Currently: October 28, 2002
This past weekend I lost a bidding war on eBay. It was the SECOND time I lost for the very same item. I have been searching for it for what seems like forever, and I finally found it. It's my holy grail of Jim Flora records...Mambo For Cats. The first time I lost by 50 cents, and the second time....oh, it's almost too painful..my bidding strategy failed me. I waited too long to bid, and it timed out on me. Doh! It HAS to be a sign. I was willing to pay a too large a sum for each of these and I guess I need to hang on to my money.
Above are pictures of the felted purse I made at while visiting my parents back in April. I still have a whole bunch of wool left...I keep forgetting to buy a washboard. As you can see, my super spy camera is not a whiz at close ups. I felted sheets of different colors and cut the petal shapes out of them. I then blanket stitched them on to the purse, and embellished with beads. It was so much fun to make.
You know the Sunset cozies? (see Oct 22) well, you know how I said that "They cut small pieces of regular craft type felt and felted them onto the outside of the cozy as decoration" well..I actually read the instructions this morning and I am totally wrong. They don't use craft felt, they use a contrasting color and make the felt to use as decorations. he he he..
Penny from Tumbletales recently purchased playing cards illustrated by Tim Biskup. They are so cool that I promptly bought a set for myself. I also want these illustrated playing cards.
Update: just in case the bottle link is not working go to totem design / scroll down and click catalog / $50 and under / click "next page" once and scroll down
I am not sure if I ever posted about these here, (I can't remember and I don't feel like looking) but check out these bottle sweaters. For some reason I am drawn to little sweaters on beverages. (Check out the cup jean) I asked J, the wine expert, if there was any reason putting a sweater on a wine bottle would be beneficial, and he said: "Those are lame." So there you go. If I was any good at knitting I'd whip one of these up and submit it to the fabulous Knitty. If you have not been there yet...go. And....by the way, I did get J to admit that the bottle sweaters would be great gifts and actually, I bet you could felt a sweater on the bottle just like they did in Sunset Magazine.
The new issue of Sunset Magazine has a GREAT article on felting. They make a glass cozy...it's really cute, and you felt it right on the glass. They cut small pieces of regular craft type felt and felted them onto the outside of the cozy as decoration...great idea. Sorry if I didn't explain that very well, the article doesn't seem to be on the site yet....
Carrie from Project Annie sent me a like to these fabulous devil picks! I love them! Thanks Carrie! I really like that website..they have great products.
Check out the LJC's project page and the mosaic doors!
I got a Sundance catalog in the mail the other day. They have some of the cutest stockings. They look like they would be fairly easy to knit, but I don't know. I like that they are long and skinny. I am going to make some stockings this year. The pattern is from an old Handcraft Illustrated. I miss that magazine. I have seen some back issues on eBay I keep meaning to bid on. Also in Sundance....I am going to buy this rocket coffee scoop for J's birthday. He is a huge coffee head and it's a good excuse for me to buy it. I don't think he wants it per se, but I do. "Happy Birthday to you! Look what I bought for me!" And he just read this as I was writing it..."Rocket coffee scoop?" he never reads my site, let alone while I am updating. Oh well..now he knows I am getting him a coffee scoop for me for his birthday :) Don't worry, that was just ONE of his (your) gifts.
I got a new digital camera!! Remember the Logitech? It arrived today, just in time for my project. I made Halloween Paper Mache Buckets. Here are the instructions that include a picture of some that I made that I took with my brand new camera. I will create a "Projects" page eventually, perhaps when I add more than this project.
By the way, the Budget Living magazine is great! I love it!
I got my issue of Ready Made yesterday. On page 32 they feature Jill Bliss and her handmade products. What a great site selling unique handmade items. I love that idea.
I found a new magazine at the store today. Budget Living. The title is a little lame, in my opinion, but the magazine looks promising. I only flipped through it at the store, and it passed the ever crucial "flip through test" and made it home, so I will keep you posted.
Exciting things brewing. Last September, I started this site on inspiration from sites, like Loobylu and NotMartha, with the idea of posting my crafts and art and whatnot. Well, there has been more art and whatnot than crafts, but soon I am going to be posting my first craft! For Halloween no less...just give me a few days.
On Sunday night, I made a recipe from the October issue of Bon Appetit. It was "Cheese Ravioli with Herbs in Meat Broth". Sounds fancy, but it was really easy because you used won ton wrappers to make the ravioli. It was so yummy..I am definitely keeping that recipe. (it is on page 42 in the R.S.V.P. section) I have to say however, that even though the won ton wrappers made it a lot easier, I had a bit of a problem with them. I made this recipe from Sunset magazine once and it also uses won ton wrappers in place of pasta. Both times, during the "boiling of the ravioli phase" the cheesy stuffing almost seemed to melt away, and the raviolis were very fragile and hard to extract. Perhaps I cooked them too long, but I did what the recipe told me to. This situation has prompted me to think about throwing my hat into the pasta making arena. I would need a pasta machine, and one of those ravioli crimpers. Or...I could get the ravioli attachment and make things even easier.
I have had a busy week! I have had no time to do anything. Hopefully that is all behind me as a year long project at work is FINALLY ending.
I love Red Envelope's version of a Halloween Gingerbread House...and look at their mini cookies! So cute!
Remember the Bethany Lowe Halloween faces? Well, check out the ones Christy made! (scroll to Sept 28) I think she did a great job.
It finally rained this weekend. It's about damn time.
And finally, a little rant about Lucky Magazine. I bought a subscription to Lucky since I bought it every month anyway, and I am trying to cut down on the magazine spending which, after tallying it up, is an embarrassing large amount. I subscribe in August. They sent my July's issue in August, and then August's issue in September. I have never received the September issue, and here is it October and guess what? No October issue. I have been staring at it every time I go to the store...it's taunting me.
