We just got back from camp, and I must say, it was very fun this year. Lots of people were missing, but a lot of others were there. Including two new babies. Who were super cute!

But anyway, I was much much too busy having fun to take many pictures, so you're stuck with just one awful photo.

There was this weird family that visited us and played bluegrass music for us before we went into town on Wednesday. Sorry for the awful picture but I was in the fourth row.

Yup, so I'm back, and hopefully better than ever. I want to start updating more often, but it's become something I do when I just happen to remember it. So I'll share a few links that I've been loving lately.

http://unejeune-demoiselle.blogspot.com -- Jeunedemoiselle, one of my new favorite fashion blogs. And it helps my French (which, I am sorry to report, is rather dismal)! So visit the site (all of my imaginary readers, go!) and love it as I love it.

http://www.asos.com/ Super cute English shopping website. They're having a huge summer sale right now, but be careful because the shipping is brutal!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk I love this newspaper. My favorite sections are Femail and Health, but I'm sure all are wonderful!

So overwhelmingly cute

I love this little video by short filmmaker Nagi Noda. It's so sweet and adorable and French. It's called "A Small Love Story About Alex and Juliet" Watch it! You won't be disappointed, I promise!

http://www.lumeneclipse.com/gallery/19/smalllovestory/

Also, we didn't end up actually going to the Dominican Republic. Not enough money. Which is sad, but I'm not too disappointed, because my beloved womb-mate is finally home and safe in my arms. And I get to go to camp in less than three weeks.

One more thing, I have just this week discovered a huge appreciation for Bruce Springsteen. It was a combination of a CD WM brought home with her and a Josh Ritter video in which he covers a song called "The River." It's beautiful and on Youtube. Go search for it. I'll wait.

After the lull

I've been very unproductive and lazy lately. I don't really know why, except that perhaps I can blame it on the heat and the fact that nothing ever happens lately. To quote Colonel Fitzwilliam, "Nobody plays! Nobody sings!" However, soon I may break this great lull that my life seems to have settled into, by going to *dundundun* The Dominican Republic! Where I believe people play and sing. Yay!

It's another mission trip, and while I was hoping to go to Hungary again, I think this may be just the thing I need. The heat, the stuff to do, the feeling that my doing stuff actually has a meaning and is helping someone, I hope all of this contributes to me not feeling quite so, so, taking-up-space-ish.

Anyway, here are some pictures from last year's trip:

I am so neglectful

I don't try to be neglectful, I just can't help it. I haven't even done that much lately. I lost the good camera, then replaced it. I guess that's exciting. I'm approaching graduation. That's definitely exciting.

Hmm. Well, I got a beautiful American Tourister, hardshell, 60s, purple suitcase yesterday. I got it at this utterly bizarre little leather-repair shop. The place had all of this old luggage and old shoes and old handbags. It was pretty sweet. The best part about my new suitcase is the lining. It's light floral pink, with little bags that snap to the walls. I'll take pictures soon.

My birthday was on Saturday. I am now 18. Isn't that marvelous? And I got this fantastic gift from our current houseguest:

It's a recipe book! Now, whenever I look up how to make this sauce or that sort of cookie on the internet, I don't have to print it out and have it all stacked up in a messy pile in my room! I can record it in this beautiful binder and keep it all in one spot! And, as an added bonus, it's so kitsch! I love it! I really want to be a slightly better fed, darker haired version of that lady one day!

Also, yesterday, guess what I got with the money tucked away ever-so-discreetly in my birthday cards?

That's right! It's a Madeleine pan! I've wanted to make madeleines forever, but I could never get a pan for them! It's perfect! I'm going to make some tomorrow, and I'll have to take some pictures of my first ever madeleines.

On the crafty front, I made a tissue holder on Friday from the book 'Let's Make Cute Stuff!' by Aranzi Aronzo. That book is fantastic, let me tell you. And the tissue holder came in handy today, because I seem to have caught a cold. But anyway, the book is so so cute. I love all the projects in it, and it all just seems so practical!

For example, I never knew just how much I needed a water bottle holder until I saw the 'Mr. Sweaty Bottle Holder' in the Cute Stuff book. And just like that, a void was filled without me even knowing how empty and painful it was! Way to go!

Picture of my cute little tissue holder (sewn by hand in only an hour):

I have two cats, Jamie and Bartholomew, and they are such sweethearts. Sort of. Before I start to sway public opinion with tales of their exploits, I'll just let you see their sweet faces:

Aren't they cute? Awww. I love how big Bartholomew's collar is.

Anyway, Jamie, on the left, was rescued when he was about 8 months old from an abusive home, so he's a bit skittish around people he doesn't know, but isn't he handsome? He's also fat. He can barely jump onto the ironing board (his preferred seat in the house) these days. And he attacks whenever he feels threatened. Like when I walk by him with expensive, taunting tights on. I'm not entirely clear on the particulars, but there seems to be a long-standing grudge there.

The kitten, Bartholomew, is a little homewrecker. I mean it. Every so often we'll hear a crash, and that little bugger will come running out of whichever room he just decimated. Usually covered in cobwebs and dust. But then he looks up at whoever picks him up for a punishment hug with his huge sad eyes, and all is forgiven. He's only about 6 months old now. Fun fact! He absolutely cannot resist anything on the floor that even remotely resembles food. Even if it doesn't, he just has to investigate. Usually by placing it in his mouth and running away with it hanging half out.

Okay, so this is my new blog. I decided to seriously start documenting my crafty exploits, and here it is! Yay. I'm excited!