a bugg's eye view

Reversible Tote

Here's a reversible tote I just made. It's my first so I'm hoping they'll only get better with more practice. I fell in love with this fabric. It's called "Ducks in a Row" from Red Letter Day by Lizzy House, purchased at Whipstitch Fabrics  and the green pattern is "Eva from Basic Grey, Extravagance Decadent in Green" also purchased at Whipstitch Fabrics.

 

 

UNANIMOUS CRAFT

  

 Unanimous Craft  is a tagable, sortable index of resources for crafters, artists and indie business owners. They submit their favorite resources and welcome the community to do the same. Once you become a member, you can submit resources you like, review and rate other resources and curate lists of your favorites.

I saw this posted on facebook and had to borrow it....

YOU WANT TO GET MAD? We had eight years of Bush and Cheney, but now you get mad! You didn’t get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President. You didn’t get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate energy policy. You didn’t get mad when a covert CIA operative got ousted. You didn’t get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.. You didn’t get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us. You didn’t get mad when we spent over 600 billion(and counting) on said illegal war. You didn’t get mad when over 10 billion dollars just disappeared in Iraq. You didn’t get mad when you found out we were torturing people. You didn’t get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans. You didn’t get mad when we didn’t catch Bin Laden. You didn’t get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed. You didn’t get mad when we let a major US city drown. You didn’t get mad when we gave a 900 billion tax break to the rich. You didn’t get mad when, using reconciliation; a trillion dollars of our tax dollars were redirected to insurance companies for Medicare Advantage which cost over 20 percent more for basically the same services that Medicare provides. You didn’t get mad when the deficit hit the trillion dollar mark, and our debt hit the thirteen trillion dollar mark. You finally got mad when the government decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick. Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, are all okay with you, but helping other Americans… oh hell no. AND NOW YOU’RE MAD !

By:Christian Struzan

Welcome Home Maids

Ladies and gentlemen, we all need more time in our lives and additionally, could always be doing more to assist in the protection and clensing of our environment, right?  My wonderful friend, Vanessa, owns a company who offers the 'luxury of cleaning for the eco conscious'.

Welcome Home Maids offers a distinctive homekeeping service that's eco-friendly, biodegradable and non-toxic. Why not purify and pamper the air and space of your home? Even beyond their all-natural cleaning methods, they keep an eye on the details: from their kind and reliable staff, to the fresh clean scent you will come home to. They make sure your home is a healthy environment for you and your family, so you can breathe easy. And that's the greatest luxury of all."

Mama Bugg

Talk about the greatest woman in the world!  This little lady makes the world go 'round and shares her life and spirit with so many others, never asking for credit or anything in return.  She's one of the silent angels on this earth and graces so many lives with sweet and amazing gestures of love.  One program that is near and dear to her heart is Project Linus.  Project Linus is a non-profit organization with a two-fold mission:  

1. It is their mission to provide love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans, lovingly created by volunteer "blanketeers."
2. It is their mission to provide a rewarding and fun service opportunity for interested individuals and groups in local communities, for the benefit of children.

 

Just wanted to give props to mom for being such a pure inspiration!

Whipstitch Fabrics

 

I've recently been taking sewing classes and have been loving every minute of it.  Deborah, my oh so fabuloso instructor is simply the best!  She's funny, smart, witty beyond belief and has made quite a name for herself.  Check out her website here.

.................

Whipstitch Lounge is a modern stitch lounge in the heart of Atlanta.   Our mission is to bring modern fabrics, essential sewing supplies, a wide range of sewing classes and workshops, and a hip sewing community all together right in the center of the city.   Nowhere else in Atlanta can you find the tremendous selection of gorgeous fabrics offered at Whipstitch, and our sewing classes are second to none.   With free events every month and a constantly revolving and expanding workshop schedule, Whipstitch offers the most robust, exciting sewing destination in the Atlanta area.

Deborah Moebes, the founder of Whipstitch, began teaching sewing classes at Atlanta's Beehive Co-op, located on Peachtree Rd., in 2007.   Demand for great fabrics and more classes was strong from the very beginning; it's no secret that the big box fabric stores are either a million miles away, the most depressing places on earth, or both--plus, they really don't want you there, and the customer service proves it.   With a wistful dream of someday correcting that travesty, Deborah launched Whipstitch as an Etsy shop in late November 2008. She fantasized that someday, when her fairy godmother finally granted all her wishes, she would develop a brick-and-mortar location to fill the void of fabric shops in Atlanta by offering chic, modern prints and sewing supplies inside the city.   Dreams are a funny thing, and before she knew it, circumstances aligned to offer the opportunity far sooner than anyone would've imagined.   By early 2009, plans were already in the works to create the Whipstitch Lounge as a part of Beehive Co-op, and Deborah's dream has become the hope of a whole city of stitchers.   The support, enthusiasm and excitement have been and continue to be overwhelming and uplifting.   Whipstitch has so much more in the works for the future--and we're so glad you're along for the ride!

Read more about Whipstitch on the blog, and follow Deborah's design blog to discover the stitcher behind the Lounge.

 

A friend's fight with chiari malformation...

My dearest friend in life was diagnosed with a rare but serious disorder called chiari malformation. Arnold-Chiari malformation is a malformation of the brain. It consists of a downward displacement of the cerebellar tonsils through the foramen magnum, sometimes causing hydrocephalus as a result of obstruction of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) outflow. The cerebrospinal fluid outflow is caused by phase difference in outflow and influx of blood in the vasculature of the brain. It can cause headaches, fatigue, muscle weakness in the head and face, difficulty swallowing, dizziness, nausea, impaired coordination, and paralysis. All in all, it's a hell of a disease and he's one hell of a survivor. Never have I admired one person's strength and willpower more than his. He's my hero! Listen to his story from NPR & Storycorps, here.

 .

*This is what the inside of his head now looks like.  His wonderful husband has this tatoo on his shoulder in honor of his fight with this ugly disease.

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

I'm always looking for new and easy recipes. I found this great one from Real Simple magazine that's delicious and oh so quick! Enjoy....

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

hands-on time: 20 minutes | total time: 30 minutes | makes 4 servings

2 large eggs
1tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional)
2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) finely grated Parmesan
1 cup dried bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon blackpepper
1 to 1.5 pounds chicken cutlets
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 head Boston or butter lettuce
1 lemon, cut into wedges

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and mustard (if using).
In a separate bowl, combine 2 cups of the Parmesan, the bread crumbs,
salt, and pepper. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels.
Dip one of the cutlets into the egg mixture, allowing any excess to
drip off, then coat it in the bread-crumb mixture. Transfer to a plate.
Repeat with the remaining chicken, batter, and bread-crumb mixture.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Add half of the cutlets. Cook, turning once, until browned and
cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Carefully
wipe out the skillet add 2 more tablespoons of the oil, and repeat
with the remaining cutlets. Divide the cutlets and lettuce leaves
among individual plates. Drizzle the lettuce with the remaining oil
and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Serve the lemon wedges
on the side.

Yoga dog...

One of the things that brings me the greatest joy is my pup, Bailey. She's no pup really having just turned 7 years old. But one day she came into my life and rescued me. She's a shepherd mix and frisbee champion. This morning she was being so sweet and cute and I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to snap this pic. It's my new inspiration and goal for my yoga poses. How she's able to contort herself in such a way is beyond me. Though sometimes it does us no good to question things, rather just appreciate them at face value.

SAD FACT: over 1 million plastic bags are consumed PER MINUTE globally.

GUT WRENCHING FACT: marine wildlife mistakes these bags for food and die daily from ingestion.

FRUSTRATING FACT: supermarkets and politicians will take years to sort it out.

HAPPY FACT: you can make a difference by starting NOW! Use a tote lying around your house or it's a cheap investment to purchase one and can support many great programs. Do your part.