easter delight

You can tell it's Spring when the Peeps are gettin' their Spray-Tan on.

Castro Street salon window, San Francisco 2006

quel bazaar!

You're invited to the Bizarre Bazaar in Bar Harbor, Friday & Saturday, Dec 10-11!

I'll be at Spruce + Gussy with my friend Lily (who makes Annandale yarns & handknit goods) and other amazing local artists, all toting our crafty wares from 11-7 on Friday and 10-6 on Saturday.  Goodies to fill your stockings, handmade lovelies for your loved ones, PLUS cookies and drinks!  It takes Maine crafters to make holiday shopping the way it should be, after all.

We can't wait to see you there!

after SPA

Thank you to everyone who visited our booth at NETA's SPA Knit and Spin Weekend in Freeport. We had a fantastic time!

balls of jolly & ornamentinis

We whipped up some stocking for Matt's parents before I left for the holidays. We figured it was about time for us kids to play Santa & them to have a surprise on Christmas morning. Fashioned from holiday tea towels designed by my friend Marcia, her line Swizzlestix has kitschy-cute retro-prints like "balls of jolly" (on the left) and "ornamentini" (on the right). A bit of holiday print calico for the toes and appliqued felt letters for the names, and they're ready to be stuffed with goodies (or coal).

sashiko afternoon

I delightfully spent the afternoon teaching sashiko at a bridal shower today. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon and everyone was gathered around a big table, embroidering, chatting and laughing. Each guest stitched a square or two, and after the sashiko lesson there was a cooking lesson and everyone made a fantastic lunch.

So pretty & so simple. A group of good friends, a little crafting, some delicious food... I can't think of a better way to celebrate. After the sasiko lesson was over, I headed home and stitched up the embroidered squares into a table runner and placemats for the bride.

Thanks for a fantasic afternoon, ladies! I had such fun.

12-hour dress success: congratulations, mr & mrs gauweiler!

Spent last weekend in PA for Matt's best friend's wedding. It was just lovely! I mean, look how freakin' cute they are. We had three days of preparations, celebrations, dining, drinking & dancing by the time it was all over. Plus we spent a lovely last night at the local brewpub with the newlyweds before we all caught planes in the morning (they were off to their honeymoon in Mexico).

Naturally had to make something to wear. The lavender duponi silk I had leftover from sewing some ballgowns for an (apparently high budget!) production of Little Women after college was perfect. In true procrastinator-costumer fashion, I went right ahead and cut it up, using a 70's pattern scored at Thrift Town ($0.69), without seeing if the pattern worked or would fit first. She zipped up beautifully, but the fullness of the skirt had to be adjusted, as the silk stuck out in points - instead of mermaid tail, I had dinosaur tail. (Did I mention the pattern was for knit fabric only?) Finished the alterations and stitched on the closures right before we hopped on the plane to JFK. At least I had finished knitting the little shrug (in mom's hand-dyed silk yarn) last week.



Congratulations, Scott & Carrie!

the graduated dude (congratulations!)

Awh, the little one’s left the nest. My baby brother graduated from High School this weekend, so I got to fly home and visit with the fam.


Westside Monroe, represent!

to Mummsie

Happy Mother's Day!

San Francisco is sunny,
Violets are blue,
I miss my Mummsie,
But I'm coming home soon!

Love, Leah

kindergarden beads

Latest random discovery at Goodwill: the kid's toys section also has baggies of little crafy goodies, like plastic pony beads and wooden painted beads like those you used to string into necklaces in Elementary school. For $.99 each I got two bags stuffed full, cleaned and boxed them up for my friend e*'s 4-year-old daughter to keep her busy at her dad's birthday party tonight. (We got him a Green Zebra book.) But I had to make one chunky wooden bead necklace for myself first.