Monkeyporkbun

Maker Faire Inspiration

Miss B came home from Maker Faire today with a fire in her belly for sewing. From a very early age, like when we had money to burn on private school, the mantra around the house was "don't buy something if you can go home and make one better." And that might be true with a lot of things, if only there were more time in a day. There are always plenty of sewing machines, spools of thread, yarns, paints, glitters, papers, brushes, pens and pencils to do just that with. Apparently, she was quite smitten with these.

My first sewing lesson probably looked a lot like the photo below. Sewing machine whirring about ten feet away from the piano, with me asleep somewhere nearby with Gran and Mom stitching up goods. I have a feeling Little E didn't wanna miss out on the Making Action, especially when she knew what Miss was up to. No, she couldn't quite fall asleep up there. Not with Daddy , who ditched me for poker in Tiburon, and not with me either.

Even after a late night due to sleepover, followed by an early morning today to get out the door to be treated all day to Maker Faire, Miss B stayed up and made patterns and pinned and cut and sewed and turned body parts for 2 wouldbehoodwinks. One for her and one for Little E. She asked if I would detail the faces tonight, but I told her I would instead help her do them tomorrow and then we could stuff and sew 'em all up.

I guess I'm kind of a proud Mama. Who can blame me? They're so darned cute! I'll post photos when finished. G'night!

Cabin Fever

It's true. I have had Cabin Fever here at Monkeyporkbun. From the picture below, chomping a beeswax gecko you can clearly see I've lost more than a few marbles this winter! I'm having a milestone birthday this year and I've begun planning like a mad(wo)man. Shaking off the Winter Blues feels really great.

I suppose this milestone birthday has me thinking. Or at the very least reorganizing my priorities. This is what my list looks like now:
1. Ride bikes with E and B
2. Swim with E and B
3. Take B and friends to ice cream
4. Plan summer slumber party
5. Learn new jumprope songs to share with B and her friends
6. Come up with new gift ideas from the "full moon fairy"
7. Anticipate the next tooth falling out
8. Writing a story about myself as a girl for my girls (and for my father and brother)
9. Organize photos and collect data with Nana
10. Spin, swim and run every second I get.
11. Make meals for friends
12. Smile more.

After I finished this project, all I could think about was playing. It's true I really did become addicted to making log cabin squares, hence the post title, and I can't wait to sew up some new skirts and gifts, but the sun is out! I'm torn to bits. I have a quilt to get to Sonya, raffle gifts to make for the Relay, a housewarming gift, HTML to rework, and product descriptions to write, but as the sign indicates up above, there are only so many hours in a day or so many opportunities. My girls are growing fast and my heart aches to think that I will spin them away making and selling things and writing things that twenty years from now are not going to matter to them or to myself.

We have been seeing a lot of this. . .

 
  And doing a lot of this . . .

In an effort to have a clearer design process I've been attempting to do less blogsurfing and more house tinkering. I look at my blog and some things I've written and it feels like I'm sounding like others and quite honestly it makes me feel like a wannabe. To blaze my own trail so to speak, we've been getting a lot of outdoors in. Will I ever design/make/sell full time?  Maybe. But not right now. If I blink I'll miss something. An opportunity to giggle? An unsolicited hug and kiss simply because I was available? A first sentence? Something important going on at school? Piano lessons if I overplan? Choices can be overwhelming. I'd love to hear how others arrive at where they are now. I guess I read blogs because I'm happy to see others doing it. It can be done. I just have to keep living my dream, with the occasional edit.
 
   

Thanks for reading! (I know it's all over the place!) Have a great weekend! This is our favorite bakery. The hours are above at the top.

Back in the Saddle

Unfinished Stitchette Log Cabin Square

Phew! That was one long Spring Break. We kept a good rhythm around here though with playdates and naps and mealtimes and bedtimes and no television. I am amazed. Now Miss B's back to school and I get to sew a little more. I think I'd better start thinking about producing enough to stock the shop through summer. And I can finally get my waxing done. These brows could be the star in a famous Eric Carle book. And I will because I'm being asked for my headshot. Now what to do about this odd acne breakout. The esthetician asks.

So I think I'll begin by making more of these log cabin squares. And maybe more pillowcases. I've been asked for a duvet. And my sister in law just bought a house in Lake Tahoe so maybe they'll be needing something as well. Potholders? Oven gloves? Personalized towels? Pillowcases, a lap quilt. We'll think of something, that's a guarantee. That it'll be finished by Christmas. Maybe.

Cozy Up

Since September I have been coordinating a project in my community. And only now have I begun to piece together a prototype log cabin square. (It's the buried thing in this photo. My camera died this morning just after it snapped this.) And this one isn't even to go into the end project. It was to see how well the pattern I drafted last week would work. During this trial, I found this tutorial  at a great blog called Craft Actually. This tutorial is just perfect for beginners like me. I have made other simple quilts, just never a log cabin. And Helen was absolutely right. In her post she said "Soon you will not be able to stop." Indeed. I am now obsessed with cutting strips and straight stitching. But this post probably gave that away ages ago. I am really enjoying this process.

This said project is a super special secret and involves many incredible individuals. I have worked out the kinks now and can turn over the fabric to some kind folks to help cut lovely strips. I have been offered a lot of help and for the first time ever on something like this, I'm excited to delegate. I will do embroidering in each of the "special" squares.

For a project of this caliber involving so many hands, the to do list looked something like this:

Identify seamstresses in the group
Identify seamstresses with piecing, applique, embroidery or quilting experience
"Select" colorway
Coordinate individuals for "designing" fabric. (This was what took the longest. I started in January and I am almost finished. I've moved on to the next steps because not having them will not hold up the project. We can add them when they are finished which will be next week.)
Bust into stash and supplement with purchased fabrics if necessary to fit colorway.
Draft a pattern.
Try the pattern out.
Examine "designed" pieces and cut out best sections.
Embroider each cut out section.
Cut many many strips.
Gather 12 strips for each section.
Piece together around centerpiece.

Jump Right In . . .

                                                                           

to the New Year! The original title for this post was Monkeyporkbun University. For the month by month of crafting or craft related endeavors listed below. I could accomplish new projects in a fair amount of time if planned well, so I've decided to give myself the opportunity to try one new thing per month. Production swamps my brain, so if I plan time to be creative, then I have something to look forward to and be excited about when things are feeling swampy. I hope that didn't sound like a complaint, because I really love what I do. Keep reading, there's a giveaway!

There are just so many things I have wanted to try. So I thought I'd make YET another list, can you believe it? Yes, another list. But this list is different. This list isn't a wish list, an I ought to, I should, I would like to, I'm thinking about, maybe I'll, or anthing like that kind of list. This list is a guilt free list of things that I WILL DO. And how do I plan on accomplishing this pray tell? Simply by having a plan. Having a plan is the first step indeed. So, on a monthly basis, I will be trying one project that I have been inspired to create, do, or make, by someone else here in blogland. Do I have any excuses for not trying yet? Limits that I have been placing on myself. I've worked hard at lifting them and I just feel incredible.

Hey, how about a giveaway! Blog about a creative breakthrough you've had, whether recently or in the past, and link back to this post. Oh, and please remember to leave a comment. The randomly selected winner, whether selected by my cats, children or random number generator, will get to choose one of the list items that I made, excluding of course item number 3 - the event in Chicago. Deadline for entry, February 29!

Steal the button from above for your blog too! Ready? Here's the list of projects I've been dying to try. And you could win one of them!

1. Lisa Tutman Oglesby: tagged scrapbook
2. Wee Wonderfuls: clothing for kidlets
3. Heather Bailey: Country Living Women Entrepreneurs event in Chicago(and maybe take in a Bulls game with Dad)
4. House on Hill Road: I am inspired by Erin to participate in more swaps. I just passed this swap up.
5. Turkeyfeathers: pillow with a hand embroidered square or two from one of her patterns
6. Molly Chicken: Lavender baby
7. Shannon: Stencilry freezer paper project
8. AnnaMaria Horner: painted fabric silhouette
9. Amy: papercutting
10. Linda: oven mitt
11. Jenny Harris: crazy nine patches (I'll do potholders instead of a big quilt though)
12. Sally Jean Alexander: Art collage charms.

And you can bet I'll be posting my proud results!

Skirt Flirt Checkin' Off

Finish two skirts. Check. I love making skirts. I'm hunting down the perfect black wool for my winter skirt. Sold out! But these I love. The Fall colour is for Miss B and we are attending an Olive Party tomorrow so the colors and shapes are apropos. The Chocolate Lollipop patterns are for Miss Ruby, who had a birthday recently. When Miss B receives a camera as a gift I'm certain the photos on my blog will get better and better. She has such a great eye and is very artistic. I'm always excited to see her notebook from school.

Coordinate a short playdate for Miss B. I thought I would need a sanity break more than I actually did. It's a nice rainy day and B really wanted to sew.

Buy a denim covered tri-fold futon for girls' room. Check. I found it here. This will make it simple to have slumber parties and ease those middle of the night wake ups that need Mamacuddle.

Find red corduroy for advent calendar project. Check. No photo, it's really just pinwale and it's red. But it was in the bargain bin at an unmentionable fabric store.

Make chicken pot pie. Check. This was yummy. And easy because I made two the last time and froze one without the puff pastry crust. All I had to do tonight was slap that crust on and pop it in the oven, then toss a salad. Voila! When Jason walked in this evening after a long and rewarding day of film festival activity and asked if there was anything to eat, he was very pleased to hear that chicken pot pie was waiting for him on the stovetop.

Make hot chocolate and popcorn for Miss B and tell stories about when I was young. Check. We've been talking about compassion so I was telling her stories about when I worked as a Nursing Assistant in high school. I remember such an immense feeling of appreciation coming from my patients.

Say good night and send well wishes and prayers. Check. Today was an easy day. Tomorrow is a busy day. Must needs sleep.

Love Works

I have been taking good care of myself and this is how. If you remember this post, this small portion of my studio is proof of progress. When everything is in its place I'm very peaceful. I've heard this described as internally organized by my external environment. So now I'm ready to execute all of our crafty holiday plans. Miss B and I have been designing a new advent calendar. At first it was pretty basic. Then I had some really fun ideas and she was thrilled when I told her. She began her sewing season tonight and we had a great time. Sewing, seamripping, trimming.

I love doing patchwork and making potholders out of the fabric. Something about completing a bunch of mini quilts is very satisfying. I did a bunch last year and they were such happy gifts. This year I have an incredible sewing machine that does embroidery and has great quilting stitches.

I have really been enjoying using the lettering feature on the machine.
The leaf motif was free motion. I quite enjoy that as well and am getting much better at it.

Now if I could just be better at always remembering that I have the camera on me and to take pictures of absolutely everything! I can hardly believe I didn't remember to take pics of the film fest last night.

Making Peace

A few things done. This onesie set is off in the post as a gift. But there will shortly be more in the store. Shortly means in a few minutes this time. Another one of these sets will be entered in this here blog contest . . .

And he comes with  . . .

a little toy for a special boy . . .or girl.

Unveiled for the somethingth time because I'm sure I've posted her photos here before albeit with a cousin bunny in tow. Here is Peace Kitten. She sleeps. She is peaceful. She is unarmed. She is Peace Kitten.  She is the second of a limited number of these Peace Pals, the first was a bunny cousin who Miss B quickly claimed by chewing her ear. "Mine!" is what her action seemed to have said. So now my new habit is to make something for one of the girls before I send something to photoshop to put in the etsy store. This will hopefully create more peace around my making things for others. But what a busy lass I will be! Does anyone else have this same dilemma? I love it, I do. And it's cuter when there are friends over. Can ya make me one too! And I usually try to. I've misplaced my magic wand somewhere though. It'll have to wait though, because there is more peacemaking on the way. This set is for the bloghunt also.
 

Complete with peace hat, peace boots, and peace cape. Oh, and I forgot to mention and photograph her very cute label behind.

Getting ready . . .

Sew. In addition to all mentioned in my last post, we've also been busy preparing for this.

Technically speaking I have been taking a technology break because my very darling husband who is well missed by now has been travelling on business. It has also been a nice break to improve my talents for domesticity. I will soon be posting pics of the newly organized sewing/craft room. Remember the photos in this post? It promises to impress. I don't know how cute it is, but I'm thrilled! My giant koala sewing station and my giant laser printer, fabric ladder, and a small sewing station for Miss B all fits in this room that is hardly bigger than a queen sized bed. My camera has been on vacation and when it returns I'll be able to post the photos of the room and the prize I've been making for the fun button above. I think it's time we become a two-camera family, don't you? Is there anyone else out there that shares a camera with the family? Am I the only one that is so selfish to want something other than knickers and socks to call her own?

I think I need to do some cooking now. Friday is brisket day at our house. And it cooks all day long. The sun's out here so I might sip some Lillet.

Peace, pals.

Where did I go? Oh, right. There I am. When I start playing in Photoshop, I just never wanna stop. How many rectangles in this pic? You'd be insane to try to count, but it came out of a "I wonder what will happen if I just keep . . .ooh, neat, and well this is what happened. It was great fun, like mud pies when you're 4 years old and have just put on some clean white clothes.

In getting back to this post, I have been working on odds and ends. Like these happy tapes. For happy pants and other things happy.

And all while I've been finishing this, that and many tapes happy, someone small and soft and cuddly has been nappy.



And peaceful.

And when she finally awoke, it was the bunny that spoke and bestowed her a gift straight away.

Miss B decided that Peace Bunny would live here with us. These are my peace pals soon to be listed in the store. I have long been inspired by the simplicity of scrap dolls and it had been awhile since B and I had made one. So I made one and then two and I have three more on the way. Funny how when there is a bunny involved how quickly things begin to multiply. They're wonderful and fun and it was only after I had sewn bunny up and began to hug her that I realized she had been made without any arms to hug  me back. Unarmed. Peace. Peace pals. I know it's corny, you'll have to forgive me, but it runs in the family you see. For once when I had traveled for months through Europe one of my stops was Czechoslovakia and when I returned my father declared me a "canceled Czech." badumbump. You see it really does run in the family. Bad puns, we just can't help ourselves. We've been gypped of the gene that helps control that sort of thing. I love all of the things that I have inherited from my father. No, no - he's still alive, it isn't like that at all. So what are some of those things? Lemme see, for one the ability to love deeply and unabashedly even though sometimes it hurts. Also, like this post, I can trail on and on and on and weave a yarn thick enough to warm the state of Minnesota, that's like my Dad. We can get on the phone and you would think we were girlfriends. Three hours later and what would have been a giant phone bill in the past, we hang up weeping and then smiling. This is my Dad. Yes, and the corny jokes that sometimes no one will laugh at. But us. *sigh* I love you, Dad. My goodness, this is really a bloggy journal sort of thing, isn't it?

Drop me a line, tell me a corny joke and what you love that you've inherited from your parents that no one might know but you. Peace, pals. Be back soon.