6.26.2008

shout out

Here it is. My call for cool stuff. Plus a glimpse inside my life. My hubby has type 1 diabetes (since age 3) and has many complications from it. We're just starting the process of getting a pancreas transplant, which would make him not diabetic (something he's never known) and has the possibility of reversing all of his side effects. This would be amazing for us, as he lives in pain daily.

Anyway, on with the story. I was searching Etsy for something cool and pancreas-y. Nothing. I found 1 magnet and 2 (pricey) embroidered pancreases. I was thinking about getting him something to celebrate. Maybe a cool shirt, a funny card, nothing super expensive. I also tried "diabetes" and all I found were medical alert bracelets & food. So - the call. Make something cool! I want to buy it. Ok? Organs are "in" right now. There are hearts and brains all over the place.

So get to work. Make me a pancreas.

who's your daddy

Mandi over at 3 lil monkeys is having a contest. Go check it out! You could win a sweet little t. Hurry though, it ends tomorrow. :)

word on the street

I'm coming back! But you'll have to wait until July 12th. Think you can make it? It's my 1 year Etsy anniversary, so it seemed fitting. Plus having a date will help me stay on track. I'm pumped! Lots of work ahead of me, but I can do this. I still need to enlist a few people to be my models (including knocking my friend up with a blanket and having her play preggo...she looks good in "the motherly way"). So, keep popping back for updates and stop by my shop on the 12th!

Plus, once my pictures are done it'll be SUPER exciting because my Mike (who desperately needs to update *hint hint*) is making me a web site! Flash. It will be amazing because he makes splendid sites!

6.25.2008

decisions...

yeah, I'm not so good at those. I have 3 Etsy purchase decisions to make and need help deciding!

First, my boddy boddy got me a lovely coffee cozy (& a coffee gift card which is gone as of yesterday!). So, check out Jenn Gee's shop and tell me what I should get (plus she's having a sale, so you should pick one for yourself as well)!




Second, my pal JP got me a gift certificate to my favorite jewelry shop on Etsy, Jewllori. I have so many favorites over there I can't pick! Help!




Third decision is a bit larger. I mentioned a while back that I really wanted a fun, eclectic set of dishes. Well, my fabulous hubby is making a web site for Jeannette's beautiful work...in exchange for pottery! (Mandi got me a mug from her for Mothers' Day & I fell in love.) Wahoo! So now I need to pick what I want and which colors. I'm thinking teal, white, chocolate brown, and olive green. Do you guys think that would look weird? I want something that I love and will like for a long time, not just a fad, but I'm currently enamored with the teal & green combo.




And just so ya know, I'm not always getting marvelous Etsy gifts (although you can feel free to send some my way!). All 3 were birthday presents. :)

6.24.2008

water and mesh

We had a nice end of week (as opposed to weekend...we came back Saturday). We went up to Mike's gpa's lake house a couple hours away for his cousin's wedding. I got a bit of a tan, rode the Jet Ski with Mike, then his little sister, went on a boat ride with some fam (which Ki loved) and ate good food. It was nice. I wouldn't call it relaxing - chasing a 19-month-old around a house, trying to make sure nothing got broken and he didn't escape - but it was nice.

Last night my cohort came over and helped me make some screens. She needed a screen for a couple orders, so I'm selling one to her for cheap (material cost). I already had 5 1" x 2" x 6' woods, so I took them over to the 'rents and cut them all by myself! So proud. And I still have all my digits (my mom was worried). I cut enough for 5 screens. Mandi and I built the frames, then put mesh on 4 of them before we ran out. I ended up with 3 mondo frames (guess I'll be getting tons on those suckers) a smaller frame that I love the size of, and a really cute (yes, I'm calling a screen cute) square frame, about 18 x 18 that Mandi kept.

Overall it was superb! That is a gigantic accomplishment. I just doubled my screens. And cheap. I've made 5 screens now for about $40. That's just over what ONE screen costs to purchase. I am in love. And I think I got Mandi hooked, too. It's really easy, just takes some time. Mandi also came up with plenty of jokes regarding screen making that I never knew were possible...she's quite entertaining. I have to get all my time in with her now because she's moving in a few weeks and won't be right next door. Weird.

So today the plan is to put emulsion on a few screens and get some images on them. I also need to print new designs from the screen I made last time & possibly make more designs while the screens dry.

OH! I didn't tell you about the underwear I printed for Mike's cousin (the bride). I'm still not gonna. You'll just have to wait, cuz that's how I roll. It's pretty sweet though. I will tell you it's white with blue ink...something blue...

6.17.2008

these...look delicious!

Seriosly. Crashed Potatoes. Yum.



So my birthday is tomorrow. We're going over to my mom's tonight and she's making dinner. My choice. Yum! I was going to choose grilled chicken, but we ended up having that for Fathers' Day. After much thought (like since Friday or Saturday) I finally came up with something! It's a big decision, you know. You're only guaranteed one a year. I chose snicker salad the other day. (If you don't know what that is...I really need to post a recipe. It's to die for.) Last night, Mike suggested chicken shishkabobs. Sold! I called my mom and told her. She added some good rolls to the list (I am SO a bread girl...unfortunately!). I'm pumped.

Tomorrow we're chilling, maybe going out for breakfast, and relaxing. I'm looking forward to a free day with my boys. :)

sweet beautiful jewllori!

Lori announced a couple days ago that she's having a one day sale. And it ROCKS! 25% off! Seriously awesome. I'm gonna say it's in honor of my birthday (even though it isn't because she didn't know it was my bday). That's just how I roll. So, go buy beautious awesome jewllori @ her Caitlin's Birfday Bash! Just don't buy what I want. :) I'll meet you in her shop tomorrow. Oh wait, I'll be sleeping in. I may miss you. To get your tasters set, here's a peek at her pretties.


6.14.2008

little seamstress action...and some printing

I finally made the purse I bought fabric for months ago! It's my first purse ever, plus I made up the pattern. It wasn't too hard. I kind of made it up as I went. It took me about 5 hours from cutting fabric to finish. I love it! I think next time I'll put interfacing on the inside and make the strap shorter. For more pictures, check out my flickr.

Purse 1

Also on my flickr are more printing how-to pictures! I snapped a few while I was printing a big order. Check out the comments for instructions.

Print 3

I bought a pattern from Bit of Whimsy when she was having a sale a couple days ago. I actually found it months ago. Thought it would be a good, simple pattern to sew with my daughter someday. I don't have a daughter. So this would be at least 8 years down the road. Yeah, pathetic, right? I think I'll print that off tonight and work on it. I also need to package up a couple orders and list a couple customs. :) Fun stuff! I think I'm finding sewing is relaxing to me. Nice to get a little break from printing. With sewing, there's a seam ripper. With printing, there's no undo button. No going back if you screw it up!

6.13.2008

Colores

I'm not to excited about the look of my blog lately. Mike's going to re-do it for me, but there's no point doing it now. He'll be rebuilding my whole web site soon (once I get pictures done), so he'll do the blog then to match. Superfly! For now this will have to do. I got tired of the boring white!

Creature Comforts

If found yet another giveaway over @ Essential E. I feel like I've been posting a lot of them lately. Pretty cool, eh? (Hey! Maybe I should move to Canada with Lori!) It's Creature Comforts' first birfday so they're having a par-tay and they're giving the presents! Seriously loads of awesome schtuff. You must go check it out!



*Please excuse the crazyness of this post. I like contests (not that I've ever won), PLUS Ki just went to the bathroom like a big boy for the first time! And he looks so stinkin' adorable in his little underwears.*

6.12.2008

Bezalel Designs

Ok, so I had a super cool find today! You all probably know by now that I have a major itch to sew lately. (Just check out my favorites, if you don't believe me.) I was browsing around looking at scrub top patterns (I work in a hospital & figured they'd be easy...and bankable! haha!) when I came across some reviews. One thing led to another and I ended up browsing various reviews on other shirts. I came across one that had a blog link for more pics. I've been following links like no other lately, so off I went! I landed at Krustallos. I noticed the little Etsy mini on the side bar right away. Cool, I thought. She sells there too. Then I noticed a little chunk of Philippians on the side. One of my favorites! It was awesome.

Upon further investigation (and lots more link following) I learned that Krystal sells lovely jewelry. She's new to Etsy and hasn't had any sales, so go check her out! Also, her jewelry name, Bezalel Designs, is from the Bible. Pretty cool. (And a kick in the butt to make sure mine is focused correctly. I admire her and Tina so much for that!)




So now it's time to follow my lead and hop links. It's fun!

6.11.2008

Final Product!

Screen 8

Check my flickr for step by step on how I got here. :)

Cookie Sunshine

I wanted to let you guys know about a contest! Nothing better, eh? So, head over to Cookie Sunshine and check it out! (But if you don't get a chance, that's cool, I wanna win! It's be perfect for my shoe absessed SIL.)

It's an easy peasy contest and you could win 6 different shoe prints (the whole series). Cuteness!

6.10.2008

Screen Shots

My screen's all done! Before I make my next screen I'll be buying smaller staples. These ones were mondo and I ended up hammering them in the more so they weren't sticking up. (Not that it's hurt anything, I'm just anal about certain things. And it really bugs me that the staples aren't in a nice straight line!)

Check out my flickr to see the final product & compare my screens. You can also see a couple with images on them. Off to add emulsion so I can burn this new screen! I'll try to keep taking pictures along the way. I know I love seeing how people make things and screen printing is a very (long) interesting process. I don't think many people get that. :)

Check ya later!

Little Man & Prints

Little Man

My munchkin is supposed to be going to sleep. Key word there is supposed. Instead I hear "ahhhhhh" and "K.I." along with occasional fussing. Thank goodness he hasn't figured out how to get out of that crib! A few nights ago he was saying good night to Mike. We have been teaching him ASL since about 6 months, so the little routine is a hug, kiss, sometimes a high 5, or they pound fists. Then he says "love you Daddy" and signs "love". On this particular evening he did all the above, then said "love you fish" as he signed love. Mike and I were cracking up! He's such a goof. He's my favorite little boy. Until I have another, then they'll both be my favorites. :)

Here are a couple custom maternity shirts I've done in the past couple weeks. I have more to show off, but I really need to get to work! So these 2 will have to suffice. I'll show you my end product with the screen in a bit, hopefully!!

A funny little maternity t I made. It was a neat idea (not mine) that I had a blast making! And love how it turned out. Thanks Maureen!
Custom Maternity

Custom colors for this preggo chika! (I'm glad...I'm getting tired of the tan and think I will be making it in a different color when I open shop again.) Thanks Becky!!
Custom Preggo

6.09.2008

Screen Fashioning

Pictures of my first attempt at screen making! It's unfinished, as I ran out of staples. I'm pumped though. Looks like it will work well.

I'm set! I've got my frame (made yesterday - I'll show that process when I make my next one), mesh, and a staple gun. Here goes my first screen making attempt.

Screen 1

Cut the mesh down.

Screen 2

Got the mesh wet, as I've read to do in many places. It's a smaller, tighter mesh than I've had before. This means I'll get finer lines, but the ink will dry in my screen faster.

Screen 3

Starting in the middle, I stapled one side, then the opposite. I worked my way out on both sides (re-wetting when needed). Then I went to the long sides and began the same deal. Middle to outside. And ran out of staples.

Screen 4

I made my frame the day before. I'll show that when I make my next one, but I was in a hurry this time! It was super fast and easy.

Sweet Success

Yesterday the little man and I finally ventured out to buy new wood glue (which means the original will soon turn up). We got home, dried off from the storms & I put a screen together. It was SO quick and easy! Just the frame part thus far, but it rocks. A little wood glue and staple gun totally did the trick. I'll have to take a picture of it later. Tonight I am going to add the mesh. Then it will really be a screen!

6.05.2008

Lemon Fizz

Hi friends! Hop on over to Papmering Beki and check out her contest! She has cute wares - earrings, hair accessories, etc. This one's my fav.

6.02.2008

Girl Time

I had a nice weekend away with my friends. I got my hairs cut, too! :)