HumbleB is back

So, you know how my end of the semester break turned into a year long hiatus?
Well, it did. And now I'm back.

Here's what has happened in the last year:

I decided that I was over Santa Cruz. 
Or, well, no, that's not right. I love Santa Cruz and I always will, but I decided it was not where I wanted to finish my college experience. So...

I took a semester off school to spend time with my siblings in Michigan. I lived with my amazing, crafty sister Alisa . I worked two sort of weird jobs, one of which was putting together prototype scrapbooking products. You havent lived until you have sliced your finger open with a brand new X-acto knife while trying to splice together two normal sized printed pieces of paper into one big piece of printed paper. While I was there...

I finally learned how to knit!! This is important. 

I also took a history-themed road trip from Michigan to Gettysburg and Washington DC with my sister Rebecca.

I took a train all by myself from Michigan to California, spending a few days in Portland along the way. Then...

I transferred to a new school that fits me perfectly. It's small, socially conscious and filled with amazing people. Oh, and it's in Arizona, so I am currently adjusting to life in a new, smallish town.

In school, I took a class that allowed me the opportunity to facilitate a twice-weekly, six week, writing workshop at with incarcerated youth. This has been the thing that has had the most effect on me in the last year. Spending so much time convincing kids who did not prioritize writing at all that is a valid and important form of expression forced me to examine why it is I love writing so much.

Writing is definitely something I am prioritizing more, now. I am, in general, after spending so much time burying my nose in school work, trying to bring more creativity into my life. That sounded really corny, but it's true.

It is a testament to my lack of creative outlet that I did not even bring my sewing machine with me when I moved to Arizona. Of course, I will be sewing my little heart out all this summer at my parent's house. (Especially now that my sister's beautifully designed Woodhaven fabric is in stores.) And I will definitely be bringing my machine back with me for the next school year.

So, I'm back, and switching directions a little -- just to be more inclusive about what creative content I talk about. So this will be about writing and sewing and art and anything else I get all excited about.

humbleB is on hiatus until the semester is over!!

see you in June!

(embarrassing) things that I really, really love

I am in a bit of a crafty lull this week, due to school. God, it seems like that is always getting in the way.

Anyway, I thought I would share with you some dirty little secrets...


1) I am seriously obsessed with the Deadliest Catch. It's sooo good.

If you're not in the know (shame on you) it's a show about crab fishermen in Alaska. They have the most dangerous job in America.
Seriously. I don't know what it is, because normally I am not really a reality show type of person, but this just sucks me in. I think part of it is that the fishermen remind me of men from the midwest? Strange, but true.
I love the way they all act like such hard asses, but then when something goes wrong, they turn out to be total softies who really love each other. I'm not gonna lie, I have cried more than once watching it.

And it's exciting! Seriously, I get to pumped every time they're bringing up a pot because I just want it to be extra full because it makes them so happy!

2) My newest favorite meal is a vegan blt that I make not vegan by putting a fried egg in it. It sounds weird, but totally amazingly delish. If you want to make one, and you do, here's how: toast two pieces whole wheat bread, spread each side with veganaise, cook three pieces faux bacon and place on one side of bread, cook a fried egg, breaking the yolk, and put that on top of the bacon. Top with tomato, lettuce and other piece of bread. drool and enjoy.
yum.



3) Rhubarb

I love everything about this weird vegetable. It's delicious. And it makes the ONLY sort of pie I like.


4) Late night religious infomercials.

Enough said.
These things are like crack to me, I can stay up all night watching them. They're so often just so weird/sad/horrifying/hilarious.

5) I Know Who Killed Me

Okay so there is this movie. Staring LiLo. And... And... I just... It's hard for me to explain, because it's bad but I really truly deeply love it with all of my being. My best friends and I watch it about once every six months. Mostly because we meet someone who will appreciate it's awesome/horrible-ness as much as we do.
Anyway, so in this movie... Lilo is a stripper, or, wait, she's a college student writer, or, I mean, she has a stigmata, or I mean, she has to sew her own finger back on, or I mean, wait, she's a piano player!
And her piano teacher happens to also make prosethetic limbs.. as a hobby.
And also, there is a lot of color symbolism.
Oh, and weird sex with a fake leg.
And endlessly quotable lines such as:
"WHO. CUT. YOU!!!!!"
and
"Is that all I am to you? A way to relax before the game?"
So much awesome horribleness, so little plot. It is SO worth your two hours. Do it, just do it.

Quick Hello

Hi guys, just wanted to let you know that I am featured over on Urban Farm Designs today!! So fun and exciting, Meaghan put together a great meet my peeps feature!
Her blog is super fun, so check it out! I love her turquoise tuesday posts! So pretty!!

And look at her beautiful aprons!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

Whoo! 

So last night I drew a winner from a list of the people who entered the giveaway! 

Andddd the winner is THURSDAY from My Girl Thursday  (actually I love her blog, so I am more than happy to pass off some fun goodies her way!)

TOMS

So remember how a while ago I mentioned I needed to fix my TOMS?
(If you don't know about TOMS I'm just going to come out and say it, you should probably hop on that bandwagon, because they're awesome(ly comfortable) and also for every pair you buy they donate one pair to a kid who needs shoes! Seriously!)

Well, I finally got around to doing it. And it was soo easy! This probably took me about thirty minutes, total, including having to switch scissors FOUR times because I couldn't find my sewing ones. All I was looking to do was make a new sole insert for the right one, since somehow mine fell out.

(and it was all foamy and gross on the bottom)

Now, I got these TOMS when they very first came out, and from the looks of it, they have improved over the years, so I don't know if sole-falling-out is so much of an issue with the new ones, but in case you need new soles for your TOMS, or really any shoes I suppose, I thought I'd DIY it a little.

First, choose a fabric you like, probably best to stick with quilting weight cotton or heavier. I thought about trying it with jersey but I really don't know what I was thinking.

Anyway, fold your fabric so that you have five or six layers, and then place a few pins in the middle to hold everything together.

Then, place your sole-less shoe on top of the fabric and trace around the perimeter.

Then, leaving the pins in place, cut out your outline. You should now have five or six layers of the fabric all in a nice pile.

Leaving the pins in, sew around the perimeter, using eh, I don't know, a quarter inch seam allowance.

At this point you will probably become aware, as I did, that you're essentially sewing a maxi pad for your shoe.

You're welcome for that visual.

Then, using SHARP scissors (this was my downfall) trim around your edges so that the pad fits in your shoe

 Then, and I feel like this step is optional, as it just adds a little more form to the thing, iron a piece of stabilizer onto the bottom of your pad.

and....

Coat the bottom of your shoe with a strong glue (I used UHU but I think hot or super would work excellently) and press the pad into the bottom.

Let it dry overnight and TAHDAH, like-new TOMS:)

Remember, giveaway ends tomorrow night!

I love Mondays...

Just kidding.

But here are some actually things I do love.

 

This photo is Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg at Kerouac's grave

This! (if you didn't know, House is easily my favorite show)

this makes me want to go camping with friends so bad.

This? embarrassing, but I thought it was pretty sweet.

Awesome tutes from Nonpareil

(I'm not one to dream about my future wedding, but I am one to dream about super really pretty parties:)

These awesome jars from Post Grad Hair Cut

okay, see you tomorrow. Remember, the giveaway ends wednesday!

:)