I can hardly wait until we have a sunny day and a little time to learn the features of the camera.
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Bebebebebebe
Before you think I've gone off the deep end and turned my blog into an all-about-baby site, I assure you: I'm just trying out the camera! But look at the gorgeous shots I'm getting with just the auto setting:
I can hardly wait until we have a sunny day and a little time to learn the features of the camera.
I can hardly wait until we have a sunny day and a little time to learn the features of the camera.
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
New books, new camera
No, no. Still recycling, just not certain things. And not diapers. Yet.
I just received part of my YesAsia order and have added some photos to the Japanese craft book library. The books I received have been posted on Crafting Japanese before, but I tried to scan some new photos. The brand new no-one-else-has-them books that I ordered haven't arrived: it seems that they're out of stock at present. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they arrive soon.
I just received part of my YesAsia order and have added some photos to the Japanese craft book library. The books I received have been posted on Crafting Japanese before, but I tried to scan some new photos. The brand new no-one-else-has-them books that I ordered haven't arrived: it seems that they're out of stock at present. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they arrive soon.
We are having such unseasonably warm weather here. Today we really took advantage of it, and since we are finally both over our colds we had an especially good day.
a trip to the playground
We didn't jump in the leaves, but they were tempting! Maybe a little too densely packed - look how they're all jammed in together like a wall. See the woman in the upper righthand corner of the photo? She's pulling the bottles out of the recycling and can claim the deposit at the local grocery. I think she's wearing traditional Chinese peasant garb, but I'm not sure.
then a trip to the doctor for Bebe's nine-month checkup and her booster flu shot. She almost looks nervous, doesn't she?
and the arrival of our camera! Tomorrow I will hopefully start posting some snazzy photos with our new toy! I'm very excited about this one. No video, but the quality of the photos is supposed to be amazing.
and finally, the pre-bedtime bath. Bebe likes to help fill the tub, and then after the bath she waves to the baby in the mirror.
All in all, a fun day.
Monday, November 28, 2005
Recycle, reuse, etc. etc.
Lately I've been making a stronger effort to recycle, or preferably to not use in the first place. I usually carry home way too many plastic shopping bags from the grocery store, the pharmacy, the green market, etc. They look at me really strangely if I bring my own plastic bags to re-use, and I usually forget to bring them anyway. But I can't seem to find any of these great string shopping bags anywhere. Too bad. They'd be perfect to throw in the diaper bag and take along with me. But I don't need five of them, so I won't be ordering on-line.
Anyway, in the spirit of recycling, I decided I needed to do something with the leftover bits from all the photo matts I cut a while ago. Here's a bookmark:
And here are some gift tags:
This year, like last year, our gift wrap will be brown craft paper tied with this fun red and white ribbon. I'm really liking how the little gift tags look with the wrapping. And hey, the candycane stamp is a bit of leftover from another stamp project. The red and white string is leftover from Todd's birthday cake box - it's bakery string. I'm doing pretty good with recycling the little tiny bits.
Hmmm, I wonder if I can find a good use for used disposable diapers?
Anyway, in the spirit of recycling, I decided I needed to do something with the leftover bits from all the photo matts I cut a while ago. Here's a bookmark:
And here are some gift tags:
This year, like last year, our gift wrap will be brown craft paper tied with this fun red and white ribbon. I'm really liking how the little gift tags look with the wrapping. And hey, the candycane stamp is a bit of leftover from another stamp project. The red and white string is leftover from Todd's birthday cake box - it's bakery string. I'm doing pretty good with recycling the little tiny bits.
Hmmm, I wonder if I can find a good use for used disposable diapers?
Saturday, November 26, 2005
A Month of Softies: November
My nephew has invented an alternate persona: he is Freddie the Rescue Cat. We're not entirely sure where Freddie came from, but my nephew likes firetrucks, firemen, etc. as well as cats, so apparently he linked these interests together into one character.
I thought it might be fun to give my nephew a real Freddie for Christmas, and since he's started pre-school this year I didn't think it would really be appropriate to give him a softie that he would carry around. Thus, the wearable softie, which just happens to fit perfectly with this month's theme.
As a superhero, I thought Freddie needed the appropriate garishly-colored superhero garb. And so the turquoise and yellow hat, t-shirt and cape. He has small disks of velcro on the back of his paws so that he can scale the t-shirt and other fabric surfaces (and he has velcro on his ears, too, to keep him from pitching forward). Freddie is the first softie I've made, and I had a lot of fun with him.
I thought it might be fun to give my nephew a real Freddie for Christmas, and since he's started pre-school this year I didn't think it would really be appropriate to give him a softie that he would carry around. Thus, the wearable softie, which just happens to fit perfectly with this month's theme.
As a superhero, I thought Freddie needed the appropriate garishly-colored superhero garb. And so the turquoise and yellow hat, t-shirt and cape. He has small disks of velcro on the back of his paws so that he can scale the t-shirt and other fabric surfaces (and he has velcro on his ears, too, to keep him from pitching forward). Freddie is the first softie I've made, and I had a lot of fun with him.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Balance and thanks
It's a weird balance, writing a blog. Weird because I'm writing a record for myself but I'm also writing to entertain and maybe inspire a lot (I hope) of other people. Sometimes it's a little difficult to decide what to post publicly and what to hold private.
I was reflecting today on past Thanksgivings and thought it was interesting that one year ago today I was very pregnant and we were celebrating our last bit of childless freedom with a trip to Paris, a cosmopolitan getaway for the two of us before the dramatic changes of Babydom.
And two years ago we were fighting hypothermia and frostbite in the Adirondacks, backpacking in a very windy rainstorm that soon changed to multiple inches of snow. We had decided to take the trip to get our minds off my recent miscarriage, an experience that grieved me more than I could ever have imagined. Interestingly, we found so many things for which to be thankful after our just-add-boiling-water meal that night. It was surely my most memorable thanksgivings ever, huddling by the fire out in the woods with just Todd (and a lot of deer hunters somewhere out in the trees beyond our campsite).
Todd and I aren't big on holidays and commemorating, but I wonder if we will become more enthusiastic about them as we grow older. I would like to initiate some "meaningful" traditions, especially as the baby starts to grow up, but I have a low tolerance for forced reflection or enforced emotion.
One of my roommates in college had a tradition in her family where they invited friends and family to take turns reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" aloud, breaking between chapters for food and drink. I love this tradition because it encourages laughter and lighthearted reflection while simultaneously offering an opportunity to develop deeper relationships and connections with the people we love or want to know better. But it's not forced. I would rather chant poetry in my underwear while standing on my head than suggest that we list the things for which we are thankful. It's just not my personality to initiate or participate in "organized emotion".
Having said that, I have completely freed my self from forced reflection, correct? Which means that I can now list a few things for which I am truly grateful: a loving and supportive husband of 14 1/2 (!) years, our beautiful and amusing little girl who I could never have imagined just ten months ago, a family of amazing and loving individuals who continue to astound me for their diverse personalities and the depth of their love for eachother and for us, a network of tremendously supportive and talented friends, the fantastic city and neighborhood in which we live, and a country that can simultaneously infuriate and elicit awe. I'm sure I could list many, many more things, but tomorrow promises a great deal more thankfulness - including an entire day spent with the man I rarely see!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I was reflecting today on past Thanksgivings and thought it was interesting that one year ago today I was very pregnant and we were celebrating our last bit of childless freedom with a trip to Paris, a cosmopolitan getaway for the two of us before the dramatic changes of Babydom.
And two years ago we were fighting hypothermia and frostbite in the Adirondacks, backpacking in a very windy rainstorm that soon changed to multiple inches of snow. We had decided to take the trip to get our minds off my recent miscarriage, an experience that grieved me more than I could ever have imagined. Interestingly, we found so many things for which to be thankful after our just-add-boiling-water meal that night. It was surely my most memorable thanksgivings ever, huddling by the fire out in the woods with just Todd (and a lot of deer hunters somewhere out in the trees beyond our campsite).
Todd and I aren't big on holidays and commemorating, but I wonder if we will become more enthusiastic about them as we grow older. I would like to initiate some "meaningful" traditions, especially as the baby starts to grow up, but I have a low tolerance for forced reflection or enforced emotion.
One of my roommates in college had a tradition in her family where they invited friends and family to take turns reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" aloud, breaking between chapters for food and drink. I love this tradition because it encourages laughter and lighthearted reflection while simultaneously offering an opportunity to develop deeper relationships and connections with the people we love or want to know better. But it's not forced. I would rather chant poetry in my underwear while standing on my head than suggest that we list the things for which we are thankful. It's just not my personality to initiate or participate in "organized emotion".
Having said that, I have completely freed my self from forced reflection, correct? Which means that I can now list a few things for which I am truly grateful: a loving and supportive husband of 14 1/2 (!) years, our beautiful and amusing little girl who I could never have imagined just ten months ago, a family of amazing and loving individuals who continue to astound me for their diverse personalities and the depth of their love for eachother and for us, a network of tremendously supportive and talented friends, the fantastic city and neighborhood in which we live, and a country that can simultaneously infuriate and elicit awe. I'm sure I could list many, many more things, but tomorrow promises a great deal more thankfulness - including an entire day spent with the man I rarely see!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
What to do, what to do...
Well, here is the agenda for this afternoon. No, not preparing our Thanksgiving dinner which, by the way, is so not Martha this year; Bebe and I have both been ill for the past week or so, and I'm not keen on any significant time in the kitchen. It's a simple baked chicken, stuffing from the box, and canned gravy this year. Ok, I'll bake a couple of pies and make the cranberries from scratch, but don't expect anything fancy from the bird and its buddies!
Back on subject. Todd and I can't agree whether we should put the baby in the tantamounter. But I think we've reached a compromise. If you look back to my very first post ever, you can see a red light in the background. That was Bebe's birth announcement. We commissioned it from Esperanza Mayobre, a wonderful artist who has also become a good friend. We sent out 75 of these guys, complete with artist's certificate and even an extra bulb. They're made of a resin intended for casting - I love it when artists push a medium beyond its intended use.
Anyway, we're going to put the light in the tantamounter. What do you think will come back with it? I'll let you know!
Followup: I'm very sorry to tell you that the light didn't go into the Tantamounter. I wasn't aware that the Times ran an article about the show in today's paper, and the gallery was mobbed as a result. We waited for a while and got to see several items emerge from the machine, but nap time does not wait very patiently, even for art. We were forced to leave when we were fifth or sixth in line. As someone near us said, the show is as much about the performance aspect of the wait as it is about the art. So our light was not "tantamounted," but we enjoyed the experience nontheless. Oh, and apparently someone has sent a child through the machine, but she's not talking (see the article).
Back on subject. Todd and I can't agree whether we should put the baby in the tantamounter. But I think we've reached a compromise. If you look back to my very first post ever, you can see a red light in the background. That was Bebe's birth announcement. We commissioned it from Esperanza Mayobre, a wonderful artist who has also become a good friend. We sent out 75 of these guys, complete with artist's certificate and even an extra bulb. They're made of a resin intended for casting - I love it when artists push a medium beyond its intended use.
Anyway, we're going to put the light in the tantamounter. What do you think will come back with it? I'll let you know!
Followup: I'm very sorry to tell you that the light didn't go into the Tantamounter. I wasn't aware that the Times ran an article about the show in today's paper, and the gallery was mobbed as a result. We waited for a while and got to see several items emerge from the machine, but nap time does not wait very patiently, even for art. We were forced to leave when we were fifth or sixth in line. As someone near us said, the show is as much about the performance aspect of the wait as it is about the art. So our light was not "tantamounted," but we enjoyed the experience nontheless. Oh, and apparently someone has sent a child through the machine, but she's not talking (see the article).
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Self portrait Tuesday: mom hair
Before Bebe was born I always told myself I would not get "mom hair" after she arrived. I couldn't understand why so many women cut their hair into short, practical styles - I mean, obviously you don't have a lot of time or energy to be putting into your hair, but I really wanted to look stylish post-baby, too.
I recently discovered the REAL reason for cutting off your hair: it all falls out, and what's left changes texture! I used to have thick, wavy hair. Now it's thin and straight and sort of slick, for lack of a better word. I really hate the changes, but my hairdresser swears it will eventually return to its pre-baby texture and thickness. Meantime, I'm trying to make the best of it.
I recently discovered the REAL reason for cutting off your hair: it all falls out, and what's left changes texture! I used to have thick, wavy hair. Now it's thin and straight and sort of slick, for lack of a better word. I really hate the changes, but my hairdresser swears it will eventually return to its pre-baby texture and thickness. Meantime, I'm trying to make the best of it.
Monday, November 21, 2005
More fun things
The list continues:
8. Here's a great make-your-own baby gift idea. The make-your-own part being the gift, mind you, not the baby.
9. These handbags. They're all beautifully embroidered, and I love the shapes and colors.
10. The next 20th century design auction at Wright 20 is fast approaching. It's fun to look at the preview section, and I see that they now have an on-line shop as well. No need to wait until auction time for these items.
11. HABA is making some terrific children's jewelry, including some felt pieces. I've purchased a couple of bracelets for myself - just couldn't resist them! Check out the genius little belt bags and the jewelry cases too!
12. This site has an incredible selection of vintage linens, lace, needlework, etc. The children's clothing is jaw dropping.
13. Online furry friends in real time. Note the little cub, Tai Shan.
14. Really cute knitted stuff for kids. And not just sweaters! Check out the knitted vegetable rattles.
8. Here's a great make-your-own baby gift idea. The make-your-own part being the gift, mind you, not the baby.
9. These handbags. They're all beautifully embroidered, and I love the shapes and colors.
10. The next 20th century design auction at Wright 20 is fast approaching. It's fun to look at the preview section, and I see that they now have an on-line shop as well. No need to wait until auction time for these items.
11. HABA is making some terrific children's jewelry, including some felt pieces. I've purchased a couple of bracelets for myself - just couldn't resist them! Check out the genius little belt bags and the jewelry cases too!
12. This site has an incredible selection of vintage linens, lace, needlework, etc. The children's clothing is jaw dropping.
13. Online furry friends in real time. Note the little cub, Tai Shan.
14. Really cute knitted stuff for kids. And not just sweaters! Check out the knitted vegetable rattles.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Hmmm, Blogger/Flickr problem?
Does anyone else have trouble posting photos directly from Flickr? You may be noticing that my posts are showing up waaaay down the page, and I don't know why. But I'm hoping to fix it soon...
Problem fixed! Many thanks, Strikkelise!
Problem fixed! Many thanks, Strikkelise!
Quick weekend, exciting discovery
Todd arrived home yesterday afternoon and stayed for precisely 24 hours and ten minutes before hopping back on a plane for a few more days. It was so good to see him after two weeks in absentia! Of course, he was tired and not feeling very well, so we didn't do much. Poor guy got food poisoning while he was away.
We took Bebe for a short walk, however, not far from our apartment. It's so strange to me that we've lived in our apartment for more than eight years and still we can discover things we've never seen before just five or six blocks from us. We happened across the bake shop of the Lower East Side Girls' Club. Tie One On ladies, look what they have in the window: vintage aprons! Lots more photos here.
We took Bebe for a short walk, however, not far from our apartment. It's so strange to me that we've lived in our apartment for more than eight years and still we can discover things we've never seen before just five or six blocks from us. We happened across the bake shop of the Lower East Side Girls' Club. Tie One On ladies, look what they have in the window: vintage aprons! Lots more photos here.
Friday, November 18, 2005
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Fun things
1. Super eggplant posted about these bookshelves the other day. How fun! Our books are decidedly not colorful enough for something like this. Besides, I think we would both go crazy if the knitting books and the art catalogs were mixed together.
2. The best source for cool papers.
3. Fabric by the yard from these folks? I think I need to pay a visit.
4. I have an odd fascination with this kit, but I don't think I would use it enough to actually justify purchasing and storing it. But some of these sets are really neat. And really pricey. I love the pear. They have great Christmasy shapes too, but get a good look at this cake!
5. When I finally get around to customizing the template for my blog, I'm contemplating using the graph paper from this site as the background. I'll need Todd's help to manage the switch, I'm sure.
6. Meggiecat posts all sorts of terrific resources for crafty folks.
7. I'm not really a sampler-stitching girl. But if I were I'd be totally obsessed with the designs here. And the resources available (linens and threads especially) here.
Maybe I'll save the rest for later. These are enough links for now, I think. I hope you find something new here!
2. The best source for cool papers.
3. Fabric by the yard from these folks? I think I need to pay a visit.
4. I have an odd fascination with this kit, but I don't think I would use it enough to actually justify purchasing and storing it. But some of these sets are really neat. And really pricey. I love the pear. They have great Christmasy shapes too, but get a good look at this cake!
5. When I finally get around to customizing the template for my blog, I'm contemplating using the graph paper from this site as the background. I'll need Todd's help to manage the switch, I'm sure.
6. Meggiecat posts all sorts of terrific resources for crafty folks.
7. I'm not really a sampler-stitching girl. But if I were I'd be totally obsessed with the designs here. And the resources available (linens and threads especially) here.
Maybe I'll save the rest for later. These are enough links for now, I think. I hope you find something new here!
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
The good, the bad, and the ugly
I had a very upsetting confrontation today. Bebe and I were strolling around the neighborhood when I overheard a man telling his son that if the kid didn't go home right now this fellow would find the kid and "beat the s*$#" out of him. When I hear things like this I lose all self-control. I stopped, waited until the man noticed me, and told him he shouldn't threaten a child like that. I know: not smart.
Anyway, this guy was livid with me. He marched up to me and started screaming at me, telling me he's a single parent and can talk to his kid however he wants, that I should stay out of it. I started to feel rather nervous for my own safety (I know, I know - really dumb of me to have done this!) and promptly went to the security booth in our complex to talk to them about it.
Well, it turns out that the guy is a good father and the security officers know him. He followed me into the booth to yell at me a little more about it, by which point I was crying because I was afraid for his kid and for my own safety. He explained (not very nicely) that he needs to make his kid afraid of him to keep the kid under control and that he does not actually beat his child. And I can understand this tough love approach when the circumstances require it. But what continues to bother me is that he didn't seem to understand why I confronted him, why I was upset. He was angry that I got involved.
I understand his perspective, but I don't think I would be able to do it differently even if it happened again. Perhaps I could have waited until he was done and approached him when the kid wasn't present. I was just so upset at the possibility that he might actually beat his child. I don't know what I should or should not have done. But I know I'm still quite shaken up about the entire exchange.
So that's the bad and the ugly - 'cause it really was both. But now that I've gotten it off my chest maybe I can move on to some good things.
Good thing #1: Bebe and I saw five swans in the East River this afternoon! We're talking Manhattan here, folks: nothing but pigeons and an occasional seagull to be found around here. I wish I had remembered to put the camera back in the diaper bag before we left the apartment!
Good thing #2: I have "discovered" at least two good fabric stores with which I was not familiar and which aren't in the garment district! One is on the lower east side - a bit of a walk from our place but certainly do-able - and the other is in Chinatown. I haven't bothered to shop these areas in years because I was decidedly unimpressed with the shops in these locations in the past. And while they certainly aren't my beloved B&J, they are easier for me to get to with the baby, and I love not being forced uptown for my fabric needs. Oh, and an added bonus: they carry trims, patterns, and notions - things the uptown fabric stores most certainly do not carry.
So now that Christmas is approaching I'm thinking that some of my projects will need to go into hiding. I can't blog about them or there won't be any surprises when gifts are opened. Perhaps I'll wait until after the holidays to post about them. Anyway, hard at work over here and thinking about Christmas cards, too. I'm running out of time and still trying to remain calm about it all!
Anyway, this guy was livid with me. He marched up to me and started screaming at me, telling me he's a single parent and can talk to his kid however he wants, that I should stay out of it. I started to feel rather nervous for my own safety (I know, I know - really dumb of me to have done this!) and promptly went to the security booth in our complex to talk to them about it.
Well, it turns out that the guy is a good father and the security officers know him. He followed me into the booth to yell at me a little more about it, by which point I was crying because I was afraid for his kid and for my own safety. He explained (not very nicely) that he needs to make his kid afraid of him to keep the kid under control and that he does not actually beat his child. And I can understand this tough love approach when the circumstances require it. But what continues to bother me is that he didn't seem to understand why I confronted him, why I was upset. He was angry that I got involved.
I understand his perspective, but I don't think I would be able to do it differently even if it happened again. Perhaps I could have waited until he was done and approached him when the kid wasn't present. I was just so upset at the possibility that he might actually beat his child. I don't know what I should or should not have done. But I know I'm still quite shaken up about the entire exchange.
So that's the bad and the ugly - 'cause it really was both. But now that I've gotten it off my chest maybe I can move on to some good things.
Good thing #1: Bebe and I saw five swans in the East River this afternoon! We're talking Manhattan here, folks: nothing but pigeons and an occasional seagull to be found around here. I wish I had remembered to put the camera back in the diaper bag before we left the apartment!
Good thing #2: I have "discovered" at least two good fabric stores with which I was not familiar and which aren't in the garment district! One is on the lower east side - a bit of a walk from our place but certainly do-able - and the other is in Chinatown. I haven't bothered to shop these areas in years because I was decidedly unimpressed with the shops in these locations in the past. And while they certainly aren't my beloved B&J, they are easier for me to get to with the baby, and I love not being forced uptown for my fabric needs. Oh, and an added bonus: they carry trims, patterns, and notions - things the uptown fabric stores most certainly do not carry.
So now that Christmas is approaching I'm thinking that some of my projects will need to go into hiding. I can't blog about them or there won't be any surprises when gifts are opened. Perhaps I'll wait until after the holidays to post about them. Anyway, hard at work over here and thinking about Christmas cards, too. I'm running out of time and still trying to remain calm about it all!
Sunday, November 13, 2005
The next big project
I didn't buy my silk quilt fabric on Friday - Bebe was too tired after lunch and needed to go home. But that's probably good because I'm really not sure how much fabric I need, so maybe we'll go back later this week. I'm a little confused about estimating yardage and want to read up on it before the big buy.
In the meantime, I'm hoping to get started on another big project. I want to make Bebe's wardrobe for next summer. I'm so excited to have a girl because I love making baby clothes! So here are my sketches and fabrics, and I plan to start drafting the patterns this week. I probably won't start sewing for a while yet - after Christmas at the earliest - but I think the clothes will go quickly once the patterns are finished. The plan is to base all her clothes on plain muslin with bright accents as noted on my sketches. The fabric swatches didn't scan very well - the colors look really strange on the screen.
I think there will be more pieces, but I don't want to get too crazy at the start or I'll get completely overwhelmed. Right now it looks just crazy enough...
Yesterday I came down with a bad cold: my first illness since Bebe was born. When I was telling my sister about it today she immediately said, "Oh, yeah, and you realized that there's no one to help you and you got completely depressed," or something to that effect. And she nailed my feelings exactly! I suppose every parent has been there. Just another rite of passage, so to speak. So here's to tomorrow, to feeling better, and to hoping the the baby doesn't catch it too!
In the meantime, I'm hoping to get started on another big project. I want to make Bebe's wardrobe for next summer. I'm so excited to have a girl because I love making baby clothes! So here are my sketches and fabrics, and I plan to start drafting the patterns this week. I probably won't start sewing for a while yet - after Christmas at the earliest - but I think the clothes will go quickly once the patterns are finished. The plan is to base all her clothes on plain muslin with bright accents as noted on my sketches. The fabric swatches didn't scan very well - the colors look really strange on the screen.
I think there will be more pieces, but I don't want to get too crazy at the start or I'll get completely overwhelmed. Right now it looks just crazy enough...
Yesterday I came down with a bad cold: my first illness since Bebe was born. When I was telling my sister about it today she immediately said, "Oh, yeah, and you realized that there's no one to help you and you got completely depressed," or something to that effect. And she nailed my feelings exactly! I suppose every parent has been there. Just another rite of passage, so to speak. So here's to tomorrow, to feeling better, and to hoping the the baby doesn't catch it too!
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Swap, anyone?
I recently cleaned out the bookcase and found some craft books that I no longer need. Does anyone want to swap for fabric, other books, etc? Email me if you're interested: liesl_gibson at hotmail dot com
Friday, November 11, 2005
One vintage button down...
I bought this cloche hat at Anthropologie a while ago and finally got around to embellishing it the other day. Vintage button, leftover fabric scraps from the aprons and from the coinpurses, some ribbon bits...
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Good things for today
Apparently I need to start each post with some text (not photos) in order for the title to show. So here's some text. Maybe you can read the title now.
I'm no expert on children's tv. After all, Bebe is only eight months old and probably shouldn't be watching it at all, according to experts. But frequently at dinnertime, when she's really tired and grumpy, I find that turning on a cartoon or children's program will keep her occupied long enough to get enough oatmeal into her to last through the night - or until 5:30 am anyway.
The only problem is that at dinnertime there aren't any good programs on tv. So today I set the computer to record a few morning programs to watch later. (Our tv is on the computer; strange, I know, but keep in mind that we live in a one-bedroom apartment. No room for a bigscreen, even if we wanted one...) And lo and behold, I found the most excellent program ever! Maybe everyone else in the world already knows about Charlie and Lola. I've always been a big fan of Rolie Polie "looking spiffie" Olie, but I think Charlie and Lola may beat out Olie and Zoe in my fanbook - not that they're competing, mind you.
We ran some errands today and the worst thing happened: my beloved Nalgene, which I take everywhere, leaked all over inside the diaper bag. Probably 10 ounces of water inside a waterproof bag - it held like a bucket - and I didn't realize the problem until my sketchbook was soaked. I mean dripping water. Blah! So while Bebe was watching Charlie and Lola, I was desperately trying to save the book with my hairdryer in one hand and spooning the oatmeal into Bebe's mouth with the other hand. And I bought a new Nalgene before we came home today. I'm not taking any more chances.
In other very exciting news, I'm taking the night off from crafting tonight, not because I don't feel like making anything or don't have have tons of projects to do, but because I really want to read my book before it's due back to the library. And because there's a glass of wine chilling in the refrigerator for me; thanks for the inspiration, Jane!
I'm no expert on children's tv. After all, Bebe is only eight months old and probably shouldn't be watching it at all, according to experts. But frequently at dinnertime, when she's really tired and grumpy, I find that turning on a cartoon or children's program will keep her occupied long enough to get enough oatmeal into her to last through the night - or until 5:30 am anyway.
The only problem is that at dinnertime there aren't any good programs on tv. So today I set the computer to record a few morning programs to watch later. (Our tv is on the computer; strange, I know, but keep in mind that we live in a one-bedroom apartment. No room for a bigscreen, even if we wanted one...) And lo and behold, I found the most excellent program ever! Maybe everyone else in the world already knows about Charlie and Lola. I've always been a big fan of Rolie Polie "looking spiffie" Olie, but I think Charlie and Lola may beat out Olie and Zoe in my fanbook - not that they're competing, mind you.
We ran some errands today and the worst thing happened: my beloved Nalgene, which I take everywhere, leaked all over inside the diaper bag. Probably 10 ounces of water inside a waterproof bag - it held like a bucket - and I didn't realize the problem until my sketchbook was soaked. I mean dripping water. Blah! So while Bebe was watching Charlie and Lola, I was desperately trying to save the book with my hairdryer in one hand and spooning the oatmeal into Bebe's mouth with the other hand. And I bought a new Nalgene before we came home today. I'm not taking any more chances.
In other very exciting news, I'm taking the night off from crafting tonight, not because I don't feel like making anything or don't have have tons of projects to do, but because I really want to read my book before it's due back to the library. And because there's a glass of wine chilling in the refrigerator for me; thanks for the inspiration, Jane!
Labels
I'm not sure how I feel about them, but last night I made a stamp for a label:
I printed it on twill tape. It's tricky to carve cursive letters when they're backwards!
I printed it on twill tape. It's tricky to carve cursive letters when they're backwards!
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
oooh, mail!
Just received yesterday via my dear friend, ebay, a tin of vintage buttons! I'm so excited; this is not the sort of thing one finds in New York thrift shops. The photos for the listing weren't very helpful so I wasn't sure what I was getting. But there are all sorts of crazy shapes and colors, and I have definite plans for some of these babies:
Quilt Monday, on Wednesday
A couple of weeks ago I was bemoaning my troubles with silk patchwork when Nicole suggested fusible interfacing as a possible solution. I didn't quite understand what she meant (fuse just the seams or all the fabric, before or after sewing, etc) until I was in the quilt shop last week and noticed some silk dupioni for sale. So I asked the clerk (who I think is the owner) what she recommended. Apparently most people use only small pieces of silk in their quilts, and she told me that you need to fuse the entire piece of silk before cutting it. That's a lot of fusible, but I've done it before; for our final projects in design school we had a runway show, and our advisor was Bob Mackie. One of my garments was a full-length raincoat made of a dupioni/lame fabric, and I fused approximately ten yards before cutting the fabric - the fusible prevents ravelling and adds body.
I guess that's the solution. I'm going to buy the dupioni later this week when I need to be in the garment center to see a friend. This should be interesting to do in our little apartment - I'm not sure where I'll be doing the fusing! Thanks for the suggestion, Nicole. I had forgotten all about this!
I guess that's the solution. I'm going to buy the dupioni later this week when I need to be in the garment center to see a friend. This should be interesting to do in our little apartment - I'm not sure where I'll be doing the fusing! Thanks for the suggestion, Nicole. I had forgotten all about this!
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Dead camera, RIP
Well, we knew it was coming. And we thought it had happened a couple of weeks ago, but apparently it was just a coma. This time I think it's the real thing - our Canon S400 digital Elph has bit the dust. It's a class action suit just waiting to happen. If you read the reviews on Amazon everyone complains about the same problem: after a while the camera starts reporting continued memory card errors and refuses to function. The company claims it's corrosion due to humidity - because that's not covered by the warranty - but it's pretty clear that the cameras themselves are faulty.
Anyway, my new camera is on backorder, so there may not be many photos for a few weeks unless I can find a camera in one of the local shops. Or maybe I'll just do a lot of scanning of those items that are scannable. Not the baby.
Yesterday we spend a gorgeous afternoon visiting my sister and her children in New Jersey. Bebe adores her older cousins, and I love having my sister nearby. If the camera had been cooperating I would have some photos of our kids in the colorful fall leaves to show you!
I've got lots of projects in the works right now, but I'm really trying to hold myself back. It's so easy to go a little crazy this time of year, getting ready for the holiday. I'm doing my best to sit back a little and enjoy the fall, the baby, and catching up with some friends. Todd is out of town for two weeks. He's usually gone Monday through Thursday, but he's almost always home on weekends, so I need all the community I can get right now or I'll start to go a little stir crazy.
We spent the weekend looking at art: on Saturday a stroll through some of the galleries in Chelsea and on Sunday a quick jog through the previews at Christie's. We also had a very nice dinner at Eleven Madison Park on Saturday night - our first babysitter in a very long time! Tomorrow is Todd's birthday, and he will be celebrating it on a plane, poor guy. Happy Birthday, Todd! We miss you!
Anyway, my new camera is on backorder, so there may not be many photos for a few weeks unless I can find a camera in one of the local shops. Or maybe I'll just do a lot of scanning of those items that are scannable. Not the baby.
Yesterday we spend a gorgeous afternoon visiting my sister and her children in New Jersey. Bebe adores her older cousins, and I love having my sister nearby. If the camera had been cooperating I would have some photos of our kids in the colorful fall leaves to show you!
I've got lots of projects in the works right now, but I'm really trying to hold myself back. It's so easy to go a little crazy this time of year, getting ready for the holiday. I'm doing my best to sit back a little and enjoy the fall, the baby, and catching up with some friends. Todd is out of town for two weeks. He's usually gone Monday through Thursday, but he's almost always home on weekends, so I need all the community I can get right now or I'll start to go a little stir crazy.
We spent the weekend looking at art: on Saturday a stroll through some of the galleries in Chelsea and on Sunday a quick jog through the previews at Christie's. We also had a very nice dinner at Eleven Madison Park on Saturday night - our first babysitter in a very long time! Tomorrow is Todd's birthday, and he will be celebrating it on a plane, poor guy. Happy Birthday, Todd! We miss you!
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Citrus cosmetic bags
Ah, another Barcelona project finally finished. These little citrus coinpurses/cosmetic bags are the last of the little bag binge I started back in late August, and I'm ready to make other things for a little while now. Enough with the little cosmetic bags for a while!
The leaf zipper pull is ultrasuede - everything else is cotton, lined in the same yellow cotton as the outside. Dimensions are about 4" x 1 1/2". I'm really happy with the shape, and the zipper was much easier to insert this time - I used separate panels for the zipper and for the remaining circumference, which is what I should have done for the Polka Dot cosmetic bag.
Now I'm thinking about labels; I think I'll carve a stamp and print it on twill tape. I just have to decide what it should look like - I need a logo image for it. Maybe something that goes with "disdressed." Any thoughts?
The leaf zipper pull is ultrasuede - everything else is cotton, lined in the same yellow cotton as the outside. Dimensions are about 4" x 1 1/2". I'm really happy with the shape, and the zipper was much easier to insert this time - I used separate panels for the zipper and for the remaining circumference, which is what I should have done for the Polka Dot cosmetic bag.
Now I'm thinking about labels; I think I'll carve a stamp and print it on twill tape. I just have to decide what it should look like - I need a logo image for it. Maybe something that goes with "disdressed." Any thoughts?
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Polka Dot cosmetic case
Do you ever just get to a point in a project where you can't quite find a solution to a problem so the project sits and waits while you're paralyzed? That was the case here. I was in a hurry when I designed this little cosmetic bag and didn't really consider how to handle the zipper. So when I sat down to assemble the bag I realized that I should have designed it differently and had to fiddle with it to make the zipper lay flat. It turned out fine, but it's one of those projects I'm glad to not think about any more.
You can't see it in the photographs, but the zipper pull has a blue ultrasuede polka dot attached to it.
The fabric is silk burlap (I love the dichotomy of the silk with the rough appearance of the weave) and the polka dots are satin stitched in two shades of blue and a beige that coordinates with the fabric. The lining and the polka dot zipper pull are the same shade of blue as the darker embroidery color. I used a heavy-duty interfacing material someone gave me: apparently it's commonly used in the industry, and I love it because it's really supple while also keeping its shape well. Too bad I don't know where to get more of it, because it's perfect for projects like this!
You can't see it in the photographs, but the zipper pull has a blue ultrasuede polka dot attached to it.
The fabric is silk burlap (I love the dichotomy of the silk with the rough appearance of the weave) and the polka dots are satin stitched in two shades of blue and a beige that coordinates with the fabric. The lining and the polka dot zipper pull are the same shade of blue as the darker embroidery color. I used a heavy-duty interfacing material someone gave me: apparently it's commonly used in the industry, and I love it because it's really supple while also keeping its shape well. Too bad I don't know where to get more of it, because it's perfect for projects like this!
Insert your own bad felt pun here
I've been meaning to make something with covered buttons, and Hip to Stitch reminded me to actually do it - I liked her idea to make hair ties. So I messed with french knots and satin stitch and made a few for myself.
And I picked up some wool roving at the knitting store the other day, so I had to try my hand at felting. The orange hair tie looks a little flat in the photograph (I had to use flash, sorry), but it's really a big round orange felt bead. Felting is the perfect movie-watching activity! I'm looking forward to making more felt beads: necklaces, bracelets, etc.
And I picked up some wool roving at the knitting store the other day, so I had to try my hand at felting. The orange hair tie looks a little flat in the photograph (I had to use flash, sorry), but it's really a big round orange felt bead. Felting is the perfect movie-watching activity! I'm looking forward to making more felt beads: necklaces, bracelets, etc.
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