Doodly Do--

My new scanner doesn't open up as wide as my husband's.  As a result, some of this drawing was chopped off.  I'm sort of reluctant to tear the page out though since it's a new sketchbook.

UPDATE:  Finally colored this in you can see it on Deviantart.

They're Done!

Coming Soon to an Etsy Shop near you!  Don't they look great? The first 3 on top are available as prints too.

I'm featuring this one in particular because I used 'scrambled papers' instead of just the unlined white that the other three have.  I think it's quirky, but  do people need all of one sort of paper in a notebook?  Or are the majority of notebooks  that way simply because they've always been made that way?  I'd have really liked to have bought some orange paper to go with the Tangerine Tango covers, but I somehow didn't get around to it.  Next time!

Red Hot Valentine's Day Goodies

In one month, it's going to be Valentine's Day, and when I think of Valentines I think of RED!  Some people think that this holiday is only about mass marketing--but it doesn't have to be.  For the people who are special and unique in your life, you don't have to settle for gifts that are cheaply produced and sold in every chain store.  Gifts from your heart require creativity and thought--so you're in luck.  Etsy is chock full of people who use their creativity and thought every day to make their stores really special. These featured items are either handmade or handpicked vintage pieces that are available right now to get you thinking about how to suprise all your sweeties.   So without further ado, please enjoy!

Wear this adorable red nautical dress from Nou Nou Vintage when delivering your valentines.  I love these handmade ones from Studio Haus. These love notes are personal, totally unique and very reasonably priced.  What's not to love about that?

No ensemble is complete without the right accessories!  These sparkly red Swarovski crystal hearts from Jay Behrle and adorable red love bracelet by ZaneyMay could be a gift for someone special, or  for you if you drop the right hints...

Valentine's Day is only once a year, but you can feel fun flirty at anytime with this fluffy handbag by Gladraggz. 

Hang a dash of romance in your house year round with this cute country hug and kiss garland by PACountryCrafts.

Not everyone is into mushy romantic Valentine's Day things.  No problem--you can still share the love!  These robots by DesignLab443 have a sneaky heart on the back and  a secret zipper to hide a love note, a candy kiss or two, or a sweet (but not sugary!) present like these pink and red skull magnets from FiveFootFury13.

No Valentine's Day would be complete without a heart shaped candy dish and this vintage piece by Heliopsis fits the bill perfectly.  Where else are you going to put your Conversation Hearts?  Or better yet, you can stash those earrings and bracelet to wear again!

Thanks for looking!

Tangerine Tango

PLUSPLUS

PLUS

EQUALS

And that's how you do the Tangerine Tango--Ole!

Take Note!

 I like the idea of making my own notebooks--complete with original artwork.  That makes it art with function.  I just need to buy a ream of paper to fill them all, have them bound and they'll be up on Etsy.  I'm toying with the idea of making one of them a scrambled paper book--graph paper, blank paper, lined paper maybe even a few decorative papers all thrown in together.

New Thing

Update!  3-23-10
Color added (see below) a la Spoonflower's Art Nouveau Fabric of the Week contest.  Vote for my design!

On paper is usually where my textile design ideas are born.  Photoshop makes it clean and symmetrical. But sometimes the asymmetrical and humanly flawed is more appealing I think. I've been thinking a lot about the Art Nouveau style a lot.  It's fancy without being overwhelming like Rococco and there's the element of the organic about it.

"Objets Nouveau"

Sketchy

OK.  Maybe sock darning isn't the sexiest of topics.  Still, Sophie Kinsella says it's worth knowing and she's pretty cool.

Here's a peek inside my old sketchbook which I miss very much.  I filled it up about a month ago.  I have a new one but it's not the same.  The little one-eyed guy was drawn by my daughter.  I have no idea what his shirt says.  I asked K, but she forgets.

Save Spiderman, darn it!

 One of the many unfinished projects that I have is a pile of mending.  Sock Darning is a lost art. Let's face it, socks are cheap and easy to buy. If you get a hole in your sock, you can toss it and buy another bag o' socks at your local Target without much thought.

Sometimes though there are socks that you just can't bear to throw away. This comfy cozy Spiderman sock is half of my oldest son's favorite pair. Spiderman himself would probably be able to just shoot a little webbing over the holes and be done with it. I have to do the next best thing to save the Spidey socks. 

Most sewing and mending involves tight even stitches to close a hole. Darning is not like that. You are essentially weaving new fabric in the spot that has worn away.  This calls for your stitches to be wide and loose.

* Put your hand inside of the sock and stretch it out a bit with your fingers. Make your first stitch on the outside so that the ends stick out. Placing them on the inside is irritating to the feet.

 

* Make wide loose stitches turning about at each end. Don't use the whip stitch; it will pull your sides together and wear the fabric of the sock away more quickly.  Then you'll be mending it again before long.

     

 * You may get some loops here and there. Just pick them up with the next stitch by pulling your thread through the stray loop a couple of times. 

* Go back and forth across your hole 2-3 times. Your sock's hole will start to look like a loom.

* Now move your needle through from side to side going over and under your threads. Again, you are creating new fabric. It will not be pretty fabric but it will be strong.

* Turn the sock inside out and repeat the process until no light shows through. Tie off your ends and you are done!

* Note:  It's easier to mend in a spot that is merely worn rather than completely opfabric that is there already guide for your darning.

Resolve...

It always seems that when the New Year rolls around I'm always surprised.  Like it doesn't come this time every year.  With the new year brings Resolutions.  I can tell you right now I am not quitting smoking, eating healthier, losing weight or any of the other same old resolutions that everybody else does.  (I don't smoke anyway.) 

No, this year my goal is to finish some of the very long-suffering UFOs that have been sitting upstairs in my office.  Some of them have been there since before I was married 15 years ago.  Since one of the best ways to keep your resolutions is to make yourself accountable, I'll be posting some of those projects here.

I'm also going to continue to make surface designs.  This one is for Spoonflower's Fabric of the Week--next week I think. (They still haven't announced the winner of this week's.)  I usually don't do two Spoonflower contests back to back but I really like the palette they chose.  It reminded me of one of  Helen Dardik.  I love her style,  it's very loose and funny but at the same time graphically sleek.  Her color choices are always great.  She often uses colors I wouldn't choose but makes them surpisingly cool.  I tried to emulate that style in this design ( mainly to see if I could) while at the same time keeping my own style evident.  I think I accompished it.