Blah,Blah,Blahg

PRICELESS TEAPOT ROSES...

I did mention I went to the flea market yesterday and didn't find what I was looking for but I didn't mention what I did find.  No, no, I wasn't holding back, I just wanted to show you because it inspired a small project and I wanted to document it for you before I blabbed about my find.

So, I was thinking about Wedding season which I am in the belly of the beast right now and with that comes showers and gifts and more gifts, no not for moi but for all the bride's.  It seems that a small 'hello' can garner you an invite to one that for some reason you must go to or have to sneak out your bedroom window to avoid the neighbor  for as long as you live next door to her, ahem.  So, I like to be crafty, not in a macaroni mosiac way or anything like that, but to make something that the recipient would enjoy and preferably be able to use again and again, so this project is perfect, it will illicit oohs and ahhs and you can get away with spending under $20 or less!

Tea pot: $5

Flowers from the Farmer's Market: $10

Being able to use the front door instead of climbing through the window to avoid my neighbor: Priceless

For a more mod bride, look for Japanese ceramics and put in baby succalents (super cheap!) And this would work for Mom's day too (not that I am pushing the under $20 thing for your mom or anything..)

MATERIAL WORLD

As promised I am going to review some of my booty from my recent Amazon.cm shopping frenzy.  The first book that arrived was this pretty, patterned number by Cat Wei:

I honestly didn't have to open it to know that I would like, I was judging a book by it's cover and what a cover it is!  There are about 3 projects that I feel are a must.  One being these fabric file holders, makes me think, why didn't I think of that?:

Sorry for the rotten scan, I did ask for assistance on this as it seems I am scanning impaired.  The book will teach you how to make from all fabric, but I was thinking it might be easier to iron the fabric on to the open folder with fusible webbing or wax paper in between the fabric and paper folder.  Then I was thinking, what if I printed my own pattern?  Here's a cool tute on printing on fabric from your home inkjet printer, then you could really make these customized! Here's the link...

There's also a cool serving tray project that I would like to try, not that I use a serving tray or anything, but I like the idea of it, hmmm....

TUTE LINK HEAVEN...

No, this is technically NOT a download but it is free information, does that count?  From time to time, I mosey on over to this great graphic designers blog called 'How about orange', she has a great conversational voice and what I really like is that she gives a boatload of links to tutes for very cool random things, like this 'Howcast' link which has a video for re-covering a lampshade. I personally never knew 'Howcast' existed but it was pretty fun going through some of their videos and finding out more junk I can make on a daily basis...ahem, I mean how much stuff I can 'upcycle' on a daily basis...This was a particularly cool link on how to make a lamp from a vase:

It's from Hallmark magazine of all places, but is so darn cool, here's the link.  Segueing now from lampshades to heads bands, (well they technically could be considered head accessories in certain circles), this lovely lady at 'Altered cloth' has some fab tutorials:

Plus she has even MORE links, if you decide you never want to get anything done....Have a happy Friday!!!!

WHOLE LOTTA LOVE....

As some of you may know I worship at the alter of Lotta Jansdotter, she is crafty, smart and cool.  I had ordered her latest tome in December and happily received it, oh, yesterday...Was it worth the wait?  I'm not sure, it is really pretty and I love her so much I think it was but I guess I am disappointed to realize I am just not going to be Lotta anytime soon.  Her drawings are so effortless where mine are painful and time consuming.  I want to get to the point of effortless but at this juncture I am into torturing myself.  This wasn't in the book but since I stalk, uhm, follow her, she doesn't use a computer for her drawings, which if that's the excuse you have been using to stop yourself from becoming a textile/printing maven, hey look at Lotta, she's got a little empire growing...

She seems so happy printing up her abode, but if it were me it would take about a year to decide what to print, what color, what medium (fabric, the dogs, etc.) that I may just never get around to it.  So, I guess I need a little more time with the book and to convince myself to relax a little, it really looks like a good time though so go pick yourself up a copy and let me know your progress...

Buy Lotta Prints here!

FOUND ME SOME GOODIES...

I want to introduce you to a new friend of mine:

No it's not the young boy but the photo corners!  They are photo corner magnets! And my new friend is Curbly:

Curbly seems to be a D.I.Y. mecca of sorts.  If you click on the boys pic, his mom has a cute little tutorial on how to make those photo corner magnets (genius I tell you!) I am pretty excited about this since my walls in my office will soon be magnetized and I will be able to use these photo corners like you won't believe.  Right now I have a very chic system of ripping images out of the magazine and taping them to the wall with duct tape. Yes, it does smack of a ransom note vibe (maybe that's why I loved those invites so much?), but I keep telling myself I will use the magnetic paint sooner or later....If you aren't familiar with what I am talking about you can go and pick up some magnetic paint for yourself (I'll put the link at the bottom).  I've only had mine in the laundry room (we don't have a lot of closet space) for oh, I dunno six months?  It's the idea of these magnetized walls that's alluring the thought of painting the primer and then having to paint over it that has kept me from actually pursuing this endeavor but I am dreaming of all the possibilities that my magnetized walls will provide me, then maybe I can even use the new magnets I am making!  What a thought!

You can get the magnetic (possibly change your life) paint here...

GOCCO LOVE...

I never did disclose what I did this weekend.  I had sooo much fun!  I love packing orders, I guess it's that whole 'playing' office thing.  Here's a couple of outgoing packages, I riffed on the ol' baker twine trend and found myself some seriously cute metallic gold twine.  I use these as wish bracelets, I tie them on my wrist, make a wish and when it drops off--OF COURSE IT COMES TRUE! (haven't you read The Secret?  All you have to do is think yourself to riches, lol!)  People love them, they always are drawn to my wrist (forget the engagement ring they want to know about my gold string)...

Well besides packing, I Gocco'd!  What you ask is a Gocco?  Well, if you don't know already it is a very nifty little table top silkscreen machine from Japan (a.k.a. the craft capital of the world).  This is the machine that I begged my Fancy for that he had to bid on Ebay and get flown in from Japan for the price of a small country (at the time they were discontinuing sales in the states).  I swore up and down if he got it for me it would change my life, it did!  I opened an Etsy shop and sold my first card within a week and thought I had won the lottery!  (I still feel that way, EVERY order, I can't believe people buy from me, it's thrilling!) Sorry for the exclamation points, but it's how I feel, like imploding from happiness.  Back to the Gocco... They are still a little tough to find but if you are even a tiny bit crafty it will pay for itself ten-fold.

I am inking up the screen here:

Below is where I go awry:

I start going loco with the registration (anyone with tips I am listening!)  Then you press and this happens:

This is the scary part, you pray that it's not all squishy and smeared and if so you could mess up the whole thing and have to start all over again (the screens and bulbs aren't cheap),  But I got lucky this round and this was the result:

Not bad, eh?  It's so addicting!  I've seen people do their wedding invites with this, I don't know how, I have such a hard time with getting everything straight, I even had the machine with registration and well, it didn't work for my purposes so I traded down (shoosh, don't tell the Fancy, he'd kill me...)

If you want to see this baby in action Paper-Source has a sweet little video tutorial here...And Etsy has one as well here...

MY NEW UNOFFICIAL 'JOB'...

So today I landed myself another job--non-paying of course (it's the only kind I seem to be qualified for these days) Let me start by prefacing that I go to the library twice a month. What?  A library?  Yes, the library, le bibliotheque, the place that houses all those great books, dvds and what have-you that you can take home for free!!!  I love the library.  I started to get a little down though on my branch, even though it's in the very swankiest part of the City of Angels, their craft section hasn't been updated since '76.  I had enough.  I stomped my way over to the librarian and voiced my complaint.  You know what she said?  (insert the heaven's parting, angels singing and melodic harp play here).

Librarian:  "Well, just get me the list of the books you would like and I will order them for you."

ME:         "How many should I give you?

Librarian: "As many as you like dear."

Wha?  Just like that, ask and you shall receive?  I am now unofficially, officially, the master of craft book picker-outing for the swankiest library in the city!  I can't believe my gosh darn luck.  When do things like this happen to people like myself?  This is what it must feel like to win the lottery!

My mind is swooning with the possibilities.  I took some time to find some great crafty goodness links for my book list submission (I take my job very seriously) maybe you would want to see if your local library would be willing to do the same for you...

• CRAFTOPHILE-Yup, plenty of books and reviews here...
• CRAFTZINE-The Library could subscribe to this little beauty of a mag
• JAPANESE CRAFTING DELICIOUSNESS
  

LOVELY BUNNY...

I wish I had kids or knew kids that I could make this gorgeous cashmere bunny for.  I don't know how I found this beautiful blog where this image came from, but I am so glad I did.  The author is lovely and creative and it just means more work won't get done around here...

If you want to try your hand at toy making (why not?) I did a little research and found some fun books

for you and Wee Wonderfuls, where the lovely Hillary Lang has a free pattern for you to download and she has put together a list of her favorite Japanese craft books.  If you haven't found out about this secret society of crafters, I am forewarning you, Japanese crafting is a slippery slope, once you go down this magic rabbit hole you may never come out again..

SEW-SEW

    For almost as long as I can remember people have been saying it's so hard to buy me gifts since I make EVERYTHING.  It's almost true, I have accomplished the title of parfumeur and make my own scents, chemist, contractor, chef, publicist, designer, stationer, etc.  I've made nearly every piece of furniture in our flat and if I didn't make it I altered it with my own two hands. I like to make things. 
    So when my birthday rolled around last year I asked for a tool to make more things--a sewing machine.  I didn't realize I would like it so much, I went as far as to tell my mom that I could see myself working in a factory, there's something so zen and meditative about it (something my hyperactive brain is not).  I even like ripping seams when I make mistakes.  I promptly went about collecting books to add to my how-to library.  The one above is a favourite.  The instructions are simple (thus the title) and the photography is gorgeous.








The book has many projects for both home and your wardrobe and if you enjoy sewing as much as I do this will be a book to add to your library. 

I don't know if you have noticed but on the top right sidebar I have added a Blah, Blah, Blahg book store for you (Under Bella Bella Books, etc.).  I have highlighted some of my favorite 'How-to' books that I have collected and some I want desperately.  This is going to be an ongoing project as I own an awful lot and I want an awful lot.  I will try to make comments as much as I can under the ones I have so you can hear first hand from someone who can't follow directions what they are like.  Feel free to offer me up suggestions as I am always on the hunt for great how-to books.

Photo's courtesy of Dacia Ray

BOOKS, BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS!!!

I took a case-binding class at my beloved Paper Source in January, although the above books are NOT my samples, my book turned out just as spiffy.  My class was actually a Date Book class, but the same techniques applied.  When I did try the techniques a few weeks later though I realized I had retained nil (zilch, nada, rien).  My book came out like crap and it was messy to boot (I hate messy).  So, I searched for some hints, tips, tricks ANYTHING that would jog my memory and assist my big (obviously useless) brain.

I found this awesome site and again, it's a little over the top and "scrapbooky" but they have to go for the big embellishment sell, it's their job to try to get you to buy as many tchokes as you can house (warning they are VERY good at it)  You will find yourself needing (yes, needing) some sort of tchoke that in an otherwise normal state of mind would never register on your barometer of things you can not live without. The site has a ton of video tutorials, I am linking specifically to the book binding one (she makes it look really easy).  So check this out if you want to get your book on...

If you are into tools like I am into tools, you may want to pick up this cool ruler, it's acrylic yet the sides are steel so you can cut against it without cutting into the ruler.  Yes, yet another brilliant invention from the scrapbooking community.  They have ways to make my life so much easier. This rules!

If you want a skill that impresses people this one will do it.  People will be in awe, who cares that you got an advanced degree in nuclear biology?  This my pretties will make them think you are a genius. Also, the endless possibilities?  You could re-bind your entire library to match your decor or make all your paper backs hardcover, then again you can make yourself a lovely little journal and write down all the things you could do but won't because unlike your professor here you actually have a life...