wise craft

things that matter when you're under 10

- how much space you have in the tub (negotiations ongoing)

- that you pet the cat first (cause, apparently the cat has a score card somewhere...)

- that you are first in line on the trail...

- that you either win at Monopoly with mom, or keep playing until she has to start dinner, at which time you automatically win.

The kids are on Spring Break vacation, so I going to take a break from the blog/computer, get outside, and just hang out and enjoy my little banshees.  My eight by eight project for March is complete, the April box is in the mail to Daria, and I feel kind of caught up with everything but cleaning the house (which won't clean itself, I'm told).  I have closed down the shop temporarily, but it will reopen when I'm back online in a week or so.  In the meantime, I hope you get some time to get outside and experience Spring.  Its never not worth taking the time, right?

xo, Blair

Alabama Stitch Book

This is the sewing book I have literally carried around with me all week.  I am crazy about this book.  I first read about Natalie Chanin in Domino last year and I immediately went to her website and fell in love with her work and craft philosophy.  I actually wrote in my calendar what month in 2008 this book would be coming out.  And now I can't put it down.

Her company, Alabama Chanin, located in Florence, Alabama, in the small community called Lovelace Crossroads, is where she works, lives, creates, and employs local artisans.  (Yay, a fellow Southerner!) Alabama Chanin designs clothing from recycled materials, primarily 100% cotton knit jersey (the production of this fabric was once a booming business in this area of the country).  The signature look of Natalie Chanin's work is referred to as "Reverse Applique" in the book, and this skirt is probably one of my favorite examples-

This skirt can be made entirely from XL cotton knit T-shirts.  Imagine what a comfy skirt this is!  Not to mention absolutely gorgeous.  The outer knit is stenciled in the vine leaf pattern you see, with textile paint, then the contrast knit (the darker red) is sewn to the wrong side of the skirt.  The stenciled pattern is outlined with hand embroidered stitches, then the outer knit is cut away inside the stenciled area to reveal the fabric underneath.  Just gorgeous.  (Keep in mind she has done wedding dresses using this technique.)  I should note that everything in this book is handstitched, there is no machine stitching.  For some reason, I was very happy about that.  It celebrates the history of using what one had, or reusing what one had, to create something beautiful (she teaches us to "love our thread" in the book, which is actually a method she uses to keep it from tangling).

I was looking for a project I could do before I wrote this post, and for whatever reason I was immediately drawn to the rag boa above.  I just imagined how fun it would be to combine colors I love into this, and how soft it would be around my neck.  I trip to Goodwill produced 2 $2.99 T-shirts, but I quickly realized I should have bought more T's when I started in on the project, so I switched gears and started making the gorgeous flower bouquet project.

These mums are big, floppy, so fun, I'm keeping a bouquet of them in my studio, but feel sure I will be making some to go around the house.  What a great excuse to recycle more T-shirts.  The ones in the book combine more than one color for the flower, by my flower and leaves combine the gray and green I love so much right now, to keep out as inspiration in the studio.

Okay, as you can see I'm seriously all crushed out on Natalie and her work.  If you'd like to learn more, read a couple of great interviews with Natalie done by Mary Jo/Trust Your Style here and here.

charmingly

Just a very quick note to let you know I just added a couple of new charm bracelets to the shop this morning.

Have a great day!

stuffies and glittery fun

Both kids are spending more time with me in the studio, still, and as of late we've gotten into some very satisfying kid-craft sessions.  Oh, how I love doing projects with kids!  They go at each project with so much  enthusiasm and can't wait to finish (interpreted as, they don't get stuck and walk away).  And at ages 6 & 9, they are able to do much of it on their own.  Honestly, I had forgotten that part until recently.

Emma came into the studio last week with that random, non-chalant request that requires oh so much more than she realizes.  That would be the, "Mom, can we make a stuffy?" question.  As I look at the load of miscellaneous work I have piled in front of me, I calmly direct her to my bookshelves for a look, but suddenly remember a great, simple stuffy pattern in Last Minute Fabric Gifts.  She actually made this almost entirely on her own.  I found myself missing the "we" part of making a stuffy for a minute there.  But that quickly followed with complete satisfaction and pride at my daughter, and happiness for her.

It must feel really good to make your own stuffy and snuggle with it in bed that same night.

happy with a swimsuit for once

I am no J Crew model, but I just had to say how much I love my new swimsuit.  I have been wearing the same 2 black swimsuits for several years now (which is not as scary as it sounds, I r a r e l y put myself in life situations that require me to wear a swimsuit).  But, this year, as we are soon heading to some place warm, beachy, and sunny, I decided rather than to dread putting one on, maybe get a brand new one that actually looks decent on me.  And I just have to sing the praises of the J Crew suits in general, but I really love this one.  Its double layered fabric, so there's nothing weird even trying to peep through.  The fabric feels wonderful, and I love this green (which felt like a color I could live with/in and didn't require a dark tan to look good on).  But I definitely need to lay off these.

And Hannah, this suit would look so good with this scarf and you know it.  I'm just sayin....

I could do without most retail (yes, Peter, its true).  But I do so love me some J Crew, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and Forever 21.  Not sure what else one would need.  Well, okay, some IKEA maybe.  Okay, well, I could do without a lot of retail out there.

I mean, seriously, she looks happy.  I'll stop now.

P.S.- Have you seen Cassi's new kid craft website, The Crafty Crow?  Its exciting for me, to have all those great kid crafts out there together in one handy blog.  Things like this will be my saving grace this summer.  Thank you Cassi!  I was excited that the hot rocks project the kids and I did from last summer made it on there.  Give these a go this summer if you haven't already.

boycotting butter

Hope everyone had a great Easter!  I made these coconut cupcakes for a brunch with friends today.  They are Ina's, from this book, so you can guess that they have a tremendous amount of butter in them.  I have made so many of Barefoot Contessa recipes, they always turn out great, consistently.  Her recipes are always doable, and lush.  These were just incredible in all their buttery goodness, but I swear I may be done with butter for the immediate future.  I'm now officially sick of them and would love to give you each one to take home.  I feel arteries shutting down as I'm typing. 

Oh I love holidays that allow me to eat myself into grossness this way...

Being true pacific northwesterns and ignoring the downpour of morning rain, my kids tromped out into the back yard in pjs, raincoats, and boots, to gather the Easter eggs at about 8:00am this morning (much more civilized than the 5 and 6 am of years past).  They'd worked themselves into a chocolate induced frenzy by about 10:00am.  Peter bet them that they could not physically sit still for even a minute by 10:15am, which they could not (and you thought that was just a bad shot above, my camera can't focus in on that kind of kid energy, there must be a special lens).  I am happy to say that after warm baths and thoroughly heated warms, they are officially in bed and asleep, 8:15 pm.  Whew!

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I have some long overdue thank you's to send out to some lovely bloggers who have so graciously awarded me with some awards.  Jan of Little Pink Houses, Jo of Blissed Out, and Pauline of Life According to Pauline.  "Creative Blogger" and "You Make My Day" awards.  I can't thank you guys enough, not only because I really am one of those people who never win anything, but because I feel so honored to be a part of this community of creative women and men.  The fact that you take the time to stop here each day means more to me than words can express.  So, thank YOU.  For letting me be here in this space, for letting me sort out creative thoughts. 

spring 08 inspiration

The new look for my studio bulletin board.

Today I love -

menswear plaids mixed with liberty prints / bertoia chairs / hable construction fabric covered horseshoes / trophy cupcakes / these looks / crispina french pillows / anthropologie viceroy quilt / d i y dollhouse

Tomorrow it will probably be something else, but for now this is floating my boat.  You can click on the picture to take you over to the Flickr set for a closer look.

Happy Spring!

bonding over craft (room)

There is a new trend of having kids in my studio after school.  Today Ian spent another afternoon in here, drawing comics.  Emma sits and looks through my books, saying things like "Mom, I think we should make something."  (Which usually means a quilt...you know, something quick like that.)  This trend started when I put in my new worktable, attempted to improve the huge lack of task lighting (thank you cute $10 IKEA pendant lights), and capped it all with a major clean up.  Peter came in the other day and didn't just stand nervously by the doorway.  He came in.  He sat down.  And stayed.  I myself am finding this whole communal studio gathering fascinating.  Seriously it wasn't that bad before.

But now that I have little people in here a lot, I am pining away to do some of these kid crafts from Arounna Khounnoraj's blog.  I stumbled onto this site through Bloesem and really can't wait to try a few of these projects.  We have time this week, and I most definitely have the supplies for this.  And this.  Even the music is different in here this week.  I recently discovered Foday Musa Suso & Jack DeJohnette (you can listen to samples of the tracks if you scroll down the page). It is perfect music for our house right now, so easy to listen to while I work.  Emma and Ian's entire school has been studying Africa this year, had many African musicians come and play.  Now I'm completely smitten with the sounds those traditional instruments have.

And totally unrelated (but maybe not), my new favorite green is what I'm referring to as the "Nancy Drew green", because its on the cover of my copy of #25 "The Ghost of Blackwood Hall". (I have no idea what I would use or need this newfound green for, mind you, but I feel good about finding it, nonetheless.)  Don't you think Nancy would have some sort of supercool charm bracelet?  That she would wear only on her off-hours of course.  I mean, you wouldn't want that klinkle sound to give you away when you're on the job.  Although those charms that turned into a flashlight, or a tiny pocket knife might come in handy.

These three bracelets are commissions that are shipping out tomorrow.  There will be all new charming bracelets in the shop next week.

jewel-like

Sweet little bits I brought home with me yesterday.  Pearly shell rings, silver disks, milky white teardrop jewels, and the best of all, vintage buttons from old Victorian boots.  All on my new studio work table, which makes me even happier.

These will find future homes on charm bracelets. 

I have begun working on the studio.  It is already feeling better in here, even without opening a paint can.  I'm thinking of a very pale gray in here, there is a color in the Martha Stewart line at Lowe's called Mercury Glass that caught my eye.  The more I think about this, the more I need this room to be kind of a blank slate color-wise.  It needs to appear aesthetically clean (both literally and figuratively, but speaking figuratively at the moment).  There is definitely enough print and pattern flying around here on any given day, so that narrows it all down a bit.  It is funny how what we wear and how we color our homes are (or seemingly are not) related, as some of you pointed out.  My clothes have been very black this year, with an occasional shot of fuchsia or that blue I love peeking out of a sweater or around my waist as a belt.  I have worn a basic black J Crew cardigan with the sparkly rhinestone buttons almost every day since Christmas.  But its all been pretty basic.  Maybe this studio just needs some black, a few sparkly rhinestones, and a shot of the teeniest bit of blue.  Let's ask my studio partner-

Maybe you've heard of him, a very famous comic book artist.  Give this guy a sharpie, about five sheets of white paper and a stapler and in no time you'll have yourself an original one-of-a kind comic.

I have the best studio mates.

color

(from March 2008 Living Etc)

I don't know, but I am pri-tee sure this is what my sofa looks like when she sneaks out at night to go party.

Isn't that just??....WOW!  I mean, dude, that is one gutsy sofa.  Each of those colors are just the perfect shade, they are the matriarchs of their color families, for sure.

Something about a particular color of blue and green that's really getting to me these days.  Like this blue sofa-

(from Flea Market Style)

I'm thinking a Pantone #306 C (go here, choose "North American", "Paper" and type in 306 C to get the color).

Then there's a green that I'm liking these days too, Pantone #363 C.  I to refer to it as Uniform Studio green, because when I saw this photo that's starting looking for a good green during the most mundane parts of my days.

I am so fickle about color.  I like what I like, and that seems consistent (the blues, the greens, that sort of thing).  But I have such a hard time making real commitments to color in anything...clothing, paint...whatever.  The minute I go neutral I wish I'd picked something bright or bold.  The minute I pick color I am worried I'll grow tired of it in a week. I'm thinking about all this mainly because I'm working on my studio this week.  Its been 2 years since there was some real attention paid to this space, its high time.  I will share my progress with you if you promise to keep me on task.  You see, I really want to give it a coat of paint, whatever color that may end up being, and I tend to stare at unopened cans of paint like they will magically open up and paint themselves.  It's never happened, but I keep trying.

Have a lovely day!