tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83334461416951676282024-03-12T19:54:11.238-07:00Crook and Nannys BlogFor all your nooks and crannies.C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333446141695167628.post-32335819238556427822010-11-05T12:10:00.000-07:002010-11-05T13:07:03.809-07:00Vacay!<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm heading home for some much needed family and friend time. I'll be back in a week, fully ramped for craft-o-mania and some update. Hopefully by then I'll have knit two hats and a blanket and putting the finishing touches on a blanket. Ha! </span>C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333446141695167628.post-34100380770214100932010-11-04T15:10:00.000-07:002010-11-04T15:10:51.810-07:00Brain Envy: Julie Rothman<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TNMuqPwRMWI/AAAAAAAAACs/Dqm6wm_SIl0/s1600/julia-rothman-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TNMuqPwRMWI/AAAAAAAAACs/Dqm6wm_SIl0/s320/julia-rothman-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Julie Rothman courtesy of <a href="http://grainedit.com/2010/11/03/julia-rothman-interview/#more-4519">Grain Edit</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Once a week I'm going to post a bit on someone I would love to switch brains with. Today is NYC based illustrator <a href="http://www.juliarothman.com/">Julie Rothman</a>. Her work is simple and iconic, her little drawings remind me of some of the books I had as a kid. Sometimes I do my own illustrations, but I always create patterns in Photoshop. I love this <a href="http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/05/welcome-julia-and-how-to-make-a-repeat-pattern.html">tutorial </a>courtesy of DesignSponge she crafted for creating patterns by hand!</span></span><br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Julie is also the divine creator of </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0811870901/gedit-20" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The Exquisite Book</a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">...a sublime, surreal experience. Check out her work, help the economy, and <a href="http://www.juliarothman.com/">buy her stuff</a>! </span></span>C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333446141695167628.post-31672040030421298752010-11-03T12:44:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:46:03.934-07:00Supply Rustling<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Though I live in San Francisco, it's hard to locate all of the supplies I need for the Christmas gift extravaganza. You would think this would be easier given the numerous art stores. However, all those cute art students look at me blankly when I ask for interfacing or con-tact paper. I'm going to be persecuted for this, but sometimes I long for big-box stores like Michael's and even Wal-Mart where I can get everything I need (albeit made in Taiwan) cheap and at my convenience. The trouble with making gifts for Christmas is you actually spend more in the end when you account for your time, and I don't mean the time I enjoy making the gifts or packaging them. I mean the horrendous amount of time I spend riding the Muni to and fro across the city searching for black felt. </span></div><a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank goooseness for Blick's and its close proximity to my work place. One hour and $187.67 later I had half of the supplies I needed for the forthcoming crafts. Yesterday I found CORK con-tact shelving material (perfect for coasters) at Cole Hardware and I will definitely be going back to ransack their supply of unique canning jars and bottles (for the infused vodka, mixers, and bath salts). </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I still have quite a few things to find, but I think I can finish off my list at the fabric store in the Haight. Anyone have any other great craft shops here in the city? </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Pics of the supply loot to come! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div></div></div></a>C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333446141695167628.post-38661953568646904882010-11-03T12:20:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:45:46.977-07:00Update! Update!<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If anyone is following this blog, sorry for the lack of posts. It's been a stressful week and in the midst of all my personal chaos, I'm trying to decide on the direction of this blog. For future (secret) plans, I think I'll keep this blog solely related to crafting, decorating, tutorials, and the current Christmas project. So posts like "Art Work Pays" have to go. If I can commit to keeping this blog going, I'll create a separate blog for riffing on pop-culture, my interests, and marriage. I'll be changing up the links on here and some of the design choices. Also, C will be posting some of his artwork and own tutorials here and there. </span></div>C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333446141695167628.post-88996385182805903822010-10-25T21:52:00.000-07:002010-10-25T21:53:53.311-07:00At My Knit's End<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TMZbgljVS_I/AAAAAAAAAB0/kZHgYowVMU4/s1600/At+my+knit%27s+end+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TMZbgljVS_I/AAAAAAAAAB0/kZHgYowVMU4/s320/At+my+knit%27s+end+1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I am my mother's daughter, thus, what started as a housewarming blanket for a friend, has grown to become a birthday blanket for my stepdad. This is all due to my poor time management and utter laziness. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I designed this blanket about three months ago and foolishly miscounted the number of days required to finish it. I thought 3 weeks would be plenty of time for me to knit a 5x7 blanket. Ha. I instead purchased a back-up gift for my friend and have decided to give this blanket to my stepfather for his b-day. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is my progress so far: I have made 9 of these squares and I have another 7 to go. One square generally takes me 2 to 3 days to complete. I have to have this done by Nov. 11th, in the midst of finding a new apt, relocating to Chicago, and finishing the Christmas presents I've so foolishly dedicated myself to (the moving story is for a future post). </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So I have to finish this beast until I can tackle the Christmas project. After all 16 squares are complete, I plan to seam the squares together and stitch a rib knit border along the blanket's perimeter. I also want to add tassels on each end, time permitting. I hope it turns out well, I'm hoping to make one for C someday and achieve that cozy Pottery-Barn esque feeling in the form of a blanket. </span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TMZdI5_EpgI/AAAAAAAAAB4/EYPuELjQH-k/s320/At+my+knit%27s+end+2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My stack of "pelts" as C refers to them. </span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TMZdZBPXxEI/AAAAAAAAAB8/vr-MfHPNpIo/s320/At+my+knit%27s+end+3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="320" /></td></tr>
<tr style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A rough idea of what the finished blanket will look like.</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TMZdZBPXxEI/AAAAAAAAAB8/vr-MfHPNpIo/s1600/At+my+knit%27s+end+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333446141695167628.post-46210749076333959022010-10-24T19:18:00.000-07:002010-11-03T12:22:39.417-07:00Away We Go!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6o5sjJ8XmkA/TMTnll6XN0I/AAAAAAAAAAM/jVyqMn7dKLI/s320/Away+We+Go.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="252" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Our Christmas gift list, not including baked goods</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Every Christmas, my husband (C) and I strike out to make gifts for our two families (14 people total + my best friend). We usually don't begin until the beginning of December, and upon announcing our plan to said families the following takes place...</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a name='more'></a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 C's mom declares the idea brilliant and says everyone should make gifts or spend a maximum of $20.00 per person. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 Overwhelmed in the Christmas spirit, C's Mom goes on a research rampage in finding the perfect family gift. This always results in an attempt to purchase a <a href="http://www.heifer.org/">heifer</a>. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 The heifer purchase attempt is met with an upheaval of contempt. Family members (mine included) overthrow the homemade Christmas plan and spend too much money- though the gifts are always lovely. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 C and I run out of time and energy to finish homemade gifts and end up purchasing copious amounts of crap for everyone from big-box stores. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In attempt to avoid the aforementioned scenario, C and I are documenting our homemade Christmas project through this blog. We've compiled a list of gifts to make, tracked down tutorials, and developed a branding scheme (because we're nerds). Due to the secretive nature of Christmas presents, for the time being this blog will remain anonymous. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
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FYI... I know the look of our blog leaves something to be desired, C will be using his mad design skills to update this blog in the upcoming weeks. Please be patient with us. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: small;">Here we go... </span>C and Nhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11403701818753605024noreply@blogger.com3