Is it 2007 yet?

I've been trying really hard not to make a "2006 in review" roundup. Not because nothing happend, on the contrary - EVERYTHING pretty much happend. It was one of the most dense years of my life. I just... I don't know. I have this thing that when I see things I've done/drawn/made/wrote/photographed just a few months ago I get kind of down and embarrassed. I don't know why, call it perfectionism or whatever, but it's actully very hard for me. It's funny how I look at what I used to be just a year ago and think "oh, what a silly little kid I was". And I will think exactly the same thing next year, and the next, and probably when I'm fifty too. Sigh. The world of me.
I didn't even do a "blogiversary" post. Yep, that happend too.
Then, I took a look at my Flickr page yesterday to realise that most of the cute photos of baby Suki are gone. Why? Because my flickr was the free 200 only photos account. It looks like my recent frenzy was very photo heavy and I added almost another 200 photos in the past couple of months alone. Hmm... But I do like my "in progress" photos so much... So Ant gifted me with a pro account (isn't this man a treasure? Don't even think about it! He's mine!).
And so I got my "year in review" completely unintentionally, through the back door. There were all the old photos of my cube back at school, and the first sock I ever knit, and presents I've made, and my first Gocco experiments.... All the old photos taken with the old camera. Wow...
So if you feel like going for a walk down memory lane - go ahead.
I'll just go hide from myself and my scornfull looks until we click those champagne glasses tomorrow night and start a new year. With a blank page that doesn't have anything on it yet.


Happy new year!

Holiday Sale!

Yeah, I said I'm off to do fun and creative things until the 1^st, but I thought shopping might be on your list of fun things to do so there's a teeny shop update:


While I'm preparing brand new items for the store - I'm clearing up the old items with a great new year sale:
All items are 20% off until January 7^th, 2007
Hurry up and catch the last of the penguin ornaments, Tim, Lilly and the Snowmen pouches before they go! The store is right here.

(This store update was brough to you by Dayquil and Nyquil, the official sponsors of young ladies who decide to develop a fever on Christmas day)

Have a Merry One!

Whether you've just finished celebrating Hannukah or about to celebrate Christmas -
Have a Happy Holiday!
May the coming year be wonderful, crafty, healthy, wealthy, joyful, creative, full of love and happiness.
I'll be back after the new year, with more stories, and hopefully - some crafty goodness too. I'm spending the week with Ant and friends, chilling out, eating, dancing and making merry.

My Christmas present to myself, from the incredible Superbuzzy. I literally snagged the last bit of the hedgehog fabric. Hooray!


Our stockings. My first, both to make and enjoy.

Pressies! Can you tell that I let Ant choose the paper? No cutsie snowmen or cats and dogs shopping this year.

Tonight we're having donuts (latkes were on Friday), gingerbread cookies, hot cocoa with whipped cream and probably How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Have a Merry One, and see you next year!

Flattery

I'm so flattered to be featured on Craftzine today! It's some about me and some about the penguins. You get to read what's on my cookoo mind. I'm just excited to have my work mean to someone else what other people's work means to me. Blush!
Here it is.
Thank you, Arwen!

In da shop!

Tim and Lilly are now in the shop! Why won't you go up there and say hi?




I know you might be *a bit* exhausted from holiday shopping, so if you mention that you got to my shop through my blog - I'll add a little surprise gift for you. What do you say?

To be?

To sew or redesign? That is the question. I finished the fleece stuffies for the shop, but... I'm not as excited about them as I thought I'd be. Why? That is the question.
I think my main problem is that I've done that before. Those kitties (they're the enlarged Helen pattern) were not that much of a challenge (Well, except for the lovely concept of stuffing a stretchy fabric. Brrr...).
Do you know what I mean? The feeling of "Nah, been there, done that"? Lots of what I love about making things is the problem solving. Making patterns, figuring things out as I go along. Making just another cute thing?... I don't know. I just feel like kind of "Next, please!"
Know the feeling?
Don't get me wrong, I love the guys to smithereens, but... Time to move on. Make different animals, different design style. I'm yet to hit the bull's eye, if there ever is such a thing in art anyway.

So these guys are going in the store later today, after a fancy photoshoot (if the clouds allow). They're still sweet, aren't they?


(Their names are Tim and Lilly, BTW)

Climbing Mount Everest

Well, it looks like my creativity frenzy has been very much like the Everest: Beyond the Limits maraton I watched yesterday (except that it's colder there, I'm sure): I started it high on adrenaline, and am ending on all four.
After a week of printing, sewing and staffing penguins (only seven five four two left! Hurry up!), I immidiately went to make some coasters, and then pouches (that are selling out darn well too, thanks!) - and now.... the summit is in view... and I'm SO tired!
I got some nice fleece at my local cheapo fabric store and cut some parts to make two cats from the same pattern as Helen, only larger. And I'm sewing them v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Despite the large amount of chocolate gelt consumed every day, I'm just pooped. I think that after finishing those two guys (and maybe a raccoon too), I'll take a break and do some knitting (I didn't knit in over a week). I have a christmas present to knit for Ant, and there's only a week to go! Yeaks!


P.S.
Seems like bloglines hates me now. Sorry, but you might have to re-subscribe. Arrggg... Why can't I find a straight answer to this, must be simple, problem?

What, no donuts?

It's first candle today, ladies and gentlemen! חג חנוכה שמח
And it seems this year no one is buying donuts. What?! I guess that if your idea of a Hanukkah donut is boston creme chocolate than it's nothing new or exciting and who would sell those as a holiday tradition is beyond me anyway - but no powdery bunch of dough with jelly colored sugar-juice in the center?! How can we pass the season without them? It has been years since I ate one of those original, simple delicacies that leave you nose white, your chin red and your belly rumbling but I doubt any Israeli kid (or anyone who used to be an Israeli kid) can forget the happy feeling you get when the streets start filling with that hot donut oil smell. Ah... Man, I miss that.
This year, like last year, we're making latkes and little yogurt donuts, and Ant is going to brave his way throguh "sheasa nisim la'avoteynu" again, and Suki is probably going to go nuts over the candles. So, no big powdery donuts, but tradition will be had.

Happy holidays!

P.S.
To make your holidays even happier, watch this. Make sure you swallow any liquid in your mouth before clicking play, or your keyboard might get soggy. Video courtesy of Sis.
P.S.S
I hate Blogger beta! Not only is my bloglines feed all of a sudden non-existing, the spellchecker doesn't work! If you see something blatantly wrong, please let me know. I'm going to go bang my head on the wall now. Progress my a**!

It's a tornado here too!

No, LA is safe and sound, but it's been crazy busy in this houshold in the past 48 hours that might just have been inspired by the tornado that hit North West London last week (hitting two streets away from where my dad used to live. Brrr!).
I'm kidding, of course.
I don't know if it's because it's christmas or if people just like my little thingies, but the shop has been doing incredibly well this week. All of my magents sold out and I'm low on penguins too (if you're interested - get them now! The shipping is still free too). It's SO cool, and in a weird way - so inspiring to make even more stuff! So I did.



Introducing - the snowman pouches. They're embroidered and appliqued and made from this fabric. I love them so much I don't know how I'll ever give them away... I'm adding them to the store little by little. If you're interested - they're right here.

And now I'm going to make some more stuffies! I got beyond inspired by this lovely lady: Danielleorama. Just look at her critters! How amazing are they? If I could, I would buy them all. But insead - I'll make some! Remember Mark and Helen? Well, I'm going to start by playing with their pattern (childproof them, make them a bit bigger, you know) and add a couple of other animal patterns too. I'm so hyped! Then, you'll probably have to tie me down to have me part with them, but we'll see.

I'm off to the sewing machine! Yet again...
; )

P.S.
I don't know if it's the Blogger Beta's fault (I finally caved, it'd better be worth it) or just our sucky internet connection (yet) again, but bloglines doesn't update me today and I'm not getting any emails. And if my posts from March show up as new all of a sudden, I'm sorry. It's the price of progress, I guess.

Gimme' Penguins!

At long (long, long) last - please welcome:
The Christmas Penguins!
(Loud applause)


Thank you, thank you! (Bows politely) Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to introduce to you The Christmas Penguins. These penguins were made lovingly by hand - that is, goccoed, cut, sewn stuffed and packaged! Yes, all by hand, all by me (another round of applause, with whistles).


Thank you, really. Thank you very much. You may recognize this fabric I also printed to use for the back (I may use it to make some holiday pouches. I don't know yet). The ribbons I used for the loop at the top are from my humble collection. It's actually large enough a loop to hang them penguins on a tree, some door knobs, from a lamp or your kitty's "fishing" rod. And they're pre-packaged in a cello bag with a goccoed "Merry Christmas" paper tag. (more photos here)


So what are you waiting for? Get them while they last - right HERE.

I'm still offering free shipping on all holiday buys until the end of the month (12.25.2006). Oh, and cute gift tags for all. (Audience cheering and screaming "encore, encore!")

Now, can I get some rest?
(Seriously, if you spent any time with me this week, you'd know that as much as I love animals, I was losing my patience with the penguin family quite significantly. They just take so darn long to turn and stuff...)

Xmas penguins? Yep.

Some more in progress penguins, if you never saw them on my Flickr page before. Hopefully they'll be in the shop tomorrow.




This photo is kind of weird. He's not really that sqwooshed...

Xmas special: the WIP Friday edition

This WIP Friday is brought to you by Sniffles - "Sniffles, the illness that will keep you dripping all over the place! Coming this winter to a nose near you".

OK, enough sillyness. WIP, ladies and gents - behold:




The photos are a bit dark because there hasn't been much light here this week, but this is some denim printed with a snowflake pattern with my dear Gocco. I missed working on this machine, why did I ever stop? I'm going to use this fabric for some Xmas gifts for friends this season, and I should have some extra so sell on the shop. Speaking of shopping - here's some more Xmas special:


Buy Paper Armadillo goods now and get this cute special edition gift wrap + gift tag! Don't worry, I have brown, blue and red ribbons too as well as purple and white gift tags (in case pink is not your/your recipient's color). And notice the new, lowered prices and international shipping option. Go shopping!