Showing posts with label rikkitikkitavi. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rikkitikkitavi. Show all posts

Sunday, June 12, 2011

This has been me


A wooden artist model used to reside on my closet shelf where he held bracelets until stuff was relocated while the closet was painted.
There he sat on the hall bath vanity for months as the project dragged on and on.
And one day, I noticed a change in posture.
Pretty sure my wisenheimer sister Rikki Tikki Tavi adjusted him to be funny but it was a reminder to me to get my finger outta my ass and get goin' on my much-too-long project.

Here's hoping YOU won't need a wooden digit in your backdoor to come back and check my progress.
New stuff tomorrow!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Crazy cute Crocs


My mom has opined ugly parents often produce beautiful spawn.
And here's an example and perhaps proof of her hypothesis.

God awful 80's jewelry parts from my jewelry cemetery + plastic Croc shoes. Those giant shiny bits are from Dawn's People Give Me Stuff largesse.


Mix together and imagine the worst but smile at the crazy cute combination.


Yes, as I've said before, almost everything can be helped with a little plaid ribbon.

Enjoy your cute shoes, little girl grown ass lady RikkiTikkiTavi!

Monday, July 12, 2010

& Pinwheels for free


Not content to stop with recycled soft drink bottle flowers, I cut up a dog food bag and made pinwheels.
(I was inspired by a forgotten blogger's scrapbook paper pinwheels but hellfire, I cannot remember/find the post. If you've seen it, please let me know so I can give credit.)

Dog or cat food bag, heavy duty plastic

Scissors

Paper fastener brads

Hole punch

String or wire

Cut a square of any size.

(Too large squares result in floppy pinwheels.)



Fold a corner over to determine center.

Mark it or eyeball it. Punch a hole in it.



From a corner toward the center,
make a cut,
leaving a 1/4" or so between the cut and the hole.
Repeat so you have 4 cuts.

Folding the corners toward the center
results in petal-shaped pieces.



Punch a hole in each corner.
From the bottom of one corner,
push a brad into the hole and
fold over toward the center hole.

Repeat, adding the remaining three sections
before pushing brad through center hole.



Secure brad by folding out the "wings".


Punch a hole in top "petal" and hang from string.

Watch the pinwheels flutter in the breeze.

~ OR ~

Wrap light weight floral wire around
brad wings on back for
continuous garland and add more pinwheels.

Cheap and easy, just like your ma!

Light saber t-shirts

Rikki Tikki Tavi gave me a few new T-shirts to embellish for the brat nephews. Knowing they are way into Star Wars these days,

  • I found a super easy tutorial for drawing light sabers HERE at DragoArt.
  • Traced the light beam onto a smaller paper backed piece of WonderUnder
  • Ironed the WonderUnder to reverse side of green cotton and yellow silk fabric scraps.
  • Traced light saber hilt separately onto that cool reflective fabric sample from Ernest.
  • Ironed fusible to fabrics.
  • Carefully trimmed fabric, using the previously traced lines.
  • Peeled off paper backing from fused fabric.
  • Ironed the 2 part light saber to shirts.
  • Machine stitched the light saber beam in matching thread.
  • Also on sewing machine, outlined the saber hilt with black thread for a subtle detail.



Heck, at this point,
I'm just hoping
the light sabers aren't
mistaken for dildoes.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Restringing the broken


Rikki Tikki Tavi broke her favorite string of beads and lost a few. I took her sick, her tired, her broken and restrung with a few added beads and added a silver pendant we glommed off Mom. Easy, I tell ya!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Scarab sounds better than dung beetle


Baby sis Rikki Tikki Tavi and I organized her closet last weekend and our favorite activity was rooting through her jewelry. We found her long forgotten gold scarab memento from the 1977 touring King Tut exhibit while at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Rikki is not fan of gold so I strung it with white beads and pearls for a quick revamp. I think it looks cool but not sure she's sold on it . . . thinking a fancy gold dung beetle is in my future.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Introducing the Lightning Boys



The brat nephews gave away Super Hero capes at the eldest's themed birthday party last month and their mom Rikki Tikki Tavi bought just enough black fabric for two capes for them. They like Star Wars, Super Heroes and Harry Potter so the color black is key.

Did they want to add some of the way cool reflective silvery gray fabric sample that Ernest sent me? They liked the reflective sheen and one brat suggested a lightning symbol. Because they seem to have opinions on everything (wonder where that came from?), I even asked their thread preference. Would you think a 7 year would even care? Surprise. AND it was the correct decision. The gray thread does "disappear", just like he said it would.


Friday, January 29, 2010

Baby onesie ideas

Just found a sheet of paper with lots of funny baby onesies ideas that lil' sis Rikki Tikki Tavi and I listed.
Feel free to stitch, stencil or embroider our smart assery.

I'm not a girl

I'm not a boy

I'll eat anything off the floor

I can't read

I'd rather be a monkey

Food in, poop out

I'm the boss of you

They shake me

I have no neck

My parents are breeders

I can ruin a plane trip

Don't talk to me like I'm a baby

Ceiling fans are cool

Hippies stink

Check out my baby onesie creations

Monday, January 18, 2010

Caped brats


Baby sister Rikki Tikki Tavi and I made 20 small capes for Walter's Super Heroes themed birthday party this weekend. Super cheap fabric from WalMart, serged edges and leftover ribbon sewn at corners.
Rikki hates sewing and such so was probably surprised when I asked her to serge while I sewed ribbons. Pretty sure she hated it but she is a Super Mom thus, she suffered for the enjoyment of the invited Super Heroes.

Did I mention we made TWENTY? There is a certain freedom in making something super fast. You cannot entertain goals of super detailed finishing. Heck, this fabric would MELT if ironed!
However, I must point out the "leftover" ribbon. How many kid's capes include pretty Neiman Marcus gift ribbon?



Rikki found only 1 yard of black fabric so reserved that for later sewing because her brats are into Star Wars and she thought they would want it for whatever character wears black capes. (I am the only person in America that has never watched a Star Wars movie.) I asked Gregory if he would like a black cape for Star Wars play. Yes. Last month, he shunned sewn capes. Do you want me to put a "G" on it for Gregory? No. Plain. Just black.
It made me laugh because he sounded just like me. Not a fan of embellishment. Love plain. Love simple.

Saturday, January 2, 2010

The caped recycler

Yesterday my sis Rikki Tikki Tavi told me that her youngest brat boy Gregory was running around the house in a super hero cape he made from a newspaper page. Clever, right?
Later, I asked him if he would like me to sew him a cape.
"No, I already have a black and white one."
"Let me guess? Newspaper?"
"Yes."
"But would you like a fabric cape?"
"No, I like the one I made."

Really glad I asked first.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Skirt from scraps

Last May, Chrysanthemum and I did another skirt marathon with summer fabrics. She graciously left behind her fabric scraps and I found there was juuuuuust enough of the sheer paisley print for a shorter skirt for sister RikkiTikkiTavi. Happily, Ernest sent me a box of varied fabrics last month and this cool purple is perfect for an under layer.

Over the weekend, I ignored overdue tasks in the house and used every shortcut I could think of to sew this skirt.

Shortcuts:

  • Used RikkiTikkiTavi's favorite skirt as a pattern

  • Serged the sheer fabric side seams

  • Serged the purple underlay side seams and hem

  • Joined sheer and purple layers at the top with foldover elastic

  • Straight stitched the purple hem

  • DID NOT hem the sheer layer but left the raw and cool looking selvage edge.

Complete and really cute! Another FREE skirt!


Hope to have a photo of Rik in skirt soon.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Sewing lesson from Rikki Tikki Tavi

My mom can sew anything and made practically everything for my sis Rikki Tikki Tavi and me. Cute little girl dresses, dance recital costumes, Halloween costumes, cheerleader uniforms, formal gowns, you name it. Suffice to say, Rikki Tikki Tavi and I spent a good deal of our childhood time in fabric stores. I still love a fabric store. Rikki Tikki Tavi, not so much. She gets the monkey nerves, itching and scratching her skin and eyeing the closest exit.

About 10 years ago, I requested and received a sewing machine from my mom as a Christmas gift. Pillows and simple curtains were my goal. I had no idea that I would get past straight lines and box shapes.

So when mom and I discuss sewing techniques in Rikki Tikki Tavi's company, I can sense her disinterest and restlessness. Having enough of our conversation, she finally asked, "What's the big deal? How hard can sewing be? I know how to sew!"

"You do?" I had no idea.

"Sure, I made Barbie clothes. Everything is made the same exact way. Shirts, skirts, pillows. It's easy. Sew, sew, turn inside out." She stared back at us.

Mom agreed. "She's right. That's pretty much it."

Rikki Tikki Tavi shut down the conversation and now when we catch ourselves boring her again, we repeat the mantra.

Sew.

Sew.

Turn inside out.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

I talk a good game but

in the end, I am a wuss.
Back when I didn't know how to sew anything but straight lines, folks were wanting to bring over their pants for hemming. (I still don't hem my own pants because I don't want to "learn" on my stuff and ruin them!) It was easy to tell folks I didn't know how to sew their stuff but meanwhile, I was plying all my friends with my latest sewing projects. Plastic bag dispensers, tote bags, pillows, tissue cozies - you name it.
It finally became clear what that Victorian lady meant when she said ladies shouldn't reveal if they can sew. I get it now. I made the rule that if you want me to sew for you, then be prepared to sit right alongside of me and keep me company. That rule has not been followed and it is all my fault because I have no concept of how long a sewing task will take.
Elizabeth's valances, Kay's curtains and RikkiTikkiTavi's red tulle tutu - my big mouth volunteered to help and then later, sitting all by myself in the Skitzo Leezra Studio, I wonder why I get myself into these messes.
Take a big old gander at the latest mess I landed in. I offered to sew pillowcases for my volunteer organization's committee that provides items to foster children. Easy, right? Fold over one long side, sew 2 seams, fold under and top stitch the open edge.
Prototype delivered. Committee approved. Materials purchased.
Look what I found on my front porch last week.


Saturday, May 30, 2009

Cute cotton skirt for the sister


Other than a well placed crotch air conditioning vent in your vehicle, there is nothing cooler than wearing a skirt in the summer.

Please to enjoy, a skirt made for my sister RikkiTikkiTavi with drawstring waist and serger produced rolled edge hem. I made one for me too!

Friday, May 29, 2009

Skirts for days and days



Chrysanthemum visited last week and we made 17 skirts by the time she left.
7 for her,
4 for me,
4 for sis RikkiTikkiTavi and
2 for Kay.
2 sewing machines,
1 serger and
2 visits to the fabric store.

Chrysanthemum was in charge of cutting and although she cut out 4 different sizes for 4 different chicks, she did each one perfectly. It's a gift, I tell ya!


Chrysanthemum is a big fan of using
drapery and upholstery fabric for skirts. You like? Skirts above are hers, photographed before she packed and left. (More to come.)

See the purple paisley sheer? $1.50 a yard from WalMart with fold-over elastic waist.

She laughed at me because, after finishing each skirt, I would exclaim "this is my favorite!" Each and every one of 'em.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Robot on your shirt


Nephew Walter drew a robot and I thought it was the cutest thing ever, which inspired me to stitch in on a T-shirt. Taped his drawing onto a light box and traced with fabric transfer pen.

Ironed on and embroidered.

Oh, update: Walter's little brother Gregory asked where his shirt was. Oops. Draw something and I'll stitch it, I promised him. Later that day, Walter told his mom that he drew an image for Gregory's shirt. His mom RikkiTikkiTavi told him that indeed, Gregory should draw something for his own shirt but asked to see the Walter's artwork. Walter proudly displayed a rendering of a unicorn. She said it was nice but unicorns are usually seen on girl's shirts. Walter smiled broadly. A smartass at 6 years old, he makes me proud, I tell ya. Sniff.