Buttons on the brain

Lately, I've looked at longingly at my button bowl. The stash boasts of mostly mediocre with a few homeless treasures.

Old thrift store finds, some are antique I think.

The red three-flower one is meant for the kitchen cloth in progress. The three purple buttons with the stitch-y look are my favorites but I haven't made something that deserves them yet. Maybe the Bee Bopper bag, which waits in my queue.

So I went on a little button-buying binge this week. For 50 cents a pair, I found some practical buttons at Joann Fabrics this week.

Clearance buttons

I think the rounded black buttons are destined to be pupils for the Yoshi hats I'm working on.

Yoshi hat base

Lastly, I finished my market bag. Of course, I made it too long. It seem to be my thing, lately, to make purses and such much longer than they need to be. So snap – it's folded in half to look normal. Unsnapped, it could come in handy for all that poster shopping I don't really do.

Market bag, almost done

Which brings me to the end of my button binge. To pretty up the bag and make the snaps look like they belong, I ordered my first buttons from Polka Dot Cottage today.

I've been meaning to make a purchase someday anyway. She creates very creative polymer clay buttons. The colors combinations are amazing! And I already waited too long for some pink-green buttons (the ones in the upper left corner). I pictured them as the eyes of my knit bunny WIP but the button pair has since sold out.

Back to the bag ... her swamp colors looked like a perfect match. Now I get to eagerly check the mailbox everyday until they arrive. Then the market bag is off to the market with me.

Birthday with a bunny

Mr. Mitzy and I are chillin' on a wonderful breezy summer night. It must be Mother Nature's birthday present to me. Mr. Plate took care of the pedicure part of the present earlier today.

So being the crazy bunny lady I am, I've allowed Mitzy to upstage me this week for his 6-month "birthday." (It was technically July 9 but you don't argue with a bunny. Sharp pointy teeth!)

Here's a video of his past four months with us.

Progress blooms

Projects are budding inside and out. After finishing a cornucopia of knits for my Etsy shop recently, I started anew and kept working on a few more.

Inside
The sparkly sock is coming along. This amazing loom is quite a conversation-starter wherever I go. I can go pretty fast on it except for those k2tog/YO [1] rows. I think I'll be switching to just stockinette for the foot so I can whip through these.

After starting my market bag a few or 10 times, I have some real stretchy progress to show.

The snake hat is all done so it's time for another fun hat knit. So here comes Yoshi times two for our friends' Halloween costumes. Their lil one is going to be baby Mario and if you've played a few Nintendo games, you should know why this all works out.

Lastly for the knits, do you remember that pink pink pink children's knit machine? Until it just wasn't any fun anymore, I cranked out a big pile of girly, furry scarves. They're all set for this fall's craft fair and the toy is tucked away into the closet.

Outside
A friend (and former co-worker) from our local newspaper recently blogged about how indoor housekeeping takes a backseat to prettying up the outdoors during the summer. As I look around right now at our dingy floors, mail piles and laundry — I know what she's talking about.

I know my garden holds no ground on hers but I am enjoying popping flowers and budding veggies right now. Mr Plate and I even weeded and trimmed our stone-y garden areas last night. The clover has been conquered in the front and our sprawling dogwood was given a buzz cut. I should have taken before/after photos but I didn't so you'll have to do with the following photos instead.

The Topsy Turvy containers have been moved from the wobbly shepherd's hooks to sturdy hooks drilled onto the deck. I have to say they are my strongest plants right now.

My favorite pot on the patio holds the lilies and coleus plants. I am beyond thrilled that they bloomed this year. I love the burst of orange surrounded by the pretty reds and greens.

The onions have taken over in a different container. You might not see it but I promise there's a pepper plant in there somewhere, too. I hope those onions are going strong down in the dirt.

And here is a pretty pic to say adieu. Berries are forming on our young Hawthorne tree.

Endnote
[1] Knit 2 stitches together and yarn over. I need to move 1 loop
to an adjacent peg, knit 2 loops over 1, and then wrap the yarn
around the empty peg. 

Stock girl

If I were a big craft store, today would be considered truck day. New products are rolling in and they are filling the shelves at my Etsy shop.

The star of the show is a long snake who prefers to go by the name Goo. This hat-scarf is ready to gobble up the head of an adult with a small head (no, I'm not cracking at your intelligence) or a child with a normal-size head. Just pull on the hat, like any other hat, and wrap the snake tail around your neck. Don't worry, he won't choke you like a real snake.

Three more items are joining the party. Strut the summer streets with some furry flip-flops. Curl up under the AC with a raggedy elephant toy. Or go shopping with a felted purse that is "bigger on the inside" (to quote a popular BBC show).

In with the new, out with the old. I've also lowered the prices of a few items so go check them out again!