My booth setup has evolved.  The requirement is still to be able to carry everything on a train.

It is easy for handmade artists and crafters to be lost in the sea of resellers and imports. Pledge your support for handmade items here.

October 12, 2013.  Times Square, NYC.  See you there!

World Maker Faire

I've been accepted to the World Maker Faire in Queens, NY.

Come celebrate MAKE magazine's 4th Annual Maker Faire in New York, showcasing creative and resourceful people in the areas of science and technology, engineering, food, and arts and crafts.

Saturday - September 21st, 2013 from 10am - 7pm

Sunday - September 22nd, 2013 from 10am - 6pm

I'll be showing my sea shell jewelry for the first time.

Less than three weeks to go!  More information here.

Beryl at Eco Musings has created a beautiful treasury that includes my chandelier glass and pearl necklace. Check out her blog here.  Thanks for the inclusion, Beryl!

Modern crochet art

My Mondrian-inspired blanket has made it to Knithacker.  Squee!

Here is it hanging in the White Oak Gallery employee art show.

This one is crib sized.  I'm serious considering making a larger one for the bed.

Countdown to fabulousness

The Craftacular is coming.  Four days to go!  I'm so excited!

Full Speed Ahead

So. I started this jewelry making thing again (I used to make jewelry before I decided grad school was a good idea). It has been a blast. I feel creative! Artistic! Yadda Yadda! On a whim, I decided to apply to the Bust Craftacular craft show in New York City. I got accepted.

I have spent the last few days alternately euphoric and panicky, but I think I've settled on excited. If you're in NYC on December 1-2, please stop by and see me!

Spending some time adding to the Etsy shop today.

Monkey see, Monkey make

I enjoy Mad Men.  I especially enjoy Mad Men when there is amazing jewelry.   At The Codfish Ball featured beautiful gowns and accessories, inspiring me to make my own pair of sparkly earrings.

From this:

 Thanks to http://mindlessones.com/2012/05/04/mindless-mad-men-6-at-the-codfish-ball/ for the image.

To this:

Available here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/100819000/rock-crystal-and-rhinestone-earrings

Spring Haiku

Spring Haiku from Little Brewer #2

SPRING
Spring starts gracefully
then turns against you with hate
ending with rain.

Etsy or not?

I started making jewelry again as a creative outlet. Also, it gives me something new and pretty to wear (score!). The dilemma is, do I put things I really like on Etsy and sell them, or do I keep them for myself?





My first attempt at a "statement" necklace. It jingles!

Pieces that haven't made the Etsy shop cut.

Overheard

Whilst trying not to eavesdrop...

She: Do you see a difference between the relationship you have with me and your friends?
He: I tend not to have too much sex with my friends.
She: That's reckless.
He: Not just recklessness, it's a take on risk. One of the things I'm pretty precious about. It's excitement. It's enjoyment.
She: It changes my relationship with you. When you say recklessness is exciting, it's damaging.
He: It's not like I take risks completely without sense. There's a level of risk I'm willing to accept for myself that I don't extend to other people.
She: I don't want to have to change...
He (interrupting): If I wanted total security and boredom, I'd be with you.
She: [silence]
He: Sorry, I interrupted you. Finish what you were saying.
She: Why should I finish what I was saying? You've just said everything I say is worthless. I'm not saying security is boredom.
He: That was your point? That was going to be your point?
She: [silence]
He: I'm trying to be mature and good natured. I'm not doing too bad.


Is this not the best couple fight ever? So much to analyze. I loooove psychology.

Process

I've just come back from Denver. Most of my time was spent at a conference, networking and learning about public policy. I like this conference because I get to interact with academics and grad students. Nuturing the next generation of scholars; very important.


I ended up at the airport about two hours before my flight was set to depart. Denver is home to New Belgium Brewing (now owned by Molson/Coors). They have a pretty good Belgian ale, but I was just too worn out to start drinking at 2pm. Instead, I ensconced myself in a chair with a view at my gate and pulled out the fiber.

Picked this up at a thrift store. Can you tell? Is the 50 cent sticker a huge giveaway?

Starting the round for the hat. Start time: 2:20pm. So cute! This is a little misleading because my hands are very large.

It grows. Increases are accomplished by alternating whether there is one sc or two sc in each stitch. I don't have a set pattern. If the circle is curling too early, you need two sc in the stitch.

Starting to curve the crown. The circle will grow until the outside edge can no longer hold itself flat. At that point, I decrease one sc every 5 stitches (sc 2 together).

Adding color for interest.

Starting the curlicue for the top. Crochet 10 or 12, then sc 3 in each stitch on the way back down. It curls itself into macaroni fringe.

And...finished! End time: 3:55pm.

Just in time.

Happy Mother's Day

To the mothers that have influenced my life:


Thank you. Happy Mother's Day!

Hats again

I'm working on a couple of hats for twin boys to be born in May. Seeing as it is already May, I'd better get going.

Babies. So cute and squishy and always needing a hat.

Hats for twins are fun because I can make two using the opposite pattern. I was working happily along on the first one when I noticed something awry. I had put too many rows of beige between the single blue stripes.



This is what happens when I crochet and watch soccer.

So, rip rip rip.

And fixed. First one done, time to start on the second one.

Have to make sure the crown sizes are approximately the same. Do I count rows? Of course not. I made this pattern up. The shaping is all in my head. I just keep going until it looks right.

Are those shorts I see? Why, yes they are! Summer has suddenly arrived in Maryland. 90 and sunny. Wheee! Brewgal is happy.

Vacation, part 2

We were in London for ten days. It seemed a shame not to dash over to Paris for at least a day. The last time I traveled from London to Paris we went by ferry. This time I booked seats on the Eurostar.

Except for the sardine can that was the tube from Victoria to St. Pancras, the trip was incredibly easy.

Departure from St. Pancras, London.

A little over two hours later, Paris!

View from one end of the Tuileries looking toward the Obelisk.

Little Brewer #1 wanted to visit the Eiffel Tower. This was a total act of maternal love on my part because Brewgal does not like heights.


Of course, the lines were insane.
This is the queue to get tickets to go through security so you can get in the queue for the elevator to go up.

The view was worth it, however. I had never been up the Tower at night and even though I couldn't make it all the way to the edge, the panorama was stunning.

Every so often (once an hour?) the flashbulbs on the outside of the Tower go off in display.

Sparkly!

We stayed at the Park Hyatt Vendome (Hello, Hyatt? Love the Next Big Thing Promotion!) so I ordered room service breakfast.

I SO want to live in this hotel.

A quick dash to Notre Dame,

at which point LB1 started to wear out.

It's the "Do we HAVE to?" look.

Finally, Gare du Nord back to London.

I feel like I'm forgetting something

What could it be, what could it be...

It's right on the tip of my tongue...





Oh yeah. Little Brewer #1 and I went to LONDON!

We saw the usual sights,

Pardon me, is this the queue for the toilet?

played hide and seek with the locals,


Eight, nine, ten! Ready or not, here I come!

sampled local haute cuisine,

Tea and scones. Oh my gosh, that made me sooo happy. My HDL, not so much.

saw the changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace...

with 10,000 of our closest friends

and made it out before Iceland's volcano exploded in Viking fury.

Also we visited Paris. But that's a blogpost for a future date!