She's Crafty - Birds of a Feather Edition

My desk in our office, as well my sewing table in my craft room both look out over our back yard and the trees that seem to be a popular gathering space for local birds of all kinds. I've seen black-capped night herons, cedar waxwings, and even a great egret a couple of time. And that's in addition to the regulars -- finches and chickadees and the like.

In honor of my feathered guests (and entertainment), here's a selection of some super cute bird-themed crafts!

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She's Crafty - Microscopic Edition!

I'm back! Yes! After taking a semester off to deal with wrapping up school stuff, I've returned!

One of my most exciting goals for the next couple of weeks is to clear out my craft room and get back to making fun stuff. Just for fun. You know... not for school.

As inspiration, I've been looking at clever, beautiful fiber arts projects by others. There are SO MANY of really creative folks out there making gorgeous things. Lately I've been especially fascinated with folks taking images of cells and amoeba, and scaling them up for us to enjoy the beauty of the microscopic world.

Karen Kamenetzky's quilts are simply stunning. This piece is titled Cellular Dance, and I'm in love with the vibrant colors and detailed stitching.

For something on a slightly smaller, more crafty scale, these microbe cross stitch pieces by Alicia Watkins are super cute! You can buy them already completed, or make your own from her kits. Who doesn't want her very own representation of the toxoplasmosis? Perfect for any cat-lover, right?

I cannot stop staring at this piece titled Ovum 58x47 by Betty Busby. Its brilliant colors capture more than simply the details (not at all simple!), but also the 'magic' of the life-giving force.

While I love quilts and other fiber arts, I also enjoy seeing (and making) 3D pieces. This enlarged Amoeba by Leisa Rich is fun and colorful, and brings together several different techniques.

As for wearable art, this scarf with cell structures is gorgeous and functional! Michele Banks's painting have been beautifully transferred to silk with a magnificent result.

What are you making these days?

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She's Crafty - Serenity Edition

Yesterday was my birthday, and it was full of all kinds of fun. After a nice hike with friends and games in the evening, we settled in for a visit with my friends aboard Serenity. So, staying with that theme, here are some really cool Firefly/Serenity inspired crafts!

I love love love this little crochet Kaylee doll by Nancy Torrance over on Ravelry! She's so cute! And the parasol! So perfect!



This knit Blue Sun bag by Aliese Holder on Ravelry is perfect for carrying your stuff when you're off on your daily adventures.

I have been obsessed with painted shoes lately. And these Serenity shoes by Christine Hutton at Scrapcrafter are really gorgeous.

Everyone else seems to be obsessed with peg people. And I can understand why. Look at how cute Zoe and Wash look as peg people in this print by Jen at Mimi & Boo!

I have already added the entire set of these Firefly crew felt pillows by Telah McClary at Heart Felt Design to my wish list for next year. No geeky couch should be without them!

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She's Crafty - Christmas Edition!

I'm just now starting to get into the holiday spirit around here! Pulled out the decorations and queued up my favorite Christmas songs on Spotify. There are so many really cute crafty items out there that'll warm even the Grinch's heart!

Who can resist this adorable little felt Totoro wearing a Santa hat? Isn't he just the cutest?

I love these little crochet people in their winter outfits. They'd make cute little decorations for so many different places around my house. And I love that they're not just for Christmas. 

I haven't hung a stocking in ages. But if I were to take up the tradition again, I'd seriously consider getting a one-of-a-kind recycled stocking made from an old t-shirt by Randa over at Old Dirty Tee Bags on Etsy. Especially if she makes a Wonder Woman stocking!

Super awesome geeky gamer gal SmallLady made these totally rad Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle ornaments with just some felt and googly eyes! How cool is that?

We have several holiday themed parties coming up, and I'm always looking for cute little gifts to bring that aren't your typical item. These sweet little knitted Christmas pies might be just the thing! Especially if you made them with little sachets of nutmeg and clove inside!

This string of crochet Christmas lights will cheer up any room! And they're really easy to make! I want a string in all the colors to run along my stairway railing! Maybe I should get busy crocheting!

What crafty Christmas items are you working on?

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She's Crafty - Winter Is Coming!

I've heard a rumor that winter is just around the corner. I was beginning to think we weren't going to get any winter weather, but then this super cold front came in from Canada, and it's been brrrrrrrrr... cold! I'm not complaining, mind you! I love bundling up with a warm scarf, cute hat, and fuzzy mittens.

Most of the time, though, it's not nearly this cold. It's more often in the 40s and rainy. Which is OK in its own way. That means it's cold and snowy in the mountains. I love the snow. I almost miss living in an area that gets snow regularly. I love that crisp cold air on your face as you breathe through a warm scarf. I love the crunch underfoot and the way the sunlight sparkles off the snow crystals. It's been in the mid-20s here at night, and mid-30s during the day. Perfect weather for pulling out my fuzzy gloves and warm hat. And for some of these cute, geeky items!

So I admit that I'm probably remembering the snow much more fondly than I would if I still lived in Michigan. Which is why I started with this Winter is Coming scarf, as a reminder to myself that not everyone views the coming of winter as a good thing. For them, the next four months may feel like years since they've seen the sun and felt a warm breeze. But they're tough as Arya Stark, and I just know they'll survive!

I adore these Totoro mittens. It's like having your friend Totoro holding your hands even in the worst weather!

On the other end of the friend spectrum, we've got Lumpy Space Princess. But even in her own way, she's very cute. And I extra love how you can cross her arms on this awesome Lumpy Space Princess scarf.

For the scince-y geeks, there's this brilliant solar system hat. I love how colorful and creative it is. It runs rings around other geeky hats! Har har.

I've seen a couple of variations on Pacman fiber craft, but I think I like this knitted Pacman scarf is the best. The button eyes on the ghosts are too perfect. Of course, I'd rather have a Ms. Pacman scarf, but that easily fixed with a sewn on bow, right?

OK, so I know this lovely shawlette isn't actually geeky. But it's so pretty I just couldn't resist including it.

What crafty project are you working on?
Making anything geeky for Christmas?

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She's Crafty - Feeling Bookish

It's getting to be that time of year again here in the Northern Hemisphere -- time to snuggle up in a warm blanket, pour a cup of hot tea and settle in with a good book. Here are some clever and creative book-related crafts to mark the occasion!

I just love this great book clutch by SeeKateSew! It's perfect for some of lovely old books I see at the thrift stores. So many of them have damaged pages, but the covers are in great shape!

Jodi Harvey-Brown makes wonderfully imaginative sculptures using books. I particularly like this Game of Thrones piece showing Daenerys and her dragons. Just gorgeous!

This book cover bracelet is a great crafty gift idea for the book lover in your life -- even if it's a self-gift item!

I haven't used book covers in a long time, but I've been re-thinking that lately, what with all the really cute covers I've seen. Like this colorful fabric cover by Ana Love.


Nat, over at The Smallest Forest may very well be the craftiest book-lover ever. Her blog is chock full of amazing bookish crafts, as well as so many other wonderful projects. In one post alone, she offers up two completely different book projects -- adorable little book biscuits and a beautifully hand-embroidered journal cover.

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She's Crafty - Scary Halloween Edition

Ready for Halloween? These awesome crafting princesses certainly are!

Check out this adorable bat pencil case!

Oh, wait, I mean... Check out this [read in a Transylvanian accent] SCARY bat pencil case!

Hands cold while out trick or treating? How about a pair of black monster fingerless mittens? Also perfect for shadow puppet horror stories!

Looking for something awesomely creepy? Or creepily awesome? How about anatomical chocolates? Especially perfect for fans of Hannibal, right?

Have you ever wondered if there's a spider in your computer? Well, I hate to break it to you... there is!

Isn't this vampire doll the cutest thing ever? And she comes with her own coffin and different outfits!

Bats? Spiders? Vampires? You know what's the scariest of all, though? Comments on the Internet. :shiver: That's why you need this timely reminder to Never Read the Comments.

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She's Crafty!

Erin M. Riley's pop culture tapestries are intricate and moving. She deftly captures intimate snapshots of time in a woman's life. Many of them are NSFW, and some are quite disturbing, but they are all beautiful.

This gorgeous embroidery is just too amazing for words. Which is good, because my high school French is très rusty.

I'm spending far too much time thinking of awesome badges to make for all my friends. Because, seriously, this is cool!

I'm just amazed by this magnificent Mario Maps cross stitch piece. While I appreciate all forms of fiber arts, I have a special love for cross stitch. It appeals to my need for organization and precision. In my time, I've completed several large-format cross stitch projects. I know the amount of work that goes into them.

I mean, the details are just wonderful! I know pixel art lends itself quite easily to cross stitch, but this is so much better.

You know, perler beads kinda get a bad rap. I get the impression that some people think they're kitschy and mainly for little kids. But once in a while I see something that stops me in my tracks. And it's this ridiculously detailed Legend of Zelda Triforce Montage by NestalgicBits. In fact, his whole store is filled with amazing game-related items that bring a whole new level of amazing to crafting with perler beads.

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She's Crafty

Here's where I admit that my craft room is a disaster. It's looking more like the catch-all room rather than the beautifully-organized craft room of my dreams. I know why... it's because the last six months have been a mess of school and sick cat and sick me. But still, it's a little disheartening to know that any summer craft project will automatically require several hours of straightening and organizing and cleaning...

Anyway, enough about my non-problems. How about we talk about the awesome stuff I've found over the last couple of weeks of cruising the internet. Like this freakin' awesome hand-embroidered intergalactic thief rat badge from FionaBearClaw.

The fact that it also glows in the dark is just makes it more awesome!

How about this adorable little Megaman Crochet Doll from PixelBlock?

Steel isn't cuddly. That's a fact. And most of the time robot-exploding do-gooder blue androids aren't considered to be especially huggable either - until now.

This hand-painted Pacman shower curtain from CraftNerdy has my creative brain going. We need new curtains in our game room, and now I'm wondering what kind of classic arcade game designs I can come up with!

And this Ms. Pacman throw pillow is a perfect blend of adorable and awesome. I love the sequins and details! This is getting added to the growing game room crafts list!

If you know me, then you probably know that I have an apron addictions. I have lots of retro aprons, holiday aprons. Even a New Orleans Saints apron (thanks Mom!). But I don't have any aprons that are especially geeky, like these really super aprons from Darling Amy!

What are you crafting these days?

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