{ Jicama gone wrong. }

OK. Perhaps you have never heard of jicama (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/jicama or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jicama), but it happens to be a tasty, white vegetable that I enjoy on salads and sometimes just dipped in dressing. I've recently learned that it doesn't stay good for months at a time in a storage drawer in the fridge. I found this tasty little treat on Sunday. Thank goodness it was in a ziplock freezer back. Have you ever seen red mold before?

{ Making a dress #1 }

I have an incredible roommate named Erin who thinks it's easy to make and modify dress patterns based on dresses I already own. She executed these talents by making a super cute pattern based on one of my favorite, vintage dresses in my closet (it's the red, polka dottish one for anyone who may be really familiar with my wardrobe). And, for roomate bonding time earlier this month, we made dresses! It's my very first sewing project based on a pattern, and really it's the first piece of clothing I've ever made. It makes me feel less guilty for owning a sewing maching now that I have confidence that I can actually make things. Up until now I've just been a clothes mender. Erin and I decided that if we start a dress shop in some quaint, boutique-lined street, we're going to call it "Virginia Paige" -- it's a conglomorate of our two middle names (compliments of Erin and her naming brilliance).



Erin ironing her emerald/tinker-bell green fabric for her dress. I went with a brown, textured suiting fabric (as you can see below)



The finished product. I think I get more pleased with it as time goes on. The night I finished, I was like "Ehhh...not a huge fan." The day I wore it, I was like "Ahhh...it's OK." And now I'm to the "It's not too bad" stage.

{ present of the year. }

I'm not quite sure why I was so drawn to this oversized, prince-frog stuffed animal from IKEA, but when I saw it, I HAD to buy it for my niece for her birthday. It was just too awesome to overlook. The zippered mouth is complete with a cute embroidered fly, and if you turn it inside out, you can actually zip the frog inside itself. As pictured below, it also doubles as an excellent hat. It will definitely swallow my nieces cute, little, one-year-old head, and I think it will provide hours and hours of entertainment for all parties involved.