Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Just sort of thinking out loud...

As I try not to smoke, I must occupy myself with other things.  Obviously, I have work to do, but I feel so fidgety and lost and crabbit (thanks Mr. Bastard for that quite expressive word, so much better than merely "crabby) that I know I have to come up with happy frivolous things too. Music is always good for me--I once wrote about my Gloom Playlist, the songs I love to have a good cry to. But I definitely don't want to encourage the weeping--my god, once begun, I might never stop!!! So instead I'm working very scientifically on a survey of songs of a different nature--and you can find this later here, on Just a Housewife if you care to join in the debate I've started with Sgt Pepper over what constitutes a truly sexy song.


I'm also finding that making dolls out of tiny bits of brightly colored felt is lovely, and much appreciated by Hedgehog, as is the construction of a gazillion origami stars





And knitting dishcloths




Bright cheery colors, things to keep my hands busy, and music that won't make me suicidal. That just about sums up my new and somewhat dubious approach to life planning.

A random end-note: Before I leave you, I'd like to poll anyone who stops by with the following question: What do you think of maxi-dresses (you know, the ones with a fitted top and an ankle-length flowy skirt)? I've been wondering whether they're pretty, or like an expensive version of dirty hippy, Holly Hobbyish or like Carrie's prom dress or what? You can go here to see the one that I've been oddly aquiver over...

22 comments:

Brandy Wilcoxen said...

I think they're gorgeous, but I can't wear them cuz I got short legs.

kylie said...

hey leah
i love the dishcloths, they are wonderfully bold and bright but you surely wouldnt wash dishes with them? are they what i would call a tea towel?

as for the dresses they are a glammed up hippy thing but i like hippy so thats fine. what really annoys me is that the long skirt is lovely but i dont have the figure to fill the bodice and every. darned. bodice. is. the. same. why dont the styles vary a little?

it's a gorgeous dress

Leah said...

Hey BR, I know--I think they are sort of unforgiving in a weird way...

Leah said...

Kylie! actually, I do use them as dish cloths sometimes-they work better than sponges. Or I use them to dry. They're made from 100% cotton and you can totally manhandle them. I make a gazillion--would you like some? I'd be happy to send a couple your way.

And yes, that dress does seem to have similar bodices--although, if you could find one with a top made of something stretchy, that might work. I, to my chagrin actually, have ample bosom to fill that thing. Maybe we could share?

Megan said...

I canna do it, captain! My shoulders make such things hang wrong, hang wrong.

But I bet it would look lovely on you.

I'll take any dishcloths that are going...

Barlinnie said...

Leah, there is a better use of your hands when you're craving for the dreaded tobaccy leaf. I'm surprised you hav'nae thought of it before.

Has the penny finally dropped?

Glove puppets for the weans.. obvious really, wasn't it?

As for the Maxi's, they tend to chaff parts of my arse.

Leah said...

Megan: I'll send you some! Do you have color preferences? Or anything goes?

Jimmy of course! A puppet show! Perhaps Midsummer Night's Dream--I'll have to keep so many sock puppets going at once, it'll leave nothing free for the other...

Leah said...

Jimmy--weans like bairns? See, I'm trying to learn your heady dialect a piece at a time, like Mary Lennox learns Dickon's Yorkshire in "The Secret Garden." Although I think the effect is less than apt for this Brooklyn girl; it's best left to the masters, I suppose!

Karen ^..^ said...

I love those dresses... The empire waistline would hide my lack of a waist these days, and the long flowyness of it would make me feel like a fairy princess. :D

Those dishcloths are awesome!

Glad you are keeping busy. Congrats on the non smoking! Good girl! I myself wanted one pretty badly yesterday, but I didn't. Then I found out that I was PMS-ing. Grrr.

Now I can't stop thinking about that dress. Even though I have nowhere to wear it. :(

Queen Goob said...

My mom knits dishcloths but yours are WAY more pretty. Mom only uses one type of yarn and one stitch…..BORING!!!!

As for the dress….I love it. I wear dresses around the house all the time. Anything with a empire-type waist is what I look for as it’s a form-fitting bust-line and a flowy/sexy/loose bottom. But Leah, that one is EXPENSIVE! Kohl’s has a lot of them and – if you really want to kill some time, find some great deals, and still get a few dresses you love - hit Goodwill!

Leah said...

Karen, I have nowhere to where it either, but that's never stopped me before! I'll just wear it to run errands!!!
xo

Leah said...

QG, I know, it is expensive. I have a preoccupation with Anthropologie though...if only just to outfit myself in my daydreams!

I agree, a maxi dress could be had for probably 30 bucks and be very nice indeed.

Rima said...

cute cute dishcloths. Bold and beautiful!

The Mistress said...

It's more cost effective just to run around the house nekkid.

Barlinnie said...

Weans... wee un's... wee ones.. very young childer.

Bairns are older kiddies.

The secret garden? Is that like the perfumed garden but the foliage is more widespread?

Anonymous said...

I love the dishcloths- what a cheerful way to wash-up!
And the dress is lovely too- I wouldn't be able to wear it- it would make my ample hips look enormous!- but it looks very versatile for the right figure- you could accessorise it in so many ways.

Leah said...

Hi Cinnamon!--I don't know, I think it might be nice on a very curvy figure--

thanks for the dish cloth compliments. They are so much fun to knit. If you haven't, I strongly recommend it as a quick and satisfying project.

Megan said...

I will email you my address. Not kidding! :)

muralimanohar said...

Dammit..Anthro is doing that thing again and redirecting me to a useless page. I need a name to find it myself.

In general, though, I think only a few people can really get away with them..the rest of them look like they are dressed in a shortlived, should have died back in the 70's, fad.

Oh, yeah, yer dishcloths are cute. And you should totally string those stars on thread (spaced out) and suspend them from the ceiling.)

Leah said...

Hi Murali, that's my fear about that dress too. But it's obvious I'm obsessed with clothes, eh?

I like the idea for the stars. They would be great in my daughter's bedroom--heck, in our bedroom!

Practically Joe said...

"I'm also finding that making dolls out of tiny bits of brightly colored felt is lovely"
Yea ... me too.

Knitting it Out in an Urban Zoo said...

Pretty dress...and would look nice on you I imagine.