Waiting

Sometimes I feel like I am always waiting for something. For something to happen, for spring, for inspiration to strike, for the opportunity to travel again. I want to seize the day, to take advantage of each moment that is given to me, but sometimes I just lack the motivation. Creativity comes and goes in spurts and stutters, it cannot be forced, and I just have to be okay with that and live in it when it comes. 
Inspiration struck just the other day, and I have been going on a kind of sewing streak. I went to Mozambique in 2008, and came back with a bunch of fabric. I finally took a sheet and did something with it, and this dress is the result. 

I'll Fly Away

The Sartorialist

Such a perfect picture. .  It is inspiration to wear more lipstick.
And this one:  

Ruby June

I have been taking whatever time I can to make little crocheted things from all my yarn scraps, and quite enjoying it. Simply Crochet has been awesome for inspiration, and it has wonderful free patterns and tutorials as well! Here is a peek at some of the things I have made:

While I made my own TeaCup, the inspiration is from One Sheepish Girl's Etsy Shop: Sheepish Knit and Crochet. She has such lovely things. It is people like her and places like Etsy that inspire me to really be creative with the things I make. The only limit is your imagination. 

The Stories We Live

Things have been pretty slow lately, I have kept myself busy by sewing lots of things, and putting together collages and such. I love looking at old pictures of my parents and grandparents, snapshots of stories captured in a moment. 

I picked up some records at a thrift store the other day; I do not have a record player but I have friends who do, and at ten cents a'piece, how can you go wrong? 

I have also been making some jewelry lately, I saw some earrings made of photo negatives a while back and decided to make some. It is really very simple because you can use the sprocket holes instead of punching your own. And they turn out completely unique, totally your own. 

Blast From the Past

The other day I found some amazing old patterns from the 50's for ten cents apiece! I also got this great book of knitted sweater patterns from the 60's. It is in french, and the pictures are just gorgeous. It is really interesting to note how the sizing has changed in fifty years, most of these patterns are size 14, but in today's sizing they would be a 6 or an 8. I am not sure if this was the work of the manufacturer - wanting to make our increasingly obese society feel like they are slimmer than they are, or if there was some other incentive. Either way they are full of beautiful silhouettes, and I cannot wait to find some fabric and start sewing!

I am also working on crocheting a baby blanket, I have all this fine yarn and I want to get better at working with a crochet hook. I do not have anyone in mind to give it to just yet, but I know plenty of people with babies, so we'll see. It is a nice unisex colour at least, and a simple pattern. At some point I plan on making myself an afghan. 

Traipsing Through Europe

Taking inspiration from One Sheepish Girl, I decided to crochet the edges of my map of Europe that I use to mark my travels. I plan to eventually embroider my path in red thread so it stands out better, and to find a better frame. It was our first real blizzard of the winter, so it was the perfect excuse to stay inside and work on this project. 

Things I love.

This is a poem written by a dear friend of mine. I took the picture to enter it in a Modcloth Valentine's Day contest. 


I have a map of Europe that I used to trace my path when I traveled there with my school. I would love to embroider the edges like One Sheepish Girl does with various papers and the like, and then frame it.

Scarves and Falling Snow

This is my first step into the blogging world, welcome!

So I was inspired by Cat from Take Courage and decided to make a 'snood' from her tutorial. It is really easy, and a lovely tutorial.  I could not find the exact yarn that she used, but got a thick roving yarn on sale, so that is just as good. 

I am really happy with how it turned out. 

And since the snow was falling I thought it best to go out into our woods and snap some pics.
It is very warm, and the bright colours can cheer up a cold day.

It was a lot of fun, but I miss my sister, who is usually my partner-in-crime on such photography adventures. She is away at school, and I am here.