Reboot.

There are times when life takes a look at you and says, "Whoa, she is wayyyy too comfortable there. Let's mess with her!" and *whoosh!* there goes the rug out from under your feet and you find yourself knocked on your ass, wondering "What the hell?!"
Yep. Rarely is it fun.
There hasn't been much in the way of crafting, or bargains, or creative artsy-schmartsy stuff, but I certainly don't want to give up on it. It will just take a little time to get back into it, and before you know it, I will be boring the world to tears with my blog posts once again. :)

Today's Post Is Brought To You By The Letter "C"

As in "C" is for CUPCAKES!

My aunt just recently got married, and seeing how good food and good drinks are things she considers priorities in life, they played sizeable roles in her celebrations. I definitely do not shy away from food and drinks, so this post is less fashion and more foodie.

There was a pre-wedding brunch, a bridal shower, and the wedding reception - I did not go away hungry from any of those events, and everything was soooooo good.

My aunt's friend Chris hosted the brunch and made the wedding "cake". He is a cupcake wizard. The first flavor we had was at the brunch - a dessert cupcake (if dessert at brunch is legal??) that was maple flavored cake with a cream cheese frosting, and BACON crumbled on the top. Um, yes please.

It might be ridiculous to add at this point that in addition to these cupcakes, there were also two gourmet cheesecakes made from scratch. (But ridiculous in the best possible way.)

A couple of weeks later we attended the wedding, which my aunt amazingly did the cooking for, and we were treated to even more spectacular cupcakes.

The spread came complete with a chart that told you which flavors were which, according to the cupcake wrapper. I tried at least one of each, and they were all so delicious. Of course, I was too busy stuffing my face with cupcakes to pay attention to the exact flavor combinations, but I do recall there was a spice cake, a lemonade cake, a red velvet cake, and the one I am still hoarding in a container in the fridge - chocolate/Nutella with sea salt sprinkled on top. The fresh fruit on top of the icing was an excellent touch.

I also adored the presentation - the tiers were surrounded with flowers and fruits and it was a cornucopia of yum.

I am thinking that Chris and I could open a shop - he bakes cupcakes, I make dresses, and it will be like a one-stop shop for all your tea party needs. (Ponies and rainbows not included.)

Cheers!
Red

Raffle Donations

Sometimes life gets in the way of crafting, and that's what happened to me. I did not get to finish as much as I had wanted to for the Cancer Copay Raffle, but I at least had something to contribute! I ended up with 3 pairs of earrings and 3 sets of hair clips. Hopefully they will bring in a little something for the charity.

I've got a craft table and a little more room now, so I hope this leads to more crafty stuff :)

Cheers!

Red

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig.

Upon my return from Big Bear, I had several small trips I needed to make, to various events like baby showers and family camping trips. I was thankful for the relaxing vacation time, but now it's time to be home and stay home for a while.
Lots of family business has been going on around here, leaving little time for fun, but I have been attempting to stay in the loop. Blue Shield of California's office in Redding is fundraising for Cancer Copay Relief, which helps patients pay their copays for chemotherapy and radiation treatments. They will be putting on a raffle at the end of September and I have been working on items to donate. So far I have beaded two pairs of earrings, made two hair clips, and have knitted most of a headband, with another headband in the works. I'll be sure to get photos before I drop off my items!
I've also been commissioned to repair a jacket for a family friend, so I have enough little projects to keep me busy during my search for full time work. :)
I'll keep everyone posted!
Cheers,
Red

Don't Judge Me.

So I know I just recently said that I had no business buying any new fabric. That all went out the window when I had the opportunity to go to the Los Angeles Garment District. I spent all day (and I do mean ALL day) Thursday with two of the ladies from the yarn shop wishing, shopping, and spending. The Garment District spans several blocks - they have everything you could think of including flowers, sunglasses, shoes, beads, prom dresses - but we managed to see only one street.
We arrived in the morning and began hunting for bargains. Almost all of the shops were overflowing onto the sidewalks with bolts of fabrics and notions, and most fabrics were at $2 and $3 per yard - a definite deal. My first purchase wasn't really intentional. I locked onto a beautiful red poly fabric with a black flocked print, and I guess judging by the look on my face, the salesman knew I was hooked. He pulled the bolt out and said "How many yards do you want?"
Next we ventured out of the Garment District to a couple of individual fabric stores in L.A. (I love it there, I know it's a tough place to live and make a living, but I adore the glamour of being in Los Angeles, and all of the fun and glitzy things to do and see that are so close by. I'm charmed for sure.)
I got to shop at Mood Fabrics on W. Pico, the same store that Project Runway contestants get their supplies. It is very chi chi, and pretty pricey, but for what you are getting - high quality imported fabrics and designer textiles from the likes of Roberto Cavalli, Oscar de la Renta, and Ralph Lauren - it's what one should expect. I was the only one who made a purchase there, as I lucked out with a $5 remnant, and a deal on pattern paper (since I no longer get it for free at school).
We also hit up F&S Fabrics further down W. Pico. I liked their cotton prints a lot, but at around $10 per yard, I wasn't going home with any. Nevertheless, it was fun to look.
One more round back at the Garment District, then our wallets were empty and the car was full, so we headed back up the mountain. The last place I went into was Shana-Tex, and it was a warzone - fabrics stacked high, notions underfoot. I was on my way out when I noticed a little swatch sticking out. I followed it back into a pile of bolts and asked how much. "One dollar." I asked for six yards. "Eh, make it five bucks." YES! I love a deal.
So, all in all, I came back with seven different fabrics, and a couple odds and ends. I am utterly broke, but hey, how often am I going to have the chance to shop like that.
I've got only today and tomorrow left here "up on the hill". I'm ready to go home to my family and my own bed (as well as a full sized bathroom), but I will miss the beautiful lake and the people! Now I just have to find a real job. :)

This is what I came home with:

Back to work!

Cheers,

Red

More Photos!

Katie finished her projects and brought them in for me to take pictures of. They came out wonderfully!!





Adorable, no??

In other news, the mom came to visit for a few days and we did so much!! It finally felt like I got to have a break and have some vacation-y fun.
In short, we:
*Rode the ski lift, which magically becomes the Sky Chair in summer
*Visited the local zoo
*Took a cruise on the pirate ship used in the movie "Time Bandits"
*Got horribly sunburned
*Went on a night hike
*Hung out at the Big Bear Brewery
*Shopped at the Village
*Went to the Santa Monica Pier
*Walked along Venice Beach
*Drove through Hollywood

Thanks Mom!!! XOXOXO

Now let's see what kind of work I can get done in my last week and a half here.

Cheers,
Red

"Hello, Day-Old News? I'm cancelling my subscription and giving my business to Behind The Times."

So, in my yarn-shop adventures, I have come to discover things of utter adorableness, some of which I can't believe I never paid attention to until now. I think it was my first week here when I met the lovely Lyndsie and Katie, who befriended me and began taking me on outings to Denny's, which I am so appreciative of. Lyndsie knits, Katie crochets, and a couple times a week we occupy the corner booth of the restaurant, laughing, eating, and working on our projects.
Katie has been making sweet little teddy bears and seems to encounter requests for orders everywhere she takes them. She showed me a book she has been working from, Amigurumi Two! Crocheted Toys for Me and You and Baby Too. It is filled with charming little creatures of all sorts and I had to find out more about them.

Amigurumi is Japanese for knit or crocheted doll. They serve no other purpose than to be super cute and fun to make. I have seen them as animals, insects, fish, fruits, vegetables, and robots.

Katie totally rocks at it. In addition to the bears, she is making a set of 3 peas in a pod as a gift for her mom, each pea representing each of her three children. She's also working on a stroller toy consisting of dangling seaweed with clown fish swimming through it. As if that weren't enough to keep her busy, she's making herself a sweater, too.

So I guess amigurumi has been popular for a while, really sellin' like hotcakes on Etsy, and I never knew. Crochet is definitely on my list of things to learn, and it would be awesome if I could make some little creatures of my own.

Katie's collection of bears, the middle one was her first

I'll have photos of her other projects up soon. The shop will be getting in some books on the subject and possibly teaching classes. Prepare yourselves for too much cute!!

Cheers!

Red

Cuteness Overload.

I have not accomplished nearly as much sewing as I had intended to up here in Big Bear. Work hours in the shop have been a little more than I had thought they would be, and at the end of the day, I've gravitated more towards the couch than the sewing machine.
I have nearly finished one baby dress! The last thing I need to do is attach the snaps and maybe a little bit of ribbon for trim. With only one garment done, this means my fabric supply is still hanging around in a giant shopping bag. I have no right to be shopping for more. However...
I came across Allegro Fabrics. Cute, kid-centric stuff, and lots of retro designs. And even better, the prices aren't horrible. Sale prices run about 4 and 7 dollars per yard. It's taking a lot of restraint for me to not order anything right now! I am definitely bookmarking them and coming back when I have used up some of the fabric I already have and can justify a purchase.
www.allegrofabrics.com
My knitting is coming along, too. I have gotten comfortable with the continental style knit and purl stitches, and after some practice, I am ready to begin knitting my first hat.
Ok, now I'm feeling inspired to get up and be productive with my day off!!
Cheers!
Red

For Funsies!

Now that I am not feeling the pressure of required schoolwork, I find it's a lot more fun. Things were a little slow in the shop yesterday, so I compiled some collections of fashiony things I liked.



Ooh, it's hot here. Off to find a cooler spot!
Cheers!
Red

Big Bear Livin'.

So it's the end of my first week here...and it's gone fairly well. I am staying in a trailer next to the shop, so there's no need to commute! The trailer has plenty of room, as well as WiFi (yay!) and Dish Network (yay!). I have been working in the shop pretty much all day every day, except for Thursday when they are closed. I got today off, though, and I am hoping to get a few things done.
A customer came in the shop on Tuesday wanting a new set of slipcovers for her rocking chair pads. My first freelance job! We helped her pick out some upholstery fabric and I got to work. I finished them up yesterday, and I think for having to start from scratch and make my own pattern, they came out pretty good.

My other project has been updating the shop's blog, which can be found here:
http://www.yarndesignersboutique.com/blog.html
I had my first knitting lesson yesterday and apparently, the way I learned to knit and the way I have been knitting is totally ass-backwards, so now I have to forget what I know and start over. :) Crochet is next on the list, and needlepoint if we have time. My first knitting project is going to be a hat!
Today is the first day I have had to start on my Etsy stuff, but I think we are going to pare down my hours in the shop a bit so I should have a little more time to get things started.
It's beautiful here, too. I forget that I'm in southern California. It looks a lot like home around here! Thursday I got to drive all the way around the lake and find a sandy spot to dip my toes in. Friday and Saturday we had clouds and humidity, but today, it finally rained. It's pleasantly cool, though. The altitude hasn't messed with me too much, other than my sinuses going a little bonkers, and sometimes I feel a little tired.
I have gotten to meet a lot of really nice people so far, people who are really dedicated to the crafts that they make. It's kinda neat.
My hot glue gun is calling. Watch for my Etsy shop to be up and running soon!!
Cheers!
Red

Side Note:

As much as I would have liked to have made my own dress for the portfolio show and graduation, I simply did not have the time. I also knew from my experiences looking for a dress to wear to a wedding last summer that it's difficult for me to find clothing in stores. I'm tall, my bottom half is larger than my top half, and I'm just all kinds of special. So, I had heard from a friend about a shop online called eShakti a while back and decided to check them out.
I have to say that the worst part of the experience was taking my own measurements. (Not that it was difficult, it was just discouraging!) They have sizes 0-26 ready to ship out immediately, or they will take the measurements you give them and make you a garment exactly to your size, for a mere $15 extra. The styles lean towards vintage, which I love, but they are classy and cute and appropriate for many occasions. I chose this dress:

Their promise is to ship orders within 3 days and have them in your hands within 7 days. I got an email apologizing that eShakti was a day behind in production, but I still received my dress in plenty of time, and even better, it fit great.
Another awesome feature is that if you like an item, but you wish it were longer, or it had sleeves, or whatever, they will do it for you. Materials are of good quality and the sewing is done well.
Overall, the dress I got was cheaper than I would have found in a retail store, and the fit was better than I would have found anywhere else. I am looking forward to buying from them again!
www.eshakti.com


Cheers!
Red

A much-needed rest!

All of the crazy is over! The portfolio show and graduation ceremony went as well as I could have hoped for, despite one ankle that refused to cooperate. Once I made it back home I had the luxury of being able to sit in front of the TV with my leg propped up, alternating heat and ice. It's doing much better now, and I have been doing all of those things I have been meaning to do. Wash the car? Check. Oil change that was wayyyyy overdue? Check. Rediscover the floor under my laundry pile? Check. It has also been an awfully nice break to be able to wake up in the morning without a schedule, and just do whatever sounds good that day.
I was glad the whole family was able to come down for the graduation festivities. We all stayed at a delightfully teeny hotel downtown and had lunch after the graduation ceremony.
Today I had my first meeting with my career advisor at school to go over plans for the next few months. I have complete confidence that she will help me find full time work. For now, she has advised me to get on the e-commerce train, so this evening I set myself up with an Etsy account. I don't have anything to put up for sale quite yet, but I will soon.
Next Monday I will be taking up my post as an intern at The Yarn Designer's Boutique in Big Bear, California. I have never been to Big Bear and I am looking forward to it. This is their website: www.yarndesignersboutique.com
If they can teach me how to knit more than a square or rectangle, and if I can impart my knowledge of Adobe products to them, I will consider the trip a success!
In my off-time, I will be concentrating on whittling down my fabric collection by making items to sell on Etsy, as well as making baby clothing for my three expectant friends. (Three! All due at the same time!!)
The boyfriend and I hit up Japantown today since we were already in the city for my appointment with my career advisor. We had a nice time - the weather was perfect, there was delicious Thai boba tea, and we had the yummiest roasted tuna collar for lunch. Today = two thumbs up.
Cheers!
Red

Something I forgot to share...

My portfolio cover. I found it at http://paperhaus.com, by Shrapnel Designs. I've actually had it for a couple of weeks, but after the delight of receiving it, the poor thing was brushed aside and I began concentrating on what's going inside of it.



It's 11x14, landscape, and is a laminate of sorts, so it is durable and probably will not scratch easily. As far as pricing goes, it was kind of mid-range for the all the shopping I did.
I can't wait to see it full of pages!

It's way past bedtime.
Cheers!
Red

It's getting real around here.

Guess what I bought yesterday?



This time next week I will be completely done, and hopefully on my way to a relaxing weekend camping. I began the process of getting all the signatures needed for graduation, and am waiting patiently for the mailman to deliver all of the things I have ordered for the portfolio show.
Most of what I have left to do on my portfolio is little stuff - cropping photos, rearranging things, etc. Not too bad, but I want to give myself plenty of time to print and correct any problems that may come up. (Fingers crossed all will go smoothly!)
Monday I will go back into school and get the last of my Wovens final done. I have the layouts and illustrations done, but need to use the NedGraphics program to map the woven swatches onto the drawings.
Alright, it's back to work!
Red

Two weeks and counting...

Is it possible??? This is not to imply that I am done working, or even close to done. It just means that the end date is quickly approaching!
It seems I have been glued to the laptop, making technical flats, editing photos, and perfecting the layout of my portfolio. (I have a feeling I will never think it's perfect!) Last week I had two interviews with design firms in San Francisco. One was for a possible internship, and the other was for my Portfolio class - more of a practice interview - where I was given tips and feedback about how to best present my work.
My to-do list has also been steadily shrinking - it has been rewritten four times, but now fills just half a page :) I have been running errands to print shops, paper stores, craft stores, the post office, you name it. Graduation announcements went out in the mail today!
This week at school we finally got the looms ready to go and I began weaving on Monday. I made a little progress, but then last night I really put it into gear and got the whole thing finished. I am rather pleased with my final result! All I need to do now is trim up the loose threads and finish off the ends. It feels good to have that project done.


Now I just have to get my business cards, giveaway items, and graduation dress ordered this weekend and I should be in pretty good shape.
Cheers!
Red

Need a mental break...

Time has flown! This time last week I was getting ready for the big photoshoot in Redding. It all went well - nice, sunny weather, very helpful models, and a hardworking photographer. It was exhausting, but it all got done. I have one more garment to shoot photos of, and I will be doing that shoot myself on Saturday, at Ocean Beach here in San Francisco.
As soon as I got home Monday evening I began sorting through the 1,000+ photos. I'm still not done! Today for Portfolio class we needed to have what we had completed on our portfolio so far printed out for faculty to come in and evaluate. I was stuggling with how plain and boring it was looking, but with a few suggestions, I feel better about it. I certainly have a lot of work to do.
Tonight we began setting up the looms for Wovens class. We are working in groups of three and my group's yarn is pitifully thin. I think it will look nice and detailed when it's all done, but thinner yarn = more time on the loom. More work to do!
It's midterm week, so that means I'm at the halfway point. In five weeks I will be ready to graduate! Doesn't seem possible. When I started four years ago, graduation seemed miles away. Now I just have to keep my brain from melting and it will all be fine.
Back to work!
Red


My pup Eva at the photoshoot last weekend :)

So far, so good.

My Adobe programs suddenly quit working on my home laptop, so it spent a week in the repair shop. Everything seems to be back to normal, which is a relief, because 99% of the projects I have on my plate need those programs!
Portfolio class is going fairly well. I have an extensive To-Do List, and I'm trying to cross things off as quick as I can. I have a photoshoot scheduled for next week. We have so much to do! When I get those pictures, I'm hoping it will be easier to start plugging information in to my portfolio pages. The class is very relaxed, which is very helpful. We have checkpoints along the way, but mostly we work at our own pace, and do the things we need to do, whether those things be working on the computers in the classroom, or running to the art supply store down the street.
Wovens is pretty similar to Knits. We are using Ned Graphics again, and designing lines of woven garments. Instead of learning to knit, we are learning to weave. My yarns just arrived yesterday. I have no clue what I will be making!
The fashion show judging night is coming up this Tuesday, and all of my attention has been focused on that. I'm finishing up my dress and pants this weekend, and I just want to be done with it. When that's over, I can start thinking about other things!
My Alice In Wonderland project will be featured in the gallery of my school, which is kind of exciting. I will get some new photos to post very soon.
Cheers!!
Red

Last day of freedom...

Tomorrow it's back to school for my last quarter of classes. I have two classes, thankfully on the same day - Portfolio II and Wovens. I know my instructors, like them, and are pretty comfortable with them, but I am nervous just the same. There are no more chances after this - this is IT! I am glad I got a few extra days of Spring Break, though.

I tried to clean up the house and my room as much as possible, and do all those little errands I end up putting off in favor of homework. I got the flower garden planted in the front of the house, but rain and cold weather kept me from getting the veggies planted out back.

For my fashion show garments, I probably should have done more, but I did some and that's better than nothing! I worked a little on the cherry skirt hem, did most of the tank top, and most of the beaded jacket. Before I can do much more, I will need to fit them on a mannequin at school. Much to my disappointment, I found out tonight that steam will take the color off the seed beads I used...sigh...

Only a few of the beads lost their color, and they're probably not that noticeable, but of course I see them!

That's all for now!

Red

One more quarter down, with just one more to go!

It feels like this school quarter went by really quickly, and with the minimum amount of drama :) I am now officially "on break" and trying to cross things off my To-Do List as fast as I can. This includes cleaning my room (I have already shredded an entire trash bag of old paperwork), planting my garden, and working on my garments for the fashion show.

All of my final projects got done and turned in just fine. The most successful of my projects was the Alice in Wonderland tea party hat. I was happy with the way it turned out, and so was my teacher. These are photos taken during our last class:

The Dormouse, peeking out to say hello.

My screen printed, hand beaded cherry skirt came out alright, too, except for the hem, which I will have to take out and re-do. Otherwise, I was happy it fit the mannequin and liked the way it looked.

In my haste to finish, I pulled the lining of the skirt too tight and it caused the outer fabric to pucker and look really wonky. Ah well, second time around I should get it right...right?
I have a lot of hand beading to do for my fashion show garments and will post some photos of my work in progress. For now, I'm off to tend to my flower bed.

Cheers!
Red

Almost forgotten...

The lookbook! I was so pleased with how it came out, and I think my instructor was, too.

All layouts and designs by Red, all photographs by Amanda Snyder Photography, and all modeling by Madison Walls. (Thanks ladies!)

Finals Week!

I have unfortunately been neglecting my blogging, but only to work on my final projects instead. I did get away to go see the new Alice In Wonderland movie the day it came out, and I was even able to take a few ideas from the movie to apply to my remaining project for my Costume Specialties class - the hat.

The hat is currently on the front porch after a dusting of pink spray paint. Earlier I was stitching two pieces together and the eye of the needle broke and stabbed me in the finger, so I'm feeling a little spiteful towards the hat right now. The mask was pretty successful - my only complaint was that one cheek of the porcelain clay curled in a bit, so when I actually put the mask on, it digs into my face a little.

This weekend on the to-do list: Finish up that hat and all the tea party-themed decorations I have planned for it, hem up my screen printed skirt, and put the final touches on my website.
Should I have any "extra" time, I have 3 proposed garments that need to become real by the end of April, so they can hopefully make it into this year's school fashion show.
WHEW!

Cheers!
Red

Busy busy!!!

I have been meaning to update for weeks now and finally have a moment to post some pictures of what I have been up to.

My Alice In Wonderland themed shoes are finished! I thought they came out pretty cute, even if I did not end up with quite the grade I wanted. The "tea pots" were completed with gold swirls, rhinestones, pink glitter, and a spray of playing cards coming out from under the lid.

I am currently working on the face mask that will accompany the shoes (and eventually a hat). In class we all worked together with strips of plastered gauze to cast each other's faces. It was messy but kind of fun, and when class was over, we had a line up of our heads on the table. Next I mixed up some plaster of Paris at home and filled the mask up to make a more solid and permanent casting to work from. After it was dry and heavy as a brick, I then began my final mask, using this awesome porcelain clay I got at Michael's craft store for $7.99. It was the only clay that did not require baking in the oven to dry. I hadn't wanted to spend quite that much on clay, but it was so easy to work with, came out nicely, and has lasted - there's still enough left to work on another project.




I have also been working on my screen printing projects - I printed two tshirts for myself, one for my mom, and one for my grandma. I already want to make another screen with more designs! My final project for that class is a full skirt with a lining and optional apron. Yep, I'm bringing back the 1950's housewife look.

The weather cooperated last weekend and I squeezed in a quick photoshoot. For Applied Computer Design I am creating a look book consisting of four 5x7 cards. Each card looks like an inspirational corkboard, with photos of my garments seemingly tacked up, along with little hand-written notes and pictures of interesting shoes and jewelry. The project is currently in the hands of the print shop, and I am anxious to see how they come out.

I was very pleased with the photoshoot! We got a nice sunny day with some great locations. My photographer's sister even loaned out the brand new scooter she bought to use as a prop. Here are some of my favorite shots:

All photographs by Amanda Snyder Photography, all garments by Red, modeling by Madison Walls.

Looking forward to seeing the new Alice movie next weekend!

Cheers!

Red

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”

The above has been true for me lately! Last week I finished my logo design for my business cards and was very pleased when I picked up the freshly printed order on Tuesday. Combined with my letterhead, envelopes, and clothing hangtags, the assignment went over well with my teacher and classmates.

My class also started screen printing this week! It was very messy, but very fun. We learned how to set up the screens and boards, and how to tape off the different prints. This week was just test prints, trying out different kinds of fabrics and different inks. Next week I will start printing yardage for my final project.
Left to right: Cherries, my dog Eva, and the boyfriend's knife set.

The cherries and knives will be used in my final, but I will also be printing on t-shirts, or any other knit item of my choosing. I had one more image that I did not test print because I was running out of time. Next week for sure!

My other project I have been working on is for Costume Specialties, my Alice in Wonderland theme. I've got the wire and mesh frames built on the shoes and have started covering them with paper mache (much to the delight of our dog, who attempted to eat the freshly paper mached lid to one of the teapots).


I started out with a pair of Sam & Libby open-toed heels that I got at Goodwill for - you guessed it - $6.99. I created the skeleton with floral wire from Michael's, some masking tape, a bit of newspaper, and a roll of screen door mesh from Ace Hardware. The only complaint I had about this method is that the mesh tends to splinter off into tiny little bits when it's cut up, and I have pulled many a metal sliver out of my poor little fingers.
I will post more pictures of the teapots soon - I intend to get my paper mache on this afternoon.

Cheers!
Red

Online Shopping

I have been gathering up the supplies I will need for classes this quarter. It was quite a list, but I knocked most of it out at http://www.dickblick.com/.
For Screen Printing...

Screen tape, $5.75. Plastic spreader, 6", $1.50. Two shades of Speedball fabric ink - one in opaque iridescent Black Pearl, 8 oz., $6.64, and the other in a water based Burgundy, 8 oz., $5.74. I also got a black spiral-bound scrapbook to use for my Costume Specialties process book, 10"x7", $12.99, and a metallic silver pen to go with it.

I needed two different kinds of fabric for Screen Printing - a red woven and green knit. If I go into a regular fabric store, I tend to get sidetracked and come out of there with much more than I intended to buy, so I cut to the chase and bought only what I needed at http://www.bigdaddygypsy.com/. I originally found them last summer when sourcing fabrics for another project, and bought some yardage during the fall. I have been very pleased with both of my purchases. The fabric is relatively inexpensive, good quality, and is shipped quickly. This time I got:

Red Damask, $4.99 per yard.
Olive Interlock, $4.99 per yard.

Thursday, just for fun, my boyfriend and I spent the day in Japantown. We both enjoy shopping and walking around there, not to mention the good food to be found. I picked up some treats at the grocery store -

C.C. Lemon, Golden Curry, Bulldog Sauce, Choco Flakes, and also Enoki mushrooms!

I have been wanting to buy a Japanese fashion magazine for a long time, but considering they are fairly expensive, I can never make up my mind while I'm in the bookstore in Japantown. This time I found one I liked, complete with a free gift!

The bag is a cute little hand tote, with a red lining and zippered top. I am going to use it for my beading and embroidery supplies - it all fits in there perfect!

Still have a bit of homework to get done for the weekend, best get to it!
Cheers!
Red