2007: A Pretty Decent Year

I read 24 Novels.

I read 8 (or more) "how to" books.

I bought my 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Japanese crafting book.

I learned to can veggies.

Redecorated my bedroom.

I made my first Jam.

I learned to silkscreen.

Hosted my first serious swap (handprinted fabrics, doncha know?)

Started Using Bloglines.

I learned to needlefelt.

I had my first pattern published.

Made my 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th handbag design.

Made 7 tiny dogs, 2 monsters, a naked gnome, 10 birdies, and some bug people.

I made 13 New Vintage articles of clothing for myself...
and found lots of new blog buddies because of it.

I finally got into the double digits of sold items on Etsy.

I met 2 really cool Bloggers from SF.

I was on tv in CraftLab reruns, twice. ( Don't know what happened to the other episode we taped.. oh well.. Maybe next year?)

Met 4 Craft Stars in person.

Made 27 new recipes.

Made 34 Holiday gifts by hand... Not counting cookies or food.

Posted 103 times.

Did some half-assed gardening.

Cleaned out my craft cave twice.

Had a pet tragedy.

Tried again and adopted the Best Evil Kitten In The Whole World.

Picked for Whiplash once.

Participated in Handmade Parade, and C is 4 Craft.

Went to the Maker Faire.

Taught my kid more about modern art.

Let him see Rushmore even though it is rated R.

Helped him get on the Honor Roll 3 times.. the first 3 times it has ever happened.


Not Bad... Not Bad, at all.
I am trying to clarify my goals for 2008... But I just wanted to take a minute and look back...
It was a satisfying review.
Let's hear it for 2007!!

Now, Bring On the New Year! (Would someone get that dang tree out of here already?)

It's In The Bag.. and I am dreaming of a New Year

Handmade Holidays:
It was fun.. It was crazy... It really should have started earlier.. Like, last April.
( The handmaking part, that is...)
But I had a great Christmas and I hope you all did too.

The most fun was the boy-craft. I mean, I loved the girly stuff:

The felted doggies, the "ruffle duffle", the sweety monster:






and my sister's Mini Pinny (casual modern pinafore to be worn with jeans- sorry, no pics, but soon in the shop.. pretty soon, anyhow. I mean, I need to catch my breath! phew!)

But the really wild stuff was for the boys.

Felt revolvers ala ReadyMade Mag for the big boys:




Pokemon storage and deck tote for a serious gamer who has to catch them ALL:




The sketchy sketch book for my manga obsessed future animator:




The Make Mag/Craft Mag inspired recycled plastic bag music and sketch book holding mini messenger bag (check out the grommet for the earphones for the new i-pod from Grandma):


It was all such a blur.. Kinda like my photos (oops, sorry.. it has been pretty cloudy lately) .. and now I am ready for that New Year feeling, fresh start and all that jazz.

Thanks to everyone who comes by to say howdy and to the people who bought crafty gifts from me and the people who sold crafty gifts to me and the people who sold them to my relatives so they could give them to me...

More soon.... I have missed you blogland... It is good to be back.

Tutorial Tuesday: Battle of the Bulge

As I am the lucky type who, thanks to a delightfully fortuitous marriage, gets to indulge each year in both latkes and Christmas cookies, it has come to my attention that unless I control my urges or actually exercise (no time, making presents, damn it) it might be in my best interest to ask Santa for a rather aggressive foundation garment.

Here again, advise from the formidable but devastatingly accurate Nurse's Guide to Charm:

How to Buy a Girdle...


That's right, Santa, I have removed my rose colored glasses...
I will take the "Lycra Iron Maiden"..in medium.

Oh, and I will be good next year.. to make up for some stuff.