Photo Booth Setup

Here's a sneak peek behind the action. I set up a little photo area in my studio to take photos of products and artwork.

I have these two little lights from Ikea. I like them because their hoods rotate and slide up and down the pole. Great for positioning! They also have a brighter less yellow light than most lamps. I built the background from foam core using dove tail construction to bind the edges. It can all be disassembled when I need the table space.

I put up a white piece of paper that serves to hide the edges and create a smooth endless background to photograph against. I need a bigger piece of paper but this works good for the small things.

Easy to make and easy to use. I wish mine was in a closet like Leahs - http://leahglass.blogspot.com/2009/01/white-background-photography.html
That looks like a great setup too!

ok back to work for me. Keep on crafting!

Treats in the mail!

I was so happy to receive this little package of goodies in the mail this week. This is the start of a little trade off I have going on with Sunshine of SweetMeatPiggyThings. She sent me this little package of goodies and there is a little package on it's way to her as well. I can't reveal the contents of that package but I can show you what she sent me!

It's a lot of fun and I think it will keep the creativity flowing and allow for some treats in the mail. I can't wait to see what she sends me next. I can't wait to go shopping for more tidbits to send her. haha!

Among the items she sent me was a bingo card, some zippers, vintage buttons, foam hearts, and stickers. She also sent me a pincushion which oddly enough is an exact replica of what my grandma had in her office when I was growing up. I didn't remember it till now but seeing it in the box really took me back. Has anyone else seen one like this? Do you know what's the significance of the little Chinese kids? Or are they Chinese?

My favorite little bit was this tiny mushroom. I'm not sure what to do with it yet but I'm sure it will find a home somewhere.


Thanks so much Sunshine! I hope you like what I sent your way.
Mailbox of loveliness indeed :)

Puppet Craft Night

Three crafty chicks set out last night to make some funky puppets. There was sock puppets, foam puppets and more! We definitely need to do this again.

Glue Gun! Theresa at work. Check out her crafty blogy blog here.

This is my puppet! Made from a toe sock. I just love his little giblets on the top.

I need to get better at my puppet voice. Also I need help coming up with names for my new puppet friend! Do you have any ideas?



This is Kristen's puppet. She had a great voice for the puppet that I just HAD to capture on camera. See below for the video!

Stripey Stretchy Cuffs

available in my shop here.

New Hat and scarf

on etsy here: click me


on etsy here: click me

See I'm working! It takes too long to do photos and post on etsy. Maybe someday I'll get faster at it. I still can't figure out how to take good photos. Trial and error folks. I'll keep the good stuff coming along.

New Patches Available!

One of my new years resolutions was to post something on etsy every day. Damn it's hard but I'm trying! So here is what I came up with today.

I'm now offering patches of my felt characters that you can buy individually to sew on any project or shirt you have. I will be offering more colors and designs in the future but here is what I have to start off with.


find it on etsy here.

find it on etsy here.

find it on etsy here.

Green Bear Chef Hat

A new chef hat creation for you all! This is my first etsy posting of the year. I am slacking! I wanted to do one a day and so I start on Friday. Well technically it's still Thursday night and I haven't gone to bed yet. haha.

Available in my etsy shop here: clicky-click

Arm Warmers

I've been terribly cold the last month or so and my thoughts have turned to clever ways to layer and what else can I pile on my body to stay warm? I'm constantly wearing fingerless gloves, I rarely take them off, even when sleeping. I've even taken to wearing my big fuzzy winter hat to sleep. It's the BEST sleep ever. Talk about being warm and comfy! oh man!

So anyways, I've been getting crafty in my little bedroom. I've got my heater all set up and piles of blankets around me. I have a huge tupperware of felt that I've been cutting up and making a mess all over my bedroom floor. It's fantastic! I love my little crafty nest. So what I came up with the last couple of days is these fantastic arm warmers.


I've been thinking of ways to use socks and ways to warm my arms. Socks are the perfect size and just the right length. I didn't finish off the edge but I'm sure that could be done with a zig-zag. I added on some embellishments, my favorite kind, buttons and felt!

I also used some remnants from another sock project. I had these soft fuzzy stripped socks that were the perfect size to make cuffs from. I really like how they came out and I was thinking of making more for sale. I simply can't part from the ones I've already made. I put them on and fell in love right away. They are so soft and comfy!



I love soft and comfy on a cold winter's night. I love my heater and my soft down comforter. My mind is on warm things and I'm glad I'm getting creative again. Soon I need to follow up on my new years resolutions and get on track again. Soon my friends! I'm well on my way. I want to start making something new every day, a drawing, a sewing project, anything. Just as long as I have something to show for every day.

I hope you are warm and comfy wherever you are! Maybe you want to make some soft warm comfy arm warmers of your own? Just dig through your sock drawer and see what you can find!

Cork Mushrooms

I snagged a couple Patron bottle corks from a friend a few months back because they looked just like a mushroom. I just had to do something with them.

Well I finally got around to painting them. I think they came out darling don't you?

Sock Puppets!

I am in love with sock puppets. This is my new friend. He's my best drinking buddy and listens to me when I talk for hours and hours. He especially loves to hear about all my messed up relationships and rants about how horrid some men can be. He is the perfect friend!

You can make your own as well. It's easy! I used the tutorial here.

Puppets makes me HEPPY!

Scrap Is Moving!

Scrap is Moving!

They are looking for some volunteers for this weekend. I've signed up to help with the move. I've never actually been to the store (shame on me!) but I want to check out their new location which is close to me than the last one! woo hoo! Also they are super awesome people and I want to get more involved this year.

So if you want to help as well here is the moving info:
Various move-related activities (food provided!) Sat 1/17- Tues 1/20

Schedule:
Sat 17th - 2-6pm (packing)
Sun 18th - 10-2PM and 2-6PM (moving)
Mon 19th - 10-2PM and 2-6PM (unpacking, setup)
Tue 20th - 10-2PM and 2-6PM (unpacking, setup)

Contact Bethany: 503-294-0769; Bethany@scrapaction.org

New address will be 2915 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd (at Stanton)

Last day at current location: Friday, January 16
Open for Business/Donations in new location: Friday, January 23
Info about Scrap here: http://www.scrapaction.com/

Come and help out with the move!

Design Loves a Depression

Dinnerware set by Russel Wright

Design tends to thrive in hard times. In the scarcity of the 1940s, Charles and Ray Eames produced furniture and other products of enduring appeal from cheap materials like plastic, resin and plywood, and Italian design flowered in the aftermath of World War II.

Will today’s designers rise to the occasion? “What designers do really well is work within constraints, work with what they have,” said Paola Antonelli, senior curator of architecture and design at the Museum of Modern Art. “This might be the time when designers can really do their job, and do it in a humanistic spirit.”

In the lean years ahead, “there will be less design, but much better design,” Ms. Antonelli predicted.

Read more of this article here. By The New York Times.