Yarnable Wednesday

I just made up my own word. Wednesdays will be dedicated to all things knitted, chrocheted, and yarned. I have totally fallen in love with the giant knit: knitting together smaller knitted strands to make monstrous and comfy pieces. With that in mind, have you seen these knit stools by Claire Anne O'Brien?

Claire is a textile designer who specializes in knitting. She is originally from Ireland (hence all the lambswool and sheeps wool). She graduated from the Royal College of Art in 2010 with a Masters in Textiles. She also did a Designer Meets Artisan project with Unesco in 2009, where she collaborated with the local women of  Ladakh in the Himalayas, working with them to create knitted products they now make and sell on tourist trekking routes in the region. She makes fantastic furniture and gives back!

Creative Candy: Rosemary Milner

It's time to get a little romantic for a moment and talk about Rosemary Milner's beautiful embroidery, fabric, and wallpaper. Rosemary is an English printed textile designer, recently graduated with honors from the Leeds College of Art. You can visit her website to learn more about her approach.

Her embroidery takes me away to some windblown field in Victorian summer. But somehow her patterns have an updated feel that keeps them fresh and current. I love how she embroiders on vintage items, like doilies and handkerchiefs.

And her textile and wallpaper designs are just as amazing:

I am having a serious crush moment right now....sigh.

Holiday Favorites

Hi Creatives! Did I mention I was moving? Yep. Sadly, this means I won't be able to make a bunch of crafty things until January! I know, I'm sad too. There are still tons of fabulous creators and makers out there to report and give credit to. No worries, I will still be here. I still haven't told my sewing machine, though. Shhhh...

As you can see, over the weekend I found all sorts of inspirational holiday ideas to share with you!

1. Adorable Felt House Decorations by Poopscape

2. Wrapper and Fabric Scrap Wreath by Homelife

3. Ruffled Crepe Paper Streamers and Gift Wrap by Lorajean's Magazine

4. Owl Ornaments by con M de Mujer

Here are some of my other favorites:

Photograph taken by Tobias D. Albert

DIY Recyled Paper Wreath by Green Goody

Yarn Gift-Wrapping Ideas from Martha Stewart Weddings

Sewn Notebook Gift Tags by Pilosale

DIY Paper Candy Pouches by Peppermint Plum

Creative Candy: Crochet Coral Reefs

I had to take a quick moment to feature the Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef: a project started by twin sisters Christine and Margaret Wertheim. Not only have they crocheted their own coral reef that travels the globe, but they've inspired several satellite projects in various communities.

Link: Cal Arts, photograph by Dagnija Griezne of the Latvian Coral Reef

I first discovered the project in the July issue of Australian Vogue Living, where they were highlighting a community of people at RiAus in Adelaide, that had done just that.

Link: Institute for Figuring, Latvian Coral Reef

The sisters are co-founders of the Institute for Figuring, and their project began, as they would put it, "as an experiment in modeling hyperbolic mathematical space." How could you not love that?

Link: Cal Arts, photograph of Hyperbolic Coral Reef at the Smithsonian Institute

See the terrific video on TED to hear straight from the source this terrific idea that has become a global phenomenon.

To my fellow readers in the United States, have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Today I am 30!  I believe this is the age when I start behaving like a serious grown-up! No thank you. I'd rather play and love and not take things too seriously (the brows must be told not to furrow so)! Here's a terrific idea by Jenny at The Sweetest Occasion for DIY Party Animal Candles:

I would swap out the spray paint and use an edible paint to be on the safer side...perhaps a metallic cake paint? But otherwise, I love how exotic these are!

Yarn Mandalas

Crossroads by Jay Mohler

Jay Mohler's Ojos de Dios Yarn Mandalas are so nice I had to share. Visit his Etsy shop at Jaysmandalas.

Finding the Way by Jay Mohler

Open Mind Open Heart by Jay Mohler

Colorful Life by Jay Mohler

Etsy Crush Friday

Now, more than ever, I feel a strong desire to purchase items directly from the talented artists who made them. As a fellow creative who has often been paid far less than her worth, that desire has always been there, but now I feel it even stronger for obvious political reasons. We need to buy more from the source and nurture the arts. We need to take personal responsibility for our communities of artists and fund them directly. When they thrive, we thrive. I am so excited to see this idea flourishing more and more. It is unfortunate that it had to take an economic depression to do so, but I hope it sticks!

1.  Wolf King Card by Hillary Bird, $4.00

2. Mojave: Letterpress Coasters, set of 4 by In Haus Press, $10.00

3. Tree Stump Place Card Holders, set of 4 by Michiko Shimada, $24.00

4. Round Dream Le Striped Solitaire, by Fric De Mentol, $70.00

Check back every Friday for my latest Etsy Crushes.

Have a great weekend!

Thanksgiving Whisk Mobile

I can't believe Thanksgiving is almost here. Well, I can, due to the subliminal messages I've been trying to ignore: namely "sweet potato pie now!" and "pumpkin pie time!". I can't get that spice mix orange out of my head. Anyhow, I thought Thanksgiving was a good time to try out my whisk mobile idea, and now I can use it as our centerpiece!

I started out with a $2.00 whisk I bought at Ikea. They had one with a wooden handle and a loop for hanging at the end, which is perfect. You will need needle nose pliers for this and/or wire cutters. Snip the very center of each "loop".

Bend the branches back and arrange how you like. I put 8 straight out (leaving that nice curve) and then left 4 facing down. I thought of a chandelier and bent the branches accordingly.

Then make loops at the end of each branch.

Now for the decorations! Since there's a cooking theme (there is??), I used parchment paper

and brown paper. Then I mixed in the nice spice orange stationary I had. You'll also need a Fiskar's punch: now punch those babies out! The look like little pies...yum!

String them together using red thread allowing a 3/4 in. space in between...

Then drape your long string on all branches (in the loops you made earlier, remember?)

Time for your center pendant. I know you got excited when you saw that red velvet ribbon!

Use an orange marker or ink pad to print "Thank You" on a white oak tag. Then stitch the edges.

Measure how long you want your "thank you" to dangle inside your mobile, then double it. Insert the ribbon through the hole and hot glue the end to the back of the ribbon. Then tie the ribbon around the handle at let it dangle in the middle.

Now string it up with some of your favorite jute or ribbon and hang where desired!

I don't take credit for the hutch in the distance. We've been living in someone else's home!