Microblog Mondays

May 11, 2015May 5, 2015

Try Today Friday

Over on our Facebook page, I’ve been doing something I call Try Today Friday. I share a craft idea, travel app, recipe tip, or some other useful thing simple enough to try out that evening. The ingredients/supplies are things you probably have on hand, could easily pick up on your way home, or just download.

Some examples from past Try Today Fridays:

For now, #TryTodayFriday only happens on the Facebook page. So like us and make sure to stop by there on Fridays!

—

Scarf photo via Schmutzie. Calendar via Things I Should Do.

May 4, 2015March 27, 2020

7 Things that Only Happen at a Star Wars convention

A few of the things we witnessed at the Star Wars Celebration convention that I doubt happen anywhere else:

- A panel on Star Wars vegetable carving — that was full to capacity.
- The feeling you’re being followed, and then realizing that behind you is a full-size working R2D2 made out of LEGO.
- An emcee, who, immediately after showing a movie trailer, asks “Do you want to see it again?” and an audience that shouts “YEAH!” and stays to watch a second time.

A guy who cosplays as George Lucas.
A room full of non-Navajo speakers going to a screening of a movie in Navajo.
Carrie Fisher casually wandering out to a food court patio to give her dog some water.
A 3D movie experience that keeps getting disrupted by people walking in late and using light sabers as flashlights.

—

April 27, 2015August 24, 2015

Michelle’s paper boat in Nashville

My friend Michelle, who recently moved to Nashville, took me up on my suggestion to make a paper boat and take photos of it in her new city.

Did you know there’s a replica of the Greek Parthenon in a Nashville, Tennessee park? Yep. And there’s an art museum and gallery space inside.

I’m glad spring finally arrived in Tennessee, and it was great to see Michelle’s boat float by!

If you make a paper boat and take a photo where you live, you can email it to hello (at) travelcraftjournal.com OR post it on Twitter with hashtag #paperboatseverywhere and mention @travelcraftjrnl. We just might share it!

April 13, 2015August 24, 2015

Valleys Run through the Mountains

Life can be such an off-balance mix of highs and lows, beautiful moments and heartbreaking ones all scrambled together.

A week ago, I was feeling a little sunburned from an Easter picnic with my cousins. I was checking in with my mom about RSVPs for her and my dad’s fast-approaching 60th birthday celebration. I was also helping my brother and sister-in-law in Seattle plan to come into town secretly and make a surprise appearance at the party. I was getting ready for our Anaheim trip.

Then, Thursday evening, I got a text that made the world stop. My cousin was in the ICU, and it didn’t look like she’d make it. My mom picked me up on the way to the hospital, and we joined the family that was already there, hugging and crying and saying goodbye. She passed later that night. It feels heavy and unjust and unreal.

She had already let her adult children know her wishes, including the fact she didn’t want her memorial service to be gloomy. Everyone is supposed to wear purple. Since it’s not scheduled for this week, we decided to go ahead with our convention plans. Not going wouldn’t bring her back, and a change of scenery could be really good right now.

So we’ll go – with these heavy hearts, this mix of emotions – to just outside the happiest place on earth.

—

April 6, 2015March 5, 2020

Star Wars Geeks Unite!

Yes, we are really going to the Star Wars Celebration convention.

It’s held every 2-3 years-ish (bi-triennial? quasi-triennial?) This time it’s at the Anaheim Convention Center, so we’ll be right across from Disneyland without time to actually go to Disneyland. Maybe we’ll catch the fireworks.

I will, of course, be focusing on the makers. And there are a lot of them. (At the Re:Make Conference, Chris Taylor said that most of the Star Wars fan community makes something.)

Anyway, we may sneak in a tiny bit of sightseeing on the way there or back. Either way, I’m sure we’ll have interesting stories to tell you.