Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

One of my best friends, David, had settled on his new home a couple of months ago. I am just now visiting for the first time. I'm a bad friend! To be fair, he has been busy too. Better late than never.

He moved to a gorgeous new townhouse in Brewerytown. I had a great time seeing him, and catching-up.

I have to admit, a highlight of the trip was meeting a feral cat, that he had been feeding. Who was able to pet this animal? This self-proclaimed cat-whisperer, that's who.

Yes, that is a baby possum eatting the cat food. Philly possums pack unregistered heat. I'm joking. Kinda.

When we entered Philly, Ally stated out loud, 'I don't want to live here.' My response was, 'we aren't, we are visiting!' The very next day, Ally turns to me and states, 'I could live here!' Ah what a man he is.

And he's gone!

Bow Headbands

Last Spring, I crocheted a couple of bow headbands, with some leftover yarn from two previous projects. The purple yarn was from a gorgeous infinity scarf made for a college, and the ombre yarn was from a grey/brown/black boot cuff set. I had been holding-off on posting them on etsy because  I felt like they were out of season. Although they do not protect your ears from the cold, they are still warm and fuzzy. I think now is an appropriate time to post them, because they are perfect for the transition into fall. My mom loved modelling them. She is a ham! You can check them out, with my other headbands, here!

Onancock, Virginia on the Eastern Shore

This past weekend, Alasdair and I drove out to the Eastern Shore in Virginia, to visit my godmother Jodi, in a quaint town called 'Onancock'. It was a long drive, but it felt really good to be close to the shore again. 

I grew-up near the coast. I would go crabbing, tubbing, swim at the beach; I was your typical South Jersey shore girl. I love the smell of low tide. It reminds me of my childhood home's exit on the parkway, which is along the bay. It reminds me that I am almost home. My shoulders and arms are covered in freckles, or according to my dermatologist, 'excessive sun damage' (whatever), but somehow my legs reflect the sun. Weird.

It was amazing to see Jodi and catch-up. Her house is very welcoming. We grabbed lunch at a super cute restaurant on the water. I loved looking out and seeing the boats. Breathing the fresh air. I had the mahimahi tacos. Mmm yum!

We went for a drive and explored the area. I wish that I could see this view everyday. Except for the extremely large spiders, and the huge mosquitoes that literally eat you alive. I don't miss them.

In-between arguments, we had a couple of nice moments :)

We headed back to Jodi's house. Before dinner, we walked out to the beach at the creek and watched the sunset. I didn't edit a thing on these photos. It is that beautiful.

Ahh, peace.

I love eye masks. When I travel, sometimes I forget the basic items like my toothbrush, but I always seem to have my eye mask! Perfect for when windows allow too much light, for when I want to sleep in, and for when an afternoon nap is mandatory. Most of all, the slight pressure over over my eyes is soothing and helps reduce my anxiety. When I do not have an eye mask, I find myself with a pillow over my forehead. It is like my own little protective burrow.

Jodi tried my eye mask, and the next morning, had rave reviews. She not only couldn't believe how much light it blocked (she thought it was much earlier than what it was) but also found that it stayed on her face all night long. 

Kipper was a big fan too. Haha! I have a couple for sale here, here, and here!

 

Jodi also grabbed a couple of boot cuff cozies for her niece. As much as I do not want to admit, fall is on it's way.

Summer Inspired Mug Cozies

Summer is a difficult time to sell crocheted items, outside of the Baltics. Heck, it is hard to sell hand-made items in general. People take into consideration the cost of the goods, and not the crafter's time. It is hard to compete with a corporation.

Honestly, I did not sell a single cozy this summer, despite trying to market them for bedtime tea time (am I the only one who enjoys a cuppa of sleepy time tea before bed??) Last night, I was inspired to take all brand-new photos of my items, and give my Etsy.com a much need facelift!

What is the reason for a mug cozy? Have you ever poured a steaming hot kettle of hot water into a mug, and then try to hold both the handle and the other side steady as your walked back to your seat, to find your hand burning? I have. The cozy protects your hand, keeps the drink hotter for longer, and is pretty to look at.

These are my summer mug cozies. Leave a comment, and tell me what you think!

P.S., they have all been reduced to $5.00 each. Support your local Jersey girl!

Food & Drink in Scotland

Although I am back in the good 'ole US of A, I thought it would be fun to do one last post about my recent trip to Scotland. Like the title states, this post focuses on the Scottish cuisine that I personally enjoyed.

Far from pretentious, healthy, or fancy; it is comfort food. When the weather is dreary and the landscape is dreamy, it is just what you need to start or end your day.

Please note that if I already posted a photo of food in a previous entry, I did not repeat that image here.

Scottish salmon and huge chips

Enjoying a Irn Bru soda on the ferry

Beer tasting in Arran; we tried 9 for £5!

Hoi sin duck pizza with rocket and cerny Czech beer at the Bier Hall

Ignore the meat, focus on that beauty of a yorkshire pudding!

Double espresso from Costa in Dumfries

Mmm British chocolate 

Fish, chips, and mushy peas with lots of vinegar

Gin and tonics, one with lime and the other with cucumber

Love the brand Tunnock's. They also make a great teacake