I'm grumbling again....

I have a love hate relationship with my apartment.

I love:

- easy access to everything I want to see or visit within a 5 mile radius
- urban, it's in the heart of Hollywood
- no pet deposit when we moved in
- great neighbors
- great neighborhood

I hate:

- the maintenance guy
- that my electricity is flaky
- that my AC is flaky
- repairs in general

Let me explain... It's always our fault something isn't working. We have had long running issues with our air conditioning unit. There is a freon leak somewhere in the system. The cooling unit is on our roof and the blower and intake are actually in our apartment. Our AC has to be re-charged with Freon every year and the management doesn't want to disassemble the building to fix the leak, so they just keep recharging it and telling us all the dog hair in our apartment is clogging the system up.

The electricity in our apartment is freaky and has been for the past year - we keep blowing circuits on breakers that have had the SAME exact electronics plugged in for years. For example - our refrigerator and microwave are on the same circuit and have been for about 4 years. A few months ago, all of the sudden and on random occasions, turning on the microwave while the compressor for the refrigerator was on started tripping the circuit breaker. And of course, it's our fault for having too much stuff plugged in. Come ON, really???!!! same electronics, same circuits, four years, no problems. Not my fault!!! Your power sucks - replace our circuit box with heavier duty circuits already. But no.

Our garbage disposal got clogged up, this time my fault (I stupidly put artichoke leaves in the disposal as well as rice). no problem. the maintenance guy comes out cleans it out and we're back in business, but the sink doesn't drain very well. Eh - I live with it. Fast forward to Monday morning..... husband juices a few oranges and sticks the rind in the disposal. The sink backs up and the disposal refuses go. ARGGHH!!!!

Instead of calling maintenance, Husband replaced it. very manly manly of my techno nerdie husband ;) we bought a much nicer unit that will be replaced with a crappy (but nicer than the one had) unit when we move out. He even snaked the drain pipe!! As it turns out my clog had backed up further in the pipe than the maintenance guy thought and it was mostly plugged up anyway.

We will be doing all the maintenance ourselves from now on.

Getting an AC guy and electrician in are next on the list...

So in the wanderings on Saturday (that's a whole 'nother story), husband and I discovered a new little shopping center near Sunset and Cahuenga in Hollywood. It's called Space15twenty - and it's is PERFECT! I love it.

I spent WAY too much money....

First at Hennessey + Ingalls, and art and architecture book store. Husband bought a book on concrete modern buildings and I bought a textile reference book. I almost didn't get the book but I have a long running issues with saying "oh I'll think about it and get it later." EVERY single time I've done it here in LA - I've never been able to find said item again. ever.

Second at We the Free, I splurged on a few shirts. We the Free is a newish label from Free People that I am in love with.

I bought this sweater:


This shirt:


and this shirt:


I will be posting pics later of the space...

Scoutie Girl is doing a give away - the major bonus with this one is that for every comment you enter - she'll donate 5 cents to the charity of the winner's choice. go enter away!!!

Sew Mama Sew has put together a huge blog give away collaboration with a ton of other blogs. Check out the list here.

there are lots of really great blogs in the list and super cute stuff up for a give away.

found via the craftzine blog

This interesting artist and curator, Kirsty Hall, has a bunch of really interesting art on her site most of it craft driven. take a peek.

Today, I finished my mass production project. My fingers hurt and I need a nap, but it's noon now and I started the final stages at around 8 this morning. Woo Hoo!!

Here are all the pins finished up:


You can see the tags I started in the back ground.

I'm hoping the girls from the HerShe Group's program like them. I also rounded up a couple of shirts, notebooks, pins, etc. from all the teams at my office's swag closets. AND Lollychops is pitching in too!! You might be able to sneak a peek over on her site.

And on a side note.....

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!!!!!!!!!

In case you are wondering why I'm not posting much over the next week or so - I'm working on my first mass production crochet project.

I'm making 35 pins for a charity Christmas gift bag project for the HerShe Group.

It's a mentoring program for girls 13-21 who are, or previously have been, in foster care. My wonderful friend Laneshia is a mentor in this program and she asked if I could help her with contributions. I've hit up all my work friends for swag and have received a bunch of offers for gifts for the girls.

Each girl is going to get a bag of goodies for Christmas at the groups party. They will have at least 3 different t-shirts, a bag, some lotion, and something handmade by me. (they are also looking for monetary contributions to support the party - hit me up if you want to donate something.)

Here is the prototype for my contribution:



I'm going to add tags that say "handmade with love for built in hugs."

what do you think?

so I've tried very hard to keep this under wraps because Nikki didn't want to see what I was trading with her until it came in the mail....

But now that we've received I can share!!

I asked Nikki of Untamed Menagerie to do a trade with me....Acrylic for Crochet

the pendant should look familiar if you've been reading for awhile:



and I sent her a long skinny scarf (3"wide and 6' long):



as well as this for an extra:


Nikki is so sweet, super professional and quick to respond. I loved trading with her and as soon as my credit cards are back in the clear, I will probably go blow them up again in her store.

wow - people after my own heart. nerdy and crafty and techie all at the same time.

NERVOUS SYSTEM

using self developed modeling tools inspired by nature Nervous System makes gorgeous, gorgeous jewelry

I am inspired to pull out the plastic myself now....

Borrowed a pic from their blog:

I found this earlier today from Craft Yourself Rich.

Ali J in Australia wrote up this interesting article on selling your stuff.

check it and take a look at her art as well.