Jenny_is_sewing's Xanga

Christmas themed overalls and buttons!

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:25:58 GMT

Here are my new Christmas themed overalls! Just in time for the holidays! Pink snowmen and Blue snowmen / christmas trees! I'm planning on making a pair for my bf's sisters daughters.

and of course free handmade holiday button with purchase.

Button making!

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:12:11 GMT

I've recently discovered button making! Thanks to the all mighty Etsy of course! Not only is Etsy a good place to find providers of clothes and other consume rproducts, there are tons of great suppliers on Etsy as well! Suppliers who sell fabric and other supplies needed to make the awesome products featured on Etsy.

I buy most of my fabric on Etsy because I find that prices undercut all other retailers by at least 10%-30%. Most recently, I started purchasing buttons making kits. I use the kit to make buttons out of scrap fabrics which I have TONS lying around.

Here is the step by step process:

start by taking out your supplies: rubber button holder, plastic press, button (2 parts - top and button)

lay rubber button holder over piece of fabric centering the design in the middle. cut around about a 1" circle. flip other way around so that the flat part of the base is on the surface.

press the top button onto the press squeezing the button into the groove.

squish in fabric towards the center. take the bottom button pieces and press over the scrap ends making sure to get every last piece of fabric squeezed between the button layers.

use the press to squeeze the bottom button piece into place. you should be able to pull the button out of the press easily without the button coming apart.

tada! admire your work! my bottom button has a loop on the back which I can use to sew onto pretty much anything.

so cute! I love handmade buttons!

Here is where I get my button making kits: CutieStuffs. I like to go with the size 36 buttons. Get your button kit today and start making your own buttons!

Mod Podge

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:35:13 GMT

What is Mod Podge you ask? Mod Podge is like glue, but better. It acts sorta like glue AND varnish. You use it to glue down fabric or other material to a surface, then glue OVER it to give it a layer of protection and shiny sheen. Crafters use it for making collages and its become very useful for decoupage.

Here are the various types of Mod Podge available: (link)

There are one's you use for fabric, for paper, one's with glitter, and even a glow in the dark Mod Podge!

Its amazing the stuff you can make and recreate! I've seen people take old pieces of furniture (dressers, coffee tables,etc.) and remake it into something so trendy and new!

I enjoy taking scraps of fabric and mod podging them onto cheap frames that I purchase from Ikea. Recently, I bought Macaroons in France. The cookies came in a pretty container which I wanted to reuse (to hold little doo dad's in my desk). The bottom was a bit greasy from the cookies so I took a piece of fabric the same size and mod podged it onto the base. It covered up the mess, gave it a nice look and made the base stronger. Here's my finished result:

ta-da! all finished.

Learn to cook Korean food

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT

I'm learning to cook Korean food. And all with the help of this woman: Maangchi. Yes she has a fobby korean accent and dresses really fobby but she's awesome at what she does! And that's making Korean food! The video's really make it easy to learn because you get to see the process visually. I made bf lunch the other day and it included banchan's galore! I can totally see this woman with her own show! She's definitely got that star quality! Thanks Maangchi for sharing all your wonderful recipes!

Martha Stewart...in Brooklyn!

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:26:48 GMT

Martha Stewart finally aired her special show on Brooklyn today! Its so fantastic to watch my neighborhood come alive on T.V. Brooklyn is more about just the people and places, its about being the epicenter of a cultural revolution. A revolution that is focused on being healthy and helping mother nature. I love it!

So far she's covered:
- Organic restaurant and butcher shop Marlow and Sons in Williamsburg. I love that the butcher shop only uses meat which have been raised cruelty free.
- The many food vendors, many of whom use only organic ingredients and/or locally produced ingredients, and of course local crafters at BROOKLYN FLEA!
- and papusa's!

You can check out more here: The Brooklyn Show

Almost there...

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 19:34:40 GMT

- visit factories and negotiate prices
- buy domain name and put online catalog up
- order business cards / hang tags
- compile list of retailers, online retailer, boutiques, etc.
- start selling!

Overall Baby

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:30:00 GMT

Etsy

Buy Handmade

OverallBaby

Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft and Design

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:20:32 GMT

So I had the pleasure of watching a screening of the documentary over the weekend in Hungtington, NY. (here) The audience also had the pleasure of meeting the filmmaker Faythe Levine. She introduced the film prior to playing and even gave a Q&A section aterwards. The film was inspiring, educational, informative and absolutely amusing to watch. I really enjoyed it. I have photo's I took of the event which I need to put up. I also had the opportunity to meet the filmmaker Faythe and exchange business cards. I've offered to make her a bag as a thank you for the awe-inspiring work she's been doing.

In the film, she brings into light what many are calling a "cultural revolution". Sort of a backlash to mass production by corporations and the unfair social effects their practices have. Apparently, a similar crafting movement took place during the 60's, a time which I wish I could have lived through. There are some similarities with then and now, most apparent being war. I'm proud to be a part of the current movement and hope years from now people will consider us the hippies of our generation...just cause I think hippies are SO COOL and I wish I could've been one in the 60's. haha. Another poignant point came when a crafter mentioned how over the years we've lost a bit of our culture, largely due to mass production. There's this constant barrage by corporate america constantly telling us how to be, what to buy, what's cool, what's hip, what you need now! Its sort made us all robots and clone's in a sense. I think a large part of culture is passing down skills from one generation to another, something that's not really done anymore because everything is mass produced.

I wish I could talk more about the film but I'll let you watch and decide what you think for yourselves. I'd be interested in hearing feedback from others that have seen the film however!

HANDMADE NATION:

The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design

The Public Option

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 21:09:44 GMT

So everyone and anyone alive and watching the news knows about Obama's plan to make Health Care Universal. Also known as the "Public Option" plan. Now I'm no expert on the matter. I do know a few things however. I do know 2 basic things. That he wants to make healthcare available to everyone and wants healthcare records to go on computerized systems. Oh, and I also know there is a similar systems in place in other countries, such as the UK.

Well, last week I spent a couple days in London for vacation. I have Crohn's Disease (an autoimmune disease of the intestines) and am permanently on medication. I realized a few days into my trip that I was running out of medication. Without medication I start experiencing severe abdominal pain. Initially I thought "oh no!". I panicked at first. I spoke to the reception at my hotel and was told to just swing by the nearest hospital, go to the emergency room and get a prescription written by the doctor.

To make a long story short, because of my experience, I am thoroughly convinced that universal healthcare is the way to go. I entered the emergency room, immediately spoke to a woman at the desk, filled out 1 PAGE OF PAPERWORK, waited for 20 minutes, saw a doctor, and finally had my prescription filled...FOR FREE. That's right. In 30 minutes, I received the best "health care" ever in my 30 year existence.

More on the non paper work. It only asked for my name, dob, sex, address, and emergency contact info. I realized later why the lack of paperwork when I met the doctor. As he asked me his questions, he typed my responses into a computer. Medical records are computerized in the UK hence no need for paperwork. (something Obama is pushing for)

As for the medication I purchased...without insurance I pay $550 for a month's supply. With insurance I think the medicine is about $100 or so. In the UK, I paid $5 for a week's supply. Which works out to $20 a month. Mind you...I'm a foreigner and I don't even live in the country.

As for the free service, it was the best free anything I received. The hospital was clean. I was at a relatively busy hospital and yes there were a good number of ppl waiting but the wait was NOTHING like what I've experienced at hospitals in NY...even on odd days and late nights. The last time I was admitted to the emergency room, I waited 8 hours to even hear a prognosis, and was later wrongly admitted. When I visit my doctor, I usually wait on average 2-3 hours, and this is with an appointment. Ridiculous.

So Obama. I support your idea. Reform is definitely the way to go.

My cat is needy

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:12:27 GMT

Who ever heard of a needy cat? I didn't. Welcome my cat DJ into the picture.

Every morning I go to feed her at 9am. At about 20 after 9 the whining begins. A high pitched meow, meow, meowwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. I'll tell her to scoot. I'm busy making breakfast. Washing dishes. Cleaning. Meow, meow, MEOWWWWWWWWWWWW. She can go on for an hour sometimes. I'll grab my laptop (so I'll have something to do), walk into our bedroom, onto our bed and lay down. She'll proceed to jump on and curl up next to me, then fall asleep. She loves her after breakfast nap / cuddle. Silly cat.

In other news, back from spending the most wondrous week in London and Paris. London was fun. Paris was absolutely enchanting. I wish I had visited sooner.

Most morning's I get real annoyed with my cat's nap ritual. Mostly, I'll be too busy to give in. Spending a week away from my cat, I didn't mind the break today. Thank goodness for the break. It helps to put things into perspective. Helps me to appreciate life. Good friends. A loving family. And of course, a needy cat. (post edit: my god, I just realized that I'm speaking about my cat like she's my child. I must sound crazy, unless you're an animal lover too in which case you can relate. ha!)

Things to do:
- finish taking photo's of overalls
- post overalls on etsy shop
- visit factories (this week) and negotiate prices
- finish line sheet (press kit, catalog)
- finish hang tags
- order new business cards and hang tags
- compile list of online and retail children clothing shops
- catch up with school work
- prep for midterm next week
- mail macaroons to bf's sister
- clean house
- order cat supplies
- call specialist and doctor to find out about blood results
- order fabric for bags
- upload photo's from trip