tag!

I spent all afternoon on Sunday making tags. I've listed a bunch in the shop. They are fabric on the front and cardstock on the back, so you can write your messages. They are kind of addicting to make. I have to say, I think I'm getting better at styling the photos I take for my shop. I'm hoping it will improve sales! I know that my bunny silhouette was in at least two treasuries, so that's a start!

putting my feet up

I know, I know. I've been a very blogger. I really am working though & hatching plans & hoping that once the "eggs" hatch, this blog will be bigger & better than ever. In the meantime, I want to thank everyone who sticks with me through thick & thin. Speaking of thick...let's talk about my ankles! I swear, no matter how thin I am, I have monster sized "cankles". For the slender ankle crowd, who don't know what a "cankle" is-it stands for calf-ankles.

Where was I? Oh! I wanted to share another embroidery/sewing project I've been working on. I have always wanted to make my own slippers, so I thought I would give it a whirl. I used a stiff felt for the slipper sole and soft felt for the top of the slipper. I got the darling embroidery pattern here. It was first try at slippers, but considering I'm a newbie at both sewing and embroidery, I'm pretty pleased with the results. I took a bunch of notes during the process and am thinking of how I can improve the slipper pattern (yes, I did the pattern freehand!) and the process.

sushi pillow

Remember my first attempt at embroidery? I talked about it here. Well, I finished embroidering the tofu bowl sketch and then I also sketched and embroidered some chopsticks. Then (and this is big) I made my first patchwork pillow! I've talked about how challenged I am when it comes to sewing, but this was fantastically easy and there were very few tears! I got general instructions about patchwork from this book, but I kind of went off on my own. I think it helps that the look I was going for didn't require squares of all the same size. I love my new pillow and it sets proudly on a wicker chair on the landing of my staircase. The only problem? Everytime I pass it, I want sushi!

chalkboard makeover

We use the chalkboard in my kitchen all the time. It's the only way we can seem to keep track of what we need at the grocery. Every time we use the last of something, it goes on the list. Such a simple system, but it makes a huge difference in staying organized. Of course, there's always a joker. Whenever my brother comes over he adds horrible things to the list, and I never see them until it's too late. Like the time he put "crack cocaine" on the list and I didn't realize it until AFTER the babysitter left. Nice.



I was kind of bored the way it looked though. It didn't really my match latest interest (cupcakes!), so I thought I would dress it up. I originally thought I would paint it, but then I got too lazy to get everything out, so I just pulled some scrapbook paper and glued! I'm super happy with it. I love that I can use some scrapbook paper that I really love in a way that allows me to look at it everyday.



Here are the supplies I used:

"Nana's Kitchen" Paper Stack by DCWV
Fiskars' "Threading Water" Border Punch (Probably my very favorite tool!)

let them eat cookies!

"Let them eat cookies!", Madame Alexander exclaimed, completely forgetting about what happened to her cousin Queen Marie Antoinette, and losing her arms. (At least it wasn't her head!)
I have been busy sewing these tiny French macaroon cookies. They are only about an inch in size! I think they look fairly realistic though. I've only made one package so far, so if you would like to purchase them, you will need to move quickly. I'll be "baking" more soon though! You can purchase them here.

The Only Step You Have to Worry About is the First

My latest newsletter just went out today. I talk about procrastination when it comes to creating your artistic business. Here's a bit of the main article:

Too many people put their dreams on hold because they think they have to have EVERYTHING in order before they can begin. Websites need to be up, business cards made, the list goes on and on. Then there's the time and money factors. Many of you have day jobs and/or limited resources. But how honest are you really being? What's really holding you back from working on your dream? Let's address a couple of your excuses and see if you can overcome them...

To read the rest of the article, click here.

i'm late

I know I said I would post my new goodies to the shop yesterday, but I was busy making an early St. Pat's day feast for my family. Soda bread, Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes, corned beef and cabbage. I was in the kitchen for hours! I was very pleased with how everything turned out though. In addition to cooking my heart out, I have been running about an hour behind in everything since the time change. I love it when we "fall back" an hour, but this "springing forward"...I'm getting too old for that!
I did get my butt in gear this morning though and have listed the rest of Spring creations to the shop. You can check everything out here. Tell me what you think.

about the shop update

I've posted some prints in my shop today and my full Easter collection will up tomorrow. It's been ages since I have added anything to the Etsy shop that was crafty. Here's a taste of the prints. I love the frames!
I do have a question though. For some of my Easter items, I'm debating if I should list them on Etsy or Lollishops. The style of the new line is very much in keeping with the Lollishop look, but I'm not sure if I should go there or list on Etsy. Here's a sneak peek of one of the items. What do you think? Where do you shop more? Etsy or Lollishops?

Flower Soft

I've been playing with a new product I discovered at CHA in January. It's called Flower Soft and with it, you can create the cutest, cottage-style, three dimensional look. It's so easy to use too. Just glue and sprinkle and you have a unique effect I haven't seen anywhere else. I decided to play with the product and here's what I came up.

I have seen variations of these paper bag houses/gift bags all over the web lately. It inspired me to take it one step further and I created a little flower shop out of a pink bag I had laying around. Don't the flowers look almost real? I'm thinking this bag would be great to tuck a little packet of seeds in, along with some gardening gloves, for your favorite gardener.

Egg cozies. I feel so British! Seriously though, it brings back fantastic memories from my childhood. Whenever we stayed at my grandmother's house, she would always make us "egg in an egg cup" (aka soft boiled eggs). We loved dipping our long, buttery strips of toast into the rich yolk. I have a small collection of egg cups because of that memory and now I'm on a kick making egg cozies. They are super easy to sew and are the perfect surprise for Easter morning. After adding the Flower Soft flowers to this cozy, I was thinking it would be great on a tray for breakfast in bed for Mom on Mother's Day.

To order Flower Soft products, visit their website at www.flower-soft.com.

(I've been busy all weekend creating my Spring & Easter collection for my Etsy Shop! Come back tomorrow for the unveiling!)

where i create

Hmmmm...what to write today? Want to see my studio? It's a spare bedroom. It used to be the guest room. I don't like the wall color or the lack of organization, but I'm lucky to have a whole room to myself. The other stuff will get fixed eventually. My mom was over doing a photo with me yesterday and these are some of the pictures that came out of it. She's a pretty good photographer, no? The photo shoot was for something cool that I'll share with you later. It's pretty exciting though!

queen of cupcakes

While I was suffering through my creative block last month, I tried to work in my visual journal. When I'm really stuck, the freedom of working in my journal sometimes helps. There's something about working in a book that is designated to be messy and free. I know that I can choose whether I show the work in this book or not. It's for me-with no rules. This page was inspired by Somerset Studio's article on Danita. Her paintings are darling.

Speaking of Somerset Studio, I was in the latest issue! I have two paper dolls featured in the March/April 2009 issue. The entire issue is dedicated to paper dolls and you know how feel about that. Run out and get yourself a copy! I have to say I was really thrilled to be included in Somerset Studio. I have been featured in other Somerset publications, but Somerset Studio was the first altered art magazine I ever picked up and it influenced my early creative journey immensely. I got my first copy about two years ago and it's unbelievable to me that I now have artwork featured in it. I guess what I'm trying to say is you can live your dreams. You just have to believe, add a little elbow grease and trust that it will happen.

ink & threads

I'm a woman possessed. Obsessed. I'm embroidering anything that doesn't move. Miss Muse has returned from her travels, sewing basket in hand. Textiles and sewing haven't interested me in a long time. The last time I embroidered anything I was about 10 years old and let's just say that was a LONG time ago. I do know that I loved it so much as a child that I briefly had to wear glasses because I was embroidering and reading so much that I was causing eye strain and gave myself headaches. But I'm not happy doing anyone else's patterns. I'm leafing through my journals and my sketchbooks, finding images to trace onto muslin and embroider. The tofu bowl was my first try at embroidery this week. It's the first thing I've embroidered since childhood, so it's a bit messy, but I do love it so. It makes me happy to look at it. Maybe I'm just glad Miss Muse is back. Want to see the book that I'm using to learn basic stitches? Click here.

Now, what to do with this embellished scraps? Pillows, fabric journal covers? Who knows where this will take me...