The Importance of Thrift Store Shopping

We're going to take a quick break from the usual stuff to discuss something that's been on my mind recently. It seems to me that all of these fads, crafting included, go in cycles. This is perfectly alright and natural, because there's nothing new under the sun. Sure, there may be a different interpretation of the original idea, but I'm sure Homo erectus pretty much got the entirety of the world down pat as far as story telling, clothing...not sciences, of course, since the world used to be flat.

I'm rambling.

The point is, there are so many resources available to our generation. We're becomming adults in a world that's losing its dependence on fossil fuels, we can travel into space as tourists, and everyday there seems to be some giant improvement to the world.

This is all wonderful, but does that mean that we should disregard anything that's a little aged? The thrift stores in my area are always filled with books on crafting, huge bolts of fabric, odds and ends for every hobby, and they're great resources. It's discouraging and very sad to hear people my age dismiss thrift stores because they sell 'old' or 'dated' merchandise.

So, stop by your local Salvation Army and see what you find.

List of things I've found in a thrift/second hand store:

- Pierre Cardin yellow leather jacket
- Black Valentino cocktail dress
- 3 costumes
- A bonsai pot
- My patio furniture
- More books than I can count, including ones by contemporary authors

Carry Boo

Getting back to handmade cuteness, I recently stumbled upon CarryBOO!, a store that specializes in animal-shaped toys, accessories, pouches...and so on.

Run by Mary Bajika, CarryBOO! is one of those stores that you find and wish that you had found when you were looking to buy a new cover for your cellphone.

My personal favorite is the banana hammock (and by that I mean a banana-shaped pouch that you carry bananas in).

Look for another update tomorrow. I have some time between classes and I mean to make up for today's scrawny post.

Towel Folding 101

Ever had that day when you wake up, realize that life is sadly much less interesting than you originally thought it was, hide in the bathroom and fold towels all day? No? Maybe you should, except perhaps the part about life being boring.

In Towel Folding 101, by Deanna Campbell, the magical adventures of towel origami are opened up to the novice who may just be wondering what to do with the moss-colored towels Grandma sent them for Christmas that don't quite match anything but may just be the right color to bang out an alligator complete with pink, fuzzy tongue.

I think this post just serves to prove two points:
- Giving yourself an alias that encourages small, flightless reptiles to jump off buildings holding umbrellas is a bad, bad thing
- And, there is always an excuse to invite people you dislike to your house if you can scare them off with a 5-foot long hippopotamus in their bathtub. Never you mind it's made of cotton-rayon blend.

Regarding Virginia Tech

I'm sorry, but the blog will not be updated this week due to the chaos in my part of the world. Keep them in your prayers.

The New Crewel by Katherine Shaughnessy - Review

I found this book in Barnes and Noble the other day, and skimmed through it. The directions and designs are comprehensive, if you can get past the bad puns (Like, "It's a crewel world out there, but you can do it!")

The designs are pretty basic, and nothing that would win the creative art award of super-cool, but they go over all of the basic stitches taught in the book at least once, and are useful. I reccommend this book for anyone who wants to learn the modern embroidery technique known as crewel.

The book currently costs $10.17 on Amazon.com.

Mock U from Takara

Doesn't that just say it all?

Sorry about the posting! Wouldn't you know I got stuck in a hotel that had no wireless internet? There was, thankfully, wireless at the miniature golf center across the street, but I didn't figure that out until today. Tomorrow I'll be back home, though. Vacations. So stressful!

Generation T

Ah yes..Megan Nicolay's book that brought the media's eye to DIYers all over the world. Who couldn't love the all-inclusive, all-encompassing, and oh-so-easy to understand manual of T-shirt reconstruction that is Generation T? Megan Nicolay may not have started the reconstruction craze, but she certainly brought it to the next leve with her book, which contains 108 ways to spice up your favorite T-shit.

I really love this book, the only problem is my lack of T-shirts to play with. There are simply too many projects to take on with your normal wardrobe...the only way to make it work is to go on a shopping spree of indefinite proportions.

That being the only set back to buying this book, I really don't have much to complain about.

Some of the projects are, unfortunately, derivative, but the majority of them are interesting, and certainly not things I would think of myself - at least not without a pencil in hand and some serious fashion brainstorming. What I love about this book is that you don't have to be a super DIY goddess to have some fun with it. There are enough slashing/cutting projects to keep even the least talented of us occupied.

Generation T will run you 15 dollars, unless you take advantage of a super-nifty online discount or something. I, myself, used my B&N members discount. That thing is worth any and all spam email I may get because of it.

Hello Mango!

Aaaah, yarn. I love thee, yes I do. There's something romantic about a good skein of yarn, don't you agree? It's soft and supple, and ready to be shaped into whatever you desire! I love yarn.

Hello Mango, a yarn supplier in the UK, takes yarn to the next level with their awesome collection of hand-spun, hand-dyed, one-of-a-kind skeins. Most are priced below $20, but the prices are listed in Euros, so make sure to use your handy dandy currency converter (there's one connected to Yahoo! if you can't find one or are Google-challenged) if you plan on buying one internationally.

In other news, I've finally decided on a posting schedule. You'll get updates for sure every week on Tuesday, and most of the time Wednesday. Those seem to be my two least hectic days, so I'll be able to blog then.

Clotide's Sewing Savvy - May 2007

Well, this is one of those magazine issues that make me wonder why I bother getting subscriptions in the first place. There are some useful tutorials, and the basics they cover in the projects are nice, but they're not exactly inspirational. So here's what I saw:

- Pillow Trimmings; a really nice explanation of how you get the cord embellishments on the edges of pillows, and how to do it cleanly.
- Scarves with Pockets; convenient, pretty, but I wonder how practical they could be. Still, you could cut the pattern in half and use them for door hangers or something. I imagine they'd fit in lockers.
- Gone A-Maying; a woven cloth basket with flower embellishments, not particularly interesting, but still useful, if you want to learn to sew flowers. Although, in all honesty, it looks like more trouble than its worth.
- Sewing Machine Maintenance; a really, really useful article about how to keep your machine in tip top shape. This is great for newbies and those who don't understand all the technical jargon. Did you know that older machines may lose their programming memory if a magnet is near them? I didn't, but then, I have a newer model (the Sew Precise by Janome).

All in all, I'm not impressed with this issue. It's not all that interesting, but it has some solid, basic articles and FAQs to help you out. A lot of sewing machine care and basics are covered in this issue - it may just make up for all the flowers.

Ikea? Spoka, Spoka!

Forgive me, O God of Blogs, for I have sinned. As in, I haven't updated in all of a month. I wish I had an excuse. You know, my sewing machine rebeled against me and ate my foot, or something along those lines. Unfortunately, my sewing machine is very patient with this poor, untalented DIYer, so I can't hold anything against it.

But nevertheless!

Spoka is a cute nightlight made of rubber. I found him the other day in Ikea, while shopping for planters (I ended up buying a sofa cover, some cork squares, an orchid and two Spokas). Spoka is adorable, easy to plug in, and he lights up my entire room at night. Quite a surprise, considering the room I have him lighting up is the kitchen! He seems pretty child-proof (he was in the child section of Ikea, for heaven's sake) although I wouldn't reccommend throwing him off of any banisters. You turn him on and off by pressing down on the top of his head.

In addition to blue, Spoka also comes in red and green. Their heights vary as well, with red-Spoka being the tallest, and green-Spoka being the shortest.

New updates will come this week, including book reviews, magazine reviews, and something else! I'll think of it, I promise.

Pencil Shavings dot Net

I saw this picture, and my mouth dropped open.

I was cruising around cyberspace looking for some inspiration, and there it was!

Isn't it gorgeous?

I found this painting at Pencil Shavings the online art store of Kate Dolamore. She sells prints, stationary, paper goods, and 1'' buttons. All of her art is gorgeous, but there are a few exemplary pieces:

Vanora (Pictured above)

Amaryllis

Untitled with Owls

I really love this art. I may add this to my birthday wishlist!

Tea Leaf Sales

Oh dear, I've been lax with my blog posts. Recent events (like the snowstorm that pounded the East) are eating up my time. I've gotten some time to post now, though. Exciting. <3

I found this site linked off of Cotton Candy Vomit. It's cute and fun and has all sorts of goodies made with polymer clay, and I love handmade clay goodies. Tea Leaf Sales is a fun shop. What else can I say? I really like the accessories the best, especially the cellphone charms.

I have to admit, cellphone charms are my guilty pleasure.



Recently, I picked up a book about weaving, and another about teddy bear making. I hope to post about those in the future! Look out for them!

I may even begin to sell custom bears. (If I can get them looking half-decent, that is. :3)

Crochet World - April 2007

I just received the April edition of Crochet World. There are a few patterns of interest. The pattern of the month is "Critter PJ Bags," which are cute, worked with double crochet and rounds. I like the pig, the lion, the bear and the turtle (of course). The duck is just scary.

Other patterns are:

- "Parfait Cinch Belt," a short project worked in single crochet. Buttons are used, as is bulky yarn - probably why the pattern takes so little time.

- "Chocolate Cream," is a set of a top and tulip skirt, worked in single crochet and rounds. The pattern itself is complicated, thouogh the stiches are not, and the finished product is lovely. I would personally wear it - though maybe in different colors.

- "Bunny Seedlings," are another cute overdose. Right in time for Easter, you can "grow" baby bunnies out of a crocheted pot. The pattern is worked in single crochet and rounds, but you'll need to have stuffing, etc, to complete the bunnies.

- "Collared Poncho," I still love ponchos, though I can't wear them. This poncho comes with a hood attached, and it's very cute. The pattern is worked in single, double and slip stitches. You'll need to keep track of this pattern well, because it adds texture to the final product.

- "Dogwood Delight," one of those spring afghans. The pattern is very, very complicated, but I'm partial to dogwoods. It's worked in single, double, half-double crochet and rounds. The final product is an afghan with dogwood blossoms in the center of the squares.

- "Flowery Watchband," a watchband, as the title states, that is relatively easy to make. The pattern is worked in single crochet.

- "Flower Boxes Afghan," another afghan, slightly less complicated than the dogwood afghan. Granny squares are used, as are single, doduble crochet and slip stitch.

The Cute Book

I was in Barnes and Nobles yesterday, browsing through the gardening and craft sections, when I came across this adorable book. The Cute Book by Aranzi Aronzo and Anne Ishii features tutorials on how to make miniature plushie animals. My favorites were the frog, the bunny and the terrier.

The Cute Book is hardcover, and 48 pages long. It reminds me of the Dr. Seuss books I used to read when I was younger. The only downside to this book is that the original publication was in Japanese, and so the language reads a bit funny. The illustrations more than make up for it, though. They're very comprehensive and I was able to understand most of the instructions from the pictures alone.

Amazon lists The Cute Book for 10.36 USD, while Barnes and Noble had it in stock for 12.95 USD.

Jade Adornments

Alright.

How gorgeous is this?

I was just browsing through links today and I ran into this. Natasha Jade of Jade Adornments is most talented. Her work ranges from textile to beading, and all her creations are gorgeous. Some of my other favorites are the dragon fly, the schnozberry and the funky brooches.

Style Hive

Yes, I've hopped on the bandwagon and joined Style Hive. It's fun! It's sparkly! It called to my soul! My Style Hive is still pretty empty, but you should begin to see more items added shortly.

In the meantime, please enjoy this lovely tea product I've recently discovered.



Pom Tea!

Delicious pomegranate goodness in a reusable glass. I've already decided that it will be my china pattern.

Quick Crochet Huge Hooks - Sally Harding

Alright, I admit it. When I crochet, it's all about instant gratification. That's why I bought Sally Harding's Quick Crochet Huge Hooks. Harding also wrote Fast Knits Fat Needles for those knitters out there. The books are both brightly colored, and well-organized. I'm slightly mifffed by the fact that though Harding suggests that beginning crocheters use larger hooks so they can get a feel for the motions, her instructions are vague, confusing, and the pictures are difficult to follow. I swear, there was one illustration in a scarf pattern that had three arrows of different colors pointing every which way.

Comprehensive? I think not.

I would not reccommend picking this book up for a crash course in crochetting.

That said, of the 19 projects offered, I would only do 12. This may be because the pictures of the finished product are very 'artsy' and show the finished piece at bizarro angles, and I don't know what the finished products are supposed to look like. On the plus side, Harding offers alternative color and pattern selections within a certain piece. Several of the alternatives are easier or more attractive than the original. They're worth looking in to.

Harding is also enamored of using materials other than yarn. Bravo! Included in the book are tutorials covering topics like making your own pompoms, tassles and fringes, sewing on beads and buttons, making rag strips and making your own yarn. Harding also includes basic tutorials such as changing colors and keeping track of your rounds.

All in all, Harding's book is a good resource for novice to veteran crocheters who know what they're doing. For those of us who are just starting out, learn the basics from another book.

Speaking of Felt...

I know, I know - many of you already know about My Paper Crane. For those of you that don't, My Paper Crane is an online store that sells keychains, plush and art. I like it because of the subject of the work: all of Heidi's work is based off of baked goods, or other things found in kitchens - like burned toast! In all honesty, I think this place is adorable. Who wouldn't want to hug a plushie milk carton!?

In other news, I went antiquing yesterday in midwestern Maryland. It was quite an experience! The store was absolutely gigantic, and the cafe sold amazing Mexican food. I'd drive all the way out there to eat their tacos.

I ended up buying a llama plushie. She's not really a plushie, but a stick-llama fleshed out with real alpaca fur. I named her Lulu.

It makes me wonder if I should change my name to Ms. Flying Llama.

Felting

I recently read in Clotide's Sewing Savvy about a needle craft I hadn't heard of before. Felting, as it turns out, is a rather obscure hobby. I didn't find any results for it on Ebay. Thankfully, Amazon has quite a few books listed for interested crafters.

Felting is just what it sounds like: making felt. Take yarn, stab it into a piece of cloth a couple times with a needle in a nice pattern, and viola!

Felting can also be used to add interesting textures to knits (and crochets) as well as embellishments to clothing.

Here's the most useful result I found on Amazon:

Felting Kit!

There are several books on felting as well. I'd check them out if I was interested.

Sculpture in a Box

I found this fun toy in the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, DC. It's also for sale in the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

"Sculpture in a box" is a collection of Calder-esque shapes that snap together and interlock. I nearly bought one, but then I remembered my budget. As in, I'm broke. Depressing.

Also in the Hirshhorn was this really fun novelty by the people at Optigone. It's a portable, personal, no-electricity required hologram device. I had to buy one. It's currently in my foyer, and my new favorite thing to do is watch as guests try to figure out why they can't grab that chocolate...

In other news, Luster has some new collections in time for Valentines Day, and Zlanarama has a bunch of new trinkets in.

And now for something completely off topic...

Who here likes bubble gum?

I personally adore bubble gum, but since my braces got put in (stupid genetic lack of permanent teeth) I've not been able to indulge in my favorite candy. So I'm here to share it with you all.

The best gum I have ever tasted in my entire life is Marukawa gum of Japan. In the variety pack, you get two of each kind of gum: orange, melon, strawberry and grape. In each little box, you get four gumballs. Each of those gumballs are like heaven.

Here's a picture of the packaging:

Stay tuned for more constructive posts, when I've not been awake since 4:30 in the morning!

Curse you, snow! Curse the need to shovel you off my walk!

Interview with Zlanarama

Here's another interview, this time we're hosting Betsi Goutal of Zlanarama.

MFT: Where do you get your ideas - and beads! - for your original pieces?

Z: Basically, there are two steps I tend to follow; refreshing my memory
about all the different techniques for jewelry making I've learned or
thought of on my own, and then getting inspired. I keep a notebook where
I write down general ideas of all the ways I can put together a given
type of jewelry. I've learned a lot from craftster.org and from the
projects section of www.rings-things.com, where I buy my components. For
inspiration, I have a folder on my computer where I save images of
jewelry. Most of them are from other indie designers, like dollyday and
milkbell. I find the images on livejournal and eBay mostly. Don't get me
wrong, I don't keep these images to rip off other designers; I just like
to look at the colors, and designs and just let my mind wander and get
into a creative, jewelry-designing state. Other times, I'll just dive in
looking through my bead stash to get inspired.

Which I guess brings me to your other question of where I get my beads.
I get my beads a lot of different places really - you'd be surprised how
many stores carry cute plastic beads in kits or small bags, aimed at
little girls. Mainly though, I get my beads from eBay and from craft
stores. Most of the vintage '80s charms I work with come from eBay - I
buy them in big lots and take them off their clippies. One of these days
I'm going to sell off the ones that don't really work for me as jewelry
components. They're considered collectible these days, which makes me
feel pretty old - I had these as a kid! My other biggest eBay score was
a large wholesale-style lot of party favor necklaces and bracelets. I
seriously jumped out of my chair cheering and hugging my boyfriend when
I one that one. I'd seen necklaces like them at the local party store
for a dollar each and managed to get them for about 15¢ each! As for
craft stores, I buy craft beads in the big variety packs, as big as I
can find. I also look for craft kits with lots or really bright colored
beads. I still love bright, sparkly, plastic beads. My taste in jewelry
really just never grew up.

MFT: Do you make all your own jewelry, then?

Z: The majority of the jewelry on the zlanarama site is handmade by me,
yes. There are some items that are bought from wholesalers that caught
my eye, and I just couldn't resist. I do make certain any mass-produced
product that's offered on the site meets the same standard of both
cuteness and sturdy construction as the original designs.

MFT: Do you have any favorite jewelry-making tools?

Z: Round-nosed pliers have made working with eyepins a dream! I believe it was this page on Connie Fox's website that led me to realize how vital they are for closing off eyepins. I've also recently discovered J.B. Weld, an epoxy adhesive that I just love. Initially, I hesitated to try it as it seemed complicated to mix the two parts, but it's really pretty straightforward and the bond it creates just can't be beat. I need to glue slick surfaces together, like rhinestones to metal, and it's hard to find a glue that'll handle the job well enough to hold up to the wear and tear on jewelry.

MFT: Where does your inspiration come from?

Z: Lots of different places, but to name some of the major ones: other jewelry designers, funky costume jewelry from the '60s and '70s, Japanese street fashion (especially the style called decora), toys of all kinds but especially those from the '80s like Rainbow Brite, little girls' plastic dress-up jewelry, the Lisa Frank stationery and party favors I remember form when I was a kid.

MFT: Turquoise or purple?

Z: This is a really tough choice for me, these are two of my very favorite colors, especially together. In fact, the past couple of month my hair has been purple and turquoise! I guess if I have to choose, I'd say purple, as I like any shade of purple at all, but sometimes turquoise is a bit too green.

MFT: Are you influenced by any other designers?

Z: Definitely. For high-end designers, I love the work of Tarina Tarantino and Steven Shein. Indie designers I admire include Kris from Luster Studios, Lindsay from Kid Pirate (though these days she's focused on her graphic design, and not jewelry), and the girls behind Starshine Candy.

MFT: Do you snack while you work?
Z: A little - only while I'm doing work that's computer related, so if I get greasy snack-fingers on anything, it's just my keyboard or mouse.

MFT: Have you read any good books recently?

Z: For fiction, I just finished Split Heirs which I found hilarious in a wacky, parody, dark humur kind of way. Really engagingly written, but a quick read. For non-fiction I just read Confessions of an Organized Homemaker. The author totally gets how crazed and messy a house can get, and doesn't come off as judgemental about it. I've been using the advice in it to get both my home and myself organized and more productive.

MFT: How do you design your pieces?

Z: Randomly. No really! About half my designs come to me out of the blue. I think my brain is always thinking about design possibilities, at least on some level, so new concepts will just bubble out of me at the strangest moments.

MFT: What are your other hobbies besides crafting?

Z: Gosh, something not crafty? I'm not sure I'm wired that way. Like a lot of crafters, I was raised by a creative mother who was always giving my siblings and I one craft project or another to keep us entertained. And was always making things herself, for that matter. It was a really creative atmosphere and I think most of my hobbies are creative in one way or another. I guess the one non-crafty hobby I have is gaming, though. I love games; board games, card games, computer games. I have a whole bookshelf devoted to board games!

Eggling - Mini Growable Garden

This is another cute find from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago. Eggling comes in a box, complete with growing instructions and an extra packet of seeds. Simply tap on Eggling's head with a metal spoon until it cracks, put on the terra cotta tray and water. Stick Eggling in sunshine and pretty soon you have an adorable growing plant. Eggling can be stuck into the ground or a full-sized pot, and the egg breaks down as fertilizer.

Available plants are herbs (basil, italian parsley, mint, thyme) and flowers (chrysanthemum, lobelia, phlox, petunia).

The makers of Eggling also manufacture Nyokki a plastic animal who grows grass out of its head. You trim the grass and style Nyokki's hair.

Sort of like Chia Pets, but cuter.

Interview with Cotton Candy Vomit

I recently held an interview with Amber K. Green of Cotton Candy Vomit. This was my first time holding an interview, and hopefully I didn't muck it up too badly! Check out her site for handmade and crocheted goodies.

MFT: A lot of your products seem to be nature-based. Do you look to nature
for inspiration?

CCV: Yes I do! I just love turning something you may see every day into something awesome.

MFT: When did you first begin to crochet?

CCV: I started crocheting when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I gave it up for a long time but picked it up again when I was 16.

MFT: What are your interests outside of crafting?

CCV: I love going out with my best friends and my hubby. Music, good movies, trying new things, playing with my dogs and my rat... Crafting is a big interest, though. Between crafting for my business and going to work, that takes up atleast half of my time!

MFT: Do you listen to music while you work?

CCV: Sometimes. Or have the TV going in the background. I need background noise or I can't concentrate as easily.

MFT: Has there been a project for Cotton Candy Vomit that stands out in your mind?

CCV: Recently I was offered a chance to have some of my pieces in a fashion show. So I made a couple scarves... I made one rainbow and one tree scarf. I worked really hard to make them fancier and nicer than the ones I usually sell. The tree scarf has little red hearts (like fruit) in the leaves, and a knotted texture on the trunk. And the rainbow scarf has super soft clouds with a scalloped texture on the stripes. They are so cute that I want to keep them! I have a lot of fun with special things like that. It's a nice break from doing the same old thing over and over. Especially because I get a lot of large orders for rainbow scarves. I get really tired of making 20 at a time! I just get sick of seeing those rainbows. LOL.

MFT: Do you make homemade presents at birthdays and holidays?

CCV: I used to. But now that I run my own business I don't really have as much time to. I still try to make a few here and there when I can't think of anything nice that I could go out and buy!

MFT: What's your favorite children's book?

CCV: Green eggs and ham!!

MFT: Do you have any advice for people who are interested in starting to
craft?

CCV: It's great! If you need to relieve stress, or just want something to do when you're bored, it's really awesome. It's so satisfying to complete something. In my opinion, crafts are art!

My advice for starting a business to sell your crafts, is to read into it before you even think about starting one. I picked up all my knowledge about running a business just by observing others, asking around, and just using common sense. I got lucky, though. Not everyone is successful at selling their crafts, and the first year or more when you're starting out takes a lot of time and money. Some businesses never make it that far. This sounds mean, but if you're serious about selling your crafts they need to be original and good quality or they probably won't sell. Also, it seems natural to price your handmade items really high, but you won't sell to that many people unless your prices are reasonable. I know you see some ebay sellers making hundreds on a cute shirt that they made (like Supayana, for example.) You have to take in consideration that she's been doing this for a long time, and her name is out there! So, what I'm trying to say, is if you want to start your own business, don't quit your day job until you know what you're getting into.

MFT: How much of a perfectionist are you? An extreme perfectionist? An extremely extreme perfectionist?

CCV: Extreme perfectionist. I wouldn't say I'm so extreme that I'm extremely extreme because I do try to sell some of my mess-ups (at lower prices, of course) because someone might buy it! But I have thrown things away, taken apart jewelry, unraveled scarves, and more, just to start over. I take pride in making quality items!!!

MFT: If you could describe your work in a single word, what would it be?

CCV: I couldn't describe it in one word if I tried!! But maybe two? "Time consuming."

New Stuff by Luster!

Well, the world is a good place, because Kris has new jewelry in her Charming collection. There are new necklaces, bracelets and earrings and they are all very happy to see you. I really like the White Hearts necklace. Very cute.

In other news, I've started up a few interviews with various other crafters in the online community. I'm excited! Future articles include magazine, book and recipe reviews, as well.