ramble kat ramble

joy of gardening

2012-01-18T11:40:00.000-08:00

Source: beautiful-portals.tumblr.com via Dan on Pinterest

Not everyone has the space or the luxury for a garden like this. But gardening is one of my all time favorite activities and in almost any space you can have a garden that provides for the kitchen. Even if you just grow fresh herbs that is one more fresh ingredient you do not have to pay for or go to the store for.

At my dads house he doesn't have a yard with enough sunlight but he does have an extra long driveway. This drive gets plenty of sun and fits about four of these tree boxes ($10-$15 each at your local landscaping supply store).You may not have room for something this big but any wooden container that you can put holes in the bottom of is ideal. If you can't find a wooden container the key to have potted plants is proper drainage so if you find really awesome looking plastic containers to garden in - just make sure there are a couple of holes in the bottom to allow drainage.

These particular ones are on small dollies to make it easier to move them around the driveway.

Soil is the next big thing to worry about. You do need fertilizer but you don't need to spend a fortune on it. You can buy basic potting or garden soil - you do not need to spend extra money on soil with fertilizer in it because you will still probably need to add more nutrients to the soil any way. My favorite free nutrients to add to soil are used coffee grounds and crushed clean eggshells. (Most coffee shops will save up grounds for you if you ask them too, this is great if you are just started a garden.) When adding these to your soil you want to try your best to mix this into the soil before planting but if you do add coffee grounds after planting your plants just make sure the grounds don't get on the plant. If you do buy fertilizer from the store go ahead and pick one for what you are planting and follow the instructions, you often need a lot less than expected and can make fertilizer last a long time.

You can have a successful garden in almost any size container, you just need to make sure you don't overcrowd the plants and you have good soil, proper drainage, and read the labels on the plants you purchase - they will tell you every thing you need to know to have a successful garden.

Stuck in winter weather?

Use a sunny window to act as a greenhouse. The plant will grow inside with plenty of sunshine (even if it is reflected off snow or you are under cloud layer you can still make a lot of herbs work) and you don't need to run your heater any more than you already do to encourage growth.

xoxo,

kat

Life gives you lemons

2012-01-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

Source: thatkindofwoman.tumblr.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

It's been a rough week for just about everyone around here and we are all trying our best to make lemonade out of the many lemons that happened this last week. It's delayed me blogging a bit and my shop updates but I promise there will be new and exciting items in the shop later this week and this is the start of the blog getting back up to full speed.

Right now I am trying to focus on catching up/getting ahead on some school work, taking time to think clearly and journal, and making some tough decisions about what happens next. But what I do keep coming back to is that I know what things I want my life full of and trust me, the creative community that exists through blogs, etsy, twitter, and all the rest has become such an inspiring and happy part of my life that I cannot wait to get back into the full swing of it all.

xoxo,
kat

Making it remarkable and getting a little personal

2012-01-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

Source: flickr.com via Kathryn on Pinterest

I have set the bar very high for 2012 and with it I have set a lot of goals and new habits in motion. Blogging more, making more music, being more creative, making my etsy shop a success, writing again (even if just for myself), and getting into shape are all on the list of things that will happen this year. I have spent a lot of my life waiting for the timing to be right. It's been a bumpy road and I am very good at making excuses because of that bumpy road.

I'm done with that. I am done with putting the blame on life. Life is going to happen and it's always going to keep happening. Of course that does mean that now and then I will have bad days, or maybe even bad weeks, but I can't keep letting that stop me from doing all the things I dream of and being the person I see myself capable of being. This is the year where I stop worrying about what a disappointment I am or will be and instead make myself become the best person I can be.

I am getting my Masters this year, it's not something I really sit down and talk to a lot of people about. It's been a lot of silent work, I haven't talked about it or celebrated it in any way because I almost felt like I did not deserve to. That this was something I choose to do on my own so it becomes only my burden and my accomplishment and because of that I can't allow anyone else to see the struggle or the triumph of the work I am doing. But I think that is part of this bigger problem I create for myself. I should celebrate my successes, even the small ones and I shouldn't be so afraid of the times where things do not work out. Instead I should embrace the journey and make the most of it, make it remarkable, even if that does make the risk of failure more exposed - I just have to stop thinking of it as failure and start accepting that it is a part of living and learning.

xoxo,
kat

Beer Cupcakes: Star Wars Edition

2012-01-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Beer is a big part of my life right now. That sounds really strange and somewhat bad for my health but let me explain a little. The boy is a beer geek (which is way different than a beer snob) because of this he goes to beer tastings and is part of all these online groups and beer trading and beer societies and beer beer beer. The list of beer related activities other than sitting around and drinking too much beer is actually really long. The boy and many of his friends even brew their own beer (in our hallway closet.)

Because of all this we tend to have beer always readily available to cook with and bake with.

Last year I decided to experiment with beer cupcakes. I took my standard chocolate cake recipe and cut out some of the liquid ingredients and replaced them with beer. I did have to add a little bit extra flour to get the batter to the consistency I knew it should be. This is my favorite way to make cupcakes. It's good to choose a creamy stout - something along the lines of chocolate or coffee in flavor pairs really well. Today was my first time making Black Xantus cupcakes.

Any time I try a new beer in the recipe it is kind of like starting all over again. Each beer has it's own unique flavor and the ingredients and consistency of the beer itself varies quite a lot, even when you stay in the same beer type. If I could post an exact recipe, I would, but that is just not how I bake. I will say another perk of baking with beer is most likely you will not use the full bottle so while you let the cupcakes bake you can still enjoy a nice little pour of the beer you are baking with.

Oh, and look at how AWESOME these cupcake toppers are that I got for Christmas! EPIC!

xoxo,
kat

Crochet my life away: new colors soon

2012-01-09T15:24:00.000-08:00

I got a little behind on shop updates this week because a few lovely friends have asked for special orders so my focus has been on those. I haven't been very good of taking pictures of works in progress but I am so in love with the new colors I am working with that I did take a minute to get you all a sneak peek.

The infinity scarf will be available in these colors and soon there will be another scarf design available. It is still really hard to crochet warm cuddly scarves when it is perfect Spring almost Summer like weather here but I guess if that is the worst of my problems things are going pretty well.

xoxo,

kat

friday reads: The Night Circus

2012-01-06T22:11:00.000-08:00

You know those really rare books that are so good you can not put them down and read them in one sitting? Well, this book is kind of the opposite of that. It is so beautiful and intricate and wonderful that I just can not let myself finish it.

That's right, what should have been a book review of The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is now just a post on how it's one of those rare books that I just want to cherish for as long as I can because I know that once it is done it wont ever be the same feeling when I read it again, some of the magic will be lost.

Magic is a very appropriate word for this book. It deals with magic but not in the Harry Potter sort of way. There are lovers, illusionists, a circus, elaborate dinners, tons of travel, and yes, magic. The story weaves in and out and around itself as you jump from place to place and from one time to another and back again.

It is just plain gorgeous. And I just don't want it to end. I want to stay in this beautiful world that has been created in The Night Circus.

xoxo,

kat

what i wore

2012-01-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

My new tripod is still on it's way from amazon but I didn't want to miss out on sharing this weeks outfit post with you. I love thrift stores. Even if you leave with nothing there are going to be at least ten outfits that will make you laugh until you cry as you make your friends try them on. If you do not already do this while thrifting I highly suggest it, it is all part of the fun.

Do you see this gorgeous fabric? It's beautiful and perfect for summer. Which is exactly what the weather has been this week in California so I was very excited to try out my new $7 dress.

I paired it with a bright blue sweater from Old Navy and a pair of silver glitter TOMS. It really did feel like summer and not the first week of January.

While the warm weather has been nice I have a lot of sweaters I want to be wearing and tons of tights. I love summer but I love it during the summertime. I would very much like the cool weather back but for now I will just live it up in my summer dresses.

xoxo,

kat

crochet my life away: new scarves

2012-01-02T13:25:00.000-08:00

I've been working on theses new scarves for a while now. I gave a few out as Christmas gifts and even made one for myself that I have been wearing almost non-stop. I love making them and I think they are the perfect all weather scarf. You can also make them into a cowl or a shrug which gives them so much versatility. And I am obsessing over all the colors I can make them in.

There were so many parties and social gatherings over the holidays that I didn't really get a lot of time to myself to crochet. But this morning I got up before everyone else, made coffee, turned on the Rose Parade and got to it. It was nice to be back at it.

Want a scarf for yourself? Check on the store here. Right now there are only three colors but all week I will be adding new colors daily.

xoxo,
kat

new year, new blogs, new goals

2011-12-31T14:42:00.000-08:00

2011 went by far too quickly. I can look back at blog posts and journal entries and see how there was just so much more I wanted to do. I guess that is always the case, there is always so much more I want to do with my life and instead of sitting and worrying over the fact I didn't do it in 2011 I spent today plotting out how to make sure it happens in 2012.

The blog is going to focus on all the things I want to accomplish this year. That means you are going to see a lot of crochet, a lot of music, and a lot of book reviews. I just used a Christmas gift card to purchase a tripod and remote for my Nikon so I can also start sharing more of my personal style.

I love crochet and there are big plans for my Etsy store that will mean a lot more pictures for me to share with you.

More videos of my music, cover songs, and of course videos of all my favorite artists as well.

I have a closet full of beautiful vintage dresses and a big goal for 2012 is to wear more vintage, thrifted, and homemade clothes.

I read everyday. Books are incredibly important to me and I want to share that love and passion in my own way. I am by no means a great authority on books and I certainly do not always have the best taste in books but I think that makes this part of my blog even more important to me. I'll write more on that later this year.

I am so excited to share the next year with you, Happy New Year.

xoxo,
kat

crochet my life away: sneak peak

2011-12-20T11:15:00.000-08:00

The holidays give me lots of time to crochet, which means more time to try new things and be creative. I am really excited for Jan 2012 because I will be launching some new items in the shop and revamping some old ones.

This is a little sneak peak. Obviously these are not hats or headbands so get ready for some big exciting changes!

xoxo,
kat

happy holidays

2011-12-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

As I posted yesterday, I have been so caught up in the whirlwind of the holidays that I haven't been taking nearly enough photos to share with you all. I am hoping to do a little home tour and share a few more traditions this week but it becomes chaotic when there are presents to wrap. And presents waitings to be unwrapped!

Everything is decorated. Now it is time for baking cookies, writing out goals and plans for the next year, and enjoying time with friends and family.

Do you have your tree up and decorated yet or do you put it up on Christmas eve?

xoxo,
kat

happy holidays: it's that time of year...

2011-12-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

December just showed up out of nowhere and hit with full force. The holidays have been ful of crafts, family, and lots of friends. I wish I had taken more time to take real photos of all that has been going on but here are a few of the snapshots I was able to get through instagram...

Having a new puppy in the house was an excuse to make a Christmas sweater for the pup. It was a nice break from all the other crochet goodies I have been working on that I can't really share just yet.

And she looks pretty adorable in sweaters so that helps.

Handmade stockings and the super easy felt bunting made our fireplace look the perfect amount of cheesy. I am pretty proud of how much of this holiday I managed to make handmade.

I'll try and share more traditions this week and pictures from all the festivities. What are you favorite holiday traditions?

xoxo,
kat

happy holidays: Stockings!

2011-11-21T14:37:00.001-08:00

When I was a kid, my mom made my sister and I gorgeous stockings. They were always either placed under the tree or by the fire place (when we had one). She still fills them full of little presents every year and takes them to where ever we are celebrating Christmas that year. Since I now live with the boy (and a roommate, and a cat, and a pup) I wanted to have stockings for all of us here in the apartment.

It turns out that the fabric stores near me only have great holiday fabric if you purchase the bundles made for quilters. I purchased a couple of those and then some black and red polka dot fabric (because the boys aren't nearly as excited about Christmas as I am but I can generally win them over with anything black and red.)

I didn't use a pattern. There are actually a lot you can print out from the internet but since our printer is broken I drew a stocking on a piece of paper and used that as a pattern (giving myself an extra half inch here and there for seams etc).

The result is a bunch of not so perfect stockings. None of them are exactly the same shape (which I kind of like) and they aren't the perfect stocking "shape" but I am very excited to hang them over our fireplace and fill them up this Christmas.

xoxo,
kat

Things I'm Excited About This Week

2011-11-13T19:01:00.001-08:00

1) I just bought The Night Circus and I am really excited to read it.

2) I just bought this print from Sweet Perversion. I am so excited to start decorating my room and put this up!

3) Spotify has all sorts of music from Sun Records (Early Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, etc). I am happy.

xoxo,
kat

Crochet my life away: battling dry skin

2011-11-10T15:21:00.001-08:00

It's finally winter here in California. And by winter I mean it is not 80 degrees out and every now and then it dips as low as the 50's at night. But that does not mean that I do not suffer from a seasonal crochet health issue: dry skin. I mean, super dry skin.

(Dry skin + this chunky yarn = sore hands)

In order to keep making pretty things with yarn (which becomes even more essential as the weather becomes so much colder) I need to keep my hands healthy. That sounds really funny, I know, but dry skin is the least fun thing to have when working with yarn.

(Dry skin + 100% wool yarn = itchy hands)

For me, the best solution is using a "salve" every night. Burts Bee's makes a good one but my favorite is Smith's Rosebud Salve. You just put some on before you go to bed and let it do it's magic. If that's not enough then I get serious - I pull out the 100% cotton gloves and usually a moisturizer with oatmeal in it. Again, this is something you do before you go to bed. You put a little bit more lotion than you normally would onto your hands and then put on the cotton gloves. When I wake in the morning my skin is normally silky and smooth and dry skin is gone!

What tips and tricks do you use to keep your skin feeling super soft during the winter cold? How do you keep your skin healthy while still being able to craft it up?

(Nightly treatments = being able to make this much awesome stuff)

xoxo,

kat

Things that make me happy right now

2011-11-08T21:57:00.000-08:00

First off, I sponsored Campfire Chic this month and got to do this lovely interview. Kam runs such a great blog and it's such an honor to be interviewed by her (even if it was because of a sponsorship.)

The boy sent me this today and it is the best. thing. ever. (this week). Drinkify allows you to put in the music artist you are listening to and find out the drink that suites it. Brilliant. Brilliant and, at times, hilarious. I have included a few (read: a lot) of my favorite screen shots from using this site today. No, I did not make any of the drinks because I am still on sober November challenge (as mentioned here).

(Don't judge my decision to search Justin Bieber, you know you wanted to know.)

And lastly, I am loving that my cat is finally sleeping in the bed with us at night. This is a really silly thing to be happy about but she usually runs and hides at night but since it's been so cold she has been sneaking in and cuddling up at our feet and it may be the cutest sneaky thing an animal could possible do.

xoxo,
kat

I know it's a little early...

2011-11-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

...but it's time to introduce my new series...

I have promised myself to do almost everything handmade this holiday season and in order to do that you kind of have to start early. Yesterday, I started on my first handmade item for the holidays: a felt garland! It is inexpensive, easy, and fast to make and it is the type of handmade decoration that you can easily store away for next year. This one is also great for kids because it's a no-sew project and you use a tapestry needle which has a dull point.

Step One: Buy felt and ribbon. Right now I found ribbon on sale 4 for $1 and felt pieces 5 for $1. In order to put garlands around my whole living room I spent all of $5 and I am I saving the leftover felt scraps or another project (I will show you next week) and leftover ribbon for the stockings I am working on.

Step 2: Cut out your garlands. I ended up folding the felt pieces in half and getting two triangles per piece but it's totally up to you. If you want a mini garland you can probably get 4 or 6 triangles per piece so use paper first to figure out what size you want your triangles and then use that as your pattern for all the triangles.

Step 3: Once you have all your triangles cut use a tapestry or large needle to run the ribbon through the triangles. The nice thing about using the ribbon this way is that you can get all the triangles on the ribbon and then adjust spacing afterwards, the felt moves easily along the ribbon and makes it easy to go back and adjust spacing as needed. But the felt will stay put once it is hanging so you don't have to worry about making knots or doing any real sewing.

There you go! You have a cute holiday garland! If you aren't ready to start hanging up the red and green yet and want to theme this for Thanksgiving try orange and brown and yellow felt for Thanksgiving and a yellow or orange ribbon.

xoxo,
kat

Patchwork Recap!

2011-11-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

Today started out pretty scary, there were big dark clouds in the sky and as we drove closer and closer to Long Beach it began: THE RAIN!

For my first really big craft show I was ready to admit defeat before the day even started. I was fully prepared to sit under my pop-up for a few hours of rain as no one showed up. I mentally prepared myself, as we got soaking wet setting up my table, for the absolute worst. The rain had forced me to bring my only pop-up which was a 10x10 for a 5x5 space. I kept waiting to see who my neighbor would be and hoping they would be okay huddling under the 10x10 with me. I sent my boyfriend to buy plastic sheeting and zip-ties to make walls to protect us from the wind and rain. I was ready for my neighbor to be mad and not want to share a pop-up with me.

I was ready for no one to show up at all. I was ready for the worst. And then, my neighbor ended up being Made by Pam and not only did she share the pop-up with me but her ADORABLE sock monkeys and my baby hats got along perfectly! The boyfriend arrived with plastic sheeting that not only kept us dry, but also helped keep us warm. People slowly began to show up for the show. And then, the biggest miracle of all - the sun began to shine and the place filled up with happy shoppers.

(You can find out more about these adorable sock monkeys on her facebook page)

It was a great experience. If you live in Southern California and are looking for a great craft show to be a part of Patchwork is it. It is well organized, affordable, brings in fantastic people (sellers and buyers alike), and it is really fun.

I only wish I had been able to really walk around and take photos of everything because everything there was so original, unique, and sincere. All in all, it was a great day and I can't wait to be a shopper at the next two Patchworks this month!

xoxo,
Kat

need something to do today...

2011-11-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

Patchwork Long Beach is today and it is a rain or shine event! Come on out for handmade arts and crafts, food trucks and music!

Oh, and I'll be there selling lots of these and more!

xoxo,
kat

November Goals

2011-10-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

It's almost November and trust me, in my apartment it is going to be one interesting month. The boy, our new roommate, and myself were drinking some fine craft beers (probably from The Bruery or Stone) and somehow ended up challenging each other to a no drinking contest.

This is a huge deal. Not because we are all raging drunks but because the boy is a beer snob (in the best way possible). If you do not know about how amazing local breweries are and what an incredible movement the craft beer movement is, you are missing out. Even if you do not drink a lot of these places are doing wonderful things for local economies and businesses and food (because people who love beer typically love food and if they love really good beer they are also going to love really good food). So the boy is a huge fan of this movement, we go to beer tastings, we have a beer cellar for aging beers (yes, that is a thing and no, you aren't the only one who did not know that), and we are lucky to live in a county that has a plethora of fantastic breweries and (it seems like) new ones opening every single week.

So why did we decide to go without alcohol for a month when I am clearly a huge fan of beer? I have no idea but I am fully in support of it. I am actually fully in support of a lot of changes that are about to happen this month and because of those changes and this contest I decided to make a list of all the healthy choices and goals I want to accomplish this month.

1. No alcohol.

2. Eat vegan at least 1 day a week.

3. Do yoga.

4. Take 3 fitness classes a week.

5. Drink more water.

6. Drink less caffeine (this will probably be the hardest one for me...I'm a morning coffee drinker.)

7. Cook more. A lot more. Like, everyday more. (Thank you people of pinterest for all the inspiration.)

8. Wake up at 6 AM daily.

9. Eat more fruits and veggies.

10. Go for a daily walk.

What are you goals? What healthy changes do you want to make?

xoxo,

kat

Inspiration: dream home edition

2011-10-24T17:01:00.000-07:00

Someday I am going to have a gorgeous library...

(sources: here, and here, and here, and here, and of course here.)

xoxo,
kat

Getting into a habit: the challenge of creating a schedule.

2011-10-22T15:28:00.000-07:00

I have been crocheting up a storm getting ready for the Patchwork Festival in Long Beach and because of that I feel like I have neglected a lot of other things. This has gotten me thinking a lot about creating routines and habits when your life is set up in a way that is sort of against all that.

(This is my ideal morning: get up super early, sit on the balcony, read the news on my kindle, journal, drink coffee, and bird watch with the cat.)

My day job is an on call day job. This means I sometimes don't know until 7:00 AM that I have to be at work at 7:30. This also means I can go days without getting called into work. When you add that to the fact that I live with someone who has no set sleep schedule (because he sometimes works at 10 AM he sometimes works at 2AM and he sometimes works 20 hours straight) it becomes so easy to neglect the habits and routines that help keep me grounded as a person and as an artist.

(This is my typical morning: stay in bed with a cat keeping me warm.)

It's a strange situation - I want an organized life with routines and habits set and established because I know I will get so much more done that way but it feels like the opposite of what a creative person would do. And yet, I know that's not true at all. Hemingway would wake up early every morning and write for a set amount of time. Considering that he is one of the greatest writers of the 20th century, he must have been doing something right.

I know if I do it I can do a lot more of the things I really love. Like making more of these hats....

How do you keep to a schedule or establish a routine? How do you stick with it?

xoxo,

kat

Shop update...

2011-10-21T14:50:00.000-07:00

Kathryn Greene Crafts

xoxo,

kat

Music to get you through the day

2011-10-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been on the search for more inspiration. Obviously there are now whole websites that are dedicated to allowing you to search the web and store the inspiration snapshots we all find when online but for me that isn't enough, that just does not cut it.

I'm a very musical person and I can be easily moved or inspired by music but for all the levels of musical snobbery that a person can be I find that the more genuine someone is about their music, the more I am going to love it.

That's why I think I find some much inspiration in The Avett Brothers. Their music comes from a place of honesty, a place that seems more and more rare as music turns into an industry - to a self absorbed place instead of a way to tell stories or express feelings. I love The Avett Brothers because of their honesty in songwriting, their original and sincere attempt to continue on the American tradition of folk and country music, and they put on some of the most incredible live shows ever.

Now, when you hear "live shows" these day you think there will be amazing lights, huge screens, dancers, and the all around Vegas effect that rock and pop bands currently do so well but not with The Avett Brothers. With them you don't need any of that other stuff - I recently saw them in an amphitheater where they looked like tiny ants on the stage I was so far away and yet there was not a person in the audience that wasn't dancing and singing along.

When a band gives you their all on stage they will give you even more if you stop being a hipster and let the music move you; physically, emotionally, or in any way at all. And that is what really inspires me because it takes a lot of courage to give your all to any thing in this world, especially any form of art.

xoxo,
kat

PATCHWORK FESTIVAL

2011-10-11T13:04:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to announce that on Nov 6th I will be selling all my hand made accessories at the Patchwork Festival! If you can't come out to Long Beach that day there is also a Culver City date and a Santa Ana date. Even though I wont be at Santa Ana or Culver City - all three dates are the perfect opportunity to by handmade this holiday season!

It's going to be amazing! I hope to see you all there!

xoxo,

kat

On Halloween: BATS!

2011-10-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

I think I need to inform the management of my apartment community; we've been invaded by bats!!!!

Ok, obviously these are bats of the paper variety....

Just cut them out and roll some scotch tape and tape them on your windows. For added effect surround the window with orange lights (Target has them for 3 dollars right now!) Or make a whole scene with Jack-o-Lanterns and spiders! It's the best way to save money on decorations and waste a rainy morning.

xoxo,

kat

a little update....

2011-10-03T14:01:00.000-07:00

New hats are in the store right this minute.....

On Halloween: The Sexy Costume Edition

2011-10-03T12:20:00.000-07:00

This morning while I was doing some homework the boy was searching online for "couple costumes." Our list of ideas had included Fred and Wilma, Tardis and Doctor, Chewbacca and Han Solo (with me as Chewbacca OF COURSE!).

(That's the Doctor, The Tardis, Wilma & Fred, and Chewbacca & Han from left to right.)

So, with these costume ideas in mind, he went online and immediately ended up on the ground laughing when he discovered something girls have known for a long time. For many, Halloween=SEXIFY THAT COSTUME! While this has never been up my alley I have been aware that for some reason the thought process for halloween is typically; "Oh I want to be a ______ but how do I still look hot in that?"

Now hold on, I am not about to go on a feminist rant that you shouldn't objectify yourself and so on. There is an extremely important conversation to be had, especially with young girls, about the good and the bad of this trend.

But that is not what has me sitting down and writing this post. Instead I am writing to inform you that the things that costume companies can make "Sexy" has gotten kind of ridiculous. Let me give you a few key examples....

Yes, you do see a Sexy Hogwarts Witch, and I love the idea that the men dress in the outfit of their profession but the women (who also have official sailor uniforms) just don't. I think the Sexy female Sherlock is my favorite on the scale of ridiculous, although the astronaut is a close second.

What I can't seem to decide is if these costumes show incredible creativity just because of the fact someone thought they could make a sexy version of that costume. Or if it shows a complete lack of creativity with costumes that could be really cool without necessarily being about how much cleavage you can show.

Next "On Halloween" post: an adorable DIY!

xoxo,
kat

Friday Reads: We the Animals

2011-09-30T07:04:00.000-07:00

I mentioned in my last post Books are My Boyfriend and it is because of this blog post that I found the book We the Animals by Justin Torres.

I needed a short read, something to get me through two very long plane rides to NYC way back when and this was the perfect book for that trip. First off, the writing is just plain beautiful. I do not often say this about writing. Writing can be witty, it can be smart, it can be entertaining, but in the big scheme of things it is rarely beautiful. This book is. It may not be for all readers - it does deal with sexuality and has some language that not everyone would like. But the characters and the story are so beautifully woven that even though this book made my heart ache at some points, I did not want to put it down. I wanted to empathize and continue the journey.

xoxo,
kat

Obsessed

2011-09-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

Dear Internet, why do you not understand that I have one more week left to work on this 15 page report that determines when I can start doing what I love to do? When will you stop coming up with new/awesome/ridiculous/adorable/funny/witty/poignant/insert-adjective-here sites and blogs that keep me from getting real work done?! I mean, come on, this needs to stop, and it needs to stop now. You are ruining my relationship with online classes - instead of writing discussion posts I have been trying to submit pictures of my cat to various ridiculous websites. Just stop. Just stop being a waste of my time (read: awesome).

Here are my number one culprits at the moment....

First off: Hello Giggles - ever since this website launched I have tried to deny my obsession with it. I did not want people to know that I loved almost every thing about it.

I mean, Zooey Deschanel is really cool and I bet she has cool friends but aren't all the hardcore hipster Zooey fans mad at her about the whole "New Girl" thing? Shouldn't I also jump on the negative-nancy bandwagon and stop admiring her work that encompasses movies, tv, music, and now this awesome website she made with her friends?! No. I am standing up and refusing to dislike the awesomeness of this website. Now, I will say the massive amount of publicity for "New Girl" is a little bit annoying but the content on the site makes it worth it. And by content I mean the adorable-ness.

Books are my Boyfriend - I have probably mentioned this site before but this girl is AMAZING. I will admit, she is a friend of a friend and we may stalk each other on twitter and facebook so I might be a little bit bias but honestly - I do not think my personal connection is clouding my judgement of how amazing her blog is.

Not only does she write witty and on the nose reviews of books but she writes a webcomic, has a hilarious tumblr, and is probably going to write the next great American novel, or movie, or play, or all of the above.

Pottermore - Now this one is just mean because I am not a part of Pottermore. I didn't sign up because I thought it would be a waste of my time but it seems like every time I log onto a social networking site I am attacked by posts from my friends such as"I'm a Hufflepuff!" or "I just logged in to Pottermore, it's amazing!"

How? How have you done it again J.K. Rowling? How have you managed to make me so intrigued when I don't even really know what Pottermore is?!?!? I mean, sure I have read up on it (almost obsessively) but how did you do it again to us? How did you get us all to want this website so much and why, WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THIS MESSAGE?!?!??!?!

I digress, I have seen the annoucement saying that full enrollment opens in October and I keep telling myself I wont do it. I shouldn't do it. I am 25 years old. I am an adult. I am working on my Masters. I have had management position jobs. I don't need Harry Potter anymore.............................right?

So there you have it, my current list of online obsessions that are keeping me from doing what I should be doing. I hope I have not just destroyed your to-do list for the day.

xoxo,
kat

NEW YORK CITY?!?! That's where I've been hiding.

2011-09-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

It's been a week since I have written but I swear there is a really great reason: NEW YORK CITY!

(I had no idea he was taking a picture of this painting and was sneaking around to get his attention.)

We saw a lot of art. Got to spend time with amazing family and friends. We ate the best foods ever. And we drank some pretty fancy beers.

We were only there for 3 full days so we had no time to even think about taking pictures. San Francisco is the closet thing California's have to New York City when it comes to scope, scale, and layout and I only really ever went there as a kid so NYC was (as always) mind blowing.

The most exciting thing is I came home to be able to work with my godmother. She is a batik artist unlike any other you will ever see. My arm is pink from helping her with dye baths. Thursday and Friday I will be doing tons more (and then hopefully more next week as well.) I will try and take pictures but the dye porch at her house is not the most camera friendly place due to the massive amount of water and dye being thrown around.

xoxo,
Kat

Things I Love: Doctor Who (and why we can't make an American version)

2011-08-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

If you are not watching Doctor Who there are probably some really good reasons. I mean, maybe you don't have any really cool (read: nerdy) friends who have let you know about this British phenomenon that is now in the States thanks to the wonderful BBC America. Maybe you don't like Sci-Fi and because you associate it with Trekkies, WoW, and Dungeons and Dragons. Maybe you thought it was a show about an actual Doctor and not a Time Lord (read: awesome alien) who travels in a time machine that is shaped like a 1960's police call box on amazing adventures to (generally always) save the universe normally with a companion (or two or three) along side to help keep him more, well, human.

While recently a lot of BBC shows have been getting their own American version here (Being Human, Top Gear, Prime Suspect, and even the Doctor Who spinoff Torchwood) I do not think it is at all possible for Doctor Who to ever have an American counterpart.

First off, the show has almost 50 years of history and it's most recent revival has been incredible. The main character being a Time Lord with a Tardis (it's an awesome time machine that can also travel in space) gives the writers unlimited possibilities for where these adventures can go. But the thing that I believe keeps Doctor Who from having it's own American spinoff, like other great British shows, is that we haven't felt the end of the world coming generation after generation after generation.

Now don't start thinking I find the British weak or a people to be pitied - in fact I think we can generalize the whole of Europe being far more able to create the story lines of Doctor Who than we could in America. Yes, we have fought many many (and continue to fight) many wars but the last time one was physically on our own soil it was still at the farthest point of our county - while still incredibly painful, war has been physically distant from us for a long time, we don't have the same type of scenic scars and monuments that Europe does (though we do have some incredibly deep and just as meaningful scars from the wars we have fought). We don't have our parents and grandparents telling us stories of the Germans burning our entire cities to the ground. We lived through these wars in a very different (though still very real and emotional) way.

(Start with season 1 and meet this Doctor!)

This is why Doctor Who can not have an American version. The spirit and heart of this show was created by the British who are a people who continually rose up out of the literal ashes and thrived. So much of the show is based on stories of the moral and ethical conflicts in the worst moments of humanity from the view of a man who has lived through a thousand of these wars. While there are plenty of Americans who have lived through multiple wars it has almost always been away from home which has given us our own set of stories and heartaches to tell - we've all known someone oversea's but we don't all know someone who sat huddled in their basements waiting for the all clear signal.

(Then you get to meet this one!)

Doctor Who may be science fiction but at it's very core it tells stories of humanity in such brilliant ways that you just can not stop watching. Any time I attempt to explain the premise to someone I get either laughed at or accused of knowing Klingon (which I can assure you I do not). But the stories that the British write for this show come from a long history of standing up to the bad guy even when it seemed like all hope was lost as you watched you country burn around you and there was truly no way out (Hitler had taken nearly all of Western Europe by the time he reached the British).

And in all of this seriousness of plot, premise, and the core of Doctor Who - it is still witty, sharp, and capable of making you find the beauty and humor in even the darkest times. The show is non-stop action, fast-paced brilliance and trust me, once you start watching you are not going to want to stop. So get comfy on the couch and if you somehow have a week go by and you're not sure how - don't worry - that happens to everyone who travels with the Doctor.

(And finally, you get to meet the current one.)

xoxo,
kat

Guess what?

2011-08-30T23:17:00.000-07:00

Kathryn Greene Crafts Now Open on Etsy.com

Friday Reads: Coraline

2011-08-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

I do not think there is anything wrong with adults reading children's books. I think the wider variety of books a person reads the better. I had heard a lot of mixed things about Coraline (both the movie and the book) before I had ever picked up a copy myself.

Then I finally made the connection - the author is Neil Gaiman who I should know as an amazing author, as all the book forums seem to but instead I know him for writing one of my favorite Doctor Who episodes of all time: The Doctor's Wife.

So then, I was excited - I mean really excited. And luckily I was not the least bit disappointed. Coraline is the type of children's book I grew up loving. It reminds me of Roald Dahl but darker, much darker. It has the perfect amount of darkness and tells the story of a little girl and what it means to be brave. And Coraline herself is such a relatable character for almost any child that her success and triumph in the book is extremely heartwarming. David McKean does the art for the book and it is just the perfect mix of creepy and beautiful.

If you are looking for a quick read with a beautiful story about a little girls courage and a lot of fantasy - I highly suggest Coraline.

xoxo,

kat

Crochet My Life Away - Etsy Store News!

2011-08-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

I've been crocheting up a storm and the shop should be open any day now. I am really excited to launch a new shop with some of the best and most detailed accessories I have made yet.

And there is so much more to come!

xoxo,

kat

Learn to Sew: broken needle blues

2011-08-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I was about halfway finished with the awesome new circle skirt that I was so excited to share with you all when the tragedy happened...

Yes, that's right - the needle broke. My beautiful Singer Sewing machine was working hard when the it hit. One wrong turn by me and the needle hit the metal clasp of a zipper and she now sits on medical leave until I can replace the needle.

In a way I consider this part of the fun and excitement of sewing. Now, I am not saying I want to break a needle any time soon or that I want more unexpected challenges from the machine anytime soon - but it does give a nice reminder that clothes are made and it takes work and it wont always goes exactly as planned.

xoxo,

kat

Friday Reads: The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes

2011-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

I had always been a fan of Sherlock Holmes as a character in TV and movies, he was brilliant and strange and beat the bad guys with reasoning, logic and observation but for the first time I finally sat down and read The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

And boy, had I been missing out. The writing is much easier to follow than expected - writing from the 19th century and early 20th century can often take a few pages to get in the rhythm of. The language jsut does not flow the same as today but not with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The tone is perfect - you feel like you should be dressed in period clothes but you are not stumbling over too many era specific idioms or overly ornate language. It's really just a good time and clearly is the writing that set the tone for all great mystery books. Ever.

Here is the other great/terrible thing about Sherlock Holmes - I now just want Victorian EVERYTHING...

(And yes, they make wedding dresses to - can I dress like this every day?)

(Sherlock wore a watch and I bet it was this cool)

(Maybe my last choices were a little over the top - but I know a modern Watson and Holmes would listen to my dilema if I wore something as chic as this)

But don't worry - my current addiction to all things Victorian will most likely pass once I start on the book for next week.

xoxo,

kat

2011-08-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to announce that I will be opening a brand new Etsy store very soon. The official launch date is next Wednesday but I will slowly start adding new items hopefully as soon as this weekend!

The shop will be crochet focused with some of my old standards coming back (and better than ever) like the big flower headband and the looped scarf and the basic beanie! But what I am really excited about will be the introduction to a few adorable crochet kits!

(sneak peek of the first kit - that's all you get for now)

This will be the most exciting and challenging part of opening my new store but I couldn't be more thrilled to share all the new and updated items with you just in time for autumn and fall!

Here are a few "sneak peaks" of the first set of goodies to go up next week...

I cannot wait to show you more!

xoxo,

kat

Learning to sew (again)

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

My godmother is an amazing seamstress, batik artist, and all around rockstar when it comes to all things fabric. Growing up she would give me sewing lessons here and there and encouraged me to make my own clothes and go to thrift stores for clothes and generally be myself.

Now that I am older and I hate the clothes in stores (cheaply made, not that original, and nothing fits me right) all I want are vintage dresses and to make my own clothes and I wish I had listened even more.

So here I am again, cutting out fabric on my carpet (with the help of a curious cat) and trying to remember everything she taught me (although I'm pretty sure I may have to drive out there soon for some more advanced tutorials).

Every week I will share how these projects are going and why sewing your own clothes is awesome, easy, and something everyone should do at some point.

xoxo,
kat

Music Monday

2011-08-15T10:49:00.000-07:00

I have been working really hard to contain my excitement. I have to remind myself every day not to spend countless hours watching youtube clips of them. I have to push down all my childhood adoration because it might keep me from getting through the day as we move closer and closer to the big day...

There is going to be a new muppet movie. Written by Jason Segel (Freaks and Geeks, How I Met Your Mother, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, and so much more) with music from Bret McKenzie (you may know him from Flight of the Conchords awesomeness) and starring the Muppets, Jason Segel, and Amy Adams.

It's not coming out until November but my excitement for this movie is un-ending. They have released a series of trailers spoofing the major trailers of the summer and now The Muppets have also released a new album - well, kind of.

They are about to release an album of truly Muppet songs (Rainbow Connection, Mr. Bassman, and Bein' Green just to name a few) performed by some fantastic artists. Everyone from Andrew Bird to Weezer performs on this album and brings new life to music that always seemed timeless but has somehow faded away along with The Muppets in general in the past decade. The arrangements are different and reflective of several different genres and while the album made me want to go back and watch every muppet movie ever and listen to every album of theirs I own their is still something to be said for these new arrangements and accessibility for a new generation.

You can stream the whole album over at NPR right now and it will be available to purchase next week. At least this will tide me over for a little while and keep me from watching this trailer over and over and over again....

it's time to light the lights

xoxo,

kat

Sometimes you just have to jump.

2011-08-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

(found here)

And that is exactly what I just did.

If you haven't noticed in the past year or so I have tried to revive the blog and then have somehow disappeared. That's how a lot of things in my life have been lately and not at all by choice.

Well, that's not exactly true - it was my choice to stay with the job I was in for as long as I did. It was my choice to be responsible and try to do everything and anything that was expected of me in my job. That meant giving up a lot of things: time with family, time with friends, a normal schedule, time to breathe, time for the blog, energy of any kind, and at times it felt, even my morals.

Now hold on, I know how extreme that sounds and let's not go jumping to any conclusions. This job just was not the sort of job I was cut out for. It required having to often tell people really bad news and not have much support in the process. On top of that I had weekly sales goals to meet and staff to train and an entire property to manage. It's just not the type of job I can do the rest of my life, and I am completely ok with that.

After two years of giving my all I felt if I gave up anymore of my time, of who I am, and what I believe in, I would lose it.

So here I am with a blog schedule I just wrote out on my new sunny balcony in my pretty new apartment. I am taking some time to focus on my goals and aspirations and inspired projects and I am very excited to share them all with you.

Music Monday: Jenny Lewis

2011-06-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Did I just miss this? Or did the whole world just miss this adorable music video?

How To Survive an Epic Amount of Studying

2011-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Right now I am prepping for the CSET. These exams are designed to test subject knowledge for future teachers. For me specifically this means studying all of history, a splash of economics, and a good chunk of American Government by July 9th. This wouldn't normally be an issue if I wasn't also working full time and easily distracted by shiny objects.

With that being said here is a list of things helping me get through about four hours of studying a day...

The best cuddle buddy on earth. Sometimes you just need inspiration to take a break and this cat lives her life as if it is one really long break from hard work. I follow her example daily.

My kindle is awesome and most of my test prep books were available on the kindle. This saved not only money but paper and space. Also, it makes it really easy to take my study books with me everywhere.

Mochi breaks. Need I say more?

Letter writing. This is my new favorite thing to do and it's a nice, structured break from my daily routine.

How do you survive an epic to-do list?

xoxo,

kat

Ch-Ch-Changes!

2011-06-20T15:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Blog, How have you been? Sorry I have neglected you but between working full time and going to school full time it has been hard to spend time with you at all. I also don't really have as much time for crafting as before so I felt like every time

I tried to blog I would just fall back on music videos on youtube instead of the things that I really wanted to blog about. So I got a new banner and a new motto of sorts to help guide me back to blogging.

Don't worry, there will be crafts, and there certainly will be music, but there might also be product reviews, things I am obsessing over, and more a lot variety than before.

But for now it is time to get back to studying for the CSET and taking breaks to plan the next chapter for this blog. It will be different and maybe some of my old followers wont want to follow any more and that's ok. It's time for something different and a lot more reflective of me instead of the online persona I thought I needed to be.

xoxo,
kat

Reason #12 Why Mothers Should Keep Their Daughters Away from The Rolling Stones

2011-05-26T11:29:00.000-07:00

(found here)
xoxo, kat

Music Monday: The Airborne Toxic Event

2011-05-23T23:19:00.000-07:00

Two years ago I got swept into an amazing debut album by a local band. There was an underlying happiness to all their music, even though the story of the songs had a lot of sadness, melancholy, and darkness, there was still a driving force to almost all the songs that made it the perfect album to get through a not so great Spring and Summer. When I later learned that the main singer/songwriter for the band had actually meant to write a book and somehow that book turned into an album, my love for the band grew a thousand times more. I love bands that create albums. Albums should have a theme or story or connection and The Airborne Toxic Event did that with their first album while still creating music that was catchy and not full of itself. The single from the album "Sometime Around Midnight" was often labelled melodramatic and (that favorite genre from my high school years) "emo" but in the context of the album I found it to be surprisingly neither of those things.

They released an acoustic video series that proved they knew what they were doing. And they performed one of the best live shows I saw that year (and I saw Jenny Lewis on the Acid Tongue tour that year.)

They have a new album whose single "Changing" again has that something that makes you want to move, has sharp lyrics, tells a story, and grows on the rich sound they defined themselves with in the first album.

xoxo,
kat

Music Monday: Adele

2011-02-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

Adele is a powerhouse. She is one of the most amazing singers out there, has immense passion, simple but elegant style, and her songs are perfection. She also has this new album coming out tomorrow called "21." I think if girls need someone to look up to Adele makes a much better role model in the music industry. She writes and sings from an authentic place and she breaks the stereotypes. Her music is so outstanding and she is only 22 years old...

Epic.

xoxo,
kat

Music to inspire you: Local Natives

2011-02-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

This is a gorgeous song to begin with but this take away show is amazing. So inspiring. I love Local Natives.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone.

xoxo,

kat

Etsy Love: Lost and Found

2011-02-08T12:28:00.000-08:00

It's time again for those lost and found items on etsy. Items posted long ago that may have been forgotten but are totally too cute to pass up.

These fingerless gloves from two knit are ADORABLE!

A super cute coffee cozy from Amy May Design.

And this adorable screen print from Skyline Fever.

xoxo,
kat

Music Monday: Grace Potter & The Nocturnals

2011-02-07T08:18:00.000-08:00

I saw Grace Potter and the Nocturnals open for The Avett Brothers last year and they are rock and roll. Grace Potter has a voice that can do just about anything. And she tends to be a pretty rocking style icon.

This is one of their mellow acoustic tracks but trust me, when you start to search for more of her music be prepared for rock and roll that makes your speakers shake. And also be prepared for some fashion envy. Her style is FIERCE.

Etsy Love: Lost and Found

2011-02-02T12:27:00.000-08:00

My newest favorite thing to do on Etsy.com is search for a general thing like "knit" and see what items are in the very last few pages or so. It's like going on a treasure hunt for items that are soon to expire that maybe were missed the first time around and there are some goodies....

This is the sort of thing I would wear every day in winter if I didn't live in Sunny California. The Cheshire's Hat has some pretty funky and adorable handmade's available.

These are AD ORABLE and perfect the Valentine's Day! From Ashleigh in Wonderland - the only downside is the shipping cost to get it here in the US BUT it looks like the key is to buy more than one to save on shipping!

And very cute purse from A Touch of Vintage

xoxo,

kat

Crochet My Life Away - wishing for spring flowers...

2011-02-01T07:00:00.000-08:00

I'm working on a line of small, pretty, colorful items for my etsy shop. I'm really excited to be making new patterns, crocheting again, and hopefully opening the shop with a new spring line of accessories.

These brooches are currently being tested to make sure they work well for hair and as traditional brooches. Once I put them through the test (a night of karaoke) I will tweak what needs to be tweaked and start making them for the store.

More flowers on the way but for now hopefully this little bit of color will remind all of you stuck in the snow that Spring will come....at least eventually.

xoxo,

kat

getting back on track - and what's in my purse: Hello Kitty Edition

2011-01-31T13:10:00.000-08:00

One month of on-line classes are done and now I think I can start adding things back in to my regular schedule. The blog and store are slowly going to be added to my to-do list and I am hoping I can manage my time well enough to make it all work.

I'm working on some new test items for the blog and trying to organize my life a little more. Organizing life always means organizing my purse and I thought this would be a great time to share what I ALWAYS have with me...

I wont deny it, I'm a fan of Hello Kitty. And the color pink. These are two things that most people who meet me do not expect. Even some of my friends still don't understand why these are two things I love so much based on my personality but Hello Kitty is one saucy kitten who (apparently) does a lot of really cool stuff (well, at least according to my Hello Kitty coloring book...I mean, she rides a unicorn in the coloring book - can you get any cooler!?).

My daily essentials are a notebook, my iphone (in a Hello Kitty iphone cover of course), wallet, and an enormous pair of sunglasses (the bigger, the better).

Well, it's back to work and school and such. I'm hoping to have some new items in the store this week slowly but surely.

xoxo,
kat

America - let's face it - our music competition shows are nothing compared to THIS

2011-01-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

Ok, longest blog title EVER but with really good reason. For the last year or so I have been OBSESSED with this show that may or may not be from Finland - I should look this up but I kind of like the mystery of not really knowing where this is from.

Let's start with a big group number!

Not bad, not bad at all, there were a few mistakes but the enthusiasm makes up for the mistakes. Four choirs on stage singing Lady Gaga in their best English possible is pretty AWESOME. But wait, it gets better....

Now you may go, it's been done before - it was an all male group that sang this in Moulin Rouge. But LOOK AT THEM!

Um, Elvis. That is all.

And of course, Coldplay....

Now we do have shows like The Sing Off and of course there is American Idol but for some reason these aren't the same. Why? Look at how intense and produced this show is. Show choirs have been rocking in Europe since way before Glee. In fact, if you search for "battle of the choirs" on youtube (which is what these shows all basically translate to) you will find some pretty EPIC videos from all over the world. Maybe they don't all have the pop star talent of American Idol or Glee like we do here, but as silly as these shows are, there is a clear love and passion for music in all of them. And not a love and passion for music because it's going to make you uber famous and you're going to make lots of money. That's what I love. I love when people love music for music: making it, performing it, sharing it - and all the rest.

Then again the US might have a place in this blog post, this one from The Sing Off kind of made this song even more epic...

xoxo,
kat

being in school and the ultimate balancing act

2011-01-14T22:01:00.000-08:00

Well, it is week two of online classes and I think I am almost in a nice groove. This will probably be my most difficult month since it is the only one where I will be taking two classes at once. The classes I am taking are only 1 month long, so everything is really consolidated and the amount of reading and papers is trying, but so far I have actually had a lot of free time (considering) and I think I can start making big plans for fitting in more and more things I love...(like blogging, crafting, and of course making music.)

So for todays blog, I thought I might share some goals and some possible rewards for meeting those goals...

1) Pay off one credit card!
Honestly, I am not too far away from this goal, the only hard thing is that sometimes things happen (like your kitten needs another deworming treatment or your car AC and heater stop working) and that's why credit cards are handy but also kind of annoying. I only use my cards for emergency situations and every time I think I am in the clear - something happens. But, I am really close to this goal and once I hit it, even if it's only for a few weeks, I want a new camera bag (for my new camera)!

Maybe this pretty purse from CrazyBoy's?

Or this one from Mariforssell?

2) Be a size 4 again.
I am not physically active at ALL right now and I hate it. I get grumpy and lethargic and mad at how much weight I've gained in just one year all the time. It's time to suck it up and make the time in my schedule because I know being physically active will a) make me reach this goal and b) make me a happier person since for my height a size 4 is generally when I am at my healthiest weight all around.

Maybe a modcloth dress to celebrate to this reaching this goal? I think yes.

3) Get an A in both classes this month.
I'm at 100% right now in both and I aim to keep it that way. When I accomplish this all I want to do is have an LA adventure day with the boy and maybe go see Jon Brion perform cause he. is. amazing. (And yes, that is Mark Wahlberg and Jason Schwartzman...serious.)

That's all for now.
xoxo,
kat

Music Monday: I love American Music.

2011-01-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

Ok, I have been a really bad blogger as of late but please forgive me. I just started online classes and getting used to is has been a little intense. I am hoping by next week I will have more of a routine of how to balance it all. BUT I managed to bring you some pretty beautiful music today. Americana, bluegrass, gospel, folk, and country have unique and intertwined histories in America. This is the music that keeps me singing and playing and here are some modern examples as to why....

And one of the most famous in this genre right now....

xoxo,
kat

a song to enjoy during this January rain/snow/or general coldness...

2011-01-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

Pamplamoose Music is amazing. There covers are the happiest thing to ever happen to music. Well, maybe not ever - but in the past few years - yes.

This beautiful and adorable cover of one my all time favorite songs can brighten even the rainiest of days (which California has been seeing a lot of lately.)

I haven't posted my resolutions yet, cause I just haven't had time to write them! Forgive me blog world! I also wanted to say thanks to all the responses on my last crochet post - how could I forget ravelry?!?! Maybe it's because I never use that amazing site to it's fullest potential.

I start online classes this week so cross your fingers for me. I am also aiming on doing an open mic night Thursday so making to do lists and sticking to a schedule will be key for me to survive this week!

xoxo,

kat

Crochet My Life Away - the hunt for patterns!

2010-12-29T12:34:00.000-08:00

This will be the year of trying new patterns while the store is on hiatus. I normally don't really follow patterns. I normally look at the pictures and charts and guess my way through what looks right. But I am excited to sit down and learn some new techniques and try some new things.

Because of all this I am on the hunt for patterns! So here is a round up so far of some of the places I am going to get my patterns from.

crochet pattern central: I am not sure how exactly I feel about this site - it is tons and tons of free patterns with almost not glitz and glam (which is totally fine by me) and yet I always feel like I am cheating when I refer to this site. This seems like a TON of free patterns and I always feel like this is the napster of patterns. But it acts as a directory so you are linked the source of the pattern - most of the time they are DIY's posted on blogs and such. The really nice thing is, I'm not charged, there is no fee, you don't have to sign up, and there are tons and tons of patterns - not always great or precise or accurate - but pretty decent patterns.

Lion Brand Yarn: While you do have to sign up and give them all your personal information it is worth it if you are looking for easy to understand patterns using the yarns you find in you every day craft store. What I like about this site is that Lion Brand is one of the most inexpensive and easily accessible brands out there and instead of charging for all these patterns on top of the cost of yarn - you get them free. All you have to do is sign up and trust me - I maybe get an e-mail from them once a month at most - it's not going to cause headaches from spam overdose at all. It's my favorite place to search when I need to make a gift quickly and affordably.

Thrift Stores: Maybe my all time favorite place to find patterns is at thrift stores. You can find vintage pattern books at almost any thrift store and antique mall out there. All you have to do is keep an eye out. And while you do have to purchase the pattern books or magazines the prices cannot be beat and the patterns are normally AMAZING. Like this granny square hat I found in a 1970's magazine.

Free Vintage Crochet Patterns: Is another AMAZING resource. Crochet patterns aren't made the way they used to be when even your average crocheter would make handmade lace regularly. Now, patterns are much more user friendly but they also lack the intricacy and detail that crochet used to be known for. Why let knitters have all the fun with lace?! This site compiles vintage patterns (and is always asking for more) and also makes it really easy to apply modern yarns to vintage patterns.

There are also tons of great books out there and I'll try and review a few of those soon.

Where do you love to find patterns from?

xoxo,

kat

recovering from the holidays...

2010-12-27T22:26:00.000-08:00

Jesus may be the reason for the season, but he is also an AWESOME action figure. One of my family members found this Jesus Action Figure at a thrift store and thought of me. I guess she didn't know it talked (it quotes scripture of course) and it suddenly starting talking to her in the car. It took us way to long to figure out where the button was located that activated it's speech.

I scored BIG this holiday season. I honestly wasn't expecting many gifts and I felt really blessed when everything on my dream list was crossed off. I got lots of books, a beautiful new necklace, new film for the instax, awesome paint pens, a flip camera (which I can not wait to start using), a Nikon D5000 (the pictures in this post are my first few experiments using the camera in low light), and a professional size Kitchen Aid stand mixer (which I am pretty sure was only purchased for me when the threat of no more cookies became obvious since my vintage one was starting to become a fire hazard).

The list of things I got = AMAZING. I am so incredibly blessed by the friends and family that surround me but as most people always say about the holidays it really wasn't about the gifts. This year it was so meaningful to be able to spend time with Andy's family and my own for more than just an hour or two. It meant so much to me to be able to spend a whole day helping Andy's mom make tamales and it meant even more to me that Andy and I were able to spend a whole day with my dad and godparents. I lived with my dad for over two years after graduating from college and this is the first Christmas since I moved out on my own again so being. My real world job makes it hard for me to find time and energy for friends and family and with me adding on school next month it's going to be even harder so this really was a really special and dear to my heart time.

Music Monday will be back next week with a dream list. It's a time for some list making - I love new year's just for excuse of writing yet another list!

xoxo,

kat

Crochet My Life Away

2010-12-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

Well, my store is closed until who knows when on etsy and all items have been picked up by the Los Angeles Arboretum gift shop in Pasadena, California. I am excited to try new patterns but am still in the middle of getting all the Christmas presents made (most of which I cannot show on here because SOMEONE reads this blog now and then.) I've made so many of these flowers that I am really excited to step away and try new patterns and just crochet and craft and create for fun for a while. It will make it more okay for me to make mistakes I think.

And while I should be studying and getting ready for classes it's really, really hard to focus when you have this kitten and that MASSIVE pile of presents beneath the tree! I spent all night baking cookies and will probably do the same tomorrow night. Between work, the crazy rain here, present making, and all the baking - it's hard not to wish for a vacation right now.

xoxo,

kat

Music Monday: Music for the Holidays Part 2

2010-12-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

I know Sufjan made my list last week but I need to mention the Sufjan Stevens Christmas album again because it is perfection. Oh, and this story board someone made is really adorable.

Recently, I feel like artists and singers have felt like they need to put their personal mark on the holiday season by revamping and arranging some classic Christmas songs. It's like everyone feels like they need to find some way of taking these songs and making them their own. I understand the concept - you should always put a piece of yourself into your music but most of the recent efforts have failed.

What makes the music of the holidays so heartwarming to me is the classic element of the music - it's music you can listen to with your whole family, usually arranged in a style that suites everyone. My favorite example is hearing White Christmas - it's really difficult for me to imagine any one other than Bing Crosby singing White Christmas - that's what I grew up with and what I return to year after year. There are other versions I like (The Beach Boys have a beautiful version) but nothing feels quite like the holidays compared to Bing.

(Another good example is Dean Martin's "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow". )

Maybe it's because Christmas is the one time of year and the one genre of music more than any other in the mainstream that is not supposed to be about the individual as much as about evoking the spirit of the season. It's hard to inspire peace, love, and the holiday spirit when you're focusing on your own self image - this is a topic I could spend hours writing about since modern mainstream music is entirely image conscious but for now I digress. Then again, Mariah Carey has one of my all time favorite Christmas songs and it never gets old...

And this live version of it has so many insanely funny elements that I can't help but share it.

Do you have a favorite Christmas song? Is there an album, artist, or song that defines the holidays for you? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo & happy holidays,

kat

New Feature: Crochet My Life Away

2010-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

I know it's the dead of winter and that most people wear earth tones this time of year but I can not resist these bright wools. I'm pretty much addicted to them and kind of want all my wardrobe to reflect these colors...all the time!

I have a show this weekend - it's my godmothers art show and I normally help but the past few times she has let me set up a little table to sell my hats and scarves. Hopefully it doesn't rain all weekend and ruin the fun. I'm also really excited/glad that I have three days off this week so I can help her prep. A lot of ironing to be done and price tags to apply.

I'm officially shutting down my Etsy store tomorrow with no clue as to when it will re-open. I know it's the right choice to take a step back and focus on going back to school but I am a little bit sad.

The good news? When I do crochet in the next few months it is going to be some pretty epic stuff. I wont be in "factory" mode (as I like to call it) so I can experiment more with new patterns, new ideas, and lots of new items that can be tried and tested for when the store does re-open. And all of it will be recorded here - for better or for worse.

So keep your eyes out for this new weekly feature that will include pattern reviews, work in progress posts, and much more crochet related goodness.

xoxo,

kat

Music Monday: Music for the Holidays

2010-12-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

Everyone has a song that can put them in that holiday mood, a song that takes them to that feeling of the family all together, snow falling, and love being all around. Some are silly, some are beautiful, some are religious, and some are about a snow man. But almost all of them are timeless.

With the holidays upon us, my holiday gift to the blog world is a selection of some of my favorite Christmas and seasonal songs.

1) The video and the song is number on the playlist. The idea of David Bowie and Bing Crosby existing at the same time is really hard to fathom. I grew up with White Christmas and I can not imagine the the crooner who won my heart when I was two by playing the bells on the tree with his pipe being in the same room as the man who scared me (while making me OBSESSED) in Labyrinth. But here it is - Little Drummer Boy with David Bowie and Bing Crosby.

2) There are SO MANY VERSIONS of this song. Most are AWFUL but the rest are perfection. It was really hard to pick which to put on here. My favorite of all does not appear on an album - Will Ferrel and Zooey Deschanel singing it together in the movie Elf. The movie album has her and Leon Redbone - which is fabulous but not nearly as good. So I went with a classic.

3) When Sujfan Stevens released his four album Christmas set my heart exploded. Somehow Sujfan reinvigorated the Christmas music genre with songs that have all the spirit and drive of classic Christmas music - I mean, let's be honest - this song is about Elves getting their boogie on - HOW AWESOME can you get?!?! And how close to that childhood excitement for Santa?

4) I cannot imagine anyone other than Bing singing this song. That's not true - watch Holiday Inn (the first movie this song appeared in.) There's only one other version that can tug at heart strings as much as this one. Even though Bing originated the song in this movie it has a scene with one other person singing it that gets me everytime.

5 & 6) I admitted (to the boy) the other night that the Beach Boys have the second greatest Christmas Album of all time. Songs five and six explain why. Maybe it's because I was raised in California and they exemplify the California sound - or maybe it's the sincerity of the harmonies, but I will never ever stop loving their Christmas Album.

7) My all time favorite Christmas album. John Denver and The Muppets. It is perfection. Silly, filled with happiness, at moments beautiful, and entirely filled with love. Am I being totally cheesy describing this album? Yes, of course, but this song in particular is a perfect example of how genuine this album is. (Also, this is my all time favorite Christmas song and THE reason everyone should see the move Meet Me In St. Louis. Judy Garland kills this song in that movie.)

Welcome to Music Mondays - a new feature that will include everything from concert reviews to what I found on youtube to playlists of songs I'm in love with this week. I hope you like it and I hope you enjoy this (very short) list of songs for the holidays.

Do you have a holiday song you that always takes you back? Let me know in the comments!

xoxo,
kat

Etsy store closing...

2010-12-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

My etsy store Katalatabata (also known as Kathryn Greene Crafts) will be closing this Monday, December 13. I am closing the store because of a craft show but I am not entirely sure yet when (or even if) the store will be re-opening. I am starting online classes in January and do not yet know if I can balance my day job, night classes, and the etsy store during this time. Most likely what ever is left from the craft fair will be placed back on Etsy but new items will not be added for some time.

The blog will continue with some new and different content more reflective of me during the next year. I really look forward to the new features I am going to be sharing with you and I hope you like them too.

xoxo,
kat

New Feature: THRIFTED

2010-12-10T12:40:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my new series: Thrifted!

One of my current goals in life is to have a closet filled with thrifted, vintage, and repurposed clothing. The exception to this rule being the obvious items: underwear, leggings, undershirts, etc.

While this feature will mostly focus on clothing found in thrift stores there will also be the occasional vintage store find and some of my favorite tips for the thrift store lover in all of us.

I am 99% sure this dress was handmade by someone and then sent to a store in Pomona, California (the second best city in CA to find vintage.) It's made with blue velvet, machine lace ribbon, and lined with cotton.

I am a HUGE fan of victorian inspired clothing and this dress certainly found some inspiration there and then threw it out the door! I'm thinking a thick black belt around the waist plus my cowboy boots might make this over the top dress fit into my daily wardrobe.

xoxo,

kat

Where do I even begin?!

2010-12-08T13:03:00.000-08:00

Recently the universe has been giving me huge wake up calls in every aspect of my life:

*A major incident in my real world job gave me the final push I needed to make an advisor appointment for going to grad school to get my teaching credential.

*I signed up for the blog love course over at Red Velvet Art hosted by one of my blog heroes (Elsie) and also read this post about the handmade/indie business world losing it's magic over at PoppyTalk and realized a lot about blogging and the handmade world.

*And I've been fortunate enough to have a lot of close friends and family making "sacrifices" for their dreams. Which has been incredibly inspiring. (Possibly one of my biggest sources of inspiration for this is my sister who is currently working 16 hour days - through Thanksgiving, my cousins wedding, our moms birthday and her own birthday and probably through Christmas as well - trying to get the biggest show in Broadway history off the ground. Whether or not you like the show or show concept is not the point - the point is that her work keeps an artistic American tradition alive and thriving and she's given the majority of 2010 to this tradition.) When you are passionate about and love what you are doing it makes the long hours worth it in the end.

With that being said, I think 2011 is going to be an amazing year and I am really excited to share the story with you

xoxo,
kat

inspiration of the day: the color pink

2010-12-07T10:02:00.000-08:00

It turns out the internet is full of pink things to be happy about! Here are just a few...

(source)

if smoking were cool and not a killer i would totally smoke these (source)

i want i want i want! (source)

I have been a crochet mad woman the past few nights - I am trying to get as many hats made as possible for a show in two weeks. Because of work - I never get to do craft shows. It's a miracle of scheduling that I get to do this one (and the gracious support of my godmother that got me in at the last second). Right now, my real job is still really overwhelming and I feel like there is very little I can do about it. I'm trying to just focus on the positives and make the most out of it all. Luckily it is the holiday season - my favorite time of year! So at the very least, the radio is keeping me in a good mood.

xoxo,
kat

Give away over at Campfire Chic

2010-12-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

Head on over to the Campfire Chic blog to find out how to win ANY one item from my etsy store!

In other news, work is insanely stressful and has been for the last two weeks, I'm signed up for the blog love course over at Red Velvet Art and I am trying to decide which school to get my teachers credential from! I am also addicted to Christmas music and the weather lately in California - we had a big awesome rain storm last night that reminded me of the midwest.

That's all for now. I am working on a big tutorial series on crochet and would love to know what questions everyone has on crochet. I am really excited about this project and want to make it as easy to understand as possible so send me your questions!

xoxo,

kat

a little of this and a little of that....

2010-12-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

Work has been super stressful and I am trying to just focus on all the exciting things going on right now!

I signed up for my first ecourse tonight and I am really anxious and excited about it. It's the blog love course being offered through Red Velvet Art and hosted by Elsie of A Beautiful Mess. I was an on again off again blogger for many years and would consistently return to Elsie's blog and be so inspired by how she was clearly living the life she dreamed of and telling a really cohesive story with her blog. I think this is why I am so anxious and excited about this course! It's my Christmas present to myself!

I am also playing around with some new patterns and designs, I have a show I am so honored to be a part of in two weeks and I want to have some new items this year....

I think these next two prove I am becoming way to obsessed with granny squares!

I currently feel like I am just trying to get through things minute by minute. There are a lot of weekly goals I am not achieving and I am trying to get my focus and energy up to stick to it. Getting away from work and life for three days over Thanksgiving and just spending time with my family and celebrating love (my cousin get married and it was insanely beautiful and so full of love) has reminded me that life needs to be filled with things we love and are passionate about first and foremost. And as always, I am just trying to find a way to make the balance work.

I am off for another day at work! The good news: I filled my office with candy canes and hand made paper snowflakes so it's pretty much a winter wonderland right now!

xoxo,

kat

Dear Santa: An Etsy Wish List....

2010-11-29T13:10:00.000-08:00

The holidays are here, there is no doubt about it. Christmas lights have been up at malls for two weeks now, the local radio stations are bombarding us with festive songs, and my new 4 foot artificial tree is up and decorated!

Now, it is family tradition to write my letter to Santa on Thanksgiving night but this Thanksgiving was a whirlwind with a wedding and 70+ people there for dinner. So, in true bloggy fashion I am making my letter for Santa right here!

As always, Campfire Chic has some amazing items and she finally has KITS in the shop. I want this one. Like right this minute!

These are the CUTEST from the shop lovahandmade! I want! I want!

These necklaces are AMAZING! Everything in the outoftheblue shop is gorgeous! Want want want!

I have been dreaming about a pair of these from darlingtonia for so long.

Look at how beautiful they are!!

Also on the list, more Japanese craft books, more books in general, more and more records, a new camera (crossing my fingers I get my dad's old one), and the list of etsy artists who have items I dream about is pretty endless. I might need to do another one of these posts...or like ten of them!

xoxo,

kat

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-24T10:47:00.000-08:00

My $6 sale is still going on all through Thanksgiving weekend and to celebrate the holidays here is a quick list of some great etsy.com sales!!!

All Things Jane has a sale going on right now with some adorable items in the shop!

Campfire Chic has a sale starting tomorrow! I love her shop! It's one of my all time favs!

The Live and Conquer shop also has a sale going on. That Deer Headband is to die for.

I'm going away for the weekend and will be back Sunday with a blog round up! Enjoy the holidays and stay warm and safe!

xoxo,

kat

farmers market!

2010-11-17T15:40:00.000-08:00

I discovered my local Farmers Market today and it was the best discovery ever! Locally grown from small farms with tons of selection and the prices were very reasonable!

Look at those weird beans?!??!? Has anyone ever had them before! I was really tempted to try them but they were huge and I have no idea what they taste like! Maybe next week...

Not much else to write about today. I am trying to get some things organized and enjoy my day off! I am really excited for the next few weeks and cannot wait to share it all with you.

xoxo,

kat

I write music sometimes...

2010-11-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

In case you didn't know, I write music and sing songs. Last night my dear friend Laura Hartley (that really talented actress I know) came over and helped make a few silly youtube videos! In the two-ish hours we spent in front of the camera we only got three full songs recorded but it was so much fun...probably too much fun....

We did two originals and one cover, I will warn one of the songs has a reference to Amy Winehouse at the end that may be the silliest reference to drugs ever written - which also means that it may not be the best content for young or sensitive ears...

In the second video I mention a band called Oh Girl - they are great - go check them out! I also mention my old band In Defense of Picnics which you can see here. And the guy who was in both bands and really helped me form my song writing process (and by form I mean helped me stop editing myself so I could just write) Glynn G M who writes really candid and sometimes really silly songs.

In other news, I am going to be starting a new blog soon that will be so insanely different in nature from this one that I am not even sure I should be mentioning it here. But once I get more of an idea of how to make it work and where it is going I will let you all know.

WOW There are so many links in this one! Check them all out if you have time, I am really blessed with so many talented friends!

xoxo,

kat

blog round up!

2010-11-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

And that is why I am offering an amazing blog round up this week! It was really hard to narrow it down because with the holidays coming up so quickly there is so much advice out in the blog world that is amazing right now but here a few of my personal favorites from this last week...

My Girl Thursday had this adorable post about obsessing over sewing machines that I could totally relate to (I own four and do not sew enough to justify even owning one!!! Must fix this ASAP!) You can find the post here!

My Creative Pathway got me way too excited about Thanksgiving with this post about making the perfect kids table! I've never left the kid table so this post was perfect for me and all my cousins (who I can not wait to see two weeks from now!) Also, this inspiration post is WOW!

Ever So Lovely lives up to it's name and this post is a great example of it! Embroidery circles have my heart and she shows off some beautiful ones here!

Here's looking at me kid is one of all my time top inspiration blogs and this tutorial on fabric backed business cards has me sooooo inspired!

That's all for this week but if you know of a blog I should be reading (even maybe your very own blog) leave it in the comments! I am always looking for new inspiration!

xoxo,

kat

i do love beards....

2010-11-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

I mean, it's REALLY hard not to. This is a little treasury I made. Check it out here!

I've basically spent the last two days on etsy.com and nothing else...but it's for good reason - I have a huge sale going in the store with items like these....

....all for just $6 and with free shipping if you buy two or more items.

xoxo,

kat

day of the dead weekend - photo heavy post

2010-11-11T08:45:00.000-08:00

November is the kick start to my favorite season, there are so many great celebrations and holidays between now and the new year and this last weekend I got to go to one of the largest Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations I have ever been to.

There is incredible food, amazing face paint, and live music.

There were craft vendors also but it was so jam packed that we couldn't get into most of the booths!

I could not resist, I had to get my face painted, I mean look at the lady painting my face - she looks incredible as did all the other artist in this booth! It was totally worth it.

But what Dia De Los Muertos is really about is celebrating and remembering those who are no longer with us. This is done by making food (lots of candy and sweet bread), putting out candles and photos, and creating an 'altar' for the dead. To a lot of people this is a really creepy concept - offering food to dead people - but it's really a beautiful tradition where you celebrate life and honor those who came (and went) before us.

There were altars from specific groups, for specific people, for organizations etc. Some traditionally create these altars in their homes and you can see them as you walk through the town but in Santa Ana they took over three whole blocks of downtown and brought a community together.

Art Walk was on the same night just two blocks away so I went from Day of the Dead to art walk looking like this....

...you can only imagine the reactions while I walked through art galleries - most of the time I forgot I was wearing the make up and just thought people found me really interesting. It was a HUGE ego boost...until I remembered why I couldn't scratch my face.

All the pictures here were taken by the boy he has a flickr and takes awesome band photos or something.

xoxo,

kat

etsy things i love love love

2010-11-10T18:17:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned the huge update going on in the shop!?!

In celebration of all the new items and the massive $6 SALE, I felt the need to share some of my current favorite finds on etsy.com!

Right now, I really want a pair of these....

From em and sprout.

I think the boy needs one of these....ASAP!

Found at bang bang crash! (They have Care Bear ROMPERS!!!)

I wish I could find a pair of 50's cat eyes (LIKE THESE) that I could wear.

This is a shop full of them!

And I want this! this this this dress!

From this beautiful shop!

alright, back to updating the shop!

xoxo,
kat

huge store update - $6 BEANIE SALE

2010-11-10T12:57:00.000-08:00

I know I have been MIA but I have some good news, all day long the store is getting some brand new items!!!! Including some adorable new hats for kids! Most of the items being posted today are part of the $6 beanie sale! So if you are looking for inexpensive handmade gifts now is the time! This is a limited time sale and all items in the sale are one of a kind so snatch them up now!

In other news, I am really excited about a new vintage store in Orange County called Drapes Vintage. I am hoping to share my finds from there later today or tomorrow! I am wearing the wrap around skirt I found right now and it is perfection!

xoxo,

kat

making a list - but not the checking it twice kind.

2010-11-08T08:47:00.000-08:00

Life has been amazing lately! I haven't been blogging cause everything else in life has been moving so quickly. I know I keep promise to be back with daily posts and etsy store updates and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this is the week where it happens! I just have recently felt like my like is sort of like falling down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland!

I am going to have a lot of fun pictures to share soon. The only problem is other than a crappy point and shoot (that I generally forget I have) I don't have my own way of taking pictures at the moment. So I don't actually have all the pictures, they are on the boys camera and it may take a while before I can share the day of the dead pictures and teaching people about flash pictures!

That being said - give me your camera advice!!! I want something I can take shop and blog photos with, that I can throw in my purse if needed, but that I can also ensure I get high quality product photos for the store. Any advice?

And now for a little etsy love:

this shop is AMAZING

xoxo,

kat

2010-11-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

It's my own year anniversary with the boy. He has to fly to Utah today so we don't get to celebrate until Friday.

The apartment has kind of been in chaos so regular blogs will start up again this week (fingers crossed).

Now, on to a busy day at work. Let's hope there is coffee in the office. I need some ASAP.

xoxo,
kat

photos i love friday!!!

2010-10-29T08:30:00.000-07:00

In honor of the fact I will be wearing a tiara at work today: photos I love friday, the awesome hat edition.

(source)

(source - it's on etsy!!!)

xoxo,

kat

a quick little annoucement

2010-10-26T08:24:00.000-07:00

One of my very best friends is an amazingly talented actress in LA. Her new webseries debuts TODAY!

It's called Project 420 and while the subject matter and style of this web series may not be suitable for ALL of my blog readers (there is a lot of explicit language and it is a web series about pot), I still want to take the chance and talk about how excited and inspired I am by Laura's fierce talent and I cannot wait to see what happens next for here!

rainy days can stay for a while

2010-10-25T12:18:00.000-07:00

It's a rainy day in California. The sun is just starting to peak out and while I did enjoy a yummy soy latte this morning all I really want is to have weekends off to spend at places that serve these yummy delicious fantastic foods.

Seriously. Can I just have a job where I can sit in a little mom and pop shop eating oatmeal, drinking coffee, and writing or reading or SOMETHING! I am just so tired of my desk job.

xoxo,

kat

creative therapy

2010-10-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

I opened up the sewing machine this week for a tiny little project. I have realized that I always set big scary sewing goals for myself and that doesn't go well because even though I know I used to be at that skill level, I am not there right now, I just don't have the same focus just yet and I need to get back in the groove doing small and simple projects.

I have all these beautiful pieces of batik fabric from my godmother. She is an amazing batik artist and I think I get my understanding and love of color from her. She isn't shy about color because nature is never shy about color. The process of batik is possibly one of my all time favorite things to watch. I normally help her iron before shows and what I love about it is being able to see what I know used to be white pieces of fabric turn into works of art.

So, for my tiny sewing project I put together a few small pieces, no fancy sewing or stitching, just simply put the pieces together.

And then I took an embroidery circle and made a little frame.

And the finished product! A beautiful small piece of art for my wall. I kind of want to make a million more of these because I have so many great scraps of fabric of hers! No hems, no fuss, just a simple little circle to put on the wall and be inspired by!

I am off on a small adventure tonight, I wish I had the whole weekend to spend with family but at least I get Friday night with them! And then it is back to work! I should have a big store update next week with the return of the art deco beanie! And some big sale items including some fingerless gloves!

xoxo,

kat

a little studio tour...

2010-10-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I finally set up the studio and I am falling in love with it! It actually feels like a positive creative space! And it's my own space, which I love. I felt inspired to really focus on getting my studio space all set up because the Shape What's To Come profile asks to see your studio and I realized my "studio" wasn't anything to be desired. You can see my profile here but I couldn't stop with just one photo, I had to share them all!

Finally put some art on the wall, the humble start to what will someday be a huge collection of handmade goodies, vintage finds, music posters, and art pieces.

And yes, that is a signed Avett Brothers poster. Be jealous.

Clementine thought it was a photo shoot of where she likes to hang out, not where I do work.

Did I mention we got the photo studio all set up?!?! Yes, we did. With lights, camera's, and just a little bit of action today. Test photos started today and so far I like what I'm seeing...

xoxo,

kat

music madness on a (rainy) monday

2010-10-18T07:46:00.000-07:00

First off, have you seen the big news over at a beautiful mess?!?! I signed up for mine but since this is the week I completely redo my "studio" space, it's not a complete profile just yet! Don't worry it'll get there soon!

It's time for my biggest music obsession ever: daytrotter. When my friend Michelle (of the owl and the snail) first told me about daytrotter I thought it could in no way be a real thing. All these amazing bands and musicians sitting around making gorgeous recordings to release for free on the web for little ole me!?!?!

When I was in a short lived musical project called In Defense of Picnics (feel free to look it up and see me with super short hair!) our ultimate goal, when we would know we had made it (at least in the way we wanted to make it) would be when we were invited to do a daytrotter session. No joke, we outlined our first tour (that never happened) around stopping to make a daytrotter with the hopes that by that point, we would be ready for it.

In our incredibly consumer focused market it is really refreshing to sit back and think about how these artists took time to make these recordings that you can download and keep forever for FREE. Now I know you are probably saying "but it gives them publicity to a new market blah blah blah" but let's get real here, free is rare, free is almost never actually free so this website, with it's hand drawn art and it's vast musical selection, is a treasure that I hope sticks around for a long time.

Some of my favorite sessions below....

Dawes

local natives

bon iver

(all screenshots taken from the daytrotter website)

blog round up

2010-10-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Sunday! Oh my goodness - I was deathly ill this week. 102.7 fever and three days of sleep and now I am on a mean course of antibiotics and very excited to be feeling better! Here is this weeks round up, I was sleeping most of the week so this one will be short and sweet!

You Will, Wont You had this GREAT tutorial on handmade gift bows that I just adore!

The Spotted Fox has a cute little toasted pumpkin seed recipe post! Yummy! I am very excited to try this!

Run with Scissors has another FANTASTIC Halloween themed do it yourself! So Cute!

sewseas has a great post on "Are you normal?" It's such a good little read!

Also, if you head on over to Campfire Chic and see all her rad posts from this week, somewhere in there you might find a blog round up from earlier in the week!

Now it's time for a bubble bath, some reading, tea, and plotting out the next few weeks of work, craft, and so much more. My first pattern was supposed to be released weeks ago but sickness and life got in the way, I am not going to promise a release date but I will promise you all will be the first to know!

Also, please suggest new blogs for me to read! I would LOVE to hear what you all are reading and loving! Or do you have a blog? Let me know! Maybe you'll be in next week's round up!

xoxo,

kat

finding a balance

2010-10-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

Is really hard to do. I work 40-60 hours a week, which I know is typical and I am lucky and I should not complain and then I have this blog, my etsy shop, and the whole music thing going and of course I have friends and family. I feel like I never have enough time to give to any of these things. It's hard to find a balance and figure out how to all make it work. Maybe writing a schedule would help? Daily goals? Is there a routine or pattern that works for you? Let me know! I will take any and all suggestions for how to get yourself and your life in balance. I just need to find a way to make all of this work together.

xoxo,
kat

2010-10-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

Today I have the honor of being a guest blogger for Campfire Chic! Head on over to get this weeks edition of the Blog Round Up!!

In other news, I won a new point and shot camera at a work party last night. This has been something I've been saving pennies for because it would make a few features of the blog that much easier! Now that I have one I am really excited about some little new features that will be coming up soon!!

xoxo,

Kat

music madness on a thursday!

2010-10-07T12:56:00.000-07:00

If you live in the LA area you are probably pretty familiar with KCRW and all it has to offer as the little radio station that could. But it's their Morning Becomes Eclectic is maybe the best way to hear incredible musicians creating amazing music live in the studio. The variety of musicians they interview keeps it interesting - the front page right now has everything from an interview with Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails anyone), to the Avett brothers, to these....

KCRW is an excellent example of why we should support local radio. A lot of radio stations are owned by just a handful of companies and don't always have the freedom that local independent stations do. Scan the radio dial and see what you can find, you never know what's waiting out there for you.

xoxo,
kat

things i love on etsy

2010-10-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

It's been really truly raining the last few days in California. I had a rough couple of weeks but I think I am back on my feet and am very happy to be returning to the blog. The boy and I have been creating designs of turning my second bedroom/office area into a space for photos that I am really excited about and will be taking some progress photos soon! For today, here are some things I am in love with in Etsy, inspired by these rainy days...

this print by Michelle Christina...her shop is darling.

There is so much to love about this photograph. AND THAT UMBRELLA! By Kathleen Frank of squidart.

OBSESSED with these two from MemiTheRainbow!

Alright, come back tomorrow for another music madness blog! I've been wanting to write this one for weeks!!! Also, while there was a little delay with getting patterns up in the store they are just one week away from going up! I am really excited for this!

And soon I will be doing a guest blog for Campfire Chic!!! So EXCITED! I will let you know when it's up!

xoxo,
kat

blog round up!

2010-10-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favorites from this week! Enjoy!

you will, wont you? is doing a 30-day challenge and I ALWAYS love seeing what's in a girls purse!!!

smile and wave has had some SERIOUS contest this weekend...here is just one of my favs!

violet bella's world has the cutest new shirts! i love these bears!!!

susannah conway wrote a beautiful and inspiring entry here!

Oh my goodness! I already have 4 listed here! Sadly, I there are tons more worth checking out so tune in next week! This week is going to be INSANELY busy - which is kind of much needed. I am very excited to be celebrating happy returns, birthdays, and some very serious new goals.

xoxo,
kat

photos i love friday!!!

2010-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

this weeks obsession: photos of cameras!!!! It's a very silly medium in some ways, taking pictures of something that takes pictures seems rather redundant, but there are so many beautiful photos of cameras that it's hard to ignore as a category for photos i love friday!

(source)

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This is another one where there are so many good ones I just need to stop myself! In other exciting news I have a new music madness post tomorrow, PLUS Sunday is the day of the blog round up, are you writing an amazing blog I should be reading?! Let me know!

Time to try and kick butt and work. It's going to be a long week with some choices needing to be made asap, I just don't know how to decide!

xoxo,
kat

who needs to worry about winter on it's way when there are FLOWERS!

2010-09-29T14:35:00.000-07:00

I stayed home sick today. I slept way more than expected because of it. I hate staying home sick, I hate feeling unproductive. I think that might be one of the biggest problems I have with my current job, it's really easy to feel unproductive at work. I spent 90% of my day sitting and posting craigslist, just waiting for someone to call or walk in the door. I do not know how people live like this, I can't handle the monotony of a 9-5 (well, 9-6 in my case).

But the good that came out of my sick day was some store updates I had been meaning to post forever! Don't worry, I did not cover these new hats in germs, the pictures were taken a while ago and I just needed time to sit down, do some little editing, and get them posted!

The grandma inside me loves giant crochet flowers. Always and forever.

Now it's time for more work with the guitar, the five million birthday presents I need to make for October, and some soy milk and coffee. Yum.

xoxo,

kat

musical madness on a tuesday night

2010-09-28T22:38:00.000-07:00

This a new part of my blog I am really excited about. And I am hoping it will happen more than once a week because there is so much music goodness - new, old, and inbetween out there!

So to start musical madness, do you know about the "Take Away Shows" They are AMAZING! It's not only my favorite way to see some of my favorite musicians do live performances but I find new music all the time because of it....

LIKE THESE GUYS!!!! There is so much about this video I am obsessed with. First off, they are in Mexico for this video - a place I spent a lot of time as a child so anything having to do with the music there makes me immediately a) really excited and b) really judgmental. These guys surpassed the A and demolished the B. Must find The Plastics Revolution ASAP.

I am hoping looking and listening and watching all this music will get me out of the creative funk I am currently in.

enjoy the music.

xoxo,

kat

i took a little break..

2010-09-27T08:54:00.000-07:00

(the avett brothers in St. Louis - taken with my iphone so the quality isn't the best)

It was much needed. I went to St. Louis and spent a whirlwind three-ish days with my best friend. We drank PBR, listened to great music, created the most awesome new Bob Dylan related game, and saw The Avett Brothers - TWICE.

(the avett brothers again in St. Louis and again with my iphone)

It was something I really need. I am unhappy in so many aspects of my life right now and I've started to feel more and more trapped because of it. Getting away from everything here and being around people and things and places I love really helped me remember that 24 is not old and there is still plenty of time to make my big dreams become closer to reality.

This is a very cheesy sounding post, I am fully aware of this and hope you know that this blog will return with it's regularly scheduled craftiness shortly, but I will also be documenting two big things in my life as well.

One: Going Vegan.
Two: My music and songwriting.

Hopefully this will just make this blog more interesting and exciting. I am going to start my music blogging with a weekly music review and would LOVE to hear input from all of you as to your favorite music - whether it's someone everyone knows or some little home grown band you see all the time - let me know about them! I feel like having this blog helps me stay really focused on the things I want to do and be and accomplish. There are a lot of reasons why people blog, and a lot of bloggers who feel the need to define what their blog is for or about - for me it keeps me focused so I might as well use that focus it brings to the things I really truly want in life.

And with this update I give you a new music obsession of mine...

(Grace Potter in St. Louis taken with my iphone)

They are this good live. Actually that's a lie, THEY ARE BETTER!! She is insanely talented.