Hanging around with Alisa!

When I first met Alisa, she was volunteering at the agency I work at. I knew from the first minute, we would be instant friends. We would craft between calls and chat about our love of movies. Alisa is such a rock star!

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

By day I am an assistant in an elementary school classroom, by afternoon I work in an after school program teaching elementary school kids how to make, package, price, market bath and body products, and sell them in their etsy shop Sunny Bubbles.  By evening  You can find me either upstairs in my studio sewing, or making a big mess with paper and glue or on the couch with my embroidery or knitting. On the weekends I am hanging out with My husband and our dog  Luna and  kitten Seth.

What projects are you working on right now?
I have recently been reunited with embroidery. I love using old vintage pattern' from the 30's. 40's and 50's. I cannot draw, or paint to save my life, however having the ability to shade and define with thread is something that really amazes me. Next up on the hoop are some vintage pin up transfers I just found on line.

Who/what is an inspiration to you?
 There area few things that have inspired me to be brave and try everything that sparks my interest.The first is  a quote by Pablo Picasso
"I am always doing things i can't do...that's how i get to do them"  
This give me carte blanche to buy a lot of supplies and make big mess, all for the pursuit of trying a new technique or project that may or may not turn out all that well.
Another  huge inspiration is the creative people in my life that make time to  deal with the chaos that life can bring others, be it working with or advocating for adults, children or animals that are displaced, disabled, abused or forgotten , and then are able to come home to their own lives and produce amazing pieces of art  as a way of decompressing.
And also my husband Mark (the best guys are always named Mark) is a ceramics artist by night and has some of the best whimsical sculptures that make me smile.. He's also pretty damn funny!

You do so many different types of crafts-do you have a favorite?
I am quite the crafty magpie, aren't I? Of all the crafty things I do I think the one I do least is my very favorite. I love to collage old Mannequins.  I like the idea taking something that was produced to show women how to fit a certain mold  and turn them into something that  I feel is beauty.  I do admit my studio can be a bit surprising to folks who have never seen it before with all of the headless torsos stuffed in the corners.

BONUS QUESTION
Favorite sound?
 I love to watch old  movies from the 40's and 50's and the sound men's shoes make when they running on concrete is one of the reasons why.  Think the Third  Man when they are chasing Orson Welles through the sewers.

See! Didn't I tell you she's the coolest ever! If you are lucky enough to meet her in person, than you have met a true friend. Her infectious smile and good humor  will always stay with you.

Tie One On Tuesday! Quit Yer Whining!

OMP is a little tied up at the moment trying to find all of our Halloween decorations. I think they may have come to life and attacked. I'll keep you posted. So, in his absence I'm taking over for the day. Today's lesson will be about a good bottle of wine under $15.00. Now I'm not talking about Boones Farm Strawberry Hill or Thunderbird. Give me some credit, I'm a little classier than that, not by much.

I am not much of a white wine person but I know some people are so let's start with Alice White Chardonnay 2006. The $7.00 price tag just can't be beat. It's best with shellfish and white pasta. It has a tropical fruit taste and an unusual dose of acidity.

Mark West Pinot Noir is a great bottle of wine for $11.00. It goes great with chicken and spaghetti dinners. It has a nice cherry, spicy strawberry taste to it.

Lan Rioja Crianza is another great bottle of red wine for $12.00. It goes great with lamb or sausage and has a wonderful earthy taste to it with a hint of cherry and vanilla.

If you are looking for something with a stronger more interesting taste, go for the Avalon Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 for $14.00. It has a sweet beginning but a bitter chocolate and licorice after tone to it. It would be wonderfully paired with steak or red meats.

If you are looking for something a little bubbly to celebrate that special day. Well, I have you covered there too! Freixent Cordon Negro Brut is a wonderful sparkling wine at $9.00. Domane St. Michelle Brut is $ 12.00. It is a little sweeter than the Negro Brut. Both go great with smoked salmon and chocolate cake.

If you have a Trader Joe's in your area, Charles Shaw or as all the hipsters call it, "Three buck Chuck" is a nice cheap wine that will do in a pinch. I recommend the Shiraz.

Now, back to the Boones Farm. It goes great with the back of a 1980 Camaro and a randy stud with a mullet. If that's your idea of class then you are in luck. It comes in multiple flavors such as Green Apple, Strawberry Hill and Sun Peak Peach. If you want a little sparkle, definitely try the Tickle Pink. All bubbles and twice as much troubles!

Watching your pennies doesn't mean you have to sacrifice taste. Try a few less expensive brands and see which one is the best for you and your favorite dinner. Now, I think I better go check on OMP..he's been in the basement for a little too long.

Sorry Guys!

Okay, So I was going to start my Halloween movie montage this week but I have just worked 8 hours then had a 2 hour meeting so now I'm gonna eat some crappy tacos, curl with with OMP and the pups and crash. I promise extra scary movies in the coming weeks. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to collapse. Good night guys!

Scrappy Dog Sunday!

Budgie, Budgie, Budgie! Is it possible for one little dog to have such a big personality? I say YES! I love how this little man can charm the pants off of you one minute and then be all grumpy old man the next (I'm sure when he barks, he is saying, "GET OFF MY LAWN!").

I thought Budgie was a bird, but you're a dog...care to explain?
It's not because I'm flighty, that's for sure! I'm named after a guy (Budgie the drummer from Siouxsie and the Banshees, my dad's favorite band) who was named after the birds. We look a lot alike, don't you think? It's the blond mane and big eyes.

You are the tiki scrappy dog ambassador, what's your favorite drink?
Whatever drink my mom or dad has is my favorite! But I like a Three Dots and a Dash , because I like honey a lot. I sneak a little drink from the glass whenever mom leaves her drink unattended. I don't like beer at all, I am strictly a cocktail dog.


Your favorite outfit?
I like my red sweater the best in the wintertime. Otherwise, a little sailor collar is a nice touch, subtle and classic just like me!

 

I have also been known to dress up when filled with the Christmas spirit:

Your favorite thing to do during the day is?
Sleep! I have my fancy bed and the blanket my mom knitted for me. I don’t mind that it is pink; I am manly enough to handle a pink blanket

When life hands you lemons you.....
Put them in a cocktail! If you’re speaking metaphorically, I believe in making the best of any situation. In fact, there is a short documentary about my life philosophy and how I was able to turn my life around from bad to good:



Oh my goodness! Is everyone else crying at that video? I am so glad that Budgie turned his life around and has a good family now. Not only is Budgie a fashion icon but he is also an inspiration to all of us. Thanks Budgie for making the world a better place.

Feel Good Friday!

Okay, I'll admit that I totally got busted by my coworker this morning blasting music in our office. I think everyone needs a little early morning dance party. It should be a requirement that our office have a disco ball. I wonder if we can work that into the budget.

The weekend is here and I am feeling it! Yahoo! Hopefully these things will make you happy too!

This has to be the cutest stitching video ever! I love Mildred and Maggie. They make cute cakes and throw babies into cribs.


Maggie and Mildred from Holly Klein on Vimeo.

October is just around the corner and you know what that means! HALLOWEEN! Plumparty has great ideas and fun party favors for you scary Halloween nights. Plus, I can't resist they have a whole section of their website for cupcakes and confections.

Silver Screen Suppers is one amazing blog! I love the tagline : Fellow film archivists - one Stateside, one Thameside - attempt to recreate recipes allegedly cooked by the stars of the silver screen themselves. That pretty much sums it up! They share my love for older movies, beautiful film stars and supper. I would love to sit down with these ladies, have a cocktail or two or three and go over our favorite movies from 1920-1950's.

If you are in the Portland, Oregon metro area tonight and want something fun to do. Check out the creator of Cake Wrecks. She has just put out a book and is on a tour promoting it. She will be at Powells book store on Burnside at 7:30. 

So there you have, go out there and enjoy yourself this weekend or stay inside and watch cute puppy videos!

(shameless plug for my pup Lola)

I Can Be Classy. Quit Giggling!

I can be classy so stop your giggling! If there is one collection that I love and wish I could afford more of , it's my Roseville and Weller pottery collection. I LOVE anything from these two pottery companies! Their designs are so elegant and flowing.

Roseville pottery was initially started as a utilitarian ware company, making umbrella stands, flower pots and stoneware. As the years progressed more artistic designers came on board and Roseville became a popular pottery company with limited runs on certain designs. The majority of their designs are flowers or other outdoor plant life, they do have several vases that depict people. The prices for Roseville can be extremely high for even smallest pieces. I would suggest to the beginning collector that if you are okay with some cracks and don't  mind a little wear on the pottery,  buy a cheaper piece and then go from there.  One way to check to make sure you have Roseville is for the signature at the bottom. There are several marks depending on the time is was made. A stamp, a signature and wafer mark are a few ways to see what you have.

Another high end pottery is Weller. I adore Weller pottery. It usually has a more glossy finish compared to Roseville. Weller is more expensive because of the beautiful hand work designs .They also started as a utilitarian wear company with flower pots and cookware. Later Weller pottery became very popular with their Dicken's ware which included images of Charles Dicken's characters traced onto the clay and fired. It is unfortunate that they could not keep up with changing trends and eventually closed in the 1940's.

Collecting Roseville or Weller is not cheap. I was lucky enough to get the majority of these pieces from the same person .I would suggest that you do a little research and decide what design you like best and start with smaller more affordable pieces.  Definitely don't just go for the name, you want something that you love and can possibly hand down to future generations. 

Anything But Average. A few minutes with Rachel Barry Hobson.

Okay, can I just tell you how much I love Rachel! I know I say this about every person I interview and I know I say how sweet people are, yadda, yadda, yadda-but let me tell you-Rachel rocks so hard! I have always been a fan of her work and thought she was the cat's meow but when she came up to me at Maker Faire and gave me a hug, well, it was like seeing an old friend again. She is warm, funny, silly and smart. Yep, she's uber cool.

Just who is the real Rachel Barry Hobson?

A very dorky, goofy, crafty gal. No really. Very. Dorky.

I'm someone who has a deep appreciation for execution of creative ideas and sharing those projects with other people. I'm a huge community person - connection with other folks keeps me going.

I'm also a huge Space geek - like spectacularly so. Space exploration makes me giddy. Not little green men and ray guns, but spacesuits and control panels. Absolutely giddy.

In high school, I was kind of a mix between Andrea Zuckerman (I was editor of my high school newspaper) and Angela Chase . I was a little offbeat, but I was also one of those kids who didn't really do crazy teen stuff, and actually really liked my teachers at school.

In college, I studied anthropology, Russian and journalism. I geeked out on environmental causes and was, again, the editor of the newspaper. I also wore overalls and a brown velour shirt a little too often.

After college, I traveled in Europe, got married and taught high school journalism and web design for three years before having kids.

Then I had kids and kinda lost my mind for a while.

Then I fell into crafting, and things are all better now. :)

Through all my random life phases, I've always been someone who loves people, loves science, loves random stuff, and truly cherishes my friends and family.

You are an AMAZING embroiderer. When and where did you learn? How long have you been stitching?

Hehehehe! Thanks! And right backactcha! I took my first hand embroidery class a few years ago from my good friend and mentor, Leslie Bonnell. A few months after that class, I took a class from Jenny Hart. It's been pretty much non-stop stitching ever since. I like to think I have some embroidery genes from my mom. Even though she didn't teach me, she was really in to embroidery when I was a kid .

Okay, so I think you have the best job in the world-can you tell our wonderful readers a little bit about it.

Thanks! I think I do, too! I literally thank my lucky stars every day for this most awesome job, and wonder how in the heck I landed it!

I have been writing for Craftzine.com for a little more than a year now. Craft has always been my favorite craft magazine and web site. I have a degree in journalism, and have always loved writing about cool people and what they are doing. I love hearing people's stories and sharing them with others. So as I followed Craft, I just fell in love and kind of fantasized about writing for them. Honestly, I wasn't doing anything with the express goal of working for them. It was a very random series of events and very natural connections that landed me in the place I am now.

I have never loved a job so much, or loved the people with whom I work so much. It's the most natural fit I've ever experienced and the most fun I've ever had. Seriously - still pinching myself.

I read literally hundreds of craft blogs every day (Oh dear Google Reader, I love you so.) and find some of my favorite, most inspirational projects, tutorials and people to feature on Craftzine. I love it because I love to see all the fun things people are doing, and I really love helping show off their skills and work. I also get to write how-to projects and profiles of crafters, which is insanely fun. I could honestly sit and talk to people and listen to their stories and get to know them all day long. That I get to do that "for work" and then share their stories with the fabulous crafting community .... did I mention I pinch myself daily?

Who and what inspires you?

Everything and everyone! I know that sounds like a copout, but it's true! I can't turn my brain off, so everything I see is being filed away for some kind of inspiration. It's one of the benefits and hardships of having that creative switch flipped to full throttle in your brain. It's a really fun way to view the world, but it's also really mentally exhausting. Sometimes I want to point my finger and my own brain and say, "DUDE! Shut the hell up for a minute!"

I have some really amazing friends who constantly inspire me. Some of my best teachers and mentors are Leslie Bonnell , Kat McTee and Jenny Hart . I'd be lost in the craft world with out one of my best friends, Diane Gilleland . I also draw a lot of inspiration from Space and Space travel. I love all the control panels and gadgetry of Space travel, and I find the chatter of Mission Control to be very soothing. Half the time, I have NASA tv running in the background on my computer just to listen. (and, yes, I understand this outs me as an even bigger Space geek than people thought possible) I also draw a lot of inspiration from random vintage things. Millie Motts and Dinosaurs & Robots feed my soul.

What does the future hold for you?

More writing! More stitching! More fun! And hopefully a lot of travel. (especially to Portland)

Make sure you check out Rachel's blog Average Jane Crafter  . It's filled with great stories and wonderful crafty tidbits. You can also find her hitting the craft fair circuit spreading the joys of embroidery. If you do get a chance to meet her, I swear you will have a friend for life!