Crochet Wire Hanger Covers

This is all my mom's fault.



She reminded me about how my step-grandma used to crochet over wire hangers and how awesome they were, so I had to try it.

Hehe. I'm a big dork!

Drawstring Koi Pouch

I'm sewing! I'm a sewer! (Oh wait... that didn't come out right.)

Today, I went to the fabric store (OMG AGAIN) and got fabric to make the tank and jacket that match my awesome skirt. Since I didn't feel like doing heavy duty garment making (well, heavy duty for me anyway) I decided to get a couple of fat quarters and see what I could do with them. The result is this super cute koi fish pouch!



I know - it's just two scraps of fabric sewn together... but I put a drawstring in and everything! And I did it all by myself with no pattern... and... I MADE A BUTTONHOLE!



Yeah I know... I'm a big dork, but I don't care, because I have an automatic buttonhole maker! YAY!

OMGWTFBBQ I MADE A SKIRT!

I cannot believe!



Clearly, Harley cannot believe either. :)

Here's another view... Just a simple bias-cut skirt... four panels and some elastic. Not a big deal really, except I haven't made a garment (that I would actually be caught dead wearing) since eighth grade!

P.S. New TOY!

My parents came to visit and they brought my birthday present:



WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Point of Pride

About two months ago, a friend of mine commissioned a piece of original artwork based on one of the picture poems included in Kenneth Patchen's "The Walking Away World". Today, I completed it and I am simply beside myself in love with it (which, for me, is a big deal - because I pick all my own work to pieces)... so I have to share.

Here is a photo of the finished piece:

"Walk Away World" by Marlene M. Baldwin

based on excerpt from "The Walking Away World" by Kenneth Patchen

Papercut on Cardstock and Wood

March 22, 2009

I took it in to have the frame assembled, and was flat-out shocked when the guy asked me where I'd found the frame in the store because he couldn't find the price tag. When I told him I had bought it unfinished, decorated it myself, then brought it back, he was surprised. When I came back to pick it up, he commented that the verse was actually quite ominous, and asked me what everything was made of (the detail on the frame, the design around the text)... he thought it was finely worked clay - not just cut paper.

I tell you, that gave me the BEST feeling to see a complete stranger be so taken with my work. That kind of thing just makes a body glow from the inside out!

Here are a few more pictures, for posterity's sake. The photos really don't do the piece justice, but they are the best I can do right now:

Saturdy Blues

I'm not really blue. It has been gloomy and rainy all day - which I like - and I got to sleep until noon - which is always a plus... so the day hasn't been half bad. Managed to do my taxes and rack up a fat refund (at least part of which will no doubt find itself in the hands of the local craft shops before long), and I cleaned up my office. All in all, not bad!

This week, I finally broke down and ordered this bag from HautTotes:

I am so happy with it! I haven't had a HUGE purse in EVER, and it's turning out to be a blessing. I can carry everything in it, and it is reinforced with mesh, so it won't break. This lady does beautiful work. I highly recommend her.

Tomorrow, the parents will be bringing over my birthday present! YAY! EARLY BIRTHDAY PRESSY! YAY! I love holidays where I get free stuff. SRSLY!

Cat Chatter

Here are links to a couple of short movies starring my cat. I know... how boooooring... but I'm 'sperimenting!

Harley Puts on His Investigating Feet
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDTrWPfHLHg

Harley Chatters at Lights on the Wall
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYJhh-NoS2w

Hello World?

Hi!

My name is Marlene, and I am companion to the Painted Kitty (aka Harley). He earned this title by sitting in the middle of one of my first art projects when it was still wet. By doing so, he also earned a midnight trip to the shower. He was not amused.

Neither was I.

But now, in his honor, I have set up an Etsy shop and called my new itty bitty business "Painted Kitty Creations". I decoupage stuff like frames, switch plates, vases, boxes, blocks, and pretty much anything else I can get my mitts on. I also occasionally take an awesome photograph.

I was blogging on Wordpress, but I have not been happy with some of their features, so I am checking out Blobspot.

My laptop just died a flaming death of glory (not really flaming, but it sounds good), so I have made myself a promise to be more diligent in blogging (every day instead of once a month). Sort of like a new-computer resolution.

Stick around and lets talk about stuff!