Monday, December 22, 2008

Waving the White Flag

I surrender. There is no way I can complete the sewing on 4 more purses and do the hand-work (sewing the lining to the zipper) on all 7 in the next 2 days. Not even if I don't go to work or sleep.

Instead, the ladies will be getting cards with scraps of the purse fabrics sewn onto them, explainging the situation, to be redeemed at the family Easter gathering.

Ah. That feels much better.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

I've got *how* many days left 'til Christmas???

I am freaking insane.

I've got the gifts for the guys in my family-of-origin made: scarves made of tie silk, lined with flannel. Warm, but classy.

But, like an idiot, I decided to make purses for the ladies. Views C and D of this one, from Butterick. That's a little more involved than a scarf. And I only got the last of the materials today last night. (I'm typing this at one in the morning, after washing and pressing all the fabrics, before going to bed.)

My family does Christmas on Christmas Eve. If I can make one purse a day, I'll get the gifty ones done just in time. If I can get at least three done over this weekend, I'll be able to make mine before then, as well. If I don't get mine done along with everyone else's, it will never get made. I know this from past experience. I make a dozen of something for gifts, and get so sick of looking at the same project over and over that I just give up on my own.

Wish me luck, and a lack of gremlins in the sewing machine.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

You'd be melancholy, too...

...if you were a lambsquid.

Melissa Sue Stanley is a crafter after my own heart. She paints, crochets, embroiders, and finds interesting ways to put them all together. She calls her creations that have yet to find new homes "free-loaders," adjuring them to "go out and earn a buck, you bastards."

Surely, you need a free-loading melancholy lambsquid monster in your house!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Time, She is a Wastin'

I have less than a month to do the sewing and photography for a project to be published in the Imbolc 2009 issue of the AntiCraft. I have Giftmas presents to sew for my family of origin. I haven't a clue what to buy/do/make for most of my chosen family. I have sewing commitments that are over a year old, and related to winter events. Not to mention that I really need some new clothes, myself.

My living room WILL be tidied and organised enough for me to start sewing this week.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Hey, Mom, Look at Me!

As I have a few published works out there in cyberspace already, I thought I'd start talking about myself by posting links to them.

Now, by "published" I don't mean I posted it in a blog somewhere, although that does count as "published." What I mean is that I submitted an article to an honest to gods 'zine and had it accepted. I'll admit to a certain amount of advantage, being that I'm an editor for the AntiCraft, but I hope that if I submit something that stinks to the Mistress Over Lord Boss, she'll tell me it stinks and file it under G for Garbage.

That being said, here's where you can find my previously published projects and articles:

Splitter, published in the Imbolc 2008 issue of the AntiCraft. Crocheted wood chopping axe and chainsaw.

This was my first published project, though not my first accepted work. I took the finished axe and chainsaw you see in the pictures to a family function to show them off. When I handed them to my grandmother, she turned to the family friend to whom she had been talking and said "look what my granddaughter made me!" Well, I had been trying to figure out what to do with them. As much fun as they were to make, and as irresistable as they were to play with (especially the chainsaw), they didn't exactly match the decor of my home, you know?


Baconhenge, published in the Beltane 2008 issue of the AntiCraft. Monumental breakfast. (photo by Carol Squires - Thanks, Carol!)

Oh My Gods, this got so much press on the internet that the Bryant Park Project on NPR had me on for a five minute interview the morning of Summer Solstice! What a rush!

The funny thing I noticed in all the hullaballoo is that at least a quarter of people who commented on Baconhenge, wherever it appeared online, couldn't think of anything to say except how "bad for you" it is, and how much cholesterol there is in it. I think they missed the point, not to mention the part where it says "feeds six." If you compare one serving of Baconhenge to a Denny's French Toast Slam, you will find 1/4 as much French Toast, the same amount of bacon, the same amount of eggs, no sausage at all, plus potatoes and vegetables, both of which are missing from the Slam. So, while a French Toast Slam may not be the Breakfast of Champions, I'm not going to apologize for the nutritional value of Baconhenge!


Dollar Store Death, published in the Samhain 2008 issue of the AntiCraft. Cheap angel figurines show their darker sides.

This was my first submission to the AC, accepted before I had even considered applying for the editing gig. It was a year before it was published, though. While the Editrices liked it, it didn't fit the spider theme of the 2007 Samhain issue. In the end, I'm glad it waited that long because I had the opportunity to paint up a couple different angels, to show that they really all can work, and to polish my writing a bit. This project has proved rather popular as well, garnering over 7000 hits within the first week of publication. Hmm, maybe I should "Google" the project, and see how many places I find it online.


Comparative Calaveras, published in the Samhain 2008 issue of the AntiCraft. Article comparing different methods of making Sugar Skulls.

This isn't a project so much as a review of two different types of sugar skull recipes.



Well, that's all for now. Stay tuned for projects in future issues of both the AntiCraft and 42 Magazine. Who knows, maybe, someday, I'll even submit something to a 'zine to which I'm not already connected!

What the hell is this blog about?

Well, this is the inaugural post of my new crafting blog.

Here I intend to share with readers my current projects, my UnFinished Objects (UFOs) and finished projects, links to my published works, noodling about things I might make or about the crafting process, my bitching about Things That Just Don't Work, and whatever else crosses my bead-berattled, yarn-entangled, needle-pricked mind. I hope you find it interesting, if somewhat bemusing.

I hope I do, too. I'd hate to be bored by my own blog.

Now, where did I put my camera?