Happy Friday! I might as well just call this a giveaway blog at this point, no? I'm still playing catch up since returning from Japan and when I looked at the calendar, I shook my head in pure disbelief that over a week had already passed and that we are yet again traveling (this time domestically, to visit M's family in Indiana). But lucky you, I have a backlog of Tuttle Books I'm happy to give away and this one is a particularly good one. I would keep it, except K can no longer fit into ... Read more

K made me a ring. She glued one of those aquarium glass beads to a broken metal band that she scrounged up from somewhere. Then she tucked it inside a clasping shell container and wrote a note. Because this came in the mail: I probably don't have to tell you that I became quite emotional. I had a moment of terror before I opened the box. "What if I hate it? What if I feel disappointed?" I don't, I wasn't. No, not even close. There are too many things I love about it to list them here. ... Read more

We're back with part 2 of K's 2014 Handmade Wardrobe! Let's jump right in: JULY Tennis (or Badminton) Whites Nautical Knit Halter AUGUST A Little Lace, A Little Boho Frances Newcombe Fabric (black and white) A Little on the Wild Side SEPTEMBER Galaxy Maxi (sewn in July, but posted much later) A Groovy Kind of Dress Big Joey Dresses (Grey + Red stripes / Animal Print) The Classic Combo OCTOBER Necessity Sewing (Rain Jacket, Long-Sleeves Tees, Denim ... Read more

Happy Friday! When we last left off, I had utterly lost control of my financial situation. The thing is, it didn't look like it. On the surface, that tipping point seemed so insignificant, so logical. Imagine this: I am newly graduated, fresh-faced and eager to make my mark in the business world. I've garnered a job at a swanky beachside marketing company, overlooking the frenetic consumer activity of the Santa Monica Third Street Promenade shopping district. I am earning more money than I ... Read more