every little thing

Studio Remix

I hate to make excuses, BUT I have been a bit to busy to blog.  I'm really burning the midnight oil in preparation for the craft shows, but I will soon have time to photograph and write about all of  the cute stuff  I (with help) have made.  My mom came over yesterday and unexpectedly helped with some hand embroidery details on Christmas stockings.  She was such a huge help, and her work was much cuter than mine...no fair!  Seriously, I love my mom, she's too cool.  Plus, I get lots of expert advice from her previous crafting days, though I think I may be luring her back into it...he he he.

So, I'm back to work again, but I will leave you with a smattering of photos.  Mostly of the new new studio.  My hubby and I split the space down the middle; crafty, pink, cuteness on one side....hip-hop style, tons of records and DJ equipment on the other.  Very funny, really.  Last night we were both working on stuff quietly together when he said, "This is the best thing we've ever done."  I didn't know what exactly he was referring to (we just went to Subway, but the subs weren't THAT good...)  Then he explained: sharing a space, creating together.  And, yeah, it is the best.

The cards at the top of the bulletin board are from my first trade (!) with a great gal, Annette.  She commented on my snowy sock bunnies, and I traded one for some of her lovely handmade cards.  It was just too fun, and I love everything she sent me!  This crafty -blogging - flickr community is just so overwhelming.  I'm loving every minute of it. 

Scrapping it up

I seldom worry about what my husband is doing in the wee hours of the morning.  He usually wakes up before us on the weekends and does several things; goes to 7-11 for a news paper or soda, plays his turntables (with headphones on), watches rated R movies that Max can't see, and so on.  So I was surprised to be awoken this morning by a sound that I though was my sewing machine.....hmm...that's odd.  I stumble into the studio, and there's Mike, crouched over my machine (which  is on the floor).  He looks up at me guiltily...."I think I broke it."  Yeah, not a great way to wake up.  I asked what in the world he was sewing, and he said he was trying to sew some paper stuff into his scrap book, but it didn't work at all, the machine jammed and he couldn't get the needle to raise now.  SO, I had to take it apart to fix it, but I'm pretty sure it's working fine now.  I pointed out to him that the machine was set on satin stitch, 0 stitch length and it was threaded with upholstery thread.  If he had looked, (or waited for me to help him!) he would've seen it wasn't going to do what he wanted.  Crazy man.  His scrap book did turn out nice, though.

Oh, and I forgot.  He used almost all of my fabric glue.  But that just meant I got a free trip to Joann's, so that was really a win-win.  He found all of the seam binding wrappers in my trash can.  I'm glad he found a way to reuse them, they are quite pretty.  There were so many in the trash because I've been going through lots of vintage notions making these:

Some are pins and some are hair clips.  They are made from (almost all vintage) notions: lace ham facing, seam binding, blanket binding, velveteen trim, rick rack and buttons.  They are just too fun to make.  SO many combinations.  I'm really fond of the lacy ones.

I've done 38 and my quota for the day is 50....almost there.

This is Mike's favorite.  It's really hard to find the HUGE rick rack it takes to make these big flowers.  I only have enough white for two of these.

I have lots of this blue velveteen, and a little bit of teal.  It makes very snazzy flowers.

And this is what your craft table looks like after a few hours of flower-power. 

All of these lovelies wouldn't even be possible if it wasn't for my sweet and terribly generous Grandmother (Nanny, as we call her.)  Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!!!! I had a decent stash of supplies, but after raiding her house, I now have LOADS of inspirational goodies.  And to top it all off, she gave me her stunning metal dress form.

The studio is really shaping up now.  What would I do without my family?  Somehow, they always have just what I need: and not just material stuff either, oh no.  All that's just the icing on the cake.

You can't get a man with a gun

Such a great Thanksgiving!  Unfortunately, my husband was taking the pictures, so there really aren't any.  Except this cute one of me at the "turkey shoot" (bee bee gun shot at a turkey-shaped target, very humane.)  I look like I know what I'm doing, but I only got ten points and I lost miserably.  My brother won......go Mikey.  Anyway, there is tons more to write about:  Cirque du Sole, lovely time with little bro and sis, and quite possibly the best thrift-store haul of all time.  I can't even describe it yet because I think it was all a dream.  I'll just say this, a huge amount of amazing, stunning, handmade vintage clothes for .50 cents a piece.  It was indescribable. I need time to process how unbelievable it was.  And none of it even fit ME, it was all for my tiny, skinny little sis....but I'm still just as excited!  I'm talking coats, beaded holiday dresses, matching dress/ jacket sets (at least 6 of those), pants, shirts....and they all fit like they were tailored just for her....sigh....at least I can put the dresses on a dress form and photograph them...that's good enough for me.

So anyway, I need to regroup and do a real post with pics of all the new craft fare stuff I'm working on, and pics of Kippy in her snazzy new wardrobe!  I promise to get to that real soon.  But for now it's back to work.

Happy Thanksgiving!  I wish everyone could love their family as much as I love mine right this very minute.

The dreaded aqua plague of 2006

I shouldn't even have been AT a thrift store today, I had way to much to do.  But, somehow I found myself at Thrift Store City (which is just so overpriced these days) and I literally could not put this dish down.  It was stuck to my hand.  It was $4.00!!!!  I just don't like to spend that much on anything, sad eh?  But I really had to have it.  I must have been subliminally brainwashed by all the aqua-love out in blog-land.  I found the matching teacup five shelves down, but I couldn't find anymore pieces.  The dish is such an odd shape, with weird ledges on the inside to hold the lid.  It won't hold much of anything either.  Also, it has no markings whatsoever.  Strange.  But I just love it.

The flowers up-close look like the seashell cosmos I grew in the little cutting garden this year.

Of course, I didn't stop with those two things, I also got two big hunks of fabric, two sweaters to felt (!) and....thats all.  I really wanted this old set of paper party plates and napkins in a cute New Years design (the naked baby one).  I have the matching table cloth in my small vintage-party-supplies collection.  BUT, they were $6.00 and I knew I'd never actually use them (just photograph them, likely) so I resisted.  I have to keep my addiction to a socially acceptable level. 

I have so much to do before my big (little) craft shows coming up!  I hope to finish lots of things tonight (with the help of Mr. Foldgers.)   Off I go...

PS.  See Carolyn, I told you you were gonna ace the test. Nobody ever trusts my psychic ability...

Tassie's new ride...

The Birthday party was such fun! 

That was one sturdy pinata...

The rest of the pics will be on flickr as soon as possible.  Thanks to all for coming, helping and spoiling our little guy rotten!  I think he had a pretty good time, to say the least.

So, after ALL THOSE PRESENTS, to get Max in the GIVING mood I had him help me with our Christmas list.  Here are his suggestions (with no prompting from me.)  It's pretty funny.

Uncle Mikey:  A big big monster truck

Kippy: A Pez

Yia Yia: A train set

Gammy: A guitar

Sammy: A little boat to take to the beach

Gigi:  A big box to hold lots of marbles in

Melissa:  Two hockey pucks

Brian: Paint (I reminded him that that's what he got him two months ago for his birthday, but Max insisted that he needs more.)

Bruce: One football

Ben:  A wooden building inspector (?)

Mommy: Another pool table (so I won't use his)

Daddy:  Sizzler race car set

Please don't feel left out if you're not on the list.  He was getting very sleepy ,and after a while he kept saying, "I don't know, I don't (yawn) know..."  But either way, I don't think he's really getting that not everyone wants hockey stuff and race cars.  (But he may be right about Gam, I heard she's been wanting to join Mikey's band....)

Are you ready for Monster Jam?

This is where my boys are tonight (except it's 2006 and this is the only picture I could find.)  I hope they are both having a great time and not losing too much of their hearing.  I am getting everything ready for the party tomorrow, and I just finished glittering-up the pinata I made.  I hope it's not too chilly at the park.....everyone,  bring your mittens! 

I'm lovin' it

Yay for thrift stores!

A big basket of delicious vintage ornaments!  I paid more than I wanted to for this (mainly because I don't like to spend more than $1 for anything...) but it was so worth it.  Vintage ornaments are quite pricey these days, and there are tons of cute ones....

My personal favorite, and there are about 5 of them in the basket.  I could just eat them, they're so cute.

This one is very unique, and there are several of these as well.  Of course, there are some odd balls....

I'm not sure what this guy is supposed to be (an elf?).  But his mustache is very strange and I think he's missing a shoe.  Anyway, it was a great find.  But is that all I got, oh no.....There were two bags of lovely new and vintage calico fabric, two sweaters to felt (both blue), a fab black coat for me.....(and a partridge in a pear tree...)  Well, I think I made out like a bandit considering the coat alone (wool, knee length, silk lined...) was worth double (or more) what I paid for everything....but I I'll stop trying to justify my thrifting addiction.  I wanted to take a pic of the coat too, but I have yet to buy a dress form.  I'm still on the look out. 

The bird ornaments (sparrows, I think) are multiplying, but I ran out of some supplies so I stopped at 11.  I started the mantle swags, and I'm very excited about them (pictures to follow), but I had to stop and make a special swag for the new baby across the street.  Here is a glimpse of the work in progress...

Don't let the picture scare you, I'm almost done, I will have it wrapped (with a bunny and stocking perhaps?) tonight.  The family should be home by Saturday or so and I'd like to take it over then (and meet the cutie!)  So now I think it's off to the park for a little jaunt, it really is lovely weather out today.

***UPDATE***

It's finished!  But, it's dark now so the picture isn't that great.

It's hard to see here, but the letters are sewn on, not ironed on.  That takes a bit longer, but I like it better.  The Christmas-y ones will be similar, but will say either "JOY!" or "PEACE", and be different colors (some red and green, some not.)  I'm working on a "JOY!" in pink with gray polka dots.  I secretly hope I don't sell it because I want to keep it....

My bags are packed, I'm ready to go....

This little bunny has a long trip ahead of him.   When I told him he was headed to Norway, he looked a little concerned.  I showed him where it was on this little globe.  It is very North.  Bunny will be glad that he has a warm scarf.  His new home is with Annette, a very talented artist I met on flickr.  I'm trading rabbit for some lovely cards of hers, and I'm so excited!  This little bunny is going to a good home.  He has his passport (the blue card by his foot) and is boxed and ready to leave on a jet plane tomorrow morning. With him I am sending this ornament I made today:

This is the prototype for my bird silhouette ornament collection of which I plan to do a limited edition of 20 (ooh, sounds fancy eh?  Really makes you want to buy one...)  The top and edges (which you can't see) are embellished with vintage trim and foil leaves.  The inspiration was from Annette's lovely bird drawings and most of the supplies were from Wine and Cake hobby.  They are a bit kitsch-y aren't they?  I do love Kitsch.    I packaged it like this:

I hope Annette doesn't read my blog, or this ornament won't be much of a surprise....oh well.  I also made six stockings from a vintage quilt that I had left over from several years ago.  They are tres shabby chic, and I think they look so cute.  Mike says they're awful, so I'm sure they'll be the first thing to sell out:

The hanger is vintage seam binding and I attached a handmade silk flower with a big vintage button center.  I wish I could make more, but I would need to find another vintage quilt to tear apart......

This picture isn't as good.  Well, back to work.  Tomorrow I'm gong to an open house that is featuring the talents of some great gals from my neighborhood, I can't wait to see what they're up to.   Here are links to their lovely businesses: Flexi-feet Squeaky Shoes, N-Choir Designs, Gifts of Wit, and Dekkerations. (Ooops...some of the links aren't working, I will fix the bugs later and also add them to the "Nice Places to Visit" sidebar.)  Also, my other neighbor across the street is having her second baby boy tomorrow!  I wish her the best of luck, and I can't wait to meet the new little one.

Little Lucy, 283

The apple butter photo shoot last week led to me taking about 45 pictures of various things about the house.  I came to realize that our home photographs very well, (much better than I do, that's for sure.)  It's amazing how some decent light, a tripod and a touch of Adobe photo shop can change things.  Don't get me wrong, our house is fabulous in person too.  It's just that in the pictures, it's darn near perfect.

You can't see the mountain of hot-wheels track in the den, the chipped molding and dodgy painting, the sink full of dishes, the dust bunnies.....

I'm not ashamed of the normal-mess of every day life, I just don't think I need to document it.  I know it's there, it will ALWAYS be there.  And isn't that why we take pictures in the first place?  To remember the special things?  The humble beauty of our home is real, and dreamy too. 

These pictures are how I will see our home forever in my mind. A little hazy and rose-colored, rich and inviting......cozy.  It's finally cozy.  It took a long time to get there, you know.  Homes evolve quietly , I think, like teenagers.  Gawky and awkward at first, but they eventually find their niche.  They get that perfect haircut, the braces are taken off, a new blouse and TA DA!  All grown up.

I've lately been finicky about displaying family photos around the house.  I just want to keep them all private and hoard them away like a squirrel,  "These are my nuts and I don't want you gawking at them!"  This is ridiculous of course, because it is very rare that someone other than family even come inside our house, let alone searches the walls for pictures to stare at.  But, I have been displaying small pics on the little photo holder.

My mom in front of a silver Christmas tree in a red dress.  She told me something I never knew about her, and I think she's onto something, there are good eggs....and then there are great eggs, and if you can get some of both, then you're doing alright.  I so love the little shot of my brother, my dad and I (and Max, actually, though he was the size of a grape at the time.)  One look and so many memories.  What are you up to now little brother?  You look so young here, so different.  I miss you.

Remember, the back door is always open.... (not really, we keep it locked, but if you knock really hard we might come down and open it....or it could just fall in , the house is really old.)

Who knows where the time goes

Oh, my little baby boy.  Could we all  love you any more?  (It's too hard to type now,  I can't see when my eyes are all watery.)  Happy Birthday, my darling.  Four is a very big number today.