Moving On

Over the last 5 years I've had a lot of fun writing this blog (well, until someone started spamming my comments section), and I've loved using it as a forum to talk about new talent, and to share random thoughts, and dreams, and milestones.
I'm moving the blog over to wordpress, so if you want to follow the continued adventures of Mignonette Designs, join me, won't you, by clicking here.

Crafty Things Afoot

I've been taking stock of myself and the things that I'm not only good at, but also actually enjoy, namely:
1)working with crafters
2)designing and sewing
3)helping people sell crafts that they made
4)teaching people how to craft
5)writing about crafting
6)planning craft-related events

I couldn't help but notice that the word "craft" was in there 5 times, along with sewing, designing, and writing, which are also pretty crafty. Add to that the fact that last week's Free Will Astrology horoscope basically told me to get off my butt (figuratively, given the circumstances) and start writing, and I've got a pretty clear sign from the universe that I need to start writing about craft, or, if not the larger craft movement, at least my place in it, and the places of those artists that I want to work with.

As someone who has always loved writing, but has never made a living at it, the idea of diving into that life terrifies me - sure, I can churn out compelling copy, but is that art? I have no idea.

The Rachel Dress Bows

If you've ever tried to embark on a creative life you know that into every life a little fallow time must fall. My particular dry spell has lasted for longer than I would like, compounded by getting married, making dresses for other ladies' special days, and then getting very involved with not one but two amazing museums.

It began to feel like, unless I grew a second head and two more pairs of arms, there would never again be a chance for me to make something just for myself. Imagine how happy I was when my friend Rachel commissioned a dress for a wedding.
We got to go through the whole 9 yards: shopping for fabric (in this case, a blue muslin Liberty of London print with a cream muslin lining), sketching out a number of different Mad Men-style options for the dress itself, mocking up the muslin and doing the fittings...all of the things I love but was terrified that I had lost. Draping the top, recutting the pattern, trueing the seams, and then re-cutting it. Yes, those are parts of the New York Times - they work just as well as pattern paper in a pinch!And the big finish, unfortunately with some blurry pics from the last fitting at midnight the night before the wedding. Even Anne got in on the act. Once the wedding is over I hope to get some decent photos together so that I can get it on Etsy.

New Projects

Exciting things are afoot in Mignonette-land: The revitalization of the Ladies Independent Design League SF, searching for new studio space high and low (to share with a boatload of fellow artists, perhaps too many superfriends to comfortably make a crime-fighting group), and the creation of a new mobile-crafting venture. Also pleasantly surprised with the new hire I made at Job #2. Almost too many projects to keep up with, but I'll have to write them all down or I'll forget.

Holy Shizz Look At this House in Shanghai

Today's post in the NY Times Home and Style section is inspiring me to
1)Drool
2)Book a flight to Shanghai
3)Become bff's with this woman so that she writes me into her will (okay, she's only 38, so we'd have to be bff's for a good long time, but still, it's so worth it and maybe she'd let me borrow her clothes).

Behold:

And of course what house is complete without an antique birdcage to house your rosebush:

Holy Cow - More PRESS!!!!

Craft Bar with Etsy Labs is blowing up big - PHEW!

More press! Just look at all these listings and kind words:

Holy shiz - craft bar was a weekly pick for the guardian!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
sfbayguardian.com/
Hipster Runoff

PSFK
Britex

Snike Larten

Craft Bar in Craft Magazine Online!

Hooray! Craft Bar, the monthly crafting workshop that I run in conjunction with Etsy here at the MOCFA, was featured on the Craft Zine blog this month!
Here it is!