string*THEORY

Happy Happy Day!!

I have some happy happy HAPPY news to share with you...but not until Thursday. I know, I'm an extreme tease. Sorry. You'll understand why on Thursday. I found out about it yesterday, but I have to wait...I know, makes no sense. But you'll see.

The news that I received yesterday sent a jolt of energy right through my crafty little fingers. I sat right down at the sewing machine....and made...and cut...and sewed...all day long. I was totally exhausted when I was done and happily curled up in the fetal position with my dear sis for some good ol' trashy television in the form Entourage & Desperate Housewives. I'm constantly amazed at their ability to balance "brilliance" with "trashy". I loved every minute.

The up and downness of my moods these days are making me feel a bit manic. And knowing how I am with change, I bet it has to do with the weather & the adjustment to Spring. To that note, I've been trying to "welcome" Spring, more then "adjust" to it. It's a mindset thing. And I think that getting out the sewing machine and adding some inspiring books to my collection has done a lot to help the process along. In a positive way. (Thank you, Susan, for the suggestion!)

One piece of the fruit of yesterdays labor is shown here in this little bitty zippered pouch. It's a simple bag, no pattern, but just your standard zippered fare. I'm trying to incorporate my new embroidery skill in other areas of craft, like sewing, and I like the look of this pattern-less embroidery design. Simple & clean.

P.S.

And...because I feel like I owe ya'll some knitting inspiration (It's been absent from this here blog, so my apologies for that) - I wanted to tell you about Alyssa Ettinger. She makes, easily, the most amazing ceramic pieces inspired by knit wear designs. Absolutely stunning.

Criss Cross Coasters

Last night I finally pulled out the ol' machine. It's been a feeling I've been battling since I returned from vacation. The desire to do some other then knit verses the laziness to set up (once again) my temporary studio in the kitchen.

I wanted so badly to experience the calm and creativity that comes with the process and rhythm of piecing and re-piecing beautiful fabric together. It was the gumption to do more then just think about it that was stopping me. I needed something simple and quick, yet again, and I found that in the tutorial by Jenny B from All Sorts. So fast. So easy. So so cool.

Well. "Cool" relatively speaking, you know as "cool" as coasters can be. I don't know what it is about crafting that provokes us to making things that are relatively useless in our lives. I mean sure, we make sweaters, and bags and things like that. But coasters? Come on. Do any of us really have furniture so fine and delicate that it warrants a three hour crafting session to make something to protect it from the evils of our sweating ice-teas and Gatorade?

But, there's something really comforting about dressing our nests in this way, isn't there? And I enjoyed taking the time to do just that. Playing with color, piecing and re-piecing. Dressing my nest.

Rainbow Trout & Eskimo Cuties

So, I guess, in Casa de sting*THEORY, knitting is a winter sport. Well, maybe. It is for now, anyway. Or maybe it's that embroidery is the food of the stressed. It's simple you know, and non committing. No math to be done, no gauging or planning. Just a needle and thread. And I think I need that right now. Simplicity.

Plus, who wouldn't love this little red-headed, green-eyed Eskimo Cutie? And those rainbow colored fish she's catching? Why, a delicacy from the frozen sea, of course. And not at all some freakish strain of plutonium laden fish swimming alongside Homer Simpson's nuclear plant, I promise.

The purpose of this exercise in exploring a new craft was purely that. Starting something new (and of course snapping out of the funk I told you about). So, when I ironed this on originally, I did so with that intent, never really considering that I probably should make this into something eventually. So here I am, with this proud Eskimo fisher-girl floating in the middle of a piece of crisp wrinkled white linen, wanting and waiting to become something.

What would you make this into? Where does she belong in this humble little house I live in? I'm not really sure. But for now, she'll keep waiting. And she'll stake her claim in what will surely become a giant pile, A pile of her future embroidered sisters and brothers and birdies alike.

Little By Little

Little by little, the sunshine and peacefulness is steaming back towards me. I'm starting to feel normal, and I'm realizing now, that I was really just overwhelmed and distracted with work & the obligations of keeping up with the house and you know, life in general. And now that I have that under control a bit, I can re-visit the other things I love & need in my life to feel balanced and relaxed. It's amazing what a week of vacation and relaxation will do to make you feel chaotic and overwhelmed once returning. Is it supposed to work that way?

Another reason I'm feeling normal? Why the return of my camera, of course. My unfortunate luggage-losing experience found me without use of my camera. I didn't realize how attached I was to that thing until I lost the ability to use it. So, it's back now (not the luggage, buy my ability to charge my camera and upload the photos) & was able to set free these photos for you.

I've been nervous & twitching, waiting, ooh so impatiently to show you these photos - my finished  Forest Canopy Shawl - Part III. I wasn't able to gift this to my grandmother myself due to the blocking taking longer then expected. But my parents, sent in as the delivery ambassadors, reported that she was so happy and proud that she didn't take it off for the remaining week my parents spent with her. Some people really are so easy to spoil.

This was created using Lorna's Laces, Lion & Lamb (50/50 silk & wool) in the Lakeview colorway. This was my first time knitting with silk & I absolutely loved it - this fiber with it's complicated hand-dyed charm kept me entertained during that massively long journey across the Atlantic. Using size 8 Addi Turbos, I knit until I completely finished 2 full skeins - a total of about 400 yards. I knit about 3 or 4 extra pattern repeats and was happy with the finished size.

I won't go on and on about the irritating mishap involving running out of yarn during the cast off row and having to rip out like 10 rows to re-knit and bind-off, mostly because this is the 2nd time I've done that & I feel like a ding-dong for not learning my lesson the first time. So there you go....we live and don't learn. Over. And. Over. And. Once. Again.

Still Looking

I'm still searching for my groove, but I've realized a few things this week. Namely that finding crafting inspiration takes time. And that it's really not as devastating as I'm making it out to be. And my luggage? Well, it's still gone, but really, it's just stuff.

Devastating is what's going on in Virgina. Sad and unfortunate is what I felt watching the Frontline special on ALS, a degenerative and fatal condition that attacks your muscles and nerves. And a few other things that I've noticed this week, all gentle reminders to put life into perspective, I think.

Fun is picking out new notions, I think I told you that I lost 'em all in the luggage fiasco, right? The new ones are fine, but using brand new notions makes me miss my old ones. Everything had some sentimental value associated with them, a measuring tape from Susan, darning needles from another secret pal, not to mention the little bag I held them in, purchased from a crafter at the farmers market. Moving on.

I also realized this week that my lack of inspiration and motivation may also come from the excruciatingly boring knitting project I'm still working on, Von 4. Although, the hubs argued that "no, knitting is just a winter sport" - so this natural progression towards others crafts, say, embroidery, is expected.

The first photo is a small table runner that I picked from the crafting thrift store in Portland. I used it as inspiration to start my first ever (since about age 7) project "Eskimo Cuties". Because, really, who wouldn't be inspired by the Eskimo cuties?

How Stella Got Her Groove Back

How did she? Did they ever reveal her sources at the end of the movie? I'm asking because I lost mine. Not my ability to date or be romantical, but more like my ability to create and be inspired and just feeling like myself. It's been gone ever since I've returned...and it could be hiding in a number if different places. Places like my notions bag tucked neatly inside of my lost luggage. Or possibly one of the many piles of mail I need to open or dishes I need to wash.

I'm not really sure, but I feel like I've done everything under the moon to reclaim my groove & nothing is clicking. I'm just overwhelmed, exhausted. Distracted.

Today will be a day of playing catch-up....putting together a sweet sweet package for Ingrid the winner. Another of vintage treasures for Kristy from our Vintage Button Swap. A refashioning of noses for Ms. Cori, because according to the hubs, she looks like Hitler (do you agree? I think he might be right...). And that's just not something we want to snuggle up with at night, Hitler. And lastly, but perhaps most importantly, in terms of groove reclaiming, a trip to the sewing store to replenish my notions. Because really, how am i supposed to do anything without my beloved tools? And I think the designing of a new sweet little bag to carry around my tools is in order as well.

I can already feel myself filling up with energy.

The Rain in Spain & Pain on the Plane

Well, my pretties, I'm back. And what can I say? It was a whirlwind trip involving many hugs and snuggles with the grandparents, jamon serrano & Mahou with the aunts & uncles...and movies! yes, movies with my cousins.

My apologies for not checking in sooner (funny how you post more when your not posting, huh?)....a bout of jet lag and quick turn around to board another flight - this time to Seattle - left me a bit overwhelmed to say the least.

Semana Santa in Toledo met us with lots and lots of rain, but that didn't stop us from enjoying the saintly festivities...and shopping...uuhm...lots of shopping. Yes, ahem. Shopping, which according to my sisters, is also a saintly activity, a must do when visiting the mother-land.

These two sweet-peas are my Aunt (happy recipient of the apron) and Mr. Snazzarific, Abuelo.

It took me long to write for other reasons besides the sleepiness and added travelness. It involves the frustration over lost luggage. Every time I sat down to write, I started ranting and complaining about the perils of lost baggage. And I just didn't want you to think that after spending a week in a beautiful country with loving people that all I could talk about is the attachment that I had to this piece of lost baggage.

But I did, and I do, and it's gone. Along with my camera charger (hence the other reason why I haven't posted - who likes a post without pictures? Not I). Along with all my yarn for the remainder of the trip. I'm sure you can all relate to how upset I was at the thought of going through 5 days of vacation and a 24 hour trip home without an ounce or yard of yarn to my name. And, my favorite cowboy boots. Can I get some sympathy for that? Seriously, can I get some big-girl points for maturing beyond the temper tantrum I so badly wanted to throw over my excruciating long flight without much more then a trashy magazine and a little Sudoku? I tried to buy yarn in Toledo, I did, but my yarn snobbiness preventing me from delving into the world of itchy scratchy acrylic. Yes, I, even in pure desperation, has standards. I suffered from it greatly, trust me.

p.s. That Green eyed beauty up there is my cousin, and yes, he's single. Just sayin'.

Handmade::Travels::Batik

The making of batik involves patience and skill. The design is first handdrawn on to the fabric. Then the first layer of design is drawn by a small tool that slowly leaks out melted wax.

The fabric is then dipped into the dye for the first layer of color. The process is repeated over and over again until all the colors are integrated into the design.

Handmade::Travels

The making of a Wayang Puppet, in Indonesia, starts with the chiseling, stamping and carving of a buffalo hide.

Once the shaping is all done...

Then comes the paint made of natural materials found in the local environment.

And finally...the grand puppet show!

...and whats a puppet show, with out a fighting match!

Showcasing

The endless supply of ideas and tutorials on the web and in the blogging world constantly amazes me in it's generosity of time and creativity. This little number I've been working on this week was an idea first shared by Purl Bee (they have other pretty amazing tutorials you should check out as well).

Most of the fabrics showcased are a mixture of feed-sack reproductions of the 1930's, Heather Baily prints and a few randomly beautiful designs thrown in for good measure. They're hung above the kitchen sink with the spotlight of the kitchen window, perfectly positioned to offer something beautiful to gaze at while I'm engaged in a few of the less savory of chores.

I really love this project and all the light and color it brings to the kitchen. I've been trying to add touches of art and girlie-ness here and there and I think it's having a positive impact on the over all snuggle-ness factor of the house.

...it just so happens that the hubs loves them too, which makes it all the sweeter.