post #400 and a fresh start

After a year a half of not blogging, I think I'm ready to come back. I've missed it... for multiple reasons. For one thing, I've felt much less productive sans blog. Much less creative. And frighteningly less observant. It may sound silly and sappy, but blogging helped me to appreciate life's details, and to see the humor and beauty in seemingly mundane interactions and situations. I think without this outlet and the reflection that it encouraged, I've become more irritable and impatient, more prone to complain and find fault.

Facebook has become my major outlet for internet self-expression in recent years, and while it's been perfect for sharing the odd photo and quick thought, I haven't felt comfortable sharing anything of much depth (not to imply that this blog is deep... at all). I don't like thinking about everything I post (which occasionally might be solely for my own amusement) being forced upon all of my FB contacts. I prefer the idea of friends choosing to come to my blog, and reading only if they want to.

I also miss writing. And the personal record that my blog is for me. If no one else reads it, so be it.

It feels good to be back. :)

owlily

If you are reading this, the following statements are [almost definitely] true:

- you have made it to 2010! Hooray and congratulations!
- you are among the small, elite group of priviledged people who read this blog.
- you have noticed a sharp decline in the number of posts over the past few months.



What you might not know is:

- I am still alive and well.
- my good friend Salome and I are caring for a newly-hatched owlet who has required a lot of our time and attention. This owlet, called Owlily, has a website of her own, which you might want to check out. She's even started a blog, and for each day in January, she will introduce you to a new hand-made owl friend.



Thanks for reading! I plan to continue using this blog, but can't make any promises about the frequency and quality of future posts...

sorry

A very belated hello! I'm listening This American Life episode #388, entitled "Rest Stop"... good stuff! I used to listen to TAL while sewing, but stopped... can't remember why. Today I was working on a lino print and decided that the already wonderful crafting experience would be made even better with some good listening material. If you've never listened to TAL, I suggest checking out their page of favorite episodes first. Subscribing to their free podcast is also a good idea. :)



Since I haven't posted in a while, I thought I would show a couple of the lino prints I've done recently. Though you wouldn't know it by looking at my blog, I have been quite busy with crafts, especially printing and sewing. Salome and I even had our own craft day recently, which was great. Hopefully I'll have some news soon regarding our much anticipated (by us at least) website. In regards to the prints above, the bathtub was commissioned by my lovely sister, who wants to use it as a graphic on her blog. The slug print is the latest in a series of cards that I have in the works. I'm really pleased with how it turned out -- he's quite cute for a slug, no? -- though I'm not sure how often people send "sorry" cards. I might have to turn up the rudeness these next few weeks so that I have some good reasons to use them. Or maybe I should send cards to my readers to apologize for the three-month silence...

pass me a kleenex!

Here's one of my recent sewing endeavors -- tissue box covers! I'm quite pleased with the way they turned out -- quick and easy, but they serve their purpose ... covering those tissue boxes (which in HK tend to be quite garrish). Now I'm considering making covers for other unsightly things... the stack of junk mail on the table, or maybe the pile of clothes in my room.

latest purchase

I bought these super cute cookie cutters at Ikea this morning... definitely not a premeditated purchase. I noticed the squirrel first. Then the moose. Cute, cute, I thought. Porcupine, even cuter. But even then, I figured I could do without them. And that's when I noticed the snail. Not sure why or when I developed a soft spot for molluscs, but I do indeed have one. I guess I'll have to throw a woodland-themed party sometime soon, and let these little guys see some action.

super-villain

I've made a horrible, horrible discovery -- homemade ice-cream sandwiches. Cookies. Ice-cream. They are two things that, independently, I already had a dangerous liking for. Dangerous, because I have no self-control when either of them are in my kitchen. Now that they have combined forces, they are like a super-villain, and I am powerless against them...



The cookies pictured above are among my favorites -- oatmeal -- very similar to this Betty Crocker recipe, but sans walnuts, and with cinnamon added. The ice-cream is Dreyer's Vanilla.

hello

Here's my latest lino print. This little guy might look harmless, but carving this print cost me: a deep puncture wound to my left index finger! Ouch! I guess sometimes I need a little reminding -- be careful when handling sharp objects!

bach choir

My choir made it onto TV! Here's the clip:



Unfortunately there's a lot more footage of the orchestra than the choir, but oh well -- you can at least hear us!

pouch bag

I purchased a card reader today, so can once again blog with pictures! Hooray! This is not the post I was planning to write the other day, because since then, I have had some major sewing inspiration!!

I borrowed a rather non-descript, fold-up grocery-store tote from my mom the other day, and was inspired to copy it using some fun fabric. So far, I've made two, and I'm really pleased with how they've turned out! I experienced some challenges -- I'm still getting used to sewing with bias tape, and my sewing machine decided to throw a couple tantrums -- but it was a positive experience overall. Here are the finished bags:

Folded up, to fit nicely in your purse.

Unfolded part way.

And in use! The little pouch doubles as a handy outside pocket.

I want to make some more, but will need to take a trip to Sham Shui Po first, to stock up on bias tape... in many colors!

I'm sure there are patterns out there for similar bags, but if anyone would like me to put up a tutorial, I'd be happy to share the steps, so that you can make one of your own.

recent travels

Since I can't post new photos, here are some older ones from recent travels, posted on FaceBook with links here for those poor, unfortunate, non-FB-using souls...

Taiwan: I went to Taipei and the Taroko Gorge with three friends for the long May Day weekend -- we had a blast!

Malaysia: I spent part of our March spring break at a conference in Kota Kinabalu... the other part was spent snorkling, exploring the rain forest, and sitting by the pool. It's a tough life...

photo-free for the moment

I had a post in mind to write this evening, got to the photo-adding stage (step #1 for me), but found that my camera and computer are not on speaking terms. How sad! It looks like I may need a new USB cable, or -- what I'm leaning towards -- a card reader. So no more blogging from me for now. I'll take this as a sign from above that I should go to bed early.