Miniature Rhino

Secret Knots...

2012-01-27T21:07:00.000-05:00

"All of nature and it's awful vastness and incomprehensible complexity is in the end interrelated - worlds within worlds within worlds: the seen and the unseen - the physical and the immaterial are all connected - each exerting influence on the next - bound, as it were, by chains of analogy - magnetic chains. Every decision, every action mirrors, ripples, reflects and echoes throughout the whole of creation. The world is indeed bound with secret knots."

For some reason this quote has been bouncing around in my head. I dug through my old photo files to find the image below, that I took at the Museum of Jurasic Technology a few years back, so that I wouldn't forget. I hope that it may resonate with you too...

Hope you have a great weekend!!

The heart factory...

2012-01-19T14:53:00.000-05:00

...is open! Can you believe that it's been almost a year since I've offered custom embroidery?! I'm just about finished with an epic project, so I thought it was time to reintroduce my Custom Heart Samplers. Right now I have two of my most popular color schemes in the shop and may introduce more later. I'm thinking of changing it up a bit - adding some new colors and editing the old ones. Annnnd, here's a new little Valentine Heart too.

Yay for little stitched hearts!

MR shop reopening // 1st post of the New Year...

2012-01-13T02:50:00.000-05:00

First, I have to say that this is my first post of the new year! Happy New Year peeps, hope it's even better than the last one!

It's been awhile that the MR shop has been closed, so I missed the busiest season of the year. Totally o.k with that, but I do feel bad about letting anyone down who wanted to support my shop. I'm just so very grateful for the time I'm able to share with my family during a hard time. It means the world to me.

Soooo, the good news is– I'm ready to reopen the shop! I've missed it so. I'll be live this Monday, 1.16.2012 bright and early. My shop will be stocked with valentines cards, like the gold + gingham (!) ones above, a special valentines embroidery, and for the first time in about a year Custom Heart Embroideries!!

The first post of the new year wouldn't be complete without a list of new goals. Goals feel much better to me than resolutions. I hope that committing them to paper and sharing (even if I'm slightly embarrassed to share them) holds me more accountable. Feel free to check in on me & I'll do the same if you wanna share some goals with me....

Bling in the New Year!!!

2011-12-31T19:23:00.000-05:00

Hey, you know what would go really well with that classy, snazzy outfit you got on for New Years Eve?

THESE!....

Happy New Years Y'all!!!

Happy holidays to you...

2011-12-25T20:27:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to wish you all happy holidays & a Merrrrry Christmas!!

Last minute DIY...

2011-12-23T17:25:00.000-05:00

This year doesn't feel much like Christmas for me. The crazy bright California sun doesn't help. I think it's even lightening my hair! Winter, where are you?

To keep my mind busy I've been making lots lately– knitting, embroidering, even some cross stitch, and now... bows! I really like making gifts, baked goods, or supporting handmade, but this year really was a holiday fail. At least I made these super tute bows for my cousins. This easy bow project with templates came from Leafy Treetops. I like that they can easily slip onto a headband, hair clip, or even a skinny belt!

Had to share all these amazing gift tag printables & last minute DIY gifts from Creature Comforts, and all these great ideas for last minute gifts from Julie (aka Your Secret Admiral). The "cross stitch mug" is my favorite.

Are you guys making any gifts?! Let me live vicariously through you...

DIY Gift Tags...

2011-12-19T00:20:00.000-05:00

I've been receiving a bunch of links from this post I did last year, so I thought it'd be nice to repost this simple DIY tutorial. I designed these cute gift tags for an in store event with Kate's Paperie, and the original post will link you to the downloadable template with all the designs and instructions. I hope these are a fun, easy project to make for the holidays.... Enjoy!

Free template here and original post with instructions here.

Happy holidays....

Let's meet at Squam Lake...

2011-12-15T08:30:00.000-05:00

Something very exciting to share: I'll be teaching at Squam Art Workshops next June! My class will be making this customizable embroidered monogram piece....

SAW is a lakeside art retreat on Squam Lake in New Hampshire. I went last year and was so inspired by all the creativity and passionate makers around me. (Here's a post I really enjoyed writing about the experience + my flickr pics.)

I'm looking forward to this and trying to convince either my mom or boyfriend to come with me, so we could get our own little cabin. Yes, cabins on the lake and just chilly enough to sit by the fire at night! Then, make all day...

The new SAW site is really pretty and I'm so jealous of anyone going to the retreat in Italy, especially if you're taking the photography class with Nikole Herriott! Her work + images are amazing. Oh, and I'm hoping to meet Ann Wood there! Eks, I love her little creatures and dream boats...

So, let's meet at Squam! OK? Ok.

i'm on the instagrams...

2011-12-15T02:51:00.002-05:00

This is my grandfather, who has quite a collection of really old photobooth pictures, my favorite kind of old photograph...

I finally can join in the instagram party. Since I got an early Christmas gift (an iphone for me!) I've been facetiming with my boo in NY and taking pictures. Best gift!I don't know half of the little functions on it, or even how to link you to follow me (?), but it's lot of fun to mess about with. Must admit I resisted the instagram, but after clicking on so many of my friends images via twitter I wanted to play too...

I'm @miniaturerhino on twitter if you wanna see more pictures of pictures, pretty light and little things like this....

p.s so happy to see a shout out for my boyfriend's work on The Shiny Squirrel in a post "A Few Things I Love" picked by an amazing blog (words, words, words) Even Cleveland . I so want to join her book club...

Sorrow & joy...

2011-12-13T22:42:00.000-05:00

"When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight." — Khalil Gibran

Struggling for words here. What to share and what to keep? I'll say that there is deep sorrow within my family right now. We are losing a mother, a grandmother, a great grandmother, our matriarch.

I've never experienced something like this before, hospice. It hurts like an ache, sometimes dull and then sharp and throbbing pain. I might find myself standing in line at a store and then realize I'm sobbing. But we still laugh about silly things and enjoy our time together. So it goes. It feels right to be where I am, at home and surrounded by family and all these memories....

(click the images for more. I tried to add a little more backstory about each image on flickr too.)

faves = raves OR make it a handmade holiday

2011-11-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

Stupid puns are fun... But seriously, it's the truth. I just had the bestest mail day recently. In one day I received two presents. Both were items that I had favorited on Etsy. I knew exactly what they were and even who made them. It's the best surprise to get nice things in the mail unexpectedly....

I got this rad scarf by Kelsey of Last Prize. I'm loving her stuff so much & may just have bought more stuff just as soon as I got this package...

and it's pretty cool to see exactly how my scarf was made....

LAST PRIZE PRINTS from THISmotion.com on Vimeo.

AND I received this Peg And Awl Chalkboard Tablet. I love their work and am so happy to have another P&A piece in my casa...

So, moral of the story Etsy has amazing treasures, and you should make your own Etsy wish list, share it with your peoples and get what you want this holiday season! I totally believe in Etsy, the makers behind the shops and I love supporting handmade...

black friday...

2011-11-25T11:52:00.001-05:00

How was your T-day? We cooked all day and then weren't even that hungry when it was time to eat because we'd been nibbling the whole time. I'm still full.... Hope you had ah-mazing one!

And since it's all that Black Friday & Cyber Monday stuff just use the code, LittleSomething for 15% off the whole shop. I'm not all about elbowing people for t.v's, or hurdling clothes racks for designer coats, BUT I am all about supporting handmade, so I just may be doing a little Etsy black friday shopping.

I've been adding lots of new things to the shop, so check it!....

Cross Wall Hangings...

Orion Embroidery Kits...

Cross Stitch Wooden Button Kits...

New Necklaces...

Hope you find something you like.... now maybe I'm going to eat some pumpkin pie for lunch!

thankful for...

2011-11-24T08:00:00.000-05:00

I busted out the digital glue sticks and makers here for this masterful 3rd grade inspired artwork. Anyone know a photoshop trick for "glitter"?

Just a few of things that I'm grateful for this year. The actual list is long... my family, their & my health, my little business, being home for my birthday, being able to live in brooklyn, good things to come, AND this list includes you too, thank you! It's really nice having internet buddies to share goofy pics of my cats with and snippets of my handmade life with...

Hope you have a most excellent Thanksgiving!!! Tofurkey!!

I'd love to hear what are you grateful for?

3 random things from the weekend...

2011-11-21T08:00:00.000-05:00

1. Fall, please stay forever, and never let the winter come! Love the red, yellow, purple leaves I got to kick around....

2. Speaking of purple- I thought I had makeup under my eyes, but no. I guess purple under eyes is like my new thing, because it won't go away. Must sleep more says the girl who thinks, "It's midnight. I still have a few more hours to work."

3. Procrastination cleaning turned up some Orion embroidery patterns (!) that I stashed away and totally forgot I had been planning to introduce into the shop. Those we'll hit the shop asap, prolly tomorrow. Look out....

ok four things..... 4. Brunch is the best for Linner, or just ever. I think the only thing we ate yesterday was a late, late brunch ( and then a donut!) . Breakfast for dinner for ever!!!!

Be like a boomerang and make!

2011-11-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

I know I've blogged about Jillian Tamaki's stitched covers for Penguin Threads before, and no doubt you've seen these amazing pieces on the interwebs, so fast forward to the launch party at Purl Soho....

It was packed! People were snatching up books and there was a line to see the original embroideries, which were INCREDIBLE to see in person. Damn me for forgetting my camera! The artist was in conversation with Elda Rotor, Associate Publisher and Editorial Director at Penguin. It was interesting to learn that the whole idea started when the Creative Director, Paul Buckley, saw this very embroidery piece by Erin Paisley on a little site called Etsy!

side note: this was Lost at Sea curated by Kristen Rask at Gallery Hanahou. I had a few pieces in this show too!

The most inspiring part of the talk was how Jillian, an illustrator, was found by Penguin - As a personal project she had made a quilt with stitched monsters that took forever. Just to share it she put it on her blog, and after seeing this amazing quilt Penguin's Creative Director sought her out. She said...

sometimes just putting something out in the world, you can have something come back to you

The take away for me was - Be weird. Be brave. Make something from you, of you, what ever it is that inspires you. Take risks and then share it! You never know what it may bring you....

via Jillian Tamaki

Check out this Penguin video for a very similar conversation to the one at Purl.

Aren't those monsters rad?!

new work + behind the scenes + a question....

2011-11-10T23:22:00.001-05:00

I've been working on something for a long, long time now.... necklaces.

I have a few sample pieces and a few different designs that I'll be listing in the next few days (with your help, see the last photograph!)

You know, I don't think I've ventured beyond my apartment for any of the photographs I use in my Etsy shop? Well, I knew with this new work I really wanted to be outside for the photographs - and it's perfect light out right now almost all the time! There are a lot of great textures and colors around my neighborhood so we just set out for an adventure and found this great fence in an unexpected alleyway and just got to photographing...

What a beautiful crisp autumn day it was...

ANNNNND... I'd love your help with something. I'm having a hard time choosing between two names for this necklace. It's a little bottle you can store treasures in & wear! Which do you like best 1) Collector's Necklace or 2) Gather and Collect Necklace? Let me know and then I can name this to add it to my Etsy shop. Look out for the necklaces soon too!

Hope you like! Thanks!!

Great Product Photos Video with ME !!

2011-11-08T22:20:00.002-05:00

Have you seen the latest Etsy Success: Product Photography for Beginners video that just so happens to feature moi?

Great Product Photos from Etsy Inc. on Vimeo.

This was the very first time I've ever been filmed like this before and it was so strange and totally fun! I was super excited for it to come out and now that it has I can share with you some shots from that day. You know the opening image of me with a camera up to my face? Well, this is what I saw through the lens, the camera man Matty (<--- so super nice!) & director Lauryn (rockin' suspenders!!)....

And when I'm introducing myself in the very beginning of the video, this is my view....

I've had a few people ask me some questions about the video and thought I'd answer them here. If you have any more you can leave a comment....

What kind of camera do I use? In the video you'll see me using my boyfriends camera a Canon 5D Mark II, which has that nice preview screen you see when I'm taking a shot in the video. But that's not the camera I use everyday. For all my Etsy pictures I use a Canon 5D. It's a work horse that I got 4 years ago and was a great investment.

Why do you use a "big fancy camera" in the video, but say you don't need to have one and show a point and shoot? Zing! No but really, all these tips are ideas applicable to any kind of camera you use. It's a way or approaching your images so that photographing your goods is easier, more enjoyable, and gives you the best chance of reaching a buyer.

What kind of editing software do I use? They show a quick segment of me editing an image in Adobe Bridge. It's a program for sorting, viewing, and editing. It's really an intermediary program to be used with Photoshop (or other Adobe programs). I always open up my files in Bridge first, because there I can see thumbnails of all my images, I can compare images, choose the best ones and do some light editing prep work on the files. Then, I open them up in Photoshop to do any other corrections and size the images. This is the before & after from the video. I did almost all the editing (contrast/levels adjustment/ crop) in Bridge then sized and saved the photo in Photoshop. You could easily do all this in Photoshop. This is just how I learned.

What kind of lens do I use? I use a Canon 28 - 135mm with image stabilizer. It's a great general, all purpose lens because it has such a wide focal range. It's not the most fancy lens, because the widest aperture is only 3.5, which isn't great. But I use this all the time and it's great for my Etsy photography. Sometimes, for certain projects I rent lenses from K&M. For tabletop photography it's great to have a range- for close ups and wide shots. For people, I love shooting at 60 mm (but this can range depending on your camera) with a shallow depth of field. KEH is great for used lenses at good prices, if you're looking try something new.

Got any more questions? Leave me a comment and I'll add it to the post.

Hope you liked the video!!

Stories in Needle & Thread...

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Check out the latest embroidered book covers from the Penguin Thread Series by Rachell Sumpter.... totally awe inspiring!

I just saw the first series by Jillian Tamaki at Purl Soho. They are truly impressive! The covers are embossed, so you can feel the stitches, AND the inside of the covers show the back of the embroideries. Seriously smart design + impressive stitchery.

I'm so curious about both these ladies embroidery work. It's just so crazy good. So I'll definitely attend this event on Nov. 8th - a book release party at Purl Soho for the first of Penguins Thread series. The artist Jillian Tamaki + Penguin peeps will be there to talk about the book covers and the actual embroideries will be there too!

This is scary...

2011-10-31T13:34:00.003-04:00

...not really, but this is Halloween! It's one of my very favoritest holidays ever ever. I love dressing up, baking sweets and watching scary movies. I watched Paranormal Activity 2, Trick 'r Treat, Creepshow, and The Crazies. I need to add Monster Squad into the mix too! I also love this guide to horror movies filmed in NY on Scouting NY.

I was a greaser for a halloween party we went to this weekend. Watch the pomp! Hopefully tonight we will get lost in a corn maze or carve pumpkins and watch more silly scary movies!

What are you dressing up as?!

And to get you in the halloween mood, may I present to you what I hope becomes a Halloween classic song, Werewolf Bar Mitzvah....

Check out my costume last year and my mom back in the day....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

MR loves....

2011-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

I get stupid happy to see how people use the things I make. Holly, Ruth, and Courtney totally made my day by sharing these pics with me.

Holly used my arrow pins for her D.I.Y escort cards. Such a great idea. You can see more of her beautiful wedding on her blog.

And super hottie Ruth, all the way from Belgium, sent me this pic of her cross pins in her feedback! It looks good on you grrrl....

And here's a custom, custom heart I made for Courtney + Zach for their engagement photos. The orange heart was all her idea, and I love the way it came out. These pictures are so nice too (more here). Super cute couple!

Thanks so much for making my day ladies!!

Three years ago today...

2011-10-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Three years ago today, Oct. 4 2008, I made my very first etsy sale. And not only was it a sale, but the order was for FOUR pieces! Your first sale is always a big deal, so I was over the moon. I remember how over board I went packaging them up. These are the very pieces....

I had opened my shop just for fun on August 25. At the time, I had a full time jobbie job and no intentions to run an Etsy shop full time. It was so thrilling and inspiring to make something, put it out in the world and have people positively receive my work (sidenote: I love you Etsy!). Seriously addicting! So I started to share all of the fun, random stuff I liked to make, like paper pennant banners, miniature collections in tiny vials (I call them Mini Cabinets of Curiosity), books and lots of embroidery. Here are some of my very first sold items....

I'm so happy that three years later I'm still making everyday and growing my small, handmade business. Now it's my full time creative job and as stressful as the art hustle can be it gives me a lot to be proud of. This past year is going by in a flash- I can't believe it's fall already! It may seem kind of quiet around MR land, but I've been busy writing, making, and photographing for a huge (mega huge! seriously people it's kinda a big deal...ha!) project that I will one day unveil. This shirt says it all and you can even see that although I'm lounging at the park my embroidery work is not too far...

Here's to another three years, and another and another! Thank you!!

To celebrate I'm gonna do a special one day 20% off in the MR shop. Use the code: THREEYEARS I may just include a little extra zazzle or surprises in your order too!

This idea really gets me interested in other maker's first sale story. I'd love to hear- write me a comment & share!

p.s the shirt is by Random Objects. I bought it while vending at Renegade Brooklyn this year and really love it... The top says Never Not Working. It's true!

p.p.s i miss my long hair...

moving portrait...

2011-10-03T21:44:00.002-04:00

Bug & I from jessica marquez on Vimeo.

Took a moment to experiment with video while I was shooting some still images. I guess this isn't so far from a still image, but I'm taking baby steps into video. After this little video I'm looking forward to making more....

Hello Etsy

2011-09-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Etsy,
You know I love you right? It's hard not to....

This photograph from the Hello Etsy event in Brooklyn this past weekend is a perfect example.

The speaker, Matt Crawford, talked about the importance of working with your hands. You see the direct effect of your work and that leads to a better understanding of the world. In his talk he made, not one, but two references to Dwight. Gotta love it! Matt wrote the NY Times Best Seller book Shop Class as Soulcraft, which I'm putting on my reading list.

And here's Virginia and I having a blast together at the event making finger puppets at the NewNew booth.

You can watch the talks, which happened all over the world on livestream, which I did live whilst they happened in Berlin. It was so cool. I was in my pjs in Brooklyn watching a talk happening in Berlin! Whoa the future... I thought this talk (Smart resourcing materials for small businesses) was really informative as a maker thinking about better branding on the cheap. Also, Natalie Chanin is amazing!

Did you attend a Hello Etsy event? What did you take away from the talks?

Brimfield

2011-09-14T09:00:00.000-04:00

Here's my loot from Brimfield! I had such a high from my finds, so in love with these little objects. It was such a fun day to just walk around and look at all the booths. It's impossibly too big to see everything- I felt overwhelmed by all the good vintage. I had a good idea of what I wanted though, which helped. All of these pieces will used as props in my photographs. Brimfield is pure vintage eye candy, with so many unexpected finds and ideas for decorating...

Did you go to Brimfield? What vintage treasures did you come home with?

lately

2011-09-13T09:00:00.000-04:00

That little dude is Oliver. I'm totally smitten with him- just too cute. He's my friend Toni's cat, who I just spent the weekend visiting in Boston. Such a short road trip- NY to Boston to Maine and back. Living in NY without a car I sometimes get cabin fever. It was time for a trip, and I love long drives through tree lined roads. Finally got to visit Brimfield too, which is a huge flea market. It's impossible to see everything and full of great vintage. Toni's cats are the cutest. There is also the chubby one Otis and she has a bunny named Hamilton. Cute overload all weekend.

Cute overload right!?

Teal Cat Project DIY!!

2011-09-06T15:29:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited and happy to be a craft contributor to the Teal Cat Project blog. It's a way for me to volunteer some crafty cat inspired projects while helping an amazing project that helps fuzzy ones. I have two rescue cats myself, Bug & Banjo!

The first project is DIY Embroidered Button Covers featuring Meowmy, the Teal Cat Project logo cat. So super crazy cute! Head on over to the TCP to find the full project. I hope that you give it a try!!

favorite things....

2011-09-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

old school family snapshots!

I love just sitting for hours looking at old family pictures. I like to hear the stories behind the images, look at ever single detail (the clothes, expressions, background elements), and I check the backs for any written description or date.

Recently, while my grandparents napped I came across these two. They're so good, right?! I've also been know to collect pictures of animals!

oh, analog!

tweeter faves...

2011-08-31T09:00:00.020-04:00

Have you seen that commercial where the dad is updating his twitter with, "I am sitting on the patio."? I'm not gonna lie- I love the immediacy of twitter even in those banal moments. I got into a debate once with someone who hated the "here's what I had for lunch" kind of posts. I was all about it, them, not so much. It's a quick peek into someone's life and it's really interesting to see people inspirations, reading lists, pets being tute. It's intimate in a way, and also a bit voyeuristic. I'm drawn to the pics more often than not. These are some of my latest favorites....

From the top left clockwise- @eggagogo, @katebingburt, @designcrush, me! @miniaturerhino, @sevenspoons, @bloodmilk

are you zee tweeter? Tweet me!

My Irene...

2011-08-29T12:20:00.002-04:00

I don't know what I was expecting with Hurricane Irene, I'd never been through one before. The news really seemed to be fear mongering, and the day of my neighborhood was still bustling. One store owner was saying he was going to stay open and I could hear one of my neighbors singing, "I aint afraid of Irene..."

With all the rain one of our bedroom walls started to basically swell with all the pressure. Along the whole length of the wall water was dripping, and in some parts spraying and straight squirting out- right onto our bed (so gross!) We scrambled until the wee hours of the morning to move the bed and other furniture, pop the water blisters under the sagging paint and lay towels and buckets to soak up the water.The wall is still drying and looks nasty- I just hope the landlords fix it!

On the up side we did our best to relax- baked cookies and watched the Sons of Anarchy on netflix. Walking around the neighborhood the day after most of the damage in Crown Heights, Brooklyn was lots of debris and fallen trees. (P.S. the cookies are from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar- best choc chips ever!!)

Felt so bad for these car owners!
Did you guys get any damage? What was your experience?

lately

2011-08-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

Lately, I've been inspired by our CSA veggies. Cherry toms are my favorite to cook with, with just some olive oil, salt and pepper. Easiest, tasty meal always. This one has purple basil, also from our CSA.

Making messes as per usual. Check out all that thread!! I've been embroidering up a storm for a super secret project. P.S have you seen the latest issue of Uppercase Mag with a wee pic by moi? & on their blog too!

Believe it or not, I was trying to organize. I have too many books, but I can't seem to part with them. I'm always finding them on the street and they're great inspirations and material for projects...

Just made a bunch of Zodiac Embroidery Kits for Purl Soho's online store and NYC shop!

So, what have you been up to lately?

friday link love....

2011-08-26T12:02:00.001-04:00

my favorite finds this week...

+ I would love to Build my own Canoe! Reform School is out of stock on their Canoe Plans, but I would also just love that image hanging in my house!

+ Iguana and cat, cow and leopard, elephant and sheep bffs?! Holy cute. National Geographic posted an interview with Jennifer Holland about her new book Unlikely Friendships. The cover is a monkey hugging a pigeon, come on!

+ The Teal Cat Project is such a great idea - recycling cute cat tchotchkes to help feral cats. They're looking for bloggers and tchotchkes too...

+ Occulter's newest project, Half a Person, is a bust candle of Morrissey, complete with a little band aid over his nipple! Why did he do that? Jeremy's show at Occulter may just have scored him with one of these pieces. I call Morrissey his boyfriend, because he really loves him...

+ Lastly, these pics by Anna of Door Sixteen show so well what its like riding the subway in NYC . When people ask me about NY I usually end up telling stories about the weird happenings on the trains. It's just such apart of your daily life here, and literally bumps you into so many people...

via door sixteen

Exploring NYC: Roosevelt Island

2011-08-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

If my boo had his way we'd never be home, instead we'd just be wondering around the city exploring all the amazing things it has to offer. He'd been wanting to take me to Roosevelt Island to take me to an abandoned asylum, which we never made it to (next time!) since we had so much fun taking our time enjoying the day....

The highlights were...

a picnic lunch in a little square where we fed the birds and squirrels.
The Roosevelt Island Garden Club, where plots are rented out by individuals, so there are so many different types of gardens- secret gardens, over grown, neat and pretty with fragrant flowers, japanese style, and vegetable gardens. So nice & lots of cats roaming about too!
miniature frogs !
Riding the Arial Tram to NYC at night! I had no clue this thing even existed. Such a great way to travel...

MR + DIY Wedding...

2011-08-19T09:00:00.000-04:00

So happy to share these pictures, which come from a lovely couple who used a Message in a Bottle Kit to write their vows out and then threw the tiny glass corked bottle into the ocean. Very romantical!! Many, many thanks to Jodi & Cindy for sending me these pictures- look at that water! Don't you want to jump in!?

I felt like a hero...

2011-08-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

I found a baby squirrel, left for dead, in Union Sq. yesterday. It was cold, and I thought the dogs or rats would get him, so I put him in my Enhabiten zip case to warm up! So young, his eyes hadn't even opened yet. He had little whiskers, peach fuzz on his muzzle and his miniature nails were incredible. On the way to the vet he wiggled about and made tiny squirrely noises.

After calling a vet they sent us to the Wild Bird Fund, who rehab all kinds of birds and wildlife. Right now is baby season, I guess, because the woman who took in our squirrel piglet said they've gotten about 150 the past few weeks.

The Wild Bird Fund is running out a vet's office right now, but building their own wild life rehab center. NYC is the only major city in the US that does not have a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center- yet! I gave them a donation & loved hearing about all the animals they've taken in. There are even dozens of cats just wondering about the vet office...

Visit their blog and donate if you feel so inclined... I'm thinking of volunteering just so I can see this little guy again. I want to hold him- I didn't really touch him. Don't you just want to cuddle up with him and rub that piggy belly!?!

RIP Hair 2007 - 2011

2011-08-15T09:00:00.017-04:00

A few weeks ago I cut my hair from long, long, long to pretty short. I know 17 inches of some crazy curls aint no bid deal, but you get attached (no pun intended)! I had to document my long locks before I chopped it all off and donated to Locks for Love....

The cuts not quite right, so I'm actually getting in cut today. I have this fantasy of shaving the back of my head and getting "Bitches get Stitches" buzzed in.

Last time my hair was this short I'd dream about having mermaid hair and combing long locks. It feels good though, still not used to it, but it's good. And anyways, it'll grow back....

Find me...

2011-08-12T09:00:00.000-04:00

....at Purl Sohooo!!

So happy to see the first set of Zodiac Embroidery Kits at Purl Soho! They don't mess around- best craft store in NY for sewing/knitting/and fancy beautiful fabrics. And the Purl Bee, their blog, has a such a tight aesthetic, awesome tutorials, and challenging projects.

If you visit NY you gotta check out Purl!!

the fuzzy ones...

2011-08-09T18:16:00.000-04:00

There are lots of things I miss about living far from my family, but one that pulls on my heartstrings is being far from the cuddles of these goofy, little fuzzy ones....

Buddy Lee

Dexter Lunacy

Don't forget about this one... Killer Kat!

Link me your pets! It'll be that kind of day....

MR loves blood...

2011-08-06T13:40:00.001-04:00

Mrs. Bloodmilk, who makes jewelry I covet, linked me in this picture & I had to share. I love seeing a peek into her space and where the piece I embroidered for her now lives. I spy with my little eye some Charmaine Oliva & Ellen von Unwerth too.

Heres the winking sample I made for her & the original piece...

Thanks so much for sharing Jess!

Now seriously you must, really right now, check out the BloodMilk blog- it's full of the best finds, surreal photographs, and great writing... go!

Happy weekend to you!

Mess is more!

2011-08-03T12:48:00.000-04:00

You can find a little picture of my messy studio in the latest issue of UpperCase Magazine!

When I saw the call for pictures of messy work spaces I was all about it. My studio is sometimes so chaotic and I embrace the mess. See this post as Exhibit A. Loved flipping through all the good stuff in this issue... checkit!!

And here is the original photograph... sewing paper is about the only time I use my sewing machine.

You see a sneak peek of the issue here on zee flickr.

California lovvvve....

2011-08-01T11:06:00.000-04:00

You must know that I have big California Love. Born and raised valley girl here! Like totally. I love visiting my home and family, especially for special events like my cousin Natalie's wedding....

and no wedding feels right without a photo booth!! Here my parental units & my cousins and I hamming it up big time....

i'm back!

2011-07-28T19:59:00.001-04:00

Back from a nice, but short, trip home to Cali for my cousin's wedding, which was fantastic. I'll share some pictures soon, but in the mean time here's a dog-exercise machine!

My boo sends me emails throughout the day with funny pics and links with good reads. This is just one of the emails from today... um, enjoy! The best part has to be the little kid writing and "dummy cat in a box".

Great to see you around there again!!

why do you....

2011-07-16T15:41:00.004-04:00

I like to sit crossed legged on the floor, pull a stack of my old books out, and flip through them for inspiration. Today I came across The Art of Eating by M.F.K Fisher and slipped into reading bits and pieces for a while. This passage about why she writes about food got me thinking about why any of us do what we do? Why is it important to us? How did we come to it?

(Click the photograph to view it larger on Flickr.)

AND, check out that author photograph by Man Ray!

i'm the queen of creative distractions....

2011-07-06T13:12:00.002-04:00

When it comes to honkering down to work, I need time. Sometimes things are itching to get out of my brain and I can make without distraction. Usually the making process it kinda convoluted - an idea in the shower, sketches, head scratches, bike rides, midnight snacks, more sketches, and demanding my boyfriend help me pick out embroidery colors. I find myself taking breaks, my creative distractions. I clean the studio, organize, plan my next project. In the winter I bake, and lately I've been juicing....

The past few days I've felt stuck, and while this post may seem like a juicing recipe or something, it's really about getting unstuck. For me, I think I need to stop fruitlessly working when it's not clicking. It's really hard though to step outside of what you desperately want to fix.

So this is an exercise for me in creative play, and I just happen to also be taking care of myself at the same time too. Sweet!

Here are some of my recent concoctions:

coconut shreds + carrots + ginger + leafy greens + almond milk + beets (i can't believe I used beets. Not a fan, but with other stuff– not so bad)

pineapple + blue berries + ice + almond milk

coconut milk + almond milk + cinnamon + pinch of celtic sea salt + ice = so good! kinda like horchata

And today's breakfast.... cucumber + mint + pineapple + leafy greens + ginger + water

What do you do when you feel creatively stumped?

teaching at Purl!

2011-06-29T22:02:00.003-04:00

I'm beyond thrilled to be teaching embroidery classes at Purl Soho!! When I moved to NY I remember visiting the old shops, and being so smitten. It felt very NY and inspiring. I could spend hours creepin about.

The first session of this class is tomorrow and we'll be learning lots of stitches to create a little embroidery sampler. The last I heard there was only one seat left in the class, so contact Purl to try and snag that spot!!

Can't make this session, but itching to try a new craft? The next session is Monday July 11th & 18th 6 - 8 pm. Be in touch with Purl to sign up. Call M- F 12 - 7; Sat. & Sun 12 - 6 at 212.420.8796

NY represent!! Stitchhhes.

p.s I have a new "classes & events" page up there under the page banner. Check it out from time to time. And let me know if you'd like to be on my email list for class updates!

lately (best weekend ever)

2011-06-28T11:19:00.000-04:00

last, last sunday I had the best weekend ever: waffle brunch, vegan sweets, bike rides to the park, and general layin' about. I didn't work one bit....

It seemed like even our bikes were happy, laying back, kissing in the grass...

We ate vegan chocolate truffles we got from super foxy sweets who was vending at Vegan Shop-Up.

Seems so nice to read in the park, but the ground was so lumpy and I liked just people watching more...

I want more time and more weekends like this!

road trips and creative business ...

2011-06-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

Last night I attended an Etsy Success Workshop lead by Becky of Sweetie Pie Press. She's inspiring– since 2005 she road trips every year from her home in Toronto, Canada across the US vending at craft fairs, staying with friends, visiting independent retail shops, and connecting with other makers.

photo:Stacey Bode via

Someone asked how she balances the business decisions she makes and Becky's response hit me hard....
For her, it was more important to see the Grand Canyon than to be home where she could be making more money. One side effect of all of us living online so much is that we've created this "cult of success". We see one side of everyone's story and we compare ourselves, our businesses, our accomplishments. Instead, invest in people and your community. I've been trying so hard to connect with people through craft, especially since I work from home by myself. It's the reason I attended this event in the first place - to learn, to support Becky, to be with other makers, and I always come away inspired, even if it's only one little thing.

It was also refreshing to hear her say, "failure is important." I think it's just part of the creative process. Ironically, I just saw this Ted video, The Fringe Benefits of Failure, by JK Rowling.

I'm aching for a road trip now and feeling a positive mental attitude...

a place something like this...

2011-06-23T11:23:00.000-04:00

I've been embroidering a lot lately. Sitting for hours working on one piece sounds romantic, but it's hard to completely fall into it. I wish my surroundings matched the mood I feel while stitching - contemplative, a little nostalgic, longing for a slower world. Ever since I saw Bright Star I'll think about the embroidery scenes, really every scene, and wish for a place something like this....

via gtrends

via canweleavenow

via collider

via hila-lumiere

You should definitely check out the movie if you haven't yet – It's beautiful.
There's more bright star inspiration here...

three tools

2011-06-22T10:32:00.004-04:00

speaking of SAW (see my last post), I also was lucky enough to squeeze in a class called Three Tools. We made these folk tool boxes....

I say folk, because mine is real rustic– the seams don't meet up, you can see my pencil marks and some of the nails push out into the bed of the box. These just make me love my tool box more! Next, I want to stain the wood dark.

It was fun to make this from start to finish. The teacher, Terri Dautcher, guided us in designing our boxes, showed us the tools and then let us help each other. I designed, picked out the wood, cut, sanded, and constructed the box. I even got to cut the tree branch handle from a fallen tree– that's where I spotted that little frog.

Terri showed us how easy it can be to use simple power tools (jigsaw, sander, drill, hammer). It was empowering to construct something that will last a very long time, be so useful, and handmade!

connecting to your craft at SAW...

2011-06-21T09:00:00.005-04:00

At the beginning of the month I spent a few days in the woods of New Hampshire for a creative retreat called Squam Art Workshops or SAW. I had heard great things about it and was so excited to spend a few days teaching embroidery at a beautiful, lakeside camp surrounded by makers....

This was my cabin that I shared with about 12 other ladies, who knitted (& embroidered) every night while a fire was burning. We also had our own little private dock....

SAW is all about connecting with people and yourself through making! Everyday, all the time I was surrounded by people knitting. They would also be wearing lovely hand-knit shawls, socks and sweaters. I was so impressed by their creative passion. Being vegan, I think a lot about the disconnect between the food we eat and where it comes from. Seeing so many people knitting also reminded me of the disconnect between the labor of our hands and the products we buy, like clothes. (It can take up to 16 hours to knit a sock!) It makes me so proud to be a maker! It's also a challenge– I want to learn how to sew some of my own clothes now!

I taught two sessions of my Pictures & Stitches class in an old cabin, called The Sugar House, that used to be a nature center and had such a blast! People are so creative & it was totally energizing to see the works in progress by these first time embroiderers...

Learn more about Squam in this interview of Elizabeth MacCrellish, the brainchild of SAW. A big thanks to Elizabeth for the opportunity to teach, to all the lovely ladies who took my class, and to everyone I met there...

(click the pictures for more on Flickr!)

stay creative....

2011-06-16T11:11:00.000-04:00

Had to share this list!

via Today and Tomorrow

Renegade Brooklyn

2011-06-16T09:00:00.001-04:00

the best part about Renegade was my boothmate, Virginia!...

... we be goofy! Virginia made our booth awesome, kept the energy positive and is such a pro. She basically has a craft store in her purse. Anything I needed, she had! Even though Saturday was wet & rainy we had a steady stream of lovely, friendly people stopping by.

I was really happy to be around so many friends. I was in a row of NewNew teammates and right next to Peg & Awl, who had an amazing booth. I got to meet Chrisi of The Oak Leaves, Ashley of Secret Holiday, Leanne of Vaute Couture and lots and lots of friendly supporters.

Thanks to everyone who visited the fair, stopped by our booth and said hello!!

We had rain all day, but Virgina was so smart and brought lots of thick plastic. I was sad not to be able to to my Letter Service...

Kimm's pb&j lunch was too cute.

thank you Design Sponge!

2011-06-15T10:29:00.001-04:00

It's a wonderful feeling to wake up to a feature of my Zodiac Kits one of my favoritest blogs, Design Sponge! Thanks so much for this pick-me-up Grace!

Grace mentions that she's a bit of an astrology cynic, but that her friend Amy has a pension for astrological musings, which are rubbing off. I'm somewhere in between. I really like reading my horoscope and love looking at the stars, but I'm more into the mythology rather than astrology. I think it's just fun to talk about signs and who you're supposed to get along with more, or stay away from, and to guess peoples signs. Plus the constellations are just beautiful....

So what's your sign? Do you follow astrology?

wish i was a moon beaver...

2011-06-06T12:01:00.000-04:00

...but really, who doesn't?

via: Tilleke Schwarz

I shared Tilleke Schwarz's embroidery work in my Squam classes, which went so well (thank you to those who took my class & were so enthusiastic!). So grateful for the experience, for some time in the woods surrounded by creative people, and for a break from the city. I got back yesterday from my New Hampshire retreat, but I'm still processing everything and will have lots of photographs to share by next week for sure.

I'm jumping right into Renegade Brooklyn prep now, which is fast approaching this weekend, June 11 & 12th. You must check out the inspiring insanity that is renegade! All this week while I prepare I'll be day dreaming of NH trees and sitting by the lake as I crank out the craftiness in my studio....

Heidi Braids....

2011-06-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Heidi braids are my new summer time favorite hair did. You know I've never worn my hair like this before. For about 4 years now I haven't cut it and it's so long now I can cross the braids in back and still have them cross in the front. I think it makes the braids look nicer in the back.

I hardly ever show my face around here, cause I'm always behind the camera where I feel much more comfortable. The light was so nice and the day to good not to have Jeremy take a snap of me working a bit.

Still at Squam and probably also, still stitching....

ashes...

2011-06-01T09:29:00.000-04:00

Jeremy's solo show opens tomorrow (June 2 6 -9) at the radest little art space on the lower east side, Occulter. There will be a sound performance by iapetus, one of jeremy's friends. I've also heard that there will be a shaved ice guy making fancy drinks to help you cool down...

I'm super bummed that I can't go, because I'll be at Squam. You should go and tell me all about it! I really wish I could be there, but I'll be wearing the bee hive necklace Jeremy got me from Occulter for christmas and thinking of him.

The show will be up until July 3, so I'll definitely be able to check it out later. I'm just super pouty about missing the opening.

Good luck boo!

Squam Art Workshops

2011-06-01T09:00:00.005-04:00

I'm so looking forward to this....

Photo: Lucie Wicker

Photo: girlhula

photo: lavendarandlime

Today is my first full day at Squam Art Workshops. I'm teaching an embroidery class, Pictures & Stitches, which are two of my favorite things. I don't even know where to start with how excited I am to get out of the city, be by the lake and sleep in a little cabin. Nervous like a little kid though....

Found these pics from the Squam flickr group if you want to see more.

Can't wait to share my own pics when I get back, but I'll try to post some quick pics to my twitter too...

Etsy Success Workshop

2011-05-31T17:24:00.002-04:00

What an honor to give an Etsy Success Workshop!! Thank you, thank you to Etsy, Danielle, all who attended and tuned into the livestream!

I was so excited and nervous about it I told my boo that he'd better be there or he'd be fired. I needed to see his face in the audience, so he skipped out of work to make that happen. Can you spot Mr. MR?...

my dj set double laptop presentation!

and, the End!

Photography is such a huge, broad topic, and each individual shops needs are specific and varied. So really I tried to make the workshop more about ideas to improve your Etsy photography, and tailored it specifically to Etsy sellers. I talked a lot about the types of images that work best and then got into some of the specifics about actually making images. I hope that it can be a resource and inspiration to people!!

I think the most nerve wracking part was that the event was livestreaming and would be recorded FOR.EV.ER! You can watch me earnestly, and nervously trying to learn you some photography skillz right here....

Were you watching? I'd love to hear your thoughts, if anything resonated with you or helped you! Let me know yo! That would make me so happy!

Had to clown around in the photo booth...

Thanks again Etsy & everyone who came & tuned in - you made my day....

lately

2011-05-30T11:29:00.000-04:00

cantaloupe in the morning is the best thing ever. ever.

blank canvas, and just so happens to be the biggest hoop I've worked!

banjo looking innocent....

...and not so innocent. "What did the five fingers say to the face? SLAP."

Prepping for Renegade Brooklyn

lots of little packages being sent too...

This past week was kinda crazy. I gave an Etsy Success Photography Workshop, which I'll post some pics of tomorrow.

I've put my shop on vacation for a bit, since I'll be out of town June 1 - 5. Where you ask? Well, I'll be in NH at Squam Art Workshops teaching embroidery classes and hopefully exploring the camp grounds, meeting lots of new people, and I really hope I get to go swimming. Living in NY, without a car, I get a little cabin fever. Can't wait for some pine needles, dirt trails, and a little cabin in the woods!

Hope you're having a great, long weekend!!

i just wanna love you dear

2011-05-28T09:00:00.004-04:00

Boys in button ups and high waters with that wall of sound that i love – It's a recipe to break my heart.

C'mon let's slow dance...

hope you have happy weekend....

summer wish list....

2011-05-25T09:00:00.001-04:00

photo: anja mulder

Yesterday, here in NY it was 80 degrees. It's summer time! Um, did we even have a spring though? oh well...

Working from home, I feel a bit cloistered, especially during the winter. Who wants to go out in that mess if you don't have to? Not me!

But come summer, it's hard to concentrate, hard to stay in and not just take a walk.

Here's my summer wish list & things I'm just looking forward to:

a visit to Herkimer Diamond Mines so I can dig up my own quartz crystals!
collecting old trash at Dead Horse Bay
Squam Art Workshops: How could I not be excited to teach an embroidery class!!??
camping- Know any good places around the NY area?
Renegade Craft Fair Brooklyn: If you are in NY June 11 & 12 you better come say hi to me!!
lots of bike rides
picnics in the park

Reminiscing about last summer...

visiting home in CA & see my parent's little dogs Dexter & Buddy Lee

Getting a mad sunburn &working my Letter Service at Renegade Los Angeles

We rescued this bear of a cat, who now has a great home & new name, Percopious

Making little letters at a Shiny Squirrel pop-up shop. So glad to have met Jessica, miss Shiny Squirrel herself & Lisa Butterworth too!

Whats on your summer list?!

this may break your heart....

2011-05-24T13:06:00.003-04:00

.... but it's not a sad video at all. Quite the opposite, it's just so extremely joyful....

I'm not sure what the words are- it's a Brazilian band singing in Portuguese, which my friend Katrina once described to me as words that sound like bubbles. Kinda like not knowing. The emotion shines through. I'm also quite a fan of the long take. Notice that there is not one cut in this whole video, even as they move from room to room. (Have you seen Boogie Nights? The opening is the best- a long take! What others are there? The Simpsons opening credits....)

Yesterday when I viewed this it was at 90 thousand views. Today, 1,800,000! Impressive, no? I think it's resonating with others too...

So did you get a little teary eyed? Made me want to sing!

lately

2011-05-16T09:00:00.002-04:00

it's pretty much all cats and dogs!

Not much more from this week, because well, it's an embarrassing story... I did the dumbest thing early this week. I was standing on a swivel chair photographing some paper cuts Chad, of Mon Petit Fantome, sent me – lovely, lovely papers cuts of Jeremy & I – and like an idiot I fell off said swivel chair. Didn't even get the picture! I was pretty much out of it physically the rest of the week, and since Jeremy was away for work until Sunday night, there was no one to help me out in my pathetic state.

This reminded me of a David Sedaris story, Monster Mash, where he visits a morgue. He describes the people and the unpredictable ways that they died – a woman is hit by a car while waiting in line at a hamburger stand, a man falls from a ladder while trying to change a light bulb. Of this man's autopsy he says it "was the best argument for the buddy system I'd ever seen." Moral of the story, don't stand on a swivel chair and don't eat hamburgers.

Sunday was the best though! Crafting at Etsy with some lovely, inspiring, crafty ladies, like Nicole of Astulabee, one of my favorite makers! Danielle is fostering Myrtle, that little lady in the bag. Little fuzzy ones + crafty lady mimosa times, best end to a lame week....

Pins & Needles Class

2011-05-12T13:35:00.000-04:00

Last week I taught a embroidery class at Pins & Needles where we made Zodiac Constellation Kits together. It's always a bit nerve wracking to teach, but what I love most about it is making/crafting in a group setting, like an old school quilting bee, meeting new people and the silly joy I feel when someone really enjoys what they are learning.

Speaking of meeting people- One highlight for me was having Carrie Strine in the class! I love her quilts and work in general. It's so strange and wonderful to meet internet friends- hear their voice and experience their personalities- she is a funny one!

Thanks to all who came out for the class and stay tuned if you'd like to take an embroidery class. I'll be teaching again at P&N June 25th and dates at Purl Soho soon too (!)....

lately + this week

2011-05-09T14:00:00.001-04:00

highlights from last week included visiting Etsy Headquarters in Dumbo, taking some time for the little things, and teaching an Embroidery Class...

Etsy's headquarters are uh, just amazing. So much to see and so many people wondering around. I was too shy to photograph people working, but just imagine a whole floor of people with no partitions between desks, and art everywhere, even hanging over your head. They certainly make a fun, relaxed working environment!

I love stopping throughout the day to appreciate small, good things, like the light on my pears, little keys or the strange complete satisfaction I feel when I prune the plants. Bug had to jump in and create a vingette for me while I pruned...

Hope you had a great week and Mother's Day!!

p.s you can click the photos for more on Flickr...

Happy Mother's Day...

2011-05-07T22:52:00.002-04:00

I have the sweetest, kindest, goofiest, thoughtful mom ever. Being on the opposite side on the country on mother's day puts little guilty thoughts in my head. I just miss her so. These pics are from our trip to DC a few years back. I didn't realize how many great shots I got of her new boot goofin' with her new red, red hair did. She pretty much will direct a photograph or pop up perfectly between two columns... love her!

To all the mothers, grandmothers, sons and daughters out there.... Happy Mother's Day!

Isn't my mom the cutest!?

get messy...

2011-05-05T11:13:00.002-04:00

above photo: by virginia, the rest by me...

I really wanted to try this DIY project with doilies, but I didn't have any doilies to use. I do have tons of vintage books that I find on the streets on NY though. So when Virginia and I got together to work on our booth for Renegade Brooklyn we tried this project at my great insistance. Totally messy, fun and simple diy project that I think would be fun to do with little ones...

Might make some more & paint them too. Super easy to make and I could see a bunch together being really cute decorations for a studio or kids room.

Here is all you need:
+ balloons or a form to shape around
+ liquid starch or Modpodge mixed with a bit of water. The liquid starch has a matte finish and the Modpodge has a shiny finish.
+ paper

If you try it let me know what you think! & Happy Cinco De Mayo!!

lately + this week

2011-05-03T13:17:00.002-04:00

Loved crafting with Virginia for our Renegade Brooklyn Booth! Lots more pics, but will share sneak peeks as it gets closer. We both are really into decorating the booth and making a super fun environment- can't wait to see it all up!

Making little letters in the studio lately....

Jeremy working on a lazy Sunday. We love sitting at our little table, looking out the window at all the people and street cats roaming about and sipping tea...

Painting pottery at Lorrie or Lenny Mud's studio. She gave a great talk on SEO & Etsy for the NewNew Etsy Team.

Happy to spend some time with Virginia's cat, Buggles, who is the goofiest thing ever! Those buggy eyes, crumpled ears, and silly cat tongue!!

This week....
+ 5/7 1:30 pm DONT FORGET! I'm teaching an Embroidery Class this Saturday at Pins & Needles. It's a beginner class and we'll be making Zodiac Embroideries!! Would be a supper fun Mom & Daughter activity for mother's day, or just a fun, crafty afternoon. More info on the P&N blog here, and a my earlier post on the class here. Hope to see you there!!

+ 5/ 4 I'm going to a writing workshop at Etsy with Michelle, who does all the Keep It Weird posts. I'm down for any opportunity to improve my skillz...

+ 5/7 So excited to see the work & hopefully the artist too, J.L of Blood Milk, in the group show, Alchemically Yours. Any local peeps wanna come with?

friday link love....

2011-04-29T09:00:00.003-04:00

Some of my favorite, most inspiring finds from the past week....

+ wanderlustin hard right there with Demure Folk for a caravan & life on the road in cozy home on wheels! Remember how psyched I was to stay at The Shady Dell, an all air stream motel?

+ just imagine stepping onto this fantastical Book Rug by Pamela Paulsrud via The Modern Mourner

+ godzooks! This image of Pendleton blankets- the colors, patterns and play of dark & light just about punched me in the face. Thank you Margie of Resurrection Fern - always inspiring!!

+ Back to the future, right!? This expensive little guy by Fuji can be shot fully manual & is just about the same mega pickles (12.3) as my Canon 5d. photo nerd alert!

+ Jeremy sent me this post by Short Street Cakes, who I had never heard of but really enjoyed hearing her story of growth in her small business...

....I have often operated under the assumption that I have to do everything myself- and have over-burdened myself in the past with other people's problems, the world's problems, and feeling that I had to solve my own problems without any help. But that is not the way the world works. None of us can survive without leaning on each other, and giving is a natural human tendency that wants to be received.

Hope you guys all have an amazing weekend!!

Co-Workers in the park + Abuelitas Modernas....

2011-04-27T09:00:00.001-04:00

Imagine 50 to 80 degrees, gray and foggy to holy-hell-the-sun-is-out, from working alone everyday inside to creative ladies picnicking in the park. A few local full time crafty ladies and I met up to Co-Work yesterday. It was a bit of a debacle at first. We had to move our little picnic out of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, which is a clusterfuck on free Tuesday! But after we finally settled into a shady, cherry blossom tree covered area I got some work done. The hoards of screaming kids kept me from feeling the afternoon sleepies too...

Our little outing reminded me of this group of stitchers. Completely smitten with these ladies, who call themselves the Abuelitas Modernas, or Modern Grandmas.

via 3deseosymedio

Stitching with friends on a roof top in some foreign land.... i want to go there. Would love to be in their circle of stitchers!! Their roof top scene was far more idyllic than ours was, but I so enjoyed the amazing company!!....

vegan mini apple pies made by Michelle!

Amy of The Peach Tree, Me!, Laura of Fisk and Fern, Nguyen of Knit Knit, Virginia of Virginia Kraljevic, and Michelle of Myzoetrope

working in the park, I gotta say, however crazy, was really nice! AND.... it was Virginia's Birthday - Happy, Happy Day (again)!!

Upcoming Classes at Pins & Needles....

2011-04-25T15:25:00.001-04:00

Lets stitch together!! So excited to be teaching this spring & summer at a few different places. Here are some of the classes coming up...

What: Zodiac Embroidery Class
A super, fun and satisfying afternoon. We'll go over some basic embroidery stitches, and you'll even walk away with your own completed custom zodiac embroidery!
When: Sat. May 7th 1:30 - 3:30 pm
Where: Pins & Needles, 1045 Lexington Ave. 2nd FL NYC
How: Be in touch with P&N at 212.535.6222 or info@pinsandneedlesnyc.com or visit the shop!

&

What: Sampler Class

Another fun afternoon class. A beginner class covering the basics of embroidery - tools and materials, embroidery stitches, and you'll even walk away with your own completed custom embroidery!

When: Sat. June 25 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Where: Pins & Needles, 1045 Lexington Ave. 2nd FL NYC

How: Be in touch with P&N at 212.535.6222 or info@pinsandneedlesnyc.com or visit the shop!

More info here & visit the P&N site too! Check out how cute P&N is....

Hope to see you there!!

lately + this week

2011-04-25T09:00:00.023-04:00

Feels so nice to sum up the previous week in pictures. I think I'll be doing that regularly now. Lots of cats! My furry co-workers, who are finally getting along for the most part. (Banjo, the white one, is our newest rescue from last Dec.) I've been working on orders, making some new embroidery projects, and getting so antsy for spring, come on already!! This weekend was a little work, a little wine, a little work, a little afternoon walk and vegan ice cream.

This week....
+ I'd like to make some time for this diy doliy project. I got all the makings for it. Just gotta make some time with my boo, cause I want to do it together (insert, "aww" here)...
+ I'm gonna challenge my outta shape self to exercise at least 2x this week. Hold me accountable, ok? thanks!
+ I'll be having a crafty lady Co-Worker day at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Picnic + warm weather + crafternoon- bring. it.
&
+ I'll be announcing some big news this week! I know I keep saying that, but it's a big one...

Hope you had a great weekend!!

camera love...

2011-04-23T10:00:00.001-04:00

It's a vintage book. It's a camera. It's a pinhole camera book! If you know me you know that I love photography and these repurposed books from engrained fill my photo nerd heart with joy. I have so much expired film just collecting dust that begs to be shot. I'd love to shoot with one of these guys! My birthdays in October y'all....

Hope you are having a great weekend!!

friday link love....

2011-04-22T10:48:00.000-04:00

My favorite, most inspiring finds this week:

+ I was lucky enough to meet Tara Gentile of Scoutie Girl at her Etsy talk, The Dare of DIY. It was inspiring to hear her story! I came away feeling excited about my work & proud to be a maker is this very DIY time. There's no rule book. It's all about the challenging- What can you do? How far can you take that knowledge? Making mistakes and learning from them fuel your process, and it's all about the process for me! Grrrr.....

+ the new Edible Selby is killing for me. I love it on the NY Times Magazine with the interactive feature. I'm a sucker for hearing a persons voice, hearing them talk to me, and then seeing the pictures really gets me. Also this feature is from NY'ers who moved to Tulum, Mexico. I've been there it's amazing!!

+ this video of a baby deer or elk stomping in a puddle just about made me melt with all it's cuteness via Bona Drag

+ good things are brewing I've got BIG NEWS to share soon. Teaching dates and a big project on the horizon.... more soon!!!

The Planet On The Table

2011-04-21T09:00:00.003-04:00

for April's National Poetry Month I've been sharing some of my favorite poems....

Installment 10 by Toni Pepe from the series The Gesture of Tradition

The Planet On The Table
by Wallace Stevens

Ariel was glad he had written his poems.
They were of a remembered time
Or of something seen that he liked.

Other makings of the sun
Were waste and welter
And the ripe shrub writhed.
His self and the sun were one
And his poems, although makings of his self,
Were no less makings of the sun.

It was not important that they survive.
What mattered was that they should bear
Some lineament or character,

Some affluence, if only half-perceived,
In the poverty of their words,
Of the planet of which they were part.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

A note on the photograph, I went to school with Toni and she is a dedicated, passionate artist. I love her work! I'm like the president of her fan club! You should totally join too...

Hope you are enjoying the poems- I didn't realize I posted them back to back, but I'm really loving pairing the imagery with words....

Secrecy

2011-04-19T09:00:00.004-04:00

for April's National Poetry Month I've been sharing some of my favorite poems....

Secrecy
by Margaret Atwood

Secrecy flows through you,
a different kind of blood.
It's as if you've eaten it
like a bad candy,
taken it into your mouth,
let it melt sweetly on your tongue,
then allowed it to slide down your throat
like the reverse of uttering,
a word dissolved
into its glottals and sibilants,
a slow intake of breath—

And now it's in you, secrecy.
Ancient and viscious, luscious
as dark velvet.
It blooms in you,
a poppy made of ink.

You can think of nothing else.
Once you have it, you want more.
What power it gives you!
Power of knowing without being known,
power of the stone door,
power of the iron veil,
power of the crushed fingers,
power of the drowned bones
crying out from the bottom of the well.

Images: top, Sally Mann "At Warm Springs" 1991via NYTimes
bottom, Sally Mann "Untitled (#30)" 1998 From the "Deep South" series © Sally Mann via Art21

remember me....

2011-04-18T20:30:00.001-04:00

Follow my blog with bloglovin

Just set myself up on Bloglovin, hence the prefaced text & link.

Spent the day all over the place running errands. I've got lots of projects I'm working on and will be teaching, more on all this soon. Bopping around on the interwebs today I came across this post by Holly on Decor8. She writes in the last paragraph...

I have come to realize over the past five years that blogging with intention, with heart, with passion is always my goal — it is so much more rewarding over simply tossing up posts for the sake of writing something. For me, a blog is a place to communicate feelings, a vision, talk about inspirations, ideas, goals, dreams… I think that is what makes a great blog, well, great. What do you think?

I agree! Holly inspired me to put a little more of my voice here. I read a lot of blogs, mainly I browse, I guess, looking for inspiration, checking what's going on right now, and seeking some sort of connection to the craft community I'm part of. I do sometimes feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of visuals and text and, I'm kinda ashamed to say it, but it can stress me out. There are so many talented, creative, inspiring people out there! It's like going to a museum and looking so closely at everything. After awhile it's information overload and I don't "see" anymore.

That said, I'm so grateful to the people who visit my blog, who are reading this now, Hello. Thank you! It means a lot to me to be able to have a voice in this virtual community and share a wee bit of my work & life. I hope that I can share something with you that is inspiring, or that at least brightens your day a bit.

muzaks is good....

2011-04-18T09:00:00.000-04:00

The colors, kids and unabashed funny faces made me love this TUne-Yards video. It reminded me of this Fiona Apple video for Paper Bag with lots of dapper youngins' dancing too.

via Bust via @yellowowlwkshop

Happy Monday!!

happy weekend link love

2011-04-15T21:00:00.002-04:00

My favorite, most inspiring finds from this week:

+ this quilt is blowing my mind!

+ how did I miss this show?! Infinite Variety, by the Folk Art Museum, 650 (!) red & white quilts from one person's collection. Seriously, how? via

+ Bees.... always thought I'd like a bee or bee wing tattoo...

+ Balthus is straight scandalous, but I'm enamored with his paintings...

+ and for laughs. I think I've watched this, like 20 times. The song gets in my head all the time now too...
you are warned...

Happy weekend!! Any good plans? Any great links you've found?!

NY days & this post (kinda) contains male nudity (NSFW?)

2011-04-14T09:00:00.004-04:00

This pic has to be my favorite from the weekend. The towel image itself was shot by my bf's boss, Marcelo Krasilcic for a project with Butt Magazine and American Apparel. The towels always get a good laugh from our guests. You can see more fun pics on Marcelo's blog.

Sorry about the NSFW thingy in the post title. Since I've never posted a nude pic on this blog (even if it's just a representation of it), I thought it'd be wise to warn you a bit. (Aside, in graduate school, a student was told to take down a male nude image in a show where the school's president was to visit. Said show also contained female nude images. So wrong! It's just a penis. So what.)

Anyways, isn't my cousin the cutest!? She works for Lululemon so she's always got the best clothes and she's pretty much the sweetest person ever. I wish my family wasn't so far. I always miss them...

The Museum of Stones....

2011-04-13T09:00:00.007-04:00

I'm sharing some of my favorite poems for April's National Poetry Month....

The Museum of Stones
by Carolyn Forche

This is your museum of stones, assembled in matchbox and tin,

collected from roadside, culvert, and viaduct,
battlefield, threshing floor, basilica, abattoir,
stones loosened by tanks in the streets
of a city whose earliest map was drawn in ink on linen,

schoolyard stones in the hand of a corpse,
pebble from Apollinaire's oui,
stone of the mind within us
carried from one silence to another,
stone of cromlech and cairn, schist and shale, hornblende,
agate, marble, millstones, and ruins of choirs and shipyards,
chalk, marl, and mudstone from temples and tombs,
stone from the silvery grass near the scaffold,
stone from the tunnel lined with bones,
lava of the city's entombment,
chipped from lighthouse, cell wall, scriptorium,
paving stones from the hands of those who rose against the army,
stones where the bells had fallen, where the bridges were blown,
those that had flown through windows and weighted petitions,
feldspar, rose quartz, slate, blueschist, gneiss, and chert,
fragments of an abbey at dusk, sandstone toe
of a Buddha mortared at Bamiyan,
stone from the hill of three crosses and a crypt,
from a chimney where storks cried like human children,
stones newly fallen from stars, a stillness of stones, a heart,
altar and boundary stone, marker and vessel, first cast, lode, and hail,
bridge stones and others to pave and shut up with,
stone apple, stone basil, beech, berry, stone brake,
stone bramble, stone fern, lichen, liverwort, pippin, and root,
concretion of the body, as blind as cold as deaf,
all earth a quarry, all life a labor, stone-faced, stone-drunk
with hope that this assemblage, taken together, would become
a shrine or holy place, an ossuary, immovable and sacred,
like the stone that marked the path of the sun as it entered the human dawn.

happy weekend...

2011-04-09T09:00:00.012-04:00

My favorite, most inspiring finds from this week:

+ Tina Fey has a new book out!! This is perhaps the best "praise" for a book I've read yet! I heard the Audible clip for the book, which she reads & is funny! It'd be great to have Liz Lemon, errr, Tina Fey read to me while I work....

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR BOSSYPANTS:
"I hope that's not really the cover. That's really going to hurt sales." (Don Fey, Father of Tina Fey)
"Do not print this glowing recommendation of Tina Fey's book until I've been dead a hundred years." (Mark Twain)
"Hilarious and insightful. Laugh-out-loud funny—oh no, a full moon. No! Arrgh! Get away from me! Save yourself!" (A Guy Turning into a Werewolf)

+ Elsie of A Beautiful Mess is becoming a style icon and is the epitome of diy for me. I loved reading about how she balances a business she truly loves .... On being a workaholic & still having a life...

+ Have you heard of "Type -Ins"? The NY Times article Click, Clack, Ding! Sigh.... is all about the growing popularity of typewriters with lots of great quotes, like "One reason I type is it simply makes me feel closer to my words..." and you gotta check out the slide show too!

+ A 4x5" diy camera made of.... LEGOS! pretty damn cool & it makes fantastic images too...

hope you guys have an excellent weekend!! any great plans or crafty projects you're working on?

Bright Objects Hypnotize the Mind....

2011-04-08T11:52:00.001-04:00

April is National Poetry Month. I'll be sharing some of my favorites throughout the month. I love this poster designed by Stephen Doyle - the swampy setting (NY Botanical Garden!), neon signage, and reflection in the water. The poster is an interpretation of Elizabeth's Bishop's poem A Word with You....

A Word with You
Elizabeth Bishop

Look out! there’s that damned ape again
sit silently until he goes,
or else forgets the things he knows
(whatever they are) about us, then
we can begin to talk again.

Have you tried playing with your ring?
Sometimes that calms them down, I find.
(Bright objects hypnotize the mind.)
Get his attention on anything –
anything will do – there, try your ring.

The glitter pleases him. You see
he squints his eyes; his lip hangs loose.
You were saying? – Oh Lord, what’s the use,
for now the parrot’s after me
and the monkeys are awake. You see

how hard it is, you understand
this nervous strain in which we live -
Why just one luscious adjective
infuriates the whole damned band
and they’re squabbling for it. I understand

some people manage better. How?
They treat the creatures without feeling.
- Throw books to stop the monkeys’ squealing,
slap the ape and make him bow,
are firm, keep order, – but I don’t know how.

Quick! there’s the cockatoo! he heard!
(He can’t bear any form of wit.)
- Please watch out that you don’t get bit;
there’s not a thing escapes that bird.
Be silent, – now the ape has overheard.

muzaks is good....

2011-04-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

On constant rotation lately is Holly Golightly's Truly She is None Other. It's that wall of sound goodness + a bit o'country. You can listen to a bit of the songs here. Try Walk a Mile, Time Will Tell, It's all Me, Tell Me So I Know, ahhh, seriously listen to them all!....

hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Let me know if you likes the Holly Golightly. Let's nerd out!

happy weekend & a wee NY Love letter...

2011-04-02T09:32:00.000-04:00

This random sidewalk sale on Canal St. reminded me what a crazy, amazing, ridiculous, wonderful place New York is...

Since my beautiful cousin, Nicole, arrived in town Friday to visit for a week, I'm looking forward to showing off this city to her. I feel blessed to experience the hustle and bustle here. There are so many creative, enthusiastic and entrepreneurial souls here. Lots of energy!

I think I'll start our days playing this song. I dare you not to dance...

Hope you have a great weekend!!

NY days...

2011-04-01T12:48:00.000-04:00

exploring the High Line...

the High Line was a once street level subway that was moved above ground subway system, because it was so dangerous. The history is pretty interesting - concrete cowboys, Death Avenue. The subway went right through buildings too! You can see the original train tracks in some areas. Great views, lots of lounging and I can't wait till the park extends the all the way to 34th st. Right now it stops at 20th St. ....

behind the scenes at the Martha Stewart Show....

2011-03-31T09:00:00.002-04:00

All hail the Queen of Craft !

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend a live taping of the MS show AND it was a Vegan episode. I didn't plan it and I was so excited about the happy coincidence. I'm really proud to be a level 3 vegan and it brought tears to my eyes (I'm a crybaby) to have my crafty icon explore veganism with such care and thoughtfulness. The guest's were all vegan Biz Stone, the creator or twitter, Kathy Freston, author of Veganist, and my favoritest of all, Gene Baur, salt and pepper cutie and cofounder of Farm Sanctuary. Farm Sanctuary is an amazing"cruelty-free refuge for mistreated farm animals." I've been there- pet a big ol' pigs belly, got booty bumped by a goat when I stopped petting him and looked into the soulful eyes of a rhino sized cow. It was heaven in upstate NY!

OK, now the show! Joey Kola pumped up the audience real good. This guy is so fun and totally gets the audience silly, yelling, and clapping...

Then you are led into the studio where everyone is arranged into the seating area. They wanted the brightest colors in the audience and arranged seating according to this. Luckily my neighbor & yoga teacher (!) was wearing bright red, and Kelly was in teal. Virginia was given a green scarf to brighten her up!

I snuck a quick pic of the making of the picture above. Do you see the guy with the giant black box in his hand? His camera was huge!...

Thank you Martha Stewart Show!!

drop your jaw embroidery....

2011-03-29T11:36:00.001-04:00

These Penguin book covers by Jillian Tamaki are stunning, so full of detail - just beautiful. There are so many different types of stitches and complex details! Even the little Penguin logo seems to be embroidered- ahh-maz-zing! I gush, I gush, but just look....

Right, see? amazing! My favorite has to be the Emma cover - that braided hair - or the Black Beauty back cover. Seeing the finished pieces you can tell so much time and work went into the pieces, and the above work-in-progress image give you an appreciation for the many, many hours of hand embroidery involved one stitch at a time - sore hands, sore neck, back aches and all.

find Jillian Tamaki here: website, (images via) Jillian Tamaki Sketchblog, etc.
found via: my love for you.

past weeks stitches...

2011-03-28T12:45:00.004-04:00

Hope you had a great weekend!! I've been slowly conquering my stitch queue and these are the latest trees, hearts and stars to leave my hands....
and more on my flickr page...
Some of my favorite finished pieces are the ones with unique names, like this latest Custom Heart above, moonie + hokey. It's fun to stitch and share these ones. There was Mr. + Lady, tatter + tottie (made for cats!), Bumble with bee, and this one has been making the rounds on tumblr lately...

what would you put in your own custom heart!?

2011-03-14T19:40:00.000-04:00

"A photograph is a secret about a secret. The more it tells you the less you know." - Diane Arbus

via planetbarberella

A castle in Disneyland, Cal. 1962 via Moon River

Identical twins, Roselle, N.J. 1967

Happy Birthday, Diane Arbus. She would have been 88 years old today...

Read more about her work & see more photographs here...

MR + Red Cross

2011-03-12T01:17:00.003-05:00

I hope you all are having a great weekend so far!

The news of the earthquake + tsunami in Japan got me thinking of ways that I can help. I often feel helpless in these kinds of situations, in awe of natures power. For all sales in my shop now through the 19th I'll donate 15% of every purchase to the Red Cross for the disaster relief in Japan.Please feel free to spread the word!

Here are some other ways to help too!

p.s. awesome power! (when I read this post to my boyfriend this is immediately what he thought of when I said I was in awe of natures power...)

stitch by stitch

2011-03-09T12:33:00.001-05:00

I get so excited to send out finished pieces. I love the process of finishing and documenting them all together. Thinking about the package being received and the new life the piece will have makes happy & thankful to be able to share my work.

There are a few custom requests here - some with color schemes and design variations. I love the way the gray and soft colors for the Owen piece came out, the orange + green color combo, and the star piece for made for sisters. You guys have great ideas....

I'd love to hear what you guys are working on!?? Any great projects in progress or ideas floating around in your head? They say if you say it it helps you to actually do it....

art, art armory....

2011-03-07T13:07:00.000-05:00

Some images from the weekend - exploring nyc, Banjo in a box, and lots of pictures from the Armory show. I love documenting with my phone camera. Call me a lazy photographer, but I find I make more images of things I'd usually ignore with my SLR. I edit less and share more with these quick snaps.

The Armory show was madness - so much to see, so many people. Great people watching! It's visual overload, but I left still thinking about a few pieces...

+ Pieter Hugo's amazing photographs of hyenas and other animals from the series the Hyena and Other Men

+ Denise Grünstein's work from the series "Figure Out"

+ Sebastiann Bremer's photographs with painted dots

happy weekend...

2011-03-04T18:45:00.003-05:00

My favorite, most inspiring finds from this week:
+ inspiring to read about peoples passions in the comments of this Blood Milk post

+ so happy for my friend Katrina who I just learned is one of PDN's 30 of 2011! woot woot!

+ Liz Kuball's post about doing what you love, Regardless, made me feel inspired about making.

+ this Modish post helps with my struggle dealing with distractions

+ I requested tickets to go to a Martha Stewart show taping with a few friends. so excited to see the Queen of Craft do her thing in person!

+ fell in love with Jónsi & Alex. You must watch the videos!! Can you imagine your own outdoor garden to cook in complete with a little bunny?

+ always inspired, & maybe a bit smitten with, Mr. Sagmeister. His Ted video got my wheels turning. I've really been needing some space from my work in order to have a fresh start and new ideas.

Happy Weekend Everyone!!! Any great finds from your week or awesome weekend plans?
I hope I get to see the Armory show and finish up a bunch of embroidery projects...

Schedule that.

2011-03-01T08:30:00.014-05:00

One of the hardest parts of my everyday routine is scheduling my days. When you are accountable to no one but yourself how do you organize and structure your time? How do you work when the dishes and laundry are begging for attention? How do you manage all the online work that needs to get done without the watchful eye of your coworkers keeping you in check and off all those blogs, FB & twitter? It's easy to just say a schedule, but life is not conveniently chunked into easy digestible periods of time. Making hand embroidery is a labor of love and each piece just to stitch can take 2 hours (not including creating the pattern, customer care, cutting fabrics, staining hoops and backing the piece). Schedule that.

So then I heard April of Blacksburg Belle talk at the Etsy Success Symposium about creating lists with actionable tasks(<-- that link is to a post about learning Japanese, but hey you get the idea), tasks that give me the most out of my time and the most reward. This is not the monster list that is impossible to accomplish in a day, but simply 6 things to accomplish everyday. This simple act of writing down what I should do in a day keeps my mind focused on the priorities and more than any schedule I've created keeps me (more) on track than I've ever been before. I know exactly what I need to do everyday and can prioritize my time accordingly. My days are not limited to these things and I often add tasks just to cross them off, because that just feels good to do (personal gold stars). There's always more things to add to my list to grow my little business, but my days are slowly feeling more manageable. You have to hustle as a creative entrepreneur, so finding ways to better yourself and your work are a must. WHAT DO YOU DO THAT HELPS YOU ORGANIZE YOUR TIME & FOCUS YOUR CREATIVE ENERGY?
Also here is April's talk....

Watch live streaming video from etsy at livestream.com

MR in real life...

2011-02-15T19:38:00.000-05:00

few things are better for me as a maker than to see the things I make in real life. That and hearing people's stories and making them happy are so important to me. I was lucky enough to stumble across the beautiful photographs of Shannon Michele's wedding. I made this embroidery piece for her to celebrate the occasion...

click the image to go to shannon's flickr and check out the full post with lots of lovely images of the handsome couple here. It's so nice seeing these pieces outside of my studio, where they will have a whole new life, new stories and become part of a families history...

sometimes i like fall...

2011-02-15T19:20:00.000-05:00

i'm missing the fall & days like this...

...to bad for me that I grew up in California, because I'll never get used to being cold. It makes me dread the winter and shiver when people say that they love the crisp winter air and blustery winter walks. I like my winter to be a CA convenience - a 2 hour drive to the mountains, some snowboarding (yeah i do it) and then home in time for a walk with just a t-shirt on.

i caught the aftermath of some game where you try to bite apples on string...
i picked out little pumpkins...
spotted my favorite symbol- the hour glass with wings at a little cemetery...
found a and apple in the leaves & sleeping bee...
had a nice fall day...

my valentine to you...

2011-02-14T08:45:00.003-05:00

... is a little Kevin Bacon embroidery. heyyy! i know it's a commercial, but it's so damn goofy sweet & i can't help but love me some manbroidery too! hope you're having a sweet day....

craft vanitas....

2011-02-09T08:54:00.002-05:00

Lest you think the crafting life is all beautiful workspaces in honey filled light, may I present you with my worktable - a chaos of bits here and there, much like the workings of my own brain. Lately I've been making lots of Messages in a Bottle and today I'll be packaging them all up for Valentine's Day deliveries.

Banjo, our new rescue cat that we are fostering has found a new favorite spot to my great annoyance. He is constantly pausing my music with his butt, and making the computer make that loud alarm like sound when he lays on the keyboard. But, how can you be mad at that face?

p.s. today is the last day to make your last minute Valentine's Day Gift Box purchases!
Sweet Baklava & Romantic Little Letter!!

where did the week go?

2011-01-28T14:44:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday peoples!

I'm trying to get so much stitching, packaging and tie up some administrative stuff (no fun).

Some good reads for the weekend:
+ Design*Sponge Biz Ladies Online Ethics: Grace gives a informative overview of her talk with OH Joy! & Once Wed from the Altitude Design Summit in Utah (damn, that would have been great to go to!) It's kinda blowing my mind. Simple & important information for any one blogging and commenting on blogs. I need to go through the whole series- it's pretty much a serious business course.

+ Jerry Saltz's On the apartheid between “art” and craft a never ending topic (1,017 comments!). I appreciate the gesture. If you're not on FB and can't read the link, then try it here.

Otherwise, this weekend I'm trying to tame the studio mess (i'm addicted to supplies) & stitch . What are you up to?!

brooklyn = winter wonderland

2011-01-27T14:14:00.001-05:00

Last night it snowed, thundered, and poured freezing rain. So today has been filled with the sound of shovels scrapping cement. My window seals have lovely little pillows of snow along the edges and I like the view of snow covered trees and white blanketed streets. All this might be the usual fare for most east coast people, but as a California girl I'm still in awe of winters, even if I did live in Rochester for a few years. Also the snow hardly ever stays too long here and quickly turns to mud. yay. As long as I don't have to dig a car out and I can sit inside a stitch all day, me and winter are ok.
Although sledding in Central Park sounds amazing!