Jenny Hart @ Home Ec.

I took a class tonight. It was at Reform School, through their Home Ec. department. I can't remember the last time I took a class. (Note to self: Take some classes.) It was nice driving there and knowing I didn't have to get materials prepared or spend the night running around and showing people things, I could just sit and listen and sew and learn.

It was an embroidery class taught by Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching. She has needle-handedly resurrected the art of embroidery with her embroidery kits and their fun patterns and easy-to-follow instructions. Anyone who's anyone in the craft world has heard of her.

Class started promptly at 7:00. Jenny Ryan, I mean Mrs. Jenny Ryan, even took roll (I love the whole school theme they have going there.)

Jenny (Hart, that is. Man, there are a lot of Jennys in our generation) started out showing us some stitches:

We worked on our Sublime Stitching patterns and she walked around and helped people.

Her mom came along, which I thought was great. She was the one who taught Jenny how to sew when she was little, just like my mom taught me. Thanks be to moms for keeping the love of sewing alive.

I stitched this cupcake, then tried out some stitches:

. . . and created possibly the world's ugliest sampler, but that's okay because it was just practice. I haven't embroidered in years, not since the skirt I made in college when I was working at the Dragonfly (you can see it here). I spent a few months behind the desk stitching pictures onto scraps of fabric left over from clothes we altered. At the end of the semester I turned it in as my final sculpture project and got an A. I also nearly gave myself arthritis working on it and haven't embroidered much since. I realized tonight that I miss it. I wish I would have known back then some of the stitches I learned this evening. It's never too late too learn, though. French knots are nothing to fear, they're fun!

Jenny talked about how she started her business and how it's grown over the last 8 years. It was interesting to learn that as well-known as she is in the craft community, she hasn't become rich off it. I'm not surprised though. It's the price you pay for not selling out. She's been able to maintain complete control of her work - from the sourcing of materials to the design of the packaging to the shops that carry her kits. Best of all, she's created a catalog of images that have been stitched onto surfaces by people all over the world. That spells success in my book - knowing that people love what you create and that they appreciate you helping them create their own. Who needs mansions and fancy cars when you've got that?

Renegade Swap-o-rama rama Recap

Another Swap, another crazy busy creative inspiring experience. I made it a point this time to remember to stop every once in a while and take some pictures during the whirlwind event. Here was the view behind me:

And here was the view from my Applique Station.

I brought a bunch of stencils and fabric that I frequently use in my kokoleo creations and swappers were free to use them or create their own with a little help and HeatnBond from me. Someone, while I was ironing on her applique, asked me why I would want to give away my favorite fabric and stencils and sewing secrets for free. Until then, I'd never really thought about it like that. I told her that I get a kick out of helping to inspire creativity in other people and even though I may not be getting rich off it, I'm getting tons of kokoleo-collaborations out into the city and beyond. It's good p.r., I suppose.

I wasn't able to capture them all, but here are some things that we made:


From the quick glimpses I got of the other stations, the other designers were equally as busy:

Events like this (with nearly 300 participants!) don't happen without lots of helper-outers. I'm sure I missed recognizing some and I'm sorry for that. Big props though to Lori Petitti from HipLine Media, our fearless leader and organizer extraordinaire:

There are talks of another Swap happening in the fall so start setting aside your clothing contributions. I'll keep you posted. It'll be a great way to make some one-of-a-kind gifts for the holidays.

Swap-o-rama rama at Renegade

Okay L.A. peeps, here we go again - clean out your closets and come join me tomorrow for some DIY fun!

kokoleo in kids LA magazine

There's a new parenting magazine on newsstands in Southern California called kidsLA. When I first saw it I was struck with it's unique style and awesome photography, as well as it's local interest stories and emphasis on green living. After reading the issue I bought a subscription and wrote to Jemma Gafford, the editor-in-chief, to offer my craft tutorial writing services for any future issues.

And that's how I came to be in the summer issue:

That's me up there in the corner sipping an old-skool pop tab Pepsi at Wrightsville Beach circa 1976.

And here's the article I wrote on sun printing:

Sun printing is a fun project where you lay objects on top of specially treated photo-sensitive fabric (I got mine here) and end up with one-of-a-kind shadow prints. The kids enjoyed making them and I enjoyed writing about our experience. It's the kind of project that inspires even more crafty projects to happen. Here's a shirt I made for Erik with the sunprint he designed with his paintbrushes:

And here's a hanging pincushion I made from a sqaure decorated with my sewing notions:

We still have 12 squares left and I can't wait to make a new batch. I'm already envisioning patchwork scarves and garland flags for the kids rooms. Thanks kidsLA for the inspiration and for allowing me to be a part of such an awesome magazine!

Speaking of thrifty deals. . .

Check out what I got at a yard sale today:



For $3! I nearly peed my pants when I heard that price. SOLD! It was in awesome ready-to-ride condition too, all it needed was a little more air in the tires. I rode it up our street when I got home and realized I hadn't been on a bike since before Sage was born - over 7 years ago. And you know what? It was just like riding a bike. . .

The best fabric ever in the history of the whole wide world.

Two weekends ago I had a yard sale. Basically I just put a bunch of junk in the driveway and spent the day weeding the front yard and occasionally someone stopped by and gave me money for the things I didn't want anymore. Sage willingly parted with a bunch of junky toys and I got rid of some excess sewing notions and a bunch of fabric that just wasn't my style. I advertised it as a "Recession Special - Nothing over $1!" and made $50. Afterward, I dropped the leftovers off at the thrift store and then couldn't resist going in to browse and maybe spend some of that new cash.

And there I found it - something I'd been searching for for years. It must have been karma or kismet or the fabric gods sending me a gift for sharing my stash with others that day. It was the kind of find that makes your heart start pounding and you grab it and hug it tight and expect someone to fight you for it. But no one did. It was mine, all mine! It was this:

(Click to enlarge, it's awesome.)

A rare vintage Sesame Street bed sheet featuring such long lost characters as Mr. Hooper, David, Farley, Roosevelt Franklin (and his mother), Sherlock Hemlock, as well as Big Bird, Oscar, Grover, Cookie Monster, Snuffy, Ernie and Bert. I had bid on it a few times on ebay over the years but always got outbid (and watched one go for over $60!). I got this one for $2.50 - and not just a little bit, this much:

A whole swing set full! Sage thought it made a nice tent:

I, however, envisioned sundresses and skirts and pillows and bags and lots of other wonderful new things. But first I vowed to make something for McKenna and something for me. The rest will go to kokoleo. Here's what I made today:




And although we've never done the matchy-matchy mother / daughter thing before, I couldn't resist making this for me:



I can't wait to see what else will become of it. Thanks, fabric gods.

Come On Down! to visit.

I haven't been hanging out in blogland very much lately. Summer does that. There's too much going on to stop and blog about it all.

Last weekend my two best childhood friends, Amy and Carrie, flew out here all the way from the east coast to see me. The last time we were together was in 2006 at our friend Stew's wedding in Texas (blogged here). We've each had another kid since then. Even though it's been 3 years since I last saw them, the minute we get back together it's like we're in junior high all over again, except now we have husbands and children and houses and jobs and stuff.

Of course I took them on the Grauman's Chinese Theater/Hollywood and Highland/Pig and Whistle tour.

and then I made them hike up the Mt. Hollywood trail:

On Sunday, I used their visit as an excuse to visit the Melrose Ave. Flea Market (and gave Erik his Father's Day present - a few kidless hours of peace and quiet at home) . Later, our friend Jessie and her partner Janet came to visit and we got silly.

The next day we got even sillier and went on down to the CBS studios so we could be on The Price is Right (Amy's lifelong dream). We even made these shirts the night before. They had a $ on one shoulder and WV on the other (nevermind the fact that none of us even live in West Virginia anymore, we'll still represent it).

Unfortunately though, we were turned away at the gate. It seems that even if you have tickets (we did) they only accept the ones who camp out and show up before 6 a.m. Oops. Oh well, I told Amy that she got the quintessential Hollywood experience by having her hopes dashed and her heart crushed in this city of broken dreams. I also snuck into the gift shop and bought her a Price is Right travel mug, then shouted her name Price is Right style and told her she won it. Who needs a new car anyway?

This morning we did get up bright and early, but just so I could drive them to the airport. Now they're back home with their kids and husbands and jobs and stuff. Hopefully it won't be so long until I see them again.