never was the sky so blue

Seriously...so blue. I don't think there is a single crayon in the box that could match the sky that stretched over us as we moseyed our way past moss, concrete and a wandering bear or two...

time for tiny trees {a slight misadventure}

I am a big fan of making stone towers. Anytime we're out in the great wide world and I find myself around a rock-opolis I tend to tower them up. A few weekes ago I thought how cool would it be to make a tiny stone tower tree? 

And so I did...

With much failure...

Turns out there are a bunch of things one should do to make smooth stones ready for sticky-glue, otherwise it simply pops right off!  So before you do this, make sure to wash your stones in warm soapy water. Next, place stones in a warm oven while you wait for your hot melt glue to heat up unless the air in your home is super warm already, the cool surface of the stones kept my glue from sticking until I heated them up. A good sanding to rough up the surface will help as well. Mister thinks a silicone glue might be better but all we had was hot melt so that is what I used.

I wonder how the stones would look if given a dye bath? Perhaps an ombre effect? I might try that! Have fun! 

deconstruct a doily

I picked up a pack of gold paper doilies to use as props for sweet november. Of course, in the middle of setting up a photo I ended up deconstructing one of the doilies into a pile of pretty. I then took the pretty to the sewing machine and whipped up this happy garland. 

All you need is one large paper doily, a pair of scissors and a sewing machine. YOu can also weave a length of embroidery floss or yarn through the doily pieces instead. 

 Tis the season! 

make a last minute trivet

Okay, this project was much prettier in the noggin but I am certain that if I had had more time the prettiness would have matched what was inside my tired brain. 

This easy trivet diy can be whipped up with a sewing machine in less than thrity minutes. Ten if yer quick and fearless. All you need is two scraps of denim and one or two equal-sized scraps of wool. My wool came from two thrifted sweaters.

Create a pattern by tracing around a small plate on a piece of scrap paper. Cut out your pattern and pin to four layers of fabric scraps. Bring to your sewing machine and stitch al lthe way around with a straight-stitch.

Trim your new circle with scissors and pop it all back into the mahcine and quilt it up however you like. Travel-around the entire edge of the trivet with your machine, using a zi-zag stitch. Snip threads and put it to us! 

You can also use your trivet as a potholder! Make a handful, some round and some square for a more cohesive look. If you have more time, you can totally patchwork up your denim to make it snazzier! Have fun! 

rain

Mister went down to L.A. over hte weekend leaving me solo. I had of course, grand plans for my girlie days for crafting, cleaning and baking but then the sick settled in and all I did was wallow on the sofa under a pile of blankets watching Glee and Doctor Who and the rain outside the tiny casa.

On Sunday it finally stopped raining and the light was really pretty. I opened the front door to take in some fresh air and check on my plants when I noticed the entire lawn criss-crossed with the gossamer evidence of spider webs. I tried. I really tried to capture it with the camera.

I sat on the wet stoop and took it all in.

That's just how I roll (raon soaked pjs and all).

We're heading out of town for Thanksgiving to spend time in the land of giants, may all of you have a most sincere and warmth-filled weekend!

gifties goodness for the hiking girl

gifties goodness for the hiking girl by jekinthebox featuring a lip treatment

Here is my go to wish list for items I use and/or want for our many mini adventures. Now, I  am not a serious hiker. Nope, not me. I am in fact a bit of a wandering lazy hiker who may or may not be prone to whininess when the wheeze kicks in or the hills get too steep. This odd assortment of goodies helps me get through it all. If you are just starting out or have a friend or two who are prone to the wander any or all of these items would be well received (within reason of course).

My very first pick up there is that pink thing. See that pink thing? That is a pstyle and is every girl's best friend for hiking, campingm outdoor events and/or any place that is prone to sporting a port-o-potty or two. Seriously, the pstyle is my saving grace for doing the deed when I need to most with nary a rest stop in site. You can read more about the pstyle here and here.

Next up is a good pair of socks. I am wishing for some smartwool socks for myself. Mister swears by his and so it is about time I get my own pair and so should you. Along with a good pair of socks, every gal needs an extra pir of gloves and a warm hat to keep the chill off. The cheapie magic stretch gloves are not a bad bet for having a pair or two stashed in the car or various jacket pockets. Sure, a fancier pair of gloves will better keep your ands warm but even the slightest protection from the chill is a good thing. There are all sorts of nifty etsy sellers creating upcycled gloves and mittens. I'm kinda in love with these zombie funk mittens by madhadher and these hobo gloves from ReWoolables. As for hats, etsy is also my go to place for a handmade chapeau. Harry and the Hippie Chic have a nifty assortment in their shop. If you have a pile of wool sweaters at home, you can also try your hand at making a hat or a headband even.

Other bits such as sunscreen, lip balm and moleskin are things we tend to forget about. Sunscreen will both protect you from sunburn and keep you moisterized. Lip balm will keep yer lips from getting all chappy-chapped and moleskin will ease any blisters that decide to pop up. Diaper cream is no joke and will greatly soothe any chafing that happens on longer hikes (I speak from sad expeirence). A small tin of pastilles can help with nausea when gum is not around, a whistle can save yer life and a small first aid kit packed with ointments and such isn't too shaby either. Trail mix will keep your energy up and a water bottle will of course, when full, keep you hydrated.

And lastly, for summer hiking, a banadana is a lifesaver. Tying a wet bandana around your neck keeps you cool when it is warm out and is also a handy tool for cleaning up yer dusty face or washing dishes even if you must. This skull bandana is all kinds of cool.

So here ya go, a gift guide for the outdoorsy type full of things that will both come in handy and be quite useful. Enjoy!