A Year of Reading

I've gotten a LOT of use out of my bookmarks this year, because, back in January, I set a goal for myself to read 52 books during 2013. Last month I reached my goal, one month early! And I'm still reading!

It all started with the Old Fashioned Book Lover's Swap I organized with my friend Susan on Craftster back in January. During that swap I became aware of a lot of interesting books that I wanted to read; I also found out about the website Goodreads, where I could keep track of what I have read, and write reviews to remind myself what I thought of those books! You can find my Goodreads profile HERE.

I read a lot of Stephen King this year--17 of the books I read were his. I like King's writing style and the way he develops his characters, and I became quite proficient at skimming over the more violent and/or gruesome passages! My favorites were Lisey's Story and 11/22/63.

One of the books I read was the one I received in the Book Lover's Swap: My Sister's Keeper, by Jodi Picoult. I enjoyed it enough to look for more by the same author, and unfortunately my next choice--Plain Truth--turned out to be one of the worst books I read. Do yourself a favor and skip that one. The other stinker that I had the misfortune of reading was A Certain Slant of Light by Laura Whitcomb. This is a "young adult" novel that I chose after someone else in the swap claimed that it was her favorite book ever! It was really silly and strangely R-rated (the few other young adult novels I've read in the past were very chaste).

My favorite new author (new to me, anyway) is Wallace Stegner. I have read only one of his books so far (Crossing to Safety) and I love his writing style and the way he tells a story. I need to get my hands on more of his works.

Most of the books I read were physical books from the library, until I realized in November that I could check out some books electronically. Wow, what a cool revelation that was! I have an iPad and an iPhone (and I have a strong feeling that there will be a Kindle Paperwhite under the Christmas tree with my name on it), so I gave e-books a try, and I am so excited to be able to read on my e-device without having to buy the book (I'm cheap that way)! The best part is being able to read on my iPad at home, then, when I'm away from home and find myself with some time to fill, I can open the same book on my phone and it will take me to the spot where I stopped reading on the iPad! Technology is amazing!

I plan to continue reading with the same goal of 52 books in 2014. I'd love some recommendations--who's your favorite author?

A Meet-Up in NYC

Many of you know me from Craftster (I'm Leslieshappyheart there); and many of you also know my swap co-organizer Susan (she's susanab on Craftster). I've mentioned Susan MANY times on this blog; she's the one who got me interested in Craftster, and she's the one who encouraged me to start a blog. After knowing her on-line for several years, we finally met in person!

Last Sunday my husband and I travelled to New York City for BlytheCon 2013, a gathering of Blythe doll collectors and enthusiasts. Since Susan lives in New Jersey and works in NYC, it was easy for her to meet up with us there for lunch. We had planned to meet at the Panera Bread restaurant that is less than a block from Penn Station (we came into that station on the train), but Susan texted me to say she was waiting for us outside the station. When we came out onto the street the crowd was thick, and I stood in the middle of it, craning my neck left and right, looking for a small, dark-haired woman; then I heard "LESLIE!" and suddenly Susan was right in front of me! We gave each other a big hug, and started talking a mile a minute. The three of us made our way to Panera Bread (which was surprisingly quiet when we walked in), got our lunches, and sat down for good food and good conversation. Bill took these pictures of us as we sat across from him.

We had a bit less than two hours before I had to be at BlytheCon to watch a demonstration, so after a little eating and much talking (my voice was actually getting hoarse!) we reluctantly said goodbye. It was wonderful to meet Susan; she felt like a familiar friend, and our first meeting was so fun that I know we will see each other again.

One Tiny Monster

The best thing about craft swaps is that they often compel me to make things I wouldn't otherwise think of making.  They broaden my crafting horizons. That's how it was in the One Tiny Monster Swap I just participated in on Craftster.  My good friend Susan forced insisted suggested I join it along with her; normally, the creative part of my mind doesn't think about monster-making, but I like knowing that it can if I need it to.

When asked to describe her ideal monster in three words, my partner for the swap wrote "fun, colorful, horns". She also said her favorite colors are purple and blue, and she prefers cute monsters to scary ones.  Looking at her Pinterest was helpful, because she had quite a few cute monsters pinned there.

So here he is! The only rule was that is had to be under 4" in each direction, so I started by drawing a 4" square and sketching a design inside it. Then I cut out the drawing and used it for a template. The purple fabric is fleece, which is great for making stuffies, because it stretches a bit when you stuff it, resulting in a nice firm creature.

I was thinking of adding spines down the back and tail, but I accidentally sewed that part before adding the spines, so I added a series of spots instead.

I LOVE how the horns came out! They are made of wool felt (as are the spots, belly, nose, and area around the eyes.) I'm sure I would not have added horns if my partner hadn't specified them, so that is a perfect example of how craft swaps help me grow and develop new skills.

This little monster fits right in with the color scheme of some of my Blythe dolls! I might have to make one for them to keep!

Who is Junker Jane?

Junker Jane is a cool artist and crafter who makes one-of-a-kind dolls that are always a little more creepy than cute.  The picture below is an example of her work, and you can see more on her blog, Junker Jane.

Her dolls are shabby and stained and patched, but they are overflowing with personality, and they are always unique.

My friend Susan introduced me to Junker Jane's work, and I have grown to appreciate and love her style--so much so that Susan and I will soon be organizing a craft swap of Junker Jane-style dolls on Craftster. To prepare myself for the swap, I thought it might be a good idea to try making something Junker-Jane-style! Here's how I did it.

I started by googling "Junker Jane" and selecting "images".  That gave me about a million different pictures of her work.  I scrolled through them with a paper and pencil nearby, and sketched the details that I wanted to incorporate into my doll.  Then, using a standard 8.5 x 11" sheet of  paper, I drew an outline to use as a template for my doll.

I cut out the paper template and starting looking around my sewing room for fabrics in muted colors, when I noticed the cutter quilt to the side of my work table. Perfect!  The fabrics are already aged, AND  the patchwork section boarders a plain muslin section, which is exactly what I need for the head and body.

Here's the piece that will be the front of the doll:

I chose a few more fabrics to use for the details, and the arms and legs, and laid them out around the quilt section to see it they would work.  They will!

 For the arms and legs, I simply folded the edge of the fabric and sewed a tube with one rounded end.  One of the charming features of Junker Jane dolls is that their arms and legs are all random lengths; usually there are one or two very long limbs, and one or two very short limbs on the same doll.  Keeping that in mind, I just sewed each limb a different length!  Then I turned each tube right-side-out, and pushed a small ball of polyfill into the end.

I hand-sewed the face and body details before sewing the front to the back. The fabric on the left (below) will be the back of the doll.  I sewed front to back with the legs in place, stuffed it, and sewed the arms on by hand.  I added a bit of hair and a bow, and...

 ...Ta-da!!  Isabella is complete!

Here's the back:

I made a tiny friend for her...

...they make a happy pair.

 And I would be happy if you would join us in this craft swap!  Please consider it, if you are a member of Craftster.  If you aren't, sign up today so you will be ready when it's time for Round Two!

A New Crafting Supply

Do you know what this is?

It's an amazing new (to me!) supply for crafting:  recycled sari silk!  I had never heard of this before my in-the-know friend Susan pointed it out to me.  She used it for the hair and mouth of her hurricane doll, and apparently lots of other crafty people are using it for knitting, crochet, and jewelry making.  I bought this on Etsy from Willow Mist Acres.  It arrived really quickly and it seems like a great price for so much loveliness--just $9 for 50 yards. It is composed of yard-long strips of silk, each about 2" wide, that are sewn end-to-end, so it's one long piece, perfect for knitting (with really big needles!); but for crafting purposes you can just cut out the color you want to use.  I don't have a plan for using this yet, but I like having it nearby so when inspiration strikes, I will be ready!

Witchy Ninni

My friend Susan and I couldn't let October come and go with out hosting some sort of Halloween-themed craft swap on Craftster, so we re-visited our old friend, the ninni monster, to see what all the craftters would do to give him a Halloween or fall-inspired makeover.   The gallery of ninnis is just starting to fill up with ninni mummies and trick-or-treaters, and there is one little green witch that I especially like (because I made her!)

Most ninnis don't have a nose--it really changed her look--but a witch needs a big crooked nose!

I really impressed myself with the broom I made for my witch.  I had seen other people make Harry-Potter-style magic wands using a wooden dowel and hot glue, so that's what I did for the broomstick.

Then I gave it two coats of paint--a lighter one under a darker one.  I rubbed the top coat a bit before it dried to let some of the lighter paint show through.

I was going for a gnarled-tree look, and I think I got it!  The broom "straws" are made from gardening twine, as is her hair.  The hat is wool felt, and the wart on her nose is a bead.

You can make your own ninni with the free pattern from the RevoluzZza website.  It's very simple, suitable for beginner sewists.  Susan and I have found ninnis to be addictive, because there are so many ways you can change the basic pattern.   Go ahead, give it a try!

Luna Moth Bag

The Surprise Swap on Craftster is well under way; my friend Susan and I are the organizers.  For this swap, everyone knows information about the person they are crafting for and sending to, but they don't know who will be sending to them--that's the surprise!

I got busy crafting for my partner as soon as I knew who she was.  She gave a link to her blog, and the current entry there was about a luna moth she had seen in her yard. I love these insects, and I quickly decided I would make a luna moth patch and sew it to the front of a purse for her.

She likes earthy colors, so making the bag in brown and green was a no-brainer!

I made the luna moth patch by tracing an internet image onto paper, then cutting it out to make a template.  I used HeatnBond lite to hold the moth in place while I sewed the details with brown thread.

My partner had written and posted a haiku about the luna moth on her blog, so I knew that HAD to be on the bag too.  I ironed off-white fabric onto HeatnBond, then taped that to a sheet of paper, and put it into my computer printer.  The haiku printed onto the fabric perfectly!  I ironed it onto the bag, then stitched around it first with the sewing machine and then by hand with embroidery floss to give it a boarder.  I added a few buttons, and it was done!

The back has a big pocket:

The inside is lined with drapery fabric, and it has a big pocket too:

This is the most personalized bag I've ever made, and I'm THRILLED with how it turned out.  My partner loves it too--that's what really matters!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUSAN!!

Today, August 9th, is Susan's birthday!

You know--susanab on Craftster; Susan of the blog The Sloppy Sewer, Susan, whom I mention on this blog all the time--Susan, my friend!  Go over to her blog and leave a little birthday greeting in the comments; I know she will love that!

Susan, I hope you like these goodies that I made for you, which I know you received yesterday:

--your birthday card, in ATC (Artist Trading Card) form.  (We both love cats!  And cake!)

--A prayer flag.  Since we just finished coorganizing a prayer flag swap on Craftster, I NEEDED to make one for you.  This is my new favorite thing!  I suddenly love fabric collage, and leaving every edge of the fabric unfinished, and leaving lots of dangling threads!  It is so fun!

The picture below shows a close-up of my favorite area.  It is supposed to be the odds and ends that might end up in a birds nest (I guess it would have to be a crow's nest--aren't they the ones that pilfer all kinds of junk?)  I chose the swirly metal charm because you love spirals.  The words "Trust Him", which I stamped on polymer clay, are self-explanitory.  The glass bottle is filled with tiny glass beads and slips of paper that say "be still".  The two brown buttons on the right were made by my partner in the matchbox swap last year--they are made mostly of cinnamon!

--Speaking of matchboxes...I decorated a matchbox for you and filled it with...

...a wool felt scissors fob!  (I also managed to cram into the box a pair of beaded bobby pins, but they didn't make it into the picture.)

Have the happiest birthday ever, Susan! 

You are a beautiful, creative, smart and fun person, and I am proud to be your friend!!

My First Prayer Flag

My friend Susan and I have started a new swap on Craftster called the Prayer Flag Swap.  There was a recent article about prayer flags in the magazine Cloth Paper Scissors that we are using for our guide. 

There is a cool blog called The Prayer Flag Project  that is dedicated to these flags if you want to read more on the topic. The original idea is that the prayer flag is a small banner to be hung outdoors, that slowly deteriorates and releases your prayer into the world. With that in mind, you can see that it is not expected to be a masterpiece of perfect stitching. Rather, it is an art piece that is thoughtfully and prayerfully made.

One of the participants in the swap happens to be my partner in another swap, and she suggested that we also exchange prayer flags.  I liked the idea because it would give me a chance to practice before the actual prayer flag swap started!  I decided to make it collage-style, with all the edges left unfinished.  Since my partner has a picture of a field of lavender for her avatar on Craftster, I used that as my inspiration as I gathered fabrics from my stash, and started cutting.  Here is an in-progress shot, before anything was sewn together:

We exchanged some possible words to use on our flags, so I used rubber stamps to write "prosperity".

I used machine-sewing to anchor all the fabric, and then I sewed on buttons and coins by hand.  I am extremely pleased with this first prayer flag!  I love the freedom of cutting and sewing without worrying about finishing the edges.  After this one I made two more, which are currently in transit to my swap partners.  I will show them to you next week.

 If you would like to make a prayer flag yourself, here are the simple instructions:



How to Make Prayer Flags
1. Cut pieces of fabric to 5" x 11". Use materials you already have on hand.

2. Fold the top down on each piece of fabric and stitch in place to create a 3" sleeve, making the flag surface 5" x 8".

3. Paint, stitch, embroider, appliqué, or collage the flags.

4. Add words, journaling, or symbols as desired. You can appliqué letters, add hand stitching, stencil with textile paint, or just write with a permanent marker.

5. Thread the flags onto a string or cord and hang them outdoors so the breeze will catch them and spread your intentions.

It's all up to you as to what surface designs or stitch techniques you want to use on your flag.

London Calling!

My wonderful friend Susan went to London on business in January, and while there she purchased some amazing London-themed Kath Kidson fabric for me!  I finally had time this week to make this bright and happy bag!

The fabric she sent is a lightweight canvas, which is perfect for bags, and as you can see, all the things you associate with London are represented:  Buckingham Palace with the guards in front; Tower Bridge, double-decker busses, Big Ben, and the big ferris wheel.  In my stash I found the red canvas for the back, and the red and white stripe on the front, which go with it really well.

Front:

Back:

Inside:

I also had this other London print from eQuilter that I used for a coordinating keychain pouch.  The scale of the design is perfect for something this small, and the colors are good with the bag.

I've just listed this on Etsy as a "made to order" item, so I can take this one to my local shop.  I have enough of the fabric to make several more.

Thanks, Susan, for being so awesome, and for thinking of me while you were on your business trip! 

I spent a summer working in London before I got married, and this fabric brings back a lot of memories.  I'm loving this bag so much, it's possible it may not make it into the store...

Felt Badge Obsession

I've signed up for the Felt Badge swap on Craftster, and now I'm seeing ideas for badges everywhere!  I really want to stop doing everything else, and just sit in my chair with my felt and scissors and thread!  In the past week I've pulled out some things that I had started a while ago and finished them into badges, and I've made a few new ones to "practice" for this swap.  Here's my collection so far:

I made the little cloud (below) into a pin for my friend Susan last year, and I came upon this one, partly-finished, in a box of assorted projects; I finished it the way we are doing them for this swap:  flat (rather than stuffed) and with a finished, felt back, but no pin or magnet or anything else.

These four (below) are the ones I was inspired to make this week.  The carrot design came from a cookie I saw online.  The cat came from a piece of fabric; I looked at the fabric while cutting the felt (without tracing of the design onto the felt)--and by the fourth try, I had a cat I liked!  The cat badge is 2" square; the carrot is 2" x 1 3/4", and the birds are 1 1/4" square.

The bird and leaves were so small they were hard to hold onto while cutting and sewing them!  I love how they came out.

Cats are a common theme with me, and so are hearts.

I want to have a huge collection of these!  If anyone wants to swap one (or a few) with me, please send me an email!

When my collection is bigger, I plan to display them all together somehow.  I will show that to you when it happens!

Cats and Dogs Rule!

This is just my opinion (I have no scientific data to support it) but I think that the vast majority of people love cats or dogs, or both!  That's why my friend Susan and I have just opened sign-ups for a new swap on Craftster called "I Love Cats or Dogs".  If you are already an established member of Craftster, I invite you to sign up.  If you're not, go ahead and start your Craftster profile so you will be ready for our next swap!

I'm excited to craft for this swap, and to see what everyone else makes, because there are so many different directions in which the crafters could go with this theme--we can use any medium, and make any item that we think our partner would like.  In the picture above you can see several cat pincushions/stuffies I have received in swaps (thanks wendiek, onegroovyday, and pjr107!), plus the beautiful painting of my favorite cat ever, Toulouse, which my daughter made for me for Christmas two years ago (thanks, Jenna!)

I've always found that dog and cat-themed purses (like the blue one above, and the two below that I just made this week) sell very quickly at craft shows and the local store that carries my work.  People just love cats and dogs!

Right, Q-Tip?

Right, Suki and Sake?

Right, Juniper?

RIGHT!