Thrift Store Finds: Fantasy Edition

Even though my studio is in disarray, and I'm lamenting how much stuff I own, I *still* go out to thrift stores and comb them for interesting things! That's just how I roll. Thriftily.

Here are two things I've found in thrift stores, each of them cost FIVE DOLLARS. Insane!

First off, here's my Dungeon Master cloak (Goodwill, Cary, NC - $5):


I have this idea for a D&D one-shot I've been meaning to run for over a year now, and now that I have this cloak, it's something I have to do!

Secondly, a Unicorn (Cause for Paws, Raleigh, NC, - $5):


I'm still situated almost entirely in a box-filled studio, so I better get to work on that, but how could I resist showing you that unicorn this morning? (It may still be there, I just saw it less than a week ago!)

Movin' On Up!

This week I don't have too much crafting/arting to post as I'm in the midst of moving (again). Though this time is probably for an extended period of time. I actually got around to changing my voter registration card (for the first time since 2002)!

Here is what we're affectionately calling "The Daft" as it is one room encompassing several roles: Dining Room, Craft Room, Art Studio.


One day, I'm hoping it will look more like this delightful IKEA display full of BILLY bookshelves:


Until then, I'll just have to be okay with it being a gigantic mess.
Tomorrow, I'm going to post about the excellent burlesque show i went to last night, but I need to find some pictures, and no one has posted any yet! So, see you tomorrow! I'll be here, unloading my car and unpacking boxes!

Friday Finds: Evil Queen from a Fairy Tale

I can't resist - this all started with the last item and then just kept building!

First off, you need a strange pet, like this Real Bat in a Victorian Cage by ravenofskys


Then a cool mask, to hide your wicked face, like this beautiful Black Leather Mask from teonova


Well, as long as we're getting dressed, let's add a huge tulle skirt like this Gothic Bridal Skirt from MTcoffinzUnderground


A fancy Feathered Shrug from lovechildboudoir


Let's not forget to add a Gothic Crown from EJPcreations


And, of course, the item that started it all, the Gothic Queen Steel Boned Neck Corset from fanplusfriend


Last, but not least, where would you be as The Evil Queen, if you didn't have a magical item that held sway over the kingdom, or maybe just over our hero's heart. That's why you'll definitely need something in a cage, and I adore this Caged Heart Necklace by edmdesigns as an item of obvious import and full of magical qualities!


Et voila! You too can be an evil queen!

Thrift Store Finds

I could update almost every week with thrift store finds, as I spend a *lot* of time in thrift stores. The randomness and potential in thrift stores is so exciting for me!

Michelle claims that I have some sort of thrift store luck, but I'm not sure if I do. My thrift store guru has always been my Mom (Hi Mom!). Every time I visit we go to the Mobile, AL thrift store and comb through the racks.

I'm going to try and make my thrift store finds a regular update, as they're fun and weird to post. Here's a couple of my recent finds to get us started:

Princess dress (America's Thrift, Mobile, AL) - $20


Velvet Kali/Kalika painting (Goodwill, Cary, NC) - did not purchase!


The skirt and underskirt for this costume (Goodwill, Cary, NC):


More to come - this is just the beginning!

Made in 2010 - Creativity in Review

1. A Plush A Day Challenge! Day 29 - Mr. Molar!,
2. Small Green Quilt: Finished & Hanging Over a Chair,
3. DIY Underpants Sewing: All so far,
4. My Parasol: Octopus,
5. Zippered Throw PIllow Cover,
6. Advent Calendar: Day 13 Closeup,
7. Felt Owl Favors: Reddish Owls,
8. Red Beans & Rice Bracelet for Julie (unworn),
9. Halloweeny Party Decorations: A Thing in a Jar,
10. Lady Gaga Party: Me as Gaga,
11. Ramona's Hammer Prop: Hammer Head Edge,
12. Tiny Jollies Here!
(And I still don't have pictures of the stuff I actually put in Nick's Advent Calendar!)

As you can tell, I veered all over the place last year in terms of what I was doing. Pointillistic cephalopod parasols and handmade underwear. Of course, that is how I do - veeringly. I wonder how this year will shape up.

Does anyone else find themselves veering a lot in the year? I am like a pinball.

Friday Finds: Fancy Whimsical

Instead of focusing on one particular seller, I'm instead going to focus on a theme for Friday Finds for this week (and that may become how it works, who knows!?). This week, the theme is fancy whimsy. I love dressing up, but it's hard for me not to want to throw something interesting in there with it. Here we go!

Malam's Alice Goblin Hood Frock Coat

Lura Jewelry's Garnet Cicada Ring

Craft2Cherish's Peach rose necklace (hand-felted!)

DecadentDesignz' Peacock Feather Dress


They're all so beautiful! Definitely explore those shops if you like any of the pretty things featured here, and have a great weekend!

Oh! If you're local to the NC Triangle, there's an awesome event going on at Ornamentea 2/15:
It's a Secret Message Slumber Party, Saturday night from 7pm - midnight!
Work with altered books and jewelry to make tiny books and put them on a necklace.
More info about the Secret Message Slumber Party at Ornamentea

A Plush and a Promise

I'm working on a "year in review" style post for 2010, but I realize that I don't even have pictures of some of the stuff I made, and I seriously need to make a post just about the "Merry Nickmas" Advent Calendar I made for Nick, just based on how long I had to spend on it.

In the meantime, here's a couple of things around today that might interest you:

Inquisitive Bear Plush
I'm trying to get back in the habit of making plushies, and I figured making a few out of my scrap bags is a good way to start. So here's the inquisitive bear. I think he solves mysteries at Waffle House. Something about him just screams that to me! Hopefully there will be more handmade plushies in the future, so if you have any suggestions, let me know! I'm always interested in awesome ideas.

Speaking of awesome ideas, here's a Sharktopus Plush by Suzannah Ashley!

Using SyFy originals as inspiration is a great idea one of her friends had! Man, I remember Mega Piranha, and the ridiculous hand motion that I associate with that movie now (I'll have to make a post with it, I just can't describe it right now).

Last but not least: A little monster face for you - if you look, there is cuteness everywhere. So I hope you're all keeping warm and safe wherever you are and I'll be posting the ever-so-exciting year in review soon.

If you have some exciting plushy ideas, post them in the comments or email me!

New Year 2011

After the roller coaster ride of 2010, which includes the end of my marriage, moving, starting therapy, and all kinds of interesting and dramatic changes, I'm ready for 2011. I want this year to be more productive - more crafts, more going out, more friends, more pictures, more art!

Of course, I still plan to spend a lot of time figuring out myself. It turns out that being a perfectionist is not actually as awesome as I had originally thought. So here are the lessons I learned last year:

Nothing is Absolute
I had a tendency to think in absolutes, all or nothing style thinking. I would think things like I could have a full-time career,
OR make money with crafts. I could be in a relationship OR I could be in control of my life. These are faulty assumptions, most things are a balance between two worlds. I can be in a relationship AND be in control of my life, there may be some compromises, but nothing that would keep me from growing. But I think that learning to balance these things is a life-long struggle that I'm not going to *win* as much as I'd like to.

Everything Changes
Everything. All the time. People are changing, lives are ending and starting. I lost my Aunt Sherry to cancer, and so many of my friends brought new lives into the world. Some days I'm going to be overjoyed and motivated, and other days I'm going to feel bummed out and want to sleep. But each day is going to be different, and I'm not going to be happy every single moment, or sad either.

Relationships are Work
And everything worth anything requires work. Good friendships and relationships, whether it be with your significant other, your family, or just friends, requires something of you. And the best part is that work is worth it.

Well, again, there's no absolutes there either. Usually the work is worth it, if you're both working at it. Sometimes friendships or relationships are one-sided. If the other person isn't trying at all and treats you badly, then maybe it's worth re-considering.

Anyway, I guess overall, I've learned that moderation is key. Which seems very simple when you just say it, but is really a daily balancing act that is never going to be over.
Moderation is key!

Also, one of the main things that I've learned in the last year from my therapist:

Make HUMANE To Do lists.
Don't put more than you can actually do in a day, you're just setting yourself up for disappointment by overloading every moment and knowing that you can't perform the way you've imagined. Personally, I also like to include things like "eat" and "shower" on my to do lists now, just so they look as full as my old ones, and I get to happily check off those items once I do them. I mean, I can usually remember to shower and eat without a to do list, but there are some days...

Anyway, hopefully I'll be seeing you all more through this lovely blog. And soon I'll actually change the header that is been up there for over a year.
Happy New Year!