Socktopus!

Once in a while I run across craft projects that are so awesome that they completely devour my conscience and stick in my mind for days. In fact, when I came across these adorable socktopuses (socktopi?) on flickr I fell in love:

Oh their stripes, felt eyes, and adorable jersey cotton legs! No wonder I dreamed about making these. I promptly woke up and wondered where I found such cook stray socks for the octopi to realize that I dream crafted them. Rats. Looks like I need to keep my eyes peeled for cute socks like the ones I created in my mind. What do you think? My niece totally needs a flock of socktopi right?

Hoop-tastic!

If you're a long time reader of the blog, you may remember me talking about making an embroidery hoop art wall. I first saw the idea on the purl bee back in September 2010 and after raving about the project to friends finally found some wooden hoops in October of that same year! Wendy found them for me at her neighbourhood thrift shop and we quickly made a trip there to pick some up in a variety of sizes:


All I had left to do was find some swoon worthy fabrics to stretch in my new frames and stick them on the wall! Sounds easy enough right? Apparently not. My extremely picky taste and frugality put fabric finding on the back burner and my lovely wooden hoops never made it up on the walls. *Sigh*

When I moved to Victoria this past September Lindsay and I spotted some craft packages of beautiful printed scraps from The Milkman's Daughter (the sister shop of Smoking Lily). I may have gone overboard (ok, definitely went over...) and bought five packs. It felt like christmas opening up each of the bags to see what bargain gems I had acquired and figured they would work perfectly for my embroidery hoop project. Unfortunately once again the project got put back in the closet as unpacking, organizing, and getting my health under control seemed to take priority. Well - good news! This weekend I finally decided to take the plunge and behold my embroidery hoop covered living room wall:


Oh my am I ever in love! I've spent countless hours humming and hawing over how to cover our mass amounts of bland walls in our condo and the long strip behind the couch was certainly the most difficult. Our extremely limited decorating budget certainly didn't make it any easier but since I already had all the craft supplies waiting in my craft room project, I figured there was no time like the present to get it finished! Hooray! Take another peek from side:


What fun! I didn't want the fabrics to be overly feminine since although I doubt Fraser would complain, I'm sure he'd appreciate a more gender neutral approach to our main living space. I also wanted to go with a slightly asymmetrical layout so it wouldn't feel like I was over thinking it, even though I did go through a few lay outs before I got a composition I was happy with. To top it all off I completed the whole thing while Fraser was out so I got to see his reaction to the embroidery hoop wall when he got home!

The majority of the hoops are the Smoking Lily pieces, although I did use a grey pussy willow print I bought from bookhou at home:


I really love how each hoop looks and the Smoking Lily prints have charming off center composition. This is balanced out with a few patterned and striped prints like the super fun blue mason jar fabric I bought from bespoke uprising!:


The grey maple seeds are probably my favourite of the bunch, but I do have a special place in my heart for horse printed on striped rose cotton. I wanted the largest hoop to have a large print on it to bring in some interest and I think it turned out quite well:


I still have a few large hoops left and loads of scraps so as soon as I find some more smaller wooden hoops I think I'll do a similar spread above our headboard! My weekend thrift shopping trip was pretty unsuccessful (since all the thrift shops here are pretty looked over and ridiculously over priced) so I may have to wait until I head back to Kamloops so I can buy out Cost Savers! Oh well, it took me over a year to complete this first project so I'm sure I can be patient. So what do you think? How do you decorate your walls? Ever tried embroidery hoop art? Any hoops you think I should switch out?

Instagram Photo A Day Challenge!

As I continue to explore new apps on my iPhone, I decided to jump on the Instagram bandwagon. If you aren't sure what Intragram is, not to worry, until a few weeks ago I had no clue either. It is yet another social networking program that allows you to share pictures you take on your iPhone (and then link them onto twitter and facebook)! Sounds easy enough right? Well once installing the app I've been loving checking out my fellow bloggers and crafters (and real life friends') snapshots of their daily activities and commenting on what everyone is up to!

I am also quite excited to be able to take part in some of the blogging world's intagram challenges and figured since February is such a short month it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out! Plus I do love taking pictures and the ease and simplicity of my camera phone makes the challenge all that much more appealing! Check out the list of challenge images Fat Mum Slim set up for everyone for the month:


Doesn't it look like fun? I've been sharing my photos on twitter and thought I'd do a weekly recap here on the blog too! Let's take a peek back at my first four days of the February photo a day challenge.

Day 1 - "your view today" = Fraser cooking us up a delicious meal! Yum!


Day 2 - "Words" = The silly slogan that was written in our neighbourhood watch flyer. Watch out for spam!


Day 3 - "Hands" = the ceramic jewelry stand hand on my dresser. I thought about taking a picture of my own hands but they were pretty beat up and sharpied from a week of work so I figured I'd do for an alternative approach (plus the morning sun shining in is always lovely!)


Day 4 - "Stranger" = A little old man sitting in the sun outside the laundromat. Since Fraser and I live in pretty much a retirement condo old people are at a premium! When I went for a walk Saturday morning I figured I'd be sure to run into someone worth photographing and this guy seemed extra charming. When I showed Fras the pic, he said he is pretty sure he lives in our building too...


Mmm sunshine! I'll have to save today's photo for next week's recap since it is only 7am and I have to wait for 10am to take one! Anyone else taking part in the challenge? What do you think of it?

science lolz

Happy caturday lovely blog readers! I keep telling Fraser how much we need a kitten in our lives. I mean, sure he is very allergic and we aren't actually allowed pets in our building, but think of the blogging possibilities! I could name him Carl, make ridiculous crafted costumes for him he would totally hate, pretend he is our feline child, and pretty much spend my spare time squeeling over his fluffy little belly while following him around with a camera! Sounds like a dream doesn't it? No? Shucks. Oh well, in the mean time we'll stick to some very helpful science themed lol catz:


*Eeee!* So cute!!! I think sticking to the pictures may be best for now. I can get my own dose of fuzz therapy without inflicting allergic reactions and having to deal with the reality of litter boxes, claws on furniture, or an ungodly amount of hair everywhere. What do you think? Don't you just want to pick up convex and concave kitties and snuggle them?

Friday Find: Each To Own

I figured we would start the month off with a bang and feature the lovely etsy shop Each to Own. Why you may wonder? Well it is the month of heart related products and this shop has probably the coolest (and most drool worthy) heart craft I've seen in a while, check it out:


That's right - geometric pattern, sweet colour scheme, and heart jewelry? Sounds like this handmade wonder is a triple win in my books! I'm in love! If you aren't into hearts you can always get the same geometric print on a bunny or dear too. Heck, if you're not digging the blocks of colour you can always go for the realistic prints or polka dots! Ah! So many choices! What do you think? Have you got any heart-felt gifts for your valentine yet?

Bloomin'

Christmas may have been months ago, but *shhh*, please don't tell my xmas cactus since he's finally decided to re-bloom! My never ending battle of attempting to keep plants alive continues and I am so happy to announce progress in the pink blossom department! Just check out those bright pops of fuchsia:


Oh ho ho! What a proud parent I am! The shorter days and less sunlight has done wonders for this little guy and has finally started to blossom. It's been a bit of a rocky road with this one since I seem to constantly completely neglect him (and then he withers and droops) and then once I finally get around to noticing I panic and over water. Yes, I am well aware of my house plant flaws, but maybe one day I will learn!

For now I will enjoy my successes - and hypothesize that this guy's happiness on his post-xmas relocation. He started out on a side table pretty far away from the window and (generally) out of my field of view. Once the decorations came down and the tree was bagged and back in the storage locker, I moved him to the bookshelf were the tree was. Apparently that was a great plan since I paid much more attention to him (and watered him whenever he got mope-y) and gave him a smidge more daylight. Hooray! Sweet happy plant pink reward ensued:


Yay! As you can see there are still a few more blossoms ready to pop before he reaches his full glory like he did last year:


Yippee! Now we just need to fast forward a few decades to when he is (hopefully) still alive and greeting me with winter month blooms! I figure it is yet another step in my gradual transformation into a grandma. I guess I've got a ways to go yet...but at least I have the tea and doilies covered....

February!

Why happy February lovely blog readers! With January flying by at record speed, I am ready for this month to the start with loads of fun and productivity! It is also a month for....asparagus!:


Oh I really like this months vintage food poster (and I love any excuse to eat more asparagus!) Nummers! Since we're on the vintage (and February) topic anyways - check out the amazing downloadable valentines Kate of Scathingly Brilliant shared:


Yup! Vintage cuteness and kittens! Double win! Plus although I am not a strong supporter of singles awareness day (a.k.a. Valentine's), I do like the excuse to make heart themed crafts! Hooray!

I'm happy to announce a new February playlist on the right side bar. I completely skipped updating it last month (if anyone noticed...) since I didn't seem to spend any time in my craft (and thus computer) room. I guess all my visiting and healing means all lap top time for me and since Fraser's lovely portable computer is ancient, it isn't up to date with my current music crushes. I also feel that this month is all about singing with your eyes closed so I selected a few favourites for just such circumstances. Mind you...I rarely need an excuse for that...

As far as other things going on this month, it's my mom's birthday, reading break for Fraser, and (extra exciting!!!) a car load of lovely ladies coming to visit me on the 23rd! Yipee! Friends! I can't wait! What about you? What do you have planned for February?