March 19th Embroidery Class Canceled

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

I'm not dead! I swear!

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

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

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!

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!!!

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

Hey Erika! What have you been up to?

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