Social Networks: Weird and Wonderful

I spend a lot of time on Social network sites (Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter.) They are strange time sinkholes that occasionally become magic. Atleast that's why I say I keep coming back to them. For the magic.

Like Wednesday afternoon.

I'm researching an assigned article for BlogHer on top gifts for Kwanzaa (I know... I know.. they assigned THIS to the non-shopper, non-gift giver?? It is so unfair. SO PLEASE HELP ME!!). I'm online hitting my head against my laptop trying to think of gifts to match the principles. During these exercises, I always keep a tab open on Twitter. It's like the background office conversation for those of us who work at home. Or our coffee room. Or it is the internet's biggest not-so-secret-addiction. The concept is simple: you tell the world (or your friends and online associates) what you are doing or thinking RIGHT NOW. In 140 characters or less. Short, sweet and on to other things. Mobile friendly, many twitter from their phones. (I did during Bay to Breakers.)

While NOT finding inspiration for my article (gee, the description of celebration emphasizes the lack of presents or that presents should be personalized and hand made!), I also got to:

1. brag to all my friends that I'm now pressing my weight on the leg press machines. When I started 45# was a challenge;

2. tell someone to try nasal irrigation for his head cold.

and

3. have 2 people tell me they love me. That's more than I normally hear in a year. Often more than in a decade!!

See? Weird. And Wonderful.

Now what gift would perfectly symbolize Nia?

Purpose encourages us to look within ourselves and to set personal goals that are beneficial to the community. Can I suggest ComplaintFreeWorld bracelets?? (BTW, I just ordered a bunch of these that I will be sharing with all my friends! Friends, you are forewarned!)

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

The NYTimes and Handmade 2.0

(edited from the article on BlogHer)
Last week, spurred on my too many holiday parties, I started trying to explain what my job is: I write about very hands-on activities (crafts and gardening) and how the people involved in these represent themselves and their work in a Web 2.0 world. Two seemingly opposite activities that in truth work together well. So I was immediately intrigued when Jill of Writes Like She Talks left a comment on BlogHer mentioning a NYT magazine article called Handmade 2.0. by Rob Walker. Walker regularly writes the Consumed column for the magazine, where he occasionally discusses craft. It was his research for those columns and his soon to be published book that gave him the access to research this article.

Handmade 2.0 is primarily a deep look into Etsy from its origins through its major support of the HandMade Pledge. In explaining Etsy, Walker says:

Browsing Etsy is both exhilarating and exhausting. There is enough here to mount an astonishing museum exhibition. There is also plenty of junk. Most of all there is a dizzying amount of stuff, and it is similarly difficult to figure out how to characterize what it all represents: an art movement, a craft phenomenon or shopping trend. Whatever this is, it’s not something that Etsy created but rather something that it is trying to make bigger, more visible and more accessible — partly by mixing high-minded ideas about consumer responsibility with the unsentimental notion of the profit motive.

Walker gives us a brief history of the indie-craft movement, pointing out such touch-points as GetCrafty, Craftster and the Church of Craft; places where the craft is a DIY mash-up of original thought and recycled goods. GetCrafty founder Jean Railla was used as the icon of "craft as a political movement" where handmade objects stand as political statements against the mass-produced, all-the-same big box store commodities that are dominating the American landscape.

Walker goes on to how this indie-craft-as-political-statement philosophy happened to give rise to Etsy. He profiles the websites creator, Robert Kalin, and gives an inside-the-box view of the business.

the luck or genius of the site is that Kalin and the other founders encountered in the D.I.Y./craft scene something that was already social, community-minded, supportive and aggressively using the Web.

In the third part of his story, Walker fit Etsy into the DIY-Indie Craft culture as a whole:

It’s still tempting to characterize anything that looks edgy and has an online component as somehow a function of youth culture. But the age of the average Etsy seller turns out to be 34. Many crafters no doubt feel passionately about the ideals suggested by the Handmade Pledge a horror of sweatshop labor and corporate conformity, concern about the environment and would be pleased to see the broader consumer culture embrace them too. Meanwhile there is also the more salient matter of how to make a rewarding, meaningful and satisfying living without having to give up on those ideals. The women who have led the craft movement don’t want to work for the Man. But many are also motivated by having reached adulthood at a time when the Man is slashing benefits, reneging on pensions, laying people off and, if hiring, is looking for customer-service reps and baristas. This is not a utopian alt-youth framework; it’s a very real-world, alt-grown-up framework.

Overall, I found the article informative and balanced. Initially, I sensed a lack skepticism by the author; however, after a deeper read I felt Walker was less unsure about the values and philosophies typically associated with the indie-craft movement, and more in tune with the real making-it-work-for-us ideas that I've witnessed by following indie-crafters on the web for these past 2 years. If you have any interest in craft, this is an article worth reading.

What are the bloggers saying?

First on his own blog, Rob Walker posts many of the links that the Times strips from article. Even better, he shares his del.icio.us links for Etsy, DIYism and reactions to this article! And shares with the reader:

[ PS: In answer to the question: Why does the online version of the story on the Times site not actually link to Etsy? Or to Getcrafty, or any of other things it might link to? My answer is: I have no idea. Please ask someone who works at the Times! ]

Experientia:

The author is particularly interested in the new technologically enabled “new craft movement” as a social commentary on consumer culture, but has not explored what the possibilities might be if these objects themselves would become carriers of information.

Ulla Maaria at Hobby Princess talking generally about the "new craft movement":

The emerging new craft movement is not about outspoken leaders or violent controversy. Instead, it’s about regular people following their passion and connecting with their friends.

Still, it’d be a mistake to shrug crafters off as clueless. Below the innocent appearance they are planting the seeds of change. Without making a big deal about boycotting big brands or saving the environment, crafting changes the way we consume. It exposes us to the original ideals of William Morris: the preference of creativity, sincerity, good materials and sound workmanship over wasteful mass-production. It’s just that this time the movement is not limited to a group of professional craftsmen. Instead, it’s spreading much further and broader than Morris could have imagined in his wildest dreams.

Shannon from knitgrrl reacted:

This article is the first one I’ve read in a long while about crafty topics in a major, non-craft publication that hasn’t completely squicked me out in some way. At least it didn’t go for either side of the usual “hipsters do crafts!” / “it’s not your grandma’s [x]” dichotomy most reporters choose.

Lainie of Red Thread Studio (parenthetical editing is mine):

(begins)Hot on the heels of our discussion of Slow Cloth, the New York Times Magazine offers Handmade 2.0, by author Rob Walker, deconstructing Etsy.com and the craft resurgence. (and later continues):Though Walker sounds a bit unconvinced in his article, it is revolutionary to make things, and if the whole world is built on buying things made anonymously far away, it may indeed be subversive.

So what's your take on this? IS the current DIY Craft movement subversive?

It reminds me of when my generation was in their 20s and early 30s. Energy was expensive, don't even talk about interest rates (hello? The spouser's first house had an 18% interest rate, I think!). So we all purchased olders houses and remodeled them. This gave rise to This Old House on PBS.. and a tons of other shows and gadgets and an entirely new industry for the power tool folks.

It was about Doing It Ourselves and Doing It Our Way. It was a bit anti-consumerism even before Big-Box-Nation.

I think we taught our children our values and they are simply carrying on in their own best way. But that's just me.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

The Kept Man

Occasionally I'm sent books from Penguin just as they are being released to the public. This video is inspired by the beginning of Jami Attenberg's new book: The Kept Man. After hearing the intro, I can't wait to read the book.


I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Reading Handmade 2.0...

Let me just say that print media corporations that place articles on line and strip out all the links?? Just plain rude.

The New York Times does it; HoffPo did it with my post there last year, and I've noticed others doing it too. RUDE big media corps. RUDE.

Which is my way of pointing you to the article that appeared this week past weekend: Handmade 2.0. I'm working up a post for BlogHer to publish today; so it will repost here tomorrow. In the meantime, what's your reaction?

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Not Missing This!

It's photos like this from Sunday's Brown's game that remind me why I don't miss living in Cleveland. I'll bet my old house in Chesterland has about 2' of lake effect snow!

(AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

I Live at the Intersection of Craft and Web 2.0

I've been hitting a number of holiday parties with the spouser this week. Explaining to people that I'm a blogger (and a paid, therefore professional, blogger) and explaining what that means is a challenge.

I've come upon a workable explanation in a way. Imagine that everything that exists on the web were placed along one line (websites, bulletin boards, groups, blogs, social network sites like Ravelry, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube. Then imagine that everything to do with handmade crafts and gardening existed along the other line.

You can slide the intersection up and down the Web stuff... or all along the craft stuff... from scrapbooking, through crochet and sewing and quilting and knitting. But wherever the two intersect, that's where I'm writing. The intersection of Web 2.0 and Craft.

While thinking about this, I found an old Gaping Void post that also explains the whole "web 2.0" thing. Where Web 1.0 was about taking (go, take information or buy something, then leave), Web 2.0 is about sharing... developing relationships.

Hey, if I perfected that drawing a bit, I could make it a t-shirt!!
\
I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

An Invitation To Stop Leaking

This fall several creative-type friends and I have been working together on a small project: plugging some of the energy leaks in our lives. It's not a new idea; it's not a new exercise. It was a slightly new approach for us for several reasons:

• It wasn't just a job list. We can all make to-do lists and work our way through them alone or with support of friends. We were determined to list those things in our lives that were standing in the way of our growing, in the way of our being more successful, in the way of our being more of who we really are.
• We were banishing some of excuses that hold us back.
• We were doing this in a group with encouragement and support.
  

There were interesting discoveries along the way:

• we all began to notice those little "chores" that in the past we would put off, then add to a "to do" list. And we began addressing them before they made a list.
• many of us found places of resistance: spots where the action we did not want to take was the block that held us back from taking a risk. If we removed the block, would we have no excuse for moving forward? Would we create another block?
• we began discovering that we deserved more than we'd been settling for. We deserve to return home from a long day of work to an uncluttered house, not a home where we then have to spend time clearing it up. We deserve to have fun, to pursue dreams, to grow as individuals.

Everything that we leave undone, incomplete or unresolved distract us from living our lives today and drains our energy:

• Doing what we've always done even if it isn't working;
• Not being honest with ourself;
• Avoiding conflict;
• Imaging a better life, yet not acting on it.

Every action you take uses energy, and every action you don't take uses energy. Yet you are left with nothing to show for your inaction.

Our exercise was designed to last for 3 months and those months are almost over. Several of us are extending the exercise. In the meantime, I would like to offer you an invitation:

Would you like to participate in a similar group? I would act as the "group encourager"(pushing for weekly check ins, making some observations, sometimes asking the hard question...) to the small extent one would be needed. If you think you would like this here are the guidelines:

First, go read one of these life coach posts on Energy Drains:
this post by Christine Kane. She asked if We Were Leaking. This started the first group.
A 43Folders interview with GTD founder David Allen where they discuss leaks. It's all based upon the GTD plan, so if you're familiar with it this might help.
A general self-help overview on Energy Drains
A great list of Time Drains and Energy Drains. Any feel familiar to you?

For some additional comments check out this older video from zefrank (warning, he sings a song with an obscenity in it. ) He talks about "brain crack"... getting a great idea and how not executing it can be addictive. (OK, I'm guilty).

We would begin on Saturday, January 5th.

I would ask that you create a "leak list" as a Google Document that will be shared with everyone in the group. (yes, you need to create a Google ID if you don't have one already. But doesn't everyone already have one??)

You have to commit to checking in weekly. Even if all you say is that Life got in the way of your plans.

Your list is more than a work list. IF there are growth opportunities, fun, and social activities that you've been putting off, make sure they make the list! Curious what this looks like? Email me and I'll send you the link to the current Energy Leak lis.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Revisiting the Past

Have you ever gone back and re-read your blog from the beginning?? I have.

It's interesting that many comments, thoughts, ideas, complaints, plans and weaknesses get repeated over and over in my blog. A quick read through sounds like a broken record.

But when slow down a little, the voice changes... the thoughts seem similar but move to a deeper level of understanding. The complaints become smaller. The plans move into new directions. I just didn't realize that I was moving in different ways...

And there are small gems to be found here and there. Friends and activities mentioned that I'd forgotten. One sad observation: I've lost many of my early links. (I wonder why??)

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Disruptions are Good??

This week my home is being invaded by workmen. They will be fixing the hole in our ceiling created when we moved our cold air return from over the steps to over a level surface. They will be painting our living room and adjoining open spaces (stairs, hall, dining room). Those who think they could do this themselves are braver than I when it comes to facing a 30' high ceiling, the minimal walls that attach to it, and the wide open spaces and curving lines of our staircase.

It's necessary, it's anticipated. And I hate it.

There is the disruption of my routine. The workmen will appear early each day. The dogs must be fed and in their cages before that happens. I must presentable, well, atleast dressed with my hair combed.

There will be different noises (and different music?) in the environment.

There will require different planning of activities. The dogs will need long escape times during the day, riding around in the back of my car. (atleast there it will be quieter for them).

There will be different smells and as the paint finally get applied to the walls the rooms will take on a different appearance. We are going a bit darker, from a very slightly off-white to a bone, a light taupy color that given the huge expanses will darken the spaces.

It will be OK. Challenges to our routines gives us opportunities to see where change could occur. I might finally be able to give up that before-I-go-to-the-gym-workout-and-shower bath! So wasteful of resources!

And when the week is over, I shall a home that looks even less like the cookie-cutter house we moved into 10 years ago, and more like an individual's home. Atleast I hope so.

Goodness, slightly darker colors. I'm going to need more light.
I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Painted Shoes

(crossposted at BlogHer)
For me, it began when I was gobsmacked by the cover of Belle Armoire (Art to Wear) in the spring of 2003. There on the cover were Mary Sue Fenner's Hot and Wow Docs. Dr. Marten boots painted and shiny and wonderful!

Shortly after receiving that issue, I broke down and painted my first pair of shoes: leather boots I'd picked up at GoodWill just for this purpose. Using Lumiere and Halo-style jacquard paints I spent one afternoon gleefully painting.

Last weekend, I had fun again; this time painting a pair of Keds! Let me show you how:

My Keds were a bit stained but still had some wear in them, but they were the most boring beige. I decided to use a pair of knitted socks as my inspiration, chose simple acrylic paints and a perfect roll of ribbon trim to match.

The Keds were first painted with 3 coats of white paint to create a clean base.

First step was to paint the channel stitched spaces orange:


Then one set of side panels was painted in a check to echo the design on the ribbon trim:


Contact paper stencilled stars were added to the other side panel:


A feathered cable, plus a speckled background completed the painting. I let the paint dry for an hour, then used Fabric-Tac to glue a row of the ribbon trim around the base of the shoes. Three light coats of a silicone shoe waterproofer (CampDry), and they are ready to wear!


Links:

My leather painted boots.

Howard Rheingold not only gives great directions for painting Doc martens, he has a wonderful gallery of painted shoes.


I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

If you (like me) feel blue and lost and unloved and marginalized this time of year, go read Laurie's post at Crazy Aunt Purl. It's not going to drive away the blues completely, but it will give you perspective about life as a journey.

This past week I realized that my two best holiday memories as an adult occurred in the company of strangers:

One Christmas, as a Red Cross Disaster Volunteer, I spent the entire day helping about 300 families whose apartments were damaged in a fire. (note to all apartment dwellers: keep fire doors closed in your hallways even if it makes it harder to carry packages in or out. Losing everything when the lobby xmas tree catches fire is a lot harder.)

The second was the year that my parents died; we went on a Hawaiian cruise over Christmas. On Christmas Eve anyone who cared to met in a bar in the center of the ship and sange Christmas Carols. There were about 150 of us sitting or standing around, joined in song. During the quiet moments, I still might feel the overwhelming sense of isolation; but, during the actual singing I was a part of a whole something.

Sounds like this year I need to find a soup kitchen or something...
I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Getting the Groove On??

I've spent this week pulling everything out of my workroom, carefully sorting through everything and deciding if I want to keep it, need to part with it, or must toss it in the trash.

I've also added two more lights to the room.

And an amazing thing is happening: I'm getting anxious to get this straightening over with so I can get in there and work!

Small things for now: a journal is decorated, but needs my pencil/pen holder for the spine; a couple t-shirts are asking to be dyed; a couple tops are ready for quilting.

But it's a start. And a sense that I haven't felt in months!

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

This is another week where I'm living in the real world, but not in such a way that it translates well to blogworld. It translates OK to Twitter-world, with it's short format and constant updating better than a format that seems to require more format.

Like a beginning, middle and end. Maybe a point.

The spouser is out of the country this week. I've pulled almost everything out of my messy, overwhelming work room. The first day I slowly pulled empty pieces of furniture in, arranging them in several ways to find this iteration of the perfect arrangement. I assessed lighting and lighting possibilities.

Day two I started sorting through all the STUFF I had in there. Was I going to use it? Really? Or have I merely been holding on to it because...

Because I spent money to get it;
Because it's pretty;
Because I've had for "x" years;
Because I might want to use something similar some day.

I have 11 boxes of stuff that I was holding onto for all the wrong reasons. (deep breathes there. I know many of you cannot imagine parting with perfectly good fabric or supplies that you've had for 10 years without using. Because you still think that someday you will. ) There probably still is stuff in there that I'm holding onto for the wrong reasons. But I'm making progress.

Today I hang the additional lights and continue putting away the things I'm choosing to keep. I hope to call a woman who will take these boxes and sell their content to raise money for charity.

Hopefully by tomorrow I will have a work space that I WANT to walk into. How long that lasts is the test of the design. We shall see. Photos will follow.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

My Better Angels

My mind has been a bit of everywhere this week, and as a result the blogposts have been too. Here, there or non-existant. Take your pick. Choose all. It's true.

I've been thinking about one of my great characteristic flaws. I see it in other people and it used to make me angry. But I recognize it in myself, so now I'm moving toward understanding and guidance.

Understanding that I'm flawed and others share the same flaw.

Understanding that I don't truly WANT to behave this way, but it's comforting and bit safe.

Understanding that others with the same flaw may feel the same way but not know how to change and still feel safe.

My flaw? I can see dreams and hopes and changes and better things for me. I truly can. And when I see them, I get scared. I procrastinate; I perfectionize (I don't know if this is a real word, but I LOVE it.) I wait until everything is in place and perfect before I contemplate acting. (How many things can be perfect before you do them?? yeah...) I make excuses.

I stand in my way of getting to the things I want because then I will have no excuses.

This week, I've decided that I can't really do this all on my own. So I've enlisted a couple angels. People who understand what's behind the procrastination (possibly because they have the same flaw?? Possibly. Possibly not). People who can imagine the things I see. People who don't want me to quit.

When I mentally opened myself up to the idea of accepting encouragement from people, I found it flying toward me from every directions. Amazing. Keep it up, y'all, because I need it.

And my angels? I'm giving them a thread tied around my soul and asking them to hold on. To ask me if I've accomplished tasks, and to call me on my excuses. To catch me when I'm stumbling blind with uncertainty, and pull me back when my imaginings get to far ahead of my happenings.

In this season of angels, mine are a shiny special troupe bound with colorful threads.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

The Value of Organized Mess

It's ironic I know that while I've been trying to de-clutter parts of my house (and yes, I know I've created apparent clutter in other spots), I've been reading The Perfect Mess, by Eric Abrahamson and David Freedman. Subtitle: The Hidden Benefits of Disorder, how crammed closets, cluttered offices, and on-the-fly planning make the world a better place.

Just finished the book, and I don't believe they would have disapproved of the work I've been doing. Probably won't disapprove next week of my pulling everything out of my studio and only putting those items back in that I believe I will use.

The book admits that there are dangers of too much clutter or mess in the our lives; when we lose important items because of disorder it's a problem. They argue, however, that some messiness, some randomness, some "clutter" tends to make people more creative, businesses more adaptable, and life easier to live.

I think that's what I'm aiming for. I don't want to exist in a sterile environment (anyone's whose seen my bathroom on a normal day could attest to the fact that I don't). I just want some of the horizontal surfaces in my house to remain visible, without various random items being placed on them. Items that should be temporary and moved within 12 hours. Items that when left longer become invisible and stay for month.

I have a pile of these items on the kitchen counter. They will be dealt with today.

So I enjoyed the book and recommend it to others. The authors ridicule the "professional organizer's society" fiercely, which I love. They talk about the happy accidents that have made great things possible. And how adding a random item into brainstorming or websearches for example can yield unusual but successful results. But just as I was thinking that all this organizing was being done to keep me from being distracted by clutter from my creative purposes, the authors write about things that were invented by accident and end that sections with this:

Clearly our minds are prepared to do some of their best work when they're diverted, one way or another, from what we intend to focus them on. Think about that - but only for a minute. pg. 250.

Now this either validates my argument that I solve my problems best when I'm doing something else (thus diverted). I'm OK with that. OR they are suggesting that I "build in" some diversion in my organization. Hmm...

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

The slightly sinister amongst us are celebrating. Nearly 2 weeks ahead of it's official publication date, Amazon is shipping it's first copies of AntiCraft (the book)! The creation of Zabet Stewart and Renee Rigdon, this book is an extension of the twisted creativity always found at The AntiCraft website. I first introduced you to these women last year just as they were soliciting works for this 160 page crafty work.

If you know a knitter, crocheter, sewer or beader with slightly dark and twisted sense of humor add this book to your gift list! What do we know about the book already? Sadly there are not many details yet about the projects; checking through the archives of their quarterly zine hints at the quality, humor and style that will be found. I'm certain I'll find some pirate-y gear, spiders, and skulls. I'm certain there will be great humor. But specifics aren't abundant.

We have some hints:

Andi shares a photo of one of the beaded pieces she had accepted for the book. We must wait for the second piece

Alice from futuregirl.com shares the three projects she has in the book:

First there was The Three Owls. Originally designed in a sweeter way, they took on a more gothic appearance simply by changing the coloring

Second came The Bad Eggs! Such a wonderfully perverse take on Easter eggs!!

I thought subversive Easter eggs (traditionally-colored eggs with non-traditional imagery) would be hilarious, and I got my chance to make some when they were accepted for the Anticraft book. Look at that squirting arterial blood! I can't tell you how much I love that decapitated bunny. It warms my heart. I couldn't be happier about how it turned out.

Third is a crocheted bag with a variety of embellishment options. While I like the "I (skull) Trouble" bag.. the apocathary bag is really speaking to me...

Other projects mentioned in the book a duct-tape corset that I just may have to make before year's Renaissance Faire season 'cause nothing says 16th century Grand Dame like having my torso bound in plumber's tape!

BLESS the gals that are the Anti-Craft, though! Some of the greatness written for the book just couldn't fit! They are not lost to us though. Contained at the website are The Lost Pages:

Bones by Marie Gross. Skull-and-Crossbones socks to knit.

Zabet's charming Chainmail Story.

Robyn's DIY Niddy Noddy. What IS a Niddy Noddy? According to World Knit.com:

A niddy noddy is a simple
tool that is used to make a skein of your hand spun yarn straight off the
wheel. The yarn can then be washed, dyed and the twist set. Setting the twist
is very important if you want balanced, professional looking yarn. The unusual
name comes from the action of the skeiner. The faster you wind, the more the
skeiner develops a niddy noddy action! Niddy Noddies can be made of wood, PVC or even a coat hanger! A niddy noddy is basically a shaft with a crossbar at each end. One crossbar is rotated 90 degrees from the other

The Story of Duct Tape. They cut this from the book?

(crossposted at BlogHer.com)
I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Way too much fun! I found this site from Gabrielle.. who wisely chose to display one of her art pieces in a museum. Anyway, Dump'r lets you upload one of your digital photos, then apply one of their alterations to it. So a photo could be displayed/altered to:

a museum
a line sketch
an egg
a Rubki's cube,
other cool things.

If you give them permission, they will even access your Flickr account and post the image to your Facebook account! I took a photo from Flickr and turned it into the line drawing above. And, yes, it's on my Facebook Profile page.

It's nearing the end of a long holiday weekend. Why don't you go play?

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays. Today I've written about The AntiCraft's new book being published.

Today I will be carving out some creative time. I promise. I have a fun little project that I'm working on (yes, painting shoes tutorial based on the supplies above) and I will spend time today working on this. I will also take the dogs for a nice walk down to the local coffee shop; no driving if we can avoid it today!

I'm still organizing my laundry room. I'm to the point where I need to runthrough my dye chemicals and supplies and getting them in order. This will bring me to the point where I can easily get some creative work done again! (and I've got ideas! Do I have the supplies? I shall find out!))

In my spare time, I have a small Moleskine sketch book that needs one of my custom covers. Sounds like a full day to me!

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Catching Up with Craft Bloggers...

This past week end I caught up on all the wonderful things happening in the blogs. I'll admit that way too often a blog will take me to another blog or YouTube; one thing would lead to another and I'm lost for an hour or more. The next thing you know, the family is begging for supper or clean clothes and I'm wondering where My weekend went!

Before I hit you with the crafters, this video by Daft Hands is just mind boggling! And a total time sink! See? Too. Much. Time. On. YouTube.

Let's see...

Scrapbooking
Mad Croppers pointed us to a huge scandal: Cheating! As reported by Newsweek, one of the 2007 Hall of Fame recipients for Creating Keepsakes was caught cheating. Two women were replaced. The rest of the story reads like Mean Girls...

Scraps of Mind argues that Quick Pages mean pages can finally be done. She pointed to a YouTube video tutorial by Ro Paxman for using Quick Pages.

Crafting

Ali Edwards's beautiful photos documented creating a button tree. Want directions to make your own? (sigh...) The designer, Tia Bennett, published them at Two Peas.

Quilting/Sewing

The start of Project Runway has brought a new Project Runway challenge from AmyB. There's still time to play!!

Beate Knappe shared her handmade cards for this holiday season. Makes me want to grab some fabric, embroidery threads, buttons and beads and make cards my own.

I just found Thread Banger on YouTube. This network is dedicated to people who make their own fashion. Every Friday the twosome uploads a new episode of Thread Heads! Their website includes a blog and forum. Killed at least an hour catching up with pair and will be visiting again regularly.

Knitting/Crochet
If you're a fast knitter, there is just enough time to whip up a Felted Thanksgiving Oven Mitt! Whitney and the Purl Bee provide the directions, you add feltable yarn (the Farmhouse Yarn used in the sample is fabulous!) and a little time.

Drew, The Crochet Dude, suggested we check out Vickie Howell's lates podcast. She scored an interview with SNL regular Will Forte, a knitter, talking about craft and "dudes", including Drew!

And finally.. because it's just fun to watch:

This YouTube video shows a knitting machine built entirely of LEGO's!

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.

Writing Exercise: The Mis-Translation

This is a really fun exercise if you give yourself permission to go there. We used poems written in the original Swedish by Tomas Transtromer (there should be an umlaut in over the "o" in his last name.. but...). Transtromer is one of Sweden's greatest poets, who writes (I've read) with interesting metaphors.

The exercise is to read the words, then imagine you are translating word-for-word. Don't edit, don't complain about non-sequitors. Just see what happens.

I'll admit it. Some of the Swedish reminded me of my high school/college German classes, so I went there. I also went back and neatened the draft up a bit. I can tell you that translating a poem from an unknown language into a known language? Interesting:

The MisTranslation:

Along the main street stand a variety of very high doorways that mingle noise and light,
most of it echoed,

some of it lost by the entryways.
We have all things but peace.

Stranded at the intersection stand I with the bread for supper.
Day old in the blink of an eye.

A bus stops and I continue
Transported in an instant to that doorway call HOME.

It is so unlike anything I normally write, I can't tell what's good, bad or indifferent about it. But at least it's interesting! I haven't found any of his poems online untranslated or I'd share a couple with you to play with yourself.

I also blog at: Deb's Daily Distractions and BlogHer on Mondays and Saturdays.