and,

an attempt to grab creativity amidst the chaos.

My paintings always like visitors at www3.telus.net/galen/art



Monday, May 31, 2010

Onesies for Twinsies

These are for Futchie's twins


The second one is a dog house. Without a bone, it's not clear.

And where is the dog? Why isn't the dog home? What's the dog up to?

I thought it would be funny to hide the dog on the butt, smelling the derriere
But this is for a wee twin who will spit up on it twice and then grow.
So, my butt joke is lost in blogland.

I also tried another peasant shirt thinking it would be easier round two.
I really need to follow instructions.
 I'm REALLY not at the improvise stage
Not easier.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Peasant Blouse

First try at the peasant blouse
in theory the easiest thing to make
sigh
so glad i started with a value village bed sheet



For our summer holidays we are visiting family
here, there and somewhere where it will be
"the height of tick season"
ummm ICK
so I'm going to make some large long sleeved flowy stuff
to combat Ticklovin'
again I say
ICK

I better add elastic to the wrists so el Ticko doesn't make tracks.
I'm a Tick virgin
but word on the street is they like the armpit real estate

I refer you to aforementioned
ICK

Thursday, May 27, 2010

It all started innocently enough...

I was hangin' with the mini homies and Penelope the Pig was off to school
but then the 3 year old said she needed a backpack.
 So, rather than put the pig to work
or tell her she could buy her own backpack with some money from her summer job
I said: "Hey, I can make a pig a backpack"



The pig requested Pu's favorite colours, go figure.

But then, all these guys wanted backpacks too...


And suddenly I saw my life flash before my eyes in the mini back pack sweatshop
of my own design
calloused fingers, bloodied tips,
sewing tiny little satchels for monkeys whose arms were stitched to bananas
while my real children played in their own filth


Everyone had very specific requests


Now that the posse is ready for and adventure
I wonder what tomorrow will bring


It's almost always the monkey that starts the trouble.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

My Creative Space

I've been taking care of bidness this week, out of town and helping a family member recooperate
But I also had the chance to collect some antique and vintage linens from my grandparents home






Now the only question is what to do with something so beautiful, old and full of history.


When you're a Frankenstitcher.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Cuffs in Etsy Shop

Made a few new cuffs, gifted a few and made some for my Etsy shop


Each cuff is unique and may vary depending on pattern placement


Saturday, May 15, 2010

A Little Travel Craftiness



I'm about to hit the trails and was mourning the future loss of my sewing machine.
So, I decided I needed something portable to keep me busy
and quiet the mind

So, I thought I'd try a little of this


Not having the first clue I thought I'd purchase a little of this



Only after trying to decode the secret language of crochet I had seven small aneurysms and then yelled over the fence for my crocheting neighbour to defibrillate my consciousness

She then tells me after staring into the Latin that was my instruction manual
that she just makes it up
So I started winging it and got this



This is weirdly addictive.
I don't know what has possessed me, doilies and now crocheting with Tweedlebug tiny mini thread

This could be a cry for help.
No wait,
if this IS the beginning of a miniature downward spiral
I guess I would spell out the word 'help'
in microscopic Barbie eyelashes

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Agent Secret Moolah



Are you all quaking with heartfelt concern because it looks like I've broken my wrist?



It's okay. It's a giant (oversized will definately shrink it next time) wrist cuff.

WHY? (you ask, and well you might)



Because out there in the wild and rough and tumble streets of mommytown, sometimes you forget your cash,
 but your body, cruel task master that she is
  never forgets the necessity of a coffee beverage.

So this way you've got your "I forgot my wallet" secret stash on when you race out the door


You could even buy other things
like sexy underwear, i mean theoretically... 
or in those moments when the 3 year old yells NOOOOOOOOOO really loudly in your ear...

your freedom

then the moment passes and you remember
hey 3 year old...






giraffe a la squeak

 Another of these kidlet toys


And the other side...




It squeaks, it jingles, it's tactile and it's made with love
if it had choclate filling I would eat it.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Rasta Chick

Nu is all about the ribbon these days
So I made a little Rasta ribbon toy




It jingles and changes it's rasta-do with every shake



Now if only it sang a little Marley.



Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Guerrilla Gardening


Wiki says:
Guerrilla gardening is gardening on another person's land without permission. It encompases a very diverse range of people and motivations, from the enthusiastic gardener who spills over their legal boundaries to the highly political gardening who seeks to provoke change through direct action. It has implications for land rights, land reform. The land that is guerrilla gardened is usually abandoned or neglected by its legal owner and the guerrilla gardeners takes it over ("squat") to grow plants. Guerrilla gardeners believe in re-considering land ownership in order to reclaim land from perceived neglect or misuse and assign a new purpose to it.


Some guerrilla gardeners carry out their actions at night, in relative secrecy, to sow and tend a new vegetable patch or flower garden. Some garden at more visible hours to be seen by their community. It has grown into a form of proactive activism or pro-activism




Do it!


Double.


Dawg.


Dare.



You


Rise up and plant things!

Here's the latest flag obsession


Can you guess what it says?




well then!

More alley activism to follow.