The Gold Bug

The Gold Bug in Pasadena is just the greatest kept secret in Old Town. Every time I go in it is like stepping into an alternate world and I'm sucked in by the amazing art and Entomology. I just want to live in this store. I think this is #2 on my favorite stores list (The Paper Source is #1).

Did you know....

You can read the full text of Edgar Allan Poe's, "The Gold Bug" HERE.

Someone please buy me these 3 things :-)

Chalcasoma Atlas

Malaysia

11”x14”

$275

18K Gold & Sterling Silver Lotus Pod Earrings

$550

And this weird seahorse thing with butterfly wings. This is not the actual piece of art but if you go there...it's in the window and it's AMAZING!!!!!!

Crafting Bug

Once the craft bugs bites....it's all over. I have the crafting bug. I've been non-stop with with making different things, totes, scarves, cushions, pillows. My next mountain...a dress. We shall see about that one.

Aren't my puppies just so cute?!?!?!?

This is Nora! She's chihuahua and Italian greyhound.

This was a super easy DIY project and much much cheaper than finding and buying a cushion to match decor and our likes.

Well. With the same fabric that I used for Michelle's tote bag (see last post) from Ikea's Cecilia collection I made a set of cushions for the bench by the window. It looks directly out onto the street so it's definitely a hot spot for our two chihuahua mixes and my cat, Atwood.

This is Elphie (named after Elphaba from the book Wicked). She's chihuahua and we think dachshund.

I found a piece of soft foam at JoAnn's Fabrics that measured 2"x 17"x 15" . This meant that I needed 6 different pieces of fabric to cover all the sides of the foam. I allowed a 1/4" seam allowance. For your custom cushion sizes just add a 1/2" to all your measurements. I also put a zipper in so that the covers can be taken off and washed if they get dirty or a doggie bladder accident happens :-)

Materials:

2- 2.5" tall x 17.5" wide

2- 2.5" tall x 15.5" wide

2- 15.5" tall x 17.5" wide

1- zipper

Sew the zipper on first to one of the 2.5" tall x 17.5" wide sides. Sew on all sides with right sides together to one of the 15.5" tall x 17.5" wide sides. Sew on remaining side. Super super simple. And there you have it! A fabulous custom made cushion. If anyone has questions feel free to send me a message :-)

Happy Crafting

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Totes!

My sister, Michelle, is leaving for Copenhagen, Denmark in a couple of days to present a group project, which you can learn more about at rethinkyourgreen.com . She needed a cute tote bag to carry around when she is site seeing. She found a cute sewing pattern from Lotta Jansdotter's Simple Sewing . The whole project took me just a few hours including cutting the squares out for the pockets and lining.

The fabric I used for this tote was from Ikea from their Cecilia collection just $5.99/yard! Love that place. They have great fabrics there for all sorts of projects.

Great front pocket and side pocket, great for holding water bottles (reusable of course).

Complete with a sewn in key ring holder.

It came out looking great! This project is super simple and just by changing the fabric you can change out the whole look. You can embellish this tote super easy by adding a tassel or a few well placed buttons! Super easy and great for a beginner sewer.

Happy Sewing!

Hot Weenies!

I was recently commissioned to hand craft a pillow that would be an accent to a bedroom. The client wanted the pillow to have printed dachshunds (she has the cutest wiener doggie, Friday) on it in a color to match her master bedroom, a sort of fresh blue green. This is what it ended up looking like and a peek at my processes.

v. Some of the materials that I used.

^. Initial printed design.

v. Testing out what a few sequins would look like.

^. Finished pillow with an invisible zipper.

v. Just look how cute that it on a window sill.

Like I have said plenty of times before. How you present anything, from a gift to a product for a client, it needs to be presented neatly, professionally, and free from errors. As always, it needs to reflect yourself and be creative.

Tord Boontje

I absolutely adore this artist. He is so creative and I love everything that he does. His designs are incredibly intricate and a little bewildering in some cases. I worship his ability to connect nature with his art work. Watch this video here.

This is one of my favorite installations called Happy Ever After, Milan 2004 (above photo).

 

The designs are just so damn complicated and freakin' cool!!!

Check out his awesome website here.

One of my own...

Here is a gift that I wrapped for my sister's bf for his birthday. It is wrapped in a soft gold wrapping paper from Pier 1 Imports. I decided to stay toned down with neutral ribbon colors. The actual gift is a box set of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, The Curse of the Golden Flower, and The House of Flying Daggers, and Jet Li's Fearless. So, in keeping with this awesome set I chose three different colored ribbons, gold green, brown, and beige. 

I topped it off with a neutral matching tag that I made myself.

GORGEOUS! (remember...keep it neat and clean.)

 

On the back I made sure that I put my own signature on it in a subtle way.