Zested

Don't fence me in

2009-08-18T17:00:00.000-07:00

This amazing fence art project was led by Outdoor Knit to bring attention to an empty, deserted lot in her neighborhood.

The saddest part is I think many neighborhoods (I can name a few in Seattle - ahem Pike & Pine) have spaces like this just sitting there with their coldness sucking the life out of a community. Many are staying empty for a long time as developers abandon shiny condo projects.

And when citizens have real ideas to at least have some temporary events to bring some life to the dead concrete lots, it's hard to understand why cities just fence 'em up for years!? Grrrr...

Via Craft:

Another baby, another quilt

2009-08-17T17:05:00.000-07:00

Last year when my friend had her baby I dreamed of making her a "hippie quilt." She's very into nature and sustainability and all those good things. The pattern was shared by Lizzy Dish.

Crafty goal

2009-08-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Remember when I posted about the Warm for Winter handmade hat and scarf drive and said if we started making one item per week until the September 15th deadline that we'd each be able to help 17 people? At the time, I didn't actually make the commitment to start crocheting, so I didn't actually start crocheting.

Now it's time to commit.

My new crafty goal:
Crochet 20 items (hats or scarves) by September 15th.

I've calculated that I'll need to make about 2 items per week and so far I'm about half-way done with my first scarf...

Hopefully I'll have some pics of finished projects projects posted soon!

#compliment

2009-08-04T17:30:00.000-07:00

I've been noticing more and more companies promoting happiness and small acts of goodness lately. And I love it! Here's a great example from Kodak. They're sponsoring two guys, the "Compliment Guys" to be exact, to drive the around the East Coast giving people (and animals apparently) free compliments. They dub their travels the "Brightside Tour" complete with website, youtube video s and twitter. Here's a video of them giving free compliments in NYC.

Seattle's largest indie craft show this weekend

2009-07-30T17:15:00.000-07:00

It's here and I'll be there! Beat the heat, shop till you drop and support local independent crafters at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall this weekend (August 1st and 2nd from 11:00am - 5:00pm).

I will be volunteering on Sunday so stop by and say hi!

Urbancraftuprising.com

Volunteer your time to make hats and scarves

2009-07-27T14:10:00.001-07:00

Just got an email from the Warm for Winter campaign. It's time to start crocheting and knitting those hats and scarves for their annual handmade hat and scarf drive. Last year they received 5,967 items!

This year, the goal is to collect over 1,000 hats and scarves by 11/15/2009 (Pacific Fabrics will be collecting again). According to the Warm for Winter website, "The number 1000 represents the number of housing units needed to be created each year to successfully tackle homelessness in King County."

If you could make a hat week between now and 11/15, you would be able to help 17 people stay warm this winter.

I know it seems strange to think about in this 90 degree weather, but tanning while crocheting sounds fun to me. I'll be hosting crochet/knit social this fall so stay tuned!

Watch: Crocheted coral w/hyperbolic geometry

2009-07-23T18:08:00.000-07:00

Finally some math & science cred for crafters. Watch this TEDTalk by Margaret Wertheim who is leading a project bringing attention to coral reefs, mathematic figuring and other brilliant endeavors - using crochet of course. Crochet is the ONLY way to accurately recreate hyperbolic shapes in the real world - who knew!

Get the patterns! You too can create your own crocheted coral. Patterns created by "In Stitches" for the Sydney reef project are availabe here.

Via Mashable

Start your own petition

2009-07-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

Doing good cannot be done alone. This week Mashable created a How To: Start a petition on Twitter and reviewed four services that allow you to start your own online petition and hopefully gain some interest in your cause:
Act.ly
Tinypetition
Twitition
Twibbon

I like Twibbon myself, as it allows people to add a small image supporting their cause to their Twitter avatar. You can search for a cause to add to your Twitter avatar too.

Today may I...

2009-07-21T18:15:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't need to experience a little positive moment every now and again? KindOverMatter created a batch of printable affirmations and an adorable box to put them in.

Some of my favs:
"Today may I smile with my heart;
Today may my words be rooted in love;
Today may I spread joy in random & beautiful ways;
Today may I hear the whispers of my spirit; and
Today may I sparkle."

I'll be putting mine on my desk at the office so I can reach for one of these instead of the afternoon candy drawer...

Via Craft:

Crafting with legos

2009-07-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

Check out this amazing "Relativity" by MC Escher-Lego sculpture created by "professional nerd" Andrew Lipton.

If you like that, his site has other lego creations including Rodin's "The Thinker," Escher's "Waterfall" and Dlibert of course.

I'm a big fan of Legos myself...

via the Craftster blog and their random spotting on the galactic interweb...

Crafters shop local

2009-07-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

Fabricshoppersunite.com has launched a new database (in Beta) aimed to help cratfy guys and gals make more of their materials purchases from independent quilt and fabric stores.

Says Project 95, "Did you know that 95 percent of fabric shoppers make their purchases at chain stores? That’s right, only 5 percent shop independents. Let’s change that." I think everyone knows that shopping inide and local helps communties flourish, but it's not always easy (I heart Target...).

The site lets you search by area and locate shops on a handy Google map. I quickly located my favorite indie shop in Seattle - Stitches. I wanted to see if could find some in Paris too. Imagine visiting an indie fabric store on you next vacation! You'll need to know a zip code to get the map going, but I still wasn't able to find any places in Paris - yet. The project has just released in Beta and I'm excited to watch it evolve.

via Craft:

Quilted ABCs

2009-07-06T20:27:00.000-07:00

Do you feel like there is a baby boom happening right now? I've been looking around for some great baby gifts and then Craftzine shared a great tutorial by Happy Together for these colorful Rag Quilt Letters.

If giving as a gift, try whipping up a little drawstring bag to keep the letters together.

Image courtesy of Happy Together.

Get Do Good for iPhone

2009-06-30T19:39:00.000-07:00

Have an iPhone? Get DoGood. It's an incredibly simple (and free) application that lists a new activity to "do good" each day and shows you how many other people have done good. And once you do the good deed for the day, you can post your good deed story or read a few from other users. Yes, it's connected to Facebook and Twitter of course!

Regularly scheduled crafting - The Bright Quilt

2009-06-17T17:31:00.000-07:00

I wouldn't necessarily describe myself as a bright and cheery person, but somehow this quilt really makes me happy and brings me to the verge of singing cheesy 70s TV theme songs.

I used a patchwork technique, which I've tried before, but made the quilt about twice as large and the squares much, much smaller - aka this quilt is the most challenging one I've made so far!

I completed the quilt just in time for little Karis Hope to be born! Happy Birthday Karis!

Best of travels: Versailles

2009-06-16T17:19:00.000-07:00

Sure it's touristy, but if anywhere near Paris, I highly recommend stopping by Versailles. It's not as crowded as you might think. The opulent palace with sprawling manicured lawns make it easy to understand why the people started the French Revolution here by trying to burn it to the grand. But after you get over how over-the-top everything is, you can eat ice cream, row boats, ride bikes and pretend you are a member of the court. You can even see Marie-Antoinette's palace - she had her own of course. And yes it has pink marble.

Best of travels: Checking off my life list

2009-06-11T18:01:00.000-07:00

I did it! I did it! When I was in high school, we had to write a life list or "bucket list" of things we wanted to do after graduation, but before we...died. I wish I still had a copy, but there are a few I distinctly remember. And I checked one off while in Barcelona: I swam in the Mediterranean Sea! And I swam in the Mediterranean Sea when no one else was going in the water (I guess 72 degrees isn't hot enough for most people to go swimming - just sunbathe naked). Everyone was staring at the crazy tourist, but I didn't care!

The water felt cool and clean and everything was sparkling. I really felt on vacation riding our bikes along the boardwalk to find the perfect spot on the beach. We laid out our 1Euro beach mat and ate ice cream, watched sailboats and just let the breeze flow around us with the sound of the waves in the background and Cotton Jones on the iPod. Ahhhhhh....

Best of travels: Flamenco

2009-06-09T17:52:00.000-07:00

I have seen Flamenco in Seattle before and it was beautiful. But I have never seen Flamenco like I have in Seville. The power of the musicians, singers and dancers was exploding right in front of me. And even though they sell cheesy, polka-dot fake Flamenco-dancing dresses all over Spain, I did not see anything close to that on stage. It was art. A daring, passionate expression of emotions.

Best of travels: Jardin Majorelle

2009-06-04T14:36:00.000-07:00

Marrakech is known for it's secrets. Walk through any door and you never know what you will find. Is it yet another vendor, an undiscovered restaurant, art gallery or maybe, just maybe the entrance to a garden that seems impossible to survive in the dry, desert heat like the Jardin Majorelle.

It's not exactly a secret, but beautiful just the same. It was designed by artist Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and definitely has an art deco vibe. Yves Saint-Laurent even lived here in the 80s. Now it's open to the public and it's a perfect way to relax under the palm and banana trees and contemplate life with a baby turtle.

Best of travels: Moroccan Orange Juice

2009-06-02T17:35:00.000-07:00

How can I write about the orange juice in Morocco? The moment the sweet nectar hits your lips, all words vanish from your mind as you close your eyes and mutter a nearly-inaudible "mmmmmm." It's very zen. The juice itself is thick like syrup without being too pulpy. It has a vibrant, sweet flavor that I don't know why I'm still trying to describe - just go there and try it!

Every morning, vendors fill the Djemaa el-Fna (the main square in Marrakech) selling spices, fruit and bootleg CDs...among other things. The Djemma changes throughout the day and night (with snake charmers and amazing food booths when the sun goes down), but early morning is the time for fresh squeezed orange juice - the best in the world.

Did you miss me?

2009-05-15T18:02:00.000-07:00

My adventure vacation is over (for now). It was...fabulous. I am so happy I did it and I have so many amazing memories. I tried on purpose not to use the internets much, and now that I'm back I'm still adjusting.

It's strangely summer in Seattle and summer usually doesn't start until sometime in mid-July, so this is really strange. I'm out enjoying the sun and continuing my cappuccino habit.

Thank you so much for reading, I'm not sure what will be happening here, but I hope you will like it.

It's time!

2009-03-26T17:12:00.000-07:00

I official leave in a just a few days and I won't be back for a month (at least!). I'm excited, nervous, restless, happy, crazy.

I hope to have a lot to share with you when I get back. I am officially taking a hiatus here until then. Hope you will be out having adventures too!

Another essential crafting project for travel

2009-03-17T08:55:00.000-07:00

I have a feeling that sleeping is going to be interesting. It will take almost a day of flying just to get to our first stop and I'm scoping out a overnight train to get from Marrakech to the ferry to Spain. Then there's the hostels.

I'm hoping these eye masks will help. Sew Mo has a great tutorial and you can whip these babies up in an hour.

Essential crafting project for travel

2009-03-11T17:06:00.000-07:00

One of the toughest things to pack for the trip (and yes I've started packing already) is...shoes! They're bulky, dirty, add weight and take up space in the one backpack I am allowing myself to bring.

Solution - shoe bags! I know, I know you can by them anywhere, but I just can't bring myself to spend $10 on yet another bag. All my little purchases for the trip have been adding up quickly.

Better solution - make a shoe bag! A simple, fun little project and great way to use some extra fabric. Here's the tutorial from Betz White.

My shoe bag with very comfy walking/going out shoes.

Obsessive planning time

2009-03-05T17:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't bee crafting much lately. Most days, I come from home work and spend hours on HostelWorld and Lonely Planet working out travel paths and trying to figure out how to get from one place to another without planning too much - I'm working out how to get from Tangier to Barcelona right now...

Image courtesy of Vintage World.

Vintage-looking daypack

2009-02-25T17:34:00.000-08:00

Last week I had a goal: find the perfect "day bag" for my travel adventure. I wanted something small enough to take when going out and big enough to hold a jacket, water bottle and shopping purchases. During the process I ended up buying 4 bags! I took 3 back of course and I think the people at Macy's think I'm a freak, but that's okay. It all worked out because I found this vintage-looking sidebag by Fossil.

I don't know why, but it reminds me of something a flapper would carry her makeup in when traveling to Paris and all it needs is a dark brown leather steamer trunk to go along with it. Buy it now on Zappos. I think there are only 2 left!

Photo courtesy of Zappos.

Travel - Camera bag!

2009-02-24T17:15:00.000-08:00

I'm back! And I finished my first project for my big trip - a new camera case. Here's a link to the tutorial from Sew Mad.

Just booked

2009-01-26T17:30:00.000-08:00

I'm pretty excited to tell you that I am planning a trip later this year! So you may start to see some travel postings here. I'm excited. The only things that make me less excited are the transportation aspects which make my head spin and that when I tell people about my trip they look at me like (and say it right out) "Are you dumb? The economy is collapsing into another Great Depression and what if you can't work when you get back? It's the worst time to travel ever."

Well...anything could happen. What if this, what if that. I'm tired of thinking that way. "The right time" and "the wrong time" are social constructions. The sun still rises and sets even if the market drops another 500 points on Monday. Life still goes on. I would rather regret going then waiting until the "right time..." Take that!

Oh! I forgot to tell you where I'm going. The plan right now is to go for about a month or so and hit up London, Morocco, "quick" stops in Spain and ending in France...we'll see where I end up though!

Crafting for the National Day of Service

2009-01-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

President-Elect Obama (and tomorrow official president!) called for a National Day of Service today to serve for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Unfortunately, my office was open today so over the weekend I worked up a new hat for Warm for Winter's upcoming hat drive. There's still time to make more too!

This pattern is by Rheatheylia and can be found on Raverly (you'll need a Raverly account to view...).

Say it - O-B-A-M-A

2009-01-16T17:15:00.000-08:00

Warm for Winter drive, social and potluck on Feb. 8th

2009-01-15T17:24:00.000-08:00

Help individuals who are homeless keep warm this winter. Warm for Winter (an organization that collects handmade hats and scarves to bring awareness to homelessness) is having a drive AND knitting/crochet social/potluck on February 8th. You can bring your finished projects too (men's hats are most needed).

Warm for Winter Knitting/Crochet Social
When: Sunday February 8, 2009 from 1-3 PM
Where: St. Patrick's Parish in Seattle (map)
2702 Broadway Ave E Seattle, WA 98102

RSVP with Janice at warmforwinter at yahoo (dot) com.

Their Thanksgiving 2008 drive collected over 5,900 hats & scarves (including two of mine :))!

More info about Warm for Winter here.

Winter party wraps

2009-01-14T17:30:00.000-08:00

Just because the temperature is below freezing doesn't mean you have to bundle up in your North Face every time you go out. Try making one of these quick wraps from Weekend Designer:

Fox-neck-boa (faux of course!)

Satin Stole

Crochet at Ikea?

2009-01-13T17:15:00.000-08:00

Crochet is going mainstream. I was at Ikea this weekend and spotted a Chevron patterned throw and then saw another blanket on their website that looks very double-crocheted...

How to be happy

2009-01-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

Valentine for good

2009-01-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

Quick! This fun opportunity to send FredFlare.com a handmade Valentine to support Elder Craftsmen (an organization bringing craft workshops to senior citizens in New York) ends January 15th.

Oh this sounds so fun!

You make a Valentine
Mail your Valentine to Fred Flare
Fred Flare sells your Valentine on his website
Fred Flare donates the $$ to Elder Craftsmen

Go to Fredflare.com for all the details.

Thank you to Average Jane Crafter for sharing this event with her readers!

Doily + Hoodie = Fashion Magic

2009-01-07T19:43:00.000-08:00

Words cannot express how unmeasurably fabulous this hoodie found on Craftstylish is. And you can get one too! Well you can make one too! Check out the tutorial How to "Doilify" Your Hoodie for $5 or less.

Spotted: 3-D Calendars

2009-01-06T18:18:00.000-08:00

1.

2.

I'd still been searching for a great desk calendar for 2009 until I saw these two calendars on the Craftzine blog. Both are 3-D and require some paper-folding skillz (did I mention I'm not a great paper-folder...). Oh and both are free and available to download directly from their websites!

1. Hexahedron decorated with adorable animals from Blackpio.
2. KaL-09 2009 Calendar Toy robot from Cubecraft.

Ideas for 2009

2009-01-05T18:05:00.000-08:00

I'm ready to put 2008 behind me (goodbye Georgie)! I got a lot done last year - I started this blog and handmade more stuff than I ever have before. I discovered that I love quilting, crocheting, crafting for good, Hope, Halloween and Raverly.com. I even joined a quilting group - Quilter's Anonymous!

I am sure you are just dying to know what I want to work on in 2009. Craft-wise I will (notice the affirmation):
-Make some things for myself
-Sew a full-size quilt
-Crochet a sweater
-Participate in craft events/good causes
-Sell a handmade item
-Host a crafting party

And outside of craftiness I will:
-Build a home with Habitat for Humanity
-Be consistent with my Yoga practice
-Travel to Europe in April
-Travel to Ecuador in June to visit Ann

Hope you have a wonderful year! I have a feeling that it will be great economy be damned!

Handmade is a movement not a trend

2008-12-29T18:00:00.000-08:00

I hope you had a wonderful holiday and the best is yet to come: New Year's - my favorite!

I have a little crafty opinion to share...Last week the New York Times published an article about The Recession and crafting revealing that despite downturns in major retail markets, crafting businesses from Michaels to Etsy to indie crafters are actually getting a boost. 'Bout time is all I have to say! Although I do think the article is a little too assuming that handmade and cheap go hand in hand - a thought that many of the readers shared as well. It's a common misconception. Just because the materials at first glance seem cheaper than buying a designer version of a product, doesn't mean you can't find something much, much cheaper at somewhere else like Wal-Mart, Target, Macy's or even Nordstrom. Then on top of materials, if you buy handmade you are also paying for the artists time - and that ain't and shouldn't be free!

I think (hope) that more and more people are buying handmade and local goods because they are wanting to get out of the loop of mass consumerism. I've noticed people are more interested in supporting their neighbors and community than purchasing the latest facotry-made, single-serving, pointless, clutter-increasing do-dads. There's an increasing desire - a shift - to support those mom-and-pop shops that have been on the decline for so long. People are finally realizing that they feel better when buying 1 or 2 things from their neighbor than buying 10 things from the big-box store. It's similar to the Locavore movement (which I also love...).

At any rate...have a wonderful New Year! I will be back on the blog next week!

Some of my holiday goodies

2008-12-29T17:45:00.000-08:00

Wanted to share some of my Christmas gifts with you. These are just my crocheted projects...I forgot to take pictures of the projects I sewed for my dad and my friends! Oh well next year. The patterns are from all over the web, my new favorite website and my favorite crochet book The Happy Hooker. If you have any questions about where to find any of them, just leave me a message.

www.flickr.com

Ornament Swap Photos

2008-12-15T18:27:00.000-08:00

Here are the photos of the ornaments I received from Cake & Pie's Holiday Ornament Swap on Swap-bot.

Ornaments made by (in order):
Chelsea
Maitreya at craftlog.org
Wild Child Designs
Adrianne
Marlo at imakecutestuff.etsy.com
Karley at shesewslovely.ca
mrspolanco
And me!

Beaded Icicle ornament tutorial

2008-12-11T22:25:00.000-08:00

Here are the steps to create a simple icicle ornament for your tanenbaum. I recently mailed these ornaments out to various corners of the U.S. and England and Switzerland as part of Cake & Pie's Holiday Ornament Swap on Swap-bot. If you've never done a swap, there are many fun ones on Swap-bot and I'm thinking of doing a sock exchange next month...

To create a beaded icicle ornament you will need:

-Variety of "ice" looking beads in various sizes (about 10-15 beads per icicle)
-Six-strand embroidery floss
-Tapestry needle
-Hot glue gun

Arrange your beads into an icicle-ish formation
Cut a strand of floss about 12 inches in length
Thread your tapestry needle and start stringing your beads beginning with the bottom bead of your icicle
When you get to the last bead, make a loop and then start stringing the beads again in the opposite direction
When you get to the end, tie a knot and trim the extra floss
Tie a knot using your loop to secure the top bead as well
Add a dab of hot glue to secure your knots

Hang on your tree!

Trim that tree

2008-12-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it? Wasn't it just Thanksgiving and now there are only 17 days left until Christmas..

We just got our tree this weekend, a nice little 5-foot Noble. Every year, I like to add a new ornament or two. This year I will have 10 ornaments coming from the fun Swap-bot ornament exchange. I already have a few and I'll share some photos soon. ***Update - Click here for swap photos.***

In the meantime, I've been eyeing some classic crochet snowflakes from mypicot.

Or Etsy has an entire post of their favorite handmade ornaments to buy: check it out here. This one is my favorite from The Cupcake Girls.

Almost finished Advent calendar + one more

2008-11-24T17:14:00.000-08:00

I worked on my Advent calendar this weekend, CraftStylish's Button Advent Calendar.

I'm still looking for the perfect tree topper and you won't see it's full splendor until Christmas...

Basically, you take a styrofoam cone, cover it with felt or fabric, glue flathead tacks to buttons (the "ornaments" you get to add daily) and voila! I also used a little fake cobweb left over from Halloween to create a snow effect.

And there's still time! Here's one more more Advent Calendar project to try:
Design*Sponge Advent Envelope Garland

Happy Hour: lovely lemon drop

2008-11-21T17:19:00.000-08:00

Start off your next ladies night with a lemon drop. Why? It tastes like candy. You can drink it martini-style or go all hardcore and drink as a shot.

Martini-style version (as seen in image):

1/2 oz lemon-flavored vodka (like Absolute Citron)
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Ice
Simple syrup (aka sugar water)

In a martini shaker, muddle 3 ice cubes and 2-3 slices of lemon (to get the juice). Fill the glass with ice, add lemon-flavored vodka (like Absolut Citron) and a dash of simple syrup. Shake Shake Shake Señora.

Add sugar to the rim of your martini glass: rub the edge of the martini glass with a lemon wedge, and flip glass upside down into a pile of sugar.

Strain and pour the liquid goodness from your shaker into your martini glass.

Countdown: 35 days! Time to make an Advent calendar

2008-11-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Oh my! Only 35 days until Christmas. Are you ready? I'm not. It's okay to be honest.

Even more pressing though...Advent begins on November 30th. Yes, that's in 10 days. I have big plans to finish my Advent calendar this weekend because next week is Thanksgiving with it's own business to take care of. But which one will it be? It's too hard to pick just one of these creative tutorials:

The most elegant Advent calendar ever from The Red Thread. Complete with birdies!

Über-colorful Magnet Advent Calendar from Dollar Store Crafts.

Pocket Advent Calendar from my little mochi (uses Dentyne packs!).

Button Advent Calendar from Craftstylish.

Oh yes..and one more. For your iPhone! :)

Handmade hat roundup

2008-11-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

It's getting colder. Yay! That means hats and hoodies and candles and hot chocolate. But, I actually don't like to be cold....at all. In fact, I'm sitting next to my heater right now. I can't take it with me though. I think it's time for hat(s)!

Make 'em!
Crabby Crafter's Bobble Headband

Basic Beanie from Lion Brand maybe add a quick flower?

Buy 'em! Here are some of my fav hats from Etsy.

Love the vintage feel of this wool cloche from lizarietz.

Yes, you can even look stylish on your bike this winter with Riding Pretty's custom helmet cover.

I'm thankful for Thanksgiving decor

2008-11-18T17:30:00.000-08:00

Does it seem that stores have skipped a holiday? Soon after Halloween, shop windows started displaying snow-filled scenes with Christmas trees, presents and other winter holidayesque settings.

Well it's still fall people. There are still a few rebellious leaves that ain't goin' no where no how. And next week is Thanksgiving!

I get hungry just thinking about it, but I've never been a great cook. Even when I was a kid I tried to stay out of the kitchen by working on extravagant place cards.

Thankfully (hardy-har-har) the crafting world has not forgotten about Thanksgiving and offers many DIY and handmade ideas for your big T-day that are pretty and functional too. Here are some of my favs:

Apartment Therapy's Etsy placemat roundup
Placemats you can hang when not in use...brilliant!

The Purl Bee's Appliqued Quilted Runner + Fringed Napkins
A table runner that doubles as a hot pad...brilliant!

Hats for Warm for Winter

2008-11-17T17:41:00.000-08:00

I procrastinated (surprise!) to the very end, but still managed to bust out two crocheted hats for the Interfaith Council's Warm for Winter hat and scarf drive. I think they have another drive in January. Stay tuned for details!

The pattern is from Happy Hooker by Debbie Stoller.

Make teacup candles

2008-11-11T17:28:00.000-08:00

My grandmother collected teacups, so I have special fondness for them. And don't you think the teacup is making a come back? Now you can use them for more than just sipping. Check out this tutorial to make candles from teacups from Design*Sponge.

Quilted baby blanket

2008-11-10T18:00:00.000-08:00

I love when my friends have babies because it gives me an excuse to buy Minky...

"Whip up" some crocheted flowers

2008-11-05T21:14:00.000-08:00

Check out Whip Up for a collection of tutorials for crocheted flowers.

Even just looking at the pretty designs makes me almost forget that we are about to head into 8 months of fall/winter/greyness...and then I look outside...

VOTE!

2008-11-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

by Shepard Fairey

Halloween is over :(

2008-11-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Last week, we finally and feverishly finished our Halloween costumes: LEGOs! It was such a fun night: people were honking at us, stopping us for photos, and we won a costume contest at the Bonza Bash for Best Group Costume. Here's a few photos with more here.

The new corkboard

2008-10-22T21:53:00.000-07:00

Ready for your next home project? Forget fabric covered bulletin boards, Design*Sponge shared a brilliant idea from maya*made for reusing coffee (or other burlap sack) to create the ultimate bulletin board.

Thanks maya*made!

Crochet is for hookers

2008-10-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, my Grandmother taught me how to crochet, but it's been years since I've picked up the hook. When knitting became the coolest craft in the nation, I had to try it, but I had a really hard time with it. I know there are people who can do both knit and crochet, but for me, I prefer the hook (sorry knitters!).

So after a 20 year crochet hiatus, I recently took a crochet class with Rebecca Baker at Pacific Fabrics. I feel like I can conquer the crochet world right now! Okay...maybe not quite. But I did just make this fun scarf from the book Happy Hooker and some arm warmers by mandcpruitt on Crochetme.com. I think my Grandma would dig them.

The Infamous Black Opal

2008-10-17T17:30:00.000-07:00

The Black Opal is a strooong drink and is not recommended for beginniners or those who have to work the next day. Be wary of bartenders that put tequila in this drink. If this occurs, promptly hand the drink back to the rookie bartender and go to a different bar. Here are the ingredients to make your own at home:

1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz rum
1/2 oz vodka
1/2 oz Chambord (my favorite)
1/2 oz triple sec
1/2 oz sweet and sour mix
1 oz Sierra Mist

Stir ingredients together in an ice-filled pint glass and get ready.

Halloween signs part 1

2008-10-16T18:34:00.000-07:00

Special Halloween edition of Crafty Signage (we'll learn spookier signs next week!)

P.S. My face looks really weird at the beginning of this video...

Universal hairstyle coverage

2008-10-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

I have some pretty intense headpieces from bellydancing, but I could wear this stylish-and-modern, feather-and-flower headband by Still Dottie anywhere. She even shared this tutorial to help us get the look. The best part about this trend is that it works for us gals with short hair. Take that last season's messy-updo look!

Spookify your home

2008-10-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

Halloween can be daunting for crafters, because I feel like those around us have high expectations for us to make something really good. I worked on my top secret Halloween costume over the weekend, but it's pretty labor intensive and I still need to decorate! I'd love to work on these spooky projects:

Crochet-skull-applique via Indie Fixx. Crochet a quick skull using increasing and decreasing then add to a pillow, a pumpkin, your front door, window or anywhere!

Ribbon wreath via the long thread. You can even make it more scary with a little cobweb or fake bugs...

New at this

2008-10-13T18:38:00.000-07:00

I'm new to this blogging thing. It's addicting. But lately I've been a little distracted by some things that I don't really have any control over, but somehow think that if I google them enough they will all go away.

No. Such. Luck.

So, back to important things! Like making stuff and being productive. And reorganizing this blog a bit.

Stay tuned!

Obama Craft Project

2008-10-10T17:10:00.000-07:00

Technically I didn't find the Obama Craft Project, they found me and I couldn't be happier or more inspired.

Beautiful expressions of hope and change are posted to the site to remind us of the positive revolution we're bringing.

Yes we can! In just 25 days!

Ouch...

2008-10-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

Have a beer. A cheap beer.

That is all...

Christmas is coming!?!

2008-10-03T17:34:00.000-07:00

Skip To My Lou posted a great tutorial for a Christmas themed oven mitt a week or so ago. I love the tutorial, but what most interested me about this post is that it made me realize is that there are only 12 weeks until Christmas. 12 weeks!! I have big plans this year, but I haven't really planned them out yet. And with less than a month until Halloween, followed by the election and then Thanksgiving. All I have to say is...AHHHHHH!!!!!!

Alcohol and Ice Cream

2008-10-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

This week's recipe isn't as much of a recipe as it is a fabulously simple way to get your daily intake of calcium and libations. It's really starting to feel like fall around here, so this deliciousness is also a great way to squeeze in the last enjoyments of cold summer pleasure on a hot...or warmish...day.

Chambord and ice cream
3 or more large scoops of vanilla ice cream
1 0z Chambord at least

In a large bowl, scoop vanilla ice cream and cover generously with Chambord.

That's it! Enjoy!

Project Linus at Pacific Fabrics

2008-09-30T17:30:00.000-07:00

This Sunday Pacific Fabrics hosted a Blanket Bee for Project Linus. I just heard about Project Linus which collects and makes blankets for children and families in need. Here are some pictures of the sewers and tie-ers in action:

What "The Wave" can really do

2008-09-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Have you been practicing "The Wave?" Okay me neither. There's been a lot going on lately and I accidentally haven't posted here in a week or so. Back to the point. Threadbanger recently posted a great quick sewing project that features what we're supposed to be practicing - "The Wave!"

Here's a tutorial for a colorful Scrappy Hot Pad via My Byrd House featuring "The Wave." Time to practice!

Happy Hour: The Deauville Cocktail

2008-09-18T20:02:00.000-07:00

Well...it's been a wild week. This week's cocktail is a classic, little number created during the 1930s in New Orleans (or so the story goes).

The Deauville Cocktail

1/2 oz Brandy
1/2 Triple Sec
1/2 oz Apple Brandy
1/4 Lemon Juice

Combine ingredients, shake and strain into a cocktail glass.

Peacock bracelet

2008-09-16T17:15:00.000-07:00

I was a little too busy this weekend to make anything, but I wasn't too busy to splurge and spend my monthly "clothing" budget to buy this:

I could have an entire blog about peacocks...

Quilting Drill - The Wave

2008-09-15T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here we go! Practice makes perfect.

You'll need:
A sewing machine
A free-motion quilting foot
"Quilt sandwiches"
2 bright colors of thread (to see how your stitching looks)
Clean gardening gloves to hold the fabric better (recommended)

For my quilt sandwiches, I used 2 pieces of cheap, plain quilting material and basted a layer of batting in between.

THE WAVE DRILL
Each day take a quilt sandwich and practice making wavy line after wavy line. Start excruciatingly slow and watch that tension when you first start out. You will want to adjust it a bit to make it just right. Here's my first attempt (we'll see if I get any better by next week!):

Don't despair - drink instead!

2008-09-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

Feeling anxious? Don't despair. Try this recipe for a blended version of the infamous Blue Hawaiian.

1 oz light rum
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
1 oz cream of coconut
Fruit decor: cherry, orange, pineapple, and mango...yummm

Blend light rum, blue curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut in a Magic Bullet (or blender) with one cup of ice.

Pour contents into a very large glass or bowl. Add your favorite fruit. Consume.

Crafty candidates: foldus!

2008-09-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

The power is in the palm of your hand! Check out these foldable, wearable, controllable candidates.

Via folduscandidate.com
Photo via folduscandidate on Flickr

Obama bag part 2 & 3

2008-09-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

My first Obama bag made it's way to Ecuador, where my friend Ann posted some pics on her blog. Yay! The second bag, I gave to my mom for her birthday. Unfortunately for me, I only had a small amount of canvas left so used blue fleece to finish one for myself. Here they all are:

I posted a tutorial awhile back to make the reverse-appliqué logo: it's here.

If you like Obama and crafts, be sure to check out Julie Ree's Crafters for Obama group! (Note the new Crafters for Obama button ----->) :)

Quilting Drills: Before we begin

2008-09-01T11:00:00.000-07:00

Before we begin our drills, let's take a look at where we want to be. You know, like The Secret, let's visualize how we want to quilt someday. Here's some inspiration:

WOW!

When it comes to machine quilting on a regular sewing machine. There are two main choices: Straight-line and Free-motion. You can use both techniques on the same quilt.

This post on Machine Quilting 101 from Anyone Can Quilt helped me with finishing my first official quilt. Check it out to get a detailed overview on how to machine quilt.

For our quilting drills, we will be practicing the free-motion technique. Next week we'll start the first drill: The Wave.

Build a swing at the bus stop

2008-08-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ever get bored waiting for the bus? Artist Bruno Taylor's series "Playful Spaces" included building this swing at a London Bus Stop.

Found on Urban Pranksters.

The Grape Nehi

2008-08-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

Hope you are having a good week. If not, here's a little spirit to life your spirits, The Grape Nehi - one of my favorite fancy cocktails. If you don't have Chambord in your cupboard, run out and get some! It's not just for drinks. It tastes delicious on vanilla ice cream too...

The Grape Nehi
2 oz vodka
2 oz Chambord (raspberry liqueur)
3-4 lemons
Ice cubes

Muddle the ice with lemon and add vodka. Shake. With a strainer, pour into a sugar-rimmed cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Crafty Signage: Obama!

2008-08-27T16:43:00.000-07:00

Want to know how to say Obama in sign language?

Be sure to check out my tutorial on how to make an Obama reverse-applique-logo tote bag!

Try these tutorials

2008-08-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

The number of DIY tutorials on the internets is out-of-control amazing! I'm reorganizing my list of favorites so be sure to check them out here on their own page.

Don't be afraid of quilting!

2008-08-25T18:13:00.000-07:00

Here it is...my first, finished quilt. And I have a message for you - don't be afraid of quilting!

I feared stitching my three layers together with my little Brother, imagining I'd ruin the painstakingly-pieced together quilt top. But I didn't! I used really simple straight lines and I even added the binding by machine too...crazy huh!

I'm so happy it turned out and the blanket is headed to Children's Hospital to provide warmth and comfort.

And now like so many other quilters before me - I'm hooked. But quilting takes practice. Especially the machine quilting part....which brings me to a new weekly feature you'll see here - "quilting drills."

To start, I've made about a dozen fabric-and-batting sandwiches to practice some free-motion skillz. Want to join me?

Short break

2008-08-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

It was 90 degrees in Seattle this weekend and the Olympics are messing with my sleeping schedule so I'm taking a short break. Don't worry gentle reader, I will be back next week. Enjoy the sunshine!

Ta done two projects

2008-08-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

I went on a little sewing frenzy this weekend and actually worked on 3! projects (I forgot to take a picture of a t-shirt tote I gave to a friend for her birthday...). And here they are!

I made the slouchy bag with fabrics from my recent Quiltfest adventur e and used my new favorite Craftster tutorial.

The quilt top on the right is the first quilt top I've made in 10 years (wow does that age me) and I had that quilt professionally quilted (before I lost it at a festival). I wanted to try quilting again so started small with one of those Joann's quilt-in-a-box quilts. I switched out some of the fabrics with some fabric from my stash of fabulous Amy Butler fat quarters. Now all I have to do is learn how to quilt the three layers together...yikes!

Quiltfest Pics

2008-08-11T20:24:00.000-07:00

Wow! Quiltfest was amazing. I took a few pictures of ones that really caught my eye, but there were soooo many quilts! Click below for some pictures:

Quiltfest Slideshow

Alter-this: Adding poetry just got easier

2008-08-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

Were you inspired by last week's Alter-this project to add a little poetry to your next project? Well Craftstylish posted some tips for using new fabric sheets that can be put through your home printer (yes that's right - through your printer!) so you can print anything you want, including your favorite poem, and add it to your next project.

Here's a few resources:
Electric Quilt
Jacquard
Color Textiles

Crafty Signage: I sew clothes

2008-08-06T18:00:00.000-07:00

A quick video on how to sign "I sew clothes."

Quiltfest is this weekend!

2008-08-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

And I'm going! I've never gone to anything like this so check back next week for a full report.

Details:
August 8, 9, 10
Friday & Sat 10am - 6pm
Sunday 10am - 5pm

Washington State Convention & Trade Center
7th & Pike, downtown Seattle

Visit their website.

Crafting Things Done

2008-08-04T18:00:00.000-07:00

There may be a few posts on this blog about productivity and GTD (aka Getting Things Done). I know Getting Things Done seems more like a system for nine-to-fivers to keep their email under control and projects on task, but using some of the principles creatively (and creativity is what we crafters are all about) can help us keep our craftiness going from idea to Joann's to seam ripper to finished project.

Plus, I am a nine-to-fiver myself and slipping in my sewing projects sometimes takes a little inner motivation and planning to get to Crafting Things Done.

I want to plug the blog Zen Habits (now available in my blogroll!) that covers practical and inspirational "simple productivity" tips and ways to simplify your life, get motivated to do the things you really want to do and stop doing the things you think you must do.

More to come...

New projects to try - The Motherload

2008-08-01T17:05:00.000-07:00

The ultimate list of project tutorials is available at the Thirty Handmade Days blog. The best part is that they are all organized by type like Apron Love and Paper Crafts.

Alter-this: Poetry on fashion

2008-07-31T17:30:00.000-07:00

Cool idea, many uses. I'm picturing adding a single line around the hemline of a skirt or at the bottom of a shirt...

Hmmmm....

Crafty signage: I make things

2008-07-30T19:00:00.000-07:00

I make things...

And now a warning...

2008-07-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

In a few minutes I will be posting my first every crafty sign language video featuring a simple sign related to crafting. Yay!

I wanted to add this disclaimer though that I am hearing, I am not fluent in American Sign Language and I am not even a certified translator. My connection to ASL is through my boyfriend (he's a coda - child of a deaf adult). The signs you will find on this blog may not be the official signs, but they are the ones we know.

...

2008-07-29T18:03:00.001-07:00

I keep my end tables full of needlework and quilting so I don't have to dust them.

~Author Unknown

Form and function picushion

2008-07-29T17:45:00.000-07:00

Finally! I finished one of the projects from my ever growing "projects to try" list. It's a handy wrist pincushion from Planet June.

My version is a little lumpier, but it works fabulously.

Thank you Planet June!

Crafted in the park

2008-07-28T18:45:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture from my first event, "crafting in the park," last weekend. It was very sunny (backpacks provide great shade I guess). I hope to have another crafting date soon!

New projects to try

2008-07-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Two new tutorials:

Great for summer "super-easy" triangle top from Craftystylish.

Cute pinwheel coasters from The Long Thread.

Alter-this: Prada shoes

2008-07-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

Plain-old black sandals from Payless for a friends wedding + ruffle heel could someday become this Prada shoe...

Hmmmm....

Videos start next week...

2008-07-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

...if I can figure out how my computer works!

Vote: which wallet-to-be?

2008-07-22T18:30:00.000-07:00

After finishing up my patchwork purse, I realized I had a problem. My giant planner was just too big. So I picked up a little frame and pattern for a new coin-purse and dug through my fabric to see what might look good. Hopefully you'll see it finished here next week!

Which do you think? Vote at right!

Orange & Purple

OR

Red & Red

Pattern courtesy of Bag Lady Bags from Stitches in Seattle.

Sockmonkey costume

2008-07-21T18:00:00.000-07:00

"Anything goes" on Mondays and I meant it!

There is one workday I look forward to all year: my company's annual softball game. I am not very good at sports that involve hand-eye coordination, so last year I decided to participate in another way - by being a mascot! No one had done it yet, so googling sockmonkey costumes, I found this great tutorial to make the giant head. Here are some pics from this year's game...the Sockmonkeys vs. the Tubesocks.

On schedule

2008-07-21T17:30:00.000-07:00

I noticed a trend on my own blog and decided to create a little schedule of what you can find here each week:

Mondays: Anything goes...
Tuesdays: To dos and ta dones - my personal plans and completed projects.
Wednesday: Crafty signage - learn some crafty related sign language.
Thursday: Alter-this - fashion that's dying to DIY.
Friday: New projects to try - a weekly round-up of my favorite new projects from around the web.

Alter-this: Delias again...

2008-07-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

It was on sale! So I bought last week's "alter-this" tank and this new swim suit that I hope to add a little flower or something too...does screenprinting work on bathing suits...?

Hmmmm....

New projects to try

2008-07-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

B utton top brads from Paint in my hair.

DIY Wall Art from Nest.

Sticky notes books from greetingarts.

Roses from fabric scraps from Wardrobe Refashion.