Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafts. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Recession Crafts



In which Emily recounts selling crafts at Tight Knit in Troy, and discusses how the economy is effecting her.....and how it doesn't really matter.


With Hands project blog:
http://withhandsny.blogspot.com

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Friday, August 28, 2009

Shannon Gerard


You should check out Shannon Gerard. She illustrates and crochets, and I love her work.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Makeshift band-aid

I cut myself today. With Scissors. Who does that?

Also, whilst procrastinating writing my packet (this ideally would be finished already), I begin to toss around the idea of selling some handmade clothing on Etsy. Maybe I'll make some more tunics. I've got a ton of fabric busting out of chests in my sewing room. But! Would anyone even buy them? Is it worth the 20c listing fee? I just had a few items expire, and since no one buys my stuff anyway, I'm hesitant to re-list. I may just tack all of my stuff to a blanket and hawk my wares on the street. What are the fines for that sort of thing?

Monday, April 6, 2009

It's not so bad being trendy...

Everyone who looks like me is my friend.

I tried to explain art school to a student who asked why I always "dress so exotic." My attempt failed, I think.

This morning students in the class I was subbing for were instructed to find a news article, a current event. Instead of looking in the newspaper like we did back in the day, I was to bring these students to the library to use the computers. One student, reading an article in which "Six Gay Men" were killed, pondered why this was mentioned, and began to engage other students in a discussion about homophobia. He expressed that he would not be friends with a gay male, and asked a female student if she would befriend a gay female. I wanted to engage him by asking him if he refuses to be friends with females that he is not romantically interested in, but the other teacher (TA? Remedial Help?) made him drop it. Not long later, she redirected another girl who was leafing through a dictionary to go on websters.com. This woman and I are inherently opposite in our educational philosophies. C'est la vie.

Second to last period of the day I had a duty in what is known as "short term ISS", which apparently means 1 period. There were no instructions, and there were no students in the room when I showed up.


Slowly, monitors showed up with students and instructions. Apparently, this is where they stick kids waiting to speak to their principal. I had been working on my rug the whole class. More monitors with more students, students whose names I knew. One of these is a small boy with a name in which a "shh" sound is spelled C-H. This boy seems to strive to be a pain in my neck. He asks me if I'm going to put said rug in my house. When I say "I beg your pardon?" because I didn't quite hear him, he says nevermind in such a way that I am aware he was just picking on me. He started asking me about my attire. "Like, who else would even wear that shirt?" he jabs. "No one," I reply "because I made it last night. No one else could possibly own this."

He tells me I don't match, and I try explaining to him that I don't care, it doesn't matter to me, I'm not trying to impress 7th and 8th grade students. I don't subscribe to the [Student's Full Name] School of Fashion. Said student was wearing a white T Shirt and Jeans. BORING. Also, C-H makes the sound chuh, like choo-choo. You can't say anything. (Not that I told him that) Finally I did tell him, "Well, I like it," which was conclusive enough for him, as he shouted "OH NO! DON'T EVEN SAY THAT!"

It is easy for me to not fight with students when I can quickly recognize it as such, but the discussions that lead to fighting.....I've got to work on.

So, yea, I made this tunic last night...

It was super easy, and right now, I'm super into tunics. The trim on this tunic is from a tshirt I cut up to use in my rug. I otherwise discard the hems, cuffs, and collars because they are too thick to use in cutting threading and knotting. However, like the native americans, I like to use every bit of a thing.

And you know what that sack of bananas means...

or do you need another hint?


Therefore, you should really come learn to embroider tomorrow. Thanks.

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Young Life

I'm planning my camp schedule for a private school I used to teach Spanish at. They've asked me to lead their April break camp, which I really appreciate, because at this point, trying to pay my bills and save for my road trip, I can't afford to take another non-paid (forced) vacation.

When I asked what sort of structure or schedule I should have for the day, the director mentioned 1 cooking and two arts/crafts activities a day. She gave me a rundown of a typical schedule from the time they arrive (7:30) until the time everyone goes home (5:45), and in it were two different sections of recess. Feeling that some of this time should probably be more structured, I started trying to remember all of the mixers and skits we used to do in Young Life, both when I attended as a high school student, and when I served as a leader. I found this website, along with a document filled with great things. Reading through, I really started to miss it. Just the little things, and then on to the bigger picture.

I should go back and be a leader again. Someday. Not necessarily someday soon.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Renegade Craft Fair

I would really like to apply to the Renegade Craft Fair, Which is taking place in Brooklyn On June 6 and 7 from 11am - 7pm. I went last year and it was bustling and awesome. It is free to get in (which means one wants to spend more money) but to get a booth the fee is $300. The space is 10'x10' and I've got a craft fair tent and some tables. I'm looking for 1-3 people who would like to split the fee and the space with me. Of the craft fairs I did in Troy this past winter, I made $100 a day. And that's in TROY. (Think of the money to be made in Brooklyn!)
Who's with me?