I really enjoyed Shawn Vestal's article in the "Everyday Economy" section of the S-R today about the increased interest in shoe repair. Here's an excerpt:"The surge in frugality has brought back a variety of habits from days gone by. ... A renewed emphasis on on…
Speaking of books, one of my favorites in the whole craft-simplicity-creativity genre is "The Creative Family," by Amanda Blake Soule.I preordered the book last spring, read it right away, carried it around in my purse for a while, and refer back to it often.Soule, of…
This might as well be a note left on the counter to my husband rather than a blog post. Every year, we vow not to give each other much for Christmas, but every Dec. 24 he heads out and ends up with too much for…
If you're able to get out of your house, and if you still have some Christmas shopping to do, I thought I'd offer up a few last-minute gift suggestions. The snow is still trapping me at home, so have fun out there without me. *Just…
We don't go overboard with Christmas gifts at our house, but I still wasn't quite done with my holiday shopping when the snow hit Wednesday. Looks like the nieces' gifts are going to get there late and a few more things than I'd planned will…
Sometimes you know something is going to be pretty great just by looking at the materials that promote it.That was my feeling three years ago when I first started hearing about the Farm Chicks antique sales. The vintage-inspired fonts and charming graphic design style used…
A few posts back I gave some ideas for greener gift wrapping options.I just wanted to share this photo of 14 loaves of cranberry-orange bread my husband made for his co-workers over the last few days. We wrapped them in flour-sack towels and tied them…
Hanukkah—a.k.a. The Festival of Lights--starts this Sunday and runs for eight nights. The Jewish holiday celebrates the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration in the second century B.C. According to the Talmud, there was only enough oil to light the eternal flame…
My oldest daughter started eating lunch at preschool this week, which I thought was going to give me a great excuse to start sewing her adorable oilcloth lunch sacks. Unfortunately, she wanted a new Dora the Explorer lunchbox instead. I'm always trying to reduce the…
That's right. One of the coffee cups there is paper (left) and the other is a reusable version made of porcelain (right). The Decor Craft Inc. product came in the mail today--an early Christmas gift to myself. I have several weaknesses, and lattes are definitely…
Here's an idea if you're heading to a cookie exchange this holiday season and want an alternative to paper or plastic plates. Drop in at a thrift store, buy some used holiday-theme plates, wash, dry, load with cookies and you're good to go. I bought…
The latest issue of Vanity Fair arrived at my house today, which got me wondering ... what do you all do with magazines when you're done with them? I'm a hoarder. I love magazines. I store them chronologically in my living room and craft room…
The revival in the so-called SoDo District on the south end of downtown (near the intersection of Second Avenue and Washington Street) has been fun to watch over the last couple of years. Saunders Cheese, Vino! A Wine Shop, Lolo Boutique and Koi Salon are…
Let's face it. This is an expensive month for most people. Hopefully you don't feel pressured to give beyond your means, but if you're feeling financial strain at all there are some small ways you can save cash--not to mention help Mother Nature. I'm talking…
My daughters and I just returned from the Christmas Creche Exhibit at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints church near our house. More than 700 nativity sets from all over the world--including the one from the Czech Republic above--were displayed under spotlights.…
There's a veritable feast of activities on the community's calendar this weekend. The challenge will be getting to everything. Here are some highlights, but I'm sure I'm going to miss some important ones so please feel free to leave a comment with information about an…
Since it opened a year ago, modern sewers in Spokane have been flocking to a tiny fabric store on Spokane's Near North Side called The Top Stitch. Owner Carrie Jarvis stocks the place with fabrics from designers like Amy Butler and the various artists behind…
This blog is still young, so as I write new posts I'm also trying to update the static features on the site, like the list of links in the right-hand bar. See? Right over there. -----> I hope this will become a resource for readers…
There is so much happening in Spokane this weekend, but one of the events I'm most anticipating is the Two Women Christmas in the Country sale being held in Spangle. No need to pull out a map. Spangle is just a short drive south of…
To me, the "green lifestyle" isn't just about recycling and riding the bus (better yet, riding a bike!). It's also about simplifying your life. It feels like more and more people are finding happiness with less, rather than giving into the urge to over consume.…
Sure, Black Friday (the biggest shopping day of the year) is just hours away. But more and more people seem to be interested in making Christmas gifts for their loved ones instead of purchasing them this year. Handmade gifts can be less expensive than store-bought…
Another clever crafter at the Christmas Arts & Crafts Show in Spokane last weekend was Coeur d'Alene resident Kathy Lieggi. Lieggi creates wind chimes out of old silverware and serving pieces she finds at estate sales, garage sales and auctions. She drills holes in the…
Oftentimes the most beautiful art or craft can be made from cast-off items. Sharon Ronning was one of the vendors at the Christmas Arts & Crafts Show put on by Jim Custer Enterprises at the Spokane Fair & Expo Center last weekend. The Spokane resident…
One of the easiest ways to go green this holiday season is to give gifts made locally. Buying handmade items from Spokane area crafters means less fuel was burned transporting those goods to you. As you head out for the "Black Friday" shopping frenzy, why…
Did anyone else notice a blurb in the paper this week about an arts and craft fair on 17th Avenue? Even though there’s a flood of craft fairs happening right now (yea!), this one caught my eye—probably because I couldn’t figure out what sort of…
Artist and crafter Maggie Wolcott writes about craft events in and around Spokane, as well as her own adventures in creating and repurposing. Her DwellWellNW posts include project and decorating ideas, recipes, reviews of events, and interviews with local artists. Maggie spends her days as an English professor, and when she’s not grading papers, she can generally be found with a paintbrush or scissors in hand. She can be reached at mebullock@gmail.com.
| Dec. 2008 | Nov. 2008 |
