ART HQx t-shirt clinic with Bespoke Hogaboom

ART HQx t-shirt clinic!

ART HQx t-shirt clinic with Bespoke Hogaboom

I am so incredibly excited to announce a joint venture in my hometown – a t-shirt clinic at ART HQx in Hoquiam!

Yes – I’m going to help you produce a t-shirt and you’re going to get to tour the amazing art collective that is celebrating their one year anniversary!

This event features a $5 per shirt reservation fee. W will be maintaining strict Covid distancing measures. You need to wear your mask, use the hand-washing station upon ingress and egress, and observe six feet of distance. Don’t worry, Jeanne at the studio is very used to safely navigating Covid art projects, and we have plenty of indoor and outdoor space for all!

We have four designs available (two of them customizable), and when you reserve your spot you can request a t-shirt – or bring your own blank. 

All ages and abilities always welcome.

Ready to schedule? Slots are open!

Follow @art_hqx on Instagram and Facebook for more amazing projects!

And – I’ll see you on the 12th!

D.I.Y. = J.O.Y.

Say It Isn't So! #DIY JOY

Our “new” hi-fi, tested immediately upon re-assembly. Ralph put on Hall & Oates because he is not an asshole.

Say It Isn't So! #DIY JOY

Say It Isn't So! #DIY JOY

(a little of the “Before” piece)

A few years ago we picked up one of these Magnavox record cabinets from Freecycle. It was one of those… well, people who know furniture could describe to me the construction and materials, as wood and furniture products aren’t my specialty. Not too glamorous, built well-enough, handy for listening to vinyl or the radio. You know what else, these cabinets have that feature where you can stack multiple records and it will play them through. This is rare to find today, but a feature I really enjoy.

I don’t remember what made me think we needed another one of these pieces when we spied one at Goodwill. I do know I’d long wanted to refinish a record player and take it out of the assy-brown region, and I liked the lines of the second piece more than the first. We dragged another home for $20, swapped the decks, and put the first one back out to Freecycle.

As we contemplated refinishing this piece I looked around at a lot of paint and surface options. I became more and more interested in using oil-based paint, which has so many advantages. We used a Glidden Porch & Floor paint and even as it still cures I’m so thrilled with the depth of color and the hardness to the paint. I guess I’m a little worn out from years of living in eight-layers-of-latex rentals.

Much like my sewing work, I enjoy playing with color and seemingly dissimilar styles and patterns. For the main color of the piece, I used Granny Smith Apple and for the sliding top, Early Morning Sun. Just so you know, of course, the colors look different whether looking at my monitor, or at the paint chip by my side, or the actual piece of furniture – which is very green despite my bush-league photo efforts, here.

The oil pant is so glossy it gives you a blurry-photo optical illusion in this photo:

Say It Isn't So! #DIY JOY

For the speaker re-cover, we looked through a few of my stash supplies and couldn’t get over how much we liked an Anna Maria Horner velveteen, which I’d found on sale for $15 a yard. I used a half yard with no waste, ripping on-grain then finishing by serging in case we ever decide to (carefully) dismantle and wash the velveteen.

So the total project cost a little under $50. $20 for the record player, $20 worth of paint and thinner, and $8 for fabric (we did not need to buy brushes or sandpaper as we had them already). However, I always think these cost estimates are goofy. They never include how much time one spent on a project, and don’t include the “hidden” costs like – how we had to buy a full gallon of paint in order to get the color we wanted. Anyway, we had a great time and I learned just a wee bit more about paint, color, and design.

Say It Isn't So! #DIY JOY

“touch it with your… touch it with your skin” (03:16)

 
Here’s the scoop – I made this wonderful whipped body butter, out of nut and seed oils, and it is incredible. A single tear slides down my cheek, how lovely it is. However I accidentally made a bucket’s worth! I wouldn’t have gone through the trouble of packaging it up if I didn’t think it wasn’t incredible, lovely stuff!

MONSTER MOISTURE!

Oh, and whipping a bunch of oils up in the kitchen can seem a little scary and messy. I just went real slow and when I was done, I carefully put the bowls and implements in my bathtub for bathtime. Which was awesome.

The listing on Homesewn includes links if you’d like to make your own. In the meantime, COME FEEL MY SKIN, it’s so soft and lovely. I mean like, feel my elbow or something. Nothing weird.

publishing. 2 things:

Nels

1.

I wrote a piece at Underbellie: “what you could stand to know about addiction”. My brother sent me an email response that read, in part: “Holy F that is well written. Can you please get that published somewhere?  I barely relate to the subject and was still nearly moved to tears.”

Welp. Of course I am published. On my site. I think he meant publish in a way where I get paid? (or maybe read by more than twelve people?) #LOLsob because I think it is my destiny to be a largely-unpaid writer. I’ve been doing this since I could write, so there’s that.

2.

Speaking of my writing, for pay or otherwise, I have had only six customers purchase the new Tumblehome. That’s like, SIX. This kind of response is obviously not adequate for me to continue the work needed to curate, write, design, edit, print, assemble, and publish. However, I know I could make a little more effort in trying to distribute and get word out, and I am willing to do so.

In the meantime, after two printing mishaps (and therfore a late send-out), here is an alluring picture of the hand-assembled option. The zine is available in paper, or for a $2 download.

The New Tumblehome!

Our next issue comes out in April.

Family life: the other day Nels found the first crocus bloom in our neighborhood. He made me come take a photo, and he has been watching it every morning.

Yes. Spring is really going to happen.

1st Crocus Of 2013

look what I can do!

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

One piece of two, made for my friend A. for her Christmas gifts. Also, my beautiful daughter modeling (she is the same height as the recipient; thinner). Information about the garment at the bottom of the post.

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

One fur hook at neck, for closure. If the recipient wants more hooks installed I will do this gratis. It hangs very nicely but swings a little with movement.

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Very insulating. It was quite cold when we walked to the coffee shop & phee, with her arms exposed, was perfectly warm.

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

In this case, my client selected and brought me the fabric and the lining. This is something I am often not into doing but it worked out great. This faux fur was quite a bit more challenging than YETI-riffic fur. Additionally, it required lining up not only a striped pattern, but a striped pattern in a scallop. Yeah, I know! A total challenge. However I lucked out with yardage spacing, and returned quite a bit of faux fur to the client who now is pondering what she might or might not want to make with it. Faux fur is fabulous, but it is also quite bulky. I think some boot liners/leg warmers would be choice!

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

The lavender satin the client chose was so pretty – and a nice weight, making for a garment with a lot of weight. Very delicious. I added in-seam pockets, also in satin.

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Very silky fur! Phee is not so excited about being a model here. Can you tell?

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Close-up of the armscye binding. An over-dyed cotton print, which I also used to make the thread-drawn patch:

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

EXTREME CLOSE UP

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

This faux fur had a nice drape. I drafted a self-facing for the jacket, which is flipped over here to show you the inside of the garment.

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

Phee & her DGAF face. I think I might start paying her to model. Children are more becoming when they smile!

Harley's Faux Fur Vest

 

get your Hoquiam aweomesauce here!

Hutch, Trillax

My new issue of Tumblehome, our third publication, is available online and in print. Anyone buying a print version or donating more than $6 gets entered into a drawing for a hand-sewn pincushion.

Additionally: archives are free. You can download a pdf for your own printing, or visit my profile at Issuu where I’ve posted the July and August issues.

It is a lot of work to envision, draft, write, edit, publish, staple, stamp, address, email, etc this zine. It helps to have feedback; particularly if anyone experiences technical difficulties, which can be tricky to troubleshoot given my resources and home environment.

And of course, I’m happy to hear about content and what you might like to see in future zines.

Thank you for your support!