Alina's Adventures

Smitten with flower press.

I found a charming little flower press on sale at Barnes and Noble and decided it was absolutely necessary for our learning this summer. It's unusual for me to be enchanted or inspired by a brand, but if it happens, it tends to be French brand. In this case, Moulin Roty.

Even the cardboard box is too lovely to toss....

The history of Moulin Roty began in 1972 when a group of 20 odd friends were searching for a common project that would provide both income and way of life. In the small French village of Moulin Roty, the friends decided to purchase an old mill that has fallen into ruins. They renovated the mill bit by bit so that their families could move in and live there together as a commune. The adventure began with screen printing and craft items (lamps, jewellery, decorative items . . . ) and ended with a worldwide commune brand. 

In 1980, Moulin Roty opened its doors as an official Cooperative (SCOP) in order to "ensure the development and the durability of the company". This status helps board members conserve the founding values of the brand : solidarity, sharing and respect. The French cooperative movement offers much to emulate and inspire its American counterpart.

Then, in 1988, a fire destroyed the entire workshop at the old mill.  The designs, stock, files and machines were completely lost. Moulin Roty moved to Nort sur Erdre, 15 kilometres away and decided to begin from scratch. This new start also gave added importance to the design and sales aspects of the company. The latter kept its status as a cooperative but became a public limited company (SA) in 1991.

In 1996, a Hungarian-Romanian gentleman by the name of Arpad Kovacs got involved in the creative aspect of Moulin Roty. He designs the large majority of their wooden games and toys thanks to the company he founded in his native village in Romania. The company offers work to 150 families and possesses unique know-how that has long been forgotten in France, especially with regards to wood and wicker.

In 2000, the first subsidiary in Great Britain is created and a strong web presence for Moulin Roty emerges.

And just to think that the Moulin Roty Botanist Set is 72 dollars worth of beautiful... We'll just have to use that cardboard box to make our own... In the meantime, even the coloring pages delight us.

Right-click to open full-size printable.

5th Street Vintage Market.

I almost spent more than I earned at the 5th Street Vintage Market this weekend. It was beautiful and chock full of fabulous vintage frocks, old books, records, trinkets, and collectibles. 

One of the hardest parts about selling handmade goods for me remains picking a price and sticking to it. When someone likes something, I find myself so happy that I slash the price into shreds for the satisfaction of seeing a person with a y.so.str8 goodie going home. Everything happens so fast that it's hard to keep track of what you sell if you operate on a cash-only basis (as I do). Super grateful to Monica for her half-sandwich and general kindness.

I've been trying to go through my goods and make note of what I sold.... I do remember that the fairy tale bonnets went to two lovely little kids. Made from upcycled sweaters that needed a new raison d'etre, the bonnets were created from a design based on the fairy tales I share with the kids. 

Working with cashmere for bonnets and winter hats is lovely because the awful itchiness of wool hats as a young child sticks fresh in my mind. Wherever the little red riding hood may be, I know she isn't itching when she wears her bonnet.

The green lacey bonnet went to a little girl with a head full of beautiful black curls which peeped out around the lace. 

I kissed a number of handmade cards bye-bye. I also sold my old friend, the two-faced doll, as well as a funky grate-full packet for a young lady whose mother wanted "something creative and different for Christmas". I think the doily bib also found a home. (Boy, I would be easy to rob....)

Astri's star ornament.

What I sold is dim in my memory. But what I got is fresh. Dani Beach's itch for kitsch landed me with a dress straight out of my wildest 1970's daydreams. I stocked up on soap from The Left Hand- the scent of vetiver still lingers in my car. I also discovered some lovely old books from a vintage dealer impacted by Hurricane Sandy, and found myself the proud owner of a knit star ornament made by Astri Snodgrass, who has way too many talents up those sleeves.

The next 5th Street Vintage Market will take place in March of 2013. I'm so grateful to its organizers and planners who did the legwork of making it happen and bringing a little more awesome to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

The handmade feather headdress-headband.

Continuing our frolic with feathers back in the sewing room led me, as usual, to an unplanned place. A simple headdress became a headdress-and-headband combo with a button to boot.

It's always fun to find a way to use natural wood buttons as accessories or flourish on a piece. I felt like an ironwood button would add extra salvo and signify courage for little Micah's headdress.

She cooed and whispered when she saw it- walking carefully across the room as if entering Narnia.

The heart warms by rapid degrees when they love what you make for them- when it becomes something they use in their imaginary worlds of play.

Then she tried it on as a handbead that ties at the nape of her neck, leaving a small fabric "tail" reminiscient of actual native headdresses.

The ironwood button fits perfectly. If you hanker after your own natural, handmade, handpainted ironwood button as a sewing embellishment, for doll eyes, for gift-wrapping panache, or to add to handmade holiday hair pieces, stop by my y.so.str8 shop and and pick up a few. They are made from tornado-tumbled timber which would have otherwise been relegated to our city landfill. 

Handmade holidays time....

A little lavender owl satchet makes the perfect gift for almost anyone.

And my hands have stayed busy creating new things every day. If you'd like to purchase some of the crafts and creations you've seen on this blog, take an online stroll over to my y.so.str8 shop. And feel free to contact me about custom orders for the holidays- I love to try and make your visions come to life.

Making rag dolls.

Rag dolls have been on my list of learn-to's for long enough. Today is the day I got my hands dirty.

TUTORIALS AND HOW-TO

Simple rag doll with pattern (Miss Gioia)

Handmade doll with pattern (Martha Stewart)

Matryoshka dolls (snipsnaphappy)

Face pillow plus pattern (Lia's Space)

Yarn hair for rag doll (Quaint and Quirky)

Basic instructions for making a Waldorf doll (Simmy)

Black Apple doll plus pattern (Martha Stewart)

INSPIRATIONS AND ADMIRATIONS

1. sophie and lili dolls 2. Vintage fabric dolls (Made By Joel) 3. Baby gnome dolls (Yoya) 4. Jess Brown's custom order dolls 5. Timo Handmade's angel doll 6. Something beautiful from a flickr photo stream

More greeting cards to raise money for Circles of Peace.

One dollar per card. Each is drawn and watercolored by hand without reference to any pattern or model. Can you tell I'll do anything to encourage peace and reconciliation in our community?

Please email me if you see something you like and we can "make arrangements" (whatever that usually means, I mean it).

My first craft fair.

The Handmade Holiday Event went by in a whir of distraction and sparkly sights. Mary and I stayed up late the night before, trying to figure out what exactly we were doing. We never quite figured it out, but we went ahead and did it anyway.

Of course, we arrived for set-up later than we had planned. Looking at all the other displays of professional crafters both humbled and inspired. Tips for the next craft fair gleaned from admiring the displays at this one:

• Don't use individual product tags- they distract from the products.
• Layer various fabrics as tablecloths to add texture to your display.
• Alternately, place baskets or books under the tablecloths to lift and display some items without interrupting the horizantal viewing line.
• Stack crates around and on your table to create a vertical effect when you are selling paper products or objects which need a bit of space and signage.
• Cover corkboard with fabric or burlap and place it in a frame. Then use this to mount and display various jewelry or hanging crafts (my crosses would have done well). 
• Alternately, spread chicken wire in a large painted frame and nail it to the inside of the frame so you can hang, dangle, or string just about anything.
• MAKE SURE YOU HAVE BUSINESS CARDS. I goofed on that one.
• Spray paint a pegboard, cut the arms off a few plastic dolls, spray-paint the arms and squeeze them into peg holes to use as display hooks for various items. 
• Make a plywood sign for your brand and use glitter and glue to attract attention.
• Use cool bowls to hold business cards, candy, or small items.

Mary sold i-spy bags and just-a-pinch potholders. Compared to my crazy, hodge-podge display on a dirty, stained tablecloth which the dark closet obscured early this morning, Mary's display attracted many eyes. Crisp, clean, and professional, thanks to her laminating machine and her eye for detail.

I love this photo of Mary looking soooooo serious while eating her chicken sandwich. Only Mary can look pretty with a somber, post-craft expression on her face.

I didn't do a good job of noting my sales, so there are a few items that I sold but can't quite recall. The reversible upcycled bibs were popular, and the skull skirt sold quickly. One nice lady purchased the blue bloom cross for a friend of hers.

She also lingered over Luther (pictured below), but decided he should not leave the Coryell nest just yet. So lucky Luther came back home with me.

I didn't actually get to wander around the entire room and see all forty of the craft tables, but what I saw was impressive. I promised myself I'd cover each crafter I met and admired on this blog over the course of the coming week, so stay tuned to learn more about local craftisans.

All in all, the conversations and nifty people proved to be the best part of the fair. I loved talking to customers about how certain crafts evolved and emerged- how the munchkins play muse to all sorts of creations. And I loved all the stories strewn like candy along the way. Patrick dropped by on two separate occasions so Milla could nurse. He brought Tino along, and then he brought the entire Coryell Castle crew.  I love my family and our adopted Uncle Tino... 

More bibs.

I added a few new bibs to the y.so.str8 etsy store, including a bib to celebrate The Day of the Dead (not pictured). The upcycling fun continues.

y.so.str8 recents.

Recent etsy listings.

The Druid City Garden project today.

The folks at The Druid City Garden Project were in an area ravaged by the tornado in Tuscaloosa. Yet they have managed to pull together and keep this amazing local garden project going. This afternoon, from 4 to 6 pm, they will open their garden gates to the public. They have sunflowers and zinnias sold at two stems for $1 and purple hull peas at $2 per pound. 

If you can't make it this afternoon, then drop by on Sunday, July 10th, at the same time same place. Show your support for homegrown goods.

Pouches and purses.

With so many gadgets (iPhones, iPods, cameras, all the cords, etc.), I've found myself needing pouches to keep my electronic equipment safe from the snack foods and prying fingers in my purse. So I've added a few purse-friendly pouches to my bags and, of course, my etsy page. Shipping is free on your second purchase.

Twirly skirts.

I've been stitching skirts....

The Unicorn Horn Dress by y.so.str8.

 

Micah models the Unicorn Horn Dress now up for sale on Esty. Made from 100% upcycled fabrics and materials with a little blue horn in case your daughter, like mine, is a unicorn. It was great fun to make-- couldn't help adding it to the Refashion Co-op. As you can see, the model chose a melancholy expression to style the dress. Micah's morning melancholia, a warm and fuzzy part of the days in the Coryell Castle.

Babies need big bibs.

I've always been annoyed by bibs that are short on fabric to cover the baby's entire front. Because my experience has been that little ones don't seek the bib-covered spots on their shirts to try and stain-- they just get the food goop everywhere. So I decided to make a few bibs that actually live up to their promise to protect clothing from various stains.

Of course, the bibs had to come from various upcycled fabrics. And they needed to be reversible because all of us have different sides. I haven't added all the bibs to my etsy page yet, so check back later if you want to see the latest.

In the meantime, little Milla will only model bibs while holding a purple wooden frog. Not having an ironing board, the bibs don't look as spiffy as they might had this mommy found a way to press them with two small children running between her legs. Please forgive (or embrace) my chaos.

 

The Make-It-Better Bag: A cure for boo-boos, bumps, bruises, and other noisy moments.

Blame it on summer and days spent splashing through kiddie pools and tromping through woods. Lately, Max and Micah seem to covered with bumps, bruises, fire ant bites, you name it. Of course, each time hurts just as badly as the last and requires just as much kissing and fussing. 

I always lose the ziploc first aid bags tossed into the diaper bag. Or they sprout a tiny whole that results in an odorific gel destroying everything in the diaper bag. Surely there is a neat, appealing, and child-friendly way to carry first aid supplies with us. And then I came across an idea while wandering through a local boutique. So I cam come, rummaged through scraps, ran to the store and purchased some thick vinyl, and started laying out the pieces.

The most difficult part was sewing the plastic to the fabric-- the plastic kept sticking to my machine and jamming the thread. Sewing vinyl requires maintaining fabric between your machine and the vinyl on both sides. But the end result, I think, is quite fun. Max and Micah ran around in circles requesting their own, and Micah decided hers will stay with her American Baby doll (which she carts around everywhere).

Things to put in the Better Bag:

• Band-aids
• Children's acetominophen and ibuprofen
• Children's Benadryl (in case of an allergic reaction)
• Neosporin (or other anti-bacterial cream)
• Thermometer
• Epi-pen (as indicated, if your child needs it)
• Inhaler (if your child needs it)
• Daily meds (if you child takes them)
• Tweezer for splinters and such
• A few gauze pads
• A little sweet treat or special "healing" quote
• Aloe for sunburn

If you'd like your own, just email me or visit the y.so.str8 shop where you can find a few that I have posted for sale. Because it's okay to make even boo-boos a moment for prettiness. And kisses aren't disinfectants, though they sure are sweet.

The potholder-making frenzy.

Yesterday was all about potholders. Trying to earn money to buy a serger so I can finish my sewing faster and more neatly means sewing every moment when I am not nursing or teaching or chasing the munchkins. All of this makes for one busy Alina. And yesterday took the cake.

I made potholders from morning until night-- all from upcycled materials including placemats, towels, old dresses, and a shirt or two. 12 potholders which gain a flow as I go, a sort of sewing beat which takes on its own sweetness with each stitch. Sewing zen, perhaps? I don't know-- the words are technicalities and potential grammatical errors. Sewing felt good today. And, of course, if you need a potholder, you know where to go.

Pintucked wrap skirt tutorial.

I needed something easy to wear, easy to fold, easy to rumple in a way that suits me. So I found a satin and velvet curtain and decided to transform it into a wrap skirt.

MATERIALS

1 yard of 60 inch wide fabric (I used an old rayon curtain but it isn't ideal; cotton/linen is best)

Lightweight fabric or fusible interfacing 

INSTRUCTIONS

You will need to cut four pieces from your material. But some of the cuts will come after a few sewing steps because the pintucking will shorten the waist length quite a bit. So let's cut the skirt piece. Cause we can do that.

1. Cut a large piece measuring 25-inches by 16 1/2-inches for your skirt from the fabric. The easiest way to do this on a cutting mat is to fold your fabric in half and place it on the cutting mat. 

2. If you are using linen or a thick cotton, you can fray the edges of the skirt. Sew 0.3 cm away from three edges of the skirt so fraying doesn't turn to tearing. Since I used an old curtain, I chose to use the lined bottom part of the curtain for the bottom of my skirt, thus skipping a step. I did, however, need to sew the left and right edges. Just fold over 1/2 inch, tuck the edges under, and sew to the inside of the skirt.

3. To give the skirt a little volume, we're going to pintuck. Sew your pintucks (22  for me) all the way around the skirt. Make sure they are irregular and asymmetrical pintucks spaced anywhere from 1 cm to 5 cm apart. I used white thread to stand out on the formal, rayon curtain fabric. Remember that the number of pintucks will decrease the overall width of the skirt.

4. Now you can cut the tie piece and waistband fabric. Match the length of the waistband fabric to the length of the waist in step 3 (37 inches for me) and cut a strip 3-inches wide. I used a different fabric (white sailcloth) for the waistband because I didn't have interfacing and needed something sturdier than the rayon curtain. Pin interfacing or fabric to one side of the waistband. 

5. Fold your waistband in half lengthwise. Fold all seam allowances to the inside and iron or press.

6. Sew the waistband to skirt. Place the belt along the waistline, pin it in place, and then sew along the waistline. Make sure to leave a 1/2 inch at both ends so you can tuck it in and finish it later. I wanted to animate the waistband with some funky stitching so I sewed just under the mid-line of the waistband and then sewed another line 3/4 inch under that one. 

7. Cut and sew your belt ties. You will need two strips of fabric measuring 3 inches by 34 inches. Fold your ties in half lengthwise, fold all seam allowances to the inside, and press or pin. Then stitch your two ties along the bottom edge.

8. Attach your belt ties to the skirt. Place the ties so that the sewn side faces up. Then insert the ties into each side of the waistband, tuck the extra 1/2 inch of fabric into the fold, and sew them into place. You might needs pins for this.

If you fancy this wrap skirt, I made a version for sale offered at the y. so. str8 etsy shop. Check it out and see if the Urban garden party wrap skirt is missing from your wardrobe.

Sewing ruffled pants and pilgrim skirts.

I think my least favorite part of posting new items to Esty is having to model some of them. I've finally gotten around to adding the Pilgrim Skirt (pictured below) and the Happy Half-Apron. 

And here is a pair of ruffled pants that I made for Micah and decided not to sell because she loves them so. Great fun to make.

Micah modeling some easy hand-made skirts.

Miss Micah enjoyed twirling and modeling. You can the purchase skirts, hair bands, or other items at the y.so.str8 etsy shop. I've been lazy about sewing and curating beautiful things lately, but the winds of change are blowing... So there will be more.

D.i.y. hair bands for hot Southern summers.

Inspiration: An overpriced head-band gifted to me from a friend who loves Urban Outfitters

Materials: Elastic, linen fabric, teal thread, my Singer, a few old hair elastics that never looked right solo, and about twenty minutes of otherwise-occupied munchkins.

Micah models a hair band.

Pickl paper= perfect gifts.

I made a gifting wish-list today thanks to Whitney's wonderful Pikl Paper. Back in high school, Whitney was the one whose chemistry charts (and daily doodles) were worthy of art prizes. Now, she is a wife, mother, and small business owner whose artistic gift informs her work. Whitney makes sippy cup labels, announcements, enclosure cards, stickers, diaper bag tags, address labels, notecards, and piklpocketpics. 

A few that ended up on (or near) my list....but there are so many more which I couldn't share because I couldn't download the file format. But see for yourself. Especially keep your eyes open for the enclosure with the little bird on the windowsill....

The art of John Kelley.

At church last Sunday, Patrick and I discovered that one of our fellow churchgoers painted for a living. John Kelley's work (bio here) is featured in galleries throughout the southeastern states. There is a story behind John's penchant for painting trees, or "treescapes", some of which Patrick and I found particularly compelling. Take a peep at his neat portfolio on your own.

His work is also featured on his one painting a day blog, On the Easel, where you can find smaller, more affordable versions of beauty. For example...

For sale.

For fun. Oh yeah, and we really really could use a little money.