Tula Pink

I love an estate sale. I picked up several little treasures; an Astronaut Barbie from 1985 (she has both a plastic bubble head AND a jet pack, puh-lease), a bronze bust of Abraham Lincoln and this little gem. I have a soft spot for metal sewing machines. They are usually pretty expensive unless they don’t work. They said this one was busted but a little oil and a new belt and this baby sings. It weighs a hair less than a newborn elephant but it works like a champ. I was thinking of giving her a new outfit. My mom always says “It’s better to be over dressed than under dressed.” I agree so I have tried a few ideas on her. Let me know what you think.

P.S. actually making this happen may be beyond my reach but a girl can dream…

Yay! I finally got this posted, the whole enchilada so to speak.

This one is more of a day-wear ensemble. You know, a little transfiguration here a little dark arts there. It’s a versatile outfit.

I see this one as a midterms outfit. It says “I may not get an A but I’m gonna look damn good doing what ever it is I do.”

This one is just sassy.

Check out Holly’s blog to see what other people are doing.

Miss Holly over at Lakehouse Drygoods has this crazy blog event going. She got a whole bunch of people to make stuff out of her new dolly dresses panel, including me. I’m a total sucker. Mine is going up on December 12th. Check it out, it should be pretty cool to see what all of these different people do with the same panel. Mine will have birds on it. duh.

Just to clarify… THIS IS NOT MY TATTOO… Just a few lovely ladies out in the world who liked my owl and decided o make it a part of their lives forever and ever and ever and ever.

Okay, let’s discuss commitment. Personally, I have commitment issues, just ask anyone I have ever dated (no wait, don’t). I don’t know that I even have words for this. Who says that this whole crafty thing isn’t tough? This looks pretty rockin’ to me. Full Moon Forest has been immortalized in ink. I couldn’t be prouder. Can you even stand how amazing this is? Is that a tear of pride? Yes, I believe it is.

I can just picture Corrine and Kathy bouncing their grand children on their knees telling them inappropriate stories of their wild youth. I like it. It’s the kind of grandmother I always imagined myself being. I told my mom that if she really loved me she would get a tattoo of my fabric across her back. She just glared at me and then her Christmas present got a lot smaller, like magic!

My 5 new Plume patterns have arrived. They are all glossy and shiny and beautiful. You should make them. The middle one, Le Petite Salon was my show quilt for Quilt Market. Everyone said they loved it, not like they would tell me if they didn’t but still, a compliment is a compliment and I am in no position to refuse one. Plume, arrives in stores in January. The patterns are already available in my mom’s shop and have been flying out the door. I am sure that the rate they are selling has absolutely nothing to do with me standing next to them frantically waving my arms in their direction. No, that’s just a coincidence.

This is what I do when I’m sick. In real life I sew everyday, it’s kind of my job. So when I’m sick and stuck in bed for what feels like years I get bored. When I can’t get to my machine I do what any sewaholic would do, I make miniature dresses followed, naturally, by the making of miniture hangers. If anyone has time to make me a miniature closet that would be great. I am running out of places to stick these things.

Anywhoo, I am feeling much better. Thanks for all of your comments and emails. I was down for a few weeks but somehow that managed to put me a few months behind in my work. How does that happen exactly? Just another mystery of the universe I guess, like turkey bacon or that place in the Redwoods where the ball rolls up the hill.

Hello fair friends of blogland. I hope you will excuse my absence, I have a doctors note (really I do). This is my first official day out of bed. That’s right I’ve got the Swine! flu that is.

I was having an awesome weekend, my BFF Erin flew up to the country to hang out. We did each others hair (see above) painted each others nails, went shopping and were engaging in general creative debauchery when all of the sudden I just didn’t feel so good. Boo. Being scared to death of doctors, I did what I always do; a couple swigs of DayQuil and on with my business. That will generally solve any ailment I have but this time it didn’t work. So, a trip to the clinic and $1000 worth of prescription drugs later I am laid up with the Swine flu, the regular flu and strep throat. That’s right kids, quarantine. I can see no one, I can’t leave my house and I have been sleeping 23 hours a day. Please excuse me if you haven’t had any response to your emails or your calls have gone unanswered. I will get back to you as soon as I can. Promise.

That’s right kids, I speak! I am fluent in both English and Ebonics but I will mostly be sticking to English for this one. Can you imagine, a whole hour of me talking about myself! I will be discussing my glamorous career path to fabric design. I expect it will be enthralling so please come. It will be very sad if my mom is the only attendee (not to mention boring because she already knows all of this stuff). Besides, it’s free! Who doesn’t love free?

If you missed the big pink letters at the top:
Thursday, October 22 at 3 p.m.
University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg
Gallery of Art & Design

‘Tis the season for critters to wander listlessly into the middle of the road. Only Miss Lizzy House can make it adorable. She made the cake for Pam and from what I understand, which is often very little, it was an attempt to satisfy Pam’s need to see an armadillo in Texas. I saw an armadillo in TX once. This one is better and delicious, nothin’ about it tasted like chicken. So I would call this my most interesting market encounter, and everyone knows I love a little surprise critter! I think she should be on Ace of Cakes or something, I mean who really wants a cake in the shape of their car anyway? My Honda would make one lame dessert if you ask me. I am hoping that next year we get a Jackalope.

Market was great as usual, a blur of people and quilts and delicious new fabrics. I feel super weird taking pictures of peoples booths, I am not coy and smooth like other people, I come off a little over excited and stalkerish, so I refrain. You can see oodles of that elsewhere, there is a whole list of people reporting on Quilt Market activity here at Pam’s place of bloggery goodness. To be perfectly honest, which is not to imply that I am usually a liar, I spend my days very isolated with the exception of these two weekends a year. I get very excited to go and then spend the next three days wondering why everything is moving so dang fast. It’s kinda like when you stay home sick and don’t talk for a couple of days and then you open your mouth to speak and it all comes out weird, but I’m working on it.

I am a lady of tradition if not consistency. So here it is folks, my bi-annual off to Quilt Market bag. Ta Da! Jaybird, a bloggy buddy, actually asked if I had made one yet in the last post. She remembered! I was overwhelmed with sentiment and gushy pride. You actually read this stuff? I thought blogs were just giant inter-webbed picture books! I now feel like I should pay more attention to what I write but that has the potential to lack spontaneity and therefore be less fun.

I usually make a bag from some super hip pattern from some some ultra cool designer but this year I had a hard time finding one with enough pockets so I made my own. I need lots of pockets, not to conceal weapons or anything just water and snacks which are prohibited on the market floor. I hear the punishment can be rather severe if you don’t have a man on the inside who owes you a favor. This bag is essentially a giant pocket, way to solve a problem right?  I broke 3 needles making it because I refused to get off my rear and get the heavy duty needle I needed to get through the seams (4 layers of batting and 4 layers of Decor Bond, oops, I like a stiff bag). Laziness can be so tragic and very often involves at least twice the amount of work.

I did get to do a little machine quilting on my own though. My general philosophy is to leave the heavy lifting to the pros but I do dabble from time to time.