Following Rabbits Blog — love it

I spent a good part of my afternoon today lounging on my fire escape. I got a super late breakfast at Brooklyn Bagel and crawled out my window to enjoy the sunshine on my makeshift terrace. Yesterday I downloaded several camera apps for my new phone, with lomo and antique lens effects. I took TONS of pics today of my view and Ms. Lily (and a few of myself). It's nice to have lazy sunny Saturdays once in a while!

I was shopping downtown yesterday at the City Quilter and saw this book that I had to have. I often shop for fabric and end up buying a yard or two of a print that I love but have no plans for. I have piles of stray yards and leftovers all around my sewing table. This book has 101 different sewing projects, all made with 1 yard or less of fabric. Brilliant! It provides detailed instructions, an envelope of patterns, lots of photos, and a huge range of projects from handbags to home decor, and clothes for you and baby. Lately I've been left to my own devices, and have found myself frequently burrowing into my new studio space to whip up some creativity. Can't wait to dive into this book and my stacks of fabric and see what I come up with.

Do you sew? What are your favorite things to do with leftover fabric? Any fun projects you'd recommend that use fat quarters or quilting squares? I want to hear from you!

This is Liam! He's 5 years old and has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type II. Spinal Muscular Atrophy is a purely physical disorder- Liam is a chatty, curious, singing, storytelling little boy- like most 5 year olds are. Liam gets around in his power wheelchair that allows him to explore and play. His mum, Lynn, is the creative lady behind Satsuma Press. She's holding an online fundraiser to make their bathroom fully accessible for Liam this summer. Please visit his website to learn more about Liam and how you can help out. We can all pitch in to afford Liam mobility, accessibility, and independence as he grows. Remember that you get what you give- the universe always rewards and returns generosity!

I've been a fan of Johnny Cupcakes for years now. Johnny "Cupcakes" Earle started selling tshirts out of the trunk of his car in 2001. People went crazy for his cupcakes and crossbones logo and designs, and in 2006 Johnny opened a shop on Newbury Street in Boston. The shop looks like a bakery- with glass display cases and a giant mixer. Everything he makes is limited edition which ups the demand for his gear. He's always planning awesome events for his fans, and has embarked on a nationwide tour to meet and hang out with his loyal followers. Last night was the first stop, and he set up a pop-up shop at 25 Howard Street in SoHo. I'm familiar with the crowds that Johnny draws, so I changed into my JC Sox tee at work and got in line at 6p with about 100 people in front of me. Johnny rolled up at 6:30 in his cupcake mobile, blasting music from Peewee's Big Adventure. Silliness!

He had to circle around the block and then played us another tune while parallel parking...

Doors opened at 8p, and by that time the line went onto the next block. There were limited edition tour tshirts for sale (natch) and Johnny spent a generous amount of time with every single person who came out to see him. It was finally my turn at 11:45p- almost a 6 hour wait!- but so worth it. We chatted about the tour schedule and he signed a NYC Love postcard for my project! I also asked him to draw his logo signature on my wrist, which he did... and I got it inked today!! (More on that coming soon in a separate post!) I left at midnight and there were still about 100 more people waiting to get in. He promised to stay until everyone got a chance to buy a shirt (or six) and chat him up. He deserves every bit of success that he has! Such a fun night- thanks Johnny!!

My favorite badges L to R, top to bottom: for leaving the nest, for being a happy camper, for surviving first love, for being a smitten kitten, for being just my type, for being a black sheep, for being a dirt bag, for having a bun in the oven. (I've got someone in mind for every single one of these, ha!)

Everyone deserves a little recognition sometimes. With these fantastic little merit badges made by Lee Meszaros, you can reward your friends for everything from rocking the boat to flipping the bird.  Each merit badge is $24 and comes with a certificate of recognition. Your girlfriend absolutely needs a badge to commemorate Saturday night's bender, your roommate could use a reminder that the wall you put up to split your one bedroom into two is very thin, and your co-worker's housewarming party deserves more than a bottle of wine. Not sure the dirt bag in your life will appreciate your pointing out his dirt bagginess, but it'd be worth $24 to see the expression on his sorry mug. Just sayin'.