2012 Goals

New year, new lists.  I love the potential that comes with a brand new year.  And I'm really good at writing lists, although not always so good with the follow through.  I suppose it would help if I actually looked at the lists again after writing them.  I started this one yesterday and thought it might be best to record it here.  Then it's official, right?  I'll now be bound to it more so than if I just keep it to myself, and, heck, maybe I'll inspire you to write your list, too.  So in lieu of resolutions for the new year, these are my official goals for 2012.  This is not by any means exhaustive, and I'm sure I'll add to it in the coming days... and months.

Blog regularly.
Make my first quilt -- something simple, so I'll actually finish it.
Create a better, more organized, work space for myself.
Learn a brand new skill.  Not sure what this will be yet.  Maybe learning to use a serger... or perhaps a business or computer skill.
Make homemade bagels AND cream cheese.
Be accepted as a vendor at Renegade.
*Finally hang the prints and photos I've been collecting since last March for a wall 'o' art in my living room.
Try some new local restaurants (and have more "date nights" with my hubby!).
Get more projects/patterns published.
Continue to grow my business.
Make enough in profits so I can afford to buy Abode Illustrator.
Write and post a tutorial here... on this blog.
Design a chicken softie and make a bunch for the shop.

*I started this one today -- just need a few more frames from IKEA to finish it up!

I'd also love to hear your goals for the next year, if you care to share them.

Cheers and happy 2012!

DIY: Fabric Ornament Tutorials

It's not too late!!  Maybe you're even one of those people who have already finished your shopping, making, and baking... and you're looking for another project.  There are some of those people, right?!  Just to be clear, I am NOT one of those people.  Yes, I'm still shopping, making, baking, decorating, cleaning, strategizing, and otherwise preparing for Christmas. In fact, I just started last week, when I took down the last of the [ahem...] Halloween decorations.  I know, I know... pretty pathetic.  Anyway, these fabric ornaments are so adorable, you may have to add them to your "to do" list, no matter how long it already is!  I know I'm planning to make a bunch of the cute little houses to give as gifts... even if I am working all the way up 'til Christmas Eve.  Shh... don't tell.

Here's the round-up of tutorials, clockwise, from top left.
1.  Home for the Holidays ornament from Retro Mama
2.  Owl ornaments from Juicy Bits
3.  Felt polaroid Christmas ornaments from Katie Cupcake
4.  No-sew fabric ball ornament from Everyday Beautiful
5.  Simple sewn bird ornament from The Purl Bee
6.  Holiday mitten ornament from Oliver + S

Happy handmade holidays!

And the owl goes to...

I had so much fun participating in this giveaway and really, truly enjoyed reading all of your comments!  Thanks so much to everyone who stopped by and visited my blog.  I am continually blown away by the online sewing/crafting/making community.  There are just so many great resources and creative people out there (here?), and I enjoyed finding new inspiring blogs during this Sew, Mama, Sew! giveaway.  I hope you did too!

I used a random number generator to draw the winner of Mr. Owl (actually my 4 year old daughter had the honor of clicking the button).  And the owl goes to comment number 80:

Rachel said...

So cute! My favorite tradition is decorating the tree and seeing all the ornaments I've been given over the years!

December 15, 2011 3:37 PM 

Congratulations, Rachel!  I'll be contacting you for your mailing info, and will do my best to get Mr. Owl to you before Christmas.

Sew, Mama, Sew! Giveaway!

I'm so excited to be participating in Sew, Mama, Sew's Giveaway Day!  I absolutely love the Sew, Mama, Sew blog.  It's a wonderful place full of tutorials, inspiration, and all sorts of other sewing-related goodness.  Plus, Sew, Mama, Sew! sells amazing fabric, patterns and more on their website.  Okay, enough gushing, and onto the giveaway!

I'll be giving this owl away to one lucky winner!  Mr. Owl was designed and handmade by me with brown wool tweed suiting material (for the body) and 100% wool felt (for the face, wings and feet).

Simply comment on this post anytime before Friday, December 16 at 5 pm PST.  In your comment, please share your favorite holiday tradition, or not... it's up to you.  Please be sure that I have a way to contact you if you are the winner!!  If your email is not connected to your blogger profile, please include it in your comment.  I will use Random.org to chose the recipient of Mr. Owl, then I'll announce the winner the next day.  I am happy to ship domestically or internationally.

My favorite holiday tradition is unwrapping the ornaments, and then watching my kids decorate the tree -- now that they can do it themselves!  And also staying in the house (in our pajamas most of the day) on Christmas day.

If you're not the winner, but would love to have an owl of your own, you can purchase a similar one in my shop.  Also, be sure to check out all of the generous giveaways on Sew, Mama, Sew! and to discover some amazing new blogs to follow.  Click the link below to get there.

From textile to print

I've been busy printing, scoring, cutting, and packaging sets of holiday cards so I can post them in my shop and have them to sell at a couple of upcoming local craft fairs.

The images on the cards began as fabric appliqués.  I was originally inspired by Syko's lovely postcards.  I love the way she uses stitches almost as if she is drawing on the fabric.  I also love the bright colors and whimsy in her work -- check out her stuff if you're not already familiar with it!  Anyway, I just couldn't stop thinking about this idea of turning one medium into another. And maybe I was also intrigued by the idea of using a medium I'm pretty comfortable with (fabric and thread) to create something else I love, but am less skilled with (ink on paper).  So, I rolled these ideas around in my head, and at about this time last year, I designed the Christmas tree appliqué below.  Here is the process of how it went from sewing machine to printer.

The image on the left is a photograph I took of the original appliqué.  For some reason I used a beige-y speckled muslin for the background.  Please don't ask me why, since my intention all along was for the background to essentially disappear.  Fortunately, I am armed with a version of Photoshop which, although rather old (actually, ancient!), still takes care of the basics.

So, I photographed the textile, taking care to get as little glare on the shiny buttons as possible (something else that was fixable in Photoshop).  Then I imported the image and began playing with brightness and contrast until I was happy.  The image on the right (above) is what I ended up with.  I was having so much fun, I then started playing around with hue and came up with four more funky versions of the tree.

Last winter, I printed these on pre-scored card-making printer paper from Avery and called it a day.  But I wasn't quite satisfied.  This year, I've experimented with several different paper types, weights, and textures. I finally settled on Paper Canvas from Red River Paper.  I has a lovely textured surface, a nice weight, and it takes color beautifully.  I bought myself a bone folder and a mini paper cutter... and away I go!

I'll be selling them in sets of 10 (some with only the original tree, and some with the original plus assorted funky colored trees).  Oh, and I've added a new card design this year.  It has similar bright colors of fabric, but is made of many circles... that form a circle...  Can you guess what it is?

Etch A Sketch Masterpiece

Ok, so it may not be a masterpiece, exactly... but this temporary miniature objet d'art did warm my heart.  My four year old daughter was drawing on her Etch A Sketch recently, when she exclaimed, "Mom, look!  I made a sewing machine."

I love that that's the object she pictured when she looked at this drawing.  A sewing machine.  Of course it is.  I'm so proud!

DIY: Upcycled Sweater Tutorials

I love, love, love these two sweater skirts from Anthropologie, especially the one on the left.  The skirts, and the fact that I can't really afford to buy either one, got me thinking about my stash of felted and unfelted sweaters, and what I might be able to make with them.  I thought I'd share here some of my favorites of the tutorials I found for upcycling sweaters into fun skirts, and a dress (Isn't the dress amazing?!).

1.  Anthropologie Inspired Sweater Skirt from Your Homebased Mom
2.  Upcycled Sweater Dress from Simply Step Back

3.  Child's Skirt from Crafting A Green World
4.  Hip Huggie from Betz White

I tend to use tutorials in the same way I use recipes.  That is, I peruse them to get a good idea of the concept, the process, the flavor combinations... then I use what I've learned to create something of my own. So I'm not quite sure what I'll do with these lovely ideas yet.  But when I figure it out, I promise to let you know!  And if you end up trying any of these tutorials, or making something else based on any or all of them, I'd love to hear about it.