Domestic Divas

2009-11-27T19:24:00.000-08:00

i have been neglectful.
While I have been very domestic, I haven't been recording. So, here I go. I LOVE felt. I used to hate it. I remember getting the shivers in sunday school or at my aunt's house when we had to put the felt bible character or dogs on the yellow felt bulletin boards. ugh. But now, I love it! I love the bright colours and the fact that it doesn't fray. I also love embroidery thread. ooooo. all the colours! I get anxious just thinking about picking the colours out. So, I have been using felt to decorate and make all kinds of things: pillows, aprons, calendars, ipod cases... it is so versatile! I remembered to take pictures while I was making my felt creations, but not at the end. here are a few, mid-project. and a necklace from marthastewart.com

2009-04-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

baggubags.com

i just got hot pink and ochre.
alvin got oyster
betsy got sapphire and peacock.

life is good.

2009-04-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

I just bought ray bans. Classic, right? sarah said that they are an investment. btw, sarah, how was your visit with the rents?

okay. btw. still trying to decide about the shades. I have 90 days. Instead of black, because of my fair skin, I opted for the tortoise shell. and then bought glitter gold shoes from TOMS shoes. They are kind of hippie, so gold was my best option. how dare we look anything less than fabulous?!

my fake ray bans started flaking, leaving large pieces of black plastic all over my face. ugh.

Korean Adhesive

2009-03-22T05:03:00.000-07:00

I've been contemplating what to do with the walls in my yellow linoleum-floored appartment for sometime now. The walls themselves are concrete, so it's difficult to hang pictures. However, I stumbled upon the answer this weekend. Wall Stickers! Koreans are GENIOUSES. I purchased two different kinds - green tiles for the kitchen area, and a flowering tree mosaic for the rest of the place. The best part? Both came with Rinestones! Yes, that's right. I bedazzled my appartment. Feast your eyes on the results!

2009-01-24T21:24:00.001-08:00

2009-01-24T21:05:00.000-08:00

check out polyvore.com.
I may be addicted. this one I made quickly because I accidently deleter my other one. I love Valentines day. Pink and red. oh ya. so this may be a little early, but who is counting?

it's christmas time in the city

2008-12-07T16:31:00.001-08:00

Hello! It has been WAY too long. Yesterday I got to see Wicked and then Over the Rhine in LA. Although it was in the 70s, and although I was sweaty and thinking about my lack of sunscreen while walking down Hollywood Blvd, it is feeling like Christmas. I bought a whole box of red ornaments from ikea and made a small mobile. I left my pink Christmas tree at home, so this will have to do for the time being.
Erin and Sarah, I miss you girls! I hope you write about your creative endeavors soon! Erin- we still need pics of your new home and dresser with the anthropologie knobs. Much love. And Happy Advent.

ps. I also planned to make lots of Christmas cards. I only managed 6. and my mess remained on my only table/dresser for the next week. eesh.

Sweater Attempt #1 Contd.

2008-11-02T13:15:00.000-08:00

So.

The sweater was coming along swimmingly. Until it wasn't. I ran out of yarn, so it's back to Korea to get more. So much for Michael's lovely one year anniversary giftie.

I woke Anna from her nap to take this picture. She agreed, but would not stand up.

Oh well. Maybe Christmas...

Sweater Attempt #1

2008-10-23T06:35:00.000-07:00

So, due to a major problem with receiving my E-2 VISA (namely, being an illegal alien), I am back in Iowa for a few days. Which is a mixed blessing, because now I have lots of time to work on knitting projects! One of the first knitting books I bought was "Son of Stitch n' Bitch" which has a plethora of sweaters and other projects to knit for the "men in your life." From a girl's perspective, some of the projects are a bit much. Patterns such as a sweater that is an exact replica of Ernie's from Sesame Street (think bright primary stripes) or a ski mask torn from the lifeless body of a WWE wrestler. However, Mike loves to page through this book, oohing and aahing like a lovesick teenage girl. And I have been wanting to knit a sweater since I started knitting this summer. We settled on something that we both could handle (compromise) and chose to make the "Hacky Sack Sweater". Mike and I went to Dongdaemun with the motive of choosing yarn for this first sweater. He immediately decided on a forest-green wool blend for the main color. There is also a stripe made of Kyocera - basically yarn that knits up to look like colored stripes which fade into eachother. But there was no Kyocera to be found in Dongdaemun. Finally, Mike picked up a Kool-aid coloured acrylic. Out of desperation, I bought a package just to be done with it. But it's actually turning out quite cool. I think it's providence that the sweater is named after hacky sack, because it's definately something I can picture an early nineties, dread-head Cobain lover wearing. My only worry so far is that it won't fit the Beau as he tends to loose a lot of weight during the winter months. Cue hybernating bear one-liners.

By the way, you should definitely check out Knitta, which was suggested by lovely Melanie over a month ago. The site is run by a group of people who commit random acts of knitted graffiti all over the US and Paris. One of their motives is to make people see ordinary objects (stop signs, national landmarks, lamp posts) in a different light. And to add softeness to a city landscape.

2008-09-26T21:09:00.001-07:00

the beginning of a new project.

my friend bethany is having a baby. it is going to be a girl. we haven't really talked a lot since i moved to iowa 5 years ago, but she was so sweet, and we were friends for a long time. So, I am starting to crochet a baby blanket. log cabin style. and it is going to be brown and beige and purple and pink, of course. If she was going to have a boy, I probably wouldn't make her a blanket, but pink and purple are just so wonderful, so I have to do it, i have to. I will post pictures of it asap. when i start it... whenever that is.

love, katy

Lotte World, Dongdaemun, and consumerism heaven

2008-09-16T05:38:00.000-07:00

Michael and I explored our grand, new city today. Here are some pictures from several of the places we went to:

First of all, Lotte World is this HUGE shopping center about ten minutes from our appartments. We went there to get an alarm clock - apparently every store is out of stock because of Chusak (Korean Thanksgiving). And nine stories of retail later, still no alarm clock. I don't know how many minutes were spent today pointing at watches and saying, "beep, beep, beep." But the clothes. The CLOTHES. Every mannequin was wearing something original and gorgeous. There were even a few things that could be knitted....:) The entrance we took into the store was underground and was set off by an enormous fountain with Greecian statues. Totally bizarre.

We than took the green and blue line across town to Dongdaemun. As soon as we emerged from the train station, we saw the East Gate. The other gate was set on fire in January by an arsonist, which was a HUGE deal in Korea as these gates are their oldest standing buildings in Seoul. One of my junior high students jokes that we'll have a "Barbeque at Dongdaemun" if he doesn't do his homework. Clever kid. Also at Dongdaemun is a five story craft store. Five Stories. Fabric. Buttons. Patches. Ribbon. Yarn. Need I say more? It was impossible to decide on one skein of yarn to knit into a cabby hat. So, with Mike's help, I bought severl skeins of a lovely nubby grey tweed and several of a variegated green.

Inspired by our journey (and not wanting to do anything on my feet), I FINALLY finished Amanda's scarf. It turned out pretty well. I'm planning on making a scarf or some type of knit article for each of the girls I worked with this summer. One down, three more to go....

Oh! And I almost forgot the best part! While wondering arround another splendid mall in Dongdaemun, Mike noticed a shirt he liked. The salesguy came over, gave us a toothy grin, and while pointing at the shirt said, "It's me! It's me!" He was right. The guy on the shirt looked exactly like him. Of course, Mike bought the shirt. Coodos for being a clever salesperson, Korean dude!

2008-09-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

hello from sunny california!
Today I am posting not something by me, but something wonderfully extraordinary from miss sarah. She is a knitting fiend, for those of you who don't know her. Here is a picture of my beautiful new hat.

I am busy teaching, and today is my first day with the internet. Unfortunately for you, I spent most of it at the beach. Fortunately for me, I spent most of the day at the beach. But soon, maybe this coming weekend, maybe sooner, I will do a little makey-makey and post something nice. In the meantime, travel safely dear sarah, and keep crafting, crafters!

Hurt People Hurt People

2008-09-01T19:44:00.000-07:00

....So says the profound Oprah Winfrey. So true. (Just to clarify, there are many things that Oprah says that I don't agree with. This one just happens to be spot on.) Anyways, I have a new knitting pupil in the form of my mother. We had a marathon teaching session today, from 11am - 5pm, since I'm leaving on Wednesday. She's making wash clothes. So practical. The purple scarf is my latest project. It's in the MOC-FV Dutch color palette and will have the name of one of my waiver home girls stitched into one end. So creative, that is me.

My next post will most likely be from my cozy new apartment in Seoul, South Korea! That's right the Divas are going inter-continental!

trash ties for your hair - who knew?

2008-08-26T06:06:00.000-07:00

While lounging about in my pre-Seoul, relishing English bliss, I happened across this lovely site. Heather Bailey decided to take a pattern drafting course in college along with her Pre-med load and ended up realizing that she loved to stitch fabric more than people. She started a company called Noggins which specializes in children's hats and creates everything from pin cushions to fabric. Her patterns remind me of a grown-up Lilly Pulitzer. I've included a link to her blog under "Our Favorites".

Sky Skeins

2008-08-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

My family went to California this past week for a cousin's wedding. Here are some of the things that inspired me:

1. My sister took this picture in downtown Hollywood. That piano was suspended above four flights of escalators.

2. Knitting all the way from Omaha to Ontario. This is the beginning of a log. As in a peice of wood? Mm-yes.

3. Shirley Temple at Grauman's Chinese Theatre. Rent Captain January for a full dosage of cute.

4. Mike and I played "Feed the Cheddar Pringles to the Less Dominant Grey Pigeons to Level the Playing Field Against the Dominant White Pigeons." I won. And my sister won at taking a cool pigeon picture.

Operation Tuque

2008-08-06T10:08:00.000-07:00

Bethie came up on the way to Chicago for a visit. We spent the majority of yesterday afternoon lolling on my couch and knitting/crocheting. This is my latest project - a gift for Brother Joe who asked for a tuque as soon as he found out I wanted to learn to knit:

And from this angle, it's a volcano:

I need to work on tension; the stitches are a bit wrinkle-y!

2008-08-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

I have started crocheting an afghan. Since this picture was taken, I have added a stripe of light gray. I am very excited about it.

2008-08-02T22:39:00.001-07:00

recently, I have been addicted to flickr. I just love looking at all the designs and colours. Some of the photos are just really terrible, but I have found a lot that make me appreciative.

1. Baby Parasol, So delicate yet so waterproof XD, 2. Esme Valk: Oma (Detail), 3. Toshiyuki Fukuda 3, 4. Toshiyuki Fukuda 2, 5. Junzo Terada 3, 6. Junzo Terada, 7. Mocchi Mocchi 2, 8. Mocchi Mocchi, 9. Jenny Bowers: Cages, 10. Jenny Bowers: Russian Dolls, 11. Lucy Gough: Big Dot, 12. Lucy Gough: James, 13. Dan McCarthy: Celestial, 14. Clare Rojas: Head Bird, 15. Vintage Beauty :: Books, 16. Dylan Martorell: The Owling

Happy Birthday To Me...

2008-08-01T22:25:00.001-07:00

BIRTHDAY LOOT:

A.) Apparently, we didn't think up the name first! Oh well.
B.) Sweet flower plates from my mom
C.) Michael gave me a wind chime for my birthday. Its sound is called Morning Song and it plays in the key of A. And I can't have it outside because it messes with my dad's hearing aids. Guess I'll have my bedroom window open from now on!

2008-07-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

happy 23rd birthday, sarah!

2008-07-25T17:23:00.000-07:00

This weekend, my entire family is gone. I am planning on sleeping in and making a duvet cover. I have changed my original plans, and I am now going to do large horizontal stripes in red and purple and red tie dye. The back will be mustard yellow. I was thinking about doing a few mustard yellow stripes on the front, but I was wondering if that would be too much. Any ideas from you, you flocks of readers?

2008-07-24T21:11:00.001-07:00

a list of good things:

1. vintage clothing (namely, the kanye west shutter shades in neon colours.)
http://www.1918vintage.bigcartel.com/

2. raising sand (robert plant and alison Krauss)

3. Cat Power on NPR (and elbert b.)

4. Son of Rambow. It is brilliant.

the night is darkest just before the dawn...and the dawn is coming

2008-07-22T22:07:00.000-07:00

Yes. It's True.

The Dark Knight will blow your mind.

And Ledger transforms so totally into the Joker that there were only two instances in the film where he was even vaguely recognizable. And then, in my opinion, only by the arms.

Walking out of the Sioux Center theatre, my friend Clare asked me this question which pretty much sums up the movie:

"Is it harder to live a sacrificial life than to die a sacrificial death?"

Of course, the answer is yes.

P.S.
As a DDD, this movie inspires me because it re-emphasizes the "damsel in distress" roll which all women have been born to play. Also, women should not be a part of the mob, are a man's greatest downfall, and do not take part in SWAP team armored vehicle chases. (Okay, so there was one flawed aspect to this movie)

Dali vs. Dior and Alexander McQueen

2008-07-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

If I were rich enough to own original artwork - the kind housed in the MET or the Louvre - I wouldn't. Well, maybe a piece or so. Most likely I'd pay a heist-er for the melting clock painting by Salvador Dali. Or this other painting I just found on Wikipedia.

But before assigning my mob friends to the confiscation of either of these pieces, I would surely own at least a half dozen Christian Dior originals. As well as a couple Coco Chanel's and Balenciagas. Mannequin's kind of creep me out. So if my fictional garments were not being worn at the time, they would be pinned to the walls. Or thrown over the back of little-used furniture, much like a very pricey afghan.

This whole spiel is leading up to the latest Alexander McQueen show. This particular designer is known for having bizarre fashion shows, including one where the grande finale featured a hologram of a barely-recognizable Kate Moss twirling ghostlike in a white gown. The Fall/Winter '08 collection is a bit more toned down, but still brilliant. Many of the designers in Paris this season featured dark collections, probably due to the poor global economics. The beginning of the show translated this trend. However, McQueen chose to create looks based on Russian czars and Indian royalty, and formed them into tutu-style dresses. He entitled this show "the Girl in the Tree."

In GEN 200 at Dordt we discussed that we feel fulfillment through creation since we were created in the likeness of our Lord, the one true Creator. For a long time I felt guilty that I love fashion so much. Clothes for many Christians (and non-Christians) are just a way to cover up and stay warm. However, I love expressing myself through the clothing I wear and dream about making fabulous articles of clothing for other people to enjoy. Of course this is not my only dream - I find fulfillment in many things such as teaching and singing and hiking and baking.... But I now realize that fashion is an art form, a way of creating. And maybe, someday, a way to serve my Creator.

my new avenue

2008-07-15T21:22:00.000-07:00

I am the recent purchaser of a Macbook. I am flying high because of all the money I just spent. However, Rob at Apple was very kind and patient and helped me figure everything out. In the end, I will also get a pink ipod and a printer out of the deal. When my macbook comes, sarah, I won't stop writing. new posts everyday. I am already inspired by it's sleek physique.

Christmas in July

2008-07-14T22:41:00.000-07:00

Sorry to dominate the blog, Katy and Erin. I guess I'm just extra-inspired! If it's anything like my other site, I'll probably narcisistically write for a month or so before I peter out.... Hopefully than one of you will find the fire! Or any number of other cliches. SOooooooo....guess what?? My brother's back from Nederland (the Nederland?)! Aaaaaand....so is the family camera! Aaaaaand.....it arrived just in time to show you my goodies from KnitPicks! As well as some of the projects I've completed so far this summer. Unbeknown-st to me (at least when I started this knitting adventure), the yarn you can buy at Super Wal-mart (not that I'd shop there....ever...) is crap. Acrylic crap, to be specific. So say the "knitters in the know". These kinds of yarns pill really easily. You can tell if a yarn is quality by taking one strand between the thumb and middle finger. Rub it back and forth gently approximately eight times. If it has a halo of fuzzy fiber around the core, you can say bye-bye - why spend hours creating a piece only to have it look yucky within one washing? Anyways, the lack of acceptable fiber in the tri-state area is what led me to ordering on-line. Plus, there was a book sale on Knit Picks. So a ton of the titles I was drooling over with the other DDDs in Barnes and Nobles were on sale. Here is the result of my binge:

Okay, so I didn't knit the camel mobile. That is a cast-off of Brielle's which now resides in my room. But the arm warmers and miniature sweater are legit! I've already started on my next project, using my handy dandy interchangeable circular needles. What is it? Hmm...you'll have to wait and see!

The Sartorialist

2008-07-12T09:26:00.000-07:00

Lynda - are you actually Katy? - mentioned a blog by a man who takes photographs of stylish people from all over the world. The name of this blog is The Sartorialist. Scott Schuman, the author and photographer, uses a mix of ordinary people as well as lofty names in the fashion world to compose his posts. Scott "started The Sartorialist simply to share photos of people that I saw on the streets of New York that I thought looked great. When I worked in the fashion industry (15 years), I always felt that there was a disconnect between what I was selling in the showroom and what I was seeing real people (really cool people) wearing in real life."

Here are some photographs from the site:

Blue Dress - Paris, France (7-2-08)

Via Verri, Milano (6-24-08)

Omahyra, Paris (6-29-08)

Pretties

2008-07-08T11:06:00.000-07:00

My brother is still in the Netherlands, so no pictures yet of my projects. However, I found inspiration for some things I would love to knit in the future. Free People is a boutique owned by the same people as Urban Outfitters. Their clothes are much more expensive, but everything is designed by independent artists.

This is the first knit dress I've come across that is actually wearable. And the vest just looks cozy. :)

And this is just plain spooky.

P.S. I agree with Katy, Erin. You're the most creative of all of us. I think you should rap on our blog. Circa Usher 2003.

2008-07-06T17:29:00.000-07:00

A year or two ago, Erin made me a magazine for my birthday. It was from Anthropologie, and she jammed it full of amazing quotes and pictures of people that I love. It was the most thoughtful and creative gift anyone has ever given me. Anthropologie is always an inspiration, and the quotes she included were fresh and perfect. When Sarah reminded me of the gift, I quickly went to my book shelf to get it, and in turn, quickly went to a computer to look at the anthropologie site. Here are a couple of photos of Erin's fabulous creation, and a few dresses from anthropologie that are wonderful. Also, because I am inspired by Erin's craftiness, here is a quote:

"That is happiness--to be dissolved into something complete and great."
~Willa Cather, "My Antonia"

I lived it full, I lived it well...

2008-07-05T21:53:00.000-07:00

Driving home from Yankton this afternoon, I finally had a chance to listen to my latest Paste music sampler (courtesy of the one and only Elijah Palmer). I usually make myself listen to it twice before any song becomes enjoyable. However, Priscilla Ahn's "Dream".....I pulled over to the side of Highway 10 and just listened.

Did you ever have changeling days back in grade 7 where you felt shiftless and full at the same time? Those days floated back, wave after wave.

the third author

2008-07-03T15:41:00.000-07:00

in addition to Katy and Sarah's domestic endeavors, I will also be contributing to the blog. Although I don't have any projects going at the moment (i guess some aren't as "crafty" as others) i will try to help by writing articles about submission.

From Iowa with Love

2008-07-03T13:29:00.000-07:00

I have been knitting. Probably more than I should. Probably out of worry about Korea. Making things out of yarn is less scary than contemplating the future. Pictures of my projects will be posted as soon as my brother gets home from the Netherlands with our digital camera.

In the meantime, let me be the first tell you about Sublime Stitching. Personally, I have this baby blanket that has been in the process of being embroidered since second grade. Literally. You can tell because every square is dated upon completion. The last date is from around Christmas '04. Anyways, a blanket filled with smiling clouds or wiener roasts would be so beguiling that it would finish itself! The site features iron-on transfers, carbon paper to invent your own designs, and even glow-in-the-dark thread! Sublime Stitching - this ain't your grandma's embroidery.

Ciao, Sarah

fresh start

2008-07-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Sarah, Erin, and I decided to start this blog to tell you about the wonderful things we love that inspire us and entice us as well as to show you our projects! Stay tuned... Sarah is knitting pink hand warmers and I (katy) am just finishing a pink and green vintage fabric quilt!