New Holiday Cards!

Somehow with all the stuff going on in my life...new baby, restarting my job, planning the No Coast Craft-o-rama, an out-of-state wedding, etc....I happened to find time to be inspired enough to design a few new holiday cards.
I hope you like them! They are available in my etsy store, or just shoot me an email!

Buy Handmade Pledge

There's a cool little web site encouraging people to buy handmade goods this holiday season. Of course, I both make, sell and buy handmade goods, so I fully support the cause. Not only that, but I help plan the No Coast Craft-o-rama where people all over the Twin Cities area can buy handmade from over 100 artists and designers. Not that I dislike the mall, or shopping, or buying some things that are mass produced (tights? underwear? toilet paper?), but when it comes to buying gifts, there really isn't anything I like giving or receiving more than something someone spent TIME on. Money is easy to come by in some ways, but creativity, time, thoughtfulness, originality...these are the things that make the receiver of a gift feel truly loved.

Please sign the Buy Handmade Pledge today!

If I Won the Lottery...

Sweatervest

Messenger Sling Tote

Vintage Button Hairpins

Adorable Cloche of Red
















Well, in reality, if I won the lottery, I'd be splitting it up lots of ways and probably not really concerned with the little things I'd buy, like clothes and stuff. But, a lottery win is probably the only impetus that would cause me to spend money on myself in what I would consider such a frivolous way. For me, if it didn't come from the thrift store, I paid too much. The exceptions are:

1. Good shoes
2. Jeans
3. Handmade stuff

So here are some things I am longing for right now and wish I had oodles of cash just waiting to be spent on myself! So if you have a spare couple hundred dollars laying around, feel free to go on a shopping spree for me!

Make Your Own Corpse!

Just in time for Halloween, our friend Scooter has released his DVD on how to make your own corpse . I watched it Thursday night and it's really pretty awesome. He shows you how to make the whole thing using a styrofoam mannequin head, a 5-gallon pail, some PVC pipe and a lot of glue sticks. I don't think I'd have the attention span to make the whole thing, but I definitely could pay attention long enough to make the head. It turns out looking fantastically creepy.

The other great part about this DVD is the vignettes in between segments -- Scooter's beautiful assistant Boompira is also a talented upholsterer if anyone needs any work done!

My TV Addiction: Anthony Bourdain No Reservations

Generally I don't become hopelessly infatuated with any show on TV. I've never been the type to say "I have to get home to catch Melrose" or "Let's go to Sex In the City Night down at the bar". I have to make one exception to this personal rule, however, for No Reservations. If it's on, look out -- I'm watching it.

What I most love about Anthony Bourdain's show is his sarcastic sense of humor. I particularly enjoyed the episode I watched yesterday in which he make the perfunctory visit to the Pina Colada joint in Puerto Rico (with the marble sign out front beckoning cruise ship tourists), only to sit and smirk smugly at the bar whilst sipping away at his drink, which came directly out of a massive mix dispenser behind the bar and included what else but a pink paper umbrella. I also love his jabs at Rachael Ray, Emeril and all other travel/food TV show hosts. He's so above that, right...?

His TV show isn't the only thing I admire about him. I also read his book Kitchen Confidential and enjoyed it quite a bit. I haven't read his other books, but they'll all be on my wish list for Santa this year.

So you'll understand my excitment that Mr. Bourdain will be stopping by Minneapolis for a talk and book signing at the Triple Rock on November 26th. I'm so there. The whole family is so there. I want my four month old to be able to say he had a brush with true chef/TV show/author genius.

Happy Birthday Secret Friend!

My friend is having a birthday this weekend, and I'm spoiling her gift surprise on my blog. Am I lame, or just a tease? Hopefully she likes it! Hopefully it fits!

I would have to say this friend is my most stylish friend, so it's pretty intimidating making clothes for her. But, this fabric called out to me as something she would like. I know it's pretty off-season, but what the heck. She can wear it next summer. I used this Favorite Things pattern called Prairie Girl. Although she lives in Iowa, I don't really think of her as a prairie girl...but whatever.

Anyhoo...I like the pattern, and just made a few adjustments. In particular, I tacked down the neck facing and widened the facing around the bottom of the arm. I also sewed in the "dickie" as I'm really kind of opposed to dickies in general.

Happy Birthday, friend! I know you sometimes read this blog, so I hope I don't totally ruin the surprise!!

Christmas Stockings

I recently started knitting my baby a stocking for Christmas. I didn't have to look hard, I found an excellent pattern in Alison Isaacs book Holiday Knits. You can see my progress above. I knit after the baby eats as he dozes on my lap, and it works out pretty well. I am excited that this will be the only gift he gets from us for Christmas, as I know he will be completely and ridiculously spoiled by his other admirers.

I love having the stockings on our mantle at Christmas, and I always start getting excited for that season around this time of year when there's just the slightest hint of coolness in the air. The stockings I made for Mr. Pumpkin and I made out of a couple of old wool sweaters I got at the thrift store. I cut out the stocking shapes and sewed them together with contrasting yarn. Pretty simple, but cute. The baby's is going to be much cuter, though.

Anyway, if you're inspired to make a stocking or two, here are a bunch of cool patterns I found hunting around on the internet. There are about a million patterns out there, but I tried to keep the list to the ones I found the cutest. Enjoy!

Knit Stockings:
Striped Stocking
Boot Shaped Stocking
Knit Stocking with Baubles
Fisherman Stocking
1945 Stocking
Christmas Tree Sock Stocking
Felted Stocking
Mini Stocking
Berroco's "John", Felted Sean and Colleen Stockings

Crochet Stockings:
Basic Crochet Pattern
Granny Square Stocking
Hilarious Owl Wizard Stocking
John Deere Stocking

Sewn Stockings:
High-heeled Boot Stocking by flamgirlant on Craftster.
Melissa's DIY Felt Stocking
Quilted Stocking with Embroidered Names by folara on Craftster.
Necktie Stocking by gwensmom on Craftster.
Applique Stocking by Boffcat on Craftster.

Martha Stewart Stockings:
Sweater Stocking
Quilted stocking
Handkerchief stocking.

Stockings For the Furry Family Members:
Dog Paw Stocking

Not Such a Lazy Sunday

Sunday my sister and neices came to town and we were so productive! They made the baby his first baby food -- applesauce and cooked carrots -- and we froze the lot of it for when he's ready. We also made caramel apples and pretzels. AND, to top it all off I made chili. Wow, I need a day off! The caramel apples were good, but I sure wish I could find a better caramel variety than the Kraft (crap) they sell at the store. And I really hate unwrapping all those darn caramels.