This morning, I made another top for the Ciroflex TTV Mod Box.
I’m slightly more happy with the digital camera results though I’m still holding out for the possibility that the disposable camera photos will turn out better.
So what does Zoe think about all this? Looks like he’s not amused… probably because I interrupted his nap to ask him.
Cloth Paper Scissors Studios Magazine Open Studio Virtual Tour
My studio is what is formerly known as a dinning room. It’s actually an addition that was built onto our house long before we ever moved in. Originally it was a porch that was closed in and another porch built on that was then closed in to make the closet. This means that in the winter it is very cold in the room. I have a large double door cabinet that I keep most of my supplies in (along with some kitchen equipment). I also have an awesome easel that doubles as a drafting table, a few small bookshelves under a built in counter top, and a large wooden box where I keep my yarn and fabric.
This is my main worktable. It was given to me by two very dear friends when they were moving into a new home and no longer wanted this table. The glass top makes a perfect work surface since I can clean anything off of it easily.
Here, I’m making book cloth, which has to be pasted down to a glass surface to dry. I used the top and bottom of the glass. When I removed the book cloth, it was super easy to clean.
My bookshelf makes my life easier. I needed one for along time and finally bought one this summer. On top, I keep my ribbons and post card collection. The top shelf is where I keep my inspiration and favorite things. Next shelf down is things in progress, then a shelf of buttons and easy to reach towels. The next to last shelf is my knitting books and art books. On the bottom I keep my dye pot and my hand spun yarns.
Shelf of my favorite things:
In Progress Shelf:
I like to work assembly line style when I’m producing blank journals.
Breaking down paper for text blocks:
Text Blocks:
Covers In Progress:
Books waiting to be bound:
All bound up:
I don’t own a book press so I have a makeshift one. I have lots of heavy books, Masonite boards, and a large can of pineapple juice.
This is a glimpse of my very large bookbinding tool box. This is just the top tray.
My studio extends outside this one room and on into the rest of the house when I need more space. I do most of my knitting, crocheting & spinning in the den so I can use my computer & watch TV. I use the living room as a sewing room since it has our dinning table in it. I use my kitchen to dye wool and make felt and my porch doubles as a drying rack on sunny warm days (on rainy days, the shower rod in the bathroom is used for drying).
I have some furry help in all this mess too. Zoe, my black kitty, is the reason that my shop is called “The Crafty Kitten”. He loves to sit beside me no matter what I’m doing and just watch.
Piggy usually sneaks in when I’m not looking to check my work.
Snuggies has been known to fall asleep on my feet if I stand in one place too long (usually when I’m breaking down paper for text blocks).
Then there is Raisin, who isn’t allowed in the studio alone because she will eat all the kitty’s food. She likes to sleep by my feet or in my lap too.
I hope you’ve enjoyed the little virtual tour of my studio. Feel free to check out my online shop (which is a little empty at the moment) The Crafty Kitten.
The fingerless mitts that I’m making to match my Crochet Bobble Beret are almost done. I just need to put a thumb on the second mitt and weave in all the ends.
I picked up the Hedera socks again today. I really want to get these finished soon.
I started the little elephant from Cute Little Animals forever ago and put it aside. My hope is to have this finished by Friday. It’s not a difficult pattern or anything but I just can’t get into it for some reason; even though it is so cute when finished.
Zoe seemed unimpressed by today’s WIP’s… or maybe he’s giving me that look because I wouldn’t let him play with the strings.
Not too much to report on the finished objects front this week. I’ve been busy at work & cleaning/rearranging the studio. It kinda put a kink in actually getting things done. I did spend all of Sunday afternoon dying wool. Some I dyed with Kool Aid and some I dyed with food coloring. I used vinegar to set it with so I hope it holds. I’m going to be using this for wet felting.
I did manage to get one book bound. It’s another leather book. It’s much larger than my other leather books that I’ve bound so far. I really like this size; it would make a nice sketch book.
Most of what I’ve gotten done this week is reading. I’ve read Stardust, Coraline, part of The Grave Yard book, P.L.A.I.N. Janes, and I started Death: The high cost of living this morning. I also re-read both issues of Handknit Heroes. I’m loving me some graphic novels this week and I’ve become a Neil Gaiman addict.
Last night at A Likely Yarn, we had the first meeting of the Handknit Heroes Knit Along which was sooooooo much fun!! We has such a good group 
I can’t wait for the next meeting!
Snuggies wanted to be a camera hog so here’s a couple of photos of her being silly.
I have a big weekend planned! I hope everyone else has a good weekend too
I’m almost finished with the commission that I received in January. Tax season put a kink in my studio time so I wasn’t able to start the stocking until a couple of weeks ago. I’m crossing my fingers and hoping that I’ll have it done by the end of the week. I have a bit more embroidery and then the assembly.
I don’t have much else in the WIP pile this week. I have a bunch of things that I’m ready to start but I’ve been mainly trying to get finished with things that have been around awhile. I do have the books that need to be sewn still. I’m planning on starting on those tomorrow.
This is what my workspace looks like if anyone is interested.
I put the finishing touches on the POW! Hooded Scarf. This is what I discovered when I stepped away for a few moments to grab some supplies. Piggy swears he’s just helping and not in it just for his yarn addiction.
One last thing, I was a giddy little kid yesterday when I opened my mail. I won a copy of Handknit Heros that I posted about last week. It’s signed my H. E. Wintermute (limedragon) who wrote the pattern that I cannot wait to make. I’ll be getting yarn for it Saturday!
At the beginning of fall, I was offered an awesome commission job that I quickly jumped on. A local lady has been hanging on to these hand pieced crazy quilt stockings & vests that her mother was making for each child/grandchild/great-grandchild in the family. She sadly died over 10 years ago before completing them. She was also someone who did handcrafts for a living.
I have been working like crazy to get them done. There are 7 stockings and 2 vests. Each stocking takes about 6 hours to embroider. I’m going to begin assembling them today. I haven’t begun the 2 vests yet but I should have them embroidered by late next week. My goal is to have all of them finished by the beginning of December.
It snowed this week and local radio stations have begun playing Christmas music which has helped with my holiday spirit.
I just hope that I’m not all Christmas’ed out before December even gets here.
Here are some photos of the in-progress stockings (click to see more detailed photos on my Flickr):
And as always, Zoe had to crash my photo shoot.
Well, my day spent in the cold rain at the BGF has resulted in a case of bronchitis. I’m home for the day and thought I would give you a peek of what I’ve been up to this week. Since I haven’t felt like doing much I’ve been doing things that don’t require much counting or concentration. I spun up these two little mini skeinlettes.
Crest
Baby Cakes
And of course, Snuggies, one of my Crafty Kittens had to lend a paw to help.
I also knit up this cowl for a shop sample for A Likely Yarn using the most yummy buttery soft yarn ever. Yum, Malabrigo. I’m so spoiled now. Overlook my sickyness please.
The whole time I was trying to take that photo, Zoe, one of my other crafty kittens wanted some attention.
Today is the first day off I’ve had since Labor Day. There’s nothing like waking up without the sound of a blaring alarmclock. For breakfast I had a fresh poppyseed bagel one side with blackberry jelly and the other with honey pear jam. I picked up the bagels and jams at the farmer’s market yesterday morning.
I’m determined to not just sit in front of my computer all day so after my initial email check I shut it off and went to tinker in the studio. For the first time in ages I painted.
The whole house is fully of lazy beings today, lol. Here’s two of my lazy fur babies:
Now I’m off to enjoy the rest of my lazy day
Edit:
Time off also gives me time to cook. For dinner I made salmon patties, roasted red potatoes and onions, and cooked apple. I say “apple” because I only had one. The apple is from my grandparent’s tree. My mom brought it to me on Friday.
I’ve started knitting Monkey from knitty.
As you can tell, Zoe is thrilled with my knitting. He’s so excited he’s about to fall asleep.
I made this tonight when I got home from work. I used the instructions found here. Neutral gray outside; fun and funky inside.
I also got started on cutting out pieces for my next quilt project….
But don’t think I did all this on my own! I had a helper…. Snuggies was my crafty kitten tonight instead of Zoe.
But she quickly got bored and started chewing her toes in a very cute way….
I got this adorable little drawing last night that was drawn by my 3 1/2 year old niece. It’s a drawing of one of the M&M people. I think this is excellent for someone her age!
