crochet-edged receiving blanket

Yipee!!!! I finished my first ever crochet project.

About 6 months ago I decided I would teach myself how to crochet. Using library books and some online tutorials I fumbled with the basic stitches - chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet stitch - and was ok. Then I set the yarn and fancy bamboo crochet hook aside and promptly forgot all I had learned. When I found out that Ducky was coming I decided it was time to figure out the crochet thing again. Luckily, my craftygoddes friend Delilahh was around to help guide me through the basics. Let me tell you, it's much easier to have someone help you than to try and figure it out on your own!

My first project is a flannel receiving blanket for Ducky with a crochet border. Very pretty. I learned a few things... to pay greater attention to yarn/thread gauge and to determine your stitches accordingly. The yarn I had was thicker than I would have liked for the weight of the flannel, and the pattern I was following was (of course) for smaller yarn and therefore called for a greater amount of stitches per inch... I figured it out as I went, but aren't all craft projects learning experiences? :)

The blanket kept me busy during our SF Honeymoon #1, Darling Husband drove lots and I was the crafty co-pilot. Note the bottom right corner of the photo -- Captain Henry's whiskers!

quilt for bro, quilt for Ducky!

I'm almost done with the rag quilt I've been making for my brother. My intention was to have it completed by the time he came to visit, so he could take it home to CO with him. Well, that didn't really happen. Last week I thought I was done, but after it went through the washer and dryer twice it came apart at a few of the seams. YIKES! I was having problems with the bobbin tension on my trusty ol' machine while I was sewing the quilt... guess the problems were bigger than I realized! So now I need to muster up some patience and patch the holes. It was a fun project and I learned that I definitely will not attempt to make a queen or full size rag quilt again any time soon. After 15 hours I stopped keeping track of how long the process took. A fun process... except for this damn hole-patching that I need to get on!

The cats were helpful, of course!

















Completed it looks (and feels) cozy...














Ack! Loose seams = holy mess.
















On a brighter note, my friend Darling Delilahh (craft goddess) gave me some amazing things last week during our crafty girl dinner date... A vintage hinged picnic/craft basket full of fun cross-stitch kits, crochet yarn and misc. craft stuffs! She remembered I'd been wanting a basket and came across this one recently and put it aside for me. As if that wasn't amazing enough on its own, she gifted me with a vintage baby quilt for Ducky... 18 years ago she bought the 1940's completed quilt top and started on a quilt for the child she was expecting. She made the bottom in a coordinating cotton muslin, placed the batting between, traced an amazing heart quilt pattern on the light squares and began quilting away! A few weeks ago she was cleaning out a closet and discovered this partially completed quilt, realizing that the design on the soft pink squares were dressed up duckies and decided to give it to me to complete. Her husband looked at her like she was nuts, he remembered her slaving away at that thing years ago and never finishing it. Now she was going to dump it off on someone else? Of course Darling Delilahh knows me well enough to know that I'd appreciate all the history of the duckie quilt: vintage, updated, worked on with love by her hands and passed on with grace to an aspiring quilter and mom-to-be.

It's a beautiful quilt.
















Look at the fancy boyducks and girlducks!

















Of course, I definitely need to work on it. There are a few stains, some strange holes in the original top and lots of finishing work. But I get to practice hand-quilting! :)

photographer keeps her job!

It's been a while, dear blog. I do apologize. Life got in the way, please don't take it personally. 2 weeks ago my brother came to LA from the mountains of Colorado to visit, skateboard and see Nick Cave at The Hollywood Bowl. (wow, an amazing concert.) Then Dear Husband and I took off for a spur of the moment road trip to the Bay Area. So many excuses, I know. But I've been crafting away the whole time. Really! Proof will come pouring in, in the form of posts. Soon.

Most importantly, our photographer has redeemed herself and we've decided to keep her around. After watching a few tutorials on Etsy and reading a bit about point-and-shoot macro shots and lighting she's managed to take some decent shots. At least they're better than the old jewelry shots! Yikes! Here's a before and an after sample. To see more, visit my much more moody and image-friendly Etsy page.

Before



















After

Autumnal Equinox 2008

Autumnal Equinox 2008

AUTUMNAL EQUINOX (Mabon)

September 22

First day of Libra, waning moon

THEMES: Thanks & Balance

Ahh… the long days of Summer are slowly leaving us. The Autumnal Equinox is, like the Vernal (or Spring) Equinox, a time of balance. Both dark and light - day and nite - are equal. Preparing to move into a phase of darkness, we now reap what we've sown and use that to sustain us thru the dark times.

Have you worked hard this summer? Played hard this summer? Worked hard at playing this summer? If so, congratulate yourselves and give thanks. Make a list of all that you are thankful for, focusing on your own personal strengths. So often at Thanksgiving we are so busy thanking others that we forget to honor ourselves and the beautiful bodies that support us. How are we feeling physically, emotionally and spiritually?

Not only are the dark and light at balance today, but it is also the first day of Libra – the ultimate sign of balance. The scales. Are you giving too much of yourself emotionally or have you been withdrawn and guarded? Selfish or overly nurturing? Fasting or binging? Don't judge yourself, just assess and make some changes.

Remember Vernal Equinox (March 21^st)? At that time we planted seeds for ideas and projects to manifest throughout the spring and summer, to harvest in the fall. Well harvest time is here. Do you remember what your seeds were? Did you water & support their growth and manifestation? Personally I'm completely focused on supporting one of the seeds that I planted… the one to grow a baby and start a family. My partner and I conceived in between Vernal Equinox and Summer Solstice and are happily focused on the exciting and amazing growth of our unborn child.

Here is something I received from www.Tut.com this past Monday, the day of the Harvest moon. I find it valuable and a great exercise to do at this time of the year.

What happens when someone worries? Basically, they think of 100 reasons why something might go wrong. And all of those thoughts then struggle to become things, sometimes overriding their more constructive thoughts. It's like a train wreck. Ain't pretty. But that's the power of worry.

Now, let's say you want something fantastic to manifest in your life. Hypothetically, let's say you want a magical life and perfect mate. (I know you.) Have you sat down yet and listed 100 reasons why it might come to you easily, fast, and harmoniously? I think you should. Today works, The Universe

Traditionally this is a big-feast sort of Sabbat. Eat, drink and relax. Thank the Earth for her bounty. Give thanks for all the gifts you've received this year and for all the supportive friends and family that surround you (they are a gift).

probation

So, I've decided to put my photographer on probation. She has 1 month to get it together and provide me with better images for my Etsy site. Right now the photos are basic, you see the jewelry and focus points of each piece, but the lighting is inconsistent and the photos are just damn boring. They don't speak, don't give you a real taste of the personality of either the designer (me) or of the individual piece itself.

Now I just need to come up with some creative display and background ideas for her... She can figure out her camera settings and the appropriate lighting. If anyone has suggestions, please share!

Ok. Off to work on the rag quilt for my brother....

softcards.... halloweenie style!

Ok, so I started these cards a while ago then got involved in some other projects. (life, quilt, jewelry, etc). Finally I have completed them. It took some thinking and pacing around Swains (art supply store) to come up with the perfect paper for the signature page. In the past I've hand embroidered a custom message, but that isn't always practical.

My apologies for the crappy pictures - my photographer sucks, but she's cheap. Eventually I'll figure out the perfect lighting and angle for my jewelry and softcards and all the things I post to Etsy. Right now these will have to make do. They certainly get the image across clearly... but it seems to me that the photos could be much better and that makes a difference when you're trying to sell something on Etsy by photos and words only.

Anyways, here they are!

onyx. garnet. labradorite. beautiful.

So I've had these gorgeous faceted onyx teardrop points for a while now, but I've not found the perfect design for them. Usually things look either too busy or too simple. On a delicate silver chain is nice, but soooo boring. Then I thought silk thread with a few little silver accents might work nicely. Here is one with black silk and one with midnight blue silk.


Oh! And here's another take on the rough garnet pendant. It really looks like both garnet and labradorite are in that stone, so I strung some faceted labradorite beads on light green silk and added the garnet. Gold accents, for some lift and life.