Pickle Things

Crafty Wonderland Spring Show!!!!

2010-04-30T00:07:00.000-07:00

This weekend is the big Crafty Wonderland Spring Show here in Portland at the Convention Center. Saturday and Sunday (2 days!!!) from 11-5. It is going to be a great show with over 200 vendors and much much more. Come and check it out. The first 200 people through the door (each day) get a goody bag full of artisan goods.

A bunch of my friends will be there with booths.
Clack Studios..... amazing papercuts
Darling Savage..... cute bags, cards and various sewn things
A Tea Leaf..... original artwork, jewelry and cards
ASA custom Jewelry..... gems, crystals and beaded jewelry

and many many more.......

Rieke Art Fair

2010-04-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am going to be take part in the Rieke Art Fair at Rieke Elementary in SW Portland.

It is from 10-3 on Sunday at 1405 SW Vermont St. There are going to be different 40 artists showing off their creations. Come and check it out.

Felt Food...the dirty truth.

2010-02-22T12:43:00.000-08:00

One of few (and only) perks to having plastic toys is that they are easy to clean. Though it is not quite as easy to clean felt food, it is probably easier then you think. I found a great website that details all the steps to keeping your felt food looking clean and delicious. Instead of retyping the steps, I am just going to refer you to the page at the American Felt and Craft blog on how to wash felt food. There are also a lot of other interesting articles about felt on this page.

Valentine's Day 2010

2010-02-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

My roommates and I are not all that into Valentine's Day so this year we wanted to do something different to celebrate. We decided to put messages in bottles and throw them into the Willamette River with hopes they would be found later.

We had to sneak around a little bit since the city does not look that favorably on people throwing things into the river. Normally, I am against littering in any form including into a river but it was a special occasion so what the heck.Instead of a message in a bottle, I decided to write a letter to my Grandmother who passed away a few years ago. Since it was a letter written specially for my grandma, I decided to skip the bottle because no one else really needed to find it. I just threw the envelope into the river with a rock inside to help weigh it down. Happy Valentine's Day, Grandma! I miss you.

Craft Fair Next Month.

2010-02-10T00:27:00.001-08:00

I have a couple of craft fairs coming up next month. One of them is at Arleta Elementary School in SE Portland. I did their craft fair last year and everyone there was super nice. 25% of the proceeds go to supporting the school so if you are in the area on the Friday March 5th you should come and support the school.

More Blog Spotting

2010-02-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

I am always so excited when someone talks about my felt food other then me. Here are a couple of sites that have featured my stuff lately.

Purr Petite

This is a really cute boutique in Calgary Alberta Canada that carries my felt food in their store. They just got their website up an running and are starting to post some of their cool products. For example this hot dog shirt which I love. If they made this shirt in my size, I would wear it.

Indie Mom Blog

Aside from felt food she also talks about some other cool finds that she likes like these cute crocheted flowers.

Vintage Floral Fabric Week Day 5 - Ode to Grandmas everywhere

2010-01-29T21:57:00.000-08:00

I have a number of fabric that I have collected over the year that I have loving coined my 'Grandma series'. These are fabrics that make me think of furniture, curtains, or tablecloths that if not in my own grandparent's comfortable warm rooms are in someone's. Here are two of the fabrics (one in the form of a coin purse that I made): Side note:
I have another very pretty floral fabric that I found a number of month ago. I would not have naturally included this fabric in my grandma series. The funny part is that last time that I went home to visit my family, I realized that this was the same fabric (slightly different color) that was used for the curtains in my grandma's bedroom. I had never noticed it before.

Vintage Floral Fabric Week Day 4

2010-01-28T00:27:00.000-08:00

What can I say about this fabric but so super cute. I would generally not say that I am a girlie girl but something about these cute pink and purple prints just gets me. I think that loving these prints is as close as I will ever get to anything princess-y. I feel ok about that because these are still miles away from princess-y. Now if I ever decide to post fabric that is pink glittery and has the words "girl power" or "sassy" written on it, then I am in trouble.

Vintage Floral Fabric Week Day 3

2010-01-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

The truth is that I really do not know if this is vintage. I found it at a thrift store and it looked brand new. So this may just be vintage inspired instead of actual vintage. That is one of the downsides to getting everything second hand. You do not know how old it is and it is near impossible to get more if you want more.

I really like this fabric. It makes me think of the 60s. It says flower power to me. Of course, I was not born then so my instincts on flower power may be way off. Maybe, it is not psychedelic enough for the 60s. I don't know. Thoughts?

Vintage Floral Fabric Week Day 2

2010-01-26T11:46:00.001-08:00

Part of the reason that I like floral fabric so much is my background in Horticulture. It creates the illusion that I am still using my degree. It makes me feel better to think that all that money was not spent in vain. I know that is a stretch but allow a girl to grasp at whatever straws are available.

In truth, I think that there are a lot of really ugly or boring floral prints out in the world but I really like this one. I think that it might be a bit much as curtains or covering a couch but in small doses I think it is quite nice.

Vintage Floral Fabric Week (aka The holidays are over. Time to get back to work)

2010-01-25T16:42:00.000-08:00

I have come to realize that I am not the world's best blogger. Ok Ok... I am really bad about it. The first thing to admit is that you have a problem then try to change. This year my goal is to be better about blogging. (I realize that we are already 3 weeks into the year but that is not the point.) I decided to start off with another fabric week. I like showing off all the cool fabric that I am luck to come across.

This week I am going to show you some of my vintage floral prints. Bare with me, the photos are not that great because I use natural light and it is January in Portland. Not the sunniest time of the year.

The first fabric is a really pretty lavender and blue floral. This fabric is dated 1971. (I love when they have the date on fabric.) I think that this will make a really pretty bag. It would also make nice curtains but the walls in my room are orange. With a lot of confidence I might be able to fool people into thinking this is a good combo but I doubt it.

Let the Holiday Season Begin!!!!!

2009-11-12T17:06:00.000-08:00

I will being selling my wares at two craft fairs this weekend.

Llewellyn Holiday Market
When: Friday Nov, 13th 2:15pm-6:00pm
Saturday Nov, 14th 10:00am-4:00pm

Where: Llewellyn Elementary School
6301 SE 14th Ave ( in Sellwood)

97 local artists will be set up to show off all of their amazing creations.

Abernethy Arts and Crafts Fair
When: Sunday Nov 15th 11:00am -4:00pm

Where: Abernethy Elementary School
2421 SE Orange St. ( in Ladd's Addition)

over 50 local artists will be selling items to help the 5th graders go to outdoor school. For a full list of vendors check out their website www.artcraftfair.org

Blog Spotting

2009-11-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

My felt veggies have been featured on the blog Lovely At Your Side. They have been clustered with a few other really cute gift ideas for kids.

Featuring Felt Veggies!!!

2009-10-24T01:11:00.000-07:00

I just found out that my felt veggies was featured on the blog, the long thread. Check it out.

Who is that masked man (or woman)?

2009-10-23T13:29:00.000-07:00

The non-profit where I work (Scrap) is having a masquerade party for our big fundraiser. Everyone is required to make a mask to wear during the event. Because I wear glasses, I thought that I would make a mask on a stick that I could just hold up in front of my face. I went for a fall leaf theme using fabric to make the leaves. I think that it turned out pretty good. It was a great way to use up some of my fabric scraps.

Talented People: Sean Boggs of Jackson Howard Photography

2009-10-18T15:53:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I love Portland. Lots of people do including my friend Sean who takes beautiful photographs of the city (and many other things). I could talk him up but I think I should just show off some of his pictures so you can decide for yourself. Check it out and tell me what you think.
I was excited to find out that he had taken some pictures of some of my sewing materials that were sitting around my apartment. This is one of those photos.

You can check out some of his other photographs at his website: jacksonhowardpdx.com or on Etsy

Find lots of cool stuff and people at Trillium Artisans(including me!!!)

2009-10-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

Let me introduce you to Trillium Artisans. They are a great group that helps artists and crafters grow their green businesses. They have a store where they sell the artist products and also have business classes. All the products have to made from a certain percentage of recycled materials. Yeah, Reuse!!! It is great for people like me who like the craft part but are less knowledgeable about business end.

Here is a sample of the some of the things for sale by Trillium artists.

This super cute hood is by Alyssa of Birdface. She makes all kinds of other fun altered clothes. As an added bonus she is my work buddy at Scrap!

If I had my ears pierced I would totally wear these earrings but since I can not wear them, someone else should get them. They are made by Cristina of Modica Design

This is a wallet made from the webbing of lawn chairs. It is durable and a very pleasant blue color. It is made by April of Rosewebs.

Recommendation: COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO

2009-09-21T23:26:00.001-07:00

I am so excited because I have discovered that I can download audio books from the library onto my computer. This is especially important because I can get some reading done while I am sewing. SCORE!!! The last book that I read/listened to was the Count of Monte Cristo which sadly I had never read before. It is a super long book but exceptionally good so read it anyways. It has love, revenge, murder, and hidden treasure. What more could you ask for? It is definitely now on my list of favorite books of all time.

As a side note, I have to say that for no reason are you to watch the movie that they made a few years ago.....because it is awful. I kept waiting for something (other the character names) to have come from the book. I waited in vain. Skip the movie and read the book.

Crafty Wonderland

2009-09-13T01:10:00.000-07:00

Today from 11-4 I will have a booth at Crafty Wonderland at the Doug Fir. Come and check out some of the fabulous things being created here in town.

I am also excited to announce that I will be selling a new set. The set is based on the wonderful cookies that can be found at a great local bakery in town, Two Tarts Bakery. Here is a sneak peek. More details about the set and bakery will be posted soon.

Free Box the Magazine - 3rd issue now available

2009-08-19T00:19:00.000-07:00

Keep your eyes out for the 3rd issue of Free Box the Magazine in a free box near you. Included in this issue are interviews about international free box experiences, a comic by Bryce Flint-Somerville, and a scavenger hunt (to name a few.)

Send any thoughts on free boxes or ideas for future issues to freeboxthezine@gmail.com

Pickle Things now at Black Wagon!!!!!

2009-08-13T12:00:00.001-07:00

I am very excited to report that my felt food is now being sold at Black Wagon. YIPPPPPY!!!!! Black Wagon is a super cute store on N Mississippi Ave that carries cute clothes and toys for kids. They also have a really great online store for all of you out of town folks. If you check out the new arrivals, you can see my food.

They are having their 3rd Anniversary party tonight. If you have a chance go check it out. Buy some felt food or at least talk it up loudly.

Kittens are so cute. It is down right ridiculous.

2009-08-12T23:28:00.000-07:00

I am very excited because my sister just adopted the cutest kitten ever. Admittedly, most kittens are extremely cute but I think that Lindsay's new kitten is a contender. Her name is Lucile but I have already given her the nickname Little Luce.

She had a little cold after she came home from the shelter so I hope that she is feeling better. I felt bad for her but I could not help thinking that her little sneezes were so cute. Maybe this nap on my lap did her some good.

Reminder - Craft-in Fair Today!!!!

2009-08-08T00:10:00.000-07:00

Don't forgot to come check out my stuff and all the other vendors today!!!!

Craft-In Craft Show

2009-08-02T09:03:00.001-07:00

This Saturday I am going to be part of a craft fair at a drive-in. I love drive-ins so this makes me very happy. It is from 10-4 on Saturday August 8th. There are over 35 different craft vendors with all kinds of different wares. Plus it looks like the temperature might actually be comfortable (Thank goodness!) I have never done a craft fair outside of Portland so I am hoping that there is a good turn out. If you have nothing to do, you should check it out. After you shop, you could stick around and watch a couple movies. That is what I call a good day.

Crafty Wonderland...a Bonus show!!

2009-07-12T08:32:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you know that there was some extra booth space this month at Crafty Wonderland unexpectedly so I am going to be selling my felt food and coin purses today. I will be at the Doug Fir from 4-11. Come and do some shopping.

Beautiful Seascape......a gallery show

2009-07-11T09:50:00.000-07:00

I wanted everyone to know about my friend Sayuri's show a Alma chocolates on NE 28th near Davis. She has created an underwater scene with coral and jelly fish. The opening has already happened but you can still go check out her installation and eat some delicious chocolate. Sayuri also has some other super cute creations that can be found for sale in her etsy shop, Shamui.

Here is a picture of the pickle family that my roommate and I got from her. They are crazy cute. The little one is mine. She is my new Pickle Things mascot.

Bombs Bursting in Air....

2009-07-07T16:57:00.001-07:00

I have to admit that I am not that big on fireworks. They are alright but I do not get super jazzed about that. This year my roommate and I went and sat on the Hawthorne bridge to watch the fireworks display. It was pretty nice actually. I liked all the people, bikes, cars and bus cruising by on the bridge as we watched. Here are some of the pictures that I took.

Garden Update....what a difference a month makes!

2009-06-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

It is official yesterday we harvested the first crops from our garden. Ok, it was only a few heads of lettuce but it was exciting. All of our squashes and pumpkins have flowers and fruit and we have little green tomatoes everywhere. I took some pictures at the beginning of the month of the garden but never got around to posting them. I took a few more this week. Check out the difference a month makes. Here is a picture of the before and after of our squash patch (aka the pit): Here is a picture of our tomatoes and greens. We had to make our own tomato cages. They actually turned out pretty well considering we made them out of a huge piece of bamboo that we found and broke into pieces:

Money does not grow on trees....but food sure does!

2009-06-21T14:19:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to report that the raspberry bushes around my house are starting to produce berries. One of the main reasons that I liked the idea of renting my house was all the berry bushes. (We also have blueberries.) I moved in last fall so I did not get to see the raspberries in their full glory. I am so excited to have some cooking adventures this year with all our berries. Does anyone know any recipes that I need to try?

What Should I Wear?

2009-06-20T23:08:00.001-07:00

Well it is official, I might have to change my position on dresses. Generally, I would not call myself a dress person. I like skirts because they seem more versatile and casual. My feelings are changing because recently I have had some very lovely dresses come into my life. One was a gift, one was found at a clothing exchange and one was found in a free box. Look how amazing they are. These are all fabulous vintage dresses and I can not believe that anyone would want to give them away. I suppose their loss is my gain. You will not hear any complaints from me.

Crafternoon: The Armor Edition

2009-06-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Well it is summer time and that means that there are kids everywhere looking for something to do. As part of my effort to curb the boredom, I was participated in my first Crafternoon this week.
My friend, Anne, and I (with the help of Clay) planned to make armor. I found some vinyl that I cut into breast plates and then clay decorated the armor with a bunch of fixin's that I found at Scrap. He made a crest for the front incorporating some crayfish which should make his family in New Orleans proud. The placement of spikes on the back should make any foes shake in their boots. You do not want to mess with this man, he is one dangerous dude.

Finally, Clay added a fencing mask to his look. Personally, I like the addition because it just takes the whole outfit to the next level. Clay is a man who knows how to accessorize.
Our next Crafternoon plan is to redecorate Clay's bike helmet so that it reflects his current fierce style. No more little kid cutesy for him.

I challenge you to find a kid in your life and start your own crafternoon projects. The options are endless.

Interview for Try Handmade

2009-06-12T00:23:00.000-07:00

I was very excited to be asked for an interview by the blog, Try Handmade. It is a really nice site that focuses on some of the cool stuff that crafters are doing.

Last time I was checking out the blog, I noticed that they had also featured my friend Britta's sister, Kirsten. They mentioned her company, Anabelfuzz, in an article featuring artisans from Maine. She makes super cute clothing and bonnets for children. Talk about a small world. If you have time check it out.

Crafty Wonderland

2009-06-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

I am going to one of the vendors at Crafty Wonderland this Sunday at the Doug Fir from 11-4. This is my first time at Crafty Wonderland and I am totally excited. Currently, my life revolves around prepping for this event. If you have time, come out and see all the wares for sale. You can go to Crafty Wonderland's website to see all the other vendors who will be there. Come and shop till you drop.

Last Thursday....a few days later.

2009-06-01T14:24:00.000-07:00

I thought I would post some of the photos I took of my Last Thursday adventure. For those of you who are not from Portland, Last Thursday is a monthly event with food, street performers, craft vendors and artists who set up all along Alberta Street. They close of the street for a night so everyone can roam and enjoy all the activities. I got some pictures of March Forth Marching Band playing on the street and some stilt walkers performing. I was lucky enough to be able to just sit back in my booth and watch all the different street performers as they went by me.

A bunch of my friends set up tables next to each other to sell our various wares. I had my normal felt food and pouches. Bece and Cory both had some of their creations near my table.

Kylie (Trilliumbrella) was selling some of her paintings. Check out the tall white painting behind her. It was totally amazing. I was totally tempted to buy that one myself. Angie was selling her jewelry and feather head pieces.Unfortunately this picture does not show off her jewerly very well so check out her stuff at her web page, ASA custom jewelry. This picture also captured one of the unusual moments when I am holding a cell phone. This only happens a few times a year so enjoy this rare sight.

Bece got to perform the saw on one of the main stages. The backdrop was this amazing old bus.

Last Thursday!!!!

2009-05-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am going to try (for the first time) to have a table at Last Thursday. I will be selling my felt food and coin purses. Aside from me, Bece is going to be nearby playing her saw. Angie will be selling her lovely jewelry and Cory made some fabulous collage art pieces.

I am hoping to be set up between 19th and 20th on Alberta. Come and check us all out.

Talented People: Cory McMahon

2009-05-25T23:53:00.000-07:00

I am glad to have the opportunity to show off some of the artwork made by my roommate Cory. I have included pictures of a number of pieces that I really like. She creates these really great paintings with watercolors and transfers on wood. Lately, she has been working with images of buildings and bridges that have an industrial feel. One of her most recent painting (on the left) has an amazing transfer of a building. I think that it turned out just great. (Good job Cory!!)

Since I always love small paintings, I have also included a picture of one of her mini collage pieces. I like these piece because vintage image and the use of lace. No surprise there, I love all things pre-1950 and sewing related.

The Gardening Adventure

2009-05-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of the current economy and general resourcefulness, my house has decided to plant a garden. Unfortunately the areas around my house are really shady and not so great for vegetable gardening. We were lucky enough to have a neighbor offer us his back lot. We were quite excited about this because it was a big space that gets lots of good sunlight.

Once we started prepping the area we discovered that part of the lot was pit covered with a big debris pile. This is when the sifting really began. It felt like we were part of an archeological dig chronicling the last five years worth of yard work. This is the amount of sticks and old yard debris that we pulled out of the pit.

Finally we got most of the debris out of the pit and began to till. The most amazing part of the tilling process was when two yellow rain boots shot out of the soil when the tiller got near them. Who knows how long they were buried in there but they had a glorious entrance into the sun again. Boop.....Boop.....out they popped like we were in a cartoon.

Now we are ready to start planting. We have tomatoes, squash, chard, beets, onions and all kinds of other fun stuff. I will be excited to give you updates on how the garden grows. Lets cross our fingers that it grows well. I want some delicious veggies this summer.

Free Box the Magazine - Fashion Issue

2009-05-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

As I have mentioned before my roommate has a zine that she makes all about the free stuff that can be found around Portland. Here are the photos of me and my friends around town showing off some of the free clothing that we have acquired. Yes, you heard me correctly... FREE!!!! (Another reason that you have to love Portland.) Let me know what you think of all our different outfits. I particularly like Bece's sweater with the geese on the front. It takes a strong woman to rock that sweater.

Fabulous Fabric Week: The Muumuu

2009-05-08T10:35:00.000-07:00

This fabric is actually a piece of clothing that I tore apart. I think it was either a vintage muumuu or maybe a robe. All of the seams were coming apart but the fabric itself was still in really nice condition. I really love the color combination of purple, blue and green. As a bonus, the fabric has a nice texture due to the raised diamond pattern. I like how the pattern looks like molecules or some kind of futuristic flower. Unfortunately the picture does not really do it justice but it is all I have so it will have to do. You get the idea.

Crafty de Mayo

2009-05-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

For Cinco de Mayo my roommate decided to have a crafting party to make shrines. This was my first time making a shrine. It is a good craft for my house to plan because we have loads of little things sitting around waiting to be to good decorative use. Here are some of the highlights of that adventure. Of course my shrine is more of a scene then a shrine. I like to call it 'Ode to the Summer Barbecue'. I was inspired by a picture I found from the 80's that my grandpa had taken of his barbecuing expertise. I know that most people go crazy decorating shrines but that is just not my style. What can I say? I like things simple. I also have some of the other shrines made at the party. I love how all of our personalities come out in our creations. What personality characteristics do you see in these shrines?

Fabulous Fabric Week: Retro Turtles Wearing Ties

2009-05-07T09:59:00.001-07:00

What can I say. I am a sucker for cute things. I just can not help it. This fabric is a retro print of turtles with a polka dot shell wearing a necktie. Yes, these are turtles are all business. Did I mention that it is printed on corduroy? Corduroy in my opinion is one of the cutest fabric out there. It just screams to be made into a little jumper. Sadly I have no need for a child's size jumper and I am not sure that I am bold enough to make a jumper for myself. I have (for now) resigned myself to using this fabric to make bags. Maybe I will be lucky and soon someone will come to me in desperate need of a jumper. One can only hope.

Fabulous Fabric Week: A Delicate Bird

2009-05-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

I have been seeing birds everywhere for the last year. Personally, I am getting a little tired of them because I really hate overkill. Having said that, I think that this is a super sweet fabric. Since this is one of the few bird focused fabrics that I own, I do not feel bad about showing it off. This is actually a curtain so the material is very thin and gauze-like. Unfortunately there are sections that are a little faded but a lot of the pattern is still really nice. This is another fabric that I am saving for a great project. If anyone has any ideas about something I should make with this fabric, I am all ears.

Fabulous Fabric Week: Vintage Babies

2009-05-05T10:19:00.000-07:00

I saw this print and I just had to have it. I do not think that it is possible to find a fabric that is more cute. There is a baby holding a squirrel for goodness' sake. You can not get any cuter then that. I really do not have any plans for this fabric yet. Next time someone that I know gets pregnant, I am sure that I will come up with an idea. In the meantime, I will just look at it and smile.

Fabulous Fabric Week: A Modern Floral

2009-05-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

I have decided that this week I want to show off some of the great fabric that I have found during my searches. Since I only use second hand fabrics, I always get super excited about some of the great stuff I find. Today I want to show you one of my all time favorite prints. I found this print at SCRAP. I love the modern floral print and the color combination. Sadly there was only about a yard of material so I have to be selective about how I use it. I made a bag with it that I posted for sale on Etsy. It sold in one day all because of the power of an amazing print.
I only have a little bit of the fabric left and my sister, Lindsay, has requested that I make her a bag with it. She is lucky that she is my sister or I probably would have said no and kept it for myself. Since I do like her a lot I am willing to part with the fabric but with a small tear in my eye.

Young love and Free Stuff.

2009-05-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say thank you to all the people who came and shopped at my booth during the Arleta Craft Fair. It was a really great turn out and I met a bunch of really nice people. I want to give an extra special thanks to the little boy who came back to my booth a dozen times just so he could tell me how much he liked my food. He totally made my night. It was my first experience with a felt food crush.

Also if there are any mom's out there who want to try to win some free stuff for their baby, check out Almost Frugal. They are having a free giveaway for Mother's day including one of my coin purses. All you have to do is commenting on the post and you are entered win.

Support Our Schools: Arleta Craft Fair!!!!

2009-04-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

On friday, I will have a booth at the Arleta Craft Fair. 20% of the proceeds go to support Arleta Elementary School. If you are in the neighborhood, come check it out.

SCRAP Happy

2009-04-22T10:33:00.000-07:00

I am excited to report that I just got a new job. It is at SCRAP (the School and Community Reuse Action Project). It is a super awesome non-profit that collects art supplies and office materials that would have gone into the landfill and makes them available to teachers, artists and the general community. I will be working in the store where you can find all of the fabulous goodies at a fraction of the price you would pay for new supplies. There is all your normal art supplies like paints, mat board, fabric, markers and paper (to name a few) but also random cool stuff like violin cases, fencing masks, and holographic sheets. Anything that could be used in an art project. I have been volunteering at SCRAP for about 2 years and so I am really excited to now be part of the staff. SCRAP includes everything I love; art supplies, cheap stuff, and reducing waste. I am one happy girl.
If you live in the Portland area, you should check it out on:
2915 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
We are open Weds 11-7, Thurs-Sat 11-6 and Sun 11-5

SCRAP was just featured on KATU our local news station if you want to check it out click on the picture below.

Talented People: Liz Flint-Sommerville

2009-04-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

Do you ever have moments when you realize just how awesome your friends are and can not help but be a little proud? Liz is one of those people that I am proud to have as a friend. Liz is a super creative person. Her tofu nightlights have already been featured on this site. She makes crazy vegan concoctions that taste great (and I am not one to get too excited about vegan fare). But most important, she is a poet. I really wanted to showcase all kinds of talents so I asked Liz to give me one of her favorite poems that she has written.

A Needle Longer Than An Egg
for Tasha

She carries the egg tree
in a padded box in her brain,
like whale migration routes,
so we scavenge twigs
from the gravel
of the small playground
in a corner of the graveyard,
then rest in the basket swing
and find a sliding view
of beautiful yellow clouds,
and the feel
of the wide, crossed sea.

The eggs have a different name here
but the same, comforting shape,
she blows them clean as a new life,
the assemblage a ritual
solid at the center
of her spiraling snail-shell,
they’re light as mist now
and we wrap them in paint and ink,
she slides the thread
through the needle longer
than the egg,
ties a knot.

Suspended from twig fingers
the shells hum with air
while the sticks reach the glass bottom
of a repurposed decanter
like an anchor finds sand,
we are the circle of candlelight
at the table,
the bells beyond the window
swallowing the still night air,
the solid shell of the sea turtle
propelling strongly through the sea.

Tofu Containers: the endless possibilties

2009-04-07T19:10:00.000-07:00

In an earlier post, I mentioned my friend, Liz, who was always looking for uses for her tofu containers. One of the things that she makes are tofu nightlights. I asked her for permission to show off her creation so here they are. She laminates her drawings and attaches them to the tofu container. A light is added though a hole cut into the bottom. Much more interesting then those store bought nightlights.

Pretty Posies

2009-04-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

Right now the weather here in Portland is beautiful. 70s and sunny. In a few minutes, I am going to ride my bike to Laurelhurst park so I can sew in the great outdoors instead of my house. Before I left I thought that I would post some pictures have I have been snapping around town of all the spring finery.

Recommendation: POTATO CHAMPION

2009-03-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that I love potatoes. (ok....carbs in general) This is why I am so pleased that Potato Champion is in my neighborhood. Potato Champion is a late night food cart that sells Belgian style fries on the corner of 12th and Hawthorne. Not only are they perfectly salted pieces of deliciousness but there is a whole list of dipping sauces to choose from as well. My favorite being the pesto mayo. The cart is only open weds-sat from 8pm-3am but well worth the late night jaunt. Man, I really wish they were open right now, I could totally go for some fries.

Felt Food in Action

2009-03-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

I am excited to report that my food has been mentioned on a blog other then mine. My roommate Cory gave some of my food away as a gift and it seems to be a big hit. That makes me want to do a happy little dance but I will hold back. I get weird looks when I do my happy little dance.

Check out the post by clicking on the picture or check out the whole blog at The Handmade Experiment
(I hope Emily does not mind that I used her picture. It was so cute that I could not resist)

Recycling Raid- Tofu Container Storage

2009-03-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

Storage is the bane of my existence. I have a lot of stuff and not a lot of furniture. For example, I use 2 TV trays as a computer desk. This works fine except for the very limited desktop space. The little space that I have is usually covered with pens, scissors, rulers, pin cushions..... I needed a solution fast. Since I am a firm believer in using what you have before buying something new, I decided to raid our recycling bin for some inspiration. This is what I found; some tofu and take out containers.

I have a friend who used to be really into finding uses for tofu containers. She hated to throw them away but they would pile up while waiting to go to the recycling center. This must have been in the back of my mind because I was instantly drawn to the tofu containers. I thought that they would be great for wall storage. I cut off part of the tofu containers and sewed it to a piece of the take out container plastic (cut to be a little larger then the tofu container). Then I punched some holes in the top and slapped on some old recycling stickers for decoration. This is how it turned out. Not too bad if I do say so myself. Plus it was totally free...I did not even buy the original tofu.

Recommendation: ZOMBIES

2009-03-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am a person who makes toys and loves colorful (almost sickly perky) fabrics who also enjoys a good zombie flick. I am not super hard core about it, searching out all things zombie, but I would say I enjoy zombie related things more then the average person. I think that my love is mostly due to the fact that I like survival scenarios. Survival scenarios with zombies are extra lovely because on top of trying to find food and shelter, there are zombies chasing after you trying to eat your brain. It just adds that little bit of spice to the mix. Here are some zombie recommendations:

1. Shaun of the Dead.
This movie is just plain hilarious and calls itself a romantic comedy with zombies. Dry British humor taking on the topic of zombies, you can't go wrong. It can be enjoyed by even the most zombie skeptical viewer.

2. World War Z.
This book tells the history of the zombie uprising and the war that later ensued. Zombies mixed with world politics make for a highly entertaining story. (Right up my alley.) What would the world react if disaster struck? The book on CD was really good, lots of good readers like Henry Rollins and Alan Alda.

3. 28 Days Later
There are no slow moving zombies in this movie. It is action packed and in truth made me jump a number of times when I first saw it. If you woke up alone in a hospital in a world taken over by zombies, what would you do? If you can not handle some gore and violence then is might not be the movie for you.

Furnishing Your Home with Freedom

2009-03-15T09:42:00.000-07:00

I live in a house full of people who love free stuff. Luckily, we live in portland where free stuff can be found everywhere and by this I mean on the side of the road in boxes or bags marked with the word "Free". To celebrate this, my house (ok, mostly Bece) has decided to make our own zine called Free Box the Magazine. Our first issue can currently be found for free in free boxes around town. Some of the things we discuss include free box ettiquette, great finds, and where to go for the good stuff. The next issue will be our fashion issue and I have actually been talked into doing some of the modeling. I let you know when the new issue hits the streets.

Spring is here....and it is not raining!!!!

2009-03-04T13:08:00.000-08:00

The weather here has been so nice the last couple days that I have been neglecting my computer for the sunshine. Soon it will start raining again and I will return to crafting and posting but for now that will have to wait. Here is a picture that I took today in my backyard of our willow tree's swelling buds. Soon we will have glorious greenery. I can't wait.

Gnome more plain Jane

2009-02-22T09:36:00.000-08:00

I finally got a picture of the felt beard that I made my sister Lindsay for Christmas. Personally I do not know if there is anything else in the world that makes a girl look sexy like a little gray beard.

Tender Loving Empire

2009-02-18T15:15:00.000-08:00

I am excited to report that my felt food is being sold in a store in Portland, Tender Loving Empire. It is a small shop in one of the active spaces between the Pearl and the 21st/23rd area of NW. (corner of NW 18th and Lovejoy) They have a lot of interesting stuff going on that you can check out that their web page: www.tenderlovingempire.com. I personally recommend going and checking out the store.....and buy some felt food while your at it.

Stick out that pinky when you sip!

2009-02-11T21:55:00.000-08:00

Last night I decided to work on making some little tea bags for all the little girls (or boys) out there who are just dying to throw a tea party. My friend Anne had mentioned that she had seen some super cute felt tea bags on Etsy and thought I should try to make some. I agreed that it was an excellent idea. My roommate said that she liked the idea of a see-through bag and I totally agreed with her. Half of the fun is in the little green leaves. What kind of person would I be if I denied them their moment to shine? This what I came up with.

What do you want on your sandwich?

2009-02-07T10:14:00.000-08:00

I will admit it, I was a complete slacker during the entire month of January. Now that it is a new month it is time to get down to business. So far this month,I have been working on a felt food deli platter or basically fixin's for various sandwiches. When trying to decide that to make, I ran into a small snag. Turkey is a whitish circle. Provolone cheese is a whitish circle. It is like I am being attacked by nondescript whitish circles. They are sandwich basics but how do I differentiate between them? At least Swiss cheese has holes so there is no confusion. I suppose I could make the turkey another shape but I am not sure what shape. If anyone has ideas I would love to hear them. In the meantime, I am off to make some bacon and tomatoes for BLTs.

Mac and Cheese with Sundried Tomato Pesto

2009-01-29T15:21:00.001-08:00

I wanted to share some of my food concoctions but you will have to be patient because I usually wing the measurements.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp butter
flour or cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (Milk can be used as a substitute but the sauce will not be as thick)
2-4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper
16 oz box of pasta, penne or fusilli
Sundried tomato pesto (from trader joe's) (optional)

1. Boil 2/3 of the box of pasta (about 12 oz) until al dente then drain.
2. While pasta is boiling, melt butter in a sauce pan on medium heat. Once butter is melted mix in a small spoonful of flour or corn starch to thicken.
3. Pour in the cup of cream. Add worchestershire sauce. Stir with whisk to mix together.
4. Add in the cheese. I suggest tasting as you go so you know when you reach your cheesiness level. Salt and pepper to taste. Stir sauce and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once you have reached a boil remove from heat.
5. The last step is to add in some pesto to spice it up. Really you can pick any type of pesto that you like. I really like Trader Joe's sundried tomato pesto and it saves me the time of making the pesto myself. I just take a large spoon full of pesto and mix it into the cheese sauce. Then pour the sauce over the noodles, mix it all together and you are ready to eat. If you just want plain mac and cheese, skip the pesto step.

Happy Chinese New Year - Where's the grub?

2009-01-27T21:08:00.000-08:00

My house decided to have a little chinese new year feast. Ok, really it was all Bece's idea and she did almost all the work. The rest of us did put together the dumplings and I suppose that's something. Bece also made some lotus root which was really tasty. I will have to remember to ask her for the recipe so that I can post it on here. We also had some sugar candy for dessert. They were pressed blocks of sugar that were so hard that by biting them you risked chipping a tooth. (There is no sweet tooth present in my mouth so I did not even try them. My teeth thanked me.) It was a delicious meal.

Homemade Sewing Box

2009-01-25T10:34:00.000-08:00

My mom asked for a small sewing box of Christmas. Since I like to make projects out of as much reused materials as possible, I started searching for a box. I found an old floppy disk box at SCRAP that seemed to be just right. Of course a floppy disk box is not all that attractive so I decided to cover the lid with some cute fabric that I padded so it could also be used as a pin cushion.
I also lined the inside with fabric to hide more of the plastic box. All that was left was to throw in all the fixings; the pins, thread and such. I think that it turned out really nice.

Amazing Maelstrom Show

2009-01-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

Amazing Maelstrom playing this Thursday, Jan 15th at 9:00 at the Mississippi Pizza Pub on 3552 N. Mississippi Ave.

I just wanted to let you know that Bece will be playing the musical saw with her band, Amazing Maelstrom tomorrow night. There will be two other bands, Papa Coyote and the Zydeco Ragamuffins, also performing. Bece is just playing for a few songs but the night should be filled with fun music so you should go check it out.

Talented People: Bece Kidder, woman with a saw

2009-01-10T15:25:00.000-08:00

I am very proud to say that I have some extremely talented friends. I really excited to use my blog to showcase some of their talents. I thought that I would start close to home with my roommates. The first installment is the musical adventures of my roommate Bece. Her band is the Amazing Maelstrom. Bece is a woman of many interesting and odd talents, one of these talents is that she plays the saw. Yes, you read that correctly, she plays the saw. How cool is that? She can be seen around Portland playing with her band mate (who plays the accordion). They are frequently out during first and last Thursday when Portland has open galleries around town. I am extra lucky because I get to be part of special performances like a holiday party sing-a-long with her playing her saw. Next time that she has a gig, I will make sure to post it if anyone is interested in seeing her. Also, if you have a chance, check out some of her photography at www.jpgmag.com/people/FemmeSole

Recommendation: KEN'S ARTISAN PIZZA

2009-01-09T19:53:00.000-08:00

I would not call myself a crazy pizza lover. I like pizza but it is not my favorite. Having said that, I really love Ken's artisan pizza. For anyone with a hunger for pizza in the Portland area, this is the place to go. Ken's pizza is baked in a brick oven so the thin crust is amazing. This is not a mix and match your own toppings kind of place but you should be able to find something on the menu that you like. Go check it out at on SE 28th and Pine. Go early because you will probably have to wait.

Correction- A Bearded Blunder

2009-01-06T22:38:00.000-08:00

Liz would like to clarify that she is a captain of industry not a civil war solider. I apologize Liz for incorrectly labeling you. I forgot you were part of the make money not war crowd.

You, sir, are not a Gentleman!

2009-01-06T21:47:00.000-08:00

At a craft fair during the holidays, I saw someone selling fake beards made out of felt. I thought my sister would like one to add to her mustache collection but they were super pricey and I figured that I could just make one myself which I did. Unfortunately, I do not have a picture of Lindsay in her beard (It makes her look like a super hot gnome) Since, Lindsay's beard turned out so well I also made a couple more as gifts for my friends Liz and Bryce. For them, I decided to explore some different types of beards. For some reason the 19th century was calling to me. This is how they turned out. I do not want to toot my own horn but I am pretty sure they would fit right in at a civil war reenactment. Mission accomplished!

Can Kitsch be beautiful? Of course, it can.

2009-01-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

As a homage to crafts of days gone by, I have a collection of embroidered wall hangings from the 60s and 70s. For Christmas, my sister found two more for my collection. Not only do they have lovely embroidery patterns but the gold frames push them over the edge to a whole new level of kitsch.
I also received this embroidery from my friend Liz. She found the pattern and did all the embroidery herself. I think it is amazing. It is the only one in my collection that was created for me.

Recommendation: MARTY

2008-12-31T15:15:00.000-08:00

I have decided that I am going to try and post a weekly recommendation of things that I want people to know about. My first installment is the movie, Marty. This is a great flick from the mid 50s about an unglamorous single guy trying to find his way. It is about being lonely and society's pressures when it comes to relationships. An excellent mix of happiness and melancholy. I could tell you all the ways that I love it but really I just want you to watch it. So watch it already!

It is good enough to eat.

2008-12-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

The main project that I have been working on the last few months is felt food. It is totally fun to make and personally I like to make things that are useful like toys. I think that it is a throw back to my desire as a child to own and operate one of those little plastic pretend kitchens. The closest I ever came was little pretend stove top. I did not have a lot of play food so I remember that I ended up using this mini Mr. Potato Head from some fast food kid's meal. The only thing that you could remove was his feet so I had to cook a potato that was smiling at me. I think it left scars. These are some of my favorites: frozen treats, sushi and pigs in a blanket (with tater tots)

With Fabric....the sky's the limit

2008-12-29T18:35:00.000-08:00

I think that it is about time that I start talking crafts since that is the whole point of this blog. For now I am going to talk about some of my creations but in the future I would also like to include the work of some of my friends who do some amazing art. I have a business called Pickle Things. Mostly I make things out of fabric or felt. A lot of what I sell is bags, coin purses, games and play food. I use 100% second-hand materials. I like to give materials a new life. You should check out my Etsy site to see some of my stuff. www.picklethings.etsy.com or click on the link over to the side. Lately, I am really into making wall hangings. I have just made them as gifts but maybe I will try to sell them in the future. I think of them as fabric collage. For example I found this vintage towel with really cool owl images.
My roommate really likes birds so for her birthday I used one of the images to make her a wall hanging.
It is really easy to make. I am hoping to post tutorials soon so I will take pictures of the process next time in case someone is interested.

I moved to portland to get away from the snow

2008-12-27T17:14:00.001-08:00

I am happy to report that after almost 2 weeks of living in a winter wonderland, the snow is finally melting. I know that many people deal with snow all the time but this city (Portland OR) is not prepared for snow. No one shovels their walks, many streets are not plowed and most businesses shut down. A big pain to say the least. It was nice to get out in the world today without having snow filled shoes (I do not own snow gear anymore), waiting forever for a bus, or digging out my car. It was not even worth thinking about biking. Now that the ordeal is over I will try to remember it fondly. These are some pictures that my roommate Bece took of Portland covered in snow. I particularly like the snow buddha at the temple near my house.

What have I gotten myself into?

2008-12-26T19:47:00.000-08:00

Now, I have gone and done it. I started a blog. I am not so sure how this is going to work out. In truth I don't know that my life is interesting enough to warrant a blog but I suppose time will tell. If you happen to stumble upon this, I hope I do not bore you too much. Once I get this set up, I will try to post something interesting. Probably it will mostly be about crafts but I will throw in some other stuff to try to spice it up. Until next time......