Let's make happy
Archive for January, 2008
Unfortunate Prints
Jan 10th
As any reader of crafty/design-y blogs knows, there are more gorgeous fabrics available now than ever before. On the other hand, all the yummy selections stocked in fabric stores these days make the not-so-beautiful prints stick out like a crooked hem.
What’s that dry riverbed of smooth stones doing in a craft store?
Oh, look again—it’s actually fabric printed with a stone pattern. Clever!
Suggested use: curtains in a rental cabin in the woods that smells like mildew.
Have a sporty friend who also prides him or herself on being politically correct? I have just the fabric for your next oven mitt gift for him or her.
I guess this print is just a little too… sweaty for me to want to get close to.
And lastly, don’t forget the popular movie tie-in fabric that your kid has been begging for.
Actually, any kid I know would be begging for his parents to burn the creepy new Captain Jack Sparrow blanket and make the nightmares go away.
A Visit to Loops
Jan 9th
The highlight of my recent holiday visit to Tulsa (well, aside from Christmas with the fam), was my visit to Loops, the fabulous yarn store in Utica Square.
Since I was from the area, and had been impressed by the store on a previous visit, I occurred to introduce myself to the staff as a pattern designer. I was actually really nervous to do this, since I’d never done anything like it before, but my brave friend Jennifer who was with me was more than happy to loudly exclaim “my friend Anna has a knitting website!” as she bought a few skeins of yarn.
To my utter astonishment and delight, the staff had all heard of me, and a couple of them had even bought patterns from my website just the day before. They gave me the warmest welcome possible, and even had a camera on hand for a picture.
Shelley, the owner of the store, wasn’t in that day, but she posted about my visit on the Loops blog.
After a year of being active in the online knitting community, it was a thrill to do some in-person networking. Loops has invited me back to teach a class in June, so I look forward to being there again!
And if you’re a knitter in the Tulsa area, you’re hopefully already familiar with Loops. I encourage anyone who is not to check it out!
One-Of-A-Kind Knitted Pieces Now Available
Jan 8th
I haven’t yet had a chance to add these to the shop, but three of my one-of-a-kind knitted pieces are now available for purchase.
Title: Fungus-Infested Finger
Size: Approx. 7″ long
Price: $45 + shipping and handling
Title: Rat-Infested Garbage
Size: Approx. 6″ wide
Price: $55 + shipping and handling
Title: The Rainbow Busters Combat Color Pollution
Size: Approx. 10″ long and 9″ tall
Price: $90 + shipping and handling
Each of these is completely original—I just made one of each, and no pattern exists for them. Please email me at info@mochimochiland.com if you’re interested in purchasing.
Bonney’s Post-Holiday Holiday Gift Pics
Jan 6th
As soon as we arrived in New Hampshire this weekend to visit my husband’s parents, my mother-in-law was eager to show off some deeply discounted holiday gifts she recently picked up at CVS.
She bought them not because she thought they would make great stocking stuffers for Xmas 08, but because she thought they were utterly ridiculous and didn’t have her cell phone with her at the drugstore to take photos of them. So she purchased them for our amusement.
Bonney really should have a blog of her own, but because she doesn’t, it’s up to me to share these gems with a wider audience.
Here we have a gift set for the person who has everything. Everything, that is, except for a candle that doubles as hand lotion (??), packaged with (of course) a CD of “fresh, easy-listening contemporary” holiday music.
Just burn, pour, and uh… moisturize. Try to remember to stick that order, I guess.
Here’s another one that I’m sure many people have already seen, but I just can’t get over how lame it is.
There are probably hordes of Sportscenter fans who jumped at the chance to own this electronic Hallmark “Keepsake” ornament, but I would rather get paid to advertise on my tree, instead of the other way around. The thing came with batteries, but we don’t have the stomach to insert them and see what noises it emits.
Hackman
Jan 3rd
My husband’s new favorite character is Hackman, the tiny toy that vomits up things.
He recently scored these little guys in a holiday mystery gift bag from Toy Tokyo, and he couldn’t have been more delighted. One of them is throwing up designer logos (too awesome), and the other is throwing up a Shinto charm. Maybe he’s spent too much time as a tourist in Japan?
These cell phone strap toys came out in 2006, though they are new to us. I found that the makers, Mad Barbarians, have also made some giant plush Hackmen that can puke all over your carpet or tabletop of choice. How adorable, in a sick kind of way!
