SO happy to announce the winners of my guess the numbers contest!
DYEINGFOREWE is our first place winner! She was right on the money with 10! And the second place winner is Jason! Yay for you guys! I will be shipping your prizes out next week.
Secondly i finished my first shrug today! Yay! i am so glad to be checking something off my new years making list before the end of the first month of the year. It was not one of the patterns i picked, but a quick drop stitch crocheted shrug with a yummy plush fur yarn that i found. It was done with perfect timing, because when i finished it i was freezing and was so happy to put it right on.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
hard at work
so i have been working my butt off. making jewelery and getting the shop ready to open. i have almost 40 peices and most of them have been photographed. i've been putting my computer skills to work making graphics for the shop too, i'm pretty happy with them. Space themed and very pretty.
I've been knitting a lot, learning how to do stuff and i'm working on my first patterned peice. its a simple scarf in knit and purl and it looks so cool.
i'm also ready for my first ever give away! yay! so heres the deal, i have chosen a number between 1 and 15, the closest person who leave a comment with a guess, will get this awesome pair of earrings, and the second closest will get a great ring (sized 4.5) if two people guess the first person will get the earrings and the second the ring. so leave a comment with your guess and name, and then look here on saterday for the winners! then i'll get in touch to get address info.
I've been knitting a lot, learning how to do stuff and i'm working on my first patterned peice. its a simple scarf in knit and purl and it looks so cool.
i'm also ready for my first ever give away! yay! so heres the deal, i have chosen a number between 1 and 15, the closest person who leave a comment with a guess, will get this awesome pair of earrings, and the second closest will get a great ring (sized 4.5) if two people guess the first person will get the earrings and the second the ring. so leave a comment with your guess and name, and then look here on saterday for the winners! then i'll get in touch to get address info.
Friday, January 21, 2011
things that i love
oh so today i have been lazy (don't tell!) and wandering through the blogosphere looking at pretty things and looking for idea's rather than making pretty things and having ideas.
what i found was a blog with some kick ass ideas on budgets that i am in looooooooove with. what am i talking about? dollar store craftscheck it out!
Its based in the states, so some of the items and store's don't quite match up in canada, but the ideas and tutorials go on forever. theres a few different sections on the site, 1$ and free, 5$ and under, 10$ and beyond, decor and tutorials.
the 1 dollar and free section is full of how to's for items you probably already have in your crafty stash. theres a lot of sweet little minatures in this section. and i have doll house dreams, so they make my eyes light up and glow. but with my resolution of organizing my craft room, the big winner in the section for me isthis article of three ideas for recycled craft storage.
the 5 and under section is full of coolness too, the crafts here have a bit more scope, and a bit more ooph, and theres still lots of projects with some items you probably have in your stash. i'm loving the river rock boot trays which i will totally be making for the spring and the recycled tin can candlesticks
in the 10 and beyond section the crafts have big attidue and big payoffs which for 10 bucks, is all kinds of awesome. i'm loving the big apothecary jar, which is easy and awesome and is on my to do list. i love this pottery barn inspired tile mirrow even more.
the decor section is delightful, full of easy cheap little touches for your house. this faux wrought iron wall art projects are so cool. and from a source i never would have thought of. and this stained glass project is glorious.
so if you havn't fallen in love with something i just posted, then you need to get off your butt, head over to dollar store crafts and see the rest!
what i found was a blog with some kick ass ideas on budgets that i am in looooooooove with. what am i talking about? dollar store craftscheck it out!
Its based in the states, so some of the items and store's don't quite match up in canada, but the ideas and tutorials go on forever. theres a few different sections on the site, 1$ and free, 5$ and under, 10$ and beyond, decor and tutorials.
the 1 dollar and free section is full of how to's for items you probably already have in your crafty stash. theres a lot of sweet little minatures in this section. and i have doll house dreams, so they make my eyes light up and glow. but with my resolution of organizing my craft room, the big winner in the section for me isthis article of three ideas for recycled craft storage.
the 5 and under section is full of coolness too, the crafts here have a bit more scope, and a bit more ooph, and theres still lots of projects with some items you probably have in your stash. i'm loving the river rock boot trays which i will totally be making for the spring and the recycled tin can candlesticks
in the 10 and beyond section the crafts have big attidue and big payoffs which for 10 bucks, is all kinds of awesome. i'm loving the big apothecary jar, which is easy and awesome and is on my to do list. i love this pottery barn inspired tile mirrow even more.
the decor section is delightful, full of easy cheap little touches for your house. this faux wrought iron wall art projects are so cool. and from a source i never would have thought of. and this stained glass project is glorious.
so if you havn't fallen in love with something i just posted, then you need to get off your butt, head over to dollar store crafts and see the rest!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
oh man i am totally stoked about this blog post! today i am very very lucky and excited to share an interview with dyeing for ewe.
Dyeing for you is an amazing little business of hand spun yarn, and hand dyed fiber for spinning. Dyeing for you is an amazing crafter and once you see the wool, you will totally agree that they are an artist.
Dyeing for you is also phenominally funny and smart, and you can swing by the blog to check it out over this way
I gave Dyeing for Ewe 6 questions and was delighted when she got a little rambly on me. More awesome to share!
1. you make some amazing colors and great colorways, do you use any tools like colorwheels when you are deciding what colors to use?
-Thank-you so much! I started using online colour programs, and then got quickly frustrated. I needed something in my hands to mix, match and play with so I started dyeing up mini test strips of colours and blends of colours. Now I have hundreds of tiny colour bits of yarn and when I'm having issues with inspiration I pull them out and mix and match. They all have little labels on them so I can recall how I created that particular shade. They're also great for colour mixing tests. I like to add little bits of this and that to customize shades to make them mine.
2. what inspires you to keep crafting?
-It's a really selfish inspiration to be honest. I just want to play with fiber. Whether it's spinning, dyeing etc. I find my happy place when I'm playing with colour and fiber. It keeps me sane and centers me, but it's also incredibly fun at the same time. I've always know I'm the artsy fartsy need to create type, but I struggled to find my medium for years flitting from one thing to the next- when I found fiber arts it was like the sky opened up and an angel chorus started to sing and I knew I wanted to do this every day. I'm lucky that my shop allows me to do that.
3. whats one orginizational tool that you can not do with out?
-My dyeing notebook. Hands down, single most helpful organisational tool. I write down inspirations, colour mixes, name options and every single braid I dye with what mixes and application technique on which fiber I used. If I lost that book I'd pretty much have to start all over. You'd think it would be easy to remember some of the colourways but sometimes there are colours in the mix that would surprise you, and me sometimes.
4. tell us about your favorite part of dying wool?
- I'm hugely tactile and love just touching it. Soft wool, coarse wool, hairy wool and smooth wool. It's all lovely to me. Also because it's always an unknown, no matter how much I think I can control things. I can dye something a dozen times and it never looks exactly the same. I do small batch and one off dyeing, and that is what I really love about the process. I can re-do a colourway, but because it's one at a time they're always different. Wool is such a wonderful medium for that process and even after the dyeing you can individualize what you do with it by how you spin/felt how you draft and what spin technique you use. That's why I prefer to dye roving/top in particular. It just has so many more options.
5. can you tell us about something that frustrated you in the beginning, but now is a triumph?
-Dyeing related? Finding my own technique, beyond what you learn in dye books and the like. I needed to have something that looked unique in order to feel comfortable. I know some make a great living (more than me for certain) doing certain techniques and the same colourways over and over. That is awesome and I highly applaud them. But I really needed something that made me feel like I was doing something different. I'm not pretending to be anything new, mind you. I just found something that works for me and maybe makes people look twice before being able to figure out how I did it, you know?
Business wise? Breaking into etsy. It's such a huge site and I was convinced I'd put some items up, no one would ever buy a single thing and I'd get lost amongst the crowd. I'm hugely self conscious about my dyeing that way. So when people started responding positively I just.. have no words for how wonderful everyone has been. I'm hopeful to make this a full-time job one day, but my slow and steady progress has been absolutely awesome for me.
6. whats the something customers say to you that you love?
Gosh. Anything positive, or constructive criticism that allows me to better my dyeing. I'm a super insecure flaky artist type at times, and some days I dorkily read my feedback to remind myself that I don't completely suck. I'm not sure I'm supposed to admit that though. Appearing 100% confident and cocky just isn't my style though lol. Truly, I appreciate the kind words from friends and customers, or even just people who happened upon my little corner of etsy and favorited an item or sent me a message. The words mean more than sales, although sales are what enable me to keep dyeing so they're super swell as well.
Dyeing for ewe has a fantastic selection of colorways, some of which are themed after dr who, some of which are world of war craft themed, all of them are awesome. I can not say how much I covet their fiber. (relatives out there, my birthday is coming up, pay attention to that statement!) For those non spinners out there they also offers hand spun yarn that is spun up out of the lovely colorways and there is nothing like working with beautiful handspun.
head on over tothe store to check out the prettyness and to fill your fiber and yarn needs. You know you want to.
Dyeing for you is an amazing little business of hand spun yarn, and hand dyed fiber for spinning. Dyeing for you is an amazing crafter and once you see the wool, you will totally agree that they are an artist.
Dyeing for you is also phenominally funny and smart, and you can swing by the blog to check it out over this way
I gave Dyeing for Ewe 6 questions and was delighted when she got a little rambly on me. More awesome to share!
1. you make some amazing colors and great colorways, do you use any tools like colorwheels when you are deciding what colors to use?
-Thank-you so much! I started using online colour programs, and then got quickly frustrated. I needed something in my hands to mix, match and play with so I started dyeing up mini test strips of colours and blends of colours. Now I have hundreds of tiny colour bits of yarn and when I'm having issues with inspiration I pull them out and mix and match. They all have little labels on them so I can recall how I created that particular shade. They're also great for colour mixing tests. I like to add little bits of this and that to customize shades to make them mine.
2. what inspires you to keep crafting?
-It's a really selfish inspiration to be honest. I just want to play with fiber. Whether it's spinning, dyeing etc. I find my happy place when I'm playing with colour and fiber. It keeps me sane and centers me, but it's also incredibly fun at the same time. I've always know I'm the artsy fartsy need to create type, but I struggled to find my medium for years flitting from one thing to the next- when I found fiber arts it was like the sky opened up and an angel chorus started to sing and I knew I wanted to do this every day. I'm lucky that my shop allows me to do that.
3. whats one orginizational tool that you can not do with out?
-My dyeing notebook. Hands down, single most helpful organisational tool. I write down inspirations, colour mixes, name options and every single braid I dye with what mixes and application technique on which fiber I used. If I lost that book I'd pretty much have to start all over. You'd think it would be easy to remember some of the colourways but sometimes there are colours in the mix that would surprise you, and me sometimes.
4. tell us about your favorite part of dying wool?
- I'm hugely tactile and love just touching it. Soft wool, coarse wool, hairy wool and smooth wool. It's all lovely to me. Also because it's always an unknown, no matter how much I think I can control things. I can dye something a dozen times and it never looks exactly the same. I do small batch and one off dyeing, and that is what I really love about the process. I can re-do a colourway, but because it's one at a time they're always different. Wool is such a wonderful medium for that process and even after the dyeing you can individualize what you do with it by how you spin/felt how you draft and what spin technique you use. That's why I prefer to dye roving/top in particular. It just has so many more options.
5. can you tell us about something that frustrated you in the beginning, but now is a triumph?
-Dyeing related? Finding my own technique, beyond what you learn in dye books and the like. I needed to have something that looked unique in order to feel comfortable. I know some make a great living (more than me for certain) doing certain techniques and the same colourways over and over. That is awesome and I highly applaud them. But I really needed something that made me feel like I was doing something different. I'm not pretending to be anything new, mind you. I just found something that works for me and maybe makes people look twice before being able to figure out how I did it, you know?
Business wise? Breaking into etsy. It's such a huge site and I was convinced I'd put some items up, no one would ever buy a single thing and I'd get lost amongst the crowd. I'm hugely self conscious about my dyeing that way. So when people started responding positively I just.. have no words for how wonderful everyone has been. I'm hopeful to make this a full-time job one day, but my slow and steady progress has been absolutely awesome for me.
6. whats the something customers say to you that you love?
Gosh. Anything positive, or constructive criticism that allows me to better my dyeing. I'm a super insecure flaky artist type at times, and some days I dorkily read my feedback to remind myself that I don't completely suck. I'm not sure I'm supposed to admit that though. Appearing 100% confident and cocky just isn't my style though lol. Truly, I appreciate the kind words from friends and customers, or even just people who happened upon my little corner of etsy and favorited an item or sent me a message. The words mean more than sales, although sales are what enable me to keep dyeing so they're super swell as well.
Dyeing for ewe has a fantastic selection of colorways, some of which are themed after dr who, some of which are world of war craft themed, all of them are awesome. I can not say how much I covet their fiber. (relatives out there, my birthday is coming up, pay attention to that statement!) For those non spinners out there they also offers hand spun yarn that is spun up out of the lovely colorways and there is nothing like working with beautiful handspun.
head on over tothe store to check out the prettyness and to fill your fiber and yarn needs. You know you want to.
Friday, January 14, 2011
focus
no matter how hard we try, life gets in our way. Stuff comes up, you lose things. Your kid gets sick, the dog eats half a project. Its hard to stay on track. It can get very frustrating.
right now i'm working on organizing my craft room. Its a slow process, especially because we just moved, so i've got little bits of stuff from all over the house, none of which is easy to find. It frustrating. Its taking longer than i expected and honestly, i'm not happy about it.
and then yesterday i quit. i was moving some paper craft stuff and came across a stash of pre-mixed beads that i wanted to make a bracelet with. I looked at it and i just wanted to craft. to forget the little details and moving paper and make something pretty. so i did.
I walked out of the room with my hands full of beads, grabbed wire and a set of pliers and went to work. soon i had a sweet little cascade pendant in my lap. It was in shades of cream and peach and chocolate. It looked yummy. It made me smile.
And then i went back up to my craft room and dove back in. Sometimes you have to step back and have fun. other wise you get lost in the details.
So take a break. make something. get some fresh air for your crafters soul. when you get back to work, it'll be easier to focus.
right now i'm working on organizing my craft room. Its a slow process, especially because we just moved, so i've got little bits of stuff from all over the house, none of which is easy to find. It frustrating. Its taking longer than i expected and honestly, i'm not happy about it.
and then yesterday i quit. i was moving some paper craft stuff and came across a stash of pre-mixed beads that i wanted to make a bracelet with. I looked at it and i just wanted to craft. to forget the little details and moving paper and make something pretty. so i did.
I walked out of the room with my hands full of beads, grabbed wire and a set of pliers and went to work. soon i had a sweet little cascade pendant in my lap. It was in shades of cream and peach and chocolate. It looked yummy. It made me smile.
And then i went back up to my craft room and dove back in. Sometimes you have to step back and have fun. other wise you get lost in the details.
So take a break. make something. get some fresh air for your crafters soul. when you get back to work, it'll be easier to focus.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
so hows everyone out there in the big wide world? are you happy today?
i certainly am. I'm having a lazy day at home today after a big library trip yesterday. I hit the millennieum library for the first time ever and had my socks blown off. its four stories of books. its the biggest library i have ever seen, let alone been in. we were there for an hour and i maxed out the number of books i was allowed. (50!) in my haul are some amazing crafty books that i am looking forward to making items out of.
i grabbed a book of sock patterns to look for a basic sock pattern, in addition to some patterns i have saved from online. i'm not quite ready to pick my pattern yet, but i'm happy to start looking.
i requested luxe knits awhile ago and i am so happy to get my hands on it. its a lovely book, with some really cool ideas about using folds to create form that i'm looking forward to trying. its got both knit and crochet patterns, and i'm short listing three of them for my resolutions list. the lacy tank isn't something i had on my list, but i'm adding it because it looks so pretty. the chinched shrug is simple but gorgeous and the butterfly blouse is an amazing idea that i want to transfer in to a wrap.
i'll be making the lacy tunic from positively crochet as my sweater dress. its open and lacy, and lovely looking. i made a set of wrist warmers as a christmas gift for someone from this book so i know the patterns are amazing and work up well. finding the book right away rather than having to wait for it means this pattern is the first on my list to start. i'm excited.
i also grabbed wrapped in gems a book i'm really really in love with. its full of beautiful wire designs for use with gemstones, a subject thats near and dear to my heart lately. i've played with two of the designs and i'm happy to say that they translate well with my materials. i'll have pics soon!
so my new year is off to a great start! my resolutions are underway and i've got lots of items to photograph so i can share them with you.
i certainly am. I'm having a lazy day at home today after a big library trip yesterday. I hit the millennieum library for the first time ever and had my socks blown off. its four stories of books. its the biggest library i have ever seen, let alone been in. we were there for an hour and i maxed out the number of books i was allowed. (50!) in my haul are some amazing crafty books that i am looking forward to making items out of.
i grabbed a book of sock patterns to look for a basic sock pattern, in addition to some patterns i have saved from online. i'm not quite ready to pick my pattern yet, but i'm happy to start looking.
i requested luxe knits awhile ago and i am so happy to get my hands on it. its a lovely book, with some really cool ideas about using folds to create form that i'm looking forward to trying. its got both knit and crochet patterns, and i'm short listing three of them for my resolutions list. the lacy tank isn't something i had on my list, but i'm adding it because it looks so pretty. the chinched shrug is simple but gorgeous and the butterfly blouse is an amazing idea that i want to transfer in to a wrap.
i'll be making the lacy tunic from positively crochet as my sweater dress. its open and lacy, and lovely looking. i made a set of wrist warmers as a christmas gift for someone from this book so i know the patterns are amazing and work up well. finding the book right away rather than having to wait for it means this pattern is the first on my list to start. i'm excited.
i also grabbed wrapped in gems a book i'm really really in love with. its full of beautiful wire designs for use with gemstones, a subject thats near and dear to my heart lately. i've played with two of the designs and i'm happy to say that they translate well with my materials. i'll have pics soon!
so my new year is off to a great start! my resolutions are underway and i've got lots of items to photograph so i can share them with you.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
new year, new resolutions
so its the new year. a time of change and looking forward, instead of looking back. A time of vows and promises and resolutions.
and these are my crafty ones
i wand to have a hand crafted wardrobe. Right now i have 4 items that i made that i can wear. I want to have 20 by the end of the year. in that light, these are the items i want to make:
a pair of socks
a sweater dress
a sweater
two shrugs (one in lace)
a cowl
two dresses, one for summer, one for fall
silk screen shirts x 2
silk screened leggings
two pairs of spats, crocheted and sewn
and a skirt
i'll be able to work at that one all year round.
my biggest project is to get my craft room organized and set up so i can work in it! right now i have an extra dresser in there and my desk is in peices. once i get that settled, then everything will have a place and be in it.
other than those, really i just want to keep trying new things, to keep learning and definitly to keep crafting. Try and make something every day, and not to lose the joy i find in crafting. I want to share it, by writing and teaching and showing.
what are your crafty resolutions?
and these are my crafty ones
i wand to have a hand crafted wardrobe. Right now i have 4 items that i made that i can wear. I want to have 20 by the end of the year. in that light, these are the items i want to make:
a pair of socks
a sweater dress
a sweater
two shrugs (one in lace)
a cowl
two dresses, one for summer, one for fall
silk screen shirts x 2
silk screened leggings
two pairs of spats, crocheted and sewn
and a skirt
i'll be able to work at that one all year round.
my biggest project is to get my craft room organized and set up so i can work in it! right now i have an extra dresser in there and my desk is in peices. once i get that settled, then everything will have a place and be in it.
other than those, really i just want to keep trying new things, to keep learning and definitly to keep crafting. Try and make something every day, and not to lose the joy i find in crafting. I want to share it, by writing and teaching and showing.
what are your crafty resolutions?
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