(In my last blog post, I talked about painting my garage doors and wood timbers.) There are two kinds of people in this world. People who paint brick and people who don’t. I just got out of a mixed marriage, actually. I, as you might have guessed, am the former. And now that this house … Continue reading Carport Project, Part II
My house is an interesting one. Surrounded by younger, bigger homes, it’s a 150-year-old farmhouse that was nicely updated by previous owners. So, I have solid brick construction, and a solid timber frame, but newish drywall and electrical, etc. For me, it’s a really nice combo: old house, with no old house headaches. Just like … Continue reading Carport Project, Part 1
As an English major I read lots and lots of books. And I really liked most of them, especially those that transcended my normal life and opened up new ideas for me. But dirty secret: above almost of all those dreamy-wonderful books, I think one of my favorites is the Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Now, … Continue reading Gardening for Free
Spring decorations make me happy, but boy, can they get tacky fast. Bunnies and pastels and Easter eggs aren’t high on the Elegance Scale, you know? So it’s been a lofty, lifelong pursuit not really to find and make spring decoration that check two boxes: fresh AND fabulous. This project fits the bill. First, you’ll … Continue reading Glitter Bunny Tutorial
Thinking about my blog this last year is like walking past a long-neglected craft room. What used to be a fun spot to hang out and create is now a shameful reminder of good things gone fallow. Shelves that used to hold tidy stacks of yarn are now disheveled, tangled like spilled spaghetti. And the … Continue reading Welcome, Travelogue Magazine!
I was in the mood to knit the other day. So I went into my really pretty Thai basket of UFOs and dug up a boyfriend sweater project that I started for my husband years ago. This sweater is a beaut’! Richly textured with an all-over traveling cable pattern, every stitch is part of a … Continue reading Craft Level: Frida
When Martha Stewart was writing her first book, she sent her husband and daughter on a ski trip so she could have a quiet home for writing. But then she didn’t write. She did anything but write. She watched TV. She dropped in on friends for a visit. She lazily dusted random surfaces. Boy, can … Continue reading Procrasti Nation
So, company’s coming! It’s that time of year, and I’m getting ready to host my family Thanksgiving Dinner. Should be great! I come from a storied history of huge holiday dinners. My mom, the consummate hostess, threw Thanksgivings where everyone was welcome: friends without family, visiting missionaries, extended-extended family, shut-in neighbors – I think we … Continue reading Get Set . . .
Like their prickly cousin, the cactus, I’ve stayed far away from succulents for most of my life. Their easy-to-maintain nature is a real offense to someone like me, who can kill any houseplant that comes my way. They claim to be impossible to kill but I’ve killed them before because I’m just. that. negligent. Their … Continue reading Crocheted Succulent Garden
Flying into Chicago is always a favorite part of every trip for me. I’m almost home, that’s part of it, for sure. But more: I just love that city, that’s all. Thanks to our little fire back in 1871, Chicago is a modern city. The Loop is a neat, deliberate downtown center. Our heart, pumping … Continue reading Go West, Part 2
Handmade by Anne Potter 