Summer is My Best Friend

Good times, good times all around.

You're Such a Tease

In the great Northwest, we've had really nice weather for the past couple weeks. So nice that we've hung our winter jackets in the closet. Spring fever has gloriously been declared and we feel great! What we are forgetting, sadly, is that it's only February, and the weather is really just giving us it's annual tease. Weather, you ass hole. You're so mean! Can't you stay nice?

My dear readers might be wondering where I've been. I haven't been the craftiest girl lately. I've been busy teaching violin and doing graphic design for Girls Inc, both which seem to be picking up, so that's a good thing. But I still dream of having endless hours to sew together beautiful fabrics, knit and sew wristies, an ipod sock... I have a list of things to make as usual. My band has been playing a lot, which is nice because we only have a few more shows to cherish until who knows what happens.

Did you notice what won Best Song last night at the Oscars? The cutest song in the world. It's called "Falling Slowly" and sung by Guy and Girl in the movie Once. I was so excited! Ziegy and I watched it happen and we cheered as though our hometeam had just won the superbowl or something. Yay for good feelings!

Melt-in-your-Mouth Movie

I think I found a movie that I will never return to Netflix. Ever. Once is a movie that everyone I love and care about should see (and yes, that means you). It's is a little love story set in Dublin, Ireland that is all about music. The characters are "Guy" and "Girl." It's humble and simple, one of the lowest-budget films of all time. It has an overwhelming sweetness that will make you feel all la-li-la afterward and it's nominated for an Oscar for "cutest movie ever according to Ellie."

But I don't love it just for the story. It's the music that makes me feel melty-gooo. "Guy" is the lead singer for one of my favorite bands, The Frames, and their music makes up most of the soundtrack. I discovered The Frames about a year ago when I landed at a show at the Showbox in Seattle and was immersed with a full-on sensory experience. Immediatley thereafter, I was often found wailing their songs when no one was around. I'm an even bigger Frame-oholic now and having a love affair with my new iPod because of the music in Once. Check it out! It is on your nearest new release shelf.

...Sew!

The moment has arrived for me to reveal the completed project, a set of coasters. I sewed them from a pattern out of the book by my newest love, Denyse Schmidt.

They are a late wedding present for my friend and former bandmate, Zoë.

Watching the design progress was a thrill (as you experienced from the pictures), but actually sewing them wasn't all that fun because of the small, oddly shaped pieces. Matching up all of those acute and obtuse angles so no piece protruded above is kind of a pain for someone who is a little spacially challenged. But I love them, despite having to use that darn seam ripper so much.

I love them and I wish I could keep them. But I also find that taking a picture of something and then giving it away as a gift is more fun than hogging them. Finally, at 29, I'm learning to share the love.

Thanks to Jody at Javajem for the help and inspiration on the coasters.

While I continue to love to sew with the beautiful woven cottons, I have something very different that I'm sewing now and I can't wait to flash them at you soon. One hint: Violin in the winter.

...to...

...Love...

I...

More Graphic Design

Check out this logo that I finished awhile ago for Molly and Ashley's new naturopathic clinic. I think it's so perfect for them, with elements from nature, the friendly font just like their writing, and with a little Nikki McClure twist to the artwork.

Help. I'm a Craftoholic.

Every now and then, I have to battle reality and face my craftoholicism. I'm forced to delicately balance my craft addiction with my desire to be a self-supporting, functional adult who works and contributes to society. It's such a struggle! I mean, is there really more to life than crafting? You mean to tell me crafting isn't what life is all about? I know there is work to do, but don't you think my time is better spent sewing??? thanks, I thought so. Who needs work. (Zieg, I'm just kidding. Thank you for being so supportive of my crafting.)

BOO!

It seems Halloween is losing it's charm for kids. Kids can't wear their costumes to school, a lot of kids don't get to go trick-or-treating, and some go in *gasp* shopping malls. What is going on here?

I was a priveledged trick-or-treater. Year after year, a whole gaggle of kids from my street would go in big, jolly herd. With pride, we'd tackle a huge span of our residential south Minneapolis neighborhood. When we got old enough for no parents, the fun was practically off the hook. Those were great times.

But let's face it. The real reason for this Halloween post is to brag about my brilliant costume ideas as a crafty grown up.


A few years ago I was a string bass. The scroll was made out of floam on a stick which sat in a plastic bottle inside my hair. I used a colorful scarf as the fingerboard, shimmery ribbon for strings, and sewed big fabric f-holes onto my dress. Cool, yes, but that costume took way too much time to make!

Another year I was a rotten strawberry. I took an old strawberry costume that I made and put blobs of cotton and and green scouring sponge all over it for mold. Much easier.


This year's costume was conceived and created in about 2 seconds. Ziegy was the floor of a movie theater and I was a mop. He glued a bunch of candy and popcorn to his shirt. I put a paper towel roll on my head and strips of white felt around my waist. It was all made with just a hot glue gun and elastic. My goal this year was to not let my costume cause me any stress. I did well! Go ahead, steal my ideas for next year... I don't mind. :)