Ms. Flying Turtle

The Importance of Thrift Store Shopping

2007-05-09T15:49:00.000-05:00

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

Carry Boo

2007-05-01T15:46:00.000-05:00

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

Towel Folding 101

2007-04-24T19:18:00.000-05:00

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

Regarding Virginia Tech

2007-04-18T18:43:00.001-05:00

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

2007-04-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

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

Mock U from Takara

2007-04-04T15:27:00.000-05:00

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

2007-03-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

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

Hello Mango!

2007-03-27T09:58:00.000-05:00

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,

Clotide's Sewing Savvy - May 2007

2007-03-21T15:43:00.000-05:00

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.-

Ikea? Spoka, Spoka!

2007-03-20T17:29:00.000-05:00

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

Pencil Shavings dot Net

2007-02-25T11:28:00.000-05:00

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) AmaryllisUntitled with

Tea Leaf Sales

2007-02-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

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. <3I 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

Crochet World - April 2007

2007-02-13T12:03:00.000-05:00

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 -

The Cute Book

2007-02-10T10:57:00.000-05:00

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

Jade Adornments

2007-02-09T17:57:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-08T19:24:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-07T10:07:00.000-05:00

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

Speaking of Felt...

2007-02-05T17:06:00.000-05:00

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

Felting

2007-02-03T12:32:00.000-05:00

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

Sculpture in a Box

2007-01-29T18:42:00.000-05:00

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.

And now for something completely off topic...

2007-01-22T09:12:00.000-05:00

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

Interview with Zlanarama

2007-01-17T14:52:00.000-05:00

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 memoryabout all the different techniques for jewelry making I've learned orthought of on my own, and then getting inspired. I keep a notebook whereI write down general ideas of all the

Eggling - Mini Growable Garden

2007-01-12T15:15:00.000-05:00

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

Interview with Cotton Candy Vomit

2007-01-08T18:17:00.000-05:00

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

New Stuff by Luster!

2007-01-04T17:21:00.000-05:00

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

Yamamotoyama - Tea!

2006-12-25T18:07:00.000-05:00

I found this tea in my local Korean grocery store - and it is love in tea form. Yamamotoyama sells many varieties, including jasmine, green, roasted green, oolong, and orange pekoe. They sell their tea either in bags or as loose leaves. Some of their tea is organic. You can download an order form and send it into their main office to order the tea.Yamamotoyama also sells dried seaweed on their

Luster Studio Brings Sparkle and Shine

2006-12-22T15:38:00.000-05:00

"I'm obssesed with bright colors, glitter, fun designs, Japanesefashion, fruits, kawaii, decora, lolita, little big girls, heart,stars, candy, rainbows, and everything else that makes the worldprettier!I run this site mostly by myself. I get some help from my mom andsister on occasion (whenever I'm desperate!) but otherwise it's prettymuch me. I've got a Visual Art degree from the University of

Crochet World - February 2007

2006-12-18T17:23:00.000-05:00

I recently ordered a bunch of craft magazines via my little sister's school magazine sale (to benefit the arts program) and decided to purchase Crochet World in addition to several others. I got the February issue just the other day, and figured I'd share it with you guys as sort of a magazine-review thing. Did that make any sense? No? Oh well. Here's some of the patterns of interest:- The

Ms.Turtle's Top 5 Skin Care Must-Haves

2006-12-18T07:41:00.000-05:00

There are so many products on the market nowadays, and the majority of these products are things that the average person doesn't need. Here are my top 10 skin care must-haves, links to an online vendor are included, so you can get an idea for the prices and competiting products.1. Vaseline - AKA Petroleum Jelly. Find a generic or a store-name brand, because it works just as well as the 'vaseline'

Takara® Singing Cubees!

2006-12-17T15:13:00.000-05:00

I first found these amazingly cute gadgets at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, and immediately fell in love. They're uber-adorable, first of all. Press the button on top and watch them sing! Stack one on top of the other and you have a cubee doo-wop group, ready to serenade you into a mooing, chirping, meowing nirvana of goodness.I bought the entire set, and scuttled home to see if