Rock Crystal Jewelry

I was walking on the Elliptical Machine at my gym and reading  (staring at pictures) May's issue of InStyle (with Tina Fey on the cover)  and noticed this lovely article about Rock Crystal Jewelry.

Then when I looked online the trend is still there!

Well guess who felt cool then..... I made some rock crystal jewelry this past fall as birthday presents for some of my sisters. The two piece quartz crystal necklace I made for myself. But I'm thinking about separating it into two necklaces. It's too bulky for just one person.

Here's it hanging on my home-made jewelry holder. Yay!! for projects you can make out of foam core board, thumb tacks and a cheap frame.

Here's a necklace made from pieces of Amethyst Crystal. I joked when I made it that it was a statement necklace, Whose statement was "I love big jewelry!"

Anyway, I feel neeto for having been part of a tiny trend. It seems that everyone thinks alike now and then.

Ruthie

Artists and Illustrators of whom I am extremely jealous

Here's a guy I just found today from Drawn. Well, I could say I had found him a long time ago as he's contributed work to Playboy, Maxim, DC Comic and also created work for "Waltz with Bashir", a haunting and beautiful animated film. Many of his illustrations ring a bell with me, I can never quite place where I've seen them but they stick around in my memory.

His name is Tomer Hanuka.

This illustration makes me weep. It's about the lost city of Atlantis.

Tomer Hanuka

 I adore Star Wars. You had me at Dagoba Tomer.

Tomer Hanuka

 I hated this book "the life of Pi", but this illustration is spot on perfect. I might read the illustrated version if Tomer does the lions share of it.

Tomer Hanuka

 Playboy illustration. I swear I only read it for the articles.

Tomer Hanuka

Tomer and Asaf Hanuka

So Tomer  is also a twin, and his twin brother Asaf is also an illustrator. oh Lordy. 

Asaf Hanuka

Asaf Hanuka

Asaf Hanuka

Asaf Hanuka

I'm really amazed by these guys.

Good work, both of you.

Ruth

Baby Project with Love

I started working on perfecting the curvy "Single Girl" Pattern. So after the first draft, I cut out four blocks of the pattern, and got to work, matching up notches, and pinning. I tried a couple methods and the pinning method worked better for me. Which is funny, since I've been doing the "make it fit" version for years and years and wondering why it never turned out well.

The four blocks fit well and proved I could use my pattern. And since it turned out so well, and I feel in love with the fabrics (all from my fabric stash) I added a little border and a heart and made it into a baby blanket.  No sense wasting a nice looking quilt just because it's only 3 feet by 3 feet.

Here it is.

I'm not one to try out patterns first when it comes to quilting. Only when it's a dress or a shirt. But then again, maybe I should going forward. Especially if my rough draft turn out as nicely as this.

 I added the hearts and appliqued them to the center. It needed a focal point. I thought about monogramming it with the baby's initials, and then chose an applique heart instead. I like it.

It's just straight stitched around most of the seams, (about 1/4' away from the seams) and it fluffs up just fine.

Hope the little girl likes it.

Ruth

Llama Font

Look what I just found on Notcot.org!

Llama Font.

Say it in Llamas!

http://llamafont.com/llamafied/1dn

The below is "Do you like Llama's? I do!"

• d
• o

• y
• o
• u

• l
• i
• k
• e

• l
• l
• a
• m
• a
• s
• ?

• i

• d
• o
• !

Denyse Schmidt and the Single Girl

I am going to start on a new quilt soon. I know, I can't get enough. I must be in a quilting mood. I have a lot of projects I need to do. Or rather I want to do.


I would like to make a dress  for easter, some matching Pajamas for my husband and son out of the most adorable robot fabric. And I need to do my taxes. One of those must happen this month. The others may or may not.

Here's the inspiration for my quilt.

Denyse has been an inspiration of mine for quilt a while. Go here to see more of her work. I actually bought this quilt shown above for my bed. They sold it through pottery barn and the price tag was much cheaper than the usual which is in the thousands. I love it and have finally told myself I WILL sew curves. I usually avoid them because, well they stretch. And it's Hard to make it look nice. But I will do it. Maybe to challenge myself, maybe because it's just so beautiful. For those of you who know about quilting, the name the single girl is because the original inspiration for this quilt was known as the Double Wedding rings. So now, she's a single girl.

Here's a mock up that I worked on in illustrator. I scanned in the fabrics I will use, and drew up what I think the finished piece will look like. It's not exactly like Denyse's pattern, her's is more squared circles (the best I can explain it) and mine are much more rounded. But I am going to try it my way, because I don't like rules. The batik fabrics are only scraps left over from a quilt I made five years ago, only about 1/4 yard each. But, I will persevere, even if I have to take apart some curtains. Next, I have to do some mock ups to get my curves better and my puckers under control.

Here's my illustration of what I hope my quilt will turn out to look like. I plan on calling it the Single girl in the Batik Dress.

Until my next project.....Ruth

Vivienne Westwood

I happened upon a little pair of lovely shoes just the other day. They were Vivienne Westwood. I love Vivienne Westwood. I don't always love what she designs, but sometimes, she just floors me with great stuff. I guess I love her because she has a sense of humor. At least I hope she does, either that or she's insane. Which if she is she's even more fabulous.  So, I had to find more Viv.

Only she could make ridiculous so much fun.

People take their fashion way too seriously. I mean, we don't have to wear clothes. They are essentially decoration. (unless you live in crazy environments, but why would you choose live in a cold place?) I live in Texas where it's perpetually summer and when it's cold we don't leave our homes. It's not that I'm a fan of "Ironic" fashion, although how fashion can be ironic I'm still unsure of, I just love a good costume. I love the strange and silly. Because, it's just clothes people. Vivienne understands that, or at least, I like to think she does.

I think these shoes are jellies. Oh, how wonderful and uncomfortable at the same time. So, essentially the definition of a high heel. I'd feel like Jessica Rabbit and Bettie Boop all rolled up in one.

 The drunk dress, it really is as if she tried to design a dress while drunk, or while on a roller-coaster. Yes, it's supposed to look this way. Ha. It looks a lot like my first muslins in fashion design class. Annie might remember.

Ah, Skulls. Just when I think they've peaked, Vivienne has to go back and remind me that death never goes out of style.

Ruth

Re-write and Donate to Dylan

Hi Guys,
I was looking through some blogs, and found out I was wrong in attributing Anna Maria Horner's blog as Oh Fransson!. It is actually: http://annamariahorner.blogspot.com/. Now I think you should go to both blogs as they are both great and super inspirational.

Here's the quilt I had made, based on Anna Maria Horner's "Sixth time's the charm" quilt. It's going to be raffled off on April 15th. So make sure to put your money in to help out little Dylan.

Dylan is battling Lieukemia, he's only three years old. Let's donate to help him and his family. And if you donate $10.00 you can win this quilt!!!!

Here's how you donate:

Raffle Tickets are $10 for 1 ticket, and $50 for 6 tickets.

It is benefiting Dylan Branson, a super cute kid with an adorable mohawk and I immediately love him.

Drawing will be held on April 15th at 12pm.

Mail raffle money to :

Attn: Kendra Wray

Mickey Ferrell, Realtors

8610 FM 725

McQueeney, TX 78123

Make checks payable to Lori Branson and make sure to leave your contact info so we can get ahold of you if you win.

If you want to annoy Kendra, please do by calling her at

830-534-1410

or email her at Kendra@kendrawray.com

If you want to, (and I'm sure you do) post this jpeg in your blog, or in your facebook or email it to your friends with $10 of disposable income.

You can also donate to Kendra's paypal, to do so, go to Kendra@kendrawray.com and she will direct you. All proceeds will go to Dylan and his family.

 "Lines meet in the middle"

I know there's a lot of people out there in Japan, and Haiti and Africa who you would like to help. But here's a boy who's right here, and he could use some too. So let's try to help those we are far and near.

I know I'm going to donate as well.

Ruth

Artists and Illustrators of whom I am supremely jealous

First,
Lets start with Jessica Hische:

If you've not heard of her then I figure you've not been granted eyesight.

She's done typography as well as illustration for big publications and small design houses. I first heard of her when Design Sponge mentioned her Daily Drop Cap project. I noticed a fantastic book cover the other day. I usually buy books half based on the book cover and half based on the blurb. Well, I just about bought this book simply for the cover itself.

Jessica Hische

Jessica Hische

Jessica Hische

Jessica Hische

Book which I almost bought just because of the cover.

Jessica Hische

Jessica Hische

Lets just say I (heart) her work.

Next:

Annie Wu

An great illustrator. I found her originally from the blog Drawn, I think, maybe it was Art Jumble? It was the fashion illustration for Star Trek that won me over. But then again, maybe it was the illustration of The Venture Brothers. I do love that show...soooo much I'm on my second set of DVD's. 

Annie Wu

 Star Trek Fashion Illustration: Neeto. As a sci-fi nerd, as well as a fashion lover, I approve.

Annie Wu

Annie Wu

Annie Wu

Please go to her flickr page to see the Goldfish Fashion Illustration, and the Virgin Suicides.  It's just nice to see people who really have a lovely style and use it accordingly in super cool stuff. I find that I am running out of good adjectives for cool and neeto. Oh well.

Ruth