kindred

goodbye,nellie.

2009-07-14T13:41:00.000-07:00

our family lost a very dear friend this morning. i'll be taking a wee blogging sabbatical as i deal with the loss of our sweet nellie. she was a jack russell we adopted 2 years ago. she came as a rescue and had been severely abused by a young pup. this resulted in the loss of her sight in one eye and a serious trust issue.

over the past 2 years she became a total mush. she thrived on cuddles and attention and loved to play ball... soccer ball. a jack russell playing fetch with a soccer ball? so funny. a half-blind jack russell playing fetch with a soccer ball? even funnier. she loved everyone in our family equally, but she was totally "my girl".

this morning she was hit by a car and killed. it was a shock and a heartbreaking blow. we cherish the time we had with her and wouldn't trade those moments for ANYTHING. the unconditional love of a four-legged friend is beyond compare and she will be sorely missed.

thank you, nellie for the snuggles, the laughs, and the soft, soft ears that just begged to be rubbed. you are forever in our hearts...

to market, to market

2009-07-10T19:43:00.000-07:00

off to the alna market day in town tomorrow. town being the alna store. the alna store being the ONLY store in alna.
the shop will be closed till about 2 while i schlep some goodies from the shop and lay them out for the hungry crowds to feast upon...
the picture? the only one i could find under "alna, maine" in google images.
ayuh, it's a very small town.

getting over it

2009-07-08T19:47:00.000-07:00

today was one of those days... you know the kind i'm talking about. i came home from the shop and was drafting a pattern for some kick-butt wool felt slippers (you'll see 'em, don't worry) and reflecting on a nasty comment i had heard made just enough behind my back to not be "behind my back". you know the kind i'm talking about.
i was kind of absorbed in my thoughts and must have looked a bit upset because olive stopped her playing and asked,"mommy? whatsa matter? you sad?". i told her not really, i guessed my feelings were just a bit hurt. we both went back to our "work" and a few minutes she returned... and gave me a band-aid.
"for your hurted feeelings"....
awwwww,shucks. i love that kid.

a break in routine

2009-07-07T16:31:00.000-07:00

there has been a lot on my plate lately... for those of you that don't know, i'm flying solo in the shop these days. kim is on sebattical due to some major health issues and that leaves, well, just me. oh, and 4 kids and a husband and a coupla dogs and a coupla cats and my own clothing line and mountains of paperwork... and a partridge in a pear tree.
i'm not going to let it beat me, though. my husband is super-supportive and helpful(he thankfully owns his own business, too and can be a bit flexible), i work in a great little town among very supportive friends and neighbors who cheer me on and cheer me up all the time (lately, cheering me up, most of all).
i want everyone to know how totally dedicated i am to making it work and that i will keep those hours and plug away and market and support our cause and product until i just can't do it anymore...
so, although i want to welcome some new friends to the shop, i want to lighten the load on my chest and the mood even more. i have been thinking about my greatest joys and inspirations in an attempt to refocus my mood and lift my spirits. always,always i come right back to my kids. so i figured we could all join in and share some funny, great or inspirational things or stories about our kids. even parenting stories would be great. anything. your kids, your neighbor's kids, your grand kids, any ole' kids at all. maybe we'll even come up with a prize for the best "kid story"?
i'll start...
the funniest thing i heard a parent say to their kid this week: "we don't hit our ball with lunch meat". yipes.

greetings from thailand...

2009-07-03T18:31:00.000-07:00

no, not me, sillies. the grocery store is about as far as i go these days! i'm talking about our newest addition to the children's section! welcome "vivi mimo"! smitten? ah,yes indeed.

"vivi mimo offers unique and lovely children's clothing and accessories for ages 3 months to 7 years.
We never produce many copies of a piece, and some items are truly one-of-a-kind. Fabrics and embellishments are gathered around the world resulting in a delicious mix of pattern and texture throughout the collection.
Much of our clothing is hand-made at Hot Chilli Concepts; a fair-trade project supporting women in need in Thailand. Our beautiful clothing is doing good works!
You will also find some other colorful surprises now and then including bags, creatures, jewelry... our whimsical collection is constantly evolving."

adorable aprons...

"vision of broome street" dress

there's more, too! cute with a cause? love it.

bento... it's what's for lunch

2009-06-27T05:27:00.000-07:00

"A bento lunch is a compact, balanced, visually appealing meal packed in a box. Historically, it’s a Japanese box lunch, similar in concept to the Indian tiffin, the Korean dosirak, or the Filipino baon lunch. In Japanese, “bento” or “obento” refers to the packed meal, and “bento-bako” refers to the bento box itself. See the Wikipedia entry on bento for more details."

Ummmmm, does it make me sound shallow to say that we love 'em cuz they're "wicked cute"? at the risk of sounding shallow, I will say it certainly encourages healthy eating, portion control, and an eco-friendly way of toting your lunch around. We think it ties in great with the whole "handmade" thing because it's a great way to "handmake" a lunch for yourself and the kiddos. It encourages creativity and family time

And they're WICKED CUTE.

somewhere over the rainbow...

2009-05-24T18:37:00.000-07:00

A little love to our new t-shirt company! okay, a lotta love. Rainbow Swirlz has come on board in recent months and really outdone themselves with the latest shipment.octopus field bags? robot tees in 3 different colors for the wee ones? gauzy baby doll tanks for the ladies? seriously... yum. and we did'nt forget the menfolk either. feats your eyes on a lil' selection and order up... they're gonna go fast!

more colors and styles in the shop and coming soon to the site!

very curious, indeed.

2009-04-30T05:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Sojourn Curiosities! An Etsy hit and now available in our humble, little shop. Sarah Gorden's whimsical creations combine found objects, beauty, whimsy and elegance to create one-of-a-kind pieces. What a great gift to yourself or that special someone! Thanks for your support, Sarah!

Come down and browse our selection of new arrivals! We have cool tees, tanks and totes, accessories for warmer weather, great jewelry, and funky sprons for gardening or skipping around town.

Wer'e Baaaaack...

2009-04-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

O.M.G, guys. It's been a loooong time since we've posted... sorry! There's been a lot going on behind the scenes here. Much re-vamping in the shop, uproar on the homefront, stuff with the kiddos, and oh yeah, the dog ate our homework. Sorry.

Seriously, though. We wanted to give you a brief glimpse of some of the new crafty goodness that has been trickling (and some days funneling) into our humble little shop. Eye candy for the craftilly inclined, if you will. Without further ado, we give you...

recycled record bowls, journals, and gift cards from "The Giggling Gnome"

eyeglass cases, crochet and knitting organizers, potholders and coasters by "madbird"

extremely cool tees and totes from "Rainbow Swirlz"

...and so much more! With any amount of luck (and certainly not because of any laziness on our part) they will all be listed on the shop site within the week.

Thanks to all the great lil' companies for your continued support and quality goods!

Calling All Crafters!

2009-03-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

Calling all crafters! Do you have a unique craft? Are you God's gift to knitted cat sweaters? Perhaps nobody can make wrist warmers from the skin of a boa constrictor quite like you can? Looking to showcase your talents to the retail world and make it big time?

In all seriousness, we are looking to add crafters from near and far who feel they have a craft that is unique, eco-friendly, whimsical, practical, beautiful, or any combination of those. Due to overwhelming response and request, we need to add more merchandise to the shop and feel that it is in our best interest to branch out and invite not just Maine crafters (although we love you guys dearly, ayuh) to join our growing shop.

Think spring, think bright colors and practical items. We have a lot of browsers looking for "gifts", so smaller goodies are great! We are also looking to expand our kids section. Both Kim and I have girls and boys in the age 6-12 range and totally feel there's not a lot of craftiness going on for that age range... some cool shirts? journals? bags? games? pants or pj's? hats?

Email us for policies, etc. We have designed the shop around what we felt was lacking in the retail market: advertising, appreciation for handmade, huge markup keeping handmade from being accessible to our target market (the average Jill or Joe), freedom to "create" and not "mass produce". All the things that apply to you apply to us, too. That and a whole lotta sweat equity! This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to bust out onto the retail scene, the secret to success is simple: if you want to succeed you have to keep at it. Be willing to add to your display continually and change things and keep them fresh.

Happy crafting! We can't wait to hear from you.

one small step for your wardrobe...

2009-02-15T05:20:00.000-08:00

one giant leap into a new eco-friendly way of thinking!

for those of you thinking "being green" means wearing patchouli and birkenstocks (which is certainly the stereotype, but not bad at all) think again. there are so many new and hip ways to bring a bit of "green" to your everyday life.

maybe an organic or sustainable fabric tee? sooo soft.

fact: over 25% of pesticides used to treat crops anually... are used on cotton. yick.

organic onesie by pinecone and chickadee $18

maybe an item from repuposed materials? felted wool= oh-so-cozy!

sweet leaf felted wool elf hat 22$

"toasties" mittens from felted wool sweaters 40$

"tree"-cycled felted wool sweater (sz sm/med) 18$

fact: 4.5% or 4 million tons of landfill waste each year is comprised of textiles, clothing, and fabric. wowee.

or, try being clean and green! a "homegrown" and good-enough-to-eat bar of soap will wash your troubles away!

fact:parabens have been linked to cancer and high estrogen levels. um, ew.

yummy homegrown soap in tons 'o flavors by long winter farm $5.50

small steps, people. but trust me, you'll feel soooo good you did it. and, you'll be inspired to do more!

d-day for v-day...

2009-02-13T05:20:00.000-08:00

some last-minute suggestions for that "special someone"... bath and massage oils from longwinterfarm 8$ each

purple raindrops tee by pinecone and chickadee 32$

felt crown and handmade tutu set by liziedoo's( for size 2-6) 32$

2" felt merino cuff w/ heart by on the round 28$

felted elf hat from recycled wool with sweet leaf design by kindred kids 22$

last but not least, a pic of the shop window, overflowing with red and pink mushy, lovey-dovey goodness!

take that special someone and love them all up!

presenting...

2009-02-02T08:41:00.000-08:00

SHOP ALERT! new items from "on the round"! a unique and lovely shop from rockport, maine. featuring simple and beautiful pieces like:

and:

oh, and don't forget:

we say YUM. how can you not love it? valentine's, anyone?

d.i.y.o.d.s (do it your own darn self) wrist warmer tutorial!

2009-01-29T05:16:00.001-08:00

these have been the hot seller in the shop this season. there's no debating the whys of that, they're practical, eco-friendly, and super-cute. the other bonus? they're easy-peasy to make! here's what you need:

-a thrifted sweater (at least 80% wool)
-scissors

-pillowcase or drawstring bag

-sewing machine or needle and thread

-a quarter
-measuring tape

-buttons or other embellishments

let's go!

start by laying out your wool sweater. i find that for your first pair (one sweater yields quite a few) it's easiest to use the sleeves. i started at the top because i liked the stripes, but you can start at the cuff and cut upwards.

measure from outer fold on sleeve about 5" in. measure down about 13". after you cut, you'll end up with a 10" x 13" rectangle. you can go longer for longer wristwarmers or shorter for a cute "wristlet" look. go wider for bigger hands or less than 5" for smaller hands. either way, account for the fact that after felting, these babies will shrink (about 1/2" at least).now it's time to felt your rectangles. the easiest way to do this is to put them in a pillowcase or drawstring bag and wash them with other clothing on your hottest wash then dry them in the dryer. in steps the issue of energy-efficient appliances. i happen to have a machine that only hot washes on the "sanitize" setting. it takes 2 1/2 hours. uh, yeah. enter the large pot. fill the pot with enough water to cover your bag or pillowcase and a squirt of dish soap (i like dr.bronner's or another natural dish soap with lavender, it deters moths) and set it to boil.
agitation is they key to felting, so be prepared to use some elbow grease! this is why the machine is soooo much easier. it may be worth it to beg a small space in your neighbor or mother's next wash load just to save you the toil. me, i'm an old-fashioned gal, so away i go. as your pillowcase bubbles away AGITATE! poke and stir and prod for around 20 minutes. it is the agitation that felts the fibers together.

remove the pillowcase, run it under cool water and open it up. you should see that the rectangles now look very "feltish", where you can't really see the weave of the fibers anymore. this is good. now, pop 'em in the dryer for an extra felting, or if you think they can't take anymore tightening without becoming too small, hang them to dry.

now that the rectangles are dry, it's time to sew. make sure to use a good strong thread and set your machine to go through heavy fabric. you can also easily sew these by hand. take your first rectangle, fold it in half the long way and RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER. use a marking pen and measure 1 1/2" down on the selvage edge. take your quarter and line up the center top of it with your marked line. mark around the curve and cut it out (a half-moon shape). do the same for the other rectangle. THESE ARE YOUR THUMB HOLES. FOR THOSE OF YOU NOT WANTING THUMB HOLES, SKIP THAT STEP!start at the top and sew about 1/2" seam down to the top of your thumb hole. back stitch. clip thread ends. skip over your thumb hole and start at the base of the quarter curve and sew 1/2" seam all the way to the bottom of your wristwarmer. do the other one, too.

tah dah! the best thing about felted wool is that you can cut your thumb holes and trim around rough edges without worrying about fraying and unravelling. it's all tightly bound together now. go ahead and add embellishment. i like to add little "leaf" accents cut from felt or felted wool scraps and held on with a button. it's a great way to use up your little crafty bits and repurpose some buttons. you can also hand-applique or needle felt designs on them. both of which look really cool. i'm leaving these plain because they're for a rather "manly" 7-year-old boy.

so there you have it! you're done, you're hip, you're ready to step out in eco-chic style. send us pics of you finished products and we'll feature 'em on the blog.

and the winner is...

2009-01-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

randomly generated, the winner is... LISA! please contact us with your info and we'll send 'em on asap!

as for the rest of y'all, i'll be posting a tutorial on how to make these later today (hopefully). we have a rash of stomach flu going through the house right now... if it does'nt get up today, it will tomorrow. bear with me, this simple and eco-friendly tutorial is worth the wait!

** i'm trying, guys! this would be the day my brand new camera pulls a nutty... it'll be here soon!**
here's an idea- browse the shop while you wait!

surprise... a giveaway!

2009-01-27T13:29:00.000-08:00

in the spirit of winter craftiness, i have decided that a giveaway is most definitely in order. does'nt make sense? why do you care? you could win these! they're hip, they're cozy, they're eco-chic, and they could be free! for you! or you! yes, even you...
de from a recycled and felted wool sweater and embellished with leaf and button detail, you'll be green in style. extra long length makes them a perfect solution if those 3/4 sleeves have got you down. wear them in the office for chiily typing hands. wear them as you knit for chilly knitting hands. wear them for driving, to the post office, to the ball, whatever. you'll wear them all the time. promise. leave us a comment and we'll choose a winner on thursday at 12 noon. meanwhile, use those chilly typing hands and git yerself over to http://www.buykindred.com/ and support some kick-butt handmade goodness.

and if you don't win? check out the other pairs we've still got kickin' around in the shop...(under the "hats & mittens" category).

come back on thursday to see if you've won and i'll post a quick tutorial on making these babies.

another crafty post...

2009-01-27T04:45:00.000-08:00

since we talked yesterday about the urge to create that comes with the cold weather (or round these parts, damn cold) and drives the crafty into hibernation mode, we thought today would be a good day to post a tutorial that can actually help keep all that crafty stuff in tow. if you are anything like me, by 10 pm my sectional is covered with bits of thread, more felt fuzz than i care to mention, and stray pins a-plenty. not a great idea when you've got 4 kids that like to snuggle up on said couch first thing in the morning, without being impaled by pins.

here's a cute tutorial for a pincushion we found on whipup.net. again, take license. how cute made from a felted sweater? a flower on top (someday we'll delve into the whys of my "flower-on-top" fetish, i'm not ready to go there yet)? here's a tip- stuff the pincushion with real wool to keep pins from rusting. here's another tip- don't listen to me. do what you like and get crafting!!!

http://whipup.net/2006/03/01/stickin-it-to-the-pincushion/

keeping warm...

2009-01-25T04:45:00.000-08:00

(above slippers posted on craftster.org by lizapdesign)

there is such a wealth of inspiration and ideas on the web. one could spend hours surfing through the various crafty sites and blogs... okay, i do spend hours doing just that. i have been known to rush out for obscure crafting supplies in a gotta-do-that frenzy (anyone else think an all-night craft shop is a big money-maker someone is missing the boat on?).

in honor of the gazillions of wonderful ideas out there, and in order to maybe provide some inspiration, we will be posting some of our favorite tutorials out there. if you have pics of your finished product, or ideas on how to improve/change/add to a project, let us know! we'll put your pics on the blog...

to start, it's been super-cold 'round these parts. the kind of weather where you just want to stay in, hunker down, and craft something. something cozy. here's a project that combines cute and cozy!

http://www.homecompanionmag.com/hands_on/handmade/sole-ful_slippers.asp

a pair of ballet-style slippers with endless possibilities! i'm thinking skip the fabric lining and go with fleece? a wool felt flower at the toe? ummmm, 'scuse me... i've gotta go make sure i have some fleece around....

i've been DYEING to do this...

2009-01-22T16:03:00.000-08:00

okay, i'm out. kim was outted as an impersonator yesterday, it's only fair i have a turn. i'm a closet hippie. i've put my inner flower child on the backburner since my college days, forsaking patchouli (which smells just like dirt on me) and tye dye for tom's natural deodorant and whatever clothes have the least cat hair, spit up, coffee or toddler what-have-you on them. i've become downright presentable. alright, i do have a blue streak in my hair and a nose ring, but it's a little blue streak and a teensy weensy nose stud. but i digress. the point? my inner hippi finally busted free this week. i've been toying with the idea of doing a cohesive line of something for a long time. i tend to do a whole lotta random things unless it's for a wholesale order, so this gave my little ole life some purpose and direction (this past week, anyway). each item is totally unique and made totally from repurposed materials. i hand-dyed the slips myself with veggie dye (so pricey, i don't know that i'll do that again if there's any chance of people liking these and wanting me to go into production mode) and embellished them with thrifted silk scarves, buttons, lace, doilies, etc. i screen-printed some, too. they're all unique and i'm dying to get some feedback on them... whaddya think?

it's all relative

2009-01-21T06:24:00.000-08:00

kim has talent. i mean, not just the crafty stuff. she's a closet impersonator. and now that she's been outted, i may as well tell you she does a mean elvis. and marilyn monroe. and joe cocker. which brings us to this...
why? cuz it's funny.
well, we think so.

talent comes in all shapes and sizes, my friends.

featured crafter for january

2009-01-20T08:59:00.000-08:00

mary e. robbins of moth designs in portalnd,maine was one of the first artisans to jump on board with us. we feel so inspired by mary's great use of bold color and design. her totes are functional, fabulously designed, and better yet? they're all made from repurposed fabrics! we loooove the recycled goodies, folks. what's more, they each are modeled after one of the special women that has so inspired mary's creative journey. each is called after a woman in her extended family in morocco. the design is based upon a practical market tote or bag each woman would use for her daily tasks. today i'm thinking her totes would make a great carry-all for that knitting project and a few books for cozying up with... or perhaps to the market to buy some ingredients for a yummy stew? so many possibilities! did i mention her shirts? we have them for the kiddos and adults! their bright colors and bold, graphic screen-printing is fun and whimsical while inspiring a bit of conversation through the arabic text printed on the front. the wearer of the shirt can learn to translate the text on the shirt and share the language with anyone who might ask... and they will ask for sure! such a great and fun way to create appreciation for another culture and be oh-so-hip.

a bit of rambling...

2009-01-19T05:56:00.000-08:00

so, today is martin luther king day. yeah, school is closed, your favorite shops are keeping wonky hours or are closed, too. it's all a tad inconvenient... except that if you stop for a minute, i mean really stop for a minute and think on what it took for dr. king to be what he was in the day that he lived, well, it's pretty amazing. i'm not gonna go on and bore you with the historical nonsense, but let's just give a shout out to martin luther king today. give him props as you go about your daily routine without worrying someone's going to slam a door on you, as you express yourself freely on a blog, or as you walk into any damn store or down any damn sidewalk you please. these little things we all take for granted have not always been so simple, people. one day in the not too distant past, a single mother and a stay-home mother would never have had the opportunity to open a business. we feel so blessed to have been given this opportunity, but it is soooo important to sit back every once in a while and realize that our opportunity in america has never really been given to us. it is made of the dreams, sweat, blood and tears of the many brave who dared stand up for what they believed. we salute you, dr.king.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0FiCxZKuv8

a little somethin' for the ladies...

2009-01-18T11:02:00.000-08:00

we are trying to carry a little something for everyone, but since our real passion is our kiddos, you can be expecting lotsa handmade goodness for the 6-12 year range. does anyone else think the "cool stuff" market cuts off at about size 6 or so? stay tuned for some announcements, but also be sure to check out the awesome kids clothes we are currently offerring from pinecone and chickadee, moth designs, and milo in maine. so much more to come, too!

since i (liza) have been focused mainly on clothes for the wee ones as a business for the past few years, i'm having a hard time crawling out of that niche. there's so much fun fabric to play with right now! i'm loving doing vintage-inspired and simple designs. my apron dresses have been a big hit, especially in the amy butler patterns. the lovely london stopped in yesterday to pick up her custom dress in the "daisy chain" patterns.

and the ever-charming catalina tamed her lovely blonde locks with a wonderful felt barette by "mimisayshi". these clips are so cute, people. you gotta get some... they're in the children's section on the site, but i'd sport one. would'nt you?