craft and me

I won honorable mention from the CRAFT contest and giveaway!  I am so pleased that they liked my little vintage inspired swim suit cover up.  I was actually jumping up and down I was so excited about it!!



I think a big part of my win was my fabulous model :)  I just love her!  Thanks also to all of you that sent me congratulations, you're the best!

and a good time was had by all

Thanks to those of you who came to see me on Saturday and Indie Sac!  It was such a treat to see friends that I have made from past craft fairs, and I even got to see a few of my flickr friends :)  I'm such a lucky girl.  And I was totally feeling the love for all things katie jean on Saturday.

Remember the photo I showed you of some super cute Japanese fabric?  I made a size 1T pants out of it and they were the first thing to sell!  Cori got them before I had even set up.

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The funny thing about doing these kind of shows, is that you do end up buying from the surrounding vendors.  So you make a little money and spend a little money!  But I tell people that you see so many cool things handmade here that you normally wouldn't see anyplace else.  And often they are one of a kind, so if you love it, you better get it!

And yes, I did buy Cori's book Sweet Charlotte's seventh mistake.  It looks like a scrap book.  I love the "feel" of the book like it was made by a crafter.  It is a poignant look into the personal life of a little girl growing up and finding her true worth and place in the world.  If you get a chance, buy Cori's book.  You will fall in love with this memoir and get trapped inside it's pages.

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I didn't see any donut's at donna's, but I did get a card from her for my sweetie.  A little Valentine for him.  This is sooo much better than Hallmark!  I do love all of her sushi inspired trinkets.

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I bought one of these little crayon books from Michelle of Little Peanut, funky goodies for little goobers.  It is a great size and fits pretty well into my purse.  It has crayons and a pad of paper in it.  Perfect for me to whip out at a moment's notice of boredom!  I was actually thinking of church when my 3 can't keep their hands and feet away from each other!

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This is Claire of Chicken Pants fame.  AKA my Indie Sac neighbor.  I wanted to hold each little chick, they are so cute and soft.  They are also funky little chicks, and are again one of the cool things that can be found at this event.

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This is Amy of Pepto Girl.  She makes the cutest, kitchyest, colorfulest little accessories.  Like my adjectives??  Plus she is my web designer (to be updated soon).  So, I love her!

Happy Valentine's Day all of you crafty chicas!  Thanks for a fun day.  And thank you to all who came up for a chat, and a day of shopping.  It really did mean so much to me to see so many familiar faces, and to see some familiar names to put with those faces!

a little Martha idea

You know this idea would appeal to me!  Just yesterday when I was at the Rosemont High Harvest Festival, I had so many comments from people about how I use my vintage hanky's.  It seems like everyone has a collection of handkerchief's that belonged to their mother or grandmother.

I have always wanted to collect monogrammed hanky's and make an ABC quilt.  Now there is even yardage that you can buy that looks like vintage hanky's all sewn together.

It is really cute, but I would love to make the real thing! Meanwhile, enjoy this quick and easy idea.

From:

That box of folded handkerchiefs at a vintage-clothing store might not look promising, but, unfolded, each one can be a piece of art. Many handkerchiefs from 1900 through the 1960s were printed with lively designs. Framed simply, they're great decorations for a wall. Here's how to do it: Wash and iron handkerchiefs; measure each of the four sides, adding 1/2 inch to each measurement. Have 1/8-inch-thick glass and 1/16-inch-thick poster board cut to these dimensions. Center the handkerchief on the poster board, and cover it with the glass, matching up the edges. Do not use tape or glue to mount the handkerchief; residue from either can stain or discolor the fabric. Use a Swiss clip to clamp the middle of one side while applying foil tape along the opposite edge, making sure the tape adheres to the glass and the poster board. Snip tape at the corners. Center a clip over the tape, then repeat the process for the remaining three sides.

Sources
Swiss Clips by JBC Imports and Marketing
Pro-sheen silver foil tape by Pro Tape
Pearl Paint
800-221-6845

time to vote - for me!

Today when you visit Vintage Indie, you will see this banner for the Artist Challenge and a little item made by me. Can you guess which little thing I made? Check out #3 and vote for me!

I made a lingerie bag using a vintage handkerchief. The black border just makes the colored flowers so vibrant and beautiful. It is just perfect to put under you pillow with your nicely folded nightie. Or put it away in your undergarment drawer, a nice feminine touch! This bag has little pink pom pom fringe and simply closes with velcro, covered with a delicate pink vintage button. I think it makes a perfect gift for a new bride, or a special gift just for you!



So, please vote for me #3! If I win, my prize will be a month of free advertising on Vintage Indie. Thanks all!!

charm flower brooch

Wow! Look at this! This is my first tutorial and it is so great to see it on someones site :) I'm so happy. Gabreial did such a great job with my pictures. If you make your own flower brooch, I would love to see it too!



Note:This does make a big brooch. You can make yours smaller and try a 3" or 4" square.

tomorrow, tomorrow

I have been waiting for September 15th to be here, for what seems like forever! And now it will be here tomorrow! Yeah!! The crafty girls at Glitter and Grunge have started a monthly artist challenge. The theme for September is childhood and I can hardly wait to see what the other g&G members have created. Participation in this challenge is an option and the theme will change every month and be updated on the 15th.

So check it out! I love surprises and I hope you do too!!

getting ready

I am now getting ready for the next Glitter and Grunge release for June. (June already!) I have been doing the usual, and digging through my fabrics for inspiration and deciding what little kj original to craft up. Well, I got some cute stuff! But, then again, I always think it's cute. I love my fabric. I just love fabric.



And so does my friend Diane of little birdies nest. She came over today and we have more than that (our love of fabric) in common. We have the same wedding ring. Cool huh? And we both love to travel! Gosh it makes me want to jump on a plane just thinking about it.

I asked Diane to make me some of her hair lovelies to match what I am making for G & G. So, when you buy my new little June creations, you will have a free little hair accessory to match. And they are cute. She even made me a little pair for my Molly, who happens to be enjoying kitties right now.

Take a look for yourself. I think they would make cute little girl party favors too!

indie mart friends

charissa at curly-cue designs

www.curly-cue.com

megan grove at mcg t-shirts & things

www.myspace.com/mcgtshirts

www.lucylambtail.etsy.com

and me!

thanks Renee for the cute lamp!

neat idea

The SF Indie-Mart is over. The location, a bar, smelled like a bar. Reminding me of a frat house. It was even dark inside. And a rainy day outside. Everyone was young and very cool. A lot of tattoos, piercings, and black hair. Yes, I did feel a little square (just like a suburb mommy should). And I had the best time! Everyone was so nice to me, and helped me find my place. There were 40 vendors there, almost all handmade. It was fun to see what everyone else makes. A lot of it having to do with feathers. And a bunch of other stuff I did totally love.

I only saw three babies and I had to stop each mommy to say hello. The people who came to the Indie-Mart were ready to shop and buy. My blankets were the top sale of the day. There were cheap beers and bloody mary's to be had. Although I did not partake, I thought, what a great way to shop! Maybe coffee and a scone would be more my style!

Ok the San Francisco Indie-Mart was a good time. Will I go again? Maybe during the San Francisco summer.