HumbleB

HumbleB is back

2011-04-29T18:34:00.000-07:00

So, you know how my end of the semester break turned into a year long hiatus?
Well, it did. And now I'm back.

Here's what has happened in the last year:

I decided that I was over Santa Cruz.
Or, well, no, that's not right. I love Santa Cruz and I always will, but I decided it was not where I wanted to finish my college experience. So...

I took a semester off school to spend time with my siblings in Michigan. I lived with my amazing, crafty sister Alisa . I worked two sort of weird jobs, one of which was putting together prototype scrapbooking products. You havent lived until you have sliced your finger open with a brand new X-acto knife while trying to splice together two normal sized printed pieces of paper into one big piece of printed paper. While I was there...

I finally learned how to knit!! This is important.

I also took a history-themed road trip from Michigan to Gettysburg and Washington DC with my sister Rebecca.

I took a train all by myself from Michigan to California, spending a few days in Portland along the way. Then...

I transferred to a new school that fits me perfectly. It's small, socially conscious and filled with amazing people. Oh, and it's in Arizona, so I am currently adjusting to life in a new, smallish town.

In school, I took a class that allowed me the opportunity to facilitate a twice-weekly, six week, writing workshop at with incarcerated youth. This has been the thing that has had the most effect on me in the last year. Spending so much time convincing kids who did not prioritize writing at all that is a valid and important form of expression forced me to examine why it is I love writing so much.

Writing is definitely something I am prioritizing more, now. I am, in general, after spending so much time burying my nose in school work, trying to bring more creativity into my life. That sounded really corny, but it's true.

It is a testament to my lack of creative outlet that I did not even bring my sewing machine with me when I moved to Arizona. Of course, I will be sewing my little heart out all this summer at my parent's house. (Especially now that my sister's beautifully designed Woodhaven fabric is in stores.) And I will definitely be bringing my machine back with me for the next school year.

So, I'm back, and switching directions a little -- just to be more inclusive about what creative content I talk about. So this will be about writing and sewing and art and anything else I get all excited about.

humbleB is on hiatus until the semester is over!!

2010-05-19T11:56:00.001-07:00

see you in June!

(embarrassing) things that I really, really love

2010-05-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

I am in a bit of a crafty lull this week, due to school. God, it seems like that is always getting in the way.

Anyway, I thought I would share with you some dirty little secrets...

1) I am seriously obsessed with the Deadliest Catch. It's sooo good.

If you're not in the know (shame on you) it's a show about crab fishermen in Alaska. They have the most dangerous job in America.
Seriously. I don't know what it is, because normally I am not really a reality show type of person, but this just sucks me in. I think part of it is that the fishermen remind me of men from the midwest? Strange, but true.
I love the way they all act like such hard asses, but then when something goes wrong, they turn out to be total softies who really love each other. I'm not gonna lie, I have cried more than once watching it.

And it's exciting! Seriously, I get to pumped every time they're bringing up a pot because I just want it to be extra full because it makes them so happy!

2) My newest favorite meal is a vegan blt that I make not vegan by putting a fried egg in it. It sounds weird, but totally amazingly delish. If you want to make one, and you do, here's how: toast two pieces whole wheat bread, spread each side with veganaise, cook three pieces faux bacon and place on one side of bread, cook a fried egg, breaking the yolk, and put that on top of the bacon. Top with tomato, lettuce and other piece of bread. drool and enjoy.
yum.

3) Rhubarb

I love everything about this weird vegetable. It's delicious. And it makes the ONLY sort of pie I like.

4) Late night religious infomercials.

Enough said.
These things are like crack to me, I can stay up all night watching them. They're so often just so weird/sad/horrifying/hilarious.

5) I Know Who Killed Me

Okay so there is this movie. Staring LiLo. And... And... I just... It's hard for me to explain, because it's bad but I really truly deeply love it with all of my being. My best friends and I watch it about once every six months. Mostly because we meet someone who will appreciate it's awesome/horrible-ness as much as we do.
Anyway, so in this movie... Lilo is a stripper, or, wait, she's a college student writer, or, I mean, she has a stigmata, or I mean, she has to sew her own finger back on, or I mean, wait, she's a piano player!
And her piano teacher happens to also make prosethetic limbs.. as a hobby.
And also, there is a lot of color symbolism.
Oh, and weird sex with a fake leg.
And endlessly quotable lines such as:
"WHO. CUT. YOU!!!!!"
and
"Is that all I am to you? A way to relax before the game?"
So much awesome horribleness, so little plot. It is SO worth your two hours. Do it, just do it.

Quick Hello

2010-05-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, just wanted to let you know that I am featured over on Urban Farm Designs today!! So fun and exciting, Meaghan put together a great meet my peeps feature!
Her blog is super fun, so check it out! I love her turquoise tuesday posts! So pretty!!

And look at her beautiful aprons!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

2010-05-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Whoo!

So last night I drew a winner from a list of the people who entered the giveaway!

Andddd the winner is THURSDAY from My Girl Thursday (actually I love her blog, so I am more than happy to pass off some fun goodies her way!)

TOMS

2010-05-04T18:03:00.000-07:00

So remember how a while ago I mentioned I needed to fix my TOMS?
(If you don't know about TOMS I'm just going to come out and say it, you should probably hop on that bandwagon, because they're awesome(ly comfortable) and also for every pair you buy they donate one pair to a kid who needs shoes! Seriously!)

Well, I finally got around to doing it. And it was soo easy! This probably took me about thirty minutes, total, including having to switch scissors FOUR times because I couldn't find my sewing ones. All I was looking to do was make a new sole insert for the right one, since somehow mine fell out.

(and it was all foamy and gross on the bottom)

Now, I got these TOMS when they very first came out, and from the looks of it, they have improved over the years, so I don't know if sole-falling-out is so much of an issue with the new ones, but in case you need new soles for your TOMS, or really any shoes I suppose, I thought I'd DIY it a little.

First, choose a fabric you like, probably best to stick with quilting weight cotton or heavier. I thought about trying it with jersey but I really don't know what I was thinking.

Anyway, fold your fabric so that you have five or six layers, and then place a few pins in the middle to hold everything together.

Then, place your sole-less shoe on top of the fabric and trace around the perimeter.

Then, leaving the pins in place, cut out your outline. You should now have five or six layers of the fabric all in a nice pile.

Leaving the pins in, sew around the perimeter, using eh, I don't know, a quarter inch seam allowance.

At this point you will probably become aware, as I did, that you're essentially sewing a maxi pad for your shoe.

You're welcome for that visual.

Then, using SHARP scissors (this was my downfall) trim around your edges so that the pad fits in your shoe

Then, and I feel like this step is optional, as it just adds a little more form to the thing, iron a piece of stabilizer onto the bottom of your pad.

and....

Coat the bottom of your shoe with a strong glue (I used UHU but I think hot or super would work excellently) and press the pad into the bottom.

Let it dry overnight and TAHDAH, like-new TOMS:)

Remember, giveaway ends tomorrow night!

I love Mondays...

2010-05-03T22:15:00.000-07:00

Just kidding.

But here are some actually things I do love.

This photo is Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg at Kerouac's grave

This! (if you didn't know, House is easily my favorite show)

this makes me want to go camping with friends so bad.

This? embarrassing, but I thought it was pretty sweet.

Awesome tutes from Nonpareil

(I'm not one to dream about my future wedding, but I am one to dream about super really pretty parties:)

These awesome jars from Post Grad Hair Cut

okay, see you tomorrow. Remember, the giveaway ends wednesday!

Hello

2010-05-01T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hi:)
I have been swamped, forgive me. I am just popping in to say hello! and let you know I am going to keep that giveaway (below) open till next wednesday.
I am spending this weekend getting caught up on work, and sewing (woo!!)

(via)

I have a lot more to say, but it will have to wait until later, I am off on a lunch date with my best friend!

What are you doing this weekend?

In It To Win It

2010-04-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

Well, looky here.

A give away as promised.

Here's what's for grabs:

3 really fun Ray Fenwick Postcards

4 sweet blue fabric covered buttons (perfect for sweetening up a tired old cardigan)

1 pair of awesome yellow and orange button earrings

1 sweet princess pin

awesome stickers that my sister sent in my birthday card but I haven't gotten to use yet so I am giving them to YOU:)

a bunch of vintage buttons

a sweet humbleB embroidered Moleskine

AND the adorable bird fabric in the background

So here's what you do to win:

Leave me a comment telling me what your favorite thing about spring is! (one entry)

Tweet about the giveaway! (one entry)

Blog about it! (two entries)

Blog about it AND put my button on your blog (three entries)

If you do any of the last three things, leave a comment to let me know what you've done!

I will draw a winner tomorrow night:)

whooooo! there it is! I am about to try and fix my Toms Shoes that are worn out but I am not ready to give up. We'll see how that works. Can't wait to hear from you:)

The Zipper!

2010-04-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

It's here.
The sun came out long enough today for me to snap some pictures.

My first zipper!!

I just made a simple little pouch with a ruffle. (Oh how I do love ruffles...) and here's the thing. It was EASY. EASY PEASY. So easy I got it right on my first try! (In case you are wondering, that almost never happens.)

I used this super excellent and easy to follow tutorial.

So, seriously, if you have been intimidated by zippers, take the leap!! They're so much easier than they seem!

okay, that's all. (I still have a pile of homework to finish!)

But be sure to come back tomorrow for the super huge awesome giveaway of really neat stuff.

uh oh spaghetti-o

2010-04-26T21:31:00.000-07:00

hiiiiiiiiiiii, there.

It's me. Brooke.

Yeah, that person who has been missing?

Who was supposed to be here on Friday to do a really cool giveaway?

That's me.

I'm back! Sort of. Or actually not really at all. I'm actually really busy with school and working BUT, but but but but but BUT, let me tell you, I DID achieve my zipper goal! I CAN NOW PUT IN ZIPPERS!!! Your awe and applause is appreciated. Unless you know how to put in zippers in which case your "yeah, wow, really impressive. It takes like two minutes" is not as appreciated.

So, the news: giveaway moved to wednesday. That's right. Wednesday. Come back for a chance to win some really awesome things!

And lastly, I have been really loving red lately, so here are some spaghetti sauce-colored things to make your eyes happy so you aren't mad at me for writing such a boring post.

(all via)

Earth Day Tutorial Round Up

2010-04-22T13:04:00.000-07:00

(spring hike)

(our beach after a big storm)

Happy Earth Day Everyone! I hope that you spend the day outside, getting muddy, climbing trees and most of all, thinking about what impact your actions have on the earth. I also hope that you are choosing at least one idea to implement in your life to make it more sustainable.

My sister is choosing to use reusable napkins from here on out, and I am making a commitment to take the bus to class *at least* once a week, hopefully two days, instead of driving and I am also giving up Clorox wipes. I know giving up those might not sound like much, but I didn't realize how many of them our house uses when it would be just as easy, and so much less harmful, to use a cloth and some organic cleaning solution.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to do a tutorial round up of fun, earth friendly projects that are perfect for celebrating Earth Day.

plantable paper from alphamom

recycled crayons from minieco

This awesomely stylish looking grocery bag and pouch from Between the Lines

sew your own produce bags from Crafty Sylish

upside down recycled planters from design*sponge

knitted t-shirt dish cloth from Instructables

Instructions for putting together an awesome non-toxic cleaning kit

Okay, I hope you have an awesome earth day! I will be back tomorrow with an exciting giveaway!!

Do you have any favorite eco-friendly tips or tutorials? How are you celebrating today?

what I've been up to wednesday

2010-04-21T08:47:00.000-07:00

I made some makeup bags.

I decorated some notebooks

We decorated our front walk with chalk

I sewed and ironed with my dusty iron

And made more bags.

and some earrings.

what have you been doing? making?

How would you feel about a give away? yea or nay?

yeah? who wants to?

PSA: Zippers

2010-04-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

We all use them. They are friendly, handy. They can be plastic, or metal. All of them seem to be made that mysterious 'XYZ' company. They are incredibly frustrating when they break, or when you accidently zip your double chin up in one. But overall they are good, right?

(via)

So, why are they so terrifying to put in?! I mean, the whole idea that I have to change the foot on my sewing machine seems daunting. Which is why I have never attempted to make anything that needs a zipper. Or rather, more accurately, I have made plenty of things that should have zippers but instead have buttons (with loop closures, of course, since you need a whole different foot for the feat of sewing sorcery that is button holes as well) or ties or snaps. That's fine. I like ties and snaps. Nothing wrong with that. Right?

Except that, I know I need to learn how to put in a zipper. My mom has explained the process to me many times, and offered to help me, and so far I have gotten as far as purchasing two teal zippers that were on sale. One of them I even took out of the package. and then tore apart. And then made it into a tiny teal zipper bow magnet that now sticks to the side of my desk, looking much like a failed children's craft project.

So I do declare, this weekend shall be my zipper weekend. I will master the art of zippers! I will change that sewing machine foot, and I will make things that zip!

(via)

Also, I don't have any pictures of zippers to use to make this post visually interesting, which I know is a big no-no in the blog world, so I am terribly sorry. Enjoy the pretties from weheartit and pretend I didn't suck so much at remembering my camera cords.

Also, just FYI, if this post seems a little out there it's because I am still sick, and I am writing it whilst under the influence of the wonderdrug known as NyQuil and I am promptly about to go pass out for twelve hours and hope that when I wake up my nostrils haven't been cemented shut with snot. (I just tried to think of a less abrasive word for snot. I don't think there is one. Ideas?)

okay, ideas about zippers? Helpful hints about the best way to go about learning to put on in? Lay it on me.

Pretty Please.

from my notebook

2010-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, Happy Monday!

I thought that today I would keep it short and sweet and share a page out of my notebook with you. I used to be on an Academic Decathlon team, and spent all of my free time studying and taking tests. (It was fun, I swear.)

Lately, I have just been feeling not passionate at all about my studies. I have sort of a dud of a semester right now. I have lots of work, but the classes don't inspire me to want to do that work. I just am waiting for summer when I am going to take a class I am really excited about. I wish I either had classes I was more into, or no classes so I could spend all my time sewing, haha.

Also, in completely unrelated news, my sister Alisa and brother-in-law Aaron have a wonderful sweet cat name Sol, who they rescued. He is the most personable, funny, photogenic cat I have ever met. This weekend he had to get a couple of his (already few) teeth removed. Now, he only has two fangs and one molar. He is aparently recovering quite well, but I thought I would share with you a couple of my favorite pictures of him, since I know you want to see.

you're welcome.

Can you hear me? No. You can't. My voice is gone.

2010-04-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

So, I was going to show you pictures of the project I have been working on, but I guess I left my camera cord and my SD reader in Sacramento:( Go me.

(so here is a really adorable picture of a hare standing on a tortoise instead)

I started on a bag for my sister today. It's her payment for designing my blog header and buttons, and I think we can all see who got a better deal out of this transaction. (Hint: It's me.) She wanted a bag big enough to hold all of the things she has to carry around on a busy day, so I am (sort of) using the weekend away bag pattern from Heather Ross's (what's the proper way to apostrophe a name than ends in 'S' again?) Weekend Sewing. I am going to alter it a little because what fun is just going straight off the pattern? we all like a little adventure. And the possibility of huge disaster, right? yes.

Also, in other new, I have lost my voice. My roommates have both been sick, and last night my throat hurt when I was falling asleep, and this morning it has progressed to a full fledged cold with no voice. Hopefully it will be back by tomorrow, as K and D's were... I woke up early this morning to take an exam in my philosophy class, and am ready to spend the rest of my day lazing about watching movies and not talking, ha.

this me illustrating roughly how I feel right now.

Also, Larisa, an indie biz classmate, sweetly nominated me for the "beautiful blogger award." So here are seven about me:
1- I was born in a teenyweeny town on Lake Huron in Michigan.
2- I like all kinds of music and have an ongoing CD exchange with one of my friends where we alternate making each other CDs with new music we have discovered on them.
3- This summer I am taking a radio production class
4- I don't like listening to NPR in different cities because I don't like not knowing who each person speaking is. (haaa)
5- I am planning on going to law school.
6- I am really shy at meeting new friends, and tend to stick with the ones I already have.
7- One of my biggest pet peeves is when strangers stand too close to me in line.

I am not going to nominate anyone, because I think all the blogs I read deserve this;) So If you want it, take it, you are now a beautiful blogger!:D

Okay, and finally, if you want a laugh, and to take a dance break go here and listen to their music/watch their videos. (just FYI, if you are sensitive about language you might want to use caution.)

New Favorites

2010-04-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's pretty silly for a college student to have a favorite hand soap, but if I was allowed, it would be this. Seriously, yum. Sometimes I splurge and get it for my shared bathroom. It makes me want to wash my hands like 800 times a day. It's scent is vaguely reminiscent of Pier One's Citrus Cilantro candles, mmm.

And of course, since I wash my hands so much with my delicious soap, I need some major moisturizing lotion to keep them from being cracky and gross.

This stuff is awesome. I got a tube on sale at Target, and I can't get enough. It smells like citrus, but light and not overpowering, and best of all, it doesn't leave you greasy (yuck.) and the packaging is fun to look at!

And um, while I am sitting around being pretty and clean and moisturized, my new favorite blog to read is Jane Avion! Seriously awesome DIYS and pretties. You should go check it out! Look at the pretty things I found there:

she made these "enamel brooches" from PINE CONES!! and NAIL POLISH!

And check out monsieur jambon, she made him from a sock!! Too cute (well, the meat markings on him are a bit creepy but the embroidery is awesome.)

And, of course, you!!

I started a support indie biz page to host all the buttons for the up and coming blogs I like to peruse, so let me know if you wanna swap buttons:)

The link to the page is up on the top of the left hand side bar, and my buttons are on the right hand side bar.

And I am off to spend the day with my nose in philosophy books...

M&M pancakes and various announcements

2010-04-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

first off:

This is an M&M pancake.

My roommates and I made them last night and the result? Delicious. Although not as delicious as plain old chocolate chip pancakes. Those are a delicacy we get to enjoy only when our friend Mia comes to visit, because she is the professional chocolate chip pancake maker and curer of all morning ills we might be feeling after a long night. But anyway, the m&m pancakes.. the only problem is that the m&m coating? It melts off a little? and burns a little. But mostly it's totally fine, and I suggest you try them when you are out of chocolate chips but just must, absolutely must have chocolate-themed pancakes for dinner, and happen to have some m&m's lying around. My sister Danielle suggested you get all your health in this meal by topping it off with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Excellent, excellent idea, Danielle. Most excellent.

And now onto news that isn't going to clog your arteries.

Mainly, school. I am in it, if you didn't know. A sophomore in college. And this coming couple of weeks, it looks as though I am going to be quite swamped writing philosophy papers, studying for exams and attempting to get a thirty page(!) portfolio of good writing that I am proud of together for my final review in my creative non-fiction class.

holy moly, me oh my!

In fact, I am putting off studying right this minute by writing this blog post instead. I should be reading about Descartes, and Berkeley and Locke and Hume, and origination of the narrative gospels of Jesus (that part is actually sort of interesting, from a scholarly point -- all about the myth-making of the "life" of Jesus as the son of God, rather than as a teacher of rules to live by in a difficult time) and writing page and pages of difficult to write things for my non-fiction class. whew.

So, in the mean time, leave me buried under this ever-growing pile of papers and notebooks, and go peruse these lovely sites from the Blog It Forward project and these lovely blogs:)

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changehs

2010-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday!

So, you may have noticed that my blogsy looks a teense bit better. And by a teense I mean a lot. A whole lot better. This is all thanks to my sister, Alisa. She is amazing, it looks amazing, etc. And did you see those snazzy little buttons over there on the right? You could choose one of those and put it on your blog! nifty, right?

This make over is just another step towards achieving my goals. I love it!

In other goal-related news: I have been making things like mad! Today I busted out a bunch of little envelope style make up bags.

Sneak peak? Of course.

Yes, this was taken with a funky filter thing on my cell phone, so, there you go. I promise they are really quite appealing in color.

So, what are the goals that you have been achieving lately?

Have you seen this??

2010-04-09T07:38:00.000-07:00

I am in love. Seriously, I don't think I have seen something this cool in a really, really long time. Etsy seller Green Post sells handmade recycled gift tags that are embedded with seeds! You plant them! In the ground! And they grow! Seriously, seriously cool.

Did I mention they are adorable!?

Adorable.

I cannot wait to get my hands on some of these.

Music...Thursdays?

2010-04-07T22:46:00.001-07:00

April is..

2010-04-07T05:30:00.000-07:00

NATIONAL POETRY MONTH!

So I thought that I might share a few of my favorite poems with you. In addition to crafting, I love to write and of course, reading goes along with that (duurh) and over the years I have grown quite a collection of poems I love.

The first (and possibly my very favorite, ha) is the very first poem I ever learned by heart. It's a limerick by Edward Lear that was in a Children's anthology of poetry I had when I was young.

There was an Old Person of Ware

Who rode on the back of a Bear;

When they ask'd, 'Does it trot?'

He said, 'Certainly not!

He's a Moppsikon Floppsikon Bear!

another good one from Edward Lear is:

There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said 'It is just as I feared! -
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!

(I feel like someone should illustrate this)

And of course, I idolized Shell Silverstein but I won't reprint any of his poems here since I sure you, too,

have read them all, many, many times, just like me. I'll just say that my favorite of his is Tatooin' Ruth.

He is also an excellent illustrator.

(via)

As I got older, I got into more serious poetry. I love Sylvia Plath and ee cummings, my favorite (of course) being I carry your heart:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate ,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

I know everyone says this, but gosh, this has to be the sweetest, most loving thing I have ever read. It's stunning. I first heard it my junior year of high school when my english teacher told us he and his wife each had lines from it engraved on the inside of their wedding rings. Isn't that adorable?

Okay, that's all for now. I hope you will read some poetry this month. And don't forget that April 29th is Poem in your Pocket day! Poets.org is a really great website to get your poetry fix from.

also, be sure and check out Nicole Ioma's blog post for Blog it forward today!:D

Where I'm at...

2010-04-06T18:35:00.000-07:00

So I just finished cleaning a dropped bean burrito and rice off of our front porch.

Yeah.
I made myself dinner, and since it's so nice out I decided I should eat it on the front porch. (I hardly ever go on our porch. It's nice. I recommend you try it out. On your porch I mean.) Anyway, so I made myself this nice dinner which is a feat in and of itself since I really never hardly ever make dinner when I am at school, I just sort of pick up something that is sitting around and eat it. But tonight I made dinner, and then I attempted to carry a plate with a burrito and a pile of rice on it, a glass of water, a hardcover book and my cell phone to the porch all at once.

(this is not what my burrito was made out of.)

I made it as far as closing the door behind me, and then everything just sort of tumbled out of my hands. And because it wouldn't be bad enough to clean up a spilled bean burrito and rice from a porch while rush hour traffic is stopped five feet away from you with nothing to look at but your bent-over butt, I also spilled my GIANT glass of water on top of the food. So I was cleaning up WET bean burrito and rice while traffic stared at my butt. Yeah.

And because I have no idea where it is/if we even have one, I couldn't even get the broom. I just had to pick up each grain of rice and pile it onto a paper towel and then scatter them into the bushes. Yeahh.

Luckily I had made enough that I could just go in and dish myself up another plate, but it made the whole dinner experience less enjoyable.

Wow, this is a text heavy post.

Anyway, let's get to what I really wanted to tell you...

And that is: I have a new logo!

Or really, that should just say, I have a logo! Since I didn't have one at all before. My blogsy will be getting a beautiful makeover soon, compliments of my super-talented, beautiful, lovely, etc sister, Alisa.

Yeah, so a new logo! Do you wanna see? I'm not sure if I am supposed to show you yet. You're probably supposed to sweat it out and stuff like I had to, but I doubt sweating is something you really want to have to do on my behalf, so...

TAHHHHH DAHHHHH!

Isn't it adorable? It's adorable. This is just a screen shot of the whatever fancy sheet of thingies Alisa sent me, so, you know, it's in black and white and stuff. I'm sure it will be a different color soon enough. Anyway, now that I have decided on this (adorable) bee as my logo, Alisa is in the process of doing other cool designer-y things I don't understand to make me have a nice, pretty blog! I couldn't be more pleased!

Also: I have been hard at work trying to create any quantity at all of sewn things. It is harder that one might think to stock pile things up in anticipation of opening an Etsy!

Running Stitch

2010-04-05T23:11:00.000-07:00

Here is a sneak peak of what is on Running Stitch for the next installment of blog it forward.

It's beautiful, I swear, go check it out!!

Blog It Forward

2010-04-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of Blog it Forward: Indie Biz Style! Whoo hoo! To read more about what we are doing, look here and for the list of bloggers look here.

So today, I get to post about what is inspiring me!

(via)

Lately I have been hugely inspired by the foggy mornings in SC.

This painting by my brother-in-law, Aaron

Indie Biz!

So many fun and inspiring people, and I am learning sooo much!

(via)

Oval Picture Fames

(and silhouettes!)

(via)

Pretty Embroidery

This very, very good book

TAL

Seriously this is my very favorite thing to listen to while sewing.

(via)

POPPIES!

Pretty Summer Dresses from Modcloth

So, that's what inspires me:) Head over to Running Stitch tomorrow to see what inspires Megan. Also, check out her awesome project about getting rid of things she doesn't need. I think I might just have to copy her on that one!

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

hope you have an excellent day!

(photos via)

Aun Book

2010-04-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been insanely full. Although my baby nephew woke us up at 6:00 everyone morning, I was very sad to see him go. I am the aunt he sees least, and I worry that I will only ever be on the periphery of his life. It was reassuring however, that sometimes this week he wanted "aun book" instead of "gamma."

I didn't get much sewing done at all while he was here, or much writing, or much of anything really, so today and tomorrow (since we celebrated easter last Sunday, ha!) will be spent trying to get everything ready to drive back to SC tomorrow afternoon.

Here are just a few of the many pictures I took at the Sacramento zoo. Do you see J's little monkey shirt? My mom made that for him and he loves it!

ps- did you see that new widget for blog it forward?!? awesome, right? put it on your blog to support our project!

Neat!

Blog It Forward Indie Biz Style

2010-04-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

(via)

As a way for some of the students in the Indie Biz class to support each other, I have started a blog chain much like the one on sfgirlbybay (which you should definitely check out)

This means that each day one of us will post on our blogs about what is inspiring us right now, and then link to the next person on the list. We will all comment and support and advertise this on our blogs and twitter. It's really fun to see what is inspiring everyone lately, and I can't wait for it to start.

It starts this coming monday, April 5th. For a list of the bloggers and their days see the post below.

This is going to be so fun!

INDIEBIZ BLOG IT FORWARD OFFICIAL LIST

2010-04-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

Blog it forward date list:

Please let me know if you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT blog on your date.

Monday April 5:
Brooke Bischoff
www.humbleB-blog.blogspot.com

Tuesday April 6:
Megan Van Sipe
www.runningstitch.typepad.com

Wednesday April 7:
Nicole Ioma
www.nicoleioma.com

Thursday April 8:
Dain Borstein
www.daintydainjb.blogspot.com

Friday April 9:
Christine Mak
www.minimakmakings.com

Saturday April 10:
Meaghan Bull
http://urbanfarmdesigns.blogspot.com/

Sunday April 11:
Chelsea Ahlgrim
http://www.thevintagechair.blogspot.com/

WEEK TWO

Monday April 12:
Dawn S
http://www.everyday-glimpses.blogspot.com/

Tuesday April 13:
Lauren Verity
http://afabulousfete.blogspot.com/

Wednesday April 14:
Andrea Van Meter
http://avanmeter.blogspot.com/

Thursday April 15:
Brooke Ann Dove
http://www.brookeanndove.com/

Friday April 16:
Beka Buckley
http://pigwidget.blogspot.com/

Saturday April 17:
Leah Farquharson
http:/www./amusing-to-create.blogspot.com/

Sunday April 18:
Bri Woods Chaney
www.blog.littlemissfamous.com

WEEK THREE

Monday April 19:
Lindsay Széchenyi
www.eileenjosephine.com

Tuesday April 20:
Nancy Orozco
www.nancyorozcoblog.com

Wednesday April 21:
Laura Belle Hanley
www.ohHishop.com

Thursday April 22:
Marissa
www.skooksplayground.com

Friday April 23:
Nicole Carlin
http://popfizzies.typepad.com/

Saturday April 24:
Marie Parish
http://craftymsp.blogspot.com

Sunday April 25:
Nikolina
http://cupcakesglitterandart.blogspot.com/

WEEK FOUR

Monday April 26:
Angela Pagkrati
www.anzouyaspool.blogspot.com

Tuesday April 27:

Eleise

http://www.one-artsy-mama.blogspot.com/

Wednesday April 28:
Malia Karlinsky
http://yesterdayontuesday.typepad.com/

Thursday April 29:
Nicole
http://popfizzies.typepad.com/

Friday April 30:
Kristen
www.unrulyartclass.com

Saturday May 1:
Katie Wilson
www.odddolly.com

Sunday May 2:
Katie
http://katiejoyphoto.wordpress.com/

WEEK FIVE

Monday May 3:
Gabrielle
http://www.thegreengal.co.uk/

Tuesday May 4:
http://barnicles.blogspot.com/

Wednesday May 5:
Claire Donovan
http://hearthandmadeuk.blogspot.com/

Thursday May 6:
Trisha
http://www.mistyillusions.org/marysew/

Friday May 7:
Jenny
http://jenuineruby.com

Let the wild rumpus BEGIN!

How To Really Imprecisely Bleach Fabric

2010-03-31T20:14:00.000-07:00

So these were the fabrics I started with. I have really been lovin' on stripes lately so when I spotted this piratey fabric for super sale, I snapped it up. But it was too.. you know, striped. And I got this other fabric with pins on it on a super sale too. But I wasn't in love with either of them.

And then I got Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Sewing and there was a section on bleaching and I thought it might be perfect for these!

So I got two bowls, and poured some generic bleach in a bowl and poured HOT water on top of it. Martha says use a 1:5 bleach to water ratio but I just sort of winged it... I filled the other bowl with cold water to rinse the fabric.

Martha also says use some fancy dechlorinator stuff, but I didn't have any on hand so I skipped that step. (Can't you tell I am a perfectionist?)

I then soaked both fabrics under running HOT tap water until soaked through and then put them into the bleach solution.

I left the fabric in the bleach solution for about five minutes. And, surprise... the stripes turned brown!? oh. Yeah. That's not what I was hoping for...

Oh, well. I will have to see how they look when they got out of the dryer...

More tomorrow!

Pretty Pictures.

2010-03-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

Just not mine.

I am still having photo trouble. I blame Picasa, since I know it can't be my Mac... Those don't break!!

So, here are some stripes, since tonight my plan is to bleach some back and white striped fabric I got that is just a little too piratey for my taste... I'll let you know how it goes. I am using the technique described in Martha's Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts, which I picked up on sale today at the bookstore. I have been on such a stripe kick, but this fabric is a little too... bold for me, so I want to soften up the black. Who knows what will happen!

In the meantime, here are more of the type of stripes I am striving for:)

see you tomorrow with the results of the fabric bleaching, AND that granny square, which really is just not that good.

all via weheartit
i really do apologize for the weheartit OD this week.

Lions and Tigers and Bears

2010-03-30T10:30:00.000-07:00

(via weheartit)

I just wanted to say hi while I am uploading my pictures from the zoo yesterday, and I have lots to tell you:) But it will have to wait until a liiiiiiittle bit later, since I am up to my eyeballs in e-mails and paperwork and trying to figure out why my computer has no memory left. Seriously, none. Do I really have that many pictures?

Any suggestions on storage solutions for picture files? I'm putting them on a memory stick right now, and hopefully that clears up some space. And I am trying not to stress.

Look forward to a better, longer, prettier, smarter, lovelier blog post later today:) haha.

covet

2010-03-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

(via tinted mint)

oh. my. god.

I'm in love.

Easter

2010-03-26T22:58:00.000-07:00

(source)

Today I put together six Easter baskets, including my own. We are celebrating Easter a week early this year so that we get to spend it with my nephew, and I can't wait to watch him hunt for eggs. Holidays aren't the same without little kids running around.

I wanted to sew him a stuffed rabbit softie for his basket, but that just didn't happen. Not enough time, but oh well, I am just excited for him to be here.

In other happy news, I was driving home from Carmichael today and decided to stop by a Beverly's that I don't normally go to, and what a surprise... when I walked in all of their bolt fabric was 20% off! Just at that location! So I picked up some random yards of various prints that I have been coveting but hadn't had a reason to buy.

Tonight, I will attempt to make my first granny squares out of some super soft Stitch Nation "bamboo ewe" yarn. I'll let you know how it goes. I'll be sure to take some pictures of my first square, in all of it's sure to be ugliness. Ha!

Until then, here are some crochet pretties to look at and inspire you to make something nice:)

(all images via weheartit)

So, what are you working on?

ps -- don't those bunnies up top look angry?

It's Spring!!

2010-03-25T22:35:00.000-07:00

(source)

What an excellent tree!!

California poppies are in full bloom right now, and this tree reminds me of them! So beautiful. It's been raining here, but maybe I can snap a few pictures tomorrow.

I'm a little lacking on the inspiration front lately. Actually, I am downright frustrated. Sometimes I feel like I working and not getting anywhere, and sometimes I feel like if I could just do that much better, I would be where I want to be in life. But I am not. I am here, and there is no changing it this minute, so all I can do is make sure I am doing everything I possibly can to be where I want to be in the future. It's just one of those days when I am unhappy about not working harder on some things.

But can I reiterate how glad I am to be taking this indie biz class? It IS helping me feel like I am getting somewhere. At least I am meeting an awful lot of neat people.

So now, bed, because like my mom always says, things do seem at lot worse at night.

Sneak Peak

2010-03-24T21:20:00.000-07:00

little sneak peak of a few new embroidered notebooks

more than you ever wanted to know

2010-03-24T18:34:00.000-07:00

Yeah, so what, I jump on bandwagons. Don't worry about it.

5 Things I am looking forward to:

1. Seeing my two year old nephew this week! He is the funniest little guy I know. And has the LONGEST EYELASHES. also, he is a budding accordion player:)

2. Seeing my brother and sister-in-law!
3. Visiting Lake Tahoe with my best friends
4. Opening my Etsy shop!
5. Summertime bike rides!

5 Things I did yesterday:

1. Finished an embroidered notebook
2. Updated this blog:)
3. Watched Sex in the City with my roommate
4. Ate Chinese food with that same roommate:)
5. Wrote a paper for class

5 Things I wish I could do:

1. Knit pretty things! Everything I make is lumpy because I have *zero* patience. Seriously.
2. See my siblings and niece and nephews every single day.
3. Sew clothes!
4. math :(
5. teleport...

5 Places I'd like to travel to:

1. Michigan... to see my family:D
2. NYC. I've never been...
3. France, duh.
4. Sweden, just cos.
5. New Orleans

notebooks

2010-03-23T21:52:00.000-07:00

Hi! Today I was writing down ideas in my notebook and I realized what a huge source of inspiration it is for me. I have always kept a "journal" because i love to write and have always found having somewhere to vent incredibly relaxing. My first journal was a small pink Winnie the Pooh diary that someone gave me as a gift when I was six or seven. Only a few of it's pages are filled out and it has spelling errors a plenty, but I love looking back on it (and all of the other journals I have collected!) and seeing how I have changed.

I have, over the years, collected about thirty different notebooks that I used to write in. I love them all. Right now, I keep them in a huge built in storage box in one of my bookcases, but I am hoping to find a better way to store them where they are out for me to see.
For the last three or four years I have been using Moleskine Cahiers which I can admit is pretty hipster-ish and trendy of me. Because every trendy arts kid has a moleskine in his pocket or bag. But there is something to be said for them. They come in a huge range of sizes and options so you can pick one that works well for you, and they have lovely soft touchable pages that make any pen you might write with feel so nice.
And so I love them. I prefer mine with blank pages and soft covers and in the biggest size. They come in a pack of three and each one usually lasts me between 2-3 months. I thought I would snap some pictures of both my current notebook and one from a couple months ago, so you could see what I use them for.

My most current notebook. The sticker was part of a birthday gift from my sister and brother-in-law.

My first page. Usually I pick some song lyrics that I think represent the coming couple of months and write them on the first page, along with the day I start the notebook. The bike sticker is one my sister designed for Colorbok.

A few things on my list of 20 things to do while I am 20.

Sometimes I use watercolors

Sometimes I just write mundane things. And store my receipts.

This is another Moleskine from a couple months ago. I embroidered my first initial on it and made a simple button closure. as you can see, my notebooks get very beat up since I carry them almost everywhere.

The First Page. I spilled water all over the thing so the red from the cover leaked on to the pages!

Sometimes, I write a LOT.

I set goals

and draw silly things

And, here is a sneak peak of a notebook I am embroidering the (as of yet still unopened) shop!!

sorry for the really not excellent picture....

My notebooks are where my inspiration comes from, and where I record everything inspiring from the world. And of course, where I record all my crafty endeavors;)

songs to craft by

2010-03-23T17:22:00.001-07:00

my plans for the night

2010-03-22T22:45:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, it's not on crafty goodness, it's on philosophy and classes and reading and papers. One week until spring break when I can relax.

I promise something much, much more interesting tomorrow.

ps- the postcard is one i have taped to my mirror, it's from a ray fenwick postcard book

Mini Road Trip + Fauxlaroids

2010-03-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

I'm all packed up!

I'm headed on a tiny road trip today with the Sacramento gang. There are five or six of us from Sacramento here in Santa Cruz, so we try and carpool when we go back to Sac for a weekend. So I am taking David, Andrew, and Daniel home with me today. The trip is only about three hours long, but inevitably, whenever I drive it with them, it takes us SIGNIFICANTLY longer. Usually about five hours. It's like we're cursed.

In other news, I downloaded an app on my phone that takes fun faux polaroid and toy camera pictures. I've been playing with it all day! I didn't know if I would jump on the polaroid bandwagon, but... looks like it is a trend I might embrace. In moderation though, seriously. moderation.

I am excited to see my parents and best friends this weekend. I'm thinking about trying to convince T and AP that we should get breakfast crepes at the little place downtown. Mmm. Nutella. I think they will be happy to oblige me.

And, my brand new pack of Moleskine notebooks are just waiting to be embroidered. ah! I am taking them to Sacramento with me and hopefully that will happen this week, too!

Happy Weekend!

Lazy Day

2010-03-18T17:27:00.000-07:00

My full blown obsession with knots means that I spent today making headbands!

It was tough figuring out a way to to keep the knots looking nice and not getting pulled and ruining the pattern, but I think I've figured it out.

Also, I was having a really hard time sleeping last night/this morning, so at six I got up and went and got a breakfast sandwich and walked down to the beach to watch the sun rise. It was gorgeous. There was a little bit of fog over the water, and a research vessel parked pretty close to shore with all of it's bright lights shining. And there were still fires burning in the fire pits from last night, so the beach was empty and dotted with little pricks of flame. I think I might just have to make it a habit to try and watch the sun rise sometimes.

Of course then as soon as I came home, when everyone else was starting their days, I promptly fell asleep until one. Oh.

So I have spent today working on the necklaces and figuring out ideas for a new batch of embroidered notebooks.

And, I got an email from my sister, which means that soon, this blog will be CUTE, and not, you know, so... grey... and ugly.

Thank God.

Pillowcases for Preteens.

2010-03-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Okay, not really. They were for me. Or, well, Actually, they started out as a birthday gift for one of my sisters. (Hi, Beck. Sorry, no turquoise and pink for you.)
But here, take a look...

(yes, this was taken with photobooth. shhh)

See so here's the thing. I started with the intention of making a set of cute pillowcases out of that pink fabric. I don't know if you can tell but it has brown and white vintage-y flower details on it. But I wanted a contrasting fabric for the trim. And so, I went to my (GIANT) pile of fabric to find something that would work. And for some reason, I chose turquoise. Turquoise with little white polka dots. Which is fine. I actually like the turquoise fabric. And I was like, 'turquoise, pink... It's so springy!' and of course that excited me since it IS springy out, and I was sewing with the window open. And so, I began to craft my pillowcase.

Now, I have never made a pillowcase before, but I mean, how hard can it possibly be? Not very, right? Yeah, well, me being me, I used an old pillowcase to trace out a pattern, and began sewing.

And then, this happened...

Oh.

Yes, of COURSE, I forgot the very first thing my mother taught me about sewing, and didn't sew the fabric's right sides together.

So, I spent another hour ripping out a very, very long seam while I watching fun things online, and then I re-sewed (correctly) the pillowcase.

And it was good.

Or, you know, as good as it was going to get, which pretty much meant that it could hold a pillow. And really what more could I ask for?

And so I took a break, went to my weekly writer's group, and then came home and started on pillowcase number two. I decided that for pillowcase number two, I should use the polka dots for the main part, and the pink for the trim. Fine. Dandy. Wonderful.

The second pillowcase took me about 20 minutes start to finish, since you know, I'd already made all my mistakes on the first one.

And then I went to sleep.

And then...

I woke up this morning, and looked at the mediocrely crafted pillowcases on my bed and realized that the colors I chose would be much better suited to a thirteen-year-old than a twenty-year-old. Because what thirteen-year-old girl DOESN'T love turquoise and pink?

So now, I'm stuck with a set of pillowcases I think I would have liked better seven years ago.

Just a Reminder

2010-03-17T15:05:00.000-07:00

I took a public speaking class last winter, and after one of my speeches, this came in with my anonymous feedback

((beautiful smile))

I keep it on my mirror in my room, so I smile more often.

Argoflex Seventy-Five Photos

2010-03-17T14:04:00.000-07:00

Have you ever played around with TtV? It might be my new favorite thing. At Christmas I joined my grandmother and older sister in hunting through an old house FULL OF STUFF that my grandparents had been left when a relative died.

I scored some major finds including some awesome curved glass sillhouette paintings, vintage buttons (obviously taken off other clothes for reusing! How cool is that??) and most awesomely of all... An old argoflex seventy-five camera. Now I am not, by any means, a photographer, but I love taking pictures and I thought that even if I couldn't get this old thing to do THAT, it would look just lovely sitting on a shelf. But lo and behold, once I started googling the thing, I stumbled upon TtV.

Essentially, it means you use a new camera to take a picture through the view finder of your old camera. And oh, it is lovely. Take a look...

I'm just tickled pink by the results of playing around with it

Current Favorite Inspiration Site

2010-02-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

For real, everything on here is so gorgeous.

Today I bought some gorgeous fabric, and it was CHEAP for president's day! My favorite finds were this gorgeous upholstery fabric with woodland creatures on it, and Moda fabric with POPPIES!
Poppies are sort of my favorite thing right now.

Busy Bee

2010-02-07T14:08:00.000-08:00

I am headed back to school tomorrow, early. I'm ready to be back by the ocean, but I am not looking forward to lugging my sewing supplies back to my teeny tiny eensy weensy room that also serves as my sewing studio in SC.
So today is laundry and packing day. I didn't realize I had so many clothes!

Here's what my bed looks like, covered in stuff to pack:)

pretty pictures

2010-02-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

I'm hard at work today, getting things ready for the shop. Who knew making a banner would be so hard? I might just maybe have to ask one of my talented sisters to make one for me.
Maybe.
Speaking of sisters, Alisa sent me an email today letting me know some very exciting news about a scrap booking line she just produced. It's a secret for now, but I will share the links as soon as I'm allowed.
Anyway, here is my craving right now.

cupcakes!

Sneak Peak

2010-02-04T21:28:00.000-08:00

A little peak of some things to come in the shop! I am so excited for things to come. Stay tuned for more peaks of what is happening.

Today I picked up some fabric for more bags, and crafted and brainstormed. Lots and lots of ideas coming to fruition lately.

Etsy, Here I Come

2010-02-04T00:03:00.001-08:00

No. 41 on my Giant List of Things I Want to do is open an Etsy, and I figure now is as good of a time as any to do it. I don't have or need a job at this moment, and my only obligations are my classes. Which, fortunately leaves me with a lot of free time for things like sewing, which I have recently discovered I love.

I sort of have this sense of dread when it comes to this, that things I make won't live up to the high standards I feel my older sisters have set with all of their endeavors.

I know this is all in my head and that they love me very much and would never wish for me to be unsuccessful in something that I want to do, but I have always sort of learned from their mistakes, and this time, I guess I'll just have to set my own precedents.