Life in the Elm City

Babochka, Papillon, Borboleta, Mariposa, Butterfly in progress...

2012-02-25T14:31:00.002-05:00

Trying to come up with proper design for the wings is what is taking the longest. She will be part of our forest series. I see her fluttering over fern and young birch.

Broccoli House

2012-02-01T13:18:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago I came across the cutest clay figures on Etsy. I thought the artist who created them had the sense of aesthetics that I understood and liked. The photos below are the end result of a collaborative work with Broccoli House, an adorable Etsy shop based in New York.

Each figurine measures about 2 inches tall and are handmade by Broccoli House with oven baked or air dried clay. They will soon be available in my shop.

Please, check out her shop, there is a ton of cute things: http://www.etsy.com/shop/BroccoliHouse
Also follow her on Facebook: Broccoli House

2012-01-15T12:24:00.001-05:00

New Project

2011-12-26T11:48:00.001-05:00

All felt doll with hand embroidery. Very easy to make. Patterns and kits coming soon.

Elfin Ornaments

2011-12-14T23:28:00.000-05:00

Fabric Find of the Day

2011-10-22T09:47:00.000-04:00

Joann Fabrics is having a Moonlight Madness sale this week, which I didn't know about until I walked into the store yesterday. Lying there, waiting for me at 60% off was this wonderful fabric. Imagine all the possibilities: scarves, skirts, shirts, dresses, purses...so I went and got 3yds of it. I think I will try to make something "different."

Swirl of Colors

2011-10-05T15:11:00.000-04:00

Onesunnyafternoon Treasury

2011-05-20T10:27:00.002-04:00

Thank you, Onesunnyafternoon for including my Frida Kahlo doll to her treasury.

Summer Fun!

2011-04-24T14:48:00.000-04:00

Tulips

2011-04-21T09:55:00.001-04:00

A short trip to Maryland and Washington DC to get away from this awful chill. It was (mostly) dry, warm and sunny and EVERYTHING was blooming.

A bed of Tulips was what I needed to shoo away the Northeastern winter woes.

Nina Ballerina

2011-04-07T19:31:00.005-04:00

For a long time now I have been torn between my desire to build my teaching career and my desire to pursue something totally different: crafts, photography, design, etc... While lost in this dilemma and fantasizing about the idea of pursuing them all, a teaching opportunity presented itself. Actually, two opportunities. One dealing with little children ages 0-5 and, the second with bigger children ages 18-25. I've accepted them both. I am running the risk of becoming a Jack of all trades, master of none because I really enjoyed my teaching gig and I am pushing forward with my crafts as well.

Nina is what happened while waiting for my phone calls to be returned. Now available here. (NOTE: not the child.)

Dollops

2011-03-27T13:05:00.000-04:00

To be brooches. Definitely inspired by star fairies from Little Twin Stars. I have also been entertaining the thought of making molds of them and producing clay figurines. Got the materials, just waiting for the kids to be at school, as I need to open windows while baking them in the oven. Toxic?

Happy Spring!

2011-03-20T11:44:00.000-04:00

Clivia

Dyche Designs

2011-03-11T12:23:00.001-05:00

Thank you Kathryn of Dyche Designs for adding my "who's been nibbling on my cracker" pin to her treasury. Please check out her blog, her wonderful creations and superb photography. Cheers!

New sketches

2011-02-27T16:51:00.000-05:00

Just mentioning again that drawing is definitely not one of my fortes. That is why I sew instead. I am also visually impaired; I cannot visualize something that is not there, even if I have the most vivid imagination. I needed to come up with some visual that would make creating easier so I doodled the below dolly ideas for my next project.

The next step is to draft pattern and then find the perfect fabric to make them with. I am thinking cotton and not my usual default; felt.

Restoration

2011-01-28T10:25:00.001-05:00

Some vintage toy from my collection that I have been restoring. These are 34 years old and the paint was disgusting. I stripped the old paint with nail polish remover and repainted with acrylic. Not finished yet, needs more work. These belong to 1976 Sanrio's Little Twins Stars collection.

Kokeshi Inspired

2011-01-21T11:56:00.001-05:00

Not the greatest work of art but definitely worth trying. I expect to be making more of these.

New Year's Resolution

2011-01-04T14:20:00.001-05:00

Now that my kitchen is finished, I can focus on my craft again. I has been a crazy few months with the renovation, holidays, shopping, children growing, my mother and brother moving to my neighborhood, the birth of a new niece...life never stops. This year, I hope to be creating more, expanding my shop, getting into shape, eating better, teaching my girls languages and doing house stuff.

Below is my newest embroidery work. To go along with my other puppies.

Circus Week.

2010-12-04T07:53:00.000-05:00

Have a Happy Kawaii Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T16:42:00.000-05:00

Big

2010-11-20T12:10:00.001-05:00

Treasury

2010-11-14T20:55:00.000-05:00

My Sailor Boy made it lovemyhoneybeezzz's treasury. Check out her shop.

Elfin Cupcakes Featured on Treasury

2010-09-20T11:12:00.000-04:00

Thank you NestHavenStudio. To see the actual page, go here.

Etsy Treasury

2010-09-12T18:10:00.004-04:00

My Frida Kahlo doll made it to an Etsy Treasury. Thanks Dobleele.

New Haven Etsy Street Team

2010-09-11T22:12:00.005-04:00

New Haven has finally officially become an Etsy Street Team. Of course, being the good mom that I am, already missed the first party, but I hope to go to the weekly crafting meetings every Thursday. Ok, I lie. There was an article on "Where We Live" on NPR by John Dankosky last week about this whole "Project Storefront" movement which the Etsy team happens to be a part of here in New Haven, and I was really turned off by the amount of bullshit artists have to say about nothing. You can listen to the story here, but I must warn you that you might just be brought to tears at the sheer amount of crap these people have to say about themselves and their work. The worst part was that it was NPR; I lost a little respect for them for broadcasting such crappy story. So that was the real reason I did not go. Can you imagine spending an evening with a whole bunch of boastful self-important New Haveners? And then to have to talk about my wonderful interesting self and my amazing talent and work?

Anyway, on the blog, to the left you can see my Etsy banner. Check it out!