happy almost mother's day

mother's day - come one, come all.

it's a hallmark holiday but that doesn't mean it's not well deserved.

here are some freebie tags for your mother's day gifts - to your moms, grandmoms, friends, sisters, daughters, lady streetdwellers - whoever you see fit to give a gift to.

click on the image for download!
print onto card or cover stock and then cut inside the dotted lines.
attach to awesome last minute present and admire self.

Mothers Day Tags

please use these responsibly and only for personal use.

don't go donald trumpin' my ass!

Olé!

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I made some free tags for you for your summer gift giving! Enjoy!



click on the image and then drag it to your desktop.
then print on 8.5x11 card or cover stock and cut inside the dotted lines, punch a hole in the corner where indicated and give, give, give!

i hope it works!

xo, j

super special something

so, before Christmas I was busy knitting and sewing and doing all that stuff so I could get all my handmade gifts done in time. i also had started on a big project to which i cannot disclose, however, it has been taking up all of my free time in the last 30 days, and i'm pretty excited about it.
i'm nearly done and i am super excited about it.

as i said, it's a surprise and i cannot disclose anything.

but its only cause i love you.


via ffffound

badass!

i got my birthday present today!!
(my bday is in like 2 weeks)

my mom got me this badass SLR camera! woo hoo!

silk stockings

so i love xmas stockings.

my family always does stockings last and they are filled to the brim, waiting side by side on the couch, for us to devour. things have changed a bit now that we're older - everyone contributes to eachother's stockings and now my mother's is filled with jewellery and gift certificates - as opposed to gag gifts like condoms and ben gay.

the one thing that is lacking however - is the actual stocking. yes, they've been in the family for years. but those years started in the 80s. so the stockings are decidedly unattractive.

this year i think im gonna make everyone a new stocking (no one in my family reads this, to be sure), but in the event that this idea doesn't materialize, i found some adorable stockings online that i'd like to share!

eco stocking, rikrak, $18

mary jane stocking, sewlola, $24

colossal (4 feet long!!) stocking, anthropologie, $148

limited edition hand-stitched stocking, pottery barn, $24

vintage-inspired stocking, caseyl, $35

antique quilt-scrap christmas stocking, sydg, $25

modern argyle christmas stocking, $98, churchtown chapeau

and there ya have it!

Merry Craftmas

So this Christmas I have endeavored to make almost 100% of my gifts. Of course, with a list of 60 (YES 60, I can't believe it myself) I will most likely not have time to make things of quality without repetition for every single person. Luckily, I've already begun and have gotten through a good chunk of my list.

Helping me along the way is my collection of amazing craft, sewing and knitting books and patterns. I've bought these books over the course of the last year, when my interest in the handmade has gone from purchasing to creating them myself. These books, however, are not cheap, so the wonderful STC Craft site has given the gift of 20 free patterns for holiday crafting.

If you, too, are a "maker", you will love all these patterns that are perfect for gift giving - men, women, and children alike - or for keeping for yourself. I have the unfortunate sickness of never wanting to make anything twice, and of never committing to make anything for myself. I've made things for my future non-baby that doesn't even EXIST yet, but I can't seem to sit down and make something for myself. So silly.

Anyway, here is the link to the fabulous and generous post by STC Craft. And if you've never made anything - here is a good way to dip your toes in the water!

From a once ultimate consumer, I am now a dedicated crafter (gosh I wish there was a different word for it, crafter seems so - how do i put it - "quirky buttons" to me) and am more fulfilled than I have ever been in my entire life. Giving someone something you have put your time, care, and heart into is more gratifying and long lasting than anything you could ever buy. There are tons of simple and quick projects (even baking cookies and packaging them nicely) that make people smile and feel special instantly.

babycakes

i popped my baby shower cherry.

i know i know - i have a spectacular way with words.

anyway, i'd never been to a baby shower before but Saturday I went to my first boss/friend Linnea's. She's having what I am certain will be a smart, well-dressed, funny, and tall tall tall baby girl. anyway - she is also of the crafty persuasion and appreciates anything handmade. i guarantee that if you are someone who will appreciate that I spent my vacation in Mexico lovingly knitting your baby-to-be's sweater in the hot hot sun (not in a gross way) then I am MUCH more likely to spend said vacation making said baby's said sweater.

anyway, here it is, in all its pink and yellow 80's color combo glory!

this is one i really grew to love while making it and i can justifiably say Jamie is pissed I gave it away.

of course - my gift was the first opened and while secretly thrilled I'd get ooh'd and ahh'd over my knitty brilliance, it actually was kind of embarrassing to have everyone know just how much free time i have....

I loved making it and im super happy to say I remembered to take pictures! hooray!

I used a pattern from uber-fave Vintage Baby Knits (almost definitely the best $27 i've ever spent) and used Rowan Cotton Glace in Butter, which is seriously the most delicious thing to hold in your hand for a week straight. It's cushy and soft and totally washable and best of all - it's cotton so it can be worn in winter or summer. AND - how many yarns can one knit with in 100 degree Mexican heat!?

The little package in the last picture is just some yarn and an extra button, which I think is a really nice thing to do when you're giving a homemade garment. I'd never thought of it before and now I realize, what does someone do when a vintage button bought at a flea market falls off a sweater? even a button whore like me takes months and months to replace buttons lost in combat.

This is a completely doable project for knitters of any level, even beginners. It really takes very little concentration until certain parts, and knits up insanely quickly. I even took a few days off because I didn't want it to be over so fast.

Onto the next frontier...

iphoto

So I don't do tutorials. not because I don't have them in my brain, it's cause I simply make something, forget to photograph it, and don't feel like re-doing it all just to show it off.

however, OTHER people do great tutorials.
this being one of them.

I've never been a "photo book" kind of person. I just organize my photographs (not that there is any such thing anymore: fail) into boxes and go through them when i'm feeling nostalgic. But this seems like a great way to be a photobook person if I ever were to become one!

Imagine - our children, when flicking through their baby pictures won't be sitting on the floor looking through dusty boxes like we do - there is such pleasure in that. They will be slouching in a desk chair, clicking arrows on a keyboard. I am 100% for ayo-technology however, what is there to be nostalgic about now?
miley cyrus?
i dont think so.
Popples! That's the shit I'm talking about!

If you are feeling the same way as me. and would like to create a solid representation of life, not just something with a power button - this is a cheap and easy tutorial to make a photo book (a good gift) without it being the average plastic cover junk.

freckled nest tutorial
found via thimble

put some heart into it, people!

feelin' knitty

so i think the last time i talked about knitting i was a relative beginner. i was knitting my first sweater and hadn't really updated.

so a few months ago (shortly after my last knitknit post) i finished my sweater, and since then, i've finished a few more plus a barrage of hats, blankets, booties, and little baby scratch mittens.



today i received some pictures from my sister in law of a sweater i made and gave to her gorgeous daughter, anna-rose. isn't she just the cutest?


i also made this gnome hat (modeled so elegantly by yours truly) for a child but winged it with a bigger yarn and it turned out HUGE so i gave it to my adorable friend lydia.


i've made other stuff to these are just ones
i happen to have pictures of - or they are gifts waiting to be given!

oh gawsh

i've been busy. but how wonderful is my dearest most loverly lizzie for awesome-ing this picture.

we are sale.

isn't it/she wonderful!?

make yo mama

everyone has a mama in their life.
even if it isn't YOUR mama, everyone knows someone who IS a mama.
this sunday is mother's day.
either way. she pushed you (or someone else) out so she deserves a present.
moms always want things you make them (unless its a mess).
here are some great tutorials for things mama's would like.

organza sachet tutorial

yummy pom pom sock tutorial

monogrammed hankie tutorial

ipod/camera cozy tutorial

knitted bangle tutorial

apple (or whatever) tote tutorial

recipe card holder tutorial

doily basket tutorial (i love these)

attention must be paid

ok so a while ago, for christmas, i received these glorious plaques from my ultimate awesome dearest friend lizzie (her etsy shop is here and her blog is here). aren't they wonderful?? the best part is, its not cut paper! its PAINTED!

i have been meaning to post them since they are the most wonderful most thoughtful present i've received! jamie and i love them and I cannot BELIEVE how much they look like us, its uncanny.

i mean gee whiz! its incredible!

box cutterz

so i made cookies this morning and obviously i dont want them in my house. i was pressed to find a cute package to put them in (wrapping them in parchment paper is good but its never got the punch i'm lookin for.) soooo i went in search. i found this perfect tutorial on creating little paper gift boxes from regular old computer paper. so i scanned in a bunch of my favorite pieces of vintage paper that i dont want to give away (or have them touch food, thank yew verrrry much), printed them on regular old computer paper and got to foldin! about 4 cookies, stacked fit PERFECTLY in here! also, jewelry gifts, anything that will fit into a box measuring 3 inches wide by 2.5 inches tall.... its another good way to make something instead of using a lame-o white box.

see below for the results of my little paper project!

click here for the simple and easy to follow tutorial

stitchy britches

so i did these a little while ago, but i thought i'd share anyway.
aren't they cuties?
they were a christmas present
for my husband's dad and stepmom.

(sorry the pictures are so crap, i took them with my blackberry)