peapies

My version

2008-12-05T12:15:00.001-08:00

This from Curbly

and this mordern wreath seen on This Next:

Mine - (cruddy pictures)

New Pattern - Me So Cute

2008-04-08T16:04:00.001-07:00

Get at Etsy! Here

Sewitsforyou has Peapies for sale

2008-04-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

Linky for Sewitsforyou ---SOOOO Cute.

Early Bird Special does Peapies

2008-03-29T16:31:00.000-07:00

Check it out...Early Bird Special stitched up embroidery designs. So supery awesome and love, love, love the colors. Can be purchased at her Esty Shop!

New Embroidery Pattern up at Esty

2008-03-24T22:01:00.000-07:00

ChickyBunny Embroidery pattern design - FREE!

2008-03-21T16:59:00.000-07:00

Download "ChickyBunny.pdf" here

Blogging again!

2008-03-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

After a super long hiatus I'm blogging again. I have few embroidery designs for sale on Etsy:

and I'll be putting things here too.

Sure am glad I just saved the blog - shoo!

Be back soon!

The good news?

2006-07-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

I'm not dead.

My blog mojo did though.

Actually I had a really good, intense freaking work year!

So the prospect of blogging was nil, because there just wasn't much to blog about. Unless pissing and moaning about my clients' dumbass, mundane edit requests are blog material? I think not.

One fabuloulsy, wonderful event this summer was? The little tuker embarkling on his most excellent Australia trip! The Student Ambassador had a bitchen trip and is- um, an eleven year old girl crazy NUT!

He was romanced and is still in a state of "Maddie said this" and "Maddie did this" and then Maddie broke up with him after a whirl wind intense 2 days. He then spent the rest of the time soaking in all the that Australia had to offer but, primarily engaged in and focusing on schemes and soap opera dramas to get her back.

Sigh.

After hours of Maddie I couldn't hold back...I said it..."you need to man up".

"What?"

"Man up!!! Play hard to get. You are too easy and way too nice"

"but MOM!!! I don't want to lie, or fib. I don't want to play games-!!"

Sigh, again. He's destined to have his heart ripped out of his chest, chewed up and spit out about 40 different ways. I told him he was right in theory, but he's looking at a good 10 years of some serious devious game playing and if he wants to keep the real thing pure, he's got to man up! Give them something to work for, be aloof, don't let on you care so much. Oh, well you can't teach this crud no matter how hard you try.

The good news is, the eleven year old boy --changed his clothes, took a shower at least once, and took pictures...never-mind that virtually ever picture was blurry...at least compared to my eleven year old trips-- I had bags of film of my finger...so this was an improvement and way more than we expected.

He had the time of his life. Defining. He embraced meeting and communing with so many new people. I have heard more than like 4 times he didn't actually miss us, he loved us of course, he just didn't miss us. i.e. not homesick. Which is great and I am so glad he had this. Also, he bought his mom a gorgeous opal necklace. I cried. I was overcome. I was full.

A few days latter he told me he really wanted to give it to Maddie.--pause-- I have a word I'd like to say...but I will defer to my son's example.

Template Tinkering and Ads up!

2006-02-10T17:22:00.000-08:00

Lying around with a bad case of the stomach flu, food poisoning or some creepy crud, I finally managed to get my Pajamas Media ad code in. Since I was tinkering around thought I would spice things up a bit, but turns out simple is good. Sign of the times, I guess. Pretty snazzy and official like with the professional ads an alll, don't you think?

I haven't been doing much else, but reading and groaning and surfing. I found this little idea, a "pie cover" at Singer's. Not sure I am in love with this one (it's not so bad) but idea is very sweet.

It would be so sweet with this on a picnic...

In the meantime, I have been working on a neat little project that I plan to show soon. That's about it for now.

Another Calgon moment...

2006-01-31T11:51:00.000-08:00

Papa Bear began the morning by reflecting on people who refer to karma but in looking back it's hard to see where or when your transgression took place. More importantly when does the punishment end? When things really pile on, the bad thing I did vs. the bad things that keep happening ratio is really unbalanced. I quickly saw where he was going.

We've been tied up for quite a few days dealing with a homeowners nightmare, known as a nasty plumbing clog. Friday morning we blew a fuse (every once in a while it happens when we have the space heater, microwave, tv, and various other electrical do dahs working at once), so as I trounced around the side of the house to flip the switch I happened upon one giant plumbing clean out explosion. I know it happened over night because the fuse I was out to flip had blew the previous afternoon also(the space heater is the killer) and I wasn't greeted with the 5 square feet of toilet paper and various other lovely sewage goodies as I was friday morning.

Gripped with panic (you know..."oh no...a whole new sewer line, no...not now") I suddenly remembered our home warranty! Shooooo. My brother many years ago advised me to either get one or when buying a home to renew for crud like this. It really is a life saver...if they friggin' respond.

Long story short it took 3 days of many , many WTF? calls, and then finally one really irate call to eventually make contact with a plumber. What is supposed to happen, once you notify the warranty company, they then fax out a work order, then the contractor contacts you. I know most of the problem is that this occurred on a friday during the busiest plumbing season, but HELLO!!! I've got an 11 year old boy's--- who insists on using an entire roll of toilet paper every time he enters a bathroom--- kind of raw sewage bubbling up for the litigious world to see, not to mention the obvious humiliation associated here!!!!

Here is the really stoooopid part. It costs us only $45 for the service call. A plumber finally comes out in all of 3 minutes runs 40 feet of cable, unclogs and writes the receipt BUT tells us we now need to have the crap professionally cleaned BUT the warranty company will not cover it BECAUSE it is considered secondary damage.

How much would the plumber have been if I were to have called him myself on Friday morning and had him out? $85 bucks.

SO I have paid a warranty company for 3 years (roughly $400 a year) $1200 plus $45 but because they didn't serve or respond to me, I'm now faced with $1,100 in toxic waste clean-up?

And the only way to avoid secondary is to have vacated our home, stayed at a hotel of which there is no reimbursement OR used the bathroom outside, in say...oh I don't know the same place the sewage would collect? Sorry for the imagery there, but the logic is so maddening.

Of course THIS is not sitting well (in my brain or my yard)! There is a popular prison analogy appropriate to describe this situation that I will just leave for the imagination (involving soap).

So this morning I interrupt Rob to say I know where he's going with the karma thing, but that we really can't look at this like that...shitty (literally!) things just happen to good people, bright side- cie la vie- kinda baloney

"YA I KNOW, THAT'S WHY I WISH ALL THE KARMA TALK PEOPLE WOULD JUST SHUT UP"

Life really is like a box of chocolates....

2006-01-24T22:43:00.000-08:00

Or is that People?

Anyways you learn something new everyday, such as...did you know there is a special distinction (and community) for Hairy Gay Men ? Yep, BEARS. Who knew?

And Easter too!

2006-01-17T18:57:00.000-08:00

060110 Tumbler Chick
Originally uploaded by vonvonz.

Sweet Little things

2006-01-17T18:51:00.000-08:00

pc # 74
Originally uploaded by Soffia.

Flickr'ing all the sweet little things people make...for Valentines Day. Keychain! Wish I could glob a bunch of photos at once.

Some crazy Idea....But isn't it still fiber?

2006-01-12T21:27:00.000-08:00

This via the intrepid "Junk Philosopher"

"p.s. know why dryer lint IS NOT a good craft medium???? It dawned on me one day like a light bulb- Pubic Hair! And god knows what else could be disected from dryer lint. I refuse to quit collecting it though, it is the million dollar niche the world is waiting for me to launch."

This was her (with urging) fantastic idea...Isn't dryer lint good for something? Well, I sure think so. My suggestion was to boil as if it were wool fibers rendering fabulous felt! I still think it will work, despite the unsavory byproducts involved, but are they really unsavory Cindy? I mean, isn't it the ultimate hemp?

Pubic hair purses? Intuition tells me, we're friggin on to something here

Did I mention I hate my digital camera? Oh yes...many times. Well I am in super hate mode because I replaced the batteries... oh about a week ago...and guess what? They're Dead. So, NO new fabulous painting, NO new fabulous popcorn crochet, NO pictures of my baby Virgo's spontaneous need to clean the tops of the ceiling fan!

Virgo, after a stray moment of standing on the tip of crappy couch top (now you know why it's crappy) of course spots something and comes running into the kitchen to inform me he needs a "wet rag"

ME - Why?

Virgo - Because the tops of the fan are just like "WHITE" ---with the biggest smile on his face, like he just found a golden Wonka ticket sitting up there or something

ME - You really want a wet rag? You really want to clean them?

Virgo - Oh Yeah!

Poor Virgo got a sloppy Sagittarius for a mama...However, lucky Sag got a Virgo for a boy...meticulous to a fault but very unwilling to attribute or pin any shortcomings on a loved one.

ME - Riley, does it bother you that Mom is completely hopeless, rather useless at keeping this home anywhere near to your comfort level?

Virgo - MOM, don't be silly, one person alone could never control the natural level of dust in the air!

Even if you actually did dust, statistics say the dust would be back soon after anyways!
We will just work together better in the future and we'll get there, don't you worry!

Shoo for me. Anyways, (Cindy) if someone could come up with an idea of harnessing and then recycling house dust into an ipod carrier or a baby dress...now, that would be super incredible.

FLOWERS AND CANDLES

2006-01-09T20:20:00.000-08:00

America in living color!

2006-01-06T21:56:00.000-08:00

I was just blown away at the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS" online exhibit...

Bound for Glory, America in Color, 1939-1943

I am not going to say much because to my notion, the striking color, emotional beauty and reach out and touch aspect speak for themselves....THIS IS MY FAVORITE

THE REST ARE NOTHING SHORT OF FABULOUS!

Hindsight should've been my middle name

2006-01-06T20:35:00.000-08:00

This is a picture I painted that baby bear said had to go there, even IF the blues are wrong! (PS, I said it before, but I hate my ditial camera! Continue)

More work in progress pix. In hindsight I should have taken more befores, just so I could prove what a massive improvement this is and how truly crappy it looked before. The framed picture above the bookcase needs to be moved up a bit but I think its working. I moved the crappy sofa and chair that I'm stuck with in closer and it the result is mucho cozio.

I fished out this SureFit slipcover I picked up at The Goodwill Dump that never fit ( and guess what? IT STILL DOESN'T - a quasi illustration of insanity, I left it on and bopped out, in the meantime as Papa Bear went to work. He called and asked where I'd gotten that "thing" on the sofa...blah, blah, blah DUMP....he said (which had me curled on the floor laughing) "Ohhhh...one of those "one size, Fits NOTHING huh?"

Anyhow, the darker walls have put, oh about 7 months of life in the crappy sofa and chair, because the darker color with light pine wood flooring (ahem, faux wood, ahem) finally make there oversize scale in perspective and they don't draw back into the wall and all you see is the shadows of SHIT AND MESS!

I have this GROOVY stripped fabric (thrift, natch) that is so colorful I just can't keep eyes off it...BACKSTORY....I decided I love BRIGHT DARK COLORS now after I watched this documentary on WE (? does that sound right? Sappy women stuff?) on "Shop-o-holics" and shewww...can those women spend some money, but one of them had this fabulously colorful house, bright sunny yellow, perky crisp blue, deep cherry red on the walls, WOW. It looked HAPPY and I thought...I think I like that, and I think I can do that and I think I can do it WITH NO MONEY!

SO back to the fabric. Love it, thought I would make great pillow covers, totally work with the wall color...but When I wrap them around a pillow and plop back on crappy sofa...it is apparent they don't work on the crappy sofa and chair, surprise! Hence, fishing out the "one size fits nothing slipcover"!

Arghhh! More progresso pictures on the way....and BONUS...Ode to Cindy Candles!

Work In Progress...

2006-01-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my helper, we did it in less that 2 hours!

I'm back...2006

2006-01-04T11:37:00.000-08:00

So after my long hiatus from blogging (bad news/outcome zapped my motivation for commiserating in a blog) I am going to put my worries behind and start fresh...

Well sorta. That lovely patch you see scrubbed into my wall wasn't intended to to be a 2 year swatch. I splurged on a can of periwinkle "oops" at Home Depot and was just going for it until papa bear walked in and screamed. He has a homosexual gene when it comes to decorating which drives me bananas. Don't get me wrong, it would be fantastic if it weren't "Queer Eye for the 80'sGuy"

So in recent weeks, flipping through magazines at the check out stand I am seeing a lot of periwinkle blue walls with red accents. Armed with one red pillow, I intend to follow this through...when papa bear leaves for work tonight!

UPDATE: I have already been scolded for lazy picture prep. Might have been nice if I feigned neatness and fluffed the pillows, no?

Just to say

2005-12-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

Fly By

2005-11-19T12:56:00.000-08:00

I haven't been checking in much lately. But I just witnessed a bizarre thing. Apparently Michael Newdow , the man fighting to have the words "under God" stricken from the Pledge of Allegiance lives just down the street. I learned this because there were several protesters standing on the corner of a residential street with very large signs. It was an odd sight since a tucked away residential street does not seem to be the most visible venue for a protest. There were was a photographer and appeared to be a reporter talking with them. A few people walking by seemed to be peeved by their presence.

I knew he lived in Sacramento, I did not know he lived in my neighborhood. Carry on.

Tiny Little House

2005-11-02T12:14:00.000-08:00

I have a weird fascination with small house plans. Really the fascination is to find a neat little spot in the mountains, then plant a tiny little house (i.e. very little cost) there. I stumbled upon this local siteTumbleweed Tiny House Company that has a myriad of portable houses plans. So portable, some even have wheels. Interesting the fellow that started the company lives in 70 square feet.

Last Minute Fright

2005-10-31T12:42:00.000-08:00

Boing Boing has Links to free spooky music and sounds....Vintage Funk-n-Spook here and this gal's got it going on with last minute Fright . Clever costumes in every closet. Vintage Party has lots of last minute party clipart too.

Tricks and Treats....

2005-10-30T14:13:00.000-08:00

Family Fun has a bunch of downloadable pumpkin templates here and here

You Grow Girl has a nifty Jack-O-Planner that you play around with noses, mouths and eyes!

Here is the hootiest site, Extreme Pumpkins that specializes in a little more expressive pumpkin carving..., including, my favorite Old and Constipated pumpkin. ALSO, You'll Shoot Your Eye Out pumpkin, Giant Carnivious Pumpkin, Puking pumpkin.

Decking the Halls

2005-10-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

On the hunt for a little holiday inspiration...

Oh the joys...

2005-10-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

I left my house 3 times this past week. One was a call at 6am from papa bear, who went to the hospital after work with a debilitating migraine (later when we got home, I noticed there 10 messages on the answering machine and 4 on my cell---really sound sleeper).

Now papa bear is a paradox...he has very extreme gross sides (i.e...manly),cleaned his pre stitches cut with windex then wrapped it in duct tape, wears the free t-shirts people give away, lots of hair poking out in all kinds of spots and then this sorta prissy afflicted malady side. Sniffs, itches, drips, drops, creams, lotions, salves.

At least once a year we pack in the car in the middle of the night to go pick up dad at the hospital. By the time we get there he is pretty doped up, but not enough to ham it up...so when I got there last week he began speaking in a weird low godfather like whisper and it instantly set off my BS meter. It took everything in me to feign sweetness and concern.

Apparently I was not very good at it. We drove all over the place because he wanted a "hamburger". Not an easy thing to find at 6 am. My patients was thinning ever so much and ultimately we got McDonalds breakfast. But then of course, once home he is starts loud heaving barfing, which sets of son who has a wicked gag reflex and at 11 still has absolutely NO ability to make it to a bathroom. So I lost it . I chastised my husband for barfing so loud and I yelled at my child for puking on every square foot of my home. Nice huh.

I found another disgustoid thrift store closer to my house, and there were a ton of patterns (which is cool). Chatty Cathy clothes! If anyone would like these patterns just let me know...I just couldn't leave them there. Also, I bought two huge bags of alpaca yarn in very pretty shades of blues and creams...well, once out of the bag... I now have 80,000 strands of 2 feet wool yarn, what the hell is this?

Is this normal? I don't know what the heck to do with it. Only thing I can think of is to make a few hundred penguins from this book! Arrghh.

Oh and the last trip I made on Saturday was to stop by the new Beverly's super store (there was a line, I am not kidding, 70 people long. It wrapped the entire gynormous store) and then onto Costco to treat carnivorous papa bear. I bought two things, t-bones and toothpaste.

Okay. Last year papa bear put a sticky note in the costo storage vault to gauge how long it would take us to use the truckload of toothpaste I insist on forgetting we have so I buy. You would think that big a production, and the fact that I am out other glaring essentials (laundry detergent, trash bags) I would not buy toothpaste. But I did. So now we have about, I am guessing 4 years worth of toothpaste. That's my life as an Amy!

Buried in work!

2005-10-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

Oh my golly gosh, have I been snowed in work. Upcoming special election means graphic designer is a slave to obsessive consultants who want to own your life...but fortunately the pay a high price for this. On friday I was juggling between email dings and barking out homework orders, take a bath do this, do that...young child grumbled a bit here and there, but not much. Then after barking, get ready for bed he says..."but Mom, it's Friday, I get to stay up late"!!!!!!! It was like a sock to the stomach. I had to check 3 calendars. OH MY GOD...I went the entire day until 9:30 a night thinking it was Thursday, a school night! I lost a whole day! yikes. be back soon

A look see start

2005-10-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few images of the books...I liked the christmas stuff in it too. Sorry for the glare, no time for photoshop magic.

Oh what a weekend...

2005-10-03T12:50:00.000-07:00

We and our family went to San Francisco this weekend to see the movie, (see trailer here, click on story and then you will see trailer) Counting the Days Riley and our friend Shelli "STARRED" in at the SF Film Festival. It was showing at the Delancey Street screening room. It was fun to see our little tucker on a big screen...he and Shelli did a really good job of acting!

Actually Shelli was terrific and hilarious given that she has no acting aspirations...which occurs to me that this situation would probably make for better actors. Shelli was just being a good sport for a friend (the filmmaker) so her earnestness was sweet and genuine. And Riley is a natural and very comfortably so.

I did manage to get to the Japanese book store. Of course the circumstances were in typical Lopez fashion. It ended up that I couldn't get a parking spot for breakfast so I seized the alone moment and went down to Japan town. Cindy walked and met me and the boys decided they would head home and left us alone to come back later! HAH. The reason surrounding this decision are--ah hum- are unimportant-ah-hum.

So I bought 4 books. It was so hard to decide. This one an all purpose book I think is my favorite.

Well the drive home was fun, cuz then Cindy and I could gab until I noticed the check engine light and my radiator blew up and then well Cindy and I were stuck at the gas station sipping soda, eating corn nuts and looking a magazines and japanese craft books. Never a dull moment right?

Hey, I made something!

2005-09-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

Fits and starts in creative land lately. For days (maybe cuz I have been slammed with work) I could muster not an ounce of interest in making anything. Then I started thinking I should for once get a head start on Christmas type making instead of waiting till Dec. 18th...I stopped by a new and close bead store, still kinda sparse, but bought these apple coral and mother of pearl.

The bracelet is too big for my wrist and I don't like the way the earings look so this a before picture...I have an idea to re-string, so this rehab on my own creation.

Arrested Development

2005-09-19T19:33:00.000-07:00

Cut off Tobias's and Maybe's head a bit...opps

Very excited to watch the season premier of Arrested Development because I have been in withdraws since like march--ish. And know I can proclaim that I am a member of the official Arrested fan club, you can be too if you follow the link!

It is the SICKEST, most DYSFUNCTIONALLY written show in a long, long time and I'm and stoked that it did NOT get canceled! Watch watch watch, NO MORE REALITY, you will not be disappointed!

UPDATE...
But those sly dogs, of course, DID put up an "ImOscar.com" website of which I was visitor #42 unless of course there was a "42" joke, that Riley seems to think was in play, but I was too busy doing this not to hear...talk about trolling for the pure cult audience!

Now I am on to "Kitchen Confidential"...

Ronald"

2005-09-12T20:31:00.000-07:00

I am so intrigued with Japanese craft, and lots of crafty bloggers are as well, but I am more into their overall style not so much the stuffed creature thing.

The one lucky thing is that I have a mother who is a flight attendant with various international trips,. The UN-lucky thing is that no matter how many pictures and visuals and descriptions I give her of these coveted craft books, she just can't quite get it. I get lots of rice paper, colored pencils and lots of Japanese calligraphy type stuff, but bless her heart I can't get through that " I DO NOT NEED ANOTHER SUMI BRUSH" just a book or magazine with embroidery or crochet or purses!

But this is hilarious to me. As a child I was always a little creeped out about Ronald McDonald ! I was cool with the "Hamburgler" and "Grimace" cuz they were just muppet equivalent. And Ragedy Ann and Andy where this generational obsession by my mother had when I was a child. So when I noticed this Japanese interpretation of Raggedy Ann all I could think of was, Oh dear, Ronald/Ann is in crazy Drag! which is kinda weird cuz I always thought Ann to be a bit butch. As a tribute, since Cindy loves softies, this ones for you!

Japanese Wire Craft tutorial

2005-09-12T12:40:00.000-07:00

Hopefully this link works as I fed it through Google translation (if it doesn't I'm putting the non-tranlated link too, then you can go to google, click more, scrool down to the lower right column and click translation tools, then just copy and paste the url in to "translate page" be sure to select from Japanese to English, or i suppose you could copy all the text from the page and paste into the translate text as well!) but here is tutorial on the wire craft that I posted about earlier

Un-trantranslated:http://www.tcat.ne.jp/~containergarden/sub6.htm

here are just a few. Will I attempt this? hmm...

DIY Home Japanese style

2005-09-10T13:37:00.000-07:00

I have beeen fascinated with these Japanese DIYers documenting the redecorating of their homes. They are really beautiful. It is interesting to see what's popular or the trend...lots of pine wood, blues and whites and ocean and wire and shelfs...they detail the whole redecoration of their homes and instructions on how to projects. It is really neat, I haven't much of the same here (as far as websites)

Souffler has lots of soap making recipes as well. Here is sampling of her style...

Something By Hands has all kinds of wire work for the home.

Cotton Cafe has beautilful wire work too. What is up with these people? I know for a fact if I attempted to twist and turn wire to make this i would end up with 20 yards of the most canked up mesh of wire...I don't get it?

and I am fairly certain that these people are making their own furniture too

Now this I like

2005-09-08T19:23:00.000-07:00

Handmade coin purse from Hiro Design Works

Lots of beaties made by Rattle

Really bitchin printed cards and other stuff by Skip with happy ideas

Just darling book covers with a book mark from B21

Just lots of groovy stuff at Now Now , yummy jewelry

And I am such enchanted with everything here a Ele's Palette , beautiful site, with unique tole painting which neat to see.

Over my snit fit

2005-09-07T14:10:00.000-07:00

okay, I'll admit I was being a hugish baby. I'm over my snit fit...one of my closet friends called to laugh at me for my blop sign-off. To be honest I am wrapped up in one personal stressful nightmare that erupted once again and sent me over the edge...so with the back-tack things it just made me slightly pissed at the world.

Normally I am more passive agressive when I have a bug up my butt. My work associate slash brother, was afraid to call me when he received a tyraid email I sent shortly before I posted berating him on a job we were working on. He simply requested I "call me(him) when cybil is gone".

And then I realized I kinda missed this..and that it good for me, sorta like a journal (I know, duh) to blather about stuff and get it out.

So I am gonna post, take the good advice of other and post for myself and have a good time doing it not worry whether I got shafted on the back tack, thing happen, people get busy and get over it.

So in that vain thanks for dropping by if you do...and as I write this someone has just called with some very better news about a 4 year living hell! Things are indeed finally looking up!

This blog is done: for maybe

2005-08-30T22:31:00.000-07:00

not that I have all that many readers ( a few champions--Cindy was the most sweetest devotee ((and for that she will gain big great kuudooa) and Roberta, and Debra and Lauren, Kerry and Steve....) but this game is done.

There are reasons...

i didn't realize that blogging was quite so snobby.

there are quite a few blogs that seem to deem themselves the "end all" in blogging. My experience and knowledge in blogging is that that everyone acknowledges others. Most craft blogs, with nothing else to do (peapies included) would link to other things.

The "go to" blogs NEVER update their links and rarely LOOK TO OTHERS. Oh, they link...but to who?...what? a pool of 20 of them selves?

I did try to engage other artists and crafters---taking the time to do the most wonderful anf helpful interview with Violette. What ever..apparentl...uninteresting to japanese stuffed animal makers!

Fine. Meanwhile other artists are linking to you!!!!

It sounds like a poor me, and it may well be. But the next reason is the real reason I have been a little over it...

The greatest piss-off for me, was the $50 I spent in my backtack "send off" to ENGLAND (figures) only to be greeted with a partner who couldn't send me anything. Months ago I responded to my bt'er understanding, but since I haven't heard in like 2 months, I am pretty confident I will not receive a "back tack", never complained to backtack people, since the call for angels seemed that they would handle it...now there is a back tack 2, and they closed it like 2 weeks before they ADVERITSED it would be closing.The 'elite" will be paired up with each other, the "bottom feeders and unknowns" will get burned... Another whatever, as I am quite sure I would not toss another $50 down the toilet....

My next trade on craft-log resulted in a nagging "did you send to your partner yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" me working hard to make multiple pairs of earrings, and a jewelry box to send meanwhile, the person assigned to me emailed me for "things I liked" and I told her to do what she did best, do what you do best.....best means

NOTHING!

I am tired of this game

It's just turned into a limited "self-affirming" i.e.--I'M GREAT--- ego trip...that I wanted to be apart of (but can't ) so I am done. I may be be a little bitter becuase of my back tack experience, then to here how they closed the newest way before it went on the market...I think I will I'm only do my supper-club site...iwho knows, I nigt keep it, we will aee,,,
llustration friday? good practice that designers should participate in...sing hi

Germans missing the sensitivity chip

2005-08-30T13:06:00.000-07:00

...I just deleted my previous post, that depicted the beautiful scenery I spent the last week in because it made me feel sick to my stomach after looking at pictures of people wading through chest high water with children in New Orleans. I felt the same way about the earthquake in Iran and the tsunami and bombings in London.

Feels pretty silly to be posting about little felt dolls or beaded this's and that's when thing like this happen. New Orleans will survive. Although, excuse my raging cynicism when I read foreign headlines like this "Katrina Should be A Lesson To US on Global Warming".

For now, it is just best to ignore bad manners. I guess if Germany prefers to be tacky and opportunistic that's their choice. My parents raised me to know that there is a time and place for things and this, to my notion, is at best cheap and unseemly.

And I am not saying either way what effect "global warming" has had...

This Scientist in the NY Times details the normalacy of all of this. I do know Hurricane Camile which occurred 35 years ago was a Cat 5 and had winds of 200mph "producing the highest hurricane tidal surge ever recorded in the United States" with 255 people killed, and 8,900 injured.

I would be interested to hear these German papers explain a LEVEE BREAK resulting out of lower waves and a CAT 3 Hur., as opposed the the CAT 5 Camile, but that is all besides the point right now . It is just one more "oportune" jab with little regard for the people suffering. One thing about the US, though is, no matter how much bashing we take, we never let that get in our way when others need OUR help!

Fun design

2005-08-17T16:50:00.000-07:00

I love scrolling trough the Red Dot Awards for design of everything.

here are some of my favorites...
The B1 bowl

These bitchen concave flames holder?

The Matha Stewart magazine enhancer, BookFrame

The Virgin Atlantic Airline lounge, where Courtney Love waits for the cops.

Say It! Storagecontainers.

Chopstick Needles

2005-08-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm always snitching the really nice substantial chop sticks from restaurants. I use them to stick in the knot I sport on the top of my head. I also made knitting needles out of them for my backtack person (and huge fat ones from a dowel) but never thought of making crochet hooks. Here is a thread at Craftster , for doing just that.

By the way, to make the small chopstick knitting needle, just sharpen chopstick in a pencil sharpener (until they both look evenly grinded) then fine tune with fine sand paper. I also sanded the whole chop stick to make it extra smooth for knitting.

To do the huge ones, I bought a super big chunky dowel and cut with a miter box and a saw, two long equal size pieces. Then using my boy scout camp training, whittled (blade pointing away from body, safety first) one end on each to a graduated point. When they were both looking about the same, I just sanded the heck out of them (not that much really) till they were smooth.

Then topped with clay mushroom heads. voila.

Little Meows

2005-08-15T23:26:00.000-07:00

I used the pattern from Craftster.org to make the smaller one on the right, and after I was done (yes, it takes me until the very end to figure out) how very off I am on the features, so I tried one more time just winging it to make my own little kitty. Anyway it was a fun diversion from work.

How Sweet

2005-08-15T12:46:00.000-07:00

I find the cutest things on Disney's Family Fun site...like this basket cupcake...

I also love the Halloween costume ideas, for which I steal for my own costumes on occasion. I won first place at a school carnival for the witch costume (gigantic paper maiche hat with day glo green yarn Elvisra hair!) i adapted.

Riddle me this Batman

2005-08-12T23:57:00.000-07:00

This product by a local lady and client of Sera Beyn that I did something for (point of sale?, or something) called Holy Cow is well actually pretty holy cowish.

I assumed it was cute and pink, but nothing more, or no better than glass cleaner, but pink. I have been seeing it pop up in local stores (kinda pricey) but noticed it on my "culture and class mixing trip" at walmart for $1.78 so I bought it becuase it said it would clean stainless steel, a claim no other product can pull off for under $10 bucks.

IT WORKED!!! Sparkly with only a few streaks and removed 40 layers of what appears to be tarnish (I HOPE--sheesh) according to the rag I used. Now I am off to test the hard water/ soap scum stains on the shower door (a claim NOOOO product ever massed produced has EVER accomplished). I am convinced the only solution to soap sucm/water stains is like some south american hill village custom like hair washing with guinea pig urine.

We shall see...

So many cool patterns for projects

2005-08-12T23:21:00.000-07:00

There are just so many dang cute frre projects and I am testing a new feature...categories to the right.

For instance these Ricky Racky treasures can be found here!

category didn't work

Talk about a cool free project

2005-08-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

These Shoes are HOT! a cool free project that involves not only bead fringing the shoes, but painting them as well. This is a total thrift store revive if I have ever seen one, and the directions are so conprhensive!

There is also this beauty of a necklace (with downloadable pdf) too!

Sacramento Lunch pictures

2005-08-10T17:16:00.000-07:00

We went to a grossly overpriced icky lunch at Joe's Crab Shack on the river. Riley had a friend over that, well, put it this way enjoys breakfast, lunch, dinner.and snack.

Earlier before we left,the friend flagged down Rob running out to the auto parts store and asked Rob for a "piece of bread". Rob asked if he wanted to run in and get it and friend said no "you can". Don't get me wrong, he is very sweet, not rude just accutely aware of his hunger status at all times. I imagined, after many times telling his mother he was hungry, her telling him---grab a piece of bread.

too lazy to turn the bridge right side up for now. Wish I't gotten it raised for the ity bitty boat coing through.

I have a new Month of Crafter Challenge

2005-08-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

I floated the idea in this post and went ahead and did it.

a new month of creating! Accent Mark! Check it out and spread the word!!!

Crafting Japanese

2005-08-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

CraftLog by far the most organized and indepth weblog (THE MARTHA DEX???---this women saved me from the looney bin for saving 10 years of Matha Stewart magazines!) is also bi-blogging Japanese crafting Crafting Japanese.

So now that this new obsession sweeping the craft world has it's grips on me too, while perusing Flickr I came across these house quiltings...

House
Originally uploaded by Something To See.

House quilts
Originally uploaded by Something To See.

which made me think of these similar and easily adaptable to the prettier japanese versions than in this 70's of the verge of 80's craft book. I will scan the "plans" and post as a pdf in the near future!

Key-keepers

2005-08-05T21:33:00.000-07:00

Key-keepers
Originally uploaded by Soffia.

wow these spanish? inspired seem to be a theme here and are so colorful!

more cute feltness

2005-08-05T21:25:00.000-07:00

DOROTHY HORSE
Originally uploaded by planeta hilda.

I am flickr'ing right now and this was orignally fun!

Butterfly loose while posting

2005-08-05T21:02:00.000-07:00

Okay this is a little weird. There is a rouge butterfly loose in the house and seems to be strangly attracted to my computer space so while I am posting this I am bobbing and weaving around the little bugger in order to see the screen. This is a first for me at least.

I have a strange fascination with felt and found this neat site as well as this cool little felt box project (with a template) at at Holly Christian's site

Darker side and the whole mess

2005-08-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

unfinished and then the whole big mess

File under: Late to the party

2005-08-03T20:13:00.000-07:00

It is no wonder I would never know this diddy of a site, "Fashion Icon" (the name speaks for itself) it is very FUN. Not only is it tell the "what for" on fashion ( a subject that sorta intentionally passed me by, (you can almost HEAR the fashion gods exasperation when they found me "rrrttt. DANGER, DANGER...U_TURN, U-TURN ---REVERSE--rrrtt---LOST CAUSE, LOST CAUSE AHEAD" but it give sorta snappy DIY clothes rehab too!

For instance here is a fun Hawaiin Skirt Flairish Rehab

and a bitchen idea to Spruce UP old shoes!

Inspiration Station

2005-08-03T11:24:00.000-07:00

these are slightly dreamy and seem somewhat easy to replicate...I wonder if I could. I have been thinking about this. Starting a co-op inspiration challenge...whereby crafters attempt to replicate some catalog find. Now I am not talking about stealing someones idea...rather taking the idea (from the high dollar source) and seeing what crafters come up with.

Future Watercolors

2005-08-02T21:56:00.000-07:00

any thoughts on these future watercolor paintings?

Watercolors

2005-08-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a glimpse at my latest passion...I have been watercoloring. I am hoping to be at an art fair at a Winery down the river so I have started just a few. I made 2 for my neighbors birthday (I need to photograph) and I am having a hoot of time, becuase I set it to the side of this cranky computer and when jobs are out at proof I can step over a dabble and then return again while things are drying.

I am doing them similar to a graphic design..or Eric Caryle...painting and cutting out shapes.

Pink Purse Cake

2005-08-01T22:17:00.000-07:00

Pink Purse Cake
Originally uploaded by hobbycakes.

More cakes to lust over! Very cute!

Flickr

2005-08-01T22:15:00.000-07:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

I'm thinking this could be good...

2005-07-29T00:17:00.000-07:00

for more than walls: Stencil Ease's Polka Dot stencil!

Circles are the single hardest thing for a human to try on there own. Oh I know we can make them, but right or something other than a 3/4's semi perfect circle, but that last 1/4 side is always FUBAR, then when you try to correct the FUBAR side the complete opposite side pops up as the same as the previous FUBAR side? You know what I am talking about!

And, don't get me started about replicating a marhta magazine,"just go explode 3000 times on a copier, then realign 20 times on the acitate (over the light table WE ALL HAVE), then zoom in with your zippo knife with the precision of a bunker buster and the cleanness of a kenzu knife on the 8000 bug bite to coaster size circles...S T E N C I L"!!!!! Yes, that one... I got bored with that.

If you have a little more cash tp spend, there are these (and other adorable illustrations) here too at Wall Candy.

Pixel Tees timewaster

2005-07-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

This seemed like a fun little place my young tech wizard son told me about called ...Pixel Tees where you can spend hours frustrating yourself to death creating t shirts with your own pixel image on their Pixel Tee Shirt Machine and then purchare for 15 bucks.

As you can see this shirt definitely looks like a graphic deginer's, not a five year olds, no?

Some of the best things turn out to be under your nose!

2005-07-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

This will be of little help to most people as I can't imagine all that many people who stop by are from the Sacramento area, but I am so excited I can't help myself. I just found out that UD Davis has a Craft Center in which they have all these classes that are ususally hard to find. For me that is. The City Colleges don't offer many unique art classes so this so cool. Glass bead making and Glass Fusing? T-Shirt Screen Printing? Crochet, Knitting, Coil Basket Making, weaving, silk painting and sewing?? Are you kidding me? Calligraphy, Origami??? The best part is lots appear to be on weekends. Woo Hoo.

Oh and more good news...this little bead shop opened up dangerously close to my home. I didn't believe it for like a month when I saw the sign, because the spot was so obsure. Tucked in a little building that primarily houses dentists and mortgage brokers. I finally pulled in a poke around and found it and it turned out to be pretty cool. I had visions of a gynormous room housing about fives stands of wood beads. Wrong. And she has classes! Fun for me.

UPDATE: the link does not work unless you backspace the /index.html and then press enter again (afte you click on the link) The index crud just suddenly appears for some strange cyber voodoo reason.

I WANT THESE SHOES!

2005-07-27T01:37:00.000-07:00

Admittedly, I would wear them 15 times in my lifetime but I want these SHOES from Red Dress Shoppe! The "Gerta" shoe, but of course!

Lanyards galore

2005-07-26T12:50:00.000-07:00

Well I have to say that Camp Sacramento was a blast and of course I didn't take all that many picture. I did get a few on our day trip to Pope Beach on Lake Tahoe. Alex H. Found a miniscule frog...

and tucker on the beach. I am sad that I didn't get a picture of the little cabins (camp has been there since 1920's) they so sweet complete with shabby dressers with glass knobs. Layard making was everywhere. I cracked up when I notice this GI-normus football player dad crouched over his lounge chair lanyarding!

I managed to work on this little jewlry box for the jewlry exchange I signed for from get crafty. Lots of people were beading and needlepointing and knitting so that was neat to commune a bit. The knitter told me about a "knit and sit" in the area...somehow I don't think you will find me there. Oh and I had a heinous incident that rendered my crappy digital camera even crappier. My MONDO EXTRA LARGE bottle of sunscreen exploed in a bag that housed everything I brought sans clothes. I spent a good hour in a 2 foot by 2 foot shower stall attempting to rinse GREASY sunscreen from my toothbrush, camera to my drivers license. There is just no greater pleasure than figuring out to rescue soggy tampons!

Illustration Friday: Tranquility

2005-07-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

Back to Tahoe--ish type place

2005-07-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

Monday Riley and I are headed off to Camp Sacramento! It is a camp about 20 minutes before you get to Tahoe (that is the best navigation I can come up with right now) that is owned and maintained by the city of Sacramento in the Sierras. We're going with a friend of Riley's and his mom, and we have adjoining cabins.

Sue has been a lot of years so she has the inside skinny on the good things to do...she says it's like Meatballs but with bigger people too. It isn't uptight, the food is supposed to be abundant and fab ...happy hours and all! She says wine snobs abound and one women every year sets up her sewing machine in the main lodge and quilts! What a hoot!

Our cabin(s) are circled here...

I wish I had a scanner so you could see the intineary...candle making, late night pizza build your own, softball against the staff with happy hour keg-gars after, Archery, complete with camp variety show!, exercise and all day hikes, a day trip to Tahoe "pope Beach" where Sue says the food show doesn't miss a beat and that is a quick version. The theme is "Pirates of the Caribbean" with a dinner/dance on the last night. She says that everyone puts twinkle lights and decorations of the theme on their cabin. CUTE...

So here is a question, anyone know what to do to preserve tie dye color? I thought a vinegar bath before you wash would work, but I am not 100%, anyone know? any clever decoration ideas?

I am going to take a lotta pictures!

Trip to Tahoe

2005-07-12T19:56:00.000-07:00

We went to Lake Tahoe on the spur of the moment on Friday and came home yesterday. The weather was glorious and now I am home to hell. A gal that Rob works with has a cabin just far enough but still close enough to stateline that she is so nice to let us stay at. So Rob got up on Friday and did one his silly ..."So...You wanna go to Tahoe" swagger, swagger things. Since I wasn't expecting it I began a panic in front of this computer willing all of my lazy clients TO EMAIL THEIR REVISIONS NOW so I could get the hell out of here. The cabin is a 20x20 (well actually a little bigger) 2 bed/ 1 bath/ Kitchen and living room cracker box. It is sweet on the inside (old 50's decor) sorta plainish on the outside. No picture.

I realized two things. 1. Am not a good camera person. Well that is a lie, because I really knew that about me. I think it is a pain actually. But I have been trying to seize opportunities more often and I still blow it off. Case in point. I spent a weekend in one of the most scenic beauties in the world and this is the only picture I really have.

Yes. It was taken while I was driving back to KFC to get the popcorn chicken the was mistakenly not included in our order. I was struck by the orange gleam of sunrise illuminating the entire lake and every little nook and cranny of the place. Suddenly you see the WHOLE ENTIRE ENORMITY of the place and where it all fits in. It's just that blast of light that engulfs everything, and you want to keep looking because when you close your eyes and open them again its just dusk. I need a shirt that says I went to Tahoe and all I got was this crummy little picture.

Actually, this is a good one. My little tucker has always wanted to go horse back riding. He is astride the one horse he was hoping to get, Snowball.

The other thing I learned is that I am being a little more selective in places I want to live. I inherited this oddity from my mother in which I (she too) want to live in every different place I arrive. Seriously. If I drive 3 miles down the Sacramento river, I want to live in the teeny no amenity country town. If I go to San Francisco I want to live in an apartment there. So the first thing I do is get a newspaper or real estate booklet and start looking at housing. I say, "Rob, I'm really a county girl at heat", "Rob, I'm really a city girl at heart"...and then I mourn when I leave sure that I am leaving one the true place I should be. BUT I do not want to be in a cabin with dirt and pine needles 30 miles away from a store or a restaurant. So there you go. The one area that appealed to me in Tahoe, was the Tahoe Keys in which you drive in off the pine needles and you feel like you are in lush green lawn harbor of Newport Beach. Since I don't have a spare 1,8 mil burning a hole, I wasn't disappointed not to be living in Tahoe!

I did splurge on a little beauty. At the bead shop there I was drawn to this limey green stone. I kept going back to look at it. It was 8 bucks which is a little pricey for one bead. A big bead, but just one? Turns out it is "apple green turquoise" but super on the green, not the subdued green (which I like too). Since it is my birthstone I bought it. It is resting next to a bowl I made at the paint your own clay places (with my Grandma). I tried to dab a little blush of buff behind the polka dots for a subtle hint of color, and well it looks like big blobby blabs done with the grainy side of a kitchen sponge. with a couple more beads (coral is the red one, yum) and hair chop sticks ready to be beadified!

here is a closer, but blurrier look at the green apple

Sadness...

2005-07-07T16:18:00.000-07:00

My thoughts and prayers and sympathies are with the people of Britain today.

Finally, my BackTack is finished

2005-07-01T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am finally finished with my back-tack project!

I made the knitting needle case(?) and then made 2 sets of knitting needles and what-nots. Lemon and lime!

Illustration Friday Sport

2005-07-01T17:30:00.000-07:00

Okay this is crazy

2005-06-30T15:29:00.000-07:00

I guess I must be under a web browser rock, cuz my cousin told me to use "fire fox"... and now there are even more blogger features available to the mac user. Time to look beyond -internet explore--almost embarrased to admit! ahh, the spell check does not work though. Hmmm BUT BOLD DOES!

WOW

2005-06-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

I am logged on right now via Safari (I upgraded to panther this week)...so via Safari, I instantly went to blogger page, logged on and easy to post in 10 seconds AND this version allows me to post pictures!!! AND...drumroll please....SPELL CHECK! Amazing. I am so stoked.

So I am testing out the image upload, which blogger host? Neat. This should be a picture of my Gramma (who I ADORE)
UPDATE: Now that I can see the picture, it is also of my brother and sister-in-law and aunt too. So super cool.

radio silence

2005-06-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

I am now preparing to take a shower and wash off my 4 day stint at Seraphein Beyn Ads . Whoo...a whole lotta work (there's plus mine). Bob, the goober, was in a state over a client in "constant edit" mode which is not a good way to be because your are about a hair away from telling your bread butterer to sit and spin. I have to admit I did have fun and sorta missed the old grump. To give you an idea of how delicate Bob can be...about ten minutes after the super hip, of asian decent, intern quietly arrived and tucked herself in the back room, Bob came in to me and loudly asked...:"where's our little asian slave?"...um Bob she is in the room next door...insert image of Bob's size 13 Converse entering his mouth.

Had fun with Mike and lunch at a hip little beach deli that opened up, run by a local radio personality...i.e. anyone whose anyone under 30 was there. This afternoon, Mike and I took a drink and smoke break. He set his cigar on a newspaper stand and left me outside to guard it while he went in to buy diet cokes. I started meandering around a little, looking at all the sweet little Victorians (one in particular--cuuttee) and when he came out I heard a 'OH great, thanks". I look over to see Mike bending down to retrieve his cigar that fell off the newspaper stand and rolled a good 6 feet. Ooopps ( I laughed), then I thought ---what's the big deal in my head. As we go walking along just a few steps i see a partial dog poop on the sidewalk...oh...whatever.

Went to lunch with Scott and Bob at the greasy spoon because the night before Scott (sorta loves to eat - wink, wink, nudge, nudge) watched a documentary about pancakes (origin, other countries use, every imaginable variation) the night before. Bob and I were slightly mortified (wow, something ruffled Bob's sensibilities!) when he grumbled to the waitress for a butter tub or a bowl of butter balls, rather than have to unwrap each individual butter pat she served him.

all and all, a typical week at Sera Beyn.Shoo... Now I'm just looking forward to sleeping in again.

ah...what fun

2005-06-19T19:42:00.000-07:00

and impromptu dinner party can be! After an exhilarating shopping afternoon at my neighborhood market on Friday at The Nugget (it is a place I pinch myself that I have to shop at ...only a few blocks away on gourmet days, and a place that I curse that is so close when I have to REALLY shop for a household---if you know what I mean...NOT cheap) because I plopped Riley at the Cyber Cafe next store, to buy all the needs for my Donna Hay cooking weekend, I strolled over to the Campbell's' (the best neighbors in the world) and thought ---Hey, do you guys want to come over for dinner? Yeah, sure...can we invite Patty and Ted (cuz Roberta Campbell had pre-planned with Patty and Ted to get together) Yeah sure, too.

Roberta just stepped right up ( in her typical efficient fashion) and helped me to execute 3 Donna Hay recipes...the caramelized pear and rocket salad (i mentioned earlier---here is mine. Obviously I am not as adept at food styling, otherwise I would not have had half the salad sliding off the plate)...

For the main course we prepared the "quick flat roasted chickens", and a "me" recipe--pureed cauliflower with parmesan filled bell pepper cups...here is the chicken

Dinner is served here. Roberta looks so dang cute and her peppy attitude is fully captured, Ted, the super studier is off to the left (drat no good pictures of Patty's super chi chi haircut that is so her!)

then we all "retired" to the backyard for dessert, the "Caramel Banana Tarte Tatin" and fun with cloths pins (whodda thunk they would be such fun party favors, probably wouldn't with NO wine huh?)

Everthing tasted fabulous! To me the pear salad was out of this world.Chicken was very moist and juicy, and the banana dessrt was impressive and wonderful too. I MUST HAVE THIS COOKBOOK, is all I have to say!

On the menu this weekend...

2005-06-17T22:35:00.000-07:00

Donna Hays' "Caramelized Pear and Rocket Salad" from her new(est) cook book, The Instant Cook . Actually I am using 4 or her recipes this weekend but this is the one that I can't stop thinking about...YUM. This is the one of the first cookbooks I have gotten from the library that I HAVE TO HAVE. Every recipe is so tres chic, but does not require the 3 days for shopping at specialty stores and 20 obscure and very exspensive "one use" ingredients that Marthas' do. Roberta came by tonight and she recalled that it took a friend of hers 3 DAYS to make the ice cream cookies! I see now on the check out stand that Martha is ripping off Hay with "everyday cooking" too.

Caramelized Pear and Rocket Salad

60g (2 oz) butter
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 firm brown pears, quartered and cored
1/2 cup walnuts
100g (3 1/2 oz) rocket (arugula) leaves
150g (5 oz) soft blue cheese, sliced

Place the butter, vinegar and sugar in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the pear and walnuts and cook for 4 minutes or until the pear is just soft. Place the rocket on serving plates and top with pear and walnuts. Spoon over pan juices and top with blur cheese.

Z-Boyz Mini Review

2005-06-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Now I have crushes on ALL the scraggly skaters from the seventies after seeing Lords of Dogtown last night. The documentary, Z Boys and Dogtown, was very interesting, and I came away from that with a major crush on Jay Adams, the bad-ass/bad boy punk one (doin' time for drug charges-natch) who was the naturally talented one that didn't get the accolades he deserved. The movie was great actually. It did a good job of telling an out of the blue story of these kids that started the skateboarding swimming pool craze, with lots of character. AND Heath Ledger was really EXCELLENT as the surf board shaper skate team sponsor and the only noticable star in the movie (besides Rebecca DeMornay who did a great spaced out party mom with soul). I recommend the 9.50 (and I usually don't, so there you go!)

Baby Cakes

2005-06-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

I am in love with sweets pin cushions (ie, the cupcake that looks like a muffing) so I tried my hand at a cake pin cushion, (like someone did I think on craftster) Any ways here it is, a little bobb-lee...but I like it fine.

What People do...Sugar Sculptures

2005-06-12T11:49:00.000-07:00

Came across this interesting art form...Sugar Sculptures. The intricacy is amazing...

This one looks good enough to live in!

New Family Member

2005-06-10T23:22:00.000-07:00

Can you believe this? Say HELLO to Baby C!

My Cousin sent me a video sonogram ( I am sure that I am not introducing this properly---and he will tell me---so expect an update at some point) but I was just blown away at how amazing this is. I am sure that to all "preger-moms" POST---1994---this is old news,---but to me, WOW. I am supremely happy for Shannen and Jacob (my cousin) and brother O-.

I am also super impressed in Jacob's foresight in editing the video itself! He is obviously a Computation Stud!

Cake Walk

2005-06-10T22:45:00.000-07:00

Colette was kind enough to let me post one of her cakes here. While ALL of her cakes are amazing, I thought this one was especially fun and crafty---don't ya think?

and this one is beyond wonderful and creative thought...Counting Sheep? How does she come up with this stuff?

Illustration Friday: Summer

2005-06-10T22:39:00.000-07:00

One lucky part in my life is that I am the sole (maybe?) human being that LOVES ORANGE popsicles! So obviously there are extra for me!

June is fun...

2005-06-07T19:58:00.000-07:00

because little league is over! So this is my cupcake pincushion...I know it looks more like a muffin, but I love the colors so much I can't ditch it.

and June is fun because hydrangeas are blooming. I have 3 white bushes because the flowers bowl be over in a vase.

and here is hydrangea sepia toned...pretty enough to frame.

the love of my life

2005-06-03T23:22:00.000-07:00

Ever since this guy came back from his weekend in Arnold he has been strummin' "smoke on the water"...he is such a sweetie, so nice. Returning he said he wanted HOT DOGS for dinner (believe it or not a delicacy here) and I related no buns. I could run to the store for some? No mom, that's okay. Oh, in the freezer, some French roll "like" buns? Sure mom. Later, I holler---Mustard and Ketchup??? Yes Please, mom Lemonade too! oh yes please mom! and the politeness keeps going. He is so sweet and thoughtful and considerate of me. I don't know how I got so lucky.

Back Tack Incoming!

2005-06-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

Received my secret pal, Back Tack Incoming package yesterday (Thank you secret pal!---fun, fun, fun) It is perfect for the pattern I got last weekend for the knitting needle case. Although it doesn't call for a zipper (which secret pal sent)

Here is the pattern . I made the crochet case at Grandmas (when i get my pix back I am blogging about precious 96 year old grandma visit- forgot digital) for practice so receiving secret pal will not be totally disappointed. It (crochet case) turned out pretty good, so knit case should have the benefit of a trial run. Cross your fingers for me.

Rhetorical question---Patterns are ridiculously priced (this one originally 15.95) but are pretty standardly always 50 to 40% off as a rule. Why? Why not just print the 1/2 off price if no store charges the full price anyway? I can think of no other product (off hand at least) that does this. Useless wonderment... go about your day.

I sure hope you like your Baby Blanket!

2005-05-31T15:57:00.000-07:00

This is the blanket I made Riley's teacher for her surprise baby shower her students planned for her. My photoshopping is a little choppy (the carpet it was photographed on was so bus,y I had to clip some out, and obviously I was too impatient to to do it real clean- sorry)

One parent had the children write the teacher a letter about her baby and mounted them in a book (she teared up, so then I did) ---they were all very sweet and girly or super quick and boyey, then comes Riley.

Dear Mrs.X,
Thanks for teaching me everything I know. I sure hope you like your baby. I hope you name Her Riley and then his middle name. Here are some words I used and think you should teach your baby these---"tute the _________(insert baby name here) and "tennis shoe" for tissue. Good luck with this.
A class clown.

Nice huh? Geez, this kid! I hope you LIKE your baby-made spit out my lemon water. --- Cuz if you don't, that would be a big bummer teach!

Illustration Friday: Envy!

2005-05-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

KOWWAABUNGA!

2005-05-26T21:41:00.000-07:00

And be sure to visit my main page, to see the new Artist interview!

bzzzzzz time

2005-05-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

"You will find tons of fun, outrageous, wild, vivacious and inspirational products here!"

An understatement when considering Canadian artist Violette. She is fearless when it comes to her art, both with defining what is or can be art, and most amazing, defining where that art belongs.

One gander at her colorful, spirited, vibrant way of life and there can be little question that this artist is living HUGE. She maintains a website that not only hosts a blog, art for sale, but in the spirit of her generous nature a whole bevy of "DIY" tips that inspire one to look at life a little differently, let alone plunge into a "Full Monty" creative lifestyle.

Violette is the first artist to participate in, Creating Buzz, a Q&A of artists, crafters and creative types to get an insight on their inspiration, experience, successes (especially as it pertains to the Internet) and maybe some failure too. The idea is to hear first hand what people are creating, how they got where they are, advice for running an art/creative type business or profession, inspiring and uplifting readers along the way and finally, create a little Bzzzzz.

So lets hear what Violette has to say---

Q: How old were you when you picked up a paintbrush and knew that this would be a way of life?

Well my first remembrance is of drawing comics when I was about 9 years old, you know the Archies- stuff like that (please bear in mind that 'm almost 51---on June 15). Also the Supermodel Twiggy was REALLY HUGE back then and I was able to draw her well. I was a very shy kid so when I received so much attention for my art I knew that I had found my niche---I had found my gift- the gift that made me glow and feel happy.

Q: What was the first piece of art you sold and when did you know you would be successful as an artist?

The first piece of art I sold was a painting of a Mexican girl---I was about 15 years old at the time. A friend of the family bought it and I was pretty proud!

No. I never knew I'd be successful as an artist. My parents did not encourage me since they felt I should just get married and have children. They assumed that artist’s starved to death!

Q: What is the most successful method of marketing your work?

I think the most successful marketing method has been to have a website---but also to be in the news a fair bit as well as on TV. I've been on several shows "Weird Homes" Discovery Channel and Life Network, "Head over Wheels", a show about women and their cars, Sue Warden’s Creative Decor, HGTV etc. I have become known as an eccentric artist.---not so much for my art but for the manner in which I live, my home, van, lifestyle, manner of dress etc.

I think it’s imperative to have a website if you are an artist and want to be seen. It’s very easy to give out your business card wherever you are and invite people to check out your art online.

Q: By the way, what is your favorite color?

My favourite colour is orange right now.... It's in my living-room. My favourite colour used to be Purple or Violet---but I eventually got a bit tired of it.---I love it for the outside of my house however!

Q: I always appreciate people that "just go for it". Did you paint every inch of the house shown on you website yourself? And just curious---is it your house?

Yes---the magic cottage belongs to me...can you imagine a landlord letting people do what I've done to my home to a rental??? I’ve mosaiced special items given to me on the back-splash of the kitchen counter...half teacups, Kermit the Frog, hatpins, ceramic cow head, tiny beer stein, ceramic Aunt Gemmia head etc. I had some help from my Bohemian Tribe (my supportive friends)...they helped me paint it. Their encouragement gave me the courage to do whatever I wanted! For example I have written inspirational sayings on the bathroom wall! I’ve glittered counters, floors, and walls!

Q: How did you find so many clients interested in having their car painted?

Actually I have only painted my van---no one else's however I do encourage people to paint and embellish their vehicles. Like your clothing or your home I believe that your vehicle is an expression of you!

Q: You have information for licensers of you work, has this been successful and how do you market your work to these types?

Well the Internet has been invaluable in regards to marketing. I will regularly e-mail companies such as scrapbooking, rubberstamping etc. and ask them to check out my licensing page. I have received a few commissions from doing this. Also I have some postcards which I send out to various companies, book publishers, magazines etc. and ask them to check out my website. This is fairly common practise for illustrators I have heard.

Q: As you pointed out, an Internet presence is almost mandatory these days, however, have you been able to SELL a lot of your work on the Internet or has it been a better marketing tool for you?

I don't sell alot of stuff on the Internet---the fault really being my own as I have a whole whack of new items I should be posting but haven’t. Having an Internet presence has been great in getting myself known in the industry; inspiring people and generating interest in my work. I believe that my gift is inspiring folks and perhaps the best way to do that is to have an online blog but also to write/illustrate a book. You can’t make a living simply by having a blog if no one ever buys anything---I really wish I could do that all day however the reality is that in order to do so I need to make a living. That part has been difficult for me to wrap my head around. Creativity is my forte not marketing.

It is imperative to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your gifts...
I was encouraged to do this by my friends. It felt like finally after all those years I had permission to be ME---that was the most freeing thing that has every happened to me!

However, a good (internet) marketing tool is to get reciprocal links to better your google ranking and also to have new stuff on your site regularly such as a blog---since the search engines are content driven you get a higher ranking if you post new stuff---words---not so much photos or illustrations. My son who is my webmaster told me this---also he told me to do an image search on Google on my name "Violette’s art" and I came up with over 117 images. He said the reason being that I have lots of links. Go figure.

Q: Do you have a lot of friends that you meet to "create" with or do they just gasp in awe of you?

I have lots of amazing friends--we create together or just play together. I do have a Creative Group I co-founded last year called ELEVEN...we make things, put on group shows, share resource information and just have fun!

Our next meeting will be a dress-up meeting---where we wear wild clothes and go out and be slightly outrageous.

Q: I noticed you said you were becoming more like your mother (after scrap-booking). Was she a big influence on you? Was your Mom an encouraging influence?

No---I can't honestly say that my mom has been an encouraging influence although these days she is trying her best to be encouraging. If it were up to her I should be painting seascapes or landscapes which would be a deathknell for me. You have to remember that she came from a time where you were supposed to get married, have kids and that’s it. There was none of this "trying to find yourself" or "following your bliss". When I said I was becoming more like my mother I meant.---more more---Impatient---wanting to do things quickly.

Q: Who gave you the best business advice? ---and what was it?

I suppose the best advice I've received is from my friends, my Bohemian Tribe who told me to go for it and follow my bliss in terms of my art and decorating the magic cottage.

My kids Jessica and Ryan encouraged me to paint my vehicle since I was an artist. I had thought of it often but never did so because my mom would say "think of the resale value??" She said the same thing about my home too but thankfully I went ahead and did what I wanted to. Also I had a business coach for a while who helped me with my creative goals. For scattered folks such as myself i highly recommend finding a mentor/coach who can help you along your path.

When you speak from your heart creatively you can't go wrong---
Be true to yourself and you'll be happy

I want to say which I believe is very important. It’s imperative to surround yourself with people who believe in you and your gifts. My life did not explode with colour and exuberance until I hit 40, went and bought my own little home and did exactly as I pleased. I was encouraged to do this by my friends. It felt like finally after all those years I had permission to be ME---that was the most freeing thing that has every happened to me!

Q: Is there any personal advice you would give artists in general?

Whatever you do always listen to your muse and follow your heart. When you speak from your heart creatively you can't go wrong. You are sharing your gifts with the world in only the way YOU can.---no one else---in your own voice. We need your voice in whatever way it manifests. Be true to yourself and you'll be happy.

Party Invite Challenge

2005-05-22T23:31:00.000-07:00

Cloth Paper Scissors has a fun Reader Challenge right now!

art party invitation anyone?

Send us an invitation for your own art party- one you've hosted in the past, one you're planning in the near future, or perhaps the party you've only planned in your head. Put on your party hat and follow the methods used in Traci Bautista's and Cindy O'Leary's articles, or branch out on your own.

details---Use any combination of your own artwork, copyright-free images, fabric, paper, transfers, wire, stitching, beading, and other mixed-media materials and techniques to make an art party invitation that promises laughter, sharing,

the link above also details guidelines and dates! Let me know if you enter your invite, chances are SUPER DUPER slim I will---UPDATE ---I meant will NOT, as I am entrenched in end of the school year hell--mission project, lotta homework---coupled with planning the lamest phenomena known to child and adult kind alike (especially for too old an age child)--- The end of season Sports/Activity party---I know I am mean...but given that I have spent money on signing up, pictures, THE STUPID CANDY FUNDRAISER--ah um, now another 25 on a trophy /party on a team that didn't win all that much, well, I am over it. Remember when trophies meant the winning team kicked ass, and then that made you want to work harder so you could get one of those? I guess I am a little crusty right now. GO TO BED GRACIE!

A special kind of Hell!

2005-05-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

There is a very special place in my heart for this LINK! Go ahead...click it...I promise you will not be disappointed.

Eichlers in my backyard.

2005-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

I stumbled on this Eichler Netwrok website devoted to all things Eichler, and found this sub-site like web-article on these funky Eichler like homes built in the Sacramento area by the Streng Bros. via a local little news paper, Inside the City . Shoo. That was alot of linking.

There are Eichlers built here is Sacramento, very close to my home, and I have always loved their design. The ultra cool look, simple stream lined like living. Personally, I am not sure I would like to live in one, but the design harkens back to that Sinatra, "lovey, be a doll and freshen my martini" time and I very much appreciate the eclectic architecture.

So this was a neat little tale about a couple of visionaries here in Sacramento, who at one time almost teamed up with Joe Eichler. The images are from the website to give you a tiny taste of all there is to learn and see from the site. If you like architecture, I highly reccomend you check it out.

Illustration Friday- Mischief + Nourishment

2005-05-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

Since I missed last weeks Illustration Fridays' Mischief topic I thought I would combine this weeks "nourishment" into one!

How do these people thrive better than me?

2005-05-10T14:52:00.000-07:00

I noticed Seraphein Beyn has had to plaster NO FREE POSTERS in like 5 different places on their website due to some typical infinite wisdom on the part of Bob. Here Bob advertised the posters he commissions illustrator Mike Benny to paint every year of some old baseball great, like this one of Babe...

I stopped by the office a few months ago and Bob was having an email explosion (temper tantrum thrown for good mature measure too!) because the websites that cater to scouring the web for free stuff linked to Bob's posters and everybody and their Grandma was emailing for one...every time he checked his email (like every 10 minutes) he had 50 new emails or some such. I asked if there were any legal ramifications, such as ---you say email me for a free poster---aren't you suppose to honor the offer? He felt okay because he had included this bit of sarcasm..."These 22 X 28 "Hard Hitting" posters can be yours free with a large bribe". And since no one had, at that point bribed him he was left to spending the day on email delete duty and scouring the web for free stuffs dot coms to tell them to takes his link down.

All this of course is funny to me because I spent -oh about a week listening to him whimper and whine about his sound and speakers were not working anymore on his computer and would I please come fix it (he couldn't listen to sucky radio spots on the sound guys site) with more whining and fussing until I walked into his office and hit the Sound O.N.O.F.F. oscillator switch on his keyboard (otherwise known as mute on - mute off, to you and me!) I have an even better recent story of Bob testing a new clients website (just to make sure the ecommerce portion was in good working order) that happens to be a place the sells things to enhance romance (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). The retailer promptly called Bob to inform his purchase was on backorder. See Bob doesn't realize that even his new small retail client doesn't employee an amazon like workforce to fulfill web orders. But it begs a question, how do all these tech-tards seem to thrive just ever so better than me?

My new favorite past time

2005-05-07T21:38:00.000-07:00

is to spend time on the phone with Lynda glued to our computers clicking and pouring over cake decorating websites (luck, fortunate, luck.. the beauty of broadband)

Part to prepare for Sweety's website and part because I can't get enough at looking at how beautiful cakes are, and MOST of all, Lynda is fun (we have fun) and sweet herself!

Plus, it fulfills my envious nature of all the food people blog about....did I mention my cupcakes all look like cute-ish big GLOBS of GOO!

"Oh my god, did you see the one, 4 columns over, 10 down?" "Where" "Pollys cakes" "Oh yeah....wow, do you see the dogwood flowers on Fab Cakes" "Where"...you get the picture.

Our new statement... the "TOPSY, TURVY-WHIMSY" cakes are Pass'e!

Um...we're simply statement makers and...well with that, trendsetters, what can I say? Faith Popcorn has nothing on us! (YES...... I am being ironic in my self importantance! and DISCLAIMER, Faith's link SUCKS now too, so maybe she is Pass'e too? Arghhh)

Anyways, Can you believe this is a cake?

The baker credit is McNeill Manor, but of course I will be a loyalist once Sweety's is live.

Coming to a store near you!

2005-05-03T12:23:00.000-07:00

Well not really, but to this website and maybe a few local stores! First note card set...7x2 folded, of course...But I need feedback on the the two first samples!

I like them all one background, but like the pink back too!

What do you think?

PeaPies Yarn!

2005-05-02T22:05:00.000-07:00

I am having the hardest time finding peapie/pod green yarn the right weight and composition...in that ...if it is the right weight it is a rough acrylic and... if right color too small a weight....so if one were to DYE a yarn to achieve right color, COTTON would make sense no?

and a little dye?

did I mention, that I had not studied the very talented yarn dyers/spinners or consulted a DIY yarn dying tutorial before faking I knew what I was doing?

I did go to the dollar store to buy a (point) .7 gallon bucket for the job that the packet called for a LARGE 5 Gal Like size (but its' pink...so works for me)

Spaghetti was not the idea (I-E...consult a book or an expert? it is true...that lovely sink you see really is AVACADO!)

OHHH...CALGON... here is the final pile!

FACTORY DIRECT is in semi working fashion!

2005-05-02T09:26:00.000-07:00

I am not entirely done designing/tweaking FACTORY DIRECT my Sell and Trade experiement page (where Cindy will contribute with her vast collection of vintage beauties) but I have my first Trade item up...

The trade idea is...I will put patterns and what-nots up and if someone wants it/them...email me to make the trade!...what to trade? Whatever you want. One of your creations, something you make, vintagey notions, a book...what ever you think is fair! My intention is for it to be as fun for you as it is for me!

I am in utter mourning!

2005-04-29T17:08:00.000-07:00

I went to the GW Dump and a bin chock full of patterns came out. I grabbed as many as I could and methodically went through them creating "want" and "don't want" piles'....I mean I LOVED! LOVED! LOVED! the "want" pile (vintage wedding Dress!!!) only being my usual SPACE CADET SELF, mistakenly put the "want , love, love, love" pile back and the "don't want" is pathetically sitting here in front of me!

Is it weird to want to cry over this?

Illustration Friday....Ambition?

2005-04-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

I know that I am being lazy for posting this as ambition, because even though it says "reach for the stars" it really isn't all that ambitious...I did this (among others) for my nephews 8th grade dance...to which I thought to be totally groovy....8th grader thought...CUTESY LAME!

I was like, whaddo ya mean CUTESY???? Cool, hip shag head dude and saucy gal takin' on the city? The youth today! Oh well, can't please 'em all. So that all my hard laborious Aunt duty would not go unappreciated I am posting my cutesy lame illustration here!---maybe that is ambitious, no?

And since I am on this link spaz

2005-04-28T22:15:00.000-07:00

File this under the "Oh My Dad" post (Will Farrel as Jesus!)....meet the ...The Uber-Crocheter!

Sublime...

2005-04-28T21:09:00.000-07:00

...Stitching! that is!

here is the blog associated with this wonderment!

I used to do embroidery under my sweet little grandmothers eye. She had the patients to teach me most all needle crafts, but I had a sneaky suspicion that this was her favorite. These do look too fun! So Deborah, the original cocktail hostess!

Just had to plug Deb, now that she "has the coordinates".