back

I'm back after a wonderful mini vacation in California. Good to be home and glad to see Seattle defrosted while we were away. Christmas was great! The biggest perks of coming from a broken home are more family and more celebrations. I spent a lot of time behind the sewing machine making presents for people including a sweet hoodie made from reclaimed t-shirts, pictures to come. But I found this beauty a while ago and I really want it. I want to make it. And I want her hair. I don't remember where I found it, somewhere in my etsy adventures, but it's great. 

Glitter is the herpes of craft supplies

The topper to our amazing pink and white tree is a homemade star crafted out of construction paper, the finest of glitters and hung from the ceiling. Yeah, it's pretty awesome.

And have I mentioned how much I love winter break? It's snowy and beautiful and I have all the time in the world to make everything I want. Today I made these leg warmers, a hat and a cowley neck warmer out of one discarded sweater. I am in love with them.

And I sent a friend home with a set of matching screen printed and monogramed scarves for gifts for all the ladies in his family. Tomorrow I sew world peace :)

'Tis the Season

Successfully convinced my man to let me get a 9 foot tall gaudy white tree and decorate it with pink, purple & gold bulbs. Trying to fit said 9 foot tall tree into the car was a little more challenging. 

Tada!
And a tiny video of the cat's first christmas tree (yes, I know am a huge dork):

Tada!

The last of tonight's project is complete. I also think I learned to embroider...I think.

More time means______________

More work, yes.

More making, yes.

But most of all more blogging! And look what I've found: very pretty things! My new favorite as of this minute is the rule of threes and they post things like this:

and this:

and this: 

I LOVE the calendar! It's such a simple and innovative idea. I'm working on my own little calendar to give as I'mAStarvingStudentYouGetNoPresentsThisYearForgiveMe gifts.

The last picture is someone's cat food and water dishes, which look exactly like my cats food and water dishes. Well not exactly like mine because those are crystal and mine are oversized ceramic coffee mugs but nonetheless I get points by association. I love the cat portrait, I'll be taking that idea- yoink.

That is all. Now commencing day two of nog drinking & scarf making. Did I mention it's our FIRST snow in the city! Yay!

Friday nights

Just put up this beauty after toiling over it for many a late night. It has a more "round" pattern than its predecessor, trying to avoid another Georgia O'Keeffe reference- thanks Rebecca. No one wants one of those wrapped around their neck. Also if I'm going to continue down this scarf road I'm going to need to recruit a model because my solo attempts were no good. I do however like this blurry picture of myself. I look real seriouslike. I probably only like it because it is blurry and you can't see my face. I kid, I kid. And the smokey eyes too, ooo baby.

Maybe I'll take a lesson from the lovely and modest folks at American Apparel. Any volunteers?

Now I commence my scarf making/nog drinking/Santa Clause watching Friday night. Thing #73 on my list of things to do over break. Pajamas and all.

Done!

I survived the eight am final, who knew it was still dark at 6:30? Not this girl.

Now it's time time for the wondrous three week winter break! In celebration of three weeks with nothing to do, I shall make a list of all the things I want to do in no particular order:

Get christmas tree 

Decorate said christmas tree

Make house smell like the holidays- I'm thinking lots of smelly candles. Lots.

Make & send christmas cards for friends & family

Make thank you gifts for all (three) of my lovely customers!

Get scarves up in the shop. I don't care if I missed the holiday rush, people will still be cold

Make a sweatshirt from my own design

Read a book

Spend one entire day in pajamas and don't leave the house

Watch a christmas movie while drinking nog

Get my wisdom teeth out, yes I still haven't done that and no, I am proof they do not make you smarter

Do a snow dance.

I think that'll do for now.

Also, I love these great hand drawn journals from zippitydooda. They are a collaboration of many artists with differing themes throughout the year. 

If you like pretty check them out. They remind me everyday why I'm in art school, collect pretty things and create. I don't know how they do it but they do and it's amazing and I love them.

Also, in less than 24 hours I will be done with finals! Right now I'm off to clean the print studio at school after a night of frantic sewing, gluing and cutting and cleaning my own studio. Then one last final at 8:30 am, gasp. Then make tons of pretty christmas presents, update the shop, makemakemake, then Christmas, then California. Yay!

Also you can find these adorable little original paintings here. She's pretty awesome!

Done and done

Turns out you can get a lot done when procrastinating. 

I also think my old paint rags are really beautiful.

Yes please

In my recent internet adventures I found the greatest studio ever from the geniuses at Somethings Hiding In Here. They make beautiful funky things in their beautiful funky  home/studio. It is my inspiration for maintaining my new studio (i.e. my dining room takeover). It's funny to clean it one day and have a craft explosion the next. 

Hope everyone's thanksgiving was delightful. Ours was full of friends and deep fried bird. delicious. 

Sunday

So few hours left in the week. But look at this pretty little clock that I found while out rummaging today. He's pretty darn adorable and still works. Unfortunately the ticking that I thought would be delightfully nostalgic turned out to be quite mesmerizing and has already put me to sleep at my desk. Maybe it will just have to be for looks. This will be the third clock in our house that won't tell time properly. Fitting if you know us.

$$$

I pulled a bunch of prints together for my first print sale and my school's last print sale this past week. I'm becoming more efficient at busting out cards and having a lot of fun packaging and making thank you treats to send out with orders. I made this little guys to send all the way to Brooklyn!

The goal for this weekend is to get some scarves up in the shop and to get some sleep. 

Where the magic happens

Although I tend to be kind of  a neat freak, it's nice to be able to drown in pretty things. I survived the post office this morning sending out my first etsy package, not too intimidated anymore. 

And I RECEIVED my first etsy package today too! She's a sleepy little polar bear that makes me smile and is my new best friend.  You can others like her at Olive Bunny Books.

Yay!

My first sale in my second day of being open!!!
Thanks Madeline!
This is what you'll be receiving very soon!

Busy bee

That's my little faux bois card (2nd in on the bottom right) on the front page of Etsy! Whoohoo!

I've spent the last two days cutting, pasting, stamping, sewing, taking pictures, posting, drinking lots of coffee and smiling because I'm actually doing it! The shop is up and running and I'm slowly adding things throughout the day. It's kind of nerve wracking to be so exposed but hopefully someone will like my things as much as I do. I have a tontonton to learn but I'm confident that I will learn as I go. For now I wait....

Oh my gosh! I did it. There's no turning back now. I think I'll put in my two weeks notice at work tomorrow. yes...
You can find these tiny guys in MY NEW SHOP!

the big idea

...trying to get the etsy shop off the ground this weekend. Make logo. Make website. Make things to sell :)

tada!

Inspired by pick-up stix spaghetti, this is my first attempt at stop motion. And my first time using IMovie. I'd say it was a success. As successful as an 11 second movie can be :)

YES! We win!

also..

this is the most clever thing. ever.
Check out couch sex at eatPES

Obama eve

Just filled out the absentee ballot after many lies to campaign callers affirming that I had indeed already voted, yes democrat. Although it was fun to be consumed by daily updates and have a logo to paint on everything for twenty months it is very exciting that it will all be over tomorrow. I also have no idea what news stations report for the three years in between elections. And am I allowed to wear my Obama paraphernalia post campaign? 

My Saturday nights.

Kurt Halsey, I'll Make My Own Friends

Indeed.

I am good at life. I swear.

I am finally done with a blurry week of tests. And now I want to sleep. Forever. 

greetings

Hello. I am Ashley. I am new here. It is lovely to meet you.

I am a creative young one who's dream is to nothing more than to stay home and make pretty things.  For some reason it is hard to explain this to my professors. I am in art school but this continues to convince me that I am not an artist. 

I have lived in Seattle my entire life. I love that the sound and smell of rain reminds me of home wherever I am.I live in a beautiful house with my wonderfully talented partner in crime Matthew and our two furry and demanding roommates Scout and Clementine.  I serve coffee by day and beer by night and consider my co-workers and customers some of my closest friends.  

I like clean dishes, socks, hair, hands and paper. In no particular order.

I do not like unglazed pottery or chalk. 

tada.