How to Love Monday

Oh, hello, Monday. I see you have brought us another day of rain, a fevered child with flu + teething, a twin brother on rampage due to feeling neglected and a Mama with three hours of sleep for the last three days. My, you are not looking so shiny right now, Monday.

Now, if we were not in a Slow Month, I might find myself resorting to retail therapy during nap time. Well, not really, I cannot stand shopping. Except online. And that would violate all kinds of committments for the month. So, what to do? I have decided to reflect on a few things I already have and extol their virtues to you. Not that I am advocating retail therapy to you. But I love these things and they all have the added bonus of being local and crafted with great love. That is what I think, anyway.

My first love for this dreary Monday. My purse.

My big pleather knitting friendly purse, purchased from the Namaste girls at the knit night I attended a few weeks ago. Oh how I love this purse. Now that we are post diaper bag, I find my purse to be a confusing mess of diapers, knitting, snacks, wipes and the always lost cell phone and wallet. I love my hand made purses but needed something for those times when I wanted to feel like a big girl. Now I can find stuff. It still amazes me.

And I seriously fell in love with the owners, Kelly and Dawn. We spent a good portion of the night talking and I discovered some great things about their business. They are both knitters (of course) and designed these bags to accomodate all those most important knitterly things, like needles and projects and notions. They also take regular trips to China where they have formed a relationship with the factory that manufacturers their goods and they spoke of the place as if it were part of their family. They try hard to keep their prices reasonable and their designs super fresh. And they rock. They listened to stories about my kids (way too many I might add) and laughed and were so nice. These are women I would love to go out an have a beer with. Since that is not happening this Monday, I thought I might send them some blog love.

If the purses are out of your budget range, I can highly recommend their OhSnap! product.

These tightly woven mesh bags protect your knit in the purse melee but I have also used the small ones for snacks for the boys (to avoid ziploc bags) and loved it. No crumbs! And the big one can hold a generously sized project, right now it is keeping my Vest safe, until I can knit it again.


Next up, crayon rocks.

Ordered them from this online site...the shop has a great selection of eco friendly products. I checked the product label and was pleased to see these are made in my own backyard (well, not literally, but a few are actually lost in my backyard). They are designed for little hands to grasp easily, the colors are awesome and the price is reasonable, considering how much big crayons cost in store.

The boys love them, but then they love anything that an bring their signature to life. More importantly, I love them. I recommend buying from the Stubby Pencil studio if you are in the Pacific NW, and from the actual shop is you are L.A. local.

I could not take a picture of the last thing I love because I have loved it up so much it is now only a sliver. This soap was procured at a local renegade-ish craft show at Gallery Nucleus. The creator did something really magical in the soap because the divine smell lasts and last once used. It smells like almonds and milky sweetness and just plain good. I have used it on my face in a pinch and my skin feels soft and clean post scrub. And there are two versions, cameo or handgun. Who couldn't love that? The shop is full of really eclectic art and if I had the bucks, I would spend it there. But I am not kidding about the soap, I used it to wash and block some knits without a problem and the scent stayed with the pieces. I think I might go wash my hands right now, in fact, just to have the goodness surround me while I lie down on the heat pad to try to correct my strained back muscles. They are not used to carrying a toddler around 24/7 and are feeling it badly.

Not local, but feeling close. There is a flickr group dedicated to the day for Tuesday. You can feel the love radiating out of the pictures. Add yours if you had a ride in her honor.

I have to include two other little locals that I love, my boys.


Man, it is tough when they are sick and sad and whiny and almost inconsolable. It is rough being a growing boy, but I know the teeth will emerge, the flu will clear out and the sun will come back. And then we can get back to the things we love like the park and gathering leaves and dirt and hikes. Until then, tell me some things you love. Bring me a little sunshine on this weary dreary Monday, won't you?

Off to a supine position with heat pad now. Smiles.