The Chic Chickadee

Oh my!: It's "Get these nudies dressed!" week at The Chic Chickadee

2012-02-06T05:37:00.000-08:00

As part of my all cashmere experiment, I made 2 cashmere bunny buddies. The week before I made three wool bunny buddies, a wool mouse, and a wool monkey.

A ballerina bunny was one of the first stuffed animals I ever made. So, I've made quite a few. I really enjoy making adjustments to create new animals. I think I did a pretty good job on a mouse and I'm TOTALLY in love with the monkey!

So, I've got seven plush buddies that need to get dressed and only a single little blue cardigan so far. So, the focus of this week coming up will be outfits for them all. I'm thinking that monkey is begging for some adorable overalls and a tee shirt. There will definitely be at least one ballerina in the bunch. And, a fun summery dress needs to go with the cardigan. What do you think? How should I dress the rest?

Tips for Using Recycled Cashmere

2012-02-05T17:37:00.000-08:00

Hi All! I do believe it's been a successful cashmere week if I do say so myself. Check out what I've made.

Patterns I have made in cashmere before:

Two Buddy Bunnies
Alligator

Patterns I've made before but never in cashmere:

Duckie
Tortoise

New Soft Sculptures (never made in cashmere)

African Violet
Cactus (Am I the only one that finds a cashmere cactus hilarious?!)

Brand spanking new:

Small cashmere cardigan from a big cashmere cardigan (more on this later!)

I'm really happy with how they all turned out. And, the focused use of cashmere was a great practice and definitely something that I'll do again.

Here are some things that I noticed that I thought would be helpful if you want to work with recycled cashmere sweaters.

Cashmere is slippery!
When cutting, it's much easier to use a rotary cutter. The extra softness, drapiness, and slippery-ness made scissors much more tough.
If you're working with a sewing machine - Don't let the cashmere and feed dogs push you around! The fabric will want to go wonky and crooked. Hold it firmly with both hands and guide it where you want.
Don't be too stubborn to pin. I almost never use pins on my animals, especially if I'm using well felted wool. Also, I'm stubborn. I found I was much more successful when I let go of how I "should" do it and allow myself to use pins, especially around curves.
After turning right side out, test the seams. Press the seams from the inside with your fingers and work your way all the way around. If there are points where the seam unravels or feels weak, turn the piece wrong side out again and resew with a larger seam allowance.
If you want to finish your seams with a zigzag stitch, seam with a straight stitch first, then do the edge. Otherwise, you might get a ruffled seam.
Use your iron! Press seams to help mould them and flatten out any wonkiness.

With that, since I don't have any tutorials of my own. (I do intend to have them in the future!) I thought it would be kind of dumb to give you all these tips and then just leave you to your own devices. So, if you're interested in trying out sewing with recycled cashmere, here are some projects to get you started.

Infinity Scarf from Adventures In Dressmaking
Cashmere Mittens from I Still Love You
Legwarmers from Sneezerville
More Mittens from Five Green Acres
Throw Pillow from The Budget Fashionista
Hat from (my Team EcoEtsy teammate!) LindaEve on the EcoEtsy Blog

You can also just google "recycled sweater tutorial" and get a zillion and one results. These are a few that looked good to me. Give something a try and let me know how it goes!

k.

Weekly Intertubes Roundup: How is it already February? Edition

2012-02-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

Ok, here's an attempt to start doing a roundup of things that I've seen, found funny, interesting, helpful, inspirational or just plain cool. Whether you need something to put off starting your friday or ease you into the weekend here are a few links to help you out.

Funny: Confession time. I totally have a friend crush on Kristen Bell. I'm not looney. I recognize that she's not the characters she plays. But, how can you not love Veronica Mars. Anyway, I digress. This clip from the Ellen Show just makes me want to have her for a friend that much more.

Inspiration: Real confession time. I'm very afraid of failure. I'm very uncomfortable not knowing things or not being good at things. I don't like hearing no. As a result, I often don't take risks, even little risks because I TOTALLY over-think things and make them a much bigger deal than they have to be. This is a genius idea from The Tiny Twig and I think I need to do it. How do you feel about it?

Peep a Workspace: I love peeping inside homes, gardens, and workspaces. Design*Sponge went inside the workshop of Lotta Anderson of Lotta Jansdotter. It's really lovely, has some genius organization, tons of light, and is a combo workshop and shop-shop (which is sort of my dream!).

Genius Tutorial: I would love to make this greenhouse out of salvaged windows. Maybe someday...

Have a great weekend everyone!
k.

Oooh la la: It's Cashmere Week at The Chic Chickadee

2012-01-30T17:01:00.000-08:00

Last weekend on my routine trip to Goodwill I found a couple of cashmere sweaters including an extra large, fine gauge, tan one. Jackpot!

So, then while cleaning up my studio and putting away said sweaters, among LOTS of other things, I realized that I have a growing collection of thrifted cashmere sweaters. So, I've officially declared this cashmere week. I'm going to try out a couple of patterns that I've never done in cashmere, a couple things I have done before, and hopefully successfully execute on a brand new idea.

I'll have some cashmere recycling tidbits to share at the end of the week.

Thanks for reading!
k.

Sustainability Resolutions

2012-01-05T07:22:00.000-08:00

Ok, I realize that 99% of blogs this week are detailing either what their resolutions are or have helpful hints to help you keep your resolutions. I've never really been good at keeping New Year's Resolutions. I've really only ever kept one, ever. Also, I'm still deep in my 101 in 1001 goal project. But, there are a few things that I'd like to start doing in 2012 to make my life a smidge more environmentally friendly and sustainable.

1. ALWAYS use reusable cups.
I usually have my reusable coffee mug with me. I even take it when I travel for my post-security cup of airport coffee. But, there are times that I don't have it on me and get a coffee. In 2012, if I don't have it on me, no coffee for me. I'm also looking into getting a reusable cold drink cup. Up to this point, I've always gotten a disposable cup when getting cold drinks. Does anyone have experience with a reusable cold drink cup? Do you have one you particularly like? What kind of response do you usually get from businesses when you want to use it? (Quick digression: It always boggles me when coffee shop employees resist when I bring my own cup. Does that happen to other people?)

2. Less waste
I must admit, I'm pretty bad about leftovers and not wasting food. I forget I have things in the fridge until it's too late. I'm bored with whatever I ate yesterday and resist leftovers. And, full disclosure, I get lazy and opt to eat cereal or go grab a burrito instead of making something with the fresh ingredients sitting in the fridge. I have improved over the past year but I still have a lot of room for improvement. I plan on tracking my waste, maybe even by weight to get a handle on where I am now and how I can improve. Stay tuned. This may turn into a regular item here.

3. Use what I already have
There are some things of which I can't help but acquire multiple versions. Body lotion? Check. Tea? Check. Mustard? Don't let's be silly! (Sorry, couldn't resist!) Anyway, I need to stop accumulating and make a mindful effort to use what I already have. It will cut down on clutter in my home, save money, and help with more mindful consumption.

So, there you have it. A few resolutions for 2012 to ease up my burden to the earth. What are your resolutions for 2012? Any eco-resolutions?

Happy New Year, all.

k.

Virtual Release Party: Etsy Shop

2011-12-19T13:17:00.000-08:00

I have a confession to make. I kill succulents. I don't do it on purpose. It's not premeditated. It just kind of happens sometimes. I love how they look and that they're supposedly easy to take care of. I've tried to keep them many times. Currently, I have a couple of collections that I planted last month on the windowsill above my kitchen sink. But, inevitably, this starts to happen.

Things start to brown, to shrivel, to apparently melt back into the earth. I can't explain it. Perhaps it's because my house is so cold, the soil's too sandy, too wet, not sandy enough. I just don't know. Anyway, I tend to rely on airplants and certain types of moss that seem to have enough external structure that even when they cease to thrive they're still passable. Then, I had a brainwave. What about a terrarium that can't die, one that will always be as green, as firm, as three dimensional as when it started no matter the temperature or soil aridity? Hmmm. What do I do currently that could be this solution?

Introducing... plush terrariums!

I am REALLY excited for this new endeavor. They are all one of a kind, completely hand stitched, and a ton of fun to make. I had a holiday movie marathon over the weekend, curled up under a down comforter and stitched away. I have a ton more ideas that I've been jotting down in my sketch book and am excited to try them out.

What do you think? What kind of plush plants do you want to see?

I refuse to be a New Year's Resolution!

2011-12-16T08:05:00.000-08:00

I'm getting in under the wire. If I waited much longer dedicating time to my blog would become a New Year's Resolution. And, that would just be the kiss of death. So, here I am.

Honestly, I'm not totally comfortable with blogging and it's been a challenge to put pieces of myself into text and send them out through the intertubes where they bounce around forever. Perhaps I'm making too big a deal out of it. But, part of my discomfort is my belief that too many people don't make it a big enough deal. (Ever read a post where someone shares WAY too much personal information? Makes me SO uncomfortable. But, I digress...)

Anyway, what have I been up to? Incubating.

Photo via McBeth on Flickr

No, no no, not like THAT. (Don't get excited, Mom.) I've been reading, reflecting, writing, sketching and tinkering.

As a result, I've got a lot in the works that I plan to start sharing with you in the coming days and weeks. I have something that is very nearly ready to unveil, hopefully in the next week. So, stay tuned. I'm back and hitting 2012 running.

Mission: Bar Cart

2011-06-08T10:00:00.000-07:00

I got my new Anthology magazine on Monday. Seriously, design magazines make my heart happy and that one's a doozie! If you haven't already, consider checking it out. Anyway, as I'm flipping through the pages I notice this...

Lovely! There's just something elegant about a carefully curated bar and the idea of cocktail hour.

A little aside, I recently read a very interesting book, Boozehound, by Jason Wilson. I knew very little about spirits but am interested in learning about all things culinary, distilling included. Wilson looks at various types of spirits, mainstream to the more obscure. One of the most interesting things to me was the spirits and cocktails that, once popular, fell out of fashion after prohibition. Since reading this book I have a minor obsession with what I refer to as "Old Man Cocktails," especially the Martinez. The idea of a bar cart is simply feeding the fire.

Anyway, clearly, I digress, So, that same Monday evening we settled in with a lovely living room picnic of cheese, hot copa, olives, french bread and Alfred Hitchcock's Dial M for Murder and I see this...

Film Still courtesy of Hitchcockwiki.com

Can you see it? Over Grace Kelly's shoulder? Twice in one day! And now, I NEED one. Being me, I can't just jump on Overstock or some other site and purchase a bar cart or sideboard. No! I have to ferret out the perfect one, one that probably needs a little TLC, from my local antique/junk/thrift stores. The search is on! I'll keep you posted...

P.S. It's even better when you refer to it as a "Drinks Trolley"

April in Paris... May in Portland

2011-06-07T10:44:00.001-07:00

April in Paris..., a photo by dibytes on Flickr.

This past weekend I started reading the restored edition of A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. First, I wish I could live in Paris in the 20's. Second, I wanted to share the following excerpt as it perfectly sums up spring in Portland.

With so many trees in the city, you could see the spring coming each day until a night of warm wind would bring it suddenly in one morning. Sometimes the heavy cold rains would beat it back so that it would seem that it would never come and that you were losing a season out of your life. This was the only truly sad time in Paris because it was so unnatural. You expected to be sad in the fall. Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and cold, wintry light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen. When the cold rains kept on and killed the spring, it was as though a young person had died for no reason.

We had a glorious weekend here with the sun shining, Rose Festival in full swing, and I actually thought it was time to take the flannel sheets off the bed. But, here we are today, grey and cool. At least things have started to bloom. And, July 5, the official start of summer in Portland, is right around the corner.

Today I'm Grateful for...

2011-05-24T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sunny Days
Bike Rides
The Columbia Slough
Great Blue Herons
Fragrant Azaleas

101 in 1001: The First 100 Days

2011-04-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

Completed: (12/101)

Build an emergency fund
401k to target balance
join an etsy team (Team EcoEtsy and PDX Etsy Street Team)
Sell products in a retail shop (If you’re in Portland, check it out! Peacock on Hawthorne)
make alligator for Adrian
no refined sugar for a week
skim coat guest room wall
paint guest room
create an emergency kit for car
organize kitchen cabinets
make salon cushion for grandma
Throw Out 50 Things

Making Progress:

buy no yarn in 2011
buy no fabric in 2011
buy no new clothes in 2011
New design monthly
Try 20 New Restaurants
Finish Lace Stole
write grandma weekly

Started:

Pay off second mortgage
50 items for sale in shop
Read 10 biographies

Needs Focus:

All health goals, especially exercise
Weight loss goals
Write grandma weekly - I’ve been ok on this but need to really make sure it happens every week
create 5 patterns for sale
create 5 kits

In Conflict:
There are a couple of goals that seem to be in conflict. Most noticeable are my financial goals particularly large purchases that are in conflict with my goal of paying off my second mortgage. Also, the goal of eating out at 20 new restaurants conflicts with both financial goals as well as my weight loss goals.

buy no fabric in 2011 - Sew a dress from a vintage pattern (I don’t have enough yardage for any of my vintage patterns)
Try 20 New Restaurants - Pay Off Second Mortgage
Get a new dishwasher - Pay Off Second Mortgage
Laser Eye Surgery - Pay Off Second Mortgage
Donate blood 6 timers (on hold due to last summer’s trip to Yucatan. I can’t donate blood till August do to potential Malaria risk)

I think the answer lies in prioritization. The other big purchases are currently lower priority than my mortgage. So, for now, I keep chipping away and put off the other purchases. As for new restaurants, I do have monthly budget for eating out. I need to focus on eating at new places than the old stand-bys and stay within my budget (that’s hard!).

Retired:
Join TheNeedle.org - The more I looked at this one it just seemed to not suit me so much. I’m much more satisfied with focusing on the recycled aspect of my work with the ecoetsy team and connecting with local artists with the pdx etsy team.

Strategy for the next 100 days: For the first few weeks of this exercise I reviewed my goals list every couple of days. Lately, it’s been much less frequently. In order to keep an eye on my list but not let my persistent reviews take time away from accomplishing goals, I plan on doing a review once a week on the weekend. In this review I will update any status from the previous week and identify a few goals that I will focus on for the week. Then, as I make my to do lists I can do it with this handful of goals in mind.

On Hiatus

2011-04-08T09:25:00.000-07:00

In short, I'm overwhelmed.

My "day job" has gotten very busy and very draining. As a result, after 10+ hours sitting behind a computer, it's challenging to get myself behind a sewing machine let alone another computer. As a result, I'm very far behind with both reading and writing blogs. So, I've made an executive decision (I'm the CEO of my own life, after all) to take a blog vacation. I had to travel for work this week and I didn't get a chance to read the blogs I'm following and I now have 345 entries in my google reader. Yes, that's THREE HUNDRED!

So, instead of not reading and not writing, feeling guilty and then overwhelmed, I'm taking a planned break to focus on making and letting my little shop grow organically. So, I'm trying to check in weekly and once I get rolling on the actual learning and doing I'll (1) actually have something to write about and (2) I'll be able to ease back into blogging without feeling quite so overwhelmed.

Thank you so much to those who do read this blog, I really appreciate knowing that someone is reading and I appreciate all your comments.

k.

Will Return sign courtesy of zakkalife blog.

To Market, To Market

2011-03-22T06:33:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was opening day of the Farmer's Market here in Portland. The sun peeked out and while there was still a chill in the air, it was a gorgeous, bright morning. If you're in the Portland area and have never been (or even if you have) I highly recommend the market at Portland State.

New Pattern For February

2011-03-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Better late than never, right? And, I did actually design and complete this pattern within February, I'm just lagging on writing it up. Though, full disclosure, the design itself is a year overdue. Before my nephew was born, I intended to make him a stuffed alligator. That just didn't happen. So, for his first Christmas I intended to make him a stuffed alligator. You got it, failed again. It's not that I didn't try. I had tried a number of different patterns that just didn't work out and I'd get frustrated and put it on hold again. Enter early March, his first birthday and my intent to make him a stuffed alligator. Finally, success!!!

Introducing A.C. Gator. Clever, no? The Saved by the Bell reference was actually unintentional as I planned to name him after my nephew (who's initials are A.C.). But, it worked on both levels, so I'm going with it. I am totally in love with this pattern right now. He is absolutely huggable. I'm sure I looked like a weirdo on the plane to San Francisco toting and hugging a stuffed gator. But, it's impossible to resist hugging him!

He was safely delivered in person to A on his actual birthday and I felt like a success as an aunt.

I think that means he likes it?

For the shop, I've rewritten the pattern to downsize it to about 80% of the original size. I got lucky that I had a sweater that was big enough. I've already made one from the new smaller pattern and I'm happy to report that he is just as loveable and huggable as the original. I've got three different sweaters picked out that are destined to become alligators in the VERY near future.

So far, my goal of a new pattern every month is going swimmingly. I've got a couple of sketches and half of a prototype in the works for March already. (I say that like the end of March isn't approaching at breakneck speed.) What are some animals that you think I should try?

Have a wonderful weekend.
k.

PS How adorable is my nephew? I honestly don't know how parents do it. I ADORE that kid. He makes my heart happy. I can't imagine it being possible to love him more than I do but I know his parents do, and then some.

All image rights reserved.

Give just a little...

2011-03-17T16:34:00.000-07:00

Today only, if you donate $5 to the Red Cross Japan Relief Fund through LivingSocial they will match it (up to $1mil). Your $5 turns into $10. Please spread the word!

https://livingsocial.com/deals/32115-5-for-10-donation-to-red-cross-relief-efforts

Thanks,
k.

Where the heck have you been?!

2011-03-16T17:52:00.000-07:00

Who me? I know! I've been down a virtual hide-y hole for about a month now.

Photo Courtesy of Carly & Art via Flickr

I have allowed my day job to take over much of my time, energy, and motivation. After 10 hours in front of a computer it's hard to spend a moment more!

I took a trip to San Francisco to celebrate my nephew's birthday.
I took a red-eye to Philly for work. (Side note, I'm too old for trips East with a turnaround on the same day!)
I've been troubled by some technical difficulties with my little laptop.
I've had some new developments in the world of The Chic Chickadee. More to come on this one.
I've battled the seemingly constant de-motivating factor that is RAIN.

I promise, I have a lot to share and I'll be better about doing it. But, not this very moment.

Treasury Tuesday - Lions and Lambs

2011-03-01T08:49:00.000-08:00

In honor of the beginning of March, I was musing on Lions and Lambs. The first of March definitely brings lion-like weather in Portland. I'm hoping that the lambs march in sooner than later.

k.

The Laid Back Lions - L... iotaillustrati... $16.00	Pretty retro silver lio... toofashion2010 $6.50	Art Print LION 8x10 Dic... uniqueartpenda... $10.00
Be The King with this G... Guitarpickman $21.00	Lion Cub Booties FiveSisterz $8.00	Fierce Royal Lion Men&#... happyfamily $16.00
Wool Lion Plushie &quot... MillieFern $34.00	LIONS TAN-Newborn Size-... NinisHandmades $26.00	lammie lamb - baby safe... pigglyandpebbl... $25.00
Lamb necklace StickManJewelr... $25.00	Timmy Note Cards - Set ... mllegette $10.00	No One Will Do But Ewe ... thechubbydove $25.50
PIF PAY it FORWARD Vint... rachelleleving... $6.00	Personalized Lynne the ... HeartfeltEmbro... $7.00	Needle Felted Sheep - E... heartfeltpassi... $40.00
Lamb Sugar Cookies - 1 ... baked $29.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Google Art Project

2011-02-14T08:39:00.000-08:00

This is fantastic! My senior year in college I spent a quarter in Washington DC. With the Smithsonian at my disposal I became a museum junkie. It was so easy to pop in for a few free hours in an afternoon and wander for a while. Google has launched the Google Art Project. You can now virtually wander through dozens of the world's museums and even get closer to some paintings than you could in real life. See the video below for more information about it.

I think I can now while away many an afternoon exploring museums. It's not the same as the real thing. But, it's pretty great.

My Shop - New Line

2011-02-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

You may remember the gift I made for my friend in England's baby. Well, I simplified the design a little bit and am working on a line of plush baby mobiles. I've created two so far: one similar to the one I made for baby M with plush birds and egg filled nests, and one with small squirrels, acorns and oak leaves.

The plush are made following the same guidelines as my other stuffed animals. They are made from recycled sweaters and stuffed with ecofriendly stuffing. These happen to be stuffed with organic kapok. I sourced the wood from a local salvage yard, SalvageWorks. (If you're in Portland, check it out. Preston is great and you'll never know what you'll find!) The wood was unpainted when I got it (to ensure no lead paint) and then I primed and painted it with Miller Acro Pure, VOC Free paint and primer. The string connecting the plush to the wood are mill ends from Pendleton.

I've got a couple more ideas in mind:

Undersea creatures
Nursery Rhymes (like mice and clocks)
Flying Pigs
Fall Leaves and Acorns
Clouds, Raindrops, and Rainbows

What do you think would make a good mobile?

Shedding the Stuff

2011-02-10T11:28:00.000-08:00

I've been reading Throw Out Fifty Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life. First off, let me say that while the title says "Throw Out" in no way is she saying to put things in the trash. She uses the common options, of throw out, donate, sell, and recycle depending upon what's appropriate. I've been working on "throwing out" 50 things as part of my 101 in 1001 and I'm happy to say that I've successfully completed this task.

But first, the book. If you haven't read this book and you're feeling overwhelmed by stuff (physical, mental, and/or emotional) I highly recommend it. Gail Blanke takes you through every room of the house and office sharing anecdotes and doing her own purge through the first section of the book. I've always done periodic purges and ditched A LOT of stuff almost four years ago when I moved to Oregon from California. So, I feel like I'm well practiced in going through my stuff and identifying stuff that's ready to move on to a new purpose with a new owner. Though, it was really helpful to be able to go through systematically, room by room.

Getting rid of things is one thing. But, Part III of the book was unexpected, "Attacking the Mental Mess." She opens this section with an introduction on the connection between physical and mental clutter.

When we throw out the physical clutter, we clear our minds. When we throw out the mental clutter, we clear our souls.
p. 116

I was surprised at the amount of mental and emotional clutter that I was able to release by getting rid of quite a few of the items I purged. It was really helpful to have the section of the book as a context for working through those things. Additionally, Blanke goes through a number of different types of common mental clutter using anecdotes from her own life as well as from others'. The most helpful to me were

Letting Go of Waiting for the Right Moment
Letting Go of Needing to Feel Secure
Letting Go of Thinking That You Have to Do Everything Yourself

In the final section she goes into what to do with the space you've made by all this decluttering; how to move forward and flourish in the spaces you've created. It definitely went beyond a guide to getting rid of things and I found it very helpful.

And now, on to my fifty. (Sorry, no photos, I just wanted it GONE.)

Bathroom:

Misc old beauty products
Expired medicines
VERY old makeup
makeup case

Bedroom:

22 books
TV and TV stand
Misc decor
Misc too small clothes *
handbags/wallets
Stuffed animals
record albums
old sunglasses

Car: chotchkes
Craft Room:

Old moldy buttons
Rubber stamps
glitter collection
embroidered pillowcases
beads
markers, colored pencils, gel pens
2nd TV and DVD player
unused craft books

Kitchen:

Misc Kitchen Tools
cake pans
old plastic containers
Unused dishes & glasses
coffee pot and pitcher

Office:

Desktop Speakers
old bills and paperwork

Living Room:

magazines
umbrella

Storage:

leg lamp
painting
pinata
hawaiian lei
halloween costume
video tapes (that's right, VIDEO TAPES!)
Old greeting cards *
old photos *
superfluous cardboard boxes
styrofoam snow
Cow Christmas Lights
Poster that hasn't been hung up in this house EVER
dried flowers *
wedding video *
papercrafting storage box

Virtual Space:

Wells Fargo Bank Accounts
magazine subscriptions
email subscriptions

Emotional Space:

my guilt about a relationship
my anger

All the things that I marked with an asterisk had pretty significant emotions that went along with them that I was also ready to let go of. I find it interesting that most of these things were tucked away in storage where I couldn't see them. I guess I was waiting to be ready to let them go. I was married some years ago and did a lot of aggressive healing exercises in the aftermath of my marriage. But, through this exercise was really able to let go of what that relationship was, good and bad. Purging these items also lead me to the emotional things I was able to let go of. All in all, it was a really good exercise and I recommend it.

And now, I'm ready for spring!

Five Things

2011-02-07T12:33:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Trisha over at Roundabout to list the 5 things I can't leave the house without.

1. Car and House keys. I have an old house; my doors don't stay shut unless they're bolted. So, I can't even pop over to the neighbors' without the danger of my furry beasts being unleashed on my neighborhood.

2. Knitting OR book. You never know when you'll find that you're five minutes early, you're standing in line, or the people you're meeting are late. I love to have something to fill my time while I wait.

3. Chico Bag. I'm kind of particular about not having to answer the question "Paper or plastic?" and this way, if I happen upon a farmers market, thrift store, or a glut of moss covered bark I'm prepared to carry things home. Plus, I met the guy who started this company on a plane once. He was really nice.

4. My camera. I'm terrible at remembering or stopping to take pictures. But, I've always got it with me (especially since I started blogging) because you just never know when there will be something photo worthy.

5. My idea book. This is mostly for The Chic Chickadee business. You never know when a brainstorm will strike and it's good to be prepared!

Bonus: My bag. If I'm going to be carrying the above five things, as well as my wallet, I'm just not going to have the pocket space. I got this canvas bag from Kinies on etsy and I ADORE it. There is a pocket for absolutely everything so I don't spend 5 minutes digging to find what I want. There's a shoulder strap as well as a detachable across the chest strap. I'm considering getting another one in a more spring-y color for when the sun comes back.

And, it wouldn't be a game of tag is I just sat on this. So, if you're so inclined, I tag the following blogs.

Green Loves Yellow
Emi Makes Stuff
Just Add Glitter and Stir
Happy Me Laurie Z

k.

New Pattern for January

2011-02-03T12:12:00.000-08:00

One of my 101 in 1001 goals is to create a new original plush pattern every month in 2011. The newest member of the team is the January Brontosaurus. I took some inspiration from my elephant pattern for the legs and belly. I made one prototype and then some subsequent changes. I finished him and loved him but he was a little plain. So, I hand stitched the lighter green polka dots all down his back. That definitely made all the difference.

I'll have to make another one soon to retest the pattern. I had a bit of a snag after I had alreaady sewn together the pieces for this guy. I heard a shuffling upstairs to find one of my dogs had eaten the tail off my paper pattern! (He has a strange compulsion to eat paper. Don't ask!) So, I cobbled together a Frankenstein pattern by cutting pieces off prior versions and taping them together. I'll keep you posted on how it turns out.

Alas, how can you stay mad at this face?

Spring, forced into springing

2011-02-02T14:40:00.000-08:00

Last summer I went to the Yucatan with some friends. On our last day, while standing in the Caribbean surf, I turned to my friend Annette and said, "Sometime in February I'm going to need you to remind me that I was tired of the sun on my skin." Last week I officially reached that point. I really miss wearing short sleeves and feeling the warm sun on my arms. I'm ready for any sign of spring and warm weather to come!

I was at the market yesterday and they had mini irises and tulips. They were just too temping a harbinger of spring. Artemis over at Tales of a Junkaholic used moss, spring flowering bulbs and a dwarf orange tree as a spring-y display in her shop and I was inspired.

I lined this decorative metal bowl with plastic wrap (I wasn't sure how it would fare with damp soil in contact with the metal), added a layer of pebbles at the bottom and filled it with potting soil. I separated the bulbs so that I could intermingle them. Luckily for me, there's no shortage of moss here in the Pacific Northwest. So, I went out to my lawn and pulled up a bunch. I found a mossy chunk of bark and twig on a walk the other day and collected them with just such a project in mind. I added them atop the moss and voila, sping thrives (so far) on my kitchen table.

k.

My Reading List

2011-01-27T10:26:00.001-08:00

Girl Reading
Originally uploaded by o5com

I've been using the Multnomah County Library hold queue as my ongoing list of books I want to read. Every time I hear about or see a book I'm interested in, I look it up in the online catalog and place a hold. This has mostly worked well, at least when there are people in line in front of me. That being said, I recently had an onslaught of books come in at the same time and I'm afraid I can't possibly read them all before they're due again.

As a result, I'm starting a book list here on the blog to keep track of what I want to read, what I have read, and link to any reviews that I may be inspired to write.

Check it out and read along with me! Also, based on what I have if you know a book you think I should read, please let me know.

Surprise! Resolutions.

2011-01-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've been on extended hiatus. I was blaming the holidays (which wasn't realistic anyway because mine were really mellow) but I can't even do that anymore. So, here we are, beginning again. And, with a new year, so many people have new year's resolutions. I've only ever kept one (In the days when my life was a lot gloomier than it is now I resolved to always have fresh flowers in my house. Five years later, I still do!) but I'm always drawn to them with every new year.

This year I'm trying something new. I've been reading Roots of She (a fantastic and empowering new blog) and learned about 101 in 1001. This is setting 101 goals to be accomplished in 1001 days. One of the things that I dislike about new years resolutions is that I always feel like I have to do them all, immediately, and all the time. That inevitably doesn't work out and I feel like I've failed and then bye-bye resolutions. With 101 in 1001 it's a more fluid time frame. I don't feel like I have to do all (or even any) of my goals today. No pressure. The downside, it's REALLY hard to come up with 101 goals right away. I've been working on this for a few weeks and still am not there.

So, without further ado, I've added my list as a page here. I'm still adding items and have about 20 to go. My plan is to keep track of my status in the spreadsheet and write posts about some of the more interesting and notable ones as I accomplish them.
Wish me luck!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-25T09:15:00.000-08:00

Treasury Tuesday - The Little Black Dress

2010-11-30T09:05:00.001-08:00

'The Little Black Dress' by TheChicChickadee

The quest continues! A collection of a mix of vintage and handmade options in the eternal search for perfection in this wardrobe staple.

Vintage 50s Classic Wig... junebugshop $89.00	Princess of floral....B... designbyme2010 $44.00	SALE TAKE 20 PERCENT OF... gottabvintage $120.00
SALE - Black Elegant Dr... marcellamoda $59.00	Vintage Queens Row Shee... VintageChronog... $24.00	Stella--Custom-Made myblackdress $115.00
Coupon Sale 21% OFF -Vi... swingkatsvinta... $149.00	Le Ballon Noir (small) eastmeetwest $150.00	1950's Vintage Midn... TimelessVixenV... $350.00
Custom Black Floral Coc... priscilladawn $120.00	vintage NIPON GOLD SCAL... IKAHN $78.00	BLACK SOFT TULLE DRESS ... couvert $214.00
Vintage 50s 60s Black S... jantiques $120.00	Satin dress in black - ... Ananya $55.00	1930's Evening Sky ... rococovintage $178.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Don't Worry America, Your Christmas Tree is on its Way!

2010-11-30T09:03:00.000-08:00

First, I apologize for the lack of posts. Last week took me down to California for Thanksgiving; quality family time; reconnecting with old friends; a strong dose of my fantastic nephew; and, unfortunately, lots of driving.

On my way down I happened upon this truck...

Oregon is the front runner in supplying the nation with Christmas trees. Our state tree is the Douglas Fir after all.

So, don't fret. I have photographic proof that beautiful trees are en route to all parts of the nation!

Treasury Tuesday - Food Pyramid

2010-11-23T21:58:00.000-08:00

'Etsy Food Pyramid' by TheChicChickadee

A well balanced view of food items available on etsy

Felt food Sweet Christm... TomomoHandmade $80.00	A trio of colorful felt... marketfreshfel... $16.00	Hand Carved Broccoli St... EnchantingStam... $6.00
Lovely Japanese Sushi S... julyhobby $3.99	Milk 'n Honey Cream... SpaGoddess $16.00	The Kindle Cheese-Case Antjes $59.00
Canadian Meat Ration To... qacreate $19.99	Cheese sandwhich with l... artsoftheheart $10.00	Harvest Art Print WC WatercolorByMu... $24.00
Child's Fresh Produ... crazyjaneknits $20.00	Plumes Fleurs Parure bu... tickingandtoil... $28.00	New Bacon and Eggs Scar... TheHappyCroche... $37.00
Zombie Food Pyramid Mag... horrorbelle $1.00	Pumpkin Pie 5 x 7 Origi... afstudio $45.00	Marie Antoinette Cupcak... DIVINEsweetnes... $26.50

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Etsy Shop Makeover

2010-11-18T15:33:00.000-08:00

With my renewed efforts at blogging also came renewed efforts at my etsy shop. I took a critical eye to things that I had posted and left alone since the spring. Here are the things that, desperately, needed and got a revamp.

Listing Titles
Product Descriptions
My Profile - including showing my real name
Shipping profiles - including adding international shipping

Listing Titles:

When I first started my shop earlier this year I was giving each animal a unique proper name. I still love this idea and it will be revived when I finally put written patterns together but it wasn't doing me any favors when it came to SEO or even describing my product to potential buyers. Below is the transformation of the title for the plush duck in my shop.

"Floyd Q. Puddleduck"

"Felted Wool Stuffed Duckie"

"Medium Yellow Upcycled Felted Wool Duckie Plush Toy"

The current title may not convey the full candle power of this guy's cuteness but it is far more descriptive and full of key words.

Product Descriptions:

I'm just going to show you a before and after and leave it at that. Same duck...

Take 1:

This sweet stuffed duck is made from a single upcycled 100% wool sweater. I washed the sweater in 100% natural; biodegradable; phosphate, formaldehyde, and petrochemical free laundry detergent and then wash again to felt the wool.

He's approximately 8 inches tall, just over 10 inches from the tip of his beak to his tail, and approximately 7 inches from wing to wing.

He's stuffed with soft natural corn-based fiber stuffing.

Take 2:

This huggable duckie is made from pieces of a single upcycled 100% wool sweater: Plain yellow from the body of the sweater makes up the duck’s body. A black and blue stripe that ran up both sides of the sweater’s zipper make the duck’s feet and bill.

When I made the prototype of this duck I absolutely fell in love with it. He has so much personality and it compels me to give him a squeeze. He’s a perfectly sqeezable size at 8 inches tall, just over 10 inches from the tip of his beak to his tail, and approximately 7 inches from wing to wing.

This lovable plush is:

• my own unique design
• environmentally kind, made from previously used sweaters
• consciously cleaned, all sweaters are washed with Ecos* Laundry Detergent before use
• carefully machine sewn with hand sewn details
• child safe, with no loose or small parts
• stuffed with renewable and compostable corn based fiberfill

* Ecos: 100% natural; biodegradable; phosphate-free, formaldehyde-free, and petrochemical-free

Shipping:
I’m careful to use recycled or reused packing and shipping materials.
I ship first class mail with the US Postal Service. If you are interested in faster or alternate shipping just reach out to me and we can agree on a method and pricing that meets your needs.

Need help with placing an order from Etsy? http://www.etsy.com/help_guide_checkout.php

A marked improvement if I do say so myself!

I also made a few price adjustments, shipping cost adjustments and added international shipping as an option. I was very scared of international shipping. .But, sending my mobile off to England showed me that it isn't that scary or expensive as I thought it had to be. Also, why exclude so many potential customers right off the bat?!

So, there we are. Certainly progress, not perfection, but progress nonetheless!

Treasury Tuesday - Thanksgiving

2010-11-16T07:43:00.000-08:00

'Gratitude for Thanksgiving' by TheChicChickadee

Just in time for Thanksgiving, a collection full of gratitude and giving thanks.

Gratitude Necklace - Da... jeweledblossom... $26.00	Gratitude 18 inch Thank... RidgeRascals $35.00	namaste kokeshi - thank... mirabel $150.00
Regal Thank You Recycle... thecraftpantry $7.50	2011 Gratitude Journal prettyswank $15.00	Thanks - vintage dictio... GratitudeJewel... $8.95
Hello My Name Is Gratef... ebeepaperie $12.50	BE GLAD FOR THIS MOMENT... palomasnest $22.00	BE THANKFUL. Surface De... LanaKole $10.00
Merci Beaucoup (set of ... MerryBluesArt $10.00	Owl Thank You 4 TAG Set... cbsorci $1.60	Be Thankful hand painte... thenotsoblankc... $18.00
recycled brown bag than... bacidesigner $4.00	Things I'm Thankful... laurageorge $20.00	Dolce Dreams Hand Embro... dolcedreams $22.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

The Creative Process - Finished Product

2010-11-12T09:14:00.000-08:00

I enlarged the pattern a little bit and added an acorn embellishment. I think I'll make a few small adjustments to the pattern to make it exactly how I want it. But, I think he turned out pretty adorable!
I'll be adding him to my shop very soon.

k.

The Creative Process - A Plush Prototype

2010-11-11T14:02:00.000-08:00

Meet the most recent member of the Chic Chickadee family, Squirrel, who is in the process of arriving. I started this afternoon with some doodles in my sketchbook: a very simple body shape and a very simple big puffy tail shape, and headed to my studio.

Step 1: The Sketches
Most of my ideas take form in my sketchbook. It is a BIG mess in there. But, better in there than in my little brain! I sketch out the a very simple version of the animal I'm making, messily adding or changing lines until I have something I like. It doesn't look like much, but I see the potential! Once the basic picture is done, I break it down into its pattern piece parts, making simple shapes that try to account for the changes that occur to the appearance when they're stuffed and sewn.
Step 2: The Pattern Pieces
From the sketchbook I move on to scratch paper. If I'm content with the pattern pieces I simply trace them. Otherwise, I take a second shot at it and draw them freehand using my sketches as a guide. As you can see in this pic, it often takes me a couple of tries to get the shape that I want. Sometimes I even make a final adjustment when cutting out the pieces.

Step 3: It Comes Together
I then trace the pieces on fabric. I always create prototypes using felt instead of sweaters. It's either left over from other projects or I've picked it up at a thrift store. It feels less painful if a prototype flops when it's not a sweater full of all its plushie potential!

I cut out the fabric pieces and hustle over to my sewing machine. Sometimes the stitching on my prototypes isn't the most professional - I get a little excited to see the finished product! My favorite part is adding the stuffing and watching my critter take a real three dimensional form. Sometimes I'm thrilled, and sometimes I'm... well...not. This time, it's love!

To make a wee stuffie, I think I'll increase the size a bit. But, for this size there might be another mobile in the future - with a woodland theme. Stay tuned...

Treasury Tuesday

2010-11-09T12:10:00.000-08:00

It's a very special (to me anyway) Treasury Tuesday. Not only am I reviving my practice of creating an Etsy treasury and sharing the love with some fellow artisans and craftspeople, but I'm also featured in my very first treasury!

A lovely Etsy seller, TheLavendarTree created this wool treasury featuring one of my little felted birds!

Here in Portland it's started raining in earnest. But, when it's not raining, it's been beautiful, bright, crisp fall weather. We've had those days where the flaming trees just pop out at you against a bright blue sky. In short, it's been beautiful. So, whether it's cold, gray, and rainy or crisp, golden, and bright it's got me in the autumn mood. In honor of the season, I've put together an autumn treasury.

Check it out on Etsy.

Baby Birds

2010-11-06T17:24:00.000-07:00

A dear friend from college is expecting a baby girl and I couldn't be more excited! J and I met within the first weeks of freshman year. We played lacrosse together and amongst the drills and sprints became fast friends. I know her as an athlete, a brain, a beautiful woman but never a pink loving girly-girl. In her hormonal haze she has gotten pink fever in anticipation of her little girl. While I advised that she might want to hold off on painting EVERYTHING pink until after the baby's arrived and her hormones have gotten a chance to regulate, I'm now contributing to it.

I developed the pattern for this little bird a few months ago and it was begging to be turned into something more. When J gave me the baby news, I knew what it was that it wanted to be... a mobile. I had a soft pink cashmere sweater in my stash waiting to be turned into something adorable.

In order to tone down the pink and add some visual interest, I decided to do add some other characters to this story. That lead to three leaves and a little egg filled nest. All except the nest (birds, leaves, and eggs) are made from recycled cashmere sweaters and the nest is from a wool sweater. The sticks are cut from the ash in my backyard.

Now my problem is, how do I pack it up for shipping to England and still have it arrive across the pond balanced, untangled, and ready to hang? Any ideas?

Slog-tober = FROG-tober

2010-11-04T16:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I did a TERRIBLE job with slogging through my old, lingering projects throughout October. What I managed to complete is frogging all the projects that I gave up on and finishing the frog hat. I guess frogs were what was truly on my agenda.

I'm still muddling through the Sylvi coat. But, I'm being pulled away by the siren call of Christmas gifts and other patterns for myself that seem more exciting and attractive to me than something I've been looking at for over a year. Go figure!

Autumn-tastic in PDX

2010-11-04T15:57:00.000-07:00

It could not be more beautiful in Portland the past few days!

Slog-tober, Part II

2010-10-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

On to the positive. Below is what I'm going to focus on finishing...

Pattern: Safire by Hilary Smith Callis
Source: The Yarniad
Started: Spring 2010
Finishing Goal: Spring 2011

I don't really see myself wearing a cropped, three quarter length sleeve shrug in the coming wet, gray, and potentially blustery coming months in Oregon. But, when the spring weather takes a turn from raining to warm I'll want to have it ready.

Pattern: Sirdar Snuggly 4-ply 1770
Source: Patternfish
Started: Sept '10
Finishing Goal: Baby's due in November. Need to finish in time to the UK.

I'm working on a little sewing project for this baby too. More to come on that one.

Pattern: Sylvi by Mari Muinonen
Source: Twist Collective, Winter 2008
Started: Fall '09
Finishing Goal: I want to wear this this winter!

If I'm going to make my goal I need to get knitting! It's mostly too big to take with me places. But, the rains should start soon and then it will be easy to curl up on the couch with it.

Pattern: This Way Up by Ann S
Source: MamaStopKnitting
Started: I can't even remember, fall 2009, I think
Finishing Goal: This will ultimately end up as a gift, I'm sure. I don't know for who or for when, but I'd like to get it done before Christmas, just in case.

Pattern: Baby Frog Hat by Nicole Bilby
Source: StrawberryCherry (Ravelry Download)
Started: Spring 2010
Finishing Goal: This weekend

I originally started this one for my nephew and ran out of steam. All I need is the eyes! Really?! Who quits there? Anyway, I have a friend in Vermont who has a baby due this winter and this is right up her alley. I think I was intended to make it for her all along, she just wasn't expecting when I started it. That being said, it's being commandeered. Sorry Adrian, I'll knit something for you at some point, I promise!

Slog-tober

2010-10-04T11:19:00.000-07:00

So, I recently got back into knitting. I had been on hiatus for the summer. It might have been the warmer weather keeping me from wool, alpaca, and cashmere. It might have been the cold turkey yarn diet that I put myself on. (Really, it's no fun.) But then, with the help of my darling sister in law I realized what it was...

My sister in law and her friend do a great knitting podcast called Stash and Burn. In their latest episode they proposed a slog-along from October 1 through December 31. "What is this?" you may ask. Well, it's a concerted effort to work through long languishing or huge-mongous knitting projects. This got me thinking about my languishing knitting projects and I pulled them all out of their various nooks and crannies.

HOLY COW!!! Perhaps it was the crushing weight of all of these projects that was weighing me down and keeping me from moving forward. So, instead of a 3 month slog-along, I'm dedicating October to these knitting albatross. It's time to make some tough calls. What gets ripped out and what gets finished.

First, the cutting room floor.
Bachelor Number 1: The Placed Cable Aran

This is the first cable I ever made. So, I do feel vaguely attached to this project. That being said, I made that cable Thanksgiving of 2007!!! I like this color but not for a sweater. So, I know I can find a better use for this yarn.

Bachelor Number 2: The Essential Tank

This could be really cute if it was finished. I would definitely wear it. But, I started this in January of 2009 and oh man! this is really boring to knit. I bought 10 balls of this yarn on sale. I could double it up and finish something much more quickly. Done and done. That's the plan.

Bachelor Number 3: Little Red Riding Hood

I started this when I found out my nephew was coming. Yet another example of something that just isn't that exciting to knit. Too boring to finish and he's far to big for it now anyway.

So, those are the projects that won't see the light of day. In our next installment we'll see who sticks around to be finished.

Autumn Dew

2010-10-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday morning the light was absolutely beautiful. I went outsite to snap some shots and discovered a light dew on everything.

Clutching on to Summer

2010-09-30T06:24:00.000-07:00

Last summer I rediscovered homemade ice cream. I had graduated from being the one to sit on the ice cream maker while everyone else cranked. (I'm the youngest, can you tell?) Anyway, now I get to choose the flavors and even invested in a machine that doesn't require cranking. At the time I got my machine I also got a few recipe books, the best being The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz.

This year I've been slacking on the ice cream front and have only made a few batches. However, my brother and sister in law scored a great ice cream maker at a thrift store and so also invested in The Perfect Scoop. She made the peanut butter ice cream a few weeks ago and her resounding endorsement of the recipe was summed up in, "It was hella good!"

Well, that was all I needed to hear. But, I couldn't just leave it at that. So, my little mind started churning.

Quick Digression: If you're lucky enough to live in Portland then you have the opportunity to experience Two Tarts. They have an adorable little store on NW Kearney at 23rd and are also at the PSU farmer's market. (Seriously, check them out if you can.) Anyway, they have BEST double chocolate cookies. The best way I have to describe them is if you were able to take all the fudgey, chocolatey deliciousness of the best brownie, put it in a vice and condense it down to a silver dollar sized cookie Two Tarts is what you'd get. Anyway, digression complete.

Combine the lingering memory of double chocolate cookies and hella good PB ice cream and what do you get? Peanut. Butter. Ice Cream. SANDWICHES! So, I fired up google and found this. It's almost as good as Two Tarts' and many reviews commented on how well they freeze. Perfect!

To make a long story short I whipped up some PBIC (Really, get this book. Hustle to your local bookseller or the library. It's a must and the recipe is not online), made a huge batch of cookies and got to scooping. A couple of hours in the freezer on a cookie sheet and voila! Delicious. I couldn't recommend them more. So, even though we're officially in Autumn, whip up a batch and feel like summer just for a few more hours.

Lambs are ADORABLE

2010-09-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. We saw and pet a ton of goats, sheep, alpacas, and bunnies; and saw but didn't pet a lot of llamas. I took also took some TERRIBLE, blurry pictures. But, here are some that are almost presentable of some two week old lambs from Dreamfield Farm in Grand Ronde, OR.

Tiny lambs are incredibly cute and I got to feed their mama some animal cookies. Can't beat it!

What I did on my summer vacation...

2010-09-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

So, I'm officially terrible at blogging. I've always been the type of person that goes to an event or a vacation and comes home with exactly three photos. As a result, I never have decent pictures to include in blog entries. I'm going to try to be better. I promise! In the meantime, this is what I've been up to since I last blogged.

(From top left to bottom right)

I went to Mexico. It was fantastic! We saw (1) Maya Ruins at Tulum, (2) The Caribbean Sea, (3) Swan with WHALE SHARKS!!!!
I made a few more adjustments to the studio, including (4) this nifty shelf above the window.
Got a lovely hammock and took some (5) nice afternoon naps in it.
Paid many visits to the (6) Farmer's Market (both Portland and Vancouver).
Worked on a few sewing projects, but mostly made a (7) mess of the studio.
Got bit by the (8) knitting bug again, finally!
Went to the (9) Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival. Oh how I wish I had the space and time for a couple of goats!

Pretty of the Day - 6.25.2010

2010-06-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

Mt. Ranier National Park

Pretty of the Day - 6.24.2010

2010-06-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Bird on a Raspberry Cane.

Pretty of the Day - 6.23.2010

2010-06-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Flower.

Treasury Tuesday - 6.22.2010

2010-06-22T08:56:00.000-07:00

There is SO MUCH to see on etsy. It's easy for me to lose an entire afternoon browsing around and daydreaming. So, I decided to start a new weekly feature putting together a treasury.

Since we are in our second day of summer and the sun has been pretty elusive in the Pacific Northwest throughout this spring I thought that we should show some respect to clouds in the hopes that they will take a vacation and let us enjoy all the things that make the PNW so great.

To view the full treasury at etsy, click here.

Pretty of the Day - 6.22.2010

2010-06-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Columbine.

Weekend Find

2010-06-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

My parents are in town this weekend. We were in Sellwood, having a wander down Milwaukie Ave and right on the sidewalk out in front of Stars Antique Mall was this beauty.

I assume it's part of a set or library since it is labeled with a letter/number tag. It has a nifty mechanism that locks the drawers closed by running a long pin down the back. And, it's got some very specifically shaped compartments.

Oh, all the possibilities! This is what I've done so far...

1. Some colored pencils and sketch pencils
2. Most of my colored pencils are a bit too long. I have to wait till I use them more and sharpen them shorter.
3. As a result of long pencils, I have an empty drawer.
4. Gel pens and edgers.
5. Oil pastels.
6. Colored sharpies and tape.
7. Colored pencils and markers.
8. Hole punches. I really need to come up with something good for the partitions on the left, maybe buttons.
9. Customer thank you note supplies for my shop.

I am very excited for this addition to my studio space. But, more than anything, I really want to know what it was originally for. Any ideas?

Pretty of the Day - 6.21.2010

2010-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

My first sale! Packaged up to send out.

A Day on the Farm and Berry Picking

2010-06-20T19:40:00.000-07:00

We are barely out of winter here in Portland. While Monday marks the official start of summer; and some places have been enjoying sunshine, hot weather, flip flops and shorts for weeks now; we are muddling through a cool and VERY wet spring. However, gray skies and a light mist didn't preclude us from a trip to Sauvie Island and u-pick berries. We stopped off at Kruger's Farm for some berry and pea picking, barnyard animals, and fire roasted corn.

While crops are getting a slow start of it this year, there are a fair amount of strawberries (three different varieties), raspberries, and peas for the picking. Scattered between the rows of strawberries are tiny chamomile plants that are coming up wild. So, as you walk down the rows, stepping on them, you have the sweet smell of strawberries, chamomile and fresh dirt. Soon, the blueberries will ripen and will be ready for picking. I can't wait. I'll pick a bushel!

If you're in the Portland area, I highly recommend it.

Pretty of the Day - 6.20.2010

2010-06-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Stained Glass. Casa Battlo. Barcelona, Spain.

New Kids on the Block

2010-06-19T17:02:00.000-07:00

If you were expecting Jordan Knight and the rest of the guys, sorry to disappoint. If you weren't, clearly you weren't a fifth grade girl in 1989. I've been working on some new patterns this past week. A couple of weeks ago I added some "Wee Stuffies" to my shop, a line of small stuffed toys. I played with a couple of ideas and created a bird, mouse, fish and goose so far. What are some other critters I should try?

I'm working on a tutorial on how to make some of these. So, stay tuned for that!

I first started making stuffed animals when I made a ballerina bunny for my niece for her birthday. Through the process of making her, I kind of fell in love and it was hard to put her in a box and mail her off. I'm afraid that process is still the same for me. I can make just the animal and be ok. But, once I create an outfit, and ultimately a personality, I just melt. This guy started out as a lamb in my sketchbook. However, he didn't really turn out quite as I expected. I presented the naked critter to a friend and demanded,

"What does this look like?!"

"... a deer?" was her tentative reply.

Ok, so it didn't turn out quite how I intended. He's definitely a farmer. But, I still think he's adorable, and I'm still in love with him.

What would you say he looks like?

Pretty of the Day - 6.19.2010

2010-06-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dew on Nasturtium Leaf

Pretty of the Day - 6.18.2010

2010-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sunset over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Angeles, WA

Pretty of the Day - 6.17.2010

2010-06-17T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sunset over the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Port Angeles, WA

Pretty of the Day - 6.16.2010

2010-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Forest, WA

Pretty of the Day - 6.15.2010

2010-06-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Sol Duc Falls, Olympic National Forest, WA

Pretty of the day - 6.14.2010

2010-06-14T16:03:00.000-07:00

Olympic National Forest, WA

Start Somewhere!

2010-06-14T13:59:00.001-07:00

I have been suffering from an EXTREME case of lack of motivation lately. I really mean extreme. Struggling through 8+ hours of my day job, putting off my housework till tomorrow, staring at a "to do" list with nothing crossed off and, as you can tell, zero blogging, tweeting, or emailing. I've even been neglecting my sewing machine and knitting needles.

So, where do I go from here? Well, I discovered a strategy that, so far, is working for me. It's my new mantra. Start somewhere! When contemplating my dirty kitchen where, it's possible, the Governor was going to declare of state of emergency, I said out loud, "Start somewhere." I picked a section of counter and got to work. Before I knew it, I was on a roll and the kitchen was clean. Onward and upward. So, this entry is my digital "somewhere" and I'm getting started. Back to work.

What do you do when you can't seem to muster motivation?

k.

Thanks to Jon Marshall for sharing the above image on Flickr.

Pretty of the Day - 5.27.2010

2010-05-27T08:48:00.000-07:00

Mushrooms in Silver Falls State Park, OR.

Pretty of the day - 5.26.2010

2010-05-26T11:02:00.000-07:00

Anemone ready for pollination.

We Scout Wednesday - Music

2010-05-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

Over on scoutiegirl the discussion of what music inspires came up. For me it's Ozomatli.

This specific song I can use for a myriad of purposes, to inspire me to create, keep running, clean my house, get out of bed at the crack of dawn. I love, love, love Ozo. I discovered them in college in Southern California and religiously go see them when they come to Portland. I enjoy them because they have many different styles and sounds. They have really fun songs where you can't help but shake it. They also have a message. So, check them out!

Pretty of the Day - 5.25.2010

2010-05-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

A sampling of the roses in my yard.

Caramelized Onion & Leek Goat Cheese Ravioli

2010-05-24T17:54:00.000-07:00

I discovered leeks this past winter. Don't get me wrong, I knew that they existed before but just didn't have them as a notable part of my diet. I joined a CSA this past winter and my diet was blessed with leeks. In December I became a HUGE fan of caramelized onion (ever had them on pizza? It's gooood!). So, I thought, what better to do but combine caramelized onion and caramelized leeks. "What flavor will go nicely with these sweets?" you ask. How about the earthy, creamy goodness of goat cheese? I didn't want the cheese to overpower the other flavors so I decided I'd do half goat cheese and half fresh ricotta cheese. So, without further ado...

Caramelized Onion & Leek Goat Cheese Ravioli
2 small to medium leeks, thinly sliced, white and pale green parts only
2 small spring onions, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup fresh chevre
1/3 cup fresh ricotta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
fresh ravioli dough

Ravioli Dough Note: I made some modifications to this recipe from foodnetwork.com. I cut it in half since a half batch still made about 36 ravioli with some dough left over. I also substituted whole wheat flour for half of the all purpose flour called for. Since the whole wheat seemed to make the dough much more dry, I also added an extra egg.

1. Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Heat on medium high till it shimmers. Add onions and stir to coat with oil. Continue to cook, stirring frequently till they are a caramel-y delicious brown. If they begin to stick to the pan add a little bit of water and stir (be careful of the steam!) When the onions are done, remove them from the pan.
2. Repeat step 1 with 2 tablespoons of oil and leeks.

3. In a medium bowl, stir together onions, leeks, goat cheese, and ricotta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set filling aside.
4. Make ravioli dough according to directions. Be sure to see my ravioli dough note above.
5. Using a pasta maker, roll the dough out thin. Tyler Florence says it should be paper thin in his recipe. But, I think that's too thin to stand up to this filling and far too thin for me not make a HUGE mess of. So, I rolled out to the second to last thin-ness setting (6) on my pasta maker.
6. I have this nifty ravioli maker I borrowed from my mom (Thanks, Mom!) but you can also lay the dough out flat on a floured board or counter top and follow the directions in the recipe.
7. Spread the finished ravioli out on a piece of cheesecloth or a clean dish towel to dry. Leave them for at least 20 minutes and then flip them and wait another 20 minutes.

At this point, you can either cook them or freeze them.

I put them in a pot of boiling salted water with a smidge of olive oil and cooked them for about 4 minutes. I then tossed them with some olive oil, white wine vinegar, pepper and gorgeous diced yellow tomatoes from the Vancouver Farmer's Market. I sprinkled on some Parmesan, and invited over some friends who brought a beautiful salad and a loaf of french bread.

Dinner is served!

P.S. They're super easy to freeze. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer. When they are frozen through, transfer them to a container or freezer bag. Done!

Pretty of the Day - 5.24.2010

2010-05-24T16:46:00.000-07:00

Safe from birds, and slugs, and dogs... for now.

Pretty of the Day - 5.22.2010

2010-05-22T12:30:00.000-07:00

Foxglove.

Pretty of the Day - 5.21.2010

2010-05-21T17:02:00.000-07:00

Antique Singer Treadle Machine. Circa 1890's to 1920's. Still researching. Egyptian motif.

Pretty of the Day - 5.20.2010

2010-05-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

My front yard, through a bb hole in my storm window.

Pretty of the Day - 5.19.2010

2010-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Dew drops on nasturtium

Pretty of the Day - 5.18.2010

2010-05-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

white anemone, shot from below

Stu, Stu, Studio

2010-05-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

Well, I've officially graduated from my tiny craft room space in the basement to a legit studio above-ground! I've got to admit, I love looking out the window and seeing the world instead of the front tires of my car!

I'm really excited about this space. I love the size, the ceiling, and the window looking down on the action (or lack thereof) on my street. I've been perusing goodwill for furniture to fill it.

So, here's a little tour...

I stole the notion organization idea (right) from Bolt on NE Alberta. They are thrifted picture frames with chicken wire stretched across the back and stapled to the frame. I then used S hooks from the hardware store to hang my scissors, seam ripper, pinking shears, needles, etc. The thread rack is a repurposed wood lintel that I got at The Rebuilding Center. I drilled a number of holes at an angle, cut a couple of dowels into 2.5 inch segments, and used wood glue to attach them to the lintel.

I've also got my new dressmaker's dummy, a bday gift to myself; a brand new cork board just waiting to be covered with doodads, pictures, ideas, and inspiration.

It's still a work in progress. So, I'll just share one more thing. One of the many wonderful things about having an older house is all the lovely built-ins. And, this house is no exception. So, in my upstairs hallway there is this little nook perfect for my fabric stash and my little craft library. I love it!

Well, thanks for visiting. I love to ogle other peoples' crafty space; what's yours look like?

kate.

P.S. You can see more pics and progress here, if you're interested.