the whole thing better on the "change something good" button) is one of my favorite parts of my whole house. The yellow utensil holder is actually a planter from Target and the vintage nut grinder came from my great grandma's kitchen via my grandma on my mom's side.
I do not fear nick-nacky things so I like stuff like bunches of salt and pepper shakers lined up a long the back of the stove. That star burst clock doesn't work, yet, but it is so cool I don't want to wait until after I get it working to hang it up. The yellow blender is Cooks brand from JC Penney (It looks like they are on clearance now, I actually think they were on clearance when my mom bought mine for Christmas) its is totally cute and retro.
Okay here you go you can see in this shot that the kitchen is kinda small and doesn't really have much counter space. Oh and the floor, I HATE the floor, I'd like a nice black and white tiled floor like this. Lets see the rug I've had for a long time it is yellow and white squares and has seen better days, but much like my beloved pink and blue plaid chairs I can't replace it until I find another that's just the same! The pot holder hanging on the stove is Orla Kiely for Target, I also have a table cloth that matches. And the fridge covered in stuff, that is one of my favorite things to see in anyone's home tour all the junk they stick to their fridges.
Looking into the kitchen from the other side. You can see just little of the Best Year Ever calendar on the side of the fridge.
Final shot a close up of this funny little collection on the back of the stove, complete with a big mouthed Cherry Chomper and a light up garden gnome!

Drink Up

This is my new favorite summer drink. It isn't juice though it does have a lovely deep red color.
I have been making batches and batches of iced tea with this Pomegranate White Tea from Trader Joe's. I make mine by seeping four or five tea bags for a few hours (I usually boil the water before bed and let it seep overnight) and then mix 1 to 1 with cold water, serve over ice and start the kettle again.

This Week - I'm Trying to Enjoy the Summer

I have two confessions for you: first I love Mary Engelbreit and without pause or shame buy one of her calendars each January (wow glad to get that lack of cool off my chest!) and second summer is not my favorite time of year. Yep I'm going to go with, I'm okay with Summer, but the season that holds my heart is fall, so loverly. Anyway on to what's been going on this week.

• Babies abound, last week I wrote that I was with my cousin when her sweet son Peter was born, this week I was many miles away when my sweet Nephew Andrew was born.
• It was project week around this here blog.
• I've been rewatching episodes of Haven getting ready for the new season. Do you watch that show? It is so creepy/good!
• Emily Henderson has a blog, she is totally like your cool friend that knows just the place to find all the best stuff (cloths, food, funky 70's wall hangings), plus from reading her blog I now know she also has a love of tiny things, just like someone you all know.
• Oh on that note the new season of Secrets of a Stylist starts tonight!
• I'm wondering when you watch shows online do you do other things and just kinda listen along or do you actually watch the show?

Alright just a short list for today. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Pom-Pom Magic

In late June we had a wedding shower for my brother Sam's fiancee Kelsey at my parent's house. Once we settled on a Friday evening event out on the veranda I was set on decorating with crape paper streamers and tissue paper pom-poms.
We used these Martha instructions and flattened one side so we could tape them to the brick wall. Over all I loved the look, but word to the wise sizing the pattern down to make the smaller poofs was not as easy as you might think. The key was fewer sheets of paper, we decided that six sheets worked best.

Plus once the party is over you can wear one as a hat. See how cute Phoebe is!

Black Eyed Beauty Pin

I made this pin a while a go, but never got around to show it off. I love Black Eye Susans and really wanted to add an over sized pin to my accessories collection so I whipped this bad boy up (it is about 4 or 5 inches across). I get complements whenever I wear it and it looks really great with a black dress and black cardigan (one of my go to outfits).

What is Life - Cross Over Baby Sweater

This little sweater is named after my favorite George Harrison song (that is to my dismay not on grooveshark so I can't make a little widget to share with you), the red and aqua colors remind me of the way the song sounds. This is one of those patterns that I just kinda know, I don't really know where I first learned how to make them, but I have made at least 1/2 a dozen of these little guys the stripe-y thing is new though. Made from Knit Picks yarn (what isn't these days?) I think it is Comfy Worsted, but is might be Shine Worsted in Sea Foam and Serrano (the best red cotton I have found) and is 0-3 month sized. If you look close you can see I had a bit of a wondering seem on the arm, I don't know what is up with that, but I had that problem with the last two striped sweaters I have made, I think I must be doing something weird when I change colors, but I don't know what it is (has anyone ever had this problem?). Over all I'm going to say that this is one of my favorite baby sweaters that I have ever made.

Now real quick before I go I do have a question for you. What are your favorite color combos? I'm getting ready to place a yarn order and need some color mixing inspiration, I feel like I have already done so many of my faves.

Hanging Up - Pin Wheel Wreath (and a how to!)

Well folks, I think it is safe to say that summer is really underway these days and is was time for me to take down the spring flower wreath and move on to a more summery one. So I came up with these little pin wheels (have you noticed pin wheels popping up all over the place?) and a new wreath was born.
To start you will need one, two or three pieces of fabric, I would recommend that at least the outer most layer be felt, I made my by sandwiching a layer of regular quilters cotton between to pieces of felt it seemed to be the perfect amount of stiffness. So lets say for the purpose of this post you want to make a three layered pin wheel. You are going to start with cutting a small square out of felt, this will be your inter most layer, you will then cut two more squares each about 1/4 of an inch larger than the one before.
For the next step you will snip from the corner up to about 1/4 of an inch from the middle (maybe even less), you want to cut all three layers together.
Next you will fold one half of each corner into the center as shown. You want to sew each corner as you go, overlapping them slightly.
Finally once you have all four corners sewn down you need to sew a button in the middle to top it off!
I hot glued mine onto a florist's wreath that I wrapped in some (cheap!) variegated yarn. This project is super easy and quick, my eleven year old sister spent the night on Sunday and was able to whip up enough for her own wreath in the time it took us to watch Nancy Drew and that included all the time it takes to put together the right color combinations!

As always I'd love to know if you make any of my projects, so drop me a line (even better if you send pictures!). Also as promised this is project week so check back every day for a new project I'm working on.

This Week: Relax it is summer!

This week: I don't know how it has been in your neck of the woods, but here in the mitten the days have been long, sunny and the perfect 76 degrees. To bad I had to work all week and now that the weekend has come it is going to be a million degrees and I will just want to stay in the A/C all three days, ugg. Anyway here is a round up of fun things from this week:

• Yesterday I was able to be with my cousin as she gave birth to her 5th child (2nd to be born at home) and it was amazing!
• I want to live-in Benny & Joon, after seeing this post you will too.
• My cute friends have started a new blog! Check out Nearly Normal Girls.
• I can't get enough of this wonderful idea: sending someone a party in a box!
• We've started (well I've finished!) another book.
• Speaking of books, NPR has a great round up of books to read this summer.
• I am finally learning how to knit, more on that later.

I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday weekend, stay cool and see some fireworks!

Read Something Good: July

Okay this month I am cheating and recommending that you read a book I have already finished. My cousin Lydia lent me this book and I fell down a rabbit hole and came out a few days later wishing I hadn't hit the bottom. Baby Catcher, is another work of non-fiction, this time a memoir written by a Midwife working in the Bay Area during the 70's, 80's and 90's. Peggy Vincent is a wonderful story teller and her words make you feel like you are standing the the room watching the events unfold. I know that this is a book I will come back to time and again.