Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Mulling the Holidays


Here are a couple of images from the Arcata Holiday Crafts Fair in mid-December.
Now that the holiday craft fair season is over, it is time to usher in the new year! This means new projects, new creativity and resolutions (I will blog more often!).

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Too busy to Post

Come visit my booth at the Holiday Craft Fair at the Arcata Community Center December 13th & 14th! I've been in a sewing-shrine and magnet making frenzy!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Linen & Flax


I have taken an interest in fabric lately, so I decided to do some mini-research papers on what I found. Natural fabrics can be made from plant fibers (cotton, hemp, bamboo) or animal fibers (wool, silk, camel hair).

Flax fibers were once one of the most common fabric fibers, making linen. Flax plants are depicted on ancient tomb walls, dates back hundreds of years in Europe and was brought to North America by the Puritans. Most flax produced in the USA is for the production of linseed oil or flaxseeds for human nutrition.

Flax fiber is extracted from the bast or skin of the stem of flax plant. Flax fiber is soft, lustrous and flexible. It is stronger than cotton fiber but less elastic. If you have ever had linen garments you are familiar with their fine, straight weave, how the fabric gets softer with wear and the danger of major shrinkage. Fine linen produces damasks, lace and sheeting. Coarser grades are used to make twine and rope. Flax fiber is also a raw material for the high-quality paper industry for the use of printed banknotes, which is why a dollar bill survives in your pants pocket on a trip through the washing machine. I am sure the origin of the term “money laundering” has something to do with it being made a nice washable fiber.

More on natural fibers (and synthetics) later…

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Custom Pig!!


Just wanted to share my wonderful, custom-crafted Pig Newton I got on Etsy awhile back. I'm going to get kitties sometime in the future (when I actually have paychecks or sell all my critters!). I absolutely love the work of this wonderful artist! Check out Christy's Critters and adopt a wonderful critter of your own! They make perfect gifts and can be hung as ornaments for the holidays or every day.
Happy crafting,
Cerise : )

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Build-a-Buddha

If you look at my etsy site you will see completed shrines. A friend recently commented that when she first looked the shrines she thought they were imports (horrors!) then realized that they must take some time and asked me how long. I really don't keep track of how much time they take or I may not want to make any more.

I put my sewing machine in its case this week because I knew the shrines would take awhile. I imagine my little Featherweight in there crying in the dark.

To make my shrines, I start with an ordinary cardboard box, preferably one that is being reused/recycled. The best boxes are beer cases! If the cardboard is too thick it is difficult to cut, too thin causes the shrine to cave in. To make the "big Buddha" shrine, I have to cut 18 peices with a template, then tape them all together.

Next, I cover everything with newsprint paper and a "secret" glue formula, completely sealing the shrine After it dries, I get to think about the design and colors. Up to this point it takes about a million hours. Check back later to see how I finish up a shrine.
Theresa, OmMama

Making into a treasury

From time to time Etsy sellers get a convo (conversation, Etsy style) telling them that so-and-so had included them in a treasury. This could mean making it to the front page. Over all, I think treasuries are browsed through quite a bit so front page or not it seems good free advertising. Check out the winter treasury I've been included in. I'm frantically sewing away today trying to get more holiday and winter critters up on my Etsy site!
Happy crafting,
Cerise : )

Monday, November 10, 2008

Habitarium No. 2


I am now scrambling to get holiday crafts and gifts done since work is slow and my craft "chores" are aplenty. Today I completed my second habitarium with a winter evergreen on a snowy hill. I like how this one came out and I cannot wait to finish my third one I am working on. The snowman is thus far quite adorable though he needs some cute little stick arms. San Diego lacks much foresty area but I know I will find some little snowman arms somewhere.
I am working on shnazzing up some paper stars with layer upon layer of silver glitter. These were leftover from last year. Apparently I never finished them but I am determined to get my holiday crafts done this year. Maybe my mom and I will finally finish that little Santa we've been working on for the past three or four years (how long has it been?). Check back for more habitariums and holiday crafts. I am almost done with a pair of festive arm warmers I knitted!
Happy crafting,
Cerise : )

Thursday, November 6, 2008

95%


I am a 90 percenter, sometimes a 95 percenter, rarely 100% or more. I save all my finish work, like sewing buttons on my yoga mat bags, closing up my pillows with hand stitching, and making tags for the end. With the holidays coming up and the Arcata Christmas Crafts Fair fast approaching, I took a break to take inventory tonight. I thought I was looking pretty good, until I looked a little close and realized I had 12 bags that needed buttons and 10 pillow that needed seams and all of them need tags. So I furiously sewed on buttons and started on the seams but the rest will have to wait until tomorrow. Or another day, because I started on shrines and those are about 90% done.
Theresa, OmMama

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Planning

The old advice to measure twice and cut once is good advice for sewers. Sewing involves having end product and that involves planning.

This photo shows the results of not planning carefully. Knit fabrics need a smaller needle size. I didn't have one and thought I could make this top with a size 14 needle. I went ahead and finished the whole thing, wasting the money I spent on fabric and worse, a lot of time. It was, however, a learning experience and a reminder to take the time to plan: get all your materials together including the right tools. Get your scissors sharpened. Spend a couple of bucks on new needles and take the time to read up on the fabrics you are using. There are several websites that are have sewing help. Then you won't end up in yoga class coming undone at the seams!
OmMama, Theresa

Friday, October 31, 2008

Habitariums

I just thought to call them habitariums while uploading the pictures for editing. It's done!!! The long awaited "habijar" has turned out better than I had hoped and I finally found a use for a few of my small, nifty, vintage wooden thread spools. The base is secured to the inside of the metal vintage jelly jar lid and the little amanitas, moss, and snail are secured to the "grass" base. All the felt peices are hand-stitched and the amanita tops are secured to vintage wooden spool stalks, complete with little felt veils. I decided last minute to add the moss and am very happy with the look of it. I will be making more habitariums the next couple of weeks and posting them on my Etsy site so look out for these great holiday gifts (you can get them for yourself, I won't tell!). I started making an evergreen tree for habitarium number two but it is a little too large for the jar so I think I will have to think smaller (a very hard thing to do!). So instead it is mearly a snowy little tree. I'm going to make bigger ones to match these and they will definitely also be in my Etsy store.
Happy crafting, Cerise : )

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Domo Done!!!


Hey Target, eat your heart out. I finally finished my two year Domo Kun plush project and am more than squeelingly excited about the final product. Poor Domo got shrimpy little legs and was shoved into one of my many fabric buckets (along with other unfinished projects). He has been sitting out for a week now waiting his turn to be a finished creation. I cut off his stupid little legs and bottom and started anew with his lowers, not caring about the weird seams in the end. I know how I could better do him next time at least. Preplanning and measuring is really important. But here he is in all his wonderful Domoness. Now to make him Halloween costumes. I think that might be another few years.
Happy crafting,
Cerise ; )

Monday, October 27, 2008

Casting (on) Call


This weekend I joined some ladies from work to teach them how to knit. We all met up at Mary's funky and wonderful apartment. We started the evening making shrunken apple heads for our Halloween work decor, moved on to a pomegranate salad and Terra chips, and eventually worked out way to the knitting. Lura had crocheted before but Mary and Michelle had not done either. Teaching people how to do something that you have turned into a second-nature habit is not easy. Especially a self taught habit. We tried to watch Nightmare Before Christmas while knitting but it was over by the time we had stitches casted on. A visiting friend and pizza showed up and a dog walk broke up the stitches for a bit. SNL filled the remainder of the night and the ladies accomplished a cast on row, a knit row, and a purl row by the time we were tired. We have been thinking of names for our newly-formed knitting group, and of course they are all inappropriate and catchy. We were learning best with innuendos after all. I'm excited to have another knitting party soon and I hope to see the ladies with brilliant scarves! I don't know how comfortable they will be in the hot San Diego weather but maybe we will be able to wear our creations in a month.
Happy Crafting!
Cerise : )

Monday, October 20, 2008

Work it girl!

Which reminds me, Cerise, of another sewing based phrase, "you got your work cut out for you." I have a lot of work cut out for me. Now if I could just find some nice cording for drawstrings and 1 1/2 inch cotton webbing for straps.
I had to order black and natural webbing today from the local Joann's as they are ALWAYS out. I get the same answer, "A truck just came in. Come back tomorrow." This has been going on for a month. Today the helpful clerk suggested I special order. I figured I'd have to order a whole spool, but found out I could order as little as a yard. Then it became complicated. I had to go to the cash register, give them all my personal information and prepay. I asked the clerk if I could just tell the cashier what I wanted. Oh nooo. Instead, I had to wait for a half hour while the helpful clerk was on her knees scanning every code to see which was the one that I needed. Occasionally she'd shout out, "I found blue!" Thanks, but I need black and natural, 1 1/2 inch. "I found one-inch!" Thanks, but I need 1 1/2 inch. Anyone who has ever been to Joann's will understand. Of course, then there was an issue about getting in the cashier line again, using my coupon (I already wasted it on buttons, sorry, too late) and pushing past all the moms frantically shopping for ribbon and shiny fabric to make their toddlers into princesses for Halloween.
I think I will go as a yoga mat bag for Halloween. I have the pieces cut out.
Theresa, OmMama

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Tulle, Tulle, Tulle

I'm in love with tulle and I have many colors, sizes, shimmers, and mattes of the beautiful netting. It has it's own smell, that certain sound, and a comfortable feel that I can only imagine comparable to my favorite stuffed animal. But I rarely use it for anything. Last year, I became obsessed (as I do much too often with clothing and accessory items) with a J. Crew skirt. This wonderful skirt fell just below the knee and was adorned in layers of ruffled tulle in a color choice of black or white. I had to have it. The only problem was the price. Yes, I am guilty of spending a lot on a single item of clothing. But this was beyond what I could let myself spend. And where would I ever show off such a fancy thing in Humboldt County? I'm not a wealthy English women or fancy East Coast girl who goes to frilly parties to mingle with other aristocrats. I decide instead of spending $5oo.00 (wowzers!) I would make the skirt myself. I downloaded the pictures off the J. Crew website and ripped all the pages out of the Fall 2007 catalog that pictured my newest obsession. I had some creme-colored, vintage silk-like material I used for the outer part and found corresponding lining, tulle, and hidden zipper and dug out my first real pattern (besides the classic pajama pants pattern my mom still has) and started cutting. Putting together the skirt wasn't too hard but I had cut a pattern piece wrong. I thought it might not matter much. The final creation was beautiful to an untrained eye or someone squinting from afar. But the hemming was less than perfect and it was two or more sizes too small for me. It would have to been worn very high on my waist. I had forgotten to take into account I was a little bigger in my college years than I was in my high school years and I guess the mis-cut did make a difference. None the less, I loved what I had made and was proud of myself for creating a $5oo.00 skirt on my antique sewing machine. I eventually sold the skirt to a very skinny coworker who might have future parties she could wear it to for $3o.00. I cut out pieces for a black one (this time the right size and without cutting the fabric incorrectly) and had stuffed it in my clothing fabric box. That was a year ago but I pulled it out yesterday and remarked all the pattern markings one should really pay attention to (the shirt I made the day before is a little haphazard due to lack of important markings) and started sewing away. I know have the the lining sewn together with very nice darts and am putting tulle layers on the outside. I am very excited to see how this one turns out and I know I can find somewhere here in the city to wear it. I hope to finish some more of my tulle skirts and maybe experiment with tulle in other fashion areas. At least I can wrap Katina in tulle and giggle at her.
Cerise : )

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

I Rediscover the Yard Stick

That lean little one inch wide, 36 inches long piece of wood comes in handy when you cut out multiple pieces of rectangular fabric. Rather than pinning and cutting, using a yardstick to measure out several pockets is so much faster. When I was a kid my parents would get yardsticks for random things, like filling the car with gas ("We go the extra yard!") buying a car ("We go the extra yard!"), buying lumber ("The best lumber yard!") and buying a couch (don't know what that meant. We had loads of them hanging around. I am glad I kept their Montgomery Wards yardstick. I don't think anyone ever got a spanking with that one.
Theresa, OmMama

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Machine Love

My in-progress sewing projects do not look as sad as Cerise's little critters. My yoga mat bags are just flat pieces of fabric and the mini zafu cushions look a little like whoopee cushions.

I had a panic attack tonight. My machine quit sewing. To be more precise it was chinking and skipping. I took the fly wheel, that turns the belt and basically runs everything, apart. I did not have instructions nor did I know what I was doing. With Mike's help I tightened up some stuff, tweaked a cog thingy and it works. Hallelujah! I expect it would be difficult and pricey to get my little baby fixed. I will pat her and oil her and give her special love. (Yes, she is that important to me!!)

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Little Dude


Late at night after looking at thousands of stitches your eyes can play tricks on you. You start to see things. You start to wondering if the fabric feels anything as the needle pokes holes up in it over and over. You wonder these things and dismiss them. Then you see something. Is that a little face? Naaaw
Theresa, OmMama

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Say Sew

I started thinking of all the sayings that have to do with sewing. Frankly, the only saying I could think of that is positive is "you got me in stitches." All the others have a negative bent: hemmed in; hanging by a thread; coming unraveled by the seams; quit needling me; and I'm walking on pins and needles. Maybe there was some sadistic seamtress that started all of this. Anybody out there have any other sewing inspired sayings?
Theresa, OmMama

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Habijar: New Project #1


Habijar? Yeah, it's not the best name. I'm open to suggestions for this one. Basically I fell in love with some old jelly jars from one of my favorite Etsy sellers, The Gingham Girl, and got six (all the ones that would safely fit in a $9.00 priority box). When I showed my fiancé, Dale, he loved them just as much and wanted me to get more for him. I bought out the rest of them and Dale didn't seem quite as interested anymore or had forgotten his brilliant idea for them. My first thought at the jars was snow globe. But I didn't want to put water in them because the lids would eventually rust through. So instead I thought to try dry snow globes for Christmas. The first thing I got was some fake snow craft goo from Michael's and some sparkly snow bits to mix in. I always wanted that stuff and finally had an excuse to get it. I searched around the inter net for miniatures of Christmas trees, snowmen, Santas, elves, and deer. When I visited Humboldt I thought sure Daisy Dry Goods would have something but they seem to be low on the miniatures ever time I visit now. All the miniatures on eBay were super pricey and most likely too big for my littler-than-I-thought-they-were jelly jars. I finally gave up and just let the boxes of jars sit on my craft books, collecting dust in a lonely corner next to my craft table. Finally, I realized I could sew miniature things and I didn't have to do Christmas (the thought of making a little gnome head is still intimidating me). I started on an example one and glued a mound of felt grass onto the inside of the jar lid. I thought to start with a couple of little amanita mushrooms and have made the cap to the larger. I hope to finish this jar over the weekend but my lack of time for crafts will be continuing with a long work weekend and a physics exam the day after my long awaited concert. Hopefully I will have some pictures of my first habijar up soon.
Cerise : )

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

You've got me in pieces!

I have not had any craft time! I have been very busy with school (and it's only one class! How did I ever do more than one lab science class at a time), violin lessons, tap class, and am picking up a second job that I don't have much time for and don't fully understand (I should be getting a masters out of all this!). On top of it all I have a messy household, no time to clean it, and not enough room to spread out my fabric without the bedroom looking like the closet threw up all over. My need-to-be-worked-on-or-completed projects are as follows: finish Mom's socks (fortunately I am only sewing-up-the-toe away from mailing them out to her), finish making an astronaut beanie plush for my aunt's Challenger Learning Center in Alaska, making punk pigs (there's a story behind these I will post when I make one, I really can't wait!), doing something clothingish with all the ridiculous amounts of jersey knit and other knit fabrics I bought online super cheap, and prepping lots and LOTS of critters for a craft fair I am going to give a go in November (while finding tables and the like as they aren't provided!). I am overwhelmed at at a breaking point and I feel my stress coming on. On the plus side, I have a few friends who want to learn to knit and I think I might try to start a knitting group with them. If I can find time. My poor creatures are more like monsters. They sit around with half of their parts, no stuffing, eyes popping out of their lifeless heads. I feel rotten when I see them because I know they are sad that they have had their parts stuffed away in a bucket in the closet, waiting for the next holiday. Hopefully I can find some time between my un-masters work, my physics tests, the dishes, and shaving the cat to sew and knit.
Cerise : )

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Straight Pins and Buttonholes


One of the best sewing inventions is straight pins with the little colorful balls on the top. I can’t function with the old flathead silver pins. Last winter I made curtains. Cerise looked up after I hung them and pointed out a pin sticking out of a seam, pointy end out. We had to cut it with wire cutters and push it in to live forever in the curtain’s lining. I went and bought some more colorful pins the next day and tossed my old pins. Recently I started using longer, sharper quilter pins. They are VERY sharp. Except for the occasional stabbing, I love them. Just keep a few bandages near your pincushion.
Here is a interesting website on buttonhole stitches: http://www.ushist.com/general-information/stitch.htm . I am so glad I learned how to use my buttonhole attachment (Thank you Cerise!)
Theresa, OmMama

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Tricks of the Trade

The more I sew, the more tricks I recall my Grandmother taught me. One of my favorite is using a bunch of small bean bags while pinning a pattern to keep the tissue flat and even. It works to smooth down edges of fabric, too.

As much as I want to short-cut to save time, washing and drying fabric ahead of time is worth it, especially with cottons. I hate shrinkage (more on that later).

Sharp needles are very important and so cheap. I do change my sewing needle very often now, though not every project as the manufacturers recommend. They are cheap, but not free. Good thread is worth the price, too. Stock up on basic colors of good thread when it is on sale or look for it at thrift stores like Cerise does. It really is true they don't make it like they used to!
Theresa, Ommama

Monday, September 8, 2008

Sewing Injuries

Last night I was reminded not to put my head too close to the sewing machine. I was doinked in the forehead with the machine arm. However, the most painful injury is a needle through the finger. Machine needles are not like hand needles. They are big and fat and kind of sharp but also usually balled at the end so it is like getting punched with an awl. Another painful injury is the burn from the light on the machine. Yes, I know it gets hot!

How can all these injuries occur, you ask? Getting too close to the machine! Even before my eyesight started failing, I had a problem of getting close to see each stitch as it's made. It is fascinating to me to see my little machine pump up and down 15 stitches an inch or more and to see it all come together to be a bag or shirt.

If you want to know if someone is a sewer look for little track marks from the pins and needles all over his or hers fingers. Perhaps a cut from the scissors (never cut yourself with pinking shears. That really hurts!) and maybe check the forehead for marks.
Theresa

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Buffet of Bow Ties


While visiting my parents in Humboldt, I noticed a couple old, mouldy looking boxes of vintage sewing patterns. Mom planned to take them to Daisy Dry Goods (one of my all time favorite stores!) on the Arcata Plaza to see if they would buy them. I thought to take a look to see if any of the patterns interested me before we too them in. Some were cute, some a bit creepy (clown costumes!), and some just silly (many of the men were very similar looking their female photo op. partner). All of them were must to small for my lady hips. But in the midst of all the funny 70s patterns was a bow tie package. Tie-yourself designs, pre-tied, clip-ons. At least the man really looked like a man. I snatched that one up and stuffed it into my luggage bag to later try out when I was back in my sewing pad in San Diego. A couple days ago I pulled out the pattern to start on a project for an alchemy request for a red bow tie. Now, not only is the red cotton fabric and its interfacing cut out, there are many funky and holiday-inspired bow tie wannabe cutouts all over my sewing table (and beyond). I thought, I might as well make a bunch since I have the pattern ad try to sell some in the boutique. So far I have all the pieces (save some interfacing parts) ready to be sewn together. I can't wait to attempt tying them for the Etsy pictures. My fiancé has volunteered himself and his fedora as the model. I hope other people enjoy my funky and a bit tacky taste in men's fashion. I know I would definitely done a tacky tie to a holiday party just for kicks if not for a nice conversation piece. My next task: cumberbunds. I just know I'll get a custom order from a holiday barbershop quartet group for some Frosty bow ties and matching cumberbunds.
Happy crafting,
Cerise : )

Sold!

I wish you all could see my face when I found out for the first time I sold one of my yoga mat bags on etsy. I did a little dance, too. My second sale was just as exciting and included a squeal.

Before my first sale I recalled my days doing outside sales and last week went on cold calls, "warm calls" (follow-ups), tried to do some cross marketing on-line and made pretty packaging for my things going out. I still do better in person but I had some success with the cold calls as I have an appointment set up next week. Virtual selling is not too much different other than there are about a billion people. I can narrow that down to potential buyers and it leaves maybe only a million people. That is a big lake to fish in! I will try the ponds around my little town first!
Theresa

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Cork Board


Sometimes I want to do other projects than sew. Cerise found this wonderful frame at her old retail job in the trash pile. I just knew we'd find a good use for it. After many glasses of wine considering what to do, I decided a cork board would be nice. So I drank some more wine, found a board to attach to the back, drank some more wine, found some glue, drank some more wine, arranged the corks, didn't have enough corks, drank some more wine... and finally it is done! In the end I actually had to go find about 30 more corks.

Now I just need to hang it and use the cute ladybug tacks Cerise gave me. But first, I will have another glass of wine!
Theresa

No More Hair Scrunchies

Sorry about the hair scrunchies. I got a little carried away. Just like with my yoga bags. But now I am making little pillows, too. Actually, they are mini-zafus, to rest your hands on while meditating or prop up a knee. Kinds of like big hair scrunchies without the elastic.
TM

Thrift Store Thread Sherbert


A girl I work with at the Fleet came into set up her summer camp a few weeks back and had some cool sewing gear. She told me she went by the thrift store to get some thread and found a big stash of old wooden spools of thread in some great colors. As soon as I was off work I wandered around the thrift store, found the craft section, and was sad to see only a few sad balls of unloved yarn. I wandered down the street to another thrift store (there a quite a few in North Park), thinking maybe I had gotten the name of the thrift store wrong, and didn't even find a craft section is the very musty and creepy two story store. I called my dad and wandered back down the street, telling him of my sad ending to a great adventure. I stared into the window of the first thrift store and lo and behold, there were the wooden spools of thread on the other side of the store I hadn't ventured into. I quickly went in and almost squealed with delight at all the wonderful colors of thread and sizes of spools. Then I almost fainted at the price of them. They were only 20¢ each! Search wooden thread spools on the web and you will see how pricey they can be. I snatched up 41 spools in all in many magnificent colors, paid the women at the counter, and pranced out to my car with my wonderful find. Now, I'm not really sure what to do with them. I almost want to keep them to savor the wonderful craftiness of yesterday or just stick them in some vintage jelly jars to admire the beautiful, bright colors of the thread. I might end up using the thread because, even though it is old, a wooden spool of white thread I snagged from mom's thread box is the best thread I have ever used so I have faith in my new found treasure.
Empty spools can be great for crafts. I first became interested in wooden spools when I saw a Halloween garland at the Harvest Fest in Eureka, California, last fall. Since then, I have been scoping out wooden thread spools. I found a neat site about decorative relief carvings in wooden spools and I think I might give it a try for some neat Christmas decorations. I will have to talk my dad into lending me his carving tools first and invest in some paints. I don't know that I have room or time to take on another project but it would be fun!
Happy crafting,
Cerise : )

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Featherweight 2


All righty, after a long, frustrating attempt to blog last night and lacking a picture of my wonderful Singer, here is my blog-in-a-better-mood. My mom taught me to sew and read patterns when I was a wee child (I don't really remember when we started sewing but I do remember the funny grey flannel pants we made when I was in 8th grade). I also remember we sewed a lot of 90s scrunchies, possibly for a sofball team. There are still retro memorries of those floating around the fabric bins. I became more avid of a sewer, not better but more excited to sew, in high school. Don't be jealous of the dress mom, the sleeves ripped off. When I moved out of the house and into a pad with my beau, I wanted my own machine. So I found a pretty good deal on one at Ebay (these suckers are expensive!) and got it with minimal plug damage (sad about it but I still have the peices I can glue onto it). Since then I have been sewing a few clothing items, including a pumpkin outfit for the Tiva the chihuahua, and lots of plushies that I sell on Etsy and to friends. I don't get enough alone time with her but when I do I relish it. I am still figuring out how all the doodads work with the machine (I love the pleater and zipper foot!). This is the most wonderful item I own and I can't imagine my life without it. I have a new digital machine (to be introduced in a later post) that I enjoy but I am so comfortable on my Singer Featherwieght (221!) that I use my other machine for making pretty stiches and such. I have too much fun editing my photos with picnik and I tried to give it an aged feeling, but there is my machine! And since I have some spare time and the cat and pig aren't bugging me, I am off to tackle a pile of elephant parts!
Happy crafting,
Cerise : )

Sunday, August 31, 2008

Featherwight


Here is my Singer Featherweight sewing machine. My mother got it for a wedding present and now I have it. She never sewed much, mostly curtains . I love this machine. It is small, lightweight (duh, the name) and very portable. Once my cord frayed and I had to jury rig a new plug on it. I love electrical tape. The first thing I made on this machine was an apron in 4-H. I used it a lot until high school when I made a very ugly, lopsided mint-green formal halter dress. I got a white ribbon (the lowest you can get!) at the fair. I never wore the dress.

Many years later I pulled it back out and made pajamas and a robe for Cerise. It didn't get much use until she used it a lot in high school. One of her first projects was a beautiful prom dress for a friend. I was jealous. My machine was glowing, as if to say, "see what I am capable of..." When Cerise wanted my machine I became possessive. Instead we found her a nice one on Ebay. Suddenly we were a team, making curtains and cushions and pillows. and she created a menagerie of animals. I sew yoga mat bags like a mad woman. We love our machines. Theresa, OmMama

Saturday, August 30, 2008


The problem with crafting, sewing, painting and creating is the sun. Don't get me wrong, I love sunshine. But take today. The sun was shining, summer squash, beans and cucumbers were calling and my friend loaned me her food dehydrator. So today I spent all day in the garden. No time to sew. I look forward to rainy days when there is no reason to go outside, go to the beach or walk in the forest so that I can sew or paint. Yet tonight's dinner was all from our garden and I have dried mango and apples to eat when it rains.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Flickr


I finally got a flickr account and have uploaded a lot of plushie pics from my Etsy site. They have a very cool photo editing option that is a bit more user-friendly than Photo Shop but still time consuming when you have a lot of photos! Check out the cute plushies I have up on flickr. I will be posting some jewelry from my other site some other time.
Happy crafting!
cerise : )