Pimp my table

I signed up for this swap in which the participants had to sew 2 placemats and 2 napkins to "pimp" your partner's table. I'm not really sure why I signed up since I have never made a placemat or napkin in my life, but I did. There were a few links at the end of the swap description with how-tos on how to make placemats, but they were all quilted. Unfortunately, unless the quilt is actually a quilt, the look is not my thing and the whole process of quilting makes my eyes cross.

I was on my own.

So, I took 2 matching fat quarters and guestimated how big a placemat should be and backed them both with some fabric stabilizer, then I took some pinkish flower fabric (my partner's only hint as to what she likes on her profile is that her favorite color is pink) and proceeded to applique some hearts here and there. I had some white fabric that is like dress shirt material and used that as a backing, sewed right sides together, fliped everything right side out and topstitched. I then had some flour sack material I thought would make good napkins and cut out a couple of decent sized sqaures, hemmed the edges and used the scraps from the placemat material to applique hearts onto those. It wasn't that hard! I think they came out kind of cute and are much busier than any placemats in a store...hope she likes them :)

So, My daughter found this music box I had with one of those lampworked pianos on top? Yeah, well my piano had broke and it was not my favorite, especially since there were jagged pointy raw glass edges of death sticking up all over. So, I took my trusty dremmel and removed the broken piano and sanded all the pokies off leaving the mirrored base. Well, since my daughter is almost 2, a mirrored base would probably be less than safe, so I wrapped it up with quilt batting and crochet a cover to go over the glass. Thgen it sat for a long time just like that...with nothing.

I then picked up my crochet hooks again and decided a few amigurumi would be fun to have around. I started out with a goldfish and then moved on to a pig. The pig was cute but I was getting tired and lazy by this point and had no desire to put feet on him. It didnt take me long to realize you can't see pigs feet when they stand in tall grass...so I made him some fun fur grass. Unfortunately, doing that made him not as fun to play with, so I sat him aside.

This morning I saw the music box base and it all came together. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that the music box polays "Memory" which is a far cry from any happy piglet songs. My doaughter is thrilled though and could care less if it played Metalica's Master of Puppets. It's a "Ooombig" and Ooombig's do not have a theme song.

Ooombig.

ATC Envelope

I broke out my sewing machine and decided to play with a few of the fat quarters I have laying around. I love Mirkwood Designs and decided to make her ATC Envelope out of fabric.

I'm not an ATC fan. I don't make them, but know of so many people who do and even collect them, I thought these would go over well as swapping extras...





I also put together one of her petal envelopes. I thought it would be cute to present a bracelet or something. I like to put lots of little packages to open up in a swap.

To bead or not to bead, that is the question.

I am stagnant. I honestly don't feel creative. I always saw an artist as this beautiful, free spirited, wild haired tree hugger with paint stained, gluten free bib overalls and a cool tribal tattoo around her upper arm. Someone who hugged a lot, stood up for the little guy and smoked the occasional clove cigarette after sex and a good long day of art stuff. It might be the weather and the fact that I don't own any bib overalls any more that I have lost my mojo...I'm pretty sure I have a cool tribal tattoo left in me somewhere under my pajamas and saggy boobs. Sigh.



So it's winter in Wisconsin and the long cold days are dragging. I have cabin fever and my studio is too cold to venture. And...I have 4 kids, meaning, there will be no creativity in this house outside the realm of pipe cleaners and dollar store felt. Of course, there is the occasional googly eye...



Anyway, I have taken to indoor things. Amigurumi, hats, I painted some safety eyes to add a little life to said amigurumi--they make safety eyes so plain you know. Last night I found some sunflower spacer beads (sunflowers being my favorite flower ever) and decided as a midwinter blues present, to make myself some stitch markers. They are pretty friggin adorable.



I then decided to visit my old haunt Swap Bot. I soooo needed something...different to occupy my spare time. I have so little of it, why waste it you know? So, I signed up for a couple swaps and for fun, made up a few more stitch markers as extras, should I get paired up with a fellow crocheter. I'm starting to worry though, that I may have made them too big and bulky. Not heavy, just...in the way?

I can't wait to see the snow gone. I need my scroll saw and my kiln and my welder and my drill press. I miss my table vice. I want to open the double doors of the loft and let the sun in. I couldn't be more ready for summer...

Remembering the euphoria

While I would love to say I was one of those care-free moody artists that had all the time in the world to lay around and get inspired, I sometimes need to remind myself that this is the real world and that wanna be rock star persona was left behind with the Ramen noodles and green hair of old-I never told anyone that the green hair was an accident. Something about cheap black hair color on bleach blond hair...I don't know. I ran with it.



Anyway, today I steal a few seconds while my home schooled son finishes up some reading and my 18 month old tries to unveil the meaning of life with words of 2 syllables or less. The laundry needs to be done, my floor needs sweeping, the dishes are stacked. Glamorous.



To say I would rather be creating in my studio would be a lie at this point. It's damned cold out there and instead of tackling the much needed housework, I prefer to blog and crochet some arm warmers for a certain someone for Christmas. I wonder if I can talk someone into gifting me a Snuggy?



Okay. Agenda updates. After all, this is my shop blog, Not my personal-whining-winter-blues blog.



Bottles are slumped and waiting final touch ups before going up on the site. Today I took the time to make some sexy address labels for my outgoing packages. Possible etching tonight. I'm not sure if it's wise to go with the Christmas theme or not, since sales have been so slow. I would rather not store them if I can help it. Hm...Perhaps I should consider a huge sale? Thoughts?

Business cards

I finally took the plunge and got myself some business cards. I think they are darn beautiful.



This is the back side:


And this is the front side:

New stuff just listed

Everything is free shipping for the month of December. I added a few new bits for the holiday season as well. 3 new bottles will be comming

in tonight as well as another new bird feeder. Stop in later tonight to take a look.