March 30th...

Love you... glad we could spend the day together!
(images from (the best trip ever) Tulum 2006)

Thank you for holding that...

I've been collecting pin cushions (in many forms) since I was a girl. At a young age I was subjected to the enormous history of useful objects by my parents who took me to antique show, after yard sale, after auction. These were long days of looking that could only be revived by the promise of a little something for me. I would often pick out sewing items among other things, but the classic tomato and strawberry pin cushion would always catch my eye. In retrospect I think I was drawn to similar objects made unique through their utility. Each one became something unusual though being used without thought, but because it was necessary. Somehow I have always associated that wear with love...

Keeping it all Together

This is a favorite trick in the studio...

When working on something with lots of small parts, I like to continue sewing all the pieces without cutting any of the stings in-between. This makes working on multiple projects with tiny parts a snap and saves me from having to make anything twice. (thanks Jessiena)

On a side note, check out that super cute vintage fabric I found at the Thrift the other day. It washed up like a dream.

I'll be back in touch soon...

I'm going to be away from my email for a few days, so my usual prompt responses will be delayed....

In the interim, there will still be blog posts!

Happy Fist Day of Spring! and correction...

While the flowers in my yard are still buried underground,
things are blooming in the studio!
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Correction!
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Ok, Ok,

So I've been informed my date is all off... it has been Spring since last friday, but since I missed the opportunity to welcome you into spring on the proper day... please take my Belated Happy Spring in it's place!

Unstuffed

Today, I'm working on more bunnies... can't seem to get enough of this pattern. It's great in all different sizes and I can't wait to let you all see how I'm finishing them! The big reveal coming on April 6th.

all is well...

Went to see my midwife and have a quick follow up ultrasound on Monday. The baby was completely hiding and we couldn't get a glimpse of his or her face(it was cold and rainy out)...

I did get the thumbs up from the little one,
which seems like a good sign to me!

thinking spring...

everyone is getting dressed!

Getting ready for a website update is always a long process. There are weeks of planning while I cut pieces out and begin sewing. Just getting the basics underway seems to take forever, but I've finally reached the stage when pieces are getting dressed and ready for the big day. It's such a pleasure to see my early sketches come to fruition and each piece become it's own unique object...

These girls just got dressed today,
but there is still so much more to do!!!

Beautiful Things

My great-grandfather Marion Rich had the most amazing house filled with beautiful things. One of his many hobbies was making cut paper silhouettes of simple animal shapes.

I've always loved this craft, but artist Robert Ryan takes this practice to a whole new place... His beautiful precise pieces balance simple form with complex composition, and are ridiculously lovely. Check out his website to see cut paper pieces, screen prints and his Shop...

Kids....

What will I have?

Three times in the last week, strangers after asking how far along I am, "about six months", have replied "wow, you're going to be big."

Yep, looks that way... and all of this will culminate in a little or not so little being. The anticipation is growing with the size of my belly.

Announcement!

+++++ Welcome Spring Website Update +++++

Monday April 6th at 12noon CST
(1pm Eastern, 11am Mountain, 10am Pacific)

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If you'd like more information about how my website updates work:
check out all the details here.
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Email me with "reminder" in the subject line if you'd like me to send you a note reminding you a day or two before the update.

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While I've been posting in process images here to show off what I'm working on, rest assured (as usual) I won't be preselling any pieces for the update. So, come early and see all the new Goodies here!
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Fabric Joy...

My mother-in-law Jeanne, was kind enough to give me a gift certificate to SuperBuzzy for my birthday. I eagerly shopped for a few goodies I'd been drooling over and in a blink of an eye, the box arrived! I'm so excited about everything I ordered and it was all better than expected (a rarity when shopping online). What shall I make???

1. curtains for the little ones room
2. something pretty
3. something secret for an upcoming birthday
4. the beginnings of a new quilt???

Bon Voyage!

You say Hello, I say Goodbye...

Packing these little one-of-a-kinds cuties up today... they're headed to Bear Paths to find new homes!

Good Luck!

Do you have a lucky charm?

I've been collecting little items of luck for a number of years now (here's a small sample I had on hand this morning)... I think it all started when I was a kid, my mom and I would look for four leaf clovers whenever we went for a walk. I have to say, I got quite good at spotting them.

What else is a Murphy to do?
We have to do something to combat that pesky Murphy's Law.

Spring...

A Minneapolis March...

68 °F and Perfectly Clear.
seriously!

The doors are flung open for the first time this year, and I think all the dirty snow banks have melted. It is amazing to think that just last week it was so cold.... ahhh the joy of the Minnesota March: you never know what you'll get. So for now, I have the doors wide open and I'm enjoying the breeze. Everything is gently blowing in the studio and nothing could make me happier than feeling the sun and the outside air on my skin (without 15 layers).

In the morning...

Is there anything better than a little espresso and steamed milk in the morning? I think I day dream about coffee more now that I'm pregnant and have given up caffeine, but I have to admit it was one of those perfect morning pleasures that would pull me out of bed with it's lure of warm joy. These days I occasionally have a nice decaf in the AM, but I pretty much just stick with my tea. All this is just the prelude to the real purpose of this post. I've been collecting pots by Ayumi Horie for the last 4 years, and now with my cupboard well stocked I have a number of perfect cups to choose from for my morning beverage. While I miss the little dose of caffeine, I still have to smile at the warm pleasure of just holding one of her perfectly imperfect pots in my hands. See all of her work on her website where you can also do some quality shopping.

Half Dressed Fowl

Soooo, this is the other new pattern I've been working on!

(I can't seem to keep a secret for long)

I designed the chick first (you can see the idea in the works in my sketches), and was so pleased with his egg shaped body I decided to see how a duck would turn out. Their legs and getting them to easily stand was a bit of a trick, but after a little finagling they are stable and happily free-standing fowl. I used an amazing vintage thread wrapped wire... I'd never seen anything like it before I found it in a vintage shop a few years ago. It's ridged and once bent stays put, not to mention, it's beautiful. For the duck, I covered the wire (what a shame) with wool felt in order to get proper duck feet. I'm excited about their potential outfits... so back to work. I have to dress a brood.

They are multiplying!

I'm really excited about the new rabbits I've been working on...
Jay stopped by the studio yesterday, while I was working on a few other new things (more info on that later) and he called these brown bunnies: Panda Rabbits. Well, I'm not so sure about that, but the little eye patches are a new trick and I'm liken it! Still not sure how I will finish all three of these, but genius could strike at any moment....

from my sister... just for today

Imagining a cake* full of cute...
*(yellow cake with chocolate frosting, please)

(Celebration Candle Kids from the Small Object)

in progress... and day dreaming of spring

Sketches for new pieces...and hello!................................

A new pattern for a Lookout Bunny...

and more little ones on their way!

burrrrrrrrrr

A Minneapolis March...

3°F and Clear with a Windchill of -20°F
seriously.

Here in Minnesota we are a hearty stock, but let me say it is March... and this sort of cold makes me a little crazy. It's fine in January but it's no longer January. When I walked my dog this morning my hair and scarf froze from my breath just hitting them. Jessie the old dog and I pattered around the block hoping not to fall because just beneath that layer of snow which fell last night, was all of February's melted snow now a solid sheet of ice. We made it with all of our limbs in tact (happy to report none were lost to frost bite) and without slips or falls... just very cold cheeks.

Ohhh well... it is sunny, so why compain?

Inspiration Wall...

My studio is my very own organized mess... To keep it more organized and less of a mess I try to have a place for nearly everything.

While laying out this studio (I moved in about 2 years ago) I took advantage of the massive unused wall space and painted a "frame" on one wall to "hold" all the little bits of inspiration I found out in the world. It's the back drop for my desk, holds notes, torn out scraps from magazines, as well as little prints from artists and vintage bits. It's large enough (about 15'x 6') so I can effortlessly tack anything and everything up without doing too much editing or organizing.

These photos are from about 6 months ago and I love that it looks totally different today. It's an ever changing collage.

I think...

I think I might like the storybook of my life (i'd prefer that to the movie) to be illustrated by Chris Silas Neal...

Good Bye Everyone!

I'm sending the three editions and a few one-of-a-kind pieces I've been working on for the last weeks off to Earth Angels Toys...

Good Bye and Safe Travels!