Welcome to #5faves at the RLog. I'm so so so excited to be hosting for Hallie of Moxie Wife today!

Today I'm favoriting summer. I grew up in Texas, and I speak the language of summer. I won't dump on the other seasons. I'm always ready for sweater weather, and I like a good snuggle in the holidays. But summer has my heart; sprinkle some lemon juice in my hair and point me to the river.

 Here are five of my summer favorites. (Forgive me for ignoring Mother's Day. I'm trying to play it cool.)

 - 1 -

Eco Sunscreen

I'll confess that I haven't run the gamut of "non-toxic" sunscreens. Primarily because this is the first one I tried, and I really like it. It goes on easily and doesn't leave much white residue like many barrier sunscreens, and it doesn't stain my clothing.

It's not Coppertone cheap, but the "Body" sunscreen isn't too too expensive, and our's last us awhile because when we hit the beach our toddler pretty much looks like this:

- 2 -
Wide Brim Sun Hat

I'm trying to embrace the part of me that will soon be turning thirty and needs to keep her very sun sensitive skin covered by more than just lotion. Enter totally awesome, floppy brimmed sun hats. This is definitely on my short list of summer purchases. 

- 3 -

Emu Oil

Little known, marginally interesting fact about my childhood: we raised emus. I don't really know why. It had something to do with an ag exemption and something to do with the fact that my mother liked to start businesses in her free time. So we hatched, raised, and slaughtered these Australian not-ostriches. They came out pretty cute:

Then they grew up big and ugly and smelly and they would get out and we'd find them miles from our house and somehow have to get them back in their pens. Suffice it to say, I don't miss them and I much prefer my parents' current venture involving pecan trees.

But what does emu oil have to do with summer?!? I will tell you. Emu oil is far and away the best sunburn remedy I've ever tried. It would make lobster sunburns all but disappear over night. Don't believe me for all my northern european authority in the area of white white white skin? Try it for yourself.

- 4 -

Salt Water Sandals 

My little brother bought these for me for my birthday and I've only wanted them for forever - or since last summer - because they're comfy and durable and adorable and because the Patton children are my fashion gurus.

- 5 -

A 1920 

Last week Jacob and I had a little celebrating to do, so we found ourselves splurging on some cocktails at Simone on Sunset. I picked the first one on the menu because I get nervous when people are waiting on me - it was called the 1920 and what a lucky strike it was. Ever since Jacob and I spent our newlywed summer drinking mojitos almost exclusively, herby fizzy alcohol just sings summertime. I did my best to replicate it for you and this is what I came up with. 

I can't wait to read about what you're crushing on this week. Thanks again to Hallie for sharing the fun!

An InLinkz Link-up

The Big Purse Dump: A Link Up

Linking up with Kendra today for The Big Purse Dump. I shall preface this with...I don't carry a purse. Que surprise, the woman who has worn fingernail polish all of three times in the last two decades is purse-less. Don't worry. Someday I will grow up and learn how to accessorize. It's my goal for my thirties.

I realized a few years ago that I was a total goldfish when it came to purses. However big my purse was I grew to fit into it, so I stopped carrying a purse and went the clutch route. This is the one I've been carrying for the past...year?



(Full disclosure: it's a seed bag from the hardware store...I know I know... I'm my own cliche.) It typically gets thrown into diaper bags or left behind altogether since I mostly just pocket my phone because my case houses my ID and primary credit card.

And the honest dump.

 

Cash. Chapstick. Pen. Receipts. Spare car key.

Rhogam record. Coin purse. Rosary. Checks

Dr.'s appt reminder from September. USB drive. Cards. Key to?? Anthropologie gift card. Natural bodycare recipes.

Gift cards to Amy's Ice Cream in Austin. Sunglasses. Address book turned grocery prices record.

So let's see. What in this mess is actually worth talking about?

Well this chapstick for one. Vanilla Mint. It's the best chapstick ever but it's been discontinued, so I've been nursing it for...ahem...too long to admit.



These Amy's Ice Cream coupons were a wedding gift from an Austin friend.


Every time in the last five years that we've been in Austin we've forgotten them, so they graduated to my purse because NEXT time we will be ready. Which might be Edel in July if you want to tag along.

And my favorite thing in here? Easy. This many years old green pouch and its contents.



It's a Florentine leather coin purse that an old boyfriend's brother bought me in Italy to replace one that was stolen from me. (Yes, Chelsea, your husband got it for me because he's swell. Now stop reading and start a blog.) The coin purse stores a crucifix that Jacob bought me in Budapest and a love letter he sent me while we were dating; it's falling apart, but we're not ;) awwwww.

And since you're all on the edges of your toilets wondering how our potty training is going, I'll let you decipher it for yourself.

I might have to rethink my rewards system...

Till tomorrow, friends!

Check out more 7in7 posts here.

Creative Katie

As Ana is hosting a Valentines Creativity Link Up I thought it was about time to post a couple of my recent projects. So get ready for some amateur sewing and photography. Here we go.

As soon as we recovered from Christmas, and the craziness that is syllabus writing was in my rear view, I began to think about my teacher wardrobe. For the past three semesters I've only taught once or twice a week, but this semester I teach three times a week. And that, my friends, is a lot more outfits. Trust me. It is. I'm good at math. So while looking through my woefully ill-fitting wardrobe, I decided to sew myself something. A friend of mine had recently hooked me up with a bag full of fabric that she'd gotten for almost nothing at a garage sale, so this garment would only cost me a zipper.

I found my tutorial here and gave it a go. I've never sewed anything more complicated than a pillow case, so this was promising to be a real challenge. But Jacob - in his Waldorfian glory - has a lot of sewing experience so I figured that with him on my left and internet tutorials on my right, I'd be able to manage.

And after three naps and three night nights I had myself a skirt.

I almost ironed it for the photo shoot. But then I didn't.

Rudimentary darts? Check. Poor seam to zipper transition? Check. A slit that's not quite tall enough and flaps up a little? Check and check.

And here is the satin lining which makes me feel like Mammy from Gone with the Wind.

And the zipper. The tears I cried. Not really. But it was a doozy.

Enough pictures yet? No? OK. Here's another one of me standing on the table and awkwardly kicking up my leg.

The skirt's been finished for about four weeks, and I've worn it about eight times. I haven't gotten a single comment on it, but I'm still crossing my fingers for the moment when I get to drop the "I made it" bomb, because despite its flaws - of which there are many - I'm ridiculously proud of it.
 

 Part Deux

This second project took about 20 times longer than the skirt and got me through a lot of bad TV. Behold. Pillow:

I love love love embroidery and embroidering. Holding that hoop and all the stitches and colors. Now that this is done I'll probably embark on something a little more elaborate. But that might be after Easter when TV is no longer on the Lenten altar.

  Any. How. Happy Valentines day. Do something pretty and pink.

What I Wore to Thanksgiving Dinner

Well, Grace, you pretty pleased me right out of the closet, so now the whole internet gets to see what I ate turkey in yesterday. 

Pictured while standing on the coffee table in front of the map-wall and looking at my toes.  

Outfit details:

Shirt: Anthro ages ago

Belt: Gifted thrift

Jeans: Ross last year

Jacket: Thrifted in college

Shoes: Iceland (the country)
 
Necklace: Gift from my dad and brothers a few years ago and and I've hardly taken it off since. Designed by a dear friend, and you can find it on sale here.

Now go eat your leftovers and click around to see the other Turkey Outfits.

7 Quick Takes Friday Morning

 - 1 -

Jake in an act of heretofore unprecedented generosity slept until 7:45 this morning.

 
Indeed he was the last one in bed because:

 - 2 -

Jacob and I have been trying to stick to a (not that) heroic wake time of 7am. When we face and conquer the heroic wake time, we get to refer to one another as heroes for the rest of the morning.

 - 3 -

Jacob is fixing his bike right now, so he can start riding it to work. He just asked through the window if I would get the air pump from the closet, the largish closet in our tinyish apartment which smells like a mixture of mold and ammonia with a dash of industrial strength cleaner. And I got it for him. Because I'm a hero. 

 - 4 -

He is using the old pump now and it sounds remarkably like a woman in labor. Raspy inhale, guttural exhale. Weird. Weird weird.

 - 5 -

I'm wearing a neglected shirt this morning. I've been on a laundry strike because it's summer and the machine's been glitchy and, well, it's summer. This neglected shirt has a very wide neck which falls scandalously off one shoulder if I'm not paying attention. Anyhow, I caught a glimpse of myself just now and thought with my blousey shirt and my high ponytail, I resembled something from an old John Hughes movie.

Well. Ok. Not nearly that cool. And can you say haircut time? It's only been _ _ months since my last visit to any type of hair professional. (Lily, my dear little sister, I do love you. But you don't count. And you're in London where you can drink legally, so no one is feeling sorry for you.) and (Pretty effective blackout curtains we got going on in the corner there, huh?)

 - 6 -

Jacob just came in from the porch after finishing his bike tune up. He took one look at me lying on my stomach on the bed typing this and said: "Ah. Mothering. It's tireless, thankless work."

 - 7 -

So now I must go embrace my vocation...who is currently clawing at my ankles.

And you have me to thank for the superior photography exhibited today.

Happy Friday! And go see Jen for more Quick Takes!