We are back from the beach and were shocked by the icky heat wave that hit this town while we were gone. Our cats sure stank up the house. I love them, but—DANG. We had a great time and the reentry has been pretty good so far. I started a cross-stitch project while we were gone which felt wonderful. It's slow, and I'm not near done. Perfect. I hope to finish it soon, but not too soon, you know?
I bought this rubber stamp set a bit back and was planning on giving it to the girls but then thought better of it. I still might, but as you can see by it's awesomeness, I need to keep it to myself for awhile. There's a sea scape one too. I should have bought both. They are by Yellow Owl Workshop. I love love this rubber stamp/boxed set thing.
On our first day out our camera battery died (right after the birthday party we had for middle child's beloved baby doll with homemade cupcakes) so I have no beach photos, which is sometimes for the best. Less to worry about and more time to just get wet and sandy. I have had many random thoughts the last 2 weeks involving homemade yogurt cheese (I know Pete likes both these things as separate items but when paired together I think the idea grosses him out, so I'm not going to tell him about it) making homemade slippers, sewing hats, making soap, researching what will be the perfect address book for myself, and facing the 3 baby books which have been started but not updated for my children in a long long time.
I have been slow on the e-mail reply front and I'd like to say I plan to get better, but it's still too warm here to make that promise, so sorry for the delays. I did accidentally spam about 300 people several times right before I left town, so that was cool. In that way, I did great with the e-mail replies.
yeah! i was missing angry chicken posts. :) glad you had fun.
Posted by: euni | August 17, 2008 at 11:00 PM
i love love stamp sets too. im thinking you should keep it ;-) because in my experience my kids dont keep them all clean and pretty for long. and i like them clean and pretty. not covered in black ink.
Posted by: manda | August 17, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Welcome back :o) You're so lucky that you missed the heat wave... it's been a little too much for me. The stinky house has been a problem for me too... I discovered one of my decorative pumpkins I got last fall had rotted... it smelled like olives. I'm sorry, that was gross. Oh well, I think it's already started to cool down, thank goodness! I'm so happy you had fun at the beach, that sounds like so much fun. I can't wait to see what the products of all of your random thoughts are.
xox,
Linnea
Posted by: Linnea | August 17, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Oh yes! We have those! They are so much fun to create with... recently I used the seaside set to decorate large sheets of butchers paper for birthday gift wrapping.
Posted by: Claire | August 17, 2008 at 11:25 PM
I love your picture! What a nice stamp set.
Posted by: Asianmommy | August 18, 2008 at 12:17 AM
i missed your blog! glad you had a good break away.
Posted by: melissa | August 18, 2008 at 12:39 AM
Oh, yoghurt cheese - yummo. Please do share any recipes you try. There's a fantastic Turkish restaurant we go to that has the best yoghurt cheese + I've been eating an organic one all day today.
Thanks for the link to that beautiful stamp set. Another thing to add to my wish list!
Good luck with your baby books. Mine aren't even started......
Posted by: Ellie - Petalplum | August 18, 2008 at 02:08 AM
That stamp set looks too fun!
Posted by: Melissa | August 18, 2008 at 04:17 AM
Those stamps are fantastico!
Posted by: Jess | August 18, 2008 at 05:10 AM
Wow - I wish an icky heat wave would hit London. It's been like winter here all summer. Love your picture made with the stamps. Looks like a lot of fun. Must put them on my birthday list. What pretty pictures you could stamp with permanent ink on children's clothing and make unique creations!
Posted by: michele | August 18, 2008 at 05:14 AM
about that yogurt cheese: have you checked out ricki carroll's cheesemaking stuff at cheesemaking.com?
i've been learning all sorts of easy cheesemaking things, and so far everyone's favorite is the fromage blanc, which would be similar to your yogurt cheese only it has a fancy name so no one gets squeemish. :) you just heat up your milk to a certain temp, add the fromage blanc culture packet, let it sit covered overnight, then drain it (like yogurt cheese) until it's the consistency you like. so easy. such a big hit. i chopped up nasturtium flowers to put in my last batch and it was the highlight of the potluck we attended. the 3 year old boy Especially loved it. we didn't tell him there were flowers in it.
:)
Posted by: holly bechiri | August 18, 2008 at 05:19 AM
I have to have that kit! I don't blame you one bit for hanging on to it for a while.
Posted by: Wanett | August 18, 2008 at 05:25 AM
Love the stamps! I bought a set a few weeks ago, possibly the beginning of a much larger collection :)
http://thousandthreads.blogspot.com/2008/07/set-of-stamps.html
Posted by: Jesska | August 18, 2008 at 05:36 AM
I'm returning to my love of rubber stamping, too. What a beautiful kit! Welcome home, and may the reentry be kind to you.
Posted by: Linn | August 18, 2008 at 06:13 AM
I've got to buy myself a stamp set! That really looks like fun!
We're in heat here too. Well not in that way.
I can't wait for fall!
Becky
Posted by: Wonders Never Cease | August 18, 2008 at 06:16 AM
I love that stamp set! It looks just like the illustrations from the Anno books!
Posted by: Susanne | August 18, 2008 at 06:27 AM
Oh that's naughty, but I always like to check that presents are good before I give them... ;-)
Posted by: Jen | August 18, 2008 at 06:39 AM
Welcome back and thanks for sharing those amazing stamps!
Posted by: Alexis | August 18, 2008 at 07:23 AM
Welcome back! I was also really missing angrychicken posts too. :)
Posted by: Kristen | August 18, 2008 at 07:33 AM
I always freak out about not having fresh batteries... but then we seem to have the best times when I am not worried about the camera. I save the major melt downs for after vacation when I realize I don't have any proof of the good times. Ha Ha. That doubled edged sword, I guess.
Posted by: Tammy | August 18, 2008 at 07:36 AM
Glad your back! I love that stamp set too...My favorite stamps are in sets, and I use them all the time!
Posted by: The Mommy | August 18, 2008 at 07:46 AM
I love that stamp set, I would totally keep that to myself it is so useful
Posted by: Thimbleina | August 18, 2008 at 07:58 AM
That stamp set is awesome! And yogurt cheese? Hmm, off to investigate. I've never heard of such a thing, but I suspect that my husband might have a similar reaction.
Posted by: geek+nerd | August 18, 2008 at 08:01 AM
Will you please share your address book finds? Coincidentally, that has been a shopping obsession for about a week. I hate when I get in this "must find the BEST xyz ever!" mode, but I blame the internet, which makes endless window shopping possible. I've been thinking maybe I should just format my own address booklet in InDesign, leave spaces to add new entries by hand, then every year or even every few months if needed, I can reprint it and hand bind it with a simple booklet binding stitch.
Posted by: arb | August 18, 2008 at 08:39 AM
oh god. that stamp set rocks. definitely for the mama only.
and i loved your spam. ;) Glad to hear you're back and rested a bit!!
Posted by: amanda | August 18, 2008 at 08:48 AM
I am so glad we had the heat wave because I was starting to feel short changed in the Summer weather area. We only had 2 days of heat here in Washington so it was perfect and we got a lake day in there. woohoo!
A couple more days of heat and I will feel like it is alright to start fall. :o)
When we went to NY state to visit our cats lived inside and were fed daily by some teens....needless to say I totally understand the stink you are talking about. LOL!
Lori
Posted by: lissilulu | August 18, 2008 at 10:26 AM
love, Love, LOVE the rubber stamp set! i want to collect them all.
Posted by: Rachelle Nicolette | August 18, 2008 at 10:28 AM
I've loved those stamp kits from the day they came out, even though I've never actually owned a rubber stamp in my life. I guess it's never too late to start! :)
Posted by: Jillian | August 18, 2008 at 11:02 AM
The first time I tried making yogurt cheese I accidentally bought chocolate and tried it anyway, trying to leave the chocolate stuff at the bottom. It was pretty gross. But then I made it with plain, greek yogurt -- it was delish and so satisfying to see the transformation.
Posted by: kelly | August 18, 2008 at 11:03 AM
I'm glad you missed the heat. I'm sure everyone will tell you just how icky it was (pretty darn icky.) My cats preferred the outside, though----it was THAT hot inside.
What a cool stamp set! I would have played with it first, too.
Posted by: sherry | August 18, 2008 at 12:04 PM
Neat stamped card?
Posted by: Nevis | August 18, 2008 at 12:05 PM
That stamp set looks great! I'll have to check it out. Glad you had a nice time at the beach, that's one thing I gotta take the kids to before the summer is out (flooding kept ours closed until last week).
I'm excited to see your cross stitch once it's complete. I haven't done that in years, but kept everything just in case.
Posted by: Lynds | August 18, 2008 at 12:16 PM
Amy - thanks for making me laugh nearly every time I read your posts. Such a great sense of humor. I always feel like I'm reading something from a friend and I, too, missed your blog. Cool stuff!
Posted by: dana lee designs | August 18, 2008 at 01:44 PM
Those are lovely! I've seen them around, but wasn't so sure. They'd be such fun to share with my five year old :)
amanda @ www.kiddio.org
Posted by: amanda @ www.kiddio.org | August 18, 2008 at 03:16 PM
I love that stamp set. Have you ever thought about sewing with plain white muslin and stamping it with fabric ink? That is on my list of things to try. A little apron with those stamps would be so cute! oh or even a cute little tote bag--or along the bottom of a skirt-that would be too cute. Good thing I have no little girls-just boys.
Posted by: gretchen | August 18, 2008 at 04:54 PM
I use a recipe box (and alphabet dividers) filled with index cards as my perfect address book! It seems like everyone I know moves a lot or changes their phone numbers a lot, so I was always scratching out material in other books. Now I just replace their index card with a brand new one -- keeps everything nice and neat! It's also nice for when I am too lazy to copy someone's address from something they sent to me. I just rip out their return address from the envelope and shove it in the box alphabetically for a later date.
Posted by: KQuicks | August 18, 2008 at 05:27 PM
Yay! You're back :)
And I love, love, love Yellow Owl Workshop. Their stuff always gets the creative juices flowing...
Posted by: Mo | August 18, 2008 at 08:05 PM
Whoa nelly, those stamps are rad.
(welcome back, too!)
Posted by: stephanie | August 18, 2008 at 08:28 PM
Yay for yogurt cheese. It is awesome. Just don't tell the naysayers in your family what it is. And the girls can have fun watching the yogurt get strained and turn into cheese in the fridge. Ooooh, thrills!
Rubber stamp sets? All over that. I remember my alphabet bear stamp set I took with me to camp in 7th grade, so that I could stamp out people's names on the envelopes for letters I wrote home. (I would be keeping your set for myself if I were you, too.)
Welcome back!
Posted by: Jennifer | August 18, 2008 at 09:08 PM
Oh woman...went to the beach on Sunday to escape the heat and it rained but I did not complain because Portland on Saturday just about did me in.
Made your deoderant. First day I smelled terrible and was sad. Second and third day I developed a rash and was down hearted that this may not work for me BUT now all is well!!!
I smell fine, skin is fine and seriously, I think my pit skin is lighter and better for it. Thanks so much!!!
Posted by: Norma | August 18, 2008 at 09:34 PM
hi!
my mum ordered your book from amazon.com and I've been reading it too and it's so good; full of cute pictures and great things that I definetely want to try out!
Posted by: Lily | August 19, 2008 at 12:05 AM
Love the stamps, they're great!
Posted by: Emma | August 19, 2008 at 02:16 AM
I love those stamps! I went to check them out but they are backordered! Thanks for sharing!
Posted by: Lisa Pijuan-Nomura | August 19, 2008 at 05:12 AM
It's so funny that you post this... my mom always had stamps sets when I was a kid. They were for "me", but she was the one who seemed to be most intrigued by them. About six months ago I was visiting my parents when I discovered all the old stamp sets. I was completely thrilled! Somehow I think I didn't develop an appreciation for these little treasures until I was much older.
Posted by: Bethany | August 19, 2008 at 08:38 AM
Would love to see your soap recipe on here, unless you already have one I haven't seen.
Posted by: Deanna | August 19, 2008 at 09:06 AM
I too bought a stamp set for my kids... only it's still in my desk drawer! It is a cute set of birds and bird cages... I made some stationary for a friend last weekend with it-- I will share them someday I'm sure!
Posted by: Jess | August 19, 2008 at 09:52 AM
What a cool stamp set. Definitely keep it to yourself to play with a bit. :)
Posted by: Carolyn | August 19, 2008 at 10:27 AM
Hey there -
Welcome back. I looove those stamps!
There must be something in the air because I made slippers this past weekend. Check them out:
www.underaredroof.com
Posted by: Colleen | August 19, 2008 at 01:50 PM
you never cease to inspire! Short of gushing, I am in awe of your creativity. Thanks for the healthy shot of color.
Posted by: rant: motherhood uncensored | August 19, 2008 at 02:49 PM
I was wondering when you were going to get into (or at least think about) making soap. I really LOVE the soap that I have made by hand, we made olive oil soap for Christmas last year with a friend that is a soap making whiz, I have been using it all year long and I don't think that my skin will want to go back! There are some pics in my Flickr photostream (somewhere): http://www.flickr.com/photos/angerella/ . Sorry problems getting it to link :(
Posted by: Angela Roth | August 20, 2008 at 06:59 PM