craft collaboration.

One day on my lunch break at work, I came up with the idea of a craft collaboration/swap. I immediately texted Ham and asked if he would be interested in the idea. The premise of the swap was to pick a theme and a deadline. Each person would use whatever medium to make whatever they chose to represent the theme. This left all kinds of room for personal preference and creative license. After much deliberation (?), Ham chose the theme "squirrel". We set the deadline, we pushed the deadline back a bit and we pushed the deadline back again. Finally, the day came for the swap. I hand-delivered this little beauty to Ham in PA.

His hands had snaps on them which snapped onto a coffee cup and a heart that I also made. This little critter has endured some cruel criticism from some of my co-workers during its creation. One co-worker claimed that squirrels were not grey. Oh mercy, Thanks T for clearing this up. Another co-worker repeatedly called him a "squabbit" because it looked more like a rabbit than a squirrel. Regardless of the criticism, Squirrelly slowly but surely came to life. (Ham might have named him something else... I just called him Squirrelly.)

You might be wondering about Ham's part of the swap...well, you'll have to keep wondering. I'll post his half soon. =)

I'm open to more crafty collaboration/swaps. Let me know if you're interested. I won't be able to do more than one at a time, but I doubt I'll get that much feedback.

Lerv to you, bloggy buds.

Happy almost-June and happy crafting!

jec

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: SIX.

This sixth 'significant thing' was quite significant (...like mega). For some reason, I made this project over-complicated at times, and I had to set it aside more than once for the sake of my sanity. However, with coffee and the Fleet Foxes as my constant companions, I finally completed my sixth significant thing...

Barley's Knickers!!!

These knickers started out as a pair of Dickies' from a Goodwill in Langhorne, PA and a twinkle in Barley's eye. When I visited in February, I brought them home with me to start the transformation.

T-Diddy helped me out a couple times (thank you!) with measurements, because these were mostly a surprise. I also had just a few random measurements from Barley to work with. From those, I decided to cut off about 8" from the bottom of each pant leg. I deconstructed those legs and used the fabric from them to make cuffs.

After taking the front and back panels apart from the cut-off pant legs, I ironed the pieces and seamed them together to make a longer piece for the cuffs.

Hosh agreed to try on the knickers probably twice during the process. He's closer to Barley's size than I am, but let me tell you...he is NOT a fan of straight pins. I begged and begged him though a couple times and got him to help a sista out! After he tried them on the first time, I marked the inseams and slimmed the legs up a bit.

From the time I started these knickers, I knew I wanted to include a couple things, and some hand-stitching was one of them. Something about embroidery is really fun for me (I say as I look longingly at a current project featuring just that). I don't like patterns (I HATE patterns), so I don't use them when I stitch things. This first part ("Barle") took all of about 10 minutes.

The "Y", as you can see, posed more of a problem. I just wasn't happy with it the first two times I stitched it. (Yes, I tore out the "Y" twice before I decided I liked it.)

After I finished the cuffs and made (sort of) slits in the outsides of the legs, I pinned the cuffs onto the bottom. This was difficult...flat cuffs, curved pant leg. Ha.

This picture was taken in my car on one of my lunch breaks at work. By the middle of this project, I had a kit all put together to take back and forth with me wherever I was headed so I could work on it during my spare time. During this particular time, I was sewing on buttons. I didn't leave any of the original buttons on the pants.

The night before I sent the knickers on their way to Perkasie to find Barley at home, I put them on and took a few pictures, just in case this was the last time I saw them. =)

This is Nessie and he is way cooler than the Dickies' label that was there before I ripped it off. Also, this was copied from one of Barley's tattoos.

Finally, after over a month and a half of having these pants in my possession, the knickers are successfully complete and with their rightful owner.

Barley wore the knickers today (!) and sent me the following pictures as well as the following texties throughout the day. =)
Barley (10:24 am): THEY FIT GREAT

Jecca (10:28 am): Woot woot! I'm so happy.

Barley (10:30 am) Im so freakin sexy today. Holy crow.

Barley (11:41 am): These are so comfy!!! :]

Jecca (11:46 am): I slimmed the legs a bit. :)

Barley (11:47 am): Delicious

Barley (1:02 pm): IT SAYS BARLEY ON THE LEG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jecca (1:03 pm): You just now saw that. You're amazing.

Barley (1:05 pm): I just rolled up the cuffs to show the stripes on the inside and i saw it- lerrv lerrvv leerrrrrrrvv!
Soooo, there you have it--Barley's Knickers!!! They (ultimately) made me happy (even though they drove me insane a few times).

Lots of lerv to you, bloggy buds! Thanks for reading and following.

And lots of lerv to you especially, Barley. This Bud's for you. =)

*P.S.- I'm still taking suggestions for my list of significant things. There are at least 17 more things to do!*

Also, don't forget to submit your entry for my coffee contest! All entries must be submitted by Saturday and the winner will be announced on Sunday. Woot woot!!!

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: FOUR.

Woot woot!!! Number Fourrrrrrr!!! I didn't set out to start or complete a "significant thing" this weekend, but it happened.

On Friday night, I got a little inspired. I was all tired and ready for bed around 8pm (Old lady, I know.)...but thennn.... I saw a pile of fabric in the corner of my room, and BabyGirl was just staring me down. So, I just started turning her dials and making her my size. I cranked her wide open (without taking one measurement) and thought that I'd just go from there, but then I got a tinge of doubt. What if this won't really fit me? How can I tell...Oh! There's a "piece of my clothing" on the floor of my room that I could try on BabyGirl and see for sure. Whoa. It didn't fit. I cranked her back down to the base size and...bada-boom...we were set to go.

(Then I went to bed. Yep. That was it for Friday.)

The picture above and the picture below are the only ones I took during the process. I was in the zone. There were no expectations, no patterns, no measurements, and no deadlines. Just me, my music (Fleet Foxes and Lightspeed Champion--my constant companions), coffee and what felt like 3 million pins. I just kept pinning (and re-pinning) and chopping and singing and stitching. *Jonah's not feeling very well. His tension is all off...so we had a bit of a go every once in a while. Poor thing. I need to get him some help.*
That was my Saturday. As you can see, I ended up with this top...I'd like to call it a tunic, because I don't think that "shirt" accurately describes what it is. I'm not sure that it's actually a tunic though, either. Call it what you will. (It doesn't really matter.=] )



This creative expression needed to happen. The process was very cathartic and made me extremely happy. It felt really good to make something from my own hands, out of my own head and to wear it with pride. Instant mood-booster.
So there you have it. Significant Thing Number Four.

As usual, I'm taking all suggestions into consideration for the remaining 19 things on my list. (I guess it's more like 15 or 16 things... I already have a few in the works.)

Lerv, lerv.

P.S.- I really loved this picture taken this afternoon. (The subject of the photo has asked to remain nameless. Fair enough.)

cemetery on saturday.

I went to visit Memaw today at the cemetery. I asked my mom before I went if it was acceptable to take a run while I was there. She said people do it all the time. So I did too.

So now (after a trip to the bank and Sam's Club, and a phone chat with Barls) I'm working on a super secret crafty (again). It might end up being a semi-super secret crafty, depending on my level of confidence in my own skills and judgment abilities. We'll see. I think I might have done all I can do... Ugh... What do you think, bloggy buds?

Is a super secret crafty with a possibility of being slightly off better than a semi-super secret crafty that has more of a possibility of being right on? Or are they both equally exciting and acceptable?

Lerv.

a good day.

I've been listening to Priscilla Ahn like it's my job lately. This morning she told me it was going to be a good day. (Sorry I couldn't find her actual music video, but listen to the song anyways.)

The beach has really been calling my name lately, so I decided to pay it a visit.

That extremely scary bird was occupying my usual spot, but I didn't dare ask him to move...and this was as close as I got to him (using extreme zoom...homie don't play).

I love the Lion's Bridge. Annnnd yes, that is my coffee sitting on the statue. :)

The Lion's Bridge is behind the Mariner's Museum, who just so happened to be hosting some sort of re-enactment today.

Well, hello Christopher Newport!!!

After my adventure to the beach, I stopped at Village Thrift and found a ton of awesome sewing accoutrements for $14. I didn't find any buttons though, which is what I was actually after. So, I went to visit JoAnn's Fabric store where I found out that March is National Craft Month. A little redonk, yea? (I'm so excited though.)

When I got home, Hosh asked if I wanted to go get something to eat with him. We went to Cheddar's and he drove us in his Honda Element. We listened to The Mars Volta, which I haven't heard in a long time. Hosh also took me by Food Lion to get some yogurt, and he helped me with a super secret crafty once we got home.

Nowwwwwww, I've got my friends (candles) all ready and I'm getting to work work WORK on that super secret crafty. It might be the death of me, but that's a chance I'm willing to take.

(This post is extremely random. My storyline is fragmented. My apologies. I've got my head in craft-world.)

Lerv.

change of plans.

The Week of Wardrobe post that was promised today will most likely be posted tomorrow. I'm going to see a musical tonight and am still in my pj's. Yes, I know it's 4:30 in the afternoon.

For kicks and giggles, I'll leave you with this photo:

(I miss them terribly.)

...and I guess I'll get back to work on a pair of knickers that I've been working on all day, part of my Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four challenge.

Lerv, lerv.

jecca

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: TWO.

Number two on my list of "significant things" actually ended up being two hats inspired by a post on Elsie's blog. I am currently following several crafty blogs, and Elsie's is probably my favorite. When I saw her DIY post a couple weeks ago, it looked like a great project to work on in the airport on my journey to see my loves in Filth-a-delphia this past weekend (...and it was).

The project is very simple. Knit (or crochet) a rectangle. Fold the piece in half and sew up one of the sides. Add some sort of strings (braided, crocheted, knotted, etc.) and a pom-pom (if desired).
I had never made a pom-pom before today, but it wasn't hard at all. I loosely followed this tutorial. The hardest part was attaching the pom-pom securely to the top of the finished hat. As you can see in the picture below, mine turned out a little lopsided but I think it adds character. =)

(Hellooooo, Rattie.)

This is not an optical illusion. I am indeed wearing a tank-top outside. It was a beautiful day today (...but has since gotten cooler and I've added my usual sweatshirt).

I finished the first hat this weekend while I was at PBU, and it was (surprisingly) met with ridicule and repugnance. I was shocked! (Let the haters hate.) HOWEVER, Barley loved (?...liked?) it and kept it.
Barley and I are currently in a debate as to whose hat is cooler. He thinks his is cooler, and of course, I think mine is cooler.

I guess it's up to you, bloggy buds. Whose hat do you think is cooler?

=)

***Be on the lookout for another Week of Wardrobe coming this Saturday! Woot woot!***

Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four: ONE.

The first "significant thing" on my list of Twenty-Three before Twenty-Four was a super secret crafty that I started several weeks ago.

My crafty inspirations come from random places and at random times. This crafty was inspired solely by my dear friend Ham and my absence from him for what seemed to be so long (read about a month and a half).

Behold the Michael Jackson pillow cover!

I started by making a pattern out of quilter's grid. Let me just tell you...that stuff is a dream! It's marked with a grid (duh) of 1" square blocks, which makes measuring and cutting extremely easy for square or rectangle pieces.

After I got the panels measured and cut out, I went to my closet to find some sort of black fabric I could use for a silhouette of the King of Pop. An old, over-sized shirt from H&M did the trick. Cutting out the silhouette seemed to take FOR-EV-ERRR. The black fabric was so thin that it kept slipping, so I pinned it to a layer of batting and that helped to stabilize things a bit.
Once Michael was cut out, I pinned him and the batting to the front panel of the cover and whip-stitched all along the outline.
Since this super secret crafty was for Hammie (and I love him so), I stitched his name on the bottom of one of the back panels.
I also stitched/signed my initial on the top of the same panel. You would only see it if you know it's there, because the second panel on the back overlaps it.
I pinned all the panels together then used Jonah to sew them all up... and Voila!

This might've been blogged sooner, but I didn't want to spoil the surprise for Hammie. I am also quite happy to say that I personally delivered this "significant thing"...which made it all the more sweeter. =)