Peepshi!

I came across this website through someone on Plurk. I just *had* to make Peepshi!

Friday FO’s

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 😀

Free US Shipping

I’m offering Free US Shipping to my US customers until December 31. I don’t want to exclude my international customers so I’m offering 10% off to all my international friends. I will refund the discount after checkout.

Knit Postcard Giveaway

I received an awesome Knit Postcard from Nguyen of KnitKnit.  There is a how-to video on Etsy about making and sending the knit postcards.  On the postcard I received I was tagged to send one on to someone else.

Want to receive an awesome knit postcard??  Entering is simple.  Just check out my shop and leave a comment on this post with the link to your favorite item in my shop.  I will use one of the random number generator sites to pick a winner.  Contest ends Sunday August 24 at midnight EST.

I’m willing to try sending the knit postcard internationally but I cannot guarantee that it will get there since it is a funky shaped thing and has to be hand stamped.

Just a quick reminder to leave a way for me to contact you after the contest if you win.  😀

8/25/08 – This giveaway has ended. The winner can be found here.

Paper Kitty Turns One & A big update

One year ago today, I took the plunge into the blog world.  I just want to thank everyone who keeps up with my little blog…. Thanks Readers!!

On to the big update 😀

The last week or so has been a whirlwind for me.  

Thursday (17th) I spent the evening having dinner with my granpa at my mom’s house.  It was such a nice visit that ended with picking blackberries in the front yard.  I’ve always loved walking with my grandpa because he knows so much about the local plants and loves to share that knoweledge.

Friday was spent at a very busy day of work followed by attending a gallery reception at the Appalachian Arts Center. I bought some lovely handspun yarn from local sheep and an excellent little cup that I’m in love with drinking from.  Then my hubby and I decided to paint the computer room so we were up late discovering that the paint just didn’t want to cover the old paint. We painted it a really pretty deep red. The color swatch says tomato but it is much darker than that.

Saturday was a lot more painting and moving furniture.

Sunday I took a trip to my LYS – A Likely Yarn –  with my friend who was teaching there.  I went not only to buy yarn and hang out but to also find out if I would be the right person to start working there.  😀 

Monday was I was really busy at work. 

Tuesday I was busy at work again.  Several family members came in to visit while I was at work  As soon as I left work I drove to a staff meeting at the LYS.  The staff meeting was great, lots of creativity flowing and I’m now going to be teaching. My first class is Beginning Crochet on August 24 & September 7.   

Wednesday, I was contacted by a book company about three projects that I submitted to them for a book they are writing about green bookbinding methods… all three projects were accepted.   I’m so excited!!!  Shampooed carpets that evening.

Thursday I feverishly bound books in preparation of sending my projects to the book company and started the quest for finding wool sweaters to use on books that will be going to the book company.  Mopping & laundry.

Friday I did much of the same with a lot more house cleaning and pre-Saturday-dinner cooking.  I made homemade marshmallows.

Saturday was my first day at A Likely Yarn.  It went wonderfully.  I helped build shelves, rearranged things in the shop, helped customers with patterns, knit, crochet, and spent the day with a wonderful group of women.  I also worked on developing a simple pattern that my beginning crochet class will be making.  Saturday night we had friends over for dinner, great music, laughs, and wool dying. 

Sunday, I was at the shop again and had dinner with my friend.  I came home and spun some of my newly dyed wool.  Sunday was a big Etsy day for me too, gift guides, treasuries, sales, and a contact about a custom order.  Now if I could only get on the ever elusive front page.

Yesterday, I spun up a batt that I bought from Knitty Dirty Girl on my drop spindle, made dinner, attended the Etsy Labs Craft Night on shrinking plastic (which was cut short by a storm), and mostly sat around taking it easy. I’ll add a photo of the spun yarn later tonight.  I also finished up (for the most part) the project my beginning crochet class will be making and did a few example swatches.

Today, I will be making more books… many many more books.

Shoo… that was a lot to type out!  I hope you’re still with me, LOL.

Happy Friday!

After I posted about my new scooter last weekend….. it got a flat tire due to a fluke with the inner tube 😦 I’ve been waiting since Sunday for my new inner tube to arrive and it finally came today! I’ve been all over town today 😀 I keep finding excuses reasons that I need to go out. So far I’ve made 2 trips to the grocery store and a trip to the drive-in to get an awesome cherry Pepsi.

Today, the BESTbooks blog posted an interview with me, along with a few photos. It made my whole evening so much more awesome! You can check it out here.

I finished spinning and plying the roving that I bought from blondechicken. I’m loving this yarn. I haven’t decided what to make with it yet but I’m thinking a super chunky scarflette is the rout I’m going to go.

The yellow fabric in the background is more muslin that I’ve dyed with turmeric. I’m using it as the backdrop for most of my shop photos now.

I’m currently working on a few (few is such an understatement) books so I will have stock for an event that I’m going to be a part of in a few weeks. My town has a week long festival every year that centers around a carnival. Years ago the carnival was set up in town but then was moved to the high school. This year the carnival is returning to the middle of town so the town event coordinators are hoping to spark up the whole town with events all week.

I’m going to be set up at a local bank on Friday June 20 from 10-2:00 doing bookbinding demonstrations. I’ll also have books for sale. On Wednesday, I’ll be helping with a children’s community art project and on Saturday I’ll be helping with the AAC concession stand/fund raiser. I have high hopes for this year’s festival!

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!!

Monday June 2 @ 9:00 est.  In the Etsy Virtual Labs Library – BESTbooks team Trunk Show!!

Several members (including me) will be showcasing their work and telling a little bit about themselves and their items.  There will be giveaways, special discounts, and lots of fun!  Come hang out with us Monday night 😀

Paper Kitty’s Day Off

I had today off from work. I had an absolutely freaking awesome day. Today was my Kiwanis club’s Special Field Day. We had almost 500 kids to come. I helped run the Big Basketball game. No rules, just shoot the ball. All the kids had so much fun… and so did I. I ended up with a sunburn even though I put on sunscreen.

I ran some errands, which included stopping at the Coffee Station and getting a slice of white chocolate toasted pecan cake (my absolute favorite ever).

Today’s mail brought this awesome vintage Kerr jar from PetitPoulailler, this needle felting kit that came in the most awesomely cute packaging ever from princessminders, and a set of hand carders from a very lovely ebay seller.

That’s Raisin’s nose in the corner, inspecting things as usual.

My morning started with finding this adorableness on my side of the bed before I left.

And this is how my evening went…

She insisted on sitting on me like that. I was trying so hard to keep up with the Etsy Lab’s Craft Night but it was hard to do anything with her sitting like that. She kept pushing her head up under my chin too. Too cute. Once she stopped I was able to follow the Demo for making a paper bag.

I’m pooped…

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon at my brother’s house baking cookies with the girls and watching The Grinch. Then I went to the last knitting circle meeting with mom and ate some delicious unhealthy food at Waffle & Egg. I came home and watched White Christmas with the hubby.

Today was spent finishing up some Christmas things. I made an ungodly amount of cookies, stuffed cookie gift bags for around 20 people, made two and a half pounds of mints, made a pillow and a wrist pincushion. I finished wrapping the rest of my gifts. I watched every holiday movie I own (except Meet Me In St. Louis because mom has it at the moment) and listened to my favorite Christmas mix CD around 5 times.

Tomorrow, I have to go out and pick up a candy thermometer from mom (and hopefully the DVD) and grab a few stocking stuffer candies. I’ll then get to make the last of my holiday candy – Butterscotch Fudge.

Here’s a photo of the Strawberry Shortcake pillow I made for my 3 year old niece. She absolutely loves Strawberry Shortcake! This is the first official thing I’ve made with my sewing machine 🙂

While I was making the pillow, I decided that I really needed a handy pincushion. So of course I made one.

Kidmade Playdoh

I loved Playdoh as a kid. As any typical kid, I would often leave my Playdoh out and it would dry out. We lived in the middle of nowhere and I’m sure mom was tired of spending money on true Playdoh so we would make it. When I was younger, mom would have to help me but as I got older, I was able to make it myself. The thing I really liked about making my own Playdoh is that I could make a whole lot of it in any color or colors that I wanted. This is similar to the recipe that we used:
Materials
· 1 cup water
· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 1/2 cup salt
· 1 tablespoon cream of tartar
· Food coloring
· Saucepan
· 1 cup flour
Directions
1. Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm.
2. Remove from heat and add flour.
3. Stir, then knead until smooth. The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so resist the temptation to omit this ingredient if you don’t have it on hand.
4. Store this dough in an airtight container or a Ziploc freezer bag.
This is not the exact recipe that my mom used, I don’t remember using vegetable oil. I know that it did use cream of tartar. There are many different versions of homemade playdoh, including an edible one made from peanut butter.

BEST members are having a SALE!!!

Everything in my shop is 10% off.

You can get to my shop by clicking here.