Curious Bird

show and tell

Hello there,

Look how spoiled I've been lately when it comes to one of my favorite things:  Mail.  The other day my friend Ellen sent me this groovy plate and several vintage patterns, all of which I'm really excited about trying to make sometime. Jumpers and dresses and funky seventies accessories, oh my!
And then I started receiving lots of gocco swap goodness-- check out all the sweet creations {and there's more on the way}. People really went all out with this swap.  I'm so glad I participated.


The magic doily notecards are made by Erin
Birdcage sweetness is from Traci.
The lovely notebook that came wrapped in beautifully printed linen is from Emily.
The rocking chair print is from Alice.   **Ladies, if I got anything confused, please let me know.

Hope you had a great weekend. Mine was very mellow, but no complaints.
I started a new project with my friend Aimee yesterday. We're just beginning, and we have a loooong way to go, but I'm excited.  Let's just say there's going to be lots of sunday afternoon cutting and piecing around here.

Hope your week is off to a great start.

More soon,

l.

Hello friends,
What a week *deep breath*... I'll just say, I'm so glad it's Friday. I could use a nice weekend to catch my breath.

As of yesterday, some very cool gocco goodies started showing up in my mailbox. I hope to take a few show and tell photos this weekend.
My Toadstool print, along with the prints below {I'll just call them my Spring Maidens}  should be arriving to new homes any day now. As you can probably tell, I had a few ideas I couldn't decide between, so I just went with both. Sometimes it's just easier that way.

Have a nice weekend,
l.

one dozen

Hello.

I finished up my prints for the Mid-Winter Gocco Swap and they're on the way to the post office. It was down to the wire, but I managed to get them out by today's deadline. Can't wait to see what I find in my mailbox in the next few days. I'll show and tell once things start arriving.

The week is off to a good start. I woke up to a freezing eleven degree morning, but after putting on several layers and having a cup of green tea, I settled in for my day. So far, so good.

Have a good monday,
L.

good things. happy things.

Homemade chocolate chip muffins and the fact that substituting yogurt for sour cream really does work.

Dustin's new brain model. He's brainy like that.

A new gocco project I'm having fun working on.

Stay warm,
L.

peace and love to you and yours

Hello there,

I finally found some time to sit down and create my holiday cards {here's a peek at last year's card design}. Dustin voted for blue on blue and I did the drawing, drinking, and goccoing. 

Here are a few more Etsy finds for ya. That place is addictive.

Love tea or tea cups? This print is for you.
If I had a baby...love this.
Pretty is all I can say.
Coffee would taste good in this.

Have fun,
Leya

 

the countdown begins

The christmas gift countdown is in full-swing. I worked this weekend on several gifts.  For example, I finally got around to a little gocco project I'd been planning for a while. I'm all about using cloth napkins, so I thought I would spruce (that might be an unintentional pun) these handmade linen napkins up and pass them along to someone special. I made a matching set of eight and they turned out very nice.  I need to get more linen pronto because I'm thinking this gift might work for a few more people on my list. Did I ever mention how much I love my gocco?

Speaking of handmade gifts, I was poking around Etsy this weekend and boy are there some wonderful gift options available.

Some of my favorites include:

This beautiful branch necklace, a wonderful diana fayt plate,  a favorite calendar , lovely letterpress cards, and this leafy pocketbook.

There are so many other wonderful ideas floating around Etsy.  I'll be posting more favorites all this week.
If you haven't already, please consider taking the Pledge to buy handmade this holiday season.

Happy Monday, friends
L.

in the garden by the barn, that's where it'll be.

Today was such a wedding planning day. I met with my dress designer and finalized the design. The muslin fitting is on Saturday and I know it will be long and tedious, but I'm very much looking forward to it. I mean, this process is exactly the kind of thing that thrills me to no end. Pattern making and measurement taking, good grief that sounds like fun. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly with this dress...I'm certain it will, but I'm sure to have a few anxiety dreams about it anyway.

The RSVPs keep floating in and since we used a postcard with room for each guest to write a few lines, lots of sweet and funny notes from friends and family make it even more exciting to get them returned to us.
Our invites are very simple, unlike our engagement announcement. I made a pact with myself (and Dustin) that we would keep every thing very relaxed. He is still getting over all the gluing and x-acto wielding from the announcements...and frankly, so am I.
So, here they are. I drew the design, did a little photoshop magic and then goccoed each and every invitation, rsvp and envelope. It was quite a little printing press around our living room for a few days. I had so much help from my sweet friend Aimee she deserves an award. She will get her shadowbox, and that's a promise (thanks for being so patient, lady).

Okay, I'm off to get some Korean food with friends.

More soon,
leya

a lesson learned

inky wedding invitations and kitty paws don't mix...





all is well, but it could have been a DISASTER.

busy, busy around here...

more soon,
l.

go, go, gocco

Hello there,

Just a quick photo of a little gocco project I'm working on. One of many I have planned for the upcoming craft fair season. I always love working with my gocco printer, being able to take a few steps away from the sewing machine from time to time is really nice too. {I'm going to have a hunchback if I don't watch it!}
Speaking of sewing, after the dust settles a bit from all this craft fair craziness, I'm set on reorganizing my studio -- out with the old and in with the new, the less wobbly, and the taller.  I want options...mainly, I want to be able to sit or stand when I sew -- all of this moving up and down from the ironing board to the sewing chair is starting to wear on me.

Off to start my weekend. Andrew Bird is in town tonight.

Cheers!
leya