Past Horrors

Last year I was Dead Snow White, complete with animal carnage strewn 'round my body:A few years ago I sewed an ensemble for me and my friends, though they helped with a cardboard 'tin' suit, and we rented a bear costume and customized a lion head. We won first prize at the college party!

I'm still working on this year's outfit, for an impromptu party tonight.

Happy Halloween!!

Witch Hat Cookies...

for witches traveling in the Northwest fog.

Hello from Maggie and Mildred: Part 4

New Yorkers! If you have any energy to get up this Saturday with the kids (after Halloween? Post Trick-or-Treat?) there's a lovely event going on at the New Museum. My latest film "Maggie and Mildred" will be playing as part of their "Target First Saturdays", with lots of films, games, activities. For details, click here.

"Maggie and Mildred" will also be at the Anchorage International Film Festival, Dec 5. - 14th.

Finally, I thought you might like to see the "real" Maggie and Mildred. Mildred (pictured left) is my grandmother Mildred Broczkowski, who turned 90 this year. Maggie (right) is Maggie Haupt, a great friend to our whole family. Their friendship inspired me to make "Maggie and Mildred".

PS. I'm moving soon, and have lots of extra DVD copies. If you'd like one, I'll put one in the mail to you (free)! Please leave a comment with your address, or email me. To learn more about the film, click here.

All Buttoned Up

Saturday was the wrap party for the job I'm working on. The film has a button theme, so I made outfits for the party. For myself, a dress made of button fabric:

Made from this pattern

And for Mr. Jones, a cowboy shirt made of black and white button fabric, with applique cats:

Made from this pattern

I promised, as I was making them, that this would take the place of my Halloween sewing. I guess we'll see if I can keep that promise...

Feeling Raggedy

Raggedy Ann Cupcakes have chocolate chip eyes, red licorice hair, fruit roll-up noses, and cinnamon dot/black frosting pen mouths.

Perfect for a Halloween party with just the right guest list....

High Tea: Ice Cream Sandwich

The Roll-off Tea Trolley

80 people "rolled off" at my workplace on Friday. The film we've been working on is almost done! Every day of production, the stage workers (animators, camera operators, etc.) were served tea, coffee, and snacks from this cart by lovely Mylie (pictured below). For the last day, they let me do a special trolley I deemed "The Roll-off Tea Trolley". You know how I love a theme.

On the menu: (homemade) Lemon Roll Bundt Cake, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls, (homemade) Jam Roll Cookies, Tootsie Rolls, Rolos, Fruit Roll Ups, and Hershey's Good-bye Kisses. We tried for Rolling Rock beer, to no avail.

As you can see, I was on roller skates. I hung onto the trolley; Myle pulled both of us. It was a joyous day.

Zip It

I found a bag of old zippers at a thrift store a while back. I sewed a few of them into clothes I made and they stuck and mangled my fabric. I realized there's a reason that zippers aren't used in heirloom sewing. They don't stand the test of time.

So I scrapped the hardware and kept these Talon brand envelopes in which they came. I love the beautiful and instructional graphic design. Click to enlarge!

3 Pigs

These 3 pigs are hand sewn from this pattern. They'll eventually be a gift, along with a book about them, and another small surprise I have not yet sewn. Stay tuned!

Salvaged Selvedge

Everyone knows I love the 70s, especially craft projects originating then. I rescued this sweet piece from the thrift store. It had been embroidered from a kit, dirtied, folded, and given away. So crewel (ahem). I scanned it and reassembled it in Photoshop. Now I can print cards, or use it to redecorate the rooms of animated characters.