my imaginary boyfriend loves me!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-02T07:27:00.002-05:00

Hello!
Long time, no blog. Sorry about that. . .

Why you may ask? Well, I didn't have much to say. The last 3 month have pretty much just been filled with logs. Loads and loads of logs and a person can only blog about logs so many times.

I must admit I've been burned out lately but hopefully the new year will bring a renewed vigor to my crafting, my business and my life. Fingers crossed!

I look forward to the crafting adventure that lies ahead.

Happy New Year!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Over before I knew it began!

2010-09-15T12:22:00.003-04:00

Well, voting for the Hoot! Show has come and gone. I thought it STARTED on the 11th and went through til the closing of the show, but it was just on the 11th. Oh well. If you haven't guessed I didn't win.

They did:

For this:

Congratulations. Lovely work.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Hoot Art Show

2010-09-02T14:20:00.002-04:00

Just found out the HOOT show runs From September 11 - October 3 so if you're in Chicago you should stop by and see my little fella. If not, you can still vote for him online starting the 11th!

Back to work!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

It's been a long long time. . .

2010-08-30T23:47:00.003-04:00

Hi all!

Wow it's dusty here.

Seems like no one's posted in ages! Who's fault is that? Let's get 'em!

Oh. . . it's my fault? Oops. Sorry.

Fact is, lately, when I've had the time to write, I've not really had much crafty to say and when things have been super crafty, as they have of late, I haven't had the time to write. Plus, how many times can you read about me making log pillows?

So what have I been up to? Well, I did a play. Urinetown: the musical, where I played the part of Penelope Pennywise AND did all the costumes!
Here's a small taste:

And one with me!

That's me in the brown with the Wellies. Very glamorous, no? If you click on the above pics you can see even more shots from the show. It was very fun and so great to stretch my costuming muscles once again. Oooh, here's a great glamour shot:

Hawt.

Other than the show, I'm getting ready for Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago. It's my first time at Renegade Chicago and I'm so excited to do the show in it's hometown. What's even more exciting, though, is that I'll be sharing my booth with my Zombie Cross Stitch co-author Kristy Kizzee! We've never actually met in person but I already feel like she's long lost family.

This is also my first time in Chicago so if anyone has any suggestions regarding food, drink, and fun. Please let me know. And if you're in Chicago, please come and say, "hi!" We'll be selling autographed copies of the Zombie Kit and I have lots of new things I'm working on especially for this most Renegade of craft fairs.

ALSO! I've done a piece for Renegade Handmade's upcoming HOOT group show and contest. Here's a sneak peek:

And his owl-y backside:

The show starts in a week and voting for the contest begins September 11. Winner gets a free booth at their choice of Renegades! Yea!

Okay, dusting done, now, back to work. I'll let you know how it all goes soon.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

More new things from MIBF HQ

2010-05-13T17:08:00.002-04:00

Hi All!

Well, Maker Faire is less than 2 weeks away and I've got sooooo much to do before I head up to lovely San Mateo. Still, I can't leave you hanging, now, can I? Here's a few more snaps of the latest items to come out of my chaotic craft room.

A gaggle of Sasquatch have joined the Yetis.

And to make use of all the cool coffee mugs I find while thrifting. . . The Coffee Klatch Pin Cushion

More details from the top:

Yea!

Okay, must finish my sandwich and then get back to work!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

This one's for Joi, for reminding me to do my job.

2010-05-13T04:25:00.002-04:00

I was profiled over at Craft: for the upcoming Bazaar Bizarre.
Here's the link!

Now off to sleep and then back to stitching in the morning. Woot!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Evolution of a Yeti

2010-04-27T14:38:00.002-04:00

The little fella on the right is the final design for my yeti friend. What do you think?

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Maker Faire Preview

2010-04-23T23:05:00.002-04:00

Great Big YETI!!!!
(Though the Maker Faire Yetis and their ilk will be about half this size)

Embroidered Vintage Handkerchief Portraits

Louise Brooks

Clara Bow

Okay! Back to stitching.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!

2010-04-21T16:51:00.002-04:00

OMG! WOO HOO! It's so real now!

Available exclusively through Barnes & Nobel starting mid-June.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Do do that Yudu that you do so. . . well?

2010-04-21T15:22:00.003-04:00

Finally! My printing story. I was making gifts and had to hold off on this post since a few of the recipients of said gifts occasionally visit this blog. Of course, those gifts were given out well over a month ago but thing have been busy with friends weddings and trips to Utah and Disneyland and everything. Anyway. . . on with the printing story!

When we last met I had just finished my first successful screen and was starting on my second. Like I said, the second time was a lot smoother but no where near as user-friendly and the more traditional method I already know.

Once my screens were burned and dried, I got to printing. Luckily I was forewarned about the fact that the screens shift around a lot during printing so I used the packing tape used to block off the edges of the screen to tape the screen into the machine. I then prepared my platen for my fabric.

Ah, the platen. . . the thing that holds your work in place as you print. It should be sticky but not too sticky. You should be able to remove the printed material without distorting or tearing it. Apparently the Yudu folks didn't get that memo because this thing was so sticky that I couldn't even remove the piece of wax paper I'd put down as a guide!

So annoying and frustrating. Most of my print time was spent trying to de-tacky the platen. Did they not even DO any product testing? Apparently they sell extra adhesive sheets for the platen ($7.99 for 2 cha-ching!) so you can have it way too sticky and fabric distorting all the time. Yea.

Here's the distorted fabric after printing and removal:

It took a lot of steam and stretching to reshape the fabric after printing.

So, the platen sucks. But still, we soldier on. Printing! As you can see the print on the white fabric is crisp and clear, but it took several passes to get it that way. I've only had that happen in a traditional set up when using a super porous fabric like felt. With a smooth cotton (like the one I used on this project) it should really only take one pass, but still it's a nice print.

My biggest gripe is the mess. One of the many reasons I wanted the Yudu is that I liked the idea that I could use it indoors and that it seemed rather mess-free for screenprinting. But this is SO not the case. Now, I must admit, I did not use the Yudu ink. Maybe that would make a difference but I doubt it. The ink went everywhere as I printed and there was no easy way to scoop up the ink for re-use after a pull of the squeegee. As for the squeegee, there's no place to put it when you're not using it! When I print in my garage, I can rest the squeegee in the screen frame when I lift the frame up to remove the printed work. On the Yudu, this is not possible. When I tried to rest it there it would fall into the ink or worse off of the machine getting ink all over the place. I finally had to lay out some plastic along the side of my work area so that I could put the squeegee there when not in use.

Messy. Notice the ink all over the machine.

The next thing I printed with the machine didn't go much better. I decided to print opaque white on red cotton flannel. Even though I was using a super opaque ink I was still unable to get a crisp opaque print from the Yudu no matter how many times I pulled the squeegee. Ultimately I just touched up the white by hand. Really, Yudu, what's the point?

I was still able to use the fabric I printed for my final project and it still turned out really nice. See. . .

But I feel the Yudu was more hindrance than help and that I could have finished the printing a lot faster and better with my low-fi garage set-up.

Still, looking on the bright side, it is a really nice lightbox.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Who do Yudu think you are?*

2010-02-21T16:56:00.009-05:00

So this past Christmas I got a Yudu machine. Yea! Right? I must admit, as soon as they came out I was intrigued. Would it be like a great big Gocco? An easy way to print shirts, fabric, and whatever my little heart can imagine? According to the press and the hype it was all those things and more! Too fun!

At first I tried to use what little pull I had in the craft world to get a free machine to try. I knew other crafty bloggers and friends had been sent machines and at the time I was writing for CraftStylish and Yudu's parent company Provo Craft was one of our main sponsors. They did send machines but I wasn't one of the chosen bloggers. Oh well. I then though I had an in through the Boyfriend and a few connections made at last year's Maker Faire, but alas no free Yudu for me. Sigh. I'd given up all hope but then Santa (aka my Mom and a Joann Fabric coupon and my Dad and his $$$) plopped one under my tree.

First thought. . . DAMN this things big.

Sooooo much bigger than my little ol' Gocco, yet still not big enough to replace the traditional screenprinting set-up I need to print fabric for logs and such. After Christmas morning it sat on my dinning table for about a month unused. Sadly, I rarely have time for hobby crafting anymore.

So it sat unused for about a month until I finally had a project. Yea! I couldn't wait to get started! Which leads me to my second thought - supplies, especially emulsion sheets are hard to find and expensive. I used to think that one of the main draws would be how easy it would be to find supplies since they carry them at Michael's and Joanns. With my traditional printing set-up I have to order everything since there are no suppliers in my town. Yudu offered the prospect of easy to come by supplies and spur of the moment projects, but my local Joann doesn't have a full craft section and the Michael's is always sold out. I was hoping the Yudu would mean I wouldn't have to wait for packages to ship but alas, I had to order all the necessary materials to get started.

I finally got all my supplies last week and got ready to print. First thing I did was watch the DVD that came with the machine so that I would have a good idea what to do. Big mistake. What a useless piece of crap it is. The "how-to" features 2 people a woman who is the expert and a Bubba-like yokel who's there for "comic relief" but who only serves to bother and annoy. I suppose what the Provo craft people were going for was a "Look, even this dolt can use the Yudu! So can you!" Sort of thing but the true effect is frustrating and not at all helpful. After the epic fail that was the DVD I looked to the quick start guide for help. Alas, no help was to be found there either. The machine doesn't come with a complete how-to manual booklet but the quick guide makes assumptions they shouldn't about info that's not provided. Such as which is the front and which is the back of the screen. Since I have some printing history I was able to figure it out but the average crafter might mistake the smoother more finished looking back for the front. Luckily the videos and tutorials on the website are more helpful and informative but I find it very annoying that I have to keep my laptop by my side to figure out a crafting tool.

After watching a few of the online tutorials (featuring a very informative expert and no one trying to audition for the next Blue Collar Comedy Tour) I finally got started. The instructions seemed simple enough. Wet the screen place the film, flatten the film, dry for 15 to 20 minutes. So I wet the screen but apparently not enough since the film wasn't really sticking so I added more water. I smoothed it out with a damp paper towel and my squeegee and put it in the dryer. 15 minutes passed and it was not dry so I put it in for another 15 minutes, still not dry. Ultimately it was in there for an hour. After the hour I removed the screen from the dryer and went to remove the protective plastic film. Apparently it was still not dry 'cause this happened:

So off I went to the sink to wash $10 of emulsion sheet down the drain and try again. The second time went much better but still took over an hour to dry fully in the machine's self-contained dryer.

Second attempt after the screen was burned:

Success!!!

Now I'm working on the second screen for my project. The prep went soooo much better now that I know what I'm doing but it's still taking forever to dry. I think Evie from "Out of This World" must work for Provo Craft 'cause the only way these screens take only 20 minutes to dry is if they have someone working for them who can stop time.

I'll post about the printing later but I guess my biggest gripe about the Yudu, beyond their awful how-to material and time underestimations, is the cost. Yes it is less messy than how I prepare my more traditional screens but they're soooo much more expensive. The screens are comparable, about $20 per screen but everything else seems like such a rip-off. The emulsion I use for my regular printing is $30 a container and each container contains at least 30 screens worth (if not more). On the other hand Yudu emulsion sheets are $19 for 2 (though I have found them online at $15 for 2). The ink is $7.50 for a 3 oz bottle! 16 oz jars of my favorite printing ink, Versatex, can be found for 'round $10. On the Yudu website they say that you shouldn't use other inks because they will ruin your screen, but I suspect that it has more to do with Provo craft making money and less to do with which inks work best.

And that's what gets me. It's all so greedy. "Be creative! Express yourself! But only use our product." I set up my traditional, if slightly low-fi, printing set-up for about $350-400 but that includes 6 screens, 4 gallon jars of ink, squeegee, emulsion, and print station. They say the Yudu is fit to use out of the box. I suppose it is. But you only get 2 emulsion sheets (and I've yet to talk to a person who didn't mess up the first time), one screen, and a small tube of black ink so what you're able to make is very, very limited. For the project I'm working on I had to buy 2 more screens, more emulsion sheets (2 packs), ink (not Yudu, sorry, not falling for your trick, Provo), registration sheets, screen cleaner, screen filler, and better squeegees all for a grand total of $125 not including shipping. Provo may have picked my pocket this time but I'm already figuring out hacks. When I figure them out, I'll share them with you.

That's all for now. I'm sure the rant will continue tomorrow when the real printing happens.

Hearts and puppies,
erika
*Thanks Spice Girls!

The days blend together when you work from home.

2010-02-10T12:14:00.002-05:00

Yeah, I know it's Wednesday. Been having many a frustrating internet problem these days. Anyway. . . onto the news!

It's been so long since I've been here. All the way back in November!?! What the!?!?

Okay, so let's go back a bit to Christmas. If you visit here with any regularity (you're one up on me! kidding.) you are aware of my obsession with new show displays come craft fair season, so of course I had to come up with something new for the holidays. It also had to fit in my new Cube (yea!) and needed to stay clear of the windows for a long drive to Portland, OR in crummy weather. So this is what I came up with:

A giant wreath! Everything flat-packed down to fit in the car, yet looked remarkable when up on the table. I was by far the most festive seller at all my fairs. I just love the Christmas decorations!

Moving on from Christmas, my time has been spent working on writing and contributions. I wrote the text a papercraft craft book and kit. When I'm allowed to, I'll post more info and pictures and links and such. I've also been lucky enough to contribute to the books of 2 really fabulous friends. Here's a sneak peak at one of those projects:

Purdy! If I do say so myself.

Other than Christmas and books and such, I've been making logs. Lots and lots and lots of logs. Soooooooooo many logs. And more logs to make too. Sigh. Logs.

Oh! And I made another quilt!

It's for my friend Kat who has a little one on the way. I love making crib quilts, they're so much easier to put together. I haven't really mastered quilting larger pieces yet. I've had a few successes but for the most part even the successful pieces were more frustrating than fun. I love the final product but have always wanted to abandon every large quilt I've ever made along the way. Baby quilts make me feel like the greatest quilter in the world!

Guess that's all for now, better get back to the logs. We'll talk soon.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Super Tuesday!

2010-02-07T18:55:00.001-05:00

Hi All!

Been busy and have let things slide. Sorry. I have pictures to post and things to tell but I'm out of town right now. Upon my return on Tuesday all the boyfriend and Erika news that's fit to print will be printed right here!

See you Tuesday!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Cursed Crafts

2009-11-12T02:33:00.003-05:00

Hello dear ones!

I come to you tonight with a great feeling of relief because I have FINALLY finished the quilt that has given me nothing but problems for the past 4 months. It started out easy enough, a quilt to comfort a far away friend dealing with tragedy. I figured it could be the warm hug that I was unable to give so many miles away. I talked to other mutual friends and they wanted to help, making donations to it's creation. Great! We were going to get together to send our old friend all of our love. Let's get to sewing!

And I did. I went and got so many beautiful fabrics, designed a pattern, and started to sew. It started out so well too. Sure, there were some small problems mismeasurements, running out of fabrics, basic stuff, easy to fix. I finished the quilt front in about 2 weeks.

After I finished the front I moved onto the back. I'd decided to do a patchwork for the back too so after measuring the final size of my quilt front I began cutting and blocking. That's when the first problem happened, apparently my measuring tape was off. A little bit each inch which added up to about 8" across my quilt when all was said and done. I found this out when I was laying the back, batting, and front out to pin them all together for quilting. I had to take them all apart and add to the backing fabric. Since it was about midnight when I found this all out, I folded the pieces and put them on the side table and went to bed.

The next morning I awoke to the quilt bottom on the floor, the top outside, and the batting all in pieces. My chew happy dog had taken them off the table and decided to make them her own. Luckily she did no damage to the sewn pieces, or so I thought. I collected my work from her bed, scolded her and got back to work adding to the back. This is now a month into the project.

Okay, back fixed, batting replaced, time to pin all the pieces together for quilting! That's when I found out that my beloved dog, Grace, did do damage to the quilt leaving a hole right in the middle of the top piece. Argh! Still, I finished pinning everything together and went to quilt it but the machine quilting I had planned just looked awful. So I decided to hand tie it. Thanks to an up tic in work, this all got put aside for another month.

I started tying my quilt and it seemed like this was the way to go. I could only do a few rows at a time, though, since, by this time, I was deep into working on the Zombie X-Stitch book (in stores Spring 2010!) so it took another month. I finished tying it last week and bound the edges this past weekend with little problems (and lots of Doctor Who). Once that was all done I covered the hole Grace made with a butterfly applique and added a few more to make it all look more deliberate and less like I was covering a hole made by my dog. This afternoon I finished the last applique and was finally finished. Yea!

Here are some pics!

The front of the quilt (that center butterfly is hiding that pesky hole).

A close up of one of the butterflies. I'm actually really happy with how they turned out and think they make a beautiful addition to the finished quilt.

The back of the quilt. I'm quite fond of how this patchwork turned out.

Then I decided to wash it. I guess I'm glad I did since pretty much all of the ties came loose and I'd rather that happen to me than to my friend, but man was it crushing when I took it out of the machine. This evening I fixed all the ties and I think they will hold. To quote my mom, "dear, once you finish that I suggest you box it up and pack it away before anything else can happen to it." And that's exactly what I did.

I'm so happy it's done. Had I not been making this for such a good reason, I'd have scrapped it long ago but I'm glad I didn't. I'm really happy with how it looks and I hope it comforts my friend and lets her know she's loved.

Okay, back to boyfriend work! Talk to you soon.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Have you tried to email me this year?

2009-11-11T13:13:00.003-05:00

If you've tried to email me at theboyfriend [at] myimaginaryboyfriend.com this past year and I didn't get back to you, I'm sorry. I thought I was having it forwarded to my regular email account but apparently I screwed up the forwarding somehow. Because of this, lots of emails have gone unanswered.

I wasn't ignoring you, I swear. I love you all!

I'm fixing it right now (I hope!) so you can soon email away!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Sorry I've been gone!

2009-10-26T01:12:00.007-04:00

Hello Lovlies! (if anyone's still reading this after all the neglect I've been showing it of late)

Hope you are all well. As I said last time big things have been going on in my neck of the woods. And now I can tell you about a few of them. First off, and the biggest of my big things, I've been working on a craft kit!
I did all the writing and the amazing cross stitch artist Kristina Kizzee designed all the patterns and stitched all the samples. It's super fun and funny (if I do say so myself) and I can't wait for it to come out in the Spring. I'll let you know more about the release date and where you can find it as soon as I know all the details. But until then, dig that awesome cover!

In addition to the book (yea!) I've been getting ready for the holidays. I'm happy to tell you about the craft fairs I'm doing for the season. The first is Crafty Wonderland in Portland, OR on December 13th. It's my first time in Portland and I can't wait. Apparently, according to my friend Sarah, it's full of some of my favorite things - bikes, boys, and beer (better than those sodding girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes anyday!). I also get to spend time with the lovely Susan Beal and sell my wares to a new and lovely crowd. If you're in the area, come by and say "hi!" I'd love to meet you.

Not in the Pacific Northwest? Perhaps you'll be in San Francisco the following weekend of December 19th and 20th. If you are in "the City" that weekend, you should come by and visit me at the first Renegade Holiday Craft Fair San Francisco. Unable to make either show, no worries! You can visit the Etsy shop! I've already added a bunch of Christmas items to the store and more will be added for your holiday shopping pleasure very soon.

The logs are also doing quite well and can be found in kit form at www.modcloth.com and The Curiosity Shoppe (though currently only in their brick and mortar store in San Francisco) and in pillow form at www.chopshop.com. You can also still buy them from me personally in my Etsy shop. Everyone loves a log after all!

In non-Boyfriend news, I've been making a quilt for a friend in need. A quilt that keeps hitting massive roadblocks along the way including having part of it eaten by my dog! I started in July and I'm still working away. I hope to be done really soon so that I can send it and all my love to her from so far away.

Then there's my Halloween costume. Here's a taste:

and
I'm gonna be a zombie cat lady. Thanks to the book (yea!) I think I've got zombies (and zombie cats) on the brain!

Okay, back to work. Must sew and work on a few more things I can't quite talk about just yet. Love to all who are still around, thanks for sticking by me!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Big Things!!!!

2009-09-14T13:58:00.002-04:00

Sorry I've been gone, but I have huge things going on that have kept me away from you lately. I can't say much right now but here's a hint. . . I have my first deadline today!

I also have some projects to share with you very soon.

Just wanted to let you know that, though I've been away, you are still in my heart!

Talk soon!!!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Quick break from the Renegade prep!

2009-06-27T16:29:00.003-04:00

So I'm here in MIBFHQ busily preparing for the upcoming Renegade San Francisco but it's always nice to take a crafty break from the insanity.

My break came in the form of wedding invites for my lovely friend Jen. She's doing a big time DIY wedding and and I offered to break out the Gocco and get to printing. I'm super happy with how they turned out! So happy I thought I'd share!

Well, guess it's back to Boyfriend work. Talk laters!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Thanks for coming out to Maker Faire

2009-06-08T14:16:00.005-04:00

Hi old friends and new friends!
A big thank you to all who visited during Maker Faire. It was such a good time! For those of you who couldn't make it, check out my super cool new show set up for this season:

I'm so very happy with it!

I was also lucky enough to be interviewed for the latest installment of the wonderful Threadbanger. Yea! What great folk, LOVE THEM! I want them to be my new best friends!

I also got to meet the wonderful Kevin Kidney (though I didn't realize it at the time!) who's blog is full of so much vintage Disney and Tiki wonderfulness. He came by my booth and I was all "man, that looks like Kevin Kidney. . . I love his work!" but didn't have the nerve to say anything lest I be wrong. So this is me making up for being a scaredy-cat blog fangirl.

Anyway, thanks again to all who popped by!

If you couldn't make it, new items will be up in the Etsy shop super soon. I'm taking cute pics of things today and tomorrow and as soon as that's done they will be in the shop. Yea!

Love you all!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Maker Faire this coming weekend!

2009-05-26T01:13:00.003-04:00

Hi!
Just wanted to let you know that Maker Faire is this weekend and I will be there flogging my wares in the Bazaar Bizarre exhibition. It should be great fun! There's sooooo very much to do, the craft fair is just a small slice of the awesome pie. Hope to see you there. There will be pictures of the splendors throughout the weekend.

Love you lots!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Hello Friends!

2009-05-18T04:12:00.002-04:00

Been a while, I know. . . I have had such a hart time balancing my work with the boyfriend, the odd freelance job, and my work with CraftStylish that I let things slip a bit. . . well, more than a bit really. . . but I'm here to say that that's going to change soon. I'll have sooooo much time coming up because I won't be writing for CraftStylish after this month.

That site will be changing soon from a blog with a handful of highly skilled contributors into a site with user-generated content. I wish them all the luck in the world. I owe them a lot, because of my work with CS I've met and worked with so many amazing people and have so many new and wonderful friends. Besides, CS's loss is my blog's gain!

Now that I'm not stretched so thin, I'll have more to say here (good news for all, I'm sure!). And I'd like to continue posting projects like those I've done for CS. Maybe not weekly like I've been doing for them, but at least once a month, just to keep those gears ticking.

In the meantime, check out my new tote bag design!

Pretty sweet! No? I figure so many people love the logs, I might as well embrace my Log Lady status. The bags and other super cool new items will make their debut at this year's Maker Faire and will appear in the boyfriend's Etsy shop soon after. Woo hoo!

Also, if you haven't yet, why not check out my work for CraftStylish? I'm awfully proud of it.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Quick note!

2009-04-08T12:27:00.001-04:00

Hi all!
Can't talk long, so much to do. . . but I wanted to let you all know that things are getting better. Thanks so much for all the love. I'll be posting a real post (with pictures!) soon.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

March 19th Embroidery Class Canceled

2009-03-14T18:48:00.004-04:00

I had to cancel my upcoming class due to personal issues and the need for a sudden move out of my super adorable little house. I'm so sad. Life is in all sorts of upheaval and what I thought were lifelong bonds have been tested and broken. I must admit, I'm all at sea and have no clue what to do next. I just have to get this all worked out and keep on working.

Sometimes, sadly, life gets in the way of craft and unfortunately this class was a casualty. Luckily there will be more classes in the future so if you were planing on taking this class I will be able to make it up to you very soon.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Embroidery Class Postponed

2009-03-09T01:31:00.002-04:00

Hi!

My March 4th class has been postponed until the 19th. You can register by calling ReForm School.

Yea!

hearts and puppies,
erika

Embroidery Classes @ ReFormSchool: Home Ec.

2009-02-25T20:56:00.006-05:00

Do you live in LA? Want me to teach you to embroider? Well, you're in luck! My Embroidery 101 class at ReForm School: Home Ec. has just had an extra session added. There are still spaces left in the March 4th class if you're interested. Call ReForm School for more information.

Interested? Here's what you'll get:
This stitch sampler:

and the fabric to make your own during the class as you learn the above stitched (and more!).
AND. . .
This Sampler:
(or a pack of Sublime Stitching patterns) upon which to practice your newly learned stitches.

All for $60! What a deal!!!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Wednesday's CraftStylish: Make a hip, cute sofa cover for your pet

2009-02-24T22:23:00.002-05:00

So this month was pet month over at CraftStylish. Here's what I've made for tomorrow's post:

The reverse side is orange polar fleece and the whole thing is quilted along the scallops in the fabric's pattern.

The how-to for this project will be on CraftStylish at 12pm EST.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

I'm not dead! I swear!

2009-02-24T21:53:00.001-05:00

I know, I've been away for ages. I'm so sorry.

Why, you may ask, have I been gone? Well, I suppose it's two fold. . . One: non-Boyfriend things have sort of taken over in these parts and Two: I feel I've sort of let everyone down with promises of big things to come and then they didn't. I know that's silly, but it was like I failed myself and in a way failed you, so I went into a bit of hiding.

Anyway. . . Here I am!

I'm still feeling kind of stuck Boyfriend-wise, unsure where to go beyond logs and log related merchandise. The big plan that fell through. . . well, I was going to start a robot-a-day project in the new year but the new year came fast (as new years often do) and life problems put craft plans on hold. I still want to do it but I'm still unsure of when I'll be able to start.

So, yeah, these past few months have been uncertain here at MIBF HQ, much as they've been the whole world wide, but since I try to keep this craft and Boyfriend centered I just kept my bitching to myself and Facebook.

But I promise I'm back.

I want to start a few regular features. The first will be my thrift/antique finds. I'm going to make you all sooooo jealous that I live here in cosmopolitan Bakersfield! I'll also link to my regular CraftStylish posts and keep you up to date as I try to further my screen printing skills in the very near future. What I won't do is hide in my shell again when things get tough. I'll share my work with you both the great work and the not so great. What I make, you will see.

I'm back. . . I'm back for good.

Hearts and Puppies,
erika

Merry Merry!

2008-12-26T00:32:00.002-05:00

Hi!
Thanks for all your support this year.

Now that the holidays are at an end I'll be able to blog for you more often and boy oh boy to I have a lot to say and share!

Love you all!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Bazaar Bizarre this weekend!

2008-11-26T13:23:00.002-05:00

Hi all! Hope your gearing up for Turkey is going well, we here at MIBFHQ have been busting our bottoms dealing with all the orders we got thanks to the LA Times article and trying to get ready for this weekend's Bazaar Bizarre. Look at all these boxes!

And this is the 2nd stack like this!

Okay, I have to go play catch-up now for BazBiz so I'd better get sewing! If you're in the Bay Area, I hope to see you there!

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Felt Club was Felt-tastic!

2008-11-22T16:19:00.003-05:00

Hey all! Just wanted to share the felt club fun with you all! I did a whole post about some of the other vendors I loved over at CraftStylish but didn't really get to talk much about my day. A day that almost wasn't!

I woke up Saturday to find out about the fires down in Southern California, one of which had closed, I-5, my way to the show. I spent that day frantically getting ready and checking the internet, thankfully things opened up around 10pm (but I did plan an alternative route that took me around the fires but that would have taken me twice as long to reach my destination, just in case!).

Then I started packing the car. . . Tom and I had spent days working on a new display that looked like a tabletop felt fireplace! I drew out the plan and measured my car before we started making it, but as I was loading the car I learned something. . . I'd measured the inside of my two door car but forgot to measure the door opening! The only way I could get it in was with both of the front seats folded down (very hard for driving). I tried and tried but couldn't get it to work. Freaking out, I called my dad for his truck but, no luck, he was out of town. Then it hit me! Bungie cords! I called my mom, she came to my rescue (a perk of now living close to home), and the display was bungied into place. Success!

I woke up early (just in case I had to take the alt route) but Sunday was the day that things were gonna go my way! I got to the show fine. . . met with Sarah. . . set up shop. . .

And was ready to get selling!

The show went really great. I met a ton of lovely people and was lucky enough to be interviewed and photographed by the LA Times!
(Wish I didn't look so lumpy and tired but then again, I am a bit lumpy these days and I was very, very tired. I just wish I was photogenic. . . oh, well. . .)

I also had great sales, a big surprise with things the way they are. . . all in all, I had a very happy day!

Oh! I also got to meet DJ Lance Rock from Yo Gabba Gabba! I love this show so much more than a person without children should, but it just makes me so happy when I watch it. Everything is so possible in the show which is a comfort for me these days. . . anyway. . . Yea DJ Lance!

And he bought the robot!

So yeah, overall, I'd say it was a very good day and a very good show!

Okay, better run, gotta get back to work for Bazaar Bizarre on the 30th!

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Felt Club. . . This weekend

2008-11-14T10:49:00.002-05:00

Frantically getting ready for my first holiday show but wanted to let you know that it's THIS SUNDAY! Yikes!

So, if you're in LA you should really stop by. What to expect? Lots of coolness from all around. . . from me? Well here's a hint. . .

LOGS VS. ROBOTS!

It's like the Sharks and the Jets for the 21st century! But in a fight like this there are no losers, only winners. Adorable, cuddly winners.

Better run. . . I've got a "to do" list longer than my arm and only 2 days to do it all. Oh my!

Hearts and Puppies,
erika

Contact info

2008-11-06T22:16:00.002-05:00

Just realized that the website has my email as info [!a] myimaginaryboyfriend.com but it should be erika [!a] myimaginaryboyfriend.com .

The info address keeps getting super spammed so I don't check it as often as I should. The erika address will always reach me.

It will be fixed on the main site shortly.

Hearts and puppies!
erika

It's official. . . Gooco's toast. . .

2008-11-01T18:59:00.004-04:00

Those in the Gocco know have known this since the summer but I'm a bit of a shut-in and somehow missed the oh so saddening news. Gocco's no more. . . For reals this time.

BOO!

Back in '05 I started collecting bulbs and screens when I heard Riso might not make them anymore. I cleaned up when Dick Blick was clearing out their supplies. I thought that that was that, but then I started to hear rumblings that supplies were still being made. I didn't believe them at first, but my friend Sarah assured me that, as far as she knew, I was wrong, everything was being made again! Yippy!

Buoyed by the possibility of future Goccoing, I started using bulbs and screens with abandon. Heck! I used 8 bulbs yesterday! Turns out I had one bumb bulb in the box and it took 4 attempts, and 2 screens to figure out the problem (I'm slow sometimes). And then today, while researching for a Craft Stylish post, I found out the painful truth. Riso, makers of Gocco, let retailers know this past July that they would no longer be making any supplies and that the end of this year is the end of Gocco. SADNESS! Stockpiles of supplies and machines are still out there but the prices have gone sky high. I just spent $45 for 2 boxes of bulbs. Last time I bought bulbs they were $12/box. Now, there are other places that have them for $14 but they require you to buy screens at the same time since bulbs are the real shortage item. I have screens! I need bulbs!

Even savegocco.com is gone. Guess they finally gave up. . .

Sigh. . . love you Gocco, you will be missed.

Good-bye Print Gocco. . . your flash bulbs burned out long before your legend ever did.

Hearts and Puppies,
erika

Interviewed!

2008-10-31T15:08:00.002-04:00

Hi all!
Still super busy but wanted to let you know that I was recently interviewed over at Debbie Gootter's blog Etsy Featured Artists. It was great fun to answer all her questions and I feel really honored to be included with the other awesome artists she's profiled since starting her amazing blog. Thanks Debbie for thinking of me and indulging me in my meandering style of question answering. You're the best!

Check it out, y'all! Not just for my AMAZING interview but for all the other artists too. Plus there's pictures! Who doesn't love pictures?

Happy Halloween Hearts and Puppies!
erika

Will I ever have a day where everything goes my way?

2008-10-29T19:39:00.004-04:00

Heads up. . . I'm feeling a bit self-indulgent and mopey. . . you've been warned.

So, really can't talk for long. I'm so royally behind in all I need to get done that it's scary. All my friends are saying, "sure, we've heard that before" but I swear, this is sooooo much worse. I have a show in less than 3 weeks and I'm not even close to ready and what's worse is that, other than to worry, I can't even seem to motivate myself to care. I have no new ideas. No worthwhile creative thoughts. I'm at a complete loss. And now I'm stuck, deer in the headlights style, with a deadline and little product. I'll admit it. . . I'm scared. Scared of the more and more likely failure that will be my show season and scared of what's to come. I have no marketable skills. . . this crafting thing really is it (apart from the even less lucrative music and acting) and I'm just feeling spent. Maybe it will pass. . . I hope it will pass. . . it has to, at least until the end of the year. After that, who knows?

I'm all at sea. . .

Well, I'd better back to work. Wish me luck at actually accomplishing anything.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Doggies!

2008-10-19T11:37:00.002-04:00

We have houseguests! Two adorable dogs from a local no-kill shelter, Pet Matchmaker, have made themselves at home in my new place. We agreed to foster them so that they can get used to living in a home and being around people and I think it's working. . . big time!

Here they are, Sam and Grace aren't they cute?

This one is Sam:

And this is Grace:

She's a little camera shy. . . this is the best shot of her, usually she's running away.

Well, back to the grind! I'm a little behind for holiday season and it's FAST approaching!!!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

The one in which Erika does something right. . . finally!

2008-10-14T01:20:00.002-04:00

I burned my first successful, unassisted, screenprinting screen today! Woo hoo! Aw yeah!

Check it out:

"Robot Parade! Robot Parade!"

I'm so happy this worked. I really really needed a win today.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

The logs have taken over my life!

2008-10-02T15:49:00.003-04:00

Sorry it's been forever since I've posted a proper post to this blog. With the move and the new job over at Craft Stylish I'm afraid that I've let the boyfriend blog slip to the back of my mind. Well. . . NO MORE! Here I am! And I'm ready to post my brains out!

Things have been crazy busy here. As you can see by the title, the logs have taken over. . .

All I do these days is make logs. And I'm kinda growing to hate them a bit. I know. . . I know. . . they're cute, and as an objective outside observer I love them to bits and pieces but I'm just so sick and tired of making them! I feel like a rockstar who's not allowed to play any song other than her hit. I am Skynard. . . the logs are my Freebird.

I know I should just shut the hell up. The logs are making me money, paying my bills. If you look at the sold items in my Etsy shop you'll see it's almost all logs all the time! And that doesn't even include all the shop orders and inquiries. It's great to have such a popular item and, if I was having them made and not making them all myself, I'd be dancing round town. But I can't figure out how to mass produce them and keep the quality up. And even if I could I can't AFFORD to have them made! I've tried to figure out if I could replace the hand stitching with machine work, but I'm afraid they'll end up looking just kinda blah and boring. What do you think? Does the hand stitching make the log pillow?

Ultimately the most soul crushing aspect of my current situation is that I've not had the chance to actually design anything new in ages. I've turned into a one woman factory instead of an artist. I got into this gig to design and create not to make more logs than the fellas on Axe Men.

AND whenever I DO design something new it goes right on over to CraftStylish. . . and STILL some of those ideas are log inspired. . .

I've got logs on the brain!!!

I'm just so scared that this is all I have. . . that I'm becoming a one trick pony. . . that I'm becoming (have already become?) the Log Lady. . . sigh. . .

Well, I'd better go. . . I have more logs to sew. . .
On the plus side, my Mom has started to help with the sewing which will, hopefully help a lot!

Log Hearts and Log Puppies,
Log erika

Flower Power over at Craft Stylish

2008-09-14T23:34:00.004-04:00

Hi All!
There's a great contest going on over at Craft Stylish right now all about your friend the flower! Here's one of my favorites:
Full disclosure. . . it's by my friend Becca but it's okay because I don't vote for the winning flower, so I can be biased.

There are other lovely entries too. . . Have a flowery idea? Here's where to go to enter!

My next Craft Stylish blog goes up Wednesday, but I'll talk to you here soon.

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Real Simple? More like Real Awesome!

2008-09-06T03:43:00.002-04:00

Hello!

Man, oh man, have I been busy! This Craft Stylish thing is great but there's so much to do and then the shop and commissions and Christmas shows. . . my head, it spins. . . and then I got a sudden mysterious rush in the shop.

Didn't know what was going on, wondered if it had to do with my new Craft Stylish job, but then had a think on that and decided against it. Figured it was just coincidence but then Sarah hipped me to the sidebar on Decor8. . . there I was! Well the birch logs. . . but still. . .Then I looked at the posts and there was a mention of a post on Real Simple's blog about favorite Etsy shops, and there I was again! Well. . . the logs again. . . but YEA! Right?

Anyway, that explains the rush from all parts of the world. Nice!

Well, I'd best get back to sewing those logs.

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Birch love!

2008-09-03T13:18:00.002-04:00

My oh my am I soooooo busy! And it's not even Christmas yet!!! Just wanted to let you know that the biirch logs got some blog love the other day from the lovely Paper and Stitch.

Well back to work! Check out Craft Stylish next Wednesday for my second article. Woo Hoo!!!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

I'm so Craft Stylish!

2008-09-02T13:06:00.002-04:00

Hi all!

Just wanted to let you know that my first project for Craft Stylish is up today! Yea! If you ever wanted to start embroidering, then this is the how-to for you.

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Finally Finished!

2008-08-28T20:27:00.004-04:00

I started working on these portraits back in February and now I've finally finished them! Yea! Since I've been notified that they have arrived safely in their new home in Austin I thought I'd share them with you.

The Green Family:
From top to bottom, right to left: Jessica, Max, Zach, Deborah, and Clayton.

It was great fun working with your family! Thanks!

Hearts and puppies!
erika

New house pics!

2008-08-26T01:08:00.003-04:00

I'm frantically stitching, getting ready for that secret project that I'll be able to tell you about in a week's time but I wanted to share some of the pics from my new place. I'm sooooo happy to once again have a place that's all my own. I have a lovely housemate who gave me free reign to decorate as I saw fit and, it seems, we're both super happy with the outcome. So here we go, some of then new house. Couldn't get a great shot of the kitchen and stayed out of my housemate's room but you get the idea.

The living room:

The dining room:

My super green bedroom:

Tiki bathroom 2.0:

And finally my beautiful golden workroom:

Well back to super secret work!

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Shop Updates!

2008-08-14T18:31:00.002-04:00

BIRCH LOGS ARE IN THE SHOP!!!
In honor of me getting off my tush and listing them, here's a glamour shot of them in my Eames chair:

Also in the shop, this!

And this!

And this!

Yea! More will be up soon. I still have to get my robot on and get those bad boys into the shop. So much to do! Between the shop, the home, and a still secret project I'm crazy busy but it is in the best way possible.

Guess that's all for now! Oh! One more thing, some of my older items in the shop are now on sale for 50%! I'm practically giving them away! Crazy Erika's cutting prices!

Okay, now that is all. . .

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Mighty good tie!

2008-08-06T16:06:00.002-04:00

The lovely Evany has been guest blogging over at Mighty Goods once more and she gave my tie a shout out. Thanks Evany!

Hearts,
erika

All moved in and ready to rock!

2008-08-06T14:51:00.002-04:00

Hi all!
Just a brief post to let you know I'm still alive and well and living in Bakersfield. The craft room is set I've gone decorator crazy and pictures will be going up here soon. I also have some really big news coming up for the fall. Let's just say that you'll be able to read me here and. . . elsewhere. . . oooohhhhh mysterious!

Also, the shop will be updated next week with ROBOTS & BIRCH LOGS! Yea! There will also be other goodies, more pincushions, cute bags, and just general awesomeness. It should all be there by Thursday! So put August 14th on your calender as MIBF Day!

Well, back to work! Pics to come!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Renegade Rocked!

2008-07-16T01:57:00.002-04:00

Man was this show great! And just what I needed to get my spark back. A lot of sales, a ton of great people, a marching band, and best of all no rain! Yippy!

Some of the highlights. . . I sold all my robots and a ton of logs.

I met one of my favorite bloggers, Evany Thomas, who I've felt a kinship with ever since I first happened on her fun, quirky, wonderful blog. She bought a log and we had our picture taken together. I must admit I geeked out a bit, well a lot, but she was so sweet and invited me to ice cream the next time I'm in the city.

I also met the wonderful Annie and Eric (and bought some pretty, pretty art from them for my new place). We clicked instantly and Eric and I are gonna collaborate on some robot-y goodness very soon (so exciting!). I know they will soon be MIBF besties! I can just feel it.

Then today I found out that another lovely lady blogged some of my items on her blog This Humble Abode. Thanks Jenny! It was swell meeting you!

Oh! And the rocks got a mention on SF Weekly's blog.

And we got ANOTHER mention on Apartment Therapy! Wow! I feel so very lucky! I promise to get to making those birch logs and robots fast as can be.

Wow! That's a lot of love for the Boyfriend! Our cheeks are all aglow with pride!

I forgot to tell you, though I did kinda mention it above, I'm moving! Not out of Bakersfield, just out of the family home and in with a friend who's recently moved back to town. It will be nice to be able to do my sewing in a room in which I don't sleep. I'm moving in drips and drabs this week then moving the big stuff over the weekend and I should be all settled by Monday ready to start churning out logs and robots and other sorts of goodness.

Man that's a lot of stuff! Better run and get back to last minute sewing and packing. Talk laters!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Everyone LOVES a Log!

2008-06-30T21:36:00.004-04:00

I came home to a wonderful happy surprise today. . . Logs are on the Apartment Therapy San Francisco blog!

Aw Yeah!!!! Log Love!

Yippy! What a nice thing to come home to after a show where I sold very little. Where the only excitement came from me stabbing myself in the leg frighteningly near my lady parts! No skin was broken but man oh man, do I have a troublesome bruise. . . ouch.

But on the bright side, I have stuff for Renegade!

Talk laters!

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Busy busy busy!

2008-06-23T16:45:00.003-04:00

Can't stay long, just wanted to let you know I've 2 shows coming up! First!

And then. . .
Yippy! Now back to sewing!!!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Okay. . . I've been tagged. . .

2008-06-10T03:04:00.002-04:00

I soooo live in my little bubble that I'm always amazed to find out that anyone other than Cindy, Joi, and my mom ever read this little ol' blog. But apparently they do! And I've been tagged one of them, the lovely Taz of Cut It and Pin It. Since I mustn't let down my non-related readership I am more than happy to answer these probing questions. . .

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?
Well. . . I had just graduated from the Boston Conservatory with a BFA in musical theater having already decided to take a break from acting having had a major breakdown earlier in the year. To fill the time between classes in tap dancing and crying, I worked at Tower Records (RIP) at the corner of Newbury and Mass. Ave. I knew a lot about soundtracks and pop music and had a grand time acting the know-it-all and making no money. All of my best stories come from my time at that store. . . memories. . . Oh! I also went to a metric ton of concerts that year (yet another way to avoid school) and was WAY into swing dancing and music. I went the whole 9 with that, it was a great excuse to wear my many vintage cocktail dresses (most of which I still have! though they are very tight if they fit at all, boo.)

2. Is missing!

3. What snacks do you enjoy?
What I enjoy and what I can have these days seem to be two different things. . . I love cheese and chocolate but I'm trying to be a good girl and eating a lot of fresh fruit, homemade soy and fruit smoothies, granola bars, and fresh juices (if it all works maybe I'll fit into those dresses soon!)

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire?
I'd be very generous! I'd give a million right away to the best public radio station in the whole wide world, KEXP. I'd do right by all my family and friends, buy a few houses, travel like mad, go crazy at Marc Jacobs, invest, and open a shop someplace wonderful. . . San Francisco? London? New York?

5. Where have you lived?
In order:
Bakersfield, CA
Boston, MA
San Francisco, CA
Back to Bakersfield
New York, NY (mostly in Brooklyn but briefly in Manhattan)
Back once more and for now in Bakersfield (sigh)

6. What jobs have you had?
Man. . . this question along with the 10 years ago question sure make this a depressing tag for li'l ol' Erika. . . Anyway. . . In order:
Clerk and know-it-all - Tower Records (Boston and San Francisco)
Substitute High School Teacher
Bookseller - Barnes & Noble
Personal Assistant
Temp
Admin Assistant
Sales Associate - Charles Tyrwhitt
Temping once more
VERY Small Business Owner - my imaginary boyfriend!!!

7. Who would I like to know more about?
Oooh. . . this is where I figure out who to tag. . . I'll have to think on that and get back to this one! Hum. . . thinking. . .

Well that's it!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Renegade Craft Fair, Brooklyn This Weekend!!!

2008-06-10T02:48:00.004-04:00

Woo Hoo!

Sorry I've been remiss in posting of late. Been a combo of busy getting ready for Renegade and utterly uninspired. . . will talk more of the former when I get back from New York, but for now Renegade!

I'll be sharing a booth with the always lovely Sarah of Gavin&Lily. We have a wonderful location smack in the middle of the pool (That would be the pool made famous by Tyra and Co. in the latest "cycle" of America's Next Top Model! Aw yeah! What? You missed it?). If you are in the Brooklyn area this weekend, come by and say, "Hi!" I'd love to meet you!

Talk laters!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Ladies Love Cool My Imaginary Boyfriend!

2008-05-16T18:30:00.002-04:00

Hi All!

The boyfriend has been mentioned in not one but 2 blogs this week! Woo Hoo!

First, the Fashion Plate Shadow Box was mentioned over at SF Indie Fashion.

And the logs have once more been shown the love over at Jenny Jen 42's blog.

OH! And a little while back the Robot Bride & Groom were featured on the lovely Geekcrafts.com in an article featuring 13 crafty robots. Sorry I didn't mention that before. . . spacey me. . .

Well, that's it for now. . . talk laters!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Catching up. . .

2008-05-09T00:23:00.003-04:00

So to catch up with the list from a few weeks back. . . first. . .

I bought a bike! OH! And I got a haircut!

And I've been riding it!

Woohoo!

Though I must admit that riding it in my current physical shape puts a medley of Queen's Bicycle Races and Fat Bottomed Girls in my head. Hopefully that won't be the case for too long!

Second. . . Screenprint birch logs! Check 'em out!

Third! The most wonderfully wacky, strange thing I've ever found in a thrift store. Found at one of the many lovely Goodwill stores in my town.

It's just a ceramic unicorn head. . . what's so strange about that?
Well. . . how about this

THERE'S A SCARY SANTA ON THE OTHER SIDE!!!
What's more. . . he's not just painted on there, he's part of the mold! And then the artist who painted Santa added a whole level of creepy to the odd. Here's a close up. . .

He looks like he's been on a 2 week meth binge! And what's with that pink thing on the bottom, which isn't made better by the fact that he's apparently squatting. . . poor Santa. . .
OH!

There were 4 of them. . . I love thrifting!

Finally. . . Robots!

and Doctor Who monsters!

If you want to learn how to make them, check out my Crafty TARDIS post!

That's all for the catching up. . . Next post. . . Maker Faire!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

I know I've been remiss. . .

2008-05-01T04:23:00.006-04:00

It's been chaos here!
Why, what ever can be going on Erika? Well. . .
As I said before I've been frantically getting ready for Bazaar Bizarre at Maker Faire which is this weekend! Yikes! and Yea! all at once.

I'm looking forward to the show and hope it goes well. Things here in MIBF HQ have been rocky of late. . . rejections, failed projects, and a general confusion have been the norm here, I'm afraid. Hopefully all will rock and things will once again be shiny.

AND! Maker Faire is full of clever, cute, geeky boys, something sorely lacking in my life these days. If you know any of these boys, and they're single, point them in the direction of the Bizarre, booth 52!

Well, that's all for now. . . best to sleep before I head up North tomorrow morning (going up early to hang with my BFF baby Griffin and to FINALLY get my hair cut!).

Hearts and puppies,
erika

I'm here! I'm here!

2008-04-22T02:17:00.002-04:00

Apparently, if you blog nearly every day for over a month and then regress to lackadaisical blogging ways your friends will yell at you. It's funny. . . I forget that anyone reads this thing sometimes and then I hear, from several fronts that my blog is lonely. I'm sorry blog!

I have a ton to post about but I've been super busy getting ready for Bazaar Bizarre at the Maker Faire . It promises to be an amazing show! If you're in the area you should really try to go. Tickets are a bit pricey at $20 a day but it's for the whole of the Maker Faire not just the shopping area and the Maker Faire is so very super cool.

Anyway. . . That's all for now. Just letting you know I'm here. . . I have a lot of sewing to do but I promise you that I will post in the coming days! Here's a taste of posts to come:

- I bought a bike!
- Screen print BIRCH logs!
- Weirdest thing I've ever found at a thrift store! (and that includes the matching Hawaiian shirt and dress combo Heidi and I found at the best thrift store in the world, American Way Thrift at Chester and 19th [RIP] circa 1995)
- Erika's adventures in patchwork robots and machine applique
- The cutest Doctor Who monster ever! With how to and pattern!!!

Okay, back to work! Talk soon!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Makes things go

2008-04-02T15:07:00.003-04:00

My friend Tom has a blog. . . it's called Makes Things Go. . . it's a lot of fun! And he has very good taste because today he featured ME!

Thanks Tom!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

I'm a screenprinting superstar!

2008-03-27T13:31:00.003-04:00

Well not yet. . . but I'm on my way thanks to the lovely Hannah of Made with Love by Hannah. We had an amazingly fun and informative day yesterday, she taught me so much!

I met Hannah at the also lovely Jenny Ryan's crafty ladies party a couple of months back and we had talked in passing about screenprinting all the things that I've been handpainting in my product line. She was shocked that I painted all those logs and woodgrain. . . she's not the only one. What can I say, I'm a bit looney. . . Anyway. . . she screenprints a lot of her fabrics and she offered th hook me up with some of her old tools she no longer uses. So nice! Then we started talking and she offered to show me what to do.

I learned sooooo much yesterday AND I printed 22 logs in the time it would have taken to paint 2. AWESOME! And she gave me so much, not only info and tips (such super tips!), but supplies to help me get started. It was like Christmas but more fun and with more adorable knick-knacks and yummy sandwiches. Definitely one of my top craft days ever!

Mom has offered me the workbench in the garage as my printing area and I can't wait to get started! Robots and woodgrain are dancing around in my head! Yippy!

Now I have to order all my supplies!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - Etsy postings have begun!

2008-03-17T00:24:00.001-04:00

Aw Yeah!

Check it out!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 27, 28, 29 AAANNNNNNDDDD 30!!!!!

2008-03-14T22:48:00.003-04:00

Woo HOO! It's over! I did it!!!

I haven't posted for the last 4 days but I have crafted my tush off!

First, Tuesday:

It's a log deconstructed, on paper. Why you ask. . . well, the logs are going into mass production! Well. . . sort of. . . The lovely Hannah from Made with Love by Hannah is gonna teach me to screenprint! This is the pattern I sent her and she's gonna burn the screens. So exciting!

On Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I went pillow CRAZY! I went thrifting on Monday in preparation for something I'm really excited about but that I can't yet discuss (ooohhh mystery!) and found a ton of great fabric. One of the fabrics was this fab floral barkcloth ($4 for 2 yards!) and I made 2 fun bunny pillows out of it. Then today I made a pillow that has been sitting in my head for a while and it turned out just how I imagined, which is always nice. Here they are, pillows a plenty!

And finally, the whole kit and kaboodle! A month's worth of crafting, sans 1 thank you note, 1 hostess gift, and 9 logs, all resting quite comfy-like on my lovely daybed!

Impressive!

Most of these beauties will end up in my Etsy shop. Tomorrow I take pictures and then I start listing away!

Thanks so much for following me on this crazy little journey with me. I may just do it again in the near future. It was super hard but it did get me working and sometimes that push is the one thing you really need to create some lovely, lovely crafty goodness.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

My quilt is famous!

2008-03-11T13:18:00.001-04:00

Well. . . maybe not famous but it was mentioned in the lovely Craft Magazine Blog! Yippy!

Craft a day - 26

2008-03-11T03:57:00.003-04:00

I had planned to do something bigger but it was a long day away from the house (which was lovely, by the way!) so I didn't get my craft on until rather late. Luckily I'd bought this crepe paper peony kit from the Martha Stewart Craft's collection from Michael's a few weeks back just in case this situation should show its face.

Click the above link and you can see the wonders achieved by Martha's crew. . . here's my flower:

Not bad. . . not bad at all!
I do wish the colors on the packaging matched the colors available in the kit, but still I'm happy with the end product. Here's a shot of my flower with Ms. Martha's:

I think I did her proud!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 24 & 25

2008-03-10T04:33:00.003-04:00

Is there any love greater than the love between a robot and his bride? I think not!

I made her yesterday. . . him today. . .

Aren't they lovely! I do wish I'd gone with my first impulse and made them shorter. . . there's always next time! I'm gonna put them on a cake friendly base and offer them up in the shop as a cake topper. Now all I have to do is figure out what that base should be. . . hum. . . any suggestions?

Guess that's it for now. . . 'night.

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Craft a day - 22 & 23, Craftastrophe and Redemption

2008-03-08T14:56:00.003-05:00

Oh. . . why can't things just work out?

In hindsight, Thursday's craftastrophic events were all my fault, a perfect storm of late night sewing, stupidity, forgetfulness, and cockiness. I was dead set on finishing my little quilt and I was going to do it properly, not in my, as Cindy has dubbed it, punk rock quilting way so I picked up my Quilting: the Complete Guide and went to work!

All started out well. . .

I decided to take it easy and do a simple diagonal design so, using 1/4" tape, I marke the lines that were to be sewed. I layered the front, the batting, and the back and pinned the whole lot together at 4" interval, just like the book suggested. I wrapped the overhang of the backing to protect the edges of the front and pinned those. Things looked good! Just like in the book.

Okay. . . first big mistake. . . when everything you read tells you that to do machine quilting, you should really use a walking foot, they're not just trying to sell expensive machine attachments. You can't get away with a pair of grippy gloves and your regular machine foot, no matter how much fun the grippy gloves are and no matter how much they make you sing "Magic To Do" from Pippin while pretending to be Ben Vereen.

You can almost see the cocky shooting from my be-gloved, jazz-handed fingers. . .

Second big mistake. . . if you remember hearing, several times over, that you should start your quilting at the center of the piece and that you should then work out to the edges. You should really start your quilting at the center. You shouldn't start at the edge just because it's easier. And you REALLY shouldn't then flip it to the other side once things get all bunched up in your machine, basically working from the edges in, because this is what happens:

It's hard to tell, the picture's kinda dark and all the stripes from the pinstripes make it hard to see, but there is a big 2" wide pucker right in the middle of my quilt. A wrinkle I didn't catch until AFTER I'd been sewing for 6 BLEEDING HOURS! GGGGAAAAGGGHHH! 2 in the morning and the only thing I can see is failure and a ruined quilt front.

And so I start ripping. . .

and ripping. . .

and ripping. . .

5 more hours of ripping out the quilting and then once that was finally done I realize that I cut a hole in the boarder fabric so I had to rip THAT off too! Then it was another couple hours cleaning off all the loose threads and steaming out all the little holes left from the mishap. . . by 6 pm Friday I was basically were I was at 6 pm the day before. One whole day lost. . .

And so we begin again. . . tape and pins and grippy gloves and "Magic To Do", but with a new edition! Ladies and gents meet my hero! My new walking foot!

Ain't he sweet!

And this time I started at the center. . .

And by 2:30 am I had a wonderful finished quilt!

It's far from perfect. The stitch sizes are a bit wonky because I've yet to learn how to finesse the combo of walking foot and grippy gloves. Sometimes I helped too much and the stitches were huge, sometimes not enough, and the stitches were itty-bitty. And my straight lines are questionably straight, there are lines that wobble around more than a socialite at a sobriety checkpoint. . . but that's okay because I love it for its imperfections and I'm just soooooo very happy it's done!

One more shot, close up!

Yea!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 20 & 21

2008-03-06T04:57:00.003-05:00

Soooo sleepy. . . I got a little too into today's craft too late in the day. I think I finished up my work around 1 am? Still I'm quite happy. . .

But, not to get ahead of myself. . . yesterday's craft:

I've dubbed this bag Clutch my Heart! Get it? Get it? (where'd all these crickets come from?)
I love this clutch shape. It's so easy to adapt and change. I've used it for clutches with ruffles and appliques and vintage fabric and pleats and the ideas keep coming! I love me some versatility!

Now for the craft that knocked me cold. It's technically not finished, I still need to do the quilting, but I finished the front of something I've been wanting to make for a while. A Doctor Who themed quilt. I know. . . I need to get out more. . .

and a bit of detail:

Yea!

Now, must sleep.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - the real 19!

2008-03-04T15:10:00.002-05:00

She's back!!!

After a craptastic week, I'm now ready to rock!

Yes last week was meh, and was punctuated buy a car accident (I'm fine, rolled into a parked car, all are well who are not cars). And followed by Saturday where I chased what I thought was my neighbors dog 3 blocks. . . barefoot. . . after the dog got spooked by my Vi. . . OH! and another neighbor tried to help with his car and it broke in the chase AND we never caught the dog but we did have to push his car back to his home. . . all that and I found out that it was not my neighbors dog I was chasing. . . so i was running after a strange dog. . . and I am woefully out of shape. And I might be cursed. . .

Anyway. . . I'm now back on track! Yea! I made this yesterday:

Joi had mentioned that she thought a stuffy house would be cute. I said, I can do that! So I did, so Joi, this one's for you!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - the week that never was. . .

2008-03-01T15:09:00.002-05:00

That's what I'm calling this week! I get a replay!

I suppose you could also call it the week of the log because that's what I made this week, lots of logs! First, the lovely Chris from the lovely Seattle took a picture of Monday's log in it's new home:

It looks so smart in its new home! I bet this log will be doing the Sunday Times crossword puzzle in pen in no time!

And these logs are heading to Kansas City, MO and Venice, CA!

I tried making other things this week but nothing really panned out. I started working with polymer clay for the first time in like 10 years and I forgot what a pain it can be, especially in dusty Bakersfield. No matter how many times I washed my hands my clay still got all sorts of muck in it. I did okay with the darker colors but the lighter colors. . . YUCK! And the bubbles! I never remember having a bubble problem before. Wonder if they've changed the formula, or maybe I was just that good back then. . . hee. I did make these deer:

I need to varnish them now which takes forever with the waiting and the wet sanding. . . makes me remember why I love felt.

Anyway. . . I'm extending the craft a day one week because this is the week that never was. . . That's the plan anyway. . .

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Thanks!

2008-02-28T01:19:00.003-05:00

For all the nice comments and support on that last post. You're all the best!

Spent most of the day at Ikea today (man. . . I love Ikea. . .) but I have been crafting. I might not have something finished but I've been working. I'll post pics soon and show you what I've been up to but I just wanted to let you know I appreciate you.

Thanks!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 19 & 20, wherein Erika loses it. . .

2008-02-27T00:18:00.003-05:00

Sorry folks. . . Nothing new made yesterday. . . made a log for someone from Etsy, but that's not new, and to top that, I forgot to take a picture before I packed it up for it's new home in Seattle. Oops.

To make things worse it's quickly becoming apparent that nothing will be made today either. I had a plan to revisit my old friend polymer clay but things just haven't worked out. My mind was so set that I can't think of another, quick, craft.

Sigh.

I've been having one of those low self-esteem kind of days. Questioning all my choices. . . so it's no surprise that I can't figure out one stupid, stinking craft. I'd go on, but this isn't that kind of blog, and I wouldn't want you all to call the men in the white coats on me. So I'll shut it with a promise that tomorrow will be the start of bigger and better things.

Sorry.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 16, 17 & 18

2008-02-25T15:18:00.002-05:00

These 3 crafts took all 3 days thanks to the time killer that is drying paint. I love painting but man oh man do I get antsy waiting for it to dry. I think that's why I like stitching. Anyway. . . I started the third project while waiting for the paint on the other two. So I guess these are sort of a roundabout approach to the craft a day.

First 2 new banners for my show booth. I only need one but I wanted to give myself options. Which do we like better?

OR

I think I know the answer. . . I think it's the birds. It seems more striking, no? What do you think?

And whilst waiting for paint I started on a project I've wanted to do for ages but never seemed to have the time. My very own sign for credit cards! Now I know I could have gotten one from my card processor or that I could have just gotten copies of the logos online, but where's the fun in that!?! What I needed, what I wanted was one made of felt! And now I've got it. Yea!!!

Well, that's all for now!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 15, Gugh-gugh-duh-gugh-gugh-duh

2008-02-22T01:23:00.003-05:00

Day fifteen is pillow day! Yippy!

Boy it's been hard to motivate myself these last couple of days. I've been feeling 10 kinds of gross since Tuesday and the dreary weather here isn't helping. Still I must keep the crafts going! Thanks to all who have commented. . . it really does keep me motivated to keep on keeping on.

Today's craft is a pillow out of the cute French shop fabric accented with a sweet black ruffle. It's got a zipper and it's fully lined (because I'm fully nutty!).

I'm really happy with how this turned out. It will be a hard one to part with!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 12, 13, & 14: 2 Ties, a Bag, and a Pizza Place

2008-02-21T02:36:00.002-05:00

Okay. . . well, no pizza place. . . those things are a bitch to craft!

Sorry I've been remiss in posting but I swear I've still been crafting! Our internet's been all loopy and out of wack and every time I've tried to post I just couldn't connect. . . Story of my life. . . anyway, that's a HUGE sidetrack, another story for another blog. . . so. . . ON WITH THE CRAFTS!

Monday I made a tie. A pretty, pretty blue corduroy tie with yellow lining. I like it quite a bit.

Tuesday I made another tie! Out of my lovely brown and blue pinstripe. I added a spacey lining because the pinstripe reminds me of Doctor Who which is very, very spacey.

Wednesday it's a bag, a lovely shopper tote made from my lovely Paris shops fabric. Super cool!

Hearts and puppies!
erika

Craft a day - 11

2008-02-18T17:10:00.002-05:00

Yea! Gocco-riffic!

Don't have much to say today. . . maybe later. . .

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 9 & 10, wherein Erika bends the rules a bit.

2008-02-16T19:24:00.008-05:00

So I know that when I first began this venture I said that I'd make one thing a day and today's (well, today's and yesterday's) craft has taken me at least 4 but I needed to get a move on with this commission so I work on it all day yesterday and today. It's the first portrait in a 6 portrait commission. I'm happy with how it turned out but it was touch and go there for a while. I had to redo the mouth 4 times. See. . . men's portraits are sooo much harder, especially around the mouth, because if you use the wrong color it automatically looks like lipstick (which is what went wrong the first 2 times). After finally finding the right color I then stitched his lips WAY too big. It looked like he'd gone the scary starlet route and gotten massive amounts of collagen injected in them. Not a good look for a boy. Anyway. . . 4th time's a charm and I finally got it right! Have a look:

That's a sugar glider in his pocket, by the way.

Well, back to crafting!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 3 revisited

2008-02-14T23:40:00.002-05:00

Yea! Delivery confirmed! Day three's craft was. . .

Mushroom thank you card for Ms. Jenny Ryan! I noticed she loved of the mushrooms so I took my cue! Yea!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 7 (sort of) and 8

2008-02-14T18:54:00.003-05:00

So for the second day in a row I met with a day full of blech. Lord knows I tried but every idea I had fell flatter than a souffle in a drum circle. To be perfectly honest with you, I gave up.

Sorry.

But I made up for it today! I woke up early and got to work! This is what I wanted to make yesterday, don't know why it didn't work for me, but it did work right away today. Thank God!
Check it out!

And from above:

I'm so happy this worked. If it didn't I think I might have given up on this whole venture. . .

Spurred on by my early morning success I felt capable of working on that clutch that's vexed me so these past few days. And yea! It worked out and looks just like it looked in my mind (I love it when that happens!). Here it is, I call it the Lucky Clutch:

Looks nice, right? It's pretty for sure, but what makes it so lucky, Erika?
Well, this!

And this!

It's soooo fun! Makes me wish I had a date with a cute boy lined up so that I could use it. Alas. . . we all know I'm a bit of a shut in these days so I'll have to leave the dating to it's lucky buyer.

This success has refreshed me and I can wait to figure out tomorrow's craft.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 6, wherein Erika has one of those days. . .

2008-02-13T03:11:00.005-05:00

My oh my oh my. . .

I'm sure that every crafter can tell you that there are just as many craftastrophies (coined!) as there are craftcesses (okay. . . that one doesn't work quite as well. . .) and today was FULL of craftastrophies!

It started out fine, I finished the log order and then set to work on today's craft. I had fully intended on finishing the bag I mentioned yesterday but while pressing out the first piece managed to stain the vintage fabric with my leaky iron. Boo. . . no big. . . I can cut another piece but that does mean that I'm not really going to have the time to make the bag today. So I must, once again, put it off another day (perhaps I'm procraftinating).

Then I thought I'd make a brooch embroidered with a clipper ship and studded with beads. I have a ship pattern I made a while back that I thought would be perfect. I scanned the pattern and shrunk it down to size, but managed to destroy my printer trying to get it to print out. I also managed to get printer ink all over me and all over my wall.

Okay. . . so the big ideas weren't working for me, maybe a small idea. . . I've always wanted to try making fabric buttons with my Badge-a-minit. I've seen them before and it always seems like such a fun idea. Perhaps I was working on the wrong kind of surface (a board on my carpeted floor) but I couldn't get it to work out at all. I couldn't even get traditional paper to work properly. After wasting 5 pin fronts and backs I gave up on that too.

Now I had only half an hour before midnight. . . What to do!?!? I broke out the beads and created tonight's cop-out craft of the day:

2 Pairs of beaded earrings. And I JUST realized I managed to get the pink beads all flip flopped about.

Sigh. . . sometimes a girl can't get anything right. . .

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - Episode 5

2008-02-12T01:36:00.000-05:00

I fully intended on making a new bag, had the pieces cut out last night and everything, and let me tell you. . . if it works out it will be FIERCE! Anyway. . . that was the plan, but I ended up a bit sidetracked by a big log order and had to get to work. So, as you can guess. . . today's craft. . . logs!

A finished log:

And the beauty shot:

And more logs waiting to be sewn and stuffed (once the paint dries):

Logs!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 4

2008-02-11T03:04:00.000-05:00

Still chugging along. . . barely. . .
Today's craft:

Bike bag! A shopper tote made with the bike fabric I printed last week.

The inside:

I guess that's it, I don't really have much to say today and I'm awfully tired.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - 3 (it's a magic number)

2008-02-10T02:07:00.000-05:00

So. . . I actually can't share today's craft. . . it's for someone who reads this li'l ol' blog and I wouldn't want to mess up the surprise. When I know it's delivered, then I'll share it!

But to tide you photo-phiends over I took pictures of my big (slightly early) spring cleaning and closet purge. Today I gave up the ghost of my skinny clothes. It was hard and I now, quite literally, have nothing to wear, though, honestly even when my closet was full I still had nothing because none of it f-ing fit! Sigh. . . Mind you giving up the clothes does not mean I'm giving up the battle against my ever expanding behind, it just means that I finally realized that once I can fit into those size 7 skinny jeans, I won't want to wear them!

So. . . first. . . the closet!

and. . .

The desk!

And, saving the best for last. . . the bookcase! I moved and centralized my fabric and I love, love, love it!!!

and. . .

Yea for organization!

Yea for secret day 3 craft!

Be swift USPS! Be swift!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Craft a day - day 2!

2008-02-08T19:28:00.000-05:00

Yeah! I'm so excited! I'm going to a fun crafty ladies night over at my friend Jenny Ryan's tonight so I decide that today's craft should be my hostess gift. Here it is!

Now. . . I didn't bake the cookies (currently without a working kitchen due to a remodel) but I did make that adorable bow. Crafty!

Craft a day! Day One!!!

2008-02-08T03:21:00.000-05:00

So as soon as I wrote the last post I thought "What did I do!?!?" I told Opus about my fear and he said, "Yeah, I know what you're talking about." And I'm only doing it for a month! EEK!

But I've committed to this and I'm gonna do it!

Day One: I was going to make a tie. Apparently I picked out the wrong fabric, though, because even though I'd taken the same steps as I had the first time I made a tie a few weeks back, it did not turn out well. In fact I couldn't turn it out at all, my lining kept getting twisted. After having spend a good 4 hours on something that should have taken about 1 and ripping and resewing over and over again, I gave up. This is what it looked like when I finally let it die:

Sigh. . . I gave up at 10:30 pm and I needed to make something FAST! So I cheated a little. . . I had a few faux bois painted hearts waiting to be sewn into pillows but I'd yet to get around to cutting the backs. I quickly cut a few backs and then sat down to sew up a pillow. I sewed and stuffed frantically and with only 2 minutes to spare I had this:

Yea!

I also started work on a new portrait, but that's a craft that takes more than one day. . .
Here it is:

Can't wait to figure out what I'm gonna make tomorrow!

hearts and puppies,
erika

A craft a day!

2008-02-06T16:47:00.000-05:00

So, some back story. . . Last year my friend Opus started a project, All New Year, where, starting on his birthday, he did one new thing a day for the whole year. The new things ranged from super exciting (sky diving!) to rather mundane (make a ringtone!) and every entry has been a super fun read. . . you should go right over there and start reading!

Wait! Go after you're done here.

Anyway. . . in honor of the final month of his new year he sent out this challenge:
"Today, I enter the final month, and I want to go out with a bang. So I ask you to join me, and not just on allnewyear.com. Let’s make this interactive. I’m sure there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, but never quite mustered up the balls. I’ll tell you what; I’ll lend you mine. After 11 months of new things, they’ve grown impressive."

So I'm accepting. . . in my way. For the next month I will be making one new thing a day and blogging about it! Plus, maybe this will get me out of my craft funk AND finally bulk up my Etsy shop. But I have to start tomorrow. . . today I have the flu. . . and the only thing I'm making is groany noises.

Hearts and puppies,
erika

Fun Fabric Finds!

2008-02-03T14:57:00.000-05:00

Hee! I love me some alliteration! Anyway. . . Just wanted to finally share with you some of the fun fabrics I've found lately.

My finds from JoAnn's. I went there to find bike fabric. . . none to be found, walked out with all of this! I'm particularly fond of the space fabric. . . don't know what I'm going to do with it just yet but I had to have it!

Then there's the fabric from the wackiest fabric store around, F & M, a great local discount place that has a metric ton of the strangest fabrics you will ever find!

And this fabric that made my heart jump with glee!

When I say OOH you say LA LA! OOH! LA LA! OOH! LA LA!

Can't wait to show you what I make with all this goodness!

hearts and puppies,
erika

PS- OH! Speaking of puppies. . . Forget the Super Bowl. . . today it's all about PUPPY BOWL!!! Man, I love the Puppy Bowl. Puppies!

Bicycle race!

2008-02-01T14:16:00.000-05:00

So about a few weeks back a lovely customer asked me to make a bag for her friend who loves bicycling and the outdoors. She wanted flowers on the exterior and bicycles on the lining. . . I actually suggested the bicycles. . . I could find bike patterned fabric in the store. . . No problem! Right? Um, well, apparently there is a problem. . . because I could find nothing I liked anywhere.

I looked online and in stores for weeks!

Finally I gave up and made some myself. Check it out!

Pretty sweet, no? I used my Print Gocco to burn the screen and then went to town! Man, I'm so glad they started making Gocco supplies again. . . I'm starting to burn through my stash of screens and bulbs. Here's a closer look at the burned screen:

And a closer look at the print:

This is the first time I tried the Gocco screen printing on a large piece of fabric. It's also the first time I tried it on a fabric that wasn't felt. Man is it easier to print on something smooth! I'm really happy with how it turned out and I can't wait to make more custom printed fabric.

Look at me! I'm a textile designer!!!

hearts and puppies,
erika

The epiphany and the branches

2008-02-01T03:00:00.000-05:00

Back in June I participated in the Art Star Craft Bazaar. . . the show, it was not so good. . . the organizers were great and sweet but the sales, they were not there. It happens sometimes, there's really no one to blame. . . except for maybe God because the weather SUCKED! Anyway. . . enough with the memory lane. . . the point. . . one of the good things that happened that weekend is that I bought these amazing porcelain branches, one with a bird upon it. Now I couldn't really afford to buy anything. . . I ended the weekend with a $400 + deficit, I sold very little but I was smitten!

The artist, one Guy Michael Davis, makes these beautiful porcelain creations in his studio. If I could have bought all he had with him, I would have but all I could manage were 2 bare branches and one branch with a bird. I had no clue where I was going to put them, I was moving in 6 weeks, but I knew I had to have them!

Weeks passed. . . I moved. . . Months passed. . . they stayed wrapped up in a corner. . . and then, this past weekend. . . hooray! An idea that seemed so simple. . . why not just mount them on my bookcases! I got out the drill and went to town and I'm so happy I did. . . here's how it looks:

Here's a nice shot of all the branches (and my thread and DVD collections, hee). Now a close up on the birdy:

Seeing these every day makes me so happy! Thanks Guy!!!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

So much to blog about!

2008-02-01T01:24:00.000-05:00

Firstly. . . my name is Erika and I'm a Rock Band-aholic. . . After watching my friends play Guitar Hero over and over and over and trying and failing miserably I begged them to get Rock Band.

You see, I suck at video games. . . just can't figure them and frankly most make me kinda nauseous with their movement. . . I get why others like them but I've never been all that into wasting my time on something for which I have no skill at all (same reason I avoid sports and heavy drinking). . . but man, I can sing! I have a degree in it! My vocal talent has never been in question, as one of my instructors at Conservatory once said, I was a waste of talent. . . my drive and ego were always in question but never my pipes. And with Rock Band you get to sing!

There was finally a video game I could play and not be lame! How awesome is that! Problem is. . . I became an addict immediately. . . We bought the game on Saturday, around noon, and over the 3 days I was visiting my friends I think I played it for nearly 30 hours!?!? We got take-out so we wouldn't have to leave. . . I learned the words to songs I never wanted to know just so I could advance on my solo tour. . . I learned the words to a Fallout Boys song for Christ's sake! I can never own this game! If I did I would never work, never leave the house (even less then I do now!), never do anything but rock (but not in the good way). . . This game is a danger to me and now I know. . . luckily my access is limited to my friend's house, 300 + miles away. I can visit Rock Band, but I can never, ever own it. . .

Now. . . onto what this blog is really about. . . making stuff and such. . . On that tip, I made a tie!

It's my first foray into guy things. I'm quite happy with it. Actually. . . it's my second tie. . . the first used a commercial pattern and it was quite ugly, but I was able to learn from it and adjust it using what I learned as the tie girl in the New York branch of a British men's shirt and tie shop to come up with a pattern that made me happy. Here's the back:

I ordered some tags and as soon as they come the ties will be in my Etsy shop. I'm very excited about what will happen with these. . . they feel very high-end and they're made from vintage fabric (well, the lining isn't but the exterior is. . .) so they will be very limited. I can't wait to see where the line goes. New things are so exciting!!!

I have more to say but I don't want to make this post too long, too cluttered. Just know that there are more posts to come tonight and in the following days! Yippy!

Hearts and puppies,
erika

I'm starting my resolutions on Chinese New Year

2008-01-15T18:41:00.000-05:00

Hi all!

Been a little slow in posting this new year, which is a shame, since and of my main resolutions was to post more. . . as you can see, I'm off to a stellar start, but at least it's still January!

The holidays were lovely and it was very, very nice to take a bit of a break but now I'm back and in full force! Can you feel it? Aw Yeah! I know you can!!!

So since it's a new year and talk of resolutions has already started let me continue. . . I resolve. . .
. . . to keep my Etsy shop super full all the time!
. . . to get my wholesale catalog all sussed out.
. . . to expand the product line.
. . . to make more portraits.
. . . to post pictures of all new things on this here blog!
. . . to be generally totally awesome!

Hope I live up to them!!!

I'll post some pics of some new fabric I picked up at the most wonderfully wacky discount fabric store in all the world (yet another plus in the Bakersfield column) and some of the new bags I've made with it.

Talk to you later!

hearts and puppies,
erika

The one in which Erika does the right thing. . .

2007-12-26T12:31:00.000-05:00

So. . . a few months back I made this:

And I grew quite attached to it. Even though I had started to make it for someone else I really really really wanted to keep it for myself. The closer I got to finishing it, the more I wanted to keep it forever. But then it sat there in my room for a bit. . . in a corner. . . and every time I looked at it I felt guilty because it was never meant for me. . . it was meant for Alex. So this Christmas I did the right thing and sent the lovely stuffed Tardis to it's proper home. Here's the reaction it got:

Pretty great reaction, huh? Yeah. . . he was happy. . . I did the right thing. . . and that's what Christmas is all about! Now I'm off to make one of my very own.

hearts and puppies,
erika

Happy Holidays! I'm never doing that again!!!

2007-12-21T13:44:00.000-05:00

Hello beautiful, beautiful people!!!

Well, my show season is over. . . 5 shows. . . 6 weeks and a metric ton of felt. It was all exhausting and overwhelming and I think I may have lost 70% of my friends because I fell into my little craft hovel so intensely. Friends! Don't take it personally! I do love you still!

I know I still have more to say but I must admit I'm still a bit shell shocked by the whole affair. Once I fully get over it all I'm sure I'll have better insight on it all. Absolutely sure! It will be deep and great and life affirming. . . for sure. . .

Now I have to make Christmas presents for friends (who will all get them late, sorry, thanks for understanding!). Never stop working this one. . .

Thanks to all who came by at all the shows! It was so great to meet everyone. And if you've bought something. . . thanks even more! Thanks too to all who stopped by my Etsy shop! Things have been flying away over there. It's been really wonderful.

Well. . . that's all for now. . . Happy Holidays! Talk soon!

hearts and puppies,
erika

Bust Holiday Craftacular!!!

2007-12-05T11:51:00.000-05:00

The show that's soooo great and soooo fun that they actually had to make up a word for it is coming up this very weekend! It's the 3rd Annual Bust Holiday Craftacular! Woo hoo! Dancing and singing all around!!!

We here at my imaginary boyfriend HQ have been lucky enough to be involved with this show since the begining. . . in fact, the Craftacular was our very first show back in 2005 (so long ago. . . I wore my hair in ribbons then. . . ah, yes I remember it well. . . Oh, sorry.). This year we're sharing our table with the lovely Sarah of Gavin&Lily and most recently of Birch Handmade. We luv, luv, luv sharing with Sarah! She's so our crafting BFF! And it doesn't hurt that she makes some of the prettiest jewelery around. Yeah. . . my imaginary boyfriend and I only have the most talented friends. . .

Well I guess that's all for now. Must get back to sewing felt rock and logs and such. Remember to come by if you're in New York. It promises to be the funnest of fun times!

hearts and puppies,
erika

PS - I feel I've been a little remiss in picture posting of late. . . I don't have any of new crafts, so here's one of Viola! Yea!

Finally!

2007-12-01T00:12:00.000-05:00

My Etsy Shop has been updated with stock including Christmas stockings and ornaments! I know it's late but if you order. . . I promise to get you're stuff to you before Santa slides down your chimney (or through your mail slot. . . or breaks into your house or however he gets into places without chimneys and mail slots. . .).

Other news! New baby!!! Not me. . . oh no. . . imaginary boyfriends aren't exactly the knocking you up type. . . one of the perks. . . anyway. . . back on topic. . . New baby! My wonderful, beautiful, super awesome friends Becca and Joe had a wonderful, beautiful, super awesome baby a few weeks back. Here's a picture of him in his Tick ensemble crafted for him by his loving Aunt Erika!

Isn't he just 10 pounds of cute in a 5 pound bag!?!?!

Also. . . more shows!!! December 8th - NYC - Bust Holiday Craftacular! This will be my 3 year doing the Craftacular and I'm so super excited. The Craftacular was my first show ever and It's always been one of my best.

December 15th - San Francisco - Bazaar Bizarre! My first BazBiz!!! Woo Hoo! And my last show of the season. What a wonderful send off!

Then it's a bit of a break for me and the boyfriend. . . gonna hang out with Becca and Joe and the baby and decompress from this hectic season. Worry not, though, faithful reader, I will be posting. . . perhaps more than ever!

Well. . . back to the felt mills. . .

hearts and puppies,
erika

Handmade for the Holidays!

2007-11-22T00:28:00.000-05:00

This Friday and Saturday! Los Angeles! At Fairfax HS, the corner of Fairfax and Melrose!

You should come by. . . I'm sharing my booth with the wonderful Sarah of Gavin&Lily. . . it will be super duper awesome. That's a promise!

Oh! And thanks to all those who came by at Felt Club. It was great fun and I heart you all!

hearts and puppies!
erika

Felt Club Tomorrow!

2007-11-17T12:38:00.000-05:00

Come by and say "hi!" if you're in the LA area this Sunday. It promises to be a super great show!

Felt Club!

Reminders and news!

2007-11-04T13:09:00.000-05:00

Hi lovelies!

Can't talk long. . . still stitching like crazy and have 30+ robots to make before the end of the day but I just wanted to remind you. . .

Stitch is this coming weekend!!! EEK and YIPPY all at once! If you are in Austin you should come by. . . it should be a great day.

Also. . . just got this message from the folks at Felt Club:

We will be offering advance tickets (wristbands) for Felt Club at around 10 locations all over LA. They are only $2.50 (it's $5 at the door). 12 and under is free.

The full list of locations will be announced soon, but these locations will have them for sure starting early next week, so feel free to tell your pals!

ReForm School (Silver Lake)

Handmade Galleries LA (Sherman Oaks)

The Silent Movie Theater (Fairfax)

Family (Fairfax)

Secret Headquarters (Silver Lake)

Melrose, Downtown, and West Side locations are on the way.

Well back to the mines, just me and my felt canary. . .

hearts and puppies,
erika

newsies!

2007-10-20T15:05:00.000-04:00

Well. . . not much going on here actually. . . but wanted to share a couple of things. . . first. . . new bags!

What do you think? I'm not sure just yet. . . the gray one's looking a little Alexis Carrington to me and the green looks a bit like a hat. . . not that either of those thing are bad. . . just. . . well, I don't know. . .

Also, the lovely ladies over at Frock in Reading, PA were profiled by the Reading Eagle Newspaper. It's a great article about them and their wonderful little shop featuring a slide show of some of the items available (including one of my super cute ring pillows!). Check it out here!

Well, i guess that's all for now. . . Stitch is soon. . . EEK! and Christmas stuff will be up on Etsy sometime in November.

Okay. . . that's really it. . .

hearts and puppies,
erika

Hey Erika! What have you been up to?

2007-10-08T16:16:00.000-04:00

I'd love to tell you that I've been working hard on product for all of the shows I have lined up. . .

I'd love to tell you that I've printed up fabric and stitched my fingers raw on all this product. . .

I'd love to tell you that. . . but I'd so be lying. . .

Oh, don't get me wrong. . . I've been working hard and stitching hard but on something so silly and so not having to do with what I should be doing.

A little back story. . . so here in Bakersfield I don't really have friends. Don't feel sorry for me. . . it's intentional in a way, it means that I don't have too many distractions from the work, at least that's the idea. I do have friends, they're just all out of town. I lived here for a while after I graduated from the Conservatory (oh. . . I went to a performing arts conservatory. . . the Boston Conservatory to be exact. . . but I'm sure most of you reading know this because most of you know me. . . sorry. . . i digress. . .) and was very active in the local theater community with tons of friends and friendly acquaintances. I moved to New York in 2002 to act, and I did but I was only able to get so far before playing the game became an important part of my success, and I royally suck at the game. So I started this thing and moved back. . . but the temptation to perform is still there and I fear that hanging out with my old friends will get me back into my old scene and then what's the point of the last 6 years of my life if I fall back like it's 2001 all over again? So the point of all this rambling, Erika? I don't really have friends here so I watch a lot of TV and many DVDs while I work and I've been watching a LOT of the new Doctor Who.

When I got back from my last trip to New York and Washington DC I became obsessed with the idea of making a stuffed TARDIS. I started it Wednesday and finished it Sunday. Here it is. . .

and close up. . .

Sometimes I get a little obsessed with an idea and I just have to make it happen to clear my mind. Now I can start working again. . . not quite sure where I'm gonna put this thing, it's kinda huge (about 2 feet tall and about a square foot around), but, so far, it's been awful nice to cuddle while watching Torchwood. . .

Okay. . . next post will be about work. . . no more goofing around.

hearts and puppies (and doctors and tardises),
erika

another show!

2007-10-02T13:08:00.000-04:00

Just found out that I got in another show! Yea!!!

Add this to the list:
November 18 - Felt Club - Los Angeles, CA

Thanks to everyon who came out for Crafty Bastards. It was a great show! So many great people stopped by the booth and the people who organized this show were the best. It felt so great to be soooo welcomed at a fair. Thanks again!

hearts and puppies,
erika

Sorry so absent!

2007-09-26T16:02:00.000-04:00

Hi all!
Boy has it been crazy! Still is. . . Just wanted to let you know that this weekend is Crafty Bastards in Washington DC. If you're in the area. . . stop by! On the Crafty Bastards tip, they have a Q & A with me in their blog this week. Check it out!

Oh and here's a list of upcoming shows and fair where I will be selling my wares!

September 30 - Crafty Bastards - Washington DC
November 10 - Stitch - Austin, Texas
November 23 & 24 - Handmade for the Holidays - w. Gavin&Lily - Los Angeles, CA
December 15 - Bazaar Bizarre Holiday Show - San Francisco, CA

There are a few more dates to come (hopefully)! Hope to see you soon!

hearts and puppies,
erika

Just got word!

2007-09-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

My bed is on it's way!!!