I don't want summer to end.

Getting back on the horse

Trying desperately to get back into the habit of making things. I used to have unlimited time, now I have VERY limited time. And in that time I normally feel too exhausted to do anything, but I miss crafting so much. I'm trying to get back into embroidery which is very new to me. I used to do a little bit with my plushes, but now I'm trying to just straight-up embroider.

I'm apparently ok at it, based on the birthday present I posted before, but I'm not so ok at coming up with patterns on my own. Drawing has become a sore subject for me that last few years.

Here's hoping!

I'm so good at birthdays!

Haven't had a chance to mail this off yet. Thought the dog card would be a nice touch. Need to find a nice padded shipping envelope big enough for this embroidery hoop.

People should send me presents like this. I'd be such a happy girl.

Make It Work!

Yesterday was a friend's birthday so I spent most of the day making this for him.

He's always on about getting a tattoo of Tim Gunn and I saw this several months ago and thought of him. After realizing it was his birthday I decided to whip this up to mail to him.

I miss having any-time access to this blog. I have to wait until I'm using someone else's computer. I even left a post on the forum and no one offered me any help so I guess I'm SOL til I get a new computer.

"Luckily" I never having anything to post these days. I miss endless days of crafting and watching Doctor Who and Northern Exposure.

Vintage Inspiration

I like to look at a lot of vintage ads when I need inspiration for something at work, so of course when I'm told to do a 50s themed ad for an ice cream parlor I'm going to look for 5os Ice Cream ads.

I stumbled across this one and loved the colors, so I decided to design the one I'm working on like this vintage one. This is what I was told to do, so I'll be designing another one, but I needed to do something fun this afternoon!

Ed Emberley

I love Ed Emberley's illustrations, so of course I double love them when they consist of birds and owls. I'm sort of craving getting that little one on the perch as a tattoo, but I'm so indecisive about things that are permanent, haha.
I love these serious little fellows right here as well.

Been looking at his artwork all day trying to draw inspiration from his work for an ad I'm putting way too much effort into. I know that putting a lot of effort into my work is a GOOD thing, but 9/10 times the ones I work the hardest on don't get used and I don't paid enough for this, haha.

Harry Potter Embroidery Pt. 2

I had originally wanted to make a "Weasley is Our King!!" one and we really excited to see that Kim included one in her bonus patterns, but chose to redraw it because her design wasn't working for me.

I didn't follow her patterns exactly on a lot of these, but I don't think what I paid to use her patterns was an unfair price to be inspired!

I'll post the finished product probably after Harry Potter tonight! :)

Harry Potter and the Hoops of Embroidery

I bought some Harry Potter patterns from Kim Smith to make embroidered badges to wear to Deathly Hallows tomorrow. I know most people are trying to get into midnight showings, but it's a tradition for my sister and I to go the day it officially opens to the latest show. We got our tickets yesterday afternoon. Going Friday night, however, gives me time to finish these up and get the badges assembled. I am pretty excited!

What I Wore Today - 11/10/10

Skinny Jeans

• Black tank top
• $5 crystal necklace from the UFO festival
• Men’s plaid shirt (that was too uncomfortable so I changed into my turquoise cardigan)
• Moccasins
• Peace belt
• Braided headband that won’t stay on my head
• Hair that I took the time to “fix” and no one even noticed

I look like an old hippie. And old MAN hippie.

What I Wore Today - 11/5/10 & 11/6/10

• New peace sign belt
• New “jeggings” because my other pair of jeans ripped
• Leopard print shoes
• $2 tank top
• “Where’s Waldo”/Bob Dylan sweater from Seattle

I was worried about wearing this to work because I didn’t want any remarks about looking patriotic. I wore it anyway because “technically it’s orange”…unfortunately I was greeted the moment I walked in with “You look so patriotic today!” To which I replied “It’s orange.”

• Gray and black striped cardigan
• Turquoise polka-dot tank top ($3)
• Denim leggings
• Leopard shoes
• Owl bling ($10)

Looked and felt like crap today, but…meh. I actually wore a belt half the day, too. And I don’t know how often I’ll wear that necklace. It weighs like 10 pounds and doesn’t really make the screwed up nerves and muscles in my neck feel great.

File under: Things I Need in My Life

Cannot express how much I adore stuff like this. I need these ESPECIALLY when I go to Target where people are notorious for making up their own parking places.

Giving today the bird.

Yesterday and several parts of today deserved the bird. Two even.
(for Henny)

Josh & Genevieve

Yesterday was Josh and Genevieve's 1 year anniversary.
She wanted to make a coloring book to give to him and asked people to contribute.

I swear.

Gift Guide Ads! (aka I hate spot color ads!)

Blogspot still won't work on my home computer, so it's been a while since I've had a chance to update. Currently working on ads for the Christmas Gift Guide. Spot color drives me nuts.

Fall Dining Guide Pt. 4

The top ad is from yesterday from before I had any of the images for this place. The bottom image is from today. They requested it be designed like the IHOP ad from our last dining guide. I made it similar but took some liberties.

Fall Dining Guide Ads Pt. 3

Or the edition I like to refer to as "The Client From Hell".


I loathe working on ads for Laughing Sheep Farm and Restaurant. Not only does the mere idea of their food make me a little queasy, the owner is a sadist. She hates everything I design. She will tell me it only needs a few changes which, in summation, ends up being the whole ad. She always sends a novel to put in one small ad, and then tells me it's too crowded. She hates the colors I use, etc, etc.

THIS specific ad, I have already redone FIVE TIMES.

If I didn't think it would cost me my job, I'd tell her to stuff it. Or at least tell her that we gladly accept ready-made ads from our clients.

Fall Dining Guide Ads Pt. 2

Fall Dining Guide Ads Pt. 1

This guy asked that he have the coolest ad in the new dining guide....
Not sure I achieved that, but I still think it's pretty cool.

The original was shot at night so it didn't have a ton of color in it. I went ahead and made it black and white, added a golden color to the windows and their light on the sidewalk. Made the sign neon green because he likes the neon green of his menus, and added some stars, etc.