CrazyLilCraft

What I Did On Summer Vacation

2010-08-12T22:44:00.004-04:00

taught these awesome girls how to sew

watched a scooter fly by at sunset

picked blueberries with this gang

did some swimming at JoAnne's pool

spent a lot of time with my rising 6th grader

It was a great summer, and Fall here we come!

Thrifting With Friends

2010-07-27T22:11:00.004-04:00

Always makes me laugh. This time I really almost peed my pants. (She put the shoes back. thankfully.)

Handmade Cards are the Best

2010-05-10T08:04:00.001-04:00

Aren't they though?

How To Cope With Deadlines:

2010-05-06T20:28:00.003-04:00

Eat lots of ice cream.
And when you need a place to stash your cone while you are sewing, grab a handy ribbon spool, it works great.

Welcome to Burger Barn!

2010-05-01T10:57:00.004-04:00

I spent some time in the thrift stores last weekend with my BFF and we had a blast. I found lots of great upcyclable jeans, belts and sweaters and also some new summer clothes and even a bathing suit! I've decided this is the best way to buy a bathing suit. Shop in a place where you can't really try on the bathing suit, you just scrutinize it well and then come home and try on in the privacy of your own home. At least this time it worked out!

So anyways, aside from the serious shopping, we had to take some time to have a good laugh at the tacky Christmas sweaters, horrible clothes that exist and the 70's polyester clothes on the racks. Evidently someone had just emptied their closet of all their polyester pant suits! When I held up the orange one for Amy to see, she said "Welcome to Burger Barn."

Perfect! We had a laugh and then went to Trader Joes for some free samples, organic coffee and white balsamic vinegar.

Little Snippets

2010-04-23T08:45:00.002-04:00

A few little snippets of some new work for my upcoming show in Dunwoody. Lots of spring and summer colors, doilies, embroideries and more.

I love summer!

Show Tomorrow

2010-04-09T22:17:00.001-04:00

Everything is tagged, the car is packed, tomorrow is showtime! I'll be here.

Strange Creature

2010-03-29T22:57:00.004-04:00

This strange 4 legged creature was seen on our boat last weekend. It likes sunshine, skittles, sangria, Converse low tops and puts on a mean puppetshow.

We Met the Nicest Delta Airline Attendant EVER

2010-02-23T20:52:00.005-05:00

We went to Spain this past Christmas to visit family and we had a wonderful time!

We spent a lot of time with family and had more than one lunch with the table set for more than thirty people and we got caught up with aunts, cousins, uncles and old frineds.

We were sad when we had to leave and more than a little stressed to travel in the new year after several bombimg attempts on US airlines. But when we got to the airport we meth the nicest flight attendant ever and he calmed our nerves and took care of us. While we were checking in, he admired Alex's laptop bag, and I dutifully handed him a card and wondered if he would indeed contact me to order one. Well he did! And I just finished it.

He wanted it in red white and blue. I thought it would be fitting to put a little airplane on it, and he liked the idea.

We both agreed it would be fun to stay in touch, and today he sent me a picture of his dog and her 5 puppies.

Congratulations!

You May Be Spending Too Much Time Sewing If:

2010-02-02T23:30:00.004-05:00

you haven't dusted in so long the teapot on your shelf looks like this....

you never trimmed your hydrangeas and they look like this.....

you haven't made your kid a new pair of pajamas in so long the old ones now qualify as "capri" pajamas.

They Just Don't Make Toys Like They Used To!

2010-01-11T20:51:00.002-05:00

We saw this doll at the Toy Museum in Figueres Spain recently on vacation. Imagine, a doll that comes complete with a bone saw! I think this might get a recall nowadays, that saw looked mighty sharp!

My Friend Amy Told Me.......

2009-11-25T17:02:00.006-05:00

that she was tired of seeing shampoo bottles everytime she came over to look at my sad and neglected blog.

I wonder what she will think when she sees herself next time she comes over?

Hi Amy!!!!!!!!!

You and Lola (or is it Lula?) look so cute together! What a match made in heaven! What do monkeys eat for Thanksgiving?

Evidence

2009-08-14T09:05:00.002-04:00

What you are seeing is the last bit of evidence that Jordi spent the summer here. (I have already turned his room back into my purse shipping center) At least we know that his hair (all of it) was clean during his stay...

Legoland California vs Legoland Oakwood

2009-08-07T22:13:00.008-04:00

Thank you! thank you! thank you! Mary for taking Eric with you to Legoland! He had a great time and felt very welcome!

His first trip to California was a huge success.

Where else can you see a giant lego head of Albert Einstein?

He missed the inauguration in January, but was lucky enough to catch the Lego inauguration last week.
The only downside to 2 inspiring days at Legoland for a 10 year old? My living room floor now looks like this!

The View

2009-07-31T15:40:00.003-04:00

I had to get out of my sewing room for a minute because the sweaters are tantalizing me and the smell of wet wool is a little overwhelming. I've been felting and cutting and dreaming about fall purses ever since I got back from Buffalo with a fresh batch of beautiful wool sweaters. I can't wait to get started....

The Cottage

2009-07-20T08:29:00.004-04:00

We are going to the cottage for a few days.

Where it is always sunny. (We were told this even when it was obviously overcast and raining)

You might get a few words from Grandpa about the kiln.

The seagulls are there for the chasing.

And legend has it that the sunsets are the best on the planet.

Swedish Meatball Distraction

2009-07-08T11:37:00.005-04:00

See that nice new desk from Ikea? It only took 2 trips into Atlanta to get it purchased and home and all set up complete with a little pack of jelly beans to snack on. The first trip was fun and complete with cinnamon rolls for breakfast and much oogling of the packs of swedish meatballs which we ultimately decided not to buy.

See that stool holding up the back part of the desk? That is because it was nowhere noted that we needed to buy 5 legs for the desk, or at least we didn't see it anywhere and didn't for a minute think of buying an odd number of legs.

It is pretty clear we spent too much time thinking about the meatballs and not enogh time paying attention to the bin numbers and we may have spent a little too much time singing "Dancing Queen" and "Fernando" while shopping. Time to schedule another trip back to Ikea soon.

A New Addiction

2009-07-01T06:37:00.002-04:00

I can't stop making hats.

Especially after seeing how great they look on Margaret.

I've Been Gone Awhile, but I Have a Good Excuse

2009-06-23T07:38:00.003-04:00

First there was this great group of girls from the Fiber and Fun Camp at Felted Heart studios, who stole my heart and learned so much during a week of camp.

There has been the making of these dresses for my dear friend Melanie's wedding.

Teaching sweet Emma to sew.

We threw in some camping for fun and because we needed our yearly dosing of bug spray.

And more crafty campers at Beehive Co-op.

I've been a little busy, but I'm back!
How is everyone's summer going?

Ut Oh

2009-05-18T11:49:00.002-04:00

The kids are literally climbing the walls inside the house and summer vacation hasn't even started yet. I better find those camp flyers and sign up sheets for things to do before it is too late!

Eric's Wonderous Craft Emporium

2009-05-09T08:27:00.006-04:00

A picture of last week, before the rain.

A picture of yesterday, before the rain.

Eric's Wonderous Craft Emporium had a much better day than the Karen Meyers booth did at the Craftstravaganzaa. (Almost a sell out!) But he did plug my website several times to customers yesterday (3rd through 5th graders) so you never know, things may be getting better for me soon!

Busy Week

2009-04-27T13:13:00.002-04:00

I've got a busy week preparing for a Spring Festival this weekend. My stash of vintage fabric is getting picked through and I need to restock the rick rack. Here's a little sneak peak at some more Serape bags.

The weather is beautiful, I'll have to hang up some big blankets to block the view from my sewing room so I can get everything done!

Fun With Vintage Swatches

2009-04-21T11:46:00.002-04:00

A couple of months ago I bought a set of vintage bark cloth fabric swatches from the Etsy shop "Love this stuff" and I finally got the time to dig in and make some purses with them. I didn't waste a bit and I'm pretty happy with the results! These are getting primped and ready for the Athens Indie Craftstravaganza next weekend in Athens.

See ya later, I just got another pack of swatches in the mail, there is some more sewing to do!

Easter Sports

2009-04-14T09:05:00.004-04:00

Luckily we had nice weather on Easter so everyone could play their favorite sport. (Mine was raiding the Easter baskets.)

I Went to New York for the Day

2009-04-10T11:13:00.002-04:00

and I just took one picture of a giant button and needle. Is this a new sculpture in NYC? or did I just miss it the last time I was wandering the garmet district looking for fabric? Does anybody know?

A Little Blog Break

2009-02-25T12:10:00.004-05:00

When Eric feels tired he just crawls up on the boom and has a little break.

That is how I feel right now, I'm going to have a little break. It's time to catch up on some work obligations and such, so instead of feeling guilty about neglecting my blog, I'll just have an official break for a couple of weeks.

How's that?

Scotch Tape Sewing

2009-02-17T22:35:00.003-05:00

Before Eric learned how to use the sewing machine, scotch tape was the name of the game. If you want to make some pjs for your monkey, just grap some scraps and some tape.

We like to name animals for what they are around here. That is why our kitty is named "Kitty" and Eric's monkey is named "Monkey". Just keeping it simple.

Happy Valentines Day?

2009-02-14T12:20:00.001-05:00

We've all been inundated with hearts in pink and red and cupids and roses and after awhile it can be a little well, tiresome. Yesterday while listening to the radio I heard two commercials in a row. The first one telling me to forget about cooking on Valentines Day and to go out to eat with my loved one. To let someone else do the work and pamper you and your honey. The next ad was for a grocery store telling me there was nothing more special than staying in on Valentines Day and cooking for your honey so you could have that special alone time in the most intimate setting, your home. (Obviously written by someone without kids!) It's hard not to be cynical with everyone throwing their angle at you about how you should feel and what you should buy on February 14.

Despite it all, I'm still feeling good on this Valentines Day in 2009. Still fresh from the turn of the new year and some small successes that keep me plodding forward I thought I would spell it all out for you here in Red and White.

R eally apprecaitive for what I have
E ager to meet new challenges
D etermined to get better and better at what I do

A rdent about my craft
N ever bored
D iligent about details

W illing to adapt
H appy to be self employed
I nterested to see what is next
T hrifty and loving it!
E xcited about the possibilities

Whether you stay in, go out, celebrate with your honey or your kids or your Mom and Dad, have a Happy Valentines Day in black and white or pink and red or technicolor. As usual, it is just what you make of it.

Felting Hagrid's Sweater

2009-02-12T22:32:00.003-05:00

I had an extra half an hour today between obligations in Atlanta so of course I seized the opportunity to pop into the thrift store. I found a couple of great sweaters, and then there is this one. The GIANT snowflake sweater.
The funniest thing is, the tag says Medium.

Medium!!!

This sweater is enormous. I can just see Hagrid of Harry Potter fame sitting in his cabin feeding his baby dragon on Christmas eve wearing his favorite snowflake sweater. Of course he would call it his "snowflake jumper" being from England and all.
I'm going to try to felt this tomorrow. I'm pretty nervous though, because red dye is the worst (just ask Jordi about his "Inca Cola" T-shirt and 2 years worth of pink socks) and I fear this will be a red and pink snowflake sweater after the first wash. I can already envision 3 purses that I want to make from it so I really don't want to ruin it. Although maybe it will be pretty in pink and red.
I'll keep you posted.

I've Been Tagged

2009-02-09T16:05:00.004-05:00

Well, I've been ignoring my blog duties again.

A couple of weeks ago Wendy from Bags and Buds tagged me to name 7 random things about myself. Of course I would like them to be random and interesting, but I'm not sure if I will succeed. Here goes, 7 random things about me.

1. I'm not very neat, but I'm a binge cleaner. Every now and then I get totally fed up with the mess and clean. I never know when this will happen though.
2. My favorite food growing up was Chicken Fricassee. I always requested it for my birthday dinner because my brothers LEAST favorite food was Chicken Fricassee.
3. I'm a morning person. Could it be the coffee?
4. I wanted to change my name to "Candy" growing up. My parents wouldn't let me.
5. I love toasted almonds on anything.
6. I have read "Gone With the Wind" 3 times.
7. Even though I have an Art degree, my favorite class in college was Astronomy. But please, don't ask me to remember anything about it!

Well, there you go, pretty random stuff!

A Happy Sewing Birthday

2009-02-03T18:43:00.002-05:00

One of the more fun things I have gotten to do since becoming part of Beehive Co-op is to be the designer in charge of some Crafty Birthday Parties. This is where we open up the back room to some creative kids and let them create the project of their choice for a couple of hours while celebrating their birthday.
Saturday was Keely's turn, and check out the pictures for some serious creative energy going on. 11 and 12 year olds are the PERFECT age to begin sewing because they have enough motor skills to be able to pick up on the machine right away, they know EXACTLY what they want to do and they bounce back from mistakes very quickly and without a lot of fuss. Each girl designed her own project using thrift store item such as sweaters, jeans and jean skirts and then decorated it with felted sweater wool and a handle. I love what they came up with! It was a great party, and the cake was fabulous!

We Have A Winner!

2009-01-31T10:05:00.002-05:00

The Random number picker picked a winner this morning: Angie of SillyQuilly.

Angie, your purse will be on the way to Texas Monday morning!

Thanks to everyone who entered, I really appreciated all the comments and all the purses got a little love. The Argyle Purse was especially loved though, which reminded me of a really bad joke.

What are a pirate's favorite kind of socks?

Aaaaaaarghyle socks!

Have a great weekend, I'll be back on Monday with some tales from a crafty birthday party I am hosting this weekend at Beehive, which has a green theme. We'll be recycling jeans and sweaters and T-shirts into purses. Right up my alley.

Blog Anniversary Give Away

2009-01-27T19:26:00.009-05:00

Well, I've been blogging for one year now. Wow.
Who knew I had that kind of attention span?
What do all good bloggers do when they reach the one year blogging anniversary?

Have a give away of course!

I've decided to give away this Rose Handle Purse, since this is the design that kind of got me started on the journey into accessories in the first place.

This is what you need to do: take a little visit over to my etsy shop and take a look around, then come back here and leave me a comment about which item is your favorite. (I know, there always is a catch, but it is just a little catch.) PLEASE! Leave me your e-mail address in your comment so I can contact you if you are the winner. I will ship this purse for free to anywhere in the world!!!!!!!
And if while you are over there and you see something that you like, I'll give you free shipping. Just put a note in the message to seller that you found me through Bloggy Give Aways and I'll refund your shipping money through Paypal.
I'll draw the winner on Saturday a.m. using a random number generator (Or Eric will pull it out of a hat depending on how many entrants I have).

Good luck! and thanks to Mom and the other 5 people who have read my blog over the past year. I'm looking forward to 2009!

Eric's Big Plans

2009-01-27T18:09:00.001-05:00

Eric takes a moment out of his weekend to tell us what he would build in his spare time.

More Inaugural Fashions

2009-01-24T14:47:00.002-05:00

This week in my sewing class at Beehive the girls and I felt like celebrating the inauguration of our new president. How better to do that than to create our own inaugural fashions for our favorite model, Barbie.

I chose to go practical and designed a red skirt and stole from what else but recycled sweater pieces. I thought it looked great, but the girls weren't too impressed. (The 10 -13 year old crowd is a REALLY tough crowd in case you didn't already know.)

Elizabeth designed a strapless mermaid gown from ecru linen with a navy and cream tulle gathered skirt. Great combination of elements!

Maya chose red silk charmeuse, also strapless with a gold belt. Notice the hand hemming on the dress, very nice. They each had a purse that somehow didn't make it from sewing class to the photography session, the purses were put together with scotch tape, ahem, I think they have been watching too much Project Runway. Which should be starting again soon, I hope.
We have a great time in sewing class, especially during a week when we feel like celebrating!

I Heart Our New President

2009-01-20T08:29:00.002-05:00

What a great day today!
My Mom and Dad are in Washington with all the crowds.
I heart Obama!

I'm In A Rush To Be Bloggy

2009-01-16T19:09:00.005-05:00

It's hard to believe, but at the end of this month my blog will turn 1 year old. Since my blog is high maintenance, it has requested a certain kind of cake and ice cream, I will comply.
But in the meantime I've realized that I haven't done very many bloggy things. I haven't shared a recipe (essential for a proper blog), I haven't made a tutorial and I haven't had a give away.
More about the give away in the next post, but for right now I thought I would take care of the recipe thing.

This is a copy of my Mom's recipe for granola. It is SO wonderful. It tastes delicious and it will keep you full! If you eat this in the morning, you will barely be hungry for lunch. (A good thing) It is also super easy to make.
For the past couple of years she would always give me a little baggy full of granola when I left her house but then it occured to me, I could make this myself! Now I have as much granola as I like. I even Pimped the recipe to my taste using dried cherries instead of apricots. Yummmmmmm.......
Oh, and the best part is the smell while the granola is toasting. It is absolutely heavenly. Try it.
More about the give away in the next post. First you must make your granola.

Baby In A Bag

2009-01-14T13:06:00.003-05:00

When I sell a purse, and it goes out into the world, I never know what its destiny will be. Unless of course I sell a purse to my sister in law's best friend, who then gives it as a Christmas gift to some friends of hers in New Zealand (because it is summer there) and then sends me pictures!
So now I know that in New Zealand, there is the cutest baby being toted around in a purse I made. Can I tell you how happy this makes me?
Love those cheeks!
And the little red fuzz on the top of the head.
It's OK my bag has been upstaged by a cute baby in New Zealand.

New Styles Coming Soon

2009-01-11T10:38:00.001-05:00

Need a Smile?

2009-01-08T08:29:00.004-05:00

My Mom with bears.
I didn't know bears made her so happy, but now I do.
I thought you might need a smile on a Thursday, so here you go.

A Lily's Eye View

2009-01-05T08:30:00.001-05:00

More Lily's Eye View

2009-01-05T08:25:00.002-05:00

I borrowed my niece to use as a model for a project I am working on and afterwards she commandeered the camera. This was what she saw around my parents house.

New Family Member, Until 3:00

2009-01-03T22:03:00.003-05:00

I found this guy snoring in Eric's bed today, all tucked in and taking up Kitty's spot. I figured he would stick around awhile, but well, at about 3:00 I saw he was being dismantled to become a crane.
I guess the moral of the story is: if you take the Kitty's spot, your future is uncertain.

Popcorn Catching Video

2008-12-29T18:10:00.001-05:00

Ahhhhhhh, Vacation

2008-12-27T17:23:00.001-05:00

No explanation needed.

I Think I'll Stick With Sewing From Now On....

2008-12-24T16:17:00.003-05:00

Do you ever read about those crafts and activities that are so easy and fun to do with your kids? And then you go out and buy the supplies, which you will never need again after you finish the craft or activity. You then make the time to have some "quality time" with your kids doing said crafty activity only to realize you need 4 assistants and a set up person and a clean up person to make it work and then to clean up the disaster afterwards.
When you read about making Jolly Rancher stained glass candy ornaments, heed my warning. Don't do it! These are impossible! Of course I should have realized this when the directions said "line the cookie cutter with tin foil". Who can line a cookie cutter with tin foil?
Well, I'm off! To clean up the sticky mess that is now my kitchen.
Merry Christmas!

Tis the Season

2008-12-19T16:28:00.004-05:00

For school parties!

Doesn't everyone who has school age kids have a table full of cupcakes and teacher presents this time of year?

I found this idea for reindeer cupcakes last year on the Martha Stewart website, they were all so cute and perfect with their little pretzel antlers. Mine didn't look so perfect, but the kids loved the anyways. At the second party I attended yesterday they were even preferred over the storebought ones with fluffly little dollops of icing and sprinkles.
I did have a panic moment when the store was all out of white pipecleaners for our snowflake project and I thought, "what do we get ourselves into this time year?" But I found a pack someone had stashed on the next aisle, so all is well.
And now with the school parties over, let's officially bring on Christmas!

More Before and After: Cranberry Red Ski Sweater

2008-12-17T09:02:00.005-05:00

I've been working on more before and after pictures to show you.

This ski sweater was one of my absolute favorite sweaters that I have worked with and I can't explain why. Maybe just the richness of the colors or the dense and smooth way it felted up, but it shows you how powerful inspiration is, because I think the purses are some of the better ones I have made.

I have a few little pieces left to work with, maybe I'll do that today!

Monday Morning Cleanup

2008-12-15T08:29:00.003-05:00

I've been procrastinating getting back in my sewing room this morning and I just thought it was a little case of burn out after the past two weeks of high production, but check out what a mess it is in there. No wonder I can't think straight.

I've been rifling through my whole supply of felted sweaters looking for little inspiring tid bits to work on and then of course, never putting them back in their bins. Then I had to empty out all the bags and baskets I had stuff stored in so I cart my purses from show to show, and never finding a new home for the old contents of those bags and boxes. There is barely even a path to follow through the mess.

I think I'll put on my favorite CD "The Best of Funk from the 70's" and go get some cleaning done. I'll holler when I dig my way out.

It's That Time of Year Again

2008-12-08T08:44:00.002-05:00

Can you smell the pine from your computer?

It's Been a Busy Week

2008-12-05T12:56:00.005-05:00

I've had such a great and busy week making bags for a show tomorrow. It has been such a busy week that I forgot to buy milk and this morning I had to put peppermint ice cream in my coffee. It was actually pretty good!

Here are a few highlights from my week., I finally got to use some of the beautiful watermelon colored wool I bought from Mood last time I was in NY. And I used up the last piece of orange wool from Poncho Mary.

It's been a good week. I have the best job in the world.

An Etsy First

2008-12-03T08:17:00.002-05:00

I finished up my "Large Apple Green Bag" yesterday and knew the colors would photograph well so I hurried and got it listed on Etsy about lunchtime.

I've had the plaid skirt pieces for about a year, I bought that skirt in Philadelphia when visiting my friend Melanie last November. The green boiled wool was from a thrift store here in Buford and I can't remember where I got the corduroy, but it is my favorite and I am running out!

Anyways, when I went online last night before going to bed, I saw it had sold! That is a first for me, selling something on the day it is listed.

Alex suggested we celebrate by going out to dinner for his birthday. Hmmm....

Thanksgiving

2008-11-28T16:41:00.003-05:00

Highlights from the very few pictures that I took at Thanksgiving. I was too busy having fun and making gravy and drinking with my cousins to really be a photographer.

My Mom put together dinner for 22 and she colored and played dress up before, during and after dinner. She is the ultimate multi tasker, thanks Mom!

(and Dad, even though you didn't play dress up)

Carrot Ginger Soup Purse

2008-11-25T15:24:00.002-05:00

All week my cyber friend Kim over at Cape Bags has been showing pictures of the carrot ginger soup that Au Bon Pain sent to her after she blogged about how good the soup was on her trip to Washington DC. It does look good, and now that she has been using her Canon Rebel you can really see the glorious orange color.

I do love orange.

And lucky me, this week my friend Mary from Felted Heart called me from the thrift store and asked "Do you want a gorgeous men's cabled orange sweater?"

Of course I wanted it!

So with all the orangeness, I couldn't resist, I had to dig into that sweater and make something right away. This is just the first of 3 Carrot Ginger Soup bags. When I took it to the gift shop today and set it out on my display, someone walked by and bought it practically out of my hand.

Woo hoo for orange!

Can't get enough orange? Check out this blog.

Aren't You Glad I Got My Camera Back?

2008-11-23T21:41:00.003-05:00

So I can treat you to more pictures of my family watching TV.

I Melted a Lego This Week

2008-11-20T07:50:00.003-05:00

Legos melt very nicely in case you were wondering, but you might not want to try it because I'm sure the fumes are very toxic.
Its been a little cold around here lately, so Eric and I decided to light a nice cozy fire the other day. We forgot he had the Lego ship perched on top of the wood burning stove. It's actually not a Lego, but a "Tente", the Spanish version of Lego. The one that Alex bought for Eric several years ago and was a replica of some famous ship that they lovingly put together and strung all the sails and left in the living room for display.
I suppose it was a classic case of not seeing what is right in front of you, because we lit the fire and even fiddled with it a few times and didn't notice the ship starting to sort of sink down on itself until we noticed the smell.
I walked past the stove and saw the ship, melting and still stuck to the stove, but dangling down in front. We had to scrape it off with a spatula, it was very distressing. And the smell of melting Lego/Tente was awful, it took forever to go away.
No pictures because my camera is still in Atlanta with Poncho Mary.
From now on, we're going to stick with pottery for display, less fumes.

Best Laid Plans

2008-11-18T16:45:00.002-05:00

My friend Poncho Mary and I did a show together this past weekend. My first Jr. League show.
It was interesting, not really my "target market" but since it was in my hometown I saw my old dentist, dental assistant, hair dresser and someone I went to college with, who stopped by while I went to the bathroom, and I still can't figure out who it was. Supposedly she is going to call me, I'm still waiting.
I sold some purses, Mary sold some ponchos and I took some pictures of the booth to post here, but I left my camera with Mary and I can't get to it until the end of the week. I can't believe I won't have my camera until the end of the week! Ugh.
Eric clumb (what is the past tense of climb?) this tree last week when there were still a few leaves on the trees. They are going fast and I am going to miss them.

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2008-11-13T09:18:00.003-05:00

My Moo cards finally arrived! They are every bit as wonderful as I hoped. I love how you get to crop the photos to get a little hint of the purse, and then hopefully want to see more. Everybody needs a little Moo.

If a Bad Day at the Thrift Store is Better Than a Good Day at the Office, Then What is Better Then a Good Day at the Thrift Store?

2008-11-12T21:06:00.008-05:00

Wait, don't answer that! That would be, as my good friend Nancy Martin says, TMI. Too much information.

Today was a great day at the thrift store. I found 5 sweaters, all different with unique possibilities. Not too many sweaters to put me into overload, just enough to inspire.

Here they are post felting. And please don't ask if I felted them in my machine, I will have to take the 5th ammendment on that.

This is the one I really can't wait to dig into, it has the most wonderful embroidery on it. I always get amazed thinking, "how did you get bored of that sweater?" and wishing I could see what replaced it in the closet. Oh well, it works for me!

Purses are Starting to Grow on Trees

2008-11-10T13:05:00.003-05:00

I couldn't resist any longer, I had to photograph these new bags amidst all the gorgeous Fall color in my yard. I just can't look at the trees enough this time of year, and this year they are especially amazing. I wish they would last a little longer, at least until I get another batch of purses made!

A Few Weekend Pictures

2008-11-07T09:23:00.002-05:00

Oh, it's Friday and I'm just getting around to posting some of the pictures from last weekend. Time does fly, doesn't it?
We had a great bonfire of the beach, and Jordi graced us with his presence (aka we held him hostage for 3 days). And for some reason, he let me take his picture.

happyhappyhappyhappyhappy

2008-11-05T17:28:00.001-05:00

I'm:
happy
happy
ecstatic
relieved
happy
happy again
really really happy
kind of at a loss for words

Hilarious Halloween (Modern Day)

2008-11-04T13:37:00.002-05:00

ooooooo ooooooooo ooooooooo oooo stayin alive. stayin alive.

Hilarious Halloween

2008-10-31T09:18:00.002-04:00

I asked my Mom and Dad to send me some Halloween pictures from when I was a kid so I could blog about the joy of Halloween costumes for another blog I participate in. (The Beeblog) I sure did laugh my head off when I saw them!

Did my mother let me eat that apple?

Wow I was really scary! And I don't think I was trying!

How I wish I still had this mask!

We we're probably the only kids who spent Halloween reading! That is what you get when your Mom is a librarian!

Happy Halloween!

I've Got Another Little Felting Problem

2008-10-26T22:37:00.002-04:00

I really want to felt the sweater you see in the picture above.
My friend Mary gave it to me because it is too thick to use in a poncho or any of her other creative endeavors, but it is perfect for me. I can tell the wool will felt up really nicely, it's going to be the perfect weight for a purse, I love the colors, I couldn't ask for any more potential.
But you see, I've clogged up my washing machine drain again by felting too many mohair sweaters this summer. Each time I said, just this one little batch of sweaters, it can't hurt. Then I got bolder and felted lambswool and even some angora blends because it seemed to be doing OK, until last week when the washer stopped draining properly.
I thought it might be a good idea to try and fix it before Alex found out, since I promised him the last time he dug out the line that I would never felt in the washer again! Alas, he did some laundry and noticed. I guess I better get the shovel out myself.
Felting is an addiction. You do it regardless of the consequences. Do they 12 steps for felters? They should.

How to Stay Really Really Skinny

2008-10-21T09:14:00.002-04:00

Request a bowl of Lettuce for lunch.

I'm Pretty Sure

2008-10-16T22:47:00.002-04:00

that Democrats have a lot more fun while they are fundraising for their candidate.
NO, I'm definitely sure they have more fun.

Ordinary Citizen Sacrifices Button for Good Cause

2008-10-10T11:54:00.003-04:00

My Mom and her friends (the Bodacious Babes)are having a fundraising event this weekend. The "Barrack a Rama" is a chicken show, bake sale and silent auction. Laugh if you will, but 4 years ago they raised over $8000 for the Kerry campaign by putting on this same kind of event. People will come out to look at chickens! Who knew?

She commissioned a purse from me for the silent auction. So I came up with an "It's Black and White We Need Change in Washington" purse. Complete with a change purse and an interchangeable button. When I was trying to decide on the button, I knew I had to use the red button from the market in Spain. It's the last of my vintage buttons from Spain (I know, I know, it's time to go back and get more. Can you write off a whole European trip with the family under "button shopping"? Going to check on that.)but if a button is perfect I have to use it. It just really perked up the purse.
It's obvious I'll do anything to get a Democrat elected.

Snack Dessert

2008-10-08T22:26:00.002-04:00

Yesterday Eric asked me for a snack, and then immediately started planning for his snack dessert. I didn't know you got to have dessert after a snack.
The colors of the picture reminded me I had more "Before and After" pictures to show you.

The sweater

The purses.

I Cannot Believe My Luck

2008-10-03T08:32:00.003-04:00

Yesterday I hooked up with my friend Mary from Felted Heart Inc and a friend of hers who has agreed to model for us. We had the most amazing photo session and I couldn't sleep last night thinking about how great the pictures turned out.

Wow.

I even want to buy one of my own purses now!

I'm going to have to wait until Monday to list them on Etsy because Mary agreed to take them to a Festival this weekend. Can I wait until Monday? I'm not sure.

One Sweater, Four Purses

2008-10-01T17:05:00.003-04:00

I have been trying to clean up the pictures folders on my computer, and I ran across some shots of sweaters that I took last year thinking I would do some before and after comparisons. Lo and behold I had just finished using up the last little bit of this stripe sweater that I love.

No Truck Tailgate Needed

2008-09-29T18:40:00.003-04:00

No words can describe the insanity that "tailgating" has become.
You don't need a tailgate, just some beer and horde of crazy fans.
Well, come to mention it, a little Bar-b-Que never hurts. Oh, and a tent is good. Ooops, forgot to mention the big screen TV in your tent to catch up on the other football scores. Yeah, and games for the kids. Dessert. Comfy chairs. Matching wardrobe.
That is all you need.

Real Men Learn to Sew

2008-09-26T08:08:00.002-04:00

The past month at Studio 658 has been a blast, we had our first "Real Man Sewing Class"!
Some sailing friends of mine changed gears and applied themselves to the task of leaning how to sew. So now, on the weekends, in addition to talking about sailing all the time, we can talk sewing too. They can throw around their new sewing lingo, such as: "stitch in the ditch", (I think this is John's favorite) bias binding, grainline, and selvedge edge.

In 4 classes they accomplished an amazing list of projects. Including: a round fabric bucket, a zipper pouch, jean hemming, John made a skirt for his Goddaughter and Tom made a grill cover for his boat grill. They also dabbled in piping and bias binding. Whew.
They both get an A+!

There Is Some Light

2008-09-22T08:31:00.003-04:00

I spent the weekend at my Mom and Dad's while my Mom had her breast cancer surgery on Friday. All went well, and in the breast cancer lingo, she is a survivor.
I had a few moments by myself at their house on Saturday morning, and light was streaming in from everywhere. It felt just right, and summed up how I feel, like now there is light at the end of this tunnel.

Miscellaneous Notes From the Sewing Room OR I uploaded all the pictures in the wrong order

2008-09-17T08:14:00.003-04:00

Purses are hanging from every hook and stacked in every corner.

I broke down and ordered my own grommeter.

The sweaters are still piled high, but the purses are catching up....

I'll be returning the official grommet setter to my friend soon.

Eric indulges in a little bit of drama after helping me cut apart my recently felted sweaters.

Bad Weather Lately

2008-09-12T10:33:00.002-04:00

We had a little spin off tornado hit my son's school a few weeks ago when hurricane Fay was rumbling through our small town. Nobody was hurt, there was a little damage to the school air conditioning system and some trees down in the area, but all in all, no major damage.

Back at home, it seems I had a little thread tornado rumble through my sewing room, and Juicy Bug got all tangled up. I rescued her, and she stands guard once again. No major damage here either.

It Took Me Awhile to Notice

2008-09-05T22:45:00.003-04:00

Do you have a habit of saving shopping bags from your favorite stores?
Last time I went to New York, I scored two cool bags. One from Mood, and the other from M&J Trim. I love carrying around my Mood bag full of fabrics because someone will inevitably ask me "have you been to Mood, like Mood, from Project Runway?"

I started using my M &J Trim bag to pass projects back and forth to my friend Mary who has been helping me with some occasional handwork. I put the supplies in the bag, Alex takes it to work on his motorcycle, gives it to Geoff (Mary's husband) who takes it to Mary. When she is finished, we repeat the process in reverse. Well ,the little M&J trim bag was doing a lot of travelling so I gave it a rest until a week ago when I put some handwork in it to take to the boat.

We were sitting in the cockpit relaxing and I pulled out my handwork to get started when I realized there was something funny about the bag. It took me awhile to notice that Mary had done a little altering on the bag.

M & J Trim, had turned into M & K Trim.

Very funny!

Some Scary Sightings This Weekend

2008-09-02T20:47:00.004-04:00

Jordi was spotted on the boat this weekend. He was held hostage for a day and forced to go sailing and tell us about dorm life. That is possibly why he decided to back to college a day early.

And of course, we had the requisite fun with a flashlight.

I Have a Rule About Buttons

2008-08-28T10:29:00.004-04:00

My rule is that when I find the perfect button to complete a project, I have to use that button. I can't save it or hoard it just because I love the button.

I was searching for the perfect button to complete my polar bear purse and I reached into my recently acquired bag of beautiful vintage buttons from the estate of Marilyn Jahn, a dear family friend.

I almost broke my rule, because I am not ready to part with this button. It is magnificent. Very large (hard to find for purses without paying a fortune), and in perfect condition, but just the perfect shade of green with gorgeous carving details on the edge.
I had to go for it, Marilyn would want me to.
So, good bye fabulous green button that I have only had in my stash since June, and have only been able to admire and dream about your possibilities for 2 months. You and polar bears are a perfect match, I hope you go to a good home.

The Cutest Little Girl in a Poncho.....Ever.

2008-08-21T08:35:00.003-04:00

Sometimes the thought of trying to have a small business, keep a small business afloat and have a family and kids can be just overwhelming. There is so much to do, so many hats to wear and only so many hours in the day. That is when it is time to team up with a friend who is trying to do just the same thing that you are and pool your talents are resources.

Enter my friend Mary Sweeney (known as "Poncho Mary" in my house) who is the creator extraordinaire of Felted Heart.

Yesterday we got together to try get some photographs for some PR and for our respective websites. I had the camera and tripod, she had the cool backyard and the sister with the cool renovated warehouse space (Judi) and the cute daughter to model (OK, so she had all the coolness and cuteness) AND she had the tanned arms and hip jeans to model some purses for me.

Well, we did OK and got a few shots. It is a little frustrating to take 250 pictures and narrow it down to 10 or 15 or so good ones. But that is the way it goes. One day, oh, one day we will have the money to hire a proper photographer. But then of course we won't be having fun solving life's problems and discussing literature for our 9 year olds. Hmmm, I'll have to think about that.

Definitely Not the Ritz, but

2008-08-16T10:58:00.002-04:00

now we have a guest room!

The best therapy for me this week has been to clean Jordi's room. I know, he should clean his room, but well, he didn't clean his room. He liked it dirty. Whenever someone came over, we would say, "Jordi is in his cave."

Little did I know how true that was until I got in there with a vacuum cleaner. I almost took a picture of what the carpet looked like under the bed, but then I decided that would be too embarrassing even for me, so you will just have to imagine what layers of cat hair and dust looks like combined with dirty socks, empty kleenex boxes and many ,many orthodontist rubber bands.

OK, I grossed you out anyways.

He's moved on to his spiffy new dorm room and we were left with the old junky room, so it just felt so good to clean out the dust and debris of middle school and high school and start fresh again.

Oh, and since he probably won't want to come home anyways, now we have a bed for guests to sleep in. I'm even going to spring for a headboard and new dust ruffle (the animal 1 2 3 abc one is now proudly residing a t Goodwill) so make your reservations now!

Officially A College Student

2008-08-14T22:08:00.002-04:00

I moved Jordi into his dorm today. Well, with a little help from my brother in Athens I moved him into his dorm. It wasn't so bad, he really didn't have that much stuff.

I warned him in advance that I would cry and he just shrugged, so when the tears popped into my eyes neither of us was that surprised. I felt a little strange and sad just leaving and wished that Alex could have been there to distract me a little.

On the way home, I called my Mom for a little girl talk and she asked, "did he look so small and young when you left?"

yes, he did.

I guess now is the time to grow up.

My New Box of Zippers is Here!

2008-08-12T09:24:00.003-04:00

You must run around saying this a la Steve Martin in "The Jerk". I feel exactly like he did when his new phonebook arrived. There is nothing I like better than a box of zippers.

On a related zipper note, I did my first tutorial on how to make a zipper pouch and posted it on Squiddo. Check it out.

How to Make A Zipper Pouch

I noticed at the bottom of the page, they put an ad for Zipperstop, which is where I get my boxes of zippers! Amazing. The Internet knows everything. Thank you again, Al Gore for inventing the amazing Internet that knows everything and can read my mind.

The Secret Life of My New Iron

2008-08-08T20:13:00.002-04:00

I recently bought a new iron. This is an annual ritual for me, I need to buy a new iron about once a year. (Why don't I buy and industrial iron? I don't know. I'm being stubborn I suppose.) Anyways, my new iron is fabulous and was the star of my extremely productive work day today.
So, I passed by my sewing room on the way to the fridge in the basement because I remembered that I had a bottle of wine in the fridge (that has nothing to do with this story) and I noticed that the iron was playing shadow puppets in the late afternoon sun!
I wonder what else the iron does when I am not looking. I hope things don't get too "steamy" down there when I am not around......

School Starts Tomorrow!!!!!!!!!

2008-08-06T17:07:00.002-04:00

It's a good thing school starts tomorrow because as you can see the children have started constructing weapons out of rocks and dowels and quilting thread. Very primitive, but weapons none the less. Yes, the natives are getting restless.

I Miss the Clouds at Wide Beach

2008-08-05T08:09:00.003-04:00

When we were kids we were told that there was never a bad day at Wide Beach and that it never rained.
Of course we knew this wasn't true because we were often told this WHILE it was raining and we were having a bad day, but I am now inclined to tell my kids the same thing. And for exactly the same reasons.
Just have a look at those sunset clouds and you forget the bad and rainy days immediately. It's magic.

Chili Sauce

2008-08-01T20:00:00.003-04:00

My neighbor JoAnne grows a lot of tomatos.
Fortunately for me, she grows too many tomatos.
This year, she grew enough too many tomatos for me to make 2 batches of chili sauce!

But since I am going to give her half my batch, I will still have to buy more tomatos and make more chili sauce.
I eat a lot of chili sauce.
Yummmmm

Ooooooops, I Forgot I had a Blog

2008-07-30T07:11:00.002-04:00

I spent a few days at my parent's cottage near Buffalo this week, and I reached such a complete level of relaxation I forgot to blog. I also forgot to cook, clean, do laundry, pay bills and be responsible in any way. I have to learn these things again, (somewhat like a stroke victim) so be patient while I get back on the bandwagon.

I had some major thrifting success, so when I came home the first thing I had to do was make a couple of new purses. Then I was able to shop for groceries and attend to real life again.

Beeshop Sneak Preview

2008-07-22T12:54:00.003-04:00

All of us over at Beehive Co-op in Atlanta are super excited for the launch of the new Beeshop which will go live towards the beginning of August. I have been SO busy trying to get everything photographed and ready to go but I wanted to share a few shots from a yesterdays photo session which I am so ecstatic about I couldn't sleep last night. Thanks to Rebecca and Mike for letting me use their house and garden and to Heather for lending me her ballerinas torso to take the shots.

If the Tiara Fits, It's Your Birthday

2008-07-20T22:09:00.005-04:00

Our friend Rebecca, invited us to her lovely home to celebrate Mary's birthday this weekend. We decided it would be a good time to have a girl's weekend, but Mary invited Eric nevertheless.

On your birthday, you must always wear a tiara or you will not have good luck in the upcoming year.

You must always bask in the golden glow of your candles while your friends sing off key.

and test a lick of the frosting to make sure it is up to snuff for your friends.

And then, finish it off by candelabra light in the presence of a bubbling brook. And after that try to sleep despite the deafening sound of tree frogs and horse chestnuts falling on your tent. Now that is a proper birthday.

My Week

2008-07-18T19:36:00.002-04:00

Hello adoring fans,

I know you are wondering where I have been all week. I'm going to tell you.
Monday: sewing camp at my house
Tuesday: Atlanta day with many appointments and fittings squeezed in and a late night dash for grocery shopping
Wednesday: off to Athens for orientation
Thursday: ditch orientation early, come home sew like a crazy person
Friday: Crafty camp at Beehive in the morning and a stop for fittings at my day job.
Friday afternoon: grapefruit and vodka

Have a good weekend!

Did You Know Barbie Has a Widow Outfit?

2008-07-14T23:54:00.003-04:00

Yes, Barbie has a widowers outfit. It is very stylin.
She is also prepared for Fall in a fabulous pumpkin colored cowl neck with an evergreen scarf.

P.S. I designed the boring one.

Jeff Caught A Tree

2008-07-13T23:02:00.002-04:00

We were anchored in a cove this weekend for a wine tasting event and it was very lovely. We all enjoyed the wine, some people REALLY enjoyed the wine and then Mauricio and his family grilled some authentic Carne Asada on the fire pit, we went for another swim/float and all was well as we retired to our berths. (Please note proper boaty talk)
All was well until the next morning when people started to get up and think about returning home and started pulling up anchor. Jeff tried to get his anchor up and realized the other Geoff was anchored on top of him. After about a half an hour of maneuvering, Mike donned his mask and dove down along the anchor rode to tell him exactly which way it was wrapped around a tree. Finally got that one up, the Jeff and Chris had to unwind theirs from a tree with some help from Waine.
Then Mike realized his was wrapped around a tree and Larry and Geoff did the diving and directing this time. Everybody re-anchored and hopped in the water only to see a storm coming over the trees, so back in the boat to set another anchor (and yes it got wrapped around a tree) to wait out the storm.
After 13 hot dogs, various beers, a batch of Calypso and Peach Sangria and a giant bowl of popcorn the storm subsided long enough for us to pull up our anchor and head on home. It was a fun weekend, and no one complained because we NEED the rain.

Do You Have

2008-07-10T22:23:00.000-04:00

a kleenex box collection?
Jordi has started the rewarding and fulfilling hobby of collecting empty kleenex boxes.It's simple, when you use the last kleenex, just leave the empty box on the floor. When you get more than one, just sort of shove them in the corner and watch your collection grow!
Do you blow your nose a lot? Or get weepy during chick flicks? Then you are a perfect candidate to start a kleenex box collection because you will have a lot of empty boxes. And just think of all the money you will save by not buying tacky porcelain owls or stuffed cows wearing all kinds of costumes.
What are you waiting for? Don't be left out, start your collection today!

Sewing Camp is Sew Much Fun

2008-07-08T18:19:00.001-04:00

There is nothing better than the sound of 2 Berninas purring away.

This design, know as "The Martanette" will be made into a scrumptious pillow.

No day in the sewing room is complete without playing with the dress forms.

Check this out!

Of course sewing camp curriculum includes watching Project Runway reruns, so we have to have a little hamming it up in front the of 2 mannequins.

Fireworks and Steak Update

2008-07-05T10:05:00.000-04:00

He lights

It smokes

It smokes some more

We ooooohhhh

We aaahhhhh

So it turns out that when Eric was wishing steak and fireworks for you, he was really wishing for steak and fireworks for himself.

We had both yesterday and had to do a little practice fireworks run before dinner.

Eric said he "was totally satisfied with the fireworks!"

Here's Wishing You

2008-07-04T08:36:00.000-04:00

Fireworks that aren't duds, pork and beans on par with Aunt Marion's famous recipe, fun centerpieces including red, white and purple petunias, lots of family and friends who bring good hors d'oeuvres, and sunny but not too hot weather.

That is what I wish for you for the 4th.

Eric wishes for you: firework and steak. Top sirloin, medium rare to be exact.

My Practice Student

2008-07-03T08:14:00.000-04:00

I've decided to put on the teacher hat in earnest. Thanks to Beehive Co-op and my friend Mary Sweeney of Felted Heart I have several opportunities and classes filling up for August.

I can sew with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back, but teaching others how to sew and explaining things clearly and well can be challenging. So I decided a little practice would be good.

Eric kindly volunteered to be a practice student.

I hope all my students are as good as he is! He picked up on how to handle the machine in an instant. I have worked with other 3rd grade students (all girls) and they have been great, but boys love machines! I started thinking, we need more cool projects for boys because there is a machine involved in sewing and that is fun for them.

So far he has made a Nintendo DS case (it quickly disappeared into the depths of his room so I haven't photographed it) complete with freehand embellishment and has finished a quilt for the cat and is waiting for me to put the binding on so he can finish it by hand.

I know I am his Mom and a little biased, but he has knocked my socks off with his sewing aptitude. Alex said, "Good! he can make sails for the boat!"

She's a witch!

2008-06-30T23:06:00.001-04:00

Is it a Witch or Is it Wood?

2008-06-30T22:55:00.000-04:00

As I was snapping pictures of Alex in the water this weekend he piped up in his best Monty Python voice "is it a witch or is it wood?" So I just had to go over to you tube and find the video.

We have watched a lot of Monty Python in our house. The boys can quote the lines.

Watch the video, it's hilarious.