Semi-Handmade

Crocheted Go to Market Money Belt

2011-06-29T11:00:00-07:00

I recently came across an interesting and timely article by Lisa Bloom for the Huffington Post. The article is a call for change as it relates to girls, how adults speak to them and thier self-esteem. It is a call for a change in pattern, a large pattern seen in society. "Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells them that looks are more important than anything." - Lisa Bloom Breaking the habit of connecting based on looks is just about as hard as breaking the habit of saying "you are so smart" or "good job"....

Father's Day Mulligan

2011-06-27T14:13:32-07:00

Father's Day 2011 stunk around here, it is that simple. We had a traffic laden drive from San Diego to Los Angeles and a sick 3 year old. So we called a Mulligan and celebrated a bit this past Saturday at a local resort. The evening was one of those that was simple and gracefully unravelled into a full blown event despite (or maybe because of) very little planning- from the exploring before dinner, the actual dinner, the fireside cupcake, the live entertainment and the gorgeous sunset. Hope you all had a nice Father's Day or at least made up...

Flower Girl ~ Semi-Handmade Style

2011-06-21T12:21:40-07:00

One of my nephews was married last weekend. He married the sweetest bride ever! The wedding was done a' la country style and held at an authentic farmhouse. It was a truly memorable gathering and celebration of these childhood sweethearts. Last December when the bride saw on this blog A Few of My Favorite Things Under the Tree she and my sister (the grooms mother) came up with a Semi-Handmade idea for the flower girl dresses. That seed of an idea seems like a long time ago, and then before you know it the weekends festivities were underway just this...

Loose Screws

2011-06-17T07:44:00-07:00

My chaos and loose screws are the topic of discussion over at The MakeShift Revolution during the hilarious 'Reality Project' series. This minister/mother/wife/yogi really is funny - in that smart, witty, clever,downright honest style of humor that I adore.

Bohemian Rhapsody :: A Spring Skirt Tutorial

2011-06-15T15:05:08-07:00

Just a few days left of Spring but with June gloom around these parts I won't expect Summer until well into July. This Semi-Handmade spring skirt truly came from my "need" to work with an interesting yarn I found at Twist (a local yarn store) and the fact that the minute I saw this dusty lavender yarn it reminded me of a vintage fabric that I had stashed (and later made the under skirt from). The yarn that started this all was a cone of Habu Textiles 1/20 Stainless Steel and Silk blend. I was intrigued by the idea of...

Semi-Handmade :: The Return

2011-06-10T16:45:52-07:00

Thanks for waiting... So what does a Part-Time Hybrid Mother actually do on a six month sabbatical? Believe me, I ask myself this question to. To begin, I... Surgically fixed an umbilical hernia and diastasis, I did not personally fix it but I had a great surgeon do it- wow, it is nice to have core muscles connecting again and my intestines in their place at all times We moved the 'family bed' out of the master bedroom, and back in and back out AGAIN I made arrangements for a vasectomy and gave away our nursery furniture, despite the umbilical...

Closed for Remodeling

2011-01-17T09:00:00-08:00

Excuse the mess. Semi-Handmade will temporarily be closed for remodeling. I am taking some time (maybe a week, maybe five) to focus on my personal health. Nothing serious, just need to take better care of my body and soul in many ways. Consider it a sabbatical. Some time to reallocate, reconsider, remodel and put a few things in something closer to "order". I will be back- better than before.

Corners (Part Seven) ~ In the Bedroom

2011-01-11T10:49:54-08:00

The corners of our homes are all woven spaces of emotion, history, love, personal style, art and living. Corners of our homes tell stories, really they do. This is true of every corner that I have shared with you here to date. Today I share with you a corner that is an intricate lace, complete with fine details, beadwork and woven together with thought, love and attention to details (in this case the details of our needs). This is how this story began. When it was obvious that the angst I had over my newborn baby girl rolling off our...

Holiday Memories

2011-01-03T15:07:27-08:00

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of Holiday Moments, now Memories. I am sure this is true for you too. Happy New Year wishes to All!

Peace ~ Rejoicing in the Big & the Small

2010-12-23T09:00:00-08:00

To Match or Not to Match ~ The Von Trapp Dilemma

2010-12-21T09:00:00-08:00

"To understand this non-seperation is to rejoice in the happiness of others and share in thier suffering, all the while feeling the joy of our oneness, our connectedness. Our concept of a self, seperate from others, is a delusion, but we can't see our way out of this misconception until we awaken." - Sarah Napthali in Buddhism for Mothers Author and older sister, Lori, and author's mother, Sue. Circa 1976. Matchy robes sewn by Sue. As opportunites arise this season to 'dress up' a bit I have been pondering about matchy- matchy clothes. Is this a way to become ONE,...

More Favorite Things ~ Under the Tree in 2010

2010-12-18T10:12:00-08:00

Under the tree CJ will find what he has been talking about for weeks - skateboard pants! They are complete. They may look basic to you but "oh boy, these pants have been a BIG topic!"CJ has been asking for skateboard pants for some time now. With some searching the fabric was found on etsy but was ultimately printed custom by spoonflower. (close up of the fabric on the pocket) And because he has grown 5 inches in one year the boy will get a trio of pants. These are the pants he lives in. This is the pattern that...