Feminist Bookmark
International Women’s Day is always a special day for me because I like to spend the day reviewing the last year of my own life through a feminist lens. I also like to spend time remembering all of the women who have fought and died for the freedoms I now enjoy.
This year I spent a good part of the day with my feet up in my design hub (craft room) listening to an awesome interview with Kathy from whipup.net on the Craft Sanity podcast – very inspirational, you should definitely subscribe. And while I got an earful of a wonferfully inspiring conversation I did some stitching.
And made this.
This is for a kit that I’m putting together which will be available for you to buy soon.
In the meantime, or if you have no interest in learning how to cross stitch (pfft) or if you have too many other projects on the go and you really wish you could have this one; this one is for sale. And it comes with a free copy of Hoop-La for a bit of inspiration.
You can buy it here.
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On another note, I think I’m becoming obsessed with the language of spam. Is there any linguists out there studying it? Today I got some spam through this site which complimented me on such a beautiful domain name. I was truly touched.
Some time to breathe
At last spring is within sight in Sweden and after working way too much during the past year I finally can do something else with my time than spending it on a train or at work. I intend to make as much of it as possible before the next job starts. Which basically means sleeping enough, seeing my friends, playing video games, embroider and all those other things I’ve had to put aside more than I want to think about.
So I’ve started by doing a little gardening in miniature. I don’t have a garden or even a balcony, but at least there’s some room in my window. The first plants will be basil, thyme and chilli, in an old box that used to contain chocolate. I’m really looking forward when they start growing!
Mania Meme
Righto so I got tagged for this meme (goodness it’s been a while) to tell 6 things of your life which look like manias or tics, and then pass it to 6 other persons.
So I’ll cheat and take the hint and say that number one would be my amusement of all things poo. I’ll blame my mother who is a raving Winnie the Poo (not the Disney bastardisation) fan.
Number two would probably have to be my obsession with all things cross stitch. I even like getting angry at cross stitch if there’s such a thing. I actually visit mainstream cross stitch websites just to get irate at how ugly most of it is. It helps with my design process I think.
Number three would be my intollerance for people who blatantly fuck the planet up.. I call it eco-rage. Kinda like road rage, in fact it often happens when I’m travelling and I see a Hummer and have to wind down the window and yell ‘planet fucker!’ at them. Lord knows where I get it from. I also like to tell people off when they litter. Especially young boys. I’m like ‘what you expect my kids to pick that up for you?’ grrr
(oh no three to go)
Number four: I like to use brackets a lot. I think it comes from my love of Shakespeare and the fondness I have for asides. Brackets are my own asides. Or it could be my bad writing technique, who knows.
Number five: I am an atrocious procrastinator. This website is a classic example. Just about every post I’ve ever made has been in lieu of me doing something else important. Like right now, I’m supposed to be preparing a radio show, so I’m editing pictures, playing scrabble and blogging instead.
Number six: (shit, shit, writers block) ok I’d probably say that I’m really bossy. I try and get all anarchist on it and curb my bossiness and frame it in an empowering way. But normally when I see someone doing something and I know there’s a better way of doing it, I tend to say so. It gets me in trouble a bit. I’m working on it all the time I promise. I think though that’s where this website came from. I decided there needed to be heaps more radical cross stitch in the world so I’ll keep drumming it into your heads until you all start doing it. OK? (you better or I’ll poke you with my needle).
ok someone else’s turn, I tag: Cross Stitch Ninja – even though it’s still the same website I know we all want to know more about the person behind the mask. And Hammy. And Xavier aka Harry aka Hugh. And Julie. And Torrance. And last but not least Rosa.
Tag youse are it.
Giant Lovely Puppet!
OK so this has been on youtube for a while but I had to share it for those that haven’t seen it. Absolutely gorgeous puppet work. And I agree with the comments on the video post that it is a bit sad. But I just love the fact that such a large team of people have put so much work into this. Sure beats going to war.
Props Rosa
The Onion takes on owls
Oh how I love The Onion.
I also really love owls (it’s my one cutesy indulgence).
So I love, love this tshirt!
It brought tears to my eyes.
Knit, Poo
People who know me know I get really amused by poo. Don’t ask me why. I don’t find farts anywhere near as funny. I’ve even been known to cross stitch a poo or two.
So check how cool this is
But wait there’s more. It’s full of pot pourri! How good is that?
It’s by knitter knitphomaniac. Sorry I can’t find the link to the original post. (props: Whip up).
So speaking of nice smelling things…
I have a wee product I’d like to share with you. I made these a little while ago and I’ve nearly sold them all. I might make some more, not sure yet…
So presenting, the Ninja Wardrobe Scenter!
Lavender-filled
Keep your clothes smelling nice
And protect them from pirates.
I really, like these. They’re heaps of fun to make, although my craft room stinks of lavender. Should I keep making these?
Unfortunately since these are full of lavender I can’t post them overseas so they’re exclusive to the Craft Cartel Market. If you really, really want one, you should be at Section 8 Bar on Monday night!
I have another similar item in the development stage at the mo, stay tuned.
xox
Crafty Confession
OK so next year I’m going to be a bridesmaid (weee!) for two of my best friends. And the bride has decided that since I’m a crafty one that I should be in charge of making things for the bridal party to wear.
EEK!
I have been posted instructions and materials. I need to crochet or knit a neck choker (3.5cmx36cm) and a matching thing for the wrist (3.5cmx16cm). The chocker can tie on, the wrist one can be buttoned.
The materials I have been given are a ball of gold metallic vicscose thread, it’s probably about the same thickness as un-separated embroidery floss. Six gold angel buttons about 2cm across, 1cm high. And a bag of gold 3mm pearl beads.
I’ve also been given a ball of DMC perle 8 in a dusty pink colour. It’s the colour the flower girls are going to be wearing, and the instruction was ‘feel free to make them something or not…’
So, well, bugger.
I don’t know how to knit or crochet. I tried to teach myself to crochet over the summer break. I was armed with books, websites, podcasts, diagrams and photos. I made something, but I don’t know if it was crochet…
So has anyone out there got any tips? Any patterns that might work well? I have a year to figure this out!
xox
A Comic Moment
Hammy had this great little post about his favourite web comics, and George jumped in with some great contributions. I’ve always been a comic fan but I haven’t got into web comics too much. Except Newtown Ghetto Anger (lives on Keith Ng’s blog), which I got into through Salient Magazine. But I had a look at some of them and I think I’m hooked now. These two are my absolute favourites.
Firstly, this is called Indexed and is a series of graphs on index cards. Very simple, very clever, very nice.
This next one is from A Softer World, which is an awesome photographic comic. This one reminded me of a former job I had where I often found myself speaking to the spooks listening in. Y’know, speaking loudly and clearly so they don’t miss anything.
It also reminds me of a echelon key word poem generator I saw online a few years back that was created for jam echelon day. Sorry can’t find it any more.
Anyone else out there got any wonderful favourites?
Mars Attacks!
So while you were all having a good time on New Years Eve the good people of ALF in Oamaru were defending the earth from a Martian attack.
Lucky for you they won.
Lucky for us, someone filmed it.
Continue Reading →
Crafty Decor
OK so the wee one is seriously on the move now. She can get from one end of the house to the other in about 30 seconds. Whew! So we’ve been sorting our barricades to keep her to one area of the house (and prepare her for anti-summit demos). Luckily for us we have the most open plan house in the world so it took a bit of work.
One of the areas we wanted to fence off was too wide for all the baby safety gates you can buy so we decided it would be just as easy to make something. (Take note dad: this is some impressive home handyman stuff!). I was in charge of decorating and used pictures from a couple of old childrens story books.
Presenting the Great Wall of Tara!
And here’s Tara laughing at the thought of how long it will take her to figure out how to climb over it.
