Memories on a necklace

Five years ago today, I lost my dad. It was only a few weeks ago I could bear to take the key to his house, my childhood home, off my keychain. But when I did, I decided it still needed a home somewhere. So I turned it into a necklace I can wear whenever I want to go home in my head.

The locks are probably changed by now, the people in it have probably painted over my pink bedroom walls and torn out the carpet with the bleach stain I accidentally left on it. But it'll always be the key to my house. The one I will always remember and wear around my neck.

Rainy day inspiration

So today I took down the old craft bins from the top of the fridge (AKA "my craft den") and was inspired by the gray and rain outside to stay inside and get some projects done that were a long time coming.

A baby blanket for a friend's baby who is already three months old. A bag commissioned by a friend in August that I'd been too busy to get around to. My sister-in-law's dress from May that needed to be taken in and hemmed-- oh, and a couple of pillows for good measure with some extra material left over.

Two broken needles, countless pokes, two Band-Aids and numerous bent pins later, this is what came out from under my Janome today.

Awesome Alert--New Amy Butler Fabrics!!

Ahhhh, there's nothing like an e-mail from Amy Butler's website in your inbox to get the blood flowing again. She's got a new line of fabrics out called LOVE! and I'm in love with the Stone Path design. SO CUTE!

CrAfTYy BaStArDs!

Saturday's Crafty Bastards event in Adams Morgan was IN-cre-di-ble.

So many amazing things, so many creative thinkers, so many people making a connection to handmade goods-- it was awesome to be a part of it. It inspired me to get out there and do it myself-- a friend and I are hoping to share a booth at the next handmade crafts fair on December 4 in Silver Spring.

Of course I always go with the idea I'll get Christmas gifts, when in reality I'm just subconciously shopping for myself. Among my purchases-- a limited edition Allison Rose Aretha Franklin t-shirt of her wearing her inauguration hat, an awesome headband from Candy Thief, a charm necklace from Loyalty & Blood, a couple of awesome postcards from Rar Rar Press and a cool pair of repurposed hardware earrings from Alitas Jewelery.

A big shout out to the ladies of Hello Craft for putting on such a lovely event. Here's some photos of the handmade goodies I scored and some that are just plain cool.

Happy crafting!

Vote for the Craftiest Bastard!

SOOOOO, are YOU coming to Crafty Bastards on October 3rd?

Of COURSE you are! You wouldn't want to be left out of this awesomeness, would you?

Speaking of which, you can still vote for your favorite Crafty Bastard here.

See you on Saturday-- bright and early!

Coolest. Earrings. Ever.

These are my FAVORITE earrings, ever since I got them a few months back. I met Christy Petterson at the Summit of Awesome last May. She's the face behind abardis, and makes the most fabulous silkscreened earrings ever. The floral pattern on these is from her grandmother's bathroom wallpaper. She silkscreens it, and other designs she's created, in various colors on shrinky-dink.

A great pop of color, and a great way to spruce up even the most boring of days. LOVE 'em!

Crafty Field Trip Time!

Last month my crafty partner-in-crime Mary Blanca headed up to Baltimore on a Hello Craft field trip to check out the Biggs and Featherbelle Lather Lab with a few other Hello Crafters. We had so much fun learning how they make soap, put lip balm in a tube and make their business a success. We even got to make our own body scrubs at the end.


Check out the article here and the Flickr feed of photos from Hello Craft here.