my life in stitches

i can't wear prada everyday

this season's kicks.

from left: Puma Lo Tartan, Camilla Engman for Converse 1HUND(RED)

country living

lately, i've been really stressed out. i came out to the country for a few days of rest, relaxation, and freedom from the carpeted (ugh. it's one of my least favorite things in the world.) apartment that i have grown to loathe. i was really looking forward to hunkering down with my knitting, being surrounded by trees, and serenaded by crickets. i arrive in the country only to find that not only have i forgotten the 2 knitting projects that i had intended to bring, but i have also forgotten the book that i was reading! being in the country with knitting and a good book is one thing, but being in the country with next to nothing to do is practically torture to me. when the knitless get bored, the knitless go shopping. i went antiquing with my mom and scored a blue Fiestaware plate and a Yellowware bowl and then i picked these flats up at Saks last night. so much for escaping the trappings of city life.

it's back to the city today. i can't say that i'm looking forward to it. february marks my cyclical down time, so i'd probably be in a funk no matter where i was. my immediate plan is to engage in a thorough round of pre-spring cleaning, which includes shampooing the aforementioned carpeting, and i feel the urge to throw stuff out. a lot of stuff. if i can get comfortable in my space perhaps there is some hope for me feeling a bit more comfortable in my skin. there is only so much shoe therapy a girl can afford.

mercury retrograde mishaps and more shoes

last week just might have been the most boring week of my life. the most exciting thing that happened was an epic decision between whether or not i should keep Sandal A (the pair pictured on the left) or whether i should send them back and purchase Sandal B (at right). Sandal A, Bernardo's Must, is definitely the sandal of the summer. it has received a lot of press and every retailer and her mother is carrying them. while this sandal is very cute, i have a lot of issues with Sandal A. the first online retailer that i ordered them from never sent them to me. i phoned several days after i ordered them and i was told that they had shipped already. i phoned a week after that and was told that the order never went out. by this time, i could have ordered and received them twice over already. i canceled my order by email and this crappy company didn't even bother to confirm my cancellation. i should have taken all of this as a sign. i re-ordered (and received them in a timely fashion) from another online retailer. this shoe comes in several metallic shades and the second retailer only carried one or two. i opted for pewter (shown here) even though i rightly suspected that it would make my skin look ashy. i would have preferred it in gold or silver. at any rate, it's a cute shoe, but it only comes in whole sizes and just barely fit me. i was sure that my heels would be filthy and i hate to see that on a woman. ugh. why do shoe manufacturers think it's okay to only make sandals in whole sizes? it happens a lot and i hate it. also, this cute $100 sandal looks pretty cheap up close and personal. the metallic disc is a great touch, but the bits that hold it to the sole don't even appear to be leather. needless to say, i handed this box of sandals back to my UPS guy yesterday and now i am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Sandal B, Sanibel from KORS. i have a couple of other pairs of KORS sandals and i think they're fantastic! stylish, sturdy, and not too expensive - everything i'm looking for in a sandal!

in true Mercury Retrograde fashion my week was filled with mishaps. the flash button on my camera jammed. i can only use the flash on the special settings, of which my camera has many, so i'll have to play around with it and figure out what i can use. it's so stupid and i'm really pissed about it. otherwise, it's a great camera and i really, really, don't want have to buy a new one just because of this stupid flash.

i had to rip back the sleeve on the not-so-secret sweater a couple of times. the first time was due to a design mistake, you know how you think maybe you can get away with something even though you know you probably can't, but you try it anyway? well, yeah, it didn't work. the second mishap was due to bad math. oy. i think it's back on track now. keeping my fingers crossed...

i am seriously thnking of purchasing a sewing machine so that i can finally teach myself how to quilt. i want a good, basic machine. something good enough that i won't feel like i need to buy something fancier in 6 months, but also something inexpensive enough that it won't be a great loss if i drop the ball. i don't want to spend more than $200 if that's possible. any suggestions? any things i should look for in a machine? also, i have a number of good quilting books. can anyone recommend a good, basic sewing book with easy-to-follow instructions? i used to sew as kid, so i'm sure it will all come back to me, but i need a little help getting started.

at least, TV has been a little interesting. one of my favorite shows, So You Think You Can Dance, is back. god, do i love this show! it makes me really happy to watch these kids perform. their passion for dance gets me excited about it. i don't have any strong favorites yet (well maybe Sabra and Travis' ridiculously arrogant adopted brother - i can't remember his name, i also like Benji's sister Lacey), and for choreography i love Mia Michaels and Shane Sparks. all the ballroom stuff is a little boring for me. my new favorite trainwreck show is Making The Band 4. these guys are going to be fun to watch, some of them are so talented they give me chills (Will is a fave so far), and choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson is hysterical! i feel so bad for that kid who can dance, but can't sing. and i'm ready to slap that fat boy who made grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast. fantastic voice, but he's not likely to live very long on that diet. i've also been watching Top Chef (makes me hungry every time) and Rescue Me (which thus far seems terribly tame compared to last season).

okay back to knitting... well, first chocolate and then knitting...