Make Me

Kit Kat Club

Rubber stampers with a waaaaay back machine may remember Paula Montgomery, Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers and the infamous rubber pit where many an instant friendship was made.

Used to be, back the heyday of the stamping conventions, vendors from all over the globe would show up three times a year at Carson for two days of rubber that had nothing to do with sexual fetishes.  Oh, the times we had!

We traded pins, we referred to each other by what Mary Jo McGraw calls our "clown names" and we spoke a language all our own. 

Those of you who own three or four little rubber stamps and keep them in a tidy little draw some where stored next to one little stamp pad just don't know. Take one of those stamps out. Imagine if you really, really went piss ant crazy and bought like 1,000 more.  Where would you put 'em all?  Look at your stamp now. Turn it over. The stamp part is really just the red rubber, isn't it? Really, if you had a system of a few blocks with some way of sticking the red rubber to them you could store your stamps a lot more efficiently, couldn't you? Oh snap! Wait a minute! You could BUY a lot MORE stamps!

Welcome to the rubber pit, my friend.  The place where your cute little interest becomes a major obsession.

Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers or RBBB had some of the coolest stamps. Even better, the coolest people. Paula is one of those people who remembers your name forever.  Husband Chuck was funny and the RBBB booth was always full of cool things to see and make. You could seriously blow your whole convention wad there if you weren't careful (I made that mistake at convention #1, but really didn't regret it that much.) But the main event was the rubber pit. Like the train at Disneyland, it was the place to sit when you were tired, but you still got to sightsee.

So you sat on the floor and rummage through thousands of unmounted rubber stamps with other diehard stampers and it didn't seem strange at all to hear someone say, "I need the flasher!" or "have you seen the Venus? No! I said VENUS!" or "I've got an extra Magritte! Does anyone need a Magritte?"

It was a sad day when Paula and Chuck announced no more conventions for RBBB. An even sadder day when word came of Chuck's passing.  RBBB stamps are now available through Stamp Francisco who also have a blog, Les Papotages de Stamp Francisco. I beleive I met the owners a few years back when they had acquired Ivory Coast, Fruit Basket Upset and Stamp Francisco. I like that they are keeping my favorite lines alive.  Paula, who has always done amazing collage, started her Kit Club offering all of her kitschy goodness and vintage lovelies in a monthly subscription package. 

Hmmm. Maybe I'll do me some stamping tonight....

Makin' It

I had to make some items for a silent auction last month.  I didn't have a lot of time because I thought the auction was going to be in December as it was last year.  I did some cards and this mirror.  I like the way it came out with the random gold leafing. 

I love these mirrors from Ikea - there's so many things you can do with them.  And the wood grain always makes each one come out differently.  I like using layers of semi-translucent paint.  I think I'm going to complete a few for the upcoming craft fairs I have in December.

The cards were relatively simple, but I think they turned out well (clicky for biggy).

I tried to keep them dance oriented

or not

     

Y'know, I took a lot of classes on really complicated and beautiful techniques for cardmaking, but I really just like the simple pattern/image combo here the best.  I guess it's the closest I come to having a definitive "style".

I didn't get to attend the event this year, so I missed the performances. Here's a little sneak peak:

 

I've got some serious yarn porn to share, but I have to get organized first.  I'm coming along in my quest to purge the crap and simplify my life.  Going through all the crafty stuff is going to take more time than I thought.  I mean, I've got a lot of stuff! I'm hoping to finish a lot of the wayward projects to sell at the craft fair - that would be ideal.

I've started Valpuri in KnitPicks Wool of the Andes.  The cabling is challenging for me and keeps me on my toes (fingertips?) I sized up on the needles to make gauge and I think it's going to turn out well.  I'm hoping to debut it at Thanksgiving. If I were Vera or Jillian, this would be a done deal, but with me....we'll just have to wait and see.

 

I've already messed up the increases, but since I plan on making it a wee bit longer, I think that will be okay.  This is supposed to be the back, but I might make it the front and make the back plainer with just the twisted rope cables.  We'll see.

Kevin N Me

So last Saturday I headed over to Stamping Details to fawn all over Kevin Nakagawa of Stampscapes.  He's got some new stamps and he's also brought back my favorite set he ever did which is the marble Greco-Roman set.  There's new unmounted sets that are really cool like the Butterfly set.  I'm going to have to save up and buy 'em all. 

Here's a picture of me and Kevin.

That bemused look in his eyes?  It's love.  All's I can say is thank goodness that restraining order expired.

Kevin has a very nice, paper loving wife and the cutest little boy ever.  A real climber and stamp-eater, that one.  The demo was great! Kevin gets so much color saturation with just a few tools, it makes me constantly wonder why I have so much stamp stuff!  And all I can say is Kevin is very, very polite...even when his, um, olfactory senses are being assaulted.  One of the, uh, lovely attendees was, um, well, quite, uh, fragrant. 

 

I was a good girl and didn't buy anything but a few sheets of paper and new distress ink pad - Peeled Paint, even though I was certain it was called Old Lettuce.  I like these for layering color on my collages.  You know, the collages I always mean to do, but never get to.

Stampscapes

I've been working on the side.  Creating newsletters for Stamping Details in Poway.  Tonight I just finished up a postcard announcing that my stamping boyfriend is coming to town. 

I have several boyfriends (A girl must, you know).  I have my TV boyfriend (Sanjaya on AI), my coffee boyfriend (the guy who makes my drinks extra special), my assemblage boyfriend (Michael DeMeng - I "squeal" him).  I used to have a parking boyfriend who would let me park downtown for less that the required 8 bucks.  Boyfriends are good.  Now let's get back to my stamping boyfriend.  Kevin Nakagawa of Stampscapes. 

He's going to be at Stamping Details on April 14th and I'm sure my restraining order has expired by now, so I'll just have to go.  I've spent the last half hour just cruising his site and I'm so enthralled by the new cards and designs.  Makes me wanna stamp again.  As soon as I can find my drafting table, that is.  I'm sure it's under there somewhere.  Until then, take a look at the Stampscapes Gallery.

On a completely random note, I was in the bookstore the other day and noticed Cliff Notes for Harry Potter.  We need Cliff Notes for Harry Potter?  I don't know quite what to make of that.... talk amongst yourselves.

Productive

I finished my hat for the Green-hat-along at Get Stitchy, but I forgot to post it before the along ended.  So here it is (insert fanfare here).

I'm ready for St. Patrick's Day now!

I received my Etsy goodies this week:

This wee pincushion comes from Linda over at Craft Apple.  I love it! It's so cute and bright! But I don't want to stick  pins in it, I just want to sit it on my nightstand and poke it every few minutes.

Also got my ginkgo plates by Sumiko. Aren't they adorable?  I've not decided what to use them for yet.  Maybe for jewelry, maybe for soap, maybe for tiny, little meals?  Wee dim sum?

I cleared out my old camera of all the stored photos and found two I've not shared.  First is the yarn Wendy gave me for Christmas.  My first skein of handspun, I believe.  Don't you love her tag?  She carved that with her own two talented hands! It's 172 yards of...okay, here's what the tag says, cuz half of it I don't understand.  "172 yards and 2.5 ounces of 80s merino and tencel 50/50 blend 2-ply, 10wpi ( a light worsted gauge - 18sts/4inches on US7) for Hilari Ford (that's me!!) because she rocks and needs to make more hats." It is so incredibly beautiful - it's got a shimmer to it - that it's a good thing I live alone because I've fondled it in a personal, invasive sort of way more than once. You should buy yourself some of her awesome yarn cuz she rocks and way more than I ever could.  Problem is I don't know what I should make from it.  I think it calls for something more special than a hat.  Any suggestions?

I also have a bad scan of the beautiful Christmas card Stefani sent me this year.  You can't see the stenciling, but trust me it is spot on.  She's so incredibly precise!  I'm awed. I also feel bad because I've not sent her a card even though I've very much intended to.  Forgive me, Stefani?  You can also buy her cards here.  Her detail and color combos make me green with envy.

I've finished some earrings I want to post on Etsy this week.  It was hard getting the photos. Now to write the descriptions and get everything listed - well, that just might take more energy than I have right now.  I love these.  They make me want to learn to blow glass.  I think I got these beads in Arizona.  They have this bead store in one of the malls out there.  Some of the stuff is a bit over-priced, but they have some findings I've only been able to get online.

These I'm having a terrible time getting a good photo of.  This is the best of the lot. Again, I think the glass beads are from the Arizona store.  I picked up a few glass beads there.

I also have these, which are kind of fun.  The little squares are copper and up close you can see a bit of verdigris. 

I might have to redo my Etsy shop.  I'm not doing so well and I think it's a combination of price and originality.  My knits do well in person, but maybe don't translate to the web well.  I'm open to any suggestions you'd like to make for improving the shop.  I know I have to get better photos/scans and I'm working on that.

And finally, I've finished my tote for the International Tote Exchange.  I can't show the tote because I want to wait until it's been received.  However, here's the sneak peek I posted to the website.  Most curious, no? It was a fun bag to make and I hope the recipient likes it.  It's a nice roomy tote with some interesting details.  I did make a pattern so I can duplicate it if I ever get the energy.

Hit N Run

Just checked out the new stamps from Meer Image. Very cool - I'll write a real post later.

Sites for Sighting

Just a quickie post because I found a couple of cool sites to share!

First is Brenda Marks - lots of great artwork here with book binding, stamping, collage and altered art.

Second is a cool ecard site, Hipster Cards.  I remember visiting them a long time ago, but they only had a few cards available.  Now there's a bunch more, and not a cutesy one in the bunch!

Third, Superhero Designs, has fun jewelry and I am excited to dig into the blog.  Anyway, I love the colors of the necklaces, especially the one called Champagne. 

Fourth is An Altered Journal Journey.  I always say I'm going to do an altered book, but then I don't ever get 'round to doing it.  The pages are so rich - I'm jealous!  I really need to get off my duff and do a book for once and for all. 

But then there's this:

Won't do to show up at the craft show with one lopsided hat and some tangled up fun fur, will it?  And that wool ain't gonna knit itself.....

Stamp Show

Went to the rubber stamp convention in Carson this weekend.  It seems there's been a turnover in the crowd - a lot of new stampers this trip.  It was kind of fun seeing people getting excited over embossing and tri-fold cards, gave a new boost to the more jaded veterans among us who are looking for the Next Best Thing.

After the convention, we popped in to the Art Bar in Santa Ana where DIY Network just happened to be taping for one of their new craft shows.  So look for me on your telly, folks!  All of us eager magazine folks were there and we all got to tape a spot.  Well, except for Kathie who is, apparently, shy.  It was a great fun day.  If you haven't been to the Art Bar....PLEASE check it out!  It is The. Coolest. Place. Ever!

Getting ready to choose my yarn for Branching Out.  Still have to finish the Swing Top - not looking forward to all that crochet edging.  I hate doing edging.

Turtle Press

I was noodling around on the web and found a link to Turtle Press.  I was pleasantly surprised.  I thought Kerrie had closed down the shop.  I've bought at least one of her stamps - a large angel - back when they used to be individually hand carved.  Very cool.  I'll have to get that out soon and play with it again.  It would make cool note cards for my secret Craftster. 

Speaking of which, I got a very cool package in the mail yesterday.  Nifty jewelry.  I have one of the bracelets on today.  I'll post a pic later.

Another Fun Bit From the Stamp Show

Forgot about these cool little cardboard thingies from Studios Blackbird.  You can put a small picture or collage or whatever in the slots and cover with a glass microscope slide - how clever is that?  Of course I HAD to have them. 

Here's a bit of fun:

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well. An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly. You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view. A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary. You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?