release the hounds!

Spent sufficient time driving myself crazy, so when I got home from running errands today, out came the Bernina.



It's so incredibly...heavy! And complicated. I'm having fun learning on my own (it's so similar to what we use at work that I have a leg up), and next weekend she&I will return to the quilt store to take a "mastery class." Yay!

And I would like to present...



the first ever thing I sewed on my new machine! Impressive, right? Hah! This is actually a part of a larger project, but I love the way the solid stripes look, so I may be revisiting this idea later.

I finished the quilt top this is a part of tonight, so pictures tomorrow! Plus, a peak at one of the first items for Wholly Craft!

gaga

Some women choose to follow men. Some women choose to follow dreams. Your career will never wake up one day and decide it doesn't love you any more.
-Lady Gaga, final sentence of her interview in this month's Cosmo

[I was just reading this in the grocery store earlier, and, love her or hate her, I adore this quote. Unfortunately it's not a direct quote because I don't have the mag in front of me....so if you do, please correct me in the comments, thanks!]

wholly craft! it IS spring!

Okay, so, it's probably safe now to mention that for the past couple weeks I have been working on a super special secret project that I loved....RVA's Spring clothing line! (ps if you're visiting from Elsie's blog, hiiii! come on in!)

I was thrilled to be working on such cute stuff. I more or less just consider myself the girl behind the sewing machine, but working with Elsie is so so fun, she really let me experiment and incorporate my ideas in to several of the pieces. I'm so anxious to see the collection released on RVA next week, I hope you are too!

So, what's next?



Oh only Springfield's first ever (that I know of) indie craft show, being put on by two of my favorite ladies, and being hosted by my favorite indie theater!

It's a ways off, but I'm known to let time catch up with me. Work starts tomorrow (once I get the Bernina set up!) for the show. It's going to be gooooood!

updated layout!

Hurrah, new colors, new header!

I need to tweak the colors and work on the font a bit, but I am sooo late for ("real") work.

Going to the RVA Art Walk Party tonight, then coming home for ("fun") work work work, yay! It's going to be such a great weekend!

is it spring yet?

[found here]









[found here]

Floral inspiration for more of these.

Although I doubt I'll be getting much hand-sewing done this weekend.......



Eeeeeee!
Two years from now this will be paid off (*whew*). But I am so so happy and excited and hopeful for my sewing future. Not opening until the house is clean, or the house will never get cleaned. I'm going to go fall asleep reading the manual, now!

'studio' challenge

Elsie posted a fun challenge this past weekend, to find something in your studio you have yet to use, and use it!

I thought to myself, well, that's about half the stuff in my home. But then I looked over, and saw the huge neat stack of felt. The inexpensive, acrylic felt that was taking up lots of space, and had been through a house move (in a box labeled by my ex "FELT FELT FELT FELT FELT") three times when it should have just been thrown away.

So....I made these:



I love them. I think they may end up wrist corsages, but I haven't decided yet.

The stack isn't that much smaller, so this will be a continuing weekend project for a while, I predict.



Only somewhat related, I found this FQ at Hancock Fabrics the other day. I didn't even realize how much I loved it until I opened it up. Does anyone recognize it? I'm hoping it's "designer" (you'd be surprised at the stuff chain stores get a hold of for their FQs!) so I can get yardage. Anyway, I'm going back in a few days to snag a couple more quarters, hopefully!

edit: turns out I had bought the last FQ, so if you happen to see this print (even in another colorway!) either at your Hancocks, or anywhere else pleaaase let me know and I will pay you to get it for me! xox

love, blythe

I haven't posted much about them here, and don't particularly plan on it. But I wouldn't be completely honest if I didn't tell you briefly about how much I love Blythe!





This is Abbie, she is my absolute favorite thing.
I took these pictures after she had returned home from getting a 'make over' at her namesake's house. And you know what? She stood up by herself for the first time. No, I don't believe in creepycreepy stuff, but she is a bit magical to me anyway!





And these are my twin Mondies. Jan from Houston is on the left, Marco (who has a mohair reroot) is on the right.

My flickr is primarily Blythe oriented, so if you are interested in seeing more, that's the place to be! Otherwise I will try to keep this place mostly Blythe-free.

Thanks for indulging me. :)

read any good picture books lately?

There was a good month in college when I was really excited about the prospect of being a children's illustrator. Fresh from waffling on the photography major, and drowning in the first semester of the art education major, I needed a creative outlet.

It never went any farther than several hours spent at the library perusing 'how to' books and children's books. But from the day I was born (approximately) to the day I die I have an intense love for these funny little illustrations.....

[all images via ffffound.com]

Most of my childhood books are still at my mom's, but I have a very small sweet collection here. If Mark can ever find the power cord to his scanner I will post them up, I promise!

(Trust me, you can't go on living without having seen The Cat's Pajamas!)