Roses Are Blue...

Finally! A baby shower!

I can't believe I'm actually saying that.  For several years there I could barely keep up with all of the babies.  It seemed like I was making a blanket-a-week and embroidered onesies were coming out of my ears!  But now, it's been at least a year since any of my local friends or family have had a baby shower.  Or a baby for that matter.  I have had to carefully and purposefully avoid the flannel aisle at the fabric shop forever (there is always so much cute blanket flannel when I don't need it!) 

For actual baby showers, I prefer to give an embroidered onesie along with something practical.  I wait to make the blankets until after the baby arrives.  That way, if I have an opportunity to buy super girly and/or pink fabric I can take advantage of it.  And more importantly, I can add the baby's monogram in order to comply with North Carolina statute 6413 (which states something along the lines of "anything that can be, shall be monogrammed, preferably in hot pink but other colors shall be permitted on a case-by-case basis such as when the item to be monogrammed is hot pink and then chartreuse shall be permitted"). 

Anyway, the new baby is a boy and his parents are big into sailing.  You might not know this (I didn't until we moved here) but there is a nautical flag alphabet.  Since the parents-to-be will not disclose the name of the baby-to-be I used the last name for this onesie.  This was supposed to be a very simple and easy project but like most of my projects I found a way to make it incredibly frustrating and time-consuming.  I'm not thrilled with the result but I am thankful that their last name is only 4 letters long.

Have I mentioned my niece's initials?

No?  Well.  Here they are.  For real.  I decided this year I should start having a little fun with this.  I mean, the little old ladies won't even get it so who am I really going to offend?  I might catch a few people off guard...but that's funny!  Right?

I also made this hat for her.  Could you die?  I came *this* close to asking Alana to open it early because I just couldn't wait to see it on...unfortunately Willa has the GIANT Reynolds noggin and the hat didn't even come close to fitting.  Soooo, I guess I'll be making another one...

Kilroy was here...

Just in time for Craft Attack, I am rolling out a few new and exciting guitar strap designs (along with some of my previous and equally exciting favorites) on a brand spanking new 2" model.  The excitement is killing you, right?  Of the new designs, Kilroy is embroidered and the Flair and the Angry Octopus are painted (just in case that's not clear from the photo...or you've been hitting the malt liquor already). Personally, I wanted a pink & happy octopus but my husband said he should be dark & mean and I figured since he is kind of my target market (although definitely pushing the upper bracket), I should listen...

These newer straps are a slightly different construction than the 3" leather-backed straps (which will still be available for those of you who like a fancier model...err, once I actually set up a shop).  Obviously, these new straps are more narrow at 2" but they are also made (front and back) with sturdy 100% cotton fabric of varying colors and weights, have leather tabs and nickel plated zinc hardware (or is it zinc plated nickel...um, in any case, it's silver).  The leather, you will be happy to know, is recycled (like on all of my other straps).  Moooo...  And, for those of you who play like I do, all of these straps fit perfectly on Guitar Hero & Rockband guitars as well.

Anyway, y'all can pick up your very own at Craft Attack on Saturday October 11th.  I'll be set up under my top secret alter-ego, Kersplash, in booth 52.  Only 4 more days!

Wait, what?  4 days?  Seriously?

I hope to see you there but if not be sure to let me know if you want to be on The List for the Etsy shop invitation coming this month...

Reason #127 why I need sewing classes...

Don't you hate it when you are making purses for a craft show and it is really hard and frustrating to do the final assembly but you soldier through and make like four of them and then on the 5th purse you discover a really easy (and painfully obvious) way to do it?  Don't you hate it when that happens? 

What?  That doesn't happen to you?  Huh..

I guess I could look on the bright side, right?  Glass half full?  I only made four the hard way.  It could have been much worse.  But again, what if the glass is half full of say, beet juice?  or Diet Pepsi?  *shudders*  Then wouldn't it be looking on the bright side to say it was half empty? 

In any case, I have the Yellow Pages on my lap and I am signing up for sewing classes today.  I can't help but think if I had just a smidge more technical knowledge then this whole thing would be so much easier!  (See?  I resisted writing sew again!  Fyi, it takes every ounce of my will power.  I just hope you all appreciate it...)

Number thirty four...

Last week I was motivated to try another embroidered blind contour  and like the last two, I used the stem stitch almost exclusively.  But this time I attempted a person, which is clearly not my forte (I'm much better at dogs and gym shoes...)  I'm not totally thrilled with the result.  It's not photographing well, either.  But I do like the solemn mood of it...  This is (supposed to be) a portrait of one my favorite late musicians jamming on his saxophone (it still sounds wrong saying late...)  He was a remarkably talented & successful woodwind musician but when he was onstage he seemed to prefer to hang back in the shadows.  He would come out for a solo, blow the audience away and then slip back into the hazy darkness.  For that reason, I decided to use fabric and embroidery floss with very little contrast, both in dark, smoky colors, to try to capture his reserved yet commanding presence.

Welcome baby Charlie!

Err, I mean, Happy First Birthday!  Boy, I'll tell ya there is nothing like a looming craft show deadline to motivate me to start a totally unrelated project that I have been procrastinating about for 11 months...

If you've been following along at home then you know that one of my favorite things to make in this whole world is a baby blanket.  I don't even know if I can count how many I have made at this point as I have incredibly prolific friends and family.  Although I admit I have missed a few blankets here and there, mostly for second, third and in one case fifth (!) children.  But I think it's because by the time the second (or fifth...) baby comes around most families are drowning in baby blankets.  They are a very popular gift (just ask Willa).

So this blanket is unusual because it is for a third child, baby Charlie.  Charlie is the third of my cousin's children (remember Ann & Kurt?) and both of his older siblings have blankets already.  Lincoln got one for being the first of Ann's babies and Claire got one, even though she was the second, because I rarely pass up the chance to make a blanket for a baby girl (and honestly, I thought Ann & Kurt were done having kids...)  So now Charlie gets one because I set a precedent.  And because I found this awesome camping fabric and my cousins love to camp (and canoe.  Yes, with their three kids.  And their dog.  I told you they are crazy.)  Now if I can just some time to get to the post office, Charlie should have his blanket by his second birthday.

Craft Attack-ack-ack-ack!

I don't think I told y'all yet that I am doing another juried show!  (Someone let me in AGAIN!  Crazy, I know!)  This one is with the Hornet's Nest Chapter of the North Carolina Etsy Street Team in Charlotte (try typing that 10 times fast),  It's happening on Saturday, October 11th and it's called Craft Attack!  Sure does sound cool, eh?  The nice thing about doing a second show is that I have already taken care of all the time-consuming little extras.  The bad thing is that I am going to need about twice as much stuff.  This time, instead of a 6x3 table,  I have a 10x10 booth.  *gulp*

I am trying to get some bags and purses done for this show since that didn't happen for the Rock and Shop (and since bags take up a lot of booth space).  My latest bag/purse is still in R & D but this is the current prototype.  It's going to be called the Kitty Bag (a story for another post).  I know from the photo it is hard to see what makes it so special (oh, but believe me, it is.  Ok, well I think it is at least...)  so I will have a full-page spread of all of the amazingly practical features, once I finally decide what those will be, coming err, soon.

Avert your eyes, Sue!

My cousin, Ann, and her husband, Kurt, have three (adorable, omg) children, two boys and a girl (yes, they're crazy).  They have lived in a lovely suburb outside of Chicago since they left Denver 3 years ago.  Their town is due west of Chicago which places them almost directly on top of the dividing line between the North and South sides of the city.  Now, this might seem irrelevant to non-Chicagoans (I mean, who cares, right?  Isn't there a West side?) but for residents of the windy city area this poses a major problem: Are you supposed to be a Cubs fan?  Or a Sox fan? 

Even though our father grew up on the South Side of Chicago and was raised a Sox fan, Alana and I grew up on the North Side of the city and were raised as Cubs fans (I'm guessing my Detroit-raised, Tiger-loving mother just wanted to be contrary.  I don't think she hated the Sox...)  Now I'm not saying that location is the only factor (there are certainly closet Sox fans up north and underground Cubs fans down south) but it is a big one.  And honestly it's a practical one  too, logistically speaking, because Wrigley Field (Cubs) is on the North Side and Comiskey Park (which is called something stupid now, like US Cellular Field. Sox) is on the South Side (duh, sorry).  Since Chicago is not known for excellent roads and/or speedy public transit, it is a whole lot easier to see a game on your own side of town.

ANYWAY, Ann, Kurt & family live on the West side (which, in baseball land, doesn't even exist) where it is an equal a pain-in-the-mitt to get either field so, like I said, they are in a pickle.  There is no obvious choice.  And the sad thing is, they don't really want to choose because they like both teams.  And what's the only thing more traitorous to Chicagoans than being a Sox fan on the North side or a Cubs fan on the South side?  Liking both teams.

So, just to be contrary (I get that from my mother) I made this reversible hat for my little first-cousin-once-removed, Lincoln.  Now he can show his love for his favorite Chicago baseball team depending on who is playing that day.  Or depending on his mood.  Or his outfit.

And just for the record, Sue, I had to bribe Riley to model the Cubs side for me!

Another stop on the trip...

Have I ever mentioned how much amazing stuff my stepmother finds when she goes thrifting?  She has the best luck.  And she is incredibly generous with her finds which makes me lucky too.  So when we got to Chicago there was a stack of goodies waiting in the guest room for me.  She found all of these hoops (and this is only half!) for one dollar.  I don't think I've ever even seen a hoop at my local thrift shop...  I am going to make some wall hangings with them a la Purl Bee, although I think I will add some embroidery.  As if all of this wasn't enough, my stepsister (who has apparently inherited the thrifting gene) also left me a box full of this amazing paper.  I think she's crazy to give this all away but I am thrilled to be the recipient.  The first project will have to be a stack of thank you cards.

It's not a roach.

Down here in the South we have what local folks like to call Palmetto Bugs.  They say it so sweetly with their charming accents...  You think, Oh, a Palmetto Bug!  How lovely!  Can I get one for my home?  Is it pretty like a palmetto tree?  I hope I see one soon!  Oh but you have been fooled...(I know, the accent gets me too).

So, what are they in reality, Palmetto bugs?  They are not charming or lovely.  They are not pretty.  A Palmetto Bug is a REALLY big roach.  And I mean really big.  They are impervious to flip flops and magazines and don't bother trying to kill them with a regular fly swatter.  They will just snatch the fly swatter and hit you back (and those things really sting!)  You need to go put on your lace-up stompin' shoes and come back with a 2x4 (but watch out when you come back because by this time he has probably pulled his knife and is waiting behind the door).  Now, I have an agreement with the roach-err, palmetto bugs.  As long as they stay outside, we're cool.  But once they come inside, all bets are off.  (And for all you bug-lovin' hippies, all bets are off means I'm fair game as well so it's survival of the fittest.)  These palmetto bugs are true masters of surprise sometimes appearing out of thin air to scuttle boldly across your bare foot, killing you with pure, unadulterated shock.  They are merciless. 

But honestly, other than the foot thing, they don't really bother me (I'm a spider girl all the way).  They do however bother Alana.  And my friend, Heather.  And my friend, Jennifer.  In fact, they really bother a lot of people (which is why I'm guessing they came up with the pretty name in the first place...)  So, to make the southern roaches seem a little more lovable, I have designed a new line of stuff featuring Pal, the Palmetto bug.  Get it?

*loud groan*

What?  Look at that charming guy.  All he needs is a beer and a bag of chips and he could be your best friend.  And I hope you are all coming to the Rock & Shop this Saturday (this Saturday?!) to see your new best friend, Pal in um, person.  He'll be up at the bar waiting for y'all (he's a bit of a lush).