Charm & Whimsy

Currently obsessed with Burger Time, Japanese fabric and sending emails to my future self.

Here you go - now you can be obsessed too. I cannot be held liable for sleepless nights or neglected relationships. You've been duly warned. If you need the funny little music to make it feel right - try this one.

If fabric is more your thing, go visit Mayumi over at her Etsy shop, Karaku. I spent way too much time there last night and walked away with these fabrics. I didn't think I could live without them when it came down to it. Can't wait for them to come in the mail! She was wonderful to buy from and if you want more than 1/2 yard as listed, just convo her, she may have more for you.

Aren't these adorable? I have a great apron pattern that I plan to use for the tan fabric below (children with sweets and biscuits). I love the details on the musical animal print below. The houses, trees and animals are all so darn cute! All of these cutesy animal fabrics just feed my creativity for the mural I plan to paint in the baby room when that time comes.

Been sending emails to my future self over at www.futureme.org. You can also read ones that others wrote and made public (anonymous). Some are absolutely HILARIOUS! Give it a go, enjoy :)

Quickie stitch.

I needed a gift right quick and in a hurry! So I pulled out a vintage hankie from my too-big vintage hankie collection, a beloved Japanese embroidery book (ISBN 4-8347-2421-2) and my favorite rabbit ear hoop and got crackin'.

Tea time

 

I love that pretty little ribbon don't you? 

No bread - embroidery instead!

As I mentioned in my previous post I was planning to challenge my fear of making bread this weekend however, alas... in true procrastinator style... I picked up my Kitchen Aid cover embroidery and started working on that instead. Yes, this is the one that I've mentioned in previous posts forever. I have been putting it off because I think I'm still not comfortable with embroidery, I only know a few stitches. But hey, this weekend the embroidery was less scary than the bread!!

(The embroidered tea cloth is one I picked up in an antique store years ago. I put it out to get me in the mood.)

This is the first panel and will be the one that faces out to the kitchen (our Kitchen Aid sits in a corner). I've sketched out all sides and now that I'm getting into I'm really excited to work on the other panels too. No surprise that ultimately this will end up being a little house with Sweetboy, Chester and I depicted on the different panels. I pieced together the fabrics and quilted them last summer (yes it's been awhile) but just purchased the stretching frame last weekend (can't use a hoop due to the batting making it all too thick).

I tried to include our favorite things like our red leather couch, funky phone, dutch door, etc. Also included little toadstools, hedgehogs and a singing squirrel for some silly fun.

 

Here are notes and sketches of favorite things from my Japanese embroidery books. I love love love them :) ! There are many merchants on Etsy that sell Japanese crafty books, try this link for a search of embroidery books.

Hope you're having a lovely day and doing something that's feeding your soul. :)

Now my teapot is happy!

I've been working on it a little each night since last weekend and tonight after watching way too much TV (exhausted from drooling over so many cupcakes - see previous post) I finally finished it.

The yarns are all scrap Red Heart regular and their Soft Yarn variation. A couple are variegated. The purple buds on the tree are Manos del Uruguay cotton stria (a gorgeous dyed yarn I bought for a hat a very long time ago - still haven't started that hat...).

The roof is a flower design (I wanted something that would overhang the sides), the walls are single crochet with a small picot stitch at the bottom (sc ch2 sc next st).

It took me a little while to figure out the curtains because I wanted them to be 3-dimensional.

 

I ended up cutting several lengths of yarn, folding them, then stitching the fold to the tops of the windows. I then gathered the curtains with a different colored tie back.

 

The tree trunk on the spout was purposeful since it drips when I pour tea and I wanted something dark to hide potential stains on the cozy. Originally I thought of stitching a tree stump with little toadstools growing from it but the space was too small for all of that detail (however it would probably work if this were made out of felt & floss). I was able to sneak in a little toadstool growing in the shade of the tree. That will be my secret spot when I want to curl up and take a nap at work. As my Aunt Quitina pointed out - the tea set provides a civilized break during otherwise hectic days. Good point!

Well there it is. Another item that became a little house without purposeful intent. Initially I was just going to make the prototype in a different color but go figure. I guess these are my thing. I usually make crafts from other people's patterns but this penchant to make little houses is one thing I can truly call my own. :)

Toadstools make me happy!

My pincushion makes my sewing table happy. I made it from felt with rice in the stem to hold it upright.

A Japanese crocheted/starched toadstool from Nicole. It sits on my dresser to wish me a happy morning.

Holds the sponge. Makes doing the dishes more fun. Ok, it really doesn't but it makes the sink look happy. Except you can now see that my sink is dirty. I will hold myself back from cleaning it and re-taking the picture...I...will...not...do...it...

Some of the Japanese fabric I bought last year. You can buy cute fabrics like these from superbuzzy and kitty craft. Also, Etsy has multiple vendors selling japanese fabric & books. Do you have a favorite site for fabrics? Please leave it in the comments thanks.

THE quilt squares are done

Quilt squares are done
Originally uploaded by Charm & Whimsy.

THE quilt squares are done and they turned out pretty darn good! I could be critical...but alas...I won't be! Good for me.

We will add the borders and finish the quilt top in next week's class. Then I'll send it off to a professional to finish the actual quilting part of it with the batting, back piece, etc.

Despite being terrified of the rotary cutter and frustrated with the mistakes that happen when working with so many little pieces of fabric - I found a happy place while cutting and sewing. My brain was quiet, peaceful and I was 100% focused on the task at hand. The only other craft that envelopes me in that way is pottery. So I guess I'll have to get over not liking pointy triangles or figure out how to make circular motifs because I'd like to visit that happy place more often. Besides I need to figure out some way to use all of the cute fabric I'm finding these days.

so busy these days

The last two weeks have been crazy at my day job. I hope to upload my quilting progress soon. I have all of the squares done. When do I find the time you say? Here and there and late at night. In tomorrow's class we'll sew them together with the sashes and cornerstones (don't you wish you knew what those were? it's secret quilt talk).

As for how I'm feeling about the whole quilting thing (considering my ambivalence and aversion to pointy triangles) Let's just say I think of myself as pretty darn crafty. I never thought I'd see the day a craft would bring me to me knees...well quilting has done just that people. It might just break me.

We'll see. This weekend I get to relax, yum. I also want to finish the Davy Crockett hat and make some of the cute Mom and baby animals from the patterns I bought the other day. I'm going to start with the pooches, can't wait!

A very productive weekend!

I made a pair of baby Mary Jane booties for a baby shower this coming weekend (pictures came out kind of dark).

Made a crochet hook roll for Womsy (an overdue Xmas present)

Washed and pressed the fabric for THE quilt (too scared to cut it yet)

Finished the top of a crochet Davy Crocket hat for my nephew's 1st birthday (I believe I'll make up a pattern for my first item to sell on Etsy - I'm making great time on my New Year's Resolutions!!)

However, my house is a complete disaster. A casualty of my whirlwind of craftiness. Oh well, something to work towards this week.

Happy Birthday to Vern :) LYMI dahhling!

I started my quilting class

It began Thursday and I must admit, I don't know if I'm excited or scared to death. All night long - "It's got to be perfect, you're cuts must be perfect or else you'll ruin the whole thing. By the way, the rotary cutter can cut your toe off if you drop it." Holy crap. I didn't realize crafting could maime me. I'll need to be careful with this one.

Honestly, I don't like quilts with motifs made of triangles. The one we're making in this class is made up of all triangles :| damn. So, I'm going to learn the basics and then do my own crazy things with circles and little strips. Note to self: must practice cutting the fabric whilst not cutting off any appendages.

By the way, I've decided to share a little tidbit I should have in my previous post about the golden kernels of goodness. CORN is the secret ingredient. Go ahead, add it to your salsa, it will be better. Heck, put some on your pizza, you'll like the texture. Corn IS the secret. Try it, go on...share your corny adventures with me. I'm always interested in tasting it in new and exciting ways.

My Obsession With Making Little Houses

I finished the needlebook for Womsy (my Mom). I can't wait to give it to her! Incidentally, I started the needlebook for myself but as soon as I was done with the front, my hand embroidered Lela on the front. The Crafty Gods had spoken. I can always make another right?

I was worried about how to hinge the two sides together and in the end, I just embroidered the two blanket stitch seams together and it opens very easily. I'm also surprised at how the camera captured the detail. Super!

Womsy crochets the most deliciously soft & beautiful baby blankets. I hope this will hold her darning needles. She also used to love cross stitch; however, I haven't seen her work on CS projects in a very long time. Maybe it's because I have her 6 boxes of embroidery floss? Let me know when you want them back Womsy ;)

P.S. We used to call my grandmother (my Mom's Mom) Lela, short for Abuela. When my sisters started having babies, we tossed back and forth what the kids should call her and we all settled on Lela, hence the front of the house.