She's crafty

As some of you may already know, I just finished my first machine sewing class. Well, here is the result! I took the class through the Reitz Union's Leisure Course program. My instructor was the infamous Kim Taylor, a.k.a. The Sassy Crafter. 

It was so fun to put together, I want to make a solid color one next! The pattern is a Jaime Christina design called Honey Girl. We met for three Saturday afternoon to complete it. I never thought I could make something like this before.

etsy finds ...rawr

Rawr the Lion

http://www.etsy.com/shop/madewithlovebylaura

take a look

Hi. I've been super busy with school and my internship. I am planning a lot of great things for the future. In the meantime I thought I would share a few links.

• Grooveshark - I love Grooveshark. Listen to any kind of music you want for free. Make and save playlists. And the company was started in Gainesville. I use Grooveshark every day. 
• Craftzine's blog - Get cool project ideas here. They update all the time and the writing quality is excellent. 
• Worn journal - I think this magazine has a really unique concept and I am going to buy one with my next paycheck! Maybe I can write for them one day. 
• PS I made this - Part design, part fashion, part craft, all awesome. The projects are all incredibly affordable and wearable. 

High-Low Tech @ MIT Media Lab

passion sensing scarves!

CURRENT OBSESSION - LILYPAD ARDUINO

It's a sewable microcontroller that lets you embed lights, sounds, sensors, and much more into your wearables, perfect for clothing and accessories.

GLAM

Gainesville's local art market was yesterday. I am so inspired by the people that were featured there that I am going to write a little post about them, especially the women who organized it and my lovely booth neighbors!

I make things with my hands.

I make things with my hands. This in itself is becoming a radical act.

I am just as serious in making my "craft" items as I am working on an oil painting. They are different media sure, but I work just as hard in both. I do not think one is more important than the other. They just serve different purposes.

Things that are skillfully handmade do possess a power, a kind of grace. I do not worry that these things will become obsolete in a technologically driven world. Rather, I think technology will always have to look back and use craft if it is ever going to have any kind of permanence. And craft can utilize technology in unique ways. Recently I have seen a lot of work with soft circuits in fabric. These circuits are sewn with conductive thread. Besides looking cool, putting lights on your clothes could be useful at night if you were riding your bike.

We as crafters and artists must learn to look back at traditional crafts and forward into what technology can offer.

what i've been working on....

i want to be heather bailey

little satchets to hang on doorknobs

happy pincushions on a shelf in my house

pincushion party!

smith likes crafting too

Taking the plunge

I have been making lots of craft items lately. I like working with vintage fabrics and notions. I made Zi a cute pincushion. I also made a great pillow. I'm going to make some cool stuff to post online and to give to friends. Next I'm working on a bunny! I'll post some pictures tomorrow. I'm thinking of setting up an etsy shop. Just for fun. Supposedly it's very easy.