vacation

I'm going on vacation in 5 days!  Even more exciting is that it's with two dear friends from Oregon.  For 19 glorious days I'll be in southern Spain and Morocco and I could not be more excited.  Laughter, mishaps, good food, sun and a camel ride is just 5 days away.  Until then, I'll bear with this misty sea weather, emails and coordinating mundane logistics for my recruitment trip in the fall.


 





What were/are your vacation plans this summer?

something for the newlyweds.

I really like making things for my friends, and I absolutely love weddings.
My friend Matt is getting married this summer, and although I haven't met her, I'm sure that his soon to be wife is lovely.
Tucked inside this little envelope is a handmade wooden cross by a local Lithuanian craftsman.
The nice thing is that this little package will be hand delivered with love, since one of our (now) mutual friends is working at LCC and will be returning back to Iowa and attending the wedding.
There are so many different things that I would love to study and package design is definitely one of them.  I am in no means a master, but I do love making little envelopes and packages.

And, I have a lot of other things that I'm working on (one being finishing painting my apartment...they have been half painted since December.  The one wall is done, and I love it.  It's a deep, velvety turquoise.  The rest of the walls are being painted a white-dove grey.  But after the one wall, I've lost steam, but hopefully I'll finish it sometime this summer.  :)  But since my creative outlet has mostly been through pictures, I'll try to post some of my favorites soon.

chair remodel.

Yes, I know...  It's been a long time.  But here's a project that I did this past spring (yes!  I know, it's 6 months late.)  But now they are chairs in my dining room and they look so cute and great!   Except, there is only 3...so far that's all that I have been able to find, so every day while I am walking around, I keep my eyes out for a lone chair by a dumpster.  :)

When you don't have a car and don't speak the language*, and there isn't a Target around, sometimes I'm at a loss of where to find things...  But then I found Home Depot.  Okay, so someone took me there, and it's not called Home Depot, but I walked in and I'm pretty sure bells and choirs started singing.  I found a happy spot!  It was even orange like Home Depot.  So many possibilities!  So I got some grey enamel paint, sanded the chairs a little, took off the old covers, bought a camping mat**, cut up my tablecloth that I used as a table runner for my desk in the office, staplestaplestaple and whaalaa!  Cute little chairs.

I hope you all are doing well, and since the Christmas season is now officially upon us, I can't wait to see what everyone is making!

*uh, I live in Lithuania...and I found all those chairs by dumpsters...

**I didn't know where I could find padding/foam, and the camping mat was so cheap and just the right width.  It has the same function...to provide a small amount of comfort from a hard surface...

  

imported.

I realize that it has been a while since I've posted.  But I have some things up my sleeve.  I also realize that I said that the last time I posted...3 months ago.  This time, it's true.  I should be posting relatively soon about a new project.  



Yesterday was May 20.  A day that always has a small amount of significance since it was the day that I was adopted.  Usually this day passes with a simple recognition of it between my mother and I.  However, a few months ago, as I was looking on etsy for ideas for a Mother’s Day card, I kept stumbling upon adoption artwork...usually with the birth country and the day, and a line about how that day they became a family.  While yes, that is true, it was a little too mushy for me.  But I thought the idea was cute, so I decided to make this for my Mom and Dad to commemorate my 26^th anniversary of being a Leichty.  

I hope it makes you laugh, or at least a smile, because I know that it made me laugh.  (Think about it, what choice did they have?)  Leichty's don't really like to talk about feelings, so we probably don't say this enough, but I love you all.  And I truly mean it, with all my heart.  Those that picked me up at the airport, those that married in, and the little ones that call me Auntie Kristen.  Especially the ones that call me Auntie Kristen.  :)

coming soon.

man oh man.  I always have high hopes for craft projects when, after sitting 2.5 hours in the same position, both legs are asleep and my lap looks like this.  I also realized that this is where my perfectionist tendencies come out.  I spent 2.5 hours tearing out pages, the meticulously going back through with a tweezers to get out all the scrap paper left in the binding.  I guess you could just say that I’m committed.

{On a side note, I just moved and am in dire need of new decor, so be prepared to see some projects soon.  Also, when your landlord says “oh, there aren’t that many people living here” don’t assume that it means it’s a quieter building.  I realize now that I should have followed up to that question with, “do they like to listen to loud music and wrestle late at night?  And how thin are the walls?”}

cutest things ever.

Any time that I am sad, need a laugh or just want to look at something adorable, I head to attackof thecute.com  It is the best website ever.  EVER.  I am in love with all of the little kittens and puppies, and bunnies and turtles that show up.  But I think this is my favorite so far.  Poor little kitten has his leg in a cast!  And to top it off, it's sticking straight out!  I laugh and then feel so sad for the kitty.  

the galette affair.

Don't tell, but I'm cheating on Pie.  With its cousin, Galette.  It started about a year ago.  I saw one and it looked so delicious, and I've been guiltily seeing Galette off and on ever since.  The problem is that Pie and Galette are so similar.  Same crust, same flavor, same fillings.  The difference?  Galette is a little more approachable.  A little more rustic.  A little more forgiving of my mistakes.  And easily adjustable.

I had my sights set on Pie.  I made the crust.  I cut up all my overly ripe pears.  And then it hit me.  I didn't have enough pears.  I needed about twice as much.  At this point, what was I to do?  I made Galettes.  You see, Galettes are made of the same crust, you use the same filling, but they are baked right on a baking sheet, and part of the charm of them is that they are individual sized and uneven edges make them look even more romantic.  Galette is forgiving of my inability to roll out a perfect circle for the crust.  Galette doesn't make me wait an hour to bake.  Oh, Galette, how I love you.

Sorry Pie.  I'll try not to let it happen too often, but I can't make any promises not to cheat on you again.  If only Galettes didn't make me feel like I could bake everything to perfection then maybe it would be easier not to stray.