I am feeling a little tired. I swore off the sewing machine today. When I think back over what I did in the last week..........

For Halloween, the kids dressed as ninja ( our first not made by us costumes ) so max and I surprised them by dressing as pirates. As in "ninja vs pirates" all night long! They were amused.

With all my "spare" time I organized a Neighborhood Halloween Children's Parade. We hope it's an annual event. Lots of families showed up to make some noise with instruments, to do a loop through the neighborhood. It's fun to get some playtime in and show off your costume before DARK when no one can really see. We went home to eat a few more bites of dinner, light the pumpkins and add the finishing touches on our porch decorations, before getting down to the serious business of trick or treating!

I finally got Saffron on the right medicine this week. He's only 7 months old (he's the fuzzy guy on the right with his arms around his best buddy Lil Scoop who's 4 months old), but he's been sick the past two months! He has some sort of intestinal disorder. It's wonderful to see him feel better than "OK". He's so fun and playful with Lil Scoop- a riot, but the good kind. They wrestle and race through the house and backyard together. And Saffron is more snugly with all the cats during nap times. I'm super in love with the kittens so it's wonderful to see both so well.

Besides all the great busy-ness of orders, and making lots of new coffee cozies, I finished a design project for Lark book's "Pretty Little Mini Quilts". I designed the quilt (framed on a wooden shape which make for a fun look but a bit tricky and expensive to ship), then wrote directions for the book so readers can make their own. The tea cups button off, can be flipped to the reverse side colors, or changed seasonally. One of my "interactive quilt" dreams come true. The book won't be out till Spring 2010! But I have two other books coming out this next spring, which will help my patience. :-)

Oh! And I wrote a new bio for this book, and used the term "my girlfriend" instead of "my partner". That felt big, though you are the only one I've told.


I developed a project I've been amusing myself over for quite some time..... the Lochness Monster coffee cozy screen print. I haven't put it up on etsy yet, but have the photos ready....


The Loch Ness Monster pillow/wall ornament/tree ornament/lavender sachet!! I hope some others will enjoy her as much as I do.

I am negotiating a massive wholesale order for wrist warmers... I have to consider all the timing and upcoming holiday market dates.....

THEN I got ready for the Meet Your Maker indie craft show Friday evening. It's great fun to sell at the Broadway wine bar, and see all my crafty friends out of our studios and lookin cute!

Gee, need I wonder why I'm tired? Busy busy busy week, and even given the chance to sleep in a few times, I'd wake up and start DESIGNING in my mind. A-wake! Where's the off button?

So today I swore off the sewing machine. Max went on a trip to Seattle to visit her ex who's about to have a sweet new baby soon. The weather was so warm and sunny-lovely, the kids and I RAN outside and raked the gorgeous yellow leaves out front .... a storm began to roll in so we raced the clouds to get the leaves put away in the garden before it poured! Perfect timing. I indulged the kids with both in a peppermint bubble bath while I read Harry Potter aloud, and fixed second breakfasts of folded over peanut butter pancakes with jam.

I received a package of new fabric straight from Japan, which was wrapped sweetly and included a complimentary hello kitty tissue set. THEN we did needle felting all afternoon, and watched Happy Feet. That was a little more intense than I imagined. But the kids liked it. They went off to their dad's for a boy's night of fun.

I'm home alone over night! I have time to read, reflect, sketch. I'm really happy, in general, but I've also been a bit design insane and it's good to regroup, get some more exercise, and have quiet time too.

What are you reading?
I have "Unlondon" by China Meiville (i love his work)
And an artsie inspiration book.

much love

Gocco Printing

Happy MOnday Everyone! It's another gorgeously sunny, crisp Autumn morning here in Oregon. The trees are in beautiful colors. Love this weather. My etsy store has been bustling with sales. Thanks shoppers! I love making my unique goodies for everyone, and it's wonderful when so many find happy homes.


Which do you prefer?

I'm creating a line of screen-printed coffee cozies.....Sneak peek at the newest design I'm working on. It's Nessy! The Lochness Monster, of course. I've had a lifelong fascination for her.

Creating a design with the Gocco machine starts with sketches, then the final drawing done is carbon ink. It's put into the machine, press the handle and BAM! The silk screen is etched! I have developed a method using loose screening by the yard rather than the premade frames. So I take my newly etched screen and frame it with duct tape. This holds the image flat for inking, and allows the entire thing to be washed in the sink (water based fabric paint of course).

Just like creating the new Zombie coffee cozy, I start with an idea of what color I'd like to print it in, but it doesn't always work. I've learned the contrast needs to be high, or you just can't see it. Sounds simple, but it's a process of auditioning ink with fabric.

I was in the studio for a few hours yesterday, the hens and kittens enjoying the sunny afternoon outside my open door. I experimented with screen printing on linen (for upcoming holiday ornaments), and working with this Nessy print. I wanted to put the image over stitched waves, but it didn't work for me. Get simpler. I wanted a nice bright water color, but not so busy it would interfere with viewing the image. Which do you like?

I've spent the last year learning about screen printing with a Gocco Machine, and falling in love with it. In the 80's almost every Japanese household had one to print their own cards, napkins, invitations, etc. They caught on in the US by the 90's and artists and calligraphers were putting them to all sorts of unusual uses.

Gocco Machines are somewhat expensive to get into and the supplies can be expensive. About $300 to get all set up. After wanting one for a year, I found mine at Goodwill for $23, then found simpler supplies to use. The good news is that the Gocco is so EASY to use for small paper or fabric projects. I am using prints more and more in the studio. The bad news is that after Dec, supplies will no longer be shipped to the US. The makers of Gocco have decided to move on to other technologies. I heard a rumor that the Martha Stewart company looked into making something similar and didn't find enough profit margin. And Gocco will be no more, but some other technology is bound to crop up.