Happy New Year! And a Coupon Code!

Happy New Year! Here's to starting over again and getting resolutions resolved!

This year I resolve to save more money and experience new things. The saving money part actually ties into the second resolution, as I want to go to New York City before this year is over. So here's a new experience for me, the Etsy discount coupon:

Happy Birthday to Me, Un-birthday to You!
When you buy something from my shop enter the coupon code "2011UNBIRTHDAY" during check out for 25% off your purchase!

(Image is actually the muslin bag you'll receive with every purchase of my shoe clips. I'm in the middle of making more brooches too.)

New Item!: It's a...Bag?

Your eyes don't deceive you. Why yes, it is a bag!

I saw this cotton drawstring bag online. The first thing I thought? I can make this into calligraphy! I bought one, along with bottles of fabric paint to experiment with. Honestly finding the right ratio of fabric paint was harder than the actual calligraphy. You can't make this paint too runny or it'll go through the fabric. But it can't be too thick or it won't apply to the fabric at all. Such a finicky medium. On the positive side you can actually see my brush strokes.

In any case, have some practical art to hold all your stuff!

Saku - Blossom - Japanese Calligraphy on Natural Cotton Drawstring Bag

New Item!: Flower Clips

I just listed a sweet little set of flower clips. The fabric scrap I used was so small but it was too beautiful not to use for something. Much tinkgering and cursing later I made some classic fabric rose buds. Check it out!

Roses Red Shoe Clip Set
Available on Etsy now for $12.

Happy Holidays!

It's a busy time for all of us. I just wanted to wish all my readers and everyone in the greater blog ether a happy and safe holiday season. If you're traveling, never forget to bring extra underwear. Just trust me on that one.

New Item!: Flower Clips

So after much experimenting and talking with the fabric (or myself, depending on the situation) I created a retail version of my shoe clips that I wouldn't mind parting with.

Purple Haze and Golden Waves Shoe Clip Set

Actually yeah I do mind parting with it. I put a lot of work into these little things. But I know that wherever they end up it will be in a good place.

Wait, I Sew? (Flower Shoe Clips)

I have a lot of female friends. This isn't 'vaguely know them on my Facebook page' sense, but in a 'I see these people quite regularly to hang out' sense. With the holidays/birthdays approaching and me short on money, I decided to venture into a new arts and crafts project, shoe clips.

I searched around for something I like, but nothing to my satisfaction. I mean, does everyone have to make nice shoe clips in the same shape (circles) and material (polyester ribbon)? So here I go again attempting to sate my dead grandmother who could make shawls with dental floss.

For experiments I purchased some Japanese inspired fabric from Kimonomomo and a nifty book on fabric flowers. The fabric was enough to have me experiment, and the book had *gasp* realistic patterns. A bit of cutting and painting and sewing later I came up with my prototype


Here's Mark 1. Instead of leaving the edges raw I tried stiffening the fabric so it doesn't come undone. This left the fabric a bit too stiff. I could only shape it after smashing it in my hand and giving it a good twist. Even then it would lay flat after some time. However I did like how the two pearl beads in the middle turned out. All right, lessons learned. There's plenty of material for Mark 2.

Oh this one turned out nice. Rather than starch the fabric to stiffness I painted the edges with some fabric paint (and some gold glitter for sparkle). I might have been a tad too enthusiastic with the application of the paint. This is much closer to what I had in mind. Not flat pancake petals, but rather layers that can move and fold on their own accord without detracting from its beauty.

I would start on Mark 3 (and hopefully the final test clips) today, but it's my neice's birthday party. Time for some cake and Wii Sports antics!

Trying new things: Bikram Yoga

AKA 'Just standing here burns calories' AKA 'hot yoga' AKA 'dear Lord please shower before we start please weird lady next to me.' At the suggestion of my boyfriend I decided to try out doing balancing stances in a 100+ degree room.

Why did I choose to do this? I need the exercise. Running/jogging/walking gets boring. Gym gets expensive. I have working out ADD.

I'm doing okay for my first few sessions. It's not the poses that are hard, per say, but the sheer amount of sweat makes it difficult to hold the position for very long. Either the sweat stings my eyes or my own limbs slip over each other. Blech.

Thankfully the teachers are nice and encourage me to stop and take a break. Dizziness and fainting shouldn't be part of meditation. The whole 'your starting a wonderful journey and these are first steps' sorts of encouragement get me going enough to voluntarily stay in this sweltering room.

Since I'm out of shape my body is cramping and spazzing in new ways. After I give my body a day to hold off, I will go back. This thing is like biting into a hot chili pepper. It's so good for you but burns so bad.

Walk around looking classy and feeling comfy

The first time I ever saw someone walk around outside with a pair of Tom's Shoes I remarked, "Since when were we allowed to wear old man slippers outside the house?" Then I started seeing them being worn in San Francisco with increasing frequency, in more styles and colors. My boyfriend's sister starting talking about how great Tom's were and the charitable pair they make for every shoe sold. It was getting close to her birthday and Tom's shoes were the only thing on her wishlist. My hand was pretty much forced.

I did a little browsing on the sight and
...oh, hello there. Are you new here? Yeah, you guessed it. I ordered a pair of very nice wedges and 'classics' (as Tom's calls their original old man shoes) as I ordered a nice gift for my boyfriend's sister.

The shoes came in quickly. Color me impressed both the old man shoes and the wedges were comfortable. And the fit. Wow, they have little arch support things and feel great even without socks. Wow these are the best shoes I ever ordered. I love 'em. So much so I already ordered another pair of each type in a different color. I'm crazy, I know. It's not to say my other shoes won't be loved but I think I found myself a new favorite shoe company.

I'm in a Blog!: Mystic Wynd

I received a message earlier this week from Mystic Wynd that she featured my Japanese calligraphy in her latest blog entry. An Asian inspired post filled with pretty things and facts about Chinese and Japanese culture. Go check it out!

Delightful Discoveries - Domo Arigato

Thank you so much, Mystic Wynd! You made my week!

Wait, I Sew? (A Purple Flower Hair Clip. By Myself)

Yes, I do. Very badly. Traumatic experiences with a grandmother who could literally sew everything while watching soap operas.

One day I convinced myself I want a fabric flower hair clip. After about two days of searching I couldn't find what was envisioned in my head. I found many things too small, too big, too flashy, or just too awful. Of course, all of these things were too expensive. Frustrated, I decided to make this myself.

Materials:

1. Fabric - some cheap fat quarters in batik patterns
   
2. Felt - eco-friendly
   
3. Needles - normal sewing needles and embroidery
   
4. Thread - the fancy embroidery ones and ones with neat gradients
   
5. Large hair clips - surprisingly critical component. I bought hair clips that I knew could keep my fine hair together.
   
6. Button - I found this while looking for the supplies above. It immediately reminded me of one of my grandma's blouses.
   
7. Fabric glue - An adhesive glue with more flexibility than standard tacky glue.

The design took a couple of doodles to get right. I kept forgetting I needed this flower and leaf to fit on my head and the clip that it will be on. I drew out the pattern on the cloth, and made a cloth sandwich (cloth, felt, cloth) on the embroidery hoop. And holy cow I sewed something for purposes other than fixing holes and tears.

I used the embroidery thread to make a border. I am terrible with maintaining consistency in my stitches. I can feel the my grandma's spirit on me to at least attempt to make all of this pretty. I tried, grandma. I don't have decades of practice like you did. But thank you for teaching me to thread a needle and multi-task. Catching up to my TV shows on my DV-R and sewing. Oddly relaxing and helps me focus on the task at hand.


I was indecisive about gluing or sewing on the finished components. I had enough stitches in them to make sewing new stitches very difficult. However the fabric glue is doing very well.

For my first foray into making hair accessories I am happy with the results. Things can only go up from here.