Pins and Needles

I got all inspired about a month ago over a good green tea latte. I found myself sitting on the scratchy carpet at the Bridge Street Barnes and Noble in the crafty section pouring over and through all the sewing books I could yank from the shelves. After 3 1/2 hours or so I had enough ideas to charge my engines and launched straight into deciding that I was going to hand make all of my Christmas presents this year (with a few exceptions of already purchased gifts) - be it sewn or otherwise crafted... painted... snipped...snapped... printed, etc.

I have quite a few folks already crossed off my list - which is pretty wild for October. Feels as thought I'm a bit ahead of the game. But I'm glad I started early... (I kinda have a tendency to go overboard when I enjoy/like how the project turns out -and I did, so i am)...eventually doubling the size of the original list...hehehee. The kitchen table seems to now have the permanent fixture of a giant green cutting mat, sewing machine, pin cushions, iron and at any given time fabric themes appear and disappear over the course of several days - from cowboys, to owls, to pirates, to silken pinks and purples,to trains, to wild animals, butterflies, tie-dye, strawberries, teal & chocolate, dinosaurs and even bats. Every theme an idea crafted for a single person - completely different - completely original - completely theirs. And each gift as special and as differnet and original as the person who receives it.

Creative "Brain Dump" Inspirations

So there are some things that I come accross that inspire me so much I have to take note of them - beit music - or a design - or art - or movie - or a picture or even an online article. I usually collect them in a list of sorts - or tear out the page from the magazine - or just remember them but its rare that I share the inspirations with others - especially in a "brain dump" kinda of way... but today is different. So here goes nuthin!...


1. Vacu Vin's Party People Glass Markers. A creative crafty clever product. (and much more fun than just a simple old wine charm - and i dont even drink!) I ran accross these little guys on the shelf at TJ Max and was like.. wow! Hopefully going to put these to good use during my next get together. They also have some for football season, Christmas and Halloween!

3. Home by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros An incredible, happy-go-lucky song with an awesome message and sound like something from the hippie past. You'll listen over and over!

2. Preserve Toothbrush Subscription An environment saving - cavity fighting combo pack! So the Preserve company makes the coolest best designed stuff I've seen out of #5 plastic (typically yogurt cups and other food-safe plastic items) But this... is pretty darn brilliant. 4 toothbrushes - mailed to you every 3 months - just what the dentist recommends AND once used - you can recycle it yet again by sending it back - postage paid!


4. The Spirit - Modern film noir with plenty of action and enough cheesyness to make you chuckle combined with scenes so artistic they will make your jaw drop. This neat little jaunt into a comic-booked world comes complete with handsome hero in a mask, black overcoat, hat, and a signature red tie. And for you boys - plenty of hot dames.




5. This photo "Eos" by Dennis Calvert's A feast for the eyes - some beautiful light painting indeed! ... super dreamy!!


6. Sewing Green - A nifty crafty book by Betz White with some brilliant idea on how to repurpose and recycle items you might have or can find at your local Goodwill and sew-a-new. I am currently working on the awesome leaf scarf on the front of the book - and with a bit more juice drinking... I'll have a Capri sun Pouch car shade for the FJ!