Sugru it!

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Have you guys heard of Sugru? I first saw it at Maker Faire several years ago and FINALLY bought some to play with because I had a sad iPhone charger in need of repair. The wires were fraying and detaching from each end of the cord. All my effort to cover the mess with white electrical tape did was make it a sticky, dirty mess 

Sugru is basically a moldable silicon-based glue. It comes in lovely colors that you can mix if desired. You knead the Sugru and shape it for whatever task (fix/attach/create) and then let it cure for 24 hours. When it dries it's smooth, soft, and flexible. It's kind of magic. I don't have to be delicate with my charger anymore. I'm able to plug it in right side up even in the dark, and I made a little handle for unplugging it.

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I have more packs and am contemplating my next move. It feels like one of those things I will soon wonder how I lived without. If you poke around the Sugru website you can see truly amazing projects other people have completed, from simple repairs like mine to ingenious modifications of gadgets, to improving & customizing outdoor gear, to making art. Scott is going to use some to modify his hiking shoes to help his gaiters stay attached. 

Sugru did not sponsor this post or send me any freebies...but they DO have great, fast, friendly customer service. I'm honestly impressed with the product and the company.

Do YOU have any DIY projects that need extra groovy ingredients? 

Two little birds...

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Two little birds arrived on our doorstep.

My crafty mother-in-law has started working on mixed media works of art, and she sent these lovely pieces to grace the walls of her granddaughter's room. Our little one admires them everyday and reminds us that GramSam made them just for her. I am grateful that every single person in our family pursues their interests and sets a good example for our girl. I try to do the same. 

Attic Whispers

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We all know that pictures tell stories...but what if the stories get lost? Well, you just have to invent new ones.  My dear mother-in-law Sam's new blog called Attic Whispers does just that...she has a collection of old family photographs that no one knew the details about anymore, and she writes new short fiction stories about the people in them. She's found a new antique store photo-hunting hobby too! Sam's stories are delightful, with just the right vintage tones to go along with the photos. I love that she has found this new creative outlet. If you have a moment do stop by and take in a story or two...you'll be hooked!

katherine and simon

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I know a lovely painter named Katherine Lewis.  I've known Katie for a few years now and am always delighted by her sweetness, her positivity, her adventurousness, and especially her artistry.  Whether she's painting, pursuing beekeeping, or studying abroad in France, she puts her whole heart into what's in front of her. I'm pleased to share the news that she has written and illustrated her very own children's book, Simon and The Orange Scarf

This book would make a lovely holiday gift for anyone, yes? You can see more of Katherine's artwork on her website. Bravo, Katie! I can't wait to read your book and get lost in the artwork. 

[FYI, I link to Green Apple Books in San Francisco and/or Powell's in Portland because they are my favorite bookstores...local, independent, and awesome. They have no idea who I am, nor do they give me anything for linking to them. Where you buy your books is your business.  I also advocate the public library [and the library didn't  waive any fines or give me anything to say that]

doo do doo do doo doo do doo doo

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I was a big fan/addict of Tetris back in the original Nintendo days, and was pretty good at it, too. I liked the music, the color schemes, and of course the satisfaction of organizing all those shapes and cleaning up the board.  I never quite transitioned my habit to the versions available on other electronic devices (I did have the Nintendo for a loooong time) but I still think fondly on the game...here's some Tetris related fun: 

20 in 20

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Do you read Aesthetic Outburst? It's one of my top favorite blogs...Abbey writes about crafting, design, and motherhood with a sense of ease, reality, and humor.  I find her very inspiring. This year she created a blog theme called 20 in 20, where she makes and gives away 20 projects in 20 days.  She plays with all different types of supplies and uses shape and color wonderfully.

 I'm so excited to be a sponsor for Day 16 of the April 20 in 20 projects on Aesthetic Outburst. Check out the blog, and enter to win! You might also think about sponsoring a project in May...sign up now!

desert roll

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The subject of the [terrible] photo above is the newest menu found at our local sushi spot...the one 2 blocks up, 4 blocks over. See that roll...the Desert Roll? Yeah, we named that.  That's OUR roll.  We went up there dinner one night and were the only ones eating.  The waitress and sushi chef brought us 2 pieces of their experimental roll and asked us to help brainstorm names for it.  And we did...and they liked it! It was tasty too...it's a baked roll with crab, salmon, and a delicious creamy sauce.  Yum.

Lo and behold a few weeks later...there's a new roll on the menu. There's no footnote at the bottom with our names or anything...but we have the satisfaction of knowing we are creative sushi naming geniuses.

flashback

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Stop what you're doing and get ready for a fabulous trip to parallel universes. Photographer Irina Werning's Back To the Future project takes old photos and recreates them with the same people...from wardrobe, to poses, to lighting.  It's a fun gallery to look through...check it out HERE.

It's hard to choose a favorite, but this one was the most hilarious:

Flashback bonus:

Today sfgirlbybay paired vintage+modern fashions in a great post HERE.

where wednesday [sam]

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Where Wednesdays are  a regular feature where I and a series of guest bloggers talk  about  places that are  important to us, be they work spaces, outdoor  spaces,  sleeping spaces,  places we visit, places we live, places we  drink  coffee, etc. etc.

[do you want to talk about a place or space that's important  to you? let me know and I'll set you up with a Wednesday!]

[This  week's Where Wednesday is from Sam, my awesome mama-in-law. I'm pretty darn lucky in the Mother In Law department because we get along great and have a great time hanging out together.  Among other things, Sam is a published scrapbooker & a savvy crafter...it's always fun to see what projects she's up to! Read about Sam's space below, then check out Sam's blog HERE  ]

Where Wednesday? A dozen places come to mind - pick one she asks? Knowing I can change my mind 5 minutes from now, I’ll go with my “all mine space” - my craft/scrapbook/computer studio. I’m Sam and to some known as ScrappySam, Sam’s Amusing World or Sam’Studio. My space is located on the top floor of my home with large windows overlooking the forest we live in on the side of a mountain. I’ve surrounded myself with a desk, a drafting table, a wall of counters, a bulletin board wall, a stuffed closet and family photos.

It’s quiet (except for the headphones I wear listening to the radio or tunes), it’s organized (well, at least I know where everything is or where it’s suppose to be), it’s filled with paper, pens, pencils, die cutting machines, a tall cabinet of die cut forms, buttons, ribbons & string, embellishments, rulers, stamps, inks, punches, glue pot, scissors and other paper cutting devices all within reach.  And my connection to the world - my computer.

If it’s a craft that requires paper - I’m on it. Scrapbooking pages, cards, altered book journals, origami boxes, notecards & more. Give me a photograph and it’ll become a scrapbook page. Give me a holiday and it’ll be a present or card. Give me a booth and it’ll be filled with paper products for sale. Give me an idea and I’ll run with it.

I’m an early riser and head to my space around 4:00 am. I usually know what I want to work on for the day and get started after checking my emails and my daily blog spot visits. Once I get my fingers in the glue pot, I get lost in design & ideas. Being creative is a must for me - to let the artist in me come out to play.  Getting the creative juices flowing is an euphoric sense of freedom. To get messy, try new things, make mistakes, and sometimes get it right. Except for my scrapbooking pages, I either sell or give my creations away. I share. I’ll invite others to come play - but, I admit I’ll hover like the mother I am, letting others play with my toys that I’ve collected for over 10 years.  I love playing in my craft studio - I come alive - I create - I let the artist in me come out to play.  And the best thing is knowing that at 4:00 am tomorrow morning I get to go play in my very own - all mine - crafty studio.

messy monday [smash]

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Monday has come around again...time to make a MESS! Today's mess:

smash! I smashed oil pastels, a crayon, a willow charcoal stick, a watercolor cake, the end of a colored pencil, the end of a sharpie. The paint was my favorite because it didn't just turn into powder and fall off the page, so I smashed drops of paint a few times.  Fun ideas: get a regular sized hammer, smash harder, go outside and not worry about the crayon bits flying around in the office. 

Messy Monday Bonuses:

Elsie & Emma's Messy Bun

[finally messy buns are in style...I've been doing my hair this way since high school...well, minus the yarn.  I'll try it sometime soon :) ]

Classic 80's smashing

Have a good monday...make a mess!