Acrylic Stash-busting Project #1: Make A Yarn Dog.

Every time someone finds out that I am a knitter, I instantly inherit several trash bags full of acrylic yarn from their aunt/grandmother/sister-in-law/boss/teacher/distant cousin/craigslist.

While I appreciate the sentiment, the reality of a room full of un-knittable yarn is looming. It's not that I am a yarn snob, I've just seen the damage that constantly knitting with unnatural fibers can do to your hands. I once watched a friend work on a red heart blanket until her hands were bleeding.

My friend Kellyn and I frequently host "crafternoons" in which we tackle the most heinous craft we can think of and giggle at the results. I was trying to come up with a way to use up some of the pallet o' yarn in my craft room and I thought about a craft that I had made 18 years ago in summer camp. After searching google for the phrase "yarn dog" for about twenty minutes, I'm pretty sure I found the exact directions the counselor had used a million years ago. I could remember the process, but needed help with the logistics.

This lil' guy took about two hours in all, and I couldn't be happier with the results. He's a far cry from the yarn-and-coat hanger mess the stood so proudly on top of my mee-maws dresser.

Make your own yarn dog and get rid of some of that inherited yarn!!!!

Recycled Wire Hanger Yarn Dog

Coming up...

-A Photoshop Tutorial

-My New Haircut

-Thrifting and Styling Tips with A Special Guest

FO: Woodland Wreath

I went into this project intending to finish the most perfect spring wreath. It was going to be oval, and covered in pastel mushrooms with a handmade cotton spun bunny standing in the center.

I had seen someone on TV soak the wreath and then re-shape it, removing the bits at the top top make a sort of oblong shape. I soaked it overnight. NOTHING HAPPENED. I soaked it for another day. NOTHING HAPPENED. I added dish soap and vinegar to the water. I am terrible at chemistry. NOTHING HAPPENED. This wreath refused to be re-shaped.

The perfectionist inside of me is on the verge of tears, but the wabi-sabi bro is telling me to just "chill-out, man".

I've already hung it in our little entryway and I'm slowly coming around. I think I would like it more if I could come up with names for the sheep (which I found at Sears, oddly enough).

Naming things always makes me feel better about them.

Let's make a list of really cute sheep names in the comments!!!

Coming Up...

-Acrylic Stash Busting Idea #1: Yarn Dog

-A Photoshop Tutorial

-My New Haircut

-Thrifting and Styling Tips with A Special Guest

Works Cited: Beatrix Potter Knitting

Sometimes, I just do random searches on Etsy to see what pops up. One day I was thinking about how I'd like to learn how to use watercolors, which eventually led me to Beatrix Potter. I mean, obviously, I knew who she was. A childhood friend of mine had had an affinity towards Jemima Puddleduck, and so we often read things from the Beatrix Potter body of work.

In addition to being an excellent writer, Beatrix Potter was quite an artist and after several pages of Beatrix Potter inspired china and figurines I finally came to this book. I couldn't find a fully scanned copy anywhere on the internet, but I did get to see a few shots of the patterns. I ordered it and prayed that there was some good stuff inside.

And I'm glad I did!!!! Can you believe those owl sweaters?! I'm definitely going to hone my color work skills because these need to made.

This is perhaps the cutest thing I have ever seen. I want to make this in a grown-up-man-boy size. I just hope I can score a nappy broom and a man-sized pair of wellies before the FO photo shoot.

I wasn't going to share this one. Can you believe how stingy I am?

All-in-all, the book is about 50/50 as far as "the good stuff" goes, maybe I'll do another post with all the heinous patterns I didn't share.

Coming Up...

-Acrylic Stash Busting Ideas

-A Photoshop Tutorial

-A Woodland Wreath

-My New Haircut

-Thrifting and Styling Tips with A Special Guest

camera drama.

The pictures for the next two posts are stuck inside of my camera!!! I don't know if it's the battery or the USB cable, but something is going on. I'll try to fix it in the morning.

Have a beautiful night!

PMV: The Honey Trees

I'm really terrible at watching movies. It's almost sad, really. Every time someone starts discussing cinema, I look at the floor (or go get a coffee, or count the ceiling tiles, or become really interested in the state of my fingernails). It's not that I dislike movies, there just doesn't ever seem to be enough time to sit around for 2-3 hours.

That being said, I am always "out-of-the-loop" as far as watching movies is concerned. After discussing how I had never seen "Breakfast at Tiffany's", a co-worker loaned me their copy. It took me more than a month to find a pocket of time to sit down and watch it.

AMAZING. I never cried so much while watching a film.

This song rings around in the back of my head at all times now. I keep searching YouTube for covers of "Moon River" and The Honey Trees and Morrissey may share the title for "Most Heart Wrenching Cover of Moon River That I Have Ever Found on Youtube and Listened to Repeatedly". That's not too big for a nice beauty-queen style sash, is it?

the martha list.

I have been exceptionally lazy this week and have not properly cared for my Pinterest boards, so there is no Vocabulary Lesson. Instead, I've decided to share a daily inspiration list from my magic little notebook.

Every night before bed, I watch an episode of the Martha Stewart Show (gotta love the DVR!). As I'm falling asleep, I scribble down craft ideas or recipes that I want to try. I also keep an impeccable inspiration + source list in OneNote.

As I started to fall asleep on Monday night Dave suggested that we make rock candy. I have only made rock candy once in my life, and I failed miserably. I checked the refrigerator every 20 minutes, and all I ended up with was a big glass of sugar water. Here's to second chances!

Cucumber + Hondeydew Juice sounds amazing! Our juicer has been getting dusty, and I think this maybe the perfect juice to get things back in order. It sounds so refreshing!!!!!

Does anyone have any good juicer recipes? I've really only juiced apples and kale; it's time to branch out.

I saw Mint Chocolate chip cookies on a blog, and can't wait to try them!!!! The recipes seems easy enough. I am usually threatened by baking just about anything, but these seems reasonable.

How do you organize all of your own crafty plans?

Sneak Peek: A Woodland Wreath

I'm just about to heat up the glue gun! Stay tuned!!!!

A Trip to the Beach with Aunt Millie.

first day of school (sort of).

Today was the first day of "Interpersonal Communication" class. I just found out that I need to complete 2 courses this summer so that I can graduate in the Fall/Winter. It's not sooo bad,

I get to wake up at 8am and chug terrible cafeteria coffee. I would bring my own but, I have a tendency to "misplace" travel mugs. Last Fall, I lost three (and one of them was fancy). I left them in classes, in hallways, and I may have even threw one out. It's far too much responsiblity for me. So, I have given up being a "travel-mug-guy".

After 3 hours of discussing body language, I sneaked into a classroom to these this pictures. I walked by it twice to make sure no one was in there. I don't know why I was concerned; I do pay to go there. It shouldn't be a big deal if I use a little chalk for a photo op.

Coming Up:

-Acrylic Stash Busting Ideas

-A Photoshop Tutorial

-A Woodland Wreath

-A Trip to the Beach with Aunt Millie

...and so much more!!!!!

PMV: Sia

Sia and I have had a lukewarm relationship. I first saw her on Meet me At Mikes blog (Pip and I have similar tastes in music), and I wasn't impressed. I thought that she had a clever "avatar" but I was trying not to subscribe to her "gimmicks".

Last week at work, we found a copy of her album, "We Are Born". I turned up my nose and said some sort of passive insult. However, later in the day a song came on and I rushed to the stereo to see who it was.

Of course, this is the part where I tell you that it was in fact the same "Sia" that I had thought I hated. I read her bio, and it got worse.

Sia is awesome.

I feel terrible. I am the worst kind of person.

I am baking cookies tonight, and mailing them to Australia in the morning. I hope she accepts my apology.

See for yourself:

Vocabulary Lesson: "Ensemble".

This week's vocabulary lesson is inspired by the 1992 movie, "Buffy The Vampire Slayer". Long before Sarah Michelle Gellar scored a sweet weekly with her band of minions; Kristy Swanson was doing back flips in the valley. I couldn't find a suitable video clip of the scene in question, so I've painstakingly copy/pasted a portion the script:

"A stranger, walking the other way, bumps into Buffy,

doesn't stop. A man of about fifty, he is dressed

shabbily, in a wrinkled black suit and a black shirt.

He somewhat resembles a priest.

BUFFY:(continuing) Excuse much! Not rude or anything.

KIMBERLY:(calling back)Nice ensemble!

NICOLE: What a homeless.

The girls continue walking. The man stops, turns to stare

after them. His look is intense, slightly worried, his face

somewhat haggard. Intelligence shines through his eyes.

He holds himself stiffly, arms close to him, almost as if he

expected something to strike at him."

I was ten years old when I first heard the word "ensemble" and I still use it

regularly. So, thanks Joss Whedon!

_____________________________________________________

Ensemble: [ahn-sahm-buhl]

noun, French origin (1740-50).

The entire costume of an individual,

especially when all the parts are

in harmony.

1. chadwick wayfarers

2. all naturowl

3. western button down

4. brown bear

5. army issue trousers

6. sears rain boots

7. thunder in our hearts tote

tuesday night knitting club; kipping those wips.

some days are better than others.

sometimes, i type the way that i feel into google.

i wonder if people have felt/are feeling the same.

some days, i find minor consolation.

other days, i find a product i can't live without.

today, i found this:

"some days are better than others" by matt mccormick.

"The film explores ideas of abundance, emptiness, human connection and abandonment while observing an interweaving web of awkward characters that maintain hope by inventing their own forms of communication and self-fulfillment. "

PMV: Beck.

source.

Beck Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970)^[5] is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck. With a pop art collage of musical styles, oblique and ironic lyrics, and postmodern arrangements incorporating samples, drum machines, live instrumentation and sound effects, Beck has been hailed by critics throughout his musical career as being amongst the most creative and idiosyncratic musicians of 1990s and 2000s alternative rock.

The four-time platinum artist rose to underground popularity with his early works, which combined social criticism (as in "MTV Makes Me Want to Smoke Crack" and "Deep Fried Love") with musical and lyrical experimentation. He first earned wider public attention for his breakthrough single "Loser", a 1994 hit.

-wikipedia

books and vignettes; a mini home tour.

Vocabulary Lesson: "Flocculence"

source.

"Flocculence" means having a fluffy or wooly appearance, and is usually associated with the color white.

source.

I have been collecting "flocculent" images for you all week. My Pinterest board is insane!!!
I really can't stop pinning fluffy clouds, or cozy looking beds.

source.

Symbolically, a cloud could be a prelude to an important revelation; while white represents purity, innocence, or even enlightenment. So, the term "flocculence" is really loaded; it's suggesting both a revelation and enlightenment. Try to approach this weeks "Vocabulary Lesson" with these things in mind.

source.

There is definitely something magical about this collection of things.

1. lion boy from VintageByCrystal

I love this little guy! I thought about trying to make some spun cotton ornaments myself, but for now, I'll leave it to the professionals...

2. parasol shawlette by this lyre lark

I don't think I have the patience to work on such intricate lace, but this photo is so inspiring!

3. hand knitted cream aran armchair slipcover by biscuitscout

I can't even believe this is real! I am blown away by the talent of this etsy seller!

4. bulky knit throw (source unknown)

SOOOOOOOOOOOO squishy!!!!!

5. andy's merino II from purlsoho

There's nothing I love more than a single-ply worsted weight yarn!

6. horned owl, also from VintageByCrystal

I confess . I may have a tiny craftercrush on Crystal. I saw her on Martha a few weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about her work.

Be sure to use this word "flocculent" in conversation today!