you're just jealous

of awesome meds.

2012-01-27T16:05:00.000-08:00

Hawaii gave me a cold. I will forgive it, because it was so great to me otherwise.

Back home, we made a Target run and found this amazing collection of first-aid packets. Each is titled after your problem

"Help I can't sleep"

"Help, I have a headache"

and the like.

BUT my favorite part is that each packet has a quirky little quip on the back. If you see them at the store take a minute to read them... the headache one was my favorite (for obvious reasons.)

Help I have a headache does not contain Red Dye #40. If you enjoy dye, you will have to eat it separately.

this kind of freaks me out

2012-01-25T12:25:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been MIA! After visiting the family for the holidays we went to Hawaii, THEN we got back to a snowstorm and ice storm that took down a few of our trees, and our power for 4 days. I'm still trying to catch up on projects- but I have tons of stuff to share!

I promise to give you something sometime. Meanwhile, watch this magic.

"Goldfish Salvation" Riusuke Fukahori from ICN gallery on Vimeo.

merry and bright.

2011-12-16T18:30:00.000-08:00

Pantone Ornaments

and so am I.

2011-12-13T12:50:00.001-08:00

I love this sketchbook by Danielle Kroll that was featured on Book by Its Cover.

Her wonderful use of color, technique and pattern have just brightened my day.

it's the Holidays again!

2011-12-01T15:12:00.000-08:00

It's the holidays again, and I have some swell cards in the shop that would be perfect to send to all your people.

This is one of the brand new designs, designed cause cardinals are awesome, and I miss them like crazy.

These warm wishes were printed on thick soft paper, handmade in my studio from bits of scrap paper. I absolutely love the texture of the paper, and the way it prints and folds. (Expect more handmade paper cards in the shop!)

Still one of my all-time favorites, I have to admit I prefer the version with the honest sentiment on the inside ("Hope you survive.")

This year I revisited the Joy in Plaid card with cool green and blue ink.

I'm sure one of these would suit you just fine. I'm gonna be sending out millions!

Be Happy and Keep Warm!!

this one's owlsome.

2011-11-30T15:02:00.000-08:00

Owl Lover Calendar

This link courtesy of Rachel.

Thanks, bud!

How Awesome this is!

2011-11-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

What a great idea!

This is the best Recipe Book- and I am very modest.

2011-11-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

No really, I am!

But seriously, I am really excited with how these turned out. The Adobe Reader templates make it easy to make all of your recipes beautiful-- and how great is it to print them out for everyone to see? (Gift for family, check.)

I am going to put up more information and photos on andsothere.com. I hope that everyone will share a recipe or two.

In addition to the springy blues and greens, I designed one in autumn squash colors.

Each book has two options- one with a convenient USB Flash Drive to store all you best recipes, and one without. To buy one for yourself or someone awesome, visit the recipe section of my etsy store, (so there.)

I can't wait to put one together for myself!

I kinda love these....

2011-11-11T16:41:00.001-08:00

http://mariehelenesirois.blogspot.com/2011/10/jean-faucheur.html?zx=a1c0c807ea261caf

sneak peak.

2011-11-11T16:12:00.001-08:00

Here's a sneak peak at what I've been pouring over (no pun intended.)

I live in a beautiful place.

2011-11-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

This is your reward for reading my rant; photos from Crystal Mountain and Mt. Ranier (both within an hour or so of my house.) This place is gorgeous, yo.

Trip on August 21, 2011 with Seri and Marty.

it's a rant.

2011-11-08T12:23:00.000-08:00

There are some blogs I read for no real reason whatsoever. Dooce is one of those, but when I read her story today, I felt the need to rant.

What better place to rant than my own site!?!?

I have been astonished, repeatedly, by poor customer service everywhere. I worked in retail for many years, and still found the energy to smile when someone walked through the door. No really, it wasn't even that hard. You don't have to pester people with service, just look at them, smile, and say something to let them know you see them. There are several place in the area that I actively avoid because as soon as I walk through the door I am glared at. (For my part I try to practice good customer-service service, I smile, make eye contact, and thank them for everything. I don't talk on my cell phone in a small store, and I never use it at a register. When I get flustered at checkout, I make some joke about being all thumbs, and apologize.) There's a serviceable coffee place in Issaquah, for instance, and the girls at the register NEVER SMILE. (This might be a handicap that I am being extremely insensitive to.)

The result of this overwhelming grumpiness is that I am actually AMAZED when I get someone friendly. We fly Akaska Airlines for several reasons; one of them being that the flight attendants actually seem to enjoy their jobs. (I have good stories about a few other Airlines; like the time one of the attendants was seated facing us and spent the whole flight lecturing us on how hard they worked and how all the people on board were spoiled by cheap flights.... etc etc. It was not a pleasant flight as I tried my best not to argue or ask her to stop griping at me. I smiled instead... it hurt.) Ask Patrick how many times I've walked out of a store saying "Well, they were nice!" simply because they tried for a few seconds to be helpful.

Of course, all of this is the result of a loss of courtesy across the board. When Patrick was injured and on crutches (broken hip) we had the displeasure of taking public transportation a few times, including a shuttle from the DFW airport during which NOT ONE PERSON STOOD UP TO LET HIM SIT DOWN. Angry Alison emerged (as tends to happen when you have mistreated one of her people) and passive aggressively glared at the people sitting underneath the "These seats reserved for those with handicaps and the elderly." One rider (also standing) mentioned loudly that "SOMEONE SHOULD GET UP AND LET THAT YOUNG MAN SIT DOWN" and I replied "Thank you for noticing, obviously they do not care to." I may or may not have smacked a few of the sitters accidentally with my suitcase. (It wasn't my fault, I had to deal with them all, and help my husband balance.)

•••

On a brighter and somewhat related note, I'm ready to go full steam towards opening the (so, there.) shop space; which will feature amazing customer service because everyone deserves to be treated well. Inner Alison is super excited- Organized Alison is a little overwhelmed- and Positive-thinking Alison is telling you this as motivation to get it done.

Here're some pretty pictures. Thanks for hanging in!

of these doodles...

2011-10-04T17:45:00.000-07:00

Oh MY GOODNESS!!!!

via - Doodlers Anonymous

I might also need these....

2011-10-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

Some of you might know I'm a little nuts about Andrew Bird. A few months ago I watched his performance on ACL, and I'm dying to see him live now.

Patrick thinks I should get a couple of these custom speakers. What do you think?

I need this....

2011-10-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

Isn't it amazing????~?~?

By Milk Design.

we had a crafty day (in the sense that we were cunning.)

2011-09-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to pack in as many crafty get-togethers as I can into the end of the summer. We had an awesome paper making day a couple of weeks ago (that I forgot to photograph), and last weekend Rachel (of Camp Smartypants) and Kat came over for some more fun.

It's tricky for me to let go of my usual "plan everything to death" tendencies. Rachel and Kat can help with that. We got out a bunch of paper scraps- Rachel made some campfire notebooks, and I bound a few things I lovingly named "Uglybooks". (Handmade paper covers, buttons, and old forms and paper on the inside.)

That was nothing compared to the messy fun of tie-dyeing paper.

The paper dyeing was pretty simple, but only worked on tissue paper (none of the other paper we tried was absorbent enough.)

We used liquid watercolors and water in plastic containers for our dye. (Tried food coloring, but it wasn't as awesome.) We tried combinations of folding, and crumpling with rubber bands to hold it all together. My favorite was folding the tissue into one long strip, and then folding it into triangles. I dipped each corner into a different color and held it in while it absorbed the color.

Here's one Rachel did in Rachel colors.

If you are smart, you will wait for the paper to dry (overnight) before you attempt to unfold it. Otherwise it tears into really colorful fringe.

We were warned by professional-tie-dyer-Rachel that we may never have normal looking hands again.

We were then reassured by professional-child-educator-Kat that the watercolors were for kids, she had no permanently dyed children in her class. (Which is good, because we were a mess, and somehow all had blue marks on our right legs/feet.)

(P did not participate in the crafting; but he was very helpful, and didn't grimace at the mess.)

Here is a good example of why you should let the paper dry some. IT'S SO PRETTY but oh so ragged.

I think we had fun. I stole Rachel's idea and started pasting the pages into a journal. They are a beautiful reminder to not forget about color. I definitely plan to do this again- with more planning and patience this time...

Does anyone have any suggestions for an absorbent paper that might work for this?

it's another cat post.

2011-09-29T16:19:00.000-07:00

Cooper's name at the shelter was "Goofy." We knew we wouldn't keep it (even though we kept Jovi's) because WHO WOULD NAME A CAT GOOFY? That's so mean.

Sometimes it's clear they had more wisdom than we gave them credit for.

It doesn't get much goofier than laying on your back in the sun, with your tongue hanging out.

Jovi brought her "Looking spooky for Halloween" act over to see what I was doing. Cooper punished her for her interest.

of resist dye

2011-09-15T15:21:00.000-07:00

Just saw this wonderful project over at How About Orange.

I think I'm gonna need to get my hands on some of that Inkodye.

I can still tell it's not real

2011-09-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

A recurring theme in my soapbox dialog is computer animated film. Specifically when people try to use computers to make fake things look real. This is one of the reasons I try to limit my attendance at movie theaters. It is literally painful to contain my disdain.

Okay, so I get special effects- but instead of making it over the top, try making it believable. (I keep picturing the floating animals in I Am Legend, which was not the only frustrating thing about that movie. Read the book.) And if you are making a cartoon, MAKE A CARTOON. When you try too hard to make it look "real" all I can do is stare at the details that are just off. (RE: Hair.)

Anyways, to get to the point- check out this eye-blasting wonderful cartoon.

Meet Buck from TeamCerf on Vimeo.

That is all.

I think I may have found my new hobby.

2011-08-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

Here.

these awesome tiles reminded me of some of my awesome friends.

2011-08-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

Awesome.

I just came across these on the Design Crisis blog.

They reminded me of a couple of my very colorful friends... you know who you are.

there's a new bathroom.

2011-08-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

So, I've been pretty absent this summer... as I said, I've been busy dealing with this an that, and this is one of the good thats.

or something...

Our house has a daylight basement that we've turned into our bedroom. It all needs work, but the bathoom was the worst.

A narrow little room, made narrower by the smallest shower cubby that exists. Throw in a low suspended ceiling, leaking fixtures, and bubbled vinyl, and voila! You have a bathroom experience that darkens your every morning.

So we ripped it all apart...

moved the wall to cut into the (massive) utility room, and plopped in some new fixtures.

Fixtures that include a massively long tub.

Now I am actually excited to get up and take a shower in the morning. Yay!

I made envelopes out of stuff I found.

2011-08-15T16:34:00.000-07:00

Tara over at Ephemera has started a great new project called the Elevated Envelope. It's just what it sounds like, a chance to brighten some people's day with an artsy envelope (made by you); and you get cool envelopes back! The theme was "Summer," so I used my summer obsession with handmade paper to my advantage.

I started with a blended concoction...

which included cotton paper scraps, cut off pieces of cover paper, and (of course) junk mail. I did my usual process (blend, screen, roll out, dry) with one big change.

For these envelopes I did some quick-pressing to get plants I could add into the paper. I used the microwave, board and rubber bands to get nice flat pieces I could embed.
When I pulled the screen out of the pulp, I laid a few leaves on top, and gently poured more pulp over them with a spoon. I then went ahead with the rolling and drying process.

(drying.)

A few days later (so I knew it was really dry) I trimmed and scored the paper to fold into an envelope. I decided to stitch the ends together with my sewing machine rather than glue it like a normal envelope. (This was both creativity and laziness on my part.)

(a finished envelope, ready for addressin'.)

I included an extra piece of handmade paper inside of a little story. Some of the pieces were seeded with wildflower seeds. (If you want to add this to your paper, make sure you have really small seeds, and add them before straining your pulp. Don't blend them or try to sprinkle on top.) I put the whole thing together and sealed the flaps.

So now these little envelopes are headed out all over the world. It was an awesome excuse to do my favorite summer things (wander around my yard picking flowers and making paper.)

Now back to the real world.

I can eat anywhere.

2011-08-09T11:56:00.001-07:00

I go through jeans like something someone would go through quickly. Could be that they are my main means of coverage.

Like most everything else in my (hoarder's) life, I try to find a second use for what's left of the denim. I was inspired by this project in Ready Made magazine, and my constant search for a great picnic blanket.

Of course I gave my own spin to the piecing and construction.

I used the quilting from an old heated mattress pad to back it. (Look at all that upcycling!)

Now if things would just settle down enough for a picnic.

of our summer

2011-07-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

So I've been slacking this summer because over here it's as busy as can be; some things are good, some things aren't.

It's what we like to call life, I guess.

We just got back from our anniversary trip to Glacier National Park (an amazing place.) I rushed to put some images up to share at my picture site.

Hope you enjoy!

that I get cool things

2011-07-04T16:13:00.001-07:00

I just put up a short review of the Martha Stewart Score Board over at Adventures in Making. Check it out!

there isn't time enough.

2011-05-10T22:22:00.000-07:00

I'd love to spend some time with these photos... there's so much character.

there's a sharpie for you

2011-05-07T01:22:00.001-07:00

I have got to figure out some way of using personalized sharpies...

wow man. I could do anything.

of all the pretty colors...

2011-05-03T15:21:00.001-07:00

(+ idsgn blog)

This blog post reminded me of something I've been obsessing about lately. I thought I'd share in case it affects you too; and so it's not just Patrick who has to listen. I haven't been able to find much about RED 40's affect on adults, so I feel kinda alone.

So I eat pretty well these days, mostly natural foods and such, but every once in a while I'd like to partake in a little treat of super fake food. You know- cheap chinese, chewing gum, m&ms, ramen. Yum!

Well, recently a couple of those things have started to make me feel pretty gross; specifically my cinnamon gum and m&ms. Just one piece of gum gives me intense stomach cramps, and a serving of m&ms will give me pain and the personality of a bear with a toothache. It's no wonder there are all those sites out there blaming Red 40 for their children's bad behavior. At some point I knew something was wrong and I STILL wanted to smash everyone and everything in sight.

RED 40 is evil, ladies and gentleman.

And boy do I miss it. Patrick and I went down the grocery aisle reading the backs of things, and I'll just sumarize- if it's red, I can't have it. They add red food coloring to fruit juices and a million other things. (ALL my favourite candies, for instance.... goodbye starburst, goodbye skittles.) Add this to my inability to eat anything with aspartame or MSG, and now I'm ruined for almost all processed unhealthy snacks.

Now RED 40 is on the list of things I tell everyone about, I'll add it to my repertoire

"You drink diet drinks? Watch out for migraines. Oh and, good luck finding gum."

"If you feel like your body is shutting down organ-by-organ after eating canned soup or doritos, watch out for MSG... which is in everything."

"Did you break everything in the kitchen? It was probably the coloring in your grape soda."

It makes me really good company; but you should know these things.... right? right?

Thanks for listening, and next time you have a drink with grenadine, a maraschino cherry, or a red starburst please think of me.

Do you have anything you've had to give up?

your books are too new.

2011-04-28T11:18:00.001-07:00

I just started reading a printed copy of this. It's scanned and reprinted from the 1899 edition which means it's full of weirdly printed words.

But hey, you can also download a bunch of old books for free.... if you're into that sort of thing.

http://www.forgottenbooks.org/

and so am !.

2011-04-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

That was a typo, but this artist deserves the exclamation point.

there are leaves in my tea.

2011-04-06T15:36:00.000-07:00

I was thinking today about my tendency to use woodland things in my decorations.

Well, not woodland necessarily, but I only ever have plants or animals in here.

For instance, this piece that's in my bathroom now...

Here's the entry to the house...

Here's the awesome Anthropologie hook my sis-in-law got for the bedroom...

Just picked up this shower curtain to replace one covered in a leaf design...
and boy oh boy would I love this....

(the shelf, not the smug designer.)

But, is there anything other than plants and animals? Anything?

What do you put in your house?

of calm seas.

2011-03-30T17:51:00.000-07:00

More eye candy...

and so am I.

2011-03-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

This blog is always awesome, but this is amazing.

and there are some new ways to say...

2011-03-28T14:34:00.001-07:00

Along with the FlipOver agendas, I have added some new cards to the shop. So now there are a few new ways to say...

I'm super glad you were born.

It's your day; don't let anyone tell you differently.

You're super special, and I like that.

(PS- This card is super special too. The paper for the card was made by my two hands out of junk mail and other saved packing paper. It's 100% post consumer.)

I hope you like them. I'm going to be making some notecards out of more handmade paper- this time it has wildflower seeds!

and now you can get organized

2011-03-23T14:09:00.000-07:00

I'm gonna go ahead and admit I designed the FlipOver planner for myself. I added some features for the rest of you, and I think it's awesome.

I've included all the real details on a feature page on the (so, there.) website. They're available for purchase on my etsy shop now.
But here's some bonus information for you- I've been using these planners for months now (in various forms) and they're super durable and usable. I've started using the blank book instead of my usual moleskine, and so I have everything in one neat bundle. I've started a bunch of lists in the Notes book- a list of mending that needs to be done, for example.

Basically, I'm proud of them and I like using them, I'm sure you would too.

Also, here's a big bonus- Buying these booklets means that as you use them you can let me know what would make them work better for you. Beat that!

If you want to buy more than one type of book, let me know and I'll put together a custom package for you.

of cat naps. I know I am.

2011-03-14T14:22:00.000-07:00

The key to getting your cats to do something you want (for example, sleeping adorably in wooden boxes) is not telling them about it.

Success!

of Doyald Young

2011-03-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

At some point in college, I wandered into an AIGA event happening in the UT Art Building. It was free, and it was about design, so I decided to go. The following lecture amazed me and gave me a new zeal for typography and design. I have cherished and dog-eared my copy "The Art of the Letter" which was published by Smart Papers, and handed out freely at the lecture.

Doyald Young's lecture showed us that he was still enthusiastic about design, despite a long and prolific career. He spoke to the filled auditorium like he was addressing a classroom, and it was a life changing experience. I can only imagine how his students felt.

I am remembering all this now as I read that Doyald Young passed away yesterday. I am so glad that I got the chance to hear him speak, and to catch a little of his passion for the letter.

The MyFonts blog directed me to this article, which includes a collection of his most famous work. Check it out.

of the new gallery at (so, there.)

2011-02-24T12:05:00.000-08:00

and guess what time it is.

2011-02-01T19:01:00.000-08:00

I'll give you a hint...

It's time to send out some Valentines.

(isn't that packing tape perfect?)

I'm working on a planner.

2011-01-28T19:16:00.000-08:00

I've been working on a new planner design made of seperate month books that connect together, but I need some help. Slip on over to the Adventures in Making blog to look at what I have so far.

Any help is appreciated.

shadows are cool

2011-01-28T10:54:00.001-08:00

Just look at this artist on Le Zebra Bleu.

Cooper got some awesome Pom-poms, and he's not even a cheerleader.

2011-01-18T18:53:00.000-08:00

Kat came over last weekend and we had a spontaneous craft evening, making pom-pom toys for Cooper. They're super easy to make, and a great silly adventure.

Oh, and don't forget, there's even more awesomeness over at Adventures in Making.

I can make paper OUT. OF. PAPER.

2011-01-12T18:55:00.000-08:00

I finally did it - made the paper leap when Rachel came over for a crafty retreat. You can find documentation of my Adventure here.*

I have big plans for the outcome, but you'll have to wait and see...

*I should warn you, before you attempt this yourself, that now I look at everything differently. I've been thinking of stealing flower petals, and I have been stealing the recycling.

it was the best xmas gift ever.

2011-01-12T16:39:00.000-08:00

So, I'm sitting on the denim slipcovered sofa in my mother's house when my step-dad (Dave) picks up a smallish wrapped box and sets it gently in my lap.
I say gently, but I'm not sure that it can be used accurately describe the pure heft of the box (which was, as I said "smallish").

Of course I knew it could contain only one of two things
1) Gold Bricks
2) Lead.

Guess which one I was more excited about?

Sure enough the box contained what appears to be two typefaces, 24pt, and various other bits and pieces.

The strange part; it came out of the garage. My Dad had acquired it, at some point, to melt down for potentially nefarious purposes. My mother stepped in and stopped him from committing this crime against type.

Nearly 20 years later, and it is my legacy, along with a handful of various woodtype characters that came from... the garage.

I told her – "You find a letterpress in there, you let me know."

Here I am beginning to sort it, in a slide box, at the craft retreat. (Photos by Rachel.)

Oh, btw, taking a box of lead type through airport security is a hoot and a half.

it's 2011...

2011-01-03T22:11:00.000-08:00

(Photo to come... I hope.)

To jump on the bandwagon, here are my New Year's hopes and dreams...

• Buy more, from people who make stuff.

I've always been a sort of frugal shopper, which meant I bought a lot... of stuff... at target... on clearance. Much of it has gone straight to Goodwill. As a craftsperson, this is a habit (read: lifestyle) that I must break in order to live with myself.

PS: anyone know where I can get a nice gray cotton scarf and some skirts?

• Make everything exercise.

I mean, it can be right? Papermaking can be lunges (I learned tonight) and I can get more steps into my day by making more trips down the length of Parkside. More to do, means less time to focus on keeping healthy... and that is me you see working my quads in the grocery line.

• Make more out of everything.

Make more of my time, make more stuff, make more blog posts, make meals last longer, make everyday happier.

• Embrace spring/summer with reckless abandon.

Me and this weather got to figure out some sort of way to get along. My requests for extended and plentiful warmth have gone unheeded. If this keeps up, there will be consequences.

Consequences!

But at the same time, I am going to be outside, moving, dancing, biking, hiking, dreaming, as long as the weather holds... you just watch me.

• Remember every day how fantastically luck I am to be in a beautiful part of the world and have great friends (a group in which my sister and husband firmly belong), great family, and an enviable life.

(You're just jealous.)

I can get ink off my hands...

2010-12-17T13:46:00.001-08:00

I discovered something amazing the other day that I thought I'd share.

Sometimes in the course of printing I make some silly mistake and get ink on my hands. Those of you who have worked with letterpress ink, or other similar messes, know that it is difficult to clean up off your skin. I have, in the past, thrown caution to the wind and used California Wash... but I get the feeling that it's not such a good idea.

Enter, Witch Hazel. I use it on my face nightly, and the other day I had the idea to try it on the ink on my hands. It worked! Not as well as the toxic cleaners, but it worked!

it was an adventure indeed.

2010-12-02T21:12:00.000-08:00

So that, my friends, is a close-up of a messy experiment. Inspired by my dear friend Rachel and her creations, I decided to try out a non-consistent color for the AIM business cards. (This basically involved slopping a very small amount of contrasting color on the ink disk repeatedly.)

Here you can see the mottled color on the roller, and the plate I used to make the cards. It was more fun than I can express, and the whole experience was exactly what the Adventures in Making blog is all about.

However, in typical Alison fashion, I bit off more than I could chew, and decided to duplex each card individually. (I will not be doing this again.)

But at last, ta da. A fun card for what I hope will be a fun (and useful) blog. (Each card is unique and backed with one of three bright colors. I hope to do the same in other color combos when I go back to the press.)

Oh, and while I have your attention- I'm giving free greeting cards to contributors over at AIM.

having a little joy in plaid

2010-11-29T15:05:00.001-08:00

Another new addition to the store!

and here come the Holidays...

2010-11-27T20:41:00.000-08:00

I've finally got my first holiday card design up on the (so, there.) etsy shop. Go take a look.

PS- don't be scared, I know it's awful serious... I made a twisted version-- you'll see it soon.

I got distracted...

2010-10-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

I've been working like mad to break this holiday writer's block... but I got distracted.

I need to spend some more time on this amazing typography.

2010-10-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

http://www.bantjes.com/

of this awesome lego/letterpress idea

2010-10-14T17:22:00.001-07:00

Check this out, no, seriously.

My Name is Alison, and I am a Sharpie Addict.

2010-10-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

I just bought a set of Sharpie Liquid Pencils- the result was not fantastic, and I put a little review over at Adventures in Making.

Despite this little misstep on their part, Sharpies will always have a special place in my heart.

It was only recently I realized that not everyone had a large collection of these permanent markers. My mom's purse always held at least a few colors, which were out-of-bounds without adult supervision. (This did not keep me from drawing all over myself with them when no one was looking.) One of the first things I bought when I went away to college was my own set. I have increased an replaced the collection as time has gone on.

It's a secret pleasure.

Recently I found out one of Patrick's cousins works for the company- and he offered me anything I want. I'm trying to find something that I am missing (other than the stainless steel marker) but all I can come up with are things I'd like to see....

• more metallic colors... silver is not enough.

• more grays and pastel colors (for those of us who are afraid of color)

• more purples!

anything you'd like to see?

there's some clubbing going on...

2010-09-14T12:20:00.000-07:00

Check out the beginning of our Adventures in Making craft club.

so play zonk - part 2

2010-08-26T17:49:00.000-07:00

My dearest sister bought me a set of dice for ZONK, and even made a lovely matchbox to fit them. I of course got the box stuck in the door to the game cabinet and had to replace it. I cut pieces of scrap illustration board to make a foldover box.

It's amazing what a little bit of glue and bookcloth can do.

Another great find, these thin adhesive magnets. They are really strong, and perfect to hold the flap of the box down. I put them underneath the bookcloth.

After putting the magnets on, I laid out all the pieces on bookcloth covered in glue.

After I wrapped up all the pieces, I lined the box in some scrap paper left over from the R.

So now, the box closes with a nice magnet, and fits the instruction sheet.

I'm sure I will destroy it accidentally any time now.

so play zonk - part 1

2010-08-26T16:37:00.000-07:00

A while back a friend brought the game ZONK into our weekly game night. It only needs six dice to play, and is fast paced enough to wake us up when it's late.

I've put the instructions below, OR if you want, click on the image above to download a printable pdf (front and back) with instructions tiny enough to fit in with your dice. Give it a try, and I bet you'll like it.

To Play

Each player takes turns throwing six dice. They remove the scoring dice from the original six, and choose whether or not to roll the unscoring dice again. If/when there are no unscoring dice, the player can to roll all six, adding the new  scoring dice. A roll with no scoring dice is a ZONK and ends the players round with no score.

To Begin

All players must score 500+ points in a round without Zonking to get on the board. After, each player chooses when to end their turn,  and their ending score is added to their total.

The End

When a player reaches 9,500+ points, they can not stop rolling till they reach or exceed 10,000 pts. Each remaining player gets one chance to beat that score.

Scoring

• Six of a kind = INSTANT WIN!

• Six dice straight = 2500 pts

• Two triplets = 1500 pts

• Three pairs = 1000 pts

• Three of a kind = # x 100 pts

(Three 1’s = 1000 pts)

• Each 1 = 100 pts

• Each 5 = 50 pts

there's another addition to the adhesive drawer...

2010-08-17T14:22:00.000-07:00

Kat discovered this roll of Duck Tape at Michaels. I had to buy it, although I am out of space in my adhesive drawers (that's right, plural.) Maybe some deserving person will show up one day to claim it...

this is just a distraction.

2010-08-17T14:07:00.000-07:00

Remember that night when we played with the kitten till he was exhausted...

and he started panting, but just couldn't stop playing with the cat-wand?
Well, I think we went too far. I think he's broken...
because today I found him like this.

(Cats are weird.)

we were there for 3 days.

2010-08-16T16:33:00.000-07:00

Day 3 found us at a very overpriced attraction- the Biltmore.

60 dollars does not buy you any pictures of the inside (although you can buy a photo of yourself in there for another tidy sum) so I only have this photo of the front...
and these (illegal) photos of us on the back porch.
There are plans at work behind those smiling eyes. While the Biltmore is a bit overgrown, I have found aspects of the house I would like to work into my future abode.

• A library for instance, could be filled easily. (I would redecorate.)

• A billiard room would be home to games and merry times.

• An indoor pool is a necessity.

• A personal bowling alley might be nice.

• Of course, lets not forget the view. If I even move out of this house, the view is going to have to be spectacular.
(That's what's behind us in the other pictures.) As we were leaving, a thunderstorm moved in, making a fun day even better.
We hid out in the winery (most of the Biltmore grapes are from California, Oregon, and Washington) till the storm passed. When we got back to the hotel room we realized that something had made our hands very large, and we spent a while picking cars off the highway.
Asheville in summary - If I didn't get the point across before, the food was delicious, and vegetarian friendly. The shops were modern and trendy. There are street markets (I bought a neato shirt from circles&squares after spending several minutes trying to pick just one.) The town square was full of electronic music, dreadlocks, and hula hoops. Best of all, it was warm and had proper thunderstorms.

Thumbs up Asheville!

we went to Asheville.

2010-08-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

We got to spend our 6th anniversary at a beautiful wedding in North Carolina. Afterwards, we took a road trip to Asheville.

The trip was gorgeous- like driving through the pass gorgeous. We got sun and rain and everything in between (it was just a couple of hours.)

We checked into our hotel which was right next to the highway, but had great views.

We walked downtown- which unfortunately I don't have any pictures of. There were shops set up along the street, and lots of delicious restaurants. Asheville was like Austin with more trees and older architecture.

On the second day we drove out to the Nantahala to go rafting. I have never done it before, but now I'm hooked.

There are a few pictures of our trip below. You might notice that over the series I *ahem* move into the boat. You can also tell how much we hated the whole thing. (Look at our faces.)

It was a GREAT day.

(another installment tomorrow... and by tomorrow I mean Monday)

we let our inner child out.

2010-08-13T13:51:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to share these for a while. One game-night a friend came up with the genius idea to do sparkler shapes.

(It doesn't seem like a fair fight, sword versus chainsaw.)

of Adventures in Making

2010-08-12T13:10:00.000-07:00

It's alive!

I mean, it's live. My little brain child Adventures in Making is up and ready to fix all your problems.

Meant as a place to go when you're stuck in your creative pursuits, AIM will be full of creative people with different backgrounds who know just what you're going through.

It's just now shaping up, but keep and eye on the site as it all fleshes out...

and here are a few new colors.

2010-07-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

A few more flowery color combinations are up on the (so, there.) etsy shop. They are the result of special requests, I hope you like them too!

Look! a set of five for thanking tons of people.

I am not usually a yellow person, but these sunny colors make me want a lemonade and a hammock.

I've added a couple of "thinking of you" cards to the flowery group. The yellow is perfect for wishing someone a quick recovery.

this reminds me of me.

2010-07-08T15:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.thistothat.com/

that everything is a cat toy.

2010-07-01T17:36:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of "help" as I was getting some new cards ready today. After trying several methods of distraction, I cut a piece of scap cover stock back and forth to create a long springy strip, then taped it to the chair next to me.

Thankfully, I was granted a few moments of relief– till he tore it to pieces.

we followed him all over.

2010-06-28T18:27:00.001-07:00

There are some perks to living in the country.

Like, animal neighbors.

so you should get organized, too.

2010-06-28T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I ran out of calendar sheets a couple of weeks ago, and I thought I'd design a new one. This one has a space for the month, and for the day number (so you can plan ahead.)

This time I used my nifty super stapler to staple all across the top. ($10 clearance find at Office Depot.) After everything was stapled, I cut the edges down with my paper cutter.

There are three color choices, spring green, turquoise and teal, and black and white. Click below to download the .pdf files. I hope you use them as much as I do!

I went to one of the weirdest places...

2010-06-24T18:39:00.000-07:00

I am going to go ahead and say that Greenfield Village near Detroit is one of the weirdest places I've ever been. Patrick and I stopped by on our way out of town... and... yeah.

It basically consists of a lot of historical buildings and houses that were purchased and transplanted from their original locations to a perfectly manicured town. There are cottages, plantations, factories, slave quarters, cabins, offices and more. It has everything Edison related, down to a boarding house he used for his workers (all of the lightbulbs in the place are old fashioned.) It had the Wright brothers' house and shop.

Do you see how creepy?

Anyways, they also had a printing shop, and we took a few pictures. (They're lucky that pictures are all I took... some of that equipment was yummy.)

The also has Noah Webster's house, and a bunch of old school texts. I love old books, the typography is so quirky.

Anyways, go if you ever get the chance, because it's actually kind of neat to see so many places all in one location.

Neat, and disturbing.

and guess who else like the couch?

2010-06-22T16:26:00.000-07:00

Cooper Does.
Yes, He's Cooper. As in Alice Cooper, Agent Cooper, Anderson Cooper, Hanging with Mr. Cooper, Cooper Street and let's not forget, Cooper the Pooper.

because I have a kitten.

2010-06-20T11:16:00.001-07:00

I decided to say yes to the mewing of my biological clock, and we have recently acquired this fellow.

I know, he's just hideous. We haven't named him yet- waiting for the right name. I wanted to name him Baskerville...

but it just didn't stick.

He's currently in a room by himself, which the other cats are watching all the time. Should be fun when we introduce everyone.

He is VERY vocal, VERY friendly, and VERY playful. It is difficult to get a good shot.

Anyone have any name suggestions? We've been considering Booth (after david boreanaz on Bones) because Angel is named after "Angel". All suggestions welcome!

**Edited- Acquired is now spelled correctly, and a new photo was added.

we finally finished the sofa.

2010-06-03T15:00:00.001-07:00

Old upholstery is gross... almost too gross for me. We stated by taking the pieces all apart, and removing the dust cloth from the bottom.

c- We found the tag. The company now makes office furniture. While taking the upholstery off we found little bits of avocado green vinyl and a tag giving instructions for the original upholstery. The frame is teak.

d- It took hours to remove all of the staples and padding. We reused as much as we could. This is one half of the seating frame. The two pieces are completely separate and connected by screws to the frame.

The main cause of the sagging seat was a lack of enough springs. We decided to remove the springs altogether and replaced them with a wood base. It makes for a firmer seat, but it will last forever.

g- Here's the wooden base.

h- We put the cotton padding back down on it, as smooth as possible, and covered it with acrylic batting. We wrapped the edges around and stapled it to the back.

i - Did the same to the other side of the frame, and the other half.

j - The main covering pieces were not as complicated as they could have been. Each cover (one for the seat, one for the back) was made of four pieces sewn together to make a partial box. (The tricky back comes later.)

I know you probably wanted to see more of the covering process, but we had our hands full with shaping, staple gunning, and stretching. If you do a project like this yourself, make close notes about how the piece was upholstered in the first place. The professionals know best... really.

Anyways, it just took moments for the cats to be back on the upholstered pieces. I guess that's success?

k - The back portion was maybe the trickiest. We reused the tack-bars from the original. They were evil, dull, and bent but Patrick took care of them.

l - The tack bar had to be pushed into the side of the fabric, which was turned under. The top of this portion was stapled to the top of the piece (turned under) and then the tack bars were nailed in and stapled again at the bottom.

m - The result looked pretty good. I am glad to say we didn't crew anything up too much.

n - The two seat portions were screwed back into the frame and voila...

the cats have a new seat. They will defend it with their laser eyes.

and this is where is now sits, in our little entry way. Now I need a little coffee table....

in the meantime...

2010-06-02T17:12:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, but my sister said "Don't you name it Owlbert," so I had to.

More radio silence over here... for a couple of good reasons. ONE, the weather is horrible and I can't seem to shake the "it should be summer" blues. TWO, I'm assigning myself (and my helper) big projects to get the season rolling.

First project was a little kitchen repaint that Patrick did. (I will reveal what shade of Alisonblue it is soon.)

Second has been to address the reupholstery of this little mid-century gem. The upholstery was necessary because the moment we brought it home it was sat upon and mishapen by the cats. (Can you see the cat imprint?)
Additionally, the upholstery fabric made Jovi do this...
Which seems like the first line of a very sad story.

Anyways, we just have a couple of steps to go to finish the arduous task. Then I'll show you the final piece, and maybe a couple of progress shots.

(BTW, this burgundy fabric is the result of an unwise recovering. Originally, in 1966, it was covered in avocado green vinyl and had 5 lovely buttons on each back cushion.)

even my doodles are weathercentric.

2010-06-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

Where did the sun go?

so lets get to it : Part One

2010-05-21T14:07:00.001-07:00

I am ready to get this Design Mommy thing started... I feel like jumping into it and letting it grow as it grows. This is a community I'm trying to build here, and I'm only going to start with the basics.

Just to refresh you, Design Mommy will be a blog community where people can

• send in questions about materials, tools, processes, etc.

• send in-process artwork/graphics/craft for constructive criticism

• write editorials about the arts, or whatever makes sense

• any other ideas?

to be answered by the blog contributors and anyone out there who feels up the the challenge.

Basic One - We need a name.

Let's not kid ourselves. Design Mommy won't really work for what I have in mind.

I'm brainstorming...

• Art Support

• Take a step back

• Crafty Fixes

• Artful Solutions

• Adventures in Creationing

• Adventures in Making

• Help me, I'm stuck.

I'm not sure anything's really doing it for me, so I need you help to ride this mania-driven creating frenzy.

(Although I'm liking Adventures in Making.... and it spells AIM which is fun...)

I kept my hands busy with this jersey flower.

2010-05-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've been mending, reconstructing, and adjusting clothing a lot lately. Here's an example. I bought this shirt in a darker gray, DIRT CHEAP.

You can tell why, right? It was a great gray color but the little tabs on the shoulder, which are supposed to be... leaves?... look more like loose dragon scales. So I took them off, and was left with all these little jersey petals...

I kinda think it's cute.

of people who remember birthdays with cards.

2010-05-04T17:13:00.001-07:00

I am seldom one of them. Isn't that horrible? Hopefully having a stash of great "Happy (Martha*) Day" cards will help me in the future. You should get your own stash.

The cards come blank, then you get to personalize them. Like this...
Isn't that special? You get to choose pink or blue, and don't forget I'm happy to do a special color for you!
That's the end of the new designs for right now. Hope you liked them! (let me know.)

*example of a super great person I forgot to send a card to. Happy Martha Day!

and there are more cards today!

2010-04-29T17:50:00.000-07:00

Hi again! Here are the new designs I listed on the (so, there.) etsy shop today. Click on the photos to go to each listing and see the clever things I had to say. (*cough cough*)

because I Give a Hoot

2010-04-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

Spring is definitely in the air, and in my new card designs.

First there is the blue-green combination of my owly card, "Because I Give a Hoot." Perfect for anyone, or anything you care about. (Shop for it here.)

Then there's a sweet little pink blossom thank-you that was much inspired by all of the beautiful blooming fruit trees. (Including the apple tree right outside the door.)

The last card (today) is for that occasion when you know that words are not enough. (Find it here.)

There are a few more designs, and more color combinations coming... just you wait and see.

of me, dressing up.

2010-04-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

It's wedding season, and I've got two all queued up. Those of you who know me know that my typical wardrobe ranges from plain jeans and a black shirt, to plain jeans and a slightly less black shirt.

Well, things they are a-changing. While I'm at home I often wear long flowy hippie dresses and skirts, but I really want to dress like Chuck.
I got two dresses that are as close to her style (styling) as I could find... maybe I'll show you sometime.

cause I reuse everything.

2010-04-21T17:56:00.000-07:00

So how am I supposed to balance doing things, making things, and posting about them on this here blog? Well, I made a fridge pad out of all those business envelopes I've been saving, and I made a step-by-step guide if you'd like to try it for yourself.

If I can get it perfected, I might just put it on the shop.

NEXT UP: New cards! (I'll be printing all week.)

this idea came to me last night

2010-03-30T10:15:00.000-07:00

I have a lovely friend who refers to me as "Design Mommy" because I am full of (constructive) criticism. We send each other designs and ideas to look over, and questions. I am super lucky to have her as a resource, and I hope I help her out a little too.

Last night, as I was tossing and turning and trying to put my brain to sleep, I was thinking this over. It's a great system, and I think everyone should have access.

So here's the idea, let me know what you think.

"Design Mommy" will be an online group blog where anyone can send a current design, craft, or art project for a constructive review. The submissions can either be made public to the blog (for public review) or more privately to the smaller group of chosen contributors. In addition to project reviews, the contributing bloggers would write about trends that they see (opinion pieces) or anything else that they think of.

I'd really like to know what y'all think, because I hope that you would participate. I think it would be a great opportunity for us to communicate and share what we are doing. It will also be a great opportunity to hone our critical skills (which get rusty when you're mainly working for yourself.)

It's also possible this exists already. Have you seen anything?

it didn't go as planned

2010-03-29T16:53:00.000-07:00

but we made it home eventually, so I thought I'd make it a colorful memory.

I just have a word of advice. When you're out in the woods, don't take a trail that's not included in your trail book. Definitely don't take two, or three.

Do take a cab home when you realize you are in a town miles from where you started.

and speaking of collecting...

2010-03-26T12:42:00.000-07:00

Just found this great blog via Swiss Miss. (Thanks Heidi!)

It's full of photos of collections! She is photographing or drawing a collection a day for the whole of 2010. It's inspiring.
Visit - A Collection a Day. 2010 soon, or you'll have a lot of catching up to do.

Maybe I can use it to curb my own collecting urges.

there's a new book on my wish list

2010-03-25T18:26:00.001-07:00

Another great book featured on Book By Its Cover. Check out the link for more great pictures of the inside... and go here if you want to buy it for me right now.

Really! It's a book about how to make books from all the junk I've been collecting. Really!

this baby has a new look.

2010-03-24T16:06:00.001-07:00

So I finally did it. I changed things up. The blog looks a little more like the shop site.

Tell me what you think about the redesign, and the header image (which will be changing around) and say goodbye to that brat and her cat.

because right now it's about quantity

2010-03-24T13:01:00.001-07:00

Do you ever get distracted by life and forget how good it feels to just sit down and doodle? I've been getting some inspiration from this book, which I used to covet at my old job. P's mom got it for me for Christmas, and I remembered how much I love all the little bits and pieces.

It's nice to be able to translate it into my own thing. (PS - If you want it for yourself, which you should, get it from Borders, it's much cheaper.)

OH! and I'm realizing I need to add something else to my toolbox. I need some REALLY light prisma-color markers. I have the 20% Warm Gray and I love it.

Oh Subtlety.

and, by the way...

2010-03-23T14:15:00.000-07:00

I still can't throw anything away.

2010-03-22T16:18:00.000-07:00

A while back Patrick had the hack-saw out and asked if I wanted anything. I requested some little slices of dowel scraps.

Basically I was still in love with the idea of painting gouache on wood. It's so fun! So I took the little coins, sanded them down and drilled a hole through them.

I have a bunch of IDEAS for them, but I wanted to get one started first. In typical egocentric fashion I used an A from my Rob Roy book.

Then I painted it and some little floral designs around it.

After it dried I outlined it all with a nifty Sharpie Pen.

I'm still not sure what I will do with it... or the rest of them. I should probably varnish or something to protect the surface. Any ideas?

and you might wonder where I've gone.

2010-03-22T16:13:00.000-07:00

Hi! I'm back. Sorry I was gone for so long... lots of little complications. You know. Life got in the way of my blog.

So, I'm here now, and I will try to be around a little more in the future (for my sake as much as yours.) Do you have anything you want to see? (Besides more pictures of my evil kitties.)

& Happy Birthday!

2010-02-19T16:57:00.000-08:00

Here's a sneak peak of my new (so, there.) design. It's printed with vintage wood type, that you can see at the back of this photo.

It was super fun to figure out how to make the letters overlap just right, and the texture of the paper and woodtype just works great!

A good friend recently told me that I needed to describe the paper better, but I just can't figure out how to put it into words! The Cotton Lettra has a thick, plush, almost velvety surface.

This purple and blue card is already on the (so, there.) shop. Get it while it lasts!

I will put up the other color option soon, so keep looking if you're in love with one of these.

If you're interested, here's a couple of pictures of what the woodtype looks like, all clamped together. I cropped it in so you can't see all of the typesetting rules I'm breaking.

it's my bird-day

2010-02-15T18:57:00.000-08:00

Well it's been a pretty great one- I got to hang out with a bunch of friends, went to Carmelita for a fantastic Valentine's dinner, and Patrick's making fresh pasta right now.

I am spoiled.

Jacqui, of Slide Sideways fame, made these delicious red velvet cupcakes... without the red! Kat debuted her awesome tattoo, and I opened my mailbox one day to find this adorable package peeking out.

It seems that Rachel of Camp Smartypants sent me a package so cute that the US Postal Service didn't have the heart to decimate it. This is a first. Inside was an charming little paper birdcage, bird,

and tag.

You can find the basic tutorial here- but of course Rachel added her own flavor.

Did I mention that I now have two great products from Slide Sideways? I've given into tea towels, and can't wait to put up this peaceful print in the guest room.

Not to keep talking about all the things I have (and you don't cause you're not as special as me) but I also got about a book a day from my mom, and now I am up to my ears in Madeline Brent. My dear husband gave me another reason to get nothing done by giving me some devastatingly distracting toys.

Whoah- anyways, in other news, I've got a new card design I will reveal very soon... keep watching.

of this tattoo

2010-02-14T14:10:00.000-08:00

I'm having my sister model the future marking of the (so, there.) society. When I have accomplished world domination everyone will be forced to give their friends, loves, and family (so, there.) cards and products-- and tattoos.

Kat is a heavy sleeper, and has no idea why I asked her to model her legs this morning. Just wait till she looks in a mirror.
Bwahahaha.

You can buy a letterpress card of the exclaim design here.

I don't sell the tattoos... yet.

these are just lovely.

2010-02-09T09:24:00.000-08:00

I need to read more about these...
but...
wow.
(from Cal Lane)

There's More!

2010-02-05T14:31:00.000-08:00

Just put 3 more Love (luuuuuhhhvvvv) cards on the (so, there.) etsy shop. Don't forget to get one for your sweet before Valentines Day!

of this cat toy

2010-02-02T18:12:00.000-08:00

Rachel over at Camp Smartypants is making these awesome catnip hearts. It would be an understatement to say that Jovi is enjoying it-- but of course it's impossible to get a good picture as she thrashes about with it.

She doesn't have them on her etsy shop yet-- but keep an eye open, because they are tons of fun, for cat and spectator alike.

Just don't try to take it away.

it is sweet!

2010-02-02T15:21:00.000-08:00

Two new cards are now available at the (so, there.) etsy shop. One is Jacqui's suggestion of "You're Special"

and the other one... well...

is pretty special itself. Check them out!

psychedelic doodles.

2010-02-02T15:13:00.000-08:00

I think I might be possessed by the spirit of someone colorful. This is my most recent doodle.

I wonder if Kat will use it as a tattoo? (ouch!)

of the winner who is...

2010-01-28T12:16:00.000-08:00

I had a load of fun going through everyone's ideas... and it was really hard to pick! I like that Jacqui's entry left it up to the card giver whether they want to be nice, or mean ("you know what kind of special.") Knowing Jacqui, she just meant it in the nice way.

A couple of the other ones that made me giggle were--- "I'm too sexy for your cat." , "TWSS", "I love you, smelly", "Can I touch your feet?", and of course many of them were super sweet. Thanks for playing! You are all my Valentines!

Make sure to check out my first Valentine offering at my Etsy shop, and be on the looks out for the candy heart cards soon!

there's a giveaway bonus!

2010-01-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

Hey! I have good news! If your witticism is chosen- you will have the option of Pink or Purple for the valentine.

Check out the give-away information and enter often!