AfricanKelli

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Our group arrived in Managua yesterday and spent today traveling north to Jinotega. We¬¥ve yet to accomplish anything other than wearing ourselves out and eating our yearly quotas of fried meat. What the Nicaraguan diet lacks in diversity is made up in the items they¬¥ve thought to fry. Today¬¥s lunch included no fewer than five fried choices, to which I said, “Hello, rice and beans, old friends.”
So far the adventure has gone well. I¬¥ve got 12 other people on traveling with me — none of whom have ever been here before. Literally at each turn in the road there was an excited question about the cultural significance of plants, cars, paint, bricks, food, music, dress, etc. The first hour of the drive I found this amusing. The second hour it was annoying. The third and fourth hours I took the AfricanKelli irritation evacuation route by way of a good hard nap. Not so surprisingly, everyone is so much nicer after a two hour journey to siestaville.
Tomorrow we begin constructing houses and working on a water project. Manual labor, here I come. I´m more than a bit worried considering my lack of grace and propensity toward stupid injury. For example, I´m currently sporting a lovely burn on my upper lip. Why you ask? Because I thought I should have my lip waxed per trip preparation and the girl at the salon burned me. Lovely. (A stranger at the Houston airport had the balls to ask me if it was a fever blister. I said no, I was just trying to look like Katie Holmes.) Pair this lovely scab moustache with road burn down my right arm. Technically, it is hill burn. After I woke up from my two hour nap this afternoon while on the road to Jinotega, I realized I´d slept through the previous bathroom break. I begged our driver to stop, ran over to the side of the road to find a latrine and proceed to fall straight on my ass and down half a steep hill, only to be thankful I didn´t piss myself to make it worse. My wrist and hand are all cut up, but again, I have a feeling it isn´t anything a good nap could help make feel a bit better. Or a Nicaraguan beer. Or maybe a beer and then a nap.
Oh, the adventures of public health!

Cheers,
Kelli

I’ve been showered with BackTack III goodies. My package from Nicole arrived yesterday and you can’t imagine how fantastic it is. As a reminder, the rules of the game were to create a small stuffed animal using only black and white materials, with one accent color, five buttons and the recipient’s first initial embroidered somewhere on the piece.

The bunny is wearing a jumper with all the participating BackTack craft blogs printed on it. Amazing! The jumper is also reversible, with a lovely red velvet backside and a coordinating white button. Simply wonderful!

The K!

My bunny has a belly button. AY!

And if that weren’t enough, the package also came with more fantastic loot, including my very own Zebra Kitty. (I confess I saw this on Nicole’s blog a bit back and hoped with all my might it was coming my way.)

She is tiny, she is pink, she is African inspired. How could I not love her?

Nicole also included one of her signature measuring tapes and embroidered felt magnets.

I feel like I’m bragging, but I can help but jump for joy! Thank you so much Nicole. I am so lucky!

~K

Mis amigas Nicaraguense.

*– Several of you have asked why in the world I am going to Nicaragua this week and what I do for a living. Blogging + work talk = big problems. Without too much detail, I work in international health as a public health practitioner. I set up, manage and evaluate health projects in four countries, aimed to improve the health of poor women and children. This will be my fourth time to the small, beautiful and hospitable Central American country. I’ll try to post while I’m gone. (I’ve replaced Diet Coke with blogging and found it to be just as addictive.)

* — I just finished reading “Icarus Girl.” It was a quick read with a crap ending. Not my favorite. Two out of five bananas, absoloodle. I’m sending it to Jen, who is visiting Africa with her husband. They’d been living in London, after having lived and traveled in Africa for several years. Jen’s one of those super chic chicks who casually shot me an email last week to say, “oh, ‘Icarus Girl.’ Um yeah, I met the author. Sounds good!” Not so much, but I’ll let you be the judge. Books are like any art — tomato, tomaahto. It’s all up to taste. Next up, “Dark Star Safari.” What do you want to bet Jen’s already read this one?

* — I’m working on a baby knitting project as of late that is going horribly. I think I’ve done something all wrong. If you’ve ever knit the baby kimono pattern floating about on the web, email me please. I’m pretty sure there aren’t supposed to be three arms.

What is this thing? Does this look right to anyone? Help!

* — LOST. Huh. I’m still confused. Anyone else? Penny is beautiful and I love Desmond’s curly hair, but otherwise, I’m pretty much hating the lack of detail in that season finale. Matthew Fox, you are so my boyfriend.

* — I received the nicest surprise from Katie of Oscarcat this week. Look at the fab recipe books she sent me! Love them. Thank you Katie!

* — I really have to pack. And see if my malaria prescription is filled. And go for a swim and a run before I have to leave my exercise routine at home. Ooh… I should probably make time for pre-flight bagels too. Adios!

~K

When spending time with my ever-so-fashionable friend Finny last week, I noticed she was carrying a new fabulous bag.
To know me is to know that one of my many weaknesses is a fabulous purse. I believe women cannot own enough pretty purses and I’m a fan of changing them up frequently. With some fabric purchased in Guadalajara last summer when vacationing with my friend Alma, and a new Amy Butler pattern in hand, voila — my new summer bag:

I’m only bummed that I’ve just gotten it done. It will not make the pack list for Nicaragua, but will be nice to come home to in a couple of weeks.

Love it. Although, just like any pattern, I already have a few thoughts on how I will do this differently next time. The lining is a bit small — which is more than likely my error and not the pattern maker’s. Also, the sides are sloppy, also my error. But the colors, wonky fabric and complete silliness of it all are just right.

I also got around to that purse organizer pattern I’ve seen on Craftster. I made myself one, lining up my personal items as suggested:

This takes about 10 minutes to sew and is super easy. I love how organized my purse is, in theory.

In all fairness, after scrounging through this bag multiple times this morning, it does not look as tidy as it did last night.

Everyone should have a summer bag. For the first time in my life, I am without want at Coach and loving something I made. Holy moley!

~K

Argentina had Eva, we had Ms. Bouvier. I sewed up these wristlets this weekend, inspired by Jackie O. If I had one style maven I could copy for the rest of my life, it would be a slightly updated Mrs. Kennedy Onassis. That woman had class, elegance and sheer beauty. Her wedding photos are stunning. Her fashion choices late in life are perfect. Even her children are about as amazing as genetics get. I think Mrs. Kennedy was lovely. I imagine you’ll see my love of all things Jackie shining through on a few domestic art projects in the next couple of weeks. I’ve gotten into polka dots, black, white, pearls and pink. Blame it on BackTack.

While she may not have gone for the lime polka dots, I can see her wearing the pink polka dot wristlet. She’d have black Oleg Cassini slacks and a pressed white blouse — open just enough to be alluring without showing too much skin. Her pearl necklace and diamond studs would shine, but not so much to draw attention. Her healthy dark hair would be blown out beautifully, not dramatically. She’d top it all off with the only things she did over the top — sunglasses and men.

I’ll never understand why President Kennedy cheated with Marilyn when he had the American queen at home.

These will be given out in the next week. I leave for Nicaragua soon and I’m going to stuff them with hair ties, toothbrushes and itty bitty Bath and Body Works samples of soap, perfume and lotion. This is all part of my international campaign to spread domestic art, pretty things, and sweet scents. I bet Mrs. Kennedy would fill hers with rosary beads, coins for children and photos of her own kids. Lovely, I tell you. The woman was incredible.

~K