abby & grr

not enough love to go around

2009-07-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

I'm going to be MIA for the next few months. If I don't focus my love on renovating the house hubby and I are working on, we will end up homeless in a few short months. With 3 dogs, 3 cats, buttloads of belongings for 4 people, and a partridge in a pear tree, it's not like we can crash on someone's couch for a night or two... or three... or a month or more.

Plus, my summer II class started today and I freaked out this morning after I read through the TWENTY-SEVEN PAGE SYLLABUS. Seriously??? And our first two quizzes are on the syllabus and ASU's policies on academic integrity. Although, to be honest I would probably be that sadistic if I were a prof. I'd find some way to make my syllabus 100 pages long. Sometimes I do still consider using my Bio degree to teach - maybe high school. Heh.

Here's my latest necklace. I whipped this out last Friday while I was sitting in a log cabin out in Prescott... watching the rain clouds move in... listening to the thunder while hubby got help with the house plans and other house stuff. I made a matching bracelet too, but the beads vary slightly in color. Not sure when I'll have time to list them in my Etsy shop. :(

I should have taken my new camera up there to take pics of the thunderheads. We were only visiting a friend of hubby's that we only get to see about once a year. It's beautiful up there and his land butts up against national forest. *Sigh* Someday I'll have my alpaca and goat farm!

My free time is over. Gotta go research energy efficient water heaters and windows and go study my syllabus.

ah-haa!

2009-07-01T13:46:00.001-07:00

I think I figured it out. Probably because I put the pics to load as "large" and didn't center them. Eff it. It'll do.

sample pillows

2009-07-01T13:13:00.000-07:00

Here are some sample ideas for my "creative learning" pillows. They were taken from old workbooks and how-to drawing books I've had since childhood. I traced some and drew out some to give me ideas of where I want to go with this.

For this one, maybe have the words "girl" and "boy" embroidered under each figure. Some of these pillows will require parental participation. The idea is getting the child to point to - or this is where I would incorporate velcro - the correct word.

This one with velcro too. Maybe attach a "4" and a "6" or some other number to yarn and the child will attach the appropriate number? Still experimenting.

Seriously. I don't know why this picture keeps loading sideways and I just don't have the brainpower to figure it out. Just finished my final this morning and my brain is mush. Anyway, before I cropped it for the millionth time this picture had "2 girls turning rope", "1 girl jumping", and "1 girl waving" written on it.

I sure would appreciate any feedback for ideas on the whole velcro interactive thing.

More pics to come tomorrow. And maybe I'll just jump in and start embroidering a sample tonight.

random cuteness

2009-07-01T13:03:00.000-07:00

While I was studying yesterday I turned around and...

*snicker* That's my hubby's pillow.

detour

2009-06-30T08:28:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I am going to take a little detour for a bit.

I spent the last week or so perusing the Etsy forums and reading like a madwoman. Trying to optimize my listings. Rewriting and rewriting and... yes, rewriting my tags and titles. I only have 46 items up in my shop and I thought I would go insane every time I decided to make a change. I cannot imagine if I had over a 100 items in stock like some shops.

And I read about blogs. The general consensus was to love your blog. Hug it. Pet it. Squeeze it. And call it George. This is what I will do.

Back to the original detour message. I am getting the itch to start on my (temporarily named) creative learning pillows. I have been digging through my old toys as a possible collage picture for my Etsy store banner when I started getting that itch.

This is the ADD working here and you will witness much of this if you choose to follow my blog. I have gotten much better at finishing projects though. It took me almost a year but I got my Etsy shop up and running WITH jewelry in it!

Anyway, the creative learning pillows. They will be old school style images embroidered onto felt pillows. And some will be interactive - with velcro even! I am still reading up on all the child safety laws about which cloth and embroidery thread will not poison your children. Otherwise, I am hoping that people like me will be enjoying these pillows as happy reminders of their childhood.

Seriously, check out all the fun things on this hanky!

Yup, 1976. Nope, I will never sell any of my awesomely cool toys. I was selfish then - as my best friend (since age 5 years) will attest to - and I am selfish now with my toys. I'll be Barbie; you be Ken. I'll be Strawberry Shortcake; you be the Purple Pieman. No, you can't touch my My Little Ponies because I have them set up on my shelf in a specific order and position. Wow, was I a terrible child.

Most of the ideas for my learning pillows will come from my old workbooks and how-to drawing books. I will post pics of some sample ideas later today as I have to stop procrastinating and start working on a class assignment that is due today. ;)

Random cuteness. Fischer Price Little Snoopy. I used to drive my parents mad running wildly through the house while dragging this toy because it would make a loud ribbit-like noise over and over and over and over again.

locked out

2009-06-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

Every secret door has a keyhole, of course. Which, in turn, requires a mysterious old key.

However, will a key be enough to unlock the door? What if the door is enchanted?

doorknockers

2009-06-12T08:57:00.001-07:00

A couple samples of doorknockers. Possible aquatic theme.

doorknobs

2009-06-11T16:59:00.001-07:00

Found objects to be used as doorknobs.

hidden doors and secret gardens

2009-06-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

I have always been fascinated with hidden doors and secret places. As a child I would play house under the large branches of the giant pines in our backyard or in the hidden crawlspaces within the walls of our home.

I have always been curious about smaller worlds than ours. Tucked away and never to be discovered by adult human eyes. Camping as a child consisted of trekking through the woods with my best friend in search of these little worlds and their inhabitants.

These childhood memories are where I have drawn my ideas from for my pillows and their stories. My faerie pillows will be made with the intent of being "doorways" for the inhabitants of these small worlds into ours, if they choose to visit you.

Books shown:
Oh, What a Busy Day! by Gyo Fujikawa
Is This The House of Mistress Mouse? by Richard Scarry
Tiger Flower by Robert Vavra & Fleur Cowles

a little history

2009-06-11T15:38:00.001-07:00

I have had these books for as long as I am able to remember. The faerie lore that I will be using in the stories that accompany my pillows will be based upon these books. These are the stories I grew up with, not from Tinker Bell or Mary Cicely Barker. Don't get me wrong! I do enjoy the beautiful artwork of these new books that come out but I guess I would like to remain "old school" with my pillows.

I have yet to come up with a name for these pillows so that may come into play for a future contest. I have been muddling over the idea for quite a few years now. Sketching here and there. Accumulating items to use.

I now need to bring this idea into reality and quit dragging my feet. So... I will be posting pictures and updates on this project that is very near and dear to my heart.

Ta... dahhhh!

2009-06-10T09:08:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's not fancy but I'm working on it. And who ever thought of me as a Miss FancyPants anyway?

I have now joined the ranks of internet nerds... sigh... I have a blog. I just thought this may be easier than posting all over the place about my jewelry and new projects. And I really am going to start on my faerie pillows. I wanted to have a place to post "in progress" pics.

I hope you all stick around and occasionally comment. :)