Hope to see you soon.

I’m also digging the mosaic tool on flickr. This is my first attempt (and it’s all yellow,) but I am sure there will be many more of these to come. Click on the link if you want to know more about these pictures.

And the yellow cover of Blueprint magazine had me all excited. I really thought there was going to be more yellow inside, but alas, it was just a tease. Still, the magazine had some great little tidbits like this creative and inexpensive way to display art or pictures. I’m perpetually getting tired of my art/photos on my walls, and what a quick and easy way this would be to replace them.

And my thrifted vintage crafty Creative Hands series. (Again, I’ll get some pictures of the insides of these babies sometime real soon.) They truly are gems.

I’ve tried painting walls yellow before, but I’ve never really had much luck with it, and I’ve always ended up painting over them in a matter of days. The color changes so much during the day, and it can sometimes come across downright manic. Although, I do have to say that I am very much drawn to yellow houses– both of my former houses were yellow, and there are a few mustardy, almost orangey yellow houses in town that are really attractive.

I love the wallpaper on the Blueprint cover, but there’s no mention of where to find it in the resource guide, and I’m sure that it probably costs a bazillion dollars.  I could imagine it in my front foyer, although it does make me recall a short story that I read and then adapted for a performance in college– The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. It’s a great story, written in the late 1800′s about a woman’s descent into madness from depression (possibly post-partum, and her Doctor/husband’s treatment for her.) She writes in her journal about the yellow wallpaper in her room, and she eventually starts to believe that the swirls and designs in the patterns is women trapped in the wallpaper.

And back to the Blueprint cover–I also really like those vintage enamel bowls that were found on eBay. Does anybody out there know who makes those or better yet, have any that you want to unload? I already have a problem with bowls– too many bowls that catch too much clutter, but those sure would be pretty clutter catchers, wouldn’t they?  Too many bowls (yellow or otherwise) filled with clutter might launch my husband into a descent of madness.

Ooh ooh, and don’t forget the cute, cute duck. I want that cute duck, and I thought I even had the Mr. convinced that we should get a duck a while back ago, and then he backed out.  Anybody out there have a duck you need to unload?

Looking in the mirror sometimes, I feel like my stomach is permanently stretched out enough to host a full term baby or two, but I can confidently say that I am in NO way pregnant. If I were, I think the Mr. would have a fit since he cut me off; that wasn’t the only thing that got cut off if you know what I mean. No, no not that– only the vas deferens. For those of you still wondering, he had a vasectomy, so no more babies for the Hickseses. I guess I will have to live vicariously through the other crafty ladies around me having babies.

So I will be taking my bundle of baby girl goodies to a baby shower for a friend and old neighbor on Sunday. She is due with baby girl #3 real soon.

Bitty baby booties– thanks to Heather Bailey’s bitty baby bootie pattern.

Bib– first attempt, I may need to refine this– it’s quilted and fairly thick

Blanket– in the softest terry with a quilted edge.

B is for baby (we’re almost certain she’s a girl)

B is for baby shower gifts (to be delivered next week)

B is for bye bye — see you soon

oh yeah, and O is for one little bitty appliqued onesie

My name is Kelly. Crafts that occupy my time include photography, sewing, knitting, crocheting, collage and jewelry. Thanks for inviting me to join this talented group of makers.

It’s not outdated, cause how many steps are there in knitting?? I quote the book: 4 basic steps of knitting …how to cast on, how to knit, how to purl, how to cast off…..

I also found my grandmother Wallene’s sewing box – a huge wicker and pink fabric accented box that my mom offered to me months ago (before KMC – or B.KMC.). I didn’t take it then, but what a treat now. It’s funny how perceptions change. It’s the same box, but me now enlightened on a new journey (and that my friends, another post for another day). I piled up some other items, a left behind box of embroidery thread, an orange spool of thread to “ask (again) before taking”, to not assume I can just help myself – but we know! We can’t help ourselves!

I took the knitting book upstairs. I remembered there was a pair of circular knitting needles somewhere in a closet that I had purchased at least 10 years ago. After looking over the diagrams, I found the needles AND a skein of green yarn and started the process.

I did start and restart AND instead of critiquing my work and a few dropped stitches I kept going. I focused on technique and how to hold the yarn with the right amount of tension and how to hold the needles. The book stayed in my lap so I could easily refer to the instructions, and after knitting for a while, I purled for a few rows. Then I mixed them – I read AFTER a few rows that you’re supposed to start with the opposite stitch on a new row. No mistake – I’m sure of it, only a different pattern.

A photo with my knitted piece – with various and dropped stitches (i.e. holes!)

Voila! And the final cast off…

Next challenge – counting! I wanted to try simple ribbing. I can relate to this – a sweater sleeve! 2 knit, 2 purl, 2 knit, 2 purl….etc.

I did this on the drive home today.

The few hours I sat around attempting this new craft, both my mom and dad related stories of knitters they knew… those women who never left home without their knitting and how one of them could hold eye contact and conversation with you as they knitted click…click…clicking away. (I know you’re out there….invite me over! I’d love to learn from a master or journey along with a beginner like me!) How about a KMC afternoon of knitting? Practice ribbing becomes a sweater sleeve or a collar…. even a simple piece of knitting – make a square! – is a washcloth. Possibilities abound!

Okay, 7 bags later, I can’t stop. Keep telling self I haven’t yet got the perfect B Bag; maybe that Fair Isle with some of that orange, no green, no stripes, will make her happier. Who am I kidding? She will rave excessively over anything I present, claim my talent is as deep AND broad as these other KMC artists. But there is that huge pile of scraps – sweaters and sheets and the pair of deliciously brown pants my hubby stained with the ink from the theft protection devise the store forgot to remove – and, if you know me, you know it can’t all live at my house. Must produce and distribute and get the stuff the stuff out of here. But that floral needs some light blue accompaniment. I don’t have that color; go to Thrift central; find no blue, but 5 more future bags worth of wool and batiks and silk and, and, and.

Anybody need a bag?

really caught my eye, as did the yellow rain boots

and this beautiful yellow dress. I thought to myself “self, that black and white print sure would look nice in your house somewhere, but wouldn’t it be so much better if the black were yellow?”

So, I considered heading out to the fabric store to look for my newly dreamed up fabric, but then I also remembered that on occasion I have thrifted some nice J. Crew clothes for myself, and decided to head to my local thrift joint. I pretty much have my standard route that I take when I walk into a thrift store; I usually walk toward the housewares perusing the bedding if it is along the way, and then I do the clothes (women’s first and then kids,) and then books, then shoes. Well, nothing really jumped out at me in bedding, and housewares was making me yawn, so I went back to the little fabric corner, and picked up a bag of fiberfill (I can always find some room for a bag of fiberfill) when what to my wandering eyes should appear?

This giant bolt of yellow and white fabric! (please pardon the blurry picture.) This was one chunky bolt, so I put it in my buggy to contemplate whether this bolt was worth the $9.99 tag, or if I should try to hide it, and come back the next day when it could be marked down 25% or even 50%. The fabric was lovely– so similar to my fantasy J. Crew inspired dreamed-up fabric, and there was so much of it, but $9.99– was it really worth it? The more I carted the fabric around the less appealing the thought of hiding it became (it was a big bolt,) and where was I going to hide it, (does anybody else out there hide things like me?) and what if somebody found it? I realized that I would be devastated if I came back and it was gone.

So, I brought it home with me, and stretched it out– there was no end in sight; it just went on and on and on. It did have little brown spots all through the fabric, but I could accept that. I kept unrolling it, and realized that I had probably 40 yards of fabric– enough to do all 5 windows in my living-room/dining room. Wow! I called Melissa, I could barely contain my excitement about my find. I realized that I was going to have to cut the fabric in half so that I could fit it into the wash. I measured twice and cut once fearful that I may have just reduced myself to 9 long panels and 1 short one. (not too good for a room that has full visibility of all 5 windows.) But I cut the fabric and washed it– hmm, still has brown spots and still has that musty smell. I decided to wash it once more, and put just a splash of bleach once the machine had filled. Second time– the spots were gone! I can’t believe it. My fabric is perfect now. So, I may not be around for the next little while; hopefully, I will be upstairs, cutting and hemming 10 perfect panels. I’m so excited with my find, and now I’ve realized just how much yellow that I have been bringing in lately. I guess it started with this light fixture,

and then this printed pillow from Thomas Paul that looked so nice with it.

And next came these prints from binth –(they are actually cards that I framed.)

And I already had my eye on this cute yellow cuckoo clock

at Urban Outfitters (Scott’s mom got me a gift certificate for my birthday that I’ve just gotta use.) So, here’s to a bright, cheery, yellow, sunshiny day in the middle of a sometimes bleak and gray winter.

I think it is fair to say that our first ever Naked Lady Party was a smash. Someone even left with a sewing machine. I scored some delicious little mary jane heels and a fabulous purse (I’m thinking it’s waterproof because it’s made by Speedo, and it kept my stuff dry on this cold and rainy day.)

Kelly and Lori went all out and provided such a warm environment for us girls (and Little Mr. Archer) to get together and reduce, recycle, and reuse some clothes. I am amazed by the willpower of some (you know who you are), and many others seemed to leave with some cute stuff–pictures please.

Angie and I challenged one another to a craft-off. She found a skirt in a beautiful green with a neat print that reminds me of Denyse Schmidt’s fleamarket buds, and the challenge was on. My challenge– to make something new and exciting with these wool herringbone pants.

I know that they look so good on me as they are, but I have now been challenged, so out come the scissors.

Hopefully, by now, Kelly’s sunroom has been cleared away, and the employees at Carolina Thrift are putting the bags and bags of clothes onto hangers. Hopefully everybody has washed and put away their “new to me” duds in their sparse and organized closets, and dreaming of the fun things to do with our parting prize fabrics and/or yarn stash. And if anyone is up for another challenge– I challenge you to cut into your fabric or take out your needles and create something yummy– be it a scarf or bag or maybe a simple applique for a t-shirt– let the inspiration begin.

And finally, whoever left this fabric behind needs to claim it now.

I’ve already started daydreaming of an “outfit” as Ada likes to call it. Maybe a dress and a shirt and some pants with a little apron, or maybe you already had your own dreams for this cute combo of fabric.

So i started looking at things around me, after all attempts failed to get the machine back on track. I’m just getting my sewing lab fixed up and everything doesn’t have a place yet, so stuff is out, about, stacked – hmmmm…… maybe its right where it’s supposed to be! Visual candy!

Collections sometimes just happen. You don’t realize you’ve got a collection of something until things come together for some reason – you’ve moved everything into one area, you’re cleaning, you’re purging, whatever. So in my lab – I assembled a collection of vintage handkerchiefs… Wow, I say…I’m not sure if there’s a current market, or who among you out there carries a sweet linen or lace or

blue square piece of cloth to…uh, hmmm… dab the corner of thy mouth when eating shortbread during afternoon tea (yes? wanna start a group??) I under-appreciate (or really, let’s be honest, in this day and age of tissues in an OVAL box – check this out!) handkerchiefs – the work, craftsmanship, style…uniqueness. I started comparing.

An Irish lassie gave these little hankies to me on my wedding day. She had them folded tiny in a little ziploc bag…my friend Helen. She said her Grannie made them.. and how wonderfully detailed in MINUTE – MI-NUTE! stitches… and sorry the picture is minute too!

In the Irish Grannie collection, there is a group of 5 hankies, the same design, but with color variation. What’s this? An Irish tree, wind swept on a isle?

or a deer with funny flowery antlers?

The linen is so fine…and those stitches – I’ve already said it….

My grandmother had a wooden cigar box (oh, I crave them – the boxes, not the cigars!!) in the top shelf of a closet when she passed. I’d never seen it before, so I suspect it wasn’t Pauline’s, but maybe her sister Florence, who lived quite close to New York City most of her adult life.

She – my grandmother must have inherited the box, and so did I. Inside the box (and for a picture of that, click “closed” and “open“) there were gobs of handkerchiefs with prissy floral patterns and colors

some with deco prints

and some delicate white hankies, not so plain.

I love the mixture. The bonus is when you lay them all out…

SPLASH, BLAST! COLOR! and the edges…. These fabrics are printed or woven fabrics…most of them not embroidered. Some of them have these wonderful scalloped edges.

I’m figuring store bought – can you imagine a boutique or a department store 1958…women with pillbox hats (opps, was that ’68?) shopping for handkerchiefs?

(This vintage cloth napkin has a great linen texture and this flower detail. I’ve a few of these which adds to the collection.

And then… i looked for collections online.

Here

aqui (what a collection!)

and questa… this one even gives ideas on how to transform them! (i.e. crafties!)

So, I did say the story turned out with a happy ending. I came home the other night and on the dresser in the computer room, i saw a white piece of fabric and when I got closer and realized what it was, I howled… this is what I found!

Voila! Back in business! A hug for Andy and a hug for the machine!