Sweltering & sewing...

A selection of fabrics I picked up during my last shopping 'spree'... is it really a 'spree' when the only 

thing you buy is 4 yds of fabric for $12? If you're saving $20+, heck yes :)

Now that June's over and July is nicely - if stickily - underway, it's time for me to start working on my craft sale projects.

As I've mentioned before, I'm going to branch out a bit and try to put together some different pieces to offer for sale at a couple of local sales this fall. I've been faithfully keeping scraps of fabric just for these projects so I shouldn't have to actually buy much - if any - fabric to do them up. Of course, that all depends on the pattern I end up using.

My mom's a faithful magazine keeper (and she wonders where I got my pack-ratting traits from...), so there's a chance I'll find something from pre-1980 to try. I've been a fan of TipNut for a while, and their collections of patterns is quite handy, and they just happen to have a list of pincushion patterns... however, I refuse to use anyone else's pattern for profit, unless given permission. But for inspiration? No problem at all.

There are some times, though, where pieces are bound to be copied, if only through either sheer ignorance or there only being a limited number of ways a piece can be made. Completely unique and original ideas shouldn't be copied... but used for inspiration? Why not? Heck, I'd take it as a compliment, if anything.  But that's just me.

Back to the topic at hand... this weekend doesn't look like it's going to be too busy, so I may actually get something done. On my to-do list this weekend:

• finally get a new blog banner designed
• finish up a few pouches that I just keep moving around and around... and around
• list a tote I've had on my desk for almost 2 weeks
• find/design patterns for craft sale pieces

Hope everyone has a good (and safe) weekend... we'll be either sweltering, starting up a mosquito smacking league or building an ark up here :)

Judging the book by it's cover

I like notebooks. Well, more journals than notebooks, but that's beside the point.  If you ask my sister, she'll tell you how much I like journals.

Too much.

I have a stash of notebooks in a plastic tub in our crawlspace for two reasons: 1) I don't have room up here to store 10-15 books like that; and 2) I refuse to use them.

I know I'm not the only person who buys beautiful and unique notebooks and doesn't do a thing with them. I've moved them, looked at them, put them on display... but won't write in them. They're just too... precious, for lack of a better term. I have a lot I could put in them, but nope... just can't do it.

At least until last year.  I have 3 Moleskine Plain Cahier Journals that I picked up on eBay 5 or 6 years ago. It wasn't until I started seriously thinking about what I was going to do as a business that I finally broke down and used one. It wasn't as painful as I thought it was going to be... in fact, it was kind of liberating.

Once I decided what I was going to do for a living (or attempt to do for a living), there was only one notebook I could use.

I can't remember when - or where - I picked this notebook up. The cover is a soothing tan suede that is a bit rough, but I like it. The wraparound tie has broken twice since it became the notebook, but it's still long enough to do up. It sits open well, the binding is almost perfect and it takes ink quite well. (I use a Pilot Hi-Techpoint V7 Grip most of the time - in blue and black; the rest of the time it's whatever ballpoint I can find.) I love this book and should I ever find another one (or 5), I will definitely be picking it up.

Right now, I've got the tan notebook and two of the three Moleskines in use. I try to always have a book in whatever bag I'm carrying, too, for jotting down notes or quick sketches. I'm still working on a system for keeping pens and pencils attached to the books, which I'm hoping ends up as something that is not only functional but marketable. There's also an idea that's been bouncing around for a few days for a mini-messenger bag that would be able to hold a notebook - or even a netbook - some pens and maybe a pocket (or two) for clips or sticky notes...

And they said I wasn't creative in high school... pfft. 

Taking a breath

In the crazy, hectic, nutso life I live, I've apparently decided to sign up for the 2010 lovely package exchange, hosted by oh, hello friend. I haven't got a clue what I'm going to put in my package, but I've already got an idea of how I'll be presenting it :)

Like I said, it's been a little busy here lately. Maddy is into - and on - everything, Keith's working longer shifts on what are usually his days off, the house just seems to be one small step away from being thrown into utter chaos... more or less, this is how it's been for the last 14 months.

I'm a few days away from officially opening my Etsy store. I've got quite a bit of product done with just some final, small details to finish up; the digital side of the store - the banner and avatar - are done, but I still have to get a bio/welcome message/buyer's message done up tonight. If I don't think of something new to sew.

It has to get better

You know that feeling you get when you think you're making progress, and then you find out that no, in fact, you're actually just digging a deep, deep hole that you may never get out of?

That's how I've been feeling for the majority of this week. I thought I was going to be able to start listing my finished product on Etsy this week, but no. No, I have to get working on my business license application for the city before I get nailed with a massive fine. I'm kind of okay with this because it gives me a bit more time to finish up my work, perhaps even throw together a few more things, and get properly organized. On the other hand, grrr... we're a one-income household right now and the sooner I put stuff out there to sell, *hopefully* the sooner I can bring in some extra money.

We're (Keith and I) are trying to see this little/somewhat big setback as a positive. Extra time means better product. Or, at least, I hope so.

---

On a much happier, organized note, I've been a fairly faithful and regular visitor to craftgawker for the last few months. I like ending my day on the computer with their daily updates, seeing if anything can inspire me to create. I especially love to see the photos people have submitted; as an amatuer photographer who is still learning how to use her camera, I like looking at photos that not only inspire me, but also make me happy, for lack of a better term. Maybe not happy in the traditional sense, but a kind of glowy. Yeah, that doesn't really make sense, but you get what I mean.

I'm going to try to take advantage of some of my newly found free time this week and try to set up some kind of easy-to-follow schedule for what I'm trying to do. I know with a 13.5 month old schedules are pretty risky, but I've got a pretty helpful partner in Keith and he wants me to succeed (and be happy) so maybe I will be able to set aside some time every week to filter through overflowing folders and scattered scraps of paper and fabric.

Or not. We'll see.

Sketching the outline

It's been quite a week. Taking care of my daughter, alone for the most part, because Keith was out of town at the Select until late Sunday, was quite the challenge. I've gone through 2-years worth of bonspiels taking care of Maddy, even one last month, but this week was by far the most challenging. She's almost 14 months old and getting into everything... which means I can't leave her alone for more than the few minutes it takes to grab a quick cup of coffee or to run to the washroom. And Saturday, she started to climb over the furniture. Joy.

But this isn't a mommyblog, it's a place where I want to highlight my design inspiration finds and my ongoing attempts at being a designer - graphic or otherwise. I've come around to being borderline-obsessed with design in the last year or so. Even with my close-to-15-years of graphic design, I've never really been analytical towards design. Sure, I know the basics - what the eye likes/dislikes, what looks 'good', simple, easy, basic theory.

But when I was put on medical leave from my job 4 months before i had my daughter, I had a lot of time on my hands. And I put that time to what is now apparently 'good' use by watching a lot of interior design shows. That's where I discovered what I liked and, more importantly - I think, didn't like.

I know I don't like all-white rooms. Or rooms where they take a bizarre joy in painting over beautiful hardwoods. I don't know if it's because I'm the mom of a very active toddler, but I've come to hate any designer who does up a room - knowing there's a small child in the house - full of sharp edges and glass tables. Or white furniture. Or $8,000 rugs.

But beyond that, I've come to really appreciate art deco. I'm a big fan of the cleanliness of the work - using simple geometric shapes and lines, along with strong, simple - but effective - colours. So beautiful. 

(artwork via Art Deco Style)

I've tried working with art deco images in a few projects, but have failed miserably. I don't know if it's a lack of training or if I've just been way too inundated with modern day design (cluttered, clumsy and just bad), but I'd almost rather not attempt to design anything deco-related and make it look like a three-toed-sloth did it (nothing against three-toed sloths).

Over the next few days, I'm hoping to post a lot more frequently - perhaps to make up for missing almost 2 weeks of posts - focusing on what inspires me and what I've done with that inspiration, as limited as I am. Not having formal training or access to a lot of the things that do inspire me - outside of online galleries and resources - makes it slightly difficult to do anything productive with the inspiration I do find. But we all have to work past roadblocks at some point, right? Living in the armpit of Canada is mine :)