Because Truth is Stranger Than Fiction

As a crafter, I spend a lot of time alone at home working on my items. I don't know about you, but I can't work in silence for hours on end, just me and my thoughts, so I watch A LOT of tv to keep me entertained. As a big movie buff, I've got all the usual sources - cable, Netflix, DVDs, etc. - and one of my favorite selections from these are documentaries. In the same vain that I love to read biographies, I love to watch documentaries.

There are the well-known ones like Supersize Me, March of the Penguins, Inconvenient Truth or anything by Michael Moore, or even the classic ones like Endless Summer, but I've also seen everything from documentaries about drinking water, to surfing, to porn, and even one about a gay British mobster. I don't have an official top ten list or anything, but I thought it might be fun to list the ones I find myself watching and recommending over and over.

1) Dear Zachary: A Letter To A Son About His Father


Such an amazing, unbelievable, and tragic story. I originally saw this at a free screening my local theater was having along with a q&a by the filmmaker. I cry every time I see it and if you're not moved by it, you might be literally missing a heart.

2) The Business of Being Born


I admit, this film totally feeds my west-coast hippie-dippy side. As a teen I imagined that when the time finally came for me to pop out a kid, I would want the process to be as quick and painless as possible. Knock me out, cut me up, ta-dah! This movie made me think twice and genuinely research more about what I want my "birthing experience" to be like someday. See? How hippie-dippy is that? Be ye forewarned: lots of graphic birthing scenes. It's the miracle of life, folks! Comes with the territory.

3) Crazy Love


The title says it all. This story couldn't be written, it's so unbelievable. A tribute to the power of love. Or psychosis. Special note: fantastic soundtrack.

4) Beer Wars


I am not a beer drinker for when I imbibe, I like flavor. And sweetness. And maybe a little umbrella or cherry or both. However, this movie is so informative and engaging it gets tacked right up there with all the reasons I love to hate "The Man". As a direct result of this film, The Doomed, who is a huge beer drinker, no longer buys any beer from or distributed by any of the big three American breweries. Succesfully brainwashed!

5) Mad Hot Ballroom

Just a feel good movie. 'Cause I like watching kids dance. And I like kids with New York accents. Super enjoyable - saw it in theaters and leave it on everytime I catch it on cable.

Do you guys have any documentaries you like? I'm always on the look out for the next great thing to see!

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Crafting Rut

I've a confession to make. I've barely picked up the knitting needles this week.

What?! I know! It's so unlike me but I really just haven't been motivated. I haven't picked up any other crafting utensil or material either. I had a couple ideas and started working on them, but they just weren't turning out the way I hoped. So I stopped. I gave up. Temporarily.

You ever feel completely uninspired? Like everything you make sucks, nothing's original, someone else could do a better job, you have no talent. The beauty of crafting, I think, is that you don't have to be talented, per sé. You just have to like to make things, make them to best of your ability, and hope someone else likes them, too. I certainly don't consider myself talented. Or an artist. I just like to make. Right now, though, I feel like everything I do is bleh.

I'm not a woe-is-me kind of gal. I'm perky! And peppy! Glass is always half full! But sometimes, like anyone, I have an off week. And there's nothing I'd like better than to throw a temper tantrum big enough to put a toddler's to shame. But it's not cute in kid and sure as hell isn't cute in a grown woman. Also, it wouldn't make me feel good anyway.

So, what to do? I think it's time I make something completely unassociated with the shop or me. I have a neighbor who's pregnant with her first child and I've been wanting to make a little something for the occasion. I think now's the perfect time! Who doesn't love adorable baby somethings! And maybe it'll make the muses come flying back to me.

Since I have nothing new to show you, how 'bout a picture of my always adorable pooch? He got a haircut this week. Have a great weekend, y'all!



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To Instant or Not to Instant

This I my Diana+ camera. It's mint green and lightweight and vintage looking and I love it. I bought it a couple years ago, along with the record player it sits upon, imagining I'd finally have time to really get into photography. However, having no steady place at which to develop the film, I don't use it as often as I'd like and I find myself relying much more on the lomographic settings of my iPhone's various camera apps.

When I learned Lomography had created an instant back that attaches to all their Diana+ cameras I was sold!....until I learned the price.



Making my camera capable of producing polaroid shots is an awesome concept and I would use it everywhere if I had it, but I just can't bring myself to plunk down nearly $80 for it quite yet. I know that, relatively speaking, it's not an exorbitant amount of money but, hey, that's more than the camera itself cost me. I think. I don't remember anymore.

Maybe I'll get it after I get the Olympus Pen I've been drooling over. Or maybe if they offered it in the same color as my camera. I never could resist a good mint/teal colored gadget. :)


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