It's all in the packaging

I'm pretty sure I like swaps mostly because I like making things pretty and then taking pictures. My newest addiction is the Lucky Parcels Swap over at Fabric Addicts Anonymous. I think it is because all that creativity makes it more challenging. I want my packages to be up to par and of course I already have soooo many baubles and bits, why not share them? Up above are the packages I put together for the black and white swap. My blue packages were not so pretty but then I saw Barbara's and Denise's and well...I swooned. I keep thinking if only I can prettify my shop packages more people would buy but maybe that is just wishful thinking. I really like what I make but it seems perhaps I'm just ahead of what people are liking? It always seems that way. After I feel totally defeated, I stop making whatever it is/was like my monkee faces and my jekbots and then WHAM! There are monkeys and robots everywhere. My newest items will be posted soon. I hope...I guess I should make at least one of each so that I have pretty pictures to woo those Felt Clubby peoples so that they will certainly need my style of goodies for the big to do in November...hint hint.

Time for me to make more playdough..we're making sculptures today.

My crafty mojo is back!

Back in February I started a new swap-group. Don't misunderstand my motives, I adore Coloriffic but it just got so HUGE! There are over a thousand members, not everyone swaps I know but I just craved something small, something creative, something entirely handmade so five things was born. With five things, the responsibility of a swap doesn't solely rest on my shoulders. Other people can create their own themes and you can play as often or not as you like. What I like most is the small circle of crafters and the beautiful packages full of handmade love. The other part I am really digging is how I sign up for a swap and then blank on what I am going to make. How many needlebooks does one person need? Or eyeglass cozies...tissue holders? I've had to really put my thinking cap on and with the most recent group, I came up with something that I find so delightful I am making more for the shop.

Mothy lavender sachets. Or maybe an odonate or two. I have so many tiny pieces of vintage scraps that I need to use and they look so pretty with the flaxen weave of linen or almost linen that I can't help myself. Perhaps I will bundle them up and sell them in packs of two or three. The wee pillows are about four inches square and backed by the accent fabric in the front. The green print you see is vintage, the black is not but it feels that way to me. I am so happy I have my crafting mojo back. I was a-wanderin' for awhile. It was too hot to bake, too hot to craft and too hot to play hopscotch. I even ran out of Sweet Valley High books to reread...thank you for that crafty mojo. Phew! I was worried.

Have you seen the quirky, cute, fantastic dolls that Hillary of Wee Wonderfuls is making? They make me smile so much it hurts. I get a deep happy sadness when I see them because they remind me of all the dollies my Mamos used to make and sell. I wish I had at least one of them still. Mine was named Angela and she had black pigtails made of yarn, an impish Little Audry-like embroidered smile and the cutest little calico dress with puffy sleeves and sash. I feel so lucky to be able to participate in this crazy, colorful, crafty world of blogs. So very lucky. All the sharing...it's a good, good, thing!

The Week in Review: July 30-August 5

July 30-August 5
A week is a week is a week. Let's see...there was art and there was craft. I read stories and found myself covered in paint. I ironed, ironed, ironed my way to some form of carpal tunnel. I got my hair cut. I got my hair CUT! I made a new friend and I hung out with old friends. Cupcakes were eaten, cake was eaten and super yummy veggie sandwiches were also consumed. There was time spent napping and time spent cleaning. There was time spent doing busy work and creating top secret stuff for the shop. There was work, work and then garden work. We feasted on fresh blackberries and pulled up the last of the lettuce. I hung out with the japanese beetles and managed to step on one in my bare feet! We visited with granny and hit the free mulch pile in Silverlake. We watched kitschy movies and sad documentaries and danced ourselves breathless at the beach. All in all is was a pretty perfect week. I hope yours was the same.

Photobooth Friday: beach night

Last night was spent hanging out at the Santa Monica Pier taking picture after picture after picture of the roller coaster and all the bells and whistles that holler every which way. While I can't seem to take a decent self portrait (ya know, one that hides my not so flattering features) with the new camera, I can take rockin' pictures of super bright and colorful things outside in fading sunlight. Go figure. The mister and I hung out and danced to the Hacienda Brothers and Queen Ida and of course hit the booth while there. We also watched entranced as so many people took a turn at Dance Revolution. I think I can watch it for hours. The booth apparently already had a $1 credit but I didn't know until it was too late. I lost my boothing mojo and we resorted to goofy faces. I'm telling ya, a $4 booth that accepts quarters only can put you into a trance even without a credit...sooooo many coins and of course kept thinking I could do four loads of laundry with all these quarters. But it was for a good cause. Boothing it for the world.

Peace Out...

Aack! Exploding brain!

I have too, too, too many ideas in my head and methinks my brain might actually explode so for now I choose to drink copious amounts of thai iced tea whilst reading newly re-scored Sweet Valley High Super Editions. I have oodles of projects in bits and pieces for the shop and of course all those swappy swaps I like to do not to mention gifts to make for friends and such...sigh...put me in some harem pants that cover my (outtie) belly button, give me some liquid eyeliner, put my hair in a high, high ponytail and let me do my magic.

D-o-o-o-o-o-i-i-i-i-n-n-n-g-g-g!!!!

Zippity DO dah!

I've got a new do! Yay! My hair and with its lemon chiffon ends was driving me absolutely batty. Thanks to the wonderful world of flickr I now have a new and improved 'DO! I think flickr is the bees knees. You may wonder how it is that I got my hair cut through flickr and the dealie is that I have met some astounding people through flickr. ASTOUNDING. My newest flickr friend is GeeeeNaaah. She is an amazing woman who can craft it up with the best of us and she even took me thrift shopping after the cut. I can't wait until August when I get to have yummy brunch foods with a few other flickr friends! Gina my new friend, you rock! THANK YOU for my new do. I am having a fabulous partay with it.