"The boiling frog story is a widespread anecdote describing a frog slowly being boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability of people to react to significant changes that occur gradually. According to contemporary biologists the premise of the story is not literally true; a frog submerged and gradually heated will jump out.... The boiling frog story is generally told in a metaphorical context, with the upshot being that people should make themselves aware of gradual change lest they suffer eventual undesirable consequences. This may be in support of a slippery slope argument. It is also used in business to illustrate the idea that change needs to be gradual to be accepted." source: wikipedia
so (maybe?) right now you're wondering if i'm going to tell you that i've knitted a frog, sewn some fantastically strange kitchen device, or perhaps discovered a new way to boil water... well, sorry folks, but no (or not yet, at least).
last night i sat on my front porch and watched my six-year-old ride her bicycle up and down the sidewalk. across the street. i repeat: across. the. street. she was so excited to be off on her own, but still she stopped every few minutes to wave. and, even once, kinda ran into a pole because she was more focused on waving than stopping the bike. i just kept thinking, "how is it that i feel like my heart and soul are cruising down the sidewalk on a pink bike when i'm sitting here? how is this possible? when did she learn how to ride a bike? when did she learn how to run? to walk? to be all the way across the street without me?" and i knew that this was one of those moments you hold on to, look back on, make comparisons to, and a moment i would not trade for anything in the world.
and i felt like the proverbial boiling frog. life goes by so fast, and yet these changes in our world can be so gradual that you just sit on your porch one day and wonder how the last six years have come to this, a pink bicycle, the flash of blond hair, long legs pedaling, a sweet wave and a smile. across the street.
as luck would have it, the nature of these moments is something i've been giving a little extra thought to as of late... specifically, am i spending my time in a way that allows me to experience as many of these kinds of moments as possible? am i making choices that help me enjoy my life and those around me? and, am i recognizing and remembering to savor these moments?
life is kind of like a sewing pattern, really. you take all of these pieces, these segments of your life and those you love, and you put them together. you decide what needs a little trimming, where it needs a little taking in, what part of the pattern you absolutely can't live without, and you create something new. it doesn't always turn out exactly the way you want, patience usually pays off, and you pretty much always learn something you can use next time. sometimes you start a project and it just doesn't compel you to finish, whereas other times you could stay up all night getting it just right. when you trust your gut and you put your whole heart into it, you end up with something fabulous.
i've been on a bit of a personal crusade this summer to broaden my sewing horizons, to challenge myself and learn new skills, to tackle projects that i never would have considered previously. i have loved every minute of it. but what i have loved best is that fact that i have created so many things for people i love, for people who inspire me, and things that i hope will inspire others. i have followed projects of other moms and sewists, and i have been inspired by them to create. i have hoped that i might someday be able to do that for others. throughout this, my personal sewing journey has completely eclipsed my interest in making and selling things.
last weekend, i made skirts for our two lovely daughters. after finishing up the first skirt, i was so excited to have our three-year-old try it on, but nervous too. i wanted her to love it as much as i loved it for her. she put it on, exclaimed, "there's a pocket!" and refused to take it off until bedtime. i want more of those moments.
to this end, i have decided to focus on these aspects of creating which i have found i love so much. i have always maintained that whatever i do creatively, it needs to be fun. i want to enjoy what i'm doing; that's why i sew and craft in the first place. and for me, what i enjoy doing right now is sewing and creating for those i love and challenging the limits of what i think i am able to accomplish.
my intentions are to continue using this blog as a venue to share my ideas, my inspirations, and my creations. i will no longer be focusing on creating items to list in my etsy shop and selling my handmade goods. this isn't to say that, every once in a while, the itch to do so won't strike, but that will not be the goal.
i hope that you continue to join me along my crafty journey.
August 31, 2011
August 30, 2011
weekend projects for B
well, hello there, and happy tuesday! i'm having a bit of trouble getting into the swing of the work-week, so i thought i'd take a little look back at last weekend and share with you some of the craftiness that was happening around here...
i devoted most of my cratfy time last weekend to sewing up some new skirts and a pair of leggings for our little one. at three, she is fascinated by my sewing machine and loves to "help." saturday morning i cut some leggings out of this fantastic ruffled fabric i got at sewn studio (where else?) while she practiced using her scissors on the scraps. after trying on the leggings and proclaiming them "pink," we took a cartoon break.
on sunday we worked on skirts. i wanted to throw together a few that were fairly simple construction-wise, but that could be added to or changed rather easily so that we didn't end up with a whole wardrobe that looks the same.
for B's first skirt, i (finally) cut into some of my children at play fabrics... i used a 25" x 12" piece of balloon in aqua and a 5.5" x 11" piece of the on parade border. add in half a yard of elastic and some bias tape i had lying around and this skirt was beyond simnple. i like that the shape of the skirt is less full than little girls' skirts typically are. B likes that there's a pocket... though she did ask where the *other* pocket is :) of course, once i let her try on the skirt, it was bedtime before i managed to get it back and my pics are a little wrinkly.
note: if you're as enamoured with this fabric collection as i am, you might want to browse the Sarah Jane: Children at Play flickr group.
for B's second skirt, i used some of the birch cotton organic fabrics i've been hoarding for a while now. i wanted this skirt to be a bit fuller, and i had already cut the main print to 25" wide, so i decided it would be a good time to dig into some scraps and whip up a little improv pieced section to add in on the front of the skirt. i threw in some tufted tweets and some polka dots and stripes for the insert, and then sewed a band of the tufted tweets birdie dot in sorbet to the bottom of the skirt instead of hemming. i am super happy with how it came out, though i must admit that B's favorite is still the first version (but really, how could i compete with bunnies and balloons??). i got her to try this one on for about ten seconds and she wanted her "pocket skirt" back! oh, and birch has a group on flickr too.
in between all of this cuteness, i did manage to put finishing touches on a few other projects that have been in the works... satin binding on a minky blanket, elastic casing on the second pair of baby pants for a SUPER cute set of twin boys. oh, and of course i had to start on some skirts for K as well.
happy crafting!
i devoted most of my cratfy time last weekend to sewing up some new skirts and a pair of leggings for our little one. at three, she is fascinated by my sewing machine and loves to "help." saturday morning i cut some leggings out of this fantastic ruffled fabric i got at sewn studio (where else?) while she practiced using her scissors on the scraps. after trying on the leggings and proclaiming them "pink," we took a cartoon break.
on sunday we worked on skirts. i wanted to throw together a few that were fairly simple construction-wise, but that could be added to or changed rather easily so that we didn't end up with a whole wardrobe that looks the same.
for B's first skirt, i (finally) cut into some of my children at play fabrics... i used a 25" x 12" piece of balloon in aqua and a 5.5" x 11" piece of the on parade border. add in half a yard of elastic and some bias tape i had lying around and this skirt was beyond simnple. i like that the shape of the skirt is less full than little girls' skirts typically are. B likes that there's a pocket... though she did ask where the *other* pocket is :) of course, once i let her try on the skirt, it was bedtime before i managed to get it back and my pics are a little wrinkly.
note: if you're as enamoured with this fabric collection as i am, you might want to browse the Sarah Jane: Children at Play flickr group.
for B's second skirt, i used some of the birch cotton organic fabrics i've been hoarding for a while now. i wanted this skirt to be a bit fuller, and i had already cut the main print to 25" wide, so i decided it would be a good time to dig into some scraps and whip up a little improv pieced section to add in on the front of the skirt. i threw in some tufted tweets and some polka dots and stripes for the insert, and then sewed a band of the tufted tweets birdie dot in sorbet to the bottom of the skirt instead of hemming. i am super happy with how it came out, though i must admit that B's favorite is still the first version (but really, how could i compete with bunnies and balloons??). i got her to try this one on for about ten seconds and she wanted her "pocket skirt" back! oh, and birch has a group on flickr too.
in between all of this cuteness, i did manage to put finishing touches on a few other projects that have been in the works... satin binding on a minky blanket, elastic casing on the second pair of baby pants for a SUPER cute set of twin boys. oh, and of course i had to start on some skirts for K as well.
happy crafting!
August 23, 2011
sewing with laminates
it is with great pride that i announce to you today, "i have conquered a new sewing hurdle!!" ok, well, i can't claim to be any kind of expert, but i did actually complete a backpack out of laminate. woot! and, just for that extra little something... i even used piping. i'll admit that i had all but decided to skip the piping, but something just told me to go for it and i'm so glad i did. it really looks fantastic and just gives the bag a smart, finished look.
before embarking on my laminate-sewing-project, i did a fair amount of googling for tips about how to sew with the material. i found lots of great ideas (kinda spread out all over), and even a few contradictory ideas, so i thought i'd share with you some of what was helpful (after the jump).
but first, some pics of the bag :)
for the exterior, i used Anna Maria Horner's Summer Totem Tart (in laminate, obv) from the Loulouthi collection. the minute i decided to make the backpack, i had my heart set on this fabric. thankfully, Stephanie at sewn studio was nice enough to save the last 32" in the shop for me. (side-note: if you live in the area and you haven't checked this place out yet, i can't imagine what you're waiting for! SO lovely.) and ever her mama's girl, K was in love with the fabric the second she saw it as well.
before embarking on my laminate-sewing-project, i did a fair amount of googling for tips about how to sew with the material. i found lots of great ideas (kinda spread out all over), and even a few contradictory ideas, so i thought i'd share with you some of what was helpful (after the jump).
but first, some pics of the bag :)
for the exterior, i used Anna Maria Horner's Summer Totem Tart (in laminate, obv) from the Loulouthi collection. the minute i decided to make the backpack, i had my heart set on this fabric. thankfully, Stephanie at sewn studio was nice enough to save the last 32" in the shop for me. (side-note: if you live in the area and you haven't checked this place out yet, i can't imagine what you're waiting for! SO lovely.) and ever her mama's girl, K was in love with the fabric the second she saw it as well.
August 20, 2011
abby cadabby... in action
the girlies rifling through costumes in the basement tell me that halloween is coming up again. (and do your children's costume decisions change every three days too?) so, i thought it was about time that i share some pics of the abby cadabby costume i created last october (tutorial here)... i think we can all agree that Meg looks quite adorable :) and *bonus* she even got a visit from some of her Sesame Street friends!
happy halloween crafting! it'll be here before we know it!
August 19, 2011
quilt designing in excel?
well, sometimes you really do have to just "make it work." i've the the idea of what type of quilt i want to make floating around in my head for some time, and even went so far as to blog about my ideas last week. i keep meaning to actually measure and sketch it out in some super fantastic designer-ey way, but during a little down time today i thought to myself, "a-ha! excel makes little squares like graph paper..." *insert flashing light bulb here* and there was no turning back.
i just adjusted the columns and rows to the same size, spent a bunch of time fussing with the shapes, and then made two versions - one with the seam lines and one without. please excuse the photo quality as i totally took the saddest shortcuts ever in converting the spreadsheets to photos.
in my head, i feel like this design is totally do-able (keeping in mind that i have never made a full-size quilt). maybe i'll eventually get started on on it and i suppose we'll find out.
as always, feel free to send any tips my way!
i just adjusted the columns and rows to the same size, spent a bunch of time fussing with the shapes, and then made two versions - one with the seam lines and one without. please excuse the photo quality as i totally took the saddest shortcuts ever in converting the spreadsheets to photos.
as always, feel free to send any tips my way!
August 18, 2011
imagine gnats tags
when i first started selling hand-sewn items, i knew i wanted to have some kind of tags that could be sewn into the items, but my budget for those types of items wasn't exactly large. i was lucky enough to come across Remember Wynn's etsy site and i fell in love with Angie's custom tags. she offers laser engraving, and specializes in helping small businesses, organizations, bands, and stay-at-home-moms customize and promote their business and products with reasonable prices, a fantastic product, and no large minimums required
after i emailed her some questions about the tags, Angie responded right away with a proof of my very own tags, complete with my adorable little girl logo. i ordered the faux suede labels in two colors each of two sizes and have been incredibly happy with them.
recently, Angie offered a contest on her facebook page to win an order of laser engraved bamboo hangtags... and i won!! and actually, her post about it was rather amusing:
Put everyone who liked the contest in a bowl and asked hubby to do me a favor- told him to pick a piece of paper, he picked one out and
I said "imagine gnats"
him "what's that?"
me "the winner of the contest"
him "okay, but who was the winner?"
me "imagine gnats"
him "but who won?" Yeah, it was like the whole "who's on first?" bit! Congratulations imagine gnats ! You are the winner!
fast-forward a week and here's what i got in the mail!!
the bamboo hangtags are made out of repurposed bamboo blinds (cool!), and i had a choice of the colors shown above on the right for my prize. i haven't quite decided what i'll use my tags for, but i'm sure it'll be fab :)
big thanks to Angie and Remember Wynn for your fantastic customer service, superior product, and commitment to helping support the "little guy."
note: i was not compensated in any way for this post... i just think these tags are awesome and wanted to share.
after i emailed her some questions about the tags, Angie responded right away with a proof of my very own tags, complete with my adorable little girl logo. i ordered the faux suede labels in two colors each of two sizes and have been incredibly happy with them.
also, i've found that customers have really responded to the tags... recently i even did a custom order where the customer wanted to make sure that one of the tags would be included and offered to pay extra for it (very sweet, but no extra charge for that)!
Put everyone who liked the contest in a bowl and asked hubby to do me a favor- told him to pick a piece of paper, he picked one out and
I said "imagine gnats"
him "what's that?"
me "the winner of the contest"
him "okay, but who was the winner?"
me "imagine gnats"
him "but who won?" Yeah, it was like the whole "who's on first?" bit! Congratulations imagine gnats ! You are the winner!
fast-forward a week and here's what i got in the mail!!
big thanks to Angie and Remember Wynn for your fantastic customer service, superior product, and commitment to helping support the "little guy."
note: i was not compensated in any way for this post... i just think these tags are awesome and wanted to share.
August 13, 2011
inspirations and ideas
i thought i'd share a few inspirations that are swirling through my head at the moment...
i've been staring at these pieces (and more) of little folks voile from anna maria horner, and thinking about making my first full-size quilt. to help gather my ideas, i've been reading The Practical Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman, which has some great tips and ideas. there are actually two quilt backs in the book that are similar to what i'd like to do
this one for the actual back:
my only problem is that for those two stripes, i'd like the pieces in them to be different heights/widths... so i'm thinking that what this would require is basically making more complex strips that would have the background fabric on either side of the patterned pieces and then using all of those to make the stripes. and then i think to myself, "hey, you've never made a full sized quilt before. is this really the time to be making your own pattern for something so big?" hmmm.... *note* suggestions and helpful hints welcome!
and then i see this quilt by Kevin Kosbab is featured in the fall edition of stitch magazine. i'm loving the free-form geometry, angular piecing and free-form quilting. after much debate, i've decided this look is probably not quite right for the fabrics i have in mind, so... second quilt to add to the list?
these two lisette patterns (from simplicity) are making it hard for me to decide what dress i'd like to make for myself... though i suppose the fact that i've been trying to decide all summer and haven't even started perhaps means that i should aim for more of a fall/winter look. or aim to finish by next summer?
i have a floral fabric (see here) that i've had in mind for my dress and i picked up some mustard yellow linen that i thought might make a nice accent. blah blah blah... i guess i'll get this all figured out eventually! (fyi... lisette actually has a pretty cute line of fabrics as well, and now even some kiddos patterns)
what else? .... oh, too many things; we'll save them for another day.
happy crafting!
i've been staring at these pieces (and more) of little folks voile from anna maria horner, and thinking about making my first full-size quilt. to help gather my ideas, i've been reading The Practical Guide to Patchwork by Elizabeth Hartman, which has some great tips and ideas. there are actually two quilt backs in the book that are similar to what i'd like to do
this one for the actual back:
and a version of this for the front:
and then i see this quilt by Kevin Kosbab is featured in the fall edition of stitch magazine. i'm loving the free-form geometry, angular piecing and free-form quilting. after much debate, i've decided this look is probably not quite right for the fabrics i have in mind, so... second quilt to add to the list?
i have a floral fabric (see here) that i've had in mind for my dress and i picked up some mustard yellow linen that i thought might make a nice accent. blah blah blah... i guess i'll get this all figured out eventually! (fyi... lisette actually has a pretty cute line of fabrics as well, and now even some kiddos patterns)
what else? .... oh, too many things; we'll save them for another day.
happy crafting!
August 11, 2011
one dozen dollies
that's right... one dozen! as i mentioned before, i've been working on a little collaboration with loveworn to create dolls made out of reclaimed t-shirts. aside from the stuffing and thread, these dolls are completely made out of t-shirts, including arms, legs, bodies, faces, and even hair! for a little extra something, i (finally) whipped up some boy dolls too. with ties :) as much as i hated to hand them all over to someone else, i know they're in good hands. and hopefully they'll be finding new homes in the Chicago area as they'll be traveling to the Northalstead Market Days this upcoming weekend.
so, here's a little sample... and for more pics you can check out my one dozen dollies set on flickr.
be well, my dolly friends!
so, here's a little sample... and for more pics you can check out my one dozen dollies set on flickr.
be well, my dolly friends!
August 3, 2011
designing out loud
i love that moment when you realize that inspiration is looking you in the eye. i find my inspiration in as many forms as i have senses... a look, a smell, a feeling. but i always recognize it best when i am able to be truly present in the design process, which (for me) usually means not getting hung up on little details, trusting my gut, and letting the ideas guide me instead of the other way around.
over the last few months, i have specifically chosen projects that would challenge me and help me grow creatively. in addition to adopting new construction and finishing techniques, i have found that my design process has grown as well. the first step for me was a dramatic slowing down, which allowed me to take time to analyze each step and make deliberate choices for even the smallest details. the sad news is that i can no longer honestly describe my sewing and design process as a "mad scientist" approach, what with all of the consideration and planning and preparedness. the upside is that when you are a little more patient and careful about things, it's much less likely that you'll waste a few yards of wonderful but now out of print fabric b/c your plan had some fatal flaw; i (and my wallet) can take comfort in that at least.
so, what's my point? that creative pursuits are most successful when you are patient, when you are careful, when you are deliberate, and when you trust yourself. and (as if that weren't enough)... so is life.
for me, this also means taking time to fully explore ideas before committing to a concept. it means spending time, sometimes weeks, thinking through a design. it means finding examples, making sketches, and using the right words... it means that if i can't explain and/or show what i am trying to accomplish, how can i expect to make it? kind of like the creative version of practical steps to achieving your goals.
i have lately been inspired by the fantastic new line of fabrics from Sarah Jane Studios that i shared a peek of yesterday (meadow and playhouse groups shown below). when i saw the balloon print in aqua, i just knew i had to make something out of this for our three-year-old, Brenna, a sweet little strawberry-blond girlie herself who loves bunnies and balloons. how perfect!
after working through some commercial patterns lately, i've reached a point where i feel comfortable incorporating some of my own design components into existing patterns, mixing different pattern pieces together, and ending up with sort of a piecemeal approach to formulating my own version of existing patterns. (the hope is to eventually reach a point where i can completely draft my own patterns. baby steps.)
so, here's where i am right now:
thoughts/suggestions/ideas? hey, let me know! i love to hear from you.
and i leave you with this quote... and, yes, i acknowledge that it sums up basically this entire post in one sentence. welcome to my life...
"the space between a design and a concept is your lips. if you can't say it out loud, you can't do it." - Nick Longo
over the last few months, i have specifically chosen projects that would challenge me and help me grow creatively. in addition to adopting new construction and finishing techniques, i have found that my design process has grown as well. the first step for me was a dramatic slowing down, which allowed me to take time to analyze each step and make deliberate choices for even the smallest details. the sad news is that i can no longer honestly describe my sewing and design process as a "mad scientist" approach, what with all of the consideration and planning and preparedness. the upside is that when you are a little more patient and careful about things, it's much less likely that you'll waste a few yards of wonderful but now out of print fabric b/c your plan had some fatal flaw; i (and my wallet) can take comfort in that at least.
so, what's my point? that creative pursuits are most successful when you are patient, when you are careful, when you are deliberate, and when you trust yourself. and (as if that weren't enough)... so is life.
for me, this also means taking time to fully explore ideas before committing to a concept. it means spending time, sometimes weeks, thinking through a design. it means finding examples, making sketches, and using the right words... it means that if i can't explain and/or show what i am trying to accomplish, how can i expect to make it? kind of like the creative version of practical steps to achieving your goals.
i have lately been inspired by the fantastic new line of fabrics from Sarah Jane Studios that i shared a peek of yesterday (meadow and playhouse groups shown below). when i saw the balloon print in aqua, i just knew i had to make something out of this for our three-year-old, Brenna, a sweet little strawberry-blond girlie herself who loves bunnies and balloons. how perfect!
after going back and forth on what prints to mix with the balloons, i saw some amazing images of the on parade print and my mind was set. i also picked up a little of the wallpaper flowers in pink, and set about deciding how to put it all together.
so, here's where i am right now:
and i leave you with this quote... and, yes, i acknowledge that it sums up basically this entire post in one sentence. welcome to my life...
"the space between a design and a concept is your lips. if you can't say it out loud, you can't do it." - Nick Longo
August 2, 2011
baby sun caps
*warning* cuteness overload!!
as i mentioned earlier, i based the pattern on a Prudent Baby tutorial. i lengthened the brim on the front of the hat and edited the side brim to match up. the added bonus here is that if there is a lot of sun behind you, the hat could actually be turned around and the lengthened brim would provide additional protection for the neck. i added straps with multiple snaps for ease of adjustment and fit. and they're still reversible... on one side, the strap is visible over the brim. i wasn't sure if that would work, but i actually really like how it looks. (the cute little elephants on the straps don't hurt!)
for the snaps, it was my first time using non-sew-on snaps (hate those). i used dritz snap fasteners... no special tools required. you just place the pronged back side of snap on the wrong side of fabric, push through, place snap over prongs, and hammer gently. voila! snap. i was surprised with how simple it was (not to mention how much better it looks than when i sew on a snap).
now we just await the birth of the little guys so we can see these hats on their cutie pie little heads :)
big thanks to baby barbara for donating her time to model the hats. she's a trooper!
as i mentioned earlier, i based the pattern on a Prudent Baby tutorial. i lengthened the brim on the front of the hat and edited the side brim to match up. the added bonus here is that if there is a lot of sun behind you, the hat could actually be turned around and the lengthened brim would provide additional protection for the neck. i added straps with multiple snaps for ease of adjustment and fit. and they're still reversible... on one side, the strap is visible over the brim. i wasn't sure if that would work, but i actually really like how it looks. (the cute little elephants on the straps don't hurt!)
 |
| hat #1 |
 |
| hat #2 |
big thanks to baby barbara for donating her time to model the hats. she's a trooper!
random goings-on
happy tuesday, all! just a few updates in the imagine gnats world... a few projects in the works and a few more floating around in my head, slowly taking shape and distracting me from other things i should probably be focusing on ;)
at the top of my list right now is my largest undertaking to date. the mission: 20 dolls. (twenty!) a few weeks ago, i had the privelege to sit down with B.J. McHugh of Loveworn to talk about a collaboration involving her focus on finding fashionable ways to reuse materials and the captivating imagine gnats dollies. let me just take a moment to say that meeting a fellow crafter with such vision and a creative spirit is always a great experience, and chatting with B.J. was inspirational. the fact that she admires my work is just icing on the cake. the dollies will be making their debut at the Northalsted Market Days in less than two weeks, so if you're in the area, check it out!
in the meantime, here's a view of what used to be my living room:
next on the list is some sun caps for two little boys who could be arriving any day. you may remember this snapshot of two beautiful brides and their nephew (complete with imagine gnats ring bearer dino)... well, now they have their very own twins on the way and i couldn't be more excited to still be a crafty part of their life and growing family. based on Prudent Baby's Reversible 40's Inspired Sun Cap, i've been working on coordinating caps for the little guys and so far the results are nothing short of adorable. for the main prints, we chose the green and soft yellow tip top elephants by daiwabo, which will be accented with orange circles and multi-color chevron (chevron IS the new black, you know). so you can expect to see some shots of those soon.
in other news, i had my first blog interview last week with Jessica of Sewn Studio, a fabulous fabric shop right here in Cincinnati. not only has Sewn been a great resource for purchasing fabric locally, but the staff and patrons of the shop have promoted a feeling of community that is creative, supportive, and inspiring. (and check out Jessica's blog, a little gray, to follow along with the oliver + s sew-along.)
last thing for today: fabric! boy, oh boy, have there been some amazing collections released recently. i can't even decide where to start with all of the snippets of new collections i've started acquiring... so that's a list for another day. i'll leave you with an idea from Sarah Jane Studios, and a glimpse of the "on parade" fabric that i've been drooling over.
at the top of my list right now is my largest undertaking to date. the mission: 20 dolls. (twenty!) a few weeks ago, i had the privelege to sit down with B.J. McHugh of Loveworn to talk about a collaboration involving her focus on finding fashionable ways to reuse materials and the captivating imagine gnats dollies. let me just take a moment to say that meeting a fellow crafter with such vision and a creative spirit is always a great experience, and chatting with B.J. was inspirational. the fact that she admires my work is just icing on the cake. the dollies will be making their debut at the Northalsted Market Days in less than two weeks, so if you're in the area, check it out!
in the meantime, here's a view of what used to be my living room:
next on the list is some sun caps for two little boys who could be arriving any day. you may remember this snapshot of two beautiful brides and their nephew (complete with imagine gnats ring bearer dino)... well, now they have their very own twins on the way and i couldn't be more excited to still be a crafty part of their life and growing family. based on Prudent Baby's Reversible 40's Inspired Sun Cap, i've been working on coordinating caps for the little guys and so far the results are nothing short of adorable. for the main prints, we chose the green and soft yellow tip top elephants by daiwabo, which will be accented with orange circles and multi-color chevron (chevron IS the new black, you know). so you can expect to see some shots of those soon.
in other news, i had my first blog interview last week with Jessica of Sewn Studio, a fabulous fabric shop right here in Cincinnati. not only has Sewn been a great resource for purchasing fabric locally, but the staff and patrons of the shop have promoted a feeling of community that is creative, supportive, and inspiring. (and check out Jessica's blog, a little gray, to follow along with the oliver + s sew-along.)
last thing for today: fabric! boy, oh boy, have there been some amazing collections released recently. i can't even decide where to start with all of the snippets of new collections i've started acquiring... so that's a list for another day. i'll leave you with an idea from Sarah Jane Studios, and a glimpse of the "on parade" fabric that i've been drooling over.
enjoy!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
LinkWithin
