It's been awhile...

since I've been here. Very busy with sewing, doggies, work and such. And really, not much to say.

Been thinking lately about how to get ahead financially. I live pretty much paycheck to paycheck, and the last round of mini-layoffs depleted my already small amount of savings set aside. So I turn to what I do when I'm not working, and look at the possibility of some extra income. And that would be crafts.

OK, now that I've narrowed it down, now what? What do I make? What's popular? I've been surfing etsy, and I see a wide gamut of different items being offered. I have some ideas, and am gonna work on making samples this long weekend.

We'll see what happens...

Finished corset belt

I think that it needs some more stuff attached to it, but here it is on it's test run at the Show With No Name this past Saturday. The belt has got a couple of chains with coins I've attached, and tassels taken from a tribal belt I took apart. Looking to maybe take strips of purple silkie and attach "skirts" to each block. Hmmmm... Time to experiment!

I also made some armbands to match, but they're gonna have to be taken apart and re-worked. I tried to make it with elastic - mistake. They didn't stay up, and had to use hair elastics around my arms for the performance, cutting off the circulation. Ow.

And, I've got enough of the fabric left in my stash that I may go ahead and do a corset bra too...zagarheet!

Love Spring, but hate the allergies

Had the first allergy attack of the year. Bleck! Left work early yesterday, as I was one large ache and could hardly breathe. Today is much much better! We like allergy meds!

Hey, I wanted to share the finished product of my cardboard loom. I think I'm gonna make a cellphone case to carry around the phone when I'm out walking the dogs, or just to have something small to carry essentials instead of the big bag purse. I will make another part of it, as this is one side with a flap (the photo shows the bag upside down - oops!). The flap will fold over the other section I've yet to make, and then I'll fasten it with a magnetic snap. A long woven band for the strap will be the last thing I'll add. It's been great fun making this, but will have to put it aside until I finish the corset belt, as I need to get that done for a performance in early April.

Projects in progress part 2

I love to surf blogs. One can find endless amount of information that either you know nothing about, or that you cannot believe that someone else out there in the world shares the same weird passion you have.

Yesterday, I was careening about the blogosphere and found this:

How to Weave on a Cardboard Loom - CraftStylish

Weaving - a craft I would love to pick up. I have a small inkle loom, but have yet to have the chance to use it. It's one of those projects on my "To-do" list. When I came across this blog, I thought, 'what the heck - this is incredibly easy'. And it is. I managed to get the cardboard cut out, warp strung, and about 3 inches woven in a couple of hours last night. What's it going to be? Hmmmmm...haven't decided yet. But I'll post the finished product.

Projects in process

Due to the economy, I've been spending a lot of time at home, either because I'm on a forced layoff for a day or two from work, or because of the incredibly small paycheck I receive from said cut hours, I can't afford to go anywhere or do anything.

But it does give me the chance to work on crafty projects I've been thinking about doing, but have been too busy to get around to.

In this photo, I'm working on a bellydance belt using Tempest's corset belt pattern. (www.darklydramatic.com) I am hoping to wear it next month at a workshop/halfa Tempest is having here in Indianapolis. In the photo, it looks as if I used two different colors- blue and purple - the fabric however, is all blue. The warp thread in the fabric is purple, so it changes color in the light. It's so cool!

Dance sistas - I need an opinion - how do you like the tassels? They have not been attached yet, just getting a feel for what it looks like. The chains are already attached and am contemplating adding more. What else should I add to it??? Your comments are needed!

Adventures with Bacon or, that pig is fast!

So, the furchildren (Riley, left, and Auggie) and I decided to take advantage of the nice spring weather and visit Mommy's friends Karen and Matt and their menagerie. They have two cats, two dogs, a hedgehog and an unknown number of roommates. The boys may get to stay with them while I go on vacay for a week in August.

So meeting the dogs went as expected: there was some posturing by both sides and a little alpha dog growling back and forth and a lot of bum sniffing, but it wasn't long before all four dogs became fast friends running around in the large grassy but muddy backyard. Riley even took a breather in the firepit, now an icy mud bog, by lying completely in the puddle to cool off. Typical. He's not known for being a genius. But he's cute and I luv him.

So, what was I talking about...

Oh, so Bacon!

I neglected to mention the rest of Karen and Matt's menagerie. They have a potbellied pig named Bacon. Yes, Bacon. And Bacon loves...bacon. Any pork product for matter. Whenever someone is making a pork product in the kitchen, here comes the pig to beg for a snack. I had already made the acquaintance of Bacon the day before, and have heard many stories of Bacon and his dog cousins running around and playing in the backyard.

This was going to be quite the opportunity for my boys to meet an animal they've never seen before. They brought the pig outside, and immediately Auggie and Riley swarmed around him, sniffing him out and taking in the sight of this strange creature with bristly hair, short legs, and a big tummy.

Now all the attention Bacon was receiving was just a bit much for him. He started to walk away, to get away from these dogs that wouldn't leave him alone. Meanwhile, the humans were attempting to get their respective dogs away from Bacon so he could have a moment to himself. But before we could wrangle our canines, Bacon started running. Fast. And the dogs ran right with him. There were some times that Bacon was outrunning them. At one point, Bacon's fur cousins were going after Auggie and Riley, to get them away from Bacon. Riley backed off, but Auggie kept right up with that pig.

Auggie has a fondness for chewing on a pig ear or two. And that's what it looked like he was doing - he kept trying to grab the ears of the pig, who was running at full bore around the yard. They made at least two circles around the yard before we were able to get everyone under control. Bacon was running too fast for us to keep up. After it was over, us humans had to sit down for a few minutes to catch our collective breaths and admire the mud we had accumulated all over each other after running around after those animals.

I only wish I had a camera to take photos of the event, but I have a suspicion that I wouldn't have been able to take any photos, run after the dogs, steer clear of doggie and piggy poop mines, breathe, or yell at the dogs to stop.

We departed soon after that, and when we got home, the dogs collapsed on the floor and slept most of the day away.

And Bacon, despite the rather distressing episode, was fine and spent the afternoon snorting away in his special room in the house, sunbathing beneath the large picture window.

Purty fleurs

Ahh, what wonderful weather we're having! It's finally warm enough that I don't have to bundle up like an eskimo to go outside. And look, the crocuses (croci?) feel the same way!