We have some serious rejoicing to do this week, folks. PROP EIGHT HAS BEEN OVERTURNED; yahoo!! I’m so terribly excited about this. One step closer, baby!

In other exciting but less headline-breaking life-changing news, Teen SRP 2010 is over & done with (prizes have been awarded; stats have been tallied), & Crayola is now making their markers out of recycled plastic! What can I say – I’m a simple girl.

» Blackberry cheesecake, anyone? Methinks I’ll be giving this a try sometime over the weekend…

» The New York Times talks vitamin d – are you lacking? Probably.

» Leo Babuato’s Guide to creating a minimalist home.

“In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet.” Albert Schweitzer

» Eee baby duck!

» Mmm Exploding Dog t-shirts. I really like this one…

» Say yes more than no.

» Why we should all eat avocado. Couldn’t agree more!

I have a confession to make: we’ve been using the a/c most of the summer. To be fair, it is killing me to do so, but this weather is just so unbelievably disgusting! Now, I don’t mind warm weather. I can handle up to about 85°, 90° if I’ll be doing nothing & have lots of iced beverages nearby. But here in northeast Ohio, it hasn’t just been 85+ since mid-June, oh no. It’s been 85+ with at least 70% humidity; usually more. That’s the type of weather where it doesn’t matter if you wash your face – it’s going to be covered in sweat in 15 minutes anyways. You can just sit, perfectly still, & be covered head to toe in sweat. In short? Pure torture. You can’t escape it, & everything you touch is damp.

You all know that I’m a bit proponent of fresh air & not wasting energy with the a/c. We never use the car’s a/c, & the Boy & I were resolved, originally, to live without the a/c. But a few days before the wedding, at three o’clock in the morning, he was bringing a third fan into the bedroom, just so we could sleep – yeah. It was time to give in. The a/c was turned on & we could finally relax. It’s been better for the kitties, too, as they have fur coats to live in. I can’t even imagine how uncomfortable they were.

On the few days here & there that it’s been cooler &/or not disgustingly humid, we’ve opened the windows & rejoiced in the fresh air, but like clockwork, two days go by & we’re back to the oven of NE Ohio. I don’t like it, & I don’t appreciate it. All I’m saying is that we’d better get a truly amazing fall chock full of cool nights & rainy days. I miss being outside in the world!

How to deal with the hot gross weather:
» Stop using your oven. Grill, cook on an electric griddle, or start a raw-foods diet. Luckily, lots of produce is in season, so eating your fill of veggies is rather simple.

» Stay hydrated. It sounds obvious, but when you’re so warm, it can be tough to make yourself move to the fridge. Lemonade, iced tea, water, juice… keep them on standby. You’d be surprised how much better you feel when you’re fully hydrated.

» Invest in an ice pack. When I’m really overheated, I just sit with one on my neck, wrists, ankles, etc, transferring from one place to the next until I feel better.

» Learn to love the cold shower. Nothing cools your body down faster – definitely my favorite way to relax during this heat.

» If you’re going to be outside, don’t forget your sunscreen. Personally, I don’t use sunscreen all that often, but when I’m going to be out & about for several hours, I slather the stuff on all exposed areas. It really does help keep you cool by disallowing the sun to soak into your skin & therefore heat it up. It was a big help during all those hours in marching band…

» Popsicles are your friend. Not the sugary gross freezer pops you ate as a kid, but the kind you make yourself by pureeing your favorite fruit. Toss in some green tea & throw them in your freezer with a popsicle stick – definitely a great way to cool off.

What are your favorite tricks for keeping your cool? I think most everyone out there could use a new tip this summer!

The weather, at least where I am, has finally broke! HALLELUJIAH. My apartment windows are open & I’m going to spend time outside the next few days to make up for all the hiding from the uber gross summer we’ve been having. Try to spend one day this weekend just having as much fun as you possibly can – it’s totally worth it!

» Tony Hawk is one of four people in the world who can do a 900. & he can still do it at age 42.

» Look at this crazy owl!

» Seven food trends on their way out. I do wish sliders were on that list. Aren’t you just tired of hearing about them? Although, for those of you who can still eat bread, Pioneer Woman’s mini meatball sandwiches are awfully cute…

» Motivational Posters. For the gaming & fantasy & general nerdiness inclined. I rather like this one.

» Speaking of the nerd ‘verse, this is what happens when you protest ComicCon. I just adore the guy with the “God Hates the Jedi” sign.

» Ree’s story about Daisy the cow has got to be one of the sweetest things ever.

» Chocolate brownies, anyone?

» How is it that I’ve never heard of Threadcakes? Being a fan of Cake Challenge on Food Network, you’d think I’d have know about it. Ah well – better late than never!

» Here’s a craft for your next super girly party – pink parasols!

This past Saturday, L.A. held it’s second Renegade Craft Fair.  I’m lucky enough to have been to three of these shows now… Both years in L.A. and earlier this year to Austin’s first Renegade Craft Fair.  Every time I’ve been energized by the creativity flowing through the air.  The fairs feature local crafting guilds, national and local sellers and live music.  From my experience seeing the fair in two different cities, even though a few sellers were in both locations, the event has a very distinctive vibe that it draws from its own local talent.

Sadly, not everyone has access to a nearby Renegade and even if you do, the vendors are always diverse, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite artists from this week’s visit so you can have your own Renegade party on your computer.

Bunny Butt Apothecary: With a name like Bunny Butt, you’ve got to love it.  They have a wonderful selection of tasty smelling soaps and lotions.  I bought a bar of their Mango Lassi, which smells just like… well, mango lassi.  It makes me want Indian food in my shower.  I also adored their Currant Obsession whipped cream body lotion and Swing Low Sweet Lemongrass soap bar.

fomato: There is always an abundance of paper crafters at alternative craft fairs.  I really like most of the playful cards they create, but I’m rarely compelled to buy anything.  Fomato cards is the first booth that broke me of the habit.  Their cards are whimsical and a little strange.  It’s not often you can send a birthday card that teaches its recipient to beware “herbal tea“.

Chez Sucre Chez: I’ll admit it… I don’t actually remember seeing these guys in person at the show, but as I was browsing through the artists on the Renegade website, I stumbled across these awesome embroidery designs.  I’m a sucker for anything with song lyrics on it and these simple pieces have lyrics from The Smiths and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros.  Oh, she has reusable sandwich wraps and cross stitch kits as well, but I’m still drooling over the former.

In Timid Nation: Unfortunately she doesn’t have anything in her shop right now, but you can see a lot of her work on her blog.  Laura was displaying cuddly plush gnomes with removable hats and beards like these at the show.  Once you see them, it’s hard not to fall in love with the little guys.

Jenny and Jimbob: I bough a pair of cleaver earrings (dubbed Serious Cleavage) from Jenny and Jimbob at Renegade in Austin and wear them on a fairly regular basis.  They always elicit a reaction, especially when worn on first dates.  Even at Renegade L.A. a few people complimented my choice of ear wear.  Each set of earrings or necklace comes in a little homemade matchbox with a cute clever name and adorable graphics.

Late to the Revolution: So you’re listening to some jams on your iPod (or if you’re super retro cool, your Walkman) and you start thinking… there’s got to be something out there to make me even more awesome than my oversize headphones already make me.  If this happens to you on a regular basis, or ever, you should check out Late to the Revolution.  She makes crocheted cozies for headphones and even adorable crocheted hats with the headphones built in!  Is your mine blown yet?  Because mine was.

Make Shop Live: I saved my favorite artist for last.  Make Shop Live creates absolutely awesome stuff from recycled materials.  One of my favorite creations was a little address book made using those postcards tucked into magazines.  They already have the fields for name, address, phone, etc.   The covers are crafted from Metro Cards and expired gift certificates.  How creative is that?!  Their website doesn’t do their work justice so check out the events page and try to catch them in person if you’re on the West Coast.

Are you a craft fair junkie like me?  If you know of any crafters that get you excited, let me know in the comments.

I mentioned this waaaay back when, but I’ve recently gotten it off the ground. Simply Primal is where I’ll be yammering on about the virtues of a grainless lifestyle (or, you know, just posting lots of pictures of delicious food, & ways to make that food). Come check it out!