Getting Around Town by Bus

Recently I wrote a post about trying to get around Baltimore City by bicycle. To make a long story short, it was less than successful. Despite the many “Share the Road” signs and images of the Mayor cycling with her entourage around the Inner Harbor on television I found my experience to be far less safe or serene. I immediately went back to driving my truck to work.

Having a big Nissan Frontier Nismo 4×4 pickup truck is wonderful for yard work, camping, hauling stuff to the dump or shuttling my downhill bike, but one this it isn’t great for is parking in the city. Even though I have the short bet, it’s still to long. It also gets terrible gas mileage in the city (about 13mpg) and I’ve just had to replace my brakes and rotors at 36k miles, which was very expensive. Now, I need 4 new tires. Apparently the combination of city driving during the week and highway on the weekends traveling up and down the East Coast for downhill mountain biking has been the perfect costly storm for my truck and I. In short, I just couldn’t afford to drive it anymore. It doesn’t make good economical sense and I live in a city, so it seems I should be able to get around by mass transit. However, I tried this little experiment years ago and found that I simply wasn’t smart enough to figure out the routing system from my house on the outskirts of the city down to where I work. I live in Lauraville and I work in Canton, shouldn’t be too complicated right? Well, when I tried this last time I went to the Maryland Transportation Authority website and found a pile of .pdf route maps. I had no idea how to read them properly and certainly not how to link them up to make an actual commute. I tried calling their help line and they made it clear that they weren’t there to help dummies like me sort it out. So that was that. Now, back to the present.

Lucky for me, Google has now gotten into the public transportation mapping game. I enter where I’m at and where I want to go and Voila! it maps my route for me. It tells me when the next bus is expected to arrive and where to pick it up. I can select what time I plan to leave, or by what time I must arrive.

I used the Google maps tool to plot out my route to work which included taking one bus toward the center of town, switching to another and then finishing my route. It costs $1.60 for each ride and because I would be switching buses on my way to work and then again on my return, it makes more sense for me to purchase a day pass for $3.50. Pricing and route information can be found on the MTA website. You can also register to receive notification by text or email if your planned route is delayed or diverted. On my first day of riding the bus I was excited, nervous and a little scared. The buses pass through more than a few blighted neighborhoods through which I don’t normally travel, so I admit it, I clutched my pearls a little bit. However, most of the drivers were helpful and friendly, the buses cleaner than I had anticipated and well, none of the other riders really even looked at me. I followed my bus route on my Google maps iPhone app to ensure that I had gotten on the right bus and I knew when to get off. I was able to quickly and easily locate my next bus stop and was at work 45 minutes early. My return trip home was equally uneventful and I closed my day with a mixture of feeling independent and empowered. After all, I was finally living up to my own recommendations. I was saving myself money and helping out the environment. The next day I packed a book and switched to a backpack. I wore flip flops and packed my heels. I tucked a collapsible umbrella into my pocket and enjoyed my new found wheels. The costs savings are significant. $60 for a tank of gas verses 17.50 for a week of bus fare. I’m not totally sure how to calculate the cost of maintenance, but even though I drive only a short distance to work (less than five miles each way) I was able to immediately notice the relief. Along the way I’ve learned my route well enough that I’ve even located alternate buses that I can hop on if my is running late. I’ve learned that the buses do not have GPS and that the Google time is based on their planned route, not reality. Buses in Baltimore almost never arrive on their scheduled time. I don’t know if they are perpetually early, or perpetually late, but eventually you just learn to arrive 15 minutes before google says, or wait 15 minutes after, The bus will come eventually and almost always within 10 minutes of your arrival at the stop. It does take twice as long to get home, but usually I’m lost in a book, working on my latest crochet project or listening to a podcast. Use some of your saved money and buy a smart phone, it will provide some entertainment. Overall the bus is a different lifestyle. You have to plan better and pack more stuff to take with you. It takes a little longer, but it’s much more relaxing. So sit back, relax and welcome aboard the MTA.

My Bus Riding tips:

1. Get a good backpack and pack well. You can leave it on and fit in your seat. This keeps your hands free and you don’t have to worry about accidentally leaving anything on the bus.

2. Plan your route ahead of time, but don’t expect it to be exact. Leave 15-20 minutes before your planned bus arrival.

3. Unless you are going downtown, try to avoid switching buses there during rush hour. The buses can get quite crowded and you may have to deal with standing room only and frequent stops.

4. Purchase a good pair of rubber boots and a vented, collapsible umbrella. You’ll need them eventually.

5. Pack a book, or learn to knit or crochet. Sure you can play Fruit Ninja or Angry Birds for an hour, but use this opportunity to expand your horizons please.

6. If you are at a bus stop and you are alone, but the one across the street from you is full, you are probably on the wrong side. Run across the street and ask the folks there if you are at the stop for your bus. Most every rider I have been has been both friendly and knowledgeable. If you still aren’t sure, ask the driver of the next bus that stops.

7. If you are at a bus stop alone and you are sure you are at the right one, be sure to give the driver of your incoming bus a little wave. It’s difficult for drivers to tell if you are waiting for a ride or just loitering about. They don’t like to stop more than necessary because it slows down the route. Eventually you will get to know your drivers and they will recognize you, but until then or if you are on a new stop…wave and smile.

8. Get some change. The bus is a great way to use all of that change you’ve got laying about on your dress or piled into jars around the house. However, the bus does take exact change only. If you are someone who likes to use dollar bills or pay by credit card, then get yourself a Charm Card. This reusable plastic card looks a bit like a credit card and you just tap it when you board the bus and it automatically deducts your fare. It can even store your day pass electronically so you don’t have to gather piles of paper fare cards.

I felt so great about my new commuting abilities that I was ready to go out and sell my truck and become carless. After all we still have one in the family and I have a lot of friends and family, plus there are plenty of taxis in the city in an emergency. However, in the end my husband convinced me otherwise. However, let me stress that this can easily be done in Baltimore. I just happen to occasionally want to sleep in late, or take my daughter to school, head out of town unexpectedly and while I love my bus riding it still causes my aforementioned friends and family some anxiety to know that I’m buzzing around town by public transit. So, I’ll keep my wheels and use them occasionally, but I’ll be on the bus most days of the week. If you ride the 19, 11, 13 or 7 buses you might just see me there.

Please note that if you aren’t lucky enough to live where you work like I am, there is also the light rail, MARC trains and we even have a subway (although I have yet to find that to be useful in my travels I’m afraid). You can connect to the DC metro and get around pretty far pretty easily and inexpensively. The more ridership increases the more connections they’ll build, so grab your change jar or your Charm Card hon and hop onboard the MTA.

Getting Around Town by Bike

Given that I live in the city of Baltimore and I work only 3 or 4 miles as the crow flies, technically I should be able to ride my bike to work. I don’t have a road bike, but I do have a hard tail mountain bike, so I decided that I would give it a whirl. If the bicycle commute panned out, then I could always purchase an inexpensive commuter and still save plenty of money over the course of a year. So, I planned out a route that would allow me to stick to bicycle lanes, through relatively safe neighborhoods and along streets that I’m familiar with. I live in the Lauraville neighborhood of Baltimore City and I work in Canton. I planned my route to take me from my house, around our Lake Montebello, down Charles Street, past the Inner Harbor, Fell’s Point and finally stopping at my building.

This actually made my commute more on the order of 9-10 miles, but it was all downhill on the way to work so I wouldn’t arrive too sweaty. I tried to find a local gym that would let me purchase a discounted pass for the showers, but no dice. I’d just have to pack deodorant, a change of clothes and some baby wipes and fix my hair and makeup after I arrived. On the first morning I loaded up my backpack and set off to work, bright and early and building in extra time to ensure that I could follow all of the traffic laws, make safe crossings and stick to my bike lane. Unfortunately I quickly learned that bike lane or no, people considered me to be a traffic annoyance. On the first day people had two clear car lanes to choose from, but still insisted on edging into my bike lane and driving me uncomfortably close to the sidewalk. I also noted that on occasion in Baltimore City, even on major streets, the bike lane would, for seemingly no reason at all, cease. That’s right, it would just end. Straight into a line of parked cars. This meant that I had to quickly take a lane that would be filled with cars traveling at least twice the posted 25 mph speed limit. I kept pace with traffic despite the fact that it was quickly exhausting me to try not to block any hurried morning commuters in their cars. Then I had to deal with buses, pulling in and out of the lanes of traffic and unable to see me, or not caring…who knows which. There wasn’t a lot of honking, but people would ride very close behind my tire, rather than switching to the left lane to pass. A few areas where the road split and cars whizzed by me a little too closely made me pretty nervous, but I survived. I arrived at work no worse for the wear and in good time. It took me about 45 minutes. I could go a shorter route, but the roads are dicey, the neighborhoods lined with boarded up houses and no bike lanes, sharrows or even signage present. I decided to stick to my route. The way home was all up hill and the entire downtown area was so gridlocked with people in every lane, including the bus and bicycle lanes, so I got off and walked a fair bit. When I could safely return to my bicycle I did, but uphill was tough. I slowed to a near crawl as I cranked up the steep hills of Charles street and began the long slow climb home. My legs pumped battery acid and I was sweating through my cycle shirt, but I could go home and shower and it took me only 60 minutes or so. I liked that I didn’t have to work out. I’d already burned far more calories than I needed for the day. Day two began to go downhill. Several cars intentionally cut me off. People stopped so close to my bike at the traffic lights that despite the fact that I was into the crosswalk, hurried drivers playing with their radios, or cell phones, or coffee or just thinking about those TPS reports that are due that they nearly ran me over. On my way home, people honked and angrily gave me the one finger salute. Accelerating behind me, then crossing in front to slam on the brakes was apparently a new driving technique to allow people to more  quickly move through the grid lock. I left work 30 minutes or so later than planned which put me squarely into downtown rush hour traffic. I snuck onto the sidewalk a few times because I was terrified to make left turns. I walked my bike in the crosswalks instead. I considered hopping onto the local buses a few times, but they each have only one bike rack and it was always full. Our free Charm City Circulator would have been a great option to avoid the steep uphill of Charles street, but they don’t have bike racks at all. I made it home, now very tired from working my legs 20 miles a day, but I survived. Finally, day three. My last ride in Baltimore City. About half way to work, right near the congested area of Union Memorial Hospital and Johns Hopkins University, where lots of other bikers ride the lanes and kids cross the walks on their way to class it happened. I heard a car speed up and come dangerously close to me in my bike lane and a guy yelled out, “Hey, get your dumb ass out of the road”. I looked confused, I felt indignant. I mean, I was following all of the traffic laws and I even planned my route to be extra long just to stay in the damned bike lanes. In fact, I was one less car on the road and it seems like these honking, speeding jerks should just give me a break. Then it happened. He rolled down the window, pulled close beside me and hit me squarely in the back with a can of dog food.

Apparently this kind sir was tired of my bicycling shenanigans on his road. I called my husband, angry and insistent that I was doing the right thing, right? He didn’t understand why I wouldn’t just ride on the sidewalk. What was wrong with me? That was his reply, and did you get his tag number. Well, I refuse to give in and ride on the sidewalk. It isn’t safe for me, for the people who actually belong on the sidewalk because they are walking, or even the angry commuters in their four-wheeled land yachts who seemed so intent on running me over. Why? Because cars aren’t looking for something moving as fast as a bicycle to shoot across the road from sidewalk to sidewalk. If you are in the lane of traffic at least they have some idea about where you are traveling. So, I’m a little sad about having to admit this, but I gave up. The concerned monks and nuns at my meditation center were the last straw. Even they thought it was a dangerous, terrible idea. So, while I’d like to say that I was able to conquer the city by bike. To green up my act and make a stand for bicyclists in the city. While I may cut down on my carbon footprint and save some dough, in the end I decided it wasn’t worth my life. I decided to take some time, go back to driving and try again another day, but this time by bus. Stay tuned for a report on how that goes. Wish me luck, I’ll need it.

Shop Local: Patterson Park Flea Market & Craft Fair in Baltimore, MD on May 14, 2011

If you live in the Baltimore-Washington area and have ever been interested in viewing my items in person, there is an excellent opportunity this weekend. I’ll be peddling my wares at the Patterson Park Flea Market & Craft Fair. I’ll bring all of the vintage and refashioned goodies from my Etsy shop and sell them at my booth, just look for the large SerendipiT sign. I’ll even have goodies that I haven’t had the opportunity to list in my store, like recycled tshirt tote bags, hats and more. This event will kick off Saturday morning at 9am and last until 3pm and you can find us near Lombard Street and Patterson Park Avenue, by the White House and Fountain.

The Spring 2011 Patterson Park Flea Market and Craft Fair will be presented by the Butchers Hill Association on Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 9:00 AM until 3:00 PM.� The event is located in the northwest part of Baltimore�s Patterson Park near familiar landmarks � the Pagoda, the Marble Fountain, and the White House.� Vendors and buyers will enjoy a great outdoor setting, live band music, and picnic food and beverages offered by Butchers Hill.

We hope that you’ll join us in this 20-year-plus flea-market tradition, either as a vendor selling �fleas,� both old and new, or crafts, creations, and other valuables, or by kicking back for a day of fun and bargain-hunting.

So come out and enjoy Baltimore in Spring, shop for some local handmade crafts and unique vintage finds and be sure to stop by and say, Hi!”.

Fiesta 5K: Fundraiser to Support ALS

I'm the diminutive runner #10282

Last year I began training to run my very first foot race. I ran in the Race for the Cure 5k on October 23, 2010. My friends and family really helped to support my cause by donating to the event. My husband came out to wait for me at the finish line and photograph my triumph as I, along with many others, panted to our final steps of victory. Unlike training by myself around the neighborhood, where I am often exhausted, miserable and ready to throw in the towel, on the day of the race I really ran for it. Nevermind that I was hungover, dehydrated and experiencing some distress prior to the race. When it came down to it, I felt amazing. I had energy that I didn’t even know was possible as I ran with the crowd. Everyone pushed together and as I sprinted over the finish line I felt like I had really conquered the world.  The sense of accomplishment stayed with me long after the muscle aches and foot pain had faded.

This year I’ll be running in another 5k, but under slightly different circumstances. When a coworker announced that he had been diagnosed with ALS, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease, and that he would be participating in the Fiesta 5k, may of us decided we would do it to. The Robert Packard Center for ALS Research at Johns Hopkins is hosting the race this Sunday, May 7, 2011. Starting at 8am we’ll be running from the Power Plant Live area of the Baltimore City Inner Harbor. I’ll be running as a member of Team Nelly  along with my friends and coworkers. I hope that you will be inspired to lace up your sneakers and come run for a good cause. If you’d like to donate or join the team, just follow the link to my page. It would even be great if you could come out and cheer us along as we pound the pavement, a wave of runners rushing toward the tape. If you do make it out, be sure to take a few photos of me making funny and embarrassing faces as I jog out of the gate, slog through the midway point or even make a triumphant sprint for the finish. With no training this year for an unplanned foot race, it should be entertaining at the least, truly moving and inspirational at it’s best. See you Saturday!

Tara Prayers for Japan

The Kadampa Meditation Center Maryland is hosting a special prayer gathering tonight and tomorrow, Wednesday, March 16th at 7:30pm for the people of Japan affected by the recent natural disasters.

This week we will be making special prayers to Buddha Tara, The Rescuer, for all those suffering due to the disaster in Japan. Tara is the manifestation of swift compassion and is the enlightened wind element. She has a special karmic connection with the people of this world and in particular Kadampa Buddhists. She will move swiftly in accordance with the needs of others and our sincere compassionate prayers. Please join us to create the strong cause of prayers for our fellow beings to be quickly rescued from suffering.

Days & Times
Tuesday: 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Wednesday: 7:30pm – 8:30pm
More days and times TBA. Please keep your eyes on this page for more information.

Location
KMC-Maryland
2937 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218

Etsy Shop Feature: Little Asian Sweatshop

This Etsy shop feature segment is for a local designer from the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C. At fewer than 50 miles away from Baltimore, D.C. is just a hop, skip and jump away. We are both members of the same Etsy team: DC Craftacopia, a collection of fun and talented crafters from the D.C. Metro region.

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): Ok, let’s get this party started! So, first things first…your shop name. How did you choose such an unusual shop name for yourself?

LittleAsianSweatshop: While in college, I started cosplaying, and began making costumes for all my friends, manically sewing well into the night for weeks preceding a conventino, which earned me the moniker, “a Little Asian Sweatshop”.

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): Ah, well that sounds innocuous enough. I studied Japanese language and culture in college, so as you can imagine I was really into anime and quite a few of my friends really enjoyed cosplay too. Baltimore is home to Otakon, so we’re no stranger to conventioner’s milling around the streets in furry costumes. In fact, my neighbor, Stephanie Burke,  is a well-known science fiction romance writer who can be frequently found at many conventions around the country in all sorts of fun outfits. Sewing costumes can be tough work, have you been crafty your whole life?

LittleAsianSweatshop: I first started sewing when I was 10 years old, making outfits for my brother’s Transformers (my mom didn’t believe in buying me Barbie dolls). 

ICouldSewDoThat (SerendipiT): Wow! That’s some serious experience! I had both Transformers and Barbie Dolls that I enjoyed equally, but I’ll be honest and say that it never even occured to me to put a dress on my Optimus Prime. You must be a really creative thinker. So what inspires your creativity now?

LittleAsianSweatshop: Since I’ve stopped cosplaying (too old!), I’ve focused my passion for sewing onto making cute and whimsical hats, dresses, and accessories.  I don’t really know where my inspiration will come from – but I strive in making everything as adorable as possible!

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): Well, you have certainly accomplished your mission. Your hats are super cute! My favorites are the Cleverly Wise Owl, the Scrumptiously Sweet Strawberry and the Dastardly Dangerous Dragon. These are such unique and fun items. What do you love most about the creative process?

LittleAsianSweatshop: I love it when a design that has been floating around in my head comes out EXACTLY the way I pictured it!  It inspires and encourages to keep trying new things!

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): I am not yet familiar with this technique. Nothing ever comes out the way I plan. Sewing and creating has been a real practice in patience for me. I work with refashioning clothing and recycling what would be trash into new stuff mostly. What about you? Do you ever work with any “green” matierals?

LittleAsianSweatshop: I try to be green by upcycling when I can.  For example, my poker card flowers came about because a friend was about to throw away an old deck that was missing an old deck. Most of the clothes I wear are modified from vintage or thrift-store buys.  My inlaws think that I spend a ton of money on my clothes, but not a single item in my closet cost more then $30

ICouldSewDoThat(Serendipit): You know, the clothes that I get the most compliments on are always my thrift store buys or stuff that I picked up at a clothing swap so I totally know what you mean. I also get some great vintage and refashioned buys on Etsy too though. Do you have any favorite Etsy stores that you are willing to share with us?

LittleAsianSweatshop: My favorite Etsy sellers are www.etsy.com/shop/PaigeyPumphrey and http://www.etsy.com/shop/janinebasil because her stuff is so cute, and because she has the BEST customer service skills. A close runner up is http://www.etsy.com/shop/friendlyfeathershop because she believes in cruelty free feathers (something that is very hard to find). And some of my other favs:
http://www.etsy.com/shop/anilineblack
http://www.etsy.com/shop/theghostgirl
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ecofriendlybeauty
http://www.etsy.com/shop/theaterclouds

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): Thanks! I’m totally going to go and check those out now. So what’s next for you and your craft?

LittleAsianSweatShop: I’m hoping to be at the Art Whino in July and August…and I’m working on placing my products in stores…soon!

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): Wow, I had never even heard of that! I’m totally going now; thanks! That “Viva la Gummy” looks really awesome. So to close out our interview, I love to ask people for one completely random fact about themselves. Do you have anything that you want to share with the world that may have previoulsy gone unknown?

LittleAsianSweatshop: I’m a closet thrill seeker - I’ve scuba dived, done trapeze, sky dived and bungee jumped!

ICouldSewDoThat(SerendipiT): Whoa! I never would have pegged you for an adrenaline junkie! Thanks for taking the time to share your story with me. Be safe you wild and crazy artist and keep up the super cute work!

Check out the amazingly adorable hats and other goodies (especially the eco-friendly recycled poker card fascinators) on sale in the shop now!

Doing Good: The Dharma Works Foundation

In a few previous posts I’ve eluded to the fact that I practice meditation. I practice meditation for a number of reasons, but the main goal is for me to develop and foster inner peace so that I can interact with everyone that I meet with patience, compassion, empathy and all of the wonderful good qualities that I would really like to emulate. I mean it’s the golden rule really, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, right? I mean, if I want people to treat me kindly, lovingly, patiently then I should practice the same. I mean, patience is a virtue, it just wasn’t one that I previously projected with any regularity. For this reason, I meditate. I meditate a lot. Through meditation I’ve really begun to see a change in my outlook for the better, and it’s a wonderful feeling. I’m fortunate and thankful to have two locations at which I can practice meditation within just a few moments of my home because there is one in Canton and one in Charles Village. Fortunately for me, many people are working to provide opportunities for everyone to learn to meditate and find peace. I really enjoy the refreshing outlook and joy that I find after participating in activities like Peace and Pancakes, where we all get together, meditate and pray for world peace. The friends that I’ve made at my local meditation centerhave really enriched my life and helped me to really understand that we are all connected to each other and it really changed my perspective on a famous quote by Gandhi, “Be the change that you want to see in the world”. Anyway, I provide all of this background because the access to the meditation center has changed the lives of many people like myself for the better and we really want to share that happiness and love with others who are interested. A friend and fellow Dharma practitioner has created a foundation to help financially support members of the community who may also wish to study Dharma. The name of the organization is called Dharma Works Foundation Inc.  If you know someone who is interested in following their spiritual path through meditation and/or Kadampa Buddhism, please recommend the center. And most importantly, if you are interested in supporting world peace by providing the opportunity to help an individual develop inner peace, then please donate to the foundation. Together we can change the world, one mind at a time.

The ‘Buch is in the Bottle!

Good news! As a follow-up to my previous post “The ‘Buch is On!” I can say that it appears to have been a successful experiment. I finally had a thin, white, filmy pancake looking SCOBY grow on top of my tea brew. It looked like kombucha, it smelled like kombucha, so I called it done. I removed the new SCOBY that grew on top and placed it into a glass jar with a cup of the kombucha to sit while I brewed, sweetened and cooled a new gallon tea. Once the tea cooled to room temperature, I plopped in the SCOBY and juice and recovered my jar with cheesecloth, a rubber band and returned it to it’s special place to await another fermentation cycle. The completed batch I bottled in four growler’s that I had set aside after my last visit to the Pub Dog.  The to-go bottles from Pub Dog are the perfect size if you want to make mutliple flavors or share your batch with friends. To each bottle I added a bit of pureed peaches and lightly capped. I’ve left them out to complete a second fermentation over the next few days to allow the flavors to marry and to make my sweet nectar a bit fizzy. I’ll post the results of the taste test once I crack it open for drinking this weekend.

Etsy Shop Feature: Interview with Lola’s Jewels

I enjoy handmade craft for many reasons as you may already know from previous posts. The benefits of purchasing handmade are many, you provide living wages to someone that you can get to know rather than supporting a faceless corporation who may be purchasing from abused workers overseas, you can ensure quality and customer service are a premium and help the economy by ensuring that hard working, creative and entrepreneurial designers can practice the craft of their choice. You can purchase items online, at a craft fair or even your local farmer’s market. However, every so often I would like to take the time to feature and help you get to know some of the handmade artisans who have setup virtual shops on Etsy. This is the first shop feature that I’ll be promoting here and it’s an interview with Lola’s Jewels.

I’ve decided to start with this shop because it’s local to me. Lola’s Jewels hails from my home town, the lovely Charm City, Baltimore, Maryland.

ICouldSewDoThat: First, tell me a little something about yourself.

Lola’s Jewels: I am a mother of three wonderful children. I work full time and love to design jewelry in my “spare time”. This actually relaxes me. I even have my 7 year old daughter making her own jewelry. I love to read and enjoy lots of time with the family.

ICouldSewDoThat: So what inspires you?

Lola’s Jewels: My inspiration definitely comes from my family. I named my shop Lola’s jewels after my daughter and I hope she will design and create jewelry to add to the shop one day. She has a great imagination and an eye for design, so we shall see.

ICouldSewDoThat:As you may know I love eco-friendly design and have been trying to “green” up a bit for a variety of reasons. What about you, do you consider yourself environmentally conscious?

Lola’s Jewels:I am definitely eco-friendly! Waste not want not! My scrabble tile jewelry is made from upcycled game pieces. The shell items in my shop are made form actual sea shells found while on vacation with my family in Florida. There will be more upcycled jewelry coming soon!!

ICouldSewDoThat:Have you found any other shops that you really love to shop in or are inspired by on Etsy?

Lola’s Jewels:I have many favorite Etsy sellers. There are so many talented people on Etsy.

ICouldSewDoThat:“I love it when….”?

Lola’s Jewels:People love my creations! There is no better compliment.

ICouldSewDoThat:For Baltimore locals is there a way where we can shop local and catch you outside of your Etsy store?

Lola’s Jewels:I will be at local craft fairs in the Spring and you never know where else…… keep your eyes open for Lola’s Jewels!

ICouldSewDoThat:What’s are some totally random facts about you?

Lola’s Jewels:Dessert is my favorite part of the meal. I see the beauty in everything. I love Sunsets!

ICouldSewDoThat:Thanks so much for taking the time to share a little bit about yourself and your craft.

Be sure to check out the shop and look for Lola’s Jewels locally in Baltimore. You can follow her on Twitter or friend her on Facebook.

Remember to shop local and buy handmade!

Yarn Bombing: Getting Cozy with Street Art

I’ve always loved street art. Graffiti, pasteups, sculpture. I’ve always admired the brave soul who climbed a water tower, jumped a train or crawled under a dark overpass in the wee hours. I enjoyed watching living artisitic expression growing on walls at music festivals like Starscape here in Baltimore. I admire the interesting perspective that these artists share with us making socio-political statements and random acts of beauty. However, I don’t agree with the personal property destruction and the permanence of these acts. I’ve always wanted to participate, but I’ve always been more of the law abiding type. I’d just feel bad writing on walls with a Sharpie or painting the side of someone’s fence. Then I saw this, Yarn Bombing. I stumbled across the phenomenon of “guerilla knitting” and was instantly intrigued. This was something I could get behind, something I wouldn’t feel bad about doing. It’s really making the world a warmer, fuzzier, more beautiful place to live. Unfortunatly though, when I found out about the knit graffiti movement that was growing around the world I didn’t have any idea how to slip a single stitch. Now, however I can knit and crochet. I’ve been feeling particularly inspired recently and was reading about it more. Then, last night I finally got around to watching Exit Through the Gift Shop and now I really feel compelled. I like that it’s not permanent and if someone doesn’t like it they can just pull out a pair of scissors. No harm, no foul. They’ve even got a book out about it now with lovely photos of fiber art on the streets around the world, Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti. I’m going to start researching and practice on my own house (sorry dear) by knitting up my own trees and railings in preparation. I love the idea of street festivals where groups of yarn bombers cover an entire street. I hope to one day see yarn tagging along the cold, dark streets of Baltimore. Are there any guerrilla knits that you’ve seen around the city?

Get to knittin’!