days off = things made

in my opinion nothing beats having tons of spare time and

filling it up with crafting.

which is exactly what i've been doing

and i couldn't be happier.

i have a friend who asked me to make her a pouch

similiar to the giveaway one.

i figured out an easier way to sew it

and i think it came out really nice.

i want to make another and put it up on etsy today.

if i do, i'll let you guys know. it would be my first item

made to sell on etsy.

this pouch has hook closures instead of the button. and days off also means i get to work on more pottery.

i recently made this small bowl and

am so happy with the way the glaze came out.

i like pieces to have visual interest.

a blend of colors or texture.

i love the eggplant purple.

i'm so satisfied.

black and white

i took a black and white film photography class last year

and i really enjoyed it.

it was my first photography class and it was really exciting

to see how film is developed and see the image come out on the prints.

i absolutely loved it.

i just take one class a semester

and i've been taking ceramics since the beginning of this year.

sometimes i really miss photography though.

i once peeked my head into the developing lab just to smell the chemicals.

film photo classes can be pricey when factoring

in the film, photo paper, and other things purchased.

but i was looking through the photographs i took

and found my first roll.

i miss it and i'm thinking of taking it again next year.

if any of you has the chance to take a film photo class

i completely encourage it.

this photo isn't big enough to tell, but it's ants on a slide.

cicada shell

goodies and stuff

I've been able to spend some more time in the ceramics

studio lately which makes me really happy. And I finally

seem to be having some cool turnouts with the glazes.

I'm actually pretty satisfied with these.

I like this egg shape and the drips are actually a brighter blue than this shows.

You can't really tell in these photos but this piece actually has a glaze I like a lot. It's a matte white with an iridescent yellow shimmer. I think it's pretty.


I just thought this glaze turned out really cool and different from what I usually do.

And there were a couple of people who wanted to see the lidded piece I made that I wasn't too crazy about. The lid isn't perfect around and I would do the top of the lid differently. Not only that but the glaze didn't turn out like I was hoping it would. But that's the fun of playing with glazes.


and now for yet another "things i bought off etsy that i love so much i need to share it with everyone" segment. I just made that up now, there is no segment. I'm just always getting things I ordered and can't keep it to myself. I think everyone should heart these shops and treat themselves to an item from either of these!

pin cushion and hair elastics from namolio

absolutely breath taking prints from alicebgardens

and last but definitely not least is this perfect pack from IndustriousLily.

Forgive me but I'm going to gush about this.
People, this amazing pack of paper goods cost me $30!
It came with this:
5 Letterpress Greeting Cards, 6 Folded Letterpress Notes & Envelopes, 6 Flat Letterpress Notes & Envelopes, 1 "Perfect Note Pad" (100 sheets), 1 pack of 8 Letterpress Gift Tags, and 1 pack of 5 Enclosure cards.
And the best part is you get to customize it!
I go weak in the knees for adorable packaging and this did it for me.
The wooden initial, wax string, wooden initial, and pink bellied box...
it was all too cute. And the paper goodies made it a trillion times better.
Have you ever felt like you got the best deal in the world?
If not, go buy this. And really, it would make such a lovely lovely gift.
I'm swimming in handmade heaven.

stay tuned

I'll be putting up a nice chunky post tonight filled with photos galore.

But I'm at work now and so you'll have to wait.

Meanwhile check out koo and poppet and this adorable giveaway.

love it. want it.

announcing the giveaway winner

First off I would like to sincerely thank all the people who payed attention to this giveaway by commenting, following, or referring. I can't tell you how much it's appreciated. I'm so excited that my first giveaway went down so smoothly and that thirteen people entered! Not bad for my first time.

So the winner of the pouch is

(drum roll please)

silly little lady!

woohoo!

Congratulations!

I'll be contacting you soon.

To everyone who is bummed out that they didn't win,

do not fret my friends.

I will make giveaways a staple on this blog.

Maybe twice or more a month.

So there are more chances and maybe I'll make another pouch

for those lonely pens and pencils.

Again thanks! You guys are the best!

♥

giveaway

I'm excited to be having my very first blog giveaway.

I've never done this before and hope I'm going about it the right way.

If not, someone drop me a hint and next time I'll get it right.

What I'm giving away is a cute pouch I sewed out of some linen purchased from ermisino and some recycled clothing fabric.

It has a button closure and is about 6x9 inches.

So here is how you get an entry:

commenting on this post= 1 entry

following me= 1 entry

referring a friend= 1 entry

If you comment on the post and already follow, you get two entries.

just let me know you follow.

If you follow me but don't comment, you won't get an entry

because I won't know if you're interested in winning.

You get an entry for each friend referral, and then your friend can also enter

by commenting and following...therefore getting themselves entered twice.

They can just comment in their post that "so and so referred me".

Simple enough I hope.

If not let me know.

The cut off for entering is Sunday July 19th

at 12 noon U.S. central time.

The winner will be selected at random.

I will announce the giveaway champion Monday July 20th

and then arrange to send the pouch off.

Good luck!

an addiction

i have a sick addiction to notebooks, sketchbooks, notepads, post-its.
like a really serious addiction.
i think i hoard them.
i have maybe 8 or more notebooks laying around waiting to be used.
and i'm not talking boring school notebooks.
i'm talking etsy
target
urban outfitters
notebooks.
so i made a stop at target a couple days ago for doggie poo bags
and a photo album
and came home with about $20 worth of
cute journals, a folder, and sticky notes.
i think everyone needs sticky notes with a dotted pattern.

i also came home with this book because
i decided i really miss reading
and because i'm not busy enough
(yeah right)
i'm going to read it.
i also heard the book is awesome. better than the movie.
which is on my list of the things to see.
i used to stay up til the sun came up reading books as a kid.

boy do i miss those summer days.
time was all i had. where did it go...

p.s. as much as i don't want to admit im a targetholic, i totally am i also bought a dog grooming shaver kit thing. i'll save some money by grooming Juno on my own. Then I can spend that saved money on journals and notepads. Any one else groom their own dog? Any tips?

sew little time

so i had some spare time on my hands

(yeah right)

and decided to take some photos of the stuff i've already glazed

and a couple of other things

enjoyyy

i really like the color and shape of this piece.

problem is, the glaze was super runny

and nearly ran right off the piece.

(you can tell in the photo on the right)

but now i know for next time to take it easy.

i like this piece a lot, i threw it on the wheel

but decided to stray from my normal perfectly round circular stuff

and kind of just smash it to make it different.

then i made a scale design on the top.

what i don't like is that i didn't glaze the inside

and it seems to rough for me, too bland.

i also had another piece i made that i really liked

but i gave it to glenn, my guy.

it was small, pear shaped, and had a lid

(my first lidded piece!)

i really dislike the glaze color.

it's a mix of cream and green.

not what i was really going for

which to me looks kind of like,

i don't know...vomit.

maybe i'm being too picky

but i think i need to be so i can improve.

agree?

now for the cute happy stuff!

i bought this from miss pickle press

and just think it's the cutest.

i plan to give it to my cousin for her upcoming wedding

i hope she doesn't read my blog

or it won't be a pleasant surprise card.

it says:

and they lived happily ever after.

congratulations.

i hope someone gives me a card this cute when i get married.

i'd save it forever.

and i can't help but feel happy with myself

i got around to sewing tonight

and i made this!!

it's a cute pouch.

or at least i think it's cute.

i used the fabric and button i purchased from ermisino

and i think it turned out pretty good.

and the inside lining, flower, and lace are just fabric i had around.

so i'm thinking of possibly doing my first giveaway with this.

if i do one, it'll be in a separate post soon enough.

anyone interested in winning it?

a belated studio visit

last night i made a visit to the ceramics studio at school.

glazed a couple of older pieces and then decided to

try and do some work on the wheel.

i literally have not set foot on the wheel pedal for a good month.

and boy did it show.

i could not get a piece off the wheel that i actually liked and wanted to keep.

i've only been doing this for a little over half a year but it was frustrating.

and the lab aid could tell.

he gave me some good advice that i'm going to start doing next time i come in.

he said throw** a hundred cylinders.

over and over again, don't focus on making anything yet.

just throw a cylinder with the goal of making it perfectly.

pick the best one

and throw out the other ninety nine.

then throw one hundred more cylinders, but bigger.

same thing as the last, keep just one.

he said it will help to get the feel of a good centering and well made piece.

i'm tired of making stuff i'm not totally in love with.

i want to be more than content.

hopefully later tonight or tomorrow i will post some

photos up of stuff i made, and critique myself.

in a nice way.

just say why it's not the way i want it.

i hope to learn from what i'm doing and improve.

any similar stories of things you've done that you want to improve on?

how did you figure out the right way to go about it?

share with me.

i love stories.

**to those who know nothing about pottery,

to throw is to make a piece on

the pottery wheel

not to literally throw a cylinder. ha.

^.^

etsy

i really have had my mind lately on opening an etsy shop.
thing is, i don't even know what i would sell yet.
i do things from ceramics and sewing, to photography and crocheting.
but i feel like i need to jump on it and give it a try.
nothing too big. just make stuff, try to sell it, and see where it goes from there.
any etsy sellers reading this, advice or encouragement would be very welcomed.
-.-

thanks a bunch.

♥

dreams

Brandi Carlile:

the most incredible singer EVER,

don't bother trying to convince me otherwise.

she's coming back here in the fall!

IM GONNA EXPLODE WITH JOY!

SEEN HER 3 TIMES ALREADY!

HAH!

WWOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

and now that I've calmed down

(not really)

here is a song off her new album Give Up The Ghost that will be released in the fall.

im thrilled :D

^^but bigger than that^^

Brandi Carlile - Dreams (Live in Portland) by musictoday

happy fourth of july weekend!

I hope that everyone is having a great holiday weekend so far.

I know I am.

Friday night I watched the fireworks at my old high school.

The ending was what my man called a "stimulus package ending"

Also known as pretty cheap and short.

But still, I had a blast.

get it. blast. haha.

-.-

and check out the awesome time warp explosion. wooowooo!

So the actual 4th of July, I had a nice breakfast with a good friend who is back in town. Really nice time seeing her again. Got us some dunkin' donuts. Because America Runs on Dunkin' you know.

After that I watched Public Enemies for the second time with my man.

And let me tell you...

if you haven't watched it yet, get your behind in the nearest theater.

IT IS AWESOME ENOUGH TO WATCH 10+ TIMES.

We left the theater to be greeted by rain.

boo for rain.

at least on the fourth of july.

Picked up juno buno, got him in the holiday spirit and took some adorable pictures of that little runt.

and because I'm a girl of my word, I stayed up til 3 a.m.

friday night and made juno his very own crocheted ball. :)

my boys

God Bless America!
Once the photo shoot ended
we did what we've done for the past three years.
Went to Glencoe Beach for the fireworks.
And let me just say, they blew my high school's show outta the water.
haha, another little joke.

slow shutter speed is funand this is supposed to be a heart out of light graffitii felt sticky after a humid scooter ride there

BAM!
it was so so awesome.
and we had the best spot on the beach.
or so we thought.
i seem to have a slight addiction to funyuns.
anyone else?
probably not.
after all it gives you FANTASTIC onion breath.
sarcasm
the show ended but we stuck around to take
a couple of photos to remember the night by
i think this should be a pantene pro-v advertisement.
boy is my face whited out.i used my lame camera. by this point the people next to us were creeped out and in a hurry to get away.

and doesn't this water look incredible?

like it's mosaic or something.

wow.

i hope you all are having a wonderful weekend

!