[ ✄ ] Holiday Decorations

I'm not big on holiday decorations but this year I decided to make some fabric pumpkins for Thanksgiving after seeing them in an old Martha Stewart magazine. Luckily, I remembered to browse my old magazines before getting on the internet (and inevitably losing many hours) for inspiration. They were really easy to do but still time consuming. Now I understand why people buy decorations that are used only once a year! For most of the stems, I ended up cheating and rolling thin strips of felt, and hot-gluing them. Sooooo much faster.


I also used the holidays as a deadline to make fabric napkins with mitered corners. Another sewing project I would've never completed, had it not been for the need.

For December…



These felt ornaments are made with instructions from the Purl Bee. Purl Bee is always full of great projects, so I often go there before using any other resources on-line. This was also time consuming but not hard. It was a great project to do while catching up on podcasts. Plus, I think I will leave the twig-mobile version for the non-holiday times too. Previously, it looked like this.

Happy Holidays, everyone! ❄

[ ✄ ] Tiny Gifts

Crochet bug has bitten me again, and I made these tiny gifts for my newborn nephew. It cracked me up so much seeing these take form. How silly! But oh so cute


This took me considerably longer.. And lesson learned: read all the directions first! I was following a pattern in a Japanese book and didn't bother translating all the directions. I ended up fudging the neck and shoulder areas a bit. But hey, now I know how to join shoulders!

And, just for kicks ha ha, I made this:

[ ✄ ] Pillows With Zippers

Learning to make pillow covers with zippers has been on my list of New Year resolutions, for several years. But I can finally cross this off this year, dammit. Zippers got nuthin'on me!

We'll see about that.


All in all, it wasn't that bad. If I can do it, you can do it. I learned how to attach both invisible zippers and conventional zippers by studying various tutorials online (see links below). I prefer the look of the invisible zippers. I am really happy with these pillows now. Before you could see the inserts peeking out (because I made them with barely enough fabric sans zippers. Ha!) and now they're nicely packed in and firm. Problem solved.

Even though I was able to manage with the zipper foot that came with my sewing machine, I still got a foot specifically designed to be used with invisible zippers, so I don't have to spend extra time ironing out the zippers. On a side note, if you have Janome HD-1000, don't get the Coats Invisible Zipper Foot kit. It will not fit. I ended up just getting the Janome-brand concealed zipper foot, which worked out pretty well.





Thanks to the writers of the following helpful tutorials on invisible zippers:

• http://www.stitchedincolor.com/2011/01/invisible-zipper-tutorial.html
• http://sewplicity.blogspot.com/2011/04/tutorial-pillow-cover-with-almost.html
• http://sewkatiedid.wordpress.com/2010/04/24/zip-to-your-pillow/

One for "regular" zippers:

• http://www.designsponge.com/2010/03/sewing-101-zippered-throw-pillows.html (don't miss this comment by Mixette)

Okay! Onward! To the next item on my New Year Resolutions list.
Uh, what was it again?

[ ❂ ] Conservatory of Flowers

Several weeks ago, when the weather was unusually warm here in San Francisco, Mr. Lilacmoon and I went to Golden Gate Park and finally visited the Conservatory of Flowers. What a cute little place! Humid, too. :)

I loved the flower details on the floors...

So many different kinds of plants! If you're ever in the area, take a look! Just be sure to walk a lot because Golden Gate Park is HUGE. I never know exactly where I am at that park, or which direction I'm facing. Heh.

Changes

I'm back!

*crickets*

Sorry for the long absence, folks. It must have been a really long absence because even my sister, who's super busy, asked me the other day, "So…what's up with your blog?"

Yeah, what IS up with this blog? Well, for one thing, I'd like to announce that Lilacmoon Studio is no more. It shouldn't come as a surprise to many of you since my activities as a shop owner have been waning for awhile. My Etsy shop is closed indefinitely; my main site will be up until I decide where to take it next. Fear(?) not, my friends. My interests haven't changed. I'll continue taking pictures, doodling on Polaroids, making things with hands, however infrequently. It's just that the name "Lilacmoon Studio" will not apply to them anymore. I'm still going to be around. I just have to sort my thoughts out on the next "why"s and "how"s of my creative endeavors. And when I figure out the "where", I'll announce it right here. Until then, don't go away! ♡

PS: Have you picked up the book Instant Love yet? It's awesome. And I'm in it. In the Resources section. Oh yeah. If you're here via the book, hello and welcome! Sorry for the dust in here!

Week #43

view of Mission Dolores on my walk home

I didn't take many pictures last week, even with the new iPhone. My mind is completely occupied with my upcoming trip to Tokyo and Seoul. So many things to take care of before leaving and so many things to do there!

Serenity now.

Week #42

Big change last week was that I finally got me an iPhone. I'm ridin' the wave of the future, folks! And these are what's being left behind in the dust. (not pictured: Samsung Uproar. Darn, where did I hide it?)


No more "Can I use your iPhone real quick? I wanna instagram" requests to Mr. Lilacmoon. He might be happier than I am right now.

Week #41

I went to see "Poetry in Clay" exhibit at Asian Art Museum:



Translated Vases by Yee Sookyung


These vases by Meekyoung Shin are not made out of clay! Had me fooled. :)

Week #40

This past week I learned that I could be quite emotional about someone I never knew personally. And how I have to work on clarity in my life.

Instead of boring you with my experience with Apple all these years or how Steve Jobs has affected me, I'd like to direct you to: Steve Jobs didn't by Horace Dediu.