and,

an attempt to grab creativity amidst the chaos.

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



Thursday, September 30, 2010

Matchy Match

I tried another top, this time for Pu.

First I sewed the arms on upside down and Pu screamed
It's toooooooo tight!

(I should start putting money away for her future therapy
with all the clothing torture I unwittingly administer)

I blame profound sleep deprivation.

Then I fixed it!


I think I've got it!


I've been playing with the Hipstamatic application for my camera phone
(I can't bring myself to say 'app')

It's so fun!


 Most days she is too.

Today I'm linking to http://www.thetraintocrazy.com/ and strut your stuff

and Creative Spaces

Issues

Things haven't been that craftastic over here lately on the grown up front.

But, the shorties have been fantasticrafting it up.

Today we made our first step into the land of plasticine
A pox on play dough I say!!!
The colours!
The smell!
The texture!!
It says non toxic, and also that it will basically last forever...
The only thing that I know of that is both of those is of course...

cockroaches

elementary my dear reader
Plasticine must be made from cockroaches!

Must google ancient life form called plasticine.

And now with no segue from cockroaches to bread...

Sewed up a quick little bread bag from a tea towel


So yummy home made bread can have a safe place to sleep at night



As if warm bread will make it through the night!

I hatchet you bread!
I stab you!
I bite you!

(Wow I may have just channeled anger and eating issues...)


Sunday, September 26, 2010

A Ramble

I made a little shirt for Nu using this tutorial
Of course, as is my tradition,
I cut lots of corners and botched it.

Luckily, I'm also good with that!


The part I studied the hardest,
really ruminated on...
the part where I stared at the photos in the tutorial
until my eyeballs dried

THAT's the part I did backwards.

It's good I'm not a surgeon.

Then we took the dead Muppet hiking

(for those who are unclear, that's the vest Nu is wearing
NOT my pet name for my shortest child)



The flood pants from last week are so roomy they go anywhere.


Both up things...


AND down.



Nothing like blue blue sky
and sun in the eye

Or contemplating strangeness


or art



in both it's natural and unnatural form


To make weekend adventures a success.




Thursday, September 23, 2010

Birthday Pants

Each time I make something for Pu
I think really, this is for Nu too.

She'll get it eventually.

Now that they are both little, these things don't matter.
But very soon they will start working on concepts like
fairness
equality &
justice.

You know, some of the things you're probably still working on.
I know I am.

Like in all things
everything
is in
the little things.

(sure sure, sometimes the big things count too)

So with a birthday coming up for Nu,
I found myself making her a pair of pants.


Pants she didn't need.


Pants she didn't want


(she's little after all, and pantlessness is really the raison d'etre for the short set)

Because,
every once in a while we should all get something that is just for us.

And although it may look like pants,
it's really love and time


filtered through pants.





Swirly Twirly Scarf

More recycled projects!
This was made from off cuts from my reclaimed t shirt skirts 


I love this spiral scarf from annekata


A terrible snap, but you get the idea.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Pants! More flood please...

So I fixed the flooding issue with the pants.
And then Pu puts on the new pants
And weeps.
"These are tooooo long!!"
She lifts them up to flood length and balefully cries "I want them up here"

So up they go


I added a sash


And stick pockets


Then I made another


stick pockets on the front, much more practical 


and covered buttons, my true love.

I've been lurking around Kootoyoo's Creative Spaces and
I love
that "Pants!" is slang for
  inadequate, displeasing, or of poor quality.

How appropriate for my sewing adventures with pants

I will exclaim it everyday from this day forward.

Today I'm linking to home is where... and fun to craft and Train to Crazy

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Flood pants & lost bracelet

I tried a new pattern but decided to change it up a bit.
By that I mean cut corners to crank it out fast.
Consequently, I forgot some key sizing decisions
And if there is a flood coming

We are ready.


I'll just add a red cuff when the time comes



you know, post flood


Until then, perfect for the dog beach and kicking off the shoes


Pu's been a little worried about things lately.
Mostly coyote's, vikings and
getting lost.
In a light bulb, tree, cloud, bowl of soup etc.

So quick and dirty

this is her getting lost bracelet



Inside are our phone numbers.
Just in case she can't get herself out of the soup.

I wonder if the Kiwi's are awake yet for Creative Space?
I'm also going to Get My Craft On

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Play Tent

The land of felt continues to grow...
(thanks http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/)

This is intended to tie on to our little Ikea igloo

'Cause the Inuit people deserve apple trees and fresh carrots too
Even if it's chilly.


I decided to try and use up some scraps
 so it's just on this side of ugly...
but the apples are attached with velcro for picking
and the carrots come out of their pockets for harvest time



Earl, the chicken, showed up for no particular reason.
Sometimes life is just like that,
the gate crashers can be the most fun.

Oh!
And the best part...


is the wee pocket that holds visitors in the tree.



Here in Nu Pu-town we don't discriminate,
anyone is welcome
porcupines
bears


Whether pigs do or do not fly
it doesn't matter,
they can definitely climb trees.

Besides the felt scrap-vista Pu also 'needed' a treasure pouch
she can wear it around her neck
for the girl on the go.


Instantly stuffed with 'treasures' I was able to use some off cuts from my baskets



Special cards clutched in hand,
tea plate and play dough ball
squirreled away


I love how weird kids are.

Monday, September 13, 2010

Skirtastic

A little walk in the day...


a little swing en route to nowhere


A soft shoe number


and a little twirl adds a spring to her step


with a fun new skirt

(but seriously it's all about those shoes
wish i could take credit)


(one handed self portrait while dog pulls other hand)

this is another (double) t shirt skirt redo

Pu's was made from a sleeve of a man's extra large shirt
and mine from more than a sleeve :)

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Sack it, Purse ?

Yet again the sweet Mayamade.com pattern prevails!


Trying to tread a little lighter,
these are made with recycled burlap coffee sacks.
And cotton, but ikea cotton, so they are a little less evil
and a little more purddddddy
baby steps people.

This is the middle size of a set of nesting baskets
And a perfect size for a little handbag.

grin.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Bad Guys, I've always had a sweet spot

For the bad boy with a heart of gold


The latest addition to our animal farm.



Raccoon, criminal, possibly a Casanova.

Thank you Bobby Dazzler's Make Your Own Misfits!

I'm linking to Under the Table and Dreaming, Funky Junk Interiors
and
 Tatertots and Jello

and of course for fantastic Creative Spaces see Kirsty's

Friday, September 3, 2010

The Genius of the Repurpose

It's no great secret that the well re purposed outfit is cool for the environment.
Less consumerism
less waste
very good.
What I also love is that an innocent piece of frockery, shirtery or such
gets a double life.
I think of it as though an item of clothing
gets to bring with it the tales of yesterday as it gets snipped into the getup of today.
Perhaps even one that tells a tale,
or holds a secret history.

And so this tale begins.
My sweet sweetie has a sweet sister who gives him sweet shirts
Wild shirts.
Weird shirts.
Some wonderful shirts.

These were the kind of shirt that only a sister would give her little brother.
Let me just say
These shirts would NOT help him with the ladies.

One of the finest in the collection


Not only does this shirt have planets on it



Not only does this shirt have planets and galaxies and stars on it



But this freakin' amazingly horrendously beautiful weirdo space shirt...
Is
BEDAZZLED!!!!
Top right of the above shot
that star is a ...dazzle
Oh the 80's!
 How I quake worshipfully in your powerful fashion crimes!!!

A shirt like this should not die
Even if it should be gently mocked
And so,



An innocent little black skirt.
Few know what lies beneath.

Or so I thought.

Funny thing is I sewed this baby up in my poorly lit studio.

It's black right? It won't show through.
Needless to say now when I walk out the door
if someone says "is that your butt or Uranus?"

(insert your favorite butt and planet joke here)

they will be totally justified.

Some of the more emphatic rings and planets DO show through.

Just what every girl wants on her butt.

Does it go without saying that 
 I removed the bedazzle only because it was TOTALLY a bulls eye
where no one wants one?!

Well I've said it, just in case.


I also made a little top out of brand new material.
Just in case.

And now off to a linky party
at  Get Your Craft On