Bye bye bye July...

Summer's 2/3 over (or we have 1/3 left depending on how you look at it!) so a few fits and starts from the months so far and my last July post.

Got some flowers this week for a pink event tasting: roses, hydrangea, phalaenopsis orchid and calla lilies, aaahhh...we had cocktails with jasmine tea and rose nectar, and pink macaroons...

started this project with chiffon from Mood Fabrics and beads from Beads of Paradise.  I gave it to my sister to show her friend thinking about wedding headpieces, hmmm...

also from that bead store, these were for a project in the car on the way to vaca but I'm afraid to say it was a bit of a FAIL!  That's what I get for not trying it on along the way since we were on the road.  Will have to try arranging them differently...

The boyfriend brought this hand-dyed Artyarns hank from a trip to Portland (I think he pretty much wanted to move out there!), a gorgeous mix of silk and mohair with glass beads and sequins from Knit Knot Studio (now closed) along with a diagonal scarf pattern with a lace edge by Elizabeth Prusiewicz, so the crystals will be strewn throughout the finished piece.  Hopefully I'll finish it for fall! 

And started this hat for my Dad, but it was a bit too small (should have paid him a visit to measure first!), so another do-over.  I think Guinness enjoyed it here though.  Got a liiiitle more time until winter to finish this one, maybe for Christmas.  One summer month to go....

Yes I Can!

Happy "Thread the Needle Day, dedicated not only to the act of sewing but also to overcoming something difficult.  My beautiful sewing machine has been threaded for a while, but today I finally used it to sew.  My Mom made all of my childhood Halloween costumes: a black cat, pink princess and of course, Wonder Woman. There was also Princess Leia (no, not gold bikini Leia) and Spider-Man for my brother.

I've been trying to learn for some time now, so here's how it went:

- August 2009 - January 2010: gifts!  Received Amy Butler's book, In Stitches from my Aunt Liz, a beautiful Singer machine from my parents and Anna Maria Horner's book, Seams to Me from my encouraging friend Gypsy who says I should just go for it!  Still the fear...

- March 2010: fabric!  Bought a beautiful packet of fabric from Purl Soho and considered its possibilities

- April 2010 - July 2010: party!  Attended Martha Stewart's sewing party to launch their new Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts, checked out Purl Soho's big move to a bright, new space, went to lots of craft fairs, then vacationed in DC:

and Philly.

- and today, July 25th, finally sewed some stitches! and a chart to test the different widths and lengths of my machine.

These stitches don't amount to much yet, but someday they'll all be straight and my fabric won't pucker.  Someday I'll be able to thread the machine without using a chart.  Someday when I step on the peddle it won't take off in a frantic whirl and I'll fall into an easy rhythm.  And someday...maybe someday I'll be able to sew like my Mom.

Martha's Fruity Button Embroidery Napkins

So many birthdays this month already: Justin, Jason, John, Tobey, Lexi, Miles, Maria, Sam, Ed, Alyssa, Mike, Michael, and...my Mom!  She's always had a love for fruits: in her kitchen adorning the cabinets and walls, fashioned in clay, wood, porcelain and glass, so I used this Martha Stewart idea to make a gift for her: little hemstitch Irish linen cocktail napkins embellished with little button fruits.

I got the plain napkins from the extensively-stocked Boutross Imports in Brooklyn where they have "everything in linens since 1894"!  I love their amazing selection for table, bed, bath and baby from doilies to sheets to dresses and beyond.  I started in the car on the way to our DC/Philly vacation at the beginning of the month.

It took a little planning...

and for the dozen napkins I chose a dozen fruits and got going...

and then there were 12.

There were the citrus fruits: lemon, orange and lime.

The stone fruits: cherry, plum, peach and apricot.

One vegetable (peapod) and the "other" fruits: apple, blueberries, banana and grapes.

Then time for wrapping: one of my favorite parts!  I was very pleased to find a box I had saved from Manhattan Fruitier that came with a Christmas basket last year.

So, in they went with some sunny, yellow tissue.

Had to add a nice tag

and I had a little something for my sister, Emily, so why not wrap that too?  

P.S.: the other little box is Maple Walnut Fudge from the Reading Terminal Market  in Philly, fabulous foodie haven!, but more about that soon.

Car Crafts

We're heading south for a little road trip this week, hurray! so let me know if you have any suggestions for where to eat, craft or shop in DC or Philly.  For now I'm figuring out what I can do in the car for hours and hours...

Here's my little caddy, it all snaps together.

There are compartments on the top for the little things

and I have some linen cocktail napkins, needles and plenty of buttons

plus the silk chiffon I used for my lavender sachet, bugle beads, seed beads and lots of thread....hmmm...I still have to pack and pick out a knitting project and then it'll be time to go!  Have a good week, I'll be back soon.

1/2 Over Recap

The year's 1/2 over, time for some VACA, but 1st, a look back over 2010 so far.  Sent this card to my sister Emily while she was studying for 1st year med school finals.  My job may be crazy, but as someone told me today: there are very few real emergencies in life (and Emily's much more likely to face them!)  That's my usually relaxed cat, Tobey.

I try to catch a few chill moments at work when I can, like this shot from The Museum of the City of New York, the calm before the event began.

Made this amigurumi flamingo for my friend, designer Mika Wyche, and she added it to her family of lovely handmade animals from around the world, I was touched!

Baked for the first time in a looong time: pink rice krispie treats!  Oops, there miiight be a bite missing from the one in the front....

...but in a much more accomplished baking endeavor, my friend, pastry chef Michel, who helped me with this Valentine's Day project, created this beautiful croquembouche with sugar flowers.

Been really enjoying the ever-changing array of vendors at The Hester Street Fair (seems their site is currently down, but don't let that keep you away from the fair!)

Posted about seeing the documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop, loved it, then saw this street art in Chinatown.  Wanna check out Soapstone Gallery's Graffolution next week, where the exhibitors will include my friend, Miles Wickham, who's shown his work at Coney Island, The Museum of Sex and even The Museum of Modern Art: check out his site for graffiti tutorials!

Bought some cute, little glasses at Ikea, but alas, a few months later and they have proven so delicate that now there are only 2 left, sigh...

on the up-side, my parents' dog, Guinness (lower left), enjoyed watching Dug in the movie UP, it just makes me happy.

Got some lovely fabric, not to make something, but....because these are 2 bikinis from Hollister.  They've been to the beach one time each, but the season is still young...

...and speaking of clothing, how did the new AllSaints boutique in Soho get a bazillon antique-looking Singer sewing machines for its displays??

and yes, posted about going to The Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, but haven't done a full report: it felt like just about the hottest day ever....kinda like today.

Soothing

This beautiful tub is in The English Room of The Manor House in Norfolk, Connecticut, where I stayed a few years ago.  I've been making soaps and scrubs, so have been wishing for a lovely bath, so how about some of these.

The Oriental from The Overflow Collection by KÄSCH

Morphosis from Jacuzzi

My friend, Alexandra, is blogging about renovating her home in Red Hook, Brooklyn and will soon have a beautiful view from her parlor level tub

A simple freestanding oval from Waterworks

And my sweet blog friend, Jozen from Lola's Girl, has a gorgeous master bathroom, lucky girl!

Really interesting glass bathtub from Wasauna

Tub in progress from another home renovation blog

and finally, this Amaltea Amethyst stunner of solid amethyst with
24-karat gold-plated legs from Baldi of Florence for just $190,000.00
on Luxuo.com