January 2009

You are currently browsing the monthly archive for January 2009.

I “Heart” This

January 25, 2009 in creating, patterns, sewing, Things I Love | 1 comment

I know I’m cheesy. I keep looking at the Improv comedy class listings, but there aren’t any classes in the foreseeable future. Bummer.

Here’s the heart I referred to in my previous post. It has a place on our mantle with other things that are special to us.  I LOVE having a mantle! This is our first place with a mantle. 100_0491

And because it looks like I’ve always been Type A. Here’s the back. Yep, I dated it. Looks like I’ve held on to this for the past 15 years! I’m not looking to give it up anytime soon.

100_0492

In other news, I’m working on my skirt draft from back in November. I’m going to do a simple dark denim skirt with a back slit. The preliminary pattern is finished in the back. I just have a few more things to do and then a preliminary mock-up (called a muslin, b/c of the material often used).

Here’s the sketch.

100_0493

It isn’t too dramatic, but I’m realizing that is my style. Simple.

Peace,

Katy

Some of My Favorite Things

January 22, 2009 in cats, family, Musings | No comments

100_0478I took a photo of some of things I’m loving right now. One is coffee. I’ve really come to enjoy making a half-pot of coffee, decaf in the afternoons, and keeping warm with it. I love my iPod touch. I was using Pandora, online radio, on it. Such fun! Most of my songs are Sister Hazel. I have loved them ever sense their song “All For You” came out. The framed image, is actually really thin wood, with wood-burnt etching. My dad traveled to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur in the fall. Somehow, my mom didn’t claim this gift, like she did the sundress I was supposed to get, and it was opened Christmas morning. We got my parents a webcam and were able to get it set up in time for us to open presents pre-church. It was nice, except our router kept crashing.

Here’s another photo.

100_0480It is a heart shaped paper-weight. My dad got it for me. I have no clue where–maybe Russia. I have this fun collection of hearts and other trinkets from my dad. I think my favorite is when we did the melty beads together. He used a square shaped form and made a shape of interlocking hearts in black and red. I’ll share a photo later. I was definitely impressed, and I still have it and display it!

100_0483Eric and I went on a youth retreat last weekend. There were 8 and then 7 kids and 4 and sometimes 5 chaperones. It was so much fun. We were near Santa Cruz and went to the boardwalk for some fun on Saturday afternoon. The weather was amazing–77 degrees in January! We were soaking it up.

Lastly here’s my kitty love for the past few weeks. Sake fencing.

Here is Scotch snoring/purring.

I was excited to get to watch some of the inauguration festivities at school. Though, third graders were being third graders and really weren’t that interested. I’m looking forward to seeing more of Michelle Obama’s clothes. I loved her inauguration day wardrobe, and the clothes of her children. Too cute, and it is nice that J. Crew is fairly accessible to most people.

Peace,

Katy

Catching Up

January 10, 2009 in Blogroll, creating, Musings, Uncategorized | No comments

100_0460

This is how my boys work most of the time. I could not get the photo without Scotch looking like he had some robot-eyes, but you get the idea.

We got new bed linens. The ones I designed!!

100_04671

**Aside–so I never know if I should caption a photo below it or above it. Any suggestions?** Here are the items out of the shipping box. The solid blue fabric pillows are square-shaped so I had to run to Ikea to get innards for them. I’ve never put square, or European, pillows on my bed before. How fancy!

When I got back from the store, Eric had put all the pieces on the bed, including the bedskirt. How sweet! I stuffed the pillows and set up our own little pillow show. I don’t care. I love it. :) Here’s sake inspecting the bedding packaging. Yes, she got out quickly and I put it away.

100_04691

And here is our new bed all set up!!

100_04711Lovely, eh? I’m pleased as punch, myself. I loved my job at Soft Surroundings, and realized I had to wait 3 years for it. So, here’s to finding another awesome job–and the waiting that may be involved.

Have you been following the CPSIA debacle? Kathleen, over at Fashion-Incubator is doing an amazing job of keeping up with this. Especially on Twitter.

Also, the stories on Fashion-Incubator about “how I got my start” are incredibly interesting too.

I hope your weekends are restful and full of fun times!

Peace,

Katy

Proud Mama

January 4, 2009 in Musings, running | 1 comment

Here’s a local news segment on the coolest third grade class ever. I aide in their classroom.

Here’s more information on the organization they are supporting–Blue Planet Run.

I’m proud as a peacock. Hope you enjoy it.

Peace,

Katy ^_^

Catching Up

January 2, 2009 in creating, family, Musings | No comments

So I unpacked our final box today. Yes, we’ve been in our place since August. We had two boxes of books, journals, and albums left. That and my wedding gown and wetsuit were laying out on empty boxes in the garage–thankfully the gown was in a garment bag.

Here is a small selection of some of the journals I’ve used.

These are all full of my musings. I’m looking forward to getting into the habit of writing more regularly again.

Here’s a sketch from high school. A shirt design for a friend. I made it half-way and never finished. It was pretty stinking cool. I’d done all the hard work as far as sewing–just had some hemming left to do. Here’s to doing, not just saying and thinking; here’s to finishing, not just planning or starting; here’s to persevering, not just coming up with an excuse or way out.

Here’s me getting ready to prep my screen for silk screening. I got a screen printing kit for my birthday, yes in October, from Eric. An expert, and dear friend suggested I seal the wood so it’ll last longer. That and seal a small edge around the silk, too. This will keep ink from squishing out at the edges and ruining a design. I’m using “old faithful” Modge Podge. I love this glue/glaze/product. It works for many different projects.

One coat down. I’ll let it dry and see if it needs another.

In other exciting news, I found a posting on craigslist for free, non-credit classes at a community college up in the city. Looks like I’ve found a new way to spend my Saturday afternoons! The first class I’m looking at–lingerie sewing. This’ll help me knock a few things off the ‘ole resolution list!

Peace,

Katy ^_^