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I finally went to the printers yesterday and got some prints made. One specifically I wrote about last spring I have finally framed and is ready to go for my friend. I’m really happy with the way it turned it. 11 x 14 matte finish. The frame was on sale at Michael’s and I’m so excited to give it to the new owners this weekend.
***I haven’t quite mastered just how I’m supposed to take a photo of something with glass so as to not get the reflection, strange light, etc.
for one of my mommas-to-be, i thought a set of burp cloths was in order…that and some diapers! once the little alien pops out and they are a bit settled into a routine i will see what else momma and baby could really use (maybe a blanket or bag or even more fashionable rags). once the little tyke gets a bit bigger she might need some of these.
So I’m in the Lone Star state again. This time I’m here to visit family, eat a hell of a lot of good food, and party with my dad as he closes out a 37 year career in law enforcement in this area. But he’s not quite ready to take up the rocking chair just yet. He has one more big adventure planned before he decides to retire his sidearm (if any true Texas law man ever can!)
He decided that he wanted to serve his country and at 57 he joined the Army. Ok, he didn’t exactly join the army, but that’s what he likes to say. He’s signed on to work for a private contractor that sends civilians with unique skills to Iraq and Afghanistan to aid the military in a variety of ways. He will be going as an investigative expert and basically continue to solve crimes. And he’ll do this for the next 12 months. There’s obviously quite a few more details, but I’m still uncertain about how this new chapter will play out here in my little nook of cyberspace.
But before he ships out we are having a big ol’ texas size retirement party complete with bar-b-que and good beer. And I couldn’t show up down here empty handed. Because my Pop is a music man (his own band is playing at his retirement party) I thought I would make him something he could use, especially with the gift my mom got him: The Martin Backpacker Guitar. I couldn’t think of a better gift than that guitar. I think the emotional value that a little music, entertainment and taste of home will bring to the battalion of soldiers he’s stationed with will far outweigh any monetary price or physical weight. B & I have the backpacker guitar and we really like how light and portable the thing is. That said, I decided to make a custom strap for the thing, and since Camo is the chic color palate this season in combat zones, I figured I would give in and go with the trend!
Looking at it now, I wish I had embroidered something special on it, but I guess I can always make a new one and send it to him at Christmas.
It’s going to be a whole week of gifts. I’m also working on a mini family look-book (to remind him just how crazy we all are and that he may want to reconsider coming home! ) I’m also celebrated two very good family friends who are going to be mommas and one of them real soon! We’ve also got a formal ceremony to attend today at the court house and an informal office party on Friday and then the big kahuna on Sunday.
Needless to say I’ll be busy and trying to get in as much quality time as possible. He deploys on the 22nd of this month…just over a week now.
I’m always the last to know. But I have a new daily obsession, checking out the findings on Craftgawker. A lovely gallery of handmade goodness, updated daily.
I seem to have taken a liking to the internet this week… Here are some images from craftgawker. (The image will take you to the owner’s shop.)
this little package is going to make it’s way across the country today. i hope the recipient is as excited to get it as i was to put it together. i picked up the tin for a dollar and the napkins for $2.50. quite a bargain.
This weekend I took a break and quickly put together a new mini. I was recently asked about my other mini… the daily 2009. I stopped making pages in June. It started to feel like more of an obligation rather than a joy. I was also becoming busier and then when we put our house on the market, I couldn’t keep my crafts out in the open. (I keep them in rubbermaid bins under the bed.) I also started feeling weird about posting things that were so personal. All of that combined… I decided to stop that book where it was. I can’t say that I’ve done much with paper since. My summer was so busy and dragging out the boxes wasn’t too appealing.
But alas, on Sunday, creativity came calling and I thought it would be worth the effort. I think the whole idea of a “mini-book” will work for me if it’s already pre-made, or almost done… just add words, photos and a date stamp. I am also too much of a type A personality to not love having more of a uniform look. I like each page being the same size and a similar color scheme or theme. (I know… all kinds of crazy!)
So I created this one on Sunday as a gift…but it will be hard to part with it. Here are just a few pages:
it’s my mother-in-law’s birthday and she already has everything. i thought about picking up something that smells good or more kitchen utensils, but i feel weird when i don’t hand-make my gifts. but the poor woman has had to suffer through quilts, bags, jewelry and other things I’ve crafted. but this latest idea is a combination of picking up something already made and customizing it. i tried my hand had “glass etching” with Armour Etch. it’s a cream that you apply to glass and five minutes later, a personalized gift. and because I’m southern i think everything is better monogrammed.
this could get addicting.
while my friend was here she broke her hand. actually she broke it a few days before she arrived but with much encouragement from brad and myself we went to the local minor emergency care center the day she arrived. as soon as the man in the white coat showed us the x-rays, i started mentally inventorying my fabric stash. as soon as we got home, i got to work. who says a broken pinkie can’t be turned into a fabulous fashion accessory?!
{yes it’s reversible}
if i could spend all my discretionary money in one place, this would be it. i love the aesthetics of all the products and i’m in love with their books. good news for those of us on this side of the pond, they have an etsy shop.
{all photos courtesy Present & Correct}
my sister-in-law and i share july birthdays and so tonight we went to dinner and celebrated getting older wiser. and i was really pleased with the necklace i created for her. she was too.
I saw these necklaces at urban outfitters and throughout blog-land and then ran across this great tutorial. And although the jury was out for a while, I’m in and I think my friend will be able to pull it off fabulously. I like it as an alternative to a scarf. I think I’ve got a green t-shirt that wants to be a necklace too.
uh, love this.
i think if I ever owned a little store it would be a paper store. full of all sorts of lovely items. (and books… lots and lots of books!)
i still love to get hand-written love in the mail. I have such great memories of writing letters to summer camp flames, friends living abroad, and even my Aunt. For those like me, I found a website just for us. We can get free downloads to encourage good old-fashioned letter writing. I still have a few folks I like to share letters with. I love choosing the right paper and the beauty of good penmanship. (Much less, decorating the outside of the envelope and choosing the right seal.) But, most of the time mine looks like chicken scratch, but I’m still in love with the idea behind it. It’s also one of my favorite parts of being a sponsor at Women for Women. You write letters to one another and get to share a bit of your personality on paper all the while funding an education to improve their lives. What’s not to love?
I’ve been a busy little bee lately buzzing around my “craft room”. I’ve got several projects going at once, but I have managed to whip out a few little gifts. I have a thing for journals (clearly!) and I like them pocket/purse size to be able to jot down thoughts, words, grocery items. I also have a thing for fabric and I don’t seem to ever toss my scraps because, you know, I just *might* use them. Looking at my stack of fabric scraps and coveting new pocket size journals at my local bookstore, the idea hit me. These two things go together like Peanut Butter & Jelly. I also decided to make a tutorial because everyone should have their very own little pocket book. There are so many possibilities with these little guys. Paper, fabric, embellishments, embroidery… endless possibilities.
See the tutorial here or click on the link at the top of the page.
That’s really what blogging is all about, right? I remember those few days when I picked a special object in my life: a photo, birthday present, my favorite shoes… and then would stand up in front of the class and monologue. Each day in blog-land is a show & tell of found objects, snagged snapshots, color combos discovered, creative endeavors accomplished, pretty things purchased. My show and tell today is really more of a math problem:
3 fat quarters + 5 colors of embroidery floss = 1 mother’s day tote bag
This was my first venture into hand embroidery and I must say that I loved it. I enjoyed the process because there is very little prep needed (time or materials) and then you get immediate gratification. I think I see a new habit forming.
I was so excited to receive a little package in the mail this week. I ordered my Joel Dewberry fabric from this great place and it arrived neatly wrapped and with a hand-written note. I will get started on the attic window seats this weekend/early next week and then I’ll work on the couch cushions when the home owners get their new furniture. I think the color and style is exactly what I was looking for in that great open space.
I made this back in January for my sis. I just finally last week managed to walk across the street to the post office to put it in the mail! I picked up the beads in Beijing. It was hard to decide with so many options. But I just got confirmation that she really liked her new accessory. (And so do I!)
Another apron made and delivered. She loved it.
I also made some potholders & appliqued some dishtowels to match.
here’s a little of what my life looked like last week.
…that I enjoy so much. Today I sent a note to a friend and included a lovely little poem about spring. I also made a recipe card for a different friend. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. On Saturday we made the most delicious Cavatappi dish and so I snapped a photo of it cooking. I then used that photo as a watermark for a recipe card. I think I’m going to try to do a series of those for a family member that’s getting married in May. Too bad for me that I will now need to make my favorite meals and then print out the recipes. Looks like I’m eating good in April!
I haven’t neglected my little habit… we were just busy for a bit. But Monday and Tuesday were spent crafting away: catching up on journal pages and making thank you cards. Here are a few of the highlights.
I spent the better part of last week quilting in my free time. I had about 30 t-shirts to choose from. They were my brother-in-law’s track shirts. I feel like I took the easy way out by not doing a traditional binding around the edge and just hand-tying it at the seams…but over all I’m pleased with the way it turned out.
I have been crafting away on a birthday project that was due yesterday. But between helping Brad at the attic and both of us getting sick, I will have to put the finishing touches on it today. I will post pictures when it’s done!
