Happy Friday! I'm working on (what I hope will be) a fun sneak peek post for Little Kunoichi next week, and as I was planning it, I thought of my favorite illustrator in the world: Carson Ellis. My own drawings feel like feeble chicken scratches next to her masterful art, but I don't hold that against her. She just released a new book, Home, and oh...it's classic Carson Ellis with the luscious details and hidden gems and muted tones that feels so very Pacific Northwest. Like this: This is ... Read more
What I Made for 2015 SVE
Well, the postal system is still holding hostage my SVE gift, so I thought I might as well show you what I sewed up for my partner Jana. Jana is a multi-talented "Bohemian girl living in Switzerland", and includes in her CV of eclectic accomplishments: nurse, interior designer, stylist, all-around taste-maker. I love love love her aesthetic and when I saw that her favorites were the color white, linen and leather, I immediately knew what to make. Jana and I both seem to lean toward ... Read more
Monday Outfit: “Robe Jacket”
Good morning, friends! I started to make K yet another animal print top as per her request this past weekend, but I just couldn't do it. Instead, I flipped through my favorite Japanese sewing book, and was intrigued by the "Robe Jacket". It reminded me of a mini version of the jacket I made a while back, and I had a hankering to sew with linen, so Robe Jacket it was. This is what the illustration looks like in the book (you can't see them, but there are additional ties inside): And here's ... Read more
Happy Friday + Randomness
Happy Friday! It's been a whirlwind of a week, and I have much to report, but I'm keeping it short and sweet today. This just in: for anyone still waiting for SVE gifts, it's more than likely that your Secret Valentine shipped from a particular region where the postal system has been delayed several weeks. In fact, my very own Secret Valentine is in that region so I'm waiting for my gift with bated breath (I, of course, know who my partner is and know I'm going to receive something ... Read more
I Can Do Anything, But I Can’t Do Everything
Throughout my childhood and beyond, my mom kept telling me that I can do anything that I set my mind to. I believed her wholeheartedly and set my mind to many career paths, and I have accumulated quite an eclectic background in various fields and industries. I jumped from corporate boardrooms to high school classrooms to theater productions to technology groups to the freelance life in writing, sewing, illustrations and photography. I seem to perennially be a Jane of all trades, master of ... Read more