F is for Fabric

“Hey, nice bag!” says kind stranger.

“Thanks!” says proud owner.

“Where did you buy it?”

“Oh, I made it...” proud maker says, blushing.

“Oh, no way! I really like the fabric! Where did you get it?”

Here's where I've always wanted to say,“Oh, yeah, I made this fabric." Well, wish granted!! I have, literally, CREATED MY OWN FABRIC! The exciting story about how this came to be is as follows.

So. When I was at Purl Soho (which is just straight up ridiculous, by the way, have  you been to that place?) back in February, I found this book which inspired the emotions on the right:

If you’re unfamiliar with Heather Ross, you are (like I was only a few months ago) living in a world of boring fabric designs.

Not only are her prints rich in color, but they incorporate original drawings and artwork that evoke happy nostalgia. I am particularly drawn to how she combines hand-drawn art and Photoshop... and ever since I discovered this book, I have been DYING to dive into this challenge:

And challenge it was: Several really ambitious artistic endeavors all wrapped into one.

First: Decide to draw the chicken.

Choosing my subject was actually a piece ‘o cake. Meet Maude.

I found this card in probably 2005 at 16 Hands when it was on Main Street in Ann Arbor. (Note: I have since tried to get more of them, but it doesn't seem they are making them anymore!) And, since Maude has made her way with me to all of my various homes, front and center on my wall, and she ALWAYS manages to make me chuckle... I decided it was time to pay homage to her and her foam yoga mat.

What is it about her that is so captivating? I mean, she not only asks us a good question around life and work ethic, but she also exudes personality. Something about the way her little plastic chicken legs angle in towards each other, or how one eyeball is just a tiny bit larger, or the fact that somehow her little plastic hip juts out to one side ever so slightly... Sass and angst all wrapped up into one plastic chicken.

Maude, you are my hero.

Second: Draw the chicken.

Wow. I guess I hadn’t drawn in a while. She’s not only complex in her emotions, but Maude is difficult to duplicate. Truly a rare bird.

Third: Photoshop the chicken.

So here’s where my fabulous Photoshop training came into use! I got down and dirty with the polygons, the command T function, the marquee tool, and I got up close and personal with Maude, pixel by pixel.

After some deliberation, I decided on a chevron pattern and tried to stick to the original color palette as much as possible, in order to honor the original card.

Here are some thrilling screen shots of the process:

Fourth: Print the chicken.

Do you know about Spoonflower? WOW. I have known about them for a little while now; I follow them on Instagram, and my friend Susannah has printed fabric with them before. But now, I truly am a believer. Essentially, you upload a JPEG file and they PRINT FABRIC WITH YOUR DESIGN ON IT. That’s it! So simple.

Here's the process (Captured in a mere three photos!)

And now... I await my yard of "Maude the Yogi" fabric! So exciting! What should I make with it? Leave me a comment below if you have an idea!

D is for Detroit

This activity is a DOOZY. It involves not one, not two, but three things I really like:

1. Making a case for something. 2. Machine applique (or “fancy patches” as I like to think of them) and... big surprise here... 3. Detroit baseball*.

(I promise to not mention baseball again for at least a few letters. See below.)

So here’s the story with the “D.”

Back in the day, I used to make little cloth cases for iPods (back when they didn’t look like iPhones...remember those things?). A few of you probably still have your aforementioned case, even though it's probably serving more as a dust protector than anything else at this point. But, man oh man, I used to love making those little guys. The whole touch screen fad really put me out of business. Poof! Just like that, I had nothing to make snug little cases for! Wahh. And so ensued a dark period.

Then, seven years later, when I was least expecting it, that dark, case-making-less era finally came to an end. Last week my sister told me about a special early birthday present she was getting for our mom, who had recently re-earned the “super” part of her Super-grandma title. Sweet crafting serendipity! It didn't take me long to decide what to do.

A kindle, you say? It’s essentially a GIANT iPOD!!

So I got to work. It was foggy and rainy out (can it be both? Cuz it was.) There was no shortage of coffee. I had a fancy loaner sewing machine and fabric from my trip to Purl Soho. There was a Tigers v. Red Socks game on. ‘Nuf said.

*Now, regarding the theme of the "fancy patch" on this case: I know I must across as some sort of obsessive fanatic. I mean, I already confessed my love AND mentioned it again in the "C" post. But I will say, in my defense, that the Detroit Tigers “D” is more of a tribute to the recipient than it is to my own tastes. It just so happens that we have the same taste when it comes to baseball. Okay?

Hey you! Did you notice I didn't actually HAVE the kindle? I'm sure my pretty awesome cardboard replica fooled you. It's up for grabs if anyone wants it. Let's just pray to the sewing Gods that the case fits on the real thing.

C is for Craft Party

Nothing screams “Wild Night” quite like a Craft Party, am I right?

Yes!

There are few things I look forward to more than a good old-fashioned crafternoon. I mean, can you blame me? Let’s talk about it for a second. You've got sassy conversation, healthy and unhealthy snacks, some kind of needle and thread, and (if you're lucky) at least three types of crafting adhesive. It’s pretty much the perfect way to spend an evening. (Okay, well maybe I’d like there to be a baseball game on the radio, but I can survive without that one.)

And last night’s Etsy Craft Party at the Creativebug HQ was no exception.

If you’re ever in the search for creative inspiration, I highly recommend that you check out Creativebug. They offer affordable online classes for everything your little heart fancies... from quilting to paper crafts to making lip balm. They not only have top quality videos, but they have coralled the crème de la crème of instructors... some of my ultimate crafting idols are teachers for Cbug; Melanie Falick, Radmegan, and of course, the woman who LITERALLY gave birth to Alphabet Summer, my very own mama, Sue. (When you do go to their site, you’ll see why it’s not just because of my mom that I love the site! But also watch her bio video... it features my Grandma Tiny, among other Alphabet family members!)

I was first introduced to Creativebug back in January when my mom was filming her classes here in San Francisco. Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know some of the rock stars behind the scenes; Jeanne, Kelly, Courtney... who are not only inspirational artists in their own rites, but are proof of what amazingness can happen when truly good people put their creative minds together.

So last night I headed over to Potrero Hill with my new 50mm lens and my all-around-life-partner-in-crime, Molly. Paper art genius Courtney (Paper Musings) was leading an activity in making ATCs (which, it turns out, does NOT stand for Air Traffic Controllers, but Artist Trading Cards) and faster than you could say “black and white chevron washi tape,” we were crafting our night away!

Now, Molly and I are no strangers to being around Craft Royalty (back in March we attended Craftcation together, but more on that later), but we were, as usual, humbled by the openness and warmth of the Creativebuggers. And, in other serendipitous news, it just so happened that we were ATC-ing across the table from Ali and Emily from the Makerie, the creative retreat in Colorado that we had been swooning over for months. Ridiculous! It was a crazy night, that’s for sure.

Thanks for having us, Cbug! We are inspired.

Scroll down to enjoy the pictures of Courtney’s GORGEOUS studio design for last night’s party.

A is for Amateur Animation

Ahhh! The letter A is such a high profile letter! I mean, it’s my letter. It’s ridiculous how much I adore that block letter A. And it's the FIRST letter! The Alpha of the whole summer. I have lists upon lists of amazing activities for the first letter. So many of my favorite things start with this letter. Artichokes. Avocado. Apple Pie. Arizmendi. Ann Arbor. I mean, just look at my house:

I mean, really.

And there are two more that aren't even pictured.

But back to the blog.

Okay, here’s the story of this year's letter A activity:

A few months ago, I was lucky enough to participate in the Photoshop training course, Blogshop, here in San Francisco. Ever since then, I have become a Photoshop junkie. More specifically, I have gone cuckoo for the animated GIF. I do not exaggerate. I made my friends suffer through a photo session involving a five person rotation (with props) on my loveseat to create my first GIF. I documented a school project by creating a GIF for each of the groups (there were 22), and then placing them in a 3 by 7 grid (check out my page on the wiki if you’re a Friends schooler!) and it was...awesome. Potentially migraine-inducing, but awesome just the same. And yet, I still haven’t satisfied my ravenous hunger for animation.

Enter Alphabet Summer.

Back when Alphabet Summer was just a twinkle in my little Valencian eye, my “Save Tuesdays” crew in Spain used to craft it up HARD CORE. Once, we even rented a giant apartment in Denia and spent THE ENTIRE WEEKEND CRAFTING. It was wild. It was there, somewhere between a stop-motion animation session and a hair dyeing extravaganza, that my little blob friends Maxi and Carmel were born.

Occasionally a way to illustrate internal turmoil, and mostly just because they’re so fun to draw, they became my favorite two-dimensional amigos. Maxi is the nervous, anxious one; Carmel, his laid back and fun-loving contrast. They generally are only seen in my journal, but they eventually became the main characters in my second NaNoWriMo novel (2011’s thrilling Star-Crossed Glovers, about an adult co-ed softball league, among other equally as exciting things.) Who knew back in Valencia that Maxi had been the starting catcher on his college baseball team and was working a dead-end job in Ferndale, Michigan, playing Wednesday night softball with a group of misfits?

So, here you have it: A little bit of simple Photoshop magic + little blob creatures = Amateur (but amazing) Animation.

Everyone, this is Maxi, and this is Carmel. Maxi, Carmel, meet everybody.

The GIF plays on repeat, so if you miss something just watch again!

J is for Jewelry

Today, I thought of all of us who have ever struggled to carry jewelry around. I used to put everything in a small zipper pouch, until I un-snaggled one too many necklaces. The silky cases from Chinatown were an inexpensive solution, but they were quick to unravel. Sooo...

Voilá! This little guy is perfect for a "light" jewelry traveler. It has a hook for necklaces and earrings, plus a pocket for rings and bracelets, and easily can hang from a hook or doorknob.

And... It can roll up like a burrito.

Thanks for reading:)

Oh, and the view from my favorite park was ridiculous today. What a pretty city.

Photos taken on Instagram.

What is Alphabet Summer up to?

Well, yes, it could be time to call it Alphabet Autumn, or even Alphabet Indian Summer for those of you in the Bay Area.  But even though my crafting fingers haven't been making crafty things, I have been keeping my little alphabet soul busy during this month of November. I have been writing a novel!  Yes, I said, NOVEL!  50,000 words to be exact.  Today, which is day #23, I am officially on track with my word count!  38,440 words and counting.  Ten days to go,  and a little over 12,000 words to go. Inspired by (first and foremost) my friend Molly last year, and then later by my bf Chris, or as the program director Lindsey referred to him the other day, the "reason for the season," the goal is to write an entire novel during the month of November. Check it out: National Novel Writing Month What is my novel about? Wouldn't we all like to know. It's a very mediocre story about an American girl named Farrah who lives and works in Valencia, Spain. Hmmm, sound familiar? Yes, I decided to stick to what I know for the first try. It started out as a kind of Nick Hornby-esque story about a girl who goes to some soccer games (football, or futbol for some of you) and it literally has turned into more of a Bridget Jones-esque romantic comedy. But what can you do? I recently just made a fourteen year old girl named Arantxa (who didn't even exist a week ago) into a key player in the resolution of the love story. But whatever! It's fun, and I'm highly enjoying taking on the "novelist persona" that gives me the right to occupy tables at coffee shops for hours on end. Not to mention the friendly competition amongst other participants, including my own boyfriend (my word count has been above his for the entire month thank you very much.) On Sunday night, I had the distinct privilege to attend the NaNoWriMo fund raising event called "The Night of Writing Dangerously." It was amazing. Imagine: Wedding reception in a ballroom in the financial district of San Francisco, but except the tables were filled with not gaudy centerpieces and name cards, but laptops. And they were serving drinks called "Novel-tini's" and "Cosmo-novel-tons." It was open bar. Need I say more. Check out the amazing poster: Oh, also, I have discovered Google Reader and also Twitter. There are so many blogs and so little time! I'm alphabetashley on Twitter, if you are interested! November 30th, here I come!

Z is for Zeitgeist! (The End.)

True to it’s definition in the Merriam-Webster dictionary (the general intellectual, moral and cultural climate of an era), Zeitgeist has been more than representative of this era in my life.
The closest bar to school, I have spent many sunny (read: chilly) San Francisco Friday afternoons on the patio at Zeitgeist.  For those of you who have not experienced this place, I am sorry to say that I have no picture proof.  Because of the “flexibility” on what you can smoke outside on their enormous open-air terrace, the “photo police” are on constant patrol.  So, I am challenged on my last blog entry (sad sigh) to photograph the big Z in words.
Picture (for those Ann Arborites) a very large Dominicks, minus the family vibe, plus a large biker-bar contingency.  Wallet chains, tattoos, suped-up hipster road bikes hanging from the bike rack with the warning to not leave your bike or else it will be gone.  Four Port-O-Potties, delicious hamburgers, and the occasional Tamale lady.  The best Bloody Mary in town, according to some.  Sunglasses, skinny jeans, card playing, giant heavy glass pitchers of beer, American Spirits and Parliaments as far as the eye can see.
Check out their website for a few actual photos!  http://www.zeitgeistsf.com/
I chose to celebrate the end of my blog drinking the only beer with a Z in the name, the Franziskaner Hefeweisen.  Delicious.  Now, here comes the Zeitgeist-induced self reflection!
Favorite blog entry:
I really enjoyed talking to my Grandma.  I think that was the most fun, in terms of process and final result.  In terms of a crafty activity, I really like the DIY skinny pants I made!
Hardest blog entry:
Well, naturally, the most physically and mentally demanding one was that bloody Patchwork Quilt.
Most enjoyable to make blog entry:
I had so much fun at the Tea Party!  That was a great day.  The X-tra credit research was also fun, in that dorky way. And obviously, Vacation was unbeatable.
Favorite thing about blogging:
My favorite thing about this experience has been the writing.  It turns out I really enjoy writing!  I was scarred by graduate school, and assumed the process of writing and editing was always painfully boring.
What have I learned from this experience?
That when I get set on something I like, I become stubbornly obsessed with it!  I had several minor panic-attacks when something went wrong (paypal sucks) or when I would have trouble coming up with ideas.
What would I change for future Alphabet Summers?
Not a lot.  I think I would like to have more photography skills in order to properly capture the experience.  I would also love more web design and HTML knowledge.  And while I’m asking for things, I’d also like a bigger work space!
I would like to say thank you to everybody who kept up with my little summer challenge. Thanks to my devoted comment-ers, who made me smile. Also important to me were those silent partners out there, too. You guys rock.
This is just the end for now.
Thanks and adiós por ahora!

Y is for Year.

Last week, on the first day of school (yes, I realize I missed my August 23rd deadline by two!), I heard Jodi greeting everybody with an enthusiastic “Happy New Year!” Such wise words, I thought to myself, especially now as I enter into my second year in San Francisco.
To commemorate that first year, I made a collage. If I've learned one thing from the Quakers, it's that thoughtful reflection is therapeutic. My collage looks like something out of a third grade art show, but essentially it did the job. It's amazing what a color printer and some Mod Podge can do!  For lack of picture proof, a lot of things are not included, but some memorable ones are: My first breakfast at Tartine, my first trip to the two story Target (with shopping cart escalator), carrying Stella in the Baby Bjorn, and of course, my trip with the 7th graders to Nicaragua.
As I embark upon my second year in the Friendly middle school world in San Paquito, I realize that I have gained not only an inspirational group of colleagues, several dear and devoted friends, and a loving and bearded boyfriend. I have also gained invaluable knowledge about the world, about being green, and about crafting.
But, like in all reflective practices, one cannot help get nostalgic.  As this Alphabet Summer draws to a close, I can't help but honor those ladies whose Tuesday evening traditions were my true inspiration.  May the crafting spirit stay alive for everyone!

W for Wallet.

Ahh, yes.  My favorite item to make.  I wonder why that is.  Is it my general philosophy on crafts and men, that they must carry a lot of cash?  Ha!  No, that’s not it at all.  I think it’s because we look at wallets almost as much as we look at our cell phones, and having them made with pretty batiks is just so aesthetically pleasing.  Yes.  It’s so pleasing, in fact, that it nearly offsets the anxiety one feels when the wallet is opened only to find that there is, in fact, no cash, and the nearest ATM is four blocks away.  Nearly.
Nevertheless, this particular wallet was custom made for one Victor Idahoan as a replacement for a previous model (Note to potential customers: my wallets are not necessarily like Apple products and do not need an upgrade after two years.  She just wanted a new one.)
I was given free reign on the design and colors, and while it came out bigger than expected, the bright side is that it can now double as a passport holder!  My “company name” is currently in limbo (Alphabet something or my old Olive? Any ideas?) so I opted for the free-hand “Libby,” which did get a few excited yelps from female friends and wallet covet-ers.
Have a look at the wallet-of-fame:

Mind your Ps and Qs!

I had to wait a full 24 hours before I could find my Ps and Qs to write about this project.  I had to go out and consume some Pints and Quarts to forget about this project.  Me and this project are still not on speaking terms.  This project is such a huge b-word that she takes up two entire letters.  She and I got into a full-on physical battle, and I have to aches and bruises to prove it.  And this morning, when I could barely stand up because I felt like I had done 4,209 squats, I was definitely not “minding my language,” as the expression goes.
This project, I can only imagine, is the equivalent of what a parent must feel towards their child.  A very big commitment, yes, rewarding, sure, mostly a giant pain in the ass, most definitely.  At the moment, the quilt is acting like the bratty teenager who causes irreparable emotional damage without showing any real remorse.  And, if it’s one thing I’ve learned about teenagers, its that it takes a really special one to step up and mend fences.  Therefore, I think I will have to be the one to bite the bullet and make peace.  Sigh.
Patchwork Quilt.  Ugh.  The words still make my upper back/ neck area tense up.  It started out as a fun project.  40% off on materials at the Fabric Outlet on Mission, another awesome Denyse Schmidt pattern, the ambitious confidence that I would be making my first big quilt.  But my eyes were indeed much bigger than my stomach on this one, and three days after I started, I have an aching body and not even a quilt to keep me warm at night.  Perhaps someday, when my knees are healed and I can actually stand up from the sitting position without grimacing, I will forgive this project.  But for now, I’m thinking it’s on to the next letter for some R and R.

Olives and oranges

Not necessarily the most appetizing combination for an appetizer, but clearly a perfect pairing for a pencil case! I went back to my old notebook where I used to record all of the things I made/sold back in Valencia, the home of the oranges. Since I have moved to the “Other Orange Grove,” as some people (me) call California, I haven’t found the time to make/sell much of anything.
So, I wanted to get myself back into the groove by somehow channeling my creative energy towards my former home. I wanted to make something functional, something that would aide in the organizational nightmare that is my desk. So I found the pattern that I used to make Elizabeth and Julio their his & her pencil cases back in February 2009.
The fabric might look familiar to some. One of my jugglers features this exact combo! The olive print comes from a little shop in Ashland, OR. The oranges are from R & C Patchwork near Girona, Spain. Some might also be familiar with my obsession with olives, which became a sort of unregistered brand-name for the things I made/sold in Valencia.
Enjoy the product of my trip down memory lane!

N is for narwhal.

This past June at the end of the school year, me and my students became obsessed with this Scatergories-type game called “Alto!”  Because fifth grade Spanish vocabulary is somewhat limited, we had a rule that one of the words could be given in English, because, in the end, it was supposed to be a fun game.  When the letter “N” came up and one of the underdog teams shouted “ALTO,” I was excited to hear some new voices.  There’s nothing like a good old-fashioned “quiet student finally finding their voice” moment.  So, when they got to the category “animal,” my heart sank.  I had to disqualify them.  They wrote narwhal.  “Um, I think we need to use real animals, chicos,” I said.  You want to hear a room full of twenty-five 10-year-olds go crazy?  Try telling them that an awesome unicorn-like creature (that, in reality, actually does exist) doesn’t exist. They looked at me/ yelled at me like I was some fool who actually believed that the world was flat, and had just tried to convince them of this fact.  Talk about losing credibility!
Since that fateful day, the pesky narwhal sure has poked his little nose into my life in other ways.  Remember back to my late night screen printing class?  Claire’s print was of a narwhal! You can see her beautiful work below. I asked some other non-10-year-olds, and sure enough, they all knew about narwhals.  I consulted the Google machine.  One of the entries calls it, “the best mammal in the ocean.”  There’s a Facebook page dedicated to it.  National Geographic refers to it as “the unicorn of the sea.”  In fact, in the Viking times, narwhal tusks were sold for more than their weight in gold to people believing they were unicorn horns.  And I was thinking it was something out of the latest YA sci-fi fantasy series! Ha!
Today, I set out to redeem myself with the animal kingdom by creating a stuffed animal effigy of this not-so-mythical arctic creature.  Although it wasn’t my intended result to make a caricature of the poor beast, that is what happens when you use a combination of intensely bright colored fabric, not enough stuffing, and absolutely no pattern or warm-up.  In hindsight, I probably should have just written a haiku.

Sources for all of my narwhal knowledge? Where else but National Geographic and Wikipedia.

L is for Lioness

In what can only be explained as a “crafting coincidence”, the movie Julie & Julia was on this morning as I was taking a crack at Martha Stewart’s sugar cookie and royal icing recipe.  My daydreaming mind wandered, and before I knew it, I was imagining Meryl Streep playing Martha in the next “amateur blogger meets her womanly role model” genre Hollywood blockbuster. Yikes!
Unlike Julie and her cooking idol, I have never really thought much of Martha and her perfection.  Something about her monotone voice maybe.  Or maybe I am just intimidated by her?  Whatever the case is, a few weeks ago I looked through Claire’s copy of Martha's Encyclopedia of Crafts, and began to have a change of heart.  It all looks so pretty!  Plus, her recipe was pretty much your run-of-the-mill sugar cookie recipe (with the exception that I didn’t have brandy for the cookies or meringue powder (?) for the icing, so I had to substitute milk and egg whites, respectively.)  Any idiot can do it, right?
The lion cookie cutter is clearly a tribute to the crafting lioness herself, Martha.  Unlike her lazier male counterpart, the lioness is motivated, cunning and deadly.  She is a hunter.  She sees what she wants, she examines it, she attacks, she gets what she wants.  Her tenacious spirit and perseverance will never let silly obstacles (like “jail time”) stand in her way.  I was reluctant to admit it before, but she is truly a force to be reckoned with.  She is the queen of her crafting kingdom!
One would think that Martha’s karma would have been with me today, since I was dedicating my craft to her and all.  Well, it wasn’t.  As you can see below, our lion cookies would be more likely to be found in a 2nd grade bake-sale than in Martha Stewart Living.  It was that pesky meringue powder, wasn’t it?  That was a cruel, lioness-like move, Martha...  If it’s going to end up soupy with egg whites, why tell me it’s an acceptable substitute?  Huh?
Oh, well. In the end, they tasted good, but I'm still slightly scared of her.

*Thanks to Jessi K. for the Martha Stewart caliber kitchen supplies.  She got to decorate three whole cookies before Stella demanded her boobs!

And, did you know that Martha had a "moderately successful" modeling career?

J is for juggling

You know how some people wish that life was more like a musical, where everyone spontaneously bursts into song?  Ridiculous.  But what if life were more like a circus?  What would that be like?  Cotton candy being sold on street corners, elephants carrying people to work, and if you’re like me and imagining it more like the Cirque du Soleil, we would all be crazy flexible and would fly from building to building using flowing strips of fabric.  Imagine that.  But I’m pretty sure we all have an “inner circus clown” that we keep hidden.  Let’s let it out!

I have to give a shout out to Denyse Schmidt and her book “Quilts,” (http://www.dsquilts.com/paper_goods.asp) because she gives some pretty awesome instructions on how to make juggling bean-bags.  While I’m in this paragraph, I’ll tell a funny story about that (some of you might have already heard this in person this week, so you get to hear this thrilling story again!)  I was on the phone with my mom (who was on a quilt-teaching trip in Sisters, Oregon, this becomes relevant in a minute) and I was telling her how I was making juggling lentil-bags, and she said, “Oh how funny! Where did you get that idea? “ And I said that I had found this really cool book the other day in Berkeley by this woman Denyse Schmidt, and she said, “No way, I’m teaching with Denyse Schmidt right now in Sisters!”  Ha ha, small world.

But back to the project.  I decided to honor the letter “J” by machine appliqué-ing on each bag.  There’s three, so the first one, naturally, is for Juggling.  The second one goes for my sister, Jessi.  And the last one, for my favorite Spanglish word for “yes,” Jes. I chose my fabric for a double-sided, contrasting look:  Food on one side, fun on the other.  I even managed to sneak some more artichoke fabric in there!  The oranges can be in honor my former city of Valencia, and the cherries, for my home state of Meechigan.  But I have to say, my favorite part was making the paper cone and pouring in the lentils!  Strangely satisfying and addictive, sort of like watching sand in an hourglass.
But wait, the fun really came when I had finished production. I can’t remember when I “learned to juggle” (as I claimed earlier in the day yesterday), but it became pretty clear as I began to “try them out,” that I hadn’t really made a serious commitment to mastering it back in the 6th grade.  It’s a good thing I decided to seal the bags with a sturdy machine stitch instead of the recommended hand slip-stitch, because those bad boys were experiencing some major ground collisions.
On a scale of 1-10, this activity gets a 10 for fun.  An actual final product that you can play with, not just something that looks pretty and hangs on the wall.  Who knows, maybe now I will spontaneously burst out juggling from now on.  And, I am pretty sure it’s helping my hand-eye coordination.

Recommended juggling music- Jenny Lewis with the Watson Twins, The Big Guns.  (and I dare you to juggle through the entire song.)
**Thanks to the ultimate crafter-nator, Suze C, for the alphabet tea towel shown above!

I is for images.

News hot off the press!  Apart from the excitement that Spain is going to the World Cup finals, I'm excited to report that the non-existent eBay item was sold! The winner used cunning skill, determination and an iPhone from a remote location in order to secure the prize and steal the glory from the other competitors.  Congratulations to the winner, thanks to all of the bidders/smack-talkers, and more info to follow.
***
It wasn’t so much my imagination that sparked this homemade idea more than necessity. I spent the holiday weekend camping next to a strikingly beautiful river in Northern California, and over the course of this three-day trip, I produced three whole photographs of the experience. So I got home today and thought, “Boy, do I need a place for these three pictures or what?!”
In order to truly capture this “holy trinity” of camping photographs, I chose three colors. Green, naturally, because the campsite was surrounded by stunning pine trees, the river was overflowing with lush, mossy rocks, and the crisp, clean mountain water was a rich shade of aqua green. Purple, because someone brought blueberry Pop-Tarts that were a brilliant artificial violet tone. And pink, the color of everyone’s mosquito-bitten arms and legs after walking through the woods without bug spray.
To further add to the spirit of a true “rustic experience,” I also chose to use only three materials: fabric, thread and paper. The true backbones of the artistic experience. Also, I opted to not follow any sort of pattern. It was liberating! Like when you are camping and you don’t have a sense of time, but then you’re sort of nervous that time is important (and why am I not worrying about time? Which causes some anxiety.) So I winged it, not knowing any measurements, and not measuring, but being sort of nervous that measurements are actually important (and wondering why I wasn't more worried about measurements?! I was anxious.)
The final product fulfills it’s purpose for existing. It displays three photographs. It may not be flat, and it certainly isn’t symmetrical, but it sure does hold three images.

You’ll notice that it currently contains three “decoy photos.” The three outstanding camping photos are soon to come. Below you’ll find a preview.

H is for Happy Hour

Before I start (I feel like Ira Glass when he asks for donations from podcast listeners) I just want to point out that this will be the last post before the eBay auction ends on Monday. Things are heatin’ up! Four bidders. Lots of smack-talk going on (one person claims they are the “only horse in this race”, one is taunting the other’s sewing machine preferences, another wants their item made of velour so they can drape it over themselves in victory.) Who will be the lucky one to get a “custom-made piece of art?!!” Did I say it is custom-made? Here's the link: eBay battle

**

Okay, I confess. I tried all day to figure out how to make my evening plans fit into the letter “H.” Neither the place or the activity began with the letter. But then I consulted the Alphabet Summer rule book (myself) and decided that this was well within the boundaries. It was a social event slightly after the hour of 6pm involving beer, talking, and crafting; Therefore, I will designate this event "Crappy Hour."
I met my fiery (and punctual) crafting partner-in-crime Claire at the Museum of Craft and Folk Art (the MOCFA. I know, it sounds like a curse word. You MOCFA!) What could be better? A museum dedicated to crafty things hosting a Craft Bar with Etsy Labs event! Warm beer and appetizers, awkward social mingling between crafty people, and best of all, felting.
Now, I’ve been pretty skeptical about this whole felting thing. I knew one person (at my former place of employment that rhymes with Crapston) who was an avid “felt-er” and I never really understood what she was going on about. But, I didn’t have much else going on in my life yesterday evening, so it was either continue playing Angry Birds on my iPhone until my eyes popped out, or go poke my fingers multiple times with a felting needle. Honestly, it was a tough call.
The concept of this event was to go around from one craft station to the next, trying out different activities. Felt penguins here, felt necklaces there, felt caterpillars and knitting outside on the windy terrace (My heart went out to the "Stitch and Bitch" woman, who sat knitting quietly in a circle of empty chairs while the felting tables overflowed with humans.) With so many thrilling options, where to start?!
We chose the caterpillar station, because it seemed easier and more confidence-boosting. When mine came out looking more like a piece of edamame with a toupee, I was reassured by Claire that this was about "learning to felt," not about being perfect. Alright, fine. My felting finger was turning white from the brisk San Francisco evening, so we went inside to check out the scene. Yikes. We tried to elbow our way to the penguin table, but it was mobbed with over-eager bird lovers. And who would want to make a felt necklace? Please. So we decided to go rogue and make our own projects. Oh, the dirty looks! “You’re not making a penguin?” “Where did you get the instructions on how to make a pig?“ Awww. Such cute, inside-the-box crafters! I mean really! You take some wool and stab at it with a needle! You can make a turkey sandwich if you set your mind to it!
I have to admit, the penguins were pretty awesome. But my little red hog (H for Hog!) and Claire’s turquoise monster were symbolic of our philosophy on crafting: Why make a gray and black non-flying bird just because they tell you to, when you can just as easily make a red pig or a blue monster?
We are two crafty MOCFAs.

F is for Fabric (and flowers)

After spending the better part of the weekend feeling like my project was out of control (how could I let it slip into the hands of those fools at PayPal!), I decided to revert back to some good old-fashioned Type-A sewing to regain my crafting karma.

I dusted off my Bernina machine, got out all of my fancy gorgeous fabrics, and checked myself into the SF Art Rehab clinic (my bedroom on 16th street.)

Two fabulous things flowered from this therapy session.

1. The Fabric Flower.

As I was going through my fabric (see above picture to understand the amazing-ness) I found the last scrap of my beloved artichoke print fabric!  Heaven!  So in a complete fit of crafting ADHD, I set my original piece aside and made this flower straight from my artichoke-heart.

Sidenote-  These button making thingies from Cliff´s Variety in the Castro (see below) are unbelievable.  I have never experienced such an amazingly incredible crafting tool.  They will literally blow your mind.

2. The Big Guy.

I will let the fabric magic speak for itsself:

Update on the eBay auction:  Two bids.  Let's give them some friendly competition!   You could get something like what you see above... Here's the link again:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160450196057#ht_569wt_967

E is for eBay!

Finally!  ¡Jesús! (pronounced Hay-SEUSS, like Dr. Seuss) The powers that be in eBay land were not appreciating my last-minute lifestyle.  PayPal!  You are a crafty mo-fo.  But two can play at that game.  Here it is... the long awaited E entry. So... this letter is a mixture of an activity and a destination, resulting in something crafty.  It’s the perfect storm of this project!  eBay started in the San Francisco Bay Area, therefore, I feel like I’ve gone somewhere local.

The only time I have ever used eBay was five years ago, when I bought a pair of those Nike sneakers with the separated big toe... remember those?  Yeah, I used them so little that I don’t even know where they are.  I mean, who can afford to buy the socks!?  But Alphabet Summer is all about taking on challenges and trying new things, so I must restore my faith in this website!   My dad buys actual Volkswagen cars on eBay!

So here’s the deal.  I am auctioning off a piece of art.  This piece of art does not exist yet.  Well, it WILL exist, but not until someone bids on it.

Go to this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160450196057#ht_569wt_967 This is a win-win situation for you!  I’ve started the bidding at 99 cents.  And if you add in the $5 shipping, you could end up getting a piece of original artwork by yours truly for only $6*!  For simply clicking and bidding.

*That's four whopping pounds for you Englishmen, and 4 euros 80 centimos in España.  Hello!?

You have one week.

May the alphabet be with you!

Keep tuning in for updates on the eBay-Alphabet summer fling!

D is for D.I.Y.

Back to my favorite Do It Yourself creative center of the moment, Workshop on McAllister (www.workshopsf.org) for Sewing 102, Alterations and Reconstruction. I have to admit, I went into this experience with a slight, if not severe sense of superiority (I can wind a bobbin in my sleep! Janome sewing machines!  I could almost hear Sue Nickels cringe!)  But as I looked down at my band-aid from Friday night screen printing (second degree burn, I might add), I remembered my humility.  Sure, I can make handbags and frilly fabric flowers.  I might be able to machine applique a sun onto a baby blanket (What’s up Olivia!?).  But... can I do anything useful for society?  Can I hem jeans for my short friends?  Can I finally fix that jacket for poor Chris that is gathering dust at the back of my closet?  The answer is, now I can!  DIY, baby!

Tonight, I learned the utmost important lesson in how to use my talents and give back to society: I can turn a pair of $8 wide-leg pants from the thrift store into skinny-leg pants.  And use the excess materials for a matching hipster headband.  Look out Valencia street!  All I need now is a pair of those pointy-toed tap shoes and big, ugly plastic framed glasses and I’m finally ready to fit in here.

It was a liberating experience.  We used chalk to mark lines, we guesstimated straight lines, and (Sue*, cover your ears!) we sewed over pins!  Turns out I’m not as Type A as I thought about sewing.  Thanks, Workshop!

Check out the DIY drama.

*If by some off-chance you’re reading this and you aren’t a friend or family (highly unlikely), yes, Sue Nickels is the world-famous quilter/ my mother.

B is for Bags.

Bags.  When Claire and I first signed up for the screen printing class, deciding what I would print on was really a no-brainer for me.  Suze and Lorien would have automatically gone with a lightweight cotton t-shirt that cost about 4 euros from Bershka.  Me, a fancy canvas bag from American Apparel.

The mysterious secret behind all of those awesome indie t-shirts, bags and baby onesies was finally revealed to us at the Late Night Screen Printing class at Workshop (shout out to Kelly, owner and screen printing teacher. She is my new DIY role model! Check out www.workshopsf.org.)

Printing, just like all worthwhile things in life (such as learning languages and public transportation), is a humbling experience.  How much ink?  One pull or two?  Did I flood the screen?  Am I using an opaque ink for darker fabric? How did I manage to burn my thumb on the fabric oven-dryer contraption?  While I swear Claire and I really do have social skills, we found ourselves stuttering and unable to communicate with the other humans in the class.  Maybe it was because it was late on a Friday night and we were drinking cans of PBR.  Who knows.  But, feeling slightly more screen print-savvy than yesterday, I’m happy to be able to present my anatomical heart-printed canvas bag for you all to see.

I anatomical heart you all.

P.S.  Band-aids are Badass!

Minor battle scars. A small sacrifice for craftiness!