My replacement camera is the Canon Powershot SD750 and it’s super-fance, but I still have yet to have any real bonding time with it. To be honest, I like the SD300 better but i’m also bad with letting go. I’m sure on many levels my new camera is better and takes infinitely “better” photos, but I just can’t stop comparing them and saying (slightly under my breath) “I like my old camera better.” Ah, ’tis life. This is the new fancy camera:
Also ANOTHER camera story. When I was in college at Parsons, I took a Photography studio class and for an in-class assignment the teacher gave everyone an old Polaroid Land Camera and told us to buy film and walk around the city and take photos. It was a great time and who doesn’t love polaroids? Land Cameras are pretty common, being that they were the standard back in the day, so everytime I go thrifting I come across them. A few years back, I finally bought one at a Salvation Army. It was in good shape and still had it’s carrying case with all the original manuals and whatnot. They still make film that works with this type of camera, but unfortunately a lot of the types of batteries these cameras take, are not standard. So to make a long story not as long, I found a place online that broke down each model of Land Camera and what batteries it takes and what film you can use. Finally, I’ll be able to put this baby to use:
I’ll post photos as soon as I get the film and batteries in the mail!
Fondly,
Crystal
A Toby Goodshank Line update! Haven’t had one of those in awhile. Things are still moving along as slow as ever, but I did manage to finish one (rough) stuffed Mandor. I totally over-estimated my sewing skills, but they are sort of charming in their handmade sort of way. The tags have yet to be printed, and there is another Mandor doll almost done. He’s not as good looking as the first one, but they are pretty similar.
Also, one run of limited edition prints are almost completely done. Here are some shots of the prints, which I hope to get signed and numbered.
What prompted this burst of productivity? you ask, well we’ve signed up to silkscreen 100 cd covers for local NYC musician The Medicine Man, which have to be done by the end of the month. The Toby prints have been sitting in our screens for a little while now, and now we need the screens to print the cds so we’ve sort of been forced to forge ahead with the supplies we have instead of buying new screens. I’m hoping to set a deadline for the Toby stuff relatively soon. I’m shooting for the beginning of September, but i’ll keep you posted.
We’re heading to Ohio for the weekend to visit the families. While we’re there we’ll be hitting up the thrift stores for more wares to sell on Etsy (which is going pretty slow lately….sigh..) but also i’ll be on the lookout for some vintage clothing. There is an amazing vintage clothing shop near where we live in Brooklyn called Olive’s Very Vintage. I stopped in the other day and spoke with the lovely and beautiful owner/buyer Jen, and asked if she needed anyone to travel to the midwest and buy stuff for her store. She was very nice and made a list of things I should keep my eye out for.
This is something i’ve always wanted to do. We go back to Ohio ALL THE TIME and I always find so many awesome things that
1.) don’t fit me
2.) are super cute but not my style
3.) I can’t justify buying because I have way too many clothes and shoes and way too small apartment (and closet) and between Andrew and I, our clothing cannot be contained.
Selling the clothing on Etsy or Ebay is always an option, but there is just something too wonderful about going into an actual vintage clothing store and looking at the stuff in person.
Wish me luck!
Fondly,
Crystal
The brown thing with the initials is a case that I sewed to hold both slim-line cd cases. It’s made of felt with a vintage rick-rack stripe across the top. I embroidered his initals with yellow floss. I can’t remember what stitch I used, but I imagine it was something pretty basic since, as you can see, my embroidery skills are not top notch.
The covers for the cds are collages I made from old school workbooks that I found in my parents attic. Super seventies. I wish I had an image of the playlist because I can’t remember it off hand. If I remember correctly, it was all local NYC musician friends. Here are closer up detail shots.
Crystal
Super!
I’ve mentioned the website Design*Sponge before, but just in case you didn’t read that post here’s a general rundown. It’s an amazing website/blog/design reference/good read run by Grace Bonney. This is the about, straight from her site:
“design*sponge is a daily website dedicated to home and product design run by Brooklyn-based writer, Grace Bonney. Launched in August of 2004, Design*Sponge features store and product reviews, sale and contest announcements, new designer profiles, trend forecasting and store/studio tours. In addition, Design*Sponge features a unique section dedicated to covering student design, national and international design shows. The site is updated constantly throughout the day (with an average of 6-10 posts a day), and attracts a core group of devoted readers. Design*Sponge currently has over 20,000 daily readers.”
I’ve been a devoted reader for a couple years now. This site was one of the original sites I started visiting on the regular (what i like to call “the rounds,”) and was also one of my main inspirations for starting a blog before I had even really grasped the enormity of the blogosphere.
About a month ago, Grace did a post asking for advice on her kitchen. I was a little late, but I sent her an email anyway with links to our kitchen because we had a similar color scheme, a bright green being the main highlight. She got back to me and I was more than ecstatic when she asked if she could share it with her readers. You can see the real post here. It’s totally rad to be included among all the amazing things Grace posts about. Thanks Grace!
I had mentioned this before, but i’ll mention again that I’m planning on posting pictures of the ongoing project that is our apartment.
Fondly,
Crystal
Fondly, Crystal
Oh! also, I forgot that I was going to post the design for the Cheese on Bread t-shirts. I love love love it! So, here it is:
Anyway, Etsy stuff is selling. A little slower than I had expected, but a few items have gone since we last updated. The nested bowls were sold to a very lovely lady in Texas. She said they were very special to her and she was so happy when she received them. As for our own stuff, Andrew made another duffel. After much cursing and sweating, I made a little lined zipper pouch.
One Mandor is done, but i’m not really happy with him. His arms came out too skinny and he looks generally, rough! I sewed most of that one on the machine, but it’s really hard to control when you’re working with such small pieces. I don’t know why I was avoiding hand sewing like the plague, but the one i’m workin on now has been mostly hand sewn. Now i’m also realizing that I probably should be using different material. Back to square one, dang.
Andrew started making these bracelet thingies too. I’ll post pictures when I get a chance.
Fondly,
Crystal
The t-shirt design has yet to be finalized. Once that gets the green light I’ll post it as well.
Fondly,
Crystal
As for the Toby Goodshank line. Dang, it’s taking long. But here is a sneak peek of one of the bags that will be sold in the Toby Goodshank line, if you weren’t already stoked enough:
the fabric pattern was designed and drawn by Toby and we silkscreened the fabric. also, the bag itself was designed and sewn here at yes, have some. I know I keep saying this, but keep your eyes out for these. I promise, the wait will be well worth it.
Fondly,
Crystal