Friday, September 28, 2007
Very Classy!
Check out my students and their awesome aprons! I think there was some swearing the first week, but after the aprons were out of the way, we were on to tote bags. Everyone seemed much happier with their machines and the tote-bag process.
Below is the lunch bag I made for myself as a demo during class. That's some fabric that I got from Sir's in Fayettville on this trip. Turns out it's Anthropologie. One of my students pointed it out. Man I feel like I won something! I paid at most $3 per yard for it. Maybe less. Awesome!
I think I'll be making a few more bags like this for my etsy shop over the weekend.
Happy Friday!
p.s. Go visit Shona at Centennial Park's TACA art festival this weekend. She's in the Empty bowls booth doing an awesome demo!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Wallets for Sale!
I've been making wallets production style, and they're now available in my Etsy Shop. If you don't see the fabric you would like, just drop me a line and I can make a special one. Lauren, this is for you!
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Lessons from 1964
I went to a book salea couple of weeks ago and scored some excellent finds. Last night I was reading through this book, published in 1964, and I felt that the lessons were still valuable. Basically: Make good quality things, unique things, and have fun. I like how the author talked a lot about how things that are glued should stay glued, and sewn should remain sewn, and not come apart. A sloppy job is not worth your effort. I probably need to hear that now and then, as I like to just get it done. I'd rather do 10 things than 1, and I want to do it fast. But of course, I want things to be good quality or, like the author said, what's the point?
These pics are large resolution, so if you want to read (and you really should at least take a peek) just click on them.
I loved how lots of the projects were for burlap: "embroidered burlap apron" "applique on burlap purse". It's so itchy! Why would you use it for something you have to wear or touch?
This is my ghetto scanner. I don't have one at home, but a piece of glass and my digital camera works just fine.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Hilariosity for Friday
I saw this on My Byrd House. Oh, man. Hilarious!
Happy Friday! May your days be filled with glue and fabric scraps!
Thursday, September 20, 2007
My latest aquisition
Joelle Hoverson's book Last-Minute Patchwork Gifts. She's famous for being the owner of Purl Soho most incredible shops for knitting and quilting in NYC. I visited last April, and you can see my pics here.
This is a great book--can you tell I'm in a rainbow-effect mood? I remember memorizing the rainbow order as a 1st or 2nd grader, and ever since I've been obsessed with arranging things according to it. How About Orange posted a link this week to people who organize their book collection by color. I'm not quite to that point yet, but it might be coming.
Last night's It's Sew Easy Class--Aprons!! Amber here was timid, but she did a great job! All the other girls went home with home work....more pics to come next week.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
I wish everyday was the weekend
I left work on Friday because of a debilitating headache, (hormones) which led to lots of general maladies--all solved by a huge afternoon sleeping session that rivaled Rip Van Winkle and in general being away from a computer for most of the weekend.
Don't be jealous when I count off all the fabulosities of my weekend. (yes, that's a word, just ask my sister. And run out and read this book. It's a cross between Judy Bloom and Kathy Griffin)
First stop: I spent Saturday with Shona in the press room. I begged her to let me help her, in exchange for an explanation of the press works. We printed 400 postcard backs, and kept yacking and yacking the whole time. It was glorious! And I'm so jealous of her press!
We went to an art show on the Stones River Greenway in Murfreesboro, saw some of Shona's art school friends, and then went back to eat a yummy lunch and print our hearts out.
Sunday started with a quick bite at Bongo Java in East Nashville, then on to the Craft: A Creative Community show at the lipstick lounge. Where I bought a great necklace from Wicked Moxie
Then to the art store for some supplies and home to sew in the studio while Jason took his turn being a tortured artist and painted on a canvas he bought.
So I had a couple of purses to show for the weekend, and great memories and information from Shona. After all these good times, I can't wait till next weekend!
You can go get this purse if you please from my shop where I'm putting it in the morning. I'm too tired right now.
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Thursday, September 13, 2007
Fall is a-coming!
I took a stroll to the Farmer's Market at lunch time today. Finally, the heat of August has worn off, and we can continue on about our lives without being trapped in the air-conditioned stale world.
Last night was my first class at Watkins. And it was so much fun! I just love all the students, and I can tell that they are excited, and that just makes it so exciting. For all of us! If anyone wants to join before the class next week, call Rebecca at Watkins' Community Education office. She said you could still sign up. And for the most part, what we learned was sewing machine basics, which I can catch you up on.
I'm so looking forward to the weekend it's been a long week for no good reason at all, and I'm ready for some serious sewing and production line work. I hope all of you throroughly enjoy some late summer sunshine before it's all sold out!
Monday, September 10, 2007
Nose: meet grindstone
Not really the grindstone, per se. It was finally a rainy weekend in Tennessee after the longest, driest, hottest summer. Ever. Most of August was over 100 degrees, and in the previous 5 summers I've lived here, it has never hit 100.
I love to stay home and sew or watch DVDs of tv series (this weekend was Heroes) when it's rainy. You don't feel guilty about not getting outside and doing something. Although... I was having some serious hormonal rage on Saturday, so I went to the driving range and hit the crap out of some golf balls much to the chagrin of my left butt cheek muscle. 
So anyway, i like to stay home and dig into being home. I cracked open the Bend the Rules Sewing Book that I won(!!!) from Craftsanity, and it is truly wonderful. I've made 3 projects from the book now. I love that the instructions are basic and not on the overly detailed side. I did have some trouble with the wallet measurements, which throuroghly confused me. But alas, there is a great Flickr group set up by Amy Karol herself with lots of help, photos, and corrections.
Projects completed:
~my very strange turtle (I truthfully don't even like stuffed animals, and in fact have gone off about the topic here.)
~Coin purse or plastic money wallets. I altered the patter significantly, adding a key ring and a plastic pocket on the back for an id. At Mizzou, all the college kids have these wallets with their keys and school id, etc. I'm going to send one to my sisters to test drive. It's very handy for running out the door to go to the library, rec center, etc.
~Lots 'o baby bibs for baby gifts long overdue.
I'm preparing for a show where there will be lots of kid and mom related things, and I need some new ideas, so I'm trying out lots of things.
Thursday, September 06, 2007
A Little Vanity
Apparently, if one puts effort into fixing one's hair, it is possible to go to work feeling not feeling like she's been run over by the white trash truck. Who knew!
I do hate the blow-dryer like a wicked hot-air blasting evil snotty older sister. I'm the older sister in my family, and I would never torture my sisters in such a way.
Now I'm gonna go out and sit in my dark little windowless office and answer the phone all day with a constant stream of requests. How would you like it if every time your phone rang, the first words you heard were: "I need." or "I want" or my favorite: "You're going to kill me, but I need this 2 hours worth of work project in 10 minutes. And come up with the best genious design idea ever."
Okay, so in non-self-centered news, you guys need to go check out Etsy's Storque blog/e-zine. There is an article about Hatch Show Print!
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Tuesday, September 04, 2007
Hot-Lanta and ShopSCAD!
My mom and sister Lauren came down for the long weekend, and I tricked them into going to Atlanta. Mission: Ikea and ShopSCAD. I'm pretty much infatuated with IKEA and their whole mojo there. And the Savannah College of Art and Design has a campus in Atlanta now, and a shop on Peachtree in Buckhead specifically for their alumni, staff and faculty.
This store is right up my alley. And probably yours too! Lots of hand made things from jewelry to artwork and quilts and clothing and purses. Very cool stuff. And it's pretty easy to get to from the interstate. It's right next to the Roxy Theatre pictured above.
And Ikea was a huge hit with Mom and Lauren. We had a shopping cart so full that we had to hold onto items as we rolled it so the wouldn't fall off. I bought a chair for my living room and for blog writing! and some other junk, you know.