This year, I've been choosing a story to have for some fun things throughout each month. This month, the story is Alice in Wonderland, and there are some really great things in store. Today, I'm wanting to try something a little different. Something interactive. (I love when we get to "chat" and share with each other!)
Like many others, one of my favorite Alice phrases is "Curiouser and curiouser". And I was thinking, what are you curious about?
I'm just one person, with one set of skills and experiences. But I've got a lovely group of sponsors and friends, and they have a lot to share too!
If you're curious about something, please ask in the comments!
My friends, sponsors and I will be checking in and answering your questions. You can address them to one person or everyone. And if you are curious and want to get to know us by poking around our blogs (because poking around feels kinda sneaky and fun), click through those pretty ads in the sidebar!
I'm curious...
ReplyDeletewhere does the name of your blog come from? (For Mollie and her sponsors.)
When stitching letters, do you write onto the fabric and sew over the top or just do it freehand and hope for the best?
ReplyDeleterilojane: I am far from wild, although I do love olives.
ReplyDeleteActually, the name of my blog comes from the Bible: "If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root." Romans 11:17
It's a great reminder of the privilege it is to be a part of God's family!
Freddie: I do both, depending on the look I'm going for. Sometimes I trace letters or write them to stitch over, but many times I just go for it. Stitching freehand produces mixed results, so it isn't suitable for all projects!
ReplyDeleteHonestly, my blog name {Lemon and Raspberry} comes from my driving home from my day job one night, dreaming about our Italy vacation a few months prior and remembering my favorite gelato combination: lemon and raspberry ...
ReplyDeletemmmmmmmm .....
Then I thought that sounded like a fun business name, or maybe a line of children's clothing. Something fun and bright and upbeat.
So I registered the URL.
Now it means so much more to me....
I blog about tips and inspiration for creatives and - as I think we can all agree - being a creative person is not always a sunshiney upbeat life.
Lemon and Raspberry still feels bright and upbeat and cheery, but it also reminds me of the sour and tart and more difficult things ...
I hope that makes sense.....
Let me know if you have more questions!
xo
My blog name (prairie hen) came from my love of Little House on the Prairie. Simple as that. I also spent a few years in Minnesota (in the Twin Cities which are just a few hours from Walnut Grove) and fell in love. Although I don't live there anymore my heart will always belong to Minneseota.
ReplyDeleteps- I love these questions! Keep 'em coming!
hi rilojane,
ReplyDeleteThe name for my blog comes from the Bible. Jesus is talking and says,
"I am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit. Apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
xo Andee
Bearing Fruit
When I came up with the name of my blog, Making Me Cranky, I was looking for something that would work as a mommy-style blog, be somewhat descriptive of our family, and maybe work in something about the city we live in and love, Los Angeles.
ReplyDeleteOne of the names I first played around with was Hill & Valley, which is a great reference to LA, but it wasn’t enough about us. But it reminded me of a line in one of my favorite songs, The Decemberists' “Los Angeles, I’m Yours,” which has a line about the “hill and valley crowd.” It’s is a fantastic song about having a love/hate relationship with LA, you should check it out if you don’t know it.
Anyway, I listened to the song and found it! Another lyric in the song is “Oh what a rush of ripe élan/languor on divans/dalliant and dainty/but oh, the smell of burnt cocaine/the dolor and decay/it only makes me cranky.” I just think it is such a clever line. And perfectly descriptive of the way Los Angeles can me feel and definitely how motherhood (and adulthood for that matter) makes me feel!
Wow, hope that wasn't too long!
Keep those questions coming! I love this idea Mollie!
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteThe name of my blog (one happy mama) came about shortly after I had given birth to my daughter, Caylin (who is going on 6). Someone asked me to describe my life in one sentence. The first thing that popped into my mind was, "I am one happy Mama." I loved how it really summed up how I felt and so I knew it was the perfect name for my blog. :) It is STILL who I am today and I wouldn't have it any other way. ;)
Hugs to you all!
Kristina
I'm loving these back stories to the names of your blogs! Maggie, I love the Decemberists, and finding this out about your blog is so great!
ReplyDeleteI just love the meanings behind the names of all of these blogs!
ReplyDeleteMy blog, Sew Vintage, So Fun!, was named as part of a life reinvention I began after leaving a job working in business development in the DC construction world.
I wanted to spend my days doing things I love, so I decided to create something around two of my favorites; needle arts and all things vintage. The name came to me and I ran with it before I could talk myself into thinking it was too corny. It might be, a little, but it fits the life I am living now! I have been having an amazing time becoming a part of this community.
xo,
Anita
I could not be more excited about this month's theme! No books are more near and dear to my heart! I have visited Christ Church College at Oxford where Lewis Carroll lived when he wrote them, and saw the original hand written copy of Alice Underground at the British library.
ReplyDeleteThe story is a very big part of my life, and that is why I named my business after one of it's characters - The Cheshire Cat. But you will notice I have spelled it with a K - this is because my name is Kat!
Wow, there is so much thought being put into these blog names! My blog name, [A Little of This and That] was birthed out of my love for a variety of random stuff. It's not just a blog about one or two topics...it's about a little bit of everything!
ReplyDeleteFreddie,
ReplyDeleteI do both also. My handwriting is a bit messy, so I usually find something to trace if I want to embroider a message to be displayed, but when I want to put a little something on a gift (like the back of a quilt I made or a pillow I embroidered) I will do it free hand. Also, I like to use iron-on stabilizer as tracing paper so that I can get it just right before I transfer it to the fabric.
Hope this helps!
Rilojane - The name of my blog Yellow Bird, Yellow Beard comes from the two loves of my life! :) My baby parakeet Luna Bird, and my husband and best friend The Beard. If you want to see photos or hear the rest of the story check out the intro to my blog here:
ReplyDeletehttp://yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com/search/label/First%20Post
more photos here:
http://yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com/2011/04/lunas-first-words-yard-sale-finds.html
xoxo
Janee
yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com
AMY! Lemon was my very very favorite gelato in Italy..... SO FREAKING YUMMY!!!!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Janee
yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com
Janee - Lemon gelato is AMAZING, right? So fresh and palate-cleansing almost.... :)
ReplyDeleteWell I guess my blog name is pretty self explanatory :) But it shows my love of making by hand, and is also about making a fresh start and choosing to follow a creative path!
ReplyDeleteI would love to ask Mollie, friends and fellow sponsors..
ReplyDeleteWho most inspires / has inspired you?
rilojane: My blog name, 'Scissor Quirk' came together when I realized that nearly every crafty thing I love involves scissors, and I'm a little quirky. :) lol. It used to be named after my favorite Dr. Seuss quote for many years, before that...
ReplyDeleteMitziMakes: I'm most inspired by crafty bizz ladies, like Susie Gahremani (of BoyGirlParty), Elsie Flannigan (of Red Velvet Art), Jenni of Sublime Stitching, and Emily Martin (of The Black Apple)...so inspiring!!
Hi everyone!
ReplyDeleteI picked my blog name (The Craft-Arty Kid)as i knew that my blog would feature both my crafts and my art, as Im a fine art student, so i was playing around with those words in my head until i got The Craft-Arty Kid which I've always thought sounded like The Karate Kid, which I thought would be fun. Also 'Kid' because I look super young for my age. I'm 21 this year but could easily pass for a 14 year old!
x Lisa
I find so much inspiration from fellow bloggers, indie businesses, and other vintage lovers. Seeing so many people who have found their passion and are living their dreams inspires me to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI also find it in books, from the newly printed to the old and well loved. There is something about holding bound pages filled with words and pictures in my hands that just gets the wheels spinning!
xo, Anita
I get inspired by .... pretty much ANYONE who is doing great work that they love and that they are proud of.
ReplyDeleteAnyone from John Adams (true story) to Peter Jackson to Ernest Hemingway to ... Mollie (actually).
I love that.... I want to be like them.
Awww....Amy, you're too sweet!
ReplyDeleteI'm inspired by so many people and things that the list would go on and on. But on a more personal level, my parents inspire me. They have modeled for me determination, creativity, faithfulness, and that sometimes you just have to get something done. All important things when needing to be inspired!
I get a lot of inspiration from store displays. Particularly the store Anthropologie. If you have never been there, it is sort of like someone took your grandmother's house and mad it a little more hip. Their displays are different in every store, and all 100% handmade. They use a lot of recycled materials from paper plates to old furniture, which is something that I like to do too. I always leave with an idea for a new project.
ReplyDeleteI don't even think I could narrow down the list of things/people who inspire me. There are just so many. Although I have to agree with what Amy said,"Anyone from John Adams (true story) to Peter Jackson to Ernest Hemingway to ... Mollie (actually)." And what Kat said about Anthropologie, that place is phenomenal. But I also feel inspired by music: The National, Mumford and Sons, Radical Face, Sigur Ros, Radio Head, mewithoutYou, Coldplay...so many. And this may sound seriously cheesy, but I'm totally serious, my husband is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. I do post on my blog every Wednesday about some of the artists who inspire me.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Janee
yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com
alrighty, I guess it's my turn! "Olive Juice" is something that I find very cute, curious and endearing- and it's a lot more fun than "elephant shoe". If your head is cocked to an angle- go ahead and mouth "olive juice" or "elephant shoe" to yourself in the mirror or to someone next to you... did you discover the little trick/secret?
ReplyDeleteSo many people inspire me! My parents inspire me in the way that they raised us to care for others, especially those less fortunate. All of the artists in the world who are brave enough to be artists and who create beautiful things for me to admire. My best friend who challenges the way I think about things and reminds me that it’s okay and even preferable to just be myself. My husband, who is just too smart and talented for me! He takes my small ideas and makes them bigger and better and prettier. And especially my daughter who inspires me work hard, create beautiful things, and to be like her: completely unashamed and unaware that there are people in the world who might judge you.
ReplyDeleteUm, that sounded a lot like a dedication page for my first book. Ha! Sorry.
Oh great, took to long to get here and now there's 2 questions!
ReplyDeleteMy blog name was just me playing on words and being silly. I started it as a way to journal what I was making (and to keep me making things). I kept steering towards sewing, it was about me . . . hence SewTara. I don't always sew my crafts but that's where the SoTara comes in :)
Inspiration is everywhere for me. Especially if I go looking for it, it's like dominoes. Idea and idea pop into my head, it's almost annoying because it's so hard to keep up. And to find the time to actually create all the ideas.
Mostly I've found the online crafty community super inspiring. Someone will either spark an idea for me, or if I'm stuck I know somoene is going to have a DIY and I can at least make a something while I think of my own project. It's all been very organic for me and things just fall into place. I'm loving this journey I started!
How often do you use stabilizers, and how much difference does it actually make? I've been doing small cross-stitch for a while but am just starting to get into embroidery, and I've never used any kind of stabilizer paper etc. I wondered if I'm missing out!
ReplyDeleteGood question, Maman A Droit! I'm curious to hear what others have to say on this too.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I can only think of one or two times that I've used stabilizer in the traditional sense, and it was probably on a t-shirt. It's really helpful there.
On some fabrics (dark colors, felt, etc.), I trace my pattern onto tracing paper, then stitch through it and the fabric and tear it away after. It works like stabilizer, but my main purpose is to be able to see my pattern.
I'm pretty new to embroidery but I've never used any kind of stabilizer and I've done just fine. Although I can say I think what Mollie was saying about using tracing paper to see your patterns would be very helpful.
ReplyDeletexoxo
Janee
yellowbirdyellowbeard.blogspot.com
Question 1: Hi Rilojane, I'm one of Wild Olive's sponsors, and my blog name is Life's Visual Journal.
ReplyDeleteIt's called that because I'm an artist, and use my visual journal a lot to plan out new projects, experiment with new techniques and materials, and keep a record to different things I've learnt.
My blog serves the same purpose, but incompasses not just my creative projects, but my whole life!
Hence the name!
Question 2: As far as inspiration goes,I find inspiration from all the beautiful blogs I follow, and in craft stores I visit!
Hi Mitzi,
ReplyDeleteFor me, inspiration comes from everywhere! I drink in visual delights of all kinds, whether hiking in nature or on an adventure in downtown LA. When it comes to sewing inspiration, though, nothing gets me like the fabric district in downtown LA. If you've never been there, it's definitely worth the trip. All those colors! The textures! The patterns! Inspiration bubbles over.
Andee
Bearing Fruit
Hi there! Michelle Dillman from 'craftydill' here and I'm sorry to be so late to the party. My blog name originates from the need to create a unique email handle MANY years ago. At the time, I was crafting as a hobby [crafty] and then added the first part of my last name [dill]. I've used craftydill for all email addresses and user id's I've had ever since and it just made sense to me to bring it with me into the online crafting community.
ReplyDeleteInspiration can hit me like a ton of bricks or be as subtle as a light breeze. I find it in nature [I spend a lot of time looking up], in architecture, in the many classic movies I watch and from the many wonderful artists, crafters, writers and photographers I've found from all over the world - including everyone here!
ooooohkay. so I just finished clicking on everyone's blog and I've got to say... YOU LADIES are inspiration. everyone here is so talented and creative. love love love!
ReplyDeleteOh My!! I'm so late to this party, but just in case anyone is still wondering... My name is Melisa from Pie N' the Sky and in regards to where my blog name came from; my Mr. actually came up with it! He does graphic design so I asked him to come up with something that was me. He said he thought of sunshine, puppies and rainbows... all things pie n' the sky^_^ I loved it and stuck with it; it's very me.
ReplyDeleteAs for the second question, I find inspiration in nearly everything! I find it in books, pictures, thought provoking questions, a show or movie, bunnies, colors... you name it!! Thank you thank you to everyone who participated in asking questions today!!
To answer the stabilizer questions, I use it a few different ways. One is to create an iron on transfer~ I trace the design onto the stabilizer with an transfer pen, then iron it onto the fabric ~ the stabilizer has an advantage over regular tracing paper in that you can peel it back just a little to see if the design transfered completely and as dark as you wanted and goes back into place if you didn't. I have found that regular tracing paper slides a lot. I also use it as a stabilizer to embroider through for 'squishy' fabrics like tee shirt material, flannel, fleece, and terry. It is great for edges and corners that you can't get a hoop around also.
ReplyDeleteHope this helps!
xo, Anita
I get inspiration from other bloggers, from photography, from the grocery store, from television...you name it! Once you open your eyes to the beautiful things around you, you realize that inspiration is EVERYWHERE!
ReplyDelete@ rilojane .... The name of my blog is "the split stitch". I named it this because I love to embroider, sew, and crochet ... and am "split" on which stitchy craft is my favorite. Kind of corny I know!!
ReplyDelete@ Freddie: I don't ever just freehand stitch letters ... it is too scary for me, I must have a pattern to follow, so usually I use a water soluble pen to write letters onto the fabric first ... then stitch away!
ReplyDelete@ Mitzi Makes: I would say my biggest inspiration comes from everyone who is responding right here ... my fellow bloggers and online crafters. :)
ReplyDelete@ Maman A Droit -- as for stabilizers, the only time I find myself using them is when I embroider t-shirts. When I embroider t-shirts I use a permanent sew in variety. After I am done stitching, I trim around the sew in, and then iron on a soft flexible fusible interfacing to cover the whole mess up, and make it nice and soft. I wish I could remember the names right now, but I always find them with the packaged interfacings near the notions at JoAnn's.
ReplyDelete@ annie luu ... thanks so much, you are so sweet!
ReplyDelete