Craft my Cube

Turns out my day job cubicle - ack!, yes, I work in a cubicle! - is the perfect place for displaying and making use of some of my most crafty possessions. Plus, the craftiness of it all really helps alleviate that certain sterile something that accompanies the much maligned 'cube.'

The crafting of my cube is still a work in progress, but here's a sneak peak. Oh, and just in case anyone from the DIY network is out there, I smell a new show idea...feel free to contact me...


1. This one is actually a bit silly. I like to keep hand sanitizer on my desk, but I don't like the sterile (there's that word again...) look of a big 'ol dispenser of Purell just sitting there. After toying with the idea of knitting a Purell dispenser cozy, I realized that the much simpler solution was to just get a nice soap dispenser. I stole an idea straight from the pages of the now defunct Adorn magazine, and 'adorned' this simple one from Target with Hambly Screen Prints rub-on's.

2. OOOOOH...This one is my favorite!!! I just got it! It's a moss terrarium courtesy of Made By Mavis. Perfect for bringing something a little green - and more importantly, low maintenance - into the workplace. And it is so cute (especially with the teeny tiny turtle figurine I added)! Check out the close-up down below.

3. Ok, so it's not handmade, but I bought this little coin bank from Pearl River Mart because it was cute, cheap, and just plain irresistible. I figured it would be good for saving the change whenever I treat myself to some Dunkin' Donuts or Dr. Pepper, but surprisingly, I've been really good about keeping those daytime treats to a minimum (yay me!).

4. The very first lamp made by Yours truly. Naturally it has a few minor flaws being the prototype and all, but that's what makes it special and all mine.

5. Who's that browsing Etsy at work? Tisk, tisk.


Oh, and how could I forget about the non-sanctioned tacks I crafted (yes, tacks are supposed to be uniform throughout the office, although I don't think anyone's enforcing that)? Just some self-adhesive, decorative paper over a clothespin, and a couple of ordinary tacks glued to the back. Much better...

Done and Done

Oh man...I got a little in over my head with my first 'wholesale' order. I was enlisted to make 24 of my beer bottle votives, and while on the surface that doesn't (and didn't) sound so bad, I am super relieved to have them all finished...finally. I went through at least 100 beer bottles in order to get to the finished 24, so a huge thank you to all my beer guzzling friends and co-workers.


I'm also pretty stoked that the libation I'm currently sipping on is NOT beer for a change :)

Scrapping together something extra

So many great fabrics...what to do with all the scraps? BUTTONS! And perfect as "free trinkets with purchase!"

Who's that on the Etsy home page?

It's Yours truly...along with just a few of my lovely and talented New New compatriots.

I bought stuff at Renegade...did you?

I didn't make it over to Renegade until Sunday, which is a bit atypical for me...I generally like to scope it out first on Saturday (although that does usually entail a purchase or two) and then head back over on Sunday with the bf in tow in order to get his opinion on things I didn't (yet) buy. The Sunday only routine worked really nicely for me this year, and I credit it with the fact that I was much more restrained with my spending, which is a good thing...no, a great thing!

You see, at craft fairs past I have always succumb to that sense of urgency they instill (this is my one and only chance to buy this truly, truly unique X, and if I don't buy it now, I'll regret it for the rest of my life) only to regret at least one of those purchases when exposed to the true light of day-after-craft-fair.

Well not this time by George. It's the day after alright, and not only do I respect my purchases, I love 'em!

Just what did I get? Check it all out... The shirt in the picture above is courtesy of Red Prairie Press. And below, helping me rep for my favorite borough of them all, is the unique design of Brookadelphia (notice they go by BROOKadelphia rather than Phillyn...even though I kinda like the sound of that come to think of it...oh wait, that's probably because my boy's name in Dylan).


"Splat" is the handiwork of none other than Stereoette.


And what's all that in my hot little hand? What looks like another 'ol craft book is actually an awesome journal that just happened to borrow a bit from some 'ol craft book, a product of Ex Libris Anonymous. And in front is a set of the cutest little note cards ever...they read "*notes are better than letters"...get it? I don't have info on the lovely lady that I bought them from though, so if anyone recognizes her work, do tell!

Happy Handmade Father's Day

I’m not sure whether it’s simply the male DNA to blame, or some chemical/biological change that occurred the moment he became a father, but either way, my dad is impossible to shop for. He doesn't want for new clothes (still wearing t-shirts from well before I was born), has no hobbies really (unless you consider his clarinet playing, but he does that professionally so it doesn’t count), and is generally pretty content with the stuff he already owns.

So what to buy the man who doesn’t want or need anything? Well, he already has a lamp made from an old clarinet - seriously - so anything from the likes of Yours truly is out the window.

I looked to my fellow New New’ers for ideas, and here are some of my faves…

A new tie from ikyoto


Message to dad: Stop wearing those awful clarinet ties! They are even dorkier than a piano tie, and most people wouldn’t have even thought that was possible. Now THIS is a tie! I have no idea what the text on it might say, but as a tie, it practically screams “I am the coolest dad ever!”

Cuff Links from wabisabi brooklyn


French cuffed shirts are a classic, classy look; it’s too bad more men don’t wear them. These super cool cuff links are a perfect gift for a new dad who needs some subtle fashion advice. Unfortunately my dad is too far gone.

Nice soap from Kopah


I know for a fact that dad’s appreciate a nice, handmade soap. My grandparents were visiting this one time, and there just happened to be some goat’s milk soap that my mom had picked up at a craft event in the shower they were using, and my gramps went ga-ga over it. Help your dad ditch the Irish Spring and broaden his hygiene horizons (my dad’s name his Gene, insert pun there).

And don’t forget the card...from waisze


Or if you’re like me, it might be all about the card. Because he is, as I said, impossible to shop for, and as homage to the fact that I am truly my father’s daughter (read: I am cheap, and I learned it from watching you dad), I have been known to acknowledge Father’s Day with nothing more than a thoughtful card and a timely phone call. And you know what, I’m still his favorite daughter.

Who's that hangin' out in the Treehouse?

Why...it's none other than Yours truly! A special selection of original lamps from Yours truly is now available at Williamsburg's favorite cute little shop for vintage and handmade stuff, Treehouse.

Whether you need a new lamp or not, you should definitely stop by...you're sure to find something you want/need/want badly enough to rationalize it as a need. Plus they offer classes from time to time, as well as their latest feature, online shopping (courtesy of Etsy naturally).

Treehouse is located at 430 Graham Ave., Brooklyn, open Wednesday - Sunday.