Bloggy Giveaway Starts Now!

Well that didn't take too much time haha. I hit my goal number and as promised I will be giving away a few special items to one lucky winner! Included are:

A Cate Anevski inspired hoopla



One of the cuffs in this picture of your choosing



Annnnnnnnddd a mini kit for either a hoopla of your own or a starter kit for your own Teesha Moore inspired creation! It will include fabric, floss, a pattern if the hoopla is chosen or whimsies and buttons for embellishing if the TM kit is chosen.

Each person can enter 3 times.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Here's how to enter<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

1. Either already be a follower, or become a follower of this blog and post a comment saying so!

2. Link this giveaway to your blog and post a comment here to let me know!

3. Share this giveaway on your other networking sites (facebook, tumblr, etc) and leave a comment saying so!

Make sure each entry is submitted on a separate comment! I will be choosing a winner randomly on Sunday September 4th, at 5pm EST! Get your entries in!

Spinning plates and cheeto dust

I really don't consider myself an early morning person...except when I'm just chilling at home and randomly can't sleep at 7 am. It's a little annoying that I can't sleep in but it does make for a productive day. Anyway, speaking of productive, I have been a machine this past week. Today is my last free day before school starts and I'm feeling the slow ache of per-weariness that comes with the anticipation of a busy semester of school and work, trying to fit my crafting in whenever I can. This usually means I get very very little reading done =/

Anyway! I finished my little hoopla that I'm prepared to giveaway as part of my SUPER-AWESOME-YOU-GUYS-ROCK-FOR-FOLLOWING-ME-GIVEAWAY!!!! that will be in action the moment I reach 25 followers (one more to go!). I'll post details once it's a go. Back to the hoopla: I love Cate Anevski and have wanted to stitch up something by her or inspired by her for the longest time, and now I finally got the chance. It's a bit of a mix-up of a few of her face embroideries. And it can be all yours!



This week I also finally got around to some experiments with koolaid microwave dyeing! I bought some undyed 100% wool yarn a while back just waiting for the time to do this, and when I didn't have the right colors I needed for a current secret project I decided to break out the yarn! My first result was the orangey/yellow one, which I dubbed "cheeto dust" because it so reminds me of that haha. I'm a little disappointed the yellow koolaid didn't dye brighter but at least the plain yarn was a creamish color so it turned out ok despite the lack of vibrancy in the koolaid.



A few days later I did some more for fun. The bottom two are a bit blah - I was nervous about putting too much dye on and making the colors muddy but it obviously wasn't an issue. I think I might try overdyeing them later. But I love how the 2nd from the top turned out, it reminds me of watermelons or rhubarb mmmmm yum.



I have a bunch more koolaid colors to play with and some more of the yarn too so I'm sure there'll be more to see eventually. I have a ton of other things I can't wait to post, but for the sake of suspense I'll be holding off until my partners receive.

Have a great day guys!
E

Restless

Man I've been jumping around today, going from one project to another like I have crafting ADD. Ran out of the right color yarn, finished that other project, don't have enough whimsies!, what's next. What's worse is that I have a very strong urge to go shopping for the supplies I need...except its almost 11 pm and all the stores are closed....except the grocery store, which will probably have koolaid! I know. I'm nuts. I think it might have to do with that second mt. dew I had today (evil evil, I swear I'm kicking the habit when I'm done with school).

Oh and just in case I forget, I thought of the best name for the yarn I dyed: Cheeto Dust. =) I'll have a picture of that when I upload my camera.

I'm a busy busy bee

I love the days when I can knock out a bunch of projects at once. The feeling of accomplishment is awesome =) Today is totally one of those days. I finished a TM bag for my shop! And even made some experimental cuffs which might make the giveaway! They turned out really cute though probably running on the large size - they could easily be used for a cup cozy too if the cup is the right size. Here's the picto porn!





I even got my logo stitched in now!



Details of my favorite panels!







And the cuffs



I also dyed some yarn with koolaid for the first time! I am addicted, it's surprisingly easy. I need to go get some more koolaid now haha.

I'm not alone in here!

I'm shocked at the jump in followers over the course of a single day! I went from 12 to 17!!! It really makes me feel good to know that I'm not just typing out into the void where my spirit and energy is just lost =) Hi new followers!! And a big thank you to Kira at Oops I craft my pants for the awesome shout out! (Sorry I'm not sure how to insert the link for the blog right now >.<) I hope I am as entertaining to you guys as I am to myself hah. But with this sudden rise I totally feel the pressure to get cracking on that give away I was talking about in my last post. Good thing I'm on a wee break (sadly very "wee") from school. I'll have a couple of days completely free from work and school so I will definitely be taking advantage of the time to be industrious! In other news, Erica_tattoos on craftster FINALLY received the hoop I sent her for the 6th round of the Hoopla swap! I was so afraid it had been lost in a rather bizarre trip to California - she lives in Arkansas....I don't know when Cali became the quickest route to AR but someone should fix that. Anyway onto the pics!

She had a few gnomey things on her pinterest as well as a zombie item or two, so I combined the best of both worlds! I call it "Gnome Alone" : it's what happens when the homeowners are away haha.

And an awesome close up. I didn't want the detailing to be lost =)



That's all for now. I have a ton of things in the works and will be sharing as soon as I can!

Just a few thoughts.

I've thought this repeatedly over the last month: I really really wish I could master the skill of reading and crafting at the same time. Honestly I feel torn sometimes between the two! And I would get so much more reading done too...hmmm...must work on that.

Also I've been thinking of doing a GIVEAWAY!! when I hit 25 followers *wink wink nudge nudge* haha. I will be giving away at least one Teesha Moore inspired item: think wrist cuff, belt, small wall hanging, who knows! And perhaps a fun hoopla! =) I'll have firmer details once I get a little closer to the goal number.

Here's some craft porn to tease you on, and hopefully entice any lurkers to jump on the blog train and add me so I can add you back and follow you!

Time flies when you have too much to do!

Whew! Almost let a whole week slip by me without an update - lots of crafting going on though sadly most of it I can't say much about as it is for other people and will remain a surprise for now =) I did just mail off the hoop I completed for Erica though!! Oooh teaser time!



That aside, I finished one medium item for Erica in our personal swap, made more progress on the TM bag I'm doing for her (no surprise there though no pictures til she receives!), and am slowly killing my pinkie finger on the other large I'm making her....I need to figure out how to fix that issue though I don't know if its possible..hmm...

Also am almost done with my monthly goal of doing 20 TM panels (16/20 done as of today), and am halfway done with a bag destined for my shop!

School finally finished yesterday and although I'm sad I only have 2 weeks to try and relax before fall semester starts, I'm going to try my best. Mostly that means try to get as much accomplished as possible before school assignments take over everything. I am looking forward to my Intermediate Printmaking class - I'm trying to think of what theme I want to spend the semester on....I'm leaning towards sci fi, aliens, etc?? Still trying to work that out.

I don't really have any fun pictures to share so I'll throw up some of my past printmaking projects that I really enjoyed. These are all developed from my initial musings on the Day of the Dead culture and style. It really turned into a study on my thoughts of death and religion which is rather intriguing - I love most of the stuff that came out of that class =)

Keeping busy

It's taken me months but for whatever reason I finally got the motivation and energy to plug away on figuring out my logo. It's a bit simple but with a little personality I think =) Here's the stamp I made. I am in progress on a banner for this little blog which I'd love to hear opinions on!!



Here's the 3 options I made this morning. Let me know what you think please!?



I threw together a bunch of my most regularly used craft materials - junk n' whimsies, embroidery supplies, buttons, and scissors! The other banner is a close-up on a pile of finished Teesha Moore style panels that I've been working on faithfully. I thought it would be fun to include a quick snapshot of the entire pile of finished panels too haha



Ok back to work for me!

Weekly check in and Harry Moore surprise?!

Oh man, I just got back from New Orleans and my feet are trashed...I am a fairly smart cookie, but I learned never to ever ever ever again travel without bringing tennis shoes again. My feet are covered in blisters and spots rubbed raw by 3, yes 3, different pairs of sandals. Two of which admittedly I bought to try to improve the condition of my feet but yeah....I've learned...

ANYWAY, that being said, I'm trying to let my feet recover on the couch and thought I'd do an update! I meant to post my surprise HP thing last week but didn't have enough time before heading to the airport. It was.......a Harry Potter themed Teesha Moore style bag!! I gave it to Coley on Friday when she took me to the airport and I knew she'd love it just like I did! Here's the picture porn for all to enjoy!















All the individual panels are my favorite of the bag, though it was hard to pick "favorites" per say. They just turned out more like the picture I had in my head I guess. This bag is a good example of what I plan on selling in my etsy shop once I'm done with school - it's just a bit too time consuming making these to try to open up shop right now...but April isn't too far away!! *runs away to resume stitching madly!*

Let's see what my to do list consists of now...
-finish hoopla for Erica
Almost there, just need to get brave with some fabric paint to do the last finishing touches!
-IYP (Invite Your Partner) swap item to finish
The annoying thing about swap items is I really shouldn't talk too much about them until the person gets it, lest they be a good stalker and stumbles upon my rambling about this and that....oh well, it'll be awesome!! And I'll need to make another version for myself.
-20 TM panels completed
Each month I set a minimum goal of TM panels to be completed to help build up my stock for the bags and whatnot that I'll be selling...have yet to get started but it's a nice way to fill in time when I have nothing to do.
-1 bag or TM item completed for shop
I'm starting a new goal to start making at least one item for my shop every month since I have a giant pile of panels I have yet to do anything with.

I think that is about it...for now. Other things always have a way of slipping in without me realizing it hah.

Have a great day guys!

Ce-ce-ce-ce-ce-rrramics!

Just throwing up a quick post to show off a couple of pieces in progress in my summer ceramics class.

This is a platter that was coated with slip and then carved away to reveal the natural clay color underneath (there's an actual term for this but I can't for the life of me spell it right now). I love how the texture on the clay is reminiscent of wood as traditional Haida art was primarily woodcarvings.



This is a completely hand-built pot made from earthenware. Its been bisque fired so far, and needs to go through one more firing to be finished. It's roughly 24" tall.

Being awake at 5 is not something I relish

I'm up with a headache which unfortunately happens from time to time. It's not earth-shattering by any degree but its annoying enough that I can't sleep. Anyway, I meant to check in with the week's progress so I guess that's one thing I can get accomplished while I sit here on the couch...in the dark...alone and annoyed.

It is kind of funny how productive I get when there is something I really really don't want to do that is on my to-do list. This last week I've been meaning to and continually putting off doing a very simple report for the ceramics class I've been taking this summer - I'm not sure why I don't just get it over with...or well, honestly I do. Because it'll take me an hour or less and I have way more fun things I'd rather be doing. I'll get it done eventually...it's not due for another week.

So here's what I've done over the weekend.

I finished the dice for my friend's wedding!



That's only one of the eighteen dice I made for her to hang in her reception hall. I wish I could get a picture of all of them but they're made with tabs that will be glued just before hanging so my attempt to temporarily tape them together for a photoshoot was rather difficult and I gave up after the second one. I'll be sure to bug her for pictures of them when they're fully assembled though. It's kind of funny that's the second gaming/toy that I've constructed larger than life, and also for a wedding - the first being a giant lego I made for my bf's brother's wedding.





Anyway, the dice are off my plate and just in time to go to New Orleans on Friday! I'm pretty excited though ambivalent about the weather, specifically the humidity. I'm not used to it, having grown up in the temperate climate of the Pacific Northwest and generally get really rocking headaches from it (i.e. not so awesome =(). That small worry aside I'm looking forward to it.

Let's see, I also finished a logo commission for a friend of mine that I've been working on slowly for the last month and a half...more not working than working honestly, but I finally got it done and that's the important part! I even carved out a stamp for her to use for her new business - btw this is a shout out for Tonya Perry at BlueHeron Stitchery who does the most amazing patchworky type bags that I believe is what she will be primarily selling. Look for her on etsy!



That's it for photos, but in addition to those two things I also finished my top secret surprise for Nicole that I will finally be able to post on Friday!! I can't wait! And I started a hoopla (a decorated embroidery hoop for anyone not in the know - very popular on craftster right now) for the most awesome erica_tattoos. The concept is amusing to no end, and honestly before I gave up on sleeping, I was laying in bed thinking of what techniques and mediums I was going to play with in this piece...pictures to come no doubt!

So see, I can be super super productive when I really don't want to do one simple thing. It's kind of ridiculous but eh, at least something good comes out of it.

Have a great morning guys! I guess I'll try to go back to sleep again.