Extra Big News!

I'm very excited to announce here that there will be a big Hot Butter Denver Made trunk show at Fancy Tiger Clothing in Denver this Friday.  Check out my interview on their blog here (Fancy Times!) and rsvp here.  If any of you are in the Denver area, I'd love it if you stop by and say hi.  It's going to be fun!

I have been working hard on a new line of vintage sheet messenger bags to show this weekend.  I did make a couple of these once upon a time many moons ago, and they well received.  I never made any more, and I think I know why.  They take both a long time to create and muchos fabric and interfacing.  I guess I'm more of an instant gratification sewer.  Anyway, I just finished a big stack of them, and I'm happy to say that they are awesome (sorry if that was a self horn toot, but I'm really happy with them!).

So far I only have photographs of one finished bag, which is technically the one I gave to my stepmom Kris.

I'll be taking pictures of the rest of them tomorrow.  They have some fun details!

Crafty Peep Swap

I made this glorious tote bag for Amber for the Crafty Peep Swap.

If that sounds like I'm tooting my own horn, it's because I am.  I had the idea for making a tote bag with this awesome crewel embroidered owl.  I even had the stuff sitting on the table.  Then I got Amber's email with the stuff that she loves, and I knew I must have been channeling my psychic powers.  I couldn't not make it for her.

The owl was embroidered onto a piece of linen.  I fused it to the bag, which didn't actually work that well because the back of the embroidery was so lumpy.  It did help hold it in place for me to double stitch it onto the bag.

I made the bag out of canvas and interlined it with flannel, and it felt so nice- soft and sturdy at the same time.  

It's lined with a vintage sheet.  There is a good chance that I used the last of my yellow and white sheet on the pocket and front decoration for this bag.  I originally planned to line it with that sheet but could only find a little bit.  I did send some of it out for the vintage sheet FQ swap, but I was both surprised and a little sad to discover that it was almost gone.  It was one of my favorites!

I love this bag so much that I included a note instructing Amber to let me know right away if she didn't love it with all her heart because I would have been happy to get it back and make her something else.  It turns out that she loves it, so I'm just happy that it found such a warm owl loving home.

In other AWESOME news, the Denver Post put a picture of a Hot Butter wallet in an article yesterday about the Horseshoe.  Check it out!

Meringue Porn

I took an unintentional break and have lots of things to share.  Please tide yourself over with this meringue porn courtesy of Grandma Donna's baking skills.







And a sneak peak at what I sent Amber for the Crafty Peep Swap.



Be back soon!

Washington Part Two: The Beach and a Waterfall

One not too rainy day, Laura took me up to see the glorious Nooksack Falls.  Yes, Nooksack.  Say it and don't laugh.  Then go to the Nooksack casino for happy hour.



It was a double complete waterfall that sometimes started to look like a triple waterfall.



Extreme Danger!  There was a sign by the parking lot listing all the unfortunate souls who disregarded the warnings, climbed on the slippery rocks, and plummeted to their deaths, including one pregnant lady.  Yikes!



This is the pretty green pool at the top of the falls.



I love all the glorious mossy green river rocks.

On my last rainy Washington day, we went on a little driving adventure, which led us to this glorious beach where a body can dig up their own shellfish.  We didn't do that, but we did investigate many shells and pretty beach rocks.



I officially love low tide.



Special thanks to my lovely hand model Jeffrey Geoffrey (pronounced gee-off-er-ee.



Laura walked on water and I was baptized into the holy order of those with pockets full of sand and shells.



Laura found one delicious crab claw and a shell platter on which to place her feast!



And by feast I mean stanky toothpick.



Laura had a cold.  I didn't and was able to smell the unfresh aroma of this discarded claw/arm combo and could not make myself put it that close to my grill.

Ok folks.  That's all my best Washington pictures.  More variety of the same scenes to be perused on my flickr page.

I'm getting ready for the Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market next month.  Can't wait!!

Washington Part One: Laura's House and Mossy Forrest Majesty

I flew to Seattle on the very last day of March to visit my best girl/soul mate Laura, who lives in the mountains extry close to Canada.  We went on a few adventures, and while I did not take infinity of pictures, I have enough that I'm going to split it into two posts.  Enjoy!

We spent a few hours in Seattle before heading to the mountainous boonies.  We went to Pike's Place, and took this picture.  It's the only one we took in the city!

Laura lives in a cute little a-frame house.  Her neighbors are technically very close, but the forrest-y backyard made it feel cozy and secluded.  If you tune out the occasional sound of gunshots (?) and the sounds of the highway, a person (me) can pretend they're in their own sweet cabin in the middle of nowhere.  

The ground was covered in moss and itty bitty pine cones.  They were so cute I wanted to glue some googly eyes on a couple so I could adopt them and sew them tiny outfits.

Laura also revealed to me the untold wonders of the mossy forrest.

We especially liked all the giant shroomy fungus prizes growing out of fallen trees.

Black!

Red with Laura's paw for size reference.

This shot is better at revealing its supreme awesomeness.

Another size huge black one.  We should have put a size marker in this one.

Surprise candid shot of Laura, whom I think looks glorious in the forrest.  I have always thought she looked awesome in green, so it makes perfect sense.  Also, sitting on that fluffy ground covering fern looking foliage (uuhhh, whatever) was a rare soft treat.  The world smelled like mushrooms.

Belated Birthday Drawing

If you're not a facebook fan, I may have left ya'll hanging on the giveaway drawing.  I started feeling not so hot Wednesday afternoon, which was quickly followed by feeling BAD, which is way worse than not so good, you know?  I think it's the flu.  Anyway.  I'm starting to feel better today.  I have written down many names on many slips of paper and will now choose the lucky winners!

Prize #1


This cute card wallet goes to the ever so lucky Anthony Faber, whom I assume will be giving this to a lady friend, unless he's a dude that likes pink and pretty leaves, which is cool, too.  :D

Prize #2


The wristlet goes to the also very lucky Juliana.

Prize #3


The pigs and ice cream wallet is excited to find a home with Tara!  Yay Tara!

Prize #4


The slouchy bag from the HB archives is pleased to escape my basement and go on the ultimate journey to Italy.  That's right.  Congrats Silvia!

Thanks to everyone who played along.  I'm excited to feel better and check out all you newcomers who commented.  Based on your favorite animals, ya'll is good people who like sweet animals.

I have used my sick time to get many things done.  I'm going to make a list.

• I really broke in that heating pad my midwife suggested we get for Felix's birth.  I haven't used it much, but it's officially served its purpose and will no longer go unnoticed under my bathroom sink.
• I watched the whole first season of Californication, and it's awesome and I love it.  Holy boobs!  Seriously, muchos naked ladies are in this show, which means I had to sneak it in while Felix was at school/in bed.
• I took 4 baths in 36 hours, which has to be some kind of personal record.
• I also watched an awesome program called Snakemaster, which was about a guy in search of a giant anaconda.  Sounded a little sexy, but it turned out to actually be about a guy searching for a giant anaconda.  He totally finds one, wrassles it, and then holds/plays with it.  I can't believe that snake didn't just eat that guy.  

Ok, I'm going to get back to work, and by work I mean parking my butt on the couch.  Peace out homes!  I'll write a post about my trip soon (hopefully tomorrow!), but feel free to check out some awesome mossy forrest pictures on flickr!

Battle Gear

One last giveaway reminder:  I'm going to draw sometime this evening at the exact hour of When I Feel Like It o'clock.  The prize giveaway on my blog is here.  The facebook fan gift certificate giveaway is here.  Thanks to everyone who has entered so far!  I haven't had the time to respond to comment entries, but I've read them all and think you are all awesome based on your favorite animal choices.

Last week Felix created this choice "battle gear" set out of his Tinker Toys.



He told me not to tell him to smile for these pictures because that's not a battle face.  The thing on the floor is both a dog and a shooting machine.



He even made a cool belt out of one of the tubes so he could wear his swords and knives.



Then I made him make silly faces.  I held him down and twisted his arm because this kid HATES making silly faces.



Obviously.



I got home from my Washington trip yesterday evening, and I'll have fun trip pictures to share soon!