Scrooge no more

I'm notorious for giving super crappy gifts for birthdays, Christmas etc, that is IF I actually remember to do anything. But I am turning a new leaf. I've even started my Christmas shopping already. I know, so thoughtful, huh? 

I've been trying for a couple months and here is something cool I made my sister, Vanessa, for her birthday in October. It was given late, but don't judge me. 

It's made entirely out of recycles grocery sacs or plastic sacs from stores ironed together to make a thicker plastic material that I could then sew together to create this sac. All is plastic except the handles, which are part recycles plastic and part fabric (I line them so they are more sturdy). I used bags I collected in Costa Rica and Israel this year. The side panels are the poka dotty stuff. I've made a few before, but this is pretty much the coolest thing I've ever made. It's to carry groceries. So you are seriously limiting waste here. Tight, no?

My trip

As requested, I'm posting a few pictures from my most recent wanderings.
This is Kerstin, my German friend who put up with me for five days. She was my trainer on the mission. She remembered that during those first two transfers I pretty much only ate this chocolate candy disguised as the best breakfast cereal ever (it was cold and life was hard, what can I say?). She had a box waiting for me when I got to her apartment. Love her. So much.
This is Lucy, a gorgeous brazilian, and her boyfriend from Portugal. I can't remember his name but he is wonderful. He drove me from Geneva to Annemasse to get my luggage and then to the Geneva train station. Love these people. We had just eaten a HUGE brazilian meal with Joelma, her baby Estaban and Lucy's equally fabulous sister, Lucia, who refused to be photographed
This was in Rome. Apparently they ride the short bus there.
This is a view of Paris from Sacre Coeur. Yes, my hair is hideous and in desparate need of a cut in this photo.
My little french cupcake, Christelle. Her aunt, who was out of town, let us (plus her fiance Stephan) crash at her Paris apartment for a few days. It was really tight.

Me in Salzburg, Austria. It was freezing. And that is my new coat from Mango. It's totally awesome. Too bad I live in AZ at the moment...
Salzburg once again.
A "new" Mel Brooks musical? In like 1968.
Trevi fountain. Geraldine and I were people watching for a long time. We sat staring at these two guys arguing about whether they were gay or not. One guy looked in his mid thirties or later and was very attractive. The other guy looked about 15 and had his head on the other guys shoulder. No way, I said. It's his dad. My brother never put his head on my dad's shoulder like that, she countered. This went on for about 15 minutes until they started kissing. Geraldine-1, Erin-0.
Crappy picture of me in from of the coloseum. Rome. Abdout 10 minutes later some creepy kids tried to take advantage of us. Love Rome.

Switzerland somewhere between Geneva and Zurich. I fell in love with the country all over again. I will live there...again. Gorgeous place.
Gareith (a girl I found and taught who is now getting ready for a mission) and I had just left the church building when we witnessed a totally Jason Bourne-type car chase. The guy was in a sports car and was driving like a maniac weaving in and out of cars at about 100 mph. A solid 15 second later, 6 police cars followed. Several minutes later, the police had come back. The guy had totally lost all of them. Which is why the Jason Bourne car chases are so improbable. There wouldn't even be much of a chase. The foxy JB would lose those european cops in no time at all. No doubt in my mind.
Strasbourg, France. I lived just a couple minutes from here.
My door. It always smelled of pee and booze. It was the favorite hangout of the bums.