Lions and Tigers and Bear(hats), Oh My!

So in light of my failure to spent my free time (due to unemployment) in any sort of creative way for me to post here (its hard to be motivated with no heat and no unemployment money - none yet, at least) I have decided to give you a little taste of my knitting abilities. Because my last post touched on a very grainy photo of my boyfriend's niece and nephew wearing some adorable hats I made them, I thought maybe I would show off some better pictures of the rest of my animal hat repertoire!

These hats are infant sized, which I made for the birth of my own nephew over a year ago:


I also made an infant hat of a frog for a co-worker, but I forgot to take a photo of it, and I have to say that is was not one of my best (I gave myself an impossible timeline...). So I just thought I would share these cute little jewels, I am really starting to enjoy the production of animal hats. They are adorable and it is so much fun when they turn out how I want them too...I mean, just look at that duck above, isn't he just the most precious hat ever? (it helps that my nephew is by far the cutest kid ever, he is a good children's hat model for me!)

I'm Back!

Hello! I am so so sorry for the very long hiatus! I was busy being very important, then subsequently being unemployed, and then enjoying that by going on a tropical vacation! Since the month of December was so busy for me, productivity has been down. I have a couple of photos to share with everyone in order to pass the time (and get you ready for the coming months in which my productivity will skyrocket - hopefully)

By popular request, here is a photo of my first sewing project: The Tablecloth (yes, I have officially named it, I am a girl, everything needs a name)














Next (and I am so sorry for the horrible resolution, the photo was sent to me via text message) are the very fun and creative winter hats I made for my boyfriend's niece and nephew. If you cannot tell, the nephew got a bear and the niece got a black cat. I actually really love these hats, and maybe in the coming weeks I can get a better photo of them. But here they are looking so totally adorable (I am talking about both the hats and the kids!).



If anyone is interested in some animal hats for themselves, or those they love, feel free to comment here or send me a message! I recently have a lot of free time on my hands and could probably make most animals within a couple of weeks!

SUCCESS!!

I have done it! I used my sewing machine! I did go through a lot of thread before I got it right...but I didn't sew through my finger so I would say all in all it was a very successful venture!

I made a table cloth. It is just a 64" square piece of fabric, but I hemmed all the edges and I am so proud of myself that I had to write about it here!

Next I am going to take on making pillows...this should be more interesting as there are far more logistics in making pillows...like corners...and zippers and things of that nature. I will report back when I feel more confident about my sewing prowess!

But I sewed something! All on my own!! I even threaded the bobbin and the needle (which is really hard to see, by the way).

Phew, that is all for now. I am open to easy projects for beginning seamstresses...let me know what I should make next!

Now I Know!

I have been so busy lately that finding time to create my art, let alone post on here about it, has been quite difficult. I now understand why being an artist is considered a full time job...because it is! I have a million ideas swirling around in my head and only a measly one to two hours a week to get them out of there! Here is what is swirling around, just so you can get a sense of how full my head really is:

*a series of season leaf/tree paintings...I have this idea to make them in a style with Asian influence. Elongating the canvas so it reads more like a scroll, and using soft muted colors with strong black lines...maybe even use ink for the tree branches, etc. I really want to get started on this one because it is so exciting for me! I want to see what it will look like, and if I am able to produce the image I have of it in my head.

*I really want to start using my sewing machine. I haven't found time to go to the fabric store to pick up fabric, needles, thread or a pattern (this is part of why not having a car can sometimes be annoying, it takes so long to get somewhere by bus that once I get out of work and over to the fabric store...the store is already closed!) BUT I have plenty of awesome ideas in my head.
Those are projects such as a) new pillow shams for the pillows on the couch in the living room. b) a cute fall skirt. c) an awesome fall work dress (I am imagining a 40s inspired pencil skirt type dress with a soft - or boat cut - neckline....)

Meanwhile I am busy trying to juggle work and class while leaving enough time for me to come home and relax with a glass of wine. Life sure is hard :)

Fall Apparel for Those Who Love Fall!

As an introduction maybe I will give you a little about me:
Knitting has been a hobby of mine since I was a young girl. My grandma was very old fashioned and decided to teach my sisters and I everything she knew about knitting. I must admit that during high school I felt to be "too cool" to knit, but I eventually took up the lost art again when in college (thanks to Agnes and the Knitting Club!!)

While I have tried my hand at knitting all sorts of articles of clothing and outerwear (I have yet to try knitting a sweater, too much work) such as scarves, hats, socks, gloves, and baby booties the only article I have seemed to have perfected is the knitted hat. I must admit that I have probably 10 to 15 completed hats in various colors and sizes in my many storage boxes of belongings.

Only recently, with my monetary drought brought on by the fact that I now pay rent (who knew living at home could be so incredibly cheap!?), have I decided to dig up these lost wonders and take advantage of the time and money I spent on them! Some I have saved to give as presents (expect a knitted hat from me at Christmas...) and others I have selected to be my guinea pigs to sell online.

Here is my first such experiment: I shall call it Striped Hat with Flowers!

Now my request of you, my patient readers. Would it possible to sell such an article? Right now my only suggestion has been to sell these via Etsy but I don't want to rush into anything and would like some feedback from the general publish first. Also, how do I price something like that? Making it is fairly simple for me, and the most expensive part is usually the yarn (I think this particular cashmere blend was about $10 a skein).

Your comments and suggestions are welcome! Please help me out here, I am swimming in new waters...

My Heart Sings!

The very concept of owning a sewing machine is fascinating to me. All through my childhood I was plagued with the curiosities of making my own clothes. Knowing nothing about sewing machines my interest slowly faded and I began to develop the very expensive and stereotypical past time of clothes (and SHOES!) shopping.

For the past few years I have been indulging my interests (see the art projects below...) and therefore have been wanting, ever so desperately, my very own sewing machine. To my good fortune, I was recently out taking a Sunday stroll through local garage sales, and I found this beauty!! For $20 this Singer sewing machine circa 1980 was mine, ALL MINE!

Now with my excitement bubbling over I came home only to discover that I have absolutely NO IDEA how to use a sewing machine. And let me tell you, you can't just step on the pedal and hope that it sews whatever piece of fabric you might have stuck under its ever so sharp needle...


















So here my sewing machine sits...on my art table. The needle gleams in the sunshine...taunting me because I want to use it so bad but, to be honest, it scares the heeby jeebies out of me!

In order to begin my sewing tutorial, I have started watching Project Runway with an intense passion to learn. Now I know that this is no way to teach myself how to sew...but it is so inspiring that after each episode I take one new step closer to actually using my sewing machine.

See that purple thread? That was my most recent step. Baby steps people, baby steps. Maybe this week I can move on to using a bobbin (after first figuring out what exactly a bobbin is?)

Adventures with Golf Leaf

Gold leaf is my new favorite art supply...

For those of you who have never even touched gold leaf, let me explain. Gold leaf is the most difficult medium (can I call it an art medium?) I have ever worked with. It sticks to everything, it is very fine, and easily tears, crumples, or simply blows away (if it is a windy day and the windows are open...which it was and they were). But the best part, it is SHINY! You are basically working with little flecks of gold which is a little frustrating but very beautiful and when used correctly creates the most amazing visual effect.

After hours of application, with little old me hunched over my yellow table trying desperately to figure out the best and most successful techniques in applying this tricky yet FABULOUS medium, I have a satisfactory painting that I am actually pretty happy and excited about.



Haystack Rock
September 2009










This moonscape had been stuck in my head for ages! Over the summer the boyfriend and I spent a few weekends at Cannon Beach along the Oregon coast and let me tell you, Oregon beaches are absolutely beautiful!!

At Cannon Beach we would often spend the evening around a bonfire along the beach, watching the flickering shadows of other beach goers under the starlight. Every evening the moon would set along the horizon almost exactly like this. The silhouette of Haystack Rock in the background. The painting itself was always a little too dark for me to capture, but with the gold leaf I think it looks perfect. With the glimmering moon and stars overhead and the sand and ocean waves at your feet. Makes me wish I still had a real summer vacation to spend at the beach...enjoy!

*Note: if using gold leaf, do not leave your window open on a windy day. If you do, make sure there is a video camera present and ready...hilarity will ensue...