etsy wednesday - something's hiding in here

a simple gift with a whole lot of cute from something's hiding in here.

calender & card combo

i have had the calender in storage for a bit, but i decided to use my new patterns to make a one page, card & calender combo. this will easily print on an 8.5" x 11" sheet. once you cut it down the middle, there you have it - a matching set. the card will fit in any a2 envelope & i'm going to attach a small magnet or another hanging apparatus to the back of the calender.

if you select the image, it should download a high enough quality print.

wish list aka product lust

everybody has a wish list. every blogger is posting a holiday guide. i just have product lust.


kiss limited edition letterpress from keep calm ltd



wenge series from jason linde



kitchenaid 5-qt artisan mixer



eames shell rocker from design within reach



pebble felted wool rug - ivory



unforgivable woman by sean john


gocco printer from print addict - no longer in distribution



swimmer t-shirt from waterloo

lavender & weddings

as a handmade part of a gift for justin & yachi (who got married a couple weekends ago), stina & i joined forces for these sweet little lavender sachets. i received a big bunch of dried lavender from a coworker in august & decided to hand grind the lavender & use for sachets. after getting the lavender ready all i needed to do was:

1. cut 4 - 3.5"x3.5" squares of fabric (embroidery done at this point)
2. sew .25" hems on one side of each square
3. take two of the 4 pieces with patterns facing & sew .25" seams on the three, non-hemmed sides to make a 3"x3" pocket (repeat 3 for second sash)
4. flip right side out & fill 3/4 full with lavender
5. sew along the seamed edges (i did 4 scattered lines) to close the pockets

coaster craft

on saturday while chris & teresa snapped green beans, i worked on these coasters. a simple craft using foamcore board, printed vinyl, mod podge & an exacto knife. i have an endless supply of foamcore because tracy at my office is nice enough to give me all the foamcore scraps that she would usually throw away. i also had some printed vinyl (picnic table cloth material) & mod podge on hand. so i coated on side of the foamcore with mod podge, laid the vinyl on top, let dry & then cut into 4 3x3" squares. *voila, kitschy coasters.

*and again, thanks

sewing ma-ma-machine

i can hardly wait to find the right one! i got a sewing machine (alright...a check that is supposed to be spent on a sewing machine) for christmas!!!! time for me to do some craft reading.

we've only just begun...

the tragedy of "day after thanksgiving" has begun. christmas decorations are up in store windows and homes, christmas music floods all consumer venues and people all over america are shopping for the perfect gift. i'm sure you saw the ads telling resident crazies to hit the mall and favorite department store at 6am (or earlier) in a shameless attempt to save a buck on mediocre gifts...but for me, i resisted by flopping right on the couch with a cup of coffee and my knitting needles. i am hoping that most of my gifts for family & friends this year will have a little blood, sweat & tears in it. the first and foremost of this adventure will be self-designed christmas cards for all those living miles & miles away...and the rest, well that's a secret.

the diy and urban crafting has become a huge movement. i find now, that i can hardly get the supplies for one idea before i see something even more intriguing...where does a person begin? i don't consider my self a serious crafter, i don't have a booth, i don't sell anything or make mass quantities of one genre of craft; i simply dabble (i also love that word). i have found that i can get a lot of ideas on the craft magazine blog. i'm a huge fan; i found this blog after being sent a link from their sister site make magazine blog. they have links to local crafting events, podcasts and craft resources. the other great thing about this site is that people are more than happy to share details patterns & instructions.

the reason i write this today (other than my personal attempt at homemade and/or handmade holiday gifts) is that i am also really excited about the urban craft uprising next weekend in seattle. there will be over 100 vendors on dec 2nd & 3rd at the seattle center exhibition hall from 11am through 5pm. it will be my first trip there, but have heard nothing but great things about it.