what I'm thinking about listed here so I might possibly remember it

• this picture from a previous martha magazine by ice fantasies, and this picture taken from a Jane magazine spread, which I have from before I quit my subscription because it is a shallow and disappointing older relative of Sassy, and while we're thinking about ice this vodka because I just like it
• ripstop nylon and grommet purses, aka That Home Depot Bag Thingy I Wanna Make
• new picturs for the surprise ball project with my left over crepe
• how quiet things are everywhere
• halloween projects - few goodies in store
• adding comments to this here blog thingy
• getting a sewing machine (with a case and a handle!)
• making ginger salt scrub with the ground ginger found at Scarlett Sage Herb Co.
• new food that looks like other food feature thing
• getting ready for houseguests! yay!

Long ago I read somewhere that you shouldn't use salts that are intended for cooking purposes in beauty products. I have no idea where this was or if it is true in any way. The reasons they gave where some muddled things about salts for cooking would actually dry out your skin, whereas salts intended for beauty products had been washed or treated in some way. I realize that this washing thing sounds suspicious, but it sounded reasonable at the time in my early research. I've been poking around trying to find this information again somewhere, anywhere, and the closest I can find is that one shouldn't use iodized salts in bath products - most common kitchen salt has been iodized. So, do you know anything about this? Salts to avoid for beauty purposes? Let me know, thanks!

I have been bad for not adding this one earlier - nervous industries "Land Mail Art Objects. These are objects that anybody can make: notebooks, photo albums, boxes, mix tapes, that are sent all over the world, to anyone that signs up for them here, and finally returned to their original owners." There is a lot going on over there. Very good stuff.

someone over at the digs magazine board mentioned Basin, a bath store similar to Lush - anyone tried stuff from Basin? how does it compare to Lush? Basin is only located in the Mall of America and Disneyland, neither of which have good connotations for me. I'm hesitant, while the picture on this page makes it look like a blatant Lush rip-off, the products don't sound as scrumptious to me, and the ingredients list has those words which I do not favor "fragrance oil", ick [ oops, did I just reject it before I even tried it? ]

the boards at digs magazine are great! (although, I may be overly smitten because they have a thread about Lush inside of "covet") also, check glitter, the getcrafty boards for craft chatter and peoples in your area - any other boards you recommend?

A while ago I linked to Venus of Willendorf shaped soap at Bust - the gal that makes it has a whole store filled with equally exciting stuff at Pisces Soap. She also does the Pisces Catalog a "zine, craft & novelty distro" (which is having some sales right now). Yay for Kerith!

fun - pottry barn kids has a pink retro telephone. for the record a friend of mine has a pottery barn phone and she says the reception is not-so-great. a magazine I have lists websites that sell old and antique phones - I'll dig it out later today and list the sites

From Nature With Love has a nice library on making your own bath stuff and candles, as well as a nice recipe database (choices on the left nav for that one)

links gleaned from paranoidgirl luau kit at plum party and check out that sno-cone maker - ah, takes me back but they are missing that that neccessary bit of bad taste: coconut bras at oriental trading company (for the guys of course) easy to grow your own pineapple at you grow girl pms chocolate bars at bust ladies day at get crafty

LUPEC - Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails. "Here you can find information on ... cocktails, and their history, rituals, barware, and hors d'oeuvres that were once an important part of the culture that surrounded them." yay! found at BUST

how to make a pinhole camera!! via rebecca's pocket, thanks

Each year the duct tape people sponsor a scholarship contest for the couple at the prom who has the best clothes - made entirely out of duct tape. The voting is over and the winners have been decided (the ones I was hoping for too!) - but it's still a lot of fun. There were a lot of great outfits going on - take a look. I wanna know where they found the time to make outfits like these. I had planned on making my prom dress - I had yards and yards of spring green chiffon and chartruse charmuse (really) and silk rattail cord but, after a series of unfortunate incidents involving a cold and a rather long paper, I ended up buying my dress from the mall the day of the prom. I missed pictures because I was still stitching the hooks onto my velvet chocker. thanks to swallowing tacks for the reminder