crafties, inspirations and more

teddy bear

Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:48:16 GMT

i really like having my mornings free to work on projects. the only downside is that sometimes i get into a really good groove, and then i have to leave for work. this happened to me yesterday as i was starting work on the teddy bear project.

i sewed the head together, and then the ears, and then...poof! it was time to go. mondays are generally like this, because i run my weekly errands on mondays, leaving less time to craft than normal.

but today? today is a very rainy tuesday. the perfect morning to cut out more pieces, and hopefully finish this puppy. er...bear.

the road to hell

Thu, 29 Jun 2006 11:59:15 GMT

here it is. my original needlework piece, entitled "the road to hell".

obviously, i could frame it.

but wouldn't it be amazing if i made more of these with various addages on them, and created a quilt??????? patchwork addages????????

sometimes i realize that i am completely out of control.

this is one of those times.

(i seriously just came up with that idea. and now i know that i can't take it back, and i will obsess over it for several years, never actually making another needlepoint. this is what i do.)

new old desk, colorswap love!

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 12:12:27 GMT

i am very glad to have finished painting my desk. now i can finally get back to organizing, and more importantly, purging. now that i know how much space i actually have to store things, it's making it a bit more necessary to actually let go of things.

here are some before and after pics of the desk. i am loving it.

i left it out back to dry all afternoon yesterday, and i had my sewing machine on top of it, but when i took the machine off to take some photos, some of the paint came up with it! grrr. i touched it up and i'm going to leave the machine off all day today. perhaps i will have to put a mat down or something.

yesterday was a very "blue" day. after painting the desk blue, i came home from work to find a lovely blue package from my june colorswap partner becca - it even arrived in a blue envelope!

and here is what was inside:

what great stuff! ribbons, needle protectors, a new pincushion, some really cool tea, and the most amazingly soft misti alpaca yarn! she even suggested this pattern as a good way to use it...i love everything! thank you so much, becca! you were a great partner!

cleaning and more cleaning

Thu, 15 Jun 2006 14:27:47 GMT

i have to say, i am tired of cleaning already. it never ends. i think i am bitter because i had to wash a moldy baseball hat (don't ask).

i'm attempting to organize my fabric this morning. i'm going to the fabric store tomorrow and i want to make sure that i know what i need. i'm going to get some containers for my bits and trims. it's all very exciting for me. i love organizing because it's not really cleaning. it's more like displaying.

last night we watched hoodwinked - it was very cute!

back to the fabric.

new blog!

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 16:14:33 GMT

i have started a new blog at blogger! i will still be posting here, but feel free to follow me over to http://thetinybean.blogspot.com

thanks!

hello from the garden!

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:42:48 GMT

i've spent the last week working in the yard, and i have to say, it has been wonderful. my mom came up to visit on friday, and we planted a bunch of flowers, as well as a few veggies that she had brought with her. here is a peek at the progress:

here is a look at my tiny garden. i have planted everything using the "French-intesive" method, a la an old Martha article (thank god i save everything...). basically, all of the veggies are closely spaced with flowers and herbs mixed in. the marigolds are there to repel the bad bugs, and bring the good bugs in. this, apparently, is good for the tomatoes.

more photos

radishes!

salad greens!

peppers!

peas!

not much crafting has been going on, i am ashamed to say. i've been getting packages ready to send out, as well as finishing my postcards for open yours, too which i do indeed need to get out into the world today. i leave you with this photo of the woodsy area next to my yard. i just think it's cool.

Fri, 09 Jun 2006 13:46:09 GMT

i know that i should really update, but i haven't the time at the moment.

a real update with pictures, very soon.

birthday gifts, ebay scores, and my amazing trims swap!!!

Fri, 02 Jun 2006 19:45:05 GMT

ok...i'm not sure what happened, but for whatever reason, today was an extremely great day for surprises!!!

yesterday was my birthday, and I got a lot of great books from adrian (as well as a double-thick chocolate milkshake from stewarts...yesss...). today, miss eastonchick dropped by, and i scored this lot:

my very own ultra-cool accordian folder and magazine organizer, perfect for my crafty clippings and magazines!!!

a "brush your teeth" sign, made by eastonchick!!! (available at her etsy shop )

and a subscription to one story , which is only the coolest subscription EVAH. it's one short story, sent to you once every three weeks. it is brilliant. thank you kate, bill and mollypants. you are the greatest!

a while after visiting for bit (and allowing me the use of molly as a model for my toddler dress, which by the way was so cute on her), the mailman arrived. carrying many packages. for me.

a justice league kickball, from fitzjustice and mandalas!!!! you have no idea how i have been craving kickball...and i just discovered that our town has a KICKBALL LEAGUE...i am now ready to sign up.

many thanks, guys. i love the way that it was addressed...

another ebay score, direct from england. a knitting pattern for DANGERMOUSE!!!

it also comes with a pattern for that extremely geeky dangermouse sweater...i am loving it!!!

a birthday gift to myself. direct from japan. books of cuteness and craftiness:

i looked through one of the embroidery books, but i must really pace myself...so much goodness to take in... there is one more book, but it is on backorder. hopefully they can find me a copy!

last, but certainly not least...this was so incredibly delightful. the very dear sarah of red felt flower was my secret trim swap partner. she lives in australia, and she sent me this most amazing package of goodness:

a box wrapped in a vintage hankie...i am melting already...

gasp! squeeee! a handmade pincushion...tiny vintage postage stamps in a glacine envelope!!!

the trims...the grosgrain...the satin...the organza...i am in heaven!!!

thank you so much, sarah. the colors are abosolutely my favorites, and i adore the tiny tags that label each trim. you are so generous and sweet. cheers!

phew! that is a lot of love for one afternoon! more updates this weekend. my mom is taking me to a flea market tomorrow morning for my birthday. hopefully there will be some good finds! i hope that everyone has an enjoyable weekend!

birthday skirt preview

Wed, 31 May 2006 21:46:18 GMT

here is a peek at my birthday skirt. all that needs to be done is the hemming:

do you love my pasty white leg??? this was my very first project involving a zipper. it went fairly well and i am very pleased with the skirt. it still needs something...not sure what.

dear seamus: i hate you. i love you. i hate you. i love you.

one thing i am hating about this sweater is the yarn. i know. it's brown sheep. which i love. but the little bits of white wool are GETTING EVERYWHERE!!! combined with the fact that my hands are generally sweaty, and the house is incredibly humid...it's just not a summer project. i've been doing one or two rows at a time, and then breaking. i need something lighter for the summer. i just can't handle it!!! but i do love you, dear seamus. i promise that i will wear you this fall. maybe.

my latest ebay score arrived in the mail. my favorite cat:

i grossly overpaid for this pattern, but truthfully, i don't care. i intend to knit myself a bagpuss this summer. oh yes. he will be mine.

i leave you now with a little birdy i picked up. the nest is real. my mom found it on our front lawn while visiting one day. it was built, but then scrapped. perhaps by a crazed lazy bird, much like myself. so it's been sitting on my window sill above the kitchen sink. and now it has a little friend to keep it warm.

mail call, swap fun, thrift scores, and tying up loose ends

Tue, 30 May 2006 12:36:04 GMT

my goal for the holiday weekend was to knock some things off of my "works in progress" list. i did ok.

my wee bunny's tail. he is all stitched up and officially complete. love him!

toddler sun dress. stitched facing into armholes and stitched up back sides. all that needs to be done is the hemming, and i need to borrow miss mollypants for that. i will consider this done. because i can make those decisions!!!

retro apron. sewed binding on. loving it. all that needs to be done is the embroidered patch, which will be completed this morning. you sir, are done.

i spent some time knitting, even though i don't like knitting in the summer that much. actually, i don't mind knitting light projects. but seamus is anything but light. it is going to be one heavy sweater, people! i should really post some photos of my progress. but the camera batteries are conveniently dead.

i did an awesome swap with miss eastonchick! i gave her my lamby-pie needlepoint, and she made me this beauty:

i absolutely love it! it's going to be hung in the bedroom at some point. it makes me very happy.

this arrived in the mail last week. it also makes me giddy:

this came from etsy user littlestflower. her stuff is just amazing. check out her shop here - she is awesome, and she lives in australia!

i mailed out my package for the trims swap on saturday morning. here is a look at the contents of the package:

the color-coordination was a bit of a happy accident. i hope that my parter enjoys!

and finally, i went out to some tag sales on saturday morning. there were a ton of them going on. we went to a barn sale early on, and it was a bunch of overpriced "antiques", so that was a bit disappointing. we did a bunch of errands and by the time i got out to scour, a lot of the sales had been pretty picked over. however, i did have success at one sale, and it was not a bad score:

a set of tin salt and pepper shakers, $2
vintage bed sheet, $1
yellowstone national park decorative plate, $2
paint-by-number in frame, $1

yessss. i also find it strange that everything seems to match...apparently i am a crazy person.

my mom is taking me to a huge flea market on saturday morning for my birthday. i'm really looking forward to it.

so that is all. i have to get to that apron before i pass out. i have to get to the grocery store at some point before work. good day to you all.

project: colorswap

Thu, 25 May 2006 22:08:20 GMT

Are you crafty? i most certainly am.

Would you enjoy things like: Buttons, ribbons and
embellishments? yes, please.

Do you dye your own wool? no. it intimidates me.

Do you like to scrapbook or make homemade cards? i am way behind on my scrapbooking, but i do love to make cards for people.

What are your favorite scents? vanilla, bacon, citrus

Do you like stationary and cards? oh my gosh...i have such a collection of paper products. and writing utensils.

Do you like to sew or embroider items? i absolutely love sewing. i sew almost every day. i have recently started to get into embroidery, and i love that as well. i do a lot of free-hand stitching.

Do you like beads? yes. i like to make earrings and little charms.

What kind of candy do you like? i don't have a huge sweet tooth, but i do love gummie candies and lollipops. i also like dark chocolate.

Do you like hand lotions or soaps? i don't really use much lotion except for the plain old mositurizing variety. i have loads of soaps. i love them.

Do you like to wear costume jewelry? Necklace,
earrings, bracelets etc. not really. i wear mostly necklaces.

Do you like to make/or use stitch markers? i have never used a stitch marker before. i usually use a piece of waste yarn.

Do you collect anything? i collect writing utensils, books, thrift store finds, fabric...umm...lots of things.

Do you have any allergies?: Smoke, food, fiber, pets,
etc. no allergies.

Do you have any hobbies? i love reading, cooking, baking and generally making things. i'm starting to learn how to garden. and i am obsessed with organizing.

Do you like scented or unscented candles? i love candles in general.

Are you a fiber snob? not at all. i will use anything, as long as it looks and feels appealing to me.

Do you like to play cards or board games? my husband and i are obsessed with board games! we love trivial pursuit and scategories. i love boggle.

Do you like neon colors, pastel, light or medium
ranges in the color of the month? i love sky blue. anything faded or vintage-looking.

Do you like kitchen magnets or key rings? i have millions of magnets on my fridge. i'm not really a keyring kind of person.

Do you like picture frames? yes. i have quite a collection because i use them to frame my emroidery, and i love photos!

wee bunny

Wed, 24 May 2006 14:30:17 GMT

here he is. my first wee bunny.

his butt is still flat, and he is missing a tail, but he is well on his way to completion. he only took a little over an hour.

i like his whiskers.

adventures in buttonholes

Tue, 23 May 2006 14:05:05 GMT

eureka! i have made my very first button hole!!!

my sewing machine has an automatic buttonhole foot, but after unsuccessfully figuring out how it worked, i opted for the manual buttonhole foot. and let me tell you...way easier, and probably what i will go with from now on.

i'm part of a trims swap, and i decided to make a little pouch for the lovely girl that i am sending trims to. i checked out her blog and i discovered that she also enjoys embroidery, so i'm going to fill it with some buttons, some charms, and some variegated embroidery floss.

the pouch was easily whipped up, and i think i'm going to make a ton more for future craft fair/etsy use. they would also make a great credit card or business card holder...hmm...

since i was in machine mode, i sewed the pocket onto my apron, and sewed the side and bottom hems. now it looks like this:

i was about to sew the binding tape onto the sides for the back and neck ties, but then i discovered that i grossly underestimated the amount of binding that i needed.

oh well. i suppose that means i am back to the fabric shop on friday...darn...

another weekend

Mon, 22 May 2006 14:45:14 GMT

no crafting for me this weekend. it was all about the hunt for new inspiration.

friday i spent a lot of time looking through fabrics. i purchased quite a bit to add to the stash. i have an idea for a quilt in the works...i'm hoping that i can handle it. i also got some very sweet vintage-inspired fabric for a skirt. i really want to make myself some nice pieces for the summer. i hate shorts, so i spend most of the summer in skirts and cropped pants. it's just the way it is!

yard sales this weekend were not very good. one score for adrian, and nothing for me. it's ok. it was very rainy and cold, and i think that most people were just trying to get rid of actual garbage. it's ok. the season has only just begun.

eastonchick and i checked out artifacts, a cool little shop in melrose. the place was very eclectic. lots of antiques mixed in with reproductions and handmade jewelry and art. very cool. also, very tiny. coupled with the downpour, it was a bit cramped for my liking, but i will definately return for more. i really liked some of the tiny earrings. and everything was very reasonably priced. dare i say, "cheap" even?

i had every intention of submitting an entry to the final whip-lash contest, but i just couldn't get in the groove. we did a lot of cleaning this weekend, most of which was desperately needed, and that led to me feeling the need to reorganize, which led to me feeling the need to redecorate...i don't think i need to go any further. my ocd is at an all-time high in the spring months. i just want to get rid of everything, and then go out and buy new things.

i did come up with an idea, however. the theme was "color" and i had an idea to do some absract embroidery on plain muslin, and then patchwork a border and make it into a little pillow. i did start...but it's quite sad:

when i was little, my sister and i used to do this thing where we would each scribble on a piece of paper, and then switch papers and make drawings from the scribbles. that's what is happening with this needlework. it started as lines and curves, and now i have started to make the eiffel tower and a small cat. yes.

also this weekend, i came up with the genius idea of taking some drawings that were IN A CATALOGUE, and frame them for the mantle. i know. i am a genius. observe:

i painted the frames and distressed them slightly. it feels like they are from a botany lab. i love them.

my goal for this week is to finish the two sewing projects that have been hanging out for weeks: the yellow sundress and the retro apron. wish me luck. and in closing, here is a tiny cat in a tiny mitten. which i also love.

super-secret project

Wed, 17 May 2006 12:37:02 GMT

ok...so my lj friend stickeravenger had a very unfortunate accident a couple of weeks ago. i though i would send along a little something to cheer her up, as she has been so sweet to me over the last couple of years.

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i have to get to the post office. more crafties to come this week!

owls and angry socks

Thu, 11 May 2006 15:55:51 GMT

i made a lot of stuff yesterday morning, and i was actually almost late for work.

i have a pair of knee socks that really makes me angry. they are stretched out and they don't stick to my thighs, so i spend all day pulling them up when i wear them. they made me so angry that i turned one of them into some owls.

the one on the top is princess wilomena. the little guy doesn't have a name yet. but i like clarence.

i want to make myself a skirt. and that is all.

there's a mouse in my house

Tue, 09 May 2006 14:59:05 GMT

a new teeshirt for the shop. i made another felt mouse, too. but i'm not sure where to put him yet. they are just pieced with scraps and then hand embroidered. and button flowers. my new obsession.

i have to clean up and get ready for work. yesterday i started an art collage. i'll probably work more on that tonight. after the gilmore finale, of course.

and here is a picture i made for the kitchen.

the latest adventure

Fri, 05 May 2006 17:07:38 GMT

so...i sewed some batting in between the needlework and the fabric, and here is what i ended up with:

i quilted (kind of) the border between the needlework and the fabric. i think it came out pretty cute, but it still doesn't stay flat. that's ok. it's still pretty cute.

on to the next thing already. i cut the pieces for the apron project. i'm taking a break to go out into the garden, but here it is, so far:

and a detail of the needlework:

up next: some tiny garden gnomes, some fabric bracelets, and some more framed artwork.

la la la

Thu, 04 May 2006 14:45:41 GMT

ok...i sewed a fabric border on, and i think i'm going to get some batting and turn this into a wall hanging:

and here is adrian's desk robot. he doesn't have a name yet.

he busted open when i turned him right-side-out. it was a character building experience. off to cut a pattern and eat some lunch. curse you, real job!!!

some new friends

Wed, 03 May 2006 13:42:48 GMT

these guys are hanging out at the shop

to frame or not to frame...

Wed, 03 May 2006 11:37:36 GMT

not sure what to do with this one. i made this yesterday before/after work. i was intending on framing it, but i don't haev a small enough frame for it right now. maybe i'll turn it into a hanging pillow? help would be appreciated:

closer detail of the milk:

today is about some felt pins, some headbands and that stupid scrapbook page, which is now officially late. or tardy. or...gah...

another productive morning

Tue, 02 May 2006 14:45:07 GMT

i think that if i keep getting up at 6:30 and getting right to work after adrian leaves, it will be a perfect schedule. i just have to keep it up.

so this morning i was thinking about making some hairbands, because they are easyish and i could make a bunch to sell. but then i kept thinking about a teeshirt idea that i've had for a while, and i decided it was time to make it happen.

i'm pretty happy with it.

now i have a million more ideas for appliqued teeshirts. so away i go.

another weekend...

Mon, 01 May 2006 14:25:36 GMT

and not much to account for it. actually, that's not true. i spent most of my free time cleaning up my craft area. it looks A LOT better and it's making me feel a lot more organized, and thusly productive.

i made another needleworked piece on thursday morning. i decided not to age it, because i thought it would look too dark, and i envision it in some new baby's room:

this morning i was up surprisingly early, considering we spent several hours at an insane concert last night. i felt that since i did such a nice job cleaning up my area, that i deserved a treat. so in the name of organization, i made myself this:

my own knitting/crochet organizer!!!

so that was my morning. and now i have to make a scrapbook page for adrian's cousin's wedding scrapbook. everyone is doing one. and it's due today. oops.

needlework is my friend

Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:24:52 GMT

the latest project:

i love the way that it came out!!! made for vicki at work. total time spent: approx. 4 hours.

i also created a needleworked piece that i am going to turn into a patch for the front bib of an apron. more on that once the project is complete.

as for now, i have so many ideas. i want to make some aprons and pillows. and i have an idea for a cute fairy doll. and a hedgehog.

need to post more stuff on the shop...

a weekend of craftiness

Mon, 24 Apr 2006 21:31:49 GMT

i spent most of the weekend crafting away. i started sewing a toddler-sized sundress, and it was quite frustrating. i spent a lot of time seam-ripping. but here is a peek at my progress:

my chair is an excellent model.

also, i made some stickers with my logo on them:

and here are the newest members of my ever-growing stash:

and now, i grocery shop.