Ode to Mother Gem

I made this cross stitch pattern...

... as an ode to this amazing woman.



Cause that's how we go out.

Not lame! Very Cool!

I got the coolest book!

As you can see, it is "Very cool" and "Not lame".  True, true.

I made this from it!

An awesome tiny shark.  I do not know what I'm going to do with him, but he's awfully cute!

Born this Way

Here is the latest installment of my Lady Gaga collection- these will be available for auction at Gagarazzi later on this year at The Highball in Austin.

The mermaids were a request from a friend.  I wanted to put a unicorn but couldn't manage it, so the mermaids were thus... born.  They are Andwabisabi mermaids.

Here is the fourth and I think final piece.  I just found a crown pattern online and then used an alphabet pattern I have for the words.  

What I've been up to besides packing and unpacking

Okay!  We're all moved in and unpacked, and now crafty stuff is once again on my mind!  Here are some things I've finished recently!

This is my very late stitchalong from Feeling Stitchy and Cate Anevski.  I was too late to submit it, which sucks, because everyone who did so got a free pattern from her.  What??  Ah well.  Amps the Wondercat likes it.  You were supposed to come up with something to put on the banner and I thought about "Mouth Party" but then decided that they looked more like they were parading, so "Mouth Parade" it was.  I don't know what it means. 

This will go in my new kitchen somewhere.  I have very little wall space to hang things that isn't already taken up, but I'm sure I can find a space.  It goes along with that "Weak Coffee, Weak Mind" one I did.  

And here is the first of the few Lady Gaga cross stitches I've done.  I'm doing a few, plus other crafty stuff I'll post, for a Gaga themed benefit a friend of mine is throwing.  I came up with the pattern.  I'll post more details later.

Let's Craft Talk

Leslie Hall is my hero.

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Work through the pain.

I'm Not Modest.

My boss and I have been talking about making funny cross stitches, and she said I should make one about how I'm so awesome.  So I did.  

Inspired by a cross stitch I saw on http://www.feelingstitchy.com/

Some other things I've been working on

Just popping in to post a couple of new things I've finished. This is the Talking Flower from Cate Anevski.

http://cateanevski.typepad.com/cateanevski/

This is for my longtime friend Angela.  The pattern is from Subversive Cross Stitch.  www.subversivecrossstitch.com

That's about all for now.  

Andwabisabi Etsy Shop

Grace Kim has come up with the cutest cross stitch designs! I've purchased several to make gifts.  I have posted most of these but here they are again.

You can find her here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/andwabisabi?ref=pr_shop

If you like cross stitching, or know someone who does, you really should see this shop!

New Cross Stitch

I found a couple of cross stitch patterns online but I cant find where to purchase them.  This one originally said "Weak tea, weak mind", but I like coffee more, so I put it by my coffee maker in the kitchen.

Keep Calm and Marry On!

While I am sitting here, drying off from my shower, my gas soaked clothes in the wash (mishap at the Tigermart), rather than pout, I should blog!

I don't know why, but I like weddings.  I'm not the marrying type, and if I ever did get married, I would not  have a huge production.  Just close friends and family and mostly a DIY kind of thing.  My sister is getting married in January and I cannot wait!

Speaking of weddings, I'm sure everyone knows about the Royal Wedding.  It's Friday, if I'm not mistaken.  I won't be watching, because I'm sure it's terribly boring to watch on TV, and I do have to work, but something about it makes me happy.  The media frenzy is so happy and abuzz, and it's a nice change from the usual coverage of bloodbaths in other countries.  I think it's cool how the people of England are so excited and are coming together to watch from afar.  I don't think anything could bring our country together like that in such a positive way for such a joyful event.  Maybe we need a Royal Family!  (uhhhh scratch that.)

So, while I will not be watching, or buying memorabilia (although I did see a DELICIOUS looking cake all decorated with William and Kate's portrait at HEB that I'd like to bite), I'll be thinking about the Royal Wedding all day on Friday.  I hope they have a happy life together.   And if you are watching the wedding, zap the couple with mind powers of happiness and love.  Or something.

Napkins!

As promised, here are the napkins I made.  I've only made two so far.  My fingers are tired!

I think it may be harder than I thought to sell Allen on these.  He said "They look like those fancy restaurant napkins that don't absorb anything!"  I kinda took that as a compliment...

Baby stuff and more

Here's what I've been busy at work on:

A dear friend of mine is having a baby soon, and she wanted some small pillow letters spelling the baby's name out.  They went easier than I thought and look better than I expected!  I think she'll love them.

I am thinking of throwing some more stuff in, like a couple of embroidered bibs and maybe a onesie for her to grow into.  I'd feel bad just giving her the letters.

I've also been working on some napkins.  Since I do them by hand, they're taking a little longer than if I had a sewing machine, but I'll show you the finished products soon!

Lookit me!

Already putting one of my resolutions to use- the cloth napkin.




Yes, yes, that IS a plastic bag you se there. To my defense, some asshole stole my lunch AND bag the other day, i've used this same bag the past three days. I still need to replace my lunch bag :(

Best Weekend Ever

Happy Tuesday! Did everyone have a good weekend?

I had a great weekend with my family back in Coldspring. We arrived late Friday and spent the day Saturday getting ready for the party!  It was a late birthday party for my Mom, whose birthday is on April 1st.

There was a bigger turn-out than expected and we actually ran out of food for the late-comers! But everyone had a great time.

I played bartender for a little while.















My sister and her fiance.

The band- they are calling themselves Bittersweet right now.

Sunday was sort of lazy. I took some pics of my dad's and grandad's cute little gardens, but my camera ran out of power!! Oh no!

Then it was lunch at my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant and a short jaunt to a little antique store!

My Dad and I LOVE this place!  It's our thing, we love to eat at this little hole-in-the-wall!

I plan to return in May, since a friend of mine is having a baby shower in Houston. I plan to hit up a few antique shops again! I need some cuter dishes.

Have a lovely day!

Jonesy gets her Groove Back

Lately, I have felt a little uninspired and uncreative. I had a craft night for a benefit I'm helping with later this year, and I did make some cute bows (can't show them now, they're supposed to be a surprise), but other than that, I haven't really been doing anything crafty. When I pick up something for embroidery, I find I'll do it for like 5 minutes and then get bored with it. NOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Last night, I was really down about this. So, I decided to do something about it! I picked up a short embroidery project and set my mind to finishing it. I thought, if I just worked past the point where I said, "Meh, next," then I could get back into it. And it worked!

I stitched up this little lady by Cate Anevski. I love her creepy-cute illustrations! This one is currently residing at my desk at work, and it makes me happy every time I look at it! I think part of my problem is that I have SO many things I want to try, I get overwhelmed and when I step back, I step too far back and just sort of get out of it. Or maybe it's just one of those things that I'll do like a maniac for a while, stop for a little bit, and then get right back into it. That's been the pattern so far.

I think of all the stuff I do, embroidery and cross stitch are what I'm best at. That and making bows. They're also my favorite things to do. I think if I just focus on those and not worry about a million other things I want to pick up right now, I'll be able to get back into the swing of things.

We're moving into a bigger apartment later this year. It will give me more of a chance to decorate and I'm thinking of stitching up a few of Cate's flowers for the bathroom. That's the only room in the house that's not got at least a few of my stitchy projects. I also would like to stitch some guest towels for the second bathroom, and some new tea towels for the kitchen. So maybe that'll help me get back into the swing of things, too- focus on stuff for the house!

Well, the hour is growing late, and I should probably get some rest. I have a full day of work tomorrow and then a 3.5 hour drive back home, and then a crazy weekend ahead.

Dining al Fresco

I love eating outside on beautiful days. Too often, it's too hot in Texas for me to sit outside and eat. Right now, I'm enjoying the relatively mild weather while I still can!





The break room at work is mildly depressing. People are always either complaining about work or fighting with someone on the phone, or gossipping. I don't need that negative energy, and I find that a nice lunch outside recharges me anyway!





Here's a clearing behind our building that looks like it may be my new lunch spot.




Enjoy the rest of your day!

Photos courtesy of me and weheartit.

Testing

Just testing the phone app. And now, something awesome.  Isn't he the sweetest boy? This is my baby Amps.

Fun with Iron On Pens!

My colored iron on pens from Sublime Stitching (www.sublimestitching.com) came in!

Aww!  Some of the transfers came out AMAZINGLY and the others, not so much, but I think it gives it a nice touch to have some of them fainter than others!

More fun with felt!

Giving Birth- It's The "In" Thing

It seems like on every craft blog I read, someone is having a baby or trying to have a baby.  I am not a baby person.  I do not want to have a baby, and I would like people to keep their babies away from me so that they don't puke, poop or pee on me, and because if they do, I may drop them.  I'm not trying to be heartless, it's a safety thing!

And in my personal life, between friends, friends' relatives and people at work, people I know are just poppin kids out left and right.  So, with the help of ReviDevi, Aimee Ray's Doodle Stitching- The Motif Collection, Sublime Stitching's Baby Bib Kit and Aronzo Aranzi's Baby Stuff, I've made loads of super cute baby stuff people can ooh and ahh over almost as much as the baby.

Bibs!

ReviDevi

Aronzo Aranzi

Sublime Stitching

Wash Cloths pattern from Aronzo Aronzi

Onesies designs by Aimee Ray

And one of my  own design for a friend's cousin:

I'm working on bags as well to give the mommies to be their gifts in.