gerrijo

Marion handwarmers

2009-05-26T13:59:00.002-05:00

I am currently working on a pattern inspired by my grandmother-in-law Marion who passed away recently. She was basically as adorable and sweet as you can get. But a little sassy too, just the perfect amount. She will be missed dearly but I will always think of her whenever I see these.

I was able to finish the first one this weekend and I hope to offer the pattern for free after I am done (that is if I can actually WRITE a coherent pattern after I am done).

I'm using leftover Nashua and Malabrigo from other projects so these suckers promise to be warm.

time flies when you're a sleepy fox

2009-05-25T19:13:00.005-05:00

I can't believe it is already Memorial Day and the summery days of June are around the corner. Where does the time go?

I also can't believe that this adorable sleepy foxy plush is on sale this weekend and no one has scooped him up! (from bibelotforest.etsy.com)

contest winner!

2009-05-11T10:45:00.002-05:00

Is Mia!

Thanks everyone for participating, I will have another contest in the near future :)

(Mia, can you email me gerrijo@gmail.com with your pin choice and address?)

give.a.way!!

2009-05-06T08:18:00.000-05:00

Hurray for give.a.ways!!

Just sign up to follow my blog between now and Friday the 8th and you will be entered to receive a free pin :)

Your choice - choose between the bunny or squirrel pin. Both are popular products and both have been featured on etsy's front page. Winner will be announced and contacted Monday.

Just use the handy "follow button" on the right and you'll be set :)

I will be the May featured artist at the Electric Fetus!

2009-04-29T09:37:00.003-05:00

How exciting!

The Electric Fetus is featured me as their "Minneconomy" artist-o-the-month for all of May. They will offer 10% off all my work and on May 14th they will have a big hullabaloo with me doing in-store demos, live sets by locals bands, and free treats.

I'm super jazzed since I have only been selling to them for six weeks - hopefully this means my jewelry is selling like hot cakes :)

I am a tad nervous about doing the in-store demo. I've never been good at public speaking, even if the "public" part is a total of a five people. My face turns red, I get a little shake in my voice, and I seem to forget even what my own name is. I always wanted to join one of those "Toastmasters" groups but even the thought of practicing public speaking gives me weak knees.

Beaner Beanie

2009-04-27T14:26:00.003-05:00

I don't know what possesses me sometimes. But I like to make winter hats and clothes just as summer approaches. Is it a psychological yearning for warm woolens and cozy knits that I know I won't need for the next five months? Who the heck knows.

But I acquired this cute sweater for 25 cents at the goodwill outlet. It was felted a bit and too small for me but I loved the stripes and colors. The beaner received a similar styled hat two years ago that she has unfortunately grown too big of a head for (All dem brains!). But it's so simple to make it's sick. Just sew a two squares of sweater together along three sides (best if you use the bottom of the sweater for the head opening for an instant trim). Take ribbon bits and tie around corners to make ears. And now 10 minutes later you have a cute hat!

Of course now she won't be able to wear it until forever (assuming there will be no freak snow storms in July, you never know with Minnesota).

New vintage shop!

2009-04-23T15:16:00.002-05:00

Sound the horns and roll the drums, I've opened a new shop on etsy!

It's called apartment 1213 and will feature vintage clothes, shoes, and accessories as well as some original hand painted shoes I have been working on (like the ones above).

Be sure to visit :)

Holga fun!

2009-04-22T16:20:00.003-05:00

I finally got a roll shot and developed with the holga that I bought last summer. I am now addicted!!

You can see my whole roll at my flickr page here (will navigate away from this page)

new beaner shirt

2009-04-15T09:30:00.004-05:00

Hubby was tossing some old shirts that no longer fit him and in the spirit of upcycling, I quickly grabbed them away and began turning them into shirts for the beaner! I did a similar project last summer and it amazes me how quick it is to whip this up - maybe an hour?

Here is our little model doing her best Tyra (or something) &hearts

Bathroom window "treatment"

2009-04-10T11:04:00.003-05:00

I saw this post a couple weeks ago on design sponge and inspiration struck! Our bathroom window basically is a peep show when we are in the shower - we live in an old apartment that has a free standing tub/shower*. To give us a little modesty but let nice, natural light in, I used the same technique with a paint pen and contact paper. I had fun just doodling and now it serves a good cause too (aka letting me bathe and see what I'm doing).

*don't worry, we weren't the neighborhood flashers - we have ugly mini blinds that cover the window but also cover all the light.

Favortie cooking links

2009-04-08T08:09:00.004-05:00

I am usually late on the train for hip, awesome, everyone-and-their-mother-reading-it blogs and cooking blogs are no exception.

But here are my favorite three, in no order:

smitten kitchen always shows up on those "best of the web" type lists and you can see why. Gorgeous photos that literally provoke your salivary glands to juice up and she follows the philosophy that you don't need to spend a lot of money on ingredients to cook well.

have cake, will travel is a vegan dessert blog. I am not vegan myself but love vegan desserts since I feel like they take a lot of creativity and I feel less guilty about eating them (ha!)

vegan dad has done a tremendous job of vegan-nizing childhood favorites and comfort food (think mac and cheese, hot wings, and chili dogs). Even as a vegetarian, good fake-meat recipes are hard to find on the web.

Are there any that I missing out on?

photo credit: flickr commons

Crocheted button fascinator

2009-04-06T10:18:00.003-05:00

Photo: Linda Permann
So I think the universe heard my call last week when I post a short list of things I felted I needed. Because over the weekend, I found this pattern through ravelry for a similar-ish styled headband/fascinator. It also fulfills another need I have, figuring out something to do with my random yarn scraps and pretty buttons that I have accumulated. I think this looks like my Easter-weekend project, wish me luck!

Things I've decided I need

2009-04-02T08:20:00.000-05:00

no, really, I think I need these

camera camera case from hine.etsy

I played clarinet all through school, so I have a soft spot for this card from FleurRendell.etsy

wee polar bear pendant, HeliS.etsy

felt floral fascinator, giantdwarf.etsy

Presenting...insert drumroll

2009-04-01T10:27:00.005-05:00

gerri jo jewelry at the The Electric Fetus in Minneapolis!

Yes, my jewelry can now be found at one of the coolest locally own record and gift stores in the Twin Cites!! MPR said the Electric Fetus is "widely regarded as the pre-eminent indie record store in Minnesota."

Here is a quick (and terrible) photo I snapped in-store:

It's the first time a local place has carried my work so it's the first time I have ever gotten a chance to see my work merchandised!! Can you feel my excitement through your monitor? :)

Crochet + shoes

2009-03-30T13:25:00.003-05:00

Cross a crochet fetish with a shoe fetish and you equal crocheted shoes in every color. Can it get any better? Pattern purchased from sylver.etsy

Pattern is relatively easy, you just need to make sure you won't be interrupted much since most of the pattern involves carefully counting your stitches. The pattern gives you the option of working with help or jute for the bottom sole. I am happy I choose to go with the latter option. My hands are torn up enough from the jute so I can't imagine what they would have looked like after the hemp.

I am thinking yellow or spring green next...

Homemade ginger ale

2009-03-26T08:44:00.000-05:00

So the family has been struck by the evil stomach flu. And not the nice 24-hour-here-and-gone type. The full throttle, all out, sick for a week type. Yuck, yuck and more yuck.

So on the quest to find something to help ease the nausea, I came across this this wonderful homemade (and easy!) ginger ale recipe. I have always found ginger very soothing for my stomach but unfortunately most commercial ginger ales don't contain any real ginger. You may need to tweek the recipe a bit. It comes out a bit too sweet and too strong for my taste so I halved the amount of ginger and only used 2 tablespoons of the simple syrup in the final drink. I absolutely plan of making this again and again even after everyone finally feels 100%. It is really fresh tasting and so much better than anything you could find in a store. I think it would also be really delish spiked with a little vodka and some lemonade - perfect for a hot summer evening.

And if you are not interested in spending your whole afternoon grating ginger, look into getting a jar of minced ginger in a jar (I especially love the one from The Ginger People which I found at our local co-op for $2.50 for almost 7 oz.)

p.s. Photo above is from the Flickr group "The Commons", most easily described as pictures with no known copyright restrictions complied from the "...world's public photography archives."

If you are looking to spend an afternoon looking through amazing and inspiring photographs, this is the place to do it.

handmade battlestar galactica

2009-03-13T08:30:00.000-05:00

Links that pay tribute to the show that has introduced "frak" into the vernacular.

"Well frak me" notepad, pigseyart.etsy (shown pictured above)

Knit yourself a cylon centurion hat, a free pattern from Lick the Light Switch.

Maybe you are the final cylon? Button from ursulaandolive.etsy

Stenciled BSG shirt at craftster

Also from craftster, crocheted Admiral Adama and President Roslin.

Personally my favorite cylon, Chief Tyrol. Art print by geekboypress.etsy

wip - first gouache test

2009-03-11T06:58:00.000-05:00

So I broke out some paper and my new paints and played around with them, I think I am really liking it! It's hard to get used to - fast dry time and new layers pick up colors from old ones like water color but they are brighter and the colors lay down more like acrylic or oil paints. I want to try them on particle board, that used to be my favorite back in school and I think the gouache would work really well.

One sock down and one to go

2009-03-09T13:04:00.003-05:00

How exciting! I crocheted myself a sock! Okay, admittedly worthless until I have a pair but sometimes you need to celebrate the small milestones too.

Yarn and pattern are from epicurus.etsy. Pattern is listed for advanced crocheters but I didn't think it was too hard. And I was in doubt as to how a crocheted sock would look but since the pattern uses lace weight yarn, it isn't bulky or uncomfortable.

My etsy splurge

2009-03-04T09:14:00.001-06:00

Who am I kidding, this really isn't a splurge but I am so excited that I found this simple and gorgeous soap dish from urbaneden. I kept looking (foolishly) at Target or the like for a decent yet simple yet inexpensive soap dish.

*palm to forehead*

I should know better now to just check etsy.

how freaking cool is this thing? yudu screenprinting machine

2009-03-03T09:17:00.001-06:00

WANT!

painting bug

2009-03-02T08:12:00.000-06:00

The painting bug has bitten me once more. And I am super excited for some cheap, student-grade gouaches I got from ebay. Mmmmm...dontcha just love new tubes of paint? They seem to just be like little vessels of creativity, just waiting to get out.

thrift store art + acrylics = new art for our walls

2009-03-01T14:53:00.007-06:00

So when I visit my local thrift store (LTS), I pretty much keep my eyes peeled for anything and everything. I adore thrift store art and was super pumped when I found this forgotten acrylic painting that someone obviously had spent some time working on. So it's no Mona Lisa but hey, in my book trying counts:

But it needed, hm, something. Some point of interest. Why not a shadow monster taking a nice bubbly bath? Seems good enough. So a couple hours and some tubes of acrylic later I came up with this:

Still no Mona Lisa, but now I feel like it fits in more with the decor of our apartment (and what exactly does this say about the decor of our apartment??). I still need to get a better full on picture of it, the flash is washing out the colors and reflecting off the paint. But that will need to wait until the weather starts to finally cooperate with outdoor photography.

So I highly suggest the next time you see a once loved painting sitting lonely at your LTS, see if you can give it a little new life.

I love Lost

2009-02-26T13:06:00.001-06:00

A Lost inspired Thursday post

Jorge Garcia's (aka Hurley/Hugo) hilarious blog: Dispatches from the Island

Speaking of Hurley...

As pictured above - the Lost numbers on basically the coolest handmade necklace ever

Lunch, Lost style

Awesome Lost themed plushies

Dharma Initiative coffee packs

Now you don't have to choose a favorite

Kudos to knit_core on craftster, junedesigns@etsy, sammo@etsy, lufah on craftster, finalscore@etsy, and popbangle@etsy for tickling my nerdy fancy.

Etsy finds...

2009-02-25T16:32:00.007-06:00

There is finally a hope for spring in the air. After this long, terribly cold winter, I was beginning to wonder if it would ever come. So I am in the mood to find pretty dresses and imagine I have warm evening cocktail parties to wear them to.

I love love love love this dress. Super vintage-y feel and a super flattering waist line, plus completely custom made to your measurements. Really? It's like the shopping gods opened up the cloudy sky to smile down on me. From looseteeth.etsy

I covet this necklace from hollygems' shop, gorgeous aqua colored stone on a gunmetal gray chain. Eye catching but not over the top.

I wish I has this purse in every color of the rainbow but the turquoise one would always be my favorite. Recyclyed leather from the brit boutique

Finally some amazing vintage pumps to round out the outfit. I love the color of these and the toe rose detail. From cassie's attic

Dino pb & j

2009-02-16T15:58:00.004-06:00

Wow, time flies. Been busy lately with even more 2009 Holiday presents (which can't be revealed at this time since we wouldn't want any surprises given away!). It was my birthday on the 1st of the month and it always gets me in a flurry of activity. I came to conclusion why I never make any new year's resolutions, I always treat turning a new age as a time of introspection and change. But anyhoo I wanted to share the awesome-ness of my new dino sandwich cutter. It was a total impulse buy but I have no regrets. I mean how can you when your regular peanut butter and jelly gets transformed into a cute creature that is so much more fun to eat? (note how only one dino guy made it long enough to the photoshoot, the other was tragically eaten instantly.)

You can find your very own here on amazon, rawr!

mac and cheese spruced up

2009-01-28T11:01:00.004-06:00

Everyone and their mother has little tips and tricks to make boxed mac and cheese seem, well, not so terrible. Like I remember my mom use to shred a little bit of real cheese into it when I was a kid. And when I am being lazy and really don't want to put much effort forth for lunch, this is how I pimp out my mac and cheese.

You'll need:
Boxed macaroni and cheese (pictured is Annie's organic shells and cheddar)
1 T of butter
1 T milk
1/3 cup fat free plain yogurt
(optional) 1/2 t of hot sauce, more or less to taste
1 cup of peas, defrosted if frozen
parmesan cheese

Cook pasta as directed on box reserving the bag of powdered cheese.

While pasta is cooking, put butter and milk in a microwavable dish and cook for 30 seconds (less if your butter was soft to begin with). Take a small egg beater or fork and wisk the bag of powdered cheese into the heated milk/butter mixture (the slight heat will help the powder dissolve more easily). Then add the yogurt and hot sauce. The sauce should be pretty thick at this point - if not, you can add small amounts of more yogurt as needed.

Drain pasta after it is finished cooking and return to pot. Add cheese sauce and peas. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to "garnish"

Viola! My kid loves it and I don't feel bad about feeding it to her (she loves hot sauce BTW, genetic from her dad *smile*). Plus I find it muy delish myself!

Getting things done EARLY this year

2009-01-15T10:35:00.003-06:00

Oh yes. No "last-minute-OMG-what-am-I-going-to-do!!!!!!!!!!!" moments are going to be happening to me this year when the holidays roll back around. I am getting started early and I will be working on it all year long. My first 2009 christmas present is for my dear wonderful step mother, who is a christmas-oholic and loves decorating to the hilt. Since her and my dad moved to Florida last year, I decided she would need some tropical flavor to add to her decked halls. (and I really hope she doesn't decide to discover my blog in the near future!)

acorn hat (aka why I sometimes love mistakes)

2009-01-08T09:04:00.005-06:00

I don't know exactly what got into me, but I have really been crocheting up a storm since I got done with the show and general holiday goodness. It was like I caught some kinda hooker disease (get it? crochet hooks? hookers? ah, never mind). But ravelry makes it so easy to find all these cute, free patterns and I have a load of random stash that I have been trying to use up.

Case in point: my acorn hat. I was trying to follow the pattern from Lion Brand's website for the "Aaron's Trick Hat" using some LO thick 'n' quick I had from another project. I don't know why it turned out so pointy on top, I couldn't even begin to tell you really. It just reminded me so much of an acorn that I went with it, I mean some times mistakes are happy mistakes right? I mean think of penicillin, microwave ovens, and teflon - all happy mistakes! I just made up some felt applique accents and voila - my acorn hat.

(me hamming it up, pretending to be a little woodland creature)

more cameras for my small collection

2009-01-06T10:33:00.008-06:00

Last night was another successful trip to the thrift store. My trips are always to go to get baby clothes and I never expect to find another camera. But it always happens that I just end up over by the area where the electronics are and *lo and behold!* find something that I like. So of course last night was no different but I am super excited about my newest acquirement.

I got so giddy when I saw this one. It was actually not in the normal camera area but over by a mess of toys and old silverware. Not that I knew any history of it, but it just idealized a camera from the 1950s to me. It's solid and heavy and lets you have an incredible amount of control over aperture and shutter speed for such a (relatively) tiny camera. It's a Agfa Apotar Silette from Germany and was produced in the 50s through the 70s. Through some short research online, I am inclined to think this particular camera is one of the much earlier models. It was actually one of the cameras that made 35 mm film popular. It reminds me of my dad who took pictures while he was in the US Army. He was stationed in Germany during the 60s and I imagine he used a camera similar to this one. I'll have to ask.

The best part? As far as I can tell it is in perfect working condition! I don't have any professional background in cameras but with my limited knowledge the shutter speeds seem to work correctly and the body as well as the lens are in great shape. So you can bet your bum that I'm taking this baby out for a spin as soon as I can buy some film!

And this camera was just a novelty, it was so weird looking I couldn't help buy it. Plus it was a $1 something so who cares if it turns out to gather only dust on my shelf. It's a Kodak disc 3500 which was suppose to be *the answer* for people who felt loading 35mm film was just too much work. I can imagine a cheesy infomercial where they show people shoving film into their cameras, looks of desperation and helplessness. And the announcer does one of the over-the-top "Tired of the hassle of film?!? Is it just too complicated?! Try the Kodak disc!!" deals.

A small disc was inserted in the back which would hold 15 pictures. But they were of such crappy quality, people weren't buying it. They still produced the disks for the camera up until 1998 and I guess you can find used ones REALLY cheap online. I just think it's so goofy looking - I love it.

Happy new year!

2009-01-01T16:53:00.005-06:00

Good bye 2008, hello 2009!

I don't do new year's resolutions really, I think they are a bit silly. But I have resolved to quit drinking coffee except on occasion. I was a four-cups-or-more-a-day type of girl (although, in my defense, it was only half-caf). But I am sick of the quick caffeine high followed by the crash. And I had to have milk and sugar in my coffee so it was just added calories. However, there is no way I can totally quit drinking caffeine so I am switching to black tea. I love tea but I just never was able to quit coffee. But tea is infinitely better for me so I guess that will be that.

Anyhoo - I wasn't able to post these since they were christmas gifts but now that the holidays are over I want to share two amazing crochet patterns I found.

The first is the vegan scarf by Julia Redman which is generously offered for free in her blog which can be found here.

I used lion brand organic cotton which is incredibly soft and chunky and is a new favorite. What I really like about the pattern is the neat knit-like cable look you get. It was made for my uber wonderful mother-in-law Ellen and I think she really liked it :)

And then this cutie was from another free pattern that can be found here at the Better Homes and Gardens website.

I did some modifications to the pattern since I used Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick and Quick instead of the Jiffy that it called for. It just so fat and cute! I'm making another for my friend Leah who is having (or maybe already had!) her baby today or yesterday. But this one was for my dear father-in-law who really likes sheep. Yay for homemade gifts!

sigh

2008-12-29T14:02:00.008-06:00

I have secret fantasies of being this really great cook. That I can whip out tortes and souffles and perfectly round, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies.

But then I remember, I can't even make toast. I don't know if I have some sort of genetic mutation that predestines me to always burn it but I am really good at it. I think I have about a 50/50 chance each time that my toast will come out smoking and blacker than dirt. And the really funny thing? I hate burnt toast. Even the smell of it nauseates me.

The only highlight to this story? I have found a recipe to make a wicked good cup of chai tea latte. It is a hundred times better than anything I have ever gotten from a coffee chain and I know exactly what's in it. And it makes eating burnt toast even somewhat bearable.

Perfect cup of chai latte, 4 servings

2 c water
1/4 c of honey (or less to taste)
1/2 t vanilla extract
1/2 cinnamon stick
5 whole cloves
1/4 t ground cardamom
1/4 t ground ginger
a shake or pinch of nutmeg
a shake or pinch of pepper (I use black)
2 c milk
4 black tea bags

Boil water in a saucepan. Add honey, vanilla, and spices - simmer for 5 minutes. Add milk and bring to just under a boil. Take pan off heat and add tea bags. Allow bags to steep only for 3-4 minutes (or as directed by the packaging). Remove bags and pour though a fine strainer. And viola! Perfection!

Treasury of Minnesota goodies

2008-12-12T07:26:00.000-06:00

I snagged a treasury yesterday and took it as an opportunity to show off the wonderful talents that reside right here in the land of 10,000 lakes. I am especially a fan of Michelle Brusegaard (scarf, center top row) - I bought a tunic of hers at No Coast and I just &hearts it. I think my list is front page worthy but I am a bit prejudice in this case :)

Etsy love - Winter

2008-12-11T09:15:00.007-06:00

With a nice, four-inch layer of snow on the ground and daily temperatures in the single digits - Minnesota winter has officially arrived. And since it is a terrible idea to go outside without a proper hat/scarf/mitten set, I picked my favorites from etsy:

You have to be a little kooky and a whole lot of crazy to choose to live in this climate. That is why I adore this hat from NormaW's shop - perfect mix of winsome, warmth, and wacky.

A warm scarf that also is soft and beautiful is worth's it's weight in saffron. I am in love with this scarf from alonalona, I think it would make me feel like the queen of the fair with gently braided cotton candy around my neck.

While these fingerless mitts would only be a layer over woolen gloves, layers are what winter is all about. They are super long (bonus), beautifully knit (double bonus) and would look lovely wearing them indoors for added coziness (triple bonus score!). They can be found at elizabeth76's charming shop

And finally, I feel like a snuggly pair of legwarmers should be handed out to every man, woman and child who reside in cold climates. They are the perfect thing to make you feel cozy when the wind and snow blow. This pair from off the hook's shop fit all the requirements.

No Coast craft show

2008-12-08T10:36:00.004-06:00

A girl and her table, don't ask about the strange face I have going on!

So this past weekend was the No Coast craft-o-rama in Minneapolis.

What a blast!

I really didn't know what to expect this year. Last year was great but we battled with an epic blizzard which I know affected turn-out. And I knew that the economy was going to be a factor in people's spending habits this year, but I didn't know how much.

People were definitely more reserved with their money. That said, I still exceed my own personal goal in sales and was absolutely floored by the wonderful comments people had about my work. We should have started keeping track of how many times people came up to ask "Is this Shrinky Dink?" - but people seemed pleasantly surprised when I confirmed that yes indeed it was.

I got to meet some wonderful artist and crafters and wished that I could have seen even more vendors' tables. There was just so many people!

Thanks to the lovely ladies and gents who made it possible at the Crafter's Local 612!

Own the hour!

2008-12-04T10:19:00.004-06:00

Maybe a good beginning to a motivational speech?

Or not. I just learned about the new-ish site Own The Hour which is an independent site that sells advertising spots for etsy sellers. You "own the hour" by purchasing a hour long time slot for $.50 USD along with 11 other sellers that will be displayed on the front page. It is cleanly designed (in the etsy tradition) and the sign up process seems easy and straightforward.

Around the etsy forums, people who have tried it say they have only seen a slight increase in views but no sales. The site gives no information of how many visitors they are getting a day so it is hard to determine if it would be money well spent or like throwing two quarters out the window. I need to hoard quarters for laundry myself, so I think I will wait to try it out - I would love to know other thoughts and experiences with the site if you have them...

new small earrings

2008-12-01T10:07:00.007-06:00

Recently I got some EZ cut printing blocks to make some small stamps. I really got into linoleum printing year and years ago but kinda fell out of love with it after getting one nasty gouge in my finger. However, I never got rid of all my cutting/carving tools and they have been just hanging around. I am really pretty happy how the stamps came out since I hadn't really practiced in such a long time. The EZ cut is much more up my alley since it is truly as the name states: easy to cut. So what did I do with my thanksgiving?

Why made them into earrings of course! It was really just me being selfish and wanting some bunny earrings - but I like how they turned out so I made a bunch more.

Felty ornaments

2008-11-25T10:31:00.004-06:00

I've been busy getting stuff done and just as busy avoiding doing anything productive (such is the life of procrastinating perfectionist). I was looking at this Matryoshka fabric and just decided I needed to make some ornaments. Like right now. I really have no idea what I will do with them (try to sell them? give them away?) but I just like the way they look. That's reason enough to take the time to make them, right?

Squeal!

2008-11-14T08:22:00.000-06:00

Ek! I love this cute little bunny vase from pretty random objects! Seriously, could this be any more adorable?

self portrait thursday

2008-11-13T16:10:00.003-06:00

I thought of this last night just before going to sleep. I am always amazed at my ability to act and feel like a different person from day to day. So me the book nerd, me the dreamer, me the hyper-crazy-fun girl.

felt & fabric bunny pins

2008-11-11T10:14:00.006-06:00

My newest creations, intended to add some color to any outfit. I do want to make other animals, but of course the first ones were bunnies since - well - let's face the music on my bunny fixation. Some of the fabric came from my newest obsession: Art Scraps in St. Paul. I &hearts that place. I have some more too but they are awaiting pinbacks to be sewn to them sometime this weekend.

swaptree + sunday afternoon = new skirt

2008-11-10T09:07:00.000-06:00

I could do without the world financial crisis. Couldn't we all? But if it were to have a silver lining, it does make me more apt to be economical myself. When you are paying so much more for food, gas, and well, everything - it obviously cuts down on your budget in other areas.

So on this note of trying to be more squirrel-like with saving money - I must confess my crush on swaptree.com. It is a site where you can swap any un-loved media you have lying around (books, DVDs, CDs, and even video games!) for stuff you do want. So not only are you recycling your old junk but helping another do the same! I basically raid my shelves every month just to make sure I didn't skip some forgotten college lit book that I will never crack open again.

My most recent trade was for the book Sew What! Skirts which I was able to utilize today during the Ame Bean's nap to make this:

The fabric is from a Joann remnant bin that was 75% off. And I got the book to help me for about $1.75 (cost of shipping). Plus the notions are all from a local scrap art store that sells things for nickles and pennies. So I figure I spent $4 on this skirt. You can barely thrift clothes this cheap! &hearts

new aceos

2008-11-07T09:46:00.006-06:00

"quiet thursday night" - because the best thursday nights are spent drinking cocoa and reading.

"sketch + cafe" - are we sensing a hot drink related theme?

"go fly a kite" - really, go fly one if you can, it always looks like a lot of fun

self portrait thursday

2008-11-06T21:38:00.000-06:00

I had to mark this cold, rainy, cloudy November day with royal blue tights and bright yellow shoes. Colors are the cure for the blahs! The skirt is also one of my new favorites, thrifted for only a $1.5o :)

To take a moment...

2008-11-05T09:44:00.004-06:00

And express my happiness that this election is finally over. Well almost, we still have a very tight race here in Minnesota for Senate between the incumbent Norm Coleman and Al Franken which right now has Coleman ahead by 500 votes. 500 votes?!?! And people still say that their vote doesn't matter! So this is considered a case for an automatic recount. Additionally, it is reported that some shady things went on in Minneapolis with places running out of voter registration paperwork so this might not be settled for some time.

But I am proud to stand behind our new President-Elect, Barack Obama. I feel confident that we as a country will finally be heading in the right direction. And I finally feel like the rest of the world doesn't look at us like we are complete idiots.

If I had been a bail-out benefactor...

2008-11-01T13:05:00.007-05:00

Then I would make this ensemble mine!!! Still undecided what I would do with the rest of the $27 billion though...

I cannot express my love for this tank. Antifactory probably makes the cutest, most original clothes I have seen on etsy and I would much much rather spend $78 on this than on food. Now if I could only convince hubby on that...

And what would go more beautifully with my new tank than a precious hair clip from RedaretheRoses who makes some of the loveliest little plastic charmed clips and jewelry (clip above is only $12 to boot!)

No outfit is complete without darling shoes and this vintage blue ones are basically perfect - from Solanah, $22

I am so charmed by this little apple clutch and it doesn't require you take out a second mortgage to own it - from kateisgreat80 $35.

Final spinning class

2008-10-30T09:10:00.003-05:00

And here is my creation! It's 36 yards of 50/50 merino and tencel. It is super luminous and super soft. I decided to go with this over the bamboo since I am still a bit scared of the slipperiness of it. The merino/tencel seemed to be a good meeting point between a plant based fiber and a wool. But I really like how this came out, I can obviously tell I have gotten better but still have a long way to go. I was really excited too because we were shown how to Navajo ply. It always looked so complicated when I saw it online but really it so easy! I can't wait to try it the next time I spin!

I highly suggest anyone in the metro area interested in spinning or plant dying to take a class with Virginia Parent. She is a staple in the MN Weaver's Guild and offers classes both through them and The Fiber Studio. Not only is she a extremely patient teacher, she knows her stuff so backward and forward - she is a walking dictionary of fiber.

More yarn from spinning class

2008-10-28T10:02:00.008-05:00

Not much to write on this one, not super jazzed on how the spinning part went (my yarn kept breaking, so sad!). But I do like the colors and texture. It's all my own fault too for it breaking, I went in over my head a little and started getting crazy with my mixing of fiber. But all I need is practice, practice, practice!!

But for my next class, I think I am going to try bamboo (talk about getting in over your head with spinning). I REALLY love how bamboo looks when it is spun up (as seen in this beautiful example from traditions fiber arts). Plus of course all the good things like it is a vegan yarn, has natural anti-bacterial properties, etc. But after this weekend, I do need to take my spinning hat off and put on my craftin' hat so I can start gearing up for No Coast!

Self portarit thursday

2008-10-24T13:00:00.002-05:00

Yay, remembered again this week! I got crazy with the flash last night, experimenting with putting different objects in front of it. This one was using a spool of thread which left a lovely starburst effect.

My weird obsession

2008-10-22T10:30:00.005-05:00

So over the past year, I have found myself collecting cameras. Not on purpose really, I just really love the aesthetics of old film cameras and whenever I come across them at thrift stores, I just have to have them. I have two new finds from over the weekend:

This one I am unable to find much information online about. It's a GAF Anscomatic 236, which was primarily used for slide film I think. It no longer works (the spring that operates the shutter it broken) but I still love how it looks. I can imagine Donald Draper (from Mad Men) taking family photos with this thing.

And then this is Ninoka 700 which is basically a plastic toy camera with a fake SLR looking lens. But it still works as far as I can see and I want to find out what kind of pictures it takes. I read that these cameras were everywhere in the 80's as a promotional "free with purchase" type deal but most have been thrown away. So while not rare, I do love that I found one in working order. It even has four different aperture settings, how fancy! And of course for the bargain price of a $1.

Yarn and No Coast

2008-10-20T11:40:00.004-05:00

I am so enthralled with my wheel spinning class! Last week we practiced with some Bluefaced Leicester. It was just speaking to be dyed with grape kool-aid and to be crocheted into a scarf-let. The charming buttons were taken off an old anthropologie sweater that had become too big. I like spinning with the Leicester, it is softer than corridale and was easier to spin than merino (at least for now, I totally need to get better at spinning merino, it is sooooo soft).

Also, I found out over the weekend that I was accepted into No Coast Craft-o-Rama again this year!! I had such a great time last year that I am honored to be picked again to participate in this year's show. The only down side is that I am now going to be crazy busy for the next five weeks. But if this year is even as half as successful as it was last year for me, I will have more than enough to buy a wheel, whoohoooooo!!!

If I had $83...

2008-10-15T13:01:00.007-05:00

All these etsy lovelies would be mine!

Yes, I love the feather fascinator thing that has popped up recently and I totally need one!! I love this one from topsyturvydesigns, it is different enough to stand out but a deal at $29.

I heart this sweet little mushroom brooch from createitcottage. And another steal for only $16.

This intricate, vintage-y cuff would look great with about 80% of my wardrobe. From peggradyart for $18.

And what would look stellar with all the above? Why this cute vintage dress from reciprocities! I love the buttons and the "U" top stitching detail on the front, $20.

My first yarn from wheel spinning!

2008-10-09T09:30:00.002-05:00

Is it pretty? No. Do I love it anyway? Yes.

I don't know why, but I decided a couple weeks ago that I needed to take a spinning class. I have been enjoying my drop spindle but I feel like I have hit a wall with how slow it takes me to spin up any decent amount of yarn. There is a great little fiber shop relatively close to us and they were offering a comprehensive introduction to spinning. Considering that life is short, I figured why not do it?

Well this is my yarn from our first class last night. 90 yards of corridale spun up in about 2 hours. It took a bit to get the hang of using a wheel - there is just so freaking much you have to do all at once! But holy sh*t. When you get the hang of it, it's so fantastic!

I am obviously not a master spinner but I was really proud of what I was able to leave with. And it goes so fast! It would take me 8+ hours to spin 90 yards on my drop spindle. And the zen-like feeling you get when you're in the zone is just great. Although the class is only 2 hours once a week, the owner of the store is letting us come in any time she is open to practice - if I wasn't so busy with the beaner I would be there everyday.

So now I just need to save up $550 for a wheel. Um, yeah - maybe I can win the lottery this weekend?

Totoro, oh Totoro!

2008-10-07T08:36:00.000-05:00

Rainy Sunday = Totoro barrette

And I just felt I really needed to add the Totoro song, enjoy!

Pattern for Bunny Beer Cozy

2008-10-02T20:26:00.005-05:00

I am so happy that people like the cozy! I must apologize in advance for my instructions. I have never written up any before and sometimes things might not make sense. PLEASE let me know if something seems wrong!

Also, please do not reproduce this pattern anywhere and please use this pattern for personal use only, not for any commercial or retail purposes. If you ARE interested in selling it, please contact me and I am sure we could work something out!

***************************

Yarn: Worsted (I used Sugar n Cream cotton in Ecru - I like how the cotton holds it's shape and works well with any condensation). You should need less that half of a skein.

Hook: G/6 (increase or decrease if needed)

Gauge: after row 3 of body, circle should be about 2 inches across (the same size as the rim along the bottom of a beer/soda can)

if you are unfamiliar with how to start with a magic ring, these are two great resources:

Crochet Me Article
YouTube video by tjw1963

BODY:

Make a magic ring
Row 1: sc 8 times into magic ring
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around (16 total stitches)
Row 3: *1 sc, 2 sc in next* repeat 8 times (24 total stitches)
Row 4: *1 sc, 1 sc, 2 sc in next* repeat 8 times (32 total stitches)
Row 5: Sc in BACK LOOPS ONLY (32 total stitches)
Row 6-24: Sc 32
After the end of row 24, slst the next three sts, weave in ends

if you are having a hard time getting the cozy to fit your can snugly, you can play around a little with the # of stitches in row 3. I tried doing one in acrylic and found that I had to take away two of the stitches to make it work (Then I had 30 total. I just did one sc instead of the *2 sc* two times). Then i kept the 30 total stitches in rows 5-24.

TAIL:

Make a magic ring
Row 1: sc 4 times into magic ring
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around (8 total stitches)
Row 3: *1 sc, 2 sc in next* repeat 4 times (12 total stitches)
Row 4: *1 sc, 1 sctog* repeat 4 times (8 total stitches)

Stuff with fiberfill or fill of your choosing. Sew to body of bunny.

ARMS, make 2:

Make a magic ring
Row 1: sc 4 times into magic ring
Row 2: 2 sc in each sc around (8 total stitches)
Row 3-7: Sc 8

Stuff with a little bit of fiber fill, pinch and sew opening closed. Sew onto body.

EARS, make 2:

Make a magic ring
Row 1: sc 4 times into magic ring
Row 2: *1 sc, 2 sc in next* repeat once (6 total stitches)
Row 3: *1 sc, 1sc, 2 sc in next* repeat once (8 total stitches)
Row 4: *1 sc, 2 sc in next* repeat 3 times (12 total stitches)
Row 5-10: sc 12

Pinch opening closed and pinch corners together. Sew to save this shape. Sew onto body.

Here is a close up of the ear so you can sort of see the pinching:

Decorate face.

That's it! Again, please let me know if you have any issues - I will happily correct mistakes or expand on any confusing areas.

bunny beer cozy

2008-10-01T13:42:00.008-05:00

I got really excited in August when there was a contest on Craftster for cozies. You could fashion any type of cozy you wanted and I thought it would be hilarious to have a cute bunny beer cozy. Well, I got distracted and didn't finish it in time but was proud of myself for coming up with the whole pattern. I used Sugar and Cream cotton in Ecru and used the amigurumi style of crocheting in rounds. I figured the cotton would be good for condensation.

Here is more of him:

Is it creepy that I like squishing his tail? Maybe that was the allure of dressing girls in bunny suits in the long-gone Playboy clubs.

Fiber Friday - Mustard and Grape Sandwich

2008-09-26T10:47:00.004-05:00

Hooray! I have had this roving for a bit but didn't quite know what I wanted to do with it. Finally I figured I needed a new, funky, colorful scarf to give my new black dress a bit of je ne sais quoi.

80 yards of merino. This is just the first half of the total roving. It's twin will have more purple and taupe, less chartreuse. The purple and taupe also have firestar in the mix so they has this beautiful sheen.

Self Portrait Thursday

2008-09-25T18:15:00.003-05:00

I finally remembered to do this today. An extreme close-up of my eye (obviously) but my eye gives away how tired I was today (aka the bloodshot-ness).

new barrette = love

2008-09-15T14:44:00.002-05:00

Found this little guy in a larger pattern of a japanese fabric. He just screamed to be made in to a barrette.

Obama mania!

2008-07-10T11:49:00.003-05:00

I won't lie, I am a huge obamaniac and when I saw this awesome lapel pin from DIYorDIE, I totally started coveting it!

If I had $207...

2008-07-07T10:18:00.007-05:00

I would be picking up these lovelies from etsy!

I am a journal-aholic and this would fit perfectly with my growing collect. From explorations.etsy.com

I love steam-punk but alas I am not cool enough to pull off the whole ensemble. But this bird brooch from lovelyduck.etsy.com would be a grand little touch.

This tea bowl is perfect in everyway. Perfect color, perfect size, and thin enough to cool down your tea quickly. From fredparkerpottery.etsy.com

What girl doesn't want to feel like a princess every now and then? And with a tiara this pretty, I would just have to wear it everywhere - even grocery shopping. From snakebelt.etsy.com.

Meow meow scarf meow

2008-06-24T15:46:00.005-05:00

meow mew meow mew mew meow.

new note cards

2008-06-20T13:46:00.003-05:00

Got the gocco out yesterday during a baby hiatus (thanks poppy and ena!) and printed up some lovely little thank you cards to send in packages.

I even made enough to sell a couple sets in my etsy store. How productive!

arrrggg yaaarrrnnnn

2008-06-20T13:27:00.001-05:00

I bought a big, beautiful pound of wool from maryjanesattic.etsy.com last week after going a bit nuts spinning last month. I am getting better, I can just feel it when I am spinning. But still have a long way to go.

Anyhoo, I got bit by the kool aid bug again and decided to dye it after spinning up 60 yards.

Here it is soaking before taking it's bath with the dye:

Whoops, should have worn gloves!

All cozy in its bath, probably a little too cozy:

The aftermath:

In hindsight, I should have let it roam around a little more freely in the dye bath, but I just get too darn worried about it felting if I touch it too much. I do still like it, just not what I had envisioned when starting out. I will have to wait to see how it looks crocheted up before making my final judgment.

The bento strikes again!

2008-06-09T13:17:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we got to hang out with the Quick clan (aka Leah, Andrew, Lilly, and Autumn) and of course Leah being the absolute dear she is brought me a present for Mama's Day. And knowing me as well as she does, got me this super cute book on charaben:

Face Food: The Visual Creativity of Japanese Bento Boxes

Well I was totally inspired to make a bento last night because of this. So I attempted a koi which I am pretty happy with how it came out. I only had flour tortillas on hand to make the body but I want to try again with white cheddar or marble jack. I wish I had time to make one everyday - this totally reminded me how much fun these are.

Why can't I stop?

2008-06-05T10:53:00.003-05:00

I seriously need to join crafters anonymous. I just can't stop picking up new things to make and do. Never mind that I already have an arsenal of craft supplies, I always just need one more thing. This month's adventure is in the form of spinning.

My third yarn, merino wool, about 35 yards:

My fourth yarn but first one I dyed (using kool-aid):

Totally mesmerized by handmade yarns I have seen at stores and craft shows, I just couldn't help wanting to learn. So as a mother's day present to myself, I got a drop spindle kit from etsy and I am totally addicted!

Ack! When will the craft compulsion end!?!?

Meet me in St. Louie

2008-06-03T09:57:00.005-05:00

Or just meet my jewelry.

My jewelry will now be for sale at the Laumeier Sculpture Park museum gift shop! The Laumeier Sculpture Park is over 105 acres of open air museum awesomeness, as well as indoor exhibition galleries. So if you are in the St. Louis area, you should absolutely check it out.

Knittin'

2008-06-02T09:59:00.005-05:00

Hooray! After a too long hiatus from, well just about everything but taking care of the Ame bean, I am back to crafting! And I finally finished my first knitting project. It is not the easiest thing in the world to go from crocheting to knitting - it's a whole new way to hold your hands. And thank goodness for the continental method (which is using your opposite hand to hold yarn versus the English method), otherwise I would have never gotten it.

So I made the obligatory first scarf, with all the normal newbie mistakes. It's actually a cowl but same difference I guess. Now I just need to wait forever until I can actually wear it.

really goofy-faced action shot:

front page love & hearts

2008-02-14T16:16:00.003-06:00

I have been fortunate enough to see my items pop up on Etsy's front page a couple of times but I always get such an elation when it does happen. What a wonderful Valentine treat to see my squirrel pin as part of a Storque article on silhouettes.

jury duty = boredom = new amigurumi bunny

2008-02-06T11:11:00.000-06:00

So yes, last week I did my civic obligation and served jury duty. I went into it thinking that it might be an interesting experience, to see our judicial system in action. *sigh* It more involved sitting in a room with 200 other people for hours on end. Needless to say I had A LOT of time to kill.

So I just started crocheting and crossed my fingers that it would turn out. I think I have decided to name him Clover. He is made from an unknown hand-spun yarn that I received in a swap last year. It actually feels like a mohair/wool blend because it is so soft and fuzzy. I also sewed some craft felt onto the bottoms of his feet and hands to match his ears. I do think I love him though &hearts

You can see the felt on his hands a little bit in this pic:

I got a treasury on etsy

2008-01-29T16:50:00.000-06:00

And I could help but name it after my daughter who shares the same name as one of my favorite movies :)

This also inspires me to make her a garden gnome of her very own.

Bebe shoes

2008-01-23T10:32:00.000-06:00

These were my testers for this super cute baby shoe pattern I found here. The pattern's biggest size was 3-6 months so I had to increase it a lot since, well, Ame has some big tootsies, even for a 13 month old. I wasn't even planning on being able to use them but since they turned out decently well, now Ame has her first pair!

The Artist's Way

2008-01-22T17:22:00.001-06:00

Isn't it crazy how the universe will answer you when you really need something? So, I am not too keen on new year's resolutions. I find it silly that just because it is a new calendar year, you are going to remake yourself with a whole task list of super high goals that you are going to start all at once. I mean how hard is it to change just one thing about yourself even taking proactive baby steps. And to think you are going to become a new you just because the clock clicked 2008?

Having say that, I got whimsical this past December 31st. 2007 was a good year in some respects but for the most part it really, really sucked. A lot. Like Dyson vacuum sucked. So I got caught up in the "rah-rah it's a new year!" thing. That, and I just am having a REALLY good feeling about this year. I still swear up and down that in 2007 some moon of Saturn was in the wrong alignment of Mercury and therefore we were feeling some negative ju-ju.

But that could just be me.

So this year I did make some new year's resolutions. That and I asked the universe for some help. I will have had my business going for a year this upcoming Feb 1st and while I am happy with it's progress, I really am wanting it to start stepping up to a higher gear. I mean, yes, I love making stuff. But there is this thing, you may have heard of it, it's called money. And you can exchange it for goods and services and say, fixing your car that's on its last leg. And as much as I would love to think my family can all live on sunshine and fresh air, we live in Minnesota where the sun comes out only twice a year.

So what has all this rambling have to do with The Artist's Way (TAW)? Well, I asked the universe to help me become a more creative person. I have had TAW book for about four or five years now. It was a dear present from my wonderful mother-in-law who probably thought that I or my husband would get right on it and become happy, creative people. Well, we had good intentions. But I would always get sidetracked by something silly. I would get a month into it and then miss doing the morning pages once and then just say "screw it!" and forget about it for a bit.

Well the universe being the sneaky bastard it is (meant in only the most endearing way of course) had me stumble upon a creative group that is going to do TAW together. I am always more motivated to do things when I know that others are also struggling through it too. And TAW is a struggle. It starts tapping into these parts of your brain that do not like being tampered with. There is that censor voice that is like "WHAT? You mean to try to drown me out?! Non-sense! You will be stopping this program this very instant!"

So I think I am going to be able to do this time. Like really do it. And I know that in the end both my personal and business self is going to benefit from it.

So, thanks universe.

Painting shoes = awesome

2008-01-21T11:24:00.000-06:00

So it was ridiculously cold here in MN over the weekend. I don't think it got above zero and with the wind-chill factor, felt like -15 or worse. So suffice to say that I didn't once go outside the entire time. What to do when you are couped up? Paint your shoes of course :)

They started out as these fine but plain diesel shoes that I haven't worn in a long time:

And magically (okay, more like a whole Saturday later) turned into these!:

Tada!

I used just some thinned out acrylics in lots of layers and then applied a special "leather-only" varnish that is suppose to protect the paint from cracking, chipping, or wearing off. I also did an under layer of white to help with evening out the final color:

Here is the finished one next to the unfinished one. I think they look completely different now:

And more pictures of the finished shoes:

I still have to get some laces for them. I am hoping I can find some fun ones with stars or hearts or I am just going to go with plain grey ones. I also plan to cover up the diesel part on the tongue with some yellow felt. Nothing against diesel as a brand, but I think the khaki color looks just awful with the yellow and grey. Now I am on the hunt for any other leather shoes in our house....

long time, no blogging

2008-01-15T14:15:00.001-06:00

Wow, I have been super neglectful of my blog here. Poor blog. But now that all the Christmas hoopla and whatnot is done, I am determined to start up again. This first post of the new year shows off one of the new year resolutions, finally organize my crafting/working area. Yuck, what a mess it was. I wish I had a *before* picture to show just how bad it was but then again, maybe I am glad to not have that image captured. So here is the desk area:

so shiny!

I even took all my junk drawer type boxes and went through them to toss all that I wasn't using. I mean I was ruthless. And then here is the cabinet that also holds even more stuff:

I even have a space up the corner to add to! Which of course gives me a *perfect* reason to go do some shopping, right?

Leafy jacket pin

2007-10-08T10:39:00.001-05:00

So I really need a new winter coat. I think I have had mine now for 8 years. It might be the most unflattering thing ever not to mention not the best jacket for Minnesota winters. But I really do not know how to get without it since most jackets seem to run in the $100-200 range. Maybe I could try to attempt making one but the idea of that just exhausts me right now. So anyway I decided to make myself feel better about said coat by giving it a little pizazz with this leafy pin, which is my first (and a bit sad) attempt at embroidery! I know that true embroidery needs like patterns and what not but I just wanted to play around with a couple of the stitches to start out with. I think my jacket will be better off with it.

Oooh! I got a treasury on Etsy!

2007-10-03T11:07:00.000-05:00

Isn't it puuuurty?
I am especially hankerin' on that yellow and grey hand spun yarn, I mean only $13 for hand spun yarn?! Problem is I have no idea what i would make with it. I was just checking out the treasuries yesterday and noticed that I was about 5 minutes away from being able to get one. I had to think fast of what I wanted to showcase to come up with a title and I was inspired by these puppies that are my latest obsession!Yikes I am in love with these shoes! But with a price of $88, just a bit (or more) out of my reach

Charmed I'm sure

2007-10-01T14:07:00.001-05:00

Wow, I really cannot believe it is October already. I feel like I got NOTHING done in September and the last two weeks have been really slow sale wise. But it seems to be etsy-wide so I am not taking it personally. And I keep getting these opportunities that fall flat for one reason or another. A bit discouraging :/

But I just ordered some super cute charms from a supply seller on etsy, Card Blanc
I am so excited! I also got some bees, keys, and random assortments. I am working on this new idea for my craft show to incorporate felt, fabric, charms, and the like in with my own polyshirnk parts. Also I have having to save up my pennies to make this huge order from fire mountain to restock my dwindling jewelry supply. I hate making orders if I can't get to the 200+ assortment price. But I just got a fortune from a cookie saying I should expect an inheritance from an unexpected source soon. *crossing my fingers for an unknown great uncle to remember me in his will*

Ame hoodie

2007-09-28T14:57:00.000-05:00

So I cooked up this little number from a zip hoodie that was on sale at Target for only $5 and some felt that I had hanging out
It is a bit big on her but lucky for me she is growing like a weed and she should fit in it tomorrow (okay a slight exaggeration but it feels like she grows that fast!). And then here is the awesome action shot
The ears look wonky since she is not one to sit still for a picture and the hood was moving all around. But I really ike how it came out. I mean how can you go wrong with a pink panda on a baby?

I got into No Coast Craft-o-rama!

2007-09-18T15:42:00.000-05:00

Huzzah! I got accepted as a vendor at the Minneapolis No Coast craft show this December! This is going to be my first craft show so of course I am just as nervous as I am excited. But I am anticipating that no matter how much I sell, it will be a valuable experience. Now I only have two and a half months to prepare...

Crocheted Baby Jumper

2007-09-13T10:36:00.001-05:00

So Miss Ame has learned how to pull herself up and cruise around on the furniture. It is a remarkable thing to see, this person that only nine months ago couldn't even hold up her own head is basically walking around. However, this requires her to be constantly supervised leaving me very little time to do, well, anything. But I have learned a great secret. I am able to easily watch her and crochet at the same time. So I am expecting that I will be posting a lot of crochet projects in the future. I am also finally going to teach myself how to knit since I am dying to make this one sweater. But anyway, I was messing around and came up with this little number for Ame Bean. I am really digging grey and yellow together right now. I didn't follow a pattern, just winged it. But I wish I would have tried to write down what I was doing since I really like how it came out and would like to do another. Oh well, such is life.

Lucy is Home!

2007-09-13T10:28:00.000-05:00

Lucy got home on Monday and brought along a smash of souvenirs and pictures. Here she is showing off her new Arsenal scarf that Paula knitted for her as well as her new friend Chas Oiseau. I really can't describe how awesome of a swap partner Paula has been, you should check out her flickr album of Lucy's vacation, it's a riot. And she generously included tons of treats, magazines, maps, and generally great stuff (like Guinness bread mix! Yumm!!). Lucy is still decompressing a little from all the excitement but she hopefully may get a chance to go on another trip again someday!

Bentos are back!

2007-08-06T11:07:00.001-05:00

Are a long hiatus due to the fact that hubby was a little unsure about how his new co-workers would react to his cuter than cute lunches, bentos are back! He figured if he told his co-workers that I made him his lunch (of course of my own accord, not that he even asks me too) that they would probably think it was cute and over look the bunnies on the box. Also, this was food to compliment his PBJ sandwich would is too big to fit in any bento box.

Wardrobe Refashion

2007-08-01T10:55:00.000-05:00

Well I did it. I didn't buy anything new for two whole months. Well I guess I did buy a sweater from Anthropologie but it was on sale and I only spent .90 of my own money (the rest was a gift card from my birthday). Otherwise I made myself a new pair of pants, refashioned a two sweaters, a sweatshirt, and three t-shirts. I also purchased a couple of things from the goodwill outlet for a total of $4 and a track jacket from another second-hand store for $8. Also, no shoes were purchased (I still don't know how I managed that one) and also no accessories.

And now I am hooked. I mean why would I need something new when I can either make it myself or just take sometime to rummage through some second-hand stuff? So I am going to keep on going with this and see how far I can go before buying anything. The only thing I need to refrain from is being tempted to buy things at the store I work at with my wicked awesome discount.

A little something for me

2007-07-29T18:34:00.001-05:00

It's funny. I started creating/crafting things because I wanted to be able to make things for myself. Then after starting to sell my designs and whatnot, I rarely made anything for just me anymore. So this week, while trying to get samples together for a craft show submission, I made a ring I had an idea for a long time ago. It took a couple tries (I had never done a wire ring before), but I really like how it came out. And it's mine, all mine.

New necklace

2007-07-17T13:49:00.001-05:00

So I heart my new job. There are really great people who work there, the shop itself is amazing, and it's really easy :)

But I cannot describe all the inspiration I get from there. Right now they have large tree branches hanging from the ceiling to hang wind chimes, chandeliers, butterflie,s etc. As I was looking at them, I thought "how cool would it be to have a branch hang around your neck?" And tada! I made about three for myself and I am testing one or two on my etsy store. But the best is how many compliments I get on them when I am out. I always feel awkward being like "I made it" (blame it on that typical-artist-hates-promoting-themselves thing I guess) but when I do they always seem really impressed.

Christmas in July

2007-07-16T13:56:00.001-05:00

At least it felt like Christmas on Saturday when I received my Loco for Gocco swap package filled with the best goodies a girl could dream of! Loco for Gocco is a flickr group of etsy artists and sellers who work with gocco. People submitted prints, badges, cards, etc and the lovely Phoebe was kind enough to wrangle it all together to ship out. I forgot to include in my picture a most awesome Tab from Circa Ceramics that was promptly nailed to the wall. I was basically squealing with joy as I opened each one.

I C U

2007-07-12T00:03:00.000-05:00

Okay so my kitty isn't a crafty project but I just love her. She nestled herself under our bedroom rug today and I caught her peeking out. Did I mention she is the world's meanest cat? Well, not to us but if anyone visits she goes into super "hiss-and-bat-at-you" mode.

You and what robot army?

2007-07-11T12:01:00.000-05:00

Oh, THAT robot army.

Working on some necklaces to take to a local boutique and see if they would like to sell them. Hopefully I will have good news about that next week! :)

Yikes!

2007-07-09T20:23:00.001-05:00

Man it has seemed like it has been forever since I posted something on here. And it has been over a week. But I just got so busy that I totally forgot about blogging. But I never forget about craftin' :)

So here are some things I have been working on the past week. We made a huge trip to the Goodwill Outlet store where you buy all items by the pound. And it is a crafter's paradise. I like going there for random XXXL men's shirts that are basically 10 cents and make great fabric for totes. But I picked up this little gem.

Straight out of 1986, it even had huge shoulder pads that I cut out. I also shortened the sleeves up, took some in on the sides and cut out this horrible mock-neck thing. I wish I had remembered to take a "before" shot. Then to make it totally all mine, I cut-out a little felt dino and hand-sewed him on. I can't believe I worked on a sweatshirt in this July heat, every time I had to try it on to make sure I sewed right, I about died. But now I can't wait until the fall to show it some love.

Then we decided to re-arrange our bedroom (another bad idea in the July heat/humidity). I finally got this picture back from my dad who had it hanging in his office for a while. It is a copy of a Matisse that I was required to in college. I always liked how it turned out and now we had a chance to hang it up in our bedroom.

Mine is on the above left and the original is on the lower right (as if that isn't super ridiculously apparent!)

Lucy's summer vacation

2007-06-29T11:41:00.000-05:00

Paula (aka swap partner extraordinaire), posted some pictures of Lucy and they really have me cracked up:

Here we have Lucy enjoying some lovely Yellowtail wine

And here we have Lucy the morning after. Ha! I can't wait for Lucy to come home to hear all the details :)

insert lots of swear words here

2007-06-28T14:29:00.000-05:00

Please pardon the following rant, I just need to cyber-yell for a couple moments.

WHY CAN'T I SEW FROM PATTERNS!?!?!?!?! I have tried TWICE now to sew the shirt from the Built By Wendy pattern above and both times it have turned into such a mess that it is basically un-salvageable. And it suppose to be so easy! And I have seen other people have BEAUTIFUL outcomes with it. And I just can't sew it worth a damn. So now I have ruined about $15 in fabric and wasted another $8 on a pattern that I can't sew to save my life. *pounding head on sewing machine*

Whew!

2007-06-27T11:13:00.001-05:00

It has been a crazy week. Family in town from all parts of the country, started my new job, and it has been hot and humid and muggy, blah! I mean who is in the mood to walk from the living room to the kitchen for a glass of water much less craft? The only really exciting things is that Denise of dc designs alerted me that I made the front page again on Friday night!

What I did karma-wise I would like to know because I am willing to do it again :)
But I still haven't been able to nab a treasury even though I have been keeping a watchful eye. And in an effort to de-stash I opened a second shop called razzle dazzle berry. Just some beads and old vintage books so far.

And no bentos. With all this heat going on, it has just been easier to microwave a lean cuisine and call it lunch. But I will be better, I must to satisfy that growing voice inside of "please create something"

Front page love

2007-06-21T10:45:00.001-05:00

Yesterday on Etsy I made it to the front page! It was so weird logging in and recognizing my own print there (little teapot on the bottom right corner). Now I am going to try to snag a treasury and show my love back to the wonderful Etsy community.

Little projects from over the weekend

2007-06-19T10:53:00.000-05:00

I've gotten really inspired by people fusing plastic bags and then using them to sew with. I really wanted to make a re-usable plastic bag for the store but I found that I didn't have quite enough recycled bags to do the trick. So in the mean time while I save up more, I made this flower pin cutting out shapes and using some old beads that were about to be throw away.

Hooray for up-cycling!

Then I got a sewing bug up my bum and used up some left-over fabric from my pants to make a little clutch. And of course since I am obsessed with bunnies, I made one out of felt to go on it.

But it was hot and humid here this weekend I really got nothing done. I mean nothing. And now I start my new job tonight so that will leave even less time for doing stuff. Oh well, all for the greater good :)

We are just having a fabulous time

2007-06-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

We received little Pierre last week and we are just having the best of times! He was introduced to Sweeti (the cat), Ame (the baby), and all the little creatures we have around. Then we went for a walk around our neighborhood. We live just a block away from the Minneapolis Art Institute and Pierre wanted a picture with the large lions that sit out front. Well, we couldn't quite reach that high so I got this picture to show his mom Paula

And Lucy arrived safe and sound to Ohio and is having a fabulous time from the sounds of it. Her host Paul snapped the best picture ever of Lucy taking a ride with the friendly neighborhood UPS man!!

This is by far already my most favorite swap I have ever participated in.

Insert drumroll here

2007-06-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Announcing the grand opening of gerrijo.com!!!!!! This has been the hubby's project for the past month and I really like how it turned out. I also updated my "brand", the old pear was a little 2.0 for me. Now he is going to work on getting my site even snazzier and also have it's own shop. Such a smart guy he is.

Thursday Bentos

2007-06-14T11:48:00.000-05:00

I hadn't had a chance to bento it up this week until now. Problem is that our refrigerator was having some issues and freezing all the food. Which resulted in us being tentative about buying fruits/veggies to keep in there. Which results in bentos that aren't exactly super healthy and colorful. Oh well, still fun!

Here we have my bento featuring some starbursts, veggie hot dogs with a pita star, mustard in the sauce cup, a little cheese below that, and some more pita stars. On the bottom there is cottage cheese with cinnamon, savory rice minis, and some Wasa crackers. Then for hubby's bento:

Very similar items but the veggie hot dogs "octopused" better so they got little mustard eyes. And instead of cottage cheese, the cup on the bottom holds hubby's favorite stuff in the world, Salsa Lisa-Really Hot. I am a bit concerned about how the salsa will do since I could find anything with a cover.

dance-dance-everyone look at your pants

2007-06-13T13:36:00.000-05:00

Holy crap, I made myself pants. And I lurve them. So much so I am going to make myself a pair of jeans using the same pattern. Which was "Built by Wendy" #4110. I was a bit scared that the largest pattern size wouldn't fit since I am a RTW 14 but it worked out perfectly. They are even a bit baggy so I can adjust that when I make the jeans. And then more capris. And then more pants. And then I will have a different pair of bottoms for each day of the year, muhahahahah!

Lucy just left today

2007-06-13T13:28:00.001-05:00

*sniff* Lucy is gone and on her way to Ohio to spend the summer with her host Paula. I am excited since I have never been to the Cleavland area. And Paula has hinted at a surprise summer trip that Lucy will be going on. In exchange, I am getting sweet little Pierre for the summer to show him a good time around Minneapolis!!

gerrijo

Marion handwarmers

time flies when you're a sleepy fox

contest winner!

give.a.way!!

I will be the May featured artist at the Electric Fetus!

Beaner Beanie

New vintage shop!

Holga fun!

new beaner shirt

Bathroom window "treatment"

Favortie cooking links

Crocheted button fascinator

Things I've decided I need

Presenting...*insert drumroll*

Crochet + shoes

Homemade ginger ale

handmade battlestar galactica

wip - first gouache test

One sock down and one to go

My etsy splurge

how freaking cool is this thing? yudu screenprinting machine

painting bug

thrift store art + acrylics = new art for our walls

I love Lost

Etsy finds...

Dino pb & j

mac and cheese spruced up

Getting things done EARLY this year

acorn hat (aka why I sometimes love mistakes)

more cameras for my small collection

Happy new year!

*sigh*

Treasury of Minnesota goodies

Etsy love - Winter

No Coast craft show

Own the hour!

new small earrings

Felty ornaments

Squeal!

self portrait thursday

felt & fabric bunny pins

swaptree + sunday afternoon = new skirt

new aceos

self portrait thursday

To take a moment...

If I had been a bail-out benefactor...

Final spinning class

More yarn from spinning class

Self portarit thursday

My weird obsession

Yarn and No Coast

If I had $83...

My first yarn from wheel spinning!

Totoro, oh Totoro!

Pattern for Bunny Beer Cozy

bunny beer cozy

Fiber Friday - Mustard and Grape Sandwich

Self Portrait Thursday

new barrette = love

Obama mania!

If I had $207...

Meow meow scarf meow

new note cards

arrrggg yaaarrrnnnn

The bento strikes again!

Why can't I stop?

Meet me in St. Louie

Knittin'

front page love & hearts

jury duty = boredom = new amigurumi bunny

I got a treasury on etsy

Bebe shoes

The Artist's Way

Painting shoes = awesome

long time, no blogging

Leafy jacket pin

Oooh! I got a treasury on Etsy!

Charmed I'm sure

Ame hoodie

Presenting...insert drumroll

sigh

insert lots of swear words here